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#so i reread his introduction
phoenixkaptain · 5 months
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Okay. I’ll write an actual analysis.
A Lonely Place of Dying does a few things, storytelling-wise, that are actually incredibly impressive. Like, I figured it out and I was so excited.
First, we don’t see Tim. Not in part 1. All we see is glimpses. His hands as he puts away his camera. His feet as he runs away from Starfire’s apartment. We only see small parts of him, leaving him shrouded in mystery, which leads into part 2, where he’s represented by a shadowy figure on the cover.
The Titans, but especially Starfire, are all worried about the small child looking for Nightwing. This kid knows Nightwing’s name, knows where he lives, nd has a very conspicuous camera. I’d be worried too! So of course, from the Titans perspective, he’s an intimidating opponent that they don’t understand. (Especially since I’m like ninety percent sure Tim isn’t actually the one they’re looking for. Like, I think it was just a happy coincidence that the most suspicious child on the face of the planet happened to show up at the same time as the actual problem.)
We don’t see Tim’s face until just under halfway through part 2. And the first thing they show us are his eyes. He’s searching for Dick, even among all the pandemonium, and it’s only upon him finding Dick that we see his whole face.
Tim’s eyes are important. They’re an important part of his character in this storyline. Because Tim sees things. He sees through Bruce, he sees through Dick, he sees through Alfred even. He’s always looking.
And this is compounded when he explains how he knows what he knows in part 3.
We see child Tim Drake at the circus. Tim says this to Dick “…I kept staring at you…” and this “I remember waiting for you to go on. And then, when you did, I just sat there and watched.”
On the next page, he says, about Dick’s parents’ deaths, “I turned away… I couldn’t watch. Then I heard you crying and I turned back and I saw you holding onto them, and I began crying, too.”
Page 11 has his monologue about seeing Batman for the first time, and how he thought Batman would hurt Dick, but what’s important isn’t the dialogue, it’s the panels. They focus on the realization of Batman being safe, entirely through Tim’s eyes. He’s panicked and scared, then slowly relaxes. We see it all, because Tim sees it all.
And it’s THIS. Tim started the story by finding Batman, but he starts his story by beginning to look for Dick. Us seeing Tim seeing Dick is a direct parallel to us seeing Tim seeing Batman with Dick. Tim’s story starts by him staring at Dick, unable to look away. And when we see him for the first time, he’s looking at him again, still unable to look away.
Throughout the story, Tim is constantly looking at Dick. Yes, this is mostly because he’s talking to Dick, but even at the end of part 2, when Dick is being congratulated by Haly’s Circus members and isn’t paying attention to Tim at all, Tim is still watching him.
Why is there so much emphasis on his eyes? I’m so glad you asked- IT’S VISUAL STORYTELLING BABEYYYY.
Tim’s most important role in A Lonely Place of Dying is as a third party. He cares about Bruce and Dick, and he knows them a lot better than they might think, but he’s still a third party to them. They don’t know him. He’s someone who’s been looking in on their lives for ten years.
He’s. A. Voyeur.
The emphasis being placed on his eyes cements this. Dick, Alfred, and Bruce are all put off by him at first. He knows too much, he doesn’t offer much information on himself until he’s forced to, it’s almost uncomfortable how much of a stalker this thirteen-year-old manages to be. He’s a voyeur, watching their lives, unnoticed by any of them, and that’s a bit unnerving! I don’t blame Dick for being unsettled by him, he’s weird!
And, his eyes as a child watching Dick to his eyes as a preteen finding Dick. They’re connected. A perfectly linear story, just told backwards. It’s really very satisfying.
Now, point two. The question we all have. Is Tim a stalker?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: yes, but I’ll explain.
Tim begins the story by taking pictures of Batman fighting Ravager. The narration mentions someone calling in a tip to Gordon about Ravager’s location, which is what led Batman to this point, and I’m on the fence over whether or not Tim was the one who called in. On one hand, it would make a lot of sense. Ravager is part of a bigger ploy by Two-Face, and we find out in part 2 that Tim knows Two-Face is behind the trouble. It would also explain how Tim found a spot to set up his camera for a good portion of the fight. And, it isn’t like Tim wouldn’t know Gordon’s phone number. On the other hand, it’s never explicitly stated who called Gordon, so assume what you will.
Part 1 actually shows us a glimpse of Tim’s collection of photographs. It’s huge. Most of them are obviously newspaper clippings, but a few are just pictures (I assume on photo paper because the edges are cleaner than the newspaper photos). Tim says, in part 3 “You know, since I was able to read, I clipped every article on Batman and Robin.” We admittedly don’t know when Tim learned to read, but he’s thirteen and says he gets mostly A’s, so I’m assuming he probably learned in preschool or kindergarten, around the age of 3-5. That’s a lot of newpaper clippings. We only see his more recent and his most stalkery ones, so who knows how many more he has?
There are only a few points in the story where we see that Tim is genuinely emotional about anything. For the most part, he is calm. He smiles a lot. He doesn’t use a lot of exclamation marks. The only times he does use exclamation marks are when he’s monologuing (internally or externally) about how great Dick is or when he’s trying to make a point. The only time we see him get visibly distressed is when Dick ignores him about Batman needing a Robin.
I don’t know how to stress upon you that Tim only cries that one time. Tim almost dies three times in this comic. He went to his second circus and another person died. His idols both berate him and talk down to him (although Dick stops right after they meet with Bruce. I’m going to be honest, I think Dick wants Bruce to take Tim on as Robin because if Dick had to deal with Tim for a whole day, so does Bruce). He has to recount watching Dick’s parents die and the nightmares he got from it.
He went through so much. But, the only time he’s upset is when Dick won’t listen to him about what’s best for Batman.
Anyway, Tim flat out just says a lot of really stalker-y shit, so I’ll just list some more:
We already know about him clipping newspapers since he could read
When he’s asking Kory where Nightwing is, he lets slip to her that he was watching Titans Tower with this line “I know he wasn’t at your meeting today.”
There’s also a few lines from breaking and entering Dick’s apartment “Grayson kept his old apartment. If he left the Titans, he might be here.” “He’s a detective… he must keep notes. Even something scribbled on a shopping list.” “No! The Haly Circus is closing? It can’t be! It can’t! But at least I now know where he is!” (Why is the shopping list thing stalkery Kacie, I’m so glad you asked. Tim knows Dick well enough that he knows Dick writes things down. Bruce certainly doesn’t, and Bruce is also a detective, so it’s a logical leap unless Tim knows Dick is inclined to write things down.)
There’s one part that isn’t stalkery so much as really funny to me. While Tim is looking for Dick at the circus, he realizes that Dick is “a master of disguise” and that “I’ve been looking for Dick Grayson, but he could be anyone.” only to almost immediately after say “No, not the roustabouts. They’re too tall.” First, that means he can’t “be anyone.” Second, he knows Dick’s height just. So well.
Tim realizes who Dick is and I think I’ll just tell you what he said to explain how he figured it out “Th-that jump- - -that’s him! It’s got to be Dick!” What was so special about Dick’s jump? I don’t think there was anything special, I think Tim is just weird.
Dick asks Tim who he is no less than three separate times. Tim refuses to tell him, all three times. At the beginning of part 3, while Dick is introducing Tim to Alfred, Dick says “Alfred, this may be a bit awkward, but I’d like you to meet- - - -what did you say your name was again?” Implying that Tim did tell Dick, but only briefly.
Back in part 2, Tim says this to Dick “Look, I know you’re Nightwing. You used to be Robin. Then Jason Todd became Robin, and when he died, Bruce Wayne went to pieces.” Tim says this before telling Dick his name by the way.
Tim, upon being introduced to Alfred (a cont. of the earlier Dick line) “Tim. Mr. Pennyworth- - gosh I was really hoping we’d meet. I know you’re Batman’s confidant, and I’ve dreamed about the stories you could tell.”
Alfred’s response to this is “I am- - what did you say?” Which is very funny.
Some more stalker lines that come from Tim looking around the manor: “I’ve seen pictures of this place,” “There’s the renoir Mr. Wayne bought last year. I read about that in Art World Today.”, “He’s got an erte? Oh, I love his stuff.”, “Please, can I see the rest of the house?”
There’s this, which a part of was mentioned earlier “I don’t remember the clowns or the animals, or anything else. I just remember waiting for you to go on. And then, when you did, I just sat there and watched.”
Tim says, before explaining anything, “Okay, you won’t take me seriously until I tell you everything. Dick, I don’t want this to hurt you. And I’m really afraid it might.” He then says, “I’m sorry, Dick. I really am. I told you I didn’t want to hurt you by telling you all this.” Tim is right, Dick is hurt. Tim is a stalker, but he’s a conscientious stalker.
There’s this “That image of you doing your somersault- - - -it stayed with me for years. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.” “I knew that somersault. I knew it like I knew my own name.”
This is just the beginning of a sentence, but it still is very stalkery “When you moved to New York to become Nightwing…”
Or how about “…Batman and Robin have meant everything to me. I’ve followed them both… I know them so well. I knew when Dick left to become Nightwing. I knew when Jason came and became Robin… and I knew when Jason died.”
Tim mentions offhandedly that he managed at some point to slip a tracking device on Two-Face. An impressive feat, considering Two-Face was trying to hit him with a crowbar and Tim only came into contact with him twice, either to punch him in the face or push him away from attacking Alfred. I doubt he slipped it on him while punching him, but his ability to stay calm under pressure even while acting panicky, managing to smoothly slide a tracking device onto Two-Face that Two-Face never realizes is there, is very impressive. Or, it’s practiced-
Bruce says “I don’t want a partner. It’s as simple as that.”
Tim responds “After all you’ve been through, I understand.”
So you may be wondering, with all of this overwhelming evidence and the fact that he knows where both Kory and Dick live and the fact that he already knew Alfred Pennyworth was Batman’s confidant and all of the weird, supervillain-esque shit he says, why does anyone like him?
And I’ll tell you why. It’s because he’s so fucking awkward.
Tim says things like “oh thank goodness” or “gosh” or “it’s still been wonderful.” Tim stutters talking to Batman. Tim fanboys over Dick and Bruce constantly. He isn’t even upset to have gotten a mystery wrong, he’s just happy he got to see Dick solve a case.
But also, Tim is right. Batman is acting recklessly, and it’s directly as a result of Jason dying. Tim says he needs Robin, not Nightwing, but I think what he means is more the role that they fill. Robin is little and Bruce can tuck him under his wing and keep him safe. Nightwing is an adult who argues with him and is a good leader in his own right, leading to more arguments. Robin is someone Batman has to take notice of, has to account for when making plans. Nightwing can keep up, and he isn’t as worried about Nightwing because he trusts Nightwing’s ability to stay alive. They fill very different roles, and that’s what Tim means, even if he has trouble saying it.
And he’s completely right. Batman without Robin runs recklessly into a building without scoping it out, tries to save two boys tied with active grenades by himself, walks into a room full of mobsters with guns without having any protection himself. Tim implies that he’s worried Bruce might die, and he’s right to be worried.
