#[ oh. oh these are. very accurate for them both. ]

[littlejoyss]

𝓯𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 9

“One single thread of gold tied me to you.”

Stray Kids - Felix x Reader

Red (golden) string of fate trope

Word count (so far): 21k

𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 ← 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 → 𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 (coming soon!)

The show had started five hours ago. It was full of chaos, as expected. And your models were supposed to start walking in an hour.

You barely had time to gather your breath before the curtain pulled back again, revealing seven very familiar silhouettes peeking cautiously into the alcove.

Changbin was the first to step fully inside. “Uh… are we interrupting something?” he asked, eyes darting between you and Felix like a nosy sibling catching someone mid-confession.

“No,” you and Felix said at the same time.

“You sure?” Seungmin deadpanned. “Because this feels like the part in a drama where we’re supposed to back out slowly and give you privacy.”

Lee Know crossed his arms and leaned against the wardrobe rack like he owned the place. “Too late. We’re here now. Besides, someone,” he shot a look at Chan, “wanted us to actually introduce ourselves instead of hovering like weird bodyguards.”

Felix laughed, stepping aside to make space. “Guys, this is her, the genius I haven’t shut up about for about a month now.”

Jeongin looked both bashful and starstruck. “Hi. I love your designs. Like, actually. I’ve never seen anything like what you did with that ombré silk and the beaded cuffs.”

Your eyebrows shot up. “You know about the cuffs?”

“Oh, he knows everything,” Han chimed in, nudging him with his shoulder. “He watched the leaked rehearsal video three times. You’re a legend in the group chat right now.”

Hyunjin stepped forward, his eyes tracing the half-staged looks on the rack with reverent curiosity. “You did all this with substitute materials? After someone tried to erase your concept?”

Your throat bobbed. “I didn’t really have a choice.”

“You made it look like one,” Chan said quietly, stepping into view. “That’s what makes you different.”

There was a beat of silence where the air felt weighted with unspoken respect. None of them were putting on an idol charm or saying what they thought they should. They were just seeing you, tired, resilient, and stubborn. 

“Felix said you were scary when you’re focused,” Han said, eyebrows wiggling. “I didn’t believe him. But… yeah. You’ve got that ‘make-a-grown-man-cry-in-fittings’ aura.”

Felix gasped in mock betrayal. “You promised not to say anything!”

“I said it was a compliment!” Han retorted. “She looks like someone who commands a fashion army, not like someone who’s been surviving on stress and thread.”

You snorted. “That’s probably accurate.”

The wardrobe alcove wasn’t big, and with eight idols inside, it was starting to feel less like a safe haven and more like a very glamorous closet. But none of you seemed to mind.

Hyunjin gently picked up a headpiece you hadn’t had time to box yet, delicate wirework and mother-of-pearl pieces arcing like wings. He turned it in his hands with the care of someone who understood how long it must’ve taken to make.

“This belongs in a museum,” he murmured. “Or a gallery.”

You met his eyes. “Or on a runway, in fifty-five minutes.”

He smiled, handing it back like it was precious cargo. “You’re going to steal the whole show.”

Bang Chan stepped beside Felix, lowering his voice just enough to keep it between you three. “If you need anything. Statement, support, literally anything. We’re all here for you. You’re the first soulmate of one of our members, so you’re a little special.” 

“Thank you,” you said softly. “Seriously. All of you. You didn’t have to come back here, or say anything, but-”

“But we did,” Changbin interrupted, firm and warm. “Because he loves you.”

Felix turned bright red. “Bin!”

“What?” Changbin shrugged. “She should know. She deserves to know.”

“Got it,” you whispered, your smile matching the flutter in your chest.

“Okay, sappy time over,” Bora announced, poking her head in again like the unflappable queen she was. “Makeup touch-ups in three, model lineup in five, showtime in twenty. Anyone not actively sewing or strutting, out.”

There was a scramble. Stray Kids didn’t need to be told twice, though not without dramatic goodbyes.

“Can we get a picture with the genius before we’re kicked out?” Han asked, already pulling out his phone.

You laughed. “One. And someone tell Seungmin to stop pretending he’s not excited to be backstage.”

“I’m composed,” Seungmin deadpanned, but his phone camera was already open too.

They gathered around you, chaotic and warm, arms thrown around each other like they’d been doing this for years. Felix stood beside you, his hand grazing your waist.

The flash went off.

“Legendary,” Han declared. 

As the others dispersed with a few final waves and chaotic bickering, Felix lingered. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear before pressing his lips lightly to your forehead. “Go knock them out,” he whispered.

And then he was gone, disappearing into the hum of the venue, the curtain swaying in his wake.

You exhaled. Then squared your shoulders.

