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#i mean their relationship is definitely healthier
ao3commentoftheday · 2 days
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I have new fandom anxiety. Sounds weird, but anytime I get the urge to write for a new fandom, I get anxious. I’ve written for the same two fandoms for years, and just last week I wrote for somewhere different for the first time. I was so excited, so into what I wrote too! Unfortunately, the fic got a ton of hits within the first two days… but no kudos or comments. I feel embarrassed. It makes me think the fic was bad or the characterization was something people disagree with, etc. I typically try to write characters as in-canon as possible, but I guess it fell flat or the idea didn’t land (I did an AU). I don’t know how to feel more confident in myself to write for other fandoms, and this definitely made me think maybe I shouldn’t write at all elsewhere. I feel silly sending this in general lol.
*hugs* this isn't silly at all. Lots of people run into this same anxiety. 💗
I think you have a few things to think about and consider while you're deciding how you want to move forward.
First of all, part of the anxiety might be performance-related. Performance anxiety feeds the self-doubt gremlin in the backs of our minds and leads to self-criticizing and focusing on failure. The longer you stay in that particular spiral, the more it stomps on your self-confidence and breeds a negative self-image. Posting a fic on the Archive isn't the same thing as standing up on a stage in front of a crowd, but it's not that different from it. You're taking your hard work and putting it somewhere that an audience can see it. It might not be a live performance, but that fear of judgement is still there.
It seems like your anxiety is tied pretty tightly to whether or not you receive kudos and comments. Receiving them makes you feel like a good writer. Not receiving them makes you feel like a bad one. A few years ago, I wrote a post about how to have a healthier relationship with stats that you might want to check out if you want to investigate those feelings further. [tumblr link | AO3 link]
Switching fandoms means changing audiences, too (although there could very well be overlap, depending on the fandoms). Your new audience doesn't necessarily know you. They don't necessarily interact with fics the same way as your old fandom. There might be fewer people who seek out AO3 as well.
If you're going into a new fandom with the expectations you have from the old one, you're probably going to have a rough time. At the outset, you could try just focusing on writing and not posting your work. Spend time with the fic on your own and learn how to love it without getting that reassurance from others.
[I feel like I've written about how to like a thing you wrote, but if so I can't find a link for it. Here's a substitute post in the meantime while I draft something new.]
The more you can separate your worth as a person and your skill as a writer from the number of comments and kudos you receive, the better off you'll be - especially in a new fandom. Remember that not getting comments and kudos doesn't mean your work is bad. It means that you didn't get any comments or kudos. There are a million reasons why people don't comment and only one of those reasons is not liking the fic.
I'll stop here because this is getting excessively long, but I hope you'll get some commiseration in the notes, as well as some advice for how to move forward. Best of luck, anon. I hope you keep trying. 💗
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salvepersone · 1 year
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people who say the relationship goal of greek gods are persephone and hades have never heard of aphrodite and ares
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adanseydivorce · 5 months
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As a Kandreil enjoyer and known Kandrew lover, I think it’s weird and embarrassing as hell when Kandreil/Kevin stans who’s least favorite pairing in it is Andreil try to frame them prioritizing each other more and more as the series goes on as somehow insidious or toxic. Like, you can dislike the direction For Sure and wish it was written differently, but be honest that it’s because of Kevin being your favorite (perfectly valid, I also react disproportionately when my favorite character is hurt by something narratively vs when it’s other chars even if I like/love them) and has nothing to do with *problematic messages about romance* (BAH!) or whatever you are trying to frame it as being the concern instead. 
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myname-isnia · 6 months
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Forever stuck thinking about the parallels between Kuviren and Mingzan no one touch me
#I mean. unless you wanna yell about it with me. then yes please touch me absolutely#there's just something about tiny snarky waterbenders and their smug teasing earthbending partners#the type is definitely genetic#suiren not only looks exactly like Ming-Hua but also inherited her tsundere#and ghazan and kuvira are similar enough too. the way they're utterly smitten for their respective gfs. their love for teasing#their not so secret death wish#etc etc#once Mingzan and Kuvira get to meet some interesting conversations will have a chance to take place#I've got two main ideas#one is suiren and ming-hua#their relationship has gotten healthier. ming-hua has learned to let go of that little water lily she missed so much#suiren has realised her child self isn't dead just hidden deep down. once they reunite again it's nothing at all like Uprooted#and once ming-hua finds out about who her daughter is dating. they talk#suiren feels the need to overexplain bc of the whole former dictator thing. but ming-hua is like 'I see the way she looks at you.'#'like you're the world. she makes you happy and that's all that matters to me even if I don't quite understand why her of all people'#and when suiren asks how she knows. ming-hua talks about how ghazan looks at her. and then they get to discussing#and realise how similar their respective partners are#and then the other idea is ghazan and kuvira#she's nervous at first because again. an ex dictator surrounded by anarchists. and is worried the convo will be about intentions#with their daughter. so she too quickly tries to explain why she and Suiren are together. but ghazan just says#'if she's anything like her mother. and she was. as a child at least... then I totally get it' and he grins#and they talk about their girls in length too#ghazan's my love vs kuvira's my suiren#both smitten. completely and utterly in love#<3<3<3#if there's one thing to gain from all of this is it's that I maybe have become very kuviren centric but it's still a red lotus hyperfixation#first and foremost#and I've been craving RL shenanigans these past few days. so so badly#my beloved darlings
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goldensunset · 1 year
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the sibs and i have been having a gossip session about our parents while we’re all in the car together and while i’m also part of the conversation i’m just trying to talk openly and honestly about my feelings and observations without being overly cruel and malicious but my siblings don’t care they’re just trying to be as nasty as possible and i feel like i’m working overtime trying to rein it in and to be fair to our parents and i am socially and spiritually exhausted
#i feel like i’m the only of us kids left that actually genuinely loves our parents#i love my siblings but there’s definitely this clear drift here#they think just because i’ve managed to start unpacking years of a wild and troublesome childhood with them#that that means i must now hate our parents and see them as bad people#like they do#naw man it’s just critical thinking. i can analyze people and my relationship with them extensively#but that doesn’t only mean negative things#i can go over everything that my parents have done to hurt me but at the end of it all they’re my parents and i love them#and i want to talk to them and help them and take care of them etc#i wish my siblings could see things that way#i truly do believe if we all talk to each other and share our own experiences and views on the subject#we can all make each other happier and healthier people#peach rambles#anyway the real thing i’m gonna say here is: i cannot leave this group situation rn#like as in i can’t switch cars and go with my parents at the next stopping point and leave my siblings together#because if i DO then they’re all gonna start smack talking ME#y’know that thing about how you kind of instinctively distrust people who gossip about others#because then you know they’re probably also gossiping about you behind your back since they’re clearly just that kind of person#yeah that’s how i feel about my siblings#also i hate the mentality that says that because i feel this way i clearly didn’t suffer as much as they do#SCREW that i’ve been dealing with the same nonsense my entire life i understand FULLY how they feel i used to feel that way too#i just learned how to cope better and restructure my brain more healthily#with a different philosophical outlook#hate being accused of not understanding what i’m talking about or being told i can’t possibly understand another person’s mind#listen no one will ever fully understand exactly what it’s like to be another person even if they do come from very similar backgrounds#but people like that can absolutely make the claim that they do understand a significant amount about each other#and i have a right to talk like this to my siblings#anyway#this has been a rant about my family dynamic and philosophical beliefs
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lemonbubble · 1 year
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truly fucked up to read people saying shit like "i care deeply about the health of fat people, i used to be fat and i lost weight because of how ashamed and embarrassed i was to be seen, so you can trust that i genuinely care about your health"
hey buddy?? did you notice that you just said you changed because of body image issues. because of caring about your looks. that's not health, that's image. you are lying to yourself, and i think you don't even know you're lying to yourself.
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bibluebutterfly · 7 months
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Seeing a lot of people start hate on Helluva and how it portrays Greed compared to Lust And Gluttony, so let’s get into my 2 cents. This may be controversial, but I do think Helluva portrayed the sins well and here’s why.
Yes, on the outside, Mammon is definitely the most asshole of the sins we’ve seen so far, but this DOESN’T mean that Bee or even Ozzie are angels.
First of all, Bee ONLY stopped Blitz because he was indulging for PRIDE, not for Gluttony. With all of her other guests, she was more than okay with letting them get complete shit faced to a destructive degree.
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As for Ozzie, it’s been proven via “Ozzie’s” that he okay with cheating, going so far as to praise Stolas for it. He’s aware Stolas risked everything for the affair, and praised him for doing so. He straight up encourages people to be as kinky and as nasty as they possibly can. Basically for him, if it’s consensual, go wild.
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(Not to mention, he’s in a healthy, loving GAY relationship with his jester. While not inherently bad, it’s more than enough to make a deeply traditional Christian faint. Which does kind of seem to be the goal for the show.)
In the end: Ozzie and Bee are just as destructive as Mammon is. HOWEVER, they are so in a way where it’s not as obvious and they’re not as bad because of it.
Because they only fully indulge in Lust and Gluttony 110%, they’re still able to be relatively decent people because completely indulging in those sins doesn’t inherently make you an asshole. It can make you hella harmful, especially mixed with other sins, but on their own they’re somewhat manageable. (I say somewhat because again: cheating and health destruction are a thing).
Also it should be noted that despite being nice people Bee and Ozzie are still HORRIBLE influences. Like if they’re those people who your parents will disapprove of you being friends with.
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But besides that, you can be lustful and gluttonous to 110% and still be a nice person to be around. Not a good person, but a nice one.
HOWEVER, you cannot be greedy to the max and be a nice person.
Here’s the thing; Mam, Bee, and Oz don’t have limits to their own sins. All 3 are still destructive as hell, it’s just that Bee and Oz’s sins allow them to have healthy relationships DESPITE that.
Bee, for all her faults, is a wild party girl. However, her gluttonous nature also allows her to completely indulge in love and affection, hence why she can have such an adorable relationship with Tex.
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Ozzie is equally as wild but is also horny and kinky as fuck. But it works because Fizz is just as crazy in bed as he is, and arguably even crazier in general. Fizz is a kinky little gremlin who not only makes Ozzie laugh, but more importantly can keep up with him. That’s part of what allows them to be as happy and wholesome as they are.
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Mammon however, cannot be at his sin 110% and keep a relationship. It’s just not possible and I honestly don’t think he wants a relationship with someone anyway, as that means he’d have to share something with another person, which he is simply not capable of doing.
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In the end, all the sins are destructive. That’s just fact. However, because of their specific sins (and the fact that they don’t mix with the others), some are able to hold up healthier lifestyles and relationships than others.
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slasherhaven · 1 year
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I don’t know if you’ve done this before but what about period sex? 🥺 I feel like the slashers are so used to blood it wouldn’t be upsetting to them. (Preferably with Thomas Hewitt because he’s my current hyper-fixation)
I honestly can't remember if I've written this. I thought I had but I can't find but even if I have, I'll happily write it again! Period sex had become a recent interest of mine to be honest...
Period Sex with The Slashers (NSFW):
Thomas Hewitt
Thomas is phased by blood in the slightest, he's been working with it since he was old enough to work after all. However, it's different when it's you that bleeding!
He panics at the slightest sign of you being hurt, always wanting to protect you.
I doubt he has any real knowledge about periods, maybe he knows that some people have them but he definitely doesn't know much more than that.
When you're on your period, he likes to fuss over you and make sure you're alright. Especially after you explained everything about your experiences and if you have bad cramps.
You have to be the one who brings up the idea of having sex when you're on your period, because he definitely won't.
You're bleeding there! He assumes that because you're bleeding it would hurt, which you figure makes sense but you'll explain that you might be more sensitive but it won't be painful.
Thomas just need some reassurances that he's not going to hurt you or anything, and becomes more eager when you mention that orgasms can actually help ease cramps.
The blood doesn't bother him at all, he's not in the slightest bit put off or grossed out, it barely even registers with him once he's reassured that you're not in pain. But he still makes sure to be extra careful with you.
You just seem so...raw, that it could be painful. So, he'll just go slow and be careful.
Since he has absolutely no problem with blood, he will go down on you with as much enthusiasm as any other day. He doesn't mind getting his hands or face dirty.
Michael Myers
Michael has no problem with the sight of blood. In face, it might even lean in the other direction.
The blood doesn't put him off, it actually entices him. Gets his blood pumping like those moments before a hunt.
You might not even have to bring up the subject. He's still plenty open for sex, no matter how heavy your flow.
Still, he's not exactly educated about periods so might assumed your injured. But once he knows you're unharmed, he just shrugs it off as mostly unimportant. Is still going to be interested in sex as he is any other day. More so maybe.
