#...or more like the incapability to accept one in these situations...

[senchosuwan]

--- Compliments ---

4x04 — "The Apprentice"

5x02 — "The Price"

[muqingslover]

[ This is different than what I usually post but I had to get this out of my system. The new DMC show brought back so many memories and idc what the haters say it's PEAK.

Anyway, to the DMC lovers out there, please accept this humble offering ]

Being in a relationship with Dante. | some NSFW included.

⊹— He may be the best demon hunter but in a relationship? He's the BIGGEST loser. Dante is always throwing some lame pick-up line your way and believe me when I say he will not give up until one sticks. (Spoiler warning: The fact that it actually works only makes him want to do it again)

—⊹ Dating Dante is not for the faint hearted. You have to be ready for all kinds of beyond ridiculous situations and have a godly amount of adaptability.

⊹— He will ALWAYS answer the phone for you. Literally. It doesn't matter what he's doing or where he is he will pick up the second he sees your name on the screen.

"Babe? Oh yeah! I'm totally still up for dinner! By the way, can you add those pieces of chocolate again to— *Approaching yelling in the background* Just a sec! *Crashing sounds and gunshots* Whew, okay, anyway like I was saying—"

—⊹ Oh yeah, he loooooves using pet names and silly nicknames. His personal favorites are "Babe" and "My little luck charm".

⊹— He likes to give you "traditional" dating gifts because that's what he always saw others do so when he shows up with a big ass teddy bear and a box of chocolates (which by the way he definitely ate some before giving it to you) please tell him you love it.

—⊹ Bro is so competitive. Dante is NOT letting you win in card games or any other board games because he wants to show off his skills to you. Though, if you get genuinely upset he would feel bad and invite you to play video games with him because he fails miserably at them every time.

⊹— His hands grab your ass every time you hug him. Not even in a sexual way he just can't help it and he never fails to throw a "nice ass" right after.

—⊹ Missing jewelry, hat or belt from your closet? He's the culprit. This guy will wear anything as long as he believes he looks good in it. I pray for you if you guys are a similar size because then you will have full clothing pieces missing.

⊹— He is THE hype man. Dante kisses the ground you walk on and he supports your rights and rights (because you could never do any wrong ;)).

—⊹ Dante's favorite thing is to show you off in every opportunity he gets. And if he doesn't have the opportunity then he'll just do it anyway. He is constantly yapping about how incredibly hot his partner is, how good your cooking is, how cute you look when you're focused and the way you smell so damn good all the time like, man! You're a freaking gift from the gods! (someone save poor Lady she can't bear to listen to him any more)

⊹— Please also hype him back in return! He has the worst praise kink case I've ever seen. Each time he's praised he just doesn't know what to do with himself and despite the initial cocky attitude he is easy to overwhelm if you don't stop. The first time you praised him while patting his head or scratching his chin he got a hard-on and had to rush out with a poor excuse before you noticed it.

—⊹ There is nothing romantic about sharing a bed with him. It's an absolute nightmare. First of all, this guy is physically incapable of sleeping with his clothes on. He just can't do it. Dante used to sleep butt ass naked but then you convinced him to at least wear boxers. Next on the list of problems is the snoring— Like, it's so loud you thought there was a truck engine next to you instead of your boyfriend. Not to mention the fact he takes up all space on the bed and moves around SO MUCH while he's asleep.

Please invest in separate beds before you kill him.

⊹— Absolutely hates morning. Getting him out of bed is the hardest thing to do and that's saying a lot with the life you two lead. He will keep you trapped in bed with him by wrapping his strong arms around your waist only to when you get up he sloooowly slides off the mattress and onto floor like a worm hanging to you.

—⊹ Surprisingly, or not, very insecure. This man is not controlling in any way though, he is just very worried that he won't be able to protect you if something was to happen or that you will realize you made a mistake by being with him.

⊹— His favorite thing is to make you smile. I know a lot of people paint him as stupid but I genuinely think he just acts silly as a defense mechanism. It's a mask. With you, though? He will purposely act like a dork because he knows it makes you smile.

—⊹ To add to that, Dante does everything he can to keep your spirits up; Someone hurt your feelings? No need to fret, he’s already planning their downfall. Feeling under the weather? tickle monster time! Migraine? He is closing the curtains and cuddling you until it gets better!

⊹— The filter between his brain and mouth is naturally bad but with you, who he is truly comfortable with, it's just INEXISTENT. This may range from random, useless bullshit to out of pocket comments that should definitely not be said out loud.

—⊹ Physical contact is his thing. I mean, he NEEDS it and can be very high maintenance about it. Having his hands on you is not enough for Dante he has to be as close as physically possible and you need to be giving him some kind of attention in return.

⊹— Hugging you from behind when you're cooking, snuggling while on the couch together, keeping a firm arm hooked around your waist while outside, constantly nuzzling his nose on your hair, kissing your neck at every chance he gets, pulling you into his lap as if it's his second nature ECT.

—⊹ Did I mention he adores your hair? In particular long hair because then he can fidget with it by twirling it around his finger or by being a dork and putting it between his lips and nose to make a mustache.

⊹— Your lips are like a drug to him. He will be saying "okay, okay I REALLY gotta bail now" and then stare at you for a solid two seconds then steal another kiss and another and another....oops, he's 30 minutes late already.

—⊹ Dante is a biter. God help you when you give him cuteness aggression (which is basically always) because he will chew on you like candy. Your skin is often red from teeth marks and he doesn't feel sorry about it at all.

⊹— Cannot cook to save his life but absolutely loves your food. Especially if you're good at baking! Man's scarfing down those sweet treats like it's his last meal on earth.

—⊹ He sings while he's showering and holds the bottle of shampoo to you like a microphone so you'll join him. Oh and yes, he is VERY tone-deaf.

⊹— No matter how many times he sees you naked he never gets tired of that blessed sight. He flirts with you like it's the first time he's seeing you and those naughty eyes speak for themselves.

—⊹ He has a high libido, especially in the beginning of the relationship where he's even more excitable than usual. Sex can be very clumsy and messy with him, but that's just what makes it so him.

⊹— If you're a breasty lady, he is reaaaaaally into you using your boobs to get him off. Dante also enjoys having your lips around his cock more than words could describe and a quickie in dark, tight spaces is part of the package with him.

—⊹ Bondage is a guilty pleasure of his. Dante prefers to be the one restrained and left at your mercy instead of the other way around because it's just very hot to him when you take control. You're also the only one he would trust to be this vulnerable with.

⊹— This guy is always late for EVERYTHING, but he shows up without a fail in the end. No matter how battered or tired he might be, not even if he was run over by a truck, he will definitely be there.

[sitepathos]

OH DEAR AUTHOR!!!!! PLEASE UPDATE FROM GOLD TO MOLD AND I WILL SELL YOU MY SOUL!!!!!!

From Gold to Mold

Chapter 13: The Talk

(A/N: I humbly accept your offer! With your soul in my possession, you feel slightly more empty than normal!)

Warning: this chapter will feature self-mutilation. Read at your own risk.

Alfred suppresses a sigh as he looks upon Master Bruce and his children crowding the Batcomputer, obsessing over the readings of the sample obtained from you that night in the Mojave Desert. When he, Master Dick, and Mistress Cassandra returned, Master Bruce refused to be confined to the infirmary, determined to analyze your blood as if it contained the secrets of the universe.

Then again, given the family’s obsession with you and their desire to bring you back to the manor, that might very well be the case.

When he reviewed the footage of the fight, Alfred was blown away at just how… ferocious you’ve become. Yes, he’s heard how every interaction with your father and siblings has gone, but he’s always excused that as years of unreleased anger and resentment coming out now that you could do so safely.

But taking a chunk out of your father’s arm? That took a rage he thought you incapable of.

However, unlike your family, he doesn’t think this “Megamycete” is controlling you; that night it came to visit them has stuck with him and while it’s a bit bizarre to converse with sentient fungus, Alfred really believes the two of you have formed some sort of symbiotic relationship (although he still wishes you were never put into a situation where you needed such a thing in the first place).

While he never admitted it, he noticed your behavior prior to you departing the manor had changed drastically. For most of your tenure at Wayne Manor, you walked through its halls as if they were a minefield, inching slowly as though the slightest misstep would lead to tragedy, and avoiding any room where Master Bruce and the other children were in. During your final days, however, you walked as though you had nothing to fear, uncaring if Master Bruce or any of your siblings were to discover you.

And then there’s your appearance, starting with the disappearance of the scar Master Damian gave you when the two of you met (oh, how his heart aches at how the events of that day unfolded). At first he just thought you found a way to hide it using some kind of concealer, but now he knows that the Megamycete must’ve healed you.

Of course, you look completely different now compared to four years ago, but he doesn’t think your transformation can be solely attributed to the Megamycete. For years, you suffered in the halls of the manor, forced to rely on an old man for company and learn to move about silently so as not to attract the attention of the rest of its inhabitants, so it would make sense that the toll of that kind of emotional and psychological stress would affect you physically.

Now, after living in Goodsprings and being away from them, you have a far healthier glow to you (although that could also be due to Nevada’s regular exposure to sunlight versus Gotham’s constant gloom) and carry yourself with a kind of pride he never expected of you.

And when he saw your speech at the award ceremony, he knew you were truly happy with your new life.

On one hand, he’s happy for you. You lost your mother at such a young age and it happened so suddenly that you weren’t able to say goodbye; on top of losing the only parent you’ve known, you were dragged to the other side of the country to live in a place you’d most likely never heard of before to live with a father you’ve never met before. And to top it all off, you spent over ten years living in a place that made it clear you weren’t welcome, that you were only here due to a legal obligation and not love.

If there’s anyone in the world that deserves a happy ending, it’s you.

But, on the other hand, he can’t let you go.

Out of everyone in the Wayne Family, you’re the only one who’s had a normal life, thus bringing a much needed balance to the manor; you’re a breath of fresh air to the eccentricity of his charges.

And, like it or not, you are a Wayne, therefore making you a member of the family. You belong here, in Gotham and with them.

With him.

And he thinks he knows how to bring you back home… or, at the very least, get you talking to them.

You glare at the blank notebook on your desk as if it had insulted your good name and debating on stabbing it a mold tendril with enough force to puncture both it and the desk it sits on.

(Doing that will not solve your current dilemma.)

“I know,” you whine before throwing the pen on the notebook and slouching into your chair. “But it’d be the only idea I’ve had and it would make me feel better.”

The problem you’re currently facing is coming up with your next game. Sure, Salvage Rights is still going strong and the Lost Paradise DLC has been received well, but gamers today are always looking for the next big release (you’ve had countless people flooding your business email asking about future games) and if you don’t keep your players satisfied, they’ll go back to CoD or Fortnite.

And while you’re proud beyond words about Salvage Rights and its success, you didn’t get into making video games just to be a one-game designer. Ergo, the brainstorming session that is currently kicking your ass.

Should you keep making visual novels? It’s the type you’re most familiar with and it has a charm no true gamer can deny.

Although, you’re more than capable of designing 3D models and a 3D game would appeal to more people.

But, it all depends on what your new game will be about, hence why you’re angry at the notebook with only the words “New Game Ideas” written at the top of the first page. You’ve been in here for almost three hours and the only thing you’ve done is look up obscure YouTube videos you watched years ago that popped into your head while you attempted to work.

You have an archive full of the ideas, memories, knowledge, and experiences of countless people throughout the ages and you’ve come up with exactly zero ideas.

(You should not force yourself to do this,) the Megamycete says in a calming tone. (If you do, you will continue to have no success and any ideas you do have will not be as well-thought of as and will fall apart the moment you begin to work. The right idea will enter your mind when the time is right.)

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” you sigh. “I’m just getting more pissed and it’s not helping me.” You stand up and begin to make your way to the exit. “How ‘bout we binge watch some anime and pig out on junk food?”

(We wish to watch one of those ‘isekai’ anime you watch. We find the concept of being in another world fascinating.)

“Sure thing, buddy,” you say with a chuckle as you make your way to the kitchen and begin grabbing random junk food and bottles of soda and water with your mold tendrils.

While you’re not the biggest anime watcher in the world (you consider yourself more of a casual anime fan more than anything else), you absolutely devour anything isekai; you discovered it during your time and Gotham and the thought of being transported to another world full of magic, fantasy creatures, and adventure and having the most powerful abilities in said world appealed to you almost as much as making Salvage Rights.

Hell, you wished to be transported to a magical world for your birthday for three years in a row before you finally accepted the hellish reality that was life in the Wayne Manor. While being in such a world was great on its own, the thought of being in such a world with a harem of attractive men plagued your daydreams at the manor, at school, and at work.

(It would have been nice to be in such a world,) the Megamycete says as you plop down on the couch and begin pulling up your anime streaming platform on your tablet, your junk food and drinks scattered across the table.

“Guess we’ll have to make do with anime,” you say as you scroll down the list of anime.

(Wait,) it says just as you’re about to select a series. (We are about to have company.)

“Company,” you repeat, confused. “Who is it?”

(It is them,) it responds, its tone full of hatred and resentment.

There’s only one reason the Megamycete would speak like that.

You patch into the roots surrounding your house and sure enough, it’s the Waynes. Specifically, all of them.

“That’s not company, it’s an infestation,” you growl.

You get up and storm over to the door, mold tendrils at the ready and your bloodlust already threatening to boil over.

“Why can’t you assholes leave me the fuck alone,” you growl once you throw open the door just as Bruce stepped onto your porch, hand raised to knock.

“Now, now,” a familiar voice says in response. Your eyes widen when the merry band of misfits parts to allow Alfred through. “Is that any way to greet guests, Master Y/N?”

Your breath hitches and eyes mist up at the sight of the man you consider a grandfather. While you have no regrets leaving Gotham and returning to your home in Goodsprings, you’ve missed Alfred since your graduation night and have thought about inviting him for a weekend visit on more than one occasion.

“Alfie,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper and not caring that the people you hate more in the world know about your nickname for the butler that you came up when you were six.

You move a little so you could hug the man, but quickly remember the “audience” around you.

“Please, come in, Alfred,” you say once you recover, stepping aside to allow the man entry, mold tendrils emerging from your body.

Alfred begins to move, but the instant you notice Bruce trying to enter, you quickly move to block his entry. “Not you. No one but Alfred is allowed in my house.”

“You call this hovel a house,” Damian asks, looking up at your home with visible disgust in his eyes.

“Get the fuck off my property,” you growl, your tone leaving no room for argument. Damian looks to his father, as if he had commanded him and not you. “Don’t look at him, I’m telling you to leave.”

Bruce gives him a nod and the little demon relents, returning to the luxury car parking in front of your house.

“Master Y/N,” Alfred says, returning your attention to him. “There’s no need to be rude. I’m confident I raised you better than that. Surely there’s room in your home for all of us.”

You do your best to suppress the flinch at the butler’s words. Yes, Alfred was the one to raise your during your time at the manor, reinforcing your Momma’s lessons on being polite and courteous, but the thought of these people being anywhere near your house makes you want to puke up your guts and use them to strangle all of them.

“I’ve missed you ever since I left Gotham, Alfred, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting them in the house my Momma raised me in and that I thought about for years. Don’t make me choose between my love for you and my hatred for them. I promise you won’t like the outcome.”

He looks at you and you return his look, the butler clearly mulling over your words before saying, “Alright, if that’s what it takes for us to talk.” He turns to the others crowding around your porch. “The lot of you will wait out here and behave yourselves.”

“Alfred,” Bruce starts to say as Alfred moves towards your door.

“That warning applies to you, too, Master Bruce,” the butler says in a tone akin to that of a parent scolding a kid, which almost makes you laugh, but you suppress the urge, determined not to laugh in front of the people you hate most in this world. “Shall we go, Master Y/N?”

You stand aside to allow Alfred in and throw one last dirty look at the pests on your lawn before slamming the door shut and commanding mold tendrils to emerge from the ground and cover your front door before countless spike-like thorns extend from them, making the message very clear: stay out.

“Your house is quite lovely, Master Y/N,” Alfred complements as he takes a look around, making you swell your chest out in pride. “I can see you take care of it.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” you say as you motion to the living room. “Please, make yourself comfortable. Can I get you anything?”

“A cup of tea, would be lovely if you have it.” He makes his way to the living room before sitting on the sofa, but not before he glances at your supply of junk food and soda. “Honestly, Master Y/N, I know I raised you better than this. Please tell me you haven’t been subsisting off this garbage since you left the manor.”

“No, I eat lots of things,” you retort as you prepare a kettle with earl grey, thankful you keep a box of the butler’s favorite tea just in case he ever dropped by for a visit. “All that is for an anime binge watching marathon I was about to do before you surprised me.”

“So you’ve been eating healthy and nutritious home cooked meals since you left the manor?”

