#this man in the most respectful way can get it

[honeytonedhottie]

decentering men and recentering urself⋆.ೃ࿔*:･💅🏽💓

the secret to decentering men and not having ur entire world revolving around them (bcuz it should be revolving around you, duh) is having a fulfilling life. it makes me ICK so bad when im watching a video or reading a post and im rly loving it, and then it'll find SOME way to make it revolve around men. like can we not?…💬🎀

WHY WE CENTER THE OPPOSITE SEX ;

a lot of people find themselves centering their lives around the opposite sex in an attempt to fill a void within themselves. they do it because they aren't happy with themselves or their lives, or maybe its learned behavior. whatever the reason is, its NOT hot.

some things that someone who centers men might think are "oh my life is so boring, maybe it would be spiced up if i got with a man" or "maybe it'll bring some excitement into my day" like EUGHHH. obviously the solution is to find ways to make our lives fulfilling but how do we do that? and how do we get to the root cause and squash this self sabotaging behavior?

SELF AWARENESS ;

if u have nothing going on for u, ofc ur gonna be energetically desperate and accepting anything and EVERYTHING. practice self awareness and try to get to the root cause of why u center men through things like shadow work, therapy, or just straight up having an honest conversation with urself cuz i swear it helps.

when you make the conscious effort to build ur dream life you'll notice that people that are on the same mindset as you will vibe with the REAL you. the need to fake/adjust urself to fit in with other people will dissipate because ur fitting into ur own standards and ur connections will be more meaningful because of it.

TAKE UR POWER BACK ;

no ones actions should ruin ur day or make u upset for more then a day (even less) cuz its YOUR world. 💕🍰

make time for YOU, doll. plan self care routines for urself every week. doing face masks, journalling, vision boarding, WHATEVER U LIKE TO DO. making time for urself reminds u that ur the main character of ur life so u dont have to settle for crumbs.

stop giving that power to someone else and dictate how u feel, NOT the actions of a significant other or the opposite sex or anybody. the reason why its important to make sure that ur the center of ur own life is so that you can be happy and fulfilled regardless of if there is a man or if there isnt a man present. so the objective is to decenter men -> and then put yourself at the center

GET A HOBBY ;

find something to make ur life fulfilling. pursue ur OWN interests and try out different hobbies if ur unsure of what ur interests are yet. cultivate ur world to the point where it GLEAMS with perfection and then do a little extra. build a life that u love so much that whether u get male attention or validation doesnt even matter cuz their opinions have little to no relevance 💀

challenge yourself: next time you catch yourself thinking, ‘would a guy like this?’ flip it and ask urself "hey, do i like this?" start checking with yourself first instead of checking with others.

MAKING THE DECISION TO DECENTER MEN ;

decentering men simply means that ur deciding to no longer think, feel, act, dress, or plan ur life around a man or for the validation of any man…💬🎀

relationships will actually get BETTER when u decenter the opposite sex. cuz ur not looking for someone to compete with and ur whole on ur own. this sets the stage for balance and mutual respect and THATS hot.

you can be in a relationship and still decenter men. decentering men simply means that you are the priority, not the relationship. how can we tell if we're decentering men or not? here are a few questions to help you know if u are ->

if i did not care about looking good to the opposite sex what would i actually like to wear?

if i did not get married, how could i create the best and most abundant life for myself?

what hobbies/interests do i have that dont involve being around men/have male attention as a component of it?

[geneviveleocardius]

silco and his way of loving you

my man

silco is a man of plans and ambition, but when it comes to you, everything else takes a backseat. you are his exception, the one person he trusts entirely.

if anyone threatens you, silco’s rage is terrifying. he’s a man who built a criminal empire; he knows how to destroy enemies utterly and ruthlessly. for you, he wouldn’t hesitate to dismantle all of it.

silco ensures your safety with meticulous planning. from hidden bodyguards to secure safehouses, you might not even realize how many layers of protection he’s arranged for you.

silco isn’t the type to shower you with grand romantic gestures. instead, his love is shown in the little things: making sure you have everything you need, fixing things before you even know there’s a problem, and quietly watching over you when you’re vulnerable.

silco is not overly physical, but when you’re alone, he’ll let his guard down. a hand on your lower back, fingers brushing against yours, or his thumb tracing your jaw when he cups your face—these moments mean everything coming from him.

at night, when the stress of the day fades, he’ll let his mask slip. silco holds you close, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on your skin as he whispers plans and dreams only meant for you to hear.

his sharp tongue spares no one, not even you, but there’s an unmistakable fondness in his teasing. he loves when you fire back, and the smirk that plays on his lips tells you he’s impressed by your wit.

silco has a knack for giving you nicknames that sound mocking but secretly melt his heart. whether it’s “darling,” “my torment,” or “trouble,” there’s always a hint of affection in his tone.

silco is a master of manipulation, but with you, there’s no need for pretense. you see the parts of him no one else does: the man who doubts, aches, and dreams. in you, he’s found someone he can truly rely on.

when the world feels like it’s pulling him into the abyss, you’re the one who keeps him grounded. he might be zaun’s eye, but you’re his anchor.

you’re the only person who sees the rare moments of guilt or pain flicker across his face. when his walls come down, he doesn’t speak much, but the way he clings to you says everything.

silco has no issue getting his hands dirty, but when it comes to you, he’ll even set aside his pride if it means making you happy. whether it’s something as small as an apology or something as monumental as changing his plans, he’ll do it for you.

silco is fiercely possessive, but he trusts you enough not to smother you. still, the way his sharp gaze lingers on anyone who gets too close is enough to send most people running.

silco may not be one for flowery words, but when he tells you, “you’re mine,” it’s a vow that carries more weight than any traditional declaration of love.

being loved by silco means being the most precious thing in a dangerous world. his love is intense, consuming, and unyielding—but with it comes a promise that you’ll never face anything alone.

silco’s love is quiet but intense, like a slow-burning fire. he isn’t the type to shout his feelings or wear his heart on his sleeve, but everything he does is for you. he shows his love through actions—ensuring your comfort, solving your problems before you even know they exist, and always putting you first.

he respects your independence but always watches out for you from the shadows. his way of saying “i love you” is often subtle: a rare, vulnerable gaze held a moment too long, or a quiet “stay safe” that carries more weight than any grand declaration.

silco’s kisses are measured and intense, like he’s savoring every second. he doesn’t rush, letting the moment linger as if nothing else exists.

in private moments of tenderness, he’ll press a soft kiss to your forehead, his way of silently promising to protect you.

he loves to tease you with playful, possessive nips during a kiss, a reminder of the passion simmering beneath his calm exterior.

he has a habit of kissing the sensitive spot just below your ear when he wants to make you melt, his voice low as he murmurs something teasing or affectionate.

