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#i just need to remember that. everything takes work and sacrifice but it's better than making some kind of deal.
stinkbeck · 2 months
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try to calm down and have a good time but then it’s like shit goes downhill sooo fast if i’m not overthinking everything. like UGH look what my trust has gotten me! god i hate relying on people.
#i just got too TIRED!!!!! i’m stressed and exhausted and i slipped a few times and now i already know my options have narrowed to one.#every time i have to rely on my parents the Worst Case Scenario happens. the thing i’m absolutely trying to avoid at all costs is what they#sabotage me into doing. i’m so fucking tired!!!!! i can’t rest for a second!!!!! god i’m such an idiot#whatever. whatever. how many times have i had to start my life over from scratch? it's not like it's fucking new.#but u know what. that means i'm tossing all my goddamned sketchbooks. photos too. they can come out here + see what's#worth salvaging#you think my life is so temporary it isn't worth anything at all? you come out here and sort it out.#jk i'm gonna just tell them to forget about it all and i'll figure it out on my own. sometimes i guess i ask for help + it's the wrong move#if i just think a little more on my own and say 'nobody else exists so i'll have to make the sacrifices on my own and take the long#arduous route' then it's fine. i knew i shouldn't have asked for help to begin with. i just sometimes want to believe there's someone there#who can help me. i think i just get weak sometimes. i want someone to care when i'm scared and have no knowledge about#what steps i have to take to do something#if i just let myself be scared alone but not fall into a total doom spiral then i can eventually pull myself out by researching#i just need to remember that. everything takes work and sacrifice but it's better than making some kind of deal.
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twice-inamillion · 18 days
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The Company
Red Velvet
Smut (anal, creampie, caught during sex, first time sex, mentioning of virginity)
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Chapter 10
1935 Words
(OC wants to claim his prize for debuting Irene’s group. Not everything goes according to plan, and sacrifices are made.)
“Unnie, we’re excited to debut! Can’t believe it’s actually happening!”
“You girls deserve it.”
”It's all because of you, unnie,” say the members in unison.
”How are we debuting earlier than the other girl group?” asks Wendy.
“Irene unnie has pull with the CEO, that’s why, haha,” says Joy jokingly.
”Shhh, don’t even joke around; if the other trainees hear you, they are going to complain.”
”Don’t worry about what people say, you girls deserve it. As the oldest, it's my responsibility to take care of you girls.”
”How about we celebrate later tonight?” asks Seulgi.
”That sounds like fun,” replies Wendy.
”What about, unnie?” asks Joy.
”I wish I could, but I need to get some things done. You girls celebrate without me. Here, order some food with this,” Irene gives Seulgi the company credit card.
“Haha, we are going to eat!”
Irene then exits the room and pulls her phone out to see the text message she got during the gathering. “What does he want now?” She reads the message, “IU is out abroad, so get cleaned up; I’ll be stopping by your place later tonight.”
Later that evening, the members celebrate their upcoming debut by ordering some takeout and participating in around of round karaoke. Everytime they take a selfie they send it to Irene but get no response. “We should take some food to unnie. I don’t think she has enough time to cook food after working so late these past few days,” says Wendy.”
”You’re right, let’s surprise her.”
”Yes, maybe we can bring some party streamers and surprise her, haha,” says Joy.
The members pack some food in tupperware and head to Irene’s apartment. They try to be as careful as possible not to get caught by the staff who look for trainees violating their curfew. They exit the elevator and turn towards the hallway to find her apartment. Standing in front of her door, they try to remember her key code from the time they visited her a while back.
The door unlocks, and they all enter her apartment and place the food on the countertop. They look around, but there is no sign of Irene until they hear some noise coming from the room at the end of the hallway.
Curious, they slowly tiptoe and see the door slightly open and look through the little slit and are shocked at the scene. They see Irene, their oldest member and the mother-type figure of the group nude, getting pounded on all fours.
“I’ve missed this ass so much,” as you give it a nice smack. You spread her ass cheeks wide open, giving you a nice view of her pucker hole.
Irene whines,“Just get it over with.”
You align your cock to her pucker hole and slowly press it into her hole, causing her to grunt. She tries to hold her composure but can't when you grab hold of her hips and slam your cock all the way inside.
“Oh fuck! You're being too rough!”
You don't pay any attention and begin to thrust rapidly. Irene buries her head onto the pillow to muffle her expression. You slap her ass continuously, leaving your handprint on her ass.
Minutes pass, and you pull out and say, “How about I claim my present right now?”
Irene lifts her head and turns to you, “No, please, I'm not really yet. Just give me some more time to prepare.”
“Why should I? Remember the deal we made a while back?” as you trace your thumb against her folds.
“Yes, I remember and I'll do it, but just not today.”
“Then when?”
“How about after our debut? Give me a few more days.”
You rub your thumb against her lips and say, “Alright, but this is the last time I'm going to wait.”
“Okay.”
“Be thankful I'm patient with you; someone else wouldn't have done the same.”
“Yes I know, thank you.”
“Now raise up your ass; I want to cum inside.”
Irene positions herself a bit better and raises up her ass. With one hand, you spread her ass cheek and insert your cock back inside, “Fuck, to think that you offered your own virginity for the sake of your group, haha.”
Irene groans as she feels your cock stretch her ass completely and buries her head into her pillow to prevent herself from moaning.
On the other side of the door, the members watch as the oldest gets fucked from behind. They come to the realization of Irene's commitment to them, even at the cost of giving her own virginity.
Joy then whispers, “Unnie, let's go; I don't want to see what happens next.”
“Same here; I want to go.”
Seulgi responds, “Let's be quiet,” and the three of them turn around towards the exit.
Suddenly, they hear a loud smack and a shout, “I'm going to cum inside you!” They hear Irene yell out loud and try to cover their ears. The members rush back to their dorm and try to take in what they just saw.
“I can’t believe Irene unnie and the CEO were doing it” says Joy.
Wendy responds, ”I know; Irene said she was busy, so I thought she was working.”
”Maybe it was an excuse,” says Seulgi.
”I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like she was doing it because she liked it. I always thought Irene unnie liked girls and hated men.”
”What if she’s being forced by the CEO?” asks Joy.
”You have a point; he said something about a deal in exchange for her first time,” says Seulgi.
”Do you think she made a deal so that we could debut first?” asks Wendy.
The members look at each other in disbelief at the idea that Irene could do something like this. “We should try to talk to Irene about it. Tell her that it’s not worth it, we can always debut later.”
”How do you think we should bring it up? Are we going to tell her that we walked in on them having sex? There is a reason why she didn’t tell us” says Wendy.
”All I know is that we should do something about it” says Joy.
“Let's try to talk to her tomorrow morning before our schedule,” suggests Seulgi. The members agree and nod their heads.
The next day, the members are woken up by a sweet smell and make their way to the kitchen. They see Irene wearing an apron and holding a bowl of pancake mix, “Good morning! Take a seat, I’m making some pancakes.”
The members sit on the stools and look at each other, trying to figure out how to bring up what they saw yesterday.
“Sorry I wasn't able to join the three of you, I was so busy with work that I ended up falling asleep when I got back. How was your celebration?”
“It was good. We ate a lot and even saved some for you.”
“Aww, thanks. Maybe we can celebrate after our debut!”
“We'd love that. They try to find a way to bring up the subject, but instead Irene leads the conversation.
After eating, they arrive at the dance room and practice one last time before their debut tomorrow. “Alright girls. This is our last performance as a trainee group. Tomorrow is our big day, so let's call it a day and rest a bit. I'll see everyone later today.”
“Okay!”
Irene leaves the practice room and meets up with the managers to talk about tomorrow's schedule. The other three discuss their plan for the day when Wendy asks, “What are we going to do about Irene unnie?”
Seulgi responds, “I don't think we should get involved; maybe we didn't get the whole picture.”
“Seulgi is right; what if they were role-playing, and we caught them in one of those moments,” says Joy.
“Remember when we asked if anyone had a person they liked? Irene said she couldn't see herself liking a man but blushed when we asked if it was a possibility with a girl.”
Yeah, I remember.”
“I can't see her doing it with anyone, especially a guy.”
“Let's just wait until she tells us herself, we don't want to get involved in her personal life, especially if it's with the CEO. He can disband us if he wants to.”
“You're right, we don't want to get kicked out just moments before our debut.”
Exhausted with the situation Wendy replies “Okay, I won't bring it up anymore.“
The four members wait behind the main stage as the MC gets ready to introduce them as the new girl group. They hold each other’s hands and hope for the best before heading onto the stage.
”Give a big applause to the new group. Let’s welcome, Red Velvet!”
The audience applauds as the four of them walk on stage. They give a warm smile and wave, “Thank you! We are so glad to be here.”
They each look at each other and nod, “Happiness! Hello- We are Red Velvet!” The music starts and they begin their performance.
”Thank you, everyone for your support! We'll perform much more” as the members wave goodbye. They bow and watch as the stage light goes dark.
“Good job everyone. You all did so well. Let's keep it up!”
“Thank you Irene unnie.”
“Let's go celebrate!”
“Yes, let's get some food!”
After a night of celebration each of the members are back in their rooms.
Everyone is asleep except one, she makes her way to her closet and grabs her bag and a trench coat before heading out. Her mind is set; she can't let her unnie care all the burden while the rest enjoy the easy life and exits the apartment.
You're going over at some last-minute documents when you hear the doorbell go off. Curious about who it might be, you get up and check the security screen. “What is she doing here?”
You open the door and ask, “What brings you here this late?”
“I came to take Irene unnie's place.”
Surprised, you respond, “I'm not sure what you mean.”
“Like I said, I'm here to take her place” and opens her trench coat, revealing her nude body. “What do you think?”
”Not bad.”
“You can do anything you want as long as you don't bother her anymore. Just let her keep her virginity, and you can have mine.”
Not being able to contain yourself, you place your hand on her soft and tender breast, giving them a faint squeeze. Wendy's eyes squints, adjusting herself to being touched by a man for the first time.
“Are you sure you’re willing to take her place?”
”Yes, I’ve made up my mind.”
That’s all you got to hear as you grab her hand and let her into your apartment. You stop at the living room and say, “Let’s get you comfortable and take off that coat.” Wendy slowly lets the coat go, revealing her whole body but still trying to cover her shaved cunt.
“Move your hand, I want to see everything.”
”Okay.”
You walk around, inspecting 360 degrees, before grabbing her hand once more and lead her into the bedroom. She walks into the neat room and sees the large bed in the center of the room. Wendy takes one last breath before shutting the door, preparing herself for what she’s about to do.
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woso-fan13 · 7 months
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Whumptober 2023: 24 (Arsenal)
No. 24: “I’ve got a head full of chemicals; mouth full of ridicule.”
Goodbye Note | Neglect | “I thought they were with you.”
Football has been everything for as long as you can remember. You were good when you were younger, and your parents kept pushing you to be better. It took sacrifices from all of you, but it made you a better player. It doesn’t matter if you missed out on birthday parties for training or if you never had time for a sleepover. If you wanted to be the best, this is what you had to do. 
Your parents were right, and your hard work paid off. At age 17, you signed with Arsenal’s first team. Just a month later, you made your debut. Every sacrifice was worth it at that moment. 
It didn’t stop there though, your parents continuing to push you. Extra training, early runs, it was all part of being the best. If you wanted to get better, you needed to pick apart every mistake you made. Real winners don’t make mistakes. 
—-
You adopted this mindset, continuously pushing yourself. You kept up with players older than you with ease, could control the ball without paying attention, could score a goal without looking. But it wasn’t enough. Because you still made mistakes. 
So you started working even harder. You stopped getting a coffee on your drive in in the morning, deciding that it made more sense to run to the stadium before practice. You stopped accepting invites from your teammates, using this time to train instead. You could almost always be found on the pitch or in the gym, only leaving overnight.
You had stopped eating as well as you should, scared to gain extra weight. It would slow you down, make you sloppy. You weren’t sleeping much, finding the quiet hours of the night were best filled with training. You avoided social media, you avoided your friends. Every part of you went to football. 
—-
“Hey, Y/N, can we talk?” Leah asks. 
She’s just finished her rehab for the day, making her way over to you on the pitch. You go to protest, but you see Jonas standing behind her. This doesn’t seem like a conversation you can get out of. 
“Can it wait until after practice?” you ask hopefully, “I don’t want to miss anything.”
Leah shakes her head, “nah, I don’t think you’ll miss anything. C’mon.”
You shoot Jonas a pleading look, begging him to talk Leah into pushing the conversation. He doesn’t say a word. Firing one last shot at the net, you nod. 
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Leah nods, waiting for you to grab a water bottle before leading you to an empty room. It’s not one you’re in frequently, it’s an old media room that was mostly used for storage now. But it had a comfortable sofa and was quiet, and Leah figured that was all you needed. 
Leah pops onto the sofa, motioning you over. Hesitantly, you take a seat on the other half. 
“Good,” Leah starts, “I want to start by saying that whatever we talk about stays in this room. Unless it’s a major concern, it’s between me and you.”
You nod, staying silent. 
“Okay. I was talking with some of the team and we’ve noticed that you’ve been acting differently. I just wanted to check in and make sure everything was alright, see if there was anything we could do to help.”
“I’m fine,” you instantly insist, “I’ve just been busy. Busy is good though, and I think I’ve been improving. If you look at a comparison from the last few games…”
“You’ve been playing very well,” Leah cuts you off, “but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m not worried about you as a teammate, I’m worried about you as a friend.”
You’re quiet, unsure as to what to say. 
“You’ve been here constantly, and you haven’t been hanging out with any of us. I just want you to know that if something is happening, I can help.”
“Everything’s fine, really. I’ve just been sloppy recently, but I’m working on it.”
It’s Leah’s turn to be quiet now, clearly trying to plan her next words carefully. 
“Would you be open to some advice?”
You nod instantly. 
“I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’ve seen a lot of good players. All of the best players, though, love what they do.”
“I do love football,” you interrupt passionately, “I do, I promise. It’s the most important thing in my life.”
“I think that’s the issue. Right now, you don’t love football, but it’s the most important thing in your life. Right now, it's more important than socializing, eating, and sleeping. You’re neglecting yourself to prioritize football. Do you see what the problem is?”
You’re fumbling for an answer, “if I loved football more, I would be even better?”
“Maybe,” Leah says simply, “if you keep going on this path, you might be the best.”
“That’s what I want.”
Ignoring you, Leah continues, “you might also fail. At this point, I’m not sure if your body or your mind is going to fail first. Honestly, it might be both. Then what’s left?”
“What are you talking about, Leah? Football’s important to me and I love it. I’m fine.”
You move to stand up, Leah’s hand stopping you. She asks one question, a question which will undoubtedly change the course of your future. 
“Are you?”
You’re not. 
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LET IT GO PRINCESS
A lil Song I created
I hope this blows up and inspires people
I created this it’s about manifestation and the void
(Who knows maybe one day I’ll record it)MAYBE
Let it go princess
Let it go my darling
Remember you’re the reason everything is working
No matter how long you go
Thinking you don’t
But you know everything is yours
You can let it go
Once you’ve had enough
Nothings meant to be rough
You’ve got the passion
That should be more than enough
Don’t you wanna open your eyes tonight
See the luxurious view of your life
Aren’t you happy to be
The person you’ve always wanted to be
This little life passes you by
But you don’t have to watch others live your dream life
We share a world
But our lives are individual
You don’t have to be angry at strangers you’ve never seen before
Their life isn’t yours
No need to compare
You can have more than what they do
Because your life is fair
Let it go princess
Let it go my darling
You are the reason everything’s working
You are a God you’re the answer to your prayers
The solution to your problems
You have the power to change your life for the better so you should yourself more
Manifestation is power
Limitations are a chore
Assuming it persisting it
Will get you what you need
The money the boyfriend
The Ferrari or new house keys
Whatever you desire has always been complete
In the 4D
The 3D is not your enemy
It’s a reflection of who you assume to be
If you don’t like it baby change your reality
No sacrifice no hard work
Just assume and let it be
So stop your crying babygirl
The world revolves around you
You are the sun
Don’t stress about it
Because you’ve already won…
Ok that’s it lol
I literally made this up just now on the spot
How do songwriters take months to write I will never understand hehehe
Don’t give up on something that resonates with your soul
If it makes you feel complete then it’s probably meant to be
Don’t over complicate YOU
The void is you
If you say you can’t enter or that you will enter
You’re correct
Because life is one big assumption
Like the song says (kinda)
Don’t give up because you’ve already won
Everything was yours the moment you assumed
3D is a reflection of your imagination (the 4D)
Nothing’s impossible babe
Much love honey,💗💗
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kim-seung-mo · 2 years
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𝔹𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕌𝕡 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔾𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔹𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕋𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 (ℍ𝕪𝕦𝕟𝕘 𝕃𝕚𝕟𝕖)
♩ gn!reader, angst with the slightest of fluff, romance, emotional, miscommunication, crying, cursing (in changbin's scenario)
♩♩ word count: 2.5k
♩♩♩ A/N: might do maknae line might not, idk lol, running out of ideas
wip list here maknae line here
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Chan
Reason for breaking up: He thinks you deserve someone better
Chan had this hidden fear ever since the beginning when he chose to be with you.
He loves you very much, more than anyone else in the world.
But he believed that he didn't have time to be with you properly.
That hidden fear has been tormenting him silently.
Every time he sees the sacrifices you make because of him, he feels terribly bad.
He felt that if it was someone else, they could definitely make you happier.
And so, when he came home at four o'clock in the morning once again to see you sleeping on the couch, the guilt that had been suppressed inside him exploded out.
"Y/N, let's… Break up. It's not you who's not good enough, don't ever think that it's you …… It's me, it's my problem. I just don't think I could ever make you as happy as you deserve to be."
You have no idea how much courage it took for him to say that.
Separation time: three months, two weeks and four days
He remembered every day exactly.
He was the one who initiated the breakup, but it was also he who couldn't endure the feeling of loneliness.
He couldn't help but miss the days when he had you, couldn't help but look through his phone for everything about you.
Your photos, the text messages between the two of you, the voice messages you left for him.
But for three months, you never reached out to him either.
Maybe he was right, and you were indeed happier without him.
But it felt like a hole had opened up in his heart and kept bleeding out.
