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daytaker · 5 months

Note

Hiiii! I’m the anon that asked for the MC’s family request and it was hilarious, 10/10 if you don’t mind May i possibly ask for a part 2 with the dateables? Thanks for reading!

(Part 1: The Brothers)

"Mom, Dad, these are my other four boyfriends and my son."

...is what you almost do say when there's a knock at the door a few weeks later while you're entertaining your parents, your sister, and teenage cousin who's stuck with your folks while your aunt is on a cruise. Your parents stare at you with faces that all but beg you to ignore the damn door. Is it that cult again?

"Open the door! Is it that cult again?" your sister asks with shining eyes. She's been discussing going backpacking across the country ever since she met those seven hot guys who apparently adore you now. Your parents are devastated.

"Cult?" asks your cousin, looking up from his Switch with dead eyes. Your sister starts explaining to him as you go to the door and look through the peephole.

Oh, Christ. Oh, fuck. Oh, son of Gardonus---it's the son of Gardonus.

Opening the door just partway, you see that it's not just Diavolo. No, he brought the whole crew with him. Barbatos, naturally, but also Solomon, Simeon, and even little Luke. Diavolo holds a bouquet of flowers and Luke has a covered platter that almost certainly contains some kind of cake.

"Hiiiii, guys..."

"MC! It's been too long!" laughs Diavolo in his booming voice.

"It's been...a month..." you concede. Why, just...why...do all these handsome men find you so alluring? This is just your cross to bear, apparently. "It isn't a great time though, so---"

"Is that them?" Your cousin is standing behind you, peering out the door.

"No, this is... Who the hell...? MC, don't tell me there are more of them?!" Your sister is clearly astounded, and also quite delighted. "Invite them in! Invite them in!"

So, soon you're standing in the middle of your tiny apartment again, surrounded by friends and family, holding flowers and a cake, and feeling like you'd love it if a chasm in the earth opened up and swallowed you.

"There were more?" Your mom sounds hurt, like you'd been intentionally hiding things from her. "How many more besides these?!"

"Arguably three, but I don't know them well enough for them to visit," you say, winking reassuringly to the nervous author.

"Oh my god, there's a kid?!" Your sister has noticed Luke now. "Holy shit! Whose is he?"

You point mutely to Simeon, who smiles uncomfortably and waves.

"I'm not a kid!" Luke protests. "I'm--"

"You're a pre-teen. We know, Luke. We know." Solomon laughs dangerously, and Luke doesn't put up any more arguments.

You clear your throat. God, this is even more uncomfortable than the last go-round.

"Um, so. Everyone, I'd like you to meet---"

(Individuals are below the cut!)

Diavolo

Diavolo, who was never good at standing by quietly while other people talked, steps forward before you have a time to do any introductions. He extends a hand to your father, who has been eyeing him resentfully all this time.

"You all must be MC's relatives. What a delightful person you've brought into this world! I am Diavolo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"'Diavolo'?" your cousin mutters, looking at his Switch screen again. "Like from JoJo?"

Dia looks very confused, and as your father hasn't shaken his hand, he smiles awkwardly at you. "Perhaps I'm approaching this the wrong way? Are the customs here very different from...ahem. Where we are from?"

"You mean Italy?" your cousin says.

"Ah-- Yeah. Dia's Italian. People here are a lot less friendly," you tell him.

Your sister asks him how someone like him ended up in a cult.

You remind everyone that you were not in a cult.

"But you met my baby while they were away from home," Mom says accusingly, glaring at Diavolo. "When they were vulnerable and confused."

Diavolo has no idea what to say to that. Your dad is still glaring at him.

Solomon

"This is Solomon. He's---"

"I'm their mentor and closest companion," Solomon says helpfully, taking your hand. "We have a very special relationship."

You really wish that chasm would stop taking its sweet time and open up already.

"Mentor? Special relationship?" Dad finally speaks up, and his arms are crossed over his chest, his expression deadly serious.

"This must be your father," Solomon observes, still smiling. "Sir, it's an honor to finally meet you. I hope I have an opportunity to speak with you privately later. We have a lot to discuss."

Your mom is ready to throw hands with this guy. Your sister is enchanted. Your cousin is cursing under his breath at his Switch.

Solomon wraps an arm around your shoulders and you elbow him in the gut. He smiles through the pain but lets you go.

Simeon

"...Simeon. Simeon, these are my parents. This is my sister, and this is---"

"Is there some sort of attractiveness requirement to join this cult?" your sister asks, beaming at Simeon.

You remind her that there is no cult.

Surprisingly, your parents don't seem nearly as hostile to Simeon. Maybe it's that angelic charm at work. They both shake his hand, which is significantly more than they were willing to do with anyone else.

"Simeon, that's a good, decent name. What do you do for a living?"

"I own and operate a cafe."

Nice one, Simeon. Very smooth. And your parents look even more impressed.

"A business owner, eh? And at such a young age..."

No one points out to them that Simeon has probably been alive longer than humans have existed.

Luke

"...Luke!" He has a completely normal human name! High fives all around!

"And that's his father?" Mom points at Simeon. "He looks awfully young..."

"Oh, Luke's an orphan. Simeon's just his guardian. It's really sad actually. His parents died when their car careened off a cliff."

How did he end up living with a cult though, they want to know. That Simeon guy can't be a very responsible caregiver if he's living on the road.

You explain to your family (again) that they aren't in a cult, that Luke is a totally normal orphan child with a stable and loving home, and yes, Mom, he goes to school. Yes, Mom, he eats vegetables. No, Mom, you don't need to call DCFS.

"He's so cute," your sister coos.

"I am not!" Luke yaps.

"And he's shaking and everything! You know what he reminds me of?"

You rub your temples.

"A Chihuahua."

Barbatos

"This is, uh... This is..."

Barbatos smiles at you and offers not an iota of assistance. He finds this entire thing pretty funny.

"This is Barb... Barbados..."

"What, like the island?" your sister asks.

Yes.... Just like the island....

And yeah, he talks. Sometimes he talks a lot. I don't know why he isn't talking. Barbs, say something.

"It is an honor to finally meet your family, MC. What a charming collection of people."

"I like your hair," your cousin says, actually looking up for once. "And those are pretty sick beads."

You agree that Barbatos's human clothes are pretty sick.

Did you say human clothes? That was weird of you.

Your mother asks why everyone in the cult paints their nails besides Simeon and Luke. You tell her that there is no cult, but, uh, it's just a fashion thing. They just like it. Don't be judgmental.

Your cousin agrees. Don't be judgmental, Auntie. He paints his nails black. So, like, what, is he in a cult now?

You remind everyone that there is not and never was a cult.

Your cousin tries to give Barbatos his Tiktok and tumblr accounts, and Barbatos smiles very graciously but refuses on the grounds that he does not have a Tiktok or tumblr.

After you manage to get the group out of your apartment, shoving Solomon out as he farewells you as his adorable apprentice, you slam the door shut and lock it.

Your parents smile at each other, agreeing that you could do much worse than that nice Simeon boy. Your sister insists that she is going to backpack across the country with at least ten or eleven hot men, even if they do have a kid with them, and nobody is going to stop her. And your cousin has put down his Switch and is now designing a vampire OC that looks suspiciously like Barbatos.

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our-happygirl500-fan · 11 months

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Something that I think is kind of interesting is what Rise did with the traditional Leo & Splinter dynamic, throughout the different iterations of TMNT Leo is usually the one to take after Splinter the most & the same is true in Rise as well.

Leo: Relax. We’ll do what we always do. Ninja in, ninja their faces, ninja out.

Splinter: Once the hounds sniff out the boys, I ninja them out!

It’s been shown that Leo can often have a similar style of both talking & thinking as Splinter has as in the movie Leo was also shown to say similar phrases to things that Splinter had said in the show, Leo’s original plan to save Raph being to ‘ninja in, ninja out’ is also similar to Splinter’s plan to save the Turtles in the episode End Game.

Leo: Sorry, I missed that. Can you repeat everything from... well, everything?

Grandpa Sho: Yoshi! You never listen to me

Splinter: What was that? I wasn’t listening

It has also been shown that Leo has some of the same avoidance tactics as Splinter as in the movie Leo expresses a similar actions when he is trying to avoid talking to Raph about being the leader of the team that a young human Splinter expressed when he was trying to avoid his destiny as a Hamato to spend his life protecting the world from the Shredder.

It is also possible that Splinter also might have trained primarily with a sword when he was younger as we see a sword in a young Splinter’s bedroom similar to how we sometimes see swords whenever we are shown Leo’s bedroom.

There have also been a few people who have pointed out that Splinter had a similar pose in the episode Turtle-dega Nights: The Ballad of Rat Man when throwing Donnie as the future version of Leo did when throwing Casey Junior through the time gateway.

Future Leo: Casey, when you’re done saving the world, do me a favour. Grab a slice!

Splinter: Bring home the win boys

Members of the Rise team have also said that putting Leo in a Lou Jitsu outfit in the episode Many Unhappy Returns was also partly meant to be symbolic on how Leo is the Turtle most like a younger Splinter

However though Splinter & Leo share a lot of similarities unlike most iterations of TMNT where those similarities make Leo arguably the Turtle closest with Splinter, in Rise those similarities actually cause Leo & Splinter to clash with one another.

Leo: What do you even know about training anyway? You’re just a rat

Leo: Trust me

Splinter: I do not!

Leo: No! I’m not going back to whats-his-rat

Splinter: Oh why did I ever trust you to handle this? My other sons would’ve taken this seriously!

There are a few times in Rise where Leo & Splinter clash where Splinter seems to not like Leo’s attitude or Leo seems resentful of Splinter however even though the two clash there is still a lot of love between them both.

Leo: Dad was right, and we were so mean to him

Leo: Locked in a cage, failed in our mission, held for ransom by the Foot, and none of us gave him grandchildren! Somehow I think he wanted more

Leo is shown to regret whenever he lashes out at Splinter & seems kind of visibly upset at the prospect of disappointing him

Splinter: Where is Leo? And, uh, Future Boy?

While Splinter has shown concern over Leo’s safety & has literally fallen to his knees in grief at the prospect of loosing Leo.

Splinter & Leo both love each other in Rise but I think it is kind of interesting where Rise has taken what previously made Splinter & Leo so close in other iterations & instead caused them to clash instead

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles #leonardo hamato #hamato yoshi #rottmnt #tmnt

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nicksbestie · 2 months

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hi!! if you’re still doing requests, can i have a chris sturniolo x autistic reader in which reader has a habit of misplacing or losing things, but on a particular she keeps consistently misplacing losing a lot of things that she loves or that she needs and it all results in her having a very bad meltdown in which chris helps calm her down and eventually comforts her in the process?

Meltdown - C. Sturniolo

Summary : You're so lucky to have such a caring boyfriend who knows exactly how to help you in moments of distress <3

Warnings : Meltdown, emotional overwhelm

Word Count : 805

Pairing : Chris Sturniolo/Reader (romantic)

A/N : i loved this req!! neurodivergent reqs are amazing, please keep sending them <3 reminder that ableism is not welcome here!

There were a lot of tendencies that you loved about being neurodivergent, and a lot of the time, you didn’t view yourself as any less than the average person, but there were always a couple traits that really frustrated you when it came to living as an autistic person.

You hated losing things. Not knowing where things were made you very anxious, but unfortunately, you couldn’t seem to stop doing it. No matter where you placed things, or how many times you reminded yourself that they were there, you always managed to end up losing them.

It was like your brain just blocked out the part where you moved them to a different location, or when someone else told you that they’d put them somewhere else, and you couldn’t find them for hours after that. It often caused you incredible frustration, especially if you’d lost more than one thing at once, and sometimes fueled you to the point of tears. You hated how much this happened to you, but you had no idea how to go about fixing it in any way. Luckily, you were very supported by your boyfriend, who was always good at finding things.

A lot of the time, he had been the one that moved the lost items, or the one that had seen you move them, and kept a mental note of where they were because he knew you would more likely than not, forget where they had been placed. He had quickly become an expert in keeping those situations from escalating into meltdowns, but sometimes you were just so upset about not being able to find important things that there was nothing he could do except help you find them and just comfort you the best that he could.

Unfortunately, one of those times was today. You had gone out to run errands, and Chris had come with you, even though it was just a grocery store trip. He often came with you, picking out a bunch of random food for both him and his brothers, some for videos, some just for fun. Because of this, he often wandered into different aisles than the one that you were in, thus going out of your sight. However, you had always remembered what aisle he was in, and he had always texted it to you just in case you forgot. But this time was different.

Chris had walked away to go to the bathroom, leaving you standing by yourself while picking out the things you needed from that aisle. You weren’t concerned, he had done this before, and always came right back, so you kept moving, grabbing things off of the shelves and putting them into your cart before turning into the next aisle over. Time continued to pass and you tried to brush off the anxiety that was beginning to roll in, but after fifteen minutes and no return of your boyfriend, you couldn’t help the freaking out that was going through your mind. You began taking longer breaths, trying to relax, and moving through the aisles around you to find Chris, but when you had gone through four of them and couldn’t see him anywhere, you couldn’t deny the tears filling your waterline.

Chris was arguably the most important thing in your life, and the feeling that you had lost him was too much for you to handle at any point in life. He wasn’t responding to your text asking where he was, and this only fueled the anxiety even more. The tears in your eyes had started falling by this point, still moving between aisles and hoping to see his familiar figure.