You freeze up at the thought of the all the take-out and fast food you’ve gorged on since coming back to Goodsprings; sure, you’ve cooked at home many times… if you count frozen pizza, instant ramen, and microwave meals as cooking.

“I thought as much,” the butler says after a moment of silence. “Honestly, Master Y/N, you’re as bad as your father and siblings. Lord knows what they’d consume if I left them alone for a month.”

The comparison makes your blood boil and it takes every last ounce of willpower you have not to command the mold underneath your house to lash out at the pests outside in anger.

“I’m more than capable of taking care of myself, Alfred,” you say, some of your anger leaking into your tone. “The Megamycete has the knowledge and experience of countless people, many of them skilled in the kitchen. If I wanted to, I could prepare a five course meal that would make even Gordon Ramsey look incompetent.” The kettle whistles and you quickly take it off the stove, pour some into a mug, and make your way to the living room. “Plus, the Megamycete provides everything I need; I could eat nothing but fast food for a month and I’d never gain any weight or get sick.”

It’s true, the Megamycete sustains your body, making food and water completely unnecessary, so you can go the next hundred years without any kind of sustenance. Although, could you really call life without a burger and milkshake “living?”

“Besides,” you add, placing the mug on the table in front of Alfred before sitting in your favorite chair. “I’m nothing like them. They may be able to go toe-to-toe with people like Bane and Killer Croc on a nightly basis, but they’re complete disasters in the normal world. Hell, I saw Bruce treating tying his tie like defusing a bomb, sweat and all!”

It’s true, your status as the Ghost of Wayne Manor gave you plenty of opportunities to witness such embarrassing moments, your favorite one being watching Bruce struggling with his tie for ten whole minutes before he finally admitted defeat and called for Alfred to help him with it. To see the “mighty” Bruce Wayne be defeated by a mere tie… it put a smile on your face for the rest of the day.

“I didn’t mean any offense, Master Y/N. I have every confidence that you can successfully manage a household and the proof is all around us.” He looks around the living room to emphasize his point before looking at a framed picture on the table next to the sofa. “I take it this is you and your mother?”

The picture is you and Momma at the fall festival the town holds every October. Specifically, it was the last festival you to went to before she…

“Yes,” you answer, breaking out of your depressing line of thinking. “That’s us at the fall festival Goodsprings have every year. It has a pumpkin patch, hayrides, games, and tons of food.”

“It sounds lovely,” he says, gently placing the picture back down. “She looked like a lovely woman. I can tell she loved you and you her.”

“Yeah,” you say, eyes falling to the carpet as you start to think about what little memories you had of her. You lost her when you were so young, so there’s very little actual memories you’re able to recall, making even the smallest recollection more valuable than gold.

“Master Y/N,” the man says, his tone making you look up at him. “I’m so sorry. For your mother’s passing. Losing a parent is never easy, but losing one at such a young age is nothing short of horrific.”

“It’s fine, Alfred,” you answer, trying your best to dam up the tears that threaten to spill from your eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t the bastard that decided to drive drunk and slammed into her car. She’s been gone for years and I made peace with the fact that she’s never coming back.”

“But I’m also sorry about how you were treated during your time at the manor. You’re Master Bruce’s firstborn son and you had every right to be there as the rest of them did. No matter what the reasoning, there’s no excuse for their behavior. I should’ve put an end to it when you first arrived.”

(His words ring of sincerity, but they come too late.)

As much as you hate to admit it, the Megamycete’s right, he should’ve said all this years ago when you could still be convinced they were capable of love. After several years and many scorned attempts to reach out to them, you’ve realized the Wayne Family is full of sick and broken misfits who should be locked up in Arkham.

You open your mouth to say something to reassure the poor man, but you quickly realize that you have an eavesdropper. You connect to the roots to see Tim hanging just by your living room window, which faces the front of your house.

With a mere thought, a tendril emerges from beneath the soil and behind the little creep and whips him away from the window before he can even react, Tim letting out a yelp as he flies through the air and lands near the parked car. As the rest of them gather around Tim to help him up and provide whatever protection they think they’re capable of, you decide to add insult to injury and flex the tendril in a way that it looks like an upraised middle finger, telling each of them to fuck off before you command the tendril to return to the soil, holding in your laughter as each of them have a slack jawed expression on their faces.

“But most of all,” Alfred says, bringing you back to the room you’re physically in. “I’m sorry for what happened that night. You were put into a situation you never should’ve been in and we… I almost lost you. Ever since the Megamycete told us what happened, not a day goes by that I curse myself for being away. I assure you had I been at the manor and learned of your abduction, I would’ve tore all of Gotham apart until I found you and brought you back to the manor. And rest assured, those thugs would’ve never hurt anyone else after I was finished with them.”

“I know, Alfred,” you say.

And you do, knowing the man is like Jason Borne, James Bond, a Lara Croft had a baby together and said baby was trained by John Wicke. You can remember seeing the frankly shocking amount of weapons in the butler’s room many years ago and when asked, he said: “Those are to protect the manor and all of you should anyone be foolish enough to break in.”

To be honest, you were surprised that Bruce allowed Alfred to have such an armory given the man’s no-gun rule, but everyone knows that Alfred is the one who really runs Wayne Manor and if the butler wishes to stockpile guns for a zombie apocalypse, then there’s nothing the “World’s Greatest Detective” can do about it.

“And you don’t have to be sorry about that. It wasn’t your fault those three dicks decided to kidnap me and it sure as hell wasn’t your fault that they didn’t save me.” You can feel your anger beginning to rise again. “They didn’t care about me in the first place and left me at the hands of those thugs!”

The memories of that night rush your mind all at once, from the mocking tones of Bruce and the others to the pain the leader inflicted on you.

(And how can you forget being thrown into a cavern in the middle of the woods,) the Megamycete hisses. (You were discarded like trash into a grave no one would ever find, your body left to rot while they would be allowed to live!)

You can feel as numerous tendrils emerge all around your house and the point their massive thorns at Bruce and his bastards, threatening to turn them into Swiss cheese, and despite their defensive postures and reaching for weapons hidden in their clothes, you know you have a high probability of killing them all.

“Master Y/N,” Alfred says, bringing you out of your hate-fueled trance and back to the living room.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, you recall the tendrils back into the ground. As long as Alfred’s here, you’ll set aside your plans to tear them to shreds and paint Wayne Manor with their blood… for now.

“You have every right to be angry, Master Y/N. You never asked anything of them in the years you lived with us and the one time you reached out, you nearly died. Such behavior is inexcusable.”

“Alfred,” you say with a sigh. “Why are you really here? I appreciate the apologies, but I know you didn’t come here just for that. If it was, you would’ve come alone, or at least told them to stay away while you visited.”

“I had hoped you would allow them to make their apologies in my presence. I know they all came here, one after the other, but they were more determined to bring you back home.”

“But I am home, Alfred,” you respond with a sigh, dredging where this conversation is going. “This was my home before I lost Momma, it was the place I called home when I was in Gotham, and it’s my home for the past four years ever since I graduated. Gotham was never my home, Alfred, and that damn manor sure as hell wasn’t a home, let alone my home!”

“I know how you feel, Master Y/N, I truly do! But—“

“‘But’ what, Alfred? There is no ‘but!’ You know how they treated me! For years, I was either invisible or a nuisance, but I was never family to them! Hell, I wasn’t even someone they tolerated! To them, I was a stain that they couldn’t get rid of, so they just ignored me until I was wiped from their collective memory!”

“But they know they wronged you and wish to make amends.”

“I don’t fucking care what they want! I’m finally back home and doing what I’ve dreamed of doing and just when everything’s going my way, they come in and try to take it all away!”

“But Gotham is your home, Master Y/N,” the butler responds, making you go silent. “I know you only wish to acknowledge your mother’s side, but you are a Wayne as much as you are a Gould! Gotham is the city of the Waynes and it’s where you belong.”

“No, it’s not,” you shout, your voice making the room shake and you feel as multiple mold tendrils burst out from your back as you struggle to contain your anger. “I never belonged there and if it wasn’t for that drunk fucker, I never would’ve been dragged there! It’s the City of the Damned that no decent person with even half a working brain would live in!”

The two of you stare at one another, the only noise in the room being the sound of your taking short, rapid breaths to replenish the breath you lost from your angry rant.

“Am I decent person,” he asks after a while. “Do I belong in that ‘City of the Damned?’”

At first, you wanted to say no, that he’s a kind man who doesn’t belong in a place as terrible as Gotham.

But, there’s a part of you, composed entirely of anger, hatred, and pain, that wants to say yes.

For all the help Alfred gave you, he also enabled Bruce and the others to ignore you and treat you like shit; at any point, he could’ve put his foot down and forced them to give you the bare minimum of attention most children need, but it never happened.

Hell, he was often in the living room watching movies and eating delicious food while you were left in an abandoned part of the manor upstairs, the only thing keeping you company was the sound of your muffled cries and vague memories of a better time, where Momma was still alive.

“I think,” you finally say as you retract the tendrils into your body, your breathing returning to a semi-normal level. “It’s time for you to leave.”

“What,” he asks, his eyes wide like saucers.

“It’s time for you to go, Alfred,” you say, your tone leaving no room for argument.

You stand up and he does as well, but when he makes no move to walk to the door, you gently but firmly grab his arm and walk him to the door.

You’re not surprised to see the peanut gallery when you open the door, knowing they were all listening in the entire time, even though Tim was the only one who made it obvious and you’re even less surprised to see Damian standing on your property again, but you can’t bring yourself to care.

The only thing that matters is putting an end to this.

“Master Y/N,” Alfred says as you move him outside the door and begin to close it. “Please, come home! I waited since the day you left for Master Bruce and the children to notice you were missing! When they didn’t, I had to take matters into my hands.”

You freeze, the door half closed, as the words sink in.

Take matters into my own hands.

What did he mean by that?

No…

It can’t be…

There’s no way…

He wouldn’t…

Right?

“What,” you respond as you open the door, your voice barely louder than a whisper.

“Master Bruce and the children learned of your departure when they discovered my laptop in the kitchen, your game running and the title music blaring for all to hear. I engineered that so they would eventually learn of your career as a game developer; from there, they would realize you had left the manor after graduating high school. I knew their sense of justice would do the rest.”

His words hit you harder than that thug and based off the looks Bruce and the peanut gallery have on their faces, they’re just as shocked as you.

Bruce looks especially shocked, which makes sense as no one ever thought Alfred could be capable of such manipulation.

“So it’s your fault I have to deal with these assholes again,” you say after finding your voice. “If it wasn’t for you, they would’ve still forgotten me and I’d be living my life in peace!” You feel tears streaming down your face, which is now molten hot. “Why, Alfred? Why do that when you know how I felt about them? Don’t you remember all the times you held me in your arms while I cried my eyes out about how they treated me?”

“Of course I do,” he responds, his eyes visibly glossy. “I remember every last tear you shed because of something they did or something they said. But I set all this in motion so you’d eventually be brought home. You’ve belonged at the manor since the moment you were born and I’ll be damned if all members of the Wayne Family aren’t together.”

“You did all this because you’re selfish and want me to live somewhere that made me miserable for years just because I happen to share DNA with this bastard?” You gesture to Bruce, who gawks like an absolute idiot. “I… I hate you.”

All of them, Alfred especially, gasp and their eyes go so wide they look like they’ll pop out of their sockets. Hell, you’re even surprised by your own words; saying that you hate Alfred left an extremely bitter taste in your mouth and you’re actually wanting to take it back.

(Do not,) the Megamycete hisses, clearly pissed beyond words. (He knows the transgressions they have wrought against you and he still orchestrated the reunion of the people who have brought you nothing but misery ever since you were a child. He has betrayed your trust and should never be forgiven for this!)

“Master Y/N,” Alfred says, clearly upset by what you said. “I—“

“I hate you,” you say again, louder. “I hate you ! I hate you! I hate you!”

At this point, all your control and restraint has been destroyed and you don’t attempt to fight it when a tendril emerges from your back and whips the lot of them away from your porch, sending them tumbling onto your lawn.

Your chest is heaving as your anger and sadness fill your entire body until there’s nothing left but those two emotions.

You thought there was nothing worse than losing your Momma, but being betrayed by the man you’ve trusted and depended on for years is a close second and for a moment, you’re six-year-old again, completely helpless as your world crumbles beneath your feet and you’re once again completely alone.

Alone. That sounds like the perfect solution to this problem; if you’re alone, you can’t be hurt anymore and you can completely fall apart and not give these heartless bastards any satisfaction.

Plus, you spent the first part of your life all alone. You’ve been alone since your sixth birthday, so it’s nothing new to you. In fact, you’ve come to appreciate solitude.

You command countless mold tendrils to sprout from the ground and surround your house, covering it to the point where you can’t see the paint.

“Stay away from me, all of you,” you say, your voice cracking while you fight with the last of your mental strength to keep from completely falling apart in front of them. “This is your last warning. Next time I see any of you, I’ll rip you apart, and I won’t give a shit where we are. Do you hear me? I’ll fucking murder you!”

And with that, you turn around and step back in your house, a tendril shutting your door and covering it so no one can enter.

Once you know your house is completely covered in tendrils to the point even a chainsaw won’t be able to cut through, you head up to your room as fast as you can manage in your current state. Thanks to the tendrils covering the windows, it’s pitch black in your room, but you’re more than capable of seeing thanks to the Megamycete.

You shut your door, knowing you most likely cracked the frame from the force of it, and fall to the floor and put all your weight against the door, all your strength gone and your willpower extinguished. You still in the dark, the only noise being your choked sobs.

All you can think about is how betrayed you feel in this moment by the one person on this planet you thought would always have your back.

Alfred was the only thing that kept you going after losing Momma and living in that fucking manor surrounded by the most distant, paranoid, and emotionally-stunted people on the planet.

Once again, you’ve lost the one person who was closest to your heart and you feel like it’s you against the world.

(It is ok,) it says to you in a calming manner. (It is just us. You can fall apart.)

And with that, you allow the soul-piercing sobs to emerge from mouth at maximum volume and tears the size of pearls fall from your eyes.

But this isn’t enough. The sobs and tears aren’t enough to vent the frustrations and sadness you feel in this moment and you look down at your Star Wars shirt, which is barely a step above rags due to the tendrils you’ve created in the last half hour, which has completely destroyed the back of it.

Deciding to write it off so you can properly express the deep sense of helplessness you feel in this moment, you create talons on both your hands and dig into your torso, ripping both the shirt and your flesh, sending scraps of cloth, bits of flesh, and splashes of blood onto your carpet. What remains of your rational mind tells you that you’ll have to replace the carpet and destroy the old one to prevent anyone from finding out what’s happened, but you don’t care.

Right now, you’re hurting and all you want to do is express that hurt in the only way you can think of. Sure, it’s not healthy in any definition of the word, but you’re able to heal from the injuries, so it’s not like you’ll have to deal with any consequences of what you’re doing.

You pierce your talons into the center of your chest and rip it open, blood cascading down your body and pooling around where you’re sitting, and reach into your chest cavity, past your rib cage, until you find what you’re looking for: your heart.

With another sob, you rip the organ out and hold it out in front of you, the little thing still beating despite there being nothing to pump blood into.

One would think ripping out one’s own heart would be a pain unlike any other and seeing it before one’s very eyes would be an extremely frightening sight, but in this moment, you feel nothing. After all sadness, loneliness, and disappointments you experienced for the majority of the last fourteen years, you barely registered the sensation of your heart being ripped out of your chest by your own hand.

Am I incapable of feeling anything but sadness and anger, you think as you look at the organ in your hand, perfectly fine without it being in your body. No matter how fast or how far I run, I’ll never be able to escape the hold those people have on me?

And with that depressing thought, you squeeze the organ until you hear a sickeningly wet splat! and it burst like a balloon, coating your hand in blood and dripping onto the carpet. You allow your hand to fall to the floor and what remains of your heart reassimilating into your hand as your torso begins to stitch itself back together with a new heart eventually emerging and beating as soon as it was complete.

Ever since you became the host of the Megamycete, you’ve noticed that you don’t have the same bodily requirements you once did; you eat despite not feeling any sort of hunger, drink despite not feeling any sort of thirst, and sleep despite never feeling any sort of fatigue. It didn’t take long to realize that the Megamycete provides everything you need, eliminating the need for food, water, and rest and despite its wishes, you often took advantage of this, forgoing eating and sleep for weeks at a time so you could finish the goal you set for the development of your game.

Now, however? You feel like you have no energy left in your body that even lifting your head feels like a Herculean task right now. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, you have nothing left in the tank.

(Rest. Today has been an extremely draining day for you. You need to regain your strength. We will keep watch over you.)