silco thrives on making your life easier. whether it’s handling a problem you didn’t want to deal with or silently taking care of something before you even notice it, he shows his love through his competence and reliability.

though his life is busy and chaotic, he always carves out time for you. these moments are sacred to him, whether it’s sitting in comfortable silence or talking late into the night.

while he isn’t overly expressive, silco’s words, when he chooses to speak, carry immense weight. he knows exactly how to reassure you, lift you up, or show his admiration with sharp, carefully chosen phrases.

he loves the way your hands feel in his—smaller, softer, yet steady. he’ll hold your hand under the table during tense meetings or brush his fingers over yours in quiet moments, finding comfort in the connection.

silco is intense but never reckless. he approaches intimacy with the same deliberate care he applies to everything else, making sure you feel adored and completely satisfied.

he knows every inch of your body and every reaction you have. nothing escapes his notice, and he takes his time learning exactly what makes you feel good.

silco likes to take control, but he’s not harsh—he’s commanding, confident, and endlessly patient. he makes you feel safe while igniting a fire you didn’t know existed.

intimacy is one of the few times he allows himself to be completely unguarded with you. his whispered confessions and soft touches reveal a man who trusts you in ways he trusts no one else.

silco loves to keep you on your toes with sly comments and sarcastic humor. “oh, you think you can outsmart me? charming, but unlikely,” he’ll say with a smirk when you challenge him.

even after all this time, the way he looks at you can make your heart race. his sharp, calculating gaze softens into something warmer, more intimate, when his eyes meet yours across a crowded room.

a hand on the small of your back, a light brush of his fingers against yours, or a firm grip on your waist remind you that you’re his.

he’ll catch you off guard with unexpected praise. “you’re too brilliant for your own good, you know that?” he says, his tone half-teasing but completely sincere.

silco thrives on stolen moments of intimacy. even in the middle of a busy day, he’ll pull you aside, his voice low and suggestive as he murmurs, “do you have any idea how distracting you are?”

being loved by silco is like being claimed by a storm—intense, consuming, and completely unshakable. he’s not just your lover; he’s your partner, protector, and equal, and he makes sure you never doubt how deeply he adores you.

[agarbar]

Don't Leave- Prologue

Sevika x Reader

MDI!! +18

You were Sevika's most loyal pet.

Warnings for whole story: (I will avoid giving too much detail of the plot of the fic, read at your own risk.) SMUT, Sexual descriptions, age gap, ANGST, SLOOOOW BURN (years literaly pass, kidnapping, aggression, Toxic relationship, aggression, cheating (situationship type), Sevika does not even like (or respect) the reader, Reader is delusional. Sevika hasn't lost her arm (yet), manipulation, reader might be described as curvy. More warnings be added later. SLOW WRITER! (sorry)

English is not my first language. I struggle a lot with punctuation and grammar. This will take multiple parts, and its set before the first events of Arcane. Its technically an x reader, but I will avoid using (Y/N) the best I can. There is an age gap in this story, the reader is also a bit weird and obsessive.

Sevika made her way through the crowd, her steel-toed boots making loud thumps as she marched along the wood and metal floors of the Last Drop. She headed to the ornate doorway of the top floor. The men guarding the entrance knew better than to attempt to block her path. The door swung open and banged against the wall, slammed shut just as loud. Silco did not even need to glance up to see who it was, he called her up after all. 

“You asked to see me, boss?”

"Have you been taking good care of your pets, Sevika?" Silco questioned as he reviewed their latest shimmer supply record.

She nearly rolled her eyes at his question. "My men know their place— they do as I say, no questions asked. They don’t need pampering."

"You must already know how vital loyalty is for someone of your position. Particularly the ones you are affiliated with." The man poured himself a glass of liquor. “So then? How have you been treating your pets?”

The woman slumped down on a wooden coffee table, not bothering with the fancy velvet settee. "What exactly are you getting at?”

"Certain rumors are spreading around," Silco picked up his drink, swirled the golden-hued beverage, and leaned back in his seat. "In regards to Sheriff Grayson." 

Sevika scowled as she heard the Piltie’s name. “What type of rumors?” She drew a cigarette from her vest and dug into her back pocket for her lighter.

"Insiders say Sheriff Grayson is going around digging for dirt."

Sevika blew a cloud of smoke out her nostrils, the burn alleviated the itch in her lungs. “Thought the Piltie had no interest in ‘fixing’ Zaun.” 

"The sheriff does have a deal with Vander.” Silco dropped the papers on the table, no longer interested in revising them. “But things can change fairly quickly."

“You think she will start meddling with our business?”

"She might," Silco said, circling his chair to look at his large window. "There are numerous sightings, all late in the night. She visits one person in particular.”

“And you want me to deal with them?”

Sevika could tell Silco was more amused than enraged. Especially by the stupidly obnoxious way he swirled the liquid in his glass. Strange, considering that the possibility of the Sheriff suddenly placing importance on their business was a big reason for stress.

“Sources claim that the sheriff has been visiting a little seamstress.”

Sevika froze for a moment. So this was it? This was the reason why you've been avoiding her for months? Her jaw clenched in anger. Of course. Of course, Grayson would be targeting her... she pushed her thoughts aside, focusing on what was important.

“Blue building, three stories high, store front at the bottom, sound familiar?”

"Yes, I know the place.” She answered, gripping the cigar in her thick fingers and drawing it away from her lips.

Silco turned his chair to face her once again.

"The sheriff has been going in late at night, and leaving before sunrise.

The girl was a..... plaything of yours,” He arched his thinning brow. “right?"

Sevika averted her eyes. She despised being questioned. “I never claimed her as my own, just.. entertainment. A distraction.”

Silco leaned back in his chair, his eye never leaving Sevika’s face. "And, don't you think it's odd that the Sheriff is visiting your ‘distraction’, night after night?" his voice both serious and amused.

No, you wouldn’t. You were an attention-seeking hog, but you were too obsessed, too devoted to her for something like that. But then again... you had stopped attending to her needs. After ‘that night’ you had not shown up at the Last Drop to see her. Or tried to seduce her, shown at her doorstep for some fun, or showed your face anywhere she frequented. 

“Are you implying she’s a snitch? For Grayson? My brat?”

Silco chuckled, taking another sip of his drink. "I’m not implying anything, Sevika. I’m merely stating the facts. Grayson has been spotted entering that little seamstress shop, night after night. And I find it awfully convenient that your little pet happens to be involved."

Sevika clenched her jaw, her irritation and anger growing with every word Silco spoke. "Bullshit," she hissed. "She would never.”

But a small, nagging doubt crept into her mind. It had been months since you stopped seeing her. Could it be that you were working with Grayson? Betraying her? No, there was no way. Was there?

Sevika took a long drag from her cigarette, calming her nerves before she spoke again. "Even if Grayson has been visiting that shop, it doesn’t prove anything," Sevika said, her tone stern. “There's no proof that they are involved."

