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#i wish i could make a gif for this but also i've made over 200 in the past 2 days so i am nooootttt giffing today
creativenicocorner · 5 months
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2023 Writing Retrospective
That time of, hehe, New Year again folks, to contemplate over the rollercoaster event that was my writing journey of 2023!
I'm surprised by how much I did end up writing more than anything! And how some projects bloomed larger than I would have previously imagined. I'd like to think I've improved as well, which is inevitable made by practicing of course. I'm happier with how I write, despite knowing it isn't perfect (then again nothing is lol)
Trying the NaNoWriMo for the first time really changed things up in my approach I think, I'd like to try giving myself more of a disciplined approach to writing a little every day, even if it's one word...but I also realized just how tired I felt after November...so a soft middle ground will probably have to be found. I might try to use the website for other projects and set the deadline for far longer than just a month...we'll see!
I am happy that I'm not as disappointed with my own writing as I was with it last year...perhaps that too is a part of my growth as a writer. Could I have written more? Sure, but I've been far more wary of pushing myself and getting burned out last year. I need to remember to pace myself, to be kind, and that sometimes writing is just loafing about and doing other things and projects - and then the next thing you know WHAM 200 words pop in your head!
Anyways let's look at those cold hard numbers!!
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2023 Total number of..
User Subscriptions: 17 Kudos: 341 Comment Threads: 61 Bookmarks: 81 Subscriptions: 70 Word Count: 107,804 Hits: 5,054
Top five hits/fics of 2023:
Glow Worms or rather: In the Depths of the Safflower Hills
Cold Green Tea and Colder Feet
Refrigerator Problem
Hand Rolled
Chapped Lips
2024 Goals
Honestly? To keep trying to make each new chapter / fic seem a little better than the last. Keep the progress going, while still remembering to be patient with myself (I'm not very patient with myself ^^;; )
I know I mention this often, but I'd like to attempt writing a multi-chaptered fic in its entirety before posting chapters...just once! Just to see what it is like. We'll see, we'll see... I'm not like in a hurry haha
I'd like to try and finish some of my Discworld Multi-chaptered fics...perhaps I'll use one of them in this theory, just to test it out. I'd love to get a new The Runaway's Gamble chapter out (or finish the fic this year, but I'm being soft with my goals this year) as well as get another Trial Runs and Errors chapter out (perhaps even finish the fic to start working on the next one in the Maurice and Lipwig series of shenanigans and adventures)
We'll see where my attention and heart takes me, cause it'd also be nice to get Glow Worms and Refrigerator Problem done
And yet I have so many other projects I'd like to jump into, like a Serizawa-centric serirei fic, or to finish Chapped Lips
I mean I know there's no rule in having to finish something before starting something else...technically I AM kind of working on them despite not posting anything...perhaps this is a way I could give that "finish the whole fic before posting it" a shot, or at least an attempt haha
I hope my quality continues to improve - but most of all I hope things become a little better.
If 2023 has taught me one thing, it's: let myself be surprised. And you know? I'd like to keep that energy moving forward into 2024
Thank you for reading this far!
I hope 2024 is kinder to us all than the last year, and we all grow and getting a little closer to our goals and dreams and happiness. Who knows where we'll be this time next year, hopefully it'll be a little better than today.
Anywho, stay awesome out there - don't forget to be kind to yourself and others.
And be safe
Best wishes!
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burning-omen · 11 months
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Loki Laufeyson x Royal! Gn!reader headcanons
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(a/n: pretend I've posted more than once this year PLEASE! Also the request is over a year old at this point so uuuuhhhh)
Warning: mentions of stitches and blood, mention (1) of possible sex.
Requested by anonymous: Hey, I think you are taking requests atm? If you're not I'm very sorry, could I request being royalty and dating Loki would include headcanons, and gn reader maybe?
Your relationship with Loki was a secret.
Mostly because, as the current ruler of (kingdom), it was in your best interest to keep up a modest and disciplined appearance.
Dating a terrorist didn't exactly scream modest or disciplined.
recovered terrorist.
Well, with your current position, dating was completely off the table anyways so you might as well go all out.
You could have been dating the most normal, sainest person in the universe and they would have still called for your immediate removal.
Luckily, you and Loki could keep a secret
You met when he, very gracefully, crashed into the side of your castle. Having nearly broken your window, only to land- unconscious- on your balcony.
It was late, but as luck would have it, you were awake- reading of all things.
After calming your guards, who'd burst in upon hearing the massive collision, you went out to see what hit you.
When you saw the man you thought that he was an assassin, but the giant gash on his forehead (from hitting a massive, stone castle at 200 miles an hour) led you to think that the man was harmless- and probably going to die due the blood loss soon anyways.
You did eventually decide to bring him in, patching him up with a hand-me-down sewing kit and laying him in your bed.
He was enraged when he woke up, having been knocked out of the Bifrost by Thor roughhousing.
You didn't know who Thor was- or what a bifrost is- but the way he raved about his ‘moron of a brother’ made you laugh
He didn't stay long after that, letting himself rest in your bed and be dotted on by a sovereign (yes, he was royalty himself but being cared for by maids and servants just felt different, it felt static and practiced- you were different, your touches were elegant, but unknowledged in the act of serving- you were warm and caring- and still carried an air of hard earned superiority. It was odd), before leaving.
The next time you saw him was on the news years later, despite your family and your kingdom as a whole being old fashioned, you were still allowed some modern luxuries- like a television.
The knowledge that you'd rescued a god was rather jarring, but not as jarring as the fact that he was trying to take over the world.
Skipping ahead, the two of you met again over a decade later. For him, the time had passed like nothing, considering how long gods live, for you, that decade had dragged on longer than you could have ever predicted.
You met at a ball, despite being the current ruler for over a decade your parents, who were thoroughly retired, insisted that you'd still mingle with the lower lords and such.
After hours of small talk with various dukes and lords and princes, you met him again.
You talked, far longer than your parents had ever taught you to talk to a single person at a social gathering. You had other people to meet, other connections to make, yet you stayed with him.
The party ended in a blur, you were eventually pulled away from Loki to see the guest off.
By the time you got back to where you last saw him, he was gone.
A bit defeated, you returned to your room, the guards posted by your door wishing you a good night.
To your surprise, when you entered your bedroom- he was there, sitting at your desk, a book in hand and a gentle, yet focused look on his face.
“Lord Loki, what a surprise.”
“I don't think our conversation was quite finished yet, I figured you wouldn't mind me waiting here for you.”
