#trust issues and paranoia. maybe. whos to say
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
thewritingfairy ¡ 2 months ago
Text
↪ 12. Confrontation gone wrong!
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
PREV PART trigger warning: shouting, attempted gaslighting, medical + physical + emotional neglect, trackers, the yandereness is turning up slowly main m.list       series m.list
Nightwing’s behaviour was strange, odd even. But it wasn’t as weird as your family’s, ever since that one breakdown they’ve been acting like nothing happened. Like you’re apart of the family that they’ve shunned you from, yet they’re still keep cards close to their chess. And when you realised that Damian was showing up at your favourite hang out spots a bit too often, you got paranoid.
You always carry a messenger bag around, filled with little activities, extra medication and much more. But when you forgot it at home, or at your friends house you didn’t run into Damian. You didn’t run into your family at all.
And if your suspicions are correct? That bag is the reason why Damian keeps finding you.
You drop the contents of the bags on your bed, searching through it with such precision a surgeon would be jealous and then you found it. A trinket you don’t recognise, that looks like a magnet, but you’ve watched enough crime shows to know what it is. A tracker. “That little fucker,” you curse as you snap it without thinking. The strength that it took to do that was too much for you to use in one go, your body aching the second you broke it. “and now I’ve got high ass pain, thanks Damian. Fuck you too.”
But wait a minute, why would Nightwing follow little old you?
Why would any of the bats follow you?
You who never harmed anyone, you who is just a host at Cobblepot’s restaurant.
Either the bats are in Bruce’s pocket, or they are the bats.
The time-line of the younger vigilantes would make sense with your families time-line…. “Oh fuck no,” you curse as you quickly turn to your desk, rummaging through your drawer until you find a hard drive. You quickly plug it into your laptop and check if it works, and thank god it does. Even if you don’t know for sure that your family are the protectors of Gotham, you need to put the groundwork in for plan B. You need to send this all over to Maria, to Duke, to Francis, fuck, to everyone you can. To everyone you know and trust, you need to build rapport. Maybe… maybe even send this to your work…. No, that will be your plan C.
You make a group chat and you send a mass message; ‘Publish this if you don’t hear from me for a week and Maria doesn’t inform you where I am’. (attached; file (Name) and family incidents)
“(name),” Alfred says through the door, not even bothering with knocking. “Master Bruce expects you at dinner.”
You sigh, loud enough for Alfred to hear. “Yeah, I’ll be down soon!” you shout back as you shut off your laptop and hide your hard-drive once more. “Just need to freshen up real quick!”
When you hear him walk away you breath out in relief as you try to ignore the way your phone is blowing up.
As you ignore the way your heart fills with dread, and your body becomes tense and rigid with every step you take. You know Maria will have your back if your suspicions are correct, you know that Duke would have no issues with fucking everyone up if needed. But if your family is the ‘Bat’ family, he stands no chance. Unless… unless he’s Signal, which wouldn’t surprise you, he’s always ready to help others. But unlike the bats, he doesn’t seem afraid to get his hands dirty.
But there is no time to think about that right now, you have to face your fears.
You have to get this over with.
The moment you got to the dining hall your paranoia just got worse, especially with how Damian is staring at you, with how his arms are crossed. With how he looks like he’s been scolded through and through. Good, but you’ll still have to scold him for leaving a tracker in your bag, you will not tolerate such behaviour. And you never will, yet if you keep silent he might be bold enough to try again. To do so even smarter. “Well, you guys seem tense,” you comment without thinking as you sit down at your spot, which is next to Duke (thank god).
“Who wouldn’t be?” Damian asks, slamming his fist on the table. “When a family member has hidden their health to the extent you have!”
Your eyes snap towards Cassandra but she looks everywhere but at you. Duke clenches the arms of his chair, grounding himself before he does something he’ll regret. Luckily you have no problem with showing your anger, you have no problem with omitting the truth. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” you say as you tilt your head. “I’ve never hidden my health.”
Jason scoffs and you can see Dick roll his eyes, but most importantly you can see Bruce stare you down. A glare that you can only describe as identical to Batman’s. “Give me your phone,” he says, holding out his hands. “you’re grounded until you can tell us, me, the truth.”
You laugh, you can’t help it. “What truth?!” you shout, slamming your hands on the table. “I’ve tried telling you about my health when Jason attacked me, that I was scared about another flare up. But you dismissed it, I never lied, I just never told you.”
“You committed medical fraud,” Barbara points out.
“Can you blame them?” Duke asks, glaring at her. “When none of you took them to the hospital after they were in a coma?”
At least that gagged Barbara, too bad it didn’t shut Bruce up. “Your phone, (Name).” he stresses out, making a gimme hand motion (good thing you always have a back-up phone, huh), you throw it at them. And he catches it with ease. “Thank you.”
Jason groans, this wasn’t the confrontation he was expecting. He expected them to be harsher, not to offer you a way out by giving Bruce your phone. It pisses him the fuck off. “Oh my fucking god,” he curses, throwing his head back. “how the fuck did you get the hospital to give you surgeries, to give you researches without any adult present?!”
You stare at him, raising one of your eyebrows as you cross your arms. Looking as if you’re challenging him to explain why the fuck he thinks you would answer questions like that. And Jason is officially pissing of Duke, and from the look in his eyes Cassandra could assure Jason that he’s getting his ass beat during training. “Where’s your medication?” Stephanie asks, trying to diffuse the situation. “they’re heavy, wouldn’t it be handier if someone else handled them?”
You scoff; “iI someone is to handle my medication it’s Duke, and I don’t need help remembering how to take the pills I’ve been taking for fucking years thank you very much.”
Bruce runs his hand through his hair. “No, I am your father and we will have this conversation and you will give me your medication so that I can ensure you don’t take too much or too little!” he raises his vouce,
“Whatever,” you say as you roll your eyes, but your shoulders are tense and Duke rubs your back trying to keep him calm. “let’s just eat.”
“No,” Damian hisses out. “explain, now.”
You stare at him, wondering where he found the goddamn audacity and you reach in your pocket. Throwing the broken tracker at Damian. “When you explain this, you little shit.”
Duke curses, you never had heard such creative insults come out of his mouth. If you didn’t know better you would think these insults weren’t his own, truly he’s been spending too much time with Francis. But before Duke can stand up from his seat and threaten Damian in his face you shake your head. “Duke, glad that you at least seem to understand how grave this situation is,” you say with a smile. “but we should hear what this little shit has to say before either of us put our hands on him. He’s still a child you know, and I don’t condone child abuse.”
Unlike these fuckers, went unsaid but not unheard. It makes Duke smile. “I would love to hear his explanation,” Duke agrees. “but wouldn’t you also like to know how they got your medical history.”
You grin and pretend to have a dramatic eureka moment. “Oh, babs, did you just scold me for committing medical fraud, but how did you guys get my history?” you ask, pretending to be thinking. “ahah! You guys must have done something illegal as well? My oh my, did it also make you realise that neglect is illegal?”
It got silent, and it’s clear everyone’s waiting for Damian’s answer, but also Bruce’s comments. After all Alfred is just standing there in a corner as if he did nothing wrong. But when Bruce and Damian didn’t say anything, you grinned.
“That’s what I fucking thought.”
NEXT PART GUESS WHAT, :) this story is just going to get darker from here on out.
Tumblr media
taglist closed: @prettiest-thing-in-the-morgue, @bunniotomia, @devotedlyshamelessdetective, @princessbonnie-bell, @seemee3, @pix-stuff, @venomsvl, @amber-content, @stove-top96, @frank-vanderboom, @leeiasure, @1abi, @shadowytravelerlover, @chericia, @lithiumval, @lingxio, @cssammyyarts, @marsmabe, @foolishseven, @kore-of-the-underworld, @bunbunboysworld, @homeless-clown, @miashico, @alwaysholymilkshake, @1cxndy, @kittzu, @rtyuy1346, @exactlynumberonekryptonite, @hopingtoclearmedschool, @artistwithcreativeburnout, @alishii, @vanessa-boo, @holylonelyponyeatingmacaroni, @91-kya, @ryuushou, @jjsmeowthie, @justthere1956, @depressed--therapist, @xzmickeyzx, @cheappremingerfromdelululand, @plsfckmedxddy, @itsberrydreemurstuff, @trashlaternfish360, @leogf, @dirtydiavolo, @lilyalone, @welpthisisboring, @kenman00001, @nxdxsworld, @icefox8155, @ironsaladwitch, @holderoflostmemories, @asillysimp, @wisefuncherryblossom, @eyeless-kun, @marina27826, @muggleloveralways, @ironsaladwitch, @shyenemyperson, @iamaunknownsecret
908 notes ¡ View notes
ikamigami ¡ 20 days ago
Text
I realized I know why Harley strikes me as honest despite that he told us in QnA that he manipulates us with his words.
It's because he believes in things he says. Ofc he's biased but what he told us about Poppy is what he actually believes to be true that she like her father is a backstabber.
And you know we can't call it a manipulation if a person believes in the things they say to us.
Ofc Harley is full of himself and he sees himself above everyone else.
But there's something about him that doesn't allow me to say with 100% certainty that he's a narcissit like many people seems to believe so.
Cause honestly I think that the only person Harley is lying to is he himself.
He didn't even say that he hates Elliot the most even though I bet everyone thought so. And yet.
And he was shocked by Dr White's betrayal. He said that he thought that he saw his vision.
And even if he hates Leith the most he said that he's two-faced and a backstabber.
So do you want to tell me sir that at some point you thought that you could trust any of those two?
Even if you already had trust issues after Elliot backstabbed you?
Idk I'm probably grasping at straws but Sawyer seems like he's looking for any form of connection but because he is the way he is everyone denies him.
He even tried to get us to understand him. But why?
I get it. He was trying to manipulate us.
But there was something in his answers in QnA.
I just can't shake off the feeling that Sawyer seems to act like a kid. As if he just stuck at one point in time and never actually grew up.
And the fact that he's so distanced and almost detached emotionally from his past - childhood especially - I'm pretty sure that he went through something traumatic that he represses and is socially and emotionally stunted.
He still displays sociopathic/psychopatic and narcissitic traits but he seems plenty delusional.
Not only in grandiose way that he has a mission to find immortality and lead humanity into the future.
But also in a way were he still expects that he'll finally find understanding. Despite his paranoia and that Elliot betrayed him and that his coworkers used to laugh at his fears of world ending soon he still thought that someone saw his vision. He still was surprised that someone betrayed him.
Despite that he projects his trauma on everyone around him he still felt that he could trust someone at least about work and then was shocked at the betrayal.
He's biased as hell but he's honest.
And I think that he was still afraid of dying. Is it because he's so obsessed with himself? Maybe. But a part of me thinks that this is something that goes deeper. This fear is a core part of him hence his paranoia about world end.
And I believe it's due to his childhood trauma. Whatever his parents did to him caused him to be like that.
And I believe that Elliot kicking him out of YGP hurt so much also and maybe even mainly because he had to go back home. He wrote that he thought that Elliot cared.
This is something that stood out to me. Cared about what?
Because lines like "I thought he understand" and "nobody understands" are just your really simple lines of someone who will soon become a villain.
But "I thought he cared" it reveals to us that Sawyer liked Elliot. It's a line that comes from the kid that yearns for connection. That yearns for care and love that he never received at home.
I feel really bad for him.
He was betrayed so many times and he hoped for something still...
That's why he works as the main antagonist of horror franchise. Cause he's a tragic character that is so broken that he turned into a monster and he'll torment everyone by projecting his trauma and hurt.
And it's also tragic because he would never change because no one would help him because he's done so many awful shit.
