#they're both stronger than people give them credit for

[woozvc]

better left unsaid.

req (from 💩 anon) — "mingyu loosing his temper on you and it hurts like a bitch"

read pt.2 here - promises.

synopsis - "mingyu was the sweetest guy you knew, till he let his emotions get the best of him."

pairing — mingyu x gn!reader

genre/s — so much angst

cw— mention of a heated argument, screaming, reader flinches once, cursing.

w/c - 1k ish

mingyu is the sweetest guy you know.

you've dated people, some good some bad but, none of them treated you how good mingyu did.

in the haze of the “perfect relationship” you seemed to have forgotten that people will always act as people. human emotions are stronger than we give it credit for.

arguments are never easy, specially with a loved one but they're easy to solve with proper reasoning. you hoped.

it started with a shitty day. you woke up and the power of the entire city was out so you got late to your work. mingyu also had the same start, but everyone was late to practice so it got ignored.

nothing major happened, just small things throughout the day.

you lost one of your files at work, mingyu forgot the choreography more than once. you dropped your coffee at work, mingyu got in an argument with his manager.

a shitty day.

a shitty day that leds to a shitty mood.

you got home first, wanting this day to end as soon as possible. you dropped your bag near the door and face planted at the couch, just wanting the comfort of your home. mingyu arrived 2hours later. he entered hurriedly, wanting to do the same thing as you.

mingyu was a clumsy man. he didn't see your bag, tripped and hit his knee hard on the marble floor.

it felt as though the entire apartment shook. you got up and ran to him but he held his knee, got up and walked away not acknowledging you. it hurt but you shurgged it off, not wanting to pay attention to it. you went to check what you both could have for dinner.

next thing that happened was all of his tshirts were in the wash, it was your turn to take them out.

mingyu felt his annoyance rising but he buried it down, put on a old tshirt and walked to the kitchen limping.

“you forgot the groceries” you said chuckling, trying to reduce the tension in the house.

it was supposed to be a joke. mingyu didn't take it as a joke.

the entire day's frustration broke down. he pointed out you not doing the laundry, you pointed out the power outage, he pointed out his busy schedule and etc etc etc

but never in your 3year relationship with mingyu did you expect a little thing to get this bad. unknowingly you were raising your voices slowly till the ball dropped.

“JUST FUCKING SHUT UP ONCE A WHILE”

mingyu screamed at you with an exaggerated hand gesture and you flinched. he did something that made you flinch.

mingyu said something he would regret for the rest of his life. you physically stepped back. mingyu was a tall man and him screaming at you made him a lot scarier. you just stared at him wide eyed.

seeing your reaction and realising his words, mingyu immediately shut up. he covered his mouth and put his hand out

“baby I didn't mean to-”

“stop.”

you stepped back. you looked at his eyes now threatening with tears and walked to your room, locking the door and for a second sinking down on the floor.

a few minutes passed when you stepped out, you saw mingyu sitting at the kitchen floor. his eyes we're red with tears, face swollen. he looked at you and said with a shaky voice

“w-where are yo-you going?”

“don't call me for a while”

and you left, walked to your best friends house. he watched you leave, watched you walk out the door of the apartment the both of you made a home.

mingyu was the sweetest guy you knew, till he let his emotions get the best of him.

a/n - any complaints about angst will go to 💩 anon they fuled the angst writer in me (atleast both of you are alive in this fic! most of the characters from the stories I wrote in 2022 can't relate LMFAO)

#seventeen #seventeen fluff #seventeen imagines #seventeen x reader #caratsland #svt fluff #seventeen series #seventeen mingyu #seventeen angst #kim mingyu #mingyu imagines #mingyu x reader #mingyu x y/n #mingyu x you #mingyu #svt kim mingyu #svt fanfic #svt mingyu #svt #svt x reader #svt x y/n #svt angst #—nr.requests

[evilbihan]

A guide to writing Tomáš

This is a Bi-Han centric blog, but I really want to talk about the mischaracterization of Tomáš too because it irks me to no end and I believe he deserves better. Not to mention that most of his mischaracterization usually comes at Bi-Han's expense as well.

Tomáš is not the sad, broken, overly sensitive crybaby the fandom likes to portray him as. Every time I see yet another version of the same fanart where poor Tomáš is bawling his eyes out and running into Kuai Liang's arms because Bi-Han was being "mean" to him, I immediately unfollow the artist. Tomáš is a grown man, it's disgusting how the fandom keeps babying him. Not to mention it's getting boring and on top of that, it's completely wrong characterization of both Bi-Han and Tomáš. In the scene where Bi-Han snaps at him, Tomáš barely even bats an eyelash. He looks confused and annoyed if anything, not heartbroken, and he certainly doesn't break down in tears either. Tomáš literally chose to talk back to Bi-Han, he's not afraid to say what he thinks, which is proven by the fact that he even confronts Liu Kang for letting his family die. Tomáš is courageous and he stands up for himself. This man watched his entire family get murdered in front of him and chose not to let it haunt him. ("Their ghosts no longer haunt me.") Of all three Lin Kuei brothers, he's the one with the highest emotional maturity, choosing not to let emotions cloud his judgement, unlike Kuai Liang (blind anger/hatred) and Bi-Han (frustration). Tomáš is so much stronger than people give him credit for. He's not some damsel in distress that needs saving and he definitely doesn't need Kuai Liang to defend him, especially not from Bi-Han who respected Tomáš and his skills enough to let him join them for important missions when he had everyone else in the Lin Kuei at his disposal. It's awful how some fans deliberately paint Tomáš as weak and Bi-Han as cruel, so they can make Kuai Liang look better.

A lot of the traits that define Tomáš are usually taken away from him in fanfics and fanart and given to Kuai Liang instead. Tomáš is the loyal, brave and kind brother who wants peace above all else, who wants his brothers to reconcil, who is truly selfless and respectful, even towards some of his foes. Believe it or not, Tomáš is not the "soft" brother. He chooses to be kind and fans mistake it for weakness. Despite being angry at Bi-Han, Tomáš doesn't want vengeance against him. He wants his brothers to stop fighting, for Earthrealm's sake and because they're family. Tomáš might be the youngest of the brothers but he's wiser than them. He has seen enough death and bloodshed to know no one will come out of this war as a winner.

Tomáš used to idolize Bi-Han, not Kuai Liang. Bi-Han, who is known to be cold and ruthless. As I said before in another post I made, Tomáš is no less ruthless than his brothers. He is not sweet and innocent. Just like Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, he was trained to be a lethal and stealthy warrior. Even before joining the Lin Kuei, Tomáš was a hunter. He grew up in a family of hunters. Listen to his taunts at the end of each round and the way he giggles while performing one of his fatalities. Tomáš enjoys hunting, he enjoys the thrill of it.

There is no part of the story or any intros that indicate that Kuai Liang and Tomáš were ever close before their falling out with Bi-Han, but it is said that Tomáš used to admire Bi-Han. I don't know why the fandom made up the wholesome bond between Kuai Liang and Tomáš because of that one scene in which Kuai Liang conveniently tells Smoke that they're brothers because he needed him on his side. Kuai Liang doesn't even bother interrupting when Bi-Han reprimands Tomáš. He even questions Smoke's resolve. What brought them both closer are a few shared ideals, such as the wish to honor their father's legacy and continue their duty of protecting Earthrealm. Kuai Liang is now the only family Smoke has left, which is why he's doing everything he can to prove worthy of his trust. He calls himself the Shirai Ryu's second in command, he's the one who recruits Hanzo, he's supportive of everything Kuai Liang does and never contradicts him despite having different opinions than his brother, possibly out of fear of losing his family yet again.

Tomáš is a very curious and open-minded person. Unlike Bi-Han and Kuai Liang who are both equally disgusted by the idea of fame and stardom, Smoke seems eager to play a part in one of Johnny's movies when Johnny suggests giving him a role in a film he made. He's also the one reaching out to others to try and bond with them, to make friends. He tells Raiden that he wants to visit Fengjian, he asks other characters questions about themselves etc.

Tomáš is without a doubt traumatized from what he's seen and been through. Similar to Bi-Han in the previous timeline, Smoke is concerned that he's tainted by evil due to his nightmares about the Enenra. Ashrah reassures him that her kriss can't sense any evil, but there's a chance he might still become corrupted.

I hope this makes sense and will help writers and artists out there to portray Tomáš more accurately in their works. Too many people in the fandom have a wrong idea of who this character is.

#tomas vrbada #mk smoke #bi han #mk sub zero #kuai liang #mk scorpion #mortal kombat 1 #mortal kombat #mk1 2023 #mk1

[intothemultifandom]

– 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐒 || 𝐠𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐬𝐮

SUMMARY: In a matter of seconds, [Y/N] is infected protecting Gyeong-su, he is reminded of their 100 day celebration, and his heart is irreparably broken when you are forced to say goodbye. PAIRINGS: han gyeong-su x genderneutral!reader TAGS/WARNINGS: established!relationship ; character death ; swearing, angst + more

1.4k words

IT HAPPENS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, so sudden Gyeong-su can hear nothing but the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears as you stagger away from Na-yeong, eyes wide in disbelief.

The shock and horror of what she'd just done had ended the cacophony of mania, everyone standing shock-still by the revelation that Lee Na-yeong had intentionally infected you right before them.

"Na-yeon, what have you done?" Miss Park asks quietly, eyeing the frantic girl warily as Su-hyeok and Nam-ra step away from her, the formers' hands clenched at his sides.

Your hand is still bleeding from where she'd dug her nails into the skin, your blood intermingling with the blood she'd swiped at you with her dirty fucking handkerchief and On-jo lets out a soft cry when a drop of red trickles from your nose.

"If you're so sure he's not infected, you can die with him", Na-yeon had cried, moving too fast before anyone could react.

"[Y/N], c-come here, you need to sit down," Gyeong-su manages to say through the tightness in this throat, breaking away from Cheong-san's side to stagger towards you.

"We need to get you a tissue," he continues, almost in a daze.

We need to stop the bleeding. Put them in the recording booth. They're not gone yet. We can still–

Before he can reach for your hands however, you step away from him, pressing yourself against the door as you shake your head firmly at him.

There are tears gathering in the corner of your eyes, and your face flickers with a multitude of emotions before your features grow ladden with grim resignation.

"–Stop," you say roughly, and Gyeong-su just knows that you've made your decision.

Now that you've been infected, you're going to walk out the door, determined not to stay long enough for him to convince you otherwise.

Because doing so would only hurt everyone more in the end, and the last thing you'd want is for them to see you turn.

(I-sak's blood is still on On-jo's collar.)

For the first time since he met you, your boyfriend wishes you were selfish enough to stay, selfish enough to fight everyone to stay by his side the same way he would if the roles were reversed, but it's you.

