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recitedemise · 5 months

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𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿. This lengthy headcanon will refer to canon dialogue from mostly Gale, sometimes others. Reader's discretion is very much advised. There will be in depth explorations into grooming, emotional abuse, heavy manipulation, and suicide.

First, let it be said that Gale, a mortal man, will always be the powerless one in his dynamic with Mystra. Of course, nearing forty years of age, he remains entirely responsible for his own actions, his own foul blunders and every hurt he'll cause, but it's important to remember who formed much of who he is: his goddess, his deity, and egregiously, his lover.

Mystra is power. Mystra is possibility. She knows what sway she holds over her Ioyal, vulnerable, and entirely mortal followers. In all ways that matter, they are but lambs she can steer and herd as she sees fit. She knows they can't deny her, and knows they'll never want to. Gale's sheer servitude and complete devotion; to the very quick of his bones, she lapped them up.

Gale: I was just... practising an incantation. Player Character: No, there's more to it than that. I know devotion when I see it. Gale: What can I say? She's—she's Mystra. I can't describe it, the need I sometimes feel to see her - to draw the filaments of fantasy into existence... Mystra is all magic. And as far as I'm concerned, she is all creation. Player Character: I didn't realize the depth of your devotion. Gale: Magic is... my life. I've been touched with the Weave for as long as I can remember. There's nothing like it.

Gale, orb in his chest, doomed to be eaten by the very thing he loves the most, still speaks so reverently of the goddess, of his lover that has left him to die. He conjures images of her memory—and she is all the while forgetting about his.

Minsc: Gale reminds me of vremyonni of my homeland. The man-mages of Rasheman. While the girl-folk go on to rule as wychlaran, Weave-touched boys were hidden away. Trained to work their craft in silence and secrecy. It is an old custom, not well-observed. In truth, I thought it born of caution after some catastrophe of wizardly men-folk of old. Now, I wonder if it was not done to hide them from Mystra, and the snares she sets for young and prideful boys, hm?

Tales of Mystra's treachery spreads far, leaving those familiar waters surrounding Gale's tower in Waterdeep. They whisper her name, afraid to utter it one time too many, suspecting, perhaps, that she'll show in their mirror like some Faerûnian Bloody Mary.

Talent rouses Mystra. She can see who uses the gift of the Weave and feel them, sampling whatever delight sings their veins as they pull from her domain. Not unlike a spider, she'll follows every tremor that strikes her as just a sliver more profound; and Gale, a prodigy, plucked the Weave's web to so garner her focus. And like some black widow scurrying, she surged down that ripple to prey on a boy. There, Gale, so impressionable, was just a mite older than twelve whole summers. He sat so stunned, beholding Mystra as she lured him into the cradle of her Astral domain. Bathed in her magic, pleasantly coddled within that glittering cosmos, Gale felt blessed in a way he'll struggle always to recount, no word, no language, fit to describe it. He felt chosen. He felt seen. And potently, to a child, he felt loved. Now, imagine a child experiencing something like that. Imagine what they'd think, how brilliant they must be when stood beside the rest. She told him he was gifted, made his heart swell not unlike a child's appetite for praise. She knew what she was doing by offering these morsels, by preying on a child's most delicate mind, and Gale, child prodigy, was already so awash in the idea that his value was in magic. Unfortunately, Gale, susceptible, had no way of squirming out of his goddess' grasp.

Reality: She's laid down the seeds to creep into his heart. When he's just old enough—seventeen's sufficient, she thinks—she stakes her claim and makes him hers.

Gale: My virtuosic talent once caught the eye of the goddess of magic herself, Mystra, who named me her chosen and her lover.

Gale is stunned when she takes him to bed the first time. (Is this really happening?) Mystra claims his mouth in a kiss, taking everything she knows he offers so willingly. Mystra, of course, is not so stunned.

Dream Visitor: An elder brain... one of the cruelest and most powerful creatures in existence, enslaved by mere mortals. Gale, tasked with Mystra's missive to sacrifice himself: This is it... I must do as Mystra commands.

Gale has worryingly low self-esteem beyond his magic. As already explored, his entire worth as a man hinged on and was built entirely off his talent as a wizard. He fought tooth and nail for any crumb of affection Mystra would offer his way, something she only gave him at all seeing his gift as a child. He wants her forgiveness. He desires it genuinely. He believes so firmly that he has wronged his goddess, buying into the idea that sacrificing himself will right his wrong. She holds such dominion over him, making him reduce his confidence in himself into a mere, trifling pittance; after all, she wasn't just his lover, but the patron deity he prays to. And regardless, Gale is a people pleaser, his initial acceptance of her missive coming as no surprise.

