#that being said. I'm sad. :( I don't want “fate” to be setting me up. I actually don't want “fate” to exist at all. this is getting to me
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Letters Unsent - Genshin + HSR Boys x GN! Reader
★ Summary: After their death, you find a letter. A letter he wrote. A letter he wrote for you, a letter he wished he could’ve given to you personally. A letter describing his feelings.
☆ Characters Included (Separate): Diluc, Wriothesley, Cyno, Argenti, Jing Yuan + Gepard
★ Genre/Trope: Angst + Hurt/No Comfort
☆ Warnings: Major Character Death (Not the Readers)
★ Extra: Angst is fun, angst is nice :)) // Might make another part with different characters if this does well // Not fully proof read // Motivation came back cuz of sad tunes/hj
He said he'd be back, that it'll be quick. Despite your worry, you knew he was strong, so he'd be able to protect himself right? So you trusted him. Trusted him so much that when his co-worker showed up to your door with an expression you couldn't exactly read, you were confused. It was about him but...he was fine right?
Then why were they telling you he had passed? The injuries he sustained was...to much for his body to handle? The healers couldn't help him? But...he said he'd be back...you were snapped out of your thoughts when they handed you a letter with your name on it.
"I think he knew he wouldn't be able to make it...so...he wanted you to have this...even if he couldn't hear your answer"
"To My Dearest,
If I'd ever be lucky to even call you that. Although this isn't ideally how I wanted to do this. I believe I can only get these things on paper, it's much too difficult otherwise. I was never good with words so I hope this alternative is alright for you.
Ever since the day I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were different. Not in a bad way. It took me way too long to figure out the reason for this was due to the fact I loved you.
I loved seeing your smile.
Hearing your laugh.
Loved the small talk we had that would end up with me taking you home. You made me feel something I didn't think I would ever feel, and I'm unsure if I even deserve it.
If I even deserve you.
Whether or not you feel the same way, I hope we can stick together as long as time allows us.
Sincerely
Diluc."
"To Y/N
Hope you're doing well, life in Meropide is still as dull as ever. Well, unless you decide to visit, you really do light up the room when you come by don't you? Or maybe that's just for me.
Anyways, preferably I would be telling you this in person, but more work has piled up. That's also why our little tea sessions have to be put on hold for now. Don't worry, as soon as this all clears up and I investigate this one area, then we can go back to the usual.
I have this one blend I think you'd really like!
Anyways, enough beating around the bush.
I like you.
Like like you.
I love you.
So much.
I can't even begin to describe how much I love you, and even if I did I feel you'd be gagging at how cheesy I was being haha!
But really, I love you so much. I want to be with you, of course I understand if you don't feel the same. But Sigwinnie would have my head if I postponed this confession any longer.
I hope to see you again after my work.
Yours Truly
Wriothesley"
"Hello Y/N
I never thought I'd be writing this kind of letter in my free time. Unfortunately for me, it seems as though fate likes making things harder for me and whenever I want to even try to talk to you about this, it's much more difficult than it was when I practised in the mirror.
Or...
Well...
Practised to Tighnari.
We can ignore that for now though as I'm still trying to put this all together in words.
I would let you borrow my TCG set, you can use it as you please and I'd even let you touch my limited edition cards.
If that's not making any sense then how about a joke?
How does a fruit confess?
They say "Olive You"
.
.
.
Get it, because an olive is a type of fruit, and olive sounds like "I love"
.
.
.
I love you"
"My beloved rose
As much as I'd love to tell you all these words in person, my search for Idrila is still ongoing and I am unsure when I'll be able to see your beautiful face once again.
Ever since my eyes laid on your beauty, I thought I had found Idrila herself, but once I got to know you. Even if you weren't the Goddess, you could almost rival her.
The sparkle in your eyes.
The pretty little smile.
Your wonderful personality.
All those things you think are flaws? I love each and everyone of them. They are not flaws to me and it pains me knowing you think of yourself like that.
Once we meet again, I want to make sure you know how deserving you are of these words, how your 'flaws' aren't flaws and how much I love every bit of you.
Though I am aware I find many things worthy of praise. I want to let you know that you're different.
I don't just want to praise you, compliment you. I wish to love you, hold your hands and protect you with my life, no matter what it takes.
I love you so much, and if I could be so lucky to call you mine. Well, I think I'd be the happiest man alive.
I will return soon,
Signed
Argenti"
"Morning, Afternoon or Night
I'm not too sure when the Cloud Knight will give this to you, or when I'll give this to them. Whatever the case, I won't beat around the bush too much.
I love you.
Nothing could compare the feeling in my heart when I see you.
The smile that will never fade as long as you're there by my side.
You are just amazing. In all my years of living, never would I have thought to have met someone as perfect as you.
Even Fu Xuan herself can see just how enamoured I am for you, although for her. She's been using it as an advantage to do work.
'If you finish now you can see them quicker'
'How would they feel knowing that you're not working?'
'Stop dozing off or they won't come to see you ever again!'
I must admit, they all do work. Even if in hindsight, not only would I still see you even with work uncomplete, I'll see you plenty of times and more to come but I don't think you care all too much about my sleep.
But I digress.
I hope this letter finds you well, take as much time as you need to consider my words and think about your own feelings.
I'll be waiting where I always am.
Jing Yuan"
"Dear Y/N
Aeons this is embarrassing. But it would be even more embarrassing if Serval kept teasing me about this. I've been putting this off for so long, worried about how you'd react.
Your answer.
And if this would change your view on me...but you're not that kind of person. I know you're not. And after a bit of thinking, to save me from stumbling on my words. I decided to write a letter.
Serval should be the one giving this to you, so I hope she didn't say anything to you, I would nearly die of embarrassment if she did. Anyways!
So...I know it's probably not much hoping Serval wouldn't say something actually, knowing her, she gave it away with one sentence but...
I like you, a lot. More than you could ever know.
And I'm more than happy to talk to you about this in full once I'm back from my mission.
I can only pray you feel the same, but even if you don't.
I hope we stay friends.
Until next time,
Gepard"
WOOO FINALLY GOT THIS DONE AFTER FOREVER.
Sorry if any characters are OOC, I tried my best with writing what I think they'd write in a confession letter, but I hope you enjoyed this anyways!
#Diluc x Reader#Diluc x You#Wriothesley x Reader#Wriothesley x You#Cyno x Reader#Cyno x You#Argenti x Reader#Argenti x You#Jing Yuan x Reader#Jing Yuan x You#Gepard x Reader#Gepard x You#hsr x reader#Genshin x reader#hsr imagines#hsr x you#genshin x reader#honkai star rail x you#genshin impact x you
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hi @sourpatchsquids! thank you for your question.
as an artist with ADHD, i know this struggle very well. unfortunately offering advice on this kind of thing can be tricky, because what works for me may not work for you (and vice versa!). nonetheless, i can try; take whatever works for you, forget the rest, or reshape any part of it as you see fit. :)
but before i offer any actual tools, i have one caveat. i want you to take a moment to reflect and consider if you should be:
changing expectations
the timing of this question seems fated, because just the other day i had a therapy session wherein i expressed my grief and frustration over struggling to work lately due to my seasonal depression. it's not fair that i'm struggling just because it got a little darker outside! i just want the spark i had in the summer! i was so much more consistent!
my therapist's response: nothing about human beings is consistent. we get sick, we get tired, we get hungry and thirsty (and thirsty) and sad and lonely and restless and stressed and overwhelmed. this all gets amplified for folks who are atypical in some way or another.
when my therapist compared our seasonal cycles to those of plants and other animals, who wilt and slow down and hibernate, i protested aloud that i wanted to be a perennial instead. at this she said: even perennials change with the seasons. rose bushes have to be pruned, sometimes down to half their height! it was a dose of perspective i didn't particularly want, but really needed.
so when you're struggling to work through executive dysfunction, burnout, or brain fog, it can help to first check in with yourself about a few things. what do you have the capacity for right now? do you need any accommodation? and if so, what changes you might make to accommodate yourself?
with practice and self reflection, i've learned a handful of specific routines that help me when i'm struggling with creative work, which i'll detail next. note that while your question is specifically about music and i am specifically a musician, i believe that all of these suggestions can apply to most any form of digital creative work.
with that in mind:
#1: work slower
when i'm at the top of my game, i can get a LOT done in a day. but when i'm depressed, fatigued, or distracted, i just can't go full steam. sometimes i'll try to convince myself that i can if i just push harder, but what actually ends up happening is that i'm just fiddling with settings and going in circles rather than moving forward.
instead of that, when i want to work a lot but can't, i try to work slow. how slow? however slow i need to. take four hours to figure out the melody for a single verse. take all day to figure out that drum groove. yeah, i take a lot of breaks in between. who says i have to be my Absolute Most Productive Every Day Or Else? that's the puritan work ethic talking. kill it. be kind to yourself.
i'm reminded of advice i once read about some super successful and prolific author (gaiman? king? pratchett?) who said they wrote only four hundred words every weekday. that's already less than the word count of this post, and i'm only—[travels into the future to check my final word count]... 22.8% of the way through writing it!
now, i don't think i could function that way, because ADHD means some days i'm hyperfocused like crazy, and other days i just have no steam at all (more on that in #4-6). but it seems to me that if even someone highly respected in their profession can achieve what they have with only a little bit of work on a regular basis, maybe i don't have to punish myself for not pumping out a finished work every single week.
doing less work per day means you're much less likely to burn out, which does a lot for working more consistently. if that consistency still doesn't look like a five-day work week, that's okay! as long as it helps you work even a little more often when you want to, it's something worth doing.
however, if you're still feeling truly stuck, all hope isn't lost. you can still try:
#2: switch projects
sometimes the reason i'm moving slow is because of a bad brain day, but sometimes the reason is that i just cannot muster the motivation to do the specific task i'm trying to do right now. ADHD is fueled by novelty and interest, and if i'm not interested in what i'm doing, or it's feeling stale, that's a sign that i need to switch gears.
this is why first it's helpful for me to have more than one project going at a time. this might mean completely unrelated works, or it might just mean related tracks as with the music for a game like SLARPG or susan taxpayer.
the idea here is not to start a dozen different projects and bounce around them like i'm playing whac-a-mole—though i have done that. (i don't recommend it.) the idea here is to have a manageable number of different projects i can be working on so that if i get bored or stuck on something, i have fallback options.
what that number of projects is depends entirely on the week. maybe right now it's two, maybe another time it's three. i would probably be getting carried away if i tried more than that, but that's just my own limit. maybe yours is different. that's something for you to think about.
but it doesn't have to stop there.
#3: switch focus
maybe there is this one project that i just HAVE to work on, but the task i'm trying to do at this stage just isn't coming to me. okay, well, why don't i try working on a different task?
let's say i can't figure out what i want to do with the melody in one part of the song:
what if i try jumping ahead to a different part of the melody? ...no, i'm stumped on melodies today.
okay, how about working on the drums instead? ...hmm no, i think i'm just completely tapped out on writing parts right now.
alright, what if i organized my tracks, making sure they're all grouped and named in a way that i can work with easily?
what if i did a rough volume balance for the mix?
and so on. if that's not enough to shake the off stuckness, i might consider: what can i do to make this project more interesting to me?
what happens if i try using an instrument or effect that i almost never reach for?
what if i try sampling something obscure?
what if i bang out the drums using my midi keyboard instead of drawing it in on the piano roll?
any approach that breaks me out of my usual habits is bound to get that feeling of novelty and fun back when i need it.
or maybe i can't do any of that right now, and so i take the time to answer a question from a fellow musician instead. i consider that part of my work, too, in a broader sense. check in with yourself and figure out what you can do right now. the rest will still be there later.
but okay, let's say you try switching gears, and switching again, and again, and nothing is moving. you try new approaches, but that wall of awful is insurmountable in this moment. it happens! the next thing you might try is:
#4: learn something new
when you aren't able to make progress on your projects, you can still make progress on your knowledge and craft. i often find this stokes a flame of inspiration in me where there wasn't one before. and even when it doesn't, it still gets my brain out of that feeling of stuckness and dread and into one of thought and action. learning also benefits in the long term because it adds to the well of knowledge from which you draw for all your future works.
for all the awfulness that exists on the internet, it remains an absolute treasure trove of teaching. there's an endless ocean of videos, blog posts, and articles from which you might learn something about your craft. (and if you sail the seven seas, plenty of book PDFs as well. 🦜🏴☠️)
it's true that the quality and depth of information out there can vary wildly, but in my experience most resources get at least some things right. and the more you research, practice, and figure out what works for you, the better you will learn to differentiate between the advice worth keeping, and the advice to forget. (that goes for all of what i'm saying here, too!)
that said, since our shared focus is music, a few resources i would highly recommend are:
music theory and composition
music matters, 12tone, charles cornell, music with myles, 8-bit music theory, and this introduction by andrew huang
mixing and production
dan worrall (especially this series for fabfilter), kush after hours, red means recording, andrew huang, alice yalcin efe, in the mix
general inspiration
nahre sol, ben levin, david hilowitz, game score fanfare, posy, jerobeam fenderson, open reel ensemble, and ELECTRONICOS FANTASTICOS!