The thought, the fact that "you'd be happier without him" was killing him.
How you got back together: The members went to you
Although Chan himself did not come to talk to you, and always pretended that everything was normal in front of others, his members, who knew him best, saw him clearly.
Chan without you simply wasn't Chan.
The first people who couldn't take it were Changbin and Jisung, who needed to work with him to produce music.
The two of them called you one after another to ask you what was wrong with your relationship.
You answered them truthfully that it was Chan who wanted to break up with you because he felt that "you deserved someone better".
After a bit of conversation, you realized that you had completely misunderstood Chan's intentions.
You thought that "you deserved someone better" was just a euphemism.
You always thought he was just tired of you, tired of your normality.
You always thought that Chan was just too kind-hearted to say such words more straightforwardly.
You didn't even think that he actually really thought that you deserved someone better.
For you, he was the perfect one, and no one could compare to him.
No one could ever make you feel as happy as he does.
So, after learning the real reason for your breakup, you immediately went to him and told him what you really thought.
He cried for a long time, apologized to you, and explained how confused he had been.
You both agreed that from now on you had to tell each other about any emotional confusion, and the two of you would discuss the situation together.
Minho
Reason for breaking up: You thought he didn't love you
Even after being together, his attitude towards you didn't seem to be different from before.
It seemed that even though you became his lover, your place in his heart remained the same.
Apart from the addition of the title "lover", it was exactly the samel.
You wondered if he really liked you.
Did he really like you, or was he only using you as an excuse to avoid others?
What you didn't know was that it wasn't that he didn't love you, but that he didn't dare to show his love for you.
He thought you were in love with the "Minho" you knew, which is why he didn't dare to show any changes.
He only dared to kiss you secretly on the forehead and say his "I love you"s when you were asleep.
"Minho, I don't think we should continue like this."
When he heard you say that, he felt as if time had been paused.
"What does that mean?"
"I can't lie to myself like this anymore, let's break up."
He saw the sadness in your eyes, the love in your eyes seemed to have faded quite a bit, and suddenly he couldn't say a word.
He thought that it was you who didn't love him.
Separation time: five days
If Jisung hadn't taken five days to find out you two had broken up, this time might have been less.
He couldn't believe that you two had broken up.
"Did you bring up the breakup? Hyung, why? Tell me the reason."
"It wasn't me… It was Y/N."
Jisung's eyes widened, as if he was even more confused.
"Y/N wanted to break up with you? What on earth did you do to them?"
"I don't know, Jisung, I don't know. Y/N doesn't seem to love me anymore."
Jisung had never seen such a heartbroken expression on Minho's face.
He knew Minho wouldn't go and talk to you himself, so he had to do it for him.
How you got back together: Han Jisung talked to you for a long time
"There must be some kind of misunderstanding in this, you definitely aren't out of love with hyung, right?"
As you opened the door, before you had a chance to see who was in front of you, he had already opened his mouth and was talking in a rapper's pace.
You froze for a moment before realizing that he was talking about Minho.
You didn't know what to say, so you just told him "I don't want to lie to myself anymore".
He frowned and asked you what you meant by that, so you explained to him what had happened.
"I don't want to lie to myself and tell myself that he loves me, he doesn't love me at all."
"But Minho hyung told me that it was you who didn't love him anymore."
He then soon realized that the reason you and Minho had broken up was purely because of a communication problem.
He was afraid that if he changed and showed more love to you, you would feel uncomfortable and weirded out.
And you, on the other hand, have been expecting that change, wanting his love but not daring to ask for it.
That was how it turned out to be.
After learning this fact, you felt remorseful and hated yourself for not being more straightforward.
And after you found Minho to tell him your feelings, the way he looked at you changed instantly.
He removed all pretense and revealed his most genuine feelings.
His endless love for you, and a lasting kiss.
Changbin
Reason for breaking up: He was just mad at you and said it to scare you, but didn't think you'd take it seriously
You were fighting again over petty things, and this wasn't the first time today.
You both were a bit competitive and always wanted to prove each other wrong.
So whenever you couldn't agree on something, you would start debating.
He's been a little stressed lately, with little inspiration for composing, and after having an argument with you, his mood could be considered to have hit rock bottom.
"Seo Changbin! You're tossing your clothes everywhere again! How many times have I told you to fold your clothes properly or throw them in the laundry bin?"
He slammed his hat down in front of you with anger, glaring at you with red eyes.
"If so many things about me upset you, why don't we just fucking break up!?"
You happened to have experienced a lot of rough patches today, and the anger came rushing in.
"Fine! You said it! Let's break up! So I won't ever have to care about your bullshit ever again!"
You dropped those words and left, not even leaving him with a spare look.
Separation time: a few hours
He never actually admitted that you broke up, but out of fear of losing face, he didn't chase after you.
He thought this was a good time for you both to calm down.
But as he laid in the cold bed without you at night, he couldn't help but start thinking about what he would do if you really did break up.
Without you… He might not be able to live a normal life at all.
No kiss from you when he wakes up, no sharing of happiness with you, no hugs from you in times of distress, no cheering for him when he gets off stage…
He began to regret, you have already made so many sacrifices for him, why couldn't he give in to you a little on such trivial things? You were the person who loved him the most, so why did he always have to argue with you?
If you really broke up because of such a minor thing, he would have hated himself for the rest of his life.
Thinking of this, he picked up the jacket you folded for him aside and rushed out of the house.
How you got back together: He went straight to you to talk it over
Although it says "getting back together ", he simply did not approve of the breaking of your relationship.
He would not let this relationship end, absolutely no chance.
He knew where you would go when you were sad, so it took less than ten minutes to find you.
When he saw you wiping your tears, he felt his heart ache.
Because of his words, words that were never meant to be said, you were crying.
He wanted to slap himself, but you were the priority right now.
He came running to your side and put his jacket on your back.
"You know, I didn't mean any of that, right?"
You moved in the opposite direction, ignoring him.
"Y/N… scold me, hit me or whatever, just don't ignore me ……"
You glanced at him and frowned when you saw that he wasn't wearing a jacket.
"Why did you only bring me a jacket? Where's your own?"
He smiled when he heard your caring remark.
"I guess you still care about me. You were lying about the "never having to care about my bullshit" part, weren't you?"
You turned to face him, looked at the dark circles under his eyes, and reached out to touch them with a bit of concern.
"Have you not been resting well lately? Or is there something not going well at work? Earlier when you said you wanted to… Break up, it really freaked me out. Even knowing that you were just talking out of your ass to scare me, I …… I couldn't help but think that you were serious."
He grabbed your wrist and brought you into his arms.
"Of course I wasn't serious …… I love you so much, how could I ever actually want to break up with you? Besides, I've long been ready to be bossed around by you for the rest of my life."
Hyunjin
Reason for breaking up: You lied and told him you didn't love him anymore
You've been together since forever, since before his debut.
Your relationship has always been stable, never had more than a few fights over the years.
People around him say that he was a completely different person before and after he met you.
"Maybe that's the kind of change love can make in a person?"
He even sometimes felt that a large part of his success today was due to you.
You were there for him when things were hardest, and always stayed by his side to be his support.
So, when you told him "I don't love you anymore", his reaction was predictable.
Disbelief, disapproval, feeling that it was ridiculous, feeling that you were lying to him, crying, a lot of tears, crying constantly, feeling that the world was going to collapse down on him.
But your expression was calm, even as you watched him in pain, you didn't come up and hold him in your arms as usual, telling him in a gentle voice "I'm here, it's okay".
"Why?"
Although he didn't want to hear the answer, he asked anyway.
"It's just that… I don't love you anymore. When I'm with you, I don't feel love anymore."
He didn't understand why you had made it through the hardest times with him, only to choose to leave him when you finally saw the light at the end, when you could finally enjoy happiness.
Why? Because you were lying to him.
Separation time: 3 weeks
Hyunjin's life was turned upside down.
He couldn't seem to get up any energy to do anything.
He would still go to work as usual, practice dancing and singing, and stand on stage to perform to STAY.
But there was just something different.
It was as if, his enthusiasm had disappeared.
This was extremely frustrating for everyone.
He hadn't even touched his paintbrush for three weeks.
His room was always dark, and you could always see him lying on the bed, curled up in a ball when you went in.
If you listened carefully, you could hear the faint sound of sobs.
"What can I ever do when I can't even keep my beloved? How can I keep my fans?"
"Maybe I don't have charisma at all, otherwise how come Y/N would ……"
Every night he would have the same nightmare of what you said the day you left him.
Until……
"Hyunjin's recent performance has been really concerning…"
Hyunjin heard his name as he passed by a JYP office.
"Didn't you say that if you let them break up, he could focus more on his career?"
"I didn't expect Y/N to be so important to him!"
Hyunjin's pupils shrank.
"Maybe, it was wrong to talk Y/N into breaking up with him after all……"
How you got back together: Rushing to you and crying
It was raining heavily outside, but he still rushed to the apartment where you live without any hesitation and kept knocking on the door of your house.
The moment you opened it, he was already venting his feelings, saying to you in a voice you've never heard before.
"I knew you were lying to me! They made you break up with me, didn't they? They're the ones who-"
Before he could finish his sentence, tears came rushing to his eyes once again, he grabbed your shoulders and kept shaking them, wanting an answer from you.
You try to rebut him, but he spoke again before you could say anything.
"I heard them, I heard it all. They're wrong, Y/N, and you breaking up with me will only make me- only make me feel like I'm broken and can't function. I know you must still love me, you still love me, right? If you don't love me, why are you crying now?"
He hugged you tightly, and this time, he would never let go.
"Never again will you lie to me and say you don't love me …… I would rather die than have to admit to something like that."
permanent taglist: @zoe8stay @yutaalove @seungly @chewryy @cosmic-railwayxo @starlostseungmin
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astrronomemes · 1 year
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A NOVEL I’LL NEVER PUBLISH : STARTERS
a collection of quotes, phrases, and sayings from a YA novel I wrote back in high school. change & alter as needed.
“Are you just going to keep staring at that thing all day?”
“This is a bank, right? ...So why does it look like there’s some serious horror movie shit going down here?”
“Personally, I think she was just born a bitch.”
“Get yourself something to eat.”
“We’ve got to get this place cleaned up and looking nice.”
“It only takes sixty seconds of your time, but the peace of mind it gives you will last for a lifetime.”
“And you’re not frightened of needles, right?”
“That’s got more lies printed on it than a presidential campaign poster.”
“Remember that weekend in Los Angeles? Well, this is just like that, except we’re not using dynamite, and there won’t be any human sacrifices.”
“Oh, god, it’s trying to break the door down!”
“Did you get that off a bumper sticker?”
“No one wants to deal with your shit, [name]. Why else do you think your parents ditched you?”
“I’m fine. I ate last night.”
“Yes, a fair number of global concerns could be resolved if only people would stop ‘saying things’.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“It’s been like this for as long as I can remember.”
“My parents weren’t really into all that sentimental ‘loving your child’ shit.”
“Do you think it’s after midnight yet?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, [name], but I’m pretty sure no one in recorded history has ever had laser vision.”
“Still, it’s kind of cool, isn’t it?”
“There’s no reason to be nervous, honey. It’s just standard procedure.”
“Things will get better. They just have to.”
“We have enough to keep the lights on, or the water running, but not both.”
“Look, nobody cares about people like us, okay? They never do. They never will. We’re on our own out here.”
“Apparently, I’ve joined the ranks of the demons. That’s what the priest told me when he was trying to ‘save my immortal soul’, or whatever.”
“I’m just a fuck-up, okay?! I fuck everything up! Everything! All the time! That’s why I’m alone! That’s why no one wants anything to do with me!”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out for us, son.”
“She’s probably just mad at us for breathing. Repeated offenses, you know.”
“I’m doing this for you! For all of you!”
“We’ll leave a light on for you.”
“You’ve always been a part of our family, [name]. You just took the long way coming home.”
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didhewinkback · 11 months
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love of my life
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a something old one shot about wembley week.
word count: 4k somehow ?, there's smut
---
2014
He collapses into the backseat of the car, clenching his eyes shut as another cough wracks through his body, trying in vain to take deep breaths through his stuffy nose, feeling so frustrated he could scream if not for the hoarseness in his throat. He had dreamt of this night since he was a little kid, never thinking it would ever actually happen and then when it finally did he didn’t even get to enjoy it properly, didn’t get a chance to celebrate that his years of hard work, resilience and sacrifice had actually paid off. 
Instead he had to spend every minute on that stage trying to stay upright, his fever addled brain working overtime to remember lyrics, stand at the right spot, gasp for breath between a congested nose and a never ending rotation of cough drops. 
Once the tears start they don’t stop, feeling so pathetic and angry and heartbroken, all he can do is curl in on himself and wish his mum were with him. Why couldn’t he have been this ill in Madrid? Or Kansas City? Or Perth? Why did it have to be fucking Wembley? 
His phone buzzes in his hand, disrupting his never ending train of miserable thoughts. It’s you, checking in. He was supposed to go out with you and Johnny after the show, supposed to celebrate the biggest night of his career. He can’t believe you guys came out to see him on stage like that, a wave of embarrassment rolling through him as he imagines what you must think. 
He starts rapid fire texting you back, apologizing for the show, apologizing for leaving early and missing the afterparty, just apologizing. He’s not even sure what he’s saying at this point, just knows that he is sorry and embarrassed and wants to be home alone in his bed. You’re trying to keep up with his texts, trying your best to assure him that he has nothing to be sorry about, that it was still a good show, that you’re sorry for him, that’s not his fault he’s been overworked and was too sick to perform, asking if there’s anything you can do. Offering company if he needs someone to talk to because he’s right, it’s fucked that this was the show he had to be ill for, that he didn’t deserve to have it happen this way. 
And he knows he should talk it out, knows there’s few things that make him feel better than having you as a sounding board but right now he feels so shit and just wants to stop thinking about it. He apologizes again and turns his phone off, leaning his burning head against the cool window. He knows he’s wallowing, he knows he’s so lucky to be doing even a fraction of what he has done it’s just …
It was headlining Wembley fucking Stadium. When will he ever get the chance to do something like that again?
2023
The screams of the crowd start to fade into the background as he sprints backstage, handing his mic pack over to Steve from sound and leaning in to mutter a request to Paddy before ducking into his dressing room, leaning against the door once it’s closed. Trying to catch his breath from the sprint, from this night, from this week. He shakes off the rain and closes his eyes, doing his damndest to commit every feeling flashing through him to memory, trying to relive each moment on stage that took his breath away, to think about in the years to come. Knowing he’ll never be this young on tour again, never this limber, never be with this exact group of people at this exact time ever again. 
It was the best night of his entire life. 
It hasn’t felt like that before. The love radiating towards him was palpable, he could feel it in the air, and he did everything to send it right back out. It was almost too much for one person to hold, he had no choice but to try to put it directly towards the people who helped get him here, shouting out his friends and family in the audience more than he ever has because he owes them everything and he wanted to share this feeling with them.
It was overwhelming, it was exhilarating and it was fun. It’s never been that fun. Gratitude flows through him as tears prick his eyes, his breath catching in his throat. How lucky he is to get to do this for a job, how lucky that this many people want to see his show, how lucky that he’s got this band and this crew working alongside him. How lucky, how lucky, how lucky. 
He stands there for several minutes, taking deep breaths, reliving the best parts of the show, how it felt to sing Gemma’s song to her, to get to thank the friends that took him in when he was young and alone in a big city for the first time, to get to thank the friends that loved him from the start, before he grew into the man who would perform in front of 90,000 people four nights in a row. He’s practically choking on the emotion now, feeling more alive than he’s ever felt, the happiest he’s ever been, just grateful for this moment and this life when a series of knocks snaps him out of his haze. 
“I’ve been summoned,” he hears you say on the other side of the door and if he could grin any wider, his face would split in half. 
He swings open the door and there you are. The rain did nothing to dampen how beautiful you look tonight, wearing one of his favorite sundresses of yours, your eyes as red-rimmed with tears as he imagines his are. You take him in for a moment, your hand coming up to cover your mouth as your breath catches and you shake your head in disbelief, seemingly as shocked and stunned by the night as he is. 
“That was…” you start to say but drift off, emotion clogging the words in your throat as you just stare at him.
“I know.” 
“Just like…what the fuck?” you say and it shocks a laugh out of him, his head tilting back and shoulders shaking. He watches the smile grow on your face and that’s when you launch yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his neck and holding tight. He wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you close, lifting you slightly off the ground as he pulls you into the room and kicks the door shut behind you. 
“‘M sweaty,” he warns and it just makes you tighten your arms around him more. 
“Don’t care,” you say softly. “I’m so, so proud of you.” 
And suddenly, he’s at a loss for words again. Not able to think about anything but how you feel in his arms, your steady heartbeat tethering him to the moment, the praise you’re murmuring in his ears making him feel warm all the way down to his toes. He’s overwhelmed at the thought of how much this week has felt like coming home, finally. Like the biggest, warmest welcome back to a place he has had to leave more often than he would ever like to. He felt it monumentally, magnanimously on stage and now he feels it here, on a much smaller scale, in the way your nails feel scratching against his scalp, the fabric of your damp dress against the bare skin of his chest, the sound of your voice in his ear. 
“It’s never felt like that before. Watching you.” you say, pulling your head back to look at him, warm eyes full of affection and it almost makes him preen.  He just had 90,000 pairs of eyes on him but being the center of your attention is what makes his heart skip a beat. 
“Was unreal, wasn’t it?” he says, skin warming under your gaze, knowing the words are wholly inadequate to sum up how this night has felt but selfishly wanting you to keep talking about it, not ready for the show to become a distant memory quite yet. 
“Don’t think I’ve ever seen you that happy up there. That free. Just like completely in your element.” you say, a smile growing on your face as you huff a sheepish laugh at yourself. “Think I started crying the second you walked out there and didn’t really stop. You’ve turned me into the weepy girlfriend and for that I will never forgive you.”  
He laughs, lowering you to the ground in favor of bringing his hands up to cup your face, thumbs rubbing over the tear tracks there as you slide your hands down his back to wrap around his waist.
“Liked the show, then?” he asks, and by the roll of your eyes, he knows you know what he’s doing and he knows you’ll indulge him all the same.
“I loved it,” you say sincerely, the love in your eyes making him feel weak in the knees. “I love you.”