But even with Nightwing there, Batman only worries when things go wrong. He doesn’t see Dick as his scrappy little sidekick anymore, he sees him as an adult. And it’s only when Dick’s in trouble that Bruce reverts to treating him like a child.
Robin makes Batman stop and think before they go in. Robin makes Batman patient. Because Bruce cares about Dick and Jason, and he comes to care about Tim too.
Tim wins him over by being clever, but later comics show that they have to build trust in each other. Tim trusts Bruce completely, right off the bat, and that’s overwhelming for Bruce. But Bruce stops being overwhelmed and starts feeling fond.
Because despite everything I said, Tim is a good person. He’s so worried about Bruce that he’s willing to search everywhere to find Dick to try and help him. He’s so worried about Bruce that he spends his vacation week slumming around on his bicycle trying to save Bruce’s life. He dives down a coal chute without a second thought, and he pushes with all his might to unbury Batman and Nightwing. He cares about them, and it’s painfully obvious that he does.
Tim doesn’t want to be Robin. Like, okay, he would love to be Robin, but that’s not why he’s here. He doesn’t want to tell Dick his first name, and it’s only after seeing that Dick isn’t taking him seriously that he spills the beans. He didn’t want to tell Dick, because that would hurt Dick. He says “B-Batman, it’s hard for me to say this to you” because he’s about to tell Bruce off for being reckless and he doesn’t want to. Tim wants to know that Bruce and Dick are safe, and that’s the only thing he wants.
Yes, Tim is definitely a stalker. He literally said himself that he followed them, and even if it was only through newspapers, it still counts as following. Now, maybe he doesn’t fit this dictionary definition of a stalker: “a person who harasses or persecutes someone with unwanted and obsessive attention,” but I think he does fit this dictionary definition: “a person who hunts prey stealthily.” Tim is stealthy and quick.
I read an article that said his weakness was unexpected situations, but I would argue that that’s bullshit. Tim is great in unexpected situations. Did he expect Two-Face to start trying to beat him with a crowbar? No, but he managed to avoid being hit and plant a tracker on him. Did he expect Two-Face to crush the Batmobile he’s sitting in with a wrecking ball? No, but he managed to jump out and hide and tried to warn Batman and Nightwing to watch out. Did he expect Bruce to agree to let him train to be Robin? No, but he’s going to do the best he can now that he has the chance.
From the very beginning, we can see that Tim is someone with an answer to just about everything. He knows things, he notices things, and he’s good at reacting. Later comics don’t dispute this, that I know of. Tim is the Robin with multiple contingencies for his contingencies, but he’s also the Robin who is most likely to say “oh shit I did not see that coming.” He’s a surprised sometimes, yes, but that doesn’t mean he’s unprepared.
All in all, Tim Drake is a fascinating character study of a rich kid who talks like an elderly woman providing therapy for a man who is at least two, if not three, decades his senior. Tim doesn’t quite understand at any point that monitoring isn’t the same thing as showing affection, which is why he and Bruce get along swimmingly and why Tim is often slated to be the Robin most alike to Batman.
Congratulations, Tim.
Also, I really truly believe that Tim had his first crush on Dick, which is why he couldn’t stop staring at him. And I didn’t mention he said this, because it wasn’t important to the points I was making, but it’s important to this one. Tim says “…I kept staring at you, and your circus costume.” The circus costume being similar to Robin’s is never brought up, only the fact fact that Tim couldn’t stop staring at it. I’m telling you, his first crush was here, it’s so obvious, just look at my corkboar-
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me when she insults him by saying she knows him of old🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 me when there's a sort of merry war betwixt them🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 me when 'no, no more than reason'🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
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Because most of the birthdays in Saiki K correspond with a character’s debut, Teruhashi’s first interaction with Kusuo was on her birthday. The date was August 6th both in the real world and in the SK universe.
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However, despite it being her birthday, Teruhashi isn’t sought out by her followers any more than usual. Even a guy who saw her that day didn’t remember anything about it, except that he saw her with Nendou.
This implies that Teruhashi’s followers don’t know when her birthday is. After all, if they knew they would probably flood her with gifts, or perhaps form a national holiday in her honor. But the only reference to her birthday is much, much later, when Makoto tries to find her a present. Perhaps Teruhashi keeps it a secret to maintain her privacy?
It might also be because of the Kokomins, who work to prevent non-members from talking to Teruhashi, and only permit members to talk to her about the weather.
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The result is that Teruhashi isn’t cornered by politeness or social convention to share her birthday with anyone. I think it makes a nice symbol of friendship if Teruhashi chooses to share that information with people she’s close to! Maybe with Chiyo, or Rifuta, or perhaps Aiura since she’s into astrology and would probs want to look up her natal chart. It’s a nice way of communicating trust~
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hanzajesthanza · 9 months
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some terrible part of me wants to comparatively analyze the reynevan/jutta sex scenes VS the birkart/douce sex scenes as good VS evil…
it’s about the worship of VS subjugation of…
#sapkowski kind of kinkshamed with that he said no rights for S/M LMAO#no before you know it there will be people who are like ‘he’s my joker and i’m his harley quinn’ but with the wallcreeper and douce of pack#dude how the black riders slowly start becoming less of a supernatural force and more of a just general banditry and sadists#and how the wallcreeper gets WAY more context and backstory compared to the two previous books#that being said when he and douce um… met for the first time#i reread it like thrice trying to ascertain if this was r*pe or not#and then i realized it doesn’t really matter because. evil. that’s why#like what happens when two murderous sadists throw themselves at each other. that. that’s what#honestly i was very happy that douce of pack showed up and played a part and wasnt just forgotten about#she made my blood run cold in her introduction in warriors of god so i’m just happy that she met her equal and also suffered horribly ❤️#dude when she’s fucking crying for help to not be left alone and birkart is like. ✌️bird form see ya#like contrasted with reynevan and jutta. as she. oh my god#i am loving the contrast actually it took him like this long to make the wallcreeper like a guy and not just a phantom#i mean you kind of see it in warriors of god too but. its kind of this awkward part where it feels inconsistent with the character#dude the way that over the three books everything just loses its sheen and becomes so real and painful#txt#hussite trilogy spoilers
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mxcottonsocks · 2 months
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"[...] see, when I talk of eyes, the stars come out! Whose eyes are they? If they are angels’ eyes, why do they look down here and see good men hurt, and only wink and sparkle all the night?"
- chapter 3, Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty
One thing I noticed on my first read of Barnaby Rudge is that Dickens seems to take a different approach to religion and/or the divine than in his other novels. It does feel very fitting to the type of novel BR is...
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cataclysmicamomile · 2 months
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Aslaine! What a jumpscare. Maybe because my mind is stuck in part ii, I've always considered him a college student. I didn't realize he would be a third year here.
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sepherinaspoppies · 2 months
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Only If For A Night (i/?)
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pairing: Dark! Book Aemond Targaryen x Modern! Reader
summary: In Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), she gets forcefully transported to Westeros and meets her favorite book character, Aemond 'One Eye'. She asks and begs for his help to send her back home after realizing this was a world she did not want to live in. Unknowingly to her, her favorite fictional man had already grown too attached to fully let her go.
warnings for this part: profanity, tea drugging, blood magic, sexism, I think that's it... more dark stuff later. READER IS LATINA !
wc: 4,027
series masterlist
my masterlist
pt2
notes: originally I was gonna have this fic be a one shot but it is sooo long that I decided to split it into three. this is an introduction part, aemond will be on the next (I'm half way done with that part).
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She knows she is screwed when Doña Maribel broke the news to her that the last of the cempasuchiles were completely sold out in her shop. Making it five flower shops in the span of an hour that she walked to have fully run out of the bright orange flowers she needed for her ancestral altar that she and her abuela worked tirelessly on for the past few days. (marigolds, grandmother)
She wonders what to do next or perhaps where to go as she plays with the gravel beneath her shoes. Sure, she could walk another mile or so to another flower shop and try her luck there just as Doña Maribel suggested but she finds herself too tired to venture deeper in her small pueblo by herself. (town)
Even the walk back to her abuela’s was not something she looked forward to as of now. This was the time where she wished she had the ability to drive but alas she could not for even the streets of Mexico were more hectic and nerve wracking than back at the states. (grandmother’s)
She sighs in defeat. The cempasuchiles were the last thing on her abuela’s list of things she required for tonight’s first day of Dia de Los Muertos. The bright orange flowers illuminated the path of those who died, back into the land of the living and enjoy the offerings their family’s set up for them. (Day of the Dead)
Maybe for just tonight she could spare them.  
She sets her three mercado bags beside her as she sits down on a bench right next to a bus stop that could lead her directly to her abuela’s home. The smell of citrus of the lemon tree above her eases her disappointment and feels that this is the perfect spot to reread one of her favorite books. (shopping)
George R. R. Martin’s, Fire and Blood Vol. 1. She wondered what it was like to reside in a world of dragons (before they were all extinct), dire wolves from the North, red priestesses from Volantis, and mysterious yet powerful witches. To live inside the walls of the Red Keep and tour around the secret passageways and to fight for the rightful Queen of Westeros, Rhaenyra and the other members of the Blacks during the Dance of Dragons.  
Sadly, even if it was possible to venture deep into alternate fantasy universes. It all was pure fiction. Not real. Impossible. 
‘And so one-eyed Aemond the Kinslayer took up the iron-and-ruby crown of Aegon the Conqueror, “It looks better on me than it ever did on him,” the prince proclaimed.’
“Excuse me, do you happen to know when the bus is due to arrive?” She snaps her head up meeting the most beautiful and enchanting woman she’d ever seen. Eyes round and greener than the trees itself during spring. Hair long and black like ravens in the night sky. She was tall, taller than most of the women here with skin like porcelain that had not seen a day of sun, a rarity here in Mexico. 
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It was her mischievous tight lipped smile that made her feel loss of words. Unknowingly, this mysterious woman was the first person who spoke to her in English, not Spanish.
“Umm… I- I’m sorry?” 
The green eyed woman smirked as if she knew the small effect she had on her. Gods she was beautiful. 
“The bus–” 
She shook her head out of her revere, coming to reality. “Oh, I’m not sure. Perhaps a few more minutes.” She informed, pulling her mercado bags closer to her side, allowing the green eyed woman to sit, not wanting to be rude. 
She murmurs a quick thank you as she sits exceedingly close to her, shoulder to shoulder, flesh to flesh with her. Jeez, talk about personal space! However, the woman doesn’t seem to care or acknowledge that she has enough space for her own person. A feeling of uncertainty rests below her gut, telling her to be vigilant around her presence.    
“How long have you waited?” She asks, breaking away the long silence between them. She almost shivers at the intensity hue of her eyes that bore right through her. 
“About ten to twelve minutes.” She replies, looking anywhere else but her. 