(if any readers have their own helpful resources for creating music or any other media, feel free to share in the replies & reblogs! 💓)
of course, on an especially bad day, it might be a challenge to seek out information, let alone retain it. that can feel pretty bad, but remember: be kind to yourself. the next thing you might consider trying is:
#5: consume art you love
not just music. books. shows. movies. games. illustration. animation. whatever moves and inspires you.
but do it intentionally. don't just pull up some random thing the algorithm suggested! check in with yourself about what you want (or are able) to engage with right now. choose accordingly. if you get a little way into it and realize it's not scratching that itch, hit the bricks. check in with yourself again. wash, rinse, repeat, until you find whatever it is that speaks to you right now.
and do it actively, if you can. don't just let it go in one eye and out the other! really pay attention to the work. what do you like about it? what are its themes and motifs? what makes it work so well? what are its flaws, and how much do they matter? what might you do differently? you can write notes as you do this if it helps, but even simply noticing and thinking goes a long way.
what you don't want to do is come at this with a lens of shame or envy. you're not here just to say to yourself, "ugh, if only i could do THAT." it's okay if it happens. use that thought as a springboard for curiosity: "well okay, how DID they do that? do i have the resources for it? if so, how could i apply that to my own work? if not, how can i adapt it, or what do i need to learn?" keep your mind open and approach the work with a sense of wonder.
as a creative person, it's very easy to think, "i should be making something right now, not watching a movie!" but that thought forgets something vital: your art is a response in a conversation. of course the "language" you use is your own, and maybe if you're lucky you'll invent a new word. but most of the words you use have been around long before you were born. you're just one voice in a dialogue that spans continents and generations, and that's okay. it's even the whole point.
none of us is an island. we are profoundly social animals. just as we can't live without eating, we can't make without learning. so half of making art is consuming it. consider this part of the process as well.
and finally,
#6: rest, and live your life
let's say you're in really dire straits. you've tried working slower. you tried changing focus, you tried changing projects. you want to take in new information or actively engage with your favorite art, but you're not in the headspace for it. what now?
take a nap. take a walk. take a shower. eat a nice meal, or an okay one. talk to a friend. maybe even do that chore you've been putting off (you know the one).
it's human to always crave making, but you're not a machine—and even if you were, machines need regular maintenance, too! you wouldn't drive a car that's completely out of gas, and you won't do yourself any favors treating your body that way either.
i know that when you take a break it feels as though you're not accomplishing anything, but you are: you're taking care of your animal self. and while you do that, your creative brain doesn't stop working! much like windows, it has countless background processes running at any given moment, with inscrutable names like "cbdhsvc_692da" or "Microsoft Edge Update Service." it's true, i checked.
when you're stuck on a project and you step away to rest, your brain is still chipping away at your ideas unconsciously. i like to tell people, "it's percolating." much like waiting for a pot of water to boil, that idea is still heating up, even when you take a step away. just be sure to check in on it once in a while. the time will pass, and it'll be boiling again before long. :)
before i go, i'll leave you with one last thing to keep in mind as you try all of these strategies:
be kind to yourself.
being human is just about one of the hardest things you can do. let alone being a human trying to survive capitalism while living with disabilities! the last thing you need on top of that is to overwork yourself, talk to yourself negatively, or treat yourself harshly. there are plenty of other people in the world who do that to you—don't be one of them.
i'm not saying that you shouldn't try to challenge yourself, to test your limits and go above and beyond your ambitions, if that's what you want to do. just remember that hard work and self compassion are not mutually exclusive. so be careful not to bully yourself. take pride in the progress you make, even when it seems small. encourage yourself like you would a friend who's going through a hard time. and when you challenge yourself, be your own cheerleader.
i hope you find this advice helpful! remember, this is just what helps me, so don't feel like you have to follow any of it exactly. maybe taking time to learn new information helps break you out of your rut more than working slowly, so you reach for that tool first. maybe having multiple projects going at once is too distracting for you, so you prefer to stick to one at a time. whatever your needs are, feel free to alter and adapt these ideas to fit you.
thank you for reading, and i wish you the best of luck in your creating.
with care,
bee 🐦
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GILBERT VON OBSIDIAN EVENT STORY....
CHAPTER TWO.
I just love you.
translations are not 100% accurate. expect mistakes.
special thanks to @otomehoneyybearr for proofreading! ♡
minors and ageless blogs dni.
Emma: Why are there roses here?
Gilbert: Oh, you realized it was a rose even though it wasn't in bloom?
Gilbert, noticing my gaze, sets aside his quill and rises from his chair.
I mimicked his dark figure as he bent down in front of the roses, and leaned in beside him.
Emma: Do you also do some research on roses?
(There’s a tag on it….)
Gilbert: It’s not exactly research, but more like I play around with things as a hobby.
Gilbert: Roses are difficult to grow in Obsidianite soil.
Gilbert: This is a cold region where not even roses or flowers bloom, except for the area near the Rhodolite border.
Emma: But...this rose is still budding, isn't it?
(And it’s not just one….there are several.)
Gilbert: Yes, I’ve finally succeeded. But the next challenge is whether we can breed this variety.
Gilbert's profile shone with life as he spoke.
Emma: Do you like roses, Gilbert?
Gilbert: Of course I like them. Enough to experiment and try various things like this.
(I thought so….)
Gilbert: Hehe...My dream is to conquer and rule a country where roses are in full bloom, and hold it in my hands.
Emma: !?
He had uttered something so absurd with such a refreshing smile, and I felt a strange noise threatening to escape me.
Gilbert: It's fun just thinking about all the different ways to subjugate Chevalier.
Gilbert: I'm willing to use force, but I don't want to ruin the roses if possible.
Gilbert: How about cornering them both economically and diplomatically to the point where they want to hand over their country to us? // How about we strike them down economically and diplomatically to the point where they are willing to give up their country?
Emma: N-no! Absolutely not!
Gilbert: Ahaha, do you think a simple no would stop me?
Gilbert: You once successfully prevented my scheme, but you’ll have to continue preventing it for a second and third time.
Gilbert: The fate of Rhodolite lies/rested on the memories you lost.
(There’s no way a simple bookstore employee could bear such a weight, right?!)
Gilbert: Maybe you would be happier if you just forgot about it forever, right…?
Emma: …After hearing what you just said, there's no way I'd think it's okay to just forget about it.
(I have to remember, no matter what.)
Gilbert: You're quite earnest.
Gilbert chuckled and prodded the rosebud with his finger.
Gilbert: Well, my plan to conquer Rhodolite is a future matter, so I'll hold back for now….
Gilbert: I'm thinking of building a rose garden in the castle.
Emma: A rose garden?
Gilbert: Yes. A rose garden even grander than Rhodolite’s.
Emma: To love roses so much…
Gilbert: That would be you.
Emma: Me…?
Gilbert: You love roses more than I do, don't you?
Gilbert: I thought you'd be happy.
(What's with that expression…?)
It was a beautiful smile tainted with a hint of sadness, and a painful feeling gripped my heart.
I felt an indescribable sense of guilt well up inside me.
(….These roses are meant for me.)
(However, the “me” Gilbert loved is not here.)
(Even if the Rose Garden is completed, there is no guarantee that my memory will return.)
(I may not be able to accept this man's affection as I once did.)
(That’s just how it is, and there's nothing I can do about it….)
Gilbert: Emma.
As if being pulled back by the name called out in a tender tone, the sensation of my eyes blurring faded away.
Gilbert had already retracted the melancholy atmosphere from earlier, and instead was gently tapping his fingers on his hair.
(Is there something in my hair…?)
When I reached out my hand to touch my hair, I felt something with a distinctly different texture.
Emma: Wait, when did this happen?
Gilbert: While you were in a daze.
Gilbert: Actually, a few buds had already bloomed.
Gilbert: However, I have to cut the flowers in order to grow the roses, so I trimmed them this morning.
Gilbert: These are for you.
Emma: …Thank you very much.
(It has a nice fragrance…)
I lean towards the flowers as the scent of my hometown wafts in the air.
It’s a scent that had been with me since birth, a fragrance that would never exist in Obsidian—-
Gilbert: Feeling nostalgic?
Emma: …Did it show on my face?
Gilbert: You're so easy to read.
Emma: …I’m sorry.
Gilbert: Why are you apologizing?
Emma: I probably used to blend into the everyday life of Obsidian before losing my memory.
(…I can only remember my life in Rhodolite…)
(I remembered my days in the Land of Roses more than my love for Gilbert.)
(How can I miss my hometown in front of someone who loves me so much?)
(I’m the worst.)
As I try to distance myself from the roses, Gilbert grabs my hand.
Gilbert: Shall I grant you permission?
Emma: Permission for what?
Gilbert: To return back to your hometown.
Emma: …!
Gilbert: With conditions, of course.
Gilbert’s cold hand moves from my arm and reaches my neck.
Just a light pressure with his thumb was enough to choke me.
Gilbert: If you don't come back, I'll come and get you.
Gilbert: With a large army in tow...okay?
Emma: ….I guess I’d better not go then.
Gilbert: Ahaha. Why? Were you not planning to come back?
Emma: It’s not that, I’m just scared of the possibility of something happening, like this memory loss incident.
Gilbert: There’s no chance of something like that happening
Gilbert: ——You experiencing an accident? It will never happen.
(….)
The momentary glimpse of a murderous intent was indeed real.
I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me or at someone else,
But the moment I saw him, I felt a cold shiver running down my spine.
Gilbert: Aah, sorry. It slipped out.
Gilbert: Force of habit….
(…I wonder what kind of life leads to developing a habit of emitting murderous intent.)
Gilbert: Well, think about it. It shouldn’t be a bad thing for you.
━━
In the blink of an eye, it became night.
(….I can't stop thinking about what he talked about earlier today.)
I sprawl on the bed in the room designated as mine, gazing at the ceiling without purpose.
Our discussion of returning home endlessly swirled around in my head, and I couldn't make a firm decision.
(I want to go back to Rhodolite….)
(But there’s also a part of me that wants to stay by Gilbert’s side.)
(He loves me so much, enough to smile with such a poignant expression….)
(I’m sure it would be lonely without him.)
"I mustn't make Gilbert lonely," I thought without knowing why.
This emotion seemed to be interfering with my judgment.
(…But if I go to Rhodolite, I may find clues to my memory.)
(If I can find a clue as to why Gilbert has fallen in love with me, then maybe...)
(….)
I got out of bed and put on my shoes.
I took one final look at the rose on the side table and left.
━━
—-At the same time, Gilbert stood by the window sill, and a man with a hood covering his face silently approached.
Gilbert: I take it you found the coachman? Good job.
Gilbert: So, was it white or black?
Roderich: White.
Gilbert: I see. Had the accident been intentional, they would have killed all the involved parties when it happened.
Gilbert: Crimes can’t be committed without leaving any traces, you know?
Roderich: What about the imprisoned coachman?
Gilbert: I want to kill him.
Roderich: Lord Gilbert.
Gilbert: ...Strip him of his coachman qualifications.
Gilbert: Instead of taking his life, never let him handle horses again.
Roderich: I will make the arrangements right away.
Gilbert: Ugh…if it had been intentional, I could have killed his whole family.
Roderich: …Even if it wasn’t intentional, I thought you would use them to set an example for others.
Gilbert: No, I won’t do that. The little rabbit won't like it.
Roderich: ….
Breaking the silence, small footsteps approach from beyond the door—
▸ [ previous / sweet / premium ]
#ikemen prince#ikepri#ikemen prince spoilers#ikepri jp#ikepri translations#ikemen series#cybird#gilbert von obsidian#ikepri gilbert
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The Cupid scene but make it unrequited? Valgrace
Meant to finish this yesterday but couldn't get it done in time so heres it now. I'm not completly happy with it but im just glad its done.
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"You cannot lie to Cupid, Leo Valdez. If you let your shame and sadness rule you...well, your fate will be even sadder than mine," Favonius said, and Leo could have sworn there was pity in his eyes before the god disappeared in the wind.
Leo felt like he was back in Khione's ice palace. There was no way this wind god he just met knew his deepest, darkest, never-to-be-said-out-loud feelings. Right?.
Right?.
No, he must be talking about something else, and Leo is just being stupid and paranoid. He has to be.
Fortunately, or, more unfortunately, Leo didn't have the time to dwell on the ominous words of wind gods.
Because the ground was shaking. Why was the ground shaking?
So. A voice said.
Something zipped past his face and nicked his ear, throwing him off his feet and into Jason. Pain blossomed in his right ear, and he was pretty sure he was bleeding.
"You okay?" Jason asked, catching him in his strong arms.
Leo winced, holding a hand to his injured ear as he scrambled to his feet, trying not to think about the fact he just fell in Jason's arms. "Yeah, I'm good," he muttered.
