#which means he has tools that not everyone does and I love what he does with that and how he expresses himself

[crescentfool]

Hello! Apologies for how long this is going to be but your favourite character post has now made me even more feral for Minato Arisato.

That’s because YES he is so chronically ill coded and he totally thinks he’s just a tool for others. And yes despite being a really blunt and mean person, he is so so kind. The only thing is I swear there are more examples of this in game that I feel like I’m missing.

To try and give my own findings first, in Reload Minato is already completely exhausted by 4/9 and just falls asleep immediately and his doctor appointment takes way longer than anyone else in the dorms. There’s also the fact he’s the only one to lean back and take up energy when using therugy.

As for basically being and letting himself become a tool for others, I think the lyrics of Full moon full life help set that up but I swear there are more on how Minato is dehumanized by the world and then chooses to dehumanize himself.

And some of his dialogue choices are so mean, but then Orpheus also knows dia and Fuuka sets up the idea persona healing means your kind. Which makes me feel very ill.

Basically what I’m trying to ask is how you came to your conclusions of Minato’s character which are extremely similar to mine because I just love reading more in depth analysis of him that goes beyond “I don’t care”

Take your time replying and yeah sorry for this being so long and random. I just love talking about the game meta surrounding Minato. Hope you have a nice day.

hi! thank you so much for reaching out, it's always a delight to talk about minato arisato on the internet and i'm happy my brief little description in my favorite characters art post resonated with you 💙

to answer your question about how i came to my conclusions, a lot of my reading for minato's character is primarily informed by two things:

the game mechanics of FES! it's the version of p3 i played first! a lot of his personality is baked into the mechanics... which is unfortunately not as present in reload due to the changes they made. (its ok thats why i like to talk about it.)

his very unique and special relationship with ryoji mochizuki (death) and how the events at the moonlight bridge 10 years before the game irreversibly changed the trajectory of his life

regarding his chronic illness and tiredness: yes! minato needing a lot of time to rest after awakening his persona + thanatos literally ripping apart orpheus is a great detail and alludes to his chronic illness very nicely.

the way i see it, death is like... a parasite, to minato. the extent of death's abilities, even in an incomplete state, was too great for aigis to handle. so having death sealed in minato really wears on his life, you know? which is why i read him as chronically ill and tired.

FES further supports this with the tiredness mechanic... both in terms of minato himself, and SEES. which brings me to my next point...

he sees himself as a tool. in FES, when your other party members are tired, they will call it quits once you go back to the starting floor. however, minato being the leader/player character... he will continue to persist, even when he's tired and/or sick.

this means that he's working doubly as hard compared to everyone else... he takes his responsibilities as a leader seriously, but disregards his own needs because he gets to be useful to someone. he literally doesn't have to work his ass off in tartarus (WHICH is so unfair sometimes in FES) but he DOES!!!

and on his dialogue choices... yeah. his dialogue choices aren't exactly what we'd describe as "nice" and "pleasant" in the way someone would describe fuuka as being outwardly caring and kind. but his kindness shines through his actions!!! orpheus knowing dia in reload makes me smile bigtime :')

to expand on his kindness... minato has had. so much shit happen to him. death who has taken so much away from him. it would have been so easy for him to just... not care... but him being PRESENT and doing what he does in game... i think that speaks volumes!!! (also just. just look at ryoji. ryoji is minato's mirror image, and he would not be as kind as he is if minato didn't imprint on him in that way.)

the imagery and story associated with minato's ultimate persona, messiah is also... pretty telling, i think, about his kindness and desire to save others. p3 really knocked it out of the park for this, i think!

further reading

if you'd like to read more character analysis on minato i'd like to point to a few posts...

why i love ryomina (2023) a love letter to my favorite ship.

discussing reload vs FES' mechanics (2024) keeping the party equally leveled, tiredness, etc.

and i want to do a big shoutout to my friend luca (@/mymp3) who has written so many wonderful and thoughtful pieces about minato. he's seriously great at this kind of thing, here's some of my favorite posts of his:

ryoji embodying "human" characteristics in a way more human than minato (2023)

aigis and minato are like escalators (2023)

minato is literally jesus (2023) (read the tags on this one its so good)

luca's reaction to december 31st and how he processed the themes (2022)

i hope these help you understand where i'm coming from with his characterization! minato continues to be a very poignant and relevant character to me and i'm happy that you think we have similar conclusions :)

[beartes22]

It’s because he is a fucking corpse, he

Wen Ning's life ALSO pretty bad to be fair

HE VERY MUCH DOES. I'm sorry, Wen Ning! His whole family is wiped out AND he's a fierce corpse AND he murdered his bestie's brother-in-law by accident (which got everyone in trouble) AND got experimented on by Xue Yang for awhile there! He's a Jiang Cheng-Song Lan combo! PRETTY BAD TIMES!

Though... okay, controversial critique maybe, but a frustration I have personally with all versions of canon is that it doesn't fully confront how awful Wen Ning's whole deal is. When we meet Wen Ning again post-timeskip, we get a moment of "oh no! who put those nails there!" and then hop straight into wacky Drunkji hijinks. He doesn't grieve or wish to avenge his sister's death, which he would have witnessed firsthand. He doesn't ask about his people's fate (though he somehow knows they all died?), and he doesn't appear to process their demise at ALL in drama canon. In novel canon, if he does process it, it's not till well after he regains lucidity; when he and Wei Wuxian first converse in volume 2, he expresses sadness/horror at how Wei Wuxian died, but nothing for himself or his own people.

And yeah, it's Wei Wuxian's story, but... well, compare this to Song Lan regaining lucidity during Yi City, or Jiang Cheng's entire existence after the fall of Lotus Pier. They both grieve! They both demonstrate profound sorrow and guilt and rage! Meanwhile, Wen Ning is content to trail along after Wei-gongzi, never undertaking any actions or demonstrating any emotions that might be inconvenience or reflect poorly on Wei Wuxian. CQL more often than not accompanies Wen Ning's appearances with the Silly Goofy Times incidental music unless it's a fight scene. It's unfair to him! And it's why I personally often forget about what he's gone through, I think.

[shirefantasies]

The Hobbit Characters' Love Languages

Just realized I did this for LoTR but I don't think I ever did it for The Hobbit, so enjoy 😉 The Five Love Languages are: Gifts, Physical Touch, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, and Acts of Service! Everyone is said to have a primary two 💖

Balin

Words of Affirmation- So many years, wars, songs, evenings spent by the fire with kindred spirits and strangers alike, have granted Balin the gift of words. Situations witnessed and life under the belt. What words offered comfort to Balin he hopes bring some healing to you. To be the one to reassure you is the greatest gift back he can ask for in exchange for those words and experiences. Clearing the clouds of your mind brings forth the shiniest light that is your smile.

Quality Time- All Balin needs from you is the guiding force of your presence, a warm hand and heart to hold. Life's rich experiences are his greatest treasures, and sharing them with you guilds them beyond all worldly value. More than your vast riches or lack thereof Balin is grateful for the constant you are in his life amidst so much strife, a little chip of beauty he could carry over his heart for all his days. Companionship was the most unexpected boon, yet every time you lie beside Balin, he feels more loved than anything!

Dwalin

Acts of Service- Warrior. Provider. These are monikers given to Dwalin again and again. Never were these words empty, though— every day of his life Dwalin rose and fought for himself and others. Those he holds dearest. His actions reveal his love; they are his love, his embodied care in all choices he makes. Not only will he hold you away from harm and jump to your defense in a fight, but Dwalin remembers everything you tell him. Allergic to something? It shall never appear in your sight again. Your favorite flower? Appears in your sight quite frequently, all lined up in a vase!

Physical Touch- Now this is one that tends to shock, but there is a reason Dwalin does not partake in much touch: it holds great meaning for him. Touch is a sign of comfort, of refuge, a feeling he relishes in alongside connection and chooses not to cheapen. Dwarves have no mind showing physical affection to close friends and family, and Dwalin saves much of this until he is certain you’re his One. From that point on, you will frequently notice a protective hand about your waist or rubbing the small of your back. The way he links his arm with yours in crowds or at any sign of competition or threat. You, now, are joined.

Thorin

Words of Affirmation- Stoic of a dwarf as he is, Thorin knows the value of a well-placed word. Does not speak affirmations not well earned. Being his One has earned you praise he thought impossible. Heartbreak just the same when you struggle to see the beauty, the strength that pierces through to his eyes stronger than any sunbeam. Thorin knows no fear in sharing this with you again and again. Even in little moments of frustration, your beloved king seems to have a key to not just your heart, but your mind, which he knows exactly how to put at ease.

Acts of Service- A natural leader, Thorin is constantly surveying his surroundings, persons included. Especially, even. Awareness is never a struggle for him, as he takes note of necessary tasks and does them, often in silence. You feel constantly surprised by his quiet acts of love upon discovering them, like little gifts of ease granted to you and you alone. To be known, they say, is to be loved, and you feel both beneath Thorin’s attentiveness.

Oin

Acts of Service- Oin knows how to take your pain away, yearns to relieve you more than anything. If your back hurts, you might find a little jar of muscle balm waiting for you. After a fight, you're the first one the healer is rushing to to bandage up unless someone's gravely wounded. It's as if Oin can feel the disturbance in the air when something happens to you the way he rushes over to you with any tools to help you, weapons to fight for you, or supplies to heal you. He is well aware how frustrating it can be if his hearing loss impacts your conversations, so if there's a sea he can cross to help you feel his love, then by Mahal, he's crossing it!

Quality Time- All Oin asks for is good music, good company, and maybe a bit of learning! Nothing is more fun than hearing a new story or the latest medical treatment alike. Beyond this, though, your choice to stay by his side through everything is more than fine companionship. It is a conscious move of acceptance despite his flaws, motion he returns wholeheartedly.

Gloin

Gifts- Physical reminders of his love make and preserve their own memories. Gloin loves to be able to decorate you with all the finest things- he knows you're his treasure, but now you look like it! The craftsmanship of his people is well worth celebrating, too, and what better way than to connect you with it in the most literal sense? Dwarven riches have never looked so beautiful. Years have sharpened Gloin's mind, his shrewd senses memorizing every little thing you love. Your favorite flowers make appearances in every bouquet, the dessert you love most ends your special days, your jewelry is always gold or silver, whatever you prefer! To Gloin, frequent gifts are tokens of how often you stroll through his thoughts.

Physical Touch- What better physical reminder of his love than a protective touch? All who witness Gloin by your side will be well aware of his feelings for you! And in private? He can’t keep his hands off you! Every part of you is sacred to him and he shall worship it to the fullest. Your bond is emotional, spiritual, physical— he carries your image in a locket everywhere he goes, gently stroking the painted curve of your cheekbones when he cannot feel the flush of your cheeks for himself, confirm you are real and before him. Much as Gloin must leave for his duties, his people, coming home to you is the highlight of it all and he will hold you in his arms day and night until you both are satisfied.

Bifur

Physical Touch- Language barriers are nothing to Bifur beyond longer strides to remain close to your heart. Physical barriers in your relationship exist only in the form of personal boundaries. The feeling of your hand in his or vice versa not only exerts a grounding force but is your communication- fear as you suddenly reach for his hand, concern as his thumb runs gently over your hand, love when you hold it tight and refuse to let go, and joy when one of you takes the other's suddenly and pulls them closer. Hand contact is everything to you both, the little taps and signs into each other's palms. Beyond that, it's those other small things like the way Bifur grips your hips to signal a steamier mood or the way he teasingly slings an arm over your shoulders that show this quiet dwarf is in his element in your presence.

Acts of Service- Especially if you do not understand Khuzdul, Bifur is unable to speak his love and reassurance to you. Frustrating as it can be, he's been a fighter for years who feels little fear, especially in fighting for you! You can expect not only a dwarf who literally fights for you, but your weapons always clean and sharp as if by magic, notes in Khuzdul that read only the sweetest things, and being given hell if you don't eat! Bifur is anything but silent in the way he loves you.

