#relationship of convenience

[thepenultimateword]

Love Thy Enemy Part 2

I wrote part one a while ago, but this seemed like a perfect post to add to the fantasci community! Also, the characters now have names. General is now Vorrin and Empress is now Callista.

Part One

Vorrin awoke with a start. He didn't know at what point he drifted into real sleep, but the early morning sun now bathed the room in dull, dove-gray light. But not his room. He abruptly rolled over onto his other side. The space beside him was now empty.

He flopped onto his back with a heavy sigh. That was probably for the best. Falling asleep next to her had been hard enough, he hadn't exactly wanted to wake up next to her too. He already felt entirely too vulnerable.

"Good morning."

Vorrin yelped, shooting upright and whipping his head around the room until he landed on Empress Callista's long, slender figure lounging in one of the plush sitting chairs. She smirked and crooked one dark brow, but other than that made no comment on Vorrin's embarrassing display.

"Breakfast?"

"You're still here," Vorrin said.

"Indeed. I did say we'd be spending more time together, didn't I?" She lifted the delicate teacup from its saucer and took a long, silent sip. "You slept in a little longer than expected, but no matter. We still have about an hour."

"Before?"

"You're coming into the city with me. It's about time people saw us together publicly. Besides, the change of scenery may be good for you."

Vorrin hated how she could sound conniving in one breath and caring in the next. What was he? Her pet? Something to parade around and spoil? Did she really think that any of these luxuries or favors could change his feelings about what she'd done? Though he did not deny, that a part of him longed to leave these palace walls. It had been months since he'd been any further than the gardens.

He swung his legs over the mattress and gingerly rose to his feet. "Shouldn't I get back to my rooms? To get ready?"

"I've already requested your manservants to attend to you here. They'll bring your change of clothes and fix your hair.

"My...?" Vorrin glanced across the room into the great gold-framed looking glass overhanging the vanity and found his long, chocolate hair had decided to tangle itself into a bird’s nest on one side. The other side lay frazzled over his shoulder, like he'd taken to rubbing it between two whetstones. Probably all that tossing and turning last night.

Vorrin rapidly dragged his fingers through the mess. It didn't seem fair that Empress Callista's hair still remained tight and tidy in it's whippish tail.

"You still have a few minutes before they arrive. You should eat. Reports tell me you don't eat much, but this is your favorite breakfast."

Vorrin crept toward the spread. A kettle sat on a wooden hot plate, the scent of sweet mint escaping out it's long silver spout. Beside it sat a plate full of steaming biscuits, halved, buttered and slathered in strawberry jam.

His stomach growled traitorously.

Empress Callista waved to the open seat across from her.

Vorrin begrudgingly accepted. The bitterness only grew as the cushions sank beneath him, setting him a couple inches shorter than the empress. But he tried not to let the annoyance show on his face as he stacked three biscuits on top of each other and took a large bite. Letting her know he was upset would only give her more power.

His stomach squirmed a little as he swallowed. This really was his favorite breakfast. He wondered how much she knew about him already. He'd known all the servants in the palace were her people, but he hadn't realized that they'd been her eyes as well. How much did they report? How much of what he said, of what he did, had been repeated back to her?

"Even if you weren't from an enemy nation, I'd still have you watched," Empress Calista said. Vorrin shuddered a little at the way she seemed to read his mind. "You're my consort. It's my responsibility to ensure you are properly attended to. That means keeping you safe and meeting your creature comforts. Better if I understand what makes you happy."

"My freedom would make me happy."

Callista tapped her lips thoughtfully with the edge of her spoon before using it to scoop a couple cubes of sugar into her half-full cup. "I suppose I can arrange an armed escort every now and then if you're restless."

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

"And you know I can't let you go. So why don't we both stop pretending?"

A light rap on the door snapped the growing tension in two.

"Enter," the empress called in that gracious voice of royalty. Not too loud, not too aggressive, but commanding all the same.

The door creaked, and Pins poked his head through the door, a small leather bag slung over one shoulder. At the sight of the empress he immediately bent in half, folding his hands in front of him and gluing his eyes to the floor.

"We've come to prepare Royal Consort Vorrin for the day, your majesty."