"We don't, but we don't have any proof she is not either," Silco said, looking at how his glass gleamed with the moonlight. "I was going to let two of my men give her a visit for answers, but I doubt you'd appreciate me bruising one of your apples."

Sevika grimaced at the thought of you being roughened up by some ruffians. "No. Nobody touches her. I'll handle this myself." She snuffed out, her cigar on one of Silco's trinket plates.

Sevika stood up from her seat, determined to find out the truth. She needed to know if you were truly working with Grayson and if you had sold her out. She headed towards the door, her mind set on confronting the little seamstress she had spent most nights with for the last 3 years. Her hand grasped the door's brass knob.

"Take better care of your pets, Sevika," Silco said, "She was so loyal just months ago."

Sevika paused in the doorway, her hand on the handle. Silco's words dug deep, reminding her of the once loyal girl who used to attend to her needs.

"You think I don't know that Silco?" she said, her voice low and laced with irritation. "Just... let me handle this." She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

[verdantwyrm]

Man, I have got to learn to stop going into the comment sections of mouthwashing playthroughs because of the same old tired takes getting circulated there. Like one comment I saw said Curly was acting all "buddy buddy" with Jimmy after he figured out what happened to Anya, and it's like huh, I guess you missed the subtlety of the score playing while Curly is trying to find Jimmy. That being that Curly is low-key panicking about the situation and so the things he's saying to Jimmy could be coming from a fawn response rather than him just trying to comfort Jimmy.

It's why I don't bother either, I already see enough bad takes just on here. I avoid mouthwashing tiktok like the plague.

Even if you want to read Curly as being "buddy buddy" with Jimmy it is very very very obvious that something is up. Ignoring the music, the dialogue alone is extremely unnatural. We've seen Curly be confident, with Anya it's confident and comfortable. With Swansea its stern as is his role as Captain but forgiving, with Daisuke its firm but again, forgiving. It's very evident that Curly has the confidence for his role and the ability to hold that in situations of stress while still being lax and carefree because he trusts his crew, he holds no personal interest or respect for Pony Express so theres no reason for him to be cruel or unfair; and despite that, he's still the Captain and he most certainly can express that when he so desires.

But not with Jimmy. When he's with Jimmy he's frightful, unsure of himself, scared to defend himself or even speak up because he would much rather be the one taking the hits than not at all because it also meant Jimmy had a target to vent his frustrations or anger out on. Much rather it be him than someone else, thays why he tries so hard to be the one in between, either as a mediator or so he could step in whenever necessary. He was willing to do as much as possible to fawn, please and be in the way, both mentally and physically, so if the worst to happen it would only happen to him.

He's panicking because he's never seen Jimmy so worked up so he defaults to the same three points as if he's reading from a script because he genuinely doesn't know how to approach the situation in a way that benefits them both in some way.

Jimmy gets to let his frustrations out and Curly gets a calm Jimmy, someone thats more agreeable, calmer and possibly even less dangerous. Someone that you can approach with other topics with much less risk, which could have been the original plan; to let Jimmy get his frustrations out, calm him down enough to sit and talk more about their options regarding the situation. All we know for certain is that he wanted so badly to be there with Anya when she told Jimmy.

[straylightdream]

always

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: bang chan x f.reader

loving someone who can’t return your feelings can be heartbreaking.

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞(𝐬): angst, friends to ??

𝐚𝐮(𝐬): nonidol au, underground boxer au

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2k

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: injuries from fighting, cuts, mentions of blood and stitches, talks about powerful men who want to get leverage on Chan, lots of tears, and angst

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: pg 13

𝐚𝐧: sorry I haven’t posted a skz story in a minute.

𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐬.

It had been a rough night to say the least. You laid in the same bed with a foot between the two of you. The room was so silent it seemed to leave a ringing sound in the room. Chan wore nothing but his boxers that sat low on his hips. He was laying on his back with his hand holding his side that had a pair of cracked ribs. His breathing was pretty uneven because he was in so much pain. The night had left him stumbling into your apartment with a deep gash on right below his collarbone, that you had to stitch up as he sat at your kitchen table. Unfortunately Chan coming to your apartment beat up wasn’t anything new. This was a side effect to him being an underground boxer.

Biting your bottom lip, you stared at the man who seemed to easily hold your heart in his hands. Luckily, he wasn’t careless with your heart, he was well aware you were in love with him. He went out of his way to make sure you didn’t get hurt, but knew at some point he was going to break your heart without even trying.

Laying on your side you reached your hand out slowly as it shook. You wanted to touch him to pull him close to you, but you knew you shouldn’t do it. He wasn’t your boyfriend, and probably was never going to be. A normal friendship between a boy and a girl normally didn’t involve the boy getting the shit beat out of him and then crawling through your window beaten. Normally the girl wouldn’t have to stitch him up and then beg him to spend the night so you would know he was safe.

His eyes were closed as he attempted to get some sleep, but he wasn’t going to be able to sleep, at least not until you had a very important conversation. You were well aware he wasn’t asleep even with him laying there with his eyes closed.

Your hand reached out a little more so you could touch him, but before you were able to touch him, you pulled your hand away. You needed to tell him that you couldn’t take this anymore, but you were terrified.

“Chan?” Your voice was shaky as you were unsure of if you should even be speaking.

“Yeah?” his eyes opened up as they blankly stared at the ceiling.

“What is going on here?” You whispered as tears continued to slide down your cheek.

“I’m a selfish asshole,” he groaned as his head moved so he was blankly looking in your direction.

“Why did you come to me and not Changbin?” You needed to know if he returned your feelings.

“Because for some reason even though I know I need to leave you alone, I can’t seem to stay away,” he sighed. He knew he was being selfish, that he was well aware of your feelings, and that he should respect them and stay away from you since he couldn’t give you what you truly deserved.

“I don’t want you to stay away, but I need you to know how I actually feel.”

He nodded his head and moved his arm from his stomach where it was resting onto the bed so it was about an inch from your hand.

“Chan I’m in love with you and I hate seeing you get hurt, but what hurts most of all is that I know that no matter how much I actually love you…” you hesitated knowing that no matter what was said right now you were never going to be able to take back anything you said. “I’m never going to be able to actually be with you. You won’t ever feel the same way, and I understand but I just need you to know that it hurts loving someone who doesn’t feel the same way.”

There was a silence between you as Chan was taking in everything you had just said to him. He had known for a while that you were in love with him, and he had even let you know that he couldn’t be with anyone as long as he was illegally fighting. It was too risky to actually be with someone. He made a lot of money fighting and he had made some enemies along the way.

“Okay I regret saying all that,” you mumbled at the fact that he hadn’t even said anything in response.