Chris had no idea that you were panicking. His phone had died while he was in the bathroom, and he had gotten distracted looking at some of the weird flavors of donuts and Oreos he’d seen on a small stand. It wasn’t until he heard soft crying near him that he realized what had happened, and immediately ripped himself away from the display, turning around to see you wandering between aisles, wasting no time in getting to you and pulling you into a hug.

Feeling the way that your shoulders shook against his body broke his heart, realizing the effects of what he’d done, despite it being unintentional. He whispered comfort to you, not caring about the people that had slowed down their walking to stare at the couple having a moment in the middle of the bread aisle, only focused on you. Apologies flew through the air along with promises to never leave you, and he refused to let go of you. He led the rest of the grocery trip, getting everything you needed for you, pausing every so often to wipe tears off of your face or to kiss the top of your head.

~ taglist : @blahbel668 @mattsgirlfrieeend @69isabella69 @mayhem-72 @iculdstealurgf @iluvm4ttsturni0l0 @sturnioloslife @heartsforkarina @nervousrebelglitter @sturniclo @elliegrace-7 @mattsturnioloisbae

~ if you'd like to be added to my taglist, click here!

~ my inbox is open, come chat!!

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theneighborhoodwatch · 3 months

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thoughts on the Eddie scene from the end of the commercial reel? :D

HAHA oh man. okay while i'm waiting on the results of that poll, i might as well answer this. thoughts under the cut:

so, this may be me being optimistic, but i actually don't think this is indicative of eddie being permadead or anything, and not just because i think it'd be kinda cheap to kill a character off this early into the story before we even got to really know them. rather, i think this is a pretty straightforward explanation for eddie's absence from the homewarming recordings: he spent most of the day in his office waiting to be called on, only got invited to the homewarming party once everyone else had wrapped up their shenanigans, and proceeded to disassociate so hard that he was borderline catatonic when frank managed to draw his attention away from whatever he saw when he looked beyond the veil - and it's implied that frank was the only (or at least, the first) person to notice his acute distress in the first place. in short, eddie's presence throughout the entire holiday of homewarming ended up being so inconsequential either way that he might as well have not even been worth mentioning. of course, if he is missing by the next update then like. egg on my face. but that's how i see it for now.

so, is The Void that eddie found himself in when he first opened his eyes real? i mean, certainly on some level, it must be. either it's the truth of the neighbors' world or it is simply true for home, since they were the only other entity there - and since home is at the center of their world, well...... . as for what the void represents - i feel like that's something we'll only have a clearer picture of once another character finds themselves in The Bullshit, but i can hazard a few guesses, the first and most obvious being that it's eddie accidentally piercing the veil by being just a little too OOC for the universe's liking, i.e. "silly mailman, you're the resident workaholic! you're not actually supposed to relax, that's just so this special can end!" the second interpretation - and one that i like just a bit more, if i'm being honest - is that it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, or that distress over a deviation from the status quo makes one more susceptible to The Horrors.

hear me out: we know from the previous show scenes in the commercial reel that feeling useless or unneeded by way of having no work to do is a really easy way to get under eddie's skin, and his agitation over that was still lingering when sally invited him to the homewarming party. he's optimistic, yes - but very cautiously so. he's not used to it. something still feels a little wrong, which presents a prime opportunity for Something (home?) to wrap their arm around his shoulder and go, "buddy, you have no fucking idea." i remember reading a post that went something like "if a person goes from 1 to 100 seemingly out of nowhere, chances are they were at a 99 for a really long time, and they were just either hiding it or didn't even realize it." i think it's something like that. Something - home? wally? one of those two acting on the other's behalf? - sees this dissatisfaction, and in it, finds an opportunity to Make Them See. Make Them Understand.

something else i can't stop thinking about is that final shot of frank at the end. on the one hand, yes, it is very sweet how frank is willing to break away from formality if it means making sure that eddie's alright. on the other hand, though.... that shot of frank feels very idolizing to me. in the sea of red, frank is the one remnant of when things were fine and dandy for eddie just a few minutes before. he's in the center of the shot, and for that split second, arguably the center of eddie's world. they're even haloed by light, like an angel. again, whether they're in a properly established relationship by this point or if this is the beginning of their relationship turning from a playful flirtationship to something deeper, it's sweet to think that this is how eddie sees frank - as a refuge from The Bullshit. but i have to wonder... is eddie prepared for the possibility (or inevitability, rather) that one day, it'll be frank in that chair? given how frank likes things "just so," how is eddie going to react if, say, frank decides that the best way to ensure eddie's safety/wellbeing is to stay away from him? Many Questions Here.

[remembers that i suggested lower one's eyes as eddie's answer to frank's esperar pra ver once] [remembers that lower one's eyes is about a judas analogue being in love with a jesus analogue] [coughs up blood]

on that note, i know some folks think that at least some parts of "bug-a-bye and goodnight" are about eddie because "that's not the kind of thing you say about a bug!!!" but the thing about that is. it might not be what you would say about a bug. but it is absolutely what frank would say about a bug.

ok i'm done. For Now.

#anonymous #ask #welcome home #wh speculation #eddie dear #franklydear #near the end anyway #edit: CHECK THE ADDITIONAL REBLOGS I ADD ONTO THIS POST A LOT

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amomentsescape · 4 months

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The shirt headcannon was great, but what if the slashers had matching shirts with their S/O reader? Also if ya in one of the snowy storm states stay safe! ❄ 🧊 ⛸

Slashers React to Couple's T-Shirts

Slashers x Reader (Separate)

Feat. Freddy, Michael, Jason, Thomas, Bubba, Brahms, Norman, Billy, & Stu

You can find the OG T-Shirt request here.

A/N: Such a cute request! And yes, those dealing with the crazy weather, please stay safe! (Also, I couldn't find a better GIF option so I just went with the same one again)

Freddy Krueger

Yep, he wears it over his sweater

Can you expect anything less from Freddy though?

He really enjoys matching with you

He even let out some chuckles when you showed them to him for the first time

"I'm gonna need to make myself a closet if you keep up with this"

He definitely finds the shirts a tad bit cheesy, but he's not complaining

He happily wears the shirt with pride

He becomes a bit upset if you show up not wearing it though

Michael Myers

What even is this?

The first shirt was already bad enough, but this?

He doesn't even like cats

Just gives you a deadpan look

Will let you put yours on, but absolutely refuses to wear his

Barely even wants to touch it to be honest

You quite literally have to force it over his head

And even then, he just complains the whole time

Embrace the moment while you have it, because there's absolutely no way you're going to get that shirt on him again

Jason Voorhees

He smiles wide at these

One of the things he loves is the size difference between you two

It makes him feel like a protector

So you gifting him MATCHING shirts just makes him feel all giddy inside

The fact that they point out the size difference is a plus

He arguably likes this one more than the last (since he actually understands what it means)

He only wears the shirt when you wear yours though

If your washing it or don't have it on, don't expect Jason to be wearing his

Thomas Hewitt

Thomas absolutely fell in love with Beauty and the Beast when you first showed it to him

He didn't think he'd ever find someone like you, but here you were, and that made him relate to the Beast quite a bit

So when you showed him these, he was ecstatic

Immediately puts it on and refuses to take it off for a couple days

Even in the blistering heat of Texas, he wears it

Will always give you a hug when he sees you wearing yours

By the end of the week however, his shirt is noticeably much dirtier than yours

They barely match anymore, but the meaning is still there

Bubba Sawyer

Bubba is all giddy when he sees these

He just thinks the dinosaurs are absolutely adorable

And he honestly gets the joke pretty quickly!

Will insist you both put them on at the exact same time, doing a little spin for each other

He's clapping his hands and bouncing up and down

Will become pretty protective of the garment though

If anyone besides you gets a little too close to him, he puts his arms out as if saying "don't touch the shirt"

He truly finds the shirts a symbol of your relationship, so if any stain or tear occurs, he will literally have a meltdown

Brahms Heelshire

He doesn't find them as funny as you do

But he likes the idea of you matching together, so he allows it

Will try to put your shirt on instead in hopes you don't notice

You do

He thinks you look cute, but he won't admit it

He's still mad that you think you're the boss

I mean, who makes the literal rules around here??

But the moment you baby him and tell him just how good the shirt looks on him, he gives in and accepts his fate

He does wear the cardigan over it, however

Norman Bates

You know Norman isn't one for loud garments

So you thought something simplistic and meaningful would be the best bet

When he first sees the shirts, he smiles and says they look extra comfy for you two

But when he sees your anniversary on the sleeves, he melts

Thinks it's super romantic and gives you a sweet kiss as a thank you

He wears the shirt all the time

Under his button ups, going to bed, lounging around

And you can tell he becomes extra happy when you have yours on too

It's just like having a cute reminder of your love for each other

And Norman is all about that

Billy Loomis

Billy had been talking about getting a new sweatshirt for forever now

So when you came across these, you knew you had to get them

Billy isn't usually one for cheesy things, but he can't stop the small smile that forms on his face

"You're a lifesaver, babe"

Will try it on and practically melt into it

Doesn't specifically ask, but he'll give you a look basically telling you to put yours on too

When he sees you both matching, he can't even lie that he likes it

Will snuggle up with you and thank you

Stu Macher

Stu immediately lets out a big laugh when he sees them

His amusement is quickly deflated when he fully reads the shirts

"Hey!"

You know he's just joking though, since he still has that huge grin on his face

"You're clearly the stupid one, right?"

You just give him a joking slap to the arm

Will make you put yours on with him and pulls out his camera

Takes a million pictures with you and the shirts, finding them hilarious

He definitely insists on wearing them in public since it makes it even more obvious that you're his

He just doesn't want to wear them around Billy

He'll make fun of him

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luimagines · 4 months

Text

You Realize You Like Him Part 3

Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2

Part 3 will include Legend, Sky and Four.

Content under the cut!

Legend

“And then I told him that he could fly from the top of Hyrule Castle for all I cared, I wasn’t going to buy something that only have a 40% success rate.” Legend finished his story.

You nodded along. You understood a solid...5% of what he was saying. But that’s ok. You like to hear him talk. He was nice enough and you liked his company.

There was this energy that drew you to him. You’re not sure what it was. Sure he was cute but that couldn’t have been it.

Then again, he always had something to help save the day. He was fast on his feet and incredibly clever. He had enough experience under his belt to put most of the group to shame. There seemed that there wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do.

You respected him greatly.

Legend snorted and patted your shoulder. “I’m telling you, I know the ins and outs of most, if not, all sleezy merchants. If you want the best deal, you come with me and I’ll find it for you.”

You smiled. “Thanks Link. I might have to take you up on that.”

Legend faltered for a moment and blushed. “Hey... It’s not much. It doesn’t cost my anything.”

You chuckled at his reaction, feeling those little butterflies in your tummy. You smiled wider and felt yourself fluster a little. This was it. This is what caught you off guard time and time again. When he got soft or shy, you simply... followed suit.

It was infuriating to say the least. You wanted him to think you were cool, collected, suave. Hell, you would accept gravitas if you could reach it.

For you to also lose your cool just because Legend was adorable was not the move for you. And Yet!

Someone called Legend for his opinion from the front of the group and Legend smiled at you again, soft and sweet and winked. He ran to catch up and ask what they needed.

It was the final nail in the coffin.

You bite your lip, feeling your blush grow over your face. Well this was hardly fair at all. You felt almost giddy with some unnamed excitement. Was this weird? Were you being weird?

You could almost feel the exact moment where your eyes turned into hearts- all the more thankful that he was no where near you at this point to see your descent. You liked him. You already knew that.

But to think you would feel like losing it over his stupid little wink and grin!! UGH!! This cannot be!! And yet!!! Here you are!!!

You covered your face with your hands, quickly putting your hood over yourself before anyone can get the impression that you were actually losing your mind. Which you were.

You took a deep breath, then another, then another. That’s it. Breathe in. Breathe out.

So what if he was handsome and charming and smart and clever and cool? It doesn’t mean anything!

It meant everything.

Sky

Arguably, it didn’t take you long to realize that you were starting to fall for him.

You were only traveling with the group for a few months when you found yourself getting butterflies in your tummy whenever he would walk next to you or when you were staring. Period. You were staring. That should have been a dead giveaway.

But no, you were still trying to hold onto denial.

You were trying to keep pleasant but polite conversation with the young man. For some reason, you found unable to hold eye contact and you couldn’t seem to stop from blushing despite the fact that literally nothing was happening.

Still, you were giggly and happy and overall overjoyed so spend the time with him, even though you would have thought that he would have gotten annoyed with you at this point for being so out of it as you were.

That being said, when he put his hand on your shoulder, you had to bite the inside of your cheek to keep it together.

You couldn’t deny it any longer. That’s not a normal reaction. You were at least crushing on him. You had to admit at least that much.

He said some more things that you could no longer focus on before he patted your shoulder as a sign of good will before he walked on, no doubt going to talk to someone else of the group.

Once he was out of sight and hopefully out of earshot, you slowly sunk down and squealed to yourself. It was going to be a one time thing, you would have allowed yourself his much. Then you would get a grip and pretend it never happened and never do it again.

Somehow, the universe had other plans for you.

You had entered a new town and had to do some quick shopping to restock the supplies of the group. Which was all fine and dandy to be honest.

Until you ran into Sky.

Now you were blushing and flustered and giggling like a fool- even if he wasn’t even saying anything funny. The butterflies were back tenfold and they refused to leave.

Sky decided to stay by your side for the remainder of the day and help you out with the of the shopping. He even carried the bags for you.

Your mind wanted to romanticize the entire thing and make it seem like it was a date when the more rational part of your brain wanted it to remain strictly business.