"Right here, Pins," Vorrin said.

Pins's head rose a centimeter toward Vorrin's voice, then he raised up all at once with a large grin. "Good morning, Royal Consort. Your hair is exciting this morning. I've brought a brush and several accessories for you to choose from. Would you like to get started, or would you prefer to dress first?"

As if on cue, Switch slid into the room, breathing heavy and face flushed, a long red garb draped across his arms. He bowed hastily to Vorrin and then deeper to the Empress, speaking to the floor as he began profusely apologizing. "Forgive me, your majesty, Royal Consort Vorrin. The outfit selected for today had a tear. The royal tailor claims it will not be ready until this evening. I took the great liberty of selecting another outfit of a similiar style. Does it please your majesty?"

Empress Callista's sharp eyes scanned over the draping fabric in a couple seconds. "It will do."

Switch looked ready to melt with relief. He turned sharply on his heel toward Vorrin, eyes still wide, frantic, and slightly watery as if he had been, or barely held back from, crying.

"Then shall I, my lord?"

Vorrin felt all eyes on him, but most importantly he felt the gaze of Empress Callista. If her eyes seemed sharp overseeing his outfit, they were even more daggerish digging into his side profile. He gripped the neck of his nightclothes tightly, a humiliating squire's blush rising to his cheeks as he couldn't seem to make his hands take the action to undress.

After what felt like an eternal silence, she pushed smoothly to her feet. "I'll leave you to it. Remember, darling, one hour."

And with a swish of her braid and long cape, she was gone.

As soon as the door shut, Switch immediately collapsed.

"I thought I was going to be fired," he bawled, a few tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

"Empress Callista doesn't fire people for finding tears in clothes," Pins said.

Switch's head snapped up. "Don't act smart, you've only been here as long as I have. You didn't know what was going to happen either!"

For the first time, it occurred to Vorrin that the two servants may be as fresh to the royal scene as he was.

"How long have you been working in the palace?"

Switch hesitated a moment, always the suspicious one. Maybe he thought Vorrin wanted to berate him for the clothing mishap.

"A little under 6 months," he answered finally. "I applied for a position as soon as word came that the empress would be staying in Totholan. I traveled here with the rest of the serving caravan."

Vorrin had assumed after the kingdom's conquering that Empress Callista had sent for her regular palace staff. Those she most trusted. But it made sense that she would have left some to care for the homeland palace in her absence. Any person wishing to make it into the Empress's employ would seize the sudden surge of job availabilities. And all it took was a willingness to relocate.

"And you, Pins?"

"6 months and 10 days," he piped peevishly. "Switch was only mostly right when he said we've been here the same amount of time. I was hired on before we found out of the empress's success. So I've been in the palace just a teensy bit longer. Plus, my mum was a maid, so I was already used to palace walls."

"But the empress wasn't there when you started work," Switch said. "So it doesn't make you any more the expert."

"Why do you always need to be better at everything?" Pins said with a pout. "Why can't you just admit I have something on you?"

"Because you don't."

Before Pins could respond, Switch marched away, laying the clothes across the bed and stepping behind Vorrin to begin helping untie his white sleep clothes.

"I wouldn't have let her fire you," Vorrin said, sliding out of the sleeves and letting the soft linen fall into Switch's hands. "If that's of any comfort."

Switch paused, folding the nightclothes into a neat square before finally responding. "It is."

He retrieved the new outfit, blessedly allowing Vorrin to put the first part on himself. It was a little different from most of clothing he was given. Trousers for one. Impractical ones, but trousers nonetheless. Next was a long ruffled tunic that laced all the way up to his throat. Switch helped him with the long draping overcoat, a similar style to the wrapping robes, though this one had no waist tie and buttoned to the middle of his chest. For his bare feet was a pair of short soft boots, little thicker than slippers.

As soon as he was dressed, Pins got started brushing through his hair until it was silky.

"Which ones?" he asked, pulling a leather wrap from his bag and unfolding a display of hair ornaments. Ruby hairpins and golden chains, a net-like crown, encrusted with jewels, a gold circlet with red diamond teardrops dangling at the temples, twin clips designed to appear as sprigs of current berries, each ruby a berry on a silver branch. Vorrin chose the ruby pins. They still may have been worth more than he'd ever made in his entire career, but at least they were less gaudy than these others.

