#twelve forever spoilers

[deus-and-the-machina]

ngl I think the ideal ffxiv experience is finding 3-4 or more people to be insane with about your WOLs and other related characters you like, find pretty art to send to each other, and ignoring all of what the rest of social media has to say about the game peace and love <3

[felikatze]

ISAT and Ludonarrative Harmony: Combat is a Storytelling Tool

Or: How Siffrin is stuck in the endgame grind, forever

Please Note: This is primarily aimed at an audience that already played In Stars and Time, because I am bad at explaining things, and it's good to already know what the fuck I'm talking about. I tend to only bring up game elements as I want to talk about them.

Spoilers for.... all of ISAT! Especially Act 5!

(image to show how i feel posting this and as an attention grabber over my wall of text)

To pull a definition of ludonarrative harmony out of a hat, game writer Lauryn Ash defines it as follows:

Ludonarrative harmony is when gameplay and story work together to create a meaningful and immersive experience. From a design implementation perspective, it is the synchronized interactions between in-game actions (mechanics) and in-world context (story).

It is, generally speaking, how well game mechanics work hand in hand with the story. I, personally, think ISAT is an absolute masterclass of it, so I want to take a look at how ISAT specifically uses its battle system to emphasize Siffrin's character arc and create organic story moments. I want you to keep this in mind when I talk here.

So, skills, right? If you've played any turn-based RPG, you know your Fire spells, your "BACKSLASH! AIRSLASH! BACKSLASH!" and the many ways to style those.

Well, what does casting "Fire" say about your character? Not all that much, does it? Perhaps you'll have typical divisions. The smart one is the mage, the big brawny one is your tank, the petite one's the healer. And that's the barebones of ISAT's main party, but it's much more than that.

Every character's style of combat tells you something about them. Odile, the Researcher, is the most well-travelled and knowledgable of the bunch. She's the one with the expertise to keep a cool head and analyze the enemy, yet also able to use all three of the Rock-Paper-Scissors craft types.

To reflect her analytical view of things, all her skill names are just descriptive, the closest to your most bog-standard RPG. "Slow IV" or "Paper III" serve well to describe their purpose. The high number of the skills gives the impression there were three other Slow skills beforehand - fitting, considering the party starts at level 45, about to head into the final dungeon. She's also the oldest, so she's the slowest of the bunch.

Isabea, the Fighter, has all his skills in exclamation points. "YOUR TURN!!!" "SO WEAK!!!" "SMASH!!!" they're straightforward, but excited. He's a purposefully cheerfull guy, so his skills revolve around cheering on his allies. He's absolutely pumped to be here, and you see that from his skill names alone.

Mirabelle, the Housemaiden, is an interesting case. She's by all means the true protagonist of this tale - She's the one "Chosen by the Change God," the only one who survived the King's first attack, the only one immune to his ability to freeze time, the only dual-craft type of the game - just a lot of things. And her skill names reflect that facade she puts on herself - she can do this, she can win! She has to believe it, or else she starts doubting. This is how you get "Jolly Round Rondo" and "Mega Sparkle Heal" or "Adorable Moving Cure." She's styled every bit a sailor scout shojo heroine, and her moveset replicates the naming conventions of "In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Even Bonnie, the Kid, who can't be controlled in combat, has named craft skills. And they very much reflect that Bonnie is, well, a kid. "Wolf Speed Technique" or "Thousand Blows Technique" are very much the phrasings of a child who learned one complicated word and now wants to use it in everything to seem cooler than they are, which is none, because they're twelve.

Siffrin's skills are all puns.

You have an IMMEDIATE feel for personality here. Between "Knife to Meet You!" and "Too Cleaver by Half," you know Siffrin's the type to always crack a joke no matter the situation, slinging witticisms around to put Sonic the Hedgehog to shame. It's just such a clever way to establish character using a game mechanic as old as the entire history of RPGs.

This is only the baseline of the way the combat system feeds into the story, though.

The timeloop, of course, feeds into it. Siffrin is the only character who retains experience upon looping, whereas all other characters are reset to their base level and skills. And it sucks (affectionate).

You're extremely likely to battle more often the earlier in the game you are - after all, you need the experience (for now.) Every party member contributes, and Siffrin isn't all that strong on their own, since they focus on raw scissor type damage with the addition of one speed buff. (Of course it's a speed buff. They're a speedy fucker. Just look at him).

At first, the difference in level between Siffrin and the rest of the group is rather negligible. Just a level or two. Just a bit more speed and attack. And then Siffrin grows further and further apart. Siffrin keeps learning new skills. He gets a healing skill that doubles as an attack boost, taking away from both Mirabelle's and Isabeau's usefullness. He gets Craft skills of every type that even give you two jackpot points instead of one - thus obliterating Odile's niche. Siffrin turns into a one-person army capable of clearing most encounters all on their own.

Siffrin's combat progression is an exact mirror of story progression - as their experience inside the loops grows, they also grow further and further away from their party. The party seems... weaker, slower, clumsier. Always back at their starting point, just as all of their character arcs are reset each loop. Never advancing, always stagnant. And you have Siffrin as the comparison post right next to them.

I also want to point out here a change from Act 2 to Act 3 - Siffrin's battle portrait. He stops smiling.

Battles keep getting easier. This is true both for the reason that Siffrin keeps growing stronger even when all enemies stay the same, but also for the reason that you, the player, learn more about the battle system and the various encounters, until you've learned perfect boss clear strategies just from repetition. Have you ever watched a speedrunner play Pokemon? They've played this game so many times, they could do it blindfolded and sleeping. Your own knowledge and Siffrin's new strength work in tandem to trivialize the game's entire combat system as the game progresses.

(Is it still fun? Playing it over, and over, and over again? Is it?)

You and Siffrin are in sync, your experience making everything trivial.

As time goes on, Siffrin grows to care less and less about performing right for their party and more and more about going fast. A huge moment in his character is marked by the end of Act 3; because of story events I won't delve too deeply into, Siffrin has grown afraid of trying something new. And his options of escape are closing in. They need an answer, and they need it fast. He doesn't have the time or patience to dumb himself down, so you unlock one new skill.

It doesn't occur with level up, or with a quest, or anything at all. At the start of Act 4, it simply appears in Siffrin's Craft skills.

(Just attack.)

No pun. No joke. Just attack. Once you notice, the effect is immediate - here you have it, a clear sign of how jaded Siffrin has become, right at every encounter. And it's a damn good attack, too! The only available attack in the game that deals "massive" damage against all enemies. Because it doesn't add any jackpot points (at least, it's not supposed to), you set up a combo with everybody else, but Siffrin simply tears away at the enemy with wild abandon. Seperated from the rest of the party by the virtue of no longer needing to contribute to team attacks (most of the time. It's still useful if they do, though).

Once again, an aspect of the battle system enhances the degree of separation between Siffrin and the static characters of his play. You're incentivized to separate him, even.

Additionally, there are two more skills to learn. They're the only skills that replace previous skills. You only get them at extremely high levels, the latter of which I didn't even reach on both of my playthroughs.

The first, somewhere in the level 70 range, Rose Printed Glasses, a paper type craft skill, is replaced by Tear You Apart. It's still a pun about paper, but remarkedly more vicious.

The second is even more on the nose. At level 80, In A While, Rockodile!, a rock type craft skill, is replaced by the more powerful Rock Bottom.

I didn't get to level 80. If you do, you pretty much have to do it on purpose. You have to keep going much longer than necessary, as Siffrin is just done. And the last skill he learns is literally called Rock Bottom.

What do I even need to say, really.

Your party doesn't stay static forever, though.

By doing their hangout quests, side quests throughout the loops that result in Siffrin and the character having a heart to heart, all of them unlock what I'd call an "ultimate" skill. You know the type - the character achieved self-fulfillment, hit rank 10 on their confidant, maxed out their skill tree, and received a reward for their trouble.

These skills are massively useful. My favorite is Odile's - it makes one enemy weak to all Craft types for several turns, which basically allows you to invalidate the first and third boss, as well as just clown on the King, especially once Siffrin starts racking up damage.

But the thing is. In Act 3, when you first get them, yeah, they're useful. But... do you need them? After all, they're such a hassle to get. You need to do the whole character quest again, you can't loop forward in the House or you'll lose them. If you want to take these skills to the King, you need to commit. Go the full nine-yards and be nice to your friends and not die and not skip forward or skip back. Which is annoying, right?

Well, I sure did think so during Act 4. After all, a base level party can still defeat the King, just with a few more tricky pieces involved. Siffrin can oneshot almost all basic enemies by the time of Act 4. It's this exact evalutation that you, the player, go through everytime you return to Dormont. Do I want this skill, still? Would it not be faster to go on without it? I'm repeating myself, but that's the thing! That's what Siffrin is thinking, too!

I also want to take a quick moment to note, here - all skills gained from hangouts have art associated with them, which no other skills do. This feature, the nifty art, hammers home these as "special" skills, besides just how they're unlocked.

Siffrin also has one skill with associated art.

Yeah, you guessed it, it's (Just attack.)

At first, helping the characters is tied to a hefty in-game reward, but that reward loses its value, and in return devalues helping Siffrin's friends every loop. It's too tedious for a skill that'll make a boss go by one turn faster. You, the player, grow jaded with the battle system. Grinding experience isn't worth it, everybody's highest levels are already recorded. Fighting bosses isn't worth it, it's much faster to loop forward.

Isn't this what all endgame in video games looks like? You already beat the final boss, and now... what challenge is left? Is there a point to keep playing? Most games will have some post-game content. A superboss to test your skills against, but ISAT doesn't have any of that. You're forever left chasing to the post-game. That's the whole point - to escape the game.

As most games get more difficult as time passes, ISAT only gets easier. The game becomes disinterested in expanding its own mechanics just as I ran out of new things to fight after 100%-ing Kingdom Hearts 3. Every encounter becomes a simple game of "press button to win."

The final boss just takes that one up a notch.

Spoilers for Act 5 ahead boys!

In Act 5, Siffrin utterly loses it. His last possible hope for escape failed him, told him there's nothing she can do, and Siffrin is trapped for eternity. So of course, they go insane and run up the entire House without their party.

This just proves what you already knew - you dont need the party to proceed. Siffrin alone is strong enough. And here, Siffrin has entirely shed the facade of the jokester they used to be. Every single skill now follows the (Just attack.) naming conventions. Your skills are: (Paper.) (Rock.) (Scissors.) (Breathe.)

To the point. Not a moment wasted, because Siffrin can't take a moment longer of any of this. Additionally, his level is set to 99 and his equipment becomes fixed. You can't even pick up items anymore! Not that you needed them at this point anyway, right? Honestly, I never used any items besides the Salty Broth since Act 2, so I stopped picking items up a long time ago. Now you just literally can't.

Something I've not talked about until now - one of the main equipment types in this game are Memories, gained for completing subquests or specific interactions and events. They all by and large have little effects - make Odile's tonics heal more, or have Mirabelle cast a shield at the start of combat. For the hangout events, you also gain an associated memory that boosts the characters' stats by 30. It lets them keep up with Siffrin again! A fresh wind! Finally, your party members feel on par with you again!