You had left for a moment to buy some things from the tailor shop for Legend and returned to Sky, who was holding onto some roasted food on a stick. He smiled, dare you say, bashfully. “I thought you’d be hungry.”

Your jaw dropped but you took the food anyway. “How did you know?”

“Because given the amount of things you’ve already bought and the fact that you started the second we split up, I was beginning to doubt that you had even bothered to feed yourself.” He answered quietly, scratching the back of his neck. “Is it good?”

You take a bite. “Delicious!”

“Good.” Sky smiles and takes the new bag from your hand. “Let’s continue then.”

The words suddenly sits on the edge of your tongue and you swallow it down with the next bite before it can escape. Could you love him? Could you plan to fall?

He certainly doesn’t make it difficult to do so.

Four

Honestly, you can say without a shadow of a doubt that Four was one of your favorite people ever.

He was so smart. And kind. And the best kind of sarcastic.

You loved to go toe to toe with his wit and he never failed to make you laugh no matter how stupid the joke was or how low hanging the fruit was.

...He would hit you if he heard you say that that one.

There’s was just something effortless about hanging out with him. Conversation flowed easy and there never seemed to be anything you couldn’t talk about. Even when you weren’t talking, the silence wasn’t awkward and there no need to try and one up one another. It was just casual and pleasant coexistence.

But then you started noticing... the little you did. At first, as usual, it wasn’t something that you paid attention to much because you had already established that you cared about each other and cared about each other’s opinions and the relationship between you had.

But you wanted... more of his attention. You wanted more of his time and his energy. You found yourself looking over at him more often and wanting to get his opinion on everything even if it was next to nothing.

It wasn’t until Zelda invited you and the group to a royal ball of sorts where you realized that you were subconsciously dressing up for Four instead of just trying to look your best for the princess’s sake.

You were thinking if he’d like the color, the cut, the jewelry they gave you to wear with your outfit. You had a passing thought that Four could make something better than this if they ever gave him the chance.

It wasn’t until you nearly blurted the question out loud to yourself that you caught on to your thoughts.

It realization hit you like a charging horse.

Just why did you care so much about what Four thought about this outfit? About you? About if he would think you looked good or not? It’s not like he’s the type of person to judge you for your fashion choices. If you wanted that, you’d ask Legend of Wild for their opinion.

But you still wanted him to pay attention to you like this.

You bit your lip harshly.

It... can’t be that? Right?

No.

No, no, no- that would be silly.

You run your hands down your clothes and look back at the mirror. You think for a moment about your thought and break down in an instant. You’re a flustered blushing mess.

You think that Four would look very dapper tonight in his clothes for the party. And the thought gets your heart racing.

Would he want to dance with you?

Would you talk the night away?

...Would he even want to hang out with you tonight? He’s entitled to be around his other friends, of course. You don’t feel as if you have any right to demand anything of him.

...But you want it. You want it really badly. But why?

Are you crushing?

For a moment you think you hear someone knocking at the door and you got to open it. It’s Four- looking just as dapper as you thought he would. You grin.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be!”

He’s so handsome!

....wait...

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #linked universe x reader #lu x reader

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sleepingdeath-light · 2 months

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relationship hcs ; alastor

requested by ; anonymous (08/03/24)

fandom(s) ; hazbin hotel

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; alastor

outline ; “Excuse me, I don't know if requests are still closed but would it be okay to ask relationship headcannos about Alastor??”

warning(s) ; some references to canon-typical levels of violence from alastor, but mostly fluff!

there are an innumerable amount of reasons as to why it’s damn near impossible to get close enough to alastor to form a romantic relationship with him, but even after you have somehow managed to gain his trust and admiration to the point that he wants to court you things don’t get any more straightforward — arguably they only get more complicated the longer you’re an item

he’s nothing short of a gentleman with you and insists on taking things slow and going about things the ‘traditional’ way (or as close to traditional as one can get in hell) — and that can mean anything from holding doors open for you (either himself or through his shadows) or lending you his coat when you seem cold, to aggressively shutting down/intimidating the afterlife out of anyone who approaches you with intentions he deems inappropriate or delivering you your enemy’s severed head in amongst a gift basket of flowers and baked goods (courtesy of rosie as he’s not much of a baker himself)

he uses a mixture of french and english pet names for you depending on his mood — think along the lines of such terms of endearment as ‘my dear’ or ‘ma chèrie / mon chèri’ — and for his own part he’d rather you just address him by name unless you’re in private and he’s in a very good mood (well… a good enough mood to actually respond to being called something like ‘dearest’ or ‘honey’ instead of outright ignoring you until you actually say his name)

he frequently remarks about how much his mother would love you, how happy she’d be to see him settle down after all of this time, and how he wishes you could meet her — those moments are when you get to see a more human side of alastor, his smile softening to something more nostalgic and genuine as he speaks about one of the few people he truly cared for during his life

he’s not the biggest fan of physical affection in general and will only really partake in it on his terms, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t show his love for you through other means — in fact, as far as he’s concerned, his affection for you is shown as clear as day despite his own dislike for being touched

gift giving — though his gifts aren’t always the most traditional, alastor does tend to go out of his way and get you things whenever he’s out and about. sometimes that means picking something up from the tailor that he knows you’ll just love, or bringing you a box of baked goods from rosie’s emporium whenever he goes to visit her, and other times that means fetching you ‘trophies’ from the people he’s dealt with on your behalf (sometimes they’re extremely fresh and bloody, other times he actually makes an effort to clean and dry them — it’s 50/50 regarding how much cleanup you’re gonna need to do), but no matter what he’s always happy (proud, even) when he presents you with your gift — and even prouder if he comes back to your place of residence later on and sees that you’ve put anything on display (well, the stuff that can be displayed anyway…)

quality time — you’re the person whose company he actively seeks out the most, even if that just means sharing a space as you each go about whatever task you’re doing at the time. of course there are the dates he takes you on (he is a gentleman, after all, and he makes an effort to woo and wow you whenever he has the chance), but the majority of your quality time is spent in the hotel or his recording studio: going about your chores together, hanging out in the common area and overseeing the group activities charlie has planned, sitting side by side and reading or eating in silence, having your meals together, talking about whatever comes to mind when the mood allows it, or just sitting with him in his studio in silence as he broadcasts his show for all of hell to hear

words of affirmation — he’s not the most talkative person, especially not when compared to someone like angel dust or charlie, and is generally more of a listener/observer in most of his daily interactions, but with you he does make an effort to keep up conversation and ensure that you know just how much he appreciates your company. of course he always makes sure to compliment your newest hairstyle or outfit change, especially if you’re dressing up to accompany him to a meeting or another such formal event, but his affirmations go beyond just shallow praise and you get to see much more of that when you’re alone or in the brief moments where nobody is looking your way when you’re with others. for example, he’s always quick to reassure you of how deeply he admires and cares for you (as much as he’s capable of doing either, anyway) by insisting that it takes a great deal to catch his eye and that by merit of being the radio demon’s lover you must be spectacular, no matter what your insecurities may say.

acts of service — again, regardless of his more disturbing proclivaties, alastor is a gentleman and will go out of his way to ensure you’re well taken care of and that any and all unnecessary stressors and discomforts are swiftly and painlessly (for you) removed from your life. sometimes this can mean him fetching you (shockingly well made given his usual diet) breakfast in bed when it’s clear you didn’t sleep well the night before or having his shadow servants do your bidding for the day so you don’t have to worry about overworking yourself in his absence, but it can also translate to actions that are much more aligned with his terrifying reputation — for example, torturing anyone that opposes you (like an overbearing boss or annoying neighbour) into silence and compliance with his whims

alastor is also a generally very protective and territorial partner who isn’t above getting petty and passive aggressive towards anyone who tries to interfere in your relationship — and then if they don’t get the hint and back off immediately (or they attempted to cause you harm) he’ll start getting outright aggressive and make sure that they understand just how much they fucked up by trying to take what belongs to him

related to the above point, but alastor also has a nasty possessive streak to him and will heavily monitor all of your external relationships (both just by sticking by your side whenever he’s able, and also by ensuring you always have one of his shadows by your side when you’re apart) — he’s more lenient with your friendships if you happen to be with someone he explicitly trusts (like rosie or nifty) or someone that he knows wouldn’t dream of interfering in your relationship (like charlie who is too nice for her own good sometimes) but otherwise you can expect him to be extremely judgemental and passive aggressive with the people in your life that you’re close to (especially if they happen to be someone who distrusted him immediately… like vaggie)

this side of him can be managed with a lot of patience and compromise from you, but it’s never going to go away completely so you’re going to have to get used to that side of him early on

#sleepingdeath #gender neutral reader #fluff #fluff hcs #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel fluff #alastor x reader #alastor fluff #hazbin alastor x reader #hazbin alastor fluff

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myapothecarydiary · 14 days

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Eunuchs, Value, and Appearance– Brief Thoughts on Beauty and Gender in The Apothecary Diaries Manga Volume 1

This is an offshoot of my thoughts from Ch. 4 of the manga, but it also connects greatly to Ch. 1, so a brief recap of where these thoughts sprung from:

As Maomao and Gaoshun go to investigate the "ghost" dancing on the palace wall, Maomao again reflects that Gaoshun doesn't look like a typical eunuch. Her first instinct upon meeting him was the classify him as a "military man" but because he was in the rear palace, he had to be a eunuch.

Meeting again, she thinks he looks "very masculine" and not "like a typical eunuch at all." In this moment, we get another example of Maomao's understanding of and perspective on eunuchs and gender being challenged. Or do we?

A product of her time and background, Maomao has a very specific and somewhat rigid way of thinking about gender. I think that perspective ebbs and flows, but it is very much informed by the outline provided to her by the society she exists within.

Sometimes, what first appears to challenge the constraints of that outline actually works to reaffirm it.

Gaoshun appearing more masculine and like a military man is not presented in the story to challenge a bias but it is Maomao's first clue that something else is going on with Gaoshun, that there's more to the story. It is not a purposeful reflection on gender by the author but a purposeful piece of a puzzle Maomao is solving within the story.

The same thing happens later when Maomao inspects Jinshi's body and sees it is more muscular than a eunuch's would be. Without further investigation, the presentation of eunuchs that don't fit the stereotype challenges that stereotype, but the truth of the matter actually kind of relies on and reaffirms those stereotypes. Gaoshun isn't just a eunuch and wasn't always a eunuch. Jinshi isn't a eunuch at all. If they didn't seem like regular eunuchs, it's because they are not.

[And if we flash forward to how another character is addressed–Maomao observes that Ah-Duo appears more masculine than feminine, which reminds her of Jinshi. Seems like a great challenge to gender norms, but then Maomao's bias/the binary is reinforced by the fact that Ah-Duo's womb was removed. Jinshi is castrated, thus more feminine and Ah-Duo had her womb removed, thus more masculine. Or so it seems to Maomao...]

And yet, just because these moments weren't included to say something about gender, it doesn't mean that nothing on that topic is being said. And the fact remains that Jinshi isn't actually castrated/a eunuch! So he works to both reinforce Maomao's views on gender and challenge them. Though he isn't actually a eunuch, he still appears very feminine. That is, arguably in part due to the drugs/forms of suppression he uses to assume his eunuch persona and operate in the rear palace, but even without those measures, Jinshi still possesses a great "feminine" beauty. He is sort of a contradictory figure in that sense.

With that, I wanted to circle back to something I noted in chapter 1. I noted that Maomao is "disappointed" when she realizes Jinshi is a man and that his beauty is not possessed by a woman. I thought of this point as contributing to the conversation around gender and around beauty within the story.

I also put a pin in the idea of how Maomao values beauty and recognizes how beauty gives someone value and specifically how Maomao views beauty as it relates to Jinshi–a waste on a man, disastrously powerful on a woman, extra wasteful on a man sans frog (aka castrated).

These fuzzy reflections got some great extra translation-related context from @amiriirish (thank you for that!), specifically regarding the line "A man? That's too bad," Maomao's thought when she realizes Jinshi isn't a woman. A more accurate translation would be "A man? What a waste" or as it is written in the GX version: “'タマナシだけどな…もったいない' which roughly translates to '(He) doesn’t have balls, though. What a waste.'"

I love how @amiriirish describes Maomao's perspective in this moment as one of "a scientist, not wanting to see good genes go to waste" as within the historical context of the setting, a person's purpose is to get married and have kids/keep the family line going/pass on their genes. Jinshi being castrated means he won't be able to produce any beautiful children and so his beauty is going to waste by not being passed down.

I was pretty vague in my initial thoughts, but I meant to sort of hand-wave at these ideas (albeit in a much less articulate way) and though I do think Maomao's sexuality is another interesting conversation (and I personally favor the interpretation of her as on the asexual + bisexual spectrums), I didn't mean to highlight Maomao's attraction to Jinshi during their first meeting but rather her recognizing his general attractiveness and beauty. Love bi Maomao, but I don't actually think she was attracted to Jinshi at that moment. Like with her view of the "wastefulness" of his beauty, she is looking at him like a scientist/as more of an observer than participant.

Maomao's introduction to Jinshi is the beginning of her generalizations about his beauty and how she positions herself as an outsider in those generalizations. Anyone would be attracted to him but that anyone does not refer to her. At least not yet.

Instead, I was thinking of Maomao's disappointment at Jinshi being a man rather than a woman as a reflection of her upbringing in the pleasure district and her familiarity with female beauty specifically.

We don't get a lot from Maomao about beauty or handsomeness in men. Or when we do, she seems even more removed from it. Like it isn't really worth noting. I think this is because she has learned how beauty can function as a sort of currency or tool for women.

