#writing this took way longer than expected
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aventurineswife · 1 day ago
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Reader has been away visiting their family members who happen to live in a different country (Modern au?). The visit was quite long, lasting for almost a month. They obviously kept in touch with their partner, sending them messages daily. Calling daily, and even fave timing and showing them what they were doing. But that didn't make the distance any harder. They missed their partners terribly and couldn't wait to be back with them. So imagine the surprise of their partner when the reader finally came back and earlier than the time they gave. That deserves a special kind of celebration, no? (Suggestive?) (Dang heng since you went crazy for him yesterday, Aventurine, Veritas, and Kaveh together, and you pick the last character!)
“Though Miles Apart, Our Hearts Were Always One”
Tags: Dan Heng x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Kaveh x Reader x Ratio, Modern AU, Fluff, Romance, Reunion, Long-Distance Relationship, Suggestive Content, Emotional Intimacy, Established Relationship, Surprise Visit, Mild Angst (Missing Each Other), Humor (Light-Hearted Moments).
Warnings: Suggestive Themes (nothing explicit, but implied intimacy), Mild Emotional Angst (due to separation/missing their partner), Mention of alcohol (for Aventurine), Brief Depiction of Personal Insecurities(?).
A/N: SHHHH!! 🤭 I wish I could write smut...🧍‍♀️😪 Oh well
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The night was quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of rain against the windowpanes of Dan Heng's apartment. He sat in his room, surrounded by the comforting stillness he often sought after long days. His phone rested on the desk beside him, displaying your last message: "I’ll be home in a few days. Can’t wait to see you again, my love."
He sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. Even though you had kept in touch with daily calls and messages, the physical absence weighed heavily on him. He missed your presence—the way you brought warmth and light into his world. He didn’t like to admit how often he lingered on your texts, scrolling through your photos, cherishing the sound of your voice in his memory.
The front door creaked open. Dan Heng froze. No one else had a key to his apartment. His heart quickened as footsteps echoed in the hallway.
And then he saw you, standing there, soaked from the rain but glowing with excitement. “I’m home,” you said softly.
Dan Heng stood abruptly, his usual composed demeanor slipping as he strode toward you. He stopped just short of touching you, as if afraid this was a dream.
“You’re early,” he murmured, his voice low.
“I couldn’t wait any longer,” you admitted, stepping closer.
That was all it took. Dan Heng pulled you into his arms, his spear-like restraint shattered. He buried his face in your shoulder, his grip firm but tender.
“You should’ve called,” he said softly, his breath warm against your skin.
“Wouldn’t have been a surprise then, would it?” you teased.
Dan Heng chuckled lightly—a sound you’d missed more than you realized. His hands slipped to your waist, his touch growing bolder as his lips found yours in a kiss that was all-consuming, filled with the longing of weeks apart.
The night stretched on as he showed you just how much he’d missed you, his usually reserved nature giving way to passion and tenderness in equal measure.
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Aventurine lounged in his private suite, a glass of fine whiskey in one hand, his other idly twirling a poker chip. The city skyline stretched out before him, glittering like a sea of stars. His mind, however, wasn’t on his game or his drink—it was on you.
He sighed dramatically, tossing the poker chip onto the table. “What’s the point of winning if I can’t share it with my favorite lucky charm?” he muttered. Your daily calls had kept him sane during your trip, but they weren’t enough. He craved your presence, your laughter, the way you teased him for his flamboyance.
A knock on the door broke his reverie. Aventurine frowned. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Rising with a lazy grace, he crossed the room and opened the door.
There you were, grinning like a gambler who’d just hit the jackpot.
“Surprise!” you said, throwing your arms around him.
Aventurine laughed, the sound rich and genuine. “Darling, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” he teased, pulling you inside. “Do you know how dull life has been without you? My games have been off, my drinks less sweet. But now…”
He spun you around, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Now, I think it’s time we celebrated properly.”
Before you could reply, he swept you into his arms, carrying you toward the plush couch. His kisses were slow and deliberate, each one more intoxicating than the last.
“You’re not leaving me again anytime soon, are you?” he murmured against your lips.
“Not a chance,” you promised, tangling your fingers in his hair.
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The shared apartment was unusually quiet. Ratio sat in the library, a book in hand, while Kaveh paced the living room, grumbling about a design flaw in one of his projects. Despite their contrasting personalities, they had settled into a comfortable rhythm during your absence. Still, both men missed you dearly, their days feeling incomplete without your presence.
Kaveh sighed, flopping onto the couch. “Do you think they’ll call tonight?”
“They always do,” Ratio replied without looking up from his book.
But tonight, your call never came. Instead, the door creaked open.
Kaveh was the first to notice, his eyes widening in surprise. “Wait… is that—”
“Miss me?” you asked, stepping into the room with a grin.
Ratio’s book snapped shut as he stood, his eyes sharp with disbelief. “You’re early,” he said, his tone calm but his expression betraying his excitement.
Kaveh was less composed, rushing forward to sweep you into a tight hug. “You have no idea how much we missed you!”
Ratio joined a moment later, his touch more reserved but no less meaningful. “You should’ve informed us. We would’ve prepared something special.”
“This is better,” you said, pulling them both close.
Kaveh chuckled. “Guess we’ll have to improvise.”
The night that followed was a mix of laughter, teasing, and tender moments. Kaveh’s kisses were fervent and emotional, while Ratio’s were measured and intense, each touch and glance revealing how much they had missed you. Together, they made sure you felt the depth of their love, the three of you reunited in a harmony that needed no words.
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bird-in-the-space · 3 days ago
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The Mysterious Painter of Cybertron
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Imagine being reincarnated as a transformer on Cybertron and becoming a painter.
Warnings: death, reincarnation, mentions of cybertron's caste system, a bit of discrimination, a bit of lazy writing, and mentions of the war.
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- Imagine spending the last moments of your life in the hospital, listening to the beeps of the life support and watching life pass by through the window. You already bid your goodbyes to your family and friends, who grieved and hugged you for the last time. After years of fighting cancer, you decided to put an end to it and admit defeat. You rather fall into endless sleep than spend more time of your life in a hospital, bedridden, and going through chemo after chemo. It was sad, but you were at peace with your impending fate. 
- You have spent your time wisely before coming to the hospital. You experienced everything you wanted. You drew and painted the last of the art pieces you could and witnessed firsthand the people’s joy and awe at seeing your art. Your life as a painter had come to fulfillment. There was now nothing else you wanted to do. You were content and ready to travel to the unknown. 
- You close your eyes, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on your face and smelling the scent of the flowers near your bed one last time. You took your last breath, feeling yourself pass, unable to open your eyes any longer. 
- You imagined many things you might face when your soul finally left your body and you wandered into the unknown realm of the dead. However, you did not expect to hear sounds and open your eyes to a completely different world, filled with mechanical beings, in a body of a giant robot. 
- You barely had time to process what was happening. You and many others were greeted by another robotic being, who welcomed you as a new generation of transformers on Cybertron. 
- It clicked sometime later that you had reincarnated or been born into a new life. But strangely, you still remembered your previous life as a human. 
- However, you were not frightened by the new situation. You decided to take your previous name as your designation and embrace your new life in this strange world. 
- You marveled the strangeness of this new world. It was unlike anything you had seen in your life as a human. Everything was mechanical and you had a unique ability to change shape. It was beautiful. The culture, the history, everything was new and you wanted to explore all of it. But like all beautiful things, there were ugly sides to this world. 
- You found out Cybertron operated on a caste system. You were given a job based on your alt-form, and though you did not end up with a bad profession and were treated well by your new colleagues, you could not help but feel sadness and watch how the lower-class bots were treated. You saw how they were forced to work in dangerous places and how they were treated like lesser beings, even if their professions were one of Cybertron’s vital sources of energon, the sustenance, and the lifeblood of transformers. 
- It reminded you how humanity used to operate, and unnoticeably still did even in modern times. 
- You wished you could do something to change that, but due to your own status in the system— your options were limited. Even if you were not part of the lower class, you weren’t part of the higher class either. You were somewhere in the middle. 
- You utilized your skills and knowledge from your previous life, which earned you a safe position. You learned new necessary skills to survive in the system, helping the less fortunate whenever you could. 
- You made many friends, even a few from the higher class, who did not view the lower class the way most did. 
- After some time, you began to yearn for your previous home and the beauty of organic nature. Cybertron was beautiful in its own way, but you did not deny your desire to share the beauty of organic fauna and flora, especially when these transformers knew very little about them. 
- It made you think of your previous passion for arts, so you began sketching and painting during your free time, using supplies your credits allowed. 
- You painted whatever you could from memory, painting flowers and landscapes you painted before. You considered applying yourself as a student to a research institute, but due to your status – you couldn’t. 
- Your friends were enamored with your art pieces. Even your friends from the higher class were intrigued. They suggested you try selling them, and the idea appealed to you. Perhaps you finally found an opportunity to support the bots in the lower class. Unfortunately, you had to drop the idea when you failed to sell even one of your art pieces. The idea of a nameless middle-class bot painting such pieces simply did not gain any attention. 
