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no1ryomafan · 5 months

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I have said this before but me being self proclaimed number 1 Ryoma fan and that being possibly literal-bc even if this bro had fans before me I might’ve simply done the most for him by talking about him so much + being the first to write fics that are in depth studies on his trauma across canons-I gotta say if there’s one other character I rotate a lot that isn’t him it’s probably Kei. (Shocking it’s not Hayato even if I do think about him too- but it’s usually associated with Ryoma bc gays 🗿)

I’m not even exaggerating when I say Kei would be my favorite and only isn’t because she doesn’t exist in many other canons yet my brain rotates the endless possibilities of how to incorporate her. I’ve already written a fic where she’s in shin vs neo verse which worked surprisingly well but I’ve been thinking how universally she could appear in other things. (Whether it be fitting her into a idea of a possible Go team in New or just a new canon completely) I think what I’ve narrow it down to is that she could be like- in Michirus role? Like she’s the supporting female who isn’t a pilot but helps out the real occasionally which I think would align very well especially with the original manga role she has of being Hayato’s assistant. And even if Hayato isn’t grandpa mode yet he still very much is in Saotomes position at that point. Not sure if she’d Hayato’s biological kid to further parallel Saotome and Michiru given well Hayato already adopts the Go team and his wife is irrelevant LOL.

I have no idea if I’ll ever write this specific idea but I’m still- rotating it cause this is such a easy way to get around “picking between Sho or Kei as the 2nd pilot” since both of them can still exist even if one doesn’t get to pilot, idm my supporting females. (Granted there could always be like- plot line where Sho gets hurt so Kei is temporary pilot but I can’t remember if Getter ever really did this since “once your hurt your ass is basically replaced” lol)

#meg text #getter robo #au rambles #I think I rotate her so much because my friend and I talked about her relationship with Go #like it makes so much sense if among all the universal constants in getter one would be Kei is important to Go #granted the shift from “she’s my love interest” to “she’s my sister” will never not be so fucking drastic 💀#also I get why in SVN she wasn’t there for time and idk where you’d fit her but man Kei deserves a more significant role #hence why I imagine her in Michirus role because even if she also had it ROUGH some iterations knew how to use her #also Kei already has a established relationship w gai mainly thanks to arma so- Sho deserves to speak with her too #they can be besties who rat out on the boys but still have high respect for hayato #granted I know the real reason why this hasn’t happened is because Kei is a minor character and “no proper go manga adaptation??”#at this point I don’t expect a anime but it be nice if Go team got used in a spin off bc we had a good run of OG team #I’d also want them to use arc in spin offs too but I understand their more- finicky characters to use #given their main thing is their actual descendants of existing characters and one of them is our first boyo (ryoma)#if you took out the bloodline stuff it make them feel redundant because you can just use go team for that #also honestly despite how mixed arc anime is for everyone they really don’t need to be in anything after this #other then wishing they get something with nicer animation but that’s what’s SRW is for #(also back to Kei I’m a bit upset she did not get a cameo in arc even if she’d probably look horrendous it was just salt in the wound)#(GAI LITERALLY SAIDS WHEN HE DIES IN THE MANGA HE SEES KEI WHERE WAS SHE WITH ALL THE GETTER GHOSTS?)#actually Michiru wasn’t there too so it was probably just woman erasure /hj

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picaroroboto · 3 months

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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tenebraevesper · 10 months

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Ah, yes... the old excuse of ‘Félix doesn’t have good chemistry with Marinette’. As someone who has written a 26+ chapters story with the setting in the Ladybug PV Universe, I have to say that I have never encountered any problems where it was “impossible” for me to write Félix and Bridgette’s dynamics without creating bad chemistry between them.

Although, maybe it’s because I’m using a very special and very unique writing technique known as - character development.

Honestly, the more I think about Miraculous Ladybug and its characters, the more I think that the only reason they decided to make Adrien a Nice Guy is because they couldn’t bother writing some actual character development for him and instead decided to just hand him everything he wants on a silver platter. After all, isn’t it easier when your character already is super cool and super special and has just the right amount of trauma to make people sympathize with him in order to let him get away with literal murder (on multiple occasions!)?

To me, Adrien is a very one-dimensional and bland character who has no progress aside from flipping an internal switch and no life aside from obsessing over a girl. Take away his role as Cat Noir and him being Gabriel Agreste’s (the main villain) son, and there is really nothing that makes him appealing nor interesting as a character. Even if he is given an opportunity to develop as a character, he whines until the universe bends backwards to reward him without doing anything to deserve it.

It is also hilarious how they brought back Félix to be the one to actually progress the plot instead of letting either of the main characters figure out that Gabriel is Hawk Moth/Shadow Moth/Monarch, because they need to focus on unnecessary drama instead of actual story progression.

Seriously, this screams “We couldn’t bother to put effort into writing Félix, so we gave up”.

#Ten's Thoughts #Up Ladybug #ml salt #mlb salt #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug pv #adrien agreste #adrien salt #felix agreste #felix graham de vanily #felix fathom #gabriel agreste #hawkmoth #monarch #MLB writing is embarrassing.#thomas astruc salt #ladybug pv

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welcometothejianghu · 6 months

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Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 鬓边不是海棠红/Winter Begonia

Winter Begonia is the tale of the intertwined lives of a wealthy, westernized businessman and a bratty, dramatic Peking Opera performer as they navigate the historical landscape of 1930s China.

It is a slow historical ramble of a show, to the point where I couldn't really say it has a single plot. Events just happen in their lives, and the show follows them with a pleasant steadiness. Characters go away, and sometimes they come back. Interpersonal conflicts rise and then get resolved. Sometimes you just get to sit and watch part of an opera happen. The last third of the show develops a slightly more cohesive narrative, but even then, it's still mostly a loose constellation of events related to larger goings-on in the culture.

So if you're looking for tight plots and fast-paced action, you'll want to look somewhere else. But if you're the kind of person who likes to wrap up sometimes in a gentle warm blanket of a beautiful show, I have five reasons you should give this one a try.

1. Oh, they're in love

Perhaps the most notable thing about Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui is that they spend the entire show smiling at one another, staring longingly at one another, and/or making each other laugh.

A lot of danmei couples depend on having at least one partner who, if not outright tsundere, is at least stoically long-suffering -- which is romantic, sure, but also exhausting in real life. These two read about as married as any danmei pair I've ever seen because they make one another smile all the time. They're incredibly touchy and affectionate from basically the moment they meet. They're not just in love, they actually like one another.

Now, don't get me wrong: These two are both absolute exhausting gremlins who deserve one another so they don't have to be anyone else's problems. But they're good-natured enough about their respective gremlin natures that when one of them lets loose with his rascality, the other tends to think it's hilarious.

They don't even have the mandated danmei breakup! They're never mad at one another for more than the length of an episode. Most of the time they're just refreshingly normal about one another (or, you know, about as normal as two drama queens can be). And when they're being not normal about one another, it's because the circumstances they are currently enduring are not normal either.

They're so in love that by the time you get to the last episode, everyone in their lives is like, gee, those two sure are in love. For the main couple in a Chinese-censored BL adaptation? That's pretty darn in love.

2. The costumes!!!

Of course I have to gush over the costumes. Several major characters are professional opera performers, and their wardrobes are just stunning in complexity and detail -- and accuracy, apparently.

But they're not even where all of the wardrobe budget went! Everyone looks great, from the dapper upper class to the household servants to the street performers.

I also can't get over how everyone looks so cozy in their winter outfits. The show really wants to hammer home how cold Beijing is, and so most non-opera clothes are either heavily quilted or furry. Not a single outfit in this show is slimming (except maybe for some of the gorgeous gowns Cheng Meixin wears). It's all about conserving body heat, which means a lot of people walk around basically wearing mildly tailored quilts all the time. I love it. I envy it.

3. Oops! All bottoms!

This is a show of very soft men. It helps that very many of them have spent their whole lives playing female roles, but even those that haven't tend to be pretty darn soft.

(And I'm not even talking about the way people keep handing Cheng Fengtai babies and he loves it.)

Du Luocheng and Shang Xirui are absolutely what happens when you get two soft gay guys who are kinda into one another, but they're both too lazy to top, so they just become best friends instead.

Fan Lian stands as a testament to how you can be the only heterosexual in the show and still be soft as hell.

The old married gays. Softness level: off the charts.

Chen Renxiang's role is that of the opera frenemy, and he's incredibly soft about it. (This actor is also apparently in the Sha Po Lang live-action adaptation! Maybe someday it will be released...)

Opera underling La Yuehong hardens up later in the show, but even when he does, there's still a tragic softness to it.

Even the baddies are soft! Pretty much all the rival opera bitches fall into the "love to hate" category -- and nearly all of them win at least some sympathy from you before they leave the story for good.

There's one more soft boy whose presence surprised me, and that is Xue Zhicheng/Kujo Kazuma, a sympathetic Japanese character. Every other Japanese character in the show is sinister somehow -- not surprising, considering the drama is set during the brutal Japanese occupation of Beiping/Beijing.