"Aw," Pins said. "I wanted to do the net and chains." Then suddenly remembering they were addressing a superior quickly added, "But the pins are lovely too!"

"You can add the chains," Vorrin sighed.

Pins perked up, plucking up the metal strings and beginning to braid them into strands of Vorrin's hair. He gathered half the hair into a bun, using the ruby pins to secure it and the gold-twined braids together.

A couple minutes later, Empress Callista pushed open the doors without a knock. She surveyed Vorrin swiftly before giving the manservants an approving nod that sent them grinning and offering her arm out to Vorrin.

"Shall we, my love?"

Vorrin gritted his teeth. Such falseness. Such lies. Such utter humiliating mockery.

He linked arms with her anyway.

If he knew one thing it was this: he couldn't win against Empress Callista with brute force. He would need another tactic. A passive one. Something that looked deceivingly like cooperation. Until the time was right to strike.

Part 3

Master Taglist: (I forgot to add it again!)

@moss-tombstone @crazytwentythrees s @just-1-lonely-person @the-vagabond-nun @willow-trees-are-beautiful @cocoasprite @insanedreamer7905 @valiantlytransparentwhispers @whovian378 @watercolorfreckles @thebluepolarbear @yulanlavender @kitsunesakii @deflated-bouncingball @lem-hhn @office-plant-in-a-trenchcoat @ghostfacepepper @pigeonwhumps @demonictumble @inkbirdie @vuvulia @bouncyartist @lunatic-moss-studio @breilobrealdi i @freefallingup13 @i-am-a-story-goblin @ryunniez @rainy-knights-of-villany @distractedlydistracted @saspas-corner r @echoednonny @perilous-dreamer mer @blood-enthusiast @randomfixation @alexkolax @pksnowie @blessupblessup @wolfeyedwitch @thedeepvoidinmyheart @cornflower-cowboy @bestblob @a-chaotic-gremlin @espresso-depresso-system @prompt-fills-and-writing-spills @paleassprince @takingawildbreath @yindo @psychiclibrariesquotestoad @harpycartoons @pickleking8 @urmyhopeeee

#empress x general #royal x general #fantasci tumblr #fantasci writing #fantasci #fantasy writing #slow burn #writblr #wrieblr #writing snippet #creative writing #enemies to lovers #relationship of convenience

[mikauzoran]

Félix/Lila: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Boyfriend – Lilix (One-Shot)

Read it on AO3: Félix/Lila: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Boyfriend – Lilix

Summary: Lila thinks she would defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir and steal their Miraculouses faster if Félix would get up off the couch and help her.

Pairing: Félix Graham de Vanily/Lila Rossi

Rating: T

#Lilix #Félix/Lila #Miraculous Ladybug #Félix Graham de Vanily #Felix Graham de Vanily #Lila Rossi #Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction #Butterfly Lila Rossi #Peacock Felix Graham de Vanily #ML Season 4 #Post-Season Four #Unhealthy Relationships #Relationship of Convenience #Enemies to Lovers #But They're Still Enemies #Aged-Up (17) #Writing Prompts #Mikau's Writings #Curiosity Cabinet

[aetherborn-witch]

Reminder that if they wanted to they would

#relationship of convenience #196 #relationship

[camembri]

you wanted zoro to be on whole cake island to fulfil your weird desire to see zoro punish sanji. I wanted zoro on whole cake island because I think he's stupid enough to right place wrong time the plan and accidentally marry Sanji in full view of the whole wedding party in what becomes the most elaborately constructed comedy of errors ever written. we are NOT the same.

#need a fic where zoro genuinely does marry sanji on wci without planning it #type of thing to happen to goofy pre ts zoro #zoro in the same mindset in which he created the usopp sword: well i didn't mean to but i guess this solves the immediate problem #and ofc he just rolls with it #they look at each other after the dust settles like. hey wtf was that. and immediately blame each other #pre relationship AND feelings realisation on both sides #dont get me wrong i love fake relationship that becomes real but hear me out #legal accidental relationship thats extremely convenient and also funny until you pavlov yourself into being in love #vinsmoke sanji #black leg sanji #roronoa zoro #zosan #one piece #sanzo #zoro

[peachhoneii]

I was always so confused as to why Lucifer was thrown off by Alastor's design. You'd think as the King of Hell he'd be more receptive to grotesque imagery, but a video essay summed it up perfectly.

