#tried to pick out more variety in the character scenes for them

[booksandabeer]

Celebrating 10 Years of CA:TWS — A Stucky Rec List

Rec list for the CA:TWS 10th Anniversary Event @catws-anniversary (thank you so much for organizing this event! 💙) | Prompt: Memories

10 years, huh? 10 years of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 10 years of what many—myself included—still consider to be the best MCU movie ever made.

But also 10 years of post-TWS fanfiction. 10 years of Bucky Barnes Recovering and Steve Rogers' Sadness Errands; of Up All Night to Get Bucky and Revenge Road Trips; of Winter Soldier Trauma Umbrellas and Everybody Needing A Goddamn Hug; of Good Bros and Soft Epilogues. 10 years and tens of thousands of Steve/Bucky fics later, here we are.

So, to mark the occasion, let's take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the movie and the stories it inspired: One fic from each year since it all began:

There's really only one rule here: All fics are set before, during, or after the events of CA:TWS and/or reimagine its plot in interesting ways. Naturally, many of the fics on this list are post-TWS canon divergent, but I tried to go for a nice variety of length, genre, and popularity to keep it interesting. Speaking of popularity, this is very much not intended as a round-up of ‘most popular fics of each year’ because—and I say this with all the love and respect in my heart for those stories and their authors—nobody needs a rec list for that, and I believe in spreading the love. Here we go:

Poltergeists by enemyofrome | 17K, T

Author's summary: When the helicarriers blow up and the Winter Soldier goes on the run, he takes Steve with him. He's got a name written in Morse code on the inside of his arm, a ton of questions he doesn't know how to ask, and now, a new handler with absolutely zero sense of self-preservation to contend with. Life is hard. In which Bucky tries to figure out whether he's a human being, Steve does everything he can to keep from losing him again, and there are lots of explosions.

Starting off with one of the best versions of the 'Bucky didn't leave Steve, he took him with him after the Potomac' fics that were (and still are!) so popular post-TWS. This one stands out because of its fantastic beginning, its interesting take on how Bucky was broken and remade into the Winter Soldier, and because it allows both characters to be messy. It's a popular fanon trope that it's Steve who brings out a ruthless, almost vicious streak in Bucky, but here it's emphasized that this is very much a mutual thing. Just like Bucky, who's often afforded the "excuse" of still figuring out how to be a person again, Steve gets to be difficult here—without ever turning him into a stubborn asshole. They're both traumatized, and they're both allowed to show it and to lash out, including at each other. Also, this fic will give you capital-F Feelings about morse codes and apples. Believe me.

sleepwalk back to the battle site by ftmsteverogers | 22K, T

Author's summary: “I’m going to track down every HYDRA agent that’s left,” Bucky says, buckling his gun deftly to his belt. “And then I’m going to kill them.” “Oh,” Steve says. “Come with me?” Bucky asks, dangerous hands tucked into his pockets.

A classic post-TWS fic that picks up right after the movie ends. Equal parts Revenge Roadtrip, Bucky Barnes recovering, and Steve Rogers being in urgent need of a good hug. This starts out intensely melancholic—Steve's despair and helplessness are palpable and there's a scene involving a drinking glass that still brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Halfway through, the story changes pace and becomes much more action-heavy, but it still manages to allow space for the quiet, intimate moments between Steve and Bucky. They have both become sharp and deadly men, but they're also allowed to be soft with each other. Their coming together feels sweet and inevitable. I also really enjoyed the Steve characterization here. His absolute conviction that Bucky is still Bucky at his very core and always will be, but also his emotional and intellectual flexibility to adapt to this still-new-to-him, changed version of Bucky rang very true to me.   

Surveillance by Sproings, 7K in 2 parts, G

Author's summary: If there are ears everywhere, that means it's somebody's job to listen. I hate my job.

Do you ever think about how SHIELD bugged Steves DC apartment and how horrible that was, but also...you're kind of curious what they might have overheard? Do you ever wonder about the people who listened in on his sad, lonely life? Well, here you go. An outsider POV fic told "through the ears" of an unnamed SHIELD agent assigned to spy on the private life of a man who doesn't really have much of one. The story begins just before IM3 and takes us all the way through the events of CA:TWS and beyond. It's clever, original and told with great empathy for both the subject under surveillance and the person carrying out that surveillance—who increasingly questions its purpose. Here's a small snippet to give you an idea of the fic's style:

He got a phone call, once. He put it on speaker, too, which was very exciting for me at the time. It was from an archivist at the Smithsonian. They seemed really surprised that he answered his own phone calls. The two of them talked for a long time about an exhibit the museum was planning. A very long time. As if one of them was starstruck, and the other was desperate for any kind of human interaction.

What Gets You Through by velleities | 12K, M

Author's summary: For Steve, getting through each day is a process – one he’s currently failing at spectacularly. Feeling out of place in this brave new world, he hopes to find a home in Bucky, and looks for him with everything he’s got. But Bucky doesn’t want to be found, and when he does touch base with Steve, he never sticks around for long. Bucky has embraced the modern age, leaving Steve lagging behind – or so Steve believes, until Bucky shows him otherwise.

This post-TWS fic revolves around five encounters in liminal spaces, and each time Bucky has pieced himself back together again just a little more. Despite their increasingly longer and more honest conversations, and Bucky's incremental progress, he always disappears again, leaving Steve to grapple with his heartbreak. There are quietly gorgeous moments in this fic (the bus and the church in particular were my personal favorites) as well as wonderfully crafted characterizations. Bucky is initially portrayed as somewhat feral in some ways yet surprisingly well-adjusted in others, and I love that Steve can't help but be a little annoyed at that. However, it quickly becomes clear that, in good old Bucky Barnes fashion, much of it is really just a front put up for Steve's benefit...

A Real Boy by itsnotbleak | 5K, T

Author's summary: It took the Winter Soldier three weeks to remember that human beings needed to sleep and eat. It took Steve far too long to realise the Winter Soldier was sleeping in his bed.

A wonderful, short-but-doesn't-feel-like-it fic (in the very best way) set immediately after CA:TWS, in which Bucky secretly and then soon not so secretly visits Steve in his apartment. Follow along as Bucky Barnes argues with his brain about sandwich toppings, the importance of a good night's sleep, and the necessity of personal hygiene. Also: how to best go about becoming a real boy (again). And who the hell is that Bucky guy anway? This is as soft and sweet a Bucky recovery fic as you're ever going to find. It's funny but not silly; sad in a way that all of these stories inherently are—because, well, these are some tragic boys—but not super angsty or depressing. A beautiful story with a lovely, hopeful ending.

Savage God by PottersPink | 36K, M

Author's summary (abbr.): Past, present, future, Steve knows Bucky Barnes. It’s why he recognized him when he found him in that alley in April of 1942, even though Bucky was older, stronger, wearier; he called himself The Asset, and had a metal fucking arm. He flinched when Steve tried to touch him, and when Steve told him he loved him, his first response was to ask why. Seventy years later, Steve wakes up in the twenty-first century, and he doesn’t know whether to be heartbroken or hopeful when some of the things Bucky revealed to him in 1942 start falling into place.

An absolutely riveting AU that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I'm itching to talk about it more but I cannot since it would mean spoiling the hell out of it. What I can say is that it's a very intriguing and clever exploration of what would happen if Steve knew about the future but without really knowing any of the details. How would it change the events of CA:TFA and CA:TWS, and how would it change Steve himself? I so very much appreciate this characterization of Steve as smart, competent, and unwavering with a hefty dose of no fucks left to give. This fic features some really nifty time travel and plotting, great action sequences and a very satisfying ending where certain people get their much-deserved comeuppance. Plus: Bonus Shrinkyclinks (kind of)!

Charlie Lock by seapigeon | 105K, M (hard M)

Author's summary (abbr.): The Winter Soldier knows that sometimes, in order to make the kill, you must destroy what the Target lives for. Steve Rogers knows that he can't fight his captors. If he fights, they'll kill Bucky. But the price of his life is steep. Tony Stark has nothing left to live for, but he's needed. So all these miserable motherfuckers better stay alive, too. Clint Barton never expected to be a leader. But a leader he is, and no one else is going to die on his watch. --- A story in which the first wave of Project Insight succeeds, and the Avengers must pick up the pieces and find a way to stop Hydra from completing its work with Zola's algorithm.

This is not only the longest fic on this list, but also the angstiest one—by a mile, so please heed the tags. It's dark, disturbing, and brutal. However, it is neither relentless misery porn nor is it shocking for shock's sake, where everything is magically forgotten and/or healed the moment Steve and Bucky start kissing. Instead, the author puts these characters into an absolutely horrifying situation and then slowly, gently guides them out of it and into the light.

It's a Stucky fic but it's also a multi-POV ensemble piece featuring all the Avengers and other familiar faces. If you are someone who'll always be a little bitter about the unfulfilled promise of an Avengers found family, then this is for you. In this AU, they do not only fight together, but grow together in every way. They truly become a team, not just co-workers barely tolerating each other. The story takes its time exploring the characters and the group dynamics. Steve and Bucky are definitely at the center of the narrative but there is space here for every member of the team to grieve and adjust to the new reality and to find at least some measure of healing. It's a story about the meaning and the consequences of revenge, about hope and resilience, and about love in all its many forms. It also has one of the most satisfying title drops that will have you pump your fist in triumph when it happens. It's a tough read, but ultimately a very rewarding one.

SPELEVINK by Ginny_Potter | 10K, G

Author's summary: Bucky’s back. He’s leaving me messages through IKEA plushies, Steve texts Sam. jesus christ, rogers, Sam texts back. Or, Bucky lives in an IKEA Tiny Apartment, Steve is a dancing monkey once again, and somehow they find their way back to each other.

This is an absolute DELIGHT of a fic that will have you alternately laughing out loud and crying quietly into your SVARTFIBBLA blanket (super-soft, recycled polyester, 47x63"). It's ‘crack treated seriously’ at its very best and a clear homage to the fandom classic Infinite Coffee… (that’s not a dig or a spoiler, the author says so in the author’s note).

Now if you know me, you’ll know that angst o’clock is my happy hour and I’m usually not very into these heavy-on the-humor quasi-absurdist fics (because I’m super special and not like all the other girls, obviously). But. I LOVED this story so, so much. It’s such a fun read—even when it makes you cry—and it really became one of those ‘huh, I guess I’m into this after all’ moments of joyful (self)discovery via fanfic for me. I never thought a pair of oven mitts could move me like that, and I'll never be able to walk into an IKEA again without muttering "F******!" under my breath (iykyk). Absolutely fantastic.

a handful of dust by RecoveringTheSatellites | 20K, M

Author's summary: Steve looks for Bucky for a long time. But the thing is that Bucky doesn't get found, Bucky finds. Bucky always finds Steve. This takes a hard left after the Potomac and stumbles through the dark a lot after. Take a bit of running, the occasional synaptic misfire, the resurfacing of old memories, a dash or two of PTSD, and (eventually) a nice dose of action, stir, and serve over some unresolved issues.

Honestly, the second paragraph up there perfectly sums up the story. It's a good ol' fashioned Bucky recovery fic with some angst, some action, and a whole lot of healing and devotion. Steve and Bucky get to be very sappy about each other, but also extremely Badass Battle Boyfriends™ when somebody threatens their hard-won happiness. Both are allowed to be messy, unstable, and very co-dependent.

This was the first time this author played in the Stucky sandbox and I mean it 100% as a compliment when I say that you can tell. This is someone with "fresh legs" diving headfirst and very deep into the Stucky trope pool and they're doing it with great relish and enthusiam. The result is a story that rejects some of the tried and true conventions of the post-TWS fanfic canon and lovingly embraces others, but that is definitely aware of and in dialogue with the body of work that came before it. Also, it's just a really fun read that gives these two the very soft ending they deserve.

Everybody is Supposed to be Dead by pollutedstar | 22K, M

Author's summary: In 1944, Bucky Barnes falls off a train into the Alps, missing and presumed dead. Months later, Steve Rogers nosedives a plane into the arctic. In 2010, the Winter Soldier project is uncovered by S.H.I.E.L.D., and Bucky Barnes is found alive. Three years later, Steve Rogers’ frozen body is found in the ocean.

A really interesting AU and a fascinating exploration of what could’ve been; the impact it would’ve had on the events and characters if Bucky had been the one to be “found” first. How would it affect Steve to come back into a world where he isn’t quite so lonely and adrift, and where he does have the relief and reassurance of having Bucky by his side and at his back? How would that have changed the way he acted and reacted to this strange new world and the people and organizations trying to recruit him to their cause even though the ice hasn't even completely melted off his body yet?

There are a lot of astute and precise observations about characters like Tony, Natasha, and Clint in this story, and on top of that, it offers up some very compelling insights into Steve's conflicted and difficult relationship with his role as Captain America.

it's never over (hey orpheus) by romcommie | 12K WIP, 2/?, M

Author's summary: He remembers a song first and then everything else follows, burying him below. Or, Bucky Barnes pieces a life back together with a few choice verses, some duct tape and seventy years worth of spite. Steve Rogers tries very hard to relearn there's a life to be lived in the first place.

Ok, listen up, people! This is a WIP and there are only 2 chapters posted so far, but I haven't felt this absolutely bonkers excited about a post-CA:TWS fic in a long while. We're talking frothing at the mouth here. I have such a massive crush on this fic, it's a bit embarrassing, really. It's one of those fics where you know after just a few paragraphs that you're in very good, very competent hands. The wealth of historical and cultural detail; the way the story shifts/flips/flickers back and forth between time, perspective and narrative levels; the Bucky voice—it's all so well done! I'm so insanely excited to see where the author takes this!

ENJOY!

#catws10 #stucky #stucky fic rec #stucky fic #stucky rec list #steve x bucky #stucky fic recs #steve x bucky fic rec #stevebucky fic rec #stevebucky #my recs #*drops this and runs aways* this rec list nearly gave me an aneurysm. you're welcome!