Despite your last meeting being brief, the two of you were able to click together like old friends. Talking into the late hours of the night.
As you stood behind the dressing screen, tossing your royal party garnets- or “the itchy ones” as you so affectionately named them as a child, over the edge, running your mouth about all the current drama that has been accumulating within your court.
“Lord Isolles, the short man with the long, gray mustache, half of his children are illegitimate, born completely out of wedlock, and he's married too, their mothers are various other duchesses and princesses, I guess he's very popular with the older women in my court-”
Stepping from behind the dressing curtain, practically running for your wardrobe, quickly scavenging for something less uncomfortable to wear than your previous outfit, then running back.
“-I don't see what they see in him but 70 is a bit out of my age range.”
“You do know that I'm over a thousand years old, right?”
“Yes, but you're a god- so it's different.”
You did, eventually, end up in your bed (sexually or not is up to you).
In the morning, he was still there, his back facing you. Without much consideration, you wrapped your arms around him, pulling him closer to your chest. You felt his stir for a bit before settling. One of his hands resting over yours.
He is a surprisingly heavy sleeper. Though, after a while of dating, you kinda figured out that it was a biological thing, considering the other asgardians you end up meeting, including his brother, who just confirmed what you already thought.
The two of you stroke each other's egos to the point that it's concerning.
He will kneel at your feet and praise you in your (empty) throne room as long as you are willing to do the same for him.
Matching crowns, jokingly calling him your consort until it stops being a joke, Loki purposefully getting captured by your guards just so he has to stand trial before you, being wildly inappropriate the entire time, you enjoyed it- of course you did, he was a bastard but he was a lovable and entertaining one.
You wanted to kill him afterward, but he was forgiven eventually.
“Various” lords and lady’s visit you only for it to just be Loki in disguise
He likes to think that it's his way of giving you a break on your busy days.
If you wear Asgardian style royal attire he absolutely swoons, actually, if you wear anything he gives you he’ll swoon. Be it a pendant or a full outfit.
Taking you to little Asgard to meet his brother, because despite everything he does love him.
Telling you about his mother and how much you would have loved each other.
Eventually moving into a bigger room to make space for him so he can stay with you permanently.
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nakunakunomi · 8 months
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Hi Hazel! I hope you feel better soon!
Leona, our beloved drenched cat (affectionate).
I've been meaning to invest in some leggings for ages so that I could wear dresses in the winter but I never got around to it haha. Maybe it's time.
That makes sense! If you don't mind sharing, I'd love to learn more about your OCs. I like the idea of OCs but I'm not creative enough to think about characteristics and personalities.
Sending you all my Twst gacha luck! May everyone come home within a few pulls.
I've been reading books lately! I'm trying to get back into the habit of reading but I don't have the attention span haha.
Wishing you a speedy recovery and reminder to drink lots of water! Sending you lots of love -berry anon
Hiya Berry! He truly is our (beloved) drenched cat, hehehe. 100% recommend the leggings, maybe this is a sign haha.
I am getting better, definitely. I was sick for the better part of a week, and I am still pretty tired, but I am feeling more human again every day.
What kind of books are you reading? I try reading a bunch of books every year, but I am gloriously failing this year, I haven't been able to participate in book club much either. I need to find a balance again... and it is hard to keep off of my phone. What's your favorite book? Any recommendations?
With fall finally feeling like fall, it's ideal reading weather. Burn some candles, have a nice mug of a hot beverage and a blanket over your lap, some atmospheric music in the background.. ugh maybe I should just get to it again as well... I have a huge stack of unread books and manga (did I tell you yet I got the twst manga too? Only the first volume was available yet, the rest is in pre-order for now, but it looks GORGEOUS the art is fantastic!)
As for twst, glorious masquerade is here, and I am anxiously waiting for the Idia card to drop. I have my 200 pulls ready so he is guaranteed, but I hope he doesn't make me go all the way. Fingers crossed.
As for my OC's. I will GLADLY share, but I am SO SORRY I cannot possibly keep this brief... so I added a cut, and please feel free to just.. ignore it if it's too much, I love my OC's loads and am always a little embarrassed to talk about them because I will gush and this is... so so so long. So... here goes, OC ramble under the cut. Even if you don't get through it, wishing you a wonderful reading time and beginning of fall! Hope to hear from you soon! <3
Disclaimer before diving into my OC's (also for other people reading this). All these OC's are female, I am aware NRC is an all boy's school and this makes no sense, but these are my OC's and my alterations to the storyline, and I just go for a mixed school (with more additions, but more on that later). Some of these are more developed than others, but I love them all dearly.
Okay so I have 6 twisted wonderland OC's aside from a Yuusona which is a blatant self-insert/Yuu for in the games. I'll share a visual (the visuals are all made with the Rinmaru fantasy generator + 2 pieces of my own mediocre art) and a little blurb on their Unique magic, personality, 'storyline' (and partner, as most of them are made 'for' a specific character) and other relevant things, if there is such a thing, cause not all of them have that much. There are some very clear and some less clear Disney references in most of them, especially the unique magics. At least I tried.
Dannah Caliiya (Pronounced: Day-nah Kalee-ya)
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(with this, debut of my art, lmao)
Dannah is a Gazelle beastman, and a Savanaclaw student. She is happy-go-lucky, carefree, and very athletic. She is of average intelligence, but has massive trouble concentrating, a personification of the worst of my ADHD, if you will. She gets literal zoomies and brain zoomies, which make her a menace to have in class (especially Trein), but a delight to have in sports clubs. She is part of Savanaclaw's spelldrive team, and actually one of their star players. Her magic skills are mediocre, but her stamina is unrivalled, she can outrun nearly all other Savanaclaw members.
Her partner is -of course- Leona, and the idea came off of a romeo and juliet-esque 'forbidden' romance of what would traditionally be considered not-done, in the sense of an absolute commoner and royalty, but with a hidden layer of what could be considered a prey animal and a predator (even though beastmen don't necessarily live by those dynamics). She is, by all means, Leona's 'herbivore' (affectionate).
Her unique magic is Everything the light touches, a spell that makes a bright light appear in a location of her choice. The brightness depends on the power of the spell, and can either light a way (even through magical darkness) or temporarily blind other people.
She expresses affection towards friends, family and romantic partners by gently bonking her forehead into theirs. For Lions, rubbing ones face against someone else is generally a more intimate gesture, which will lead to some awkward misunderstandings in the beginning of the friendship between her and Leona.