“Hey,” he reached out and rested his hand on top of yours as he lay still on his back. “Give me a second to take in everything you just said to me. I know that you’re in love with me, and believe me I return the feelings. I have for a long time, but…” he paused knowing that what he was about to say was going to hurt both of you. You attempted to brace yourself for whatever was going to come after the “but”. “I can’t be selfish and put you in harm's way. I love you too, but if someone finds out that I have someone that I love, you would be the first person that people would use to get leverage. Too many powerful men know who I am, and I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt because of me.” His hand that was resting on top of yours gave it a gentle squeeze.

Everything he had just said to you made your world feel like it was spinning. You knew Chan might have some sort of feelings for you, but you never actually expected him to say that he was in love with you too. As your brain was attempting to process the fact, he said he was in love with you, you were also realizing that it didn’t matter that you were both in love, because you couldn’t be together.

“What happens here then?” You sighed.

“I’m not sure exactly, I should probably give you space,” he moved his hand away from you.

You shook your head to yourself refusing to let him walk away from you right now, “Bang Chan you don’t get to tell me you love me, and then say you should give me space.”

He slowly moved so he was sitting up and you laid next to him still in bed wondering if he was actually getting up to leave. He stood up and groaned as he grabbed his side.

“Are you seriously getting up to leave?” You asked quickly getting out of bed. He groaned as he reached on the floor searching for his pants that were on the floor. “Chan,” you got up and ran to the other side of the bed so you were standing in front of him. He didn’t say anything as he reached his hand out so he was cupping your cheek. He stepped forward a little so there were a couple inches between you, you looked up at him as he held your face with one hand. The tension between them seemed to grow even more as you licked your lips as your breathing seemed to pick up. “Please don’t leave, I just poured my heart out to you,” you whispered.

“I’m so selfish when it comes to you, and it's not fair to you,” he sighed as his thumb brushed a tear off your cheek. “I want to give you the world, but I can’t.”

“I’m not asking for the world,” you reached up so your hand held his wrist. “I’m just asking for you to show me that you actually love me.”

“I can’t let you get hurt because of me,” he sighed. “I should start going to Changbin when I get hurt,” his hand was still holding your face as he attempted to convince you and himself that he needed to give you space.

“Chan, please don’t pull away from me, if you do that it will break my heart,” your hand held onto his wrist not wanting him to leave.

“We can’t be together, not right now at least,” he sighed.

Your breathing seemed to catch in your throat for a moment at what he had just said. The tears seemed to slide down your cheek even harder suddenly, and it was as if he held your heart in his other hand, and that he just crushed it.

“Okay,” you pulled away from him shaking your head. “You can have your space if you want it,” your voice was shaky as you were trying your hardest to not sob.

“You mean the world to me, and I don’t want to hurt you, but being with me isn’t safe.” He reached out to grab your wrist. He needed you to know that he wanted to be with you, but it just wasn’t an option. “I already lost my first love, I can’t deal with losing you too.” He never seemed to move on from his high school sweetheart passing in a tragic car accident almost a decade ago.

“Why does it feel like I’m losing you right now,” the tears continued to slide down your cheek.

“I’m sorry that can’t give you everything,” he took a step closer to you. You reached out and rested your hand on his chest and looked back up at him knowing that he was right. That even though you wanted nothing more than to be with him, you knew deep down inside that a lot of powerful men have lost money because of him. Chan is the best fighter in the city and that has made a lot of men angry. Ultimately it wasn’t safe to be with him. You had watched him lose his first love, and you knew how much that destroyed him.

“I understand we can’t be together, but I can’t deal with losing you as my friend too,” you sighed.

Silently he nodded his head and leaned forward so his forehead was resting against yours. You took a deep breath taking in the sudden closeness.

“I want to kiss you so badly, but I shouldn’t,” he mumbled.

Without saying anything you leaned forward and pressed your lips to his. You kissed him as if this was going to be the only time ever that you were going to be able to feel his lips against yours. His strong hand moved up and rested on your cheek holding you close to him as your lips moved together. Pulling away slowly you let out a sigh.

“What happens between us Chan?” You asked, wondering if things would ever be the same after tonight.

He sighed and said, “we attempt to be friends.”

“Okay,” you said softly. You didn’t want to be only friends but you knew it was for the best. “If one day you walk away from fighting, would you actually give us a chance?” You asked, needing to know if maybe one day you stood a chance at being together.

He nodded his head and gave you a sad smile, “I’m not going to ask you to wait around for that day, but when I’m finally no longer a fighter I would like us to be together.”

“Let’s go back to bed,” you reached down and laced your fingers with his. You led him back towards the bed. He slowly got back in bed groaning at the pain from his cracked ribs.

You laid in the bed in the same positions you had been laying in before. Your hand was resting on the bed between you, slowly he reached over and laced his fingers with your.

“Thank you for always taking care of me,” he said softly.

“I’ll always take care of you,” you said knowing that no matter what happened between you, that you would always care about him.

“I hope one day that I’ll actually be able to give you the world,” he said gently, squeezing your hand.

You couldn’t help but smile at the possibility that maybe one day you could be together.

[resisteverything]

on the topic of Vivzepop with her edgy ocs

I think the main problem is that they are all outdated and problematic in a uninteresting way

Like seriously all of her characters are every middle schooler first original oc and look I’m not saying you can’t have questionable characters in your stories (as long as you not trying to make it a silly thing) then go wild with it but when it comes to viv she just makes the most horrible and downright disgusting characters and go “tehe they are my silly little guy don’t be mean to him he’s gay🥺” plus she has no issues with making a bitchy female character yet the male needs their hands to be held and get a hug because they just misunderstood people who deserves better 😒🙄😒

Vizie only has two modes.

The evil character is misunderstood and their behavior is fine and not worth caring about, or they're just unsubtly evil and unsympathetic no matter their situation. Angel doesn't need to learn to be less selfish he just needs to love himself and stop doing drugs. Stella on the other hand is just a shallow bitch who doesn't even feel bad about her arranged marriage and has zero desire to get out of it because she's not even human enough to feel hurt by things that happen to her. Vaggie doesn't have to redeem herself she can just magically become the perfect politically correct version of herself that understands that every single past belief she had was wrong. Lute is the right hand man to the worlds first misogynist, and her main thing seems to be is sexual repression, while he's a total horn dog and also casually calls her a dumb bitch even though she has nothing but respect for him, but we're not supposed to think about why she's so complicit in the patriarchal hypocritical values that hold her down, it's not like those who challenge the system get damned to hell or something.

It's so boring.

[a-bottle-of-tyelenol]

Talking about the Poseidon/Odysseus parallels put all throughout EPIC, I think the Eurymachus scene in ‘Odysseus’ is the most interesting.