Michael loves to smear the blood around, to have his hands coated in it, smearing bloody handprints over your hips and legs and everywhere else on your body. He has no interest in keeping things clean and tidy, it's a waste of time to even lay a towel down to be honest.
He doesn't take it easy on you either, even if you are feeling more raw and sensitive. In fact, he's only encouraged by your increased squirming and the sounds you make.
Jason Voorhees
Oh sweet Jason.
Sex is already a taboo thing to him, at least in the beginning of your relationship, and so are periods.
You've helped him so much when it comes to having a healthier relationship with sex and you've also taught him plenty about periods, because he wanted to learn, wanted to help you.
Jason always treats you like you're ill when you're on your period, wanting to dote on you and make sure those cramps aren't bothering you too much.
The thought of having sex with you on those days doesn't even occur to him. Not because he thinks it's gross or because he has a phobia of blood, but because he figures it would harm you in some way. I mean, you are bleeding and Jason has only ever associated blood with pain and violence and death. Not exactly sexy.
And when you make a move on him, he's more surprised than anything. You want to do that with him while you're bleeding?
Just very worried and concerned for your wellbeing.
Once you reassure him, he's willing to try it, though. You wouldn't lead him wrong, after all.
He'll lay down the towels and be gentle with you, every touch feather light and tender.
He's not really into the blood, more just unbothered by it. It's there but he doesn't care, it's not a turn on or a turn off.
Brahms Heelshire
Brahms is a horny bastard and if you think some blood is going to put him off, you clearly don't know him well.
Blood doesn't phase him anyway, so it's really not a problem.
You don't have to reassure him or anything, he's already tugging your underwear down.
He doesn't care about making a mess, about staining sheets or surfaces that you will have to clean later.
Doesn't have many feelings about the blood itself other than enjoying the feeling of it, warm and wet.
Will dip a finger in the blood and draw a little pattern on your stomach, just for the fun of it.
Also won't care about washing up before going to sleep, curling himself around you and drifting off while his thighs are still smeared with your drying blood.
You'll have to fight him into the shower, either before he falls asleep or in the morning. Which, of course, only leads into another round but at least he's a little cleaner now.
Bo Sinclair
Bo loves marking you up, claiming you as his.
The two of you might have even given blood play a try before. Bo's definitely into it and has fantasied about it at least.
He's an asshole when you're on your period, always blames your bad mood on it, and is just a general menace.
He's also a huge tease, especially if he knows you get horny on your period.
He'll have you against the kitchen counter, push a hand under your waistband, bring you to the edge of orgasm before slipping his hand out and sucking the blood from his fingers. Leaving you flustered and unsated.
And when he does fuck you, he can't take his eyes off of where you're connected, of where the blood smears over you both.
Vincent Sinclair
Vincent isn't so interested in blood but he's seen more than enough so that it doesn't faze him.
So, he's not put off by you bleeding, he's just more concerned than anything.
If you're uncomfortable or in pain, his mind isn't going to sex. So, you'll probably have to be the one to initiate it.
He's not off put but it, just fusses to make sure you're certain and that it won't hurt you in anyway.
Puts all his focus in making sure you're comfortable.
Despite not being interested in blood in any sexual way, he does get a little curious. It's something new to explore with you and he's intrigued.
He's not very messy with it but finds that he does kind of like the way it stains the inside of your thighs at least.
Cleans you up so tenderly afterwards until there isn't a trace of blood left, just being his sweet self.
Lester Sinclair
Lester is not in anyway phased by dirt or blood or being messy in anyway.
It's not a flattering comparison but he handles roadkill everyday, he's not doing to be bothered by some blood.
The only reason he doesn't really consider having sex during those times is because he assumes you wouldn't want too. Just kinda assumed you don't desire it during that time, especially if you've ever mentioned being in pain with cramps or feeling 'gross' in someway while on your period.
However, he's not opposed to it when you suggest it. He's surprised when you hurry to assure him that it's alright if he doesn't want too, that you understand if he'd not into it while you're on your period.
Lester really doesn't care about any mess you make and you will have to be the person to grab the towels, he just wouldn't even think about it.
Doesn't care how heavy your period is, he has no fears when it comes to touching you or bringing you pleasure.
While Lester really isn't fazed by being dirty, he'll help you both wash up. Afterwards, if you just want to soak in the bath for a while, he'd more than happy to join you.
Bubba Sawyer
Blood is nothing to Bubba, might as well be water to him.
However, he does know that blood usually follows pain, and if you're bleeding, he's going to be concerned that your hurting. And lets be real, he might not even know what a period is.
So, after plenty of explanation and reassurances, we can talk period sex.
Once you've assured him that it's all normal and the pain is more in the cramps than anything else, Bubba really doesn't think much of it. He becomes more concerned about the cramps than the actual blood aspect. The bleeding itself is no big deal to him.
So, when you express that you would like to have sex with him even though you're still on your period, Bubba trusts that you know better than him on whether it's alright for you or not.
For Bubba it's just like the blood isn't there, just an addition to sex that he doesn't really need to worry about because it doesn't mean that he's hurting you.
Billy Lenz
Some blood isn't going to stop him from wanting you, from needing you.
Billy has a complicated relationship with blood. It's always followed negative feelings and experiences but it's also kinda...pretty?
He doesn't want to hurt you or make you bleed but if you're already bleeding and unharmed then...
Truly has no worries about mess, he loves when the two of you end up all sticky from bodily fluids. If that includes blood, that's perfectly fine by him.
He'll grin at you with your blood staining his mouth and cheeks, will smear bloody hands over your body and paint you with it.
He doesn't know why he finds it so enticing, so arousing, but he does. His eyes shine as he paints you both with your blood. And he's able to do all of this without harming you, which is a huge bonus for him.
Like Brahms, he'd happily just go to sleep without washing the drying blood off first. You have to drag him off to the shower and change the sheets because Billy will just sleep in the mess without worry.
Asa Emory (The Collector)
In general, blood is not all that new in your relationship.
Asa has definitely indulged his blood play kink with you, whether it was with your blood or somebody else's. So period sex isn't the craziest thing for him and he's not going to even bat an eye at it.
However, he is going to indulge.
Asa is pretty thrilled about you being more sensitive than usual, ready to find all new ways to torment and tease you.
You're not about to be ruining his sheets though, he's doing to be clean and tidy about it. He's using a mattress protector at the very least, or having you strapped to a table for him to experiment on you.
He has you squirming and pleading until there are tears in your eyes and you feel raw between your legs, even more so than you already did.
Slips his fingers between your lips, having you taste your own blood.
Jesse Cromeans (Chromeskull)
Come on, a little bit of blood isn't going to scare him.
In fact, blood arouses him and he isn't ashamed of that in the slightest.
You can try to initiate or he will, it doesn't really matter. A period isn't going to have Jesse dancing shyly around you.
Blood play is nothing new for the two of you so he turns it unto a bit of a challenge instead.
He'll have you ride him while he's fully dressed, warning you not to make a mess of his clothes.
And if you do get blood on his nice new suit, well...he's just going to have to punish you, isn't he?
Otis Driftwood
Otis is super into blood play and has already participated in it with you if you share his kink. If not, he's at least mentioned it multiple times.
So, this is just blood play without having to tend to wounds afterwards. That suits him just fine.
In Otis' opinion, the heavier your flow, the better.
He paints you both with it.
He loves seeing you covered in blood, the source of that blood is pretty unimportant to him (unless somebody else has hurt you, obviously).
He's not shy about his interest in the blood but by this point, you should know that it's something that turns him on. There is precious little that doesn't turn him on really.
Honestly, let's a little annoyed if there isn't enough blood for his liking but whatever.
By the end, he'd got drying blood on his face, hands, and thighs. Blood clotted in his facial hair and his teeth stained red, the coppery taste on his tongue.
The sheets are definitely ruined and if you don't get rid of them, Otis will keep them stains and all. He doesn't care about some dirty bedsheets after all.
Baby Firefly
For so many reasons, Baby isn't shy about some blood.
If you're on your period, she doesn't see why that should change your sex life unless you don't want to have sex on your period. Which she would respect, she knows how it can make you feel.
But she also knows that orgasms help with cramps and that sometimes a symptom of a period is being horny, and she will use these things against you just to tease you.
Come on, there's no need to deprive yourself just because of a little blood. She isn't fazed! Let her help!
Doodles little patterns all over you with your blood, giggling to herself about them.
Will paint her lips (and yours if you let her) with your blood just for her amusement if nothing else.
See! There can be some perks of a period when you're with Baby!
Yautja (Predator)
You don't have to tell your mate when you're on your period, he can smell it (not in a way that it smells bad, he just has those heightened alien senses).
He panics at the scent of blood first since Yautja don't menstruate so he assumes you're injured in some way.
He's quick and happy to learn though, and then stops being so concerned about it when your period comes along.
Other than the initial panic, your mate doesn't care about blood in the slightest. He's an Yautja, a predator, a hunter. Blood is a daily occurrence for him, it doesn't faze him.
And when he learns that pleasure can ease period cramps, he will practically insist on it for pain management reasons.
Honestly, the fact that you bleed like this monthly and just carry on with your life like nothing is wrong is admirable and worthy of respect in his eyes.
Having sex with you when you're bleeding, well, there's just something so primal about it.
The scent of your blood and your arousal has his own blood pumping and a growl emitting from behind his mandibles.
He loses himself in the sight of your blood, smearing it over your skin, tasting it.
Afterwards, he just holds you, nuzzling at your skin. Both of you still stained with your own blood.
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lylahammar · 5 months
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People always talk about how Laios is a character who gives fat vibes even if he isn't technically fat in canon which is very true, and I have some thoughts on that!! (this will be a long post lol sorry)
There's a lot of material in the dunmeshi extras that show how fatness factors into dungeon exploration, which shows that only the most skilled adventurers are able to keep weight on while in the dungeon (thank you to @savaralyn2 for the translations! links to the individual posts these panels come from are added on the pics):
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So we know, at the very least, that most of the characters are kept thinner than they would be naturally through the strain of death/revivification in the main dungeon. We also see that Laios has some fat on him, which through the text means that he's skilled enough to at least keep some of his weight (which makes sense, he doesn't die very often in canon).
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(to be clear this ^ doesn't constitute as "fat," he is built as fuck here he just has some fat on his body which shows his prowess as a fighter in this universe) HOWEVER my personal little pet theory/headcanon is that Laios actually has a difficult relationship with food! I know that doesn't make much sense at first since he's shown to eat a lot in canon, but hear me out. In pre-canon, before he reunited with Falin, he's shown to be extremely gaunt:
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But after partnering up with Falin, he gains weight and looks much more healthy very quickly. Part of this is definitely because of his unstable living situation/mental illness, but he and Falin still live in very poor conditions after this and he still manages to gain weight/get healthier, so I believe it's mainly due to her making sure he eats enough. We also know that Laios is. most certainly autistic. Nobody argue with me on that it's like pretty much widely accepted as canon for a lot of reasons lmao. So my theory is that he's actually food sensitive. He's shown to not really care about food that isn't monster-related. Even when he eats regular food, he's usually imagining it being a monster instead.
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He has never eaten squid before, which is totally normal, but could also support my theory in a way :P it being a monster still can't save it from the autistic sensory bad experience in this case, though.
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So I think that his adventurous eating during the course of the story isn't because he's actually an adventurous eater normally, it's purely because of his special interest (monsters, duh). During his journey to recover Falin, he's able to build up a healthier relationship with food through Senshi's guidance and the involvement of his special interest.
By the end of the story, after he's retired from dungeon exploration and living in comfort/safety, and with his newly healthy diet, he's finally able to gain a lot more weight. Imo, his is a story of someone who's naturally meant to be fat, but is only able to reach that point when in a stable and healthy environment.