- It was a low blow to your esteem, but you then found a way to overcome that through one of your friends, who was a higher-class bot. By putting their name on your paintings and claiming to be the artist behind them, your art finally gained attention and started to sell. Wanting to help the lower class, you and your friend agreed to donate the funds to support charities and the less fortunate. 
- They did feel bad taking the credit for your work, but you did not mind, since you finally found a way to help the lower-class bots. It also provided you with more art supplies, allowing you to continue painting and making new art pieces. 
- Even if your friend was the one who gained the fame and the marvel for your art, you were happy. Some researchers even became interested in organic life, which was a win for you. 
- You sometimes wandered into the sectors and levels where the lower class lived, painting portraits of flowers and landscapes into the empty walls of the streets. It was your way of giving the lower class something beautiful to look at. They would look at you with suspicion whenever you came, but then gaze in wonder when you painted something they had never seen before.
- Whenever some of them mustered the courage to come and talk to you, asking about the paintings, you would happily tell them what they were and their meanings, which would leave them even more in awe. 
- You were considered strange and even your name felt unusual. However, you were then regarded with respect, for your artistic skills and kind nature toward others. Some thought you were some kind of researcher due to your knowledge of the organic flora, but even so, the paintings you created on the walls and concerns of what they considered slump were left untouched. 
- It was silent appreciation and you even noticed some of them chase away vandals who attempted to ruin your work. It warmed your spark, even if not all of them appreciated your small gifts of art. 
- Unknowns to you, your small paintings would last even when the war between Autobots and Decepticons arose. Some of your artwork could be found left untouched even if everything else around them lay in ruins. No one would know what happened to you, the strange artist behind them. Your name and figure would become things of mystery, but those who still remember them and you would leave them alone and even mark them as a zone of neutrality.
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weneeya · 2 days ago
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Third years in haikyuu reacting to reader dressing up all pretty ?
pretty for you m.list | rules
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pairing. karasuno's third years x reader
characters. daichi, sugawara, asahi, kiyoko
note. yes yes yes, i want to write this (i assumed it was karasuno's third years) and ofc i included kiyoko bc i love women sm <3
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⎯ Sawamura Daichi
When you told him you would be late, he almost immediately started to panic. Were you okay? Did you have any problems? He thought you would have told him if anything was wrong, but he could not help it, he was way too protective of you. Daichi always needed to be sure that you were doing fine and that nothing was troubling you too much. 
He was trying to reassure himself when he heard your voice calling his name from behind his back. He turned around in no time, and froze the second after he saw you. You were so pretty. He always thought you looked pretty, of course, but today? It was even more. He took a step closer to you, noticing the way you seemed to be panicking a bit about his silence. 
Daichi gently took your hand in his, and brought it to his lips so he could leave a soft kiss against the back of it. “You look amazing.” He told you, and his warm smile eased all of your worries. You smiled softly, glad that he liked the effort you made for him. 
“Sorry for the lateness, I just wanted to look perfect,” you explained to him, and he chuckled a little at your words. You really were adorable, nothing would change that and he knew it. 
“Don’t worry, you can be late all you want if you look this great.” You felt your cheeks burning slightly at his words, and he took your hand in his larger one.
⎯ Sugawara Koushi
You were just supposed to chill out at Suga’s place, nothing more. He wanted to show you something apparently, and you could not wait to see what it was. You did not really know why, but you wanted to make some more efforts to look especially pretty today. Perhaps you needed it, to be told compliments. 
You knocked at his door, and he opened it in no time. He was all too excited to be seeing you. When his eyes laid on your figure, they moved up and down to take a better look at your outfit. They lingered a bit longer on your face, before a smile appeared on his lips. 
“You’re so pretty. Is that for me?” He asked, and you cleared your throat while looking away. You nodded softly, which made his smile grow a bit wider. He quickly took your hand, closing the door of his room behind him. “What are you doing?” You asked him, a bit surprised. 
“No way we’re staying here when you look this pretty! I want the world to see how gorgeous my girlfriend is.” And you swore you felt your whole body melting at his words.
⎯ Asahi Azumane
He was always so nervous when he was seeing you alone. It made no sense, because you two were together, and he knew you were the most sincere and sweet person he ever met in his life. Yet, he couldn't help but feel stressed every time. It was in his nature after all. It was a force which was stronger than him. 
He arrived late because of his bus, and it made him even more nervous because he did not want to make you wait too long alone outside. When Asahi finally arrived, his eyes almost immediately locked on your figure. 
You always looked pretty. You were probably the prettiest girl he ever met in his whole life, and he was not even exaggerating. But your outfit made you look even prettier ; and the way you tied your hair? He swore he could have faint right here and right now, in the middle of the street. 
He walked to you quickly, not wanting to make you wait even more than it was already the case. He cleared his throat, and you looked at him with the softest smile on Earth. How could he not be a nervous mess with you around? He sighed slowly, easing himself down as you wrapped your arm around his. 
“Do you like how I dressed today?” You asked him, and he immediately looked at you with a smile. Did you really expect him to say no? He could not believe it. 
“You’re gorgeous, really. I almost fell down back there when I saw you from afar.” His words made you chuckle a bit, and he did the same when he heard you. You really were the best at soothing him down after all.
⎯ Kiyoko Shimizu
She was the prettiest girl you knew. She looked so good in everything, all the time, and you could never understand how it was possible. So when you two decided to go out to do some shopping together, you decided that you wanted to try to be as pretty as her. You did not want her to go out with someone not as good as her. 
Kiyoko was not the most expressive girl, and you knew it well. You did not dress up for her to say anything, but you secretly hoped she would love the way you looked for her today. You were both sitting at a cafe, drinking something hot to warm yourselves up. 
“You really are pretty today. I like the way it looks on you.” She said out of nowhere, after she put her cup down on the table. You almost choked on air, before you looked up at her with your cheeks burning. 
“You think so..?” You asked, a bit hesitant, and she met your eyes. The way she looked at you meant everything, but she still replied so you would not doubt her words. “Of course I do. You’re always pretty though, don’t worry about it.” 
You could not restrain the light smile that appeared on your lips as she reassured you so easily, making your heart race and your stomach do flips. She really was doing so much efforts for you, and it made you so happy.
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thank you for reading!!
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joeyalohadream · 2 days ago
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Last Line Tag
Thank you @swifty-fox , @stars-remain2 , and @donotnomi for tagging meee! 💕
Apologies for being MIA a bit. Life has been life-ing, I am incapable lately of saying no and setting boundaries with my managers and now I have some kind of flu and ugh. But I'm home and writing today and tomorrow so chapter four of Let your heart be light is hopefully coming tomorrow!
My nerves are fraying with my attempt to write anything explicit (apologies if it's awful), but I'm trying because it's important for Gale and John's relationship and the story. Bear with me as it's taking me longer than usual because writing anything like this is new to me.
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Stupidly, Gale thinks of gravity as John’s hands slide down his back and settle on his waist. His skin is warm under the touch and he can’t contain the whine he lets out against John’s lips as the other man pulls him into his lap with a slight twist and flex of his body.
It took no effort, like the gravity left the room. Expect this feels like gravity. Like there’s some physical force pulling him into John.
Gale’s read enough books to know that the more mass an object has, the more gravity it contains. And his hands can’t stop roaming over John’s broad chest and down the planes of his soft stomach, back up over the breadth of his shoulders.
John’s big everywhere. His body, his smile, his personality, his charm, his sincerity and his care.
He shifts forward, feels how affected John is by all of this, just as hard as Gale is in his sleep pants, and he rocks forward again, swallowing John’s groan even as he flushes all the way down his chest at the confirmation that John really is big everywhere.
Large palms flutter over his waist, up his back, fingertips trailing up his spine and back down, leaving goosebumps in their wake when paired with the way John’s warm tongue curls gently against his own.
It feels too good.
He never wants to stop kissing him.
Can’t believe how good it feels to be held like this.
His breathing stutters as John rocks up into him. But then John’s slowing them down, tongue retreating, lips pressing soft strokes against his swollen lips and then nudging his nose with own.
“I knew it.”
Gale’s eyes flutter open at the words, at the break in the silence. He’s so hard he feels like he could come just from the feel of John’s breath on his cheek.
“Knew what?” He sighs, not surprised by how breathy his question comes out. His thighs are trembling and the ache in his hip is such a distant afterthought it might as well not be real.
John’s hand flex and tighten where they’re resting around his waist. “Knew my hands would feel good here.”
“It does feel good,” Gale lets out, heat creeping up his neck. But John’s eyes go all squinty and soft at his words and he pulls Gale forward until their hips are flush. It sends a shock through him and he buries his face in John’s neck to hide the sound it draws out of him.
“Don’t hide, sweetheart,” John voice rumbles against his chest.
But Gale shakes his head, keeps his face pressed close and mouths at the sweaty skin of John’s throat and starts to rock his hips, no rhythm to it, just pleasure as his cock strains to get to John’s.
“Oh, god, Gale.” John moans, head tilting back as Gale tongues at his pulse point and keeps moving his hips.
He feels a bit delirious, a little floaty. But so good he can’t stop.