When we first meet Poseidon, he tells Odysseus that he’ll only be spared if he apologizes for hurting Polyphemus. Now, regardless of whether you believe him to be truthful here, it really doesn’t matter because Odysseus pointedly doesn’t apologize. He justifies himself and tries to get Poseidon to sympathize with him. “We meant no harm. We only hurt him to disarm him. We took no pleasure in his pain. We only wanted to escape.”

That isn’t an apology.

Likewise, in ‘Odysseus’, Eurymachus sees his old king and, instead of apologizing like he SHOULD, he deflects and demands forgiveness— to reiterate because this is insane, he doesn’t apologize but actually has the audacity to ask for forgiveness. “Old king, our leader is dead! You’ve destroyed the serpent’s head, now the rest of us are no longer a threat! Old king, forgive us instead, so that no more blood is shed.”

That is worse than Odysseus’ non-apology, honestly.

This scene mentions open arms for a reason and it’s very critical for the core moral debates within the show, but it also further cements the parallels of Odysseus and Poseidon for me.

In this moment, Odysseus is, for the very first time, openly addressed as king by the other characters. Not captain— king. He is at the highest status, the closest thing a mortal man can be to a god in terms of power and respect, and he is being approached by a man who arrogantly thinks that he doesn’t have to apologize for hurting the family of someone with far more power than him. This is only further pushed by the fact that Odysseus rejects the notion of moving on in the same way that Poseidon did with him in ‘Get in the Water’.

I find it interesting that Scylla and Odysseus claim ‘we are the same, you and I’ (which does make sense thematically but shhh I have a point) when, really, it’s Poseidon and Odysseus who are one in the same and we see that progression very clearly in their first attempt at forgiveness, their second at moving on, and finally, the third with Eurymachus that mirrors the previous two.

It’s a very cool way to finalize the conversation between the concepts of open arms, just a man, and ruthlessness imo ✨

[affogato-analysis]

Art as resistance in Arcane

Disclaimer! I’m not an artist, I don’t study art, I will have the most obvious takes on art and will avoid discussing any technicalities of art! I wholeheartedly beg for someone to come and tell more stuff about art in the comments/reblogs, either because you agree or think I said a lot of sht throughout this post :D

What I am, however, is a student in political science working towards my master’s degree! Which clearly doesn't mean you have to just eat what I’m saying without critical thinking but I do have some idea of what I’m saying and I will be quoting my sources.

Also, heads up, spoilers ahead for the entire show.

So! Art and resistance and Arcane.

One of my favorite things in Arcane is the worldbuilding, because it’s exceptionally well done. I do not know if 100% of it was 100% intentional or if some things just happened to be there but I can not say anything about the way the show writes the inequalities between Piltover and Zaun and introduces the two parts of the city. It doesn’t mean we’re not allowed our grievances with the show of course, but i’d defend that this element of it is almost flawless.

And thus, let us talk about art as domination, art as resistance.

So! How is art resistance in Arcane? Well in multiple ways of course!

It's very obvious in Paint the Town Blue, where art very much is the weapon of rebellion (that and molotovs i guess).

Blue is the symbol, the rallying force, Jinx's blue is the answer to the enforcers’ blue and Zaunites riots are the answer to Piltovian oppression.

Jinx's monkeys are known in Piltover, it's the sign of her bombs and it's a threat. Since the assault on the council, she's proven herself to be a terrible, terrible threat.

The spray paint also is the weapon, both because it creates art and because it fights the representation of the situation.

Representations are how we are shown a situation, and therefore influence greatly the way we picture it and that immensely influences how we decide to act upon an event. So this!

is reframing Jinx as Vander's legacy, and it's fake because revolts are not Vander's heritage and Jinx is not walking in Vander's footsteps until Isha comes along, but it's efficient. Vander was a respected man in the Undercity while Silco was violent and brutal with Zaunites.

And it works really well, else the Jinxters would simply not be, let alone that many.

And this!

is also a fight for representation, but it's against Piltovian propaganda. It's still very much Jinx Blue versus Piltover Blue, it's fighting the idea of a consensual intervention based on cooperation between Zaun and Piltover; fighting the idea of kind, violence-i-dont-know-her enforcers by demonizing their picture; showing Caitlyn as blind but not untouchable and refusing to let Piltover expose their propaganda in their city. This is powerful, art and its materials are used as a weapon against Piltover's domination.

And in an even more obvious way, these

are paints and they’re here to say ‘you’re safe nowhere, expect us’, both in season 1 and season 2. Season 1 especially is Jinx mocking Piltover’s core values as the city of progress.

In a slightly less obvious way, this mural:

is resistance too, because it’s fighting how Piltover and the chembarons would describe them: punks, terrorists, hooligans, you get it. It also is because it’s motivational for the resistant forces (the Firelights).

Contestation and resistance are not always all out wars and permanent riots, and silence does not mean total submission. Resistance is to be found in everyday life, through puns and rumors, sabotages and hidden acts of refusal. (James C. Scott, The Arts of Resistance)

There also exist other ways, more subtle, to use art as resistance.

I’m gonna start with my sources here: Pierre Bourdieu. And I’m going to have to put another disclaimer right there: I did not read his work. I was taught it by my university teachers though, and that’s what I’m going to be using as my actual source material.

Well I did read some but I did not pick up the book we’ll be referring to today: La Distinction (The Distinction). Bourdieu said a lot of things but the only one we’re going to focus on in this post is the idea of the distinction (strap in, I have no idea if I can summarize that correctly).

Basically and very summed up, social groups and classes are ranked in hierarchies and all try to not be associated with the lower groups. To avoid this, groups adopt habits that mark them socially, like people who can afford to wear expensive brands will do so because it’s a social marker. It’s also seen in hobbies: not everyone is used to going to museums, not everyone enjoys going to the opera. I learned to go to a museum and enjoy it because my parents are teachers and artists and thus they wanted me to know. It’s a marker of my family’s place in society and social ladder, basically we are automatically branded as cultured people — not saying we are more than anyone else but our culture was in adequation with the ‘good culture’. Because, yes, of course ways to act, consume and be are ranked too, based on who does what. That’s cultural domination. Each group’s cultural practices are ranked in society and are more or less valued, and it very much follows the social ladder placement. Basically, the more a group is valued, the more its practices are seen as good and legitimate in society.

(I’m so sorry this took forever but there is no summarizing Bourdieu in 4 lines)

With that knowledge! It will hopefully make sense when I say that maintaining your autonomy against the pressure of cultural domination is resistance. Basically, if you refuse to see opera as a superior form of entertainment and instead think guy rapping some verses he came up with on the street is better and socially more valuable, that’s resistance. Doesn't mean it's gonna change the world but hey, resistance still.

So pieces of art in the Undercity are refusal of that cultural domination. These refuse to let Piltover be the place of glory, of beauty, refuse to abide by Piltover’s standards of beauty too, because Piltovian art looks like this!