You lean your head against the door and close your eyes, falling asleep immediately.

Bruce looks over to Alfred, who’s sitting in the seat next to him.

Ever since leaving your house after the… incident, he’s been completely quiet and emotionless, despite his and his children’s attempts to get through to him.

Even now, on the jet, he remains silent, but it doesn’t take a world class detective to figure out he’s completely devastated by what just happened. He can tell that he cares about you very much, which isn’t that hard to see why since you weren’t trained in crime fighting and detective work like them, so hearing that you hate him would be similar to a death sentence for Alfred.

“Alfred,” he says, holding the man’s hand in his own. “Y/N didn’t mean that, he was just angry at us for what we’ve done to him and he was taking his anger out on you.”

“He has every right to hate me,” the man says, his voice hoarse from tears not shed. “I should have done better while he was growing up, but I didn’t and now I have to bare the consequences of my failures.”

“We’re gonna bring him back, Alfred. We’ll find a way to beat that damn mushroom in his body and bring him back home. And when we do, we’ll show him the love we should’ve when he was growing up. We’ll make things right… I’ll make things right. And then we can be a family.”

Alfred say nothing and Bruce can feel the weight of this failures quadruple.

I’ll find a way to fix this. I have to. I’m his father. I need to make this family whole again.

And come hell or high water, he’ll bring you back home or die trying.

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[wileys-russo]

Not sure if you’re taking requests but I’m a sad and anxious American who could use a bit of happiness rn. Thank you in advance but also no worries if this doesn’t spark anything.

Just a little fluffy something with Leah or Alessia at home, “there’s no way these are vegan” after surprising them with homemade brownies

special brownies II l.williamson, a.russo

"less you can't eat brownies, we have a match tomorrow." leah reminded sternly as you carded your fingers through the moody strikers hair, her head resting in your lap as she groaned loudly at your other girlfriends words.

"yeah leah a match i have to play on my period! at least let me eat some sort of warm chocolate if i can't curl into a ball and die." alessia mumbled miserably, rolling over and pushing her face into your hoodie covered stomach.

"don't!" you mouthed at the older girl who scoffed and was clearly ready to say something that absolutely would not help the situation. "i'll make you brownies for after the game tomorrow baby, i promise." you assured alessia, rubbing her back gently as she huffed, clearly not happy but somewhat accepting of the offer.

"with ice cream?" "with ice cream." "that vanilla bean ice cream in the blue container?" "yes lessi, i will make sure to buy that exact ice cream just for you."

"you're going to bake brownies from scratch?" leah snickered, lifting your shared girlfriends legs and settling herself onto the sofa, alessia digging her heels into leahs thigh mumbling about a foot massage, making the defender roll her eyes but oblige none the less.

"yes i am. are you going to try and tell me i can't? little miss 'childrens menu'." you narrowed your eyes skeptically, feeling alessia chuckle lightly before leah squeezed her foot too hard and her head popped up to shoot her a glare.

"well babe i think we all remember the last time you tried to bake. i, at least, can admit that i am not a good cook. which is why i'm dating one and a half of them!" leah grinned, quickly assuring the grumpy striker that she was the one and you were the half.

"half!" you protested, a little pinch to your thigh meaning you resumed scratching alessia's back where you'd paused momentarily, glaring daggers at the other girl a few cushions down.

"you do your best baby, and your best is good. but maybe you could just buy some brownies? that little cafe leah loves does them with the chocolate chips, we can grab a coffee and then heat them up later after the game." alessia mumbled into your chest, patting your thigh in an attempt to show support.

"do you both really think i'm that incapable of making brownies?" you asked in disbelief, the silence in response practically deafening. "wow! well the truth comes out." you scoffed in offense, both blondes heads snapping toward you as you attempted to wiggle out from alessias grip.

"no come on love don't be like that! baking just isn't for everyone. same as football isn't for everyone or maths isn't for everyone, its fine!" alessia held on tightly, tugging you back down and shuffling her body to lay on you more as you crossed your arms.

"everyone has their own special skill set baby girl, yours just doesn't include baking. more like...burning? hey i bet if we were ever stranded on a desert island you'd be able to get a fire going!" leah was clearly trying to be on the same supportive track as your other girlfriend but failing miserably as even alessia cringed at the attempt.

"no baby she didn't mean that don't-" but this time you managed to pull yourself free and roll out from beneath alessia, shooting up to your feet and taking turns glaring at the two blondes still laid up on the sofa.

"tomorrow i will not be coming to your game. i am going to spend the afternoon here baking and you will both come home to the best fucking brownies you've ever tasted-no actually the best vegan brownies you've ever tasted because i am that confident that i can do it. even without dairy!" you announced, stomping off to go sulk by yourself and look up some recipes.

"wait but babe you're still going to get regular ice cream right? not vegan ice cream? right? babe!"

~

you'd been so confident, you really had, which had made the fall from grace and back into reality a difficult one.

the reality that your girlfriends doubts weren't so far fetched and you might not actually be capable of baking, all the more prickly an acceptance to swallow.

which is what had lead to this disgustingly sneaky switch, the evidence of your previous three attempts scattered strategically around the kitchen for your lovers to see, and the evidence of the store bought brownies you'd rushed out to buy instead well hidden at the very bottom of the trash bins.

you'd just taken them out of the microwave to warm them up, very carefully stacking them up on a plate when you heard alessia's car in the driveway, leah playing passenger princess today.

they'd done their best this morning to grovel and sweet talk and try their very hardest to change your mind about coming to the game but you were stubborn by nature and once it was made up there wasn't much to be done to change it.

so they'd trudged off to the match like kicked puppies and you'd spent your afternoon burning chocolate and yelling at the oven trying to shift the blame before inevitably accepting your fate.

however you'd made such a fuss and a point both last night and this morning about your abilities that you may have accepted your fate, but you had no intent on letting your girlfriends do the same, the art of deception hopefully saving you the further embarrassment of eating your words with an audience.

"you did it!" alessias eyes lit up as she entered the kitchen first, hair damp and scraped up into a bun. "congratulations on the hat trick baby." you smiled, pecking her lips a few times before her loving gaze dropped down to the sweet treats on the counter.

"i think she plays better on her period." leah mused as she wandered in, the younger blonde shooting her a dirty look in response as leah kissed her cheek apologetically and wrapped you in a hug.

"you're so much prettier when you don't talk." you teased, squeezing her face in your hand with a wink as leah pulled a face and blew a raspberry on your cheek.

"less!" you laughed, turning around a few seconds later and already finding the striker with a mouthful of brownie, crumbs down the front of her hoodie and a blissed out look on her face.

"what? i was promised these!" she defended still with a mouthful of food making you wince and push her lightly. "yes you were babe and you more than earned them." you chuckled, leah reaching around you to take one for herself.

"babe there's no way these are vegan!" the milton keynes local scoffed after a mere sniff causing your eyes to roll as she took a cautious bite. "are too." you gestured your arms around to the plethora of substitutes piled around the kitchen as leah hummed skeptically.

"just tell her she did a good job, shut up, and stuff your face with chocolate leah." alessia defended, hugging you from behind as you smiled gratefully and kissed her jaw, pushing away from her as she shoved the other half of the baked good into her mouth and sent crumbs showering down on you.

"well i need a quick shower but ice creams in the freezer-" you kissed alessia's cheek since her lips were preoccupied making out with a brownie.

"-whipped creams in the fridge." you pecked leahs lips knowingly. "oi!" the defender grabbed at you as your hand collected with her ass with a wink, escaping to the bathroom for a shower and leaving them to their brownies.

which may have been a mistake.

when you returned it was to a welcomingly quiet living room, both of your blondes laid on the lounge watching a film, which judging by the bored look on leahs face and the concentrated one on alessia's, the film had been the strikers choice.

offering them both a cup of tea which was met with a resoundingly quick yes from each you disapeared to the kitchen, not hearing leah get up to follow you much to alessia's grumpy protests at being left alone.

"you know babe i noticed something very interesting about your brownies." leah hummed causing you to jump a little not having thought anyone was with you, flicking the kettle on to boil and raising an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"well you know i love a good jigsaw, yeah?" leah questioned, grabbing the plate of brownies which was remarkably untouched given alessia's desire to inhale the lot of them just moments before you ducked off for a shower.

"but with a jigsaw, all the pieces...have to match up." leah nodded down as your eyes dropped, leah having lined up the brownies which sure enough weren't even close to matching up together the way they would if you'd baked them in the tray you'd claimed to.

"well thats because-" "oh no no my girl, i wasn't asking." leah interrupted with a shake of her head and a finger pressed to your lips. "i know you didn't bake those, and they sure as shit aren't vegan." leah smirked knowingly, pulling your body closer into hers as she leaned down, lips ghosting your own as right as you tried to kiss her she pulled away, smirk growing wider as her hands slipped up your hoodie.

"the only question i want the answer to is, how are you going to make it up to us for lying baby?"

[nobodyfamousposts]

Scarlet Lady Top 10 Favorite Characters: Number 10

For @zoe-oneesama

Number 9 Here

Okay, I realized as I was writing these that there is way way WAY too much to each of these and why to be able to put them all into one post, so I'm breaking them down into individual essays focusing on each one to keep them palatable.

So without further ado....

Number 10: EVERYONE

Yeah, I know it may be cheating but at this point it was the only choice I could make.

I came to regret making this list, specifically because I couldn’t seem to make up my mind as far as who all would be on it. I reread the entire series. I kept switching people in and out as I was reminded of characters or scenes I loved. And I came to a realization that there is no character in the whole of this series I didn’t enjoy to some extent that they didn't deserve some love in this list and I kind of wish I could have added all of them just to give them all some spotlight.

Yes, it is partly because everyone is vastly improved compared to Canon. But as I reread the series, it came to mind that if Canon didn’t exist and I didn’t have the comparison between the characters, I still very much would have loved this series and everyone in it.

Cause and Effect Exist

It's important to have a setting in which the characters and their actions make sense for the world they live in. When the setting is supposed to be modern day earth, we need the people to be able to show that they are capable of surviving in it on a day to day basis without being so massively incompetent that they would do something like accidentally ingesting poison. Or forgetting how to breathe.

I would think it would be obvious, but sometimes Canon makes me wonder. Which is never a good look for a show that is supposed to have some level of seriousness and involve superheroes.

Here’s the thing Canon can’t seem to get: when a majority of the things that go wrong in a plot are because of everyone having to be stupid to make the plot work, you have a problem with the writing. Changing the material in a story so that younger people can enjoy it does NOT mean dumbing down the characters and throwing in arbitrary lessons with no real reason to them. Even if the show itself is geared towards kids, you can’t treat the audience like they’re stupid.

In Scarlet Lady, the people aren’t stupid.

Silly, yes. Wrong, often. Overdramatic, definitely. But while they may make stupid choices sometimes, they aren’t so dumb that anyone should have concerns about their ability to function at a higher level than an overcaffinated 2 year old.

They’re fooled initially the way many of us would be with a biased story that hits the news first. Oblivious to the problems in a situation that they logically wouldn’t have much direct insight into. Prone to making mistakes and incorrect judgement the way that anyone would. That's normal. That's expected.

But they’re not so incapable as to forget things that happen right in front of them between one day and the next. Or even between one scene and the next.

Things carry over. We see cause and effect. We see consequences—bad and good. And those consequences extend not only for the episode or season but for the entire series.

Aurore KNOWs Alec cheated her before and maintains a tight control over him and prevents more of his antics.

Adrien and Alya maintain a cold attitude towards Lila for some time after her reveal as a liar. And it even remains a point against her as used by Chloe as herself and as Scar to discount what she says.

The boys of the class remember Adrien’s “love letter to Marigold” and try to win him her merch because they’re bros like that. 

Adrien himself remembers the instances of his dad being a massive prick and instead of being surprised and “sad boi uwuwu” each time it happens like it’s supposed to be a surprise that the massive prick would choose to be a prick, he very clearly moves through the stages of grief to the point of a sort of acceptance that involves planning around and even for him.

Gabriel’s horrible parenting and general lack of concern for Adrien or his wellbeing as he ends up a casualty of various akuma attacks was played off for laughs when such incidents occurred. Then they were brutally called out against him in the Finale as a way to counter his claims of doing everything for Adrien’s sake. And the big reveal of the Birthday Scarf…utilized in the last way anyone would have wanted.

And Chloe is perhaps the biggest example as her antics ARE NOT forgotten or ignored by anyone. The classmates still interact with Chloe and are relatively nice to her, but they don’t just forget that she’s treated them horribly. They don’t act surprised when she does anything horrible. Nor does anyone just laugh it off or excuse it as “just who she is”. We see follow up to her behavior—the class fully expecting her to cause trouble and actively try to plan around it. People calling her out on past behaviors. And even bigger consequences as time goes on. Such as Adrien breaking off the friendship. And a blink and you miss it fridge logic moment in Ikari Gozen when you realize that when they said she was banned from all future Gabriel-involved competitions, they meant it.

The fact that by the time the big reveal happened that Chloe was Scarlet Lady, no one was shocked.

Story-wise, this is showing the passage of time and the effect the events of the story are having. It’s showing that there is lasting impact and that what happens to the characters matters.

Meta-wise, this is Zoe rewarding us for paying attention.

Continuity exists in Scarlet Lady. Time exists. The people exist. When anyone does anything, you get the sense that they aren’t operating in a vacuum. The things they do matter. There are consequences. There is an impact. And if there is an impact in the story, there will be an impact on the audience.

Which leads to…

Character Depth/Character Growth

Usually in TV shows of this nature, if there ARE character arcs for the side characters, they only occur over the course of a single episode devoted to focusing on them before moving on elsewhere. 

Canon didn’t give us that much at all in favor of having every episode that should focus on other characters learning and growing instead forcing Marinette to be wrong in some way and learn an arbitrary lesson that often would have better served for someone else.

In Scarlet Lady, the arcs we get are impressive for all that they’re relatively unobtrusive. They aren’t big. They aren’t world-ending. And the thing is, most change in life isn’t. It can just FEEL that way.

Like the way it felt for Kim when he first found out Ondine liked him and then had his confession to her screwed up.

And the way it felt for Kagami when she lost that first match against Adrien.

Then there’s the way it felt for Chloe when she was dismissed by her mother, had her popularity go downhill, and ended up losing her Miraculous.

…or the way it felt for Adrien when he discovered his dad was Hawk Moth.

The reactions we witness are in a great part due to actions outside of the characters’ control, but are ultimately a result of the experiences they have had and the ways they have changed as a result.

The question becomes: are the characters that we meet at the beginning pretty much identical to how they are at the end? Is the world?

The answer in Scarlet Lady is no.

Whether because the characters themselves change or our perception of them does, we can see that they have all undergone some sort of events that create a difference between the start and end points.

Not all of them HAVE to undergo some big emotional arc. Not all of them NEED to. But the characters still mostly go through some sort of growth by the end that I feel make them stronger and healthier people.

You’ve got the big life-altering changes like Lila and Sabrina.

You’ve got the little changes like Nino and Ivan.

You’ve even got the most minuscule, beginning stages of change in Chloe.

You’ve got growth that creates such perfect setup with Mylene when she starts off scared and traumatized by how things went with Stoneheart then is the one who confronts him in the end. And the parallel between the finale and the beginning when she returns him to normal by kissing him just like they did in that first episode to change him back then, too! (Just….GOD, I CANNOT GET OVER THIS!)

You’ve got them reaching out and making friends and relating to people they hadn’t before.

And by the end of it all, we get characters who feel like people rather than props.

They don’t all have to change. They don’t necessarily need to go through an entire emotional arc and back again. They just need to be part of the world they’re in.

Nino doesn’t just pop into existence when Adrien or Alya need someone to interact with. Kagami isn’t just a non-horrible or non-evil love rival for Adrien or a stepping stool for him to “practice“ at being in a relationship before it’s time for him to try the “real thing” with his endgame pairing. Luka isn’t just a decent guy who is the only actual form of support for the female lead and yet only lacking that precious “male lead” title or all around just not “Adrien enough” to fill the role.

Adrien isn’t just a “sad boy” meant to be a main love interest, Villain’s Morality Pet, and the one everyone idolizes and chases after just cuz he’s the male lead and that’s how you show he’s desirable I guess. Marinette isn’t the atlas keeping the story alive because no one else is apparently capable of learning lessons and changing, or even just the bare basics of functioning as individuals. Chloe isn’t just there to be horrible for no reason and get away with it so she can continue to be horrible until the writers suddenly need her to be sympathetic.

And the rest of the classmates aren’t just some Greek chorus there to fill the background.

We see them interact. We see them making jokes or jabs. We see them even…*gasp* having different opinions!

