#and that scene's... apparently just never coming
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Can you make a blurb for dad!max verstappen where reader always catching him and their newborn baby (boy or girl) cuddling and max playing with them and talking to them he spends all his time with them
a/n: hi sweetheart! thank you for your request, i hope i’ve done it just! 💗
dad!max verstappen x reader (requested)
You had always known Max Verstappen would be a great father, but seeing him with your newborn made your heart swell with even more love and admiration than you ever thought possible. Since the moment you brought your baby girl, Sophia, home from the hospital, Max had been completely smitten. He spent every waking moment with her, and even when he should have been resting, you would often find him sneaking into her nursery to check on her.
One night, you stirred from your sleep, noticing Max’s absence from the bed. You smiled softly, already knowing where he was. Quietly, you slipped out of bed and made your way to the nursery. The soft glow of the nightlight illuminated the room, casting a gentle light over Max and Sophia. Max was seated in the rocking chair, cradling your tiny daughter against his chest. He was speaking to her in a low, soothing voice, his Dutch accent coming through in a melody that seemed to calm her.
“You know, Sophia,” he murmured, “one day, you’re going to be able to watch me race. I’ll teach you everything about cars and speed. But for now, I just want you to be happy and healthy.” He paused to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, a smile playing on his lips. “I promise I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
You leaned against the doorframe, your heart swelling at the tender scene before you. Max had always been passionate and driven, but this side of him was something you cherished deeply. The way he looked at Sophia, the way he held her as if she was the most precious thing in the world—it made you fall in love with him all over again.
Max looked up and noticed you standing there. A smile spread across his face as he beckoned you over. “She’s perfect, isn’t she?” he whispered, his eyes filled with adoration.
You nodded, sitting on the edge of the rocking chair and resting your head on his shoulder. “She really is,” you replied softly. “And you’re an amazing father, Max. She’s so lucky to have you.”
He chuckled quietly. “I’m the lucky one. I never thought I could love someone this much.” He looked down at Sophia, who was now fast asleep in his arms. “I can’t stop thinking about all the things we’ll do together. I want to be there for every moment, every milestone.”
You reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from Max’s forehead. “And you will be. We’ll do it all together.”
Days turned into weeks, and Max’s bond with Sophia only grew stronger. You often found him in the nursery, playing with her and talking to her as if she could understand every word. One afternoon, you walked into the living room to find Max lying on the floor, his head propped up on one hand as he watched Sophia kick her tiny legs in the air. He was making silly faces and noises, drawing giggles from your baby girl.
“Look who’s here, Sophia!” Max said, glancing up at you with a wide grin. “Mama’s here to join the fun.”
You laughed, sitting down beside them on the floor. “What are you two up to?”
“Just having some quality father-daughter time,” Max replied, his eyes twinkling with joy. He reached out and took your hand, pulling you closer. “She’s been telling me all about her dreams. Apparently, she dreams of milk and cuddles.”
You shook your head, laughing softly. “Sounds like she’s living the dream, then.”
Max scooted closer, wrapping his arm around you and pulling you into his embrace. “We’re all living the dream,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Having you and Sophia in my life… it’s more than I ever imagined.”
As the months went by, Max’s dedication to his family never wavered. He balanced his racing career with fatherhood seamlessly, making sure he was there for every feeding, every nap, and every bedtime story. You often caught him sneaking into the nursery in the middle of the night, just to check on Sophia and whisper sweet words to her.
One evening, after a long day of racing and media obligations, Max came home exhausted. But the moment he saw Sophia, his tiredness melted away. He scooped her up into his arms, holding her close as he swayed gently back and forth.
“Papa missed you so much today,” he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. “I thought about you all day, little one. You and Mama are always on my mind.”
You watched from the doorway, your heart overflowing with love. Max’s commitment to your family was unwavering, and you knew that no matter where his career took him, he would always put you and Sophia first.
As the years went by, Max continued to be the most devoted father and partner. He never missed a moment, always finding time to be there for Sophia and you. And every time you saw him with your daughter, your love for him grew even stronger. Max Verstappen was not only a champion on the track but also a champion in your hearts—a loving father and partner who cherished every moment with his family.
#formula one imagine#f1 imagine#formula 1#formula one x reader#max verstappen#f1 x reader#max verstappen x reader#max verstappen imagine#f1 fanfic
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The Glass House [Yandere Mahito x Reader]
Title: The Glass House [Yandere Mahito x Reader]
Synopsis: You get your period and Mahito wants to run a few tests.
Word count: 3465
notes: yandere, consensual relationship, reader is on their period, mentions of other people's torture and death, humiliation relating to period, Mahito being Mahito is his own warning
It’s not often that Mahito bothers with your bathroom. Only, in the past, when you’ve been in it--naked and wet and usually mid-shower, as he apparently finds it entertaining to see what noises you make each time he surprises you.
(Once, after comparing him to the killer in Psycho, he’d demanded to then watch the film. ‘But I didn’t stab you and you didn’t bleed chocolate syrup,’ he’d said, simply, after the scene in question.)
Today, though, he’s decided that there must be something interesting in there, because he’s spent the better part of 5 minutes rummaging--you can hear the sound of items being moved--in the closet and, judging by the sound of rustling, he’s now fiddling with the trash can.
“Hey,” he says, finally sauntering out of the bathroom. When you turn to greet him, a sarcastic remark about having fun digging through the trash on your lips, your heart stutters.
In return, Mahito simply blinks at you.
“What’s this?” He asks, dangling one of your used pads from his hand.
The smear of dried blood in the center of the white pad feels accusatory, out of its proper context in the trash can. A bit of toilet paper sticks to the end of it, remnants of the ball you created to cover up your mess.
“Oh fuck,” you say, reflexively. “Put that down! That’s--it’s--”
“It’s blood,” he says, giving the pad a sniff. “Smells funny though. Why’s it in your bathroom? Why’s it on this thing? When did you get hurt? Why were you hiding it in the trash?” The questions come simply, nearly rapid-fire. He probably says them as he thinks them.
Your cheeks burn something awful by the end of his questions, and your answer comes out half-stuttered. “It’s--I didn’t get hurt. I’m on my period.”
One of his fingers is stuck to the bottom of the pad, and he peels it off deftly, holding it closer as you wish you could snatch it from his hands and forget this ever happened.
“Oh,” is what he says, eventually, with a quiet hint of curiosity. “I guess I’m lucky then. I’ve been wanting to study human menstruation for a while now.”
The word study sticks to your chest, but you aren’t able to peel it away so easily. You don’t want him to study you; don’t want to be under his scrutiny in such an obvious way. It’s easier to pretend he knows about people, about humanity, when you’re firmly playing at something closer to a normal relationship.
As if anything about this was normal.
“Can’t you study one of your… experiments?”
Experiments. Oh, what a simple, inoffensive word for what they really are--you shake that thought away as easily as a mosquito, though it never truly leaves the room.
At this, Mahito’s eyebrows raise, and the edge of a smile tickles his lips.
“Oh,” he coos. “That’s awfully selfish to say, even for you.”
He closes the distance between the two of you now, and you don’t bother resisting when he gives your chest a poke--thankfully with the hand not currently holding your used pad--and encourages you to sit back down on the sofa.
“I want to see.” Simple and clear, like most of the things he says to you. His directness with you is something that does make him stand apart from most people. If he wanted attention, he told you so; if he wanted to be left alone, the same. There weren’t mind games with him or--or hell, if there were mind games, you were too stupid to notice them and that was just fine with you, because the alternatives of your past relationships had been far worse.
“Why?” You ask, if only to delay the inevitable.
Mahito shakes the pad on his hand, smiling a little at the way it sticks, before he peels it off and sets it on the coffee table. He sighs. “Movies never show it. They always show the woman eating ice cream or screaming at her boyfriend or cuddling with pillows, but they never show what’s actually happening down there.”
You squirm without moving.
“It’s just blood.” Your tone stays flat, uninterested. If he thinks it’s boring, he might move on. “Nothing special about that.”
Mahito’s smile reminds you of an eel.
“Then show me.”
It’s not a request that you can parry off, so you don’t bother; instead, you spread your legs, pulling up your skirt so that Mahito won’t do it himself. You might just lose the garment entirely, if it was left up to him.
Mahito claps, then crouches down in front of you, getting far too close to your pad-clad underwear for comfort. He takes a sniff and you’d like to die on the spot.
He gives the pad a poke.
“Why do you put this in there? What’s it called again?”
You close your legs a little--instinct--and he holds them open for you. It’s easier that way, you think. Easier when he takes control and you don’t have to fight your instincts.
“It’s a pad,” you force out. “I put it there to absorb the blood.”
He tilts his head. “Why?”
Your nose wrinkles at the question. “So it doesn’t get on my clothes or everything I sit on.” A ghost of a memory pushes through your brain--blood stains on school bus seats and church pews--and you force it down.
Mahito tilts his head, and you think he’s about to ask what you’re thinking about, but instead he sighs and rests his head against the edge of your thigh.
“Humans are so squeamish.” His fingers reach up and climb up your leg, dancing on your inner thighs, towards the pad. You twitch--it tickles--and he smiles. “Does everyone use pads?”
“No,” you say, as he grips the top of your underwear and begins to slide them down. You do move, now, but not to oppose him. It would be pointless. Instead you hike yourself up a little, so that your bare privates aren’t touching the couch. “Some people use tampons,” you finish, as if you’re not sitting here, hunched on your sofa, while a curse pulls down your underwear to get a look at what’s underneath.
Mahito glances up at you. He wants you to elaborate.
“A tampon is like a cotton stick, I guess? You put it up--there--and it absorbs like a pad. But from the inside.”
“Oh!” The edge of Mahito’s fingers play with the pad on your underwear. “I guess some of my experiments have been on their period, then. I wondered what those were.” He pouts, just a bit. “Maybe that’s why some of my experiments haven’t been working out right. I wasn’t taking menstruation into account.”
The thought has your stomach roiling. But you don’t want to talk about it. Don’t want to think about it--what Mahito does, when he’s not here, and how what he does is just as much a part of him as the moments when he’s snuggling with you in your apartment or fucking you into your mattress.
When you look back at him, he’s grinning.
“You’re squeamish, too. About my work.” He presses a kiss to the inside of your knee. “Don’t worry. It’s cute on you.”
With that, he gives up all pretense, and peels the pad away from your underwear in one swift motion.
“What are you doing?” You ask, even though you know the answer.
“Keeping it.” He sets it next to the already used pad. In contrast, the pad he’s just peeled away still has mostly brighter red blood on it, rather than the dull, brown old blood from the bathroom trash can. “I want to see how long it takes for you to bleed through your underwear. And some more things,” he adds, casually.
Oh, you think. This is too far, too weird. It’s puncturing the bubble you’ve created around you and Mahito in a way you don’t like.
“Mahito, I am not--”
In an instant, his eyes are on you. It’s a look that says, “You are,” and your lips feel like they clamp shut without hesitation. Something low climbs into your stomach and takes root there. When your shoulders slump, defeated, he pats your knee in appreciation.
“We’ll have a slumber party this week,” he tells you, voice getting more giddy as he goes on. “For three days? Four? However long you bleed.” He stands up and begins to survey your apartment, but for what you don’t yet know. “I can get a lot of experiments done in four days.”
You don’t have the heart--or the stomach--to deny him.
--
When you were thirteen, you once got your period in the middle of class. You didn’t know it until you leaned forward in your desk to get a closer look at what the teacher wrote on the blackboard--your needed glasses at the time, and didn’t yet know it--and one of the boys behind you let out a distinct tween boy guffaw, snickering just loud enough for everyone to hear: “Dude, that’s fucking nasty.”
And then you’d felt it--wetness clinging to the inside of your black pants. And you’d scooted back, looked between your legs, and there it was: a smear of red on the dull grey chair.
You were too embarrassed to do anything but sit back down, cheeks so hot that you began to sweat, and listened as everyone behind you began murmuring about your period. You had wanted to die for almost two weeks, and for the rest of your school career, you wore a sweater around your waist just in case you started without warning.
That incident, as life-defining as it had been, was not as embarrassing as what you’re going through right now.
“Mahito,” you mumble, voice thick from your tightened throat. “Is this really necessary?”
Mahito, seated at a folding table he’s hauled into the living room, glances up at you. You, naked as the day you were born and perched awkwardly on top of a porcelain bowl that Mahito had shoved underneath you.
