#which he does want but he also cares abt them

[presidentofthelipglossclub]

i have come up with a new, extremely self indulgent AU for tfrb:

basically what happens is each individual character in tfp accidentally finds out about the rescue bots, whether it's through a ground bridge mishap, an intel scouting mission, even a situation where they get rescued.

this starts out with mostly autobots, because i assume griffin rock is either in autobot territory or a neutral/unclaimed area (or it's off the grid and nobody knows about it) (i think the last one is the funniest), but the decepticons also learn about them eventually.

now. here's where the funny/self indulgent part begins. none of them know anyone else knows. the autobots AND decepticons all assume they're the only one who knows about these bots, and that the team has been trying to live a normal, calm life away from the war.

team prime doesn't know optimus and bumblebee already know, and the decepticons don't know that these guys have connections to the war. and of course, the rescue bots always manage to worm their way into every. single. bot's. spark. all of them individually grow to care about the rescue bots, and independently decide to keep them secret. nobody wants their new friends to get hurt!

anyways shenanigans of course ensue because it's very hard to keep a previously extinct group a secret from all of your friends, and since everybody knows but doesn't know everybody knows it becomes a lot of ridiculous sneaking around and badly lying to everyone.

the rescue bots are SUPER confused by all these bots who keep showing up, but they pretty much just assume that someone spilled their secret and everyone after are all showing up to meet them. eventually i think they would start to figure everything out, but they don't fully comprehend that everyone has been trying to hide them from each other until some big reveal happens.

the way this pans out is probably the end of the war honestly, because again; no one wants these guys to get hurt, physically or emotionally, and if that means having a ceasefire so be it.

#tfrb #rescue bots #transformers rescue bots #transformers aligned #tf aligned continuity #aligned continuity #tfp #transformers prime #i just think it would be funny #in my mind everyone would be trying to internally justify keeping this secret bc all the war bots are kinda out of touch w their feelings #and don't want to admit they're soft for the rescue bots #so it leads to many identity crises #they're all like “oh they could be useful in the future i don't wanna reveal this info to quickly” #or “maybe they can give our side an upper hand and if i spill they could get found and persuaded to the other side” #some specific cases i like to imagine: #shockwave would have a rly hard time trying to logic his way into keeping their secret #he can't admit he wants to help them so he just pretends he wants to experiment on them and study their abilities #which he does want but he also cares abt them #ratchet isn't the softie type so the feelings he has towards the rescue bots really off put him #he also feels bad about not telling optimus but really doesn't want to involve the rescue bots #megatron is completely in denial #he claims to want the rescue bots as a tool to eventually win the war and rebuild cybertron #but he never can bring himself to actually use them #soundwave. just any interaction between the guy who doesn't talk and a team full of the biggest gossips ever. #i love the rescue bots so much and since it's canon that everyone who knows them does as well i've decided they have irresistible charm

[dutybcrne]

The only person who has actually seen Kaeya's right eye after the immediate treatment post-Confrontation is Adelinde. He adamantly refuses to let anyone else see under it, especially those like Jean or Diluc who knew him best. The thought absolutely makes his gut churn. He would do anything to make sure no one catches sight of his eye if he can help it. Anything.

