#where my sisters always been the problem child and is always causing some kind of stir

[cetoddle-archive]

i love it here i feel so miserable i can barely move but i managed to drag myself out of bed and go into the living room to say hi to my mom who’s on the phone with my grandma and she was just like “oh she came in here looking miserable. anyways” and went back to talking about my sister 😐

[genericpuff]

This might be kind of a stupid question, but in total, how many times did Rachel retconned LO? I clearly remember Hypnos being trapped for 10 years and then it getting retconned to "a few days"

Also, Hera, Demeter, Hestia going from friends to sisters

Did something else get retconned…?

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-

this question got me thinking so hard i consulted the UnpopularLO crew, here's what we were able to come up with but there are almost definitely more examples:

Melinoe claims she's only been trapped for a few days but this contradicts what Hypnos told us about Kronos using a child deity to overthrow the Underworld in the first place. Unless this just means Persephone showed up just a day or two after everyone fell into a deep sleep, but considering the state of the Underworld when she arrives and other things we're told after the S2 finale, there's no way this is the case.

Speaking of Melinoe, the whole concept of "the interloper" was clearly something Rachel came up with on the fly and didn't have an actual solution to because when we're first told about them, they look nothing like Melinoe:

The weird replacement of Hades' imagined childhood self with Melinoe as a dream child who was actually "always present" throughout the first two seasons. Like, why is Hades so familiar with the ghost child 'checking in on him' if this was some random thing that started happening due to Kronos messing around with the timeline?

The sudden 'reveal' that Ouranos was the one pulling the strings and manipulating Apollo since the very beginning even though that makes zero sense and was completely unnecessary to explaining Apollo's motivations. Apollo himself even constantly flip flops between being some evil mastermind out to get Persephone for a very specific purpose (overthrowing Zeus) and being just a completely oblivious obsessed asshole who doesn't understand consent and actually believes Persephone is in love with him. After all, why would Apollo go on a date with Daphne and then ask her if she'd be willing to cut her hair to look like Persephone's if the goal was to get his hands on Persephone specifically for the purpose of using her powers to overthrow Zeus? How in the world does Daphne factor into that?

Throughout S1 and 2, the gods claim that the mortals are largely disposable and easily replaceable, but then when Persephone causes the plague, suddenly mortals need to be protected because their beliefs and rituals are necessary to sustaining the gods (funny how Hermes bounces between the mortals being necessary to save at all costs but also just inconvenient to live without, like which is it lmao):

The whole "plan" to overthrow Kronos bouncing between being Hera's idea and being Zeus' idea. Rachel just couldn't seem to decide if she wanted a strong female character like Hera to be a victim manipulated into abuse or willingly choosing to put herself in harm's way for the "greater good". IIRC it's written out in the end that Hera and Zeus couldn't even remember who came up with the plan first (but don't quote me on that, I need to find the panels, they do stick out in my mind but I don't know which episode they're specifically from)

The reveal that Hera was the missing fertility goddess depicted on the mural when the original reveal of the mural looks nothing like how it looks later in the flashback sequences. This is the same as the Interloper problem where Rachel was clearly grasping at setting up some kind of mystery box that she didn't know the contents of.

The reveal that Zeus and Metis had a relationship which is what allowed him to use her powers in the first place (because within that same episode Rachel revealed that a bond of love was necessary to using them, but then clearly realized that meant Zeus and Metis had to be in love)

Zeus consuming Metis was changed into some plan to "protect Hera" from being used as a fertility goddess power battery, but then Zeus just went ahead and slowly drained Hera of her powers anyways.

Metis becoming a star after being eaten by Zeus because reasons.

The text messages from Leuce and Hades were retroactively changed into a "manifestation board", probably to absolve Hades of "fooling around" while Persephone was trapped in the Mortal Realm, but all at the expense of a woman who was now retconned into being delusional just for the sake of strengthening the main ship and giving Persephone someone to bully.

The reveal during the trial that Eris was the cause of Persephone's wrath when there was literally zero reason for that to be the case.

The reveal during the trial that Thanatos was actually Hades' adopted son, which really doesn't look good on Hades considering how much of a dick he was to Thanatos throughout the entirety of the first two seasons without any impression given that they might have a canon father-son dynamic.

Apollo and Artemis WEREN'T originally going to be children of Zeus in LO, as Rachel didn't want to create any possibilities for incest within the messy family tree of the Greek gods, but then she decided to make them the children of Zeus anyways as a "plot twist" which is really silly considering 1.) most people would assume they're Zeus' children anyways due to being his children in the myths, and 2.) she still designed them to look just like Zeus.

The subtle but very present SA retcon. This one's so egregious and in-depth I wrote an entire essay about it.

Minthe was originally written with BPD which Rachel decided to "move away from", probably because she realized how shitty it made her look to give BPD to the one character she was pitting the audience against as the "mean other girl" who we all knew was eventually going to be turned into a plant.

Edited panels and changes in the physical books. This is unfortunately not something that I can fully document here, I'm planning on making an actual dedicated post for it, but people have caught changes both in the webtoon version of the comic AND the physical prints that point to Rachel trying to quietly retcon things in the wake of her own bad writing, one of which is present in that aforementioned SA erasure essay in which a scene was added to make Persephone seem more sympathetic towards Apollo. That said, there's also a scene in the trial arc that was changed in the webtoon version, in which Rachel retconned Eris' dialogue from revealing that Hades was the reason Demeter wasn't queen of the mortal realm to reminding her that Hades was the reason (because obv later on we'd get a flashback sequence showing us what happened between Demeter and Hades, which implied that Demeter knew all along what Hades did because he did it right in front of her):

(isn't it funny-weird how Persephone never asks about this despite being in the courtroom when Eris mentions this?)

There are almost DEFINITELY more examples of Rachel absentmindedly and/or intentionally retconning things throughout LO, but that's what we were all able to come up with and should at least get the gears moving in our heads when thinking about other instances of it throughout the comic. Granted, some of these are arguably less 'retcons' and more so just logical inconsistencies / plotholes / etc. but they all still point towards Rachel doing a very bad job at keeping track of her own comic's narrative, its characters, and its twists, even in spite of having multiple other people working for her who all seem to enjoy LO (including heyitsjaki, who is also a webcomic creator), an editor with a background in television writing, and a massive and dedicated fanbase that actively keeps track of her story and its themes arguably more than she does. At that point it feels less "oopsie daisy!" and more just deadass not giving a shit. I don't want to accuse her of intentionally doing this, but it's like she knows her fanbase will just go with whatever she tells them even when it doesn't align with other things she's told them or make sense within the overall narrative - and she'll still be rewarded with Eisner awards regardless - so she doesn't bother to actually try when it comes to the writing, it's just about meeting that panel quota and giving people more H x P fluff.

The simpler answer though, even outside LO, is that Rachel just can't write.

[fluentmoviequoter]

I love your writing it's great could you write a Dalton Lambert x reader where the readers a single mom to a one year old chris introduced them and they hit it off so they've been together for 6 months and then before that friends for 6 months so the baby was 6 months old when they got together and is now a year old so Dalton became readers baby's step dad a little and reader and her child go with Dalton to his home for Thanksgiving break and meet his family obviously Cali doesn't really care and is happy to have a sister and niece now and Renia is happy to know Dalton is happy and absolutely loves the reader and her kid and then foster being the teenage boy he is doesn't really care that much but obviously Josh doesn't really like reader cause she's a young mom and is skeptical of her considering the problems he and Dalton have

So sorry for the long wait! I hope this is along the lines of what you wanted. I think this is my longest fic and it covers over a year; I tried to follow your timeline. Thank you so much for the request and the kind words!! Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)

Warnings: fem!reader is pregnant and gives birth (no detail), unnamed child (nickname: Bump), marriage, lots of fluff, some angst towards the end. 3.8k+ words

A/N: The title is from "Come Together" by Aerosmith, which has absolutely nothing to do with the fic, I didn't explain why the reader is a single mom, that's up for interpretation/reader's choice. I also made a very obvious reference to another Ty Simpkins movie.

One and One and One is Three

✵Last October✵

“Dolphin, please!” Chris begs, extending a store-bought Halloween costume.

“I’m not going to another party with you, I’ve learned my lesson,” Dalton responds, crossing his arms.

“Fine.” Chris sighs. “I guess I’ll go by myself, just a poor, defenseless girl, and hope for the best. I thought we were friends.”

Dalton groans as he tips his head back, running a hand through his hair. “Why do you always do this?”

“Because it works. Now go change, we need to go.”

Chris tosses the costume onto Dalton’s bed before walking out.

Dalton takes a deep breath before picking up the bag.

“Iron Man? Really?”

After changing, Dalton meets Chris outside the dorm building, standing silently as she playfully fawns over him. The closer they get to the party, the more Dalton appreciates the cheap piece of plastic covering his face. Maybe he can get through the party and back to his dorm without any incidents this time.

Chris leads Dalton inside the house, greeting people and looking around as she walks toward the kitchen. Dalton hears several other Avengers yelling at him but pretends not to notice them. As he prepares to ask Chris what or who she’s looking for, she stops abruptly, and he nearly runs into her.

“Baby Bump!” Chris yells.

“Chris,” Dalton hisses, concerned he will have to break up a fight. He takes off his mask to prepare.

Chris hugs someone and then steps aside. “Dalton this is Baby Bump. Baby Bump, Dolphin.”

Dalton tells you his real name as you tell him yours. You laugh as you repeat his name and shake his hand.

“You’re…” Dalton begins.

“Pregnant?” you suggest. At the same time, Dalton finishes, “A kangaroo.”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m a kangaroo. And you’re Iron Man.”

Chris interjects to say she’s going to find food. You nod sweetly and smile, sending Dalton’s mind into overdrive as he imagines you looking at him like that.

“Do you like Iron Man? Or did Chris get your costume? She wanted to pick mine, but I vetoed that.”

“Yeah, yeah, Chris picked it. She forced me to come, so I didn’t have much of an option,” Dalton answers.

You nod and smile up at him, making him wish he had the mask back on to cover his warming cheeks.

“You make a very attractive Iron Man if it helps.”

“I’m pretty sure you could tell me I look stupid, and I’d say thank you.”

You laugh, and Dalton thinks it’s the best sound he has ever heard. You look over your shoulder for Chris and shift your feet to find comfort.

“Do you wanna go somewhere else, or sit down? Anything?” Dalton offers, raising a hand toward you slightly.

“Yeah,” you answer with a sigh. “But you stay here, enjoy! Chris should be back soon.”

“Chris isn’t coming back, it’s like her favorite thing in the world to abandon me at parties. So, where to?” Dalton offers his arm, and you loop yours through, smiling as he walks you toward the front door.

“Why did you agree to come?” you ask as you exit the house.

“I’d never let Chris go to a party by herself. This one seems like a decent one, so I’m okay with leaving her.”

“Bad experience with a college party?”

“Frat party the first week.”

You make a sound of agreement. “You’re a good friend.”

“You never told me where you want to go,” Dalton points out, trying to get your attention off of him.

“I’m craving something really weird, so if you want to go home-“

Dalton cuts you off with a dramatic shake of his head. “Let’s get it. How weird can it be?”

✵Last November✵

“What do you guys want for dinner?” Chris asks, looking up from her phone.

“Your favorite concoction?” Dalton suggests, looking over at you, where you’re lying on his bed with your feet up.

“Never going to let me live that down,” you grumble. “I’m pregnant, Dalton, it was a one-time craving, get over it.”

“Yeah, Dalton, give your pregnant best friend a break. You’re so mean,” Chris adds, winking at you quickly.