...For a time. And just like that, they're irrelevant again, just as helping them gave Siffrin a brief moment of hope that the power of friendship could fix everything.

In Act 5, your memory is set to "Memory of Emptiness." It allows you to loop back in the middle of combat. You literally can't die anymore. Not that Siffrin could've died by this point in the first place, unless you forgot about the King's instant-kill attack. This one memory takes away the false pretense that combat ever had any stakes. Siffrin's level being set to 99 means even the scant exp you get is completely wasted on them. All stakes and benefits from combat have been removed. It has become utterly pointless.

Frustrating, right? It's an artistic frustration, though. It traps you right here in Siffrin's shoes, because he hates that all these blinding Sadnesses are still walking around just as much. It all inspires just a tiny fraction of that deep rolling anger Siffrin experiences here in the player.

And listen, it was cathartic, that one time Siffrin snapped and stabbed the tutorial Sadness, wasn't it? Because who enjoys sitting through the tutorial that often? Siffrin doesn't. I don't, either.

So, since combat is an useless obstacle now meant to inspire frustration, what do you do for a boss? You can't well make it a gameplay challenge now, no. The bosses of Act 5 are an emotional challenge: a painful wait.

First, Siffrin fights the King, alone. This is already nervewracking because of one factor - in every other run, you need Mirabelle's shield skill, or else you're scripted to die. You're actually forced to fight the King multiple times in Act 3, and have to do it at least once in Act 4, though you'll likely do it more. Point is: you know how this fight works.

You know Siffrin's fight is doomed from the outset, but all you can do is keep slinging attacks. Siffrin is enough of a powerhouse to take the King's HP down, what with the healing and buff skills they have now, not to even mention you can just go all in on damage and then loop back.

(And no matter which way you play it, whether you just loop or use strategically, it reflects on Siffrin, too. Has he grown callous enough not even death will stop their mission? Or does he still avoid pain, as much as he can?)

This fight still allows you the artifice of even that much choice, not that it matters. The other shoe drops eventually - Siffrin becomes slower, and slower. Unsettling, considering this game works on an Action Gauge system. You barely get turns anymore. The screen gets darker, and darker. Until Siffrin is frozen in time, just as you knew he had to be, because you know how this encounter works, know it can't be cleared without Mirabelle.

And, then, a void.

Siffrin awakens to nothingness. The only way to tell you've hit a wall is if Siffrin has no walking animation to match your button inputs. You walk, and walk, until you're approached by.... you. The next enemy encounter of the game, and Siffrin's absolute lowest point: Mal Du Pays.

Or, "Homesickness," in english. If you know the game, you know why it's named this, but that's not the point at the moment.

Thing is, where you could damage the King and are damaged in turn, giving you at least a proper combat experience, even if its doomed to fail, Mal Du Pays has no such thing.

You can attack. You can defend. But it is immune to all attacks. And in return, it does nothing. It's common, at least, for undefeatable enemies to be a "survive" challenge, but nope. The entire fight is "press button and wait." Except, remember the previous fight against the King? The entire time, you were waiting for the big instant death attack to drop. That feeling, at least for me, carried forward. I was incredibly on edge just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And, as is a pattern, Siffrin is, too. As Siffrin's attacks fail to connect, they start talking to Mal Du Pays.

But he gets no response, as you get no attacks to strategize around. The wait for anything to happen is utterly agonizing. You and Siffrin are both waiting for something to happen. This isn't a fight. It just pretends to be. It's an utter rugpull, because Siffrin was so undefeatable for most of Act 4 and all of Act 5 so far. It's kind of terrifying!

and it does. It finally does something. Ma Du Pays speaks, in the voice of Siffrin's friends, listing out their deepest fears. I think it's honestly fantastic. You're forced to just sit here and listen to Siffrin's deepest doubts, things you know the characters could not say because it references the timeloops they're all utterly unaware of. This is all Siffrin, talking to himself. And all you, all Siffrin, can do, is keep wailing away on the enemy to no effect whatsoever.

So of course this ends with Siffrin giving up. What else can you do?

And then Siffrin's friends show up and unfreeze them and it's all very cool yay. The pure narrative scenes aren't really the main focus but I want to point out here:

A) Mirabelle is in the first party slot here, referencing how she's the de facto protagonist, and Bonnie fills in the fourth slot left empty, which shows all characters uniting to save Siffrin

B) this is the only instance of the other party members having act specific battle icons: they're all smiling brightly, further pushed by the upbeat music

C) the reflecting shield Mirabelle uses to freeze the King uses a variation of her hangout skill cut in, marking it as her true "final" skill and giving the whole fight a more climatic feeling.

It's also a short gameplay sequence with Siffrin utterly uninvolved in the battle. You can't even see them onscreen. But... it feels warm, doesn't it? Everybody coming together. Siffrin doesn't have to fight anymore.

At last, the King is defeated. Siffrin and co. make for the Head Housemaiden, to have her look at Siffrin's sudden illness. Siffrin is utterly exhausted, famished, running a fever. And this isn't unexpected - after all, their skills in Act 5 had no cooldown. For context, instead of featuring any sort of MP system, all skills work on a cooldown basis, where a character can't use it for a certain number of turns. The lowest cooldown is actually Siffrin's Knife to Meet You, which has a cooldown of 1. In universe, this is reasoned as the characters needing a break from spamming craft in order to not exhaust themselves.

Siffrin's skills in Act 5 having no cooldown/being infinitely spammable isn't a sign of their strength - it's a sign that he refuses to let himself rest in order to rush through as fast as possible.

Moving on, Siffrin panics when seeing the Head Housemaiden, because seeing her means one thing: the end. Prior to this in the game, every single time you beat the King, the loop ends when you talk to the Head Housemaiden.

Reality breaks down, the whole shebang. It's here that Siffrin realizes - they don't want the loops to end, because the end of their journey means their family will leave, and he'll be alone again. The happiest time of his life will be over.

Siffrin goes totally ballistic, to say the least.

As it turns out (and was heavily foreshadowed narratively), Siffrin has been using Wish Craft to subconciously cause the timeloop because of their abandonment issues. It's rather predictable if you paid attention to literally anything, but it's extremely notable how heavily Siffrin is paralleled to the King, the antagonist they swore to kill by themself at the start of Act 5. The King wants to freeze Vaugarde in time because it is, in his mind, "perfect," for accepting him after he lost his home - a backstory he shares with Siffrin.

Siffrin has become the exact antagonist he swore to kill, and it's shown by how the next fight utterly flips everything on its head.

Siffrin is the final boss.

In a towering form made of stars, Siffrin looks down at their friends. His face is terrified, because of his internal conflict; he can't hurt his friends, but he can't let them go, either. The combat prompt is simply changed to "END IT!"

This fight is similar to the previous, in that you just need to wait a certain number of turns until its over. However, this time, it's not dreadful suspense. It's... confusion, and hesitance.

You have two options for combat: Attack your friends, or attack yourself.

And... you don't really want to do either, I think. I certainly don't. But what else can you do? It's Siffrin's desires clashing in full force. Attack your friends, and force them to stay? Or attack yourself, and let them go safely without you?

Worth noting, here - when you attack Siffrin's friends, you can't harm them. Isabeau will shield all attacks. And when you attack yourself, Mirabelle will heal you back to full. And the friends don't... do anything, either. How could they? Occasionally, Mirabelle heals you and Isabeau shouts words of motivation, but the main thing is...

(Your friends don't know what to do.)

None of them want to harm Siffrin. Both sides simply stare at each other, resolute in their conviction but unwilling to end it with violence. It's of note that this loop, the last one, is the only loop where the King isn't killed. Just frozen. And now here is Siffrin, clamoring for the same eternity the King was. Of course everything ends in a tearfilled conversation as Siffrin sees their friends won't leave him, even after the journey ends, but I still have to appreciate this moment.

Siffrin is directly put in the position with their friends as his enemies, forced to physically reckon that keeping them in this loop is an act of violence, against both their friends, and against himself.

It's a happy ending. But... what does it mean?

Of course, ISAT is obviously about the fear of change. Siffrin is afraid of the journey ending, and of being alone. However, ISAT is also a game about games. Siffrin is playing the same game, over and over, because it's comforting. It's familiar. It's nice, to know exactly what happens next. These characters might just be predictable lines of dialogue, but... they feel like friends. Have you ever played a game, loved it, put countless hours into it, but you never finished it? Because you just couldn't bear to see it end? For the characters to leave your life, for there to be a void in your heart where the game used to be?

After all, maybe it became part of your routine! You play the game every day, slowly chipping away at it for weeks at a time. For me, I beat ISAT in four days. It utterly consumed me during this time. I had 36 hours of playtime by the end. Yeah, in that week, I did not do much more than play ISAT.

And once i beat it, i beat it, again. I restarted the game to see the few scenes I missed, most specifically the secret boss I won't talk about here. I... couldn't let go of the game yet. I wanted to see every scrap I could. I still do. I'm writing this, in part because I still do. It's scary to let go.

Ever heard the joke term of "Postgame Depression?" It's when you just beat a game, and you're suddenly sad. Maybe because the ending affected you emotionally and you need to process the feelings it invoked, or you search for something that can now fill your time with it gone.

The game ends, for real this time, the last time you talk to the Head Housemaiden. But Siffrin gets... scared. What if everything loops back again? And so, his family offers to hold his hand. They face the end, together.

For all loops, including the ending, you never see what happens after. After they leave the loop for good. Because the loop is the game itself. It's asking you to trust that life goes on for these characters, and it holds your hand as it asks you to let go. There's a reason for Siffrin's theater metaphors. He is the actor, and the director, asking everyone to do it over one more time. He's a character within the game, and its player.

There's a reason I talked about endgame content. This, the way it all repeats, there's nothing new, difficulty and stakes bleed away as you snap the game over your knee - it's my copy of White 2 with two hundred hours in it. It's me playing Fire Emblem Awakening in under 3 hours while skipping every cutscene. Are you playing for the sake of play, for the sake of indulging in your memories, because you're afraid of the hole it'll leave when you stop?

Of note: the narrative never condemns Siffrin for unwittingly causing their own suffering. He's a victim of circumstance. It's seen as endearing, even, that Siffrin loves their friends to the point of rather seeing the world destroyed than them gone. But Siffrin is also told: we'll stay with you for now, but we'll part ways eventually. And one day, you'll have to be okay with it.

Stop draining the things you love of every ounce of enjoyment just because you're afraid of what happens next. I'm not saying to never play your favorite games again. Playing ISAT a second time, I still had a lot of fun! I saw so many new things I didn't before, and I enjoyed myself immensely, reading the same dialogue over and over. But... it makes me look at other games I love and still play, and makes me ask... is this still fun? Do I still need to play this game to enjoy it? Even writing this is an afterimage of my enjoyment, but it's a new way to interact with the game, to analyze it through this lens. Fuck, man, I write fanfiction. Look at me.

All of this, fanart, fanfic, analysis, is a way to prolong that enjoyment without making yourself suffer for it. Without just going through the motions of enjoyment without actually experiencing any. But one day, the thing you love won't be fun to talk and write and draw about. And it's okay. You'll have new things to love. I promise.