He closes the distance between you without a second thought, doing his best to express himself through every drag of his lips against yours. This has never felt like this before either, to get to be with someone who loves and supports him the way you do. Who knows him so well, who has seen the good, bad and the ugly and instead of taking off and running, just loves him harder, louder, fiercer. Adrenaline spikes through his veins as he deepens the kiss, his tongue curling against yours in a way that makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. 
He walks you backward until you're pressed against the door and he’s pressed against you, not an inch of space between you. He pulls away from your mouth to kiss along your jaw and down your neck, paying special attention to the spots he’s become familiar with, the ones that make you sigh into his ear, a sound that replays in his mind over and over whenever he’s missing you late at night. 
He feels himself getting hard against your thigh, no longer thinking of anything but how you taste, how you smell, how you feel. He loves you, more than he’s ever loved another person, more than he ever thought himself capable of. The temporarily dormant energy from the stage comes flooding back and he knows he’s got a room full of people waiting upstairs to celebrate with him but right now, he just needs you close. He needs you now. 
“Did you want to keep talking about the show?” you ask, your breath catching in your throat and it makes his heart skip a beat, your familiarity with his favorite post show routine making him melt as he shakes his head, not willing to pause his ministrations against your skin. 
It’s one of the things he loves doing most when you’re on tour with him, spending time after the really good shows to dissect his favorite bits and hear all of yours, hear how much you loved it, loved him. He knows if he said that’s what he wants to do right now you’d happily pull away and indulge him with detailed answers about how the show felt from your point of view, your favorite note changes, the jokes that made you laugh the most but it’s not what he wants right now. All he wants is you. 
“If we had more time, I’d get on my knees for you.” he mumbles against your neck, tongue darting out to suck at your skin. 
“Funny, I was just going to say the same thing.” you say back, making him groan, his hands falling to your hips, pulling you close. “But the party started already -”
“Yeah but I am the boss,” he says, feeling high off this night, off you. “So the party really doesn’t start until I say so.”
“I hate how much you loved saying that,” you say with a laugh, your hands sliding over his chest. You dig your nails in when he bites down on your neck and he feels like he’s on fire.
“Think y’ liked it a little bit,” he says, pulling away from your neck to kiss you deeply, hand sliding down to squeeze your ass.
“Can feel myself drying up as we speak.” you say and he sputters out a laugh, giving you a cheeky spank when he feels you laughing against him. 
“That sounds like a bloody lie,” he mumbles against your mouth, his hand sliding from your ass to your thigh, hastily pulling up your dress, dragging his fingers across your skin once he has access to it. He pulls back slightly to look at your face, your swollen lips and blown out eyes. You’re the hottest thing he’s ever seen. He slides his fingers over your core, smirking when you gasp, feeling how wet you are through your underwear. “Feels like one too.”
“Told you.” you say, and you’ve got that look in your eyes that’s his kryptonite, looking at him like you’re going to eat him alive and it stokes the fire already burning in his belly. He doesn’t even have to hear the next words come out of your mouth, he knows he’s already done for. “I really liked the show.” 
He crashes his mouth to yours, pulling kiss after kiss from your plush lips, his hips rolling against yours when you moan into his mouth. He snaps the waistband on your underwear, doing his best to help you pull it off without straying too far from your lips, pulling you back into him once you kick it off your ankles. 
“Off. Take this off.” you mumble against his mouth, already pushing the straps of his dungarees down.
“Hang on, there’s a zipper -” He squeezes your thigh before reaching around the back of his dungarees, hastily unzipping to help you ease the trousers down his hips, pausing when you do, your hands stilling on his skin. He looks up at your face to find you staring at his cock, an unreadable expression on your face. 
“Are you - are you not wearing pants?” you ask breathlessly, a surprised laugh breaking through your words. 
“You did say I was freer than ever on that stage -” 
“Oh my god, I am not having sex with you anymore -”
“Heeey.” he says, unable to stop the smile growing on his face at the sound of your laugh. He smacks a kiss to your cheek as he pulls his dungarees all the way down, leaving them pooling at his ankles. It looks ridiculous but he’s too turned on to care, stomach flipping when you slide your hands on his skin, fingers dancing over his obliques, nails digging into his pecs. 
“Can’t believe you were freeballing at Wembley.” you say as he snorts, grabbing your thigh to hitch it over his hip, leaning in to capture your lips with his. 
You pull the hem of your dress up with one hand as you slide the other to the back of his neck, gripping hard when he swipes his fingers through your folds, lightly circling your clit. He’d do just about anything to make you moan into his mouth like that, fingers playing with you a little longer than necessary until you bite down on his lip in impatience. 
“Ready?” he mumbles against your mouth.
“Been ready since half past eight.” you shoot back as he huffs a laugh. “Need you.”
“Y’ have me, baby. Y’ have me.” he mutters nonsensically, quickly pulling his fingers away and using them to guide his cock against your core, both of you moaning at the sensation before he guides himself into you, choking on air when he thrusts all the way in. 
White hot heat sears through him and he has to clench his eyes shut, your warmth and wetness almost too much to bear. He could stay here forever he thinks, feeling you clench around him, moaning lowly in his ear. This is it for him. Until - 
“H. Move.” 
He opens his eyes, the look on your face taking his breath away as he starts to thrust into you, lips falling to any part of your skin he can reach. 
“Watching me on stage got y’ this wet?” he grunts out. “All this for me?”
“Always.” you breathe out, pulling him in closer. “You looked so good up there. You did so good. Made me so proud -”
“Baby -” he leans in to kiss you deeply, tongue messily swiping over yours as he grabs your thigh, adjusting the angle in a way that makes you both moan. 
He rests his forehead against yours, watching the way every thrust, drag and swivel of his hips hurdles you closer and closer to the edge, your eyes fluttering closed when he hits it just right. Everything else fades away and all that matters is the feeling of your tight, hot cunt, and those quiet sounds you can’t stop making. You slide your hand down his arm until it settles on his tattoo of your initial, pressing your thumb into the skin and he almost bursts on the spot. 
“That’s right, baby. ‘S all for you.” he moans out, biting down on your jaw when you clench around him. “‘M all yours. ‘M all yours. ‘M all yours.”
He slides his hands around your waist, sliding down to your ass as he grips and lifts you up, bringing your other thigh up to settle around his hips. You gasp against his mouth as he holds you up,  pressing you further into the door. 
“This okay?” he pants out.
“Yeah - please. H - I’m -” you lean in to kiss him as he starts to move again, the new angle making him glide across your clit in a way that has you biting down on his lips. 
“Baby, I’m -”
“Me too. Doing so good.” you say as he digs his fingers into your skin, his thrusts becoming more and more erratic, sparks shooting down his spine as he flies towards the edge. 
“Need you to come first. Can y’do that for me?” he grunts out, gritting his teeth to swivel his hips in the way he knows will get you there, watching the way your mouth drops open, blown out eyes never wavering from his. 
You lean in to nip at his bottom lip, one hand sliding up to rest at the base of his throat, the other sliding down to rub circles on your clit as he tightens his hold on you, arm muscles bulging as he gives it to you as best he can.  He picks up his pace and you lightly squeeze down on his throat as he moans, fire licking up his spine at the sensation. Everything’s warm, hot, wet.  All he can feel, smell, taste and touch is you. He doesn’t know how it can get any better than this, and then you squeeze down a little harder, leaning in to bite at his earlobe before whispering: 
“You’re the boss.” 
Jesus fuck.
That’s it. He can’t hold on any longer, a moan punching out of him as he comes hard, seeing stars as he grunts against your skin, feeling you follow suit quickly after, the way you clench around him as you come has him biting down on the skin of your neck, nails digging into your thigh. 
That was the hottest thing that’s ever happened to him, is still happening to him, he feels like he’s coming forever as his body shakes with aftershocks, tongue darting out to suck at the skin of your neck as you both try to catch your breath, chests heaving. 
After a few moments, he pulls back to look at you, eyes roaming over the blissed out look on your face as he leans in to kiss you softly, lips dragging against yours once, twice, three times before he feels you laugh, leaning back to look at you. 
“What?” he asks, begs more like, desperate to know what’s going on in your brain, always. It’s something he never had this much exclusive access to before and now that he has, he’s addicted. He plants a line of kiss across your face as you giggle, arms tightening around your waist. 
“You’re so easy,” you say, looking at him with mirth in your eyes. “All I had to do is say one little word and you just -”
“Heey,” he says, laughing when you do. “‘S not what happened.” 
The dubious look on your face makes him pause, he can feel warmth blooming on his cheeks as he shrugs. 
“‘M mean, it definitely helped.” he says, watching the way your tongue slides out to lick your lips, helpless to do anything but kiss you again before pulling back to mumble against your mouth: “I was done for the second you said watching me up there made y’ wet.”
“Liked that, did you?”
“Liked all of it.” he says, eyes never wavering from yours, still feeling the ghost of your hand on his neck right before he came. He kisses along your neck, nuzzling his head there and breathing deep. “Still inside you. Could go again. Just keep calling me the boss, I’ll be ready in no time.”
You laugh and shove his shoulder as he giggles, smacking a kiss to your cheek as he slowly pulls out, lowering you back to the ground on your own two feet. 
“I’m not going to be the reason you miss the chance to run around an empty stadium with all your mates. It’s your favorite bit.” 
There’s just something to that, something he’s never experienced before. You say it so nonchalantly, as you bend down to pick up your underwear off the floor, muttering about needing to find something to clean yourself off with and he just stands there, naked in the middle of his dressing room, his dungarees still at his ankles and all he wants to do is throw away all those plans he made and get down on one knee right here. 
He won’t do that, the ring isn’t ready yet and he’s already planned and replanned everything ten times over, he thinks with a shake of his head, kicking the dungarees all the way off and heading over to his bag, pulling on a pair of briefs and joggers as his mind whirls. 
It’s just - there is something to being known the way you know him, really know him, not in the way everyone out there thinks they do but it’s like - you understand him. You see him for who he is beyond the sold out stadiums and awards and screaming fans. You see who he is in the littlest of moments, the small habits he hadn’t really known he had but you’ve picked up on because you pay attention to him, because you love him. To be this known and this loved is something he’s never experienced before, a safety net he’s never had before. 
Everything in his life has been in a constant state of change, living a nomadic lifestyle since he was just a teenager but this week, these shows, these crowds, this city, have given him a sense of belonging he hadn’t known he was craving, hadn’t known he was missing. The fear that this could all go away in an instant, which he once thought was a permanent state of existence, of living, of being has become a small voice in the background.  
He’s not afraid of losing everything because he has you, he trusts you, he loves you and he knows you’re not going anywhere. And you - you are everything. 
He’s so lost in his own head he barely registers the sounds of the sink in the adjoining bathroom, barely hears you gripe “All the foundation in the world couldn’t cover these love bites so cheers for that”, barely feels your eyes on him as you make your way back into the dressing room. 
“Hey,” you say softly, stepping into his eyeline as you stand in front of him, hands coming up to his face, thumb wiping away the tears that had fallen unbeknownst to him. “You alright?” 
“Yeah,” he says, blinking back the tears as he smiles at you, taking a deep breath. “Just overwhelmed.”
“It’s been a big night. Big week.” you say and he nods, wrapping his arms around your waist as your hand finds its place in his hair, fingers running through the strands in his favorite pattern. “You deserve all of it. Every bit.” 
“Couldn’t have done this without you, you know.” 
“H -”
“‘M serious, just let me -”  he says, shaking his head, wanting to get the words right, knowing he won’t be able to express more than a fraction of what he means, what you mean. “Y’ make me feel like I can do anything because you love me. ‘Nd I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to explain to you properly how that makes me feel but I - I just really love you. I’ve never been loved the way you love me. ‘Nd I’ve never, ever loved anyone the way I love you.”
He watches as tears fill your eyes, the way you’re looking at him in awe, in love, it’s a look he wishes he could bottle up forever. You lean up to kiss him and he pulls you in closer, getting lost in the feeling of your lips against his, your hand in his hair, how he can feel your heartbeat racing. 
“I love you so much,” you say when you pull back slightly, “You’ll never -”
“I feel it, love. Promise I feel it. Promise I know.” he murmurs, pulling you in and kissing you again, just needing you as close as possible. 
“We have to get out of here and you have to put on a shirt,” you mumble in between kisses, “or we will never leave.” 
“Won’t see me complaining.”
“Everyone’s waiting to celebrate you,” you say, pulling back but he follows you, kissing along your jawline. “And we can continue our own celebration later, yeah? I’m not going anywhere. We’ve got time.” 
He pulls back at that, eyes grazing over your features before leaning in to kiss you again, humming into it, thinking he’s never heard anything sweeter in his life. 
You’re not going anywhere and you’ve got time. 
It’s so simple but it feels so right, he thinks as he releases his hold on your waist and quickly slips into his jacket, looking up at you to find your hand extended, waiting for his. He slips his hand into yours, interlocking your fingers and squeezing once. 
A rush of emotions washes over him. He feels everything, all at once from this night, this week, this year, this tour. And here you are, here you’ve been, holding onto his hand. Not going anywhere. He wants to tell you everything this means to him, wants to marry you yesterday, start a family, wants to do it all with you. But he’s got an empty stadium with his favorite people waiting for him, waiting to celebrate the greatest night of his career, of his life. And you’ll be next to him the whole time. 
It’s like you’ve said, you’ve got time.
---
taglist:@tobesolovelysstuff, @louyoursins, @daydreamingofmatilda, @jojo-blog53, @marzhshaim, @devilsqueen722, @just-happiness-only,@lomlhstyles, @feestyles, @spock4presidnet, @sunshinemoonsposts, @indierockgirrl, @jerseygirlinca, @kissitnhekitchen, @goldnrry,
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aurumacadicus · 3 months
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I posted the first two parts of minotaur Steve (under same tag) specifically so you all could have some slight background on this scene (because I wanted it to hurt more probably):
"You have to come," Tony exclaims, angry, but there's some genuine panic threading his voice. "We've come this far, you can't just--"
"You dragged me this far," Steve snarls, and only feels a little bad when Tony takes a nervous step backward. "You took me from the labyrinth for your own reasons. It was never to rescue me from living and dying there. Now you want me to die to save you? You're no better than the gods."
Tony looks hurt for a moment, like Steve has taken one of his massive hands and just slapped him, but it doesn't hide the hint of shame that crosses his face. He recovers quickly, though, anger covering everything. "It's not my fault. I'm not the one who made that shitty prophecy. I wanted to solve my own problems. The gods are the ones who decided I couldn't!"
"So you'd sacrifice me?!" Steve bellows, and Tony skitters backward, clutching the Rogers shield to himself protectively. "Like I'm a dumb animal?! You should have taken one of the others. At least they wouldn't know one way or the other." He glares at Tony for a moment. He doesn't know how to explain how much this betrayal hurts, that Tony knew the gist of the prophecy meant Steve would probably die and had strung him along with him anyway. Had probably offered Steve the gift of his body knowing he would never have to fulfill it, he thought, perhaps uncharitably. He doesn't even want that, which doesn't help the hurt at all.
He should have known the world outside the labyrinth wasn't for him, is probably what hurts the most. There was a reason his mother had never brought him outside, even after she'd realized Steve could navigate the walls. She'd never asked him to find the way out so she could show him the sky. She'd known what Tony had apparently known, but hadn't had the heart to tell him--he's a monster, and men kill monsters. There will never be a place for him in open air.
"I hope the Hydra Cult burns your entire forest to the fucking ground," Steve snarls, and it mostly isn't true, but he wants Tony to hurt as much as he'd hurt him.
It works a little too well, he thinks, as Tony sucks in a breath that sounds more painful than helpful. His eyes fill with tears, and his face flushes with shame and embarrassment. There's a moment where he starts to feel guilty.
But Tony rallies quickly, flush turning to anger, blinking back his tears as if they never existed. "Fine. Go back to the labyrinth for all I care. I hope someone kills and roasts you like the beast you are before you get there," he snarls. He throws the shield at Steve's hooves. "I don't need this. I don't need you. I can take care of my forest myself."
"Sure," Steve spits back, glaring, as Tony turns on his heel to stomp down the road. The urge to remind him he had to save him from a few satyrs along the way is on the tip of his tongue, but something in him makes him swallow it back. Probably the part of him that remembers his mother's expression before she'd told him to run away and hide. It would be too low a blow, even for him, even as angry as he is.
He bends to pick up the shield. He doesn't understand how it can be a weapon. His mother had never spoken of it. But then, it had been from her husband's side of the family. He had inherited it because of her name, not because they'd accepted him. They'd only given it to him when Tony had mentioned a prophecy. Humans were scared of being on the wrong side of a prophecy, the village elder had said as he'd passed it over to them. It's heavy. He's reluctantly impressed Tony had carried it as long as he had, too anxious at the sight of the emblem burned into his hip to take it in his own hands.
Was Tony's kind understanding just pity, because he knew he was bringing Steve to die, Steve wonders. Or was he being kind to be kind? He'll never know, he figures, turning to chuck it into the sea.
Then he hears a sound, perhaps the most awful one he's ever heard--agony, and defeat, and dismay, all at once. His mother had instilled a conscience in him. He turns.
Tony is crumpling to the ground. Steve thinks he's tripped, for a moment, except his hands don't go out to catch himself. He just falls, and lies there where he landed, small and unmoving. Like the gods had struck him down where he stood for his hubris.
"Tony," Steve gasps, only half against his will, and thunders after him.
Steve is so careful as he turns him onto his back, feeling awkward and unwieldy. Tony's shaking--seizing, he remembers his mother calling it once, eyes rolled back in his head, saliva foaming in the corners of his mouth. As he watches, a drop of blood begins to trickle from his nose. He cradles Tony's head in one big hand, so he doesn't hit it on anything, feeling helpless, just like he had as his mother had passed away in his arms.
Tony doesn't pass away, though. Eventually, he sags in Steve's hold, eyelids fluttering. He coughs, and a fine mist of blood fills the air in front of his mouth.
"Tony," Steve whispers, pulling him close to his chest. "What happened?"
Tony says nothing for a few minutes, focused on catching his ragged breath. Finally, though, he croaks, "They cut through one of my heartwoods." He coughs again, then sobs, looking up at Steve with liquid eyes. "Steve, they're killing everyone in the east of my forest."
