#THIS MAKES MY MALINA HEART SO HAPPY

[beifongssight]

Sokka x f!Reader | "Family"

so tbh i've always been a Toph girlie and throughout my teenage-hood was a huge Zuko girlie.. so why did some of my Sokka x readers eat when I was sixteen??? sum; After proposing to his long term girlfriend after the war, Sokka and [YourName] wed and soon welcome their first child before greeting their second. tw; fem!reader, everyone does age in this fic, pregnancy, not so steamy makeout leading to implications, birth !!!, wc; 3.1k

It was right after taking out the fleet of fire nation airships did Sokka propose to [YourName]. It was so out of character and unexpected. She originally thought he was joking but the desperate look for an answer in Sokka’s eyes made [YourName]’s laughter die down, “You’re… being serious?” she asked, making Sokka nod. [YourName]’s laughter turned into tears of joy, sure they were only freshly sixteen- but it was normal to get engaged so young, it did not mean they had to marry young. It finally processed in [YourName]’s brain that her boyfriend was proposing to her to marry her, she cried and accepted the proposal. 

When returning to Aang and the others, Sokka couldn’t keep his big mouth shut and announced the engagement after celebrating Aang’s win. Katara, Aang, and Zuko all were shocked into silence while [YourName] simply smiled and nodded while Suki and Toph laughed. After things calmed down, Sokka found the betrothal necklace he had made weeks prior. While [YourName] was talking to her future sister-in-law, Sokka clipped the necklace around his future wife’s neck and the sight made Katara’s heart melt. She had never seen Sokka so happy before, and the smile on [YourName]’s face matched his happiness. 

After getting properly looked at and after Zuko is crowned the Fire Lord, everyone meets up in Ba Sing Se in Iroh’s tea house. At the Jasmine Dragon, [YourName] leaned against Sokka as he drew, things seemed so calm and [YourName] hoped they would remain that way. It was for a bit, Zuko almost went off his rocker, they found his mother and little half sister, and then some more adventures happened all up until Sokka and [YourName] were both twenty-one. Realizing there was no more adventure needed from the Gaang around the world, Sokka and [YourName] settled in the Southern Water Tribe. Sokka took a job in the council before the wedding was put into action. The wedding for Sokka and [YourName] was small, just Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, Suki, [YourName]’s parents, Hakoda, and Malina. Medium sized but had everyone important to [YourName] and Sokka. After the wedding, Sokka was approved to leave and the two spent almost two weeks in the Fire Nation just relaxing. 

Shortly after returning from the honeymoon and adjusting into a routine, there was no shock when [YourName] announced her first pregnancy a few years later. Everyone was excited, asking questions about which gender they hoped to have or what they wanted to name their child. After questions died down, everyone decided to head out and enjoy a meal. After returning to the Southern Water Tribe from Republic City, [YourName] watched her husband mature through the days as weeks passed. Between his job and the upcoming child, she knew Sokka was going to mature but it was beautiful seeing it happen. 

Around [YourName]’s due date, Aang, Katara, and little Bumi were all visiting. Sokka decided to step out to get something for dinner and [YourName] was showing Katara around the new home Sokka and [YourName] recently moved in with the upcoming arrival of their child. [YourName] was mid showing the kitchen when she felt a pain and wetness grace her lower half. Katara gasped and went right into action, she had given birth and assisted in plenty of births to know what she had to do. Trying to calm [YourName] down while yelling for Aang to go take Bumi and find Sokka was the hardest part. Mostly because Bumi didn’t want to leave the house and [YourName] was refusing to do anything until Aang left. Eventually Aang just scooped his son and left, leaving Katara to try and calm her friend down. Of course nothing was going calmly until Sokka had busted into the bedroom where Katara led [YourName] to lay down. Katara was on full delivery duty, which meant Bumi and Aang couldn’t interfere with whatever she was doing. Sokka only left the room less than a handful of times to retrieve water or whatever Katara requested his wife needed. Eventually, [YourName] would have to start pushing, and while she was doing that Sokka made sure to let [YourName] know how well she was doing, moving some of her hair out the way, and when her hair fell out of her very loose style, Sokka had no problem trying his best to put it back up. Eventually, there was a loud cry piercing through the room and so much relief was felt between Sokka and [YourName]. “It’s a girl!” Katara said with a proud smile on her face as she set the newborn on [YourName]’s chest so she could finish up what needed to be done. [YourName] had fresh tears running down her face as she admired her daughter, “Oh she’s so perfect..” [YourName] whispered, causing Sokka to agree quietly. After getting their daughter cleaned up and checked on, Katara left Sokka and [YourName] to bond with their daughter. 

It had been after a feeding that Sokka finally had the courage to hold his daughter and do skin-to-skin. [YourName] watched her husband bond with their first born child, a soft warm smile on her tired face. Despite being so tired and drained, [YourName] wanted to give her daughter a name. “How about..” [YourName] began before thinking “Shui, for a name.” the tired new mother offered. Sokka was already smiling and if he could, it would have widened, “I think it’s perfect.” he hummed before coming close to his wife. “Now, rest,” Sokka whispered, pressing a kiss to his wife’s temple. [YourName] and Sokka would raise Shui into a spunky little girl. She was a huge daddy’s girl and her personality practically matched her father’s. Between the sass and how things come naturally to her, she was most definitely Sokka’s daughter. Sure, Shui shared some features of her mother, but that was Sokka’s through and through. Shui was now six-years-old and was starting to grow her own personality of her own and [YourName] and Sokka both encouraged Shui to do so. 

Shortly after Shui’s sixth birthday, Sokka was requested to an emergency meeting which meant [YourName] was in charge of putting Shui to bed by herself. [YourName] had done this plenty of times to know the tricks, but she didn’t need to pull any of them out. Sokka kissed his daughter’s head before heading out after dinner, and soon after [YourName] got her daughter into the bath and changed into her nightgown. [YourName] scooped her happy daughter into her arms, making both of them go into a fit of laughter. “Good night, Princess..” [YourName] whispered, booping her daughter’s nose before kissing Shui’s forehead. [YourName] shut her daughter’s door before heading back toward the kitchen and put leftovers away, started to clean the areas that were used, and headed to get ready for bed. [YourName] had no idea how long her husband was going to be at this meeting, but she hoped he’d be home soon to keep his side of the bed warm. [YourName] had just finished changing, letting her hair down, when she heard her husband return. With excitement in her light steps, she rushed over to the man she happily married years ago. “How was the meeting?” [YourName] asked, reaching up to caress her husband’s face. “Great, they requested me join the council in Republic City.” Sokka hummed, leaning down to press a kiss to his wife’s lips. [YourName] gave him a surprised look before pushing Sokka away from her face, “You’re just going to drop this great news and casually try to kiss me? Sokka! This is great news!” [YourName] said in an excited tone. Sokka rolled his eyes playfully before laughing “It’s exactly why I’m trying to kiss you.” he joked before bringing his wife into a kiss. [YourName] laughed into the kiss, allowing her husband to slip his tongue into her mouth. The sudden action caused [YourName] to gasp, but she happily took the bait Sokka was obviously setting out. Sokka’s hands fell from [YourName]’s face down to her waist, which would eventually fall down to her bum. With little needing to be said, [YourName] pulled away for a moment to hop up and Sokka happily caught her. His hands held her thighs as he walked back toward their bedroom. 

Once in the bedroom, Sokka and [YourName] fell onto the bed. Their laughter muffled between their kisses, Sokka gently squeezed [YourName]’s thighs earning a slight whimper from the woman. They truly were testing waters they haven’t tested in weeks, but tonight was worth celebrating. Sokka and [YourName] were as quiet as possible and luckily hadn’t awoken their daughter in the process. 

It shouldn’t have been a shock, but when [YourName] found out through the healer she had once more fallen pregnant she was shocked. Of course the one night she and Sokka decided to have time to themselves, to explore each other like the needy teenagers they never got to be, she falls pregnant again. [YourName] wasn’t upset at the news, just a little shocked. After being dismissed, [YourName] headed straight home. 

It took [YourName] to confess to her husband what is up with her health, finally confessing she was nearly four months pregnant with their second child. Sokka was brought to silence in shock, but laughed before scooping his wife up and twirling her around as if they were younger than they actually were. [YourName] laughed before she was put down, “Spirits, makes me wonder how Shui will react..” the woman says softly.

Their daughter had been an only child for the last six years, and sharing and being nice to the kids around her came naturally, but still worried the parents as they hadn’t even planned to have a second one. Sokka and [YourName] were more than content to have Shui as an only child but obviously the spirits had other plans, plans [YourName] didn’t have the courage to change. “She’ll be fine..” Sokka comforted, pressing a kiss on the crown her head.

Two whole weeks passed and still nothing came out of Sokka or [YourName] in telling Shui she was going to be a big sister. By now, Katara and Aang found out, and the others were next in line, but [YourName] felt she owed it to her daughter to tell her before absolutely anyone else found out. As much as Sokka wanted to be there to see his daughter’s reaction to being a big sister, he allowed [YourName] to take Shui out on a girls day out. 

Shui was eating up her time with her mother, finally settling in a cafe for a little treat. After receiving the small sweet treat and a drink for herself, [YourName] and Shui sat at a table near the corner of the cafe, away from most people since Sokka wasn’t ready to share the news too publicly. [YourName] watched her daughter devour her treat before finally getting to the nitty gritty of why they chose a secluded place to sit. 

“Shui, have you ever wanted a sibling?” [YourName] asks her daughter, the little one looked up from her treat before thinking and nodding. “I want to have always sleepovers.” Shui states her main reason for wanting a sibling, [YourName] smiled at her soft and innocent reasoning before she spoke up, “Well, Shui, I think you’re going to get your wish.” she explained. It confused the little girl at first before [YourName] laughed and further explained, “You’re going to be a big sister, I’m going to have your little sister or brother.” the mother said. 

Processing took a moment, and Shui gasped and squealed. Shui brought her mother in for a tight hug, [YourName] returning the hug. After playing 101 questions with Shui, [YourName] and Shui returned home, Shui rushing in and announcing that her mother was going to have a baby to Sokka who acted shocked at the news. Sokka picked Shui up, “I had no idea!” Sokka claimed, making [YourName] smile and admire her husband and daughter.

Months passed and Republic City was calling Sokka’s name for a meeting. Just, he couldn’t just leave his wife and daughter right now. [YourName] was due in about three weeks and he was worried the meeting would drag into days and between the traveling time and such, he decided Shui and [YourName] tag along. The whole ride there, [YourName] was fighting for her life with sea sickness and Shui was excitedly telling all the soldiers on board she was going to be a big sister, as if they hadn’t heard it the first million times. But because she was Sokka’s daughter, they let her talk about it. 

Landing in Republic City, Sokka immediately took [YourName] and Shui to Air Temple Island. Aang and Katara happily greeted Sokka, [YourName], and Shui. Shui looked around before she heard yelling and after getting the ‘okay’ she went ahead to find her cousins to join in their playing. Once Aang escorted [YourName] away to show her where she could rest until dinner, Katara talked to her brother. “Why would you bring her here when she’s so close to her due date…?” Katara asked in an almost scolding tone. Sokka sighed, knowing this was coming from his sister. “I didn’t want to miss her giving birth and I thought this was probably the best option.” Sokka explained, Katara cocked an eyebrow but rolled her eyes, “Whatever, just know traveling takes a toll on the body, plus being pregnant, you owe her some sort of massage.” she huffed before taking her leave to find her children and niece. 

As his sister advised, Sokka sought out his wife to give her a nice massage before dinner. “The meeting is fairly early in the morning,” Aang explains over dinner to Sokka, [YourName] and Katara were too busy teaming up together to make sure the children were eating. Sokka nods, listening to Aang speak about the importance of this meeting. 

Eventually dinner was over and everyone was retiring to bed, Shui found her parents before they excused themselves to bed and asked if she could sleep with them instead of in Kya’s bed. Sokka was ready to question his daughter on the sudden switch in plans, but [YourName] interrupted and agreed. “She won’t be an only child for much longer and I want her to know how much I love her..” [YourName] said to Sokka before turning to her daughter and making her way to the bedroom. 

