#heroes villains side blog

[heroes-villains-side-blog]

Villain: YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING BACK THIS ENTIRE TIME?!?!

Hero: Yeah! :D

Villain: WHY????

Hero: I didn't want to kill you.

Villain: AND NOW???

Hero: Now. I know I won't.

---

When a reformed villain has a friendly sparring match with their old enemy and realizes the hero was always stronger than they thought

#wordsmith #hero x villain #heroes villains side blog #heroes and villains #reformed villain #villain turned good #changing sides #prompt #aftermath #realization #dialogue prompt #my prompts #tw killing mention #hidden strength #my writing

[raineandsky]

~Fancy Schmancy~

(this is a piece i co-wrote with @heroes-villains-side-blog, go here to read part 2!)

To my dearest beloathed,

What a dishonour it was to receive your last letter. It upsets me greatly to have to hear of your pathetic attempts to defeat me in my own territory. You always fail though, so I suppose there is some delight in knowing you are awful at the game you started.

I am so terribly sorry I have not been able to return your deplorable attempts to outdo me recently. I have been quite busy myself doing things I am good at, such as being better than you. I must apologise for my lack of engagement recently – I have been engaged in vigorous party planning, and myself and some friends will be hosting an event you would surely be an embarrassment to. Once it is over, I promise I will return your desperate calls for attention and you will once again find yourself physically, intellectually, and emotionally devastated.

Wait for me, darling!

Worst regards,

Hero xoxo

Villain screwed up the paper with a scoff. They’d been looking at the letter for longer than they’d be willing to admit, slowly deciphering the illegible flouncy lettering and holding themself back from tearing it to shreds. Ugh, Hero was a snobbish loser.

They tossed the ball in the general direction of the bin, flopping down at their desk with a sigh. Maybe they weren’t as posh as Hero was, but so what? They thought they were so good just because they had a giant house and loads of money and tons of friends and cars and food and parties—

Hold on a second.

Villain dived for the bin before realising their aim was massively off, scooping the crumpled paper off the floor under the table instead. They smoothed it out against the desk, eyes carefully tracing over the cursive as a plan formulated in their head like a puzzle suddenly fitting all its pieces together. 

Myself and some friends will be hosting an event you would surely be an embarrassment to. 

This was basically an invitation. Hero thought they’d be an embarrassment? The only person embarrassed would be Hero. And by god, they were going to embarrass them in front of everyone.

-

A new guest entered the hall, and Hero narrowed their eyes at them suspiciously. At first glance their attire fit right into the party, almost regal in nature, but it didn’t take much effort for them to see right through it at the lies it hid. 

The fur lining their cloak was discoloured and fake, the jewellery adorning their neck a poor imitation of gold. Even when they graciously took a glass of wine from a waiter, their hand lacked the natural elegance of a true aristocrat. Even from here, it was obvious who they were looking at.

There was no way Villain was fooling anyone. Especially not now since they had just added paprika to their dish of roasted honey eggs cooked by the talented Chef Fanci Pants, as indicated by their initials on each dish. Everyone knows the chef is allergic to paprika so to use it on one of their dishes is to disrespect the chef, the host, and the food itself!

As per rule of high society, the hosts had to go and make small-talk with all the new guests. And it was Hero's turn. 

Finishing their glass of punch so that they could embarrass Villain by not having a drink while they were drinking — ah ha! That would show them! — they made their way to their uninvited guest. 

"Good morrow, Villain," they said without an hors d'oeuvre or glass in their perfectly manicured hand, clasping their hands in front of them like they were speaking to a stableboy. They smiled at the thought of everyone gasping in their mind at their host's breach of etiquette, setting the tone for the rest of the party if they were lucky. 

"Hi, Hero. What's up?" Villain didn't even attempt to give their host the dignity of eye contact, too busy stuffing the expensive gourmet cuisine into a bag under the table in such a way that it was only visible to Hero and no one else. Hero watched them with an air of distaste, making note of the rapidly depleting tower of canapes they had spent so long building earlier.

“Dare I even indulge you to inquire about the reason for your visit?” The question is met with a delighted grin, and some part of them regrets asking at all.

“No reason. Just thought I’d come see how the other half lives,” Villain tells them nonchalantly. They give one of the tiny snacks a once-over before shoving it rather ungracefully into their mouth. “Oh, wow, that’s really good. Send your chef my regards, or whatever the phrase is.”

“Compliments to the chef,” Hero corrects flatly. “Anyhow, I fear you may be a little out of your depth here, Villain. I imagine you shall find yourself rather puzzled by this high a society.”

"Oh, that's no problem," Villain had resorted to speaking with their mouth full. 

How uncouth. Hero had half a mind to punch their jaw right now. But they would have to resort to a hard smile and narrowed eyes for now, and hope Villain would put themselves out of everyone's misery, including their own. 

"No problem at all. I rather enjoy watching you high-folk peacock about. See, that's why I brought my hat, do you like it?" 

It was a large hat, largest in the room by far and too big for Villain's outfit. It had multiple peacock feathers, white peacock feathers actually — they were fake, of course, there was no way Villain could afford even the most basic of free-range peacock feathers, let alone rare white ones, but an interesting choice they had made nonetheless.

"That's quite the… hat… you have."

"Thank you! Made it myself! Had to make a statement, y'know?" 

"Statement?" Hero had to bring their voice back down to a polite level. They nodded to the few guests who had turned around and resumed their fake smile and hushed tone, "What statement are you going for? All I can see is a pompous hat too big for the wearer, let alone this party. Not to mention that you're wearing fur with feathers, fake fur and fake feathers, but fur and feathers nonetheless! You're a walking fashion faux-pas!"

"Why, thank you! Exactly what I was going for," they beamed. Hero couldn't believe Villain. They did this in purpose? Did they not care about their image and reputation at all? What were they playing at? Why would Villain embarrass themselves at Hero's party — wait. 

"You're here to embarrass me and ruin my party, aren't you?"

"Exact-amundo, Mx Host! I learnt all about your hoity-toity high-society etiquette just to break every unspoken rule at your party!" 

"How dare you?" 

"I dared quite easily, actually. Look, I've already left your buffet table lacking of any real food and you too distracted to ask the wait staff to come with more." 

"You fiend! I'll get you for this! I'll get you —" 

"— you'll only get me if I let you… which I won't." 

Hero had had enough! They couldn't waste a second with this not-guest any longer. They picked up an empty glass and were just about to raise it with two olives and an orange slice — how it had been decided the wait staff would be contacted — when Villain very loudly proclaimed:

"Oh, Thank YOU, Hero! I am FAMISHED! Now, let me tell you, in detail, of the history of the humble clown nose. I'm sure, being the good host that you are, you would never leave one of your guests in the midst of a conversation that you yourself asked for. And, why yes, I do like my hat and I have brought similar hats for everyone at the party so we can all have a hat party — how fun!"

Hero glanced at the crowds of people around them, their eyes burning into them with curiosity at Villain’s announcement. They could only watch with barely restrained contempt as the Villain dumped a bag on the floor at their feet, offering blatant make-shift hats to anyone unfortunate to stand close enough. A few people humoured them, taking whatever they were offered and showing them to their friends under obvious pompous scrutiny, and Hero decided they’d not let this go any further than it already had.

They looped a hand under Villain’s arm, dragging them away from the huddle they were forming. They both watched — with varying degrees of satisfaction and disappointment — as others gathered to pull strange assortments of headwear out, some of them laughing together lightly as they turned cheap ribbons and poor weaving in their hands.

“Seems like I’m making your party better,” Villain said eventually, a victorious smile on their face. “Everyone’s having a great time with me, see?”

“No, Villain, they’re having a great time because they’re laughing at you.” Hero sighed as their smile faltered slightly, a slight knit in their brows forming at the words. “You’re embarrassing me, sure, but purposely being out of place in a world like this is like throwing yourself to the sharks.”

“Sharks are pretty nice, actually.” It was a last-ditch effort at a defence, but their voice was quiet, laced with uncertainty as their eyes drifted to the crowd growing nearby. “You don’t like the hats? I have a horse outside with a green mane for optimum humiliation.”

“I understand that you’re trying to make me look like I invited someone stupid and frankly shameless to a posh party—” Villain huffed amusedly at that. “— but in the end the only person you’re really embarrassing is yourself. Inviting someone foolish is a temporary setback, but being an idiot is permanent.”

There was silence for a second before Villain pointed a finger in their face, laughing shortly like they’d figured something out. “You are embarrassed!” they declared proudly. “You’re trying to make me leave by pretending I’m embarrassed, but it’s you!”

“Of course, I’m embarrassed, you buffoon! How could I not? There’s barely anything interesting at these ridiculous parties and then you waltz in with your garish hat, your faux-tailored costume, and your knowledge of every social rule and how to break them — you- you- you just promised everyone a topic of conversation for the next decade! At my expense!” they finally took the time to breathe, poorly, they couldn’t manage more than a series of few shallow breaths before they stopped those too. 

“Hey, hey. Why are you so tensed up about this? You’re the one who’s always so mean and cruel. I was just giving you a taste of your own medicine.” 

“That’s just a persona, you dolt! I have to be mean to keep up my reputation. I have to act cruel to fit in. You wouldn’t understand,” they pointed a finger, but then it went limp as they stared out into nowhere. “And there’s no point even explaining anything to you because I'll be laughed at and shunned at every social gathering for the rest of time. My reputation is ruined. My friends are most definitely saving their faces by laughing at me right now. I’ve lost everything.”

(Part 2)

#creative writing #writblr #writers on tumblr #writing #writing community #heroes and villains #hero x villain #heroes villains side blog #this was super fun!! co writing is an adventure i have experienced for the first time

[depressed-werewolf]

“You… you can’t. People are gonna get hurt, Villain.”

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s that point.”

#hero x villain #villain x hero #hero x villain community #this kinda feels like villain is an ex hero who’s turning to the dark side #heroes and villains #prompt #writing prompt #hero x villain prompts #hero villain prompt #writing #writeblr #mediocre writing prompts #a mediocre writing blog #depressed werewolf #could also be villain x civilian maybe

[the-sidekick-club]

Case of the pockets

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Part 5 : Epilogue

Written by: @tratieisdabest★@heroes-villains-side-blog​​★@just-a-space-rabbit​​  

TW: weapon, dagger, fighting

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

Villain and Hero had just begun battle, but something was making the villain falter. 

“You look… different,” Villain noticed, confused.

Hero responded whilst opening a pocket, “I got a new suit,” A loud crash sounded as a weapon was launched at Villain but, unfortunately for Hero, Villain easily dodged it. “Isn't it awesome? A lot better than those awful handbags.”

Villain scanned Hero from the ground, confirming what Hero said was true. Hero had a new suit. “But I liked your old suit.” Villain responded, almost with a pout on their face. 

“But look,” Hero opened another pocket, retrieving a new weapon, “This one’s got POCKETS!” 

“Yeah,” Villain agreed, albeit disappointedly, “but… the old one was nice too.”