[sunshine-jesse]

In defense of Andrew Graves: Facing Yourself​

Alt title: Andrew Graves: The Will to Plow Her

I think my analysis of Andrew is one of the best essays I've written so far. But since then, I think I've expanded my understanding of his character in a way that urges me to add on to my prior essay. What I intend on doing is further fleshing out my reading of Burial, and going deeper in detail on why I think Decay ends up panning out the way it does. This essay will end up sharing a lot of text with my prior one, but will add enough scattered throughout that I think it merits a complete reread instead of just scrolling down and seeing what's new.

I've focused a lot on Ashley in my past writings. She's my favorite character in the story (and depending on how episode 3 pans out, maybe ever) and I'm pretty mortified by how some parts of the fandom have reacted towards her, so I pretty much made it my life's mission to push back against that. From highlighting the ways Andrew mistreats her, to coming up with justifications for her behavior that aren't just being a manipulative bitch, I really wanted to prove that a more favorable picture of her could be painted than most were willing to.

But in doing so, I've left Andrew in the dust.

In highlighting his flaws and the ways he mistreats Ashley, I think I've implied a level of intentionality to his actions that I don't believe he has. When I say that Ashley did nothing wrong, it's in direct response to the idea that she holds the most responsibility and agency in how their dynamic plays out, when in reality, I believe she has very little. Most of her actions in-story are in reaction to a variety of stimuli that come directly from Andrew, that he has control over and are aware of how Ashley feels about. His refusal to use clear and direct language to deny her most toxic tendencies causes her more and more stress as time goes on, and instead of giving her clear answers he opts to be catty, passive-aggressive, or, at his worst, threatening. Never direct and never clear, except when establishing boundaries over his name after the choking scene. Andrew fails to help Ashley be better in some frankly depressing ways throughout the whole story, especially in their childhoods, so we never get to see where she'd fall short if given a better influence.

...

Kind of. More on that later!

In mentioning his thing about preferring to be called Andrew instead of Andy, I also implicitly mention one of the places where Ashley falls short in their dynamic and could stand to do better: recognition.

This scene says a lot. It's the most heartbreaking scene in the game, if you ask me, and probably the single most profound and well-written moment in the entire story. I could write a whole 2000 word essay on it alone, but I've already said most of what I have to say about it through what I've said in other essays, so I'll spare you all that. Instead, I'll use it to highlight something:

"I had fun."

Their dysfunction is fun to her. She's so used to abuse and alienation that even the most awful, stressful (as far as we know) route of the game is still fun to her. And that's not a sign of her being a secret evil sociopath or whatever; that's actually not abnormal behavior to develop for a lifelong victim of abuse. Those highs and lows, those strong emotional highs and lows are -addicting-. They're -fun.- Part of why abuse victims get into so many abusive relationships is because it's easy to pick up on those patterns of thought and take advantage of them, and the cycle of abuse is often furthered when a victim of abuse tries to draw out mutually abusive behaviors in someone with no interest in having that kind of dynamic.

This is where I'm willing to acknowledge Ashley's manipulative tendencies. Not just as a matter of controlling Andrew for its own sake, purely out of jealousy or possessiveness, but as a matter of trying to further the only dynamic she's ever known in her life. Better the devil you know, right?

That push and pull- that emotional rollercoaster- is all many of us know. And it's all Ashley knows. This dynamic is something she's so used to that she reacts incredibly harshly to any attempt to change it, because she doesn't know that things can be better. Because of this, she refuses to engage with who Andrew really is, and tells herself- and him- that she *hates* Andrew:

This scene is almost as heartbreaking as the above one in a lot of ways.

Andrew putting his foot down about the Andy/Andrew name dichotomy wasn't arbitrary and it wasn't just about his comfort. It was about Andrew giving a clear indication about what needs to happen for their relationship to improve. He's recognizing the cycle between them and wants to put a stop to it, because he's confident that things between them CAN get better and evolve into something healthier. Ashley, not understanding that their dynamic can get better, because their "fun" little push and pull of abuse is all she knows, rejects that. She rejects the unknown, and says- in Andrew's mind at least- that she'll never accept that new dynamic, nor will she accept who he really is.

Ouch. No wonder he looks so sad in that screenshot.

They have a conflict of understanding here, and I think it's fair to pin most of the responsibility on Ashley. Andrew was clear in what he wanted, and Ashley just... Didn't. She didn't see the importance of it ("...whatever that means in practice") and didn't really ask. This gap in communication, perfectly displayed in this scene, is likely what causes the Decay ending. He wants things to be better, and wants to treat Ashley better, and whether or not he understands the ways in which she communicates with him is in part what determines what he sees her as.

But there's a lot of evidence that he always wanted things to be better, that he always wanted to treat her better. But external factors have made it very, very difficult, and I think there are two key points in which he started to shed the importance of those external factors and seek that better relationship, both of which happening in the apartment: The killing of the warden and the 302 lady. In the first case, he was forced to do it to protect Ashley in a way he hadn't done before, or depending on how you look at it, since the death of Nina. But the intentionality was the key point here. After this point, he calls Ashley Leyley, which may or may not seem important at this point, but it's something I'll draw attention to later, so keep that in mind.

Next is the killing of the 302 lady, which is the much, much bigger point. We don't learn much about it until later on- as at first he just gives an excuse about the nail gun that doesn't line up with what we see on the map- but during the dream, it's revealed it was a calculated, intentional killing that he did to make sure there was no evidence left behind, and because Ashley (supposedly) would've wanted him to do it anyway. I say supposedly because Ashley herself doesn't seem to ever want Andrew to kill for her past Nina's death, because he only ever kills for her to defend one or both of them. If you want more evidence that violence for violence's sake isn't something she wants, look at this part in the final dream:

A knife isn't what opens the door, despite it being placed on the ground in that very map. While it seems obvious that the knife (violence) would be the key to solving the puzzle, it's put there explicitly to show you that it isn't. It's not what she wants; what she wants is a flower.

So, why is this important? Why am I centering Ashley- again- when this essay is supposed to be about Andrew?

It's because these two killings are when Andrew's self-delusion over who he really is starts to break down. It's still there, mind, as he still relies upon Ashley as an excuse to justify it, but, as well as what I've said before, the name ultimatum is an implicit confession that the normalcy he finds comfort in is starting to lose its grasp on him. There's a lot that's been said about Andy being something close to a "moral impulse" for Andrew, given his child self's reaction to Nina's death being the only thing he does that approximates a normal moral response to his and Ashley's actions, but if you do think that- which I think is a reasonable thing to think even if I don't necessarily agree- there's something you must also keep in mind:

-He- is the one who doesn't want to be called that anymore. -He- is the one who wants to let that moral impulse go, and Ashley is the one making it difficult.

That reading is assuming that Andy is a moral impulse, which I think is... either wrong or too simplistic. Every time I see that reading, it's from someone who's trying to paint him too sympathetically and absolve him of most moral responsibility. I also find it infantilizing to equate morality with childhood in such a way? But that's another tangent that I didn't sign up to talk about. What I do think, however, is that it's a useful framing device to display his own relationship with morality; the allegory to his child self doesn't have to be there for the general pattern to exist.

When Ashley starts to grill Andrew over the killing of the 302 lady, he gets mad. Very mad. Ashley sees it as pointless, as him covering his own ass, but he genuinely did it for her sake, because he thought that's what she wanted, and that it'd make her happy. But what makes her happy isn't violence- or any similarly extreme action for that matter- it's attention and validation. Something he's always reluctant to give her, despite the fact that he always chose her over the alternatives. But despite making that choice, it's always empty and meaningless, because in Ashley's mind, he never did it for her sake.

And hoo boy, does he not like it being framed like this.

He is perfectly willing to do whatever it takes to keep them happy and safe... but only for her sake. It has to be for her sake. He still needs that traditional role, and he still needs to have a narrative in which he's the good guy- a protector. Because it can't be for his sake. It can't be because that's what he wants. He has to uphold that romantic (in the literary tradition sense) ideal. His darkly romantic idealistic streak colors many of his actions and beliefs. This is most plainly visible in his quip about a double suicide being romantic, but it's also visible within the symbolism present within his dream, such as how he can only pave his own path in blood unless Ashley lights the way. It's visible within his appreciation for poetry, and it's visible with how the cultist within the dream speaks in Shakespearean English.

But the transient nature of this ideal is also revealed within this dream, because there's never a cohesive, guided path, even with Ashley there to light it up. Contrary to Ashley's dream, where you literally have maps showing you where to go, Andrew's dream has many more dead ends and no map to guide him. The symbolic role he acts out gives him no clarity, and there's no overarching narrative; merely a bunch of disconnected symbols.

This is contrasted with Ashley's dream, which has narratives so clear that the story literally gives the dream an episode title.

In a sense, he wants to view himself as an actor acting out a role in a story. He wants his life to be poetic, to represent something greater, and to have a cohesive narrative. This is why he's so disconnected from his true desires: He's more concerned with acting as a representative of an ideal than a person with agency. But every time the mask drops, every time he stops acting, his true self becomes visible. He naturally settles into being comfortable around Ashley, in treating her with warmth and kindness, and their banter becomes much less toxic. As intent as he is on acting out his role, it does nothing for him, and as his dream sequence shows, it doesn't even form a cohesive narrative, because he can't act one out. It's too contrary to who he really is, and what he really wants. But that idealization doesn't just apply to himself, it also applies to Ashley. Specifically, who Ashley is, vs who he wants her to be.

In his unique dream sequence, he sees two versions of Ashley; the child version of her- Leyley- and the adult version of her- Ashley. And the differences in the ways he interacts with the two of them are stunning. Leyley is an obstinate, annoying child. She's the one he NEEDS to take care of, and he hates that. He hates Leyley for what she did for his childhood. He hates that he needs to provide for her. He has the option of trying to kill her, even, over something as small as a candle!

But in the room with all the murders, the gilded cage, he sees Ashley as an adult. This version of Ashley is stuck in a closet that he himself has to open- and to choose to see. Their interactions are calm and friendly. She teases him a bit, sure, but she's still helpful, and they have fun together. He doesn't need her, and she doesn't need him. He needed Leyley- needed the candle- but here, there are other limbs strewn about for him to take. And, crucially, he doesn't even have the option to kill this Ashley for one of the limbs.

And during the choking scene, he lets her go the moment she acknowledges that he doesn't need her anymore. This is the first time we know of that he seems comfortable enough to set a clear boundary, which is acknowledging that their prior dynamic is dead and that they're now Andrew and Ashley, not Andy and Leyley. It's a bit late to express a clear boundary -after- literally acting like he was going to kill someone, but it's the first time we know of that he sets a clear standard for what, in his mind, would improve his relationship with Ashley.

After all, what he wants is to want her, not need her. He wants Ashley for Ashley's sake. Not for what she can provide him. He doesn't even need her for sleep, he just wants her. But Ashley has trouble acknowledging this, because he's never before shown that WANT. Only a NEED. She keeps trying to find ways to make him need her, because she's never seen what his desire for her is really like. She's only ever seen him desiring someone else, someone other than her.

She's only ever seen him as Andy, because she's never truly seen Andrew, only the violence he can inflict on others. But Andrew can see both:

He can see Leyley, the needy, bratty child who always needs his attention, that he needs to provide for. The one he hates and wants to get rid of. The one he kills for to protect.

And he can see Ashley, the one who engages in friendly and cute banter with him. Who comforts and shows him physical affection. The one he loves. The one he kills for to make happy.

He just can't choose which one he wants to see. Every outside influence- from his parents, to Julia, to Nina- makes him see her as Leyley. Ashley herself makes him see her as Leyley too, whenever she brings up all the things he did for her, and calls him Andy, his child self, instead of Andrew, his current self. And as long as he sees that child, he feels like one too, and can never give Ashley anything that comes from the heart.

But he really, really wants to see Ashley as an adult. He wants to take pride in her, how much she's grown, and how driven and competent she really is.

But god damn, does that bitch ever make it hard, because there IS no real difference between Ashley and Leyley. She's grown and changed over time, taking more adult (and stereotypically feminine) responsibility upon herself, but the fact that her temperament and personality hasn't changed much obfuscates that growth. When you talk to Ashley in the closet during the dream after getting the limb, Andrew asks Ashley to come out of the closet, but she refuses to come out because he won't invite Leyley over to play, which is a pretty strong metaphor for how he interfaces with different aspects of Ashley's personality and refuses to accept others. But the reality is that he needs to accept both, or rather, see her whole self as Ashley, rather than just the parts he likes.

In the end, it's him who has to make the choice how to see her. Ashley can only see what she's been shown, but Andrew can choose.

And in the basement scene, he makes that choice.

If Ashley refuses to leave him alone with their parents, that's it. In one of the most critical and important moments of his life, she couldn't give him the space needed to make up his own mind. She couldn't treat him as an adult. She couldn't see him as Andrew. If she does give him that choice, she chooses to acknowledge that Andrew is an adult who can be trusted to make his own decisions, even though she (perhaps foolishly) believes that this choice lines up with her own interests. And frankly it does either way, but in accepting their mom's offer, her chooses to see her as Leyley once and for all. He chooses not to reciprocate what Ashley showed him. He does it because he needs to, not because he wants to. Because it's his duty, not his desire.

This is what results in the Decay ending. Through his inability to see Ashley as an adult, he surrenders his agency and views all of his actions as an extension of his responsibilities, his role, which he no longer wishes to uphold. He dissociates fully from who he really is, acting in accordance with that disconnected, barely-cohesive narrative that exists only within his mind. The game starts to resemble the heartwrenching tragedy that many seem to take for granted that it is, as their dynamic fully doubles down on its painful toxicity. And, in an example of a poetic book end, Ashley's dream shows a double suicide, closing the book on their tragic tale.

It's tragic. It's heartwrenching. It's poetic. It's beautiful.

...Except it's not. Not at all.

It's actually fucking stupid, pointless, and brutal, and Burial shows us that. When we view their spiral as beautiful, we project the same darkly romantic ideal that Andrew possesses onto the story.