The following morning, before the sun even thought about rising, Sokka woke up. He got ready for the meeting before kissing Shui’s head and placing a quick, lazy kiss on his wife’s lips. [YourName] had woken up temporarily to wish her husband a good day, but soon fell back to sleep until Shui woke her up for breakfast. 

The day started off perfectly fine. [YourName] got her daughter dressed before herself and headed to breakfast where Bumi and Kya waited for their mother to place the food on the table. [YourName] tried to assist Katara in getting breakfast finished, but the woman simply refused and forced [YourName] to sit down and monitor the three children as they talked. Eventually, breakfast was served and everyone began to eat. 

It was then that [YourName] should have noticed something was off. She tried to play it off as simple false labor pains but throughout the day it kept throbbing and getting worse. Finally, while she was walking with the kids to where they were guiding her. As they walked, she felt a slight pop before liquid ran down her legs making her halt her walking. Shui was the first to notice her mother stopping, so she stopped Bumi and Kya, and all three came to investigate. “Go find Katara-” [YourName] asked the children, and before she had to repeat herself Bumi took hold of his sister’s and cousin’s hand and went to find his mother. When Katara came rushing into the hallway, children nowhere in sight, [YourName] was straining not to absolutely collapse. With assistance from Katara, [YourName] was put into a room and preparation for the birth had begun. [YourName] was panicking and it was not helping the situation, “I’m not due for another week- Katara- please, I can wait.” she said, trying to convince herself along with Katara. “[YourName], I warned Sokka traveling strains the body and he shouldn’t have brought you- you can’t wait, this baby is coming.” The waterbender said, trying to erase whatever thoughts were going through [YourName]’s mind. “What about Sokka?” [YourName] said, nearly sobbing.

Shit.

“I can’t do this without him, Katara.” [YourName] said, fear and nervousness leaking from her words. Katara wanted to comfort her as a sister-in-law but she knew as a friend she had to help [YourName] face the music. “Sokka won’t make it back in time. If you try and hold this baby in, not just the baby will be in trouble, but you too.” Katara said, prepping her water. [YourName]’s head fell back as she sobbed, knowing she was going to have to do this with just herself and Katara. 

It was shorter than Shui’s birth, but still a handful of hours passed and a healthy baby. Right as that cry was heard, the door busted open to reveal Sokka. [YourName]’s tense body relaxed at the sight. “It’s a boy!” Katara announced as she placed the little one on [YourName]’s chest as Sokka made his way over. Sokka kneeled down and profusely apologized to his wife for missing the birth of their son. Between sweat, tears, and helping her son latch on to her breast, [YourName] managed to whisper a soft ‘it’s alright.’. All that mattered now was that Sokka was here now and he got to hold his son. After the little boy ate and was washed and checked on, Katara left to allow Sokka and [YourName] to bond with their son. “No.. No more, okay?” [YourName] said as she gently handed their son over to Sokka, “Children? Yeah, I think my cap is two anyways..” Sokka hummed as he took the little one. This simply made [YourName] softly chuckle. 

Things were settling down, Sokka had done skin to skin and then brought in dinner, which left naming their son. The baby went a whole night without a name, unlike his sister who [YourName] carefully planned her to be a girl. “How about Hakoda? After my father.” Sokka suggested making [YourName]’s heart melt. Hakoda, Sokka’s father, had passed the chief title to Sokka shortly before passing and it was a super emotional few weeks of [YourName]’s pregnancy. 

When morning came and graced Republic City, Shui was welcomed into the now cleaned room. Sokka brought his daughter into his lap to show her baby Hakoda. Shui was at a loss for words before Sokka assisted Shui in holding her baby brother. It was moments like this that [YourName]’s heart strings were tugged. Watching Shui be so gentle and polite made [YourName]’s worries all drift away.

She couldn’t wait to see what was next.

#x reader #cartoon x reader #atla x reader #avatar the last airbender x reader #Sokka x reader #atla sokka x reader #avatar the last airbender sokka x reader

[moonlightazriel]

Caught /// Azriel X F!Reader

Summary: "Hey , it's ok if you are busy but if you can write please consider my request......After returning from a long mission Azriel and his family had a lovely dinner ( reader and their 2 years old daughter) After putting their daughter to sleep in her room Azriel and reader came back to their room and just being romantic, having sweet talks , telling how much they missed each other , kissing and cuddling and they were having sex and suddenly their daughter wakes up and enters their room and seeing her parents like this she was confused 😂❤ and she started asking weird questions that they were doing and all and then Azriel and reader makes up such a cute and nonsense stories and excuses 🤣.......( smutty, fluff and funny ) ❤ "

Warnings: Just a little Smut

Word Count: 1,5K

Notes: This was a funny one to write. Thank you for your request. 😍

Main Masterlist

I heard the sound of the front door opening, and the heavy steps approaching the living room, Aesir immediatly got up, her tiny wings making her a little unstable while she rushed to get to her father, she disappeared from sight, Azriel was holding her while she asked about his trip, he held her tightly , a smile on his face as he told her everything he saw on his mission.

I watched the scene, she was just like him, the same hazel eyes, the same hair, dark as the shadows that rested around him, it was like i birthed a clone of my mate. Az looked at me, he looked tired, he was in a mission on the mortal lands for three weeks, i hated when he had to be away for so long, i missed him just as much as our daughter did.

“Aesir, honey, let’s give daddy some time, he needs to shower before dinner.” I said grabbing the two year old from him, he leaned in, kissing my forehead and silently thanking me. “He will be right back.” Aesir nodded happily and i took her back to the kitchen with me, to finish the dinner.

Azriel showed up again a couple minutes later, he was wearing his pajamas and his hair was wet, i could smell the scent of the soap he used, my mind could only focus on the alone time we would get after dinner, being away from my mate is always an absolutely hell.

“This smells delicious, i missed your food.” Azriel said while he served himself, i placed a plate in front of Aesir and she started to eat, her chubby hands grabbing the food and making a huge mess. “What my girls did while i was away?”

“Mommy and i went to play with Malina and Nyxie everyday.” He smiled at his daugther, every time Az was on a mission, Feyre would take Aesir to the River house to spend some time with her cousins, the trio was inseparable, Lina and Aesir were an absolutely nightmare to poor Nyx, but he loved them really much. She started to ramble about her weeks and he payed atention to every little detail, Az was an amazing father, he was perfect and always did everything he could to make her happy, i loved their unique bond, it was really beautiful.

“These three are so terrible that they even got Cassian tired.” I laughed, sipping on my wine. “I can’t imagine how it’s going to be when Maddox gets old enough to join the gang.” Azriel looked at me, his eyes wide.

“He’s going to be even worse than his father, can you imagine a kid with not only Cassian’s temper but also Nesta’s? Mother help us.” I snorted loudly, we loved our nephew but even his parents were afraid of what he will do once he start walking and talking. We talked a lot more about everything, he pulled Aesir on his lap so they could share a dessert, he played with her and her loud giggling filled the room, my heart was full of love and happiness watching them, the two people that i loved the most in the entire world.

Once we all finished eating, our daugther was almost asleep on her father’s arms, i walked over to them, kissing her forehead and whishing her a good night, Az left to get her ready to sleep while i cleaned everything in the kitchen. I stretched my muscles starting to turn all the lights off, walking to our bedroom in the end of the halloway, i removed my clothes to put on my pajamas when i heard someone behind me, Azriel was standing in the doorway looking at my half naked figure.

“I missed you, your body, your face, your scent, everything.” He said closing the door and getting closer, i could already feel the wetness growing between my legs, his scarred hands grabbed my waist, his nose running up and down my neck while he smelled me. “I was getting insane, i need you.” I kissed him, my hands desperate to grab something, the urge to get as close as possible to him, i could never get enough of him, i waited my whole life for my mate, so i just enjoyed every second we spent together.

He led us to our bed, resting on his elbows to prevent crushing me with his weight, he kissed me again, gently while one of his hands cupped my breast, his index finger moving in circles, making my breath uneven, his lips on mine muffled the noises i was making, we had to be quiet to not wake Aesir.

His other hand slided down my thight, reaching the space between my legs while he pulled my underwear aside, one of his finger sliding inside me, i closed my eyes and tried to contain any moan as his lips started to go down my neck, sucking, kissing and biting. He added another finger while my hand grabbed his clothed cock, moving my hand in the same pace he was moving his fingers, we masturbated each other, his eyes looking at me intensly as i pressed my lips together.

He stopped, he adjusted us, now laying properly on the bed, he removed his clothes and what was left of mine, he got over me again, his shadows turning the lights off, his cock sliding easily inside me, i sighed relieved, while he pushed slowly inside me, we just enjoying each others presence, i caressed the golden thread between us, sending him my love, while he tugged back. I was used to doing this, sending my love to him whenever we get intimate, this would make the moment even more magical than already was.

Maybe it was because he was away for so long, or that he simply shutted them off, but his shadows danced franticly by the door, we didn’t listen the footsteps neither the door opening, we only stopped when the lights were suddenly turned on and her sleepy voice sounded.

“What are you doing daddy? Is mommy okay?” Azriel immediately fell on top of me, his arm pressing my throat, the air getting limited as he tried to cover us, his shadows blocking her view as he looked at me in complete despair, his eyes got even wider as he saw my red face and the struggle to breath, “oh shit”, he whispered before getting off of me, i gasped for air while he rushed to get dressed, i never saw Azriel being so fast, in a second he was dressed and the covers were covering my body, his shadows dissipated and Aesir had a confused look on her face.

“Mommy wasn't feeling alright, daddy was checking her temperature?” He faltered and i had to cough, hiding my laughter as he tried to explain to her what she saw. Aesir rushed to my side, her eyes filled with worry as she climbed the bed, her hand touching my forehead, mimicking what i did to her whenever she got sick.

“Are you alright mommy?” She asked again, i also didn't know what to say to her, my face red as i tried to think of something to say.

“I'm fine honey, your father was just checking, he always wanted to be a healer.” I blurted out and i could see Azriel slapping his own forehead as the words got out. “What the fuck?” he muttered and i shrugged my shoulders, wanting the cauldron to burn me alive. “But what are you doing awake?”

“I heard a noise, i was investigating.” She rested her hands on her hips, and Azriel laughed. “Just like daddy do.”

“That’s my girl, so brave.” Az kissed her cheek, and she giggled, starting to rub her eyes, sleep taking her in it’s arms. “Do you want daddy to put you to bed again?” He asked and she nodded, when they left i got up, putting my clothes on and going after them, i stayed by the door, watching as Azriel tucked her in bed, he kissed her forehead and whispered that he loved her, he turned to me, a smile on his lips as he pulled me in for a hug and we waited for her to fall asleep again.

“Oh Mother, that was awful.” I pointed out, closing her door and going back to bed.

“Why did you tell her i wanted to be a healer?” He laughed and i rolled my eyes.

“I don’t know, i just panicked i guess?” I justified. “My mind literaly stopped working the second i heard her voice.” He laughed again and pulled me closer to his chest, i wrapped my arms around him and breathed his scent.

“I can talk to Rhys to invite her to sleep there tomorrow after the dinner, so we can have alone time.” His fingers traced invisible patterns on my back. “I know he and Feyre won’t mind taking care of her. What you think?”

“I think that i definitely will need a healer tomorrow night.” We both laughed, my whole body relaxed as i just layed in my mate’s arms and slowly the sleep consumed us.

#acotar #azriel #azriel shadowsinger #azriel x reader #moonlightazriel #a court of mist and fury #a court of thorns and roses #velaris #night court #nesta archeron #female reader #rhysand #cassian #fluff #shadowsinger #smut #sarahjmaas #feyre archeron #azriel x y/n

[greensaplinggrace]

4 for the ship question meme! darklina, malina, malarkling, and malarklina :)

Ahhh thanks for the ask!! I'm putting it all under the cut lol.

Darklina

When I started shipping it if I did: As much as I love the ship now, I actually didn't start really shipping them until I joined the fandom and saw all the hate lol (I'm a Malina girlie at heart 😔). It was kind of a spite ship lol.