But this little guy is a gentle, well-meaning opera fan who just wants to watch his favorite performers! When his actions cause trouble, it's only because he's so well-meaning that he couldn't see how anyone could disapprove of his attempts at cross-cultural undertanding. He even comes to the rescue a few times, at significant personal cost!

Moreover, the show uses him to make it clear that there's a difference between the Japanese occupying force and Japanese people and culture. In fact, the show is pretty critical of people who conflate the two and use interest in the latter as evidence of support of the former. That is not a level of nuance I've seen from other dramas set in this time period, and I was pleased to see it.

In conclusion, the critial war shortage in 1930s Beijing was not food or medicine or ammunition, but tops.

4. A whole lotta ladies

Again, not even counting the fact that one of the two main guys, many of his buddies, all of his heroes, and several of the antagonists professionally dress as women.

The most notable of them is Cheng Fengtai’s wife, Fan Xiang'er. They've been married for years by the time the show starts, and they have a son together. Theirs is an arranged marriage that they've managed to make work so well that they've actually wound up liking one another ... most of the time. Remember what I said earlier about his being exhausting? She knows that better than anyone.

(Sidebar: If you are uncomfortable with a love story where one of the participants is canonically married to someone else, this may be one you want to skip. That said, there are several male characters in this show who have multiple wives and/or mistresses, so the metric of what counts as infidelity in this setting is ... loose.)

Beyond her, though, there are many more female supporting characters in this show, from all different socioeconomic levels, in all different kinds of situations.

A caveat: Some of the women (one in particular) are at times frustrating as hell because they're too often written as jealous shrews who believe all the terrible gossip they hear and act on it without having actual adult conversations with anyone first. I dislike this trope, mostly because it relies on making some smart women artificially very stupid for the sake of forwarding the plot. I have little patience for situations that could have been solved five episodes ago if somebody had just been willing to ask clarifying questions.

That said, I can't be too mad about that, because there are many, many more women who are not written like that. Some of them are good and loyal! Some are sneaky and self-interested! Some are callous and manipulative! Some are meek and traumatized! Some make terrible decisions! Some make terrible decisions but, like, you get it! You know, just like in real life?

The answer to better representation is almost always more representation. When a character is the only one of whatever they are, everything they do is kind of an indictment of that category, especially when that category has a history of stereotypical negative representation. When there are several others, the characters stop being representatives of that category and start being just plain characters.

5. It just feels good to watch

Don't misunderstand: This is not a happy fun time show where everything in sunshine and roses all the way down. There are plenty of tense and emotional parts. Not everyone we like makes it out of the drama alive. Not all love stories get a happily ever after. People disappoint one another all the time. Awful things happen when soldiers occupy civilian populations. Poverty is a bitch.

But the show itself remains a nice viewing experience. It's absolutely a feast for the senses, what with all the music and costumes and sets and props and old-fashioned cars and everything.

The story is very straightforward. It's never trying to do any complex schemes or mislead you before some big reveal. I imagine this could be a good show to put on in the background while you're doing something else. You're never going to be too desperately confused about what's going on if you zone out for a minute -- and if you are, just hang on for a bit, because by next episode, it'll probably be onto whatever storyline comes next.

I have not read the novel, and I cannot judge anything against its standards. However, my friend who has read parts of the novel tells me that the adaptation is much preferable, because in the novel, you get to hear everyone's internal narration -- and everyone's internal narration makes it clear they're all bratty, insufferable assholes. That is not the case here! Or, rather, they are often bratty and/or insufferable, but from outside their heads, it's a lot more charming.

Finally, it's legitimately a very good love story. Shang Xirui is the only person in Cheng Fengtai's life who loves him for who he is, not what someone else needs him to be. Cheng Fengtai goes from being enraptured by this beautiful little weirdo to basically wanting to wife him. They spend a lot of time taking care of one another, sometimes in the only ways they know how. They're capable of operating independently -- there are several episodes where their storylines diverge completely -- but they'd prefer not to. They've just each found their soulmate, and that's all there is to it. (The red thumbprint in the palm is about the most romantic thing I've ever seen.)

I'm a little surprised by how little I hear English-speaking fandom talk about this one, especially since (see below) it's a widely available, high-budget show that even has a Shang Xirui figurine, and there's no question about how in gay love these two are. But if you hop over to AO3, there's only 257 works total in the Winter Begonia tag, a scant 57 of which are in English, and if you've tried looking into the Winter Begonia tag on Tumblr, you know it's pretty quiet 'round here.

I can't be sure, but I'd assume that's partly because this is both a) a relatively low-stakes drama, and b) so enmeshed with actual historical events and concepts that you'd have to do at least a baseline amount of research before making any fan media. I would imagine that for some folk, this is a barrier to entry.

And it is 49 slow, gentle episodes long. I saw Tumblr posts asking which episodes are important, because the posters don't want to or can't commit to watching the whole thing. But the answer is ... all of them? none of them? There's no plot you'd be getting or missing with specific episodes. There are very few things I can think of that would even qualify as spoilers. It's just a walk through a couple very eventful years in the main pair's lives. I understand if folk aren't up for that, but if you are, this is really a gem.

Have I convinced you to give it a try?

I would say that Winter Begonia is perhaps the most easily watchable of any c-drama I've come across. Here's where you can find it:

iQiyi

Viki

Amazon Prime

YouTube

We watched most of it on YouTube, where the subs were perfectly fine. However, there was one episode where we had to switch platforms because the English subs were all out of synch, so we went to Amazon and they were fine there too. Other than that, I don't really have a sense of which translation experience is the best. Try them all!

(PS: If you feel like putting on a tinfoil hat, I'm just going to say, they look at one another like that in real life, too.)

#winter begonia #i made this #鬓边不是海棠红 #rec post

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yuikomorii · 6 months

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// I’m making this post, as a result of seeing way too much hate and misinfo regarding every character. Nobody stops anyone from voicing their opinion but the need to degrade a character, while providing BAD reasons or stating incorrect/out-of-context facts about them only for the sake of internet validation, is such a loser move.

We’re all in this fandom to have fun and even if you have something negative to say about a character you don’t like, keep it to yourself or in private with your friends.

Ayato:

“I don’t like Ayato, he’s overrated”, omg you’re just sooo different! Definitely not like other girls/guys!

Everyone is allowed to dislike whatever they want but if Ayato is your least/one of your least favorite DL characters, then your opinion ISN’T valid. This is a franchise full of abusive characters and he’s literally the most heroic love interest. Why would you hate the hero…?

“He’s dumb and annoying”, says the person who spends their time insulting FICTIONAL characters. 1) Japanese fans like dumb characters, since they come off as endearing; 2) Ayato outdid everyone throughout the routes.

He did more good than all of his brothers and saying that X, Y or Z deserves the main role more, is fake fan behavior because at this point you’re just setting up your favs.

Kanato:

No, you’re not cool for calling him ugly. It’s okay if you’re not into that type of characters but his design is not bad at all.

“He had no development”, he does in CL. It’s not major but it can still be visible.

The whole Teddy thing might be annoying to some of you, but his fans get why he acts that way. Let’s not forget that he is a victim of neglect.

Yes, he was sexually exploited too. Don’t forget this x2.

Laito:

“I hate Laito so much, he was so cruel in HDB 😢”; stop living in the past and move on already.

His development shouldn’t be overlooked only because your opinion about him was formed on something that came out more than 10 years ago.

He’s still the most fascinating DL character and I get that he might make some of you feel uncomfortable but don’t project your triggers on a character that’s merely made after a trope.

Shu:

No, it’s not Shu’s fault for the way Reiji acted. Envy is never a good reason to hurt someone.

“Shu roasts the heroine the most!”, I get that it’s rude but his insults are actually funny?? A bunch of people will like him for being brutally honest or a jerk because it’s literally a game for players with masochistic fantasies. They WANT to be roasted by good-looking men. That’s the point.

“Shu is lazy and stupid, he’s the only one who failed his school year”, genuine question: If you were an immortal creature that doesn’t need food or sleep to survive, would you still care about grades? Besides, he’s really smart.

“Shu doesn’t care about Yuma, he just feels guilty”, in LE he sacrificed himself for him and reincarnated merely because he wished to meet Yuma again and get on well with him in another life—

Reiji:

“He hurt Shu and Yuma”, well yeah but he was shown plenty of times regretting it and trying to fix things. Stop reminding this to Reiji stans because that conflict is already closed.

“He is so mean in other routes”, obviously?? If you don’t teach him how to love, he won’t suddenly act nice towards anyone.

Without him Yui would fail her tests and the Sakamaki household would be in chaos.

Subaru:

“W-What do you mean baby Tsundere is not soft innocent virgin boy? 🥺”; he has never been like that, that’s how YOU perceived him. Stop acting so shocked every time Subaru does something bad because he’s still a vampire after all??

Also, why are so many people reducing his character to Kou and/or Yui—? He’s much more than that and has his own interests, struggles, likes, dislikes, and so on.

“He’s irrelevant”; Diabolik Lovers has 13 love interests, they can’t make everyone extremely important to the general plot. Just enjoy a character as it is, it’s not that hard.