“Which part? The bowl or you being naked?”
“Both,” you blurt helplessly.
Mahito smiles. It’s such a pretty, awful little smile. “The bowl is,” he admits. His eyes leer over your body, awkward as it must look right now. “I just like to look at you.”
God help you, you feel flattered; the warm flush in your skin tingles with the new emotion. Mahito’s praises never failed to make you feel like that, even in the midst of something like this.
Mahito abandons the table and squats in front of the sofa, peering in between your spread thighs at the bowl underneath. You squirm, and he smacks the inside of your thigh sharply. You stop moving.
“I thought it would come out faster.” His tone is soft, low. Detached to everything but mild curiosity. Like a child studying an insect in a chair. “But it’s more… oozing than anything.”
“Don’t call it oozing,” you say.
Before he can answer, a timer resting on the folding table dings delightfully. Mahito doesn’t waste time and yanks the bowl out from underneath you, leaving you to land flat on the sofa with your bare ass.
“’Hito!” You whine. “It’ll stain!” Thoughts of having to get the smeary blood out of your couch override the desire to keep your whining to a minimum, lest Mahito get annoyed with you. But, you think, it doesn’t matter much now. He’s not even paying attention.
Instead, he whisks the bowl over to the table and places it on the scale to weigh.
He sighs out something like disappointment. “It’s not that much blood at all, really. I don’t know why women complain about it so much in movies.”
He wasn’t paying attention to your whining earlier, but he does hear your incredulous intake of breath at his words. He glances back at you, confusion written on his face.
“What? It really isn’t. Now, when someone loses a limb, that’s real blood loss. And it spurts out, instead of oozing.” He nods, affirming his thoughts to himself. “That would be something to complain about.”
“It’s not just the blood,” you say, half absent. Your mind drifts to when and where and how Mahito might see someone lose an arm. Did he cut it off? Or another curse? Did the blood droplets spray over his face? Did the person die right away or--
While you were lost in thought, Mahito left his post at the table and returned to crouch in front of you, now sitting flat on the sofa despite the inevitable stains.
“Go on,” he says simply, all the while pushing your thighs apart with his hands. There’s a bit of blood smeared on the inside of your thighs and he leans forward to give it a lick. The awful feeling nesting in your stomach bristles.
“Don’t.”
Mahito blinks up at you. “I want to,” is all he says, before he does it again.
The look he gives you--Will you try to stop me?--is met with you dropping your chin, just in time to see him smile. He gives another lick. “Tell me what else makes you complain when you’re on your period.”
You think about the sneering boys behind you at school, the way one of them tapped you on your shoulder and said, voice full of glorified condescension, “Aren’t you even wearing a pad? That’s nasty.”
Instead, you rest your hands on your naked stomach and murmur out the answers Mahito wants to hear.
“Cramps.” You swallow, forcing yourself to taste the ghost of your milkshake from lunch this afternoon and not the bile that wants to come up. “From the um, uterus contracting. It can hurt really bad.”
One of the girls in the class discretely handed you a pad, but your embarrassment had been so awful that you pretended not to see her, even when she waved it in front of you. “What a bitch,” she’d murmured to a friend afterward.
“Back pain,” you continue, voice cracking. “And you can get tired. You want to eat but can’t… or you don’t want to eat at all, sometimes. It’s just… a lot of stuff.”
Your body jolts when Mahito puts his hands on your stomach--he wouldn’t transfigure you, he’s said that, and you remember his words well. But it doesn’t stop you from imagining.
“Is that why women get angry when they menstruate?” The mild glare you give him is met with the most innocent of expressions. “What? It’s what all the movies say. Though the man usually gets hit with something after he says it.” He smiles, as if daring you to hit him. You don’t.
Instead, you keep talking. Maybe it’s a way to ground yourself. Maybe you just want to talk to fill the space where dead, disfigured women, corpses created at Mahito’s whim, exist.
“Your hormones can fluctuate.” You smile a little at the forced nostalgia. “Sometimes I get really upset over dumb things. Especially when I was younger. One time, I sobbed because my mom said she was going to get fast food for dinner and she changed her mind.”
Mahito rests his elbows on your thighs, digging into them harshly. His hair tickles your skin, and you wonder, idly, if he’ll get your blood on the silver strands.
“Do you want to cry now?” He asks, almost sweetly. “I wouldn’t mind.”
Do you want to cry? No. You might, though, if things keep going the way they are. So you dig your teeth into your lip and shake your head.
“No. This is just… embarrassing, I guess.” To be naked. To be bleeding. To have Mahito sitting there, your blood on his tongue.
Mahito quirks his head, then scoots back to pry your thighs farther apart so he can get a better view of your bleeding privates.
“I don’t see why humans get so embarrassed about their bodies. It seems silly.” He rests his chin on his elbow for a moment, hums, then hoists himself up and returns to the table where he’s got a few used pads and the bowl still lined up.
“Mahito?” You ask, while he’s tinkering with his findings. “Can I put my clothes on now. And a pad?”
“No,” he answers, voice light, without even looking behind him. “I need to put this inside you first.”
You do move to get up off the couch now, a pang of fear shooting through your stomach, but you stop when he turns around with a wrapped tampon held aloft. Where did he get it--the thought flickers, and turns into something more pressing: Why does he have it?
But you know the answer, don’t you?
“I don’t use tampons.” A useless thing to say, but you say it anyway.
He simply blinks at you, and crouches back down in front of you, parting your thighs like air.
“They’re uncomfortable,” you try, louder.
This time, he stops moving, and a little bit of hope flickers through you just long enough for him to furrow his eyebrows.
“But when I make my penis, it’s much bigger than this, and you don’t say it’s uncomfortable.”
Your mouth opens to answer, and your tongue sticks to the inside. It’s stupid to argue with him when he’s got his mind set on something. So you don’t.
When you don’t continue to complain, he nods, then unwraps the tampon and skims the back of the wrapper. At least he’s reading the damn instructions, you think, in the instant before he awkwardly shoves the tampon inside you--too rough and hard, and you whimper as it pinches in an entirely awful way.
Mahito’s lips quirk. He checks the back of the wrapper again, tsks at himself, and pulls it out. This time, the insertion is less chaotic. It’s still sore, but no longer painful. Just… uncomfortable.
“Aw.” He pats your thigh. “You did great. Let me start the timer!” He jumps up, hair swinging as he rushes to begin the timer for whatever phase of the experiment he’s on.
“Can I put some clothes on now?” Though you’re no longer hoping to avoid staining your sofa, it wouldn’t be awful to be a little less vulnerable in the moment.
Mahito taps his chin with his thumb, considering. Then he shakes his head. “I want you naked. But we can cuddle on your bed for this part, so you don’t get crabby!”
There’s no time to voice a complaint or offense; he hoists you up, some of the blood that had smeared against your bottom rubbing off on his arm as he carries you into the bedroom. He doesn’t seem to mind; he simply plops you on the bed--fuck, your comforter--and hops on to wrap himself around you.
Silence stretches around you, even as he wraps his arms tighter and presses his nose against your neck.
“Are… we done after this?” You venture to ask, quiet and tired.
Mahito talks into your neck, cold breath--is it even breath?--ghosting your skin. “Oh, no. I have lots of things I’d like to find out this week.” You can feel his smile pressing into you. “You’re being very helpful, you know.”
“I am?”
Mahito hums against you, and sniffs your hair. His answer is so light and sweet, the contrast makes you feel a bit sick.
“Earlier, I’d considered just grabbing someone to experiment on instead, but since you’re being so sweet about everything, I figured I’d just use you instead.”
The dread in your stomach puffs up, its sodden hairs standing on end.
“So you saved me from having to find at least one woman to test my questions on. Maybe two,” he adds, voice still light. “Doesn’t that feel nice?”
“Nice?” You ask, voice hollow.
Mahito presses a smooch to your neck. “Don’t most people feel nice when they do a good deed?”
A good deed, to stand in for women who might have otherwise died horribly. For women who would have spent their time not thinking about humiliating childhood period experiences but their families--their partners, their children, if they had them.
A good deed to snuggle with Mahito, while miles away, someone was begging for death from underneath a mass of twisted flesh.
“I guess.” Your voice cracks, but it doesn’t bother him. You suppose a lot of things don’t bother Mahito and so often, you try not to let them bother you.
He sighs against you, and presses his hands lightly where you’d laid them earlier to indicate your cramps. His fingers dully stroke against the spot, and you wonder what it would feel like for his fingers on you not to bring mild comfort and the growing tingle of affection--but terror and pain and fear.
You wonder, too, if Mahito ever thinks the same thing.
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SSR Deuce Spade - Platinum Jacket Vignette
[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]
Deuce: This museum really has a ton of paintings. Not that I really know how to act in quiet places like this…
Deuce: Oh, but I can't use that as an excuse. I'll have to be a good supporter for the museum, just like any honor student would!
???: Is this dome… a teapot cover? Why would the Card Soldiers be carrying tea?
Deuce: Huh, you don't know, Sebek? Cool, then I'll tell you about it.
Deuce: This painting shows a scene of a trial from one of the Queen of Hearts' legends…
Deuce: And those Card Soldiers aren't actually carrying tea, but a witness for the case: a tiny mouse!
Sebek: Hmph, what's with that smug look? Well, fine, never thought there'd be a day that you'd have something to teach me, I suppose.
Deuce: Heheh. I'm a supporter for the museum, so it makes sense that I can explain something like that.
Deuce: Since I'm a student of Heartslabyul, I made sure to study extra hard all the tales related to the Queen of Hearts or her Card Soldiers.
Sebek: Is that so? Still, did it require two of them to transport a single small mouse?
Deuce: According to the story, it was a crucial witness, so they wanted to make sure it got to the Queen safely.
Deuce: Ah, that reminds me… We had something similar to this painting go down at Heartslabyul just the other day.
Deuce: Though, it wasn't a witness that was getting brought in…
Sebek: What, was there some lout breaking the Queen of Hearts' laws?
Deuce: Yeah. There was this one student who'd been breaking the rules over and over again, and he was finally being brought before Rosehearts-ryōchō for a stern reprimand…
Deuce: When the two guys tasked with hauling him in came to bring him to the Housewarden, that rule-breaker ran.
Sebek: Why do you even have people tasked with hauling others in…? You folk in Heartslabyul have far too many strange duties and rules!
Sebek: But that transgressor is also a coward, fearing reprimand and fleeing without taking responsibility for their actions.
Deuce: Right? He made his bed, he's gotta lie in it.
Sebek: Judging by your manner of speech there, am I right to assume that you helped to secure that transgressor?
Deuce: Yeah. I ran after the guy and caught him in a flash.
Deuce: Not like I've been training my legs or working on quick, explosive power in my sprints while in the Track and Field Club for nothing!
Sebek: Oho, so you captured them. And what were those two that were supposed to have brought him in doing?
Deuce: The guys on duty were apparently so shocked when the rule-breaker ran away that they couldn't move quick enough.
Deuce: But once I brought him back to them, they firmly took hold of him on both sides and brought him to the Housewarden, though.
Sebek: I see. So perhaps the reason why it isn't considered overkill to have two people on duty for such a thing is in case something unexpected occurs.
Deuce: Maybe…? I guess so.
Deuce: Ah, but listen to this. After he finished reprimanding the rule-breaker, Rosehearts-ryōchō praised me for a job well done.
Deuce: "Not only did you capture the transgressor without a moment's delay, but you showed good judgement in allowing the students on duty to do their job as assigned," he said!
Sebek: True, normally you'd do something brash like bringing that offending student directly to Riddle-senpai after capturing him.
Sebek: An unusually calm and mature judgement, coming from you.
Deuce: Hey, nothing "unusual" about it! It's not strange that I was able to think that through.
Deuce: Because, I'm on my way to becoming an honor student!
[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]
Sebek: Oh, this painting… It looks as though it's based on the legend that speaking a wish into a well would make it come true.
Deuce: Yeah, so if you make a wish into a well, it sends your voice back out. I remember that well, 'cause I always thought that was odd.
Sebek: It's merely an echo. What is so odd about that?
Deuce: Huh, an echo?
Sebek: You didn't even know that? I'm speaking of the phenomenon in which sound bounces off of water or walls and is reflected back.
Deuce: Huh… Oh, so is that the same sort of thing as when sounds reverberate in a tunnel?
Sebek: That's right, as tunnels are also primed for echoes.
Deuce: Oh, okay… That actually brings back memories.