#hc; kaeya #//Adelinde is the only one; because he's the only one he can truly never say no too #//If she wants to check up on how his eye is; he'll only ask they move to a room where they can be alone to do so #//Jean's tried to convince him to let her see it after she got her Vision and realized its healing properties #//He adamantly refused #//Let the healers see it only ONCE; & their reactions made him genuinely consider if he should let them get away with the knowledge of it #//Spun up some tale why his eyes were mismatched & the burns as awful as they were to stave them off #//But from that point on; would NOT let them see it. If anyone was treating his eye; it would be HIM and HIM alone #//Is probably why it didn't heal up as well as it could have under their care. Can still sort of see; but nowhere near as clear as the othe #//Most of the folks who treated him and saw his eye left with Varka. He has lingering paranoia of what they could say abt him to Varka #//He's even snapped at Klee for trying to see; having been playfully trying to steer her away from taking the patch off #//Then just Panicked when he felt the string loosen. he felt so awful afterward; esp with how she'd burst into tears #//Anyone trying to or being perceived as trying to take off the patch WILL get a nasty strike of frostbite #//Which is why it takes a MASSIVE amount of trust to touch even that side of his face #//He esp doesn't want it seen immediately after using Abyssal energy; its influence is VERY noticeable there in particular #//Diluc is the one he'd loathe to see it the most; but not over a grudge; he's worried that in the (High Unlikely) case of him still caring #//That Diluc might blame himself for how the injury resulted. And/or try to 'help' with/talk abt it. And Kae doesn't want that at ALL #//There's also a lingering fear that Luc might in fact say the opposite and allude that Kae DESERVED the scars/affliction #//Which Kae wouldn't contest (nor does he think Luc is cruel enough to); but it Devastate him to hear it nonetheless #//Kae'd rather live in a permanent limbo wondering how Luc would react than actually find out; thanks #//Not even other Khaenri'ahns like Dainsleif are exempt; bc he doesn't want to say his usual cover story for the burns #//Wouldn't be as believable to the likes of them compared to the other Mondstadters

[yeonban]

While thinking about what Tobias would choose if he was ever met with a shinigami (aka deciding between trying to get it attached to him to gain more lifespan when/if it dies vs making it fear him rather than like him so it wouldn't be one-use-only), I realized I never once thought about Tobias dying. nor about what age he'd die at

#muse: tobias. #I'm leaning towards him using fear to get all of the use possible out of that shinigami (F + L to it if it's a shinigami like Sidoh) #bc he's not afraid to die; nor does he particularly care how much longer he has to live; so using them for his gain for an extended #period of time would definitely be the more Tobias answer and most likely the way he'd go abt it if he ever found himself in that situation #HOWEVER... that made me wonder how long Tobias would even live. usually I have a rough idea for each of my muses but for Tobias it's ??? #I can't see him dying young but I also can't see him dying old. but I also can't see him never dying so like ?! AHIDUSADHIASHDAS #I'll keep being haunted by that question til I figure it out but for now ig I'll focus on the other one instead #the only way I can imagine him picking the first over the second approach is if he REALLY needed that lifespan for one reason or another #but thanks to his efforts he's never really in a position to need it? so the only way I can see it going down like that is if #he for some reason wanted the shinigami to give its lifespan to sb else who's dear to Tobias. which is wild to even think about #but IF it were to happen that'd be the condition. and now that I consider it even in that situation he'd still use fear bc it's not HIM #that he'd want it used for; but rather the person in question... (does mental gymnastics at 7 am)

[heyitslapis]

Here's a potentially fun, hypothetical way to describe your OC's personality/moral alignment; Does your OC wear a mask when they're in public? When/where? Why/why not? What do they feel/think about it?

#it isnt actually related but my last post made me think about my oc realizing shes been unknowingly masking for over 7000 years #which through word association made me think of masking for illness/disease prevention which made me think of this #emma (5vr) would mask in public bc its the right thing to do & she thinks humans are pretty fragile as it is #apatite masks bc having lived with humans over time she respects them enough to care abt their health & she thinks its a Cool Guy Look #touri would cause she cares about living creatures/its the right thing to do & humans are fun so she doesnt want to risk hurting them #jay only does bc the others do/tell her to. she doesnt think gems can pass germs bc their bodys are made of light. she doesnt mask if solo #amber thinks gems masking is silly & maybe a bit pointless but she does if asked to/in busy areas #also bc she knows apatite will make fun of her if she doesnt #citrine does bc its the right thing to do. being a quartz he's naturally protective & humans are delicate & he doesnt want to get them sick #emerald q refuses to mask. being a gem she sees no point in it & she'd get defensive/offended if someone asked her to #axinite wouldnt bc shes too good for it & is above the rules. thinks humans should just let nature take its course. only the strong survive #obsidian & goshenite think its dumb & believe that if humans get sick/die its cause theyre weak #the only time goshenite would is if it was more a fashion statement than functional. takes a few cute pics & then discards it #moonstone does bc she makes it look cute & she doesnt want to breath in the humans' germs. she likes the mystery behind it #heliodor will if its required/asked of them but is indignant the whole time. only positive is that they dont have to breath in human filth #oc prompts #tag your oc #my oc tag #my gemsona tag #heyitslapis ocs #steven universe ocs #imagine your oc #controversial topics / masking