In the end.... I'm certain I'll replay ISAT one day. Between great writing, art, puzzles and unresolved mysteries, it's my shoe-in for game of the year.

But I won't replay it for quite some time. I've had enough, for now, so I let my love take other forms.

Siffrin is never condemned, because love is no evil. Be it love for another person, or for a game. And please, if you're overempathetic - it's still a game, at the end of the day. The great thing about games is that you can always boot them up again, no matter how long its been.

A circle within a circle indeed.

To summarize:

The repetitiveness of ISAT's combat, lack of new enemies, and Siffrin's ever increasing strength eventually allows you to snap the combat over your knee, rendering it irrelevant and boring. Though this may seem counterproductive at first, it perfectly mirrors how Siffrin has also grown bored with these repeated encounters and views them only as an obstacle to get past. The reflection of Siffrin's own tiredness with the player's annoyance increases the compassion the player has for Siffrin as a character.

Additionally, the endgame state of the combat system serves as commentary on the state of a favorite game played too often, much like how Siffrin has unwittingly trapped themself in the loop. Despite the game having no more challenge or content left to over, a player might return to their favorite game anyway, solely to try and recreate the early experience of actually having fun with it. This ties into ISAT's metanarrative about the fear of change and refusal to let go of comfort even when the object (here, your favorite video game) offering that comfort has become utterly bereft of any substance to actually engage with. Playing for the sake of playing, with no actual investment to keep going besides your own memories.

Later on, stripping away even the pretense of strategy for a "press button and wait" format of final bosses highlights the lack of options at Siffrin's disposal and truly forces the player into their shoes. Truly, the only way to win is to stop playing.

[okeiglxg]

Well well well.. Day 5 of Fic Recs for Batfamily! This time, it's not only about batfamily meets JLA. I hope you guys enjoy it, I'll try to post again tomorrow.

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https://archiveofourown.org/works/40771257

Surface Pressure

geminus_17

Summary:

Dick Grayson has always been the glue that held his family together, through bullets and barbs and (mis)adventures through time. But what happens when that glue begins to crack and nobody notices?

Or: Dick has eldest child syndrome and learns to deal with it until he can't

-No romantic relationships!

-Hurt/Comfort

- 10,210 words and 1 chapter

"I don't get to mess up because if I fall, everyone else who is counting on me falls too."

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https://archiveofourown.org/works/60930718

If my Engine Works Perfectly on Empty...(Spoiler: it doesn't)

Harpersdragons

Summary:

Dick is fine.

100%, completely fine.

Ok…maybe not right now.

But he will be, he always is.

He just maybe feels like he’s drowning, currently.

But it will be fine.

He will be fine.

He has to be.

OR

Dick has a rough time, Bruce helps for once

-3,776 words, 1 chapter.

-no romantic relationships

-Hurt/Comfort

"You have to let yourself feel what you're feeling, right now, before you can be okay. You can't suppress it, or run from it forever."

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https://archiveofourown.org/works/37957576

A Leap of Faith

A_Canceled_Stamp

Summary:

Then, before he’d had time to process it, there’d been a whirl of movement, followed by a sudden and forceful shove against Tim's chest. Something – the parapet wall – had hit the back of his legs, the momentum sending his body tumbling back and over and—

Oh. Right.

He’d been pushed off the building.

-13, 975 words, 1 chapter

-no romantic relationships

-hurt/comfort.

"They had no common goal, no North star that could lead them on the right path. It was as if they were strangers once again, with no knowledge of what the other had endured, and no desire to ask."

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https://archiveofourown.org/works/48831409

Two Types of Team Bonding

CrowofArcadiaOaks

Summary:

Being the only one on the team with no powers is hard for Dick Grayson sometimes. Especially since he's not as immune to pain or injuries as some of the others are.

Aka, because Batman trained him, Dick has a tendency to not tell people his feelings or when he's injured.

-4,341 words, 1 chapter

-no romantic relationships

-emotional hurt/comfort (why are all these fics hurt/comfort?)

-More young justice focused

"There are two types of team bonding; the difficult one where serious conversations are had or terrible situations need to be worked through, and the fun one, where after they all talk, they put on a movie and grab some snacks and share laughs to remind themselves that as much as this is a team, it's also something more."

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https://archiveofourown.org/works/59002492

he just wants his dad

Muddell

Summary:

“B,” Dick cries, dropping into his chest, shoulders shaking.

For an awful, awful moment, Dick realizes he’s made a mistake. He’s not twelve anymore—the kid who crawled into Batman’s lap is gone, grown up. He shouldn’t be doing this, he shouldn’t need this.

And then Bruce’s arms fold him in closer. “Shh,” he murmurs. “It’s okay.”

Dick cries harder, he’s desperate, dragging himself onto Bruce to wrap winding limbs around him. He doesn’t want to let go. Everything hurts, inside and out, and he wants…he wants…

“Dad,” Dick says. “Dad, help.”

Or, Dick gets many hugs over the years, but there's one he needs.

-Emotional Hurt/comfort (again??)

-9,979 words, 1 chapter

-no romantic relationships

"Dad, Dad, help."

--------------------

+1 because all the fics were hurt/comfort💔

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60490870

Brightly Colored Adhesive Papers

LuminaStarCrest

Summary:

Tim liked to show people that he loves them by leaving around sticky notes.

Or,

5 times Tim left sticky notes for others to find, and 1 time he found sticky notes that he didn’t write

-No romantic relationships

-Tim Drake Centric

-3,366 words, 1 chapter

- Family FLUFF (redemption!)

"Eventually, the sticky notes he leaves out stop being only for himself"

--------------

I hope you guys enjoyed this! Wow, I can't believe it took me like.. That long to post day 5. Please show some support if you want more posts like these! Thank you:D🩷

[cuppasunu]

CUPPASUNU's WIPS ♡

in no particular order of priority!

some wips might be worked on or published first regardless of when i added them here <3 there's twelve of them rn good lord and these are just the ones with an actual plot, not including the ones that are barely a concept just because i want to write a specific trope. i already narrowed this list down to only include the ones i can actually see myself writing or have started brainstorming for...

4 out of 13 fics are not assigned to a particular member yet so if you have one in mind, feel free to share your ideas, reblog, comment, or send me an ask telling me who you think would fit that story.

if i can't reach to a final decision, i might put up a poll once i start seriously working on it! see the summaries and tropes under the cut

*aside from my event requests...

SEE ME IN A CROWN | sunwoo x reader

once in a convoluted entanglement, prince sunwoo and lady royal y/n detest each other. but as they are fond of what used to be, will they stand together in love, choosing to hold on even with the barriers they have been destined to face?

ongoing reconstruction phase, i plan to rewrite the story from the start, publish the whole fic in fewer parts (planned to maybe make it a oneshot but it would be too long)

TURNING PAGE | hyunjae x reader

lee hyunjae will not face death for the price of losing the love of his life at end of every lifetime, but he vows to find you and love you in every single one.

reincarnation au, still debating whether to make this a oneshot or multi-part series, bookstore owner!hyunjae x author!y/n, major character death (past lives), historical fiction, violence

SPRING SNOW (izzy's sunwoo fic) | sunwoo x reader

when pretending to be your sister during a blind date fails successfully

long oneshot! non-idol au, childhood friends to lovers, rich kid!sunwoo, family trauma, fake identity, mutual pining

ACTOR HAK FIC (ally’s hak fic) | haknyeon x reader

long oneshot! y/n and hak are co-actors where y/n is an actress who always falls in love (and get heartbroken) by her leading man. she vows to never fall in love with an onscreen partner ever again, but haknyeon appears. chaos ensues. cutie, adorable, fluffy, green-flag haknyeon but also hk actor hottie haknyeon :D

UNTITLED (but i like you) | sunwoo x reader

sunwoo has a crush and it’s driving him crazy

long oneshot! college au, strangers to lovers, will probably be my deobi derby entry, can’t reveal too much because of spoilers :D

STUPID LOVE AFFAIR | hyunjae x reader x sunwoo

semi-autobiographical story, separated in three parts for every year i spent in uni, unrequited love, in love with your best friend, failed talking stages

ARRANGED MARRIAGE FIC | member tbd x reader

set in an earlier time period, aristocratic families but not royal, y/n does not want this arrangement, but [insert member] is pursuing her, miscommunication trope but resolved quickly, think pride and prejudice only if lizzie and darcy were betrothed since the start

DO I DO? | younghoon x reader

two unlikely individuals enter in a serendipitous entanglement above the seas. one unexpectedly closing a chapter of her life and the other is forced to open the door chosen for him.

you meet [insert member] on a cruise and your lives are forever changed, marriage of convenience trope, will include heavy smut, fake that’s not really fake marriage, cheating (previous relationship)

DIVORCE SUPPORT GROUP FIC | younghoon x reader

crack!fic, humor, fluff,

two divorced people find love in their local divorced singles support group

WEDDING DATE FIC | member tbd x reader

what do you do if you see your old crush at your highschool reunion and the first thing he does is ask you to be his wedding date to his sister’s destination wedding? say yes, of course!

you previously went through a long phase of unrequited love, toxic dynamic kinda because [insert member] lowkey planned to use you as a pawn so his ex gets jealous but it backfires—he falls for you instead, plus his family loves you lol

EXES TO LOVERS FIC | sangyeon x reader

long oneshot! your ex gets relocated back to your city and it gets messy. oh and you’re neighbors too! angst with comfort, sexual tension, you’re both a huge pain in the ass towards each other and your poor coworkers…

DOCUMENTARY FIC | member tbd x reader

two film students are paired up to make a documentary about married couples and falls in love in the process, inspired by the documentary inserted throughout of when harry met sally (iykyk)

ISLAND FIC | member tbd x reader

celebrity!tbz member meets island girl!reader, a hotshot movie star visits your island for a long getaway after facing one of the greatest career downfalls the world has witnessed, healing fic, will include heavy mental health and dark themes, hurt/comfort

calling my taglist so you can have first dibs lol jk maybe...?

@carrotsworld @winterchimez @honeybeehorizon @sknyuz @bbangbies @from-izzy @jaehunnyy

[kier-with-a-k]

SOLITAIRE - N. S.

Photographer! Nick x Artist! Oliver(oc)

A/N: this one... It is special to me!!! Probably my longest fic yet... Lmao! This is how Oliver and Nick met! Happy reading!!!

Warning: nothing really!!! But this is quite long... So strap in!

Real.

If I ever fall in love, it’d have to be with someone real. Not perfect. Not polished. Just—real.

Someone who doesn’t fake being nice.

Someone who doesn’t pretend to be likable just so people orbit them like flies to sugar.

Someone who doesn’t twist themselves into a performance just so the world claps a little louder.

And this guy?

This blonde-haired, smiling-at-eight-in-the-morning, sunshine incarnate guy?

Yeah. He’s faking it. For sure.

He’s standing at the front of the classroom, practically radiating eagerness like a Labrador at a park.

“Hi! I’m Nick Sturniolo! I do gymnastics, and I’m also a triplet!”

A chorus of half-interested chuckles ripples through the room. My eyes stay deadpan. I drum my fingers against the desk like a ticking bomb. He squints, scanning for a seat. His smile falters—barely—but I catch it.