Dalton rolls his eyes and returns to his drawing, listening to you and Chris discuss what to order. When the two of you decide, Chris places the order and then says she has to finish some laundry before it gets delivered.

“What are you doing for the break, Dalton?”

Dalton abandons his drawing; his interest shifted to talking to you. He sits at the end of his bed and stretches his legs beside yours. “My dad’s coming to pick me up after my last class, so I’ll be with them for Thanksgiving. What about you?”

“I’ll be in labor, hopefully.”

“You’re staying here?”

“Yep. My stuff got delivered to my new apartment yesterday.”

“Need help unpacking?”

You open your mouth to answer, then tense as a contraction seizes you.

“Was that a contraction?” Dalton asks, sitting up as his eyes widen.

“Yeah, just Braxton Hicks. I’ve had more of them this week.”

“If I’m not here, you’ll call when you go into labor, right?”

“Depends on what day it is and how fast it happens.”

Dalton says your name, waits for your full attention, then says, “Call me. No matter what day or time.”

You nod, then raise your hand and allow Dalton to pull you up to a sitting position.

“Bet you never thought one of your best friends in college would be pregnant.”

“I’ll admit, I never thought about it. But I’m glad we’re friends.”

Dalton stands and helps you up the rest of the way, opening the door as you promise to return in time for dinner.

As the door to the bathroom closes, you feel another sharp contraction. Your eyes widen when you realize what’s happening.

Pulling your phone from your pocket, you click Dalton’s name on your favorites list.

“Hey, Baby Bump, did you fall in?” Dalton answers.

“My water just broke.”

You hear Dalton stand and start running. “I’ll be right there.”

“Sorry about dinner.” You exhale sharply as you experience another contraction. The phone beeps as Dalton hangs up.

“Did you seriously just apologize about dinner while you’re going into labor?” Dalton asks as he walks into the bathroom. You see his shoes outside the stall you’re in.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll talk about that later. Let’s get to the hospital.”

From the moment you walk out of the bathroom stall until your little girl is placed in your arms, Dalton’s hand doesn’t leave yours. He wipes your hair from your forehead and tells you every encouraging thing he can think of. Feeling closer to Dalton than ever, you nearly answer ‘Lambert’ when the nurse asks for your daughter’s last name. You decide not to tell Dalton about that, though.

When you finally force Dalton out of your apartment before Thanksgiving break, you promise to keep him updated. Dalton doesn’t tell his family exactly why he keeps checking his phone, but the smile on his face when you send a picture of you and your daughter tells everything they need to know. Even if Dalton doesn’t know yet.

✵Last December✵

“I missed you so much,” Dalton says as he hugs you. “You look amazing.”

“You were gone for a week, Dalton, I look exactly the same.”

“I got Bump some Christmas presents.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about Chris’s nicknames. Actually, really nervous to hear what she calls me now.”

“Oh, I know what she’s planning to call you and I’m getting in on it,” Dalton says with a smile.

“Wait, did you say Christmas presents? She’ll be less than six weeks old; she won’t remember it.”

“But you’ll remember her first Christmas, and you might need some of them.”

You nod and pull Dalton into another hug, whispering, “I missed you, too.”

The door opens, and a handful of gift bags enter before Chris yells, “Merry Christmas, Momma!”

“Oh, no,” you whisper, hiding your face in Dalton’s chest.

“Oh, yes,” he whispers in reply. “Momma.”

✵May✵

“I know something is going on between you two, Momma.”

“Chris, Dalton and I are just friends,” you insist, for the hundredth time.

“He acts like a dad to your kid, more importantly he acts like your husband, and you’re going to sit there and tell me you don’t want more?”

“We’re just friends.”

Chris’s smile grows, and you furrow your brows as you wonder what you said wrong.

“You didn’t answer the question. You want more, don’t you?”

You bite your lip and look over to your sleeping daughter.

Chris leans forward as she says, “Then do something about it.”

“Like what, Chris?” You stand and pace as you explain, “I can’t just tell a guy, who I’ve only been friends with for seven months, by the way, that I’ve fallen in love with him and can’t imagine my life without him. No one wants a girlfriend with a kid, besides It’s bad enough that he stayed by my side while I had a kid and buys her everything.”

“You said no one wants a girl with a kid then immediately said Dalton treats your daughter like his own.”

You wipe your hands down your face as you sit back down. “I can’t lose what we have. Dalton is an amazing guy, but it’s true that girls with kids are less desirable.”

“No, it’s not.”

You jump at the sound of a third voice, looking over to see Dalton standing in your kitchen.

“How long have you been there?” you ask quietly.

“I’m going to give you two some time,” Chris announces, sending Dalton an encouraging nod as she passes him.

Dalton waits for the door to close before he walks over to you, looking at your daughter before meeting your eyes.

“You are not undesirable because you have a kid. You are beautiful, brave, self-reliant, not to mention an amazing mother. Some guy will be very lucky to have you.”

“How much did you hear?” You repeat.

“Just that you think girls with kids are less desirable. Which isn’t true.”

“Really? That’s all you heard?’

“Yeah.” Dalton’s eyes soften as he kneels before you on the couch.

“What’s going on?”

“If I tell you something, and you don’t agree with me or feel differently, can we still be friends?”

Your daughter starts crying, and Dalton rubs his thumb across your cheekbone before standing and picking her up from her playpen. Dalton bounces your daughter and smiles at her until she starts laughing.

“Momma is nervous, but she doesn’t need to be, does she?” Dalton asks in a high voice. He shakes his head dramatically, drawing a laugh from you and your daughter.

Hearing your laugh, Dalton looks over and sees you smiling. He sits beside you, holding your daughter in his lap.

“I’m in love with you. I have been since after that Halloween party, and I just keep falling more in love with you,” you admit, playing with your fingers.

Dalton’s smile grows slowly, and he stands up, spinning with your daughter. “Did you hear that? Momma loves me too! Yeah, she said it! The big l-word, can you believe that?”

You smile as you stand and walk to Dalton’s side. He tucks you under one arm, kissing your temple quickly. “In case my victory lap didn’t make it clear, I love you too.”

“Even though I have a kid?”

“Are you kidding? I love her too. Professor Armagan is convinced she’s my kid anyway.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I drew a picture of her and no matter how many times I try to explain the situation, she swears that it’s my kid.”

“I think she is, too. Maybe not by blood, but you’re the only father she’ll ever know, Dalton. She loves you; no one else gets her to laugh like that.”

“She cried when I walked in,” Dalton states with narrowed eyes.

“To get your attention, Dalton.”

Dalton gasps and looks over to her. “Really? You did all that just for me? Now I’m going to have to spend more time with Momma though.” He lowers his ear like she’s responding, nodding and shrugging to his imagined conversation. “Of course, I’ll still visit you. But I may have to kiss Momma when I come in or take her on a date. I promise we will still be best friends though.”

“I love you,” you whisper, looking into Dalton’s eyes.

Dalton removes his arm from your shoulders and holds up one finger. He sets your daughter back in the playpen, placing her favorite toy beside her before returning to you. Dalton wraps his arms around your waist, and you raise your arms over his shoulders.

“I love you. More than you know,” Dalton whispers.

Dalton tips his head down and kisses you, laughing into the kiss as your daughter squeals happily in the background.

✵October✵

“You two should do a couple’s costume! It is your one-year anniversary,” Chris says as she drags you and Dalton into a costume shop.

“We didn’t start dating until May.”

“But you should have started in October, that’s my point.” Dalton rolls his eyes when you look over at him.

“Joker and Harley?” Chris suggests.

“I like to think I left the psychopath back in the Further,” Dalton deadpans.

“You could have said anything else. Both of you,” you state, shaking your head as you look at the costumes.

“What would you pick?” Chris asks.

“Farmers and a pumpkin,” Dalton answers.

“That was fast. Wait, pumpkin?”

Dalton looks over at Chris, waiting for her to realize the obvious. “Oh! Right. I forgot that you’d want to include her.”

Chris walks to the next aisle, and Dalton returns to you, wrapping his arms around you from behind and resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Find one?”

“I think she’d make a cute Grogu.” You turn in his grasp, smiling as you ask, “Do you still have the Iron Man costume?”

“I think so. Why?”

“Because it looked really good on you. We could do superheroes.” Something catches your eye over Dalton’s shoulders, and your smile widens. “Or we could be the Incredibles.”

When you look back at Dalton, he’s looking at you like no one else exists.

“Or we could get married.”

You pull away from Dalton slightly, looking into his eyes. “Are you serious?”

“Would you want to? This isn’t an official proposal.”

“Of course, I would, Dalton.”

“What’d we pick? Besides PDA?” Chris asks as she returns.

“The Incredibles,” Dalton answers quickly.

“I think Bump has something for you, Momma,” Dalton says as he opens the door to your apartment after dinner.

Lit candles sit on the windowsill, and Chris and your daughter are wearing dresses. You look at Dalton with teary eyes, wondering what’s going on. You kneel in front of your daughter, and she makes grabby hands at a black box on the table.

“Wing,” your daughter cheers.

Chris winks at you before picking up your daughter and carrying her into your bedroom.

As you stand and turn around, you see Dalton kneeling in front of you, the box open to reveal a beautiful engagement ring.

“I love you. I fell in love with you when I first saw you dressed up as a kangaroo, and I can’t live without you. You and your daughter are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life learning to be a husband and father with you by my side. Will you marry me?”

Tears slide down your face as you nod. “Yes, Dalton, yes!”

He stands, wrapping his arms around your waist and spinning you. You laugh as he slips the ring onto your finger, looking at it quickly before leaning up to kiss him.

“How would you feel about a Halloween wedding? For sentimental reasons,” Dalton suggests.

“Absolutely,” you agree.

Chris carries your daughter out, and she immediately reaches out to Dalton, squealing as he picks her up.

“Momma said yes!” He cheers, pretending to dance with her.

On Halloween, you and Dalton stand in a courthouse with outfits picked by Chris. Chris stands by your side, holding your daughter as you say your vows and marry Dalton Lambert.

As you exit the courthouse, you take your daughter from Chris and hug her close. Dalton silently asks for her, hugging her in the same way.

“You’re stuck with me now,” he whispers before looking at you, “and so are you.”

✵November✵

“Let’s go to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. You can meet my family, and I know you didn’t get a real Thanksgiving last year,” Dalton suggests.

“I don’t know, Dalton. I mean, do they even know about everything that’s happened? About us?”

“My mom knows, and she really wants to meet you.”

Dalton wraps his arms around you, swaying you gently.

“Okay,” you respond with a nod. “Let’s do it.”

“I’m so nervous,” you tell Dalton as he pulls onto his parent’s street.

“Everything will be fine. They’ll love you; both of you.”

As Dalton parks in the driveway, he squeezes your hand and leans across the console to kiss you. As he pulls back, he sees his mom coming down the driveway.

“Here we go,” Dalton whispers before opening his door.

He hugs his mom quickly before coming around to open your door. After helping you out, Dalton says, “Hey, Bump, what are you doing here?” as he releases the car seat straps.

“Hi, sweetheart, I’m Renai. I’ve heard so much about you!” Renai introduces herself before pulling you into a hug.

“I’ve heard a lot about you too. I’m glad to finally meet you!” You respond before introducing yourself.

“And this is Bump,” Dalton says as he joins you.

“A pretty girl like this deserves a better nickname,” Renai says with a smile.

“Dalton!” Kali yells from the porch.

“I’m going to go become her favorite brother because I have a baby,” Dalton announces proudly before walking away.

Renai gestures for you to join her as she begins walking behind Dalton. “I can’t thank you enough for making Dalton so happy.”

“He’s made me happier than I thought possible.”

You hear someone say your name, phrased as a question, and look up to see Kali sitting with your daughter in the living room.