A satisfactory look sketched around the woman's youthful yet elderly face which she found odd. What could be so pleasing about the bus not arriving? The woman said nothing, only sitting rather straight, almost elegant in her simple long green dress. Though, in the back of her mind, she wondered if she felt hot underneath the heaviness of the velvet fabric. She sure as hell did.
“Wait, how did you know I spoke english?” She asked as the hairs on her arms stood up straight in some kind of chilling fear. 
The woman’s eyes lowered and centered on the object sitting up on her lap. “Your book gives it away.” She snickered softly, tilting her head reading the bold letters of her very worn book she got at the thrift store for just two dollars. “An interesting read.” The green eyed woman said whilst her face held no sincere fondness of it for someone who found it interesting. 
“You’ve read this before?” She asked curiously, little taken back, that she finally found someone else who read Fire and Blood Vol 1. Or anything by George R. R. Martin. 
“Yes, almost like I've lived through it” 
She opens her mouth to speak but the green eyed woman beats her to it. “I don’t mean to pry but where are you headed?” The smile falls off her face as she remembers the warning of stranger danger she learned as a kid. 
The woman must have noticed the dubious look upon her face as she threw her head back in a laugh. “I ask because it seems a storm is coming our way. And it looks like an angry one.” 
Sure enough, as she looked up the sky had turned into a deep gray with heavy clouds ready to pour any minute. Well this wasn’t forecasted in the noticias this morning, otherwise, she’d carry an umbrella. Or better yet, she wouldn’t have walked all this way if a storm was brewing. (news) 
“My cottage is not very far from here,” the green eyed woman revealed, standing up from the bench, overlooking the seriousness of the clouds. “It is just around the corner. Would you like to come?” 
She wanted to say no, that she was better off walking an hour back to her abuela’s house, even if it meant that she’d catch a cold in the pouring rain with blisters all over her feet. Besides, she did not know anything about this woman. Every bit of her mind screamed stranger danger! Don’t go!
But as she glanced between the heavy clouds and the green eyed woman with her hand extended out, all that doubt and worriment went away. 
“I don’t even know your name,” she pointed out. If all goes bad, at least she had a name to tell the authorities.
“My name is Alyssandra Riveras.” The green eyed woman smiled, bowing at the waist. 
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Though still somewhat skeptical, she walks alongside Alyssandra to her cottage. She makes small mental notes in her head, counting the red stop signs, right and left turns and any other landmarks of important significance. 
She was almost positive she could point her way back home. It did not help that five minutes into their journey, it started harshly pouring out of nowhere like a bucket of water had been poured all over, blanketing her vision. 
Alyssandra’s cottage had sat on the outskirts of the pueblo, isolated from all civilization, hidden around tall and green pine trees. A faint voice in the back of her head screamed to run and never look back. She ignored it.
From a close distance, she was able to distinguish a small window with overgrown vines and branches wrapped around the perimeter of the cottage. Bones, bells, and crystal windchimes hung from the roof and windows, mostly likely put up for some kind of spiritual protection. 
She was no stranger to the craft. Although raised catholic, both her mama and abuela had hung an old broom above their doorway to keep away unwanted guests and negative energies as well as pinning the mal de ojo sigil around the walls for the look of evil and envy against their family. (evil eye)
“Cempasuchiles,” she murmured in awe when Alyssandra’s small garden came into view. It was the most of the orange flowers she had ever seen, all bright and lively and huddled together. 
“When the storm is over, you can grab as many as you’d like,” Alyssandra offered, peering over her shoulder, unlocking the door to her cottage. She nods following her inside whilst giving a grateful smile. 
The interior of the cottage was small, meant only for one person to take residence. The same size as what a studio apartment would be back in the states.
In no way was the inside minimal, in fact it was the opposite. Almost all of the walls were covered with shelves with small trinkets adorning inside such as little statues, crystals, herbs and other supplies. 
In the center of the room lay a huge stone like table, old and antique bearing the resemblance of something medieval. And something about it, sent shivers down her spine along with the same faint voice, telling her to run. 
She ignored it, again. 
“Give me your belongings, and change into this,” Alyssandra says, tossing a strappy white chemise. She exchanges her poor-soaked mercado bags that contained pan de muerto, churros, and tamales for her ancestral ofrenda. (bread of the dead, offering)
She turns around to protect her modesty, seeing as there was no other room to change nor did Alyssandra point her to the bathroom, so she lifts the drenched garment over her head and sheds away the last clothing she had on her body, leaving her completely bare in her birthday suit. 
She couldn’t help but to feel Alyssandra’s eyes watching her very intently, examining every inch of her body as if it met her standards or so. She knows she should use her hands to cover up and give Alyssandra a piece of her mind, or better yet introduce her to a knuckle and hand sandwich for the way she was looking too closely.  
Yet her body feels frozen, unable to move under the green eyed woman’s gaze. 
“Would you like some tea to keep you warm?” Alyssandra asked, moseying to the kitchen. 
She blinks, whatever paralyzing feeling she had dispelled away. “Um, yes thank you.” Alyssandra nodded, pulling what looked to be a kettle on the stove. Meanwhile, she slipped on the white chemise in a hurry to not feel as exposed anymore. 
She takes the time to analyze the rest of Alyssandra’s cottage as she hears the droplets of rain hit the rooftop harder and the sound metal being filled with water. Various of the same purple flower plants were placed near the entrance, she notes to herself that these couldn’t possibly be lavender but another species or something within the same family. 
A small cot laid in the corner close by the hearth, with multiple open ancient books and scrolls spread on top of the bedspread. She almost wants to look through the pages and read Alyssandra’s interests but she doubts she could as she observes the handwriting is unreadable from where she stood. 
She walks forward to where the hearth is, feeling slightly warmer as something immediately catches her eye. Above the mantle, hung on the wall was a medium sized portrait of a small boy, appearing no more than three years old. He stood straight, almost regally with his hands behind his back. His face held no gentleness or warmth like a child should have. 
Gods forgive her, but the child looked cruel like the gueritos who bullied her in elementary school when she was just trying to make new friends. (white boys) 
Though, for an evil looking child, he sure was beautiful. The most striking thing about him was his set of eyes. Wide with his left eye a dark violet and his right a dark green similarly to Alyssandra’s. His hair was straight and cut short right below his ears. She looked closer at the portrait, thinking if her eyes deceived her as she noticed the peculiar color of the boy’s hair. 
Silver. 
Curiosity takes the better of her as she asks, “Is that your son?” 
Alyssandra turns, holding two mugs of steaming tea. “Yes, that’s my beautiful little boy,” She places both glasses on the stoned table before she sits adjacent to her. It doesn’t go unnoticed by her the sad look on Alyssandra’s eyes. “He looks like you,” she points out though it’s somewhat of a lie in hopes to lift up Alyssandra’s spirits.
Alyssandra throws her head back in a chortle, “For all my hard work and labor, I had hoped he looked like me but nature loves to play its cruel jokes. He is a replica of his bastard father.” The thought of her son’s father left a sour and disgusting taste in Alyssandra’s mouth. 
Alyssandra focused her attention back to her, “What about you?” She asked, sitting rather too straight. 
“Do you mean if I have kids? Gods, no.” 
Alyssandra smirked, “I take it you don’t like the idea of children. I did not either but after years of solitude, I changed my mind. I had other children before my son, but all of them died before they were due. You, however, are still young. Your mind can still change.” 
She shifted in her seat anxiously, sipping the odd taste of the herbal tea Alyssandra provided. It wasn’t like she did not like children. She respected children and found them quite cute with their little tiny hands and feet and infectious laughs. But besides the point of appearance, children were a tremendous amount of responsibility that she found herself not ready for.
Not now. Not ever. 
She could barely handle taking care of herself. Much less care and provide for a child for eighteen years or so. 
“I don’t—” 
“Oh but you will,” Alyssandra fired back without so much as blinking an eye. 
She grimaced, knowing where this conversation was heading. And it was about to be a not so pretty one. She glanced at the window by the door, the rain was still heavy if not more.
“I thank you for giving me shelter. But I really must go. I was only just supposed to be out for some groceries and my abuela is probably wondering where I am.” Polite and respectful enough just as her mama taught her.
She grabbed her belongings that were hanging by the fire and stuffed them inside her mercado bag. Her hand was on the cusp of prying the door open when Alyssandra rushed to her side, wrapping her hand around her wrist. 
“Wait. Please don’t go.” Alyssandra pleaded, “It’s just that you remind me much about myself. I didn't mean to cause offense, I’m sorry.” 
Run. Say no and run now, While you still can…
There it was again that same paralyzing feeling closing in on her feet, preventing her to move. It was strange like a shield gluing both her legs down. 
She nodded, murmuring ‘fine’ under her breath as Alyssandra slowly led her back to the woven chair with such gentleness as a porcelain doll. “I still need to call my abuela, so she can know I’m alright.” 
Alyssandra twisted her face in a wince, “I’m afraid we’re too far out for any signals to catch a telephone call.” She held back the overweening snicker to herself, it was why Alyssandra chose her cottage to be settled this far out in this very modernized realm; so no one could find her. 
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Alyssandra wasn’t lying. No matter how hard she hit her Iphone against her palm or moved it around, there had not been a single signal bar glowing. She wondered if her abuela had started to grow worried and perhaps began to search for her. She hoped she didn’t and that her cousins kept her preoccupied with the rest of the decorations to notice the duration of how long she’d been out. She also wondered if they were still going to the cementerio, to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones but with the amount of thunder and rain, she’d doubt it was still on the agenda. (cemetery)
Alyssandra prepared some more tea as the fire gradually faltered down. This one had a different taste than the previous one with tiny purple petals floating around. Alyssandra watched very intently as she sipped every last drop while she scarcely touched her own mug.
The green eyed woman began asking her multiple personal questions, mostly about where she was originally from (due to the fact that her vocabulary deemed to be more vehement in English than Spanish), her family, and if she had any siblings. She had answered them all. Letting her know that she was just visiting from the states to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with her family she had not seen since the death of her sweet abuelo. (grandfather)
Alyssandra’s eyes glimmered even more when she explained how strangely, her very stern and overprotective mama had suddenly let her travel by herself to a country she had never been to in years since she was small. Her mama preferred her to be where she could keep a close eye on her because ‘uno nunca sabe’ especially if you’re a woman. (one never knows)
It was odd, alright. Especially when her mama gave her money that she didn’t have, and enthusiastically wished her good fortune on her travels. Yup odd…
But not to Alyssandra.
Alyssandra sat down after cleaning both mugs ready to ask the hard hitting questions she’d been warming her up to. “Have you ever been with a man?” Her eyes widened before breaking rounds of deep laughter that made the sides of her ribs ache and cramp. 
However, there wasn’t an ounce of amusement displayed on Alyssandra’s face, but rather annoyance. What was so funny? It was a simple and uncomplicated question that meant no harm. At least not to her. He couldn’t harm her any more here. Alyssandra guessed perhaps it was the side effect of the tea making her humoristic. 
“No,” She replied, wiping the humoristic tears at the corner of her eyes. “The opportunity has never presented itself?” Alyssandra asked.