And on something as major and life-controlling as feelings about the “Hero of the City” no less! Why, that’s the sort of thing that would break up friendships and determine who you can sit next to at the cafeteria! The horror! The scandal!

And…oh hey. This puts the characters in different groups. It links them with characters other their Canonically designated pairings and groups. This lets them disagree on things and not need to vilify any of them. This creates implications that add depth to the story and to the people in it.

The characters can disagree without being enemies. They can be wrong without having to be evil. They can make mistakes without having to be stupid. And they can change and grow—both for better and worse.

And we see both and in different ways. SO many different ways.

Adrien goes from excited and impulsive to buckling under the forced responsibility and weight of a partner who hinders more than she helps.

Lila goes from selfishly bad and self-serving to selfish but friendly with better direction of her talents in a less self-serving way.

And Chloe just goes from selfish and bad to selfish and worse..

I mean, it says something that the combination of Lila’s growth and Chloe’s fall from grace resulted in Hawk Moth being unable to use Lila as a tool for his Heroes Day plot like he originally intended.

The key is that whether they necessarily grow or become better people, these characters are still IMPACTED by the events around them and AFFECTED as a natural result of the world they live in. 

You can’t help but feel for them in some way as a result. It’s part of why I love them.

The other part of why I love them is a bit more epic though…

Crowning Moments of Awesome

If there’s one thing I love, it’s seeing characters be awesome. I love it when characters get to be awesome. I would love to see more of it. Especially when the ones involved are characters you wouldn’t normally expect or get to see have a chance to shine.

And it’s when you see these characters be awesome that you really get the sense that yes, this character would work as a hero.

Seeing Max help against Robustus. Seeing Kim help against Odine. Alix stepping in during Pharaoh, calling out her brother’s fan fiction, and helping the heroes escape the security system at the Lourve. Alya stepping in during Copycat to clue Chat in to what’s going on and later keeping Anansi distracted to keep her away from Chat while he’s trapped. Rose kicking Nightmare!Chat in the face to defend Marinette even when she’s dealing with her own nightmares in Sandboy. Luka leading groups twice to stepping in and helping the heroes deal with akumas. Nathaniel standing up for Marinette and Sabrina when they’re accused in Rogercop and then helping the heroes in Reverser. Seeing the entire class step up to try and protect Marinette in Befana. Seeing all the friends working together to compete in the Friendship Contest in order to protect Adrien from a less serious but still potentially terrifying outcome.

These little moments of support make such a big different and really make it make sense that the heroes would trust these people with magical jewelry to help them in battle.

And the little moments of characters being petty or strong or smart or turning the tables or just showing off what they’re capable of. Even without superpowers.

Adrien getting petty revenge for Nino and finding a tactic to counter Gabriel in the future.

The Police Force in Rogercop just saying “Nope” to obeying an obvious akuma. 

Zoe manipulating akumas twice to help the heroes. Her two Reasons You Suck Speeches to her mom and Bustier.

Every instance of payback that Tikki gets against Chloe.

Everyone in the Finale. Just…EVERYONE in the Finale. The characters who manage to avoid akumatization by either spotting the flaws in the illusion or refusing to give in to fear and even protecting others. Nora smacking any akuma that enters the home. Claudie pulling off Power Mom and ordering Max to stop attacking the city then helping to calm him down. Prince Ali and Juleka freeing Rose by kissing her! Chris, Ella, Etta, and Manon saving Mylene! Mylene saving Ivan with a kiss in a direct callback to how they first got together in Stoneheart! (Yes, I am still stuck on that!) Ondine saving Kim! Lila and Sabrina saving Alix! Luka facing Riposte alone and unarmed and then Kitty Section saving Kagami! ALL of the Heroes making a final comeback to help take down Hawk Moth for good! Just—AAAAAH!

How could Miraculous have peaked with this in Season 2 when this is Grand Finale material? Because there are few things more awesome than getting to see ALL the characters the heroes met and befriended and helped throughout the course of the story stepping up at the final battle to help take the Big Bad down!

Like…can we just take a moment to appreciate how everyone gets a chance to stand out in some way? Not all of them necessarily good, exactly (looking at you Andre). But still stand out and be memorable. Even characters who didn’t originally get much focus. Especially characters who were originally functioning as cardboard cutouts to fill a scene.

Anyone remember Aurore? How for the FIRST akuma in the pilot of the series and one who is quite frankly the most interesting and noteworthy, we don’t really get to see her again except in the background.

In Scarlet Lady, we got to actually look in to the contest and how she lost as well as the aftermath. She wasn’t some arrogant showoff who deserved to lose to the “sweet down to earth rival”, she was a girl who legitimately tried her best and had valid reason to be upset. Seeing her get revenge on Alec for cheating and humiliating her on live TV was well worth it.

Or how about the Photographer? Just there to take photos of Adrien in the park for a photo shoot or be the school photographer, but otherwise has no personality and is only remembered for his weird “spaghetti” line.

In Scarlet Lady, his role is two-fold. He acts as a sort of supporter for Adrien in his crush. Taking really good pictures of him being happy with the girl he likes. Taking more class photos at the behest of this girl for the sake of a friend who missed out on the class picture. And then there’s his OTHER role as a sort of antagonist to Chloe. He becomes one of the only ones in the early seasons willing and capable of dismissing her tantrums.

They’re both given more character. They get moments to stand out and BE awesome. So is everyone.

EVERYONE. From the classmates and big named characters we see regularly to the side characters who only appear once or twice. They all get some good scenes and focus that give them their own identities. All of them are memorable. None of them can really be ignored or forgotten. And part of what made making this list so difficult was that I found myself getting attached to pretty much everyone as I came across each of them that I couldn’t quite make up my mind.

Everyone in this fic has done something to make me happy and warrant my approval. Even the characters I normally wouldn’t like at all had their moments to shine and elicit an “okay, that was cool” from me.

Thus I grant this spot to everyone. To all the characters I don’t get the chance to mention. To all the ones I like albeit somewhat less than others. To all the ones I know are horrible but can’t help but like regardless. To all the ones I fought with myself for THREE MONTHS over which one would get this spot.

I love all of them.

[muletia]

So. I just read the whole ‘optimus gets minified’ and I have to ask...

May I request one for Pedraking?🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇

— 🩷

𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐥. 𝟐 ༘⋆✿

predaking, ratchet, smokescreen ↳ all are obsessed with you btw

word count: 1300

you used the word “request” and I am currently not accepting them, but!! I love this concept and couldn’t resist adding two other characters…

Oh, no, he absolutely hates it

Predaking has no idea how this even happened. He went into recharge curled protectively around you, shielding you from the world and sharing his warmth, only to wake up small, confused, and utterly incapable of performing the one task his entire existence revolves around: protecting you

So how is he supposed to stay calm? How is he supposed to keep his cool when he’s defenseless? His strength, height, and power — all his greatest assets — have been stripped away. Without them, he can’t be a worthy mate for you. He wouldn’t dare even call himself that anymore. You don’t need a plushie; you need a strong partner, ready to push away any intruder and eliminate anyone who so much as approaches your love nest. In this form, he can’t offer you any of that. He can’t fulfill a single promise he made to you, which leaves him caught between fury and a crushing sense of inadequacy

But why aren’t you panicking? You look surprised, sure, but not terrified, even though you should be! You’re currently defenseless! What if someone decides to steal you away from him? And why are you cooing like he’s a sparkling and reaching out toward him? Oh, you want to pet him...

He won’t make it easy. Startled by your actions, he’ll jump away from you, insisting he doesn’t need your affection right now and that you should hold off until you figure out a solution to this mess.

But he has to stay by your side. He has to protect you, even in this form. He has to be braver, fiercer, compensating for his lost size with sheer determination. No, he won’t leave you for even a second. He’ll protect you with his entire body if necessary

So he returns to you and tries to block the entrance to your love nest, though at his current size, it’s far from impressive. Standing with his back to you, hawk-eyed and focused on the doorway, he doesn’t notice your hand snaking toward his helm. When it rests there and starts stroking, he freezes

Predaking will still try to resist. He’ll growl and brush off your affections, but with every stroke of your hand, his defiance melts away. Boldness gives way to an overwhelming need to be close to you, and soon there’s nothing left of it as he wags his tail, eagerly demanding more pets

It’ll take a long time before he remembers that he’s supposed to protect you 24/7, fully content to bask in your attention and curl up on your lap. Even your constant comments about how sweet and adorable he is stop bothering him surprisingly fast

Still, he will never accept being miniature. Being spoiled by you is undeniably delightful, but Predaking needs absolute certainty that he can defend you from hostile bots. He’ll keep searching for a way to undo this, but until then, you can enjoy your giant, adorable lap dog <3

If Predaking hates his situation, Ratchet downright loathes it

You’ve never heard so much grumpy complaining as during the size-change incident

How can humans live like this? It’s uncomfortable, impractical, weak. You can’t reach anything, the world feels so enormous. Anyone could step on you (payback for his own words, I guess), and you’re so fragile and delicate

And then there’s your behavior toward him. He doesn’t want to be treated like a sparkling. He doesn’t want your cooing and constant repetition of how adorable he is and how much you want to smother his entire faceplate with kisses (although, deep down in his spark, that’s the one thing he truly craves, as betrayed by a subtle blue blush)

He doesn’t know when you got it into your head that he needs your constant care. He can handle himself and intends to work tirelessly until he finds a way to undo this farce. Sure, he’s five times smaller, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost all his competence. He doesn’t need a nanny — especially one who keeps interrupting his work with comments about how adorable he is

But Ratchet is also a hypocrite because, truthfully, he does need you. The sudden shift in perspective is terrifying. Giants become behemoths; they loom over him, threatening to crush him. It’s easy to feel microscopic and overwhelmed, not hard to spiral into panic and uncertainty as wild thoughts conjure up visions of being stepped on. In those moments, Ratchet needs you by his side. He needs to grab onto the hem of your shirt, to feel that you’re there, that everything is okay. You won’t leave him or let anything harm him

Of course, once the fear subsides and Ratchet feels comfortable again, he reverts to his independent and grumpy self, but he’ll stop trying to push you away. He’ll appreciate your presence, even if he never really wanted you to leave him in the first place

The constant work will exhaust him quickly, especially in such a small and frail form, and then he’ll instinctively seek you out. He’ll choose the perfect moment when no one else is in the base, find you on the couch, and climb onto you, ignoring all your questions and comments. He’s tired, doesn’t know how to fix this, and needs you. Let him at least have a few kliks of napping in arms that surround him with safety

You can even kiss his forehead. After all, it’s only fair to repay all the kisses you’ve received from him, so he can feel for himself just how wonderful they are <3

Oh, and imagine a mini jealous Ratchet. He doesn’t like that you’re spending so much time talking to some young bot when you were supposed to be helping him, so he feels the need to take action and drag you away. But he’s so tiny and not at all intimidating that his “rival” can’t take him seriously... especially when he tugs at your clothes like a grumpy sparkling

Oh, so now he can be with you 24/7? Fantastic!

This entire situation is incredibly convenient for him. Sure, at first, he was a bit terrified and downcast that he couldn’t be the perfect partner for you, but he quickly discovered countless benefits to being minified

First and foremost, he gets to accompany you everywhere. He doesn’t leave your side, becoming your shadow. Even at his normal height, he tried to spend every free moment with you, but as a mini version, he’s with you always

Bathroom breaks? Smokescreen follows you, clutching onto the hem of your shirt (you’ll need to explain to him that just because he can fit in there with you doesn’t mean he should)

Feeling like stretching your legs after sitting too long and showering him with affection? He toddles after you, mimicking your every move

Taking a stroll around the base? Definitely not alone.

He’ll drain your energy before evening comes. Since he’s shrunk down to the size of a sparkling, why not act like one to get what he wants?

Need a break from his constant presence and his unique talent for never shutting up? Well, you’re going to have a huge problem because simply interrupting a cuddling session already spells trouble. Trying to untangle yourself from his limbs while avoiding sharp edges of his armor, Smokescreen sprawls across your torso, pinning you to the couch. And even when small, he’s shockingly heavy, effectively trapping you in place. Now you can continue your cuddling and smooching session

He won’t feel a shred of shame or hesitation in using his charm, either. He knows perfectly well that you find him adorable, so he’ll use his big, puppy-like optics to manipulate you to his advantage — for example, to get another round of being carried in your arms

But the most affectionately unbearable he gets is when you need to leave the base. You can’t leave him alone! What if someone steps on him? Or he gets lost in the hangar? You have to stay by his side (forever) at least until Ratchet can fix him. Smokescreen has no qualms about clinging to your leg if it means keeping you near. And no force will pry him off until you say you’ll stay the night <3

[falling-star-cygnus]

i couldn’t resist the pull of a new indie animated cartoon, life is hard and i am but a weak soul

✨Ramshackle✨ by Zeddyzi -> why it’s amazing and why you should watch it :D

she’s a mood fr

No.1: Vinnie is usually the first to panic

while none of trio are 'in charge' -nor should they be- Vinnie does take the lead more often than Skipp or Stone do {these two also tend to look at her before taking action, which is actually adorable} so it's pretty cool to see she's not oblivious to dangerous situations like her archetype tends to lean into -> also Stone's totally contemplating breaking the window to get away from the pageant zombies

No.2: Stone is super protective, despite acting like he's not

but he does it in a way that doesn’t come across as thinking the other two are incapable, it’s more like: you totally could’ve dealt with that, but im right here so you don’t have to

No.3: Skipp isn’t helpless, nor is he treated as such

this is really awesome bc trios typically have that one character that’s really bright and bubbly but that’s also often infantilised by both their peers and the fandom -> Vinnie and Stone are totally confident in his feral capabilities though, and apart from briefly scolding him when it was necessary- they don’t treat Skipp like a child {which is an extremely refreshing change of pace}

No.4: ✨FOUND FAMILY✨

you got the black cat, doberman, and orange cat all in one with these silly guys! + stone's small smile when they fist bump, my heart!

No.5: The black cat is a softie

surprising absolutely no one, Stone has a hard time saying no to his family. that's not to say he can't express a boundary, like how he feels about physical touch, but he does let Vinnie and Skipp cling to him for brief intervals -> he also is already accepting that Maggot's going to be a fixture from as soon as the other two are leaving the alley way

all in all, this pilot does a mind-blowing job of portraying archetypes in a new and refreshing way that doesn't feel forced -> the animation style is beautiful, the characters are multifaceted and complex and it walks the line between silly and badass perfectly

definitely go watch the pilot on youtube!

and if you enjoyed this, let me know if there are other things you want me to analyze or give my thoughts on :D

[the-dumpster-fire-of-life]

Can you do a jinx x reader where r is basically a dog.

Like they follow her around and do what she says. Like scary dog privilege but the scary one is actually jinx.

She Loves Me Like A Dog

You loving her so much often times confuses her

She could do anything to you, and you’d still come back and love her

Even sometimes acting like you love her even more

At first when you followed her around like a shadow, she didn’t really mind at first but then she got a bit confused

It was like all you wanted to do was be around her and spend time with her

Nobody really had done that for her before so it wasn’t something she was particularly used to

She enjoyed your company but she thought you would end up hating hers

So she tried to speed up the inevitable

She tried being mean, making you feel like you were stupid, incapable

She did this to self sabotage herself to avoid being hurt and then she could blame you if you left

Not herself

She saw how you just…took it?

Sometimes you would seem down; but then when she paid you just a sliver of attention all that love for her came back

And she hated it

How could you love her even after everything she has done to you

All the bad feelings she purposely made you feel?

You were like a dog who kept running back and loving someone who didn’t deserve your love

That's how jinx viewed your relationship

It took a long time for her to actually accept that you loved her and enjoyed her presence

So much so that you would give your love and time to her with unconditional purposes

Even if she is scared, she learned to love it

She loves how you always follow her, make sure she’s okay and love on her no matter what

And also she sort of gets scary dog privileges

Since you’re always at her back people have noticed

And they noticed the dirty as fuck looks you give people when they eat to close

Or when they touch her or talk about her in a way you do not like

She loves it so much

Sometimes she won’t admit it but she’ll purposely put someone in a situation or herself in a situation where it doesn’t end well

She can’t help it though

[sunseed-fandump]

if the gingerbrave crew were to have soul jams, what would their virtues be??? :0c

Gingerbrave = Courage - Offshoot of Freedom

Many things require bravery, not just when it comes to standing against evil, but when it comes to standing for what is right even when it's not clear.

It takes a lot of courage to truly embrace Freedom; to be brave enough to accept that the future is uncertain, but to be confident in one's own abilities that they can change it however they wish. One has to be brave enough to take those first few steps. To let go of all of their doubts and truly be Free. Even when it seems society is against them.

And with those steps, one might inspire others to follow. Joining everyone together under one common goal: to live life to its fullest.