[starsandthorn]

read through all of neuvillette's stories on the wiki and. what do you MEAN people were right about him giving furina her vision

#personal stuff #delete later #KIND OF. sort of. #man i love getting vision and celestia lore like AUGH. gnaws on it forever #but yea really interesting to me. neuvillette has the power and authority that the hydro throne had #so he can portion off bits of his power and hand them out in the form of visions like the heavens did #the WORDING is really interesting to me though. like specifically talking about the Heavens and the Seven Archons #like this implies that the Thrones in celestia are responsible for handing out visions instead of the individual gods #which we already knew from ei's voiceline about electro visions not getting handed out. what was up with that btw #CANNOT wait for snezhnaya where we find out what the hell a gnosis actually is and does and why the fatui's collecting them #if they seemingly have no influence on an archon's authority or seat in celestia and only act as a connection to the heavens #like the hydro throne is gone. it's super gone. but the hydro gnosis is still. around. and apparently performing whatever task gnoses do #for arlecchino to still. want it. #also all of the archons being so flippant about their gnoses. do they know they're made from some dead guy's corpse do you think #venti didn't fight back when his was being taken zhongli and nahida traded theirs and ei literally just didn't care #god. REALLY interesting. also the line near the end of his ''vision'' story abt vision holders is so fucking ominous #''and when one so gifted completed their duty...the gift the gods would receive in return would be more abundant still'' #HUH. EXCUSE ME. #like. allogenes as investments for elemental power? is that what we're getting at? #still wondering what the hell happened to vennessa. can we get some information on what ascending to celestia means. please

[micwrs]

rotating akechi in my brain so hard

im afraid to try my hand at actually writing him but oh he is in my head. he's crazy. im crazy. and i would let him take my hand and lead me into the depths of our shared craziness

i diagnose him with bpd and he's in love with yet despises the phantoms

#how can they be so GENUINE #after ALL they have SUFFERED #how can they manage to find happiness with each other after all theyve been through. how can they CARE so deeply for others #others who ultimately dont even MATTER to them. others who are USELESS. #positive emotions make him sick yet he desires to feel them- deep down he truly does #at least i think he does. i think some part of him wants to be able to find that kind of happiness #he just doesnt believe he's able #and also he's so full of hatred and self-sabotage #hes like a self-fulfilling prophecy of misery i think #and i dont think thats something hed be capable of fully getting under control #i think hes doomed himself to misery bcs he refuses to try #i dont think hed have the conviction to make himself better-- which is funny bcs he has insane dedication to literally anything else #think thats part of what makes him have extra complicated feelings abt joker specifically #he keeps trying to push him away and joker refuses and it really ruins the self-destruction when those around you wont let themselves #just be pushed away or do whatever thing u want in order to fulfill that negative prophecy yk #im all over the place my head is just all over goro akechi rn bro #「that’s right everybody. it’s your favorite boy.」 ― out of character