Steve frowns. "How do you know?"
"I can feel them dying," Tony sobs, and somehow he manages the strength to grab Steve's arm, crying in earnest. "I can feel all of them dying around me. I couldn't protect them. I couldn't do enough. They're dying because of me."
"Tony," Steve whispers, cradling him to his chest, as Tony sobs and sobs.
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rosehiroto · 10 months
Note
Hello hello~ here for another niji ask, thank you so so much for doing my Sonny request <3
Anyway back on topic. May i request luxiem with an extremely flirty s/o? Or maybe just one if you dont wanna do all of them. Once again take your time and make sure to take care of urself
Hello anon! Glad you enjoyed the sonny request ♡︎.
Thank you for the wonderful request, I will do this with all luxiem members since this is an adorable request, and thank you for the kind words I sure will you take care as well ♡︎.
WARNING: Please remember that I am writing about Luxiem based on their characters online and not of the people behind their vtuber avatars, thank you!
Mc is non-binary pronounce is they/them
Fandom: nijisanji en.
Pairing: luxiem x mc.
Category: cute fluff, flirty mc.
Flirty affection.
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Luca Kaneshiro
Luca is the type to be completely oblivious to any flirting directed towards him so he most of the time won't notice.
If he does notice he will respond with a 'pog' and he won't show any sort of reaction.
Unless you sit him down face to face and hit him up with the flirting he will be stunned for a second processing what you just said his face will turn bright red.
He'll be pretty flustered especially since it's his s/o his only respond is a soft 'pog' as he buries his head into Mc's neck.
After a while of being with mc he'll get used to the flirty comments and affection mc gives him but it never fails to bring a shy smile to his face and to make his cheeks a soft red as he chuckles in embarrassment.
He gets so used to it, he might flirt with mc back without realizing hitting them with a 'you too!', which works in most situations.
Mc would to need to find new tricks to make him flustered, like teasing him on stream, pinching his cheeks surprisingly gets him a little shy.
Luca is the type to pout and wait for you to flirt with him when you stop suddenly, or when you'd argue about something, he would just sit there and wait for you to fawn over him with a pout on his lips.
When he does get attention, his face lights up and he wraps his arms around Mc's waist, enjoying their attention with a big grin on his face.
Might test out some pick-up lines he found online and would say them to mc and wait for their response, mc responds most of the time with a laugh or a chuckle than mc tells him a better pick-up line and will kiss his entire face, his cheeks would turn red a huge smile on his face as he chuckles at the small kisses allover his face.
Just compliment and love this man, he loves everything you do anyways.
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Shu Yamino
Shu is rather shy when it comes to flirting not knowing how to react, his face turning red slowly as he looks down and covers his face with his hands.
Would appreciate a warning but it doesn't change anything really so he stops expecting one in the first place.
He's just so shy about it at the begining of the relationship, than slowly gets used to it and warms up to the idea.
Might drop a few pick-up lines here and there but would get super embarrassed after, would definitely ask for cringe pick-up lines from mc to use randomly on twitter or just say them in his streams.
When shu comes up to mc saying he's the 'master rizzler', mc is very confused but supports shu anyways.
They'll help him with pick-up lines, how to deliver them, silly things like that until shu comes up to them one day and just says "I've reached my goal as the master rizzler thank you for your sacrifice".
Mc is still confused but smiles and gives shu a kiss on the cheek anyways than goes back to what they were doing.
Even after a while in the relationship shu is still pretty shy about it, he'll just laugh with the most red cheeks you've ever seen.
They grow even darker in color as mc just coos at him and brings him into their arms for a gentle hug.
He'll just mumble against their shoulder incoherently, mc doesn't have the heart to tell him they don't understand what he's saying, so they'll kiss his head gently over and over again until he calms down.
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Ike Eveland
Ike is the best flirt avoider in this entire world, so when he gets another vox flirting with him left and right he just avoids it like normal.
Except his feelings for mc start to grow so their comments start to affect him just slightly, he still moves on from them not even acknowledging them but you'll see how his cheeks turn slightly pink showing he actually got affected by the comment.
When he and mc get together his reactions grow slightly, except of ignoring their flirting he'll smile gently at mc his cheeks slightly red as he looks at them, then back at whatever he was doing.
At one point something mc said made him so shy he just buried his head into Mc's shoulder with a whine.
Mc don't embarrass him please, he's just so shy about it.
As time goes on he gets used to them and his reactions goes back to normal completely ignoring the flirting except this time he'll have a small smile on his face.
Finds it very endearing and might get the confidence to flirt back with mc if he's drunk.
When he's drunk he finds the comments super cute and would go out of his way to say so to mc everytime.
He will then process to compliment mc and flirt with them for about half an hour.
Teach him pick-up lines and he will be even better than you at flirting it's the best thing ever.
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Mysta Rias
Mysta will play it off awkwardly at first face glowing bright red as he laughs awkwardly "you don't mean that" he would say with an awkward laugh.
His face will turn a deeper shade of red when you tell him you mean it with a straight face.
Will mumble a soft thank you rubbing the back of his head and just sitting there than will mumble a weak "you're awesome too".
As he slowly gets to know mc and gets together with them he'll start to get more comfortable with the flirting and will smile shyly at it now, might even pitch in with a few pick-up lines himself.
After he and mc get together he'll grow more comfortable with it, and will start to flirt with mc on a daily basis learning their tricks and using it against them.
Mysta pulls an uno reverse and starts making mc embarrassed by his flirting, then they both will just giggle like highschool girls and just bask in each other's company.
Mc will definitely try to flirt more with mysta and to make him embarrassed knowing that physical touch is more likely to make him shy.
Just hug him out of no where or kiss his cheeks and face, he'll be putty in your hands.
As time goes on flirting will be the norm in their relationship, they could be just chilling on the couch cuddling and they'll start flirting with each other like they just met in the club.
Mysta finds it very endearing as their bond grows stronger as flirting starts to turn into their very own love language.
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Vox Akuma
When vox first meets mc the first thing they both do is flirt with each other.
It's basically like a second language to them at this point from the amount of time they spend speaking it to each other.
Even before they get together they would flirt with each other all the time, which might annoy some people since it looks kinda cringe when you look at it from afar.
When vox and mc get together their flirting grows stronger, and they don't even take it seriously most of the time giggling after flirting with each other.
Both mc and vox find it a cute personality trait in each other and will tell each other how much they love it.
As they both get closer the flirting wouldn't stop, just growing more chill and turning into more compliments then flirting really.
They just love everything about each other and a day doesn't pass unless both of them tell each other how much they love and care about each other.
Mc and vox are a very affectionate and lovey dovey couple and they never deny it and just tell people about it all the time.
If they argue about something they will both sit on different sides of the room glancing at each other every once in a while with a pout on their face.
It will end up with both of them apologizing, and then cuddling and complementing each other to absolutely no end for the next day or two.
They love each other very much and they'll never grow tired of it or try to hide it.
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Thank you for reading all support is highly appreciated ♡︎.
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butterflydm · 11 months
Text
wot reread: a memory of light (chapter 38-epilogue)
spoilers for a memory of light!
Well, the rest of the chapters have fewer pages in total than chapter 37 did, so this is going to be my last full reread post, though I do have a couple of follow-ups planned.
My timing ended up being pretty good, even though my original intention was just to reread books 1-3 in anticipation of the second season of the show. And now I’ve still got over a month to get good and excited about everything the show will be bringing to the table.
1. We go back to Rand, still deep in his conversation with TDO. The chapter “the Last Battle” really revolved around the battle between the forces outside Shayol Ghul, because it ended when the commander of the other army finally was killed (though there are still a ton of his forces to take care of, the head of the snake was cut off and so was the person who fancied himself Demandred’s replacement).
2. The ‘let go’ that Rand is hearing in his mind is in his father’s voice, and the meaning expands here -- let them sacrifice. it is their choice to make. And then Egwene’s voice -- am I not allowed to be a hero too?
Because this is something that Rand has been resisting over the course of the books -- basically ever since he accepted that he will be the sacrifice, he’s struggled with knowing that he’s not the only one, with knowing that other people are sometimes even sacrificing just to get him here, to this place. And, I imagine, with his tentative plans to maybe even survive this ‘sacrifice’, that’s going to make him feel even more guilty about other people giving up their lives in this fight.
3. He talks in dialogue with Egwene’s voice in his head (given that he’s existing around and between reality, it might really be Egwene’s voice too). He is not in charge of protecting her. He decided to take that charge on himself, back in EotW, but it was never his to claim. Let us die for what we believe, and do not try to steal that from us.
4. And so Rand takes himself through his list again, backwards, this time, releasing his feelings of shame for failing to save them, releasing his need to protect them. Letting go of the mountain that has been crushing him for the majority of the series.
He hadn’t realized how large it had become, how much he had let himself carry.
...
Ilyena was last. We are reborn, Rand thought, so we can do better the next time.
So do better.
5. And now Rand, as he stands surrounded by all time and nothing at the same time, comes to understand that the Darkness was never a being, never an entity of its own. It is the between of everything. It can only win if no one is willing to keep fighting against it.
6. Mat gets the news of Lan’s reported death. As he did with Egwene and with Elayne, he swallows the grief and doesn’t let it show to anyone else, instead using the news to spur the army onward to attack the now-stunned foe.
7. Rand tells TDO that he can’t win, and TDO argues that it has Rand in its grasp right now, and Rand says that that’s missing the point, because it was never just about his victory. The people he lists:
Morgase (?) - a woman, torn and beaten down, cast from her throne and made a puppet
Thom - a man who remembered stories and took fool boys under his wing
Moiraine - a woman who hunted truth before others could
Perrin (?) - a man whose family was taken from him, but who stood tall
Nynaeve - a woman who refused to believe she could not Heal those who had been harmed
Mat - a hero who insisted with every breath that he was not a hero
Egwene - a woman who would not bend her back while she was beaten and who stone with the Light for all who watched
Rand realizes -- “it was never about beating me. It was about breaking me.”
8. Okay, I have to say. I have to! But this is... this is literally also how the Seanchan work. This is their philosophy of life -- to take people and break them to the Seanchan’s purpose. As I’ve said before, there really is no way around the fact that the Seanchan are going to be the Great Evil of the Fourth Age. There are just too many Shadow-Seanchan parallels! Maybe Mat and Min can slow the train slightly but I don’t think they can actually put the breaks on it.
9. But back to now -- Rand and TDO watch the battlefield, where Mat is fighting -- Tam at his side, then Karede and his suicide-slave troops, then Loial and the Ogier. “Outnumbered three to one”. Mat is shouting in the Old Tongue: For the Light! For honor! For glory! For life itself!
I will take a moment to be glad that, despite the first half of this book trying so hard to align Mat with the slavers for whatever fucking reason, he’s not fighting for the slavers in this battle. That he actually did become the General of the Forces of the Light, not primarily the General of the Slavers. Looking back, it really does feel like the change was signaled when Mat first took off his Seanchan clothes and put back on his Two Rivers coat*. That seems to have been a visual cue about his change in characterization -- how he started pushing back more against Tuon, forcing her into more compromises, and standing more aligned with the Forces of Light rather than pandering to the slavers all the time. idk, maybe forcing Mat over to Ebou Dar at the start of the book was Sanderson’s way of trying to finally create a synthesis between the horrible Mat of CoT & KoD and the non-horrible Mat of the earlier books, and he felt like he actually had to take Seanchan!Mat to his worst conclusion before bringing him out again? It still really sucks that the Mat and Rand reunion happened during our low point of Mat’s characterization, though.
(* which appears to have been triggered by the ‘not pleasant’ conversation that Mat and Tuon had after Tuon berates him for not telling her that Egwene was briefly enslaved by the Seanchan. After that (off-screen) conversation, Mat starts being much more combative re: the Seanchan -- after that conversation is when he has his bitter/sarcastic thought that he’s not done much to convince Tuon to stop using damane and when he suggests to Min that she mislead Tuon about her viewings to try to soften her stance on Aes Sedai; so I think we can safely give Egwene credit for the turnaround in Mat’s characterization -- I wish that that conversation between Mat and Tuon hadn’t happened off-screen! like so many important emotional moments!, but it seems like perhaps that was a watershed moment for Mat)
Rand and TDO watch, and TDO taunts Rand “the son of battles. I will take him [Mat!]. I will take them all, adversary. As I took the king of nothing [this is Lan, I assume]”.
10. Mat thinks about how he knows he can win this battle, despite the horrible odds. He just needs “a favorable toss of the dice”.
And, not too far away, with the Trollocs outside his hiding place, Olver gives up on the idea of trying to get the Horn to Mat, and lifts the Horn of Valere to his lips.
11. First Mat, and then everyone else, hears Rand’s voice -- he calls out Shai’tan as wrong, telling everyone that Lan isn’t dead. And just after he says that, Mat hears the familiar golden and clear note of the Horn of Valere.
...wow, the Seanchan feel so superfluous to requirements right now. They didn’t show up until after the final combat was engaged, after Rand had his final necessary epiphany, after the Horn was blown (they have still not shown up, technically).
I’m going to take a moment to daydream about a world where Tuon’s nature as marath’damane was revealed and accepted, so she really did flee with the Seanchan (so that she can try to recover from this blow to her powerbase) and the Seanchan never returned to the Last Battle. This would be a much easier way to de-tangle Mat from the Seanchan than whatever he’s gonna need to actually do post-canon.
12. The Heroes of the Horn return and our first sight of them is Birgitte coming to save Elayne from Mellar, with a shining silver arrow. 😍
Birgitte standing over her own corpse kinda cracks me up. Good for her! It’s also probably the first time she’s felt like herself in books and books.
“That was the bloody Horn of Valere!” Mat announces to his troops. “We can still win this night!” Inside, he marvels over how the Horn was sounded without him, showing that one of the things that he’d believed that he was permanently tied to isn’t tied to him after all.
Well, if that knot can be untied, Mat, maybe another one can be as well.
13. Between losing Demandred and the appearance of the Heroes of the Horn, the Shadow are now the ones who are on the defensive, with some Trollocs breaking and trying to run away.
The mist of the Heroes forms near Mat and he feels a moment of worry, wondering if maybe someone on the side of the Shadow summoned them. Hawkwing rides up to Mat, and tells him, “Do take better care of what has been allotted you. Almost, I worried we would not be summoned for this fight.”
I know, right? The lack of urgency in the Mat-in-Ebou-Dar half of the book about actually getting him to Merrilor to blow the Horn was really frustrating to me too!
When Mat confirms that this mean they’re fighting for the Light, Hawkwing tells him, “We would never fight for the Shadow.” The rumors about the Horn are wrong -- I feel like we learned this back in TGH as well but, you know, Mat was dying at the time, so I don’t blame him for not remembering.
Yeah, here’s the line: “We have come to the Horn, but we must follow the banner. And the Dragon.” So it was Rand, Perrin, and Mat who learned that. But, like I said, I don’t blame Mat for not remembering.
14. Hawkwing and Amaresu both scold Mat for not showing Rand enough appreciation for saving his life. Honestly, so fair and legit for Mat to finally be on the other end of a scolding like that. “I have seen you murmur that you fear his madness but all the while you forget that every breath you breathe - every step you take - comes at his forbearance. Your life is a gift from the Dragon Reborn, Gambler. Twice over.”
Mat feels so scolded. As he deserves.
He’s told that they can fight here because they have Rand’s banner and because Rand is... technically sort-of kind-of leading them... from a distance.
Amazingly, Mat takes a moment out of this encounter to marvel at how pretty one of the heroes is and then Remind Himself again that he’s married. He really does have to keep Reminding Himself. One of these days, he’s not going to remember to Remind Himself until after he’s already slept with someone else. It’s been more subtle in this book than in ToM, but Mat is still constantly checking out Every Other Lady around him.
15. Olver gets dug out of his hole by Trollocs but Noal, now one of the Heroes, arrives to save him. I don’t care about Noal, and Jordan definitely didn’t do enough to build up their relationship in CoT & KoD, but I still got a little misty at the tiny orphan child feeling grateful that one of the people who ‘abandoned’ him has finally come back.
16. haha, this next chapter is called ‘wolfbrother’ so I guess that Perrin is finally gonna wake up. But first, we have Elayne!
She’s able to wriggle lose enough to make the medallion copy shift away from her skin and fall to the ground, and now she can embrace saidar again. Elayne apologizes to Birgitte but Birgitte laughs it off, “Why do you mourn, Elayne? I have it all back! My memory has returned. It is wonderful! I don’t know how you stood me these last few weeks. I moped worse than a child who’d just broken her favorite toy.” Ah, yeah, that confirms that Birgitte’s spiral into bitterness was not meant to be a reflection of Elayne but on the dark place that Birgitte was in, with her loss of memories, I think. But it’s a shame that it feels like parts of the fandom just took Birgitte’s unrelated bitterness as a reason to slam on Elayne more. My girl gets so much undeserved hate.
And Elayne and Birgitte will ride back into the battle together. Not as Aes Sedai and Warder, but as friends. 😍 😍 😍 😍 
17. Aviendha! I’ve missed you! Her timeline isn’t advancing as quickly as it has been for those further away from Shayol Ghul, so not as much as happened here in the valley. She can feel the channeling inside the Pit of Doom - “a quiet pulse”. Oh! The wolfbrother of the chapter’s title is actually Elyas, who Aviendha runs across now. The Darkhound Wild Hunt is happening, and hundreds of wolves have come to fight back against them.
Aviendha is about to go fetch channelers to help bring down the Darkhounds, when she spies Graendal a bit higher on the slope, with some Turned channelers, and Aiel guards under compulsion. Aviendha alerts her companions (Amys & Cadsuane) and then begins the fight against Graendal.
18. Elayne has a sword again. Where is she getting these swords? I’m just gonna assume it’s made out of Air or something. More useful than the sword, Elayne creates a banner with the Power, the red lion of Andor, lighting up the night.
19. [Mat] remembered, within those memories that were not his, leading forces far grander. Armies that were not fragmented, half-trained, wounded and exhausted. But Light help him, he had never been so proud.
...
This was the moment he had been seeking. It was the card upon which to bet everything he had. Ten to one odds, still, but the Sharan army, the Trollocs and the Fades had no head. No general to guide them.