Strawberry Cookie = Kindness - Offshoot of Passion

To be kind, even against those who seemingly don't deserve it is incredibly difficult. It is natural to get angry, be upset, maybe even vengeful. It is also easy to look at the plight of another and decide to do nothing, simply because going out of one's way to do so may be considered too hard.

But to offer a gentle word, to give to those less fortunate, to comfort those who need comforting, to forgive. It is a new level of strength that many fail to achieve.

Having the compassion to lift others when they are down, will truly make the world a happier place.

Wizard Cookie = Wisdom - Offshoot of Truth

Knowledge is meaningless if one is incapable of knowing fact from fiction. And even then, being able to discern the truth from the lies means nothing. The harsh truth can hurt more than any wound, meanwhile the fantastical lies of fairytales can inspire others into doing good. One is not wholly good, nor wholly evil.

Knowledge is only powerful if one knows how to use it, and use it wisely.

Sometimes a bit of harsh reality is needed to snap one out of a delusion. While a placebo can give even an elephant the means to fly. To be wise, is to know how to use knowledge and help others become the best they could ever be.

Wisdom cuts through the angst, sorrow, and pain that cloud one's judgement, and paves the path for a brighter future ahead.

Custard Cookie III = Hope - Offshoot of Resolution

Dare to dream, no matter how impossible it may seem. To have the strength needed to hold onto Hope even in the bleakest of situations is truly a beautiful gift. Hope is what drives us, Hope is what saves lives, Hope is like a North Star.

Get up no matter how many times you're knocked down. Keep going, no matter how unattainable the dream might seem. And if the worst happens, and the dream crumbles, then that light will shine upon a new dream to pursue.

Keep hoping for those better days, keep dreaming and wishing and working towards them. Be that North Star for others as well, give them the strength to pursue their dreams. Because when those dreams do ultimately come true, it will be a wondrous legend to remember.

Chili Pepper Cookie = Trust - Offshoot of Abundance

To give a thief one's trust seems absurd. Equally, a thief does not give out their trust all willy-nilly. But to earn that trust, and to be trustworthy, is to be reliable. To be reliable means one withstands whatever the world can throw at them, even the unrelenting march of time. It means to be the solid rock that others can steady themselves on throughout the chaotic and upsetting changes that happen in daily life.

Chaos is inevitable; for things to fall apart is to be expected. Not many things can withstand the test of time, but one must trust that creation will always follow destruction and roll with those punches. That gain will always follow loss.

Trust that those dear to you can support you through thick and thin, and they will give you the most glorious treasure in return.

[cynthiav06]

Respectfully, did Percy Jackson even have any character development throughout the original series?

He doesn't have any flaws. He chose to take the prophecy from Nico, but he was always going to be the prophecy child.

He's good at the start and good at the end with no development unless you count being traumatised and depressed from a war as development, which it's not.

Not trying to be rude, sorry if I seem rude.

Worry not. It's a perfectly reasonable question and should usually be applied to most character studies. Also, buckle up. This is going to be long. Very long. It took me a while to get the time to post this and even more time to actually get my thoughts together. Like a lot of time. (To anyone who doesn't want to read the horrid mess of a post this is there's a partition at the end, after which all the most important points are summarized. ) Just skip to that, but hopefully, someone reads this whole thing because it took me eons to write.

I can see why you think that way, and it is contributed more so by Rick's absolute incapability of not recycling the dead horse that is the original pjo dynamics. He has inhibited character growth from almost every single character where all their epiphanies and character change in the end amounts to nothing, and they regress back to how they used to be, and any and all deviations their personality had are either dismissed or suppressed.

Percy is the victim of the latter. In the first book, he was a child, not particularly concerned with saving the world or being a halfblood. His life had been worse enough, and the halfblood situation had made it abysmal. Percy was living goal by goal. He wanted to get through the field trip, then through the semester, then through the Gabe interactions all so he could finally see his Mom, the one good thing about his life. Then that upends completely, and his only reprieve, the trip to Montauk, his safe place becomes the start of a series of grand tragedies in his life.

Sure, he stayed at the Camp, not willingly but for safety. He had nowhere to go, his life had been turned upside down, his mother was dead, and he wanted to go home, to have his mother back. He couldn't have cared less about the Gods and the world ending, but as soon as Chiron mentions Underworld, Percy is back on solid ground. He has a goal again. Get Sally back. He does everything to reach that goal. He fights monsters, prays to a godly father he refused to acknowledge beforehand, manipulate the press and the Gabe situation, bargain with immortal deities and such, and negotiate his way out of most of those bargains. All the while keeping in mind that he has a traitor to deal with, but Percy is the definition of "deal with one thing at a time. If it's not an immediate concern, it can wait." He does all that and is rewarded for it by being able to live, getting his mother back, and a taste of the life he has doomed himself to, and he almost seems to accept it. He even wonders if Camp Half Blood could be his home.

We see Percy do this throughout all the books. He is constantly changing his intentions, his goals, and his opinions on everything. He is also caught in his internal conflict of being with or against the Gods. The thing is, Percy has very little time for reflection as he is jumping from one existential threat to another, and yet he still manages to grow in the small ways. You need to see it individually book wise rather than over the whole series as Rick messes up terribly with character arcs and developments of literally every other character.

He begins by not caring about Poseidon's existence or his proximity, but in the end, he, too, is beholden to the intrinsic need of having a father. He, too, wants Poseidon to care for him like a father and is therefore hurt by being called a mistake. He knows Poseidon claimed him as a weapon against Zeus so he could rectify someone else's mistakes and restore Poseidon's reputation; who if not Percy would understand this manipulation the best? But the best lies are the ones you want to believe in, and so Percy keeps his silence because, of course, he wants to believe his father genuinely cares for him and loves him. Who doesn't?

He didn't want to be the hero, but by the end of the first book, when he is called one, he doesn't dislike the feeling. He accepts if only a little that this is to be his life now, and as the series progresses, he adds to the pros and cons.

In the Sea of Monsters he is very happy that Gabe is gone and it's just him and his mother again but by the end of it he has gained a new family member in Tyson and is very happy of the fact. He even manages to get over his initial hostility of Clarisse somewhat when he understands her situation.

Titan's Curse is all about Percy learning about the number of forces at play in the world of demigods. He tries to get along with the Hunters and Thalia; it doesn't work. He ends up almost losing Annabeth, someone who he considers a close friend by now. And so we see Percy spiral a little, show more of his anger issues as he interacts with Thalia or even Young Nico just after Annabeth falls from the cliff. Angry and impatient, he goes on his own quest.

I know most readers remember it as Percy, Annabeth, and Grover or the main cast always working together, but it's almost never like that. Somewhere along the way, Percy always ends up doing his own thing, which works because he best works on improvisations. It's Percy's plans that always end up working the most more so than Annabeth's. Just putting it out there.

Then it's just Percy having the worst month of his life. Annabeth is in mortal danger. No one seems to be hearing his opinions between Thalia and the Hunters. Then Bianca dies and Percy because he is Percy is completely and utterly guilty over it.

Note that Percy says he will do his best to keep Biancs safe and not outright promise to keep Bianca safe. But his non-existent self-esteem and other factors withstanding he blamed himself for it completely. Then Zoe dies, and Percy has lost yet another person he thought he needed to keep safe.

Percy is angry at the gods, but he is not surprised by their actions. But he is Percy, and he is determined to change the ways of Olympus, so he pressures the Council and his father to keep the Ophiptaurus, the very creature that threatens to topple their rule. It's his small was of rebelling, and Percy is always rebelling against the gods in his own way, almost never playing into their hands because as much as he despises Luke, he agrees with Luke too and unless he finds a better way to deal with the situation than what Luke is employing he too would have to one day follow in Luke's footsteps.

Now Percy, who trusts Chiron, even thinks of him as a secondary father figure realizes that Chiron for all his compassion for mortals and demigods will always in the end do the bidding of the Gods'. So he makes the snap decision to hide Nico's parentage from Chiron and from everyone else because Percy realizes no matter how much he loves or cares for certain people in his life, they are beholden to answer to a higher power he cannot gainsay, so he will have to take some secrets to the grave. He learns that in the end, some things he needs to shoulder himself.

And of course, the guilt of Bianca's death is no lesser, so he does the only thing he thinks can give him some relief from it. He takes the prophecy for himself, saving Nico and hoping it's enough to alleviate himself of this bile inducing sensation in his gut called guilt that is swallowing him whole.

Now, the Battle of Labyrinth is the most crucial. This is the book with maximum stress on Percy from all ends. From Sally dating Paul and Percy having to prove he is worth Paul's confidence in him in Goode, from Annabeth who is quite literally snippy and passive aggressive through the whole book either due to Rachel or due to her own prophecy even though Rachel and Percy are the two people who got them all out. Then there's the Nico situation. He knows Nico is spiraling, which is making Percy spiral and further strengthening his own guilt. And on top of all this, the Luke situation. Percy is literally caught between an enclosed space, with all four sides closing in on him rapidly while he is fending off mortal danger.

All this repressed tension is fully let loose when he explodes Mt. Helen's. And this is the tipping point. Percy wants to take the choice of Calypso's Island if only briefly and not because he loves her or anything of the sort but because it's his one escape. From everything from his own doomed prophecy. Yet again, Percy is trapped by his own fatal flaw. Personal Loyalty. So he chooses to carry out his responsibility because he has given himself no other choice.

If that wasn't enough of self-realization, he is faced with the horrifying realization of the devastation his power has wrought. His loss of control has single handedly released the greatest threat to Olympus. Hephaestus tells Percy he doesn't know the limits of his own, and by the gods, does that terrify Percy. Up until now, Percy knew his powers were dangerous, but now he knows that he is also dangerous; that he is the real danger. And it's not a reality he wants to ever confront, so he coils his power and holds it tight in a leash. (It's why Percy's burts of power always begin with an unraveling sensation in his gut or something breaking inside himself)

He is somewhat soothed by Poseidon's reassurance because not only does Poseidon not blame him, he also solidifies Percy's faith that he is doing the right thing. And if Poseidon sprinkles in the fact that Percy is the favorite child then who is he to deny himself the comfort of such sweet lies because, of course, Percy thinks it's a lie and of course Percy basks in it. He knows better than to trust gods, he knows better than to trust even his own allies because at the times like this, they will do and say anything to appease him, after all the fate of Olympus depends on him, does it not? And neither the Gods nor the demigods will risk a falling out with him at times like this.

He asks his father if he can help but is denied because he is needed here. Then he does his job as told, and Charlie dies. It's on him. He is struck with twice as much guilt. Over Beckendorf, and then over the state of Atlantis. He asks again if he can help his father and is denied again yet scorned by his father's family, for he can't even help them with the mess he started (or so he believes).

This is why Percy goes with Nico's plan of using the Styx. Because he assumes Nico of all people who already hated him has no reason to curry for his favor. But he makes a mistake. After all, Nico needs his father's favor, and Hades needs Percy gone. Percy can't really blame the kid, but he does anyway because why not? He is angry, he is furious, and everything is slipping from his fingers. He is going to die. Everyone is going to die, and it's all on him. It's all his fault, AGAIN. So he rages at Nico because for at least one single moment, he wishes this were someone else's burden, especially Nico's, but Percy's taken it for himself, and it's too late to back out now.

So he fights and manipulates and negotiates. Titans, River gods, his own demigods. Because don't forget Percy knows there's a mole and that's also his problem. Everything is his problem. All that work and so many dead. Silena, Michael, Ethan, and many more on both sides, and he is trying everything he can to make it better to fix things because, again, he thinks it's his fault. Imagine doing all that, and Rachel tells him he is not the hero, and Percy bristles because no, he doesn't want to be a hero, but of course, it offends him. Because, if he's not the hero, then it's not his burden, and then what the hell is he doing all this for if, in the end, he is not the hero that can save Olympus? Does that mean he read the prophecy wrong, and now he is going to get everyone killed because he wrongly assumed he isn't the hero. He is angry and impulsive, and he snaps at even Hermes. Because now HE is spiraling.

And somehow, it's all over with Luke killing himself, and it dawns on Percy, the truth. So despite all the hate because why wouldn't there be hate, Luke has singlehandedly tried to kill Percy more than Percy can count, and he calls Luke the Hero. Makes the choice because he believes in Annabeth's faith and Hermes's faith in Luke. It pays off and that's all that matters.

Finally finally it is all over. the Gods owe him, and finally, he has an answer on the path he wants to take to change the gods. He denies immortality because he is Percy Jackson, he is Sally Jackson's son and he knows better than to let others dictate the flow of his life, because he has better plans than wasting away inside for eternity, dancing on someone else's tune. He fights for the demigods, the non-Olympian gods and their children who Olympus has failed to do justice to, for Nico, and in some way for himself.

Then it's not over at all because Rachel has taken Blackjack and Percy knows the truth of the Oracle and he loves Rachel far too much to let her even try. But it works and she is okay; he can't be with her but she is alive and she is okay and Percy is extremely grateful for that.

But then there's a new prophecy, and even though he tries to find some peace with Annabeth, he knows it's not over. It's never over for him. But he can forget about it until he can no longer afford to ignore it.

___________________________________________

Of course, Percy repressed his trauma. The last time he let it out, he released the literal bane of the gods out. Do you think Percy could live with something like that happening again? What choice does he have? There's no one who can understand him. NO ONE. Not even Annabeth.

You can see him accept his role as a leader and grow more into it. In son of Sobek or even in Son of Neptune. He is more serious and more authoritative because he has so many people depending on him, so many expectations hanging on him. We can also see Percy's anger issues get out of hand. He is spiraling, the readers know he is spiraling, and Percy knows, but he can't do ANYTHING. HE IS LITETALLY DYING OR BEING ATTACKED, HE CAN'T, HE JUST CAN'T.

BUT WE KNOW IT'S THERE BECAUSE WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH PERCY HAS GROWN INTO SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. AND HE CAN'T ACT ON THEM MOST OF THE TIME BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE DEPENDENT ON HIM AND HIS FATAL FLAW WON'T ALLOW HIM TO PUT HIMSELF OUT OF HIS MISERY.

BUT WHEN HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE POSSIBLY COULD, AFTER HOUSE OF HADES, HE LETS POLYBOTES'S POISON CHOKE HIM, ALMOST KILLING HIM IF JASON HADN'T INTERVENED. THANK GOD FOR JASON GRACE.

Percy was this sassy, heavily independent, "I do my own thing" kid and now he is someone with more responsibilities than anyone with most of his free will stripped and most of his hopes ruined or deemed impossible. IT'S TRAGIC AND IT'S EXCRUCIATING AND HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE HE THINKS IT'S MAKING OTHERS HAPPY. IT'S SUCH A HORRIBLE SITUATION. IMAGINE BOOK 1 PERCY? HE WOULD HAVE LET IT BLOW UP IN EVERYONE ELSE'S FACE BEFORE HE EVER LET HIMSELF BE SO BROKEN.

I have seen so many people say how Percy is the standard hero who is always good and never makes bad choices, and I wonder which books they read. Percy always makes the supposed "right" choices at the cost of himself. His fatal flaw enabling his moral compass and the sheer guilt of the lives lost. He can't escape. He hates the gods, he hates the quests but he loves his family and friends so dearly, there's nothing he wouldn't do for them which means Percy is suffocating, drowning, choking in his own misery, his repressed trauma,his self loathing and being crushed to death by the weight of lives, responsibilities and expectations only he can hope to fulfil.

And one day Percy won't be able to take it. His lapses of control will increase in magnitudes so great, his inner rage will level the world. Destroyer, like Athena predicted, Destroyer like Kronos wanted and Destroyer like his name means.

Not every hero needs a villain arc. Percy is inspiring because after all this shit and all these horrors. He is still good, but WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TOLL OF IT. PERCY IS STILL GOOD BUT AT WHAT COST? LOOK WHAT IT'S DONE TO HIM.

Rick has such a great potential for an arc like that but he is going to fuck it up, I know he is but I hope readers realize where it's all leading to and how much Percy has changed and how much he has sacrificed. Also, @hermesmyplatonicbeloved , @ogjacksonsimp , @cynicalclairvoyantcadaver , @helenofsparta2, @fourcornersofcreation thoughts? Did I stray too far from the canon, or am I getting it right at least a little? Because this post took days, I have no idea what it has devolved into.

[deesseshesca]

PAC : How can u express your affection to your partner while having sex ? (18+)

Oh...Today drain me...

