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bella-goths-wife · 14 days

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I feel like we should have an actor au for the pet series where like the vees actors comfort the actor (who is the reader) after really distressing scenes I just like imagine vals actor being so sweet after the scene where val locked pet in a room with him to make her panic idk just a thought I would love to see because even though I luv the story line it always kills me when there is no comfort after things that happen even though sometimes they do comfort her it just makes me feel so icky and I feel like having an actor au will help people like me so that we can still enjoy it, with the reminder in the back of our heads that it is not real because even though its not real it still kinda feels real if you know what i mean because I get really immersed in x reader stories. I know this is a lot but just a suggestion no pressure I will still read and love it either way

I actually think this is a fun way to comfort the readers without straying from canon, I think I’ll probably do one for each of the characters each

Also they all have the same names as their characters :)

Vs pet actor au (Valentino version)

Warnings: val is worried, pet acts panicked, crying, non canon events,

“Come here princesa” val coos in his characters voice to your character as you act out a fake shiver of fear

You act out the scene of abuse with fake tears streaming down your face. The scene was one that you had been nervous about for weeks, having known that it was a disturbing scene to watch and film.

In the scene, vals character had locked your character in a room with him to imply that he would possibly assault her like he had done to angels character to cause her to panic and breakdown.

You and val had gone over lines together in your trailer and lamented about how it would be a rough filming day for the two of you, considering you had the punishment scene to film just after.

But you put on a brave face as you acted out your scene with minimal distraction. You followed the script and your weeping character sat beside Val on the soft couch as the camera did a close up on your face to ensure they captured the panic in your eyes and the quiver in your bitten lips.

as it came time for val’s character Valentino to touch your thigh in a menacing implication, he did so and you felt a shiver uncomfortably run through you.

You suddenly became hyper aware of the people behind the cameras who had their eyes peeled on you, and how the pink lighting shined so brightly on you.

As your cue came to jump into val’s arms, you froze completely with your face lowered to your thigh and tears running down your cheeks.

“Cut” the director called out and it broke you out your frozen daydream

“Everything okay kid?” Val whispers with a concerned look as he removes his hand from your thigh

“I don’t think I can do it” you whisper back through tears as you face your back to the cameras

“Everything okay up there guys?” The director called out with a concerned expression

Val uses his wings to hide your face and tucked you against his chest before he answered, making sure to spare you any embarrassment.

“We’re gonna need a 15 minute break” val called back politely “private please”

The director nodded with an understanding look before calling most of the set to go on a break away from the filming Scene.

Val turned to you and put a hand on your shoulder.

“Are you okay kid?” Val asks with a worried look as he pulls you away from his chest to observe your expression

“Yeah” you say with a shaky inhale as you wipe your tearful eyes with your palm “it all got a bit much for me”

“I get it kid, it’s a hard scene to film for everyone” val says with a nod and a soothing tone “that’s why I tried to put it off for as long as possible”

“I’m just not used to doing scenes like this guess” you say with a sigh “I had the same problem with Vox during our panic scene, I think it just gets too much for me”

“Your playing a very difficult role honey, it’s understandable that you’ll get a bit freaked out during your scenes” val says gently

“I can’t believe I made them stop shooting, I bet they’re all so mad at me now” you say with an embarrassed groan “I should have just continued”

“Hey, hey, no one is mad at you” val says with a reassuring tone “your having to put yourself in very disturbing scenarios, you have every right to stop filming when you feel uncomfortable and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t got a clue about how much work these scenes take”

You nod with a frown, still embarrassed about your freak out, Val notices and wraps his arm around your shoulder

“How about we go get some water and then go talk to the intimacy coordinator about how we can make it feel less overwhelming” val suggests with a smile “or we can try and ask if we could use your body double for the scenes where my hand is physically touching you”

“Yeah” you say with a small nod and a smile “let’s go talk to the intimacy coordinator please”

“Of course sweetheart” val says with a gentle smile as he wraps his hand and wing around your shoulders and begins to guide you to the door.

You managed to work out a way to make the scene to work after a few different attempts and you captured your best shots before retreating to your trailer with Val in tow as you both celebrated a successful scene by eating food while you had your wigs, makeup and costumes removed.

After that day, Val made it a point to always be present during your harder scenes and was always checking in on you during the breaks between takes. He also made sure to update the intimacy coordination on your preferences so they could be added to your filming contract.

You were the youngest of the actors he was working with, and he wanted to make sure you were completely protected while on set.

Should I do more?

Sorry it’s so short 😭

Tag list:

@the-faceless-bride @idontreallyexistyet @ivebeenthearchersstuff @hazbinhotelxreader @fandomaddict505 @corvid007 @buttercupfangirl @lilyalone @rerarlo @perkypeony @sparkleyfishies @repostingmyfavs

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podcastenthusiast · 7 months

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So that scene where you ask Astarion for sex and he breaks up with you in Act 3 if you slept with him in Act 1 but somehow missed his Act 2 romance stuff/character development.

This scene here:

(Sorry I could only find it on Tiktok. Not my video.)

What I find interesting about it is how unnecessarily mean he is. Personally I think he's trying to avoid a much more difficult conversation.

"I never slept with you for pleasure alone. Couldn't you tell?"

...Yikes. Yeah. I could tell.

"Back in the forest, we both came out on the winning side. The game was clear."

But it wasn't, though. He almost makes it sound like they both had a deal here but he was manipulating Tav, using himself like he always has, and it's like he's angry they never cared enough to notice that.

"You get a moment of escape with a world-endingly beautiful vampire. I get someone to defend me from Cazador."

Something about the way he refers to himself here reminds me of that line he says when he's bitterly lamenting the way everyone just wants his body. "There's nothing more desirable in the world than a vampire, is there?"

"I don't think, honestly, that your services are worth the cost."

...What cost, exactly? He really emphasizes the word. Plus, focusing on Tav's "services" as a protector shifts the focus away from his role in things. Astarion was the one knowingly, well, offering a service, for lack of better phrasing. This reminds me of another line of his, too, if you tell him after Araj he doesn't have to keep using himself like that, and he says "It isn't worth the scars anymore."

"This is what I do. Who do you think you were dealing with? Some fairytale prince? Haha! You are one of a tiny number of people I've slept with who aren't dead. Cheer up! It's quite the achievement."

This is so over the top extra rude. He even does his most fake laugh. Brings up his victims like that as if he killed them when we all know he was forced and there's layers of guilt, disgust, and self-hatred there.

He's trying so hard in this conversation to present himself as the monster he expects the world to see. He's saying 'yes, I'm exactly as cold and heartless as a vampire should be so don't look any closer' because in his mind it's too late to be anything else. They're in Baldur's Gate or near enough and he'll have to face Cazador soon. This is Astarion in full advanced survival mode, imo. Nothing matters but his revenge and the promise of power/safety.

He can't afford to let feelings distract him, even if that means burning some bridges with Tav. He can't be vulnerable anymore, because Tav hasn't shown him by now they could be a safe person for that.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #astarion #it's like he resents tav for being pretty much exactly the same as all the others

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fire-of-the-sun · 10 months

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Ilsa and Ethan: There's Still Hope

Spoiler Warning for M:I7!

I'm sure a ton has already been said about Ilsa in the new movie, whether it be lamenting her loss or developing theories as to her potential return in the next film, but here are some contributions I've been mulling over. This isn't going to be an exhaustive list of reasons why she's still alive, but I will try to address some and add my own thoughts into the mix.

I agree with the discussion that one of the best clues of this all being a fake out lies in Ethan and Ilsa's reunion near the beginning of the film. Ilsa plays dead during the fight and Ethan momentarily believes it before she attacks him and reveals herself to be alive. As it stands, this looks like a foreshadowing to her eventual, real death, however, I think it instead acts as setup to her still being alive. I think it's clear that her death fakeout exists to give us clues to her eventual return as well as deflect audiences from even considering it as we're trained to accept that foreshadowed events that transpire in most stories would simply be the end of it, but this isn't a typical story, this is Mission: Impossible, and nothing is as it seems and this film establishes that that's more true now than ever.

And if you're really going to kill Ilsa off, why do a fake-out at all? Why not just have her die later without warning and really shock the audience? Why already have the fans ruminating on the possibility early on and telegraph it long before it actually happens? Consider Julia's "death" in M:I3. The film starts in media res and there's a strong sense of tension throughout the whole film knowing that that's going to happen. Julia is going to get kidnapped and possibly die no matter what, but it's okay to spoil this scene in advance because she doesn't die. Because why would you tell the audience that's going to happen right away unless there's going to be some kind of twist where she lives? What's the point in watching the movie if you know that Ethan is ultimately going to fail and it's going to have a tragic, unsatisfying ending? Julia's death fakeout is a tactic meant to trick him and the audience and make him feel like he's lost only for the twist to be that he ultimately wins and Julia remains alive. I believe a similar tactic is being used with Ilsa which has the potential to be a very well-executed plot twist rather than a disappointing one if done correctly and not completely abandoned in the next film. I actually think that without the fakeout and just a sudden and completely unexpected death I'd feel more worried but, as it stands, I think the choice (among many others) actually serves to legitimize this all being fake.

After all, the best twists are ones that you can see coming if you're really looking for it and that's okay. It's okay that we've figured it out - that means the director ultimately did their job right. Some viewers, especially more casual fans, are taking what they were shown at face value and not considering there's any more to it. They're falling for the trick and that's fine too, because a good twist is one that is set up in a way that leaves clues but also remains largely hidden especially as the audience isn't looking for it. A magic trick that deflects us from seeing what the magician is actually doing. When Ilsa shows up in the next film, some people will feel rewarded for their observations and others will finally see all the pieces click into place that they disregarded before and both be satisfied, but I digress...

Another huge scene to look to for clues lies in the team discussing the severity of the threat and really cementing just how difficult it's going to be to trick the Entity before the party. I think it's very possible that there are missing conversations here that we will not be privy to until the next film as Ethan would never let his friends be in such danger without having a real plan on how to protect them and the audience always knows what the plan is so when things go awry we're aware the complications were unprecedented. In this case, we really have no idea what they're walking into, nor do we see them effectively prep for it. Unless I'm forgetting something, why did Ilsa need to be at the party at all? Why would Ethan put Ilsa in danger like that for no real reason especially after already enduring those brief, agonizing moments earlier when he truly believed she was dead and had to consider a world without her in it and knowing that Gabriel has taken someone from him in the past? Ilsa is her own woman and can do what she wants, but we don't see him even trying to protest her inclusion and voicing fear for her safety for her to even refute.

