#tldr none of them have to fight alone

[arkiwii]

I personally don't think that an offensive Saria represents a bad end, but rather a good end, where she stops relying on only herself, and trusts that after all this time that the people she's trying to protect can actually protect themselves, that she's not the only one wanting to correct the mistakes they made with Rhine. That she doesn't *have* to be the lone shield protecting everyone.

It would depend on the context of the alter then, either she goes bersek, either she learns from it

But an entirely offensive one, like a DPS Guard? That feels too stubborn even if it's that she realized she can trust the ones she cares about, Saria is naturally someone who is strategical and always think in battle rather than throwing hands without thoughts

Something like another kind of Defender (Dualist for exemple) or a Supporter/Specialist would, I think, fit way better for that kind of scenario. Something that would allow her to have a synergy and gives buff/boosts to other operators, maybe just Rhine Lab operators. She doesn't have to be the only one to protect everyone, yes, but she doesn't have to fight alone neither! The best possibility would be if she can have a perfect niche along other Rhine Lab operators

[impactedfates]

Yapper Boyfriend - Various HSR Boys x GN!Reader

★ Summary: Your boyfriend loves to talk and you love to listen, though sometimes it puts a stop to what you're doing or you can tell it's getting him worked up. So what better why to make sure he's happy then stopping him with a kiss? (TLDR: Shutting your boyfriend up w/ a kiss)

☆ Characters Included (Separate): Argenti , Boothill, Mr Reca, Dr Ratio, Dan Heng + Sunday

★ Genre/Trope: Established Relationship + Romantic + Fluff

☆ Warnings: None

★ Extra: Mr Reca may be OOC (Getting used to his character still) // Sunday may be OOC // Slightly Proof Read // Writing kiss scenes are awkward...

Your beautiful boyfriend Argenti, he was the greenest flag you've ever met. You never minded his yapping and praises for Idrila, that's just how he was. And honestly, seeing him hold a long dead god with such high regard after all this time was admirable.

Though at times, it can interrupt your dates. And that's what was happening now. You were both visiting a planet and stumbled upon a shrine for the very goddess he worships. Immediately, he lets go of your hand and kneels in front of it, he sings his praises to it.

You could only sigh and smile softly as he did so. Though that wasn't the end of the praises you heard, even after walking away. The conversation you were having with your boyfriend slowly turned into him praising Idrila again. You knew why, it was rare to find any followers of Beauty these days let alone find a shrine dedicated to her.

Though, you'd much prefer singing praises to him and how great he was. You didn't mind too much listening. You knew he was passionate about his goddess and who were you to stop him. You couldn't help but admire him. You also couldn't mind just...

"It's just fantastic isn't it my love? Seeing a shrine so well kept for goddess Idrila. It's just-"

You quickly leaned up, kissing him softly on the lips. He was quick to reciprocate, leaning into your touch before you two pulled away.

"I...aha, sorry. Was I going on again my dear?"

"Don't worry, continue. You just looked so passionate about this, I couldn't help myself"

"Those forking, son of a nice ladies!!"

Your lover huffed. Boothill crossed his arms as he grumbled, letting you mess with his hair as he continued to complain. It was understandable, the IPC was incredibly annoying this time around. He wanted to get a drink at the nearby bar but some of the IPC subordinates were there and quickly tried to pick a fight with him.

Causing all of them to be kicked out. He grumbled more as he kept muttering things under his breath. A 'mother forking' here, a few 'shirt bags' there and of course 'fudge heads'

Your hands worked to braid his hair slowly, hoping it would calm him down like the previous times but it seems as though you'd have to use a different tactic.

You leaned his head towards you before quickly planting a kiss on his lips, effectively stopping his next words from coming out. He sat there in surprise, even after you pulled away, he just looked at you before quickly turning away with a chuckle.

"Well I'll be damned...got me there sweetheart"

"Reca-"

"And the camera movement! Why focus on the trees when the drama is happening with the characters!?"

"Rec-"

"Oh and don't get me STARTED on the lighting, like really? That kind of lighting for that kind of scene?"

"...Re-"

"OH AND DID I MENTION-"

You sighed, your attempts at even just soothing your partner's emotions coming to a fail. How could you do anything if he's going to criticize the movie you had just watched. Or was this just spite because you complimented one of the characters? You could only listen as Mr Reca continued his onslaught on the film's cinematography.

God you knew yourself the film was bad. This was meant to be a fun date night as you two cringed at the movies but your boyfriend was getting rather into it. Eventually after 5 minutes of this thorough review, you reach over, putting your hands gently on either side of his face, cupping his cheek. You quickly lean in to kiss him before he could utter another word.

When you pulled away he looked at you stunned for a second before grinning like an idiot. That god damn smile you fell in love with.

"Perfect! Brilliant! You see, THAT is what the lead should've done during that confession scene!"

You couldn't help but let out a laugh as he took your hands into his, as he praised your action, comparing it to the film. You will say though, your plan of stopping his review on the film was a success, even if now he was ranting about how great the "scene" was when you kissed him.

Aeons you only asked one question, you figured your boyfriend would know and now you're stuck listening to Dr Ratio yap about something, that you can't even tell has any correlation to your original question.

It's not that you minded, you loved learning new facts but the problem was...checking the time, if he didn't notice soon Dr Ratio would be late to his next lesson...and while that could be interesting and funny to see.

The oh so strict Dr Ratio late to his lesson. You didn't want that for him. But you didn't know how to stop him, when he gets into a lecture he really gets into it. So how could you...

Ah! You got it.

You stood up and walked towards him, tugging on his shirt so he'd turn his head towards you, you leaned up and kissed him. It was quick and simple before you pulled away.

"I-...what was that for?"

Oho, a blushing and flustered Dr Ratio is so much better then a late Dr Ratio.

"You have a class to attend remember?"

"...[Name], I don't go to school anymore"

"...Darling...you're a teacher"

When those words left your mouth you could see him mentally face palm as he quickly grabbed his items. He muttered out a thank you as he kissed your cheek, checking his phone to see how much more time he had left before rushing to his class.

Now Dan Heng wasn't really a yapper. He often listened to you yapping instead. And on the occasion he would shut you up with a kiss. It always made you flustered, and it wasn't even to really shut you up to be quiet. He just couldn't help himself, you looked so passionate in your topic he couldn't help but lean in to give you some affection before gesturing you to continue.

For once, you wanted to do it to him. To kiss him when he was rambling about something, make him flustered and just motion him to continue. But he wasn't one to easily ramble about something.

You eventually came up with an idea though, it wasn't exactly the best and it didn't exactly involve him rambling but...y'know if it works it works.

You asked him to read out the some of the texts to the databank, like a story book. He blinked at you confused but agreed. He read one, two and another until you finally put your plan into motion, you leaned up to kiss him. He was stunned for a moment as you pulled away.

"...was that your plan all along? To shut me up with a kiss?"

"...maybe"

He let out a small chuckle. Shaking his head in disbelief.

"You're unbelievable, to ask me to read out the data banks just so you could shut me up with a kiss"

You stayed silent for a bit with a blush, realising how silly the plan sounded now.

"...please continue with the databank talk..."

“I’m sorry”

Those words were the first thing uttered out of his mouth when you saw him again. When you opened the door and saw your boyfriend again.

“I’m…so…so sorry”

He repeats, holding your hand as he brings it up to his face. He looks at you, you can tell he’s holding back tears. Aeons you haven’t seen him since…well, the incident with the Charmony festive. You haven’t seen him since he was imprisoned, how he managed to get out?

You didn’t care, your boyfriend was back but…he didn’t look well.

“I-I didn’t…I thought…”

He struggled to get the words out, holding your hand as if you were a delicate doll and one wrong move would break you apart and he’d be alone again.

“…I just wanted the best for everyone…I-I promise…I…I didn’t think…about…all the details…I-I thought what I was doing was right but it wasn’t…aeons…I’ve hurt so many people haven’t I…”

You listened, hearing his apologies just spill out as tears threatened to follow suit. He couldn’t even look you in the eye anymore, he felt too ashamed too. How could he after all that he’s done?

Yet another apology was about to leave his lips until he felt soft ones fall on top of his. He froze, eyes widening in surprise as you kissed him.

How…

How could you…still give him affection? When he finally looked at you, you looked at him so gently, so kindly.

How

How did he deserve that? No he doesn’t deserve that, he doesn’t deserve the way you gently lead him into your house, sit him down and hug him…you’re…happy he’s okay?

He watched you carefully as you went to brew a cup of tea for the both of you…Aeons, he’s so lucky to have you.

