#Anyways. Don't point out mistakes I already know they're there. I also did not ask. ^_^

[meowerfiftytwo]

Me when he comes back from Russia (it's been months, feels like years 😿) he needs a haircut. I'm not used to drawing him with long hair but promise looks much more handsome in real life than how I drew him 💔

[blooming-cecilia]

i don't know dahlia all that well yet since i've yet to play the interlude (i'm waiting for miss erika's lines to be patched in 🙂‍↕️🤞)

buuut based on the vibes i've been getting...

in the context of lunasmr's wedding audio, i feel like if dahlia ever found out his bestie venti here got married WITHOUT any officiant or witness? he would set off and FORCE him to get a proper ceremony at the church lmfao 😭

i can see it happening post honeymoon audio, once windblume and venti get back to their normal lives

venti's at the tavern as usual but still kinda riding the wedding bliss. while on break from his Very Exhausting job of entertaining the masses, he's chosen to sit with a bunch of his tavern buddies and dahlia. everyone at that point has noted how extra happy the bard is that night, and venti accidentally says the truth without realizing it's consequences, happily yapping about his marriage and honeymoon bc hehe hes very in love so why wouldnt he yap about getting married to his beloved <33

and everyone's just ?!?! but dahlia. ohhh dahlia. he's appalled and after a few moments of silence just sets off on venti. what do you MEAN you got married. with no officiant? no other witnesses?? just both of you??? your marriage isn't OFFICIAL YOU FOOL

venti realizes his mistake and tries to get him off his back but nope! dahlia's not having any of that! he WILL have a proper ceremony This wednesday (aka, the Latest gap in his schedule) and NO he cannot get out of this.

doesn't matter if he knows venti's barbatos or not, dahlia feels like someone who would tell off someone even if they're above him in whatever rank. as long as there's something wrong, he WILL correct it. so there really is no other option but to comply 🤡

sooooo venti has no choice but to tell his beloved windblume that uhhh Well. that second wedding he promised them they'd have if they wanted?? Guess It's Happening Now

and even then it's like, the barest minimum wedding with the deacon and two other witnesses (one from each side)

(unless his windblume wanted to invite more folks of course!)

all because he's annoyed about having to been told to do another wedding just because he was told it wasn't leGaLLy biNdinG 🙄😒

grumbles about it to his windblume as they both get ready that fateful wednesday morning,

"i'm literally god. i should be allowed to legalize my own marriage. why does the church have to approve of MY MARRIAGE. shouldn't have said it with dahlia around, i knew he was gonna nag ..."

"to be fair, he's got a point. i did try to tell you."

"NOT YOU TOO >:("

windblume kisses his cheek and tries to soothe their (soon to be?) husband, barely holding back a laugh.

"well, aren't you glad to be able to marry me again? you were the one excited about having a bunch of weddings!"

the pout from venti's face falls into a small smile.

"that's about the only good thing from this whole nonsense, anyway."

he leans over to kiss his beloved,

"you know i'd marry you every day if i could, my love."

bonus: the best man

let me preface this by saying that because it's mondstadt and because i say so, i believe any person can be elected as a primary attendant/witness regardless of gender. so, i think venti could (and would) have chosen literally anyone available (lol) for his side

but i think it would be funny if he chose diluc as his best man

i was mostly thinking of this in the context of my yumeship, but also? he would probably be chosen because he:

1) knows who venti is so he likely understands the full context of this out of the blue wedding

2) he can roll with the punches and adapt fairly easily

3) venti has a sense of humor

i'm imagining him just dropping by the winery and asking like, "heyyy master diluc, r u free this wednesday? yeah?? ok can u come for a little thing i got going on at the church, promise it won't take up too much of your time <3 k thx see u!!!"

just making it sound super casual like he's asking to hang out. which was super sus already especially with that location. but he got no other clue on why, so he just gets there and BOOM. it was. a weddign . and he's. venti's best man?????????

was So confused getting there early and seeing an unimpressed dahlia waiting. he thinks he got it wrong and was gonna apologize but THEN dahlia goes,

"are you one of his witnesses"

".. what?"

"the bard and [windblume]'s wedding. are you their witness"

(realization)

"...............yes"

and he just sits there waiting along with windblume's chosen witness while inwardly groaning and cursing out venti in his head

not because he had to play best man. he wouldn't have minded. but he would have preferred to have been told he was attending a wedding!! he should have been in a nice proper suit rn!!

he doesn't even have a gift for the couple! though he supposed that can always come later, it still feels wrong to be THIS unprepared and it's on what he thought was gonna be a Perfectly Normal Wednesday Afternoon

somebody save him

[tinycurlyfry]

Can you help me to understand why Sakura is so nervous here to ask for his favourite food? Does this has root in his childhood?

Yeah! I can give my insight on it at least! So this scene happens immediately after Sakura's talk with Kaji and Umemiya. During which, they drove home that everyone at Furin doesn't conditionally love Sakura because of his fighting ability or that they think he's going to be this strong, unshakeable captain. They love Sakura because of *who* he is. Which is a very hard thing for Sakura to understand because he doesn't feel like he knows himself very well. Up until this point he really did think the only thing about himself that was of value was his physical strength/fighting ability. (We're going to get this scene next week too btw ;;v;; I'm going to sob at this coming episode I swear)

It's not specifically about asking for Omurice that is making Sakura so nervous I don't think, but what happened in the scene leading up to him saying what food he wants. Sakura made this big apology/announcement to class 1-1 that he's sorry that he is a failure of a captain and he is probably going to screw up in the future trying to lead and protect them. He calls himself weak again, and says he's just going to be a disappointment to them. In response to which, his classmates affectionately/angrily attack him and everyone expresses in their own ways that they're insulted Sakura would think their care for him is so conditional.

Insulted that Sakura assumes they expect Sakura to be this perfect leader and that they don't already know that he's just starting out learning how to look out for others and be a good leader. Yes, just as Kaji told him already, they KNOW he doesn't know what he's doing. They KNOW he's going to make dumb mistakes and "Be a lameass" (Anzai ily, you're so fucking funny). They KNOW he's navigating unknown territory and he's scared. But all the same, does Sakura really think they're the kind of people who would just reject him immediately after a single mistake? Does he think they don't love him for how hard he's TRYING to do good, for how hard he wants to fight for them and to protect the same things that are important to them as well? That they would think less of him because he freaked out when he saw them getting hurt, and then was beating himself so much over the fact that he "let them" get hurt???

Well, clearly that means he doesn't understand them at all, and that needs to be amended immediately. So how do people in Wind Breaker go about connecting to each other, and solidifying their status as a family/community? THEY GO OUT AND GET A MEAL TOGETHER!!! (to bring it back to my food is community theme post on my WBK blog~)

(Again, Anzai Ily so so much gjsdkflg) But yeah! Basically they all start arguing about where to eat after school when they ask Sakura to be the person to decide for them. He's nervous partially because he's still processing everything that they've been saying to him this scene, but also because expressing what HE wants (to eat) and HIS preferences is the first step of putting himself out there for them. It's not a fact about him that's related to his strength or fighting ability or ability to lead, it's just what his favorite food is. And that, in a way, is a first step towards letting them get to know who he really is. As Suo had just said-

(Which, Also, YEAH OKAY *SUO*, how about taking some of your own advice and opening up to the class about yourself too??? He literally tries to bullshit his answers to their classmates when asked at Pothos what he's scared of most and Nirei has to call Suo's ass out.) But anyways! Yeah, the tension of the scene is finally released because Class 1-1 is more than happy to agree to go to Pothos for Omurice/fried onigiri etc and Sakura had had to build up a LOT of courage to talk to them so honestly and vulnerably. They're moving on as if nothing has changed between them BECAUSE nothing has changed and they now just know that they have to take a little more direct of an approach to assure Sakura that he is allowed to make mistakes and be himself and they will never reject him or even think less of him for it.

[kg-day]

I genuinely want to know what show the people who say that Aang never respected Katara are watching. "Aang never let Katara feel anything other than what he wanted her to feel" "He idealized her" "He didn't care about her feelings" "He didn't support her the way she supported him". WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THIS FROM??? That's a rhetorical question because I already know what episodes/moments they're using to make those assertions (The Southern Raiders and the kiss in Ember Island Players), and even then, THEY'RE WRONG.

Let's start with TSR. This episode gets so misinterpreted it's not even funny. First off, Aang was never even upset with Katara in this episode, he's just warning her against killing someone??? He never gets mad at her or berates her. He just talks to her with a level head??? He openly acknowledges that he knows and understands how much rage and pain Katara is in, and he never tells her that she shouldn't feel it, he just advises her not to act rashly because of it??? Where is the lack of respect? Where is he ignoring her feelings or getting upset with her for not acting the way he wants her to? He lets her take Appa and even tells her that he understands that this is a journey she needs to take and supports her doing so, he just doesn't want her to kill someone. Honestly Aang shows more respect for Katara by knowing who she is as a person and not enabling her in her revenge than Zuko who is only going on this trip with her so that she'll forgive him, not because he actually cares that she's upset over the death of her mother (and this is not Zuko slander before people take it as such, I love Zuko, but it's not even subtext that his motivations in this episode are selfish and not about Katara).