The scene where Ilsa meets Ethan on the balcony afterward is incredibly short and could feel tacked on given that there's no real lead up to it, but it could very well be the aftermath of a heavy conversation where - feeling burdened by the weight of what must be done - Ethan leaves the room to think and Ilsa follows. She looks particularly chipper here despite the seriousness of what's going on and I believe her benign comments about Venice are purposefully meant to distract Ethan in an attempt to cheer him up. Notice how he shakes his head a little after he answers, like he knows what she's trying to do before giving into her and hugging back. She's calm because she has faith in the plan while he's nervous about it. As a side note, I think it was a touching detail to have Ethan return to this same balcony to grieve (publicly).

We also see Ethan and Ilsa looking at each on the boat before he takes her hand on their way to the party. This, of course, acts as yet another sweet gesture to showcase how strong their relationship is at this point but, again, Ethan doesn't seem that happy. This isn't a relaxing date (which they deserve), he looks tense as he takes her hand. Notice how he's fidgeting as he strokes her fingers and rubs his own fingers together in his free hand. It's like he's trying to hold onto her as much as he can knowing what's going to transpire and, once again, Ilsa looks like she's trying to comfort him by stroking his hand back, never taking her eyes off him. It's a nice continuation of the dynamic of their previous moment together.

And, if this is truly Ilsa's last outing? Why hold back on basically every aspect of it? If it's truly Ilsa's last fight, why not make it her biggest, baddest fight yet that showcases all of her skill but also begins to feel truly unwinnable? We've seen her face intimidating foes before, so if she's truly going to meet her match, you really need to sell to the audience that all her usual tricks aren't working and let us see on her face that she knows she's losing this fight, which would also help build a sense of dread. I've only seen the film once at this time, but I don't recall her looking too worried at any point at the party or during her fight with Gabriel. She's a brave and skilled woman of course, but she seemed incredibly unfazed by it all, almost like she knew how it was going to go. I want to add that there's no way of knowing for sure when entering into any fight that you're guaranteed to survive. Gabriel could have stabbed her anywhere and there'd be no way to anticipate that beforehand but, as I've seen pointed out, her hand is also on the knife when it plunges into her chest. The only way to know for sure where the blade would go to look deadly but still survive it would be to guide it there herself and that seems like something the skilled Ilsa would be able to pull off.

And if it's truly Ilsa's end, why not go out of your way to make it as sad as possible? What if Gabriel leaves her just alive enough for Ethan to find her and they have a heartbreaking final moment together where they perhaps exchange a line or two before he watches her die? Of course, to add insult to injury, the grieving process is pitifully brief, focusing more on Grace's reaction than Ilsa's own friends. Why not have a stronger reaction from Ethan, Benji and Luther that absolutely breaks the audience's heart? Just compare Ethan's reaction to Ilsa's death to the assumed death of Julia in MI3, the other love of his life. Yes, technically, that was a very different situation and Julia was his wife after all and Ilsa isn't, but they don't even compare. Heck, we even get to see Ethan mourn Lindsey, a friend, in M:I3 longer than Ilsa. I understand that the movie can't languish in sorrow for too long and Ethan is used to compartmentalizing to get the job done, but this is also one of the biggest losses he's suffered and right on the heels of proclaiming to his friends how he'd never let anything happen to them. This is also the longest movie in the series so far and it has no excuse for skimping on the aftermath of the death of one of its biggest and most beloved characters. Ilsa's death is sad but leaves you feeling more empty and disappointed than utterly devastated - at least for me.

We've also seen Ethan act before, as is a necessary skill for a spy, and I think the fairly subdued reaction to her death speaks to his ability to act realistically sad (he's had practice for this exact situation too as he's probably channeling all the awful things he felt when he believed her to be dead at the beginning of the movie) but also speaks to the fact that it's not actually real because if it was I think it'd be a far stronger reaction. Yes, Ethan could just be becoming desensitized to losing people after enduring it so many times but I don't think he'd hold back for Ilsa. His partner. His equal. Someone he loves deeply and offers his only chance at a life beyond this. That chance, that love, that happiness, are now gone forever and that's not something you just take in your stride.

And yes, maybe Rebecca needed or wanted out of this franchise to film other projects but that's only more reason to give her the best sendoff you possibly can and I don't think anyone, not even the director himself would be able to admit that this was worthy enough of her character and respectful to Rebecca. If even her final fight was, for whatever reason, purposefully undercut, then what else did the director choose to take away despite having so little to begin with and why? If, historically, it's not in his nature to pull something like this based on his previous work in the series and his own passionate comments regarding the character, why would he now? It's the overall lack of care in regard to her character all of a sudden that makes it all feel fishy.

And if this is it for Ethan and Ilsa, why not push the romance? Instead of just a hug on the balcony, why not feature their first kiss or, at least, a much longer conversation that cements where they really are before it all gets taken away? If the director attempted to include a kiss in the past but scrapped it because it wasn't the right time, he probably intended it to happen eventually. Why not sneak it in right before she dies if these are their last scenes together anyway? Maybe a kiss would only serve to telegraph her demise further by making the audience more nervous about her fate, but it also would have made it even sadder knowing they had finally reached that point right before she died. If the intention of all of this is truly just to make Ethan and the audience sad and it's going to hurt one way or another, you might as well push it as hard as you can to achieve the desired effect. Regardless, I believe that when she comes back in Part 2, they'll finally get that well-earned kiss and that's what the director is waiting for.

But why have Ethan lose another woman he loves at all? Why watch him go through an entire series where all he does is lose lovers only to have him ultimately end up alone especially after developing the perfect romantic partner with him and getting audiences on board with it over the course of multiple films? It all just feels unnecessarily cruel and, as it's nothing new for him, what is it really adding to the story or his character? Losing another lover is predictable at this point but bringing one back and actually letting him be happy? Now that would be a twist! What a triumphant moment it would be for Gabriel to see Ilsa return in the next movie (and perhaps have a rematch) and realize that he's the one who'd been duped? That the Entity is not infallible? That Ethan has been one step ahead of him this whole time?

I don't think I'm alone when I say that the best possible ending for the series and Ethan's story is to get to live his life with Ilsa given he wasn't able to with Julia, trusting the IMF in the hands of new operatives like Grace to carry on in their stead (notice how they focused on that other new recruit during Ethan's introduction as well like they're preparing him to pass the torch). He finally gets to go with Ilsa like she asked him in Rogue Nation and in Fallout and they both finally get out of the game and live happily in the peace that they helped ensure and so deeply deserve. Ethan has sacrificed his own happiness to save the world so many times, why can't he and Ilsa finally get to find some happiness with each other? This series has had it's bittersweet moments but it's never been a tragedy. The conflict is meant to feel insurmountable (it is called Mission: Impossible after all) but the heroes still win and get to be happy and I expect that to continue to be the case in the very end.

Now, I understand and agree with confronting real consequences as we face our final antagonist of the series, but I would honestly predict an actual death from Luther or Benji in the final film - staples of the series and longtime friends of Ethan - that would hurt the audience too but not steal a future from him and perhaps Ilsa's "death" is also meant to deflect from the real death that's coming which would still, naturally, makes things very bittersweet. That being said, if this series wanted to continue to lean into happy outcomes over sad ones, then simply having Ethan get to live peacefully in the knowledge that he was able to keep all of his friends safe would be enough for him and for me.

As of now, I'm actually feeling hopeful about the potential for Ilsa to return. I think there are currently more viable reasons for why she could still be alive than dead and I think it would vastly improve the story they're telling rather than take away from it or feel forced because, as it stands, the execution of her death does feel less than the caliber of what this series is capable of and a surprise return would certainly remedy that. It wouldn't feel like a gimmick given the nature of the series, nor do I think it would undermine the death scene we got since it didn't have any impact on the plot and barely any on the characters anyway. Ilsa returning would improve things, not take away and if this all works to bring her back, it will take what was a lackluster plot point and unceremonious exit of a major character to a brilliant showcase of subterfuge both for the characters and the audience and the latter sounds more like the Mission: Impossible I know.

The first time Ethan faked the death of a woman he loved to protect her; he lost her. Now he's had to do it again and this time, he'll get her back. There's still hope.

#mission impossible #mission: impossible #ethan hunt #ilsa faust #ethan x ilsa #ilsa x ethan #mi7 #mi7 spoilers #mission impossible dead reckoning #mission: impossible dead reckoning #ilsaethan #mission impossible dead reckoning part one #mission: impossible - dead reckoning part 1 #dead reckoning part 1 spoilers #julia meade #luther stickell #benji dunn

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a-local-idiots-shitpost · 1 year

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What about a MC who's all intelligent on daily basis but gets embarrassed easily with affection?

I didn´t really know how to write your idea exactly like you wanted, so I decided on just doing an Mc that get´s easily embarrassed, hope you´ll still like it Anon

also sorry it took so long Anon was kinda busy because of Christmas and not really in a writing mood the last couple of days too

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

Lucifer:

he literally just leaned onto you and now you fainted

… again

this happens far to often

he just brushed your hand and you are already running

he didn´t even touch your hand, he´s wearing gloves!

and he needs your help because he has to much work

it does help his Pride a lot seeing you run from him in embarrassed just from him looking at you

better hope you don´t react like this towards anybody else because it would ruin him

wouldn´t that suck? :)

Mammon:

wait if he´s embarrassed and you are embarrassed who is going to make the first move?

good thing that this problem is solved by the fact that you will die from embarrassement just from seeing him

and he´s torn between loving it and hating it, loving it because you clearly admire the Great Mammon and hating it because most of the time you faint when he tries to talk with you

every time he has the courage to do anything you run away

what did he do to deserve this?! sure he scammed a couple… million or so people, his brothers included, but still! he doesn´t deserve this!

Leviathan:

the one time, THE one time he had the courage to hold your hand and you got so embarrassed you just straight up fainted

this is just like the Anime insert very long but fitting title and yes this is the actual title and wasn´t written because someone didn´t want to think up a title

anyway! this is torture for him the one time he falls in love with someone 3D and neither of them can look at each without fainting!

Your guyses entire relationship will probably be just talking with each other, not being able to get a word out and everybody who sees this will just think “what´s wrong with these two? why are the just standing there… staring at each other?”

Satan:

listen he loves you but IF YOU DON`T STOP THIS SHIT HE WILL BEAT YOU UP!!!

he knows how difficult it is to get over things like this

but he can´t stand your constant stuttering or not even able to say anything at all it just grinds his gears

and the fainting also isn´t a pleasant thing because he get´s worried and than realizes it´s just your normal behavior

but this also makes him want to study you like a bug, he wants to know why you faint so much, he will be disappointed if it has no other meaning

Asmodeus:

you would think he loves it, wouldn´t you? I mean at first he also loved it but it soon made him frustrated

yes he knows he´s beautiful but you can´t compliment him when you can´t even look him in the face!

and he can´t make you more beautiful either because you can´t be to close to him!

he will get very pouty and annoyed… and end up as a massive pain for his brothers

because when Asmo is in a bad mood it will be everybody´s problem, he ends up spending most of his time out of house and when he is home he will be a bad mood

let´s just hope it will end quickly...