It’s all golden and smooth and uniform, elegant and beautiful. This one statue:

is of Margot, one of the chem barons (same hair, same piercings) and it’s part of the vent system. For one, It means that something Piltover set in place was reclaimed by Zaunites — although not any Zaunite but a chem-baron, multi layered power dynamics at play out there! — but also, look at it. It’s rough around the edges, made of multiple fragments pieced together (you can see it on the chin and across her forehead), it’s sharp and angular and it certainly doesn’t abide by Piltover’s norms for artworks. Statues are associated with powerful people. Margot’s is different from Piltover’s, because she’s not a Piltie and she doesn’t crush Zaun like Piltover does, but this statue still means that art is in Zaun. Not quite the same, but no less pretty and valuable and a statue is still a signifier of power, just like in Piltover.

Same goes for Vander’s statue, all surrounded by pipes and jagged and in the dark too, both of them, contrasting with Piltover’s light and gold!

(this is also domination though. Margot has this statue because she is a chem baron, and she is weaponizing art to increase her own power if only thanks to popularity. She associates herself with clean air for a reason!) (yeah because Cait’s reaction to seeing it makes me think Margot didn’t get permission from the Kiramman before getting that statue done.)

(Also, Bourdieu argued that groups try to reach for the culture of the higher groups in society, to distance themselves from the lower groups. Power in Zaun is also shown through statues, because Piltovian standards of what is great art meant to symbolize great people still seeps through society and trickles down to Zaun.)

(admittedly a severe part of this post is over expanding over what the show actually tells us but the worldbuilding is so coherent that it’s very easy to just push the boundaries of the world we see.)

Also, these are art!

They’re graffiti, street arts made on walls and with spray paint. If you compare it to, let’s say, Mel Medarda’s own painting, not quite the same ambience!

Mel’s art is clean and refined, with paint and a palette and a knife and paintbrushes that are all very expensive, and careful and on a canvas and representing a concrete display of power from Noxus. This is a display of wealth, and it sets the tone for what is “great” art in Piltover (one’s position often determines the value of what they do in life, and Mel is the most powerful person of Piltover, therefore her art is the most valued art there can be) and standards of greatness trickling down through society, this is going to impact Zaun’s standards of beauty too, you get the drill.

So the murals in Zaun are resistance! And these are classic takes on street art: get the art away from the spaces monopolized by the upper classes; bring it to the public, to the street, to the lower classes; challenge the beauty standards; art as expression of a self no matter if it’s with a canvas; accessible art to everybody. This art is not a hyper realistic display of power, but it’s beautiful and it’s art nonetheless.

This also follows the same logic.

I’ll add extra kudos for that image because the song Rebel Heart has a very cathartic “destruction is art!” line and i very much think it’s real. Sometimes, doing great, beautiful and meaningful things means destruction!

And finally, to go back to Mel and art being the most obvious weapon of resistance ever, about maintaining your autonomy against authority and what it tells you is ‘greatness’, I’ll give you these two pictures and rest my case.

[inky-snowdrop]

Christmas with the Lin Kuei 🎄

(NOTE: I don't personally believe that the Lin Kuei celebrate Christmas because I headcanon that religion isn't allowed within the clan. The mindset of clan before blood also negates the whole family aspect of Christmas. HOWEVER I am making an exception for this list 🤍)

❄️ Bi-Han ❄️

Y'all... this man is not a Christmas hater (LET ME EXPLAIN)

Does he love Christmas? No. The fact of the matter is that Christmas happens during his favorite time of year: winter. Anything that happens in cold weather is decent in his eyes

He enjoys gift giving, especially when it's for Sektor and Sareena. Naturally he is a very observant person, so seeing the look of excitement on his significant others' faces when he gets them exactly what they wanted makes him happy

He's not really into all the family fun that's supposed to occur during the Christmas season (this man is NOT making a gingerbread house). He'd rather curl up near the fire and read a Christmas book (he enjoys A Christmas Carol because of the ghosts) with the people he cares about

DO NOT sing Christmas carols around him. DO NOT ask him to make it snow inside. He will actually lose his mind.

🔥 Kuai Liang 🔥

Kuai Liang is a Christmas enjoyer. He has a lot of positive memories associated with the holidays from when he was younger (playing with Harumi Shirai in the snow, decorating the Lin Kuei Palace with colorful candles)

Baking is one of his favorite Christmas traditions... Though he is an absolute fire hazard in the kitchen. He always ends up with burnt Christmas tree cookies that he absolutely smothers in frosting

Since Tomás has difficulties around the holidays, Kuai Liang goes out of his way to help him feel cheerful by including him in activities. They've spent lots of time doing childish things like building snowmen or decorating a tree in the forest with homemade decorations

Last minute wrapper. Motherfucker is awake the entire night on Christmas Eve trying to wrap all the gifts he got. He is often exhausted on Christmas morning... And some Christmas' he doesn't wake up before noon

When he moved to Japan to establish the Shirai Ryu, he took several of his old Christmas decorations with him. He hasn't touched them since

💨 Tomás Vrbada 💨

Tomás has... a complicated relationship with Christmas

On one hand, he has so many positive memories (both secular and religious) with his birth parents and sister during Christmas time... On the other hand he has so many positive memories of people that are no longer in his life

Regardless of how he feels, he tries really hard not to let his upsetment show. Whenever Kuai Liang asks him to bake with him or to build a snowman, Tomás always says yes. He doesn't want to bring anyone else down because of him

Tomás likes to watch Christmas cartoons like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Noses Reindeer. His absolute favorite Christmas cartoon is The Year Without A Santa Claus. He relates to how depressed Santa is.

Though he typically tries to avoid Bi-Han during the holiday season (why get kicked while he's already down?), sometimes he'll ask if he can sit with Bi-Han while he's watching a Christmas movie. That's the most time that they spend with each other without yelling at each other the whole year

⚙️ Sektor ⚙️

CHRISTMAS. HATER. An absolute Scrooge

There were too many times in the past where she was let down by her mother and father during Christmas time, so now she just hates everything associated with the season

She locks herself in the Armory, working on things she doesn't need to be working on in order to distract herself. She barely sleeps, she barely eats, it's mildly concerning how consumed she is by her work

Bi-Han recognizes that Sektor needs her space and tries to respect that as much as possible, but he still gets worried when she doesn't leave the shop for more than a week. Sareena will go into the Armory and pester Sektor all day, asking questions about different Christmas things until Sektor kicks her out

The only day that Sektor is somewhat present is Christmas Day. She will go sit with everyone while they open gifts, sipping her coffee as she soaks in as much of the moment as she is emotionally able to

🐝 Cyrax 🐝

Cyrax likes both the religious and secular aspects of Christmas. She is a Catholic, so she sets up a little nativity scene in her room every year