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alittlegiraffe · 20 hours ago
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Title: Worth Fighting For
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You loved Marshall. That was never in question.
But lately, it felt like you were a ghost in your own relationship. Marshall was always busy—writing, in the studio, or dealing with one thing or another. It wasn’t that you didn’t understand his world. You knew how much his work meant to him, and you’d always been his biggest supporter. But somewhere along the way, you started to feel like a background character in his life.
The little things he used to do—leaving sweet notes, calling just to hear your voice, even looking at you like you were his entire world—those things had disappeared. You knew he loved you, but lately, it felt like he was just going through the motions.
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It started innocently enough.
You’d been having a rough day, and one of your coworkers, Chris, noticed. He was easy to talk to—kind, funny, and always ready with a compliment that made you feel seen.
“You look stressed,” Chris said one afternoon, leaning against the edge of your desk.
You shrugged, forcing a smile. “It’s nothing.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, you’ve been killing it here lately. I don’t know how you manage to stay on top of everything.”
The sincerity in his voice made your chest tighten. It had been so long since someone looked at you like that, like you were more than just someone to lean on or depend on. For a fleeting moment, it felt good.
But as soon as you got home that evening, guilt settled in. You hadn’t done anything wrong—nothing beyond a smile and a little small talk—but the fact that it felt *nice* bothered you.
The guilt gnawed at you for days, and Marshall didn’t seem to notice. He’d been distant, wrapped up in his own world as always.
One night, as you sat across from him at the dinner table, you couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Marshall,” you said softly.
“Hm?” he replied without looking up from his phone.
You swallowed hard, your hands trembling slightly. “We need to talk.”
His head snapped up, concern flashing in his blue eyes. “What’s wrong?”
You took a deep breath. “I feel like we’ve been drifting apart. Like… like I’m not a priority to you anymore.”
He frowned, setting his phone down. “That’s not true. You know I love you.”
“I do,” you said quickly. “But I don’t *feel* it, Marshall. Not lately. I feel like I’m just… here. Like I’m someone you expect to always be around, no matter what.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but you held up a hand, cutting him off. “Let me finish. There’s more.”
His brows furrowed, but he nodded, giving you the floor.
“There’s this guy at work,” you began hesitantly, avoiding his gaze. “Nothing happened, but… he’s been nice to me. He notices when I’m upset, and he compliments me, and for a moment, it felt really good. It felt good to be seen. And then I felt *horrible* because it made me realize how much I’ve been missing that with you.”
The silence that followed was deafening. You risked a glance at him, and the hurt in his eyes made your stomach churn.
“So, what are you saying?” he asked finally, his voice low.
“I’m saying that I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to feel invisible to the person I love most. And I don’t want to be the kind of person who gets attention from someone else and *likes* it because I’m not getting it at home. I don’t want this to break us, but I need you to fight for me, Marshall. I need to know I’m worth fighting for.”
He sat back in his chair, running a hand down his face. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath.
You waited, your heart pounding in your chest.
Finally, he looked up at you, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and determination. “You are worth fighting for. You always have been. And I’m sorry if I made you feel like you weren’t.”
You bit your lip, tears welling up in your eyes. “It’s not just about saying it, Marshall. I need to *feel* it.”
“I know,” he said, standing and moving around the table to crouch in front of you. He took your hands in his, his touch firm but gentle. “I’ve been so caught up in everything else that I’ve taken you for granted. That’s on me. But I swear to you, I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this. To make you feel like the queen you are.”
You let out a shaky laugh, tears spilling down your cheeks. “You mean that?”
He nodded, his grip on your hands tightening. “Yeah, I do. And I’m sorry. For all of it. For not seeing how much you were hurting. For making you feel like you weren’t enough. I’m gonna do better. I promise.”
You searched his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, you felt a flicker of hope.
“Okay,” you said softly. “But this has to be both of us, Marshall. We both have to work on this.”
“Deal,” he said, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead. “I’m not losing you. Not now, not ever.”
--
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wyvchard · 5 hours ago
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My specific Phoenix (the stuff I write without a certain tag are written without descriptions and have vague memories on purpose. I tend to write more specific-to-my-Phoenix lore moments in my RP / ask blog with a certain tag.) takes several points from a (last I checked) collective culture.
My Phoenix grew up in a culture where they're 'encouraged' to give people "face" to "get along" in order to avoid "embarrassing" people (even if they're horrible) and staying silent, even when the situation is bad, is often a side effect of it. Another aspect of it it "showing respect", which is often misused to "justify" some bad things. They weren't really experimented on or hurt by a bad family life, they actually had good loving parents and siblings. However, their extended family wasn't as loving or nice.
Which is why their decision to save John Juniper's life is so emotionally complex for them and they're still navigating how to feel about that. It reminds them a bit of the past in a slightly bitter way.
There's also an emphasis in the wider culture to form connections and it's through this connections that Phoenix got in contact with the agency.
Phoenix sought the agency out after a certain incident involving Zoraxis operatives shooting at them as collateral damage. They weren't the target but they were with the target since they were close. They wanted answers and they went to get it. They took advantage of the fact they're well-connected to gain access to intel into the agency. (In fact, they'd been involved in the information network for far longer than their time in the agency.)
While they absolutely loathe Zoraxis, they're more merciful towards Zoraxis operatives. Not everyone has the strength or opportunity to walk away, after all.
Onto little things that I add onto them, partly related to / taken from / inspired by the culture I'm basing them on and stuff people do in real life:
Souvenirs. Born in a culture where you tend to buy things (usually food) when you go on a long trip. (Also contributed to the fact they carry candy and snacks around all the time.)
Favors and their weird relationship with them. They don't like feeling indebted because of the (largely unspoken) expectation of paying it back. When they help, they usually show when they don't expect to get it back.
Their complex attitudes towards authority figures. They love their handler as family by the end of the third game but they don't reveal everything to him. They trust the agency as mostly peaceful but they have a backdoor to escape. Always. (Brought on about their knowledge of history. It's pretty dark.)
Silence and the fact they don't reveal secrets. "You didn't ask" is their common go-to. They like to pretend they don't know certain things so they don't get involved in the drama.
They're a bit too eager to get everything in writing. Something about not getting framed and having proof just in case someone tried throwing them under the bus. (Which most likely happened prior to them working for the agency.)
There's more but I wanna write those ideas instead. Some parts of the backstory have been shown, as seen in this whumptober entry but I'm still hashing out the details.
Hispanic/latino/asian phoenix’s r lowkey so cool as someone with a Hispanic phoenix and a hispanic mom 💥💥💥
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hyvyinjie · 8 months ago
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hi! Can I ask for a headcannon about Minamoto teru x childhood friend reader? Where teru is really over protective and gentle towards the reader. Reader is a lazy person, and often sleepy, the things he likes are reading comics and playing game in their phone. They also refuses teru's invitation to join the student council. Thank you! :)
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why of course! it’d be an honor to grant such an ask. apologies for taking quite a while to do so—though i hope my work meets your expectations, wonderful nonie!<3
—LOST IN THE HAZE OF YOUR DREAMSCAPE.
featuring ; minamoto teru & you as our star.
+ small akane & aoi mentions.
ah, minamoto teru; the very embodiment of perfection—as he was hailed and as he carried himself with utter conviction.
a master of powers, a paragon of academic prowess, and a maestro in all things extraordinary. could there be anything he did not conquer?
yet, his persona, a labyrinth of complexities, as if harboring a multitude of souls within his very being.
now, here you arrive in his peculiar life—meeting with the intricacies of his existence.
when your paths converged, it ignited a tempestuous collision, a clash of peculiar forces.
initially, your mere presence held no sway over him. in truth, he perceived you as an encumbrance, burdened by your languid nature. for he, a relentless pursuer of flawlessness, demanded nothing less.
but lo and behold. fate—that cunning trickster—wove its intricate threads, meticulously mending the frayed tapestry of your connection.
through the passage of time, a tapestry of happenstance encounters and the subsequent flourishing of interactions—a nascent camaraderie took root. he slowly, but surely grew attuned to your idiosyncrasies, harmonizing with your rhythm. while the power to surmount every obstacle at your side eludes him still, he persists, striving to offer his utmost.
oh please have mercy on this young man—forever enmeshed in the whirlwind of his exorcist duties. and yet, even amidst the chaos, his devotion knows no bounds when it comes to those he holds dear.
one might assume that quality time would be sacrificed for the trivial, but fear not, for you found yourself on the fortunate side—the one he’d willingly carved out moments to be with.
initially, your encounters were fleeting, brief snippets of time. however, as the sands of time trickled down, these fragments transformed into meticulously planned sleepovers. he meticulously orchestrated these occasions, ensuring they did not encroach upon his demanding schedule.
your bond thrived during these cozy gatherings, or tranquil rendezvous, where he wholeheartedly immersed himself in your passions—comics and video games.
though not extensively versed in these realms, one might imagine that you—with your infectious enthusiasm to the field—was the catalyst for his exploration and understanding of the realm of entertainment. this was evidenced by the gradual increase in invitations to game nights and his newfound willingness to engage in discussions about captivating narratives. perhaps, you both even exchanged recommendations for comics, as kindred spirits often do.