As for the kiss in EIP, yes, it was not okay. Yes, it was a mistake. Yes, he shouldn't have done it after Katara laid a clear boundary, but he recognizes that immediately. After Katara- rightfully- gets upset with him, he gets upset with himself. We also see that he never repeats that mistake again and is fully okay with letting Katara lead after that. Which is why it's Katara who initiates the final kiss on the balcony. And if you still don't think he learned anything from it, he starts to ask for her consent in the comics before kissing her, showing that he absolutely DID grow from that mistake. So, we're really going to let one moment where a 12-year-old boy made a mistake dictate the entire show and negate everything that came before it??? That's coocoo banana's behavior.

I also think that those assertions are completely baseless because when does Aang idealize Katara? When does he hate her rage? When does he not support her? Is it when he laughed with her after she stole from pirates? Or in that same episode where he constantly reaffirms her skills as a waterbender- first by saying that he's able to pick it up so easily because she's a great teacher and then later when he refers to her as a waterbender which makes her so fucking happy? Is it when he gets so upset that Pakku refuses to teach Katara how to waterbend that he tries to walk away from his own waterbending training? Is it when he goes behind Pakku's back to teach her anyway? Or when he stands by actively cheering her on when she's raging against the patriarchy and fights Pakku? Is it when he calls her Sifu Katara because she expressed that he referred to Toph that way but not her? Is it when he helped her commit ecoterrorism and told her she was a hero for helping the people in that Fire Nation village? Is it when he holds her after she breaks down because she learned how to bloodbend? Is it when he comforts her after Jet's death? Is it... you get the point, don't you?

Aang recognizing Katara as someone who is strong and capable is not him idealizing her. Him not enabling her committing murder is not him hating when she feels rage. Aang actively supports Katara's rage on multiple occasions, he just doesn't enable her when he knows she's acting out of character. If you don't ship Kataang, that's fine, but please don't make up baseless accusations to try and tear them down just because you're mad that a ship that had no basis in canon (potential is not evidence) wasn't canon.

[gotham-daydreams]

Hey there! I love your work so so much! I check your blog every day and get excited for every new post, I think your ideas and your writing is just spectacular!! I have a quick question to ask if that's alright. I was wondering what the first aid kit in this part of Not Here was implying?

"Like an airsoft gun, some glass beakers, various ties, a pair of shades, a glasses frame, and a sewing kit next to a first-aid kit? Bruce didn't want to think about how the first-aid kit both looked used, and was empty."

Is Bruce upset in a "he wasn't there when the reader was hurt" way, a "how often did they get hurt" way, or is it something else?

Also, if I recall there are some hints/notes about the reader being hurt in fights before but the family never came to help or aid them, which would make sense if that was why it would be empty. Though it does make me wonder if that means they were handling it entirely on their own, did Alfred know/help or did the reader hide it?

I think my first thought about it was a bit darker (iykwim), but I didn't want to jump the gun and assume like that so that's why I've decided to ask (just thinking out of my own experiences with depression) I don't mean to be so dark on purpose though! And I think the other possibilities are more likely anyway.

All in all I'm just a bit curious since the physical hurt the reader has endured hasn't been too expanded upon yet (at least not as much as emotional hurt) and I want to know more about it, what's happened and such :)

That's all! I hope you have an amazing day! Please take care of yourself, you're the most important thing you have!! Peace!!

Hello!

As with a few other things, I really just left it up to interpretation! Since the med kit being empty can honestly mean all of those things- even Alfred persuading the reader to hide it in some way (but that most likely didn't happen, I'll say that much). Though some injuries will be mentioned later :]

After all, the reader did a lot of activities, and participated in various sports during their time in the manor, and basically crammed in everything they could into their schedule. One way or another, they're bound to get hurt. Since even if the sports and activities they've done don't hurt them, then just the sheer amount of stuff they do in a week most likely will.

Accidents are bound to happen, mistakes will be made, and that can lead to injuries one way or another. Maybe from the action of the mistake/accident itself, or from how the reader takes it, along with their own experiences away from all of those things. Like their situation at home, or things that happen to their friends.

I will say that Alfred has helped the reader with some of their injuries at this point, especially ones that were more serious and severe. Though he isn't aware of every single injury that the reader has had. Especially if they were smaller, or just easier to hide, but there have been moments where someone else outside of the manor would notice that the reader is injured instead. Which may or may not lead to a hospital visit, and such records may or may not be mentioned later.

As for Bruce and how he thinks/feels when he first sees the kit? I'll be honest, it's a mix of what you said and some other stuff.

I mean, you come into your kid's room, and not only are they gone, but you're basically shown that they lived their whole life without you through the achievements they've earned. So when you look for them and find that used, empty med-kit? You start to think about what the walls don't show. To think about the journey your kid went through to get to those points, where they were earning awards for the things they did. Bruce was anyway, and I suppose that, just something as small as the med-kit, was already causing him to think about that a little too much.

After seeing the med-kit, the fact that awards only show the end of one's journey to get that particular achievement, won't stop nagging at Bruce. He thinks of the possible hardships you've had to face, and what on God's green Earth has caused you to not only have a med-kit in your room, and hidden away, but also have it be used and empty.

It makes him wonder if it was the only kit you've used, or one of many. And as much as he doesn't want to think about it, the ladder makes sense seeing everything you've participated in, and just how messy you're schedule must've been from running around, and trying to do everything to the point where you got an award for it.

He knows accidents can happen, and where mistakes can lead someone. So just as he's about to think about it- he pulls away. Deciding that now isn't the best time to wonder about something like that, so he refocuses himself.

Though for that brief moment, he does wonder about how often the reader has gotten hurt, along with that fact that he was never there- but also never even knew about it. The possibility never crossed his mind until now, and like the awards and medals on the walls, he's only seeing the end result. The med-kit being used, empty, and possibility one of many you've gone through.

And he saw none of it. Wasn't even aware of any injuries you've had in the past or present, until he started searching for you.

Instead, he finds out through a small little kit, that was tucked away to the far end of a closet, as if trying to hide itself. It tries to pull him in with it's implications, but he pulls away before much can be done, before he can think of it anymore. Before he can realize that Alfred hasn't told him much about injuries the reader has gotten. How that could imply that the reader hid them, and took care of their injuries instead. Which would then bring on a whole new kind of worry, regret, and panic to Bruce.

The thought would eat him alive if he hadn't pulled away. He knows that much.

So generally, it's a mixed bag! The med-kit alone makes Bruce wonder about what you mentioned, along with how he wasn't told that the reader got hurt, and what that could mean.

How the reader has gotten hurt is left up to interpretation, but certain injuries they've gotten in the past from certain things will be mentioned- however! If anything happened inbetween such events, or beyond what is mentioned, is up to you! :]

Alfred has helped the reader with their injuries before, but isn't aware of every injury they've gotten. Though, that sometimes did lead to other people outside of the Manor noticing instead, which may or may not have landed the reader in the hospital sometimes. Which also may or may not mean that the reader has a record of some injuries they've had in the past.

Though, yeah! The med-kit was implying that the reader has indeed gotten hurt before and such. :]

I hope this answered your question!

[drinker-of-paint]

those docs are sick as hell. did you use posca markers? comma also anything to seal the design on?

So I'm not an expert by any means but I'm happy to share my research

Also I wore them out and about on a misty rain day today and they seem to have held up but only time will tell

So from the research I did custom designs like this work best on certain types of docs (it said 'smooth leather' was best, and there was one that it absolutely doesn't work on so deffo look that up to be sure not to ruin your docs if you already have a pair you're thinking of decorating) I'm not really sure if mine count as smooth leather cause they're kind of matte and they might have been talking about a specific type but anyway- that's something to keep in mind.

Next said to prep the area you're painting. There's a few things you can use but i ended up just wiping some nail Polish remover (in place of rubbing alcahol) over the area with a cloth and leaving it to dry for a minute (don't go overboard with it though- you want to find the happy medium of taking off some of the oils so the paint can bond with the surface but not so much that you leave the area looking damaged or drying out the leather too much, that can cause long term damage)

I played with some designs and placement of the different eye sizes in my sketchbook before I was ready to brave putting paint on these brand new doc martens 😂

May have been a me thing but I do recommend it so you're as confident as possible with what you want to do every time you put the pen down. Depending on the type of fabric you can use tissue or a cotton swab with more rubbing alcohol to correct mistakes with posca but I couldn't find anything that worked for mine so I was just really careful.

Next unless you're really brave it's probably a good idea to use a soft pencil to draw the pattern to trace, then when you're ready to put posca on it (I used the type with the pointy plastic nib- makes it much easier to get sharp points) just really take your time with it

if you're adhd like me and feel burnt out after doing one side definitely take a break and come back to it when you're zoned into it again because when you're out of steam is when you'll start making mistakes and rushing things 😂

When you're all done and happy, and you're sure it doesn't need another layer for full vibrancy, (though fewer layers is preferable) posca dries really quick but just to be completely sure I let them sit for like half an hour.

Now I should preface this by saying i couldn't find literally anything about sealing posca on your docs online, most I could find were people saying just be sure to prep the leather and it'll be fine, but idk I live in England it's wet as fuck here I don't know if I trust that.

I did find one thing from posca saying you can use water based varnish to seal it on leather but idk if that was really talking about shoes? I don't have any varnish but I'm probably going to get some just to be safe.