My thoughts: It's one of the most intriguing ships in SaB when it comes to potential and complexity. For all that I love the Darkling, that doesn't necessarily mean I would like him with Alina (he has harmed her and those she loves quite a bit after all), but I've really fallen in love with the ways their relationship could have gone, especially in regards to Alina and her own development in terms of reclaiming agency, self actualization, and a progressive character arc instead of the canonical regressive one. Even canonically, there is something so compelling in the books about the moments they have together and the dynamic they possess. I like that Alina has so many conflicting thoughts on him and I like that the Darkling clearly cares for her but his idea of love is so skewed. Mostly, I just love the push and pull power exchange of their dynamic a lot.

What makes me happy about them: They're adorable in the show and compelling in the books. Not to mention there is a mutual obsession between them that is absolutely hilarious lol. And I love the mind bond a lot I think it's really interesting and allows them to have so many fascinating scenes together in the books. I also really love how they can understand each other on a fundamental level others cannot.

What makes me sad about them: The tragedy of it all, not just in the nature of their dynamic, but also in what Aleksander's death means for Alina. Alina's character arc makes me so incredibly sad, and it's saddening to think about everything she loses at the end of the books. Not just in terms of innocence, but also in the fact that she loses her powers and loses what is essentially the only person on the planet who can understand her. Also, what makes me sad, but that I love, is the haunting aspect of their relationship. I've said it before but the way he haunts her in the second book is very 'she is haunted by the ghost of his inevitable death at her hands' 'she is haunted by his memory'. the darkling always exists first and foremost as a memory to Alina. all of his actions have more of an impact on her after the fact, which I think is interesting.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Lots of things lol. I'm not too fond of Aleksander being the Super Dominant Man while Alina is like this poor wilting sub, although there are some fics that actually strike a decent balance. I don't like it when Aleksander is british or christian or catholic or something instead of russian and jewish, the same going for Alina. Most fics that have Alina too innocent or stupid aren't appealing because she's not. Most fics that treat Aleksander as if he's nicer or meaner than he is aren't appealing either. If it's a fic that indicates this is sort of a study on if things were different, I don't mind it. But if it's a fic that goes 'this is how they canonically are and that's why I'm writing it this way'. Then I just nope out of there lol. Anything that says Aleksander is being redeemed is something I am peaking into with one eye closed hoping for the best like a skittish animal ready to bolt at the slightest provocation. Also anything where Aleksander is born into power and wealth instead of having to claw his way to the top or Alina is super sheltered instead of someone who has experienced the worst of the world. Basically I struggle a lot with Darklina fics.

Things I look for in fanfic: Alina is a solid human being. She is powerful, and even when she isn't dominant she holds a level of control. Alternatively, she starts out with no power or control and reclaims it, forcing a better and more equal dynamic between her and Aleksander. One of the best Darklina fics I've ever read is Absolute by TwilightToMidnight, and it is probably one of the only fics like it that I will ever read. I usually do not like unhappy endings or heavy power imbalance fics, but I came to love this one and I came to really like the ending a lot. In fics, I also look for power struggles where it is a back and forth push pull between them, and one of them is always struggling to get on top, succeeding, and then falling again. The best kind of this fic is one where they do it because it is in their nature, but come to hold a level of deep respect and love for each other regardless, or maybe because of this and because it is also in their nature, which is why The Empress, Robed in Sun is one of my all time favorite fics. And then of course my favorite favorite, because it feels as if it was written specifically to appeal to me and is my ideal fic in every way, is Power Corrupts by sweetlittlethirst.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: For Aleksander, I suppose Nikolai or Mal? For Alina, literally everybody lol. I love her with Genya and with Mal and with Zoya. She deserves to get all the love she can.

My happily ever after for them: One where Alina has more power and control in the relationship, even if it is a fluctuating and always changing thing. There are so many potential avenues this could happen, and I think any of them would be great.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: Alina is the big spoon and Sasha is the little spoon obviously 😔

Malina

When I started shipping it if I did: Immediately!! I love Malina and I actually really liked their meadow scenes. Every scene they had together was sweet and adorable. I think I really started liking the ship when she was at the little palace on her bed and they were reaching for each other even when they were apart.

My thoughts: This ship has such a real feel to it. I love the physicality of it and I love the way it brings the reader as well as Alina down to earth. It isn't a relationship without it's faults obviously, but a lot of that is miscommunication and the fact they are both struggling to reconcile their reality with what they want for each other and their futures. And a lot of it is also how Mal struggles to understand this part of Alina that he can't really know, but that he wants to support anyway.

What makes me happy about them: Every scene they have is so adorable?? Especially in the show?! I love it when they snuggle and kiss and touch and hold handsss. I love it when Alina goes to sleep on Nikolai's ship and Mal is sitting there watching over her just reading. They're so domestic and sweet. And I love how they always come back to each other and consider each other home.

What makes me sad about them: The divide between them that I think can never really be crossed or reconciled, even after Alina loses her powers. I think there is something within her that is just so far beyond Mal's reach and it's kind of painful to think about because everything else about her can know and touch and understand. And I think it's sad too that Alina always feels as if she's dragging Mal along with her and as if he doesn't want to be with her. And it makes me sad too that he thinks all he can offer is a service and his loyalty, as if he's not more than that to her. And aldjsflksd they need to communicate moreee. GOD!!

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: OOF. Fics that say Alina liked losing her powers or that it was good for her. Fics that don't acknowledge Alina's lost powers as basically a disability that was forced on her. It was a moment where she was stripped of agency and harmed irreparably. And instead of fics capitalizing on this and having Mal help her through her grief and the adjustment into a new life they just... don't? Anyways, fics where Mal is too mean or too understanding. Fics where Alina is too mean or too nice. Fics where Mal's trauma isn't really touched on or where Alina's isn't either (excluding what if things were different studies of course). And of course fics where grisha persecution is pushed under the rug or where Alina is shamed for her desires like she is in canon. Also fics where it feels like they're putting up with each other instead of actually in love. I honestly just have a hard time finding fics I like for any of my ships in this fandom lol.

Things I look for in fanfic: Alina and Mal helping each other through their trials and their grief! Mal actually acknowledging and supporting the parts of Alina that he doesn't understand. Alina being a complicated and complex person who is not wholly perfect or bad. Them finding better ways to communicate and open up to each other as time passes. Fics where Alina is super protective of Mal, sometimes fics where she's even allowed to be possessive, because I kind of love that about her and I don't see it nearly enough. Fics where Alina's darkness isn't brushed under the rug and Mal is allowed to be a bit of a bitch.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Mal probably with Nikolai or Zoya or Aleksander. Alina with everybody XD. Aleksander or Genya or Zoya.

My happily ever after for them: Honestly? If Alina had kept her powers and still retired to live with Mal. Like that's it for me. (also perhaps immortal mal too 👀)

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: aldjlfks Alina is mostly big spoon but occasionally Mal is.

Malarkling

When I started shipping it if I did: "My summoner" and "My tracker." The war room scene in the show where Aleksander and Mal have insane boatloads of sexual tension.

My thoughts: They have two brainells between them but it only works when they're apart because when they're together their braincells cancel each other out.

What makes me happy about them: They both suck at killing each other. There's so much sexual tension between them. They will take any opportunity to insult each other for literally no reason. Aleksander fucking keeps Mal alive despite logic and everybody else saying he should kill him.

What makes me sad about them: I think Aleksander sees Luda in Mal, which is sad but also so interesting. I think he sees Alina and Mal's relationship and knows what's going to happen, and I think his way of viewing Mal largely comes from that. Aleksander's connection to anybody that isn't immortal is eventually going to end in their death and his grief, which is just tragic.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Not much really? When it comes to this ship there's so few that it's hard to gauge. I suppose fics where Mal or Aleksander act too out of character in terms of being mean and cruel or hating each other is kind of annoying. But that's about it.

Things I look for in fanfic: Mal being a bit of dom and Aleksander being a bit of a brat. But also Aleksander being antagonistic like a smug cat and Mal suffering for it lmfao. They're just fun.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Alina 💕. And of course the people stated before lol.

My happily ever after for them: 😭😭 I don't know I don't really think about them having a happily ever after. Mal is immortal and doesn't die would be nice tho ngl

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: MAL IS THE BIG SPOON. but sometimes Aleksander will be the big spoon just to make sure Mal is alive.

Malarklina

When I started shipping it if I did: HHHH IMMEDIATELY. But also after the war room scene in the show lets be reallll. Also again "my summoner" and "my tracker". Like why are you so obsessed with them.

My thoughts: This is the ideal dynamic because they all balance each other and both Mal and Aleksander fulfill parts of Alina's emotional needs that the other can't. I'm not even lying when I fully say that Alina's character would be at it's most fulfilled and have the chance for it's best progression if she was allowed a relationship with both Mal and Aleksander simultaneously. I think they are both Alina's soulmates in different ways. I think they both represent the different and most crucial aspects of Alina's soul.

What makes me happy about them: How Mal and Alina are both clearly attracted to Aleksander and subconsciously appreciate many of the same things about him. Never forget their conversation about being comforted by Aleksander's confidence and praise in them lmfao. Also how Aleksander clearly has an attraction to them both. Also how they both clearly bring out his competence kink ngl. He visits them both in their dreams which is freaking wild. Also Alina has such fluffy and amazing moments with the both of them. I just love all of their interactions. Also of course Aleksander fondly remembering being penetrated by Mal and Alina. It never gets old.

What makes me sad about them: The fact that Alina has to end up with only one of them canonically. The ways they all hurt each other. The fact that Mal is mortal and will eventually die.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Not much? I usually like all Malarklina fics. This fandom rules 💕. Probably just the same stuff I stated earlier, where any of them act too ooc in terms of being cruel or nice. Or any form of redemption for Aleksander and especially any attempt at redeeming him the eyes of the law and royal family that persecuted his people for centuries. But I haven't really seen any of that in the Malarklina fandom because it's amazing so 🤷🏽‍♀️

Things I look for in fanfic: Mal and Alina being more dominant than Aleksander. Them all caring about each other instead of some of them caring for each other more. I really like fics where Mal and Alina get invested in helping the grisha, and I also really like fics where Aleksander tries to support Mal and Alina in their more down to earth endeavors. Also I love fics about them where all of the differences in their relationships with each other are acknowledged. Like how Alina and Aleksander would probably act more possessive with each other. They'd be tossing around "you're mine" like it's the word of law. Whereas Alina and Mal would be more fond of the "I'm home when I'm with you" statements. Aleksander would actually be pretty fond of poetry, though, and waxing poetic, which I think Mal would appreciate more than Alina. but Alina would love having vicious morally opposed arguments with Aleksander that Mal wouldn't. Mal would probably like having arguments with Aleksander about other things, though, and he would actually probably love physically sparring with him. And Mal would love taking Alina places that Aleksander would hate, and vice versa. Like idk I just love the unique ties developed within polyamorous relationships, especially the potential between all of them.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: As stated above. Basically everybody lol.

My happily ever after for them: Immortal cottage life until they reach the modern world, and then immortal city chaos.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: Alina and Mal are the big spoons and Aleksander is (the knife) in the middle. But sometimes they switch things up.

send me a ship (x)

#lakjsldkjfs i talk too much in case anybody hasn't noticed yet #malarklina #darklina #malina #malarkling #shadow and bone #aleksander morozova #the darkling #mal oretsev #malyen oretsev #alina starkov #sab #grishaverse #me with a thousand thoughts about everything all the time vs the fandom ask game #myramblings #asks and answers #jaskierian #ask games

[aplaceinme]

My thoughts on season 2 of Shadow and Bone:

[Disclaimer: I haven't read the books, and I only know what the show has shown us!]

Overall, I enjoyed it. It was really interesting, really well-made, and the acting was top-notch. I did like and cared about a particular storyline more than the other one, though. 

The storyline that I liked more had to do with the characters that I ended up loving: the crows. Now, I'm brand new to the fandom, so I have no idea if this is a popular or an unpopular opinion, but whenever the storyline went back to Alina's and all of that, I was just: can we go back to the crows?? So…yeah, there's that. I was still able to enjoy that storyline, don't get me wrong, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Characters:

Kaz: I absolutely love him, and I just want him to be happy. He is such an intriguing character, and I need to know more about him.