Sorry for not uploading in while. Schools hectic and I’m a year away before I have to plan on colleges.

Anyways, I hope you all liked this one ^^

I tried to make sure the “kisses” were done at an appropriate time/scenario if that makes sense

I have another draft in the works so hopefully I’ll get it done eventually

[gayofthefae]

I realized something tonight: If Byler wasn't endgame,

Season 2 wouldn't. exist.

Not the way it does for Mike and El anyway. There is absolutely zero reason to separate them. None at all. We've been over this before: any event that does not change the outcome is cut. Do you know what that implies?

Mike and El's separation CHANGED THINGS.

When they get together at the Snow Ball, it is DIFFERENT than it would have been at the end of season 1. Otherwise, they would have cut it, nay, never written it in the first place. They would have EITHER gotten together as they did in season 3 in season 2 OR gotten together for the first time after the Snow Ball after two seasons of buildup together.

Not what actually happened. What actually happened is that Mike spent a year's worth of sentimental alone time with Will - especially in that last week - culminating in him telling Will that he is the best decision he's ever made, and it changed how he felt about El.

I cannot emphasize enough that the previous paragraph was a factual recounting of events. The plot tells us that he spent a lot of screentime with Will. The narrative structure tells us that it affected his relationship with El upon her return.

Their separation was not used to build up their relationship. It wasn't used to deteriorate it really either. It was simply a pause. It served no purpose towards their relationship as they were already together conditional to her being alive. To serve a purpose for them would imply there was something missing in the first place, which they could have done if they hadn't yet been together. They were separated and fighting to get back to where they were as of the end of season 1. Changing nothing. Moving forward 0 steps. Even the Snow Ball itself represents that in being his intended ending to season 1. They are picking up where they left off. After they resumed their "pause".

Her absence from his life implies that his relationship with Will as it was in season 2 could only have occurred if he was single, supported by it changing drastically and suddenly as soon as he isn't, and it states that his relationship with El WOULD have stayed the same if it weren't for Will.

tldr: In conclusion:

*This epiphany was brought to you by Me Rewatching My Own WILDFLOWER Edit

[librathefangirl]

i gotta get up in like 6 hrs but i can't sleep so here have the oh shit nnt thought of the night:

the only demon in THE demon hating club

this is a sentence my brain just came up with to describe Stigma Meliodas, and isn't that fucked up?? Like that was a very fucked up thing Meliodas put himself through. I feel like we as a fandom don't talk enough about how fucked up that was (shadowed by all the other fucked up things meli went through)

Because... not only did Meliodas' decision to join Stigma cause every demon to hate him, it also meant that he decided to spend his days around people who hated him or at the very least his race (that cannot have been good for his mental health which let's be honest probably was really shitty to begin with because of the dk and his childhood)

The goddess in the horn really wasn't that far off when she said he had no allies. Like obviously she wasn't right, but she wasn't entirely wrong either

Cause let's think about that in regard to Stigma Meliodas. We don't fully know how most of the members of Stigma felt about Meliodas, but considering they talked about slaughtering "every last one of the damned demon race" when Meli was literally RIGHT THERE (and none of them were like hey lucy maybe we shouldn't commit genocide) we can assume most of them wouldn't care if Meliodas died and probably only tolerated him being there because they had no choice (and if he was on their side then he wasn't on the enemy's side)

The way he responds to King (as Gloxinia) questioning his loyalty just seems so resigned, like he has been over this time and time; he knows Stigma don't trust him and he knows there's nothing he can say to change that, only his actions (him not betraying them) can prove he is actually on their side and not some deep undercover spy for the demons

Anyways I'm getting sidetracked- ALLIES! The only people in Stigma we know considered Meliodas an ally and friend are: Elizabeth (of course), Drole and Gloxinia, and then Rou

First let it sink in how fucking short that list is, and then let's think about each of those allies and what happens to them...

Elizabeth. Well. She dies. Horribly. And like I'm not even talking about the whole curse thing, I'm talking about how goddess Elizabeth died and Meliodas had to continue living. HE WOKE UP NEXT TO HER DEAD BODY. That was another very very very fucked up thing that happened (that we also don't talk about enough me thinks - cause like... he died. but then he didn't. but then she was still dead right next to him. and he didn't even know about the curse. he thought she was dead dead and he was alive. she was gone forever. and he was still living and now alone. very fucked up)

And then we have Rou. Rou who befriended Meliodas. Rou who knew Meliodas was a demon and didn't care and still called him a friend. Rou who only joined Stigma to get revenge on Stigma. Like yeah Rou didn’t hate every demon but he still brought that kind of hate and violence (regardless of his reasons). And was then also killed (by one of Mel's allies no less)

Which brings us to Drole and Gloxinia. Who had every reason to hate Meliodas (being the kings of their respective races) but still saw Meliodas as an ally and friend. Drole and Gloxinia who Meliodas then lost. Not to death but to the very side Meliodas himself had left in order to join Stigma. Who then also got sealed away for 3,000 years (leaving Meliodas not only without Elizabeth but also without his friends). And thennnn 3,000 years later, the same allies/friends are now Meliodas' enemies. (Hell Gloxinia is one of the Commandments who actively attack Meliodas in the fight leading up to Meli's literal death

And

Yeah

It's fucked up

It's also now only 5 hrs until i gotta get up so...

TLDR; The First Holy War era deserved more attention in canon and Stigma Meliodas went through some really fucked up shit

[wandsandwheezes]

Come Home - S.Rintarō

TLDR I got sad and i missed the loml let a girl live

Hoping this inspires me to get back into writing again but i thought id share this small angsty hurt comfort i whipped up to make myself feel better / weasley content tbc because i really miss writing

It was hard for her to admit this to him. Just how cold the bed was on her own, the deafening silence of the apartment without his presence. Almost three months he’d been away from her, that was never the plan.

“Baby it’ll be a couple’a weeks and i’ll be back in no time, yeah?” He spoke softly, smoothing the hair down at the back of her head as she sobbed into his chest. Rintaro hated leaving, felt his heart tear in two as the tears rolled down her face, but it was work.

He could hardly break the news to her when it came. “I’m sorry princess, i’ve gotta stay… shit none of us anticipated making it to the quarters, let alone semi finals.” He could feel his world shatter as a single tear rolled down her cheek, not even able to wrap her up in his arms and take the sadness away. Tears welled in his eyes as she choked out, “But you’ll be home soon?”

Soon couldn’t come fast enough, counting down the days, eating meals alone. Suna had never felt so distant from reality, they’d spent every day together for 4 years, and now two and a half months was too much for him to take. He paced his hotel room, trying his hardest not to overthink the text he’d just received. I miss you, suna, i hope you miss me too.

Fuck, of course he missed her. This tour, it was life changing; enough to put that down payment on their forever home, even enough to get her the ring that she deserved, stashed in his bag ready for his arrival home, he wanted to provide for them. The exposure was enough to warrant a contract other players would fight for, but it was security for them. As much as it killed him to be away, he was setting things up for the future he wanted, a future that made her happy.

He hit dial, needing to hear her voice. It rang, eerily long for his liking, until the video call connected, the screen was dark and all he could hear were faint sniffles down the phone. A switch clicked on and their bedroom illuminated, showing him his puffy eyed and sleepy girl, a sight that shattered his heart into a million pieces. “Baby…”

“please don’t, rin… i don’t wanna think about it.” she sighed, every part of her missed him, the way he let her tangle her legs between his as she curled into his chest, how he traced hearts and smiley faces on her shoulder as she slept, waking up to his gentle snores and warm body, or how he pulled her in just that bit tighter when they were both sleepy.

“I’m breaking your heart, aren’t I?” He was blunt, almost too blunt. He didn’t like seeing her like this, not when he was hours away, exhausted after a day of practice and just wanting a kiss from the love of his life.

She stayed silent, tears spilling again as she clutched her bear to her chest just a little tighter. She’d made a home in Japan with him, but right now all she wanted was to be in her childhood bed, curled up and listening to the sound of the british rain against her window. “I can’t do this without you rinnie, I hate being alone.

“I’m sorry, kit… I-“ he was at a loss for words, “I hope you know that i can’t breathe without you, i can’t sleep properly, i’m totally lost without you by my side through this.”

“Then come home,” she pleaded, choking out a sob, “please, i’m begging you come home.” He watched the world around him crumble. No amount of money or exposure was worth what he was putting her through. “baby, i’ll be home soon, I love you.”