All the humor that previously lingered had gone swiftly away, realizing that Alyssandra was indeed asking something so personal to her. “No,” She shook her head, feeling her face hot and red. “People don’t look at me as someone they want to be with. They’d rather be with someone exciting, adventurous, and outing. And I’m neither of those things. I’m a homebody who’s idea of fun and adventure is living through fictional books.” She answered truthfully, too truthfully. 
Alyssandra watched her face transform into a deeper shade of red. “What is it?” She questioned, taking a hold of her hand, taking in the role of someone empathetic. 
“I want my first time to be special. Like the fairytales I grew up reading about with the grand Prince sweeping the young maiden off her feet and taking her to his castle…” The way her eyes reflected small flashes of light made Alyssandra almost feel guilty for her true intentions once the repercussions of the tea ran out. 
She remembers when she too wished for a dashing knight in shining armor to take her away, far away from the shit she had been through; the pain, the suffering, and the poverty. All of it. As Alyssandra grew well into her womanhood, she realized there was no knight coming to save her. Instead, there was a selfish Prince who spared her for his desires and her many talents beyond the acts of the flesh.  
But Alyssandra needed her to go. She needed that piece that was stolen from her. She didn’t want the risk of going back and facing him again and repeating through the hell and agony he put her through. So sending her for it seemed like the better alternative. 
“I know you probably think it sounds stupid–” She stammered, her face still beet red. 
“I don’t think it sounds stupid,” Alyssandra softly smiled, giving her hand a light squeeze. Judging by the serene look upon her face, it was a good lie that she seemed to believe. 
She smiled. Finally, someone who didn’t think of the idea of waiting for the right person was silly and unrealistic. 
Her smile deterred, sensing something trickle down her nose, dropping against the skin of her hand. 
Blood. Her blood. 
Run! 
“Alyssandra?” She whispered, puzzled at the sight of more blood spilling out of her nose. Every strand of hair in her arms stood, sensing a new type of alertness course right through her. She glanced at a very blurred Alyssandra with what looked to be a smirk written on her face. 
“W-What’s happening?” She stood from the chair, but that soon turned out to be a bad idea as her knees gave out, sending her straight to the stoned cold floor. She glanced up, watching as Alyssandra sauntered in front of her, and as much as she wanted to crawl away her body was glued to the floor. 
“Look,” Alyssandra said, crouching down at her level before she took her in her arms like a newborn baby, weighing little to nothing. “We don’t have much time. When you wake up, I need you to retrieve something of mine…” 
She felt her back collide on top of the stoned table, “What was in that tea?” She questioned but Alyssandra was quick to shush her. “It doesn’t matter now. You drank it all willingly.” There was no argument there. 
Alyssandra pulled out a jar with overflowing cempasuchil petals inside and circled the petals around her. Almost like a ritualistic circle she used to watch the brujas next door do. (witches)
“You need not to be afraid. You will not be harmed as long as you do what I say. Exactly as I say.” She gulped, nodding seeing as she had no other choice. “Bruja.” She spat but Alysssandra only chuckled, “I’ve been called much worse, little dove.” (witch)
Through the corner of her eye, she saw Alyssandra holding out a small knife. “I am in need of a sapphire. It was stolen from me many years ago. It is one of a kind, which is why when you see it you’ll know it is mine.” 
She momentarily shut her eyes as the dark haired woman rapidly cut the middle of her palm spewing her blood on top of the petals. “Once you’re successful, you’ll come back here with the sapphire and gather some of my materials. The marigold petals with your blood coating them; The blood of whom you took the sapphire from and lastly you’ll lay on top of my precious table here to be transported back.” 
There was an evil smile on her lips that she desperately wanted to punch it off. “And if I don’t get the sapphire?” She questioned. 
Alyssandra combed away her unruly braided hair, “Then I won’t bring you back and you’ll be stuck there forever.” 
Fuck. 
“Stuck? Stuck where? Where am I going?” 
Alyssandra clicked her tongue, “A place where fairy tales do not exist, my little dove.” If she wanted a Prince to sweep her off her feet. Alys would gladly give her one. 
She attempted to wiggle herself out of this pendeja’s spell but whatever Alyssandra mixed in the tea it was compelling her body to still and her eyes to slowly falter shut in a peaceful sleep. (dumbass) 
“However I should warn you, this spell is only valid until tomorrow. Until Dia de Los Muertos is over and even if you do achieve in retrieving the sapphire but it is after November second, you'll be permanently trapped with him.” 
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corrodedcoffins-blog · 4 months
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Invisble String
luke hughes x actress!reader
note: short cute introduction to this au, get to know how long Y/n has been Luke's celeb crush and get to know Y/n
also in 2018 reader is 17 and Luke is 15 for reference so like do the math i can't do everything
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2018
"Why do you even want to watch 'It' you hate clowns?" the eldest brother asked, holding a bowl of popcorn while he rounds the couch to were he previously sat.
"Jack asked for a scary movie so I suggested a scary movie." though he wasn't lying, both statements were true, it wasn't the real reason he suggested the movie. But like he would ever admit that to his brothers because he'd never hear the end of it if they knew. Little did he know they already did.
"He wants to watch it because Y/n L/n is in it." Jack mumbled, not looking up from his phone where he looked up the cast list, and he begins to laugh along when his older brother starts to.
"Not true."
"Too true."
"Shut up. Are we watching this or something else." Quinn says, being the mediator among the three.
All throughout the movie, while Luke was gawking at his dream girl, Jack and Quinn would make eye contact over his head silently laughing at their brothers face of awe whenever Y/n was on screen. When she walked slow-mo out of the store, the scenes at the quarry, Luke had the same face as the boys on the screen except he wasn't acting.
-
2020
73 Questions With Y/ L/n | Vogue
Y/n opens the door for the vogue camera man, after she just shut it on him.
"Hey! Y/n L/n! You excited for your 73 questions with vogue?" the interviewer asks enthusiastically.
"Yes, I am.. Does that count as your first question?"
While the man asks several questions, Y/n lead them into her living room.
"Who do you want to play you in a movie about your life?"
"Umm.. Sadie Sink. And I would like to play Sadie in the movie about her life."
"What is the knewest thing in here?"
After quickly looking around the girl grab a recent purchase of hers a stuffed octopus.
"I recently bought this stuffed animal. It's an octopus, because there's only one or else it would be octopi."
"Interesting, and what do you think is the coolest thing in this room?"
Setting down the octopus, Y/n walks towards her book case. Grabbing what looks to be a very old book.
"This is a vintage edition of Little Women the same one my mom read to me when I was 12 and the same one I reread in preparation for my role as Amy March."
While placing the book back on the shelf the man asks, "Without looking do you know what the last word of Little Women is?"
Jokingly Y/n pick the book up again and starts to open it, and the two chuckle, she then continues to answer the question. "No, um..I know, 'end'."
"End?"
"Yep. That counts as a question."
"It's actually 'this'"
"... 'This'?" the man nods before Y/n continues, "No, you're wrong it's end. Because all books end in 'the end' how could you not know that."
The interview continues into the girl kitchen, while she pours herself an iced tea.
"What is your favourite sport?"
"I don't really have a favourite sport, but I guess I'll say hockey. 'Cause y'know they're hot."
-
imessage
Rowdy
Did you see your girlfriend said hockey boys were hot?
Maybe you have a chance
Lukey
Shut up.
Luke rewatched that interview a couple to many times.
-
2023
Y/n_updates
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liked by i_said_SpeakNow, LikeRibbonsInYourHair, and others
Y/n_updates: Y/n was at the New Jersey Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers preseason game! she was with the Devils wags too! Just more proof that her and Luke Hughes are dating... What do you think?
view all comments
taytaySwft: they would be so cute!! i hope they're together ☺️
_spider_man: what's with the it girlies dating professional athletes right now?
jackhugheswife: damn he could do better than her
amyMarchstan: better than the gorgeous and successful woman she is?
harrie13: I miss her and Lucas 🙁
stranger_80: No him and Sadie!!!
anne_Cats: so she's got a thing for Lukes huh?
harrie13: lmao i didn't even realize that 😭😭
TaybrinaStan: she's doing for hockey what Taylor is doing for football.
note: yes i did only make her previously date Lucas McLaughlin for that one joke that's not even funny.. what about it?
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swga-ficrecs · 8 months
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long fic recs
this is a list of fics that are, well, long regardless of the trope and plot. for voracious readers who aren't satisfied with short-length writing. all these fics are considered holy grails because i don't read long fics if they aren't well-written. all fics are finished unless noted otherwise.
✒️ unfinished
yoongi
third wheeling by @untaemedqueen  i absolutely love everything about this. it's a lot of my favorite tropes in one giant fic. the characters are complex and fleshed out, the pacing is good, and i love the writing style. the smut is well-written and, though the catalyst for the plot, well-paced that it doesn't feel like a smut-centric fic.
suit & tie + drabbles by @jungshookz this is is a long fic but in bullet points, so i can only imagine how long this could've been if it was written in full sentences. another fic where yoongi does a 180°, but their dynamic is adorable from the beginning. not a lot of drama, a good fic to go back to if you want something lighthearted. you can probably tell by now that i love ceo fics.
desolate by @angelicyoongie this fic is long but has a very straightforward style of writing that's easy to follow and understand. it's one of the few hybrid fics i've read where they fight for a hybrid's right to freedom. i love how much yoongi opened up and changed throughout the fic. it's one of those fics where the idea of a hybrid isn't romanticized.
the deal by @untaemedqueen a great introduction to syndicate fics if you're looking for one. this is a chaptered fic that isn't too long and is easily digestible. it doesn't touch on mafia-esque activities so much. i have a thing for romance fics where the stone cold character evolves into a romantic, and this tickles that itch.
jimin
balletteacher!jimin x ballerina!reader by @jungshookz ✒️ this bullet point mini-series should be considered a full series already, considering the length of each drabble and how many of them exist. this is a forbidden romance between a teacher and a student with different personalities, so it's interesting and endearing how they developed their feelings over time.
i want to be with you by @oddinary4bts
a lengthy oneshot of strangers-turned-lovers and how love grows slowly between two people who are worlds apart. very well-written, i dreaded how quickly i finished reading it. i love how human jimin is in this fic. the oc is very relatable as well—very realistic and not overtly romanticized. i can easily identify myself in her if i were in her shoes.
taehyung
maybe i do by @chateautae another fic that is a mix of my favorite tropes. this fic has fewer but longer chapters. another smut-filled fic that doesn't feel overworked and serves as a good break between dramatic scenes. i love how both characters developed throughout the story.
jungkook
please love me by @ahundredtimesover i loved the complexity of the characters and how they navigated through their situation. they both had to do a lot of growing up in this fic, and it was done in a well-paced manner. the drabbles also give a lot of insight to this universe. i go back and read the drabbles a lot.
evolution of a lover's heart by @jeonstudios
a heartwrenching masterpiece. i waited a long time for this to be finished, and it did not disappoint at all. one of the most emotional and resonating fics i've read so far. my heart feels for both of them so much. the kind of love that people wish they would have.
the boy with galaxies in his eyes by @oddinary4bts
an emotionally captivating and heartwrenching oneshot that i never expected to read. both characters were well-written and well-fleshed out, it was easy to fall in love with them and understand their actions. the writing itself was really magical too—flowed so smoothly, it didn't feel as long as it actually was. an absolute hidden gem that everyone should read!