I DID though use a layer of some of my sisters hairspray, because it was literally all I had to hand, which at least to me did seem like it made it more sturdy when I ran a fingernail over it but I don't know if I trust getting them too wet with only the protection of hairspray

Anyway this was a super long response overexplaining more than you actually asked 😅

but i thought this might be helpful to put out there for others who are trying it for the first time because I couldn't actually find anywhere that had clear instructions in one place, hope it helped 😂

[weidli]

Is it ok to ask what your Bond story is going to be about? 0-0

YES OF COURSE I AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO ELABORATE ON WIPS. it's (a) fun and (b) helps me figure out what the fuck i'm actually trying to do with a certain story

ao3 draft version of The Creature currently looks like this:

(dw i have everything in a word document also. i put active wips in ao3 drafts to 1. give myself a pretend deadline and 2. so i can figure out title / tags / summary / formatting in advance)

the idea for this fic crystallized when i saw this quote:

but the main concepts i'm trying to get at in it have been drifting around my head since i first watched casino royale / quantum of solace / skyfall (only thing in spectre i found vaguely compelling were the bond/moneypenny/q interactions and i still haven't subjected myself to no time to die (even though the fact that we were doing billie eilish's no time to die is the only reason i decided to watch a james bond movie at all lmao), the dc!james bond oeuvre is an open-ended trilogy 2 Me). basically the thing is that although james bond is commonly known as Theee womanizer (this is probably completely true when referring to the earlier bonds and also the books, nothing i have heard about those makes me doubt it) ummmmm. the way the trilogy and quantum of solace ESPECIALLY handles james and sex certainly. Leaves room open for alternate interpretation.

let me elaborate.

(disclaimer: i'm a law major, probably some degree of asexual, and my favorite bond movie is quantum of solace, and all three of these things certainly show)

FIRST casino royale babyyyyy. as noted above not my favorite of the three (least favorite actually lmao) but there's various things it gets points for on my list. but what we're mainly here for is (watch out this is a sentence i will never type again) THE SEX SCENES.

(please put you know my name on now. For Atmosphere)

first interaction we see bond have with a woman in casino royale beyond like. random people who are technically also in the street he's having a standard batshit james bond chase scene in is with m and OKAY YEAH I'LL ADMIT IT i'm not entirely opposed to a romantic reading of that relationship (they're fucked up and it fascinates me. i'm predictable. whatever). but thing is what bond mostly does in this scene is sit there and look at m with big woeful eyes while she tells him to fuck off and die somewhere (three times) calls him a blunt instrument (to be fair he did just blow up an embassy) and also get out of her house and HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE ANYWAY, 007. iconic

it's a HUGELY important scene for establishing how this version of james bond works (i think about "well i understand double-os have a very short life expectancy. so your mistake will be short-lived" often) and james is vaguely flirtatious in the way he always is (i.e. in a way that mostly consists of saying things softly while looking at people the right way) and nothing comes of it all. he doesn't make any real overtures, she doesn't even take off her coat, he leaves when she tells him to.

first SEXUAL bit is solange. he DOES give her bedroom eyes as soon as they spot each other on the beach, but 1. she does it first and 2. this is already The Mission. please consider once again the luca guadagnino quote. why flirt with her? why smile? because he's attracted to her? because it's useful to have the mark's wife want him? who knows! not us! and he's definitely not going to TELL us-

Ah! Well okay then!

and as soon as she tells him the guy he's after is going to be on the last plane to miami he's like Okay i'm outta here (almost visibly turns the switch marked flirtatious and available to the off position). i mean i don't have very much experience in this whole having sexual intercourse lark but that's not really Guy Who's Really Into This Sex Thing behavior to me! he does sex the same way he does killing which is to say. efficiently and with a vague sort of disinterest the second he's not actively performing it for someone.

compare this to, for example, the Whole Relationship bond and camille have in quantum of solace. the whole thing is (as far as i can tell, deliberately) CHOCK full of parallels between the two of them, and the fact, stated in text, that camille has unenjoyable sex with people she despises for the sake of the mission, isn't exactly excluded. consider (among other moments) this:

(James voice Lol same haha)

which is almost IMMEDIATELY followed by

HAHAHA CRAZY. this motherfucker out loud calls camille basically a prostitute and then says james kills everything he touches and then says this. and then we find out that camille is also a spy and is also here to kill a man and james and camille themselves are like yeah we ARE mirrors of each other actually

PARALLELS ARE TWO LINES IT'S NOT A STRETCH TO DRAW THE SECOND ONE IS ALL I'M SAYING. there are two people in this cave and they're bonding over losing someone in a violently traumatic way and then turning themselves into a weapon as a reaction but NOT about also using sex they don't really particularly want to have as a weapon in service of the mission in much the same way as a knife or a gun? don't make me laugh . it's RIGHT THERE. it is literally RIGHT THERE. and they do all this together and nearly die together and he gives her new purpose after she does the killing she meant to do and then all they do is kiss once

that's not SEXUAL!! LOOK AT IT. that's what two people who haven't quite realized that you can touch someone without it being the prelude to fucking or killing do instead of a normal goddamn GOODBYE HUG. that's what you do when you're a damaged creature and someone who's exactly the same as you except she's gotten what she thought she wanted looks into your eyes and sees you and the only thing you can think of to do to stop her looking at you is kiss her. NONSEXUAL INTIMACY between two people who use THEIR BODIES AS A WEAPON IN ANY WAY THEY CAN BABYYYYYY.

god i love quantum of solace. anyway.

my point? i think the fact that james bond has sex on missions often and skillfully doesn't mean he enjoys it. the whole point of these movies is that he does a lot of things for the mission that he doesn't enjoy. i think a more compelling interpretation of this version of james bond is actually somewhere on the asexual spectrum.

But Elke, you say. What about Vesper? the whole POINT of Vesper's role in the story, after all, is that what he does with her ISN'T the mission, and in fact ends up running contrary to mission goals. and yet he has sex with her, long after he's left the mission behind. to quote quantum of solace:

(this is also a point in favor of my SECOND hill to die on when it comes to "things that are probably true of most james bonds but i don't think are actually true of this one", i.e. i don't actually think he gives a flying fuck about england. most of the things he does are either fueled by personal loyalty to a specific person (most of the time, m; briefly, vesper) or personal conviction that it's the right thing to do (see for example him getting mad at m in quantum of solace because he thinks she's putting england's interests over the lives of people in bolivia) i personally don't see much patriotism in it at all)

the thing about vesper is that the initial flirting definitely IS an Standard Mission Behavior thing. their first conversation is a verbal sparring match that only occasionally dips to the physical (his "every penny of it", her "your perfectly formed arse") and i'm pretty sure the sparring match aspect of it is what he finds more interesting ("skewered. one sympathizes."). yes he flirts and yes he kisses her and i think part of that really is about wanting le chiffre to think he's distracted by the pretty woman and part of that is trying to get on her good side because it's useful for the mission. and then part of it is that she's unpredictable and thus fascinating (not least because she DIDN'T immediately step into the honeytrap) and the subsequent way he acts around her is . Hm in a certain way it's playing. this middle section of the movie is about two games james is playing and one of them is the poker game with le chiffre as a worthy opponent and the other one is with her. the sniping at each other is fun! it's different! she understands him in a way other people don't! and she DOESN'T WANT TO SLEEP WITH HIM. people wanting to sleep with him is the predictable standard outcome and she doesn't.

these movies work a lot with bond being a guy who kills people to get done what needs to be done and with how you can't really do that for very long without starting to think of yourself as a weapon rather than a person. even if it wasn't the original intention, i think a reading of the text that does the same thing with sex is DEEPLY compelling enhances the whole thing. the first scene with bond and vesper that really isn't about the mission even a little bit, the first scene where he steps out of his role as 007 for her, is this one:

(FINGERS IN HIS MOUTH FRIDAY)

which is notable 2 me for being wonderfully quietly intimate and not at all sexual about it (despite the fact that they are WET in a SHOWER and also he SUCKS ON HER FINGERS. what was that, james) and also what it's ABOUT. she's messed up over being responsible for a human being's death and he, killer of killers, doesn't ridicule it, but sits down in the shower next to her.

(they do this in a bathroom. i wonder where this james bond's first official kill canonically took place--

ah. oops. well never mind that i'm sure it's not important)

sure, they have sex later. but the first moment of actual, real intimacy is pointedly nonsexual. and listen. listen. i like to interpret bond as on the asexual spectrum, yes. but i think he really fucking likes touch, actually. i think that's what the whole thing with miss fields in quantum of solace is about, besides seducing her into letting him have a bit of leeway. the part he actually wants out of that, if he wants anything, is the one we see on screen-

sure it COULD be sexual. could also just be an excuse to touch someone he won't have to try and destroy with it afterward (and then it destroys her anyway, but that's a different essay). like god. think about it. you are a little boy in a big stone house in scotland and you love your parents and then they're gone and you go into the tunnel under the moor and you stay there for two days and then you come back out because you know you'll have to, someday, but you left your childhood buried in that dirt. and who is there after that? the gamekeeper, kincade, who you were probably close with, but when you meet him again years later you only shake hands. boarding school. the boys talk about girls, about wanting. you try it and it doesn't feel right to you, but then again nothing has, not for years. and you learn to do it, and do it well, like you do everything, because if you don't they'll remember you don't belong here. ("-and they never let you forget it. hence the chip on your shoulder.") the navy. they teach you to kill. in a grimy bathroom you hold a man down into the water of the sink, his body against yours, until he stops moving. ("not well.") you stand there. take a breath. ("made you feel it, did he?") this is what you are now. kill him a second time. kill another man without ever coming close, and starting then the only thing your body is good for-- ("as mi6 says, he's difficult to control. nice way of saying that everything he touches seems to wither and die.") -- is being a weapon, one way or another. you fall in love with her because she takes you apart and doesn't want to sleep with you, and you send in your resignation and sleep with her after all because you love her, you do, and you want to touch her forever, and you don't really mind it, if it's her. (her dead mouth under your mouth and she won't breathe--) you start killing again. you're as good at it as you ever were. one wink, and she's following you to bed. the only person you had left to trust asks you to hold him as he dies, and you do. ("that's better. that doesn't hurt.") drop the necklace in the snow. it nearly does kill you this time ("take the bloody shot.") and you sleep with anyone warm enough and let the scorpion crawl onto your hand and go back anyway, and when he ties you to a chair and puts his hand high on your thigh you say ("what makes you think this is my first time?") --