“Soon, sunarin, i love you.” She knew it wouldn’t change a thing, pressing her lips to the camera as she disconnected the call. She needed him now, but she knew she’d have to wait, for how long though was the question.

Suna had never packed a bag faster, finding everything in that hotel that belonged to him before he was out the door, flying down the expressway to her, to his heartbeat. Four hours it took him, four hours more he was separated from her.

He opened the apartment door quietly, gently placing his bag on the floor as he kicked off his shoes and set down his keys. He pattered down the hall, finding the door open and the faint glow of tokyo lights reflecting around the room, she was sound asleep.

The bear was pulled tight to her chest, salt stained cheeks now dry and he’d known she’d cried herself to sleep. Pulling off his hoodie, he gently lifted the covers and slipped back into their bed for the first time in what felt like a decade, pulling his baby into his arms.

She stirred, the faint smell of his cologne entering her senses and she curled in tighter, content in the dream of her rinnie. As she came to her senses and he didn’t fade away, butterflies erupted in her stomach, sleepy eyes peering open and she could almost cry again at the sight. “You came home.”

“And l’ll never ever leave you again, baby i promise.” He kissed her forehead, pulling her tight to his chest once again. He reached into his pocket with one hand, pulling out the small box, flicking it open behind her back. He sighed deeply, lifting the gleaming emerald into the light of her lamp, “I simply can’t live without you princess, and i want you to be mine forever, mrs suna”

[shadows-shells]

Normally I would ask ya who your fav is but honestly doesn’t matter all of the turtles are great lol 03 is peak. But yeah Leo and Raph are my favorite just because it’s one of the rare iterations where they act like best friends instead of rivals thoughts on these two?

so sorry for the late (and long) reply!!

tldr; 2k3 is my *absolute* fave version of TMNT by far and it will be until the day i die 😆 

i grew up with them over the seasons and it is their voices i hear when i read fic. 

u're SO right in that the characterisation and family dynamics are brilliant in 2k3. 

my fave is Leo BUT i like and support ALL four of them (as hopefully visible from my blog icon and reblogs 😂)

i never bought the 'Leo and Raph hate each other and fight for leadership' thing, though i understand the angst potential of that kind of dynamic. 

Just going off by logic alone - even Raph's haters have to admit he is determined and knows his own mind. This guy will NEVER take nonsense lying down, right?

No way someone *that* strong-willed and protective of his bros will take leadership from someone he doesn't whole-heartedly trust and respect...especially on these nightly missions where a mistake could easily mean death. 

If Leo was as cruel and insane as some fics portray him, i fully believe that Raph would've slit his throat when no one's looking in order to keep his other siblings safe and make it look like an accident (and Don would be the one plotting to hide the body and Mikey would look the other way). Don had such an opportunity actually, at the Battle Nexus - instead our 'pacifist peace-loving quiet' boi was THROWING hands, viciously snapping at everyone else and READY to murder anyone who even breathed near Leo. 

The 2k3 series itself makes it clear that Raph (and Don and Mikey too) absolutely know that Leo has only ever acted with care for the whole family's interests. 

Raph's childhood flashbacks of Leo are so heartfelt. He grew up watching Leo work and train and worry and work some more for their sake..how do you hate someone like that? 💀 That episode also makes it clear that Leo drifted into the leadership position because of his care and initiative, NOT for ego. None of the brothers or Splinter would have tolerated that. 

And it is RAPH who helped Leo reforge his swords, the first time. Not a single snide word or any negativity - just pure, simple assistance and support. Leo comes out smiling. 

There is just no 'competition' or 'rivalry' or any mention of any 'comparison' at all. 

In the ep where they swap weapons - Leo trustingly has his back to Raph, and lets Raph take his swords without a word. 

We all know Leo loves his brothers - but they love him back too and he knows it.

Raph himself actively works to maintain the team dynamic, imo. iirc in 'Turtles Forever', it is RAPH who tells Leo that "Leo, I told ya you can't brainstorm with these goofballs! (referring to the '87 team)". The entire 2k3 team is used to and happy with this working style they've developed from young, and it pisses Raph off to no end that these new guys have fked up their brainstorming 😂 

This is a brother backing up his brother (without being asked!) in trying to be productive - NOT a rival happy at his enemy's plight or taking the chance to seize control. 

He thinks Leo did not go hard *enough* on the '87 team, and he told Leo directly!! The EXACT opposite of the "Raph hates Leo exerting authority and resents his leadership" trope. 

(convenient addendum: while Leo is still processing the chaos he's faced with corralling, it is MIKEY who doles out discipline to the poor '87 team 🙊 he beat even Raph to it!

...presumably coz he has alr seen Raph's attempts fail, and saw them overwhelm Don, and observed Leo still trying to reason with them? 😂 

Again - this is a brother backing up his brother(s) without being prompted...not the myth of a clown unable to comprehend his leader's thoughts or an anarchist stirring up chaos for no reason.)

After all those years and shenanigans - Leo is STILL the leader *because* his brothers want it that way and will defend his position.

Now that's the other three accounted for, no 'frenemy' or 'rival' feelings there. 

As for Leo? imo TMNT as a series - a story about a family on the fringes of society fighting another clan over a blood feud, making friends along the way and defending their neighbourhood in general - simply does not have space for 'shonen' rivalry. 

That's not what the series is about. The stakes of the story is far, far bigger and way heavier than petty rivalry like who gets to be called leader or who is the better martial artist. 

NONE of them are thinking about such petty trivial things. They all just want to survive and avenge Yoshi. They only have one another. 

We have a whole season where Leo just shatters under the weight of trying to keep his family safe. He was losing sleep worrying for them, not comparing himself to them. Leo would sleep better knowing his brothers are assertive competent people, not be glad that he is 'better than them'. That's just not what motivates Leo (or any of the bros) as a person.

Even the young baby Leo in his brothers' flashbacks have *never* once cared abt petty immature things like that. 

Genuinely..i think any of the 2k3 bros would murder u if u even dared insinuate that Leo is a selfish power-hungry egoistic competitive tyrant 😂 

2k3 is just so carefully written and produced, so full of familial love and seamless teamwork. i love all of them so much xD

Thanks for the ask!!

[fivessuit]

I finished that essay I was telling you guys about!

TLDR for those of you that haven't seen my blog, I had to write a paper in the form of an open letter. This means that I had to write in response to someone that has a different view than me. I chose to respond to someone's blog on here! Thank you to @dontspoilthis for sending me the post that I ended up using in the paper! For privacy purposes I will not be including the blog name however. Here it is for those who want to read it :)))

Exploring Lila's Decision: An Open Letter to a Tumblr User

Hello [insert blog name here].

I have read your tumblr blog post about how you believe Five Hargreeves and Lila Pitts make a good romantic pairing. While I disagree with your statement, I do think that it used solid evidence from the show and was well thought out. With the last season of The Umbrella Academy having come out a little under nine months ago, people are still very much talking about season four and voicing their opinions on it. This show has been well loved for over six years by many of us, and has fans all around the world. Five and Lila are both exponentially strong characters, therefore when we saw them get together on screen there were some mixed reactions from all parties; everyone had something to say about Five and Lila’s relationship. 

Based on what I read in your post, you believe that Lila decided to marry Diego, Five’s brother, out of convenience. Additionally, you say that Lila wanted to create the family that she never got to experience as a child. Both the Hargreeves siblings as well as Lila had very callous upbringings, many days filled with training and mastering their powers. This made it so none of them experienced a real parental figure or family. At the end of season three, we see the Hargreeves and Lila go their separate ways, all powerless, and at the beginning of season four we see a time jump of five years and where they all end up. This shows that life for all of the Hargreeves sucked after they lost their powers and they had to be real and functioning members of society. This made it so, according to you, Five and Lila’s normally explosive personalities made them be a good pair throughout this season. They had the most chemistry, as well as they realized how similar they both were when they got stuck in the subway together for seven years. 

If you take everything else out of the equation, I too would fall in love with somebody if I had to spend seven years trying to survive with that person. That part is not unrealistic. Also, I think that over the years we all have grown attached to these characters and genuinely want them all to be happy in the world they find themselves in. Especially Five, who spent forty five years alone and then had to awkwardly transition back into society in the body of a child. Some argue that Five falling in love with Lila was out of character. However, you and I agree that Five would absolutely act in his own self interest after fighting for so long. He is old, tired, and lonely. He craved love and affection (which was shown when he fell in love with a mannequin in the apocalypse). I do see where you are coming from when you say real world love is unpredictable and messy, and that these two characters acting this way made them feel more real. In different media we often wish to see characters feel the things we want to feel, therefore watching Five and Lila fall in love despite societal norms was liberating in a way. 