You come to claim the sceptre. The voice said behind them, more like stating rather than asking.
Leo turned to where the voice was coming from, but no one was there.
"Cupid!" Jason called, standing at Leo's back with his sword drawn, "Where are you?".
The voice—Cupid laughed. It definitely did not sound like it belonged to a sweet baby angel's. It sounded rich and velvety but also threatening— like an ember in a fire before burning a house to the ground.
Where you least expect me. Cupid answered, As love usually is.
Leo's heart skipped a beat as something invisible slammed into Jason and hurled him across the street. He toppled down a set of concrete steps and sprawled on the floor of an excavated Roman basement.
I thought you'd know better, Jason. Cupid's voice circled overhead like a vulture. You've found true love after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?
"Jason!" Leo screamed, scrambling down the steps.
Jason took his hand and got to his feet. "I'm okay! Just sucker punched by an angel."
Oh, Did you expect me to play fair? Cupid laughed. Make no mistake; I am no angel, Jason Grace. I am Love. I am never fair.
Oh boy, do I know that. Leo thought dryly before Jason swept him off his feet.
Literally not...not metaphorically.
Leo was swept into Jason's chest as Jason intercepted an arrow that would have gone straight into Leo's chest with his sword. The arrow exploded against the nearest wall, giving them a nice limestone shower.
Of course, Jason wasn't done giving Leo butterflies in his stomach and grabbed his hand, pulling him up the steps and behind another wall as another arrow rained down on them, shattering a column nearby into a thousand pieces.
"Is this guy Love or Death?" Jason growled, still holding Leo's hand.
Thanatos and I are often not so different. Cupid said from somewhere above, except Death is usually kinder.
Leo understood that more than he should: Death is just...well, death. The End. Just boom, you're dead! No more pain. No more problems. And if you're lucky, you get to chill in Elysium for eternity.
While Love is...terrifying: It hurts, sometimes it doesn't last long, and some just don't get it (cough cough).
"We just want the sceptre!" Jason shouted, poking his head above the stone wall. "We're trying to stop Gaia! Are you on the gods' side or not?"
A second arrow shot at the air dangerously close to Jason's head, landing on the ground near Leo's feet and glowing white-hot.
The arrow's temperature shot past 2,397 F (Hephaestus power.) before combusting into a geyser of flame.
Love is on every side. Cupid said. "And no one's side. Don't ask what Love can do for you.
"Great," Jason said. "Now he's spouting greeting cards as well as trying to kill us."
"It's official. Queen was right; Too much Love kills you," Leo joked. If Love is gonna kill him in the end, then at least he wants to make Jason laugh before they both die.
Leo caught a ghost of a smile on Jason's lips before another arrow landed between them, ruining the moment.
You can't hide from Love. It will always find you no matter what. Cupid's voice said nearby.
Leo's hair sparked; the idea of burning the feathers off that smug, overgrown chicken's wings was getting more and more enticing. He knew Cupid was toying with them, enjoying their discomfort as he shot his stupid arrows.
Another arrow narrowly missed him, and something inside of him snapped.
He snatched the arrow up and threw it back where it came from. "Enough games, show yourself!"
Lucky for him, he had good aim. The arrow hit something and hung in the air for a moment before dissolving, leaving no trace: not even a spot of ichor that could help pinpoint his location.
"...Very good, Leo," Cupid said, though it was strained. There wasn't a wound, but it must have hurt. "At least you can sense my presence. Even getting a glance at true love is more than most Heroes manage. Maybe there's hope for you after all".
"So we get the sceptre?" Jason asked.
Cupid laughed. Leo was seriously getting sick of that laugh.
Oh no, there is still much you can do for me.
Jason started to speak, "But—"
An arrow shot through the air, zipping past Jason and hitting Leo square in the shoulder.
"Leo!"
There was a burst of pain in Leo's right shoulder, and suddenly, he was back at the Wilderness School again.
He had just met this cool guy, Jason. He was also a foster kid like him. Jason seemed too good for a school like this. He wouldn't tell him and Piper what he was here for, just that his case worker, Juna— Juno or something — sent him here.
Piper told him later on that she thought Jason was kinda hot.
Leo thought so too but he didn't tell her that.
Another arrow hit him in the back this time.
He wasn't sure when Piper and Jason started dating; it had only felt like a day had passed since they met.
He pretended it didn't hurt.
He didn't dare ruin their happiness.
So he just smiled and bared it every time they flirted with each other and told jokes every time they kissed.
"Stop it!" Leo shrieked, "None of it was real! Hera faked everything!"
Not everything, Cupid said softly, and a third arrow dug into his skin.
This time he was on their first quest in Boreas's ice palace.
Khione told them he couldn't come with them to see Boreas because of his fire.
He played it off that he wasn't hurt about it, even though it did. It wasn't the first or last time someone was scared of him.
Jason tried to defend him at first with his hand on Leo's shoulder, which only made him love him more.
And it sting more when Jason walked away holding hands with Piper, leaving him alone with Cal.
It was fine. None of it was real, not even his feelings were, and even if they were, it's not like he could act on them. He was just the funny guy, the mechanic, the seventh wheel. He wasn't supposed to fall for his male best friend, who was already dating his other best friend. He wasn't supposed to want something more than friendship with Jason.
He bit back the tears that were already threatening to fall. The grass at his feet was starting to smoke. "Show yourself!" He screamed.
It is a costly thing, Cupid said, looking on the true face of Love.
Another column shattered. Jason barely scrambled out of its way in time.
My wife Psyche learned that lesson, Cupid said, She was brought here aeons ago when this was the site of my palace. We only met in the dark. She was warned to never look upon me, and yet she could not stand the mystery. She feared I was a monster. One night, she lit a candle and beheld my face as I slept.
Jason said something, but Leo couldn't hear him over the sound of his own heart pounding in his chest. He could still somehow hear Cupid though. Of course, Love was the only thing he could hear other than his heart.
Cupid laughed from somewhere at the edge of the Amphitheater. I was too handsome, actually. A mortal can't look upon a god's true appearance without suffering grave consequences; just look at poor Semele. My mother, Aphrodite, cursed Psyche for her distrust. My poor lover was tormented, forced into exile and given impossible tasks to prove herself. She was even sent to the underworld on a quest to show her dedication. She earned her way back to me, but she suffered greatly.
Leo had no clue what he was talking about, but it sounded like he was a terrible husband.
Jason thrust his sword into the sky like he was a demigod He-man and was about to yell, 'By the power of Jupiter!' and beat up Cupid.
Unfortunately, he did not do that.
Instead, the ground shook, and lightning blasted a crater where Cupid's voice was coming from.
There was silence, and for a moment Leo thought it was over and that they could get the sceptre and leave. And hopefully, never speak of this day again.
Leo should have known they were never that lucky.
An invisible force—Cupid, knocked Jason to the ground, sending his sword skittering across the road.
A good try, Cupid said, his voice already distant. But love isn't so easily pinned down.
A wall collapsed, Jason barely managed to roll out of the way.
That was enough for Leo.
"Hey!" Leo yelled, waving his arms around. "It's me you want! Not him!. Leave him alone!"
Poor Leo Valdez. The god's voice was patronizing and tinged with disappointment. Do you really know what You want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love to win my trust back. And you — what have You risked in my name?
"I'm literally saving the world!" He yelled, clenching his fists, "I've faced way worse! You don't scare me!"
I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.
Jason struggled to get up off the ground, and a piece of Leo's heart broke. This was all his fault. He knew exactly what Cupid wanted. But he didn't want to admit it just yet.
All around Leo, the ground started to heat up. Grass smoked, and stones steamed.
"Give us Diocletian's sceptre." He said, trying to put his best brave face on. "We don't have time for games."
Games? Leo's breath was knocked away as a hand slapped him sideways into a granite pedestal. Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work — a quest that never ends. It demands everything you have — especially honesty. Only then does it rewards.
Pain blosomed from Leo's...everywhere. His head spun from the pain, and the ground started to heat up more. Stones were starting to crack, and the grass was starting to spark. All it would take was one more push, and everything would burn.
Jason was up now and had retrieved his sword, "Leo!" he called, "What does this guy want from you?".
Leo's lip trembled. Everything was going so wrong. He didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to tell Jason. "I don't know!" He yelled back, and an arrow embedded itself in the pedestal, inches away from Leo's face.
Tell him, Leo Valdez, Cupid ordered. His voice was starting to get less patient now. Tell him you're a coward, that you're afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him why you hide among your machines like your father. Tell him the real reason you run and why you're always alone.
Leo gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling with pain and frustration. Cupid's words cut through him like a knife, exposing the raw truth that he had been desperately trying to bury.
The grass started to burn and the stone's cracks got bigger.
"I... I can't," Leo stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't tell him."
Cupid's laughter echoed around them, mocking and cruel. "You see, Jason Grace? Your friend is afraid. Afraid of his own feelings, afraid of the truth. He hides behind his jokes and his bravado, but deep down, he knows."
Leo let loose a guttural scream, and like a volcano erupting; everything exploded at once.
Magma burst from the rocks, splitting them wide open. The grass combusted into green flames — Greek fire —he really is going to burn everything down.
"H—haaa"
Leo laughed through the tears. It was really all he could do and all he really ever did. It was funny really; he'd worked so hard to shove everything down, yet it was all destroyed in a fiery explosion in less than an hour.
A nearby tree collapsed dangerously close to Jason as the fire consumed it. "Leo! What is he talking about?" He almost couldn't hear his voice over the fire.
Will you hide forever, Leo Valdez? Cupid taunted, who unfortunately can still be heard because not even fire can shut him up. Will you let fear rule your heart, or will you finally have the courage to face the truth?
He didn't want to face the truth. He was too scared of what would happen. What might Jason say. How he'd react.
He just wanted to keep things the same.
Even if it kills him.?
Leo sobbed, and the flames burned brighter. If this was love then he didn't want it. Or maybe if love was this painful then he deserved it. Another arrow pierced his back—or maybe that was the feeling of his heart breaking more—and more images flashed through his mind.
He was back on that mountain in Colorado. Jason had his arms around Piper, his face scrunched up in concern. Leo pretended it didn't bother him. It was cold, and Piper ended up getting hyperthermia. He had tried to ignore the aching in his chest. He didn't want to think about how much he wanted to be in her place.
After their quest, they left him alone while he worked on the Argo II. He named it after the ship the first Jason sailed on.
It was all for Jason.
He was back on the Argo right after he had fired on New Rome—Jason's home. Everyone was angry with him, and Jason was in the infirmary; some asshole threw a brick at his head.
He didn't go down to him. He couldn't face Jason.
It was all his fault.
Jason got hurt because of him.
And he didn't even have the guts to face him.
There were more scenes like this flooding his senses. At some point, his brain switched off, and he was just drowning in agony. He couldn't move or speak.
He was weak.
Meanwhile, the flames grew to an inferno of green and reds, drowning out everything. Leo's hair was a white flame. An outline of wings caught fire for a moment before being put out again.
"Interesting!" Cupid's voice said from somewhere above. Do you have strength after all?
"I...I can't," Leo said, though it sounded more like a whimper. He was on his knees now.
Heh, too weak to admit your feelings and too weak to stand, his mind mocked in Cupid's voice.
Still hiding, Cupid said above, a flame burned an outline of a wing tip before going out again. You do not have the strength.
Leo sobbed. He really was weak. He was going to burn everything down just because he didn't want to admit his feelings.
"Leo" Jason yelled from somewhere. "It's okay! I get it!"
Leo stared at the burning grass below him. It was too hot for tears to fall. Only steam came from his eyes.
"No, you don't," He said defeatedly. Jason didn't understand. He couldn't understand. If he understood, then he wouldn't be so nice to Leo. "There's no way you understand. If you did you'd hate me".
And so you run away again, Cupid chided, From yourself, from your feelings, and from your friends.
The fire had engulfed Cupid's wings now. But the god laughed cruelly and blew it away.
"Leave him alone Cupid," Jason croaked somewhere. "This isn't your..."
Oh gods, he was hurting Jason again. The smoke is choking him.
Cupid's laugh echoed from above the flames. But oh, it is exactly my business, Jason Grace. Love is me. I am love.
"Leo!" Jason choked out through the smoke.
Oh, you're killing him, you're killing him. Leo's brain screamed. You're a monster, you're such a fucking monster, and you're weak.
"Look, I don't care if you're in love with Piper!"
He doesn't understand. He doesn't. He doesn't. Leo's brain screamed over and over again.
Cupid laughed again, and Leo's will broke.
"I—I'm not in love with Piper," Leo said, and everything seemed to go silent.
The fire subsided and all of Leo's fight and denial went out at once.
Cupid circled Leo like a shark. His form was visible now—long blond hair, muscular in a simple white frock and jeans, snowy white wings that were singed at the tips. The bow and quiver slung over his shoulder were weapons of war—not toys. His eyes were as red as blood, as if every heart in the world was broken and squeezed dry into one poisonous mixture.