But the actual reality is horrifying.

Ashley spends most of Decay terrified of Andrew, the one person she found comfort in. He acts cold, distant, and aggressive towards her, showing pointless cruelty instead of any warmth. All she wants is comfort; all she wants is to not die. She doesn't want to engage in this death spiral at all, and, in her dream sequence, shows none of the same willingness to die alongside Andrew that Andrew does with her. The moment we stop focusing on the end of the Decay dream sequence, which has very striking imagery, and if you choose not to shoot, one of the most beautiful scenes in the game, we can see it for what it really is:

A scared animal running away from a predator.

The moment you see Decay through Ashley's eyes, and not the perspective of some romantic ideal, Decay becomes terrifying, tense, and painful. There is no catharsis to be had in this tragedy. It's easily avoidable as long as Andrew chooses to engage with reality, and not the empty promises of his mother and incoherent narrative of his ideal.

Finding beauty and meaning in tragedy is how we cope with the harshness of reality. But there is no coherent narrative to the tragedies we experience, just like there's no coherent narrative to the ideal Andrew wishes to uphold. It's something we create- that he creates- but it's not something that actually exists.

And when Andrew casts aside his desire for that ideal, and the responsibilities it shackles him to, it grants him clarity that he never had before. He sees the world for how it really is, and acknowledges that nobody- the least of which their mother- is as different from Ashley as they pretend to be.

They're no better than her, and he's tired of people pretending that they are. People are all the same, no matter what ideals they try to uphold and represent. They still sacrifice others in the name of advancing themselves, still punch down whenever they can, and still lay blame on those beneath them rather than try to take control of their lives. They just use those ideals to justify themselves, but Ashley, and now Andrew, reject even the need for that justification.

This is why I believe the story is nihilistic. Not in that it asserts the inherent meaninglessness of life, but in that it grapples with the ideals we uphold and how they obfuscate the reality of the world we live in. The story, intentionally or not, highlights how ideals are often but a pretense we use to justify what we were likely going to do regardless, and how holding to them too strongly can lead to our ruin- and how monstrous they make us look to those who do not share them.

Consequently, this is how I view the part of the fanbase who thinks Decay is a good ending.

(the characters themselves represent existentialism rather than nihilism but i couldn't really fit that analysis in here without it feeling forced so i might cover that another time)

From that point on, their relationship becomes a lot more friendly, lighthearted, and playful. They ironically start acting more like children, but to quote CS Lewis:

"Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence."

He's not ashamed of being playful with Ashley, or showing affection towards her. He's grown up. He finally sees her, and himself, as an adult- although he still doesn't show that in full until much later on (more or that later). But in Decay, he still sees her as a child, and to an extent, probably himself. Let's compare the ways in which he reacts to being called Andy. In Decay, he lashes out at Ashley and gets angry, even threatening her. But in Questionable Burial, he calmly says that Andy is dead and doesn't need Ashley's comfort, but still tries to reassure her that she's still needed. He's not ashamed of or hostile towards their prior dynamic, because he's grown past it. He still acknowledges Ashley's need to feel needed, but here, he recognizes its importance to her, whereas he was hostile towards it before.

It's a display of respect towards her feelings.

This interaction doesn't happen in the Sane ending, however. He doesn't play games with her and is just a lot less fun to be around all together. Why is that? Because he still hasn't yet shaken viewing Ashley as Leyley there. He still views her as a burden, as someone who needs taking care of. He's calmly accepted that, too, mind you, but he lacks respect for her because she's still a child, in his mind. But in Questionable?

The vision did more than just make him extremely embarrassed and lay his deepest desires bare. It forced him to recognize Ashley as an adult. When choosing between "Never" and "Never say never," if Never is chosen, the burden of thought is lifted off of him. But if Ashley chooses "Never say never!", he has to reckon with the fact that Ashley is an adult, someone who can consent to those kinds of things. Someone who MIGHT. Someone who has agency, and can make her own decisions. And more importantly… someone who can trust him to make his own.

Whether he desires sex or not is secondary; he's always had those feelings and has always been ashamed of them. But now that the part of him where that shame came from is dead and buried, there's no childish impulse to grow up. There's no attachment to the hate and bitterness he had before. Look at what he worries about when he picks up that she's uncertain or confused about who he is now:

​

It's her feelings.

He wants to be fun to be around. He wants to make Ashley happy. He loves her, and not as a romantic interest or even as a sibling. He loves her independent of all that baggage.

He loves her as a person.

Their relationship runs contrary to societal ideals in some pretty huge ways. So contrary, in fact, that it's hard for some to accept it as anything good, that it can ever be best for the people involved. It's incestuous. It involves them killing and eating their parents. It involves them distancing themselves so much from society that it's hard to believe they'll ever fit in it again. It's chaotic, it's messy, it's codependent, and maybe even toxic. And yet, here they are. They're coexisting. They're happy. They're healing. They're navigating the world in the only way they can: together.

Meanwhile, in Decay, Andrew refuses to allow himself to get closer to Ashley. He surrenders all agency to her, buys into his own narrative, drinks his own Kool-Aid, and may or may not condemn one or both of them to death in the process. Like it or not, the only path where Andrew takes ownership of his life is the one where he's closest to his sister. It's the one where he decides where they will go next, the one where he decides his own feelings matter, and acts in accordance with what he wants instead of how he thinks he should act.

His agency, his freedom, and his growth don't happen in spite of his codependency; they're happen because of it. They can't grow alone. They can't heal alone.

In reading the story, one must interrogate how important those societal ideals are in the face of the realities of what makes people happy. Are those ideals worth upholding in spite of this? Can we really allow people to fall through the cracks in the name of social norms? Can we blame people for taking rash actions when the social contract has failed them?

Or are we so blinded by those ideals that we can't see that people can be happy while blatantly disregarding them?

All I know is that in Burial, Andrew, having cast aside normalcy, now appears to be truly happy for the first time in his life.

Who are we to take that from him?

#the coffin of andy and leyley #andrew graves #ashley graves #tcoaal #gaming #gravecest #tcoaal essay

[boombox-fuckboy]

Hey. Could you rec any podcasts with sapphic couples as their mains? Or a sapphic story. And so on. I only really know about where the stars fell and Alice isn't dead.

You're off to a strong start. Here's 20, there's more out there, but I tried to pick a variety. I'm going to put a ★ next to the ones I think will fit best, but they're all good.

Arden: (Fictional "True Crime", Investigative, Comedy). On the 25th of December, 2007, heiress and young actress Julie Capsom crashed her car into a tree and fled into a nearby forest clearing, leaving a trail that seemingly vanished into thin air, and a dismembered torso in the trunk. A decade later, Bea, the first reporter on the scene, and Brenda, a detective on the case, are hosting a true crime podcast about it, and neither is remotely impressed with what the other has to say. Arden is also a retelling of various Shakespeare plays.

The Author's Anathema: (Horror) Looking for some extra cash, and with some help from her girlfriend Eleanor, college student Natalie takes a small job to narrate an audiobook for a reclusive anonymous author. The book being a horror wouldn't be such a bother, but the stories within are... Familiar. Too familar.

The Beacon: (Urban Fantasy) Bee is a perpetually anxious university student who discovers she has the ability to create fire, and decides to start a podcast to find others like herself. She quickly discovers she's not alone, but a series of bizzare animal attacks suggest superpowered freshers are far from the only strange thing on campus.

The Department of Variance of Somewhere, Ohio: (Weird Fiction, Horror, Sci-Fi) On day one of a new job at the Department of Variance, in the middle of her workplace orientation, Jasmine's new workplace goes into lockdown. Guided via walkie-talkie by Scarlet, an experienced security officer, Jasmine must make her way down 20-odd shifting floors of strange entities and experiments. Ideally without becoming one of them. As a disclaimer, this one is the only addition to this list that isn't actively romantic yet, however there are canonically sapphic characters, and I am fairly confident it's headed that way.

★ Elixir: (Urban Fantasy, Romance) Set in a fantasy world's equivalent of the american prohibition, lawmakers daughter Elsie approaches someone unexpected in search of her missing sister: Vera, an alchemist and propriator of the local now-elicit hush bar.

The Far Meridian: (Magical Realism) An agorophobic young woman wakes up to discover her lighthouse home has moved overnight. It quickly becomes clear this isn't a once-off, and she decides to use this as an opportunity to search for her missing brother, having some strange encounters along the way.

Interference: (Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Romance) Jacq is a D&D podcaster. Geneva is an orc scientist studying ancient human ruins the next world over. What happens when these women from different realities begin picking up each other's broadcasts?

Khôra Podcast: (Sci-Fi) Somewhere between adapted from and inspired by various greek myths, Khôra follows four women who deserved better (Atalanta, Echo, Medea, and Medusa) on a grand space adventure to find the golden fleece while keeping out of the reach of the olympians who own and run the galaxy.

★ Mabel: (Mystery, Supernatural, Horror, Romance). The live-in carer of a dying elderly woman attempts to contact her granddaughter, with little success. The contents of voicemails only get stranger, and what starts as a subtley creepy mystery-horror develops to poetic lesbian fae body-horror.

★ Midnight Radio: (Light Supernatural, Romance). Sybil McIntyre, host of the ever-popular 1950's nightly radio hour, begins exchanging letters with an old fan who has reluctantly returned to visit Sybil's beloved town.

Mina's Story: (Sci-Fi, Romance Elements) Still dealing with a major loss in her family, a young woman volunteers for a long-term cryonics project. The episodes are her audio logs after waking up each time, always the same place but centuries after she went to sleep. A story about grief, change, and the intersection of past and future.

Mirrors: (Sci-fi, Mystery, Supernatural). The audio journal of three women from different periods (past, present, and future) who seem to share little in common bar the strange inhuman, ghostly figures they have started seeing.

Night Life: (Supernatural, Noir) Utterly wacky one-episode story (more of a short audio movie) about an ex-vampire hunter turned private eye who finds herself dealing with the shenanigans of mafia and vampires in the wake of an upcoming mayoral election. Find it on the feed for The Lightning Bottler.

The Night Post: (Supernatural, Mystery). The conscripted couriers of Gilt City are both respected and shunned, integral to the city's function, but inexplicably tied to the supernatural. It's not something they like to talk about. When his husband goes missing on the job, Milo is called to take over. Clementine took over from her father a long time ago, yet recently someone else with her face has been delivering her own unsent letters. Val's not going to discuss how she ended up there, but she will absolutely open people's mail (filled with their own supernatural tales) to read aloud.

Palimpsest, Season 2: (Horror, Romance, Fantasy Elements). Set in the 1800s, a young woman becomes the maid to a supposed fairy noblewoman, who is being kept as one of many "denizens", living curiousities, in a large house. Each season is a different story, this is Season 2.

★ The Pasithea Powder: (Sci-Fi, Thriller?) The last major interplanetary war was full of atrocities, but none more infamous then the creation of Pasithea Powder, a memory altering drug which was used to horrible effect and landed it's entire team of creators in prison. So when decorated war hero Captain Sophie Green sees one of them wandering free, worlds away from his prison, she gets in touch with a very old, estranged friend: one Dr. Jane Gonzalez, who's behind bars for the very same reason.

Starship Q Star: (Sci-Fi, Comedy) The small crew of a tone-deaf space agency's attempt at a PR mission wake up at Mars to discover that they - and the one botanist abandoned on Mars base - are now the last surviving members of humanity. Co-captains and ex-girlfriends Aurelia and Sim must now dedicate themselves to protecting their crew and finding a new home, but they're rarely on the same page about how best to do it.

★ The Strange Case of Starship Iris: (Sci-Fi) When the shuttle carrying the crew of scientific research ship Iris explodes, Violet Liu finds herself stranded in space, the last survivor with no way out. Until her emergency broadcast is picked up by a passing ship. But the crew aren't who they seem to be, there's more going on here than anyone knows yet, and Violet must decide who she can really trust.

Unwell: (Supernatural). Lily Harper revisits her supposedly haunted childhood home to help take care of her aging mother. The house is weird, sure, but there's something far stranger haunting the town of Mount Absolm than simply ghosts.

Weaver: (Supernatural, Romance Elements). The musings of the entity within the old house about the girl she fell in love with (the only thing she can remember), and her two new coinhabitants, who do not yet know she exists.

#audio drama #█████ posts #podcast #recommendations #arden #the beacon #the author's anathema #the department of variance of somewhere ohio #elixir #the far meridian #interference #khôra podcast #mabel #midnight radio #mina's story #mirrors #night life #the night post #palimpsest #the pasithea powder #starship q star #the strange case of starship iris #unwell #weaver

[bullet-prooflove]

Choices!Series Part Ten: Bleeding Out - Nestor Oceteva x Reader

Tagging: @annetje @anime-weeb-4-life @drabbles-mc @alwaysachorusgirl @witches-unruly-heart @annetje @mysoulisasunflower @the-wandering-lunatic @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @est1887 @the-wandering-lunatic @vannabanana1995 @camelia35 @multifandomloversworld @alexxavicry @variety-is-the-joy-of-life @kenqki

Part One: First Date (NSFW) - Nester and you have an unusual first date.

Part Two: Familia - (Feat: Marcus Alvarez) - Marcus discovers your relationship.

Part Three: Fair Trade - Miguel makes a proposal.

Part Four: Slaughterhouse Rules - Miguel feeds you to the wolves.

Part Five: Stay With Me - Nestor deals with the aftermath.

Part 6: Run - Nestor can’t give you what you need.

Part Seven: Partners in Crime (Feat: Coco Cruz & Marcus Alvarez) - Marcus asks Coco to reach out.

Part Eight: What Happens In Reno - What you got up to in Reno.

Part Nine: Don’t Give Up - Nestor refuses to give up on you.