Ruki:

The cat jokes were funny when the Meow Meow Vampire art came out but MOVE ON. I hate that scene and Ruki was in the wrong but come on now, that’s not even the worst thing he has done and MB happened in 2013.

I understand not liking Ruki as a person, because he’s mostly not a good one, but this doesn’t mean he’s not a good character.

“Ruki deserved what happened to him in the past because he was cruel towards everyone”; while I agree that Karma hit him, I wouldn’t say any child really deserves to go through that. He was just a spoiled brat, who most likely wasn’t taught by his parents about modesty or kindness.

Kou:

“He was so cruel in MB 😣”, and HE HAD DEVELOPMENT! He’s not the same anymore, nobody is.

“He overreacts”, sometimes he’s not in the wrong and has all rights to be angry.

Kou isn’t afraid of going against Ruki, even if he’s the brother he admires the most, as long as he knows that what Ruki is doing isn’t good.

Yuma:

“He beat Yui up in the MB bad ending!😡😡”, it’s a bad ending for a reason, lol.

Pretty reminder that Yuma always tries to help others with Kou and Azusa, and was even willing to save the ghouls in LE.

“Yuma doesn’t care about Shu”, did we play the same game or…?

Azusa:

“Azusa is so horrible, he threw Teddy in the fire!”; and he only did it to save Yui, it was not intentional.

While not all his actions are good, keep in mind that he never means any harm and is overall such a sweet guy.

“He is too clingy”; I know that might not be everyone’s cup of tea but is it really worth hating a character just for wanting affection?

The Tsukinamis and Kino:

“They were too easy to defeat in DF!”; Dark Fate wasn’t entirely about them to begin with. Most routes focused on the boys’ internal struggles with their trauma and how to move past it.

“Kino is sometimes mean for the sake of being mean”; it’s almost as if he’s the ✨villain✨

It’s dumb questioning the morals of characters supposed to have an antagonistic role.

“Kino hurt Ayato in LE”; out of all characters who have wronged Ayato, at least Kino felt bad and wanted to apologize.

Yui:

“She’s dumb and ugly”; Japanese fans literally love her for being an idiot because it wouldn’t be fun to see the heroine being the best at everything or not making mistakes at all. Plus, her design is definitely not ugly.

Stop creating your own version of Yui in your head and ending up disappointed when she doesn’t act the way you expect her to. No, Yui is not OOC for liking being bitten, having a low learning ability or saying things she shouldn’t in the wrong moments. Nobody is perfect and everyone has their own kinks and flaws.

“She’s too innocent”; she’s not?? If you really want to see her thirsty, go play Ayato’s routes, especially the heaven scenarios.

“She’s weak”, she’s the opposite. Yui is one of the most mentally strong DL characters.

I can’t understand people who hate on heroines when they’re present in all routes and are the most positive characters.

#diabolik lovers #yui komori #ayato sakamaki #kanato sakamaki #laito sakamaki #shu sakamaki #reiji sakamaki #subaru sakamaki #ruki mukami #kou mukami #yuma mukami #azusa mukami #carla tsukinami #shin tsukinami #kino #dialovers #admin

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demonproofboi · 11 days

Text

ok, putting my thoughts in order

I get the why. youtube sucks and each year that passes, it sucks more. they have a company and employees, and they've said before that watcher wasn't actually making a profit. it is way too harsh to say they're too greedy or "just like buzzfeed" or other stuff I've seen thrown around. they deserve to get money for their work, we are not entitled to free content, etc! I agree with all that.

the thing is though... I don't see how this could feasibly work? like, putting aside how most people are fed up with the sheer amount of streaming platforms popping up lately, the way I see it, their content does not have enough variety to warrant a paid subscription. and if it were to become varied enough, it would probably need a bigger cast and shows run by different people. and the problem with that is that we can't deny that the main appeal of watcher is how much people care about shane and ryan and (it pains me to say this, you all know he's my favorite but, to a lesser extent) steven. a ton of us are here because we wanted to keep watching them. for the people, not the shows, essentially. that is very clear when you look at the views of their shows.

idk, what I mean to say is, I don't see how they could have a catalog of content that justifies paying a monthly subscription if you're not a very avid fan willing to support them just because they're them, and even then those avid fans might end up dissatisfied because either a) a lot of the content will not include the people they want to see or b) the content will not be frequent enough. maybe I'm wrong and there is a third option here but, let's be real, there's gotta be a limit to how many different shows they can put shane and ryan in to have a varied catalogue and frequent upload schedule. and if it's not them in those shows, we bump into problem a.

I know the topic of whether or not $5.99 is a lot of money also became a reason for fights around here. this is what I have to say, as an international fan: depending on what country you're from, it's the sort of expense you just can't justify. like, the sort of money you shouldn't even spend on netflix with its very extensive selection of content. the sort of money you could use to pay a whole bill, buy groceries for a week, a month even! as it stands, here in brazil, for now, it's not really feasible. R$312 a year is a ton of money for me and I can't even say I'm struggling financially.

still on this topic, it is really hard not to take this "affordable to anyone and everyone" thing to heart being someone outside of the US, because it is the sort of thing that happens again and again, this sort of americentrism the internet at large seems to be stuck in. when they outright say they view this price as affordable to everyone it's very clear they have not taken international fans into consideration or they just don't really care. if they hadn't said that with so much certainty, maybe I'd feel a little less hurt. and you know, whatever, it's my feelings vs the needs of a company, and companies are not your friends but! ever since the beginning, the relationship between us and them has been very parasocial. lol it's like a good friend of mine said something that hurt my feelings. although maybe that's my own fault for placing them in that role in my head in the first place.

anyway, idk if this makes sense, the goal here isn't even to pick a side or tell anyone they're wrong... as with most things this is just too complicated for that. what I can say is that the way they went about this could have been a lot better. and for now what I am feeling is that this is eventually going to crash and burn but well, I just really hope I'm wrong. they deserve good things.

#i also wanna say thank you to those who offered to pay for me you guys are so cool #but I'm not even sure I'll have time or motivation to blog about travel season or create any content related to it #and if i let any of you pay I'd feel so bad if I ended up not talking about the show here #idk! maybe i sound dumb #please don't come for me i really hope i don't make anyone mad here #watcher

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zee-rambles · 9 months

Note

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the Rise of TMNT Movie, what is something you love the most about it that you don’t see anyone either talking about as much, or at all?

LONG POST COMING! Two things really…

1. The Lack of Romance in it.

I’ve seen one too many great shows be ruined by shipping, and one thing that annoys me more then anything is when you have a girl/woman and they’re almost always relegated to a love interest role. Almost every kid’s TV show (and a LOT of adult oriented ones) has to have a romantic element in it, but I’ve yet to see a single one that actually has a good one (besides Kim Possible, but that’s only because we were allowed to see the characters in a healthy, stable relationship). The fact that neither April, Sunita, Casey, Karai, nor Big Mama had to be pigeonholed into a romantic interest role is such a big plus for me. Even though Big Mama was later revealed to have had a relationship with Splinter, she was set up as a character first. Not only that, but each of the women are unique, funny, allowed to be a part of the action without anyone else telling them to step back, and have interesting or strong bonds with the group they are part of. If they do ever bring Rise back, I hope they continue to not focus on romance at all, straight, gay, or otherwise. Even though I joke about the boys falling for someone and Leo being bisexual, I wouldn’t want it. The focus on family, on brother/sisterhood, is so healthy and wonderfully depicted in this show. It’s rare to see something that reminds you that love doesn’t have to be romantic to be powerful.

2. The fact that the show is silly.

TMNT has always been silly. Even back in the first comic, though things were a lot more violent, it was clear that this was a spoof to make fun of how comically (pun intended) dark certain comics were at the time. Nowadays, a lot of people believe that for a show to be worth something it has to be serious in order to be taken seriously. I think that’s a load of baloney. The whole reason why the Marvel cinematic universe did so well is because it isn’t serious. It’s full of goofy jokes, characters, and moments where the heroes rise up regardless of their numerous failures. Avatar is one of the most beloved shows out there and its main character is a goofy kid, a overly logical genius that couldn’t’ get anything right in the beginning, and a sarcastic, hopeful stick in the mud. The first few episodes talks about a war and then shows a single kid literally prancing his way out of a dangerous predicament. The best shows are the ones that understand that balance. That life is, for the most part, light hearted and full of silly, often ridiculous moments. These shows also realize that when the threat is real, it’s time to get serious. Rise has that balance, just like the original Teen Titans did. Older TMNT fans really went against the one thing that is this show’s greatest strength. Stories that endure the longest, are the ones that are fun, but know how to affect you emotionally. That’s why TMNT is still a thing after all this time. And Rise handles the emotions well, only because we’ve seen the characters at their happiest. Because then, when things get real, we’re heartbroken that they don’t succeed, that they’re suffering. We want them to be happy again, just like we do in real life when times are tough. It’s no wonder so many people love Rise and say that it got them through tough times. The show knows what it’s doing.