Leo vaguely recalled that some think that Eros was a son of Ares and Aphrodite. And he could see why:
Love and War were the most painful things in the world.
He gestured for Leo to continue.
"I have a crush on you, Jason." Leo said.
The fire died down so Leo could see Jason's face.
And he swore he saw pity in his eyes.
The End
#heros of olympus#pjo headcanons#pjo#leo valdez#percy jackson heroes of olympus#pjo jason grace#jason grace#valgrace#Pjo cupid#Writing#Wolffox's writing#percy jackson#pjo leo valdez#piper mclean#only mentioned tho#pjo fanfic
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Young Maverick Mitchell x reader fic where it starts out super angsty and it ends really sweet between mav and the reader
then i think about summer, all the beautiful times watched you laughin' from the passenger side
pairing [s] : pete ‘ maverick ’ mitchell x feminine!reader
warning [s] : mentions of : goose, fighting, arguments. | it all gets better, swear.
a/n [s] : requests are open.
The night felt fresh on your mind, even months later. Pete storming into your small house, the sound of slamming doors and boots slapping the floor. You're in the small kitchen making dinner for you and your boyfriend. The radio playing the top hits of 1986, The Bangles filling the small house with a ‘Manic Monday’. Pete was still your Pete, but he was different. Ever since that fateful day of Nick Bradshaw’s death, he was different.
Sleeping in, coming home late. The smell of booze and cigarettes that ejected from him whenever he would get home before a shower. You had mentioned it, but the man would shrug it off as nothing. You decidedly chose not to press in hopes things would go back to the way they were. Pete’s eyes had bags of darkness underneath and his eyes were a blood-shot red that night.
“Pete,” You said. “I’m making your favorite. Alfredo with extra sauce.” Pete doesn't find your eyes at all, staring down at the ground as he opens the refrigerator and takes a bottle of beer from it. You take the pot over to the table and set it down on a towel. You scoop some onto his plate and there isn't a thankful word in any way from him.
“Pete, honey. We have to talk about this. This isn't healthy. The drinking is getting out of hand. I won't stand back and watch someone I love practically kill themselves.” As you press, Pete gets visibly more tight into himself. His shoulders are practically touching his ears as he clenches his fists into balls of rage. You're staring at him, waiting and anticipating a response from him. All you hear is silence, contradictory to how he usually was. “You need to stop. This isn't okay.”
“You don't control me. I'm a grown adult, and I can do whatever I please. Go and leave me the fuck alone!” Pete is enraged as he storms up and out of the house, and all you hear is the sound of his bike revving away and speeding down the road.
Pete left you sitting at the dinner table, eating your food you made it silence as his was losing its warmth into the air. You can't bear to stare at the picture on the wall of you and him. It was a simple photo that Goose had taken, but the memories and the emotional ties that held it to your soul entwined with laces of sadness.
You hadn't seen him for five months, seventeen days, and twenty-two hours. You're sitting in The Hard Deck with some of your close friends from college. You catch a glimpse of him. The short, dark-headed man in his flight suit grabbed two beers and walked away. “Isn’t that Pete? Oh hell no.” Your friend Katelyn says, grabbing her purse and wrapping the small jacket she brought into a ball.
The drink in your hand suddenly felt heavy as you set it down against the table. As soon as your eyes click together, you want to disappear and shrink away. He hurt you; but those soft green eyes drag you dangerously into the hole further in. The bubbly feeling in you starts to boil and you take back the drink you have and gain that liquid courage. Who said you would need it?
Here comes Pete Mitchell, walking over to you while holding that eye contact with you. He comes into your vision and he looks better, healthier and happier. His eyes are the color you fell in love with, and he looks much more normal that what he had originally looked like. “Pete.” Your voice wavers as you say that name.
The name burns your tongue. Your friends are still standing near you, one of them being encaptured with a random guy who complimented her. “Can we.. talk?” Pete asks you, gulping when Katelyn stares him down. With the extra feet she had on him, it wasn't hard for him to not be scared.
“Sure, we can talk. Do you wanna, go outside? Like old times.” You follow him out to the door, the sounds of the bar immediately quietening as the door shuts behind you two. Pete stops on his tracks, turns, and you're looking at him. The silence is uncomfortably long before either one of you speaks.
“Are you stationed here again?” You ask quietly as you sit down on one of the many benches. Pete nods and sits down next to you, twirling a pen around his fingers. “I’m stationed for the next couple of months. Made another admiral mad again.”
You and him hold a small and relaxed conversation. Somehow pushing through the uncomfortableness after months of estrangement. The quietness of the night looks over both of you. His knee touches yours, and you can't tell if it's purposely or not. However it enlightens those fireworks once again.
Your hand opens and sits against your leg, giving an opening to him. His hand almost unconsciously slides into yours and holds it softly. You turn your head and Pete is staring at you. The magnetic pull in-between you and him pulls you closer to him, head slightly turning.
His lips touch yours softly, baring sliding over them. His hand goes behind your neck and pulls you close in, as your lips play closely together. “Pete... I missed you.” You tell him as you stare into his eyes once more underneath the gorgeous moonlit night.
“Me too. I'm never leaving you again.” Pete tells you. Hugging you tightly into his arms. Whatever roads you took that led you back to him, you thank your lucky stars.
#pete mitchell x y/n#pete mitchell x reader#pete maverick mitchell#pete mitchell#pete maverick mitchell angst#maverick x you#maverick x reader#top gun maverick#top gun x reader#top gun fanfiction#top gun 1986#pete mitchell x fem!reader#pete mitchell x you#pete mitchell angst#top gun angst
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another thing i think about a lot when it comes to vil and idia is... i feel like vil is someone who had to grow up quickly, just generally from being under so much scrutiny as a child actor but also because of how he overheard adults talking about him and saying that he was too "otherworldly" and "special" to play a hero or a relatable teenager back when he was twelve. ever since he was a kid he's had so much drive and ambition and worked so hard throwing himself into his training and beauty regiments to try and achieve his dreams, and he also carries himself with such a mature and dignified air compared to most of the other characters that kalim laughs when vil refers to himself and the rest of the VDC crew as "boys our age", even though he's no more than 2 years older than any of them. he was probably the kind of kid who started thinking he needed to be mature and not waste time on silly things, and rejecting things he thought were too "childish" for him, from a pretty young age.
and then idia, on the other hand, also had to grow up quickly in a sense. but for him it was more that he became jaded and gave up on himself at an incredibly young age, because he knew that his future as the heir of STYX was set in stone before he was even born and that he had no choice in what to do with his life even though everyone always said he was a genius and a prodigy, and the one time he tried to briefly break free from his fate, it resulted in the death of the person he loved most. which he coped with by creating a robot version of ortho who would never grow up or get hurt, and by staying closed off and isolated while throwing himself into his hobbies and interests--and his interests mostly consist of things that are commonly seen as childish and immature, but he fully embraces them and doesn't care if others don't get it. he also hates his responsibilities and tries to avoid them as much as possible, and feels like there's no point in doing anything to try and improve his future.
so, like, i think idia and vil would be good for each other because they could bond over their pasts and the expectations that were placed on them. and as we've already kind of seen during book 6, vil is someone who can encourage idia to take better care of himself and not be so afraid of trying. but then i bet idia could also get vil to relax, to slow down for a bit and let himself act more like a typical teenager.
anyway, this post really got away from me because originally i really just wanted to point out that yana toboso once made a tweet saying that the basketball club members (jamil, ace, and floyd) are some of the oldest students in their years since they all have autumn birthdays and the school year starts in september. unless i'm even worse at math than i thought this implies that vil, being born in april, is several months younger than idia, who's the same age as him but was born in december. i find this both hilarious and a little sad depending on how you look at it.
#does any of this make sense or is it worded terribly?? idk but i'm posting it anyway#twisted wonderland#vil schoenheit#idia shroud#putting ship tags on this because they are my rarepair OTP <3#but you can also take all of this platonically idc. i just think they're neat.#vildia#vil x idia#idia x vil#vilidia#idiavil#twst
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Mighty Nein Echos of the Solstice reaction
First of all, the new art just confirms for me that the Nein are 100% the hottest of all three campaigns. holy FUCK. Also lol at 90% of them having long hair now.
I actually called Luc being Sam's PC before it was revealed! Not...not MUCH more, but when Veth didn't immediately have new artwork and she said "I have a TEENAGER", that's when I figured it'd be Luc. Look at me predicting things slightly sooner than they occur!
Did NOT call the guest PC though! Was this the fastest death? Or does Spurt still beat him out? Really did go through the full run of 9, nat 20, nat 1. What more could you ask for?
I really don't think I feel strongly one way or the other about Veth not being there and Luc being there instead. We got a lot of funny bits because of it, and it's not like Veth has fully abandoned adventuring, considering she said that next time she would. It truly seems like it was just the responsibility of the kids, which very fair. What I would love to know is Sam's thought process as to why he wanted to do it. Very intrigued.
Taliesin definitely took a few minutes to get back to Caduceus's voice, but *squeal* love him so much! Interesting that he told Yasha to 'go fuck him up', because I'm genuinely not sure if that was a bit of Ashton bleed, or if this actually broke Caduceus's desire to not swear. Could be either! XD
Yasha doing so much damage!!! Is it just because her strength score is finally good? Well, holy weapon added a bunch, maybe it's just level 20 bulk? But 110 on a NON crit??? DAAANG.
As someone who does enjoy periodic Caleb whump fanfic, this was delicious, especially his interactions with Beau. I do like that Trent ended up getting 'fate worse than death' scenario.
Combat was fun as heck even though there were things that got set up that didn't get used (crown of stars, etc), and I'm a TAD sad that Caleb ended up shapechanging as I always love some good high level spells flung around, but it was still an utter blast regardless.
SURPRISE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL!! Are they poking for another one shot?
The audience wearing Sam face masks at the beginning was the PERFECT troll move, SO MUCH.
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MC, after being awaken by another person, go straight to the ROs and reaffirm their love despite Fate💞
Your eyes opened, relief washing over you in waves as finally you are free from the sleeping curse, but it isn't your love who has awoken true love but a stranger. You sit up straight in a hurry, coming face-to-face with your real, true love.
💛 Marcel
Watch as Marcel's face changes to the biggest smile that you have ever seen, picking you up and spinning you around.
"You're awake!" Marcel hugged you tighter, his excitement coating you in warmth.
"Ugh...excuse me?" The other man said this, looking between you two. "I think I'm their true love."
You see realization cross his face as the truth of the matter finally sets in like a storm over the relief of you being okay.
Marcel took a step back from you, an understanding smile on his face, although you saw the heart break in his eyes and couldn't stand it.
"No. My true love is right here." You said that, closing the gap between you and Marcel.
"Are you sure?" Marcel whispered, not hesitating to wrap you in his arms. "I'll understand-"
You kissed Marcel, sealing your love with a kiss.
🧡 Margaret
Heartbreak was clear on Margaret's face, tears streaming down her cheeks.
How could she have been so stupid?
She doesn't even look back as she runs out of the room. You follow her hot on her trail, shoving the other woman out of the way.
"Margaret! Wait!"
You caught up to her, catching her by the sleeve.
"Just let me go, MC." Margaret said it meekly, pulling her arm away from you as if she were on fire.
"Why? Because of what some stupid cruse says? I don't care about them, Margaret! I love you!"��
"...MC..."
"No! Margaret, I love you!" You said, yelling, your heart racing as you tried to get your point across, gently turning Margaret's face towards your own, tears still streaming.
"I love you too." Margaret whispered. "But true love"
You kissed her nose. "You're my true love, and I'll fight for you as long as you have me." You wrapped your arms around Margaret, who hugged you tighter. "Don't leave me." She whispered.
"I wouldn't dare."
❤️ Owen
You saw Owen grab the other guy from stepping towards you.
"Don't touch them," the redhead said, his eyes cold.
The other man scoffed. "Why? They are my true love."
At that, Owen's eyes softened with sadness as he looked towards you, who walked over to him, tugging on his arm.
"He isn't worth it, Owen. You have me anyway; you always have."
Owen pulled you close to him, his face buried in your hair. "Do you want this....do you want me, Lass/Duck/Lad?"
"Always." You whispered back, ignoring the outraged cry of the other man as Owen kissed you.
💙 Rosemary
Rosemary looks up at you and then at the other woman, running her eyes down both of you through the tears as if trying to get a read on you.
But only you had eyes for Rosemaey as you walked towards her, ignoring the rant of the other woman.
"Rosemary...."
You stepped closer, kissing her hands. "Really? I think it's quite clear that I want to be with you."
Rosemary smiled a little, tears streaming down her face as she tried not to let the heartbreak show. "It seems we have a predicament, dollface/angelface/ handsome." She whispered, For the first time, you see, she does not look so sure of herself.
Rosemary frowned a little, trying not to let her hope to show. "But the curse..."