The noise of the crowd swelled beyond the backstage walls. Models slipped into their final looks. Your assistants flurried around you with pins and tape and calm panic.

Your show was next. Your story was next. And you were ready to tell it in every stitch they tried to erase, in every detail you fought to bring back to life. Because no one could silence a designer who had found her voice. Not even Jiwoo.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶

  The announcer spoke over the speaker, announcing your name to the crowd.

You heard it from backstage, your name echoing across the venue in perfect pronunciation, your brand stitched into the air like your embroidery on silk. The spotlight shifted to the edge of the runway, where a sleek black podium stood waiting.

Bora appeared at your side with a mic and a fire in her eyes. “It’s time. Go out there and let them know who you are.”

You took the mic with both hands, grounding yourself in the weight of it. Around you, your team stilled, models in half-laced boots, assistants gripping lint rollers mid-swipe. Even the hum of backstage fell to a hush.

One step. Two. Then you were past the curtain, stepping into the light.

The crowd murmured. Cameras clicked like a second heartbeat. Behind the runway, a massive screen flashed your name and collection title in bold, serif font. The music dipped just enough for the audience to feel the gravity of the moment.

You reached the center of the stage and paused. The podium mic caught a soft intake of your breath, but you didn’t flinch.

You lifted the mic. “Good evening,” you began, voice steady, clear, and somehow louder than the stadium-sized venue. “My name is …, and tonight’s collection is called Golden Resilience.”

A subtle shift rippled through the audience.

“I won’t take too much of your time, because the clothes will say everything I need to. But I want to tell you one thing before the first heel touches this runway.”

You took a breath, fingers tightening just slightly around the mic. “This collection almost didn’t happen. Materials went missing. Plans fell apart. Some of the original fabrics you’ll see tonight were never even meant to exist in this show. And yet, here they are.”

You let your breath fill your chest, grounding you in the moment. The runway lights were hot, and the silence was heavier than silk. “When I came to Korea, I wasn’t expecting my life to take this big of a turn. I thought I was just here to build a name for myself. Maybe prove a point. I had a vision, a sketchbook full of dreams, and enough ambition to power a city block. But then something unexpected happened. Something that rewrote everything I thought I knew about design, about why I create.”

You looked past the glare of the lights, past the rows of cameras and editors, toward the shadowed third row where you knew he sat.

“I found my soulmate.”

There were audible gasps. 

“I know many of you probably saw the headlines and the guesses in the media,” you continued. “But I didn’t want my first public confirmation to come from a photo or a rumor. I wanted it to come from me. From this.”

You swept a hand gently toward the runway, the garments lined in waiting just out of view.

“This collection was originally born from pain, creative pressure, fear of failure, and sabotage. But as I rebuilt it… I realized what I was really stitching into each piece. Hope. Trust. Safety. The kind of softness that only comes when someone sees you for exactly who you are and says, ‘Yes. You’re enough.’”

The spotlight narrowed slightly, sharpening around you like the universe was leaning in. “Golden Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about who you become when you realize you don’t have to fight alone. When you meet someone who loves you not despite your cracks, but because of them.”

“This is my love letter. To resilience and rebuilding. And yes, to the boy who sat beside me on the floor while I worked, bringing me tea and folding scrap fabric just to keep me company.”

Your voice softened, but carried. “So, whether you’ve found your soulmate yet or not, I hope this collection reminds you that love doesn’t just look like flowers and kisses. Sometimes, it looks like thread. Like a golden string that holds you together.” You lift your pinky finger to remind everyone that they’re own soulmate thread is there. “And now… welcome to Golden Resilience.”

The lights dimmed. A heartbeat of silence. Then, the music began.

Your first model stepped out, draped in yellow hues. Every inch of fabric shimmered with intention. The gown’s train moved like water, embroidered with symbols you thought you'd lost when Jiwoo tried to bury your designs.

You stepped back, away from the podium, melting into the shadows as your story unfolded in silk and sequins.

Applause rose softly, respectful, awed. Not the kind of clapping people gave because it was expected, but the kind they offered when something hit them right in the chest.

Dress after dress, your designs walked the line between softness and steel. A cape that had been dyed into the deep blue of comfort, a jacket lined with fabric scraps, and a menswear piece with golden thread running through the collar.

You caught a glimpse of the boys from Stray Kids along the left wing, sitting now, faces beaming, clapping softly without stealing focus. Felix had a hand over his mouth, his eyes glossy in a way that told you he wasn’t blinking.

You waved lightly at him. He didn’t wave back. Not because he didn’t see you, but because if he did, he might cry. So instead, he placed his hand over his heart. Just once. You smiled, then turned your attention back to the runway.

There was a pantsuit dyed in golden tones, the fabric stiff at the shoulders and soft at the waist. Another model wore a coat with blue thread, glittering as they moved. 