4-7-8 by @jiminrings
not the longest of fics, but a great read nonetheless. i read this a while back, and it was only after i reread it that i was able to truly appreciate the characters and their development. it has a very realistic plot that tugs at my heartstrings. everyone deserves this kind of partner and love.
our first and last by @thedefinitionofbts ✨️
if you love the concept of alternate universes and soulmates, this is a must read. the author utilized scientific concepts that i had a hard time grasping and, at the same time, supported the plot really well. i'm so glad i came across this fic.
multi-member
sanguis duology + (ongoing) oneshots by @borathae absolute monster of a fic, probably one of the longest ones i've read. even though i was annoyed at mc's stubborness, i think it was a driving force throughout the fic. i also never imagined the pairings in this, but i enjoyed the ride. there were some parts where i felt the author could've woven details better to make the story smoother, but it's charming in the sense that i need to think and connect the dots from previous chapters.
a place called home by @agustdakasuga i keep re-reading this fic every few years. i loved how each hybrid came into her life and how they eventually stayed. i also appreciate how each hybrid's personality isn't necessarily stereotypical. great pacing in each chapter, good to read if you like chaptered fics that aren't very long.
the road to you by @bonvoyagenoona
a slow burn masterpiece. this fic is a rollercoaster of experiences that is complemented by terrific writing and pacing. it's very instrospective, which is something i personally like. it has a little bit of everything and a good amount of smut, but it all works wonderfully together, the words flew by quickly.
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all-too-unwell-13 · 3 months
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thoughts on episode 7 because yes :))
- i love that they kept crusty's but the whole scene felt so rushed (i still liked it tho, esp the 'dude! don't make me come back out there' from annabeth lmao)
- ALSO ^ i don't remember crusty being a son of poseidon in the books- like i was so confused lmao (i reread the first book like the week before the show came out)
- ANNABETH NOTICING GROVER SCRATCHING AT HIS HORNS AND GIVING HIM SMTH TO LIKE SQUEEZE AT INSTEAD WAS SO CUTE. (and a good way to like "introduce" the ball that's used to distract ceberus!?!?!)
- the underworld looked SO COOL but nothing like i imagined it??? same with hades' palace (and just hades tbh)^ like why was it upside down 😭😭
- ceberus was so cool (???) but such a jumpscare when it like jumped up at the wall
- i've said it b4 but i'm so not ready for ep 8 with luke's betrayal, like THE SHOES DRAGGING GROVER TO TARTURUS?? i've read the books sm times but i was still on edge lmao
- why was hades' palace upside down😭😭
- WHY WAS HADES' INTRODUCTION LOWKEY NICE???
- i loved his scenes, but i'm disappointed with hades (kind of??) because he doesn't look like hades at all (or at least not how i imagined him, imo) and he's too nice (for the rest of the plot with how he treated nico, etc.)
- young percy scenes omg 😭
- yes that's all i'm going to say ^
- i kinda shocked (and sad lmao) when sally yelled/got mad at percy, like book percy stated multiple times (i think) that sally never/hardly ever got mad or yelled at him
- poseidon talking to sally in the cafe ?!?!?!?!? eas not expecting that
- THE EPISODE 8 PREVIEW. OH MY GOD.
- THE SCENE IN THE PREVIEW WHERE LUKE IS TAKING PERCY INTO THE FOREST.
ANYWAYS there's my lil rant, i loved the episode and i cant wait for ep 8 omg🤞🤞
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So this is basically just a thought I come up after watching the movie, I haven't got a chance to read the book but I'll try to when I have free time.
So short summary this might be headcannons I've come up for the time being before making a whole series about this.
This series might end up as Yandere Platonic Batfamily x Nimona!Reader
Nimona!Reader headcanon:
Reader is gender neutral since they can shape-shift into anything and anyone, the concept of being a girl or a boy is confusing to them, They are Y/N simple as that.
Y/N's power is like Nimona's minus the magic sparkles you see in the movie, their body shifts each cell to anything they want but like her or even Beast Boy they have telltale signs that it's not just any animal or person.
When Y/N shifts into any animal they have the hint of red on the skin, fur, scales or feather while if they shift to a person they have red stripes of hair on their head.
I would like to keep Nimona's red/pink-ish hair because why not? it's Iconic and I love it, really pops out in Gotham that Y/N is a the main character.
The rest of the other physical description is up for the readers to decide.
The setting of their origins goes back to the mid-early Gotham days, where the corruption is it's highest, a perfect plot to explain why they became so hateful to the city and later to the world.
Batfam Headcanon:
Bruce Wayne
Let's start with this bat pajama wearing vigilante
As I told before Y/N is already a citizen of Gotham at the beginning ahead of Martha and Thomas Wayne time and few generation of Wayne's and the original known influencial families in Gotham.
When Young!Bruce met Y/N it was the day Bruce fell in a cave/well at the back of the Wayne mansion
Except instead of Thomas rescuing Young!Bruce it was Y/N who did
Y/N save Young!Bruce and calm him down, he still became afraid of bats but the memory was tied together with their first meeting making it hard for him to forget Y/N
Young!Bruce and Y/N (who shifted to a young child) became friends behind Thomas and Martha's back
The two loving parents would always listen to their son telling stories about his new friend who can shape-shift
They only smile and encourage him to talk about his new friend because they thought Y/N was an 'imaginary' friend he made up after the traumatizing event.
Then here comes the canon event, I got two scenarios with me first is that Y/N was there when the death of the Wayne's happened and they shifts into a large deadly bat after the trigger was pulled and killed the mugger making Young!Bruce traumatized and call them a monster.
Second that Y/N was gone and came back after that night and Young!Bruce blames them for not showing up when he needed them because they promised to protect him.
Fast-forward to the present Bruce became Batman and already when through Dick, then him now as Nightwing Barbara from Bat-girl to Oracle (still in the process of healing), Jason, Jason's death, adopting Tim and making him Robin, Stephanie to Robin before Spoiler as well as adopting Cassandra before Damian came after Talia introduce and told Bruce to 'get to know his son' unfortunately no Duke yet because in order for him to be introduced everything in the batfam should have settled in including Jason but I will put him later on the series and He'll have his own introduction to Nimona!Reader.
Reread that again Jason's death but no reconciliation with him and here comes the next part I love.
Imagine this setting, it was raining in Gotham and Bruce as Batman was in pursuit of the Vigilante named Red Hood.
After finally cornering him, Bruce found out about Red Hood's true identity being the revived Jason Todd, his late Robin and son.
But before he could apprehend Jason, the younger male only smirk and whispered something before a pair of red blood bat wings emerge behind Jason.
A person rose up from Jason's back having a that familiar her color and a pair of glowing eyes looked directly at Bruce's as the mysterious person's with uncanny features that stood behind his son tickled the back of his brain.
Before he could utter a word he was cut off by a one strong flap of wings, soon Jason and the figure was up in the sky, the large bat wings flew up in the middle of the moon's form and their large wings spread open as if to mock the symble of the Batsignal before disappearing.
Headcanon for Nimona!Reader relationship with Bruce
At first I was planning on making Nimona!Reader as Young! Bruce's childhood first love before making it a sibling relationship
Still open to a romantic one if people are ok with it but I'm more fine with a sibling dynamic
You already see Young!Bruce as your Brother and you still do even after the harsh fall out the two of you had.
You already knew he was Batman by scent but never bothered with telling him or showing yourself
It's fun to wreck stuff at Gotham and making the big bad Bat frustrated and angy.
The only thing he's glad about is you never interacting with the Joker
for the Yandere part is that you being a big influence to his younger days being his only friend and literally the one who save him from the well/cave accident.
You became one of his fears and inspiration to become Batman
and seeing you again made his feeling from before come back and resulted to needing to find you and to reunite with you again.
Jason Todd/Red Hood
I'll pick him as second since I think I should put the order of how close the members of the Batfam are to Y/N
I can imagine him as Ballister to Nimona!Reader but more dark and is actually a villian that Y/N is going to join and become his sidekick
I was planning on mixing two version of Red Hood/Jason Todd maybe Arkham!Red Hood/Jason and Young Justice League!Jason Todd? weird but I need to this two version of him to connect for the plot I have in mind so stay with me
So Jason died by the Jokers hand at Arkham and his dead body was snatched and revived by Ra using the lazarus pit and became the League of Assassins puppet for a few years before escaping and became the Arkham Knight
He started a few solo missions, killing criminals and making a name -remember not Red Hood yet- first before moving on the recruite people not yet joining forces with the scarecrow
Y/N saw the Gotham news and found out about The Arkham Knight and was like
News reporter: He's a criminal
Y/N: He's awesome
News reporter: He blew up a building and killed people
Y/N: He's fucking metal
News reporter: He's Evil
Y/N: He's perfect
After that they broke into one of Jason's secret hideout and tell him about becoming his sidekick making Jason's ptsd come back about being a robin and Batman's sidekick
Jason threaten you with a gun since he's still angsty and depressed because of Bruce but you're more stubborn than him
First time you ever shape-shift he asked you if you were Beast Boy/Garfield's relative but you genuinely don't know who that is
He freaked out a bit but warm up to you little by little since your actions remind him of his kid days and unfortunately when he was Robin as well
As Arkham Knight he needed you for escape plans, distraction but most importantly on stealth missions seeing that your shape shifting powers was handy
But stealth missions are the ones you hate so when you end those missions You.Break.'Some'.Shits
He was pissed of course but quickly shut his mouth when you already had everything covered, now he doesn't even get bothered by your 'metal' moments
Then the whole Arkham happened, Gotham City was still fixing and healing but then the criminals still came back, Batman is still alive (Scarecrow didn't get to expose his indentity as Bruce Wayne because Jason save him in time) but didn't make up with Bruce and after that he finally became Red Hood
Headcanon for Nimona!Reader relationship Jason
When you met him you already smelled Bruce's phantom scent on him
It's smelled normal like a lingering scent but enough to tell you that Bruce is not Jason's biological father but still somewhat close with him, how you have that skill? I'll call it a weird mutation you have being a shapeshifter
You call him Boss but you actually treat him like a younger brother or act like mother/aunt-ish around him most of the time
Jason always think you could as well be his younger sibling but we all know your older than him by a few decades.
I kept Nimona's red colors since I think it'd be fucking awesome that two of the person that hated Bruce or became Bruce's nightmare and pain in the ass are both wearing or have the color red in their character palette. (Tim......is orange? Idk fckn know some of the fandom give him the orange color)
Damian Al' Ghul-Wayne/Robin
Before anybody say 'why jump to him quickly?' Well Lemme tell you something, Lemme tell you something
Damian's origin is connected to Y/N's origin story, remember when I told that Y/N existed early mid-Gotham days?