Hero rolled their eyes, but in no general direction. Villain was excellent at disappearing at the drop of a hat, their black costume making them almost seem one with the shadows, and the hero had just made the mistake of taking their eyes off of Villain. 

After a bit of wild glancing through, the hero located their nemesis and continued the conversation, “The old one was splitting apart at the seams.” Another weapon flew past Villain, millimetres away from grazing their thigh. “And again, no idea how you aren’t getting this: POCKETS!”

Villain let out a sad sigh and reluctantly agreed. “Yeah, yeah, congrats on the pockets.” With the discussion over, the two nemeses charged at each other. 

From behind, Hero Sidekick and Villain Sidekick shared a look of confusion before a whoosh broke the exchange. Villain Sidekick had taken Hero Sidekick’s moment of confusion to launch an attack on them! While Hero Sidekick heard the dagger flying through the air and dodged, the weapon still managed to find them. 

***

The heroes won that encounter (perhaps because of the new pockets), but the villains, well actually just Villain, Villain Sidekick was fine, seemed… oddly pouty. The heroes were fine too, with Hero seeming especially bouncy with their new pockets and the now practical placements of all their weapons, and Hero Sidekick having escaped the fight without a single scratch.

Throughout the fight, Villain kept sighing and glancing at Hero disappointedly, even asking in the midst of battle if they’d ever wear their old suit ever again. Suffice to say, Hero and both sidekicks left the battle confused at Villain’s odd behaviour, but Hero brushed it off, they were in too much of a good mood with their new suit. The sidekicks, however, couldn't stop thinking about it.

***

***

(Screenshot of a phone message conversation between Villain Sidekick and Hero Sidekick)

Villain Sidekick: The two red buttons meme with text options being "Be a hero" and "Be a nuisance." Person having difficulty choosing is labelled as HERO SIDEKICK.

Villain Sidekick: (Kermit drinking tea meme) ME: WHEN I REMEMBER HOW YOU TRIPPED AND LANDED FACE FIRST ON THE FLOOR

Villain Sidekick: Yo, peasant

Does your face still hurt from the fall, peasant?

Answer me, peasant

Hero Sidekick: Hey, we need to talk

Villain Sidekick: How about no?

Hero Sidekick: C'mon, what if it's important

Villain Sidekick: I'm not coming to your base for an ambush!

Hero Sidekick: Fine

Villain Sidekick: You can come to my base 😇

Hero Sidekick: Lol no

Villain Sidekick: Hmm... I'll ask Henchman?

Hero Sidekick: Yeah, fine, whatever. I just wanna talk about Hero and Villain Today's fight was... weird

Villain Sidekick: Yeahhh

K, Henchman said yes but we have to bring snacks

See you ig

Hero Sidekick:You too

Hero Sidekick: See you at 4?

Villain Sidekick: It's a date 😈

Hero Sidekick: 😑

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

#heroes and villains #hero x villain #hero #villain #sidekick #snippet #case of the pockets #villain sidekick #hero sidekick #henchman #supersuit #pockets #just-a-space-rabbit #confused hero #confused villain #hero is so done #villain is so done #something fishy #tw weapon #tw dagger #tw fighting #humor #crack #heroes-villains-side-blog #tratieisdabest #the sidekick club

[navigatorwriting]

18

The protagonist stood quaking in the middle of the room, the carnage still settling around them. Little crimson streams forming lakes and seeping through the cracks in the uneven floorboards. Screams still frozen on their friends' faces. Eyes still open. Limbs contorted in desperate attempts to escape, to stifle wounds, to get in one more attack before time ran out. Despite the scene, the protagonist stayed rooted to the floor, unable to tear their eyes from the antagonist looming in the doorway.

"W-what happened?" they whispered.

The antagonist curled their lips into a sharpened smile. "The inevitable."

#uhh hi? #im still alive just devoting more energy to my side blog #writing #writeblr #fiction #snippet #its rlly been a year since my last post whoops #this doesnt even count it was just in my drafts #hero #villain #hero x villain #protagonist #antagonist #protagonist x antagonist #tw gore

[world-of-fire-and-flight]

For the ask game,

Tumblr Snippet 10 - Like a Hurricane - FOR V-DAY 23

...why does this seem like it's for Valentine's Day? 🤔

That's 6 months away...

But what else could V-DAY mean? Hmmm

Love (platonically ofc, go Galentine's Day! 💛 (And Villaintine's Day 😈)),

@heroes-villains-side-blog

............Funny story about this one: I actually did write it for this Valentine's Day but.....I never got around to posting it because something something it might've been just after V-Day and I decided to save it. It's a two parter atm, but I know it's going to be a series so maybe I'll tackle it this year as I apparently planned to and then forgot about😂

Here's an unedited sneak peek:

This was supposed to be a solo mission. Taking down Terren was easy. All she had to do was—

“God you’re difficult,” her unwanted companion whispered.

“I didn’t ask you to be here, and neither did the agency,” she spat. For once, Avian remained silent. Who knew he wasn’t all hot air and wasted breath? Though, Blaze begrudgingly admitted, he was a powerful hero, and maybe, just maybe, having his assistance would make an already simple mission go by even faster and then she could go home and revel in…

#ask games #my writing #besties #feline17ff #heroes-villains-side-blog #WIP title ask game #my i should do something for galentine's day too #but (and if I'm being totally honest) I'm not much a fan of V-Day and that's probably another reason why I ended up not posting it #that and I'm capable of planning almost everything down to the minute EXCEPT for holiday themed posts #like honestly how do y'all do it??? I see a holiday coming up and I'm like 'yay! I can do nothing!' or I completely forget that's a holiday #But I can get on board with Villaintine's Day ;) #sounds fun

[raptor10]

Sorry I haven’t posted in a long time it’s just I ran out of ideas so I went to my other blog for a while which is right here has a lot more action going on and on Thursday I’m ordering a recording mic so I’m excited. But I don’t want to abandon this blog so maybe you guy can help me think of ideas or we can do that small series where you ask me to do whatever to the characters as long as it’s P-G. Again sorry, check out my other blogs and have a good day.

https://boomsinpershots.tumblr.com/

#sorry everyone #sorry for disappearing #what’s next #check out my side blog #ask me anything #villain #hero #mercenaries #come on #need ideas #comment your thoughts

[alisonwritesimagines]

Wayne Family Garden ~Batmom Imagine~

Summary: Your plan on growing a garden. However, you don’t have a green thumb. Luckily, you know someone who does.

Author’s Note: I'm obessed with the Wayne Family Adventures on WebToons. Like you don't know how obsessed I am with them.

BatFamily Masterlist

Reader’s Pronouns: She/Her

Warnings: fluff, Poison Ivy and Harley know the Batfam's identies (its canon)

Side Note: This is a secondary blog. If you comment a question down below, I will not answer since this is not the main blog. Please send the question to my inbox if you want a response back!

Do not repost this anywhere!

"What do you think Alfred?"

"I think having a lemon tree could really benefit the garden and our groceries," Alfred tells you.

"Maybe we can have an apple tree too?" You said.

"Sounds delightful. And Master Bruce agreed to your garden?"

"Yup. Said we can have it on the side in the backyard. And we can grow whatever we want," you smiled.

"We should start off small then," Alfred said.

"Right. So then a lemon tree, an apple tree, and carrots?" You asked.

"Sounds good to me," Alfred smiled.

You had been growing more bored around your home now that most of your kids were adults and had moved out of the mansion. So after seeing a good amount of gardening TikToks, you wanted to start your own little garden. But there was one slight problem, you didn't know how to garden.

So there was one person you could think of who could help you start off. You didn't want to bother Alfred more than what he has to deal with so you used your husband's technology to find a certain someone.

The apartment complex looked a little run down but yet again, you knew this was where they would be laying low. You knocked on the front door, only to see Harley Quinn opening it up.

"Mrs. Wayne? Whatcha doin here?" Harley asked you.

"Hiya, Harley. I'm looking for Ivy. Is she around?" You asked.

"Yeah. What's going on?" Harley asked.

"Harley. Who is it?" You heard Ivy ask.

"It's Y/n Wayne! Batman's wife!" Harley said excitedly.

"Hi, Ivy. I came here to ask for a favor," you tell her.

"Uh sure. What's up?" Ivy asked.

"I am currently planting a garden at my home but the problem is, I don't know how to garden. I was wondering if you can help me out," you asked her.

"Don't you have a butler who also knows how to garden?" Ivy asked.

"Yes but I don't want to bother him more than my family already has. And besides, I need more females around the house," you mentioned.

"What are you trying to grow?" Harley asked.

"I would like to start off with a lemon tree, an orange tree, and an apple tree. But I know those take a couple years to grow but I would like to begin growing carrots, tomatoes, and green beans as well," you tell her.

"Those are good to start off with," Ivy mentioned.

"Thanks. So will you come by my house with me and help me get started? I have the tools and everything to start off," you asked her.

"Yeah. My schedule is clear for today," Ivy shrugged.

"Thank you! Harley! You can come over too," you invited.

"Oh sweet!"

Whenever it was a light night, meaning that there was barely crime for once in Gotham, the whole family would get together for dinner. However, they were surprised to see two new comers joining you all in dinner.

"I expect you all to behave yourselves for the night. Ivy and Harley are my guests as they helped me with my garden today," you tell your family.

"Yes mom."

"And no hero or villain talk in the table. I would like a dinner where we can just eat like normal people for once," you say as you prepped the table.

During dinner, everyone ate peacefully but kept a close eye on Harley and Ivy. It was mainly you talking about the garden and your plans for it.

"What are you planning on growing in the garden ummi?" Damien asked you.

"I would like a lemon, orange, and an apple tree but I know those take a while to grow. But I'm also planning on growing some carrots, green beans, and tomatoes to start off," you say excitedly.

"Just make sure to follow the instructions I gave you," Ivy said.

"Of course. And I'll call you in case anything happens," you smiled at her.

The next few weeks, you were proud of your work. The trees were starting to form slowly but surely. You kept notes to check your progress as well as making sure everything was going smoothly. So it wasn't a surprise for the batfamily to see Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy come to their house every week to help check on your garden.

"They're growing good," Ivy tells you,

"Thank you!"

"If you want, I can help you speed up the process for the trees."

"I know I should wait but I do want to try baking an apple pie and make my own orange juice."

"As long as you keep maintaining it you should be fine."

"Mmm. Okay. Let's do it!"

Cassandra and Stephanie quickly rushed over to Harley's and Ivy's place with the bag from their mom. It had been a couple weeks since Ivy and Harley last visited you and your garden. Cassandra knocked on the door, waiting for one of them to answer.

"What do you kids want?" Ivy asked as she opened the door.

"wanted us to drop this off to you," Stephanie said as she handed her the bag. Ivy looked into it before smiling. A fresh apple pie along with a pitcher of orange juice and lemonade were placed in the bag.

"Tell her we said thank you."

"We will!"

"Let her know that if she wants to start something new, have her call me," Ivy tells the girls.

"We will!"