...
Elayne’s death had been a lie. Her troops had been in disarray - they had lost more than a third of their soldiers - but just as they were about to be routed by the Trollocs, she rode into their midst and rallied them.
20.  Catching up with Moggy! Hi, Moghedien. I bet your Last Battle is going pretty shitty. She kicks Demandred’s abandoned corpse. Oh, his devoted Shendla just left his body there to rot? Yikes. For Moghedien, she discovers that now that so many of the Chosen have been killed off, TDO is ready to let her have a taste of that sweet sweet True Power.
She disguises herself as Demandred and heads to the Sharan forces. I have to admit, given how open Min has been about her Talents, it’s kinda astonishing that Moghedien doesn’t know about her viewings. Min will tell anyone who stands still for five seconds, plus Tuon announced her as a Doomseer and has been plumping her up for the past whatever-number of chapters.
Moghedien starts to gear up for her role as Fake Demandred...
...and then she gets a blast of cannon/dragon-fire in her face from the Band’s part of Mat’s plan.
21. Instead of the Band leaving their caves to fight; channelers are opening them up brief windows to shoot through. Aludra is placed up on a high location with a spy-glass, giving orders to the channelers for the next locations for the booms. Honestly very clever.
22. As Aviendha fights in the valley, plants grow to cover her passage.
They had come right when she had needed them to hide her approach. Happenstance? She chose to believe otherwise. She could feel [Rand], in the back of her mind. He fought, a true warrior. His battle lent her strength, and she tried to return the same.
Determination. Honor. Glory. Fight on, shade of my heart. Fight on.
😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 
23. Aviendha kills a Compelled attacker, only realizing it’s Rhuarc after she has struck the fatal blow. She kills him moments before he would have killed her, and only her shoulder gets injured.
She does her best to convince herself that she only killed a shell. That Rhuarc was already dead.
There is a burst of determination from Rand (Strength, Aviendha) and her fatigue leaves her, and she refocuses on the fight.
24. Aviendha studies Graendal and decides on her approach -- she creates a spear made out of fire and light, and some other weaves in reserve -- and charges for Graendal. See, this makes a lot more sense that Elayne randomly having a sword, because this is a weapon and Aviendha knows and has trained in most of her life. I think that Sanderson Just Likes Swords tbh.
I really love the description here because of how it brings back Aviendha’s Maiden roots as she launches her attack on Graendal. The ground explodes underneath her (her legs get pretty destroyed, it sounds like), but she’s leaping up already aimed like a spear herself, and she sinks the spear into Graendal’s side just as Graendal is using the True Power to Travel... and because they’re touching, she goes along with Graendal when she Travels.
25. Mat rides with the Heroes of the Horn. He gets them to confirm that he isn’t one of them. He can see Elayne from where he is.
Mat saw Elayne’s banner glowing above them in the sky, crafted of the One Power, and caught a glimpse of someone who looked like her riding among the soldiers, hair glowing as if lit from behind her. She seemed a bloody Hero of the Horn herself.
26. And then the great battle is over, at least here on the battlefield.
He would have to thank Tuon for returning. He did not go looking for her, though. He had a feeling she would expect him to perform his princely duties, whatever they might be.
Hmm.
27. He does feel that tugging. Rand needs him. He tries to convince himself that this was his part, out here, and whatever is going on where Rand is... that’s Rand’s business. The dice are still tumbling in his head. This part here manages to capture Mat’s double-think in a way that I didn’t feel like came across in the actual chapter when we had the Rand & Mat reunion.
After trying to talk himself out of it, Mat ends up saying that he’s a fool because “I need to go to Rand.”
As a parting note, he asks Hawkwing to go have a conversation with “their Empress” (Tuon), and hmm, interesting. Okay, I need to break this down a bit.
So, one of the things that gave Tuon the big jollies back in the negotiation chapter with Rand was Mat referring to the Seanchan forces as “our forces”, which she basically interpreted as “haha you’re mine now, no take-backs”. And here, he does not call the Seanchan empress “my” Empress. He says she’s “their” Empress. The Empress of the Seanchan, who he is not currently identifying with, it would seem. So. That’s interesting.
We don’t get to see the conversation between Hawkwing and Tuon, of course, but what would Mat assume about what Hawkwing would tell Tuon? Why would Mat send Hawkwing to talk to her? The Heroes of the Horn follow Rand, pretty explicitly. They literally just recently scolded Mat for not appreciating Rand enough. They are aware of current events in the world and of the Seanchan Empire.
Which is to say... of course, Mat is assuming that Hawkwing will try to set Tuon straight on how to be an Empress without abusing millions of people under her power. Hawkwing told him that they would never fight for the Shadow. I think it’s reasonable for Mat to assume that he would disapprove of slavery. And Hawkwing’s hatred of Aes Sedai in his lifetime was canonically influenced by Ishamael, if I recall correctly, so the idea that Ishamael’s corruption is still influencing him in his Horn-form just seems like kinda silly to me. So. That’s my stance on that. Mat has clearly stated in recent chapters that he disapproves of the damane system, in particular, and that he wants to influence Tuon to soften her stance on Aes Sedai. So we know what Mat’s motivations are in sending Hawkwing off to talk to her. And it kinda fits Mat’s pattern of trying to use other people to influence Tuon to be less awful.
28. Rand has thought about Mat often, here in the battle with TDO. He thinks of him again -- Beneath them, on the battlefield, the Trollocs had fallen, beaten by a young gambler from the Two Rivers.
29. Oh, hey, Perrin just woke up. Page 853. He went to sleep on page 670. Nice long nap. Missed... a lot of stuff.
He learns that the battle at Merrilor has been won, but the battle at Thakan’dar, outside of Shayol Ghul, rages on. He gets his exhaustion washed away by one of the Aes Sedai and goes physically back into TAR (where he left Gaul to guard the cave where Rand fights).
30. In the waking world, Thom is the one guarding that cave entrance and he ponders the various ways that the ending of the world can be turned into a song, once this is all over.
31. Mat goes to Grady and tells him that he needs to be taken to Shayol Ghul. He’s brought Rand’s banner with him. Hanging out with Grady are Olver and Noal. The dice are still tumbling in Mat’s head. As far as I can tell, they haven’t stopped since Elayne asked him if he knew what he was doing.
Mat, on thinking about Noal/Jain becoming a Hero of the Horn:
Well, you wouldn’t find Mat trading places with him. Noal might enjoy it, but Mat wouldn’t dance at another man’s command. Not for immortality itself, no he wouldn’t.
Another data point that I’m placing into the pile.
Grady says that Traveling is wonky in that direction. Can’t be done.
Mat won’t accept that as an answer, and he gets Grady to take him (and Olver) as close as they can get -- a Seanchan scouting camp, a day away.
32. lol, we get a tiny glimpse into Fain the mist god-demon here. This just feels so anti-climatic, to still have Fain around at a time like this. Anyway, he’s basically a walking Shadar Logoth at this point. Fain kinda suffers from the same issues as Slayer, in that it feels like he’s a villain that the story grew past and yet he hung around anyway.
33. Gaul has been standing alone against Slayer all this time in TAR, fighting against him and protecting Rand, on his own, while Perrin was taking his restorative nap. But now Perrin is back to help. On the plus side, because of the time dilation stuff, only two hours has passed for Gaul in here.
34. Since he couldn’t take a gateway to Shayol Ghul, Mat is going by dragon to’raken. And, yes, Mat takes time out of his terror at being up so high to notice how pretty the morat’to’raken is, even as he thinks that anyone willing to do this must be “completely insane”. Olver, who is riding with them, is having a great time, though.
From up high, Mat sees a mist covering the valley below and gets a tingling that tells him... it’s about Fain and the dagger.
35. Then their to’raken gets hit by arrows, killing the rider or knocking her out. Mat undoes his straps and climbs over to take the to’raken’s reins. So he’s... he’s riding the closest thing that this world has to a dragon. Subtext, fun for the whole family.
He does his best to give them a gentle landing. It is not terribly gentle.
36. In the aftermath of the crash, Mat thinks that kidnapping Tuon (aka marrying her) is the worst decision that he’s ever made. Hmm. And this is after she ‘returned’ to the battlefield per their plan.
“That,” [Mat] finally groaned, “is the worst bloody idea I’ve ever had.” He hesitated. “Maybe the second worst.” He had decided to kidnap Tuon, after all.
And he doesn’t undercut that thought with any kind of caveat. He just lets it stand as he moves on to the next thing. Another interesting data point.
37. Mat literally panics when he realizes that Rand’s banner has gone missing during their dragon to’raken flight. Why does it seem like Sanderson is so much better at writing Cauthor-related scenes when Mat and Rand are separated from each other?
Olver points out that the swirling clouds above them are forming Rand’s sign, and then he blows the Horn again, for good measure.
38. Rand breaks out of his frozen battle with TDO and re-enters his own body. “From his watching of the Pattern, he knew that although only minutes had passed here since he’d entered, in the valley outside this cavern, days had passed, and farther out into the world, it had been much longer.”
He points Callandor at Moridin, and Moridin promptly throws a knife at Alanna.
Broke back to consciousness by Nynaeve’s herbs, Alanna pulls herself together long enough to release the bond she forced on Rand before she dies.
...I kinda feel the need to point out that Moiraine has done nothing but be a battery for Rand since she entered the cave with him.
I also feel bad for Alanna, who really disappeared from the story once Min was bonded to Rand and could take over as Cadsuane’s Rand mood-ring, and now is only here so that she can die. I have extremely large beef against Alanna for forcibly bonding Rand but it feels like the story really should have used that beat even more than it did, rather than it disappearing after WH.
39. Perrin kills Slayer. Finally. And then he pulls back out of TAR and is “on the rocks in the valley of Thakan’dar”, near where the Aiel are gathered.
40. Mat leaves Olver with the Heroes and meets up with Perrin at the mouth of the cave. So, yes, Mat and Perrin get another reunion. Why does Perrin! Get all the reunions! This is what I was talking about when I said how annoyed I was that Mat thinking about Rand tugging on him wouldn’t end up with any good payoff. All we get is yet another Mat and Perrin reunion.
That Rand is literally inside that cave and yet the three ta’veren do not reunite here is honestly somewhat infuriating for me. Genuinely those two things: the Emond’s Five reunite and the ta’veren three reunite should have been at the TOP of Sanderson’s priority list! There is a lot that I have enjoyed about AMoL but there are just way too many important emotional moments that were either skipped or didn’t happen at all but should have happened.
And, fuck, letting Mat and Rand have a scene that doesn’t take place during Mat’s weird Ebou Dar adventure. That would have been nice! Once Mat decides that he’s not going to be a lapdog for the Seanchan/Tuon anymore, his storyline and his PoV get so much better and so much more enjoyable and I am just... eternal bitterness that our only Mat & Rand reunion was plopped into our most lapdoggy-Mat era.
Mat came here specifically to protect Rand and then he never sees him! That is just fucking awful. They deserved a better reunion. What was the point of having the Heroes scold Mat if we didn’t actually get to see Mat and Rand interact again after it? This is kinda a place where the epilogue is mostly at fault -- Mat just strolling off to plan a fireworks show for Tuon post-Last Battle conflicts pretty hard with him spending time with his dying best friend, tonally-speaking -- but that really just makes it all the more frustrating that the only Cauthor reunion took place when Mat was in his worst Seanchan-era.
41. Aviendha attacks Graendal with an exploding gateway; and Mat kills Fain/Mordeth/etc.
And Perrin almost takes off to go searching for Faile but manages to resist the urge: If Rand died, then he would lose Faile. And everything else.
Yes. I have tried to yell this at the fictional characters so many times: if the world dies, then so does your sweetheart! It’s nice that Perrin finally listened.
42. And for his final trick, Moridin grabs Callandor, and Moiraine and Nynaeve spring their trap, using the flaw in Callandor to take control of the ‘circle’ that Moridin has accidentally formed with them. With Moridin having pulled the True Power, Rand is now able to enter the link, and Moiraine and Nynaeve can feed him all three sets of Power: saidar, saidin, and the True Power. Light explodes from him, and from Shayol Ghul, as Rand uses the True Power to protect himself as he reaches through the Bore and grabs onto the Dark One.
43. We get a quick beat of people reacting to the light:
Elayne is on the battlefield of Merrilor, as they search for the living among the dead. She feels the “swelling of power in Rand” and her attention focuses on him.
Thom shields his eyes as the light bursts from the entrance to the Pit of Doom.
Min appears to have managed to get away from the Seanchan for now, changing linens for the wounded, perhaps also on the Field of Merrilor.
Aviendha is drawn back from the darkness of near-death by the light and the warmth of Rand inside her, and realizes that her explosion twisted the compulsion weave so that Graendal compelled herself to worship Aviendha. Awkward!
Logain sees the light and knows that it’s what was meant by the message that Egwene sent, and he breaks the seals on the Dark One’s prison.
44. In TAR, Perrin runs across Lanfear. Together, they walk into Shayol Ghul, and we learn that she apparently compelled Perrin a little while ago? He’s able to pull out of it by reminding himself of his duty and of Faile, and he snaps her neck, killing her.
*squints at the scene*
Yeah, I mean. That’s certainly still what looks like happened? Sorry, Sanderson, I’m not seeing your hints here about Lanfear tricking Perrin and surviving.
45. Rand holds the Dark One in his hand. Or the representation of his hand. And, once again, when Rand tells TDO how pitiful he is, all I see are echoes of the Seanchan:
You would have enslaved me as you would have enslaved the others. You cannot give oblivion. Rest is not yours. Only torment.
Rand can feel himself dying, his life blood slipping away. Realizing that the world that he’d seen without the Dark One would have been the truth, he knows that he cannot kill it. So he thrusts TDO back into his prison, braids saidar and saidin together to reforge a new shield onto the Bore.
With this new form of the Power, Rand pulled together the rent that had been made here long ago by foolish men.
He understood, finally, that the Dark One was not the enemy.
It never had been.
(because it only reflected the evil that people were already capable of)
46. The black hole inside the cave expands, as Moiraine and Nynaeve run for the safety of the cave entrance.
47. And now we are at the epilogue.
Much like I did with The Last Battle chapter, I’ll take the epilogue in sections by character. Rand & co will go last, this time.
Perrin
The spirits of the dead wolves fade back into the dream. Perrin voluntarily worries about Rand? Wow, that feels kinda out of character for Perrin, who has always been way better at pushing away thoughts of Rand than Mat has been, but I guess let’s go with it. It seems to exist to tell us that Perrin no longer sees color swirls and no longer feels any tugging towards anything. “Those seemed like very bad signs.”
“Have you sent for the three?”
What a weird way to ask “do Rand’s girlfriends know that he’s dying?”
I’m going to take a minute and count up the PoV & page counts everyone gets in the epilogue.
Rand: 3 PoVs (4 pages total)
Mat: 2 PoVs (1 1/5 pages)
Perrin: 3 PoVs (6 1/5 pages)
Loial: 1 PoV (3 pages)
Moghedien: 1 PoV (1 page)
Nynaeve: 1 PoV (2 pages)
Birgitte: 1 PoV (1 page)
Tam: 1 PoV (1 page)
Min: 1 PoV (1/2 page)
Cadsuane: 1 PoV (1 page)
That’s a lot of Perrin, comparatively-speaking.
Anyway, Perrin finds Faile, happy ending, etc.
...oh, I just looked it up and Sanderson answered some questions about the epilogue (tor[dot]com/2013/01/23/brandon-sandersons-wheel-of-time-answers-from-torchat/)! He added Perrin’s and Loial’s scene(s). Ha! I knew that Loial was a Sanderson addition because he uses “Matrim” instead of Mat (that is, imo, by far the easiest ‘tell’ of a Sanderson scene -- someone using ‘Matrim’ when they normally wouldn’t). And the Perrin scenes make sense too because it really builds off of and finishes the narrative thread that was at play earlier in the book for Perrin, which was presumably all written by Sanderson.
Mat
Mat strolls away from the aftermath of having killed Padan Fain, calling the dagger “a gamble I don’t want to touch”. The dice stop rolling in Mat’s head after he decides not to pick up the dagger. Hmm. Mat avoiding becoming the new Fain for the Fourth Age?
After that, we skip to his scene with Tuon. And there are only those two scenes with Mat in the epilogue -- killing Fain and finding out that he’s been baby-trapped into the Seanchan Empire. Though Perrin confirms in his own PoV scenes that he no longer gets the swirls or the tugging, we don’t get the same kind of confirmation in Mat’s (very short) scenes.
I will say that there is more subtlety in Mat’s ending here than I had remembered -- I was extremely unhappy about his ending but this marriage is pretty troubled already in the text, and so it’s not really the book that tries to pretend this is a happy “babies ever after” ending for Mat; I feel like that’s maybe more of a vibe that I got from fans at the time, rather than from the text. There are a lot of “male power fantasy” fans who just really like that Mat ends up married to an Empress and commanding vast armies, I think, at least from what I’ve seen around the internet (and especially back when the series was originally published).
And Mat specifically forces a grin at the news that Fortuona is pregnant, so he’s not genuinely happy about it (and we got things in recent chapters like Mat thinking that kidnapping Tuon was the worst idea he’d ever had).
But, honestly, I do still hate that it happens. I hate it up one side and down the other. It sucks as an ending for Mat so much. Miserable marriage, awful wife, horrible shackles tying him to a terrible fascist empire built on slavery.
That being said... just Tuon’s rule is incredibly fragile, this marriage is also incredibly fragile (which is probably why Jordan slapped a baby in there to begin with -- otherwise, given his general misery level in many of the Seanchan-related scenes, it’s difficult to see how Mat could bring himself to stick with Tuon for long enough to do whatever plot-related things Jordan was imagining would have happened in the outriggers -- the baby is a trap for Mat, not from Tuon but from Jordan).
There are still so many things about the Seanchan that could end up being deal-breakers for Mat if he finds out about them!
(ex. Bodewhin Cauthon is never mentioned in the books after Knife of Dreams, so it is entirely possible that she is among the new damane who were taken by the Seanchan in recent days, and Mat might end up seeing his sister with a collar around her neck post-canon. How would he react to that? And to Tuon’s unwillingness to let her go?)