Well guess what Y/N was the connection of Ra to the Lazarus Pit and they became one his inspiration to use it.
Damian's grandfather speak highly of you, how you were the perfect being in this world that could widthstand the force of the Lazarus and continue to live forever.
Damian became influence by his grandfather's, mother's teaching and stories about you that deep down he wished to see you face to face
He still is an annoying brat from time to time but after staying at the Wayne and finally experience the life of living instead of surving he tone down for a bit
Ra's words still linger but now he has his own morals he keeps.
The first time he meet you might actually be pretty normal, him in his civilian Identity and you guys being you.
I guess maybe at the park? him just looking out for Titus and taking for a walk and you were just in the grass or the swings chilling.
He wouldn't care for the first minutes but when he saw Titus getting pretty close with you and he just watches as Titus let's you pet him.
He was intrigued and decided to introduce himself since he was in the midst of getting lessons about 'making friends'
Headcanon for Nimona!Reader relationship to Damian
How about like Mother-ish Aunty as well? and Damian also thinks you have a caring moments since you usually care even though you act crazy
Crazy? I was crazy once, they lock me in a room, a rubber room, a rubber room with rats, Rats makes me crazy, crazy? I was Crazy once-
and casually talk about killing and blood, lots of blood, buckets of blood.
He has alot of respect to you since you're this high being his grandfather talks about everytime
Likes that you can shape-shift into animals more
Follows you around after discovering your real identity and doesn't mind your 'metal' moments as well
----
This is not the last of headcanon but I might add more in the future for now I'm just gonna put this in before I forget.
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bonefall · 5 months
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I’m rereading Po3 and despite its flaws I really enjoyed the introduction to the three. Jaykit isn’t mentioned to be blind in the first few chapters and instead they chose to show how much MORE capable he is compared to his littermates; until at the end of chapter 3, he brings up his blindness on his own. It makes forcing him to be a medicine cat SO much more frustrating because it really feels like they’re setting him up to be a warrior and choose his own fate (note i haven’t finished the reread this is just my first impression)
I like how you seem to take that path in BB regardless! It makes his arc so much more enjoyable
His arc in canon is super frustrating because he's such an independent character who clearly wants to make his own decisions in life, but then he just gets shoved into the medcat den. I LIKE that he ultimately goes there and that he enjoys it; but it was still really fucked up that they stripped away his autonomy in the process.
Re: they are not real, they are writing choices. Taking away the choices a disabled character can make over their own life, forcing them into a celibate nun role, and then going "awwwww dont worry see? he likes it! This was the best thing for him :)" was fucked up.
And imo it didn't have to be that way! You wouldn't have to go the FULL route I did with big changes, he could just be more involved in the descision to stop being a warrior apprentice and it would be fine. Minor change that would make a world of difference.
I do also have to interject to say though... blindness should really not be an extremely severe impairment for a ThunderClan cat.
I'm dead serious.
Whiskers are built-in sensors that tell you the exact position of everything within several inches of your head, ears swerve to pick up sound, and the jacobson's organ provides a sense of smell so keen that I have an entire Clanmew expansion draft because I needed to make WORDS describing the power of this sense that humans do not have. I cannot stress enough how delicate their other senses are, felines do not rely on their sight like primates do
ThunderClan lives in a mixed-oak woodland, where sight is already often obscured by foliage, objects are close together (for whiskers to feel), and nearly every movement makes noise against the leaf litter. RiverClan and (moor-running) WindClan cats would have a harder time with this disability than Thunder or Shadow.
Cat sight SUCKS to begin with. It sucks BADDD. They don't have color vision, they're significantly nearsighted, and they can't track up-and-down movements well. WC doesn't write realistic cats (more like small fuzzy people really) and I also work with more humanesque eyesight, but the only thing Jay should really lose is an ability to rapidly track a small animal swerving fast. Blind cats are often still excellent hunters in spite of that!
So it's an extra big waste that they railroaded him into a position he didn't choose, saying he couldn't be a warrior. This is the perfect disability to write, if you want to explore how ableism can impact the characters in this society who ARE legitimately still capable of nearly full independence, but still need to find accommodations for what they can't do.
In the same arc they're doing the dumb Cinder Reincarnation Plotline, no less!! Where SHE is also feeling like she has no choice over her "destiny," and gets a conflict over a potentially disabling injury
"Oh nooo if cinderpaw breaks her leg she wont be a warrior!"
"What the f-- Im Jaypaw and im reporting live from the scene where a Category 1 Idiot Moment is taking place. Woman breaks leg, suddenly everyone believes she is a horse, more at 11."
One of these days I should really make "herb guides" just covering how various sensory disabilities impact the lives of Clan cats and some tips for writing them as warriors, especially between Clans. Stuff you wouldn't usually consider, like how much noise deaf cats tend to make, how RiverClan would get a ton of sinus infections and lose their sense of smell, being blind in Sky vs Thunder, etc.
#I once saw someone say offhandedly 'well what if someone snuck up on jay from behind and attacked him. No whiskers there'#NEWSFLASH! YOU ALSO DONT HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD#He doesn't have short whiskers either they're normally sized#Something like 4 - 5 inches on a cat like him. About double the size of the head foward and sideways#Once you're talking about close combat like the cats usually do there's no way that you can stay back far enough to avoid them#I want to rewrite owl and jay's fight or make a rematch where jay realizes owl is being a coward#Hanging just out of his range and jabbing at him#But once he realizes it's just a coward's strategy it clicks that the counter is to be aggressive#And not let his opponent out of his 'range'#Also give him a neat little scene where they're grappling next to Black's dam project where it's super muddy#And Jay is like 'YOU WANT TO PLAY DIRTY? LETS GET FILTHY' and dunks Owl's face down into the mud#Because Jay can fight without his sight but Owl doesn't know how to continue while there's stinging gunk in his eyes and nose#I like thinking about what I'm going to do for BB!Jay's matches because his fighting style is really fun to write#1. Be aggressive and proactive 2. Don't let them out of range 3. SCARE THEM#From the Mud Match he learns that the best way to end a fight quickly is to absolutely terrify them#Because they're usually not expecting the fight to be difficult nor are they expecting to feel like theyre in danger#So if you surprise them it breaks their willpower real fast#And as he gains a reputation for brutality he faces less opponents until he's practically known as the Cleric Without Mercy#Bone babble
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ladykailitha · 3 months
Text
Well Met By Moonlight Part 9
Hey guys! I'm back. Sorry I missed posting on Sunday, but I was supposed to have internet in the new place on Friday, but didn't get it until today. So to make up for it, I'll post on Saturday.
And yes, WIP Wednesday is back this week, too.
Holy shit guys, I am sooo sorry! The last time I updated this story was way back in November. I've been sitting on fresh chapters for at least half that! I thought I had updated it since then but I guess not!
I guess be sure to reread the earlier chapters to remember where this one left off?
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @emly03
****
Steve wrote down his lie that he was going to tell Tommy and sealed it in an envelope. He handed it to Robin.
“Open that only when I tell to you,” he warned.
She nodded.
Steve had already called the Mayor to set up his first town hall meeting and encouraged Billy to do the same. He doubted Billy would do it. He liked that humans saw vampires as evil. He liked that the myths that surrounded vampire-kind was incorrect. He thought he could use it against humans.
Steve wasn’t so sure. It was like the cross he had been nailed to. Crosses were thought to have been talismans against vampires, not werewolves. And it wasn’t as though Steve was going to spill every secret about his pack.
He just wanted to clear up some misconceptions about werewolves.
When he showed up to the meeting he wasn’t surprised to see that Billy wasn’t there. But he was surprised to see Eddie and Wayne there. They could only answer questions about bitten vampires, but at least it was something.
“Thank you everyone for com–” Steve said.
Just then the double doors burst open and in walked two redheaded girls.
They couldn’t be more different from each other if they tried.
The oldest of the two girls, even though they stood at the same height wore preppy clothes. Her long curly, strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in an artfully messy ponytail. She looked every inch the cheerleader she was.
The younger of the girls had her bright red hair in braided pigtails. Her clothes were cute but eclectic. Her face was freckled and her smile was mischievous.
Beside him he heard Nancy let out a huff of laughter and Steve was tempted to do the same.
It appeared that Chrissy Cunningham and Max Mayfield either by the directive of their Dominus or not, had come to the meeting.
“My apologies, alpha Harrington,” Chrissy said. “I mixed up the time, I had hoped to arrive early rather than late.”
Max rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to talk so formally, it’s only Steve.”
There was a twittering of laughter from the crowd as the two girls made their way up the aisle to the stage. Steve reached out a hand to Chrissy and helped her to onto the stage. Max batted Steve’s hand when he offered it to her next.
She eyed it a moment and then leapt up to land on it as soft as a cat on her feet.
Chrissy rolled her eyes. “Show off.”
Max stuck out her tongue as there was a flurry of activity behind Steve to setup to more chairs for the vampire born.
Nancy and the two born stretched out on the left side of the stage while Steve and the two bitten vampires stretched out on the right side of the stage accidentally dividing it men and women.
Once everyone was situated Steve spoke again. “Welcome everyone. Thank you all for coming out to the first of what I hope to be many of these town hall meetings.”
The crowd stirred restlessly.
“Though they need no introduction,” Steve continued, “may I present, vampires Chrissy Cunningham, Max Mayfield, Wayne Munson, Eddie Munson, and my female alpha, Nancy Wheeler.”
There was some muttering in the crowd, something dark. Steve shared a glance with Wayne, having both caught on to the undertow of anger.
But who were they angry at?
“Let’s get this started,” Steve said. “I had people write the question they wanted answered the most and Mayor Roberts has graciously offered to moderate for us tonight.”
Mayor Roberts handed him a stack of notecards with questions on them.
“Right, first question why does it say that a wooden stake to the heart would kill a vampire? Doesn’t that do that for everyone?”
Wayne and Chrissy shared a glance, and the she waved her hand at him for him to answer.
He broke off a piece of wood from a nearby structure and unbuttoned his shirt. He stared the audience square in the eye as he buried the makeshift stake into his chest.
The people in front of him gasped, while those behind him winced. He pulled the stake out and slowly the wound closed in upon itself without even so much as a drop of blood spilt.
Wayne tossed the makeshift stake at Chrissy and she slammed it on her arm, causing the wood to splinter everywhere as it shattered against her skin.
“Myth denied,” Max said with a grin.
Suddenly there was an uproar from the audience as they surged to their feet. Steve and Nancy chuckled into their hands, heads pressed together.
“What about other weapons?!” someone cried from the crowd, barely loud enough to be heard over the shouting of the crowd.
“You want to try it?” Wayne growled.
The person sat down hard and the room went silent.