#batman x reader #batman imagine #batman #batmom #batmom imagine #bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #bruce wayne imagine #batfamily #batfam x reader #batman imagines #harley quinn #poison ivy #dc #dc imagine #wayne family adventures #alisonwritesimagines

[picaroroboto]

For the past couple days, I've been unfortunately cursed with thinking about Zenos yae Galvus. I don't even particularly like him - not that I dislike him either, Zenosfuckers you can put your scythes down - but it seems to me like a lot of the fandom either greatly misunderstands him, or doesn't even care to try to understand him, which from an objective standpoint as someone who cares deeply about writing in video games kind of pisses me off. But I'm more pissed about the fact that I'm apparently going to keep thinking about this issue until I actually write a character analysis of him.

Q: "But, what even is there to analyze with him? Isn't he all about wanting to fight the WoL and nothing else?"

Well, you wouldn't be wrong with saying that. That motivation is at the forefront of his character, and even if you look closer, everything about him comes back to either "violence" or "lack of understanding of others". But there are more meaningful sides to his deceptively simple character. That question of meaning is what I really want to look into - what does his character mean, what symbolic or thematic role does he play in this story?

Q: "Better question: why are you posting this on your art blog/Fate meta sideblog?"

Good question, with a stupid answer: I have all of 6 followers on my FF14 sideblog, and around 150 here. Let's go under the cut so they don't have to read a wall of text, unless they want to.

When you look at and compare FF14's villains, you can see a very clear change, no doubts thanks to the change in main writers. ARR Gaius and Thordan are more or less two-bit villains - Gaius's memeable iconic Praetorium speech gives us insight into how fascists try to justify themselves but little into Gaius's actual personality, while all Thordan gets as far as depth of character is an NPC in a sidequest remarking that he wasn't always a bad person and was probably doing what he thought best for his nation. Nidhogg is a little more understandable, since revenge is a relatable motivation to anyone who's been hurt by others. In Stormblood, Zenos and Yotsuyu are both presented as deserving of pity even as they do terrible things. Come Shadowbringers and Endwalker though, the story takes a greater interest on why villains like Emet-Selch and Elidibus do the things they do, and the player is allowed more options to try to understand them and see how similar they are to the WoL. Hell, Hermes and the Endsinger are barely "villains" at all, with the level of sympathy the story shows them.

What I'm getting to here is that Zenos, with half his arc in Stormblood and the rest in Endwalker, is sort of caught in the middle of this shift. He played the role of the rival character in Stormblood really well, but come Endwalker, he's standing on a stage full of heroes and villains with grand causes and deep motivations, as the guy whose sole motivation is fighting for pleasure.

It seems he's not unaware of this contrast himself - when Jullus confronts him for ruining Garlemald for no good reason, he retorts with "Would you be happier had I a good reason?" Zenos makes no attempt to justify his own actions and doesn't care that his reason seems incomprehensible and unforgivable to others. Yet in that same cutscene Alisaie hits him with the fact that if he keeps living solely for pleasure, he'll die alone. When next we see Zenos, he's alone at the Royal Menagerie waxing philosophical about what he really sought in the battle with the WoL.

See, what really motivates Zenos isn't just the thrill of battle - this guy has gotten Battle High and the joy of human connection confused. Really.

Even before he gets so perturbed by the idea of dying alone, there's other suggestions, like his proposal of friendship to the WoL when they fought in Stormblood, and then later his dying words in which he explains that he never understood others - at his core, he's just lonely. I know there's an official side story that tells it, but you don't need to know the exact details to glean that he had some sort of tragic backstory. Sad, but not a surprise, considering he's the prince of the Garlean Empire, raised to take the throne and continue the Empire's legacy of violence.

At his core, he's a very lonely person, but also a thing of violence, raised using violent methods for the purpose of causing more violence. Violence is how he lives and breathes - the only way he gets any sort of connection with others in a world of hurting and being hurt is the brief connection warriors dueling as equals can sometimes find. Don't deny that this sort of connection exists - FF14 is great at making fights that are both fun and tell a story. Hence, why he goes crazy for the WoL, but also refers to them as "friend". In their fights, he senses (or thinks he senses) similarity between him and them. Beneath all the madness is a pure, genuine joy in seeing the self reflected in the other...but he also instantly gets on the train to projection-town, population Zenos, and assumes the WoL is exactly like him, ignoring or failing to notice that they also fight for deeper meanings. The worst part is, he doesn't even notice that what he's actually seeking in fighting them is connection until Alisaie's aforementioned callout.

So he goes and angsts for a while, then turns into a dragon again and flies across the universe to help us kick the Endsinger's tail feathers, then issues his challenge for that duel he'd been longing for. But what's changed is that he starts with a question - "Such pleasures you sought for their own sake, and for no other reason, is that not so?". Dying after the duel, he's full of questions too: "Was your life a gift or a burden? Did you find fulfillment?" Alisaie's suggestion that he'd die alone actually spurred him to realize what he actually sought in the WoL, and now he's asking all these questions in an attempt to, for the first time in his life, genuinely connect with another human being.

The questions aren't important just because they're a sign of how Zenos has changed in Endwalker - they're actually the thematic heart of Endwalker! ARR may have had "Answers" as it's theme, but EW is the expac of questions. Namely the biggest question of all: What is the meaning of life? Different characters have different answers to that, leading to the grand-scale symbolic conflict being the Endsinger's despair - her belief that there is no meaning in life - versus whatever reasons the WoL chooses to live for, left, as always, up to player interpretation.

When you look deeper, Zenos isn't actually as out-of-place in the symbolic conflict as he first seems. His depressed worldview - that metaphor about drowning in a swamp again - seems to align with the Endsinger's view about life being meaningless. But he aids the WoL in defeating her. In that way he serves as part of the answer to her question about the meaning of life. He may have resented life at times, but he still found meaning in chasing pleasure. Not the strongest or most beautiful reason to deny oblivion, perhaps, but it did enable him to help the WoL triumph. I think of Zenos's philosophy as being connected to the concept of "Amor Fati"...largely because this quote explaining it sounds like something he'd say, or at least agree with on some level:

"and if our soul has trembled with happiness and sounded like a harp string just once, all eternity was needed to produce this one event—and in this single moment of affirmation all eternity was called good, redeemed, justified, and affirmed."

So he does have a meaningful role in Endwalker, as the "Amor Fati" against the Endsinger's "Memento Mori". I think that in this the story shows that his reason for living, while somewhat shallow, is not necessarily a morally wrong thing in and of itself (setting aside for a second all the people he hurt in his pursuit of that). It's just that, since it is a lonely pursuit that denies everything except for his target, it still feels empty. The core of the counterargument against the Endsinger's despair is that both pleasure and fulfillment are necessary to live a meaningful life in a meaningless universe, and that's why Zenos is here in Endwalker. Why he even exists in the story in the first place.

Even if you're one of the people who deeply hates Zenos...well, you probably wouldn't have read this whole thing if you did, but I still think it's important to read into characters you dislike, because every character in a story is written for a reason. Plus, trying to understand even their worst enemies is one of the WoL's key traits as of ShB and EW. With his last breaths, Zenos was trying to understand the WoL too - carrying this understanding of him with you as we move into our next adventures is the least you can do for your "friend".

#ff14 #ffxiv #zenos yae galvus #zenos viator galvus #endwalker #ffxiv meta #endwalker spoilers #meta posting on my art blog #god why did i spend my afternoon on this all this proves is that I need to be put in an English class again purely for enrichment purposes

[toji-girl]

wrapped around | villain! t. amajiki

synopsis: All you wanted to do was move on from Tamaki who took a turn from hero to villain, but why can’t you stop thinking about his indigo eyes even though he’s on the other side now?

wc: 4.6k

tags: dark content (read cw) + 18+ ONLY content + explicit smut: minors and empty blogs DNI + not beta read + he's ooc + repost from my blog + my writing style was different years ago + tentacle play+ Quirk play + bunny! reader + gagging + wound care + makeup sex + biting + rough sex + pet names + vaginal stretching + fluff in all this porn + multiple tentacles in one hole + dubcon + yandere! Tamaki + overuse of Bunny pet name + spitting + oral f! and m!+ fingering+ hentai references + porn + fem! masturbation + aphrodisiac (?) + cum play + possessive! Tamaki + nipple play + mentions of ovulating+ unprotected sex + breeding + mating press + finger sucking + dumbification + womb flooding + creampie+ tummy bulge from cum inflation.

AN: so I wrote this maybe close to four years ago, not sure how I came up with the idea to write something like this honestly, he is very OOC though! but I wanted something new with Amajiki, also please forgive my old formatting lmaoo.

Rain pattered on the roof trickling down the windows coupled with the bolt of lightning flashing in your bedroom drowning out the soft noise of the TV but it wouldn’t matter anyway with your phone propped up in your hand, moans streaming from the device.

Instantly your stomach curled thinking of the thought of the indigo-colored-haired man with eyes to match. 

The orgasm that you’ve been chasing for the last forty-five minutes finally ended with you kicking the blankets off, throwing the toy and phone down on your bed as you sat up, looking around for your shorts, flinging pillows, and everything to the floor.

It’s been weeks since you’ve thought of him and now you were wondering why you had to think about him in a time like this. You scratched the base of your soft floppy ears as you looked around and sighed seeing the pillow that Tamaki had you hump for hours overstimulating you until you were sobbing and clinging to him to stop.

Part of you missed him but not the way he acted in a relationship. It was a mystery how you stayed with him for so long.

Another sigh left your lips while swinging your legs over the bed placing them on the bare floorboard, another crack of thunder shook the house flickering the lights as you adjusted the oversized sleeping shirt you wore pulling it over your shoulder, another sound startled you.

Someone knocking hard and rapid on your door, your ears perked up when you heard him.

Calling your name like a mournful song, Tamaki’s voice wavered as he leaned against the door knocking again, “Please, bunny, let me in.”

Your heart restricted in your chest hearing your nickname. It was something that he only ever called you even though you hated your stupid Quirk. Everyone got cool ones or even none at all but nothing at all has to be better than being a bunny.

His voice came in again begging, “I-I’m hurt.”

Chewing on your bottom lip you walked to the front door barely opening it. Wind and rain hit you like needles. Tamaki sat leaning against the doorframe now holding his side. Indigo eyes met yours.

“Tamaki?”

You crouched down and moved a piece of wet hair from his face to scared to get closer to him, “Bunny.” Tamaki wrapped his fingers around your wrist pulling you closer, “I need help.”

You aren’t stupid. As soon as he asked for help you knew what happened, it was either some bar fight or he got into a scrap with a Hero which you happen to be ironically enough.

Your brows pulled together as you moved his hand from his ribs seeing a medium size cut, blood pumping from the torn flesh only darkening the fabric of Tamaki’s shirt. “What do you need help with?”

“What do you think?” He hissed covering the wound again.

“If you want to be like that Tamaki you can go fuck off. Why did you come here out of all the places? Let me guess you and Dabi got drunk and tried to fight someone.”

Tamaki winced and smirked as another clap of thunder startled you, “Still scared of storms, huh? Let me in and I’ll protect you.”