AND IT DESERVES TO COME BACK!

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haveyouseenthisskeleton · 4 months

Note

Hello! :)

How would your main 10 skeletons react if their child was chosen for a main role in a play/dance and have been practicing for over a year for the role only to be replaced and not have a role at all?

This actually happened to me when I was taking dance :(

Hope you have a nice day/night!

Undertale Sans - He's sad for his kid, but that happens. It's alright though. If Sans has one weakness, it's clearly not bear to see his family sad. Not only he's going to find you another role, but it will be ten times better than the one you had. He didn't hesitate one second to use Mettaton to have access to some cool opportunities.

Undertale Papyrus - He's so mad they ditched you like this. It's maybe touching him a little more than it should be as well as he used to get ditched from everything as a kid. He still assures you it has nothing to do with your skills and that he's sure you'll find another opportunity soon. Not two days later, he convinces Mettaton to hire you. Being an international star is way better than some role in your school.

Underswap Sans - That's life, kiddo. It's unfair, but it happens often. Blue tries to comfort them the best he can, but he can tell you're disappointed. It's ok though, you can still use what you learn to try somewhere else. He believes in you, he's sure you can find a better opportunity!

Underswap Papyrus - He's so mad at your teacher for just ditching you for no reason. It's unfair, and you clearly wanted to participate a lot. After trying to beg your cause at the school, he's involving some local journalists to make everyone realize how stupid they are to not accept their daughter! He wins in the end and you get your role back.

Underfell Sans - He tells his kid that they didn't deserve them anyway because they're too good for their shitty show. Red is so gonna hack the show to put videos of you training in the middle of the dance performance so everyone sees what they lost. He doesn't care if he gets into trouble. Not his fault you're all jealous.

Underfell Papyrus - He goes full Karen mode and he's storming the dance class to say what he thinks of that bullshit decision. He pays for lessons for his child all year, he even buys them private sessions. Either you pay him back or he's suing you, and oh boy, you don't want him to sue you when he's the best lawyer in the city. Either you give back their child's role or you're going in prison for stealing his money.

Horrortale Sans - He feels guilty. He can tell that's because the kids are scared of him when he's coming to take you home at the end of your classes. You tell him it's not his fault they're racist bitches and that you prefer to leave than support their anti-monster bullshit anyway. He's so proud of you. He's going to help you find another role though. He wants to help.

Horrortale Papyrus - He can tell immediately it's because he's scary and the other parents complained. But that's not going to happen. There's no way you're dropping your dream role for some racist idiots. He's going to tell them what he thinks of this, and of how ashame they should be for showing such an example for the young generation. He casually threatens to sue them for discriminating his child as well because it's what it is: discrimination for being a monster. He's not going to tolerate this. That's ten years since the monsters are out of the Underground, get over it already!

Swapfell Sans - That's fine, he simply pays the class director and tells them nicely that if they keep causing trouble for his child, he's closing their business definitely. The director screams at him for trying to buy privileges. The next day, the building mysteriously explodes during the night. How could that happen? O:

Swapfell Papyrus - That's fine. When you're down, nothing is better than a little revenge. You spend the night throwing dog poop and eggs at every window of the building lol. Rus switches on every faucet of the building too and let them run the entire weekend. Someone is going to have a surprise on Monday. And a water tax so high they're going to faint. That's for the money he lost in their stupid school. He's going to find another role for his kid after that.

Fellswap Gold Sans - Oh, it's fine. He simply goes to see your teacher and gives them the scare of their life by threatening them with his bones and blasters. Either you give their role to their kid or... Well, you don't really want to know what can happen, right? :)

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - He's disgusted your school would do something so lame after such a long time training. He assures you you're a good dancer though and that they're losing more than you, because you're clearly going to find something better and make them all jealous. When you find a new role, he's sticking posters of your show everywhere on and inside your old school so they all see what they missed.

#undertale #underswap #underfell #horrortale #swapfell #fellswap gold #sans #papyrus #undertale ask blog #undertale asks #undertale imagines #undertale headcanons

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steveandbuckysdaughter · 4 months

Note

Hi, again. 👋

I found the post you were talking about. The stan's account was deactivated, but yeesh. 😬 Nice replies to them, btw.

The stan that bashed on me said I was being misogynistic, even though I'm a black woman who just wanted to see another black character get their chance to shine.

Hell, it's not just the shows and movies (I think this all started with Endgame). It's also the Steve Rogers musical too. I don't know if you know about it, but Disney made the musical real, and it really did Sam and Bucky dirty.

Sam isn't even in it. Maybe he was mentioned once, but the musical showed an image of Sam as Captain America. As for Bucky, his scene from CA:TFA, where he saved pre-serum Steve, was given to Peggy instead. Bucky was mentioned once, and the musical tried to justify Steve's ending from Endgame. All for this ship.

And, frankly, I don't hate Peggy, I'm just more annoyed that other characters get shoved aside as well as this great dynamic that Steve and Bucky had, while she and her ship with Steve has been getting propped up more and more. But, seeing some of your and the others' posts, I get why you guys don't like her.

Girl, don’t get me started on the abomination that was Rogers the musical. It could have been glorious, it had so much potential, but once again Bucky’s role in Steve’s story was given to Peggy, and Sam wasn’t even there!

I feel like Marvel feels the need to tone down Stucky or their friendship overall because it was just too powerful. We all remember the hashtag that begged Marvel to make Stucky Canon, #givecaptainamericaaboyfriend. They just couldn’t let it happen, not to a main and important character like Steve, god forbid. And so ever since civil war Stucky has always had little to no scenes together no matter how well established it was in previous projects. All their scenes and dynamic were given to Peggy, their friendship was toned down, Steve’s whole ending happened. It just feels like Stucky is so menacing to Marvel that the only way to stop us is by destroying Steve, Bucky and their relationship.

I mean, Steve is given no justice in his ending and in all the other projects he appeared in. Bucky went from a victim and prisoner of war to someone who must make amends for things that were beyond his control. And the depth of their friendship was toned down and reduced every time Peggy was involved. And then they wonder why many people in the fandom dislike Peggy or why the whole Rogers the musical initiative flopped the second it went beyond Hawkeye.

Like, even if you don’t ship Stucky you can tell that they care for each other, and you can tell there was a shift after people actually wanted Marvel to take action and do something about this dynamic. Steve can’t get even one episode as his own character because Peggy must be there. Bucky had more luck, but still… and let’s not even talk about Sam, his only appearance was as a zombie!

In another post of mine I ranted about how bothered I was that Peggy was inserted in the 1602 storyline, and i haven’t changed my mind. It would have been so nice to give Steve one episode about himself, about his dynamic with his best friend and about the relationship with himself and his fellow avengers. But no, Peggy must be there too, and for no good reason as well.

I feel like Marvel trying to erase pre-existing relationships to have Peggy shine only results in fans turning their back on Marvel and hiding in fanfiction or whatever piece of media that can actually bring justice to the characters. Once someone on Tumblr said “you gave us the characters, but once you mess them up they’re not yours anymore. You don’t understand and respect them, therefore you don’t deserve them.” and I couldn’t agree more, which is why I am currently reading and writing fanfiction rather than buying into everything marvel gives us.

Peggy was the love interest with more screen time even before what if and all that jazz, she had her own show! And I fear that the day Marvel will realize that pushing a reimagined Nazi turned Mary Sue into every single what if episode where she can fit instead of enhancing the characters that are actually relevant in-universe it will be too late.

Sorry about the rant, I get carried away when it’s about my boys lol

#Steve rogers #pro Steve rogers #anti endgame steve #bucky barnes #pro bucky barnes #stucky #pro stucky #steve x bucky #anti peggy carter #anti steggy #marvel critical #mcu critical #what if #sam wilson #pro Sam Wilson #sam wilson is Captain America

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just-some-guy-joust · 13 days

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im stubborn and i like talking here's the reasons i put every character i did in side a into the tourney. I'll do side b later cause i gotta go to bed soon

important first note, quite a few of my decisions were because i was trying to get women in here and it was getting desperate because i had to cut out a lot of women for only being "just some guy" because they were written by a misogynist that made her sit on the sidelines and cheer for the male leads. The Woman Situation Is Always So Fucking Dire.

anyways on to the actual contestants im gonna start with the characters that have been causing the most people to start up shit about them not being just some guy

barry bluejeans (taz balance): 2 submissions, personal bias. i think a lot of people are misunderstanding what this tournament is tbh. this isnt about the "normal" characters, tho normalcy does play a factor in it. this is about dudes who are just some guy. there is a difference. barry is a dnd npc who wears blue jeans in a fantasy world and he loves his wife. yes he is a lich. yes he is involved in the main plot. he's also just chillin. like if the plot didn't happen the way it did barry would be playing sudoku or crosswords. he'd be an average man in a very fantasy world. he is so average and human its funny. he is just some guy

tommy (hlvrai): 1 submission, personal bias. his just some guy energy is so there. he gets a propeller hat that does nothing when all of his crew is getting cool guns and upgrades. his life goal is to go home and take his dog for a walk. he gets a chuck e cheese birthday party. he sounds like he's going to burst into tears at any moment. compared to the rest of the crew, tommy is comedically just some guy

ulala (persona 2): 1 submission, description swayed me. it described the list of characters in persona 2 and ulala was just "your roommate that wanted to go to a party". that's hilarious. also i was getting fucking desperate for women that didn't suck ass as i stated above

apollo (ace attorney): 2 submissions, personal bias, descriptions swayed me. yall the submissions for him were so fucking funny. he's just a lawyer. he just wants to do his job but he lives in the ace attorney universe so everything is fucked all the time. he would've been a normal lawyer if he hadn't met phoenix wright. he's just chillin.