Bofur

Quality Time- It may not be a secret that Bofur loves attention, but it's a push-and-pull for him. The attention he gets energizes him and amuses others, and at the end of the day smiles are all he wants to see! Your attention fuels him, warms his heart and quiets the voices swirling deep within his mind that question if he truly is making you happy. If you love someone, in Bofur's mind, all you need to do is show them you're with them. Involved. Similarly, you'll see it in the rapt attention he pays you, the light in his eyes and soft sighs of his chest as you pour out your passions with him as your willing and unending vessel. Bofur's favorite memories are of you singing or dancing together or even just that time you laughed yourself to tears over the dumbest thing he'd ever said and he swore he could never be more head over heels.

Physical Touch- Touch with friends is casual; it may seem meaningless or universal from Bofur. Such claims crumble at the base every time his gloved hands surround yours in the cold. Whenever you’re the only lap he throws his legs over even before his brother’s. When he hugs you tightly enough to intertwine your heartbeats and clothing and breath until Bofur becomes a part of you and you him. Upon even the most minute gestures like laying a hand over yours at the fire or slinging an arm over your shoulders while you laugh lies the mantel of your rule of his heart.

Bombur

Quality Time- Good company is valued above all else to the Ur Clan, not gold or a single location or even the finest delicacies. Without loved ones, what meaning does life have? All Bombur needs is time with you, to know you are there by his side. He’s never been a fancy dwarrow. All he desires is a big family, a lot of laughs, and maybe just secretly your undivided attention! The feeling of your eyes on him, of him being the cause of your smile, feels so unreal every time and he can barely get used to it. Doesn’t mean he won’t try, though!

Acts of Service- All his life, Bombur has been a provider. To love someone is to feed them, to keep their home well and inviting, to make a difficult day a bit easier. The relief on your face when you learn he’s drawn you a warm bath, the way your eyes turn up in pleasure at the taste of your hot meal, it all feels like love to him. The warmth of his provisions, Bombur hopes, mirrors the warmth in his heart he holds for you and you alone.

Dori

Quality Time- Chatting with you over tea is Dori’s lifeblood. To see you, to hear you, to catch up on everything be it your worries or the gossip you heard or your favorite fascination for an hour on end! Much as he enjoys the finer things in life, such is nothing to feeling loved as is seeing your eyes locked within his, your reflection in the blue, building a house and a home and a life together. It’s all he wanted to have a companion, a new family outside the one he headed that was just for him. That he chose himself and has the utter privilege of seeing choose him every single day.

Words of Affirmation- Tutting and fretting over you may elicit a laugh or an eyeroll, but as time passes you realize Dori only hovers over those he fears losing. Having lost his parents, he values a vocal presence of guiding; it symbolizes a love powerful enough to drive constant thought as well as action. As much as he voices concerns, he voices his care. He voices his fears and even louder your virtues. Shares as well as he listens over tea or in the kitchen together. Dori wears his heart upon his sleeve and his—surprisingly silver—tongue.

Nori

Physical Touch- Cliché? Corny? Maybe. What else can he say but that he likes the feeling of your skin beneath his? Words were never his strong suit, rather confirmation via his actions, desire and appreciation and sometimes even reverence summoned from his fingertips. In the past, these motions were never drawn out so, but his love for you has Nori relishing in taking his time, in not just enjoying but truly discovering you. Finding the sensations that make you smile, giggle, fluster, or even turn your attention completely to him are joys unmatched. He never thought it possible to so beyond enjoy someone so much before you came along.

Gifts- Ever the sneak, Nori takes great joy in not just presenting you with endless delights, but stowing them cleverly away for you to find throughout your days. Shining as your countenance and presence are, Nori is determined to be the reason that becomes literal, sparing no effort to present you with dwarven metals and gems. Knowing your preferences, if you do not wear jewelry he will not be deterred! You'll be presented with beads or other items for your hair- anything that shows your beloved dwarf has claimed you wholeheartedly. Once Nori finally gives his heart away, he finds himself ready to give everything else away, too, if it goes to you. By his hand on your knee and his family name on your bead, there is to be no doubt of his choice.

Ori

Quality Time- Character exceeds all for Ori, who only wants a kindred soul to enjoy life with. A simple dwarf, he asks not for the greatest skills, only the biggest heart. The fact that you take the time to listen to him, to share, and see him as an equal you choose to spend your time with brings his heart to bursting! That choice makes Ori feel loved more than anything. That you always sit by his side and no one else’s, that it’s him you sit down with for a cuppa and come to first with news, good or bad. Every little moment like that deepens your bond and serves a far greater purpose in Ori’s mind than some others might think.

Gifts- While he may pay little heed to how often you gift him, Ori adores showing his love for you with the many things he makes. Something about creating or finding something that's just perfect for you feels right to him, a way to show that swirling at the back of his mind always is you. Everything you love, everything you need, it is patiently stored by Ori. Your smile, the way you light up upon being surprised, is fuel to the fire of his heart for the whole day and then some!

Fili

Acts of Service- Self-sacrifice is in his nature. Fili is no martyr, his mind simply tunes into the hearts of those around him and bleeds for the many needs he witnesses. You are no different, your every plight falling within Fili’s watchful eyes. Fili has given you the shirt off his back, carried you to safety when injured, even insisted Oin teach him every method to cure your natural aches and pains. Never does he resent your needs, though; no, your needs are his, for your happiness is shared. Difficult tasks for you might be easy for him, so why not bring you joy in the process? What good would he be if he did not make your life better than when he found it? You did the very same to his. Every move he makes reaffirms his conscious decision to make you a part of his life forever.

Words of Affirmation- The glint of the stars, brighter light than the wealth of any mountain, Fili's own heart, and every one of your names shall be all the reason you seek if you question the lengths he goes to for you. Defense of you in any confrontation comes naturally, be it your character, your purpose, or any other unfounded target being aimed upon. Fili voices his thoughts as they rise to his head, uttering wonderfully intrusive praises as he sees how beautiful you look, feels a warm rush of gratitude upon reflecting on how much you mean to him.

Kili

Words of Affirmation- Kili is swift with his words, always armed and ready to unsheathe them for any purpose. They are quick, charming, but with you, romantic. Poetic, even. Statements not just of his love for you, but touting your many qualities as if you hung the stars themselves and tossed them to him as falling meteors glittering down from space. You shine such a light into his life, his eyes, that he simply must reflect it back to you in the form of sharing exactly what he loves about you and why even what you see as your worst qualities deserve redeem. After all, you do the same for him, and you look amazing while you do it! Despite the bravado you may see, Kili gives the love he needs most, and hearing your sweet and heartfelt words has moved him to tears. With you he is no second, he is whole and reminded of your shared claim daily.

Physical Touch- The way Kili’s hands trace your form aligns with his slick words, but the way his body relaxes against yours, his hands seek yours in times of fear, is a sign of something greater. Every touch of his is a silent statement of his complete trust of you, the same trust you see when he lays his forehead against those of his family. Would that you not have provided Kili a shoulder to cry on without judgment, stories unlike none he’d ever heard, laughed at his every joke and made him bellow with his own laughter, he would not feel so safe with you as an extension of himself. A hand resting upon your hip or over yours speaks volumes from Kili.

Bilbo

Quality Time- Silence doesn’t bother Bilbo, at least not with you. From years of awkward attempts to occupy its void comes sweet, sweet relief at the knowledge of your presence with no expectations. He needn’t speak, simply hold you or sit by your side while you both embark on your quiet reading adventures or perhaps do a bit of knitting or crochet. Time has passed such as to ease Bilbo’s worries as to your inner thoughts, your words and actions contradicting any apprehension he has ever held. Unlike most, your presence fuels him rather than exhausting him. How else does he know it’s love?

Acts of Service- Meek as he claims to enjoy his life, Bilbo is a hobbit of action; sitting idly is not his hobby, but his reward. Similarly, in relationships he feels complacency is the enemy and works tirelessly to prove his love and— even as you remind him he needn’t— earn yours. Housekeeping is his everything, so you will soon be used to him sweeping up your dishes into his hands to wash, organizing your things back to the way he knows you like them, repairing torn clothing. After all, neither a Took nor a Baggins leaves their beloved wanting!

Thranduil

Gifts- Lavish is an understatement when describing the Elvenking, the majestic and elegantly adorned figure who had taken you beneath the velvet folds of his affection. The finest clothing is draped over you, gorgeous jewels of your chosen color will rest over your heart, encircle your wrists and fingers. Luxury existing beyond conspicuity, for Thranduil wishes the best in life upon you, especially if you had not been raised with it. His wealth can attain meaning if it improves your life…and marks you as his in the process.

Physical Touch- Thranduil embraces sensuality. The ecstasy of your warmth meeting his. The shivers he feels upon trailing his hands along your hips or spine bring a smile to his lips unfailingly. Beyond that, however, is the physical anchor your contact provides. Tethering him to this plane despite the ephemeral nature of his life, loves prior, connection to his subjects in a time of isolation. You hold him in the more silent moments as well as the loudest moments of love and ravishing, drying tears or simply feeling your joined heartbeats sharing a loving rhythm.

Feren

Acts of Service- Manifestations of this sort come in the form of Feren’s sheer dedication to caring for you. It is his greatest joy to restore your vitality at the end of the day, to gently guide you into a state of relaxation and have a direct hand in your beauty and happiness. Cleaning and taking care of your hair is his favorite; Feren’s hand is nothing but gentle whether he is massaging your scalp and rinsing it or performing any other upkeep like oiling your hair, applying curlers or a bonnet, or braiding or tying it. If anyone knows the feeling of a long day, it is he, and lightening your burden is not just what he would want, it is a weight off his own heart to watch the smile spread across your face.

Gifts- You compare Feren to a crow the way he collects what he sees. Nearly every day your beloved is bringing you some bounty home, be it flowers or chips of crystalline stone he found or even seeds to plant your own garden from the few points of life still glimmering deep in Mirkwood’s heart. Feren’s gifts of nature show you the heart he does not always reveal, the eyes he casts upon not only intruders but the entire woods. He considers every day a promise to you, every token a sign he kept his word to return to you and build your life together piece by beautiful piece.

Bard

Quality Time- He’s lived without money all his life; material possessions are fleeting things with little capacity to craft true joy. Nothing in the world, however, can replace the unique human souls Bard has come to know. Yours beyond included. Bard will sacrifice a few more hours’ work to see the game you’re building with his children, tell others and hold up a hand the moment they interrupt you. When many more years have passed and he goes on to be with his many fathers, Bard will grasp not for any riches, but for your hand before he awaits your joining him.

Acts of Service- It takes a real man to put himself in the place of his words, and Bard will be caught dead before he is a liar to you. Keeping promises is incredibly important to him, so you will have utmost confidence in the things he says he will do being completed. Being with a tradesman means you’ll often find things repaired before you even had a chance to ask Bard about them. Such is his way of showing you never leave his thoughts even amidst work and fatherhood— you are simply your own kind of important!

Beorn

Acts of Service- Words fail him. He speaks directly, spent years alone where words were of little use to him. Sometimes he is rendered silent in your presence, unsure what he could even say or how genuine it would seem. Second nature to him, however, is work. Effort. Effort you are well and beyond worth. A hot drink and breakfast ready for you every morning, flowers left where you'll find them. At the end of a long day, Beorn takes great pleasure in sitting you down, bathing you gently and scrubbing you hair, preparing it for your sleep whatever it needs. Words may fail him, but Beorn's every motion is an ellipse orbiting the sun you've brought to his solitary life.

Quality Time- The more space you occupy in Beorn's life, the more of a fixture you become. Altering his carefully curated routine in the best way, your presence is sheer comfort. Existing side-by-side even in silence returns his energy in a way he never thought possible. Sitting there whittling while you knit, Beorn's heart swells with a warmth of home and family that once felt beyond the realm of possibility. Domesticity is the cornerstone of all he fought and bled for, and despite his former assertions that his cottage was his and his alone, he dreads any day of returning home to it void of your presence.