[poorlittlevampire]

ohhhhh the new argenti trailer. nevermind. i MUST have her

#i do not care abt meta at all i only use characters i like so it means nothing to me that her kit apparently sucks lol #also everyone says erudition is the weakest path but its by far my favorite so again idc abt that im pulling argenti #honestly i dont really see the point of following meta for a completely single player game without a single leaderboard for anything #like it literally means nothing if u can do the most possible damage in the game #and black swan's design is not nearly as pretty as i hoped which is why i dont really care if i dont end up getting her lol #it sucks so bad tho bc i look at leaks and aside from her... i dont care or want any upcoming characters LOL #most of them look very boring to me #genshin has that problem now too for me #the designs are just so mehhhhh #anyways thats fine tho bc i can just pull for argenti and then go back into saving for when an eventual character i like does come around #surely i wont hate EVERY design. surely #also im sorry but shes a girl no one will ever be able to make me use he/him for argenti #that is my new girlprince idc idc #ruan mei is very pretty and i like her music theme a lot but i dont care about harmony characters bc i dont like using them. so #also i have too many support characters so i do not need or want more #hanya i think is technically support tecccchhhhnicaaally but i love her so i dont care #sorry guys dont play star rail look at what it does to the human mind... this is sick this is sad

[ringneckedpheasant]

i wouldn’t say that my parents are ““accepting”” of my ““lifestyle”” but it’s been sooo long since my mom has asked me abt having kids and also last time i brought alistair to their house i was constantly referring to my parents as his grandma and grandpa and when i left my dad was like “come back soon alistair :-)” like. he actually enjoys it when i bring him over whereas he’s complained Literally every single time one of my siblings has brought a dog over

#hoping that the word ‘alistair’ is far enough into this post that people will be able to infer that it’s abt the cat #i’d be like ‘alistair go sit with grandpa’ and my dads only response would be to go ‘ksksksk’ like he always does w cats #he’s one of those people who claims to dislike animals but Doesn’t Actually #like their cat now. used to be my cat but i couldn’t take her #with me when i moved out and she hates dogs so she can’t live w me now #she’s also kind of old. if he really didn’t want her around he’d give her to a shelter or [redacted] #but he’s been taking care of this deaf cat for the better part of 7 years #marc.txt #creamsicle warden #*having said that abt dogs though he does Sort of like my sister’s dog #almost said dogs and then remembered that meeka had to be put down this summer 😔 #he just. doesn’t like having them in his house or on his property #and he never wanted to take care of them which I Think is due to being forced to take care of his older brother’s pets #when he got bored with them. at least one of those pets being a puppy that he’d rescued #from the side of the road that then turned out to be a very large dog named Samson #in my uncles defense i think he also went to jail for the attempted bank robbery around this time? so idk how much of it was #just ‘boredom.’ who knows he’s dead now can’t ask him

[perenlop]

man i do not feel like doing my final project for my animal literature class and the reason why makes me feel like a bad person

#so i took this class thinking it was going to be a mix of like animal symbolism and animal rights #as well as how people end up doing animal xenofiction which do or dont play on animal tropes and where they come from #which is interesting to me #but there was only that last thing in like the first thing we read and in some lecture related homework #and pretty much everything else is about whether or not this portrayal of an animal is cruelty for not putting it on the same level #as a person #and ngl a lot of the stuff just sounds like a reach to me like one was like #''omg this man doesnt REALLY care. he FAILS at his analysis of his cat that saw him naked bc he thinks abt what the cat thinks abt clothes #but he doesnt consider how it would LOGICALLY feel he only cares abt HIMSELF'' #and professor also kinda lowkey implied the college students were being derogatory in what we named the campus cat #(literally like a goofy food name bc apparently we dont respect it?) #anyways usually our finals are like ''pick anything we've discussed and narrow down into a thesis'' #but she wants us to ONLY have our papers be about animal cruelty and if like idk the lion king is ethical or not #and i was like ''eh i can do pokemon maybe bc that has interesting things to say about animal and human relations sometimes'' #but her response was like ''ok but how SHOULD we treat animals in that context tho. are they saying animals have to fight? thats weirdddd'' #''are they like saying the creator wants animals to beat each other up are they saying animals inherently hate and fight each other and need #humans to survive? thats kinda weird????'' and im just like. ok the series literally does go into that and its a video game but ok #echoed voice #and i wanna do my final abt symbolism and such in shows that i like but she keeps nitpicking them #and its like she doesnt even want a NEGATIVE portrayal for us to explain why its bad at conveying its message #bc i was like ''hey livestock is used as a dehumanizing thing here and also says something abt how cruel meat factories can be how abt that' #and she was like ''um but if its used to be dehumanizing then theyre implying its bad to compare humans to animals and thats not fair to #to animals'' #like i SORTA see where shes coming from but it feels more exhausting than anything