ok now here's every other character

sasha james (tma): 1 submission, friend bias, good description. i asked r if i should put her in because they know tma and they said yes. submission described her as loving to organize and avoided many monsters by being just some guy.

reigen arataka (mp100): 2 submissions. i thought it'd be funny and i was right. he is also just a normal man pretending he's not and he refuses to give up the bit he 100% deserves to be here

joy (underworld office): 1 submission, friend bias. the mc is going through wild ghost related problems and she's just going . hey man. you good??? r's sister submitted her and im not letting her down dude she's awesome

junpei (zero escape): 3 submissions, personal bias. he is literally the only character who has no connection to the larger mystery he's just there because he loves 1 girl. he's PAINFULLY and VITALLY just a dude. i need him

horse (centaurworld): 1 submission. i thought it'd be really funny to include just a horse. her name is horse. thats fucking awesome dude

phone guy (fnaf): 2 submissions. he was the only character from fnaf that got more than 1 submission and there were like 9 fnaf submissions i kinda felt bad tbh. he was also the best example of just some guy out of all the fnaf submissions

gordon freeman (hlvrai): 1 submission. he is a guy playing a video game. he is the straight man to the rest of the crews antics and by god he plays his role well

joshua gillespie (tma): 4 submissions, friend bias, hilarious descriptions. he avoids getting killed because he's so good at following instructions despite him clearly supposed to be dying here. they said don't open the coffin so he didn't. simply don't tuesday

namari (dungeon meshi): 1 submission, personal bias. i like her c: she's pretty level headed compared to like. everyone else in laios's crew. she seems like somebody i could just be friends with and hang out with

shez (fire emblem): 3 submissions, hilarious descriptions. i might try getting into fire emblem because of this. ok so they got murdered in a previous game off screen and now they're the playable character of a new game in a new timeline and they're fucking everything up because they're just supposed to be some guy? thats so fucking funny holy shit i want to know more

henry stickmin (henry stickmin): 1 submission. henry stickmin. like idk i dont feel like i gotta explain this one he's a stickman

stanley (tsp): guaranteed entry

whole (chonny jash): 1 submission, friend bias. tbh i saw him and went oh fuck yeah thats the thing my friends like and then i put him in there. i dont actually know enough about chonny jash to say anything on this but i fully trust the submitter knew what they were doing

larry (pokemon): guaranteed entry

luke carder (inscryption): 1 submission, friend bias, good description. he is just a normal youtuber in the lore of the game. he fucking love card game. good for him man good for him

leorio (hxh): 3 submissions, friend bias, good descriptions. idk a lot about hxh but the descriptions of him compared to the other main characters was pretty convincing

barry the quokka (sonic): guaranteed entry

april o'neil (tmnt): 1 submission, friend bias. absolutely normal girl that just happens to be the one that found the turtles and become their friend

tsuzuru (a3!): 3 submissions, friend bias. descriptions definitely made him feel like a good fit. he's so good at being just some guy i actually thought he was a different character and was shocked when i went to grab images for the tourney and he wasnt the guy i thought he was. which is really funny. like who the fuck is he then. this didn't change my opinion or anything it was just so good

matt (woe.begone): 1 submission. woe.begone fans have ALWAYS been kind to me so they got some mod bias sprinkled in. i dont know what this guys deal is but in the dbtn tourney the guy who got in there had a giant fucking list of things that are happening to him all the time and apparently thats just what woe.begone is like so i believe it when told matt is normal in comparison. everything else is so batshit wild I Just Believe You

gilear (fantasy high): 2 submissions. he seems to be just a dad. wasn't going to get in at first tbh just for personal reasons but i was running out of characters that i felt actually fit the tournament well so ultimately he got in

emmet (lego movie): 4 submissions. honestly with the number of submissions we got, 4 submissions was basically a guaranteed entry. and emmet's whole story is about being just some guy

stahl (fire emblem): 1 submission, hilarious description. fire emblem fans are so funny. what do you mean he can only be perfectly average because everyone else improves/gets worse with him to keep him perfectly average. what the fuck. thats so good

doug (wolf359): 2 entries. i dont know jack shit about wolf359 and honestly the submissions didn't tell me a lot but it was enough to figure he qualifies and i was running out of characters that felt good for the tourney. i trust you wolf359 fans

jack townsend (tales from the gas station): 1 submission, good description. he works at an evil gas station and the description gave me no follow up on what an evil gas station is which is awesome. apparently the horrors are constantly happening and he's just kinda staring at them. he's not paid enough for this

frisk (undertale): guaranteed entry

brian pasternack (yuppie psycho): 1 submission. im gonna be super honest with you here. i dont remember. i know he qualifies but i have 0 thoughts about him. maybe thats a good thing in this tourney. he's an average office worker who has now been tasked with killing The Witch.

trevor (american arcadia): 4 submissions, personal bias, good descriptions. dude i fucking love american arcadia it's so fucking good what a nightmare. he's so normal they were going to kill him for not being entertaining enough

#-mx narrative #some guy joust

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hestiviea · 5 months

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ken and kyle being players rant

I just need to get this off my chest

I really hate the fact that in the anime version of ken and kyle, they're players when they met ramona

I hate it not because the twins are my favourite characters (mostly Ken) but because it also defeats their role in Ramona and Scott's story. In the comics, they might not be there much but their relationship with Ramona is definitely the most inexcusable one out of all the exes and also the most important for Ramona's development

let's compare the ex's relationship with Ramona:

matthew was a 1 week fling rather than an actual relationship

lucas was in highschool and clearly has moved on, plus isn't really that evil compared to the others

todd is a compulsive cheater and a asshole

while roxie is also fucked up since she was considered 'a phase' but she also doesn't have a bad relationship with ramona after breaking up, also one of the most non evil exes

gideon is a abusive manipulative control freak that only wanted ramona for his harem

atleast the first 3 exes were in high school making it just Ramona being 'young and dumb' at the time, Roxie does have a good relationship with Ramona after breaking up so ramona clearly doesn't have bad blood with her, and Gideon was just using ramona so I can't blame her for leaving his ass

but the katayanagi twins? they're the living anchor that makes Ramona not the 'young and dumb' kid who made mistakes cause she was young, they both solidify her being a bad person like Scott himself with her cheating on both of them at the same time

but the anime made that Ramona was just a 'young and dumb' kid who made mistakes cause she didn't know any better with the katayanagi's, making the katayanagi players feel that they deserved to be cheated on with eachother and that they had it coming

and while the anime does still make it that Ramona isn't in the clear and she is still a bad person by making the fact that Roxie was left to the dust by Ramona, which I think is the best thing ever because in almost every adaptation, Roxie is considered a 'phase' and also the fact that she is insecure being a 'half ninja'

but still, almost every adaptation almost forgets that while Scott is the main character that needs to grow and develop since he is a bad person, that ramona is also a bad person and also needs to grow and develop

so goddamn it they need to make it clear that atleast 2 or more exes are understandably angry at Ramona without making that it wasn't her fault, Matthew was just used because of his powers and non-whiteness, Roxie was used as a phase, and the twins were played

those four atleast have a good reason to take revenge, so they need to stop making it that they don't need the revenge part by making it that it was their fault for Ramona leaving or in roxies case, roxies fault for being angry after learning the girl you like considers you just a phase and acts like you two are buddies after leaving you without a goodbye

#ken katayanagi #scott pilgrim #scott pilgrim comic #scott pilgrim vs the world #scott pilgram takes off #scott pilgrim anime #kyle katayanagi #katayanagi twins

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rhoorl · 9 months

Text

Working Title - Chapter 1

Pairing: Dieter Bravo x OFC Belle

Rating: Mature, 18+.

Word Count: 2.9K

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Belle gets a call from her friend, an up-and-coming actress about a role that would take them both to Hawaii. Meanwhile, Dieter finds a role that may be just what he needs.

Warnings: This chapter has some swearing, allusions to cheating and toxic relationships, and drug/alcohol references.

You finally make it to the peace and quiet of your car, the first time you’ve been able to sit down since the early hours of the morning. Doing bridal hair and makeup is fun, usually, except in a case like today where you are dealing with lots of high-strung personalities and an overbearing mother of the bride.

Just get home. Pour a glass of wine and relax. Oh, and Ryan will be there.

Ryan. Your off and on again boyfriend, although presently you aren’t quite sure where things stand. He cheated on you, again. This time, it was with the pretty, young receptionist from his job. You should have known better. He’s been distant in recent months, which follows the unfortunate pattern you’ve been accustomed to.