Taglist: @lokilover476 @fuckyoumakeart @kilibaggins @filiswingman @ibabblealot @stormchaser819 @pirate-lord-of-narnia @datglutengoblin @letmelickyoureyeballs @mossyskinn @wordbunch @tiny-and-witchy @th3-st4r-gur1 @fleurdemiel-145 @mistresskayla-blog1 @misabelle717 @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @evattude @kpopgirlbtssvt @rivendell-poet @rainyobservationblizzard | Reply/Message/Ask to join 🖤

[raikirikiri]

anbu tattoos remain one of my favorite things in naruto purely because they’re like a sign of ownership. anbu ninja are tools moreso than than the normal shinobi of their village. so much so that the village marks them with a signature that everyone recognizes. and even when that anbu—that tool—is allowed to rest, manages to leave anbu ranks, or dies, they remain branded by the village that owns them. they don’t truly escape, they can always be called on again because a tool does not have feelings, it does not have choices, it’s only made to be utilized by those who know how to wield it.

anyway. anbu is so fucked up and minato…i love minato but the illusion that he’s a pure little guy who’s a wife guy and a little shy nerd is crazy. he saw kakashi, someone he’s seen grow up, someone he’s guided and taught, some he’s supposed to care for. and he thought, ah yes, i need to keep you close to me. how best to do it? perfect! you are now forever marked as an asset to me and the village! and he does it with what he assumes to be love in his heart.

and i’m not saying this is a good or a bad thing, the morality of minato’s choices within the context of the story is nothing entirely out of the ordinary, but the way in which he’s portrayed, how we see him and his demeanor… it’s all very much a sweet facade to mask what’s hidden underneath. he’s twisted and calculated and ugh, i love him. because he genuinely thinks he’s doing the best thing he can by kakashi and also by the village. kakashi is talented. he has a sharingan and he’s vulnerable. of course minato wants to help but he also sees an opportunity and he strikes. now they have kakashi of the sharingan in their highest ranks, and he won’t ever be able to escape the duty instilled in him. not unless he becomes a nukenin but everyone knows by that point that kakashi is so indoctrinated, the thought of leaving never crosses his mind.

and then minato dies. and kakashi is still a tool. his feelings should not affect his use. but they do. and for the first time…

kakashi of the sharingan, anbu hound, thinks maybe… leaving the village might be a good idea. if not to get away from everything. he can’t be a good tool if he’s rusty and broken. he can fix himself, he can he can. he doesn’t want to keep breaking over and over again. it hurts it hurts it hurts and the village never puts him back together the right way and for once he just wants to feel whole.

so when kakashi disappears, it’s quiet. it’s full of guilt. ashy tongue, scratchy throat, tears in his eye, and aches in his joints. but he leaves because he needs to be whole to be useful again. but it hurts. it’s not right. he’s not supposed to feel this way. he’s a tool he’s a tool he’s a tool. a weapon. an extension of the village’s wide reach. he almost can’t bear it. he throws up bile all night, on the verge of returning and getting on his knees and begging for forgiveness. he didn’t mean it, he’s sorry he just wants to be better. to feel better.

he doesn’t return that night if only because he can’t make himself get up. his body weak and feverish. he’ll go back the next day.

but he doesnt. he feels better the morning after. only a little bit but it’s enough. maybe he can take care of himself. he can mend his wounds, tighten the loose screws, clean off the rust and dirt. he can do it.

and for every day he stays away, he feels better. more whole. he’s still a shinobi. he does odd jobs when he can but mostly, he takes to helping out villages in need. he likes to help out on different farms, it feels right to him, like something in his muscle memory. he’ll also help with construction if needed, anything that uses his hands in a thoughtful, meaningful manner is good. it makes him feel good.

he likes being a shinobi, he thinks. it doesn’t feel quite right when he says that anymore. but he loves the way it feels when he builds something instead of destroying it. when he uses chakra to make the kids in all the villages he visits eyes light up with joy and wonder. he loves using katon for fires that create. he loves it he loves it he loves it.

it takes time to learn what he’s feeling, and the ever remaining guilt and shame linger in his chest when he remembers that’s he’s supposed to just be a tool and he has to return back to his wielder at some point. but for a long time, years even, kakashi lets himself be something else. something that feels close to human and he thinks he can put off going home a little longer.

[citronverveine]

when you think about it, tgcf really wouldn’t have the same impact if xie lian didn’t cultivate through abstinence.

it’s funny because it’s not even relevant to the core of the plot itself; xie lian never uses his cultivation as a reason to stay away from hua cheng. he only reminds the reader of it when he drinks wine, which is pretty irrelevant anyway. but if it doesn’t impact his relationship with hua cheng then it must serve another purpose, otherwise it wouldn’t be here, because things in fiction don’t exist just for the sake of existing.

xie lian abstaining from earthly pleasures fits into the narrative of control, expectations, and divinity, the transcendance of his mortal body.

xie lian’s goal, very early on, is to become a god. and what are gods? above mortals. or that’s what everyone thinks, but not xie lian, not entirely at least. xie lian views godhood as a means to serve the people, not being above them. this is why he doesn’t think kneeling before gods is right, and why he doesn’t want his believers to kneel.

obviously, very few people agree with him and tell him how his godhood should be, even his own believers who think it’s stupid to not kneel before a god.

xie lian always saw godhood as a tool, and his body as a tool to reach godhood. xie lian is self-sacrificing in nature, and even if at first he doesn’t really know how much it takes, it reaches extremes once he is forced to self-sacrifice for a hundred people at once.

during that time, xie lian’s body and autonomy was taken from him. “this is what you want? then take it.” it makes it seem as though it was his choice. he wanted to help, so he got to help, he should be happy, right?

i often wondered why xie lian didn’t just say to hell with it and broke his cultivation through his eight hundred years of banishment. not once, as far as we know, does he willingly break it completely and irreversibly, even though he is shackled, even though he doesn’t even actively cultivate anymore.

i think it’s about control. during that time xie lian had very little control over his life.

godhood is about repressing your human traits. when he was a god, xie lian was asked not to care, not to intervene, not to help. he was asked to sit back and watch as his people suffered, as his kingdom threatened to fall. he couldn’t.

that’s why he couldn’t be a god. he realized that himself after almost releasing the resentful spirits on Yong’an. he ascended and asked to get bannished once again. all of what he did was too human, from start to finish, and he would never be fit for a god.

his cultivation was the third and last shackle, self-imposed from the start. the first shackle bound his spiritual power, the second his luck, and the third one his cultivation, asking him to repress his humanity.

this is why it’s important that xie lian makes the choice of breaking his cultivation for hua cheng. it’s an obvious choice when you understand all of this. hua cheng gave xie lian his autonomy back by letting him be himself and making his own choices, and trusting him with them. never did he doubt xie lian, never did he tell him what to do, even when he had his own opinion on the matter. hua cheng lets xie lian be. while supporting him through it all. he’s always behind him, no matter what happens, no matter whether xie lian does good or bad, he’ll always be there to catch him regardless of what he does, because he is there for who he is. he’s xie lian. he’s human. it doesn’t matter that he’s a god, a prince, a scrap collector, a curse.

and because xie lian has finally found someone who accepts him as a whole, can he finally let himself be whole and let go of the control he has on his body. he doesn’t have to hold back. he doesn’t have to try. he can indulge. he can be human. he can want. he can love. he can hurt. he can cry. he can laugh.

tl;dr: xie lian, once aware he has someone that will accept him, the whole of him, can finally let go of any artificial control on his self to fit in what the world expects of him

[appleblueberry-pie]

I just read through all your 42 Miles posts and I am going to explode. I swear, I’m so obsessed he looks shy in comparison. On that note, what if the reader finds out about his yandere behavior…and is perfectly fine with it. Maybe they even encourage it, giggling like a schoolgirl when they catch him following them home and giving him extra kisses when he tells them how he killed the guy who flirted with them. Definitely not just describing myself here-

I LIKE IT. JUST A LITTLE BIT<3

Miles gets greedy when it comes to you. He shouldn't, but he just hates sharing. So, using the tools he has, he gets rid of all possible competition. It's dangerous, it's reckless, and it's not smart to do, but you make him do stupid, dangerous and reckless things. Can you blame him? You're everything he's ever asked for in a girl.

So sweet to him, giving him all of your attention whenever you can. Texting him often, reciprocating his energy and letting him give the love and energy he feels you deserve. And you deserve every drop of his energy.

But sometimes, he takes it too far. He's been mean-mugging everyone lately. His friends don't like him as much because they say he's been paranoid over 'some random bitch he be talkin to'. And he doesn't let things like talking behind his back, or yours, be taken lightly. Which is why they don't talk to him the next day, or the day after that.

And it's also why people don't talk to you anymore either. Or any of your male friends. Or your girl friends.....he drove them all away. Every time someone sees you, he's not too far behind. And you don't do a damn thing about it. Which causes rumors to spread, but they die as quickly as they fire up. Because he always finds the source before shit goes south. Still, you don't do a damn thing about it.

You don't necessarily encourage him to do it, but he always gets the same amount of love from you whether he gives hell to everyone else or not. So, he keeps doing it. If he wants all of you, he's going to have all of you.

If someone asks about you in a crooked tone, he gets iffy about it, and now they scared. If someone mentions your name, their feeling that sharp stare on the back of their neck, telling them to let their tongue slip one more time. Everyone's getting the hint and he'll make sure of it.

You always smile looking back at him when he follows you in the hallways or when he's following you home.

You let him give you overly-obsessive notes in your locker. You let him like all of your stories, all of your posts. You let him stalk every single one of your socials and even the ones no one is supposed to know abut. You let him blow up your phone.

When he finally has the courage to talk to your face, you two have been by each other's side like glue. You let him whisper in your ear when he doesn't want a damn soul to hear what you guys are talking about. You let him buy you lunch every day. He always holds your hand tight as shit when walking you to class. He can be a little late. He does almost everything for you. He's real good at helping you with homework(and getting rid of niggas that bother you), and it makes your stress load so much lighter.

He's such good boyfriend material.

[thethronezone]

Hello!

I enjoy your Primarchs and their children so much. However, an idea pops up and I wonder what do you think of them with pet? What kind of pet each will have and how they raise them?

Thanks!

Mortarion gets his kid a turtle. Quiet, relatively small, won't run away. They live long, which means Mortarion won't have to worry about his kid breaking out in tears because their pet died from old age any time this century. Actually does quite intensive research on different turtle species to make sure his kid gets a good pet. Gets them a tank for it and everything. (I don't know how but that turtle will somehow survive the Heresy).

Fulgrim spends a long time thinking about the perfect pet for his child before eventually he decides to settle for a classic; a cat. A very rare, ridiculously expensive breed. It's a good thing he gave it to his kid because had that cat belonged to Fulgrim then he would have treated it like an accessory, I'm sorry but that's the truth. His kid don't give a shit about what breed it is, they name is something silly like Stinkus ("Because they stinky!") and Fulgrim has to live with that.

Have you seen that artwork with gladiator Angron sitting next to a dog? Yeah, I love the idea that Angron likes dogs so, with that in mind, I think he would give his kid a dog. A wardog, of course, bred for combat. Still just a pup though. Practically shoves the puppy in the kid's arms. "This is your responsibility now". He acts like this is only a lesson on responsibility but he just wants his kid to be happy, ok? Has to look away whenever he sees his kid play with the dog because if he doesn't then everyone will see the soft expression on his face.

Magnus gifts his kid a Gyrinx, a cat-like xeno animal that forms strong bonds with their owner and enhances their psyker powers. Like this, the pet is not just a trusted companion but also helps them focus their growing psychic abilities. Does urge his child to be kind and gentle with the animal, they may not be sentient but they are still a living being with feelings. Also advices his kid to read up on Gyrinx and learn more about the species, so they can better take care of them.

If his kid is going to have a pet, then Perturabo demands it to be something useful. That's why he ends up giving his kid a falcon. Or, well, the 30k equivalent of a falcon. It's a bird of prey that they will train to hunt and fetch things. Perturabo honestly sees it less as a pet and more of a tool. Probably names the bird for them because he does not trust that they will chose a proper name. The bird is named Aegis or Talon or something basic like that.

After some careful thinking, Alpharius and Omegon gives their kid some kind of... chinchilla? Squirrel? It's a xeno animal, small enough that a child can hold in their hands, covered in fine fur and it has ridiculously big ears. It also has razor sharp teeth and its saliva is poisonous. Their kid is fine though, they have the antidote in case they get bit. See it as practice! Be nice and get the animal to like you and you have a cute pet! Be crueal and neglectful and you'll get mauled by small teeth. A very valuable lesson.

