#The inherent fucked up dynamic of God's and mortals

[backpackingspace]

Literally anybody: do...did you know that Athena physically changes your body? Are you okay? Did...did you agree to that?

Odysseus: once again not feeling the appearance changing spell. Cannot see himself and does not lose any of his abilities. Has long since labeled that as 'not your problem. Don't think about': yah? So?? Mind your business??? It's Athena! And what am I going do tell her to stop?? I am happy with Athenas blessings. Why are you questioning the goddess of wisdom???

[silasbirchtree]

"billford is abusive" yeah. fucking obviously

here's the thing: literally no one is making content w the inherent idea that billford is a healthy relationship, or that they Should be together. but it is a genuinely interesting dynamic with tropes that have been enjoyed since literally forever: power imbalances, mortal/god, enemies/lovers etc. and part of the appeal of why their relationship is so interesting is delving into the underlying care/love between them. abusive relationships aren't constantly threatening or scary 24/7 - part of what makes them so easy to fall into is that you really do love and trust this person - which is a realistic portrayal!! the tragedy of it is an idea that has been loved for ages: watching a relationship grow and evolve, even knowing that it still ends badly!! it's interesting and heartbreaking and it is literally just basic antithesis.

this is like basic media literacy can we pleaaase be serious lmfao. it's fine if you don't fw the ship/dynamic but you don't have to come up with a moral high ground for it - and having a dynamic that is explicitly abusive, while also showing the victim to be able to heal with support, in mainstream kids media facilitates further recognition and discussion on abuse which is a good thing.

[normal-posts-4-normal-people]

Do you think on Baldur's-gate-blr (Tumblr in bg3 universe) there are freaks and non-freaks alike getting into endless internet arguments about whether shipping a Bhaalspawn with anyone is inherently problematic?

Are the Rpf girlies getting into Durgetash discourse? Are people arguing about who is the victim in the Durtash ship? Are there bhaalspawn aus for anime shit? Is it the equivalent of making a 9/11 au? Are there levels of problematicness like how there are irl ( Normal ships < toxic yaoi < Ships that would be Illegal irl)

Obviously God x Mortal is a little freaky but Im pretty sure nobody gets super weird about Mystra being with Gale in-game so I'm pretty sure that ship dynamic is considered kosher in universe.

In the beta asking Astarion if he fucked Cazador implies at least a little bit that vampire x spawn relationships are problematic.

Warlock x Patron is a canon gray area ( Even though I am obsessed with it and have been since middle school, please ask me about my opinions on Warlock x Patron ) , and the Drow straight up have sex slaves.

What is considered Taboo here, Larian I need to know

[pushthequorumbutton]

It is genuinely cute for me to see Sergio Castellitto be your new blorbo (I think?). I was wondering if you have an order of favorite characters in Conclave + what you think of them? I came out of the movie having a pretty typical Lawrence/Benitez bias, but I'm not sure whether I had a favorite character. (Ngl ngl, I thought Tedesco was a GREAT VILLAIN because I *really* did not want to see him become Pope, lmao.)

uhhhhh maybe, but i'm only watching movies where he fits the aesthetic i like (mafia inc, il grande cocomero) so idk if he'd really count as a blorbo. i don't think i'm obsessed enough lmao.

order of favorite conclave characters (movie version, i've put a hold on the book in my library but i'm behind like 25 people so not sure when i'll be able to read it)

tedesco (i hate him) (i want to study every inch of his character design under a microscope to understand how they fit his Themes) (i don't think his vape is strawberry flavored)

bellini (stanley tucci did a great job and i deeply want to know more about his backstory as a gay man in the church and also his friendship with lawrence)

lawrence (a tormented vehicle for character studies. i have watched more than i ever needed of this man's frowning forehead and balding scalp.)

agnes (bad bitch. i bet she plays browser games.)

benitez (absolutely incredible aura. can't believe he only speaks like 10 lines and is onscreen for 15 min before being elected pope. carlos diehz you absolute legend.)

adeyemi (i mean, i don't like him, but i think he's an interesting character and illuminates a lot about lawrence as a character.)

ray (spill the tea, sir)

tremblay (i dislike him (for real))

in terms of ships, it's probably:

lawrence/tedesco (there are 2 dynamics i enjoy here: absolutely fucked up guilty hatred codependency shit, OR fluffy crack but still with an undertone of fucked up guilt)

lawrence/benitez (*yodeling* devotion!!! replacing your faith in god with faith in a mortal man (ruler, spiritual advisor, boss, friend) and not even admitting that to yourself?? the inherent power imbalance (in both directions, lawrence's experience with the curia vs benitez's position) and absolutely insane mental gymnastics happening on each of their parts, probably??? sign me the fuck up babey)

lawrence/bellini (they've been friends for 40 years probably?? gay yearning??? requited unrequited ust????)

lawrence/bellini/benitez (they all have 2 hands)

lawrence/bellini/tedesco (bellini and tedesco should fight over lawrence like dogs with a bone. the fic machiavelli's room is absolute peak execution of this pairing.)

lawrence/benitez/tedesco (through the power of love friendship, tedesco can be redeemed brought to heel like a dog)

anything else

i'm not really a fan of benitez/tedesco or bellini/tedesco, although i can see why they could be compelling. mostly i feel like tedesco doesn't really deserve to be inflicted upon anybody except lawrence who, as a man already drowning under catholic guilt and suicidal ideation, should Suffer Even More.

...does that mean lawrence is my new blorbo??

[megamindsupremacy]

Heyyyy so about that pjo/batfam au.... I love it.

I wonder if any of the bat kids are legacies or half bloods? Like, they'd be ripe for urgent adoption and training, given the inherent risk of monsters! Not to mention the specially bred deep rooted battle/hero instincts. Would only some be half bloods? Any? How would that affect the dynamics, to have some (or just B) be aware of and able to interact with this whole secret world complete with monsters hidden in plain sight?? There's got to be tons of secret pjo resource stashes like different metals, foods, weapons, armour hidden everywhere hehe.

Ooh, would a bat kid ever have accidentally eaten ambrosia/nectar (or gotten close) without knowing what it is? Is Alfred a legacy?? A satyr?!! That'd be so so cool. (and it'd be an explanation for how long lived he is lmao)

If the batkids were all legacies/half bloods, who would be who? Would there be a mix of greek/roman? Is Bruce aware of the Egyptians or Norse lot?? I'm so curioussssss

ooo okay so the batkids! i explained it like... a year ago (jeez) in this post but here's the basic rundown:

Bruce: Athena (three parents, complicated situation)

Dick: Hermes (three parents, uncomplicated situation)

Babs: mortal, clearsighted, not The Oracle but calls herself Oracle

Jason: Nemesis (still working this one out)

Cass: Shiva/Nike, raised by David Cain

Tim: Bellona/Janet (who is a legacy of zeus)

Steph: Apollo

Damian: Legacy Athena/Hades

Duke: normal ("normal") meta but everyone up to and including Apollo thinks he's Apollo's kid

-

There are definitely stashes of demigod resources! most of the stock is in the Batcave, but they definitely have stashes in all the safehouses. They're basically like any other resource- medical supplies, celestial bronze dagger, batarangs, smoke pellets, ambrosia, etc. Considering that celestial bronze and nectar/ambrosia are pretty rare, i doubt they're using them daily, but everyone definitely has emergency demigod equipment on them. I'm also making Gotham a Land Beyond Gods, a la Alaska in SoN, so there's less of a monster problem than other cities. Gotham kinda like the trash dump of the demigod world- all the weird fucked up stuff ends up there for our intrepid heroes to get chased by.

-

Most of the Batkids are aware of who they are, eventually! Bruce, Cass, and Damian always know, Dick and Jason figure it out pretty quickly after living with Bruce, Tim figures it out himself before becoming Robin, and Steph only figures it out after she "dies" (poor guy). Bruce isn't very good with the Mist, and monsters aren't like, a huge problem in Gotham, so it's not really a big deal to them if they are/aren't demigods. Babs kept up just fine as a mortal, after all. Like i said earlier, ambrosia/nectar are in short supply in Gotham (bruce doesn't really have a consistent way of getting more besides through diana, who also doesnt really have a consistent way of getting more), so nobody's eating any by accident.

-

I have literally no idea what's going on with Alfred. I joked a while back that he's a minor god, which I'm not opposed to, I'd just have to work that one out a bit more. The satyr idea is fun and works really well, except imagining Alfred with goat legs and eating aluminum cans freaks me out and I don't know what to do about that. He could also just be a mortal blessed by [insert god here] to have a longer lifespan, or someone who made a deal with [insert god here] to be alive as long as Bruce/the Wayne family needs him. It'll be interesting to figure out, whenever I end up doing that!

