#trying to do my best to keep obscure fandom alive

[wild-grinders]

This is random but wild grinders was a big childhood hyperfixation of mine and I just started rewatching it the other day after years of not even thinking about it and seeing at least a couple people keeping the fandom alive makes me really happy

thanks, trying my best to make it gay as possible and enjoying that there are users out there who agree to this

[skambigbang]

SKAM REVERSE BANG 2025 BETA READER INFO

TIMELINE

SIGN UP

15 NOVEMBER 2024 - 15 APRIL 2025

Sign ups open on November 15th 2024 and will remain open until April 15th 2025.

2. COLLABORATION

15 APRIL 2025 - 15 JUNE 2025

As agreed between you and the author you are paired with, you may be asked to beta read chapter per chapter, or the complete work in one go. Be sure to communicate well to manage expectations on both sides.

3. CELEBRATION

21 JUNE 2025 - 01 AUGUST 2025

Time to share the finished work and celebrate all things SKAM!

RULES & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL

What is a Reverse Bang?

In a reverse of a more traditional ‘Big Bang’ fan event, a Reverse Bang is a fan-centric collaborative event where writers write a fic based on art created by fellow fans.

Both the ‘Big Bang’ and ‘Reverse Bang’ type of event can be traced back to the tradition of fanzines, which often combined visual and written fan art.

How can I be part of the Reverse Bang 2025?

There are three ways to participate: as an artist, as a writer, or as a beta reader.

Artists will create original artworks to celebrate SKAM. Writers will then create a written work specifically inspired by the artwork. And beta readers will be cheering on the authors, and helping them polish their work.

If you cannot be part of the Reverse Bang this year, we invite you warmly to enjoy the art and the fics starting on June 21st 2025, and give the finished works your love to keep the fandom alive!

You may join in more than one role, if you’d like… but be sure you can really commit to the tasks expected of you before you do so.

Can I join together with my friend?

Of course! In past events, there have been teams of writers working together on one fic. We welcome artists to do the same, if they like. In that case, you can join as a team - just let us know the contact data of all team members.

Artists and writers cannot join up as a team. The spirit of the event is to be paired up with someone you might not know before. But we hope you’ll join anyway, and meet new SKAM fans to collaborate with!

Beta readers and writers can team up if they wish to do so, but they will need to sign up separately.

Is the SKAM Reverse Bang 2025 open to all versions of SKAM and all ships?

YES! All versions of SKAM, all seasons, all ships are allowed. The more the merrier!

How many people will I be paired up with?

The short answer is: at least one.

The slightly longer answer is that we cannot give any exact numbers yet, because we don’t know yet how many people will sign up as artists, as writers, or as beta readers. It is likely that some artists may get paired with more than one writer. If there are more artists than writers, we will check in with the writers to find out if people are willing to write more than one story. 

A second consideration is that our fandom encompasses many verses, generations, and ships; of which some are very popular and others relatively obscure. The broader the horizon of the artwork, the more writers will be able to write for it.

That said, we will try our absolute best to make sure every artist is paired with at least one writer, and vice versa.

Do I have to keep my creations a secret before the posting date?

Yes, and no.

Unlike previous SKAM Big Bang events, we will not have an anonymous pairing. This means that writers will know which artists have created which artworks, when they choose the works that inspire them. This also means that you can freely talk about your project during the creating period.

However, we ask that you do not share significant parts of your works outside of the event participants. A tease, a snippet, a mention for Six Sentence Sunday, … - these are fine; but we’d like the fandom to enjoy all the new artworks and fics during the posting period of the Reverse Bang. Let’s make it a true celebration of all things SKAM!

My English is not perfect. Will that be a problem?

Not at all! Most of us aren’t native English speakers, and we all make mistakes. Some of us speak other languages too, so we will find a way to communicate - even if we have to rely on online translators.

What do you mean by ‘checking in’?

During the timeframe of the creation of art or stories, we will check in with you to ensure you are on track to be ready by the end date, to help you find solutions to any problem that may arise, to encourage you during the creative process, and to make sure you are still having fun.

Is this event age restricted?

The SKAM Reverse Bang is open for fans aged 16 and over. However, if you are under 18, we will ask that both the art and the written work that you and your partner create, will be non-explicit in nature. Beta readers under 18 will only be paired with teams creating non-explicit works.

Will there be a place to hang out while we are creating and posting for the Reverse Bang event?

Every participant will be invited to a pre-existing lively Discord server with a group of enthusiastic, friendly and helpful SKAM fans. Note that this year there will be no separate Discord server dedicated to the event, but a section of the 21:21 SKAM Fan Content Creators server will be set up to host the SKAM Reverse Bang 2025.

While we hope you will join the Discord server, there is no obligation to do so. 

What will be the main form of communication between participants and mods?

As said, all participants will be invited to join our Discord server full of SKAM fans. 

However, should you choose not to, you can reach the Reverse Bang mods via email, or you can ask your question on the Skam Big Bang Tumblr account.

Where will the art and the stories created for the event be published and shared?

All written works will be posted on Archive Of Our Own (ao3), in a collection dedicated to the Reverse Bang. The author will include the art, a picture of the art, or link to the art, in their post. Artists may choose to post their art in a separate post on Archive Of Our Own (ao3).

If you want to participate, but have no Archive Of Our Own (ao3) account, we encourage you to request one as soon as you register for the Reverse Bang. You can ask the mods for help, if needed.

After the works have been posted into the collection, both writers and artists will be free to post their works on any other site, including their social media. 

Of course, you will need your partner’s permission to post their work. And obviously you must credit your partner appropriately when posting their work alongside your own!

What if I cannot meet a deadline?

While an event like this relies heavily on everybody involved being accountable, we understand there is this thing called life. If something pops up that makes you have to defer on a deadline, or have to drop out completely, please let us know as soon as possible. We are ready to figure out the best possible solution, but we need to know in order to keep the event moving seamlessly for everybody. Communication is key. Do not hesitate to contact us! Better a solution that's not needed in the end, than a problem snowballing into an experience that leaves someone unhappy.

That said, please take the deadlines and timelines into careful consideration before committing to participating. An event like this can only run smoothly if all the parts run smoothly. With that in mind, exceptions to the deadlines must remain rare exceptions.

Can I use AI?

AI takes many forms nowadays. While many of us use some form of AI as a tool while creating, we want this Reverse Bang to reflect the many talents of fans and fan-created works. Therefore, we will not allow any art or stories which were created solely by prompting an AI generator, even if you lightly edit or modify the result.

That said, use of AI as a tool can be permitted, provided it is disclosed. Disclosing will allow people not to engage with your work, should they so choose.

To make the difference clear, let’s consider some examples.

Let’s say your art has a background consisting of a repeated pattern. It might be fine to do that manually, but if you want, you could also use some form of AI to create a repetition of something you created. Or, if you want to draw a female figure in a certain position but have difficulty finding a good reference, you could ask AI to create one for you, as long as you then draw the final artwork yourself.

For writers, you might like to ask a chatbot to suggest some names of fantasy lands if you draw a blank. Or maybe you can prompt an AI story generator to describe the atmosphere of a Mediterranean marketplace, which you then use as inspiration to enhance one short paragraph of your story.

The examples above are meant to illustrate that minor uses of AI to help create a work of art or a story, where the AI generated part is either a minor detail of the final product and/or used as reference or inspiration without it ending up in the final product, will be permitted for this Reverse Bang.

To be abundantly clear: Art or stories which were, at their core, created by generative AI based on a prompt by a human, will not be permitted for this event.

You didn’t answer my question!

Oh no! We’re sorry, and we invite you to please contact us through email. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

BETA READERS

What is the job of a beta reader?

Depending on what your author needs, you can be asked to read through an author’s first (or second, third, …) draft to help them point out plot holes, continuity errors, or factual mistakes. Some authors only ask their beta readers to do a spelling, grammar and punctuation check. Sometimes, a beta reader is a cheerleader, or sometimes they help an author brainstorm narrative points, or they can provide tips for a better story flow.

You can let us know what you are willing to do when signing up, and we will try to match you with an author suited to your strengths.

Will I get to choose who I work with?

Yes and no.

You can definitely join the event together with a writer you’ve worked with before; but you can also ask to be paired randomly. In that case, we will check what your limits are in terms of story triggers, story lengths, etc. before pairing you up.

[ilovemylawyer]

hello! i wanted to tell you that i love your works so much, every time i receive an email about your new fic my day becomes the best day. i'm yet to leave comments on every one of them bc i was too deep in my thoughts after reading them to comment straight away, but i wanted you to know that your writing is incredible, i still remember every single one of your fics. the way you write dyds and especially ohjae is truly breathtaking, they are so in-character, they are ALIVE. your ohjae is something out of this world, i love him so much, reading fics from his pov is so fascinating. you said that you write sex scenes poorly, but i totally disagree. you nailed all of them, especially in "as a corpse". i love both your high rating and low rating fics, i'll keep reading them no matter what, so please, stick to what you want to write, and most importantly, want to tell, sex scenes aren't as important as people make them to look. you are dragging the entire evilive fandom on your shoulders, thank you so much for your hardwork, i want to kiss you on both cheeks for that.

you asked about prompts, and i decided to share that i'd love to read more about doyoung and minhee's interaction. doyoung is good with kids, i feel like they would get along really well (and maybe even annoy dongsoo together as the mischievous kids they are). thinking about doyoung having a tea party with minhee or playing some games with her makes me so emotional </3

first let me say something short and comprehensive: thank you so much i love you so much and now let me respond (ramble mode) in full:

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. seriously. seriously. your words give me strength that you may not be able to fathom. much needed strength. thank you. so much. really.

for me, writing has always been a pretty lonely endeavor. until i started sharing my writing for evilive, i hadnt posted anything online since like... 2018? something ridiculous like that. i tend to keep my writing reaaaal close to my chest because its inevitable that the fiction i write turns personal and i have become a pretty genuine hermitrecluselurker in the past few years.. sharing my stuff is a huge step out of my comfort zone and i have to be honest and say that it has NOT been easy!!!!!!! AT ALL!!!!!

but such kind sweet lovely lovely words keep me going <3 we are a SMALL fandom here. tiny. minuscule. there is like 50 of us. but i cannot just let this show fade into obscurity i need people to watch it and chew on it and enjoy it and i think what i am trying to do in my fics is just share the immense joy i got from watching it myself. and to prolong its life. evilive is by no means the perfect show but there is a lovely evil lawyer in it and i am not at all immune to an evil lawyer. in fact i am susceptible to them. extremely so. and i like playing around with han dongsoo in my docs. it is so much fun. and i really really enjoy sharing it because i LOVE reading fanficiton. being on the other side of it (writing it instead of just reading) is a lot different and very difficult at times but such praise like yours makes it all worth it <3

OHJAE. god i fucking love ohjae so much. having a lil guy at your side who carefully watches every move you make and silently critiques all of your decisions... a lil right hand man who is so ride or die that he does in fact end up dying. ohjae's (AND DOYOUNG'S) death is Soo hard for me to watch. his silence in his final scene is just detrimental to me. he deserves so much more. SO I AM SO GLAD I CAN BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE FOR US <3 he is a special little guy and oh my god he is so much fun to write. HE IS SOOO MUCH FUN TO WRITE i cannot emphasize that enough. he is SO important and i think he can be a great bridge/dove/string to bring dyds closer...he is a great Observer... he is so capable i love ohjae so fucking much and i am so so so honored to hear that he reads well in my stuff <3

RE: sex scenes. writing sex is SO DIFFICULT. i have so little experience with it which is why i think i am ultracritical of the sex scenes that i do write. i think it can be an extremely potent plot device (can't think of a better term) but i feel like i can't quite pack the horny porny punch that i know a lot of ppl go into fanficiton expecting. cuz at the end of the day i am not a pornwriter AT ALL, and i respect and admire those who can pull off a steamy heated scene, but i lean more towards the implications of the sex instead of the sexiness of the sex. if that makes sense. ALL THAT SAID, i am so glad you enjoy those intimate bits as well <333 you are giving me the confidence i need to not completely restrict myself from writing them!!!

i am accepting 2(two) cheek kisses from u <3 i have seriously been slaving away writing for this show and it is fulfilling as fuck but like i said, SUPER small fandom. with such a small, niche audience it is hard for me to gauge how my stuff is being received by the people... it is my own paranoia that chokes me about the stats and stuff, but the more i post the more comfortable i am getting with it all :D

finally: SAY LESS! i have a little wip already going that can verrry perfectly accommodate some uncle doyoung >:3c consider it done. i will push to finish+post that sooner than later <3 when it is done i will gift it to you on ao3!!!

thank you from the bottom of my heart and i hope you can continue to enjoy the endless supply of dyds that i have living inside of me <3 and apologies for this essay of a response but it is my way of showing thanks :-) thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[comidyye]

ranting about my ryou bakura playlist <3

in terms of artists i think ryou would really like mitski,, hmm Evanescence??? he would really like old obscure creepy vocaloid songs. i dont have much 2 say 4 genres ,, just generally angsty sad slower songs remind me the most of him, But def some more ramped up angry songs too !! he deserves them !! Talking about specific songs and lyrics ↓ (lotso text)

"Please believe me when I say I've poured my whole past down the drain, say that a second chance is a chance I can take! But I can't make amends for things I can't remember, I can only say I'm sorry and occasionally pray..." (Half-Decade Hangover - Will Wood) "But I'm losing myself, and I'm afraid you're gonna lose me too. This magic keeps me alive, but it's making me crazy! And I need to save you, but who's going to save me? Please... forgive me for whatever I do." (Remember You Omnichord - Trillian) "Something dark is following me here without a trace... Is it real? Or in my head? I guess I'll find out when I wake up back home or dead. (THATS SUCH A BANGER LINE) ... With a piece of my mind as I'm caught, intertwined, Between the roads, of what's modern or old..." (Into the Pit - DHeusta & Dawko) [ oh fandoms colliding ! the song fits too well i Couldnt resist ] " 'You're not like me! I'm not like you! I'm not who these things happen to!' And that's exactly what you say before they do!" (BAD LUCK! Jhariah)

"There's a ghost, in my home! But it's better than being alone... Yes, my house is haunted! That's the way I want it!" (Ghost - nelward)

"My thoughts are filled with cruel intentions! Maybe my conscience is possessed! It's no use I can't control it! Maybe it's a sign not to quit.." (Bad Blood - Creature Feature) "I'm just a side character to your main spotlight... ...You'd be nicer to me, If you saw the true me, But you won't get woke to that 'til I'm gone." (Side Character - Cloudfodder) going more in depth with these songs:

The entirety of PHANTASM - JACK THE STRIPPER (( heavy cw for suicide )) heavy bakura vibes, the way it references the horror genre so much and casually referencing (( suicide ) with such an upbeat tone, very much reminds me how even though how we usually see bakura so happy or just goofin off and stuff , but Really the entirety of his story and what's going on with him is ... Really sad. I think it was someone else on tumblr? it was someone somewhere that pointed out hey 'freeze your brain' Reaaly matches ryou. and they are SO right! How both of the characters switch between schools constantly. And how both of their moms died. both of which are explored in that song, and also its just generally sad and angsty !! "Forget in six weeks, you'll be back on the road! When the voice in your head, says you're better off dead!"