Lorgar gives his child a bird, something similar to a dove. Small, only the size of a baseline's palm, and with soft coos that sound like bells. He thinks it's a good pet that will teach them to be gentle and careful with those smaller than them. Then, as his child grow older and more responsible, he gifts them more birds until eventually, they have a whole flock. What? His kid deserves all the birds in the world.

Of course Horus gets his kid a dog. Then another one. And one more. His reasoning? What kid does not like dogs? Kid ends up with 5 dogs that follows them EVERYWHERE. They sleep in the kid's bed, follow them to their lessons, eat by the table etc.. They are truly inseparable and the kid honestly spends more time with their dogs than they do with people. Horus then has the gall to act surprised when his kid tells him they like dogs more than humans. Like, geez Horus, how do you think this happened?

At first, Konrad didn't even consider giving his kid a pet but then he heard them say they felt lonely (they don't have any friends) and so he decided to get them an animal. So he gives them a rat. Just a random rat he found. It's small and easy to replace if something happens to it. Didn't really expect his kid to grow so attached to it. It can do tricks now? It responds to the name 'Haunter'? What?

Contrary to what some of you might think, Sanguinius does NOT get his kid a bird. No, Sanguinius gets them a cat. A real fluffy one that needs to be brushed daily. Unlike Fulgrim, he does not really care about what breed it is, as long as it is healthy and will live a long life. Instills in his kid the importance of being gentle with animals (and people) and to treat them with respect. Is he teaching his kid empathy using a cat? Yes, yes he is.

Ok, so look, Corvus decision to get his kid a pet happens spontaneously. He's away somewhere (mission, meeting, whatever) when suddenly he finds this tiny, jet-black kitten. When he gets close, it hisses and bats its paws at him and he just KNOWNS that his kid will love this thing. Awkwardly gives it to them, telling them to take good care of it. Secretly checks up on the cat, just to make sure his kid is taking care of it. Sneaks it treats and pets it when no one it watching.

Ferrus gets his kid an aquarium full of fish. But like, really, really weird fish, adapted to the extreme circumstances of other planets. I'm talking fish that make deep sea marine life look like guppies in comparison. There's also a couple of crustaceans in there. Mostly sees this as a way to teach is child how living beings adapt to different hardships and get stronger because of them.

Rogal thought long and hard about this. At first he thought the perfect pet would be an ant colony but then one of his brothers said that was a stupid idea so he scratched that idea. So he ends up giving them a bear cub instead. What? It can be tamed. And look, his kid already likes it. Though he still thinks his initial idea with the ant colony was the superior one.

Vulkan choses a lizard native to Nocturne. A dog-sized, sturdy thing, long living and quite pretty, with obsidian scales speckled with the occasional red. A very popular pet for children on Nocturne and he had several himself when he was young. Probably caught it himself and brought it back for his kid on their birthday. Take good care of it, child, these things lives up to a hundred-and-fifty!

Listen, Lion does not want to get his kid an animal. The only animals he know are the beasts that he fought in the forests of Caliban so he does not exactly like animals overall. But if he has to? If he really, REALLY has to get his child a pet? A bunny. Small, quiet and when they grow tired of it, then they can just cook and eat it. Perfect. Gets confused when he mentions eating the rabbit to his kid and they burst out crying. Like, he didn't say it was going to happen NOW. Lion, buddy, they are five years old and you just told them you were planning on eating their adorable little buddy, what did you THINK would happen?

Come on. We all know what animal Leman gives to his kid as a pet. That's right, a fenrisian wolf, still just a pup. Chose this one pup because it reminded him of his kid and he thought they would be the perfect match. Pretty much gives his kid free reign on how they train and nurture the pup though he does urge them to make it clear that they are the leader or else that wolf is gonna walk all over them once it grows up.

Jaghatai is a horse-guy, of course he gives his kid a horse. A young colt that recently lost its mother and needs someone to care for it. Perfect for his kid! When it gets older, they can ride it, and when they grow too large, they can run beside it, just like Jaghatai did when he was their age. Expects them to take good care of the horse but otherwise leaves them to it.

Roboute of course goes with the obvious choice, a dog. On his kid's birthday he hands them a puppy and tells them that this is a big responsibility and that they need to take care of and train this animal with the same dedication that he looks after the Ultramarines. He was being a bit overdramatic but when he sees his kid command the puppy to show off a new trick it learned with the same tone as a general commanding troops, he can't help but feel like he did a great thing.

[sasahuaa]

Can you add scaramouche to your omega character series? He'd be a disastrous omega that needs lots of healing but I'm sure his partner can provide

You're doing great! I love reading your fics and characterization

Scaramouche as an omega

I was really considering Scaramouche before to start with genshin! I was a bit scared to start with Scara because I could see that I would start yapping, and almost did, I had to cut so many things bc my initial idea was to write him in all stages of his life, also not sure if you meant the canon timeline or fatui!scaramouche, but I can do that in the future, for now this fic has some brief mentions of Kabukimono and the fatui. And thank you for the kind words, it means a lot!

gn!reader; cw: contains deep dives into his mindset so he has pessimistic thoughts in some parts (like him thinking that reader is a sort of player, bur nothing too heavy)

This poor omega is indeed disastrous, since the moment his creator abandoned him, Kabukimono was left with a lot of questions regarding his worth. He does not understand, truly, by venturing around he discovered that omegas were not treated with much respect, was that the reason why his mother abandoned him? Does she think an alpha would be more appropriate to be an archon? But he was a puppet, designed by her will, it didn't make sense why she would make him an omega to begin with if that was her reasoning, so what was wrong with him?

The little fledgling was happy during his stay in Tatarasuna, Niwa was a father figure that teached him many skills, and the village helped each other, he was pampered by everyone. What a pity that disaster caused by a doctor's interest befell such a kind community.

Scaramouche felt his dignity crumble more each year, month, day, second that passed. At every step that he was corrupted by the fatui's ideals and methods - his body torn apart from Dottore's experiments - the thoughts of self-doubt grew in his mind. He wasn't enough to be a god, discarded before he had the chance to try, his hands didn't purify the water nor cut through mountains, no one would sing his name in worship, but he also wasn't enough to be human, his skin is artificial, unflawed like porcelain, not even a mechanical heart occupy the emptiness of his hollow chest. Forever lost in between the limbo of where his existence belongs.

For a being so emotional, Scaramouche wonders when was the last time he felt anything besides rage, it doesn't matter too much for him, as he learned how to use his anger as a tool. His underlings - though only in the fatui, as the people of Sumeru never faced the omega's wrath (or better worded, don't remember) - whispered out of his earreach, murmurs wondering if the beautiful omega was capable of love.

And now, carrying the title of Wanderer and face to face with the reason that made the vacant part of him tremble, he finally found the answer.

Courting

Nahida's orders indirectly led him to you, to be a student of the Akademiya would eventually force him to interact with other scholars, you being from Vahumana or not didn't matter, as students from different darshans would often benefited from cooperating. And like many people he met nowadays, he was indifferent at first, which considering his past as The Balladeer, when everyone was an annoying fly in his way, is a considerable improvement.

But for many aspects of life, even as he accepted that this would be something that he never would reach, he was interested in humanity. What makes people human, their flaws, traits, mannerisms and personality, what makes them yield or fill them with confidence. His almost deification didn’t bring him the same satisfaction as he felt with Niwa and the rest of the Tatarasuna people, but watching the Sumeru's citizens may be close enough.

If it's something he can't be, then he will appease himself by observing.

As he looks at alphas, he thinks that this is another thing that he is flawed at. In his studies, Scaramouche determined that omegas supposedly went crazy over alphas, but he never felt it before, or maybe he never gave himself a chance to try. A long time before he learned the consequences of creating genuine connections, that humans tend to betray the same way gods do.

But… he learned that they never did abandon him, that maybe he can trust again.

And while you both worked on your project, these types of thoughts ushered to the top of his mind like never before. You were nice to him,and laughed it off when he was being purposely cunning. You were also attentive, meticulous in your work and doting on him, always bringing him tea or other types of bitter delicacies, and just shrugged when he said there was no need to feed him.

He liked to see your reactions, there were moments when your behaviour took a tired and upset turn, when you mumbled curses about the things that went wrong with your work. It was somewhat relieving and entertaining to witness, that the gentle façade crumbles when faced with challenges.

“It's always better to work with a full stomach” you said, not sparing a thought that he didn't need to eat.

“This is pointless” the omega grumbled, he took a step away from the food.

“So just eat for the satisfaction of it, the success rate of content workers is higher than stressed ones” you insisted, and Scaramouche hated that.

Why do you treat it like there was no trouble in taking care of him? Getting out of your way to please others is dumb, especially for the likes of him.

The omega knows that he is a pessimist, that people always have motives behind their actions, and even Nahida didn't escape his judgement as he does not believe she is merely being kind and benevolent. You are no different, and when he is alone with his thoughts after bidding you goodbye and retiring for the day, he must find your intentions.

As he looks himself in the mirror, Scaramouche looks carefully at his appearance, “alphas and betas are always kinder to pretty omegas, we all know that they only want one thing” it's what the older men from the bazar say. He raises his hands to cup his face, fingers touching smooth skin with no marks, doe indigo eyes look back at him with something akin to divinity, and as he glances lower, he does not think his body lacks in beauty.

That must be it, they clearly are being good to me only to get in my pants!

Scaramouche is not a saint, he knew that, but since he started to work on his path to atonement, he was completely honest about himself. The omega knows that not everyone is like that, people that mask themselves behind lies and generous mannerisms are the worst kind of evil, and to think that you would be capable of that-

Hurts.

There is an annoying pain in his chest and a prickle behind his eyes. He needed proof, he will uncover the worst in you, that's a promise he made to himself.

Scaramouche was snarky and insufferable the following days, refusing to cooperate at all. And though he won't admit it, it was hard for him to do that, your scent wavered with a hint of sadness everytime he was rough, and he felt a need within him clawing to be free, he had to fight himself against releasing a comforting scent to appease you.

But his instinct quieted down whenever he saw you acting honorably to other omegas, when you held the door open for a nobody, or when you generously lent a hand to someone feeling troubled. The rage he felt was immeasurable, he growled lowly and was almost convinced to attack whoever was taking your attention from him.

So he wasn't special at all, he wasn’t needed, he wasn't wanted, it's always like that.

It all came to a boiling point when he snapped at you, harsh words thrown at your directions about what he thought you were doing, messing with omegas hearts just to set them aside when you were done getting what you wanted, truly shameful. Nonetheless, he felt regretful when he saw your pained expression.

“What made you think that?” your voice was quiet, and Scaramouche would prefer if you looked pissed by his accusations, anything to reassure him that he was right “You could have told me you were uncomfortable, I would've stopped”

Uncomfortable? He isn't uncomfortable by your actions towards him, he is… pleased that you did not shy away from a broken thing like him. What he did not like was when you did things for others that he believes should be only for him, and the perceptions he created himself even when you never gave him a reason to.

During all this time Scaramouche was overwhelmed by feelings, and though he is used to feel too much, what he felt about you was completely foreign to him, not the familial care he felt for Niwa and the kid from ages ago, not the gratefulness he felt for Nahida and the traveler for giving him a chance to atone for his mistakes, and not the kinship when he met Durin.

“So are you saying that you were running away from it?” Nahida questioned, placing a flower crown above the omega's head, aranara's joyfully circling around both of them “It's fine to be scared, and if you talk to them about it I am sure they will understand”

“How are you sure that people won't disappoint you? Don't you believe it's easier if you cut the problem by the roof so you never have to discover it?”

“I decide to give an opportunity for everyone to prove themselves, and maybe you would be happily surprised by the results” the goddess cupped his face, pinching the fat of his cheeks and giggling when Scaramouche bat her hands away “You look different since you met them, even your scent doesn't hold that sour end from before”

And he followed Nahida's advice, not because she told him what to do, but staying away from you was killing him inside. This is not normal, is it? To think the world is falling apart just because your desired person is not close by.