-

Bruce and Co. are NOT aware of the other pantheons! As in, they are so unaware of the other pantheons that nobody can figure out who the fuck Tim's godly parent is. Bellona is on nobody's radar, everyone is split between Ares/Dionysus/Athena/????. They also haven't figured out he's a Zeus legacy, because his ancestor fled to Gotham during WW2 and then did their best to hide their heritage for their and their kids' safety. Poor guy doesn't know what the fuck is going on, basically. Bruce is actually pretty cut off from CHB, so he's not super up-to-date about the demigod world. He tends to focus more on the superhero side of things. His kids have varying levels of interest/affiliation with the demigods, but they're definitely not on the "first to know" end of news whenever things happen. It takes a hot minute for anyone to figure out the Romans exist, and considering that Percy and Annabeth try pretty hard to conceal the Egyptian and presumably Norse pantheons, we can assume the Batfam isn't aware of those guys for quite a bit after the Greeks learn about them.

[caktusjuice-draws]

I haven't been imagining inevitable as a break up but as Pokotho giving Paul the one thing he wants most. Like, "you're trapped here with me forever now, here's a pet barista to keep you company." He's telling Emma "let me be you so we can finally all have what we want." Isn't the easiest way to make someone love you to just... become the person they already love? How else would Pokey be able to kiss Paul? How else would he be able to convince Paul that he's happier now that the world has ended?

There's something I love about the inherent horror of Paul and Emma being hopelessly shackled to a life more perfect than either of them could ever have dreamed. They have everything they ever wanted! Of course they're happy! They Literally Can't Not Be Happy. Paul keeps looking into the eyes of his One True Love and watching someone else sing "I love you" with her voice. They keep ending up on picture-perfect dates that neither of them planned, they have multiple lavish weddings, and nothing ever goes wrong that can't be fixed with a few scripted jokes and a song. I think Paul would learn to love him back eventually. In a terrible, guilt ridden way. (new favorite ship dynamic: two soulmates and the god who keeps playing "make the barbies kiss" by mind controlling them) (sorry for rambling so long in your ask box!)

Pokey would get to kiss Paul himself if he weren't a fucking coward /j

But I think all of this is wholly dependent on how you view the apotheosis. "Join us and Die" makes it pretty clear (for me at least) that this is in fact death. If you look at it from that perspective then YEAH Pokey is playing barbies ... with corpses.

Whatever is or was Paul and Emma is long departed from the mortal body. Which just puts Pokey in full denial about the situation. Pokey speaks through them, Pokey moves them, these are not actually the desires of these meat puppets, but rather the desires Pokey feels they should have. He makes them follow is script, which is just a caricature of what these people once were.

Emma and Paul aren't really together. Emma and Paul are dead.

THE SCARIEST PART IS I THINK POKEY THINKS HE IS ACTUALLY THE GOOD GUY

[veetyuh]

Another really strong relationship in the polycule, outside the complicated NornScotIre web, is probably EngSea. Especially from a historical perspective, good fucking god the amount that England is literally obsessed with a tiny fort is incomprehensible. Pretty much a Belarus-Russia situation, except Peter actually reciprocates.

The first and most obvious thing is power dynamics. Peter is 18, he's just reaching adulthood, he's super isolated with few social skills, facing his mortality as that 100 year expiration date ticks closer. He's ungodly old for a micronation (81!), too young for a "real" nation, and he's the UK brother everyone forgets. He's a black sheep. He's alone. And he's been fighting for his life since day one, left by his older brothers to fend for himself.

Arthur gave this kid his identical trauma. But because of what Peter is -- a fort made to protect Arthur at all costs -- he didn't develop npd or bpd like Arthur. He internalized it, and tied his self-worth to it. Arthur marooned him at sea for a decade. Well, it must be because Peter didn't fight hard enough! He should have killed more Nazis, maybe then Arthur would love him -- never mind that it was a horrible, unfortunate mistake that no action of his could have prevented.

And so Arthur's love and attention is directly tied to Peter's self-esteem. That's only reinforced by Peter's fort instincts; being made to serve and protect him, naturally, his brain is hard-wired to revolve around him. So when they do get together, it's mostly Peter fretting over him 24/7.

Their history of fighting is so fucking painful and it's 100% Arthur going full yandere mode. He thought Peter died after his sailors were withdrawn, and learning that he was not only alive, but stolen away from him and in the hands of a fucking lunatic? He had to "rescue" him at all costs. Bomb threats to scare them out, trying to steal it while Prince Roy was gone by sending a boat literally codenamed Big Brother, trying to starve them out by making Roy go through customs and ruining their supplies. One outright failed bombing attempt. Offers to buy it. Then trying to fight them in the court system and failing. A significant part of the British government was focused on the reacquisition of that fucking fort. I cannot stress the sheer amount of effort focused around a pair of concrete pants in the ocean. It's like Arthur was having a complete meltdown.

Of course, they're quite friendly now, so I interpret that as Arthur and Peter having reconciled. And with those two, they get super close at an unnaturally fast pace. Because?? They're the same.

But another thing that makes the bond so strong so quickly is that Peter is genuinely always on Arthur's side, in everything that matters. He can't help but be. So, even though Peter falls head over heels and enthusiastically consents, it's inherently dubcon; so much of his love and admiration comes from basic instinct to serve his country, and it's impossible to tell the ratio of instinct to earned love. But that also makes the relationship more stable in a fucked-up way, because Arthur knows he can trust him at a deep, base level. And to someone as unstable as Arthur, having that stability is very important.

Culturally, they're identical. Peter is English. So now, Arthur isn't an outlier as a Germanic in a family of Celts. And

Peter is taking Arthur's place as the youngest. Both have abandonment trauma, so they're co-dependent and need each other very close. Similar tastes, with playful bickering over the smallest of differences. Same sense of humor, so their quips are always well-received. Fuck, they even look alike.

And so he values the relationship so much that he gets more than a little unreasonable. Peter is practically half-German after many years of German immigration -- at one point about half of all Sealanders were German or Austrian. He has all these little habits he picked up, speaks the language, and looks up to Ludwig, the same man he was built to kill. Does that imply Peter can overcome his instincts to some extent? Does that mean he might betray Arthur? And Peter is awfully economically close to Spain, which stirs up old feelings about fighting over colonies. So Arthur gets possessive. Some of the old yandere tendencies between them come out. Except now, Peter isn't being kept from Arthur, but being kept from his friends. Anyone who might "steal" him. No, he is English property and Arthur will make damn sure he never leaves him. Isolating him by spending a ton of time with him, because Peter will always drop whatever he's doing or planning if only Arthur asks.

But it isn't all fucked-up angst. Arthur helps Peter overcome his lingering cptsd, helps him regulate his drinking, and overall improves his quality of life. Peter gets Arthur to open up and be a bit more authentic around himself and others -- albeit, by hyping him up and stroking his ego, which Arthur is prone to seeking because of the npd. Outwardly, they both seem so good, they're smiling more and work so well together, that it's hard for outsiders to see the more unhealthy dynamics that are kind of the foundation of the relationship.

With sexual dynamics the sky is the limit, simply because Peter will do whatever Arthur wants. Submissive, dominant? Service top? Power bottom? Peter is certainly more skilled in some areas than others, but he will break himself to fit into whatever mold Arthur casts for him. Whatever Arthur wishes, he will receive.

Overall the dual healthiness and unhealthiness of the relationship just fascinates me. And the sheer level of co-dependence puts them firmly in the do not separate category, along with WalesEng and NornScot.

[threeunrelateddescriptors]

Wiffing the sibling dynamics

My sibling and I had (have? eh, only partly) a dynamic that I feel like I never see portrayed and it should be. People are sleeping on this dynamic.

I am younger than my sib by almost a decade and, when we were younger, quite a bit shorter (obviously). Despite my being younger and shorter, I was also (and still am) stupidly strong and utterly unaware of my own mortality when pissed (also still true).

We also intensely detested each other. Honest to god, we gently attempted to straight up murder each other at various points through our child/teen-hood.

We're better now.

Regardless, despite my detesting them, I was also a vicious oblivious-to-my-size attack dog against anyone who was Unwelcome. Remember that whole "strong and unaware of my mortality" thing? Yeah, apparently if you combine those things, you get a very tiny snarly beast who will attempt to decapitate "threats" No Matter What.