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(for the record I know he's not that fat in this post canon comic, but this is only a year and a bit after the end of the story so there's still time lol)
alright I'm goin back to drawing now just had to infodump for a minute ✌️ keep it sleazy
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obsessed with how Utena uses both definitions of revolution: a change, a spark but also rotation, circular movement that repeats and repeats (a perpetual motion machine). change vs staying the same (not growing up)
thinking about how Akio is associated with rotation (the carousel, maybe even the Ferris wheel?) how when the road he drives on appears curved, circular
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how he takes the students in his car on this road after they give up on the duels, not allowing them to escape/stop participating in the system, trapping them in this cycle
if the road is circular, it doesn't go anywhere. It eventually comes back to where it started (how the characters regress sometimes). It also means Akio isn't taking them anywhere, he's just tricking them (bc he's a manipulative piece of shit + shows how he's giving them a false sense/idea of adulthood since none of them actually graduate aka grow up)
thinking about how he claims that Utena didn't bring revolution while he's preparing for the next set of duels (he completed a revolution, now it's time to start over)
Yet while Akio tries trapping them in this eternal cycle, he fails. The ending (will get to that later) but also the students grow and develop. They are not the same people they were at the start of the show. You know who doesn't change though? Akio. On to the ending: I love the ending of Utena so much. The students are talking about growing up, about changing!! The student council, Tsuwabuki, Kozue, Shiori, Wakaba have all clearly changed. They are no longer partaking in the same behaviours they kept repeating throughout the show (all their relationships are noticeably healthier, no one is obsessing over anyone anymore, hanging out w/out animosity between them). Utena and Anthy escape and leave!!!!! Anthy is no longer trapped in the cycle of abuse Akio put her through. Anthy is no longer going to keep playing the role of the rose bride, Akio is free to continue playing prince (revolving), but she has to go now (revolution).
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celestialtarot11 · 29 days
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May Month Predictions for You 🌅💖
Hi friends! Welcome back to another PAC reading. Today we’ll be doing May month predictions 🤭 this ones extra spicy! Enjoy and feel free to like comment and reblog 🤍
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Pile 1: Hi there pile 1’s! 🌅💗 I see for you May is all about speaking your truth and owning your needs/wants. Speaking up about the things you like or don’t like, setting boundaries and becoming organized. If you are moving into a new place this month will be about physical organization, it helps you think clearly and feel better when your space is clutter free. Also this is a month for you of clearing out the old, especially physical things. It may carry emotional attachments and its time to release that. May for you is beautiful because I see you are becoming disciplined in your goals, plans and solidifying your dreams. You are also having the strength and capacity to let go of what doesn’t serve you 🥰🤍 If you are wondering about romance this month is the month where you focus on you, i know it may not be what you want to hear especially if you are seeking a person. This isn’t a sign they won’t come in, I think spirit is saying to get your ducks in a row for yourself first and this person will meet you halfway ☺️💗 which can very well be in this month! Never mess with divine timing 🤣 I think for those who are in relationships you will be coming back to yourself, focusing on self care a lot more and will be prioritizing healthier habits and mental stimulation. This may be a month for you to explore dating as well if you haven’t found someone! 👀 enjoy pile 1’s!
Pile 2: Hi there pile 2’s! Welcome to your reading 💖🤍🤭 I could you not I was so excited for you doing this reading!! If you are wanting a promotion or a job this is the month! If you are an entrepreneur and hoping to receive financial help it will come! You are moving into such an abundant place mentally emotionally and physically, and nothing is in your way. You want to focus on peace, wealth and happiness this month, and you are self assured in your joy 💖🌅 For those who are moving places, this place will help you relax and find lots of peace and abundance. Material abundance and also internal happiness. If this is something you’ve been working on for a long time, like a project, a business, or moving out, it will pay off in May. May is your month to shine and feel good. I see any storms are being put to rest, you’re focused on you and you feel open minded. Any financial opportunities will flow to you now 🤍🌅 in terms of romance I do see you’re maybe looking for options now, but not at your expense. Meaning you are performing self care whilst managing options and we love that! There will be someone coming in to whisk you away 👀 and I mean in a good way lol. They will have you intrigued by their conversation and way of thinking. You will enjoy debates and banter and discussions with this person. This can also be a new friend for a lot of you! Not necessarily romantic. Thank you pile 2 for being here 💗🌅 dont forget to like comment and reblog to spread the love
Pile 3: Hey there pile 3 👀 welcome! 🤗 For your May month I see travel plans are being solidified. I also heard “the gc made it out the group chat” so for you maybe there is a friend group you’ve been wanting to travel with, and May is when it happens! I also see you are focused on making different streams of income which is leading you to explore different positions, and experiences. Like maybe you have one job where you make pizza and then another where you are a contract manager 🤣 two vastly different options! But it would be something you enjoy. Something that calls to you and something you’re ready to pursue. Its definitely not tedious and boring as a contract manager, its something that you already wanted to do and thought of for so long. May month could be clearing up for you in terms of your schedule, and time. So you have more time to focus on you and your hobbies. For romance ya’ll could be meeting a fancy person whilst traveling 👀 or it could be everyday commute and someone strikes your fancy. Someone you’d like to be with, they have what you consider is attractive 🥰🤍 ya’ll could also be traveling home and are saving up and May month is wonderful! I also am hearing for advice dont stick to plans too much this month, there’s something about you being reliant on structure and plans which nothing is wrong (I do the same) but spirit wants you to be flexible a little. Allow for some spontaneous adventure, random happenings, and fun 👀 enjoy pile 3! 💗💖 dont forget to like comment and reblog 🤍
Thank yall for always being here 💗🥰 this one is a fun one! Wishing ya’ll a happy May month.
Paid readings ☺️🌅
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linkspooky · 2 months
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Megumi Will Start the Merger Theory
You heard me. I know this sounds wild and out of left field, but it's just a theory. A Jujutsu Kaisen theory. I fully acknowledge it might not happen, but please stick around long enough for me to argue why I think Megumi's character may go in this direction.
This one is for all the Megumi corruption arc truthers out there. I came up with this theory when it became clear that saving Megumi from Sukuna's grasp was going to be more difficult than just giving him a motivational speech, or punching Sukuna until their souls separated. Furthermore, I believe that Jujutsu Kaisen's manga won't end with the defeat of Sukuna. There will be one more curve ball thrown at us by Gege in the late game, and this is me trying to anticipate the pitch before the baseball hits me in the face. Underneath the cut I will speculate on the direction that Gege may take Megumi's arc, the relationship between Sukuna and Megumi, and Yuji's role in the finale.
What is a Corruption Arc?
Before digging in too deep I want to explain what I mean when I say I'm a Megumi corruption arc truther. A character arc is a story arc in regards to a character where a character changes from beginning to end. That's the most basic definition, arcs can be more complex, some arcs are actually inversions of the standard character arc where a character is defined by his lack of change.
However, those still need some element change, sometimes characters around them change to show contrast. For example, Eren is a stagnant character from beginning to end in Attack on Titan, but characters like Mikasa, Armin, Jean all grow up to show by comparison how little Eren has grown. Sometimes circumstances change around a character, and their lack of growth is a failure to adapt to those circumstances.
A character arc requires a change, but it's not necessarily a positive change. Often called negative character development, these characters regress instead of grow. This happens in many ways. One of the most basic examples of a character arc is a want / need arc. A want / need arc shows an emotional hole in the protagonist's life that needs repairing and how resolving the plot allows them to fill that hole. The protagonist usually knows what they need, but they know what they want, and often what they want won't actually fix them.
For example if I'm feeling sad I want to eat donuts to lift my mood, but what I need to do is learn healthier ways to work through my negative emotions. A character who keeps pursuing what they want, instead of realizing what they need won't grow, that's negative character development.
That's just one example though, Gege gave us a blueprint for a corruption arc in Hidden Inventory.
In Yu Yu Hakusho the character Sensui (directly cited by Gege as his inspiration for Geto in an interview) once was a spirit detective like the protagonist. No one describes him as corrupt from the beginning, in fact he's constantly described as more pure and upstanding than delinquent Yusuke Urameshi who likes getting into fights. He has a strong sense of justice, but rigid black and white views that come with it. Once he's confronted with evidence that directly contradicts his demons bad, humans good paradigm he cannot cope, and the narrative all but states Sensui's purity traditionally a good trait corrupted him because of his inability to adapt and his rigidity in in his beliefs.
Sensui goes through a corruption arc, albeit one offscreen and mainly referred to in backstory.
Geto's happens onscreen in its own story arc where he is one of two main characters. Much like Sensui he's presented to us as a sorcerer like Gojo, but unlike Gojo he believes sorcerers are obligated by duty to protect non-sorcerers who have no way of fighting against curses. You could argue that in some ways Geto and Gojo are the same type of jerk, but Geto's principles are clearly set up to contrast Gojo who at that age only was a sorcerer to flex his abilities. Geto's friendship often has him lecturing Gojo about respecting others, paying special attention to Gojo's feelings in ways that other characters don't, and also not being afraid to clash with Gojo over differences in morals.
If Geto is corrupt from the beginning there's no arc there, so he's clearly set up as being the moral fiber to contrast Gojo. We are literally presented with a scene where Gojo admits he could kill the non-sorcerers who hired a bounty hunter to assasinate Riko and feel nothing, and relies on Geto to make a moral judgement in his place, that society will already punish them and their slaughter is pointless.
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The irony is that later, Geto will engage in pointless slaughter killing an entire town in retribution for their abuse of Nanako and Mimiko. When Gojo confronts him about his actions, Gojo cites the same reasoning that Geto provided him to stop him from killing the cult members.
That Geto's murder of innocent civilians is pointless, because it won't achieve anything - his world of sorcerers is out of reach. Geto's clearly positioned as Gojo's moral tether, because he cites Geto's statement of only killing when there's meaning to it right back at him.
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This is also where the corruption part of his corruption arc comes in, a change has taken place here. Geto hypocritically contradicts his earlier words, not just engaging in meaningless slaughter but also punishing people with his own hands instead of letting the justice systems in place take care of the punishments. Two things he held Gojo back from doing, only to do himself post corruption arc.
You could cite many things as the reason for Geto's corruption arc, but the common theme shared with Sensui is resistance to change. Geto saw the world in two distinct categories strong / weak, the same way Sensui saw humans good / demons bad. When Geto is shown that weak people are capable of bonding together to oppress strong people (the cult) and that sorcerers despite having strength are on the losing end of their society (they are expected to risk their lives and toil endlessly for curses 99% of the population can't even see), he cannot cope.
He especially cannot cope with the reality that Rika's death showed him, that he is not strong as he once believed. All of this combined leads Geto to double down, still seeing strong and weak as separate categories but now blaming normal citizens for the inherent corruption inside the Jujutsu World. Notice how Gojo a character with positive development seeks to reform from inside the Jujutsu World instead.
Geto also still wants to think of himself in the strong category, rather than facing the feelings that Riko's death and his helplessness in that moment gave him, as well as Gojo pulling he instead decides to double down on the idea that he's in the strong category, that he's superior.
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Geto even remarks jealousy at Gojo's godlike power for the first time, when before this he's always been the only person to treat Gojo as an equal - because Geto doubling down on his superiority complex begins imagining himself above others and therefore untouchable by trauma. It's also a grab for agency, because in this world sorcerers are rather agenciless, forced to be cogs in an unfair system. Geto incorrectly assumes agency = power. If he possessed Gojo's power he would be able to grab his agency back (which is simply incorrect because Gojo is one of the most agenciless characters in the manga, defined by his rigid role as the lynchpin of society).
Geto also doesn't mature. A mature adult lives in the world, and accepts that the world is imperfect. Geto is remarked as childish, first by Shoko when they are smoking together "sulking because no one understands you... sounds awfully childish if you ask me", and then by Yuta "You think you're a god? You sound like a kid!"
So we have, refusal to grow up, refusal to adapt to a complex world, resistance to grief, and grabbing for agency and power instead of fixing an issue inside himself - all of these combine to make the Jenga Tower that is Geto Suguru collapse.
The central question of Geto's arc, spoken by Gojo to Yaga is "Is it possible to save someone who doesn't want to be saved?"
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If Geto refuses all help, refuses to admit that he's wrong, and does not want to change then what really can Gojo do in this situation? Was he right to give up? Did he give up too early, refusing to kill Geto but also spending ten years just ignoring the problem until Geto attacked in Jujutsu Kaisen Zero? Did it not matter what Gojo did because ultimately Geto's choices are his own?
There's no clear answer, because it's a question the author is asking the audience to ponder. It's also a question directly set up for Megumi to answer, because when Gojo is unable to do a thing for Geto we see his next action is to seek out Megumi. His words imply that he sees Megumi in Geto and advises him not to be left behind, he also clearly became a teacher in order to not let what happened between him and Geto repeat in the next generation.
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In spit of Gojo's best intentions, he's not able to protect Megumi from any of Sukuna's designs toward him, or basically anything that happens in post Shibuya's. Simply raising Megumi to be strong, did not prevent him from suffering trauma in his youth on Geto's level.
There's even a deliberate parallel, they both witness the death of an innocent who they promised to protect (Tsumiki, Riko Amanai) and they both have had their body taken from them, Geto's corpse is turned into a literal puppet to help advance Kenjaku's plans, Sukuna steals Megumi's body in order to revive himself in the modern era. They're both even used as tools against Gojo, Kenjaku uses Geto's body to awaken memories in Gojo and complete the sealing. Sukuna uses Mahoraga to learn the world splitting slash that cuts through Gojo's defenses.