Lexi Greydance
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Lexi is another Savanaclaw student, and she is also a beastman. It's not very clear from the dress up generator, but she is a Crocodile beastman. She is not a very book-smart kinda gall. Practical magic is her forte, but no one ask her any theoretical stuff, she'll draw a blank and just guess (and guess wrongly 9/10). She's overall pretty charming but has no filter, which makes her come across as blunt or sometimes even rude to those that don't know her. She does mean well. She's pretty athletic, but doesn't necessary act on it. Loves sunbathing cause she's always cold. She is pretty but doesn't put much effort in it, hot mess couture, she has this permanent "just woke up look." Her unique magic is "your head is in the clouds" Clouds appear around a targets head, blinding, deafening and disorienting them for the duration of the spell. Works best on 1-3 human-sized targets, but more is possible, it just gets harder to keep the spell going/or the spell weakens. Training can better this eventually.
She gets paired with Jack, and her role is not necessary one of a student, but more of a house 'mother' by the lack of a better word. She is actually around the age of the students, and is there as an aid to the housewarden, whoever it may be. She divides chores for the students and makes sure they're done, helps organize school- and dorm activities, oversees clubs... She gets along with Leona well enough, and they have a bond of mutual respect. They leave each other alone most of the time.
Mei Meduzo
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Meduzo means Jellyfish in esperanto and she is a Jellyfish-mermaid, based on a phantom jellyfish, also known as Stygiomedusa. So I thought the name was a nice mix of origins, translation and an alliteration.
As a mermaid, I think it's quite easy to guess she's part of Octavinelle, and she is also part of the fish mafia (Azul/Floyd/Jade). She is calm, collected and polite. She is very charming and intelligent, but errs on the lazier side for actually using her skills. She is a musician, able to sing and play violin. She works in the Mostro lounge, either behind the bar or playing background music. She also sometimes participates in their more shady business dealings; I'd like to call her Floyd's squeezing buddy. All her earnings go to luxury products, mostly makeup, accessories and clothes. She likes spoiling herself.
(since scientists still don't really know how the Stygiomedusa catches prey with their very drape-like tentacles (there are not many spotted yet), one of the theories is that prey basically gets smothered and suffocated in the drapetacles. So, I Imagine she can help Floyd with squeezing, although she is more elegant about it.)
I have no unique magic for her yet and I am not sure if I will ever get her any. Her partner is Jade. They both have the same brand of customer service smile and politeness, with some darkness lurking under the surface. They are deeply in love, but no one (except for those very close to them) knows about their relationship, just cause they are mostly reserved in public.
Leah Blackwell
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A shorter one in between, as a little resting place for you, if you're still reading. We're past the halfway point hahah, I am so sorry. I just go ham when I can ramble about my OC's.
Leah is a concept more than an actual OC. She is a princess, but I don't know of where just yet, and she is at NRC to learn how to be *independent*. She was raised extremely sheltered though, always had servants do stuff for her.
She ends up in Scarabia and is best friends with Kalim, and in turn, a huge pain in the behind for Jamil, who now has to practically babysit TWO spoilt children that HONESTLY don't know any better. She tries out to help but will 10/10 accidentally set the kitchen on fire doing the dishes.
Aestrid Anktha
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another one of my silly drawings Drawing context: Jamil has been up since 4am prepping and says that he is 'fine' and 'doesn't need any help'. Aestrid has a dark aesthetic but a soft personality. She loves reading and learning. If you need help acing exams, she's gonna be your key to succes. She will read an entire antology of magic for some light bedtime reading. She is always willing to help others out, maybe even a little bit of a pushover (make that definitely, she is definitely a huge pushover). She'll stay up late to tutor those who ask nicely. You do have to ask nicely. She will take over any and all chores or at least help. BUT if the chore is a punishment, she won't, purely out of principle. She follows school rules, values good grades, but also a proper balance of free time and chores.
Her unique magic is "Itty bitty living space" - shrinking someone to a tiny size, and sealing them in a magical bottle. They don't run out of oxygen nor do they get hungry or thirsty, it's confinement. Not death. Once the bottle is opened or destroyed the person gets back to their regular size.
She is in Scarabia, and she is Jamil's girlfriend. Their relationship is a slow-developing one, because she is extremely shy, and it's easier for her to hang out with Kalim than Jamil, even though she has a massive crush on the latter. And since Jamil is so guarded and rarely shows his true colors, it takes a while for them to get close. They bond over chores though, Aestrid always helping out Jamil when he's doing servant tasks on top of vice housewarden chores and some of the housewarden chores as well.
Melanie Furea
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[picture is a temporary placeholder made on picrew, I actually want to draw her]. This is my most recent and most elaborate OC. This one has the most story-info, is the only one not at NRC (so could technically be integrated into the story without making NRC a mixed school), and she is the one I am most proud of (I think Dannah, Aestric and Melanie are my three main babies). The story has some obvious mistakes, plotholes and otherwise still, so please ignore these as I am still finetuning her and figuring out how blot etc works precisely. I know you're not really into twst that much anymore, so idk how much you know of chapter 6, but there are some spoilers in here, just so you know. I will keep most things vague.
Melanie Furea - her friends call her Mel, at least they would, if she had any friends. Her family had been tied to the Shroud family long before they got cursed, already indebted because of a personal matter between ancestors, where a Furea promised servitude from their family to the Shrouds, in exchange for getting their family saved. The exact details are unsure, but the Furea family wouldn't exist if it weren't for the Shrouds. Then, when hundreds of years ago the Shrouds got cursed, and their servants got a hereditary curse placed upon them as well. As the Shrouds are forced to be near sources of blot, burning them incessantly before it starts eating at their own energy, the Fureas keep producing blot, overblotting if the blot doesn't get dealt with, forcing them to stay one the Isle of Woe as well, where there's the necessary precautions, or near a Shroud when they leave the Isle. If there is too much blot produced, it's a quick overblot without even having to use magic, and they will die
Somewhere a few generations back, the bond was no longer one of exact servitude, as neither families truly remember what that is for, but since they do kind of need each other to balance out the curses, they keep working on the isle as assistants/higher ups at Styx. Melanie's parents were the first to try and get away from that all, devising a plan to escape, with a magical item that they acquired that would take away their blot accumulation. It cost them all their money, and they hadn't gotten far before noticing that it was a scam. They died in their escape attempt, leaving little Melanie behind. She was 10 at the time, old enough to realize what was happening. Melanie now works for Styx, mostly as Idia's personal assistant, staying in contact with him, even when he's at NRC. They basically grew up together, the Shroud parents taking pity on her and taking her in after her parent's death. This was also one year after the Ortho-incident, so they were hoping having someone around of his age would make it easier to overcome his grief and get him out of his shell again. It didn't help much, but she is closer to Idia than anyone else (except of course Otho IA). They regularly game together and he can talk normal to her. If anything, he kind of bosses her around sometimes.