Moreover, he guesses that since becoming a citizen of Sumeru he started to work on redeeming himself, what is one more person to apologize for when you acted out of line?

Scaramouche prepared a basket of fruits and Padisarah flowers and headed to your work station, exchanging these types of words is still unfamiliar to him, but he made it very clear that he wanted to improve your relationship.

It's possible that the state of your relationship was just confirmed when someone he was jealous of before questioned him.

“Of course we are courting, don't ask stupid questions”

Honestly, it's possible Scaramouche just came to terms with his feelings after he said that. The omega was still astonished that he is loved back, he doesn't know if he deserves this.

And yet, he can't deny himself the pleasure of being in your arms, taking deep breaths of your scent and resting his eyes with your rumbling under his head. If he is being selfish and taking a good alpha form a good omega, so be it! No one deserves you anyway, if another omega even thinks of taking you from him they will be met with sharp teeth and claws.

You both become inseparable, while it's mostly because he enjoys spending time with you as much as you - and he sees you as one of the few people that it's not a waste of time to be together -, it's also a result of a deeply buried insecurity of being betrayed, he knows that some were misunderstandings, but it's hard to change a mindset after hundreds of years believing in it.

He prefers the reassurance coming from actions instead of words, so when his alpha permit him to scent all of their clothes and also their body, or hold him tight and shows that he belongs by their side when he is feeling bothered by the presence of another, it's moments like this that he feels the most complete.

Scaramouche is truthful in a relationship and he expects you to do the same, if he feels that he needs something and you can provide he will ask, he may not be the romantic type, but everyday he makes it very clear how much he adores you.

He doesn't have a favorite gift to receive - unless you make a table full of sweets, he will complain non-stop if you do that. Spending time together is enough for him, but he appreciates anything you give him, gift him a small plushie and say you thought of him when you saw it, perhaps he will tease you and joke a little, but he will keep it safe. If you give Scaramouche jewelry or any small token, he will bring it with him anywhere he goes. His gifts to you include artifacts he finds when Nahida sends him on expeditions, also Scaramouche doesn't have hobbies for himself, so instead he will engage on yours.

Growling

During the fatui era, growls were very frequent sounds he made, it was almost impossible that someone that worked with him and never heard him growl. And he felt so powerful doing so, a long time ago, while he still lived in Inazuma, omega's were heavily punished if they growled at someone, and though this conservative behavior diminished a lot compared to the past, it was far from being extinguished.

So with his title as a harbinger, Scaramouche growled until they all cowered by his feet, just like a god should be revered.

But since living in Sumeru, he doesn't growl as much anymore, this is because he is not as stressed as before, he lifted the weight off his shoulders that was having to act like something he would never become, he was not trying to sacrifice his body for his objectives anymore. There's the occasional growl when other people irritate him, as a warning to watch their words and actions.

In a relationship with you, Scaramouche also growls when he is feeling jealous or insecure, but overall, he does not growl at you unless he is in a deep mindset that something feels wrong, he will require reassurance in times like this.

Purring

Scaramouche doesn't remember the last time he purred, and now he is almost sure his purr box is broken. The omega has two reasons to think that, one is that it has been centuries, he does not know how to purr due to the disuse of that part of his vocal cords, another is because of the experiments Dottore made on him, turning his body almost inside out.

Nowadays he does not care whether he purrs or not, it's a thing he lived almost his entire life without, and he does not miss it.

If he somehow discovers that he can purr again, it would be an almost inaudible sound. If you want to hear it, you would need to rest your head over his chest, it's more vibrational than vocal. Scaramouche will not purr in public, for him, it's a thing that just both of you should be aware of.

Nesting

Scaramouche does not have a proper nest, actually, what he calls his nest is merely two pillows and one blanket that he carries around his home. at max he will try to put the blanket in a circular shape.

He took a while before introducing you to his nest. He was a bit insecure at first, other omega's have big and filled nests, with an enormous assortment of colors and textures, while his… during the fatui, he would say it was just another thing that proved something was wrong with him.

And he enjoys it so much when you are with him in his nest, you could be just relaxing around the house, and he would bring his blanket and wrap it around you wordlessly. It made him feel warm with adoration whenever he saw you inside something purely his.

He won't get out of his way to buy or make things for his nest, but he will increment it if it is a gift from his alpha. He thinks it is kind of lovable that his alpha would try to get things to make him more comfortable, and Scaramouche deeply appreciates that.

Marking

He marks you all the time, even before you started to officially court. His scent is now almost ingrained into your skin, and if he already had permission to give you a biting mark, he would.

It's not just a sign for other omegas that you are already committed to him, it's also a reminder for you, that you have an omega to come back to, and that he would do anything to keep you with him.

But even after he becomes confident that you won't leave him behind - no omega or yourself is going to separate you from him - he still covers you in his smell, Scaramouche became very fond of the whole process of scent marking and to claim you for himself.

It's therapeutic to him, he will nuzzle quietly your cheeks and bring the scent glands of his wrists to your neck, not a single gland of your go untouched. For him, it's a mandatory procedure that you must go through before leaving home, especially if your agendas oblige you to not be together for the rest of the day.

Subspace

He never entered subspace before you, and it also took a while for you to achieve that. He denied himself the mindset many times before, he felt kinda scared by it, to be so vulnerable. Anytime he felt that his mind was starting to feel like it was becoming cotton filled, Scaramouche immediately backed away from you and tried to distract himself.

When he does enter subspace, he is whiny and clingy, following you around your home and hugging you when you are busy, from behind if you are cooking, sitting on your lap and throwing his arms around your neck while you work.

Scaramouche feels like he took a shot of serotonin when he smells your skin, he is addicted, touching every exposed part of your body to his contentment. He also likes to bite, so you probably will be covered by marks of nibbles by the end of it.

And when he sobers up again he gets flustered easily, he can't believe he let instincts control over his body. He will hiss if you mention anything that he did during subspace. Nonetheless, he will eventually get into it again and the cycle will repeat itself.

☽ ☼ ☾

Scaramouche supposes things should turn out like they were before, that everything would come back to normal, he followed Nahida's advice, the instinct in his gut that begs to be with you, and yet, it seems worse than before. The omega may have had a strong reaction before and jumped into conclusions far from the truth, but he has also gotten used to silently pine for you, not expecting anything from it - maybe he can be and was aggressive towards other people that had your attention, but he won't mention it! -, for he can count the number of times in his long life that situations turned into his favor.

But Scaramouche reminded himself that he has to learn that your entire existence is too good to be true. You give him hope in many ways that he never imagined before. Your arms are stretched before him, holding a light blue and soft blanket.

“And for what reason would you give me that?” he stepped forward, picking the material from your hands.

“Can't you guess?” you chuckled and shook your head, the movement dispersed your scent that was reeking of amusement “If anything, see it as a gift to compensate the time we spend apart, to show how much I cherish you”

His eyes widen at the proclamation, under his nose he can smell that the blanket is scented. An item for a nest and carrying your smell, isn't that a sign of a courting gift? He couldn't help but hug the blanket tighter at the thought.

“Thank you for trying to look out for me”

For a long time he desired for a normal life, all his objectives from the past had the intention to lead to it, sadly all was for nothing, and he hopes he didn't look pitiful for that. And yet, in front of him, he saw an opportunity for that, he just needed to reach for you.

Once again, he gives himself the chance to dream of a better future.

[the-crooked-library]

And even if you go blind without having read the novel, the movie is full of holes in its burning desire to make Dracula this power fantasy who leaves the other men impotent and weak or as horrible zealots, like by making Van Helsing this caricature who calls women whores (have I mentioned that he felt crushing guilt for killing the weird sisters in the original?) and in the end Only The Beauty Can Kill The Beast (but because he commands it). Like is everyone okay with Mina Harker being worse than Bella Swan in this? Bella had some other interests than Edward, Mina's entire personality is a man. Not inner world, everything is secondary to him. First, she kills herself because she thought he died, after 5 seconds of introduction, so he can have his manpain. Then she's fixated on this hot guy she's ready to cheat withbut it's okay viewers because he's her rightful husband. Her typewriter skill is presented as a tool of oppression forced upon her by her staid fiancé (when it's supposed to be a modern tool of hunting down the killer of her best friend, but female friendships mean nothing here). She doesn't care he serial-raped and killed Lucy before her eyes, she doesn't care he has a harem (what was that about "eternal devotion"?), she wants to be this 400-year-old man's 4th bride so bad. She even tells him "take me away from all this death. The death that HE caused? She lies about being assaulted. Holy shit do I need to talk about how vile that is? How the fuck do you do this with one of the most famous rape and aftermath scenes in literature? She is dumb as bricks, everything she does is from his guidance. Van Helsing gets the idea to reverse-spy Dracula. Even in the final scene she doesn't get to choose. He gets to ascend to the heavens, in peace (did I mention Lucy, his 19 years old victim, died twice, screaming?). And what does she get after? Who cares, this ain't about her.

*sickos voice* yess.... YES!!! 1992 Coppola's Dracula my absolute beloathed!!!!!

Everything wrong with it exists because Coppola is a misogynist, a racist, and a coward; and I am sick to the core of seeing people glorify his film as if it's the begin-all, end-all of Dracula adaptations. Even outside of the Dracula power fantasy (which, in all fairness, it wasn't the only one to indulge, and frankly, nobody has done worse than Dracula Untold), even outside of the heinous characterization (or lack of) the female characters, one of my least favourite aspects of this adaptation is its blunt refusal to accept that the Harkers are deeply, madly, obsessively in love with each other, and as close to a power couple as a 19th century author was capable of writing. It is so wildly dismissive of the original story that it should not have ever dared to bear the name. His Mina and Lucy are entirely stripped of their personalities and complexity, Van Helsing is cold to the point of cruelty, Jonathan lacks the drive and ambition that defined his character in the novel; honestly, I hate everything he'd done with it on the story level.

we need more 1992 Dracula haters please let more people look beyond the shallows of aesthetic and actually understand how bad this movie is

[alchemistc]

Oh, those prompts are so good! If you’re inspired, either 21. listening to someone’s heartbeat or 23. wearing someone’s clothes for Buck/Tommy? Thank you!

He's so fucking tired, is the thing. He's tired, and he's cranky, and this shift had taken ages to end, so when he sees the slash of bright bright blue bleeding out of his duffle and knows immediately what it is, something soft and achy blooms in his chest, and he ignores the subtle eyebrow from Lucy when he pulls it out.

The problem is she's seen Evan in this sweatshirt, less than a week ago when he'd dragged everyone out to trivia, when they'd all been well rested and happy to pepper Evan with stories about Tommy and the more sedate hijinks that Harbor station gets up to. Tommy ignores her look and shrugs it over his shoulders, dragging his head through the neck hole and not minding too much when the hood goes crooked, half stuck in his hair as he gets a wash of pleasant smells - Evan's aftershave, the detergent he uses, a hint of musk, Christ, he'd tucked it in to Tommy's bag unwashed like he knew exactly how much Tommy would want that.

Tommy does his level best not to look like he's huffing glue as he adjusts the hood around the back of his neck.

Donato bites her lip. Sighs, heavily. "Did you steal that, or are you guys in the part of the courting ritual where you do this exhausting shit on purpose just to point out how single the rest of us are?"

Tommy sends a half-hearted glare her way, gets another whiff of aftershave and tries his absolute hardest not to sigh like a lovelorn idiot. He's maybe half successful.

"You are choosing to be single. You have a great guy who'd absolutely love to lock you down, Donato." Tommy stuffs his hands into the front pocket and cocks a hip, and Donato frowns.

"He likes me too much. Don't trust it."

His huff of laughter cuts through the quiet of the locker room. "Hate to break it to you, Luce, but you kinda gotta open yourself up to the possibility of someone enjoying your company, if you want a glimpse at annoying, exhausting, stupid relationship shit."

"I'm trying to mock you, not get relationship advice from your domestically blissed ass."