In addition to Mat potentially seeing people he knows and cares about in collars, we also have the possibility of him learning just how brutal Tuon’s attack against the White Tower was (there isn’t any indication that he knows about the attack at all yet); or Talmanes telling him about Verin’s letter and Mat realizing how damaging his fear of Aes Sedai has been for the world; or further in the future there’s Mat’s potential reaction to the lethal political wrangling that Imperial heirs are meant to get up to (he was disturbed enough that Galgan liking him only means that subpar assassins will be sent against him -- when he realizes that Tuon might well encourage their own kids to kill each other to win her favor, it’s very hard to see him brushing that off). Plus he’s regained his sense of disgust over the damane system. So there are a lot of powderkegs waiting to be blown sky-high for Mat, post-canon.
idk, Mat’s storyline is maybe the one where I most have to untangle whether I dislike it more because I feel like it was executed poorly or if I dislike it because it sets up a situation that will never get resolution. And how connected are those things?
A big frustration that I’ve had with how Jordan and then Sanderson handled Mat’s storyline over the course of the last few books of the series was how many shortcuts were taken with his character and how artificial forcing him into the Seanchans’ arms has felt to me.
a. Mat getting trapped in Ebou Dar and then all the characters involved taking a vow of silence when it came to telling Rand about it. Mat getting trapped in Ebou Dar is plot nonsense: relatively forgivable. But having multiple characters being given the opportunity to change that situation and just... not bothering to do it is... that’s a characterization issue. It severely impacted my feelings about Nynaeve for Jordan to turn her into the kind of person who just doesn’t bother to tell Rand that his best friend was left behind in that kind of perilous situation. Plot manipulations... that’s just how the plot works. But over and over, characters got broken or bent for the purpose of jamming Mat into the Seanchan storyline.
b. Setalle Anan is a minor character, so I get why people don’t care about her, but she’s a character who pretty much completely reverses her characterization between WH & CoT (in WH, she is anti-slavery and finds Mat charming and trustworthy; in CoT & KoD, she protects and waits on Tuon while treating Mat like the dangerous one, including betraying Mat’s secrets to Tuon -- and her betrayals are never acknowledged by the text in any way; she just keeps on being treated as if she’s a friendly supporting character) and, from what I could see, it’s just so obviously done in order to protect Tuon from ever having even a sliver of character growth rather than it making sense for Setalle Anan’s character.
c. We keep tiptoeing up to the brink of Actually Having A Plot Happen with the Seanchan and then backing away at the last minute without really having a good reason to do it. Incredibly frustrating. This was one of my main annoyances with CoT & KoD. And in AMoL, both Rand and Egwene inexplicably back down when they have Tuon on the ropes and off-balance.
d. Mat’s teleportation to Ebou Dar in-between Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Light. I’ve talked about this one a lot but yeah. It’s just... really bad? I do suspect that Sanderson couldn’t figure out any way to actually make it believable that Mat would go to the Seanchan and that’s why he had it all happen off-the-page. But the careless damage that it does to Mat’s characterization is just horrific. Mat gets ripped out of the action of the first third of the book, and doesn’t get to the Last Battle itself until the book is more than half over. Once Mat is actually engaging in the Last Battle, his characterization steadies a lot but especially those first four chapters with Mat, it feels like we’re only working with half of his characterization and the other half has vanished somewhere in-between ToM & AMoL.
(and if Mat hadn’t been cut-and-pasted from the Tower of Ghenjei over to Ebou Dar, then we would have had a full reunion at Merrilor. So I’m annoyed/bitter about that too)
I could keep going but... let’s keep it at four issues for right now so that we’re not here all day, lol.
All of those issues are problems that I had with the execution of the storyline.
I am not inherently opposed to depressing endings for characters that I love but... it has to be done well. It has to make sense. And Mat’s ending just... required cutting away too many parts of him (and other characters) for it to make sense to me.
But though it is not always handled well (to put it mildly), Mat’s storyline with Tuon (and Tylin before her) is an example of the ‘typical gender roles are swapped’ done in a way that is more down to the very core of his storyline than a lot of other storylines, which are more on the surface.
He’s much less politically powerful than his spouse and needs to use guile, intrigue, and manipulation to get his way and try to persuade her to a gentler and kinder path than her warlike nature naturally aligns towards.
He undergoes something of a gender-swapped version of “The Taming of the Shrew” storyline, in which a fiercely independent person gets coerced/’tamed’ into being a properly submissive spouse (or, depending on your interpretation, into pretending to be one) -- many of the tricks that Tuon and Tylin use are similar to what Petruchio does to Katherine in the play. Mat gets publicly humiliated and starved by Tylin into submitting to her (which is what Petruchio does to Katherine during/after their wedding), and isolated away from his past connections during his time with Tuon, where he constantly has to act to try to figure out how to appease her without provoking her temper (Petruchio compares taming Katherine to falcon-taming, but Tuon would probably compare it to horse-training or damane-breaking), and Petruchio changes her name from ‘Katherine’ to ‘Kate’, which fits pretty well with Tuon’s insistence on never once calling Mat ‘Mat’.
Plus Mat getting his name changed to indicate that he now ‘belongs’ to Tuon’s people fits into this general category --  and historically, in the culture that Jordan belonged to, that’s normally a role given to women, to be given a new name that shows that they are now of their husband’s people and not their father’s; it’s usually their last name but, in the not too-distant past (and maybe currently in some places as well, idk), at least in the USA, women were often referred to as Mrs. “husband’s first name” “husband’s last name” with none of their own name making it into the address.
But a lot of the issues that I have with how this was written is that it felt like Mat was behaving like his hand was forced even when it wasn’t. Which is definitely a writing issue -- it’s a similar issue to the one that I have with the Rand & Min romance, for example, where Min desperately chases after something even though she doesn’t really want it at the start. Prophecy gets used as a way to skip actually writing important character or relationship beats, instead of prophecy being one of many tools in the writer’s kit.
So, yeah, it really is the execution of the storyline that is the biggest problem for me with Mat & Tuon, and the way it feels like he is pulled away from his other attachments whether or not that makes any narrative or character sense.
I really hope that the show does better with them, and with Mat in his endgame (should we get there, etc.).
I will say that I do think that Sanderson handled the romance better than Jordan did; the main problem was that it was already fundamentally broken by how the relationship was written in CoT & KoD, imo (the KoD collaring chapter in particular made me despise them as a pairing and my feelings never recovered from that moment). But in Sanderson’s books, we actually see the effects of Tuon compromising with Mat during various points of the Last Battle (though we see don’t actually see their private discussions and/or arguments that lead to those compromises), and there’s always a throughline showing how miserable the Seanchan lifestyle is for Mat, and those are two things that were majorly missing from CoT & KoD for me, but that make sense as the only way to make the romance even half-believable for Mat’s pre-established characterization from WH and earlier.
The three big issues that I have with Sanderson’s Mat are: the terrible first chapter of TGS (with the gross sexism); the terrible first chapter of AMoL (now featuring inexplicable teleportation); and the deep deep disservice done to Mat and Rand’s friendship (Rand got a personal goodbye with EVERYONE important to him EXCEPT Mat! And Mat got a personal reunion with everyone important to him, except Rand! All they got was the negotiation scene that was ultimately all about Fortuona and the Seanchan treaty, with Mat and Rand’s friendship being the set dressing around the scene).
But the relationship with Tuon honestly... makes a lot more sense in this book than it did in CoT & KoD (once we work past the brain-breaking logistics of the first chapter or so). There are TONS of hints that Mat has uncomfortable vibes going on underneath his casual exterior, plus Tuon actually does make some attempts at compromising with him, and if the well hadn’t been poisoned by how much I despised CoT/KoD-era Mat & Tuon then... I might have had a chance at enjoying AMoL-era Mat & Tuon for the toxic trainwreck that it is.
But, like all the characters & relationships in AMoL, we skip some pretty big moments in the Mat & Tuon relationship -- we see the effects of them compromising but we never actually see them coming to that compromise in private, which I feel like we needed after how unyielding and frankly how annoying Jordan made Tuon about everything.
We do end up with a Mat & a ‘Fortuona’ who remain at cross-purposes -- Mat continues to think of and refer to her as ‘Tuon’ while Fortuona has kinda reversed from thinking of him as a ‘buffoon’ to instead believing that he has the same kind of practical motivations behind his choices that she does, which is also not accurate. But Sanderson did add in some actual give-and-take to their relationship, which Jordan never seemed willing to do, so the AMoL-era Mat & Tuon is a lot more genuinely engaging for me, even if I do still think that they are one of the most obviously doomed fictional marriages that I have ever seen.
Final Mat-related question for the moment: the Seanchan Empire is based on authoritarian governments throughout history, so does how the Seanchan Empire operates mimic the behavior of a cult?
The popular model for cults is the BITE model, which was developed by a man who was deprogrammed from the Moon cult in 1976 (Steve Hassan). It’s an acronym:
Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotion control. BITE.
Do the Seanchan seek to control people’s behavior? (yes) Do they seek to control the flow of information that the people under them learn? (yes) Do they seek to have their members reject critical thought and only apply to the group-think? (yes)  Do they manipulate the emotions of their followers, usually instilling fear or paranoia about outsiders? (yes)
We know from earlier books that the Seanchan culture =/= the Seanchan Empire. There are constant civil wars and uprisings in their native land. This is explicitly why they are such good soldiers, because they are always fighting each other. Yet they present themselves as a monolith when they come to the Westlands, bragging about how they’re here to bring ‘order’ to a lawless continent. What they say about themselves does not match the truth of what else we know about them.
How does the Seanchan Empire exercise its control over its people? Everything I included here is something I think we’ve see the Empire do, but I did bold ones that are particularly blatant in the text.
Behavior control: Control types of clothing and hairstyles; permission required for major decisions; rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors both positive and negative; discourage individualism; encourage group-think; impose rigid rules and regulations; punish disobedience by beating, torture, burning, cutting, rape, or tattooing/branding; threaten harm to family and friends; encourage and engage in corporal punishment; instill dependency and obedience; kidnapping; beating; torture; murder
Information control: Distort information to make it more acceptable; systematically lie to the cult members; minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information; ensure that information is not freely accessible; control information at different levels and missions within group; allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when; encourage spying on other members; impose a buddy system to monitor and control member; report deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership; ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group; extensive use of cult-generated propaganda
Thought control: require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth; adopting the group’s ‘map of reality’ as reality; instill black and white thinking; organize people into us vs them; change person’s name and identity; use of loaded language and cliches which constrict knowledge; encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts; thought-stopping techniques to shut down reality testing: denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking; rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism; forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy; labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful
Emotion control: teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt; make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault; promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness; instill fear, such as fear of: thinking independently, the outside world, leaving or being shunned by the group; ritualistic and sometimes public confessions of sins; phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority, no happiness or fulfillment possible outside of group; shunning of those who leave; being told there is never a legitimate reason to leave.
“Destructive mind control can be determined when the overall effect of these four components promotes dependency and obedience to some leader or cause; it is not necessary for every single item on the list to be present.“ (in this case, that would be to the Empress, ~may she live forever~)
(all taken from freedomofmind(dot)com -- not linking because sometimes outside links make tumblr act weird about posts)
On the page, we witness the slow process of Leilwin née Egeanin pulling away and deprogramming from the Seanchan Empire, and then in this book, it feels like Mat has begun that process as well. And it feels like they started the same way -- because of a massive overreach by Tuon, the leader of the cult/Empire. Leilwin née Egeanin gets humiliated and punished by Tuon for no reason; just because Tuon felt like being a brat that day, and that moment of humiliation -- the re-naming and the forcing of the jewelry on her in a way that treated her like a slave -- was really what made Leilwin née Egeanin start to pull away from the other Seanchan and go into the path that eventually led to her being, however briefly, Egwene’s Warder.
For Mat, it really seems like whatever happened in that ‘not pleasant’ discussion that he and Tuon had after she berated him for, essentially, prioritizing Egwene’s privacy over Tuon’s desire to get information from him... that discussion (that we didn’t get to see) really seemed to lead to the more combative Mat who refused to back down and roll over for her. Mat still feels a level of protectiveness and affection for Tuon through the rest of the book but he stops letting her push him around and he starts acting like he cares about doing something about the slavery system in the Seanchan Empire again, which was a part of him that we lost at the start of CoT and I have hated so much that we lost in his character. But it slowly grows back over the course of the second half of AMoL.
Again, my big regret here is that the Mat & Rand reunion happened before Mat started his spine regrowth program. Even though Mat does start to push back on Tuon more here, he still never finished several of his character arcs that were set up over the course of the entire series: namely his own mistrust of Aes Sedai and his fear of Rand as a channeler. Both of those fears were things that he was actively working in the text and that he abruptly backtracked on when Tuon was introduced into his life (because being chill with channelers and being chill with people who enslave channelers is contradictory and so Jordan decided... to go with being chill with slavers). So those are two flapping loose ends for his character at the end of this series that never got to fully be addressed because the ‘romance’ was prioritized over Mat’s characterization.
Loial
Loial is looking for people to help him with accounts for his book and “Perrin ignored me and Mat cannot be found”.
Mat just completely disappearing from the Westlands side of things to go set up a fireworks show for Tuon (and asking Aludra to be the one to set it up, which just seems kinda mean, considering that the Seanchan pretty much completely eliminated the Illuminators) is just... frustrating. Apparently Mat visited the battlefield here “smiling and healthy” but then vanished. So, in theory, there’s an empty place here where Mat might have visited Rand and talked to Elayne & co one last time, since Rand is in the main healing tent on this battlefield.
Loial also notes how odd it is that Elayne and Min don’t seem to feel any urge to go in to hold Rand’s hand while he’s dying (Aviendha is getting her legs looked at). I know, Loial! They’re the worst fake-grievers who ever lived, I swear. If the whole point is to trick people into thinking Rand is dead, then it might be a good idea to... actually try to trick people?
Moghedien
In which Tuon’s people are already breaking the terms of the treaty by snatching up channelers from the battlefield at Merrilor. No hundred years of peace, Rand. I’m sorry.
Rand (& all those who say ‘goodbye’ to him, or who don’t)
Rand leaves the mountain, slipping on his own blood and carrying a body. Shayol Ghul is trying to close before he can leave and he only barely makes it out in time before the cave snaps shut behind him.
Moiraine tells Rand that he did well, and Nynaeve tries desperately to keep him alive, but eventually, and without ever waking back up, ‘Rand’ dies.
Elayne, Aviendha, and Min do the absolute worst job of playing grieving widows ever. Like, if Rand had actually died, I could understand this better. Because they might really be in shock. But they know he’s alive! And their whole job is to convince people that they absolutely believe that he’s dead! Just... pinch your arm until you start crying! This is literally the most suspicious way that they could have gone about things -- Nynaeve is already extremely suspicious of how they’re acting. Seriously, she’s gonna wiggle the truth out of them pretty much five seconds post-epilogue.
Birgitte comes to say goodbye to Elayne because she’s about to be reborn... and to mention that she’s tossed away the Horn of Valere. Sure hope that Elayne doesn’t regret that in ten years when they’re at war with the Seanchan!
Tam hopes that now his son can get some rest. My hope is that Rand will, you know, go and talk to his dad after he’s had a chance to recover from the stress and trauma of the Last Battle. Also, Tam... you’re gonna have grandkids. No thoughts on that, I see. Still no thoughts on that.
The funeral scene frustrates me to pieces.
Honestly, the most frustrating thing about the funeral scene is how easy it would have been to casually mention that Mat and Perrin were there? Like, that’s ONE SENTENCE. Just... the erasure of those years of friendship, because heterosexual marriage, in Jordan’s fictional world, meant that close male-male friendships just stopped existing. It’s depressing. That CADSUANE is considered to have more right to be at Rand’s funeral than his childhood friends who were also vital parts of the Last Battle. It’s insulting. And apparently Tam organized it? But he couldn’t be bothered to invite his kid’s best friends. Definitely a place where Sanderson should have done some editing of the original epilogue. One sentence is all that was needed.
*sigh*
I do think that Sanderson did try to set up why Mat wouldn’t have gone -- we have seen Mat, in several of his recent PoV scenes, swallowing his grief over losing people he loves and not letting it appear to affect him openly, even as it rocked him deeply, so Rand’s death would be another of those gut-punches that he would do his best to pretend didn’t happen. But, fuck... it just sucks that the friendship between Mat and Rand is such a sublimated thing in this last book, when Rand and Mat both got to much more openly deal with pretty much every other important relationship that they had (though I will note that Rand and Sulin never got a reunion either! Rude!).
Perrin didn’t get anything like that kind of subtextual explanation, but Perrin actually did visit Rand’s healing tent while he was dying, so at least he got that much. *shrugs*
Min thinking here about how the assembled people expect a ‘show’ of grief -- yes, they have all found it exceedingly odd that none of you appear to be grieving the man you said that you loved.
Rand wakes up in his new body, washed clean of the wounds that he’d taken over the course of the series. No more missing hand; no more agonizing pain in his side. 
I have to admit “she left me some money” feels like a pretty anti-climatic way for Alivia to “help Rand die”? She wasn’t really involved in his “death” at all -- it was really Moiraine and Nynaeve who were the ones who ‘helped’ him die. I mean, any one of Min, Elayne, or Aviendha could have left him some money, since they all know he’s alive. I wonder if Jordan was originally thinking that Alivia would be the one joining Rand & Nynaeve for the cave journey, and it was Sanderson who decided that Moiraine would be more appropriate? Nothing distinctively Moiraine happens in that cave, not the way that Nynaeve was needed to be there to heal Alanna without using the Power. Like, this poor woman was harassed by Min for a handful of books because of that prophecy and all she did was leave Rand some money! Min better find her and apologize to her! (I already know that she won’t)
Haha, so confession: my brain edited out that new!Rand had lost saidin. My brain was just like “nope, of course he can still channel”. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of Rand not being a channeler at the end of the story, so that part I’m not thrilled about. He does have his newfound ability to use the threads of reality to basically channel anyway, though. Or at least I assume that’s what the pipe scene is about.