Also the entirety of Ugly Story - Phemiec (( thank u homestuck if only for this persons music) reminds me very much of bakura's and yami bakura's dynamic. Ryou is being controlled and used when he doesn't want to be "I might be a killer but one day I shall be queen, and put an end to slaughter... In someone's spider web, or net I could be caught... But I'm too bitter, better off alone, guess I forgot..." Also generally sad and somber (this song is a duet i imagine between ryou and his yami .. ) "A parasite needs a host- I'm only trying to do what is best for us! Well I never asked for this, I never wanted this! All that I want is some time to myself! ...I'm just just reminiscing, (Just STOP reminiscing!) I just want you here with me! (I just want my privacy!) God, can't we just get along? (God, won't you LEAVE me ALONE!)" (Evelyn Evelyn - Evelyn Evelyn) (highly recommend <3) other songs of note that are so made for him Familiar Haunt - RL Another Song About Ghosts - Joy Again Exorcism - CreepP, Lollia (!!!!!) What The Water Gave Me - Mishkin Fitzgerald Watch Your Back - Junie & TheHutFriends Friends. - Omori (also some other omori ost songs, esp ones associated with basil Because they are so the same.)

In all i love him and only wish the best for him. im going to explode the millennium ring for traumatizing him : o) Also.. i have a yami yugi (season 0) playlist ill probably also do this for <3

[x-childish-x]

(part 1) i am loving these anakin x mother figure concepts 😄 could i also request one haha, after order 66 reader survives and becomes a grey jedi. while on a mission, she runs into darth vader. they fight for a little bit, but soon stop after they recognize each other through the force. surprisingly, vader isn’t hostile towards her while they talk, but he’s not calm either. reader refuses to keep calling him vader. after their convo reader slowly approaches him and

Something You're Not

Pairing: Darth Vader x fem!reader

Fandom: Star Wars

Warnings: Darth Vader, female!reader, mother figure!reader, crying, mentions to feeling like a failure, fighting, mentions to Order 66

Word Count: 1,352

A/N: Hello lovely! Wow I loved writing this request! First Darth Vader request, woo! It was so fun to write because the entire time I felt I could see this all playing out! Thank you for the request and support! I appreciate it so much! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated, I really hope that you all enjoy this one!!

Summary: You finally reach the force signature that had been reaching out with you for weeks, only to realize it's none other than Darth Vader, the boy you once raised.

PART TWO, PART THREE, PART FOUR

(gif! not mine!)

"Rex, take care of Ahsoka for me... I know how badly she wants to be on this mission. I can't risk it," you mumbled through the holo-comm as you carefully landed your ship.

"You know I always will. She's busy with Ezra right now anyways, so hopefully, he'll keep her mind occupied. Just be safe. If this is Maul, we need to know why he's been reaching out to you," Rex replied, his voice sounding tired.

You sighed, clicking everything off before standing, "Don't worry, Rex. It'll work out. I'll be home within a rotation."

"You better be," Rex joked lightly, "Be safe (y/n). May the force be with you."

"And with you."

Clicking off the holo-comm and leaving it on the ship, you quickly set off outside. Pulling up the hood on your grey cloak, you looked around cautiously, taking in your surroundings and using the force to reach out.

You could feel the dark side of the force more prominently now that you were here. It was almost strong enough to make out a force signature, but not completely. Despite the fact you still seemed far away from the dark force energy, it felt incredibly familiar, and that was what lead you to believe it was Maul. After all, he was the only Sith whose force signature you were familiar with.

It didn't take long for you to find the correct path leading to the Sith. Following the dark force signature proved to be an easy task for you. You trekked through the forest for what felt like hours. You carefully avoided all unknown plants and made sure to keep your presence as obscure as possible. You were using the force to the best advantage you could, mapping out your path while still trying to identify the oddly familiar Sith signature.

Finally breaking out into a clearing, you held your breath at the sight of Darth Vader's back. His cloak swooshed in the light breeze as you watched him, quickly thinking over everything you'd ever heard about him. You felt like you were in a holo-film, at the big climax moment when you face off the main villain. Fog would be piling in, surrounding you and Darth Vader as you prepare to fight.

Undoubtedly he knew you were there, and despite the fact, the two of you had never encountered each other before, your force signatures were incredibly familiar. Dancing around each other like fawns, trying to figure out why the unknown was so incredibly welcoming, like coming back to an old friend.

"I did not know you'd survived Order 66," Vader's ominous voice broke through the silence, venom, and hatred surrounding each word.

Slowly you stepped out from the faint protection of the trees, "It wasn't of my knowledge that you even knew me."

"I don't," Vader replied curtly, allowing a pause as your signatures moved around one another, "You're a Jedi unaccounted for."

"I prefer it that way," You snarled.

Dashing forward at the same moment Vader's force signature delivered a harsh prod to your own, you unsheathed your lightsaber. Leaping into the air and slashing down on Vader's back, you made contact with his lightsaber, sparks of grey and red dancing in the calm aura of the planet. He was quick to spin and send a counter swing at you, but you blocked it quickly. You locked sabers and spun him around, doing your best to throw him off.

Despite the situation of your fighting, you found each other still dancing within the force, trying to identify each other's signature. Your fighting was incredibly familiar to him, and his defense was familiar to you. Akin to a thunderstorm, you both fought quickly and powerfully. Neither obtaining the upper hand, you matched perfectly clash after clash, block after block.

Your fierce fighting was like a tornado destroying a small town. The planet around you was calm and peaceful, undisturbed by the fight for life you'd engaged yourself in. It certainly wasn't Maul who'd been trying to connect with you over the past weeks, and you found yourself wishing that it had been the Dathomirian instead. You'd overcome enough and lost too much to not give up now.

Finally flipping away, your hood fell as your force signatures connected, a gasp tumbling from your lips, "Anakin?"

"Master (y/l/n)," Vader responded softly.

A silence fell as you stared at one another. Of course, he was familiar. You trained Anakin, helped Obi-Wan raise him. You'd been Anakin's mom ever since he'd joined the Jedi, and he, your son. You'd assumed he'd died in Order 66, as Obi-Wan refused to talk to you. But now, staring across at Anakin in Vader's armor, you felt more like a failure than you'd ever had.

"You traded the purple for grey," Vader noted, causing you to look down at your blade.

Looking up at Anakin, you fought to keep your voice strong, "You traded blue for red, Ani."

"Anakin's dead," He snarled, turning off his lightsaber.

You mocked his actions, tilting your head slightly, "If Vader was here, he would've killed me already, Anakin."

"I am Vader! My name is Vader," The man huffed, "I killed Anakin myself!"

You shook your head, "I will not call you something you're not, Anakin. I trained you to be honest... true to yourself and your emotions. I will do the same now."

Vader seemed to falter, his hands repeatedly clenched and unclenched. The soft whir of machinery filled the air as you stared at the man in front of you. You took a step forward slowly, your eyes filling with remorse as you used the force to search through Anakin.

"What'd they do to you, my sweet Ani?" You whispered, "Why didn't you come to me? I could've helped you."

"Nobody could've helped him!" Anakin raged, yelling in anger that seemed directed at himself, "He was lost! Gone! Anakin would've died regardless! I, Vader, would've killed him regardless!"

"No," You mumbled, looking around at the planet you'd been called to, "You wouldn't have died, Ani. It would've been like any other mission, any other obstacle before. I would've helped you get through it, like always."

"Anakin is dead!" Vader cried out, his voice breaking, a hint of desperation sneaking through, "He's gone."

Slowly, you stepped forward, watching the way Anakin's chest rose and fell with each mechanical breath, "No... you're not gone, Anakin. You're not gone, and like all the times before, I'll be waiting to help you."

Taking in a deep breath, you anxiously wrapped your arms around Anakin, noticing how much taller he was. His arms remained by his side in shock, trying to sort out his emotions. Anakin's mechanical breathing filled your ears as you squeezed the boy you raised. Tears fell down your cheeks as you held him to your chest, wishing you had been able to help him. Wishing you'd stayed by Anakin more during the Clone Wars. Wishing that you could turn back time and save the little boy you loved so much.

Squeezing tighter for a brief second, you whispered, "I love you, no matter what, Anakin."

Letting go of the man, you stepped back quickly, hoping that the powerful Sith Lord hadn't seen your tears. But you knew that you'd been too slow, and you knew Anakin knew you better than that. Watching as you walked back and disappeared into the trees you'd come from, Darth Vader wondered if he would ever see you again. He'd reached out to you for weeks, and he wondered now if you would ever reach out to him, remind him you were still alive, waiting for Anakin to return.

Boarding your shuttle, you let out a cry as you reached for your comm. There were so many regrets you held and so much you wished you would've done. But the past was not something you could dwell on. You could only hope that you'd been able to reach Anakin quickly enough.

"Rex?" You called weakly into the comm. You waited patiently for Rex's reply until you heard your name called worriedly, "I'm coming home."

Taglist: @nowthisisdark

[scorpia-is-babey]

Schrodinger’s Scorpion Kingdom

ALT Title: 

An Essay Detailing Why I Don’t Believe in Either Theory of Hordak Wiping out the Scorpioni, or that the Former Scorpioni Gave Up the Kingdom Willingly 

I often jokingly say that Scorpia’s backstory has to be the most convoluted, jumbled mess of a character I have ever had the misfortune of simping... Uh, I mean, analyzing for. I’m not the type of nerd to get spoon fed information without chewing on it first. Whenever I try to chew on the idea that Hordak miraculously brought the Scorpioni to their knees, or if he was simply given the Runestone and kingdom, I can’t really come to any agreement. Both are equally ridiculous if we sit down and dissect them. 

Firstly, we are shown very clear evidence that the Horde (and by extension Hordak) had overthrown the kingdom (that popular screenshot of a few Scorpioni laying face down on the ground, the Black Garnet looming in the center). But there’s never any further explanation about that. How he might have rallied these brand new troops and given them armor; the early bits of technology he used; how he could have possibly discovered that the Black Garnet was a noteworthy piece of power; what the previous relationship between the Horde and Scorpioni was... 

Scorpia’s takes or explanations on any of this doesn’t and will never count. She is not only a heavily biased party, but she isn’t a primary source of information. Force Captain Orientation, and therefore, Hordak, is the easiest answer to look towards regarding how she knows the things she knows. Scorpia is always a secondary source of information and it is impossible to take her word for whatever happened before she was born. 

The main, primary source we do have is Light Spinner.

Light Spinner was watching the attack in real time and showed young King Micah. Her actions in “Light Spinner” (S2, E6) are desperate and urgent for that reason; there’s no time to be wasted. Through her and the narrative, we have a little bit of information on the Scorpioni, and we can conclude a few things about them: 

1) They were doing well for themselves at some point. The entirety of the Fright Zone belonged to them, and there are even larger areas that the audience only gets to see once (Horror Hall) that would suggest opulence. Runestones are the deciding factor of a Princess of Power as well (these being the Elemental Princesses, the fact that there’s canonically only a handful of them). All of the Princesses of Power have very large kingdoms (i.e. Kingdom of Snows, Salineas, Bright Moon, and Plumeria). 

2) Nobody gave up anything. If the aforementioned screenshot of the Scorpioni people laying face down on the ground and the looming Black Garnet being tied up wasn’t enough incentive to not believe that this was a peaceful treaty, I bring your attention to the fact that Light Spinner was keen on joining the Horde. She was accepted on the basis that she would be able to use the Black Garnet. 

This random Mystacor sorceress, and not, say, the Black Garnet’s actual Princess. 

3) They were not an obscure kingdom. Hordak’s arrival was common knowledge. Narrative wise, we don’t get to know this until Catra knows this. Just because Catra doesn’t know it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a general fact. If there are only six elemental princesses in their entire known world, it would be jarring if the Black Garnet’s Princess was forgotten only after a few years since Hordak’s arrival. 

We also don’t have extra confirmation from Light Spinner this time, but from the fact that Scorpia gets a Princess Prom invitation in the Fright Zone. They know where to mail it. They know where Princess Scorpia resides. 

Who is “they”?  

Canon doesn’t give us an answer to that. For the sake of continuing this point, we’re going to put a pin in it. Leave it for another day. 

With all of these inferences of the former Scorpioni Kingdom, this leaves us with the idea that Hordak’s rule over them was, unsurprisingly forceful... 

Somehow. 

This character spends the majority of his time pursuing his own personal goals. He wants to rejoin Horde Prime by opening a portal and taking the entire Horde army into Etheria to conquer it. When he does end up doing this, it’s with the help of Catra, Entrapta, and indirectly, Scorpia. 

He needs repairs to his armor eventually, which Entrapta helps him with; he needs Shadow Weaver to keep the soldiers in line as his second in command; he needs Catra after Shadow Weaver to take that second in command position which she absolutely succeeds in more than either of them could ever have... 

How does Hordak overtake the Black Garnet without these characters and resources all of those years ago? Where does he get these soldiers from? Why are these soldiers strong enough to conquer a fully capable, thriving kingdom? 

One idea floating around in the fandom space is that the Scorpioni were as non-confrontational, jovial and charismatic as Scorpia is shown to be, therefore allowing themselves to be conquered. That idea is not only unlikely, but it is admitting that somehow Scorpia would have met her people and known them well enough to pick up those traits. If not anything else, that claim is entirely ridiculous. 

Although we see Scorpia in a picture with her mothers as an infant, it’s unlikely that she got to know them either and pick up on their traits. There is never any mention of them verbally and no confirmation if they are dead or alive. Scorpia’s mothers not making an appearance or even being mentioned implies that they are dead, but, again, that’s never confirmed... Instead we can conclude that the mother with the Black Garnet connection is, at the very least, disconnected from it. When Glimmer is crowned as Queen and she no longer has to share the Moonstone with Angella, she gets all of its power. When Scorpia connects with the Black Garnet, she gets all of its power. She is not sharing any of its power with anyone at that point. 

...

This leaves me, annoyingly, left with more questions than answers. With Scorpia being my favorite character, I am constantly writing, drawing, and discussing her. This makes me acutely aware that she’s got one of the most plot hole-inclined, nonsensical backstories of the entire cast. It spills over into Hordak and the Scorpioni plotline, too. 

Fortunately, since I don’t believe in either “Hordak conquered the Scorpioni”, or “the Scorpioni gave up the Black Garnet willingly”, this does nothing to affect how I perceive canon, Hordak, or the Scorpioni. 

After thinking about and writing it all down, I genuinely do not care about Scorpia’s background anymore. I will make decisions based on her background when the opportunities arise in discussion or fanfiction writing. Both Scorpion Kingdom theories are ridiculous, leaving us with this paradoxical theory: 

“Schrodinger’s Scorpion Kingdom Theory”, is realizing that this plotline doesn’t make sense, and then deciding to fill in your own spaces where it best suits your own understanding of the narrative —because the original explanations are both plausible and implausible, given what we know from the canonical facts. 

[rosereview]

Chain of Iron Review

Like my Chain of Gold review (which you can find on my post list or here) this is going to be a hot mess of emotions and feelings with very many spoilers. If you’re wondering if you should read this book (a review without spoilers) my thoughts are go fricking read everything by Cassandra Clare and fall in love with me. Yes, I highly recommend everything that woman has touched with a pen. But besides that, let's get into this review.

Characters

James Herondale- first let's start with one of the main characters who was a big part of this novel. To be honest I don’t have much to say about him personally without getting into his relationships with others and the plot points in the book (which I will talk about later), but I guess I will talk about my love for him. I was unsure at first (before Chain of Gold) how I was going to feel about James and if he would be a typical Herondale boy and be very similar to his father or his descendant, Jace. I was worried that he would be too similar to Will and Jace that he would not stand out, but like in Chain of Gold, I was very happy with his individual character traits and personality. While he is like Will and Jace, James is also very different and his own person. He’s a typical heart throb Herondale, while still having this very reserved and responsible side to him that I love so much. His only flaw is something he can’t control, so yeah… strong character.

Cordelia Carstairs- Like last book, I LOVE Cordelia, although this book was harder to read because of what she went through. Multiple times I wanted to just give her a hug and let her cry on my shoulder. I wish she hadn’t had to go through so much trauma in this book, but I know she’ll become a better character because of it. The whole ordeal with being Lilith’s paladin hurt very much, her unrequited (not really) love for James was heartbreaking to see continuously played on (I JUST WANTED THAT DAMN GRACELET OFF), and the parts about her father also hurt. I need to read Chain of Thorns now, just to make sure that Cordelia is alright in the end.