“Hi. You must be Kali, you’re Dalton’s favorite sister,” you tease before introducing yourself and sitting beside them.

“I’m his only sister,” Kali answers with a laugh. “Is she really my niece?”

“Yes, she is. Is that okay?”

“That’s awesome! Wait, so then you would be?”

“Your sister-in-law.”

“I finally have a sister!” she cheers before hugging you.

You make eye contact with Dalton over Kali’s head, smiling at him.

“Is that the wife?” Foster asks as he walks in.

“Yes,” Dalton answers before telling him your name.

“Cool. Nice to meet you,” Foster tells you before continuing toward the kitchen.

“He’s nice, just weird,” Kali tells you quietly.

“Dalton,” Josh calls as he walks in. He looks over at you, playing with Kali and your daughter. “A word?”

Dalton catches your nervous look and nods at you before following his dad outside.

“He doesn’t like me, does he?” You ask Renai as Kali continues playing with Bump, adopting Chris’s nickname.

“Josh has… trust problems and a lot of incorrect assumptions about single mothers. Give him a little time, and if he says something out of line, please don’t be afraid to put him in his place. As far as I know he means well, but sometimes he goes about things all wrong.” You nod, Josh’s voice becoming audible from outside.

“Would introducing myself make it worse?”

“Sweetheart, I honestly don’t know. I’ve known Josh a long time but even I don’t know what makes him so… Josh. But, feel free. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me to come yell at him.”

You thank her, then slowly approach the back door before stepping outside.

“Dalton, you can’t even tell me why she’s a single mom at her age!” Josh argues.

“I can’t tell you because it’s none of your business,” Dalton explains, with a level voice compared to his dad’s yelling.

“Hi,” you say, drawing their attention. “I know we haven’t actually met, and that you don’t trust me or like me because I have a kid and I was a single mom.” You introduce yourself and extend a hand, awkwardly waiting as he hesitates to shake it.

“My mom was a single mother, and she had so many problems,” Josh begins.

“Mr. Lambert, sorry to interrupt, but I’m not a single mom anymore. I understand your concern that I have a kid and what people could say about Dalton for being with me.”

“Oh, so because you have a boyfriend you aren’t a single mom? You’re already balancing a child and college, what could you possibly offer my son?”

“Happiness,” Renai says as she steps out. “Josh, let them explain before you start biting heads off and making this about you and your mom. I’m going to go finish cooking, and if I hear you yelling again we will be celebrating Thanksgiving without you.”

You lean closer to Dalton and whisper, “Your mom is awesome.”

He chuckles against you before nodding.

“Okay. Please, explain,” Josh tries again, crossing his arms.

You look over to Dalton and nod, allowing him to explain.

“We got married. Almost two months ago,” Dalton answers. “And the last fourteen months have been the happiest of my life. If you have a problem with me, or her, keep them to yourself, Dad. We aren’t here for your approval, we wanted to give you a chance to get to know your daughter-in-law, but if you want to waste that by being stubborn and letting your childhood trust issues get in the way, then that’s your loss. Because this is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met in my life and that little girl in there is my daughter, blood or not.”

Josh drops his arms and nods slowly. “I’ll be honest, I won’t be able to accept this overnight, but if you’re both happy and your lives are going where you want them to, then it’s your decision.” He turns to you and apologizes for yelling.

“It’s okay, Mr. Lambert,” you promise. “I know that trust and respect have to be earned.”

“Call me Josh,” he offers, a small olive branch.

“Food is ready!” Renai calls. “And Bump seems to think her last name is Lambert.”

“Maybe it should be,” you whisper to Dalton as you walk inside.

His eyes widen, and he stops walking before rushing to catch up and ask, “What does that mean? Bump Lambert does have a nice ring to it!”

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Please may I have a Blue exorcist headcanons Platonic of when Rin and Yukio somehow ended up having to watch you, permanently (young female reader demon rabbit who took on the form of a little girl..she isn't much older than five if people took one look at her but she's actually older than that and she had the resemblance of Usumaro *the little boy from the Blue exorcist movie* and she is generally his female version..she is actually..Usumaro's little sister and the history was that she was given the rule to make sure that he didn't cause harm but obviously he did it behind her back when he erased the bad memories of the villagers and you can restore bad memories or important ones in that case) and you didn't really like Yukio and you were either so quiet you refused to respond or you just caused him trouble for the sake of it..you actually bit him when he tried putting you in a cage like an animal..you started being nicer when he actually treated you with respect like how you wanted to be respected..you didn't like being treated like a pest..it was cruel. You were really sweet when you were able to be more like a kid despite the type of demon you were..you loved Rin's cooking and You spoke in third person..you were on edge because people could potentially use you as an advantage to make people go through bad things (like making a child go through the trauma of losing her parents again in a car accident). You somehow make flowers bloom around you when you are happy too..

Rin's relationship with you

Yukio's relationship with you..

*It is Platonic mind..*

Hi! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took so long. I hope you like the headcanons!

Fandom: Blue Exorcist

Characters: Rin Okumura and Yukio Okumura x young! rabbit demon! gn! Reader (platonic)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’re a young rabbit demon who has been placed in the care of the Okumura brothers. What do the brothers think of this situation?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rin is honestly a little surprised that people trust him enough to look after a kid. But at the same time, he’s one of the few people who can really connect with a demon so he supposes it makes sense.

Thinks you’re so funny when you ignore Yukio or cause problems for him, especially since Yukio does kind of deserve it.

Loves cooking for you! He thinks it’s great when people eat his cooking for enjoyment as well as just because they’re hungry. He enjoys listening to you compliment his food and if flowers start blooming due to your enjoyment, he’ll be over the moon.

Rin finds it sad that you’re always so on edge but understands why you’re like that. People are always after him for his powers as well so he can understand what you’re going through.

Yukio is not pleased when he finds out he has to care for a demon child. He already has to deal with Rin on a daily basis. He really doesn’t have time to deal with another person he has to care for.

It also doesn’t help that you’re not exactly making it easy for him. But as soon as he realises your behaviour is directly linked to how he treats you, he’ll try to be nicer.

The longer he knows you, the more protective he is of you. He knows you’re on edge a lot due to your fear of your powers being used by the wrong people so he’ll do whatever he can to make you feel safe.

He likes seeing flowers bloom around you when you’re feeling joyful. It’s a visual representation that he’s doing the right thing in making you happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[oddeyesarcpendulumdragon]

another late @arcvmonth prompt fill but I have decided to be nice to myself and just do things at my own pace

Anyway this is for Day 5, role swap, and I decided to dabble a bit in the Fusion-XYZ swap that used to be popular back in the day

Main art is of Sora and Shun's swap since they're the most prominent roles. Shun's outfit is semi-based off of Kaito's, as in XYZ instead of Obelisk Force, they would have the Number Hunters. The actual Number Hunters would wear an outfit pretty identical to Kaito's white coat design, but Shun's is a little different (the way Sora's is different from Obelisk Force) because he's trying to be a spy and all lol. I kept his signature colors/palette, I just wanted to make him look a little sleeker since he's not coming out of a civilian life where he got fucked up by a military invasion.

For Sora, I decided that since Academia is no longer a military school, their uniforms would end up being pretty much the same as they were in GX. I wanted to alter Sora's design a bit to show that this was a different universe, so I changed his jacket to be more like an actual GX jacket (still Obelisk Blue because come on he's still a good duelist lol), and his shorts are based off of Rei's uniform in GX, cause idk boy just looks good in shorts. Added a cloak because he had to be sort of incognito at first, like Shun and Yuto with their masks, and because even in canon all the Fusion kids are always wearing cool cloaks haha.

I have more thoughts under the cut but I don't want this post to get too long:

So basically, the swap's premise is that Leo goes to XYZ first and starts his child soldier grooming program there instead. This means that Academia is a normal duel school, while Heartland becomes essentially one big child soldier factory. Leo spreads his influence to multiple Heartland schools and connects them into one interdimensional army network.

Shun and Ruri are still siblings. They grew up together, and when Leo came along and started militarizing the schools, they just kind of got swept up in it. Leo located Ruri rather quickly, but since she already had some family ties, he couldn't isolate her as easily. So he rolled both Shun and Ruri into some of his more elite training squads.

Ruri is still kept in Heartland, but now she has not only Leo, but Shun also telling her to stay put and that she shouldn't participate in the invasion.

Shun is still very young when Leo gets ahold of him, so he swallows the whole "we have to destroy this other dimension for the sake of universal peace" pretty easily, and gets very gungho about it, because he wants to protect the world for his sister. Ruri also swallows the story, and wants to be a hero like her brother by fighting the "bad guys."

Meanwhile, Academia is just an ordinary school with ordinary kids doing ordinary stuff. Sora is just another student. He's super smart and good at dueling, but doesn't have a lot of drive to impress anyone and is considered a problem child. This gets him to butt heads with the star student of the school, Selena, who is annoyed that Sora is always lazing about, while Sora is annoyed that Selena is always nagging him.

You may ask, where are the dragon boys in this scenario? I'm glad you asked!

Yuto is still friends with Shun and Ruri, however, Leo has been taking steps to isolate him from them by sending him on lots of missions of his own. I didn't draw yuto cause I didn't want to try and design an outfit for him, but he plays a similar role to Yuuri: his job is to go and find girls that look like Ruri. Leo tells him that Ruri is special and there are girls like her who need to be found and taken into protective custody. Unlike Yuuri, who was very sadistic in his own way, Yuto is very genuine. He truly believes he's doing the right thing, and that in and of itself is terrifying. When he faces an opponent, he's always trying to comfort them, like "it's okay, being carded doesn't hurt, it's going to be all right." Which is scary! To most people!

Yuuri is another smart student at Academia who sees no need to prove himself to anyone, like Sora, so the pair of them tend to get along. He's one of those annoying kids who never studies but gets an A++ on everything he does and he has a big head about it. Yuuri's a bit of a prankster and a tease, so he also annoys Sora just as much as Selena does - but he annoys Selena far more.

Anyway, the invasion hits them HARD like it did the other way around in canon. Some of the elite students of the Academia barricade themselves in the school and defend with siege tactics as a last-ditch rebellion. Yuto is sent in to collect Selena, but Sora encounters him first. Sora challenges him and loses. But Selena arrives in time and threatens to make Yuto's job hell trying to chase her down if he cards Sora, but that if he lets Sora go, she'll go with him quietly. Sora blames himself for Selena's kidnapping, and the guilt drives him to find a way to get her back.

Unlike Sora, who in canon didn't have anything to do with the invasion, Shun actually is sent to Fusion as part of a strike force where he really racks up the card count and is considered a super powerful soldier. So Leo entrusts him then with the mission to head to Standard to keep an eye on Reiji.

Things go sideways for him though when 1) he notices Pendulum summoning and 2) he meets a girl who looks just like his sister.

So Shun goes to You Show instead, deciding this is a more effective use of his spying. While there, Yuzu ends up asking him to teach her XYZ summoning, which he agrees on account of her reminding him of Ruri.

So at this point, you can kind of guess where things go. Sora and Shun clash, Ruri runs away from Heartland to see if she can help her brother, and she meets Yuzu, who tells her to get the whole story.

Ruri arrives just in time to see her older brother throwing Sora down a flight of stairs after beating him in a duel, and she's horrified. How could her loving older brother do something like this? Shun is also horrified, because Ruri turns on him. He has no choice but to end up retreating back to Heartland, and Ruri stays behind.