Even in the very beginning of chapter 1, Maomao reflects on how a "pretty face" (and a voluptuous body) can lead to a woman rising through the ranks.

@teaflowsthroughthesesims discussed this further in some awesome expanded thoughts:

"In the circles [Maomao] runs in beauty is power, or a means of obtaining it, mostly but not exclusively for women. In her view, it's fitting that the powerful be beautiful, and expected that it be used as a weapon or tactic of controlling others.

Beauty is also tied up in desire towards others. The desire of a customer for a courtesan is due to beauty, the desire of an emperor for a concubine naturally falls on the lovely ones -- and [Maomao's] own undesirability is tied up in her lack of beauty (i.e chicken bones vs. abalone)."

"This is why she immediately sees Jinshi's flirting as a tactic - beauty is a tool to be used. Also, she chooses ways to describe Jinshi's beauty in terms of how it would control other people - 'a nation-toppling beauty' or 'a sex appeal that would drive both men and women mad' (paraphrased)."

"Aside from her upbringing in brothels, this is also probably why it doesn't 'work' on her - she is always expecting beauty to be used as a weapon or tool."

With that being said, I think Maomao views Jinshi's beauty as a waste on a eunuch and on a man both because it means that beauty will not be genetically passed on and because it means that beauty cannot be strategically used as a tool by a woman. But after this moment of meeting, Maomao will soon see how Jinshi, despite being a eunuch and a man, can use his beauty as a tool too. Something she probably knew was a thing already (men using their looks), just something she's not as familiar with.

I think there also remains a curiosity in Maomao regarding the concept of Jinshi as a woman, which we see again later when Maomao can't resist trying out lipstick on him to try and see what he might look like if he were a woman. There's perhaps something self-indulgent in that, as well as something that brings together the world Maomao knew before and the one she is coming to know. Thinking of Maomao as a scientist, it is a little experiment, but though Maomao is practical and her view of beauty is influenced by that, I think she is more than her practicality and pragmatism too.

More thoughts in this vein will surely come once we get to Maomao's reasons for using makeup to add freckles to her face!

#Maomao #kusuriya no hitorigoto #the apothecary diaries #character analysis #beauty and power #Jinshi #maomao and jinshi #beauty and value #additional analysis #gender #analysis #gaoshun #ah duo #tad manga #knh manga #gender stereotypes

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def-ace-ing-it · 2 years

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Batfam head canons that I need to Expunge

(Some of these might actually be canon but who knows anymore)

• In a kitchen, Bruce Wayne can and has burnt water and has almost caused a building to burn down, all of which were on accident

• HOWEVER. If you sat Bruce in front of a campfire in a forested area and told him he had one hour to put together a meal, he would make the most delicious and nutritious plate you have ever eaten out of fungus and lizards and anything else he could scrounge up. This infuriates Alfred every time

• Bruce’s canines are sharper than most, as does Damian. No, they have not beaten the vampire allegations in or out of costume

• Despite being terrified of them, Bruce knows an absurd amount of bat facts as a way of coping

• Cass has a wide range of musical taste. She often flutters between genres being her favorite and will occasionally loop a song until it no longer gives her dopamine

• Cass wears a lot of bat paraphernalia i.e. bat earrings, bat ears, often Batman merchandise. She’s just very proud of her family and even if she can’t express it in public she wants everyone to Know how proud she is

• Jason mainly listens to punk rock and rap, but he does make an exception for pop punk SPECIFICALLY from the eighties

• Jason is one of the few people who has a direct line of contact to Talia, and while he barely uses it he will occasionally call to get a recipe from her because he misses the food he got while training

• Dick cannot decide whether he wants to keep his hair long or short, and he has considered bringing the mullet back to everyone’s horror

• During one of his rebellious streaks, Dick learned how to pole dance. Nobody but the Titans know this

• Stephanie ABSOLUTELY believed in unicorns as a kid, and though she’s not as much of a hardcore believer she’s still holding out hope with how weird the world is

• Stephanie also had one of those “I hate pink/purple phases”, she’s healing from it obviously <3

• Despite not even living with the Bats, Stephanie is the WORST clothes thief, because she steals Cass and Tim’s clothes which are in turn stolen from the others. Nobody has noticed yet

• Time hates how wearing a suit feels, but he often goes out of his way to make sure all of his suits fit well because damnit he’s gonna look good if he’s gonna be uncomfortable while wearing them.

• Tim hates the smell of alcohol, to the point where he’ll gag if the smell is too strong

• Damian is SEVERELY allergic to pollen because he wasn’t raised around it as a kid, he’s the only one in the family who can be taken out by spring and he gets pissy when it’s mentioned

• Damian has an impeccable sense of smell, more so than any of his siblings

• Babs is arguably the most stable of the batfam, but even then not really because she decided to become a vigilante without Batman’s training which was arguably worse than the rest of the family’s origins

• Barbara could never decide what she wanted to be when she grew up as a kid, she would always switch jobs every week

• None of the batfam is straight or neurotypical, let’s just state that here

• Everyone has an Assigned Color for galas and other public appearances, outside of that barely anyone wears their assigned color. All except for Bruce, whose wardrobe is exclusively made of black turtlenecks and the occasional dark grey hoodies because he refuses to wear anything other than his Assigned Color

• There is a persistent game of tag happening exclusively on patrol with a long list of rules to keep things “fair”, currently Tim is It. They’ve kept this from Bruce, but Alfred knows and is the one to remind them every patrol

• Somehow, Stephanie is the only one who hasn’t been It yet this cycle, and Jason has been It ten times so far and he is pissed about it

I have just… so many thoughts about them

#I don’t know Duke well enough to write headcanons for him :/ sorry #one of these days I’ll read more comics with him in them but until then #bruce wayne #batdad #batfam #dick grayson #nightwing #jason todd #tim drake #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #barbara gordon #damian wayne #long post #dc headcanon #batman headcanon #batfam headcanons

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maple-the-awesome · 10 months

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When Another Finds Out About His Crush Part 2/3

Part 1 || Part 3

Pairings: Sky, Time, Twilight x GN Reader

Overview: What happens when someone else in the Chain finds out about his feelings towards you?

Zelda Masterlist 💙 Fandom Masterlist

Sky is arguably one of the most passive Links in the chain. Laid back, often tired, and a ‘dripping optimistic’ (as Legend once complained), it would be easy to forget that he's the one who had gone face-to-face with a demon god before. His ability to be cheerful and kind is not something he takes lightly, though, so with that in mind, he's reeeally trying to bite back his irritation right now and keep smiling.

Sky was in such a good mood earlier today - better than usual - because yesterday afternoon, the group had found themselves in his Hyrule - Skyloft, to be exact. That means that he's not only been temporarily reunited with his friends and the world he knows best, but that he also gets to show it all off to his new companions as well. Stretching the meaning even further, this translates to him finally getting to show you around his home!

He was overjoyed when you agreed to a personal tour of Skyloft. You'd get to see where he's grown up, meet his people, and (hopefully) fall just as in love with this little island as he is until you (maybe) decide you might actually like to move here yourself. That's why he promised to show you everything and to have a wonderful afternoon together. Just him, you...and Wind.

Oh, Wind...Why couldn't he be more like the others, so worn and drained of energy that the very last thing they wanted was to be dragged around an entire island all day with an unusually (and scarily) vibrant Sky who woke up before noon for once? Why couldn't Wind have just taken the hint when Sky tried to divert his attention, doing his best to turn down the young pirate's requests to tag along without downright saying 'no' because at that point, it would've gained suspicion from everyone else, tempting them to ask why you, out of all of them, get a private tour of Skyloft?

Don't get him wrong: Sky is by no means ashamed of his feelings. They're only natural especially when faced with such beauty. He just wants his confession to be on his own terms, not due to some likely inappropriate jokes that would come from some of the other boys' teasing (particularly from the likes of Legend or Warrior). In his mind, he's decided that you deserve something romantic and sweet - a tender moment shared between only the two of you so that you may understand his affections without any pressure to agree to them. It just...takes a bit of courage to finally plan that moment out is all, but he'll be sure to tell you some day...Someday when Wind isn't around to play the role of an awkward third wheel…

Wind clearly means well. He’s still young - a child even, some would say despite his objections. It isn't necessarily his fault that he's running around asking question after question about Skyloft or that he likes to call your attention to anything he's found that can be deemed 'cool'. It isn't your fault either that you answer to his beckoning, simply being the caring person that you are. Now, Sky would also argue that it isn't his fault for being so jealous right now, but if he truly believed that, there probably wouldn't be even a hint of shame in his heart like there currently is.

He's reeeally doing his best to keep positive. You look so adorable playing with a litter of remlit kittens. His only critique is that he wishes to be the one sitting next to you in the place of that pirate. Instead, he sits a few feet away, his chin against his palm as he huffs bitterly for what feels like the hundredth time, the childish side of him hoping you'll hear and inquire about what's on his mind, yet once again, you don't. You're too busy squealing over the fluffy little creatures who curl up on top of your lap for a nice nap. For Hylia's Sake! Even those little gremlins are luckier than him!

As a more rational person would point out, there's nothing actually preventing Sky from sitting next to you, after all, Wind is to your right and there's plenty of room to your left if he just moves the remlit mother laying there. A few scratches would be worth your company surely, but no, Sky would rather mope here alone, waiting rather (extremely) impatiently for the moment you stand to dust yourself off.

"Alright! I think the longer I sit here, the less strength I'll have to leave and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of Skyloft while we're here, so what's next, knight?" At long last, your glowing eyes finally bless Sky with your attention, your joyful smile almost instantly making him forget about his previous dread.

"We haven't seen my loftwing yet. Wanna meet him?"

He didn't think it was possible for your eyes to get any brighter, however he stands corrected, "Do I!"

There's no way Sky could ever let you down, so he wastes no time leading you to the edge of the island where he calls his loftwing. Perhaps due to the surprise of not having seen his master in months, the large bird appears swiftly, announcing his arrival with a loud 'squawk' before gracefully landing on the platform in front of you.

You're in awe, as Sky had hoped, unable to tear your eyes away from the shimmer of the loftwing's crimson feathers which are just as impressive as your friend has described to you. Unfortunately, before he can comment on your amazement, he’s reminded once again that the two of you aren't the only ones here. In seconds of the loftwing landing, Wind's presence is once again made apparent, "WOAH! He's so cool! This is how you get around these islands? I wish I had a bird to explore the sky with - I mean, I prefer keeping to the sea with the company of a good ship - but just to see what's above the clouds or to go over large mountains instead of around would be awesome!"

"Wind's right! To be among the clouds and see the world from a bird's eye view...What I wouldn't give to see that - Although, I'm sure you're pretty accustomed to flying yourself, huh Sky -?" Your smile disappears when you look back to your friend only to finally notice his pout. You don't think you've ever seen him look so upset aside from whenever he's 'woken up too early', "...Hey, are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." He grumbles, however the worry never leaves you nor does the frown. It feels like a stab to his heart, reminding him of how unfair he's truly being today. Wind is his friend who’s merely expressing interest in his home and culture. It isn't like he's purposely trying to step on Sky's toes or be an annoyance, he's just having fun during one of their rare days off. As for you, you've been looking forward to seeing Skyloft ever since you first learned of it. You deserve to have a nice day to relax and fulfill your wish, not have it bittered because of Sky's selfish mood. He should be ashamed of himself for not valuing his time with you as it is, alone or not.

"...I can always take you flying, you know?"

"Really?!"

He nods, giving a more genuine smile than the forced ones he's worn previously today, "It sounds like we'll be staying here for the rest of the day. I'm sure we could squeeze in some time later -"

"- Why don't you just go now?" Wind quizzes with a perked eyebrow, making Sky flinch.

Despite deciding that he'll no longer be jealous or annoyed with the younger boy, he finds himself fearful over the idea of being stuck in the sky for hours with him. Yes, his loftwing can technically carry the weight of all three of you, but how awkward would that be? He'd much rather wait and find a moment to sneak off with you later than somehow become the third wheel on his own non-official date, "Uh, n-no. Not right now. I'm sure you two want to keep going with the tour, so -"

"- Actually I was gonna head back anyway," Wind mentions with a casual shrug, surprising Sky, "It's almost lunch and last time I was late, Wild gave me cold soup. Good soup isn't meant to be cold! Never again!"

Sky hesitates, perhaps expecting Wind to actually change his mind once he agrees to take you on a flight, however to his continued surprise, the Sailor doesn't.

"As much as I've been loving the tour, I wouldn't mind cutting some time off of it for a tour of the sky instead," You add, innocently fluttering your eyelashes in hopes that it will be a good enough argument.

“O-Oh? Then I’m sure going now would be fine. If Wind could update the others so that they don’t get worried looking for us?” A blushing Sky glances to the boy in question who eagerly nods and, for a second, the knight almost sighs aloud in relief.

Pleased with this, you happily turn your attention away from the two to pet the loftwing who leans into your touch, “You wouldn’t mind giving us a ride, right buddy? It would be greatly appreciated.”

Sky’s smile is hardly hidden as he lovingly watches you interact with his beloved loftwing, although he is quickly torn away from the moment by Wind’s sudden voice. He didn’t even realize the boy hadn’t left yet, "You know, just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I'm blind, right? If you wanted to take them on a date, you should've just said something back at the Academy."

Sky stammers in response, whipping his head around to face the boy as he finally runs off while waving back at you both. Of course, Sky doesn't miss the mischievous smirk he wears, "Have fun you two!"