Good. Let it crack a little.

And then, of course—of course—he starts walking toward me.

No.

He keeps walking. Backpack swinging. Shoes squeaking.

Fuck.

He flops down beside me like this is some sitcom and I’m the sarcastic side character about to be changed by the golden-hearted protagonist.

Spoiler alert: I’m not.

He glances over, that smile still firmly affixed, like he doesn’t notice the black hole of irritation radiating off me.

“Hey,” he says, and it’s annoyingly soft. “You mind if I sit here?”

“You’re already sitting,” I mutter, not looking at him.

Instead of taking the hint, he laughs—like I made a joke. God. He’s one of those people.

“Cool,” he says. “What’s your name?”

I look at him now, finally. Let him see the unimpressed. Let him see the walls.

“Does it matter?”

He blinks. For just a second, he looks taken aback. And then, like a stubborn lightbulb, the grin comes back even warmer.

“I guess it does if I plan on talking to you again,” he says.

I raise an eyebrow. “You planning on that?”

He shrugs, unbothered. “Maybe.”

Bold move, Gymnastics Barbie.

I turn away, biting the inside of my cheek—but not before I catch something flicker across his face.

Something not polished. Not perfect. Not rehearsed.

Something... real.

Shit.

---

He’s quiet for a beat.

I think I’ve finally won. One-word answers are usually enough to send people packing.

But then he says, “Okay. If you won’t tell me, I’ll guess.”

I blink. “Are you twelve?”

“Mentally? Yeah, maybe.” He grins like this is fun. Like I’m fun. “You look like a... Jonah. No, wait—Ben. Or Oliver. You’ve got Oliver energy.”

I stiffen.

His face lights up. “Is it Oliver?”

Goddamn it.

I sigh through my nose and stare ahead, refusing to answer. My heart feels weirdly loud, like it wants to be noticed. Like he noticed it.

He lets out a little victorious “yes” under his breath. And for the first time in forever, I don’t feel like bolting out of my own skin.

Not yet.

---

Third period.

He’s already at the table when I walk into Chemistry. His eyes catch mine like it’s nothing, like we’ve been doing this for years. He waves. Actually waves. Like we’re friends.

I sit next to him again.

I don’t mean to. But every other chair feels wrong.

“You again,” I mutter, flipping open my notebook.

He leans in. “Fate.”

I roll my eyes, but... my lips twitch. Just slightly. He sees it. I know he does. Because he doesn’t point it out. Doesn’t gloat. He just smiles softer.

Like he’s saving it. Like it means something.

I pull out my book. Solitaire. A book that, in my opinion, perfectly encapsulates my life. Boredom. Walls. Tori Spring. That’s all me.

He notices. Of course he does.

He leans in. “Hey, I’ve heard of that book! Haven’t read it. Is it good?”

He knows about the book? And for a moment... I really look at him.

His blonde hair shifting slightly in the breeze.

His eyes—piercing blue.

“Is the book good?” he asks again.

“O-oh, y-yeah. I’ve read it a couple times.” God, I hate it when I stutter.

“Yeah? I should totally read it, then,” he says, smiling again.

Why does he have to do that?

And just like that, silence resumes.

---

Three weeks later.

I know his laugh by heart now.

I know he hums when he’s concentrating and twirls a pencil between his fingers when he’s nervous.

I know he talks to his mom on the phone every night at the bus stop and drinks strawberry milk like it’s sacred.

I know he sees me.

Really sees me.

And it scares the hell out of me.

Because the closer he gets, the more the mask I wear starts to slip.

And I’ve worn it so long, I don’t know what’s underneath anymore.

But he looks at me like he already knows. Like it doesn’t scare him at all.

---

It’s late. We’re on the rooftop of the gym.

He found the way up. Of course he did.

The sky is navy and bruised. The world is quiet. Just us and a city that never learned how to listen.

“I don’t think I’m built for people,” I whisper. “They want too much. Or they don’t want anything real.”

Nick doesn’t say anything for a while. Then:

“Maybe they’re not your people.”

I turn. He’s lying back, arms behind his head, eyes tracing constellations like they belong to him.

“I don’t want anything fake from you,” he says. “I just want you. However that looks.”

I swallow.

The wind picks up. My fingers twitch with the urge to reach for his. I don’t. But I think about it.

God, I think about it.

And in that moment, I realize—

I want him to know who I am.

Even if it wrecks me. Even if it ruins everything. Because maybe—just maybe—he’d still stay.

“I read the book, by the way,” he says, cutting into my spiraling thoughts.

He read the book?

“The Solitaire book?” I chuckle. “You haven’t. Don’t lie.”

“No, I actually did!” he laughs. “It’s pretty good!”

I hate this.

He listens.

I hate that I can’t just hate him.

He makes it so hard.

---

Friday. After school. Gym hallway.

I find him outside the locker room, still in his practice clothes. Sweat on his neck. Hair a beautiful mess.

He spots me immediately. His smile flickers into place like muscle memory.

But I don’t smile back.

“Hey,” he says cautiously. He feels it.

“Hey,” I echo, leaning against the wall. “Got a minute?”

“Yeah, of course. What’s up?”

I study him. His stupid, hopeful face. That sincere voice. That look in his eyes like he’s trying to memorize every second I give him.

It makes me want to scream.

“You’ve got to stop,” I say, cold.

He blinks. “Stop… what?”

“This. The trying. The being nice. Acting like you see something in me worth seeing.”

His brows furrow. “I’m not acting, Oliver.”

I laugh. Hollow. Sharp around the edges. “Yeah? Then you’re just stupid.”

He stiffens.

“Seriously,” I say. Arms crossed. Walls rising. “You keep saying you want the real me. That you don’t care how messed up I am. But you don’t know me. You know the version of me that lets you in a little, then slams the door.”

“I know more than you think.” His voice is low now. No smiles. No sunshine.

I step closer. “Then tell me what happens when you see all of it? When I stop being sad in a way that’s safe, and start being difficult. Angry. Mean. Because that’s in there too. That’s me.”

“I won’t leave.”

“You will. Everyone does. They get tired. They stop looking. They say they want the truth, but the second it gets ugly, they run.”

Nick flinches like I hit him.

But then—God, then—he steps closer.

“Maybe you want me to run,” he says quietly. “So you don’t have to deal with someone who actually stays.”

Silence.

My chest burns. Not from hate. Not from anger.

From hope. That awful, vulnerable thing.

I turn away. My hands shake.

“I didn’t ask you to stay.”

“I know,” he says. “But I’m here anyway.”

And I hate him for it.

I hate how much I want to believe him.

I hate that he might actually mean it.

---

The hallway is quiet now. Most people have gone home. Just the buzzing of old lights and the weight of what I just said hanging between us.

I’m facing the lockers, fists clenched, staring at my reflection in the dull metal.

I feel him step closer. Not touching. Just there.

“I didn’t ask you to stay,” I say again, voice shaking now.

“Why would you? I don’t make it easy. I don’t even try to.”

“I know,” he says. “But you don’t have to.”

His voice is calm. Steady. He’s the eye of a storm I didn’t know I built around myself.

And suddenly, I can’t hold it in anymore.

“You don’t know me!” I snap, spinning around. My voice cracks—God, it cracks—and I want to disappear.

“You see pieces, Nick. You see the way I flinch at kindness and you think that’s depth. You see my silence and mistake it for mystery. But it’s not. It’s just fear.”

I’m breathing hard now. The words tumble out.

“I don’t know how to let people care about me. I never have. Because they either want to fix me, or they want to leave. And if I let them see it—if I show them what it’s really like in here—”

I press a fist to my chest. “They look at me different. Like I’m broken.”

Nick doesn’t look away. He steps forward.

“I won’t look at you like that.”

“You will,” I whisper. “Eventually.”

He shakes his head. “No. Because I already see you. All of it. The sarcasm. The anger. The way you pretend not to care when you care so much it eats you alive. I see it, Oliver.”

His voice breaks. Just a little.

“And I still think you’re worth it.”

My knees give out. I slide down the wall, curling in on myself before I can stop it. I don’t cry. Not really. But my breath hitches. My eyes sting. And for once, I stop trying to hold it all in.

Nick kneels beside me. He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t push.

He just reaches out—slowly—and rests his hand near mine. Not touching. Just close.

“I don’t need you to be easy,” he says softly. “I just need you to let me stay.”

And I think—I think—this is what it feels like to be seen. Not the pretty parts. Not the version of me I polish up and hand out to the world.

Just me. Messy. Angry. Afraid.

And still—he stays.

"One person person can change everything... And you... Oliver Maddox... Changed everything for me" he whispered... So low I thought I wouldn't hear it. But I did.

I look up at him. He's quoting it... He's quoting solitaire. He actually read the book- of course he did he's Nicolas Sturniolo why wouldn't he?

He smiles like he already knew.

"You actually read the book?" I say giggling a bit. A hint of smile playing on my lips.

"Well what can I say Tori Spring... I guess I am your Michael Holden." He says fully smirking at me.

---

A/N: MY LOVE FOR SOLITAIRE WILL FOREVER BE UNMATCHED!!! that book just... I love it guys! And I love when people quote books especially romantic ones! It's so sweet!!!

Also I know this isn't really like my other Nick and Ollie fic but trust the more blurb-y style will come back lmao. I just had this idea and I really liked it!

TAGLIST: @sturnsblogs @thenickgirl @bambisturns @sturns-mermaid @sarahsturnn @jacksonsturniolo @certifiednickboy @nickssidewitch @fentiesturns @oopsiedaisydeer @messi10-fcb @nickscoconutwater @ed1tssturnn

Comment if you wanna be added to my taglist you can comment or send me an ask about it!!!😘

[dogwithpants]

Currently roughly 3/4 through hwfwm book twelve and can I just give a generalized spoiler free statement rq:

I LOVE YOU FARRAH HURIN I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOUUUUUU. Every scene she’s in I start chewing on walls aaaaaaagh I missed her so much she’s EVERYTHINGGGGGGG.

I think Farrah Hurin should be able to do whatever she wants forever and I’m NOT kidding.

[mistflyer1102]

tussle

Content Warning: None

Prompt: ‘Past’

Notes: For Day 1 of @empyreanevents Brennaolin Week. If anything, spoilers for Fourth Wing.

Summary: A calm in the middle of the storm that is the Tyrrish rebellion.

----------------------

It wasn’t long before he spotted his prey.

He grinned to himself and then knelt to hide better among the bushes in the small thicket. Overhead he could hear birds trilling in the thick trees, the fainter sounds from sheep and cows that lived on nearby farms, and the faint calls and barked orders of the infantry soldiers still at the keep behind him. He held his breath and kept his shields in place as he scooted a little closer over moss-covered rocks. He held his breath when his prey suddenly shifted position, the head bowed as familiar deft fingers fiddled with buckles and vest straps. Damp hair drifted in front of familiar amber eyes. He could hear the faint trickle of water from a nearby little waterfall, one that he knew emptied out into the pond, and squashed his annoyance at the commander of the keep. The busybody had kept him busy long enough for him to miss the show, and now he had to wait until tomorrow for a repeat. Assuming of course, they had a tomorrow. He knew how fast a still moment could turn into active war.

