#and similarly I can't really blame him for not wanting to go back to being the Ice King!

[gumclones]

honestly I think that whatever the Winter King did to transfer his insanity was an accident. not necessarily something that came out of nowhere, but more… he was trying to do one thing and then suddenly he felt a lot more clearheaded

[luveline]

we know that the criminal minds writers looooved hurting spencer but i would love to see bau!reader (bombshell!reader if you think it would fit) hurt and spencer losing his mind a little (ofc everything would end up being okay because we love fluff in this house 💗)! thank youuu <333

ty for requesting! ♡ fem, 1k

“Spencer, are you coming in?” 

The boy in question winces, the cellophane wrapped stems in his hand strangled by an anxious grip. Your voice is hoarse, quieter than usual, though that could be attributed to the thick wooden door between you both. He takes the door handle in his hand, readjusts his fingers, can't quite get himself to go in. 

“Spence,” you say, missing your usual cheer. “Please come in.” 

He opens the door slowly. It weighs a hundred pounds, each inch heavier than the last. 

You're propped up on the movable bed with a dinner table over your legs. Someone's brought you contraband, it seems, expensive soup from the fancy restaurant you like just outside of work. Next to it lies your phone, your chapstick, and a prescription bottle. The orange of it is too glaring to look at for long. 

“Nice to see you finally, heart-throb,” you say, sitting back, rolling your shoulders as you smile. “Where've you been?” 

Sapped by terror in the waiting room, mostly. “Sorry,” he says, offering no explanation. You deserve one, but he can't get the words out. “How are you feeling?” 

“Shot at.” 

“Is it bad?” 

Your eyes soften. “No. Wanna see it?” 

He does in an awful way. To alleviate his panic, sure, but to know what it did. To see what his stupidity resulted in. The unforgivable in stark scarring. 

You lift your shirt and shift your soft bralette up a touch to show him the wound and all its grim stitches. “It almost missed me. Guess I'm not as lucky as I think.” 

“Does it hurt?” 

“Not right now. They told me not to wear wire bras for a while, so you win some, you lose some.” You let your shirt fall back into place. He can see the indecision in your eyes. Not one for hiding like he wants to, you address the elephant in the room. “Now you've seen it's not so bad, can you look at me again?” 

“I'm looking at you.” 

“You know what I mean.” 

The thing is, Spencer doesn't, not really. Half the time you act like you're sharing a secret with him but he doesn't have a clue what you're talking about, and the intimacy is lost, and it's his fault. He's never been good or smooth or charismatic, he's never deserved your attention, and it's his fault you're here, hurting, his fault you'd been prone on the ground, his fault Morgan had to hold your side closed, his fault you almost died. 

“Spencer,” you murmur, “you know I don't blame you.” 

Of course he knows that. 

“You should,” he says tightly. He doesn't mean to get angry. 

“Well, I don't. So give me my flowers and sit down.” 

He bites the inside of his cheek. He's mad, but he gives you the flowers without any roughness, and you take them with a similarly thin thank you. 

Your reunion isn't going how either of you wants it to, it seems. 

Spencer sits in the chair next to your bed as you pick between the petals, admiring their colours, their softness. For a moment you're peaceful, but you close your eyes and press your nose gently to a small bud, and you ask, “Why are you acting like this?” Heartbroken. 

He could explain it in halves. You passed out in the back of the ambulance. Your surgery had unexpected complications. Hotch was so angry, and he still wasn't as mad at Spencer as Spencer was at himself. 

Seeing you hurt because of his mistake isn't a feeling he thinks he'll survive a second time.

“I don't get why you like me,” Spencer admits. “Not before, and especially not now. You should be pissed. This,” —he gestures to you quickly— “is my fault.” 

“It's not your fault, Spence.” 

“What would you call it?” 

You put your flowers down and stare at your lap. He's pushed you too far. Nice, he thinks to himself scathingly, to upset you in your sick bed, that's exactly what he should be doing to make it up to. Great going, Spencer. 

“Will you hold my hand?” you ask quietly. 

He hesitates, his heart skipping a beat like a missed step down the stairs. 

“Please? I just… this has been a lot. I'm not telling you to make you feel guilty, I swear, but it's been a lot. And so many times I wished someone was here. I wished you were here.” You turn your head away from him. “I thought you were mad at me. I'm still worried.” 

Spencer stands up. He feels every stretch of muscle as he does it. You raise your eyes to his, holding out your hands; you know him better than anyone else, he thinks. He overcompensates every time. 

“I'm sorry,” he says, crossing his arms behind your shoulders carefully. 

“I told you it's not your fault.” 

“For not being here to hold your hand.” 

Your hand curls in the front of his shirt. 

“M'not mad. Not even slightly. I mean, not at you…” He rubs your back with his thumb. “Why would I be mad at you?” 

“What was I supposed to think?” 

He presses his nose to your temple, eyes squeezed close in regret. “...You're right.” 

This is what he should've done the moment you woke up. Instead, he let his mind focus on detail, what flowers demarcates remorse, or if cellophane wrapping would be an imposition. Anything to forget how your hands shook as the adrenaline wore off. 

They're steady now as they wrap around his sides to rest at the small of his back. 

“I’m sorry,” he says again, lips touching to your skin with each syllable, like fractions of kisses. 

“I missed you, handsome. Please– don't do that again.” 

He rubs your back. “I won't,” he promises. “I'll be here as long as you want me to be.” 

“Forever, then.” 

For once, your flirting doesn't make him blush. 