She used to dream of leaving the island, fueled by stories told by her parents, but what happened to them was enough of a shock for her to give up said dream. Now she kind of lives a meaningless existence, following Idia's lead in online escapism, having online alter egos that are living out big adventures in safer online environments.
Since there isn't much to do for her besides work and game, and there are very little people for her to socialize with, she is a bit harder to get along with. She is kind of sarcastic and has pretty high walls built around her, and most people who work at Styx need to avoid her anyway because people with low magic can get affected by the constant blot-production.
She has a little bit of a crush on Idia too, but chooses to ignore that and handles her emotions with more sarcasm and a little distance and kicking his ass at rhythm games. Because of her curse, she is planning on not being selfish like her parents and have her bloodline die out. It's not like the Shrouds 'need' them anymore anyway, as long as they return to Styx regularly they can travel around just fine.
which leaves me with an interesting idea for if she and Idia were to ever have kids, if that would break both familial curses??
Her unique magic is blooming love "get off my case" - a defensive spell which makes white flowers appear. They are harmless unless touched and then they paralyze the person who's touched them, effectively being a barrier between her and people trying to close.
Underneath is some more brainrot and ramble i pulled straight from discord, so if it's a little more chaotic that's why. Hercules is one of my favorite movies and Idia is my favorite together with Leona, which is why I put so much effort in this OC. I just simply had way more to play with for Idia, as chapter 6 has so much more lore than chapter 2. No matter how much I love Leona, his story was so far the worst, and I am still a little salty about that.
discord blurb 1: "3 am Melanie thoughts: since there's some physical representation of the curse as there is with the Shrouds, I'm putting it in her hair as well. It's pitch black, like a manifestation of blot. It looks like a strange mix of fluid/gaseous, but it's neither, with little drips falling down but never hitting the floor. It generally looks wavy/curly, but also changes shape with emotions, though never color. When she's excited, angry or generally experiencing intense emotions, it becomes more curly/wild/voluminous looking. When sad/shy/deflated/anxious it becomes flatter and flatter, even hanging in front of her face (think Violet from the Incredibles). She mostly wears it in a ponytail though, to keep it out of her face since she hates it as a reminder to why she's practically chained to the Isle."
discord blurb 2: "Oh and considering Idia's feelings around her, she's always been better at hiding feelings so where Idia was a shutin and became increasingly anxious around people, she's mostly been harboring anger which makes her mostly a little intimidating and generally hard to approach. So i am standing with my Idia being both attracted to her but also intimidated by her on a personal level, but professionally and for gaming opportunities they get along just fine. He has a habit of still kind of ordering her around without thinking about it even when she's off the clock, and she will 100% just chuck the things he needs at his head whenever she's off the clock, which serves as a great reminder."
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IF you read through all of this, Berry, I am sending you all the internet points and cookies. Thank you SO MUCH for letting me ramble and elaborate on my OCs. I have so much feelings about them and I love talking about them, but I also always feel a little embarassed cause I don't want to push them in people's faces. And well.. now you have seen some of my drawings too I guess. Sending you loads of love!
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thefastarrow · 4 years
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Everyone was at home, or at least, that’s what you assumed. It was late into the night, the lab clouded in darkness with that far too familiar glow of LED lights keeping you company as you made your way down to the breach room, filled with excitement.
It wasn’t easy keeping things a secret in team flash, but with a rather lesser crew, since Barry had gone into the speed force, it was at least easier to sneak about. Of course, the fact that you were sneaking about and not simply telling your teammates, and friends, the truth had caused its own level of anxious guilt to take over you from time to time, but now was not the time for regret. He was almost here, and you were practically jumping with excitement.
You hadn’t bothered to dump your stuff in the cortex, making straight for the breach room where you could get to him as quickly as possible. It had almost become second nature by now, sneaking him back onto Earth-Two in the dead of the night so you could both spend some time together without the team or his daughter getting suspicious, and while, at first, it had been thrilling, you couldn’t help but wonder if this was how it would always be. Would you always be a secret he kept from the only person he truly loved? Would you always be hiding the fact that amongst all the pain and heartache the team had endured over the years, you had found someone you truly cared about? How long would it even last?
It was so easy to get lost in those thoughts, to lose yourself to what-ifs and thoughts of a future without him by your side.
But a bright explosion of light before you never ceased to bring a smile to your lips as you eagerly awaited his arrival. Blinding blues and whites seemed to take over the entire room, and your chest seemed too small to contain your beating heart. But just before he was visible, something you did not expect happened.
“Breach!” A far too familiar voice called from behind you, panic-ridden and clearly attempting to gain the attention of others.  Your beaming smile was stolen from you with that single word, and you didn’t have to look around to see who had joined you. Cisco clearly had not left for the night.
A protective hand grabbed you, pulling you behind him as he readied the pulse gun in a manner you might have considered ironic were you not suddenly filled with fear of what might happen.
“Cisco, no!” you called out, attempting to grasp at the gun in an attempt to keep him from firing.
But it wasn’t your pull that caught his attention, but rather your very presence. With a quizzical gaze, Cisco seemed to finally take you in, dressed in a form-fitting dress that was far from your usual day attire, with hair and makeup done to perfection, he seemed lost to not only your appearance but the fact you were even there.
“Y/N?” he paused. If his tone hadn’t given away his confusion, his furrowed brows and the slight tilt of his head certainly did.
But you didn’t get a chance to answer or explain, the lights behind him were shining all the brighter and you knew you were done for.
A resounding footstep drew the scientist’s attention from you as he half raised the rifle once more before stopping in shock. This was your chance, your small reprieve where you could explain why Harry was there, why you were dressed as you were, to make up some wonderful lie that might stop him from instantly spreading rumours amongst the rest of the team. But as you took in the sight of the man stepping out into your world, all words were far from your mind.
He was in black, that much was a norm, but what was not was the perfectly tailored suit, the crisp shirt that seemed to accentuate the sharp lines of his features, and if that hadn’t been enough, the bouquet of roses he held in his hand had certainly stolen your words away.