[First name] [Last name].

Always doing the right thing, even when it hurts. Even when he doesn't want you to.

Because you and Gyeong-su both know he won't ask you to leave, and you're stronger than he'd like to give you credit for when you make no move towards him.

"Han, please just stay there...I don't want to hurt you," you say quietly, unflinching when he shakes his head with a scoff that sounds too much like denial. "I need to leave."

"N-no you wouldn't," he insists, mouth trembling as his chest gives way to a choked cry. "Please [Y/N], get away from the door. Let me help...please just move away from the door..."

The wounded sound he makes makes Ji-min and Hyo-ryung flinch on the other side of the room, hands held firmly between them. A sentiment shared by even the more quiet ones of the group.

The truth is, they've all lost people today–teachers, classmates, friends–but none have lost someone they cared for this way, to something as preventable as a contaminated handkerchief and the paranoia of a crazed girl.

More blood drips down your nose in quick succession then, and while it is the final nail in the coffin for everyone in the room and settles your resolve, Gyeong-su doesn't want you to go.

Not like this. Not after everything you've been through and not after you were infected protecting him from your traitorous classmate.

[Y/N], how can you be so calm? He wants to shake you. Why aren't you mad?

"Cheong-san, y-you need to get my bag...there's a box with butterflies on it in there..." Though you've addressed Cheong-san, you keep your eyes locked on your boyfriend, committing every plane and edge to memory as you tell your friend what to do.

For a moment, Gyeong-su has no idea why you're telling Cheong-san about your bag, about this small box with butterfly designs before the memory comes unbidden:

It was your 100 day anniversary, and Han had saved enough of his weekly allowance to take you out on a date after school. While most boys his age would aim to take their partner to a nice restaurant and shower them with even nicer jewellery, he could do only so much with what little money he had. Fortunately, while most people would've raised their brows at dining at a chicken restaurant (in his humble opinion, nothing could beat the exquisite taste of Cheong-san's family restaurant) and then being cart off to an Arcade to blow off the rest of their money, you were unlike most people. In fact, when Han had won you a back of Butterfly-themed plasters instead of the cute [favourite cartoon] phone charm at one of the claw machines, you had only laughed fondly as you placed your hands in his. Grinning as his cheeks grew flushed. "Hey Han Gyeong-su, don't be too serious," you teased gently, bumping his shoulder as you held the box of bandages. "I think these bandages are way better. Plus, I'll keep it in my bag in case I ever need it." Before he could apologise again, flustered by your earnest words, you tilted your head, brushing your lips against his as his flush deepened.

It's a nice memory, one of the more simpler ones, and Gyeong-su is sure you remember that day, too, because your breath catches as you move your hand to the door handle.

"It's a pack of bandages, Cheong-san. You need to cover Han's scratch, and keep him away from Na-yeong. He isn't infected, but he needs to keep his scratch covered. Please use it for the others, too."

There's a raspy quality to your voice now, more urgent now that there's black veins blooming from your injuries.

If he weren't so madly in-love with you, Gyeong-su would assume that your calm and poise was unnatural for someone on the verge of turning.

But you've always held a quiet strength to you, and this display of extreme will is only a testament to your character. He's glad the others seem to realise it too because no one makes a move to accost you, trusting you enough to know what you need to do.

Still, the finality in your plea seems to seep through the cracks in his heart, because this time he launches himself towards you more frantically than before, stopping only when Cheong-san wraps himself around his waist, holding him back from moving any closer.

"[Y/N] please, you don't have to do this! [Y/N]! [Y/N]! Cheong-san, let me go! LET ME GO!"

Desperate, your boyfriend bucks wildly in Cheong-san's arms, begging to be let go and cursing his long-time friend all in one breath as he punches uselessly at his chest.

Cheong-san has always been surprisingly strong, but when Dae-su and Su-hyeok join him–there's no way for Gyeong-san to reach you, no matter how much he tries.

"Han Gyeong-su," you rasp, your voice cutting through the loudness and chaos.

Saying his full name is enough to make Gyeong-su pause, gives you enough time to say what you've wanted to say to him since this whole mess started. "Thank-you for our time together. I...have loved every second being your partner."

For the first time since you locked eyes on him–hand frozen as he holds it out to you, one last attempt to reach you–you move your gaze around the whole room, hoping that as your eyes meet theirs, your classmates know there is no blame from you, or anger.

You do not look at Na-yeon, or Miss Park.

There is only sincere hope that they all make it out, and gratitude for everything they've done for you until now.

Wiping the tears that have fallen with your uninjured hand, you scrub at your face before nodding to yourself, turning to the door before you finally pull it open.

"Thank you for everything, guys. Please make it out of here. Really. And please take care of Gyeong-su for me..."

Behind you, Gyeong-su's anguished screams grow louder as you step out into the Zombie-infested hallway, the door sliding close with a soft click behind you.

Though it doesn't beat the sound he makes when he hears the first of your bones breaking from beyond the classroom door.

#all of us are dead #all of us are dead x reader #aouad x reader #aouad imagines #aouad angst #han gyeong su #han gyeong su x reader #gyeong su x reader #gyeong su imagine #all of us are dead one shot #gender neautral reader #all of us are dead hyoeng su #aouad hyeong su #intothemultifandom

[acourtofthought]

Nesta and Az are similar:

Nesta watched the shadowsinger with a frankness that most people shied from. Azriel returned the look with a stillness that most people ran from. Even Feyre had been hesitant around Az initially, but Nesta considered him with the same unflinching assessment she laid upon everyone. Maybe that was why Azriel had never said a bad word about Nesta. Never seemed inclined to start a fight with her. She saw him, and was not afraid of him. There weren’t many people who fit that bill.

Az and Rhys are similar:

Az nodded knowingly. He'd always understood me best - more than the others. Save for my mate. Whether it was his gifts that allowed him to do so, or merely the fact that he and I were more similar than most realized, I'd never learned.

Rhys, Nesta, and Az are extremely similar.

When you look at who they're mated too (since that is the authors idea of a well matched pair), it gives us some idea as to what the personality of Az's mate might be.

Is Elain or Gwyn more similar to Feyre and Cassian?

Rhys and Cassian's mate are warriors who put on their Illyrian leathers when it's necessary.

Elain … She’d taken one look at us in the swaying grasses outside that wagon, the legs and assets on display, and turned crimson (Elain returned Az's dagger and walked away without looking back).

Gwyn was in Illyrian leathers. Nesta’s old ones, from the scent of them. (Also, Gwyn is a confirmed Valkyrie).

Feyre once said:

I hadn’t lied. It would be easy to fall in love with a male like him. But I wasn’t entirely sure that even with the hardships he’d encountered Under the Mountain, Tarquin could understand the darkness that might always be in me.

Who could best understand the darkness in Az, even partake in darkness themselves? We have Elain, who is bothered by cruelty, doesn't know the things Az has done and brushed off credit for killing the king compared to Gwyn who showed zero hesitation in talking about how she tricked the beasts into attacking the Illyrians and doesn't blink over Az slaughtering everyone in front of her.

Feyre and Cassian taunted both Rhys and Nesta.

His violet eyes twinkled. I made an obscene gesture before I broke into a run, heading straight for the worm. (Feysand Book 1)

“If you bring that male anywhere near her, I’ll—” “You’ll what?” Cassian crooned, trailing her at a casual pace as she stopped perhaps five feet from me. He lifted a brow as she whirled on him. “You won’t join me for practice, so you sure as hell aren’t going to hold your own in a fight. You won’t talk about your powers, so you certainly aren’t going to be able to wield them. And you—” “Shut your mouth,” she snapped, every inch the conquering empress. “I told you to stay the hell away from me, and if you—” “You come between a male and his mate, Nesta Archeron, and you’re going to learn about the consequences the hard way.” Nesta’s nostrils flared. Cassian only gave her a crooked grin. (Book 3)

Elain is willing to interact with Az but we see her hands trembling around him, her voice hesitant, she whispers "I'm sorry" when he calls her a mistake. That is not how SJM FMCs talk to their endgame person. Elain at least showed a bit of fire around Lucien even when she was completely depressed. Now she just doesn't talk to him but ignoring someone is a stronger and more purposeful emotion (remember Nesta "dismissing Cassian entirely?") than talking shyly to them.

Gwyn with Az:

Sort of. "I forgot something", he reminded her.

"At two in the morning?" Pure amusement glittered her in the stare.

Gwyn threw Azriel a withering stare as she strode past him. “See you tomorrow, Shadowsinger,” she tossed over a shoulder.

Az’s shadows danced around him. “Since there’s no chance in hell any of you will finish the course, we didn’t bother to get a prize.” Boos sounded. Gwyn lifted her chin in challenge. “We look forward to proving you wrong.”

Feyre:

“You said I could be a weapon—teach me to become one."

Gwyn:

“Why did you sign up for this, then?” Nesta drank the glass Gwyn extended. “If you already have mind-calming exercises you’re accustomed to?” “Because I don’t ever want to feel powerless again,” Gwyn said softly, and all those easy smiles and bright laughs were gone.

Cassian:

Cassian raised his hand as Rhys and Mor chuckled. The High Lord’s general said, “I give him an hour before he tries to see her.” “Thirty minutes,” Mor countered, sitting back down on the divan and crossing her legs.

"If Lucien shows up"

"My money's on yes," Cassian said. "Want to make a wager?"

Gwyn:

“Should we bet?” Gwyn asked Nesta. “Shut up,” Emerie hissed, though amusement lit her eyes.

Another Gwyn / Cassian similarity is how they focus and plan for victory. Think of Cassian's "secret plan" with the snowball fight and think of how Gwyn approached the ribbon and leading the beasts to the Illyrians.

Gwyn is a combination of characteristics that both Feyre and Cassian have, two very important people in Azriel's life, two people Rhys loves dearly (Rhys who is very similar to Az).

It's funny how some anti's claim Gwyn is nothing but Feyre 2.0. First it's amusing because they themselves try to convert Elain into Feyre 2.0 though the text completely contradicts that. Second, there is a reason Gwyn can easily be compared to Feyre. If Feyre was Rhys's best match and Az is most similar to Rhys, then it stands to reason their mates would share similarities too.

Throughout the series we are reminded of how different Elain is from her sisters. How her strengths lie elsewhere, how she is an optimist trying to see the good in the worst situations, how she's light and sunshine while Nesta is a thundercloud, how no matter how much she claims to be part of the NC, [wearing black] it sucks the life out of her, how despite Elain's efforts to show Feyre how much she cares for her, Feyre still only thinks of her as a pleasant companion which Feyre even admits is a bit insulting.

I have no doubt we'll see Elain come into her own in her book but we've yet to see her truly shine around the people that are supposed to be her found family. Weve gotten no clues that the NC is where she belongs. It's quite the opposite actually. SF tells us that though Elain easily finds friends and purpose wherever she goes, it's the Spring Court that had been made for someone like her.