Which is to say, I have a lot of opinions about James Bond's relationship with his body and relationship with sex and relationship with autonomy, and I'm writing a substantial amount of words of fic about it. PLOTWISE the basic scenario of the fic is that on some mission somewhere, part of the plan is for James to get someone specific into bed, and then before this actually happens, she roofies him, and the subsequent sex happens while Q has some camera somewhere on them. the following god only knows how many words are about Q (who i'm writing as aromantic but not asexual in this, because i can) slowly realizing that something really fucked up is going on here, actually, and trying to fix it, and instead fucking things up harder because he underestimated the level of fucked up inside James Bond is baseline operating at, and then eventually they do figure it out and now maybe MI6 sends someone else out when they can tell from the beginning that a certain mission is going to require sex, and maybe sometimes James and Q sleep in the same bed and don't ever ever ever fuck about it. James makes scrambled eggs in the morning. The cats steal some. It works out okay, maybe.

[slvt4em1lyprenti2s]

24 hours

Hey so this was a request from @cici0love on wattpad for an Alex x intern!reader so hope you like it!

Pairing Alex Karev x fem!intern!reader                                                                                                                  Word count: 1.3k

!!NOT PROOFREAD!!                                                                                                                                                        Warnings: none

(Alex is an attending in this) -  Also I apologise for any goofy spacing.  I wrote this on my laptop and it does the spaces between the speech all funky :(

Alex POV:

I hate today. Too many stupid kids coming into the ER and extending my shift since Robbins is in a super long surgery. I should just hand the work over to my interns but if I'm gunna be honest the only intern I'd trust to cover the pit is already elbow deep in some guys abdomen. Literally. She was called into trauma 1 like 20 minutes ago and she had to stop this guy's internal bleeding using her hand so now she has to go up to the OR with him briefly so he doesn't bleed out. But, if I'm being completely honest with you if she comes back, I kinda don't wanna leave. I mean yes, I have been here for about 19 hours at this point but who cares? If I get to see the woman I'm falling head over heels for it's worth it.  Wow, I've never felt like this about someone, like I want to get serious with them. What is she doing to me?!

Time skip to when reader is out of the OR

"Dr Karev?" I hear the sweetest voice say from behind me

"Yeah?" I say as I turn round and give her a tired smile

"Oh wow, uhm, I was going to ask to scrub in on your next surgery but oh my. You look like a zombie you need to go home."

"Speak for yourself." I say chuckling at her comment and the irony of it.

"Can't, I'm on a 24 hour." 

"On a Friday? Man that must suck."

"Yeah it kinda does but, at least you're here with me. That makes it a bit better."

I look at her a little stunned at the flirting but bask in it nonetheless. 

"I could say the same for you, I mean I feel like you're the only reason I even tolerate interns anymore."

She blushed at this comment which makes my stupid little heart swell with pride and my stomach to fill with dumb butterflies. Shit, I really like her. I tell her she can scrub in and we head up to OR 2 and start a bowel resection on a 2 week old baby boy. He has had many complications however, this bowel resection may just be the tipping point.  I don't think he can handle much more but, the parents want to try everything so I do. However, I may have failed to mention this to Y/N which I have a feeling may be a mistake but oh well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Time skip to half way through the surgery

"You wanna resect the rest of the bowel?" 

"Really?" She looked at me with wide eyes. Oh my god her eyes, they're so beautiful. Anyways...

"Yeah 100% go for it." Se looked at mme and mutters a shy 'Thank you' and begins. 

So far she's done everything perfect, down to the last minute detail but, like I said. I don' think the kid can take it.

Reader POV:

"Doctor, BP dropping." I look up startled, how could his BP drop? Iv'e done everything right. I think I have at least... Shit did I mess his up?

"It's okay don't worry." Alex says to me as I look up at him clearly worried about what I'm doing wrong. 

All of a sudden the baby's heart stops.

"Get me the paddles and charge to 15!" I yell out to the nurses still trying o figure out what went wrong. "Clear!" I say as I shock the baby for the first time.

7 times. I shocked the kid seven times and noting. I call time of death and rush out of the OR. I hear footsteps behind me and know who it is instantly. I try to walk faster so he doesn't have to yell at me and thankfully I'm saved by the parents stopping Alex to ask how it went. Oh no, the parents. I decide Alex has done this long enough to know how to deliver bad news on the behalf of someone else's mistakes so I let him get on with it. It hurts even more that he's the one mad at me because I have a massive crush on him and we work really well together; I'm hoping to do paediatrics as a specialty as well. So great, my entire comfy life and rituals of greeting and teasing him are gone out the window.  I go up to the paeds floor and find ann on-call room, lay down and start crying. I killed a baby.

Alex POV:

"Goddamnit." I mutter under my breath as I realised I lost Y/N.  The parents were obviously upset but very understanding as the knew the risk and it just didn't go their way. So, now I had my favourite intern (and just person in general at this point) somewhere in the hospital, probably crying, probably beating herself up for no reason and probably crushed her confidence. Great job Alex.

I make my way to the nurses station and ask if any of them have seen y/n/n. 

"I saw Dr Y/l/n go into the on-call room, she looked a bit upset is she okay?" The nurse asked worry lacin her voice. Damn, she's so sweet she's even befriended the nurses (who usually hate surgeons).

"Yeah, she'll be okay just gunna go talk to her." I respond and make a beeline for the on-call room. 

As I walk in my heart breaks as I hear quiet sobs coming from one of the bottoms bunks. 

"Look before you say anything I'm really sorry, I don't know what I did wrong and I'll go tell the parents it's my fault that their kid's dead-" She starts rambling and sitting up assuming I'm mad at her which tears my heart apart even more. I cut her off by sitting next to her and wrapping my arms around her and guiding her head into my shoulder. 

"It's not your fault, okay? I really need you to believe that. The parents knew they were taking a risk sending him into that OR. He was a dead man- or baby should I say, before he was even wheeled into the OR. You resected his bowel perfectly but his body just couldn't take  the strain. You did everything right." She wraps her arms around me even tighter after I said that. I lift her head out of the nape of my neck and hook my fingers around her chin. 

"I think you're too tired to be here, and plus you've been on call now for what.." I quickly check my watch. "Boom, 24 hours. You're done and I'm taking you back to mine so I know you're okay." I say to her.

"Aww you going soft  Dr Karev?" she says teasingly.

"Only for you." I reply while looking her straight in the eye, it's now or never.

Reader POV:

He's  leaning in one minute and the next thing I know he's pulled me up onto his lap and put his arms around my waist to bring me closer to him. The kisses are getting sloppy and rushed now and I need him desperately but I'm just so tired. I assume he feels  the same because he pulls away and says, "As much as I want to, if we did I think I'd pass out while we we doing it." I gugge  at his response and agree with him.

"Look, how about I take you back too mine, we sleep, we go to work tomorrow and get off early because we both just did 24 hours , I'll take you out for dinner and then we'll continue where we left off here when we get back.?  How's that sound?" A crimson red layer paints my face as he finishes his sentence. 

"That sounds amazing, you know, maybe we should do 24 hour shifts more if it ends like this everytime." I gesture to me in his lap and he laughs and says we should. I smile contently at him and then wrap my arms around his neck and nuzzle my head into the crook of his neck. He is literally perfect.

[akiumzeno]

Analysing Ending C: Punishment from Zeno Remake

!!!!!MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!!

(I'm not very eloquent, especially with analyses, I apologise.)

Something I find remarkable about the ending that it's the one of the only endings where you can only achieve it by submitting to your death/purposely getting a bad ending. And you don't even get a real upside to it. At least with the Crime ending, Tsugino lives a normal life outside the facility and the same thing with Maeno with the The One I'm Waiting For Never Returns.

And even the game acknowledges this by asking whether you're sure you want to submit to Tsugino killing you.

And the thing is that the other endings where Maeno dies (aside from Checkmate) are all treated as happening by accident.

In the aforementioned Crime ending, Tsugino not grabbing Maeno's arm is treated as a mistake by Tsugino regardless if it was intentional on the player's part.

In the Intestines ending, Maeno gets caught by Tsugino if you/he didn't make it to the fire hydrant in time or they get out of the fire hydrant too soon. That's not intentional on Maeno's part and may not be for the player.

While the Checkmate ending does have Maeno dies willfully, that leads into the explanation for why.

Maeno feels guilty.

While I'm not going to get into the Checkmate ending because that's another topic for another day, but in both endings, Maeno lets himself die to Tsugino because he feels guilty for everything he's done. In this scene, he's just found out that Tsugino contacted ZENO by seeing him eat Natsu. And there's two major feelings of guilt he has to unpack with that.

The feeling of guilt from eating Natsu, someone he viewed as the little sister he never had.

He lost his ZENO, only to give it to someone else.

