After the gruelling hard task, Grian feels insecure about his place in the team with Cleo and Etho. As the yellow, he is a liability, especially knowing his track record. Cleo and Etho work together wonderfully, is there even a need keeping him around ?
personally love the interaction in the start of s4 where steve goes “ugh, you know i don’t do double vhs.” when robin suggests doctor zhivago. like ugh robin!!!! we’ve talked about this before!!! steve has a limited attention span and if robin puts on something too long, he will start shooting her with rubber bands
Nico and Percy's dynamic through the series is eternally funny to me, because it's just. like.
Percy's having a constant mental struggle between his fatal flaw of loyalty with a promise he made to Bianca to protect Nico, versus his Big 3 kid desire to maim other Big 3 kids / Poseidon descendant urge to totally maim Nico specifically. He hates Nico so so much. He thinks Nico's annoying and weird at best, and creepy/sketchy when he's older. The only positive thoughts Percy has towards Nico are "He's Bianca's brother and Bianca was my friend and I owe her/He's Hazel's brother and Hazel is my friend and would kill me if I was mean to him," "He's a powerful asset and useful ally (if questionable)," and "He's kinda pathetic and I feel maybe a little bad about it." Percy has multiple occasions throughout the series where he strongly considers - and on one occasionally actually goes through with - throttling Nico.
Meanwhile, Nico is following around Percy like a lost puppy. He explicitly can never bring himself to even dislike anything about Percy no matter how hard he tries. He has a whole bit in BoO where he's mentally going "UGH he's so stupid BUT IT'S ENDEARING HOW DARE HE." He's totally smitten. He's making deals with his dad for Percy. He's making convoluted plans to help Percy stand a chance against Kronos. During the entirety of BoTL it's like he's playing tsundere - "I'm helping NOT PERCY SPECIFICALLY with this quest! Me helping Percy would be SILLY because I DEFINITELY HATE HIM." Then he proceeds to show up to Percy's birthday party to basically ask him on a weird date and spend the entire next book scrambling around trying to help him or protect him or impress him. And Percy could not give less of a shit.
Just. That dynamic is so funny to me. Percy is the founder of the Nico Protection Club in that he's the one they're all protecting Nico from and meanwhile Nico is throwing himself at Percy to the point where the literal god of gay love calls him out on it.
Got fucked so good. My eyes were rolling back, mouth open but no sound coming out, with a big plug in my ass. Just completely lost in pleasure as my dom fucks me from behind while I'm face down ass up with my hands and feet secured to a spreader bar. Head empty, no thoughts, just pure ecstasy.
Can we talk about how in that scene where Luz dies, she doesn’t know what to say or do — she doesn’t evensay “bye” because it’s all so sudden — and it’s all too soon before she explodes into thousands of balls of light and everything is quiet except for the quiet, somber drifting music. What’s left of her sweeps through the Isles as it Belos continues overtaking it, and the lights pass by everyone she knows: Eda and King, her classmates, Willow, Gus, Hunter and Amity, and then Camilla, who sheds a tear despite still being a puppet. Finally it ends on Eda and King’s shocked faces and the Collector so confused as they realize they can’t fix or bring her back. As the music screeches to a halt, you realize that Luz is truly gone and then you think, “Now what?”
Truly one of THE most affecting parts of the episode. I mean, have the chills just writing this.
Reminder of a Starline themed BumbleKast Q&A where Ian Flynn as Starline talks about what he would have done with Sonic and Tails bodies after the events of Issue 50: [ Tw! Child Death + Taxidermy ]
Starline is such a genuinely terrifying character (who I miss everyday ahh) and his disregard for children and his willingness to mentally and physically manipulate them for his own evil purposes (especially in the context of this answer) is genuinely chilling. It’s something I think even Eggman would be semi disturbed by which is saying a lot.
The idea of him using Sonic and Tails preserved bodies as trophies and as an example to others is so insanely horrifying, and the “well then I’ll just have to start a gallery won’t I!” in response to the idea of other hero’s trying to rise up against him somehow finds a way to make it extra disturbing. The mental image of Amy, Knuckles and all their other friends seeing what Starline has done to the brothers… to their family 💔
The thought of Surge and Kit having a constant physical reminder of what they’ve done… that while Sonic and Tails may be out the way, the two unwilling doppelgangers will forever be in their shadow, unable to truly fill the roles they were forced into and the bond the brothers had. Them getting everything they thought they wanted, yet still feeling empty inside.
Long story short: Ian Flynn did not need to go this crazy with this answer but gosh am I glad he did.
Miles is roused from sleep by sunlight shining on his face. Slowly, his eyes adjust to the light, until finally, his scope of awareness broadens to a body he had been sleeping on.
Page 2
Miles looks up to the figure that holds him, and upon seeing, his eyes widen in recognition.
Miles looks up to the figure that holds him, and upon seeing, his eyes widen in recognition.
The bottom panel of the page shows minimal details of a window shedding light onto the bed and blankets as seen from a higher view in the room.
Page 3
On the other side of the bed, Phoenix rests, his head propped by the headboard. His hair is messy from sleep, and his expression is thoughtful. The light of the morning highlights his features.
The sun shines through the blinds of the window.
Phoenix finally notices his observer, and turns to look at him.
Page 4
Phoenix takes Miles’ hand in his, and lifts it to gently kiss the ring on Miles’ finger. They both move to share a kiss, and their hands shift to hold one another. Miles’ ring sparkles in the sunlight.
Page 5
They link their fingers as they kiss, and the morning creates a quiet atmosphere around them.
They part, but remain close, their fingers fully interlocked. Phoenix greets “Good morning,” with a tender, loving expression as he looks at Miles. Miles’ own expression is soft, unguarded, and fixed on Phoenix.
Page 6
Phoenix and Miles settle back into their shared bed; the morning sun illuminates them. They both smile softly, seeming happy and at peace. Miles rests his head under Phoenix’s neck, and his hand on Phoenix’s chest. One of Phoenix’s hands rests over Miles’ own on his chest, while his other hand holds Miles closer, revealing a matching ring of his own. Both rings shine softly in the sunlight.
Bonus image
A small simple drawing of Phoenix and Miles having fallen asleep again while holding each other as in the final page of the comic.
I have been reading a lot of QPR/acespec/arospec Alastor fics and lemme tell you
I am so immensely greatful y'all are truly exploring his asexuality. I've never seen fics do that. I, an ace, haven't even really done that past the foundational "Yeah that's not (for) me" speculation.
Some fics really delved into his thought process and his place in the situation and its been very enlightening. Just seeing through another's take on asexuality/aromanticism has been eye-opening. I know others have confessed to finding out some things about themselves because of Alastor fanfiction.
It's true, representation does matter
Don't get me wrong, I live for the smut and seeing all the different dynamics the different ships bring. Those are fun. But there do be some big feels from some of these seemingly innocuous self-indulgent drabbles.
LET ME TELL YOU
THE YEARNING I feel after some of these characters just. Accept Alastor? For who he is and what he wants/doesn't want. Who are willing to metaphorically hold his his hand and walk him through the conficting ideas he has about himself and what he wants? I have no words for how special that is. It's so damn special, y'all are truly out there doin' the lord's work. (ノ_<。) I luff you all so much