A massive thank you to @the-hinky-panda for lending me her character Stitches. You can read more about her adventures here in Heroes

By the time Coco gets to the motel he thinks that they may be too late. Stitches has tried ringing you continuously on the journey here, but you haven’t picked up. It’s a bad sign. He puts his foot down and makes the drive in less time than his phone predicts. He almost draws his gun on the clerk in the office, because he is so fucking unhelpful. It’s Stitches who takes care of the situation, she slides a couple of bills across the desk and asks for the spare room key. That sweet smile of hers, along with that concerned tone is enough to get them access.

When they find you, he knows it’s bad. You’re passed out with your phone clasped in your hand; the contact you’ve dialled has a heart on the screen. He knows it’s Nestor you were trying to text, he sees the typed-out message on the screen, and it feels like a stab in the chest.

I’m sorry, my love…

You hadn’t gotten around to sending it.

Your breathing is shallow when he checks your pulse. It’s thready and weak underneath his fingertips. The sheets beneath you are soaked with blood. 

“You think you can help her?” he asked Stitches as she dumps her medical bag on the bed beside you. There’s a pained expression on her face as she studies your pallor underneath the bruising that was blossoming across your face. Your skin is pale, you're cold to the touch, clammy.

“Christ, it looks like she went toe to toe with Eddie.” He mutters, brushing back the hair from your gaunt features. “He used to be a heavyweight.”

Stitches says nothing, instead she peels away the ruined bandage that covers the stab wound in your side and winces. It’s a mess, ragged and nasty but thankfully not deep. A hunting knife, she thinks. It’s not nicked anything vital, but the problem is blood loss. You’ve lost a lot.

“Coco,” Stitches murmurs, jerking her head towards the car keys on the nightstand. “I’ll take care of her, but you need to make sure there’s nothing that can tie her back to Reno.”

Her words snap him into action because she’s right. If it’s not the cops, it’ll be the guys that Eddie supplied to. You’d interrupted a major dark web chain, there was a lot of money in rape porn and snuff. He hates the fact he even knows that shit. He remembers how this all started, Letty coming home so fucking furious, he thought she was going to murder someone. He’s managed to get the story out of her, one of her friends back from her days doing porn needed some fast cash. Lucky Lou and Eddie had been offering a mint for young blood, instead of one on one, it had turned into group scene. Three guys including Lou and Eddie, with a girl of that size, she didn’t stand a chance. He’d taken it to you because he knew you’d get it. You shared that rage, that indignation. It was only after you did a deep dive into it that you learned about the snuff films.

When the two of you hit Reno the first time, you’d only managed to tag Lucky Lou and the other guy involved. It was by chance that Eddie had been picked up on a DUI that night, when he’d gotten out…

His brother and partner were dead, and his business burned to the fucking ground. That should of scared the living shit out of him, especially when you'd left your calling card. Instead, Eddie had put a hit out on the two of you and picked up where he’d left off.

Coco picked up the keys from the nightstand before meeting his lover’s eyes.

“You sure you don’t need me?”

“Go.” Stitches urged. “The sooner you sort out that problem, the sooner we can get her out of here.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Coco is silent in the car ride back to Santo Padre. It’s unusual for him, normally you can’t shut him up. Stitches loves the sound of his voice, so it’s never been a problem for her, but she senses his disquiet. They’ve been with you through a lot of shit, but it’s never been this bad before. You’ve never gone rogue, you’ve never bitten off more than you can chew, you’ve never disappeared…

She knows he’s wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t called at that exact moment, if you would have reached out. If they would have seen your face on the news as a body found in one of the most unhygienic motel rooms that Stitches has been in for a long time.

She’s sitting in the back with you, your head on her lap as her fingers comb lightly through your hair. It’s meant to be reassuring, she hopes you can feel it under the haze of unconsciousness, that you know you’re safe, with people who love you, people that give a shit about what actually happens to you. She thinks about calling Nestor but she’s not sure where the land lies between the two of you.

You’re going to need a place to recuperate after this and she’s not talking a few days. The blood loss, the injury, it’s going to take weeks at least. You won’t be going back out in the field anytime soon, not if her and Coco have anything to say about it. She considers Marcus’s place, but she knows that’s going to raise questions with Tessa and Santi. You look like hell now, at best you’d scare the living shit out of those kids.

So, Nestor it is.

She picks up your phone and clicks the contact with the heart emoji, holding it to her ear while she waits for the call to connect. It takes just two rings before he answers the phone.

“Mi Corazón.” His voice is rough from sleep, but there’s an alertness to it. She realises he must sleep with his cellphone on your pillow waiting for your call. It feels like a wound in her chest because despite whatever happened between the two of you, it’s clear he’s still in love with you. Stitches knows she’s made the right choice by calling.

“Rosa?” He questions.

“No Nestor, it’s Stitches.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line, she can feel his trepidation.

“Is she…”

He can’t bring himself to say it, so Stitches takes over the conversation.

“Alive.” She tells him as her gaze strays to your wound. She’s good at her job, she’s patched you up pretty well, the bleeding seems to have stopped but you’re still out of it. She thinks you will be for the next twelve hours. “She’s lost a lot of blood but she’s stable.”

“Christ.” Nestor says. “A bullet?”

“A stab wound.” Stitches informs him. “Marcus tell you about Reno?”

“Yea.” He sighed. “I’ve been calling around the morgues and hospitals, trying to get a lead on her. I’m glad you got to her, I thought…”

He trails off.

“We’re four hours out…”

“Three.” Coco interrupts as he puts his foot down on the accelerator.

“Three.” She corrects herself. “Nestor she’s a mess, she’s gonna need a place…”

“Here.” Nestor says without hesitation. “You can bring her here, I’ll call in sick for the next couple of days, longer if she needs it.”

“You think you can swing that with Galindo?” She asks him.

It’s an honest question. This isn’t just a case of leaving you to recover on your own, you need someone who’s going to be around, someone to take care of you and Stitches is testing the waters because if Nestor can’t do that for you, then she’ll do it herself. It’ll be a tight squeeze with Coco and Letty, but they’d find a way if they had to.

“COVID’s still a thing, isn’t it?” he reckoned. “That gives me a week without raising any questions.”

“That’ll work.” Stitches tells him. “If I send you a list of things, can you get them?”

“It won’t be a problem.” He assures her, she hears the ping of her text in the background before he clears his throat. “This looks like a grocery list.”

“It’s food that helps with replenishing your blood count.” She tells him knowingly. “She’d lost a lot of blood by the time we got to her; this will help build up her reserves over the next few days.”

“Did you…”

“Yea we got it all.” Stitches assures him. “There’s nothing that can tie her back to Reno.”

“Thank you.”

It comes out like a breath, like the first one he’s taken in an age. She hears the relief in his voice and Stitches knows that this man is so ridiculously in love with you, that’s he’d burn down the world if it would keep you safe.

“Have you spoken to Marcus?” he asks Stitches.

“Not yet.”

“Leave it to me, I’ll make the call.” He promises before signing off. A text pings through a few seconds later with his address.

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#nestor oceteva x you #nestor oceteva x reader #nestor mayans #nestor oceteva #nestor #mayans #mayans fx #mayans mc

[grimweathers]

grimweathers please elaborate on the magicians: it is not good it is not bad but a secret third thing and i would like to know more.

i believe there is someone named quentin in it, who may not be the guy with the silly sidepart shoulderlength hair and i assume it is about magicians and feelings (this i picked up from the gifs you reblog from time to time)

is it about magicians? why do you like it? why do you think it's good? why do you think it's bad?

OH BOY. where do i even begin. cracks knuckles. this is going to be so, so long and not even cover everything. i could truly write like a million words about this and not get to everything probably.

there were 5 seasons of the show, and i loved it up until the s4 finale, where they Ruined Everything. SUPER long story short: bury your gays trope, very triggering suicide at the end of s4 after building up a theme of hope despite pain.

i did not watch s5 but i know it does not do anything to redeem the show lol.

the main character is quentin coldwater—he's a clinically depressed bi dude who has always and continues to struggle with suicide ideation. (the show literally opens with him in an institution). he discovers he has magic, he starts going to this magic grad school, and the show branches out from there. it gets pretty dark. (but it is also very, very funny).

in the beginning of s1, when quentin starts going to this school, another character tells him: "magic comes from pain." the whole show (up until the s4 finale) essentially works on subverting that statement—there is SO much pain, internally and externally; there are monstrous people and things in the world, but it's about finding hope despite that pain.

to me, as a queer person who has also struggled with suicide ideation for a long long time, this was a really really meaningful show! i love portal fantasy shows (they eventually leave this school and go to a magical world). i really saw myself in quentin for a variety of reasons even beyond the depression and the queerness. and so this show just had a lot of things that resonated with me AND it had this message of hope. (also—it was just a lot of fun too).

and then in the s4 finale, quentin commits suicide (framed as a "heroic sacrifice," but there is a whole scene in the afterlife where he questions whether he actually made the sacrifice because he's been wanting to die and maybe it was a good excuse to do so). and his death is permanent. (other characters had died and come back to life at this point, but it was made clear this death was Final final).

it came out of left field. before the episode aired, i did think he might die, but i certainly did not think it would be permanent. it was genuinely very triggering. this post says it better: https://grimweathers.tumblr.com/post/689090800065429504

there was just sooo much behind-the-scenes messiness and weirdness that happened afterwards, but the main thing that still stands out to me is the showrunners' reaction to the backlash. people were really devastated and hurt and confused but the showrunners were extremely callous about it. they had, up until that point, talked about how meaningful it was that so many fans related to quentin's mental health journey and that they felt seen. but with the backlash, suddenly they were acting like we were just silly fragile snowflakes who just couldn't handle an edgy show. they were very transparently annoyed that people weren't falling over themselves to praise them for killing quentin off this way. (before the finale aired, one of the showrunners had literally said that people were going to write ACADEMIC essays about what a great finale it was because of the ~complexity~ or whatever lmfao. he was especially butthurt about it all i think)

they weirdly somehow tried to frame killing quentin off as a Edgy But Woke move because, hey, they killed off the main white guy!! whoa!!! weird that you guys care so much about the white guy and not the female characters!! (who, by the way, the writers eventually completely maligned). but, like—for one thing, the writers are the ones who made this entire show revolve around him. there is a great cast, but so much of the overall theme of the show hinges on quentin's journey. of course fans are going to care about him? (and yet! they opened s5 with a VERY pointed scene about with a chauvinistic literal pig man whining "but i need a MAN to be the HERO!! only a MAN can SOLVE THIS QUEST" to a female character).

when people pointed out like, hey, yes he was a white guy, but he was also queer? he's not like. a generic straight white dude with no problems who's suddenly the chosen one. the writers tried to backpedal and say he was straight, actually; he just was experimenting (despite the explicitly romantic plot line where, in an alternate-but-not timeline, he falls in love with his male best friend AND HAS A FAMILY WITH HIM AND GROWS OLD WITH HIM???? many of the gifsets you see from me are from this storyline! you can VISIBLY SEE that they framed it very romantically even without the kissing! it is not just fan projection!) (there's also the fact that they had already trotted out hale appleman, the actor who plays said love interest, and is actually queer himself, to do an interview about how meaningful it was to have this explicitly queer storyline in this show) (he eventually did an interview where he says he felt his queerness was just used for pr).

there is so much. SOOOO much and i am not the best writer and it's been a long time since i watched the show (it really hurt me so bad that i have not been able to watch any of the show again since it aired) but i think that is the best overview i can do at the moment lol. i would recommend the second link (the one about the behind the scenes messiness) if you want more info but. yeah.

if you made it to the end, i applaud you lol!!

#dead-rabbit-comics #the magicians #the magicians mess #river talks

[moa-broke-me]

PJO characters and what I think their music tastes are (by the way, the internet? No longer an issue for the purposes of this post)

Rachel Elizabeth Dare: Oh, she's cool. Her playlist is made up, almost entirely, of artists you've never heard of until just now. Think about it, she's in New York City, so many talented people are prowling for a chance to strike it big, and as a rich person, she feels she owes it to them to give them a chance, and if she likes them, to endorse them publicly. She's canonically part of the avant-garde performance art scene, so this really isn't much of a stretch.

Percy Jackson: I think he tells people he likes Jimmy Buffet and other people like him, and he does, especially 'brandy you're a fine girl', mostly for nostalgia's sake because Sally used to play that on long road trips, so it's not a lie. But it feels like one. He knows that when people ask that question, they're trying to figure out what kind of person you are, and wants to convey that he's just this easygoing guy, y'know? Easy, breezy, beautiful, covergirl. Harmless and unassuming and kinda goofy, not much going on under the surface. But there IS a lot going on under the surface, he IS angry, and listens to a lot of angry, angsty music. Smashing Pumpkins, Insane Clown Posse, that kind of thing. But if you hand him the aux, he's not gonna play any of that personal shit for you unless he really trusts you.

Annabeth Chase: She's that girl that pretends not to like pop music because she doesn't wanna come across as a vapid airhead, but she's also learned that answering 'classical' won't win her any cool points, so she caves and just says she doesn't have a preference. Most of the time she's listening to music, it's not even like... With intention. She's just listening to music because she can't clean her room in silence. And for the most part... Yeah it's Taylor Swift. With some Journey and Bo Burnham thrown in there for flavor. Although she does have some weird things in there picked up from the weather reports on welcome to nightvale, because she's a podcast girlie.

Nico diAngelo: I think his time in the casino has exposed him to a dizzying variety of music in really quick succession, meaning he's very open-minded and genuinely will listen to just about every genre, every era, at least once. Also, he doesn't think to catagorize by genre, or even vibes, he just puts them all into the same playlist the minute he finds out they exist. Dean Martin, Will Wood, and everything in between is home in his playlist.

Hazel Levesque: Hazel, on the other hand, was dead for all that time. So while she's open to new music, she hasn't had the opportunity to adjust to this generation's sonic landscape, so she mostly prefers the classics of her time, or modern music that tries to recreate that sound. Think 'I will always think of you' from the Bojack Horseman soundtrack.