as the both of you and the world grew older—it became evident that he honed his social skills; presenting himself as a complete package. every aspect of his being held an irresistible allure, captivating the hearts of women, and even some fellow men. many yearned and openly expressed their desire to be the chosen one by his side.
however, even amidst the clamoring crowd, his gaze remained steadfastly fixed upon you.
of course, as the old adage goes; with great power comes great responsibility—the price of his popularity gradually revealed itself.
certain students, teetering on the edge of obsession, noticed the distinct tenderness he displayed towards you, surpassing his general kindness towards all. seizing upon this perceived vulnerability, they occasionally resorted to devious methods, seeking to eliminate you from the equation, taking advantage of moments when slumber claimed you.
naturally, he swiftly uncovered their plot, intervening before they could execute their nefarious intentions.
needless to say, the number of such audacious attempts dwindled significantly. what exactly he did to deter them remains a mystery known only to him and his would-be victims.
still, worried that the possibility of a recurrence and his absence to intervene, he took it upon himself to practically implore—some might even say beg—you to join the student council. this would ensure that he, or even akane if needed, could keep a watchful eye over you with greater ease.
however, true to your nature, you steadfastly rebuffed each futile attempt to persuade you. despite his persistent efforts, you remained resolute in your refusal.
eventually, your golden boy relented, recognizing that his endeavors were in vain…but that was just because he found an alternative solution.
he encouraged—forced—akane to be the one to look after you discreetly whenever he couldn’t. only choosing to partially reveal his intentions to avoid alarming you at the time, as you were unfamiliar with akane’s existence.
or so it had been until he observed that you and the school’s vice president shared a rather unique bond.
although akane would occasionally scold you for being so excessively somnolent, mistaking it for you being irresponsible, hence, occasionally comparing you to the greatness of his lady aoi—teru—ever vigilant and mindful of akane’s every interaction with you, ensured that his usual brutal tendencies were significantly tempered. still—it remained a part of the deputy’s essence, defining his very being, just albeit subdued in your presence.
it could be surmised that akane once attempted to tease—or rather, foolishly inquire, about teru’s subtle yet perceptible shifts in behavior whenever you were involved.
“it’s almost as if you like them.”
in an almost immediate reaction—the president paused, slowly turning his head to gaze at akane, a shadow casting a smile that concealed the upper portion of his closed eyes.
the ginger-haired vice executive, feeling an ominous presence despite the absence of visible eyes, found himself sweating profusely as he cautiously added,
“—to the point where anyone could mistake you for family!"
sensing the gravity of his words, akane mentally vowed to never broach the subject again. he restrained himself from ever mentioning it whenever he witnessed the two of you together.
curiosity gnawed at you as you noticed his all-knowing gaze transform into one of horror whenever you turned your head, as if peering behind you; at none other than the pretty blonde himself, who seemed to be doing nothing wrong, merely proven to have been innocently smiling the whole time, or so he put up whenever you looked back at him.
oblivious to the truth, you always dismissed it as ‘akane’s peculiar moments of ptsd flashbacks’ whenever he saw teru.
however, let me share a little secret with you.
did you know the true reason behind teru’s death stare? no? well, do you wanna know?
then do allow me to spill it for you.
it was simply because akane, using the keyword; "like," insinuated that teru had a ‘liking-only level’ romantic feeling for you. the misconception provoked such a reaction from teru, for he wanted to correct that statement because he loved you, not just liked you.
seriously, can’t people let him finish what he’s saying?
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burstfoot · 1 year ago
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Figured I'd make a post outlining Arknights' auxiliary material for those who want to see more of the universe and aren't aware of all that's out there! ANIMATION Arknights Prelude To Dawn (S1) and Perish in Frost (S2, currently airing): [Crunchyroll]
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A straight up adapation of the main story, up through Chapter 0 to Chapter 6! It's much more fast-paced than the story, so I wouldn't use it to replace actually reading it, but it's very cool to see some of these scenes in full animation. Lee's Detective Agency: (Youtube)
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A mini-series animated in a chibi-style with a comedic tone focused on the adventures of the Kuroblood-illustrated Lee's Detective Agency! Distributed by Crunchyroll globally, but entirely free to watch.
Closure's Secret Files: (Youtube)
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A cut-out styled series of shorts hosted by Closure which outlines a lot of the game's basic mechanics!
Holy Knight Light: [Youtube]
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A short Youtube OVA focusing around Penguin Logistics delivering a package, celebrating Arknights' first anniversary!
[Upcoming]: Kay's Daily Doodles: (Twitter Annoucement)
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Another free youtube mini-series that starts airing December 1st, focused around Ceobe! Here's some additional animations! Each event usually also has a 15 second 2D animated preview of the event, but there's so many of those that I can't list them all. Official Anniversary Event 3D Animations: Lone Trail Where Vernal Winds Will Never Blow Il Siracusano Ideal City Stultifera Navis Invitation To Wine Near Light Dossoles Holiday Under Tides Bonus 3D Animated Shorts: Legend of Chongyue Arknights Special - IL Siracusano Lo Scontro Youtube Shorts: Ch'en and Lin's Watermelon Splitting Game Part 1 Ch'en and Lin's Watermelon Splitting Game Part 2 Amiya's Siracusan Food Guide Part 1 Amiya's Siracusano Food Guide Part 2
Comics, Manga, Manhua
Officially Translated Rhodes Island's Records of Originium: Rhine Lab: (Offical Website)
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A canon manhua centered around the circumstances that lead to Silence falling out with Saria and joining Rhodes Island with Ifrit, as well as Ifrit's attempt to save a dying infected stowaway on the landship. Essential reading for understanding the Rhine Lab storyline and characters - read it right after Mansfield! One of the characters, Darya, is mentioned in both Ifrit's module and briefly in Lone Trail.
Rhodes Island's Records of Originium: Blacksteel: (Official Source)
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A short story focusing on the lives of the Blacksteel operators aboard the landship. While it often gets overshadowed by the Rhine Lab manga which is bigger in scope, this is a great read especially if you're interested in Franka or Liskarm.
Rhodes Kitchen -TIDBITS-: (Official Source)
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An anthology story related to the cuisine that's important to a variety of operators. While it might seem unassuming, the art is gorgeous and it's really well-written. I particularly recommend the Goldenglow (Chapter 4) and Rosa (Chapter 5) chapters.
Unofficially Translated
Arknights Comic Anthology: (Mangadex)
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As the title says, a series of non-canon anthology stories regarding the cast of Rhodes' Island! Note that the link provided only has complete translations up to Volume 4 (and Vol. 4 is missing Ch. 7), and most of the chapters avaliable after that point were MTL'd, so I can't vouch for their accuracy. Chapters I'd recommend are: Volume 1: Chapter 12 (focused on Myrrh trying to improve her medicine), Chapter 14 (focused on Saria and Silence trying to put apart their differences to take Ifrit on vacation, afaik the only place where they are directly referred to as her "moms") Volume 2: Chapter 1 (Manticore tries to make friends), Chapter 3 (The LGD gets drunk), Chapter 11 (Texlapp and Mosexu yuribait), Ch. 13 (Magallan tries to find a pet), Chapter 16 (Ethan spies on the interior lives of Rhodes operators) Volume 3: Chapter 6 (Snowsant, Ifrit, Nian and Shaw are forced to make friends), Chapter 7 (Gummy flashes back to Chernobog), Chapter 10 (FEater and Shaw yuribait), Chapter 13 (Blackout on the landship, as well as Ayerscarpe and Leonhardt yaoibait)
Volume 4: Chapter 4 (Thorns tries to make friends with Weedy [this one is my favourite]), Chapter 6 (Tomimi tail spankings), Chapter 9 (Elysium helps Frostleaf get along with Dur-Nar) Volume 6: Ch. 1 (Whisperain opens up to others) [this one isn't MTL'd afaik]
123 Rhodes Island: (Mangadex)
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A series of non-canon gag 4komas! Many of the games' offical stickers are done in this series' art style.
Arknights: Operators!: (Mangadex)
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A compilation of 4komas posted on the official ArknightsJP twitter account! Thank you to @sleepywoodscans for their work on translating these, please show them some love!!
[Edit: For clarities sake, the only stuff here that has used MTL is later chapters of the Comic Anthology! Sleepywoodscans’ work on Operators! is all done by hand (they’re a native Japanese speaker). Again, I really appreciate their work!]
Arknights: A1 Operations Preparation Detachment: (Mangadex)
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Part of the Terra Historicus website and not yet officially translated, focusing on Fang, Kroos and Beagle, and a catastrophe striking the Columbian city of Tkaronto. Unfortunately, only translated up to Chapter 6, but one of the characters (Elba) has a brief cameo in Light Sparks in Darkness! Edit: Chapter 7 has been translated by @pooce-art, and they're working on Chapter 8!
Angelina: Sketches of THIS Messenger's Journey: (Mangadex)
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Also published as part of the Terra Historicus website and not yet officially translated, focuses on the adventures of Angelina travelling across Terra as a Messenger! Recent chapters relate to the upcoming Sami event & IS4, as well as the upcoming So Long, Adele.