While I do understand and respect your view, I would like to bring in points that might not have been considered previously. When filming the fourth season, Aidan Gallagher, who plays Five, was nineteen years old. However, there has been tension building between Five and Lila since season two of the show, this was well before Aidan was of legal age. This, combined with nineteen year old Aidan and thirty four year old Ritu (who plays Lila) having a non-rehearsed kiss, makes me reasonably uncomfortable. I totally understand being an actor and intimate moments being part of the job. However, I do believe that this is a bigger problem in all of Hollywood with actors having huge age gaps and being forced to be intimate. Additionally, the writing of this romance feels a bit like trying to get us as an audience on board with a condemnable act: cheating. Sure, Lila was miserable in her marriage. However, she should have broken off the marriage way sooner instead of cheating on Diego with Five. The way the show panned out, it seemed like we were supposed to focus on this new found love between Five and Lila and just ignore the heinous act being done to Diego. The writing for Five and Lila’s affair came entirely out of left field and had nothing to do with what was set in previous seasons for Five’s character arc. The main writer for the show, Steve Blackman, said himself in an interview that, “[He] felt that Five had to have a love story” (Blackman). From this interview, it seemed that the writers didn’t have an exact plan for who would be Five’s love interest, therefore making this affair feel forced. The way that this was executed showed that the writers had little care for what was already written for Five, Lila and Diego. The whole point of Lila and Diego’s relationship was that they worked and talked through issues they had. When Five and Lila return to the family after escaping the subway, we do see the realization set into Lila that her relationship with Five was strictly situational, and she did miss both her children and Diego. While it is on brand for her to be hard headed and stubborn, as well as putting her own needs first, she does realize that she made a mistake. Finally, Five and Lila’s relationship is the most unrealistic due to the fact that for an entire season, Lila was trying to kill Five after she found out that Five killed her birth parents. This was never expanded upon or resolved for the entirety of the show. Therefore, it seems a bit odd that Lila would essentially disregard this to be with her parents' murderer.

Moving forward, I think that while we may not agree on Five and Lila as a pair, I think we both can agree that them getting together was important for the storyline. Diego realizes he hasn’t been putting enough effort into the marriage, and Lila puts her needs first. However, I don’t think that Lila is in love with Five. He was a convenience and an accessory to her going back to the thrill of the hunt. She loved the sensation and the situation, she did not love him. Lila having an affair with Five acted as a hurdle in order to further the character development of all parties involved.

If you made it to the end, let me know what you guys think!

[base-and-co]

During a round of late night thinking, I encountered an intriguing idea about Deathbit and how we can play with it. (I blame Woodkid - To Ashes and Blood for making me think at all) (Arcane why do you do this to us writers)

TLDR: Gambit is not brainwashed and is working for Apocalypse willingly.

We all know about the "came back wrong" idea, it being the main one in the fandom as I see it right now - after an unreasonable amount of torture from Apocalypse because of course there's torture like the boy hasn't suffered enough already (HE BURNED ALIVE). But you know, what would've been even more interesting?

If he came back right.

With all his smiles and accent and powers - just boosted - and he still calls X-men his "amis" and laughs like it's just one big training session in the Danger Room and like his hair isn't white and like his skin isn't ashy gray and like there's no Apocalypse who gives him orders. Moreover, he reacts to those orders with another round of wits and jokes - like it's no ancient and probably the most powerful mutant in history but just Scott or Chuck. And when shit hits the fan and he has to kill someone, X-men see that he doesn't want to but he does go for the kill. They stop him and it looks like he let himself be stopped but then he knocks them out and flees.

And he still wears his smile like it's the only mask he has and there are tears in his eyes and they see it's HIM it's GAMBIT and they can't understand why doesn't he just stop completely and go with them and let them help.

And for a while they think that he's brainwashed or mind controlled but it's painfully obvious he isn't and X-men just don't know what to do. They think maybe it's some kind of sick trick of his, maybe it's his revenge for letting him die, for not preventing Genosha or accepting Magneto into the team (he jokes about that fuck up of theirs during fights more than once) or something else.

And when the team inevitably get him cornered and maybe even collared, he panics. Not because they might hurt or kill him - and they actually might, at this point Death/Gambit caused a pretty big amount of injuries, but none of them were more than they could handle and that alone is suspicious - and they DEMAND to explain what's happening, he's borderline having a panic attack and he pleads to let him go. It's out of character for him more than they can think and they press further and further until he screams

"REMY TRY TO PROTECT YOU!"

at the top of his lungs and he's scared and everyone are dead sure he's not scared of them.

And they ask again (probably Storm), this time calmer, trying to see if Gambit is even aware of where he is and what is happening - and he is. He's damn sure of where he is and what he's doing and he hates himself for it, but

"it be de only way t' keep him away from you."

And he looks up at them and tells them that he made a deal with a Devil. As long as Remy serve him - loyally, consciously, fully understanding what is wanted from him - Apocalypse won't touch the X-men. Unless they bother him too much, that is. He tells them that Apocalypse wanted to get his hands on Storm and Wolverine and Rogue and for some reason he decided to ressurect Gambit first and Remy couldn't let his friends and loved ones become Apocalypse's pawns. And Remy's been doing his best to keep them occupied so that they'd not meet with his 'master' as well as keeping tabs on Apocalypse's work at the same time. He had no chance to do anything with it because he was scared about what his interference may cause. And Death is afraid of Apocalypse shitless. Yet he keeps working for him - "it's not de first time Remy sold his soul. Der's nothing to sell anymore. Just let him do this for you so you don't have to."

We know that when Gambit died, he didn't see his sacrifice as anything heroic. He never called himself a hero - at least being serious - and that he full on believed he was the worst amongst X-men (well before Erik showed up). And this would be him bargaining himself again.

There is actually so much intresting dialogues and scenes and the sheer confusion and dramedy is amazing. Let me know if you have any thoughts on that (comments or smth).

[actualori]

my fic submission for @mcyt-aro-week !!

day 6: coming out (yes it’s a few days late shhhh)

cws: none really, just some slight angst at one point

word count: 2,590

tldr: ori aro-beams sausage for 2.5k words

There’s one thing in life that Sausage has always wanted. And that was someone to love. Not as a friend, he already has plenty of those. Somebody to love. Somebody to hug and kiss and cuddle. Somebody to shower in care and affection and whisper sweet nothings to. Somebody who he would die for.

However, there’s a problem. No matter how hard he’s tried to find somebody to fill those requirements, he can’t.

He’s dated before, lots of people. At first, he thought maybe he was just dating jerks, but after raising the bar, he didn’t get his desired results. He didn’t get any in fact, he’d raised the bar too high. So he lowered it, maybe too much, which resulted in him dating Xornoth. And after dating them and royally screwing up his life, the bar now floats in some undefined limbo.

Now Sausage doesn’t know where to stand on love. He was very discouraged from his past experiences, but he refused to give up on falling in love.

“I just don’t get it,” Sausage complains, flopping onto fWhip’s bed.

“Don’t get what?” fWhip asks, glancing at him.

“Why can't I fall in love?”

“Maybe because you keep dating jerks? And get off my bed I’m trying to make it.”

Ignoring the request, Sausage sighs dramatically, “But still, it can’t be that hard!”

fWhip scoffs and tosses a blanket over Sausage. “It is, in fact, that hard. Besides, aren’t you already in love with Jimmy?”

“I’m not ‘in love’ with him, we aren’t even dating,” Sausage corrects, pulling the blanket off his face. “Besides, he’s already dating Scott. So unless they break up, which I doubt they will, I don’t have the chance to try and fall in love with him.”

“Thank goodness. I would never forgive you if you tried to date him.”

Sausage takes one of the pillows and throws it at fWhip, making him break out into giggles. “Meanie!” He shouts.

fWhip throws the pillow right back, which starts a short pillow fight between the brothers. Once they stop and catch their breath between their giggles, fWhip lays down next to Sausage.

“Seriously, what do you see in him?” fWhip asks.

Sausage thinks for a moment before answering. “Well, he’s nice, he’s funny, he’s pretty, and he makes an adorable face when he’s mad.”

“To each their own I guess.”

“I like him more than I liked Xornoth.”

“I don’t.”

Sausage stared at fWhip in shock. “Really? You like my horrible ex more than your petty rivalry? You like the demon that ruined my life and corrupted my mind and body and abused me and still gives me those horrifying nightmares?”

fWhip looked away. “I don’t. I’m sorry. I hate Xornoth more.”