Shun starts to switch sides a little faster than Sora did in canon, because now it's personal. At first he thinks that Ruri's been brainwashed or coerced by Reiji, so he's furious and desperate to take revenge, but once he has a chance to think about it, he starts to consider how Weird his childhood is and how much Leo was always trying to separate him and Ruri. So he starts to investigate what's actually happening - plus, he thinks Yuzu was kidnapped, and he feels guilty for getting her involved.

As another swap, Dennis and Sayaka switch places. Dennis is back in Academia trying his damndest to support the rebellion, but he's terrified and hates himself for his cowardice. Meanwhile, Sayaka was groomed into becoming a spy. She didn't end up becoming friends with Ruri in this continuity, so Ruri doesn't recognize her when she joins the Lancers - but Sayaka did still meet Yushou and was enamored with his dueling style, like Dennis was. She's quiet and sweet and wracked with guilt for everything she's done, but is too afraid to stand up to Leo and the Number Hunters.

anyway this is getting long! You can probably extrapolate some stuff from there :) maybe i'll do more scribbles about this au again sometime.

[istherewifiinhell]

i kept fucking up so i watched these on 2 diff mornings and couldnt even schedule post them. UM OKAY more eps joelle told me to watch i already forgot what number they are

roasted this sad boy so hard now i will learn why he is so so sad

kouka… kagura family member?

INTRO. FREEZE FRAME. is that sugis guysssssssss is that sugi in a comaaa is that fucking banzai

oboro. THAT MAN. shouyouuuuuu

hair? man??? ALIENS.

THAT MAN

being a pirate is MORE important that ur family. got it boss

damn u shit head did u abandon ur sister in the rain the same way ur father ababanoned you. BREAK NO CYCLES!

karuga girl i think your family sucks maybe???

GIN KINDNESS. FUCKING. uhhh infailable asshole kindness social graces of this place is a shithole but so are we all.

SHINPACHI! ur in this show! and you can speak. thats crazy.

YES GIRL GET UR PTO

GUN ARMS????

SAKAMOOOOOOOTTTTOOOOOO :3

where IS SUGI. IM ALWAYS ASKING THIS.

GUN. most girl design ever to girl but GUN.

banzaiiii no u good bbg?

FUCK OFF OBORO

space ships……..

what happens to That Man some insects will never stop flapping their wings UNTIL THEY REACH HEAVEN (archieval footage: him getting his Ass Beat) i got my wing from THE SAME MAN (that man…), so i know.

yes girl yes time to be soooo normal right

u cant tell sugi shouyou isnt dead. thats. thats his whole idenity there. u know

oboro in this outfit/shot framing… why he kinda….

HEY LITTLE FAIL SON. HEY LITTLE SHITTO.

GJHFGJHG GIVING THIS LITTLE CHILD UR. IMMORTAL BLOOD. I HOPE U LIVE AND HATE ME FOREVER. well. thats gintama isnt it. BUT OKAY. hmmmm. take responisiblity for ur actions

hesssss sooooo little……

IM NO TEACHER… well. uh huh. sure ur not sensei.

nooooooooo nooo u did NOT adopt the dog u hit with ur car who then TURNED U INTO THE FUCKING. GUY. THE THE. GIN.TAMA TRAUMA LINCHPIN GUY. nooooooooo

^_^ mode ACTIVATED.

ROBOT ARM. HOT HOT HOT. OBORO U BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME

i cant believe im tryna watch these flash backs during a sugi fight. GIRL.

EYE TRAUMA 4 EYE TRAUMA. GIRLS I LOVE U SO MUCH. NEVER BREAK THE CYCLEEEEEEEEEE

a school born under a pine tree, its just you and me. hmm mmh im sure no other white haired child will ever echo words like this back at you. surely not.

LOOK OBORO YOULL HAVE SOOOO MANY LITTLE SIBLINGS. IT WILL BE GREAT. YOULL LOVE IT

are u becoming a devious little killer to save his live. even tho he didnt ask…..

STABBED YOURSELF. TINY CHILD. ohhhh

appearently I HE THOUGHT I WAS DEAD. YEAH. YEAH OBORO. ANY THOUGHT WHY THAT MIGHT BE. MAYBE THE. YOU KILLED YOURSELF AND A BUNCH OF OTHER PPL IN FRONT OF HIM.

i cannot believe. i get how. in concept. okay child raised in. killing world. solves his problems with killing. BUT ITS SO FUNNY GIRL NO ONE ASKED U DO TO THAT. i love you. WHY DID U DO THAT.

okay. okay. okay okay. YOU. YOU DID ALL THAT. so he and his school and ur junior students. GET TO LIVE. "and even tho im not at his side im satisfied" or whatever you said. (sees him and and your junior students. living) NOW HOLD ON. I NEED TO RUIN THEIR LIVES. girl….

okay hang on. "one swore to never betray him again" shot of oboro. "the other swore to bring him back, even if it meant having to kill him again" shot sugi. OKAY BUT. REMIND MEEEEEE. who. WHOOOO killed him. and knew he was gonna come back. cause… I FEEL LIKE IT WASNT SUGI.

ahhhh there was intercuts there but the flashing was too much i guess will never know.

CAN U PASS ON MY LAST WORDS TO MY STUDENTS. WITHOUT YOU I NEVER WOULDVE GOTTEN TO MEET THEM. WITHOUT YOU I NEVER WOULDVE BECOME (SHOUYOU). THANK YOU. sensei has one move and its thanking his beloved eldest daughters for killing him.

ive seen with my own eyes. my junior student im so proud of. actually i cant even clown on you for this trying to kill your fellow students cause you love them so much its textbook in this family. okay. continue.

OH YEA IS SOMEONE GONNA SAY. what utsuro (that man) is

oh hey the theme that has the. one cb bepop reference. ive seen that frame. <- this ended one ep and began the next.

NEXT EP

recap. i heard this. thats how. THAT MAN. became. blah blah.

oh he was not always immortal? or no one knew

DEVIL. GINTOKI. yeah okay. COOL yeah yeah.

his fucking uhhhhhhh anthy swag.

THAT WHY HE GAVE BIRTH? if u say so.

why didnt he just leave the prison. is he stupid. etcetc

okay go on killing spree. sure. thats fair. who hasnt

the one that hated humans. feared humans. longed to be human.they were all me. we love a thesis statement thank you.

WOAH shouyou protagonist eyes moment.

COOOOOOOOL SHOT. UTSURO GIN OVERLAP. ahah. fun tool to help us later.

hey is this the same green guy or a different green guy. cool voice.

everyone wants to use the unkilliable killing machine to their ends. BUDDY they wont even let. (joke pending) buddy he wont even let... himself. use him. to his ends. hmm.

Knows how to make others immortal. SAD OBORO FACE.

(atlana lore) DAMN THATS CRAZY.

WHAT IN THE KINGDOM HEARTS Organization 13 is this room.

anyway utsuro lol. um. damn are u a well looked after and revered gun but not the one who pulls the trigger. sucks bro.

(bunch of shots of cool alien dudes)WOW THATS CRAZY

put him in the saw trap blood extrator. sexual stylez.

lmao he uh. took the hands from ALL OF THEM. and NO ONE NOTICED.

MORE COOLL ALIENS. qwantz comic. i get it now.

shoyou gives BIRTH i get it

i could fight for sensis. That man. or myself

IF U COULD HAVE DONE IT AGAIN. you would just say. HI DAD. IM ALIVE. can i COME HOME NOW. PLEASE???? yeah. you should have. [being a cunt but very moved by the editing of his speech to the. intercuts of the junior students yeah yeah. okay YEAH]

fucking. OF COURSE sugi is there to be like. wow u waisted ur life and died so beautifully im gonna cradle his body so elegantly etcetc.

oh u guys also gave birth. (to utsuro) congrats

zuraaaa just. taking in the extra. big trauma moments info gin is given like a champ. dude. WHAT IS UR persepctive on all this. man.

↳ BUD ARE U GETTING POSSESSED BY SHOUYOU TO SAY ALL THIS. well that would track. WHAT THE HELL. yeah. the becon of hope kill his teacher to say the students the ideals. win the trolley problem. GIN STOP SMILLING AT PPL WHEN THEY DIE (he cant its what he was put on this earth to do)

sakamoto: everyone gave birth to everyone. thank u m.preg expert

kaguraaaaa dad. what. DO U HAVE THE LORE DROP? are u the eight dragons penis fight guy.

ROBOT ARMS

hey sad little gay boy gura brother.

SPACEEEEE SHOT HI HI HI SO BEAUITUFL BEAUTIFUL SHIPS

[thetangycheesemanwithaplan]

Eddie Diaz (+ Family) speculation

Highlighted is the main points and then i go into more thoughts on each

•One of Eddie's sisters has moved to LA(Maybe even both)

-Eddie said at the beginning of EP 6, that he dropped Christopher off at his cousins. I know this could mean one of Eddie's cousins (which would be second cousins to Chris) But we've never heard of any of Eddie's cousins living in LA. We only know of Tia Pepá currently living there. And although this could still be Tia's children/Eddies cousin's, I find it odd that they're only coming up now. All the years of child care support Eddie has needed ? It would have come up sooner

-We've been told we will meet his sister(s?) and I don't think it's going to be just a passing moment (like his probation ceremony where they were just seen)

-I feel like they're laying some ground work for more Diaz Family stuff and this could play into that. I feel like his sisters will be key to parts of his story line (more on this below)

•Abuela has also moved back to LA

-Look is this partially cause I want more Abuela? Yes . Do I want a spin of show with Tia Pepá and Abuela being gossiping shenanigan queens? Absolutely! But Abuela was at the wedding. No context was given to this she was there, I don't think she's flying in just to be a guest in the wedding and if she had flown in with the rest of Eddie's family it would have been mentioned? (If the whole family was in town Eddie would have maybe said I've dropped him off with my family not at his cousins- it sounded like a more permanent situation with his cousin not a visiting situation)

-She lived in LA prior and moved back to Texas cause of COVID and I can bet your ass she wants to come back (get away from Helena and Ramon) I also see that being a problem to Eddie's parents and they would have brought it up as a concern for her well-being but if Eddie's sister has moved also, you know Abuela is arguing a case to move cause there's even more family to keep an eye on her etc (she packed her bags and went fuck this, I'm out)

-This plays into the groundwork for Diaz Family stuff

•Shannon is back

-We know this based on the photo we've seen and it's going to be interesting to see

-We can almost rule out the reason Eddie sees her as anything medical as they've just been through that with Chim. And I reckon it'll be in ghost form (hence the title) but my question is will it be like the Shannon&Chris scene where she's there but not seen or is it something Eddie sees

-I think there will be an interaction of some sort between them, maybe not directly but there will be an Eddie x Shannon conversation going on. Eddie has just finally been made aware/acknowledged of all his repressed catholic guilt (RCG) and a lot of that is going to tie into his relationship with Shannon and the reasons behind it. His unresolved feelings that he is dealing with have come up now because of this RCG. He may have thought he'd made peace with it but now he's dealing with this its probably brining up a lot for him. He either imagines a what if scenario and we see Shannon if she had lived and they have a conversation or its a ghost version who appears to him when he's thinking about it all

-I like the idea of a ghost version that Eddie interacts with because he's now questioning his entire belief system (RCG) and what better to challenge that system then a mf ghost (Eddie doesnt belive in that kind of stuff. Talking to a grave and them watching over-yes. Shannon the friendly ghost not so much)

•Eddie will reach out to Abuela (and his sister) to talk about the Shannon of it all

-After Eddie see's Shannon, he's got even more on his mind. He goes to Abuela's. His sister also happens to be there (You see al these theories coming together now). He talks about what he's going through and his sister and abuela talk him through some of it. His Abuela offering the supportive parental side that he doesnt always get from his parents and his sister offering an understanding thats on the same level because she was raised the same way, she understands his upbringing better than anyone. And yes there are differences , Eddie was told to be the man and step up,but she was there, she lived through it with him

-Eddie has done so well with therapy that i feel he would want to talk about it but not with his parents so Abuela seems the most likely. I feel like he would want to get an understanding of it before he even dared to confront his parents. This RCG will be an ongoing thing but i think Eddie starts to take steps to figure it out.