Unwelcome people tended to be guys hitting on my sibling. Mostly because those were the people most likely to approach someone out of the blue. My fury and guardianship was not relegated to them, they are just the ones I remember best.

In short, there should be more: younger & smaller hyper-protective sibling in a dyad who absolutely fucking hates each other.

Hell, I'll just take the first part of that dynamic. I never see younger siblings being the protective ones.

By the by, my sibling could well and easily tend to themself, I just understood it was my inherent duty as vicious asshole to be A Vicious Asshole. And because if someone is going to bother my sibling, it is damn well going to be me.

[brian-wellson]

“Mister Wellson… your file says you’ve been dead nigh on four years, mate.” The little gnome pushed his half-moon reading glasses just above the bridge of his nose. He set his jaw. “Coroner says you were … are? … was? … were, I suppose? … dead hisself, and yet, ya don’t look like a death knight, so…”

Wellson rolled his eyes as the gnome prattled on. He’d heard the story thousands of times already, though this time was worse: it was a fucking gnome telling it. Of course it was a gnome, he thought.

Perhaps the sole decent thing about Hell had been the distinct lack of gnomes — too damned stupid for self-actualization, at least according to the demons. Not that anyone could trust what the demons had said, mind you, but the thought of gnomes being more stupid than housepets made Wellson smile. “Gnomes are always so brilliant,” was the common joke, “until you forgot to water them.” Plus it made a fuck of a lot more sense than the alternative: virginal gnome ‘heavens’ with an eternity spent talking about Gods knows what in those accursèd voices.

Wellson shuddered.

The gnome noticed and set down his legal pad.

“Cold?”

Wellson side-eyed the court-appointed defender. “No,” he said.

“You’re shivering.”

“Fine, thanks.”

“You sure? I can get you a blanket.”

“No!” Wellson shouted before tempering himself with a nervous chuckle. He scooped his water glass off the table. “…no… Not necessary. Thanks. I’m so sorry … You’re very kind, mister … um … ???” He took a sip.

“Umaldo. … so close!” Now it was the gnome’s turn to side-eye Wellson. “Magister Umaldo.”

Wellson spit his water, inadvertently showering his diminutive counsel. “I was … actually on the right track!?” He attempted to gesture wildly only to be halted by his restraints. “With your name, I mean!?”

“Would you like to toss me, too?” Umaldo massaged his temples. “I hate this job.”

“Can’t imagine why…” He shook his head. “Sorry about your face.” He cringed. “That came out wrong … And, no … thanks. I’m not really into gnome tossing anymore, not since that one battle.” If he could have planted his forehead into his palms, he would have.

Umaldo glared at Wellson. “I know.” He snatched a small, threadbare kerchief from his pocket. He swiped at his cheek. “Right, then. Anyway. You’re … not-dead.”

“Correct.”

“And you’re not undead.”

“Mmhmm.”

“And there is no magic holding your corporeal remains together, tethering them to this otherwise mortal coil?”

Wellson hesitated. Umaldo noticed. He looked up from the entrance interview form he had devised:

“Mister Wellson?” asked the gnome.

After another beat: “To the best of my knowledge, I swear on all that is Holy — and let me underscore that with a Capital H™ ‘Holy’,” he said, eyes heavy on the man’s face, “I ain’t some magical amalgamation.”

Umaldo sighed. “‘Magical amalgamation…’” he muttered, skimming through the checklist he’d been citing. He skipped a number of pages. A wicked smile spread across his lips: “Ok, mate. How about this — do you swear on all that is unholy or otherwise defiled? Do you swear you’re not being held together by some unknown magic?”

“‘Unknown magic’?” said Wellson. He allowed his thoughts to meander. “If anything is unknown, by definition, one can’t know…” he drummed his hands on the desk. “…therefore, you are using this as a question to betray my … hmmph. Clever,” he muttered. He cleared his throat. “Point stands.” He looked toward his counsel. “Yes … swearing on the unholy and defiled, as you ask … I ain’t some magical amalgamation of either known or unknown construction.”

Legalese is so exhausting.

Umaldo tapped his clipboard. He checked a few boxes, ripped three or four pages out from the questionnaire and lit them aflame, and proceeded to lean back in his chair:

“Fun fact — I don’t like you, Mister Wellson.”

“Not exactly a fan of you, either, Magister.”

Umaldo accepted acknowledgement of his title for as it had been intended: a tip of the hat toward the inherent power imbalance of their dynamic. He thought a moment before tossing the entire stack of paperwork aside. “Ya know this is all being recorded anyway, yes — for our use, only. Not the Crown.”

“Aye,” said Wellson.

“So we go off record now.” The gnome leaned in, lowered his voice. “Plainspeak, Mister Wellson. Why’d you turn yourself in. And why’d you ask for public counsel?”

Wellson snapped his fingers. “The real questions. Took you long enough,” he whispered.

Umaldo narrowed his eyes. “Why.”

“Can’t know your character otherwise.”

“My char—?”

“Aye,” he said. “Character. What you’re made of.”

“I may be only half-gnome, but I do remember to drink water,” said Umaldo. He considered what Wellson had said for a moment before leaning back: “On record.”

Wellson watched as the Magister opened his cheap mottled briefcase. Umaldo rifled through some papers, and — upon locating the correct one — began drafting a motion. The man’s immaculate letter-print was impressive.

“What’s that now?”

“Petitioning your former House for your … rather, for Brian Wellson’s … exhumation,” said the gnome. “Give me a moment and …” he said, grabbing for a second paper and an ink pad, “…your thumb.”

“And this?” said Wellson, nodding toward the second paper.

“You’re not dead.”

“Oh… I’m most certainly, actually dead.”

“You’re neither a death knight, nor are you Forsaken. So you’re either in the ground and I’m completely batshit…” said Umaldo, smashing Wellson’s thumb into the ink before mashing it against the second paper, “…or you’re an impostor. As your counsel, I’d like to know the kind of sick fuck whom I am forced to represent.”

Wellson shook his head: Can’t plan out dialogue like before, but it’s not entirely unstable, either. Overall paradigm stability more than 85%. Compliance advised.

“Would you like a hint?” he offered.

“You’ve nothing to offer.”

“I’ve a —”

“— sister,” said Umaldo, completing the sentence. He shook his head. “No longer fugitive. The Crown knows. Went straight right after you were interred, lost in an operation six months later.”

“Want to know where she is?”

Umaldo didn’t say anything at first. Instead he secured the draft motions, covered the thumbprint with a magical seal, and stuffed his papers back into his briefcase. Afterward: “I work for you. It’s not in your interest to give details until a deal is presented.”

“You don’t even believe I am who I say.”

“Told you I don’t like you, fucker,” seethed Umaldo. He leaned in close. “I’m here because I don’t have a choice. This is my job. Don’t you get it?”

Wellson studied the half-gnome’s features. Not yet. “…run my ID. And tell Lord Rollins to not fight exhumation. Do me a favour, yeah?”

Umaldo scoffed, taken aback: “You’ve got a pair, hm?”

“… just do it under darkness. Dig up my body then. New moon. Which should be …” — he counted on his fingers — “…not three days hence.”

“What are you? Waiting for a bomb to go off? Head of state to die? Covert exfiltration from a monastery?”

Wellson shook his head. “You’re as bad as the fucking cops,” he muttered. He paused, almost saying what he had to say before offering this instead: “The Au’llonians have kids. Those kids don’t need to see THIS.” He stared at his dirty fingernails. “Three days?”

Umaldo thought about it. He scribbled something quick on an edge of exposed paper. He tore it off. He got up and banged on the door. It opened. Johnson. Umaldo took Wellson’s hand. A wadded ball of paper passed from him to the shackled prisoner. “Enhanced protocol, through 80 hours from now. Understood?”

Johnson nodded. “Aye. This way to prisoner’s counsel recordin’.” The door shut.

Wellson started to count. Each time he had reached this point in the simulation was different — every time up until this moment was always the same: he had never waited long enough to read the note.

Maybe it would be better if he ignored it.

He stopped counting. He went about his day to day. Dinner was delivered: porridge cut with canned peaches, rosehips, fresh-ish crème, and sawdust. Mmm. Just like Mom… He ate without hesitation. Toward the end of his meal, he took a small, stale end piece of bread into his hand, broke it in half. He dropped the wadded paper into the bowl. He teased it apart with the crusty end pieces of bread. He memorized the note’s contents: four words. He scooped it up with the crusty bread heel and ate it. No affectation, no other indication he had done so. Soon, the bowl was clean. He pushed it away. He waited for Johnson to come back for the seemingly inevitable beheading.