"He's the King of Hell with a mind of an angel."

You can take Lucifer out of Heaven, but you can't take the Heaven out of Lucifer. He's still an angel, albeit a fallen angel. He probably adheres, to some extent, to Heaven's aesthetics.

His outfit is primarily white with red trimming, a sharp contrast to Charlie's primarily red outfit with some white.

I could be reaching too deeply, but it could be symbolic about how they perceive Hell at this point in the story. The dude sees Hell as a mistake, as the sum of his failures and a punishment.

Charlie sees Hell as her responsibility. She serves Hell because Hell is her kingdom. She exists to help her people. Even by the end of the first season, Lucifer drops his coat. He doesn't wear it in the finale.

I wonder if this is a symbolic gesture that Lucifer is finally embracing himself as the King of Hell and all of its responsibilities. He's begun the process of shedding his identity as an angel of Heaven.

I’ll say it’s easier to do construction work without the jacket. Charlie took off hers too but wears hers later in the finale number. He never wears his again.

His coat is similar (not identical but pretty close) to the robes he wore in Charlie's introduction.

I wonder if he'll update his wardrobe as the story continues. It's impressive how loud yet subtle the animation designs are. They can tell their own stories sometimes.

But I’m probably overthinking it.

#hazbin hotel #charlie morningstar #lucifer morningstar #hazbin hotel spoilers #his relationship with charlie is probably the one that gives me the most #also pure observation on my part #granted it could be more convenient to work without it

[the-witchhunter]

DP x DC: Ghost x Family

So, back on my cute romcom BS

So the premise. Dani, as Danny's speed grown clone, wasn't the most physically stable. Turns out, it's really hard to speed grow a clone, and even harder when ectoplasm is involved. There's not enough time for the structures to properly stabilize and that leaves the cellular structure pretty weak and prone to breaking down into goo. The ecto dejecto was just a temporary solution and other measures were needed

aka Dani had to essentially grow a body from scratch the old fashion way, so she's now physically her actual age minus a couple months

So Danny, at the age of 20, is the father of a 4 year old Dani and is trying to keep a low profile in Gotham. His and his daughter's existence is still illegal, and being the single father of a 4 year old ghost girl isn't exactly easy. Now Danny has to deal with the very real threat of CPS being called on him by a neighbor, and trying to get Dani into school without either of them having papers for their assumed identity of Danny and Dani Nightingale and money to by fake documents. He'd ask Tucker, but that requires braking radio silence and potentially putting a target on all three of their backs.

Danny, desperate, asks his neighbor Jason to pose as his significant other for a meeting. Jason agrees, but things escalated and frankly he's now emotionally invested and committing to the bit

So now he and Danny have legally been married for about 4 months according to the papers Babs made them. The fake ID, birth certificates, SSNs, and high school diploma for the Nightingales were simple enough for her to do, but man Jason is going to owe her a BIG favor for this.

They move in together, Dani goes to a good private school, Jason is effectively Danny's sugar daddy paying for a sizable chunk of all this, and they are committing to the loving married couple bit, which is hard to do when the new in-laws are detectives

The best part?

Danny has not figured out Jason is the Red Hood, and Jason doesn't know about the ghost stuff. The only one that does? Dani, and she is physically and mentally 4 and watching Jason and Danny fall in love

oh the shenanigans

OR

I've been watching SPY x FAMILY and just need the fake relationship/family turns into a real relationship/found family dynamic. Jason is basically Loid, Danny is pretty much Yor, Dani fills the role of Anya, and uncle Dick is Yuri, except he's doting on Dani.

Dick is a smart man, but I love the headcanon that Jason is his emotional blindspot. Jason? MY Littlewing? He couldn't possibly.