Good evening pretty souls ! I am so excited ... IS OFFICIALLY KINKTOBER ! DAY : 17-18

You want to have a more detailed readings (for 2.22$), you can join my Chérie d'Amour (soul tribe)

SEX Doula =SALE READING

PILE 1 

Strenght (reverse), knight of wands (reverse),8 cups, 9 pentacles 

You guys are very photogenic. Your friends love taking pictures of you and may even do it without you knowing. Y’all are very aesthetically pleasing people. On the other hand, y’all can’t not take a good picture to save yourself. You are incapable of finding the angle or even placing the phone properly, worse than boomers for some. Which ends up pissing off your friends. Y’all are not tech savvy. We are lucky you even know how to use your phone. 

The way you show your affection is by having no control on the relationship. Wherever the flow brings y’all, you cool with it. You don’t care for labels and you are down for literally anything. Don’t care and you will never care for the title ‘’ relationship’’, you don’t mind being ‘’just friends’’ forever. You guys can move in together, fuck each other cuddle, go to hopsital appointment and share y’all deepest secret and even convince a kid with no title. You will not have shame or even be scared to explain your situation to people around you because you don’t mind how unorthodox it is. That being said for technicalities, you will allow your partner to explore sexual endeavors with other people. Even allowing them to hold their own independence meaning living in the same house but sleeping in different bedrooms. If y’all share an abundance with each other, you can share a mansion. Like the east side is yours and the south side is his/hers. You will show your affection by holding no taboo against them. They can possess any sex toys; they might  even introduce you to their sex dolls, if they feel like it. Y’all may not even have sex at all… some of y’all is giving lavender marriage. Maybee ? I don’t know ? I have no clear indication of such but the way I am writing it, it sure sounds like it. Another way to show your affection is by  accepting their belief, y’all may have different religion or practice. Lastly you may show your affection  by not expecting anything material from them  (which lowkey breaks one of the principles  of Lavender marriage …). You don’t expect a ring, a car, or even roses on valentine day’s. All things said , it is really a show of going with the flow. If they decide to do it, you don’t mind doing it too. If they dim all the little gestures unnecessary then so do you. Ultimately your ‘’ no pressure’’ attitude is going to be the best way you show affection to them which can simulate their sexual appetite. 

💌 : FIND OUT, How your partner use their fingers in the bedroom ? on Ko-fi.

PILE 2 

Queen swords, 4 swords, 7 pentacles (reverse), 2 pentacles

Y’all are adopted. Y’all were in the system until 10 years old ( max ) then your life took another turn for the best. You always loved your adoptive family. They always welcomed you and poured into you. The whole family is always showering you with gifts, affection and support but you need an answer. You got them, you quickly realize that you dodge the bullet. Your biological family may be very abusive. 

The way you show your affection with your partner in a sexual setting starts with foreplay. You may indulge in giving your full attention to them. You are the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend for nerds. You will let them rant bout all the rules in the new fantasy world in which they are obese about while giving them the ‘’fuck me’’ eyes. You have beautiful brown eyes with stars in them when you are looking at something that you love. Sex apart, they love the way you look at them. You make them feel like the most loved human  being with only a look from you. The appreciation, tenderness, passion all of it in the iris of your eyes is making them love sick. Back to the sex, the way you listen and UNDERSTAND (at least try) make them feel fucking special. You even go as far as engaging in conversation with them which they looooove. Even when you are clumsy with the concept of a subject you don’t get mad when they correct you. Artists would be the perfect pair for you too. Not only are you the perfect muse (we are going to get into it later…) but you are a smart one. You don’t mind diving into the critics of philosopher, you don’t mind debating who is the best musician of the Renaissance, you don’t mind sitting down and letting your partner paint your back when they are overstimulated and you don’t mind listening to your partner singing for hours until they find perfect note. You have the patience of a God and that makes them want to give it all to you. Honestly you love discussing and especially debating because that’s why you turn on. So everything I listed is something they naturally do and everything is a way to get your panties wet/cock hard. Yes, paint on bareback and let your hand caress. Yes, sing to me how good I make you feel in between  the sheets. Yes, debate the principle of Aristotle  with me and show your passion. I love how you are trying to make your point while at the same focusing on my juicy lips.  Ok! Pile 2, your energy fully took over for a minute. Another way you show your affection is by making sure they reach their orgasm. It doesn't matter if they are tired after going hammers into you and making you cum at least 3 times.It doesn't matter if you are worn out. You need them to cum or you are dying … Ok a bit dramatic… (I feel like y’all are natural drama queen/king). You will give them a handjob  or you will rub their clit. You will do what is require for with the power still left in you to deliver your duty (Like I said fucking dramatic). Plus you will love to dive into the pleasure of a long intensive edging session, y’all can go for weeks edging. Playing with each other without actually reaching the sinful need of the body. Building the orgasm with each other and not cheating even when  you are really really really horny. Is almost a principle of respect for you. Lastly, you are acceptive of them in the bedroom. You don’t shame them for their kinks, you encourage them to go for it. You allow an open and affectionate communication for y’all to discuss y'all fantasy, kinks , experience, need, want, desire, etc… 

💌 : Also don't feel bad because you have leaned on your partner through out the whole quest to your roots adventure. While you were trying to puzzle the truth regarding your identity, your partner felt needed and not at all annoyed. So relief yourself from that guilt. They are fine. FIND OUT, How your partner use their fingers in the bedroom ? on Ko-fi.

PILE 3 

9 wands (reverse), 2 cups, Knight wands, Tower (reverse) 

Y’all are going through it mentally. You are deep in a depression rut. Y’all are victime of sexual harassment and you are healing. Is not as bad as it was but you know… sometimes the voice gets loud all over again. I am sending all the love I can,your way. You and I know it is going to get better and that the worse will pass. You just need to hang in there until you find the pace and you power back again. You knew your ex before y’all became a couple. He was a good friend when the accident happened and he came back into your life. He did not mean to leave you, you know we get busy with life and distance gets created.  Naturally the Divine opens a path for you to welcome them back into your life. Then you open up and it was good and got very bad again. So you decide to cut the relationship so you can heal some more without being a burden. They are going insane Pile 3. Don’t get me wrong, they are respecting your choice. But I have the vision of someone tearing up while doing their homework. Everytime they get back into their apartment at the end of the day, they literally get in a fetus position for a good 5 minutes reminiscing about you. They pray often which is ironic since they never believe in God or anything like that. Begging them to give them your pain and leaving you alone. That you suffer enough. The tears also are not something they do. Is not that they are emotionally available, they are just very masculine . 

This section of the reading is from their POV . 

They love making love to you. They love caressing you. They love your cellulite. They love your small boobs, they love your stomach, they love your thick tights ( I’m so sorry but I need to say that I am fucking rooting for them. Out here pushing through the tears to deliver the message. Ironic, I rarely get REALLY emotional. If only you could feel what I am feeling …) and they love your hair  (another message came through, One of your ex told you he hurted you because you were ugly and that he cheated because he loved blond … your man (I know y’all are not together but I am FUCKING rooting fo them) is screaming : I LOVE YOUR BROWN HAIR !). They kissed every part of you because they wished to make all the bad memories go away. They wish they could erase any trace of your abuser away. Is not about lust, it is all about the true passion that goes straight to their dick when they see you. Is not about owning you or winning you over. Is about protecting you and giving you the love you always deserve. They love having sex with you. When y’all were together, you could not keep y’all hands off each other. In a fucked up way you brain twisted that damm information (swear I am not mad at your brain, she is a victim too. So she is doing anything in her power to protect herself) making you feel that they only want you because of sex. Because that’s all a man can ever want from you. That’s all you are good for. You are undeserving of love because you are broken good ( Yes… Is me … again … YOU ARE NOT FUCKING BROKEN GOOD ! YOU HEARD ME ! You better tell your brain to get her shit together real quick. Is going to take time but let’s start by dropping the concept that you are damaged goods. I don’t want you to EVER think that.) The reality is they love you so much they can’t resist you. The mere fact that they can indulge in your affection is their biggest blessing. They are so grateful (Going back to their prayers, they are grateful that the Divine kept you alive and safe until you came back to them) that they get to share intimate moments with you. That you even let them see you in that seductive light. There’s nothing you can, God can do, I can do that's going to stop them from going back to you. There’s nothing that happens to you no matter how bad it is, that’s going to disgust them . There's nothing you can do that’s going to make them run away. Ever since you came back into their life, the flowers bloom, the sun shines and the birds chip. You brought the color back into their life. You brought joy to the mundane. Sex with you is an explosion of good feelings, fireworks even. They love sliding into you, seeing your face twisting in pleasure not in pain. A pleasure they are giving you and a pain they are protecting you from, safe in his presence . They often push you to keep your eyes focused on them because they want you to see you are safe. You are loved and you choose a good one proving you it was never your fault. Nothing you could have done was worth that punishment. 

***BONUS***

How can you cope with your sexual wound ? 

Spirit has an extra message dedicated to you. 

The ultimate problem of this relationship is the perception of yourself. Before we get any further, I am not here to hurt you (Trust me, I understand you more than you think). You need to contextualize what happened to you. Maybe you are not ready to get help, maybe you are not ready to talk about… fuck maybe you just not ready to deal with it but you need to realize that he is not him. I understand that your brain wants to protect you from all the ‘’him’’. Maybe repeat to yourself out loud, ‘’ (His name) is not my enemy. He is my true lover’’ everyday while you're taking a shower. When  you are caressing your body with soap, remind her, she is ok with (his name). Is important that you precise the name for your body to understand that only him at least with him everything is alright. You need to find a way to make your brain and body understand that he is your protector and lover. Because your soul knows he is home. You may not know about the rest and you got hurt by the rest but him… never him … he is all love. I know you are suffering but keeping him away is killing y'all more than you think. I am not telling you to break your boundaries or get back with him, now. You can shoot him a text. Small text here and there, telling him, you are ok , you ate. It can even be random as you telling him you are watching your favorite TV show. Let your brain get used to craving intimacy at a healthy pace.  Plus it will greatly ease his mind. Please stop dissociating while you are having sex (Bestie speaking from experience, don’t do it because it can become a habit … when that happens … you will try anything to go back to feeling something …), if you feel like you can’t do it, express it. I don’t care if you are in the middle of an act. I don’t care if you feel horny but you got triggered. I DON’T CARE … take a break, regulate your nervous system and come back. Last let yourself heal, there’s no race when it come to this fuck up mess. Stop comparing yourself to your past and let yourself discover the new you, who survive one of the most terrorizing situations. Much love Chérie d’Amour, you got this and I DO … love you. 

💌 : FIND OUT, How your partner use their fingers in the bedroom ? on Ko-fi.

[emmiesoverthemoon]

✧ overwhelming warmth

Pairing: g-dragon / kwon jiyong x reader

Word Count: 4,309

Summary: Management has forced G-Dragon to collaborate with you—a renowned producer who creates sound like no other—in order to push his creative boundaries with another set of ears, and he is not happy. Unable to accept his jealousy of your skill, he takes it out on you and learns that may not have been the right decision.

Tags: rivals to lovers, forced proximity, jealousy, tension, enemies to lovers, second pov

cross posted on ao3 here

bonus chapter (sexual content warning) here

Resentment had settled in Jiyong’s chest long before he even met her. It twisted through his ribs like a parasite, feeding on his pride, his ego, the carefully built persona he had spent very well over a decade perfecting.

“Have you heard of her? She has been in the industry for only a year, and has already smashed records and won awards, with only one studio album…” His manager’s voice droned out; or Jiyong stopped caring about what he had to say. When he had stated your name, he had barely resisted the urge to scoff. Her? He had spent over a decade crafting his empire, pushing boundaries, redefining sound. He had done it alone. And now, this woman—this newcomer—was being handed his album as if he were some small incapable baby in need of training wheels.

G-Dragon was not a man accustomed to feeling second best. His name was carved into the very bones of the Kpop industry—his sound, his vision, his ideology. He had bled for every note, burned for every lyric, and now, he was being told that did not suffice. It sat horribly in his chest.

“I can do it myself,” he had snapped. He was the King of Kpop for goodness sake, he didn’t need another person in the room constantly with him, poking in his studio, lecturing him how to make his own album.

His elder had barely blinked. “Then don’t even bother imagining a release date. Not with us.”

That had silenced him.

“Right then,” His manager started, “You two will stay together in your home until the project is completed. This is because I know that otherwise you would never show up to work. It will help to have a fresh pair of hands and ears.” Jiyong walked out of the office, not leaving a single word in his wake.

Now, standing in the threshold of the house where they would be forced to coexist, Jiyong felt that disgust and resentment swell again like bile in his throat. He had not even seen her yet, and already, his skin burned with irritation.

And then, you opened the studio door.

You didn’t look smug. Didn’t look victorious or condescending. A nonchalant expression was worn across your face. A polite one; a normal look you’d expect for someone welcoming a new coworker to the office. If anything, the only readable emotion was confusion. As if you, too, had been thrown into this situation against her will.

"Let’s get this over with," he muttered, shouldering past you without waiting for a response.

He didn’t see the way your brows pulled together at his hostility. You did not even manage to get a single word of greeting or introduction out yet, and he had already decided that he had enough of your presence. Even though he is older than you, you were still shocked and a little angered by the audacity of his actions.

But he felt it when you followed him inside, closing the door behind yourself with a quiet, resigned sigh.

彡

You weren’t what he expected.

Jiyong had been prepared for arrogance, for gloating. He had braced himself for some pretentious genius who would relish every second of taking over his album. Or even someone who would immediately start getting all nosy and searching through his studio, eager to copy his work and steal it as your own. But you were… silent.

Not timid. Not weak. Just… observant.

That only irritated him more.

You didn’t react when he snapped in your direction. Didn’t argue when he ignored your suggestions or dismissed your ideas with clipped words. He wanted a fight—wanted you to give him something to latch onto, something that would justify the bitterness clawing at him. Something that would charge him to his management to persuade them that you were indeed the villain he imagined you to be, and to allow him to fly solo once more.

But you never took the bait.

And then, you started working.

It was infuriating, really. How easily you molded sound. How you didn’t force a song into being but rather coaxed it, like you were uncovering something that had already existed in the universe, hidden until you laid your hands upon it.

Worse, you made it look effortless.

Jiyong had spent years honing his craft, bleeding for it, burning himself to exhaustion to achieve what he had. And yet, you stood there, in his studio, weaving together melodies in ways he never would have imagined, as if the music you were creating was an immersive extension of your very soul and being rather than something you had to fight tooth and nail just so it could sound the exact way you desired.

And he despised it.

He despised you.

Not because you were bad at what you did—but because you were better than he was.

彡

You weren't blind.

From the moment he arrived, the animosity radiated from him like heat off pavement. He barely looked at you, barely spoke to you beyond clipped instructions and muttered complaints.

And for what?

You had never done anything to him. Never insulted his work, never dismissed his talent. In fact, you had admired him and his work prior to all of this. You had looked up to him, had studied his music, and had learned from the very foundation he had built. G-Dragon was one of your inspirations.

But now?

Now, you could barely stand to be in the same room as him. It was like walking on broken glass—careful, quiet, blood boiling; knowing that at any moment, he could snap. And when he did, it was over something purely idiotic. It enraged you.

When your manager proposed this idea to you, all you felt was pure excitement and enthusiasm. To work so closely with one of your idols on his newest studio album? You were immediately on board. You had imagined this experience to stimulate the feeling of watching Leonardo Da Vinci sketch out the ‘Mona Lisa’, or witness the frameworks of the Pyramids of Giza in Ancient Egypt be conceptualised and built. Never in your mind did this hatred for you cross over these thoughts. And frankly, you had had enough.

"I think the layering is too heavy here," you had said on one late night together, adjusting the volume on one of the tracks they had been working on. "It’s drowning out the—"

"I know how to produce a song," Jiyong interrupted sharply. "I’ve been doing this shit long before you have even dreamed of touching an instrument."

Your eyebrows ticked, taken aback.

"Okay," you said carefully, trying to ignore the frustration rising in your chest, which was a frequent, uncomfortable feeling you had been having recently. You had repressed enough anger that could cover across several people working with G-Dragon. “But I think if we just—"

"Just what?" He scoffed, turning to face you fully. His eyes held enough rage to kill someone, his expression hard as rock, "Let you take over? Because that’s what you really want, isn’t it?"

The floodgates of your anger management had smashed wide open at that last comment.

"Are you serious?" you snapped, voice incredulous. "I’m literally trying to help you, GD.” Until he held an ounce of respect for you, you had refused to use his real name, which you fore-sought was not going to happen any time in the future. If he did not believe you deserved respect, then neither did he, age-respect hierarchy be damned. “That’s what I was asked to do by my management, just like you were. It’s not my fault if you can’t handle the fact that someone else has good ideas!"

His jaw clenched.

"You’re nothing but a burden in here," he muttered.

Your breath caught.

And then, you laughed—a sharp, humorless sound.