"’you sure you’re alright, knight?" You ask once finally joined by your friend, noticing the slight red to his cheeks as he wobbles on over, "If you aren't feeling well, we don't have to go today."

"No, I'm fine…'just not the biggest fan of pirates sometimes."

Time has encountered his fair share of mountains - both literally and figuratively, although the former applies here. He's hiked up the steepest of trails where his knees nearly touch the ground and has traced enough cliff edges for the fear to feel numb. Now, that doesn't mean he doesn't get tired or has ever stopped grumbling inside at the sight of such challenges, but he's learned to keep all complaints internal, after all whining has never fixed a problem...If only these boys would learn the same lesson.

There is no silence between the howls of the wind and the dramatic moaning that follows behind him. It's become apparent that not all heroes are as accustomed to trekking over slopes as he is, although that doesn't earn them much sympathy. They're all capable young men who have held their own against even the most fearsome of monsters, so he expects they won't be waving any white flags in defeat to mother nature.

Some are clearly doing better than others in the sense of swallowing their own misery. Wild leads a few yards ahead of the group, arguably faring the best even in comparison to Time which can be blamed on his adaptability gained from his own travels (or the climbing armor he currently wears; a mix of both?).

Warrior and Twilight follow closest behind Time. Every once in a while Warrior will mumble something about being hot to which Twilight will grumble for him to take off his scarf then. Sometimes they bicker beyond that, sometimes Warrior merely huffs and wordlessly adjusts his scarf to be looser around his neck. Although he doesn't spare the Rancher much concern, he seems to find joy in picking on the poor trio who heave behind them - Legend, Hyrule, and four - once making a smug comment about their 'short legs'. Legend would've no doubt whacked or thrown something at him if he wasn't so worn out at the moment.

Sky and Wind follow the three, seeming to lean on each other for support as they whine of burning lungs. While not fully out of their realm, the poor Hylians aren't as used to traveling in the same way as the others, often having the luxury of a loftwing or boat to carry them across the furthest of distances.

Then there's you...At the very back of the line, silent aside from your huffs and puffs, but struggling nevertheless. You’re completely out of your realm here, not having a background comparable to any of the boys, really. You've done hikes, you've walked around town, and maybe you've taken part in some races before, however none of those compare to the exact workout you're currently being subjected to.

You're tired, sweaty, and your legs shake with every step, threatening to collapse at any moment as they curse you for your resistance, but you say nothing of it aloud nor do you complain whenever looking up to see this damn mountain just keeps going and going...Truthfully, you're not sure how much longer you'll be able to drag yourself forward, however you refuse to admit defeat in fear of being thought any less of by the heroes you travel with. You refuse to be their burden and you refuse to act as any kind of annoyance to Time who's obviously wanting to reach the other side sooner than later.

Words can say a lot, but appearances can sometimes say more. It only takes one look at you to see your distress as you stray further and further behind the others, none of whom notice except for Sky who offers aid you brush off and Time who stops at the top of a slope to watch you sympathetically. He may hold the boys to high standards given their titles as heroes, however he understands that doing so to you, at least to the exact extent, would be unfair if not plain cruel.

“Let’s take a break here.”

A chorus of relieved sighs and praises to Hylia follow save for Wild who keeps marching onward until looking back in confusion once he finally notices the group is no longer following his example.

You’re particularly happy to be presented with the gift of rest. Unlike the others who at least have the decency to walk off trail and step into some shade, you collapse to your knees right where you formerly stood, taking a few heavy breathes there before shamelessly crawling under a nearby tree yourself.

“...How much further do we have?” You manage to ask Sky at last after regaining some of your breath. His hesitance is answer enough, causing you to groan.

“The trip down will be much easier than going up,” Time approaches, speaking before the knight can. You notice that he eyes you specifically, “...But we can take another break at the peak once we get there.”

“Thank you Goddesses!” Wind cries - literally, you think there might be tears in his eyes - and it seems that everyone else in the group shares similar thoughts as they relax a bit more, however to Time’s surprise, you no longer share their cheer.

You look down at your sprawled out legs and narrow your eyes as if they’ve done something terrible to you, “...We don’t need to take another break after this one. If we keep stopping, we’ll never reach the base before sundown.”

“Then we make camp on the mountain after going as far as we can in daylight. The terrain might be different than what we’re used to, but we’ll get by.”

“That wasn’t in the original plan.”

“I underestimated the distance we’d be covering. It’s not a massive overwrite -”

“- And it’s one you don’t have to make for my sake,” You click your tongue in annoyance when Time merely blinks at you in wide eyes; the face of mocked innocence that displays his surprise over you having discovered his true motives…as if they were ever that well hidden, “I’m not blind, you know? I can see what you’re doing - you all do the same. I’m not a seasoned traveler like the rest of you, I get it, but that doesn’t mean you have to treat me as such. I can keep up without anyone babying me or, Hylia forbid, thinking any less of me.”

Your last words are mumbled bitterly under your breath, yet Time picks up on the slight sorrow behind them which goes straight to his heart and softens it greatly.

"I don't think any less of you?”

"Clearly you do," You huff, although your eyes focus on the ground sadly as you complain quietly, "You ignored everyone else except for me. When they fall behind, you tell them to keep up. When I fall behind, you stop the world to wait. It’s ‘cause you think I can’t possibly keep up, isn’t it? …You pity me..."

Time frowns deeply at this, wanting so desperately for you to understand that isn't the case. It pains him greatly to hear you believe he looks down upon you. If anything, it's the opposite. Everyone else here has had life experience to train them. You haven’t. So what? That isn’t a bad thing, in fact he thinks it’s wonderful that you haven’t been subjected to the same horrors that he had grown up with. You are a kind and strong soul who deserves nothing but the best in life instead of being beaten down. The very last thing Time would want would be to cause you suffering of any form even if it’s just a bit of exhaustion on a simple hike.

"You weren't able to get up the mountain in one go. So what?" Warrior invites himself into the conversation with a roll of his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he makes his way over, “That doesn't mean anyone here is ‘pitying’ you. Failure is just a part of life as is struggle. We've all encountered it. Hell, you think I would've been able to go up this mountain before I joined the military? The first time I trekked up Death Mountain, I was just as worn out as you. I've had practice since then, and one day you will, too. The important thing is that you've pressed on without arguing, complaining, or giving up. You took on this challenge bravely despite knowing it would be difficult. Getting as far as you have is crazy impressive for someone who's never done it before.”

All of the boys are quick to nod along, some adding their own compliments towards your endurance which leaves you blushing in embarrassment yet feeling touched nevertheless. The only one not to respond immediately is Time. He finds himself jealous of this, wishing he could voice his inner thoughts and admiration towards you as easily as the others do, however when you glance at him - almost as if you’re waiting expectantly for him to add a comment of his own - he loses all courage which is replaced by a heavy thumping in his heart. And here he was starting to think he had outgrown this teenage awkwardness.

“You, uh…If anything, your strength is inspiring. Try not to underestimate it. I assure you, we haven’t.”

You hum with a nod, a bit of cheer returning through your smile; a glowing look Time definitely prefers on you compared to any gloom, “Thanks…Really. It means a lot.”

Soon, the group begins their journey again and like the others, Time is ready to move onwards without anything else said, however his attention is drawn to Warrior when he could’ve sworn he heard the Captain suddenly scoff from his side. The smirk playing on the blond’s face only proves that Time’s ears are still working just fine despite their age.

“That was a good save. I think you owe me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I must say, lifting (Y/n)’s spirits by complementing their skill provided a far less awkward outcome for everyone compared to having to listen to you deny and eventually stumble over a confession - despite how long one is overdue.”

“...What are you trying to imply?” Time narrows his eye at the Captain who is hardly fazed, in fact he fights the urge to roll his eyes when looking back over his shoulder at the older hero. He can try being as intimidating as he wants, but one look at the man’s dusted red cheeks is all it takes to have Warrior smirking again.

“Ooh, I think you know, Old Man - we all do. I mean, it’s not exactly science to find out why you’re so lenient on (Y/n) and only (Y/n). ‘can’t say favoritism is the most professional for leadership to take part in, buuut it’s nice to see you lighten up a bit and actually act human for once. ‘keep scowling all the damn time and your face will get stuck like that.”

"What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"You keep fidgeting with your tunic. I swear, you're worse than Wars."

Twilight huffs at your comment, although that doesn't stop him from slapping more dust off of himself despite how doing so wordlessly proves your point, "That's a mighty hard bar to pass, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, you're probably right...But seriously though, what's got you so worried all of the sudden? You act like we're about to walk into Hyrule Castle. You're a ranchhand, for crying out loud! This is where you should feel most comfortable, is it not?" While others might think you're teasing him, he knows you well enough to catch that genuine concern held within your voice. He also knows you well enough to understand that you won't be as willing to drop this topic until it's resolved.

"This isn't just any farm we're headin' to. This is the farm."

"I don't follow," but then you give it some thought, skillfully connecting the dots between Twilight's behavior and the particular home your group approaches, "...Oh...'cause it's Time's place?"

He hums in confirmation as he fights back the urge to ask you about the status of his hair, although if he does that, you'll surely roll over laughing and never let him criticize Warrior's daily 'beauty routine' again.

"Twi, it's Time! Sure, he can come across as a little...stern sometimes, but he isn't Princess Zelda! Just don't kick your muddy boots up on his table or anything like that. Follow those small town manners I know you live by and you'll be fine."

"But -"

"- Besides, I'm like, ninety-seven percent certain that Time favors you out of everyone, so you have nothing to worry about -"

"- It's not that simple!" Twilight pouts, stopping dead in his tracks which consequently causes you to do the same, "...I wanna make a good impression here. It...means a lot to me that I do…”

You sigh before stepping closer to him. There, you take his hand gently and give him an encouraging smile, "And you will. Just be yourself, Twi. There's no shame in that. You're already a great guy, after all - a model, country gentleman, if I've ever met one."

Twilight ducks his head, his cheeks burning due to your words, although luckily for his sake, if you've noticed, you don't comment on it. Instead, your attention is stolen away by the others as the group finally arrives at your long awaited destination: Lon Lon Ranch.

Normally, it would make him beyond nervous (a rambling mess, at best) to have your hand intertwined so tightly in his as you excitedly drag him along, however today can be an expectation. To feel your support quite literally in his grasp means the world to Twilight and does wonders to calm him when it comes to enter the threshold of Time’s cozy little home.

Much to Twilight’s relief, you seem to hold some type of power when it comes to predicting the future. All he had to do was simply stumble out a greeting and Time’s lovely wife, Malon, was already overjoyed to accept him, especially impressed to realize he shares a similar farming background as herself. From there, the day continues at a relaxed pace that calms Twilight’s internal worries, although the passage of time nor the many chores the boys are offered to keep busy can’t be given too much credit for that.

While it’s nice to see his brothers let loose for a day and enjoy themselves in a more domestic atmosphere than some of them have ever had the delight of knowing, Twilight finds himself glued to your side the most, particularly keen on sharing this moment with you for embarrassing reasons he’d rather keep to secret for now. As far as you should be aware, he’s excited to be meeting the closest blood relatives he’ll ever know (at least for many years to come), not that he’s also giddy that you get to meet them as well.

Twilight’s here to make a good impression with his mentor, although he finds himself inclined to soak up all your reactions to Lon Lon Ranch, in fact, he’s a bit desperate to decipher just how you’d possibly feel about one day living at a place like this yourself. You seemed unfazed by the farm chores and you’ve openly expressed to Malon your jealousy of her peaceful home which is a far cry from life in the city. Perhaps you’re only being a kind guest, although Twilight won’t let go of the idea that you might just be honest with those words, truly desiring a more easy going atmosphere he’ll happily help you build if you’ll allow him.

Although the work has been simple and laidback, you aren’t alone in your tiredness by the time day turns into night. You had been yawning already after dinner, so Twilight’s rather surprised to see you still awake when he returns from his talk with Time, your sudden whispered voice amongst the darkness actually managing to startle him slightly, “You’re back. How’d it go? Was it all you hoped for?”

Tiptoeing around those who have already fallen asleep, Twilight finds his own sleeping back while only sparing a quick, awkward glance in your direction, “Yeah…”

“Oh, come on. What did you guys talk about? Don’t leave me in suspense.”

“Nothin’...Nothin’ important.”

Although tucked into his sleeping bag with his back turned towards you, he can hear you sit up straighter and can use his imagination to see your pout, “You seriously think I’d believe that? I’ll find out one way or another, you know. In fact, I’ll start bugging you about it again first thing in the morning, so don’t sleep too comfortably, you hear?”

“Goodnight,” Thank Hylia you have no way of seeing his boyish grin or burning blush given his position and the lack of light. When you huff and lay back down to finally sleep, you allow him to drift back into his thoughts, his mind too awake for rest as he reviews his previous conversation with Time and Malon.

It went well, officially extinguishing his prior worries once and for all. The feeling in Twilight’s chest was indescribable as he listened to their pride in him, something that hit much deeper than any other direct compliments he’s received.

As the conversation reached its end, he was sure there could be nothing else said to add fuel to those feelings, already feeling light as a feather when Malon awed with a slight giggle, “Oh, and your partner was beautiful. (Y/n), right? I’m afraid we didn’t get too much of a chance to talk today with all the excitement, but we’ll have to sit down for a private chat tomorrow. You know, in-law to in-law?”

“H-Huh? Ah, I-I’m afraid we’re not actually…together like that.”

"You're not? I could've sworn..." Malon had looked to her husband in disbelief, a point where Twilight would’ve expected his mentor to confirm his statement, after all, Time’s been journeying with you both for the last few months, so he should’ve known the truth, however he had instead shrugged with a hand placed on Malon’s shoulder.