•Diaz Family Drama(The Will)

-His parents will be in town for something (maybe an award ceremony/presentation of sorts) and although i don't think Eddie's going to come out and say RCG to them, i feel like some comments will be made towards his parents.

-I believe these comments will be about The Will. It'll come out that Buck becomes Chris' legal guardian if anything were to happen to him and this causes outrage and Eddie explains that he wants Chris raised a certain way and Buck understands this(aka not the way Eddie was raised-RCG). Also that Buck is the closest thing to another parent Chris has and therefore it makes the most sense as a person in Chris's life.

-Bonus of if this is when Chris also finds out and despite Helena and Ramon's protests Chris just says 'Buck is like a dad to me'

Shoutout to @whollyjoly and @buck-up-buck as always for listening to me ramble about this like last week! I'm only now putting it in writing

[starrygalazy]

Thanks for letting me ramble about my Mei family headcanons haha! I’d love to hear your take on it sometime! 😃❤️

Omg thank you so much!!!

In fact, since you mentioned it, I might as well do so now, so buckle in for the ride!!!

My HC (and this is partially me projecting my own interests on her because haha YES) is that Mei's an only child to her mom and dad.

Her mom's name, Xiu Yinyue Zhou. And actually, since I still remember my design for her, lemme just draw up something rq....

I haven't drawn her in ages, but this is Xiu! She's a relatively wealthy woman who's the director of an orchestra I've named "The Zhou Symphony", and she's good at it as well. A couple other things to know about her, Xiu is very, VERY strict on manners and politeness. She had Mei grow up in a good environment, and they lived comfortable lives, but she ensured Mei was never, EVER spoiled or used her good lifestyle to an advantage. She's very level headed to the point of coming off as cold, both to her advantage and disadvantage.

Xiu's also incredibly hardworking, having been orchestrating since she was in her 30s, and because of this, Mei got to grow up around the symphony and become friends with a lot of the members. She's good with the basics of most instruments and occasionally rents some from other countries/cultures to include them in her music, although she's a particular master with the er hu, piano, and violin.

Also, she's somewhat blind. Xiu has a genetic condition (that I hc Mei to also have) that causes her to grow incredibly sensitive to light as she grew elderly, and while she's not fully blind, she prefers to keep her eyes closed and navigate the world blindly because opening them for more than a minute at a time can be agonizing. The only real time she can see without pain is in pure darkness.

Next, we have Mei's dad. I never officially decided on a design for him, but the basics are glasses, bit of stubble, long hair, wheelchair, no legs below the knee. His name is Huizhong Zhou.

Huizhong, a former climatologist-now-house-husband, is almost the complete opposite from his wife. He's the one who gave Mei her kind and caring nature, and overall is softer spoken and much more shy. He has absolutely no problem letting either his daughter or wife speak up for him, coming off as a relatively quiet, supportive, almost meek man. He doesn't work, but he does enjoy keeping the house organized and clean, also assisting Xiu where he can with her symphony. And while Xiu is who Mei spent the most time with, Huizhong still had a heavy effect on her and is partially why she's also a climatologist today.

As for other family, Mei only knew her grandparents on Huizhong's side. Xiu's family- parents, a sister, and a brother- has cut Xiu off for not fitting into their traditional family structure and wanting to work, especially wanting to work in the music industry of all things, and also having a husband who's shy and meek. Huizhong's parents, who are much more progressive, were the only extended family Mei ever really had contact with.

Now the story stuff. This is only going off what I formed when I was RPing with her, and also I may miss some crucial aspects of Mei's story, so I apologize in advance. This will also have quite a few projections onto Mei that may deviate a bit from canon. (This is also from like over a year ago lol)

Mei's early life and childhood had her spending a lot of time around adults instead of kids her age, so she was socially awkward in school, but always excelled in math and science class. When she was younger, both Huizhong and Xiu had similar earnings, but Huizhong decided to take on a lighter workload to spend more time with Mei and let Xiu more thoroughly indulge in her career, like the awesome husband and dad he is.

The only times Mei was ever genuinely spoiled was through clothes- one of Xiu's friends, a seamstress (who may or may not be HC'd to be Jiayi's mom/relative), was happy to make all sorts of pretty outfits for Mei, so in a lot of family photos, Mei's dressed a lot more fancy than she dresses now, which I find pretty funny. Xiu didn't mind if she didn't dress formal, of course- Mei had to make herself look presentable and professional for school and dress pretty for family photos, but those're the only real rules. Xiu ensured Mei didn't let her comfortable lifestyle didn't become too heavy in her life, and Huizhong made sure Mei was controlled, compassionate to everyone, and stayed on top of her studies. Both of them were supportive in anything Mei wanted to do, although Xiu definitely wanted Mei to take over the orchestra. She grew to accept Mei wanting to follow in her father's footsteps instead, a decision made during the Omnic crisis.

Speaking of which.

Huizhong's lab was attacked during the crisis, an Omnic-led attack that led him to lose both legs, and a good deal of his colleagues (some of which Mei had also grown up). That part sent him into a bit of a depression for a while, and he didn't want to return to his job. Xiu worked harder so they could continue to live comfortably, and even during the Crisis, the location of her music hall where she mainly worked was able to go undamaged, mostly. Things for them all, while now slightly rocky (especially with Xiu's eyesight going) remained okay, although both parents grew a bit more protective of Mei. She didn't pay much attention to it, engulfing herself in both her work/studies and taking care of her parents.

She only really left for the first time when going to Overwatch. Neither Xiu or Huizhong were very happy about it, and fought back on it, but eventually relented. Not like they would be able to stop her even if they did.

So then the Cold Snap happens, and Xiu and Huizhong are understandably DEVASTATED. Xiu takes time off from the orchestra to try and get her daughter back, but to no avail. The two end up finding the families of other members of the Ecopoint: Antarctica team, and contacted them asking to work together to find their loved ones. Some families were willing to try, some weren't due to grief. Regardless, any attempts to find the team or bring awareness to the situation fell short, and Xiu buried herself in her work even more to forget. She grew a lot colder towards everyone but Huizhong bc of this. Meanwhile, losing Mei kind of solidified a hatred of Omnics and Overwatch to him. They had cost him his daughter and legs, and he grew very bitter towards the world in general. They only really had each other, and lots of tears were shed in each other's arms from the loss.

In canon storyline, I imagine the events after Mei comes back going one of 2 ways.

1. Xiu and Huizhong both pass away while she's in cryostasis. No serious reason, they just pass due to poor health. Mei learns when she escapes Antarctica about them passing, and visits their graves the first chance she gets. She inherits everything but the house and symphony (those go to family friends probably), but struggles to this day to decide what to do with everything else. Mostly bc I haven't thought that far ahead.

2nd option, and the one I used during RP, they survive and have a reunion with Mei. Yay! But Mei says she wants to go back to overwatch, and both Xiu and Huizhong snap. Not yay. They're FURIOUS. Like, they just got her daughter back, and now they think they're gonna lose her again, and don't understand why she's staying. So, Mei leaves, and contact is reduced to a minimum because her parents are incredibly bitter about her choices. Which is also why they don't show up for Christmas, bc they can't stand Overwatch and still aren't over the fight.

What's devastating is that all 3 of them want to make up. Mei wants nothing more than to have her parents back, but she knows she has to focus on the wellbeing of the world as it stands right now. Xiu and Huizhong both heavily regret everything they said during the fight with Mei, but aren't ready to apologize or open their perspectives. It's a really sad situation tbh. They all just want their family to be okay.

So

Uh

Yeah, I think I covered pretty much everything

Once again, a lot of this is heavily ingrained in projection, headcanonizing, and possibly forgetting lore bc of RP. And there's definitely some irl facts that aren't super accurate in general (i.e.: Xiu's job), but I'm content with where my HC stands bc it makes me happy (and sad)

Thank you for asking! I doubt you were expecting this, but I haven't genuinely thought abt these 3 in so long that I just had to lol

[androgynealienfemme]

"Because I never hide my real identity as a tomboy, I still feel animosity directed at me every time I go on dates with a woman. I don't wear skirts and don't use makeup, but I dress respectably. I do wear pants and polos or men's shirts but not men's undergarments, because I believe that no matter how many millions of men's jockeys I might wear, I am still a woman. However I have felt and thought like a "man" for as long as I can remember. My parents, four brothers, and a sister did not even try to make me act more feminine. They were unlike some other parents I know who did physical harm to their children who turned out to be gay or a tomboy.

As a child, I never played with dolls. It was always toy guns and wooden swords and boys as playmates. I was nine years old when I experienced that funny feeling that I now know as getting turned on, toward an older girl. I wanted to kiss her and go to bed with her, but I couldn't tell her, because I didn't know what to do. Schoolmates, neighbors, and playmates called me a tomboy. Although I did not hide my personality as a tomboy, men would still court. me. I do not hate men. I prefer women, because it is a woman who excites me. I have gone out with men to picnics, dance, drinking sprees, but I have never gad sex with a man, unlike some other tomboys who did before they became lovers of women.

Courting a woman is the concern of all tomboys. From my personal experiences, the courting stage is similar to what any man does- love letters or notes, flowers and chocolates, invitations to movies and gatherings, and visits to the girl's family. During the courtship stage, the problem arises not with the girl but with her friends and family. These are the people that causes us headaches, sleepless nights, and heartaches. Rarely do we have girlfriends whose families and friends vote for us. They always disapprove, because they claim it is immoral for two women to fall in love. These are the people who are very much a parent of our society, which scorns and ridicules us as if we are pariahs. These are the people, and many of them are very religious, who believe white is white and black is black, who talk a lot about ethics and morality, and who think they are now somebody because they are not like us. These people treat us like intruders. They are the same people who called you deviant, the kid who appears to be so pious, so moralistic, that they appear not to have sinned at all. They are the kind who teaches their children to scorn and ridicule us.

Throughout the years I have suffered insults and derision. I have been treated with disgust by these people. I have grown callous to their insults behind my back; they dare not say them to my face, because I will always challenge them to a fistfight. I remember years back when my girlfriend and I were walking hand in hand in a downtown area and we passed by a group of men who were just standing there ogling people. One of them made an obscene remark, calling my girl "the whore of a tomboy." I saw an empty soft drink bottle, picked it up, broke it, and turned ack to where the group was sitting. I swung the broken bottle at one of them. My girlfriend was so frightened, she dragged me away form that place, but not before telling them to fuck themselves.

There are still lots of things to be said about lesbian life here in the Philippines. We're lucky here, because we don't get beaten up just because we wear men's clothing. But a tomboy who dresses like a man rarely finds a job that pays well. it is always the low-income positions that await them- security guards, janitors, cooks, messengers, carpenters, vendors."

-"A Letter from the Philippines" by Marivic Desquitado, The Persistent Desire (edited by Joan Nestle) (1992)

[whispering-radiance]

I was preparing a question about the characters of Eiko and Nomi, but now I have a new one. Perhaps the concept of a male heir can be traced here, or Eiko expressed a desire to engage in exorcism from early childhood. But still, why do the characters of children have such serious differences? After all, they grew up in the same atmosphere (and, perhaps, only with their father and his friend). Besides, the mentality of the time couldn't allow Nomi to not be able to stand up for himself... could it? Okay, they basically grew up without a mother, which has left Eiko devoid of some sense of values, and on top of that, their father is almost always busy. That is, Eiko can be a courageous, independent, immodest and brave girl. But why isn't Nomi like that?