After all, Gale, at times, goes to incredible lengths to appease his audience. This habit, compulsion, impulse, whatever you want to call it, is a quality that was relentlessly exacerbated in his relationship with his immortal paramour. He wanted to content her, felt all he did was never enough, for as a matter of principle, he was oceans, leagues, and entire galaxies beneath her. Gale figures: well, how can a short-lived dalliance satisfy a god? He had to make her happy. Indeed, he'd done everything she'd ask. He'd bedded her how she liked, kissed her how she wanted, and of course, even said those words she'd said tasted best. She was his lover, a lover that never tended to his own needs and pleasures, and he fooled himself into thinking that's enough. He won't bend backwards for everyone, mind you, but if you're of the ones he would, he would stop at nothing to make you happy. After all, people pleasing is a way to keep oneself safe, a trauma response to sidestep discomfort, and though it achieves only a direly tentative peace, when that is all you've been fed, you will pursue it.

Gale did not want to lose Mystra; he couldn't bare the sting of it. And so, when Elminster visited him, Mystra's call for his death offered oh so callously, Gale, heartbroken, felt that part of him kick up. He couldn't endure the guilt, was so hungry for a chance to let his weighty heart breathe, even if it meant dying in the process.

At least this way, he'll finally do something right. At least this way, Mystra will forgive him, and all his friends will survive.

Gale: After I was afflicted with my condition, I locked myself in my tower for an entire year. I was inconsolable, wallowing in my self-inflicted tragedy. I'd given up on myself.

As a byproduct of people pleasing, Gale, too, is all too quick to accept all guilt. He self-deprecates, gaslights himself to a venomous degree, and twists his reality in so cruel a way as to make him the villain Mystra'd led him to believe. He self-flagellates himself, the first one in the world who will throw Gale of Waterdeep a mental punishment. Mystra's a goddess, after all, seen as utterly faultless, and twined so tightly with a being so mighty in esteem, Gale slipped into the role of the guilty often. When tied with anyone with grandeur like this, so immeasurable in their own self worth, it's important to keep in mind this: you are nothing but a prop in which to fulfill their ego. Gale was not Mystra's, not by a long shot. Rather, Gale was a tool, simply her mortal extension.

And he took every blow meant for her... a common and terrible habit for many people in imbalanced, ego-fueled relationships.

Gale's life beyond her wasn't something that interested her. She took most of Gale's devotion, manipulated his life to be her sole mantle of attention, for Mystra is not a goddess that shares very happily.

Indeed, long before his self-imposed isolation, this jealous deity did well at keeping him isolated.

Player Character: Picture kissing him. With tenderness. Then, with passion. Gale: I... I didn't think— Narrator: You perceive quick-fire embarrassment, trepidation, and finally... elation.

And so, cheated out of love, so reduced in his value as a man and lover both, suffice to say, Gale's slow to believe he can ever be loved. That's what happens when you're with someone so cold, consistent only in their infinite lack of respect. Gale looks at fondness, and he feels—confounded, to be sure. He thinks, is this truly mine to have? He doesn't know what to do, is nearly forty in game, and despite having lived decades devoted to one relationship, he feels, at the same time, entirely out of depth. To be frank, he greets it with embarrassment, like he's been caught red handed with something not his at all. He's like a child caught rummaging with his hand in a cookie jar, all this isn't mine to enjoy, not mine to indulge in, but he thinks, startled, but god, do I want. He wars with disbelief, uncertainty, and need, and in so many ways feeling utterly starved, with just a glimmer of affection, he falls fast into love.

Scenario: (And if properly romanced, it changes his world.)

Gale: In her (Mystra's) likeness, I used to read a thousand stories. She was beauty, wisdom, elegance, power... she contained universes. But now... it is hard to see any redeeming qualities in a lover who condemned you to death. I'd much rather gaze into your eyes than hers. Yours are capable of tenderness and feeling... No god could ever compare.

He says it with sincerity. There is such wonder, such love, and such awe in his eyes. He makes the act of kissing him feel like you've just reached into the trenches to but pluck him soundly from his ruin and despair. You think, Gale Dekarios, how unloved have you been all this time?

Gale: To know you love me for the man I am, and not the magic I command… none have loved me so purely before.

The answer is: entirely.

For so long, Gale thought love was simply being chosen. He knew nothing of being favored for the quality of his character, to be cherished and accepted even in those ways he fumbles and lacks. Again, his needs were seldom met, often treated with utter indifference by Mystra herself, and to meet someone so eager to treasure him, dote on him in a way his heart, his body is somberly new to, raptures his spirit and captures his soul. He's seen for who he is. He's... loved, desired for his silly quips, his easy smiles, and his growing affections. He bares himself to them, and in turn, they cradle his heart like something entirely precious. Gale thinks this has to be dream. He says, at times, you are more than I deserve.