“Happy V-” he stopped suddenly, his sights narrowing in on Cisco. To the untrained eye, he may have seemed furious, and while you were certain that there was some level of fury within him at Cisco’s being there, you could tell there were far more emotions at play. The slight glance between you and Cisco, the fear and insecurity in his gaze, the way he chewed ever so slightly on his bottom lip and moved his weight from foot to foot gave him away. But he was never one to show his fears or anxieties, not when he could shelter them away with a well-practised mask of anger.
“Ramon,” he cleared his throat, attempting, and rather failing, at hiding the flowers from view. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“Well, what did you- Oh ho ho!” Cisco cheered as realisation dawned upon him. Taking a few steps until he was right in the middle of the two of you, he turned from one to another as if watching a thrilling game of tennis, his grin growing with every movement. “Oh, now it all makes sense! You’re here to see Y/N! Oh man, I can’t wait to tell Iris and Wally this, they are going to flip!”
Your eyes widened almost comically as you finally caught Harry’s gaze, a mirror of your own fear. Panic pushed you both forwards, Harry easily gliding towards Cisco as you attempted to do the same, only to get your heel caught in one of the completely unnecessary tactile indicators that lined the floor. With an undignified yelp, you stumbled forwards, only to be caught by those familiar hands grasping your forearms to help right you.
“You alright?” Harry asked, with a level of concern few had ever been privy to. With a reassuring smile and nod, you huffed out a breath as you fixed yourself. But the moment was short-lived as Cisco’s laughter filled the air once more.
“Oh, this is going to be amazing!” Cisco clapped his hands in front of him, the pulse rifle hanging uselessly once more as he practically sauntered away from you, already halfway to the door. “Harry and Y/N secretly dating, Harry turning up with flowers on Valentine’s Day, a dramatic swoon before he catches her in a daring show of romance… Oh yeah, this is going to be fun!”
You were half ready to throw your shoes off and chase after him when his distant singing reached your ears. “Y/N and Harry sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-”
“Oh yeah, I’m going to kill him,” Harry sighed, drawing your attention away from your own murderous thoughts towards the man who still held onto you. But his gaze was not on you, nor on the doorway your so-called friend had just left through, but rather the somewhat demolished bouquet of flowers that littered the floor behind him.
“You brought flowers?” it was hardly the most pressing thought you had had in the past few moments, and yet, for some unknown reason, it was the only thought your brain could provide.
A heavy sigh fell from the scientist’s lips as he finally let go of you to pick up the fallen mess of flowers, half of which were mere stems as the petals had given way on their less than gracious fall to earth. With a particularly dejected frown taking over his features, Harry looked over the once pristine roses with utter disapproval. “I know Valentine’s Day is important on this Earth, I thought flowers would be nice.”
A soft smile graced your lips as you made your way towards him, pushing away the occasional petal on your way. “They’re still nice, just messy, I can do messy.”
A huff of laughter was all his reply as he handed you the disgraced bouquet with a somewhat sheepish smile. “So much for a perfect Valentine’s Day, huh?”
Humming gently in response, you gave him a smile of your own, one that you wished held the confidence you needed to encourage him. “Well, once we kill Cisco, or torture him into silence, we can get back to a perfect Valentine’s Day, what do you say?”
But there was no response. No words came from the usually verbose scientist. As the silence raged on, you grew uneasy, until you couldn’t help but meet his searching gaze. You had expected laughter, or at the very least that it would pull him out of his mind enough that you might find Cisco before he told everyone of your secret relationship. What you had not expected to see was a look of wonderment, as if Harry was trying to figure out a complex equation in your gaze.
A heavy blush was heating your cheeks and you desperately wanted to look away, but that was the thing about those gorgeous blue eyes, they were magnetic. Once he caught your gaze there was no power on heaven or earth that could pull you away. After a long moment, you couldn’t stand it any longer, you had to know what he was thinking that had him so very lost before you. “Harry?” his name came out quieter than you had intended, almost shyly, but it seemed to be enough to break him from his thoughts.
With a dry swallow, he took a moment, his gaze never leaving yours. “What if we didn’t?”
An anxious array of thoughts flooded your mind at those words; fearful thoughts of this being the end, of him deciding he had had enough of you, that the risk wasn’t worth the reward, that at the very least, your date night had been truly ruined before it could even begin.
“Didn’t what?” you asked with a dry throat, terrified to know the answer, but curious beyond anything else.
“What if we didn’t stop him? What if we just left? Just went on our way, had dinner, enjoyed Valentine’s Day and let him tell the others?” he spoke so quickly you weren’t certain you had heard him right. Were it not for the way his chest had puffed out subconsciously in a defensive manner, ready to fight for his opinion, you may have easily thought you had misheard him.
“You want them to know?” you asked in a small voice, insecurity and uncertainty plaguing your mind as you desperately tried to figure out what he meant.
“Do you?” he threw the question back at you almost instantly.
Of course you wanted them to know, you didn’t want to keep sneaking into the lab to meet with him in secret in the middle of the night, or breaching over to his earth only when Jesse wouldn’t notice, but that didn’t mean he wanted the same. You had been keeping quiet for so long now, and it had been for him, hadn’t it? Had he really thought this through? Was it even possible he truly wanted the secret to be out?
But then, if there was one thing you knew for certain, one thing anyone who had ever so much as come across him could tell, it was that Harrison Wells never did anything without thinking it through almost obsessively. If he was suggesting this, he meant it with full sincerity.
A beaming smile took over you once more, and you couldn’t help but duck your head in embarrassment as you felt it pull at your features. But for the second time that evening, words wouldn’t come to you. You were, quite literally, speechless.
You had to answer, had to give him some kind of clue as to what you were thinking, after all, Harrison Wells could handle a lot of things, but not knowing something was not one of them. So you did the only thing you could think of. Pushing yourself forward onto the toes of your precarious high heels, you pressed your lips against his in a gentle kiss.
“Let’s go have dinner.”
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astriefer · 3 years
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Please have this messy, badly written scenario as a humble gift to you, because I wanted to do something since I reached 200 followers!
Bits of Truth
They stood in front of the Carstairs' townhouse in Cornwall Gardens. Christopher seemed mildly confused about what they were doing there as if he had not been paying attention. James shared one last glance with Thomas before he knocked on the door.
A few bits of silence flew by, in which they had held their breaths. Then footsteps tapped on the floor, and the door cracked open.