[dutybcrne]

Thinkings thinkings of Fatui!Kaeya have been reawakened in reviewing Arle's teasers/animations

#☆ ┆ ( .ooc. ); #//Whether it's Dad!Pierro or not; I do love the idea of him being left in the care of the Fatui/House of Hearth #//Tho timelines considered; he prolly would be in Pierro's personal care while Arle goes through her Traumatic Matricide Experience #//Doubt the man would want to leave him out of his sight; Khaenri'ahn/Alberich ties considered #//Or maybe he was raised/trained to fight under Signora. Or even for Columbina (her namesake's ties to Pierro's; considered) #//Tho also do LOVE the idea of Kae and Taru growin up together in the Fatui ranks and being the disastrous + shy boi duo #//Tho Kae'd prolly have less to hide/fear with them when it comes to his heritage. The strictness he'd be raised with though... #//Eh; Taru could bring him out of his shell even still jdbgfkf. If anyone can; he deffo could. His little wintry sunshine #//So maybe he'd grow into his peacock self a little more naturally; even if perhaps still out of necessity/for ease of his missions #//Less of a facade to hide his grief/missing pieces tho; more like the way Taru is charming & goofy to lower people's guards #//Still has his little habit of testing people deffo is Much worse and much more sadistic when it comes down to it #//Particularly towards fellow Fatui who disrespect him or their comrades; or just someone he ends up disliking in general #//Does 'test' new comrades; but is more willing to step in & help them if need be. Wants UTMOST trust; determination & loyalty in his men #//So will only ever take those who push to complete the mission at all costs; even themselves/willingly ask him for help when they need it #//Dislikes those who run; & LOATHES cowards who abandon comrades to save themselves; he WILL deliberately make sure they don't make it back #//Still employs his intel gathering methods as normal verse; but has preying mantis tendencies when it comes down to it nbcfjgf #//ESP if they try to take advantage of/blackmail him in some way. Or worse; those who betray him. He is meticulous & VERY ruthless abt it #//His signature is decapitation & an unmelting (Abyssal energy-laced) ice shard through the heart; around which he'd carve a stylized one #//If those informants keep being useful to him; they are safe; and treated so lovingly by him; spoiled rotten with gifts & favors aplenty #//Once they lose their usefulness...well; regrettably he cannot leave any loose ends. These become frozen as statues for him to keep #//'Precious mementos of lovers & conspirators'; he'd call them. He'd keep them in his private home in Snezhnaya #v; glacialis pavonis (fatui!kaeya) #//If he had to have a Harbinger title/name (maybe bumped up for when Scara erases himself); he'd prolly be l'Innamorato #//Fitting of his methods (is also the remaining role of Commedia dell'arte lololol). He is saccharine sweet; pretty & deadly as a belladonn #//Deffo would have tango-based motifs rather than waltz; would favor frost-laced roses. Might even leave those with his victims too #//Can you tell I listened to Rondo Across Countless Kalpas as I wrote this up jhbfjgkfhf #hc; kaeya #//I mean yeah lol. I have so many more thinkings abt this verse aaAAAA #//Am torn if I want his to use a Cryo Delusion; or have him with Cryo Vision and an Anemo Delusion. Do like that for Cryo Swirls #//Then his rage/scorn could be likened to a Blizzard. Do like that image. Deffo favors his Abyssal powers more tho; maybe THAT'd be better