Only this time, Johnson did not come through the door.

Moreover, Wellson’s beheading didn’t follow.

Throughout his dreams that night, the note Umaldo had penned wound its way:

“I WILL BURY YOU”

So much different.

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

Something about dc glass canons just hit different.

Dc has a lot of tank characters. The heavy hitters. The overpowered pseudo gods. I'm talking your average Kryptonian, Amazonian, Atlantean or Martian. A tank character in dc usually has super strength and a very high durability, if not complete invulnerability. Starfire and Cyborg, for example, would be considered tanks because of how durable, strong and powerful they are, despite the fact that they aren't invulnerable.

There are a lot of tank characters in dc. Classic tanks for the Teen Titans are Donna, Garth, Vic and Kori. For Young Justice, the tank characters are Cassie and Kon. In the Justice League they'd be Clark, Diana, Arthur, J'onn, Kendra/Shayera, Billy, ect. I could literally list tank characters all day. There are so many of them.

I find that tanks can get a little old, fast. There isn't a whole lot you can do with a tank character, especially not with dc tanks. They're all basically gods so there aren't a whole lot of stakes in your stories. Usually these tanks have a fatal weakness to make them more interesting and to insert stakes back into the story but even with those they can get dull. Dc tanks tend to have a heart of gold and they don't tend to mess around with morality much. These are powerful characters and with that much power it becomes scary if they are anything less than a boy scout. Of course there are exceptions, like when dc wants their characters to be edgy (cough cough Arthur and Diana) but typically the tanks are fairly cut and dry morality wise and very palatable.

Then there are dc's 'just some guy's. There's a lot of these as well. These are your typical 'no powers' heroes like Batman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Red Arrow and Robin. There are a lot of these guys. Now the 'just some guy's are allowed to be very complex characters with a wide range of morality. In fact, they're encouraged to do so because they're supposed to be relatable to the audience. The tanks are gods to be admired, bastions of peace, hope and justice, but the 'just some guy's? They are just people. For that reason they can be incredibly compelling and interesting characters but they lose a lot of points when it comes to fights. Because of the power scaling in DC, these characters are either unable to do anything above street level or they have an insane amount of plot conveniences that allow them to somehow win (Batman with his prep time or Batman with his bottomless utility belt or, well, really Batman with anything)

But where dc really hits it out of the park? Their best and most compelling characters (in my opinion)??? The glass canons. A glass canon, for those unfamiliar, is a character who can deal a massive amount of damage but who goes down with one hit. All the power of the tank and all the vulnerability of the 'just some guy'. Not a god, not a man but perpetually in-between.

Classic DC glass canons would be Wally, Raven and Gar (depending) for the Teen Titans, Bart for Young Justice, Barry/Wally, Hal/John/Guy/Kyle/Jess/Simon/Jo, Zatanna and Black Canary (depending). Basically any speedster, Green Lantern or magic user would fit the bill. Some metas as well depending on power levels. Gar and Dinah are tricky because to truly be a glass canon you have to have an insane amount of power and around normal human durability. So it really depends on their characterization.

Dc's glass canons are so much fun. They're allowed to be human! By god do they fuck up and mess around and make mistakes. They try their best to be good but it's not an inherent quality like the tanks. They're powerful enough to be cocky but mortal enough that they're extremely vulnerable at all times. Take Bart for example. That little dude could rewrite reality if he wanted to. He could take out an army before they could blink. He could hop across the multiverse in an instant. He'd also collapse if you hit him over the head with a chair.

It's just such a fun dynamic??? The stakes are real. One bullet could take your hero out and yet they still face down gunfire everyday. They have the powers of gods and yet they are extremely human and flawed. It's a fight between holding back and being human and letting loose and becoming the thing they fear.

I just find the glass canon to be such a compelling character archetype. This character could singlehandedly take down a country if they wanted to but also they just got a paper cut while trying to do their taxes.

[prisonguards]

feel free to not answer this if you do not want to but u have alluded to toxic smallidarity a couple times. expand on that, if u would like? because i have some ideas but i am DESPERATE for more. love my little guys as stupid soft freaks who hold hands and affectionately wrestle but i also. listen i’m a weak man. anyways .

so I think the route I most typically take with it in s2 is… possessiveness. like over possessiveness, with the whole toy angle fueling it until Joel thinks of Jimmy as basically an object he can own. his own possession and property. maybe steals him away to put somewhere on display in Stratos. have his own little temple like Fwhip has his little Sheriff shrine, but Joel gets the /original/, the real deal. theres a lot you can do with the God/mortal angle and it creates a pretty inherent power difference, depending on how many God powers you give Joel, and obv I already subscribe to the kinda body horror toy headcanon ausgus. and ofc that toy transformation can be pushed. all the way. until Jimmys fully inanimate.

*shaking like a small wet dog* I cant hold myself back from talking abt fucked up marriage any longer. I think s2s dynamic lends itself best to a kinda onesided love/obsession (Joel->Jimmy). with all the teasing and bullying this season, Joel could offer a solution to finally end the torment, if Jimmy will just be his. Joel will be nice to him, the tricks will end, Jimmy will get treated like royalty and a God, everyone /will/ respect him, hell have Joel to back him up, divine enforcement for his laws. he just has to come live in Stratos as his bride husband. Jimmys not sure if he really loves Joel, or if itll be everything he promises, but its nonetheless tempting, so he takes the offer. its kind of an awkward forced domesticity, and yeah Joel still treats him a bit like hes some cute little toy and not perhaps an equal, but its not SO bad. its just maybe not love either.

Im sorry I dont know what possessed me thats like a full fleshed au ausgsu I just. really love fucked up marriages and complicated relationships

[first-and-last-neocount]

Uh oh. New ship alert.

So I’m currently writing a DragonLance fic, which is Tanis/Raistlin set in the Brothers Majere era. And I’m trying very hard not to get distracted from it, because I was blocked for a while on it, and now I’ve broken through that impasse and am happily making progress. But as is often the case when my brain is happily chugging along, it’s also tossing up new ideas, and I was just struck by an absolute lightning bolt of inspiration that I simply have to offer up for consideration. 

Feal-Thas/Raistlin. 

Feal-Thas is my winner of the #1 Underappreciated Fandom Blorbo Award: DragonLance Edition. I love my evil wolf mage boi so much, you don’t even know, I fixated so fucking hard on this guy when I was twelve it’s honestly hysterical. I may still have some really janky fanart somewhere. Shared blorbo fixation aside, though... he and Raistlin honestly have a lot of interesting parallels? They have at least as much in common as Raistlin and Dalamar do when it comes to the outcast background, but Feal-Thas is way more genuinely ruthless and ambitious. 

Also, while Feal-Thas is a Dragon Highlord and ostensibly the enemy of the Companions of the Lance, he is fully aware of the fact that Ariakas is a racist bastard and will always distrust Feal-Thas purely because he’s an elf. He’d be intrigued by Raistlin’s sheer power and potential, and I think that if Raistlin made a good enough case - which you know he’d be able to do - Feal-Thas might just see the way the wind is blowing and be open to defecting from the Dragonarmies. After all, who needs to quibble over mortal territories when the most interesting person you’ve met in centuries has just hinted that they have a good idea of how to become a god? 

(This is especially alluring to me because I ship Raistlin/Dalamar by sheer dint of chemistry, but Enemies To Lovers is inherently a trope much more to my tastes than the Master/Apprentice dynamic those two have got going on, which is something I have to actively write out of the picture before I can really develop that ship. There’s a reason basically all my fic ideas for Raistlin and Dalamar involve them abandoning the Tower in Palanthas and starting out on some new venture on equal footing. Yes, this personal preference is also why I don’t write Star Wars fic despite having a whole bunch of pairings I like in that fandom. I can read those dynamics just fine, I’m just not comfortable writing them.) 

Anyway. If anything comes of this line of thinking, it’ll be after my current DL fic. I just needed to get this off my chest, because holy shit, I think I just fell in love with a whole new rarepair. Of that exalted they-never-even-met-in-canon flavour, no less, lol. 

(Also the easiest way to get Raistlin and Feal-Thas to meet is to just straight swap Sturm and Raistlin’s places when the Companions split up, which is fantastic, because it also lets me keep Sturm alive quite easily. Because fuck Sturm dying just when I was really starting to like him.)