Beelzebub:

he is confused why you always stay away from him?

you´re just running when you see him

he is sorry when he scared you, he didn´t mean to he was just hungry and mistook you for food

he will be so surprised when it turns out you just… get embarrassed around him? for no reason???

like he´s just standing there and you immediately change course when you see him so you don´t faint

he get´s sad about it because everybody get´s to spend time with you but not him :´(

this will be dark times for the House of Lamentation, or rather a famine because Beel is suddenly hungrier than usual (and he already ate the couch)

Belphegor:

his favourite pillow keeps running from him this is unacceptable

at first he thought it was because you know the attic accident and you were terrified of him

but no you just get embarrassed as soon as you see him and most of the time you run away from him

but he won´t let you

he needs his favourite pillow otherwise he refuses to sleep (or trying to not sleep)

if you thought he was bad before it´s actually a 50/50 chance of him being to tired to be a menace or he will be so cranky that everybody will suffer from it

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beesmygod · 6 months

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Referring to your additional last post where I believe you are saying that exhausting yourself with tricky social media is not worth the effort as you will be in the same spot you "began" - I would like to know if you feel satisfied with the balance of your output and the response. I always told myself that if I ever make anything that supposedly would interest some people I have yet to meet that I would be satisfied and would be able to do it for just the joy of friends. But I have befallen ill to the call of clout, the lack of numbers having deemed my art worthless and I know many artists quit due to it. I have friends/associates who keep their heads up until in a bad moment they break and lament that they are not where others (popular artists with big clout and opportunity) are. Did you manage to free yourself from that? Or are you supressing it and turn out stronger than most? Because from the looks of everything you are exceptionally strong. I hope your relationship with your art and comic will be met with the same strength. (Apologies for going on Anon - I do not know how to communicate with people nowadays)

no need to apologize for any of this, ever. honestly, it's a difficult to breach subject and a prods at raw nerve that every artist has to tend to at LEAST once at some point. and i think you would have to be superhuman not to feel this complex mixture of contradictory emotions and grapple with it frequently. you want to be seen and heard because that's what art is. why deny the truth: artists crave a sympathetic audience!

remember that you're a human person. you're complex and contradictory by nature; you contain multitudes. you can want multiple things at the same time. it's not a crime to yearn or to express frustration with feeling invisible or underappreciated. i just did this for a week straight lol. i think part of an artistic career is having to face some of this head-on and interrogate yourself. feel the bad feelings. get rejected over and over. it is a career comprised of constant rejection for nearly everyone. and it's extremely hard to put on a happy face and jump back in day after day.

and look, sometimes you lose the battle with yourself for your soul. give yourself the grace when you realize you have. try and learn from it. or don't. it dont mattah. none a dis mattahs

when it comes to numbers, you have to ask yourself: what number will make you happy? when will it be enough to satisfy you? this sounds really confrontational lol but imagine im asking these like "where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?". it's worth interrogating. you do not want to fall into the pit of trying to fill a hole with numbers.

i am absolutely not free of it. not even close. i am shocked to hear that i appear strong given how i feel and behave on any given day. its just a combination of avoidance, suppression, and keeping expectations low. the mantra is: you cannot be rejected if you don't apply, emotional outbursts are like blood in the water to people who dislike you, and expect to be ignored; if you aren't then it's a pleasant surprise.

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invested-in-your-future · 3 months

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I saw your post about if RWBY was written someone decently:

“We would have absolutely gotten a fallout from Jaune just...forging his entry into the academy and then harassing a girl for two volumes.”

I know I am going to get some hate but honestly I wanted Jaune to learn from his actions. I never did like how even at his worst he gets rewarded for his bad behavior:

-he came to a school without aura and no one scolded him for being reckless

-he is sleeping and being lazy with his training (this was your dream why aren’t you taking this seriously?)

-the worse one to me personally (Pyrrha offering training he desperately needs he refuses out of pride…despite knowing he is doing awful)

I hated the bully arc because it was only there to make jaune look good. (Doesn’t help the writers admitting that it was self insert moment.)

Jaune should have faced consequences for being this irresponsible.

Honestly, it's just a mess.

First of all, I have to preface this by saying that there's nothing necessarily wrong with writing Jaune as lazy or not taking his position seriously - as long as writing acknowledges that and uses it to develop him.

Making Jaune as misguided into believing being a Huntsman would make him respected and adored while struggling to put in actual work necessary could be interesting.

The behavior that is in show would fit perfectly the idea of someone who just thought he'd enter into this prestigious academy and get treated like a hero or "The protagonist" - of course someone like that would instantly attempt to hit on the most popular and famous girl at school and of course someone like that would find it difficult to get into his brain that she isn't interested.

Writing Jaune as this person enamored with toxic stereotypes of masculinity and the idea that others owe something to him for his position is interesting. As is the idea of someone like that slowly getting over the toxicity inherent in his behavior and growing into someone more genuine, someone not bound by awful complexes and generic macho fantasies.

Showing how Jaune has to learn to be comfortable with himself and how the whole "knight in shining armor" stereotype of masculinity is not necessary - that would be a riveting character arc.

It would justify all the clashes with Cardin because both represent the polar opposite issues with toxic masculinity overall.

It would even make him a fitting member of JNPR by making his characterization part of the team's theme of challenging gender stereotypes and roles!

The issue is that the writers don't see any of those as an issue - in the minds of Miles and Kerry and the like - Jaune is just this guy "way in over his head" who is just "trying his best".

And what's worse, the writers take the absolute worst possible message from the critique that surrounds Jaune - they somehow believe that the key to making Jaune more likable and to sell him better to the audiences is to make him more "manly", "stronger", "responsible" - all the while walking straight(heh) into the worst toxic stereotypes that people were complaining about in the first place.

They don't attempt to challenge the toxicity and the annoying character traits because they don't see them. Instead they attempt to make him likable and "cool".

So Jaune gets to step over a trail of women who died for his characterization while lamenting how "he never asked for this" and getting a banana haircut that's "more manly". And to prove the likes of Weiss of how achshually he's totally nice and cool guy and she was oh so wrong for daring to not be interested.

I wrote before that the show has Jaune deal with completely different issues than his character actually has, essentially in parts stuffing Ruby's character arc bits onto his character rather than the main protagonist.

It's not only infuriating because of how much the result of his characterization poisons the already shaky show and steals the protagonists' screen time and development, but also downright sad to see the potential of a compelling story arc robbed.

#rwby #rwde #jaune arc

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corrodedcoughin · 1 year

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something something southern boy eddie being jealous of nancy and steve growing closer (even though there's nothing going on between them and it's all in eddie's head) and going to an open-mic night in country bar a couple of towns over to sing jolene.

that's it. that's all i got. i just want more eddie singing dolly parton songs and he'll be such a petty lil jealous bitch that jolene fits him perfectly. okay, hope you're having a lovely day friend!

oh my lord do NOT get me started on Dolly Parton loving steddie. I believe and will promote it!! Southern boy Eddie just feels right somehow, I love everything you said.

Now you are going to have to forgive me for all inaccuracies because I am not American but here's some thoughts.

Eddie thinking Steve and Nancy are getting closer, they've been spending more and more time together, heads bent close and talking in whispers. Every time he sees them it feels like a fist around his heart and windpipe a hot, uncomfortable thing that makes him want to turn on his heel but finds himself staring and hurting instead.

He deals with it the only way he knows how, through music and who better than miss Dolly? He spends nights in his room blaring out Jolene, and I will always love you. Sometimes he mixes it up, adds new artists in Willie Nelson with 'Always on my mind', patsy cline 'crazy' and whatever else he can torture himself with.

Wayne handles it as best he can before he's knocking on Eddie's door shouting to turn it down when the soundsytem starts to rattle the mugs on the shelf. He loves Eddie like a son but if he loses another mug to Tammy Wynette's laments he's going to start hiding his record collection from that boy.

Without an outlet for his heartbreak Eddie gets restless so one day after he sees Steve and Nancy whispering and smiling again he jumps in his van and drives, speakers turned up and when he stops he finds himself a couple of towns away outside a bar with some pretty interesting clientele that, while keeping a low profile, are clearly having a good time. He gets curious and Eddie has never been somebody to shy away from his own curiosity so he goes in and what he finds changes his life.

There is such an amazing mix of people, couples and non-couples and most of all, a complete lack of stares or judgement. He keeps looking around, a smile on his face grows when he sees the stage when the barman is at his elbow

'You here for the open mic night? You look the type anyway'

Eddie turns to face the man, certain that this is a place he is coming back to

'Not this time, but sign me up for the next one'

-------

It’s a few months down the line and Eddie is a regular, carved himself a spot on the stage in this evidently accepting and thriving gay bar.

He is gearing up to go out, ready to pour his heart out after seeing Steve pick Nancy up and spin her around, his whole mood souring and the overwhelming pain and sadness sitting low in his stomach. It had been manageable up until then, difficult sure, but manageable. So tonight is the night.

He walks up to the mic to familiar cheers and heckles; he always has such a varied set but never a bad word said about him. Eddie gets himself settled on the stool, acoustic guitar in hand and without giving himself a chance to look at the crowd he starts with the opening notes to Jolene and silence spreads across the audience. Eddie gives it everything, holding nothing back and the bar patrons join him in the chorus. He puts all his sadness into his performance, catharsis in its purest form. He aches and the audience aches with him, it finally feels good.

He looks up then and makes eye contact with the girl that has broken him. Nancy Wheeler stares at him across the bar, she stands in a gap in Eddie's eye line, somehow with nobody in front of her. Sad eyes seeing something in Eddie he never planned on sharing with her. He looks down immediately, not wanting to completely self-destruct in the middle of his set. But that's when he catches Nancy's hand, Nancy's occupied hand holding another hand. A distinctly non-masculine hand. He looks back up. Robin Buckley? Holding hands with Nancy Wheeler? Eddie has to park that thought, can’t let it into his mind when he has his set to finish but it finds a place to sit, to be addressed later, he's curious, not hopeful but definitely interested in this turn of events.

--------

He finishes his set to applause and takes an ostentatious bow, packs up his stuff and shuffles off to the bar, hoping to get a drink and think about what he saw. Eddie manages to get to the bar when Nancy intercepts him, Robin in tow. He should have known she wouldn't ignore him, not when Eddie has actually been in her house, made small talk during the summers when the school couldn't be used for Hellfire and Mike's house was the only available spot.