“Thank you.” Sausage huffed and glared at his brother. He just smiled in response to try and lighten the mood. Sausage had come here for advice and comfort, not to listen to his crush get slandered.

They lay in silence for a few minutes. Does Sausage love Jimmy? Does he want to be his boyfriend? If so, would they ever fall in love? Would it end up like the rest of Sausage's relationships? Would they get married?

Does he even know what it means to be in love with someone?

“fWhip? Have you ever been in love?” Sausage asks quietly.

“Depends on what you mean by ‘in love’.”

Sausage hummed. “I don’t know. I guess I don’t know what it really means. What do you think?”

fWhip lets out a long sigh and sits up. “Sausage, I actually have to finish making my bed and get back to work. Why don’t you try asking Gem? She’s a lot smarter than me with stuff like this.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Sausage says, and he stands up. He puts back on his cloak and follows fWhip out the door. “Thanks for your help.”

“No problem. Good luck,” fWhip says as he escorts Sausage out of his house and closes the door behind him.

Now, Sausage is alone. He decides to walk to the Crystal Cliffs so he has some time to think. He already has a pretty good idea of what loving someone would be like, but what does it mean to be in love with someone? It is the thought of wanting to stay with someone forever, right? To want to love them and marry them and never leave their side. To want them to feel the same way about you.

Yeah, that sounds right. That’s probably it.

Thinking back to his experience with Xornoth, he definitely wasn’t in love with them. He thought he was at the time, but he’s since learned better. All relationships before that weren’t nearly as serious, so he was even less in love then. Jimmy and Scott are probably in love, maybe he can ask them what it’s supposed to be like.

He reaches the Crystal Cliffs after twenty minutes or so of walking. Gem is outside, tending to a small bed of flowers.

“I didn’t expect to see you here again so soon,” Gem said when she noticed Sausage approaching. He'd been here the night before, horribly shaken from a nightmare and seeking comfort from his sister.

“I need help,” Sausage explains, nervously wringing his hands together.

Gem stands up and brushes the small bit of dirt off of her. “What did you do this time?”

“Nothing! I just have a question!”

“Ask away.”

“What does it mean to be in love with someone?”

Gem pauses. She turns to look at Sausage with a surprised look on her face. She sighs, adjusts her ginormous hat, and asks. “Sausage, what’s going on?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking-“

“Wow really? I didn’t know you could.”

“-Shut up! I was thinking about love and the future and realized I didn’t really know what it meant to be in love with someone!”

Gem sighs again. “We’re going to have to sit down for this, aren’t we?” Not waiting for an answer, she takes Sausage by the arm and leads him inside her house. They walk upstairs and upon opening the bedroom door, Sausage immediately runs and flops onto her bed.

“I just made that!” She shouts exasperatedly over Sausage’s giggles. “At least take your shoes off!”

He does, along with his cloak. To her utter dismay, he bundles up in Gem’s perfectly made soft blankets and pillows and blinks innocently up to her.

“You are such a nuisance,” She grumbles with no real malice and sits down next to him on the bed. “Now tell me again, what do you want my help with?”

Sausage sighs. “I was thinking about my life and my future and started wondering if I’d ever fall in love.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Because I’ve always wanted to fall in love with somebody.”

“Yeah.”

“But then I realized that I don’t even know what it means to fall in love.”

“Mhm.”

“So I went to fWhip to ask him and he was no help-“

“Unsurprising.”

“-and he told me to ask you instead. Because you’re smart. And now I’m here.”

Gem nods and thinks for a minute. “Well, you were right to come to me and ask. What do you think it means to be in love?”

“Umm… I think it means wanting to stay with a person and love them and want to kiss them forever.”

“Okay,” Gem says as she grabs a small notepad and starts taking notes. What is this, therapy? Sausage already has a therapist! Maybe he should’ve asked them for help instead. “You said you’ve always wanted to fall in love with somebody, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Why? Sausage pauses. Why does he want to fall in love so badly?

“I don’t know,” He confesses. That’s just what he’s always wanted. Falling in love has always seemed so delightful, and he's always been under the impression that you need to fall in love. That you need to date and get married and stay married to somebody forever. “I guess…” Sausage says, “Because I have to?”

“Do you though?”

Does he?

He stays silent for a few minutes, deep in thought. That’s what he’s always been told, by his parents, the books he’s read, his advisors, everyone. You have to fall in love and get married and have children. His kingdom needs an heir. But if he never falls in love he’ll never have a baby. No, that’s not true. He could always have a child with someone he doesn’t love, his parents did, but his childhood was terrible because of it, and he would never choose to bring that on someone else.

“Why do you think you have to?” Gem asks softly when Sausage doesn’t respond.

“So I’ll be happy,” He responds without thinking.

“Do you need to fall in love to be happy? Aren’t you already happy with us? Your friends? Your family? Your citizens?”

She’s right. He is happy. His life is great without a partner. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“So you don't need it to be happy.”

“But I need it to have an heir. And I really really don’t want to have a kid with someone I don’t love. Look how that turned out for me!”

She hums in response and writes some more on her notepad. “That is true. Your heir needs to be biological, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So adoption is off the table. But do you really need to love your spouse to love your child? My parents didn’t love each other but they sure loved me and fWhip.”

Good point. Sausage could probably pull that off just fine. But if he’s already happy and having a child won’t be a problem, then why does he need to fall in love?

“Isn’t that… bad? To never fall in love?” He asks.

“No, it’s not. There’s nothing wrong with never falling in love in your life.”

Sausage blinks. “Oh.”

Gem puts her notepad down and faces her brother. She takes his hands in hers. “Sausage, do you actually want to fall in love, or do you just think you need to?”

“Of course I want to! Everyone does!”

“I don’t,” Gem corrects.

Sausage pauses and stares at her. That doesn’t make any sense. Why wouldn’t a person want to fall in love? Is she allowed to do that? Is he allowed to do that?

“You can do that?” He asks, flabbergasted.

Gem bursts out laughing. “Yes, Sausage. Of course, you can. Nobody’s forcing you to fall in love if you don’t want to. I don’t really care whether or not I get married, that’s not my priority in life.”

Sausage sits up and stares at Gem. This contradicts everything he’s ever believed. A wave of relief floods through him and is quickly replaced with confusion and aggravation in a way. Why did he spend his whole life believing a lie? That’s not fair.

Gem softens and says, “I’ll ask again. Do you actually want to fall in love?”

“No,” He hears himself say. “No, I don’t.”

Saying that lifts a weight off his shoulders. All of the pressure that he never noticed he was being crushed to death under dissipates. He doesn’t want to fall in love. He doesn’t want to get married. Why did he think he did? Because he was told he needs to? He doesn’t.

“In fact, now that I think about it, I’ve never… actually been in love with anybody,” He continues. “Not even the people I’ve dated. I don’t-“ A sob tears through his body, interrupting his words.

Gem wraps her arms around him in a warm hug. He accepts it, melting into the embrace and sobbing into her shoulder. Gem runs her fingers through his hair and rocks them back and forth. This is familiar. No matter how confusing Sausage’s life gets, this always stays the same. Gem will always be there for him. Once his cries quiet, he pulls away and looks at her.

“Feel better now?” She asks softly, letting go of the hug and taking Sausage’s hands in her own again. He nods and sniffles. Gem smiles and gently squeezes his hands. “I have something for you.”

– –

It’s been two days since Gem gave Sausage a thick book on sexuality. He’d been confused at first when she placed the book in his hands—he already knows that he’s gay, why would he need to learn more? But she just chuckled, gestured to the bookmark left between the pages, and reassured him that he does in fact need it.

He hasn’t read it yet. To be honest, he’s scared about what he might find. His life and perception of himself was already warped, he didn’t need another mind-blowing experience so soon. But he can’t avoid it forever.

Carefully, he picks up the book from his desk, sits down in the chair, and opens it to the bookmarked page. It’s the beginning of a chapter titled “Asexuality”. That’s a term he’s never heard before. He leans back in his chair and starts reading the chapter.

As he reads he starts to understand why Gem gave the book to him. Almost every doubt and question he’d ever had gets answered. Including the most important one. He’s never fallen in love because he doesn’t want to. His brain just isn’t programmed to. And knowing that’s perfectly normal is comforting.

He finishes the chapter in what feels like minutes despite the hour that has passed. Relaxing in his chair, he sighs. Everything is starting to make sense. It’s a lot, he’ll definitely have to reread the chapter several times again, but he understands himself. And that’s all he wanted.