Matthew Fairchild- talking about Matthew makes me sad because I absolutely love him as a character and I just need him to get better. I’m so happy that he opened up to Cordelia in this book, but I need him to start loving himself again. The pain I feel when reading about him trembling and drinking himself to honestly too much (especially since he’s just a fictional character). And that’s really all I want for Matthew, is for him to be okay one day.

Grace Blackthorn- this was very interesting in Chain of Iron because we got a lot of flashback scenes from Grace’s point of view and that made me not hate her as much anymore. I still am very annoyed at her, but I like that I can finally see more of her side and sympathize with her. I’m very interested to see more of her character development, especially individually without all the stuff with James obscuring my image of her.

Lucie Herondale- someone else that I found I loved much more in this book was Lucie. In the last book, from what I can remember, Lucie was a little interesting at parts (I kind of want to say annoying, although that’s a little too harsh of a word), but I loved her in this book. She had much more character development (I thought) and her personality came out more in a less hectic way. Her inner thoughts started to make more sense to me, and I loved learning more about her as not someone who is just James’s sister, or Cordelia’s future parabatai, but as her own person.

Jesse Blackthorn- Another character I loved to see more of although we mostly just saw him through Lucie’s eyes, and I also already loved him even before. He became a much more understanding and developed character in this book and I can’t wait to see more of him now that he’s alive!

Alastair Carstairs- I totally fell in love with him in this book too! Holy shit, all I wanted to do was hug him and tell him that it would all be alright. Because he is an older sibling I think I can relate to him a lot more now, especially with all this baggage that he was keeping and trying to protect Cordelia from. I found the scenes with just him in them (like when he’s thinking about the future while looking out the window in his house after his father dies and thinking about his new baby sibling that will be born) absolutely amazing and captivating. Obviously I used to hate him because of the short stories that he was in the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy and other extra short stories, but now I need more of him and I’m internally hurting for him.

Thomas Lightwood- Another character I am hurting for and I just need him to be okay. I loved and hated the fact that he felt so hurt for James because of the killer and he wanted to unburden James by catching the killer. I was just so moved but also so angry that he was putting himself in danger that it was a very emotional time reading (like me clutching the book and shouting at Thomas to stop and go back). But I will always love Thomas and can’t wait to see more of him. 

Christopher Lightwood- Last but certainly not least, is Christopher, who I am obsessed with. That one POV moment that we had from him was one of my favourites and now I need to hear from him more. I love all of his quirks and his inner thoughts are the most adorable thing but also makes me sad because he has no one but Henry to share them with and who fully understands and appreciates him for who he is. Also I still really find it wild that he’s the son of Cecily and Gabriel, who aren’t science-y people at all and who are both much more sarcastic characters, while Christopher is just so sweet and perfect. (Not saying Cecily and Gabriel aren’t perfect, but still never would have imagined them to have a kid like Christopher, but at the same time I find it so perfect that they did). Also I just love Christopher so much! I know I said that already, but I just can’t get over it. I need more of his inner thoughts and just more of HIM. 

Relationships

Now we can finally talk about the characters in terms of their relationships with other characters and since I was just talking about Christopher I need to start with…

Christopher and Grace! — I loved that little moment they shared when they were in Henry’s laboratory and were bonding of the pithos. It was the best moment in the whole book and I keep thinking about it in my head. I know of the family tree from the Clockwork Princess inside cover, it says that Christopher and Grace will get married and have the Lightwood offspring, but I just hadn’t really realized that significance until now. They are so cute together and even though I have expressly said I hated Grace in the past, the way she understood Christopher and the way they could talk together, warmed my heart so much and was the most redeeming part of Grace’s character for me. I just need more moments of Grace and Christopher. 

Now to the next most pressing relationship…

The James, Cordelia, Matthew love triangle!

Let's start with Cordelia and James— I love them together. Even with all the annoying shit with James and the bracelet, their relationship shone in this book and I was so happy about it. They are so perfect for each other and all of their moments together I was bursting with joy. Their chemistry, but also their solid foundation for their relationship is so well written that it’s impossible for me not to see them as together. This is their story and I’m in love with it.

Now Cordelia and Matthew— I also love them, but probably not as much. The thing is, I’m just obsessed with Matthew, so while I love the relationship just because I want Matthew to find happiness, I think James and Cordelia are better together. The problem is with Matthew is that he needs to work on himself first before he could ever hope to fully love someone else and share a life with someone else. I’m very happy for the moment though that Matthew has Cordelia at his side and that he even shared his biggest secret with her because I do think that Cordelia has the capacity to help Matthew (maybe even on this trip to Paris) but I also don’t want it to be too much for Cordelia since she already had to deal with similar issues with her dad and I don’t want it to bring up hard memories for her. But either way I just need the next book to see what happens after that VERY emotional cliffhanger. Cassie did me dirty with that one. 

James and Grace— Well I hate the fricking bracelet (also side note, I absolutely love that the fandom nicknamed the bracelet, gracelet. I love that so much). But I also see why Grace felt like she had to put it on and why she couldn’t take it off, but it still makes me so mad. Especially the way she still felt she could manipulate James in the end because she had nowhere else to go. I hate that part of her, the part that her mother taught her that it’s okay to manipulate men. But I was also so happy how James went off on her at the end, it was very satisfying until Cordelia ran off, but still very happy that James got to yell at Grace like that. 

Lucie and Jesse— another couple I am now fully invested and in love with. This book made me like Lucie more BECAUSE of her development with Jesse. I liked Jesse before, but this book, where we got to see lots of their development as a couple and be completely honest with each other, sealed the deal for me. I can’t wait to read more about Jesse and Lucie in the future because I am so happy for them and so in love with their love, it’s actually kind of ridiculous. 

Alastair and Thomas— again, I just fell completely in love with them in this book. The scenes with them locked up together were some of my favorite scenes, but I was beyond sad when Alastair still broke it off with Thomas in the end. I needed one couple to find some sort of happy at the end of this book, but all of them ended badly! I was very mad, but I can’t wait for the next book to see them get together (because they have to get together). 

Anna and Ariadne— I just love Anna so much and I want her to be happy, but in this book I also felt for Ariadne too. At first I didn’t like her because of the fact that she broke Anna’s heart, but now seeing her try so hard to make up with her… it just makes my heart break for the both of them. Also the only parts in this book that had these two in it, were scenes about their relationship, which is why I didn’t have anything to say about their individual personalities, but I would like to add that Anna is definitely one of my favourite Lightwoods and one of the best minor characters in the Shadowhunter universe. 

Lucie and Cordelia— for these two I wish that we had more scenes of them as friends, but I think one of the most powerful parts of this book that made it so sad, was the fact that Cordelia and Lucie didn’t talk. The way the two girls were by themselves with their problems definitely was a huge factor of why everything went bad, and I’m very certain that if Lucie and Cordelia had talked more, things would have ended differently. So I see and understand why they weren’t able to be the parabatai pals that I wanted them to be, but I still am waiting desperately for more scenes of the two of them just being friends. Another reason I cannot wait for the last book of the series. 

Grace and Jesse— because of all the flashback scenes of Grace, I was able to appreciate her relationship with her brother more. The bond that they have between brother and sister is so strong and beautiful that it’s another thing that redeems Grace as a character, and makes me sympathize a lot more with her. 

The Merry Thieves— just want to say that I love them so much. I will always love them and I just need more scenes of the group of them plus Lucie, Anna, and Cordelia. That is all.

Plot

For plot details in this book, I just have a couple things to talk about, the first being: WHERE THE FUCK WAS THE REAL MAGNUS! Honestly, I know where he was, but I felt so betrayed when Lilith revealed herself to be a pretend Magnus. Every Shadowhunter book has Magnus helping to save the day, and my theory is that the reason everything went so shitty was because Magnus wasn’t there. Jem and Magnus are always needed for these Shadowhunter children who just keep getting caught up into shitty situations. He better help more in the next book (which I already know he will, since at the end of Chain of Iron he was there with Will). On that note, I also thought it was clever of Cassie to have Will and Tessa gone for the majority of the book, because I feel like if they had been there, shit wouldn’t have gotten that bad, both concerning Belial and the kids’ love lives. It wouldn’t have been believable if they had been there but all the events happened in the same way, because I’m pretty sure Will or Tessa would have given more advice to James and Lucie. 

Secondly, that was some crazy business with Belial and Lilith, and also I’m so excited that Lilith is back. I think she’s such an interesting villain being Adam’s first wife and all. But also I don’t like who she’s a manipulative bitch, but I think that’s part of her charm. 

Next, the gracelet. I hate it. Period. Glad it’s off. 

Next plot point— all the stuff with Malcolm! Oh my goodness that was so interesting to see how Malcolm’s villain origin story started. I can’t actually believe that it was Grace that told Malcolm straight up about Annabel (I can actually believe it, I just think it ironic that she’s also a Blackthorn, and really only Blackthorns seem to have messed up Malcolm’s life). I’m very interested to see more of what he does with Jesse and Lucie now that Jesse is alive and Malcolm knows more about Lucie’s powers. 

Lastly, I wanted to touch on the extra short story from the first editions of Chain of Iron, with Magnus and Jem. I think that it was an important scene concerning the future Eldest Curses novel, The Black Volume of the Dead, and maybe even the Wicked Powers series. It just made me even more excited for the future Shadowhunters books and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us moving forward!

And that’s all I have to talk about. Thank you if you read to the end and were able to sift through my thoughts. This is totally unedited, so sorry for stupid mistakes and such. 

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[demetriandelibinaryboyfriends]

AIGHT Y’ALL I wasn’t tagged but I’m doing this anyways because f u c k  i t

It's the year 2021 and you're obsessed with The Karate Kid. How are you feeling?

Deadasss weird as fuck, my dude. Like...out of all the things I could’ve predicted happening in our lord’s year 2021, it definitely was NOT getting hyperfixated on a hammy gay ship with a punk and a nerd from a goddamn karate soap opera. And yet...here we are??? I will never understand hyperfixations, my guy. But I’ve met a lot of really cool people in this fandom, so I can’t really complain.

Did you grow up with TKK or are you new to the series?

I have never seen a single Karate Kid movie in my entire life. When I was a kid, it looked kinda dumb so I never got into it XD But then I saw my roommate watching Cobra Kai on Youtube Red one day (he has every streaming service known to man) and I was hooked. And...here I am!

We gotta do the basics. Favorite character:  

Literally EVERYONE except for Kreese, Yasmine, Kyler, and Tory, sorry stans

Okay but if we gotta pick, Johnny Lawrence is my Problematic Fave. Also I love my boy Daniel, he’s trying his best!!! And Amanda LaRusso, we stan a queen!!!

Among the kids, definitely Miguel, with Demetri as a close second. I also love Sam, Aisha, Moon, and Hawk (pre- and post-Bastardization Arc, anyways XD)!

Favorite ship:  

Take a look at my username and take a WILD FUCKING GUESS lmao Yes it’s Eli/Demetri because DUH, every interaction they have is so fucking gay and Eli fucking saved him!!! And came back to him!!! And betrayed the world’s most terrifying dojo with a WAR CRIMINAL SENSEI all for Demetri!!! And how Demetri was willing to forgive him for everything at the drop of a hat because he always had faith there was still good in his best friend??? That’s TRUE LOVE motherfuckers. Please let them kiss in Season 4. I will sell you all of my limbs. Sam/Miguel is a close second because they’re cute as shit and it’s just so lovely to see two people so unapologetically smitten with each other. They are in LOVE, and I will RIOT if they break up again!!! Keep Sam and Miguel together 2k21!!!

Underrated character:

SAMANTHA LARUSSO!!! The amount of hate my girl gets for acting like a normal teenager and fucking up occasionally JUST like the rest of the cast makes me want to start punching things. She cares SO MUCH about her friends!!! And she loves the shit out of Miguel!!! She hasn’t always been the best friend but you know what??? Neither has Hawk, and we still forgave his ass!!! Also LET HER BE FEMININE but also kick utter ass, my god!!! Femininity should not be synonymous with being weak, y’all! ALSO DEMETRI, like yes, he likes to complain and occasionally run his mouth, but guess what else he likes to do??? Never give up on the love of his life his best friend Eli Moskowitz and refuse to lose faith in him no matter how much of a little shit he’s become, and I for one think that’s very badass of him. Also the way he takes care of Eli pre-Cobra Kai in his own snarky bastard way makes me absolutely Weak and needs more appreciation. Like the dude has charisma and COULD have probably made other friends and left Eli behind if he wanted, but did he??? No, he wants the weepy loser with the lip scar in the polo shirts and dorky sweaters and will protect him as much as his wimpy ass is able!!!

Underrated ship (don’t say therapy, lol):  

Among the adults, Daniel/Amanda!!! Like maybe I just don’t watch that much tv, but it seems kinda rare to me to see a happily married hetero couple, and it’s just nice to see a married couple who genuinely love each other and where there’s not like...lingering resentment or some shit. I feel like this ship gets overshadowed by Lawrusso a lot (which like--okay, fair!!! Daniel and Johnny do have a ridiculous amount of chemistry, and the gay undertones are undeniable, so I get it), and it makes me kinda sad. I do love Lawrusso, but I don’t like when Amanda has to get her heart broke for it to happen, you feel? Among the kids, honestly YasMoon. Like I really love the idea of Yasmine trying to better herself because of Moon’s influence on her and because Moon like...inspires her to be a better person, I guess? With their pretty strong friendship, it just makes more sense to me for Yasmine to get a redemption arc through Moon than through Demetri. ALSO girls DO often pull the whole “mean girl” shtick to cover up being closeted lesbians, and Moon IS canonically bi, so it could work!!! I just think this one could be a really interesting Friends to Lovers take, and could make a really nice coming-out arc for Yas. And MoonPiper too, honestly!!! Like they only got 5 seconds of screentime so I understand WHY it’s underrated, but I still love what we DID get and loved that there was a canon gay ship (even if only for 1 scene lmao). I’m really excited to potentially see more of them in Season 4!!! Please, I’m begging!!!

Wax On, Wax Off or Sweep the Leg?

Sweep the Leg because it will always be deeply hilarious to me how Demetri took note of the first move Eli ever used on him and spent presumably weeks perfecting it OUT OF SPITE just to get him back with it at the soccer game MONTHS later. Just goes to show how OBSESSED Demetri is with Eli and their little karate rivalry which is just NOT straight, I’m sorry

Which of Daniel’s dumb little outfits is your favorite?

There’s something so funny about this pretentious little fuck walking around in fancy suits once he becomes a #SuccessfulBusinessman, and still occasionally trying to do karate in a full-ass suit (take THAT, Tom Cole’s boba!!!) I’m also a big fan of how he looks in his gi with his little headband. Still killing that look as a 40-50-something!!!

Character from the films you most want to return, who’s not Terry Silver:

Tbh I have still never seen a single Karate Kid movie (they took them off of Netflix, RIP), so...I don’t really care if they bring anyone else back??? I’m invested in the characters we already have in the show, I don’t need some rando from the movies to make a cameo to have a good time XD The only character I really wanted them to bring back was Ali, and they already did, so like...I’m good??? That’s all I really needed, I can die in peace now XD

Scene that lives in your head rent-free:

Basically any fluffy Elimetri scene, but 5 in particular: ~Miguel first meeting Eli and Demetri at the lunch table, and Eli looking at Demetri like he hung every goddamn star in the sky ~Demetri going off at a terrifying, “unhinged” karate sensei on the first day of Cobra Kai because he made fun of Eli’s lip and Demetri is not about that shit ~ELI STEALING DEMETRI’S NACHO AND SMIRKING AT HIM, LIKE EXCUSE ME SIR PLEASE BE A LITTLE LESS HOMOSEXUAL IN FRONT OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND ~Eli yanking Demetri onstage during Valley Fest to hold a board, and Demetri being visibly like...extremely turned on when Eli breaks said board ~ELI SAVING DEMETRI DURING THE CHRISTMAS FIGHT, ELI APOLOGIZING, DEMETRI AND ELI KICKING COBRA ASS TOGETHER AKSBDCUWYVCBU

Will Anthony LaRusso ever be relevant?