Deuce: Whenever I'd be riding through long tunnels, I'd put the pedal to the metal and rev it up so loud.
Sebek: You'd rev what? Are you talking about some kind of music?
Deuce: No, no. I'm talking about a blastcycle, not any instruments or whatever.
Deuce: The engine can make different sounds based on the body of the blastcycle, or even from the way it's ridden.
Deuce: It can make heavy thumping sounds, or low, rolling sounds…
Deuce: And it can be really fun to change up my driving style just to hear those different sounds.
Deuce: Whenever I ended up alongside another driver who knew how to make their own engine sing,
Deuce: It was easy to just end up competing to see who could make their engine rev louder.
Sebek: And what is so fun about that? It just seems to be a cacophony of noise, based on what you're saying.
Deuce: YOU DON'T GET IT AT ALL! It's great because I can feel it to my core.
Deuce: And, it feels sooooo amazing to feel the vibration of the engine echoing off the tunnel walls!
Deuce: AND PICKING UP SPEED IS THE BEST PART!
Deuce: The faster I go, the higher the pitch of the engine…the more that sound echoes in the tunnels…
Deuce: By the end of it all, the only sound I can hear is the blastcycle engine… I just can't get enough of that feeling!
Sebek: Shh, Deuce. You're being too loud, lower your voice. You're going to bother everyone else trying to enjoy the silence.
Deuce: Ah, sorry… Actually, kinda feels weird to get told by you of all people to lower my voice.
Sebek: Why is that? I don’t raise my voice like that unnecessarily.
Deuce: Eh… You seriously saying that right now?
Sebek: Obviously. At any rate, I don't really understand what you were saying about those blastcycles, but…
Sebek: You shouldn't cause a ruckus while riding, unlike what you did just now.
Deuce: Well, obviously I try to ride so I don't bother others on the road… At least, now I do…
[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]
Deuce: Oh hey, it's the Lord of the Underworld. I like how brave he looks flying through the sky in this painting.
Deuce: And on top of it all… He's way too cool, rushing to the front lines like that to save his captured comrades!
Sebek: Right. The Lord of the Underworld must have been a truly capable fellow, able to take on even the most difficult missions by himself.
Sebek: One would require proper deliberation and competency to achieve positive results.
Deuce: Urgh… That hits a sore spot…
Sebek: A sore spot…? Ah, you are talking about what happened last week.
Sebek: I remember seeing you, Grim, [Yuu]… and Ace, if I recall. It was while I was heading back from flight class.
Sebek: All four of you were standing like idiots in the hallway, being scolded by Trein-sensei.
Deuce: URGH!!!! You saw that!?
Deuce: I-I didn't plan on it ending with us getting in trouble! It wasn't supposed to end like that…
Sebek: I'm sure it is a ridiculous story… But why not, I'll listen to whatever excuses you come up with.
Deuce: At the start of History of Magic class, Trein-sensei told [Yuu] to read out loud a passage from the textbook.
Deuce: But that page was completely ruined by drool, since Grim fell asleep on it the night before, so it was impossible to read.
Deuce: So, I raised my hand, offering to read it instead.
Sebek: So why did that end up with you all being sent out to the hallway?
Deuce: …I forg… …xtboo…
Sebek: I can't hear you, speak up.
Deuce: I… I'M SAYING I FORGOT THE NECESSARY TEXTBOOK!!!!
Sebek: So you tried to step up, even though you didn't have the textbook… You're a fool who has gone beyond help.
Deuce: Ace was saying something like that, too. Both him and Grim were laughing at me for that.
Deuce: Even though it was really Grim's fault in the first place!!
Deuce: [Yuu] even pointed that out to them, but they wouldn't stop, so…
Deuce: We ended up arguing… Which then got us sent out into the hallway before long to deal with the consequences of our actions.
Sebek: So that's why you were in the hallway. However, I don't understand. Why did you do such an unnecessary thing?
Sebek: Even if Grim or [Yuu] were to be reprimanded, that has nothing to do with you.
Deuce: Nothing to do with me? Come on, there's no way I can let my friends flounder like that.
Deuce: I mean, Grim aside… [Yuu]'s helped me out a ton before, so.
Sebek: Hmph. Then I guess at the very least, next time you should act after you've determined whether you have your textbook or not.
[Sebek walks off]
Deuce: YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME TWICE!
Deuce: Geez, and he walks off after one last parting shot, huh… Ugh. Guess I'll try to shake off this funk by checking out some of the other exhibits.
Deuce: Oh, this is a painting of a girl singing with flowers. She looks like she's having fun, but according to the story…
Deuce: If I remember correctly, she was described as vulgar, rude, and weedy...
Deuce: Doesn't matter where you are, or who you are, everyone has to follow the rules. Not a shocker to me that those who can't follow 'em end up in sticky situations.
Requested by @farfalla049.
#twisted wonderland#twst#deuce spade#sebek zigvolt#twst deuce#twst sebek#twst translation#twst birthday#mention: riddle#mention: ace#mention: grim#mention: yuu#mention: trein
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A/N: hsj2bde2iqrb only two chapters left hello??? FIRST and last BATTLE GUYS YAY! Tbh it was a little worrying writing this one so ty to @cashmoneyyysstuff and @ peachsukii for helping me out 😭 Here's the masterlist!
Warning(s): Warning(s): Cursing, reader is the daughter of Aizawa, Shinso and Eri are biological siblings, reader is 20 years old, reader befriends Kaminari and Sero, Reader uses "Cattus" as her alias, reader's nicknames are Cactus, Cattus and Cat, fight scene between you and unnamed fighters, really BAD depictions of a fight scene, reader's down bad LMAO, war, reader gets hurt, blood, reader wears a bra, bad war descriptions lol what do you expect from me, reader is AFAB and female, bakugou finds out 😀👍
Pairing(s): Bakugou Katsuki x Reader
It’s been six months since you left home for the army, training vigorously and diligently- refining your skills under Bakugou’s guidance.
He’s respected you a lot more since the tualia surprisingly but refuses to speak to you unless absolutely necessary- pretty much avoiding you entirely.
Your spar partner was Moss Bear, whose name you learned was Genken Rui.
He was married, and had a 7-year-old son at home, named Daki. Apparently Genken met your father through a similar camp when he was your age, except back then, he was training like you.
He told you stories about how reserved your father was until he met Genken, along with two others, men named Hizashi and Oboro.
You knew Hizashi- the eccentric blonde always seemed to ooze positive energy, and especially took joy in annoying your father like a sibling would- usually coming to steal an article or clothing, or even just to have a meal with the four of you.
Oboro, however, was a more delicate matter. Your father never talked about him, but one day when Hizashi had drunkenly stumbled to your home, he had told you everything. Oboro was a close friend of your father’s, and he had lost his life in the past war against the neighboring kingdom of Phomal, and according to Hizashi, your father blamed himself for his friend’s death.
You and Genken bonded a lot over those months, but you also bonded with Denki and Hanta too.
Ironically, they started calling you ‘Cat’, as a nickname for technically a nickname for another nickname- which to you was very confusing, but amusing, nonetheless.
You considered them your brothers, just like Shinso and Eri- though it hurt that they would never know the real you.
Would they still like you if they did?
You weren’t sure- but it didn’t matter- Y/N wouldn’t exist for a while.
Eventually, your troop finally receives a message from the crown, sending you to the Chira Forest- which was by the border of both Inimicus and Bellorant- where you planned to set an ambush.
Each soldier packed up their tents along with rations, quickly stowing them in the hay wagon you had used- but this time, travel was done on horse.
At least for Bakugou, Genken and Fern Bat.
The rest of the troop was forced to walk on foot, painstakingly through the cold, maintaining position and form.
Snow started to fall, landing on your eyelashes and more irritatingly in your eyes, which made it hard to see, but thankfully Bakugou had chosen to pick steeds with ebony coats, so you could still see them.
Shivering beside you was Hanta, Denki unfortunately was put in the back of the formation, separating the three of you.
“Ugh- why are we doing this anyway.” he groans, adjusting his armor straps.
“You know why Hanta- this battle will hopefully turn the tides in our favor if we can get control of the border through the forest. It’ll give us discreet access to the Inimicans which’ll help when we invade the capital.”
Hanta rolls his eyes playfully. “Okay Mr. Genius- looks like someone’s been paying attention to Captain Bakugou.”
You feel your face heat up and resist the urge to punch the ravenette in the arm but restrain yourself.
“You on the other hand, continue to mope about your nonexistent girlfriend back home.” you retort, cracking a smile.
Hanta huffs indignantly, and opens his mouth to disagree, only to hear Bakugou’s booming voice over the whipping wind and snow.
“WE’LL STOP HERE FOR TONIGHT! SET UP YER SHIT AND GET SOME DAMN SLEEP!” he roars, speaking louder to be heard over the snow.
You can’t help but snort at his vulgarity, knowing that behavior like this was unbefitting of a war captain, but his talent made up for it.
Setting up camp was easier than it was the first time you did, Hanta, Denki and you working in tandem, knowing exactly what to do without discussing it beforehand.
After eating a “hearty” meal of rations, you go to bed, but you can’t sleep.
Anxiousness twists in your stomach, knowing that you were about to fight. In a war. This was what the past 6 months of your life were leading up to- and you were going to put your skills to use.
Thinking about your father, and Oboro, you feel a pang in your heart. What if you lost Denki or Sero? Or even Bakugou? And what if you couldn’t save them?
There was no way you would be able to sleep now.
Slipping out of your tent, you make it down to a relatively secluded spot not far from camp. You sit down on the snow, ignoring the cold that stings your legs, leaning against a tall Hinoki tree.
Exhaling softly, you let your eyes travel, gazing at the stars.
You’re not sure how long you sat like that, allowing your aching feet to dwindle down into a light throb, with the company of nothing but the sky and everything in it, before you hear a voice.
“Oi. What’re ya doin’ out so late huh?”
You jump, recognizing the voice immediately, scrambling to your feet as quickly as possible.
“I-I uh sorry uh sir!” you stutter, embarrassed from being caught. “I promise I-”
Bakugou sighs loudly, cutting you off. “Don’t worry, m’not gonna chew ya out. Everyone’s gotta get out ta clear their minds sometimes. Sit down, I’ll letcha be.”
You sit but call out to him. “No, stay.”
He blinks in confusion, but obliges, his hulking form almost dwarfing you in a way that’s comical, sitting down next to you and joins you in your stargazing.
“Why are you ignoring me?” you blurt out, after sitting 5 minutes in silence.
Bakugou frowns, and you can feel any walls that you may have unearthed already closing up.
“Hah? The fuck do I gotta talk ta ya about?” he asks accusatorily, and just like that, you were beneath him again.
You feel frustration bubble up in you again. You did not throw away your life and spend six months of your life in a military camp to be treated as the dirt beneath your feet.
“With all due respect sir, I don’t deserve to be treated like I’m not worth more than some rookie who doesn’t know what he’s doing!” you snap. “You know better than anyone that I have been working hard and I happen to know what I’m doing!”
Bakugou’s scowl deepens, red eyes flashing violently “Ya haven’t been doin’ shit. Yer just another weak ass extra who needs ta know their fuckin’ place. We. Are. Not. Equals.” He grits out, keeping his voice low so as not to wake up the others, but the message is sent across the same.
“In case ya haven’t noticed, I’m the fuckin captain here. And for damn good reason.” He growls, staring down at you with those piercing vermillion eyes.
“Ya think yer so talented huh? Have ya had ta see someone die? Millions of people dying- endless bloodshed, have ya seen that?” he snaps, and you flinch.
You knew that joining the war wasn’t going to be easy. But just the thought of seeing so much death around you was enough to make bile rise to your throat.
“S’what I fuckin thought.” he scoffs, and turns around to leave. “Yer just as weak as the rest of em.”
You feel your heart snap in two at his words. All your hard work...for this? It didn’t help that the irrational part of you wanted to get closer to him- no thanks to whatever stupid crush you harbored for the abrasive blond.
You feel the tears slip down your cheeks, crying for the first time since you left your home. You had made friends, sure, but you didn’t want to be here right now. You wished everything could go back to the way it used to, witty banter with Hitoshi, gently teasing Eri, even times when your father ruffled your hair to annoy you.
You thought about what your family would say once you came back home. They would be disappointed that you left them, infuriated that you drugged them, and would probably never talk to you again. Your friends wouldn’t trust you, saying that they didn’t know if you were still you anymore.