– –

Gem was shelving books in the library when something slams into her from the side, knocking her to the ground. She cries out, the books in her arms flying everywhere. She turns to see who her now-giggling attacker is and to nobody’s surprise, it’s Sausage.

“Can I help you?” She asks as she pushes her brother off her.

“You already did!” He beams.

“I did? What did I do?”

Sausage picks up the book on sexuality from the pile on the floor and shoves it into Gem’s chest. “This!”

It takes her a moment to recognize the book but her face lights up and she gasps when she does. “Was I right?” Sausage nods and Gem pulls him into a hug. They both laugh in delight and hold each other on the floor of the library.

“I’ve learned that I am aromantic and asexual!” He says proudly once they calm down. “That means-“

“I know what that means,” Gem says with no malice. “How do you feel about knowing that?”

“Like my entire life was a lie.”

“But are you happy? Sad?”

“Oh I’m devastated,” He admits. “I’ve always wanted to fall in love and now I know I can’t. But I’ll be okay. It’s not easy discovering your sexuality, you know!”

Gem laughs again and pulls herself onto her feet. “You will be helping me clean all these books up.” She says as she helps Sausage up. He groans but obliges, picking the books off the floor and helping Gem shelve them.

There’s still more to do, like telling Pearl and fWhip, talking about it in therapy, asking Jimmy about his experience being in love and comparing it to his, learning more about his newly discovered sexuality, and replanning his life. But that all sounds incredibly tedious and stressful so he’s not going to worry about that yet. Right now all he needs to think about is where these books go.

[trashcan3001]

They aren't the same at all, lol

I keep seeing people trying to compare Wind Breaker and Tokyo Revengers for some reason. The only thing they have in common is a focus on kids who are delinquents.

They are different in every other way, so here are simplified plots so you can go and read/watch whichever one you like lol. (If you don't like one, don't interact with it, isn't life so nice when you are in control of what you see? :P):

Tokyo Revengers: Time travel fix it where the main character goes back in time to save his middle school girlfriend from a death via gang violence in the future. Realizes something else is amiss when the perpetrator is just a normal dude as a kid and ends becoming his friend. As the plot moves forward, it is clear that the gangs he and his new friends are fighting with are being created specifically to make his new friend a bad person and he needs to stop them. Or are they? It seems the power to time travel isn't as simple as he thought and by the end of the plot it is this supernatural phenomenon that becomes the deciding factor in if the future will be happy for all and not just some.

Main character is not a good fighter, eats punches like a champ though and literally refuses to back down even when he looks ready to die via blood loss, is kind and compassionate and cares deeply for all the people he becomes friends with and grows stronger as he continues on his time travel shenanigans, packing strength readers will be very proud of.

The time travel is the main feature of the plot, not the gang fighting. The gang fights is actually a part of the time travel things as the first main antagonist created these fights for their own agenda.

Manga is finished anime has completed its third season

Wind Breaker: Main Character enrolls in a delinquent school to prove that he is strong and can get the top dog spot even on his own. Gets a reality check when it turns out the students of this school are loved by the town because they take care of the common folk by taking out the gangs that are running rampant. Main character, having a bad past where they were always alone, now gains friends and learns that he doesn't have to be alone and that he isn't the unlovable thing the world tried to make him out to be. Journey with him and his first year team as they battle with the gangs on the streets to keep people safe and grow as people.

Main character is a very good fighter who has a mild form of albinism(I think) where only a part of his hair and only one eye is affected. This made people in his past treat him terribly and thus he learned to fight or he would be hurt instead. He is a tsundere in the most non annoying way (I was shocked that I liked him that much!). He is kind but due to his past and social anxiety, he has a hard time understanding people liking him and their compliments. He learns over time.

The gangs and school delinquency is the main focus of the plot as it is in joining this school and gang and fighting for others that makes the plot move forward.

Manga is still going and anime only just started

TLDR: Tokyo revengers is about time travel fixing things, gang stuff is just the backdrop where this happens. Wind Breaker is about getting to the top of a literal delinquent school, making friends and growing as a person is the consequence of this school situation.

They are not the same, so watch/read both or one or none, just know what your getting into before complaining lol.

XOXO,

TC3001

[thesupernaturalhouse]

(This is a helluva boss critical psot so, feel free to move on)

So I've watched Bojack Horseman, it's a good show, I've also seen deep dives, and i guess HB takes some inspiration from the show so I just gotta say....S2 Stolas is just a worse written version of Mr. Peanut butter

Doing grand gestures to make himself feel good even if he knows the other person won't like them, diane told PB multiple times she hated grand gestures and was uncomfortable with them and he kept doing them, and he still gets upset and confused when she doesn't like them.

Stolas needed months to have his feelings sink in and propose the crystal yet didn't give Blitz a single minute to do that same after he thought it was fake. He didn't do this big gesture for Blitz, he didnt take in account Blitzs feelings, he did it for himself to feel good. And when Blitz responded, rightfully, negatively Stolas got upset. Though unlike PB Stolas doesn't even try to talk to Blitz about it and sort it out.

Jumping from one relationship to another almost immediately after a break up, one even during his divorce proceedings, and of course the cheating. Which Stolas cheats on Stella and jumps to the succubus at the party when Blitz is struggling to comprehend snd figure this all out.

Another comparison is the fact they run circles around the truth. Like in the fracking episode, diane and Mr. PB are in a fight, she asks him to drop out of the race otherwise she's gonna ahve to post an article about him

He keeps running circles around the problem and not addressing the truth. "I hear what you're saying and I will try to be more conscious of your needs" despite the fact it's not about anyone's needs. It's about how he lied and it is physically hurting them. They can't touch the sink without getting 3rd degree burns

Kinda like how Stolas runs circles around the truth with the full moon deal. He acknowledges the relationship/deal was bad....but he never actually apologizes. He ignores the real issue in all this

He doesn't even let Blitz have a few minutes to think and have it sink in depsite having and needing months himself! And instead of talking about it, he leaves and then throws Blitz out when Blitz makes really good points.

He actively avoids the issue, like Mr Pd with Diane

Unlike PB and Diane though, where neither are in the wrong and they just werent right for eachother. Stolas and Blitzs relationship and zatolas' actions actively back up Blitzs thoughts and feelings on their relationship

And the thing is, is that it makes for an interesting chracter, Mr peanutbutter is interesting and great, i mean we love him for the complex character he is.....but it doesn't work for Stolas because his self unawareness is seen as an excuse and something to make him more sympathetic, not a problem

Unlike Mr peanutbutter where it IS a problem and it's shown as a problem and is addressed, it's why near the end of the show he relaizes that he IS THE PROBLEM and ends up happily single taking a break from dating to actually learn form his past relationships where as before he'd jump to relationship after relationship to avoid having to deal with being alone and with his thoughts

It's character growth. But Stolas won't have that because he's gonna end up with Blitz with none of his past actions addressed. Or if they are, they'll be watered down, probably retconned like s2 has been doing. Which isn't good.

Tldr; Mr peanutbutter and Stolas have some similarities, but where as Mr peantubutter is specifically written to be self unaware so that he can grow as a chracter, Stolas gets his self unawareness used as an excuse so he WONT have to grow. Ultimatly making him a worse written version of Mr. PB

[delusionaid]

meta + Childe [ for Diluc! ]

Childe represents an era of Diluc's life that he in equal measure wants to put behind himself, and that filled an important role in his development. Childe met a version of Diluc that was completely unhinged and ready to literally go up in flames as long as he takes a large enough amount of Fatui with him as he goes. He never shared Childe's enthusiasm (or joy?) for fighting, but what appears to be his bloodlust (if one wants to call it that). Conflict was sought out without fear and resolved with his claymore (and his father's delusion). Diluc would fight until he collapsed (except it only came to that once - coincidentally in his fight with Childe), fighting ruthlessly and without mercy. This is, I believe, why Childe appreciates him so much as an opponent, because most other people don't fight like that - with reckless abandon and no care for their own life.

It's a complicated dynamic because on the top level they're enemies and in this lifetime Diluc will never be a friend of the Fatui, let alone the Harbingers. At the same time, he has never felt more free and more capable of changing the world and eradicating evil than he did during those 3 years slashing his way through the nations. In some ways Childe has met a version of him that no one else has ever seen, certainly none of his friends have. As destructive to others and himself as it was, it was not an entirely negative experience for Diluc (psychologically) - in his view, anyway.