You raised an eyebrow and played with your ears catching his attention. He knows you too well, his eyes burned the side of your head. You felt way too vulnerable in front of him like this, your shirt stretched over your knees but Tamaki already got a glance at your bare cunt.

“Hello? Bunny. Let me in.”

You turned back to glare at him feeling your heart sink in your stomach seeing the pain in his eyes. His hair wet and matted covered most of his face along with his hood but you saw the flash, “Oh, damn you, Tamaki. Tell me what happened then I’ll let you in but I swear if you try anything I’ll hurt you.”

He rolled his eyes and laughed followed by a wet cough, sighing you kicked the door open and grabbed Tamaki by his elbow pulling him to his feet, “Shit,” he cursed, swaying on his feet. With your arm wrapped around his waist, you guided him to the bathroom with his hand gripping your shirt leaving bloody handprints.

“Sorry.” He looked down at your shirt pulling the sticky fabric from your torso, “Don’t worry about it.” You said not looking up to meet his heated gaze. It’s only been four months since he’s last seen your face and that was when you two were screaming at each other about how the relationship wasn’t going to work.

How could it?

A villain and a hero?

Tamaki took his shirt off, tossing it on the floor, and leaned back against the sink holding his arm up, “What the hell happened? The skin is all jagged.” You muttered looking at the wound while washing your hands.

“Dabi was sleeping with this dude’s girlfriend and they got into it. Of course, I’m going to help my friend out.”

You looked at him pulling gloves on before grabbing your first aid kit, “Have you been sleeping with anyone’s girlfriend?” You didn’t mean for your question to come across so cold but you barely trusted him in the relationship and knowing he’s been running around for months single you didn’t have any reason to believe him.

Tamaki sighed and shut his eyes hissing when you applied a bandage to the wound, “Careful bunny,” he said through gritted teeth, eyes opening to slits, “can I still call you bunny?”

You rolled your eyes despite feeling the ache between your legs or the way you were sure that at any given moment your heart was going to explode when you met his gaze, the feelings he still has glittered behind the mischievous grin that spread across his lips.

“What?”

“I’m waiting on my answer.”

You sighed,and focused on the gauze, “I do have a name that I know you know.” Came your answer, short and simple that’s all that was needed because you could feel the sexual tension building faster and faster brick by brick sitting on your chest suffocating you.

“Yeah, that’s true but I like bunny,” he replied gently flicking your left ear making you glare at him, Tamaki chuckled and winced when you pressed in. “Do try to remember that I’m treating your wound, now you answer my question.”

“What?”

“What caused this? And was this really all over Dabi and some hookup?”

You stepped closer pressing your stomach against his hips looking at the jagged flesh, your tail twitched when you felt Tamaki caress your stomach, “It was, I never lied to you no matter what you think. I might be a villain babe but I would never hurt you, I would burn the world down for you. I would do anything you want me to. You’re still my queen.”

Tentacles wrapped around your throat stilling your movements.

Tamaki leaned in ghosting his lips against yours releasing your throat, “I was serious when I said I wanted to run away and get you knocked up.”

You couldn’t help the ugly laugh that bubbled from your open mouth irritating Tamaki who leaned back and watched as you looked back at him, a serious look taking over your face.

“Runaway and get me knocked up? I’m sorry but I told you that I don’t want to live a villainous lifestyle let alone with a baby? Do you even know how to take care of a baby?”

“I took care of you, didn’t I?”

You leaned down and grabbed the alcohol squirting it on the gash, “Fucking hell you-”

“I suggest you watch how you talk to me Tamaki, you came here and interrupted my plans to help your ass now don’t be so rude.”

He kept quiet and still watched as you sewed his wound shut. You revealed the wincing in pain and hissing Tamaki let out when you tugged just a little too hard, “You’re being rough.”

“And I thought you liked that?” You asked placing the bandage over your work and glanced back up at him taking your gloves off. “Now I have to take a shower, you can let yourself out.”

Another tentacle wound itself around your wrist protruding from Tamaki’s hand, “Can I join?”

It’s not a good idea, the moment he asked you cocked your head to the side tugging your shirt down, “No, and you know why.”

He frowned and leaned back against the sink, “Can I at least take a shower after you at least?”

His voice didn’t come across confident anymore instead it wavered watching you play with the hem of your shirt again, fingers twisting in the fabric. Your ears twitched and flopped over as you avoided Tamaki’s gaze. If you looked at him it would be all over.

“You can’t take one with your bandage, let me clean you up.”

It wasn’t like he hasn’t seen you naked before but when you slid your shirt off tossing it in the hamper Tamaki cleared his throat feeling his cock throb, “Keep staring and I’ll poke your eyes out.” You growled making him laugh.

“You’re so cute when you get angry.” It was out of habit when he reached out fingers coming in contact with your ears scratching the base softly, he watched your eyes roll to the back of your head and body go lax.

It was always a different sensation when someone else rubbed your ears or stroked your tail with the occasional squeeze that left you dripping.

You hated yourself when a small whimper left your lips bringing you back to reality as you grabbed the shirt hanging from the back of the door pulling it on, “Don’t touch me again. I’m serious.”

“Got it,” he said raising his hands up slowly before taking his shirt and pants off balling them up, “can I wash my clothes then?”

“You’re being awfully needy, when your clothes are dry I want you out. You’re lucky I’m letting you stay this long.”

Tamaki nodded his head and pushed his hair and hood out of his face, a new scar coming into view. Jagged pink flesh beginning to heal and spreads from the end of his eyebrow to his jaw, somehow adding to the beauty that is the man who brings so much chaos to your life.

“What happened?” You asked, walking out of the bathroom with Tamaki behind you.

“My scar? Dabi and I got into a fight with a couple of your Hero friends. The bunny woman and that stupid bird.”

“Rumi and Keigo? I’m going to assume it was Hawks who gave you it.”

His laugh was his response as he broke off and entered the kitchen sitting on the barstool looking around brain flooding with so many memories, you and him dancing music playing in the background dinner on the stove, or the times he held your legs open fucking you hard like it was his last time over the counter.

You padded back in the kitchen grabbing your plate from the microwave handing it to him not ignoring his looks until you snapped, “God damn it Tamaki did you come here in hopes that we would get back? I told you that it can’t happen. We can never work out, we want so many different things.”

Indigo eyes looked at you hard and unforgiving before dissolving into despair and something pitiful, “No, I told you why. Your house was close and after Dabi left I had to find somewhere and I really can’t go to the hospital after what we did last week.”

“Yeah, you’re wanted for grand theft and so many more things I couldn’t even list them.”

Tamaki shrugged his shoulders and picked at the food, the image of him hunched over barely eating not acting himself tugged at your heartstrings. More than anything you wanted to wrap your arms around him letting him know that you still love him.

You still love him.

A fact you did not want to surface as he sat half-naked and dripping wet on your barstool.

It didn’t help the fact that you also wore a top that covered the tops of your thighs.

“If you really want me to stop doing all of this,” Tamaki gestured to the new wound and old battle scars, “I would do it, I’d do anything to be with you again bunny. You don’t have to believe me but I love you, and I will forever. I might be a bad guy but I want to be a good guy for you.”

His sudden confession was enough to make your head snap up to look at him feeling the pit in your stomach widen. Your heart raced in your chest making you dizzy. It was all you and Tamaki fought about the last couple of months of the relationship, the thing that finally drove a wedge between you two.

“You can’t come back and say all of that when I begged you to stop, every night I was worried you weren’t going to come home and I stayed up waiting for you to get back drunk and mean.”

You felt proud for standing up for yourself, it was something that finally needed to happen.

“I know and I can apologize for that or try to make up for it now, I screwed up my first chance and I promise I won’t do it again.”

Your bottom lip quivered listening to his words but his actions are what you needed to see.

“Don’t cry bunny,” Tamaki slid off the barstool before walking over to you wrapping you in his arms, the sudden contact broke the dam you’ve been holding in. After months of not being held or human contact, you melted against him clinging like you were scared if he let you go then you’d disappear.

He felt warm.

And familiar.

“Shh, I’m here now, I’ve missed you.”

His words were the last nail in the coffin. With your arms wrapped around his waist, you buried your head in his neck tasting the salty tears that streaked his bare skin, “I’ve missed you too Tamaki. Damn it, I haven’t been with anyone since we broke up.”

When you pulled your head up to look at him Tamaki smiled and kissed your lips softly at first barely pressing together then his hands are cupping your cheeks deepening the touch between you and him, he wanted to be greedy and grope your flesh, hungry and needy. His tongue tasting every inch of you until you were crying for him to stop.

He wants to make up for all these missed months but it was happening too fast, your hands worked on his belt trying to pull his pants down, “Hey, wait a minute. Shouldn’t we talk first?” Tamaki asked, hooking his finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him.

“Do you want this as much as I do?” Your voice came out strained and foreign, “Tamaki. Don’t make me beg, please. Only you know how to help me cum and that’s what I want, I want to cum.”

Each word only constricted his heart and dick, it wasn’t fair for him to finally have his dream but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt you.

“I’m trying to keep my hands off of you but you keep begging for me to touch you and I don’t want to be an asshole bunny, tell me what you want me to do to you.” Tamaki demanded, his voice and personality shifting to the Tamaki you love the most, the one who roughs you up, gives you everything you need without even having to ask. Your body was a map that he knew front to back, your sighs were different calls for things that you liked.

No one else knows you the way he does.

“I like it when you’re an asshole,” You whispered, grabbing his hand and putting it between your legs, rough calloused skin brushed against your clit.

“Do you?” Tamaki asked, grabbing the back of your neck with his free hand, “But I know what you really want.”

You felt his hands turn into tentacles sucking at your flesh, the sensation barely there but you could still feel it when one suction-cupped to your clit drawing the swollen bud in as another tentacle probed your pussy spreading your slick lips apart.

“Oh my bunny, you are so wet.” Tamaki groaned using the rest of his appendages to lift your shirt up, tentacles wrapped around your breasts squeezing and massaging, “Tamaki.” You begged, what for? You weren’t sure.

“I know, I’ll take good care of my sweet girl, have you been neglected? I know you were using one of your vibrators, let me guess were you watching hentai?”

Your eyes glassed over in embarrassment even though you and he watched countless videos of all sorts trying to bend your bodies in almost impossible ways and after bruised shins and foreheads Tamaki suggested using his tentacles which soon became an almost everyday thing.

A tiny mouth wrapped around your nipple latching on the bud drawing each pulse from your core like an echo. The tentacle that was working on your pussy finally pushed its way inside, one at first stretching you out as it flattened against your cervix, you felt incredibly full.

You groaned and rolled your head back gripping Tamaki’s arms moaning looking at him, the need for him so obvious that he took a step back wiping his forehead returning his limbs to normal, you gasped and fell forward a little catching yourself.

“Why did you stop?” You asked panting.

“Because if I keep going I won’t be able to stop myself until you’re nothing but a mess of cum, drool, and tears. I haven’t been with anyone since you bunny.”