"God, you are insufferable”, you aspersed. "I’m sorry that I am capable of creating something incredible that millions adore. I’m sorry that you like my work. But I can’t help your jealousy, GD. That’s something you have to deal with. Pull your thumb from your mouth and grow up."

You turned on your heel and left, slamming the door behind you.

For the first time, his mouth was left agape; he had nothing to say.

彡

Silence never felt heavier than when you were gone.

Jiyong sat in the now-empty studio, staring at the untouched buttons and controls. The weight of his own words pressed against his ribs.

You’re nothing but a burden in here

He hadn’t meant it, not really.

He had been cruel because cruelty was easier than admitting the truth—easier than saying “I feel threatened by you, I feel small next to you, I hate that I admire you.”

To G-Dragon, guilt was a foreign sensation, but he felt it now, curling in his gut like something alive. He pulled out his phone, opening his message app to request your address from your manager.

The next day, he showed up at your door, embarrassed. Behind his back, he clutched a bouquet of lilies; nothing overly extravagant, but prettier, larger than average to hopefully settle some of the rocky waves between you that his tidal current had forced at you.

After looking in the peephole of your door, you opened it cautiously, your eyes flickering across his face, analysing his inability to meet your eyes as normal, but this time, not for disdain, but out of humiliation. The way his brows were furrowed and eyes low, drifting toward the floor and your feet; you soaked it all in, the powerhouse of the Kpop industry G-Dragon, was here, on your doorstep, flushed as a beetroot. A part of you liked what you saw. Suppressing those images down, you remember his words; you were pissed off at him. Your gaze sharpened.

"What is this?" you asked.

He exhaled. "An apology." He revealed his left arm from behind his back, bringing the bouquet of beautiful pink and white lillies into your line of vision. The sharpness you held in your eyes was loosened. Flowers were an achilles heel in your anger.

Crossing your arms, your right eyebrow raised expectantly as you broke the silence once more, “For what?”

Jiyong met your eyes. Finally, you could see into the pools of his irises and truly pick apart his humiliation.

"For being an ass. For—" He hesitated. "For taking out my insecurities on you."

A beat of silence.

And then, to his surprise, you smirked. Small and amused.

"Well," you sighed, stepping aside, your words dripping, sticky with sarcasm, “I guess you do know how to learn and grow after all."

And just like that, the tension between the two of you shifted. It had initially started small, like a bud of a lily that had yet to bloom. Glances that lingered too long. ‘Accidental’ touches that weren’t so accidental. One night, while adjusting a track together, his hand brushed against yours. Neither of you moved away. A crack of electricity shivered through the both of you. You could see goosebumps quickly scatter and raise across his hand.

It built slowly, like a cacophony of an orchestra rising to its crescendo. Jiyong started to notice small quirks about you. The way you pulled the edge of your bottom lip between your teeth when you were truly focused. How you counted the beat of anything by tapping your pinky finger against your palm simultaneously to the sound. Your incessant habit of humming the same tune he could not identify when you were deep in thought. How your voice sounded when the hours you would spend with him would reach the night, a soft, almost whispery tone that eluded him to a softer, sweet version of yourself he had rarely received the honour to see.

Before he knew it, you plagued his mind. In his solitary moments away from you physically, you invaded his mind. He imagined all different kinds of situations with you as the focal point. Taking you out to dinners, exploring the world together, spoiling you for as long as you would allow him to, being beside you in galas, showing you off to the world as his girl. As long as you were a part of it, he had yearned for it.

His own realisation interrupted his fantasies and caught him off guard. He draped his fingers across the lower sector of his face, which he had just realised was quite warm. Goodness, were you aware of just how big the effect you have on him is?

彡

The house was quiet except for the faint hum of your phone playing music from down the hallway in the bathroom. Jiyong sat on the couch in the vast living area, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone, pretending not to be listening for the sound of the shower running echoing, bouncing across each wall, reverberating in his head.

It was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

But lately, everything about you had started to feel that way.

The way you laughed—low and warm, like the last sip of wine. The way your voice lingered in his brain and had no means of budging away, similarly to how his cigarette smoke would cling to his clothing and continue to hold on tight no matter how many wash cycles it endured. This woman must be completely unaware that she was making his stomach tighten. The way they worked cooperatively together now, in sync, as if their hands had learned the rhythm of each other’s movements without even trying. It felt oddly domestic, and that was natural to him, too natural.

It was ridiculous.

And worse? Jiyong had no idea if she felt the way he did. If he invaded her head in every possible moment, clawing at the inside of her mind and filling every groove and cavity. If when she gazed at the moon after sunset, she imagined the beacon of it's light illuminating his features just as he did. If he was the first thing she thought of as the morning sun beckoned her awake, and if her last thoughts at night were of him as the stars in the sky tucked her in the guest bed's silky sheets. All he could do was hope.

A sudden noise pulled him from his thoughts—the sharp creak of the bathroom door cracking open, followed by the softest, most hesitant voice.

“Jiyong?”

His breath hitched. The voice was small, unsure. Embarrassed. His heart stuttered, completely unprepared for the sheer intimacy of hearing his name spoken like that. Now that he thought about it, he did not think he had ever heard his name slip from her lips; at least not so sickeningly saccharine. The fantasies that generated as a result of your voice speaking to him that way made his blood rush all through his body.

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice casual. “Uh… yeah?”

A pause. And then, with the quiet resignation of someone who really really didn’t want to ask but had no other choice— “I… forgot my towel.”

Jiyong’s brain short-circuited.

For a moment, he just stared at the hallway leading to the bathroom, as if his body hadn’t yet caught up with what he’d just heard. And then—heat. So much heat. It crawled up his neck, spreading fast, filling every inch of him with something unbearably awkward and hot. It all was so overwhelming and so so pleasurable at once.

He swallowed hard. “O-okay. Um.” His voice cracked. He winced. “Where is it?”

“In my room. Top drawer.”

Jiyong shot up from the couch like he had been set on fire. It was a simple request. A completely normal, mundane situation. You had revealed how your memory was not amazing sometimes. But the sheer implication of this situation—the fact that you were in the bathroom, wet, barely wrapped in anything, waiting on him—sent his mind and imagination into overdrive.

Jiyong all but sprinted to your room, yanking open the drawer with more force than necessary. His hands fumbled as he grabbed the first towel he could find, cursing under his breath at his own inability to act normal. When he returned to the hallway, the bathroom door was still mostly closed, cracked open just enough for him to see a sliver of your smooth, bare shoulder and your exposed clavicle glistening with droplets of water reflecting the light from the ceiling. His throat went dry, he had never knocked so quickly in his life.

“Here,” he blurted, shoving the towel toward the opening like it was a lifeline.

Your hand appeared, fingers brushing against his as she took it from him. Too warm. Too soft. Jiyong could have sworn he heard your soft lips inhale sharply.

“Thanks,” you murmured, voice somehow even quieter than before. Something thick and charged filled the small space between them. His fingers twitched. He needed to leave. Needed to walk away before his face actually caught fire.

But before he could, she let out a soft, breathy laugh. “You’re blushing.”

Jiyong groaned, running a hand down his face as he took a step back. "No way.”

“Yes, you are.” He could hear the smirk growing on your features. He let out a humoured breath, his embarrassment still at an all time high.

“I am not.”

Her laughter grew, muffled by the door but still unmistakably amused. Teasing.

“Shut up and finish your shower,” he muttered, already turning on his heel before he could embarrass himself even further. Behind him, the door locked shut, and Jiyong exhaled sharply.

Ridiculous.

Absolutely, completely ridiculous.

Later that night, technically approaching the a.m., you had found yourself back in the studio alone. The release date was approaching within the next week, and you were giving the album files a listen to ensure that everything was in order for the umpteenth time. Jiyong had grown to know that you were a perfectionist. Even more so than he could be; but he still understood your need to nitpick.

After your first—and currently only—album had soared so successfully after releasing, you had felt antagonising pressure to succeed again. Your fans were expecting the world and more from you—and even though you were eternally grateful for them, you needed a second to breathe. You had grown antsy, nothing that you were adding to this song was making it work. You let out the occasional groan or heavy sigh anxiously; had you really reached your peak before your career prolonged?

Wondering why he could still hear noise from the studio long after he had retired to his room for the night, Jiyong cracked open the door and looked upon you, a look of sympathy in his eyes. The scene of you before him screamed that you felt a heavy weight on your back.

Your hands trembled, the corner of your lip was tucked in your teeth, a tick lay across your expression as your head held the headphones that were drumming noise into your ears worryingly loud told Jiyong everything he needed to know about what was going through your mind currently. You were completely zoned in, your eyes not breaking contact from your monitor screen, so you would not have expected to see a ringed finger reach down to press the spacebar, and the same hands brush against your hair to remove headphones—alleviating some pressure from your head—to be gently placed on the table. You swivelled in your chair to the culprit.

"Jiyong, what are you doing..?" You spoke, your tone unsure of whether it should be angry, sad, or whispered.

"Giving you a chance to have a second to breathe." He replied, softly seeing through you. You stood and let out a sigh.

"I just need it to be perfect. I don't want to release something the people won't like, I need them to value it——"

"People will like what we have made. They will hold it dear to them and value it because you have made it. Not because of its objective value. Because they like you." He interrupted you, his tone soft, holding gentle finality. You nod, breathing softly. A beat passes, and suddenly you realise just how closely you are standing—too close—to Jiyong. A pit forms in your stomach, your mind racing at a million miles an hour. Is it hot in here? You needed to remove your hoodie, you were wearing it because it was cold when you entered.

Was it always so overbearingly warm in here? You tug on your sleeves and look into Jiyong's dark eyes and see something unreadable.

Your breath mingled with his, the air charged with something unspoken. His eyes flickered to your lips. Your fingers twitched at your side. And then——

You moved away, your temperature burning too high to handle. You could barely hear Jiyong exhaling sharply, running a hand through his hair because your heart was thrumming extremely loud in your chest, you were causing a racket in your own head with thoughts and fantasies.

What the hell was happening to you?

彡

The next week had passed much faster than you expected, and the release date had come and gone. It was globally renowned as a masterpiece. It was your masterpiece with Jiyong. Expected by many, it had been nominated for several awards, including Album Of The Year at the Grammys. And of course, it had won by a landslide. Jiyong's half of your shared acceptance speech astounded you.

"I dedicate this to my co-producer," he had opened with, voice steady. "She put up with me. She challenged me. And she’s the reason this album is what it is. She’s the most talented person I’ve ever met, and if I had to do it all over again she would be the first person I would run to in a heartbeat." The crowd cheered loudly after the rest of his speech finished, concluding with the typical thank-yous and acknowledgments.

After the Grammys had ended, the air in the vehicle back to Jiyong's home was heavy. You knew your time together had concluded, and now you needed to go home. This made you melancholy, knowing your paths did not cross paths at all before production commenced, and it would be unlikely that the both of you would converge often afterwards either. After you completed packing your things into your travel bag, you dragged your eyes to meet Jiyong's sadly.

"This was fun." You sighed, not even bothering to hide any fraction of disappointment or sadness in your voice. Jiyong swallowed.

"It doesn't have to be over, you know..." He replied nervously, confusing you. His face and body language mirrored that day when he showed up to your house with flowers and an apology. You held that morning dear to you, even if it felt like eons ago now.

"It is, isn't it..? The album has been made, now we have to go and live our lives," your right eyebrow raised. You were unsure of where he was going with this, you didn't exactly love when he was vague like this.

"What I mean is that it doesn't have to be... exactly how it was before production started..." His voice dropping low now, the confusion seeping deeper within you. "What I mean is that I want to continue to see you. I need you. As close as this," Gesturing vaguely, but you knew what he meant. He took a step forward, now standing as close to you as that night a few weeks ago in the studio.

"Closer than this," He whispered, and you catch his eyes flickering at your soft lips, the confession fanning across your blazing red cheeks. The familiar warmth was flooding your body, forming that same pit in your stomach. You can barely meet his strong eyes, the confusion long been gone, you understand exactly what he means now.

This time, however, you do not move away. Boldly and impulsively, you meet your lips with his. Everything else seemed to blur, as if the universe held its breath. It started soft, tentative, as if testing the waters of something both of you had wanted for months but couldn’t quite give in to. Your heart raced as you felt his warmth, the slight tremor in his hand as it brushed against your cheek, tracing the outline of your jaw like he’d been waiting for this touch too.

The kiss deepened, slow at first, but then urgent—like every quiet, stolen glance, every touch that lingered a little too long, was finally released all at once. His lips moved against yours with a hunger that mirrored yours, and you melted right into him, your fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer as if you couldn’t get enough. The tension they’d both carried for so long dissolved in that single, searing kiss, leaving nothing but the raw, undeniable truth of how much they’d wanted this. And in that moment, it was as though time stood still, just for them. You pulled back just slightly, your lips curling into that oh so familiar smirk that Jiyong had grown to adore as you met his gaze, still breathless.

“Wow,” you teased, your voice low and dripping with amusement, “you really did need me, huh?” You let the words hang in the air for a moment, your fingers still resting on his chest, watching the flush spread across his face, satisfyingly.

Jiyong then grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief as he leaned in just enough to brush his lips against the shell of your ear. “Oh, trust me,” he murmured, voice rich with teasing confidence, “I’ve been dying to prove that for months.” He pulled back slightly, looking you over with a playful glint in his eyes. “But I guess now you know.”

thank you for reading!

fic number two! i thank you all eternally for the love on my first one, it really helps my confidence when i see you guys interact! so i thank you for that

my reqs are open if you want any kind of prompt in particular! i'm open to anything you got ;)

[drakaripykiros130ac]

People are so insensitive when it comes to Rhaenyra’s situation. I have never seen so much cruelty directed towards a girl who was put between a rock and a hard place.

You all are acting as though Rhaenyra’s goal in life was to cheat on Laenor and undermine the Velaryons, her allies and her kin. She didn’t sleep around with the purpose of getting back at her husband and having children with other men out of spite (she’s not Cersei).

Rhaenyra was forced into marriage with a gay man and expected to produce heirs not only for the Iron Throne but also for Driftmark. So, an heir and a spare for House Targaryen. Another heir and another spare for House Velaryon. Four children (preferably sons) were expected from her womb. Good luck with that.

Let’s suppose that the rumors are true and Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey are not Laenor’s. Rhaenyra’s decision to have children with another man should be less criticized, and regarded with more sympathy. She couldn’t spend her entire marriage life to Laenor without having children. Her “suitable” options were these:

1. Remain childless and let herself, the Princess of Dragonstone and Heir to the Throne, be called barren.

2. Demand an annulment by exposing Laenor’s nature (confirming the rumors), and not only humiliating House Velaryon (her allies) but also putting the succession of Driftmark into question (since Laenor was Corlys’ only son and his chosen heir).

At a time when a faction of snakes was constantly nipping at her heels, either one of these options would have left Rhaenyra vulnerable at Court.

She took matters into her own hands and had children with another man. And not just another man. This was a man she could trust, her sworn shield, a man who cared for her and who would never betray her (it’s hard to find someone like that).

To claim that she should have chosen a Valyrian (as though the options are unlimited) is extremely superficial. For this to work, she needed someone trustworthy, someone who would not attempt to claim the children later on. We all know that Daemon would have been the best option for her. She loved him, he was Valyrian and her ally. But alas, with his own marriage and life away from Court, it wasn’t really possible. And I am not really sure if Daemon would have been okay with another man laying claim to his children (that is up for debate).

Rhaenyra preferred a man who was trustworthy over a man with the “correct” features. The chances were 50/50 that the children would look like her, and unfortunately, they didn’t. That’s that.

Laenor and Corlys accepted the situation, because they understood what it would cost them all if they didn’t. This whole thing was on their heads. They provided the heir to the throne with a husband incapable of reproducing. It was not Rhaenyra’s fault.

As such, the children were recognized as Velaryons by the father (Laenor), the Lord of Driftmark (Corlys) and the King (Viserys). And these are the only opinions which matter. No one can prove that the boys didn’t inherit Baratheon and/or Arryn genes. Legally, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey are the sons of Rhaenyra and Laenor.

When it comes to the Iron Throne, it doesn’t matter who fathered Rhaenyra’s children, as long as they are hers. She is the ruling Queen. And we have no way of knowing how things would have gone down after Rhaenyra became Queen. Daemon had two sons of his own. He could have managed to convince Rhaenyra to acknowledge Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey as bastards and then legitimize them, since she has the power to do so. If the boys wouldn’t have been accepted by the Realm (unlikely), there is also the possibility that Rhaenyra could have decided to pass the succession to her and Daemon’s children. Rhaenyra had legitimate heirs who could have taken the throne after her death.

As for Driftmark, despite greedy Vaemond’s ramblings, the succession was just fine. The Velaryon line would have continued through the marriage between Lucerys and Rhaena.