“You deserve so much better than that asshat,” you can practically hear your best friend Indy saying. Your best friend since childhood, she understood you more than you understood yourself sometimes. She was also your biggest cheerleader. She was the more extroverted of the two of you, a bright, bubbly personality everyone flocked to, especially men. Ever since high school, she was always the “it” girl. Homecoming queen, lead in all of the plays, good at volleyball, and she was the nicest person too. And with all of that, she claimed you as her best friend.

She was also fiercely protective of you. She never liked Ryan from the day you brought him around. If there was one thing about Indy, it was that she was a great reader of people. Something was off with him from the beginning and she always kept a skeptical eye on him. But, you were in love with him. You fell quickly and deeply in love with this man despite the countless ways he hurt you over the years. You always justified what he did, thinking that in some way you were inferior and the reason why he acted out. If you were skinnier, younger, or more adventurous in bed, he wouldn’t have to look elsewhere. You had believed this train of thought for so long, but his recent dalliance was honestly the last straw.

You park in front of your apartment building and sit for a moment. You had been stewing so much, you didn’t even notice that you had driven all the way home in silence. Usually after a bad day, Indy was your first call, but you couldn’t even deal with talking you were so spent.

After what seemed like forever, but was more like five minutes in reality, you gathered your purse, and your kit, and trudged your way up the stairs. When you opened the door you noticed a piece of paper on your dining room table.

I think it’s time we end things. Let me know if you want me to pick up the rest of my stuff.

-R

As you look around you start to notice things missing - an end table here, a blanket rack there. You crumble the paper in your hands and head back to your bedroom and your closet. There, you notice that Ryan’s half of the closet is empty.

This fucker left me? It should be the other way around, how fucking pathetic. That’s just what I needed today.

You were angry that this is how it ended. He got to have the last word when he was the one who cheated on you.

You needed a glass of wine. A big glass of wine. You head to the counter and open up a brand new bottle you had been saving. Saving for what, you weren’t quite sure, but nothing in the near future seemed like it would be worthy of a celebration so you thought why not.

It wasn’t until you sat on your couch that you finally let the emotions of the day get to you. You laid on your side pulling your knees to your chest and sobbed. You weren’t really quite sure all of the reasons why you were crying – it was for everything and nothing at the same time. You were just so frustrated with your life.

As if she had some type of Batman signal to your emotions, you started to feel your phone vibrate on the coffee table. You sat up, wiped your face, and checked to see who was calling you. It was Indy – the first and last person you wanted to talk to right now.

“Hey Ind,” you managed to get out while trying to collect yourself.

“How fast can you get to LA?”

“I don’t know Liz, I feel like I want something new, something different,” Dieter stops to turn and look at his agent, taking a small break from pacing around his Los Angeles home.

He cleaned up his act in recent years and has been sober for four years, 10 months, and three days. Not that he’s counting. He’s been able to work on his image and reputation, not only thanks to Liz but his commitment to himself. It was still something that made him feel uncomfortable – focusing on himself rather than those around him. As he gained more and more fame over the years, he noticed that people cared less about him as a person and more about either what they could get from him or by being around him.

Liz believed in him and got him several roles in recent years which ranged from a sweet FBI agent who funneled his heartbreak into his work to a romantic comedy to an action thriller traversing the jungle as part of an elite tactical squad. He’d been having the most fun of his career and he was getting a great reception from the critics too.

He had seen winning his Oscar as both a blessing and a curse. It gave him the validation that he was a talented actor and that all of the struggles he had gone through, from being broke and living in his car to bumming extra leftover sandwiches from craft services in the early years, had been worth it. He loved acting more than anything and to see people respond to his work was more than gratifying. On the flip side, however, was the pressure of trying to keep the momentum going. He had a couple of flops after his Oscar win, and frankly the “fame” overtook him and put him in a dangerous spiral.

He eventually just grew tired of it. Tired of being used. Tired of being a joke. Tired of constantly bouncing in and out of facilities. Tired of everything.

“Dee, I hear ya. And, I think you’ll actually be interested in a conversation I recently had,” Liz says with a sly smile on her face.

Dieter took his gaze away from the window, overlooking the palm trees and flowers in his backyard, and shuffled over to a chair to look at Liz.

“Ok, shoot. What do you have Lizzie.”

“You realize you’re the only person I let call me Lizzie, right?” She says after a sigh and an obvious eye roll.

“That’s because I’m your favorite client,” Dieter says as he leans back in the chair, clasping his hands behind the back of his head.

“You are. The studio has an idea that’s pretty far along. It’s not a lead role, but you are a recurring character. It’s a group of DEA agents and you are their chief. I’m sending you over the script now,” Liz says as she furiously types on her phone to send Dieter an email with the script. “It doesn’t have a title, so you’ll see it come through as ‘Working Title.’”

“So, what, I have to wear a suit?”

“Yea, but they asked how you felt about ‘getting in the field’ too. You enjoyed the tactical stuff in the last movie, right?”

“Hell yea, that was fun,” Dieter said enthusiastically. “ I mean, yeah I’d be down for that. Where is the shoot?”

“Hawaii.”

“Jesus, Liz. Why didn’t you lead with that?”

“Because, I want you to like the role, or at least be interested, and not just look for an excuse to go to Hawaii for three months.”

“Liz, if I wanted to go to Hawaii, I’d just go,” Dieter chuckled as he took a swig of his water bottle while unlocking his phone to see what Liz had emailed him.

“Right, of course. Well, just take a look and see what you think, ok? They basically said it’s yours to take or leave, so think about it and let me know tomorrow, yeah?”

“Sure that sounds good. Thanks, Lizzie.”

Usually, Liz, who is nine times out of ten all business, would take this cue to leave and sort through other tasks in her ever-growing inbox. But, she didn’t move right away. She had something else she wanted to say, Dieter could tell. He could read her like a book.

“Ok, spit it out, Lizzie. What else is there?”

“Um,” Liz couldn’t look at him, fidgeting with her notebook and pen. “So, I want to be upfront with you and let you know that the producers did bring up some trepidation about your past and how that may affect the set.”

“For fuck’s sake Liz. I’ve been clean for almost five years. I feel like I’ve proven to several producers and directors at this point that I can handle being on a set.”

“I know, and I’m so proud of you Dee I really am. This guy is kind of old-school and only has heard the rumor mill stuff. I assured him that you’ve been nothing short of professional these last few years. And, the box office numbers and the streams don’t lie. You are a star, Dee. They are lucky to have you.”

Dieter scoffs at the praise. Most actors can be egotistical and want constant attention, but Dieter is the opposite. He never watches any of his scenes back, purposefully fast-forwarding through his scenes or avoiding the film screening portion whenever possible at premiers. So, to hear Liz tell him he’s a star brings a slight smile to his face that’s easily replaced by shame.

“Well, thanks for defending me, Liz.”

“Your actions have spoken so much and I just love how much you’ve grown. I just wanted to give you a head’s up in case you decide you want to do this role. The guy is an ass, but nothing you can handle, right?”

“Ha, that’s for sure.”

“So anyway, that’s it, just wanted you to know,” Liz says as she gets up and starts to leave. Before walking out of the living room she turns around, “Hey Dee, when’s the last time you went on a date?”

“Why? You offering?” Dieter winked at her.

“No. Besides, the last time I was with a man a Bush was in office - don’t take a guess as to which one”

Dieter laughs. “Um, I don’t know Lizzie. Date is kind of a hard word. Like actually went to like dinner or something?”

“Yeah.”

“Shit, I don’t know. I was probably living in New York at the time. You know dating wasn’t really my thing there for a while.”

Dieter had amassed quite the reputation over the years – whoever made him feel desired, he was down to explore. He always had someone new on his arm at premiers or following him to sets. As time went on, these flings started to become more and more tumultuous. Honestly, the drugs and excessive alcohol didn’t help things either. It all started to become a vicious cycle for him. Meet someone, get high, have amazing sex, fight, drink, have sex, get high again, maybe sleep.

And he also started to realize that people were with him because he was Dieter Bravo. The breaking point came about five years ago. He was sitting on his couch with his latest flavor of the week. They had spent the entire weekend having sex in various places throughout his home, in between copious amounts of drugs. There was a bit of a lull in the action, literally, and they started watching a movie. He honestly couldn’t even focus on what was on the screen, his high creating a haze over the whole situation.

“DeeDee, when I was shopping the other day I saw a Chanel bag that was beautiful,” the girl said, dropping a hopeful hint that Dieter would shower her with gifts. She was a model, he thinks. He honestly couldn’t remember. She was tall and blonde and had a great ass so that’s all he needed.

“Hey, we only ever hang out here or at a club. Do you ever want to try something else?”

“Ha like what DeeDee go to a rescue shelter and pet dogs?” she scoffed. “This is what we do. You’re having fun, right?”

“I mean, yea but like …” he was trying to find the words. “Don’t you just ever get bored of partying?”

“What? You’re Dieter Bravo. You are the party.”