Not only does Gwyn already share similarities with Cassian and Feyre but she shares them with Az as well. A preference for solitude and shadows, that she doesn't mind watching and waiting (a big part of what Az does in spying), a competitive nature.

Not to be overlooked, their differences are also the right kinds for the right reasons. Az tends to hide within himself and Gwyn doesn't back down from the challenge of that. She's not put off by his tendency to withdraw and instead pushes in an attempt to bring him out of his shell.

There's a certain type of character that belongs in the NC, they're all a bit similar because of it and Az and Gwyn clearly fit that mold, Feyre and Nesta fit that mold. It is impossible not to notice the sister who does not.

#pro gwynriel #gwynriel #elucien #pro elucien

[cyprus-green]

Regarding Daemon and Beach Sex

So I, like most, completely agree that the Beach Sex scene would almost certainly have been better with anyone other than Sapochnik directing. But the people mentioning how appropriate and perfect Daemon and Rhaenyras reactions are, are on the money for me.

To me, this is the apperance of much older, broken and bruised people. Someone mentioned it in the Daemyra discord, but the grief they feel is in large part the loss of 10 years. They're mourning what their lives became because they couldn't (or refused to) be together.

Daemon must feel immense guilt. He knows he's favored his neice. He knows there's something there that calls to him, something deep in his blood, as consuming as it is ancient that calls him to Rhaenyra. He realizes just how deeply in the brothel. And he bolts. She can't see him she can't love him. He fucks his partners from behind , forever taking pleasure. Rhaenyra wants to consume him. Wants him. Her choice (of which women get very few in this world) is this Rouge Prince. His hands were made for violence. For bloodshed. For taking. For fucking.

But we all know that Daemon is , at his core, absolute mush. His most vulnerable self is when he's pressed his forehead against the people he loves. Facing them, presenting himself without looking them in the eye. To look someone in the eye is to open yourself up to rejection.

This night, he warns her. Gives her an easy out. But he's out of excuses. There's no where to run or hide. He can't reason out of this. The fact is that Rhaenyra loves him, wants him, needs him.

Daemon leaving created beautiful and loving --but not supremely fulfilling-- relationships. But what is wasted, what they lose from Daemon's fear is eachother. For 10 years. Daemon loses sight of who he is, without Rhaenyra. He has no home without her.

So this time Daemon doesn't run away. Because there's no where to hide. He's moved across the sea. Had another life. A wife. Children. Male Lovers. None of it satisfied. But now his refuge is gone. Laena was refuge for this wayward Dragon. As Ser Harwin was for Rhaenyra. But their shelters are now gone.

He can't run anymore. Rhaenyra has no one to numb her pain anymore. Daemon left her heart shattered and angry. But like the practical woman she was, she found happiness where she could.

This sex scene is an apology. It's Daemon looking love in the eye, and saying "very well". It's Rhaenyra finally feeling as if she's not alone. If Daemon is by her side, she's invincible. He makes her aware of her own power. He brings out the fire within her. He reminds her that they're made of the same Valyrian stuff. When Daemon looks at Rhaenyra he sees parts of himself. He sees a dragon, desperate for comforts of home.

This love scene is the embodiment of "taking her as she is" but for Daemon. He's craved love and attention the entire time. True attention. He wants to be needed by his family. He wants to be asked to be by his familys side. So when Rhaenyra asks him, when she admits that she needs him, for him. When she makes it clear that through him she's made stronger. She does what Viserys never did. She asks him to be by her side. For good. Forever. She does what he cannot admit to Viserys. He says he needs nothing. Rhaenyra knows. She admits the truth for them both.

The love scene is mature and pensive, but mostly beautiful in how Daemon allows himself to be seen, accepted and consumed. There's no where to hide. And he gives himself up to love.

Pic Credit to Veru on Daemyra Discord

#daemyra headcanon #hotd #hotd spoilers #hotd ep 7 #daemon targaryen #rhaenrya targaryen #the house of the dragon #daemyra #hotd thoughts

[itsdrawingmen]

Crack!

Metal separates from metal, and a faint fizzing comes from inside the can. A satisfying little sound. Zen quickly puts the can to his lips and takes a big swig. It makes his nose a little itchy, but the feeling is pleasant.

Or maybe it’s just habitual. He’s not sure.

He leans onto the counter as he puts the can on top of it. His head is heavy. His mind is a mess. He takes a little glance again at the pack of cigarettes and the lighter. Should he go for another one?

He decides to wait a little more.

Maybe another beer will finally make him sleepy.

Zen pinches the bridge of his nose, then drags his hand down his face with a sigh.

Then takes a wistful look at the kitchen.

It’s a little messy: dishes in the sink that Yoosung's been too busy to wash, although it’s his turn; some snacks scattered on the countertop; a mug of water left on the table. It’s become a welcome sight. Yoosung’s presence has made this kitchen feel less beige and sterile. But right now, in the dim light of the small lamp under the cabinets, Zen feels his loneliness and messiness here that much more jarringly.

He can’t imagine life without Yoosung anymore.

He’s not sure how he feels about the life with him, either.

He has to give Yoosung credit, though, he’s been nothing but delicate. After the botched first kiss and the exchange of confessions (Zen tries not to think about what he has said, because if he does, he immediately feels his face heat up with embarrassment) — after that, Yoosung has been such a sweet soul.

When hasn’t he been.

Zen sighs again, runs his hand across his face one more time. Takes another swig of beer.

It’s still doing nothing for him.

Fuck.

Shouldn’t have developed such a tolerance.

Damn this.

His thoughts are wandering. All of his life — or most of it, anyway — he has been alone in this world. Alone against his parents; alone against all the people wanting to touch him, pet him, squish him, like a little decorative animal; alone against the gangs, the men older and stronger than him who looked at him and saw something they could use; alone against the brutal competition in the musical theatre industry; alone in this beige disaster of a flat, full of nothing but echo and beer cans. The few times he has thought he has had something going for him, he has just remained heartbroken and that much more alone.

His brother. He licks his teeth.

Then mouthes a different name. Yes, it still tastes bitter on his tongue.

He takes a swig of beer to wash down the feeling.

Rika, too. He grins to himself.

They all left. Some took things with them. His trust in people, his hopes for the best. Everything that was soft and vulnerable within him.

His virginity. He smiles bitterly. Such a dumb story, but who'd listen. The name is bitter in his mouth. The void is nagging in his chest. He drinks again.

What makes this time any different?

And why the fuck does it have to be a guy again, he thinks. I promised myself it wouldn’t happen. I wasn’t even a good friend to him.

Or was he?

He thinks back to the hours he has spent googling for recipes to get him to eat. To holding his hand, listening to all the ways he has thought of going out. To changing his bedsheets, to taking out his trash.

To hugging him so tightly and kissing him on the forehead.

To washing his hair. To helping him bleach.

To writing to none else than Jumin Han for the contacts of the clinic.

Why was he doing all that?

Why has he suggested he move in here? Just to split the rent?

He drinks again.

The fuck does it matter.

Now he’s here, they're both here, and among them there’s a guy who doesn’t want to let Zen slip back into his habitual loneliness.

He hears soft footsteps and turns automatically in their direction.

‘Hey…’

Yoosung stops in the doorway, sends him a little, pale smile. It’s warm. Zen raises his beer can to him. Cheers.

‘Hey,’ he replies, then takes a swig.

He has already noticed that little look, running over the cigarettes, the lighter, the beer can. Over Zen’s figure, slouched against the counter. Reading the clues. In the months living together, it has become some sort of a ritual. If one of them can’t sleep, he probably needs a hug.

He prays silently to all the powers he doesn’t believe in that Yoosung doesn’t go for it.

‘Not sleepy?’ he hears the soft voice ask. Yoosung passes by him and settles at the kitchen table, sideways on the chair, pulling his one knee up. They’re face to face now.

At a comfortable distance.

Zen thanks Yoosung’s delicacy as he puts down the can.

‘Nah,’ he replies. ‘Which sucks, really, I have the final rehearsal tomorrow. The dress rehearsal. Before the premiere.’

Yoosung smiles a little wider.

‘Yeah, the premiere. I’ll be there.’

‘Sure you aren’t gonna be bringing a plus one?’

Yoosung glances down, his expression bleakening.

‘Oh, no, I don’t think. One of the guys has a birthday party over at the dorm, and everyone is going.’

‘They didn’t invite you?’

‘They did but…’ he grimaces a little. ‘I’m not really friends with the guy. He’s… kinda terrible.’

Zen nods understandingly.

‘How come you aren’t sleeping? Been gaming?’

Yoosung lowers his chin to his raised knee. His face is now dejected.

‘Still not up for it?’

He shakes his head.

‘I’m kinda nervous to go back. After the last… several times.’

Zen purses up his lips, inclines his head to the side.

‘Assholes. So what’s keeping you up then?’

Yoosung licks his lips.

‘Well, I was getting together with those three girls recently, to study together, you remember, I told you? They were always staying a bit late in the library, and I kind of… invited myself to join, and they didn’t mind. Well, we’ve been doing that for some time, and they’ve been really cool. They asked at first, you know, about the eye… I thought they’d be weird about it, but they were really sweet. And I thought we should hang out, well, outside of uni. And I invited them for boba for this weekend, and they were down, and we just figured out the details and stayed a little too late chatting…’

His smile is warm as he is studying the tiles behind Zen’s back. What a relief, Zen thinks. He’s hanging out with girls now. He’ll be smooching one of them in no time, and we will just gather together right here, talk about it, and agree that we both got kinda carried away and that we’d just forget about all that’s happened. Wow, problem solved.

He doesn’t feel relieved at all.

His heart becomes even heavier.

‘You’re not inviting them to the premiere?’

Yoosung chuckles, shakes his head.

‘Aw, no. They said musicals are cringe.’

‘They have no taste.’

‘Tell me about it. They’ve simply just never heard of Zen, my favourite actor.’

As he looks up at Zen, straightening, his smile is so sunny. Zen tries to give one back, but it feels feeble and insincere.

‘Go get dressed,’ he says, gesturing vaguely to Yoosung’s thin tee. ‘It’s kinda cold here.’

‘I’m fine.’

Zen sighs.

‘You want me to give you mine, or what?’

He’s wearing a warm cardigan, and it’s so cozy, but Yoosung only has to ask for it, and he can have it.

‘I’m fine, really.’

‘Suit yourself.’

Yoosung reaches out for the mug of water on the table, glances into it skeptically.

‘How long has this been here?’

‘All day, probably,’ Zen shrugs.

He watches as Yoosung goes off to the sink, pours the dusty water out, and fills himself a new cup.