You may not be looking at the mentality that allows you freedom of action (I have my doubts about school, but that doesn't matter). Still, Eiko and Nomi spend a lot of time together, and they also have a cool father (it doesn’t matter whether others know about it or not - it doesn’t stop them from being proud of their father).

And something else. Does Nomi have a complex about his sister standing up for him? Or does he simply not yet know such dark feelings as envy (and, of course, loves Eiko)?

All this is important. I think this is the reason why Nomi disobeyed his father and put on the mask.

Oh this will be a long one, but RAAAAH I will answer. Now, I should probably add that not every little doodle should be analyzed under a careful eye, sometimes I just feel silly and make things because I want to.

| A golden star for parenting |

(I’m not quite sure when exactly Eiko and Nomi were born; but it might be close to defeating the sorcerer; rather than after)

Now that wasn’t fully thought out till last weekend — Amber was a part of the family for quite a bit. I never fully stated this, I just wrote “they’ve managed to start a family before she disappeared” — But oh, even though she was, she wasn’t ideal. If you’re familiar with how Slavic moms sometimes are, then you’ll have a good image of Amber’s character.

She probably left when Nomi and Eiko were old enough to remember her, but they were pretty much still young kids.

What I can say is that she ventured to stop an ancient evil from escaping the Shadow Realm, if it had managed to get out, it would have been game over for all — but obviously I can’t go on with details because I’m still polishing the story.

| Eiko and Nomi - Kids |

I’m not sure where should I start with— Hmm well, maybe I’ll start with Nomi, because I didn’t have a chance to fully explain his character.

Nomi is dangerously smart, he’s an observer and analyzer, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak or not able to stand up for himself. He knows how he should act in certain situations, and that violence is a double edged sword. Like if he stood up to bullies at school, that would just attract unwanted attention or it would have resulted in some kind of parental intervention; and he preferred not to have all eyes on him.

While Nomi sticks with his motto of “Think before you act”, Eiko acts before thinking — At least she when she was w child.

At that time, Eiko was a mess. She tried her best to fill the void their mother had left, but this turned out to be too much of a challenge for her.

She was impulsive and often ended up causing problems for herself.

They both depended heavily on each other — providing emotional support, encouragement, and trying to keep the other from getting into too much trouble. I don’t think they ever felt envy towards each other

| Are they different for each other? |

I don’t think so — What is different about them is the way of dealing with emotions and different situations. Nomi usually bottles up his feelings, prefers to stay quiet and tries to resolve everything by himself. Eiko on the other hand takes it out on the world, usually with anger.

| Exorcism |

Hmmmm— you gotta believe me on this one, but I will write a post that goes in depth on this whole concept — But the whole business with evil and good spirits was kind of an escapism for Eiko; and also a new possible path she could take in the future

| Nomi, his disobedience |

Now this event happened later in his life, we’re talking full adult, developed brain, probably near his 30s — At that time he was already a respected master.

Whatever went through his brain was a mix of an impulsive decision and childhood dreams of wanting to be a Ninja — After all, he worked incredibly hard to archive and learn the ninja knowledge — His father’s order felt like an insult. And so he wanted to prove that the right successor was there all along.

(And like I’ve mentioned in one answer— First Ninja wasn’t fully aware of the curse, but he knew something was fishy about the way the masked acted sometimes— So trusting his gut feelings he wanted it out of his clan — for safety reasons)

[loopy777]

So a what if. If Lin and Tenzin's condom had broken, or the equivalent, Lin had actually carried the child to term, and the kid had been an airbender, do you think it would have been enough to save Tenzin and Lin's relationship? Or do you think it had way more problems than the two parties just wanting different things out of a relationship? Also how do you think Lin would have fared as a parent in this scenario?

Well, my father was once in a troubled marriage which he and his then-wife tried to save by having another child, and the result was a divorce, a second marriage, and me, in that order. So my philosophy has always been that you want a stable, solid relationship before having a kid, as a baby will likely just add additional stress to something that's already brittle.

LoK itself never really explained why Lin and Tenzin were having relationship troubles, just giving his explanation of, "Lin and I had been growing apart for some time. We both had different goals in life." There's some DVD commentary (that I never heard for myself) which clarifies Lin didn't want kids while Tenzin felted pressured to continue the Airbender line. Unfortunately, it doesn't elaborate on why Lin felt this way. We can speculate that her issues with her mother and sister might have played a part, but it's possible she preferred to focus on her career or something else.

(Note that as a fan of the strict definition of the word "canon," I don't feel that we are beholden to storyteller commentary. And the Mike and the Bryan have changed their mind about unspoken backstory before, so unless it's directly depicted in an animated Avatar work, the franchise at best considers it something that can be overridden. But at this point it's all we have to work with.)

So it's hard to say how Lin might react to having Tenzin's dream thrown at her like that. If it was just an unfounded fear of raising a child, perhaps due to resenting Toph, then perhaps she'd get over it quickly when she realizes that she's her own person and doesn't have to continue the legacy of bad parenting. On the other hand, if raising a child is something she truly doesn't enjoy, then being forced to do it isn't going to change her mind and could lead to some real troubles.

It doesn't help that I don't have a very solid grasp of Lin's character. She's another one in LoK's cast where I feel like her actions are dictated more by the needs of the plot than a solid sense of character. However, something I do think is consistent is that she's capable of being a very selfless person, willing to sacrifice everything for people she doesn't even necessarily like because she has a strong sense of duty as a protector. So I think that even if she doesn't want to be a mother and/or resents it, she'd try her best to be a good parent.

But I do think forcing herself to sacrifice so much for so long would have a horrible effect on her relationship with Tenzin. Seeing him so happy with having an Airbender heir would likely cause resentment over the long term, or at least create a disconnect between them, especially since Lin is part of a different culture from Airbending. And for all that she resents Toph, she does take on Toph's former job and fight using Toph's Earthbending styles, so there's a clear sense of legacy with her.

But I think the odds are on Lin raising a kid who isn't bad. My only big concern on that front is her anger issues, where she demolished Air Temple Island over Tenzin breaking up with and she takes her resentment of Tenzin out on Korra. So I can also see some kind of argument with her kid causing a long-term rift that isn't warranted, and/or she instills some real problems in the kid with dealing with anger. But perhaps Tenzin could help with that, if the relationship lasts that long.

[ruminate88]

Emotional intelligence, abandonment wounds and being insecure:

2/25/25 Being wounded by a parent or an ex

No matter if people talk bad about you, make up their own ideas or opinions of you or maybe they constantly invalidate your reality…. Let them.

listen, it’s happened to me A LOT. Not just in ex partners who gaslight me but I’ve even had relatives and male cousins who misunderstood me. I come from a large family. I’ve had people in my lifetime say negative things, positive things and even defend me when I’m not around. It does happen and I’ve often been sensitive and was frustrated but overtime you learn to just live with both the good and the bad things. I get easily defensive because I feel most people don’t know the real me to this day and they don’t even try!!

The important thing is, you know your own reality and what you’ve experienced. You know your intentions and your feelings towards people. Just keep being kind and considerate but it’s ok to be you. It’s ok to embrace yourself even the bad parts and just work on being nicer and more respectful but also, know you make mistakes and loving people from a distance is absolutely ok, if that person is causing you harm or stress.

I have a cousin who I respect 100%, I’ve never had a problem with her but she’s had problems with others around us and she’s on the controlling side…. I’ve learned to smile at her, I’ll even hug her and show her love/support but I do it at a “short and sweet” level. I always knew she was “set in her ways” and somewhat controlling when I was a teen, just didn’t understand it the way I do now. Her dad left her and her sisters when they were little, plus her 1st husband cheated on her and she’s had the abandonment wound, so of course she’s controlling now out of fear and she’s insecure from her dad and 1st husband, so she’s intimidated by others and often will be aggressive or even kindve mean towards whomever she’s intimidated by and I always stay out of it. She’s mistreated a close friend of mine’s daughter who is A CHILD and… how sad is that??? Who gets jealous or insecure by a child???? But it does happen and it’s sad. It’s like my cousin is still in high school and never grew up 😅😝😝😝

yet I do love that cousin. She’s family and we have a lot in common and I feel that family connection with her. I’ve just gotten more distant from her and don’t know if that can ever change. Not sure my cousin is self aware at how her dad’s abandonment and husband’s betrayal has hurt her and molded her into this insecure woman. (I get it and I have understanding for her but not excusing her behavior.)

I’ve been through a lot of online emotional abuse…. I was labeled in school too. I believe abuse, abandonment and mistreatment can cause you to become one of two types: you’ll either be a people pleaser OR you will become this controlling and insecure person. I have been fighting NOT to be cold, calculated and hurtful as a defense mechanism but also I don’t want to be a people pleaser either. I’ve had trouble in the past saying no to people even if I wanted to.

Lately, as I’ve been more understanding of human psychology and not just emotional trauma BUT it’s family curses. I see it all over the world where a dad abandons his son, THEN his son also abandons his future kids, and so on… it’s a vicious cycle AND you would think becuase that son knows how it feels to be wounded by a parent that they wouldn’t wanna do it to their own children but they do because until they decide to make a life change and break the cycles/curses, they will always follow their parent’s footsteps. You ARE GOING TO BE LIKE YOUR BLOOD PARENTS. It’s in you. It’s all through you and a part of your DNA. Yet, YOU are the one who has to make choices for yourself whenever you become old enough to.

Finally, I think some folks just struggle to mature and they don’t seek to enhance their emotional intelligence, so they never seem to grow or become a better human being. It’s sad but true. I use to think becuase I was homeschooled and did so badly in school, that I wasn’t very smart plus school taught me to believe I wasn’t smart but I know now that I am growing each day in ways that the teachers couldn’t have even helped me with. Book knowledge is not the same as emotional knowledge! It takes a super mature and emotionally aware adult to teach you human psychology. It takes a kind human with pure intentions to teach you how to behave with other humans. (If only I understood all this years ago whenever I’m battling to understand and love my exes while they’re all repeatedly stabbing me) ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I don’t hate anyone who has hurt me or betrayed me. In fact, I want nothing but for them to grow and heal. (But I have been sad, angry and confused for years)

[yourforsaken]

i wish i had written more on this blog, and written more in general. now my last piece here will be my final suicide letter.

somehow ironic how the thing that has brought me some of the greatest comfort has been the cause for me needing it.

i’ve always disliked writing, especially when i first immigrated. i couldn’t speak english and it was hard for me to be able to come up with anything to write, i could never figure out what word to use or even what the meaning of the next word should be. i cannot tell you the amount of times i stayed up for days at a time working on essays and reports because i never knew what i was doing. but when i did, it was great. i think. at least i hope so. it felt that way to me. even when everyone else had a better piece.

but that’s my problem. i can sit there, in front of a screen, a keyboard, a paper, for hours on end and not a single thought would come, or at least nothing i knew to express. i can do this with anything, i can be physically present and not give or receive anything of value because i am so stuck in my own head thinking about everything and nothing all at once. my own thoughts confuse me. i make my self confused. i attempt to trace my own thought process and in those efforts branch into something else entirely. and in the end it all becomes so convoluted it’s all a blurry willow i hide under.

so i ended up studying i knew wouldn’t involve a lot of writing, and then i betrayed myself again. i thought i was good at math and analysis and what not and i am! however, that’s not really the type of person i am is it? i like these things, they’re fun, not necessarily fulfilling. so i do what i do best: i get bored.