“Yea I guess, but like, I don’t know it gets tiring sometimes. Like can we ever get together and just, I don’t know, talk? I literally have no idea what you even like to do for fun or anything about your family. What’s your favorite color? Do you like flowers?” Dieter was starting to spiral, letting the word vomit take over. “Do you even care about what I like? What I’m interested in?”

“I know you’re interested in fucking me and making me cum until I can’t think straight. That’s all I need.”

Starting to feel himself start to get angry, Dieter stands up and walks over to the glass sliding door looking out onto his backyard. The pool glistened in the late afternoon sun. He could hear the small waterfall he had installed on the far end. He loved going out there some nights and just listening to the water. Liz had found him many times asleep out there. She always assumed it was drugs or he was drunk, but oftentimes he simply fell asleep to the soothing sounds. He longed to be able to sit out there with someone. Cuddled up on a lounger just enjoying each other’s company.

It was almost as if something clicked in his head. All of the years of being used – used for his body, used for his money, used for his fame. It all came to a head. And the model sprawled out on his couch was the latest in a line of so many before her that just used him.

“Well, what if it’s not all that I need,” he said, his back to her still looking outside.

“You don’t mean that. Come on, let’s call Jesse and see what he can get delivered to us today. Let’s have a little fun.”

“Dammit, it’s not fun anymore,” Dieter growled, slamming his fist into the glass. “I’m tired of this. Why the fuck are you even here?”

“Fuck you, Dieter.”

“Get out.” It almost came out as a whisper. He was telling not only her to get out, but the rest of his intrusive thoughts too. He just wanted things to be quiet, simple. He needed a reset.

“Well, I feel like it’s time for you to get back out there again, champ!”

“Wow, Lizzie. Saying it like that makes me sound like a boxer who’s gotten beaten down. How fucking pathetic.” he says with a bit of a chuckle.

“Yea, well, I just feel like you spend a lot of time alone Dee. Would be nice to see you spend some time with someone.”

“Liz, if you are in love with me just say it,” Dieter laughed.

Rolling her eyes, “Dieter Bravo. I’m old enough to be your mother.”

“What if that’s my new thing, cougars,” he said with a sly smile. This back-and-forth banter was par for the course – Dieter could flirt with a wet paper bag.

“Ok, champ. Maybe in another lifetime.”

Dieter smiles at her but she can see the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“What did I say?”

“Nothing, I just,” he sighed. “Ugh, I just. You’re right. It’s been a long time, but at this point, I’m so fucking scared to be with someone again.”

Dieter was always pretty straightforward, but even Liz was a bit surprised by just how easily he opened up.

Sitting on the couch across from him, she surveyed his body language. He seemed to be going back to a memory, reliving a painful moment in time. It was etched in his face, his eyebrows furrowing together in that little scrunch he makes when he’s thinking.

Liz sighed. “Dee, I know you haven’t had the best of luck in the past. But don’t write off happiness or love so easily. You just haven’t found the right person yet.”

He looks up at her, she can see a little bit of hope in his eyes trying to peek through. “Yea, you’re right.”

“I mean, heck. I was in a similar boat you know. After Maria left me, I figured that was it. I’d just be married to my work.”

“But what happened.”

“Claire. That’s what happened.”

Claire, Liz’s wife, was a nurse that helped Dieter years ago during a bad relapse phase. She came to the house every day to check on him and was with him during his last stint in rehab.

“Claire’s pretty awesome Liz. I’d love to find someone like that.”

“I think you will, Dee. I just know it.” She got up walked over to him, patted him on the knee and Dieter got up and hugged her. They weren’t always the most affectionate with each other, but Dieter had come to see Liz as a mother figure of sorts. She never gave up on him and she gave him unconditional love. “Now, go read the script. I want to visit you in Hawaii.”

Next Chapter

A/N: If you made it this far, thank you! I've been really freaked out about posting this, but it's been fun to think creatively like this. I've devoured so many fics over the past several months from so many amazing writers who have inspired me with their amazing work!

Taglist: @musings-of-a-rose / @legendary-pink-dot

#dieter bravo #dieter bravo fanfic #dieter x reader #pedro pascal fic #pedro pascal fandom

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nicoline1998enilocin · 10 months

Text

Movie nights and blanket forts

PAIRING | Chris Evans x Female!Reader

WORD COUNT | 2K

SUMMARY | Scott has invited you to a barbecue at his brother Chris' house, and you are going with him reluctantly. That night you and Chris really hit it off and became good friends, but when he learned that you never built a blanket fort before, he really wanted to help you build your first one.

WARNING(S) | This is your official trigger warning. Do not proceed if any of these topics upset you. Mention of abandonment by a mother, mention of an alcoholic father, social anxiety.

Likes and reblogs will be very much appreciated 💜

Main Masterlist | Chris Evans Masterlist

''Wait, you're telling me you never built a blanket fort before?!'' Chris asked surprised, and you turn bright red while shaking your head. ''No, I'm sorry to disappoint but I never built one before.'' you looked away, too embarrassed to look at Chris after your confession. You just wanted this conversation to be over with, you never liked it when all the attention was on you anyways. ''Also, please keep your voice down, I don't want everyone to know I didn't exactly have a fun childhood, okay?'' she shushed him and the memories came flooding back, leaving her with a bit of a lump in her throat. Her mom left her when she was 3, and her dad wasn't really a good role model either, mostly drinking beer to get through his days. She's glad she hasn't seen him in about 8 years now, but it doesn't take away from the fact that she didn't have a typical 'happy' childhood.

''You're right, I'm sorry. But I do think we should build one so you can see what you've missed out on, it will be so much fun.'' he offered, and you thought about it for a little bit. ''Can I think about it? I mean, we don't even know each other that well, we just met today...'' you said whit a shy voice. You were never the type of person to go around and meet new people, but when Scott asked you to come to a barbecue with him and his family, you couldn't say no. You always had a soft spot for him since you moved next door to him, and for some reason, the two of you practically became inseparable after only a few short months. That is why when he asked for you to come as well - ''don't worry, they're gonna love you!'' he said - you just couldn't refuse. For him, you'd do anything, and that is what got you into this moment right here.

''Yeah, no, that's okay. Actually, let's just forget I offered. I don't want to be rude and I feel like I sprung that on you. I'm sorry.'' he said with a sorrowful look in his eyes. He looked away and quickly picked up his beer before walking back outside where the barbecue was being prepared to see if he could help. ''Hey, what's going on here?'' Scott asked when he saw the look on your face, you looked both sad and a little scared at the same time. ''Do you need me to punch Chris for what he did? I'll do it right now!'' he said and started walking to the door, but you grabbed Scott's arm before he could go too far. ''Please don't!'' you say with a bit of a chuckle, knowing he would do it without even needing an explanation, but Chris didn't deserve to get punched by his brother, he was just trying to be nice. ''He didn't do anything wrong, it's just me. I'm sorry,'' you said, and Scott left it at that.

''Shall we go have a look outside and see how everyone's doing? I know it's not your usual thing to do this, but they all love you like I said they would. I'm not going anywhere, I promise.'' Scott said with a little pout and a stretched-out hand. ''Okay!'' you sigh and let out a little laugh, still nervous about being surrounded by all these people you barely knew. You'd heard stories about each and every one of them, but it was different now that you were actually here. Scott has always been honest about Chris and the fact that he was famous, so you knew that in advance, but it was still different when you actually met him, you've never met a celebrity before him, and you really didn't know what to do or say. ''Y/N, look at me-'' Scott said before the two of you walked into Chris' house. ''-Chris is just a normal person, like you and me, just more annoying is all. I get that it is quite a big hurdle for you to meet someone like him, but I'll be by your side this whole time. I believe in you!'' he said and with that reassurance, you walked into his house.

At first, you were greeted by the happy barking and tail wagging of Dodger, and you immediately crouched down to give him some love, you always loved dogs. ''Hi, buddy!'' you said and a big smile appeared on your face when he ran to you, sniffing you to see who you were. When he concluded his sniffing and accepted you, he quickly came in for cuddles and scratches, being the lovable goofball everyone knows and loves. ''Ah, I see you've met Dodger already! He likes you, I can tell,'' Chris said with some laughter weaved through his voice. ''Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were here already...'' you said and got extremely flustered when you saw Chris, you couldn't shake the fact that he was famous out of your head, and it made you very nervous. ''It's okay! I get it, I always like dogs more than people too,'' he said with a wink. ''I'm Chris, it's nice to meet you...'' he asked and you told him your name when grabbing his hand. ''It's nice to meet you Y/N! I've heard a lot about you from Scott, all good things of course,'' he said followed by some booming laughter.

''You told them about me...?'' you asked and immediately got very shy, you didn't know Scott told everyone about you. ''Well yeah, why wouldn't I tell them about my best friend?!'' he said and he wrapped his arm around your shoulder, pulling you a little closer and you immediately felt a little lighter now that he did that. ''Yeah, I guess..'' you said a little unsure and Scott immediately could tell you were getting uncomfortable, your social anxiety started to get the best of you now. ''Let's go into the kitchen and get something to drink, shall we? Then we can slowly introduce you to everyone. Like I said, I'll be by your side the whole time okay?'' Scott proposed and you agreed. ''Again, I'm sorry. It is really nice to meet you, Chris, you have a beautiful house!'' and you gave him a small wave before walking after Scott, earning yourself a smile as a thank you.