Being from Nigeria, she has a lot of traditions that she brings into the Lin Kuei from the Zaki. One such tradition is going on an annual hunt and competing to see who can kill the largest animal within an allotted time. The winner is blessed with good luck for the upcoming year and their catch is served at Christmas dinner

Kuai Liang LOVES this tradition and competes with Cyrax yearly. He has yet to beat her. In fact the only person that was able to beat Cyrax's time and kill was Sareena, who managed to bring down an Ice Beast within ten minutes

When Cyrax and Kuai Liang dated, they spent a lot of time walking in the woods and looking at all the tracks in the snow. This was also an excuse for Cyrax to cuddle close to Kuai to stave off the cold

Will often join Kuai Liang in his quest to cheer up Tomás, but she is also very aware of if Tomás is not in the mood and will back away. She often has to remind Kuai Liang to not be too forceful when he's trying to help

😈 Sareena 😈

LOVES CHRISTMAS!!! I mean, who wouldn't after being trapped in the NetherRealm with a perverted old Sorcerer for centuries?

She especially loves to decorate the palace in bright lights. Instead of using candles, she wants to go to the store and buy actual electric bulbs (not realizing that the Lin Kuei palace doesn't have electricity... But Sektor would figure out a way to make them work). She spends time untangling the lights every year and gets tangled up every time

She has a lot of questions about Christmas. "Who is Santa Claus? How does he see us when we're sleeping? Is he a sorcerer? How does he fit down the chimney? How does he not set himself on fire when he's in the chimney and the fire is lit?..." Bi-Han started ignoring her after continuously answering her questions for three hours

Is addicted to eggnog and actually enjoys Kuai Liang's burnt cookies

She's very bad at gift giving. One year she gave Bi-Han and Sektor each a dead rabbit. She didn't wrap them either, so their chamber smelled really bad for a couple of days and Sektor and Bi-Han had no idea what was causing the smell. Meanwhile, Sareena's looking mischievous in the corner and thinking "Hehehe they'll never guess what their gifts are! ;)"

[letters-to-gene-roe]

Long Night

HBOWarDaily Secret Santa gift for @kindsummer

Word Count: 1.7k

Heffron's as hot as the sun that's not shining on them right now, and as cold as it is, he's sweating profusely, melting away at an alarming rate. The best Eugene can do right now is watch him, and that's no certain thing when he's hearing MEDIC! what feels like every five minutes, and even if Eugene had the supplies, there was no helping him, because he was… changing.

Heffron's as hot as the sun that's not shining on them right now, and as cold as it is, he's sweating profusely, melting away at an alarming rate. The best Eugene can do right now is watch him, and that's no certain thing when he's hearing MEDIC! what feels like every five minutes, and even if Eugene had the supplies, there was no helping him, because he was… changing.

Eugene had gone through this himself, all those years ago, in the mud and rain of the trenches that so defined the last war. If he thinks real hard, he can conjure up the last night of his life - not with the shadowy haze most of his old life had, but with devastating color and clarity. Eugene doesn't like to think about it much, not so much because it's a bad memory (although it is), but because it was so easy to get stuck in. When you remember every second, it's so easy to pick out where things could've gone differently, could've gone better. If only I'd stayed at the field hospital. If only I'd been asleep. If only I'd fucked off at the nearest opportunity. If only, if only.

He hopes it's not like that for Heffron, hopes today stays nothing but a vague collage of sensations: cold, hard, wet, hungry. The remembering is a kind of torment, a stagnation the newly immortal don't need. The forgetting is hard enough, anyways. Eugene ain't even that old a creature, but he's caught himself losing more of the past than a young man ought to. Heffron's making small, animal noises now, so quiet Eugene knows no human ears are hearing them. That's what the change does, burn out the man in you and leave something else behind, though what that something is exactly is beyond him. His kind (their kind, now) are few, or at least, Eugene hasn't met more than a couple in the nearly three decades since that awful autumn night in 1917.

The younger man's brow is damp with sweat, and his short hair is plastered to his skin. His human scent lingers on his clothes, and if Eugene holds him close enough for long enough, he can pretend Heffron's just asleep. He listens for his pulse, which is still there but only just, with longer and longer between each beat. One second, two, then five, half a minute, a minute, more. Just a little longer now, just a little longer. Eugene resists the urge to wrap the blankets around Heffron tighter and settles for wiping the rapidly freezing sweat off his face as his last breath leaves him in one long, sighing exhale.

He hates this, because there's nothing he can do, because he ain't got any blood to give Edward when he rises, because Edward's dead and that means he's failed at his one purpose, and because Edward, the most alive of them all, was dead, about to become one of the living damned right in this foxhole. It could be minutes until he wakes, or hours, or there's a chance he might never wake at all, so Gene closes his eyes and prays. Let him live, let him live, let him live. Let him die, and live again.

If someone had asked him before this very moment if he'd wish his… condition on somebody else, he'd say no. It's only half a life, stretching out into eternity, but by God Eugene wants to see those eyes open again. He may not have turned Heffron, but now, with his still, silent body leaning against his, he feels more responsible for him than ever. Eugene's tried his best to stay detached from the men of Easy Company, it's just better that way. He knows them, respects them, trusts them - but only cares for them in the few moments they're under his hands. But Heffron - open, honest, sharp, and warm - has done his best to bring him into the fold, regardless.

When he wakes, he'll be starving. Eugene hopes that his own blood and a little chocolate will suffice. Of course, if he lets Heffron drink from him, it'll mean Eugene will need to feed sooner rather than later, like he'd hoped, but that's something he's willing to bear if it meant keeping Edward (no, Heffron damn it) from falling upon his nearest living comrade to drain the life out of him. Ain't got nothing to do with how he wants to feed him, of course not - how he wants to pull him close and not let go, how he's caught himself dreaming of a night far from tonight, where the war's over, and while the two of them are slightly less than alive, they're together. Absolutely not.

There's a twitch next to him and that's all the warning he has before Edward's eyes (Heffron's!) snap open and Eugene has to pin him down, all but shoving his wrist in Heffron's face. He can see the exact second Edward catches his scent, eyes locked in on the small gash Eugene opened up with his own fangs. Heffron rushes forward, laving at the cut with his tongue before suckling at it, new, sharp teeth pricking him without biting. He's making a mess of Eugene's uniform sleeve, so Eugene brings his other hand around to push at Edward's jaw until his fangs sink in deep. Every pull from him was a throbbing wave of pain, passion, love, want need hunger pain mine mine mineminemine.

Mine, Eugene thought blankly as Heffron slowed his feeding. What a crock ‘a shit. I've got no room to say he's mine.

Edward's breathing out of reflex, huffing and puffing like he just ran ten miles. He doesn't need to breathe anymore and Eugene knows once they've both calmed down, he'll stop. As Eugene pulls his arm away, he whines quietly and leans forward, trying to get more.