And then came the look that silenced even the camera shutters. The finale dress.

Made of layered translucent silk, gold melting into rose, it moved like sunrise after the longest night. The bodice was embroidered in delicate loops of thread, the same design you used to sketch in the margins of your notebook when you thought no one would ever see your work. Attached to the back, a dramatic cape was placed. It was shaped like phoenix wings. 

The crowd gasped again, unfiltered this time. Some even stood.

The model at the center of it all walked like she already knew the runway beneath her was solid gold. And behind her, every dress that came before began to return one by one, flooding the runway with your army of resilience. Applause thundered. A full standing ovation.

You stepped forward with your bow. 

You bowed. Once. Twice.

And then, when you lifted your head. Felix was there. He was no longer seated. He had stepped just beside the runway, arms crossed tightly over his chest like he was holding himself together. When your eyes met, he gave you the smallest, most grounding smile. Then he mouthed: Told you you’d knock them out.

You laughed, even through the sting in your eyes.

As you turned to take your final bow, you were bathed in gold, but not from the lights. 

The string around your pinky glowed even brighter than when you first saw him. (A/N: This isn't over yet! The next release will be the last couple of parts. But...I have an itch to write more skz stuff! Could you vote on what you want below?)

taglist (comment to be added): @shinygubbins @lizzygd @btch8008s @under--space @monniemons @chimmyn0chu @wickedbutlovely @sunanlix @beal-o @valkirymin @moonlitcelestial @wolfhallows4 @beppybeesnuggets @eridanuswave @lynastrawberry @multiifanbigbang @yxna-bliss @chasinghxran @velvetmoonlght @rylea08 @rjrjhfvrvdhdhrvvrrv @daisylove3 @rougegenshin @wolfs-howling @akindaflora @felixsonlyrealwife @chaosandcandies @ateez-atiny380 

[thy1quitcentral]

K pop demon hunters

Huntrix vs Saja Boys

X Honmoon! NB oc

Part 1 * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 *

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

.................💓...................

Another day

The girls and god were out and about

"oh I just love going out with you three" honey skipped along and smiled. They hummed a small tune

"mkay so this guy is like a genius and I am sure he will fix this" Zoey typed in her phone and grinned happily, she skipped with Honey. The three girls had to hide themselves while Honey only had to hide their very being to not be noticed by the human eye.

"can we go fabric shopping after this? I have several ideas in my sketchbook and I know it will look elegant on you three" Honey grinned happily.

"sure" Mira smiled gently.

They stopped at the building and paused "human doctors are so silly" Honey giggled as they read the advertisement of the doctor on the door. "Usually they work at more.... professional places" Mira raised a brow, obviously skeptical of the whole thing.

Zoey whined "I think we should give it a shot" Rumi pushed, looking hopeful and almost desperate.

******

"that human was so funny!" Honey grinned happily and giggled. "See I told you he was so legit" Zoey said puffing her chest out proudly.

They chanted "we got the tonics!"

"next stop, recovered voice and Golden Honey!" Mira roared in determination. Zoey laughed and jumped up and down.

Rumi laughed as she held the big box of tonics.

They walked along. Chatting "for the fans, for Honmoon!" Rumi, Zoey and Mira exclaims. Honey laughed at their antics. "Now for my fabric shopping" they state with a huff.

"yep as promised" Mira said.

They all stopped and looked down the alley, they froze "shit, fans" Mira asked as she and Zoey scrambled to hide. So they hide behind Rumi

Down that all was a group of 4 guys, cute ones and rather. Very familiar ones.

"demon boys" Honey whispers, both Rumi and Honey looked to their friends and they were DROOLING.

As they came closer.

Abby looks over and smirks towards Honey and flexes his bicep as he casually ran his fingers through his hair. He got a peak of Mira and bit his lip as a bonus.

Romance only smiled and winked while kissing the hair, he had looked at Mira and bowed his head charmingly.

Baby smiled boredly, giving a casual head tilt to Honey as he walked by.

Mystery only stared at Honey as he passed.

Then there was jinu, he looked up and noticed Honey first. Honey looked back at him and pursed their lips with a small sigh and pretended not to know him and glanced over to what Jinu looked at next.

Rumi was winded, her breath taken away by this tall, dark haired man. Jinu bumped into her, and she falls

Honey swiftly takes her waist and kept her from falling. They looked over and saw the mess "Jinu" They rolled their eyes at Jinu's antics.

"watch yourself" Jinu snapped.

Rumi gasped and glared "watch yourself asshole!" She yelled out. Honey sighed "you okay?" They asked Rumi.