Then he saw his prey start to pull on familiar flight leathers.

Any second now.

Once the leathers were secure, his prey began to reach for the familiar weapons belt.

Now.

Naolin silently pushed himself forward and ran straight towards his target, fellow rider Brennan Sorrengail. Brennan looked up sharply at the sound of breaking twigs. Naolin saw him begin to say “Fuck you—”

He never finished.

With a shout, Naolin leaped forward, body-slammed into Brennan, and they both went straight into the pond.

Splash!

Keeping Brennan close, Naolin dragged himself and Brennan back to the surface, using the pond bottom to push themselves both back. Laughter burst from his lips as they both broke the surface, and he only laughed harder as Brennan swore and splashed water at him. “Asshole! These leathers are going to take forever to dry” Brennan complained as Naolin splashed him back, the cold water spraying back in his face as Brennan tried to block the splash. It still felt a relief to his body: the weather was warmer this time of year this close to Tyrrendor, and Naolin, being from the northern reaches of Luceras Province along the Emerald Sea, hated the warmer climates of the south.

“I know, why do you think I wore just pants and a tunic? And now I get to listen to Tairn complain for the next twelve hours about being bonded to a child who somehow made it to wingleader in his time at Basgiath,” Naolin said, leaning back to welcome Brennan’s splash. “I sacrificed my peace and quiet for this ambush for the next twelve hours at least, so you’re not the only one who’s gonna suffer,” he said, grinning as he splashed Brennan back. “Besides, you’ve got another couple hours before we’re both back on patrol duty. You can easily dry off then.”

Brennan’s voice came out as a whine as he said “Leather sticks to everything, I’m gonna be stuck like this for hours. Marbh said he wouldn’t fly fast again to help me dry off, even with me not caring that I’ll get sick with a stupid fever.”

Naolin snorted. “At least you didn’t have to explain that to your mom last time, I thought she was going to roast me if Aimsir didn’t do it first.”

Brennan rolled his eyes as he began to swim back to the shore. Naolin sighed and began to follow him. “You know Tairn would have roasted Aimsir back if it had come down to that, maturity lacking or not. Or maybe a fifty-fifty chance that he would have roasted Aimsir. You mentioned that he’s still missing Sgaeyl the other day. Letting you get roasted would solve that problem,” Brennan said, rolling over onto his back so he could continue swimming while facing Naolin.

Naolin shrugged. “She was invited to come along, but she wanted to stay in the Vale,” he said as he slowly swam to keep pace with Brennan. “Tairn wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t fight her on it either. Now he just takes off whenever we have a night stretch here. Not during these breaks during the day though. That’s when there seems to be the most surprise activity from the enemy,” he said as he pulled ahead of Brennan, and climbed ashore. Leaning down, he tilted his body to keep the water drops from landing on the clean towels he’d thrown to the side when lunging at Brennan. “All kidding aside though, he gets it. We have to grab whatever time we can get, you never know what could happen in the next sixty seconds. If that means loosening up a little, then that’s what it means we have to do. Even if, in his words, we have the maturity level of hatchlings,” he added as he turned to offer Brennan a hand.

Brennan was quiet as he accepted Naolin’s offered hand. “You just reminded me of the Tyrrish prisoner who died last night. The injured one that was brought in two days ago,” he said as Naolin braced his body to best support Brennan on the now water-slicked rocks. “One minute we were walking to lunch, complaining about having to protect supply convoys for a couple days.”

“The next, he’d come bursting out of a corridor with nothing more than a rock in his hand,” Naolin finished without thinking, a coil of cold slithery unease twisting in his gut at the memory. An escaped prisoner who wasted precious seconds in grabbing metal and rock from the forges instead of just escaping, the afternoon taking another sharp twist as a Navarrian soldier ambushed the escaped prisoner just mere feet from the exit.

Brennan frowned, slowly reaching out for the clean and dry towel Naolin offered him. “He was the one who refused to be healed, right?” he asked after a moment. 

Naolin nodded. The soldier had swiped at Brennan with an angry hiss, and only fought harder when Naolin and two others began to hold the soldier down so Brennan could heal him. Given how difficult it was proving to capture anyone fighting for Fen Riorson, Melgren had sent Captain Varrish from the northern Tyrrish border to their outpost to interrogate the soldier. The problem was that the man died not long after Varrish arrived. Naolin was convinced he could hear the screams echoing and chains rattling from the dungeons dozens of floors below his bed. “I…I still wonder what he meant, when you asked him if that rock was worth dying for…” he admitted, glancing at Brennan.

“And he said ‘better one life than thousands’ before Mav knocked him out. I know, I remember.” Brennan looked in the general direction that Tyrrendor lay, beyond the tall trees that surrounded the two of them and the land beyond. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? What do they know that we don’t, what prompted Riorson into action when he’d otherwise been quiet to Navarrian rule. If I’ve learned anything from Dad, it’s that rebellions don’t happen in vacuums.”

“Well, it’s not like we can just ask the commanding generals, I think that’s intel that is hopelessly above our paygrades,” Naolin said, frowning.

Brennan hummed thoughtfully as he turned back to Naolin. “No…we can’t. But I bet anything that Fen Riorson may tell us, if we can meet him under a white truce flag. Especially if we let him think that we could be swayed to his side.”

Naolin figured that in another lifetime, he’d be shocked at the hint of treason. But Brennan Sorrengail was not just the son of a general, but also the son of a master scribe. Which made for risky but usually viably good ideas. “If I go down for treason, you’re coming down with me,” he warned as he threw another towel at Brennan.

Brennan grinned broadly as he caught the towel. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

[become-potatoes]

hey chat!

for funsies i thought id reshare some fun, extra 4ai stuff since the arg is getting decently popular again

i wouldn’t call it canon, per say, but i made it so…it’s up there somewhere!

^ playlist for the arg in general

^ lola’s playlist

^ rayla’s playlist

^ pinterest boards for every major character

i hope you find these fun to look at!! also feel free to send me any asks about these characters forever and ever. no spoilers or hints but if you just wanna know all the embarrassing things lola did to try to confess to rayla when they were twelve i can tell you that

@thegalacticidiot @paradichlorosocksy @blissoceanserrandgirl @crime-soncloud (tagging you icons bc ur my most active solvers i believe)

[kurooandkenmasslut]

"𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐢 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲." - Katy Perry.

𝐆𝐈𝐘𝐔𝐔 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐎𝐊𝐀 x 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 (angst, manga spoilers under the cut, drabble.) I thought of this on the spot lmfao

P.2

Giyuu rubbed your head as you sobbed into his chest. He was murmuring sweet words to you as big salty tears had went into Giyuu's clothes, not that he minded.

It was after the muzan war. You were only a villager, secretly Giyuu's wife. You didn't want to involve yourself into getting killed, so you were just a simple woman who makes clothes. Just a normal citizen who worried for her husband's safety when he was not with you.

But after he came home, his arm gone, and a slight smile on his face as he told you the news of the demon king getting defeated. You were delighted that he came back home to you and prayed for the souls who died fighting.

Your life was picture perfect, you easily got used to Giyuu sleeping next to you, as he always went for missions and it was quite rare to see him next to you. Eventually, you got pregnant with your first-ever baby, making you and Giyuu jump with joy. He had asked you if you could cut his hair short, and you agreed. He smiled more often, which made you happier then ever.

His 25th birthday was on tomorrow, and you invited Uzui and his wives, along with tanjiro, his friends, even Sanemi Shinazugawa, who accordingly to Giyuu, doesn't like him, but it seemed after the war, his cold and harsh temper had calmed down a bit.

But the only thing is, he told you some disturbing and horrifying news.

"Y/n."

"Yes, 'yuu?"

"I want to tell you something."

"eh? What is it 'yuu?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at him, crawling more closer to him. Silence filled the room as Giyuu's rose lips opened and closed, his eyes looking lost on where to start. He closed his eyes, looking at you again.

"I fought 'uppermoon three' Akaza." He said firmly.

"Oh, is that it? You told me this before 'Yuu, you almost got me worried!" You nervously giggled, he looked as if he was gonna say more, which he did.

" I fought him and... I activated his 'demon slayer mark.' which makes me more stronger and faster. But there is something in return." He said, looking into your (e/c) eyes, the moonlight making them more brighter as your eyebrows furrowed.

"..what.. What do you mean 'Yuu? What are you saying? Your scaring me.." You mumbled, starting at him worringly.

"The day I turn 25, I will die." that statement broke your heart into pieces. It shattered like glass breaking, crack, crack, crack. Your hands shook, tears welling up.

"im sorry, for not telling you sooner, sweetheart. I love you so, so, so much." He apologized, but you only sobbed in response.

You broke down, latching onto him, flopping onto his chest. If this was in any other situation, you two would laugh, but in this situation, only sobs filled the room.

"I love you, I love you Giyuu Tomioka, don't leave me, please, don't leave me! I can't do this without you, I can't, I can't!" "I'm sorry, we will meet again, in another life, we will be together forever, I swear! I love you with all my fibre of my being, I love you so much, Y/n."

"𝑮𝑰𝒀𝑼𝑼!!" you used to yell that name with joy and excitement, but now there was just sadness.

The clock struck twelve, and Giyuu Tomioka, went limp.

[onpurposeilovehimonpurpose]

Rating: Explicit Chapters: 1/1 Series: Forever

Fandom: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston Rating: Mature Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox, Shaan/Zahra, Nora/June/Pez, Martha/Philip, Ellen/Leo Characters: Alex Claremont-Diaz, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, and other characters who appeared in the book. Post Book / Henry's Chapter Spoilers / Divergent: Red White & Royal Blue (2019), Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Happy Sex, Hurt with lots of comfort and support, Angst, Indomitable love, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Post-Canon

AN: I haven't been feeling well enough to write much this year or do much here. But I wrote a little something earlier today, so I'm gonna share that while I can. Thanks to all who have been patient, encouraging and inspiring. I wish all of you a safe, healthy and happy New Year.

It’s 2024, and nobody knows they’re engaged. 

Except for their closest family, friends, and security, which amounts to fourteen people, they’ve managed to keep it a secret from the public for a whole year. It would be twelve people in the know, but Philip figured it out, and that meant Martha had to be looped in, too. Somehow they’ve all done it, they managed to go a full year without the press finding out. Most of them have dodged questions about it, and they have never deviated from their prepared responses. Alex and Henry have worn their engagement rings since they simultaneously proposed last New Year’s Eve. Henry wore his engagement ring on a necklace that also had the key to the brownstone on it. Alex wore his ring on his necklace beside the key to his childhood home. 

Back in May, Alex slipped up and forgot to take off the engagement ring when he left the privacy of their home. He had been in a rush to get out of the car waiting to take him to the airport because his dad had been in a minor car accident. Even though he had spoken to Oscar himself, and his dad had assured him he was fine, Alex was shaken and not thinking clearly. Thankfully the back of their brownstone had a private car entrance and Cash, sitting in the back of the car beside him, casually covered Alex’s hand with his own and tapped the ring to remind him of it. 