[dimiclaudeblaigan]

im doing one for shinon too bc he deserves it

shinon radiant dawn vc: my mom never hugged me

shinon path of radiance and radiant dawn vc: -treats greil like a respectable father and never mentions his own father literally ever-

shinon radiant dawn death quote: (smiling portrait) “Ugh... This is...such a crock... What a... boring way to die... Co... Commander... Greil... I... I... I'm...” (is he implying “I’m coming to see you again”, based on the quote and smiling portrait?)

#DCB Comments #shinon is one of those characters where the fandom focuses on one single negative trait #and they blow it up completely and pretend it's the only trait he ever has had and ever will have #meanwhile there's a gold mine of information you can figure out just by reading his lines and thinking about why he acts like that #like the whole want for money to live well when they're clearly not super well off mercenaries #or when he takes weapons from dead enemies and gets scolded for it but like can they even afford new weapons regularly? #the way he acts implies he grew up poor and has always been poor and STILL IS but he's there bc he cares about greil #and eventually came to care about everyone else and cares a lot about kids which they had rolf who rly respected shinon #he does what he can to help them raise money when they need it but fact is they always need it #in his quote versus oscar in chapter 18 oscar asks him if promotion is so important and he says it's everything #he clearly has no ill will toward oscar but for shinon getting promoted and getting money in that promotion will help him live well #he's tired of being fucking poor. he doesn't see an issue with wanting to live like you know a normal person should #but ofc everyone sees that he argued with janaff in two supports (which btw janaff egged on HARD and talked shit abt greil #and he also used racist rhetoric back at shinon so like... that whole argument was a two way street #but the fandom ignores that and just calls shinon racist even tho in their A support shinon specifically catches himself #from using a racist term and changes the term he uses so he's not being rude bc he learned he was wrong abt laguz through janaff #and janaff learned he was wrong about beorc through shinon. it was a very development heavy support chain for both of them #the fandom hates on shinon for ''being racist'' even tho he's one of the few non-main characters to actually get full development #and has a complete story from beginning to end between both games and comes out better for it) #i mean that's only a couple examples of things that aren't even hard to read into but ppl like to reduce him to one trait #and one trait that actually gets better and develops through both games. oh no a flawed character who has to have a development journey AAAA #guess what he's perfect specifically bc he's not a boring already perfect and flawless character #he has to get angry and get annoyed and learn from others despite being a grown adult. he has to have negative interactions to grow #he doesn't get to cling to the ADORED main character and get a gay paired ending and be loved for it #which no offense to soren that's not his fault that's the fandom's fault for treating them both the way they do for stupid reasons #i.e. would soren rly be so loved by the fandom if he wasn't tunnel visioned at ike #yes i will take forever to write this out slowly with my injured arm JUST TO GET THIS POINT ACROSS! #HE IS A FANTASTIC CHARACTER EVEN WITHIN THE TELLIUS CAST AND I WILL FIGHT FOR HIM11!!111!!!1! #also i wrote this earlier between those asks no im not that speedy lel. much less with a bandaged arm l e l

[dbphantom]

When ur just scrolling tumblr killing time until u gotta check on ur food and u suddenly fix a huge plot hole in ur fic that also allows u to keep in a part u initially cut