Hey @theobscurepotato, are you surprised to find out that I was hyperfixated on an evil wizard shapeshifter with a white wolf motif? XD

[shinelikethunder]

So what is with Hannibal. I mean, I know the basic concept of the series, but what is compelling about it. I ask you this as someone whose tastes are very similar to yours. I also ask you this as someone who has always been morbidly fascinated with cannibalism, but like... survival cannibalism, not "this dude is one sick fuck" cannibalism

Oh god. Uh. How do I even begin to explain what is with Hannibal. The closest analogy I can come up with is “in musical theater terms, take the id appeal of The Phantom of the Opera but make the execution even more Sweeney Todd than any production of Sweeney Todd that’s ever been staged.” That doesn’t do it justice though. It is so many things and all of them are ridiculous:

“Let’s take a series of iconic psychological-thriller novels and adapt them into... a 3-season-long pretentious art film that’s initially forced to masquerade as a network-TV crime procedural!” Which is ludicrous enough. But on top of that, halfway through first season, the “retelling” has already shown its hand as fanfiction: they don’t have the rights to all the source material? Fine, then they will mix, match, remix, embroider, recontextualize, and allude to whatever they want to--it’s a freeform improvisation that’s based in loving, respecting, wanting more of, and also fixing (and occasionally roasting) the canon.

The pretentious art film’s aesthetic goal, which it is utterly relentless about, is to take you on a ride that obliterates the boundaries between hungry, horrified, and horny. Everything is beautiful, especially things that shouldn’t be. Everything looks disturbingly appetizing, even things that aren’t food. Everything is weirdly sexy and alluring. All of this is accomplished without flinching from how horrific the subject matter is. And it’s all intercut with characters having Deep and Thematically Relevant Conversations that sound like a bunch of vampires smoking weed and talking about their feelings. It’s just... a hell of a headspace to get drawn into.

Highly stylized yet unexpectedly earnest and heartfelt meditations on mortality, trauma, and every human’s relationship with their own potential for darkness? The more any particular character looks purely like a victim and a poor wounded bird to others, the more complicated their actual relationship to their own agency and what they've done to survive. There’s a beautiful, thoughtful, heartbreaking subplot about a marriage between two strong and dignified people when one of them falls terminally ill--and it plays out in tandem with Grand Guignol bullshit about, like, an aging serial killer who commemorates his own life’s legacy by digging up all his corpses and hacking them together into a totem pole. It’s batshit. It shouldn’t work, and yet.

It’s so incredibly fucking funny. If you’re into humor of the pitch-black and/or gallows variety. The entire show is a comedy anchored in the dramatic irony of “none of these very serious characters know they’re on a show about Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter, Notorious Serial Killer Whose Dinner Parties You Should Avoid At All Costs.”

The central relationship is... I don’t even know how to put it. It’s operating in the same “gothic horror and/or romance” territory as, say, most vampire fiction--locating and exploring and ultimately wallowing in the part of the psyche that finds darkness alluring. But it’s very eclectic in what it pulls into that dreamscape, and it manages to sustain an incredible amount of ambivalence between allure and acknowledgement of how awful everything that’s going on really is--between giving in and trying to maintain control over your darkness. And it’s a show where “giving in” means not just acceptance but participation--it’s about falling in love with the monster, but also about people identifying with and potentially becoming monsters themselves.

And also, like, unexpected bonding between weird, fucked-up, lonely people who are used to being looked at but not used to being seen and understood and accepted. And constant power struggles between people who will never settle into a stable dynamic where either of them comes out on top. And weird relationships to vulnerability. And games of manipulation that leave room for, even celebrate, the inherent non-deterministic and unpredictable nature of even the people you know the best.  And, you know, problematic murder queers who appreciate the intimacy of a good stab wound.

If you want to try it out: Watch the first 2 episodes for essential setup/context and to get a feel for how the show works. (And whether the way it does gore and horror is going to be too much. The case-of-the-week in episode 2 is... uh, it’s A Lot.) If you want to continue, awesome! If you want to keep sampling before you commit, here’s a few recs:

Peak dark-comedy romcom episode, minimal spoilers, minimal additional context needed: 1x08 Fromage, aka the human cello.

(Runner-up: 1x07 Sorbet, which is a bit structurally odd and less representative of how the show rolls, but still a fun time.)

Peak “that’s it that’s the show” episode, if you don’t mind spoilers through mid-s2 and are OK rolling with lack of context: 2x08 Su-zakana, aka the nightmare turducken.

Peak id-fic episode, spoilery as fuck and probably akin to an acid trip without context: 3x06 Dolce, in which everyone bleeds real pretty and marinates in Yearning up to their eyeballs, except the murder lesbians, who are the only ones sensible enough to just fuck already

(Runner-up: 2x10 Naka-choko, aka Relationship Status: Both “In Cahoots With” and “It’s A Trap”, aka peak inappropriately horny episode.)

[woeisme-iamwoe]

an absolutely massive Haikyuu!! fic rec pt. 1

I went through my entire ao3 history because I’m insane, AND here’s my favorites. (There’s not a lot of aus because I’m not a huge fan of them, and there’s no sad endings. I’m a hopeless romantic leave me alone. There is angst though! Lots) 

Beginning with SakuAtsu (I’m a hoe for Atsumu): 

Hide and seek, by badreputation (10k. E. canonverse) 

It sure is a good thing Atsumu doesn't have a latex allergy 

It’s just a fleeting infatuation. As long as he pushes through it he’ll manage. So what if nowadays there isn’t a night where he doesn’t dream of Sakusa pinning him down on his own bed, in the shower or make Atsumu go down on his knees in the hallway? Those are just pesky details.

Some Memories, We May Keep, by mika60 (31k. T. canonverse) 

This is canon, fight me on it. 

The missing panels, the missing games, the missing moments.

The them we never saw.

*Now complete! :)*

 every action has an equal and opposite reaction, by akanemnida (10k. T. canonverse) 

Miya Atsumu gets a modeling contract with Calvin Klein, which sets Kiyoomi's heart in motion.

(Or: Sakusa Kiyoomi realizes that the rules governing the universe are absolute rubbish at explaining matters of the heart.)

 Ass-fingering as a prelude to relations of the emotional kind: a case study, by neverwere (2k. E. canonverse) 

Fucking hilarious, the imagery is absolutely hilarious. 

"Marry me, he thinks, as he comes around Sakusa's fingers and all over himself.

This. This is exactly why you don't let strangers or very attractive teammates finger you out of the blue.

Everyone knows that the ass is the shortest way to the heart."

Or

When it comes to sex, Atsumu has rules. Guidelines! SOPs! He swears they work, they've always worked.

Until they don't.

 parallax error: angle of inclination, by min_mintobe (10k. T. canonverse)

But now there's the one person Atsumu'd promised himself never to touch. His eyes leave Atsumu breathless with guilt at seventeen, and he spends the next six years safe in the satisfaction of making things right.

Feelings, of the physical kind, and one kiss.

ft. competitive spirit, childishness, and late night conversations.

Atsumu POV.

 autumn ends, but we remain, by wolfsbvne (5k. T. canonverse)

Author says in their ending notes that they're not an ‘author’, but methinks they should write more and pursue that career path because this was wonderful.  

atsumu stares at his ceiling at 2am. he stares until he can make out designs in his popcorn ceiling. a cat there, an onigiri here, and then something that suspiciously looks like a mop of hair, triangle eyebrows, and oh those two bumps are moles right above what atsumu just mapped out as an eye.

(or, atsumu is in kind of in love. sakusa is maybe in like.)

I left a taste in your mouth, by emso (26k. E. bodyguard au)

Because obviously 

Sakusa fixes him with a vague expression of something like distaste. There's a scathing edge to his tone when he speaks. "Contrary to what you seem to believe, not everyone who meets you is instantly dying to get into your pants, Miya."

"Lucky I don't really care right now what 'everyone' wants to do, then." Atsumu swivels his mug around on the tabletop a few times, and then brings it to his mouth to drain the last few dregs of his latte. Over the rim of his mug, he adds casually, "Just you."

Whoa hey Bodyguard Omi, I think Spoiled Rich Kid Tsumu might possibly have a teensy crush on you. 

 How do you know you're in love?, by spiritscript (12k. T. canonverse)

Pure art

“So, how did you know you were in love? How did it feel?” Atsumu felt nervous asking this, a slight wiggling in the pit of his stomach, unable to look at the man beside him who rolled his shoulders in an attempt to reset his posture. “I mean, you didn’t resonate with what I said, so, what is love to you Omi-kun?”