"They're in denial still, dear."

"I suppose it runs in the family then for you boys to be easily intimidated,” Malon placed a hand on her hip with a slight shake of her head, “Link - My Link was the same way. Took it him ages to ask me to be his own -"

"- Hey now -"

"- In fact, it was me who had to take that first step,” She then stepped over to take Twilight’s hands, ignoring how bright red and caught off guard he was. Her smile - innocent yet holding a hint of mischief to it - is one he won’t forget anytime soon nor will he forget Time’s smirk in the background, “The way you look at each other doesn’t leave much to question, hon. Clearly you care for (Y/n) and it seems to me the feeling must be very much mutual given how you’ve been trailing each other all day, so try not to concern yourself too much with all those ‘if’s and ‘but’s. The sooner you leap over your nerves, the more time you’ll have to spend together. Hylia knows after everything you boys have been put through, you deserve all the happiness you can soak in.”

“It’s something you’ll regret if you let it slip through your fingers,” Time had added, pulling his wife to his side as they both smiled at each other lovingly.

Even now, their words echo in Twilight’s head and he finds it impossible to close his eyes without seeing you both in a similar position, you pulled to his side with the overwhelming feeling that everything is just right with the world so long as you’re together….‘wouldn’t be a bad thing at all…

#linked universe #link x reader #linked universe x reader #lu sky x reader #lu time x reader #lu twilight x reader #legend of zelda #reader insert #x reader

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wordy-little-witch · 2 months

Text

Self indulgent ideas for a one piece au-

CoraBug because I am WEAK to clown on clown loving.

Transfem Buggy as well because the blue jester bean is not cis, look me in the eye and tell me that's a cis man, you can't-

Okay now seriously onto the stuff

• Buggy comes out pretty early on in her life, still on the Oro Jackson. The Rogers are all aggressively supportive (some arguably too much so), but Buggy is free, authentic and relatively happy with herself.

• Roger and Garp often have play dates disguised as Good Vs Evil Brawls, which just means they fight for a few days straight then suddenly decide they're done and have a party and feast.

• Rosinante is with Garp for one of these "apprehension attempts", and is frankly just... bamboozled at best. When Sengoku told him to be ready for chaos, he hadn't anticipated this. He's rolling with the punches though!

• until, that is, during the party, he catches sight of this blue haired person alongside the redheaded boy he'd fought briefly the first day before each side's respective leaders went a little too ham on the fighting. Rosi is intrigued. Rosi is also slightly flushed. In his defense, blue hair over there is really cute.

• both cabin kids gravitate to their captain, uncaring of Garp sitting across the fire. Red plops beside the mustached man while Blue moves to step around just to yelp as a large arm lashes out and yanks her into the Pirate captain's lap.

"Garp!! Have you met my brats yet!! Redhead is Shanks, my oldest little nugget, he's pretty damn handy with a sword. And this lass here is my lil' pirate princess, Buggy! Ain't she a peach? Smartest gal I ever met bwahaha!!!"

Garp just arches a brow, looking the kids over before nodding. "Red's a lost cause, but I bet the little miss there has what it takes to be a damn good Marine."

The girl bristles. "As if, you damned geezer!!"

• Rosi is simply Staring Respectfully.

• that's the first meeting. It is not the last.

• by the time of Roger's execution, Rosi, Buggy and Shanks have grown arguably close. The latter two are still soul mates, two sides of a coin, and Rosi love and respects that. He and Shanks have an understanding, that while the love they each have for Buggy is different, it is equally compelling. There is no choosing one over the other. Even if there was, Rosi is sure he wouldn't stand a chance.

• Bug and Rosi both wind up courting.

• a few years down the line, they make things official in a small, private ceremony. It's bright and happy and loud and secretive on a small uninhabited island attended only by their most trusted friends or family.

• Sengoku doesn't approve, but he's willing to let it slide because he really DOES like Buggy, he just hates admitting he's fond of a pirate in any capacity.

• A few more years down the line, Rosi is given the task to infiltrate his family. Buggy by that point is a relatively low level pirate, not exactly infamous but not unknown either. She specializes in information, manipulation and subterfuge. By and large, most consider her a nuisance at best, an idiot at worst. Those who know, however, know she is so much more than that. If there's a cookie jar in any of the Blues or even select places along the Grandline, her hands are in there. It's a good cover.

• they go in as a married couple.

• Rosi still finds Law, and still gets attached. Buggy also takes to this kid like a flower to water, it's her quick thinking that leads to a new facet in their multistage plan. After all, it's not uncommon for couples to adopt, right? And Law needs medical attention, Buggy has contacts and favors but little in ways of getting what they need. Doflamingo is boldly and visibly expansive, so to keep her ruse, she and her husband could arguably look for ways of helping Law without blowing covers.

• Doffy.... buys it. Mostly. He doesn't trust, but he'll allow this to run it's course, he has back up plans.

• only the big flip flop never comes.

• medical intervention isn't available. Doffy has by this point himself grown rather fond of this little spitfire that is his nephew. He's also grown to respect Buggy as well, and he's delighted to have his baby brother back with him. It's predominantly business obviously, but he has caught a few pesky Emotions in the way of this small family. Truly inconvenient.

• he then considers the Ope Ope no Mi. The original idea was for Rosinante to eat it. Rosi already HAS a Devil Fruit, though. It could be fatal to consume two. Buggy also has a fruit, as does he himself. Law, however...

• two birds, one stone.

• Law is much too young for the eternal youth operation (and frankly, Doffy doesn't exactly want his nephew to, ya know, die). And the Ope Ope no mi is the only one they are readily and currently aware of the location of. And Law... is not doing well at all.

• Doffy is watching as Buggy comforts Law one evening from the pains of his ALD, and he makes a decision.

• the eternal youth operation is a bust. They'll figure something else out. They have time. Law does not have time. So Doffy and Rosi both encourage Law to eat this tiny little fruit, both against the wishes of those around them while Buggy holds Law in her lap.

• Doflamingo decides he made the correct choice when he sees Law, some weeks later, running the streets and actually acting almost like a child; he is decisive of it when Law cautiously asks to call him uncle; he is completely certain when Buggy hugs him late one evening and thanks him for saving her baby.

• Law started as a linchpin in a mission, and he became a permanent staple in the lives around them.

• Corazon lives, Buggy's mind playing a huge part in it thanks to her risk-reward reasoning. Law gets two parents and an unhinged uncle. Buggy still gets to fly under the radar. Everyone is happy. They even adopt more kids along the way.

• when Shanks calls Buggy up a little over a year later like "heyyyy I adopted a kiiiid" Buggy sighs and waves Law over with a "fine fine, tell me about my nephew and tell your nephews about their cousin".

"My what now"

"Surprise, bitch. Now start talking."

• they all keep in touch, Buggy establishing a connection to Makino to talk to her nephew and so Luffy can know Law and the others, she also strong arms Shanks into revising his promise so he can still, you know, interact with his boy, all the while complaining about men and their stupidity. Makino then helps facilitate it all when Garp moves Luffy up the mountain, and Buggy actually swings by once she can and meets all three of the ASL trio. She and Dadan get on like a house on fire, Law is trying and failing to understand how these feral jungle kids are alive while also facing the mortifying ordeal of their special brand of D Craziness bringing out his own subtle unhinged energy.

• the Buggy pirates double as a circus event under the radar and visit Dawn once or twice a year officially.

• Luffy, Ace and Sabo have a bigger support system, and so when Sabo is taken, instead of curling up and raging quietly, Ace and Lu make the trek to Makino's and call Auntie Bug for help.

• Auntie Bug and Uncle Rosi both show up. Uncle Doffy is also on call to pull some strings, pun unintended, because he's too far out to get there quickly. Law gets left with the two other Ds under Dadan's tentative watch. Yes, it's a hot mess. Yes, someone may have been threatened with lethal action. And yes, Sabo is essentially bought from his parents. The game was to retrieve him however they had to, so for Rosi... well, pulling the Donquixote Card was an option. They wanted to minimize the casualties or need to look for him.

• Garp returns to Fushia to a message from Makino and Dadan to meet someone a few islands east ward. Buggy, Rosi, Shanks and Doffy are all there, and they all give him quite the dressing down. A Marine, a Warlord, and two pirates give the vice admiral quite the lecture while the kids play happily a safe distance away. Buggy requests (ie, demands) custody of the boys. Not as the Pirate Buggy the Clown, but as a Marine's wife, as Bellelatrix D. Begonia.

• Buggy now has an entire army of children and she's vibrating (/pos AND /neg).

• Luffy, Ace and Sabo have a family, Buggy gets asked the age old "what if Gold Roger had a son" and she point blank cackles, to ASL's confusion. She just shrugs in response. "Then I'd have even more reason to punch him on the Dutchman. Like seriously, if Captain had a son and didn't think to TELL US, I'd be so angry. He knows Shanks and I would have loved that kid like our own little sibling.... I guess, in a way, Roger already had a son and a daughter, not counting your little 'hypothetical', freckles."

• Buggy just about breaks when Ace eventually asks her if he deserved to live. She just crushes him in a hug and tells him that he absolutely deserved to live, that anyone who says otherwise is an idiot and undeserving of the air they breathe. She makes a point to tell all the kids stories of her time under Roger, the good one and the bad, because she refuses to let them out into the world with a black and white view of the universe. It's all shades of gray. They need to make their OWN opinions, not hear them from others and take them to heart.

• she also debates hunting down Garp for sport because this kid's self hatred levels are alarming at best. These don't just happen overnight. She's clawing at the bars of her cage.

• speaking of bars and cages, Doffy is fucking DELIGHTED because he has new nephews to spoil, sorry to interact with - eh, yeah no he's shameless he's gonna spoil them.

• it's all a very delicate balancing act from there on.

• up to Canon time, they've managed to keep most things underwraps. Thing progress relatively the same up until orangetown, where Luffy just goes "Oh hiya, auntie!!"

Buggy just sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Gumdrop, look, the point of a test is to be impartial-"

"Don't care, haven't seen you in forever! Also I knocked out the mayor :))"

"Why would you-?!"

"Didn't know it was you. Wanted to keep him safe :D"

"Ugh. Fine. Fine! You pass, I guess. Good job for trying to keep innocent people safe."

"Yay!!"

Zoro and Nami are just watching this like a tennis match.

• Luffy goes on to kick ass and take names, and Buggy follows him just as she follows her other kids. Sabo has grown to follow the revolutionary army, Ace was a captain for a while before joining whitebeard (and wowza if that hadn't sent her into hysterics), Law and his brothers went on to form the Heart Pirates, it's a good time all around! Then she meets Alvida.

• mean girls squad. Buggy takes one look at this adult woman thirsting after her nephew and goes "haha no. Not happening. Get some help. He's 17."

• she also gets arrested by the Marines and sent to Impel Down. Nobody liked that. Especially not her husband, brother and brother in law. Nor, interestingly enough, Garp.

• Ace also gets arrested. Marineford events occur. Buggy finds Luffy, has several attacks of an interesting variety, and goes a little bit feral. On the way to Marineford, her past is outted, which leads to a deep dive on her history and her civilia identity is compromised as well as Rosi's, so at this point she decides to roll with it and stop holding back. They know now. Might as well profit.

• Ace is saved because Doffy was ordered there to help with fighting off Whitebeard, not informed WHO exactly was being executed, so when he heard it was his nephew?? Oh, haha, no. No way. Not happening. Come on. Give him a break, you can't be THAT stupid ♡

• the War is bloody and vast and Buggy in it all makes a wild fucking plan and spreads it. It works. Doffy keeps his warlord status through subterfuge as opposed to outright disobedience á la Hancock, Ace survives, Whitebeard survives by the skin of his teeth, and Shanks gets there in the nick of time to wrap it up all nice and neat with a bow. Law takes his cousins for medical treatment, and upon hearing from Ace that whitebeard is his pops now and that crew is family, offers his services there too. He gives Whitebeard a little extension on his lifespan, but not much. Dude's pushed too hard for too long to fully save him.

• Buggy gets named a Warlord and proceeds to explode. Rosi and Doffy find it hilarious. She DID pick Bellatrix as a surname after all. The irony is funny.

• Rosi is declared a traitor and pirate due to his marriage, but with Buggy being a warlord, he has not been issued a bounty. ((Yes Sengoku helped with that)). That only happens once Buggy is named an Emperor.

• Doffy finds it fucking hysterical, and makes a big show of bowing or giving a curtsy whenever she walks into a room. She's going to strangle him one of these days. Rosi makes a point if wondering if being married to an Emperor/Empress makes him an Emperor by proxy or like a Duke or something, to which she DOES actually strangle him. It's a hot mess.

• Cross Guild is now being formed, and Crocodile and Mihawk show up thinking "Ah yes easy pickings" until fucking DOFFY shows up like "ayooo- Oh hey croccy baby!!! And Hawky, good to see you, sugartits!!! Rosi, Bugababy, why didn't you TELL me there were hotties here???"

"Sorry, Doffypoo, you didn't ask," Buggy teases back, all relaxed lines and easy smiles. And Crocodile is SPIRALLING now bc WHAT

Mihawk is just staring consideringly because hmmm this is unexpected but interesting....