'Hi Eddie, I just wanted to say, WE both wanted to say, that was great. Really great. Right Robin?'

Robin swings forward, hand still attached to Nancy's and starts to talk, going over Eddie's playing, song choices and then the cover of Jolene. Both her and Nancy change their body language at that lean close, soften their eyes, seem to pick up on something Eddie was showing but not telling.

The thing is, Eddie knew about Robin, they'd had talks in the band room cupboard, tentative at the start but then more open as time went on. They had a trust between each other that neither took lightly. And because of that, Eddie felt protective of Robin, doesn't want to see her hurt when she has clearly opened herself up to somebody new.

Just then Robin shoots off, says something about the bathroom which leaves Eddie and Nancy together. Eddie doesn't really know what to do with himself, doesn't want to talk to the girl that is responsible for his heartache but also doesn't want to let the opportunity to protect his friend go. So he doesn't think, just throws himself in at the deep end and hopes for the best

'You know Ms Wheeler, never thought I'd see you in the kind of place. Taking a walk on the wild side before returning to your castle?' It's not nice but it’s not overly hostile, he hopes

'Yeah, well Robin wanted to come and I thought it might be fun. Let her show me the ropes a bit'

Eddie raises an eyebrow at this

'Wouldn't it be better to come here with your boyfriend? Does he even know you are here or you just here to get some kick from Buckley where nobody can see you? Go back to you 'normal' life in the morning?'

To her credit, Nancy doesn't get angry, raises her head to look Eddie directly in the eye and begins to speak but is interrupted by Robin making a reappearance next to Nancy and then, much to Eddie's horror, a voice comes from behind him

'Ah the love bird reunited at last, don't know how you survived without breathing the same air quite honestly'

'Oh, shut up dingus, I know for a fact that you are disgustingly co-dependent so don't even start'

And that's when Steve fucking Harrington comes up to Eddie's side, places an arm on his bicep and squeezes

'Hey man, you were amazing. That Dolly cover? Goosebumps dude! I'd love to hear more if you know any of her others?'

Steve is leaning in close to Eddie, he is smiling at Eddie, he has his hand ON Eddie's arm. Eddie...may have misinterpreted some things.

-----------

It's another few months down the line and Eddie is about to step on stage at his familiar open mic night. He walks up on stage, electric guitar this time, plugs it in and tunes up, not giving the crowd any attention. Then, when he feels ready, his eyes are up and he finds the familiar pair in the crowd. Steve.

Turns out the time he and Nancy had been spending together was to plan romancing Robin and the spinning? That was when Nancy had finally secured a date. He feels silly for it now but hey, worked out in the end, right?

Eddie smiles wide, gets close to the mic so it’s almost muffled

'Stevie darlin', this ones for you'

And Eddie starts Dolly Parton's 'Baby I'm burning' as the audience gets up on their feet and Nancy pulls Robin and Steve onto the dance floor. It's loud and it's fun and Eddie doesn't stop grinning the whole time, smile evident in his voice as he sings and he sends his thanks out to Dolly.

#HELLO THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!#I hope this is okay!!!#I am very much not American so please forgive me #I wish I could weigh in more on southern eddie because I love that idea #I could have gone full fic length on this ngl but stopped myself because who needs that on an ask #anyway!! thank you!!! hope you’ve had a good Tuesday!!!#and thank you AGAIN!!#stranger things #steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #ask #ps Eddie and Steve definitely do island in the stream at some point and the crowd goes wild #finally getting Steve on stage after Eddie’s constant reverse hecking #Robin and Nancy are front row and do the whole pretending to be groupies

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voltrixz · 1 year

Text

Why YOU should go vote for Electro (TSSM) in @cartoon-character-competition

First off this is like the first time I have managed to get Electro into a competition which is a CRIME in itself already

You may be familiar with Electro from the usual Spiderman comics or movies but trust me tssm Electro is the best Electro ever.

Like LOOK AT THIS GUY HE FUCKIN ROCKS, HIS DESIGN IS SICK AS HELL!!!!!

and well this guy has been through a lot. He used to be an engineer at Dr Connors lab where they were studying and experimenting on radioactive eels. (probably not a good idea but ok) And well well after a work accident, Electro (previously known as Max) goes from

and well while his new look is sick as hell, lets just say it makes just trying to function properly really REALLY difficult and after being frustrated about no one being able to help and facing the possibiltity his life may never go back to normal, he runs off fuming.

And what does one angry man just turned into living walking form of electricity do? Buy coffee of course

(this is how he looks fully suited up and with a disguise outfit on top btw )(which is why he looks a bit different here)

Anyways he realizes he cant even drink “a measly cup of coffee” anymore and freaks out, alerting peter parker who chases after him after electro freaks out storms off.

So what happens next?

- Peter attacks him thinking he’s a threat (he’s not hes just freaking out and pissed off)

- Realizing his mistake Peter tries to help but Electro now refuses and is ultimately defeated

- He’s sent to a mental institution to recover and it seems he had but nope as soon as he’s out he’s out for revenge

- He teams up with the sinister six, gaining both a mentor/father figure in Doc Ock (leader of the sinister six)

- Is defeated again and no longer pretends to try to recover at the mental institution when he’s sent back and looses faith in his new mentor

- Is recruited back into a new Sinister six and recovers that faith again in his mentor

- Once again defeated and is abandoned by said mentor figure and almost loses his life if it wasnt for Peter saving him.

- From then on he’s sent to an insane asylum and well I sure wish we knew what happened next

BECAUSE WE DONT BECAUSE TSSM WAS CANCELLED AT SEASON 2 WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET AT LEAST LIKE 5

so yeah not only is Electro’s story tragic, it doesnt even get a PROPER ENDING

but lets focus on the positives for a bit shall we?

(laying out some images of him, i need you guys to look at him)

like LOOK AT HIM!!!!! he’s got both, the silly expressions and beyond pissed off ones, a true balance, he’s both a bit of goofy loser and cool as hell

oh and btw he’s trans coded as hell

first off unlike the other villains who dont mind whether you call them from their actual name or villain alias, Electro has a strong distaste over his old name. Angrily calling out people who dont refer to him as Electro.

Not only that but he’s seen and treated as an outcast. That is until joining the sinister six, a band of outcasts just like him where he’s even eager to join back.

Plus he just radiates trans swag (also a a majority of the tssm fandom has come to a agreement that yeah electro is trans and is in no way cis )

LIKE GO TBOY GO!!!! KILL!!!!!!

Also theres even subtle nod of him even being queer as when he laments on what he wanted to do before the accident, he says “you know i had plans before all this, go back to college, meet someone, have a LIFE”

You may have noticed he never specifies whether he wants to meet a girl or a guy which like 🏳️‍🌈 ?

(also in the comics, Electro is canonically bisexual so....)

so yeah I know this site loves the owl house and belos is a good villain and all but he’s a terrible, completely irredeemable, asshole of a person and cmon would you really let electro lose to a guy like that? After all the guy’s been through?

Plus a win for a electro is a win for trans/queer people all around (has made me cry and sob over his story as I relate to a lot of the aspects in his story personally as a queer/trans person and has made me so so attached to him) (has made me be so proud of being trans and give me hope about officially transitioning someday) (funny enough he actually helps me cope with my gender dysphoria A LOT and he has geniuely helped me so much and he means so so much to me)

So go vote ELECTRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (do it for me guys pretty please (stares at you with sparkling wide eyes)

#im normal about him btw (writes an entire heartfilled and emotional ramble about him to get people to vote for him in a silly tournament)#BUT YEAH VOTE ELECTRO!!!!!!!!!!#tssm #spectacular spiderman #the spectacular spiderman #voltrix rambles #long post #if theres any spelling mistakes uh ooops!!

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fellominaarcher · 1 year

Text

THE BASEBALL CAP GOD - WINTER; KIM MINJEONG

2. "I prayed upon the sky"

chapters

approx. word count: 3336

Lay Your Head On Me - Crush

Minjeong was dozing off on the couch when her daughter called for her.

She was gently roused from sleep by the miniature version of herself. "Eomma," she called out.

When Minjeong fluttered open her eyes, she looked at her daughter, "Yes?" she responded.

Her daughter sat on the couch and motioned for her mother to take a nap. "If you're sleepy, we'll continue later" the girl said.

Minjeong rose to a sitting position and gave her daughter a head pat while wearing a flimsy smile.

In response to the young girl, "No, it's okay, I promised you" Minjeong assured the little girl.

The daughter looked at her mother with concern, the girl felt bad.

She made a cute pout. "Really?" the girl asked, her brow furrowed.

Minjeong extended her torso and yawned then took a big breath later.

"Are you sure?" the daughter queried.

Minjeong responded with a nod of head and she gave the daughter a warm assuring smile.

She pulled her daughter closer. "Come on, let me tell you more," she told the girl.

Flashback to Baseball Cap God

The deity attended the school under the alias Bae Y/N.

The deity's true name was far more obvious than her actual self and the names she was given.

You must be wondering how Minjeong became entangled in the path of the God of Fate.

This chapter will tell you a little bit about the god and how they met.

at the high school

As usual, early in the morning, before class. Y/N was gazing out the window at the sky.

She wore a black Adidas baseball cap, was bouncing her leg as she sat down, and rested her palm on her jaw.

The female god was staring aimlessly into the sky, and many eyes were fixed on her, curious about the mysterious girl.

Years had passed since they were classmates, but the god remained a quiet girl who never made many friends.

She was more of a loner.

The god was known for always adorning baseball cap that covers her head and students never saw the god eat in the cafeteria

She was smart and was a decent student in the class with decent grades.

To think about a God of Fate was disguising as a highschool student and was always wearing a cap.

Some students would mock her for being an introvert and would make fun of the fact that she had to wear a cap.

Yes, she didn't always wear her cap because she'd put it away when classes started to respect the teachers.

But when classes or school were over, she'd put her cap back on.

Y/N kind of enjoyed posing as a highschool students and it helped to get rid of her boredom.

Plus, it was helpful too.

Minjeong went for a walk alone one evening. Her hoodie was covering her head.

She was deep in thought, silently lamenting her pain.

The colour of the evening was grey and gloomy. There are no hints of purple or red skies after the sun sets.

Similar to the previous days, the air was congested and difficult to breathe.

Why am I like this? Why am I different compared to the other people of my age?

Will I continue to experience this pain forever? When will things improve?

Will I be alright?

If there is a God, then please listen to me and stop my heart from breaking.

Those were the thoughts that Minjeong had. Similar inquiries had been made.

Minjeong was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice who she was going to run into.

She ran into the back of someone, their bodies collided and the person turned to face Minjeong.

As soon as she looked up, Minjeong bowed to the individual and apologized.