Will Solace: He loves Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks with his whole Texan heart. His playlist contains mostly that, and some of his mom's work too, although he feels a little weird listening to it because, like, that's his mom. It feels weirdly personal to share that with other people, but it's nice too, having that closeness with people. He's more open than Percy, more willing to be vulnerable with the people he loves, because he doesn't see his authentic self as something to hide.

Piper McLean: She's a theater kid through and through. Yes, once upon a time, she wanted to be just like daddy. And she loves, absolutely loves, belting her heart out to the entire soundtrack of whatever musical she couldn't get out of her head. Last week it was Twisted, this week it's West Side Story, next week, who knows?

(If there's anyone you want me to cover, just ask!)

#pjo #hoo #rachel elizabeth dare #percy jackson #annabeth chase #nico di angelo #hazel levesque #will solace #piper mclean

[ciaossu-imagines]

So, just breaking up requests with throwing up stuff for various fandoms that I’ve been writing or had stored away from previous writing! I thought it would give a better variety of all the fandoms I do write for and really get me back into the swing of things, while still getting you guys (semi)well-written replies! So, for these headcanons, I used this prompt over here and, instead of picking a character and spelling their name, I spelled out the name of the fandom, Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! fully and wrote headcanons I have for the various characters! I hope you’ll all enjoy!

          W: Would they rather go to the beach or to the mountains?

I feel like Ameri has seen the beach scenes in First Love Memories so many times and she sort of romanticizes the beach and really wants to go there with a lover. It’s one of the top things she really wants to do, honestly, though the actual experience would fluster her! After all, what swimsuit should she wear? There’re so many options; how can she ever pick! And there’s so many things to do at the beach, she couldn’t possibly figure out which one they should do first!

As for the mountains, I really feel like Balam enjoys being up in the mountains, seeing the different species of animals and plants, enjoying the relative peace of the mountains.

Clara and Agares, however, would choose neither because neither of them really appeals strongly to them. Clara much prefers a good forest, with lots of trees and clearings and things to explore. Agares, on the other hand, just wants to stay home and doesn’t get why he keeps being dragged out when he just wants some quality nap time.

          E: Do they have a good relationship with their siblings?

While it’s not quite a legit sibling relationship, I do feel like Elizabetta always wanted siblings. While she appreciates that there are some advantages to being an only child, I really feel like she wanted the sibling experience. She wanted older brothers to dote on her or older sisters to look up to. She wanted younger siblings to guide and watch over. I really do feel like, in some ways, she tries really hard to be like a ‘cool big sis’ to some of the other characters, especially Clara, and it would be such a huge compliment for her if one of the other girls were to tell her that’s how they think of her.

          L: Do they binge watch shows on Netflix?

Okay, so assuming that the demon world has their own version of Netflix, because of course they do, I feel like Jazz only binges under specific conditions. On his own, I don’t feel he really binges anything. He enjoys watching certain things and can definitely sit down and watch them for a couple hours tops but sitting down and watching a full season in one go is not his cup of tea. I feel the only time he really sits down and binges something is if he’s watching it with someone else. He can binge happily with other people because, to him, it’s more a companionship thing than a solitary hobby.

          C: Have they ever lost anyone close to them?

I feel like Kalego does have experience dealing with death. I really can’t pinpoint who or how many people he’s lost but I feel either a friend or a grandparent, maybe? I just really do feel strongly though that he has experience with losing someone, with death, and with grieving.

          O: How would they describe their childhood in general?

I feel like Garu had a pretty normal childhood, if somewhat solitary. He was a bit of an odd duck as a child, really very interested in science and inventing. He was really outgoing and not at all shy but didn’t make friends easily and was often out tinkering on his own. However, he had a good relationship with his parents and was generally a pretty happy child.

          M: Would they rather live in the country or in the city?

I feel like Orobas would be pretty happy in either the country or the city. He’s a pretty adaptable guy but if he had to choose, I feel like he’d pick the country to live in, though he wouldn’t want to live alone in the country. He still wants some companionship but would appreciate the peace and quiet of countryside living more than being constantly surrounded by people and noise in the city.

          E: Do they have a good relationship with their siblings?

Jazz and Rock’s sibling relationship is…strained, to say the least. However, while he’s definitely very selfish in a lot of ways, I don’t necessarily see Rock as being purposefully a complete asshole and I definitely don’t think he hates his little brother. I think, in some messed up way that probably stems from the attitude in the demon world and the way Rock was raised, that his bullying of Jazz is kind of Rock’s way of trying to ‘toughen up’ his little brother and to make Jazz better with both his bloodline magic and as a person. It doesn’t excuse Rock’s actions and I think it definitely sours what could have been a good brotherly relationship, but I do think the elder Andro brother isn’t acting out of pure malice.

          T: What is their full name?

Orias does have a middle name…his full name is Oswell Orion Orias. His family really likes alliteration.

          O: How would they describe their childhood in general?

Allocer’s childhood was solitary but peaceful. He was a curious child, to the point his first word was ‘why’ and he had a thirst for learning from a very young age that his parents fostered and encouraged. He spent a lot of time reading instead of outside playing with other kids and his school life was mostly dedicated to learning and studying. He didn’t make many close friends until he went to Bablys but doesn’t remember his childhood as bad by any means.

          D: Are they religious?

I feel like, with all the other weird things the demon world has, there’s definitely a cult based around beauty and that Dosanko definitely is a member of that particular cult!

          E: Do they have a good relationship with their siblings?

I feel like the Marbas family are all really close to one another, actually. They’re a pretty tight knit clan, though there are, of course, some tensions or arguments between family members, as you’ll find in any family. They fight, ma

          M: Would they rather live in the country or in the city?

I feel that, after experiencing both, Iruma really does prefer city life. While peace and quiet is nice, the city inspires him in a way. There are always new people to meet, things to do, and it makes him happy in a way that the general peace and quiet of country living doesn’t.

          O: How would they describe their childhood in general?

I feel the only way to describe Balam’s childhood is…eventful. He just seemed to have the knack, all through his childhood and teenage years, really, of getting himself into insane situations. It wasn’t even so much that he tried. In fact, knowing that he worried his parents and the few friends he found himself able to gain, he would try so hard not to get into scrapes but he just seemed to attract weird, sometimes dangerous, situations.

          N: How do they feel about politics?

I feel like Azz actually has some rather strong opinions on politics, though he’s smart enough to keep them to himself most times. Growing up with his mother being part of the Thirteen Crowns, I feel he was exposed to political opinions quite often, really, growing up and that he learned and was encouraged to shape his own opinions regarding political subjects. While his views do align with his mother’s quite often, they do differ in certain areas. Again though, Asmodeus keeps his political views to himself a lot of the time, though he will chime in with them if he’s talking to someone he trusts, and the subject gets brought up.

          S: Do they read their horoscope?

It depends on the day and the mood he’s in, but Furfur does read his horoscope. If he’s in a playful mood, he’ll even use his horoscope to make his decisions for the day. Sometimes he’ll go against everything in the horoscope, sometimes he follows it to the letter. It just amuses him to see how right or wrong the advice for the day was and leads him into interesting situations, which is really all he wants in life.

          C: Have they ever lost anyone close to them?

We know that Furcas has a daughter. But, and maybe I’m wrong here because, again, I haven’t finished up the manga…I feel like she’s a widow. I feel like she’s gone through the death of her husband and the grief of that, combined with the stress of having to suddenly become a single parent. While she enjoyed a good drink before that, I really feel like she started drinking more heavily as well in the wake of her husband’s death, as that was the only way she knew of to handle it.

          H: What do they smell like?

Okay, but I feel like Dali spends enough time with Suzy, and is genuinely good friends with her, that he smells a little like the plants and flowers she grows, mixed with a kind of pleasant musky odor and a hint of spice and old leather from a cologne he favours.

          O: How would they describe their childhood in general?

I feel like Blushenko was actually rather bullied as a child by his schoolmates and he was a little bit of a headstrong troublemaker growing up because of that. Though he matured through his teenage years, his childhood was complicated for him and isn’t something he likes to think about.

          O: How would they describe their childhood in general?

Momonoki’s childhood was relatively good. Her parents and her got along and she was the apple of her grandfather’s eye. She made friends well in school, was a good student and really didn’t have a lot of issues that way. However, I feel like her upbringing was quite strict and there was a lot of pressure she felt, a lot of emphasis on her achieving good marks and excelling in school and with her bloodline ability and that she sometimes felt a little overwhelmed at times with it all.

          L: Do they binge watch shows on Netflix?

Robin, not too surprisingly, does love the demon world’s version of Netflix but he’s flighty with it. He’ll either latch onto a show and binge every episode one right after the other or he’ll hop between shows constantly, sometimes in the middle of episodes, because he gets bored with them.

          I: How do they feel about tattoos? Do they have any?

Iruma actually really likes the look of certain tattoos. Some of the jobs he had to work, he got used to tattoos on some of the adults, both good and mediocre ones. He appreciates the work that went into most of them and loves the really detailed, super-colorful pieces that he’s seen on some people. However, he has no desire to get a tattoo himself – he’s a little terrified of the process of getting them and the pain associated with it.

          R: Who is the first person they call when they are in trouble?

Kiriwo, whenever in trouble, will immediately call Baal. Ever since Kiriwo met Baal, that’s been his go-to, the one person Amy feels will be able to solve any issue.

          U: Do they have a criminal record of any kind?

Baal should have a criminal record. He really should. But the fact is, the man is brilliant in his own way and either doesn’t get caught or, if caught, is able to keep or excuse his actions as being just the demonic blood and instincts he has.

          M: Would they rather live in the country or in the city?

I feel like, though Delkira loves the city and, once upon a time, couldn’t imagine being anywhere other than it, the longer he lived and the more power he gained, the less patience he had for it and the more he wanted an escape from the city, from the people, from life itself and the more he wanted a quiet, peaceful, beautiful life in a more country environment, where he could just be.

          A: Do they have any pet peeves?

Gaako’s pet peeve is definitely Iruma by this point, just because of the strength of the obsession her best friend Eiko has with him. Sometimes, she swears if she hears Iruma’s name one more time, she’ll go completely insane.

          K: Do they have a quote that they live by?

Ocho, as part of the Cult of the Numeral 2, kind of lives by their vision and mantras, more or less.

          U: Do they have a criminal record of any kind?

General Furfur definitely has committed war crimes. Just saying. And numerous crimes growing up as he was a hellion of a child. The only reason he doesn’t have a criminal record is he always had the luck to either be on the winning side or to be sneaky enough to not get caught.

          N: How do they feel about politics?

Henri is very political. He’s a very moral character, for a demon, with very black and white views on the world in general and on what is right and what is wrong. He’s pretty forthright on his views as well since he doesn’t feel like he should have to hide them. He believes in following the rules and has a more accepting view of humans than most other demons.

#mairimashita iruma kun #welcome to demon school iruma-kun #ameri azazel #henri azazel #general furfur #ocho iruma-kun #gaako iruma-kun #delkira #baal #headcanons #amy kiriwo #iruma suzuki #robin balse #momonoki morax #buer blushenko #dali dantalion #furcas #asmodeus alice #shichirou balam #dosanko iruma-kun #allocer schneider #orias oswell #orobas #jazz andro #rock andro #garu iruma-kun #kalego naberius #elizabetta ix

[matchagator]

Sheltered: Chapter 9

Tensions are high in the household, making Lily desperate for answers and a boost in morale. However, things only become worse after an incident at the diner.

It's Spring Break for us writers, so stay tuned for a week of updates to make up for the delay or visit here for the complete story.

{Main Pairings:} Jeon Jungkook/Original Female Character, Choi Soobin/Original Female Character, Kim Taehyung/Original Female Character(s)

{Rating:} 18+

{Genre:} Alternate Universe - Hybrids

{Summary:} Realization finally dawned on Lily, knowing she now had the responsibility of three hybrids rather than three dogs. Her eyes grew wide while her eyebrows rose up in wonder before she turned her attention to her sister. The shocked expression of Rose had her smile sheepishly. “Well, at least we don’t have to name them.”

{Warnings:} Mature Language, Mild Angst, Rutting Behaviors, Tattoos, Sexual Harassment

{Taglist:} @chimsworldsstuff

The next day had been interesting, to say the least, Lily managed to steer clear of Soobin's intensity as she focused on the moody doberman, who huffed around the house as if everything was an inconvenience. She knew his mood was related to the bickering between him and her sister, but wasn’t sure how to make amends if they bit at each other every chance they got. She tried to cater to him throughout the day, which only caused Soobin to act out from her lack of attention. 

He would growl and move between them to create distance, but Lily would just circle back around him to get to Jungkook. It wasn’t until they were watching television and began watching a show about tattoo artists that she noticed the stony features of Jungkook begin to melt as he became enamored by the designs across the human canvases. Despite the reminder of Rose’s reaction when she took them to get their piercings, Lily decided to offer him the opportunity. 

Soobin didn’t like the idea of them going alone together and whined to go as well even though he had no interest in getting a mark on his skin. At the shop, Jungkook admired the art of the tattooist and couldn’t decide on any particular design. After a lengthy consultation, he received a small variety along his arm that would make it easy to have more things added later. While he had his tattoo worked on, Lily fell in love with the line work of another artist and decided on a design of swirls and tiger lilies that would curl over her shoulder. 

When the artist went to place the stencil against her skin, Soobin argued that it didn’t look good over her shoulder. He didn’t mind that she was getting the tattoo and the placement was actually very nice, but all he could see was her covering the area where he would one day leave his mate mark. He didn’t want it to heal over with a distracting display of beautiful flowers to take away from his claim on her. He wanted his mark to be the only thing brandishing her shoulders. Lily didn’t ask much about his reasoning and had the artist readjust it to sit on the back of her shoulder so that it ran from her spine to her arm.  

The appointments were long with the size and details of each tattoo, but they were finished as the sun began to hide behind the horizon. The dull ache didn’t take long to settle in Lily’s bones from the artist pressing into her back with the needle gun, so she decided to pick up Taehyun, who stayed home and napped, then drove everyone to the local diner. She knew Rose would be less inclined to make a scene about the tattoos at work and possibly act civil with Jungkook. 