Another confession that stunned you momentarily before you ripped your shirt off closing the gap between you and Tamaki, “Are you worried that if we do this then I’ll kick you out afterward? You would have to take care of me if you have your way with me.” You smiled and dipped your hand in his pants stroking his cock finally, he sighed softly and kissed you pressing his tongue in stroking and tasting.

It wasn’t enough, both of you wanted more, greedy and hungry for each other. Tamaki snarled when you sank to your knees yanking his boxers down to his knees letting the fabric pool. You kept your hand around the base of his dick before your mouth was sucking him in, your throat nice warm and wet.

Fireworks burst inside your stomach when he moaned your name, your toes curled as you took him in deeper using your saliva making it easier to take his length, “I forgot how cute you look with my cock in your mouth.” Tamaki grunted snapping his hips ramming his dick further down your throat.

Tears stung your eyes as you held onto his thighs and let him hold the top of your head using your mouth for his own pleasure, the wet slaps of his balls hitting your chin echoed through the kitchen. He hissed above you grabbing a chunk of your hair pulling you off with a wet pop.

“Stand up.” Tamaki helped you to your feet quickly, “Tamaki!” You squealed, surprised, “Remember your wound?” A laugh fell from you, shocking both you and Tamaki who watched you lovingly, “Don’t lose that laugh, it’s the best sound in the world, and don’t worry about my wound sweetheart, I won’t strain myself.”

With your arm around his waist you walked with him to the couch laying on your back spreading your legs, Tamaki kneeled between them, you watched again with hazy eyes as his fingers turned into tentacles that wrapped around your thighs spreading your lips apart, both you and Tamaki could hear how wet you were.

Thankfully it was dark in the living room aside from the random flashes of lighting when you saw the look in his eyes.

Tamaki was starving and the only meal that could feed the insatiable feeling sitting in his stomach was you.

“When was the last time you came?” He asked abruptly, still eying your drooling pussy watching it pool around your ass, the tight hole he’s thought about exploring but that would have to be saved for another time.

“It’s been a while, I haven’t had sex with anyone and nothing has been able to make me cum.”

Your voice came out breathy and whiny as you shifted your hips feeling the suction back on your clit.

“Oh, fuck,” You curled your fingers around the couch dropping your head back keeping your back arched trying to shut your legs but two thick strong tentacles kept them apart, “Don’t be so shy now, I’ve seen this pussy bouncing on my cock so many times I’ve lost count.”

Your flesh burned like a wildfire watching as he pulled the tentacle off your clit to drag it up your slit gathering the wetness, he pulled it back looking at how your slick dripped, “I haven’t seen you this wet in such a long time bunny, I’m sorry you haven’t been taking care of, I know just the spots,” he broke off thrusting a tentacle in your cunt suction cupping to your walls keeping still.

Your eyes went wide with your mouth going slack feeling the fat root slowly crawl deeper spreading your walls to an almost impossible width, “Tamaki- wait s’big,” you whined trying to scramble away from the pressure between your legs, “Just for a second bunny, I want to make sure I can get you pregnant.”

His words didn’t register in your blissed-out brain when he began to move the tentacle slowly in and out, he leaned down and spit on your stretched cunt. Tamaki’s eyes sparkled hearing the lewd sounds coming from something so delicate, the way you took him was impressive.

Your eyes focused enough to see him pull back putting his hands on your breasts, flesh against flesh. Thumbs rough brushing over your nipples pulling them into aching peaks, Tamaki bent down wrapping his lips around the bud circling it with his warm tongue.

“Oh, more, more,” You babbled feeling the tentacle go deeper rubbing against your cervix feeling it soften with the secretions that pumped through your now opened cunt which leaked cum from the orgasm that took you by surprise, cum frothed around the base of the tentacle as your body jerked.

“You’re ovulating aren’t you?” Tamaki asked, pulling away from your breast. You opened your eyes blinking a few times before nodding your head slowly, his words bounced in your brain a few times before you sat up, “Are you sure?” You asked wrapping your arm around his shoulder pulling him down pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, “If you really want a baby then breed me please, I want you to pump me full.”

That’s all he needed to hear before pulling the tentacle from between your legs, you gasped loudly going from feeling so full to empty in such a short amount of time, “Give me a warning-” You were cut off when Tamaki flicked his tongue against your battered pussy, your clit throbbed in his mouth as the wet muscle turned into a tentacle sliding back in your cunt probing at your cervix again.

You whined, throwing your head back curling your fingers in Tamaki’s hair, feeling the large muscle thinned at the tip pressing you open, “Tamaki!” Your voice came out hoarse so did the protests when you felt the tentacle pierce your cervix making way to your womb, the pressure in your stomach snapped sending your body into a frenzy of tingles and a hot flash, “What are you doing?” You gasped grabbing Tamaki’s hair pulling him up, “Hey,” He snapped rubbing his scalp, “calm down, first of all, my tentacles secretes this substance, let’s think of it as an aphrodisiac so that’s why when you had your first orgasm it took you by surprise and when I fuck you I can fill your womb with my seed breeding you like the dumb little cock slut that you are.”

His words were dirty and filthy but his tone came out sweet and promising.

You reached for his cock wrapping your fingers around the shaft jerking him off, “I need you now, please.” You begged him, “Wait a minute, bunny, okay? Don’t you want to make this last?” He asked, chuckling watching your pussy twitch and drool again.

“No!” You rolled your eyes.

“You asked for this, I’m going to give you what you want and you’re going to take it, do you understand me?” He asked, holding your jaw thumbing your bottom lip blindly trying to thrust in you hips snapping wildly against yours battering before he finally slid in bottoming out.

His cock slipped past your cervix easily fucking into you deep and hard feeling just how soft and wet you really are past the normal barrier of your cunt.

Tamaki growled pinning your hips down as he thrust in and out with his head buried in the crook of your neck, his arms now hooked under your armpits pressing your breasts against his chest rubbing your nipples over his rough flesh.

Your poor cunt pulsated around Tamaki’s cock hot and velvety squeezing him, he didn’t want to cum just yet but it was getting to the point where he couldn’t take it anymore so he pulled out despite both of your protests, “I can’t cum just yet.” He said thumbing your pussy apart watching your cum trickle down, he scooped it up and sucked on his fingers groaning.

Tamaki sat between your open legs pressing sweet slow kisses to your inner thighs suckling on the slick flesh from your orgasm, “I don’t want to wait anymore, I don’t care when you cum just fuck me now.”

He laughed again turning his fingers into tentacles once more shoving two of them in your gaping hole at once thinning the muscles straining against the sudden intrusion, “Fuck!” You cried feeling tears stinging your eyes as they streamed down your cheeks.

“I got to get you ready some more, just relax bunny.” He soothed, kissing away your tears shoving them deeper, spreading you open more pumping another round of aphrodisiacs in your dripping cunt, your body went into a paralyzed-like state, liquid ecstasy flowed through your veins drawing your orgasm higher and higher.

Tamaki yanked the tentacles out of you before plunging his cock in feeling you clamp around him sending you into an orgasm that curled your toes and fingers making you cry out loudly, drool dripping down your chin pooling around your neck as your pussy twitched sending Tamaki into his own orgasm losing control of his hips ramming against you chasing his climax.

Your name came out in guttural groan when he filled your womb hot and sticky with his seed over and over until your stomach swelled with his cum leaking out from your pussy.

Tamaki kept fucking you sending both of you into overstimulation, your cum creamy around his dick as you came over and over again pushing Tamaki into his last orgasm, snarling like a wild animal pinning you down ramming his cum in your womb watching your tummy bulge.

He pulled out hearing the wet squelch of your cum soaked pussy. “Are you okay bunny?” Tamaki asked, laying down, pulling you in his arms.

You were fully fucked out, “I’m fine,” You replied snuggling against his chest feeling your eyes droop shut.

Tamaki wrapped his arm around your shoulders pulling you into his chest and placing a chaste kiss on your forehead, “Now you’ll be mine forever.” He whispered.

#tw: dark content #tw: degradation #tw: dumbification #cw: breeding #cw: dubcon #Tamaki Amajiki smut #Amajiki smut #villain Tamaki Amajiki smut #my hero academia smut #mha smut #Amajiki x reader smut #bhna smut #mha x reader #Tamaki x reader smut #tamaki amajiki x reader #Amajiki Tamaki smut

[heroes-villains-side-blog]

How to kiss someone on Villaintine's Day!

Featuring Villain and Hero! (based on that one joke)

Villain: How to kiss someone

Villain: Grab their waist

Villain: Slip your hand into their pocket

Villain: Steal their wallet

Villain: Don't even kiss them

Villain: Just run

Hero: Villain, NO.

Villain: What? Is that not how you kiss? 

Villain: Aww, guess I'm out of practice

Villain: Hero, will you help me practice my kissing? 😇

Villain: Is there another way?

Villain: Why don't you show me, Hero? 😇

Villain: Or don’t you know how to kiss?

“You know what? Sure.” Hero was so done with Villain's shenanigans. They just wanted a nap and this seemed like a good enough way to shut them up for good. 

“Wha—” 

Before Villain could say another word, Hero had cupped their face in their hands. Looking over their shoulder, they called out to the sidekicks, “Take notes 'cause I’ll only do this once.” Villain was getting redder by the second, but Hero didn't seem to notice, or they didn't care.  

“I-I—”

Hero completely ignored Villain’s stuttering, they were just struggling to stay awake right now. “So. You put your hands on their cheeks, gently.” They loosened their grip. “A good way to know is to imagine you're rubbing their tears with your thumbs. Well, ideally there won’t be any tears but the soft touch is still appreciated." Hero gently wiped away imaginary tears from Villain’s face, unaware that Villain had stopped breathing.

“Now, hm,” Hero got on their tiptoes, “Hm, sorry, Villain. Guess you're a bit too tall for me.” They turned to the sidekicks. “Hey, Villain Sidekick, can you come here? I think your height would do better.” Villain Sidekick didn’t even get a chance to blush before Villain abruptly dropped to their knees. Hero turned around. “Huh. Guess that’ll do. Thanks, V.”

They leaned down nonchalantly, all while Villain’s heart was pounding. Their face felt so hot, and they just knew that Hero could feel it with their hands still calmly holding their face.

“So, you’ve got your hands gently holding their face. You wipe their tears or just caress their face, again, gently. Then, watch. Villain, you too,” Hero kissed Villain’s forehead ever so softly. “This is how you kiss”, then their left cheek, “and this is how you kiss,” before bringing their lips ever so close to Villain’s own, “and... let me tell you a secret,” they whispered, their mouth curving into a smile, lips hovering right over Villain's. “I... I... I don’t know how to kiss either,” they said with a smirk, following it with a quick peck on Villain’s right cheek before immediately dropping their hands.

Oh, the look on Villain's face... thankfully, the sidekicks had their phone cameras on and were excellent note takers.