Henry’s slip-up happened back in March when Alex and Henry were staying the week at Kensington to attend Martha’s birthday party. This led to Philip figuring out the status of his and Alex’s relationship. They were in the music room, and Henry was playing a song that one of his favorite composers had written for his girlfriend. He told Alex the story of Rumahn spending months perfecting it, only for Helena to refuse his offer of marriage after he played it for her. Henry confessed to Alex that he had been working on a piece for him and was nervous to show him, but joked that Alex hadn’t refused him, so it was probably safe to let him hear it. At that moment, Philip had cleared his throat, alerting them both to his presence, and asked when they planned to inform the Crown.

Henry was no longer a working member of the royal family, and informing the Crown, if he chose to, would be a courtesy, not a requirement. Once Philip was reminded of this, surprisingly, he had been on board with keeping the secret on the condition that he was allowed to include Martha. He and Martha’s daughter, Sara, was born last year, and becoming a father softened Philip and helped bring the royal siblings closer. They were trying to have an open, honest relationship, and this meant that Henry had to trust his brother not to tell anyone else.

Initially, they hadn’t intended to keep their engagement a secret for as long as they had. They wanted to wait a little while, to have a wedding date and a general plan in place before the Crown, the Whitehouse staff, other than Zahra, and the rest of the world found out about it. But every time they planned to announce it, something got in the way that would make such an announcement seem like it was in poor taste.

It was Alex’s mom’s last term as President, and she was doing everything she could to tie up loose ends and leave the country better off than she had found it. After nearly two years of negotiations and strategic planning, Ellen secured a landmark trade agreement with Canada that would provide hundreds of thousands of American jobs. It happened to come through the same week Alex and Henry planned to announce their engagement. As soon as Alex heard the news, he knew there was no way they could go public and risk the President’s amazing win being buried under the insane amount of press he and Henry’s engagement would garner. 

Alex honestly didn’t care that their next planned announcement date happened to be three days before the first anniversary of the previous monarch’s death. Henry’s mom had been concerned with backlash from the British public when they told her the planned date. Even though Alex and Henry both secretly liked the idea even more when they realized this, they agreed that it was best for Catherine if they chose another date.

The next date, the next, and then the next were thwarted for various reasons. By September, they had gotten used to shoving their rings onto their necklaces, avoiding questions about the future of their relationship, and never referring to the other as their fiance in a public setting. Alex and Henry concluded that they were fine with not ever making their engagement public.

They were also fine with never making their wedding date public, too.

-continued in 2025 Pt-1

[themculibrary]

Alexei Shostakov Masterlist

american pie (ao3) - ashlearose13 G, 4k

Summary: Here’s the thing about Natasha Romanoff: before she was theirs, she was her own.

Because It Came From You (ao3) - dallirious alexei/melina G, 4k

Summary: Fatherhood came easiest to Alexei when he was telling stories.

Between Two Lungs (ao3) - thetbone alexei/melina T, 4k

Summary: “Melina learns to be air: silent, invisible, everywhere.” (Or: Melina’s life in three acts.)

but love is the sky and i am for you (ao3) - overnights N/R, 6k

Summary: In a year they’ll be standing on a dirt road in Cuba, Natasha’s hand around a gun and Yelena’s hand around Natasha’s. In two years they’ll be back in the Red Room, blood dripping through their teeth and knives pressed to their hearts. In twelve years they’ll be split apart like the continents, tucked away in the darkest corners of each other’s memories: if not forgotten, then not for lack of trying.

But here and now, shoulders pressed together, sitting in the backyard while fireflies flash like lighthouses welcoming ships home, they are at peace.

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie (ao3) - xForeverYoursx alexei/melina T, 5k

Summary: When everyone is returned after The Snap, Yelena receives a call from Clint Barton and learns that her sister will not be coming home. Or, Yelena, Alexei, and Melina, in the aftermath of Natasha’s sacrifice.

Champagne (ao3) - melonmania yelena/kate, alexei/melina G, 3k

Summary: Yelena drags Kate along to meet her Mama and Papa. The champagne is uncorked.

Five Times Melina Hates Alexei a Little Less and Loves Him a Little More (ao3) - Sibir alexei/melina T, 9k

Summary: Melina can’t stand his big glasses, bad dad jokes, terrible English, shuffling bear walk, and tiny capacity to comprehend anything remotely related to science. But it’s exactly these things that make her fall hard for him.

His Red Guardian Angel (ao3) - everyone_gets_a_happy_ending N/R, 2k

Summary: What If? Episode 3 Season 3: What If the Red Guardian stopped the Winter Soldier?

This takes place after that episode!

What If instead of going back to HYDRA and The Red Guardian Working For SHEILD, they run away to Cabin in Western New York and Learn to lean on each other as they heal their broken minds.

if you’re still breathing, you’re the lucky ones (ao3) - Charlie_Balle M, 11k

Summary: >>BLACK WIDOW SPOILERS<<

What if Yelena was just a bit younger? Still a teenager. What if the Red Room cracked down when Natasha escaped? Yelena was plunged into hell. She comes out colder and bitter. She won’t be so forgiving this time.

Basically, what I feel should have happened if Black Widow wasn’t restricted to a PG-13 rating

I Thought I Hated You (ao3) - BarnesRogersCo bucky/john T, 7k

Summary: After Walker helps Bucky through a panic attack in the Thunderbolts compound, the two of them realize they may not hate each other as much as they think.

It Would Be So Easy (lets stay forever) (ao3) - weirdlywordy (graciewrites9) T, 21k

Summary: Mount Vernon, Ohio

1992-1995

I Was Taught Not to Trust (But For You I Think I’d Like to Try) (ao3) - Lulu_Williams alexei/melina T, 3k

Summary: “Do you not want to go to the park?” He asks and it’s almost like he cares, like he’d be willing to herd the girls to the park by himself. He wants her to fall for it, his charm, she knows. He’ll use it to disarm her if she gives him the chance.

Except she won’t.

Alexei can order her around and she will follow. Not because she wants to, not because she trusts him, but because she has to.

…

Also known as Melina has trust issues and Alexei is too good to be true.

Learning (ao3) - thenigotthisfamily (guitarplayer3) T, 9k

Summary: Years later and Melina and Alexei are still trying to learn how to be good parents, much to Natasha and Yelena’s frustration. But when tensions rise, the two sisters finally start to learn that their parents do care for them, no matter how awful they are at expressing it.

Melt With You (ao3) - thetbone alexei/melina G, 3k

Summary: Skating, snowball fights, and swear jars — all crucial elements of a family reunion.

Right in the Feels (ao3) - Promsie yelena/kate G, 6k

Summary: During the events of Thunderbolts, the team needs the help of an incredible archer to make an impossible shot. Yelena might just know the person who could help them. But when Kate Bishop arrives at the scene the Thunderbolts try to flirt with her. It goes without saying — Yelena is not a fan.

Training Wheels (ao3) - thetbone alexei/melina G, 13k

Summary: Natasha doesn’t know how to ride a bike, doesn’t know how to be part of a family, doesn’t know how to be free.

But she’s learning.

we sang dirges in the dark (ao3) - Sanctuaria alexei/melina M, 5k

Summary: She was a daughter, sister, student, mother. She was his architect, his plaything, his Widow—the great Iron Maiden.

Now, she is free.

Now, she is Melina Vostokoff, never to be controlled again.

Where We Used To Love Our Hearts Out (ao3) - GeryonWoods yelena/kate M, 50k

Summary: Collection of nonchronological one-shots spanning decades in the lives of Kate & Yelena. Each chapter is a standalone piece but they all connect to form a bigger whole. The story will always be finished and never not finished because another piece could come at any time BUT it is not expected or necessary.

[sneeg-snag]

The hero’s journey and Shilo, an in depth analysis.

HI GUYSSS I was tasked with outlining how a character of my choice followed the twelve step process of the hero's journey. Due to the fact I am chronically obsessed with JRWI, I decided to pick Shilo as A) he is a very well rounded character who has very interesting dynamics and follows the journey quite closely and B) His story is “ended” (and I also remember most of it LMAO). 

Black is anything I turned in for my assignment and is a bit more barebones as it was supposed to be a minimum of 300 words and I wrote… 900… and red is all of my added and more in depth analysis of Shilo’s journey for those who have actually Watched The Show and understand what I mean when I say “The character of Edward Twilight is a formidable and powerful villain against the main characters''. also thank u @codecicle for egging me on i probably maybe wouldnt have gone as in depth if u hadnt asked for it <3. Lastly, THERE ARE SO MANY SUCKENING SPOILERS IN HERE I DO NOT HOLD BACK PLEASE DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!

Without further adu… ENJOY!!!

For my character that follows the hero's journey, I picked Shilo Bathory from the ttrpg podcast Just Roll With It. Some context to the character and the story, he is a character in a game the players of Just Roll With It play called Vampire: the Masquerade (think Dungeons and Dragons but with a different ruleset and Vampire themed), where he is one of the three main characters. It is a comedy drama podcast, with some things being on the sillier side while still retaining a story. He is a vampire prince who was locked in his mothers castle from birth Rapunzel style, and we start the story when he is itching to get out. (Had to give some people a like. Overview cause you will a) always find me promoing jrwi and b) there is like. So much going on all at once in this damn podcast) 

1.Call to adventure: Shilo, sick of being trapped in his room, searches outside and finds several papers in his mothers study detailing how one person was being tracked and followed in the streets of Los Angeles. He decides he wants to escape said entrapment and searches for a way to escape. Shilo is an interesting figure when it comes to the call for adventure, because rather than being called by an outside force like many other stories (ex, Rapunzel is egged on by the appearance of Flynn Rider or Rolan Deep being called back by his parents funeral) Shilo makes his own call. He is the one who breaks into his mothers study and he is the one to decide to go. This is influenced by a lot of things- like how it is the start of a VTM campaign and Bizly cannot just sit and wait for forever, but it also opens the question of would Charlie have made one if Bizly did not already take action? 

2. Refusal: Shilo notably skips this step, mostly ready to jump into the adventure due to his nativity and belief he will be safe as he is the prince of his vampire clan. However this can be interpreted as his mother blocking him from leaving and even restricting him by magical means from even speaking about the documents he found. Referencing back to the last step, it's very interesting how the refusal manifests as someone else rather than Shilos own inner turmoil. It is like the characters that would normally play in these two steps -his mother and himself- switch, creating a more interesting story when it is himself who has chosen to leave and the juxtaposition later that causes when he enters LA. 

3. Supernatural aid: Shilo himself, as a vampire can be interpreted as his own supernatural aid, however notable at this point he is overtaken by a supernatural anger at being treated like a child. His player rolls very well for the stealthy and supernatural actions he takes to push past any obstacles facing him getting to Los Angeles. The seer at the door can also be interpreted as said supernatural aid, as she tells Shilo how to go through the door and is sort of the classic “old person helping the young protagonist” type. I think she will 100% be more important later and possibly assume this role in Shilo and possibly Emiezl's life due to her being there when the twins were born and being the overseer of Salem (Pepper) but in the current season we have now, she is simply a guard to the door. 