The nagging in his chest is becoming more unbearable by the moment.

I could use another cig, he thinks.

‘Are your new friends pretty?’

‘Huh?’

‘Are they pretty? The girls you’re going for boba with.’

Yoosung looks away, as if he hasn’t thought about it.

‘I guess? Yeah, I mean, yeah! One of them, Eunju, actually has a pretty distinctive style. She has this haircut, like… like this,’ he tries to make an approximation out of his messy hair.

‘A mullet?’

‘Yeah, I think it’s called. Messy, with highlights. Green. Yeah, and she always has all sorts of buttons and pins, she let me see some of her collection, and she’s even into LOLOL! Well, I… kind of told her I don’t play anymore.’

‘Aw,’ Zen drops half-heartedly. ‘Shame.’

‘Yeah… But, I mean… yeah, I guess they’re very pretty. Probably what caught my eye was that they seemed… nice. Like nice people.’

Zen holds a straight face as he takes another swig of beer. Being an actor has a lot of perks. One of them being, you always know perfectly well how to hide what you really feel.

‘Mind if I make myself tea?’ Yoosung asks from the direction of the stove. ‘Or do you want to drink in peace?’

‘Nah, by all means,’ Zen makes a vague gesture with the beer can. ‘Help yourself. I’m fine.’

He watches Yoosung pour the electric kettle and turn it on, then rummage through tea bags, smelling them, picking a flavour. At last, satisfied, he drops a bag into a huge mug. It is made to look like a fat smiling panda.

Yoosung glances at him around his shoulder.

‘Sorry, I didn’t ask… you want some?’

Zen raises the beer can. It’s feeling very light now. Yoosung nods.

For a little while, they wait in silence. Yoosung’s on his phone. Then, the water boils, and Yoosung pours his tea. He returns to the table, puts his mug and some chocolate bars on it, and settles on the chair again, pulling his other knee up now.

‘You have no concern whatsoever for your health,’ Zen drops.

‘Said the pot to the kettle.’

Zen doesn’t have any objections to that. He steals a glance as Yoosung opens a candy and sinks his teeth in, staring at his phone. His presence doesn’t feel intrusive. He doesn’t look like he’s waiting for anything. His thumb taps away at the screen.

Now that he’s not looking, and has turned his blind side to him, Zen takes liberty to stare. He studies the mess of bleached wavy hair, the moles on the roundish cheek, the oversized tee hanging from his small frame. Yoosung has a serious look on his face, but it’s all because he knits his eyebrows and squints to see better. He’s so adorable like this, though. Zen recalls the feeling of Yoosung on his lips: his forehead, his hair. His tensed up mouth.

You’re so down bad, Zen Ryu, he thinks.

And then thinks, fuck.

‘I’m feeling like shit,’ he confesses into thin air.

Yoosung puts down his phone. He isn’t turning to Zen, but he reaches out for his mug and brings it to his lips.

He’s listening.

It’s such a habitual little thing between them by now. Someone needs to talk. And the other lends an ear. And sometimes also a shoulder.

Zen lets out a broken sigh.

‘Everything’s just so weird today. I’m feeling weird. Fucked.’

‘Looks like not the kind that a beer could fix?’

Zen shakes his head.

‘Not the kind. And not the kind you can sleep off, or smoke off. Listen, I was thinking. How come you even came to care for me?’

Yoosung turns to face him, settling on the chair sideways again. He studies Zen’s face for a moment.

‘Well, you've always been beautiful, so here’s that,’ he smiles. Then pauses.

Normally, a compliment like this would make Zen feel better. Now it just rings hollow to him.

Yoosung sighs.

‘I don’t know,’ he says. ‘It all just… happened little by little, I guess. We got acquainted, I wanted to get to know you. You felt… nice, you know. Like a nice person.’

Zen smiles bitterly under his breath. Isn’t that what your girls feel like, Yoosungie.

‘You’re a great friend to me,’ Yoosung says. ‘Someone I can lean on. Someone who cares. It was… a nice surprise, honestly, to find out. You’re not, like… taking pleasure in ego-tripping at my expense.’

‘Who’d a thunk.’

‘Helping people is a good thing,’ Yoosung continues, unfazed. ‘An act of love. That’s what I think, anyway. But a lot of people don’t do it out of love. Don’t do it for the other. They just do it to feel better about themselves. And it’s just humiliating and patronizing.’

Humiliating and patronizing.

Emasculating.

Zen looks at him carefully.

‘Do you feel that way often?’

Yoosung nods, purses his lips.

‘Kind of. Not with you, though. Not these days. Not when you stayed with me back then.’

Zen huffs a breath before downing the leftover beer.

‘It was no fun without you. I just wanted my friend back, thankyouverymuch.’

Yoosung tilts his head to the side, looking away. Zen can’t help thinking that he sees right through him, all of his half-truths and half-assed lies.

‘Okay, maybe I just hated to see you… like that,’ he relents. ‘Hated the thought of you. You know. Gone.’

‘You were so patient with me.’

‘That’s what it took. Look, Yoosungie. I’m just. Gonna say it like I think it. You don’t need to return any favours. I did it because I wanted to. And you shouldn’t feel like you owe me something for it.’

‘Like what?’

Zen sighs.

‘I mean. Who am I? To you. When you look at me, who do you see?’

Yoosung looks at him. The stare of his different eyes is soft, intent.

‘I see Zen,’ he says. ‘My best friend. The friend I love.’

‘Why?’

‘Why what?’

‘Why do you… love?’

Yoosung sighs.

‘I don’t think it really works like that.’

‘But something made you look at me that way. Was it because I helped you? Because I was there, bless me, taking care of you, feeding you, I don’t know what else?’

Yoosung looks away.

‘Look. It’s true. It felt… good. Safe. Leaning on you. But now that I’m… doing better, I think I’m enjoying this way more, you know. Now that I can talk to you more as an equal. You’re… really cool. That’s mostly all there is to it. Yeah, I’m grateful, of course… but it’s mostly that you’re just cool. Through all of that stuff, I’ve really learned how cool you are.’

Zen pulls a little face, looks away.

‘Okay, fine, let’s hear it. What do you think is so cool about me? Mentioning this face is cheating, you know.’

‘You’re determined,’ Yoosung says simply. ‘This is probably the best word I can pick. You’re determined in pursuing your dream. In pulling your friend out of a black pit. In carving out a better life for yourself. Otherwise you would have stayed a gangster and a delinquent, wouldn’t you?’

Zen bites onto his tongue.

‘I guess.’

‘You’re determined and you never give up or despair. I often despair. But you… you always see the light. And you’re so fiery about it, too. It's beautiful. It’s contagious.’

‘Is it?’

Yoosung shrugs, looking down.

‘I may not always look it…’

‘Oh well.’

‘Yeah…’

They’re silent for a little while.

‘I love the energy you’re radiating,’ Yoosung says, at last, quietly. ‘It’s so deliberate, you know? You know what you stand for, and you... emanate it.’

‘What do I emanate?’

‘Inner strength. Determination. Passion. But also kindness. A very sincere and no-nonsense sort of kindness.’

Zen winces.

‘Yeah, figures.’

Why does he have to sound so honest, so sincere? Why does he have to be such a great guy, why does he have to make Zen’s heart melt like butter?

And why has Zen expected anything else from him?

Yoosung looks down.

‘You probably hear that a lot. But, well. That’s just what I’m thinking. Do you think it’s cheesy?’

Zen crumples the empty beer can in his hand at last. He opens the cabinet under the sink to throw it away, then takes a new one out of the fridge. He cracks it open and immediately takes a big swig. Yoosung watches him quietly, then sips his tea.

‘I wish you’d just admit that you see me as some kinda mama ducky,’ Zen says at last. ‘Or as some kind of guy you feel like you owe something to.’

‘I don’t think that.’

Zen huffs, gulps down beer in huge mouthfuls, almost painful to swallow.

‘You should be out there wooing that girl with a mullet,’ he mutters under his breath. Then toks the can on the counter and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. His voice is shaky and disobedient.

Yoosung huffs out as he rises. He crosses the kitchen, and then Zen suddenly feels him so close, and his arms wrap softly around Zen’s waist, and then he nestles comfortably against his side.

‘I’d much rather stay right here,’ he says.

His hands are now locked together, resting on Zen’s hip. The cloud of hair tickles his nose. Zen chokes up.

I wanted to get sleepy, he thinks. Not sentimental. What’s this bullshit.

And then he drapes his arm softly around Yoosung’s shoulders, nudging him even closer. He closes his eyes and breathes him in: a faint smell of the tee that needs a wash, of fresh hair, of scented tea and chocolate. His lips find Yoosung’s temple almost past his will. He presses a kiss into tender skin.

He can’t believe he has almost managed to convince himself he doesn’t want this.

‘I should be in bed,’ he mutters into Yoosung’s hair.

Another little kiss comes naturally: just lips brushing past skin, they’re so close anyway.

‘Wanna go now?’

Zen takes another deep breath.

‘Yeah, just a little bit more.’

‘Just tell me when you wanna go.’

Zen’s fingers brush Yoosung’s arm absently.

‘You sure you’re not cold?’

‘Nah.’

‘Climb under the cardigan, if you wanna.’

‘It’s comfy here.’

Maybe it’s for the better, Zen thinks. Maybe he’s just telling himself he worries for him. Maybe it’s the wolf speaking. Maybe he should just let go, and not risk tainting this beautiful person with whatever he himself is tainted with, or cutting him on the spiky constructions built around whatever is still left vulnerable in him.

‘Just a few more minutes,’ he mutters.

‘As long as you want,’ Yoosung says quietly. ‘I’m not going anywhere.'

#zensung #yoozen #mysmes #mystic messenger #yoosung kim #hyun ryu #zen mystic messenger #the boys are hugginggggggggg

[izosdualpistols]

— Gojo and Geto, the Two Halves of A Whole

I absolutely refuse to believe people look at Gojo and Geto and say: "that's not gay".

The AUDACITY to say "they're just homeboys" when they're clearly so in love with each other and literally cannot live without the other.

The way everything about them complements each other - it's almost as if they were set up from the start to be soulmates! (they were.)

Yes bitches, I'm talking about YOU TWO. Don't give me that look as if you don't know shit started because YOU TWO decided to break up.

–

Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru, meaning natural born genius and genius through effort.

Their awful personalities and jujutsu abilities certainly make them the duo - calling themselves "the strongest" together.

If the fact that each other's presence makes them feel relief wasn't very lover-like to you, allow me to dive in deeper and introduce you to why they were the only people able to put up with each other and why in the world they decided to break up in the first place.