• anyway hot mess AU that makes me giggle, kicking my feet, twirling my hair-

#buggy the clown #buggy headcanons #one piece #cross guild #one piece headcanons #corabug #donquixote rosinante #donquixote doflamingo #shanks and buggy #sibling shuggy #dracule mihawk #imagine the insanity

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where-theres-smoak-2 · 2 months

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The War Council Analysis/Thoughts

So I need to talk more in depth about the war council scene in Dune Part 2 because that scene is just incredible and has many interesting details and layers to it. I said in a different post that what makes it so interesting is the scene has a different feel depending on which character's pov you look at it from. Each of the characters gathered there have different desires and motivations and each want Paul to be a specific thing/person/being and this scene is very much shown less through Paul and his motivations and more through the emotions of the other characters gathered there. The main characters it focuses on are Stilgar, Jessica, Gurney and Chani. So in this post I do want to talk about each of those characters and their emotions and wants throughout this scene. But first I want to talk about Paul himself and how he plays this moment because I think there are some really interesting details there.

Before Paul arrives at the council there is a relatively calm atmosphere, everyone is crouched down and are praying, its very much has the vibe of a church or other religious gathering. However the moment Paul shows up in the room the energy shifts. People start looking around at him and some start rising up to their feet to get a better look at him, there is a mumbling that spreads through the crowd. They know who he is and there is this sense of awe and excitement that he is finally here, that they can finally see him. When he reaches the circle one of tribe leaders catches his attention and addresses him as Mahdi showing that they do recognise him as the messiah. However despite this what is interesting is at this point they are still standing by their cultural beliefs and explain that if he wants to talk he has to take Stilgar's spot by killing him. Even though this is the messiah their culture is still currently taking precedence.

Paul however ignores this and refuses to follow their custom, instead shouting that he is pointing the way and marching to the middle of the circle. The energy in the room shifts again to one of anger, even Stilgar is shocked at Paul's statement. You can feel this anger flood through the crowd as they raise to their feet pulling out their crysknife's as Paul gives out this challenge, stating no one in the room could stand against him, in this moment Paul comes across as powerful and arrogant even, he's confident in his challenge. I always found this moment interesting because despite the fact that the people gathered there are the religious fanatics who have been waiting centuries for the messiah to come, the ones who believe that Paul is that messiah, they still react in anger to Paul disrespecting their ways. I see it as the fremen's last stand against an outsider's control and suppression, their last moment of defence for their ways and beliefs, its the final moment where they are still true to themselves. But its a battle they are about to lose.

One really interesting moment is after making this challenge he sets his eyes on one fremen in particular and then he lowers himself into a crouch. I found this to be an interesting move because you would think when he is surrounded by a very angry crowd of people who all have their weapons drawn you would want to make yourself seem as big and as powerful as possible, to stand tall and imposing. But Paul lowers himself, and the movement is eery and seems threatening despite it arguably being a more vulnerable position. I kept wondering to myself why this move unsettled me, why it seemed so threatening. Then I realised its because it reminded me of a predator, like a lion or tiger, lowering themselves into the grass getting ready to pounce on its victim. As he speaks to this one fremen he keeps his voice low, he moves towards him with slow, deliberate movements, again like a predator stalking towards it's prey. He tells the man the very thoughts he knows he is thinking and its no wonder its so unsettling to this stranger. Then Paul goes for the kill with one final word, Dune. The target falls to his knees, exclaiming Lisan al Gaib. Then Paul's energy explodes again, once again he is speaking in a loud, bold and powerful voice, as he turns to his next target, he rushes forward, formidable and commanding and that man falls under his power too, until the whole room is on their knees and under Paul's control. This moment is both terrifying and thrilling at the same time, you can't help but get swept up in it yourself and you can't tear your eyes away, I just love the shifts in Paul's demeanour, in the way he uses his voice, his very movements to win the fremen over, its truly terrifying.

When he puts the Ducal ring back on and announces that he is the voice from the outer world, that he will lead them to paradise, he fills his voice with passion, once again he is speaking in a powerful and loud voice, one that is filled with promise, one that stirs up the fremen's own passion and excitement. Again you can feel this energy just spread through the crowd and building into this crescendo where everyone is rushing to their feet and exalting Paul, they are now completely faithful to him, will do anything for him, even abandon their own way of life and the cultural practises that five minutes earlier they were prepared to fight for.

Stilgar

So lets talk about Stilgar next. Throughout the film it is made very clear that Stilgar is not only a true believer in the prophecy but that he believes that Paul is the Lisan al gaib. His religious beliefs are clearly very important to him. We often see him praying and talking about the prophecy and in the first half of the film it is played off for laughs, it all seems a bit silly and we often have other characters doubting him when he says Paul is the one and even mocking him for seeing these 'signs'. However when we get to this part of the film, his blind faith and obsession with the prophecy and Paul, becomes less funny and more horrifying to watch. At the start of the scene Stilgar is sat in his place within the circle as a leader of his tribe. Upon Paul's arrival Stilgar is more than willing to sacrifice his life so that Paul can take his spot. This is such a chilling moment because it shows just how lost to this prophecy Stilgar truly is, he is willingly to die so that he can give Paul a voice, because he believes that what Paul has to say is more important than his life. He even pulls his own crysknife out ready.

However as I said above Paul has no intention of taking Stilgar's life, stating that he won't deprive himself of the best of them right before a battle. Stilgar is very shocked when Paul defies their ways to speak anyway. Honestly it makes sense why he would be shocked if you think about his dynamic with Paul before this moment. Stilgar has played the role of Paul's teacher and guide, he tells him how to navigate the desert, he teaches him to ride a sandworm. He explains the ways of the Fremen and Paul has always listened and done as Stilgar has told him. So in this moment Stilgar is explaining to Paul, as he always has, the ways of the fremen, he must be a leader to speak, he must take Stilgar's spot, in this moment he thinks Paul will react the same way he has in the past, by paying attention to and following Stilgar's guidance. But Paul doesn't, he reverses their roles in this moment, now Paul is the one pointing the way and Stilgar must be the one to follow.

I mentioned above that each character had their own desires and motivations and each had an image of who they wanted Paul to be. For Stilgar he is very much motivated by the prophecy and he wants Paul to be the Lisan al Gaib, he's waited his whole life for the messiah to come. Throughout Paul's speech you can see Stilgar become more and more enraptured with Paul, he looks at him with a look of awe and reverence with each word he speaks. Until you have that moment when he asks Paul what he foresees for them and Paul answers a green paradise you can see the look of exhilaration cross his face as he sinks to his knees. Can you imagine being Stilgar in this moment, after dedicating your life to this religion, to this prophecy, after being mocked and ridiculed for this belief, you're messiah is finally here. From the moment they met in Dune part 1, Stilgar says he recognises Paul as the Lisan al Gaib, despite protests from even Paul himself, Stilgar persevered in his belief that Paul was the one and in this moment he is getting confirmation. For Stilgar this isn't just a moment of triumph, its a moment of validation and you can see how much that means to him.

Gurney

When it comes to Gurney it is made very clear right at the start of the scene what his desires and motivations are. When Chani tells him that this is none of his business he tells her that Rabban killed his family and left him scarred, so this was all his business. It's clear that what Gurney wants is revenge. Gurney is someone who was incredibly loyal and dedicated to the House Atreides, when he believed they were all massacred by the Harkonnens the only thing he had left was revenge, he even tells us when he's first reunited with Paul that he stayed on Arrakis with the sole purpose of getting that revenge.

When it comes to the prophecy, to Lisan al Gaib and this green paradise that the fremen believe Paul will lead them too, Gurney has no stakes in it, he doesn't care about it, it literally means nothing to him. What does mean something to him is House Atreides. When he believed they were all gone I think Gurney felt very lost, like he had no purpose anymore, his purpose was to serve and protect his duke and family and I think part of him felt like he failed in that. He has been filled with anger and revenge ever since. But learning that Paul was alive and reuniting with him gave Gurney something else, it gave him hope. Hope that House Atreides will be restored. Only he quickly realises that Paul has no interest in reviving the House Atreides, that he has built a life for himself with the fremen which is very frustrating for Gurney who I think was expecting Paul to want revenge and the restoration of the Atreides, like he does.

So the person Gurney wants Paul to be is the duke, you see this look of pure emotion in Gurney's eyes when Paul pulls out the Ducal ring. His lip trembles and he lets out this breathy laugh of relief, he looks like he is trying to hold back tears he is so overcome. I think for Gurney seeing Paul embrace his role as an Atreides, as the Duke of Arrakis, feels like he's getting his family and his purpose back. When the fremen raise to their feet and chant Lisan al Gaib, Gurney rises too, but he's not chanting, he raises his chin in triumph and looks at Paul with pride, because Gurney like Stilgar, is also getting everything he has hoped for, he's got his duke back, his chance at revenge back.

Jessica

Ok so what does Jessica want? Well that's easy, the same thing she wanted in part 1, for Paul to be the Kwisatz Haderach. What's interesting about Jessica's motivations is that they're kind of a combination of both Stilgar's and Gurney's desires but with a bit of her own mixed in. Like Stilgar she wants Paul to take on the role of Lisan al Gaib, to becomes this prophet and leader to the fremen fundamentalists. But like Gurney she also wants him to embrace his title of Duke and carry on his father's legacy as heir to House Atreides. Which is why you see her get this look of satisfaction on her face when Paul announces that he is Duke of Arakkis. I think this also plays into the fact that she defied the Bene Gesserit to have a boy because she wanted to give the Duke she loved an heir as well as wanting to be the one to bring forth the Kwisatz Haderach, so for her this is the moment she is seeing that act of rebellion pay off. Another aspect of her motivation is that she wants Paul to be safe, I think in her mind the only way to achieve that is by making him the most powerful being in the universe. I mean after all if Paul can see multiple futures and can foresee dangers before they come for him, if he has an army of millions of religious fanatics who will throw down their lives for him because they believe he is their messiah, if he holds titles and positions of power, then who could possibly ever stand against him. Jessica put alot of work, did a lot of plotting and scheming in order to reach this moment, to gain the support of the fremen to Paul's cause, to convince Paul himself to drink the water of life and become the Kwisatz Haderach, so for her this is the moment she sees all that work come to fruition, its a moment of triumph, its her pay off.

Chani

Poor Chani. For all the others this moment was one of validation or triumph, but for Chani it was the moment she lost everything. I think there is this underlying sadness to the scene because, as I said before, everyone has an idea of who Paul should be, prophet, duke, kwizatz haderach, but its all about who he can be for them. Chani was the only one who was fighting for Paul, for him to stay who he truly was, who he had chosen to be. She's the only left fighting for her people, for their culture and way of life, but being the only one still fighting means she doesn't have a chance, there are too many external forces acting against her.

From the very start of the scene Chani is being pushed and pulled about by others. She rushes to Stilgar and tries to talk sense into him, and not only does Stilgar ignore her, but the other leader tells her she cannot speak, the other fremen come to take her away from the circle. When she tries to speak up again, speaking to the crowd at large, Gurney intervenes pulling her to the ground next to him and telling her she'll get in trouble, cutting her off in the process. When the fremen get angry at Paul and she stands to go and intervene, Gurney stops her again, when everyone bows to Paul, again Gurney pulls her to her knees so that she too is bowing. All of this shows just how helpless she really is, she can scream and shout and fight but each time she is silenced.

As Paul declares himself the Lisan al Gaib you can see Chani's heart break, she shakes her head in disbelief because she cannot fathom why Paul is taking this course of action, after everything he promised her, after all the times he said he wasn't the prophet, that he didn't want power, or to lead her people, he's going back on all of it. She's watching the man she loves exert power and control over her people and she is powerless to stop it from happening, she feels helpless and confused and betrayed. When everyone jumps to their feet in celebration she stays on her knees, showing just how broken she is by Paul, how devastated but also how she refuses to see him as the mahdi, to celebrate and worship him like the rest of her people. I said in another post that this moment is a great contrast and compliment to the last scene where everyone bows and she stays on her feet out of defiance. But I think another interesting detail about this moment is that Chani is very much Paul's soul, his love, she represents who he is at heart, in this moment though not only is he cut off from her sight, but he won't be able to see her either. This crowd of worshippers becomes a literal and figurative barrier between them.

Anyway to wrap this up, I do think this moment is one of the best in the film, its just filled with so much tension and so many different dynamics between each of the characters. In some ways its a moment of triumph and victory for our characters but for other characters its a moment of heartbreak and betrayal. In the middle of it all you have Paul who has lost himself, he's no longer a person but a figure, something to worship and be in awe of. The last person who really sees him as Paul, the man, he loses in this moment and that just makes it a tragedy.

#dune #dune part 2 #dune part 2 spoilers #dune part two #dune part two spoilers #chani kynes #paul atreides #paul x chani #stilgar #gurney halleck #lady jessica

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gogandmagog · 4 months

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What do you think Gilbert’s most under-rated moment is? Of all the books. 😊

— Anne’s House of Dreams, Lucy Maud Montgomery

Man, it bursts my little bubble to think about the ‘Dawn and Dusk’ chapter of ‘House of Dreams’ too much but Gilbert’s most underrated moment has surely gotta be this one.

Gilbert’s dauntless integrity is really easy to overlook in the shadow of the ineffable sorrow of this moment. This is the single most violent blow in the world to hand a mother (or arguably anyone anywhere; the loss of a child is such a ruinous grief that not everyone survives it, and here even Marilla, a strong believer in moral code, in Providence, and honesties… openly flees the scene) and yet Gilbert delivers it so softly, and directly. The fortitude it must’ve taken to not honey the inevitability of Joy’s ‘going’, by spinning counterfeit hope, that maybe he couldn’t be totally sure of what was to come, or that there was even a very small chance of recovery. With the understanding, of course, that Gilbert would’ve been properly trained in the parsing and distributing of ugly tidings (practised as a class exercise in medical schools, even in the 1880’s — though still not necessarily a very teachable skill)… but all those fine words and bedside manner instructions count for a whole lot less when it’s your own much desired child, your own much loved wife, and your own present bracing against the crippling tragedy still at hand.