"yea Im peeerfectly fine...and pissed. Both sound accurate" Rumi huffs. She turns and exclaims "look at this mess"

They all cleaned up

"they're so meh"

"no more like BLEH"

The three paused

"mmmmmBLEEH"

Honey snickers. And looked down the alley 'if what he said is true....and all they are here for is music, they shouldn't be a threat right?'

They all heard the music.

They got closer.

They were performing and they were Good

They had the crowd going wild, somebody better hold onto Their Ommas before their souls get sucked out.

Honey shimmied at the music and smiled, the music was so bright and catchy it made them glow. Rumi looked to them in shock

Someone else's song is making Honey glow and vibrate around them. But a different hue of color.

Honey felt enchanted.

They yelp as they were dragged in, somehow they followed their moves perfectly. And it was actually pretty fun.

Jinu smiled and twirled Honey around and sang.

Rumi, Mira and Zoey gasped.

"they just dragged Honey on there" Mira frowned at that. "Wait but Honey is actually really good at dancing" Zoey smiled and clapped for them as the song continued.

Rumi would be lying if she said she didn't feel jealous. The way Jinu was looking at Honey and how Honey looked back in familiarity, she frowned and crossed her arms.

She had to admit, Honey looks so pretty dancing and the song was honestly perfect for them to dance to.

They have a real connection don't they?

The light reflected off of the boys skin and they saw it, the patterns.

All three girls gasped in shock and concern "they are demons"Mira and Rumi glared.

They contemplated killing them but it was too public to do so. "Let's just get Honey away from them" Rumi states.

"right, protect Honmoon" Mira and Zoey huff as they moved further into the crowd.

As the song progressed, Mira tries grabbing Honeys arm but Romance took their hand and swirled them around away from her clutches.

"grrr" Mira growled.

Zoey huffs and circled before trying to tackle Honey but Mystery swoops in and guides her away and into Mira. Both toppling over.

The both groan and Zoey sat up with a mad but blushing face. Mystery only blew her a kiss and she yelps as the heart hits her face.

..

Honey smiled brightly as the song ran its course and they shown so bright, a wave of light was released, echoing far and wide, a magenta pink color.

With all the struggle the deity started to notice, but baby only took his hands and grinned as he guided them to Jinu who took their hand.

"my little soda pop" he winked. He was gonna dance with them more before Rumi jumps and took Honeys other hand.

Jinu looked at Rumi and Rumi back at him, they both glared at each other harshly. "Uh?" Honey spoke up but Jinu lets Honey go and pushes them to Rumi.

Jinu smirked softly at that and waved to the crazy fans.

The song ends.

"you okay?" Rumi asked Honey Gently

Honey blinked slowly "hmm? Oh yea I feel great" they giggle and flipped onto Rumis head like they were drunk.

Rumi frowned at the state Honey was in and looked over to Jinu, Jinu caught her eye and smirked as he wiped his shoulder, the same shoulder that had bumped into Rumi.

She grits her teeth

"jerk"

***

The girls gathered around

"you girls okay?" Honey asked checking up on them curiously. They spot a cut on Zoeys cheek, so they reached into their pouch of needles and other random stuff and takes out a band-aid

"there"

"thank you" Zoey smiled.

"what happened there? You were so into it. And it was like you couldn't hear us call you" Mira asked. Honey stared "oh really? Their music was just so groovy I got distracted I think..."

"let's just go, we have to think about how to get rid of them" Rumi pushed them off.

****

Once home

"oooo you know I'm ready to stop demon scum!" Zoey cawed loudly as she goes to put her outfit on.

"girls lotion" Honey huffs as they throw the bottle to Mira. "Right"

Rumi got ready and looked at Honey, she couldn't stop thinking about it. A demon boy band managed to make Their Honmoon glow like they did.

"so about the glow?" The leader of the trio spoke up, both Mira and Zoey stopped for a moment and looked. "Did you know you can be influenced by demons too?" Rumi asked.

Honey thought for a moment and looked at their sewing kit. "Well, all music and song always catch my interest, their music was hypnotic and catchy....I didn't mean to glow" Honey explained

They fiddled with their fingers and frowned "I'm sorry"

"no it's okay! You liked their music and that's okay" Zoey frowned softly

Mira pursed her lips "but we really do have to keep you away from them, they could try and destroy you in one fall swoop" she puts her hand on Honeys shoulder.

"right"

.................💓...................

[checkthescript]

[* Everyone appears to still be sound asleep.]

...

(They look so... so exhausted. Might be best to just let them sleep for now...) (I... I didn't mean to make them worry like this... I never want anyone to worry...)

...

[* Tenna looks down at himself and almost shrieks in horror.]

[* His body, his suit, everything is...]