It's not the first time someone has pointed out Tommy's supposed blissful status, but his body and his mind are so fucking tired and there are apparently, if Evan's last text is to be believed, a couple good cuts of steak seasoned and waiting for Tommy to fire up the grill at home. Which means there is also a man waiting for him there, too, a man with seemingly limitless energy and pockets of technically useless information, a man with silver-cast blue eyes and a birthmark over his brow that Tommy wants to bite every time he catches a glimpse of it out of the corner or his eye, a man he'd given his spare key months too soon just because he liked the idea of coming home to him, liked the idea of him creeping in while Tommy was passed out across his bed or shifting tools around in his garage or -

"Ugh. Gross. I'm leaving, now, tell Buck I said hi."

Tommy isn't actually sure he's going to do that, because he's just realized something that takes precedent, and no offense to Lucy, but she's already wormed her way into one of Evan's defining relationship moments and he's not giving her this one.

He waves her off and shoots Evan a text to let him know he's on his way.

Going home right away doesn't feel right, actually, now that he's thinking about it. He should get flowers, or - maybe learn a foreign language. How much Spanish have Christopher and Eddie taught Evan? Does Jee have some event he could crash?

(Tommy would like to point out that while he hasn't quite said it in words, he's not exactly upset about the way he and Evan are maybe a little batshit insane about each other. If Evan doesn't have any complaints, he's not going to put a damper on it, either.)

The drive home gives him enough time to talk himself down from hiring a skywriter, his cab awash in the scent of the armor-all Evan had spilled in it last week when he got distracted from 'helping' Tommy clean, the hints of scent from the hoodie that's maybe a little tight around the shoulders but still a perfect fit. For him. For Tommy.

Fuck. He should at least get the flowers.

Tommy makes himself keep driving. He's delirious with exhaustion, actually, that's why he keeps overthinking this, there's a steak dinner and a beautiful man waiting for him at home and Evan had probably gotten flowers at the market anyway. Because he does that, constantly, to the point that Tommy had run out of vases to keep them all in.

Tommy sits in the cab once he pulls in and tries hard not to romanticize the idea of Evan's Jeep looking right at home in the spot next to his.

Evan greets him at the door with a wide grin, a spoon in one hand, the other held under it to keep from spilling. "Taste," he says as a greeting, and Tommy opens his mouth more for the pleasure of seeing Evan's eyes light than any expectation for what's being put there.

Cucumber, vinegar, dill - he moans around the mouthful and barely chews before he swallows, suddenly intent to get his mouth on Evan's mouth. His duffle lands in the entryway with a thunk and he gets two hands into the hem of Evan's shirt, intent on tugging him in. "Hi," he says, and swallows whatever greeting Evan tries to return.

When they come up for air Tommy's pulse is racing, Evan is breathing heavily, and he's pretty sure there is a spoon tucked into his back pocket, left there when Evan slung his arm back to get a handful of Tommy's ass.

"Hi," he says, finally, eyes lingering on the neckline of the jacket he'd snuck into Tommy's bag.

The significance of the moment finally catches up to Tommy - the memory something Tommy sometimes falls back on when he gets too in his head about where this is going - stumbling through the emergency room doors with the leers of exhausted firefighters echoing in his ears, Evan a vision in blue (this blue) barely letting him get an apology out before trying to eat his face off in front of three amused nurses.

"Hey," Tommy says, feeling the day just slough off of him. His left hand has tucked itself neatly between Evan's impressive pectorals, and he contemplates, for a moment, just saying fuck it to the steaks and shoving him back until he can press Evan to his sheets, blanket himself atop him, press his cheek there instead of his hand and listen to the steady beat.

Evan blinks back at him, his eyes doing something unbearably sweet, and Tommy has to tell him, he really, absolutely does, only -

"I'm in love with you," Evan says, laughing a little breathlessly once the words are out, hands pressing in at Tommy's waist, a sort of wondrous expression leaking in around his smile lines.

Tommy should maybe feel like the wind has been ripped from his sails, but the fever-pitch beat of his heart won't let him.

"Y-you don't have to, like, say it back. I just. God I like you so much but I'm also - I love you," he repeats, or amends, or - there's something settled, in his expression, like just saying it was enough, like he doesn't expect Tommy to feel the same.

Tommy waits a beat. Slides the hand on his chest up over the rasp of his end-of-day stubble, thumbing the crook of his chin, fingers dancing over his cheekbone. "Evan," he says, sounding a little breathless, which should be embarrassing but Tommy doesn't care, and Evan's gaze catches and holds as he waits for whatever Tommy has to say next

[ckret2]

idk if you've ever answered this before (probably, the answer is always probably) but is Bill, like... capable of empathy? Of sympathy? Of love (any kind) or compassion? I guess what I'm asking is how does he relate to other people? Are they all just tools and idle amusements, or does he develop any actual genuine (positive??) attachment to them?

Everything I know about him comes from 8+ year old memories of a cartoon I haven't rewatched since, and discourse I see through your blog, so I'm not sure what the canon consensus is but your word is god enough to me on at least your specific interpretation of Bill.

(I guess it would be moot to ask why he's so fucked up. Feel free to ignore any and all of this ask, it's 12 AM and I'm trawling the web before bed)

for my specific interpretation of Bill? Have this post about empathy and a couple of posts about romantic love. (Okay—three about romance.)

But now let's forget about my interpretation and talk canon.

Empathy! You can roughly split empathy into two categories: "I can logically identify and understand what you're feeling" empathy, and "when you're sad i feel sad and when you're happy I feel happy" empathy.

We absolutely know that Bill has "I understand what you're feeling" empathy, because he uses it again and again to manipulate his victims. He has VERY good emotional intelligence. He understands his victims' insecurities, their desires, how to make them feel happy, angry, ashamed, trustful, mistrustful; he knows when and how to manipulate them based on their mood to maximum effect; etc. We see it in how he manipulates Dipper & Mabel in the show; we see it in how he turns Ford against Fiddleford in Journal 3; we see it in TBOB and on thisisnotawebsitedotcom in the way he talks about how and why he manipulated Ford.

We have no evidence he experiences "I feel what you feel" empathy. That doesn't necessarily mean he DOESN'T, but there's no evidence for it. Never see him get excited just because someone else is excited, never see him cringe sympathetically when someone else is hurt. You could say "maybe on top of being a manipulation tactic, when Bill relates to Ford's estrangement from his family by talking about his destroyed universe, he's also feeling empathy for his situation," but you could also just as easily say "nah it's just manipulation."

Common sense would say well, if he feels other people's pain, it would be harder for him to manipulate, betray, and hurt people so blithely. But we're not talking about common sense, we're talking about canon evidence! It's possible for empathetic people to hurt other people; they can just... learn not to care about that person's feelings. Which is particularly easy to do if the target is someone the person sees as "less important" or dehumanizes them. Bill sees everyone as less important than him. We can't rule either way on whether or not he's got a capacity for emotional empathy we just never see. All we can say for sure is he doesn't appear to turn it on for anyone we see.

Though we see him come close. Although he doesn't feel with any of the Pines, we can see him relate to Ford (during Weirdmageddon, throughout TBOB), to Stan (on TINAWDC), and to Mabel (in TBOB and the Dipper & Mabel's Guide book) via projecting his struggles and beliefs on to them. But in a way this is sort of, reverse empathy?; it doesn't let him feel how they feel, but it makes him assume they feel the way he does.

Sympathy! The definitions of empathy vs sympathy vs compassion are contested so I'm gonna present the definitions I'm using for this post: empathy is "i [feel/understand] what you feel" and sympathy is "i care about how you feel." There's a couple of moments in his interactions with Ford in TBOB that are blatantly manipulative (when he shows Ford what's left of his dimension; to a lesser extent, when he "helps" Ford celebrate his birthday) that might also secondarily be fleeting displays of sympathy. It's ambiguous.

Compassion! Compassion is "i'm moved to help because of how you feel." There's a moment in TBOB when he gets so irritated at Puritan misogyny that he teaches a bunch of Puritan wives how to be witches and has a girls' night burning men at the stake with them. He apparently gets no benefits from this himself, aside from funsies. Is he motivated by compassion for the ladies or ONLY by irritation at how boring the men are? Again, ambiguous.

In TBOB when discussing his exploits in the Nightmare Realm, he mentions freeing patients from insane asylums and criminals from prisons. He also repeatedly mentions disliking captivity. He might be motivated by compassion derived from empathy for prisoners. He doesn't present his motives.

Love! He calls the Henchmaniacs his "family," repeatedly brings up their worries about being erased from reality, and says he takes his party hosting duties to them very seriously. We don't know whether he actually cared about them, or merely called them a family in recognition of their consistent loyalty and obedience. He's pretty disrespectful/violent toward them but that isn't incompatible with being emotionally invested in them beyond their utility. We don't have confirmation he cares for them, or confirmation he doesn't.

Hidden in TBOB and absolutely riddled through TINAWDC are references to his parents caring about him and tender quotes. When he's so blind drunk he doesn't know where he is, he tries to call his mom and asks her to make him a sandwich after school. We know he resents how they pathologized a mutation he was born with; beyond that we can't confirm whether or not he loved them; but just beneath the surface, he's unceasingly haunted by how they loved him.

Romantic love! I wrote a post about the evidence for/against romantic attraction in TBOB. He's confirmed to have at least two ex girlfriends; in the book, he mentions missing them both. He mentions having "seduced" galaxies; we don't know whether these seductions were sexual, sexual+romantic, or metaphorical. He denies having in the exes in the same book where he discusses them, and claims that love is the pupa for hate.

You can choose to interpret this multiple ways. To me it reads most strongly as "he's been in love but sucks at maintaining a relationship because he's an asshole, and he's got sour grapes about it"; but you could read it as "he wants love but his relationships fall apart because he can't feel it and he doesn't examine why" or "the relationships were based on something other than romantic love" and not technically be wrong based on the evidence we have. What we know for sure: he's had multiple relationships; he misses them; he tries to deny they happened; he claims love's dumb.

Genuine attachment to his tools! Bill claims torturing Ford was normal Henchmaniac hazing and he wanted him to join the gang. (Dubious evidence of emotional attachment.) He goes on a raging bender when Ford refuses to join him and escapes before Bill can torture him into joining. (Stronger evidence of emotional attachment.) In Weirdmageddon, seconds after Ford tried to murder Bill, he asks Ford to join him and then turns him into a statue he carries around everywhere when Ford refuses—and this is BEFORE he discovers Ford might still have a practical use for him.

On TINAWDC, he has an exchange that boils down to "Ford was just a tool?" "You say that like it's a bad thing!" "So you never cared about him?" "I didn't say that." He goes on to refer to Ford as his pet and henchman. Demeaning—but, people do feel positively toward their pets.

(It may be worth noting he also calls Teeth the Henchmaniacs' pet. Maybe this is a consistent element to how Bill relates to sentient people.)

There's evidence in TBOB that he felt similarly about his first human henchman, the shaman—at minimum, he's very bitter when the shaman turns on him and he says he's gonna find a "new best friend."

Summary: There's evidence that Bill develops facets of positive attachments to the people around him; but we don't have any evidence that any of these attachments ever added up to a positive & healthy relationship. In all the relationships we see in depth, the toxic aspects outweighed the positive ones.

Summary of the summary: Bill has the capacity for healthy relationships but is too big a douchebag to utilize it.

[widebrimmedhatsblog]

ONYX STORM SPOILERS (for your readers)

.

.

.

.

.

If you feel like it, will you expand on how you think they are still involved romantically in the end of onyx storm? Like I get that they are married but that seems to more to secure Violet’s future without him. It doesn’t seem to be because he has any hopes of any kind of future for the two of them together. Romantically or otherwise. He doesn’t want her to look for him. Aren’t they as broken up as they can be at this point? I���d love to hear your thoughts (and love another/different perspective because these thoughts I’m currently having are honestly making me feel ill).