I hope not! He’s kind of a funny meme character to pop up now and again but I don’t think he deserves a serious plotline when there are so many more interesting characters to follow.

You live in The Valley and are forced into the karate gang war. Which dojo do you join?

Miyagi-Do because Cobra Kai would eat me alive. Also I’d probably straight up get stuck and die in that cement mixer, if I even made it that far XD Besides, being salty that your friend who you have a crush on likes martial arts better than you and starting martial arts to impress them but also being too lazy to join anything TOO intense is a Big Mood and I am certainly not speaking from personal experience here, no sirree

What’s your training montage song?

"Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna for a weight-training and bicep-flexing montage, “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine Dragons for a more intense punching-and-kicking-shit montage. I don’t know why this is, I just feel it in my heart.

It’s the crossover event of the century! Which TV show are you combining with Cobra Kai for an hour-long Saturday night special?

*Briefly panics because I don’t actually watch that much TV and most of the stuff I do watch is fantasy/sci fi shit that absolutely would not work for a CK crossover*

Hmmmm okay but ACTUALLY

You know what would be fucking funny as hell would be an It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover. Allow me to elaborate: ~The Gang goes to LA on vacation during the height of the Karate Dojo Wars. They literally can get barely anything done without all these goddamn karate-fighting teenagers getting in the way. ~They are all very annoyed by this. Even the most obscure of tourist attractions is eventually intercepted by karate fights. ~Mac tries to join Cobra Kai because he sees all this karate fighting on, and wants to unquestionably prove both his badassery and masculinity. Both Johnny and Kreese are like “Wtf are you doing here? Aren’t you like 30?” ~Mac gets a planet-sized crush on Johnny after all of 5 minutes and endlessly gushes to the gang about him. The gang mercilessly roast him about this and about how much of a pathetic loser with his life together in no way whatsoever Johnny sounds like. They proceed to have exactly 0 self awareness about this. ~The Waitress is in town visiting family or something, and Charlie is stalking her, as per usual. However, every time he’s about to go up and talk to her, a pack of battling Miyagi-Dos and Cobra Kais throwing punches and kicks everywhere blocks his path. One times, Mac is among one of these packs and Charlie is like “???? He didn’t get kicked out of that teen karate dojo yet???” ~Seeing how much the Kids These Days seem to like fighting, Charlie drops by a local high school to try and sell Fight Milk to the kids doing karate. Only Kyler and Brucks buy into it, and subsequently get the entire West Valley High wrestling team sick. Charlie is inevitably arrested, as Counselor Blatt thinks he’s selling the kids drugs. ~Dennis makes a plan to have sex with every hot chick he can in Los Angeles. He meets Ali on a dating app post-divorce, and inevitably tries to bang her. It doesn’t work. ~Frank crashes the rental car, and inevitably the gang ends up at one of Daniel’s dealerships. Dee quickly takes a liking to Daniel and is like “Watch, assholes--Imma homewreck this guy’s marriage.” She starts frequenting the dealerships to attempt to flirt with Daniel, until one day she walks in on him having sex with Johnny in a back room and she’s like “Is that the guy from Mac’s goddamn dojo?!?!” ~Dennis, of course, tries to sleep with Amanda. Amanda is not having it, and rebukes him in the most snarky, Amanda-esque way possible. Dennis is just like “Oh not AGAIN--the women in this goddamn diva city have too high of standards!” ~Later on, the gang is at the beach and Dennis spots the blonde lady he went out on an ill-fate date with, and decides to give it another shot--that is, until he sees her go up and kiss another woman and he’s like “IS THAT THE LADY FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP??? STUPID-KARATE-KICK-COMMERCIAL’S WIFE?!? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.” ~Dee complains to Dennis about her lack of luck getting laid, and Dennis is just like “Oh come ON, is everyone in Los Angeles gay???” Smash cut to Hawk and Demetri having sex, Moon and Piper making out, Bert and Nate holding hands, Chris and Mitch doing oral, and Amanda, Ali, and Carmen having a threesome. ~Frank tries to scam Kreese into buying cheaply-made karate equipment for his dojo. The gang ends up having to leave LA because Kreese is quite literally plotting all of their murders.

For tagging, uuuuhhhhhh @jackonthelongwalk @soe-leo @max-eagle-fang @cc-tinslebee @backawayfromthegay @asphodel-storm do the thing, if y’all haven’t yet!

[hkthatgffan]

Today is a very important day if you're a Gravity Falls fan. On this day 8 years ago, Boss Mabel premiered after the first GF hiatus. It's also been 3 years since the Puzzling Pines event and most importantly, 5 years since Gravity Falls came to an end.

What makes Gravity Falls' finale so unique IMO to all other cartoons that have ended is just how much has happened since then. Other shows once they end fall into obscurity or are forgotten, with fans moving on to new things. But not the GF fandom. No, we're all still here and we refuse to let go. While that can generate many negatives like fans who still beg for more and people who turn to criticism instead of remembering, so much good and fun has come out of it as well! I mean, the GF fandom has done some truly great things since Feb 15, 2016.

For one there have been so many charity zines and projects that have happened since then that have done so much good like the Lost Legends Zine and Wayfaring Strangers zines. GF fans have raised money for great causes and brought artists and fans together for a common goal. 

Then there are the many fan events that have happened like Codemageddon that gave fans something to do despite no new episodes. It kept things fresh and worth sticking around for. And how can I forget the many fan projects, old & new, that provide something for us to enjoy. MysterySeeker's Deep Woods, Alina923's's next summer animation and so many more like it are just a small example of this fandoms determination and continued love for this show!

And the fans are not alone. There have been so many official things that have happened too. Cipher Hunt is the best example. But there were so many things beyond it too like the GF art show, book signing events, D23 and so much more! And of course, all that falls into all the new content that has been made since then too like Lost Legends, the box set, the various new animated shorts and so much more! 

Not to mention that shows made by those who worked on or were part of Gravity Falls continue to pay homage to it in whatever way they can. From Rick and Morty, to Amphibia to The Owl House. The next generation of cartoons doesn't forget where they began!

The point I'm trying to make is that while Gravity Falls ended 5 years ago, the show's influence & legacy has not. Name me one other fandom that has done as much as GF's has in this manner? 

Even if you're someone who has moved on from GF or may not regard it as highly as I do, you cannot deny that it has left an influence on so many people's lives, and the animation industry as a whole. And it's not gonna end anytime soon. I wonder how many future cartoons are gonna come out where those who made it can credit Gravity Falls as being their influence? In the same way as the generation that made GF can credit the cartoons of old for influencing them, the next one may just say the same about it. 

5 years on, Gravity Falls still is, and always will be, a cartoon all in its own! Never forget it, & the many others that have ended.

And be sure to check out this edition of my yearly GF finale tribute video. 2 years ago I made one with focus on the people who made Gravity Falls. This year I put focus on all aspects of the people who keep Gravity Falls alive. From the people who made it to the fans who continue to love it and make content for it. This is not just a tribute to the show, but to all GF fans who truly love this show and still do. Enjoy.

To Gravity Falls. A show in a class all it’s own!

[verobatto]

Destiel Chronicles

Vol. LXXXVIII

It was a love story from the very beginning.

The Empty is Coming (Part. II)

(12x18)

Hello dears! How are you feeling for tonight's episode? I'm not ready...

Okay, i had to make a whole meta for this episode for the huge symbolism related to Sacrifice and the Empty.

Castiel walking on the Empty, a prelude...

When episode 12x18 starts, we have another dar forest, representing the Empty, and a young guy named Jorred walking on it...

If you pay attention, he wears a brown coat, blue pants. Is a blatant Cas' mirror, and the obscurity surrounding him, symbolizes the Empty.

Jorred gets trapped and then dies.

Where's Cas? Is reaching a high level of worrisome

Dean tries to call Cas but... He can't. So, all theses days he didn't have news about the angel and he is reaching high levels of worrisome.

I wrote an entire meta about this episode time ago, I don't want to be repetitive, so i will be quoting here things I already put in that meta. You can find the analysis here.

DEAN: Come on. Cas, it's me. I've been trying to get ahold of you for days. I don't know what's going on, but we got a line on Dagon...And we got our asses handed to us, even with the Colt. So...Could really use the backup. Call me back.

Dean is mad at Cas, first because he is pointing at he have been days trying to get ahold of him (remember Dean praying to him every night in Purgatory?) and then he is mad because he doesn't know what's going on with Cas. So basically, he is mad because Cas is not calling. Is not giving living signals.

SAM: So no luck with Cas, huh?

DEAN: Yeah, still AWOL.

SAM: All right, so let's find him.

DEAN: I've been trying, Sam. The GPS on his phone is turned off, and there's nothing in the system about some weird guy in a trench coat getting arrested or turning up dead.

This is the thing here, he reveals another details of why he is mad and worried, because Cas turn his GPS off! That means that maybe he doesn't want th to find him. And then, Dean is saying HE SEARCHED FOR HIM IN HOSPITALS AND POLICE INFO LIKE? Yeah... A little kind of desperate.

And if you pay attention bro the pic, you wikl find how worried is Sam watching his brother in that shape.

SAM: Right. Dean, it's Cas. I mean, this isn't the first time he's dropped off the map, you know? And whatever's happening, he'll be fine. He always is.

DEAN: Yeah.

This scene is very rich in body language. Also Sam assuming Cas will always be fine, is like settling the idea that something could take them by surprise anytime about the angel.

But watch Dean here while Sam tries to comfort his brother...

I will quote here what I wrote in my meta about this episode:

"Priceless... Avoiding Sam's eyes, looking to a side, dimples of discontent, that sniffing is like... He is so mad... He just can't stand it. Can't stand CAS not answering his phone calls, not being there for weeks. Not knowing if he is dead or alive. Makes feel so uneasy, he can't control what he is feeling... He is mad, but worried at the same time."

How do I fill this emptiness?

Not being able to have any hint of Cas, and feeling he was being rejected by him, the unrequited love idea hits Dean again.

Is big, cold, hole inside of him, and it needs to be filled immediately. And what Dean does, which will be the last time he does it? He hooks up with random waitress. Why? Well. I will quote here again my insights from the other meta.

"... and I know the fandom had pointed the "Castiel coded coat" this waitress is wearing... Like... "YEAH I'M JUST AN ASSHOLE FOR BEING IN LOVE WITH MY BEST MALE FRIEND WHO WILL NEVER LOVE ME BACK, HE ABANDONED ME AND DOESN'T' GIVE A FUCK IF I'M WORRIED OR NOT. LET'S JUST HOOK UP WITH RANDOM WAITRESS HERE AND HEY! THAT COAT REMINDS ME TO CAS DAMN!"

I want to add the waitress is not just dressed with the coat but with a pink dress too. The pink color will be very called in the incoming seasons. Is a symbolism of happiness. Related to Castiel's deal with the Empty made in season 14, and the ultimate Sacrifice for love and Castiel's love confession in season 15. But in this case, it talks about Dean. Dean's happiness is Cas and viceversa.

Another thing Dean did in this episode to fill the emptiness of his Unrequited Love was eating too much. As he always does. It maybe wouldn't caught our attention if Sam wouldn't watched him with disgust and scolding face.

Sheriff Barret Bishop and the Black Bill legend. (Cas and Empty mirrors)

Look how Sam describes the legend of Black Bill at first:

SAM: And when the fun was over, the satyr would, "feast upon the flesh of his victims until his belly was full to bursting with their moist, slippery meat."

I find this very interesting, because he talks about a party, something they celebrate (an orgy) that could be related with lust, the thing that will taken as a forbidden feelings in Castiel's POV in episode 14x15. And the punishment is became the monster's food. But but, is not the first time we see a monster feeding of people or energy in legends. In episode 14x17, the one that gave me the spec about Dean rescuing Castiel from the Empty, they talk too about this legend and how the mosntrrs feed from his prays. So, is this the Empty's story then? Is he feeding with energy from dead angels and dead demons? Hahaha just a few days and we will know.

Then, Castiel's mirror trying to do his best to change things, but by himself.

Sheriff Bishop: Moloch used his power to make us rich. After my father died in '97, I put a stop to all of that. Look, I couldn't...I never killed anybody. I just wanted to help people to make up for all the bad we've done. I wanted... To leave a legacy. - I kept him locked up. Hoped he'd starve to death.

Okay, this is kind of the idea of what Chuck did with the Empty. The thing is... The monster scapes.

And then we have the Sheriff saying "It was on him"

Sheriff Bishop: You should go.

SAM: No, sheriff, uh, we can help clean up.

Sheriff Bishop: No. This...I'll take care of it. It's on me. This? This is my legacy.

Again a Cas mirror doing the dirty work. It's on me. Is the same thought in Castiel's mind, and we will see it in the next episode.

Winchester's legacy:

SAM: But the people we saved, they're our legacy. And they'll remember us and then I guess...We'll eventually fade away, too. That's fine, because we left the world better than we found it, you know.

DEAN: I wonder what's gonna happen to this place. After we're gone, you think some hunter'll move in, keep fightin' the fight?

SAM: Yeah, I hope so.

DEAN: Yeah. Me, too.

Dean gets out his knife from his pocket.

SAM: What are you doin'?

DEAN: Leaving our mark. Here.

This is a parallel to 15x19, the fake bro ending. The dialogue is also a representation of THE FAMILY BUSINESS.

But you know what they did in 15x19, they carved Cas and Jack names too.

And you know what happened in episode 12x19: THE MIXTAPE OR THE WAY DEAN USED TO EXPRESS HIS ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR CAS. So, this is another clue for us to think Cas will come back after bro only ending to hear Dean's true love confession. (I'm talking about tonight's episode.)

To Conclude:

More than another foreshadow of the Empty and Castiel's dead, we had once more Dean Winchester's unrequited love inner fight.

This is another proof Dean feels the same way as Castiel. He really feels his love is Unrequited and he will never be able to have Cas in the way he wants.

Even with Castiel's speech in the barn in 12x10, giving Dean some hopes and gifting him with the Mixtape, as a representan of his romantic love for him, Dean is facing now that maybe that confession was totally platonic. And it hurst him. That's why he behaves by trying to fill that empty with sex and food.

But it won't go away until both men complete their love circle.

Hope you like this, see you in the next one!

Tagging @magnificent-winged-beast @emblue-sparks @weird-dorky-little-d @michyribeiro @legendary-destiel @a-bit-of-influence @thatwitchydestielfan @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @lykanyouko @evvvissticante @savannadarkbaby @dea-stiel @poorreputation @bre95611 @thewolfathedoor @charlottemanchmal @neii3n @deathswaywardson @followyourenergy @dean-is-bi-till-i-die @hekatelilith-blog @avidbkwrm @anarchiana @dickpuncher365 @vampyrosa @authorsararayne @mybonsai1976 @love-neve-dies @dustythewind @wayward-winchester67 @angelwithashotgunandtrenchcoat @trashblackrainbow @deeutdutdutdoh @destiel-shipper-11 @larrem88 @charmedbycastiel @ran-savant @little-crazy-misha-minion @samoosetheshipper

@shadows-and-padlocked-hearts @mishtho @dancingtuesdaymorning @nerditoutwithbooks @mikennacac73 @justmeand-myinsight @idontwantpeopletoknowmyname @teddybeardoctor @pepevons @helevetica @isthisdestiel @dizzypinwheel @jawnlockwinchester @horsez2 @qanelyytha

@destielle @agusvedder @spnsmile @shippsblog @robot-feels @superlock-in-the-tardis @superduckbatrebel @2musiclover2 @madronasky @anon-non2 @cea1996

If you want to be added or removed from this list, just let me know.