“I smell Rose! Is she eating with us?” Taehyun asked as he slid into the booth first when Lily guided them to the table she usually occupied when the dinner rush was bustling. Jungkook slid in on the opposite side of the booth and Lily scooted in next to him, causing Soobin to make a disapproving groan in his throat as he sat across from her. His long legs bumped against hers under the table, easing his possessive instinct to feel her touch even in the slightest. His rut was becoming stronger as his need to claim Lily grew with the threat of her being taken by one of the other two males. 

Lily reached over Jungkook to grab some menus and handed them out to the hybrids, hoping they would pick something based on the pictures. As she browsed the pamphlet of food options, their waitress arrived, looking down at her notepad ready to grab their drink orders. Lily looked up, surprised to find Rose would be their waitress. “Hello, my name is Rose. What would you like to drink?” She finally glanced away from her notepad and faltered as she noticed her dysfunctional family sitting in her booth. “What are you doing here?”

Lily regularly came to the diner, but Rose never imagined that she would bring the hybrids with her. Her sister smiled sheepishly, “Yeah, I didn’t want to make dinner so…here we are.”

Rose rolled her eyes in response to her sister’s excuse as Taehyun leaned up on the table, “Are you joining us?” His eyes were large and filled with hope.

Rose tilted her head with a small pout, “Sorry, Tae. I can’t, I’m working.” She pointed back towards the kitchen with the cap of her pen and Taehyun slumped back into the booth with disappointment.

“Can we just get water?” Lily asked, noticing Jungkook recede back into his foul mood from earlier with the presence of Rose. Her sister placed her notepad away without jotting anything down before turning to retrieve the four glasses. As she walked away, Lily brushed her hand through Jungkook’s hair, feeling how tense he was.

Soobin pushed his leg back into hers as he glared at the affection she gave Jungkook, who moved away from her touch. His breathing became heavy as his nose scrunched from the low snarl escaping his lips. Jungkook was rigid from the sound coming from his brother and snapped back with a noise acutely similar to a bark. Taehyun yelped as his brothers stared each other down, leaning across the table towards each other with their teeth bared from the curl in their lips. 

Lily panicked, realizing that they were making a scene in the middle of a full restaurant. She tapped the table, trying to break them from the trance of animosity. “Both of you stop it!” She whispered harshly, her eyes flickering around the other booths to see people were watching them. 

Soobin broke eye contact with Jungkook at the sound of her voice in mild distress. He sensed her nerves rattling within her, wanting nothing more than to comfort her, but sitting back to calm himself down. Rose arrived as the two older males settled back down, feeling a shift in the air as she placed the waters on the table. She reached across to put a glass in front of Jungkook when she noticed the plastic wrapped around his newly decorated forearm. 

Her mouth dropped in disbelief as her wide eyes found Lily, “You took him to get tattoos?” Again, the plural status of her statement outweighs the severity of her sister’s actions. It wasn’t so bad that he got a tattoo, but nearly an arm full of tattoos was pushing her sanity off the ledge of rationality. 

Lily bit her lip, hands still shaking from the previous interaction between Jungkook and Soobin. She laughed nervously, feeling overwhelmed by the consequences of her actions. “Yeah, he was having a bad day.” She tried to justify.

Rose just shook her head, not believing that her sister thought any of this was acceptable in the slightest. “We’ll talk about this later. What do you guys want?” She focused on the lines of her notepad, trying to bury the aggravation that wanted to bubble over.

“Just bring burgers and fries for all of us. As soon as possible.” Lily added as an afterthought, hoping that fast service would keep the boys distracted with their meal until they left to go home. 

“Should I bring JK’s cooked or would he rather just have a raw patty?” She shot him a knowing stare, her eyes narrowed when he looked up at her. 

Lily was thrown off by the question, “Uh, cooked…” She glanced over to her side to see if Jungkook argued otherwise before turning back towards Rose. “Yeah, cooked is fine.” Lily waited until Rose left the table before addressing the men, “If we get through dinner without any trouble, I’ll give you guys a treat.”

The hybrids brightened up at the mention of a treat, wondering what it could possibly be. “What kind of treat?” Taehyun asked, his expression eager as he leaned up on the booth again.

Lily merely waved him down to sit and vaguely answered his question to keep them guessing. The table became quiet as Taehyun settled down, only perking up whenever he caught sight of Rose moving around from table to table. Jungkook simply leaned against the corner of the booth, keeping to himself as he ignored the familiar scent of vanilla florals gently sweeping in to remind him that the infuriating brunette was there. 

Soobin stared at Lily as she pulled out her phone and seemed to intently be in search of something on the small device. He nudged his leg against hers, capturing her attention away from her phone. She sent him a reassuring smile, but he could sense her uneasiness as he tried to figure out what could be bothering her. She nudged her leg back and Soobin felt warm with need from the reciprocated contact. His rut was proving to be a challenge the more time he was around her, but he would do his best not to pressure her despite his instinct. 

Lily was relieved to see the hybrids nestling into the comforts of the restaurant, joyous that whatever mood swing she just encountered would not rear its head. She broke eye contact with Soobin as she glanced back down at her phone, looking through her search engine for answers on his recent behavior. Most of the results showed a preview stating that huskies were friendly, so why did he seem so aggressive lately? He seems like he’s been socialized enough not to be territorial, he couldn’t be fighting for dominance since Jungkook clearly fit that role; so what could it be?

She wasn’t allowed much time to ponder it when Rose came back with a large serving plate to dispense the food onto the table. She put her phone away deciding she would try and get some more information from Katharine when she goes to work the next day. “Thanks, sis.” She smiled up at Rose as she grabbed a fry to put in her mouth. 

“You’re-” Jungkook began devouring the burger, shoving the filled patties into his mouth as much as he was capable of before aggressively chewing. Rose blanched in disgust as ketchup smeared over his face and loose pieces of the burger fell from the corner of his mouth. “...welcome.” Soobin and Taehyun followed Jungkook’s example, shoving the large burgers in their mouth for large bites. Rose fixed Lily with wide eyes and a forced smile. “You have fun with that.”

Lily watched as she briskly walked away and caught sight of an elderly couple looking over towards their booth. She smiled sheepishly at the pair before snapping her attention back to the boys at her table. The aggressive scarfing created loud noises that reminded her of a slew of pigs eating their daily slop. “You don’t need to inhale your food. It’s not going anywhere.” She reminded them, relieved when they began to slow down their pace. 

With a sigh, Lily dove into her fries meticulously eating them one-by-one before tackling the burger. They all ate silently and before long Jungkook was finished, staring at Lily with intent. “I finished. Where’s my treat?”

She paused mid-chew on her burger, glancing over to see his plate was completely cleaned off with the other two not far behind. “Um…” She searched for her sister to try and get her attention. She was currently helping another customer but noticed Lily waving her over from the corner of her eye. She continued to write down the customer’s order before sighing as she approached the chaos table.

She leaned on one foot, cocking her hip to the side. “Yes?” Her hands pressed against her waist, hoping that her sister was ready for the check. 

“Can we get three hot chocolates for the guys? I’m sure they would love that.” Lily knew the men had an appetite for sweets and wanted to fulfill their promise since they were mostly behaved during dinner other than the transparent etiquette flaws. 

Rose narrowed her eyes. “That one…” She pointed at Jungkook, “..doesn’t need anything, but I’ll bring some for the other two.” She countered. The doberman already got an arm full of tattoos, why did Lily always feel the need to spoil him? She could see her sister trying to defend Jungkook but stopped her before she could speak. “He’s a good boy.” She pointed at Soobin. “He’s a good boy.” She pointed at Taehyun and went back full circle to Jungkook. “He’s a bitch.”

Lily reached up and covered Jungkook’s ears as he growled at the demeaning name that left Rose’s lips. “That was uncalled for. He’s just misunderstood.” Lily defended as she glared back at her sister, mildly surprised that she cursed at work. 

Rose crossed her arms over her chest with an eye roll. “Whatever.” She stomped off back to the kitchens to fulfill the order, annoyance etched throughout her body. She hated that her sister let him do anything he wanted and made excuses for him. She knew Lily felt like she needed to provide them with a good home, but she shouldn’t be encouraging his behavior as a menace to society. 

Lily pulled her hands away, looking towards the human doberman. “Sorry about that.” Jungkook could only huff as he hunched over the table, the muscles on his back firm from the tension building within them. He didn’t know how to feel about Rose anymore. He spent the most time with her out of the others, but she’s cold towards him. Yet, his brothers attached themselves more to Lily and she goes out of her way for him. Things seemed backwards and he understood he had some issues with trust and obedience, but that still didn’t excuse Rose’s attitude towards him. 

As Jungkook was lost in thought, Rose returned with her serving tray and placed the three mugs of hot chocolate with whipped cream in front of each hybrid. “Enjoy!” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she looked at Soobin and Taehyun. 

A pit of guilt punched Lily in the stomach as she noticed Jungkook simply staring at the mug of sweet liquid. She pushed the cup closer to him, “Go ahead. You’ll like it. Just be careful, it’s hot.”

He blankly stared at the whipped cream, lost in thought as he tried to process how he would manage to live in this house with Rose. Distant memories of his first owners were haunting him as he remembered being abandoned and given to the shelter. He felt stuck because he enjoyed the safety and comforts of their new home, but he was scared that if Rose couldn’t accept him then he would lose all of that. It was a constant battle between them and Jungkook wasn’t sure if he was willing to let his guard down in the event she did return them back to their legal owners. 

Lily softly smiled at Taehyun as he stared at the drink, sniffing around the swirl of whipped cream. He slowly brought the mug up to his lips and took a sip. His mouth was met with the warm flow of chocolate with the contrasting feeling of cool solidified cream melting over his tongue. He raised the cup higher, gathering a larger gulp before placing the cup back down on the tabletop. Lily laughed when she noticed his nose was covered in white cream and chocolate ran along the curve of his top lip. 

He dragged his tongue over his lip to collect the remnants, trying to curl it over the tip of his nose to wipe off the whipped cream there. Soobin took a sip as well, laughing as he also got cream on his nose. Lily leaned on her palm and admired the two hybrids sitting across from her, capturing the wholesome moment as a memory she wished to keep for those days that might seem hard. Their happiness was a reminder that bringing them into her home changed her life for the better. 

She peered at Jungkook from the corner of her eye, gesturing with the tilt of her head towards the mug for him to join in on the fun. She nearly cried with joy when he finally took his sip and a small chuckle escaped his lips. Her heart swelled with love for the new additions to her unconventional family and no one could take that away from her. “I love hot chocolate!” Taehyun projected enthusiastically, taking more sips from the mug in his hands.

Rose heard him from a few tables away, notepad in her hand as she prepared to take the order of another customer. The man she was currently serving sat by himself with a simple cup of coffee. She allowed him a few moments to look at the menu and noticed him place it down before she made her next move. “What can I get you?” 

Rose was so focused on her notepad that she didn’t notice the way his eyes ran over her figure, his lids heavy with ill intent. “Are you on the menu?” He asked, lecherously. Rose faltered as his question registered in her head. She was familiar with flirtatious comments and recognized this particular line from a handful of customers before him, but his demeanor made her uncomfortable. He wasn’t being funny or light-hearted like most people were, he was a sleazy creep. 

She steeled herself, ignoring his comment. “No, so what can I get you instead?” She pursed her lips together as her anxiety spiked the pounding of her heart. The faster she could get his order and him out of her hair, the better.  

Jungkook sensed a wave of distress in the restaurant as he gulped down the rest of his hot chocolate. Soobin and Taehyun were still savoring their drinks as Lily continued to nibble on her burger since she was a slow eater. Jungkook looked over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Rose talking to a man, the distress pounding through her chest and beating through Jungkook’s ear drums. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on their conversation, but the sound was washed out by the loud ambiance of the diner. 

“JK?” Lily asked, noticing that he was practically turned around in his seat. She peered behind her to see him glaring at Rose and she only hoped he didn’t try to pick a fight with her just before they were supposed to leave. 

She tugged the sleeve of his shirt, but he ignored her as his pupils shrunk in on the man. Rose seemed to pace back and forth between leaning on her left or right leg as she tried to get away from the customer without being rude. He kept flirting with her and making her uncomfortable, refusing to tell her what he wanted besides coffee. She noticed the mug was empty, “Let me get you a refill and let you think about your order for a moment.”

She went to turn away as fast as possible, but she was stopped abruptly when the man reached out and grabbed her apron. “I wasn’t done talking to you.” His gruff voice was commanding and degrading all on its own.

Jungkook bared his teeth with a growl as he watched the man grab Rose against her will and pull her back towards him. Her fear spiked and Jungkook jumped into action, lifting up from his seat and stepping over the table. The dishes clattered as he moved across them, startling Lily as she yelled after him. The scolding tone in her voice didn’t stop him as he took large strides through the diner, his destination being the only thing he could see.

Rose could barely blink in response to the man grabbing her before his grip was ripped from her and all she could see was Jungkook’s back hiding her view of the man. When he approached the pair, Jungkook grabbed the man’s outstretched wrist firmly and yanked it away from her as he stood between them. He stood menacingly over the man with his doberman features shining through, asserting his dominance against the human. “Keep your hands to yourself.” He growled.

“JK, it’s okay.” Rose tried to de-escalate the situation and placed her hand on Jungkook’s shoulder, unsure how to approach him in this state. She never witnessed him be so aggressive, where did this come from and why was he protecting her? 

The man’s face hardened up at the younger male, moving to stand up defensively, but cringed as Jungkook tightened his grip and twisted his wrist downward, creating pain in the man’s arm. “Don’t fucking touch her again, understand?” He hissed as Lily and Soobin finally made an appearance, pulling him away from the offender. 

“JK, stop! Let’s go!” Lily placed her hold on his wrist, pulling his hand away from the man as Soobin pulled him away by pushing against his shoulder. Rose gaped as he responded to the pair, following their guidance towards the door. “Tae, time to go!” Lily hollered at the booth, blocking Jungkook’s fierce glare from piercing through Rose’s customer. 