Scenario: (But sometimes, he hopes too strongly and loves too greatly. As it always does, then, like he's once more wanted too much, he watches something beautiful slip right through his fingers. Of course, Gale Dekarios. Of course it does.)

Player Character: I didn't know you felt so strongly, Gale. Gale: Perhaps I should have done more. Been more charming, more flattering, harder to reach... but I was only myself, and sometimes that isn't enough.

They don't love him anymore. It breaks his heart. He hurts so much, so profoundly and deeply, and he doesn't realize that he breaks their heart in turn.

Unable to ever voice his feelings with Mystra in any way that amounted to much, Gale's a tendency to wallow, expressions coming off as potentially 'guilt-tripping' and even, on occasion, passive aggressive. Firstly: Gale NEVER means to manipulate emotions, and he's no intention of twisting anyone's arm, either. Fact is, Gale, never taken seriously when he'd bared his vulnerabilities to the Mother of the Weave, can end up saying just a little too much. He feels very deeply, and for most his life, seldom had an outlet for these weeping sentiments. He sometimes lets slip raw words and oftentimes heart-wrenching expressions; all the same, it's not so pitiful as to shepherd an outcome, but rather, is a gesture taken by a man so desperate to be heard. It may feel like scheming, but the truth is far, far greyer: feeling as though he's no right to share the depth of his heart, Gale simply lets it geyser out in a way he can't cork up. In ways he doesn't realize, he's adapted to this ache, passively reacting so his feelings can at least be seen and recognized—no matter how pitifully unwhole. With someone who values so little his thoughts... well, when he slips into these moods, one can hardly feign shock.

Situation: (And if no one shows him trust and tenderness, any true care in his character or worth, Gale gets swallowed up by how wronged he was.

He thinks: Let me be a god. Let no one hurt like me anymore.)

Gale: They only want us to serve them, pray to them...and ultimately, to die for them. But what if we didn't need them? What if we wielded their power instead and helped ourselves in all the ways they refuse to? I could make that happen.

Gale is not above anger, and as stated, he is not above pettiness; however, more than that, he is not above righting himself whatever wound he was struck. Gale, if not offered much by ways of affection, understanding, is made to believe that one idea that's lived growing in his mind: Gale Dekarios is far from sufficient; he has to be more. He has to be better. Gale, in such an unkind ending for himself, sips too desperately—and perhaps greedily, too, but desperately serves as a far better word—at that idea that he needs power. And so, wresting the Crown of Karsus for himself, he spites Mystra in his own way, becoming a god he feels is leagues better than she will ever be. Damn her thoroughly. Damn her ego, her power, and her endless indifference. He will serve the people, protect them, and in ways Mystra never could, better the world.

Situation: But as a god, he loses all sense of his kindness. Humanity. All who loved him leave him, and even Tara spurns the image he's become. With power, he's gained the respect he thought he always wanted... but in turn, he lost in even greater measure all the love he's known.

Endnote: But healing, knowing to forgive himself and knowing he's deserving of care simply for being Gale Dekarios will remain, always, the best path for him.

#HEADCANON.#Oh... anyway. This. Was. A lot.#And it was a lot for me mentally and emotionally to write.#So much of this hit home.#Gale isn't perfect. He can be petty and immature—a byproduct of not being all too good at venting his frustrations when #it gets to a point. He has very bad self esteem. He is not forgiving of himself and is too forgiving of Mystra.#He endured FOR DECADES the cold indifference of a goddess he called his lover.#I know people dog on him because he's a grown man with these hurts and traumas and responses #but just because his trauma manifested in ways you don't find palatable or hot or sexy #doesn't mean they aren't scars left by trauma buddy!!!#And quite frankly that bit about God Gale sounding vindictive and angry #yeah! SOMETIMES people who have so cold and uncaring and belittling a partner #end up angry. You shoved someone into a corner and hounded them for SO LONG. Don't start crying when they rear back on you and bite #I have a deep connection with godhood Gale. But obviously a healed Gale that finds love and acceptance in himself is so much healthier.#I'm rooting for you Gale (always).#So much of this was typed up with a lot of first hand experience so... to say this was a Gale exploration #as much as a way to navigate my own trauma is an apt one.#No two tales of abuse are alike of course. Gale's experience isn't my experience. But I can sympathize a great deal.#TL;DR: This meta post means a lot to me. K. Thanks.