#danny phantom #dp x dc #dp x dc crossover #dp x dc prompt #writing prompt #writing #dpxdc #found family and fake relationship rolled into one #dani has two loving dads #plus she can be friends with Lian #Roy and Jason organizing little play dates #part because the girls are best friends but also because it is a convenient cover for Red hood and arsenal teamups

[ineffabildaddy]

right so i need u lot to know that when i write crowley as a woman-shaped being it’s not because i’m heterosexualifying her relationship with aziraphale, it’s because

1. she’s the trans character of all time

2. it’s really interesting and fun to write a character with a different gender presentation to their usual one. opens up different possibilities for their character oftentimes

3.there’s enough people writing them both as man-shaped beings, mostly with dicks, so why not mix it up a bit?

i have specific plans to write fem!az and man-shaped crowley and fem!az and fem!crowley together when i’ve got the time for it too so watch this space

#also #it allows me to explore my own relationship with femininity and womanhood #as someone who’s partly a ‘masc-presenting’ trans man out of convenience and safety and shit #good omens #fanfic #ineffabildaddy #i forgive queue

[theambitiouswoman]

Knowledge and experience, in any and all areas of life, are more than just information. They protect you against manipulation and control. The less we know, the more vulnerable we are to being swayed by half truths and misleading narratives from other people. With every fact we learn, every book we read, and every conversation we engage in, we not only defend ourselves from negative influences, but also open ourselves to personal growth and social progress. Ignorance might be bliss for some, but it's a dangerous bliss that leaves one susceptible to control. Learning is the key to freedom, autonomy, and a better future. When you rely on yourself and succeed, it boosts your confidence.

When it comes to relationships, trust is the foundation of a strong bond. Trusting a partner means believing in their integrity, intentions, and actions, and feeling secure in the knowledge that they prioritize your well being. A relationship also offers comfort and companionship, where you can be their authentic self without the fear of bring judged. However, while trust and comfort are relationship essentials, they should not overshadow the importance of maintaining your own individuality. A healthy relationship celebrates the uniqueness of both partners and does not require submitting your own thoughts or individuality for the sake of the other. It's important to express personal opinions, beliefs, and values, ensuring they are heard and respected. Over relying on other people creates a cycle of dependency, hindering personal growth and potentially straining relationships in the long run.

#personal improvement #personal growth #personal development #self help #self awareness #self reflection #self improvement #self love #self care #healthy relationships #relationship advice #convenience #mind control #manipulation #toxic relationship #knowledge #self empowerment

[mccallhero]

favourite ouat scenes: 11/?

#ouat #ouatedit #captain swan #captainswanedit #emma swan #emmaswanedit #killian jones #killianjonesedit #captainhookedit #mine #gifs #ouat scenes #i love this scene bc i feel like it's the actual start of their relationship #like yeah there was neverland but emma still saw killian as a pirate who was probably just flirting with her for fun #and then there was the echo cave but i have a feeling emma chose to forget about that as soon as it happened #and then before anything else could happen. emma was leaving #but THIS SCENE shows that killian came back for HER and that he wasn't just interested in her for convenience #but he chose to come look for HER. he found her #and for the first time someone came back to her out of their own free will (or second time #henry did it first) #100

[tennessoui]

band au anakin's fans being really defensive about him and protective over him which is sort of funny but they also really don't like how obi-wan treats anakin (he's too mean too cutting too much of an absolute bitch in public) and they're always tweeting sort of mean things and finally anakin gets asked about his relationship in an interview (primarily, is obi-wan actually supportive or does he actually really hate him/how unhealthy is this relationship)

and anakin laughs himself silly because that's just how obi-wan shows his affection. anakin willingly married the offspring of like. a cactus and a porcupine. he knows what he did and he meant to do it. if anyone really wants to see obi-wan being an actual cunt they should watch medical dramas with him. he's practically blowing anakin kisses in comparison to what he's like after one episode of grey's anatomy.

#the band au #obikin #i love my hate love relationships #especially when they just remain cunty to each other even after getting together #thats just how they relate #but i was thinking about this in relation to the band au #where anakin would absolutely have rabid stans #and decided he would have to address how much of a bitch obi-wan is to him in public #mostly by basically saying 'yeah i guess im a bit of a masochist which is really convenient because my husband is defo a sadist'

[thepenultimateword]

Short Prompt #25

“What’s every thing you’ve wanted to do as a couple?” Hero asked, leaning eagerly off the edge of their seat.