i get bored so often, so easily, so quickly, it’s second nature. when i was little i would tell my mom i was bored and she would tell me to stop saying that so i dont become a donkey. she never told me to stop being bored though. so i held it in, and i took it and i grew it and i nurtured it. i raised it and nursed it. my boredom became mine. my child, my friend, my lover, my companion, my sister, my mother, the greatest thing i could ever have.

i was bored all the time, nothing was ever interesting enough for me to pay attention long enough to create a true attachment, because i know where home is. and home is boredom. im bored even now, i can learn all these things, all having a new, refreshing, enchanting new potential, and in three weeks (generous time frame might i add) it’s not fun anymore, because i get it. i get it enough. i get the jist. or i do it, and then i can’t cuz it’s too hard or it’s too easy, or it takes too long or not enough, it takes too much effort or too little. i need to be consistently reminded to care. i have to talk about it. but who wants to listen to me? and if i can’t somebody else has to, and usually (not usually, almost exclusively who am i kidding) a form of media (ie a kdrama, see! i cant even be truly honest on my self made deathbed!!). and is that not pathetic? that i have to be reminded to love and care? that i can’t do something so human on my own?

i wish i loved. i think thats my greatest failure in my life (not even the literal ones; omg i cant even take myself seriously; you would think my most limiting decisions and lack of motivation would be it but no. it’s not loving). i don’t think i have ever truly loved, anything, anywhere, or anybody. i would love to say i have loved my friends but that’s not really it is it? i care for them and i hold a type of affection that is surprising to most, a tad overbearing and a tad separated. i think that’s the problem, i observe too much and i cant connect. i hold grudges and hate and i never forget, i might forget why but i never forget. and so here i am. because if i have never loved who’s to say i have been loved? there could be an argument that care and affection are kinds or subsets of love, but regardless if that is the case, my love is so different and voyeuristic it only further alienates me because nobody loves like i do, except maybe the loml (light of my life), and even then, theres a goal. i’m just…there.

i don’t know what there is left to say, i cant love, ive never loved…hmm oh yes!

the depression

too much i think. i think, well, i don’t know.

if,

if?

if

if my life in general was, different,

in the sense that, i wasn’t poor, if i didn’t have depression, or anxiety, or my menstrual disorder, or whatever other physical or mental ailments, i want to believe, that i would have still been good. that i could have possibly been well adjusted, while still being myself. one that felt the need to be creative, not because she felt it was all she had, or that she had to add something to her life because it was so lacking, but because she had an urge, an itch, a craving, a calling, because it truly felt to her that she would perish if she didn’t because she had no actual idea of what it felt to die. to do something she loved. a passion. a passion for…

my problem is the fact that i, actually no, it’s not a problem, i am just quite literally not built for this, i’m sensitive for goodness’s sake!! i can’t have my hair fall out and my heart beating twice the speed it should be. i shouldn’t have to. i shouldn’t have to survive and live like this.

i’m not one of those people. i’m not that type of daughter. the exceptional woman. i’m not that. i can’t be that. i can’t. i’m just too lazy. it’s not that i don’t care, it’s just i don’t care enough to do it. i don’t care enough to soar. it never felt like i would anyways, because i know that’s not me. it was never gonna be me. so i have to die.

because there’s nothing for me to fight for. i’m not a girl worth fighting for. and that is okay! there are other people who don’t have half of what i have that deserve it more. and i always had a feeling that i was never going to live long, i don’t deserve to. i’m just making room in the world for more good.

yours,

forever forsaken

[sethxholloway]

𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐘 : 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘;

❝ ... See I spent my teens enraged, spiralling in silence And I armed myself with a grin, 'cause I was always the fuckin' joker ... ❞

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒;

Full Name: Seth Andrew Holloway Age: 28 Occupation: Electrician at Jackson Construction Neighbourhood: Driftwood Haven Faceclaim: Harris Dickinson Date Of Birth: 3 May 1996 Zodiac: Taurus Parents: Douglas & Jeanine Holloway Siblings: One twin sister (OPEN) Orientation: Heterosexual Positive: Dependable, adventurous, courageous, independent Negative: Resentful, reserved, hot-headed, defensive

CONNECTIONS | PINTEREST

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘;

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Seth Holloway was supposed to be the solution to his parents’ troubles; a partnership that had bred more from convenience and familial pressure than actual love. To no real shock, he was not the magic marital fix they had been looking for and further to their dismay, they’d had twins. Seth was born second; the first of many losses.

Bound and strained by some kind of unspoken duty to the family they had created, Douglas and Jeanine Holloway tried shallowly to hold it together as well as they could for the sake of the children, but Seth from a young age could detect the sadness behind their thin-lipped smiles.

Growing up, Seth always felt like the spare sibling to his twin sister; where he lacked focus in school she was top of the class, where he lacked in manners she was poised and polite. It became evident the older he got that there was only enough love in the Holloway family for one child, and it wasn’t him. 

The realisation festered through his childhood and by the time Seth hit his teens, he was a bonafide problem. He took every opportunity he could to act out. Family counsellors told his parents it was a cry for attention - one that remained unheard over and over again until he was expelled in his junior year. (Later when his sister would go on to be valedictorian, he would find amusement in the irony of it all). 

He didn’t the obvious spelled out for him, he didn’t belong here anymore and he was no longer welcome. He barely flinched when his parents told him that they were sending him to live with his uncle in Minnesota to work for him. He would have rathered take his life into his own hands, but logically speaking he had no money and nowhere to go, so he reluctantly agreed.

Seth’s uncle wasn’t a particularly warm man, and had never had children of his own, but the pair of them tended to stay out of each other’s way when not working. His uncle was an electrician by trade, and took him in as an apprentice. The day Seth turned eighteen, he packed his car, thanked his uncle and left to start a life that was all his. 

(TW Drugs) He drifted from state to state for most of his early 20s, never staying in one place long enough to take root until he took up a long term contract in Florida. While there he became friends with Blake, a fellow contractor who was heavily into the party scene. Seth enjoyed a good night out as much as the next person, and allowed himself to be swept up amongst the fun of it all.

The longer he hung out with Blake, the more he allowed himself to spiral; recreation became habit, habit became addiction. He felt infallable, untouchable, free. The feeling of freedom was what he chased the most every night with that first sip, or that first drop. He couldn't recognise that his dependance was harmful; even when Blake himself had expressed concern, Seth pushed him away. He lost his job, his only friend and all his savings as he circled the drain of comfortable darkness. 

(TW violence) It took getting jumped in a deal gone bad to scare him straight. After waking up in hospital with three broken ribs and a shattered collarbone and jaw, Seth finally came to terms with the fact that he needed to change.

After a lengthy rehab stint, he got himself clean and moved to Oregon for a fresh start and a quieter life where he's been ever since, keeping his head down and working hard to fix everything in him that's broken.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒;

Seth comes across as very guarded and sometimes sarcastic when first meeting people; he's slow to warm and even slower to trust. But once he does and feels comfortable, he's quite witty and laid-back.

Has a one year old rescue staffy called Mabel that he loves more than anything else in life.

Drinks way too much coffee and chain smokes to curb his cravings for stronger things.

- MORE TO COME!

[lilyeon]

i haven't actually been reading much recently outside of fic but I did pick up a few volumes of stuff. these reviews are much longer than normal for whatever reason. tumblr didn't like the way i was saving this in drafts and i nearly lost it just now lmao

The Ephemeral Scenes of Setsuna’s Journey 1: A terminally ill guy dies of his terminal illness and is reborn in another world, but unfortunately the weakness caused by his illness isn't magically healed; the country who summoned him immediately discounts him and shoves him aside. He gains his freedom after a chance encounter with a former hero, and takes up travelling and lives life as he'd always dreamed of doing. I went in here expecting a calm adventure story a la Goodbye Otherworld and it was that, at least a little bit, but I wish we'd had more time with Setsuna on his own before he indulged in the tried-and-true overpowered isekai protagonist pastime of rescuing an abandoned slave and taking them in as his child. At least he freed the kid from slavery, which is more than some novels have going for them. There are a couple of plot threads I didn't really care for, and it felt like a lot to shove into a single novel. I'll read the second one if I get my hands on it, but I'm not gonna hunt it down.

The Epic Tale of the Reincarnated Prince Herscherik 1-5: Standard "sensible Japanese [woman] reincarnated in the body of a toddler and proceeds to solve every problem at an entirely too early age" type of novel, which was wearisome, but I at least appreciated that since Hersch was forced to solve every problem with his mind, the solutions were usually at least somewhat reasonable. There were a lot of things I disliked -- a villain whose downfall is caused by him suffering a giant dump to his INT, some implication that Hersch's butler may or may not have been a race with a genetic disposition to servitude (!?!?), incredibly protagonist-convenient contrivances that took me out of the narrative, and others. I think I appreciated the villain's writing the most, but his actions leading to his downfall in the 4th novel really irked me. Very Sherlock vs Moriarty, except at the end Moriarty tells Sherlock "hey I'm gonna shoot you with this gun right here right now" in the middle of a giant crowd of witnesses, and Sherlock miraculously manages to dodge it somehow! Utter drivel.

Min-Maxing My TRPG Build in Another World 1-7: In a somewhat gritty world where the reincarnated protagonist gets to grind and allocate EXP to skills that make him powerful (though, somewhat in a reversal of expectations given the genre, not to the point of nigh invulnerability or invincibility), the author spends an almost excessive amount of time setting up worldbuilding and handwaving the rest. It's a particularly dry read, but it's not all that bad, honestly. The protagonist is a dedicated wifeguy who manages to make every woman he encounters fall in love with him, and there are epilogues in every novel describing how his life could have gone had he ended up with them, or taken a different path during the course of the novel, which are actually pretty fun reads and definitely a highlight overall. There are chapters dedicated to the world's history that are boring as fuck, and I usually love those kinds of world-developing asides. I think the things that stand out in my mind the most for these novels are that 1) in the first novel, it is explicitly explained that incest is illegal, but then in the second novel, it is mentioned that, due to plot circumstances, his sister is no longer considered to be related to him, and thus is marriageable (which sticks with me because what the fuck); 2) my favorite character is introduced in the 1st novel, makes appearances in almost every epilogue/what-if chapter, and I felt no greater joy than realizing that she was returned to main character status during the 7th novel; and 3) if I had a nickel for every time an agender character becomes a girl after falling in love with the protagonist, I'd have at least 2 nickels, but at least this second nickel comes with the added caveat that they are a part of a race of beings who cycles through bodily sexual characteristics regularly, and they're not permanently a woman after falling in love with the protag (and, it is mentioned in the what-if stories in which they exist, they kinda just switch sexual characteristics/genders arbitrarily, which, like, shit, if i could do that I totally would, so fair). I'll probably pick up volume 8 and beyond.

Hello, I am a Witch and My Crush Wants Me to Make a Love Potion! 1-2 (reread): I revisited this one because I picked up the manga, and continue to enjoy that she's a disaster and a mess in front of Harij, but otherwise has a backbone of steel. I love her interactions with the second prince. This somewhat feral stray cat has claws! This one doesn't get a plot summary or anything longer because it's a re-read and the title honestly conveys the premise well enough.

My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer 10: a really cute penultimate volume! A return to normalcy after the chaos of Bell and Ange's travels in 7-9, really felt like a nice way to wind-down and set-up for the resolution of the remaining plothooks and introduce the necessary elements for a satisfying epilogue. Nothing overarching here, just small domestic moments that cemented this series as being one of the comfiest in my library.

ive been on a light novel kick recently

lemme summarize some thoughts on them:

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! 1-4: i thought it would be a standard "hypercompetent female lead in medieval europe" story and it was for the most part, in terms of convenient contrivances to make whatever whimsical actions that Rishe takes, but i appreciated the set dressing, at least. Rishe is funny and the repeated time loops makes for an entertaining premise.