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solas-backpack-mug · 10 months

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almost every time i think about what food/drinks solas might like, i think that he might enjoy tea. despite the fact that he canonically hates tea. he just seems like a tea guy to me

#of course this makes perfect sense given that he isn't really a cute forest hobo #dragon age #solas #solas backpack mug #dragon age inquisition

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sometimes-love-is-enough · 1 year

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[image description: six colorful masks in the style of Commedia Dell’arte. The first is red with golden swirls, a red ribbon and spikes reminiscent of a crown, and is labelled ‘IL PRINCIPE’. The second is light blue with a rainbow string, upquirked eyes, and a single tear running down the side of the face, labelled ‘PADRE’. The third, blue and blocky with simple geometric designs, labelled ‘INSEGNANTE’. The fourth, black with a spiked birdlike nose, shading beneath the eye holes, and patchwork violet details, labelled ‘INQUIETO’. The fifth is a yellow halfmask with snakelike decals and a crack that runs across the bottom, lavelled ‘IL SERPENTE’. The final mask is green and grotesque, with a large nose, huge eyes, and a moustache, and spiky wires emerging from the top - labelled ‘IL DUCA’. End image description]

A continuation of the thoughts from my post about AU fanfiction as modern Commedia Dell'arte - here's the sides as vaguely Commedia-esque masks. Presenting: the archetypal cast of Commedia dell'lati!

IL PRINCIPE, the prince, a more thoughtful descendant of the swaggering Il Capitano archetype. He's often seen with his distinctive red sash, and occasionally a bladed weapon. Il Principe is prideful, sometimes to a fault, and deeply romantic.

PADRE, the father, representing family values and an apparent moral compass. Often played as somewhat naive or foolish - sometimes portrayed at hiding something more devious beneath that, depending on the show and situation. He's recognizable by his fondness for wordplay, and his cheerful attitude.

INSEGNANTE, the teacher, the unlistened-to voice of reason, the provider of exposition. His misunderstandings of common metaphorical phrases are frequently the source of comic relief. It's a common plot point for him to be pushed to his limit and snap, revealing genuine emotion behind his mask of impenetrable reason.

INQUIETO, the restless one - the devil's advocate, quick to voice the negatives of a situation and recommend doing something, anything else. Often takes the role of 'jerk with a heart of gold' - frequently is the recipient of misfortune. A key part of his character is his sharp wit and sarcasm against every other member of the cast.

IL SERPENTE, the snake, is cunning and deceptive by nature. He will often emerge onto the stage in the guise of another character, having stolen their mask offstage. The inevitable reveal where he produces his true mask and slots it onto his face is always met with delighted applause. Il Serpente was originally often depicted as the villain of many productions and still sometimes is, although many recent shows have taken to treating him in a much more sympathetic light.

Finally, IL DUCO, the duke - the brother and mirrored counterpart of Il Principe. Some shows choose to tone down his original conception as a graphic and grotesque provider of foul language in order to make him easier to portray, or easier to sympathize with. Other shows turn up the crassness all the way, and make him downright villainous in nature. Il Duco is, chronologically, the most recent addition to the archetypes, but has quickly found his way into being a beloved and fascinating part of many performances.

One of the things separating the more modern Commedia dell'lati from its predecessor, Commedia dell'arte, is its willingness to play with character dynamics. The plots and settings are never certain from one show to the next, and neither are the relationships between the characters. Il Serpente and Inquieto could be in a committed relationship on one stage, and at each other's throats fighting to the death on another - although, it should be noted, the two are never mutually exclusive. Sometimes the morality of characters are black-and-white, sometimes it's all in strokes of grey, but it's all in the name of exploring new aspects of these beloved familiar archetypes.

Everything's fluid when it comes to Commedia dell'lati - but always recognizable, however distant.

#my art #long post #sanders sides #commedia dell'arte #i'm just... VERY delighted by how commedia group dynamics mirror side group dynamics #also apologies if i got any italian stuff wrong! i double-checked as best i could but internet translations ain't perfect #i would have done the other common fanon characters (like Remy and Picani and the rest) but i couldn't think of good enough mask designs #....and of course Character!Thomas isn't common enough in AUs to get a mask of his own #if he ever shows up on stage he's recognizable by the lack of mask or a flower tucked behind the ear

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the-valiant-valkyrie · 3 months

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aromantic spectrum awareness week? well, that makes perfect sense. i think agent phoenix (aromantic, romance repulsed) should absolutely be aware of solaris (demiromantic, romance neutral) rapidly approaching their location. to kill them. violently.