Villain ducked their head and picked at a loose string on their sleeve, anything to not look the hero in the eyes. Though they weren’t certain anymore whether it was out of guilt or the increasing danger of attraction.

“I mostly liked the idea of someone binding up my wounds after a fight.” They smiled weakly at their hands. “But that might be a little contradictory.”

“I can do that.”

Villain’s head shot up. For several moments, they stared at them, unsure how to respond to such touching bluntness. Eventually, they deflected with another question. “What about you?”

Hero dropped back in their seat and squirmed a little. “Um, hold hands?”

#prompt #writing prompt #short prompt #hero x villain #heroes and villains #creative writing #heroes and villains community #villain #hero #fake dating #enemies to lovers #relationship of convenience #might use this myself in one of my snippets

[fromtheseventhhell]

"It's normal for siblings to fight" Okay well it's not normal to be extremely classist and look down on your sister for being non-conforming. Or to go to the woman who ordered the death of your pet to tell her about your father's plans, when he specifically warned you against doing so, because you want to marry the boy you saw attack your sister and her friend (contributing partially to said father's death and your sister being unable to escape on the ship he chartered). Or to think of your sibling as unsatisfactory in comparison to another when you believe her to be dead. I notice that none of the "Sansa and Arya are going to reunite and instantly have no issues" crowd ever acknowledge any of this, which makes it seem like they don't actually believe what they say about their relationship being normal and easily reconciled. People wanting them to have no issues simply because they're siblings is another example of how fandom likes to flatten complex characters and relationships. They get reduced to being bickering siblings when their conflict runs deeper than that. If the author is telling you that they have "deep issues" to work out [X], I don't understand being so adamant about ignoring said issues. I also get the sense it's about ignoring the capacity for a certain character to be flawed, but that isn't going to change the fact that her "slip of the tongue" is very likely to be revealed and a source of further conflict 🤷🏾‍♀️

#arya stark #sansa stark #house stark #asoiaf #also if it's so normal for siblings to fight then why are you guys losing your minds over us theorizing they won't get along?? #the amount of condescending /that's just how siblings act/ takes I see 🙄 #sorry I guess? that we read the book and don't just delete parts of the story because we find it convenient? #it's not even like takes about them being enemies is widespread the most I see is that they aren't instantly bffs when they reunite 😭 #some people theorize they'll never be close but guess what? that's a completely fair and valid assumption based on their relationship! #personally I think they'll have a sweet reunion before the issues they have inevitably surface again because while they've been through #a lot they haven't fundamentally changed as people or the values they hold #and I think that's going to be very interesting to read about! #I can't figure out why people always take the most boring bland route for how things will play out #mostly because people seem to be unable to swallow the concept that Sansa is a flawed character who isn't perfectly sweet all the time #and the fact that their conflict is instigated by Sansa's classism #which is funny cause in the grand scheme of things her being mean to Arya is such a mild thing that opens the door to a ton of growth #never seen anybody but stansas equating her being a bully to her sister to her being evil/a villain #all we do is point out that it exists in the story...people in this fandom have no concept of nuance I stg 😭 #anyways they're both complex characters and their conflict is interesting and I hope we get to see how it plays out #cause it's definitely going to be better then that trash d&d came up with 🙏🏾

[canisalbus]

I noticed you've been making more art of Machete and Vasco after they met again as adults - is this canon? Do they get to rekindle their friendship after all, or is it still brief and bittersweet? (I love your characters and art, btw!)

Thank you! I'm glad you like them!

It's canon, I believe. After their confusing and apprehensive friends-to-lovers involvement ended in their early 20's, their paths end up crossing again unexpectedly in their mid 30's and things gradually grow from there.