The 100th Time's The Charm: She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock "Super Love" Mode?!: god this sucked. this honestly felt like reading a novel published by an 8 year old. so fuckin juvenile

A Lily Blooms in Another World: sometimes all you need is some simply girls who love each other.

The Apothecary Witch Turned Divorce Agent: interesting world with just enough worldbuilding, i liked that it didn't get explicitly romantic at the end, and I really enjoyed Carla's brazen attitude. Either she fit really well into the world around her, or the world was written to support her character, but either way, she felt like a complete product of her world and upbringing in a way that was really refreshing.

Did I Seriously Just Get Reincarnated as my Gag Character?! 1-2: there sure was a whole lot of talk about how much her character absolutely sucked despite being the most powerful being to the point of absurdity. i know the point is the contrast between game mechanics and expectation vs how she would be as a function of the world, but man that point was harped on a lot. as a protagonist, gotta say, trans as hell, that won a lot of points with me. "oh i'm suddenly my off-main RP character now? guess i'm a girl now, full-on. hell yeah" now that's the true trans rep we need

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up 1-2: it was alright, i feel like i would've been more invested if everyone wasn't secretly in love with her though i suppose it is an interesting subversion of the usual "plain boring princess" trope that everyone is actually super on-board for her to become queen. she's a deeply tragic heroine, honestly, and i don't think that's the intention at all.

Saint? No! I'm Just a Passing Beast Tamer 1: if this was a oneshot i'd be chill with it but the fact that it carries on somehow makes me feel so tired.

Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I'm Not the Demon Lord: i read the manga first and this was just more of the same. it's cute, i like Yumiella as a protagonist for the same reasons i like Carla from Apothecary Witch. i wish we had a bit more on Alicia's whole deal because she could've been interesting at the end there but instead she just made the whole thing boring as fuck. probably my favorite moments in the novel were Yumiella grinding the boss for drops and the Patrick confession scene for two different reasons

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life 1-3: i had access to 6 volumes but i had to stop in the middle of the 3rd one. i was displeased but willing to continue in the first novel when one of Mariela's first actions as a protagonist is to engage with the slavery thing, but willing to put that aside, but then we had several monologues about how much slavery sucks alongside diatribes about how it's Jay's/Sieg's/etc's own fault that they got sold into debt slavery. the chapters in the 2nd and 3rd novels where Jay is there being absolutely fucking miserable and you're expected to nod whenever the book says "Jay didn’t reflect on his own part in this at all, spewing resentment instead." made me fucking incensed. my breaking point was in novel 3 where a minor protagonist just straight fucking rips one of his teeth out after strangling him and replaces it with a Pain Tooth of Make Your Slaves Obey More, and it's immediately followed with that above line. just. jesus fucking christ.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash 1-4: hey speaking of slavery, in this one they spent 2 novels telling the main character she should buy a slave, and then she gets there and is like "man this is kinda fucked actually" and doesn't, so good for her, but i read it immediately after Alchemist Who Survived so i was a little pissed at the fact that slavery was also a thing here because please that's not a system that is necessary to your world stop fucking doing it

ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword 1-4: anyway not to continue talking about slavery but if you're gonna have it, do it like this one did, and make your main protagonist claw her bloody way out of slavery with incredible brutality and swear that she'll kill more slave traders if they lay a hand on her girlfriend. that part was great. shame it gets mega fucking transphobic at the end though, that whole bit about Mother being explicitly textually transgender and then not using the correct pronouns for her, the genitals = sex = gender segments, the gross parts where they discuss how Mother "isn't even a woman, yeah that tripped me up too, how gross is this dude". fuck that. the fight scenes and fucked up body horror parts are great though. and it's got a manga by minakata sunao, which is a shame given [gestures at novel 4]

She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 1-8: honestly i enjoyed it more than i was expecting. mira's cute, this is another one of those trans-as-hell novels where the protag is like "i guess im a girl now! this is great!" but i do find it incredibly unsettling how everyone is commenting on her looks and whatever if she's supposed to be, essentially, a 12 year old girl. deeply gross anime bullshit aside, it's fun. i thought i had more thoughts on this one so i was saving it for later in this list but honestly thats all i got. gross sexualization/infantilization of a young girl, but otherwise just a fun little fantasy jaunt

A Tale of the Secret Saint 1-4: fia's an idiot, i want more of her taking control in battle situations and less waffling about Great Saint abilities and fake-deep "political" """intrigue""". if you say any of these stupid-ass old men are her love interests i will throw a knife at you, and if the book goes in that direction even slightly i will Murder. canopus's devotion in the last novel was borderline for me dropping it. the manic obsession/devotion to fia is supposed to be humorous, i think, but it just comes off as deeply unsettling when the novel reminds you, as it often does, that fia ruud is a 15 year old (reincarnation of an incredibly sheltered woman who died at 18, so honestly even her mental age doesn't add much here). i know this is one of those chill life fantasy novels but i honestly want fia to serve actual consequences for the insane shit she does, not just passing-by mentions of having to do more laps or take training more seriously or being teased by her superiors or whatever. it's fun enough to keep reading though, i guess.

[mariswxt]

the girl that kindness forgot | 3

I CAN’T ADMIT WHAT I FEEL IN FRONT OF HIM

Quote of the chapter: “After all that’s happened, it’s worth everything.”

…

“Miss Hernandez?” I coughed, feeling hands gripping me by the arm. “We’re with DEPRAC. Can you confirm you’re Miss Hernandez?” 

“Yes.”

”Rise and shine, sis.” I opened my eyes, spotting my brother at the door. 

“Hey, Turstin.” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. 

“I found out you were escorted here along with your old mate Lockwood and a new one; I think her name is Lucy Carlyle? Anyway, they wanted me to visit you.” 

“Visited. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get back into work.” I replied, shimmying into my trousers under my god-awful hospital gown. I ripped the wires off my arm, pulling the gown over my head. Turstin stared at me, eyes wide and horrified, so I paused and chuckled. 

“Come on, I’m wearing my sports bra. You’ve seen me working out in it.” 

“Still painful to watch.” 

“To you. To other’s it’s God’s gift.” I pulled my crop top on, slinging my jacket around me. “Do you know where he could be?” 

“Nah, but I have instructions to drop you to his house.” Turstin waved my Tesla keys, “So, wanna ride?” 

I couldn’t help but smile. Ever since our family’s misfortune, I’d been pushing Turstin away as I tried to manage SP3CTR. But despite that, here he was, ready to drive me home. “Yeah, I’d love to.” He slung an arm around my shoulder, grinning. 

“That’s the Artemis I know.” He laughed. “I know you’ve been under pressure ever since our parents. But I’m always here for you, yeah? I know the Arty underneath all this business-like exterior, and you’ll always be my sister.”

”Thanks, Turstin.” I beamed, leaning into my taller brother, who stood at 5’ 11” while I stood at 5’ 7”. 

“No problem. You’re my little sis.” 

“Not biologically, cause you’re adopted.” 

“Still counts.” 

I waved goodbye to Turstin, ascending the steps to the house and rapping on the door. 

“Lockwood, I swear, I’m going to kill-“ George stopped when he saw me, and mirrored a wide grin I had on my face. “Artemis?” 

“George!” We hugged each other hard, laughing. “It’s been so long.” 

“It really has. Come in, I need to make you some coffee and catch up.” He closed the door behind me, rushing into the kitchen and starting to make the coffee. “Things have been falling apart since you left, and you look so different. With the-“ He pointed to his head, indicating the white streaks dotted around my hair, “- and the -“ He gestured to my muscular stature, looking limb and flexible, “- and you’re a few inches taller too! Anthony can’t tease you about your height anymore.” 

“And I am very glad he can’t.” I giggled. 

“Does he know you’ve come back?” 

“He knows, all right.” I was handed my coffee, and as soon as I sipped it, I gasped. “You remembered?” 

“Like it was yesterday. Strong coffee, two dashes of milk, two tablespoons of caramel syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I would add whipped cream but we’re out, so…” 

“No, George, this is amazing.” We sat down, happily chatting. 

“So, how did you end up being the CEO of SP3CTR?” He asked. 

“My entire family got ghost locked.” I revealed, earning a sympathetic look. “Somehow Turstin and I survived, but it required me to take the mantle since I was the biological child. Most relatives died from heart failure due to shock, and some are still fighting.” 

“That must be horrible.”

”It’s-“ 

“GEORGE!” I heard a male voice yell, and a female voice yelp from upstairs. Lucy must already be home. And hurrah, Lockwood is too. He opened the door, looking a little annoyed. “Glad to see you two are getting along after all this time. I’d say like a house on fire but-“ 

“This is no time for amenities.” I snapped. He was irritating me so much, bloody hell. 

“Why didn’t you wait?” He asked, fist clenching and unclenching. 

“Because there was no need to.” I replied.

“I can’t deal with this right now, I need to sleep. George, if you could make that gourmet sabzi, with a shedload of rice, I’d love you forever, mate.” 

I snorted. “As if.” 

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.” He left, and I rolled my eyes. 

“You turned your positive emotions on and off like a switch there. What’s your problem with him? And don’t get me wrong, he has a serious problem with you, I’m just yet to find out what exactly is the problem here.” George questioned.

“Anthony Lockwood almost cost me my life. And what’s more is that he blames me for it. So yes, huge problem.” 

“Can’t you try and make it up to him? You know, don’t be such a Stoic Sally when he’s around? Maybe he’ll come to an understanding.” 

“I can’t admit what I feel in front of him. Pfft, I can’t even show feelings.” I mocked. “It’s Anthony John Lockwood. Show feelings and you’ll be deemed weak.” 

“You’ll be surprised. He’s an idiot, yes, but he’s not a rock.” 

•´¨*•.¸¸.•*´¨•.¸¸.•´¨*•.¸¸.•*•´¨•.¸¸.•´¨`•.¸•´¨*•.¸¸.•*´¨•.¸¸.•´¨*•.¸¸.•*•´¨•.¸¸.•´¨`•.¸

I knocked on Lucy’s bedroom door, opening it. “It’s just me.” 

“Hey.” She answered quietly. 

“I figured we hadn’t bonded much, so I snuck some snacks up here. The biscuit rule doesn’t apply when it’s just us, by the way.” I winked, putting down a packet of Sour Patch Kids, Toxic Wastes, Walkers crisps and chocolate Digestive biscuits. I ripped open a Toxic Waste packet and popped one in my mouth, unflinching at the sour taste. She took a biscuit, biting into it delicately.

“Did you get your hair dyed?” She asked, looking genuinely interested. 

“No. I survived a ghost touch somehow. It took some colour out of my hair, and affected me. You know your affiliation to connect with the dead?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I can connect with the dead and the living. Right now, I know that you’re wondering how biscuits are so delicious.” She giggled, covering her mouth. 

“That’s true.” 

“And when I connect with Lockwood, all I can see is himself, or me when he’s having his annoyed thoughts, and George’s is full of research and strangely tea.” I was making a good friend in Lucy, at least I think I am. “How d’you end up here?” 

“Can you promise not to tell anyone? It’s really bad.” She begged, so I nodded. 

“Yeah, you can tell me anything.” 

“My friends, most of them, from my old company, they died in a vicious ghost attack, and one went into ghost lock. My leader was right there. He could’ve helped me, but instead he ran and blamed everything on me. So I had to leave. I couldn’t stay; my mother didn’t believe me, my own friends didn’t believe me-“ 

“I do, if that’s worth something.” 

For the second time, I saw Lucy smile. "After all that's happened, it's worth everything."

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