#ieytd #commander solaris #agent phoenix #headcanons #feefee being acearo is not as unpopular a headcanon as i assumed it was going to be. it is objectively hilarious though #pov you're john- objectively attractive man- and you throw a few flirts phoenix's way #only for them to full face grimace like they just ate a lemon and purposefully crash your jet into the ocean #what would you even do after that. you would never look at yourself in the same way ever again.#this post isn't abt phoenix though (<- literally tagged and mentioned them) its abt solaris #demiromantic solaris just makes perfect sense to me. for fabbylaris reasons of course.#solaris is NOT a romancer she is NOT focused on relationships. she's solving complex math equations in her head and getting covered in oil!#i don't think solaris was ever very... popular. she's dated once in college but she never had a lot of close friends #she dated once. went “oh this sucks im never doing that again”. and then got smushed with a comically large anvil #with 'being comfortable and feeling understood by someone that you trust' written on it #anyways is anyone even reading this. can anyone hear me. hello.

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wavebiders · 5 months

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Thinking about how most of the time when you have the option to stay quiet during a companion quest you get approval for letting them handle it and sometimes even get disaproval for talking over them

And then with Shadowheart's quest speaking up with Viconia not only gives a +5(while *keep silent* gives nothing) but also if you don't do that she will look genuinely scared when Viconia asks you to hand her over

#girl just wants someone to love her and stand up for her😭#I've been choosing to stay silent for all my pt's since I'm so used to letting the companions handle their own quests #so I always get the scared look at Viconia's offer #which is heartbreaking but makes perfect sense #she's spent most of her life being used and abused by her caretakers whose love was so desperate for #of course when confronted with that trauma she's gonna have a moment of doubt in regards to the person she loves now #but turns out just standing up for her beforehand cuts that panic short!#anyway I just think it's a very interesting character detail that having someone vocally have her back #is more important than leading the confrontation herself #bg3 #shadowheart #also not to get overly self-indulgent #but you know that one poem about how to the author being butch means this feeling of chivalry towards other girls?#that feeling is part of why this romance works so well for me #Shadowheart isn't weak and she is the hero of her own story #but you do kinda get to be her knight in shining armor so to speak you know?#larian did a great job of balancing that with still making sure she has enough agency and stands on her own #and without ever making it feel like the romance is mainly geared towards men #I appreciate that

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misstrashchan · 1 year

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Mmmmm been having some thoughts on Ruby and Weiss rn

Ruby is set up to be foiled to Alyx, both in the opening, trying to retrace her footsteps in her story in the first couple of episodes, picking up Alyx's knife at the blacksmith's:

And in the latest episode, her lashing out being met with her intepreted as being cruel and selfish:

"Like Alyx, she wasn’t just a little petulant or inconsiderate. She was selfish, cruel. Like this whole word was simply make-believe and the rules didn’t apply to her."

"What about you? It's *all* about you!"

JWBY all seem to have different ideas of who and what Alyx was. She exists to teach a moral lesson, she's just a girl trying to survive and find her way back home, she was a mean little girl, she was the villain who rewrote the story.

But then we also have this line from the book said by Oscar in V8:

"She brushed off her bumps and bruises, for nothing hurt worse than the loneliness in her chest."

And... I'm reminded of Ruby's own loneliness, how distant she feels from her own teamates and friends right now, from the pressure of expectations to always be the one with a plan, with a smile and something positive to say to inspire everyone to Keep Moving Forward, put on her by both herself and the people around her. How Weiss is mourning her kingdom, Yang and Blake get to sort their feelings out, Jaune gets to have his breakdown, to the point his own over shadows Ruby's and her feelings are dismissed. And how the way she lashes out at them was both understandable and a long time coming, but also terribly cruel and messy. And that no one can be blamed for not seeing or reaching out to Ruby more when she refuses to let others know how much she's hurting and ask for their help. Ruby is still entitled to her own feelings. So is Jaune and WBY.

Which brings to mind a certain quote shown at the beginning of a certain someone's trailer:

"Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or forms of measure. And all of it... irreplaceable"

Weiss's arc involves her looking outside of herself and learning to see and understand those around her, their own sorrows and burdens they carry with them. And of course, loneliness is a big reoccurring theme in Weiss's arc. Meeting her teammates and supporting them is what leads to her understanding their struggles, hence why Weiss develops from wanting to be the leader to instead dedicating herself to being the most supportive member in team RWBY, and thrives the most when she's fighting with them, but also emotionally supports them through their own struggles.

She's the one who notices something's off with Blake first in V2, and gets her to open up to the rest of her team so they can all work it out together:

"So, Blake Belladonna, what is wrong!?"

She supports Yang when she's confronting Raven and dealing with her abandonment issues

"It's okay if... you're not okay."

Her own sense of self and relationship to loneliness is a healthy one at present, and is something she can use to relate to others.

She understands other people’s loneliness, that Blake in V5 needed space and in time she’d come back, and Weiss would be ready to be there for her when she did. And she also understands Yang’s loneliness in the same volume and that she needed someone there to support her.