---

This is so silly, I don't even know

Scheduled this on 21st August 2022 for 14th Feb 2023 while talking to @world-of-fire-and-flight about it here

Me using romance tropes I don't like to make the (non) romance trope I do like -- which is no romance! MWAHAHAHAHA!!! 😈

Villain is Spiderman in this lol:

#hero x villain #heroes and villains #flustered villain #sassy hero #goofy hero #villain #hero #humor #crack #snippet #goofy villain #sleepy hero #villain has a crush #tw kissing mention #valentines day #my writing #heroes villains side blog #me messing with people #flirty hero #me bullying smug villains #i ruin romance for fun #spiderman #villaintine's day #hero is so done #shenanigans #pranks

[raineandsky]

I request [😈] a heroes and villains snippet where one of them is...sitting sad [😈], I don't happen to know how to describe what I mean, but surely you would be able to snippet-ify it no problem [😈]

And the other person was minding their own business and they came over and it's sweet or funny or goofy or silly or fluffy (your choice)

I'm so interested to see your take on this 😈😈😈

No pressure 💖

Love,

@heroes-villains-side-blog

Hey! I have created the ultimate sit sad snippet especially for you, as your long awaited gift of gratitude 😈 thanks for requesting - hope you like it!

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

---

It’s been a long day.

The hero sits at the bus stop, legs tucked up on the bench beneath them, their head resting against their hand. They got on the bus, but now they can’t find it in themself to get the rest of the way home. They imagine everyone in a miles radius would’ve offered a ride if they were still in their uniform, but leaving the agency means leaving the hero persona behind, and no one bats an eye at a miserable civilian. The rain doesn’t make them any more inclined to move.

They let out a tired sigh as someone settles on the bench next to them, the sound of wet fabric flapping as they shake off an umbrella. “Perfect day to be out and about, isn’t it?”

They recognise that voice awfully well. The fact they’re talking at all probably means they haven’t suspected the hero yet. All they have to do is not speak.

The hero gives a stiff nod, keeping their head expertly tilted away from them, but their lack of response only piques the villain’s curiosity. They lean forwards slightly, trying to catch a glimpse at the face the hero’s trying so hard to hide from them.

“Where you heading then?”

It’s a question they purposely can’t not answer. The villain’s going to catch on either way – they already have, by the looks of things. “Home,” is all they say, the single word taut to cover their real voice, but their effort doesn’t mean anything to their unwanted companion.

“No fucking way,” they exclaim, and the hero doesn’t have to look at them to know they’re wearing a shit-eating grin at their discovery. “What’s your name then?”

They know their name, the hero knows. They’re asking for their civilian name. It doesn’t matter if the villain knows it – the agency made sure to scrub them from any official records once they joined. A name won’t give the villain any information. “Jace.”

“Jace?” The villain sounds mystified. “Huh. Never took you for a Jace.”

“Can we not do this now?” the hero asks, though they know their voice borders on pathetic pleading. “I’m just coming home. I start at eight tomorrow if you want a fight.”

“In the morning?” They huff a noise that sounds like it could be a laugh. “No, I’m not here to start anything. Work stays at work.” They wave their concern off with a sigh. “Now, totally normal civilian Jace, what’s going on?”

“Huh?”

The hero finally turns to look at them, only met with an incredulous expression. “You’re on your way home from work, sitting at a bus station, in the rain. Bad day?”

“I’m waiting for the bus,” they deflect shortly.

“The bus goes that way, dear.” They raise their umbrella down the road, pointing to the agency just a few blocks away. “I’m not stupid.”

The hero lets another sigh, deeper than ever. Seems they can’t get out of any questions the villain asks as long as they want them answered. “Just agency stuff. All happened at once today.”

The villain nods knowingly. “Tell me about it in a tedious, long-winded explanation. Don’t spare a single detail.”

They can’t tell whether they’re being sarcastic or abusing their bad mood for information, but they’d be lying if they said they didn’t want to talk about it. It might take a weight off their shoulders. “Well, [superhero] made a point to mock me in front of everyone this morning, and I didn’t think–”

“Oh, that’s my bus.” The hero turns to the street where the bus is indeed pulling up to the curb. From their position, the villain probably saw it coming, and still egged them into psyching themself up to a heartfelt talk. Bastard.

They stand up with a content sigh as the bus doors chug open, glancing down at the hero, more miserable than ever, and a look of amusement crosses their face. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic.” They hold the umbrella out to them. “Here. This rain isn’t going to let up for a few hours. You can’t sit here all night.”

They shake it for emphasis when the hero doesn’t immediately take it, and the moment it’s out of their grasp they’re drifting onto the bus, leaving them with a serene smile and a slightly mocking wave as it sets off down the road again.

The hero waits for a minute before standing, taking the time to gather themself after the unexpected interaction before declaring themself unfazed enough to head home. They open the umbrella begrudgingly, annoyed to accept the villain’s likely fake kindness, and they yelp as something falls out from the ribs inside, slapping them directly in the face before continuing its ascent towards the pavement below.

They catch it, hurried as to not let it get drenched in the rain, and they lean the umbrella against their shoulder so they can get a sneak peek into the villain’s life. It’s a piece of paper, folded neatly into squares – they waste no time prying it open, their eyes grazing over the words inside in hopes of finding some terrible secret to use against them. The writing inside is a disappointment to their hopes but offers something else that sits warmly in their chest.

Us ‘civilians’ have to stick together in a world dictated to by ‘good’ and ‘bad’. If actually you want to shit talk your asshole ‘boss’, give me a call and we can ‘hang out’. Civilian style.

- Maxi xxx

(Part 2)

#writblr #writers on tumblr #writing community #creative writing #writing #requests #feline17ff #heroes-villains-side-blog #heroes and villains #hero x villain #unfortunately i couldnt make em sit sad style properly plz accept my humblest apologies #requests are open tho! turns out my asks were off but not anymore! i fixed it asks are actually askable now! #frienemies

[athanasius-symposium-of-writings]

If you could write a little thing with fem!tav and astarion where tav brings up the topic of having children? Just would love to see what you do with it and how Astarion would react, etc!

@dexpairs-blog asked: Could i request Astarion reacting to tav babying the owlbear cub and Scratch 24/7? Like baby talk, holding them like babies, playing with them and showering them with all their attention as soon as they set foot in the camp

pspsps what if i made it painful lol

Rated: M

He has no particular interest in children. They are bothersome needy creatures that he has no intention of entertaining. Astarion never understood why you like them so much, brats all of them. The time you give such caring words to the tieflings children, helped Mol out of her contact, to let some kid stay at the camp because the kid's mommy was missing.

Astarion didn't see the point but did see how you interacted with children, this gentle side of you with the bright smile he enviously wants only for him.

The Vampire Ascendant does not need to be. He already owns your body and mind.

You currently are watching Scratch run around playing with the kids in the park, your sweet giggles as the two children pretend to be heroes fighting imaginary villains with their fearsome battle dog! The owlbear is in the Crimson Palace enjoying his afternoon nap after being fed. Astarion is usually with him, you notice he has grown closer to it in recent years.

"Little love," You jump when he wraps his arms around you, "Enjoying your toys?" It… Bothered you long ago by what he calls everyone you have a harmless interest in (or interact with) toys, which is a step up from being cattle (not by much). You long ago stopped trying to convince him otherwise.

"The children are enjoying themselves. Scratch is going to sleep well tonight." You speak as kisses are placed on your exposed back, his arms pulling you closer, "Astarion," It is hard not to squirm as he hums with minor acknowledgment and seeks you out physically. Luckily you are hidden under a shaded tree while the children are pretty far from your secluded spot. "Not here." Denying him is impossible, both because he won't be denied and because you need him.

"I promised you a decade in each other's arms," resting his chin on your shoulder with eyes closed, "Yet, here you are outside without me." Hurt. Astarion seeks you out like a shark to blood, he fiends for you in a way you never thought possible.

The ascension changed him, you remind yourself.

"Soon," Tilting your head against his, "Allow me to stay a little longer."

One might think he wants time away from him.

When you pull away, your warmth leaving him, your hand catches his, "Come." You tug for him to follow.

When darkness falls, when the streets fall silent, the taverns are full; he has you close to him. Normally, he would go hunting to bring prey to feed you however tonight he does not leave your side. Laying next to one another in the bed, your eyes looking into his.

The conversation comes up over a petty argument and you still feel the tears on your cheeks.

"A child?"

"Yes, our own." You place his hand on your stomach, "We can make one. Father," The title spoken with some defeat, "Granted me that ability."

Astarion is aware, Kanchelsis gave his blessing for his beast child to be the consort of the Ascendant.

"Now why would you want a little bugger running around here? Isn't babying that dog and owlbear of yours enough?

The day you found that dog, Gods above, you refused to leave the camp until Lae'zel dragged you out. Then the owlbear! Halsin was not a damn help as he also pet the creature too.

Strange, he misses those chaotic days at times… Especially Gale.

"Mine," With a raised eyebrow, "Says the vampire who cuddles with said owlbear when it is having a nightmare." The indignant look he gives you makes you chuckle, "I only brought it up because…" His hand on your stomach slides up your chest until it reaches your face, a sad face. "Family with you… I dream of it. Of us."

He can see them, though the tadpole is long gone, the vampire can peer into your mind. Share thoughts and feelings between the bond of master and spawn— Lovers. The dreams are vivid, he can hear and picture the child that looks like him but shares parts of you too.

A family.

Your mind feels him sneer, the dislike, the fear. The fear of being a terrible father, be like how Cazador was with his family—turning and enslaving them.

"Astarion," Staring up as he moves to pin you down, "Ah!" Biting your neck and drinking from you.

"Ask me for anything and it will be yours," His lips bloodied, "This however I can't."

You are disappointed but you understand Astarion may never be in the right mindset to have a family. Too much trauma that though you tried helping him, it festers in him never to truly heal.

His forehead rests on yours, his fingers intertwined with yours keeping your hands pinned down above your head.

Sex is different this time. Of course, it feels good– Great, but this time he entertained something you hadn't expected him to do. "You... Don't have… Astarion, you don't need to." The way he fucks you is as if he was going to breed a child into you. As if every round is driven with the intention of seeing your stomach swell with his child.

It is a fantasy he entertains, speaking the filthiest words as you cry out for him. Maybe he is trying to make up to you for his rejection, you don't know. You do know after, in the silence of the aftermath, as you play with his messy white curls, his hand rubs your stomach.

A longing that he cannot ever give you this one desire.

#reader insert #fanfiction #astarion x you #astarion x reader #baldurs gate astarion #baldur's gate astarion #astarion #astarion x tav #baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 fanfiction

[the-sidekick-club]

Case of the pockets

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Part 5 : Epilogue

Written by: @tratieisdabest​​★@heroes-villains-side-blog​​★@just-a-space-rabbit​​  

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

The atmosphere was stiff as the trio sat in Henchman’s living room. Two villains and a hero (well, two sidekicks and a henchman) sat in a room; sounds like the start of a bad joke or a fight. 

“So…” Villain Sidekick said, breaking the silence “Henchman, how’s it going, is working for Supervillain alright? How different is it from working with Villain?"  

"It's… top secret,” Henchman answered as they popped a soda can. “And besides, don't you two have something to talk about?”