Megumi also has a set of values that society spits in the face of. Megumi wishes to selfishly protect his sister, and pick and choose who to save. Geto believes the strong are obligated to protect the weak. Geto sees weak people who are corrupt and not worthy of his protection and also the reality that sorcerers are the exploited class, Megumi is forced to kill Tsumiki with his own hands.
These are intentional narrative parallels to show the risk of Megumi may walk the same path as Geto, especially since Megumi is in many ways a pure child like Geto himself.
Dark Phoenix Arc
There's one more corruption arc I want to compare Megumi's too, to give some idea of where I expect Megumi's arc to lead.
The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the story in Uncanny X-Men #129 - 138 of Jean Grey’s corruption by the power of the Phoenix and the Hellfire Club. It was considered incredibly shocking for its time. One thing to note is while Jean Grey is famous nowadays, in early X-Men she was the weakest character and her role was basically limited to “The Woman” of the team.
Elevating the helpless damsel woman to the most powerful member of the team, if not the entire universe and then having her turn evil had never been done before. It was a jaw-dropping shock at the time. 
The reason I am citing the Dark Phoenix arc as an example, is because both Jean Grey and Megumi's character arc revolves around themes of agency, how it's stolen from them and how they reclaim it.
The basic summary of the Phoenix arc is that Jean Grey is initially given a massive power boost when she's possessed by the Phoenix. She stays behind on a crashing ship only to be saved by the Phoenix, a guardian, alien entity of immense power that was locked away in a crystal. Jean Grey returns as Phoenix with a massive power boost, but there's several ambiguous elements that compromise her agency. It's implied that Jean Grey always had a tremendous power that was in part sealed away by Professor Xavier using his telepathy (infringing on her agency) and that while the Phoenix gifted Jean Grey power, it's also an alien entity effecting her mind and body.
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On top of that when she acquires the power, outside forces begin wanting to manipulate Jean in order to gain her power for their own ends.
A group called the Hellfire club begin to psychically tamper with her mind. They trap her in hallucination world where she is a woman of the 1800s, (not famously known for their agency) and in love with the leader of the Hellfire Club, even going so far as to give her false memories in order to convince her that this is reality.
The concept of agency and how it's constantly infringed upon, even by someone who's supposed to be on her side (Xavier) is central to this arc. Jean evetually escapes from the Hellfire club's manipulation, and reclaims her bodily autonomy but the story does not end there.
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The subtle changes in Jean's behavior still continue, even after Jean has freed herself from the mind control. Is this the result of being given too much power at once? Is Jean losing control because she was never taught to properly handle her powers?
Jean Grey is also the character with the strongest potential in the main cast (much like Megumi) and also a character who's been prevented from using her powers to their full potential and even had her powers stolen and used by others (Much like Megumi).
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It's heavily important that Jean's corruption into dark phoenix happens after freeing herself, and in response to the Hellfire club's machination to take all agency away from her. Jean instead makes a grab for power and agency by abusing her power as Dark Phoenix.
Jean even mentions that turning against her friends and trying to kill them as Dark Phoenix, will sever the last tie holding her back, will get of Jean Grey for good and cause her to fully embrace being Phoenix.
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Jean has flipped entirely, overembracing the power and agency that has been stolen from her again and again, but really how could someone not desperately try to take back control of their lives after being mind controlled or having their mind violated multiple times (the phoenix itself, the hellfire club, even by Xavier).
How can someone never allowed to use her power, or given choices on how to use her power, not be corrupted when after being stepped on all of their lives the power of a god is dropped into their lap?
This is why I believe Megumi will be the one to initiate the merger, because his entire arc has been about having his power stolen away from him and what would Megumi do when given total power over the merger by Kenjaku?
Megumi Corruption Theory
The biggest piece of evidence for this theory is right here, Kenjaku specifically says to give Megumi Fushiguro the authority to start the merger.
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There's a technical reason for this, Sukuna is currently in Megumi's body, and Sukuna himself was actually registered in Yuji's place because Yuji was built by Kenjaku to be a cage for Sukuna.
However, it can also be read as foreshadowing. If you believe like I do that the merger has to happen, then Sukuna can't be the one to initiate it. The simple reason why is that the main characters will have to be alive to fight against a merger, and Sukuna has set the condition that he'll start the merger after killing the main cast in order to motivate them to fight him with everything they have.
If Sukuna is going to start the merger after killing all the main characters, then he can't be the one to start the merger because the main characters have to be alive to witness the merger take place and fight against it somehow.
Therefore, logically if the merger is going to occur the only person who could possibly activate it is Megumi Fushiguro after reclaiming his body.
There's more foreshadowing then this one instance however, and a lot of it revolves around Sukuna and Megumi's unique relationship and Sukuna's role as a character.
As for why Megumi would possibly start out the merger, it's the same as Jean Grey, a character denied of agency suddenly has all the power in his hands, who wouldn't be corrupted? Especially Megumi, a character who's just been robbed of his sister and his mentor, and his purpose in life besides that (protecting Tsumiki)? Why wouldn't he lash out if suddenly given the power to? His friends are trying to save him yes, but Megumi is begging those save friends not to save him to end it all.
How do you save someone who isn't prepared to be saved?
How is the story going to answer that question, if saving Megumi is a matter as simple as just beating up Sukuna and giving his body back to him?
Onto analyzing more foreshadowing, but first a brief tangent on the nature of foreshadowing in Jujutsu Kaisen. Every major twist in the manga is foreshadowed far in advance. Kenjaku beng the one to possess Geto's body - foreshadowed by Kenjaku killing Mechamaru when Geto was against killing young sorcerers, and the fact Geto was deliberately killed onscreen with no explanation provided to the audience on how he could possibly revive.
Sukuna calls the purpose of the bath to be near evil, to submerge Megumi's soul.
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If saving Megumi is just a matter of ridding him of Sukuna's possession however, then how does that allow Megumi to reclaim his agency? What agency does a damsel in distress who just exists to be rescued have?
Megumi's entire arc has been defined by the potential power that everyone sees in him, and his inability to reach that power especailly since other characters (especially Sukuna) seek to steal that power for their own ends. In the culmination of this arc, Sukuna literally steals Megumi's body, and his bodily agency.
How does Megumi finally live up to that potential if Megumi's arc ends with him being saved by Yuji? How does this make Megumi grow or change in any way?
Sensui, who is once again Gege's model of a corruption arc is referred to as a pure angel that was inevitably grew scarred and defiled, by his close personal confidant Itsuki. Not only that, but sinking deep into despair made him grow stronger not weaker.
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Itsuki is also, a demon who met and encountered Sensui and then took a deeply invested perosnal interest in watching Sensui be corrupted in real time.
Megumi also has a curse that took a sole interest in him because of his talent and potential, then had a hand in bringing him closer to evil in order to make him sink into despair. There's once again the symbolism of purity being corrupted.
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This panel explicitly shows white lilies (symbols of purity) being torn apart and blackened to symbolize what Sukuna wishes to do to Megumi in order to further is own ends.
There's also the heavy budhist symbolism with Sukuna's role in the story, and the way he influences the rest of the cast, especially Gojo Satoru who is our stand-in for the Budha. If the goal of Jujutsu Society is to attain enlightenment (escape cursed energy probably the only thing that will end the miserable lives of sorcerers), then the merger represents the opposite, Kenjaku's goal of optimizing cursed energy by mixing humans, sorcerers and curses to give birth to a new being.
That's also a conflict that needs to be resolved, but Sukuna by pushing forward the optimizing of cursed energy and representing the peak of sorcery living only for sorcerery and his own strength represents a Mara.
Sukuna is comparable to the Celestial Demon Mara in budhist mythology, more on it in this thread. In budhist cosmology, Mara is the “personification of the forces antagonistic to enlightenment.”
If the ultimate goal of budhism is to escape the cycle entirely and stop being reborn in the sensuous realm, Maara instead tempts people to stay in this realm. it defines impernanence by suggesting we stay in this realm forever. It defies Dukha by saying we indulge in physical pleasures in this realm, that we should seek to satisfy ourselves even if budhism argues that life is primarily unsatisfactory.
We even see Sukuna literally tempt a budha-like figure into remaining in this earthly realm. After all aren’t we shown that Gojo achieved enlightenment at seventeen and let go of earthly emotions like the need to be angry and avenge Riko’s killer because the feeling of oneness with existence was too good in that moment.
A lot of people noticed what they thought was Gojo acting out of character in the fight with him and Sukuna, by enjoying the fight and choosing his selfish desire to love jujutsu and fight as a sorcerer over his responsibiltiy to protect children. Something which Nanami says in his dying hallucination that Gojo only ever lived for the pursuit of his selfish desire for Jujutsu in the first place.
Gojo in his last fight against Sukuna forgets about saving Megumi or at least makes it a lesser priority, because Sukuna tempts him to do what he's always wanted to go all out in a sorcery fight and have the freedom to use his powers to the best of his ability. Hoewever, even after using his full strength, Sukuna cuts down the notion that he is above humanity and drags him back to the earth - literally calling him unenlightened.
“This is goodbye. You were born in an era without me and hailed as the strongest yet you turned out to be painfully ordinary…”
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Does Sukuna not represent this temptation for all characters? Sukuna represents the selfish ideal of sorcerers, using his powers for himself to satisfy his hedonistic desires and because of this he has the most agency in the story and the story at times even bends to his desires.
Characters even fight for Sukuna's recognition, Hajime, Jogo and Gojo are validated by that same recognition in theend.
Why wouldn't Gojo and more importantly Megumi who are characters with very little agency not jump at the chance to be more like Sukuna, especially if it brings Sukuna the freedom he possesses?
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Itsuki refers to himself as Senseui's shadows, leading him to act on his darkest impulses and enjoying watching the corruption spread. Megumi is literally a character who's Jujutsu revolves around his shadow, and summoning powerful Shikigami from it in order to fight. A character with an incomplete domain expansion (another loose plot thread with Megumi that would be unresolved if Megumi were simply saved) which is his own creation, which might surpass Mahoraga the technique handed to him.
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In addition to being a Mara, Sukuna is also literally called the "fallen / disgraced one". Itsuki calls Sensui a fallen agel, but in the context of Jujutsu Kaisen there's literally a character called Angel, who's only goal is to save Megumi's soul, and there is a satan figure in Sukuna who wants to corrupt him. Literally, there's an angel and devil on Megumi's shoulder.
How is stealing Megumi's body corruption though? Megumi's not being tempted into being selfish. He's not responsible for any of the sins that Sukuna commits in his body. There's no arc there, because Megumi doesn't reclaim his agency in response to having it stolen away, he doesn't decide to do the bad things himself - it's Sukuna who commits the wrongs.
Even More Setup for the End Game
Here's where I stop referencing Yu Yu Hakusho and only use foreshadowing in the comic itself. The first is the discussion of roles, and how Yuji needs to break away from them, as much as Megumi needs to fight for his agency back.
Part of the reason Sukuna jumped bodies is because Yuji wanted to be given an easy role like a character in a story - rather than thinking and deciding for himself. He thanks Megumi and Gojo for giving him a role seconds before the body swap happens. If Yuji is immediately punished for thinking that what he needs is to be a cog in the machine, to be given a role then methinks that's a bad thing.
However, Yuji has not broken away from that thinking in any significant way. Sukuna even mocks him for finally being given a role.
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If Yuji's thinking hasn't changed then no story arc has taken place. If this conflict of Yuji wanting to conform to a cog or a role has persisted since Shibuya - then it's clearly important to his arc and is something that needs to be resolved. If Yuji just solves the problem by being stronger than Sukuna and beating him in a fight, how does that resolve Yuji's flaw of clinging to roles rather than thinking for himself? I ask once again, where's the change?
Saving Megumi like a damsel in distress is still a role someone else has assigned him.
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How does the decision to save Megumi right now challenge Yuji's hero complex in any way, besides the fact that Megumi has sunk into despair and would rather just end it all. Is that much a conflict that really forces Yuji to think for himself - to go against the grain of society rather than blindly following others.
If Yuji gets to rescue Megumi like a damsel, that's giving him what he wants, without forcing him to realize what he needs. That's as much of an unfullfilling end to Yuji's arc as a ending where Megumi never reclaims his agency and stands on his own feet and just has to sit there and wait and be passively saved.
Most of all the question: "Is it possible to save someone who's not prepared to be saved?" goes unanswered.
Geto wasn't just depressed and suicidal, he was actively making harmful choices and represented a danger to others. He also had no intention of stopping the path that he was on.