But in all honesty, you weren’t.
You had changed over the past few months; the gentle soul you used to be was still there, but the fiery personality you kept behind lock and key was showing through more now.
And you didn’t hate it.
Furiously wiping at your tears, you storm back to your tent.
What did he know about what you deserved?! Your worth, your value, your talent – why did he get to determine how important you were?!
You knew this- and yet it still stung.
But why? Why did your heart feel so...broken?
It was because you cared.
You knew he wasn’t always this obnoxious and uncaring asshole, you saw how much he cared for your troop, even if he didn’t show it.
Yelling at you to eat your rations, pushing you as hard as you could
, but still making sure you took breaks on occasion – he wasn’t all that bad.
The only person he neglected to show that side of him to was you.
And it irritated you to no end.
Slipping back inside your tent, you fall asleep, awaiting the rest of your journey that was to come.
***
It took about a week to get to the border.
Your feet were significantly sore- you're pretty sure you’d be suffering permanent damage from days of constant walking in freezing temperatures, but as Genken said “Mother Earth doesn’t have favorites.” You knew that this upcoming ambush would be a turning point in the war- and your troop needed to execute it, no matter the weather.
Setting up camp just outside the woods, Captain Bakugou allows the troop for rest for a bit, before you began your trek into enemy territory.
Once you were rested, Bakugou commanded you into formation, and into the Chira Forest you went.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The pounding of your heart was almost deafening, every tiny noise you heard set alarms off in your mind.
Subconciously, you feel your thumb and index rub against each other – retreat. Some feeling in your gut told you that something was going to go wrong. You weren’t sure why, growing up in Bellorant always gave you a sense of confidence living in the Kingdom of Victory. But at that moment, something just felt...off.
You were split up, each soldier spread out amongst the trees, but still close enough to be in earshot in case something went wrong.
Whoosh.
A blur whips past you in your periphery, and you stop, alert. What was that?
Shit.
They had found you.
Drawing your sword, you race after the blur you saw, yelling out to your fellow soldier to alert them of the ambush failure.
You find the man you were chasing soon enough, though he was dressed in black he sported the Inimican emblem over his heart. Your training kicks in, thrusting and parrying like your life depended on it.
Your eyes latched on to an opening and your body reciprocated - his left leg unguarded and you slash at it and watch as he falls, hitting his head against a sharp rock wedged in the ground.
Blood splatters everywhere, and you stare in shock, sick to your stomach.
You just killed a man.
He might’ve had a family to take care of, just like you.
But you can’t dwell on that, especially now.
You hear a yell in your earshot, sprinting and weaving through the thick foliage to find Hanta fending off three Inimican soldiers at once.
You draw your sword- still coated with the blood of the previous man, and together you and Hanta take down the three soldier.
“Fuck thanks Cat. Bastards would’ve skewered me if you didn’t step in. They don’t exactly train for you for this sorta stuff.” he chuckles nervously.
You wince at the thought. “Don’t talk like that Hanta, we need to-”
You see another blur pass by in your periphery, off to go hunt them down until you realized who they were going after.
Bakugou.
Your body acted without you realizing, running until the blonde man came into view, pushing him out of the way. Images flash before your eyes- Bakugou's limp body on the floor, red blood comingling with the green grass below your feet. You think about what Genken said about your father and Oboro. Your captain wasn’t going to die on your watch.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
“Watch out!” you cry, shoving Bakugou out of the way, only for the assailant’s sword to slash through your side.
Fuck.
Pain erupts through your side, and you cry out in pain, only for the enemy to slam you into the ground, the force combined with the blood loss forcing you to lose consciousness.
At least you didn’t have to watch anyone die, right?
In your final moments, you thought about your family, in a world where they waved at you as you left home to embark on the journey that brought you to where you were now.
Though the energy saps out of your body, your mind is roaring, and one thought is heard above the rest.
Are you proud of me, dad?
***
You feel...warm?
Is this what death feels like?
Stretching out your limbs, you feel cold pricking your legs.
‘Nope, not death’. You grumble mentally, retracting your legs into the comfort of your blankets.
You had a pounding headache, and your body hurt like hell. Finally opening your eyes, you find yourself in a tent, by yourself.
You were still in your armor, hard metal poking you in your sides, the bandages you had on previously made it hard to breathe, and so peeling of the bloodied clothes that belonged to your brother, and start to unwind your bandages, sighing in relief once more oxygen filled your lungs.
Thankfully, your bra was mostly intact, so you left it on. Allowing yourself to sink into the comfort of the blankets again, your fuzzy mind tries to remember what led you to where you were now.
You almost died.
Your eyes widen at the revelation, gingerly fingering the bloody gash that now adorned your abdomen, hissing in pain as sticky red liquid coats your fingertips.
Suddenly, the entrance to your tent is opened, to reveal a familiar red eyed blonde.
“Hey, I-” he starts, voice unnaturally soft, only for his voice to cut off completely as he stares at you in shock.
You stare back at him frozen, realizing that he just saw you sitting there in your bra- firstly embarrassed that anyone had seen you in that state, but with the dawning revelation that rocked you to the core like ice.
He found out.
Taglist: @andysdrafts @starieq @nemisimp @missa-archdevilme @coquettefoxxy
@032loe @icedemon1314 @fta1ask4 @iam-thevillain-of-thisstory @cuppalevi
@touyasprettydoll @slayfics @yeehawgiddyup13 @notjustanotherextra @frvv
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@bkgrl @satoruyes @eyesforbkg @juicyfingers @aejabba
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@yannvi @liluvtojineteyam @ah-mya @surprisemodafakas
@kksmush @sagejin @cax-per @kit-katsukii
#katsuki bakugo#bakugou#bakugo katsuki x reader#bakugo#bakugo headcanons#bakugo fluff#bakugo katuski#bakugo x reader#bakugo x you#bakugou drabble#bakugou fluff#bakugou katsuki x reader#bakugou katsuki#bakugou katuski x reader#bakugou x reader#bakugou x y/n#bakugou x you#bnha bakugo katsuki#bnha bakugou#katsuki bakugo x reader#katsuki bakugou x reader#mha bakugo x reader#mha bakugou#katsuki x reader#bakugo katsuki#katsuki bakugou#katsuki bakugo mha#my hero academia#mha#bnha
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Ngl, the whole "Shoot All The Bad Guys" thing with Jason and mini Bruce is cathartic, but can't help thinking of the consequences.
One of the arguments that surface following a real life cop shooting someone is that trigger happy cops make things riskier even for other cops - that, once people know any encounter might end in death, they will start shooting first instead of considering giving up.
The Gotham situation changing like that with Red Hood involved.
Till then, you know you can surrender. The Bats don't kill. If you're a regular minion, when Bats attack, you know you always have the option of just dropping your weapon and letting them take you.
But Red Hood kills. And the kid he has with him is even more insane.
Sure, Jay only kills the ones he's sure deserves it, but how are the regular people supposed to know that for sure? Or trust it?
Surrender is no longer an option. If you want to survive, you have to kill him and the kid first. They never used to shoot to kill against Robins, not when they're this little, but now it's their only option to survive.
And criminals are likely to take far more risks to escape Red Hood than they do with the Bats. Maybe a random pickpocket or someone seeing Red Hood or Mockingjay and running into the traffic or leaping off a roof in terror...
We haven’t seen much about how Jason runs his crime empire in AoM yet! So while he definitely picks up killing the bad people again, he doesn’t do it for fun or indiscriminately. It’s very apparent for anybody who cares to look for it that only the big players get methodically removed from the playing field.
During a shootout he doesn’t actively go for killing everyone involved, he’s just looking to end it fast and come out on top. The casualties do increase in these situations, obviously, but Jason sure as hell isn’t going to shoot someone who actively surrenders to be taken into custody. (Unless they’re on his hit list for whatever reason).
And we also need to keep in mind that while some criminals may feel uncomfortable fighting against a child, most probably wouldn’t care and even try to use their superior size and strength to their advantage. It’s Gotham, after all. Most of them wouldn’t hesitate to kill either Robin or Mockingjay, or worse.
Moreover, Jason is still operating as a crime lord. Right now he’s an anti hero at best, a villain at worst. His only concern is to keep mini Bruce safe and clean up Crime Alley, with the added bonus of pissing off the batfam.
But rest assured we’ll definitely get to see some GCPD interaction in the future, and other scenes that will depict the impact Red Hood and his sidekick have on Gotham at large :)
#antithesis of magic#the antithesis of Magic#mockingjay#jason todd#red hood#antirobin#Bruce Wayne#batfamily#batfam
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Hacks Episode 3x09 Thoughts
Okay, so back during S2, I wrote up my thoughts about each pair of Hacks episodes as they dropped – partially for sharing but largely as an archive for myself of my own thoughts/feelings to revisit when I watched the episodes later to see how they held up, how it compared to watch them serially vs. as a whole season, etc. Anyway, I was incredibly stressed out and busy for much of this season (after over a year of that being the key set of words to describe my life), but I wanted to throw out my thoughts about the finale before they grow too stale! And maybe I’ll come back and revisit the prior episodes in posts later when I have the time (hopefully in just a couple short weeks!) to enjoy them properly
As always, disjointed bulleted lists are the name of the game, going from the big picture to the detailed:
Overall, this felt like a very solid episode in the vein of season 1 in many ways! It brought us back to the interpersonal as the primary ground of conflict after many episodes (here and in S2) of the new hour, the special, and the Late Night host gig quest being our main plot drivers (which, at many times, made for weaker storytelling for reasons that exceed the scope of this post!). In particular, I felt like this episode hit its stride around the halfway point, and never really faltered after that in impressive ways!
That being said, I had two somewhat significant critiques of the finale (both of which reflect larger trends about strands of the show that continue to leave me a little disappointed)
We should have seen Marcus' conversation with Deborah about the new job. Period. I'll get into what could have been cut in my second critique, but even if there weren't weak spots in the episode, I still would have been deeply disappointed in the show for this oversight, especially since they apparently filmed it. Although Hacks is clearly a show with a leading duo, it once had a core ensemble, but S2 saw them moved more and more to B-plots and bit roles, and now S3 has seen many of the characters we know and love eliminated almost entirely--a point that's particularly galling given that it's almost entirely characters of color (many of them canonically queer) who have been cut in favor of new white characters. Moreover, this scene would have been SO IMPORTANT - I could have seen it going 2 ways: a) Marcus quits after the convo where Deborah tells Ava she's willing to lose her, and Deborah has a reaction that is so utterly outsized because it's the terror of losing the person she's had with her the longest now compounded with the reality setting in that she's also driven away the woman who gave her new life when she most needed it; or b) Marcus shows up to quit, and Deborah immediately launches into a rant about Ava's leaving, which puts Marcus in the awkward spot of adding to that at a pivotal moment in the career of the woman he's spent much of his adult life with or giving up something he needs to do for himself; it could have been a lovely callback to S1 when he shows up with his whole speech prepared but then accepts the promotion without ever telling Deborah how he feels - only this time Marcus would have changed so much, and he'd have the opportunity to showcase that growth by insisting that he needs to do this for him. So many lost opportunities...
re what could have been cut because imo it did NOT work: Kathy Vance's return. Now, I love Hacks in large part because it insists on the complexity of its characters. No one is purely the victim or the hero of the story, and Deborah's "click" moment showcased that better than anything. AND YET the writing here did not work. Back in the Christmas ep, I messaged a friend saying I was glad that they brought Kathy back but seemed not to ask us to side with her - after all, she comes crashing back into Deborah's life, doesn't take ownership over her actions and in fact insists she was in the right because it only happened a few times, because Deborah wasn't sleeping with him (very "you weren't playing with it, so it's mine now" little sister energy that is deeply unappealing in a grown ass adult), and because they were the "better couple" which is, I'm sorry, NEVER the fucking thing to tell someone whose marriage and life you destroyed. I joked then that I'd take back my compliments if her role in the finale suggested that actually we should be on Kathy's side here. And lo and behold... What's a real bummer is that there were ways to do this better! Because you can have sympathy for an imperfect character--this show is a testament to that fact!--but not like this. We as an audience have no reason to side with Kathy when she insists that Deborah will be worse than ever and berates her for cutting their weekend short. Instead, we see a woman with a large sense of entitlement she's done nothing to earn and directorial choices that don't make it a smooth transition. But what could have been lovely is, for instance, treating the Christmas and finale reunions as these deflationary moments of anticipation and disappointment because they are, after this many decades, essentially strangers to one another. Had we seen two women who longed for the deep affective ties of their childhood relationship only to be confronted with the cold hard fact of their estrangement from one anther, it would have been so much more powerful. And here you could ACTUALLY garner sympathy (some) for Kathy by having it be this moment of "I lost my sister" partially through her own actions "to Late Night once, and now, right when I have a chance to try to build something with her again, I feel like I'm going to lose her again before I can even really try to do right by her this go around." THAT could have worked. This was just too much time on something that did almost nothing in the grand scheme of the plot (because we didn't have the emotional connection to feel it as another compounding loss for Deborah in an episode where Ava's "and you're going to die alone" could have landed with even more force)
Okay so it turns out this is getting hella fucking long, so some shorter praise and giddy feelings things:
I LOVE how often Ava got to say the things we've all been squeeing about for years during this episode - especially that the material is good because of their relationship, not the other way around; their dynamic is not incidental to the work, and that's so important to me personally.