Childe also represents a hurdle to Diluc that he failed to clear, because in the end it was him who stopped Diluc before he was rescued by the underground network (my Dottore backstory included or not, it was the fight against Childe that almost cost him his life). Even if he has calmed since his return to Mondstadt and chooses to fight for what's right a little differently nowadays, part of him will always remember and still holds on to the desire to get another chance at this fight. This is presumably the part of him that Childe would like to reconnect with 🤭 I like that it ties them together that both Diluc feels he met his match and Childe is discontent despite "winning" because he is aware of the fact that the fight was not entirely fair.

Now why do I like it so much as a dynamic that has shippy undertones or turns full on ship? For starters I love enemies to lovers and the eroticism/romanticism of wanting to fight to the death is a very interesting flavor. I love their particular play on differences VS similarities and how they're literally fire and water which creates a powerful effect but also appears like natural opponents. Under different circumstances - e.g. if they had met in the Abyss and had to fight their way out together - they could have become really close, or if Diluc had been raised in Snezhnaya and joined the Fatui.

Childe is annoyingly integral to an important part of Diluc's life; he is a challenge he wants to beat, he is one of the faces of his greatest enemy, and yet he reminds him of absolute freedom and righteous lawlessness, which is the (tempting) opposite of the life of the law-abiding friendly and kind wine tycoon. (And the fact that Diluc craves it still we can see in the fact that he lives the (not so) secret life of a vigilante.)

Tldr, I love Childe and Diluc and when you ask me if I want them to fight to the death or kiss, my answer is yes.

[thejoyofseax]

A brief account of Pennsic 50

TLDR: Fantastic event, pity about the climate zone it's in.

Let me get that negative bit out of the way: I don't handle heat well, and Pennsic has absolutely punishing heat and humidity. I was basically unable to do anything useful between 13:00 and 17:30 on any given day (and right through the evening in the lower-lying lake-adjacent parts of the site). I tried to tough it out, but that didn't work, and I ended up sitting in the air-conditioned internet café for many of those hours through much of War Week. I didn't as much as see the battlefield, let alone the opening ceremonies, field battle, etc, because I would have just passed out on the field. As it was, I pretty much passed out on the day we were packing down because I was lifting and moving stuff in the heat, and couldn't go sit in the aircon. It was quite frustrating, and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it.

So what I did do was go to classes in the mornings, do shopping at hours when I was able, and either hang out at our own camp, or go to various parties in the evenings.

The array of classes was downright incredible. There was no topic, as far as I could see, that was not touched upon at least. I went to about eight or ten in total, plus the sizable Arts & Sciences display. All of the classes I went to were food-related, and one of them, given by Magister Galefridus Peregrinus, jumped one of my longer-term projects forward by, I estimate, about two and a half years (it was about non-baking use of Fertile Crescent grains in Medieval Europe, and is relevant to my pre-Norman Irish Cooking stuff). I have good notes from many of the rest, too, and a raft of things to look up.

The shopping was also unbelievable. 200 stalls or so, and while some of them were more LARP or gamer-oriented, most were relevant. for myself, I got a basket-backpack of a kind I've been looking for for years, a pair of turnshoes, two small cast-iron pans, a new tooled leather belt, about six different kinds of smoked salt, various bits of Pelican bling, many metres of Drachenwald trim, and (appropriately) a very nice seax as a kitchen knife. Probably a lot of other stuff, too - I haven't unpacked yet - but those are the things that come to mind. I also bought a veritable pile of stuff for other people, and have taken note of a host of merchants for online buying later. There were some interesting gaps in the market, too - I would have thought that pre-strapped or bossed shields would be commonly available, and saw essentially none, and that there would be more period-ish cookware and camp equipment for sale (there was some, but not very much).

Speaking of cookware, it was notable how few camps had any period cooking arrangements. I saw some very impressive modern camp kitchen setups (the East Kingdom State Kitchen was essentially equivalent to the best indoor kitchens I've cooked in), but I saw precisely two period-ish kitchens, out of hundreds of camps (although I didn't see them all; that was just not possible). Given there were more than 11,000 people there, it was essentially not a thing that was done.

Some of the camps and buildings were terrifyingly fine, though. The Pleasure Pavilions were a set of absolutely beautiful tents, and Casa Bardicci is an actual miracle of construction. There were a varierty of other buildings, as well as gatehouses, ships, and so forth.

The social side of things is a slower burn. Putting faces to names, and meeting many of Nessa's fighting family was excellent, and there've been a number of conversations started that I think will go on for years (and a plot to try out various porridges on people with Baron Cormacc Mac Gilla Brigde). I also caught up with a number of people I haven't seen in years, and decades in some cases. I was particularly pleased to get to spend time properly with Duchess Qamar al-Nisa and Lady Alina Rose, who are two of my favourite people.

I expect I'll have some more thinking on various aspects of the event in time, and how some of the things there can be transferred to events here. I'd like to particularly note that climate aside, the site is fantastic, in terms of both geography and facilities. It also had fireflies and crickets, which made up for a lot.

[crimswords]

✧      ⸻      [    jonathan  daviss,    cis  male,    he/him    ]          ;          congratulations  on  surviving  the  parapet,  cadet  LUCIEN  NICHOLS,  and  welcome  to  the  rider’s  quadrant  !  at  TWENTY-THREE  years  old,  you  should  know  exactly  what  it  takes  to  make  it  to  graduation,  especially  being  so  RESILIENT  and  SELFLESS.  though,  i  do  suppose  your  tendencies  to  be  OVERANALYTICAL  and  DISTANT  may  make  it  hard  to  survive  until  threshing.  other  cadets  say  you  remind  them  of  your  heart  skipping  a  beat  when  you  miss  a  step,  talking  too  fast  when  you’re  excited,  and  love  persevering  through  grief,  but  we’ll  have  to  see  how  true  that  is.  remember:  if  you  want  a  dragon  —  earn  one.      ╱      

OVERVIEW  ;   full  name:  lucien  patrick  nichols nickname(s):  luc age:  twenty-three sexuality:  homosexual   family:  pierre  nichols  (  father  ),  evelyn  nichols  (  mother  ),  astride  nichols  (  sister  -  deceased  )occupation:  cadet,  first  year  wing:  fourth  wing,  flame  section,  first  squad signet:  unknown bonded  dragon:  unknown

PHYSICAL  ;   face  claim:  jonathan  daviss height:  5'10 eye  color:  brown hair  color:  dark  brown tattoos:  none

PERSONALITY  ;   positive  traits:  resilient,  selfless,  calculating negative  traits:  distant,  overanalytical,  doubtful character  parallels:  eddie  kaspbrak  (  it  ),  will  byers  (  stranger  things  ),  milo  thatch  (  atlantis:  the  lost  empire  )

BRIEF  HISTORY  ;  

lucien  is  the  youngest  of  two,  born  into  a  long  family  line  of  scribes.  their  family  has  always  valued  knowledge,  honesty,  and  determination.  

growing  up,  lucien  was  always  following  his  older  sister,  astride,  around.  being  only  a  year  and  some  change  apart,  they  were  inseparable  since  the  beginning.  

his  sister  was  always  the  outgoing  one,  pushing  them  both  to  the  limits  and  doing  things  that  would  have  given  their  parents  a  heart  attack

lucien  would  never  do  these  things  alone,  but  with  astride  by  his  side,  he  felt  invincible  

with  his  sister's  attitudes  and  overall  nature,  the  family  shouldn't  have  been  surprised  when  she  said  she  wouldn't  go  into  the  scribe  quadrant  and  instead  was  going  into  the  rider's  quadrant

it  was  nerve  wracking  to  say  the  least,  not  being  able  to  hear  from  the  person  he  thought  was  his  other  half.  she  even  almost  made  it  to  the  threshing.  but  the  day  before  her  name  was  called  as  they  all  mourned.  

none  of  the  family  knows  exactly  what  happened,  but  since  lucien  is  here  now,  he's  going  to  try  to  see  if  he  can  find  anyone  who  knows  what  exactly  happened.

now,  as  a  cadet,  lucien  has  no  idea  how  he  made  it.  he  almost  fell  off  the  parapet  so  many  times,  stumbled  to  the  ground  as  he  finished.

he's  also  a  staunch  rule  follower,  has  memorized  the  codex  word  for  word  at  this  point  and  is  working  on  the  types  of  dragons  next.  

he's  not  the  most  physically  fit,  nor  is  he  good  at  fighting,  but  his  intellect  is  most  likely  what's  going  to  help  him  get  farther  into  the  program.  