#YIPPIE #WE'RE GOING BACK TO ANGELGARD BOYS!!!!! #Cruddy rambles #H2O au #Totally unrelated to the previous post... #I see people talking about mermaids and black out and reblog the post #No but think about it in the old au leviathan created merppl to guard angelgard 4 the gods. In this one she creates them out of jealousy #But. We can still have. ONE guard angelgard during the 10 year night :) #It fixes the issues I had with the original repayment (not being able to change back) bc what benefit does that really hold for her #But this!!! It's an actual thing he can be/should be doing!! #We also have the actual og payment that she rescinds bc she gets blackmailed into giving Iggy's memories back #And also she gets threatened by the other gods abt it #She is. A bit of a bitch when things don't go her way. But that's why I love her sm. She keeps things interesting. #Her: Hm yeah you see you care Too Much. He would've been fine but now you've hurt yourself. You care too much. Let's fix that. #Ignis immediately: ... you want me to kill this? You want me to stab and kill until he bleeds?? #Leviathan: what the FUCK!! NO!!!! #(for context she takes away his memories of Noct so he's just some guy to him. To avoid ignis hurting himself again. Bc she's selfish... #But she forgot to compensate for how ruthless Ignis can be when he wants something. Which is funny. Bc he's just like her.) #So anyway they blackmail her into getting Ignis's memories back. So she made him guard Angelgard for 10 years instead. #Boom. Nailed it. Also god the pc kingsglaive are going to be SO god damn confused. Can't wait for that.

[arolesbianism]

Yet another beautiful day to have the Maxwel tag blocked (can't see half of the posts in the Wendy tags)

#rat rambles #starve posting #maxwell posters have lost any semblance of tolerance from me ages ago Ive yet to meet a maxwell fan who's just like a normal person #and to clarify I actually do like maxwel as I am the number one just some asshole whos in too deep enjoyer #but dear god are ppl just absolutely incapable of being normal abt this man and everyone around him #and even beyond that ppl just do not get this man like please he is indeed interesting but not because of some 'retconed redemption' #like pls we can live in a world where he is not an irridemable monster and is in fact just some guy while also still being a flawed person #like the fact that he is so deeply flawed in ways that he never actually properly adressed and challenged is the interesting thing to me #like look at me. he went through horrible shit he didnt deserve. that didnt inherently make him a better or worse person #it just made him a more miserable person #and he didnt escape because of some change of heart or character development #and afterwards he teamed up with wilson because of necessity #I do think on some level he genuinely cares abt the other survivors and he does have genuine regret for how things turned out #but again those things dont inherently mean he moved past the flaws that got him here it just means he has the ability to recognize that #shit sucks and that he wish none of it happened #its why encore is one of my favorite animations from a character perspective because it shows some juicy charlie and maxwell stuff #mainly it shows both that charlie has not forgiven his ass and is manipulating him and that maxwell is still susceptible to it #which isnt a sigh of them rolling back development it's just a sign that maxwell is easy to manipulate with the right cards #which adds up considering his past and his present very well in my opinion #this is a man whos historically always ran away from his problems and is always on the hunt for a sense of control #and charlie tapped into both that and his ever present guilt #its in fact very unsurprising and not out of place for him to fall for that sort of manipulation #and it also makes for a great set up for the inevitable betrayal from charlie as maxwell is hit by the harsh reality of his situation #and that whole situation would lead to some yummy tasty parallels when charlie inevitably gets betrayed herself (I hope) #the ways charlie and maxwel are so similar yet so different facinates me deeply I love how much charlie doesnt realize shes kinda fucked #I want her to be betrayed so hard and left in the dust with no ground to stand on I want the rug pulled out from under her feet #her composition comes from her confidence in the necessity of her actions and the moral superiority she feels over maxwell #so having her sense of superiority be revoked would make for a super fascinating dynamic as she tries to justify the situation in her head #I wanna see her siral and then maybe change her pronouns idk