I had guessed that Ava would be offered head writer and quit her current job, only to have it taken away because Deborah was too scared to rock the boat, but I did NOT see the end coming! In fact, I kind of thought Ava might end up suing Deborah for intellectual property theft (using material Ava wrote outside of her contractual appointment for the new show because, surprise surprise, the writers who sucked when she was a guest still suck now compared to Ava!) In fact, I sort of thought that end scene might end up being a return to the car scene, and was relishing the thought of Ava's mimicking Deb's "It'll be fun, honey." But the blackmail as a form of love/devotion was soooo much better. Truly chef's kiss.
Also the way this rewrote the S2 finale even as the underlying message remained the same is so special to me - I'll stay with you even when it's bad for me (sacrificing my career -> sacrificing my morals) because it's good for you and more importantly it's good for us and the work. JPL know how to write a finale, and I'd give up a kidney to have that same energy be there throughout a whole season again (not that the eps are bad, but they lack some of the sharpness in writing and emotional depth that JPL do so well with finales and also often with the first couple eps of a season too)
Lastly JPL going on the record that Deborah was turned on by that final scene + Ava's "I would, wouldn't you?" and "Let's begin" - truly some of the hottest TV. We're so back babyyy. No more half naked superheroes with all the eroticism of a desk chair. Give me messy women determined to fling themselves into the air because they know the thrill is worth everything good and safe they're leaving behind, even if they hit the ground with no parachute!
I have many, many thoughts about S3 and what's to come, but I'll save them for another post because phewww this got long as fuck
#hacks hbo#hacks season 3 finale#hacks 3x09#deborah vance#ava daniels#my thoughts#this has not been proofread ill get around to it later lmao#my meta
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The Butterfly Effect
Chapter 2
Hey everyone! I’m glad that you liked that first chapter! I’ve tried to add everyone who asked on my last post to my taglist, if you are interested in being added comment below, and let me know if it works or not. The updates will be pretty random depending on my work schedule but I’ll try to get them out once they’re written as I’m having fun writing again!
I hope you guys enjoy!
Trigger warnings: power imbalance, manipulation, Mean Aemond (like mean mean), and blackmailing (he threatens her job)
Dividers are from @firefly-graphics (all of their work is amazingggggg)
You spent the rest of that night tossing and turning in your small bed remembering what had happened. Gods you were so stupid. You never did know when to stop talking when your anger got the better of you.
At least the family was more preoccupied with Aemond’s outburst which caused a scene so soon after the death of Vaemond Velaryon.
As the sunrise peeked through the curtains you dreaded leaving your bed, but followed the lead of your roommates and started to prepare for the day. You found yourself falling into the easy routine that you had established since starting at the Red Keep.
After a long stretch you hastily made your bed, tightly tucking the sheets into the frame before tending to your hair. It had been awhile since you had worn your hair down as it was considered improper for a servant so you had found multiple braided updos that fit your hair. With each twist of your hair you mentally took stock of what the day would bring as if it were a checklist. Hair and cap done? Check. Uniform on? Check. Apron pressed and clean? Check.
When you were satisfied with your appearance, you and your roommates: Daelia and Wendelyn made the short walk to the Red Keep together. Although you enjoyed their presence you wouldn’t exactly call the two girls your friends. Daelia was prone to petty gossip and would alway have a rumor to spread whenever you talked to her. Wendelyn; however, was the opposite. She detested idle chatter and kept mostly to herself when at home. You supposed you were somewhere in between the two.
“I heard that Princess Rhaenyra only wedded Daemon because he impregnated her before their wedding.” Daelia whispered into your ear as the three of you entered the Keep and headed towards the kitchens.
“Did you hear it from Mushroom?” You asked dryly, referring to the fool that ran around court with wildly fabricated stories.
“Well-“ Daelia stuttered. “He is close to the Princess-“
You groaned heavily as she spoke. “Daelia what you speak of could get you killed. And besides Mushroom isn’t exactly a trustworthy source. We’ve talked about this.”
Wendelyn nodded sagely as you spoke but added nothing to the conversation.
“You stupid girl.” You heard some hiss in front of you as you crossed the doorway into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry what?” You asked in disbelief as Naerys stormed over to you.
“She does not look happy.” Wendelyn said softly before patting you back supportively and walking away.
Daelia said nothing before finding the cracked stones very interesting and walking over to check them out.
“You had one job. One duty. To pour the royal family’s wine and not bring attention to yourself.” Naerys grabbed you tightly by your arm and dragged you out of the kitchen.
“But I did!” You said defensively.
“Not well enough apparently.” Naerys shook her head, obviously irritated with you. “Prince Aemond requested you by name to attend to him.”
You froze at her words and felt your face pale.
“Whatever insult you did or offense you committed, apologize. Profusely.” She gripped you tight enough that you felt her fingers through your long sleeves.
“I- I didn’t mean to say… it just came out…” You felt your hands grow clammy as Naerys looked at you deeply.
“Well ensure that no other insults come out.” She slowly released you. “Prince Aemond is currently training with Ser Cole but requested that a bath be ready upon his return. Now go. Perhaps he will tire of you soon enough.”
You nodded quickly, trying not to show your nerves. Out of all of the Targaryens to upset Aemond was not the best choice and you should have known better than to provoke him. You remembered reading about the atrocities he would commit against House Strong all because they shared the same blood as Rhaenyra’s children. Perhaps you could put aside your pride for once and grovel if need be. You bit your lip as you found yourself walking to the laundry rooms to fetch fresh linens and towels.
The smell of soap invaded your senses while you grabbed what was needed. It was impossible to guess his motivations for seeking you out, but you tried to anyway. Maybe he just wanted to humiliate you more for daring to smile at his sister and nephew dancing. But how did he learn your name? Naerys said he knew your name.
The way to his chambers was similar to the one to the dining room as they were in the same wing of the Keep. You struggled to hold the smooth sheets and blankets as you attempted to open the door. The handle clicked slightly as the door swung open revealing an empty room. He must still be training with Cole.
Prince Aemond’s chambers were about what you would expect for a prince. The furniture was opulent with a large four posted bed in the middle of the spacious room. You had never been in a room that belonged to the royal family before so you found yourself gawking at the private balcony and golden detailing that decorated the walls.
Looking around the room you noticed another entrance to what must be the bathroom that you slowly walked towards. Better to get this over with quickly. Perhaps you might not even run into Aemond at all.
His washroom was much smaller than the rest of the rooms, only containing a large brass tub in the middle of the room and some cabinets near the doors that had a woodsy smell.
You were fortunate that others had brought in large buckets of water that already filled the tub. All you needed to do to prepare was light the fire underneath to warm the cold water.
Humming slightly, you opened the nearby cabinet and rummaged around looking for the flint and steel. You missed music. Real music that you knew and grew up with.
“I’ve never heard that song.” A deep voice spoke behind you, causing you to jump and slam your hand into the drawer.
“Fuck!” You grabbed your throbbing hand and shook it slightly as you turned to see Aemond in the doorway. His long hair was slightly tussled, probably from sparring with Criston Cole.
“You really are an impudent little thing aren’t you?” He quirked his good eye’s brow as he sauntered over. “You are supposed to acknowledge me with a nod of your head when I enter.”
He was standing too close to you as he spoke with a smug smile as you hurriedly did as he said. “My apologies, my prince.” You whispered softly. Remember what Naerys said. Put aside your pride and get him to forget you.
He hummed slightly, deep in thought before stepping back slightly. “Well? Get on with it.” He waved his hand over the tub impatiently.
“Of course, my prince.” You mumbled out kneeling next to the tub and striking the two metals together. You were surprised as you got it on your first try with your shaking hands. If they were from anger or fear you couldn’t tell.
The man said nothing as you stood up and gathered the needed linens to remake his bed, only watching you with that smug smirk as you focused on your task. You roughly grabbed the sheets from his bed and practically ripped them off of the bed before remaking it harshly and trying not to pay attention to his sharp gaze.
“You are not from Westeros.” He said simply from behind you.
You felt sweat drip from your temples from his statement. “I am not, your grace.” You agreed as you finished smoothing out the top blanket. One more task done and the faster you worked the faster you could leave.
“You’re not from Essos or Dorne either.” His voice sounded closer than before and you heard his shoes thump across the floor as he walked. “Your accent is from somewhere I have never heard of before. I could not place it last night and cannot even now.”
Your mouth was dry as you scrambled to think of a response. “I am from somewhere very small, my prince. It’s no wonder you haven’t heard of our accent before.” Just be agreeable and perhaps he’ll forget last night.
He hummed again thoughtfully as you checked on the water before adding the oils that looked like they were used the most. “Everything you need for your bath should be prepared, your grace.” You nodded your head to him as he passed you back into the small washroom and peered at your work with a discerning eye. “Will that be all for now?” You added at the last second remembering the protocol that you were taught before being assigned to the kitchens.
Aemond reached behind his head and quickly pulled off a small tie that kept his hair in his signature style, letting it fall freely. “Hmmm. Nothing else to add? No more clever quips?”
You blushed at his words. “What happened last night was a mistake, your grace. I’m truly sorry that-“
“I will require your help in undressing and bathing.” He said as he threw the hair tie to the floor without a care in the world.
“I- that’s not… I really shouldn’t…” You stammered out feeling your face turn from a light pink to fire truck red.
“What you should do is obey your prince.” Aemond cocked his head at you and held his hands out expectantly. “Although I suppose you could always find some other way to make some coin, perhaps on the Street of Silk.”
You felt your lungs start to expand rapidly as he brushed the side of your arm softly. “My brother tends to frequent those streets but perhaps with you there I might have to make a habit of it as well. ” You couldn’t move as his hand started trailing under your apron. “I do think my mother would be very interested to hear what you said about her favorite son.”
“Please…” You begged weakly, fighting the urge to slap him across the face. “I can’t afford to lose this job.” Your voice creaked as his caress turned into a sharp grope on your ass.
“Then we’re in agreement. You’re here to serve, so serve.”
Tag list
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#fanfic#reader insert#aemond fanfiction#aemond one eye#aemond x reader#aemond x you#dark aemond targaryen#dark aemond targaryen x reader#dark aemond x reader#hotd#aemond smut#prince aemond#hotd aemond
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there is evil on both sides of the fandom and while it's mostly on twitter and tiktok, they do seem to be making accounts here too. it's so important to call them out/block and report, so this behavior doesn't seem acceptable to anyone else. it's not the majority of people and I pray the creators/actors know that!
not to be that person but while I have a lot of people blocked and muted on both sides... I have to say the bt fans a mostly just being childish, throwing around stupid nicknames (like, seriously guys, stop calling people bobs, it's pathetic and very kindergarten) and adding their unsolicited opinions as if they are facts onto posts about how Eddie will never be queer (cuz they live in the writers room, apparently) and wanting Eddie to die so bt can take Chris (suuuper weird and has rather racist connotations if you ask me)
but the buddie side is sending death threats to LI actors and has been for years, constantly posting about how Tommy needs to die and be stoned and shot and tagging Lou in those posts, sending anon hate and death threats to bt fans here and on twitter, sending yet again death threats to Tim over a deleted scene and stalking Lou's social media obsessively, calling bt fans names that are less than pc, dogpiling poc for liking the character because that's somehow morally acceptable and also breaking into discord servers and now possibly hacking an actual actor's twitter account?