With the first point, almost anyone would already feel guilty from that. That'd be something atrocious that people could let go of the guilt by knowing that they had no choice in the matter. And that's probably how Maeno was able to live on—by knowing that Natsu gave her life willingly and to carry on her wish and they'd either both be dead or Maeno would be the one dead. In no case would either be better.

But now that's gone. Because now, Tsugino had watched what happened and that forever shaped his thinking and made him gain ZENO. Maeno got rid of his ZENO and it was all meaningless because it only made someone else gain ZENO unwittingly (and maybe even 2 people if Fuyu losing his sister made him gain ZENO with Tsugino). Why should his happiness be gained by not only killing someone he loved but someone else gaining the same disease he did? Why is that fair?

And keep in mind, Maeno throughout this game (when not in ZENO mode) has wanted to save everyone, no matter what they have done. Tsugino and Fuyu attacked him many times and he still wishes them to be saved and more importantly he would save them. But turns out, he's the reason they're even like this. He's the one causing problems.

Why should've his life been saved only to cause misery?

So he lets himself get killed by Tsugino because of his guilt. Maybe he's doing it for forgiveness. Maybe he feels he doesn't deserve to live. But whatever it is, he lets himself die to satisfy Tsugino so he can feel love and let Fuyu have his revenge.

His death would mean their happiness.

And I think that the reason Tsugino doesn't receive "love" when eating Maeno is because of Maeno's guilt.

This isn't the only ending where Tsugino—without any amnesia—eats Maeno, there's also the Never-waking-up Paradise ending. And in contrast, he doesn't seem to feel despair and become sad that Maeno isn't giving him "love" when he eats him.

Well, what's the difference? How come he can't receive "love" here but does in the other ending?

In Never-waking-up Paradise, Maeno is forced to be eaten without his consent. He gets tied up and doesn't want to die. But he gets eaten anyway due to Fuyu allowing it to happen. And when that happens, Tsugino takes pleasure in eating Maeno, feeling Maeno's "love" and even says it's delicious.

But here, Maeno lays down his life for Tsugino to take. He doesn't resist. He doesn't have the will to live. And Tsugino eats him, only to feel distressed and depressed that he wasn't given any "love".

Do you see the connection?

I believe Tsugino didn't get any "love" from Maeno because Maeno's spirit is no longer in Maeno. Remember when I said that throughout the game, Maeno was always trying to save everyone? Well here, that desire is destroyed. It's gone. His desire to save everyone is because he believes he only ruined everyone's lives. Maeno's spirit has been destroyed, and that is reflected when Tsugino eats him.

When he eats Maeno, he can't taste his "love" because it's no longer there. Maeno's love for Tsugino was wanting to save him and cure him from his ZENO. But since that's gone, it's now just like eating anyone else.

And in Never-waking-up Paradise, Maeno still wanted to save Tsugino and pleaded for Fuyu to not let him get eaten. His spirit was still there as he was getting eaten so Tsugino still tasted his "love".

And you can even see this in Tsugino's flashbacks.

It's Maeno's care, consideration and kindness that makes Tsugino want his love. That's the "love".

So when Maeno loses that same compassion that made him want to save Tsugino, he tastes of nothing.

And Tsugino doesn't realise that. He thought that eating Maeno's body would give him the satisfaction he craved but he really craved for Maeno's spirit—Maeno's compassion.

He wasn't lying that the thing he was looking for was a deception. Because he got wrong about what he wanted.

And now, he has nothing. He can no longer receive "Doc's" love. He's not alive anymore.

Not physically, not spiritually.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Thought for CC - sorry, but remind me again what the whole thing between David, Melissa & Yagi is? Like, did David know that Melissa knew? How does Yagi handle finding out? I think you answered all this before but I can't find the ask. Also, would the aftermath of *gestures* mean that David & Melissa are around more, so David & Inko would get to hang out?

Okay so!

David didn't know that Melissa knew. He wasn't going to tell her because he figured it'd hurt her more to know but not have Toshinori as another dad.

Melissa figured it out on her own via a combination of seeing how David and Toshinori act around one another in private, and genetics, and connecting the dots on why she wasn't told re: All Might's career is important and jam-packed so he can't 'be a dad', it's dangerous because people would target her, etc.

Ironically she understands perfectly why their situation is Like This™ and is less hurt by the situation itself and more the fact that Toshinori never really acknowledges the situation even in private moments.

This is because He Doesn't Know™

He finds out because like. Izuku takes Melissa to meet his friends. Shoto clocks it immediately and Melissa is bad at acting so now the group knows but makes them swear to never tell anyone. When Izuku goes back and has a moment alone with All Might he's like 'oh btw we found out about the whole situation with Melissa being your daughter but don't worry we won't say anything!"

To which All Might is like 'She's my WHATNOW?!". Izuku does NOT know how to handle that response, so Toshinori sighs and just. Goes to talk to Dave about it.

He's really hoping things are just. Incorrect. That Melissa assumed. That she's wrong. (He doesn't believe that anymore because now that it's pointed out he can see it. The timing of things. His features in her. The fact that she's Quirkless....)

He confronts David on it. And he can't really deny it at this point. And it.

It's not exactly a fight. Because they both understand why David did what he did. Toshinori can't really be mad at him about it because he knows that if he /had/ known the situation would end up very much the same re: his work is too important for him to properly be a parent and.... well. The dangers are doubly true now that he's seen what happened to Nana's family.

And David knows that too. Because he's felt guilty about it. He made the decision and couldn't go back on it because of what he'd already done

But he still wishes he knew. Wishes he was able to make that choice instead of having it made for him. So there's still anger in it.

Also this fight/conversation maaaaaay lead into David learning about OfA and being like "So..... I may have made a different stupid mistake...." and they kinda derail the movie's plot dealing with that.

Anyway!

I think they need to have an even longer conversation regarding moving forward. Because yeah this- this needs to be unpacked emotion-wise. But while Toshinori is still worried re: people who would target them, he does want to make up for lost time regarding Melissa being his daughter. So they're going to make a lot more trips to Japan to see him (Melissa more than David because he does still have to work).

This is made somewhat easier by the fact that All Might's semi-retirement is turning into a more genuine retirement via the fight against AfO at the end of the summer. While he's not quitting entirely (still helps out other Heroes and works at UA), not being in the field gives him a lot of free time!

So yeah there could be more Inko and David interaction once the Inkomight ship takes off. (Inko meeting Melissa is just 'guess I have another kid now')

[nalyra-dreaming]

Heeey, Nalyra :)) same anon about marius/ armand as before!! :D

Yeah, I agree that what they're portraying in the show is hinted in the books, in some way or another. I understand why some people would say Amadeo was "groomed and abused" by his maker, though the show is making me feel like when GOT changed daenerys' first time in the show.

Now, you and someone else touched on the topic of rebranding memory and even that Santino might have made Armand think Marius whored him out. Do you think that Armand might be, alongside these things Santino might have put inside his head as he was brainwashed, lying to himself, trying to make Marius seem worse than he was? As if Amadeo had no choice, as if he was just his slave and not had became his lover? I could see that, especially if he has already met Marius in the show and is disappointed he didn't look for him for so long when he thought Marius to be dead

anyway, thank you so much for the response!! sorry for any typos or gramma mistakes, when i read your ask i noticed i had made some haha English is not my first language :p

Well, I mean... within the context of the torture and the cult mentality they had... them trying to "rebrand" what Armand and Marius had there would fit, imho.

Armand was brain washed, for centuries. That is no trifle.

As stated before, I do not want to take away from the show pointing out certain things here. (And as said I do like them putting their fingers into wounds. And I DO think the books more than hint.) But the show also plays with "memory is a monster" and this is definitely an instance of that. Worse even, since it was literal brain washing and torture.

There is also the aspect that Armand might have also realigned some things that happened simply to deal over time. To deal with the loss, to deal with the void within himself. Marius was taken from him after all, and he did think him dead for centuries. Eventually he likely had to harden himself, or he would have perished.

Given how the show is structured I don't think we will get the full picture here for a while yet.

And yes, I also think that the Armand in Dubai might already know Marius is alive... but he and Marius were not always on the best of terms (in the books), given history (very understandable, imho). It's very complicated and I do not see the show shying away from the parallels and reasons for Armand's fear of abandonment there either.

I don't think the Armand in Dubai has any reason to soften Marius, even if he knows already he is alive. As said before, I can easily see it having been Marius who did the "final edit" on Daniel's brain... at some point of the relationship. And Armand... would not have taken kindly to that I think.

[pinkyjulien]

Just a heads up: you, a white creator, putting Native American/First Nations/indigenous inspired clothing on your white OC, and then calling it the "wilding" appearance, could be considered cultural appropriation and could also be considered offensive to people from those cultures.

And yeah, I am doing this from a throwaway account to protect myself because I know how Tumblr and the cyberpunk 2077 fandom works. Even if I do have a valid point or critique, I could still be attacked by "fans" on my main who refuse to use any critical thinking for themselves.

Safe travels 👋 I hold no animosity towards you personally.

(From a "cowardly" anon in an extremely hostile fandom which likely will pretend that this outfit and the name for it isn't tinged with implicit and internalized racism.)

(And, no, I'm not one of the so-called "housewives")

Hey Anon,

Not sure what to say, you claim to not hold any animosity towards me, yet this could've easily been a DM. I'm only assuming you're blocked and had to create a side blog to by-pass the said block.

If this was truly a well-spirited heads up, it would've been a DM.

But anyway, if you're here to accuse me in a sugarcoated way, I already know you're having the time of your life about it in some obscure discord server, so might as well.