I love him <3
95 notes ¡ View notes
straycalamities ¡ 5 months ago
Text
sometimes i see people say (more commonly in regards to shipping bray but this isn't a bray-defense post, it's a very general gripe) that it's hard for them to picture brian's dynamic with characters because "he had like five scenes"
and that leads into my pet-peeve of people treating the brian and hoody situation as the same as tim and masky. regardless of if you subscribe to the Masky-Is-An-Alter theory or not, it's definitely not the same. if you even just look at it in the way that the operator clearly affected every single character differently. from alex-to tim-to brian-to jay-to jessica.
the thing is...hoody is still brian. there's a lot of traits of brian's you can still read in hoody's choices and behavior even if they've been warped in some cases or the intent is different in others. if you follow the strings back, you can get a clue, even through hoody, how brian thomas was himself
the operator didn't brainwash or change him to something he wasn't capable of being, a different person entirely. the operator doesn't work like that. the operator twists and pulls out or pushes back what's Already There. it messes with your perceptions and relies heavily on isolation and paranoia so you get the extreme cases with people who maybe didn't even have a lick of paranoia or trust-issues or problems making friends.
that's not even a theory. we literally see it happen over time in alex and jay.
that's not to say that who the operator makes them become is 100% them, like clearly there's interference there, but i am saying it's all based on existing traits, flaws, priorities, etc.
so hoody is still brian, he's just a very very wounded and broken version of brian pushed to limits he never dreamed he'd have to hit. to say brian only got 5 scenes is just incorrect. he was a major supporting character the entire time and even got an entire comic issue (that ALSO heavily reinforces my point in my opinion. that's why i didn't reference it. 1. to avoid spoilers but also 2. because you can find all the clues even in the youtube webseries. just like lots of other things about brian that 3.5 just makes obvious and spells out But The Clues Were Already There) (the same as alex. it's just alex never gets another name. he's alex the whole time so then we get the OPPOSITE problem of people assuming operatorified alex is how alex always was and that's not true either. you can, of course, still see aspects of himself in there, but it's the same thing. while it's based off pieces of him, he's still being coerced and pressured by an outside force <- clarifying so it doesn't come off like i'm villainizing alex as a person because i'm not. nothing's as easy as that in marble hornets and that's why i love it. but that also still can mean both alexs are alex. and both brian and hoody are brian. but brian also resists the influence so alex got Full Operator'd compared to brian)
94 notes ¡ View notes
yanderes-galore ¡ 1 year ago
Note
Hello, could you make a platonic concept for Sonic and Tails (game version) sharing the reader? Since they both see each other as brothers, they could try to make the reader their new sibling.
Aww... Sonic and Tails making you part of a trio 💜 Here you go! Sorry for the long wait as always, I'm really trying :)
Yandere! Platonic! Sonic + Tails Sharing Darling
Pairing: Platonic - Sharing
Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Manipulation, Jealousy, Paranoia, Tracking, Stalking, Violence, Brief blood mention, Clingy behavior, Implications of murder, Dubious companionship.
Tumblr media
Sonic and Tails have been friends for, what, years?
The two are probably the closest to one another due to all the adventures they've had.
They'd definitely share an obsession between one another as friends.
I can't really see the two fighting over someone... they care for each other too much.
The two would be protective of a shared friend between them.
Like... extremely protective.
The two have been through nearly everything together since they were friends.
Most of the time it's due to them dealing with Eggman.
I imagine the two ended up meeting you on one of their adventures, perhaps even saving you from Eggman.
Sonic is his usual cool and laid-back self, always playful with you and Tails.
Tails is more shy but always wants to help you out, often offering you a gadget to help your daily life.
The two love to give their friend gifts as then you'll think of them.
The two are no doubt incredibly affectionate with you as their friend.
Now, if they view you as a friend or sibling... they could go either way as it doesn't change much.
Tails seems like he'd love hugs, honestly Sonic would too but not admit it often.
There's times when you greet them and the two bombard you in affection.
They are both definitely physical when it comes to affection.
Regardless on how they view you, as platonic yanderes they take such a role seriously.
The two value your safety... especially with all they've been through.
Tails definitely hides at least one tracker on you to know where you are like in his usual concepts.
He'd often alert Sonic where you are, originally he only uses it to keep you out of trouble.
Over time they both just find comfort in knowing where to find you....
I imagine Tails is more tame while Sonic can come off as intense at times.
Sonic can come off as intimidating if his friends are hurt.
In this case that would include both you and Tails.
Because of the universe and personalities of both characters, I don't expect any murder.
Violence on the other hand... that can happen.
Tails seems like the type who would give subtle threats to those who bother you.
While Sonic is similar, I can see Sonic being more up front about threats.
While the two care about you a lot, I want to believe they won't socially isolate you too much.
They'd be more likely to just insert themselves into interactions you have instead.
For example, you'll be talking with someone only to have either Sonic or Tails join the conversation.
Tails is always so sweet about it while Sonic uses his popularity to distract the attention off of you.
I'd say they both can get jealous.
Tails is more quiet about it but Sonic seems to be more vocal about it.
They're probably one of the best duos to have since they are mostly not that intense.
They genuinely just want to care for their friend and most likely won't kidnap you.
Instead there's the whole tracking situation... but with that you at least have your freedoms, right?
They aren't too fond of isolating you too much.
Even Sonic loves his freedom.
Instead they choose to protect you from danger as friends should.
Although... they may make you second guess your choice in friends.
Maybe the two end up giving you trust issues, jealous if you're spending time with others more than them.
They can be lenient... to a point.
The two see themselves as your heroes, always knowing what's best for their dearest friends.
Heroes shouldn't get blood on their hands...
Key word is shouldn't
However... perhaps there's some exceptions.
If the two ever did hurt someone for you, they'd work together to hide it.
The most I can see them doing is beating someone up or threatening someone to be quiet.
The two killing is rare and almost unheard of...which may just give them the perfect cover if I'm being honest.
You have no clue what the extent of their friendship with you really is.
Far as you know, they're harmless heroes who are just protective of you.
In reality they may be threatening and beating up those who may make your life less than perfect.
Perhaps the friendly exterior Sonic and Tails have around you and others isn't fully truthful?
Maybe they really do threaten, lie, beat up... or maybe even kill...
But surely there's nothing to worry about...! They'd never do such a thing... that's what you tell yourself, that is.
In reality, who knows what they do to maintain their friendship with you...
Perhaps the rumors are true... and there really is blood on their hands.
"Hey, has anyone been bothering you lately? You seem a bit worried...."
"You shouldn't have to worry, friend... we'll take care of everything, right?"
335 notes ¡ View notes
ceaselesswatchersspecialboy ¡ 8 months ago
Note
Hi, just got sucked into the rabbit hole of your not who he seems au. Any tidbits? Tidbits for a poor soul?
On a more focused note: how does Ford feel about the state of his body when he gets back? Between thirty years of Bill and thirty years of aging, I imagine it’s not anything like how he left it.
I shine a light upon you and provide you with tidbits, my favourite thing to give:
— Bill occasionally cameos in the Mystery Shack as ‘Dr. Mystery’ and does specialised tours where he talks more about the unusual biology of the fake Mystery Shack attractions (naturally, he’s bullshitting all of this). He also helps Stan brainstorm new attractions. Stan has to get a use out of his twisted mind somehow!
— Into the Bunker happens much later after Ford is returned to his body. He wants to check on the Bunker and finally get rid of the Shapeshifter permanently, and Dipper and Mabel convince him to let them tag along (Bill had promised Dipper he’d show him the bunker a while back anyway, but he doesn’t say that to Ford). Stan also ends up tagging along, despite Ford’s protests, because as far as he’s aware, he has two kids and a thirty years younger brother to look out for, and he doesn’t exactly trust Ford’s mental and physical state right now to be looking out for Dipper and Mabel.
It ends up being more of a test in Ford’s current paranoia and makes him truly question how well he knows his brother anymore. Dipper, Mabel and Stan are all able to pick each other out easily, but Ford, an outcast, struggles. Like how the original Into the Bunker was used to tackle Wendy and Dipper’s dynamic, I imagine it focusing especially on Stan and Ford’s dynamic here, the growing tension, and how different they are to Dipper and Mabel, as well as the elephant in the room of Bill.
— Scary-oke I’ve previously talked about how Stan was down in the basement summoning Bill before he comes up to protect Dipper and Mabel, and I think I forgot to mention Bill also re-enters Ford’s body and comes up to help too, so he and Stan and up fighting back to back. The major reveal here isn’t that Stan always knew or the black light, as both of those have already been addressed, rather the kids witness their Grunkle Ford using what can best be described as magic to fight the zombies off.
Also Bill is maybe starting to realise how protective he’s become of the kids and is even more desperate to he his body back. This can’t be happening!
Stan thanking him for it — sincerely as well — only makes that feeling worse.
— I’ve given in. Bill has a pet Plaidypus named Perry. Perry is his Henchmaniac and Lab assistant. He’s trained Perry to attack Gideon. This is important information.
— Bill does have the ‘I’m a little different, get used to it’ shirt and uses it as a pyjama shirt, alongside his Illuminaughty one.
— Mabel introduces Bill to sweater town after an incident where they were watching TV together and it turned to static. He freaked out badly. Stan was out with Dipper and Soos at the time so she tried to handle it the best she could and sat with him in sweater town, which he soon copied. He asked her not to speak of it afterwards, not that he remembered most of what happened — he just blanked out! Her lips are sealed anyway.
— He and Wendy have a habit of making bets about customers/tourists with each other. Wendy loses most of the bets because Bill cheats and taps into his ciphervoyance. It leaves him weak and exhausted but it’s fucking worth the money. Wendy ends up cheating herself and asks Stan to push the favour in her direction. He’s all for it. This game has been going on all Summer.
— Now for the specific question: A lot of people have pointed out the tattoos and how uncomfortable Ford may feel with that, as well as generally looking older, but physical problems are a whole other issue. There’s aches in places he knows there weren’t before and new scars from injuries he doesn’t remember, and he hates every second of it. Fortunately, Stan stopped Bill from pushing his body too far and kept it in decent enough condition, add that to the fact Bill was fairly active, he isn’t in the worst state, but that’s barely a comfort.
I think the thing to put it in perspective is it’s like if you went to bed one night and woke up thirty years older the next day. That’s how it felt for him. He can’t stand mirrors. And he tries to ignore the new aches. The way his skin feels. The fact he can barely see out of one of his eyes (courtesy of long exposure to bill possession), and there’s other minor visible changes too I’ve considered: triangular finger prints, the tips of his fingers stained black permanently, some parts of his hair growing in blonde amidst the grey etc.
He’s… not too happy about any of it.
93 notes ¡ View notes
annoyinglandmagazine ¡ 9 months ago
Text
It’s kind of interesting to me that Bill, Barry and Klaus seemed to all undergo a dramatic change from being fairly lighthearted adventurers having the time of their lives and helping people to terrifyingly controlled killing machines over the same space of time even if it’s through different circumstances.
Klaus definitely seems to think that the Heterodyne Boys would never approve of what he’s doing and that they’d find another way if they were there. And they probably wouldn’t be immediately on board but I think what Klaus is forgetting is that Bill and Barry changed too.
He seems so shocked that Barry didn’t trust him enough to come to him and the thing is, while Barry was probably shown some fairly compelling evidence, the chances are that after everything he went through and the revelation that Lucrezia betrayed them he was in a headspace where he could be made to doubt anybody.