There's a clear parallel between Megumi and Yuji's friendship, and Geto and Gojo's past fallout. However, if it's just a conflict of Yuji saving Megumi who's simply too suicidal and doesn't want to go on living, there's no conflict there. The audience will not see whether or not Gojo was still capable of saving Geto post his burning down the village, or if there was no walking back from that choice. The previous generation won't resolve or fix the mistakes of the past generation.
Yuji remains a hero, Megumi remains a victim, as I reiterate for the thousandth time there's no change.
Megumi starting the merger, or even defeating Sukuna himself (maybe with a completed domain expansion) and then starting the merger is a change. It's also foreshadowed, Mahoraga is the technique he inherited, the technique Sukuna stole (and Mahoraga won't work against him he's already defeated it), Megumi's domain expansion is his own creation, created in his deepest moment of personal growth.
The process of individuation also literally requires a character fully integrating their shadow. Sukuna possessing Megumi is not Megumi facing his shadow or his worst traits, because Sukuna is not Megumi's shadow, he doesn't reflect Megumi's flaws in anyway, he's literally just a parasite.
There's also the 1001 Toji parallels to Megumi that have gone unfulfilled. Toji specifically a character who was abused, then chose to continue the cycle of abuse, specifically because he wanted to prove himself stronger than the peak of sorcery. Especially after a lifetime of being belittled and abused by not having the potential of his Heavenly Restriction recognized.
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And what do we have here, but a scene of Toji LITERALLY EMERGING FROM MEGUMI'S SHADOW, in order to enter Dagon's domain.
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How is Toji referred to afterwards? As a puppet of carnage bearing his fangs at the strongest around.
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An incredibly Sukuna like description, number one because Sukuna's entire existence is simply bearing his fangs at the strongest around, and number two Sukuna is referred to as pure destruction, like a calamity, something with overhwelming sense of self and no humanity.
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Not only that, but when fighting Sukuna, Gojo makes an explicit reference to Toji comparing him to Sukuna as the last time he ever felt nervous or challenged by an enemy. Sukuna and Toji are being alligned as similiar characters, supremely selfish people who hoard their agency and strength. Toji also represents the worst of Megumi, a victim caught in a perpetual cycle of lashing out against the world, a bad future path he might take if he doesn't get over himself.
Sukuna is connected to Toji wo is connected to Gojo, and all three represent a path that Megumi has been nudged down his entire life, that he should just selfishly use his power with no regards to anyone else the same way they do.
As I said before in my comparison to Jean, why wouldn't someone who's been robbed of all agency for so long, not go too far in reclaiming it? What's stopping them now that the chains are finally off?
Megumi parallels Geto, who parallels Toji, who parallels Sukuna and why draw all these lines between these characters if it's not to represent a path that Megumi could take?
In other words...
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203 notes · View notes
nat-20s · 4 months
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Seen people describe The Doctor and Donna's relationship as a sibling dynamic but I think that's only true for some Doctors with Donna so here's a definitive list of which nuwhodoctordonna pairs are and aren't siblings:
NineDonna: No. They are randomly assigned roommates that become the most annoying best friends in the world. Literally the worst fucking people in existence to third wheel for, you're in a constant state of "what the FUCK are you two talking about???"
TenDonna: No. Something much weirder going on for them. I once saw someone describe them as "whatever dr doofensmirtz and perry have going on but platonic" and that's lived in my head rent free ever since. Yes Ten WOULD physically strap Donna to himself in order to confront his parents and then when it went poorly they would watch the sunset and he would tell her that she was his rock. Also very gay best friend and woman on another one of their little adventures/ a lesbian and her favorite himbo. Who's the gay best friend/woman/lesbian/himbo changes on a whim <3 Truly the icons of sticking two freak bi people with unfettered adhd together and seeing what happens
ElevenDonna: okay Yes. that is her little brother that's like 30 times older than her and she is treating him accordingly. (so so so mean but will also kick people in the shins for being nasty to him)
TwelveDonna: Sort of. Less your typical sibling dynamic and more like stepsiblings that only became stepsiblings well into their 30s and have decided to unionize. In another life they would've been a vaudeville duo that are also conmen.
ThirteenDonna: No. Not a single soul knows whatever the fuck those two have going on between them, least of all them. Probably like. The somewhat healthier mirror version of whatever the fuck The Doctor and Spymaster have going on. One time 13 sighs oh so sadly and is like "i wish i could be donna's lap dog" and when the master asks, "Like in a horny way, or???" Thirteen replies, "I don't know I just think if Donna could carry me around everywhere life would be significantly better and I could have an easier time seeing beauty in the universe again." and the master is like. "have you maybe considered prozac" and the doctor says "WELL I WOULDN'T NEED PROZAC IF I WAS DONNA'S LAP DOG NOW WOULD I??"
FourteenDonna: no. QUEER PLATONIC SPOUSES OF ALL FUCKING TIIIIMMMMEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FifteenDonna: Not quite. I think they more have the vibe of like cousins that go to family functions and always seek each other out bc they have a mutual case of "you're the only bitch in this room that I respect. You're the only motherfucker in this house that can handle me." Both of them volunteer to "chaperone" the kids table bc if Donna has to hear one more word from their uncle who won't shut up about how great brexit is she's shoving his face in the mashed potatoes and fifteen is just going to be like "you're doing amazing sweetie"
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piratefishmama · 4 months
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I Wish | Part 3
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He barely recognised his friends. He was just glad they were themselves though. That somewhere along the way to a stardom he didn’t remember going through, his band hadn’t lost anyone. That someone hadn’t been replaced.
That happened a lot, didn’t it? Bands losing members due to circumstance, arguments over direction, infighting... but they were there. Older, Gareth had a little grey in his hair, Jeff had shaved his down completely, he didn’t have braces anymore, taller too, neither as weathered as Eddie but… definitely older, and Dougie...
Fuck, he'd slimmed down.
Eddie didn’t know if that was an improvement or not, he instantly found himself missing what had once been, he was still big, still broad, but... where disarming chub that Eddie had on more than one occasion fallen asleep on had been, soft muscle resided in its place and Eddie found himself wondering just how the biggest of four of them had done it. Whether it'd been through healthy choices or godawful ones like himself.
It was muscle though, it looked like healthy muscle, so... probably healthier than him. Good for him.
“Oh look who's joined us in the land of the living!” Gareth chirped, his mouth half full of pancake, syrup dripping down his lips.
Jeff, to his left “Saw Louie stormin out kicking up a storm, that shit for good this time?” Asked with a tone laced in caution, as if the subject was touchy. God what had Eddie done in the past that made his friends think they couldn’t rib him about relationships?
That was like... their whole thing back in high school, Eddie, and his disastrous non-existent dating life. He’d trusted them and them alone with who he was, with what he liked, and while there were the obvious ‘do you find me hot?’ questions at first, the playful ribbing, the teasing, the jokes only friends could share… he had them. They weren’t afraid of him. Afraid to hurt him because they knew they never could.
How had he lost that?
Eddie looked to Steve in a bid for help, Steve wasted no time in coming to his aid “One can only hope” with obvious exhaustion in his retort, his hands on his hips, a deadpan expression that Eddie couldn’t stop himself from smiling at.
Gareth snorted a little laugh and followed with “Amen to that, dude.”
“He’ll be back though, he always is.” Dougie piped up around his own bite full of some oat concoction, it looked gross. “Once he sees his job offers dry u—what?” The other two were giving it the kill signal, twin expressions of panic, as if he’d said too much… god who was he? “You fuckers know I’m right, Eddie knows I’m right, he’s a clout chasing pretty boy riding Eddie’s coattails to fame, just cause you’re too chicken shit to say anything to him doesn’t mean I am.”
Eddie looked to Steve again as Dougie spoke, only to receive a silently raised brow in return, he was on his own. “Well—” Eddie began, the other three froze, even Dougie’s attention was on him now, all three clearly expecting something “not anymore! Dunno what I saw in him, but I’m done, Steve, if you would… uhm… make sure he can’t contact me again?”
“Want me to block his number?”
“What?” Eddie whispered behind his hand, brows furrowed in confusion, block? A number? What?
“I’ll sort it.” Steve would sort it, and of that Eddie had zero doubts. He wouldn’t doubt the genie about anything ever again. Louie and his overly manicured entire self would never darken his doorstep again, of that he was certain.
“Holy shit, who are you and where did Eddie go?” The panic gone, Gareth seemed genuinely surprised by his declaration. He'd missed too much, too many things he didn’t know, too many things he’d done that he couldn’t apologise for because he didn’t know what he'd be apologising for. it'd be cheap, it'd be pointless.
Eddie hated everything. He could have probably lived with it, with his lost time, had this not been his first experience of the day with people he recognised. He couldn’t. Not like this. Not with his friends looking at him like he were a bomb ready to go off.
He could put on a brave face though, even if the muscles in his face felt foreign, even if he felt tired... he could act the part. “Turnin over a new leaf I guess... self reflection, new path, bachelor life never hurt me too bad, right?” His friends shared looks, a silent communication happening between them that made Eddie feel isolated, othered, outside, and alone.
He wanted out. To run.
And as if he knew, Steve’s hand found his shoulder and squeezed grounding him in place. He was there, the Genie was there, he'd fix it if Eddie wished him to. He wasn’t stuck, Steve just wanted him to live the day. Experience it. Be brave, it wasn’t permanent.
Jeff broke the silence though, he stood up, crossed the distance between them, that gigantic chasm that seemed so impossible to cross seconds before, and clapped his hands to both of Eddie's biceps, his straight toothed smile blinding “nice to have you back then, Eds, now eat your fuckin breakfast an let’s get this stupid talk show shit over with, yeah?” Okay... maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.
Fuck the ‘old' Eddie, the Eddie who Eddie himself had never met and never wanted to meet, he had his friends, he'd be fine. Maybe he could even stay.
“Sounds good, what's for breakfast?”
“For you? Nothin but the good stuff, man, ordered you some wholemeal toast with avocado an egg whites” so many words, so little recognition in his eyes.
What the fuck was an avocado? Was that a real thing?
“...Can I not have pancakes like Gareth?” Gareth with his syrupy monstrosity.  
Dougie scoffed around his oatmeal, swallowing before he responded because at some point during the last thirty years he’d developed manners. “With your cholesterol? Fuck off, dude, we don’t want you having a heart attack on stage.” Steve only offered him a sympathetic smile in consolation. The beautiful bastard. “It's avocado toast or oatmeal, your choice old man.”
Strike being able to stay. He wanted to go home.
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Eddie didn’t like Avocados.
He decided this the moment a semi-hard glob of green mush touched his tongue, lightly seasoned, mixed with something tangy, he hated it, hated the smell, hated the unexpected texture, hated the taste but he ate it. He pushed through like a little champ when every instinct he had told him to rebel against it, to demand French fries or something stupid that definitely didn’t come as a breakfast food.
Maybe he could swing fast food later, see what the future held for the fast food joints.
Later seemed too busy though, the moment they were done with breakfast, the band were whisked away into some kind of car, something way fancier than Eddie had ever seen, to get to the venue and prepare. Hair, makeup, the usual routine that Eddie wished he had an ounce of experience with because back at the Hideout it was just… them climbing up on the rickety old stage Bev’s late husband put together on the fly and letting loose.
There was no pre-gig warming up, no hoard of professionals tugging them into various chairs and rooms to make sure their hair was the correct brand of artful frizz, or mess of floof, or women with brushes coated in powders to minimize the shine from the studio lights that’d make their skin too shiny for the cameras to work with.
Wardrobe was fool proof as they were presented with options that ranged from smart casual to red carpet. Everything suitable for a talk show and nothing fit for a ‘metal’ band, which was strange considering they were advised to go for something they could move in as they were going to be performing during their run through, maybe more than once to make sure all angles were covered.
It was a lot, it was a hell of a lot, Eddie kept finding Steve in his peripherals though. Always there, silent, and observant off to the side, close enough to step in should anyone cross any boundaries but staying out of the way of the professionals so they could work unhindered.
It was grounding in a way, him there, even if he looked so very human despite what he knew Steve to really look like, having him there, knowing the man could get him out of the chaos at any time was grounding.
All those people touching him, all the noise around him, sounds, smells, lights, the pushing, and pulling, and the tugging on his hair, he wanted to scream, he wanted to get away from it all, he wanted—
“Alright, five minute break.” Steve stepped in, his voice firm, without room for argument. “Rockstar needs a breather.” Eddie could have kissed him, genuinely. The relief as all those professionals took a few steps back was instantaneous, that feeling only growing when Steve managed to corral them out of the room entirely, leaving just them in there.