Also thank you for your contributions to the fandom!! Honestly I think fanfic is the only thing that’s gonna get me through this. Hope we get an upsurge of riorgail fluff from everyone 🙏🏼

I have never felt like doing anything more, anon!!! I get what you're saying, and I think that's the way Rebecca/Red Tower WANT us to see it, because they want us to be anxious about where it's going so that we buy the next book. However, I refuse to subscribe to that! Here's why:

(I wrote an actual essay, so it's below the cut:)

"Together romantically" My answer to the other ask was me visiting the Xaden Liarson school of verbal gymnastics so that I didn't spoil the ending for that anon. However, judging by Xaden's behavior throughout ALL of Onyx Storm (and frankly, books 1 and 2 as well) he wouldn't marry her just to dip overall. Like, even not being meta here, he wouldn't do that. He's selfish when it comes to her, for one thing, and he says this repeatedly. For another, he CLEARLY wants to marry her just to marry her. I don't want to get sucked in to another re-read (and someone else asked for my thoughts on the ending in general, so I'll reply to that ask once I'm done with my second re-read in the next few days with more page numbers and quotes and things) but in the scene with his mother, Xaden's reaction seems to illustrate that marriage is NOT a tool for him like it was for his father. He wants to marry Violet because he loves her. Now, obviously the shotgun (crossbow?) wedding was ALSO a move to protect her and solidify her place without him as you said, but with how he talked about marriage throughout the book, and how he talked about HER, he's not marrying her just to dip. He's just not! It means something to him, as she does, and he's not going to forsake that.

Violet Violet isn't letting him marry her just to dip either. Her thoughts throughout the entire book are that she isn't scared of him and she isn't running, and she isn't letting him run from her, either. The way the scene is set up with Sgaeyl, we see:

(Sgaeyl) glances over her shoulder. "And you think she'll help?" "She loves me." "Tairn does not, and you haven't looked in the mirror yet. The red veins branching from your eyes look like her lightning." "She'll help." It comes out with a hell of a lot more certainty than I feel. "She promised."

I am slightly worried about pronoun fuckery in this bit, but we know Violet loves him more than anything, and this portion of Xaden's chapter makes it clear Violet has to agree to whatever the plan is (murdering dragons, stealing eggs, etc) and that Tairn does as well. I think Tairn would actually support them breaking up, to a certain degree, and whatever the plan is, Sgaeyl does NOT think Tairn will be down.

And then, for more confirmation:

"We will ask," Sgaeyl finally says, flexing her claws in the rocky soil "And her decision will determine our fate."

They need Violet on board for whatever they're doing. Violet isn't going to be on board with him dumping her post wedding. I know some of these lines can point in other directions, but I don't think they do, for the reasons I'll go on to spell out below!

3. Memories I know some people were confused about what, precisely, Imogen made Violet forget, and it seems like she's missing 12 hours (which, insane signet growth, Im). I could not get over Violet forgetting her wedding. Hours after I finished the book, I was like, oh my God. She can't remember her wedding, and I burst into tears. Repeatedly. At length. Which is insane, because these books NEVER make me cry. All this to say, (again, given Xaden's tone specifically surrounding marriage) they aren't going to take having her forget their wedding lightly. They just aren't. She has to forget everything in those twelve hours, because she helps Xaden concoct/finalize whatever the hell he's planning on doing (I'll probably share what I think he's planning on doing in my response to the ask I mentioned above, but the gist of it for now is that mans is going on a quest of his own), but Violet ASKS Imogen to make her forget. In the marriage aspect, Xaden's protecting Violet, but in forgetting, Violet's protecting Xaden. This is why I say romantically together as well. I think the love is more important than anything else. I think the point of this book was to make it clear they'd both do absolutely anything for the other, and the ending is a culmination of that. I know some people suggested that they have her forget so that she can't be interrogated and used against him, and I think that's definitely true (although I think making her duchess also protects her from this, but Violet has always doubted her own ability to lie). Personally, my gut instinct interpretation was that deal she made with Ridoc that she'd let Ridoc kill him if Xaden took being venin too far (which, side note, do we all just forget about them being interconnected when it suits us??? He can't die because then Violet will die. We've been over this. I digress). Clearly everyone seems to think his little "display" at the end of the book is "too far." I don't know if he killed anyone important in that scene (again, I actually thought Bodhi dies? At first? And THAT was why she had to marry Xaden to secure the duchy while he was gone? but Red Tower seems to be very in tune to fandom priorities, and with how many people love Bodhi, killing him off page would certainly be a choice) but he's still at least an Asim, if not a Sage (given the veins, I'm 99% sure he's a Sage, but again, we don't get anything concrete in that ending. side eye, Red Tower. side eye.) and therefore everyone thinks he betrayed them, and he needs to get out of there before everyone else kills him! By forgetting, Violet is saving his life. That's romantically together to me.

4. Quest! Xaden doesn't leave Violet to pull an Edward and frolic around Europe for a few months or whatever it is. He has a plan. This what he shows Sgaeyl, I believe, and what Vi and Tairn have to agree on. It involves stealing the dragon eggs, killing the elders and/or the other dragons (save me third re-read of this damn scene, save me) and getting the hell out. @maethologies told me privately that the very act of going on the Quest means Xaden has hope for a "cure", just like Violet said he still had hope if he was trying to get Brennan to mend him. I think this is the Second Krovlan Uprising tie in: trade the dragon eggs (side note: why are there 7? did Andarna steal an egg and bring it back ????) and get allies against the venin (and eventually Navarre) (and perhaps do other cure-related tasks, idk). I also personally think Xaden's going to find more answers for Violet about her connection with Dunne. A huge theme of this book was that (explicitly) Xaden and Andarna don't know who they are, but Violet doesn't really know either. She spends book 3 helping them, and in book 4, I think they help her. Basically, he returns to the isles for quest part 2! Also, I think bringing 3 riders with him is a clear sign he's not just dipping. I'm hoping my second re-read helps me finalize who the hell he brought with him besides Garrick, but if they go to the isles like I'm thinking, my moneys on Dain or Aaric for the language translation (both of whom love Violet). I have a variety of other quest nonsense to share in the other ask, but the gist of it is that he is moving with a purpose! And his purpose is Violet! Because he's in love with her!

5. Meta This is where I get a LITTLE messy. I don't know if everyone reading this saw my 2024 reading wrap up, but I have read the vast majority of RY's catalog, and I consider myself to be very familiar with the themes she likes to write, and the situations she likes to return to, over and over again. A HUGE focus for her is the war in Afghanistan. She's been obsessed with that for ten years, which makes complete sense given who she is and her lived experiences. If you happen to not be super familiar with Rebecca as a person, her husband was in the military for a very long time, and her primary sub-genre is military romance. I don't know if this carries over internationally, but in the United States, marrying your partner early on in your military career is incredibly common, because it protects them in the event of your death and while you're deployed. I was really upset about him marrying her and then immediately leaving at first, but when I thought about it, it makes complete sense for who Rebecca is and what she's gone through. I'm not trying to accuse her of self inserting or anything like that, but she clearly likes to write situations that are important to her (as do I! As do we all!) and so it makes sense to me that she'd call upon something like this for X and V. It does NOT make sense to me that she'd call upon something she went through with her husband she's still married to and then make it a break up. Will it cause tension? Obviously! But to quote Mr. Riorson himself, they're past the break up stage. (Rebecca does some silly things with foreshadowing in her books, and sometimes she says things like this to prove them wrong, and other times, she says things like this prove them right. I really think this is a "prove them right" scenario, but I'm basing that off vibes, frankly, and my knowledge of her body of work. My Rebeccca-dar, if you will.)

6. Xaden Liarson I see your point about the note, and maybe I'm deranged, but I do actually just think he's lying. I don't think he's stupid enough to think she won't come looking for him at this point. He knows her too well for that. I think the "don't come looking for me" or whatever it is is a cover up for everyone else who thinks he betrayed Tyrrendor. Also, it slows her down! I am certain she'll look for him eventually (peep her broken compass from the god of luck, anyone?), but the note + the memory wiping make it so she can't immediately go looking for him. I think that's the point of it, not that she never looks for him again.

To conclude this literal essay, I think they're still together romantically because of Riorgail's most up-to-date characterization on their own and dynamic together, as well as who Rebecca is as a writer. I actually could probably write another essay on this, and I probably will in the other ask, but if there's anything else, let me know!! I need to bleed this book out of me so I can be normal again. But even if they are "broken up", it doesn't matter long term. The five book series WILL end with them together. That's how romantasy works. Xaden isn't dying. Violet isn't dying. Everyone else is fair game, but those two are fine, LOL.

Also, you are SO welcome for fic, always. I am not a fluff girly, unfortunately. I don't really write it in general, but we'll see if I get possessed. I do have a girl dad Xaden fic in the works (in which I have to re-work their wedding....) and I have some new smut ideas I want to write sometime soon! I think that will scratch the itch for me, anyway! As I've mentioned throughout this post, my hangover cure of choice has been to dive right back into Onyx Storm again, and I honestly think that was the best idea for me. I didn't do that after Iron Flame because I thought it was somehow "bad" to do so, and then I just longed for these characters for months. But, you do you! I wanted to make a masterpost of my hangover cure recs, but we'll see if I ever get to it. If you've read this far I am personally giving you a virtual gold star.

[wellfine]

What kind of plant do you think each Straw Hat would be? Feel free to ignore this results in an unrelenting deep dive into plants.

Oh I love little thought experiments like this LET'S SEE 🪴

Luffy: Sunflower! In my mind he's associated with them pretty heavily but I guess not actually lol? Thousand Sunny is more associated with them. But he did wear them that one time... Anyway I think he'd be a giant freaky fasciated sunflower where the seed head streeeetches like rubber and he's always turned to the sun (which may be a myth for actual sunflowers, which only makes it creepier that he does that)

Zoro: A real-life marimo for sure! Those things are so cute. I would have one as a pet but I think they're actually an invasive species here. Anyway aquatic plant life and moss in general is really interesting and looks so beautiful underwater, he would totally just be chilling down there

Nami: A lucky tangerine tree that brings you prosperity 🍊🧧

Usopp: I think a pitcher plant! Or a Venus fly-trap? Maybe a rafflesia... or caltrop, the one that drops the little arena hazards lol... There are too many options for Usopp! But I also think something humble but beautiful like a daisy. Or maybe a dandelion, considered a weed by some but whimsical and auspicious by others, and either way, will always bounce back!

Sanji: Sea grapes... maybe that's silly... I think he'd love it though... it's a little more poetic/beautiful than any other kind of seaweed and it's kind of foodie-adjacent. He could bloom in the All Blue... and mermaids could turn him into seagrape wine

Chopper: You might think a cherry blossom tree! But I actually think he'd be a willow. Willow bark contains a chemical with a similar effect to aspirin and was a very important medical tool/discovery, and I can imagine deer eating the young bark and leaves. He could also be a sarsparilla plant - which was originally also used as a medicine but is now enjoyed as a delicious sweet treat which Choppy would love!

Robin: It's tempting to say something like Belladonna or something else used as a poison because she's such a witchy assassin-coded woman... but I think she might be the cherry blossom tree. With a million gnarled but beautiful limbs

Franky: Kola nut tree 👍Or a giant Redwood

Brook: If we're including mushrooms within the purview of "plants" here then I think he'd be a dead man's fingers mushroom. Otherwise maybe a Night Queen... there's just something ghostly but beautiful about them. Or a peach tree for that sweet 🍑

Jinbe: Lotus flower 🪷

(From the same anon:) What would your favorite characters be internet famous for?

Luffy: Definitely think any modern!AU Luffy would be a short form content influencer who got famous for just doing the most ridiculous stunts, eating three tablespoons of cinnamon when nobody asked him to, and for generally agitating cops

Zoro: Zoro himself is terminally offline but has become something of an internet cryptid for his ability to appear in the background of other people's completely unrelated livestreams. Disneyland? Grand Canyon? Live flood news footage? Holy shit it's that hot green hair guy again

Nami: 🤫💰

Usopp: Usopp has "streamer" written all over him. I mean it's just that one colour spread isn't it. He probably manages Nami's OF as well and they do a bunch of joint streams. Reaction clips of him flood the internet and he probably comes up with a lot of the ideas for Luffy to follow through on too

Sanji: Normal food content I think, slowly building a following with a boost from thirsty fans haha. He would be resourceful and respectful and charming, pick fights with those dudes who violate pizza dough, and also seem to know SOMETHING about that fucking green hair guy he's not telling us

Chopper:

Brook: Soundcloud rapper

I think the other Straw Hats would keep a low profile online... but I unfortunately think Barto would be one of those ragebait influencers who just goes around pissing everyone off for no reason and being really disrespectful and inconsiderate until he happens to stumble upon the same location Luffy is filming at and has a life-changing altercation

[bobachan108]

A Character Analysis on James Ratri

!!SPOILERS FOR THE PROMISED NEVERLAND!!