Rose noticed a messy pile of crumpled bills left on their table as her mind tried to process what just happened. The man cradled his wrist as he rose from his seat and hastily left the diner, avoiding the direction of the others as he walked to his car. “Rose, clean up your tables!” Another waitress demanded when she only seemed to stand in place.

She snapped back to reality, realizing that coffee spilled across the table after Jungkook collided into them before she noticed the mess left behind from her sister’s booth. People were watching her like she was free entertainment and she felt heat rise to her cheeks from embarrassment. Her family made her look crazy and left her to clean up their mess. She was so mad, but yet as she wiped away the spilled coffee, her mind refused to think about anything other than the way Jungkook stood up for her.

Despite their differences and constant fighting, he still protected her from the creep. His approach was very impulsive, but that bothered her the most. He did it so effortlessly, without any incentive; be damned the consequences to himself or her. She was beyond confused, but couldn’t fight the feeling that maybe Jungkook cared about her more than she originally believed. After cleaning the coffee, she moved to the other booth and groaned when she noticed some of the dishes were broken. Tonight was a complete disaster, but she couldn’t wait to get home.

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#bts hybrid au #bts hybrid smut #jeon jungkook #choi soobin #kang taehyun #bts fanfic #txt fanfic

[lazaruspiss]

your ship, character and fandom opinions are so based. i'm also a poly robin shipper so it's nice to see there are more of us here. anyway, i'd love to hear what are your all time favorite dc ships and why, and if you have any headcanons (sfw and nsfw) about them. or you can just ramble about any fic ideas you have, the ones you've mentioned already are very interesting.

thank u for the compliments and also the many things to talk about!! <3 mwah! (readmore added bc of length)

picking a favorite ship is so hard, because im a multishipper and real big on leaving my options open so that i have the most opportunity in any given story!! like, brudick and sladick are both ones i love for dark stories, but they each give such different angles and paths that you can take. all combinations of robins are dear to me for different reasons. and even within the context of one ship, i can usually come up with a lot of different directions that they can go it!!

i can't even say "X is my favorite for Y types of stories" because with a good pairing theres so much you can do with a variety of types of stories!! so. def cant pick a favorite, but i can list some that i like! they mostly involve Dick, bc my biases are quite obivious, lol.

Dick ships: Bruce, Slade, Talia, Slade/Talia, Tim, Jason, Steph, Damian (but it depends a lot on context, i see Dick as being very careful about not taking advantage), any poly robins combo, Slade/Rose, Tara

other ships: Slade/Rose, Slade/Talia, any robins together, Bruce/Talia (but only if Talia is having daddy issues about it), Nyssa/Talia (Nyssa repeatedly kills and revives her to make her understand her anger at Ra's. the rituals. they're intricate i swear-)(but also in arkham knight Nyssa compares her love for Talia to Bruce's explicitly romantic love for Talia and i've never been normal about that), any combo of the Al Ghuls tbh they're so mentally ill about each other

so uhhhhhh. really you could pitch any Dick ship at me and get me talking. if anyone wants to ask about that list ur welcome to lol

fic ideas!!! i have some shorter ones, like a Blackfire/Robin non-con based on that one scene from tt03, but i kinda wanna take this chance to ramble about my longer ideas!

u may have seen some of these, but i have a series called "days without incident" which is a bunch of shorter than usual fics stringing together random semi canon compliant scenes of Dick being in dangerous sexual situations, which are eventually going to end in a rlly angsty fic of Dick being assaulted and just accepting it. it sounds dark, and it is, but due to the length and format they really just serve as quick writing warm-ups more than anything.

DIDick AU. a friend of mine has been on the receiving end of so many DMs of me fleshing out these alter OCs, to the point that it would feel weird if I didn't write anything for it. the problem is that when I think about it, it all revolves around characters and there's no real plot line to use for it. I could just rant about it, bc figuring out what I want to do for a story about them is really tricky. it's also tough bc it's a teeny bit more personal than I usually go for. do /I/ have DID? unclear. I probably wouldn't tell you either way. anyways, it's an idea i want to more with but it's just more complicated to work on than most others.

suicide fic. "Where The Dead Stay Dead", title in reference to this being in a "Jason Stays Dead AU". i want to take a sort of dark comedy direction, but i have trouble controlling how the tone ends up when I write. Dick tries to kill himself post Jason's death + many other bad times but Slade just happens to pop in to try and bother him that day, and is uh. he doesn't know how to feel about it, the kid dying in front of him, but he drags Dick to a safe house and does some made-up comic book science fuckery to give Dick his healing factor. Dick is not very happy about this when he wakes up. the rest of the story follows an arrangement where Dick searches for a way to perma die and is generally a depressed grumpy bitch about everything, and Slade secretly tries to get him to stop doing that while trying to figure out a way to revive Jason. whichever ends up being easier. a lot of it would probably just be about Slade feeling lost with this "new" version of Dick, as well as the two of them swapping stories about dead loved ones and learning how to mourn.

timcel fic. that was the placeholder title, before i settled on "Nature's Order (As Told From Alpha To Beta)", but i still call it the timcel fic for short <3 the alpha in that title is Ra's, and the beta is Tim. the kick off for the story is that Ra's kidnaps omega Dick to use as a human incubator bc he and Talia had a spat that's left him heir-less, and he kidnaps Tim to make Dick more compliant. it's a really extreme take on "right wing alpha male pipeline, but omegaverse". it's gonna be a lot of bad times for Dick <3 i've talked about it so much with my friend that one time they mentioned basing smth partially off of Nature's Order Tim, and I think that's a good sign that I should really be writing this properly at this point. I have started chapter one! but bc it's gonna be a long one I want to get three chapters done before I start posting, bc having a few extra chapters written will help with my nerves a bit.

#asks #anon #uhhh that was a lot lol #feel free to ask follow up questions...?

[plothooksinc]

👋 fanfic writer ask game: 3, 4, 15?

Yosh o/

3. What’s a fic idea that you have but haven’t written yet?

A couple, but they're both ROTTMNT because everything else is already in the process of being written. One being relatively short and like a palate cleanser for NRFTW I guess (and because Hueso's entire presence in that fic was trying to get Leo to pick up his phone because there are humans in his restaurant whyyy):

Hueso takes his trash out at the end of the night and finds Leo sprawled in his dumpster for unknown reasons, but he's slightly bruised and exceedingly high and this is a very large test of Hueso's patience (and he doesn't feel any concern, of course he doesn't)

Okay, so upgrading Bishop from annoying third-wheel thorn in everyone's side to the outright antagonist as the man tries to adjust his world view after the events of NRFTW and makes a few calls, some of them surprisingly decent but several of them Not Decent At All, on the background of the turtles dealing with weird spots of corruption in mechanical objects found across the city (think Rise comedy crossed with creepy horrorville as a vending machine tries to pack itself with victims off the street, or an ATM literally having an existential crisis, and then there's all those Albearto bears)-- luckily Donnie seems to know where to find all this weird corruption and it reacts to him in a variety of ways from positive to outright yandere. His brothers would really like to know how and why and if he's doing okay? Please? Yes, this is a direct follow on from NRFTW, though several months down the track so Leo can get out of bed already. (The poor guy.)

I did have a third idea but literally 24 hours after I thought of it I saw the plot go past in a summary on AO3 so I went WELP /tosses it out the window, lmao

4. Do you prefer writing multi-chapter or oneshot fanfictions?

Much of a muchness! Like 1. above is a one shot and 2. most definitely isn't, I'm happy to write either depending on the story I try to write. I've written more one shots than multi-lengths, I think, but sometimes you can tell stories in the space of a few pages. (And sometimes you think you can and you're crying 89 pages later going why.)

15. Are there words, phrases, mannerisms or scenes you tend to use a lot?

Oh gosh, yes. People blink and breathe a lot in my fics, lmao. I MEAN WE ALL DO but I use them as shorthand for //processing// a lot, or breathing to steel yourself for what you're about to do next, etc etc. As said much earlier, I have a habit of saying such things like "He slept" but I've been good about this lately! (She says knowing full well she uses it in the chapter she's currently writing, shh.)

I tend to quirk a lot of small grins, have lopsided grins, and You Would Not Believe How Many Characters Are Capable Of Raising A Solitary Eyebrow (Or Eye Ridge As The Case May Be) and I have a fondness for writing scenes where characters wake up after several days out but that's just the comfort side of my hurt/comfort head space. Also I apparently kidnap people a lot ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ALSO LIKE MANY I SUFFER FROM SAID-BOOKISM (i.e. way too many adverbs, I literally comb through afterward and try to remove some they're just everywhere like my italics) so. I definitely have my tells as an author, but hopefully nobody grinds their teeth over them, lmao.

Thank you!

Fanfic Writer Ask Game Here

#@consultingjedi #ask meme

[respectthepetty]

I am currently hooked on Past-senger. I don't know how possibly may have a happy ending but I am enjoying its lightness and humor. Did you notice Bamee house is the house of Tonhon in TonhonChonlatee?

I have tried Love syndrome III because I like its protagonists but it's terrible. How can the acting be that bad? I know from other series they are not that bad.

How the Koreans manage to give us such a steady string of wonderful stories such as Unintentional love story and The eighth sense? They always leave me with a nice aftertaste I don't get anywhere else.

Anon, Taiwanese BLs are my favorite, but I appreciate Thai QLs because so many are produced compared to the ZERO I've gotten from Taiwan in 2023. ZERO! The last BL Taiwan offered was HIStory 5: Love in the Future, which shared the time travel theme with Past-Senger, and as much as I love Taiwanese BLs and the HIStory franchise, I think Past-Senger did a better job with it.

Quantity does not equal quality, so Thailand having over fifty QLs a year doesn't necessarily equate to great stories or production value, but, much like Vietnamese and Filipino QLs, there is always a solid foundation with some heart at its core. Also, Thai series are easily available, for free. I haven't nor will I watch Love Syndrome III because I will hate it, and not in a fun hate-watch way, but some who watched it liked it because that's the beauty of variety; we have more to pick from based on what we like and there is something for everyone.

Past-Senger, with its Tonhon Chonlatee house, has its issues, and there are plenty including spotty sound, a clumsy final quarter, and odd pacing, but as you mentioned, it does humor well, and it takes the time-traveling aspect seriously compared to HIStory 5. When Kiew lands in the future, he is constantly reminded that he is out of place and not meant to be there, while HIStory 5 spent the first episode on that idea, then quickly moved along.

Korea tends to go back to the past (Tinted With You and Once Again) or for reincarnation (First Love Again and The Director Who Buys Me Dinner), but there is always in underlying melancholy to these since the narrative makes it clear these are "right person, wrong time" stories. Korea loves a time skip like Japan loves to make its guys run. But the issue most people as well as I have with Korean BLs is they are too short to properly develop the plot, the characters, and the resolution. For me, something is always rushed or lacking.

Yet Our Dating Sim has done the best "left him because I love him" plot out of all the QLs I've watched, and I think Star Struck might do well with it also. Both also demonstrate the Korean staple of "right person, wrong time" with time jumps that I just complained about, yet they are done well here.

As much as I stay rooting for Taiwan, I appreciate a range of queer media because every show is doing something different; therefore, each show has the possibility of doing it better.

Gameboys and Hello, Stranger, both Filipino offerings, gave us love stories about the pandemic DURING the pandemic, but unlike my Taiwanese See You After Quarantine?, I feel like some dismissed them simply because they were Filipino even though Gameboys was one of the biggest BLs of 2020 with its mask-off scene.

I have trash taste. I didn't like Bad Buddy overall and I have intentionally never watched a MAME series, so you don't have to trust one word I wrote here, but all of this is really to tell you that as great as Korean dramas are, I encourage you to continue dabbling in other countries' offerings every now and then. I'm a HIStory 4: Close to Me whore first, and a human second, but I loved being surprised by how Bed Friends handled healing from trauma through a sexual relationship, how Moonlight Chicken presented generational and economic differences through a queer lens, and how Kabe Koji and My Beautiful Man showed how distorted views of self-worth can drastically harm the people who love us.

Gems are everywhere. We just have to be willing to shuffle through some dirt to find them. Consider Love Syndrome III your dirt, but perhaps a Mame series will be your gem.

#I like my queer media anyway I get it! #I love the variety! #I love a good hate watch too! #history 5: love in the future #past senger #hello stranger #gameboys the series

[wickedsrest-rp]

Name: Alexandra Durand (known as Alex Bennett) Species: Werewolf Occupation: Studying Wildlife Ecology at UMWR Age: 21 Years Old Played By: Han Face Claim: Sadie Sink

TW: Parental Death

“I’d rather bet the black sheep of the family than the big bad wolf.”

Like any kid from a prominent hunter family, it was expected that Alexandra Durand would be holding a knife with ease by the time she was walking and talking. It wasn’t for a lack of trying on her parents’ end that the lessons didn’t seem to stick with Alexandra like they had with her older sister Andrea. Even at a young age, Alexandra could tell this wasn’t a good difference and began compensating to make up for it.

Sure, she couldn’t seem to hear what was coming the same way her family did. Cuts and scrapes seemed to take longer to heal and she just couldn’t relate to that skin-crawling feeling they described in the presence of beasts. But she could pay attention to the hunters around her, learn their tells. Maybe she couldn’t hear someone coming behind them from a block away, but that praise her parents gave when she seemed to notice only because Alexandra picked up on her sister hearing something was enough for her to keep it going.

So, Jean and Marie Durand did what any responsible hunter parents would do and continued Alexandra’s training. This was what led the family deep into the Smoky Mountains on Alexandra’s 7th birthday for a survival training trip. She learned how to make fires and set up camp with her mom while Andrea focused on fighting training with their dad. All was going according to plan until a pack of werewolves who had a vendetta against the Durand parents crashed the trip.