Her face was dawned with a sense of recognition.

It turned out to be the high school student who was wearing the baseball cap and was staring down at Minjeong.

She remained mute and made no comment in response to Minjeong's apologies.

"Oh-" Minjeong spouted as the idol attempted to looked at Y/N's face.

Y/N recognised the girl she had saved the previous two weeks. She saved the girl because Minjeong would have died if it had rained that day.

So the deity stopped the rain and made it possible for Minjeong to make it back to Seoul without incident.

The deity smiled tightly and excused herself with a bow, quickly walking away from the idol.

Y/N stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked away without looking back.

Minjeong was surprised that the girl didn't want to be involved with her, and part of her felt relieved.

Because Minjeong knew the girl would walk away unconcerned about the fact that she was an idol.

She had faith that the girl wouldn't talk about what happened or even reveal who she had met at the cliff.

Once more, Minjeong's brief encounter with the baseball cap girl kept her from being able to sleep that night.

She couldn't help but wonder why she kept bumping into the girl.

Minjeong caught a sight of the baseball cap girl on another day.

When Aespa attended an award ceremony, she noticed the familiar girl near some locations.

Another week went by, Minjeong hadn't seen the girl in a while.

Today is Tuesday. It seems like the closer it comes to autumn, the more rain there is.

The weather can be unusual and sometimes it'd be synonymous with Minjeong's sorrowful heart.

A crying sky.

The sky is crying again, Minjeong walked alone in the rain. These days, the idol preferred to be alone.

Luckily, Aespa is taking a short break.

Of course, she didn't forget the umbrella, and her gaze was drawn to the street where people were walking in the pouring rain.

She was lost in thought while maintaining a calm expression.

God, if you hear me, come to me and guide me to the safety of my heart.

God, if you hear me, make this rain better and not melancholic.

I just want to be okay.

She was thinking those words when a grandmother abruptly stopped her in her tracks.

"Eh, young lady, hold on!" she told the idol with a warm smile.

Minjeong looked at the grandmother, then softened her gaze and smiled warmly.

She bowed to the grandma "Yes? What is it grandma?" she questioned.

Minjeong was pulled into the pojangmacha by the grandmother, who was holding her by the wrist.

Rice cakes or roasted corn are typically served in the tiny tent or street food stall where people typically eat.

"Sit down, sit down!" she invited the Aespa vocalist to have a seat.

Minjeong complied and sat down at the nearby table after closing her umbrella.

The grandmother went to the kitchen and brought her some foods. "Hehe, eat this!" she said, inviting the girl to eat.

"Haa, grandma! This is too much for me!" She dismissively waved her hands.

The idol was sorry, but the grandmother insisted that she eat the foods.

However, the grandma managed to convince her.

Minjeong took a few bites while the grandma watched the idol contentedly chewing the food.

She complimented Minjeong on eating the food. The grandmother was overjoyed.

"You're Winter from Aespa, right? the cute grandma asked with a grin.

Minjeong became embarrassed whenever someone recognised her. "Yes, I am" she replied, a shy smile on her face.

The grandma placed her hand on top of Minjeong's hand and the idol gave it a quick glance before returning her gaze to grandma's face.

Grandma sighed. "Winter, please eat your food well." the grandma spoke out.

That was one of the reasons she insisted on Minjeong eating the food.

"Enjoy the rain when it comes. Take a short stroll and as you do, note how the rain is falling steadily," the grandmother carried on speaking.

Grandma appeared to grasp Minjeong's tearful gaze. "It's wonderful to embrace nature and the rain will be the most beautiful thing to happen," as she reassured the idol.

She appeared to recognise that the idol is currently going through a difficult time.

The idol was on the verge of crying. "The rain will not be melancholic if you perceived it negatively" the grandma added, along with a warm smile.

Grandma gently tapped her hand. "If you believe, even a God will make a way for you and mend your heart," the grandma continued her words.

"You will be alright." she assured Minjeong at the end of her speech.

As the two continued to converse, another grandmother entered the stall.

She abruptly interrupted Minjeong and the grandma, which startled the first grandmother.

Minjeong's jaw dropped the moment she saw the other grandma. The two grandmothers were exact replicas of each other.

She rose and bowed to the other grandmother. "Hello," she greeted.

The grandma gently dismissed the idol and sat down next to her twin, "Oh my, you brought an idol here!" she cried joyfully.

"It's raining heavily!" the first grandma scoffed and scolded her twin.

Minjeong gave the other grandma a shy smile which the grandma returned with a bright one.

The grandmother got up from her chair and cupped Minjeong's little face, "Wow, Winter is so pretty!" she complimented the gorgeous idol.

"Of course!" the first grandma told her as she slapped the other grandma's shoulder.

Minjeong laughed as she observed the two bickering over trivial matters.

It made her very happy. She could see how these grandmothers were polar opposites.

After a few minutes, the first grandma suddenly remembered something.

"Oh! My delivery should be here anytime soon!" she acknowledged everyone.

As she looked at her twin, the second grandma's brow furrowed. "Huh? When? What exactly is it?" she had a lot of questions.

The first grandmother smiled as she snapped her fingers, "It's here!" she exclaimed.

Minjeong looked around to see if a delivery man had entered the stall but it was unusually quiet.

Nobody's footsteps outside were heard, whispered conversations or the sound of rain pouring were audible.

For a moment, it appeared as though time had stopped.

They were interrupted by a deep female voice saying, "Here." as a long arm gave the grandmother a yellow plastic bag.

Minjeong was stunned by the arm and immediately leaned back as it obstructed her field of vision.

When she looked up, she thought she saw the alleged delivery man but what she saw instead surprised her.

Minjeong's breath caught in her throat as she recognised the person.

The deity felt a pair of eyes on her, but the grandma still hasn't taken the plastic bag from her.

A hint of happiness filled Minjeong's heart and there she was, dieu du destin, which mean God of Fate.

Minjeong's body language was observed by both grandmothers after the idol fixed her focus on the deity.

The two grandmothers exchanged a brief glance before the first grandmother gently accepted the plastic bag.

"Ohh, thank you beautiful girl!" the grandma expressed her gratitude dramatically.

Grandma received a faint smile from the girl in the baseball. "You're welcome, I'll get going now." she quietly responded.

When Minjeong saw the girl getting ready to go, she quickly got up from her seat and made a respectful bow to the grandparents.

When Minjeong abruptly left, the grandmothers were at a loss for words and simply left the idol alone.

"Wait a minute!" Minjeong spoke loudly in an attempt to attract the girl's attention.

The first granny kept a pair of interested eyes on the two.

The second grandma noticed there's a faint red thread tied to Minjeong's pinky and she traced the red thread then it led to the baseball cap girl.

It made the grandma subtlely curious and surprised about the red thread.

She made a long humming sound as she kept her eyes on the red thread.

The red thread between those two sparked her interest.

outside the stall

"Hey!" Minjeong called out for the girl.

The deity finally turned to look at the tiny girl this time. As she looked down at her, she hummed in response.

This time, when Minjeong peered up at her, she saw that the deity's face wasn't entirely hidden by the cap.

She was speechless for a time as she studied every detail of the God's face.

She had naturally long, curly lashes, which the idol observed, "You-" Minjeong needed to ask a question.

However, some loud noises entered her ears, which concerned the idol as she sought the source of the noises.

She winced as a result of the loud crashes that were heard.

Once she had a clear glimpse of the source, she moved slightly away from the taller deity and her face contorted.

The road was the scene of a very horrific accident, cars were substantially dented and on fire.

It was convinced that the victims, who were scattered across the road, were already dead or very close to passing away.

The deity stood behind Minjeong and watched the mishap. She had an emotionless face.

For the god, it was nothing new.

"Oh my god-" the idol stammered, covering her mouth with her hand.

The baseball cap god gently nodded while keeping her eyes fixed on the chaos in front of her.

Minjeong might have been involved in an accident and been struck by the car if it weren't for the granny.

The taller girl sighed, she announced. "If you have nothing to say, I'll go." and turned to leave.

When Minjeong saw the girl in the baseball cap walk away from her, she was rendered speechless.

She focused on the young woman who had calmly entered the scene of the accident, glanced around at the crime scene, and strolled past the victims who were already dead.

The girl in the baseball cap did nothing to assist or even appear scared by the scene in front of her.

Minjeong swore mentally. "What the fuck? Is she sane?" she paused.

A few days later

Minjeong had been thinking about the highschool student who was always wearing a baseball cap since their recent meeting.

Minjeong couldn't stop thinking about how ignorant a person could be.

Minjeong was unaware that the accident that happened on the road that day was predetermined.

Bae Y/N knew it was bound to happen and she was present at the scene to ensure it did.

It was never easy to cheat death especially when it's predetermined by the people above.

Ningning tapped Minjeong on the shoulder to catch her attention "Yah, Jeong-ah, we'll going to that place later?" the maknae asked to reconfirm their plans.

Minjeong's eyes widened as she responded with a nod of her head to Maknae's question.

Aespa has just finished filming their dance rehearsal. The two younger girls intended to visit a mall to purchase a few necessities.

When the two girls were at the mall, they talked a lot and laughed a lot about ridiculous things.

The two were having a good time, and it was one of the few days when Minjeong wasn't too preoccupied with her thoughts or feeling too sad.

She heeded the grandmother's advice because she was striving to improve for her members, her fans and most importantly, herself.

Ningning and Minjeong went clothes shopping. They both thought they needed more clothes.

They already have more than enough clothes and the girls always share their clothing.

Ningning was looking through some jeans on the rack, comparing prices and sizes.

Minjeong was doing the same thing as Ningning but her attention was drawn to a different section.

She left her maknae entirely behind as she proceeded to the section with bright eyes.

Minjeong kept a little smile on her face as her finger skimmed the accessories.

Finally approaching Minjeong, Ningning turned to face the caps.

She had a puzzled face. "Eh? Are you thinking of buying this?" the maknae queried.

Minjeong happily nodded. "Help me to choose! This will be a gift!" Minjeong smiled as she told the girl.

The vocalist agreed to assist the older member in selecting a cap.

Minjeong purchased a rugged light grey baseball cap in case she ran into the girl again.

She intended to give her a cap as a thank you for not telling anyone about what the girl knew.

The two returned to their dorm safely after finishing their shopping.

She kept the baseball cap she bought for the girl in her tote bag at all times. The idol changed her handbag into a tote bag.

She did it so she could more easily keep the baseball cap. She was constantly hoping to run into the girl.

If Minjeong had some free time, she would try to find the girl again.

Flashback ended

"So, did you manage to find the God of Fate later?" her daughter questioned, placing a hand on her chin.

Minjeong smiled. "Of course, I managed to find the God." she answered, assuring her daughter.