I feel like both sides have issues, but the severity and real life impacts of those issues are vastly different...
and my main heartbreak comes from the fact that while I can block and mute all these people and stay in my bubble... that won't make them disappear and though I hope people on the show only see love and praise for their hard work, there is always a chance for them to see the most vile things and nothing is stopping that.
I mean, just imagine being a barrista and getting death threats by moccha lovers for serving black coffee for someone else?? because at the end of the day, this is how stupid this whole thing is.
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I am pretty shocked with the discussions about the election results happening on tumblr. It is truly disappointing to see how many of the so called educated youth have been misinformed or are, just too lazy to research about events before forming any opinion on them.
So, bear with me because this is going to be a long ass post.
When one decides to chose the future of one's country, they have to research the options available to them before giving the judgement. And the research should come from watching the ground reality and also delving into the feasible resources available to one.
The foremost resource people go to is the news channels and newspapers. And l am assuming everyone knows that all media houses, both regional and national are bought by individual parties. Same is the issue with the international media. They will never give you completely unbiased information.
In India, the media houses are all differentiated by being allied with the right wingers and the left wingers. The international media houses are mostly pro left as are the print media on the internet. Research the origin of their channels and who are present in their board.
You will understand everything better.
So, while seeing the news, we'll have to go through a multiple number of channels and what side they are taking, their perspectives and their own narratives, to even get some measure of the truth.
Research the history of the nation, their international relationships with other countries, the geopolitical state of the world, the individual agendas and interests of powerful people in powerful posts, worldwide.
Every single thing is interrelated and interlinked like one massive spider web.
Look at the money trail my friends. See how the parties are getting funded and who are the ones holding the actual strings behind the scenes.
The recent youth upsurge on social media is divided in their opinion but how many of them are actually aware with what is actually impacting the political roadmap of the country?
Dhruv Rathee (reminds me of Kanhaiya Kumar and the JNU nonsense), and his infamous videos - the national sensation of late has taken the youth by storm.
Why?
Do you even know who he is? Who is his political godfather? Who is putting money in his coffers?
He coined the term dictatorship and fascist government.
And that is the most popular words I have seen been used with regards to the ruling party.
My dearly beloved oblivious friends, have you even done two percent research on your source before believing him.
Okay, lets forget about that German cockroach.
Let us talk about dictatorship and fascism.
Which policy decision taken by the Government made you believe that they were a dictatorship?
Every single decision they had taken was constitutional, following the constitution by letter, which their main opposition had made and drafted and had been following since the last seventy years when they were in power.
Which one? Abrogation of Article 370? The CAA? The Ram Mandir?
The Ram Mandir construction was a decision taken by the Supreme Court in a verdict of over 3000 pages. The SC which has proved time and again that they are mostly anti-Modi.
Or are you blaming the ED for arresting Kejriwaal before the elections? The same ED whose summons the aforenoted had ignored for nine straight times? The same ED which had investigated both Modi and Shah during Congress's rule. The ED which brough hard evidence to support their claims in front of the SC who charged the Delhi CM.
The Delhi CM who after getting bail flouted all the rules mentioned by the SC as terms of his temporary release. The same CM whose secretary allegedly assaulted a female party member who has been seen voraciously campaigning for his own release.
Do you even know how one man with apparent crowd funding became the leader of one of the most powerful regional parties in the North west belt? Do you know which institutions supported his party? Do you know anything about Swati Maliwal and her personal life? Do you have any idea whose allegiance the Punjab CM follows? Do you know why Raghav Chaddha needed an eye operation post haste during Kejriwaal's arrest? Do you know why Sanjay Singh defected?
And what kind of a dictator our PM is, who lets anyone and everyone speak whatever they wish about him?
Do you think the American President or the UK PM or any western leader so to speak, would have let any person spewing nonsensical shit about them, roam free without any repurcurssions?
Things like 'Chowkidar chor hain (our PM is a thief)' and 'I will cut down the PM to pieces' or 'Modi is a dictator' or 'the PM is stupid' or 'the Sanatanis should be annihilated' are direct extracts from the individual speeches given by the opposition and certain social media content creators.
I didn't see either of Rahul Gandhi, Udaynidhi Stalin, Manishankar Iyyer or Dhruv Rathee or anyone else be incarcerated.
Asaduddin Owaisi will start screaming and shouting that the Muslims are endangered in this country and the people of his community will go and kill the hindus for no reason at all. But when Stalin's brainless heir starts shouting about cutting down Sanatani Hindus, I can't find the internet audience protesting against such hateful words.
Then there are the so called woke pseudo liberals on the internet who bemoan that the Government is fascist and the country will go to ruin when a mosque which has been legally proved to have been constructed after demolishing a temple by invaders (whom the same community urges us to not consider as their ancestors) is deconstructed.
The ruling party whose manifesto since generations have included the building of that particular temple. Of course it is a political move you idiots. That was one of the reasons the party was voted to power.
One of, mind you.
To the literate population of the harrowed halls of this platform who will start yelling about schools and hospitals, do you know how many have been built since the ruling government came to power? Have you done any statistical research on how many the opposition you think is better, has built in their own won constituencies?
Has anyone researched the numbers pertaining to the economic growth of the country? The GDP increase rate? The market values? The international trade exchange policies? The infrastructural developments on field? The scientific enhancements? The geopolitical power moves?
Why the hell do you think India supported Russia during the Ukraine war? Do you even know two percent of what is happening in Palestine and Israel? Why do you think America pokes its abysmally long nose in our internal matters which is completely unsolicited?
The same people who hate the PM love some of his cabinet members equally. Before accusing the supporters of blind loyalty, check if your all consuming hatred towards an individual is warranted to be reflected on the work he has done and the people he has handpicked for distributing the posts of power in his government.
Respected illustrious future citizens of my great nation, do you think bureaucrats with the knowledge and experience which by far supersedes all of yours and mine included, would have aligned themselves with a so called orthodox, regressive, majoritarian party?
Ashwini Vaishnav, S. Jaishankar, Nitin Gadkari and many more, with their incredible resumes and work to show, are part of the BJP, don't forget. Who do you want to replace them? The Congressi Gandhi family slaves? Or do you want Kapil Sibal back in the education ministry, or better Law and Order. Jayram Ramesh?
Has anyone ever read about the Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra triangle? Do they know about how Kamal Nath ties into it all? What do they know about the mass murder of the Nepali royal family? Do they have any idea about the MOUs the Gandhis owe to China. What do you know about the accession of Aksai Chin? Why do you think Rahul Gandhi turned stark raving mad at the Rafael deal?
Have any of you seen any of the photos leaked from the NGO meetings RaGa attended in Washington?
And the Kashmir Issue? Has anyone ever followed Mehbooba Mufti and Farukh Abdullah's political career? Or is everything too taken in by Omar Abdullah's Oxfordian accent like they do with Shashi Tharoor. Do they know anything about the separatists of the Valley?
The people prancing around in BJP's loss in UP and Bengal and TN. What do you know about the ground reality there? Have you ever followed the socioeconomic tapestry of these states? The Dravidianism of the South, the Periyar ideology, the rice bag converts in TN? The demographic change based on vote bank in Bengal? The hawala money network from the Gulf and Syria making inroads in Kerala and their communist government?
Do you have any idea about the Agniveer Scheme and why was it brought on ground and why did it fail? Why the government couldn't carry on with the farm laws?
Do know why TDP In Andhra is BJP's long term alliance partner? Do you know why Nitish Kumar keeps swinging between parties? Do you have any idea about why Shivsena decided to break the alliance in the last term?
Has anyone seen where the wrestlers of Haryana were getting their funding from, during the state polls. Do you know the entire story of why Sakshi Malik decided to join politics? Have you any idea about their list of demands made to the centre?
Or did you all just decide that the government should fall because a few elite looking, erudite and sophisticated silver tongued devils on the media start coining elaborately bombastic terms and it is just in fashion to debunk the right wing because of the post colonial, ultra modernistic rationale which has been normalised by the west.
Now, I am not saying that the BJP is completely incorruptible and they have done no mistake. Every party has their hidden skeletons and agendas. What I am saying is before forming an opinion based on a few half baked, propagandist information sources - do your homework.
No one had stopped the opposing parties from showing their own work by developing the areas where they were in majority. No one had stopped the opposition from outshining the ruling government by bringing in better solutions. No one had even stopped them from spreading outright false and hateful narratives in the press.
So, where is the work? I can't even find it with a magnifying glass.
I think, they forgot that the work of an opposition party is not only opposing any and all policies and decisions made by the ruling party.
Like I have mentioned before, I am happy with the results even if all of us, including myself had envisioned a much bigger margin for the win for BJP.
As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, no single person or party should feel like they are invincible. The moment complacency starts coming in the picture, the downward spiral begins.
And then, like they say, 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
So, it was imperative for the ruling government to understand that even though the honest citizens of the country will stand with them when they work, they can be easily dethroned if they start getting overconfident and developing an inflated sense of their own infallibility.
Having said all that, this is politics my friend.
This is chess not ludo.
It is a far more complicated and complex game than any of us can ever imagine.
Edit: Okay, I think people might misunderstand what I am trying to say here. This post is not a general debate on politics and politicians. This is debunking the leftist propaganda and their bullshit agenda. Please do not come in my comments uttering nonsense about why you haven't showcased the faults of the government. I have specifically mentioned that they have their cons as well, just I believe that the pros overshadow the cons. And why I believe so, you'll find in the answers to the questions I have posted.
#indian politics#politics#election 2024#bjp#congress#right wing politics#leftist brainrot#desiblr#desi tumblr#hindublr#indian aesthetic#india news#india#long post#leftist hypocrisy#leftists do not interact#woke pseudo liberals do not interact#anti woke#anti left#hinduphobia
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Alright, so this is a reply to @my-jokes-are-my-armour brilliant additions to my post, because the original one was getting insanely long, and apparently I had lots of feels about this, but asfoljasdfklsf;asldkfas;flkjasdlkjffslksjdf;s...
That "maybe"...
There are so many possible "layers" to that "maybe"!
And that's definitely one the places where Jaskier and Radovid's respective situations massively differ in that scene, too, IMHO.
Like you've said, Jaskier has a found family that he's spent about 20+ years investing in.
So, obviously, it would make absolutely no sense for him to sacrifice the ties he's already built with Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, for a relationship that does have great potential, but is still in its infancy; whereas Radovid has made no such personal commitments in his life.
I don't know if you're familiar with the YouTube channel "Cinema Therapy" (basically, a psychologist and filmmaker analysing various movie relationships, characters psychology, etc. I highly recommend it!), but they've occasionally spoken about the notion of "shelving your agenda".
Essentially, "shelving your agenda" relates to a person's ability to "temporarily delay one's own needs to meet those of another".
And, in this particular situation, the only one of them that can afford to shelve his own agenda for the other is Radovid.
Because, at that moment, Jaskier is facing the possibility of devastating potential losses within his family system that greatly threaten his emotional and psychological well-being.
Radovid can (or at least could, while Vizimir was the one still wearing that crown) afford to be the one providing him with emotional, physical and financial support to give Jaskier his best chance at being reunited with those he loves.
But Jaskier can't really promise or offer Radovid anything in return for the time being.
And sadly, he doesn't know how bad things are for Radovid at court, either.
He doesn't know that Philippa and Dijkstra orchestrated Queen Hedwig's murder, right under King Vizimir's nose, with such confidence in their ability to get away with it that they openly told the Crown Prince of Redania about it!
He doesn't know about Radovid's relationship dynamic with his brother, and the fact that being the King's little brother is no longer enough to keep Radovid safe in that castle.
And I don't think Jaskier fully grasps just how much being in his presence is already offering Radovid something that's rather essential for his own emotional and psychological well-being, too, that he has never been able to find anywhere else.
Jaskier: "You don't understand. [This is not me trying to walk away from a relationship with you.] The war brewing outside is nothing compared to what Geralt will unleash on this Continent to find his daughter. [I'm pretty much planning to go throw myself headfirst into some desperate suicide mission with a stubborn, insanely protective Witcher dad!] I don't know what happens next. [I've no idea what will happen to me. Out there, none of us will be safe!]"
Radovid: [Oh boy! Where do I even start?] "Just let me be there with you." [Trust me, as terrible as you are trying to make it sound, joining you on a suicide mission following an angry overprotective Witcher around is actually my safest, least bad option.] "Prove that I'm more than a mask." [I belong with you and your family out there, not stuck at court playing games!]