"it is a stupid curse! You are my true love, Rosemary, no matter what, this stupid mag-"
Rosemary cuts you off with a kiss on the lips, then leans back a little, only to try and wipe her ruined makeup away. "I must look like a mess."
"My mess." You said that, bringing her in for another kiss.
🩵 Tai
Tai was completely unreadable. No emotions. No sadness. No happiness. Not anything. He was just as stoic as ever, like every wall that you have been trying to break down with love has gone back up, but this time Tai was just holding it together.
The other man said, "It is lovely to meet such a gorgeous..."
You only move your head towards the man to tell him to piss off, but when you went to look towards Tai, he was walking out the door, his lips pressed in such a thin line.
"Tai! Wait!" You ran towards him, only catching up to him a moment later, when you two were already out of the room, catching him by the sleeve.
"Let me go, MC." Tai said, his voice monotone, like the first day he met you.
"Never! I could never let you go, Tai."
Tai tensed as he turned around towards you, his resolve only breaking for a moment to really see the hurt in his eyes until the walls were built up again. "The fact is that you and I aren't meant to be."
You cut in with the same knowing, mocking tone that he usually wears and that you have come to love. "The fact is that I know my heart. I know my heart wants you, Tai. Not anyone else but you."
Tai shakes his head, pulling back a little. "You can’t know that."
"You know me, Tai. Would I ever lie to you about this?"
Tai studied your face, his walls breaking down one by one as you saw the tears steam down his face and a shaky hand held yours. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I kept you away from your one true love."
You smiled, putting your arms around him. "Then get out of your own way Tai because your my only true love and that's a fact."
💚 Zane
First, you would feel the room run cold, being able to see your breath as the other man looked confused.
But you weren't. You felt the anger in the air as the room suddenly got darker as you saw Zane, shadows moving around him like wind and eyed pure black.
"Stay. Away. From. Them." The voice that came out of Zane was demonic. Pure fury. The shadows picked the other man up who screamed in terror.
With pure adrenaline, you ran up to Zane and kissed him, his pure black eyes going wide in surprise until he deepened the kiss.
You frowned a little when you felt water on your face and pulled back to see your Zane, gray eyed back to normal and shadows back to their original form.
Zane let out a shaky breath. "You lied to me...you said that you loved me." He spoke in a whisper that made your heart jump as you put your forehead on his. "U love you. I love you. I love you."
You kept repeating as Zane held you closer, burying his face into your shoulder, falling for your "trap" again. Although it took a few minutes for him to relax, eventually he did after he was sure you were his forever and always.
#my inner sins#interactive fiction#twine interactive fiction#ask#answered ask#MIS-Ask#MIS-Answered Ask#marcel#tai#rosemary#owen#zane#Margaret#MIS-RO:Zane#MIS-RO:Tai#MIS-RO:Rosemary#MIS-RO:Owen#MIS-RO:Margaret#MIS-RO:Marcel
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***TBB FINALE SPOILERS***
"The Cavalry Has Arrived" aka MY OTP IS CANON NOW
A truly absurd amount of meta and thoughts and screaming under the cut:
Overall
• I...loved it????? This is the biggest plot twist of all for me. Like I've said incessantly, I've had so many issues with the writing choices for this show, and I'm so grateful the brainrot set in so I could start watching it through a fandom lens and have way more fun with it than through a media critic lens and being a hater. But like...that was actually really satisfying to me within the parameters of where the show had led to in the last four episodes??
• As everyone on the planet probably knows by now, I would've been much happier if this show had led to the Batch choosing to do the right thing and joining the clone resistance, and if we never get another clone series, I will continue to be unbearable and salty about the lost potential of telling that story. But after Echo left and we stopped following his story, I gave that hope up. And ofc nothing about my criticism of this season is invalidated. But given the pieces on the board, I'd pretty wholeheartedly give the finale my stamp of approval!
• I'm ultimately glad that this show ended on a "We don't leave our own behind" note, because that's the clone energy and general Star Wars energy I'm looking for, and they did a great job of applying that theme to every non-villain in this episode, minor and unnamed characters included—but it's still so darkly funny for them to have continued to push this idea even though the first season is literally about them leaving their own behind and moving on. And then Crosshair calls them out on it. And then he just...leaves himself behind. Even in their first appearance in TCW, the Batch's entire vibe is that they keep trying to convince Rex to leave his own behind lmao. I just feel like the show wanted this adage to tie everything together, but then forgot to keep applying it somewhere along the way. But hurrah for this abundant use of it!
• My overall biggest criticism was that even within this one episode we got back on the rescue/captured/rescue/captured treadmill. It's the biggest plot crutch of the show. It's so goofy that Omega and Echo rescued both the children and the imprisoned clones by themselves. The setup made it so that by going to rescue Omega, Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair actually put her in more danger. And because they were there, more clones died, wtf!! But I do like the narrative flip—Echo and Omega were both saved by the Batch in their introductions in this era, and here are they are being the ones to save them in return. Omega and Echo also are the characters in the main cast who deserve the rescuer plotline the most, since they have been consistently portrayed as helping those in need no matter what.
• Hilariously, one of the most pivotal roles that the Forest Trio plays in regards to the GFFA at large is that they were essentially Rampart's rideshare drivers, thus enabling him to be there and force Nala Se not to hesitate to destroy Project Necromancer.
Rampart and Nala Se
• Hemlock saying his work makes him indispensable is fantastic dialogue; it just seems like some dickish thing he would say to shit on Rampart, but it ends up giving Rampart the idea to try to leverage his work to become indispensable himself, and in saying that line, Hemlock ushers his own ruin!!! This is the kind of script work I've been begging for.
• Also I was so right about Rampart being like a Kallus foil! That infamous shot of him in his sad, sterile room after Bahryn is mirrored here with Rampart sitting in pretty much the same position, except his path is the opposite from Kallus's.
• They did an EXCELLENT job with Rampart's fate. I was worried they were neutering him these last couple eps, even if the comedy was gold, but this was very well done. Everything that happens leading up to his death makes complete sense for his character, and it accomplishes the very key plot point of destroying Tantiss. At the start of the season I couldn't figure out how and why the Batch was going to end up delaying Project Necromancer for like thirty years, so I feel validated that they pretty much don't. Very typical of this show to not have the protagonists do the heroic work, but fuck it, I like this instance.
• The humanizing of Nala Se in this show has always been a bit of an interesting choice given that this is feels like such a direct successor to TCW and she was so clearly a villain there. But although they don't quite redeem her, her motivations and her fate were also artfully executed here. Her conversation with Omega pretty much takes into account every Nala Se scene in this show, which is a great way to wrap her character up. And I really like the mirror of Nala Se giving Omega her datapad in the season premiere, and Omega giving Nala Se a datapad here. Both times, Nala Se is determined to set Omega free.
• And I'm so glad there was a follow-up to the destruction of Kamino as well! Nala Se getting a bit of revenge against one of the beings responsible for the genocide of her people and destruction of her homeworld is not something I expected at all, and I love it. And the setup of Nala Se picking up the detonator and Rampart picking up the blaster is just fantastic, because you know from just those two shots that Rampart is willing to kill to gain Palpatine's favor for himself, and Nala Se is willing to die to make sure the being she loves will be free.
Echo and Omega supremacy
• Give me an Echo-led rebel show where he convinces all sorts of people in the Empire and the underworld to defect/help them, please!!! He's so good at it, completing Emerie's turn so efficiently! We have to assume Rex is also good at it given his cell and that he has clone spies and even undercover agents, but every time he sees Hunter he has tried and failed to recruit him lmao. Also REX'S NAMEDROP but him not showing up surely means...we'll see a continuation of his story soon after this...right??? Also this means Howzer still lives, oh, thank god.
• "Because it's exactly what I would do." Strategist Echo comeback yessss!! A nice little callback to the Techno Union arc that kicked this story off as well. And HELL YEAH Omega's relationship with Echo is my favorite out of all of her connections, and I'm living for their spotlight together this ep. I'm extremely invested in found family stories not relying on nuclear family narratives, and I love that you see throughout the show that Echo doesn't "raise" Omega like a kid—he trains her like a cadet. Like someone who he intends to be his equal, which is a nice and very appreciated contrast to others treating her like a precious sheltered baby.
• Their goodbye scene in "Truth and Consequences" is one of my favorites in the show, and I just adore that when Omega is upset, Echo doesn't coddle her—he reminds her of her duty to watch over the others, giving her a purpose and a reason to stand tall. When he conveys that he was worried about her and thinking of her while she was captured, he gifts her a weapon he designed and made for her during that time, so that she won't have to be defenseless after being defenseless for so long in captivity. It's so clone trooper, and I love it and the glimpses these details give us about clone culture and how the older clones cared for the shinies and the cadets and showed their love for each other.
• I also liked that Omega couldn't have escaped without Tech's training, since slicing was so vital. And all her stealthy stabbing is of course reminiscent of Hunter. And finally some emotional payoff for the ongoing bit about Wrecker being afraid of heights! I'm weak for inspirational Star Wars quotes, and this show hasn't had many, but "Just stay focused on what's ahead, not what's below," is a lovely one.
Forest conversations, my beloved
• The Kiners scored the fuck out of this episode!!! So many clever, thoughtful reprises. This is the first reappearance of Crosshair's theme that's played on the synths since he began healing! And then it segues into a soft violin tremolo version that makes me cry, and then it intertwines with "The Sacrifice" from Tech's death, ouchhhh. I have a lot of meta I need to write out about the tracks "The Reunion" and "They Always Work It Out" and how they say so much about Hunter and Crosshair, but I can't believe how well my analysis paid off in the cues in this scene! More on that in another post.
• Gosh, Wrecker's injury scared the shit out of me. But I love him so much and I'm glad he got at least a little moment, even if he didn't really have a story arc here. Or you know, in the entire damn show. And I ultimately liked that the purpose of it wasn't just to freak us out but to give them a plausible disadvantage and to give Crosshair someone to fuss over the whole time and act more recklessly because of it, thus reiterating this key character trait of his.
• I love Crosshair being worried about Wrecker and Hunter and them being worried about Crosshair. That's the squad content I crave and have been missing!! Unfortunate that it specifically has been happening when Omega is out of the picture. Writers, I swear to you, you can do both.
• Can't believe it took another half season for someone to say something about Tech's death, and it was Crosshair, who wasn't even there?? Cool line and sentiment, but man, so frustrating. I like this callback to his conversation with Rampart, though. "Depends on who's giving them" and in this first act he keeps trying to give those orders himself. Thinking of Rex on Umbara: "We're not programmed. You have to learn to make your own decisions."
• God the forest conversations in this ep and the previous one fed me so much. Hunter saying, "And so do those clones" had me literally jumping out of my seat and cheering. Baby boy, it took you so goddamn long, but thank you for finally actually giving a shit before the conclusion of your story. And "It's what I deserve," hnghhh that's the good shit, and it hearkens back perfectly to "I belong in here." And Hunter immediately telling Crosshair hell no made me very happy. And then later Hunter saying "Crosshair—" when he's worried Crosshair is still going to sacrifice himself, but Crosshair reassures him that he'll be right behind them... My heart! What a Crosshunt feast we got in this ep!!!
• Can't believe we also got so many Crosswrecker moments from the get-go and they kept coming! And my three precious little Techwrecker crumbs: the way Crosshair specifically chooses Wrecker to say the cutting remark about Tech to; the way Wrecker bows his head because that was right on target; and Wrecker being the one to watch Tech fall and to scream, "Don't do it, Tech!" in "Plan 99" yet the one to say with such conviction here, "We've always known the risks. And so did Tech." That's just so...finally accepting your beloved is gone ;_; Not really deserved by the text, which kept all but a total of like maybe one total minute of mourning off screen for some fucking reason, but.
Clone X, more like Clone Sexy
• There aren't nearly as many Clone X dudes as I expected?? I guess Crosshair's situation wasn't that rare after all? Or do they just run through them super quickly because Rex's team keeps taking them down?? Regardless, god, THEY ARE ALL SO SEXY. The way they animated their movements was so creepy and hot. And them not speaking was so eerie, I loved it. And then the moment that CX-2 did was so effective and terrifying!!! But remembering that those were clones in there is so, so heartbreaking.
• I really like that Echo really felt like both a clone trooper AND the resistance agent he is now this whole episode, and Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair actually briefly got to feel like commandos. The slick stealth and silent communication was also very sexy.
• MY GOD, I loved these action scenes. They were lit and choreographed so cool, they were super intense and had real consequences and close brushes with death, and the logic of the fight flow was really good, too. A character being incapacitated because they went to try to help an ally is always a wonderful driving force for action and gives it that crucial character-driven element that raises the stakes, and is great for making sure the main characters aren't too OP, and there was a ton of that here.