The Aldecaldos (and Nomads in general of every clan and family) are multi cultured, there's people of every races, every ethnicities- we see it in game and it's mentioned time and time in the sourcebooks. They're communities, formed of many minorities; queers and pocs alike.

Valentin joins the Aldecaldos during the Star ending, just like the canon game event; he makes friends left and right, and friends makes gifts to one another. We also know that resources, clothes, cars, guns, are shared in nomad communities.

The name "wilding" is a direct reference to the Neo Tribe sourcebook, page 21. I used that same name for Mitch's appearance. They use those outfits to ride off near cities, just like the definition on the page below. They're both proudly showcasing their Aldecaldos colors in whichever place / cities they're visiting.

In my own canon, Dakota is kind of a mother figure for Valentin; she helped him after fleeing the Wraiths, she gave him his first gig with Jackie, she made sure the 'caldos ripper kept the bullet he revoved from Valentin's skull, etc etc

That Jacket could've well been a gift from her before leaving to Arizona, but I haven't decided yet. I was just happy to share my modding project of those past two days.

I've always liked Nomads and what they stand for, their diversity, their lives, their outfits and aesthetics too.

None of the above information is presented as an excuse, they shouldn't be seen as excuses either; I'm simply sharing what inspired me (actively or subconsciously) for this outfit.

If Valentin's appearance, both models and name, did actual upset anyone, I apologize, as this obviously WASN'T the intention. If it does bother you, I invite you to block me.

With all of the "explaination" out of the way; why are you really here?

Because we both know you already knew that about the Aldecaldos. You played the game, you know Panam is half native, you know there's a bunch of native characters in the Aldecaldos and in the game in general.

This ask isn't fueled by kindness or by an attempt at educating someone who could've made a simple mistake.

Nope, you're simply part of this "hostile fandom" problem. Everything you said in brackets reeks of past drama.

Again, you claim to not hold any animosity, but I believe otherwise; that's totally fine, but refrain from contacting me with this fake benevolence, everyone can see it's bullshit.

Repeating myself, this could've been a DM, yet you choose to assume I have some "internalized racism" that You Need to point out, doing so via a side-blog supposedly out of fear (since I don't know who you are, I'll choose to believe you simply by-passed a block) while also dragging in the "Housewives" for no reasons.

You're part of this fandom problem. You're part of the reason why nobody feels safe about sharing anything; you and your friends are out there spying, monitoring what everyone does, assuming the worst at any given occasions and ready to write callouts, to throw witch hunts.

Please, do some critical thinking yourself, remove all the bias and all the "Pinky Bad so this is obviously Racist" bullshit fogging your brain, and ask yourself why you really sent that ask.

[bailey-orphic08]

The Voice of Reason ~ Part Two (And the Final Part)

Synopsis: Logan is getting more and more frustrated about being ignored. But fortunately, a certain rat affiliated Duke knows how to help. ;)

As you can tell from the title, this is the second part. Go read the first part so you can understand what's going on!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wha- But that doesn't make any sense," Logan chuckled in disbelief, "that was what I was telling them to do, and they didn't listen to me. Why would they ignore my suggestions only to come to the same conclusion later on?"

"I don't know..." Remus said with too much innocence, "Have you ever considered that you're not relevant anymore?"

And as quick as Remus said that, Logan's attempt to keep his composure collapsed.

"Get out of my room!" Logan threw a book at Remus, hitting him in the face.

"Why do you even bother telling me these things?" Logan snapped, "Do you find that much pleasure in making my day worse? Everyday I get up and I work as hard as I possibly can to ensure that Thomas--and by association, all of us--can live a happy, healthy lifestyle! You think it's 'fun' to laugh at that effort? You have no idea how much work that is! I make plan after plan and schedule after schedule. I keep the other sides from making reckless mistakes. I keep Thomas from making reckless mistakes. Everyday I put in so much effort! And on top of all that, most of these efforts aren't wanted by them. They don't care about my efforts!.. They ignore my efforts... They- they-"

Logan stopped rambling, realizing how irrational he was acting. He also saw that he wasn't proving anything to Remus anyways, for all his actions did was send Remus into a maniacal fit laughter. Along with that, he began to notice a cold and strange tingling sensation run down his face. He lifted his hand to his cheek to feel what it was... Logan was crying.

How could this be possible? Logan didn't cry. Logan couldn't cry. Crying was a response to pain. Logan wasn't in pain, he was physically fine. That could only mean the pain is emotional. But that was impossible. Logan didn't have emotions. Logan was logic. And logic can't feel emotions. Logic is reasonable. But before he could ask himself anymore questions, he began speak out to Remus, his words spilling out before he could process what he was even saying.

"Oh no," he wept, "oh no, Remus you're right. I'm not relevant anymore! I was never the most exciting side, or the nicest, or the most pleasant, but they were able to deal with me. They dealt with me because I was important. I was able to make decisions they couldn't. I was the voice of reason. And so I was one of them. But things are changing, Remus. The questions Thomas has, the choices he has to make, they aren't rooted in logic anymore. I can't answer them. And now that I can't there's no purpose in the others dealing with me--I'm not the voice of reason anymore. I thought if I tried to be kinder they would still at least want me, but it seems that I'm not nice enough to hide that I'm essentially useless now..."

At this point Remus had stopped cackling and just stood there in silence, completely stunned and unsure of what to do. He knew when he arrived that he would upset Logan--that was his goal--but he had no idea that Logan would start crying over it.

"They're going to replace me Remus, I'm going to be replaced!" Logan continued, still sobbing, "They're already replacing me! Janus is taking my place! He's so clever, so well put together, but most of all, he's reasonable! He understands the questions Thomas has now. He can answer his questions. Thomas and Patton have already started to warm up to him, it's only matter of time before they all accept him. And then he will be the voice of reason! And all I will be able to offer is exposition... He'll do a better job anyways, he actually knows what he's doing! I make so many mistakes--I can't even think rationally enough to not cry!"

His sobs grew louder and louder as he lost the ability to speak. Remus was still standing there, now even more unsure of what to do. Should he tell someone? Surely at least one of them cared about him enough to comfort him, and he definitely wasn't qualified to do it himself... Wait--why did he care? He didn't like Logan. He didn't like him at all! Logan was an arrogant know-it-all, and he always got in the way of his plans. He came here because he wanted Logan to get upset! So should he go? He got what he wanted, so there was no point in staying... No... Remus had no reason to care, but for some reason--for some strange reason--he couldn't help but feel extreme pity seeing the man who showed nothing but indifference and agitation towards his antics act so depressingly pathetic.

"Hey don't cry," Remus whispered as comfortingly as he knew how, "there's nothing wrong with being a little useless. People love useless characters!"

That had the opposite effect. Logan began crying even more violently.

"Well there's no point in crying about it if you know it's inevitable!" Remus blurted out, "Either accept your new purpose in life or find a way to keep the one you had!" Then Remus got an sudden idea. An idea with no flaws in his eyes. The only thing that could go wrong was if Logan refused.

"Hey, hey, stop crying," he whispered again, though with more energy, "I know how you can become the voice of reason again."

That caught Logan's attention.

Remus would help him keep his place? How? And why? Logan thought to himself for a moment. There was a remarkably low chance Remus' plan would actually work, and an even lower chance he had good intentions... But at this point, any solution was worth hearing out. He tried to cease his sobs.

"Well, if you really have a possible solution," Logan sniveled, "then tell me how I can maintain my position as the voice of reason." Remus grinned eagerly.

"You know how you earlier you said they kept you around despite not being nice or exciting?"

"Yes?..."

"And you know how you tried to be nice when you stopped knowing all the answers?"

"Of course, how couldn't I?"

"And you know how that failed?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"Well you said you weren't nice or exciting. You tried to be nice, and that didn't work. So have you considered being more exciting?"

Logan was perplexed. He didn't really think of that. The others were always agitated when he spoke up, so he decided to speak less. But what if he spoke more?

"See, your problem is that you don't stand out enough," Remus explained, "The other sides have such extreme opinions that yours get kicked to the curb. If you want them to listen, you've gotta be as drastic as they are."

"And how exactly do I do that?"

"Well, the other sides do several extreme things. And you're a pansy, so I know you won't do that. So instead of doing several small things, you should one great thing..." Remus' grin grew larger and more mischievous.

"You have reasoned with me long enough, just tell me what to do!"

Knock. Knock.

Out of completely nowhere, the two of them suddenly heard knocking at Logan's door. After a ominously long moment of silence, his door began to slowly creak open. An orange mist started to fill the room. Logan's eyes stayed fixated on the door, contemplating what could possibly be happening right now. Remus' smile grew wider; he knew what was to come. When the door was completely opened, the haze started to fade, revealing who it was at the door.

"Hey, I heard that you're 'friends' have a problem with ignoring you," he said, "I can help with that..."

[irachki]

why am i not seeing poc writers in fandom anymore?

thought experiment: imagine you're me. fresh off a full day of work, settling down to clean your space, maybe get some studying done, who knows. when all of the sudden bam!

someone hits you with this post.

now off the bat this doesnt really spark anything in me. just another writer moving to ao3, nothing serious.

and then, of course, I keep reading.

mind you, at this point im already on the call with my number one, my ride or die, my twin as you will. and I start reading the post out loud.

now, twin and i were actually part of holding this person accountable for their weird way they wrote black men. so, since we've never seen this post we're both curious to see what comes out of it.

i'm gonna be deadass, i went into this fully expecting it to be some lukewarm post about moving to ao3 and instead it goes from hehehaha funny to hehehaha weird.

now chat, this post, this one right here truly made me believe we have to be in some sort of simulation. cause you cannot be serious right now.

like we start off with the whole dogpiling accusation. the "dogpiling" in question was someone asking another user why they were reblogging stuff from someone that had brushed off racism allegations, which she did. said user then saying they thought girlypop had apologized, which she didn't (unless you want to call that lukewarm post an apology sure). and then defaulting to my twin as the morality compass to see if it was okay to interact with this girlypop or not.

the rest of it is filled with the same lukewarm takes and soft bullshit that these people say when they get called out that they actually don't mean.

so anyways, we blow past all of that and then get to this line.