#answered #kf-tea #it's not the steadiest alliance #Vasco has been stuck in a forced lavender marriage for nearly a decade but he's out of the closet to his wife by that point #their union is more like close platonic friendship than that of a husband and wife and they're largely comfortable like that #they've agreed to see other people for the common good #they're great parents and keep up the appearances well I don't think anyone suspects anything #in that day and age divorce simply isn't an option especially if you're a public figure and have a family reputation to keep up #Machete obviously isn't permitted to have sentimental or intimate relations of any kind #the two of them live in separate cities so it's more like a sporadic long distance thing #Vasco is a politician and an ambassador so he takes regular business trips to Rome which is convenient #maybe Machete gets to visit him in Florence on occasion but usually it's the other way around #but between those weeks and sometimes months pass #if their relationship lasts until the end they get a good 8-9 years in so I'd say it counts as a committed long term thing for sure #or at least that's the current idea and order of events #Vasco #Machete

[y-rhywbeth2]

"Jergal never tells [the truth/his plans]. If you do pray to him and ask, anything he says will be a means of manipulating you to do or try something (as part of one of his plans), rather than the truth about the plan."

As ever, Withers is a lying liar who lies: 50% of what he says is ominous portents of doom and 100% of what he says is lies and manipulation. He is also apparently an expert at manipulating other deities, and none of them can match his skill at it.

I'm still suspicious about whatever he did to Arabella (which was incredibly disturbing) and possibly Durge, and the worst thing is I don't know if the writers are unaware of this side of Jergal (and thus he's just out of character and overly benevolent) or if I should be concerned in-game.

I mean the thing where he erased Arabella's grief and she's suddenly very casual about killing people did seem framed as creepy, I think? And that taunting of his three favourite pawns at the end... he could be the behind the scenes guy?

Withers makes me anxious.

#It's like the relationship between Bhaal and Durge where sometimes I stare at it and ask: “is this *intentional*?” #Hey Jergal did you use Bhaal as a surrogate to make a “godborn” pawn? #Looking at that thing about the godborn #Like that takes a permanent loss of divine power to make such a child so most gods won't make them #Except for Bhaal who happily makes hundreds of the things which is convenient if you want to adopt/kidnap one. #Even if you don't if you're pulling the strings of Bhaal who is puppetting the godchild it's still a win #babbling #/withers #/jergal

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

Y'know, when it comes to ships with similar dynamics to Goosepowers I normally don't like adding more characters to it(with the exception of *occasionally* adding Wander to Deathglare or adding mE TO FIZZMODEUS PLS JUST GIVE ME A CHAN-), but like Matthew x Gideon x Julie is actually really good. Dont know if I like it as much as just Gideon x Julie on its own but still its so fuckin good-

#there are two things I like in a fictional relationship and those two things are evil and polyamorous #what does that say about me? #idk ask my therapist lmao #scott pilgrim takes off #gideon graves #matthew patel #julie powers #gideon x julie #julie x gideon #matthew x gideon #julie x matthew #I guess? #tbh they give me more poly v vibes w/ Gideon in the middle #can you tell I am going insane- #goosepowers #gravespatel #patelgraves #I have seen both #kinda prefer gravespatel but for convenience I will use both #this should qualify as late night ramblings based purely off of my mental state but its only 7pm so it technically doesnt-

[meeko-mar]

"It's a shonen series though, it's not going to concern itself too much with romance! Romance isn't even important to the story of MHA"

and then Horikoshi, in the final hours of this story, brings in Toga talking about Romance and dragging our protag Deku WAY out of the way of his mission to push it on him, Ochako wanting to talk to Toga about real love,

And THEN brings in one of the few CANON romantic relationships for an encore, saying how "the time spent apart only made their love grow stronger," CONVENIENTLY right after the separation of Deku and Katsuki that resulted in Katsuki's death, right after Katsuki went into a trance state thinking about and silently calling to Izuku in a weirdly intimate death scene.

I MEAN OK

#not romantic at alll #there is sometimes nothing as homoerotic or subtextually romantic as a Shonen manga #bakudeku #I MEAN toga being the girl obsessed with love or whatever is ALMOST the trope #but even toga is likely going to end up being a subversion of said trope #just the involvement of Gentle and La Brava and particularly their relationship is just SO CONVENIENT #the focus on it? at this stage? #hmmmm #the concept of love has had a HUGE chunk of realestate in this finale for it being a SHONEN about MANLY things and NOT love at all #cause that would just be too beta or something #Horikoshi's playing at something