For me, this moment just speaks of true shining character. Though Anne pointedly asked, where Leslie did not, we can also still see when we compare these two harsh occasions of outing-the-truths, that Gilbert’s going to do the right thing, no matter how agonising, no matter how personal, and no matter the infliction to himself. 🥹 And anyway, I love him soooo much for it.

In the even bigger picture of this chapter, how ready Gilbert is to humble himself is also up for discovery. Doctor Dave was called to the house. Doctor Dave was retiring, out of date with his technique, and so old fashioned that Gilbert wasn’t in the habit of consulting with him unless things were philosophically dire. At this point, Gilbert had already righted some Doctor Dave wrongs in the community; saved lives that he would’ve lost. And when we let all that sink in, Gilbert’s desperation in ‘Dawn and Dusk’ starkly shows through.

#😮‍💨#tysm for this question #am returning to sender (with a slight emily adjustment) in just one moment #the gilBEST

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chirpsythismorning · 2 years

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My favorite combination of endgame byler proof dates back to the promotion for season two (bc of course it does)!

About a week before s2 premiered, David Harbour did an interview, and deadass the only thing that makes any sense in regards to what he could possibly be referring to here, is endgame Byler:

"We’re talking about ending Stranger Things at either season four or season five. I know there is an end to the story. It’s a very beautiful end. We’ve already been laying out the pipework. There are easter eggs in season one that you won’t get until season four. You’ll look back and say ‘we’ve been seeing this story the whole time, we just haven’t realized it’. To me, that’s wonderful.”

Now, one could try to argue that David was referring to Will’s sexuality/feelings for Mike here, and I would agree, at least partly, because David’s wording sounds an awful lot like what Noah said recently in his interview with Variety:

"I mean, it’s pretty clear this season that Will has feelings for Mike. They’ve been intentionally pulling that out over the past few seasons. Even in Season 1, they hinted at that and slowly, slowly grew that storyline. I think for Season 4, it was just me playing this character who loves his best friend but struggles with knowing if he’ll be accepted or not, and feeling like a mistake and like he doesn’t belong. Will has always felt like that."

Where it gets complicated though, is that if David was referring to solely Will sexuality/unrequited feelings in this interview, then it doesn’t really make sense for him to frame it as ‘wonderful’.

But, it is important to note that David was talking about the ending, not the beginning of the end, which is what s4 ended up being. His assumption back then, was based on his knowledge of the ending, and how long he hoped the show would go for them to close off that story.

S4 obviously wasn’t a 'beautiful', nor 'wonderful' conclusion to Will’s story arc involving his sexuality/feelings for Mike being built up since s1. So, even if that’s all David was referring to, we are still yet to see the payoff.

This is where the damning proof combo comes in...

Most of you probably know, but as promotion for s2, Spotify collaborated with Netflix for official playlists dedicated to each of the ST characters. It was said that these playlists were specialized and unique to each characters traits.

But especially when it comes to the first song on each of these playlists, almost all of them are instantly recognizable as to why we can assume they chose that song, for that specific character, to start off their playlist. And arguably, even for the most casual of viewers.

For El it’s, Papa Don’t Broach. Pretty self explanatory.

For Will, it’s Should I Stay or Should I Go. Again, self explanatory.

For Mike, it's Smalltown Boy...

To those who don't know, Smalltown Boy (1984) is an unequivocal gay anthem about a young, gay man in the 80's who experiences homophobia and alienation in his small home-town, only to leave (run away) by the end, in order to be happy.

The music video leans even more blatantly into this narrative. Here it is beside this shot of Mike in 4x01 (one of the very few POV shots we got from him in s4, might I add), and it fits quite well with the Smalltown Boy agenda...

To be clear, this isn't just some song the queer community loved and so it turned into a gay anthem overtime. Because, yeah, there are definitely some songs that lyrically just feel like they could be queer (despite not intentionally being), and so the gays sort of claim it and it gains even more meaning and importance over time. However, that is not the case here. This song is undoubtedly one of the most intentionally gay songs of the 80's. And a heartbreaking SYNTH one at that!!!

If the hints for Will were intentional back then (confirmed), then it’s highly likely Smalltown Boy being the first song on Mike’s official playlist, may just be one of the many Easter eggs pointing to the fact that Mike has also been gay (and in love with Will??) this whole time.

Also worth mentioning that when Finn was recently asked about M*leven's relationship in season 5 (the ending), he had this to say;

"I don’t know, I’m really interested… I don’t know, I’m interested kind of like for the end of the show kinda in general (…) Who’s gonna stay in Hawkins, who’s gonna leave. Who’s gonna try to find a life outside. Is there even gonna be a Hawkins? I don’t know. But yeah. I’d be interested to see if Mike stays in Hawkins, or tries to find a life outside of his town. And also, you know it’s hard to tell, like obviously with Eleven and his relationship, but I hope they find, you know, happiness."

When they make-up after fighting in 4x04, Mike tells Will that Hawkins isn't the same without him. After literally listing off all of their friends, basically separating them from Will, "They're great... but-" sort of confirms to us that no matter what Hawkins has to offer, without Will, it's not the same to Mike. Which means if Will isn't going to stay in Hawkins at the end (he won't), Mike probably wont either.

TBH, Will and Mike both having feelings for each other since the beginning, and ending up together, fits a whole lot better with: ‘we’ve been seeing this story the whole time, we just haven’t realized it. And I think that’s wonderful’, than an unrequited love story does....

And the fact that all of these easter eggs, for both Mike and Will, started picking up more prominently after season 2, makes the Duffers whole "what is s2?" act right now even more funny...

#byler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things 5 #stranger things theory #stranger things meta #stranger things spoilers #stranger things 5 theory #mike wheeler #will byers #smalltown boy agenda

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shig-a-shig-ah · 4 months

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CHAPTER 30 ━ NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP

» pairing: shigaraki tomura x fem!reader » story summary: working as a waitress in a villain bar means you meet all sorts of shady people. But when a random encounter piques your interest in a nameless stranger, a casual hookup turns into a lot more than you bargained for. » chapter word count: 4.0k » chapter warnings: none. » read the full chapter on ao3

[ Excerpt ]

Your balcony is, arguably, not the worst place you've ever slept. There's the threadbare futons and unwashed sheets so prominent among men in your age group, for starters—conditions that always seemed uniquely uncomfortable when shared with the near-strangers you hooked up with. You'd also, thanks to your mother and her own string of questionable romantic choices, spent more than one night on the dirty floor of some seedy apartment or warehouse squat site, trying to tune out the sounds of drunken louts and petty infighting. And that was if you were lucky—given thin walls and your mother's proclivities, the drunken posturing of low-level thugs wasn't the worst thing you risked overhearing.

In spite of all that, you're uniquely regretful when you wake exactly where you'd ended the night before, sitting propped against your balcony rail with Tomura beside you. The fact that you're the only person responsible for the painful crick in your neck—and that your very comfortable bed is all of twenty feet away—probably has something to do with it.

"Fuck," you mumble, blinking disorientedly against the bright morning sun. Even realizing where you are, it's hard at first to remember why you're camped outside instead of tucked comfortably in your bed.

When you shift to sit up and feel lingering stickiness between your thighs, however, it all comes rushing back: Tomura dragging you out of bed in the middle of the night, and the frantic coupling that followed. Your ill-advised acknowledgment that, despite trying so hard to avoid this exact situation, you couldn't bring yourself not to care about him, or to end things. You'd done the opposite of end things, in fact, and while you regret that far less than your choice of sleeping arrangements, you still find yourself saying, again:

"Fuck."

There's a snort, and you feel shifting beside you. "You're finally up."

"Barely." You rub at your face, finally turning to look at Tomura. The dark circles under his eyes are more prominent than usual, but his gaze is alert. You wonder, briefly, if he got any sleep, but it's a trace thought that doesn't linger—you're too preoccupied with the intensity of his stare, and your sudden awareness of the mere inches between you. It has your stomach twisting and fluttering in tandem, the odd combination of relief and resignation you'd felt last night resurfacing in a way it hadn't before you were literally face-to-face with your questionable choices.

You smile in spite of yourself as you lean in to kiss him.

For a moment, those half-spun anxieties fade away, nothing in your awareness except his lips against your own. The kiss is soft and restrained—abnormally so, though you're late to register that. It's only when you pull away that you realize just how tight his expression is, his face pinched and pensive enough to dampen your own budding enthusiasm at waking up beside him. You hadn't expected him to be in a good mood, exactly—given his current circumstances that seems like far too much hope for—but it's still a stark departure from the satisfaction he'd displayed mere hours ago.

"You good?" you ask. Your first worry is that he's having regrets, and what a twist of irony that would be—him getting cold feet as soon as you decide there's no point avoiding commitment. Commitment, he'd been the one pushing for, even, though you're painfully aware that doesn't always make a difference. God knows he wouldn't be the first man who wanted to stake his claim only to feel immediately suffocated by it.

That doubt vanishes before Tomura can even answer you, however. The door to your balcony slides open to reveal Kurogiri, and the way Tomura immediately bristles at the sight of him suggests this isn't the first time the other villain has attempted to disturb the two of you.

"Shigaraki Tomura—" Kurogiri starts, but he doesn't get a chance to finish.

"I know," Tomura growls impatiently, and you have to fight back a laugh. You can see the League beyond Kurogiri, clearly in the process of collecting their things, and that's enough for you to piece together what has Tomura so irritated.

"Time to go already, huh?"

Tomura's glower deepens, but Kurogiri nods. "We should depart shortly. As I have already told Shigaraki Tomura"—there's an artful balance of delicacy and impatience in his voice—"our broker will be waiting."

There's clear subtext there—not just that they need to hurry, but also that despite Kurogiri's best efforts, Tomura was reluctant to disturb you while you were sleeping. Or, was reluctant to separate himself from you, at least. Last night made it abundantly clear that he's not above interrupting your rest for more self-serving reasons.

As much as you would also like to linger, the seven villains in your apartment are a fairly compelling reason to send Tomura on his way. And, more than that, you imagine that leaping into the newfound uncertainty of your relationship will be a lot easier if you simply get it over with, like ripping a bandage off.

You reach over and carefully interlace your fingers with Tomura's. "C'mon then," you say, tugging him along with you as you rise to your feet.

The inside of your apartment is a jarring contrast to the relative peace of your balcony. Jin shoves past almost the moment you've stepped inside—"About time a guy can go out for a smoke. I've been dying in here," he barks as he passes—and the others are a whirl of motion. Compress is in the middle of your living room, diligently ironing his vest, and in your bedroom beyond you can see Magne folding up the blankets she'd been using as a makeshift bedroll. Meanwhile, Toga and Spinner are piling everyone's things onto your coffee table; for a group that arrived with so few belongings, they'd managed to spread their possessions around rather impressively.

When you look back to Tomura, he's eyeing his own collection of notebooks and duffels, still strewn across your kitchen table.

"You need help packing up?" you ask.

He shakes his head. "I can handle it." He doesn't move, though, and he still hasn't let go of your hand.

You share that reluctance to separate, and you'd be tempted to indulge in a private moment with him if you thought you could manage it. Given the state of things, however, you're not optimistic on that front. Tomura must understand that well enough, too, because when you finally wrest your hand from his, he casts his own glowering look around and then skulks off to deal with his things. Less than ten minutes later, the League is crowded around a swirling warp gate, and your stomach is twisting as you watch Tomura carefully zip up the last of his bags—the duffel he'd dragged into your bedroom the other day, the one that contains his too-literal-for-comfort family.

He slings it over his shoulder and then casts an unenthused look around. The League is clearly waiting for him to go through the warp gate first, and though he doesn't protest, he does look less than thrilled about it as he steps towards you.

"I don't know when you'll see me again," he mumbles, making an obvious effort to keep his voice low.

"That's okay. Just come by when you can." You force a smile that you hope is more carefree than you feel—his imminent departure makes it hard to ignore that you have no idea where things will go from here, and that you can't even be fully confident you will see him again. You're not foolish enough to think that the League will be any safer at their new hideout than they were at your apartment.

He nods, and casts an agitated look around, obviously still unhappy about the audience. A second later, though, he leans in to cover your mouth with his own, albeit far more perfunctorily than you suspect he'd prefer.

Chaste though the kiss is, it's apparently not chaste enough; Toga lets out a giggle, and from the corner of your eye, you see her and Jin elbowing each other like excited middle schoolers. Beside them, Spinner is rubbing at the back of his neck and awkwardly averting his gaze.

Tomura doesn't comment on any of that when he finally straightens up; he only fixes them with an unimpressed scowl and then, hitching his bag more firmly over his shoulder, marches through the warp gate without another word.

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Taglist: @dabisqueen @kiwiimochi @simultaneously-sick-and-calm @vngelis @toutoshodoroki @chospiracy @evilmortytrapremix @nonobadcat @sunasb3tch @chaos-night @toughbook @xxjesshuxx @lawfulrhi @doomsthotstash

#shigaraki x reader #tomura shigaraki x reader #shigaraki x you #tomura shigaraki x you #shigaraki x oc #shigaraki fanfic #shigaraki #bnha fanfic #bhna reader insert #reader insert #long fic #abti #ch. 30 #ghuleh.writes

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