Prelude Suite: Unrestrained Play: (Wiki)
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Unfortunately, I can't find a full translation for this one - an epilogue to Hortus De Esscapismo focusing on Arturia's background. Of course, major spoilers for Hortus apply - if you can find a full translation yourself.
As well, an upcoming manhua focused on the Break the Ice cast was annouced during the 4.5 Anniversary stream. As far as I'm aware, chapters have not begun releasing yet!
Other:
Arknights Ambience Synesthesia: (Youtube)
youtube
A series of concerts (3 so far), focusing around Arknights' music! A live performance has been done every year, with skins released in-game for the concert's theme & 3D animations produced featuring the skin's cast in 2022 and 2023.
Monster Siren Records: (Spotify) (Official Website)
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Arknights' official (and-in-universe) record label publishing game OSTs, themes for almost every 6 star operator that releases, and occasional bonus songs.
Arknights: Endfield: (Twitter)
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An upcoming 3D action gacha game from Hypergryph, set in the far future of Arknights' universe on another planet. Currently in closed beta testing for their CN servers!
Arknights: Nomad City: The Founders: (Youtube)
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A to-be-released CN Arknights board game! Unclear of if it will ever be translated or released globally, unfortunately...
Terra: A Journey: (Wiki)
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An upcoming CN lore book focused on the intricate details of Terra's worldbuilding. As well, unclear if it will be translated or released globally.
UNOFFICIAL:
Some fandom-developed tools that might be of use to you are the Arknights Terra Wiki - which just transferred from FANDOM to wiki.gg, and has very detailed information on both game mechanics and world-lore.
As well, the Arknights Story Reader can help you catch up on stuff you don't want to or can't read in game!
Finally, Aceship's Toolbox provides access to a variety of tools, including a levelling calculator, a calculator to ensure the best recruitments, and all the CGs, backgrounds and character sprites that are avaliable in-game.
Conclusion:
Thank you for reading! I hope this provided some new information to you or at least provides an easy reference resource in the future. There's a lot to check out even outside of the game, and I hope you find some stuff you enjoy!
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Color Symbolism in Newsies
Newsies (1992) is much beloved for it's use of color. From the pastels of the ensemble newsies to Jack's distinctive red bandana, the use of certain colors in the film do an excellent job of helping to tell the story. Exhibit A: the contrast between Jack's bandana and David's blue shirt which creates a visual representation of the contrast between the personalities of our two main characters.
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Coupled with historical context and meanings, there are many connections between and insights into characters that can be gained by paying close attention to how Newsies uses color.
For the sake of brevity, I'll just be analyzing the colors in Newsies as they are used in costuming and ignoring set design or we could be here all night.
Red
In political history, red has often stood for revolution and rebellion. It's no wonder then that the leaders of Brooklyn and Manhattan both wear red. Red also indicates passion and bravery, which are key to the strike.
Besides Jack and Spot, Pulitzer wears red when Jack is brought to his study and attempts to bribe Jack to scab. Aka, Pulitzer is dressed in red at the height of exercising his power over Jack.
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Center: Jack And The Beanstalk. Illustration for unidentified book of children's nursery literature, with Kronheim illustrations, c 1870
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@sarahjacobs has an excellent post that talks about red symbolizing power in Newsies which you can read here.
Another interesting meaning for red comes from Jewish belief where the color red is linked to sin, but also to sacrifice and redemption. Jack scabbing to protect David and his friends after Pulitzer threatens them comes to mind.
You could consider Jack dawning his bandana again during "Once And For All" as symbolic of his redemption and reconciliation with the Jacobs and the newsies.
Red: Uncovering the Historical Significance of a Bold Color - Symbol Sage Political colour, Red - Wikipedia What colors symbolize Jewish culture?, Red
Pink
When most people think of pink, they often associate it with femininity. However, pink being a "girl" color is actually a modern idea which only gained significant popularity in the 1950s. Before this, pink was worn beginning in the 1700s by European aristocrats and became a color of success and class.
This meaning makes pink fitting for Miss Medda Larkson, the Swedish Meadowlark.
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In the later half of the 19th century in particular, pink was also tied to youth, which is why we see Sarah and several newsboys alike in the color. As The Art of Dressing Well (1870) dictated, pink "is only fitted for the young. It is a charming color, and those to whom it is suited look very graceful in it."
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Because it was also seen as a "paler shade of red", pink had masculine connotations that were also associated with red. Pink therefore occasionally shares the meanings of passion, aggression, and bravery with its parent color.
The first time Sarah wears pink is when she discovers Denton's article and becomes directly involved with and passionate about the strike.
Oscar Delancey, arguably the more aggressive Delancey, wears a pink undershirt. You also have Kid Blink in a pink shirt who is known for being very passionate and short tempered.
The shade of pink that Blink wears is the same shade as Sarah's shawl which she wears when she punches Morris Delancey in the face. Medda too isn't afraid to fight back and speak her mind at the rally. She and Sarah both exhibit bravery.
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Refined, rebellious and not just for girls: A cultural history of pink | CNN Tickled pink: colors in the Victorian era - Recollections Blog The complicated gender history of pink | CNN
Blue
You've likely heard the phrase "true blue" before, this is because blue has a reputation stretching far back in history for representing loyalty and trust. Blue also often represents intelligence and tranquility. It's extremely fitting then that David Jacobs is always seen in blue, especially because he values honesty and prefers peaceful means of protest to violence whenever possible.
The color blue, specifically tekhelet or a shade of blue described in the Torah, holds significant weight in Judaism. It is sometimes referred to as the 'color of God’s Glory’ in Rabbinic literature and has been used in ancient and modern Jewish symbolism alike. This connects the color blue to the Jacobs family as a whole.
Even without the association to Judaism, the Jacobs family puts high value in education and truth. After all, it was Mr. Jacobs who taught his children not to lie and who insists on David and Les returning to school.
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Left: King David with the Lyre, 18th century Sebastiano Conca (1680-1764)
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Left: Tekhelet (תְּכֵלֶת) or "sky blue" tzitzit; Right: King David. Psalterium et horae ad usum Sanctae Capellae Parisiensis, 1360-1400
Because blue was historically both an expensive dye and pigment for painters, blue was worn by and used in art for only the most important subjects. Thus, blue became symbolic of nobility.
To the Renaissance artists, there was no subject more important than the Virgin Mary. While blue had been tied to female figures and goddesses previously across several cultures, Renaissance depictions of Mary led to blue becoming widely associated with humility, grace, and femininity in the Western world.
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Left: Periwinkle flower, a symbol of grace and femininity and a Christian symbol of the Virgin Mary
Pastel shades of blue in particular became commonly feminine colors suitable for women and girls in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hence, it makes sense that Sarah would wear blue at the rally.
All You Need to Know About What the Color Blue Symbolizes | Slightly Blue What does blue mean in Judaism? | Slightly Blue The Secret History of the Color Blue — Google Arts & Culture The History of Blue as a Women’s Color
Purple
Because of its rarity in the natural world, and the labor historically needed to create purple dye, purple was highly prized and was considered a symbol of high status and honor.
Spot Conlon is the only member of the our main cast of newsies to wear the color purple, which visually symbolizes the newsboys' respect for him, his reputation, and his involvement in the strike.
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The purple detailing on Medda's costume when we first meet and are introduced to her by Jack is also an indication of the respect other characters have for her.
Purple can also denote ambition and independence, characteristics that suit both Spot and Medda well seeing as Spot has "moved up in the world" and Medda owns her own theater.
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Why is Purple Considered the Color of Royalty? | HISTORY Purple: Color Meaning, Associations, and Effects
Black and Grey
What about lack of color? In Newsies, we can easily tell our heroes from the villains through the use of color. Or can we?
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The villains or "opposing forces" are all dressed in dark greys or black as opposed to the pastels and shades of brown that the newsies and their allies wear. Jack Kelly is an interesting exception, dressed head to toe in dark hues with the one color being the red of his bandana. Visually, Jack could fit into a crowd of newsboys, or of scabs and goons.
Black has long been associated, for obvious reasons, with darkness and secrecy. Similarly, grey is often seen as representing foreboding, moral ambiguity, and evasiveness.
The use of grey and black for Jack clues us into the fact that he is lying about his past and his family and also foreshadows his betrayal of the strike.
Which Colour represents evil?
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amphorographia · 1 year ago
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Something interesting about Pathologic that I don't see people talk about very often is the fact that technically none of the protagonists are doctors and, of the three, it's actually Artemy that's the closest to a real physician.
The fact that Daniil is specifically referred to as a "Bachelor" of medicine is something that was always sort of confusing to me but is actually extremely telling when put together with all the other details we get about him.