Atsumu thinks he must be in love with Hinata Shouyou and so asks the best person he knows to help him understand his feelings

 san'yo expressway, 6:17 pm, by yamabota (13k. T. canonverse)

Of violent forethoughts, and handheld car vacuums. 

Atsumu tilts his head to watch a slice of orange light bend over the impassive planes of Sakusa’s face. He is absolutely, ruthlessly beautiful. It makes Atsumu want to punch something—put his foot through the windshield—scream, maybe.

Kiss him again, maybe.

They have 344 kilometers to figure this one out. 

Different Kinds of Dysfunctional, by DeathBelle (Series, 5 works. T-E. Canonverse)

Honestly, I think this one is kind of famous amongst Sakuatsu readers but I can’t not include it. If I recall correctly, this is the fic that got me into Sakuastu, so thanks, DeathBelle. The characters are portrayed really well (i.e. Sakusa is disgusted and confused, and Atsumu is a little shit). You’ve got a good balance between conversations and descriptive thoughts and all-in-all it’s just a really good read. 

 Atsumu said into the heavy silence, “You can’t say you’ve never thought about it.”

"Thought about what?" said Sakusa.

Atsumu smiled to himself, smug. "You know."

"No, I don't."

"You know. Of course you’ve thought about it. There’s no reason to be ashamed, Omi-kun. I’m a real catch.”

Sakusa was appalled. "You're disgusting."

"You flatter me. I'm not judging you. I can't lie and say I haven't thought about it, too."

Sakusa shifted, slowly, to peer over his shoulder. He wasn’t scowling, but his expression was unreadable. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

Atsumu wasn't joking, and he was about to get more than he bargained for.

i'll do anything you say (if you say it with your hands), by liliapocalypse (7k words. T. canonverse):

Oh, god. This one was so cute. Super fluffy. Loved the metaphors and symbolism. Sometimes you just can’t say things out loud. 

When a bad injury shocks the whole V. League, Sakusa finds himself paired with Atsumu for more rigorous assisted stretches before every training. Atsumu then finds himself writing random letters on Sakusa’s skin to soothe the spiker, forcing Sakusa to reevaluate how his touch aversion became an irresistible yearning for more, and how the boy with the annoying hair somehow brought that hunger to life.

Or, the fic where Atsumu mindlessly writes a confession on Sakusa’s back when he thought Sakusa wasn't paying attention. Sakusa always did.

 mortality is found is the flesh of your sins, by novrik (10k. M. canonverse)

This is literally my favorite fic of all time. Not just of Sakuatsu, not even of the Haikyuu fandom. Ever. Favorite fic ever. Listen, I’m an atheist, but this fic took me on a religious experience that I haven't come down from yet. The symbolism had me actually shivering, and I had to put my phone down quite a few times. Just, oh wow, just read it. I’d like to share my favorite line; ‘And if Sakusa is Eve, if he takes a bite, what then? Perhaps, he is a little afraid of the knowledge he will gain’. My god, author, if you ever see this, this is not only a plea for you to continue writing, but also an offer of marriage. Your hand, author?

 dickhead one, sakusa kiyoomi. dickhead two, miya atsumu. neither understand how to communicate.

Pray tell, why are you drawn to him?

Are you drawn to him in the way he looks beautiful even when crying?

When his eyes are red, shiny tears streaking down, lips quivering, is he beautiful?

 sakuatsu domesticity simulator, by pseudoanalytics (75 words. T. canonverse)

75 words because it's actually a digital art simulator. An interactive fic! How frickin’ cool is that? The art is so beautiful and I love the plotline and ugh, just everything. Please read, or watch, or click around, yes. Good. 

Update: artist created another interactive fic and of course it is wonderful. SunaOsa this time! https://newttxt.itch.io/cheesecake honestly just check out @newttxt their work is amazing and I love everything they do. 

a vaguely interactive mixture of fic, art, and html, where you too can experience the inherent romance of a big fat jerk and a too-blunt jerk attempting intimacy

***

(this is the result of letting the sakuatsu brainworms really get to you...)

 Pas De Deux, by hatsuna (19k words. T. Ballet/college au)

There's just something about prim, proper ballet Sakusa and human-benign-tumor Atsumu that makes my heart burst. Seriously gorgeous writing style, loved every second. By the same author who wrote ‘liminal spaces’ (which is also just perfect) so that should give you a good idea of the style. 

The mystery athlete gives Kiyoomi a once over in the mirror. “Yer pretty tall,” he observes. The twang of an accent rasps low in his throat. His brazen eyes drift to Kiyoomi’s legs, and something like exhilaration glints gold in his gaze. “Good quads, too. Ya ever played volleyball?”

 Ah. So it’s volleyball.

“I’m a dancer. Ballet and contemporary, mostly.”

 the affective presence of our black and white reruns, by kozumess (19k. E. canonverse)

Beautiful, classic misunderstandings, my heart actually physically ached at that one scene (you’ll know the scene when you come to it). Kiyoomi is so refreshingly relaxed(? Is that the right word to use? We all know Omi never truly relaxes). 

but the want, it's always there, constant like the static playing on every television channel, present even when the station disconnects.

 cut the conversation, just open your mouth, by meeksoo (E. 16k. canonverse)

Absolutely filthy...BUT WITH FEELINGS! Completely nails the Sakuatsu dynamic, and protective ‘Tsumu? Love it. 

Sakusa opens the door. He always does.

 They’re teammates first, barely even friends. But they hook up on the regular and it works. It’s simple, easy. But then a fan gets too close, Sakusa reacts, and Atsumu is swept up in how quickly things can get complicated.

__

As Atsumu palms himself over his briefs, still feeling off, he realizes it’s because he still wants it. Him. Sakusa. Even after already having him earlier.

He should probably feel self-conscious, mildly ashamed even, that he’s panting ��Omi Omi’ into the dark beneath the steady thrum of the AC unit when Sakusa’s right down the hall, probably good for it if Atsumu ended up back at his door. Instead, he lays there, writhing and sweaty, alone in his hotel room bed thinking about Sakusa and touching himself.

Afterward, as cum begins to cool on his chest, Atsumu really can’t help but face the fact that things may be getting complicated.

 the hands that beckon me to come, by Ellieb3an (4k. E. canonverse)

So hot, what the fuck! 

The toss, the run, the spike-serve at the end of it all—Sakusa sees it happen in perfect clarity as if time has slowed and his vision narrows to the center where just Miya exists, all powerful muscle and extraordinary skill and that air of confidence.

Sakusa isn’t one of the best receivers in the league for no reason, so his body moves on muscle memory, forearms absorbing the sting of the hit. It’s not enough. But his eyes are still on Miya—on the way his shorts ride up his muscular thighs as he lands, on the bead of sweat dripping down his forehead, on the clench of his fist thrust into the air—when the ball ricochets out of bounds.

***

Atsumu stays late at practices to work on his new third serve, even when his frustration with it starts throwing off the rest of his game. Sakusa notices and starts hanging back to secretly watch him from the gym doors. He’s fascinated with Atsumu's determination... and more than a little turned on by it, too.

 you're the flame i use (when it gets dark), by starkartifices (55k. M. canonverse. Ongoing)

Everything is the same except the Sakusas are super rich. 

“Oh, if you want dear, you could bring a plus one. Though, I doubt you have a partner yet.”

“I do actually.”

“What was that, dear?”

"I do have a partner, I mean."

alt title: crazy rich sakusas 

 the inherent romance of classical conditioning (or; the fine art of emotional recognition), by pseudoanalytics (13k. E. canonverse)

Ah, yes. A Pavloved sex life. A Pavloved LOVE life?? 

It's stupid. Atsumu isn't a romantic, no matter how many times he's imagined laying Sakusa out and finally really touching him.

So there's no explanation for why Atsumu is constantly stuck thinking about brushing his fingertips against the meat of Sakusa's palms or the prominent tendons in his freaky wrists.

There's no explanation for why doing dishes sets off a warm burn in his ribcage, or why when he smells disinfectant he inhales like he's walking past a bakery.

Yer doin' this to me, he thinks furiously, as Sakusa derails his thoughts with kisses that come more and more frequently now. Yer conditionin' me, and I can't stop it.

 flutterbird (a collection of sakuatsu oneshots), by wordstruck (5 works. T-E. canonverse)

Works 1-3, I think follow a linear story, whereas the last two don't. 

All sakuatsu works are just the angstiest, most miscommunication filled pieces of absolute gold and this one is no exception. Wow. These men are assholes and they bring out the worst in each other, but I’ll be damned if they’re not soulmates. 