Now who does that sound like? Someone becoming paranoid as fuck of everyone around them due to general trauma plus trust issues caused by Lucrezia and the world in general that they thought they’d helped only for it to then turn back to tearing itself apart as soon as they’re gone.
The paranoia heightened exponentially by the need to protect the child that is the only good left in their life while being convinced (not entirely incorrectly) that everyone is out to take them from them and maybe they could afford to go about things differently if it was only their life at stake but they aren’t taking any risks with the child’s.
Klaus is so certain that he’s compromising on morals because someone has to and that because Bill and Barry were perfect heroes who’d never hurt anybody they didn’t absolutely have to if they were around they’d insist on a more gentle approach but this wasn’t Klaus’ approach the last time he saw them.
Klaus himself changed no matter how much he seems to have rationalised that this was always ‘his way’ but he seems unable to understand, based on his reaction to Adam and Lilith, that his friends aren’t the same people he left behind either, they’re mistrusting, they jump straight to conflict and they will do absolutely anything to protect Agatha the same way he’d do absolutely anything to protect Gil.
(I don’t think Adam and Lilith were in the wrong in any way, they were just operating on extremely incorrect crucial information and acting accordingly, exactly like Klaus is for the entirety comic! There is a very important parallel to be had there!)
I’m not entirely sure that Bill and Barry wouldn’t do the kind of things Klaus does if it was for Agatha’s safety (*cough* locket/overlay parallel *cough*) but to Klaus believing that would actually be worse.
He knows he’s effective but he doesn’t think he’s a good person and it would disrupt something very fundamental for him if he couldn’t say definitively that Bill and Barry were completely good in all the ways he isn’t.
To him Bill and Barry are the same optimistic young men he knew before everything went south who’d always look for a solution to spare as many lives as possible just like he can’t afford to, who’d obviously come to him if they were there because they look for the best in people just like he doesn’t know how to anymore.
And when Barry heard that Klaus was back I bet that he needed to believe that Klaus at least had stayed the same. Except he didn’t and Barry didn’t, none of them did.
81 notes ¡ View notes
cozmowrites ¡ 5 months ago
Text
Trapped: Among Us
The silence was suffocating despite the vast expanse of space surrounding the ship. It was surreal, being stuck in a game of Among Us, your bodies unexplainably transformed into the very roles you'd chosen on your screens minutes ago. It wasn't a game anymore. The stakes were real.
The only way to travel back to the real life was to beat the game. And though everyone looked like themselves, they were now all in vibrant space suits to match their assigned colors they picked.
Bakugou, dressed in bright orange, was pacing furiously in the cafeteria. His arms were crossed, and his fiery scowl was even more intimidating under the fluorescent lights.
"What the hell is this?!" he growled, slamming a fist against the table. "We're not some damn cartoon astronauts!"
"Calm down, dude," Kirishima, the red character, said, trying to diffuse the tension. "We'll figure out how to get out of here. Maybe if we finish our tasks?"
You, the white character, stayed quiet, suppressing a wave of guilt. You were one of the imposters, you didn't know who the other imposter was. You didn't sign up for this either, but now, standing among your classmates, you were forced to play the role of a saboteur.
"Tasks? That's what you're worried about?" Bakugou scoffed, eyes narrowing. "Someone here is trying to kill us! I'm not trusting anyone."
"Not everyone's out to get us," Ochako, the rose-colored crewmate, said nervously. "We just need to stick together."
"I agree with Bakugou," Midoriya chimed in, his green suit matching the determined look in his eyes. "We need to be cautious. If someone's acting suspicious, we can't ignore it."
You flinched as their words pierced through you. Were you already acting suspicious? You'd managed to sabotage O2 earlier, but no one had suspected you yet. And the one person who seemed ready to tear everyone apart, Bakugou, was ironically the one who might protect you the most.
+++
The first meeting ended without accusations, but tension hung heavy in the air as everyone split up. Bakugou stalked past you as he headed toward Electrical, grumbling under his breath. You hesitated. This could be your chance to get rid of him, but the thought made your chest tighten. You didn't want to get rid of him.
Instead, you diverted toward MedBay, pretending to do a task. Jiro, the purple crewmate, entered soon after, shooting you a curious glance. You kept your head down, fiddling with the wires on the wall even though they weren't part of your fake task.
"You're awfully quiet," she noted.
"Just focused," you replied, forcing a small smile.
She didn't look convinced, but before she could press further, the ship's lights flickered. The emergency alarms wailed, signaling another sabotage. You felt your heart pound as everyone rushed to fix the issue.
+++
Later, during a meeting, the suspicion began to mount. Sero, in his brown suit, had been the first to notice Iida's blue body floating near Reactor.
"I didn't see anyone near there," he said, crossing his arms. "But someone had to do it. We can't just ignore this!"
"Where was everyone?" Todoroki asked calmly, his cyan visor glinting in the light.
You felt all eyes turn to you when Jiro piped up. "White was in MedBay. Alone."
"She's not the only one alone," Bakugou snapped, standing up abruptly. "What the hell are you saying, Ears? You think she did it?"
Jiro raised an eyebrow, undeterred by his tone. "I didn't say that. I'm just pointing it out."
"She was in MedBay the whole damn time! I passed her earlier, and she didn't even go near Reactor," Bakugou snarled.
You blinked in shock, your heart skipping a beat. Why was he defending you so adamantly? He didn't even know you were the imposter.
"Woah, woah," Kaminari, the yellow crewmate, interjected, raising his hands. "No one's blaming anyone yet! Let's chill out."
Bakugou clicked his tongue in frustration but didn't argue further. The group decided to skip voting for the round, though paranoia lingered as everyone went their separate ways again.
+++
You couldn't shake the weight of Bakugou's actions as you wandered the halls. He was relentless and harsh to everyone, yet he'd jumped to your defense without hesitation. You didn't deserve it, not when you were actively sabotaging the mission.
Before you could lose yourself in thought, you felt a firm hand grip your arm. You spun around to see Bakugou glaring down at you.
"You've been quiet this whole time," he said, his voice low and serious. "What's your deal?"
"I-I'm just trying to stay out of trouble," you stammered, your guilt bubbling up.
"Bullshit." He narrowed his eyes. "You're hiding something."
Your breath caught in your throat. Did he know? Was he about to call you out?
But instead of accusing you, his gaze softened ever so slightly. "Look, I don't trust anyone on this damn ship. But you... you're not a killer. You're too much of a coward to pull something like this."
The comment stung, but there was a strange warmth in his tone. It wasn't an insult-it was his version of reassurance.
"You're wrong," you muttered, your fists clenching. "You don't know what I'm capable of."
"Then prove me wrong," he challenged, his lips curving into a smirk. "Until then, I'll watch your back."
Your heart fluttered, conflicting emotions swirling inside you. You didn't deserve his trust, yet you couldn't bring yourself to push him away.
+++
The game continued on, with the crewmates growing more suspicious of one another. Another body was discovered-Ashido, the pink crewmate, this time. You had managed to avoid direct confrontation, but the pressure was mounting.
In an emergency meeting called by Todoroki, Bakugou once again stepped in to defend you when Todoroki raised an eyebrow at your lack of alibis.
"You guys are idiots if you think she's the killer," Bakugou growled. "She's been running around like a headless damn chicken. That's not what an imposter does."
"Maybe she's playing dumb," Todoroki said calmly.
"Or maybe you're just jealous 'cause no one's on your side, Icy Hot!" Bakugou barked, slamming the table.
"Bakugou," you said quietly, cutting through the tension. Everyone turned to you as you took a deep breath. "You don't have to keep defending me."
He frowned, his sharp red eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean it," you said, forcing yourself to look at him. "I don't need you to put yourself on the line for me."
"You think I'm doing this for you?" he snapped. "I'm doing it 'cause I know I'm right. So shut up and let me handle this."
Despite his harsh tone, there was a hint of something deeper in his words. Something that made your heart ache.
You wanted to tell him the truth, to admit your role in this twisted game, but the thought of losing the small connection you'd built with him was unbearable.
For now, you'd carry the guilt, hoping that when this nightmare ended, you could find a way to make things right.
Bakugou's words lingered in your mind long after the meeting adjourned. He had defended you yet again, standing firm despite the mounting suspicion around you. And you? You were starting to feel like a coward for not coming clean. The guilt twisted in your chest, a gnawing reminder that you were betraying everyone's trust-especially his.
+++
The ship's corridors were eerily silent as you wandered toward Admin. The soft hum of machinery was the only sound accompanying you. You pretended to swipe your card at the terminal, though the task was as fake as the role you were playing. In truth, you didn't know why you had come here. Was it just to be alone? Or was it to avoid having to make another kill?
You didn't have long to ponder. The sound of heavy boots echoed behind you, and you turned to see Bakugou striding toward you, his orange visor slightly fogged from exertion. He opened the visor and you finally saw his red eyes boring into you. It made your breath hitch.
"Oi, what are you doing here?" he demanded, his tone sharp but not unkind.
You gestured vaguely toward the terminal. "Doing my tasks."
"Bullshit. You're just hiding," he accused, crossing his arms.
Your lips tightened, and for a moment, you considered snapping back. But the exhaustion in his eyes stopped you. He wasn't here to berate you-he was here because he cared.
"What do you want, Bakugou?" you asked, your voice softer than you intended.
He stared at you for a moment, his crimson eyes narrowing. "I don't get you," he finally said. "Everyone else is losing their damn minds, but you're just... standing around, like none of this matters."
"It matters," you said quickly, guilt bubbling to the surface. "I just... don't know what to do."
"You survive," he said firmly. "You keep your head on straight and stop acting like some scared little kid. You're better than that."
His words hit you harder than they should have. You felt the sting of tears welling in your eyes, and you quickly looked away, ashamed. "You don't know that."
"Yeah, I do," he said, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "I've been watching you this whole time. You're not like the rest of these idiots."
Your breath hitched at his admission. He had been watching you? Defending you, even when it made him a target? Why?
"Why do you care so much?" you blurted out before you could stop yourself.
Bakugou stiffened, his gaze narrowing. For a moment, you thought he might snap at you, but instead, he leaned closer, his voice low and serious. "Because you're not a killer. And if you are..." He paused, his jaw tightening. "Then prove me wrong. But until you do, I'm not letting anyone touch you."
His words sent a shiver down your spine. He believed in you-despite everything. And you? You were lying to him, betraying the one person who had your back.
+++
Later that day, the tension on the ship reached its boiling point. Another body had been found-Sero, this time-and the crewmates were growing more paranoid by the second. The emergency meeting was a cacophony of accusations and defensive shouts.
"It has to be someone who's been quiet," Midoriya said, his green suit stained with oil from a recent repair. "We can't ignore the pattern."
"All you nerds have been suspicious," Bakugou shot back, his temper flaring. "Especially you, Deku. Who's to say you're not the one behind this?"
"I've been doing my tasks!" Midoriya protested, his voice rising. "And I saw Todoroki in Reactor earlier. He could've had a chance-"
"You're pointing fingers at everyone except yourself, huh?" Bakugou interrupted, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Enough!" Iida's booming voice echoed across the cafeteria, cutting through the chaos. "We can't keep fighting like this. We need to make a decision."
But no one could agree. Once again, the group voted to skip, their collective fear outweighing their suspicion.
As everyone dispersed, you felt a hand grab your wrist. You turned to see Bakugou glaring at you.
"We need to talk," he said curtly, pulling you aside.
+++
He led you to a secluded corner of the ship, away from prying eyes. His grip on your wrist was firm but not painful, and when he finally let go, he turned to face you with an intensity that made your stomach churn.
"Tell me the truth," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "What are you hiding?"