There's an excellent video essay about Daniil's character by Horror Game Analysis which goes into more detail about this [x], but he points out two things about thanatology that I think are really significant:
It was first conceptualised as a field of study in 1903 by Ilya Mechnikov, a Russian-Ukranian immunologist and microbiologist, who felt that there was not enough known about the phenomenon of death itself; and
Thanatology straddles the line between the humanities and the sciences because it's investigations grapple with the physical, psychological, socio-cultural, philosophical, and spiritual elements of death
With all that in mind and Pathologic's ambiguous time period, Daniil could very much be read as the in-game world's equivalent of Mechnikov. Despite his (sort of) alignment with the philosophically-minded Kains, Daniil is consistently shown to be very much focused on the physical components of death. He came to the town hoping that "[Simon's] tissues will help [him] defeat death." Rubin, Artemy, Victor (and Lara, Yulia, Aspity, Anna, and Clara) all need him to collect and examine blood samples for evidence of the disease. Once the plague begins, his focus in on the creation of a vaccine - a tool for immunisation - instead of a cure.
All of the evidence points to Daniil, at his core, being a microbiologist and researcher. His medical knowledge, while far above average, is highly specialised and doesn't indicate that he has any practical experience as a physician. He's not a doctor, he's a bachelor of medicine using his theoretical and academic expertise to fight an impossible disease in the only way he knows.
Now, Artemy does have some practical knowledge. Isidor taught him about the traditional medicine of the town while he was growing up before sending him to "study modern medicine in the academy" when he was 16. However, in his opening description, all we are told is that Artemy is returning from several years of "travelling from town to town learning theoretical and pratical surgery." In Pathologic Classic, Artemy is canonically 26 years old so if he spent 6-7 years travelling, his formal medical education was likely either short or incomplete. Not to mention that the emphasis on Artemy as a surgeon and menkhu (much like Daniil as a bachelor and thanatologist) implies a very specialised area of expertise which, although closely related to practical medicine, is not the same thing.
This is reinforced in a number of ways. For example, while there are multiple dialogue options which let you dismiss the town's local medical practices, they appear mostly (or only) in conversations with outsiders - responding to Daniil's admission of underestimating the value of "steppe medical knowledge" with "there's nothing medical in their knowledge" and telling Block that he has "an education in the civilized world and ha[s] forgotten two thirds of the specific local practices." Ultimately, Artemy is more consistently aligned with the Kin's more bodily approach to medicine. That distinction between Kin and Town is important, since the traditional medicines Artemy makes are not valued or trusted by townspeople and the kin refuse almost all of the modern medicine (specifically antibiotics) sold in the town.
He also seems to be either unfamiliar or seriously out of practice with the more formal language of science and medicine a university-educated physician should know. At several points, Artemy is shown to be dependent on Daniil's medical knowledge, and various members of the town poke fun at him for asking clarifying questions - Boy: "You graduated from a university and this is your question…?" Rubin: "I thought you were [away] studying." Artemy's story is about trying to fill his father's role and, while he succeeds in becoming a menkhu, his position as the town's doctor is less clearly defined even after the plague. While he begins the game with the most practical experience of the three protagonists, the fact that he's not qualified to be a physician but has to act as one is what drives his story forward.
I won't go into Clara since it's obvious she's not a doctor. If anything, she's more like a personification of a cure for this one specific disease (just like her 'twin' is the plague). She couldn't reset a bone or diognose the flu any more than she could synthesise antibiotics or distinguish between bacteria in a blood sample. Still, she's an interesting comparison point and does serve to remind the player that the protagonists don't really represent different approaches to medicine, but different approaches to healing.
The Bachelor is the modern healer of formal scientific practices who sees healing as the result of understanding the body, disease, and their interactions.
The Haruspex is the traditional healer with the spiritual or ancestral right to protected knowledge and practices who sees healing as a reflection of cultural duty, customs, and community.
The Changeling is the divine healer chosen by a Deity (or Deities) to carry out their will on earth who sees healing as an act of religious faith and demonstration of the existence and power of God(s).
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kaye-go-moo · 4 months ago
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Shapes and Strange Ciphers AU: Need a hand? Pt. 2
SaSC by me
Shapes and Pines by @/void-dude
Next Part
Jheselbraum, on the rare occasions she saw Bill in town, noticed his behavior gradually becoming increasingly strange over the span of a few weeks. At first, his movements were clumsy and awkward, stumbling through the streets like a child learning to walk. She initially assumed he was drunk, but as time passed, it became clear something else was wrong. His walk became more refined, but completely different from his usual stride—his head held high, his steps confident, and his hands clasped neatly behind his back. However, this wasn't nearly as disturbing as his newfound hostility towards others. Bill, who had always been somewhat stand-offish but never rude, acted arrogant, treating those around him as if they were beneath him. 
Bill also appeared disheveled; his hair was long and tangled, his clothes dirty, and his face gaunt. There was also something off with his eyes. Jheselbraum couldn't place it, but they just looked wrong—dark and empty, like something had crawled inside of Bill's skin and was poorly imitating him. Jheselbraum was filled with a growing sense of unease, the feeling in her gut that had kept her in gravity falls returned, leading her to pay Bill a visit.
-
When she entered his house, Jheselbraum was taken aback by its state. The place was a wreck—papers strewn everywhere, cobwebs draped over the furniture, and dust filled the air. Is Bill really living here?
She called out his name, but there was no response. She ventured down into the basement and found him working on the portal. He looked awful. With his long hair tied into a messy ponytail, revealing his condition was far worse than Jheselbraum had initially believed, "Bill?"
Bill jumped and looked up in surprise, “J-Jhesel? What are you doing here?”
"I was worried. About you." Her gaze lingered, examining his decrypate from, her face a mix of shock and concern.
Bill’s expression darkened as he turned to continue his work., “Im fine. You can leave now.”
"Fine? You call this fine?” Her anger surged, “Bill, what the hell is going on with you?" 
For once, Jheselbraum didn’t hold back. Normally, she would leave in quiet frustration, wanting to avoid confrontation, but not this time. She had reached her limit. If escalating was the only way to get Bill to listen, then so be it.
She unleashed everything—her concerns and frustration from the last year, picking apart his every action. She questioned his sanity, asking if he was having a mental crisis. She tore him to pieces before threatening to contact his family, “Is that what it will to get you to pull your head out of your ass?”. However, this only managed to anger Bill and send him over the edge.
Bill had been frozen in stunned silence, but the mention of his family caused him to snap. His face contortinf with rage as he yelled, “Leave them out of this!”
He unleashed a barrage of cutting insults, using her insecurities and regrets as amunition. In his rage, he grabbed a nearby tool and flung it at her.
It missed, bouncing off the wall behind her and clattering to the floor. Jheselbraum stood in shock, face pale and eyes wide. She stumbled back, turned, and bolted up the stairs, fleeing the house and driving away.
Bill sat there, paralyzed, the weight of his actions crashing down on him. He wanted to chase after her, but his legs wouldn’t move. Minutes passed before he managed to stumbled to his feet and up the upstairs. The front door was open, left ajar by Jheselbraum. He reached outt, his hand hovered over the doorknob. I should apologize.
“You should stay here,” Bill shifted his attention to Ford. “Things will only escalate if you go after her.”
Bill, deflated, slowly closing the door. He stood in silence, staring blankly at the knob, fog clouding his mind. “You should rest.” Ford glided in front of Bill, forcing him to meet his gaze.
Bill silently obeyed, numbly turning and walking to his bedroom. He slumped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he feel fast sleep, unaware of what Ford did while he rested.
When he woke, he back in the basement, a sticky note left by Ford sitting in front of him: ‘There's nothing to worry about. The problem is solved. Continue fulfilling your legacy.’
A pit formed in Bill’s stomach and a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard, let out a shaky breath. Rising to his feet, he turned back to the portal, but a chilling anxiety brewed in his chest as he forced himself to continue working.
-
A week had passed with Bill tirelessly working on the Portal and Ford taking over his body at night. But eventually, something clicked in Bill's mind. Why wasn’t anyone banging down the front door? Why hadn’t anyone called? Knowing Jheselbraum, she would’ve definitely told his family about their fight. So why was no one there?
A cold shiver ran down his spine as Ford’s words flashed in his mind ‘the problem is solved’. What did that mean? Bill thought back, remembering all of his doubts, doubts he had kept hidden—doubts Ford had somehow known. Ford knew exactly what to tell Bill to keep his fears down. To keep him down. Something wasn’t right.
Unable to shake the feeling, Bill raced out of the house and into town. Heading towards Jheselbraum's apartment, he spotted her wandering the streets. Relief washed over him as he ran up to her and began apologizing, stopping when he noticed her confused and worried expression.
"Do I know you?"
Bill’s heart sank. His face paled as he looked her over. She was wearing the same clothes from when he last saw her, but no coat or shoes—in the middle of winter. He quickly wrapped his jacket around her, ushering her towards his car and out of the cold. But she recoiled in fear, wriggling out of Bill’s grasp before running away.
He tried to chase after her, but his exhaustion slowed him to a wheezing crawl. Bill spent the rest of the day searching, but the cold forced him to stop. Desperation pushed him to ask the police for help, but all they could offer was a vague promise to “keep an eye out.”
Bill had no choice but to return home. He needed to call the Jheselbraums family and tell them. Tell them... what exactly? That their daughter had gone mad? That she lost her mind and was now wondering underdressed through the cold? Thinking about it, he realized he didn't even remember their numbers. He couldn’t remember anyone's number. Bill never could, always having to rely on an old notebook with the everyones contact information listed.