Basically, I've a feeling that Jaskier might be operating under the belief that the safest place for the Crown Prince of Redania to be, in times of war with Nilfgaard, is behind the well guarded walls of a castle; not running around the Continent helping him and Geralt go rescue a Princess!
If he returns to Tretogor and stay there, Radovid will have an entire army standing between him and Nilfgaard!
Which, you know, is pretty much the reason that had convinced him that Ciri might be better off in Redania rather than anywhere else...
If he comes with him, well, Radovid is probably one of the last people you'd want anyone loyal to Nilfgaard to get their hands on.
The King's brother - and sole current living heir to the throne (at the time) - is very much someone that Redania's enemies would want to capture so they can use as leverage against the King.
And Jaskier's pretty much planning on being Geralt's ride or die companion on his quest to find Ciri.
So, I'm not sure how comfortable Jaskier is with the possibility of Radovid getting himself captured by enemies or killed trying to help them out there; or, even worse, winding up sacrificing his life to save Jaskier's.
Because Radovid has already proven that he values Jaskier's safety and freedom above his own, when he ditched his whole (now very dead) royal security detail to go see him and Ciri at the cabin.
Radovid is willing to make Jaskier his #1 priority, in a situation where Jaskier needs to make Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri his own #1 priority.
Jaskier is planning to "shelve his agenda" for his family, to the point of being willing to risk sacrificing his life for them…
…while Radovid is talking about "shelving his agenda" for Jaskier, while being willing to risk sacrificing his life for him, and - by extension - Jaskier's family, too.
It's likely a lot for Jaskier to take in.
And, perhaps, knowing that Radovid - at least - would be safe back in his castle, would give Jaskier some peace of mind, and even something for him to fight to come back to, should he somehow succeed in helping Geralt get Ciri back without managing to get himself killed in the process!
So, Jaskier's "maybe" is likely the most sincere answer Jaskier can give him at the moment, since Jaskier genuinely doesn't know what happens next, and he probably doesn't want Radovid to make the decision to take such a huge risk for himself and his family based on the promise of things that he might never be given the chance to offer him.
Had Jaskier known that the greatest threat Radovid was facing could be found within his castle's well guarded walls, his response to Radovid's desire to be there with him might have been different.
Perhaps he might have said something along the lines of "Forget about the money, and if you really want to come with me, come with me now! We'll think of a way to let your brother know you're relatively safe, and haven't been killed or kidnapped while we're on the road!", or something.
And then, hope his own family would understand why he chose to take Radovid with him, and for them hopefully to not be upset that he's just managed to make their whole situation even more complicated than it already was.
[Poor Geralt though…
Geralt: Let me get this straight… Of all the people on the Continent you could have romantically fallen for, you somehow managed to pick the Crown Prince of Redania? And now, the prince - who comes from a bad home that has been mistreating him - has been following you outside his castle, and you're asking if we can adopt and keep him?
Jaskier: *Smiles sheepishly and attempts to look adorable.* Yes?
Geralt: *Mumbling to himself.* Why does Destiny fucking hate me so much? How many princes and princesses am I supposed to be looking after? I'm a Witcher, for fuck's sake! I'm supposed to be killing monsters! Not opening a royal rescue shelter…
Radovid: *Concerned.* Ah, is your Witcher okay?
Jaskier: Just give him a moment to have a mental breakdown, and he'll be fine!]
But Jaskier doesn't know how bad things are for Radovid back at Tretogor.
Actually, even Radovid himself doesn't fully know!
As far as Radovid is concerned, Dijkstra briefly perceived him as a threat - or at least a nuisance - with regards to the complete and absolute influence he has on King Vizimir, and threatened to have him killed if he gets in their way.
So, by leaving, he'd technically be doing him a favor! No more "baby prince brother" royalsitting for Dijkstra and Philippa! They can go back to the way they've always preferred doing things, without having Radovid to deal with!
But Radovid doesn't know his brother has decided to let Philippa take the fall for Thanedd, and that the best solution the sorceress came up with, to deal with the issue, is "Yup! Imma get rid of Vizimir and put that spare on the throne!"
On a scale of 0 to "the spymasters are so confident they can get away with regicide that they feel totally comfortable making the guy they gleefully confessed Queen Hedwig's murder to King", just how fucking screwed are you?
I don't think Radovid had fully realised he'd reached that very last stage yet.
But yeah, Jaskier answering "maybe" made much more sense, to me, than him going "yes please, come with me, where I'll almost certainly manage to get you and/or myself killed in a desperate attempt to keep my family safe!"
And I love how long he hesitates before giving that answer, and the way his thoughts really appear to be racing, even after he says "maybe", because it is an incredibly complex and multi-factorial situation for him to deal with.
Whereas Radovid has essentially two choices:
Return to a loveless, toxic, dangerous place where he's totally disconnected from himself, and isolated from healthy human interactions.
Be out there in the world, risking his life for something - someone - that's worth taking those risks for, thus acting in accordance with who he is, and what matters to him the most.
So, Radovid basically saying "I'm all in! Let's go!", while Jaskier is saying "maybe", to me, might have more to do with how well they are both ready to handle and accept the potential consequences of Radovid choosing to go with Jaskier at that moment; than it has to do with how much they both desire to have the chance to potentially be together, or even Jaskier struggling with forgiving him.
Of course, there's also Jaskier's own personal fears (of abandonment, of falling back into unhealthy codependent patterns, etc.) that may play a role in him hesitating to treat his feelings for Radovid as a full-fledged partnership right away, and being comfortable with the idea of trusting Radovid enough to rely on him for support, too (trust and forgiveness are not quite the same thing).
That "maybe" is filled with so much potential delicious meanings, I'm telling you!
And, given that being told "maybe" didn't deter Radovid from wanting to go to Jaskier, I've a feeling that Radovid knew that Jaskier's "maybe" was also filled with a lot of hope and yearning, and as close to a "yes" as Jaskier could afford to offer him.
After all, he'd already told Radovid that his plans [of breaking things off between them] had changed.
When Radovid said "I don't get it", Jaskier could have answered him with: "it's the right thing to do", or "I may no longer want to see you, that doesn't mean I wish you to get hurt, Radovid", or "I owe you for having ditched - and now lost - your guards when you came to see me. This is me doing what I can do to pay back the favor."
But Jaskier said "plans change", with some of the most cautiously hopeful and vulnerable puppy dog eyes I've ever seen him throw at anyone.
To me, there was a sense of forgiveness and a bit of an apology, even, in Jaskier's expression at that moment…
Because the fact remains that Jaskier didn't offer Radovid his help, the night before, when he told him he was scared; resulting in Jaskier having allowed Radovid to back himself into that corner where people might say and do stupid things.
It would be a bit unfair for Jaskier to be upset with Radovid for not having trusted him with everything he knew when he came to see him and Ciri, when Jaskier himself was so scared to trust Radovid that he didn't call him out for having avoided to directly answer his question, and instead chose to test what he'd do with the information that the forcefield only lasted 'til dawn.
He's accusing Radovid of not fully trusting him and having kept his full intentions from him, when Jaskier himself literally set up a trap for him, because he was too scared to trust him…
And Radovid had the honesty of saying "I'm scared, Jaskier", at the very least. Whereas Jaskier kept his own fears to himself, and chose to play games and test him.
Granted, Radovid could have pretended to be scared to get Jaskier to lower his defenses, and manipulate him. I'm not saying that Jaskier didn't have very valid reasons for choosing to test him, rather than opting for a direct confrontation.
Trust eventually does become essential in a relationship, but it would be unrealistic to expect it to "magically be there" until both sides have experienced how the other responds in a variety of situations - including their ability to make each other still feel safe while they handle conflicts and mistakes.
So, I'm not pointing out Jaskier's own contribution to this whole mess while trying to determine who is to blame, who was wrong, or who hurt the other the most.
Just hoping that, maybe, Jaskier is allowing himself to recognize that they are both very flawed, complex and human individuals that never meant to hurt each other at that moment.
That part of the reasons why he sits down and looks at Radovid with such a sad, defeated expression, is that he's realizing that they were simply dealing and coping with their own respective fears and doubts as best they could back at the cabin, and got both a good, strong bite in the arse as a result!
When Radovid ran away from the cabin earlier, Jaskier made a little move as if instinctively wanting to run after him.
I think that, maybe, in all of the ways Jaskier might have expected their confrontation to go when "catching Radovid in the act" that morning, he might have imagined facing more outrage from Radovid, more fight…
He might have expected for him to start blaming him in return, etc.
Because, had Radovid indeed been a "knife" and wearing a mask with Jaskier, he might have played "meek" and attempted to "reason with" Jaskier in the beginning in a desperate last ditch attempt to hold onto his mask, sure!
But, when he'd realised it didn't work - and Jaskier would not be so easily fooled - the mask would eventually have had to come off!
Radovid could easily have pretended that he had only wanted to test if Jaskier was being sincere with him.
He could have claimed that he'd realised, the night before, that Jaskier had only let him know about when the forcefield would come down, because he'd never truly cared about him, nor trusted him!
And low and behold! He was right!
Radovid could have accused Jaskier of having been dishonest and manipulative with him, of only having ever pretended to care for him, so he could use him because of his wealth and position at court.
He could have mocked Jaskier for having claimed that "he had no desire" to be playing games with him through his song, only to then go on scheming against him, and setting up traps for him at the first opportunity he got!
A skilled "knife", caught in a lie, will not admit to any wrongdoing, and will make it sound like you're the villain, they're the victim, and the problem lies with you, not them.
But Radovid's response was being truthful in his answers, internalize Jaskier's blame, look like he'd just been kicked, utter a pitiful "I'm so sorry," and run away!
Unless you are someone that enjoy dominating other people and bringing them down (something I do not believe Jaskier does), there's no sense of triumph, or even validation to be derived from Radovid's response!
There's no sense of relief from "having escaped being fooled by such a manipulative and dangerous individual" to be found!
Radovid just took all the blame on himself, brokenly apologized for having managed to hurt and disappoint Jaskier, and ran away thinking he'd forever lost him.
Had Jaskier's priority not been to ensure Ciri's safety, I think he might have followed his impulse and gone after Radovid to attempt to get to the bottom of what was actually happening.
And, even should he have suspected that Radovid's behavior was yet another manipulation attempt - that Radovid would be patient enough to hold onto his mask a while longer while faking taking responsibility for his mistakes and hurting Jaskier…
There's absolutely no way Radovid could have predicted that Jaskier was going to come investigate the room he'd huddled himself into a dark corner to cry.
So, I like to think that Jaskier did regret his harsh words, the way he'd jumped to conclusions back at the cabin, and how he'd cut short Radovid's attempt to explain, as soon as he'd mentioned that he'd be out from under Dijkstra's thumb.
I like to think that Jaskier was sorry for the way he'd hurt Radovid, too, and that he realised that he'd let his own fears and issues get the best of him.
Now, it's up to them to decide if they'll allow their respective fears and issues to win; or instead let that deep, beautiful and delicate connection that they've been experiencing together come out on top.
So, since "the plan" was for Radovid to have seen the last of Jaskier…
I tend to interpret Jaskier saying "plans change" as a way of telling Radovid "I don't want this to be the last you see of me. If you'll still have me, when this is over, I'd like to come back to you."
With Radovid's immediate response being "Come with me, then."
Because Radovid does very much still want Jaskier.
Except Jaskier has a family he needs to go help first, before he can be free to go back to Radovid and continue to explore and deepen that relationship.
And OMFG, yes! Found families are a theme that I absolutely adore in virtually any form of media (perhaps because I had to leave my own family of origin behind to go find "my own tribe")…
By the way, do you have that season 3 review link nearby? I'm not sure if I had the chance to read it yet, or if it somehow managed to pass me by… But I'd be interested to have a first or second read at it!
Otherwise, I pretty much found myself just nodding along while reading your comments.
I definitely think that, the first time Radovid meets Jaskier, he's deeply intrigued by him and how he personally connects with his songs, but still a bit in a "playing games" mindframe, because that's just the way his world is, and has always been, and how people communicate.
And now, I'm amazed, because you've just made me realise that, when Jaskier came to see Radovid wanting to share intel with him, it could very much have made it look like he only cared about Radovid's position, wealth, and resources; rather than about Radovid himself!
In many ways, Jaskier is 100% aware that the Crown Prince of Redania "fancies him", and I think that, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be above taking advantage of that attraction to help protect his family.