And then his thought, too, about ‘which’ of the women will follow him - yeah, you’re right that thinking that means you’ve gotten a swollen head! They all have responsibilities! Though since Rand leaves so abruptly here, there’s a lot that he doesn’t know, and the two things that most affect this specific question are: the extent of Aviendha’s injuries and the extent of Min’s involvement with the Seanchan. Literally zero of them is in a position to go chasing after Rand, even if they wanted to! Rand is the one who has no obligations and can easily visit them if he wants (well, maybe not ‘easily’ if Min does end up in the Empire).
But I can still remember, wow, what a relief it was that he was alive at the end, and free and unbound. The rest can be... adjusted by post-canon theories.
In terms of ‘things that aren’t covered but that we can probably assume’:
It does look like Elayne ended up with all three of the medallion copies -- the one Mellar used on her, the one that was on Birgitte’s body, and the third was with Lan and she probably reclaimed it (there’s nothing to indicate that Mat spoke with Lan and got it back), so the slaver empress never gets that medallion that Mat wanted to give her back in ToM. Tragic.
Despite Elayne and Tam speaking frequently over the course of AMoL, they somehow never speak about the whole grandkids issue. I feel like we can assume that this happens at some point, post-epilogue? Elayne and Aviendha both seem like they would go back to Caemlyn to rebuild. And Tam doesn’t really have a reason to go back to the Two Rivers at this point, so I can see him ending in Caemlyn too because: grandkids.
Technically, Min has slipped the Seanchan net at this point and could just not go back if she wants, so she can either go back to the Seanchan or she could go to Caemlyn with Elayne & Aviendha, but if she does stay away from the Seanchan, Tuon is going to try to get her back. Unless she was super-turned off by Min actually standing up to her in front of all the Blood and hastily makes Selucia her Truthspeaker again. That’s another possibility.
Ah, since we were told earlier that Melaine was about ready to give birth and Birgitte tells Elayne that she’s about to be reborn: Melaine might be her mom. I feel like Birgitte being reborn as Aiel sounds kinda fun.
I feel like Rand would not actually enjoy traveling all on his own after a while, given what we know about him, so he would probably end up visiting Caemlyn. And given how suspicious Nynaeve already is in the epilogue, I’m going to guess that she knows the truth by the time Rand goes to Caemlyn.
If Mat decides to leave the Seanchan behind at any point, he will probably also go to Caemlyn, and Mat and Rand can finally have a good reunion.
All in all, there are things about the ending that don’t thrill me but there are also things I really like. And having an ending at all helps in terms of sparking the imagination for fanfiction or meta or... an Amazon Prime television series. I don’t think we would have ever gotten the series if the books had stayed unfinished.
The epilogue checklist (and my theories about how it affected AMoL)
So, while reading AMoL, it felt like Sanderson took a couple of shortcuts in order to bruteforce the characters into reaching their epilogue endpoints, because there simply wasn’t enough time for it to happen naturally. This is my list of things that I believe got shortchanged due to “writing to the epilogue”:
Fortuona is pregnant in the epilogue: at the start of AMoL, Mat gets teleported to Ebou Dar without any kind of narrative or logistical explanation (contradicting his PoV chapter in the ending of ToM, where he was planning to return to Caemlyn, which would have thrust him directly into the main stories at play in the prologue & early chapters). I feel like part of it is that Sanderson really wanted to get that bun in the oven as quickly as possible.
“they expected something from the three of them; a show of some kind” : There’s just a wide acknowledgement in the epilogue that literally everyone knows that Rand has three girlfriends, so everyone just already knows in AMoL that Rand is in a relationship with three women now. No need for anyone to have emotional reactions to it, please! (not even Rand’s literal dad!) This one also ends up being weird because it seems to change from moment-to-moment whether or not the whole army knows that Rand has three girlfriends (if everyone knows already, why is Rand playing spy games with Elayne?).
Min is Fortuona’s pregnancy test: Min instantly respects ~Fortuona~ as an empress even while thinking that she doesn’t normally respect nobility. Bizarre, considering Min’s own history with the Seanchan from Falme.
Mat kills Fain: we got two super-quick glimpses of Fain earlier in the book to set up this moment but Mat had so much other stuff to do that Sanderson couldn’t really do more than say: yeah, Fain exists and he’s bad, lol.
Minor elements I think were affect by the epilogue:
Rand is still pondering over the idea of choosing between Elayne, Aviendha, or Min: we get Rand’s going “am I allowed to love three women? idk sounds fake” when he and Aviendha sleep together in chapter 4, which just was kinda silly. I think the epilogue is also the genesis of the vibe where Rand appears to consider “having sex with Min for months” to not be any kind of “choice” when it comes to the three women, but having a romantic interlude with Aviendha or Elayne would signal a choice -- because the epilogue acts like the situation between Rand and each of the three women is roughly equal, so “months of sex with Min” appears to hold the same emotional weight to Rand as “pining from afar with two nights of intense passion” does when he thinks of either Elayne or Aviendha.
Mat has no thoughts about any of the Westlands characters: I think that this is more of a subconscious effect -- as he focused more on the final book, I think Sanderson focused on the relationships highlighted in the all-important epilogue... and the only person that Mat cares about in the epilogue is himself *cough* I mean, Fortuona, of course, lol. In both TGS and in ToM, Mat’s deep affection for various Westlands characters was constantly on display, as shown in his own ‘loves lying to himself’ way. This gets curtailed in AMoL, especially in the early Ebou Dar chapters.
I think I’m going to let myself might let myself marinate over the various books before I post a final list of my personal ranking of the books.
One thing that I’ve really noticed is that, more than any other character, the quality of Mat’s storyline has a huge impact on my overall enjoyment of the book. In CoT & KoD, Elayne and Egwene (both of whom I love), got pretty good stories. But Mat’s story was so bad that it made it difficult for me to enjoy the good parts. But maybe some time just letting myself think about the series as a whole will balance out my thoughts. Does that make Mat my favorite character or just my most impactful character? idk. I feel like Elayne or Rand would more consistently hit the top of my favorites.
Overall top five characters throughout the entire series:
1. Elayne
2. Rand
3. Egwene
4. Mat (might be higher if not for CoT & KoD)
5. Nynaeve (might be higher if she didn’t basically disappear after she married Lan)
Then, moving on to the next favs, I think there’s more uncertainty there for me:
6. Verin, probably, but it could be Moiraine. Let’s say they tie.
7. Aviendha and Siuan can both go here. Both generally very good and interesting characters.
8. You know, I had a real turnaround with Gawyn in this reread of the books; I’m gonna put him here. He can share this spot with Leilwin née Egeanin.
9. Loial, probably. Needed more PoV; that would have been nice. I’ll put Faile here with him.
10.  For more minor characters, I gotta give a shout-out to Narishma (favorite Asha’man), Sulin, Pevara during her Black Ajah Hunter phase, Olver is really good in his sections here in AMoL, Asmodean for being my favorite fail-Forsaken and Moghedien for sticking it out until the very end, Elaida honestly very fun PoV as far as villains go, Teslyn and Joline for being troopers and enduring Mat Cauthon at his very worst, my girl Berelain who always deserved better, the ‘Finn in general always lots of fun, Aludra and Juilin who always kept their integrity intact.
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xjulixred45x · 4 months
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If it's okay can I please ask for platonic yandere Choso for kianna komori and Yui komrei
Like say he meet both girls through his little brother helping them get away from the organization that tried to kidnap them and use their blood and kianna becomes a sorcerer to protect her sister but Choso soon finds out that she's his niece
And he grows paranoid of losing her since he already lost his brothers and in his eyes all he has left is Yuji and kianna and Yui
But he's especially paranoid about losing kianna
Because in his eyes she's just a little girl that he needs to protect even though she can defend herself
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CHOSO MAAAAAAN! considerate it done hun.
Platonic Yandere! Choso x Kianna Komori! Reader
Genre: Headcanons
Reader: female/OC Kianna of @nunezs-stuff
Warnings: PLATONIC YANDERE BEHAVIOR, obsesive behavior, Paranoid Behavior, overprotection, Choso doesn't know how human relationships work and that leads to his downfall, unhealthy mentality, mentions of self-harm(reader), PTSD, lore of the Ocs of Nunezs, I think that's all.
You didn't have much growing up.
No, it wasn't because we needed food and shelter, but because they always made you take a backseat compared to your older sister, especially your father.
He was a very strict man, very serious, he ignored you most of the time, and when he didn't...you wished he would, making your life impossible.
Despite everything, at least you had your older sister. She was always kind to you, she tried to avoid conflicts between you and her father, she gave you her clothes or lent them to you, etc.
She took care of you the best she could, so to speak.
He was also the one who helped you when you started seeing "things"
At first they were small and seemingly defenseless, but after a while more and more appeared... they were curses that were attracted to your cursed energy.
You didn't bother to talk to your father about it, you thought he would think you had already lost your mind.
although if you told Yui, she could see them too, although they definitely didn't follow her as much as they followed you.
You discovered on your own how to use your cursed energy, even if it was in a basic way, it was complicated, but you even managed to develop certain bases for your Cursed ritual.
You felt powerful with these new abilities, special even. You believed that now you could defend yourself better from what the world tried to do with you.
But unfortunately that did not save any of you from what your father had prepared.
You don't remember much, although it did seem strange to you that your father brought them food, looking back, he must have drugged it.
and when you woke up, your sister was with you in a new place.
You and your sister were given as a "sacrifice" to a kind of trafficking network that your father worked for.
The bastard abandoned you two...
Even if the experience there was absolute hell, you were able to gather some information with your sister about WHY they had been chosen.
It turns out that neither of them were completely human, but hybrids of human and curse.
For the same reason, you had a hyper-developed cursed technique and your sister, apparently, the ability to heal and increase the Cursed energy of others with her own blood.
You didn't like this.
your "real" father was apparently dead, it was a curse, one of Noritoshi Kamo's experiments.
part of his 10 cursed creations..
Fortunately for you and your sister, they were rescued by sorcerers. or rather, a young sorcerer, a little younger than you.
Yuji Itadori.
I practically took them both out running and without a problem, I took them to the academy and to have a check-up with Shoko.
Fortunately nothing serious, but the experience definitely left its marks.
You felt very...helpless throughout the whole situation, even when you were rescued, that persisted.
so you made a risky decision.
become a sorceress.
You managed to improve your cursed technique (related to blood) and learn more about the world of Jujustu in general.
Even if you were capable, you were only a rookie when all the sorcerers were called to help in Shibuya...
Choso knew from the beginning that there was something strange about you and your sister...
something... familiar.
Not only was the way You two looked familiar to him, but there were several coincidences that couldn't leave his head.
the most important, your damn technique. very similar to Maku's.
Even if this tormented Choso by reminding him of his lost brother, it couldn't distract him from avenging the other two.
but he didn't expect to meet you during the Shibuya incident.
or rather, the two of you together, you and your sister, trying to give medical reinforcements to the other sorcerers.
Choso only watched for a solid minute, frozen, watching them work, taking advantage of the fact that they didn't see him yet.
They reminded him a lot of Maku, his brother.
brother I should have protected...
like Kechiku and Esou....
Choso came back to reality and realized that maybe the best thing would be to kill you and your sister, it would be problematic to have them around curing sorcerers.
but as soon as he prepared to attack, it happened AGAIN.
memories that NEVER happened...
this time not only with his brothers and Yuji, but also with YOU TWO...with Maku...
but You two didn't call him brother.
but UNCLE...
Now everything made sense...
the powers...the appearance...everything...
After Choso goes through his existential crisis and tries to go after Kenjaku and fails at the end of the Shibuya arc, he also tries to properly introduce himself to you and your sister.
Obviously at first you were very skeptical. your sister the same. but Choso was insistent and above all, sincere.
even if you barely knew him, you felt kind of bad for him.
so they let him make his way into their lives.
Your sister taught him basic human customs, even sharing some information about his brother, your original father.
Choso saw a lot of Maku in you physically and in your sister in the form of a sweet and motherly attitude.
which made the feeling of protection skyrocket.
Little by little this feeling, within the limits of protection towards you and your sister, evolved into something more...darker...so to speak.
Choso became quite paranoid since his brothers, okay? You didn't blame him for that, you constantly justified it because the poor man had lost his brothers in a short period of time.
you just thought it was his way of dealing with things...besides you'd be lying if you said you didn't like the attention he gave you and your sister.
being treated WELL after YEARS of being ignored and despised... Great change that, he REALLY loved you, you were willing to tolerate certain attitudes that were somewhat out of place.
This only made Choso's tendencies worsen considerably, because since there were no obvious signs of displeasure (not being used to good treatment in the first place), Choso began to show more yandere attitudes.
He became quite clingy, which while it wasn't bad per se, it was definitely uncomfortable for you at first, you weren't used to this type of contact other than your sister.
but again you let it go thinking it was just Choso having no idea what personal space was.
although Choso definitely almost lost it when he saw your old marks of self-harm.
he was so??? Why would you hurt yourself? because??? What can he do to help you? Who does he have to kill?
From there, he becomes considerably more observant with you and hardly leaves you alone, it is a level in which you have almost no privacy.
Choso constantly tries to convince you to leave the Sorceress job, because now that he is here he can provide for both of us, he will try to get your sister to side with him, even if she doesn't, I can see him trying to convince you based on because it is for your good and hers.
Even if you notice the Red Flags at this point, does it really matter? Choso, even with his questionable attitudes, has cared more about you and your sister than the people who supposedly claimed to do so, he protects them from everything and above all, he sincerely LOVES them.
At least Choso has never lied to you! or has done questionable things to get you on his side! He's not that kind of person...
Right?
In general, he is an extremely soft platonic Yandere, who will do whatever it takes to protect the little family he has left.
at all costs.
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Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!
Thanks for the Request!❤️ Now i'm going to sleep--
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winepresswrath · 3 months
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Its the jiao jiao anon again .
You keep giving me great pairings. Tell me everything how su she (Shang Qinghua) transmigrate and how will fuck jiang cheng. Is he still an author ? What was his intention with this kinda book?
I think he is still a writer but not the actual author of mdzs. He's a relatively casual fan who admires the vision and winces in sympathy every time drama gets kicked off. This is why you don't try, mdzs author! You give the people what they want and take their money. He's originally planning on keeping his head down and learning just enough cultivation from the Lan to make his life easier than it otherwise would be, then getting an urgent letter from his sick mother right before the Wen are scheduled to attack, but alas, his wandering not-cultivator dumpling sabbatical puts him directly in Jiang Cheng's path while he's frantically running for help after leaving Wei Wuxian in the Xuanwu cave. And the thing is he's still kind of reflexively haughty when he needs something? So pathetic and vulnerable. So cute. What could possibly be the harm in giving him a ride? The Wen aren't scheduled to attack Lotus Pier for ages. He can be on a ship to Dongyin by that time!
Anyway no good deed goes unpunished because Jiang Fengmian does as a general rule believe in giving credit and naming names. He should have fucking known. Now Wen Chao has a grudge against him and he's running around under a fake name wracking up credit for things he did (while trying to run away) and things he did not do (sometimes even when you have a massive army and the most powerful cultivator in the world on your side, things go wrong! He's not responsible for every problem with Wen supply lines. He's responsible for exactly one cart blowing up, and he was just trying for a distraction so he could sneak onto a ship. It didn't work and the harbour is kind of a no-go zone for him now). He comes up with a new plan: find Huaisang and use his shitty unwanted heroic reputation and talent for creative pornography to worm his way into the young master's guard, where he can get some writing done far from the front lines. Unfortunately, he once again stumbles across Jiang Cheng, who is tragically trying to rebuild his sect and searching for a missing shixiong. Shang Qinghua is still a logistics guy, because he was doing grunt work for the Lan and also I feel like that's the shape any transmigration setting is going to bend into around him. Jiang Cheng is so grateful to see a familiar face. He knows the value of a good spreadsheet. His eyes are so pretty when he's trying not to cry. The Jiang aren't in a great place during the war, but Shang Qinghua knows the sect makes it through and he doesn't remember any Jiang disciples being asked to heroically sacrifice themselves after Lotus Pier falls. Plus the food is better and there's plenty of room at the top! A veritable power vacuum. To say nothing of all the empty space in Jiang Cheng's personal life when almost everyone he loves dies and leaves him alone! Anyway this is the story of how Shang Qinghua accidentally paints a series of targets on his back, unnecessarily involves himself in the plot, and overcomplicates his life because being a sucker for a pretty face and a bad personality is even more integral to his character than underappreciated grunt work. Probably he manages to save Yanli, at least. He's not interested in being a stepfather! That's a lot of work. Wei Wuxian barely notices he exists until either he saves everyone or the second life roles around, depending on how ambitious and/or motivated Shang Qinghua is feeling. Then he hates him passionately, but it's too late. They probably eventually reach some kind of begrudging peace.
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revuestarlight-pbta · 4 months
Text
Revue Starlight PbtA Playbooks
Hello, everyone! I've moved stuff from the Revue TTRPG onto its own blog, to keep everything neat and orderly.
You might guess from all of the updates I've been writing that I've been really excited to work and think about this RPG. I hope that everyone can look forward to it, and that I can create a system that can allow everyone to create their own Revue Starlight stories with friends, whether with existing or original characters.
The TTRPG will be a Powered by the Apocalypse system, following a long and storied legacy of narratively-focused RPGs that enable robust collaborative storytelling. To help facilitate the portrayal of unique characters, it utilizes what are called Playbooks. (You might consider them an analogue of "classes" from other RPGs, whether on the tabletop or on a video game.) However, these Playbooks don't represent how you look on the outside, or what your weapons of choice might be. Instead, they define a character archetype, highlighting your character's core emotional conflict. For this TTRPG, the question they ask is: "Why did your character become a Stage Girl?"
Playbooks can shift between sessions as your character advances, signifying your character's growth and how a new core emotional conflict may come into focus for them. Stage Girls are too varied and complex to be defined by any one thing, after all.
Here's some examples of some Playbooks I've written up so far! (Everything subject to change.)
The Challenger
The path to becoming a Stage Girl wasn’t handed down to you in your youth. Maybe you discovered it later in life, or your family expected you to tread a different path. You seek to defy those forces who seek to dictate your life’s path for you so that you can take hold of the reins of fate yourself.
You might have a variety of different opinions on the world of theater you’ve found yourself in based on your unique outsider’s perspective. Maybe you aspire to be just like the greats, hoping to, one day, fit in with all of the people you looked up to when you started this journey. On the other hand, you might see the flaws in the restrictive, antiquated system, and aim to prove by example that it can be changed for the better.