Inej: Queen, love her, that's it. 

*Kanej: I ship it, and I need them together like yesterday! 

Jesper: he's so great, and sassy and funny, and I love him. His scenes with his mother….my heart…

Wylan: I adore him! He's so adorable, and I want to protect him. I also want to know more about him, because they hinted at something about his past.

*Wesper: they are crazy about each other, and I'm crazy about them! Love them, and I hope that the show lets them be happy lol

Nina: love her personality and her!! 

Matthias: I mainly feel sorry for him. I feel like I don't have much to say about him though, he is in an awful situation and I hope that next season he gets to be out of prison and reunited with Nina.

Nikolai: for many episodes, I wasn't sure about him, I was waiting for him to turn evil lol Thankfully, that didn't happen. I really like him, really enjoyed his character. I hope that he won't become evil because of the infection, though. I could totally do without the love triangle thing that he has with Alina. 

Tamar: really enjoyed her character. Would love to see more of her.

Toyla: same as with Tamar, really. Loved his interactions with the crows, and how he tried to help Jesper. Don't really like that little scene between him and Inej at the end, but only bc of kanej.

Genya: that girl can't catch a break!!! Feel sorry for her and I hope she finds happiness in the future. 

Kirigan /The Darkling: I blame Ben Barnes for making me feel bad about him in some scenes 😅😅 Kind of surprised that he died already (I'm just used to shows keeping their one main bad guy forever -which I hate), though he might return?!? Who knows?? (probably people who read the books).

Alina: I know she is the main one, the important one, but I just feel 'meh' about her for some reason. 

Mal: I was 'meh' about him as well, but he grew on me a little bit. Good for him for deciding to go and find himself!! 

*Malina: I should really really love them bc I love the friends-to-lovers trope, but I think that bc I feel 'meh' about the characters, their relationship was also 'meh' to me. I did love their scene when he told her that he was the Firebird!! That was a great scene, and I enjoyed it!! 

Ok, yeah, I think that's it…for now!! 

#shadow and bone #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #kanej #wesper #alina starvok #general kirigan #and more #don't hate me for this

[esther-dot]

Have you watched shadow and bone season 2? Thoughts about Malina? I remember you liking them 💖

They’re so sweet, anon! I did watch S&B, but I was multitasking so it wasn’t my main focus. I loved seeing Alina knowing her feelings for Mal were reciprocated. The actress has the most beautiful heart eyes in Malina scenes, and I love how happy Mal made Alina…

….until of course, he didn’t. 😬

But the break-up makes sense. It allows Alina to have an independent arc, struggle against being seduced by her powers / deal with having political power, so that in the end, she can choose what she wants, to show the audience her ending is her choice, rather than being a passive recipient of it.

That’s how I read the choice anyway, as I’ve seen a lot of complaints about her book ending and how it didn’t work for people. It seemed to me they were attempting to set it up so that she had more agency in achieving it and making a more defined arc leading up to it to make it work better this go ‘round. Book fans pointed out a lot of flaws in how they’ve combined the books, and I agree that s2 was a little…haphazard, but I still enjoyed the two of them. I hope you did too, anon!

#apologies to all my followers who hate malina #I still think they’re cute 😂 #dot chat

[whattarush]

mannnnn i love when malina does hand stuff it’s makes my heart so happy

#i didn’t mean that weird lmao i mean everytime they hold hands lol #malina #shadow and bone #shadow and bone netflix

[evermorehqs]

CATCHING MY BREATH, STARING OUT AN OPEN WINDOW

Malina Saleh is based on the Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. She is a 52 year old dark fae, angel investor, and uses she/her pronouns. She has the power of spells and shapeshifting. Mal is portrayed by Salma Hayek and she is taken.

CATCHING MY DEATH, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE

Have you ever looked into a dark corner of an abandoned house that had once been filled to the brim with love and swore you saw eyes staring back at you? Beckoning you to join them in their contented despair simply so they wouldn’t be alone? That was Mal. A dark fae who saw the world for what it was much sooner than she should have, Malina Saleh was no stranger to dwelling in the shadows, pulling strings behind curtains no one bothered to dust. Her parents were far from a good example to the young fae, her father breaking her mother’s heart on countless occasions and her mother letting it happen. Her heart grew hard, not willing to accept the same treatment from any man, woman or being in this world or any other. Mal would be a force that none had seen before, a promise she made to herself that became more tangible with every day her powers grew stronger. She believed herself to be unstoppable, unshakable - and that was her fatal flaw. Stefan found a way into her heart, a place no one had managed to find for years, and Mal fell for him. He made her promises and gave her so much love, she thought she’d burst at the seams and then, like a dagger twisted between her ribs, he took it all away. Tried to destroy her, bury her, take away everything and burn it. And he almost did but Mal wasn’t so easily vanquished.

If there was one thing Malina did well it was hold a grudge, followed closely by revenge. She rebuilt herself, more powerful and more rich than ever before with only one goal in mind. The world would be hers, the people in it would think she was the benevolent one all the while she would take everything from Stefan and watch him suffer. There was no line she wouldn’t cross. She gathered a group of people around her that did her bidding, giving them small bouts of magic to help her find what she was looking for until the name Aurora danced on one of their tongues and she knew she had her answer. Mal manufactured the perfect revenge, her plotting was flawless but there was something she couldn’t have seen coming - Evermore. The moment her eyes opened in this foreign place, her memories were gone except for an overwhelming feeling that Aurora was meant for something. So far her ministrations to get her memories back haven’t been successful but she hasn’t given up. She’s settled once more into her comfortable roll of puppeteer, lending money to businesses across town, making decisions and holding the power while watching...waiting - knowing that one day this tension will be cut and the reason she’s been drawn to the young woman will reveal itself. Until then, she will do what she does best and watch.

I HAD A FEELING SO PECULIAR

❀ Diablo Corvus: Easily Mal’s favorite minion, becoming her right hand man in her mission to find and ruin Aurora Reverie. He’s loyal, chaotic, a little unhinged and matches her own aura quite nicely

❀ Reina Amador: A powerful woman with a business that Mal has invested into with her whole heart. Everyone knows a burlesque club was a good investment and Mal was more than happy to put her money in Reina’s corner

❀ Sanderson Cadieux: A powerful spirit that Mal clocked immediately upon waking up in this town. There’s something constant about him, a feeling that she’s known her whole life and here he is, the source of it all. Can it be corrupted?

THAT THIS PAIN WOULD BE FOR EVERMORE

#sleeping beauty #salma hayek fc #maleficent #disney rp #female bio #has powers #taken bio #taken female

[caspianxth]

Hi, more thoughts, sorry<3

like yeah i agree that kaz absolutely has a heart, but i think those acts of kindness are mostly reserved for the people he loves, even if wylan is new, you can tell he's already warmed up to him, and i really dont think he'd do something kind just because for someone he feels indifferent to at best, much less someone like a king, and wait omg i just remembered he's friends with sturmhund i take it all back, he would indeed give it up for his friend. and yeah youre right about wesper it was adorable, but i dont know i needed the slow burnnnnn, but yeah given netflix penchant for with gay shit, it was necessary.

And about everything else, yeah it made sense but it was really rushed, especially in s2, and like i get that they have to make everything as fast as they can in case it gets cancelled but im sad about it, but i just really hope malina does meet in the meadow in the end, cause at this point, this show is uncharted territory and completely new and i am so excited for it, and i think that was just setting up for nikolai i bet they will make him all scary later, or at least i hope. But like MERZOST!!!!! ALINA WTF!!! i loved the shadow cut it, like alina i love that youre very powerful but pls try not to turn evil, and like shes heading exactly in the direction the darkling said she would go which is so scary and obvious in a good way i love it. And omg the darkling, like in the books its neither easy to not root for him except maybe when he dies, but here omg, you're telling me he actually felt something for alina and it was not just manipulation!!!

Also Ben Barnes makes it really hard to not be on his side, Alina is waay stronger than me, "Make me your villain", for you? anything, also very simp i loved it, so its okay they omitted a lot of his character and relationship with alina, as they basically made a new one which i like. and about the white hair thing, it was iconic!!! i needed it!! but its okay, also i think the darkling probably experienced some shit associated with his power, but probably never like that cause the only amplifier he used was his mother, and it wasnt until he used merzost he became unstoppable, and it was slowly taking its toll on him, so slowy at first that it might have even been a plot hole, cause later it starts eating him from the inside.

Anyways Ice Court Heist is coming omgomgomgomg im so excited, i cant wait to see something really serious happening with nikolai and alina, and the crows just, just, yeah. i love them. i love jesper and wylan (the characters not their relationship in this instance) so much i could die just thinking about them.

And i think that's all my thoughts until now, I apologize in advance because I WILL think about it more and I WILL bother you about it<3

sturmhond my beloved <3 best of the grishaverse men truly!! also re wesper I love them I'd die for them plus with a tv show I need smth to be happy about and kanej: glacial pace, helnik: slow burn bc of the whole hellgate sitch. like I need smth to be diggin!!! re nikolai, a nichevo'ya is not how he should look and tbh I don't like how they're doing it in the show if that's the angle they take but hopefully I'm wrong. I do think paddy gibson did kill as nikolai like when they let book nikolai pop out? slayed!!! also yeah alina like don't be doin that (merzost) baghra made u promise!! but it is a way better end than her losing all her power and I'm excited to see where they take that, I saw on twitter somewhere that leigh has lots of ideas where to take it if given more so we shall see <3 also w the darkling, like, ok so 1 he is ben barnes so that's a thing bc I've been crushing on him since prince caspian but also!! like the thing is like, he really did love her for a bit there! he had peace when she surprise kissed him!! that's the moment he went right back to in his defeat right before alina mcstabbed him (which he did deserve btw). like the heartbreaking part w darklina is they really could've had it if he'd trusted her!!! but he didn't!!! and that was his greatest weakness!!!!! I do like malina but like, for me it's nikolina >>>>>>>>>> malina sorry. book or show nikolai is just *chef's kiss*. but also re nikolai, zoyalai >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>nikolina. so like, the setup there is also *chef's kiss*.

#asks #kurtcobainsgreencardigan

[xnervouscircus]

i didn't know if i was gonna bother watching shadow & bone s2 since general reviews were basically: "it's CRAP" but watched it on a whim this week and am mostly happy with it actually

preface that i only read the og grisha trilogy and haven't read the crow books or whatever the heck came next that i think starred nikolai? so i only vaguely remember the story of alina and co and know little to nothing about the jurda parem storyline and where it's going and who will be involved or at least was involved in the books

but man. just from the perspective of someone who was immensely displeased with the ending of the grisha trilogy: I LOVE THIS ENDING. they fixed my biggest beefs with the og ending, and up until the very last scene i was like "ah still a shame alina never went darkside though" aND THEN THEY WENT AND SAID "BITCH SHE MIGHT" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I LOVE IT

in the books i haaaaated the implication that mal and alina were only together bc of ~destiny~ and they were only drawn to each other by the firebird power and even after knowing that, they didn't question it at all and were just like, "welp the universe tossed us together so guess this is it for us huh." so not only do i love show!mal more in general--they fixed up his personality so much and made me actually mostly like malina--but i wanted to kiss him on the mouth for being the one to bring up the whole destiny thing and give themselves a chance to figure out who they are without it. and i wanted to kiss alina on the mouth for accepting and understanding it. i would absolutely not hate malina being endgame in this universe the way i hated it in the books.

though i'm confused if alina is still engaged to nikolai now? she gave the ring back to him a while ago so i figured that was the end of it, but at the end the apparat made it sound like the betrothal was still on, and alina was wearing that very elaborate tiara/crown and stood beside nikolai at his coronation so. nikolina still possible?

though i will say that i really didn't feel any chemistry between them in the show and they were portrayed much more as friends than potential love interests. honestly i loved it. love triangles are exhausting enough, having to deal with 3 potential love interests in the trilogy was just. blaaaargh. as much as i loved nikolina in the books, i was kind of happy that i felt nothing for them in the show and it seemed like i wasn't supposed to. they really just came across as allies doing their best for the country, friends at most. there were a few moments that kiiiiind of came across as potential romance, but there was nothing to make me be like "fuck yeah nikolina." since they made mal 2.0 so much better, i genuinely enjoyed not seeing nikolai as legitimate love interest material lmao. but i could be into it in the future if there's a s3 and they decide to go that route.

i was worried the condensed storyline would be crap since i knew they were apparently putting all of books 2 & 3 into this season, alongside whatever the crows would be doing, but it worked so much better than what i vaguely remember of the books. book 3 was pretty much all meaningless page filler of the group being trapped underground and then going on a completely pointless hike to look for the firebird, so i'm glad they cut all that out. i liked the addition of the blade, if only to expand the world more and show us another living saint--go be besties with her alina. and really the best parts of both s1 and s2 were the crows. sorry i haven't read your books guys but y'all are the best. i fuckign love inej and nina and of course my gay little heart was so very happy with jesper and wylan and wesper.