“Greedy boy,” Eugene tells him, though it's only an absent chastisement. Pushing a piece of Renée’s chocolate in his mouth, he murmurs, “You're alright, you're okay, just a little thirsty.” Edward just grunts, slowly chewing the chocolate. “There we go, see? ‘s not so bad now.”

Eyes coming back into focus, Heffron swallows and exclaims, “Holy shit, Doc!” before Eugene can shush him. “I- I mean, what happened? What's with the- with the, you know, the…” The wind changes, and now Eugene's scent, all dark and bloody, blows Heffron's way. His eyes take on a hungry sheen before he snaps himself out of it. “Give it to me straight - why the hell do you smell so good? And why…,” he wipes at his bloody, sticky chin, “why am I covered in blood?”

-

It is a long, dragging night, like most nights in Bastogne, made longer by the explanation he has to give to Edward - yes, you're a vampire now, yes, I'm a vampire too, no, it wasn't me who turned you, no, I don't know who did, and yes, I'm sure about that - laying out all the things Eugene had to learn piecemeal over many years.

“What about stakes? You know, like in those old Lugosi flicks?”

“I think a stake to the heart might kill anything, Edward.” He (when did he become just Edward to me?) shot Eugene a look that just screamed ‘only the goddamn nuns call me Edward!’, but moved on anyway.

“And the sun?”

“You've seen me outside, here and in Holland, and I was just fine. Stings though, and it's harder to stay focused. Night's a lot easier, ‘specially since we don't need to sleep.”

“No shit, really? Not at all?”

“Not much, anyways. It’d be better to sleep like usual, for now, since it'll keep the worst o’ the hunger away.”

“How have you been dealing with that, by the way? The hunger, I mean. How have you been keeping yourself fed these last few months? It can't have been easy.”

Stateside and in England, it had been rather simple. “You'd be surprised how much a drunk man's willing to overlook, and I've learned how to take only as much as I need.”

“What about now, though? It's not like they're handing you out a bag a’ blood when everyone else is getting their shitty beans. I suppose you could get your fill from a dead guy-”

“No!” Eugene cried as loud as he dared. “Never, I mean never, drink from a dead man, you hear?” Edward nods, startled by his vehemence. “A dead man's blood is poison, and even if it wasn't, I wouldn't let you. Gotta keep something between us an’ animals. Am I understood?” He held the other man's gaze, trying to look directly into him. He needs to get this. He needs to get a lot of things, but especially this.

“Yeah, yeah, Gene, understood.” Edward sighed, and Eugene realized he was still breathing, like he still needed the oxygen to live. Trust him to be so alive, he breathes when he's dead. “Doesn't answer my question, though. How are you staying fed out here?”

The truth was that he'd been filling his belly with blood from the wounded men at the hospital in town. Like a thief, or possibly like a demon, he'd scout out someone suitable - someone not quite at death's door, but still hurt badly enough that he could easily slip his fangs into the already open wound and drink without causing a scene.

But he can't tell Edward that. He may be a paratrooper with a whole campaign under his belt, but it is one thing to kill a man in war, shoot him, stab him, shell him, and another thing entirely to slowly drain away the very essence of his life, to hear his breath shake in agony and feel the hot spurts of blood coat your belly in return. Selfishly, and rather foolishly, Eugene wants to keep him away from that, wants Edward to feed from him and him alone. You done fucked up, Roe. You let him get his teeth in you, now what? He's not yours, not before, not now, not ever. You shoulda’ let him die in that foxhole and come back alone, but that was never gonna happen, was it?

After a beat, Eugene answers. “Like I said before, by takin’ only so much as I need.” He's saved from more questioning by artillery fire, and Eugene has never been so thankful of German aggression.

[s1ushyz]

Ray toro please, please save me ray toro please 🙏🏽

[turtleblogatlast]

[ cw: death mention / family death mention / ]

Mhmm I sure love thinking of the reality where we did get more time to really know Karai and her dynamics with the bros. Losing her hit hard in the finale, but it would’ve hit much, much harder had we known Karai longer and really saw her relationships develop with everyone.

I especially would have been interested in her dynamic with Leo, as past iterations often have the two of them clash in ideals and the like while still sharing many characteristics. Two sides of the same coin, and all that. Her specifically being the bros’ Gram-Gram also adds a whole new dynamic as well.

Imagine how interesting it would be, to have Karai start off on Leo’s side for once, showing wholly just how alike the two are at their cores and bonding as family without the worry of betrayal or animosity that other iterations suffer through, only to have Karai die anyway. Their parting hug and the desperate look of horror Leo wears later on would have hit that much harder, I feel.

[fuupan]

i had this in mind a few days ago while running on 2 hrs of sleep

decided to finally draw it lol

i have some more ideas in mind of them that i will hopefully get to get around drawing

[atopvisenyashill]

notes on the abandoned child

catelyn vi, a clash of kings / gravel to tempo, hayley kiyoko / the heirs of the dragon, house of the dragon / the winter of artifice, anaïs nin / and now his watch has ended, game of thrones / the body electric, hurray for riff raff / what is dead may never die, game of thrones / a better sondaughter, rilo kiley / script for the black queen / you win or you die, game of thrones / tyrion vi, a storm of swords / alayne ii, a feast for crows / the rogue prince, house of the dragon / driftmark, house of the dragon / under my skin, jukebox the ghost / jaime i, a feast for crows / terminallytwee / the princess and the queen, house of the dragon / the heirs of the dragon, fire and blood / scribblymouse / king jaehaerys with alicent hightower, doug wheatley / catelyn x, a game of thrones / cersei vi, a feast for crows / the wolf and the lion, game of thrones / claws part ii, typhoon / the green council, house of the dragon

[phosphophylight-of-my-life]

oshi no ko aqua is such a fun character bc by most counts he's a more than decent guy.

in his first life he regularly visited hospital inpatients who had no visitors. he was genuinely happy and excited to help Ai deliver her babies, because he wants her to be happy on her own terms. he saves Akane simply because he can, and gets angry at the staff on her behalf. he doesn't stop at saving her life and spends sleepless nights turning around her public image. at that point there was nothing in it for him to keep akane around, she was just a person he was able to help and wanted to help.

by most counts he's a pretty decent guy who steps up when people need him most, except. except he's also a guy who really wants to kill his dad and that makes him manipulate people somewhat often and this is somehow not entirely at odds with his instinct to help others

[djevelbl]

Ace Attorney crossover where, in very typical Phoenix Wright fashion, he's neglected to find out WHO IN HELL his newest client is until he's sitting right across from him at the detention center's visitation room, and he's forced to confront the fact that he's going to bat for a murderous clown who IS innocent this time around

Aka: Ace Attorney crossover, but ClownPierce is his client--