“Well, Hero Sidekick was the one who wanted to talk,” Villain Sidekick said, looking over to their do-gooder counterpart. “So, are we gonna talk or what? Why did you call me?” They wanted to look annoyed but their curiosity was getting the better of them.

Hero Sidekick finally spoke, “Well… it’s about last night’s fight… Is it just me or… was Villain's reaction kinda… weird? When they saw Hero, I mean.”

“Maybe? What’s your point?” Villain Sidekick said indifferently. 

“Why do you think that is?” Hero Sidekick asked.

“Eh, just didn’t like that your new suits put us at a disadvantage," they shrugged. "You’ve got pockets now instead of those idiotic handbags, much more practical. You can just throw stuff at us instead of wasting time hounding around in your bags. It’s just common sense, we gotta up our game now.”

“I guess,” Hero Sidekick didn’t sound convinced.

“Of course, what else could it be?" They turned to their sibling-in-crime, "Henchman, what do you think?”

Henchman took a moment to think then replied slowly, “Well… not everyone likes changes, I mean, I’m pretty sure Villain still hasn’t forgiven me for taking that job under Supervillain and that was what, a year ago?” 

“You flat out betrayed them for a raise!” Villain Sidekick exclaimed indignantly, defending Villain. 

“Fair point,” Henchman responded.

Silence. 

Hero Sidekick looked between the two… friends awkwardly, but nonetheless tried to bring the conversation back to their concerns.

“But I still think Villain was acting really weird, especially about the pockets.” When Villain Sidekick rolled their eyes, Hero Sidekick urged, “C’mon! They brought up Hero’s handbag alone, like, thrice!”

Villain Sidekick sighed. “Fine, I’ll humour you. Pretend Villain did seem really focused on Hero’s pockets. So what? And why were there no pockets before anyway?” they had started thinking out loud.

Hero Sidekick didn’t have an answer to that.

“Maybe,” Villain Sidekick jumped up from their seat as they wondered aloud, “maybe, Villain infiltrated the heroes’ supersuits department? Just a design edit here, a little tweaking there, then boom! No pockets and Villain has the advantage in battle!” Villain Sidekick sat down triumphantly. “Clever Villain! So evil!” 

There were a few seconds of silence from the other two before Henchman began carefully, “Or, and hear me out here, maybe Villain… has a crush on Hero?”

Both sidekicks' jaws dropped and everyone sat in silence for a few moments before they spoke up.

“That actually makes a lot of sense.” said Hero Sidekick finally.

“That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard,” said Villain Sidekick at the same time, staring at the two.

“Come on, now,” Henchman said, holding back a smile. “Think about it. Villain was clearly disappointed with the new suit because it’s way less attractive than the old one.”

Villain Sidekick blinked. “They were upset because they had less advantage, dum-dum.”

“Yeah, but wouldn’t they be more mad than sad if that were the case?" Hero Sidekick defended. "Everyone knows how angry villains get when a plan falls through, and Villain is no different from the rest.”

Villain Sidekick did not look amused. “Don’t embarrass yourselves. Villain can’t have a crush on Hero! They’re a villain! And they’re a hero! They’re nemeses and hate each other!”

Henchman sipped their drink, looking at Villain Sidekick, “So, you really think that there’s a higher likelihood of a tailoring traitor in the hero agency, targeting pockets specifically, than Villain having a crush on Hero?”

Villain Sidekick nodded furiously, “Yes! One hundred percent!”

Not much else was said after that, and eventually the two sidekicks left. But, unbeknownst to Henchman, the next session was already being planned. 

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#hero x villain #heroes and villains #hero #villain #sidekick #case of the pockets #hero sidekick #villain sidekick #snippet #henchman #supersuit #pockets #just-a-space-rabbit #heroes-villains-side-blog #goofy villain #goofy hero #confused hero #confused villain #hero is so done #villain is so done #tratieisdabest #the sidekick club

[writers-potion]

I’m not a very scheming person, but one of my stories need political intrigue to work. Do you have any advice for how to write that?

Writing Political Intrigue

Creating Shades of Gray

Unlike most plots where the protgonist("the good") and the antagonist("the bad") is more or less clearly defined, political intrigue is all about being in the middle.

Those who are self-serving but respect the law

Those who work for the public good but break the law

Those who try to stay clean but is absolutely no help

The key is to reveal both sides of holding but a certain value. This is perhaps best demonstrated through the controversal topics in today's context:

Social Aid for the Poor: (1) Of course redistribution of wealth and aiding the economically underprivilleged is a good thing (2) but if governmental aid actually encourages people to not work, should we continue?

Honesty: (1) it's good to be honest (2) but not is all situations

Sticky your character in between two or more parties, into making difficult choices. Make them break and bend their own code or values in the face of trying to chase their own agendas.

Different Perspective is Everything

As stated, everything has two sides. Each party will have different goals, different ideals, different norms of doing the work.

Bad blood, feuds, competition for resources, desire to win an ego battle. There's plenty of plot material.

The key here is to let both sides have good, understandable reasons. If one side is clearly "bad" with the other opposing them, it's no different from a hero-villain plot!

Gossip and Rumors

Gossip is one of the most powerful weapons in politics. In other words, it's reputation. Saving face. Ego.

Spreading half-truths to get a character to watch their back

Scandals and failed apologies

Gossip as an undercurrent tension within a scene where the character needs to prove themselves.

No Room for Weaklings

No one without a strong personal code or goal will get trampled in a tight, fast-paced political scene.

If your character is forced into politics, they'll need to toughen up quick or drop out.

A character may think they're strong, only to be proven wrong the minute he enters politics.

A character may find himself being divorced from his previous values as he tries to be more "tough"

Draw the Big Picture

In a particular scene, your characters aren't going to know everything, sometimes acting even blindly in pursuit of a goal. As an author, though, you should have a clear idea which piece of the puzzle you're writing.

figure out a sketch of your setting, and figure out the big issues, crises and ideologies that political divisions could stem from.

Know what your characters are into, past the main plot. Where do they want to be, even after this story is over?

You'll get a much richer story by brining in layers of characterization.

Keep lots of notes to keep track of the above.

Research, Research, Research!

The best place to get ideas for political intigue: history.

Grab a handful of texts on the historical wars, figures, and regime changes that most interest you, and after reading them you’ll likely end up with enough intrigue material to plot through a book series.

The setting and governmental structure: Political intrigue is shaped by the underlying social background and politicla system, so plan these in a way that suits your plot.

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

References:

https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=150&t=63430

#writing #writers and poets #creative writing #writers on tumblr #helping writers #creative writers #let's write #poets and writers #writeblr #resources for writers #write every day #write it #write anything #write up #author #writers #write that down #writerscommunity #writing questions

[thankssteveditko]

Sony's PlayStation 5 Presents Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (the third game in the series)

I beat the main story and have enjoyed my time with the game overall! I want to talk about spoilers and things that I liked and disliked in the story, so here's a post with some scattered thoughts.

(Hello! I haven't forgotten that this blog exists! Like I said, no update schedule, I will read more of the Lee/Ditko comics whenever I make time for it. I've actually been sitting on a mostly-complete version of this post since I beat the game in October, thinking that I'd finish the rest of the side quests so I could throw in thoughts on those. But... eh, I'll do that whenever the inevitable DLC rolls around. I just wanna get these thoughts posted.)

Spider-Cop No More

First off: they downplayed the cop shit!!! This was the first thing that really struck me about the game, and I'm stunned that they actually listened to criticism on this. I thought we'd just be stuck with it forever.

It'll never be completely gone, of course. Spider-Man is always going to leave criminals webbed up for the police to take to prison, hoping that they'll do their time and come out the other side as Productive Members of Society. That's just a thing I begrudgingly accept as part of the genre that will probably never go away. But Spider-Man is no longer repairing police surveillance networks. You're no longer beating the shit out of random drug dealers. Gangs of escaped convicts still wearing their orange jumpsuits are no longer terrorizing the streets of New York.

Instead, Peter and Miles are played more as firefighters. Sometimes very literally! They work with firefighters, they rescue people from collapsing buildings, they rush injured people to the hospital. In general there's a huge increase in the number of random onlookers present during the big action setpieces, and the Spider-Men frequently have to save them from harm. One of the major side quest lines is even literally about a cult of arsonists, and you'll routinely find burning fuel tanker trucks you have to extinguish with your webs. It's great! Love this for them.

I also generally liked the side missions in this. There's a lot of good stuff with the Spider-Men being neighborhood heroes willing to help out anyone in need, no matter the problem. Some of them can get corny, sure, but that street level stuff has always been the real heart of Spider-Man to me.

Gameplay

The gameplay's as fun as ever. That probably goes without saying. I will not be spending a thousand words explaining that swinging is fun.

In particular, I really liked the changes to the Focus mechanic. I never loved the way Miles' game made you choose between healing and doing your special attacks, but here your four specials have their own cooldowns, and the Focus meter is spent on either healing or finishers. It still offers that risk/reward element, but those vicious cycles where you can't do any real damage because you keep needing to heal aren't nearly as bad as they were before.

Personally I didn't turn off the swing assist or turn on fall damage, because the streamlined swinging never bothered me in these games, but I'm glad the options are there for people who want them.

Kraven

I liked Kraven in this! I liked the way they leaned into his Hunters being this weird death cult, and him wanting to go down in a blaze of glory against a worthy foe, to the point that he's actually disappointed anytime a foe can't kill him. It riffs on things people liked in Kraven's Last Hunt without being the exact same story. I like that Kraven's gang is renting out this manor or whatever and just being a complete terror to the wait staff. I liked the way Kraven hunting Peter's rogues' gallery clashed with Peter's belief in giving his villains second chances. I liked that they were willing to have Kraven kill off a couple of the minor villains from the first game to sell how dangerous he is. (I know some people hated this, but like, come on. We already fought the Sinister Six. They don't need to do that again.) I like the way Kraven pushed Peter to the absolute brink, turning him more and more aggressive with the Black Suit. Good stuff all around, even if the Hunter enemy types did wear out their welcome a little bit by the end.

The Black Suit arc

I think I liked the way Insomniac handled Peter's Black Suit arc overall, but there's a tradeoff here.

They REALLY lean into the body horror tentacle stuff, with Black Suit Peter basically just being a skinny Venom by the end. The sequence where you play as Mary Jane while the symbiote puppets an unconscious Peter's body around and goes on a rampage against the Hunters was REALLY great at selling how scary Peter is becoming, and it made me completely change my tune on the inclusion of the MJ stealth missions in the sequel. Having to beat an out-of-control Peter as Miles immediately after Peter beats Kraven was also really good. This is all cool!

BUT, the thing is... with the symbiote powers being so freaky from the start, it really pushes my suspension of disbelief when Peter and co. take so long to become wary of it. I guess when you've been bitten by a radioactive spider and given superpowers, and when you live in the same universe as the Avengers and the X-Men, your perception of what's "normal" is going to be pretty warped. But they buy the whole "organic exosuit created to treat Harry's illness" story WAY too easily lmao. How do the self-aware slime tentacles help with his illness, exactly?