• Hunter and Wrecker getting shot by laser cannons and Hunter pushing Wrecker away from the blast made me shriek in terror AND THEN CROSSHAIR SHOOTING THE PILOT DEAD ON NO HESITATION NO ANXIETY NO TREMOR BECAUSE HOW DARE YOU HURT MY HUSBAND I'M FUCKING LIVINGGG. And then Wrecker stumbling over to Hunter and lifting the debris like he does in TCW. Boom, three pivotal character-driven action scenes in a row that divulge a key characteristic of each character! Excellently written and directed.
• Also I am SO SO SO HAPPY that we're getting to see this protective Crosshair come out in full force!!! This is the Crosshair who risked his life to try to save Mayday, who shouted hysterically when Hunter fell into the ice and was so desperate to get him out, who worried over Omega on Teth. I also really like this contrast with how he was about Echo—"Echo's on it." He knows Echo will get the job done and be safe and that's despite his former prejudice against regs. He's worried about Hunter and Wrecker and that's despite previously spending time trying to hunt them down. And when he suffers consequences, it's because of him worrying about them, and that's so delicious.
• Finally got to hear Crosshair screaming! And Hunter was already the screamer in this show, but goddamn does he get to scream in this episode. Thank you, directors, for this whump material! My man Steward Lee never lets me down.
• THE WAY THAT WHEN CROSSHAIR IS TRYING TO SAVE WRECKER HE REACHES FOR A DC-17 OMG!!!! I feel so validated! And just like with Mayday, he's incapacitated afterward...
• God the way CX-2 waits to be tossed the vibrosword and then leans down with it while Crosshair is already incapacitated is SO brutal, like this is not a battle injury. It's straight up what Anakin fucking Skywalker does to Count Dooku just before he becomes a Sith Lord, like holy shit, dude. This scene is so cool and I've watched it 10,000 times over the past 24 hours, but also why did he do that lol, is he just supposed to be particularly cruel?? Obsessed with tormenting Crosshair for some reason?? Also, these vibroswords are exactly how I've pictured Ahsoka's being in A Future for Us :D
• At this point I was like, uhhh, the messaging of Crosshair struggling with this psychomatic hand tremor since the first episode of the season and then the symptom literally being taken out of his........hands sure is a Choice, especially coupled with how they've treated Echo (or you know, not). When they showed him still with the symptoms later, I was very relieved, AND THEN HUNTER LITERALLY CURES CROSSHAIR THROUGH THE POWER OF THE LOVE AND FAITH AND TRUST HE HAS FOR HIM IS THERE ANYTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL IN THE WORLD???? But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Echo is the GOAT
• "You were helping us, Dr. Karr?" / "I am." I love this subtle line and how Emerie acknowledges that she wasn't sure of her loyalties before but is certain now. And I love that she says such a clone trooper thing, "You have my word," and then doing the clone shoulder pat, especially in direct contrast to the natborn kids hugging Omega just before.
• "Hey, kids. ...And other kids." is just so fucking 501st, I can't explain it. I'm just so ecstatic that they did Echo such justice in the end, giving a nod to everything about his character, even his dorkass cadet personality. And it wasn't just so he could die, thank god!!!
• Like Echo even got a DARTH VADER homage??? That's his mass-murdering general (affectionate).
• Also is there anything more Big Dick Energy in the world than Echo eviscerating Rampart—who either the clones would recognize as a former vice admiral or at least see his captain rank plaque—with what may not be a theme this show really earned but is ABSOLUTELY a theme that Echo deserves and has shouldered for over two seasons...and then just straight up shoving him out of the way so that he can talk to his brothers???? And with his stormtrooper helmet—which is like Echo refusing to dirty his hands (including his new, long-awaited one) by touching Rampart oh my god??? Sexiest man alive.
• So the answer is no, there isn't. Fives is hollering from the afterlife. Half those clones immediately developed a crush on him in that moment. That one clone later placing a blaster in Echo's arms so gently confirmed this for me (remember the symbolism of Echo making the energy crossbow for Omega? He even gives her his borrowed blaster in this scene), but it's so sad that he died because of it, whyyy.
• Also I love the "Clones don't leave our brothers behind" riff on the "We don't leave our own behind" adage. It's very fitting that Hunter would put it that way because he only means his squad (+/-1), whereas Echo would see it as meaning his people.
• And I love how when Rampart first shoves Echo, the clone in front that Echo's been talking to prickles and makes brief eye contact with him, to be like, "Should we take him? I've got your back." I felt that girls (gender neutral) in the bathroom energy so hard.
• The clones helping each other out of their cells made me so emotional. And it's the same way that Hunter and Crosshair do later...
• Echo asking for volunteers, just like Rex did on Umbara..................
• I think this post is breaking and I'm still only two-thirds of the way through my rewatch, oops. And yesterday I stayed up until 8 a.m. after I put it on again after watching it for the first time... I'm so normal about this show. More tomorrow!
#the bad batch spoilers#tbb spoilers#this ended up being 3k of me gushing about echo sorry not sorry#love of my life#amph talks#the bad batch#star wars
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I'm very curious, and sorry if you've answered this before but, how do you think an AU where Ani does not fall could happen?
The solutions I've seen in fic are mostly three: Palps dies (disappointingly rarely via Zillo beast); Obikin get together and clear up their disagreements/Ani comes clean about the Tattoine massacre and together they figure out Palps is the sith lord and prepare the order to face him/prevent order 66; or something happens that makes Ani realize his mistakes and ask for help (something that's somehow more of a wake-up call than Padmè begging him to stop and Obi Wan trying to talk sense into him). Shmi not dying is often part of all 3 options but I've never seen it alone changing Ani's fate and I don't think it would either.
I love the prequels, but Ani falling makes me sad because he starts as such a kind boy (though he struggles with attachment and later fear) but as a young adult he already has these massive flaws that seem insurmountable and he seems doomed to fall no matter what happens. So I think a lot about how could Ani not have fallen, in a close-to-canon AU? Palps dying, of course, but that doesn't feel like an emotionally satisfying story to me. Obikin getting together isn't (though I love them!) the story Lucas wanted to tell (disregarding that Ani not falling wasn't the story he wanted to tell either). And the third option I just don't buy.
What do you think? Is Ani doomed by the narrative, and no small change could have saved him, and a big deus ex-machina event is needed so Palps dies/Obikin get together/Ani comes to his senses?
Sorry if this is a bit rambly!
Hi! I've given this thought before and I generally come down to--once we set aside that Anakin had to fall, because that's the story being told--that I'm with George Lucas on this, that Anakin's fall is down to his unwillingness to accept that life is transitory, that life changes, that you have to let go, instead of trying to possess things.
That is the issue that has to be solved, so any fix-it AU has to stem from that, in my mind.
One instance is, as Lucas said, if Anakin had been found by the Jedi earlier, he would have been trained to love people without becoming attached to them, but that's changing more than what I think you want to change.
For me, my answer is usually pretty boring--as much as I love reading pairing fic with fix-its and I roll with the way an author sets things up, I generally don't believe that a romantic relationship would have fixed Anakin, not even a healthily balanced one. Anakin's problem is that he was so afraid of losing people, of living with that loss, that he clung to the ones he loved, putting him in a relationship just hurtles him down the same path as in canon.
The best way for him imo is to get rid of Palpatine, which doesn't take away Anakin's issues, but it gives him breathing room to grow in a healthier way, to not have that constant temptation and seductive whisper dripping poison in his ear. It gives him the space to slowly come to trust the Jedi ways, because I very much do think that Anakin believed in the Jedi ways, he just couldn't get over himself when it was his own fears on the line.
The way he teaches Ahsoka, he works to help her to let go of her attachments, he tells her exactly that when she's on Onderon. He teaches that to Rex when they're looking for Echo on Skako Minor. He believes in the Jedi ways, he has a good heart, he wants to do the healthy, balanced thing. He just can't get past that last, most terrifying hurdle.
In a galaxy where he has more breathing room, where he doesn't have Palpatine driving a wedge between him and the Jedi, preying on his insecurities, he has the time to slowly do the self-examination necessary to grow into the person that he had the potential to be.
And it's actually my favorite one, because I think it sticks closest to the heart of Lucas' Star Wars and the Force and the Jedi. That it's about learning to let go, to have a lifetime of discipline and work on yourself, to look inside and acknowledge your feelings and let them pass beyond you, that you have to do the hard work yourself and there's no shortcut to a better self. You have to work at it.
I genuinely believe that Anakin could have gotten there without Palpatine. That doesn't mean his choices aren't his own, I've planted my flag hard on that hill, but that doesn't mean that Palpatine didn't fuck him up hardcore and, without his influence, in the events in Anakin's life where Palpatine's not a direct influence, he actually generally fares pretty well. When Palpatine isn't around, Anakin rises to the potential in him, he reaches out and does good, he accepts the help he's offered, like Anakin Skywalker had so much good in him, and if he hadn't been so tempted by Palpatine's siren song of "your feelings make you special", then I believe he would have gotten to a really good place with himself.
But it's one I see as an internal journey of self-discovery, rather than being magically fixed by an external change. Getting rid of Palpatine is pulling the knife out of his side, but Anakin still has to heal the damage himself. Whether that happens during ROTS (harder, but still doable) or when he was younger, I think you have to truly get rid of Palpatine's existence, not just put distance there, but that Palpatine has to not be an option at all. Then Anakin will do the work himself.
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⚠️Long ass XO Kitty post with spoilers⚠️
OK I need to say this: I would MUCH rather people were honest and said that they just personally prefer Kitty x Minho because of their fun dynamic instead of saying stuff like "Kitty x Yuri came out of nowhere" or "it didn't feel natural" or "it was already too late in the season"
Like... No??? It?? Wasn't??
You cannot IMAGINE the euphoria I felt when I realized that this plot is actually going somewhere. As I was watching episode 1, right off the bat I felt like Yuri's and Kitty's "meet-cute" was the most powerful.
With Dae, Kitty had asked him to take a picture of her with her family.
With Minho, he bumped into her with his bag then pretended that he doesn't speak English.
But Yuri??? her car ALMOST runs Kitty over, it STRIKES her, sweeps her off her feet then Yuri gets out in a hurry, worried, offering a ride then they actually have a genuine conversation in the car.
The first half of the season is them being "rivals" while still respecting eachother. (So the whole "enemies to lovers" argument for Kitty x Minho doesn't even work cause like, it was the same??? For Yuri and Kitty?? If not more intense because there is actual tension, not only bickering) Then learning about how their mothers were best friends and roommates adding to the "fate" factor of their relationship after their over the top meet-cute. Finally, they become friends and support eachother as best as they can and as they do, Kitty realizes that this dream she had of Yuri wasn't "just" a random dream and she actually *does* have feelings for Yuri and this. ALL of this progression just felt so organic and gradual and overall just, well-done?? And not rushed at all how some people claim it to be.
To me it just feels like this is the first time in a while (if ever, for ME personally) that the audience of a show got "straightbaited" and honestly? I loved it.
Everytime things were going well or starting to go well between Kitty and Dae I couldn't help but be worried/sad/disappointed, thinking that surely this whole development with Yuri would be dropped and they would go back to being friends but it NEVER HAPPENED. Thus far, everytime things were going good, great or even amazing with Dae, Kitty couldn't help but think back to Yuri and I felt so much relief from it everytime.
And to be clear, this isn't meant AT ALL as hatred towards Kitty x Minho or their shippers. I think their potential is very solid and Minho is really lovable BUT I just don't want Yuri to be erased from the picture by people's claims that their relationship "wouldn't make sense" or that it was rushed or any other complaint of the same type.
People say that while Kitty hasn't shown any interest in Minho (yet) Yuri hasn't shown any in Kitty either and that she's still very much in love with Juliana... now I'm just entering speculation territory here so feel free to leave if you're not interested or take this with a grain of salt but -> I almost fully believe that if (and I hope to god there is) a season two of this show, Yuri and Juliana might encounter some difficulties and break up. Now I don't want to undermine the feelings they have for eachother AT ALL, but as we've seen with this season with Kitty and Dae, the author/writers aren't afraid to end a couple that had (apparently) been going strong for 4 years. So if a 2nd season gets greenlit, although Dae is out of the picture, I bet Kitty Minho and Yuri will somehow end up in a triangle (well, in a way they kind of already ARE but you get my point.)
Realistically we really don't know that much about Yuri and Juliana's relationship beyond the fact that they were most likely eachother's first love and that their parents separated them after finding out that they're gay. I don't think it's impossible that in some way or another, their romantic relationship will end (on a good note hopefully!) To let place to the love triangle. Not that I like love triangles but well, they gotta set something up for 2nd season and this is the most safe bet atm.
On a completely unrelated note, I loved that scene on stage where Minho and Dae were looking at eachother like typical rivals in love with the same girl right out of a k-drama while their "girl" just accidentally set fire to the stage and her clothes because her mind is full of another girl jdhzhdjdhdhd. And that's also a big part of the reason why I'm rooting for KittyxYuri! I feel like a concept like this has never been done to completion. In general the girl will go right back to liking one of the guys while her "crush" towards the girl will be written off as just a short-lived attraction but here? There's still a strong possibility of it being legit.