If you want to read my previous metas, here you have the links.

LXXV, LXXVI, LXXVII, LXXVIII, LXXIX, LXXX, LXXXI, LXXXII, LXXXIII, LXXXIV, LXXXV, LXXXVI, LXXXVII.

Buenos Aires, November 14th 2020, 10:30 PM

[undeadsnorlax]

Alone at Midnight, Inside My Mind

@badthingshappenbingo

Ao3 Link

Bingo Card

using the prompt in a metaphorical sense, as opposed to the medical aid sense

Prompt: Crutches

Fandom: Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku

Warnings: a lot of alcohol related issues, including addiction and withdrawal, some suicidal thoughts and body image issues, hurt/no comfort. set pre-Yakuza 2.

Wordcount: 5511

2pm. He could tell it was because his downstairs neighbour was home, attending to the array of plant pots she kept littered outside her door, and playing music on the radio that bled through the crack of the open window.

Daigo squinted in the afternoon light that managed to make its way through the blinds, groaning loudly.

“Fucking hell…”

Suppose now was as good a time as any to start the day. Especially when he felt his stomach rumble.

It took some effort to get to his feet, but soon he was dragging himself into the kitchen, yawning loudly. He needed something quick and tasty, now.

The fridge had nothing but convenience store sushi and days old leftover curry. The cupboards were also pretty bare, half a bag of rice and a ramen cup.

Daigo sighed heavily, setting his kettle to boil before grabbing the sushi. He stuffed a piece into his mouth, wrinkling his nose at the taste of stale rice but ate another without any complaint.

Head to the store. Get some more food, he thought, holding the ramen cup in place as he lifted up the kettle.

The water splashed on the counter a little, narrowly missing burning his fingers, making him forcefully slam the kettle back down once the cup was filled.

Daigo gripped the sides of the counter, closing his eyes as he felt a pulse of nausea rush through his body. If he forced the tension against the surface hard enough, he could stop his hands shaking for just a moment.

Eat noodles. Have a shower. Go to the store.

Opening his eyes again, he ate another piece of sushi, absolutely no taste on his tongue as he chewed it into mush, before taking his ramen into the living room.

He slumped down on the couch, turning the TV on and forced the food down him. He still felt nauseous, but he knew he wouldn’t actually vomit. He already had last night. Doubled over in a bush outside the train station and puked his guts out, despite not having much solids in him. Even now his throat felt sore from it. Classy.

He wasn’t even hungry, really. He was eating out of obligation, feeling his stomach gurgle happily at finally being filled with some kind of food.

As he ate, he noticed his cell phone on the table in front of him, discarded amongst the empty bottles and candy wrappers. It was flashing.

Daigo frowned, reaching over and flipping it open.

Three new answer machine messages.

Who the hell had tried calling him?

Message one - 9:25am

“Daigo, it’s your mother. Pick up.”

Message two - 9:43am

“Me again. Please answer your phone.”

Message three - 10:08am

“Daigo...it’s Mom-“

Daigo groaned, snapping his phone shut to end the messages. Nope! He was not dealing with this today.

He discarded the empty ramen cup and chopsticks with the rest of the trash on the table, storming towards the bathroom.

Shower on, clothes off. He used the toilet as the water heated up, catching the reflection of his upper half in the mirror as he finished.

“Hrmph.”

He ran a hand down his front, resting it on the middle of his stomach and huffed again.

His weight had been up and down the last ten years, though it had obviously settled during his stint in prison, with its shit food and no alcohol. Now that he was out, with all the freedom to indulge in every last inch of hedonism he could find though, he had developed a bit of a gut. Just a bump, but it was…noticeable, it was there. It stuck out.

No surprise really. How much did he drink last night again?

Enough I puked in a bush.

Daigo shifted on his feet, standing up a bit straighter and sucking his stomach in. It didn’t make much difference. He suddenly wondered how visible it was under his t-shirt, glad he usually wore a thick coat to hide himself in.

“Great,” he growled, stepping into the shower. Another thing to feel insecure about.

He stood there, forehead pressed against the wall as he let the water run down the Fudo Myoo on his back.

His hand started shaking again.

“Give me a break,” he said, clasping it to his chest, “A few hours, a day.”

He dried himself off, going back to his bedroom for a clean shirt and pair of jeans – both black, of course.

He also grabbed a heavy hoodie to wear to the store, a way to feel a little more comfortable in himself in a public place.

Wallet, keys, phone. Go to store. Buy supplies.

Daigo pulled his hood up as he jogged down the stairs, immediately blocked from leaving by the downstairs neighbour still gardening.

“Lovely afternoon, isn’t it Dojima-san?” Ito cried, beaming at him. She was older, always so chipper. How did she manage?

As much as he wanted to ignore her, Daigo had been raised with far too proper manners. He still remained casual, grunting a little and rubbing the back of his head.

“Yeah, suppose.”

“You came back late again last night,” she added, hands lifting a plant to move to another pot, “Ouma-san went off about it before going to work this morning.”

“Oh, did he now?”

Ouma was the guy around his age in the apartment next door. Always miserable, always bringing a new girl home every weekend that Daigo had to endure hearing fake horribly through his thin bedroom walls.

“I’ll try to be a bit quieter next time, Ito-san,” he mumbled. For her sake, not for that asshole Ouma.

“Or maybe you should stay in once in a while, hm?”

Daigo scowled, jerking his head and storming off toward the store. With any luck the old bag would have gone inside by the time he was back.

As he made his way down the street, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He went to answer but paused, clenching his fingers tight into his palm. Nope. He knew who it was, and what she wanted, and he didn’t care.

His supply run was basic. More noodles, packs of chips and cookies, some onigiri and bentos that could last a few days.

Whilst picking up a few bottles of Staminan and Tauriner, he stared blankly at the alcohol.

His hands still shook. There was such a quick fix to settle that.

He grabbed a six pack of beer and a bottle of scotch and vodka, unable to help a crooked little grin.

The cashier looked at him a little oddly as he set his basket down on the counter. And yeah, he’d admit he looked strange. Sweating and shaky from withdrawal, under his eyes dark and his brow pulled into a near permanent scowl, face otherwise obscured by the shadow of the hood.

“Get me some cigarettes too, huh?” he mumbled, taking out his wallet and avoiding eye contact.

He was a mess.

He stared at the glass case of baked goods, unable to resist the pull from his sweet tooth, and asked for two donuts as well.

He arrived back home rather pleased with his haul. He had enough in him to pack away most of it, before he stared down the booze he bought.

He could...not do this, actually. He could not drink. It was easy, in theory.

He wiped his damp brow, licked his dry lips. His head hurt, despite the slight gloom of the kitchen.

They could sit there as an ultimate temptation. He could ignore them. He could do all manner of things.

But he wanted to drink, that was the issue. That was the whole point. Drinking was the only thing he had that stayed consistent.

He grabbed the scotch and slugged back a long mouthful, feeling everything just melt away. He let out a relieved gasp, the taste strong on his tongue and warming his throat. Felt like a part of him was back. His mind became a little clearer, his mood a little more elevated. He took a shorter swig for luck, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Much better…”

He spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the sofa, playing video games. There wasn’t much else for him to do during the day.

Evening was his time.

When seven rolled around, Daigo got ready. His jeans and t-shirt were fine already, so all he had to do was put on his usual cross necklace to complete the outfit. He spent a while staring down himself in the mirror as he applied a shaky dash of eyeliner around his lid.

Once upon a time he shied away from doing this publicly, but since leaving jail he stopped caring. Wore eyeliner and straightened his hair. Painted his nails black and picked at the polish when he was anxious. Who gave a shit? Anyone dumb enough to say anything soon regretted it.

Keys, wallet, phone. Same routine. He chose his white puffer jacket to wear instead of his hoodie, enjoying the barrier it gave him from the rest of the world.

One quick metro ride later, he was in Kamurocho, just as the town was coming alive in a burst of neon. Daigo lost himself in the crowds, thinking of which bar to hit up first.

He paused for a moment down Tenkaichi Street, staring at the sign for Serena. Place was closed, and had been for a little under a year now.

He knew what happened last year, of course. Heard about Rina through another barkeep. Not that he’d known her well, or spent much time at Serena, but something in his chest ached hearing she was gone in such circumstances.

He soon forgot about it with another glass.

With a weary huff, he decided the Champion District on the other side of town was the best place to start. The bar he chose was quiet, no other customers, and a barman who knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Perfect.

Instead of conversation, Daigo focused on the soft jazz music playing as he nursed his whiskey. He was into heavier tunes, but he needed a bit more of a buzz before going to his favourite rock bar.

He tapped his nails against the glass, tilting his head. Good idea, actually. They did cheap shots and a big array of imports.

He slammed some cash down on the counter before stumbling into the street, glad to feel the slight evening chill on his cheeks.

Down to Pink Street, and into the rock bar he enjoyed. Already feeling at home with the heavy guitar music blasting over the speakers, most of the other patrons dressed in a similar style to him. He’d missed out on a lot of stuff whilst locked away, the slight sways in fashion that happened in such a short amount of time, but he liked knowing he was still on trend within his scene, mostly.

He sat at the counter, giving a half-grin to the girl working there, and ordered himself five shots of vodka.

His earlier drinks had been a warmup, these were the first leg of the race. The second came in the form of a large scotch, some new brand they’d started selling.

Honestly, the start to a perfect night for him, until he heard a small gasp from behind him.

“Hey! Aniki!”

Daigo’s heart sank at the voice, glancing over his shoulder. Five of the guys he usually hung around with were there – or more accurately, they hung around him.

He rolled his eyes and groaned, turning in his seat and glaring them down. He should never had shown them this place.

“What do you want?” he muttered, already knowing the answer.

“We didn’t know you were out today!” Arita cried, leaning up next to him, with that sycophantic look he always had in his eyes. As if Daigo wasn’t out every night.

“Why don’t you join us aniki?” Kubo asked, which actually translated to wanna pay for all our drinks because we’re cheap scrounging bastards?

Daigo groaned again, knocking back his glass and waving the bartender over again.

“If you quit calling me aniki.”

They didn’t, of course. They gleefully accepted the drinks he bought them with more coos of thank you Dojima-aniki. Daigo rubbed the bridge of his nose and ordered himself two double scotches, slugging them back like they were water.

“I was thinkin’ we could go to Dazzle after this,” Arita said, having not left Daigo’s side. He always babbled and talked too much, like he felt he had to fill every silence with his own voice save people be left alone with their own thoughts.

“Why there?” Daigo asked, thinking of all the things he’d rather do more than go to a hostess club, including and not limited to slamming his face into a lit stovetop and drowning in a hot tub.

“I just think the girls there are really underrated, y’know? I like that they have some slightly older gals, I love a mature lady. How about you?”

Daigo shoved a shard of ice from his glass into his mouth and let it melt on his tongue. “Come on then.”

He was paying for two hours and that was that. At least he could get a bottle for himself and work through that, sitting at the edge whilst the others enjoyed the girls’ company.

Dazzle might have specialised in more mature women, but the decor was a nightmare like every other hostess club. Why’d they always insist on so many sparkles, it gave him a headache.

“Um...are you enjoying yourself?”

Daigo lowered his gaze to look at the girl. ‘Mature’ really meant ‘late twenties’, and she was running on the younger side of that.

“What do you think?” he said coldly, swirling his drink in its glass.

She seemed a little dazed at this, glancing back at her fellow hostesses, but kept going.

“M-my name is Nashi. Yours?”

“Daigo Dojima.”

He clicked his tongue, emptied his glass and went to refill it, his shoulders slouching slightly. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be so short, you’re only doing your job.”

“Oh, it’s fine, I’ve had far worse responses.”

Daigo just gritted his teeth. Another reason he hated hostess clubs was he knew how other men treated these girls, saw it himself the times his father brought him along as a teen.

The least he could do was give this lady a nice conversation.

“Well, I’ll try to be a bit better than them,” he said, gesturing with his head towards the others, so loud and obnoxious.

Nashi smiled a little. “They’re not so bad. Your friends are just a bit...out there.”

He scoffed. “They’re not my friends. I don’t really...do friendship anymore.”

“Oh? How come?”

Shit. Of course, when you say something like that, people have questions. Daigo licked his lips in thought, considering how he should phrase this.

“You...don’t recognise my name, do you?”

Nashi blushed a little, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Um, well, you do have a bit of notoriety around town, Dojima-san. I know girls in other clubs, and they always talk about you.”

Daigo did a slight double take at this. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah. You’re a rather…” She gestured at his coat and skinny jeans. “A striking figure, you know. A lot of girls like the edgy emo bad boy look. It’s popular right now.”

“Hm, figures.” A lot of men are also fans…

Daigo sat up a little straighter, gazing Nashi down. “Do you?”

“H-huh?”

“Find me attractive?”

It was a joke, said with a dry smirk, but she flustered, clearly uneasy. Daigo grimaced, sliding up a little closer and putting a hand to her knee.

“Hey, hey. I’m kidding.” He made his smirk a soft smile, broke down the facade for just a moment to put her at ease. “Don’t worry about it.”

Nashi’s eyes went wide, but nodded, brushing down the edges of her dress.

“A-anyway, I...I’ve heard you...were involved with the Tojo Clan. Is that why you don’t ‘do’ friends?”

“Mm. Essentially.”

Daigo gave up on the glass, swigging back from the bottle which got him a funny look from one of the other patrons across the way.

“My only friend murdered my father,” he said, so matter of fact. He hesitated a moment, letting out a short huff. “Well. He went to jail for the crime, at least. He was actually covering for someone else. Either way, I was left without his guidance for ten years, thinking he had betrayed me like that.”

He paused a second, swilling whiskey around his mouth, before continuing.

“I came back to town a few months ago and...he hasn’t bothered trying to find me. Which shows how little he cares.”

“Oh. That sounds...awful, Dojima-san.”

“It sure does, doesn’t it?”

Daigo shrugged, tilting the empty bottle back so he could savour just a few more drops as best he could. “That’s just how my life is now.”

He grumbled a little as he set the bottle down, belching into his cupped hand before draping himself back against the seat.

“Sometimes you gotta deal with the hand you're given,” he added, scratching lazily at his middle, “And unfortunately, I’ve had a poor deck from the start.”

He shut his eyes before letting out a laugh, forced and hollow. “Sorry. I’m not the best at keeping things light.”

How many hostesses had he paid to listen to him whine? Then he thought how they were probably all used to it, which made it even worse.

“Well, given your circumstances…”

Nashi glanced back at her co-workers, the barely hidden looks of disdain towards the rest of the crew and their boorish behaviour.

“I’d much rather talk to you though,” she said, reaching over to grab another one of the bottles along the table, gesturing toward his glass, “You’re nice.”

Daigo swallowed, nodding in approval as she filled it to the brim. His head pounded, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the music or the cravings.

“If you say so.”

The glass was empty in a flash, and filled just as quick.

“You’re good at this,” he purred.

The bottle was empty by the time the waiter came by. Daigo had just enough mental capacity to dig through his pockets and pay, giving Nashi a shaky smile and a pat on the knee.

“Thank you for tonight. You’re great.”

His friends, on the other hand, all started to whine as the waiter began to urge them into finishing their drinks.

“Aw, c’mon aniki, let’s hang around a bit longer!”

“If you want that, pay yourself, ya cheap fucks.”

Daigo stood up, a bit too quickly as he felt the room spin. He stumbled to the side slightly, wincing as he contained a belch that very much tasted of vomit. Nope! No puking tonight. Keep it all inside.