To be clear, I don't think Jaskier would ever look to manipulate the emotions of anyone that would be having sincere, non-entitled, and reciprocal feelings for him.
But a royal that would be looking to own, use, or control him? I think he'd be feeling perfectly justified using his own charms to get what he wants from them.
He tells Vespula "you can't play a player", therefore very much perceiving himself as "a player", in a sense.
And, given that nobles often have an inflated ego and sense of self-importance, "playing them" is typically not that hard to do.
But Radovid does not.
He is far from immune to Jaskier's charms, but he does not perceive him as a some type of potential "trophy lover" or conquest. He's genuinely curious about him, and wishes to better get to know and understand him.
In such a context, trust should normally go both ways.
Jaskier tells Philippa and Radovid that, if they get rid of Rience, they will have earned Ciri's, Geralt's, and his own trust (and he talks about winning his own trust while pointedly looking at Radovid)…
But what is Jaskier willing to do to earn Radovid's trust in return?
You've just made me realise that, while I often tend to remind myself that there is lot that the audience knows about Radovid that Jaskier himself doesn't…
Well, there is also a lot that the audience knows about Jaskier that Radovid himself simply doesn't, too.
Sure, Jaskier's initial response towards learning that Radovid was the Crown Prince of Redania was rather flattering and amusing, especially since it brought a certain balance to the way Radovid himself was slightly starstruck by Jaskier.
Rockstar meets royalty, basically… and forgets to let his hand go, much to royalty's delight!
But, once that initial moment has passed, does Jaskier still only sees Radovid as a prince - with all the privileges tied to his position that he could use for his own gain - or a person that's worth knowing, too?
We all assume that Jaskier's motives are honorable, because we know him, but Radovid only knows about Jaskier's songs and what little he's been able to pick up from him during two rather short encounters.
In that context, Jaskier showing up all "So, I hear you've got money! Maybe you could use it to get the two detectives to talk, and help Geralt and I find out who Rience is working for?" could actually be… borderline insulting?
Technically, it wouldn't, if Radovid was into such things as power and influence, wanted to find Ciri for himself rather than to please his brother, and Jaskier's suggestion was helping him get closer to something he really wished to get closer to besides the man standing right before him.
Again, Jaskier doesn't know that; so, there's a bit of an ongoing comedy of errors happening between these two this season.
And he doesn't know that Radovid doesn't actually have that much money "ready to be handed out" like that, either.
That Radovid would have to first sell some of his own belongings to pay for that intel.
Jaskier's basically prancing right into the palace while making a bunch of (albeit flirtatious) assumptions about Radovid - most of them kinda wrong / only half right - and it's really no wonder Radovid himself would be unwilling to "collaborate" with him so easily, admit to what he knows, and instead choose to initially continue to play dumb/drunk!
To be fair, most nobles would likely love to be reminded of their wealth, status and power, and go "Oh yeah, I've got money and I'm so important, uwu!"
They would likely welcome any opportunity to put it on display and use it to further seduce Jaskier! Normally, a prince should have favorably responded to Jaskier's innuendos...
Whereas Radovid's pretty much "Yes, yes, very interesting… Now, enough about me, let's talk about you! Here's your lute, may I humbly ask you to sing about what you prefer singing the most? Please?Maybe your white-haired Witcher? I really want to get to know you…"
And look, the fact that Jaskier got his crush to agree to help him because he was moved by his singing, cares about him, and has made it his personal mission in life to learn to better understand what makes him so special, must be so much more satisfying to Jaskier’s than it being because Radovid likes to display his wealth and feel influential and important!
I mean, look at that face...
He's just so pleased with the unexpected way things turned out...
#Jaskier#Radovid#Radskier#My Posts#My thoughts#Awesome other people's thoughts#Casually overthinking things!#Can't believe I'd never realised how Jaskier's initial attitude when he came to see Radovid could have disappointed the prince...#That spoon is such a spoon though!#He just... manages to get Jaskier to sing and things finally take off! Lol!
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so my Nimona essay got 100%
also I'm finishing my rewatch and just remembered that when my grandfather read my essay he questioned the part about Nimona being suicidal and I had to explain to him that the shadow-monster wasn't trying to hurt anyone and was in fact about to kill herself on the statue, that's what Ballister stopped her from, not from murdering half the city
#cw sui mention#nimona essay#i don't know how you watch nimona re-hearing all those things about herself#and getting ready to literally stab herself in the heart while in her only non-pink form after remembering an incredibly traumatic event#and come to the conclusion that yeah she just wanted to kill people#(when she never has in the whole movie or hurt anyone unprovoked honestly)#but it is an entirely possible reading of that scene apparently
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Alright so kind of knew about Nahum Tate's adaptation of Shakespeare's Lear adding a happy ending, but apparently he also made Cordelia a breeches role (at least for one scene) which is just THE most Restoration thing ever, honestly was there ever a historical era which was so consistently On Brand
#I have this info secondhand btw so haven't checked it but it tracks with my expectations for the period#Idk I presume Restoration leading ladies had it written into their contracts that if they weren't allowed to wear trousers at least once#To show off their pretty ankles just in case the king might be in he audience then they would refuse to go on stage#Good for them if so#Unfortunately there was also apparently a standard attempted rape scene added in#Which is again very On Brand for the Restoration but less fun and almost dull in its predictability#Eh idk I'm not really a fan of Restoration era stuff it's really not my jam AT ALL but I appreciate their commitment to the bit#Never come across a historical era that was actually more stereotypical than its popular stereotype than the Restoration
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i'm the first to admit i'm doing a bad job of not liveblogging, but i gotta be nogblogging
#the fault of having captions on lol. if not i'd've gone ''didn't quite catch that'' & moved on b/c Context Is Enough#apparently indeed [nog] on its own could historically refer to a strong ale; so says top result on an etymology search. further origin [?]#and for all i know maybe it was already used as [cited star wars drink] or something lol. i don't know these little details at all reliably#like i Know gun to head everything will have the blue milk lol e.g. but not much further than that#technically seen most? all? of the original / prequel trilogy movies but Ages ago & never moved to rewatch. eh.#i can live w/the nog possibilities. maybe if the original movie was just luke being a funny little gay icon i'd be like yeah i'll see it as#like an exercise in the novelty of that. but then i remember like eh...han solo will be there. i can sense the vibes of [annoying & boring]#which should be a star wars quote really#now i'll have to watch [will roland singing something so right] like the original paul simon version? kinda take it or leave it like#i appreciate it but i wouldn't ever seek it out. but then it's like ah....Augh#(b/c of the lyrics When Something Goes Wrong / I'm The First To Admit It (x2) / But The Last One To Know)#when someone....noggg blogggs....iii'm the first to admit it....i'm the first to Admit it....but the last one to knooooww....#oh okay a scene later and this guy refers to revnog. what is this; fury road (watched fury road and now i'm antifascist)#as well as reads out the [any witnesses?] quote ft cassian described as ''a human w/dark features'' space racial profiling hours indeed#and then going on ''they clearly harassed a human w/dark features'' implying that's correlation w/some Meaning to be sure#now coming back to add ah another moment with. mednog. seems like an established beverasuffix#andor
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i finished rewatching kinnporsche today and, like, it's so fucked that - even though he is head bodyguard (be it of tankhun or in general doesn't really matter) and being send on an extremely dangerous mission - it takes tankhun saying something for kinn and porsche to be more than a little suspicious of the whole vacation story, and even then they are sceptical of the validity of tankhun's claim that something might've happened to pete
like, pete has been a bodyguard for quite some time and still not even kinn thinks it's suspicious that pete doesn't report back after the mission - even though kinn acknowledged the dangers of sending pete on that mission
and i know part of that is porsche's doing - honeymoon phase, hoorayyyy - but just, they do so much stuff in these episodes where pete is captured and not once is anybody going "ey, what's up with pete?" - not even the other bodyguards
#kinnporsche the series#pete saengtham#pete phongsakorn saengtham#pete phongsakorn#i don't know#i have feelings about the way pete was just kinda forgotten about by everybody#and then nobody ever acknowledges it again like they didn't do that#that nobody thought it suspicious (unlike tankhun - best boy) that pete never reported back to the main family#is just baffling to me#like asking for vacation via phone because you don't want to face your boss is one thing#never reporting from a mission that is apparently a mission nobody has ever come back alive from is something entirely different#it's kinda funny while watching because of the whiplash of the scenes#but actually it's just very fucked up#lmao
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not this book im reading for class getting me so emotional hello
#if this character dies idk if he will but if he dies i just won't read the rest of the book lmfao jk#bruh this like perspective section ends with him 'feeling surprisingly at peace' and 'sleep coming with surprising ease' or something#sir pls don't die rn 😭 im glad ur peaceful and shit and happy and shit but if u die rn i never will be again#naur bc fr this is tthe only fucking character i care about in this whole book XD#but it's still rly interesting the other characters are just not as likable lmfaooo not likable at all tbh#KENJI PLS STAY ALIVE ISTG#the book is no no boy by john okada about a japanese guy who comes home after 2 yrs of internment and 2 yrs of prison bc he said no to#joining the army and the main character guy has a lot of monologues and stuff lol and like inner thoughts#understandably so but he's hard to like . kenji tho <333#pls kenji literally wake up or i will fail this class i'l just have to go up to my prof ad be like actually i was gonna read the book#i promise but then kenji died and he was the only bitch i cared about and also i just cared about him too much and i couldn't go on so#anyway ..... let's see what happens i honestly have no idea but my gut feeling is telling me this bitch is dying rn 😭😭😭😭#the next part is from his father's pov#if he dies i will simply pretend it is not true#jeanne talks#not rly being emotional over that tho this scene i just read btwn kenji and his father i was literally so 🥺🥺🥺🥺#and ending w peaceful sleep it was also like a very like fulfilling/closure-y scene so .. IDC DON'T DIE BITCH#ok ok anyway . stop procrastinating continuing lol or if ur gonna procrastinate do some math hw instead 😭#lmfao he doesn't even nneed to die for me to not finish the book apparently im just never gonna continue XD#if i don't continue he cant die <3#prof: WHY DIDNT U FINISH THE BOOK me: I DIDN'T WANT KENJI TO DIE prof: he doesnt fucking die u stupid bitch#manifesting kenji u better not fucking die u stupid bitch#only bitch i respect except there was one slightly weird thing he did lol but he had good intentions kdgfkdfh#honestly i have other hw that's slightly more pressing but . continuing now#after i pee actually yes bc u all needed to know this lol#honestly i think im too influenced by like modern ya books and stuff lol i mean having that being most of what i read XD#but like this book is very light on the plot lmfao so mr okada sir keep that going no plot we don't need kenji to die <3#AND IT'S RIGHT BEFORE LIKE A CELEBRATORY FAMILY DINNER LITERALLY im gonna
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Being way too introspective of my writing I need to get in the Zone I need to Focus so I'm just typing 5-10k words a day and not thinking about what I'm even typing. I keep over noticing my own word choices and what I might type next and it's the devil tempting me to be perfectionist and constantly question choices -.- don't worry. I am working on getting into my Focus zone. But fuck the getting there is a Time :/
On the upside because I am being entirely Too slow to the point I'm questioning what I wrote, I'm happening to notice some higher level stuff I don't usually pick up on my own writing until like whole chapters or arcs are done. I happen to like That Level stuff and it's coming out perfect so that's a plus.
#rant#writing#im noticing in the Too Slow writing reading that i parallel So much shit like crazy#i Love parallels so this is Great. but i didnt realize i did it on such small action by action basis.#i can see stuff like OH i wrote that just now. damn that comes up in the climax. or in arc 1#like i just wrote a character who is not important for long. and i gave him a scene#and i realize my protagonists view of him in admiration is similar to what hell be to the Actual next major character#so this scene will make it seem more natural why hes in awe of the major character later. since this scene#makes clear his types and values. and i didnt realise this minor ass character could be used this way#but i was just doing it without thinkng about it#same thing i noticed is his sisters forbidden romance is like HIS LATER and his sister Dies#and later he falls for a princess. and her brother the prince worries for her. and the princess dies#so khans love story will leave him with a prince missing a sister jusy like khan did. and it will end#as tragic as his sisters romanxe.#i never noticed i made the sisters romance parallel khans?? i do all this stuff below my thinking apparently#but like surface level? my brain is ABSOLUTELY getting hung up rn on stuff like#do i use the word believe think know assume???? ;-; i know it doesnt matter it DOESNT#and id write faster if i stopped caring!!!
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