4. Stepping through the threshold: Shilo physically and mentally steps through the threshold in his story. He finds his way through The Darkened Door, a physical door that can take him wherever he wishes. The physical one comes to Los Angeles, which is a complete turnaround for Shilo from his quiet castle room. The lights are bright, the city is busy, and the people are mean. Shilo throughout the story remarks on this and how he is very much a fish out of water. I personally love his “LA sucks” phrase because to him, it really does and plays off comedically on how he was the one to want to visit LA and get out of his castle doors. Of all places to go, it was LA, the complete juxtaposition of the Umber castle. ESPECIALLY since he can’t even dress like a normal human and must dress like a gaudy victorian vampire. (a trait I REALLY wish was brought up more. Granted who knows maybe people think it's just someone doing a late night cosplay (clown walk /ref))

5. Belly of the whale: Shilos first belly of the whale conflict is when he realizes he is not 24/7 protected and regarded as infallible royalty in the city of LA when he tries to enter a club that seems to be a hideout for vampire society and proceedingly gets arrested. He is taken from his group and quickly placed in jail where he will later get bailed out after repeating how cops are heroes to him. This one was hard for me to choose what Shilos “first” trial was. Originally I was going to go with his altercation with Emeziels (his?) father, due to the fact he erases his memory without an afterthought and that emphasizes the whole lesson of “consequences” later on. However, I really do think Shilos first moment of being in deep- in the “belly of the whale” was the aforementioned club altercation and his subsequent jail time. He is no longer this kid who can bat his eyes at the primogens or his mom when he gets caught out of his room, and is now a functioning member of society that must abide by both vampire and human laws. It’s a moment of “oh”, although this is kind of overshadowed by the fact Shilo is like “yay police ride!! They're the good guys!” and later sets in when they are not on his side and when he speaks to Soda. 

6. Road of trials: This is where most of the events of the podcast take place. Shilo and his group have many trials, through the story, including but not limited to getting into a huge vampire party, finding information on the main villain he meets at said party, finding out his mother has died due to vampire hunters that are now hot on his trail, all while avoiding the consequences of his own actions. Okay this one's kinda self explanatory. I trust yall to get it and I really don't wanna go in depth because i'm LAZY. I really considered mentioning things like the unseen one but I wanted to make it seem like a much more cohesive plot to my classmates than what the suckening really is (cause looking back good lord is it all over the damn place bro)

7. Meeting with the goddess: The character(s) I would consider the traditional “goddess” in Shilo’s story is the group known as The Midnight Circle. They are a group of female witches that help Shlio and his companions on gaining knowledge on both how to deface and bring down the main villain of the story and their curse as vampires. They can only succeed however, by working through their own personal doubts and gripes with their curses and helping each other. Shilo succeeds with flying colors, and he gives up his eye (mechanically, in the game, his insight and perception bonuses) in favor of knowledge of the main villains and his own mothers origin. This one is also kinda self explanatory. Though I am kind of sad that the midnight circle is like. The only figures who could be considered the goddess in this story. You could technically argue that both The Midnight Circle AND the Unseen One could be the typical “goddess” figure, but I digress.

8. The temptress: The temptress character on the flipside is actually quite a stray from the regular idea of a sultry maiden in this story. Some might say it can even be skipped, but I'd like to interpret it as the main villain. Early on in the story, the main villain had Shilo “drink his blood” several times unknowingly, leading to a game mechanic called a “blood bond” where the drinker is entranced by the vampire whos blood they drank and on higher levels (eg. the more blood they drink) has to obey their beck and call. In some of the final episodes of the story he makes Shilo a victim to his wills, leading Shilo to accidentally give up all the proof they have to defame him to said villain. It’s quite a huge roadblock in the final parts of said story, and the players must find a way around it. You can tell I really wanted to get this point across and went all out explaining the blood bond LMAO. I really do feel like for Shilo, Edward is the temptress in a less-orthodox way of a woman who the protagonist might lust after, and instead is this force that physically calls Shilo and interrupts his plans. On Tumblr, people have pointed out how because Shilo is very aro/ aroace coded, this very well can be interpreted as a sexual assault metaphor. Unknowingly drinking Edwards blood, several times, the fact he was undressed and redressed in matching clothes as Edward, the way Grizzly describes the music (that we cannot hear, only the players) Condi put on as “romantic” only fulfills this. Hell, Nathan Hanover himself said Edwards original music was supposed to have a chorus of moans. Imagine that playing over the scene where Shilo wakes up? I could very much go on about Shilo being treated narratively “like a girl” and how that affects his story and progression but this thing is already so long and id want to find and quote the tumblr posts this idea spawned from because it's important to me people actually get credit <3. Overall though, Edward Twilight ABSOLUTELY fits the temptress role in Shilos story, especially in the scene where he calls on Shilo while Shilo has the evidence of his wrongdoings and all Shilo can do is just. Follow along. 

9. Atonement with the father: This is actually one of the few steps Shilo skips, as he does not really have a father figure and this step falls more on his companion through the story, Arthur, who’s entire arc revolves around his past family and father. <- I actually LIED here. Shilo DOES have an atonement with the father- and that is with Deacon! I didn't want to introduce this new character and have to explain who this new guy was to the story on step nine LMAO. However, Shilo doesn't have an “atonement” with Deacon, and in fact after Edward takes all the proof of him breaking the masquerade from Shilo, Deacon does not believe him. It’s a very sad moment, and really plays into Deacon and Shilo’s relationship and dynamic through the whole story. Shilo believed Deacon was a person to go to for safety and protection, someone who would believe him though and through, and instead Deacon is fallible. He attacks Shilos friends after Club Crepuscule is blown up, he does not answer any of Shilos messages after he calls a billion times, he brings him straight to Edward after Shilo is hurt, and he does not believe what Shilo says about Edward. He shows again and again how he really only does things for his own gain, and honestly, I think if Shilo wasn’t the prince he would have left him to die many times. A vampire cop is still a cop y'know. 

He also has a strange fucking voice/person?? In his room??? I feel like we don't talk about this enough hello????

10. Apotheosis: Teehee. Apotheosis. This stage happens when Shilo’s previous actions throughout the road of trials comes to bite him, and consequences are on the horizon. An old man Shilo has accidentally let into the world and knowledge of vampire society is kidnapped and left up to be food for the main villains “end all be all” game (a hunger games style arena). Shilo does his best to save this old man, but in the end fails, and realizes how his actions have consequences in a very heartbreaking moment. I do think Shilo actually has TWO apotheosis, but I thought for word count and explanation I’d only mention Ben. The second (and honestly my and probably many others) first thought was when Shilo loses his innocence trait when making Edward Twilight “ugly” in front of all vampire society. Both of these events play into different traits and lessons Shilo has been learning through the course of The Suckening. Ben represents the fact he does have consequences to his actions and what he does matters in the grand scheme of things, not only to him but to others. His loss of innocence is about how he is no longer a child who is protected by his mother in the castle, and instead is someone who has the power to do what he wants when he wants. These two apotheosis also play into each other. Without the realization of consequences Ben brings Shilo, he could easily fall into being a manipulative creature without much humanity or care for those around him just like Edward and the other vampires of vampire society. Without the loss of the innocence trait and bringing down Edward Twilight, he could shrink into himself and become an anxious defeated child, whose mother is dead and who is a slave to the whims of someone much more powerful than him. It creates a very interesting end to this chapter of Shilo's life, and with the promise of a second season, creates suspense for where this new version of him is going to go. 

11. Ultimate boon: Playing off the last step, Shilo realizes how he isnt a small child protected by the castle walls anymore, and does have consequences to the actions he takes, especially on those he cares about. I forgot what the ultimate boon thing was. Give me a second. OH okay for more context the ultimate boon is the accomplishment of the goal the protagonist set out to do. Shilo’s “main goals” move a lot through the story. At first, it’s escaping the castle to find who his mother is tracking. Then its getting used to LA. Then it's taking down Edward Twilight and finding a good replacement, which morphs into becoming a good leader himself. At the end of The Suckening, a couple of Shilos goals are not met yet, and Charlie and Bizly actually speak in the QNA how originally the Suckening was supposed to be on a much bigger scale than LA, so we can imagine in the next installment we will possibly see Shilo’s goals of a good ruler being met, or they will shift as he grows into himself outside the castle walls. 

12. The return: Shilo, after finally defacing the main villain, Shilo is picked up by one of their companions' helicopter, and flown away from the other companion, watching as said other companion is burnt to a crisp by the rising sun. This ones really simple, as Shilo does not “return” to his home. Instead he is picked up by Real Taylor Lautner, and the story ends. 

13. Crossing of return threshold: This is where Shilo’s story truly breaks from the hero's journey, as his story is cut short and left open ended. There is a whisper of season two in the works (although it seems very far away), and hopefully we will see Shilo return to his broken castle home, a changed person without his mother and new knowledge of the outside world. I really do hope we get to see him return, as it is a very interesting dynamic and as mentioned earlier, the trio was supposed to take on all of Vampire Society rather than just Edward, so I really do hope we are not cut off from Shilo’s heroes arc too early and maybe we simply restart back to the road of trials when we get season two. 

Shilo is a very interesting character, who one may argue isn't even a hero. He follows some of the steps of the hero's journey, but also subverts some of the traditional steps with his beginning and ending. He is a very complicated and interesting character, and this analysis is also here to show how the JRWI boys follow said hero's journey in one way or another. Not to sound like a cringey youtuber but if you have more thoughts/things to add PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME!!!! I would love to speak about this more (not just to myself lmao) and there are a lot of points I missed (LIKE SHILO RIPPING OUT THAT ONE GUYS THROAT BEING A TURNING POINT IM SO MAD I COULDNT FIT THAT IN). Overall, I love The Suckening, and I think how Shilo is handled and played as a character is very intriguing! And also I might need to get tested for autism. 

[yandere-daydreams]

NO LILIA he's so silly

minor diasomnia spoilers

he's the silliest unfortunately T-T i just binged the first twenty chapters of diasomnia's book today, and,,,, yeah. kinda starting to see why malleus is acting like that. imagine your dad just comes up to you during lunch (meaning LITTERALLY the middle of the day) and tells you that he's dropping out of the highschool that you both attend and moving to the other side of the planet to feed birds and die ig. and you don't even get invited to rummage through his stuff with your adopted brother and man servant. AND your shiny new human tells you they're going to return to their own dimension and Disappear Forever less than a full twelve hours later. i'd provably freak out and do a little magical kidnapping too tbh.

[erikiara80]

Will is paralleled to the god-like turtle of The Dark Tower and IT. Maturin, symbol of creation, light and protection

The turtles and the red flower in the Byers' house might be a big hint at Will's creation powers.

(If Will is paralleled to Maturin, El is paralleled to Shardik, the cyborg Bear)

@lilitblaukatz @chirpsythismorning @shippingfangirl013 I think you'll like this.

In The Dark Tower series the Rose symbolizes the Tower and a higher being. The Tower holds the multiverse together and protects it. In fact, in the darkness there are primordial, god-like monsters which will destroy everything, should the the Tower fall. But there are also benevolent god-like beings who protect the Tower and the multiverse. One of the most powerful is Maturin.