And I'm not sure how I feel about giving Peter Anti-Venom powers in the last act. It feels like it's primarily a concession so that they can give players that branch of their skill tree back, but honestly, the designer in me thinks it would be really cool (if risky) to just permanently lock players out of Peter's most powerful skills past a certain point. Yeah, it'd definitely piss people off, but it drives home the idea that Peter's given up greater power because it's the right thing to do. It'd put you in his shoes! Instead he just gets the symbiote powers back, but it's fine because the Venom voice in his head is gone and also the slime tendrils that explode out of his body are white now, which means they're good.

I have to say it. I'm sorry. The glistening white goo... they turned Peter into the Amazing Cum-Man. I changed back to the Classic Suit after rolling the credits and forgot I still had the Anti-Venom skills equipped, so I just saw regular old Spider-Man exploding his white goo everywhere. Terrible.

Assuming Peter is just stepping into more of a supporting role to Miles and not fully retiring after the events of this game, I really hope the Anti-Venom stuff is gone. I get that he needed it to counter Venom, but that's not what I want for Peter Parker.

Miles

Miles is good in this, and I really like his arc where he struggles with whether or not he should avenge his dad by killing Martin Li. I like how all that plays out. Unfortunately, they don't quite stick the landing when it comes to making him and Peter feel like equals in terms of narrative focus. His arc is definitely the B-plot to Peter's for the middle chunk of the story, which I guess was kind of inevitable since they decided to do the Black Suit arc. But Miles does at least get a lot of moments to shine, and by the end he's very much taking the lead as the main Spider-Man.

Becoming the main Spider-Man also gets Miles a new, wholly original suit that ended up being super controversial, and honestly... I kinda like it? Or at least I like what it's going for, even if the actual design could still use some work. It's something totally unique for Miles, and I like spandex/streetwear combo suits like what the Spider-Verse movies have popularized. But showing his hair is really pushing the limits of his secret identity. He hangs around Brooklyn Visions WAY too much for his classmates to not recognize his voice and haircut. And I understand why people would be wary about it becoming his "canon" look moving forward. But I think it's got potential.

On the subject of Miles, though, I will say that while I liked Miles' side missions, it feels like he's often saddled with the game's broad, kinda touristy, kinda token attempts at Showcasing The Diversity Of New York, in a way that Peter isn't.

I like that Miles has a deaf graffiti artist girlfriend that he and Ganke sign with, and I like that there's a series of side missions that explore some local jazz history, and I like that there's a mission where Miles helps a gay classmate ask his crush to prom. I like all these things! I like Spider-Man being involved with his community, and that said community includes such a wide variety of people! I like that this game slows down to savor these types of moments instead of just being all action all the time! But when I step back, I notice some patterns.

Hailey doesn't have a big role in the main plot, especially when compared to MJ, but Miles gets a side mission where you briefly play as her with muffled audio to teach you what being deaf is like. There are no major queer characters in the story - unless you count Felicia showing up for exactly one mission to mention she has an unseen, unnamed girlfriend in Paris now - but you get a side mission where Miles helps out a gay couple at his school, who then never come up again. To put it very uncharitably, they can feel like Very Special Episode missions. It's like the devs going: we're going to give Miles a Gay Mission, and an Impaired Hearing Mission, and a Cultural History Mission, so that we can say we touched on these things, but we're gonna make them all optional and keep them far away from the full-blown Superhero Stuff like fighting costumed villains. Those flavors cannot mix. Meanwhile, Peter gets to have a whole elaborate subplot about teaming up with Wraith to track down fucking Cletus Kasady. There's an imbalance here, and I think it's part of the reason why Peter still feels like the "main" Spider-Man for so much of the story.

I think this was all written with admirable intentions, but as others have pointed out, you can kinda tell that this game was mainly written by some white guys based in California. These attempts at depicting various marginalized groups can feel kind of detached in the same way that Insomniac's map of New York doesn't quite line up with the real thing. But I dunno. I'm not really the one to dig deep into some of this stuff as a white woman from Florida. I would be curious to read others' takes on this.

Maybe I'm just being overly cynical about the writers' well-meaning but corny and kinda out of touch liberal politics because of the podcasts.

The podcasters

I wish Jameson was in this more! They psyched us out by giving him a full character model for, like, two scenes. I like him being MJ's boss, but I wish we saw inside the Daily Bugle offices to get more Jameson.

At least his podcasts are better than the ones in the Miles game, though. Him completely trusting in Roxxon was just too much for me. Here he condemns Oscorp for the symbiote shit, and he also gets some moments where he takes the ongoing crises seriously and isn't just ranting about the Spider-Men. He isn't just a conspiracy theorist crackpot here. Shit like his "fuck Spider-Man, we have a justice system for a reason" speech makes him feel more like a human being with a point of view, rather than just a caricature. Definitely an improvement.

Unfortunately, I still find The Danikast grating. I'm sorry, Ashly Burch. It's not your fault. The quirky heckin' wholesome millennial podcaster lady who catches you up on current events and then reminds you to drink 64 ounces of water a day in the same breath is just too much for me. At least she doesn't have any lines as bad as her throwing in a "damn" and then going (direct quote here) "That's right - no censoring! That's how REAL I'm being right now!" like in Miles' game. Instead they give her this, like, almost psychic insight into the main plot to try and make her the angel on Peter's shoulder. The second Peter gets the symbiote she's like "Wow, y'all. Have you seen Spider-Man's new black suit? Something's different about him. He's been giving me such bad vibes lately. #NotMySpiderMan" Also she's supposed to be this, like, underdog independent podcaster who started her show on a whim and has become the voice of the people... but she's got billboards plastered all over the fucking city. Which makes her feel like an industry plant lmao

Again, there's a detachment with the writing. This is, like, some middle aged white liberal game dev guys' idea of what a modern leftist teenager would think is a Cool Activism Podcast. Unfortunately, because Insomniac thinks Danika's a hero, Mary Jane's triumphant ending is that she quits her job at the Bugle to become a podcaster, too, delivering a thinly veiled monologue about the pandemic to kick off her new podcast literally titled "The New Normal." She's going to save the world with podcasting, because that's the highest form of activism, I guess.

Venom

So! Venom! Venom was... okay.

Surprising no one, Harry Osborn is Venom. Harry's okay both as himself and as Venom, but I'm not sure his arc is a smooth one. He starts out as Peter's comically perfect best friend who returns to reminisce about the good ol' days and hand him his dream job on a silver platter, and then later he becomes a little ball of rage over the fact that Peter gets his symbiote and can't/won't give it back. I'm not sure that pivot is handled the most convincingly. You kind of have to write it off as the symbiote messing with their heads, I guess.

When he actually becomes Venom, I'm... mixed on the execution. On the one hand, the cool factor is absolutely there. He's a very cool big monster, and Tony Todd is great in the role. But he also wants to take over the world and make everyone a symbiote, and aside from any lingering resentment towards Peter, that's really all there is to him. It makes for a good video game to have a bunch of symbiote enemies and creepy symbiote nests and symbiote tentacles climbing up the sides of buildings in the last act... but is that really what I want out of Venom? Probably not. But he sure does look cool as a big monster guy to fight, and I was happy he was briefly playable.

Suits

Part of me feels like there's something lacking about the suit selection here, but almost every suit I liked in the previous games is back, and also I'm the type of person to give Peter the Classic Suit the second I unlock it and use that for most of the game. So does it really matter for me?

Peter's selection feels dominated by the various live action movie suits, but I get that those are going to be some of the suits people want to wear the most. I wish he had the Peter B. Parker skin to go with Miles' Spider-Verse alts, though. No idea why it's missing. Really I think I mainly just want more of the Spider-Verse designs.

Also I've complained about how most of the original suits designed for these games make Peter and Miles look like they were bitten by radioactive Alienware products, but I can just, you know. Wear other suits.

Misc thoughts

Everyone's already made this joke, but it's extremely funny that the Avengers didn't help with the symbiote invasion. Took one look at that and decided it wasn't their problem

On the subject of other superheroes, I do wish these games would acknowledge the Fantastic Four more. Peter's close relationship with that team feels woefully underutilized in his various adaptations

I like the trope of a boss fight that's a heightened version of a personal conflict between two people who are close, where throughout the fight the boss is airing out their grievances while the hero tries to get through to them emotionally. That especially works for Spider-Man! But WOW has Insomniac played that card a lot of times by the end of Spider-Man 2 lol

They're teasing the addition of Silk, I guess? I'm gonna be honest, I don't know shit about Silk, but I guess it was inevitable that they'd give us some form of Spider-Woman at some point. Gotta work all those costumes in somehow, and they're not brave enough to let one of the boys cosplay as Spider-Gwen.

They WERE, however, brave enough to let Harry say he loves Peter. I liked that little moment. They presumably meant it platonically, but clearly ol' Yaoi Lowenthal knows what's up

Post-leak addendum

So, obviously, by the time I got around to finishing this post the big Insomniac leak happened. I wish the game industry wasn't so secretive that it took a massive, dangerous data breach just to get our hands on some very basic info that would be public knowledge if Insomniac was a film studio, but here we are.

We now know that Insomniac spent somewhere around $315 million making Spider-Man 2 - triple what the first Spider-Man game cost to make. A quote about this from a leaked presentation has been stuck in my head ever since I first saw it on Twitter. “Is 3x the investment in [Spider-Man 2] evident to anyone who plays the game?”

To be honest, I'm not sure it is.

I liked Spider-Man 2, but I'd probably say that overall I liked it about as much as the first game. It's certainly a somewhat bigger game, with marginally more realistic looking graphics thanks to the power of the PS5. But I think I could do without ray tracing and more realistic hair rendering and whatnot if it meant that these games didn't take like five years and hundreds of millions of dollars to make. I could not give less of a shit if the swinging animations were recycled between games. I'd be fine with them being shorter, too.

I like these games, but as we look at that leaked project lineup and realize that Insomniac is turning into The Marvel Game Studio, I think about how many smaller, more original games that those resources could go towards if they scaled back the Marvel stuff just a bit. How many Ape Escapes or Patapons or Gravity Rushes could get made for the budget of just one of these massive AAA tentpole games of Sony's, which are apparently barely even breaking even? How many could be made for the budget of the "smaller, cheaper" Miles Morales game, which somehow cost $156 million to make despite using an updated version of the same Manhattan map from the first game? Hell, how many smaller games could have been made with the $39 million that went into remastering the first Spider-Man game for PS5 a mere two years after launch? How many people will lose their jobs if any one of Insomniac's upcoming Marvel games underperforms - which, in this case, could mean selling "only" 5 million copies? And would hardcore PlayStation fans even accept those smaller games at this point, now that they've been trained to only appreciate mega-budget Prestige Games with cutting edge graphics and treat everything else with disdain? How much worse will this get as the graphical arms race continues?

I think I just miss Japan Studio. Fuck Sony. Uhh but anyway the Spider-Man game this post was supposed to be about was good, some writing complaints aside. 8/10

#tsd post #other media