The rest of the introductions went a lot smoother, and everyone made you feel very welcome, Lisa even went the extra mile to make sure you felt welcome by getting your favorite drinks and snacks as well. She pulled you in for a hug, one you haven't had for as long as you could remember. Ever since your own mom walked out of your life, you never had the love of a parent, and getting a hug from Lisa made your broken heart a little bit less painful, and tears started forming in your eyes. You really couldn't stop yourself and the tears started trickling down your cheeks, and you can't hide the fact that you're sobbing now. ''Oh darling, what's wrong?'' she asked while rubbing soft circles around your back to soothe you. ''Come on, let's get you inside,'' she said and she gently walked you back inside, letting everyone else know the two of you will be right back.

''I-, I- I'm sorry Lisa, I didn't mean to...'' you started but couldn't stop, the tears that have been built up all these years were finally surfacing. ''Oh no, please don't apologize, it's okay!'' she said and Scott came in. ''Y/N? Are you okay?'' he asked wondering. ''Do you want me to tell her what's going on?'' and you slightly nodded, you wouldn't be able to tell her if you tried, so you're glad he came to your rescue. He told her about your mom, your dad, your childhood, and the fact that all of that has led to a pretty severe case of social anxiety. It took all of your energy to come here and meet everyone, because you were just thinking about everything that could go wrong, and your anxiety was at an all-time high. ''How about you go lie down for a bit? Chris won't mind if you use his guest room. That way you can calm down a little bit, and pick yourself back together before going back out there,'' she said and you happily accepted.

A few hours later you had woken up from your nap and were just sitting in the bed and scrolling on your phone for a bit. Scott knocked on the door and came in, seeing how you were doing. ''I'm doing better now, but I can't go out there now! They all saw how I broke down, I can't face them now...'' you said embarrassed. ''Don't worry about that, Ma took care of that and just told Chris you were going to lay down for a nap. No one else besides us three knows what was going on, and they're not gonna mention it, I promise.'' and with that, you went down with Scott and outside to the barbecue. After a while, the conversation started flowing naturally and you felt more and more welcome, and grateful you could be there with all of them. ''Thank you, Scott,'' you said softly, and your eyes fell shut right then and there after such a tiring day. It didn't take long before you were sleeping on his shoulder, and Chris offered to take you back to his guest room so you could sleep there.

~ A few weeks later ~

''Okay, I finally thought about it and I want to give the blanket fort a try. Ever since the barbecue I couldn't stop thinking about it, and it does seem fun!'' you tell Chris. The night of the barbecue you slept over at his house, and the next day the both of you got to talking. You didn't feel like you were an imposter in his house, he made you feel very welcome and you have been around quite a few times after that day. ''Yes, finally!'' Chris said, and he went to grab blankets, pillows, and a few chairs so he could make a blanket fort with the chairs and the couch. After about 30 minutes it was done, and both of you looked proud of your work. ''Now the fun part, let's get some snacks, drinks, and a few movies for a movie night!'' he exclaimed and practically ran into his kitchen with Dodger on his heels. ''You're such a dork...'' you whispered under your breath and couldn't help but laugh at this action.

''Here are the snacks and drinks, now it's time to go in!'' he said and he grabbed your hand to guide you to the entrance. ''Ladies first,'' he said with a bit of a mischievous grin on his face. You bent down and climbed in to get settled in the mountain of pillows, followed by Chris and Dodger, who didn't want to miss out on the fun and cuddles he would no doubt get in this fort. ''Wanna watch Harry Potter?'' Chris asked and didn't even wait for an answer, he already knew you would never say no to watching that, so he pulled up the first movie whilst getting comfortable. You decided to scoot a little closer to Chris and when your shoulders were touching, he put his arm around your shoulders so you could get snuggled into his side, putting your head on his chest. You let out a little sigh of relief and were very thankful for Scott introducing the two of you, you wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

''Here's to many more blanket forts and movie nights!'' he said while picking up his beer, and you grabbed your can of cola to say cheers with him. ''To many more moments like this one,'' you said and gave him a little kiss on his cheek before settling in his chest again. Neither of you saw it, but both of your faces got bright red at the action, and after 3 films the both of you fell asleep in the fort, limbs tangled all around the other. You have never been more grateful for someone, than you were at this very moment, in your blanket fort.

#chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x female reader #chris evans x reader #chris evans

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withthewindinherfootsteps · 2 years

Text

There are a lot of takes and tropes that bother me in the MDZS fandom, but don’t really bother me outside of it, and I’ve been wondering why that is for a while now. And I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s because of the way the MDZS universe, is portrayed, and the roles it plays in the story, when compared to those other pieces of media.

Because one thing I’ve noticed in fandoms I’m in is that people like having hope. Maybe bad things happened to the characters, yes, but surely there are lots of good people out there – maybe if something happens so that the abused character is brought up by them instead, things will turn out well! Or maybe if those people see what’s really happening with the misunderstood protagonist, everything will be ok!

And it’s one thing to believe humanity is inherently good, or is inherently anything. And it’s definitely understandable that people want to believe that about humanity in a fictional universe, which can often function as a form of escapism But the thing with fictional universes is that they generally skew on one side of the spectrum, whether that side agrees with those views, or not. Pessimistic or optimistic, hopeful or hopeless.

And MDZS... is not an hopeful universe.

Now, that’s not saying there aren’t good people in it, or that we’re left with no possibility things could change for the better – the Juniors precisely embody that hope! And a lot of the established characters are good people, it’s not saying it’s impossible. But generally, the view on society and societal structures, and the people inhabiting it from the top to the bottom, tends to be quite cynical. For evidence, just look at how all the clans reacted to the situation with Wei Wuxian and the Wen remnants, and how the one person who spoke up about it, Mianmian, was treated. I don’t think MDZS is making a case about how all leaders are corrupt, though some are, but it is making one about how most people will blindly follow the people in power and turn on anyone who opposes that, and how that can lead to mob mentality and false gossip and danger if that leader is corrupt. The fault and the problem is with the structures themselves.

And because of that, it’s impossible to eliminate one thing that’s the problem. There’s no one person behind the state of the world, though some definitely take advantage of it, so you can’t get rid of Y factor in Z character’s life and make everything all right. For example, there are a lot of stories where Wei Wuxian is raised by the Lans or the Nies, and that somehow makes everything alright. And maybe something similar would work in other fandoms, where there is one nation or group of people that’s the problem – but the corruption here is society-deep. That would not solve the problem – the classism, the mob mentality, the dehumanisation and so on – because that’s how the world is going to be. Likewise, I also see AUs where people found out what the situation really was at the Burial Mounds and everyone went to band against the evil Jin Sect and help Wei Wuxian. But the Jins weren’t the only sect responsible, and if the sects didn’t know the situation before (though some people definitely did), they definitely knew after the siege – who threw the Wen remnants’ bodies into the Blood Pool, again? And that didn’t change their attitude at all. Because the Wens aren’t seen as human (there’s a reason they’re called Wen-dogs), they’re seen as less than that, and they’re seen as not deserving of life. Being ‘innocent’ doesn’t change that.

Just because a similar premise works in other fandoms, where maybe there is one main thing that’s the problem, doesn’t mean it’ll work in all of them. And it certainly won’t here.

Again, the one person who spoke up in favour of Wei Wuxian protecting the Wens because maybe there was more to it? Ostracised. And in MDZS, people like Mianmian are most definitely presented as the exception, not the norm.

The MDZS world is not kind. And too much of the plot hinges on that for it to be easily changed.

(...And I do wonder if this thinking is a factor in people thinking Wei Wuxian rejects help too, or is bad at dealing with the situation involving the Wens, or the Golden Core, or anything else. Because if the world was kind, surely there wouldn’t be a reason not to ask for support, right? And because of that, people mistake his very sensible (and accurate) view of the clans in power for low self-esteem and being simple unwilling to ask.)

...This isn’t a condemnation of fix-its in MDZS. If you want to write one, great! But understand that in the universe you’re writing about, you can’t remove simply one thing, or one clan, or one person, and make everything ok. A story written with a premise like alternate clan adoption or people finding out what's actually happening can be great, if you remember the constraints of the universe you’re working within.

Some universes are hopeful, others are not. And you can’t have the same trope working exactly the same way in two on different ends of the spectrum.

#this is a REALLY meta meta huh #a meta on meta fandom culture...#...does that count or does it cancel out #also #this is NOT a comment on the human condition as a whole #maybe humans are inherently good maybe they're the opposite maybe they're nothing at all #but none of that affects how they're presented in the work of fiction you're engaging in #mdzs meta #cultivation world #i guess #or more accurately #The General State Of Humanity #fandom culture #mo dao zu shi #魔道祖师 #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #gdc #my meta

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