“I’m outta here,” he mumbled, resting a hand on any available solid surface to keep himself steady as he left.

He blanked out the cries of the others as he did. He’d wasted enough time with them tonight, and he was craving something else.

“Burger,” he mumbled, squinting as he glanced up and down the street, “Pffft...that way.”

This was always the worst part of the night. Trying to sober up enough so he could keep going, or at the very least get home in one piece. Stumbling through the streets and trying not to crack his skull open.

It wasn’t just food he craved though. He felt...itchy. That was the only way to really explain it. The desire to go wild, start a scuffle. Really earn that reputation he supposedly had.

To hell with staying in one piece.

But first, Smile Burger.

The fact that the poor worker even understood what he said through his slurred words was impressive and soon he was curled up against the window, feet pulled up on the chair beside him as he made his way through a burger that tasted like the finest wagyu steak right now.

All the while, he kept his eye out.

Yeah, it felt shitty to target people for a fight like this, but he made sure it was a fair fight. Usually a few guys, who looked like they could take a hit as well as throw one, maybe even have a chance if they weren’t facing someone running on adrenaline and too much booze.

He cocked his head as he focused on a table nearby. Four men, mid-twenties, definitely young yakuza from some family. He couldn’t see any lapel pin from where he was sat, but they were perfect.

Childishly, he picked up one of his fries and threw it in their direction. It hit the back of one guy’s head, and he looked around puzzled. Daigo just threw another, chuckling as it hit him again. A bit too obvious, as he was spotted this time.

“What the hell’s wrong with you dude?” one of the four cried.

“I dunno,” Daigo said, stuffing a bunch of fries in his mouth before flinging another their way, “Target practise.”

This one hit a guy in a striking red sports jacket right between the eyes, and Daigo could barely contain the full-on cackle he let out at the expression he pulled. It was almost too easy.

He grinned when one came over and jabbed him in the chest.

“Outside. Now.”

“My pleasure.”

He followed them into a nearby side street, hands in his pockets and head held high. He liked an audience sometimes, but a private fight was fine enough.

The biggest one of them threw the first punch. He was expecting it, crossing his arms over in front of his face to block it, before kicking out at the guy’s ankles.

The whole fight was messy. The little gang clearly had never been in a proper fight, had no form. They kept punching poorly, wincing with any that managed to hit as they stung their knuckles.

Not that Daigo was any better. He was still far too drunk, but that was half the fun. Stumbling about and getting in a rough hit that frightened these kids who’d never experienced this before. He just wanted the thrill, the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins. Anything to feel something.

Daigo landed a punch on that guy in the sports jacket, right in the middle of his face. It sent him flat on his ass, skidding down the street slightly.

“Come on!” he groaned, “Grab him, idiots! We outnumber him!”

A moment of pause. Daigo tried to catch his breath, but ol’ sports jacket was right. He was outnumbered.

Two of them grabbed his coat and pushed him back against the wall, holding him there. The third punched at his gut, over and over. Daigo gritted his teeth, tensed his stomach for every punch.

He knew he could get out of this, easily. The guys holding him were hardly doing much, weren’t even gripping his actual arms, just the sleeves of his jacket. It wouldn’t take much to duck and slip down, then send them crying home to their mommies.

“Come on!” he hissed, baring his teeth.

But he wanted them to hit him.

“That all you got?”

He wanted them to hurt him.

Sports jacket guy had gotten back on his feet now, face already starting to bruise. His fist met the middle of Daigo’s face hard, harder than they’d been hitting before. It stung, a lot, which is exactly what he wanted.

Not that it solved anything.

It never did.

“Oi!” They all froze, turning toward the entrance of the street. Daigo, semi-dazed, managed to look too, and felt his stomach drop.

Kashiwagi's expression, initially a scowl, changed the moment he saw him, shaking his head and blinking a little. “Daigo?”

He sighed heavily, storming over and waving his hand at the little gang. “Shoo. Don’t let me catch you boys doing shit like this again, you hear?” “Y-yes Patriarch Kashiwagi.”

They scurried off further down the street, leaving Daigo to stand up straighter, rubbing his nose. He groaned a little as he saw the streaks of rusty red on the back of his hand, sniffling heavily. “Great.”

“Daigo…”

Kashiwagi sighed again, rubbing at his temple. “What are you doing?” “I’m just...I’m just out.” Daigo sniffed again, scrunching his nose. “Just finished dinner.”

“You know what I mean…”

Kashiwagi looked around, then grabbed Daigo by the shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s talk in the office.”

Daigo went to argue, but it only took one stern glare, the kind the older man had given him his whole life, for him to clench his jaw and follow.

Kashiwagi led the way toward the Millennium Tower, hand on Daigo’s shoulder the whole way. It felt so patronising, like that time he accidentally broke a window at the Dojima Family offices when he was ten, and Kashiwagi had done the exact same gesture, marching him to his mother.

“Nice upgrade,” he still said, gazing out the wide window of Kashiwagi’s office once they arrived, “From that little place on Tenkaichi.”

“Well, we make do. I’m second in command now.” Kashiwagi set down the plastic convenience store bag he’d been carrying on his desk, letting out a small, bemused exhale of air. “It’s not all bad. Now come on. Why were you fighting?”

Daigo clicked his tongue and shrugged, staring at the blinking lights below them.

“Daigo…” “I just was, okay?”

He gave a dismissive shrug, walking across the floor toward a cabinet, throwing the doors open. Kashiwagi watched him with tired eyes, slumping down in his chair. “I think you’ve had enough to drink tonight.”

“How did you know that’s what I was looking for?”

“Your breath reeks of it, kid. Your whole body does.” He took out a bento and can of coffee from the plastic bag, raising a brow. “And I know what you’re like, especially lately. How’s being a free man by the way? Haven’t seen you since you were released.”

“It sucks ass.”

Daigo slammed the cabinet door shut, opening another and grinning as he saw half a bottle of whiskey there, as well as some crystal glasses. He heard Kashiwagi tut loudly as he slammed both down on top of the cabinet.

“What did you expect?” he scoffed, pouring a very large measure, “Mom told me the news the moment I got out. What Nishikiyama did. That it wasn’t Kiryu. He hasn’t even come to see me, to apologise for it.”

He knocked the glass back, the sensation warm and familiar down his throat. “Hardly feel free. Just not in jail anymore.”

“What happened to the boy I knew?” Kashiwagi asked, walking over and placing a hand on Daigo’s shoulder once more. This time it was gentle, kind, attempting to be comforting. Not Kashiwagi-san, one of his father’s men, but Uncle Osamu, his mother’s best friend.

Daigo scrunched his nose up, taking another slug of whiskey. “You say that like I’ve ever been cheery.”

“Well, okay, you’ve always been a serious young man, but…”

He just shook his head, moving his hand away. He grabbed the whiskey bottle in the process, making Daigo let out a pathetic little whine.

“I’m not going to enable you any more than I have,” he said firmly, before adding, “I mean it though. You don’t need to throw your life away like this.”

Daigo didn’t reply, because he didn’t like the real answer. There wasn’t much of a life to throw away. He was doing everyone a favour with this.

“You bring me up here just to lecture me old man?” he growled, narrowing his eyes.

Still looking for someone to fight. Kashiwagi would wipe the floor with him, he knew that, but he didn’t care. He also knew he wouldn’t get that kind of satisfaction.

Didn’t mean Kashiwagi wasn’t frustrated with his attitude. He closed his eyes, clenching his fists and let out a deep exhale from his nose. “I saw your mother today. She’s been trying to call you all morning.”

“I know.” The empty glass was set down heavily, with a grunt. Daigo dug around for his phone, holding it out so Kashiwagi could see the countless missed calls and texts from her on the home screen. “I know what today is.”

“...and is that why you’re-”

“You know I’m like this anyway.” He stared at the texts, all similar in tone - Daigo, please call me. Daigo, it’s important. Are you okay? He got them most days from his mother. She was trying so hard. He didn’t want her to. He would rather she forget about him. She deserved that much.

Kashiwagi wasn’t looking at him, staring up at the ceiling as he thought of what to say next.

“I understand that...none of us could have predicted the extent of what your father was like.”

Daigo did a double take, noticing Kashiwagi immediately cringe. At least he knew what he said was stupid.

“Sorry, that was-”

“Yeah. It was.” Daigo looked up, head cocked to his shoulder. “Anyone could have guessed, really. We just pretended otherwise, because somehow he seemed to be the only thing keeping the Tojo Clan from completely falling apart.”

He was up in Kashiwagi’s face now, feeling his chest clench tight. He was working himself up over nothing, over that bastard. He hated it, but thinking of what his father did to get himself killed, the kind of man he was, it made his skin crawl.

“He deserves to spend every birthday after what he did having the most miserable time in hell,” he said with a hiss, noticing his voice wobbling, “I know it. You know it. But Mom refuses to let go-”

The slap felt cathartic, for both of them. Daigo shut his eyes and nodded as his cheek stung. He deserved that. He was trying to provoke that kind of reaction and got exactly that.

“I take back what I said. That boy you were is still there. An insolent brat,” Kashiwagi said, walking back to his desk, “Daigo, one day, you’re going to have to grow up. You can’t keep doing this until you die.”

He threw a semi-sympathetic look over his shoulder, but Daigo mostly felt it was piteous. That’s what he was. A pitiful, useless mess.

“Go home, Daigo. Call your mother. And for everyone’s sake, don’t have anything else to drink tonight.”

Daigo sucked in through his teeth and nodded again as he walked toward the door.

“...good night, Kashiwagi-san.”

No response. Yup. I deserve this.

He made his way home in a daze, everything working in automatic. Kashiwagi’s words kept echoing in his head, over and over.

You can’t keep doing this until you die.

Because that’s what he was trying to do, wasn’t it? Die. Suicide by hedonism. He was born already holding the worst hand life could deal, and he was never going to get anything better. After his father was killed, the one tiny scrap of potential good he could have in his life was gone, even if that prospect was a life of crime.

So why not? Why should he grow up when there was nothing to grow up for?

The moment he was inside his apartment, he slid down the door, staring blankly ahead. He’d needed that talking to, he needed a few really, from people who were currently pretending like he didn’t exist. That’s what he really needed. For Kiryu to talk to him, apologise for ruining his life, try and talk some sense into him. He always knew what to do.

But it was like he didn’t exist. Kiryu didn’t care. Kashiwagi tried to care, but knew he was a lost cause. Who did care?

Daigo opened up his phone again, staring at the missed calls and sighed. That’s who cared. Mom.

He should talk to her. He knew he should. He was an awful son who loved his mother very much, which is why he knew she deserved better. She was trying despite knowing she’d made mistakes, but he just couldn’t let that go.

He hovered on her number, ready to press the button to call...but instead he tossed his phone to land on the couch, walked to the kitchen and wrapped his fingers around the neck of the vodka bottle still on the counter.

He licked his lips, swallowed heavily...but let go, pushing it away.

“You win this time old man,” he grumbled, picking up an energy drink and the donuts he’d bought earlier in the day instead. Kashiwagi could never be allowed to know that though.

He knew this self-control wouldn’t last long. Come morning, he’d be shaking again, a hangover banging in his skull, and he’d be dragging himself towards that bottle like it was the source of life.

The same thing every day.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

He couldn’t have it any other way.

[dramioneficrecommendations]

Hiii I accidentally jumped in dramione fandom, and I'm looking for good stuff for this weekend. Could pls tell me your 5 (or more)favorite dramione fics ever? Thanks!

I hope you like it here and stay with us… forever. LOL (Honestly, we have the best fics and authors in the entire HP fandom.)

Here are some of my all-time favourite Dramione fics (you can also check out my fic rec tag):

Revert by SUPRNTRAL LVR: Six months post-war, Malfoy is in serious trouble. He’s on the run from the Ministry, Death Eaters, and a deadly curse which is eating him alive. When he hits rock bottom, a change in fortune lands him in 12 Grimmauld Place under the Ministry’s custody - and forces Hermione to remember the secrets they’ve both kept for years. Dramione, Sick!Draco, flashbacks to Hogwarts, hurt. Rated: M - Chapters: 24 - Words: 260,266

Manacled by SenLinYu: Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret locked away in her mind. She is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve, to be bred and monitored until it can be accessed. COMPLETE. Rated: M - Chapters: 77 - Words: 384,000

Isolation by Bex-chan: He can’t leave the room. Her room. And it’s all the Order’s fault. Confined to a small space with only the Mudblood for company, something’s going to give. Maybe his sanity. Maybe not. “There,” she spat. “Now your Blood’s filthy too!” DM/HG. PostHBP. Now complete with epilogue. Rated: M - Chapters: 49 - Words: 284,050

Five Days by RavieSnake: No one knows that they are missing. No one knows where they are. No one knows that they are trapped. No one knows that they are dying. Dramione. WINNER for Best Drama/Angst and Best Tragedy in the Winter 2017 Dramione Fanfiction Awards! Rated: M - Chapters: 14 - Words: 32,001

Aurelian by BittyBlueEyes: Two years after the war, a young stranger pays a visit to the burrow. His arrival alone is baffling, but the news he brings of an upcoming war turns the world upside down. Hermione’s quiet, post-war life will never be the same. Rated: T - Chapters: 43 - Words: 270,571

The Politician’s Wife by pir8fancier: Hermione hates Draco in the springtime, Hermione hates Draco in the fall, Hermione hates Draco 247. Rated: M - Chapters: 14 - Words: 68,629

The Revenant by atalanta84: Sometimes fate brings us far from home, and sometimes it brings us back again. When a friend’s mysterious death causes Draco Malfoy to return to Britain, he is finally forced to face his past, and the love he left behind. A story about second chances. Rated: M - Chapters: 10 - Words: 67,866

The Fool, the Emperor, and the Hanged Man by ianthewaiting: Ten years after the fall of the Dark Lord, Hermione Granger leads of life of self-imposed obscurity, that is, until the day Headmistress Minerva McGonagall is murdered and a certain ‘hero’ is responsible. DM/HG, written originally in 2007-2008, and finally making its debut here! AU, DH-EWE, non-canon elements, time travel, character death, etc. Rated: M - Chapters: 28 - Words: 229,334

The Dragon’s Bride by Rizzle: 7th year. Draco & Hermione awaken in a Muggle hotel room, naked, hung-over and tattooed. They also happen to be married. Thus begin a desperate search for a solution to their sticky situation. Rated: M - Chapters: 61 - Words: 225,164

The Eagle’s Nest by HeartOfAspen: COMPLETE: Hermione’s eighth year at Hogwarts is already going to be difficult in the aftermath of the war, but it is further thrown into upheaval when Headmistress McGonagall orders a re-sorting of all students to promote inter-house unity. But when the Sorting Hat sends Hermione to Ravenclaw with Draco - and without Harry or Ron, how will she cope? [AU/Dramione] Prevalent alchemy. Rated: M - Chapters: 70 - Words: 306,322

Thirteenth Night by Nelpher: When Hermione is assigned to keep tabs on a memory-charmed Draco, she is faced with a decision that could change her life forever. Rated: M - Words: 77,997 Chapters: 23

Ordinary People by inadaze22: “Let me be clear about something tonight, Granger. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted. It’s always been you.” Draco steps in the fireplace, drops the Floo powder, and disappears in a burst of green flames. Rated: M - Chapters: 18 - Words: 133,759

This, Too, Is Sacred by HeartOfAspen: COMPLETE: An ancient power has required generations of purebloods to pledge their lives to the blood pact. Draco has long known he was born to uphold this tradition… but Hermione’s parents have secrets, hidden details about her heritage, and soon it will be her turn to cast in with fate. [Dramione AU] Fantastic cover art by Witches-Britches. Rated: M - Chapters: 23 - Words: 90,994