[* His favourite signature suit is positively annihilated and his torso is equipped with shiny new material all across the front. Smells... fresh, like a brand new Cungadero straight from the dealership. All of the scuffs, the marks, the patches of discolouration from years of wear and tear that he was so intimately familiar with were... gone.]

(Something feels very different inside...)

[* He shifts, trying to figure out the sensation. If he had skin, it'd be crawling. The TV host freezes, realising what it was that was bothering him.]

(New... new wiring. New circuitry.)

[* Some of his insides... have been replaced.]

[* Tension coils tightly up inside him like a spring under pressure at this revelation. Tenna stays still for a few minutes, utterly silent in contemplation.]

[* Eventually, he slowly heaves himself up off the floor and leaves the room. He stumbles a few times, grabbing the wall of the hallway for support. A raspy, desolate laugh escapes him as he considered that he probably looked like a mechanical zombie shambling through the studio the way he was.]

[* In a way, he supposed that was sort of accurate, considering the circumstances. He winced with a grimace every time a new, unrecognised part of his body caught his eye. Through the sleeves of his shredded suit, he could see patches of twinkling metal, foreign to him. A heavy and deeply aggrieved feeling clamped down onto his chest from the inside. He felt like he could cry.]

[* ... ]

[* That didn't last for long when he saw the Green Room.]

[* Destroyed furniture. Holes in the walls and floor. A massive crater blasted out of the centre of the room. It looked like a war had taken place in here. His gaze fell upon the Janitor, still toiling desperately away trying to clean the mess. It hadn't noticed him yet.]

[* His hand, lacking a glove, wandered up to his chest. It hovered there a moment, trembling, hesitating. As he took in the absolute destruction, his finger tips finally made contact with this unfamiliar part of his body. It didn't feel the same as before...]

[* ... But he felt lucky to be alive.]

[* ... It felt like... love.]

[* An immense gratitude washed over him.]

[* Despite the changes to his body.]

[* Despite the changes to the studio.]

[* Despite everything...]

(It's still you.) (My friends... They really love me enough to... to do all of this. I'm still here because of them.)

[* He smiled softly, which quickly blossomed into a wide grin. Something bright and gentle warmed through his chest, the feeling of despair dissipating like a fading static.]

[* Tenna moved quickly to his office. He needed to check on something before tackling the rest.]

[* The door creaked open and the CRT peered inside. Everything was exactly as he'd left it yesterday morning. Wow! Even his friendly little Anon was still curled up on the couch under that blanket he'd put over them.]

[* ... Oh! But there was something new.]

[* ... ]

[* Tenna picked up the Tenna doll.]

[* He held it in both hands, staring at it for a long moment. There were bandaids on its screen, stitches on its tie...]

[* He read the card that came with it. "Get well soon."]

Ha...

[* His chest shook. His hands shook.]

[* He hugged the doll tightly to himself, sinking down to the floor as he cradled it against his form.]

(Broken... but... still good, right?) (To be loved... is to be changed. That's what they say.) (I must... really be loved.)

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

Oh, my dear Robespierre! It is not long since we were sighing together over our country’s servitude, since, drawing from the same sources the sacred love of liberty and equality, amid so many professors whose lessons only taught us to detest our land, we were complaining there was no professor of cabals who would teach us to free it, when we were regretting the tribune of Rome and Athens, how far was I from thinking that the day of a constitution a thousand times more beautiful was so close to shining on us, and that you, in the tribune of the French people, would be one of the firmest ramparts of the nascent freedom!” Desmoulins in number 15 of Révolutions de France et de Brabant (1790)

I knew Camille in college, he was my study companion, he was then a talented young man without mature judgement. Robespierre defends Camille at the Jacobins December 14 1793

In his lower classes, and however young he had been, [Robespierre] was very rarely seen sharing the amusements and games which most please childhood. His cold and misanthropic heart never knew those outpourings of lively and frank joy, natural signs of candor and ingenuity. Of all the noisy and endlessly varied amusements which make the public recreation of a college such an animated scene, none pleased him, and he preferred dark reveries and solitary walks. If someone, at these moments, approached him, he received him with a cold gravity; and answered him at first only in monofyllables. If he took it upon himself to praise his style and his scholastic productions, Robespierre did him the favor of striking up a conversation with him. But, however little one ventured to thwart him, one instantly became the object of some harsh and virulent trait. Camille Desmoulins, who lived at the same college, and whose impetuous and untidy character did not adapt well to the philosophical arrogance of Robespierre, had from time to time grapples with him, but from then on as since, the champions did not fight on equal terms. Always more reflective than the opponent who provoked him, and more master of his moves, Robespierre, watching the moment, pounced on him with all the advantage that cold prudence has over temerity. La vie et les crimes de Robespierre: surnommé le Tyran… (1795) by Abbé Proyart

It was [at Louis-le Grand] that Camille got to know Maximilien Robespierre. They differed in character, but both had this passion which always distinguishes men of genius — love for liberty and for independence. The fully republican education one gave to young people born to live under a monarchy contributed a lot to their character. Without stop and in all forms, one presented them with history of Gracchus, Brutus, Cato. Camille was always together with Robespierre and their conversation most often revolved around the constitution of the Roman Republic. Essai sur la vie de Camille Desmoulins (1834) by Marcellin Matton. Matton knew Desmoulins’ mother-in-law and sister-in-law, so he might have gotten this info from them.