“Silver weakens us, but doesn’t hurt us,” Wayne said. “Makes more like super humans instead of supernatural beings. Might prevent us from changing into our other forms. Yes, we have more than one. There was a wood long ago that could kill us if you stabbed us in the heart, but it has long since gone extinct.”
Chrissy smiled. “Like the Roman contraceptive of old, you mortals drove it to extinction because you used it in everything, thinking if it could kill us, then building houses, wagons, crosses, and yes even stakes out of it would protect you from us.”
Eddie was grateful that mortals couldn’t see him roll his eyes from that distance. Because no, the wood was not extinct, but he knew why Chrissy and his uncle were telling them that. No need to give them ammunition. Yew. The answer was yew. Planted in cemeteries and graveyards for over a millennia, it was a guard against the rising of the undead and nearly used to extinction.
It still is a rare tree and the ones that are left are closely protected. And if a couple of the keepers were vampires, who’s to say it isn’t for conservation reasons?
Steve looked over at him and winked. Eddie huffed out a laugh. Yeah, it seemed like Steve knew that too.
Wayne and Chrissy sat down and Steve stood back up.
“That one was a fun one,” Steve said with a grin. The audience stared up at him in disbelief. “Let’s get on to the next question. What is the purpose of a female alpha?”
Steve’s grin grew. “Sounds like a question for our Nancy Wheeler.” He handed the mic to her.
“Female alphas act as ‘mother’ to the pack,” she explained. “There are family units in each pack but just as the alpha male makes decisions for the whole pack as leader, he will come to the alpha female for advice to make sure he’s taking in all aspects of the situation. She’s co-leader. Often times the alpha female and male are bonded, but not necessarily. I’m not bonded to Steve for example.”
Someone raised their hand and Nancy called on them.
“Then how is female alpha chosen if they aren’t mates?” they asked.
“This is a question for our alpha male.” Nancy smiled and handed the mic back to Steve.
Steve laughed. “Most older alphas will pick their mate because it’s easier to counsel with someone you’re bonded to. Plus there is always the chance that your mate will be jealous if the alpha female isn’t her.”
There was some murmuring, but is sounded more like understanding then the anger when they first started.
“But in cases where the alpha isn’t bonded he will either pick someone who they are looking to bond with or the strongest female in the pack. In my case I picked the strongest female I could trust. And that was Nancy. She’s a capable leader and a good friend.”
Nancy blushed.
“And what happens when you do bond?” someone shouted from the crowd.
“That is something that would be discussed before hand,” Steve said. “If my mate even wants to be alpha female, then she would discuss it with Nancy. There is no rite of combat like there is with an alpha male.”
The real answer was that Nancy would be forced to step down and his mate would step up. But he wasn’t going to tell this group that. Also, it was a given that once Steve found someone else, anyone else Nancy would step down. She didn’t like being Steve’s alpha female. But she also knew the power vacuum that would have occurred if she hadn’t.
Because keeping Joyce as alpha female would have caused a rift between the alpha male and female that could have torn the pack asunder.
“Next question...” Steve said and continued to answer questions.
Yes, they couldn’t be one hundred percent truthful. Because they didn’t want to hand over the information about their weaknesses to their enemies, but good god, it felt good to dispel rumors like crosses and consecrated ground did nothing to vampires or werewolves. That werewolves weren’t limited to shape changing once a month, but that the forced change of the full moon was taxing on their bodies hence the need for schools and employers to give them moon days off.
Moon days were the day after the full moon where the very tired human form of the werewolf need to rest from the activities the night before.
The meeting had gone over so well, that the mayor, the president of the Hawkins Middle School PTA and the president of the teachers' union had all come up to him to ask him to do a more kid friendly version for the middle schoolers.
A fact that had him wanting to cheer and run to Robin to tell her how well it worked.
Before he left to do just that Chrissy came up to him and pressed an envelope into his hand.
"The Dominus sends his regards.”
Steve looked down at the envelope and tried hard not to snarl. It wasn’t Chrissy’s fault. She was just the messenger and very likely didn’t even know what was in the envelope. But Steve did.
He saw her and Max off before turning to look at the Munsons. He nodded their direction and Wayne nodded back. Steve had informed them of his and Robin’s plan before he enacted it.
Nancy looked between them with a frown creasing her forehead. Steve hadn’t told her what was going on yet and he felt the heat of her ire at being kept out of a loop she felt she shouldn’t have been kept out of.
Steve just shook his head at her. He would tell her when he was ready.
****
Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13
Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @goodolefashionedloverboi @bookbinderbitch @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @justforthedead89 @bookworm0690 @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @scheodingers-muppet @just-a-tiny-void @potato-of-the-lord @goosesister @tinyplanet95 @anaibis @she-collects-smut @irregular-child
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autisticlancemcclain · 6 months
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fic rec friday 47
hello and welcome to fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.
Damnit, Pidge by spirkylurkey
Pidge has some top-secret-classified-don't-tell-Keith-info that she accidentally lets slip to, you guessed it, Keith. Lance is an embarrassed mess. Keith isn't faring much better, to be honest.
this one made me LAUGH the way that this all pidge's fault and she's literally like. well. you shouldn't be so gay then. and she's right!! they're so dumb i love them
2. Operation: Faking It by @writeonclara
“What the hell, guys?” Pidge squawked, wrestling away from Matt. “Why are you pretending to be a couple?” Or: Matt and Lance pretend to be a couple because Shiro and Keith are clueless as hell.
do you guys remember shatt?? i remember shatt. adashi will always have my heart but shatt will literally always be funny bc ofc thats ur fic name. anyways. this fic is mostly klance but the entire concept is just so ridiculously goofy that u have to laugh. do you like lance and matt? do you like fake relationship to real relationship? do you like inverted tropes? do you like pining? do you like comedic jealousy? then this fic is well and truly for you because it has all that and more
3. all's well that ends well to end up with you by @coruscatingcatastrophe
Keith's jacket gets ruined, so Lance decides to be a good Samaritan and give him his. This is the beginning of the end.
megan's fic literally make me want to eat cement i'm so serious. i've read and been obsessed with TONS of her stuff but this one???? this fucking one???? oh god the slowburn kills me. the blossoming realisation that oh god we've been dating this whole time huh. the CHIVALRY...............a romance novel in the truest of senses and i am going to fry
4. as long as it won't separate you from me (i'll be fine) by @coruscatingcatastrophe
A little intrigued—not that she’d ever admit it—Pidge begins to climb the stairs. But before she even reaches halfway, the door—slams shut. All on its own, or so it seems. Pidge pauses, brows creasing in confusion, as she turns to look down at her dog. “Did you see that?” she asks. Peculiarly, she notes that Bae Bae’s fur is bristled, and he growls at the door before barking twice. That’s weird. Bae Bae never growls. Turning back to the door, Pidge feels unsettled, but she tells herself not to jump to ridiculous conclusions. There’s a logical explanation for everything. Maybe there was a gust of wind from the air conditioner, or the doorframe isn’t level. Whatever it is, she’s going to figure it out. - Or, a Beetlejuice au (kind of). Pidge isn't a fan of her new house, Lance and Keith are the ghosts haunting her attic, and together they hatch a plot to convince Shiro and Adam to skedaddle out of the house. There may be demon summoning involved. But seriously, Adam. Getting your hair set on fire really isn't that bad.
HAPPY (late) HALLOWEEN!!! ive been thinking about this fic all october and finally let myself reread it. ive never loved beetlejuice more than when i read this. it's so fun!! so interesting!! pidge gets a chance to shine!! klance are so!!! the way it had the story of beetlejuice but adapted well!! im!!
5. never thought i'd see the day in my life by @coruscatingcatastrophe
But Keith has somehow gone even paler in the short amount of time he’s been at the table, and he shakes his head. “No, something is . . .” His gaze flickers back to Lance, and he’s startled to find that Keith’s eyes are purple. They’ve got to be contacts. Ridiculous. As if the mullet and gloves and personality weren’t enough. Keith pushes away from the table abruptly, looking incredibly put-off now. “I, uh—gotta go,” he mutters, before angrily gathering up the backpack he’d dropped into the chair next to him and storming out of the cafeteria. “Huh,” Hunk says. “Well, that introduction could have gone a bit better. Don’t take it personally though; sometimes Keith’s just like that.” - Or, a Twilight au starring Lance as Bella, Keith as Edward, and the rest of the Voltron gang as themselves. Lance is insufferable, Keith is awkwardly trying to figure out why Lance is the way he is, and along the way they fall in love, or something. It's probably, definitely the best love story since Twilight itself.
now ive never read twilight and i refuse to on principle. but i didn't find this one creepy and instead it was super fun and dweeby and lance is indeed a ray of sunshine, thank you megan for noticing, and it turns out when the story isn't a hetero mormon wet dream it's actually a good time!!
that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!
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lostinthesasuke · 7 months
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do you think sasuke is religious or upholds his clan's religious practices? i was rereading and in the part where they go to resucitate the hokages orochimaru says "there's nothing left of the uchiha's nakano shrine", to which sasuke answers "the exterior doesn't matter" and it got me wondering
HI YES thank you so much for sending this ask. it's very close to me. elaborated a Lot under the cut but tl;dr - yes.
he is religious in the only way he remembers how to be. preserving Uchiha tradition and culture is deeply important to him. when he said the exterior of Nakano shrine didn't matter, sure he was referring to the fact that there was a hidden underground level... but it meant much more than that.
genocide doesn't just claim lives, it claims languages and religions and every facet of culture. konoha has been known to participate in the censorship and eradication of culture. this assimilation functions as an extension of genocide.
by virtue of being a survivor, i think sasuke feels an obligation to "carry the torch". since he was so young when the massacre occurred, it's likely a lot of practice and customs have been lost altogether. this is distressing to him. even during his character introduction at 12 years old, his clans "restoration" was first and foremost in his mind. to me this statement was never about re-population as many people interpret, but about justice, pride, and culture.
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he feels as though the Uchiha name has been "tainted" and it is his responsibility to "purify" it. but what that means to him shifts over time.
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the Uchiha clan's religion is obviously based on and deeply tied to the Shinto religion, just like the clan's jutsu and kekkei genkai. many Uchiha jutsu are named after Shinto deities.
this part i am not going to delve into too much yet because one day i will probably write a paper about it, but one of the tenets of Shinto belief is the importance of purity. Shinto practice and customs are regionally variant but the practice of purification is central. death is considered to be extremely impure. this context is deeply relevant to Sasuke's belief system and the way he thinks about himself and his clan.
it is likely that the uchiha religion is closed, evidenced by nakano shrine being kept a secret. sasuke not only has to contend with the fact that the remaining pieces of his culture are guarded and hidden, requiring the use of high-level dojutsu to decipher, but also that any of it may have been altered. the revelation that the stone tablet was altered in order to facilitate madara's manipulation and further subjugation of the uchiha was destabilizing. sasuke has to put the pieces of his religion back together with mostly his memories to rely on.
many parallels can be drawn between sasuke and the sun goddess Amaterasu. when she is betrayed by her brother Susanoo, she withdraws into a cave and plunges the world into darkness. Susanoo conspires to manipulate her into leaving the cave, and then binds her.
this gender reversal is sort of fascinating. Amaterasu and Susanoo contradict the popular notions about the sun and moon and the masculine and feminine. of course this reminds me of sasuke as well, because everything does.
sasuke is typically associated with the waning crescent, the phase just before a new moon, and itachi with a full moon. since sasuke is associated with the moon, the yin, and the feminine, it would logically follow that he would be passive like water; low like a valley. however, he subverts this expectation.
i believe this is a big part of why he makes so many people uncomfortable. he is fire and lightning and he is not a perfect victim.
after speaking to the kage and revealing the secrets of Nakano shrine, he resolves himself to burn the world down and be reborn like a phoenix. like the waning crescent before a new moon.