“But you’re right. I don’t know loneliness like you do. I have my own version. And, I bet Blake has her own version too.”

"When she's ready, I'll be there for her. And I know we're not as close, but... I'm here for you too."

Weiss understands that no one's version of loneliness is the same, and every individual needs something different to have their feelings respected and understood. And now in V9 Weiss has to reckon and come to understand Ruby's own version of loneliness after seeing Ruby snap and how much everything has been weighing down on her, and what she needs from her as a friend and teammate.

All the way back in V1, Weiss grew to accept Ruby as leader and promised to support her:

"Ruby... I think you have what it takes to be a good leader. Just know, that I am going to be the best teammate you will ever have."

And I believe she'll try to hold true to that as best she can for Ruby going forward.

#this isn't as coherent as I'd like but I wanted to post this before it left my head and the next episode happened #obviously there's no perfect solution to ruby's problems and ruby may be getting worse before she gets better but #there wasn't a perfect solution to blake and yang's struggles either #nor with weiss's own #that doesn't mean they can't be there for ruby and try to understand her own sorrow and loneliness #also I'd say weiss was starting to support jaune with his own loneliness #but of course this was it's own double edged sword when it came to ruby #but I think she'll help them both #I'm just more interested in ruby and weiss tbh but that's just a personal thing #rwby #ruby rose #rwby alyx #weiss schnee #rwby9 #rwby spoilers #rwby2 #rwby5 #rwby1

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hoperays-song · 5 months

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Gooseless's Favorite Sing Ships

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oveliagirlhaditright · 1 month

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Bangel haters keep your anti-posts out of their tag challenge: challenge (always) failed.

#I just- I've been DONE with people who don't like a ship tagging their ship hate for a long time. It's just such bad fandom etiquette #But Buffy fans who don't like bangel do this all. The. Time. And gah!#And this is me saying this after even black listing so much! I'm sure it's even worse for those who haven't #Like people who are in a ship tag are there to see positive cute things for their ship #Put any of your negative thoughts about them in anti-tags #I know the Tumblr tag system isn't perfect and sometimes something that's anti-tagged shows up in pro tags but at least you TRIED then #This goes for characters too of course

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softquietsteadylove · 3 months

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Thena loves watching Gil and sprite interact with each other. Falling in love more and more with him. Write something for the actor au?

"Enjoying?"

Thena smiled as Sersi came up beside her, extending a glass of something more suited to her palette. Whatever it was it was more sweet than don perignon. "Thanks--everyone's having a lovely time."

Sersi often hosted in her expansive London penthouse after an awards ceremony. It was quite the place to be, and it excused her from having to go to a much riskier party just for the sake of networking and brushing elbows with the industry.

"Especially those two," Sersi tipped her glass in the direction of the outside patio, where plenty of people were enjoying the night air, but especially Gil and Sprite, roasting marshmallows over her fire pit.

Thena just laughed. Sprite was repeatedly trying to set hers aflame while Gil attempted to fend her off while also achieving a perfect golden brown for himself. "She really is just happy she got to come to one of these, finally."

As much as Sprite was not a people person, or interested in her sister's - or cousin's - level of fame, she had always wanted to see what happened at an afterparty. Thena had always insisted they were boring and drab, but Sprite wanted to see the boring and drabness for herself.

"I'm glad she's enjoying herself," Sersi joined in Thena's laughter as Sprite attempted to sabotage the both of them, pushing both their marshmallows closer to the flame. "Whose idea was this?"

"Gil's," Thena sighed, watching as the small game turned into an all out fencing match until Gil finally took both their marshmallows for himself as a way of ending things. Sprite looked appalled before he offered another, visibly telling her to keep it out of the fire. "I think she was actually a bit bored, lurking around on her phone. But he found them in your cupboard and took her out there."

"He has a way with her, doesn't he?"

Thena just nodded. She was sufficient enough at reading lips to tell that Sprite was demanding to know why she couldn't eat the charred marshmallow. Gil was explaining something about how it wasn't good for her. As her primary guardian, Thena had attempted to do that with many things, just to get a positively scathing remark in reply.

But Sprite yielded to Gilgamesh, rolling her eyes but roasting her marshmallow pleasantly, like a law abiding citizen, instead of a teen who wanted to wave around a flaming marshmallow in the middle of a party.

"He certainly does," Thena sighed again. Sprite did seem to enjoy the nicely toasted confection. She continued to watch them until Sersi cleared her throat deliberately. "Hm?"

Sersi merely gave her a look, her eyes bouncing between her and the two outside now staking multiple marshmallows per stick. Thena continued to stare at her expectantly until Sersi laughed. "I'll have to memorise this expression for my next role as a loving wife and mother."