Your heart raced as you stared at him, torn between wanting to confess and the fear of what might happen if you did. "I-I'm not hiding anything," you lied, your voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't give me that crap," he snapped, taking a step closer. "I've seen the way you've been acting. You're jumpy, nervous. You're not fooling anyone."
Your chest tightened, and for a moment, you thought about running. But there was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.
"Bakugou..." you began, your voice trembling. "I-"
Before you could say anything more, the lights flickered, plunging the ship into darkness. The emergency alarms wailed, signaling yet another sabotage.
"Shit!" Bakugou growled, instinctively grabbing your hand. "Come on!"
He pulled you along the darkened corridors, his grip on your hand tight and unwavering. Despite the chaos around you, you couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort in his presence. He was brash and relentless, but he was also fiercely protective-something you didn't realize you needed until now.
When the two of you reached Electrical, the alarms finally stopped as someone fixed the sabotage. The lights flickered back on, and Bakugou let out a frustrated sigh.
"Damn it, this is getting out of hand," he muttered, running a hand through his spiky hair.
You stood there in silence, guilt gnawing at you. You couldn't keep this up. Not when he was putting himself on the line for you.
"Bakugou," you said quietly, your voice barely audible.
He turned to you, his expression softening ever so slightly. "What?"
You took a deep breath, your hands trembling. "I need to tell you something."
His eyes narrowed, but he didn't interrupt. He just waited, his gaze fixed on you.
"I'm..." You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. "I'm not who you think I am."
"What the hell does that mean?" he asked, his tone laced with confusion.
"I'm..." You closed your eyes, steeling yourself. "I'm one of the imposters."
The silence that followed was deafening. You couldn't bring yourself to look at him, afraid of the anger-or worse, the betrayal-you knew you'd see in his eyes.
But when he finally spoke, his voice was calm. Too calm. "You're kidding, right?"
You shook your head, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. "I'm sorry," you whispered. "I didn't want this. I didn't ask for this."
He stared at you for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to your surprise, he let out a bitter laugh. "Of course. Of course it's you."
"Bakugou, I-"
"Save it," he snapped, his voice sharp. "I should've known. You're too damn sneaky for your own good."
"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," you said desperately. "I just... I didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice," he shot back, his crimson eyes blazing. "You think this excuses anything?"
"No," you admitted, your voice breaking. "But I couldn't... I couldn't hurt you."
That seemed to catch him off guard. He blinked, his anger faltering for just a moment. "What the hell are you saying?"
"I didn't kill anyone," you said, tears streaming down your face. "Not because I couldn't-but because I couldn't do that to you." All this time, your partner has been sabotaging and killing. You haven't killed a single soul.
He stared at you, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving you alone in the dimly lit corridor.
For the first time, you felt truly alone.
You stayed frozen in the dimly lit corridor, your heart sinking as Bakugou's retreating footsteps echoed through the ship. The weight of your confession bore down on you, suffocating and cruel. You had thought that telling him the truth would bring some kind of relief, but now you were left with a hollowness that gnawed at your insides.
Would he tell the others? Would he vote you out during the next meeting? Or worse-had you destroyed the fragile bond between you two forever?
The alarms blared again, pulling you out of your thoughts. Another sabotage. The ship's Reactor was malfunctioning, the countdown already ticking down to zero. Your instincts kicked in, and you ran toward the Reactor, hoping you weren't too late.
+++
You arrived just as Kaminari and Jiro were frantically pressing buttons on the control panels. The two of them looked up at you, their expressions tense.
"Help us out!" Kaminari shouted, gesturing to the panel on the other side of the room.
You hesitated for a split second, then rushed over, mimicking their actions as if you were contributing. The countdown stopped with only a few seconds to spare, and a wave of relief washed over the room.
"Close one," Jiro muttered, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead after lifting up her visor.
"Yeah, no thanks to some people," Kaminari grumbled, shooting you a suspicious glance.
You avoided his gaze, pretending to be engrossed in the panel. It was only a matter of time before the others started piecing things together. You couldn't keep up this act forever.
+++
As everyone regrouped in the cafeteria, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Todoroki, ever calm and calculating, took the lead in addressing the group.
"This can't keep going," he said, his icy voice cutting through the room. "We've lost three people already. We need to start making decisions."
"I'm telling you, it's gotta be someone quiet," Midoriya said, his green suit still scuffed from his tasks. "Someone who's staying under the radar."
"Then why the hell are you still alive?" Bakugou growled, slamming his fist onto the table. His sudden outburst made everyone flinch. "You've been running your damn mouth since this started, but you're not dead yet. Seems suspicious to me."
"I've been doing my tasks!" Midoriya snapped back, his usual nervousness replaced by frustration. "What about you, Kacchan? You're always defending White. What if you're working together?"
You stiffened, your eyes darting to Bakugou. He met Midoriya's gaze with a venomous glare. "Say that again, Deku. I dare you."
"Guys, stop!" Ochako pleaded, her rose-colored suit contrasting with her worried expression. "We're just tearing each other apart. We need evidence."
The argument escalated, voices overlapping in a chaotic mess. You stayed quiet, avoiding Bakugou's eyes as you wrestled with your own guilt.
"Enough!" Iida's commanding voice finally silenced the group. "Let's vote and move on."
No one reached a consensus. Once again, the votes were skipped, leaving everyone to scatter back into the ship's halls, paranoia mounting.
+++
The next few hours were a blur of tense encounters and mounting suspicion. You couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as though Bakugou's crimson gaze was boring into your back even when he wasn't there. You avoided him as best you could, terrified of what he might say-or do-if you crossed paths again.
But fate had other plans.
You were in Storage, pretending to organize fuel canisters, when you heard footsteps approaching. Your pulse quickened, and you glanced over your shoulder to see Bakugou standing in the doorway, his orange suit practically glowing under the fluorescent lights.
"Still playing crewmate?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
You sighed, setting down the canister. "What do you want, Bakugou?"
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "You think I'm just gonna let this slide? You lied to me. To everyone."
"I didn't have a choice!" you snapped, your voice trembling. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Then don't," he said simply, crossing his arms. "But if you think I'm gonna sit back and watch you screw this up, you're dead wrong."
You blinked, taken aback. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I'm not letting you lose," he said firmly. "If you're gonna play this stupid game, you better win."
You stared at him, your heart pounding. "You... you're not going to tell them?"
"Tch. What's the point? They're all idiots anyway," he muttered, looking away. "Besides, if you're the imposter, that means I'm your only damn ally."
His words left you speechless. After everything, he was still on your side. You didn't deserve his loyalty, but you couldn't deny the relief that flooded through you.
"Why?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you helping me?"
He hesitated, his jaw clenching. "Because... I trust you, okay? Don't make me regret it."
Your chest tightened, a mix of guilt and gratitude overwhelming you. "I won't," you promised, though you weren't sure if you believed it yourself.
+++
The next sabotage was a blur of chaos and adrenaline. The lights went out, plunging the ship into darkness once again. You stuck close to Bakugou as the two of you made your way to Electrical, your footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence.
When the lights flickered back on, a scream pierced the air. You and Bakugou ran toward the source, arriving in the cafeteria just in time to see Kaminari standing over Ochako's lifeless body.
"I-I just found her like this!" he stammered, his yellow visor fogging up from his panicked breaths. "I swear, I didn't do it!"
The others quickly gathered, their faces pale and tense. Todoroki eyed Kaminari suspiciously, his calm demeanor unnerving.
"You're the only one here," Todoroki pointed out. "How do we know it wasn't you?"
"I didn't do it!" Kaminari insisted, his voice cracking. "Someone must've vented!"
"Or you're just a bad liar," Bakugou muttered, glaring at him.
The emergency meeting that followed was the most heated yet. Accusations flew across the room, with Kaminari at the center of it all. You stayed quiet, letting the chaos unfold around you.
In the end, Kaminari was voted out, his protests falling on deaf ears. The room grew tense as his body vanished, replaced by the cold, hollow words: Kaminari was not an imposter.
The crewmates' morale plummeted, their paranoia reaching new heights. You caught Bakugou's gaze across the room, his expression unreadable. He gave a small nod, and you knew what it meant: Keep going.
+++
The final moments of the game were a blur. With only a handful of crewmates left, the pressure to act grew unbearable. You managed to sabotage Reactor again, splitting the group and creating the perfect opportunity to strike.
When the meeting was called, Todoroki was gone, leaving only you, Bakugou, Midoriya, and Jiro. The tension was palpable as everyone stared each other down.
"It has to be White," Midoriya said, his green eyes narrowing. "She's the only one who hasn't been cleared."
"Or maybe it's you, nerd," Bakugou shot back, stepping in front of you. "You've been pointing fingers since this started."
"I've been trying to help!" Midoriya protested, his voice rising. "You're the one defending her. Maybe you're both imposters!"
"Enough!" Jiro snapped, her purple visor glinting. "Let's just vote."
Your heart raced as the votes were cast. You knew what you had to do. With a heavy heart, you cast your vote for Midoriya, sealing his fate.
The words appeared on the screen: Midoriya was not an imposter.
Silence fell over the room as realization dawned. You were the last imposter-and you had won.
+++
As the victory screen flashed, you turned to Bakugou, expecting anger or betrayal. But instead, he smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming with something that looked almost like pride.
"Told you," he said, his voice low. "If you're gonna play, you better win."
For the first time since this nightmare began, you allowed yourself to smile. It wasn't the ending you had hoped for, but it was an ending nonetheless. And maybe, just maybe, Bakugou's faith in you wasn't misplaced after all.
And suddenly, you felt a tingle as both you and Bakugou glitched and disappeared from the game. Everyone was back in the common room, sitting, alive, unscathed.
You bursted into tears, apologizing to every single one of them and Bakugou watched silently.
+++
masterlist ⟢
more bakugou ⟢
requests ツ
45 notes ¡ View notes
fandomsnrambles ¡ 1 year ago
Text
The spinjitzu family has recently become my roman empire for some reason, you’re all going to see so much of them 😭
Anyway, i’ve been thinking about his relationships with his sons recently. And I know he doesn’t have a good relationship with any of them.
I know people argue ‘Wu was his favourite’ but i think if we actually look at how he acts, you realise he didn’t really have a favourite. I also feel personally inclined to respectfully mention that just because Garmadon said it, doesn’t make it true. Characters have biases that mess with their worldviews after all. It’s like saying Wu’s to blame for the devourer’s bite because he said he was. Even though he was like seven, maybe nine and had no idea that snake even existed.
Thats why you should take everything they say with a grain of salt and then consider their actions.
Wu’s relationship with his father is complicated. In the spinjitzu books he mentions how he wants his father’s approval, but doesn’t know how to start with getting it. We also get hints of the FSM’s (flawed) parenting methods in the show. I’ve noticed he’s emotionally distant even if he’s physically there. I mean, Wu says his father talked to them (Garmadon and Wu) less after the Aspheera incident. Makes me think that the FSM was definitely not there emotionally.
Due to this, Wu’s emotional needs as a child weren’t really met. His fathers distance hurt him and the FSM (maybe accidentally) neglected him. I say accidentally because i’m pretty sure the FSM is a traumatised child soldier who doesn’t know how to properly cope with everything so they just shut down/dissociate.
Wu was also raised with high expectations (alongside Garmadon.) This probably put him under a lot of stress to keep up. I’m thinking gifted child who got burnt out and more depressed as he aged.
I also think the FSM has trust and paranoia issues. You can look at Nineko and the way they went about dying for this. This guy really hands their son a script of where he died without telling him he gave it to him and mentions the bare minimum details. (I wonder if mentioning too much details got the FSM hurt. Maybe thats why he’s so distant.) Of course, trauma doesn’t really excuse being a flawed parent.