[unproduciblesmackdown]

also like does winston have to deal with his algorithm's failure being blamed for the mess at mpc. does he have access to it to see that someone clearly like added in various [NOT] edits (also....doesn't seem like a guarantee anyone else would Get to access the code beyond like an on/off switch or other "front end" kind of adjustments? but). i guess either way it's not like this Extra thing they asked from him was ever even meant to be his Main Thing, as discussed (though now again wondering about the details, if mpc was supposed to get his best shit, if this was an adjustment To it rather than a kind of extension added without having to alter that main event? i don't think billions cares either way. and he presumably could just make something new)....and, again, does axe global retain some contract with him? which winston has no reason to Want to be the case? a typical battle between whether everyone forgets he exists or else their contempt and eagerness to use him to affirm their own superiority means making sure to hold on to him Just Because of that, not even the value, which was never enough to offer him more in the first place or try to keep him from quitting

meanwhile, once again basically every time taylor makes a move towards more autonomy / doing their own thing, winston has a crucial role. coding solo for them in a basement which gave them the investors / Billions they needed to start tmc, making & backing the project that led to the c standing for carbon, now that his algorithm had this key role in the move that ultimately landed them Billions again, personally this time, & tmf (cassandraed! via: taylor mason fucks) but it's just that this time it was taken from him and fucked with, though already the "no credit" part was underway after his role in the mase carb shift translated to all of "for no reason other than wendy's ableism moments, we're Only considering firing You. here's your new best personal bully friend who is instantly & forever preferred personally & professionally" like yeah thanks. billions at least letting us know he got single digits millions for it but like, sorry did anyone start a secret fund stash for winston? seems unlikely, even though spyros the [universally hated guy even beyond winston] and sole prince loyalist here who was actively trying to thwart the sabotage, gets a share just fine, don't even worry about it. all this and how dubious it is billions was trying to be at all "nice" by having winston quit (and then be treated like that in a plotline that only existed so wags could have fun and We could have fun in that too!) when it's like "oh of course he can't just Be Here" like sure whatever. he should get to be away from there but i'm not sure billions is on the same page as to Why when a correct character informs us that actually rian was always being Too Nice by telling winston "shut the fuck up forever r word" whenever he breathed instead of at least keeping it to herself forever instead; don't think we're given room to suppose rian has reflected on this when she chooses to leave after her ""friendship"" with winston did fuckall for her Not helping hurt him even when he's entirely somewhere else & she supposedly cares At All. so even negative attention is supposedly "nicer" than being ignored (it isn't) and yet winston gets to just Not be mentioned, show up, speak, be spoken of....best thing for Someone Like Winston being if he may as well not exist but maybe his coding output just manifests in the hands of people who deserve to benefit from it

#winston billions #like wouldn't put it past billions to want him to be Worse Off somehow. not like they didn't already do that #plus ofc he too can just find shit to do outside finance entirely but billions Also didn't bother having him talk abt such things ever #e.g. let him talk about interests; aspirations....could do scienceish stuff one supposes. only b/c of earlier scifi interest moments #just ofc also great that If So it's a situation of him being pushed out / sabotaged / taken from #guy prince ran over with his car while getting his start asf situation for sure.... #truly just Something that rian can assert she cares / taylor can contextualize that rian's being Nicer than she should be #after nothing but particular bullying and abuse from her towards winston. ''nicer'' than ignoring him....which she also does; so! #and not a lot of room to give billions benefit of the doubt in questioning whether winston simply Deserves this #if he wasn't inferior then he'd stop being autistic and he'd look like a central man (not paul giamatti apparently though. textually) #as usual the most i'll give them is trying to have their cake and eat it too but probably not even that #i.e. incontrivertibly treating winston Worse than other characters b/c he's inferior #but one supposes they could say ''oohh but ofc we don't SAY that's okay....INTERESTING you'd think it MIGHT be....'' #which would be bullshit anyways lmao. hence the cake having & eating too #they do; also; for all intents and purposes convey that winston being treated thusly is neutral to More deserving; should be rewarded.... #whilest his eternal sabotaging & punishment is [he brings it upon himself & that does make it okay] #also ofc not like taylor would've made the billions without the secret fund; which winston was not involved with....but you know #still a key role. gotta be in the episode recap and everything. but didn't Get to be in the episode. lol lmao and rofl