"There is a difference between trying to encourage active anti-racism and just being cruel when someone makes a genuine mistake and tries their best to fix it."

at this point, we're both on call just looking at each other like ???? because I know this girl is not lying through her teeth saying she tried her best to fix it.

mind you, this is what the person that reached out to talk to her about her writing had to say about their conversation

so i'm supposed to believe that this person was trying their best to fix it?

aiiiiight.

not to mention the silly posts she made where she basically didn't take accountability for anything and tried to make it seem like it was a big misunderstanding. like girl, no the hell it wasn't. we are very aware of what we're talking about lmao.

and then we don't even get a chance to breathe because this is the next line

"A lot of people absolutely do the former and I appreciate them for that, but if you engage in the latter, I'd encourage you to try practice more empathy because otherwise that's exactly how you push people to the right"

screeeeeeeeeeeeech. now this is where the conversation comes to a full stop. cause girl, huh??? now I'm over here taking my glasses off, rubbing my eyes, cleaning the lenses trying to make sure I read that right and chat... i had in fact read that right.

so now i'm over here scratching my head because, girl if us calling you out for racist behavior is pushing you to that clan hood were you really being anti racist before? what blows me about this sentiment is the fact that it's basically these folks throwing the blame back to poc because we need to be super kind and hold their hand when we tell them that they're being racist and antiblack.

which is an insane ask, especially coming from white person. not only did people of color had to aggressively fight for any all rights they have today but they also had to lead the charge in helping teach about racism and all of these issues. it gags me that y'all come on here and swear up and down we have to be nicer to you to not push you to the right like its our job.

i need you to be serious.

now at this point we both tune the fuck out because everything she's saying is moot. after saying that crazy ass shit I'm not listening to a thing this girl has to say.

so back tot he title of this post.

im ngl this is the exact type of behavior that led me to delete my old blog. i can understand people being hard headed but this? this is just straight up blaming people of color that are holding you accountable for pushing you down the right. what an incredibly disgusting thing to say honestly. and then of course you have the so called "allies" in the fandom liking and sharing this post. and that's when I knew that those people truly aren't allies. because how do you call yourself an ally to poc people and then go support some that says this?

this is exactly why before i said I did not care for performative allyship. because y'all do nothing to actually be allies for us. you attach the tag to yourself and then use it as a way to defend people who are genuinely getting criticized.

poc were actively being targeted in that dumbass fandom every single fucking day and it was only other people of color speaking up and defending each other. not a single one of the incredibly loud allies stepped in to defend us or even tell these rabid ass mfs to stand down.

regardless, i learned my lesson and wiped my shit because those people definitely do not deserve to see my writings and be in my space. and that's most likely why so many other poc writers are also disappearing from your timelines

[hulijingemperor2]

Shi Qingxuan: *came from shopping* yea yea, gege will pay the bill. He's the God of wealth*

We know, Xiao Gongzi.

Shi Qingxuan: good!

Shi Wudu: now send the bill to whom??

Shi Qingxuan: *pouts* gege. I went shopping.

Shi wudu: I see that.

Shi Qingxuan: I'm preparing for when Yao Huangdi calls me to be his concubine.

I plan on being a beautiful woman instead. You know I always dream of being a princess, the empress's best friend and a part of team dimple!

As well as seek revenge on Shen Qingqiu for stealing my spotlight.

Shi Wudu: you're a handful.

Shi Qingxuan: but a beautiful handful.

Come, let me show you what I bought.

Shi Wudu: well of course you must show me, as you used my money.

Show me. I got to meet Zixuan Huangdi soon.

Shi Qingxuan: awwww!!! Don't worry. It won't be long! Promise.

Shi wudu: Rest assured. I'll pick out an outfit for you too.

Shi Qingxuan: yayyy!!! *hugs* you're the best!

An hour later~~ Fuying and team dimple entered.

Fuying: congrat--

Shi Qingxuan: *squeals* eeekkk! You're a hulijing right?? And you look like a royal assistant too.

Fuying: yes, I'm Huangdi's personal attendant.

Team dimple: *enters behind him* and we're here too. To judge you.

Shi Qingxuan: *flips hair* team d, I'm ready. But let the royal assistant of our glamorous Yao Huangdi talk first.

Su she: You're right. You have a point.

Fuying: congratulations, Wind Master.

Anyways, you were already chosen as a concubine. But Huangdi wished to accommodate one concubine at a time.

Just to spend time with them and make sure they're comfy and know the rules.

All of that. He doesn't want anyone to feel isolated.

Shi Qingxuan: huangdi is so merciful to all his concubines.

But I believe that it's Shen Qingqiu. He took up all his attention.

Xue yang: what did you say?

Mo xuanyu: that's some real facts.. He thinks he's better than team dimple!

Shi Qingxuan: that's so so sad. Team d deserves better. Is my test over? I want to meet Yao Huangdi.

Su she: ah, unfortunately we have some screening to do. We'll ask you some questions.

Xue yang: have you stabbed anyone?

Shi Qingxuan: uh...no. maybe by mistake. I panicked ok!

Mo xuanyu: good fierce corpses?

Shi Qingxuan: noo. That's Hua cheng's job.

I heard that he's his ambassador though. The protector of fox spirits and part of the elite.

Su she: yes he is. I'm glad you know!

Tell me your views on Yao Huangdi. Do you swear to protect him.

Our Huangdi is our life! You understand that right?

Shi Qingxuan: I see Huangdi as an excellent, super hot, fox God.

And he does so much for his empire. He deserves all the love.

I'm both male and female, but I wish to serve him as a female.

And yes, I will protect him. Even though I'm just a mere person in his presence.

Mo xuanyu: that's so beautiful. *sobs*

Xue yang: are you good at gossip?

Shi Qingxuan: oh hell yes. I'll spill the tea, trust me.

Xue yang: any rivalry with him? Or anyone you know? Tell me what would you do if someone insults Jiggy.

Shi Qingxuan: I'll beat them up! And no, I don't have any rivalry with Yao Huangdi. I would never.

Su she: are you stuck up in any way?

Shi Qingxuan: nop.

Mo xuanyu: bestie, you're team dimple material!

You pass!

Shi Qingxuan: really????

Mo xuanyu: yes baby!

And you're super cute.

Xue yang: you seem chill.

Su she: absolutely perfect for Huangdi. You seem to adore him a lot.

Shi Qingxuan: yes I do.

Your dimple test is rather easy.

Mo xuanyu: obviously. all you got to do is worship Yao gege.

Xue yang: and don't fight team dimple.

Su she: also we can tell if a person is genuine or not.

Shi Qingxuan: oh.

By the way, my brother is Zixuan Huangdi's concubine.

Su she: aw, really?

Shi Qingxuan: yea, he says that he's really hot. Him and Yao Huangdi are the most beautiful people in the Jianghu so.