A wave of relief passed through James that not Sona nor Risa or any other maid came to open the door. Then he thought what a peculiar thought it was for him to be relieved by. Alastair looked at them, frozen in place, blinking a few times as if he didn't believe they were truly there. He rejoined his composure hastily. He didn't let them in - he stood in the front door and his eyes searched theirs for an explanation. It was like a weird staring contest. Eventually, Alastair spoke first. "Cordelia is not here. You know it fairly well."
He moved to close the door. "We haven't come for Cordelia," he said quickly, which received another incredulous glance from Alastair. "Well, we have. But not because we thought she'd show up here. We came to talk to you."
Alastair narrowed his eyes, expressionless, and considered James. Then he glanced at Christopher and Thomas, noting their desperate eyes. "About my sister?"
"We won't take long," promised James, despite he wasn't sure it's true. Alastair studied him, and James felt himself going rigid. He leveled Alastair with his indecipherable gaze.
Then Alastair had stepped back from the door and ushered them in. "My mother is in her bedroom, resting, and Risa went shopping for supper. So, you have to be quiet. Make it quick.'
~~~~
Alastair took their coats and tilted his head towered the parlor. A kettle whiselted in the kitchen. As he gestured them inside he turned the other way. A fire burned in the chimney, and a book rested peacefully on the armchair. When James examined closer he discovered it was written in Persian. Thomas mumbled something about Persian poetry.
Alastair came inside with a tray and James thought he was, for a change, being hospitable, but he ignored them and disappeared up the stairs. When he got back, empty-handed, James assumed the tea was for his mother. Alastair placed the book on the table as he sat down in front of them. Thomas and Christopher set on a love sofa and James set stoned on another armchair. He didn't waste time being the kind host, James presumed. "What it is about my sister?"
The golden-eyed boy decided the best tactic was started from what he knew. That wasn't much, but it was the most important thing, and he was certain about it, at the very least. "I love your sister."
Alastair raised his eyebrows, amused. "Yes, that's something that tends to happen between married couples, I've been told."
James shook his head. "This marriage, of Cordelia and I," just saying her name on his lips made a treacherous skip of his heartbeat, full of hurt and love. "It was a sham marriage."
Alastair pools of dark marble were fixed on James when he explained, rather awkwardly, the events that led to their marriage. And then events that led to Cordelia leaving the country. He prospected Alastair would be outraged, throw spears at them, maybe even recite some very angry poetry phrases in Persian. Instead, Alastair was very still for very long. When he did speak, the words weren't the James expected them to be. "I knew the marriage wasn't out of love," Alastair said calmly. "But I didn't expect you to tell all that rubbish."
James blinked. "It's the truth."
"Oh, I know," Alastair returned with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I doubt you would come up with such a ludicrous idea on your own, even if just to spite me. and I also know Cordelia wouldn't have slept with you unwedded, no matter how much she loved you."
All the thieves caught their breath when Alastair leaned forward, his month curving in an odd angle. "I also know being married to you was a wish she never thought would come true, and that you cared for her. You claimed her as yours and you defended her. It was good for Cordelia, and so I said nothing."
James snorted, although he hadn't found the conversation funny. Not the least. "I thought I loved Grace at that time. I felt bad when the thought of living with Cordelia was more appealing than I expected." The thought of Grace made his features harden. "And because of Grace, for years I've been blind. Manipulated. I lost my wife and Parabatai. She played with me like a doll; messed with my feelings, messed with my life. This is unforgivable."
He did not notice Christopher who tensed up and fixed his spectacles on his nose. "She did some bad things," he said, surprising them all. "But I don't think she's evil."
James furrowed his brow. "She's like a siren: beautiful and compelling, but going after her will only end in you being drowned."
"I see," Alastair said, turning back to James. "But why? Why did she do it?"
"Does it matter?" James asked. "She hurt so many people. She doesn't even deserve to apologize. It won't matter anyhow - the damage is done. After all she has done...sorry will never be enough. Nothing will."
"It matters," Alastair said. "Because you don't know her side of the tale. You don't know what she thinks. What she feels. You don't know if she had to do what she did."
He was tempted to say Grace has no feelings at all. "I believe I'm allowed to be angry."
"I do agree that what she had done to you is far above a jest or a play with hearts," there was a strange flame burning in the deep ponds of Alastair's dark eyes. "And you have no obligation to forgive her. But why not hear what she has to say? You are the one with the power. You know the truth. She can not affect you any longer."
James shook his head. "You don't know Grace," he said coldly, gravely. "She will try to use me. She will try and make me do as she wishes. I will not be a pawn in her game again. She controlled my life long enough."
Alastair glanced away, pondering over something. Thomas turned his head nervously between James and Alastair. For the first time since the beginning of their conversation, Thomas inquired, "Why do you insist James will hear her out?"
"You have no idea of her motives," Alastair retorted. "What she's done - she must know it's wrong. And she will have to live with this knowledge for the rest of her days. You are allowed to be angry, James, and rightfully so. But don't let it blind you. That you have been kept from certain kinds of evil doesn't mean everyone else had. You have no clue what led her to those decisions." Alastair looked distanced. James managed to guess he's not been talking only about Grace. "You should talk to her. You may not forgive her, but you deserve to understand, to know why to hear the plain truth. And you should let her mourn what she could have had and lost."
James wasn't sure he fully comprehended. "I wouldn't have loved her. Even without the bracelet issue - my heart belongs to Cordelia."
"What do you mean?" Christopher asked. "That not everyone had been kept from evil."
Alastair shrugged. "I met Tatiana Blackthorn only once. She's a madwoman. She doesn't seem like the kind of caring, kind mother to pet her daughter's shoulder. Besides, Grace seemed to be controlled by Tatiana, rather than working alone or alongside her."
"She took the love of my life away from me," James growled. "Nothing can atone for that."
"The love of your life is my sister," he reminded James. "I can hardly find the idea of her being heartbroken a good thing. And the one who caused this pain is not much liked, as well. But you shouldn't think that just because you would've done it otherwise, it was an option for her. You can't know what are the options in front of people. You can't know how they feel unless you talk to them. So talk to Grace, James. Then seek out my sister. If you love her like you claim you do, will you give up on her so easily?"
"No," James stood up, "I will not."
Alastair nodded. "why did you come and tell me about your little schemes? Why now?"
Now, after so much time of lying, why tell the truth? Why not keep it in its cage of delicately made lies?
James cut his gaze to the book on the table. Thomas answered instead in a quiet voice. "She is your sister. You must have been worried about her. We wanted to tell you because - because you deserve to know the truth and understand why things happened the way they did."