(i do mostly like kaz, he's clever and witty and really cares about his crows, but sometimes he's just a bit too edgelord for me. i kinda like kanej but at the same time i think inej deserves a hell of a lot of happiness and kanej is just all angst all the time and after 2 full seasons of it i'm kinda over it lol. i was honestly super into that extremely brief hint of . . . inya? tolej? lmao. but yeah tolya/inej honestly sounds amazing to me. ofc i hope kaz can deal with his trauma and be more open--not even in regards to touch necessarily, but just be less consumed with grief and revenge in general. but his whole life is shaped around it and inej has dealt with enough shit and i just want her to be able to laugh and have some genuine fun, ya know??)

it wasn't perfect, and a lot of the dialogue made me cringe (i'm still facepalming but also laughing over that one scene where some grisha girl started saying, "i'd hoped--" and seemed like she was just gonna say some bland thing like i'd hoped this would be over or even just i'd hoped i'd get to sleep in an actual bed tonight but the darkling interrupted her with this completely angsty and overdramatic monologue about hope LMAO CALM DOWN EDGELORD IT WASN'T THAT DEEP). but overall i thought it was good! s1 was better but s2 made a lot of improvements to the books and i appreciate that they were willing to deviate and take risks to try to make a better story.

what i loved the absolute most wasn't just that they changed her love story, i loved that they changed the entire ending of alina's story. because the trilogy ending for her was TRASH. a woman becomes the most powerful person in the world, comes to embrace and revel in her power, but her endgame love interest won't stop sulking about it so guess she's gotta lose all her power and suddenly want nothing more than a quiet life on a farm. LMAO WHAT. it was absolutely infuriating and still is almost 20 years later lmao. having her stay in the capital and plan to actually help the country she worked so hard and sacrificed so much to save makes infinitely more sense; sure, at the beginning of the trilogy she wished she wasn't grisha or the sun summoner, but she comes to love the power and the realization that she can save ravka with it. as far as i remember, once she embraces it, she never wishes it away again. so it just felt grossly unfeminist and lame to take her power away in the trilogy and pretend that actually she secretly desired being no one in the middle of nowhere just raising a bunch of orphans. nope, that was just not alina.

so i am LIVING for her still having her power (though i'm not sure if she's got all that fully amplified power or she's basically reset to pre-amplifiers power after destroying the fold? i wish they'd cleared that up) and continuing to follow her dream to reunite ravka and make a more peaceful world for the grisha, rather than just run away with her endgame boy ugh.

BUT WHAT I'M LIVING FOR THE MOST WAS WATCHING HER FINALLY DO THE CUT AND REVEAL THAT SHE'S GOT SHADOW MAGIC NOW AND RATHER THAN BEING SCARED OR DISGUSTED BY WHAT SHE'D DONE SHE WAS FUCKING RELISHING IT

DARKLINA LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOO

(i just mean that in a dark alina sense, though i would not at all be opposed to the darkling coming back to life and making couple darklina a thing lmao)

do i believe they'll actually make her go anywhere near actually dark? no. do i believe her endgame boy will be anyone but mal? no. do i believe they won't ultimately have her story end the same as in the trilogy? not really tbh. but at least there's some possibility here and it could turn out really interesting, or at least more satisfying than the og trilogy.

so yeah i hope s3 gets the green light. at the very least, i'd definitely love to have more of the crows.

#shadow and bone #spoilers

[rainingpouringetc]

PLS WHO HAS WATCHED EPISODE FOUR I NEED TO SCREAM

#sab spoilers #i’ll hide it way in the tags for those who don’t want spoilers #just keep scrolling #nothing to see here #lalalalalalalalalalala #is that far enough #sab #ok read at your own peril #‘know that when i told you about true north i was talking about you’ IM SCREAMING #THIS MAKES MY MALINA HEART SO HAPPY #IM LEGIT CRYING THIS IS BEAUTIFUL #THE FACT THAT THEY BOTH WROTE IT IN THEIR LETTERS TO THE OTHER #THAT THEY WERE EACH OTHER’S TRUE NORTH #EVEN THO THEY ARENT EVEN GETTING EACH OTHER’S LETTERS #IM SOBBING I JUST WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY

[hamliet]

The Crows Summon the Sun

Or, Hamliet’s review of Shadow & Bone, which gets a 4.5/5 for enjoyment and a 3.5/5 in terms of writing.

The true heroes of this story and the saviors of the show are the Crows. However, the problem is that the show then has an uneven feel, because the strength of the Crows plotline highlights the weaknesses of the trilogy storyline. But imo, overall, the strengths overshadow (#punintended) the weaknesses. 

I’ll divide the review into the narrative and the technical (show stuff, social commentary), starting with narrative.

Narrative: The Good 

It’s What The Crows Deserve

I went into the show watching it for the Crows; however, knowing that their storyline was intended to be a prequel, I wasn’t terribly optimistic. And while it is a prequel, the characters have complete and full arcs that perfectly set them up for the further development they will have in the books (which I think should be the next season?). Instead of retreading the arcs they’d have in the books, which is how prequels usually go, they had perfect set up for these arcs. It’s really excellent. 

Jesper, Inej, and Kaz are all allowed to be flawed, to have serious conflicts with one another, and yet to love each other. They feel like a found family in the best of ways. Kaz is the perfect selfish rogue; he’s a much more successfully executed Byronic hero than the Darkling, actually. Inej is heroic and her faith is not mocked, yet she too is flawed and her choices are not always entirely justified, but instead left to the audience to ponder (like killing the girl), which is a more mature writing choice that I appreciated. 

Jesper is charming, has a heart of gold despite being a murderer and on the surface fairly greedy, and MILO THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT GOAT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. I also liked Jesper’s fling with Dima but I felt it could be better used rather than merely establishing his sexuality, like if Jesper and Dima had seen each other one more time or something had come of their tryst for the plot/themes/development of Jesper. 

Nina and Matthias’s backstory being in the first season, instead of in flashbacks, really works because it automatically erases any discomfort of the implications of Nina having falsely accused Matthias that the books start with. We know Nina, we know Matthias, we know their motivations, backgrounds, and why they feel the way we do. It’ll be easy for the audience to root for them without a lot of unnecessary hate springing from misunderstanding Nina (since she’s my favorite). Matthias’s arc was also really strongly executed and satisfyingly tragic. Their plotline was a bit unfortunately disconnected from the rest of the story, but Danielle Gallagan and Callahan Skogman have absolutely sizzling chemistry so I found myself looking forward to their scenes instead of feeling distracted. Also? It’s nice seeing a woman with Nina’s body type as a romantic and powerful character. 

Hamliet Likes Malina Now

Insofar as the trilogy storyline goes, the best change the show made was Mal. He still is the same character from the books, but much more likable. The pining was... a lot (too much in episode 4, I felt) but Malina is a ship I actually enjoyed in the show while I NOTP’d it in the books. Mal has complexity and layers to his motivations (somewhat) and a likable if awkward charm. Archie Renaux was fantastic. 

Ben Barnes is the perfect Aleksandr Kirigan, and 15 year old me, who had the biggest of big crushes on Ben Barnes (first celebrity crush over a decade ago lol), was pretty damn happy lol. He’s magnificantly acted--sympathetic and terrifying, sincerely caring and yet villainous in moments. Story-wise, I think it was smart to reveal his name earlier on than in the books, because it helps with the humanization especially in a visual medium like film. Luda was a fitting (if heartbreaking) backstory, but it is also hard for me to stomach knowing what the endgame of his character is. Like... I get the X-men fallacy thing, but I hope the show gives more kindness to his character than the books did, yet I’m afraid to hold my breath. Just saying that if you employ save the cat, if you directly say you added this part (Luda) to make the character more likable (as the director did) please do not punish the audience for feeling what you intended. 

I also liked the change that made Alina half-Shu. It adds well to her arc and fits with her character, actually giving her motivations (she kinda just wants to be ordinary in a lot of ways) a much more interesting foundation than in the books. Also it’s nice not to have another knock-off Daenerys (looking to you Celaena and book!Alina). Jessie Mei Li does a good job playing Alina’s insecurities and emotions, but... 

Narrative: The Ehhhhhhh

Alina the Lamp

Sigh. Here we go. Alina has little consistent characterization. She’s almost always passive when we see her, yet she apparently punches an officer for calling her a name and this seems to be normal for her, but it doesn’t fit at all with what we know about her thus far. Contradictions are a part of humanity, but it’s never given any focus, so it comes across as inconsistent instead of a flaw or repression. 

I have no idea what Alina wants, beside that she wants to be with Mal, which is fine except I have no idea what the basis of their bond is. Even with like, other childhood friends to lovers like Ren/Nora in RWBY or Eren/Mikasa in SnK, there’s an inciting moment, a reason, that we learn very early on in their story to show us what draws them together. Alina and Mal just don’t have that. There’s the meadow/running away thing, but they were already so close, and why?  Why, exactly? What brought them together? The term “bullies” is thrown around but it isn’t ever explored and it needed to be this season. If I have to deal with intense pining for so many episodes at least give me a foundation for their devotion. You need to put this in the beginning, in the first season. You just do.

A “lamp” character is a common metaphor to describe a bad character: essentially, you could replace the character with a lamp and nothing changes. Considering Alina’s gift is light, it’s a funnily apt metaphor, but it really does apply. Her choices just don’t... matter. She could be a special lamp everyone is fighting over and almost nothing would change. The ironic thing is that everyone treating her like a fancy lamp is exactly the conflict, but it’s never delved into. We’re never shown that Alina is more than a lamp. She never has to struggle because her choices are made for her and information is gifted to her when she needs it. Not making choices protects Alina from consequences and the story gives her little incentive to change that; in fact, things tend to turn out better when she doesn’t make choices (magic stags will arrive). 

Like... let’s look at a few occasions when Alina almost or does make choices. For example, she chooses to (it seems) sleep with Kirigan, but then there’s a convenient knock at the door and Bhagra arrives with key information that changes Alina’s mind instantly despite the fact that Bhagra’s been pretty terrible to her. If you want to write a woman realizing she’s been duped by a cruel man, show her discovering it instead of having the man’s abusive mother tell her when she had absolutely no such suspicions beforehand. There’s no emotional weight there because Alina doesn’t struggle. 

When she is actually allowed to carry out a bad choice, the consequences are handwaved away instead of built into a challenge for her. Like... Alina got her friends killed. More than once. I’m not saying she’s entirely to blame for these but could we show her reacting to it? Feeling any sort of grief? She never mentions Raisa or Alexei after they’re gone, just Mal, and I’m... okay. They were there because of you. Aren’t you feeling anything? Aren’t you sad? The only time Alina brings up her friends’ deaths is to tell Kirigan he killed her friends when they were only there because she burned the maps. She yells at Kirigan for “never” giving her a choice, but she almost never makes any, so why would he? Alina has the gall to lecture Genya about choices, but she herself almost never has to make any. 

Which brings me to another complaint in general: Alina’s lack of care for everyone around her when they’re not Mal, even if they care for her. Marie dies because of her (absolutely not her fault of course) but as far as we know she never even learns about Marie. She certainly doesn’t ever ask about her or Nadia. Alina seems apathetic at best to people, certainly not compassionate or kind. 