Aaaaaa anyway this all ended up in a rambling. Sorry about that
#xo kitty#xo kitty spoilers#kitty x yuri#i'm not actually sorry#jdjshehshve#I love rambling#hopefully some people will like it at least 💀
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Muichiro x Reader
"If he doesn't want you, I do."
Modern AU | FLUFF | Aged up muichiro
MUICHIRO WITH DRUNK READER
|Muichiro's personality is his current one in the anime but have a soft spot for his brother and reader (you)|
For years, you kept on chasing this guy from your class who's know to be charismatic though he can get mean at times but it looks like fate had other plans.
You planned to invite him on your party, a celebration for graduation unfortunately he wasn't interested but this didn't stop you from having fun with your girlfriends so you decided to drink something strong with them to keep your thoughts away Celebrate your graduation
"Cheers to L/N Y/N for finishing college!"
Mitsuri said as she raised her glass and they clinked their glasses all together, After that they all together drank the liquid inside.
Kanae then put her hand on her mouth after tasting that the alcohol inside was too strong for her taste and asked you in a concerned tone "My, My. I must say that this is a strong drink, are you sure you can handle this Y/N-san?" You gave her a smile and assured her that you can handle it this is nothing compared to the years I spent chasing him "Yes I can handle it I always wanted to try something strong y'know" Kanae then just gave her a slight nod as they continued drinking, talking, eating and singing with the others.
After a few drinks, they all talked about their love life and you were the most quiet one in the room the topic is pretty shit lame, shinobu noticed this and decided to ask you if you were okay "Oh? Y/N-san you seem a little too quiet are you okay? You can't be sad right now since you just finished college! C'mon put up a smile" shinobu then walked towards you trying to force a smile on your face, you were a little drunk by now and just decided to put on a fake smile for them not to worry about you.
"I don't think she can relate to the topic just yet, judging she doesn't have a boyfriend." The girl with pig tails stated while she was eating her favorite snacks with kanao who just nodded at the girl's statement.
Mitsuri and kanae gasped at this "You don't have a boyfriend yet?!" They spoke in a sync. Shinobu just had a shock expression "So that's why you avoid talking about love life "
You then tried to defend yourself "You know I'm too busy for that! He choosed my best friend" You made up an excuse even though you just got rejected by the guy in your class who have a long black hair that fades to mint green, he always seems mad when you try to talk to him and not only that he rejected you harshly too.
"We understand that you are busy but sometimes.." kanae paused and took a sip of her drink "We all need someone to be there for us." Mitsuri and shinobu nodded at kanae's words, Aoi then looked over at kanao "tanjiro-kun have a lot of friends right? Why don't you try introducing som-" you then interrupted at the thoughts of being set up with someone "no need!" You don't really like those kind of blind dates or set up things you really are really more into destiny and believes that waiting and patience is the key.
Aoi just slightly nodded and to lighten up the mood, you all just talked about another topic instead and continued on drinking. Aoi and kanao didn't drink as much as you and the others did so they didn't really got drunk only you, kanae, mitsuri and shinobu got extremely drunk.
Shinobu got so drunk that she ended up hugging you and crying about her pet gold fish that just died, kanae was opening up to Aoi and kanao about her sweet moments with her boyfriend, mitsuri was clinging to you while at the same time chatting her boyfriend and you thinking about when your love life will begin.
"oHh~ I forgooooot to m3ntion!" Said the pink hair girl "my snake guy wi- hiccup will be picking me up soon!" The girls then giggled seeing mitsuri's state and said that they will be also accompanied by their boyfriends. Kanao then realized that you have no one to pick you up so she decided to offer you some company.
"Y/N-san, do you want to go along with me and tanjiro-kun? It's dangerous for you to be out there.." said kanao nervously, she was still pretty shy despite knowing the girls for years. You then just declined the offer and said that you can walk yourself even though the girls insisted you didn't give in because you don't wanna be a third wheel
After an hour the fun had ended, the guys showed up one by one and of course you are jealous for being the only one without a significant other. You were left alone with mitsuri at the karaoke room and she was waiting for her snake boyfriend to arrive so you started a conversation with her while her boyfriend isn't there yet since it was pretty boring and she wanted to entertain herself for a while unfortunately it didn't take too long for him to arrive. After a knock was heard you sighed and mitsuri kissed you on the cheeks waving goodbye, her snake boyfriend gave you a death glare. what's up with this guy he's fucking weird
"keep your girlfriend in check because the next time I see her she's mine!" I teased him and he looks like he was about to explode while mitsuri was giggling
You decided to stay for a few more minutes because your head was hurting, and when you were just about to leave you noticed something, mitsuri's wallet was on the couch
You took the wallet and was planning on returning it to tomorrow. You sighed and thought that you should gave mitsuri a lecture when you meet her since if it wasn't for you who saw this another person would definitely steal money from it.
you then tried to walk but failed you instead dropped on your knees and was having a hard time to walk due to your vision being blurry and your head hurting. You were too dizzy to move and a thought came across your mind Why do they found the love of their life while I'm here suffering how unfair is it?
"FUCK YOU YUICHIRO CAN'T BELIEVE I WASTED ALL MY COLLEGE YEARS ON YOU! I can't believe it you fooled me with your promises." You yelled while still on the ground and you started crying, tears of regret on how blind you were. You literally did everything for him and be there for him but all he did was push you away where did you go wrong? After that you covered your face and kept on questioning yourself why did you even liked him?
A hand was then placed on your head "Are you alright ma'am?" This voice... it's too familiar isn't it? You slowly looked up and you saw his long black hair that fades to mint green "YU-YUI? How did you find me? Get out of here!" you mistaken this poor guy for yuichiro and slapped him out of rage he seemed so confused and lost. He then hold the part you slapped "I'm sorry for interrupting you but I'm not yuichiro, My name is Muichiro Tokito." You being drunk still couldn't care less and proceeded to tell him how much you hate yuichiro and you still think that he is yuichiro.
"I actually just came here to retrieve a item that my friend's girlfriend lost but looking at your condition...It is indeed dangerous for a girl like you to walk outside at this hour so please let me accompany you, Also My brother Yuichiro is sometimes a bit mean but he is also a good guy so please calm down." The guy said as he helped you get up, your shoulders was placed on his while he held your waist for support. Even at your drunken state you couldn't help but realize how cute he was and how he was being such a gentlemen he was way better than his brother.
He then placed you on his car's front seat and he sat in the driver's seat. He then asked you where you lived and you didn't even answered him instead you kept on saying the most random things ever "Y'know your brother, I feel like he just needs a sympathetic pat...." You paused "on the head. . . With a hammer" muichiro then just looked at you "ma'am where do you li-"
"you are way better than your brother I'd marry you if I have the chance."
Muichiro was caught off guard by what you said and heat rise up his cheeks "yo-you are drunk ma'am." He gulped.
"I might be drunk but trust me Moihiro, I always mean every single word I said." Muichiro then raised an eyebrow at you in confusion "it's mui-chi-ro ma'am"
"Okay maichiro!" Muichiro then just sighed and chuckled, his chuckles caused your heart to beat fast so you immediately looked away "you should marry me"
"what?"
"marry me"
Muichiro was dumfounded as he was driving, he then turned over to the clock on his car and sighed "I can let you stay in my house if you want if not just tell me your address so I can drive you th-" You then cried and cried out randomly mentioning about yuichiro again and muichiro listened even though you weren't answering his question or even listening to him at all.
"they say ice cream is therapy maybe ice cream would really make me happy maybe it will even make me move on from yui!" You said while hope filled your eyes, muichiro handed you a handkerchief and you took it wiping your tears. "Well I guess I'll buy you ice cream if that's what will shut you up."
Muichiro then drive-thru McDonald's and got you a mcflurry and some other sort of ice creams, you happily ate them all up and muichiro was basically cleaning all your mess since you were still drunk and out of your mind so you ate so messingly.
"My name is y/n, but I'd prefer it if you call me love!" Muichiro then decided to go along with your jokes "Okay, love is it then."
You happily hugged him and he scolded you "Oi, I'm driving right now". after a non stop ranting to muichiro you basically fall asleep in his car. It took 30 minutes of driving for him to arrive to his house he tried waking you up but you weren't budging so he carried you bridal style. He then placed you on his bedroom and covered you with his warm blanket as you were sleeping soundly.
"muichiro, what is she doing here?" The older brother was in the door standing, "Oh brother, I just took her in since it's dangerous for girls to be outside this hou-" yuichiro then got mad and cutted his sentence "Shut up! You are too soft muichiro you should of have just let her freeze outside! You don't know she could be a thief or whatever bad intentions she have!" Yuichiro said those mean words though he didn't really meant it he just wants muichiro to stay away from her. After all sometimes "feelings" just comes in late
"but bro-" yuichiro then just walked away. With this muichiro felt a little sad that his brother was mad at him so he just sat on his little couch while watching you sleep "Why is big brother so mad?"
THE NEXT MORNING
Y/N'S POV
My head hurts, I can barely open my eyes. What the fuck happened last night? I couldn't even remember anything.
I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the ceiling, I didn't recognized the ceiling's color at all. I started looking around and I spotted a guy who was seating in a couch reading a book silently. He looked mesmerizing but at the same time he looked quite... familiar
YUICHIRO?
"yuichiro-san?" I tried sitting up but I was struggling and I couldn't sit up myself, "what happened last n-" the guy then got up on his couch and hushed me "Shh, you can't be moving around too much you were pretty drunk yesterday." He paused "it's muichiro not yuichiro."
"muichiro? I have never heard that name do I know you?" I asked, this guy...did he do something to me? Do I know him? Damn I regret not going with kanao and tanjiro
"I'm yuichiro's younger brother, we are twins." He stated. I then gave him a surprised look I didn't know yuichiro had any twins however this twin looks more gentle and calm than yuichiro was.
"how are you feeling, love?"
I then frozed on Spot, did he just call me that?
"sorry what?"
"did you not heard me? I'll repeat. How are you feeling, Love?"
I then blushed in embarrassment, I did heard him but I didn't want to believe what I just heard, why is he calling me love all of the sudden I don't even know this dude I only know his brother, "My name is Y/N. Why are you calling me that?" Muichiro then just chuckled a bit which made my heart fluttered, his chuckles was cute I thought.
"I think it's only fair I tease you back for what you said all night to me."
huh.
OH
DANG I FORGOT I WAS HELLA DRUNK WITH THE GIRLS. "HUH? I'M SORRY I DON'T REMEMBER I WAS DRUNK LAST NIGHT!"
he then just gave me a smile "It's fine, I was just kidding." He returned to his coach "Mitsuri will be arriving soon and she said she will love to give you a ride on your way home." I then nodded and decided to ask him two questions.
"Is there anyone else in this house?" He then shook his head "no, it's just me and my brother yuichiro. Why?"
"is that so? Then why is my clothes different from what I wore last night?"
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"Rolling Up the Welcome Mat" by Kelsea Ballerini Sentence Starters
MOUNTAIN WITH A VIEW
"I should be missing you."
"I wonder if you even know where I am."
"I'm wearing the ring still, but I think I'm lying."
"I think we're done trying."
"I think that this is when it's over for me."
"I can't handle another year of you and I just being fine."
"I've shared all my secrets and I've paid for all my crimes."
"Our stars ain't falling back in line."
"I think that this is when I set myself free."
"I'm taking the ring off."
"I'm finally crying."
"No reason to fight it."
"You'll say I'm crazy for being the one to leave."
"Looks like our ending ain't ending happily."
"I'm the only one alone at a table meant for two."
JUST MARRIED
"I don't think I lied when I said I wanted that life."
"Maybe I was too young to understand what I wanted to begin with."
"I wasn't strong enough to keep on with all of the weight that I carried."
"Tired of asking when I'll see you next."
"It was a beautiful wedding."
"I wish I wasn't this ready to undo I do."
"It was, it really was."
"Then it was just married."
PENTHOUSE
"When I left town, did you hate me?"
"I changed the second we were moving out."
"One day, the curtain started coming down."
"You changed the second we were moving out."
"And now we don't talk."
"I kissed someone new last night."
"Now I don't know where you're sleeping, baby."
"Now I don't care where you're sleeping, baby."
"You sad it was wrong. I wanted it all along."
INTERLUDE
"There's a thin line between love and hate."
"It was love, but it wasn't fate."
"This wasn't how it was supposed to play out."
"So, which side are you gonna take now?"
"People that I loved are just people that I knew once."
"Ain't it like this town to only criticize a woman."
"It's kinda scary opening a wound that time had mended."
"I guess we've done each other wrong now."
"We really turned goodbye to a game to a hobby."
"You collected bones, but I buried the bodies."
"All this back and forth, well, it's getting pretty sloppy."
"Happy ever after ain't always true."
"Forever's just the interlude."
BLINDSIDED
"Was there nothing ever wrong, cause you were always right?"