I also feel the need to mention that Wu unintentionally copies his father’s trauma responses. Heck, we could even talk about how Garmadon does the same, and later Lloyd. They all bottle their emotions and issues and hope nothing bad ever happens with that ever. Too bad for them though, we know how this ends
(Oof this is ✨generational trauma✨ at work)
Moving on to Garmadon, we know that after he got bitten by the devourer, the FSM helped him through his episodes and tries his best to find a cure. From this i can honestly say that the FSM did love and care for his sons. But this doesn’t mean they knew how to properly show that they did (especially because he doesn’t have a proper basis for what parent-child relationships should even look like.)
We see this when we get to know of Garmadon’s insecurities as a child. He doesn’t think there was anything wrong with him and seems to hate how the FSM tries to find a cure for him. Maybe because he doesn’t like the implication that he needs ‘fixing’ more than anything else. Garmadon’s also different than Wu in the sense that he grows more resentful of his father as he grows older whilst Wu clings to his father’s attention to get approval/praise.
I also want to mention how this resentment built up also affects how his perception of Wu’s relationship with their dad. He thinks Wu is favoured probably because Wu doesn’t have the venom and is the good one (because the venom apparently makes Garmadon the ‘bad’ one) and he sees his younger brother as the golden child. This probably built to jealousy and then guilt for the jealousy because Garmadon does love his brother a lot.
The high expectations also come’s into play here. It probably puts a lot of weight on Garmadon’s shoulders. Which doesn’t make his growing feelings of resentment better nor does it make his insecurities about his venom any better.
What makes this whole situation worse is that NO ONE in this family knows how to communicate. Wu doesn’t tell his dad or his brother how he feels, Garmadon doesn’t as well and FSM wouldn’t be caught breathing a word of his feelings to be honest.
This whole family would rather die than communicate ffs.
In conclusion:
Tumblr media
237 notes ¡ View notes
genderqueerdykes ¡ 9 months ago
Note
i think people who doesnt like men and despise them are just traumatized. i mean its the experience of being mistreated for years that it makes them unable to trust men again. their reactions is maybe too harsh but i can see it being "i just doesnt want to be hurt anymore"
i agree with this take and i don't care if that bugs people
it is okay for a person to say that they have experienced trauma due to the current patriarchy we live under. it's okay to say that. however it's not okay to project one's trauma with those specific things on to every man they encounter. we must not project our trauma on to people who are not hurting us. it does not help us heal. it keeps us trapped in the cycle of negative thought loops, paranoia, fear and disgust
i agree with you completely, people who take this trauma to the extreme without reflecting on their experiences and admitting that the trauma was at the hands of that one person, those people, or that organization just lose they ability to trust an entire gender and decide that pathologically avoiding and hating men is the way to move on and cope. it's not, it never is. to avoid one's trigger for the rest of one's life is to not going to help someone get over it. it has to be addressed at one point or another
there are many men out there who are horrible but there are horrible people of any gender. our current patriarchal society is flawed because we designed a structure built around worshipping men and placing them in positions of power over everyone, especially women, but only if they fit into a narrow box of what a man 'should' look, act and sound like. we torture men, women and everyone else in this society.
men are forced to be the 'perfect' man in order to be validated and accepted as 'real' men. men cannot have long hair or else they 'look like a girl' or are 'too faggy'. men have to be physically fit or else people are ashamed of them or tell them they are unattractive. men are forced to be the 'man of the house', boys are forced into this at young ages. men are only allowed to dress in certain ways depending on one's culture. in the US men have to wear very plain clothes with muted colors. gestures and mannerisms are also scrutinized as well as career choices. only 'masculine' career choices are approved of
we place insecure men into positions of power and tell them to control everyone and make sure that women don't get those same rights and abilities and that's a huge issue but not every man is doing this. our issue with men is systemic due to the patriarchy we live under- men are not genetically or inherently violent, evil or shitty. we are grooming men and certain men catch on to the programming and take it very seriously and many wish to live outside of it in order to be themselves
the way we treat women in this patriarchal society is abysmal. it is shameful to behold- yes women are treated in an absolutely subhuman fashion in most regards of life when it comes to what we experience. it's maddening. but we have to understand that if we stop programming men to behave this way, this will not continue to happen anywhere near as badly as it's happening right now
the average man you meet on the street is likely not a danger to you at all whatsoever. most people aren't. most men don't really want to be a macho stereotype. most men just want to go about their own personal interests. it's okay for them to do so its their right. opening up one's self to average men who are honest and in touch with their interests is pretty eye opening- men also come in all kinds just like anyone else. men can be gentle and caring just as much as they can be difficult to be around. men are people
i agree with you. people project their trauma of what theyve gone through on to people who have not hurt them and it's not a good way to approach community and how one interacts with the world. it's fine to call out men when they do something shitty, when they're misogynistic, when they're being violent, but we also have to let men be gentle, quiet, caring, creative, passionate, loving and so on. because men are capable of those things. it's that simple
hope you have a great day, thanks for stopping by to chat
69 notes ¡ View notes
raayllum ¡ 1 month ago
Text
one final thought to take into consideration because it was, admittedly, my third thought upon seeing The Post:
i will be sightly surprised if the sharing of private DMs doesn't irreparably damage the fandom and/or OP's online relationships in general. i don't think that was the intention or is even a concern of OP and co. upon making and supporting the post, but i do think it's somewhat of an inevitable outcome when so much basic respect / decency has been tossed out the window.
there's clearly a general culture of paranoia that's taken root in the fandom in multiple ways, and i'd include myself in that. i absolutely felt paranoid for months, and while i ended up being right to a degree of what i was paranoid over, that'd seeped in in general way before that and (hopefully) beyond what was grounded in reality, even if i continually beat it off with a stick and didn't engage with it.
because if the new litmus test is not just "you piss this person off enough or do [xyz whatever is labelled or is bad behaviour enough], they'll not only make a public callout post about you" (which while that can be very crappy, i do think is more in 'fair game grey zone' & would've preferred paraphrasing in every way imaginable; i also think it would've made the post a cleaner, more compelling argument in terms of Controlling the Narrative cause yeah, call me a condescending bitch, i'm sure i have been, that's on me to work on /gen, you didn't have to violate me to do that) but, "if they get pissed enough, they will leak your private messages publicly for everyone to read" is like...
you know this person. you have presumably DM'd them. maybe you haven't always agreed, maybe you have. and you know there's also a large swath of people who likewise enable, encourage, and support the leaking of private DMs. are you really going to feel like you can Trust any of them, especially in an online space where you're sending DMs all the time? and they might Say they never would, but are you really going to believe them when they already have?
and moreover, if you do disagree and think — on principle maybe, because maybe you also think i'm asshole, which again, Fair Enough (nor should how you treat or advocate for people be based on whether you personally like/approve of them & their actions anyway) — that leaking the DMs was shitty, are you going to feel like you can express that and/or leave and break things off without the same thing happening to you? and if you do, and it doesn't, are you going to be able to not constantly look over your shoulder, wondering if they/unknown amount of others are checking (stalking) your blog(s) at all times for any whiff of unease?
are you going to second hand question everything you post or reblog — say about another issue or relationship in your life, the life of someone else you know/love — in case it's taken poorly? are you going to sit here, ruminating, recoiling, over how they might link it back to their truly unrelated situation, and that'll be what tips them over the edge (not just of disagreeing with you or being like "yeah that take is reductive or wrong" which is a subjective practice anyway, but) into leaking your Truly Personal Shit? are you going to worry about every DM you send, and have retroactive anxiety over messages you don't entirely remember, but think maybe you could've handled or phrased better, and what if it's worse than you remember, because what if that all gets leaked and your privacy is dead on arrival before the body's even hit the grave, because now you're doing self surveillance all the time to try and make sure this person, or people, won't/can't dehumanize and violate you?
are you ever going to feel safe in the spaces you've cultivated for yourself again?
because that's the question i think the broader fandom at large will have to wrestle with, if this is the acceptable precedent
because if this was (i'm assuming) the most direct of the supposed vagueblogging (i don't know what else has been tossed in there by them, i went back the other day to check and think there were 4 posts and maybe 5 tags overall over as many months, but they could be tossing way more stuff in bc of. wrongful attribution):
Tumblr media
and it was about me reflecting on a separate, different old friendship breakup that happened a couple years ago around christmas bc a friend of mine had just had one, then like. what are we doing here?
which is to say: i don't think OP has to remove the post. keep it up, that's your prerogative, it's your blog and you can post what you like. clearly it's been very cathartic for people and hopefully they're getting their anger out in a way that will make their lives easier going forward. however, i do think you should remove the DMs from the post. like hey, you were mad, you were pissed and hurt (honestly understandably so; i didn't think receiving a message going "btw i thought about our relationship patterns and no longer want to be friends / i'm blocking you" immediately followed by the block, or making myself sit in anxiety waiting to see how you'd respond was worth it, but like yeah, i can see how that wasn't ideal at the very least either) but i don't think leaking DMs was/would ever be okay. paraphrase my shit if you will, make me look even (or just as) worse, if you want.
but if you want people to trust you, you might have to reprove you can Be trustworthy, and that means Not Leaking Private Information/Conversations
22 notes ¡ View notes
cecilysass ¡ 1 year ago
Text
Why I Think The X-Files Isn’t Really As Much About Watergate and Governmental Conspiracy As Everyone Claims, Maybe Including CC
This one’s really nerdy, get ready.
Media covering the X-Files has always emphasized how much the show capitalizes on a post-Watergate worldview, a paranoia about government and belief in high-level conspiracy. I think CC signed on to this interpretation entirely. So much so that he sure kept on feeding those conspiracy plot lines in the mytharc—even when every other plot line was going hungry. 
Tumblr media
So much so that in the revival, he really created a problem for himself, which the media picked up on. Government conspiracy nuts in 2016 no longer were hot sensitive 90s guy outcasts like Mulder or quirky cuddly little nerds like the Gunmen. Government conspiracy nuts in 2016 were media savvy right wing commentators manipulating the masses, getting presidents elected through willful misinformation.  The revival series tried to address this head on with Tad O’Malley, a character who represented this new development. But it was definitely a sticky issue: the sociopolitical context of the original show was gone. Was the show relevant any more?
Tumblr media
I would argue yes, or at least it could have been. I would argue that the interpretation of the XF as a show primarily about conspiracy at high levels of power and governmental manipulation is a flawed one to begin with. I think this take makes the show way too thematically narrow, limits it, and obscures the show’s more important appeals.
In the 1990s, media coverage of the show almost always mentioned Watergate the historical event. Sometimes coverage discussed how Watergate was directly referenced on the show (Deep Throat, meetings in parking deck, CSM and Diana both living in the actual Watergate), but also Watergate’s specific effect on creator Chris Carter, who specifically cited it as a formative event. Often it was claimed that the show’s popularity with audiences was rooted in post-Watergate suspicion of government.
I think this could have been true generally speaking, although I always thought it somewhat overestimated the impact of Watergate on the XF’s target audience. Consider that in 1997 many in the key 18-49 demographic would not even remember Watergate especially well, or at all. If you were 30 in 1997, you were 6 when the story broke in 1973. I’m sure that could have left a mark on you, but I also think it might have been something that simply left a much bigger impression on Boomers the age of Chris Carter himself.