Mo xuanyu: preach!

~~~~~

Jing Manor.

Fuying: Huangdi, it's Shi Qingxuan.

Shi Qingxuan: *walking in with a fan covering her red lips.*

*then she bows gracefully* I'm Shi Qingxuan, Huangdi.

Yao: ah, nice to meet you. Please discard the formalities.

You look beautiful.

Shi Qingxuan: thank you, Huangdi. *blushing* heehee.

Yao: how should I address you, dear. *supports them from their bow*

Shi Qingxuan: anything you like, Huangdi. *enchanted* I just chose to be a girl, cuz I'm pretty.

Yao: certainly you are.

This is my wife, empress Qin Su.

Shi Qingxuan: ahhh, I heard a lot about her. *bow* greetings Huanghou. You're really really gorgeous. Your hair is so perfect too.

Qin Su: thank you very much, and nice to meet you. You're so beautiful and unique too.

Welcome to the harem.

Shi Qingxuan: yay! Huanghou, can I be your bestie? Since I was learning about you, you became so much like a big sis.

Qin Su: certainly you can. I would love that. You'll be my Xuan meimei.

Shi Qingxuan: that's wonderful news!

You're such a sophisticated and glamorous lady. How do you do it!! I don't think you were ever clumsy in your life.

Qin Su: *laughing* don't flatter me. Perhaps it's natural. Or practice.

I represent Huangdi and the empire after all.

Shi Qingxuan: *blushing* everything for huangdi.

Qin Su: You met team dimple then?

Shi Qingxuan: yea, and they're pretty chill.

Qin Su: really?

Yao: how shocking. They always drill people.

Mo xuanyu: nah, he passed the dimple test, Yao gege.

Xue yang: he's a simp like us.

Yao: I see. Lovely news!

Qingxuan, shall we get to know each other?

Shi Qingxuan: YES HUANGDI!!! YES YES YES!!!

Qin jiejie, would you mind??

Qin Su: go ahead. Huangdi insists. And I I know I'm his beloved empress. And he got to meet the harem members.

Shi Qingxuan: yea, you are always!! I would never take your place.

Let's go, Huangdi!

Yao: let's go. *opens fan*

~

Shi Qingxuan: Yao Huangdi, I want to see your nine tails, and just worship you. Give you some expensive gifts.

Yao: oh I see. Well I do love the adoration.

I heard that your brother, Shi Wudu, is Zixuan's concubine.

Shi Qingxuan: YES!! Aren't we both lucky, to be close to the legendary emperors.

Yao: *sits* I'm happy for you too. *makes his floof appear*

Shi Qingxuan: oh my goodness!! You're truly ethereal!

*Kneels by his side and looks up at him*

Yao: *lifts chin* you certainly need some jewelry, don't you.

Shi Qingxuan: *shy* if you wish.

I would love that.

Can you make something appear?

Yao: of course. *reaches into his sleeves, to pull out a box* open it.

Shi Qingxuan: aw, Yao Huangdi. It's a sapphire chain. Thank you!

Yao: no prob, dear. *caresses her face.

Shi Qingxuan: oh gosh, I think I'm gonna die.

Yao: Qingxuan.

Shi Qingxuan: mhm. *dazed*

Yao: there are some conditions in the harem.

Shi Qingxuan: tell me, nah. Beloved.

Yao: I treat everyone equally. Also I don't intend to be a womanizer, hence you and A-Su will get the same treatment. She is the empress, but you'll get all the respect as a high rank concubine.

Shi Qingxuan: ohh!

Yao: I don't practice hate and neglect. Or favoritism. Yes, you would hear them saying things about being favored by me, or them fighting for favour. Bit it's just them being a harem who's playfully jealous of each other. Harem culture.

Shi Qingxuan: and I want to add to the drama!

But I heard about the cold palace. I'm afraid to end up there.

Yao: yes there is the cold palace. It was there since the time of my ancestors. The only person who stayed there was Nie Huaisang, for misconduct and conspiracy. It's more of a confinement for concubines, as just throwing them in prison doesn't match with their status. They shall reflect on their actions and raise to glory and favour again. That's the purpose of the that place.

Do you know, that the cold palace is haunted by fox spirit ghosts.

Shi Qingxuan: *scared* r....really*

Yao: but they don't leave that area, so don't worry.

One time, my concubine, Huan, aka Zewu Jun, communicated with the ghosts via his guqin and we found out that they were from my ancestors time.

Shi Qingxuan: waw!

Did Huaisang experience any paranormal activity?

Yao: he said he would see a fox lady in red, with long red nails and a mask standing near his bed. One other time, he heard laughing and crying. Then one of the ghosts angrily called Emperor Meng MengXin, which is another ancestor. There were many many paranormal stories, by the maids too.

(This needs a fic by itself)

Shi Qingxuan: that's so unsettling! Huangdi I would never displease you!

I don't want to end up there!

Yao: you never will, dear. And I seldom use it.

Shi Qingxuan: oh goody! Tell me more ghost stories.

Yao: there's this ghost called Consort Gu. She was a fox spirit of course. Once my ancestor, Meng Huangdi had found out that she had an affair with a general from a waring state. So he banished her there. During their happy days, he used to give her pearl beads. Now when workers go to that area, with any sort of necklace, it would snap or it would stand and float.

Shi Qingxuan: yikes. Are some of them violent?

Yao: not really. But I believe they can be. Maybe if someone does something to piss them off.

Shi Qingxuan: are they good with you?

Since you're Meng Huangdi of this present time.

Yao: they would indeed bow to me and disappear. Then continue to torment people when I leave. However it's unsafe.

You know, ghosts would continue their habits of when they were alive. So they know they must bow to the emperor. Also I'm the emperor of fox spirits, living and non living.

Shi Qingxuan: did Hua cheng ever try to take them to ghost city?

Yao: they can't go anywhere as they're bound to the cold palace. As it's where they died. They can go to ghost city, but they would return to where they came from.

Anyways, that's enough cold palace lore. Any other questions?

Shi Qingxuan: do you communicate with your ancestors?

Yao: oh yes, I do. Soon I must conduct a ceremony, in which I talk to them again. My family and I would hold the ceremony with my 108 fox spirit monks.

Shi Qingxuan: would team d be there?

Yao: yes but. It's only a Meng thing. Only blood Mengs can do the ceremony. However the ancestors would talk to everyone else like servants.

Shi Qingxuan: sassy of them.

Yao: very much. That's where I get my sassiness from.

The ancestors are always here to guide the present Huangdi and console them. Taizi must offer half the obeisance as Huangdi.

Shi Qingxuan: your Meng family is really interesting.

And certainly more ancient than any sect. Thats why you deserve to be Huangdi.

Yao: aww, dear.

Shi Qingxuan: can we go for lunch afterwards?

Yao: of course. And probably we can go for a stroll now.

Xiying: I'll fetch an umbrella. It's hot out, Huangdi.

Yao: delightful. Thank you.

Shi Qingxuan: you know, Huangdi. I can control the wind, so I'll keep you cool.

Yao: ahhh, that's impressive!

Shi Qingxuan: I can fan the haters away.

....

Shen Jiu: hey, who are you?

Shi Qingxuan: Shi Wanghou. I'm a higher rank than you, Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu: what are you doing with my Huangdi?

Shi Qingxuan: he's my huangdi too! Which you stole from me.

Shen Jiu: no dear, little maiden, Huangdi chose me as a concubine.

Shi Qingxuan:  LITTLE MAIDEN!!! WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE MAIDEN! *produces wind with her fan*

Shen Jiu: *manipulating leaves and flowers*

Xiying: *trying not to get blown away, while Yao stood mightily against the backlash of the breeze* Huangdi. Should we go to safety. These two are causing a hurricane, and destroying your garden.

Yao: it's kind of entertaining though.

Anyways. *picks up his two concubines with his fox tails.*

Stop it you two.

Shen Jiu: Shi Qingxuan! I'll beat you up! Huangdi's floof is so soft, omg.

Shi Qingxuan: hey! that's my Huangdi's floof! Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu: where did you even come from!

Huangdi you're really powerful by the way. And really hot.

Shi Qingxuan: stop flirting with him! .

Yao: would you guys fight if I let you go.

Shi Qingxuan: do you want me too? *pout* I'm very very submissive to you.

Shen Jiu: that's my job. Huangdi, I'll be the mature person, and not beat Shi Qingxuan up.

Shi Qingxuan: and I'm a girl. You can't hit a girl.

Shen Jiu: Shi Qingxuan, I know you're both genders. I can kick your ass as a man.

Shi Qingxuan: shit.

Yao: *puts them down*

Xiying: ah Huangdi is so mighty.

Both: *bows* sorry Huangdi.

Shen Jiu: Shi Qingxuan was wrong.

Shi Qingxuan: Shen Jiu was wrong.

Yao: at least you two aren't fighting again.

Shen Jiu, I need to spend time with the new concubine.

Shen Jiu: yes Huangdi. I would never stop you. It's highly illegal to do so.

Yao: mn.

Shen Jiu: sorry for the interruption, Huangdi. *kisses hand* enjoy your date. Not you, Shi Qingxuan.

Shi Qingxuan: damn hater.

[broodwoof]

Hello!

Happy Friday! From the Sentence prompts list "What am I supposed to do about that?" for Varric.

Happy Writing!

a little bit of character exploration for varric :') he must've had a Time before the inky woke up lmao @dadrunkwriting 421 words cws: none

“The sky is torn open!” The Seeker snapped, her frustration reaching a breaking point. “And we need a leader!”

“What am I supposed to do about that?” He asked, voice deliberately casual. He bit back his smirk as she growled—he enjoyed her frustration, but he also wanted to keep his head in place.

“You need to tell me where Hawke is! I know you know!” He made a show of sighing, shaking his head.

“I already told you, Seeker—Hawke left after the Chantry. We all split up. I don't know where the Champion is, now,” he lied.

They wouldn't have Hawke, not if Varric could help it.

—

“They're still unconscious,” Leliana said flatly, Cassandra pinching the bridge of her nose. Solas hovered at the edge of their little circle, maybe trying to make himself appear unthreatening. “Solas,” she said sharply, everyone's attention turning to the elf. “What have you been able to achieve?”

“Little enough,” he admitted slowly. Varric felt for him—being interrogated by the Nightingale was not a pleasant experience. “I have been able to stabilize the mark, but the fact that she remains alive is shocking. I do not know how much more I will be able to do.”

“She's our last chance for answers,” Cassandra pointed out, Leliana nodding. Then she looked at Varric with a frown and he shrugged.

“What do you want me to do about that, Seeker? I'm a dwarf, in case you forgot—no connection to the Fade. None.”

Cassandra sighed and turned away, and Varric pretended that he didn’t know what she was really asking for. He would not reveal Hawke.

—

“Shit,” he groaned as they came across the red lyrium. He had really been hoping it was just back in the temple—that was bad enough. But here, in the Hinterlands?

“Varric, how do we destroy this?” The Herald asked. Her survival was miraculous, but it didn’t mean she was a miracle worker herself—just an ordinary woman, from what he could see. As ordinary as an elf with a glowing hand that could seal rifts could be, anyway. He shrugged.

“No idea, but do it carefully.” Cassandra scoffed and he bristled a little, half expecting another round of interrogations to begin, but she did not respond. “I don’t know what you expect me to do about this,” he said with a hint of frustration.

Even though this was his fault. His mistake. Him and his brother and their damned venture into the Deep Roads. But even so, he didn’t know how to fix it.