Bill frantically searched the house, but the notebook was gone. Even his phone had disappeared.His breath quickened, becoming ragged, as the world collapsed in on him. Nothing was where it should, no one was acting how they should be. Nothing was right and he had no one—not his friend or his family. He was alone.
Bill crumpled to the floor in a sobbing heap before waking to a familiar cosmos. Ford hovered above him, trying to explain away all of Bill’s doubts.
Bill stayed quiet, listening to Ford try and rationalize what Bill saw. Then Ford paused, seemingly interrupted by a silent voice. He looked down at Bill, examining him with a narrowed eye.
"I want the truth." Bill's voice was cold, his eye fixed on Ford.
Ford sighed with annoyance, looking at Bill with disappointment. "I'll give you this one chance, Cipher."
With a snap, the dream unraveled, and Bill was bombarded with flashes of creatures and places he had never seen before, inventions he could never dream of creating.
"This will all be ours, my protégé.” Ford gestured towards the images, “Anything we desire. Everything we deserve."
Bill's head was spinning. Overwhelmed, he squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, "No! I asked for the truth, Stanford! Give me the truth!"
Ford's eye darkened, and a flash of red anger painted his shape. He closed his eye, recollecting himself before he raised his hand, fingers bracing against each other. His eye reopened, staring at Bill with a cold indifference.
"To think I would've let you join me."
Snap
-
Ford took control of Bill's body, forcing it up from the floor and over to the basement door. First, he changed the doors passcode before heading down to the lab. There, he grabbed one of his secret side projects: a pin lock, which he installed on the closet door. Afterwards, he turned his attention to the portal, picking up where Bill had left off. He worked until Bill’s body reached its limit, its hand’s trembling too much to use. Finally, Ford locked himself in the closet. Now, Bill was trapped—only able to leave when Ford possessed his body.
-
Ford continued working on the portal, knowing it would be complete in a few more days. However, Bill didn't make it easy. When awake, he tried breaking down the door, leaving his body too exhausted for Ford to use, delaying the portal's completion. Bill’s continued escape efforts lead him to work his frail body past its limits. In a desperate attempt to slow Ford's progress, he restored to hurting himself. Forcing Ford to work with broken bones and trembling limbs. Ford tried reasoning with Bill—through flattery or insult—doing everything he could to break him down. But Bill held strong.
After a few days, Bill finally managed to break down the door and weakly climb upstairs, only to be met with another lock installed by Ford. In that moment, Bill nearly gave up. His body was wrecked, the pain being the only thing keeping him conscious. Ford tried encouraging Bill’s weakness, insisting his actions were pointless. But Bill fought off his desire to quit and steeled his resolve. 
He tried kicking down the metal door, but his legs were too weak. Taking a moment to assess his surroundings, he realized he could just break through the wooden wall instead. With renewed determination, he shuffled back down to the lab and grabbed his tools. He spent hours tearing at the the wall, all while enduring Ford’s manipulation. Eventually he broke through.
Bill raced to the front door, only to be halted by a raging blizzard. It was too risky to push through the snow—he could die of hypothermia or pass out, giving Ford to the chance to regain control or manipulate someone else into finishing the portal. He had no choice but to find a solution inside the house.
Bill frantically searched for something—anything—that might help him deal with Ford. It was a feverish attempt made more difficult as night fell. Ford had taken the time to remove every light bulb in the house, leaving Bill in the dark and forcing him to return to the basement. There he found a busted old torch that he used to light his way.
During his search, he came across an old photo of him with his friends. A heavy pit formed in his stomach as he stared at the picture, a reminder of forgotten memories and broken friendships. Before he could dwell on it for too long, another photo caught his eye.
In it, a younger Bill smiled proudly as he held up a first-place prize from a science contest. Beside him stood someone he hadn't seen in almost a decade—his old babysitter, first friend, and big brother, Tad. Tears welled up in Bill’s eyes as he realized just how much he missed Tad. How much he’s needed him—now more than ever.
Suddenly, an idea grounded him. Bill jumped to his feet, rifling through drawers until he found an unfinished postcard addressed to Tad. “What good will that do?” Fords voice cut through Bills thoughts “He abandoned you, Cipher. What makes you think he’ll come back?” Bill paused. Ford was right. And even if he wasn’t, who was Bill to ask Tad to travel all the way to Gravity Falls just to help him? They hadn’t spoken in years. Did Tad even remember Bill existed?
Taking a deep breath, Bill steadied himself. I won’t know unless I send it. He wrote “PLEASE COME!” followed by his home address. Once the blizzard died down, he bundled up and made his way into the woods, placing the letter in an old, rusted mailbox. He lifted the flag and left, hoping—praying—Tad would receive it.
-
While waiting for Tad, Bill loaded up on caffeine and energy medication, trying to stay awake for as long as possible. He couldn't risk Ford taking over his body and locking himself somewhere he couldn't escape. Bill continued his search for something against Ford, but he couldn’t find his journals. He nearly tore the house apart, but there was nothing—Ford had either hidden or destroyed them. Defeated, Bill shifted his focus to dismantling the portal.
It was far from an easy task. Bill's body was weak from a lack of food and sleep, and with his journals gone, he had to rely on scattered notes and his foggy memory. He gathered what he could find, but between Ford’s constant badgering and Bill's sleep deprivation, it was hard to focus. Things only got worse when he started to have hallucinations—or what he convinced himself were hallucinations.
Every bump and creak sent Bill into panic, scrambling to find its cause. The only way he could get any work done was by tricking himself into thinking everything was fine. As long as he saw Ford, he was safe, his presence brought Bill a strange sense comfort. He could keep and eye on him and didn’t have to be completely alone—though its debatable if being alone would’ve be better than hanging out with your captor.
One night, after ignoring a series of thumps upstairs, Bill was startled by the sound of breaking glass. He looked around and realized Ford was gone. He’d been so focused on the portal that Bill didn’t notice his absence. Grabbing a long metal pipe, he raced upstairs, slowing as he neared the source of the noise. He was chilled to see a decaying body crawling through the broken window, its eye glowing a golden hue.
"Stop with these games, Cipher." The corpse’s voice was raspy, its words disturbingly familiar. Ford. "I gave you the opportunity to do one worthwhile thing in your pathetic life, and you wasted it."
Bill froze, trembling as the corspe staggered to its feet. "This is your last chance."
A bloody hand reached out toward him. Bill's grip on the pipe tightened.
"Cipher, my protégé, don't—"
Before Ford could finish, Bill swung the pipe down onto the hand, then back at Ford’s face, landing with a sickening crack. The corpse slammed into the ground. Bill stood panting, waiting for Ford to get back up, but the body lay still. Shining his flashlight into the dead man's eyes, Bill saw no glow—the pupils small and unreactive.
Bill dragged the body outside. It took him a while, but eventually, he managed to lay it beside the back porch. He stumbled back inside and returned to the basement. He tried dismantling the portal, but his hands wouldn’t cooperate. Shaking so violently he could barley hold a tool without dropping it. He told himself that he was just the cold, but even after an hour of sitting in the warm basement, his hands pressed tightly against his chest, the trembling wouldn’t stop. And then came the tears.
-
At one point, Bill toyed with the idea of blowing up the house. It would be the quickest solution and would set Ford back significantly. The idea intrigued him, but the intrusive thought of being inside when it exploded quickly snuffed out the plan. Besides, it was only a temporary fix. Bill needed something permanent. And then there was Tad. If he comes—when he comes— how would he feel, finding nothing but the ashes of Bill’s homes?
-----
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chemdisaster · 2 years ago
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IT'S DONE
5 Times Scar Couldn't Speak + 1 Time He Didn't Have To
based on this
@stiffyck @jos-has-too-many-hobbies - people who asked to be tagged
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jdorian · 1 year ago
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Wip Word Search 🔍
rules: use this generator to generate three random words (or however many you'd like to do) and share the lines where they show up in your WIPs
my words: affect, great, opposed
1. affect from the mudslide fic ☔️
He watched as Eddie got up from the couch, carefully depositing Christopher’s legs from his lap before turning back to him and planting a soft kiss onto the top of his soft curls. He was getting too old for these kinds of affections when awake and — as much as he couldn’t wait to see Christopher become his own, independent person — Buck desperately wanted to halt time. It wasn’t a fair thing to think; Chris wasn’t exactly his kid to begin with and regardless of what Eddie’s will said would happen after his death, Buck's place in their lives wasn’t set in stone, so he savored every tiny moment he could. Somewhere along the last handful of years, Eddie and Christopher became Family, with a capital F. Buck loved Chris like he was his own and his feelings for Eddie were clear as day — only if not for the man himself. It was better that way, Buck reasoned. He probably wouldn’t let Buck hang around all the time, if he’d have known. Eddie probably didn’t think of them that way anyway. Buck ran his fingers through the curly hair tickling his cheek and pulled the kid’s small frame just a fraction closer, relishing in the moment of stillness.