Me? I was in college in 1997, and I was nonexistent / unborn during Watergate. So I didn’t remember it, and it held no personal significance in my worldview regarding the United States. I don’t think it ever would have occurred to me to trust that the government was telling me the truth all the time, and I wouldn’t ever be shocked to learn I was being intentionally misled. As a late Gen Xer growing up in the Reagan administration with post-Watergate ideas floating in the air, I just assumed the worst from the get-go.
So I admit: sometimes the earnest speeches from Mulder and Scully about the Truth and being lied to from men in power and a government we purport to trust seemed a little repetitive and obvious to me. It’s taken me a while to realize that these speeches are voicing something very specific and historically real, the furious indignation of Boomers that we can’t trust our institutions. I think I felt like, yeah, okay, okay, I get it. I never had the same kind of trust in institutions to lose in this respect, but this was a major betrayal for people my parents’ age.
All of this to say, I don’t think that the conspiracy worldview and the appeal of the paranoia about government was a big part of the draw for me. I’m not saying it wasn’t for many or even most others. But my instinct about storytelling is that that is a little too abstract or bloodless of an appeal to really hook most viewers anyway. Like, you might be interested in conspiracy to get you to watch initially, sure, but that’s probably not going to keep you watching for years. And it’s really not going to be enough to motivate you to tune in to a revival series in the 2010s.
So what was the big hook for viewers? You’re probably expecting me to say MSR, and if so, I’m going to surprise you a little. I do think that was part of it for some percentage of viewers, but I think it is more complex than that.
I think the show tapped into a late 20th century urge for individuals to become part of something greater than ourselves. Something we might think of as numinous or transcendent. Maybe something meaningful and good (like a quest for truth) — or maybe something that will look down and judge us, for good or ill. Something that means that we are not lonely in the universe. This puts X-Files squarely in an overall 1990s angels and aliens otherworldly trend. 
Tumblr media
(Personally, and this could be an only me thing, but I can never quite separate out Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and The X-Files in my mind; Angels debuted on Broadway the same year X-Files first aired, and I was exposed to both at about the same time. They’re both about apocalypse and personal crisis and the end of the millennium and the transformative power of authentic relationships with others. I could do a whole thing on this.)
Tumblr media
The desire for transcendence is the part of the show that is summed up by Mulder and Scully watching lights together in the sky, by Mulder’s wonder at seeing ships or aliens, by the entire notion of “I Want To Believe,” by the idea expressed in the last episode of the original series that both Mulder and Scully share—that the dead aren’t lost to us, that “they speak to us as part of something greater than us - greater than any alien force.” Mulder says to Scully that if “you and I are powerless now, I want to believe that if we listen to what’s speaking, it can give us the power to save ourselves.” There’s definitely a part of the show that is about little lonely human beings finding how they fit in a big, unfeeling universe.
Tumblr media
The show's interest in conspiracy figures into this. Because after all, what are conspiracy theories but reassurance that there is some meaning behind everything after all? That there is some powerful system running the show, even if that system might be kind of evil. A grand organized secret an individual can actually uncover, rather than a bunch of random haphazard incompetence and chaos. I think this is part of the show's interest in transcendence, but only one part.
And there’s also part of the show that’s about a hero who is wracked with loneliness and alienation — and then two heroes who are wracked with loneliness and alienation—finding a kind of salvation in Truth, in Justice, in Trust, in Partnership, and, ambiguously, Love. (Sometimes Mulder sounds more like a 19th century Romantic hero than anything else.) This makes it a little allegory about late 20th century individualism and alienation and desire for meaning and authenticity and connection with others. 
Tumblr media
I think what appeals to people emotionally in the show is that part of us that wonders: is there a universe that pays attention to me? Is there anyone who listens to me and who really, really knows me? Does anyone besides me care what is true and what is a lie? Will I find those who are lost to me and repair the parts of me that are broken? Is there anyone who would give up their life for mine?
I think that the desire to connect with others is a really basic human drive, and it’s most obviously foregrounded in the show the Mulder-Scully partnership. Even romance aside, we see from the first episode that these are two people with distinct worldviews who want to communicate, who see something in one another, who are hungry to be understood by one another. They ultimately see the other person as someone who reflects and affirms who they are. The partnership is definitely the emotional hook of the show, whether you see that as a romantic ship or not, and it thematically echoes the show’s overall themes of wanting there to be more in the universe. 
When the show was at its most emotionally devastating, it was one or both of its protagonists losing a relationship or connection that was important to them, or it was their frustration that their efforts were not meaningful on a larger scale: grief over a loss, a coverup that meant Justice wasn’t served or Truth was concealed.
Tumblr media
When the show’s moments were most emotionally triumphant, they were always moments of overt connection, usually between Mulder and Scully, both more dramatic (“you’re my touchstone”) and subtle (reaching out to take a partner’s hand in Pusher or Field Trip). When there were moments of triumph concerning the government conspiracy, it felt more allegorical, like information (Truth) getting free, not progress made in specific governmental reform or anything. 
Tumblr media
(And honestly, the moments of triumph against the conspiracy were pretty few and far between. We left the original run of show with the protagonists on the run, pretty sure there was going to be an alien invasion in coming years that had been facilitated by complicit human conspirators, so this conspiracy thread of the plot apparently didn’t even seem like the most important and emotionally satisfying story to resolve.)     
CC wrote a NY Times piece addressing the changing landscape on conspiracies in 2021, discussing why he was skeptical of a new UFO report. He was perceived as having the authority to write this because he created a show that quintessentially addressed government conspiracies about visitors from space.
But for me, the question of whether the government was hiding evidence of extraterrestrial life was really not the main takeaway from TXF. At least no more than the question of whether there needed to be an investigation into the undue influence of witchcraft in Scotland was my main takeaway of Macbeth.
I do acknowledge that I may have been in the minority. Maybe this is not how most people felt. But I also wonder if sometimes the urge to make the show primarily about political paranoia became a distraction from what it did best—these larger, more universal themes. I wonder if that is partly what was so frustrating about the storytelling of the revival.
125 notes ¡ View notes
megsdoodletag ¡ 6 months ago
Note
Whats updated codex Lion doing and how is he handling that hi brothers are back
lion is rockin the dad bod if i’m bein honest
Tumblr media
ah yes. lets talk about the championship warcrimes mcgee everyone forgets to rank with the other championship warcrime mcgees.
Lion is less concerned with his returned brothers than he is with the emperor and gman. Lion’s whole deal is loyalty, particularly to those above you (we’re still working on being loyal to those who rely on you but we’re getting there). To him, emps accepting magnus back into the palace isnt so different from him collecting the Risen, but emps’ refusal to take the reigns from guilliman despite his brother’s measured response to stuff like the ecclesiarchy is baffling to him. He’s mellowed out a Lot since imperium secundus, but his most basic thought process does not understand why they aren’t all just wiping planetary governments and starting from scratch now that dad’s back. Why go through the trouble of installing the triarchy when you leave all the rest of the stupid 40k imperial bureaucracy anyway? Why is dad allowing gman’s 20 stupid space books of space rules when the first one sucked anyway?? Why isn’t dad in charge???
I say most basic thought because, again, he’s had some time, he’s done some Introspection, he has admitted to himself banishing people for mistakes is not always the neat and tidy solution it’s made out to be in his head, and that his paranoia is a problem, it’s just hard for him to change that pattern of thinking. also he’s not entirely wrong i mean. gman is slow going because he’s got approximately the entire universe on his plate but like. some of this stuff feels like something that should have a ten-step removal plan. right??? point is it’s complicated, and he doesn’t have a clean solution and is actively restraining himself from enacting his own version of a ‘clean solution’ which he’s at least learned is maybe a bad idea without running it by dad first.
In the meantime dad said to continue gathering the Risen, so that’s fine he can put his energy into that. Dad also did not say shit about the risen being not codex compliant so take that gman. so lion currently is largely occupied with trying to get his legion in order, which is a bit like herding cats pun absolutely intended. lion is constantly fighting new fissures between what he and the risen envision and what the newer astartes of his geneline are used to expecting, issues that run hot enough that there are some days where it feels like they’re creating fallen instead of saving them. it’s a constant uphill battle even with the newfound self awareness. running back and forth to gather bits of his old legion means he’s mostly out of the way of his brothers, and that’s just fine as far as he’s concerned.
That said, him and his arc are more central to Updated Codex than one might expect. For one, lion is the one who tattles on gman to emps. He takes one look at juno and goes
Tumblr media
'i'm telling dad!!' and runs off to do just that, forcing gman to introduce juno to the wider imperium. she’s about 4 at the time.
An older Juno, as stated in the snippet below, has been boots-on-the-ground for fallen retrieval missions; in fact they were probably some of her first joint campaigns outside of ultramar/ultra successors. Lion has seen her work as and with astartes, and generally is alright treating her the way he does his formerly wayward sons.
that doesn’t mean he trusts her. The paranoia didn’t magically disappear. when she gets her own little specialist squad consisting of some weird serf, the child of a traitor, and a xeno spawn, He manages to get a dark angel attached to their retinue, and instructs him to report on their actions regularly.
Juno isn’t impressed.
Tumblr media
Melwas is a brand new Dark Angel looking to prove himself in a time when living legends, tarnished though they may be, walk amongst them and his primarch is personally watching every move he makes. Mel has a massive guilt complex, for both genuinely enjoying the oddball squad’s company (a betrayal of his mission) and for spying on them (a betrayal of his friends). It’s a lot of pressure, which isn’t helped when, upon reuniting with a former neophyte friend of his, he is promptly subjected to a barriss offee style turncoat plot where his friend tries to kill him (and the squad) in an effort to make a point about how the DAs are losing their way of life, yadda yadda, angst, yadda yadda etc. yaaaaay!!!
He gets a weird dog and some hugs from his friends and maybe his dad figures out how to tell him in words he was handpicked for the oddball squad because lion is actually quite impressed with his level head. maybe lion will go the extra mile and figure things out with luthor and mel can make out i mean up with that friend who tried to kill him or something. who knows.
Tumblr media
but that’s what uncle lion is up to!
49 notes ¡ View notes
wholoveseggs ¡ 7 months ago
Note
I know so many people are Hayley and Elijah shippers, and I don't know where you stand, but I loved Elijah and Gia the most. She not only matched him with wit and sarcasm, but I felt like she was able to get him to let loose and be more himself. Just my opinion.
I have a lottttt to say about Elijah's lovers, so I'm going to make a list and rank them, from least favorite to my number one favorite. (I left out Tatia because we don't know anything about her...)
{6} Antoinette
Tumblr media
At first, I liked her. She brought something refreshing to Elijah's brainless lobotomized state. She’s classy, shares his refined tastes, and has this calm, collected demeanor that seems like a perfect match for him. Plus, she’s absolutely gorgeous. But then, her personal philosophy on vampires started showing, and it was all downhill. The whole "purity of the night" nonsense, the way she looks down on humans as nothing but food (fuck that). She claimed she wasn’t like her Nazi vampire family, but her actions proved otherwise. She still practiced their old prejudices and wrapped them in a veneer of elegance to make them seem acceptable. Worst of all, she manipulated Elijah. SHE KNEW WHO HE WAS THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME DIDN'T TELL HIM.
AND!!! Used it all to her advantage. She didn’t love him for who he was; she loved the blank slate he became. So yeah, fuck her, her toxic ideology, and everything she represents.