1. The Origin - (Credits to @/donyuji on tt)

Gojo Satoru was born with incredible abilities - both "Limitless" and "Six Eyes", making him the Gojo Clan's "once in a bazillion centuries genius" sorcerer. His god-like powers made the people around him treat him like a god by making Gojo shoulder their burdens. So when he came to think: "Why should I protect these weaklings?", Geto was the one who made him change his view.

It's such a Spiderman-like delivered line - "With great power comes great responsibilities".

Geto isn't wrong. "The strong would protect the weak" is a normalized view in the Jujutsu world. Jujutsu sorcerers serve the weak - that is their duty. But once that meaning of "duty" became a blur to Geto, his ideology was altered. We can see this evidently in these panels.

2. Geto vs. The World

The man who once believed sorcerers existed to protect non-sorcerers becomes a murderer - taking innocent lives for the sake of his unachievable goal of an "era of sorcerers". But why?

I have seen many Geto's character analyses and each one of them were very interesting! Some say he fell apart due to Riko's death (failure of the mission), others say he fell apart due to the strength gap he felt between him and Gojo growing bigger. Although they are not wrong, I wanted to toss in my own two cents and connect those two in a way.

Riko's death was only the start of Geto's downfall. When he slowly becomes to realize the ugly system in the Jujutsu world, he struggles to fulfill his role as a jujutsu sorcerer. On the other hand, Gojo becomes stronger day by day - each second, he becomes even stronger than before. His skills as a sorcerer excelling.

Here comes the power gap. Geto, who was once the strongest together alongside Gojo - started to drift away, stepping out of that "strongest" title. I like to believe that it was bound to happen - and Geto knew of this. Gojo was born a genius while on the other hand, Geto was not.

That is why he knew his goals would be unachievable and that if it were Gojo, he would be able to reach that unreachable.

He knew his skills alone couldn't make up for that gap, that's why he was obsessed with consuming and getting the power of Rika, the "Queen of Curses".

3. Geto and His Unattainable Ideals, Gojo and the Shackles as the "Strongest"

Woohoo! It's finally time to look at them side by side. If we think about Geto's goal, putting the murder and death of innocents aside, creating an "era of sorcerers" meant the strong would no longer have any weak to protect. In a sense, it's "freedom".

Gojo, treated like a god from the very start of his childhood, grew up tied down to the burdens of sorcerers and non-sorcerers. The reason he was obsessed with strength was because he didn't want to carry those burdens alone. So when Geto entered his picture, he was able to entrust those burden to Geto - he was able to share those burdens he wished to not carry alone so much.

Gojo is a lonely character. Ever since his birth, he was treated like an otherworldly being - he sat on a throne of rusted gold all by himself. So when he was finally able to find someone he could call an "equal" - someone that can match up to his strength and stand tall next to him, he felt that abyss start to fill up.

He didn't have to look down at Geto when talking to him, and Geto didn't have to look up. Shoulder to shoulder, side by side, they could proudly present themselves as a duo.

Throwing in my own headcanon - I like to think that while Geto was making a world of socerers - strong people only, he was also trying to make a world where Gojo didn't have to carry those burdens at all. Simply putting it, he wanted to set Gojo "free".

A world where nobody had to rely on Gojo's strength - where he didn't have to use his powers for others, where he wouldn't be used for his title as "the strongest", and where he could use his strength for himself.

But because he had been stopped by Gojo, that era never came and Gojo had to continue act as his role as a jujutsu sorcerer (Then eventually - he became a teacher, teaching at Jujutsu High of course).

In fact, Gojo came to use his power more because of Kenjaku - having to save more civilians, only adding weight to his title as "the strongest"; as the higher-ups visibly expects a lot from Gojo, setting standards that other sorcerers cannot surpass.

4. Soulmates and Their End (or not..?)

What's a couple without some angst, right? As much as I love Satosugu, they were (sadly) meant to fall apart. Gojo felt true happiness in this world and Geto didn't - they were bound to fall apart.

No amount of kisses or sleepovers or movie nights would’ve ever changed that. This is why we cope with fanfics!!!

We all know - but as an honorable mention, I cannot leave out this single line delivered by Geto as his last words.

"You should at least curse me at the end."

Fucking "You should at least curse me at the end."

I love how creative Satosugu fandom is! I am never shown mercy. Ever.

Mr Loverman is basically their song because of this. If I hear Mr Loverman within a 10m radius, I will start bawling on the floor.

We ended up connecting this panel with the one above and came to a conclusion that they did, indeed, love each other.

Though Kenjaku was able to take Geto's body because it wasn't cremated, I have seen people say it was the blank lines Gojo said that "cursed" Geto - and that being why he gained consciousness when Gojo called out his name.

If they didn't break up, I bet none of this would have happened. I bet Gojo and Geto would be teaching at Jujutsu High together, being all snuggly, cuddly, and unbearably cheesy and melt into ugly puddles of goo at each other's awful pickup lines.

Gojo and Geto were more than friends - even Gege said it himself. I need Gege to flash a huge text on the sky that says "Gojo and Geto were dating" like the Bat-Signal so that EVERYONE can realize that they have fucked and made out on the sheets.

-

Am I mad at Gege? Yes. Am I mad at Gojo? Yes. Am I mad at Geto? Yes. Will I ever stop gaslighting myself into thinking Gojo and Geto are happy and nothing happened? No.

This post was just for funsies and the majority of it are my headcanons - but! I hope I have ruined your day and doubled that Satosugu agony.

Therapy bills not included ♡

#geto suguru #gojo satoru #satosugu #satosugu angst #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #stsg

[legolasghosty]

Kissing the homies goodnight for Willie (/Willex) because I feel like Willie would.

Ack I'm so sorry this took so long but here you gooo!

Willie ducked into the kitchen to grab the water pitcher and some glasses, praying he wasn't forgetting anything important. They knew it was just their friends crashed across various surfaces in the living room, but it was still nerve-wracking. Willie hadn't been to a sleepover in like... five years, let alone hosted one. They got why the foster care system had to check over people before they could stay overnight, but with the number of times Willie had moved around since entering the system, it just... had never happened.

Caleb had been hesitant at first when Willie asked if they could all stay over, wanting to ensure Willie was settled himself first. And also wanting to meet all of these kids before he let them have free reign of his home.

But it was finally happening. All of Willie's best friends (and his boyfriend, but they hadn't really managed to wrap their head around that one yet) were lounging in his living room at 2 in the morning, some closer to dozing off than others.

Willie wasn't sure which was stronger: the excitement or the terror of messing this up.

He was pretty sure he hit all the main bits on all the 'how to throw a slumber party' lists he'd found online: pizza, way too many types of ice cream toppings (they're not entirely sure how many of those canned cherries Luke ended up fitting in his mouth), random games (he'd never heard of turning pictionary into a drinking game with shots of soda, but apparently that was a thing his friends did), and a movie with lots of popcorn and cozy blankets.

So they're pretty sure they've done alright thus far.

Still, it'd been a long time since Willie did this.

He re-entered the living room just as Alex managed to grab the TV remote and turn off the rolling credits of Legally Blonde. Flynn looked to already be asleep, lying across one of the air mattresses with her feet up on Julie's stomach. Julie had propped herself up a bit on her elbows and was debating...something with Reggie. Both of them looked closer to dozing off than winning though. Luke and Carrie were both sitting upright on one of the couches, madly swiping on their phones and hissing at each other.

"Do I even want to know?" Willie asked Alex quietly, setting the water and cups down on the coffee table and rejoining him on the loveseat.

Alex groaned. "I made the mistake of telling them there's a PvP mode on this tower defense game they both play."

Willie tried to hold back his giggle. He failed.

Alex attempted to glare at them, but mostly just looked sleepily confused. "I'm serious, we're gonna have to take their phones away now if we want them to sleep," he sighed.

Willie winced. "Any chance the game will kick them off after a few rounds?"

Alex shook his head, then leaned over to rest his head on Willie's shoulder. "And they're both too stubborn to give in, I already tried it."

Willie rested their cheek against his hair, letting their lungs adjust to expanding and contracting in time with the light huffs of Alex's breath against their collarbone. "Is it online?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Alex responded, blinking up at him sleepily in the dim light of the lamp.

Willie smirked and pulled out his phone. Okay, so Caleb hadn't technically given him the password for the router, but like... it hadn't been hard. He opened the app on his phone that connected to the electronic and started typing.

Twin cries of annoyance erupted from the pair on the other couch a moment later, informing Willie of his success.

"It just kicked me off!" Luke complained.

"Same here," Carrie griped. "Willie I think your wifi died."

Willie looked up, attempting to look innocent. "Oh yeah, I think you're right," they agreed. "Ugh, this happens sometimes, it will probably come back in an hour or two, but we just gotta wait it out."

Both Luke and Carrie groaned, but seemed to buy it and tossed their phones aside. Carrie peeled off her sweater and tossed it down next to Flynn's head, before pulling a blanket up and over herself and stretching out along the couch. Luke slid down onto the air mattress beside Reggie, koala cuddling against his back. Reggie laughed and shifted over so Luke could share his pillow, still discussing... Okay Willie was pretty sure they were trying to figure out who in their friend group would be whom in Legally Blonde. Fair enough.

Willie felt Alex's tiny sigh of relief against his neck and shivered. It felt nice, being close like this and knowing it made Alex just as fluttery as it did them.

Alex brought his fingers up to his chin, then let his hand move forward, palm up. Thank you.

Willie tucked his phone away. "Don't mention it," he whispered, daring to brush his lips against Alex's forehead.

Alex's cheeks turned pink, but Julie interrupted before Willie could tease him about it.

"Hey, no PDA unless you're willing to share with the class," she mumbled, eyes heavy.

"You're one to talk," Alex pointed out, glancing pointedly between her and Flynn's feet still resting on her abdomen.

"Oh you wanna wake her up?" Julie snarked back, the words slurring together a bit.

"I don't think any of us have that death wish," Willie chuckled. They tapped Alex lightly on the shoulder in warning, then stood up. "And I don't mind sharing." Before Julie could respond, he ducked down and pecked her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, Juju," they added, throwing a spare blanket over her and heading back toward Alex.

"Hey, we're part of the class too," Reggie called out. When Willie turned, he was sticking his bottom lip out, the puppy eyes mostly hidden by his drooping eyelids.

Willie glanced back at Alex, a little startled, but Alex just shrugged and gave him a sleepy smile. So Willie picked his way around to Reggie and gave him a goodnight kiss too. And then Luke perked up a bit and wanted one. And Carrie said she should get one on Flynn's behalf, since her girlfriend was asleep.

"I guess I should have warned you how clingy we all get this late," Alex murmured when Willie finally made it back to his side. "I kinda forgot you haven't been able to be around this before. Just feels really natural."

"All good," Willie promised around a yawn. "Just tryin'a be a good host."

Alex leaned over and hit the button on the side of the love seat to make it lean back, the extending footrest turning it into more of a bed. "It's perfect," he stated, pulling Willie in to lay beside him.