Gravity by luckei1: It’s about arranging stacks of books, wall colours, and jumping off a cliff. Draco/Hermione Rated: T - Chapters: 10 - Words: 87,155

Dystopia (new version) by Rizzle: Kidnapped and expecting to be abandoned to his fate, Draco Malfoy writes a personal account of recent life, love and loss after the end of the Second Wizarding War. His story encompasses two unforgivable acts, a wedding, a divorce, a kidnapping and maybe, just maybe…a rescue. Rated: M - Chapters: 15 - Words: 19,885 

A Slow Cruel Descent by SenLinYu: The war grinds on and Hermione Granger is captured. Unable to crack her through interrogation without risking her mind, Voldemort conceives a cruel method of breaking her that involves Draco Malfoy. “He stared at her in disgust. She looked— broken. The fire she’d still had when she was dragged in was now extinguished. Her eyes were locked on his face like she were memorizing him.” Rated: M - Chapters: 2 - Words: 8,687 (Sequel: A Fragile Ascent)

Heavy Lies the Crown by luckei1: For seven years, Draco has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and just when he thinks he’ll be released, something happens that will make him seek help from the last person he could have imagined. Rated: M - Chapters: 36 - Words: 289,967

To Wear a Dragon��s Skin by creativelymundane: When Bellatrix Lestrange takes control of the wizarding world after the demise of Voldemort, the remnants of the Order keep fighting. Seven years later, Draco brings Hermione a piece of magic that might be the key to finally ending the war. Together they will destroy Bellatrix Lestrange or die trying. Violence, Implicit Rape, Sexual Situations. Rated: M - Chapters: 26 - Words: 137,484

A Pound of Flesh by PennilynNovus: One night at a strip club, Hermione is faced with someone from her past, and an opportunity too good to pass up. What starts as revenge quickly grows into something else, and she may find it to be more than she can handle. Limes, Lemons, M. Rated: NC-17 - Chapters: 33

A Wonderful Caricature of Intimacy by Countess of Abe: Draco loves his son more than anything in the world. So, when his ex-wife plans to take his son away, Draco asks the most unlikely person for help. Hermione must decide whether changing her entire life is worth helping the man she hates unconditionally. Rated: M - Chapters: 25 - Words: 136,998

Apple Pies and Other Amends by ToEatAPeach: “It’s a veritable PTSD tour. With pastries. And hand-skimmed clotted cream. And Hermione has no idea why she’s doing it, but it’s becoming very apparent that she is.” Sometimes you’re sad. Sometimes you need dessert. And sometimes, it’s a little of both. [COMPLETE, DRAMIONE] Rated: M - Chapters: 30 - Words: 80,226

Fairy Stone by Colubrina: Draco is sentenced to one year in Azkaban, release contingent upon someone willing to vouch for his good behavior. Hermione does. “Oh, I want you,” he said. “You, just you, always you. You forever and you for always and you until the bloody sun explodes.” Dramione. COMPLETE. Rated: M - Chapters: 4 - Words: 13,827

The Mountain and The Sea by Alexis.Danaan: Hermione Granger was perfectly happy with her life, her job as a Healer Trainee, her ugly cat and her cute little house in the countryside. And then Draco Malfoy had to go and mess that all up, typical git. Post-Hogwarts, EWE, OOC, creature!fic. 18 Rated: M - Chapters: 12 - Words: 43,464

Celestial Navigation by phlox: Lost, without direction, unable to find your way home? Coming soon, a new Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes Ekeltronic to guide you on your journey! *Your mileage may vary.*Rated: T - Chapters: 3 - Words: 13,640

Waiting Room by Nelpher: A series of encounters with Draco Malfoy in the waiting room at St. Mungo’s teaches Hermione about love, friendship, and the intersection thereof. Rated: T - English Words: 61,418 Chapters: 14

Voices by Kyonomiko: Hermione has long accepted she might not make it through the war alive, but after years on the battlefield, she never expected to be at the mercy of Draco Malfoy. Not untouched by his own experiences, his manic behavior leaves her living in constant fear of the unknown, suffering both affections and afflictions at his hands. Rated: M - Chapters: 3 - Words: 19,724

Friend Number Three by riptey: COMPLETE - How do you deal with the Pureblood aristocracy, Ministry corruption, Muggle culture invasions, and constant questions about your love life while juggling more than two friends and not being a total jerk? Don’t ask Draco: he doesn’t know. D/Hr Rated: T - Chapters: 26 - Words: 138,388

Seven Days In April by inadaze22: They were still the same people with the same problems on either side of a bathroom door. Rated: T - Chapters: 7 - Words: 40,097 

Everything Changes by inadaze22: “Thank you for cheating on me, Ron. It’s the best thing you could’ve done. Thank you for stopping me from making the worst mistake of my life.” My first Dramione story. Rated M for strong language and sexual content. Rated: M - Chapters: 17 - Words: 76,191 

Out of the Silent Planet by ianthe_waiting: Post-Hogwarts - Hermione Granger fulfills Severus Snape’s final wish, to journey to Japan to ‘retrieve’ something of importance. Set eleven years after HBP. Rated: NC-17 - Chapters: 39 - Words: 229,710

Ardent Bonds by Musyc: Maybe it was wrong to think about this, maybe it was horrible to even consider, but if Draco Malfoy liked to dominate, she couldn’t stop herself from picturing it. Picturing him. Rated: E - Words: 16,741 - Chapters: 1

Seven Times by kerriclifford240879: Seven times can mean a lifetime of change. Rated: M - Chapters: 7 - Words: 16,526

[skambigbang]

SKAM REVERSE BANG 2025 WRITER INFO

TIMELINE

SIGN UP

15 NOVEMBER 2024 - 15 FEBRUARY 2025

Sign ups open on November 15th 2024 and will remain open until February 15th 2025.

2. CLAIMS

MARCH 2025

Writers will get to pick at least three artists whose work inspires them to write a fic. At the end of this period, writers will be paired with one artist to create a fic based on their art.

3. CREATION / COLLABORATION

01 APRIL 2025 - 15 JUNE 2025

You will write a fic of minimum 5 000 and maximum 30 000 words. Ideally, you will do so in collaboration with the artist you are paired with, leading to a written work to accompany and boost the art.

During this time, you will be asked to check in once or twice to confirm you are on track for the next step. We will also ask you to provide some information about your work and your experience with the Reverse Bang to promote the event by May 15th.

By June 15th 2025 you will need to provide us with information on word and chapter count.

4. CELEBRATION

21 JUNE 2025 - 01 AUGUST 2025

Time to share the finished work and celebrate all things SKAM!

RULES & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL

What is a Reverse Bang?

In a reverse of a more traditional ‘Big Bang’ fan event, a Reverse Bang is a fan-centric collaborative event where writers write a fic based on art created by fellow fans.

Both the ‘Big Bang’ and ‘Reverse Bang’ type of event can be traced back to the tradition of fanzines, which often combined visual and written fan art.

How can I be part of the Reverse Bang 2025?

There are three ways to participate: as an artist, as a writer, or as a beta reader.

Artists will create original artworks to celebrate SKAM. Writers will then create a written work specifically inspired by the artwork. And beta readers will be cheering on the authors, and helping them polish their work.

If you cannot be part of the Reverse Bang this year, we invite you warmly to enjoy the art and the fics starting on June 21st 2025, and give the finished works your love to keep the fandom alive!

You may join in more than one role, if you’d like… but be sure you can really commit to the tasks expected of you before you do so.

Can I join together with my friend?

Of course! In past events, there have been teams of writers working together on one fic. That's absolutely still allowed! We welcome artists to do the same, if they like. In that case, you can join as a team - just let us know the contact data of all team members.

Artists and writers cannot join up as a team. The spirit of the event is to be paired up with someone you might not know before. But we hope you’ll join anyway, and meet new SKAM fans to collaborate with!

Beta readers and writers can team up if they wish to do so, but they will need to sign up separately.

Is the SKAM Reverse Bang 2025 open to all versions of SKAM and all ships?

YES! All versions of SKAM, all seasons, all ships are allowed. The more the merrier!

How many people will I be paired up with?

The short answer is: at least one.

The slightly longer answer is that we cannot give any exact numbers yet, because we don’t know yet how many people will sign up as artists, as writers, or as beta readers. It is likely that some artists may get paired with more than one writer. If there are more artists than writers, we will check in with the writers to find out if people are willing to write more than one story. 

A second consideration is that our fandom encompasses many verses, generations, and ships; of which some are very popular and others relatively obscure. The broader the horizon of the artwork, the more writers will be able to write for it.

That said, we will try our absolute best to make sure every artist is paired with at least one writer, and vice versa.

Do I have to keep my creations a secret before the posting date?

Yes, and no.

Unlike previous SKAM Big Bang events, we will not have an anonymous pairing. This means that writers will know which artists have created which artworks, when they choose the works that inspire them. This also means that you can freely talk about your project during the creating period.

However, we ask that you do not share significant parts of your works outside of the event participants. A tease, a snippet, a mention for Six Sentence Sunday, … - these are fine; but we’d like the fandom to enjoy all the new artworks and fics during the posting period of the Reverse Bang. Let’s make it a true celebration of all things SKAM!

My English is not perfect. Will that be a problem?

Not at all! Most of us aren’t native English speakers, and we all make mistakes. Some of us speak other languages too, so we will find a way to communicate - even if we have to rely on online translators.

What do you mean by ‘checking in’?

During the timeframe of the creation of art or stories, we will check in with you to ensure you are on track to be ready by the end date, to help you find solutions to any problem that may arise, to encourage you during the creative process, and to make sure you are still having fun.

Is this event age restricted?

The SKAM Reverse Bang is open for fans aged 16 and over. However, if you are under 18, we will ask that both the art and the written work that you and your partner create, will be non-explicit in nature. Beta readers under 18 will only be paired with teams creating non-explicit works.

Will there be a place to hang out while we are creating and posting for the Reverse Bang event?

Every participant will be invited to a pre-existing lively Discord server with a group of enthusiastic, friendly and helpful SKAM fans. Note that this year there will be no separate Discord server dedicated to the event, but a section of the 21:21 SKAM Fan Content Creators server will be set up to host the SKAM Reverse Bang 2025.

While we hope you will join the Discord server, there is no obligation to do so. 

What will be the main form of communication between participants and mods?

As said, all participants will be invited to join our Discord server full of SKAM fans. 

However, should you choose not to, you can reach the Reverse Bang mods via email, or you can ask your question on the Skam Big Bang Tumblr account.

Where will the art and the stories created for the event be published and shared?

All written works will be posted on Archive Of Our Own (ao3), in a collection dedicated to the Reverse Bang. The author will include the art, a picture of the art, or link to the art, in their post. Artists may choose to post their art in a separate post on Archive Of Our Own (ao3).

If you want to participate, but have no Archive Of Our Own (ao3) account, we encourage you to request one as soon as you register for the Reverse Bang. You can ask the mods for help, if needed.

After the works have been posted into the collection, both writers and artists will be free to post their works on any other site, including their social media. 

Of course, you will need your partner’s permission to post their work. And obviously you must credit your partner appropriately when posting their work alongside your own!

What if I cannot meet a deadline?

While an event like this relies heavily on everybody involved being accountable, we understand there is this thing called life. If something pops up that makes you have to defer on a deadline, or have to drop out completely, please let us know as soon as possible. We are ready to figure out the best possible solution, but we need to know in order to keep the event moving seamlessly for everybody. Communication is key. Do not hesitate to contact us! Better a solution that's not needed in the end, than a problem snowballing into an experience that leaves someone unhappy.

That said, please take the deadlines and timelines into careful consideration before committing to participating. An event like this can only run smoothly if all the parts run smoothly. With that in mind, exceptions to the deadlines must remain rare exceptions.

Can I use AI?

AI takes many forms nowadays. While many of us use some form of AI as a tool while creating, we want this Reverse Bang to reflect the many talents of fans and fan-created works. Therefore, we will not allow any art or stories which were created solely by prompting an AI generator, even if you lightly edit or modify the result.

That said, use of AI as a tool can be permitted, provided it is disclosed. Disclosing will allow people not to engage with your work, should they so choose.

To make the difference clear, let’s consider some examples.

Let’s say your art has a background consisting of a repeated pattern. It might be fine to do that manually, but if you want, you could also use some form of AI to create a repetition of something you created. Or, if you want to draw a female figure in a certain position but have difficulty finding a good reference, you could ask AI to create one for you, as long as you then draw the final artwork yourself.

For writers, you might like to ask a chatbot to suggest some names of fantasy lands if you draw a blank. Or maybe you can prompt an AI story generator to describe the atmosphere of a Mediterranean marketplace, which you then use as inspiration to enhance one short paragraph of your story.

The examples above are meant to illustrate that minor uses of AI to help create a work of art or a story, where the AI generated part is either a minor detail of the final product and/or used as reference or inspiration without it ending up in the final product, will be permitted for this Reverse Bang.

To be abundantly clear: Art or stories which were, at their core, created by generative AI based on a prompt by a human, will not be permitted for this event.

You didn’t answer my question!

Oh no! We’re sorry, and we invite you to please contact us through email. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

WRITERS

Do I have to write in English?

No. However, writing in another language might make collaboration with your artist more difficult. If you want to write in another language, but feel unsure, please contact us. We are happy to try to come up with a solution together!

Will I get to choose which artist to collaborate with?

Yes and no.

During the ‘claims’ period of the Reverse Bang, you will get to choose at least three artists you would like to work with. You will then be paired with one of these by the mods. To help you choose, the artists will provide (part of) their art works, and some guidelines about what they would like to see or not see in the fic associated with their work.

What if I want to write more or less than the specified word count?

While we like to read long epic stories as much as the next fan, we want to ensure first and foremost that this event is fun for everyone. That means that we don’t want you to burn out, feel stressed or pressured, or even have to drop out of the event. Hence the maximum word count.

On the flip side, the minimum word count means that no artist needs to feel like they drew the short stick when it comes to the stories and fics created specifically inspired by their art. While you may feel that 5 000 words is a significant number, we really hope you will give it a chance. Working together with an artist and being part of a collective creative challenge might make it a lot easier to reach the word count before you know it!

However, we can definitely discuss the minimum word count if you want to create some other form of written work, rather than a story. If you feel more at ease writing poetry, for example, or maybe a comic combining words and pictures, or a social media fic, feel free to contact us so we can work out the details!

Is the use of a beta reader mandatory?

No, but it is encouraged. You are not obliged to use a beta reader at all, or you may use a beta reader who is not affiliated with the Reverse Bang; but if you like, we can get you in contact with some eager beta readers. If you do use a beta reader, please be clear about your expectations, needs, and wants; and agree with your beta reader on a time frame.

What is the policy about tagging my work?

All works on Archive Of Our Own (ao3) must use the main tags (i.e. Graphic depictions of violence, Major character death, Rape/Non-con, Underage sex) if present in the work. All other tags are discretionary, but please tag for major triggers and/or include them in the author’s notes. 

[organizechaoss]

Fic Rec Friday!

I haven’t done one of these before so I’m not sure exactly the best way to do this. Anyway, these are all on ao3, complete, and I certainly enjoyed reading them when I did ;) I hope you will to!!! <3

Besides the first one, I picked sort of obscure, not to well-known fics, not sure if that was the right way to go. I don’t really have any rhyme or reason for picking these except that I enjoyed them. We’ll see how next week will go!

Only Love (Can Bring the Rain) by soft_october

+18,000 words

Rating T

We love a little royalty AU! This one is an adorable friends to lovers with Aziraphale being the youngest prince being heavily encouraged to marry off to another royal. Crowley is a little gardener boy who has unfortunately fallen in love with the young prince. He keeps planning to run away while Aziraphale is a clever bastard and tricks the whole castle into giving him exactly what he wants. I hope that wasn’t to much of a spoiler but is very good, I highly recommend.