Her daughter made the letter O with her mouth, expressing her admiration for her mother.

With a smug expression on her lips, Minjeong laughed later at her daughter's response.

"Tell me how you found her!" her daughter demanded, nearly shrieking.

Minjeong gently reprimanded her daughter without coming across as strict.

The mother gave the girl a half-approving glance. "But it's nighttime darling," the mother reminded.

The mother had been telling stories for hours and had managed to keep going even though it was close to bedtime.

Her daughter begged her mother with her large doe eyes as she clenched her hands together.

She made a mental note to reprimand Aeri for raising her kid in a spoiled brat manner as she mockingly sighed.

The woman let out a relieved sigh and pulled her young daughter into bed before sitting down on her daughter's bed.

Minjeong pulled the blanket up over her torso. "Alright, I will tell you." she said to her young daughter.

"How did you?" daughter inquired, making herself at home on the bed.

Minjeong arched her brow, "By a wish." she simply replied in hushed tones.

As she recalled the moments when she made the decision to properly meet the deity, the woman grinned with pride.

Flashback to Baseball Cap God

At this one evening, Minjeong went out to enjoy the sunset near the same cliff where she almost fell.

The sun was setting, the breeze was blowing gently, and the roundness of the sun could be seen as it sank into the horizon.

Minjeong was feeling a little better than she had before.

The idol came here to clear her mind and to be soothed by the sunset.

As the breeze gently touched her face and her hair, she closed her eyes and thought profoundly about a great number of things.

Prior to it, Minjeong had just blown several bright red rose petals, which were then whisked away by the wind.

Dear God, if you're real, thank you for the peace I'm feeling at this moment.

I want to make a wish, wherever or whoever you might be, please come to me.

Please, I'm begging.

As she continued to pray and begged God to come and save her broken heart.

When she heard a twig snap, Minjeong squirmed. When she opened her eyes, she turned to face the person.

The figure standing tall and staring down at her from above caught her attention while she was sitting on the ground.

"It's you." the deity pointed out.

This time, she had a whole black outfit on from head to toe. Fully cloaked as the cold season draws near.

Minjeong stood up and rubbed her palms together to remove the pebbles that had become stuck on her palms.

She gave the girl a nervous look. "Yeah, it's me" Minjeong confirmed.

"How did you summon for me?" was the first thing the girl asked.

Minjeong's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what the girl meant by summoning her.

#aespa imagines #aespa x reader #aespa fanfic #winter aespa #winter x reader #aespa winter #aespa minjeong #kim minjeong #gxg angst #gxg #wlw love #wlw books #Spotify

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fangirleaconmigo · 2 years

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I recently bought all the Witcher books and tonight I finally started reading them. So far I've only read the first chapter of the last wish (the strigga) and I found that it introduces Geralt's character rather well. It shows him willing to try and cure the princess unless nearly impossible. It shows how he works while on contracts. I was wondering if you think it does a good job or not?

(sorry, I have no one else to discuss the books with. I hope this is okay)

Have a great day / night!

- 👻

This is more than ok! I'm so happy when people want to talk about the books with me!

You know what I find so interesting about that short story? It was written first, as a total one-off. So when it became popular, Sapko was like...shit...I better build a character and do some world building. (I am of course paraphrasing him. He says this in one of his interviews but I'm not gonna get the exact quote).

So, when I look at that story, I see really strong indications of who Geralt is going to be. Like it is actually miraculous how much that first story leads flawlessly into who he becomes, the challenges he faces, and where his story goes.

But there is one part that I'm like...yea...Geralt never does anything like that again. It is so jarring in the context of what he goes on to do with Geralt. The world building shifts significantly later. Also, the way the author changes his implied origin story later on, is amazing and so so funny.

Ok, first the themes that end up being definitive and that carry throughout the series:

Geralt has a round medallion with on a silver chain with the head of a wolf on it.

He takes elixirs that turn his eyes black and his skin chalky.

He is a canny professional. He does not let the wealthy nobles and kings pay him cheaply.

Geralt is always put in difficult political situations he must navigate. The king pays him to save the princess. The mages and nobles secretly offer him money to kill the striga. He is put in the middle.

But he is calm and thoroughly unintimidated, even by King Foltest. When Foltest threatens to hang him if he kills the striga, but also says Geralt can kill her only as a last resort in self defense...well? How would Foltest know which was which if he isn't there? And would he believe Geralt if he told him "I killed her in self defense." Geralt is taking his life into his own hands on like three different fronts here. All other witchers but one wisely walked away from this offer.

Geralt is an incredibly insightful judge of character. He has Ostrit's number right away.

Geralt does not hesitate to defend himself. Ostrit threatens him, puts his hand on his sword, and Geralt is like OPE FOUND MY MONSTER BAIT. Literally does not give a fuck what happens to the man after that.

Geralt is resourceful, inventive, and brave. At the risk of his own life, he saves the princess. Of course he does.

Things that are changed, transformed, or at least just seem different to me. (I could be wrong? What do you think?)

Geralt and Rivia. So, funnily enough, when Geralt walks into the tavern and those dudes harass him, it isn't because he is a witcher! It is because he is Rivian. Apparently everyone in that city fucking hates Rivians, and Geralt has a Rivian accent. And then of course in later books, we read that he chose the name "of Rivia" by drawing straws! That he isn’t Rivian! So did he take the name and then practice that accent until it fools like an entire tavern full of people? Why? My guess it's all Sapko's sense of humor and just came up with that bit later. Because it's just the kind of poking at fantasy conventions that he loves to do. One of the best jokes of the entire series is when Geralt does officially become "of Rivia" in a way I won't spoil for anyone reading who doesn't know.

Monsters monsters everywhere. In this story, Lord Velerad talks about how monsters are increasing. But in a later story, Geralt laments that they are decreasing. And the decrease of monsters is part of what makes witchers expendable enough and enough of competition for mages that they turn on them. So idk either I'm missing something, or the story just evolved.

Geralt and murder. This book opens with Geralt murdering three men. Sure, the men are trying to throw him out of a tavern. But there is nothing anywhere to say they are armed. And then Foltest says that he knows Geralt did it just to get his attention and get him the contract.

Contrast that with the last book written, and Geralt won't just NOT kill people, he won't even let a THIRD PARTY (an aguara) kill these vile vile men who have assaulted and killed a child. Though most of the time I find Geralt is somewhere in the middle. He will kill out of protection of self and others and is fairly flexible on the definition. But slaughter three people for good pr? I don't know. It doesn't feel like the Geralt that we get to know later. Again. I could be wrong. There are a lot of context and nuance in eight books and people often see things that I don't.

Also, it's cool that we meet Foltest so early. He is young, slim, "too pretty". He is strong willed and kingly. He is willing to hang people who defy him. He commands respect. He is smart already. He knows his mages and advisors are paying Geralt behind his back.

He, of course, had an incestuous relationship with his sister. But he also truly, deeply loves his granddaughter ETA Correction: daughter. And though he threatens Geralt, he doesn't talk down to him. He respects him.

I think that nuanced kind of character is really good shit and tells us what we have in store for the rest of the series.

(also, PS, an interviewer once described this story to Sapko as a fable to illustrate the dangers of incest. And Sapko was like....what? It's a what? He was like no no I don't do morality tales. That is not what this is. It's just a story, buddy. Again, I'm paraphrasing. I ain't looking it up. lol)

#the witcher #geralt of rivia #the last wish #thinking about the witcher books yet again #asks #the witcher books

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amiharana · 1 year

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Might I suggest putting a spin on hey there Delilah as a revalink song?

OOOH interesting choice anon 👁️👁️ iirc, this song was written when the plain white T's guy met this one girl and fell in love with her right away, so he wrote a song for her??? and i think she hated it because it got so popular LMFAOKFJDH so i'm gonna take a little inspiration from that

thinking about... pre-calamity revalink with revali who has just realized that he has developed romantic feelings for link somehow, and he is trying desperately to Not have them but he can't help it :) he won't admit it out loud, but link is one of the most stunning people he's ever met in the vast entirety of hyrule. as stone-faced as the knight is, link shines bright and warm, bright enough to rival the sun itself. revali thinks someone must have put a curse on him to be so enamored with a hylian, of all people. it's simply... asinine.

and maybe it really is a curse; revali is a rito and link is a hylian. they're two different species and while interracial relationships aren't really looked down upon in hyrule, a relationship between a rito and a hylian is unheard of. biological incompatibilities would make intimacy or even mating difficult... and to add even more to the tragedy of it all, it was no secret that princess zelda and princess mipha held the same romantic feelings for link as well. there's no way that revali could compete for link's hand against two princesses, ones that could offer link the entire world if he so pleased.

so in all his frustrations and lamentations of such a tragic romance (or i suppose a lack thereof), revali goes to the castle gardens with a harp. no one knows that he has one or that he has any musical talent at all, but it's an instrument that's loved dearly by the rito; ancient legends say that a rito sage of the past wielded a harp as well and so the tradition of learning to play the harp has been passed down to honor their ancestors. revali will never tell anyone that he can play, but he's pretty fucking good at it.

anyways. thinking about revali in what he thinks is a secluded corner of the castle gardens, beginning to pluck at the harp at random trying to make a melody to lament his frustrations, and the song he plays is basically Hey There Delilah (except it's about link and obviously the lyrics would be localized to zelda stuff. imagine what a hyrule-ified new york city would be like. also i think revali would not actually use link's name but some sort of pseudonym? goddess forbid someone actually hears him sing about link, he would absolutely die).

revali sings about how far away he feels from link both physically and emotionally, but that he can see right through link's facade and how he wishes that link would let him in. revali singing about how he would give link as much as of the world as he could in comparison to the princesses if link gave him a chance </3 and that even if revali couldn't give link the same riches and power, he hopes his love could rival that. revali lamenting about how link will never return his feelings, but that if he did, the world would never, ever be the same. that link would be to blame. KDFHDKLJFHLSJDKFH

and oh me oh my, guess who decides to drop into the gardens for a nice little afternoon walk just after revali begins to sing his little heart out? :) link loves a little tune so of course he's going to be drawn to the sound of music and singing, but when he realizes the person singing is revali... and that revali is singing about someone who will never love him back...