Willie let out a happy sigh and cuddled in closer. Alex's cool arms soothed the nervous energy that was always humming along their skin. He felt Alex's lips brush against his hairline.

"G'night Lex," they mumbled, eyes slipping shut.

"Good night, Willie."

#legolas tag #julie and the phantoms #legolas ask #jatp #jatp fanfic #willex #alex mercer #willie jatp #Julie molina #reggie peters #luke patterson #carrie wilson #flynn taylor #mentioned good dad caleb #I am so so sorry for how long this took! #I kept only seeing it when I didn't have time to write! #As an apology have some hcs from this whole thing #Willie moved through half a dozen or so foster homes before ending up with Caleb a few months before this fic #Caleb is very much himself but also was a foster kid himself as a teenager so wanted to pass along that support to other kids #also Caleb makes them all really good waffles in the morning for breakfast #Alex is lowkey scared of him #But CPS has managed to keep Willie in the same high school for the last 2 years even with different homes #so that's where he met Alex and everyone #there was a bit of discussion about the Molinas fostering Willie #but they didn't have another spare bedroom that wasn't full of stuff when Reggie moved in there. #and there's all the legal requirements and stuff #but he ended up with Caleb so it's chill! #also who is dating in this fic? who knows! #not the author that's for sure! #Willie and Alex definitely are

[bardicbeetle]

hey. Hey. You got any analysis of the Lost Boys or thoughts on the movie to share? who's your favorite character in it and why??

@abalonetea

Analysis on the movie I've been many levels of obsessed with since age 14 you ask?

...this is going to end up undercut for length I can already feel it.

The Lost Boys is my comfort movie, my I-feel-like-shit-nothing-is-fixing-it movie, my I-can't-write-please-help movie and my go-to for when I am inflicting media upon a new friend. I know it backwards forwards, upside down and inside out, I own the out of print novelization written by Craig Shaw Gardener, I posted the original prequel script to fanfiction.net in the early 2010s because I found it buried in a forum post and wanted it to be easier to find, I have listened to every version of cry little sister that G Tom Mac has ever put out in addition to the entire stage musical he produced. The fic I wrote for it in 2011 is still on Wattpad and to this day for some fuck ass reason gets 1000s of hits per year. I have another fic for it on ao3 that still takes up brainspace for me on a minimum weekly basis.

I.

Honestly do not know who I am as a writer if not for this film.

It is such a huge part of who I am as both a fan of media and a vampire writer and as a horror enjoyer in general.

And it is undeniably, baked into its bones, queer as fuck.

Not just from the overt point of here is a film in the 1980s about men sharing blood, directed by an openly gay man, hands us platonic and familial and romantic interactions between male characters, who are allowed to hold one another, allowed to express emotion, allowed to exist freely and without shame I am--so very abnormal about this movie.

I'll be the first to admit it's not perfect by any means, it very much exists a time capsule of its era, but also, to momentarily put the bar on the floor, it isn't slur laden and full of take-backs for any of the emotional vulnerability like other things around then were (see: Once Bitten, which while unarguably very much more on the comedy side of horror-comedy, i'm going to put into the same category by virtue of Camp Vampire Movies of the 80s).

It hands us one of my favorite mothers of all time. Lucy Emerson is a treasure, she spends the whole movie trying her goddamn best to remember that she is stronger than anyone gives her credit for. That she chose to divorce an abusive man, pick up her two sons, and leave without more than signing the papers and getting out. She doesn't care if they're poor, she doesn't care if she could have gotten something from her ex-husband, she wants her boys safe and there is a very large implication that sticking around to do the whole song and dance would have ended badly. Lucy lives for her sons, she wants so badly to make the world easier for them than it was for her, she wants to be part of their lives and part of their interests even if she does not understand them, and I maintain that Had Max Actually Succeeded, it would not have been long before the Lost Boys themselves were Lucy's as much as her own two sons, and that would not have ended well for Max. Protecting mother, lioness, made to be underestimated so you are always caught off guard.

Edgar and Alan Frog are near and dear to my heart, these idiot vampire hunter children were just so very much what my brother and I were in terms of Making Up Games To Play--ignoring the fact that for these two it's real, not that it ever had been before the Emerson family rolled into town and Sam's brother got mixed into the Lost Boys group. Edgar wanting to be in charge of things and wanting to protect the people he cares about and the town he is too stubborn to admit he loves despite being what, 12? 14? Alan being quieter but just as absolutely ready to go "yeah we are totally experts at this" as his twin, the fact that neither of them have any idea what they are getting into. Dipping barely into the sequels territory (which...they aren't good. by any definition. but Edgar and Alan are the best part of them both) we get Edgar dealing not only with his perceived loss of Alan to half-vampirism, but his whole loss of Sam after having to kill him and I just.

Ugh.

NOW, dipping into the main event there is Michael, who spends this whole movie just trying to figure out where the hell he's supposed to belong at this point. He doesn't see any point in starting a new high school in his senior year, he doesn't want to upset his mother by just absolutely dropping off the planet, he cares deeply about his family and wants to help however he can because they are struggling for money. So what does this seventeen year old kid do? He starts picking trash up off the beach for eight hours a day. He gives that money to his mother under the guise of it being "leftover from christmas" because he doesn't want her to worry about him working. He feels so fucking lonely without the friends he left behind in Phoenix and he feels like he's too old to supplant himself into a new friend group in Santa Carla before everyone goes their separate ways after high school anyways.

Enter Star and the Lost Boys.

Yes, Michael is taken in by Star because she's beautiful and mysterious and he's a teenage boy seeing nipples through a tank top, but beyond that he sees in her, in David and the others, how self sure they all are of the decisions they've made. This group is all within his age, they're all living in a goddamn sunken hotel half claimed by the ocean, they have motorcycles like him, they smoke weed and eat chinese food and Marko keeps pigeons and Dwayne can skateboard and Paul is a music nerd and what the fuck how do they manage to seem like they have their lives more together as a group of teenage runaways than he does?

He's enamored with it, obsessed with it, the movie speeds up a timeline of something that does in fact happen over the course of a couple weeks, of him hanging out with them, slowly experiencing more and more symptoms of vampirism from the blood he drank the first night, unable to stop coming back, unable to really figure out what it is they have figured out that he doesn't, and hoping that maybe if he stays with them he will eventually feel the same confidence in his own existence that they do.

But couple that with the horrifying reality that he is becoming a monster. His younger brother is terrified of him, the family dog bites him, the horses won't go near him, he pulls a mouse out of a trap freshly dead and squeezes it like a spent juice box into his mouth, he is falling apart at the seams by the time David decides it's time to finish things. And that's what David wants, he wants Michael in a position where he is no longer lucid enough to resist once there's blood in the air.

And it almost fucking works.

I stand by my belief that the entire movie hinges on the beach party where the Lost Boys kill a whole bunch of Surf Nazis. The whole thing, the outcome of the final fight, the failure of Max's plan, all of it hangs on that one night, and whether or not Michael can actually manage not to give into the bloodlust. He does manage, obviously, he leans into the shock and fear and near throws himself out of that tree because he knows that if he doesn't, he will join the blood bath happening not ten feet away. He is starving and exhausted and everything in him is screaming that if he just gave in, it would all feel so much better.

But he doesn't.

He lays in the sand until he cannot hear any heartbeats left.

Lays there clawing his hands into the ground like if he can hold himself still enough then maybe this will stop being real.

Three of the four boys don't pay much mind to this, Dwayne Paul and Marko have slipped back into regular antics despite being coated red. Their faces have returned to normal, their eyes no longer brilliant gold rimmed red, they are laughing and shoving and having a good time.

But David is furious. He's quiet about it, he isn't loudly angry, something I think he probably absorbed from Max over the years, he tells Michael what needs to be done if he wants to stay with them, and then he and the other Lost Boys leave him there in the sand, burnt flesh and ashes drifting down to him on the breeze.

The thing about David is that he realized the night on the train bridge that he didn't care about Max's bullshit plan. He didn't care that he was originally going to feed Michael to Star. He is fixated on getting Michael to join them, not just for himself, not just to keep Star around, but also because there's a refusal to give up in this kid that has him excited, a stubbornness that he wants to break. It's the thing that eventually leads to his death.

ANYWAYS.

I think, perhaps, I have yelled enough.

Oh, shit, favorite character.

I think without any doubt it has to be David. Especially after reading the novelization, the comics, the original prequel script, he's just, he is such an interesting character and his motivations are so obvious despite how much he would appear to hold them close to his chest. He's a root character I can trace a lot of the tropes that carry over in my own antagonists to, and some of my protagonists as well.

double anyways, camp vampires from 1987 my beloved.

Thank you Katie <3

#the magician cries #questions concerns and or rotten tomatoes #piles of vampire bs #tlb #the lost boys

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

one thing i'm really really fascinated by is the fact that everyone in the modern pokemon world seems to consider the deities a power source, nothing more. the games generally imply that knowledge of the legendaries has been lost to time and legend and only preserved by a select few who keep to the Ancient Ways but i don't really think that sounds likely. i think they might be common knowledge people just don't seem to. conceptualize them as greater than in the way that we generally think of them. "this is a divine force that underpins reality and has been worshipped since antiquity" is not a thing that seems to have any problem coexisting with "i'm going to put this thing in an engine and make it my tool." and it's very frequently the baddies doing this which maybe weakens the point a little but very rarely is the point of contention with the bad guys "hey you shouldn't do that to god" that's kind of like, never the part of their thing that people object to. it's always their motives, never their methods. when the Good Guy (local ten year old) catches god and makes it their new partner, nobody has a problem with it! and people joke about this but i'm saying it might imply a way deeper facet of society than people give it credit for.

and is this maybe trying to force the round peg of pokemon legendaries into the square hole of actual religion. very possibly! the games aside from pla certainly seem only very occasionally interested in treating these creatures as gods or godlike or worshipped in any way, and far more often just want to treat them as regular pokemon But Stronger. so it's maybe not reasonable to try and say these entities are deities. but the problem is they are! it's not like this isn't supported textually, it's just... not a part of canon that canon is actually interested in. dialga, palkia, the lake trio, kyogre, groudon—these things are gods. canon can mince words and call them legendaries and "worshipped as deities maybe sometimes" but when you get to the point where you're discussing something that represents a fundamental force governing reality and/or can end the world on a whim then idc what you call it. that's a god.

but the problem is that they are gods and also pokemon, they're both simultaneously. and people in the pokemon world seem to have worked this out, and have had the collective realization that the gods are truly not exempt from their own rules. they can be captured, they can be subjugated, they can be used. this also ties back in with the whole anarchism discussion obviously but it's just the fact that like. it goes way deeper than everyone being fine with the ten year old putting the lord of time in a ball. the entire world operates on the premise of "eat your gods."

does that like... contradict worship? can you be faithful to something knowing it's been used as a tool?