(From Stephen King's IT Wiki and VS Battles Wiki)

Maturin the Turtle A kind, wise, and compassionate cosmic being with god-like powers. He is said to be constantly withdrawn into his shell, but one of the occasions that he did come out of it was when he had a stomachache which caused him to vomit out the mainstream universe, (something that occured as he was belching up some sort of "egg") after which he promptly retreated back into his shell. He's one of the twelve Guardians of the six Beams that hold up the Dark Tower and ensure the survival of existence as a whole. He is light and kindness, and its nemesis is IT (Pennywise) who takes the shape of a clown and a giant spider. In the novel IT the member of the Losers Club who speaks to Maturin is Bill (William) Denbrough.

There are many parallels between Will and Maturin. But there are two guardians for each Beam. In ST, two keys, Will and Eleven.

Maturin vomited the universe. IT laid eggs. In Vecna's mindspace Max sees eggs and little spiders. Will throws up an UD creature, and near Castle Byers Hop and Joyce find a egg (a cool Alien Easter Egg)

Will's character has many feminine traits and is the one associated with birth and creation.

Nancy in S4: It's like the Christmas lights. When Will was in the UD lights came to life. Steve, in 3x01, after Will senses the Mind Flayer and the gate opens: "Let there be light."

Will is like Bastian, an artist who creates and build things. He built Castle Byers with Jon just the way he drew it. This is the first time someone mentions building something, before the Mind Flayer tells Billy (William) that he wants him to build what he sees, and before One asks El to help him re-shape the world. It's interesting that she refuses though, and also destroys Twelve's tower.

Speaking of Twelve. Maturin is one of the twelve guardians of the Beams that hold up the Dark Tower, and Will has been associated with the number 12 many times since S1. So, Twelve "represents" him. And we see him build a tower...

They focus on the tower because it's important. In the poster in Will's room there's a red pyramid.

Maturin is also a protector, but tends to withdrawn into his shell. Will is kind and quiet. "He's always quiet", Lucas says.

But he's Will the Wise, a Wizard and a Cleric, a healer (the poster of The Curein his room) In his very first scene, Dustin tells him to cast protection, and in S2 he tells the others how they can defeat the Mind Flayer.

The UD is "stuck" on the day he went missing, his name is on the Creels' grandfather clock, and Dustin gives the Forever Clock to him. So he is connected to time itself. And (SPOILERS ON THE DARK TOWER) in that series there's a multiverse and a time loop. So maybe ST is about many timelines in a time loop?

IT, Maturin's nemesis, can take the shape of a giant spider and represents chaos, destruction and darkness.

Will's enemy is the Mind Flayer/Vecna, who wants to destroy the world, and re-build it.

But maybe there's also another parallel with The Dark Tower. The red storm of the Mind Flayer and the red tower Twelve builds remind me of the Crimson King. Yeah, I think the reveal about Will's real role in the story will change everything.

[razumairon]

La Squadra Esecuzioni playing Dungeons & Dragons, a meme

(English translation under the pictures)

As previously stated, this is NOT an headcanon. It's just... a mixture of a meme and a tag yourself. So please, don't come at each other's throat or something equally awful, thank you🫶🏻

- Forever DM

- Mostly because he hates the party doing anything except for what he wants them to do

- He also hates DMing because the party always takes the only path he didn't plan and takes two sessions to buy a dagger at the smith, but no one ever wants to DM so he has to do it

- Or, worse, have Prosciutto as DM

- His DCs are 56 high or more when he doesn't want the party to take certain routes

- Spoiler, it happens almost all the time

- He sometimes let Prosciutto DM

- He DMs canon campaigns because he doesn't want to take the effort to make up his own setting

- Sometimes he DMs original one shots

- Melone made him hate the bard

- Rule lawyer

- He knows even the Monster Manual by heart

- He intervenes to correct both the DM and the players about rules but nobody asked him to most of the times

- He is hated for that

- Very focused on builds, he lets them to lead him in his choice for the character options

- He tried all the classes and knows them all by heart

- No one wants him as DM because he doesn't allow anything that isn't explicitly written in the rules

- And also because he allows mutilations on the PCs when they make a critical fail in combat or the enemies strike a critical hit

- Sadly Risotto is sometimes too energy drained to DM so players have to deal with him as DM

- He DMs canon campaigns ONLY

- However he has interesting ideas for his characters

- A pity his roleplay is shit because he never changes expression or voice tone

- He bullies people who use D&DBeyond

- He constantly forget the rules

- He always makes his character's backstory shared with Prosciutto's character one

- Sometimes Prosciutto doesn't want to be paired with him so he has to find someone else

- He never played a character with an independent background

- He owns 57 pencils, 49 rubbers, 35 miniatures, 26 dice sets and always offers to print other people's character sheets

- Of course he's always willing to lend his stuff

- He's the eternal exploited one because Formaggio sponges even his chair

- He's secretly a dice hoarder but he'd never admit that

- He actually doesn't like playing D&D that much but he enjoys the company

- His characters all have social anxiety

- And they're all discriminated races

- Caster main

- He's terribly unlucky with dice rolls

- He once rolled a double 1 with Advantage

- Powerplayer, metaplayer and every worst kind of -player

- Cheater

- He always gets caught cheating and his character usually dies horribly... if Prosciutto is the DM. Otherwise, Risotto thanks him for passing that ability check that twelve people were able to fail

- However, he always pays attention to the session and takes notes... that he never shares

- He either plays a wizard to mock other characters' low intelligence or he plays a fighter to mock their low strength and prowess in battle, No in between

- He endlessly recycles the same characters

- His character is always rival with Formaggio's one for some reason

- He fights with Formaggio to play the fighter

- Despite everything he has the best strategies

- He cares little for roleplay, he's more into builds

- His characteristic points are never lower than 15

- Constantly late for session

- He never has what is needed for the session and "borrows" anything from Pesci

- He stole half of La Squadra's dice sets and lost every single one of them

- He and Ghiaccio fought really hard because of that

- And in fact now the only one lending him anything is Pesci

- He uses the smartphone during session

- He never took notes and never remembers shit

- "Wasn't this asshole the miniboss?" (they defeated the boss 8 sessions earlier)

- He is a terrible tactician but he comes up with crazy plans that somehow work in the end

- Extremely lucky with dice rolls

- His characters' names come from the IKEA catalogue but he regularly forgets them

- Pesci doesn't know the rules but Formaggio doesn't even know which game they're playing

- Fighter main

- The story is slow to proceed because of him doing offgame jokes all the time

- He brings amazing snacks though, he even cooks when he feels like it

- Bard main

- His PC is an excuse to flirt with friends

- Where Prosciutto played every class, he played every race

- Everybody hates the bard because of him

- He prefers roleplay to builds

- And, in fact, his PCs are all weaklings because he chooses builds because "it seemed cool by name and concept" but never actually read what they do or how they work

- His character is always the first one to run out of HP in combat

- Mostly because he's been able to make the DM hate his character during the campaign

- He's the only one encouraging Formaggio's crazy plans

- All his dice sets are glittered

- He never used the canon character sheets, only fanon redesigns

- He decorates them with markers when he's bored during session

- He's the one who is most into the campaign

- He draws other players' characters and funny scenes from the campaign

- Barbarian main

- He fucked up some campaigns because he charged the NPCs that glared at him

- He shares his notes only with Melone

- He goes nuts if something disturbs the session like the ringtone of the phone or a door slamming violently

- He sometimes encourages Formaggio's crazy plans

- He hates the stereotype of the stupid barbarian and tried hard to avoid that in his characters

- He never played a caster because he can't choose among so many spells

- He bullies the ranger because he thinks it's too situational

- He makes good builds

- The fact that Melone is totally unable to make decent builds drives him nuts

- But he can't resist helping Melone's character when they get in trouble

- Trouble that was caused by Melone's character themselves, by the way

- He always plays the same alignment

- He fights with Illuso's fighter because the both want to do the tank

- He played the paladin once but he became an Oathbreaker at level 1 because he cursed his own deity

[cookies-and-mirrors]

Prison of Stone and Flesh Masterlist

This is a collaborative fic between @cookiesupplier, @faceless-mirror & @comforting-madness About the Authors: Meet Cookie, Pastel & Kimiya Also X-Posted to Ao3 if you'd like to read there!

Divider by @samspenandsword

MasterList Cast of Characters

Pairings: Multi-Pairings, Everybody x Everybody.

Bands Included: Motionless In White, Bad Omens, Bring Me The Horizon, Ice Nine Kills, Sleep Token (to be added as characters join, no spoilers)

Triggerlist: transphobia, homophobia, abuse, SA, dubcon, religious trauma, past suicide attempts, mental health issues, grief, death, violence, kidnapping, suicidal ideation, torture, racism/speciesism, (To be added to)

Christopher, Justin, and Ryan are members of the Gargoyle Order, soldiers fighting in the angels war against the demonic supernatural evils of the world to protect human kind. Through the years they lost comrades and now just the three of them remain in their little town. They have long since been abandoned by the angel that had been sworn to keep them safe and protect them during the day while they were trapped in stone.

Now, Ricky and Vinny are moving into their church to renovate and live in the space due to Ricky always found it as home as a child, stirring up old and new feelings, along with the past, posing the challenge of navigating this new chapter in their lives.

Can they navigate this path successfully and break free of the prisons that is their lives of both stone and flesh, or will they all be trapped forever in a world that could prove to be a constant misery?

Chapters: smut**, other trigger warnings^^, combination *^

PROLOGUE | ONE | TWO** | THREE | FOUR | FIVE** | SIX | SEVEN** | EIGHT | NINE** | TEN | ELEVEN | TWELVE** | THIRTEEN** | FOURTEEN^^ | FIFTEEN^^ | SIXTEEN** | SEVENTEEN^^ | EIGHTEEN^^ | NINETEEN^^ | TWENTY^^ | TWENTY ONE** | TWENTY TWO | TWENTY THREE** | TWENTY FOUR^^ | TWENTY FIVE** | TWENTY SIX^^ | TWENTY SEVEN^^ | TWENTY EIGHT*^ | TWENTY NINE^^ | THIRTY | THIRTY ONE** | THIRTY TWO^^ | THIRTY THREE | THIRTY FOUR | THIRTY FIVE** | THIRTY SIX | THIRTY SEVEN | THIRTY EIGHT** | THIRTY NINE^^ | FORTY | FORTY ONE | FORTY TWO | FORTY THREE^^ | FORTY FOUR*^

Asks / One Shots / Extras :

Gargoyle Order | Idea | Pet Peeves | Pet Peeves 2 | Heights | Chris Fav' Coffee

MasterList Cast of Characters

taglist under cut

Taglist: @miamore0570 @21-century-tae @dragon-chica @shilohrosechicken @comforting-madness

@missduffsblog @witchyweeb34 @spicywhenspeaking @lacktoesandtoddlerants @blackveilomens

@bngurngheart @dominuslunae @collapsedglasshouses @emmmm127 @sunsshinesunny

@latenightmusiclover @dontdiganothergravetoday @high-wire @awkwardalex @ofelia19

@retriibutions @mylittlehatefuck666 @daddy-sir @punkprincess1999 @31miw-inkpsycho

(please comment/like/reblog/message to be added to taglist)