{5} Celeste
Tumblr media
She’s fascinating and so much fun to watch. From the few crumbs we get of their relationship, it’s clear Elijah loved her deeply. Her death broke him, and you can feel the weight of that grief centuries later. But her revenge? Oh, her revenge was everything. The centuries-long scheme, the meticulous planning, the twisted way she channeled her love into hate. It’s such a good trope, and they executed it perfectly. Rewatching the first season, knowing that Sabine was Celeste all along makes it even better. The layers of their history, their unspoken connection, the tensionnnn… it’s all so good. And then there’s the ending. When he kills her, it’s devastating, satisfying, and somehow hot? (I'm unwell)
{4} Katherine Pierce
Tumblr media
I enjoy their backstory so much. The flashbacks of Elijah and Katherine in TVD are adorable. Those scenes are filled with charm and chemistry, and you can tell Elijah truly saw her as more than just another doppelganger. He admired her fire, her resilience, and her ability to survive even in the face of unimaginable odds. There’s this undeniable magnetism between them, and their early relationship feels so genuine and heartfelt.
But unfortunately, their present-day relationship just doesn’t hold up. Maybe if we’d gotten more of it, I’d feel differently, but I can’t see them working long-term. The baggage between them is just too heavy. Elijah is eternally tied to Klaus, and Katherine has spent centuries being deeply traumatized by him. The pain and resentment she harbors toward Klaus make it impossible for her to fully trust Elijah, and Elijah being the honorable, ever-loyal brother, can never truly separate himself from Klaus. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Beyond that, Katherine’s paranoia, lies, and manipulative tendencies create even more barriers. Elijah values honesty and loyalty above all else, and while Katherine is capable of great love, her survival instincts will always come first. It’s not that she doesn’t love Elijah (I think she does, in her own way) but she’s too guarded and self-serving to let that love flourish. And Elijah, in turn, can never fully let go of his doubts about her.
It’s sad because there’s so much potential there, but the emotional wounds on both sides run too deep. Still, the sexual tension is insane, we’re talking 500 years of pent-up frustration here. Elijah would go until Katherine tapped out. Except, let’s be real…Katherine never taps out. They would’ve burned the world down in the best way, but passion can’t fix their underlying issues.
Their relationship is tragic because it’s built on what could have been.. rather than what actually is. But there is too much pain, too much mistrust, and too many unhealed wounds for them to truly work.
{3} Aya Al-Rashid
Tumblr media
THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY OF THIS RELATIONSHIP WILL HAUNT ME FOREVER.
First of all, I love her. She’s so cool, so badass, so unapologetically ambitious, and so fucking stupidly gorgeous. Every second she’s on screen, she commands attention. The few clues we get about her and Elijah’s past relationship are SO interesting. I think their attraction to each other (beyond the obvious chemistry) stems from their shared ideologies. Aya is the only woman on this list to truly match his intelligence and his vision.
They didn’t just connect physically or emotionally; they connected intellectually. I think they fell for each other over this shared, almost idealistic belief that they could shape the world into something better. Sure, it was a fool’s errand (they were playing gods in a world that thrives on chaos) but their belief in that dream was admirable. And Aya adored him for it. She didn’t just love Elijah; she believed in him, in their shared vision, in what they could accomplish together.
And then he betrayed her. Elijah turned his back on everything they believed in, and it destroyed their relationship. Everything goes to shit after that and their love twists into bitterness and resentment. They end up on opposite sides, trying to kill each other, and it’s just such a tragic mess. There’s this constant tension between them that feels like it’s one step away from either a declaration of love or a blade to the throat. It’s raw, it’s dramatic, it’s the epitome of ‘what could have been.’
I also think her unwavering ambition and refusal to back down made her one of the most compelling women in Elijah’s life. She wasn’t content to follow his lead or play a supportive role. She was his equal, his partner… and that’s exactly why his betrayal cut so deeply for her, and why his regret feels so palpable. Their story could’ve been a fascinating exploration of love, betrayal, and the clash between idealism and reality, but we got just enough to see how incredible they could’ve been.
The missed opportunity of Aya and Elijah will forever make me scream into the void.
Oh Giaaaaa, sweet, beautiful, perfect Gia!!!!!! My only complaint about her relationship with Elijah is that it was cut way too short. It was the beginning of a great romance. She's the only one of his romantic interests to not want anything from him… not his power, not his influence, not even his protection. She loved him for exactly who he is. That’s so rare in Elijah’s life, where everyone else seems to need him to be something for them.
{2} Gia
Tumblr media
I adore her so much. She was such a good, pure person, but not in an annoying way, she had an edge to her that made her feel real. I really enjoyed their mutual love of music and how they communicated through it. Those moments between them felt intimate and natural, like something Elijah truly needed to pull him out of the chaos of his life. It’s also worth noting that she didn’t tiptoe around him or treat him like he was above her. She teased him, challenged him, and didn’t let his whole ‘stoic nobleman act’ intimidate her. She made him feel human, something I think he desperately craved but rarely allowed himself to experience.
She was the opposite of him in so many ways, and yet she gave him what he needed most: an escape from all the darkness. I loved how he cared for her too. You could tell she brought out a softer, freer side of him, even if it was brief. I was rooting so hard for them. And her death? So shocking and so fucked up. It was a senseless, cruel loss that still makes me mad. Elijah should have stayed mad at Klaus for longer over it. Honestly, that deserved a real, lasting rift between them. What Klaus did wasn’t just unforgivable….it was a reminder that, no matter how much Elijah sacrifices for his family, Klaus will always rip away the things that bring him happiness.
(Note: I've never been able to decide between Gia or Hayley, so I'm going to go with the woman Elijah would choose.... And we allllll know who that is...)
{1} Hayley
Tumblr media
I've seen a few posts saying they have nothing in common, but I completely disagree. They're both fiercely loyal and protective of their family, they're both very sarcastic, and they're both incredibly selfless. (Sometimes to a fault). They share this inner strength, this unshakable moral core that makes them perfect equals. Hayley isn’t intimidated by Elijah’s formality or his calculated nature, and Elijah respects Hayley’s independence and fiery personality. They challenge each other in the best ways.
And let’s talk about how she brings out the best in him. Hayley amplifies all his most admirable traits (his self-control, his honor, his loyalty) but also gives him something he’s never truly had: someone to fight for him. And Elijah gives her what she’s always needed: unwavering protection and support… the kind she never received growing up as a orphan. He respects her agency and defends her fiercely, often putting her safety and happiness above everything else. The way he looks at her… like she’s his entire world… is just *chef’s kiss*.
Their love was so beautiful, pure, and genuine. It wasn’t riddled with manipulation, lies, or selfishness. The only thing that kept them apart was outside interference (*cough* Mr. Niklaus Mikaelson *cough*), not interpersonal conflict. That’s rare in Elijah’s love life, where external drama and loyalty to his family usually ruin everything. But Hayley managed to become both for him. His heart and his family. She’s the only person in his one thousand years who did that, and it’s why I believe he loved her the most.
Her death (and his role in it) was absolutely devastating. The guilt and heartbreak shattered him. She wasn’t just someone he loved; she was his hope, his redemption, and losing her left him broken in a way he never recovered from. Their love story is one of the most tragic yet beautiful parts of the show.
50 notes ¡ View notes
hermitw ¡ 4 months ago
Text
poll here in case u don't want to read the rest bc it's a heavy topic
I'm blaming (thanking) @thepersonperson for changing my brain chemistry, specifically by saying Sukuna is disabled. it's like we've been distracted from this observation in canon, with the way he's always objectified, a cursed object or perfection - was Gojo the most normal here? when he told Yuuji that Sukuna was a person, a long time ago.
Sukuna accidentally healing Yuuji's other hand should have given it away, that Sukuna was constantly running RCT through his whole body or it was automated to go where it needed to.
so it's clear that Sukuna does not like being touched, (never in life is okay with physical contact, outside of martial arts). doesn't remember his childhood. called himself an unwanted child, only speculated on his mother starving.
we've tried to guess Sukuna's trauma before, based on history at the time (slavery, forcibly removed from his home, csa by a religious mentor, etc) - but I can't recall an analysis on medical trauma. which makes Sukuna's personality make perfect sense to me.
what are the chances that some doctor would have tried to remove his second set of arms, chip away at his face? and Sukuna in a desperate state like Gojo, learned to use RCT to grow his own hands back. and might have killed whoever did this to him. maybe his mother was there and he left her and her memory behind. idk.
some of the characters (Ash from Banana Fish, Laura Palmer (in her secret diary) but especially Lucy/Nyu from Elfen Lied) that I feel sukuna could relate to most have medical trauma, as well, and there can be a huge overlap between that and CSA in how a victim copes, in the loss of autonomy and consent not informed nor asked for. like, a child can experience textbook SA but no one bats an eye because it's a medical procedure and they're not even spoken to, not even treated as a person. (there are countless examples, I'm especially thinking about the horror stories of VCUG and forced assimilation of intersex people, unnecessary surgeries performed on minors who can't consent or want the procedures.) the whole thing with asking Sukuna if he has 2 dicks? oh, and if these so-called safe, trusted adults can do that and watch as it happens? then no one is safe. it can easily lead to a life of trust no one, of fear and paranoia especially over medical issues, along with this (mysterious, especially if the trauma has all been blacked out) fascination and horror.
the belief that he isn't human could be rooted in this. Sukuna doesn't seem the type to believe anything just because it's been said by another person.
I still need to write the post on Sukuna having DID - I wanted to wait until reading the manga again, but might just post the evidence I can think of offhand for now. actually, sukuna might be the best representation of DID in fiction. [edit: it's here]
you can be proud of me for not blaming kenjaku but I have to suggest: kenjaku trades no more doctors for let me turn you into a cursed object when you're dead.
and Sukuna mummifies himself to death, to ensure that Kenjaku stays out of his body.
at this point I'm wondering if Sukuna were inspired by the jersey devil. cursed child, two faces, once human, the fallen one, can fly/double jump, did Sukuna's CE kill the doctors and he ran away?
Tumblr media
idk man, I was just writing a fic where Sukuna heals from his trauma with the jersey devil and in my research. I forgot about the midwife murder qkdjajxjwks ok that's all I think bye.
22 notes ¡ View notes
yanderes-galore ¡ 1 year ago
Note
Can I please request a romantic Cersei Lannister (GoT) scenario with an-ambivalent's prompt 19 and inuzkua's prompts 12 + 16?
Maybe darling is a hostage/prisoner that she develops a fascination with, or they could be from a family that depends on the Lannisters for protection? Darling tries very hard to keep a stiff upper lip about their situation but Cersei tries equally hard to get under their skin >:) I attempted to come up with an actual plot but failed - I can just so easily imagine Cersei saying these 😆
🕊️ anon
I despise Cersei in the show (I'm not far in, Season 2ish-) so I'm going to enjoy writing Darling's conflict in this. Who knows, I might like her the more I write for her. I purposefully made it vague when this takes place so it applies to all plot points. Just a warning, the start is a bit weak as I'm not good with build up. I should probably look for help when it comes to that in my fics ^^;
As usual, prepare for triggering themes, this is GOT after all.
Prompt 19 Here
Prompts 12 + 16 Here
Yandere! Cersei Lannister Prompts 19, 12, 16
"Your happiness, your tears, your love, your hate – all of it belongs to me."
“You liked it, didn’t you?”
“Denying me will only hurt you in the long run”
Pairing: Romantic
Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Blackmail, Gaslighting, Forced kissing, Mature themes implied, Imprisonment, Trust issues, Possessive behavior, Mentioned Jaime x Cersei, Threats, Stalking, Harassment, Delusional behavior, Forced relationship implied.
Tumblr media
Your House relies on the Lannisters for protection as most Houses do. Even if you despise the Lannisters, you can't defy them. You've seen what happens to those who don't listen to the royal family.
Those deemed untrustworthy are butchered like pigs. Their family, their House, threatened into submission or outright eradicated. The Lannisters require submission.