#the nemesis speaks #pla analysis #this is essentially one long rambling conversation with myself because i should really be going to bed #this all also hinges on the pokemon/trainer relationship conceptually which ive never had a chance #and/or willingness to really try and dig into that bc it's like. #an idea that feels intuitively easy to grasp but would be way more difficult to explain in words #it's not... it's really not like anything we have in the real world. it's Different. #but like. gestures vaguely. also relating to the distinction btwn Tool and Partner in that relationship #and how the former is generally how the Bad Guys lean wrt both their pokemon AND the gods #whereas the latter is how the protagonist and most non-evil people approach it. #anyway. going to bed now promise promise #but im not even talking about the key players in the games i'm talking about the regular guys! the everyday randos! #religion is so integral to our societies and it's clear that this was at least in the PAST a thing that the pokemon world people possessed #but... what about the modern day? are dialga and palkia still worshipped? reshiram and zekrom? xerneas and yveltal? #another of the many. many many reasons i want to Do Something with the hypothetical history sitting around in my notes #cause it also comes back around to this concept of people using gods as tools #OKAY. SLEEP. NOW.

[rescue-ram]

hawktrap, and if someone got there before me, beejhawk

(⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠) TrapHawk ✨

Ship It

1. What made you ship it?

Waugh, the first MASH episode I remember seeing was Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde, and the funny-turns-touching caretaking instantly set off the little shippy bulb in my brain. I love best friend ships, I love the love and affection between them, I love that they're a paired set and the support they show, and I feel like there's a really special quality to their friendship that makes them feel Very Important to each other. Plus they have great chemistry.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

Kfksjsj low key got ahead of myself there. But the thing that keeps me hooked is how flexible they ss characters and their dynamic is. I feel like there's lots of angles you can take and lots of scenarios to explore while still keeping the characters in line with what we see in the show. I love that they're in sync 95% of the time, but those little gaps leave just enough room for drama or angst. I love that they're inveterate kinksters AND softboys who care for each other. They're just great.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I mean there are certain common takes on both characters, especially Trapper, that make me cuckoo bananas rageful. The whole Trapper Abandoned Hawkeye and Broke His Heart thing 🔪🔪🔪 I will also die on the hill that Trapper Is Much Softer Than People Give Him Credit For and Hawkeye Is Much Stronger. Trying to think of how to phrase my gripes and opinions such that I don't come off as unnecessarily bitchy lol. But like, it is SO HARD to find stuff for these two that Works for me. I think they're more interesting and complex than they're given credit for.

Annnnd BeejHawk 🍵

Don't Ship It

1. Why don’t you ship it?

I feel like you articulated this at a deep level beautifully in your meta a few days ago lol. I mean fundamentally I am a Trapper Girl TM and TrapHawk is my One True Pairing, so this was always doomed to at best second tier "I like it fine" ship status tbh. But there's just too much friction in the relationship on screen, there's some genuine meanness and anger, they misunderstand each other at key points, and I don't see the chemistry between them. Being extremely petty and subjective for a second, I just don't like BJ as a character very much, I find him frequently mean and petty and annoying and unfunny. Hawkeye can do better.

2. What would have made you like it?

Augh. Okay, I think in a lot of BJHawk interactions that others read as shippy, I see an edgy clinginess that makes me Uncomfy. So BJ being less "repressed neurotic" and a little more ease in their relationship. Also the fundamental biggest barrier to BJHawk is BJ Loves His Wife and Child, and I don't want to like. Get rid of that aspect of his character because it's vital to him, y'know? But maybe more of Hawkeye corresponding with Peg and building up a friendship with her- it could even be comedic, where he's planning a surprise for BJ who's getting increasingly suspicious then is amused/embarrassed/fond when he figures it out, but just like a sense Hawkeye could be included in the family dynamic without being wildly unfair to Peg, or even just BJ being a little more liberated sexually such that it's easier to imagine them conducting an affair that doesn't IMMEDIATELY implode his marriage. I mean, BJ is the deuteragonist for 2/3 of the show, obviously I have thoughts on their dynamic and how it would change with a romantic or sexual element to it, but I frankly don't see Gay BJ at all, I don't see Bi BJ at all, he's sooooo heterosexual to me, so a more sexually ambiguous or chill BJ is necessary lol. Also more BJ taking care of Hawkeye, more buddy vibes and funny coziness! And like this is probably me ragging too much on BJ... IDK it's hard to say how Hawkeye would need to change, he's already trying to be a good friend given the circumstances... I mean, for my subjective ship tastes 90% of my personal turn offs come from BJ, so Hawkeye is not really the problem in this ship for me. I guess something that really bugs me about the BJHawk fic I've tried that turns me off the ship is Sad Sack Hawkeye, so maybe more content with spunky prankster Hawkeye and co-conspirator BJ, or a proactive seductive Hawkeye pursuing BJ, romancing him, making it more of a "I want this because I want you" than a "I'm clinging to this because I need you" thing, which isn't sexy to me.

3. Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

Jfkdndkdn. Yeah, I guess. It's not like. A bad ship. I get it. They were The Pair for 8 seasons, they have many many moments to build a ship on, it's not without merit or something. They're friends who've been brought together in horrible circumstances, they go through a lot, they're close, there's some great scenes for them. I think you can get some interesting scenarios out of their dynamic, though my brain runs a little darker and angstier than shippy. But it is just so very much Not My Cup of Tea in either the show or in the fan works I've tried. Even fics that were otherwise interesting and well-written and in character, the BJHawk elements were pure 😬 to me. Truly truly "Your ship is not my ship and that's okay" situation.

#thank you for the ask 🦔 #i think i got dangerously honest on my opinions here lol #me: (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠🏏*⁠.⁠✧ oh boy a shiny new bat! i can't wait to swing it at hornets nests kgkfkfkf

[haxorus612]

i love frostnova. she reminds me a lot of perfumer

they're both internally unpleasant people who give so many others hope and the will to continue on, even after tragedy and hurt. and they couch their opinions in different ways

Frostnova is unpleasant to her enemies, tearing people down with her words and her incredibly potent arts. If you're on her side, you don't just get to stand behind someone so much stronger than you, you get to hear some riotous barbs about them as well. she's a great commander. sdlkfjsd and she is quick to insult her own people as well if they don't follow her orders perfectly. i love that scene in chapter 8 especially, her first meeting with talulah. and despite this, they all adore her. she insults everyone, but not equally, and gives credit when it's due

Perfumer is very similar. She's quick to manipulate and insult her antagonists, like bagpipe, but mostly gives credit to her allies. Really, the only reason we know she's thinking very rude things about people is because of her first record. without that internal view, you'd never guess what she's actually thinking. in other records, rope's comes to mind, she's 100% pleasant, 100% supportive, but that's all a conscious choice for her. she's not naturally like that

to have that purposeful pleasantness be a choice for lena when she's in a nice, lovely, supportive environment with enough space for her extremely impressive garden, and have that purposeful unpleasantness be a choice for yelena when she is not... two different people, but the same sides of a well-worn coin.

#arknights #i can't really even call this a long post it's like 12 sentences #frostnova #perfumer #yelena #lena #even their names are similar aha

[qpr-competition]

Introduction: John Doe and Arthur Lester from Malevolent

Quotes from submissions:

«They share a body. They have said that they want and care deeply for each other, that they are one of the most important things each of them have, but it is *not* romantic. It is love, but it just isn't romantic. They are codependent, but in a kind of fun way. They go through so much together and they are stronger for it. Both of them would totally self-sacrifice for the other. They are a set do not separate filled with so much love. Arthur only has eyes for him!!!»

«they're just so ♦️♠️»

«Arthur Lester lived a normal life as a 1920s private investigator. Or, at least, as normal of a life as you can lead when you live in Arkham, which is basically the cult capital of America, and when you have a history of personal tragedy so intensly horrible we can't even afford to get into it right now.

Enter John Doe. Or, the entity who will choose to be called John Doe. You see, when Arthur listened to a suspicious voice that told him to open that suspicious book, he didn't realize that he was agreeing to be possessed by… something. Even John doesn't remember who or what he is, anymore. He's been in the Dark World for too long.

The possession doesn't take entirely, though. In fact, the only part of Arthur's body that John ends up being in control of is Arthur's eyes. Arthur is now entirely separated from them, and has gone entirely blind, necessitating John to need to see for the both of them.

This is not only a great conceit for a podcast to have a built in narrator, it's also a recipie for two people who could have been opposed to each other to have a necessarily collaborative and incredibly intimate relationship.

John and Arthur's relationship defies real world definition, because no two people can ever be intimate in the same ways they are. Their fight to keep themselves safe, their struggle for control, eventually becomes a fight for each other, a mutual love that they would each give up absolutely EVERYTHING for. They are together, living in the same body, because they choose each other above all else. Arthur learns to be vulnerable, to trust someone and open up his heart again. John learns about empathy, humanity, the kind of being that he wants to be instead of what he was before, and he credits Arthur with showing him that.

And their relationship is not romantic, no matter what you may find on AO3 (just ask the creator of the podcast, lol). And still, the word "love" is used to describe how they feel about each other. They are devoted to each other, and, necessarily, partners in everything. No matter how many heated and destructive arguments they get into (what the fandom jokingly calls "divorces", and expect to see at least once every few episodes), they always come back together. More than any other pairing, they are defined by a queer love that cannot be put into socially acceptable boxes. They're something else entirely.»

#qpr competition #qpr introduction #reasons: john doe and arthur lester

[dark-twist-fairytales]

YALL READY FOR LORE?

Okay, first off: Designs for three people. (Credits to ninjawhoa and PotatoLord once again for their Picrews)

The Neotic Brothers! While they're not biological brothers, they deeply care for each other.

Neuro, Master of Mind. Unlike his light counterpart, he's less gloomy and more cheerful and cocky about things. His powers are much stronger than Neruo's, which calls for vengestone to help limit the effects.

But, if he's a bizzaro, why are his eyes purple and not red?

Ash, Master of Smoke. Very weary and more on himself counter to the good smoke. His tends to be a much darker, almost purple-y, grey. Dense, thick, powerful. It helps to hide in the deep shadow.

But, those cuts looks fresh and not like scars, what happened?

Shade, Master of Shadow. The big guy to make them a trio. While he doesn't make the shots, he'll go anything to protect his brothers. Still calm and collected, he's less of a lone wolf like his good counterpart. Still mischievous as ever.

Wait, they both have gems??

Okay, okay- Lore time:

The Bizzaro world is not like Ninjago. It has been in ruins for generations upon generations. Power that's used in the world is power that's hunted. The three brothers have found each other and don't plan on losing each other easily.