Seems like a historically accurate comic to me! 🥰

As voted on in my IG poll- Camille/Maxime mini comic about their budding friendship. They were both nerds.

[soundop-central]

RE: your post about rebranding to megasound-central. I've always thought the best flavour of megop has soundwave squeezed in the middle, and the best flavour of wavewave has megatron off to the side only half in frame. Which is to say megasound too also is only improved by optimus being in there somewhere. I understand you.

AJDBWIXBWIZWH

megasoundop is the only brand of megop that i can tolerate, not even going to lie.

i just think that both of them need a sort of buffer there. soundwave fundamentally understands megatron (imo), and has a knack for coming to deep and accurate conclusions about others. meaning that if he spent enough time with optimus, he'd probably end up liking him.

ive always shipped megasound, like how ive always shipped wavewave and optiratch. there is so many of my favourite dynamic tropes wrapped up in this ship (i.e.: knight/lord, guard dog/leash holder, devotee/idol, etc.). i've always liked ships that have subtle power dynamics wrapped up in a morally grey (or straight up evil) bow. megasound has always been "universe's worst enabler/universe's worst warlord" to me.

i havent always shipped soundop. i actually pavlov'd myself into shipping it just because i came up with a really funny crack au that accidentally sent soundop careening from "silly nonsense" to "oh god, they're actually really good". soundop isn't as cut and dry to me as megasound- there arent a lot of dynamic tropes that actually fit them, so it's hard to quantify in simple terms what their relationship would be like. but its based on agreements, a mutual acknowledgment of the past and the future, respect and understanding. it's a lot of work, but it's rewarding.

i love both megatron and optimus as characters, and i totally recognize why the fandom ships them (ESP the idw and tfo side) (though, side note, i do actually like dpax; my opinion on megop is very nuanced and continuity dependent.) either way, i just dont see it working after literal millions of years of war without someone to act as a sort of mediator. whether that be in a romantic or platonic position, its up to whoever is doing the interpreting; but here's my take.

so we've got this guy (soundwave) who's basically sworn to this other guy (megatron), and the depth of his oath has become pretty muddy to both of them, even teetering on blasphemous if one looks hard enough. their (now ex-) enemy is an all around pretty Okay dude (optimus). while he's definitely tried to destroy everything they've done, they have also tried to do the exact same thing to him. and now that it's all done and over with...

well hey, why not? optimus seems amicable. he's definitely still sympathetic to them; remembering their time together before the degeneration that the war had become. maybe it would be worth it to try and test the waters.

i see it as an enemies to friends to lovers deal on all sides. everyone has to want it, has to work towards it, has to put in that effort.

soundwave is very suspicious of optimus at first, and frustrated that megatron would simply welcome him in so easily. optimus has to earn soundwave's trust. soundwave is protective of megatron- it's hard to undo 4 million years of protecting him from the very person he's now let in their home.

optimus is, understandably, a bit intimidated by how... intense... the vibe is. he feels like he's constantly in hostile territory. but he also knows that he's the odd man out. he resents having to earn his place, but also understands that if they want to have any hope at success, he needs to have soundwave's trust.

megatron is... both delighted and cautious. he's probably the one who's walking the thinnest line. it was his idea, he's the one who kept touch with optimus, he's the one who wanted to at least try. he convinced soundwave, no easy feat, and optimus, only slightly easier. he has the trust of two people that he cares very much about on the line.

it's definitely stressful.

both optimus and megatron are stubborn mechs. megatron has a temper and optimus has a no nonsense attitude. both of them can bicker back and fourth for hours, and to anyone on the outside, it would look like a normal conversation. yet, it is bickering, and despite how much both of them try to deny their own internal feelings, it does leave them a bit more hollow each time.

megatron never wants to apologize; he can only admit fault if he's given irrefutable proof of wrong doing. it's like pulling teeth.

meanwhile optimus is trying so hard to be reasonable, but also firm in his stances. he wishes to help both soundwave and megatron adjust to a life without war- while he can barely do that himself.

but soundwave, at first, would be doing this for megatron. as always, he's the self-sacrificer, the one who will do whatever is asked in order to further their goals. that much hasn't changed, even if the rhetoric has. yet, as time goes on, he slowly begins to enjoy this arrangement. which is something he never expected.

soundwave is adaptable and level headed; able to parse out fact and fiction within a blink of an eye. as he slowly grows more confident in his identity beyond just being megatron's most trusted, he finds himself growing more and more satisfied by finding another ship in the sea that is loving megatron.

anyway, tl;dr - they're gay. painfully so. theyre also traumatized and like not having a good time usually. but they're trying to fix that and make it work. and if that isn't real love idk what is.