The frustrating thing is that there is potential here. Like, it actually makes a lot of psychological sense for an orphan who has grown up losing to be reluctant to care for people outside of her orbit and that she would struggle to believe she can have any say in her destiny (ie make choices). It’s also interesting that a girl who feels like an outsider views others outside her. But the show never offers examines Alina’s psychology with any depth; it simply tells us she’s compassionate when she is demonstrably not, it tells us she makes decisions when it takes magical intervention to do so. It’s a missed opportunity. This does not change between episodes 1 and 8, despite the episodes’ parallel structures and scenes, which unintentionally reinforces that Alina had little real development. 

Inej and ironically Jesper and Kaz embody the concept of “mercy” far better and with far more complexity than Alina does. The Crows have reactions to the loss of people who even betray them (Arken, etc), learn, and course-correct (or don’t) when they are even loosely involved in having strangers die. They’re good characters because they change and learn and have their choices matter. When they kill we see them wrestle with it and what this means even if they are accustomed to doing so. Jesper can’t kill in front of a child. Kaz wonders what his killings do to Inej’s idea of him.

Narrative: The Mixed Bag

Tropes, Themes, Telling vs. Showing

So the show’s themes in the Alina storyline are a mess, as they are in the trilogy too. Tropes are a very valuable way to show your audience what you’re trying to say. They’re utilized worldwide because they resonate with people and we know what to expect from them. The Crows' storyline shows us what it wants us to learn.

Preaching tells, and unfortunately, the trilogy relies on telling/preaching against fornicationBad Boys. It’s your right to write any trope or trample any trope you want--your story--but you should at least understand what/why you are doing so. The author clearly knows enough about Jungian shadows and dark/light yin/yang symbolism to use it in the story, but then just handwaves it away as “I don’t like this” but never does so in a narratively effective way: addressing the appeal in the first place. If you really wanna deconstruct a trope, you gotta empathize with the core of the reason these tropes appeal to people (it allays deep fears that we are ourselves unlovable, through loving another person despite how beastly they can be), and address this instead of ignoring it. Show us a better way through the Fold of your story. Don’t just go around it and ignore the issue.

The trilogy offers highly simplistic themes at best--bad boy bad and good boy good, which is fine-ish for kid lit but less fine for adult complexity, which the show (more so than the books) seems to try to push despite not actually having much of it.

Alina and Mal are intended to be good, we’re told they are, but I’m not sure why beyond just that we’re told so. Alina claims the stag chose her, but in the show it’s never explained why at all. Unlike with Kaz, Inej, Jesper, and hell even Matthias and Nina, we don’t see Alina or Mal’s complex choices and internal wrestling. 

Like, Inej’s half-episode where she almost killed the guy they needed was far more character exploration than Alina has the entire show, to say nothing of Inej’s later killing which not only makes her leaps and bounds more interesting, but ironically cements her as a far more compelling and yes, likable, heroine than Alina. We see Inej’s emotional and moral conflict. We can relate to her. We see Kaz struggling with his selfishness and regrets, with his understanding of himself through his interactions with and observations of Inej, Alina, the Darkling, Arken, and Jesper.

We don’t explore what makes Mal or Alina good and what makes them bad. We don’t know what Alina discovers about herself, what her power means for her. We are told they are good, we are told she knows her power is hers, but never shown what this means or what this costs them/her. Their opportunities to be good are handed to them (the stag, Bhagra) instead of given to them as a challenge in which they risk things, in which doing good or making a merciful choice costs them. Alina gets to preach about choices without ever making any; Inej risks going back to the Menagerie to trust Kaz. Her choices risk. They cost. They matter and direct her storyline and her arc, and those of the people around her.

Production Stuff:

The Good: 

The production overall is quite excellent. The costumes, pacing, acting, and cinematography (for example, one of the earliest scenes between the Darkling and Alina has Alina with her back to the light, face covered in his shadow, while the Darkling’s face is light up by her light even if he stands in the shadows) are top-notch. The soundtrack as well is incredible and emphasizes the scenes playing. The actors have great chemistry together, friend chemistry and romantic when necessary (Mal and Alina, the Darkling and Alina, Kaz and Inej, Nina and Matthias, David and Genya, etc.) All are perfectly cast. 

The Uncomfortable Technicalities Hamliet Wants to Bitch About:

The only characters from fantasy!Europe having any trace of an accent reminiscent of said fantasy country's real-world equivalent are antagonists like Druskelle (Scandinavia) and Pekka (Ireland). When the heroes mostly have British accents despite being from fantasy Russia and Holland, it is certainly A Choice to have the Irish accent emphasized. The actor is British by the way, so I presume he purposely put on an Irish accent. I'm sure no one even considered the potential implications of this but it is A Look nonetheless.

The Anachronisms Hamliet Has a Pet Peeve About: 

The worldbuilding is compelling, but the only blight on the worldbuilding within the story itself (ignoring context) was that there are some anachronisms that took me out of the story, particularly in the first episode where “would you like to share with the class” and “saved by the horn” are both used. Both are modern-day idioms in English that just don’t fit, especially the latter. The last episode uses “the friends we made along the way.” There are other modern idioms as well.

IT’S STARKOVA and Other Pet Peeves Around the Russian Portrayal 

Russian names are not hard, and Russian naming systems are very, very easy to learn. I could have waved “Starkov” not being “Starkova,” “Nazyalensky” not being “Nazyalenskaya,”  and “Safin” not being “Safina” as an American interpretation (since in America, the names do not femininize). However, “Mozorova” as a man is unfathomable and suggests to me the author just doesn’t understand how names work, which is a bit... uh okay considering a simple google search gets you to understand Russian names. They aren’t hard. I cannot understand why the show did not fix this. It is so simple to fix and would be a major way to help the story’s overall... caricature of Russia. 

Speaking of that... Ravka is supposedly Russian-based, but it is more accurately based on the stereotypes of what Americans think of Russia. Amerussia? Russica? Not great. 

The royals are exactly what Americans think of the Romanovs, right down to the “greasy” “spiritual advisor” who is clearly Rasputin and which ignores the Romanov history, very real tragedy, and the reason Rasputin was present in the court. The religion with all its saints is a vapid reflection of Russian Orthodoxy. The military portrayal with its lotteries and brutality and war is how the US views the Russian military. The emphasis on orphans, constant starvation, classification, and children being ripped from their homes to serve the government is a classic US understanding of USSR communism right down to the USSR having weapons of destruction the rest of the world fears (Grisha). Not trying to defend the Soviet Union here at all, but it is simplistic and reductive and probably done unconsciously but still ehhhh. 

However, I’m not Russian. I just studied Russian literature. I’ve seen very little by way of discussion of this topic online, but what I do see from Russian people has been mixed--some mind, some don’t. The reality is that I actually don’t really mind this because it’s fantasy, though I see why some do. I'm not like CANCEL THIS. So why am I talking about this beyond just having a pet peeve?

Well, because it is a valid critique, and because it doesn’t occur in a vacuum. The Grishaverse is heralded as an almost paragon for woke Young Adult literature, which underlines itself what so frustrates me about how literary circles discuss issues of diversity and culture. Such praise, while ignoring its quasi-caricature of Russia, reflects a very ethnocentric (specifically American) understanding of culture, appropriation, and representation. All stories are products of their culture to various extents, but it bothers me on principle what the lit community reacts (and overreacts sometimes?) to and what people give a pass to. The answer to what the community reacts to and what it gives a pass always pivots on how palatable the appropriation is to American understandings and sensibilities. There’s nuance here as well, though. 

I'm not cancelling the story or thinking it should be harshly attacked for this, but it is something that can be discussed and imo should be far more often--but with the nuance it begs, instead of black/white. But that’s a tall ask. 

#s&b #hamliet reviews #shadow and bone #six of crows #kanej #jesper fahey #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #alina starkov #malyen oretsev #the darkling #darklina #malina #aleksander kirigan #netflix shadow and bone #s&b review

[elletao]

Content creator 2021 wrapped tag game

Cut this into what works for you. Want to do only one instead of five? Do it. Tag 2 people? Do it. This game is not your mum or the Apple App store to tell you what to do. But there are a couple of rules:

RULE 1: Review your creations over 2021. Tag some gifmakers/creators, friends and strangers to get them to do the same.

RULE 2: Link to the content, commentary optional.

thank you to @robinsonjudy for tagging me on this! i was hoping to be tagged in something like this so i could gush about how talented my mutuals are hehe <33

5 (or more!) creations from others that made you smash the reblog button hard, closely followed by your ‘insp’ tag or ‘fave tag’. Link to sets that started conversations, outstanding composition, colouring, etc.

this the descent gifset by @bongjoonsho because it’s such a perfect horror edit and everything i aspire to make in terms of big gifs/colouring/quality!!! it looks sooo good and hq and crisp. i normally find it hard to color horror sets properly and i feel like lera did such a great job with this one.

this inej ghafa edit by @oliviarodriog which is not just stunning in terms of blending (all her edits are!!) but also made my heart so happy because the quote fits so well with inej and who she is as a person who doesn’t give up. AND!! the color of inej’s skin is so rich and beautiful?? we don’t know white-washing in this house. and the blue is GORGEOUS.

this kanej set by @milesgmorales has a very special place in my heart because it includes one of my absolute favorite pairings and the most perfect song for them. kanej and tightrope are forever linked for me and i can’t think of one without the other now. the blending is gorgeous, i adore the blue and i really like the fonts rajan chose.

this jesper fahey gifset by @tedlass literally made me cry when i saw it. jesper is probably my favorite bisexual character of all time and i don’t usually see that many sets about his family so this made my heart feel incredibly full. the shots look so pretty and the whole gifset is so soft.

this crows set by @hunterschafer is one of my favorite creations ever!!! the format is soo creative and cool, the crows shots are all so crisp and pretty, the little icons and the fonts are perfect?? i can’t imagine how long this must’ve taken to make and the kind of Big Brain moment it came from.

4 5 creations of which you’re proud. These are goals you scored. Nothing to do with notes.

i'm gonna go ahead and link my 100 female characters in 2021 tag because i was ready to accept defeat (i thought i wouldn’t get to finish before the end of the year) but i managed to gif A LOT during the last month and a half and i'm proud of reaching my goal!

this malina set i made for malina week because i love mitski and i think ‘i will’ fits them really well. i also worked really, really hard on this!

both of these jesper fahey sets x x. the first one because i think jesper’s hands deserve more love. the second because i love how the coloring screams bi rights. 

2 3 creations that stretched you as a creator: style, colouring, blending, text, etc. include the one that should have got more notes.

this malina edit that i truly, deeply love 🥺🥺 maybe the prettiest thing i made this year!! i love it because it was the first time i combined different things such as blending, big gifs, colors and fonts. 

this inej ghafa gifset!!! one of the very first times i experimented with blending too, and i love it because1) it came out much better that i hoped and 2) i could include some of my favorite inej quotes/moments from the books.

1 creation of yours that you find most aesthetically pleasing to the eye and self AND 1 creation that broke and (maybe remade you) as a creator – we all have that one.

again, this malina set!! i’m just really proud of it and think it looks really good.

this inej set was hard for me and took soo long. i know it’s not perfect but i worked on it for hours, trying to get the colors and the fonts right. i wanted something different from the stuff i usually made and i was quite happy with how it turned out.

0 the creation that never was because nothing was working that day.

Overall comment on your creativity year 2021: i’m happy to say that i managed to step out of my comfort zone this year and experiment with new things such as BLENDING!!! which i was really scared of trying. i also like that i came up with the 100 female characters in 2021 idea because it pushed me to make content from different sources (tv, film, books) and it pushed me to not be lazy because i hate to leave things unfinished fdjfg

i’m tagging the people whose sets i linked here and a couple more: (i adore all your wonderful creations too and you’re all really talented; i wish i’d had more time to link more sets because i’m honestly in awe of everything you all make) @bongjoonsho @oliviarodriog @milesgmorales @tedlass @hunterschafer @montygreen @magnusedom @julietmolina @poppywright 

happy 2022 to you all 🥺💕🌻

#omg this took me so long to write sdkjfjh #cant believe i made this many gifsets i n s a n e #im so happy i did this though because it really shows i put a lot of love and dedication into giffing this year :') #tagged #obviously no pressure to the people i tagged to do this!!! love u all mwah #.txt

[anxiouspotatorants]

Whoopsy daisy I made a Shadow and Bone random thoughts post:

The costumes in this show are impeccable. I was drooling over all the keftas and the ball gowns in 1.05 and the crow outfits. Hell, even the winter-camo outfits that Mal, Mikhael and Dubrov wore in 1.04 were amazing.