Thena nearly choked on the sugary drink Sersi had brought her. She licked her lips, blaming her faint coughing on the heat suddenly in her cheeks. She set down the fancy stemless crystal flute. "I beg your pardon."

"Please," Sersi easily dodged her cousin's toothsome comment, though. "I know very well what that look means."

"I did not catch your baby fever, if that is to what you are referring," Thena attempted to hiss at her, but again, Sersi let it roll right off her. They had grown up together, after all; she was entirely too accustomed to it."

"I'm not saying you want a baby," Sersi shrugged, very deliberately leaving the rest of her accusation in tact. She took a sip of her own drink, so innocent and demure. "I'm saying you look at Gilgamesh and Sprite like you're imagining living in a three bedroom cottage on the seaside."

Thena sniffed, "I hate the sea, too humid."

"Ah, yes, of course, that's the problem," Sersi snickered.

Thena leaned off her marble kitchen island to glare at her more fully. "Shall I find your costar, Mister Whitman, and ask what he thinks of a seaside cottage?"

Sersi didn't rise to bait nearly as voraciously as Thena did, but she did flick her cousin's earring. "That is different."

"I do not see how," Thena growled at her, both women more invested in drinking away the other's teasing.

Sersi pursed her lips as she finished her champagne. "Dane and I know how the other feels."

That did make Thena pause. She furrowed her brows, "when did this happen?"

Sersi shrugged, looking down at her countertop and tracing her fingers along the ripples of marble. "We were at another party like this, we simply talked and talked and...somehow we ended up on the subject of what life we would lead if not for all this."

Thena admittedly listened with rapt attention.

"I always wanted to be a teacher," Sersi smiled at her own nostalgia. "He said he used to imagine the same thing. One thing led to another and I suppose... "

Thena raised a brow.

Sersi sighed, her shoulders dropping. "We agreed we can't right now. The medical show got picked up so we'll be on that until one of us gets fired or written off."

Thena looked down as well. She had to admit, Sersi wasn't nearly as timid as she could let herself appear to be when she was playing the darling of the United Kingdom.

"But perhaps in the future," she shrugged, feigned a smile. "We'll see."

Thena had to admit, Sersi had made more of a move for her future than she could remember making in a hell of a long time. She looked outside again, to where Sprite was teaching Gil how to make a s'more. "We work together too much. The risk is too high."

Sersi gave her a pointed look, "too high for your own happiness?"

Thena sighed again, watching Gil secretly blow on Sprite's marshmallow for her as she rooted in the graham cracker box. "I'm happy right where I am, Sersi."

"Admiring from afar?" Sersi felt the need to put a name to it as she too watched Sprite smash the melted marshmallow between two graham crackers and way too big a section of chocolate.

Thena also finished off her drink before pushing the glass to the side. "I think love is best from afar, like art, or stage makeup."

Sersi offered a mild laugh before bumping her shoulder against Thena's. "I never said anything about love, but I can see your point."

Thena whipped around, prepared to snarl at her needlessly nosy cousin. But all she saw was Sersi flitting over to Mister Whitman himself, the two of them smiling at each other like schoolchildren in puppy love. Thena rolled her eyes.

"Hey," Gil looked up, smiling at her as she ventured outside and over to them. "There you are."

"Here I am," she sufficed to say, eager to put her conversation with Sersi from her mind. "What are you up to?"

"S'mores!" Sprite sufficed with the single word, swinging her melting marshmallow in her sister's direction.

Thena nearly flinched but Gil caught it at a perfectly safe distance from her.

"Easy," he both chided and laughed off as he apprehended the offending confection.

"Dude," Sprite sighed, but accepted the pilfering, instead reaching for a new one.

"I do hope you're not eating yourself sick on those," Thena felt the need to add, only for her very lovely young lady of a sister to give her the finger for it. "Right."

"Here," Gil whispered, offering the toasty marshmallow from between his fingers.

Thena let him deposit it into her palm. She hated marshmallows, but she had to admit, it was cooked to perfection. "Hm, they taste better when they're toasted."

"You should try real, homemade marshmallow sometime," Gil chuckled as he reached to roast another one, either for her or for himself. "It's a totally different experience."

"Don't tell me you know how to make that too," Thena groaned. As if she needed another ridiculous reason to be infatuated with him.

"You can come over to my place and try it," he nudged her gently.

"Party at Gil's!"

"Sprite!" Thena hissed at her, catching the disgusting vision of her sister's completely full mouth. "Honestly!"

Sprite rolled her eyes but tossed another marshmallow at her.

Again, it didn't reach her, as Gil caught it in midair and added it to his roasting spit. Thena watched the confections achieve their perfectly golden state, using the excuse as a way to lean against him by the warmth of the fire.