Okay for starters, James is a good man. The moment he discovered the truth about the Promise, he secretly made it his mission to give the cattle children a chance to live in freedom, even if it meant he had to die for it to happen.

But just because he wanted to atone for the things his ancestors had done, doesn't mean that he didn't support the promise in the beginning, because he definitely did. And it's possible that he may have encouraged Peter to do the same, which explains the reason why he is the way he is.

(Heck, the manga even confirms it. Peter loves his brother more than anything in the world and would literally do what he could in order to stand by him)

From generation to generations, every single leader of the Ratri Clan has been taught a different version of how the Promise came to be. Julius's allies are deemed as "rogues who were against world peace" and Julius is deemed as the hero who made things right in order to maintain peace within the two worlds. But in reality, Julius's allies were betrayed by Julius himself and became the first generation of humans to be offered to the demons as cattle. All for the sake of world peace.

It makes me wonder why the Ratri Clan hid the document that talked about Julius's regrets rather than burn it, because it's clear that without that document, James would've never found out about the truth about the farm system and things would've gone as normal.

Speaking about James, it's implied that at first, he did support the thousand year legacy that his family had carried, and really didn't think much about the cattle he was selling to the demons. But upon finding out that the cattle children are, in fact, descendants of Julius's allies, he starts to realize that his entire life was based on a lie, and that the children he was told to sacrifice in order to maintain peace between both humans and demons, had no real fault in the matter. James starts to realize this and feels guilty for not thinking about the children's lives from the beginning.

That's why he took on the name of William Minerva. He endured the injustice towards the cattle children for years, and now that he knew the truth, decided to take matters into his own hands in the form of a fake identity. He had become so desperate to protect the children, that he didn't think much about Goldy Pond when he had it built near fucking demon territory

In fact, I believe that this is a huge flaw of his that makes his character interesting. He's idealistic to the fault, and he believed in giving the children tools to escape and safe havens to reside in, but he does not prepare them fully for the dangers they are going to face outside the farms, which is why his shelters are kind of a failure in my opinion.

Another huge flaw of his is indecisiveness. His way of rebelling, in my opinion, is a refusal to stand up against the system face to face, and he would rather leave behind secret messages rather than taking direct action towards his own clan.

I understand why he did it though. He couldn't break the Promise himself due to his status, and he knew that if he confronted the system directly, he would be silenced. And he didn't want to risk that happening so easily.

He's also very overreliant on others now that I think about it. He placed all hope of dismantling the system to the cattle children, without thinking if they could handle the burden. Yes, his words may have gave them courage, but it also put a lot of weight on their shoulders, especially to Norman, who took his name in order to be seen as a person everyone could rely on.

Yet, when he took his final breath, all he can say as his last words were "I'm sorry", which is canonically directed to Peter. He regrets leaving Peter to suffer the burden of knowing the truth about the promise, and having to deal with his responsibilities due to stepping away from his possition as the 35th clan leader in order to rebel in secret. So as his last words, he apologizes to his brother for leaving him alone with the burden.

So in conclusion, James Ratri may have not started out as a good person, but he tried his best to break the legacy his family had started, even if it meant death would face him.

[mari-lair]

It's your au, having fun is always the most important part of it! And while I don't agree with a lot of things, for the role Akane has in the au, it does works + writing newspaper about an exorcist sounds fun, it would give Akane a brand new world to chew.

Now, you asked my personal opinion of his role as Mitsuba, so I'll be honest: I don't see him fitting Mitsuba's arc in a way that doesn't destroy his characterization.

"Rude kid who can't empathize with people and wish for a friend that won't leave him for being too harsh" is the opposite of Akane's character.

Strap in, I rambled a lot here.

Akane is one of the most popular guys in school (which i have proof, check it here) and he is loved by many people that he is openly rude to.

Think of Lemon: They are friend, neither of them is trying to please the other. When they hang out is because they want to.

Akane doesn't try to be nice to Lemon, we see him beat Lemon up a lot, their very introduction in the manga is Akane yelling/knocking Lemon down from his lackluster performance.

Which means when Akane is kind to Lemon he isn't trying to paint himself in a good light, he is empatizing and trying to help. I find it sweet how he used his power as a class representative to help Lemon not get in trouble with school work that he had forgotten to do.

The panel above is part of his oficial introduction in the manga. Nene is the one that says Akane is "kind and friendly to everyone, no exception"

And we know how rude Akane is to her.

So why would she call him 'friendly and kind?'.

Well, because he is. You'll never see someone call him sweet, he is not like Nene or Kou, which is usually the kind of bubbly image people get when they hear that someone is 'friendly', but he is approachable and he does care about people a lot.

Let's go back to the scene above where he is being a judgemental little shit to Nene. Akane is in the middle of work when Nene greets him, cause he have a tool box in his hand + he have been helping everyone the entire night so is fair to assume he is still doing one of the many tasks people need him for.

Despite how draining the night have been Akane was going to put his duty on hold (which would make him more overworked later) to see what Nene needed from him.

He doesn't even say "This better be important!", he just goes along: If she seeked him why would he turn her away?

This isn't even the first time Akane helps Nene. He was the one that suggested Nene to take Kou to the festival after hell of mirrors got Kou depressed.

Akane have been friendly since he was a small child.

Did you ever wonder why out of everyone Akane was Aoi's only friend during her childhood?

It's not because he was his neighbor and that's convinient. It's because he was the only kid nice enough to be alarmed when people were mean to Aoi, the only one who befriended the 'cold and untouchable girl.'

Aoi was his friend before his crush, they always seem to be having fun on their flashbacks, and it's clear Akane wasn't forcing himself to be nice to her when they met (look at the judgemental look he sends Aoi on the art where he takes her out of the rain + We know Akane could be mean/careless enough to make Aoi cry)

The effortless way people flock to him is constantly used to contrast Aoi's isolation.

This boy was never alone, his fatigue is because he is always surrounded, always the first option, always sought after. Always complaining but trying to help.

Add in his work with the clock keepers and god damn it of course he is always in a bad mood. I would too, give this boy a break.

Even at sleeptime people are comfortable enough to call him to come help (Kou isn't even from his class, this is not Akane taking his class representative duties seriously, he is just going 'Fine, I'll help')

What he suck at isn't empathizing, is being sweet or tactful.

Let's take Nene's breakdown as an exemple: Akane is visibly distressed by her tears, he asks what's wrong and looks for something to say, sweating in silence, and cracking his head, trying to find something to say that would help her.

He isn't close to Nene, and despite it not being Nene's fault, a part of him must be comflicted about Aoi's death being for her survival, so he can't just hug her, he also isn't an optimistic or a fan of lies so he won't go 'is okay we'll be fine!' when he feel just as depressed about Aoi's death as Nene. He is too prideful and honest to give someone a fake smile and empty words just because it is 'the right thing to do'.

He does try to help her keep her head up by saying "Let's team up" which you may scoff at, after all, it isn't something that happened, Akane stay with Teru and Nene with Kou during the rescue arc, but it is implied that this was an invitation he was willing to go through with.

If Nene didn't have Kou and his optimism available (which is something Nene greatly preffers over Akane's harsh and realistic approach to 'comfort', something I go into more detail here.) and she decided to stick by Akane's side, needing the support of her 'miserable about their situation' buddy , Akane wouldn't have abandoned Nene.

Same tough approach for Teru: When Teru vents, Akane never goes 'ooh poor you,' or 'you did your best' he get annoyed that his upperclassman is whining when they should be focusing on Aoi's rescue, he does not want to do this. But he still respect his woes enough to sit down and pause their rescue plans to listen.

Anyways, the point is: His arc is not related to isolation, regrets, or learning to socialize. It's about arrogance.

Akane is the guy people have been relying on for ages, so he grew up used to doing things himself and being rewarded love and respect for his resilience, for being able to help with anything.

His fatal flaw is that when he make a judgement he assume he is right and stick to it forever. When possible, he tries to do things by himself, not because he doesn't have anyone he can ask for help but because he believes that he is capable. That he can do it alone.

His judgement/arrogance problem isolates him from his loved ones too.

Think of Aoi, his darling who he would sacrifice anything to make her happy.

He knew she hid her emotions behind a mask, pretending nothing bothers her, and he also knew she likes when he gives her attention, so he assumed that "Aoi play it cool but she likes when I give her big gestures of love"

Which at the time was true.

HOWEVER, he kept this belief unchanged even when they started to drift apart, assuming that confessions made her happy so if she is down is because he isn't showing her enough love, he should do it more.

"I'm the one that can solve this. I am the problem if she isn't happy" -> that's self centered and arrogant.

Not once did he question why he never got more than two points, even when Aoi said she wants to die he assumed showing her more love would be the answer.

Look at this clown, he really though reassuring her that he still loves her after she stabbed him is what he needed to do instead of asking her why what he have been doing doesn't make her feel loved anyone.

It took Aoi explaining explicitly what the problem was for Akane to understand he was wrong and his actions worsened the problem.

And since he prioritizes her comfort over his pride, he did rechange his behavior, but it is still an issue that it took him so long to notice the problem! I swear if Aoi never sat down and explained everything, Akane would still be showing his concern like this, fully believing he is doing 'what Aoi loves'

instead of doing this:

Akane still need to work on his pride but he is doing much better. This ramble is getting long enough as it is though, so i'll stop it here.

[falafels]

i love ur seth u love how developed of a character he is i love how he’s funny and part of the team but also a dick and everyone dunks on him. truly how he should have been in a perfect aftg

thanks man! honestly i don’t think he ever could have been like that in canon/perfect aftg because the core of it is they all suck so bad and get in their own way. like he did want so badly for it to be better and wymack’s ideas to work but he wouldn’t be the one to commit to it if there was any chance it would fail, which is why i think it kind of works in this au? like the riko murder attempt puts him in a coma, he wakes up and suddenly it’s worked and the team is succeeding and people are getting better and it’s what he wanted but what he wanted to be part of and now he’s on the outside. he has to reintegrate to a team he barely recognises and is basically as outside as the new freshmen (who i WILL get to at some point they live in my head forever. probably not in the socmed au but there will be a long old lore post), and i think this isolation is kind of what draws him to aaron. aaron, who dislikes everyone so much that it sort of reaches a level of no-judgement (in that he’s so judgemental it kind of doesn’t matter anymore), as well as the fact that aaron seems to be drawing away from the team as well now that he’s allowed to. he’s not totally gone, but with any first freedom he vanishes for a bit and then chooses to come back as he pleases. seth thinks he’s a good place to start, as he’s part of the team but interacts with it on his own terms now. aaron also has some similar lore to seth, with addiction and strained familial relationships and not-so-progressive takes. seth eventually finds his stride by leaning into being the Elder Fox after a joke from one of the freshman- he’s not actually the oldest (renee and nicky both older), but he’s been a fox the longest and decides he’s some kind of pillar of wisdom and starts imparting this wisdom on occasion unprompted, like at practice there’s a quiet moment after dan explains a play and seth just goes “you can reheat pizza with a car battery but it will taste worse. and not with a honda because it catches fire and the owner chases you.” and kevin is endlessly annoyed by it because seth will just stop exy conversations to dispense today’s sage nugget of wisdom but the others find it vaguely entertaining if deeply confusing, and slowly seth becomes kind of weird in an amusing and more safe way than just a scowling jackass. don’t get me wrong, he’s still very much a scowling jackass, but he’s also someone who they know doesn’t actually mean them any harm. he’s kind of like the team’s version of your middle school best friend’s older brother who sits on lawn chairs wearing a bucket hat and no shirt and tells you the government is trying to steal your thoughts or your piss or some incredibly niche but elaborate conspiracy that he wholeheartedly believes and you’re like wow this guy cannot be real how does he get through a day but then the sink breaks and he fixes it with like 1 tool and some tape and it works perfectly and you start to think damn maybe he’s right about the aliens. anyway sorry i totally derailed this i love to talk about seth sorry ily thank u for this ♥️ ♥️ ♥️