What Thomas did not say was what none of them wanted to admit. Cordelia ran away to Paris with Matthew. Even if she'll be back in only two weeks - they all were worried sick. James couldn't blame her, he was awful and blind. All of this was a mess. If she needed time to calm down in Paris, he couldn't deny it of her, even if he had a say in this choice.
Alastair studied Thomas, and James felt the half-Persian hadn't quite believed them. It was true - they needed his help in the future. But it was a start. "Anything else? A ghost friend? Another evil aunt?"
"No," Christopher affirmed.
"Good," Alastair said. James might have imagined it but he thought he saw Alastair sneak a glance at Thomas before standing up. "Now get out of my house. Risa will be here any minute."
~~~~
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I- how?? Thank you so much, everyone!! 🙈 Thank you, you can't understand how much it means to me. 🥺
This is mind-blowing. Truly. For whatever reason you follow me, know that I love you <3
Tagging some of my mutuals, you are all wonderful and make my time here so much better (not all of them because my brain is all wonky, but I mean all of you): @kit-12 @littlx-songbxrd @pink-party-dino @shadowhuntertrash @gummybears-4u @itsdaughterofthemoon @mcrrythievcs @fictionally-fantastic @reyna-herondale I'll tag more but I don't want to bother anyone so... thank you!! I don't know what people find in my blog, but I am grateful, and I appreciate all of you endlessly.
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inessencedevided · 4 years
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The Untamed, episode 43 - watching notes
The sun is setting on this show for me and I'm not ready to say goodbye yet 😔
(As if I will! Ha. Imma blog about nothing else the next ... probably years)
Last time on Sophie watches the untamed: We're still in the restricted section. The twin love-struck idiots of lan and wwx found the Collection of turmoil and suspect Jin Guangyao of intentionally bringing about Nie Mingjue's qui deviation.
As much as I love the "hihi. Wwx is wearing his boyfriend's underrobe" aspect of this, I also like the visual incorporation of lwj's colour scheme into wwx's clothes. (Not just through the undertone, his black tone also has slight grey seam.) It's as if now that they are finally fully committed to each other, wwx is displaying it for all the world to see
Jin Guangyao tore out a page to hide the evidence. That's not how to do that!!!
My heart is breaking for Lan Xichen. He looks like a man standing on a train track and watching the light speed towards him in horror while he's unable to move away
Feels like exactly no one on this show is getting their happy ending
*thinks about yi city and cries forever*😭😭😭
"Wangji, Jin Guangyao,in my eyes, is a totally different person from how you and other people see him." And we all know that lwj knows exactly what that's like
PARALLELS! 😭
(Sorry, I have a thing for those)
And lwj looks so pained
Thinking about it, it's now the man lwj loves against the man lxc loves (in whatever way. I still ship them. Not sure if its "canonically" romantic though). They can't both be right, so ... one of them is going to get their heart broken
Great, first the Yunmeng brothers, now the lan brothers are breaking my heart 🥺
Lwj says he's visiting "Grand Master", that's Lan Qiren right? What happened to him anyway? Haven't seen him in ages
I love how, even though it is wwx's word against jgy's right now, lan Xichen is still genuinely kind towards wwx
The whipping scars! I hadn't even thought about those anymore 😳
I'm probably going to get my heart ripped out soon, but before that
"You are not qualified to talk to me."
Sickest. Burn. Ever.
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Also, no disrespect to the actor, but that's a backpfeifengesicht if I've ever seen one
(Backpfeifengesicht: "German compound word for a 'face that should be slapped'. Ex:. When GWB smirks on TV, my German friend Uwe tells me that he sees a 'Backpfeifengesicht'." Urban dictionary)
He went to burial mount after wwx was killed??? 🥺🥺🥺
I've noticed something with lwj. When he's distressed, he won't look people in the eye or not even at their faces, just in their very general direction. To me it seems like he almost... can't? Any thoughts on that? Cause I'm intrigued but I can't think about it too much right now cause I'm already writing half an essay in this commentary again 😅
Oh fuck YOU Jiggy!!!
Holy shit ... holy shit
Lan Wangji 🥺🥺🥺
He fought against everyone?
This is how he showed his grieve???
He went to the place wei Wuxian had called home and ... what? Protected or ot so they wouldn't desecrate it? To search for him? To ... what?
Oh god, Wangji! 😭
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That image... I'm speechless. It's so powerful
He's half-mad with grieve and kneeling in the ruins of his dead loves home, having fought himself to exhaustion and I'm... not okay 😭😭😭
He had to repent for THREE YEARS??
Oh no, you don't
Holy ...
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Holy shit
How can my heart break and be so full at the same time 💔🥺
Lan Wangji ... my love
I'm ... so proud of him and yet so sad
Here he is at his lowest, finally standing up to the orthodoxy he knows to be wrong
This is inhumane 😳
The corporal punishment of the lan sect always was but THIS
Fuck them
Or Lan Qiren specifically
That's his nephew. How can he even look at himself?
"Eradicate evil. Establish laws. Than goodness will be everlasting."
IT'S NOT THAT FUCKING EASY!!!
WHAT EVEN IS "GOODNESS"? WHOSE VERSION OF GOODNESS? DEVINE EVIL! HOW FAR REACHING INTO THE PRIVATE SVERE SHOULD THUSE LAWS BE? DOES IT STOP AT "DON'T STEAL FROM PEOPLE OR AT "DON'T PICK YOUR NOSE AT DINNER"?
what I'm saying is: there are about 200 ethical question ls being raised by this rule alone!
And now lan Wangji had 3 tears to contemplate them
Wwx asking "why would he bother ...?" BECAUSE YOU ARE LOVED YOU GODDAMN IDIOT!!
Ohhh! We're getting their parents' story 😱
Oh this IS a Lan episode 💙
So another Lan falling quickly and never looking back?
I'm sensing a pattern here 🤨
Wait what?
Let me get this straight:
Their father loved a woman who DID NOT love him back and then killed one of his teachers
(And I hope we find out why. That sounds like there is a REALLY interesting story there)
Then he takes her to cloud recess and DESPIT HER NOT LOVING HIM, marries her, fathers two children with her (um... how voluntary was that????) locks her up (as punishment for the murder?) then locks HIMSELF up and then fucks of and leaves his children with their uncle
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What kind of disaster human being was their dad????
Did he do the right thing WHEN HE MARRIED AND PROBABLY RAPED A WOMAN WHO DIDN'T LOVE HIM???
NO!!!
The fuck kinda question is that ??