It all happened in a blur and before Alexandra could fully process what was happening, Andrea was whisking her away from the scene as the wolves tore into their parents. If it wasn’t for the aching bite wound in her side, Alexandra would have sworn it was just a dream. Things in the hunter world were never that rose-tinted though; Alexandra’s parents were dead and the sisters were being sent off to France to live with their aunts and cousins.

The whole near month spent in Lyon had left Alexandra particularly reclusive. While she wasn’t old enough to understand much, she knew what a bite from a werewolf meant for non-hunters. But she was a hunter even if she wasn’t a very good one. So she tried to forget about it. Unfortunately, when the next full moon rolled around, there was no fighting Alexandra’s transformation.

Yet again, Andrea was fleeing with her younger sister, not trusting that her aunt wouldn’t try to “take care of the werewolf problem” in a more final way. After riding out the rest of Alexandra’s transformation, Andrea was sneaking them back to the States with stolen credit cards and forged papers with the names Andy and Alex Bennett. They spent the next few years living on the road out of a stolen junkyard car until they finally settled into a town called Wicked’s Rest. There was enough strangeness in the town that a hunter and a werewolf could fly by relatively underneath the radar. 

Eventually, the sisters built their own lives and now Alex remains in Wicked’s Rest with her cousin Kaden. While she still struggles with her hunter upbringing and living as a werewolf, there’s no place quite like this strange town to find a good place to fit in, though there is always the worry that her family’s past may catch up with her.

Character Facts:

Personality: Perceptive, prideful, sensitive, jealous, stubborn, insecure, generous, protective, sociable to an extent

Growing up in a French American family, Alex speaks both English and French fluently. 

Since Andy and Alex spent a good chunk of their life being dirt-poor, Alex has become especially good at shoplifting without getting caught... or at least being able to outrun anyone chasing her if she does get caught. 

Turning into a werewolf came with a big amount of pent-up nervous energy that Alex channels into a variety of sports. She plays on the soccer team at UMWR and is almost always down for a scrimmage match.

Alex’s favorite food is Spaghetti-Os straight from the can. 

While Alex never excelled at the combat aspects of her hunter training, her survival and first aid skills are fine tuned. Because of this, she’s taken an internship at Wicked’s Rest State Park and one day hopes to become a full time park ranger. 

#retired

[itsamenickname]

I see your bowser watches horror and luigi watches romcoms but have you considered luigi who as scared as he was, secretly loved the rush and his sense of bravery during his misadventures against boo? luigi who is at times looking for that rush and gets it through the safety of a television screen as a horror movie plays? or bowser who loves romcoms because at the end of the day, all he wants is love? he 100% has based some of his kidnapping peach plots off of some romcom he had just watched (and 1000% steals ideas from them when he’s with luigi)! once bowser realizes he has feelings for luigi he’s all like “oh my god i’m in a romcom”

anyways, i think this is my first hc ever for bowuigi (or at least manifested in text) so that’s cool 😎 i got hooked with this ship when i started reading your fic so thank you so much! i’m excited to keep reading your work ❤️

Aww, thank you so much anon! 😊 I feel honored that my story persuaded you to jump onto the Bowuigi train! ❤️(And believe me when I say this: Even though we’re nearing the end of TBTBWTK, I still have a lot of good story ideas I plan to share with you guys.) 😃

And as for your movie idea, I’ll make an add-on to it: As Luigi and Bowser’s relationship blossoms (and watch more movies together), they each notice their partner starting to pick up on a specific thing from the movies. For example (doing a cut here cause this will be a really long post otherwise):

*Luigi and Bowser watching a scene in a horror movie where the main character saids something cool before the big finale* 

Bowser: *widen his eyes while he looks down at Luigi because he remembers hearing that exact same phrase last week* Did you quote a horror movie while we were making out?

Luigi: *turns red as a tomato as he tries so hard to keep his cool* N-no.

*Bowser mischievously smirks because he knows that Luigi’s lying, but doesn’t say anything and instead kisses Luigi’s head.*

And here’s another possible scenario with romcom:

*Bowser realizes that he has feelings for Luigi, but rather than ask Kamek or Kammy for help, he agrees to watch a romcom movie with Luigi so that he can steal the romantic ideas from the movie*

*Two weeks later, Bowser and Luigi have dinner together as they both enjoy the food Bowser cooked for them*

Luigi: *As he looks at the different variety of food, his eyes widen in realization as he looks at Bowser with a smile* Didn’t we watch a romcom two weeks ago where the main character did this exact same thing to his partner?

Bowser: *His heart skips a beat upon realizing he’s been caught in the act, but shakes his head in denial while a light pink blush starts to appear on his face* I don’t know what you’re talking about. 

*Luigi covers his mouth as an attempt to hide a chuckle*

#ask nickname #anon ask #headcanon #mario headcanons #luigi #luigi nintendo #bowser #bowser nintendo #bowuigi #bowser x luigi

[verkja]

Happy STS, Verkja!

Where do you typically begin a WIP? ex: a mood, a scene, a certain character dynamic, etc, or does this differ per project?

Happy STS, Anna! Thanks. :)

It differs by project, definitely. For short stories, whether here or for fanfic exchanges and the like, I usually begin with a prompt or concept (e.g. 'someone gets pushed off a cliff by an avalanche'). The longer stories I tried and failed to write when I was young more often began with a setting and a character or two.

My active WIP began with the characters, and to a lesser extent the dynamics between them. I've been daydreaming about the characters themselves for 9-22 years (some are older than others), running them through different settings and scenarios.

They've had a variety of dynamics and backstories over time, though some elements have remained consistent - Mures is always a dark wizard, Catha always dies heroically and comes back to life, Radomil is always kind of a loner, etc. For the story, I picked from among those dynamics and backgrounds, started writing, and eventually found a plot.

My haven't-yet-started WIP, with Ide and Tsetsig, began with two scenes, each set to a song. The characters developed after that, and I have yet to locate a plot anywhere. :') Currently developing the setting a tad further; it takes place in the same world as my active WIP, but in one specific location which I'll have to figure out in depth.

#sts #ask answer #storyteller saturday #writing

[tobiasdrake]

Having completed Sonic Frontiers, I now feel confident saying that this is the best Sonic game I've played in years and it leaves me very hopeful about the future of the franchise.

I've heard it said that Sonic games typically aim for a 7 and consistently manage to hit their mark, while Frontiers aimed for a 10 and landed at an 8. That sounds about right to me.

Spoilers to follow.

First of all, the PLOT is back. Do you remember when Sonic used to have, like, characters? And continuity? After the failure of '06, Sonic Team basically had a panic attack and fired the ENTIRE CAST. Even Tails barely managed to hang on as a minor character.

That always felt like an overreaction. Yeah, the cast was getting really bloated. Like, we didn't need Shadow and Rouge shoehorned into every game. But you don't fire Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. Those characters are the mainstays.

And we picked up Orbot and Cubot. But. Like. Does anyone really care about Orbot and Cubot? They're really more of a recurring joke than characters. I was honestly surprised by their staying power, especially during a time when all the interesting characters were banned from ever appearing again.

Frontiers welcomes back Tails, Knuckles, and Amy with open arms. And that feels right. Other characters should be able to come and go, but Sonic needs some regulars to have his back.

But it wasn't just a return to form. It honestly feels like moving forward. The characters feel like they're maturing. Sonic and Amy are able to have honest, open conversations about their respective needs, wants, and goals. Knuckles is ready to leave his solitude behind and experience the world. Tails wants to take some time to find himself and his identity outside of being Sonic's pal.

It feels like everyone's growing up. And that's. Amazing.

(Yes, I know Tails already did the "I can be more than Sonic's sidekick" thing back in Sonic Adventure. But that's kinda the point. Whether he's Sonic's sidekick or Sonic's equal partner, he's still defining himself by Sonic. He wants to find out who he is without Sonic.)

Despite his age, even Eggman isn't immune to the "Everyone's growing up" thing, coming out of this with a child that he dearly loves and a new sense of responsibility. And can I just say, Sage is awesome and I hope we keep her.

I mean. Shadow got to die tragically at the end of his game and then abruptly resurrect himself and become a series staple, so there's a precedent for it. And the seed's already been planted in the post-credits scene for Sage to do the same. I look forward to seeing her again.

Speaking of things coming back, I'm pleased to see Super Sonic boss fights set to empowering fight music for maximum catharsis finally make their return. And we got four of them to make up for lost time.

That said, there are places where the gameplay needs improvement. The Portal Levels could use more aesthetic variety rather than reusing the same 3 or 4 zones, and I'm pretty sure I caught them just reusing entire pieces of levels from Sonic Generations a few times. The story tries to cover for this by explaining that the levels are pulled from Sonic's memory, but I dunno. Seems lazy.

But the Portal Levels are short and fast-paced enough that I rarely stopped to notice. Aesthetically samey and occasionally copy/pasted as they were, I had fun with them nonetheless.

What I really didn't like was the Starfall mechanic. After a while, I stopped bothering to fight the big scary boss monsters that spawned on the map because what's the point? If they're just going to respawn in a few minutes then there's not really any point in fighting them.

Would have been better to let you permanently kill them, but have the option to respawn them if you wanted to fight them again. That way the sense of progression is preserved while still making them available for rematches.

In Breath of the Wild, the game they shamelessly stole this mechanic from, the entire game was built from the ground up around a theme of entropy. That's why this mechanic was there: Because even your accomplishments are destined to decay with the passage of time. Nothing is eternal. Nothing truly lasts. All things inevitably decay.

Sonic Frontiers feels like they're just doing it because BOTW did. But Frontiers isn't about entropy. It's about... Well, Frontiers. Exploring and discovering your way through this new place, building shortcuts and paving new paths as you go. Resetting your progress with the minibosses every now and then feels antithetical to the flow of the game.

All in all, it feels like there's a lot to build or improve upon. But it nonetheless feels like the Sonic franchise has finally recovered from the trauma of '06 and is moving in the right direction. I'm excited to see where they go from here.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic frontiers

[rivertalesien]

Saint X is getting 17 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/saint_x/s01/reviews?intcmp=rt-what-to-know_read-critics-reviews

The critics give more detail analysis of what is wrong with the series, etc.

I'm not planning on watching, as it is not my interest. Anyway, from a lot of clips I have seen, ADC's acting seems similar to Alicia Clark, a lot of yelling and wide-eyed shock, I guess you could call acting. Her scenes flirting with men and her bf feels unnatural (maybe it's bias, but I see ADC not the character) not like her older sister's (West Duchovny) which seems typical of a young girl. The only natural thing I've seen was her laughing which seemed genuine. I was hoping more from the series for her, but I feel because it doesn't have satisfying ending according the book, which will reflect on the actors, IMO.

Little sad it isn't better for her imo.

I haven't seen it, so can't speak to any of it, but my gf and I were having this conversation about the writer's strike and all the productions from the last few years (MCU, et al) and how there's been this dearth of variety in productions and how this has affected writing, acting, directing, art in general: aside from very rare productions like Portrait of a Lady on Fire or Everything Everywhere All At Once, there's no point of view out there. No art. Just content.

I feel bad for a lot of actors of her generation: they're required to be models, to sell themselves based on their look alone, to not approach acting as an actor, but as an social asset. A content provider. But what content is there? They represent a "brand" instead of their talent. There's so little sense of *her* or who she is based on these acting choices, likely picked by someone else. When you really don't have an identity in your work, where do you go? Even in interviews, so many of the young performers today just don't even exhibit a personality much less a point of view. It's a play-it-safe approach that caters to the worst things about the business: don't rock the boat or upset anyone or you won't get work. Just look pretty and smile a lot and give the blandest answers to questions. I feel there's more performance in that then there is on-screen.

Take someone like Florence Pugh or even Saoirse Ronan: in interviews and such they have vibrant personalities, assertive, not-your-bitch kind of attitude. You can get a sense of their artistry, why it matters to them and where they're going. You see the full commitment to creating a character and not just adapting to a costume. They're fortunate in not having to sell themselves via Instagram, but that really has to do with the quality of roles they've found and how they approach what they do. They're not models, they're creatively involved.

ADC and too many like her, come across as too passive, show no assertiveness, almost no personality, no point of view as to why they do what they do beyond being glamorous. I don't get a sense of why she does what she does other than to live that Life. Right now there is more media of her from selfies and parties and photo shoots than there is of any acting roles she's done. I think she's capable of good work (Lexa proved that), but it's a flatline right now: nothing to distinguish, stand-out or show up for. The industry just churns out this kind of performer and they're liked, but they go nowhere. Look at her friend, Laura Harrier: BlackKKKlansman showed she could act, but there's no body of work outside of her modeling gigs. Is that a choice or are they just a lucky kind of unlucky?

Idk, maybe she needs new rep, or to spend some time in theater, working out what she really wants to do. How many who got their start as little kids never saw anything else for themselves or have really tried to develop their talent any further than what they've always gotten by on?

We all need challenges in order to grow and frankly, I don't see her putting herself out there for it. Could be her, could be how she's managed, the directors, I don't know. Until she breaks out of that conformity and really learns to develop a character (aside from Lexa, pretty much every role she's had has been a variation on a semi-tragic abuse victim and they're all interchangeable), where is she going?

I mean, where is anyone going at this point? The whole industry is fairly monstrous and needs to be demolished and rebuilt.

Theater is a great place to learn a craft. I don't know how modeling helps actors be better actors. Get on the boards, get weird, loosen up, be willing to put your whole self into it, not just create a cardboard cutout of what you think others want to see. This isn't the actor's fault, it's a systemic issue throughout the industry and everything related to it. Breaking out of it is essential for art to thrive.

From what I've read about Saint X, it sounds like they missed a lot of opportunities to really go big on how fucked up white privilege is and how it brings so much destruction. Was it meant to be satiric? A dark comedy of unhinged personalities and unreliable narrators who live a story-within-a-story? It looks like they took the tv movie-of-the-week approach and didn't explore it further. And that's how so much content is created now: don't push it, just make it look good.

It sucks.

#questions #adc #acting #hollywood #saint x