TLDR  ;  

a  ball  of  anxiety  who  only  joined  the  cadets  to  find  out  what  happened  to  his  sister.  he's  incredibly  intelligent  (  beetee  from  thg  tbh  )  but  he's  also  so  so  awkward.  doesn't  know  what  he  got  himself  into.  

WANTED  CONNECTIONS  ;  

friends  from  home:  maybe  these  people  were  also  around  scribes  a  lot  ?  lucien  spent  so  much  time  there,  people  probs  know  of  him

enemies:  people  in  his  squad  that  may  think  he's  the  weakest  link  !  give  me  the  pain  

allies:  they  don't  necessarily  have  to  be  in  the  same  squad/wing,  but  they  partially  feel  bad  for  lucien,  so  they're  going  to  help  him  out

crushes:  lucien  is  gay,  so  he'll  go  full  panic  mode  when  everyone's  sparring  and  they're  all  so  attractive.  (  he's  also  never  been  kissed  so  ...  marinate  on  that  ;)  )

[chryso-poeia]

The following text might be triggering for some but i felt like writing, so enjoy or don’t.

TLDR - Normalize everything and become your ideal self; you can keep your culture puppeteering and group identity. Raise up the individual.

-

Gay trauma. Growing up without representation or acceptance at large causes people to internalize what is projected on them by the weak, thus understandably one rebels against normative society. LGBTQ plus individuals then have to build themselves up often alone, from the ground up. At which point it should be understood that a certain reactivity will be inherent for a reason. Because if you grow up with ideas force fed to you about how you’re wrong in who you are as a baseline; a level of defensiveness is then warranted. This is manifested through subtle to severe trauma; the extensions or byproducts of weak minded masses. The same straight masses that often haven’t had to grow up behind a glass pane to everyone and everything else. To me yet still, i extend understanding to people by the very fact that indeed, we can all just operate in accordance with our consciousness.

Now i can only speak for myself but when you have to try everything in the way of rebellion without any established structure or if there is, it’s likely to be laughably psuedo-progressive resources shared by people that labor under the same subconscious homophobia or conservative ideologies that lay the ground work for the prosecution, witch hunting and discrimination of the LGBTQ that is still very much alive today, to extreme extents in some parts of the world. To be kindapped, tortured, humiliated and murdered for your sexuality?

Anyhow, by going through the LGBTQ+ process of finding oneself in society; you will break down, at which point there’s a crossroad betweem evolving or withering. The building up process after the fact is what has often created amazingly lucid, liberating and creative expressions and works of art within Queer culture, by individuals whose awareness and insight is nothing short of acute and crucial in western culture. Also, none of this accounts for other types or trauma neither, which might add layers upon layers or complexity and disorder upon the existing. That being said; we are nothing without the past but only in the way of lessons and healing

Alas, i will never understand why my private life is anyone else’s concern unless i allow them in. These same masses will preach acceptance but they do not share the queer experience. Besides, it’s not anyone else’s job to accept oneself, that’s all internal. Now counter culture provides safety and acceptance. But for me, i never had a sense of belonging because i was either too little or too much. So i came to realize that i was fighting invisible ideas perpetuated by people whose ideas mean nothing (when you know who you are and you understand intrinsic human value). Because most people only give meaning to things based on the context of their conditioned bias.

Now the importance of representation, education, normalization and external support cannot be overstated, especially resources for kids, created by LGBTQ individuals. Because the truth so far as i’m concerned is that, if you do not share my experience, i am not interested in your fake sympathy or half assed acceptance. Acceptance and knowledge of self will always be key and not dependance on some forced conformity by proxy to any one culture or ideology that i do not vibe with. Because nothing and no one gets to play with your value if you draw all power back to you.

So personally, no one and nothing holds power over me, i believe in removing everything that is in any way disempowering from my very vocabulary. I choose my words and meanings and thus; it is then that they are given power. The past is a lesson, not a sentence. So i choose to be free and full of love. Because i get to do so, because i’m human.

[cfcrossfire]

Is that ELION CHRISTOBAL LEONE? I heard the FIFTY-SIX year old belongs to the THE FAMILY as a BODYGUARD. I’d stay away from them if I were you. I heard they were QUICK-TEMPERED, but they can also be CALCULATING, so proceed at your own risk.

BASICS.

full name: elion christobal leone

nicknames: eli (most of the time), leone (during his time with the Marine Corps)

age / birthday: fifty-six / december 5, 1968 (sagittarius)

gender & pronouns: cis male, he/him

birth place: bergamo, italy

current residence: los angeles, california

character inspo: mitch rapp (american assassin), billy russo (the punisher), john wick (john wick verse), leo barnes (the purge: anarchy & election year), michael scofield (prison break)

aesthetic: making a “fuck you” gesture at authorities, a worn leather jacket, a black eye, but you should see the other guy, white knuckled fists that were clenched a bit too long, swing first, apologize later, bruised knuckles and a shattered mirror

PERSONALITY.

positive: calculating, honest, friendly, passionate, independent

negative: quick-tempered, reckless, cynical, vengeful, ruthless

core desire: to feel safe and protected, to reach stability and peace of mind

core fear: being unprepared and unable to defend themselves/others from danger

RELATIONSHIPS.

sexuality: heterosexual

status: widowed / single

parents: unnamed father, monica leone (birth mother), alessio storti (step-father)

siblings: none that he knows of

pets: a pair of dalmatians named Chili (brown & white) & Pepper (black & white)

&& TLDR.

Despite being given a falst start at life since birth, Eli proved to be a tough nut to crack. He's got two missions in Iraq with the Marine Corps behind his back, before stepping down to focus on his growing family. Shorly after coming off duty, his path crossed with The Family and once having seen too much, there was no way out.

Six years ago, his wife got diagnosed with brain aneurysm. Her condition quickly worsened, leading to stroke then death. After her death, feeling as if he's lost his whole purpose, Eli has turned into an ultimate workaholic.

BIOGRAPHY.

tw: child neglect, child abuse, addiction, death

Born in Bergamo, Italy, Elion was abandoned by his birth mother shortly after and entered the system not long after. He spent the first five years of his life in foster care before being transferred to a group home and a week shy from his 13th birthday his birth mother showed up.

One might think the hard days were far behind his back but in reality Eli was yet to see the ugliness in the world and people. His mother was incapable of taking care of herself, let alone a child. She was in and out of rehab until she could no longer afford the therapy and that moment on she'll only sink deeper and deeper in her addiction.

Eli was 15 when a man came in their lives, claiming to hold the solution to all their problems but in reality only causing more damage. Supplying his mother with drugs in exchange for sex and a roof over his head, the man set high expectations for the boy and punished harshly any and all sorts of defiance.

Due to him skipping classes, engaging in fights with other students, excessive drinking and constantly running away from home, Eli was often the subject of his step-father's anger and barely graduated when the time came. During one particularly harsh arguement between the two men, Eli pushed his step-father and the man flew out of their apartment's window. After the accident, the boy left home, worked a couple odd jobs and evetually wound up in America, seeking a fresh start.

He was 22 when applying for the Marine Corps and 28 when he was sent on his first mission to Iraq. He was 32 when he was send to Iraq for the second time. The mission got jeopardize and he spent a couple months in military hospital facility after deployment where he met his future wife. They got married three years later and welcomed their first child, a girl, a few months later, followed by the second, a boy, a couple years later.

Shortly after the birth of their son, his wife began experiencing constant headaches but was prescribed pain-relievers and eventually the headaches went away. Six years ago, she was diagnosed with brain aneurysm, however doctors decided to keep surgery as a last resort. A couple weeks later she suffered a stroke caused by a rupture and despite the quick response and being admitted directly into surgery, she never woke up from the coma and was removed from life support shortly after.

His path crossed with The Family shortly after returning from his second deployment. Along a couple of his ex-marine buddies, Eli established a private military firm, providing personal protection, convoy security and tactical operations assistance. He did a couple jobs for its members, mostly the Barone family, leaving good impression and was eventually offered a permanent contract. Once seen enough, there was no backing out and after losing the last string tying him to the outside world, he's now fully committed to serving the Barones.

HEADCANONS.

He still wears his wedding band but covers it with another massive ring and takes it off only when he knows work would get messy.

His back is covered in tattoos - an angel with spreaded wings (symbolising his faith) at the top, scales (symbolising his moral judgement) in the middle, a lion's head (symbolising the meaning of his last name despite his bitter memories from childhood & because he can be fiece as a lion) at the bottom. He's also got a spider on the left side of his torso (symbolising his venomous character) and the birth dates of his children in Latin numbers over his collarbones.

He paints in his free time.

PINTEREST. // WANTED CONNECTIONS. //