No matter the cost.
As a member of your House, you listened to the Lannister's orders. For the sake of your House's safety, you stayed stoic. You hate what the Lannisters do, but you can't bear the thought of your family being executed for your disobedience.
You thought you could get away with it. You thought you could do your job and not catch any attention. You wouldn't snoop for secrets even if you could tell the queen's children did not belong to the king. You never even spoke much unless you had to.
You kept to your duty... never saying a word about gossip...
Yet Cersei still managed to find you.
Cersei had her own reasons for keeping an eye on you. Originally it was because you could be a suspect for being a spy, perhaps you even heard something you shouldn't. However... Cersei began to realize her fixation on you wasn't paranoia related.
It was very similar to the many partners she's had... almost as intense as how she feels for her twin... you were an intriguing case to her...
One she simply must investigate.
For a long while she's been having you monitored. She excuses it as suspecting you of being a spy. Even to the point of ordering you around known gossip areas so you would have taboo information.
All while she watched you... falling for you further and further... it's not the first time she's been in love.
To explore her new feelings for you, a simple servant or guard, she calls you to a meeting. She gives you a message that you two simply must talk. A royal meeting without the council in her chambers. Obediently, you follow without question.
All while Cersei plans how to manipulate you into her desires.
"It's been difficult to find allies to trust..." Cersei admits, eyes never leaving your own. You're tense under her gaze. Meetings with the queen... never had good news. "I do assume your family is still loyal to the crown?"
"Of course, my queen." You agree, stoic and compliant. Anything else could easily mean death. Cersei hums when she notices your obedience, stalking closer.
"Tell me, have you been keeping yourself out of trouble?" Cersei asks, watching you tense under her scrutiny. "Do you know why I've summoned you?"
"No, my queen..." You answer, Cersei's gaze as predatory as a lion as she watches you. She stops in front of you, the queen's gaze glinting mischievously.
"What would you do for your queen...?" Cersei asks, watching your confusion in amusement. "Would you give anything to your queen? Would you sacrifice anything?"
You hesitate, but there's only one right answer to her question.
"Yes, my queen." You bark like the obedient lap dog you are, even if it pains you. You may hate the Lannisters, you may hate Cersei and her damned offspring and twin, yet you know how to survive. You know how to lie.
Although... Cersei knows how to lie better.
"Really? Anything?" Cersei pushes, stepping closer. You're stoic yet back up, the queen stalking you like the lioness she is. "You'd do anything to protect your queen? Even if it meant discarding your House?"
"Yes, my queen." You continue to parrot, your feelings untrue. Truthfully, you only do this for your family. The Lannisters can be banished to the Seven Hells for all you care.
"... you're a poor liar." Cersei frowns, making you freeze.
"What...?" You ask softly, Cersei looking unamused for a moment.
"Don't act so surprised, I see that look in your eyes." Cersei interrogates, pacing around you. "Your House has been suspected of having spies conspiring against the crown."
"My queen, I swear I haven't-" You try to defend yourself and your House, falling for the lies that spill from Cersei's mouth. The queen is rather good at manipulation, after all. She knows how to lie...
She knows how to back you into a corner like any good hunter.
"I've seen who you talk to. I suspect your loyalty to the crown is faltering. Now, tell me, are you a traitor to the crown?" Cersei murmurs, standing beside you. "Do you hate me? Do you hate my family?"
Cersei's gaze is clearly judging. Right now, she acts as your judge... and quite possibly your future executioner. The queen is accusing you of crimes you haven't commit...
A tactic she often uses to get her way.
A tactic she plans to use to wrap you around her finger... to make you hers....
"I am loyal to the Lannisters, my queen." You force yourself to say, dreading the proximity between you two. The queen hums again, thinking, before placing a hand on your shoulder.
"There's no need to hide it, you hate your queen." Cersei hisses softly. She already knew the truth, yet it still makes her bitter. "It doesn't matter... hate me if you wish... I'll just convince you to listen to my orders regardless."
You go to protest, to continues appeasing the queen, but she cuts you off. She stands in front of you now, two hands meeting your shoulders before trailing down to your hands. Her gaze is distant for a moment, gazing at something she knows she can't or shouldn't have...
But Cersei isn't new to controversy.
"Prove to me your loyalty and I'll spare your House." Cersei whispers, gripping your hands tight. You pause, the implication... unnerving. "Show me you'd do anything to please your queen, to avoid my wrath, and I will pardon you."
Cersei once again speaks as though you're guilty. You want to protest, to tear your hands away... but the fear of execution lingers in your mind. Your stoic behavior slips when she traces her hands over your attire, staring at you greedily.
Cersei was always a seductress to anyone around her....
"What will you have me do, my queen?" You answer, hoping to leave as soon as possible. Your thoughts pause when Cersei quickly grabs your chin.
"I want you to stay still... I've been craving this since I saw you..." Cersei whispers, pulling you forwards to press her lips to yours.
Her lips taste sweet like saccharine, yet feels like arsenic in your veins. Cersei seems to enjoy the kiss with you while you suffer. When the queen goes to deepen the kiss, to satiate her lingering desire that's been festering...
You pull away.
Cersei pants softly, but her tone flickers to annoyance when she sees you pull away. You pry her hands off you, only for her to hold your face. She stares into you... you can see anger bubbling before she smothers it.
“You liked it, didn’t you?” Cersei asks, already seeming to miss your taste. Her question is merely a command to get you to please her. She knows you hate her, she knows you hated the kiss, but she wants you to listen to her. She wants you to say you liked it... to obey her subtle threat.
You only care about your House, don't you?
Seeing your conflicted gaze only adds to her amusement... yet also her disappointment. She despises your hesitation almost as much as you despise her. Despite this, she waits for your response.
The tension thick enough even the sharpest blade couldn't cut it.
"... I did not, my queen." You choose honesty over your role, already sensing your fate being decided. Cersei's gaze flickers again before she hums, caressing your cheek again.
“Denying me will only hurt you in the long run.” Cersei warns, pulling you to look at her again. "I appreciate you showing your true colors... but I ordered you to listen to me. Did you like the little gift I gave you?"
This time you comply, nodding softly. Your stoic face breaks more and more. Her threat rings true in your ears. You know if you continue to play this game your life is in ruin.
"Yes, my queen." You answer, Cersei pulling on a smile.
"You are mine to do with as I wish, yes?" Cersei asks, gaze darkening. There was no use fighting her. You could hate her guts all you want, but you ultimately had to bend the knee to her.
"Aye...." You answer, hating how she treats you as some loyal hound. Cersei chuckles softly, enjoying the thought of breaking you.
"Your happiness, your tears, your love, your hate – all of it belongs to me." Cersei orders, caressing a hand down your body as she holds your chin. "Isn't that right? Don't you belong to me? Aren't I your queen?"
You swallow your pride, the thought making uou nauseous. Her touch feels grating against your skin. It's possessive, tight, threatening...
A lioness playing with her prey.
"Yes..." The response feels like it's tearing your throat apart. "I am loyal to you... my queen."
Cersei shows satisfaction at seeing you submit to her order. She grins for a moment, expression sly as she leans closer. She holds your chin up, observing you quietly.
"That's pleasing to hear..." She whispers, grip tightening all of a sudden to make you gasp. "I will spare your House... but..."
Her grin is devilish, kissing your cheek teasingly.
"I still must imprison you for conspiring against me. But do not worry..." She whispers, seeing the fear on your face. "The House you care so much for will be safe...."
It's then Cersei orders guards to take you away, ordering them to be gentle as they drag you to a cell. Cersei grins, still satisfied with the fact she toyed with you. Off you go to your cell...
She masks it as punishment, a punishment for conspiring against her... for hating her...
In reality, it's just meant to keep you close to her... forever hers... reliant on her at all times.
94 notes ¡ View notes
chariskris ¡ 1 month ago
Note
what is the syriran dynamic?
oh lord where do i Start.
it’s. not good for them. mostly for syria but i can’t imagine iran gets much out of a guy being obsessed with him outside the political aspects.
syria is less ‘in love’ with him than he is just with the, idea of him i suppose? the idea of someone who he can follow the word of so without a second thought—just like he’s always done, like when life was easier for him—and that really, truthfully cares to ‘protect’ him despite his role. a new owner, basically, but less in the sense of a ruling empire and more in that of a dog owner. and iran fits the bill almost perfectly—minus the part where he has been empires ruling over him. syria doesn’t know that, though. there’s a lot he doesn’t know about him. iran prefers to keep it like that, even if he coaxes syria into telling him more and more about himself—his life, his insecurities, his thoughts. whatever he has.
iran isn’t doing it strictly out of an imperialist desire—he likes syria enough as a person, he’s attracted to him, they’re in some kind of unofficial relationship. but it’s easier for those goals if he enables syria’s bad habits (his paranoia, largely), even if it makes him more (emotionally) dependent on iran. and sure, he breaks syria’s ‘boundaries’ semi-often, but it isn’t like syria’s ever properly communicated them, and both of them know iran wouldn’t cross one plainly stated. but both of them know better that syria isn’t going to, for fear of upsetting him or getting him to leave. and it isn’t that big of a deal, anyway, and syria really shouldn’t be making scenes in public, even if it’s so obvious that he’s uncomfortable and wants iran to back off a little and maybe quit touching him as much also.
and syria definitely does express it sometimes! but that’s largely when he’s being ‘hysterical’, for lack of a better word, and also ends up being a double-edged sword of relief that he managed to, but also proof that maybe he’s in the wrong the other times because he just can’t bring himself to do it and he can’t really blame iran for his own personal issues, can he?
and he does genuinely think iran’s doing this—all of this, the isolation, the bringing them closer together—for his own good; protecting him. even if sometimes he’s scared of him and doesn’t really listen to him when he’s ‘sick’ even if he insists that he could at least tell him there’s something in his water next time so he can anticipate the next nightmare.
it starts out relatively one-sided, funnily enough, when they first get on the same side—syria wants him, iran thinks this could be a good opportunity to secure a longterm ally. not really in the ‘stringing him along’ way, neither of them are ones for sexual or really even romantic relations, but he is nicer to him than a lot of their other friends. pays more attention to detail with him. syria invites him to get coffee together in 1989, to “celebrate the end of the war with iraq”, he says, and iran agrees. it’s the closest thing to domesticity they have for most of their time, before syria all but freefalls into his sphere of influence. the Real syriran period is the 2010s, they’re still on equal footing in the 80s and the 90s and even the early 2000s, at least politically (personally, they’ve been getting there).
sure, he indulges syria’s asks occasionally, but the final decision is usually up to him. he’ll let him weigh in on things that affect him and sometimes he’ll choose to do what syria wants. but syria still has to break it off with iraq, because iran said so. syria still has to remain isolated, because iran said so. and iran still has the only other key to syria’s apartment, because he wanted to. (even though having something going on with iraq isn’t a threat to them and arranging a single visit from a trusted mutual friend would hardly be difficult at all and syria doesn’t remember ever giving him a key—but his memory’s been patchy these past few years, hasn’t it? and it isn’t like iran’s doing much with it except checking up on him occasionally, is it?).
and nearly all of syria’s allies are iran’s as well, and all of them certainly approve of their ‘alliance’ well enough not to interfere too much. (well, minus russia, sort of, he actually questions them sometimes but usually just shakes his head at them then continues on with whatever he was doing). and in the end, is syria gonna believe them or iran more, anyway?
does that make sense? am i making them too unhealthy? am i gonna be hit with the proship allegations? don’t cancel me on twitter dot com please 🙏
8 notes ¡ View notes