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he is not "pure" the way itachi expects, kishimoto states, or many fans anticipate. he has strong convictions and he is confident. he is not apologetic and he is impossible to ignore.
the first time we ever see sasuke associated with the sun is after he learns the truth about the massacre. he leaves his cave. he sheds hebi and becomes taka, predator instead of prey. he is ready to spill as much blood as it takes.
i have many ideas about what Uchiha religious customs might look like, and many of them concern fire. the uchiwa fan that stokes the flames is their crest. they are seen as fully fledged members of the clan once they can perform katon jutsu. the shrine that houses the Uchiha's patron deity has eternal flames lit.
drawing from my own religion, one of my favorite metas draws a parallel between the Uchiha fire affinity and
אש תמיד (Aish tamid)
which means eternal flame. (sorry for line break, tumblr hates right to left languages). Aish tamid refers to the flame in the temple of Jerusalem that was always kept alight before its desecration by the greeks. just like the torches located in Nakano shrine.
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the greeks attempted to hellenize and extinguish Jewish culture. they outlawed observance of Shabbat and circumcision, spat in the face of kashrut by sacrificing pigs in the temple, and even built statues of their gods within. the Jewish people rebelled against them and the flame was rekindled.
rebellion, justice, and pride in culture is in the spirit of fire. unending, always enduring. Sasuke and the Uchiha clan embody this, their crests always emblazoned on their clothes even at the cost of armor. from Madara's rage, to the coup, to Sasuke's revenge, justice is an integral component to the Uchiha ethos.
to me this is a really interesting contrast to the will of fire. the will of fire is the ideal of nationalism-- putting the state before the self. this idea is lauded as heroism. it was originated by the senju, no wonder.
meanwhile, the uchiha clan with their fire affinity and deeply spiritual connection to flame are seen as transgressors. they are seen as disruptive to the ideal of the "will of fire" due to their strong cultural identity. they refuse to assimilate into the dominant culture. they prioritize their love and familial bonds with each other over konoha's interests.
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naruto wiki im going to kill you
they are labeled with the opposing "curse of hatred".
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it is no surprise then that itachi was praised for his strong "will of fire" for carrying out the massacre-- putting the well-being of the state over the lives of his family. groomed into following the senju doctrine and abandoning his own culture. assimilated and outcast.
in modern culture Aish tamid is kept alight by the continuation of religious practice- praying and studying Torah keep the flame burning. "The exterior doesn't matter". the flame is already burning within Sasuke.
sasuke carries on whatever pieces of his culture he remembers, and he prays in the dark, and he thinks of his mother with her hands clasped at the kamidana, and he visits shrines often on his journey. he lights incense and he burns brightly. and he walks on.
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myuiis · 4 months
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sally park: a missed opportunity
this is probably going to rot in drafts for a WHILE but i needed to scream into the void about this so let me rant to YOU (yes, you) about how ptj fucked up sally park's writing and purpose in the story so much that she is now just a bundle of missed opportunities. the same could also be said about other characters like crystal choi, luah lim, etc. but i just reread hunt for hostel and i have a lot of insane thoughts that need to be screamed about.
as a character who was the center of attention during her introduction arc, she has been reduced to simply an eli enabler and warren's love interest, who gets about 3 panels to really shine, and then is demoted back into window dressing.
warning: mild eli hate ahead but i do NOT hate eli, i just hate ptj for making everything hostel related eli-centric, when sally is arguably just as important.
so. lets start at the beginning.
from the very beginning, the eli jang arc was told from sally's perspective especially based off the narration, and her character during the majority of the eli jang arc BANGED. initially introduced as a classic demure, feminine savior figure for bad boy warren in the first chapter of the eli jang arc, it's then shown that she isn't as naive or one-dimensional as she may seem.
in fact, shes shown to be fiercely independent and self-sufficient, learning to live by herself and deal with her own problems without anyone helping her, while simultaneously grappling with her grandmother blaming her over her dad's death (side note this plotline, which could've added so much depth to her story was NEVER picked up again)
on my first read of the eli jang arc, this sequence actually punched me in the gut and sally became an instant fav
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but i digress. continuing back to the main point, sally was a tremendously well written character (or as good as we're gonna' get when it comes to female characters by ptj) in the eli jang arc, whether it be her narration (scenes like "sometimes i think if i hadn't introduced them to eli back then, our story wouldn't have been such a tragedy"), or her actual actions in the story.
she was integral to the story. in fact, i would say that she was MORE central to the heart and soul of hostel than eli jang was (at first, before she got butchered by ptj and forgotten about) because it was HER that was providing for her family with HER own money, until eli stepped in months later. she was the one that everyone wanted to assist and protect because she was who was holding everyone together through her sacrifice and love.
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LOOK AT HER!!! just LOOK AT HER!!! she is so noble and tragic and she does everything for the sake of her family, including starving herself! she is so tremendously loving and sacrifices so much for her family, which is why everyone unites around her to help her!
in fact, the reason warren, eli, and others devolve into crime and stealing is to help her get more money for food, as they can't bear to see her starve herself. while this does come off a little bit white knight-ey (oh a big strong man has to save the sweet damsel), the point is that she has this kind of power over the people around her through her genuine leadership skills
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not only that, but she was actually also the one who came up with the idea of using their old building to provide for more homeless kids, showing that she really should be credited with the creation and management of the runaway fams, far more than she is in the story.
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even though, immediately after, its shown that she didn't think enough about the financials of the situation, and eli gets his time to shine by coming up with the point organization stuff, the way its framed portrays both sally's idea and eli's financial proposal of the financial system as equally important things. this scene makes me think that, at the very least, sally and eli's importance should be on equal footing: sally is the passion, the heart, the core, while eli is the figurehead, the brains, the fighter.
in summary, sally was the person who united the original hostel A through her leadership, kindness, and sacrifice, and had so much soft power over everyone that the entirety of her family would do anything to help her. she also came up with the idea of helping runaway families, demonstrating her kindness and generosity.
not only that, she was still actively managing the runaway families and making money while eli fucked off to j high to become a barber, allowing her to get closer to the runaway fams and inspire them with her leadership.
with all that said, it's clear that sally should be a three-dimensional girlboss who uses her charisma and good personality to gain soft power and lead the people around her as one of the figureheads and hearts of the hostel crew, right?
well. no.
after the eli jang arc, she becomes close to useless.
i dont remember much of 2A outside of the big deal stuff, but what i do remember is that sally does nothing, wins a singular rock-papers-scissors game, and then becomes a damsel in distress again that warren needs to save and gets to show off his cool fighting skills in the process. (this may not be accurate, feel free to correct me if im wrong)
but my BIGGEST gripe is the hunt for hostel arc. the hunt for hostel arc was very much centered around eli, warren, and even jerry, more than it was sally, despite how much of an integral role she played in the formation of hostel. during the entire arc, she does basically nothing but watch on the sidelines
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... and then ptj pulls this on us. they all unite because they admire and love eli jang so much? only eli jang? not warren chae, gangdong's mighty? not max and derek, the two uncles? not sally park, THE big mama?
i cannot emphasize how ironic it is that sally, the big mama, quite literally gave birth to the idea of the runaway fams, and yet nobody mentions her again afterwards, and only ever eli jang. like... what did eli ever do for you? give you a shitty haircut?
and when warren and eli leave, i FINALLY thought that ptj was going to give sally a moment to shine and show her by herself again, like she was all that time ago, and how she figures out how to save her family despite being unable to fight...
but no. we get this sick ass panel and then she is completely irrelevant again
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the next example of the sally erasure comes when eugene is talking to eli about him joining workers. he tries to convince eli that this is the ONLY thing that he can do to protect his family, and that, now that he's here and so is warren, hostel is weak and helpless because the MEN that get everything done aren't there anymore and "oh no, what can sally park and the girls do?"
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like fym "what can they do"?! sally is a LEADER and she has POWER and INFLUENCE (or at least, she should). but no, the narrative doesn't prove him wrong, and sally does next to nothing in the narrative.
i cannot emphasize how much more of a leader figure she is than eli btw. she took all the runaway kids under her wing. it was her idea to build an organization for these kids in the first place. she was the one singlehandedly raising money for all 7 high schoolers in her family before eli stepped in. she STARVED HERSELF and CUT HER OWN FINGERS trying to make food for her family. she was THE big mama. EVERYONE wanted to protect her and respect and love her. and yet ELI is the main character of hostel that is oh so important and that everyone will unite under????
"oh no without you how will anything get done, eli jang?" stfu
and even when she does do things, later on, it's really more of an excuse for vasco to shine. while she was the one to get heather's mom to forgive eli, as well as the one that got vasco to save eli in the first place, 1) her major role in this part of the story is entirely sidelined and given no narrative weight outside of being the reason that eli's healing arc can happen and 2) the only agency we've ever seen her having since hostel arc is in relation to eli. she only ever acts on her own to save eli. she PROBABLY did stuff outside of that to help hostel, but that is entirely offscreen and not focused on at all, so her leadership and agency when it comes to things outside of a MAN are ignored.
in chapter 478, i thought that she was once again given a brief moment to shine when she looked sad and all wondering what they would do once they didn't have the income workers supplied them with, and i was hoping that she'd get a chance to creatively problem solve around it to show a good character moment for her and the rest of hostel... but who am i kidding this is ptj of course he wouldnt do that. nah, it was just a scene so that vasco could introduce jay again and be like "hey guys jay is actually relevant to the story and he's a nice person, just so you guys dont forget that he's still there! and also ignore this deus ex machina ass solution to a conflict that could've been a really interesting character study!!"
so yeah. that's basically it. in conclusion, i think sally park is a HUGE missed opportunity for ptj to finally write a good female character. kind, compassionate, charismatic, smart, sally's got it all. however, just because she is a soft character doesn't mean that she's a pushover and she held tremendous power and authority because of everything she did for her family. however, ptj decides to do nothing with her and turn her into an eli enabler and a warren love interest instead, ignoring her leadership skills and influence.
and once again, no hate to eli, warren, jerry, jay, or any of the other character i just shat on to make a point!! i like all of them, but i just think that sally's character assassination to allow them to shine was an infuriating decision on ptj's part
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