TEEHEE i'll leave it there for now but i never would have considered Hey there delilah as a revalink song! thank you for suggesting it, anon 🤍

#revalink #loz #botw #loz botw #legend of zelda #amihan's revalinkverse #ask #the other interpretation i had of it was revali singing hey there delilah as he looks after link in the afterlife #and that if 'oceans & engines' is link trying to call to revali in the afterlife #'hey there delilah' is revali's attempt to respond #what revali doesn't realize is that link is a very simple man #he doesn't need riches or power #all he wants is to SLEEP #and revali is a Very good pillow #USE YOUR ASSETS BIRDBRAIN!!!!!#also consider that the harp kind of is associated with zelda i.e. skyward sword zelda being hylia #so there's an inherently tragic parallel about revali playing the harp #when most prob perceive the harp = goddess hylia = zelda who's in love with link #idk i'm just kinda saying words now KJDHFKJDF #i hope this did something for you anon idk skdjfjdkf #should i have done like a song lyric analysis about this in context of revalink hmmmmm

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soleilnomoon · 2 years

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can i have sorbet and licorice with poppy seeds with side menu #1 zoro?

hiii, thanks for being patient 😊💙 i love writing angsty zoro <3

1.1k words, gn reader (no pronouns), sfw, slightly suggestive, 18+ mdni, a lil bit of angst, hurt/comfort; zoro means well, he does, but he's also bad at dealing w. irrational people.

a light dusting of snow settles on the expansive deck of the sunny, an accompanying gust of wind — bitter, sharp, inescapable — making it nearly impossible to stand outside for longer than ten minutes. chopper is in his element, smiling as he collects snowflakes on his extended tongue; luffy follows suit, encourages usopp and brook to play along with them — with brook lamenting that not having a tongue makes it difficult to feel the same sensation that they do — before complaining about the cold weather.

you watch from the second floor, breath coasting against the glass of the window in the library, laughing softly. the others seek refuge inside the warmth of the various rooms around the ship, with the exception of one, who sees the cold as an opportunity to train intensively.

zoro makes his way onto the upper deck, sequestering a small area for himself so he can work out. it pains you to look at him — he’s left his shirt on a nearby lawn chair and, for some reason, is also barefoot. you’ve tried countless times to understand his line of thinking, have even offered him various solutions that don’t require him to be half-naked all the time — not because you dislike seeing him like that, but because it’s hard to focus on the things he says — but it’s all the same. he’s stubborn, refuses assistance, and thinks your cause for concern is entirely misplaced.

with a sigh — one full of melancholy and anxiety — you tread outside, tugging a scarf around your neck closely as you try to stay as warm as possible. growing up on a warm island means you’re not equipped to deal with weather like this; no matter how many winter islands you pass, you’ll never get used to the cold. zoro’s in the middle of lifting weights, barely registering the low temperature as his body’s natural warmth keeps him steady; you sometimes wished you could be like him — unattached, steadfast, vicious — and sometimes you feared the intensity that surrounded him.

you’ve never been the type to shy away from voicing your opinions, but for some reason, after watching the way the muscles on his back flex, those words fizzle and cease to exist.

not that anyone asked his opinion, but it is really fucking cold outside.

still, no amount of extreme weather could make him oblivious to your presence. he’s quite apt at differentiating the sounds of his crew mates footsteps. even in the snow, your steps are light and hesitant — as if you don’t know if you should stay or go. he doesn’t acknowledge your presence for a moment, but since you keep moving around, he can’t focus on his work out.

“what is it?”

he inhales deeply through his nostrils, places the large dumbbells on the floor and stretches his arms a bit. his voice scratches against your skin, his irritation palpable as your words continue to evade you. when you still don’t say anything, he finally turns to face you, lone eye searching your face for something — you don’t know what. it makes you nervous, the way his eye sweeps over you several times before he settles on your face.

“i’m waiting,” he says a little impatiently, the air nipping at his skin, flushing his cheeks and nose.

you know if you don’t answer him then it’ll be that much worse, but you can’t say anything — if you do, you know you’ll just mess things up further. but with the way he’s looking at you, you know that if you don’t say anything soon, you’ll never get that opportunity again. “i…” your throat dries as you try to imagine the apology sliding off of your tongue and infiltrating the air between you; in a perfect world, you’d both laugh your foolishness off, but this world is far from perfect, and zoro isn’t inclined to find things like that funny.

his brow quirks upward, but when you don’t make any move to continue, he starts to walk past you. his silence slaps you repeatedly, making you numb to the cold, and when the sounds of his heavy footsteps start to get further and further away, you panic. “wait,” you call out, pivoting around so you can look at him properly. “don’t leave.” it’s pathetic, really, the way the tears well up in your eyes, the way you try to blink them away — fruitless endeavors as they spill down your cheeks regardless.

hesitation stills his movements, which allows you to catch up with the stubborn swordsman without issue. you bite down on your lip so hard you’re sure you’ll draw blood, legs carrying you towards him quickly. he never turns around, but it doesn’t matter; you wrap your arms around him, warmth radiating off of his body the moment you make contact. you press your cheek against his back, closing your eyes and willing your mind to settle for five seconds so you can tell him what you need to say.

“i’m sorry,” you say quietly, voice coming out in shallow puffs, his own breathing a little uneven at your proximity. “i should’ve listened to you.”

the excuse is one you say often, which is partially why he’s agitated. while he knows you’re not totally incapable of defending yourself in battle, he’s always, always told you to not wander off on your own, especially with enemies who are particularly tricky to deal with. you’re prone to falling and somehow attract danger without trying. this time, you nearly got yourself killed — which would’ve also resulted in a few of your other crew mates being critically injured too.

you’re well aware of your mistake; you miscalculated, tried to overcompensate for your shortcomings, and put your crew mates at risk. he has every reason to be upset, you know that, but it still doesn’t hurt any less. it’s not that he means to intentionally not talk to you, but there’s no other way he can deal with it, particularly because you’re hard-headed and sometimes don’t see reason. you do now, though. that was a little too close for comfort, and the guilt has settled on your chest heavily, making it difficult to breathe most days.

the argument had escalated between you, resulting in you saying things you didn’t mean, and him walking away without resolving the issue with you. he knows he should pry you off of him, should shake you and hope that sense finds you quickly; but he doesn’t. instead he sighs and simply says, “okay.” it comes out quietly, but you hear it. and when you do eventually let him go, he pulls you towards him so that he can properly hug you. it’s not that he wants to stay upset with you, but the fear of losing you — of losing anyone that’s close to him, really — grows stronger with time. he knows you didn’t intend for anything bad to happen, but he hopes that maybe now you’ll think a little carefully before you make rash decisions; and while you’re not 100% certain you won’t be hit with another impulsive whim of yours, you do know that you’ll think a little more before doing something like that again.

#fic request #one piece x reader #one piece imagine #one piece angst #roronoa zoro #roronoa zoro x reader #roronoa zoro x y/n #zoro x reader #zoro x y/n #zoro angst #zoro is surprisingly tame and mature; love that journey for him #milestone event #500+ followers event #🍭✨🍨sticky & sweet event🧁✨🍭

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ottos-wahn · 3 months

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i don't think we, as a society, talk enough about the scene at the piano in season 4, episode 22 (i'll be waving as you drive away part 2) of little house on the prairie, which is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic scenes in television history for so many reasons. it reminds me so much of the phone scene in it's a wonderful life, with its quiet intimacy, with the way you can really feel the longing between mary and adam, how they're sitting so close, but they can't quite touch. they're sort of hovering, being very careful with one another, until it becomes too much, and i just love the hesitation, the slow burn, the pining!!! but also it's the first time they really allow themselves to realize what they mean to one another.

it starts like any other lesson, with her doubting her ability to learn how to play piano because she's blind and his reassurance that she can do anything she wants to do; he offers to teach her, and his sitting so close to her isn't that unusual in this context (he sat right next to her and touched her hands when teaching her Braille earlier), but then the context changes when she admits that it isn't just her being blind that's dissuading her from learning how to play. there also isn't the time. and you can see his face fall, you can see the sadness on his face when she reminds him that her family is coming to take her home. because before this, they spent so much time together, and they always had so much more time to come. but for the first time, they're faced with the idea that they won't be together anymore. and we, the viewers, can see how her leaving is affecting him, but obviously she can't, so she tells him that she's scared. and she's scared explicitly because he won't be there to help her.

and for a moment, he's back in teacher mode and tells her she can't depend on him forever (which we, the viewers, obviously know isn't true), but this only lasts a moment, because he knows this isn't Mary's usual self-pity and self-deprecation. this isn't her usual way of trying to get out of something she finds too difficult, that she's too afraid to try, and she doesn't need tough love; this is a moment of real vulnerability, and, as if in effort to make her feel better, he reveals he'll be leaving too (which i genuinely believe that he would not have gone to winoka had she stayed at the burton school but i digress).

to which she responds that she's glad she's leaving, if he won't be there anymore.

and then we get The Moment, where, faced with both of their impending departures, they can't hold their feelings in anymore. and she laments, so quietly and gingerly, the fact she's never seen him. and he takes her hands and tells her to look at him. and he brings her hands to his face!!!! the way he closes his eyes and leans into her touch! her little smile! the way her voice cracks when she asks what color his hair is!!

the music swells and then it ebbs and we hear adam, his voice barely above a whisper, ask what she looks like. because, he tells her, he's never seen her, either. and she takes his hand and brings it to her face, and there are tears in her eyes! and she's holding his hands even as he caresses her face! and his fingers linger over her lips! and he laughs in disbelief at this revelation, that his feelings are requited!

but it's more than that for mary! because this is the first time she realizes that adam is also blind! that he actually does understand her!! and not only does he understand her, but all of his preaching, all of his lectures on how blind people are just as good as anyone else, how they can do anything they set their mind to, how important it is for her not to make excuses for herself, were not the condescensions of a sighted man, but lessons he wanted to share with her from his own years of struggling with himself and his blindness!! and that offers her hope, that she will also overcome her current struggles, and that she can achieve self-actualization just as he has! i don't think it's just love of adam that allows her to reconsider her dream of becoming a teacher, though obviously his support is helpful! but she moves to winoka without being engaged!

and it's also just so tender! the way they caress each other! how happy they are! and the new understanding they gain of one another through this scene!

it's the first time they're "seeing" each other, and it's also the first time they're seeing each other. and i wish so badly that tumblr was around when lhotp was airing because i want so many gifsets of this scene

#little house on the prairie #mary ingalls #adam kendall #melissa sue anderson #linwood boomer #not to write an essay but i fucking love this scene and this entire episode #and i believe in my heart of hearts that pre-season 7 adam kendall is the best love interest on this show #he and mary complete each other!!!!!#they can both be vulnerable around each other but they also don't allow the other to wallow! they tell each other what they need to hear!#do you ever realize you're spending your youth caring way too much about something no one else cares about

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onceuponmyanime · 2 years

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OBEY ME DEVILDOM

I've always wanted to write about little Fluffy segments on the side about how MC felt in a new place like the Devildom with all these people she should be afraid of but finds an odd sense of belonging.

So this is my small take on it.*

The Avatar of Wrath...