The other band members were in their own rooms, Eddie clearly some ‘big shot’ that he didn’t quite get. Sure he was the front man but… they always said they’d be equals if they made it big. They’d always scoffed at the idea of multiple green rooms, of putting single members on pedestals, that was how shit went sideways, that was how infighting and breaking apart happened. They’d stay grounded, stay real.
They didn’t want that bullshit and yet there he was. All on his own, his friends elsewhere being prepped without him. He hated it. How had it happened? “I should be used to this, shouldn’t I?”
“What makes you think that?” Eddie damn near jumped out of his skin when Steve was just. Right there. Stood beside him in the reflection of the mirror. No longer looking all that human, he looked like himself, golden and beautiful, wearing the clothes he first saw him in.
When he turned around, the human looked back at him, smiling as if he knew what Eddie was looking for. Reflections showed the truth then. Interesting.
“I’m—fuck that's a cool trick, man... but i'm a fuckin rockstar! I should be, I dunno… used to it.” At the very least his old man brain should have caught up by now, right? He should have gotten used to it all, muscle memory of thirty years having passed should have at least kicked in a little, right?
He still felt like that kid from the trailer park on the inside, still felt completely overwhelmed.
He’d just been dropped into a life with no memory of living it.
“Who said you ever got used to it?” Steve hadn’t said that. In fact Steve had painted a pretty sad story of addiction and self-destruction. “Eddie… some people aren’t meant for this kind of life, yes, you’re very talented, you’re absolutely good enough to get this far, and once you’re on stage you are incredible—” for a moment, just a moment, Eddie felt warmth, a teeny sprinkle of warm pleasure trickle through his weary soul at the easily spoken praise. “The weariness fades away and you’re… yourself, everything that you are shines through and it’s breathtaking.” Eddie really did try not to blush, but he felt the heat in his cheeks anyway, as it turned out, older men could definitely be flustered by a cute guy thoughtlessly praising them “but the rest of it… everything that goes along with it… not that I’m an expert or anything, but I don’t believe it’s who you are.”
“I can’t just adapt?” All Steve offered was that similar look of sympathy he’d had in the bathroom back at the hotel. No… no Eddie knew the answer before he’d even asked it. He’d never been able to adapt. “Why?”
“If it helps at all, there’s millions of people out there who feel seen whenever you talk about your struggles with what happens behind the glamour, so many people who love you and support you for the very things that make you struggle so much, for the fact that you keep going, you made it despite them. I’m not going into the why’s and the how’s, but adapting really isn’t something you’re very good at, Eddie, there’s no changing that. You get overwhelmed, that’s just you.”
“Can I wish to change it?” Did he even want to? Not really, something told him it’d backfire somehow, not by Steve’s design, not on purpose, but… it just would.
“You can… I can work my magic, but you wouldn’t be you. You wouldn’t be the person your friends love, the louder than life DnD loving nerd, you wouldn’t be that anymore, and I like that person, he’s very sweet, so I really don’t want to.” There it was. At least Steve wasn’t just letting him make that mistake. “There’s a life out there that is perfect for you, and trust me you will find it, this just isn’t it. Do you want to go home?” Steve wasn’t going to force him to stay, he wanted Eddie to experience it for this very reason, to see the truth behind one of his biggest dreams, see the chaos behind the curtain of a life that maybe he just wasn’t suited to.
He could go home if he wanted to, but… “No. Not yet. I wanna experience it, just once, y’know? Even if it’s gonna suck, I think you were right, I think I need to.” If only to really drive it home that maybe fame and fortune wasn’t everything.
That maybe he didn’t have to be famous, maybe he didn’t have to be some metal legend, he could just… be. And that would be okay.
“Got it.”
“Will I at least know the song we’re meant to be performing here?” Given how little he knew about his present self, the very real possibility of his music having evolved, of new songs being written, it was an issue he really should have thought about by now, but Steve snapped his fingers, an otherwordly light flashing in his hazel eyes for the briefest of moments, and then he smiled.
“You will now.” And that made him feel a little better. Just a little. Until the chaos continued and the professionals filed back in to finish their jobs, the five minutes up.
Part 5
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celaenaeiln · 8 months
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Ok so I guess this is a weird question, but what do you think about wally and dick being in a relationship? would it be healthy? would it last long? all those types of questions. I've been getting into dc recently, and I've been starting to realize alot of people ship those two, admittedly I can see why, I'm starting to like them too. Pretty sure I saw someone call them every Dick Grayson/Wally West stan "required phase", it would be a life if I said I didn't snort at that. But I've been curious if they would even work out, with their plans for their lives being so different, clashing with each other
Absolutely!
In fact I think that if Dick and Wally ever got into a canonical relationship, they would never ever break up which would be a massive problem for DC because DC needs their IT boy Dick Grayson to be shipped with as many people as possible. lol.
No but really the reason they're so great together is because Wally really, really cares about Dick's mental health. He's canonically made it his mission to make sure Dick is happy and safe and he loves his best friend so much. Dick has grown up with wally since they were tiny kids and he knows every detail of Wally's life and loves him. The Flash Plus comic is just the two of them being best buddies.
So considering the amount of love and care Wally and Dick have for each other. In Titans (2016) Wally literally writes a love letter to Dick. (they call it a friendship letter but c'mon who're they tryna fool.)
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Titans (2016) Issue #15
Do you know what Wally does? He literally turns back time in order to prevent Dick from dying. Wally is retiring because he has a heart condition. He can't run. He can't be the flash anymore.
But.
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Titans (2016) Issue #15
For Dick he killed himself.
I genuinely don't think it's possible for Dick to have a healthier relationship with anyone than he does with Wally. They're like cotton candy, white snow, salsa mix love. The purest, softest, fluffiest romance with a whirlpool of fun and excitement.
Something Wally mourns a lot in the comics is his loss of contact with Dick.
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The Flash (1987) Issue #210
The reason they don't talk as much is because Wally is busy with Linda and Dick can't just third wheel a marriage. I mean he sort of already does but anymore than now and he would be living with them. Permanently.
I think the only issue they would have is the different cities. Neither of them would be willing to move because Wally loves Central City and Dick loves Bludhaven. However they would still be able to maintain a long distance relationship easily because even as friends they go on annual vacations, just the two of them, simply to hang out with each other. Also the occasional drop ins.
As soon as Wally heard Dick and Barbara broke up-
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Nightwing (1996) Issue #88
The only time Dick and Wally have fought is when Dick is refusing self-care and Wally is so mad at him for neglecting his mental health. But even then it's more of a - fine. I'm leaving you alone for now until you get your stuff together. I know you can do it. - type thing. They would definitely work out despite the separate cities thing because Wally has unconditional trust and love for Dick and Dick loves Wally .just as much.
Besides, living in two cities is no problem for a speedster
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Nightwing (2016) Issue #15
They're the classic childhood friends to lovers trope without all the backstabbing and betrayal stuff you see in movies. It doesn't matter if people even ship them or not at this point because if you asked them they would probably just marry each other and call it "bromance."
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brabblesblog · 17 days
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𝕽𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖊𝖗 𝖞𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘.
Chapter 15: Our honeymoon will shine our life long: its beams will only fade over your grave or mine.
A sequel to Whither is thy beloved gone? (AO3)
After the events of ‘Whither is thy beloved gone?’ Lord Astarion Ancuńin and his consort wife navigate their relationship anew. The ghosts of the past - his, hers, and theirs - threaten to unravel everything they’ve worked for.
The fast is broken.
Professionally edited and collaborated on by my dearest friend <3 @editing-by-night
Read on AO3.
Masterlist
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Art by @lirotation
(For more smutty art, click on the AO3 link. Thanks!)
She was seated on the chaise, her back against Astarion’s chest, his legs on either side of her. She felt his fingers tug on the knot the lacing of her dress had become and heard his soft curse as he failed yet again.
They had settled against each other, gossiping about how Gale definitely looked a little healthier and how Minsc had eaten most of the macarons, when he had begun fiddling with the laces.
“Do you really wish to keep this, darling?” He was definitely irked; the knot had been eluding him for what felt like hours, and his patience was almost gone.
“I mean… probably? But I also won’t be wearing it ever again,” she admitted.
He leaned forward, his hair tickling the middle of her back. There was a loud ripping noise, and then a rush of cold air over her now-bare back. She turned to see him smirking, parts of the dress still between his teeth.
“I can’t believe you did that!”
He held up his hands in false apology, then spat out the fabric. “No use spending any longer than necessary on that nonsense. I’ve waited far too long.”
“Wait.” She held up a hand, stopping him mid-tackle. He eyed her curiously, eyes already half-lidded.
He put on a pout and sat back up, sighing loudly. “You’ve been pleading for my touch for a month, and now that we’re here…” he shook his head. “You do so confound me at times.”
“That’s not the point.” She looked to the bed, and gestured toward it. “I would like to finish what we were doing before you needed to stop.”
He blinked, considering her offer, then nodded. “If that’s what you want, then I shall oblige.”
She slipped off the remnants of the dress, a little pained at its loss. It had been pretty. Stepping out of it, she also tugged her underwear down and toed them off. Astarion coyly sat on the bed, then deliberately slid over to the middle of it, still fully clothed, resting his head on a pillow.
She let out a deep, exasperated breath; his amusement merely grew. “Scoot a little forward.” She slipped in behind him, her legs on either side of him. Immediately he leaned back against her chest, a soft, appreciative hum rewarding her as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
“This brings back memories,” he murmured, and she frowned.
“I’m sorry? Which…” she trailed off as he shared it through their bond.
He stumbled out of the tent, making a beeline for her, curled up by the campfire. His cock was painfully tight against his trousers, the friction as he walked not helping one bit.
He grasped her shoulder. “Ban.” The need was obvious in his tone. “I need- I need your help.”
She’d been half asleep. She turned to face him, surprised. “Astarion? Are you done?” Her eyes found the bulge in his trousers; that answered the question for her.
It had become a common nighttime event for them, Astarion and her curled up together. At times he’d bring her bliss, fingers and mouth more than enough to reduce her to a puddle of desire. He was still unable to be touched, but he felt desire; whenever he brought her release he’d always end up with a painful erection that needed to be relieved. Thus an arrangement had been made: she’d leave the tent and allow him his privacy, and he’d find her once he was done.
Apparently he hadn’t been successful tonight.
“Yes, well.” He gestured at where she was looking, a little too desperate to be embarrassed. “I tried to do it. Every single trick in the damned book, and…” he sighed, exasperated. “I need you to help me.”
She sat up, immediately awake. “This… this isn’t a joke, is it?”
He looked at her askance, and yet not surprised. Finally a chance for her to touch him, and yet she wouldn’t pounce at the opportunity. Another reason why he’d found giving his heart to her all too easy.
Astarion shook his head. “No. I think it’s time we try. I want… I need you to make me come.”
They entered the tent; Astarion closed the flap with one hand, the other reached for her. She turned and he pressed his lips to hers, frantic and tense, hips grinding against her helplessly. He was stressed, warring between the urge to beg for her touch and the urge to hide away in the recesses of his mind.
But he could not. Would not. Not with her. He pulled back with a pained groan.
“I’m not sure how we’re supposed to do this.” Whispered, as if this was a secret he wanted no one else to know.
He watched her think, fingers rubbing her chin. And then she spoke.
“Sit, and let me sit behind you, so you won’t need to see me or even think of me.”
“I’d want to-” he protested. She held up a hand and shook her head.
“Sit. And let me help.”
He acquiesced, swallowing nervously as she sat behind him. He reached back, grasping her hand.
He did the same in the present, tugging her hand to palm his cock. His mind, her mind, linked. Then and now, at times feeling like lifetimes apart, but in truth the same as it ever was.
He tugged his trousers down, feeling the air hit his cockhead. He placed her hand over it. “Slowly.”
She mirrored the movement, slipping her hand under his waistband, wrapping her fingers around his length. Her eyes were shut and she leaned forwards, whispering in his ear. “Thank you for reminding me. You were beautiful that night. Brave. I never told you, because I wasn’t sure how… you’d… feel…”
The last words were punctuated with long, slow strokes. He bucked upwards, mouth parted in a gasp of pleasure.
He wrapped his hand around hers, guiding her. Loose at the shaft, tighter at the head. She was a natural, as it turned out - the drag of her hand, so different and yet surprisingly welcome, combined with the fact that he couldn’t see her, and the knowledge that she was doing this for him… his tension ebbed, much to his surprise. Her touch was gentle, almost reverent, different from anything else he’d ever experienced.
She sucked on his ear and his back arched involuntarily. He groaned out, “That was the first time… in so godsdamned long.”