"Tell me, were you blindsided or were you just blind?"
"I know the truth is hard to hear, but it wasn't hard to find."
"We had to get drunk to ever really talk."
"I told you what I needed, didn't have to read my mind."
"I didn't want a family."
"Tell me, when did I start looking like the enemy?"
"You couldn't say it to my face."
"You would've searched the whole world over."
"Yeah, sure, okay."
LEAVE ME AGAIN
"I hope you're feeling happier than you've ever been."
"For a while the shoe fit, but then I outgrew it."
"Staying only made me get real good at pretend."
"I hope to learn to love myself like I loved you then."
"I hope that when I see you that you smile."
"I hope that you find somebody new."
"I hope that you get the house, and the good wife/husband/spouse, and the kids."
"I hope I never leave me again."
HOW DO I DO THIS
"They say to get out with the old you get in with the new."
"I haven't been out on a date since I was twenty-two."
"Are you free Saturday? I know a spot."
"I'm scared of looking stupid."
"I think it's time to keep it moving."
"Everything I knew about love is ruined."
"How do I do this?"
"What if it's feeling right?"
"What if it's too good to be true?"
"I know who I am, but what the fuck do I do?"
#rp memes#rp starters#rp prompts#rp lyric meme#lyric prompts#lyric starters#roleplay starters#roleplay prompts#sentence starters#not the old me. 2.0 me. no it's all of meme combined (ask meme)#when there was me and queue (queue)
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@mayedays replied to your post “Sometimes I get immensely sad that you're not in...”:
What do you see as the other options? Bc the alternatives to defanging or death that I can see are (1) the author subjecting the antagonist to serious suffering/punishment (up to and including 'fate worse than death') to appease readers' sense of justice or (2) the fandom becoming so much more toxic towards the character (and their fans) bc of rage that justice (read: punishment) "wasn't served". (And I hate those options too! This feels like a no-win situation!)
I feel like you are talking about something a little different than I am, first of all, in that you seem to be talking about the canon fate of characters in-universe whereas I was specifically (in this post) talking about the way characters get written in fandom. But since I'm here and this does feel relevant to my interests, I'll take it!
Firstly, I don't think that avoiding a storytelling choice because "readers/fans will react poorly" is...a good way to do writing. An understandable way in this day and age, certainly! But I also think it's generative of...well, you know how people talk about the phenomenon of media being bleached of its color for the sake of not offending potential advertisers? That's what I see happening as a result of this kind of implied emotional terrorism, or fear of emotional terrorism on the part of writers.
Like I said, I think it's understandable to be scared of how people are going to react to something you write, whether that is for your own sake or the sake of a hypothetical reader - it's human to want to avoid unpleasant experiences. But I think caving to that fear, or accepting that as a stifling force on the creative decisions a writer feels at liberty to make, is neither desirable nor inevitable.
Secondly - it is relevant that I was talking about fandom here, because in a canon setting the antagonist is probably going, in some form, to have to lose. But if I'm engaging with this purely on the personal level of "how do I like to see writers handle their antagonists," there is a wide variety of ways for a narrative to treat its antagonists with grace. Even if an antagonist dies horribly, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a narrative decision that I by nature have a problem with. (I have discussed before the internal conflict for me between 'but I want this character to live :(' vs. 'it makes for a better narrative if they die', including with several of my own original projects.) But the way that defeat or death is handled can make a world of difference in my (personal) response to a text.
I have read books where it feels like the aim of the text is specifically punitive: it wants to punish the bad character, it wants to make them suffer, it wants to illustrate that they deserve it. I tend to not enjoy that. It's not the only way to write an antagonist's defeat, and not even the only way to write an antagonist's death. It feels miles better to me, as someone who tends to get invested in antagonists, to read a text that doesn't come with a punitive mindset baked in. (Punitive texts aren't inherently bad, they just tend to not be for me.)
But that isn't the only way to write a conclusion, and there are ways of hurting or even killing an antagonist that don't have to feel like the goal of the narrative is specifically to punish them. (I wrote a whole essay about an example of this! There were footnotes and everything.)
But I think the bigger thing here, that is perhaps just a distinction between the way I approach this question and the way you seem to be, is that the question you're asking is predicated on the understanding that the question of "how a text handles its villain" is a matter of how readers/fans will react to a text, and that is a major determining factor in how a story should be told. I just fundamentally disagree with that, and I think a story that is written under those premises is going to suffer.
#mayedays#lise has opinions#christ that got long#i need to eat dinner#i wrote this instead of doing havdalah whoops#actual english major lise#does this make sense? i hope so
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Sightshipping for 001?
Also answering for @over-roaming-waves, who was curious.
Sightshipping
when I started shipping it:
Back in 2017, I started drafting a fic about their adventure in Egypt trying to hide the God Cards. It was really supposed to be a drama/humor fic about Isis having a constant headache and finding Pegasus to be an annoyance (because I personally found Pegasus to be an annoying character at the time), but as I kept writing, I really fell in love with both of the characters and imagining how their personalities would clash and complement one another
The adventure fic was up for a while, but I yanked it offline not long ago. The story is undergoing revisions and I want to redo it as a comic because I'm a masochist
my thoughts:
Do you like to read novels?
I have so many thoughts, but for the sake of the ask, I will try to keep it short.
I really like the idea of them being so set in their plans pre-series and not really being amicable at the start, the both of them so committed to their pasts and their Items that it blinds them from seeing any alternatives from their personal life scripts. Then both their plans go up in flames (Pegasus loses Duelist Kingdom and Seto shows Isis the grim fate she believed in is not infallible), they both lose their Items, and with Atem crossing into the Afterlife, they're no longer tied into the Great Game. So now they have this freedom to explore the future and what the world has to offer, but there's also uncertainty and powerlessness in not being able to foresee what is coming, not knowing what other people are thinking, and not knowing what to do next.
And somewhere in there, I like imagining them going from business acquaintances to friends to lovers.
(also my constant daydream about Isis wanting to confess to Pegasus that she foresaw him getting the Eye ripped out of his head but didn't say anything back then because she didn't believe she could alter destiny with a warning but uh oh-oh no Seto proved you can change the future so she feels like utter crap that Pegasus nearly died and fears he won't want to talk to her again and the looming sense of dread and judgment haunts her; she's so scared he's gonna kick her to the curb when he learns she could have saved him so much grief if she had just said something
and she's so absorbed in the guilt of her past inaction that she doesn't realize Pegasus can plainly see she's torturing herself with all these thoughts so he reaches out and touches her hand and
ok I'll shut up)
What makes me happy about them:
The possibilities--in the anime timeline. They're both alive and there is a chance something could happen. Daydreams and headcanons abound
What makes me sad about them:
They stand in a room staring at each other for less than 10 seconds in the anime. Isis talks about wanting to "fulfill his wishes" offhandedly in the manga (by getting the God Cards back from her brother). The most dialogue we see exchanged between the two of them is in a GBA game
MY CROPS ARE THIRSTY AND I AM KEEPING THEM ALIVE WITH A NOVELTY SHOT GLASS
things done in fanfic that annoys me:
Oh
Oh honey
There is not enough fanfic of this rarepair for that to be a thing
things I look for in fanfic:
I dunno I have to look at my WIP folder
Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:
Isis with her job and intermittent dates with Aileen Rao; Pegasus sober with his art supplies and comics
My happily ever after for them:
Married with 5 kids but one of them is a daughter biologically fathered by Seto Kaiba after Isis and Pegasus have a heated threesome with him in Marrakesh. Isis and Pegasus know the kid is Seto's, but they don't tell him because it would make things complicated, but Seto does eventually find out at his daughter's 13th birthday party. Seto punches Pegasus in the face and tells him he isn't surprised Pegasus could be that cruel but he can't believe Isis hid the truth from him, which leads to Isis' oldest daughter resenting her because she believes she was the product of an affair, even though she wasn't, but the fine details were not disclosed as Isis thinks the news that Pegasus isn't her biological father was already traumatic enough and she felt it wasn't appropriate to tell her teenage daughter she was conceived during a passionate threesome
Like it all works out in the end when all their kids are adults with their own lives and it gets better after a lot of shit hits the fan but that's my future/next gen "happily ever after" headcanon
who is the big spoon/little spoon:
It switches, but I'd say Pegasus is the big spoon 70% of the time. He likes to hug Isis to his chest and doesn't want to let go because she is warm and comfy
And he has PTSD related to this
what is their favorite non-sexual activity:
Morning, afternoon, and evening tea time--and movie night.
#ask#sightshipping#pegasus#maximillion pegasus#pegasus j crawford#isis ishtar#ishizu#ishtar#aileen rao#yugioh#ygo#dm#duel monsters#seto kaiba#headcanons#fanfic woes
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My thoughts on the new Avatar show announcement
disclaimer; these are my personal opinions and not objective fact. Take this as more of a vent than anything else. Also, this will be VERY long and rambley, and will contain spoilers for just about every existing Avatar-verse IP.
ok so I'm generally of an optimistic mindset when it comes to new Avatar content, because like. Even the GLY comics had SOME good moments (they at least TRIED to answer questions people had after ATLA and Korra were both over)
But I'm having a HARD time being optimistic about this new Earth Avatar show. I have no idea how they're gonna pull off telling a good story that's also a NEW story when LOK had nothing resembling the seeds for a new plot?
ATLA left enough (interesting) loose ends that HAD to be tied up in a future setting (finding Zuko's mom, the fate of the Air Nomads with Aang being the last one, etc.) as well as a few interesting questions that could be explored in either past or future settings (how the avatar came to be, whether the water tribe was rebuilt and how successfully, political unrest with a new fire lord on the throne and the war suddenly ending, past avatars' lives and stories, as well as general questions about the fate of certain characters). LOK and the comics and the FC Yee novels have (with varying degrees of success) answered a lot of those.
The problem is, I have a hard time thinking of any such interesting threads in LOK that don't just point back to the past again. Whatever questions I have about the future are strictly related to the characters, because there wasn't a whole lot going on in the *world* of Legend of Korra that would have long-term effects. At least not beyond the connection to past Avatars being cut off, which is a story that for me just isn't interesting enough to center a whole series around the implications of, unless it's set during the era of Wan's immediate successor trying to learn the ropes from the ground up; or the effects of Wu abolishing the monarchy, which...creates a political drama and not much else, as far as I can see, and that's literally the last thing I want to watch a cartoon about.
As i said, the questions LOK DID leave me with were related to the characters rather than the world itself, which...is kind of a bad thing if you're setting the sequel in a time when most or all of those characters are going to be dead. I mean, we saw how that went in LOK; nobody liked Toph being a cop, or Katara being a lonely old lady (and yeah, she wanted a peaceful life, but there's nothing about her in LOK that says 'peaceful' to me. She's lonely and sad.) or Sokka being barely mentioned, or Aang being a neglectful dad (and yeah, there's nuance to that one but it isn't done very well in my opinion). Zuko gets to be in a couple episodes and have a dragon and a daughter we know nothing about from a wife we know even less about.
Setting the story as far in the future as they would need to to avoid killing Korra off at the ripe old age of like 30 (and wow, wouldn't that be such a good take, having both existing named water tribe avatars die tragically young?) would in the process do two things:
Remove nearly all ties to the original show and any relevant stories that could be told in relation through characters and plotlines that showed up there (and all ties that I would personally find interesting)
progress the world of Avatar further into an already over-westernized version of the world, presumably technologically advancing it and keeping in line with the 'real-world progression' set up by setting LOK in a 1920s-esque era.
I don't know about you but nothing excites me LESS than seeing characters I have no emotional connection to and no information on navigate a modernized, westernized version of the avatar world. LOK tried that, some people liked it, but it didn't really do it for me. If it had been a miniseries like Bryke originally planned, and actually focused on worldbuilding and saving-the-world rather than interpersonal drama, or even kept the long-form series but had a more overarching plot, I would have probably liked it a whole lot better, but...that's not what happened.
Instead they had four separate conflicts, all of which ended up rushed, and all ending with (for me) extremely unsatisfying conclusions. The non-bender protesters are shut down (even though they're still oppressed) and it's never mentioned again; Vaatu gets killed (which is still just dumb to me, Chaos isn't bad and you can't have one without the other); The Red Lotus all die painful deaths and their only impact is political (yet we don't feel the impact because of how little time is spent with the world-building over interpersonal stuff, as said before); and Kuvira's ultimately noble goal is negated by the distinctly terrible actions in the name of said goal.
So yeah. LOK didn't lay much groundwork for a future series, and unless the plot synopsis drops and it's something truly groundbreaking (lol get it? Because it's an earthbender Avatar? So it's literally - yeah nevermind) I'm not holding out a lot of hope.
But that's just my two cents!
#avatar studios#new avatar#long post#ranting#atla#atla meta#lok meta#lok#legend of korra#genuinely sorry for how rambly this got#i was gonna say more but most of it should just be its own post or whatever#earth avatar#legend of korra meta#lok critical#the legend of korra critical
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