[antimonys-stuff]

anyway what I'm saying is BISEXUAL Icarus who in his mortal life fell (quite literally) for the splendor of Apollo in his chariot, and in his death falls in love with the princess of the Underworld, who also shines in her own way

[yatori-morgana]

Oh, I'm certainly not downplaying that. I fully believe that if this spitballing is accurate, it's definitely the fisher folk that suffer more. I just sometimes find myself remembering that it comes from both sides, if that makes sense. It's something that makes me sad when I think on it.

But what I really mean is, negativity breeds more negativity, and even as a counter movement, it's not okay. But sometimes, it feels like the only way. And other times, it really is all one can do — stew in it, letting those feelings fester because there's nothing a single individual can do to change things. It really shouldn't matter which is "worse." But with how things tend to be, sometimes picking your poison is the only way. Because what's wrong is wrong, but not everyone can win. And that's why it makes me so sad, because no matter what, someone suffers. It's just some less than others.

(I hope that didn't come off as preachy because that wasn't my intention. I'm just bad at articulating, and that leaves a bit of a holier than thou edge to my words.)

Either way, the idea that the fish in the movie are caricatures is… Yikes. The implications are Not Good. And I don't doubt that the royal court is skewed one way; that's the tendency, isn't it? To surround oneself with like-minded or similarly appearing people? Except that fails when it alienates another people. In this case, the fishier folk. And it could be more difficult for them because they've been pushed to rougher areas. Or, at the very least, not been given the same opportunities.

On a different note, I do love me some narrator bias and unreliable narrators. Really gives a story some extra flavor.

I'm too busy in my personal life to finish my twst OC drawings OR to finish the lore of twst itself so y'all are just gonna need to listen to my mad-man ramblings that might even have a canon explanation.

So, I'm thinking that.

Is there possibly mermaid racism in twst?

There seems to be a very huge divide between how mermaids in twst look like, with some having more "human" characters in their upper body and some being more "animalistic" over all.

Example: random museum guards vs Floyd or Jade (or even Azul, but he's an octopus so he'd be different either way)

Other than the very drastic contrast in appearance, Floyd and Jade are based on characters that in the original were not even merpeople but talking fish instead.

So, that kinda begs the question, is there two kinds of merpeople? The "original" magical kind, and those who descended from fish the same way beastmen descended from animals?

And if yes, how did that impact their society? I feel like, in the real world and the way we tend to "other" anything different and justify exploitation in any way possible, it'd result in some kinda racism. So that brings me back to my initial question. Yeamh.

[moeblob]

Right and his work menaces (Brent and Karen).

I don't remember last I mentioned it but apart from crude nicknames to people (except Chris), he also just puts them in his phone really weird (except Chris, who is literally in his phone as Chris). And I bring this up because in Right's phone, Karen is saved as "Lawful Obligation".

[sysig]

Beach pinups (Patreon)

[sidesteppostinghours]

posts that took me 6 months to finish making. so anyway,

its too late in the night for me to be coherent about this but

"I don't distrust you," he admits since you've gone silent. "You're allowed to be here." He feels guilty. Guilty over how he's been treating you, but also over how things turned out.

"I take that as you've done some things you regret." "Many." Her brows draw together. "And some I blame myself for, even though I know I shouldn't."

There's more here. You can feel it simmering under the surface. He looked away last time. It couldn't be that bad, could it? He could have, he should have…[i]not this time.[/i]

"I feel like I actually got a chance to move on now that you're back in my life. I don't want to be the marshal that messed up and got half ${his} team killed; I want to change. But it's…hard. Harder than I thought."