“I know. You were perfect. Open, trusting. You allowed me to see you. All of you.” Her hand sped up slightly, and he swore. He sat up, roughly stripping off his trousers, kicking them away. Settling on his knees, his fingers flying down the buttons of his doublet and flinging it away. He felt her kneel behind him, snaking her hand around to play with a nipple.
“Touch me.” He wanted it like this, wanted to thrust up into her hand and mindlessly rut, reveling in her words and that memory. She moved closer, flush against his back, and returned her hand to where he needed it most.
She touched him, thumb swiping over his tip, his head glistening in the thin shaft of moonlight-
He looked down, watching himself fuck her hand, hips moving languidly. She kissed his cheek and neck between words. “My sweet, loving husband. My lover, for all eternity. My best, truest friend,” her voice was a sensual whisper that set him alight. “My thiramin,” she added with a nip to his ear, and he moaned, hips jerking as that word pushed him closer to the edge. His cock throbbed, the pent up tension wanting, no - needing - to be released soon.
For once, it felt right. There was no need to perform. His grip tightened on her hand, their pace increasing. Loose at the shaft, tighter at the head. Just like that. No one else had ever cared, or even tried. No one did, not until her, each of her strokes just as he’d asked…
Still the same, still the same exact strokes, but now executed to a perfection she had honed over time. Her other hand caressed his balls, rolling them in her palm, gently squeezing between her fingers. All for him. For love. The loosening and tightening, the swipe at the tip, that slight caress at the bottom of his cockhead. Fuck.
“Of course,” she purred into his ear, licking around its edges, “who else would it be for, for what else? Only you. There was only ever you from the moment I saw you. There was only ever one person who I could love, who could be the one for me. Only one worth everything. You.”
He let out a needy whine. He moved her free hand to his chest, placed his over it, while his other hand fisted the sheets. His ass clenched as he drove into the circle of her hand, nothing held back and everything to give.
“Don’t stop,” he gasped. “Don’t ever stop.”
She kissed down the side of his neck, causing a shiver to run down his spine. “I’ll never stop. I’ll never run out of words to tell you how beautiful you are. How sublime it is to wake up to you every single day, to reach out and know you’ll be there. To know my life has purpose, has meaning. To give you joy, to give you the peace you deserve. To love you the way you should always have been, Astarion.”
He felt her gaze on him, watching him. A far cry from what she had done in the past, when she had kept her eyes away, respecting his privacy. He jerked his neck to meet her eyes, and the heat in them, combined with one final, hard stroke that was just perfectly timed with a squeeze at the tip - perfect, just perfect - made him come.
His reply disappeared in a string of incoherent moans as she pulled away slightly to take in the sight. “Perfect as ever. Equally as wonderful as that night you first taught me how to touch you, let me see you paint us with your pleasure. I’ll always be honored to be the one giving it to you.”
Eyes squeezed shut, body arching, his cock releasing what felt like copious amounts of come - no surprise given how long they had abstained - he was lost to her. He felt her stroking him through it, milking every drop from him, and he shuddered, knowing there would be more. Forever.
She grabbed an old shirt and wiped him clean as he melted against her. As soon as he was able, he caught her lips in a kiss, his tongue darting out to trace the seam of her mouth. It was sloppy, lacking technique, but he didn’t care. He would never have to care again.
He collapsed against her, panting. She reclined them both back onto the pillows, holding him tightly.
“That… was a surprisingly good idea,” she said. Her surprise made sense - the last time they’d touched minds in bed it had been too much, but it seemed like doing so under less intense circumstances was better.
“Of course,” he managed to say. “What am I, if not the source of the best ideas, hm? Especially in this field.” The effect he’d wanted his words to have was lost by the fact that he was still catching his breath.
They laid together in silence for a while, her slipping out to lay on her side, head on his shoulder. His leg was comfortably wedged between her thighs, and they held each other close.
Ban reached over to the nightstand, picking up a towel. Astarion cracked open an eye, the corner of his lip curling as he watched.
“Attentive as ever,” he murmured. He made a move to grab it, intending to clean himself up, but she snatched it away. He watched, transfixed, as she licked the tip of his cock, giving it a very gentle suck, cleaning off his seed. But as soon as he closed his eyes, expecting more, her tongue was replaced by the towel. He let out a small sigh of feigned exasperation.
As soon as she was finished he flipped them over, his eyes alight with mirth and desire alike. “Now… I do believe it’s my turn to have my wicked way with you.”
Astarion caught her lips in a passionate kiss. His hands slid up to cradle her head, holding her close as his tongue explored the depths of her mouth. Slowly, he trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin before moving lower. His fingers traced patterns on her body, exploring every inch of her with a reverence that belied his eagerness.
He ran his fingers along the curve of her collarbone before trailing them downwards again, skimming across the swell of her breast. He took one of her nipples into his mouth, suckling gently while he teased her other nipple with his fingertip. He then kissed his way back up her chest.
As she arched her neck in anticipation, he leaned in close, allowing his breath to tickle her, but stopped when his lips were inches away. She huffed in frustration and he chuckled, reaching over the nightstand. He’d had Shadowheart’s gift sent to the bedroom the moment she’d told him about it. It was kept in a long, narrow box, and he held it out to Ban.
“Shadowheart’s present,” she said, swallowing. “I don’t know if I should be afraid or excited.”
“You do know that the moment you wish to stop, all you need to do is say the word, right?” He opened the box, as she nodded. “In any case, I doubt you’ll want to.”
Ban gulped. A riding crop. Sleek, soft black leather wrapped around the main rod - a tantalizing sight. She watched Astarion lift it out of the box, his long fingers wrapped around the handle. He gave it a small test, snapping it against his other palm. He hummed approvingly.
“Not bad. I’d have chosen better, but this will suffice.”
His eyes flicked over to her, and she watched as they shifted from that cocksure gaze to one of concern. “Do you trust me?”
There was no hesitation. “I do.”
Satisfied, he glanced at the headboard. “Turn around. On your hands and knees, please, darling.”
She turned, facing the headboard. Her palms were flat on the bed, her ass raised up for his perusal. His finger traced a path from the back of her leg to her ass cheek.
“I’m surprised,” she teased. “I expected something far rougher than-” Her words cut off in a low groan as he grabbed her ass, nails digging in. At the same time he ran his tongue along her entrance roughly, a long lick to her clit and then a quick thrust inside her. She bucked, wanting him to keep going, but he’d already pulled away.
“Needy,” he chided, the amusement plain in his tone. Before she could respond, his palm slapped her cheek, not too hard, but enough to sting. The impact and surprise made her bow forwards, a low hiss escaping her.
He rubbed the spot where he’d hit her; she was sure the skin was red. “Was that alright, love?” She turned her head to see him staring at her, biting his lip.
“More than alright.” She shifted her hips, trying to get his hand on her core - a little too slow, as he had anticipated the move and had already taken his hand off.
He tutted softly and then flicked his wrist. She felt the impact a split second later, a sharp sting on her haunch that barely registered as pain. The realization hit her at the same time as his thumb pressing against her clit, rubbing it in insistent circles - he was being very careful.
His thumb dragged back, then plunged inside her, eliciting a gasp. He pulled his thumb out and sucked on it, her taste always delicious and almost as good as her blood. He kept his eyes on her as he did this, allowing her to see his body's response, his cock beginning to harden again.
“Delicious, as always,” he said, licking his thumb clean. “I missed tasting you. Your slick on my tongue, the taste and smell of you all over my face… Gods. Not many things could compare.”
“And what would?” Ban watched as he lifted the crop, staring at her backside, trying to find a suitable target.
He smiled. “Your blood.” The crop made impact on her thigh, stronger this time, and slightly painful. She hissed, hips bucking, wishing his hand or mouth or cock - anything really as long as it was him - was there.
“Fuck, Astarion!” She glared at him. “As fun as this is for you - I need more.”
He rolled his eyes. “And now insolent to boot?” He struck her again, on the other leg this time - and this wasn’t a practice hit. Ban yelped, feeling heat bloom where it had made contact. ”You were saying?”
She glanced at his face. There was excitement, arousal, even perhaps a hint of bloodlust as her blood reddened the impact points. But through it all she saw him, watching her, minding her responses, ensuring she felt fine.
Emboldened by this, she stared him down. “So are you going to spend all night whipping me or actually fucking me? Because- ah!”
This time she saw Astarion put his whole arm into the motion, the crop smacking loudly against her flesh. Pain bloomed, throbbing and insistent, and as she groaned and buried her face in a pillow he dove between her legs, devouring her core.
She rocked backwards, seeking more of his mouth, and he obliged, tongue laving everywhere and anywhere he could reach. The crop was discarded, forgotten for the moment as he sank his fangs into her ass, biting with the fervor of a man starved.
“We have time,” he growled in between bites, marking her flesh in numerous spots. His tongue, hot and wet, licked the rivulets of blood as they meandered down her skin. Fingers sank into her, and she realized he wasn’t holding back, their thrusting insistent, curling at the end and hitting her spot with every pass. Her back arched and she bit back a low whine. Astarion’s pace was merciless, the drag of his fingers against her walls combined with his other hand on her clit and his fangs sinking into the meat of her ass were a maddening combination.
He shifted, shuffling closer to her, stroking himself. Ban couldn’t help but lick her lips at the sight - finally - after so damned long. He lined up, rubbing himself along her entrance and then against her clit, the delicious flick of his cockhead was too little for how heated she was.
“Stop dithering,” she grumbled, “and decide if you want to put it in or not.”
He paused, and tilted his head. “I would have done so, if you had asked nicely. As it stands…” he drew back, and she let out a frustrated whine. She bowed her head, knowing what would happen before feeling it - the soft whistle of the crop as it flew in the air - then the hot, painful and yet pleasurable sting of it against her ass. “Again, my dear. You were saying?” Perfect, calm innocence, as if he was merely sitting drinking tea and not whipping his wife.
She hissed, then turned to glare at Astarion, who was tapping the crop on his palm. “Please, my love. Fuck me.”
He made a show out of mulling it over, seemingly careless. The insistent throb of his cock told a different story, however. He fisted himself, stroking once, twice - Ban relished the look of wanton lust on his face as he stared between her legs - and then let go. “I think I could stand to wait a little longer.” As she opened her mouth to protest, he smirked. “You’ve yet to learn patience, my love. Not to worry… I have forever to teach you.”
He flipped her over, and she swallowed as he flicked the crop against her clit. The spark of pleasure that rippled through her was surprising. His eyes darkened as he registered her response, his gaze becoming predatory. He held the crop aloft, settling on his thighs. Waiting.
“Astarion, I swear…”
“Hm?” Another hit on her inner thigh, so close but not there. She whined, all pride gone. “You’ll have to ask. Properly.”
“Please. Again.”
To her delight he obliged, the crop smacking her lightly, exactly where she wanted it. The next moment, he slipped two fingers inside her, the other hand dropping the whip to grip her waist, holding her firmly in place. As she began to fuck herself on his fingers he slowly added a third. The stretch was intense and pleasurable; she rocked harder. His hand pushed against her, stilling her movements.
“Let me. You’ll have all the fun you long for after I’ve had mine.”
She was about to ask him what exactly he had in mind, when he slapped her clit again, softly this time. She moaned loudly and the fingers inside her pumped harder, making her head spin. She looked down to see him smiling, the role dropped.
“You’re taking my fingers so well,” he crooned. His eyes flicked over to the abandoned crop. “That, too. Thank you for trusting me.”
“Would I have married you if I didn’t?”
He crawled up, pressing his lips against hers. He ground his hips against her thigh, a low moan caught in his throat, and he pulled back slightly to pant against her ear. “It was wonderful, my love. I really do appreciate that you allowed me this.”
Their lips met again, slow and unhurried. His hand slipped down, stroking himself slowly as he groaned into her mouth. She wrapped her legs around his waist, locking him in place.
“I missed you,” she whispered, and he nodded, kissing his way down her neck to her breasts.
He circled a nipple with the tip of his tongue, then wrapped his lips around it, sucking hard. His hand gripped her ass, right where she’d been struck; the warmth of his palm over the stinging welt felt wonderful. His cock pressed against her belly insistently; she could feel it, heavy and hot against her skin.
“I’m honestly tempted to take you right here and now, but…” He forced himself away from her, breathing heavily.
“What did you have in mind for tonight, exactly?”
He hesitated. “I mean, it is a special occasion, but Shadowheart’s idea was too tempting to not try.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You also wanted to know if I’d trust you with it.”
“That, too,” he conceded.
“Well now that we’ve tried it, what else did you have in store for us?”