"Thou shall not be angry..."

Trying to find a quiet place anywhere was becoming more and more difficult, especially when all I wanted to do was read a rather interesting leather book I'd found earlier that day.

The best place I could think of was the Library I'd been dying to explore since I came to stay at the House of Lamentation.

But the fear of being eaten by any of the wandering demons here in the Devildom had restricted me to stay in my room most of the time.

Now I was just itching to look around and find out more about this place I was to call home for a year.

Going to the seat on the far side of the Library, I folded my legs up under me as I settled in to read.

I'd just opened the book when it was forcefully taken from my hands.

"I'd appreciate it, if you didn't snoop in to things that aren't yours."

A little embarrassed that I'd done something very wrong, I looked up at a not-so-happy Satan staring down at me.

I could've sworn it was like looking at a replica of Lucifer before his face was quickly schooled back to his usual disarming smile.

"That particular book belongs to me." He explained.

I don't know if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I just managed to catch a glimpse of a fluffy cat peaking from the cover of said book before he slid it under his arm.

"I-I'm so sorry." I couldn't help but stutter. "I just saw it sitting there, and thought it was a book from the Library."

Even though I knew he was annoyed, he still masked it with a non-chalant shrug.

"No one usually comes in here besides myself, so I tend to leave my things everywhere. I daresay it was more my fault then yours." Then looking a little serious, he continued. "Next time, make sure it doesn't belong to anyone else before you touch it."

Well I definitely wasn't going to make that mistake again.

"Dualy noted."

A little scared to move from my seat, I reached for a book from the nearest bookshelf.

"Do you even know what that book is about?" Satan said cynically.

I shrugged my shoulders even though I knew my face was bright red.

Not really, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of appearing more superior then I was.

"That's the whole point of reading a book. You find out about them from the words written inside."

I realized I'd spoken too soon when the symbols on the page looked nothing like the english language.

"Well I do hope you can read Latin, because I daresay you would have a hard time understanding any of the words in that book."

Annoyed and little pissed off at being made fun of, I stood up and stormed out of the Library, trying to ignore his laughter in my wake.

The more I tried to bridge the gap between myself and the demon brothers, the more I seemed to dig my hole further and further in to the ground.

I wish it would just open up and swallow me, then I would be done with this whole nightmare.

#obey me!#obey me devildom #obey me mc #obey me shall we date #obey me otome #obey me rad #obey me satan #obey me headcanons #obey me hc #obey me fanfic #devildom #om! satan

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horse-girl-anthy · 2 years

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What’s going on with Kanba?

full thoughts on his character under the cut.

my first watch, I found Kanba an annoying character and didn’t understand why the narrative expected me to have so much sympathy for him. over time, I started to find him more amusing, which helped me enjoy the story more, and then I began to see how tragic a figure he is.

the more I’ve let the story percolate, the more I’ve come to see the nuances of the character. one of the things that makes it difficult to get into Penguindrum is how the characterization is done non-chronologically, in sporadic, often abstracted bursts, but that also makes it a delight to revisit and mull over. here’s what I’ve pieced together at this point.

Kanba is a self-sacrificial character who gets stuck giving. he was put into that role deliberately by adults when he was “chosen”; it may be implied that he was picked to be the next leader of the Kiga Group at a young age. he was also “chosen” by his father to stay behind with the Kiga Group, but that was a decision he had a role in as well, pleading on behalf of his sister and brother. Masako felt this deeply as an abandonment, suffering from her separation from father and brother, living under the thumb of her grandfather, protecting her younger brother alone. however, she later recognizes that Kanba had been acting on a subconscious, childish intuition to get her away from the Kiga Group--his first self-sacrifice.

Kanba’s father dies, lamenting on his death bed that he “failed at family” and “shouldn’t have chosen Kanba.” now Kanba is just another abandoned child... but then he is taken in by the Takakuras. Kanba is again “chosen” and “found,” as he is able to connect to Himari, is picked by the parents to be the oldest sibling, and choses to share his apple with Shoma rather than leave him behind. we see more evidence that at core, Kanba is a person who wants to reach out to them and help them. so what went wrong along the way?

firstly, we have Kanba’s position in the family and relationship to Takakura Kenzan. Kanba clearly idolizes his adoptive father, who took him in when he didn’t have to, cared for him as if he was his birth son, and provided him a role model. seeing the father through Kanba’s eyes, all of this makes perfect sense. Kenzan shows him what it means to be a “man,” to be a protector and provider who remains stoic in the face of suffering and does what must be done. after the parents are gone, Kanba tries to take up this mantle, as all of the Takakura children must try to fill the void left by their parents.

however, the security Kanba found in the Takakura family is just one more step to him falling prey to his “fate” of being the next cult leader. looking at young Kanba and Shoma in their Kiga Group uniforms makes my heart break, but that forlorn shot of Kanba staring after Masako as she is driven away has always communicated to me how truly trapped the character is.

I’ve written about why I think Shoma was so resistant to the cult, but something I didn’t mention is that him being his parents’ birth child may have actually made it easier for him to turn from their ways. adopted children may feel a debt to their birth parents, may see them as a savior in a way that birth children usually don’t. in my view, Shoma is the character with the clearest view of the past, while Himari tends to forget it and Kanba distorts it. when the Takakura parents disappear and the children are confronted with their crimes, Kanba immediately goes into denial and says they couldn’t have done it, they aren’t that kind of people. even if he acted otherwise, I don’t think Kanba ever really got over that initial denial.

all of the Penguindrum characters are haunted lost futures and the cruelty and injustice of the world. people like Shoma or Himari are more likely to resign themselves to fate, but characters like Kanba or Ringo are prepared to fight to get what they want. Kanba also gels with Kenzan because the Takakura father seems to be doing something about the unfairness of the world, and Kanba’s tendency towards denial makes it more possible for him to dissociate his actions from their consequences, to enter a delusional world where he doesn’t see reality.

as more and more of these thoughts about Kanba came to me, the thing that I found hardest to understand was his relationship with Himari. in the context of Ikuhara works, I struggled with the fact that he gets what he wants in the end (dies for Himari), and I didn’t get why Himari became such an obsession for him. here’s my thoughts at this point.

his incestuous fixation on Himari is the elephant in the room. taking the narrative as a whole, the kiss at the end of the first episode feels strange--is Kanba’s huge secret really that he’s in love with Himari? why was that scene included?

there’s a lot of directions to go in for analysis on that front. first of all, it’s important to place their relationship in that wider context of the family system. Ikuhara uses incest to hint at larger complexes within characters. the Takakura siblings are essentially raising themselves with no one else to look after them, and so role confusion is a given. Himari comes to be “the world” to Kanba because she is not only a sister but a mother figure, not only a mother figure but a dependent under his care. to make matters worse, she’s not that much younger than him and they’re teenagers living under the same roof. no wonder his feelings get confused.

to profile Kanba’s incestuous behavior, I would first say that he has poor boundaries in general and also has some incestuous tones towards Shoma--really, he’s the center of Penguindrum’s incestuous web. however, I don’t think that Kanba is particularly sexual in his inappropriate behavior (though his penguin is--feel free to read into that what you will). as a work, Penguindrum is what I might call “quasi-platonic” with closeknit chosen family ties that ride the line between romance and non-sexual love. ultimately, the incest in the work points to the ways that the characters desire to continue being family, like how in RGU, incest often arises from the desire for an eternal bond.

I’ve always found it fruitful to compare Kanba and Masako’s fixations, as the narrative clearly invites it. Masako also has role confusion, with her feelings towards her father enmeshing with her feelings for Kanba. while Kanba casts himself as a pining martyr, Masako becomes a love hunter. with Masako, it’s quite explicit that her grandfather has influenced her approach to relationships, which has made me wonder if the same is true for Kanba.

there’s something strange going on with the way that Kanba/Masako and Masako/Himari are paralleled. from episode 10, I take the following points: 1) Kanba places Himari on a pedastal, causing him to reject all other women, 2) even though he once told Masako he will take any curse that befalls her, he has now forgotten her, 3) Kanba’s issues with women may in part be caused by Masako’s obsession with him. from these points, I began to piece together what exactly is going on in this incestuous love triangle. Kanba originally sacrificed himself for Masako, and on finding himself in a new family, transferred all of his love to Himari, and used her to fill the void in his heart. I don’t think it was just Himari--the Takakura parents helped, he still visited Masako, and he had Shoma. but over the course of time, his field of visions narrows more and more until he only sees Himari. this naturally hurts Masako, though she doesn’t express those feelings in a normal way.

why is it Himari, though, who Kanba fixates on? I have a couple ways to answer that. firstly, there’s the fact that she’s dying over and over. when Masako is in danger, or when Shoma lands himself in the hospital, Kanba is worried--it’s not just Himari he cares about. he gets more and more crazy about her the more times he is taunted with the chance to save her only to watch her fade away again, and each time he sacrifices for her, he gives up more of his humanity. in episode 1, the first time Himari dies, Kanba actually accepts that Himari has passed faster than Shoma does, demonstrating that he didn’t necessarily have to become a cult leader on losing her.

next, there is Himari’s place in the narrative.

symbolically, Himari’s illness comes to stand in for the unfairness of the world. every time that the ghost of Kenzan talks about the problems of the world in general--greedy men make the rules, children are turning invisible everywhere--Kanba brings it back to Himari. like Momoka, she is a truly innocent person, not born into the Kiga Group; she should bear no responsibility for it, but she is the one dying. this is what Kanba is so haunted by.

however, Kanba eventually realizes that he can’t be the one to save Himari anymore. I’ve expounded before on how selfish much of Kanba’s attempts to be the savior are, but mostly, I find it sad. he got stuck in that mode, unable to receive, only give. that’s why Himari says that he’s lost and crying inside, but he doesn’t even see it himself. he has to keep going, give something more, and then things will be okay--and everyone else should stay out of it so they don’t get hurt. only he must carry the burden. but that’s just not possible, and so he is easily manipulated and used.

Shoma has to complete the cycle, returning the fruit first given to him by Kanba, and Himari has to hold him so that he is able to receive it. it is only then that Kanba can perform the ultimate sacrifice and die for love, saving Himari and setting to right one injustice in the world. at this point, I whole-heartedly embrace that writing choice. when Kanba is fading from the world, he speaks to Shoma, telling his brother he has obtained true light. the self-sacrificial nature which he had from the beginning is so purified that he is able to escape from the box of the self. it’s a perfect ending for the character.

#i just finished watching Penguindrum w two of my friends #so it is fresh on the mind #penguindrum #mawaru penguindrum #i said full thoughts but of course i have more #i didnt write about Kanba and Shoma much in this post so look forward to thoughts on that relationship #commentary

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