Am I the only one who isn’t surprised by the kruge pronounciation? Because I thought it would sound like how English people say Scandinavian words and I wasn’t wrong.

Coming in to this show as someone who had only read the Six of Crows duology, I expected to at least tolerate Malina based on the trailer clips. I kid you not: less than five minutes into the very first episode they owned my ass. That might be a new record for me.

Seriously the friendship? The pining? The finding home in each other and being able to acknowledge their faults and apologize to each other? Both of them having massive “fight me” energy and protecting each other? Hugs?? Why am I surprised that I ship this?

Some of those scene transitions/flashback edits were so good! Like I know they repeated that meadow scene a lot throughout the season, but the cuts from kid-Mal looking at the rabbit to grown up Mal psyching himself up for the fist fight? Poetic cinema.

The Darkling was horrible and I love it. He wasn’t a carbon copy villain, nor did his complexity redeem him. He was a perfectly complex and understandable monster and I am living for it. I have not been so happy to despise a character in ages and I genuinely bow in gratitude to both the writers and Ben Barnes, because I finally got to enjoy watching a character I did not for one second root for ( #writevillainswellagain)

Look I already loved Jesper in the book but his on-screen translation elevated him from a fave to the fave. I was worried that they would push him into a comedic relief-role, but he got to keep both his heart, his depth, and his humour. Kit Young did an amazing job bringing what was already a great character on page to an even greater character on screen and I once again applaud.

Am I a bit bitter that the casting had some interesting choices for certain roles (aka hiring light skin and mid-size actors for explicitly darker skin and plus-size roles)? Kind of. Do I think there are important discussions worth having about this? Yup. Do I also think that every actor hired for Shadow and Bone did an amazing job and deserve zero hate and massive amounts of love? Also yes.

I had Alexei for one episode and one episode only, and I still miss that poor sucker. This show did a surprisingly good job with making me care about a massive amount of characters considering the screen time they had and the amount of episodes this season had. Good job.

For some reason I expected Inej to be a lot more brooding based on how I perceived her in the books but I love what Amita Suman did with her. Her translation completely recontextualised everything I remember from the books and just brought this truly fresh character to life. Assassin with a conscience indeed.

Also I did love the Kaz we got in this season but I can barely contain myself as I wait for season 2 to be made and for a certain flashback to take place because that moment in the book was visceral and it stayed with me for a long time and I knew before the show announcement that this flashback could become a television moment. 

Speaking of Kaz the crows were so chaotic and messy and I’m here for it. Their interactions with each other and their improvised back-up plans were everything. I somehow didn’t expect the crows to become the comedic relief of the season but it honestly makes so much sense.

A couple episodes in I still didn’t get the Zoya hype (remember I haven’t read the books) but was a massive Genya fan. By the end of the season I was like “oh both of these girls are getting redemption arcs and I am here for it”.

Speaking of redemption I still don’t like Matthias. I’m sorry but I just don’t. I get that he is important to many and that they like his relationship with Nina, but I just don’t have the patience for him and feel like Nina can do better. I still want him to get a redemption... but maybe not through a romance with the grisha woman he repeatedly slutshames, is bigoted towards and chokes at least once (twice if that SoC scene from book 1 happens). That being said this is just how I see him, so feel what ever you feel about him and ship to your heart’s content!

Alina’s journey through this season made complete sense to me. It hurt to see certain things, but they were necessary in my eyes. Seeing her go from this essentially insecure but brave girl to a manipulated pawn to an even stronger and more self reliant girl in spite of everything was amazing. It did feel like a well-written hero’s journey and I’m looking forward to seeing where she goes next.

Apparently a lot of book-readers don’t like Mal (and I am not here to change anyone’s mind about that) but the Mal I saw on the show was amazing. I actually kind of wish we had seen more of who he was outside of his relationship to Alina (f.ex. other flashbacks than the meadow, maybe something about any of his missions while separated from Alina pre-show), but I also loved what we got of him with Alina. We still got to see a guy who was brave, stubborn, flirtatious, a bit judgemental but with a strong sense of humour, and a lot of loyalty (to Alina but also to his friends). I can hardly wait to see what’s next for him.

Milo the goat. Where do I even begin. Not only did we get that Jesper-scene, but their farewell actually became a Chekhov’s gun for Mal in 1.07? Milo is the true hero of the season.

Speaking of 1.07 I loved the tent scene between Alina and the Darkling. She both got to be realistic about her feelings for the Darkling and stand up for herself and for others and call him out. The way I interpret the Darkling, he is the kind of villain who creates a saviour narrative around himself but cares more about power than anything else. He’ll say he’s doing everything to protect his people but is the first to kill the very people he claims to love. And Alina’s tent-speech really hammered that in for me.

I adore Baghra. Is she morally dubious? Yes. Was she incredibly mean to Alina during training to the point where it might have been excessive? Yes. Did she not take any of the Darkling’s bullshit and act as the proper mentor for Alina when the Darkling had said that he was going to train her? Yes. Am I kind of a Baghra stan now? I mean maybe.

The antler-collar was so evil and gross but from a visually narrative stand point it was perfect. 

Also I still have no idea who David is but I want redemption for him too. Honestly I feel like half the supporting cast is gearing up for redemption arcs next season and I am excited for most of them.

Nina’s reaction when she hears Kaz on the boat? Priceless. Actually the whole boat scene from when she goes up on deck again to the cut back to the fold was priceless.

That being said the final scene had me even more ready for season 2.

Jesper kind of gave me messy period-fantasy James Bond? Does that make sense?

And Mal kind of gave me Lois Lane energy? As in he’s the mortal love interest that many assume is the hero/heroine’s weakness but actually functions as their emotional strength and inspiration? Am I reaching here or am I getting somewhere?

Mikhael and Dubrov. What a duo. Absolute madlads.

Also I’d like to see more Nadia if that is possible? Because the few scenes we had of her had me intrigued but then she sort of disappeared? Is she going to be important or was she just more of a temporary supporting character? 

I entered this show a casual Six of Crows fan with mild interest in Kanej and I finished this season a mess. A mess who ships Kanej and Malina and Genya with that David guy even though they had about 30 seconds of screentime together and Zoya with redemption and Jesper with main-character status (hey we’re not getting Wylan until season 2 at least) and kind of those two Ravkan army guys and Nina with anyone else and Matthias with a better redemption storyline and the Darkling with karma! Also, a mess with a whole new set of comfort characters!

#I don't even think I got all my thoughts out #this post is just getting too long #so if I have more I shall simply make more posts #I've lost count of how many times I wrote that I loved something #this isn't even my favourite show ever I just have a lot of thoughts and like sharing them #shadow and bone #six of crows spoilers #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #jesper fahey #alina starkov #malyen oretsev #mal oretsev #nina zenik #anti darkling #anti the darkling #anti matthias helvar #zoya nazyalensky #genya safin #david kostyk #alexei shadow and bone #shadow and bone spoilers #sab spoilers #baghra morozova #malina #alina x mal #kanej #inej x kaz #genya x david #the potato rants

[alinastracker]

malina week day two — hurt/comfort

Malyen Oretsev lies awake, thinking about how he will die tomorrow. 

He’s accepted it, even if Alina hasn’t. All along, he’s been looking for a way to be useful. He doesn’t have a royal title or a Grisha order, but he has this. Mal had meant what he’d said about the words on his back. He would do anything for the girl laying in his arms, snoring softly. 

He breathes in her scent now, committing it to memory. If there is another place after this life, he wants every detail tattooed on his mind. Then he can at least have the memory of her. He’ll need it to last. She is a powerful Grisha, after all. It would be centuries before she joined him on the other side, in this hypothetical other place. And maybe there, they could be happy. 

Sleep, Oretsev, he tells himself. He’s accepted his martyrdom, so there should be no reason to avoid slumber, to avoid tomorrow. Sleep, Oretsev. Even a dead man needs his rest. 

So Mal sleeps, and understands why his mind was avoiding it. 

In sleep, he watches himself die. I’ll be waiting in the meadow, he whispers. Alina, his beautiful, stubborn Alina, trembles. She does not want to kill him. He must help her, and so he does. 

One moment he’s in the fold, a knife in his chest, Alina paralyzed with a scream on her lips, and the next he’s not. Mal opens his eyes. So this is the other side. The place where he will spend eternity waiting for Alina. But there is no peaceful meadow waiting for him. He realizes that he is very, very cold. 

He sees them then. Mikhael and Dubrov, looking just as they had when he’d last seen them. Still covered in their own blood. Lifeless eyes stare unnervingly at him. Bile rises in his throat. Why are they like this here? Shouldn’t they be happy here, in this other place? 

“It’s your fault,” Mikhael says. It’s his old friend speaking, and yet it is not. “We’re dead because of you.”

Dubrov speaks next. “My family relied on my army earnings. They’re starving now, Malyen. Their deaths will be on your hands, too.” 

Somehow, Mal is in more pain now than when he had the knife thrust into his chest. “I’m sorry,” he cries. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Not enough,” Mikhael says.

“Not enough,” Dubrov repeats. 

A pack of deer appear. The stag — Alina’s stag — leads them. They surround him, and though he tries to move, the snow engulfs him, gluing him to the frozen ground. Slowly, they peck at his skin. He cannot fight them. He doesn’t deserve to fight them. It’s all his fault, everything is all his fault. 

“Mal.”

Someone is calling his name. He can barely hear it over his own screaming, but he wants nothing more than to cling to the familiar sound. 

“Mal, wake up.”

His eyes finally open, met with the ceiling of the conservatory. The snow is gone. The deer are gone. Mikhael and Dubrov are gone. 

One blink, two. Mal turns his head, his eyes finding the comfort of his best friend, the whole of his heart. She is looking at him, concerned, and only then does he realize there are tears streaking down his cheeks. 

“Mal,” Alina says, so gently. She reaches for his hand, but he pulls away. 

This is all wrong. He promised himself he’d be strong for her. Promised he would take his death in stride. No one would see the pain bubbling under the surface, the fear. Certainly not Alina. He refused to make what she had to do tomorrow any harder than it already was. 

“I’m sorry,” he says, and stands. “I just need a moment.”

And he thinks she might let him go. She doesn’t. 

“Malyen Oretsev,” Alina says, and her voice has force behind it now. Her stubborn spirit that he knows so well. “Come back here, right now.” 

And of course, he cannot say no to her. Mal sits back down, lets Alina wrap her arms around him. She murmurs, please don’t hide from me. So he doesn’t. Mal tucks his head in the crook of her neck. Alina rubs his back. He tells her about his dream between his sobs. I can still feel the cold, he tells her, so she wraps them in a warm glow of light. She murmurs soft comforts into his hair. Mal cries until he can’t anymore. They curl up like that for the rest of the night, sleep coming in bits and pieces, until the sky begins to lighten with the promise of dawn.

Alina whispers, “There is no end to our story.”

He’s not sure if she’s talking to him or the saints. He squeezes her closer.

Alina presses her lips against his neck, presses her next words into his skin. “We will always find each other.” 

#malinaweek #malina #malyen oretsev #alina starkov #writing #fanfic #malina fanfic #the grisha trilogy #ruin and rising #wrote this at 3am once again lmaooo #a little twist on this scene kinda #so like #ruin and rising spoilers #obvi #it's normally mal comforting alina after a nightmare so i wanted to switch it up yeehaw #anyway this is last minute so just short and (kind of) sweet enjoy?

[dylanobrienisbatman]

I literally do not understand, like I really don’t get it, how anyone could think the Darkling and Alina make a good pair. I can seriously ship Alina with everyone (hell even Nikolai) but him, cause it’s just so obvious that he’s hurting her. I don’t know, it’s literally impossible for me to see it. I don’t like the Darkling like at all, cause I don’t really think he’s well written, that’s is. I don’t consider him a well written villain but if somehow I did, I still wouldn’t ship him with Alina? I’d ship him with an evil OC? Cause to me it’s just something that totally doesn’t work and IT’S MEANT NOT TO WORK.