Lucerys had the Velaryon name and Rhaena had the Velaryon blood. Their children would have had the Velaryon name and blood. Problem solved.

People need to stop acting as through Vaemond was some sort of crusader, demanding “justice” for his House. He was just as much of an upstart as the Hightowers and he wanted to take Corlys’ power for himself, and so he took advantage of some rumors to discredit Rhaenyra’s children and advance himself.

Things are not black and white, and given Rhaenyra’s nearly impossible situation, exceptions can be made. And these exceptions wouldn’t have affected neither the succession of Driftmark nor that of the Seven Kingdoms.

[fulcrums501st]

silco is a great character. but if your love of silco causes you to hate on vi I’m gonna need you to reevaluate some things

like vi has every reason to hate silco all of which are valid for her to believe. yea she doesn’t get that silco actually cared for jinx. but like bro she was imprisoned?? and like? he killed her family??? why would she ever see him in any way either than that?? she doesn’t know about his political motivations and those don’t justify him trying to kill her family????

vi’s been in prison for years and obviously would assume that jinx became the way she is cuz of silco. and she isn’t even fully wrong to assume that cuz silco raised jinx for years and yea he did let her get to this point. like yea it’s complicated cuz of his own issues and his messed up ideology kinda make him incapable of being a good parent no matter how hard he tries. but vi ain’t giving him the benefit of the doubt and like why tf would your expect her to?? obviously we know that there was some jinx brewing beneath the surface of powder in act1. but how tf was vi supposed to have predicted this?? silco’s parenting undeniably contributed to who jinx became. so vi isn’t even wrong to believe this. not 100% right but not 100% wrong.

and like jinx is so different from vi’s perspective ofc vi is gonna 100% blame silco on that. and like she has a right to. like vi shows up to try and save her sister and silco tries to kill her and yaps about “freeing” jinx. like what is vi supposed to conclude from that other than silco is Mr. evil and a sister- stealer. like yes girl go blow up his factory.

“silco was there when vi abandoned powder” actually what tf are you talking about. vi was 15. experiencing a trauma no one eve should. she invisibly shouldn’t have hit powder but like I completely understand why she fricking did. understandable emotional reaction for a 15 yo. how are we still giving her shit about this?? plus she TRIES TO GO BACK TO POWDER. BUT IS PUT IN PRISON FOR 7 FUCKING YEARS. she walked off to cool off not abandon her sister.

also the point is that silco misunderstands jinx’s situation. he can only see vi “abandoning” jinx as the same betrayal that happened to him. when they’re completely different. silco’s perspective on vi’s motivations and “betrayal” could not be more inaccurate. it makes sense for him to believe that cuz again of his own trauma. but be fr rn he did not asses the situation correctly which is partly why jinx has such conflicting feelings on vi. yes silco was there for jinx, but not cuz vi abandoned her or bc vi was a terrible sister.

silco and vi both want what they think is best for jinx. what they think is best tho is completely incompatible. both of their perspectives are completely understandable and genuine. that’s why jinx feels this pull between the two of them. that’s what makes the dinner party scene so good. cuz neither of them are entirely in the wrong for believing what they do or for wanting what they do.

“silco was right, vi chose caitlyn over jinx”

if this is abt s2 then just no. never cite s2 again when talking about vi. never. Not in my vi arcane.

And even in s1 jinx asking vi to shoot Caitlyn was unfair and messed up as crap. like ofc vi wasn’t gonna do that she has fricking moral compass. vi is put in an impossible position.

silco was right about how vi is still holding out hope that jinx can go back to being the same innocent powder she remembers AND CAN YOU BLAME HER?! she hasn’t seen her sister in 7 YEARS?! she only remembers powder. the memory of powder was the only thing getting her through those 7 years. yeah silco is correct in this assessment but it doesn’t make vi’s hope invalid or selfish, just wishful and optimistic. again, powder was the only thing keeping her going. cuz vi has been separated from the world and the cruel reality of it for 7 fucking years. silco and VI’s perspective are both valid given their experiences.

“vi could never accept jinx, while silco loved jinx unconditionally”

ok and that’s great parenting on a paper but is also lwk part of the problem cuz he enables all of jinx’s messed up and self-destructive behaviors. his unconditional love overrides his capacity for good parenting and discipline. it’s part of what makes their father-daughter relationship codependent and toxic. also vi loves and cares for her sister sm. but her sister becoming a murderer is an insane thing to ask of her to accept. like jinx does so many messed up things in s1. we the audience know why jinx is acting the way she is. but vi has every right to be disturbed by her. like could you imagine being kidnapped and separated from your little innocent sister for 7 years and then coming back and the first thing you see her do is shoot at people and giggle?? all out of her own volition?? I would be a bit taken aback too. It would be weird if vi wasn’t. And even after all of that vi doesn’t give up on her. she literally says “I’m not going to abandon you again” (and do not fucking bring up s2 cuz that was NOT vi)

“vi created jinx” “no silco created jinx”

how tf is this still a discussion?? they both did and neither of them did. jinx was made from terrible circumstance. every single one of her life experiences contributes to who she became. her parents being murdered by enforcers. her living under systemic oppression. her childhood insecurity and feeling like she needed to prove herself to the group. vi encouraging her inventions. the incident. vi “abandoning” her. being raised by silco. killing silco. etc. there isn’t one event that “makes” jinx.

anyway. vi’s hatred of silco is valid given her perspective. and silco’s beliefs also make sense given how messed up he is and they are genuine. but I never wanna see a silco fan hating on vi ever again.

[marikosfragrance]

BLUE LOCK X READER

"Can they fall in love?"

Characters : Ness Alexis, Hiori Yo, Aiki Himizu

Content : Can they fall in love? How long would it take? And what conditions must be met for it to happen?

Disclaimer : I don't claim ownership of the characters, as well as claiming their personalities portrayed here as canon, this is my own interpretation of their trait and personalities and how I portrayed them is up to you whether or not you see it as canon or different.

Note : Thank you for the asks, really enjoyed doing this. And also if ever there was something amiss, or if I ever did a mistake on a characters backstory, please feel free to clarify, so I can adjust accordingly. Excuse grammatical errors.

Hiori Yo

Can they fall in love : Yes, for sure. Hiori doesn't seem to be incapable of it. He is a polite person, as described by numerous characters. Some people might think be would be emotionally unavailable due to his past, and I can see where some of those people might come from. Hiori's past is all about soccer, from the day he was born, his parents had made it their mission to ensure hiori would excel, as opposed to their failures in the past as athletes, where they always never seem to get the number 1 spot.

However, we can see glimpses of how this have strained his relationship with his parents. I mean, his parents made him, just to impose their unfulfilled aspirations on Hiori, which can be mentally draining. Normally anyone would shut themselves out from others, a case of emotional distance as a way to shield themselves. But then again, he doesn't. After seeing how he was still able to make a connection with Isagi and Nanase, we can't just say for sure this means he emotionally closed off. I cant see him fully succumbing to his parents emotional manipulation. Hiori has proven himself to be strong enough to realize what he wants.

He might not seek out relationships, but if fate grants him one, it would depend on both him and the person whether or not hiori sees them as worth it, or someone that he really wants.

This might be his first step of him realizing his wants and having something he genuinely wanted, and not putting it in the hands of his parents, but rather his. And his alone.

How long would it take : Hiori doesn't shut off people, like rin or kaiser. Nor is he unable to feel emotions. I would give him 5 months. Even more if possible because it would take a while for him to see someone in a romantic aspect, and want to date them.

What conditions must be met :

1. That person has spent enough time with him, and doesnt need constant Involvement. I feel like a controlling partner is a no for him. His parents are already enough

2. His type is questionable. And I don't know how to incorporate it, so I won't involve it, but if he has to choose who he wants to be with, his partner doesn't have to be involved with soccer, if his partner is involved though, then okay. But I have a feeling he would prefer it if his partner wasn't involved in soccer. Since not being involve in something he deems as a restraint, would make him view that person as a comfort zone.

In short, he can fall in love. There might be times where his partner experiences some space in their relationship, a space in which Hiori deems as appropriate. He would care for his partner, but his partner can only do so much and wouldn't be able to fix his problem. Atleast for him.

Ness Alexis

Can they fall in love : Of course. Ness falls into the category of emotionally manipulated people. Ness secretly craves for acceptance, for the magic that he himself believes in. Its such a shame it was used against him in the end. The lack of acceptance in one's family can affect how you proceed with life with the very thing that caused it. And for Ness, that was his belief of "magic". His family being scientists makes the situation both ironic but also pitiful. His beliefs were crushed by his own family— people that should've supported him instead of making him feel disregarded, which left a hole in his sense of self, which laid him vulnerable enough for Kaiser to take advantage of him. Ness was easily manipulated as he was in a vulnerable position. A position where he is deprived from the very thing he believes in, and so he seeks this concept in order to fulfill his beliefs.

It isn't a surprise if someone, maybe a potential love interest uses this against him as a way to gain his favor. Ness is vulnerable. So if the potential interest takes advantage of this fact, it wouldn't be so hard for Ness to attach himself to that person, falling in love wouldn't be too long.

But if I was being honest, someone that accepts him, is honest and doesn't manipulate him would be an ideal partner for Ness. For a healthy relationship, that person must be someone not cruel enough to use his vulnerability against him, but rather pull him out of it— bringing him out of potential toxic interactions with others who are cruel enough to use it against him.

He mentions his ideal type as someone that can handle their solitude. It's the complete opposite of how he is— he couldn't handle it and thus his solitude made him vulnerable. For me, this isn't just his "ideal type" but rather a reflection of the type of person that he both aspires to be, and can trust.

How long would it take : A manipulative person, who knows how to take advantage of his vulnerability, would take them less than 3 days. He would fall in love in a week if he starts to depend on that person, as they manipulate him. If someone is honest and genuine, it would still take the same amount of time but if they are honest, it means they won't use his vulnerability against him so it would take a few days longer. Their kindness and genuine affection wouldn't make him take so long to fall in love. A week or more.

What conditions must be met :

1. They don't shut him down

2. With the right interactions and moments where Ness truly feels happy or accepted.

In short, yes he can. It wouldn't even take as long but Ness would indeed fall in love with someone if it comes down it. Especially if he depends on that person more and more for their validation and acceptance. If he does end up with someone, he would be the most loyal person I know, as well as the most caring.

But right now, with Kaiser currently taking place in that hole that Kaiser manipulated his way into, it might go differently (let me know if you want me to further go deeper in this).

Aiki Himizu

Can they fall in love : he would but it would take a long time of trust. And by trust, it means gaining HIS trust. He grew up in a household where both of his parents are wearing faces every day. Faces that are "fake" and he constantly had to put up with their constant lies.

He is described as someone that has a snake-like personality. I think it fits him, Aiki's skills in the field involves mostly feints, which is really befitting considering how his entire character has a relation with lies— how he makes it his goal to figure out everyone's true colors in the field. Their true self. He believes that everyone's personality are built up from lies that they make up, which pushes him to expose people's true feelings. For him it's not in a case of being satisfied for making people lose it, but rather something deep inside him, wishes to see something genuine.

If he were to fall in love, it wouldn't be with someone that lies constantly. No. I cant see him wanting to pull himself in a place where he has to constantly guess what the person's true feelings are. He would like someone genuine. Someone that isn't laced with pure fakeness, but rather honesty. That person doesn't have to be a complete Saint to the point they'd have to mot lie their whole life. But he'd just want that person to be genuine enough for him, in a way that won't make him feel the discomfort he felt since childhood. It might be hard though, I feel like making him see that someone is genuine and isn't lying would take so much time. But once he trusts someone, he would see them as his comfort zone. Though his personality may not be as tamed when he trusts someone, if that person breaks his trust, he wouldn't trust again.

How long would it take : Very long. Maybe 9 months max? It might lessen if he can feel that person's honesty and he wouldn't see himself second guessing anymore.

What conditions must be met?:

1. That person gains his trust

2. That person is patient

In short, yes he can. But it takes time. Trust takes time. But once he trusts, that person can never break it, otherwise he would totally have a much harder time trusting then and his second guessing persona would worsen.

_____________________________

Thanks for the asks!!! Really enjoyed making this, and I got to meet a new character hehe. I hope you enjoyed reading!!! 😻😻😻

[mythalism]

That post you reblogged made me realize that Rook being uncurious and only thinking in straight lines got them recruited because Varric doesn't want someone who could be easily swayed to Solas's side. If the Inquisitor was a romanced Lavellan, I can see Varric viewing his boss as someone who isn't thinking straight when it comes to Solas, and it's probably why even Lavellan herself seeks out Rook's opinion on whether or not to reconcile with Solas, because Rook is expected to be incapable falling for Solas's "charm", which could literally just be Solas telling the truth, but anyway. Realizing this does make the game worse for me, 'cause it feels like a minority's plight being brushed aside in favor of a centrist's need to defend the status quo. Sorry for rambling. Thanks for reblogging that post. :)

i think this is a really interesting watsonian way of looking at this but i agree its ultimately a flop. playing up rook's supposed lack of bias and value as an outside perspective when it came to solas could have been really interesting too if it wasnt being done in a way that was ultimately designed to rob the situation of nuance rather than add it. imagine if alongside harding's rose-colored view of the inquisitor and their relationship to solas you had another companion (or even ghost varric. or advisor!merrill because she should have been there) warning you to be wary of anything they say about him, that they're biased in his favor and untrustworthy.

with a lavellan you could have bellara or davrin warning you of how they grew up hearing the story of how the inquisitor betrayed their people when they fell for the dread wolf's tricks. how the tale of a romanced, vallaslin-less lavellan is now whispered around dalish campfires to elven children as a lesson of exactly what will happen if they ignore the keeper's wisdom and allow the dread wolf to catch their scent. another betrayer who trusted fen'harel and lost their blood writing. who got their clan killed. who lost everything. toss in a couple bad-faith interpretations of the inquisition's greatest PR nightmares and its a perfect mirror of how solas's story was misconstrued in the same way. of course, none of it is the truth. it wasn't really their fault. they didnt know! wait. where have i heard that before...

and then rook goes to meet them - all of these disparate views of who they are fresh in their minds. are they the kind, admirable, worthy, holy savior that harding idolizes? are they a tragic, pathetic fool chasing after a doomed love? are they a fen'harel sympathizing turncoat elf who's about to manipulate you into dooming the world (again)? are they just a person doing their best? (are they just like you?) well. rook is the perfect person to make that judgement! right? because they're so perfectly unbiased and completely objective, because being completely unbiased and objective as a person is possible, right? and because being unbiased and objective IS the goal and is always superior to being swayed by passion or emotion, right? except. now the inquisitor is in front of you and... its kind of hard to tell. they seem like anyone else you've talked to. they seem a little sad and lonely. they are pretty level-headed about the whole thing. more than you expected. an inquisitor with high approval with solas would speak about him positively, maybe a little love-sick, but they dont seem completely bamboozled. one who hated solas would speak of him with disdain, but... how can you be sure they arent just lying? they worked with him for a year. they let him stick around in their inner circle! they could be trying to fool you into a false sense of security!

maybe you have to accept or deny their help, or accept or deny a plan they present. it seems pretty sound, but how can you know? is it all a ploy to betray you and save him? can they be trusted? if you reject them; harding and the other companions that view them positively are furious. how could you have just denied one of the greatest allies to your cause? but if you choose to trust them, the companions who distrust the inquisitor are just as angry. how could you have put the entire fate of the world at jeopardy like this!? your sympathy is going to get everyone killed! they're manipulating you just like he does! how could you trust someone so clearly under solas's thumb!?

no, listen, its ok, rook tells them. they're different, because rook is not biased. thats why varric chose them, remember!? rook has an outsider's perspective, and thats what we needed, remember!? the attachment to solas that the inquisitor had, no matter the strength of it (loathing vs love) was a weakness! dont you see!? rook's outsider, unbiased, objective perspective on the situation was better! only through this perspective could they make the CORRECT choice!

except... you dont know solas. you dont know anything real about him. you dont know what is meaningful to him, his weaknesses, his desires. you dont know him as a person, only as an abstract god-like figure. you dont understand how his brain works. you dont know that he hates tea and can beat anyone in chess. you didnt take the time to understand him. just like you didnt take the time to understand the inquisitor. and now, without the inquisitor's aid you lose valuable information, allies, resources. your final battle gets significantly harder. you are locked out of specific endings. maybe your companions die.

all because you fell into the same trap as solas. you refused to trust. you refused to take the time to understand your opponent. you wrote them off as villainous, untrustworthy, betrayer. you gave myth the weight of history. you tried to do it all on your own. you couldn't acknowledge the bias inherent within yourself. you thought you were the only one who could make the right decision for the world. rather prideful, isnt it?