Collection of SakuAtsu fics. Several fics are loosely set in the same storyverse. Not necessarily directly connected and can all be read as standalones.

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

*Cackling* Now rank your ot3's!

*long sigh*

SECTION 1:

Yes, there are sections, this is a list of 20 things. I like to be organized. These ones I seek out. I like them. I actively enjoy them on purpose.

1. Roloceit: My BOYS. Are these my 3 favorites? perhaps. You can't prove anything (you sure can, just look at my goddamn Ao3). Something about the dynamics here is just...so good for me? The combination of fluff/angst/multi-talented braincells is wonderful. I need these three to watch a documentary and tear it to absolute pieces. Also they would be so good at...actually having methods of supporting each other??? I love them.

2. Analogince: in the same vein, the SNARK. THE SASS. THE GROUPCHAT THAT WE ALL KNOW EXISTS THAT IS SOO OVERLOADED WITH SALT THAT IT'S A DEHYDRATION RISK. Also healthy communication??? supportive signifs??? good shit

3. Anxcietmus: The Dark Sides™. Again, I think these three just get each other. That means great fluff and great angst possibilities ABOUND and especially when it comes to being a menace in the rest of the mindscape. Yes. Good. Have fun.

4. Intruloceit: Someone please make this nerd take a fucking break for once. The chaos of leading what you THINK is a stuck-up buttoned-up nerd only to feel such an odd mixture of pride and mortal terror at discovering a TRUE mad scientist. Yes. Logan deserves to go ape-shit. Let him.

5. Analoceit: Did someone ask for some amused gay judgement? You got the whole scale here, Distinguished, Functional, and Disaster. They don't need the group chat because they can do it with just a look. Perfect. Wonderful.

6. Intruloxiety: slightly less snark, which is why it's ranked lower, but I don't think it would be any less supportive. Between the three of them I think they'd have a conversation about boundaries right up front and constantly be checking in with each other. Which is good!! Please do this!!

7. Loroyality (am i making up some of these names as I go? yes): The Light Sides™! The reason this is ranked lower is because I think they've got some in-canon struggles that would take some time and effort (from errybody) to sort out before I would consider this relationship healthy, but after that? Forget it. We vomiting sushine and rainbows and our teeth hurt from how sweet they are. I have faith in them.

8. Royaliceit: *sniff sniff* did someone say ANGST??? This is the only one I put up here that I mainly look for to get angst because BOY HOWDY. Especially post-POF? Roman you poor thing why do I project so strongly onto you, my god. This is a MESS and they need to do WORK to FIX IT but it's all about the misunderstanding and the healing and oh my god please someone tell Roman his worth is not based on how well his work is received please. Also if you're like me and you subscribe to the headcanon that the last time Patton and Janus agreed on something it was to stay in the closet as long as possible...*choo choo bitches angst town here we come*

SECTION 2:

These ones I don't actively seek out but you know?? For a headcanon post? They seem pretty chill. Haven't devoted a lot of brainpower to 'em, just think they're neat.

9. Moloceit (my keyboard is so confused you guys): Now THIS. THIS is the obnoxious trio of philosophy majors that ALWAYS hog the good library table. Someone will say ONE GODDAMN thing and they'll be talking about ontology and subjectivity for hours. It's impossible to tell whether or not they're being serious when they do it. As a most-definitely-not-a-philosophy-student, no. I mean, yes but no.

10. Anaroceit: you know those fucking divas that strut into the mall like they own the goddamn place? These bastards. They are the Heathers (except actually decent people) and you will not get between them and their purchases. If you come after one of them the other will overprotective the fuck out of them and rip you to shreds. You might be worried sometimes that they're hurting each other but they do actually talk about their boundaries. solid 7/10.

11. Analogicality: (whoa, we're halfway there...): These three just seem like they'd be super domestic. Not that it wouldn't also be adorable, but just kinda...routine? Virgil doesn't like new shit, Logan likes a schedule, and Patton enjoys doing things together in 'traditions.' Some spice but they're all fairly level-headed so...the most they get is screaming out songs with the windows down (WHOA LIVIN' ON A PRAYER)

12: Intrulogicality: You know those scenarios where you got Person A who runs headlong into crazy bullshit, Person B who likes to pretend they're not as into the crazy bullshit as Person A but is, and Person C who gets dragged into shit? There you go.

13: Anxmoceit: I think once they all sat down and had a conversation they might actually be decent??? But I can't stop seeing Patton and Janus coparenting Virgil so it stays platonic in my head. (listen i don't kinkshame but i am aroace, that does limit me a bit when it comes to this bag of nonsense)

14. Intrumoceit: Again, LONG conversation, but it's better to have one crazy dumbass whom you both love but please stop giving up heart attacks every two seconds bb we can't deal with these palpitations. I think this would require SO much work on Patton's end to make this healthy that I can't see it very clearly.

15. Intrumoxiety: This one I put down here because while Janus isn't the best at being straightforward (or straight) he DOES understand himself enough to actually have a productive conversation when he has to. I think Virgil would be too caught up between the dynamic of Patton and Remus for it to be healthy for him, especially at the beginning. It would end up dumping too much of the conflict resolution into his court and uh...no. No thanks. Do I think they COULD make it work? Yes, of course, but I wouldn't seek it out.

16. Anaroyality: Uhhh yeah they exist. Y'all gotta do some work to establish good boundaries but yeah, I think you could do it. Have a makeup day where everybody just fucks shit UP at a Sephora or an Ulta and try crazy looks on each other. You could do it. I believe in you.

SECTION 3:

These are the ones I will actively avoid, more often than not. If they're not handled carefully--which is not the responsibility of other creators, I take full blame, this is just how I personally interpret them--they can squick me out. The ones with Roman and Remus are down here, and as a disclaimer, this isn't because I view poly relationships where not all parties are dating each other as inherently inferior, not at all. I just think that within a relationship where both Roman and Remus are dating the same person, that has the potential to go REAL bad REAL quick.

17. Intrulogince: Do I want to see Roman and Remus playfully competing to win the favor of our favorite nerd? yes. Do I think it would end up aggravating the rivalry they already had to really bad places? Also yes. Either with Roman backing off and internalizing the idea that he's not good enough or by exploding on both of them. It's a bad time. No. That being said, I have seen things where Logan is just spoiled by incredible things made in the Imagination and those are very sweet. a good time.

18. Intruprinxiety (that looks so weird when it's spelled out, oh my god it sounded so much better in my head): Again, exacerbating a pre-existing rivalry, oh dear me, and this time poor Virgil's caught in the middle? a mess. There is also the potential for them to be childhood friends to lovers which would be very sweet but the overlap with all of their combined histories are...a lot of baggage. Like so much.

19. Intruroceit: The only way I can see this happening is Roman's inadequacy issues and abandonment issues going THROUGH THE FUCKING ROOF and it would force Remus into being a pseudo-therapist for them and Janus your habit of messing with Roman needs to gtfo right the fuck now.

20. Intruroyality: is anyone surprised that this one is my least favorite? Between the squicks I get from Patton as a character, the relationship between Patton and both of the twins in canon, and how much baggage Roman and Remus have...no. Absolutely not. I have horrible memories of some very toxic relationships that I can absolutely see here and no.

*phew* that was a long one. you're welcome.

EDIT: thank you @shinekittenace for names seriously this post is a mess

[benevolent-savage]

this is what happens when u enable me lets go

(spoilers ahoy)

Firstly, here’s some somewhat miscellaneous reasons that don’t contribute to any sort of narrative analysis but are still parts of the character I like.

His boss fight is my favorite in the game thus far. It’s not super hard, but it isn’t super easy either, and I even managed to solo it on my Balance after a few practice rounds. Sufficiently challenging without feeling unfair.

His boss fight music. It is a bop and a half, go give it a listen, my soul ascends from my body a few centimeters every time I hear it start up.

His voice. I’m sure it’s processed at least a little but gotdamn his voice is so deep and spooky it startled me when I first heard it. Very curious who his actor is; I think he and Inyanga Whitestripes share the same one. Either way, very well voiced and acted.

His design is very good. It’s the perfect mix of innocuous but also spooky sorcerer fella who knows some shit. And I was afraid that the designers would try and make him like. Handsome? Under the hood? To try and make him more sympathetic? But they didn’t and I’m glad for it.

With those out of the way, the next thing to establish, I guess: I don’t interpret Old Cob to be the main villain of arc 3, nor do I interpret Raven as such. They’re definitely antagonists, but they’re not the ultimate problem; the ultimate problem is their divorce, and how they keep dragging people into their bs. It’s established the Aethyr is a physical manifestation of their anger towards each other, and as it thins, communication between them becomes possible, as Sparck puts it in this thinly veiled metaphor toward the start of Empyrea part 2.