2. great from the jealous eddie fic 🧇
“So uh t-tell me about yourself, you know, hobbies, pets, family, whatever.” “That’s pretty broad.” Jason chuckled and Buck felt his cheeks heat up immediately. Wow, he really hasn’t been on a proper date in such a long time that apparently he lost the ability to make conversation. Great. “Sorry I—” “Relax, Buck. It’s alright.” His shoulders sagged a little at that. “I guess cycling is a hobby, right? I’m not allowed pets at my place and uh… Two sisters, parents live in Nevada.” “Uh great, that- that’s great! I have a sister too, my parents live in Pennsylvania though.” Jason assessed his face for a long moment before he leaned back in his chair with a small sigh. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem much more nervous than before. Is everything alright?” “Uh yeah— yeah, I’m fine, just…” Buck sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Eddie, my uh my partner at the 118, he’s been acting kinda weird about us going out. I just… I don’t know, I guess I got a little into my head about it.” A disapproving frown tugged at the patch of skin between Jason’s eyebrows for a moment, before it disappeared with a sigh. “So he’s one of those guys then.” Buck knew what he meant instantly; the type of guys who were just too macho not to feel threatened by even the mere mention of two men dating. Of course, it couldn’t have been further from the truth —  and Buck was quick to make that clear. “N-no, not at all! He’s a good guy, great actually. He’s my best friend.”
3. opposed from the breeding kink fic 🛏️
“You might be right,” he breathed, leaning over Buck and slipping his hands under his thighs for more leverage, “maybe we should just stay here like this forever.” Eddie’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment when he bottomed out again. It wasn’t a plausible or in any way realistic idea, really, but Eddie found that he still wasn’t opposed to the fantasy of it. Especially not when Buck’s warmth enveloped him so perfectly, while he got to watch his chest rise and fall quicker and quicker, listen to his quiet whines and grunts as Eddie sped up his movements until he hit a steady rhythm and smell as fresh sweat broke through the lingering scent of their shared body wash; tea tree and mint. His hair was still damp from their shower and that was one thing they didn’t share; the shampoo — and god, Eddie was grateful that it never became something that he’d lose on the account of getting used to smelling it on himself, so now he could let the fruity and fresh scent of green apple, and something that uniquely belonged to Buck wash over his senses.
tags under the cut 💛
I was tagged by @hippolotamus @theotherbuckley @daffi-990 @jamespearce9-1-1 @fortheloveofbuddie and @wikiangela thank youuu 💛
✨no pressure tagging: @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @jeeyuns @eddiebabygirldiaz @nmcggg @thewolvesof1998 @ladydorian05
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scalira · 1 year ago
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I'm somewhere outside my life, babe
“Nancy,” Murray says once he’s reached her. He looks even more disheveled than he did a moment ago. “The mice… asked me to give you a message.”
Nancy looks at him, then looks over her shoulder to Robin. Robin looks as confused as Nancy feels.
“The… the jumping mice?” Robin asks.
Murray doesn’t even look at Robin as he continues, “They’re saying… don’t go through the little door. Does that make sense to you?”
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carelessflower · 1 year ago
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The flowers, albeit powerful, were abundant in their clan, as long as foxes proved themselves to Heart of Alicante Tree, their flower would bloom, ready to pick. Foxes must prove themselves, by using the power their clan had prided themselves on for thousands of years - successfully seducing and making at least two people fight over them.
Alec rested his head on the table, suddenly tired.
Of course he would struggle at something most foxes pulled through with ease.
Prompt: fighting for @animalecfest
Read one smile, a kingdom fall on AO3
tag list:  @magnus-the-maqnificent @literallytypogod @ukisteria  @wildesummerchild @sociallyineptbibliophile @queenlilith43 @khaleesiofalicante @wandererbyheart  @raziyekroos  @onetimetwotimesthreetimess @alexandergideonslightwood @andrwminward @noah-herondale-lightwood @elettralightwood @dustandducks​ @deliciousdetectivestranger @delightfullyterrible @letsgofortacos​ @kita-no @mxtthew-fxirchild-apologist  @thelightofthebane @secrettryst @pocketoffeels @cityofdownwardspirals @stupidfuckindinosaur @i-have-not-slept @rinadragomir @potato-jem @kasper-tag
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whelmed-justwhelmed · 8 months ago
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Thoughts about Vincent Valentine and some of his struggles
Some miscellaneous notes before the actual substance of this post.
Loosely inspired by / based on this post, might suggest reading it before my own for a better understanding of the perspectives of the ideas in this post, though not strictly necessary as I think it’s still comprehensible without doing so. This post was made to my understanding + my current interpretation + what I can remember of things at the moment. Anyways here’s my maybe somewhat rambling thoughts, this is what I’ve got thus far. ( @sephirthoughts ask and you shall receive.)
After seeing and being inspired by the previously mentioned post I got to thinking about what I felt to be an interesting character development opportunity for Vincent. The basic premise being how Vincent’s situation, mostly in relation to himself and some of the things that have happened to him in the past, could potentially improve if he could at least start to reconcile his views of things compared to the objective realities. I feel like a step like this could help him to have a healthier perspective and at least somewhat improve his general quality of life.
Now it’s known how feelings such as guilt and regret among other such ones weigh heavily on him, of which a significant amount stem from his time as a bodyguard for the scientists of shinra manor. Although I do acknowledge these things aren’t the only ones that weigh on him and that my proposal of reconciliation is not the only thing that could be done to help his situation, much of his suffering specifically does seem to directly or indirectly stem from that time, his perspective of it, and of how it all relates to him. So with that perspective in mind, I think it’s a good place to start (at least for this hypothetical Vincent character development scenario).
Vincent is the sort where I want to (respectfully) gently grab him by the shoulders and shake a bit going, “It’s not your fault, it wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t your responsibility, you did about as much as you could for the situation, It. Wasn’t. Your. Fault.” Sadly though it seems (at least to me I feel) he’s generally not at a point where such a message would really get through to him in any meaningful or lasting way, so then that led me to wonder, what sorts of things might get him to that point? And what would the process look like?
I feel like he would probably need some sort of external prompting to actually properly start the process and that said process would be a gradual one. Not entirety sure how the prompting would start and be sustained though. Perhaps for example as something to start with, something like the moment in the lament of the damned side quest in rebirth where there’s brief vague discussion of the manor scientists and Barrett expresses how he thinks Lucrecia must not have been all that much better than Hojo causing Vincent to get defensive about her. A gradual process of stuff that challenges him like others questioning things and being faced with tangible evidence of the past, something that challenges him and he actually starts to stop and more seriously consider that perspective.
Here’s where the basic premise as previously mentioned really comes in. I feel Vincent’s situation could potentially improve if he could start to reconcile his perspective and feelings regarding what happened then and the objective reality of it. Challenges and consideration could lead to some acknowledgment that those two perspectives can coexist with each other, that he doesn’t have to choose one over the other.
In regards to Lucrecia, while not always exactly the most pleasant way to think of her, he can still feel fondly towards her and her memory while also thinking a bit more critically about how her actions and the choices she’s made have had serious and more often than not harmful consequences, especially about the harm done to him directly or indirectly. He could still care about her, albeit a likely less idealized version of her, and hold her a bit more accountable for the harm she’s caused. In regards to Vincent himself, it could significantly improve his overall view of himself and perhaps by extension general quality of life. Potential benefits being things like generally improving his mental state, the more specific parts of that could be things like better self worth, less self loathing, at least a bit of self forgiveness, generally starting to be able to take some of the blame off of himself. As such it could help him start to recognize he’s largely not responsible or at fault for what happened (and that he was a victim of the circumstances at that point more than anything?). It could help facilitate him being able to cope with it all a bit better, perhaps even heal the mental / emotional wounds a bit.
All that said, I highly doubt all this would be easy for him to do, I think he’s going to have to struggle for it. Like I’ve said, I think it would be a slow and gradual process that challenges him to think more critically and change his perspective to eventually at least start to understand that he’s not the one in the wrong, such a process would take time and effort. It would also involve a lot of difficult emotions, what emotions, in what context, and how they come up, I don’t really have as much of an answer for at the moment as I feel it depends on how one would imagine the reconciliation process and things as a whole would play out. I’m not necessarily saying I want to see him break down or something like that per se, but I would like for him to have proper opportunities to be more openly emotional about it all. For him to have chances to be vulnerable and be treated with care in return. (And if that means having him break down then by all means let him break down.)
I do want to say that I don’t expect such a process to solve everything with him or that I would expect him to stop being upset about all that’s happened or otherwise take away what makes his story his (etc.), just that ultimately the idea is all about getting him to a point of having a bit more of a balance of his feelings and viewpoint. Bittersweet, but hopeful.
Hypothetically, if I were to try and place the idea where I think it could work well game timeline wise, I would place it around Dirge of Cerberus and / or post Dirge. I think it would go well then for the subject matter being covered, could work well thematically, and for potential opportunities for him to actually have the time and space to think and process (etc.). (Admittedly I think that putting it sometime around DoC is the obvious answer and that it could work at other points in time as well if it was done thoughtfully.)
I think that’s about all I have on this right now.
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