#Thenamesh Actors AU #listen Thena I feel you #Gil is perfect #and homemade marshmallow really is different #Thena and Sprite attend the awards to support Sersi #although every once in a while Thena will be nominated for something #and Sersi throws this very lovely afterparty #which isn't at a club or a rented out bar or in some shady director's gross man flat #and Sprite gets to go!#Gil sees her kind of floating around while Thena is being forced to mingle #and goes hey kid #he takes her outside and immediately claims the fire pit for them #ignoring the glares of the couples already there low key canoodling #and of course Thena sees him with her sister #being such a good big brother/father to her #and girl is head over heels #she is in L O V E #and Sersi is here like #how long must I endure this in my own home?#meanwhile Dane is here like #is that your cousin you told me about?#yesp #is that her husband?#Sersi: ............yes #Dane: but I swear I saw him in-#Sersi: don't worry about it ur so cute haha

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maddy-ferguson · 1 year

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Is it just me or do some Bylers reach way too hard to defend Mike for things he was objectively wrong for? Like the rink o mania thing is a perfect example, Will was not being bitchy (onscreen) at all to Mike until the argument where Mike was the one who started it by blaming Will for not telling him about El’s problems. Mike was being a huge asshole there, which even he noticed and said Will didn’t deserve the way Mike treated him. He then apologized and Will accepted it because Will knows that Mike was genuinely remorseful and that he wanted to be best friends again. I hate to say this bc 99% of the time it is deeper than it looks but for this I just don’t get how you can watch and think Will was actually in the wrong.

i do enjoy a good reach and i get not wanting one character to be 100% in the right and one character to be 100% in the wrong in an argument and i don't even think mike was 100% in the wrong at rink o mania but when you back up a bit...what did will do wrong exactly lol.

do we agree with mike that he was a douche for...not telling him that el was being bullied? nonsensical. he didn't even know she was lying to him before the airport.

was he wrong for barely talking and basically sabotaging the whole day? a day el said was supposed to be about the two of them, making will third wheel and feel like shit just like in the beginning of season 3 and for months before that? right...because that makes sense.

was will in the wrong for not calling mike and for making it sound like it was his fault they didn't keep in touch? this one i can get behind but he would have let that go (the painting being a welcome gift doesn't scream resentful) had mike not made it clear that he wasn't interested in anything he had to say by...rejecting his hug, agreeing to the whole day being about him and el, ignoring him save for the vomit green joke, And not calling for months. if the first three hadn't occurred maybe will wouldn't have felt the need to defend himself when mike started a fight because he didn't tell him his gf was being bullied like he's their couples counselor or something

it's like you said mike literally starts the fight and then deflects (twice) and Then he apologizes...idk!

long-winded answer but how exactly was will being a dick lol. i know he apologizes for being mean to him and for pushing him away in the van scene but when exactly on march 22, 1986 was will mean to mike. i can see the pushing him away because he didn't call but he said he deserved the fight and admitted to being a jerk to el (literally HOW. when) and wouldn't let lucas apologize to him in season 3 so i'm not taking his self-deprecating martyr word for it SORRY

it's especially funny when you remember that mike trying to call will is a THEORY

#i know mike is self-deprecating too. this isn't about him💖#i know even byler being endgame is a theory but #and i GET IT like even if it turns out mike DIDN'T call he's not the devil or anything and i knoww why he acts like he does but when you #look at it from will's pov his behavior makes no fucking sense if he cares about him even a little. like why would he reject that hug lol #you could say him rejecting the hug was because he felt like they weren't friends anymore because will didn't call him and like sure but #then how is will not allowed to feel like they're not friends when mike doesn't call AND rejects his hug AND makes him third wheel all day #you can even say it was because he was like oh will gay can't make it obvious that i'm in love with him but that's just beyond the #realm of possibility to will. do you know what i mean? of course he's gonna think he doesn't care about him and doesn't even wanna hug him #hello after six months of not seeing him because he in fact didn't want to hug him. rejected the hug and made will feel like he was the #only one who wanted to be friends just like before #and really can you blame will for not calling when even without taking the fact that he's in love with mike into consideration the last #time he tried to show this friendship meant a lot to him he got shut down like crazy and was told that he was acting like a kid #i would've wanted mike to make a little bit of an effort too after that tf #and i know why he didn't call if he did in fact not call i know all that will isn't a tumblr byler he knows none of that not calling + not #hugging + agreeing to you not being important to the day + making you third wheel = not caring about you is not a crazy leap #if you wanna do the will isn't a perfect angel who is always 100% in the right thing (which i respect btw) i don't really see how #rink o mania helps your case I'M SORRY #you just will never convince me that it was 50/50 #ask

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