And as a Malina shipper, I must say that I’m tired of hearing that Alina “chose Mal” over the Darkling cause that’s not what happened. Alina didn’t have to choose between two guys, that’s not what the story is about. This is about Alina REFUSING the Darkling and that’s it. She chose HAPPINESS, and her happiness meant Mal, Genya, Zoya, Nikolai, Tamar, Tolya, Nadia, Misha etc... It’s not about what love story is better. What made me love the ending of the series wasn’t that Alina “chose the good guy over the bad guy”, it was that she wanted to get away from something/someone that hurt her and she MANAGED TO DO IT.

And a book targeted for teenagers published in 2012 (aka the period were toxic relationships where romanticized SO MUCH) that treats such themes, it’s really far more interesting than a story about a girl falling in love with a villain.

(Sorry for the long ask lmao)

Okay, well, sorry for the long response, but this is a WHOLE mood.

I personally think the Darkling is a well written villain, but that's mostly because he has the exact effect on the fanbase that Leigh was trying to prove by writing him the way she did, that attractive men can get away with pretty much anything because of their charm and their pretty faces, but overall I find him pretty lacking in a lot of ways. As an abuser, manipulator, and groomer, so specifically in his interactions with Alina, i think he's great, but overall in the story i find him kind of meh.

But honestly same!! Like honestly, I'm not really someone who enjoys "dark" ships. There are a few 'dark' ships that I've liked over the years, like early days Damon/Elena and Chuck/Blair (lol... to your point about romanticized toxic relationships...), but I was a lot younger when I was really invested in those ships, and as I've gotten older I really don't see the appeal in them as much as I used too. So I'm probably not the authority on what makes a good "dark" ship. But to each their own! Ship what you want! But to me, i hate it. Why would I want my heroine to be with someone who abuses her? Why would I want a strong female character to end up with someone who subjugates and controls her, and harms the people she loves? It's just not for me.

And yeah!! It's the misinterpretation of the ending that truly gets me. Alina would never choose the Darkling. Even if Mal had really died, and Alina had gone fully insane, I still dont think she would have been with him. If she had gone dark and went full power hungry crazy, I think she would have still killed him (@mal-zoya said it super well in this post). He hurt her friends, people she loves, like Nikolai and Genya, like Zoya, like Ana Kuya and the other teachers at the orphange, like Mal, and he hurt her. Even if she decided she wanted to become this immortal all powerful evil Grisha queen, it still makes no sense to think that she would side with the man who enslaved her. It just... doesn't make sense.

Alina didn't choose Mal OVER someone else, (possibly Nikolai, but still... not really? she never loved Nikolai?), she chose the life she wanted over the lives she didn't want. Even after her powers were taken from her (she did NOT give them up, despite what some people want to claim), she still could have become the Queen with Nikolai, or spent her life revered as Sankta Alina, but she chose to go live an ordinary life, full of ordinary things, full of friends who adored her and children who admired her and a husband who loved her.

I think the biggest thing that always gets lost is that the men in the story that were her 'choices', much like the hunger games 'love triangle', aren't just love interests. They represent paths that Alina can take during the story.

The Darkling represents greed and corruption. He represents a path where Alina loses sight of everything that is important to her and becomes the evil she is trying to defeat. Alina choosing The Darkling would be her loosing herself to her trauma and becoming a malevolent villain who torments the people she was meant to protect.

Nikolai represents political power and the need to be loved and worshiped by the people. He represents a path where Alina gives up the things she has always wanted for herself in pursuit of status and political power. Alina choosing Nikolai, and becoming the Queen, would be her abandoning her true calling, as the savior and protector of the people of Ravka, to rule them instead.

Mal represents humanity, sacrifice, and her true self. He represents the path Alina begins and ends the story on. Discovering that she is the Sun Summoner thrusts Alina into a life she didn't want as a child and never wanted, even by the end of the story. Harnessing the power of Morozova hurts her, and almost kills her. Accepting Nikolai's proposal makes her feel lonely, uncomfortable, and out of place. Alina choosing Mal, and by extension an ordinary life with the people she loves, represents Alina choosing to follow her heart, and to use her power for its true intention, to protect the people of Ravka and the world.

The power of the Sun Summoner wasn't granted to Alina so she could rule the world as some malevolent god-like figure, or be worshiped as a Saint, or rule the world as some immortal queen. The power of the Sun Summoner existed so that one day, someone who was pure of heart could step up and save the people of Ravka from the darkness and peril brought by The Darkling. The power of the Sun Summoner was granted to Alina because she had a pure heart, and because of her pure heart, she could withstand the greed for power, the corruption of the amplifiers, and the draw of political power and fame, to do the right thing and bring balance and peace back to the world. Her story is a beautiful thing because it reminds us that sometimes, the most important thing we can be is human, and kind.

#alina starkov #shadow and bone #i love this ask okay and i love Alina's story #malina #i mean its kind of malina? but also not really? but its still pro malina so im tagging it lol

[hello-yue-here]

thank you @chiptrillino for tagging me in a wip game!

not quite sure what the rules are but based off of your AMAZING POST OF ART WIPS (check it out here yall chip is so talented) ive decided to just share some parts of my writing wips that i rlly like because i cannot draw whatsoever lmao

enjoy some lil snippets hehe

from heart don't stand a chance:

"Zuko couldn’t get over her eyes. She was looking past the camera towards the man who took it. Zuko could see clear as day the love she held for Sokka in her gaze.

It was a perfect moment that Sokka had captured. No wonder held it with him at all times. If someone had looked at Zuko like that, he’d never want to see anything again.

As he took in the photograph, Sokka sat next to him in silence. His hand was clutching the ring around his neck again in his fist, pressing it close to his mouth as he peered over Zuko’s shoulder to look. Zuko turned to him to compliment the picture and saw a sad fondness lingering in his eyes."

this is a scene i wrote a while ago thats gonna appear in a much later chapter. but yeah. more yue angst for you guys im so sorry.

from i love you (and that's all i really know):

"Mister Sokka," a little voice wishpered in his ear as he felt tiny pokes on his cheek, "Wake up Mister Sokka."

"Good morning to you too Izumi," Sokka responded wearily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked towards the little girl who was standing on her tippy toes to see over the edge of the bed and poke his face until he rose.

She smiled at him once she realized he was awake.

"Can we have pancakes?" She asked shyly, hiding her mouth just below the edge of the bed as she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

That look was going to be dangerous for him later on, he could aready tell.

"Sure thing, Izumi, just let me sleep for five more minutes, mkay?" He asked as he shut his eyes again. He was exhausted from last nights events, and the sun had barely risen. How did Zuko do this?"

this is a scene from the next chapter of this fic. so much sokka and izumi bonding you guys are gonna explode hehehe.

from cherry (the mailee fic i wont shut up about that is now a whopping 19 pages):

"Mai never had to guess with Ty Lee. She always knew when Ty Lee was happy about something because she would use an obnoxious amount of exclamation points. She would send gifs of people or cartoons making outlandish expressions whenever she wanted to react to Mai’s text with a specific facial expression. Sometimes Ty Lee would even send voice memos whenever her thoughts became too long, or she got too excited about a story that her fingers couldn’t type as fast as she could speak."

hehe i love mailee.

from yours (the mailee sorority fic that i promise i did not forget about):

"Mai lifted her head off the pillow again and met Zuko’s eyes. She studied his impassive expression, trying to figure out if he was joking or not. He did seem like he missed Mai and Azula, so maybe he did really just want to catch up with them.

But Mai wasn’t going to give up a golden opportunity like this.

“Tell us everything about the boy toy as well and you’ve got yourself a deal,” Mai said.

Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed, “Ugh, fine. And his name is Sokka by the way.”

“Nuance. You also have to wake up Azula.”

“No chance in hell,” Zuko scoffed, “You’re the roommate and her fellow ‘pong princess,’ wake-up duty is all yours.”

“If she murders me, it’s your fault. She’s a bitch when she’s hungover.”

“Whatever you say, Mai,” Zuko grinned before returning back to his phone."

i have decided that zuko is a little shit for this fic and no one can stop me.

from Where'd All the Time Go? (the yuekka fic that i have severe writers block with that i also promis i have not forgotten about):

"“Sokka I really think you need to take a moment and-”

“I am fine Aang, I don’t have time for a feelings talk right now. Right now I need to find the fucking chief of this damn place.” His words came out harsher than he meant, but he didn’t have the time to dwell on that.

Before Sokka could run off again to continue his search, a hand grabbed his arm. One of Arnook’s advisors, Malina, had started dragging him towards the podium.

“Do you not realize how late you are for this Sokka? The ceremony was supposed to begin with your speech nearly an hour ago-” she hissed at him as she pulled him along through the crowd.

“Malina I’m sorry but I really need to speak with Arnook it is urgent-”

“This damn speech of yours is what’s urgent right now Sokka, you can speak with Arnook later but the guests are getting antsy so you need to give your speech right. Now.”

“But-”

“Now.”

Maline shoved Sokka towards the podium and suddenly all eyes were on him. Every guest in attendance had their focus solely on Sokka."

homeboy is stressed in this scene. things are slowly going to shit in this chapter. i promise i will update this before the end of the year. i swear. im so sorry.

from a currently untitled jetko/sukka boiling rock fic:

"“Oh good, you survived after all,” She said in a mocking tone.

Jet didn’t answer. He knew anything he said would be used against him. He didn’t know where he was. He didn’t know what was happening. But he would be damned if he showed that weakness in front of the fire nation.

“I was told you were more talkative than this,” the girl mused. There was something familiar about her, “my informants were very detailed when discussing your little teashop romance.”

I knew it. Jet snarled in his mind, That bastard betrayed me."

i want this fic to be a little darker but idk how good i am at writing darker fics because i love fluff and humor too much. this could be good angst practice for me.

from a toph and sokka fic that i wrote a while back to help me cope w some shit that i dont know if ill ever post:

"“Sokka? Are you still there?” Toph asked, the slightest hint of concern began to slip into their voice

“Tell me a story,” he was trembling. Despite all of his efforts to sound calm, he knew his voice came out trembling and scratchy and pathetic-

“Is everything okay? You don’t sound too hot,” Toph said through the phone.

Breathe, Sokka, breathe. You don’t want them to be worried, you just need to calm down.

“Please, Toph, I just,” he said through shaky breaths that weren’t nearly deep enough for him to be getting enough oxygen, “I just need a distraction. I just need to hear your voice okay?”"

nonbinary toph anyone?

from a 10 things i hate about you kataang and zukka au:

"“What? Something on my face?” the guy asked deadpanned. He rubbed at his scar as if he were wiping off a smudge of mustard, and Aang’s face went pale.

“Stop scaring the sophomores Zuko, this one’s new. He won’t get your… humor… just yet,” Ms. Wu said as she waved Aang off again.

“I’m hurt that you’d imply I’m not funny, Wu. I’m hilarious,” the senior, Zuko, said as he walked past Aang.

Aang let out a sigh of relief knowing that this Zuko guy didn’t seem all that offended by his awkwardness, and darted out of the room."

zuko is a little shit part 2. the amount of sarcasm i have dripping off of heath ledger zuko is glorious. let zuko be a little shit. i havent added to this in months but when i finish some of my other wips i cant wait to get back to this.

i have more wips and drafts saved but none of them have anything juicy or funny or interesting yet because all of them are like less than three pages so far

but yeah, heres a good chunk of sneaky peakys from my wips!

I hope you liked them!

anyone who wants to do this can totally go for it. imma tag @ambykinns @lumities and @flowers-inthepieshop (only if you all want too!!) because this was fun :)

#liv talks about writing #liv talks ab fanfic #liv wips #liv fics #i love sharing my writing #especially when i have a bit of a block going on with well.... every fic #maybe this will give me inspiration!!! #i love sharing my writing im proud of these little snippets and i hope you all likes them as well :) #atla #avatar: the last airbender