Ash and Shade possess a physical element, smoke and shadow respectively. This power is a power hunted. The gems around their neck is a different kind of vengestone, only found within the Departed Realm, and the most powerful: Over Pured Vengestone. It takes a deeper, yet much colder color than pure vengestone.

While vengestone has the ability to pause elemental powers of the Ninjago world, in the Bizzaro world, it only limits. Bizzaro powers are far greater and thus take more to stop them.

Over pured vengestone grows with the elemental user in small doses. It limits, but not enough to completely cancel the powers out. This is helpful not to overuse the power and put the master at risk, yet still having access to it in tight spots.

But, how does this explain the purple eyes of Neuro and not of Ash and Shade?

Well... Neuro doesn't have an over pured vengestone crystal on him anywhere. He only has vengestone. Dark powers and elements in large quantities poisons and hurts the user. Despite how much vengestone liters through Neuro's body, he needs an over pured vengestone crystal to stop the effects of poison his element is causing.

Those cuts being fresh on Ash's cheek? The cuts on Shade's eye? Those are from keeping Departed Realm inhabitants at bay while Neuro retrieved any bits of over pured vengestone he could. While managing to grab a bit, it wasn't enough for everyone. Neuro's selfless, giving it all away and keeping only two for Shade and Ash. Despite their protests, Neuro refused to wear it and fashioned the necklaces for the two.

#FUCKING LORE #HELL YEAH ME #bizzaro verse #bizzaro neuro #bizzaro ash #bizzaro shade #ninjago shade #ninjago ash #ninjago neuro #not my art! #bizzaro verse lore #neotic brothers #ninjago #ninjago au

[lettersfrombeyondthegrave]

I need to talk more about the scene hug scene of 5x11

Because they're both pissed about being basically back to square one

But Oz wants recognition, appreciation, he seeks it like we saw in season 3. “We saved this city from certain damnation, but will we see any credit for our loyalty, our selfless bravery? Of course not!”

Ed says "I don't want their thanks or their respect" but Oswald does. Ed wants attention and to have fun basically and doesn't give a fuck about anything else, 3x15, “The point wasn’t to kill a bunch of cops, it was you playing my game.” (it is also true Ed doesn't rlly kill people unless necessary or ppl that hurt him as he says to Jim in a previous episode)

Oswald is slightly different

3x16, Convo between Oz and Gabe "We all followed you out of fear" "Actually, I can live with that, fear and respect, management 101" "no one ever respected you" and he hates that

Oswald is emotional and in a way he cares about people. In his own way, that's for sure: he cares about what people think of him and how they see him, at least partially.

From the same convo "We all saw what you really are. A tiny freak who used to hold an umbrella" and that was hard enough to hear that he went in rage mode

Ed says here "You know what I felt, standing shoulder to shoulder with those people out there? Nothing."

Which is different from Oswald's confrontation with Jim at the pier in 5x12 "You and I stood shoulder to shoulder on those barricades, ready to die for this city. Six months later, you locked me up like an animal!"

And we also see the giant ego of Ed, going "They will bow, to the Riddler, and they won’t get up until I permit them to.” and before, how much he hates how he used to be, looking in the mirror, saying "Shy, awkward, pathetic Ed."

All of this seems an intricate obsessive way to prove himself he's worthy, to prove himself he's not weak. “All my life i felt like there’s someone inside me, stronger and smarter, that people would fear. No one else saw that.” 3x15, Ed and Lucius conversation. And don't get me even started on Lucius saying "Except Oswald" and Ed confirming cus this isn't about that.

Now you might be "Ed also cares about how people see him tho" and reference the various times his actions were described as mad, him as a psycho of some sort. But I feel like that's more about seeing him crazy and not a genius or whatever than actually caring about how ppl see him, it has more to do with his ego and so I think it's different from Oswald's perspective.

Now back to this scene. I also like how Oz says basically nothing for the whole speech Ed does, before starting and renting that people should have let him run things, because then the city would have been fine, he had this and that

And Ed half interrupts him, pointing a finger at him saying "Gordon took them. Why? because he still sees you as Fish Mooney’s umbrella boy, and he always will.” and Oz has this half realization, weakly saying "Yes". Because again, they both hate being seen as weak and prove the world wrong but Ed wants to prove that to himself more than the world.

Oz probably also has the insecurities of being weak, this and that, but I wonder if that's because how he sees himself or if these insecurities originated from the outside, from the way others sees him. Because with the way he was raised by his mother, I feel like he had this half of confidence and half of non confidence but being like "oh I'm a nobody? Oh I'm weak? Oh I'll fucking show you how weak I am, how useless I am, how much of a nobody i am" and I take this from also the line in season 1 "This nobody still out foxed you at every turn"

Like Idk I just feel like they have so much parallelism but at the same time so many differences

Back again to the scene. It's Ed who says "I only came back to help him save this city so I could take it for myself.”

Like ya with Oswald taking the city is basically always implied but the second man has a deeper connection with the city. And without even talking about Ed always having to be with someone. Because what he did with Lee is basically what he did in the mayor era, it's like he has this need of almost codependency and when he's not having that with someone what he does? Making people follow his games! Making them pawns in his game! Make a quiz show! Attention, attention and fun and games and riddles and nothing else if not searching for someone to be the new person he can attach himself to. And that leads me to believe that's the reason he stayed for Oz, without even talking ab romantic implications.

But I'm getting off the rails

So, Oswald is the one to propose to work together "We would be so strong together." Like when in a previous episode he went to Ed to escape from Gotham together “We’ve been through all of this before. I’ve tried to kill you. You’ve tried to kill me. But here we are in this room. Together. It means fate has different plans for us.”

And they think ab it for a second, Ed still looking in the mirror, he adjusts his jacket and does the smaller smirk I've ever seen and like, is it bc he's feeling confident? Is he think about working with Oswald?

And Oz takes the knife from his leg brake and hides it before talking about the pact.

And Ed already position his knife behind his back and when Oswald proposes a hug, the blade is out.

And at the start Ed's blade is up and he turns it down so that it's easier during the hug to stab Oz in the back

While Oswald's stays up.

And like from the start of the hug Oswald's eyes are tearish (or at least they're very lucid)

And it's like 0.2 seconds where they're both waiting, and Ed is in position to stabs him and his hand is barely shaking but he cannot do it and after this wait

Oz is so happy and hugs him tighter and I'm gonna cry pls and he has this small sighs out of relief and also he's not pointing the blade at Ed' back, so he's hugging him with both arms

And Ed hugs him tighter too mind you with just one arm and smiles and omg I cannot do this

And the embrace ends, Oswald's knife ends in his pocket and he says "Life beings anew"

And Ed smiles again even more and put his knife in the pocket AND THE WAY THEY LOOK IN EACH OTHER'S EYES, SMILING

so ya that's what I have to say for this scene

#long text #holy shit this is a papyrus i made #gotham #oswald cobblepot #edward nygma #nygmobblepot #ed nygma #riddlebird

[jeffersonseaplane]

okay I have way too many thoughts about sab season 2 so here goes *deep breath*

on the "main storyline" side: as someone who hasn't read the sab books but has read soc duology, I rlly liked alina's storyline this season and thought it was decently paced for how few episodes there were. i loved mal and nikolai being friends and not having a random awful love triangle and that alina didn't love nikolai except for platonically! made sense.

baghra kicked ass and ben was again amazing as the d*rkling. loved seeing alinas struggle and his side even though i hate him, because we got to see genya. (SIDE NOTE GENYADAVID WRECKED ME.)

mal being sturmhond was actually a nice twist imo. the twins ROCK and i love tamar and nadia sm. adrik too he's so cute.

on the crows side: even though i adore the crows (and there were zero faults with the cast's performances, as usual), i found myself a little disappointed with some of the writing. some decisions to put book scenes in early made sense (MORE SENSE THAN SOME OF YOU WILL GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR, considering they want to feed us crumbs IF the show gets cancelled), but generally it was disorienting to see the ck plotline, or at least part of it.

i think that the one great thing abt the ck plotline is that it opens up new implications for matthias and pekka's motives, both towards each other and towards kaz, and i love that idea. it's something i'm the most excited for, honestly.

kaz's backstory was well-done and well-acted by jordie, young kaz, and current kaz! freddy continues to be an absolute superstar and one of my favorites in the cast. one thing about kaz, tho: i HATED that the dregs weren't already his crew...like girl who tf is running the crow club. kaz is older in this iteration but not by THAT MUCH...anyways i do think it'll provide basis for the big bolliger/not trusting kaz scene at the beginning of the real soc plot but i still didn't like it.

the other major thing i hated was how rushed wesper was (this one is pretty obvious), but let me also volunteer this: it made sense. of the crows, they have the least traumatic relationship (even tho they have personal traumas yk), and because we can't guarantee that the show will get a spinoff, SOMEONE has to end up happy. thus, no slow burn. annoyed about it, but it's not unreasonable + i adore jack and kit together.

kaNEJ THIS SEASON OMG. the scene in the chapel at the end of the season...wow. i thought it was superbly done and made sense in the storyline of the show, despite being from the books. yes, they had some slightly rushed moments, but again, no guarantees for another season. also this means they're probably planning even more development for a spinoff!!

helnik...cal and dani blow me away even when they're not together?? how do they do that?? amazing. i loved the tension; it was just like the books.

jesper's powers becoming stronger after he hallucinates aditi were a nice touch imo. when colm comes around he'll have to reckon with himself even more now, so that's actually interesting + good setup. he was amazing in episode seven!!!

INEJ SAVING ALINA AGAIN. the implications it has for her religious beliefs are so wow. also, her looking for slavers with sturmhond (MAL!) and the crew is great bc we'll see her again, but it also gives her a minor amount of closure. not full closure, but enough to keep fans wanting to see her again.

on a general note: my favorite episodes were five and seven. i thought five did character interactions super well (specifically nina/kaz and kanej), and seven brought the characters from both storylines together in a way that was, imo, better than last season. also, in episode eight: ALINA USING THE DARK CUT ON THE PAREM SOLDIER?? WOWOWOWW I LOVE THAT I'M SO EXCITED. people will be mad kaz knew about parem before van eck told him but my guess is that the van eck kidnapping stuff DID happen and we just didn't see it yet (wait for spinoff!!)

i'll definitely have to write more posts as it settles in, but yeah...that's the gist of it lol. basically: i will always be a show defender, even if there's clumsy writing and some hamfisting!! i love that damn show!! i am really excited to see them again (praying for a spinoff) and i loved the way the season ended tbh.

#six of crows #shadow and bone #shadow and bone season 2 #sab s2 #spoilers #sab spoilers #six of crows spoilers #be nice to the cast pls they are so hard working and did an amazing job with what they were given