But Cob’s still an antagonist and I love him so I’m gonna talk about that. Most of this is going to be talking about his motivations for doing what he does, since I don’t see him quite as the ‘likes to watch the world burn for the hell of it’ archetype that others might.

One of the reasons that drew me to his character is how legit his gripe is, when put in perspective. Old Cob- or Grandfather Spider, if you prefer- is not a mortal like the other antagonists of previous arcs, which establishes he has a different thought process right off the bat. This new universe was built on his suffering and he has a grudge against the ex wife who made it, so as a god, it makes some sense he’d try to destroy it and build one he would like better. He’s fully aware that what he is doing will hurt people but decidedly doesn’t care, and I appreciate that so much. He’s chaotic as fuck and he owns it, along with his superiority complex that’s as wide as the day is long.

Yet his reasoning is like. Weirdly understandable? Like, if my ex-whatever put me in jail for a lifetime sentence and stole my kidney to pay for a new house or something, I too would go apeshit and want my fuckin kidney back. That’s mostly how I interpret his situation. He’s not doing this for hell of it, he’s doing it because he wants to get back at his ex because he’s bitter and petty and for the most part he knows this but he feels justified in doing do because she ripped out his goddamn kidney- I mean heart, and he wants that back.

And then, even after all that, he and his magic are treated as if they’re inherently evil. While, sure, Shadow is a ‘dark magic’, its actual properties aren’t anything malicious by itself. It is described as “a magic that changes reality,” and that’s it. Incredibly exploitable and you should practice caution while handling it, but used correctly it is powerful and helpful; this is likely alluding to the backlash mechanic, where likes decrease the percent of damage you take, dislikes increase the percent, and I imagine the person meant to be the literal embodiment of the magic in question to be similar in nature: not inherently harmful and lashes out if he feels he’s been mistreated.

Going off that, I’m not sure he ever wanted the FirstWorld to be destroyed, and therefore believes his incarceration to be entirely unjust; he doesn’t deny that he instigated the fight between the Titans, but when it comes to being accused of its actual destruction, he gets angry.

...Okay the written text doesn’t really display how mad he got here, but he was like. Big Angy. Super offended. Honestly, a big part of why I love and analyze the hell out of his character comes from how his VA delivers his lines and his voice in general. If you haven’t heard it for some reason, I recommend looking it up. Anyway, here he’s basically saying he didn’t destroy the First World, and even if he did, he’s suffered enough punishment because of it, to my interpretation. The only one I remember blaming him for it is Raven; Bartleby was there, and I don’t recall him blaming anything other than the Titans for it. This is of course not accounting for the various changes made to the lore since he was introduced, but they could have easily thrown in a line like ‘And now Spider plans to destroy the Spiral the way he destroyed the FirstWorld!’ or something to make it clear it was done intentionally.

And this may very well be straying into headcanon territory here, but I think he holds positive relationships very closely to him, even if things went sour in the end; he clearly still has some remaining affection for the Titans, calling them ‘the children’ and being incredibly angry at Raven for forcing one of them to destroy his Heart.

When Rat loses in Polaris he shows up to praises his efforts and even comfort him, in his own weird way. He reprimanded Scorpion in Mirage, but it’s because Scorpion wasn’t doing what his dad asked him to and got his ass kicked as a result. As for Bat, every time they’re in the same room together he pays him some sort of compliment.

Bat claims that he and his brothers are meant to be his tools, and to some extent that’s true, but he also genuinely cares about them, and it’s really interesting to see a villain defect from the usual ‘not caring about anyone other than themselves’ and openly show affection for his kids while still managing to be an incredible asshole.

In line with this is his relationship with the Wizard. There is, of course, a foundation of manipulation to their dynamic, at least to some degree. I thoroughly believe that Spider was overshadowing Coleridge, at least partly, so our character could bust him out of prison.

And while this is happening, he regains some of his spent power and removes threats to it as well, namely Morganthe, using the Wizard’s help. In fact, I have very little doubt that he was at least partially responsible for her fall; his timing on that two-liner was too on the nose.

But even with that, I think he genuinely treasures the Wizard’s help and company, which is why he attempts on four different occasions to either sway them to his side, or warn them away from what he’s doing.

Boy, I want that vacation, but it’s your fault I’m here.

And then, of course, his relationship with Raven, something that is basically a summation of his character arc. Laden with baggage and tragic in concept, it is my belief that most of what he’s doing isn’t because he genuinely hates the Spiral or he wants to get back at her, but because he loved her and treasured their relationship; so upon her mistreating him, he lashed out at everything she’d made and detested it as a result. But only because he felt betrayed and hurt so he has to inflict that on other people because he is, as aforementioned, a petty and bitter old fuck.

Moving off that line of thinking, an admirable quality he possesses is how smart he is. This guy has so many wrinkles in his brain it must look like a raisin. Well, perhaps not ‘smart’ exactly, but how good he is at manipulating certain situations to his advantage. Like in Mirage; you just know that he was fully expecting Mellori to be there and fully planned to use her as a back up plan, or you could even argue that the whole debacle in Mirage was a ploy to get his hands on her, while having the added possible benefit of things actually working out.

Actually his scheme in Mirage was really interesting now that I think about it. His aim was to turn back time to when the FirstWorld was whole, further implying that he never wanted its destruction in the first place. It would also, of course, be a time where he had his Heart and would have the ability to avoid having it ripped out again. This would involve not having the Titans fight each other again, or at least not starting it and suffering the consequences. It would be everything he wanted to achieve knocked out in one go with minimal muss or fuss, compared to other methods. It’s probably a part of why he shows up personally to bargain with Eerkala and the Cabal, and why he directly intervenes in our Wizard’s efforts to stop him; it was too important to trust to any of his kids, so knowing Scorpion probably wouldn’t have been able to execute it anyway, he used his kid as a distraction for the most part.

I also like looking into the fact that his element, besides Shadow, is Storm, as opposed to pure Shadow or Death, as most major antagonists are. Storm is a school based on invention, experimentation and improvement. This is something that interests me for two reasons: one, the magic of major antagonists is always a part of their character, Malistaire the most blatantly, and two, because of this line he says in Mirage.

To my interpretation, this would imply that he sees the Spiral as something that could be improved. And as a god, he would of course find it his obligation to try and fix this flaw. When he made the barter with the Cabal, I don’t doubt he was being at least partially honest about restoring the FirstWorld; it would certainly fix the flaw it has in the context of stealing his internal organs, but he would also probably seek to improve it, make it more suited to Shadow or something.

Something else I find intriguing is how weirdly honest he is; I don’t recall him ever lying to us once, unless you count omitting certain facts as lying. But that’s absolutely something I can see him using against people, like “I didn’t lie to you, I just didn’t tell you, your fault for not asking ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .” As said before, he;s really good at manipulating people and he weaponizes whatever he can; @that-wizard-oki​ made a really great post about how he uses conflicts- his fault or not- to his advantage, and does his own thing in the background without interruption, Mirage and Neumia probably being the best example of this, with Scorpion and the Cabal serving as distractions while he either carries out things himself or gives instructions.

To pull all of this together narratively, I think it’s important to consider this line from Mellori during one of their confrontations:

He feels powerless, so he puffs up his god status. He has little power to fight with, compared to before, so he mostly manipulates and creates back-up plans while causing conflicts to serve as distractions. His love hurt him, so he lashes out at others and drags them into his problems.

You may ask, “But Sam, these are all bad qualities, why should we like him because of this?” And I would respond “Because it makes him a complex and interesting antagonist.” The kind of character that executes his shitty actions in such a way that you can’t help but respect- even just for the level of dramatics put in to it- while also having a motive that makes you stop and consider that maybe he has a point but is very much handling the situation the wrong way.

Like, c’mon, he ticks so many villain boxes. Tragic backstory? Check. Blatant thespian who owns it? Check. Gets his hands dirty before the climax of the story? Check. Smart/ manipulative/ has back-up plans? Check. Understandable, strong motives? Check.

He’s got layers. Like onion. I felt like there was always something new to discover about him, and for that I can assert my opinion that he’s one of the best characters in Wizard101.

lmao if you read this far into my simp-for-shithead post congrats. feel free to shoot me more asks on the subject bc i cant write persuasive-essay-esque format anymore my brain is rotting. if you will excuse me, im off to listen to the chronoverge combat track for the 82937487734th time