Examples of Challengers are: Aijo Karen, Hoshimi Junna
The Exile
You’re running away from something. You were already smitten with theater back then, too, but you were in a different troupe, or maybe even a different country. However, one day, something changed: perhaps tragedy struck, or you failed at the moment when it mattered most. Whatever may have happened, you’ve spirited yourself away somewhere else where no one remembers your greatest shame.
You’re still working to pursue your goals no matter what, but your past haunts you. You’ve found new friends and family, but the fact that the people you left behind are still living their own lives scares you. You might hope to one day reconcile with the people in your past, or perhaps prove once and for all that you don’t need them to live your life.
Examples of Exiles are: Takachiho Stella, Yumeoji Fumi
The Guardian
Though it is you who stands upon the stage, you know that there are better reasons to act than just your own self-interest. You have taken on a Charge, which consists of the people or things you’ve sworn to protect—perhaps the members of your class, a childhood friend, or a memory that’s on the verge of fading away.
If your Charge consists of people, you may sometimes stand behind them to support them. Other times, you may stand by their side to work alongside them. Other times still, you may stand against them—because no one else will help them realize the errors of their ways.
If your Charge is a thing or idea, you’re likely one of its last bastions. It needs protecting—otherwise, you wouldn’t be a Guardian, after all. It’s your reason to be a Stage Girl, and you won’t hesitate to sacrifice yourself to protect it… or, perhaps, others.
Examples of Guardians are: Daiba Nana, Ogami Shiro, Tomoe Tamao
The Trailblazer
Forget what anyone else says about being a Stage Girl—you’ve become one just because it’s fun! Others train day in and day out to be at the top of their field, but compared to them, you live more in the moment. What’s wrong with that? Those stuffy girls with all of their high standards never catch a break, while you spend your time expressing yourself and having fun with the people you love most. It’s certainly more exciting than whatever you were doing before!
However, being a Stage Girl isn’t always fun and games. When hardships arise, you might find yourself questioning why you chose this life without much of a strong external force to tie you to it, relying on only your fickle whim and motivation to drive you forward. You may be searching for such a reason to stay—or, rather, pushing back against those who try to tell you that you need a better one. At times, however, you might ask yourself the most difficult question: is your personality the true you, or just a glib facade?
Examples of Trailblazers are: Otsuki Aruru, Otonashi Ichie
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thelunarfairy · 2 months
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Olá! Não sei se já viu o novo capítulo! Um usuário no Twitter postou:
https://twitter.com/VibingLemonArt/status/1768463127153164583?t=q_Hv8-AL_mZy95zPpZ3_SA&s=19
Spoilers:
I hope Aidalro knows what they're doing because that would be the best possible ending for the series. The only flaw in this timeline is that Amane isn't the same age as Yashiro.
The manga is about wishes, and it always shows us some very good endings for the series. The fake world of No. 4, Aoi sacrificed in place of Yashiro, and now, the butterfly effect. None of these endings are perfect, but they were better than the literal end of the world (which is what Sakura wants)!
I believe the series' end will be tragic. Simply because the characters aren't content with any of these endings. They're all trying to prevent Yashiro's death, but they're not willing to sacrifice anything for it.
Anyway! This chapter left me with many questions.
Is Tsukasa alive? If Amane became a teacher, Tsukasa was never murdered.
Why is Sousuke Mitsuba alive? Does that mean his death was really connected to the Red House? So, did "No. 3 Mitsuba" never exist?
Didn't Mei have a terminal illness? How is she alive!? How Tsukasa influenced in her death?
How are the Seven Mysteries? Tsuchigomori is still supernatural, and Akane is still a Clock Keeper. But who is the No. 4 and the No. 7 of the mysteries? Sakura? Natsuhiko? Does any of them remember who Hanako was?
I could keep going the whole day!
The big problem is that there will ALWAYS be someone who will sacrifice themselves. You understand?
There is always someone who needs to die for things to work, but no one wants to die, no one wants to lose who they love, and that's where the key is.
Will Amane be able to leave Tsukasa? That's why it all happened.
Will Nene be able to leave Amane?
Will Kou be able to leave Mitsuba?
Even in the perfect world of the PP arc, everyone was alive, but nothing was real, it was as if they were inside The Sims.
Talking and having fun with dolls was not ideal.
Nene would survive if Aoi was sacrificed and Hanako walked away, but it wasn't ideal.
And now, a world without Tsukasa, Aidairo wants to show us another possibility of something that is "not ideal"
As if he wanted to tell us all the time that the possibilities of a good ending without someone sacrificing themselves or something artificial happening are impossible.
"Look at all the possibilities I'm showing you, there's no way they can be happy"
Or, Aidairo will surprise us and show us the best possibility for the ending. But since she's a fan of bittersweet tragedies, I imagine it won't be something catastrophic, but it won't be happy, in the same bittersweet tone as usual.
She is showing us that if Tsukasa doesn't return, many people's lives will "return" or improve.
Mitsuba, Mei alive, Nene popular, hmmmmm interesting?
Could it really be Tsukasa's absence? Or is it a number 1 thing? "a good reality for Nene not to try to change things"
Same logic with the fish who wanted to take her to their world, saying it was a much better place than where she is now.
If Nene accepts this reality, everything will be in order. But we know she won't.
See, how would Tsukasa influence Nene's popularity? How would Tsukasa influence Kou to talk to Mitsuba alive?
It's not just about Tsukasa, it's about the clock keepers.
Despite this, I believe that Mitsuba and Mei's deaths are linked to Tsukasa. I've already mentioned Mitsuba's in other posts, since he had the photo of the red house, but Mei is still a mystery.
About the mysteries, Tsuchigomori is still there, he is a supernatural, why would he be at school for no reason? Hmm…. and the God still exists, but was it necessary to seal him?
hmmmm……..lots of questions
E obrigado por compartilhar o link comigo!!!! 🧡🧡🧡
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romeulusroy · 1 year
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Your Relationship As Logans Youngest Would Include:
Requested: What would Logan’s relationship with his youngest child? - anon
A/N: I'm not 100% sure if this was a request or just a question, but I like it too much not to turn into a headcanon :) I'm basing it off these headcanons and this fic series because I love this Baby Roy! Feedback is always appreciated!!! 💜💜💜
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Logan never wanted you from the beginning
He makes that abundantly clear with your mother, but she had no children, by him or anyone else, and thought this would be the way to trap him. It'll at least get her the money she wants when they inevitably divorce
Neither of your parents understand what it is to raise a child. Your mother was never warm and fuzzy with your siblings, let alone you. She hates the fact that she has to give up alcohol and sushi for you and definitely reminds you of all her sacrifices. Your father wants nothing to do with you. Period
He has three boys to choose from, more than enough for a single successor, and a daughter to carry on the family name. To Logan you're more like spare parts
He's older now, he has less time for children, less time for you. Less energy, too. He doesn't have time for you. He didn't have time for your siblings, but now he was even more busy. At least they're grown up, at least he doesn't have to parent them anymore. You're a baby, you supposedly need him. But his work is more important
After you're born he spends as little time with you as possible, leaving your mother and siblings to raise you. He can't remember, but he swears you cry more than the others. You cry all the time. It prevents him from working. It prevents him from inviting people over. You are deemed the reason he can't get anything done
It's up to your siblings mostly to raise you. Connor takes over as father figure and the rest do their best to protect you. When you're fussy or cranky or just not in a good mood they know better than to let you near Logan in that state. Things always end badly when you're around him
When he can't help but be around you, he remains distant. When you're old enough to walk and talk and go to school, he might ask about it. Probably not, though. He can't be bothered to care
You remind Logan of his own mortality. You're so much younger than he is, so much younger than your siblings. He sees you and realizes he doesn't have the energy anymore. He doesn't have the drive anymore. He's still got his bite of course, but he's getting older. He's not as scary as he used to be, at least he feels this way and it's why he's even more cruel than usual
Logan only hears word of your tantrums. You have a nasty temper that makes the help quit weekly. He doesn't have time for that. He'd just divorced your mother and became the parent with the most custody. He isn't going to hit you like Roman, he has this feeling you'd only get worse. You're already covered in bruises and scratches, he can't afford anymore questions
He sent you to your room for days at a time, he took away meals and toys and time with your siblings. Some days he even took you away from school, deciding that time with your teachers and friends was too good for you. You'd be so quiet, so still, he sometimes forgot you were there. When you begged for food and water he'd send a plate to your door, not wanting to see you at the table. Not wanting to see you at all
One day after a particularly bad week, after you threw yet another tantrum in front of his investors, he calls you into his study. You know you're not allowed in here. He has so many things he wants to say that he can't. He wants to yell and scream and order you to stop acting this way. It's childish, it's reckless, and if you don't straighten up, he'll ship you off to boarding school. Instead, what comes out is vague and simple: Quiet down.
Quiet down the tantrums, the emotions, the crying and yelling, the head banging, the scratching, the throwing, the disaster, quiet down everything until you are nothing. Until you are nothing
It is a non-threatening threat
Your siblings try to help, try to get in-between the anger and your father, but he knows. He sees everything that goes on inside his home. Your behavior is unacceptable and he will not stand it
When you started drinking, he took notice. You were, what? Ten, eleven, twelve. He'd had his first drink by your age. The fact that you had simmered down meant that it was working
He would do nothing to stop you, nothing to intervene. When you went to your mothers, when you weren't drinking, he was the one who heard all about how misbehaved you were. When you came home and self-sedated, he figured it was a win. He finally had you behaving. Ever since you were born he'd felt this anger, this disgust towards you. Now that you were limp and quiet and subdued, you were a pleasure to have
The pills were the next step, stealing from the bathroom cabinet, coke from Kendall's pockets, other drugs from school. He knew what was going on, but again didn't care. He felt like he'd been holding his breath your whole life and could now finally breathe
He didn't care what you did or how much you did it, it was your life he was fucking up, not his. Why should he care?
You wouldn't overdose til a few months later. He pays the hospital bills, never bringing it up. You collapse a few times at home, the help finding you, saving you, but he never brings it up. You come home and shut yourself in your room, out late every night
He's not an idiot. He knows exactly what you're doing, what you're trying to get rid of: the anger. He'd let you kill yourself over it. He has an heir, he has successors that aren't you. You're finally letting him do his job, letting him work. That's all he wanted your entire life
"Where are you going?"
"Out."
"To do what?"
He knows. He's always known. And sometimes it feels like he's rubbing it in your face that he knows and doesn't care. It hurts and drives you to do more drugs and drink more alcohol. If he doesn't care about you, why should you?
He doesn't keep track of you. You're at clubs, bars, underground, all over the city. If you're not home by the time he goes to bed you are not his problem. Simple
When you call him that night, sobbing, asking for help, for safety, for him to pick you up after days of not being home, he nearly hangs up. You are weak. You always have been. Instead he calls Connor, knowing he's in the city, ordering him to find you. When the call ends he goes back to sleep without worry. This is your mess, your fault. He won't let you get in the way of another big day tomorrow
Years you spent ruining your life, your body, a decade you spent in those bars, in those clubs, drinking yourself to sleep every night because you were weak and couldn't deal with life
He doesn't see you for months after that. You go to rehab a few times. You stay with your siblings and then you get your own place. Neither of you talk about that night, that call. He is neither kind to you nor hateful. You simply exist. You are a letdown. You always have been. He was foolish to think you'd be any other way
Logan dies not liking you. You're clean now, have been for a year after multiple months of rehab and multiple months of falling off the wagon. But that doesn't mean a thing to him. You poisoned yourself for years. You poisoned your family. You couldn't deal with life and that made you weak. No matter how sober you stay or for how long, you did those things to yourself. No one else did. Logan didn't want you from the beginning, but your life just proves you are not a Roy, you never will be. You're, at best, spare parts
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mdhwrites · 9 months
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Amphibia's Ending is SOOOO Much Better Than People Made Me Believe
So I remember back in S2 when I watched "A Day at the Aquarium" expecting to be upset about the finale like a lot of the people I'd followed were when the finale came out. After all, with them being so close, why would they choose to leave? Could they really justify them just dropping the stones and moving on from these bonds they made?
And... That's what the story wants right then. But it was an assumption built off of false impressions that I want to talk about because the ending is REALLY smart in making its points. But to talk about an ending, I feel like I should bring up its beginning. This isn't always necessary but Amphibia actually includes what is effectively a primordial sin. A first failing that causes everything to happen.
A scared girl who is told that change is coming and that she must give up those she is closest to finds out that with some magic, she can make it all go away.
NEVER is this portrayed as having been the right thing to do. NEVER is the show about justifying Marcy's decision. Instead, the show's entire purpose... Is about letting go. It's about how the experiences we keep from others are more important than keeping those people beside us. Otherwise, controlling people, forcing them to be like you, the goals of Sasha and the Core, would be painted as correct. Chances to be together forever, doing whatever they want and never having to change.
So it ending with the trio having to say goodbye to the connections they've made is kind of the only way it COULD have ended. First is the fact that neither Sasha or Marcy would have accepted Anne dying at the start of the series. Anne would never have been willing to take such responsibility or sacrifice. She wouldn't have been willing to embrace such a painful change, just like how early on in the series she rejected the frogs and their culture outright.
And here is where we get my first misconception. I thought Anne was straight up given her second life for her deeds or because she made a deal that she'd be willing to be god if allowed to live her life. This is as much on me as anyone else but can we talk about the brilliance of Anne's resurrection? She's only saved to become a god. Theoretically, turning down the position is choosing to die again. It doubles down on how Anne has accepted change, no matter how dire. She even has good reason because like the Core said "Full of heart but dumb as rocks." She's made PLENTY of mistakes in this season, even as we've gotten to enjoy what a resplendent person she's grown up as. The fact that she's willing to admit that is beautiful, especially for any coming of age story.
And it's a good argument. One full of the sort of wisdom a god needs. So this bored cat of a god likes it. Likes it enough that without giving Anne a choice decides to let her get some more training before coming back to work for him. It's keeping in line with the explanation that he gave for the stones. He was CURIOUS about what mortals would do with ultimate power and was disappointed for TEN. THOUSAND. YEARS.
And here we get misconception two which I think is much more on the fandom. No one DECIDES to put the stones away. No one decides to cut off the worlds from each other. Hell, on the human side of things, one could argue that it's not closed, they just need a better power source since the music box just uses, well, music. No, the stones are gone because someone more powerful than them is tired of their trouble and removed them.
And so we're right back where we began. Having to be told to say goodbye and that you don't have the time to do it how you might. Yes, they technically have a choice to stay but let's actually talk about if any of them actually have a reason to want to be there.
ALL of the newts have only ever used Marcy (even when Yunan and Olivia save her, it's explicitly because of her mind, not because it's the right thing to do) and it took until she was STABBED for any of them to actually care about her with even basic humanity. This is not her world. And yes, her parents will force her to leave things behind but A: At least they were honest with her! And B:... Running from that choice hurt so many people before. Why would she choose that now? Why would she choose to suddenly claim to have learned nothing and considered herself right to have stranded them all there by stranding herself now?
Sasha may have made great connections but the point for her character is to give up control and prestige. She could live in this land as a hero and general, leading how things will be shaped, potentially in her image even... And it doesn't even cross her mind. She probably knows she has a lot to set right back on Earth. Besides, you know, there's just the basic fact that being literally the only human here would be a bit of an existential problem. It would still would also mean running away from finishing the work she needs to put in to become a better friend and mend the rifts between her, Anne and Marcy (I'll get to the ten year gap, bear with me).
And finally Anne. She has her parents to go back to. She does still prefer life on Earth, even if she came to love Amphibia. Hell, the fact that she does clearly prefer Earth, as showcased in S3A, actually makes her sacrifice MORE impactful because she's not doing this just because it's her home. She's doing it because she cares and because of the connections she's made.
But just like she was with the core, she is brave enough to say goodbye. Just because someone isn't right next to you doesn't mean they've left you. Honestly, in an age of constant communication, I love that. A reminder that you can take your time. You don't have to talk every day, do things together constantly, etc. like that just because you can. You are still your own person with your own life but you can carry the support and love those people gave/give you even when you're not face to face.
And so rather than run from change, they admit it's painful, they cry, they celebrate, they joke... And then they're gone. There is literally no better ending for this story than that.
It even follows through with the epilogue. Marcy, Anne and Sasha were codependent. S3 actually reinforces a lot that their negative traits are still there, or have new ones related to each other, even as they've grown. Anne still can't say no to people she cares about like with Sprig's Birthday and Give a Frog a Cookie. She still can't entirely trust that Sasha isn't self serving like in Sasha's Angels. She has scars that will take time to heal and change, just like she pointed out to Marcy in New Wartwood.
Sasha though has a whole NEW heap of issues though. She's gone from being controlling to subservient. Anne says jump, she'd say off what. She is terrified of making the same mistakes twice. She is constantly trying to seek forgiveness. That is NOT a healthy place to be as a person and it's almost entirely wrapped up around Anne. Them deciding they were okay with just staying in touch, rather than being on top of each other... is actually great.
Marcy doesn't have as much to say but she moved... And she figured out how to handle the human realm like she did Amphibia: Alone. Who she was and how to be herself rather than relying on Sasha and Anne or needing them.
But was ten years necessary? I mean... Kind of actually. If Anne STARTS the series turning thirteen, she still has this school year and 5 more to finish for primary school. Then since at least two of them sought degrees, you have four more years where Sasha and Anne might not have even been in the same state, let alone the same town, and Marcy MOVED. She literally couldn't come back unless the fates decreed until she was 18 and she might have chosen to persue an artistic degree so there's another 4 years for her.
Then one year after college to settle in, get the money for trips, etc. like that and... Yeah, ten years sounds about right because life's a bitch. Almost like that's one of the lessons of Amphibia. But as it also says: Those bad times don't need to be only bad. You never know what will come back to find you and be better than it ever was.
So yeah, I'm definitely not just in the camp that the Amphibia ending is good but that it almost couldn't be improved. Small things, mostly pacing wise, maybe but thematically and how it does those beats? Not really. Not when this is so focused on one goal.
And I'll take dedication to your concept over giving the audience a simple, happily ever after ANY day.
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I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.
And finally a Twitter you can follow too!
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