Astarion thought about it for a heartbeat, then sent the idea to her in a series of images. She shivered, then nodded. “Perfect. Yes.”
Before she could say anything further he was off, heading for the trunk in the far corner of the room. He returned with his hands full.
“We bathed, but I figure using a scroll as well would be wise.” He handed her a bottle of oil then set the prestidigitation scroll and the other item on the bed nearby, then met her gaze.
She beckoned him close, and they laid facing each other, tangled in each other’s arms. He watched as she thoroughly oiled her fingers, anticipation coiling in his belly. When she was ready, he crooked his leg up and out, allowing her space. Ban’s fingers traced a path down his torso, leaving a slight sheen of oil in their wake. She continued her exploration, fingers trailing down his side to his hip, and then down the length of his cock, slipping between their bodies with a deliberate, gentle slowness.
He closed his eyes as she found her target and began tracing circles with one finger, shuddering at the first touch.
“You won’t need to do as much,” he murmured. With how aroused he was, he had no doubt it wouldn’t take long.
“I know. Not our first time, love.”
He laughed, and she pressed a kiss to his forehead as she slipped her finger in, the suction tugging her deeper. He jerked, hips thrusting into her. “More,” he croaked, eyes tightly shut.
She sank her finger deeper, slowly; perhaps too slowly - he reached down, grabbing her hand and pushing her in further. A low moan escaped him as she finally found his spot. He pressed himself closer, his whole body flush against hers, chest heaving.
She began to thrust in and out, caressing his spot each time. His hips rolled with every pass of her fingers, rubbing his cock against her, the precum smearing against her arm and stomach. She wouldn’t mind if they just did this - if she gave him ecstasy and they rolled over to sleep after - the sight of him taking his pleasure was more than enough. He was more than enough.
Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice, breaking the silence. “No - don’t.” He opened his eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. “I want to be buried deep inside you when I come this time.” His hand rested on her neck, thumb tracing her jawline, his expression dark and hungry, pupils blown wide. “I want to give you everything… I want to mark you. I want you dripping with my seed, I want to see it, want to smell it on you.” His tone grew low, insistent. “Mine. Forever. No one else can have you, and no one else can have what I’ll give to you.”
She shivered in anticipation. “Yes. Mark me both ways, then - inside and out. Everywhere. I want to be covered in you, filled with you, in every way possible. I am yours. Always. From the day we met, until forever,” she vowed, adding a second finger inside him. His eyes fell shut again, lips parting ever so slightly with a deep groan as he adjusted to the stretch. He nodded, accepting her suggestion.
“Indeed you are.” He growled, softly, emphasized by a hitch of his hips, cock grinding against her. “Mine to take and to love. To cherish. My very own.”
With her second finger fully inside, she began to move, slowly stretching him further.
He moaned, reaching down to touch himself. She ran her tongue over his neck, feeling the muscles of his abdomen ripple as he sank onto her fingers with a hurried eagerness.
He was silent for a while, the only sounds he made were soft whimpers and unintelligible words mixed with gasps. There was a hard nip to her throat as he approached his peak again, his hand frantically stroking his cock. He grabbed her waist, pressing her flush against him as he rubbed himself on her belly.
She felt his length, throbbing and so very hard, pressed flat against her stomach as he fisted the root. Ban held him close. “Go on,” she purred. “Make me yours, Astarion.”
His only reply was a low whine, his eyes meeting hers as he rutted against her, his thrusting losing its rhythm and becoming frantic. Ban stroked his spot, and her other hand caressed his ear, providing the last push he needed. Astarion jerked, hissing, and Ban felt him spill his seed onto her stomach, hot and slick. He pressed his head against hers, breathing hard as his hips stilled. She snuck a quick peck against his lips, and waited.
Finally, he cleared his throat. “I think… I’m ready,” he murmured, and she removed her fingers. He watched hungrily, eyes roaming over her glistening stomach, as she replaced her fingers with a glass plug. It slid in slowly and Astarion grunted in pleasure as it settled inside him. Their eyes met, his jaw clenching and releasing with a low groan. She used the scroll while he acclimated himself to the fullness, watching his face as he bit his lip and ground against her.
He pushed her shoulder, guiding her onto her back, then straddled her, his hands running down her arms. With one quick motion he grabbed both wrists, pinning them above her head. Shifting to a one-handed grip, Astarion sat up, taking a long moment to look down at her, her body streaked with the evidence of their union.
“Before we do this, there is something I feel you should know. No matter what you think, or what anyone tells you - you are beautiful.”
The tone was insistent, a little stern, but completely sincere, and it almost made her believe him. She could only shake her head as he trailed a finger through the spend on her stomach, slowly painting his way down to her mound, his eyes locked on hers. He grasped himself, rubbing against her clit to bring himself to full hardness. The soft, velvety feel of his cock and the slippery feeling of his spend smearing all over her made her squirm. “Astarion - please.”
He slid lower, his head at her entrance, his cock throbbing with anticipation. But he held back, eyes still locked on her face. “Say yes,” he commanded. “Say you believe me.”
She was incredulous. “Really - that… that’s what you want me to do, before I can finally have you?”
He nodded, slowly grinding the head of his cock against her entrance, but never sinking in. “It shouldn’t be so hard, should it? Now say it, or we’ll both be unsatisfied for the rest of the night.”
“Astarion. You don’t mean that…” she trailed off as she saw just how serious he was. He sat back, stroking himself with deliberate slowness, drawing her attention.
”You can have me deep inside you, filling you up with every thrust, spilling inside you…” he rocked his hips, fucking his fist, allowing her to see his length sliding in his grasp. He let out a breathy moan. “All you have to do is say you believe me. That you are beautiful.”
She shook her head again. “I can say it with ease - I believe you. But speaking those words doesn’t make it any truer.”
He settled on his haunches, thinking. “I could show you how I see you. How the sight of you eclipses even the miracle of daylight. How touching you feels better than that first kiss of sunlit warmth after centuries in the dark. How tasting you is better than anything I’ve ever tasted in my long life.” As he said this he inched closer.
”You could, yes,” Ban interjected, “but I suppose there is something else you could do.”
He leaned over her again, cock in hand, lining up. “Indeed there is. I could make you feel how much I love you instead.”
With those words he buried himself in her in one hard thrust that left them both breathless. His ass clenched, the piece inside him providing a wonderful fullness that complemented the warmth now enveloping his cock.
There was little need to wait. He pressed her down against the bed, then placed his palms flat on either side of her, bracing himself. He rolled his hips in a slow grind that he knew would rub against her clit; her answering moan was exactly what he had anticipated. The feeling of her slickened abdomen sliding against his skin, knowing he’d put it there and that he would fill her with more soon, gave him a deep sense of satisfaction. His.
“I love you,” he breathed, against her ear. “I have loved you for far longer than you’ve known, perhaps longer than even I’ve known.” He pressed his forehead against hers, hips moving faster, feeling the drag of her walls with every pass, the feeling of fullness peaking with each forward thrust. He pulled out most of the way, watching her track his every move, then sank back in with a ferocity that demonstrated just how much he wanted her to feel his words and the depth of his devotion.
“And I you,” she whispered back, her words rough with pleasure as his cock sank back in, precisely angled to slam against her spot. “And I feel like I should be the one-”
”Hush. I promised you my words; allow me to speak them.”
She fell silent, and he pecked her lips. “That’s my girl.” He pushed her leg up, spreading her further apart and sinking himself deeper. A quick, ‘Be a dear and hold that for me, will you?’ and he resumed his pace. He began to push harder, hips shifting from a slow grind to an increasingly vigorous speed. He angled himself carefully, knowing he’d succeeded when he was rewarded with a wonderfully tight clench all around him and the sound of her whimper.
“There are endless ways to tell you exactly how I adore you. From your body - every curve, every line of it, driving me insane with want this past month…” He kissed her jaw, her neck, her collarbone as he spoke, hips maintaining their punishing pace. Her quiet moans were a delight to his ears, and he intended to have more. He felt her readjust her grip on her legs, and gave her nipple one last bite before he sat up, grabbing each ankle.
“I wanted to be lost in you, lost to the heights of pleasure you always take me to…” he slammed his hips forward, his ass clenching around the plug so pleasantly as he buried himself in her again and again. “To feel you clench all around me as I bury myself in you again and again, until I have nothing left to give. But I relearned something this past month, something I’ve always known but something you likely need to be reminded of.” Another hard thrust, and she whimpered, all restraint gone. She reached between her legs, rubbing herself. He fixed his gaze on her face, drawing pleasure from her pleasure. “I don’t need… sex, to drown in you. When I say you’re beautiful, my love, I mean your body and your face, but I also mean your heart - the one that shelters mine.” They locked gazes, his insistent, hers a little unsure.
Astarion touched her mind, a request to be bound together as both reached their peak. He sat up. He knew it would be intense, his mind bracing for it as she finally allowed him in - and they became one.
They felt his hands wrapped around her ankles, her hand on her clit tracing pleasurable circles. He could feel the mounting pressure in her just as she could feel the pressure of the plug, the aching pleasure in his belly, his balls tightening, the urge to release building. The drag of her walls against the sensitive head of his cock, her slick, tight heat, clenching all around him. He let go of her ankles and she immediately held her legs apart for him, knowing what he wanted before he could even consciously pass the thought along; it made him chuckle. He laid over her so that they were eye to eye, seeing nothing but each other, feeling nothing but each other, thinking of nothing but each other-
He kissed her hard, holding himself up, hips now frantic and his rhythm slowly failing as his pleasure built. She wound her legs and arms around him, tugging him close, enveloping him in her. His tongue pushed in, savoring her, tasting himself through her mind, both irrevocably linked body and mind and soul.
She was close; the gentle bucking of her hips and the frequent clenching all around him both wonderfully pleasant and also exhilarating. Her panting increased, the soft and hot breaths tickled against his ear. His sweat mixed with hers, the heat of his body bleeding into her. Every stroke he made was met by an upwards thrust from her. He felt his own climax rushing in, the flames in him reached fever pitch as his balls tightened and that pleasant fullness shifted into intense, delicious urgency - he knew he was at the precipice.
”Mark me, Astarion. Make me whole,” she whispered, and he did, crashing his lips against her as he finally let go, his cock releasing hot streams of seed deep within her. He felt her climax as well, his pleasure pushing her off the edge, hers mixing with his in every clench around him and in every wave of euphoria bleeding through their bond. For a moment there were no lines between them, blurred out by pleasure and the sheer intensity of their love. There was only them.
Neither moved once their orgasms had subsided, remaining wrapped up in each other. Astarion had collapsed on top of her, his head buried in the crook of her neck. He nipped her there, once. The feel of her stroking his back with her fingertips sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine.
”Considering how much of a mess we’ve made of the bed today,” he mused, “would you consider tonight an exception to your bathe-before-bed rule, love?” His tone was singsong, lightly mocking.
A frankly asinine rule, and one she didn’t follow herself, the hypocrite. But he allowed her her idiosyncrasies, as she allowed him his - matching outfits, often heavily embroidered, his preference for red sheets and drapes, or that atrociously large statue of him in the garden that had replaced Cazador’s. He’d insisted on it.
“Well. Stoney and Boney did do a good job,” Ban responded. He started, belatedly realizing the link was still open.
“It isn’t hard to do when they simply have to recreate perfection.”
She ruffled his hair. “And you think I’m a hypocrite?”
”Ban.” He exhaled. “The number of times I’ve seen you sit on the bed, unclothed, yes, but not having bathed yet… I’ve held my peace.” He was holding back laughter, trembling a little as he stifled it.
”You’re not wrong,” she admitted. “But I’ll allow it for tonight. Tomorrow the bathing rule is back in place.”
“Of course it is. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the esteemed Ban Glasscraft, she who makes the most nonsensical of rules and decides not to follow them herself,” he drawled, fingers dancing across her collarbone. As he finished the sentence something dawned on him. She wasn’t-
“Ban Ancunín, now,” came the reply, slightly amused. “It took me a moment myself.”
“I daresay this name suits you better.”
”And removes all traces of that wretch from my life, too.”
Astarion pressed a kiss on her sternum. “Not tonight, darling. They’re to hold no place in your mind - forever, if I had any say, but we have to at least deal with the mystery of your dear brother first.”
Ban looked down at him. He was still buried against her neck, not looking at her, but his thoughts prodded hers for a response. She could feel his mind loosening its hold - he was falling asleep - but was waiting for her answer.
”No, not tonight,” she repeated.
He hummed approvingly. “Then rest, my love.”
The rest of his message was sent in fleeting thoughts as he slipped into slumber.
Rest. We are home.
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