"Good." The laughter sounds genuine. "I'd hate it if that part still showed."

thinking about fhr and second chances. about characters that live and make mistakes and regret and have to move on anyway. and maybe they do, or maybe they dont. thinking about how it reflects on sidestep, on all different versions of sidestep, and the ways they can handle their rebirth. thinking about sidesteps that try to fix things with the people theyve hurt, or find new people to help when they cant make it up to the people they need to. about steps that have to bury their regrets to have their new lease on life, and the ones who manage to lock up the skeletons in the closet vs the ones who still have the past hounding at their heels wherever they go.

theres the way it all interacts with eachother too. like, take argent, for example, somebody who cant afford to do anything but move on and hope that she can still be better this time around as a matter of survival. compare that with herald, that lived his life constantly thinking about the needs of others and so has to apologize for every minute problem he might have caused. or chen, who has such an understated self-loathing for the mistakes hes made in one lifetime and yet reaches the same conclusion of pushing aside his guilt so it doesnt crush him, so he can Get Things Done. ortega and mortum are different in the way they approach regrets too, where mortum cynically accepts it as part of life and ortega has to find literally any way they can make it right.

just like. man. fhr is a story about regret, huh.

also have a bonus hg quote from the 4.2 about it because it literally inspired this insanity and itd feel wrong not to include it LMFAO

[i]The arms around you pull you into a hug as you try to think. Smother you in caring and worry. Loss. Fear. Not letting you go. Not this time. Not again.

FUCKED UP SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!! TO ME!!!!!!

[oh-meow-swirls]

i think this was funnier in my head.

[darabeatha]

@hasarjunadoneanythingwrong replied ; this is super informative tbh

/ Thank youuuuu 😭😭😭😭😭 I love him lots and there's so little about him floating around !! it was through my researching and reading that i kept finding things that made sense to me about his design, like maybe a lot of these are speculations from my end/overthinking stuff and it's not that deep (or maybe it is who knows!) but I just love history and character design and symbolism and meaning, and I grew too attached to this emperor 😔✋

[axiomsend]

Replaying spiritfarer to help with my grief over the death of my grandma. I just finished bringing Alice to the Everdoor and had to turn the game off.

[naviculariis]

Where should you be kissed?

Shachi: palm.

you give and give. you are a gentle heart, broken but still standing... always lending a hand for those who need it, expecting nothing in return. you deserve someone taking your hand and kissing your open palm, the hands which have selflessly helped so many others.

Penguin: knuckles

it feels as though you have fought every day of your life. sometimes, you cannot even tell how much of the blood on your hands is your own... and how much comes from those who've tried to hurt those you defend. you deserve the gentleness of a kiss to your bruised knuckles and broken skin, a reminder that you are not only made of violence.

Tagged by: @herztakt

Tagging: anyone who hasn't done this. Ur it. U have seven da-

[goldentigerfestival]

Forgot to post this earlier but I did in fact comb the entire Vesperia script to determine how many times he uses ま/まあ throughout the game, along with a few other phrases he uses repeatedly. This counts all of main story, every single sidequest, and every single skit in the game.

Final counts were:

ま/まあ: 280

Ma/Maa; translates to "well". He uses this at the beginning of a sentence usually, but it's sometimes in the middle. "Ma" is usually more quick and snappy. "Maa" is more thoughtful and/or prolonged. Obviously it can vary based on context, but that's the general breakdown.

んじゃ and any variants: 133

Nja, along with variants such as "ja", "soreja", etc. Variants are counted when they're all used to express "let's get going", when they're about to head off ("ja" could be used in a sentence such as "ja/but then, why is xyz like this", etc). They encompass translations such as "well then" (let's get going implied. includes "so then", "then" "alright then", and so on), "we should be off", "let's get going", "let's go", etc. (not to be confused with 行こう(ikou), 行くぜ, (ikuze), and other similar versions of this phrase. That can also mean "let's go", but any instances of Yuri using that particular phrase was not counted because it wasn't a variant of, specifically, んじゃ, which is also his most common "let's go" ja variant).

おい / おいおい: 66

Oi/Oi oi; translates to "hey"/"hey, hey", though "oi" is more or less an accepted word in English nowadays.

おっと: 12

Otto (not to be confused with "oto", referring to sound); an expression of surprise that can translate roughly to "whoa there" (which is the most common translation I do see for it and what I'd use in most cases too, context of course varying). The reason I included this one despite it being so seemingly low in number is because it's not a particularly common expression, much less one used multiple times by a single character? It's so rare from anyone else, which is just a regular thing relative to Yuri and his dialogue/speech (i.e. most characters sparingly use phrases repeatedly, as compared to Yuri... as you can see lol. Other characters use these words/phrases, but nowhere near as regularly, if regularly at all).

Realized along the way I should've included やれやれ (yare yare, "good grief", "oh dear", "oh boy" etc), but by the time I realized I should have in case it was an interesting count, I was too far into the script to be able to handle going all the way back through it LOL.

No. No, I am not joking that Yuri used ま/まあ 280 times throughout the course of the game. That is to say, it could be more if I missed any, but on the assumption I didn't, that's where it stands.

Why do I love this so much? Because it's a very specific character quirk of a character I adore. I'm very fond of his repetition. Thank you.

[fairysylveon]

rubbing my temples a little thinking about tim takes