Hold on for a Minute (or more) by fractalgeometry

+1,000 words

Rating G

They hug, basically that’s it. My little touch-starved heart couldn’t handle it when I first read it. It’s after the apocalypse and Crowley is worried about what’s to come next, if Aziraphale loves him... the usual angst. Then Aziraphale hugs the demon goodbye and the little serpent brain short circuits. Very cute, very good, just... yeah. It’s nice, short, and sweet.

A Demon’s Best Friend by LadyWallace

+5,000 words

Rating G

Who doesn’t love a big white fluffy dog that looks like Aziraphale? Crowley’s on a mission for hell when this dog starts to follow him and is adamant about not leaving (much to the demon’s distaste). Meanwhile the real Aziraphale is off in search for this dog to return to it’s owner. Crowley get’s badly injured on his mission and Aziraphale finds him unconscious with the dog protecting his body. Obviously there’s much healing and fluffy cuddles that ensue.

For the anon who asked for Crowley whump (I picked 3 but I can put more in next week):

Conceptualize by CloseToSomethingReal

Currently at +81,000 words

Rating E

This fic is about Crowley delivering the antichrist himself (in a female form) while trying to keep it a secret from Aziraphale and plan a way to stop the apocalypse from happening. It’s pretty brutal and leaves that gut punched feeling after every chapter (so far).

This is the only one NOT COMPLETE in this list, however the author has been updating it semi-regularly within these past months and I’m hopeful for a happy ending. Each chapter is like a knife to an already gaping wound (I’ve only gotten through 14 chapters before deciding to wait until it’s complete so I could binge it when it’s done). This is one of the non-con ones and EXTREMELY explicit. So watch the tags, this definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Repossession by dreamsofspike

+190,000 words

Rating M (though should probably be E honestly)

Basically Gabriel’s an asshole (as if we didn’t already know that, but it also doesn’t even BEGIN to cover his actions in this) and takes Crowley prisoner in heaven and tortures him. Aziraphale (if I remember correctly) is absolutely oblivious to all of this until Crowley tells him when he finally escapes. That’s all I will say on it but it’s really good ;)

If you have been in the fandom long, you might recognize this fic. This recommendation is mainly for the new fans or if you missed it when it came out. This is also one of the non-con ones... sorry. I haven’t read this one in a while (and I don’t think I ever actually finished it haha. It was coming out while I was reading it and the suspense killed me) however I do remember crying a lot.

Sanctuary by AEpixie7 

+6,000 words

Rating M

Crowley flees Europe to the states at the absolute WRONG time (Pearl Harbor happens). A very powerful angel (angel of punishment) attacks him, pinning the blame of Pearl Harbor onto the demon. There’s a bit of a scrimmage and when Crowley is obviously not going to make it out alive he declares sanctuary (basically asks Aziraphale to save him). However the principality is still in Europe and coming to the demon’s aide would not look good for him and his loyalties to heaven.

If long fics aren’t for you than this one is shorter and very good. Not as widely known as the other ones (I don’t think) but is really good. I’ve reread it a few times.

[I do have more Crowley whump if you would like, I just didn’t want to overcrowd this post. I’ll post more next week]

If you have any asks or want to request something (fluff, classic fics, Aziraphale whump, angst, au’s) just let me know ;) I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to deliver, however I’ll try my best <3

[ficsandcatsandficsandcats]

Reader and Jask have a competition to see who can make the other blush first? (Up to you what type of... ~tactics~ they use 😏😏)

Fandom: The WitcherPairing: Jaskier x ReaderWord Count: 1,032Rating: TTaglist: @heroics-and-heartbreak @whatevermonkey @mynamesoundslikesherlock a/n: I blushed while writing it so that counts, right?

Your hands were crossed in front of you, resting gently on the table. Jaskier’s posed mimicked yours from the other side of the table, eyes locked on yours. You sat there in utter silence until Geralt came in.

“What the fuck is this?” he asked brusquely.

“We’re waiting to see who blinks first,” you answered. Geralt glanced at the pair of you out of the corner of his eye and then walked over and unceremoniously dropped one of his swords on the table, landing with a crash that startled you both.

“There. You both lose,” Geralt said, and stalked away to finish taking off his armor for the night.

“Rude,” Jaskier mumbled.

“It’s fine, Jaskier, I was going to win anyway,” you teased. He scoffed.

“It was a silly game anyway!”

“Well how do you suggest we pass the time?” you asked. He looked at you for a just a beat too long and you dropped your gaze to the sword.

“I have an idea,” he said, and you knew from his tone that it would be nothing but trouble. Still, undaunted, you raised your eyes to his again, refusing to balk under their mischievous twinkle.

“Similar to the last game but instead of the loser being the one who blinks first, it’s the one who blushes first,” he explained.

“Game,” you said, his cocky grin pushing you to accept the challenge though you felt nervous. Jaskier had always been good at unsettling you and making you blush, often without intending to or realizing his impact. But you were bound and determined to wipe that smirk off his face and when you set your mind to something you were fierce in its pursuit. “When do we start?”

“Oh, love,” he said, the word rolling off of his tongue, honey sweet on his forked tongue, “It’s already started.”

“Is that the best you have?” you asked, scoffing.

“Oh when you’ve seen my best you’ll know,” he said, his voice low and fraught with meaning.

“You have pretty hands,” you said, fighting to take control of your face and the conversation.

“What?”

“Your hands. They’re rather beautiful,” you pulled his hands into yours and traced the veins, the knuckles, the callouses from years of performing.

“Your fingers are so nimble, I love to watch how they pull beautiful music from your lute. You always keep your nails so well maintained, trimmed short, very thoughtful of you, really,” you said, your fingers tracing the lines in his palm, focusing on the hands in front of you and not the face that stared at you incredulously. You gently brushed your hands across his palms, entwining your fingers between his until your hands were palm to palm, pressed together like a kiss.

“So big,” you repeated, your voice as soft as a sigh. Finally you dared a glance over the fingertips into Jaskier’s eyes.

“Oh, are you feeling alright Jaskier?” you asked.

“Hmm?” he asked.

“You’re just looking a little flushed is all,” you said, removing your hands and folding them in front of you on the table again.

“What! No!” he protested.

“Oh you get even redder when I win, does that do it for you, Jaskier? Having a woman come out on top?”

He rose from the table in a huff and you watched as he stormed off towards the rooms. You silently offered an apology to Geralt who would likely have to hear about this all night.

You grew worried when you didn’t see Jaskier the rest of the evening and you finally went to check on him, half-afraid Geralt had killed him to cease his complaining.

“Come in,” the voice of a seemingly alive Jaskier answered. You opened the door and peeked your head in. He was sitting perched on the windowsill, one long leg hanging off the side while the other held him aloft, pressed against the frame of the window. He had taken off his doublet and the fading sun highlighted the silhouette of his frame through the thin undershirt.

“I was beginning to worry you had died of mortification,” you said teasingly. He shook his head, a wry smile on his lips and then looked back towards you. There was something different in the way he looked at you. Something had changed since earlier.

“Come here,” he said, the words an order but the tone a request and you did as you were told, trying not to think too hard about how much you enjoyed that. The door shut behind you with a faint click and you crossed the room and stood before him.

“Are you feeling alright Jaskier?” you asked, an echo of your earlier words but this time in earnest.

“Do you really like my hands?” he asked, holding them up and catching a handful of sunlight as he did.

“Yes,” you said, eyes traveling down the curve of his wrist bones and the exposed forearm, usually obscured by his now rolled sleeves.

“What else do you like, Y/N? What other secrets have you been keeping?” he asked.

“What?” you asked, pulling your gaze back to his face.

“You heard me,” he said.

“It wasn’t a secret I was keeping it was just… a fact I felt irrelevant,” you said. He nodded.

“That’s one question down, now the other,” he said.

“I mean, I like all of you, Jaskier. We’re friends,” you answered evasively.

“Friends don’t look like friends that way,” he challenged.

“Like what?”

“Like how I’m looking at you right now,” he answered, his gaze penetrating and more serious than you’d ever seen it before. It scared you and it excited you in equal measure. “Like how you look at me when you think I’m not looking.”

You swallowed hard and tried to ignore the slight trembling in your hands that shook worse as you watched his eyes fall to them, knowing that he was fully aware of the effect he had on you.

“So,” you said, “What of it? What now?”

He stepped down from the window, pulling himself up to his full height and pressing up close against you. He bent his head down to your ear to whisper the words.

“Now, I win.”

[thoughtsofanexcitedspacechild]

benders from atla in real life

So you watched atla and Korra and now you’re obsessed. Like really obsessed. You’ve tried bending the elements in real life but to no avail, and you’d still like to figure out what kind of bender you are. Below, I’ve listed a guide as to what I’ve determined are characteristics and mannerisms of all the bending types based on characters from the show and also real people I’ve met that share the characteristics of benders. (PSA: This is just for fun! pls don’t take any of this too seriously, bc it’s mostly just my thinking.)

Waterbenders: Waterbenders are smart, creative, and practical. They’re extremely organized and efficient and are so versatile, mainly because they’re often prepared for all outcomes. They are efficient and good at planning. 

personality: most water benders can be laid back and serene, but at the same time can be as raging and strong as a storm as shown by Katara. They’re very driven, and rarely change their course, being suprisingly determined and stubborn to reach their goals. They’re also very warm and friendly towards those they love and care about, and often are a good shoulder to cry on. They tend to excel in fields working with their hands as well as medical and healing professions. Their creativity and ability to understand people also make them great teachers. They’re also very family and goal oriented and strive to find a proper balance between both. They are often ambiverted, and like to spend time with people, but also need time alone to recharge. Water zodiac signs tend to be water benders as well as those who identify as Ravenclaws. 

Mannerisms: 

moving in a graceful and almost water like fashion

their presence and posture is softened but firm

definitely coffee people, but prefer it iced no matter the season and with lots of cream

love the snow in winter and the beach in summer. (obviously feel very drawn to bodies of water)

don’t mind and actually enjoy boat rides/don’t get seasick

usually lean but not too thin. appear toned and exercise well

soft skin that’s always moisturized

aren’t picky eaters and can pretty much eat whatever

are voracious readers

exceptionally good kissers 

core aesthetics:

beach core (obviously)

minimalism

light and dark academia (sometimes. it depends on the person)

Earthbenders: Earthbenders are stubborn, driven, and cunning, although earth benders can span a large variety of people. 

Personality: Earthbenders are unique in that they usually don’t have a few set personalities that they identify with, however most of them share a lot of the same traits. They’re often realists, and see situations for what they are. They’re extremely tactical, and have firm, set ways of doing things. They like routine, and like water benders, always have a plan. They’re even more driven though, and often push themselves and others to succeed and fulfill their plans. They’re precise and intentional, and often don’t do things just for the sake of doing/trying them. They prefer to stick to what they know works best. They can be introverted, extroverted, or ambiverted, (like I said, a very diverse group of people). Although they are very grounded and emotionally stable people, this makes them reliable and a good confidant. They’re decisive and strong in their beliefs. They tend to excel in craft work that’s repetitive, like ceramics, fiber arts, and sculpture, self made business, and analytical fields that involve planning and linear progression of hierarchy. Law is also a common career path seeing as they have a tendency to be unbiased and able to make decisions. They are most common amongst earth zodiac signs and Slytherins are the most common, although some may feel they identify more with one of the other houses since earth benders in an of themselves are a diverse group of individuals

mannerisms/characteristics:

surefooted and agile. rarely trip or stumble

enjoy workouts with weights/lifting

strong/stocky build. muscular

don’t like tall buildings, airplanes, or heights in general

large appetite. Like, they eat a lot

like going barefoot (@ toph)

late nights up studying

don’t willingly accept help a lot

strong arms and hugs/cuddles

square hands with short fingers

actually keeping a planner

loving spring and summer

love wearing all sorts of rings and bracelets

core aesthetics:

forrest core (think northwest of the us and dense forested regions)

sage green (that’s literally it)

punk/hard rock

organized clutter core (having things be cluttered, but knowing exactly where everything is)

Firebenders: Firebenders are natural born leaders. They’re always leading, and are excellent at commanding as well as instructing. 

Personality: These individuals unlike earth benders, are fueled by their emotions and passion. They’re also quite driven, but instead of being driven by logic, they’re often driven to do things based on their emotions. This can be a weakness, but it also makes them stronger. Once fire bending is mastered the correct way, fire benders are often very skilled at channeling and controlling these emotions. They are also brave and courageous and have a strong heart. They in the end always strive to do best and once their moral compass is pointed in a certain direction, they’ll follow it to the ends of the earth. They’re also extremely loyal, making them wonderful friends and confidants. Most of the people in this group tend to associate with fire zodiac signs, and the Gryffindor house although there’s also a large group that tends to identify as Slytherins as well. They excel obviously in leadership positions, but also specifically in law and criminal justice as their strong sense of right and wrong leads them to make the right decision most of the time. Like their opposite element benders, they share a distinct ability to teach just like water benders. They're often introverted and need time to recharge their social battery. 

mannerisms/characteristics:

hating getting wet

always warm

love cardio and workouts that make you sweat a lot

strong looking (honestly most fire benders seem to have an ideal body type) 

drink their coffee black un ironically without trying to be unique

can’t keep a plant alive to save their life

love summer

need good lighting to survive

surprisingly decent at cooking

don’t often procrastinate

loves cinnamon in cookies and cayenne in savory dishes

can be susceptible to fits of emotions

good in bed. (in general ;)) 

have obscure interests and hobbies (tea making, calligraphy, candle making, the list goes on)

Core aesthetics: 

DARK ACADEMIA QUEENS/KINGS

city core

royalty core

Airbenders: Airbenders are warm, compassionate and loving. Their strong sense of detachment from life on earth make these people very different, but interesting to be around. 

Personality: Airbenders come from the versatile element of air making them very versatile people themselves. They’re adaptable to change like water benders, but often these changes rely solely on creativity and not planning. Their commitment to live free of earthly detachment also makes these people very religious and spiritual people. Unlike earth benders, this detachment can often lead to indecisiveness and unsureness. Airbenders can often see pros and cons to both sides of a debate and it can be hard for them to make concrete decisions. Airbenders also don’t like confrontation or commitment, and will often choose to evade threats and sometimes even responsibility unless it’s absolutely necessary that it be dealt with. Nevertheless, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and often times, air benders are able to deal with things in a non violent and peaceful way. They often are in a daydream, and most have big, bright ideas solely based on how much these people think. They often are kind towards everyone, and will make a point to be respectful, especially to nature and animals. They have a strong sense of who they are, and are often intuitive. They’re unique ability to create makes them gifted artists and performers, as well as spiritual and religious leaders. They can also be gifted writers and mentors to young children and students. Most are introverted, and prefer to spend time with themselves, as often times it’s the most rewarding. Most people in this category find themselves under air zodiac signs, (especially Libras) as well as the Hufflepuff house. (Although some may identify more with Ravenclaw, like Yangchen) 

Mannerisms/Characteristics:

you’d expect them to be graceful, but these people are clumsy as fuck. all. the. time.

despite being clumsy, they are great dancers, and often enjoy forms of dance as exercise as well as yoga

meditate/pray a lot

certified day dreamers

immerse themselves in fantasy worlds and fandoms in general

love sweets (especially any type of sweet filling in a pie crust)

use a lot of blankets

talk really fast when excited 

good with animals

love a good scented candle/incense

tea all the way

could spend HOURS cooped up in their room doing absolutely nothing

feel best during the fall season

could pack everything they need into a suitcase and leave within half an hour and not come back for months

cry at movies

will memorize and recite poetry because they want to

awkward but will honestly treat u right

good cuddlers

Core Aesthetics:

cottage core

art kid core

soft girl/boy

angel core