If you have to marry her against her will and then lock her up, guess what? That's not love, that's wanting to possess someone
I hope that maybe the connotation is different in the og Chinese,but I'm not holding out much hope
That explains why Qiren is such a lovely character through 😒
But god, my heart breaks for lwj and lxc :'(
Little Lan Wangji!!! 🥺🥺🥺
Oh darling ...
Oh no ...
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Look at him look at his crooked little headband😭😭😭
He went there every month!!!
Oh Wangji 💔💔
Stubborn, steadfast, loving Wangji!
That seals it. I KNEW why he was my favourite character
He isn't so passive all the time, because he feels too little! He feels entirely too much!!! 😭😭😭
And that explains why lwj was so worried about wwx's demonic cultivation harming him!!! 😭
Oh god, it was such an old hurt for him. I had no idea 🥺🥺🥺
All of these characters need a therapist
Lxc playing the flute to what ... deal with his emotions? Express his grieve? Remeber their mother? (And god, do I want to know more about her!!) Either way, It's making me tear up 😥
"It's so difficult to determine others personalities depending on our perspective." Welcome to the human condition, my friend 💙
And that's love
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I ... wish I could show you my face right now
I'm smiling through tears right now
It's so utterly beautiful
He looks so vulnerable here! With his hair (almost) down
And given what we've just learned, that's remarkable!!!
He closed himself off became the immovable stone-faced second Jade of Lan and yet, somehow, wwx wormed his way into his heart and sure, both of them needed to overcome a lot, but here they are, vulnerable and open,not letting their parent's fate decide theirs
I'm... *sniff*
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I can never get enough of lwj with his hair like this!!
It's so domestic, so soft
And look at his face! 😭
And mister "alcohol is prohibited" is now serving it 😭
Oh my god this scene is so beautiful
I'm speechless
Was the second flute Jin Guangyao as well?
At this point I'm just expecting more plot-twists
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He looks so young! 🥺
Both of them are exhibiting so much growth in this episode!! Wwx realising that the fact that the cultivation world had always looked for a scapegoat and that he himself was just the most convenient target, that it's not to any personal failing of his, that's HUGE!
And I'm so proud of him :')
Lwj starting to play in the distance :')
This is so utterly peaceful
My heart is bursting 😭😭😭
The music, the scenery ...
Also, both thinking they have a clean conscious!!! 😭😭😭
Again, it's them holding the same morals that's important! I cannot tell you how happy that makes me!
(But wwx still cannot drink like a normal person :D)
The contrast to lxc sitting alone couldn't be starker 😔
Wait, why are there puppets at burial mounds again?
Are we going back to burial mounds? I'm weirdly excited 😅
Aaand Jin Guangyao just proved to them that he's lying. Poor Xichen
Yup, I'm pretty sure his heart just snapped in half
Little Apple!!! I've missed him 😁
Gosh, they're laying it on thick with the domestic husband bliss this episode and I'm here for it.
I love lwj's soft smile when he looks at bunnies so much!! 🥰
Bunnies, bunnies everywhere
It's the invasion of the bunnies
Who ever is the show runner *banging pots and pans together* IT'S GAY!! cab you all hear me? These two love each other! It's G - A - Y!!! Gay!!!
Probably
Lwj's shocked look when wwx says that he's not popular with little animals, as if to say "how dare they!" :D
Holy shit ... HOW MANY SCENES CAN THEY INCLUDE IN THIS EPISODE THAT MAKE THEM LOOK SO GODDAMN MARRIED???
Is wwx sitting side saddle?
Wwx plays wangxian :')
He finally remembers how lwj recognized him :')
Sneaky, show, very sneaky :D
Wwx about to casually steal some melons, lwj *wordlessly takes out money* ^^
MIANMIAN!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHH!
I'd given up hope that we'd see her again!!!
I'm so happy I could burst!!!
Lwj's little exasperated head-shake before he stands up from crouching behind some hay 😂
Aww, look at her family! 😍😍😍
She build her own live :')
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And look at this badass woman protecting the ones she loves!!!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME WEI WUXIAN??? You don't remember her???
You better remember my wife!!!
Aaand another freeze frame. But I'm willing to forgive it because THIS EPISODE WAS SO GODDAMN BRILLIANT!
It made me realise why I was so drawn to lan Wangji as a character. Of course he is mu favourite character! He ticks every single box
Let me explain. My favourite characters almost always share the following characteristics: seems either cold and distant or ethereal and aloof, as if they are above such puny human things like feelings™️(bonus if they're actually not human and their argument is "I'm [insert species]. We can't feel [insert emotion they are definetly feeling very strongly]"). then, over the course of the story, we (along with they themselves because they were in denial) discover that it's not that they feel too little, they feel entirely too much. They're a sea of emotions so deep that the surface is calm, but don't you dare be near them when the storm is coming because all hell will break loose. (extra bonus point if that storm involves them rebelling against the oppressive society they were born into and adhered to until then because they realise their consciousness won't allow it any longer.) afterwards they realise that making themselves vulnerable once in a while is actually a good thing and they proceed to fuck the Rebel™️ who they've secretly been in love with the entire time, a feeling they only now allow themselves to act on
The last part sadly isn't always canon, but who has ever had time for that?
You know what this episode made me realise most of all? The Lan sect are just as human as the rest of them. In fact, they seem to be especially prone to acting rashly on strong emotions. (I don't remember the exact story, but didn't the founder of the Lan sect also have some kind of tragic love story?) It should be obvious, but the impression you get is that they are so detached from their wants, so rigorous and disciplined in their righteousness, that they are almost super-human. But no. Thise 3000 and some rules? They weren't born out of some enlightened mind that had the secret of live figures out, they're a crutch. Abiding by them without question rids one of responsibility to make even the tiniest moral choice for oneself. But that won't work because a) they're bounty to contradict each other at some point and b) that's not how human beings work. They're messy and unpredictable and beautifully complicated. The way Lan Qiren choses to apply them, he completely disregards that. At that point, the rules aren't there anymore to grant a harmonious society, but simply for their own sake. (Or maybe as a wall to hide behind)
@sweetlittlevampire @fandom-glazed @elenirlachlagos @allhailthedramallama @luckymoony @kyrrahbird @i-love-him-on-purpose
I think this liveblog has been the longest so far. I'm sorry for going on so many tangents, but lwj's backstory hit me really hard. I hope you guys weren't too bored 💚
(I also apologise for the mountains of typos that probably accumulated in this post. I'm too tired to check.)
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