[autistichalsin]

Halsin and abandonment issues

One thing I've come to conclude about Halsin's character, based on many parts of his story and some lines he says, is that he might have abandonment issues.

To begin with: he lost his entire family over the years to accidents and disease, per his writer. That's the kind of thing that leaves deep scars- watching everyone you love fade away over years, until at a "comparatively young age" you're the last of your family and turned over to the Druids to be taken care of. (His writer didn't specify an age, but if he was young enough to be "turned over to the Druids" instead of "finding his way there" then it is likely he was not an adult.) There's no time to lose your family that isn't absolutely horrible, but as a young person is far, far worse.

Then there's Halsin's other traumas, all of which involve isolation; he was a prisoner for three years in the Underdark, and despite this, no one thought to come looking for him to save him. He lost most of his fellow Druids in the battle against Ketheric Thorm and the Shadow Curse that followed- and what few didn't die, he still lost their friendship to his leadership position, the "weight of responsibility". His one lasting friend in all of this, Thaniel, was lost to the curse and Halsin spent over 100 years blaming himself, fighting to be the best leader he could at the Grove, and having no one at all he could lean on for any of his burdens. And then he wound up kidnapped again, this time by the goblins, and when he returns, almost all his Druids have been turned against him, some even holding him in contempt. All experiences that are isolating in nature and reinforce to him that he can't rely on anyone else, that he is the only person he can depend on, and that in the end, everyone he cares for is going to leave or die.

It's not just speculation that he feels that way, either. He has several lines about his survivor guilt and isolation:

"[...] there is a burden to being the survivor... the witness to others' tragedies. It only grows heavier with time."

"[...] Grim as it is now, it was worse on the day of the battle. A vivid wound upon my memory. I was lucky - I lived, when so many did not. It would take me a day and a night to recite the names of all the friends I lost."

And lines that indicate he's used to being left, too.

If the player rejects him after he wildshapes (emphasis mine):

"Ah, I see. Well, of course. Back to camp then."

Saying "of course" implies it's not entirely unexpected.

After the final battle, if the player declines to have a celebration and says the party should split up:

"It was always destined to be so, if we prevailed. But the foreknowledge makes it no less bittersweet..."

He was expecting the party not to stick together.

Similarly, if a love-interest player breaks up with him in the ending:

"I see... After all my years of living, I know all too well that nothing lasts forever. Yet a parting can sting, nonetheless. But that just means what we shared was precious, and will live on in my memory. Thank you - I am a richer man for having met you."

The "nothing lasts forever" really sells it, to me, especially because the context makes it clear that he isn't just making a general statement- he's talking about relationships and people. Again- he was expecting it all to end.

His worry in the epilogue, when a solo-romanced player comes to the party with him, hints at this even more: "You could have done anything, gone with anyone... yet you chose me."

He's surprised that the player, even if they're in love, would want to live with him and share his dream. He can't believe they really wanted that- he even says that he keeps expecting to "stir from the dream".

I feel like that shows a lot about how Halsin feels after all the loss he's endured- he doesn't ultimately believe anyone is going to stay with him, whether because they choose to leave him, or because they'll die.

[eashgirl]

If anyone remembers that one episode from season nine where Peri got Mrs crocker for a godchild(slight spoilers for a new wish and Peri's relationship with Dev)

She was depressed because she felt like Crocker didn't love her back,and she tried to use wish after wish to quell that emptiness,leaving Peri so exhausted because no matter how many wishes he tried to grant she never seemed to get happy

It got so bad from what I remember they tried all ways to get her to break the rules just so Peri would be free from her,she only truly lost him when she reconciled with Crocker who admitted he did indeed love her

I can't help but compare this to Peri's new godkid in ANW, Dev tried to do something similar,all he ever wanted was to have his dad's love which he never got because Dale literally cares more about money and his literal boots more than him,hence similarly no matter how many wishes he kept asking for hardly any of them were able to geniunely make him happy beyond the surface level, I'd argue the only times he was truly happy was when he and Hazel were friends but that's for another post.

Peri did try his best to adhere to the rules and to grant his wishes,but this in turn just made Dev get even more frustrated because in all fairness he doesn't really NEED a fairy to give him little things like a cupcake or something like a game he's rich he can get an AU pair to bring him that anytime,and the more riskier wishes that can be deemed as more fun is against the rules. Heck I'd even argue that initially Dev may not have seen Peri as anything besides an AU Pair but with magic given that he only really used him to make wishes. Dale probably just told him to ask the au pairs anything he wanted as a means of neglecting his own parental responsibilities. That and Peri wanting to do his absolute best at his first job to impress his parents and stick by the rules along with Dev's frustration and lashing out is the core reason why it fell apart so quickly.

This difference in opinion led to all of this, they're both at fault and both have legitimate reasons for it,Peri had the excuse that this really is his first job he's just doing what he was taught at the academy just grant the kid's wishes and make them happy,he probably did not anticipate the need for severe emotional understanding when it comes to troubled kids(honestly who decided to give a newbie a kid that needed way more help from a seasoned fairy godparent though? I blame whoever made that decision)he did care about Dev in the end but by that time it was too late.

With Dev it's he's a hurt kid and he lashes out at others which I'm not trying to justify it's still wrong,and people can get hurt because of that but given his circumstances I really understand him, he's not used to allowing people in and builds walls around himself even the slightest gesture is enough to make him to increase his guard even more like when he thought a single argument with Hazel meant their friendship was over and tried to go back to being his old self until Hazel pointed that out to him,the sunglasses being a literal metaphor for it,he takes them off a lot during his friendship arc with Hazel and starts putting them on all the time near the end during his downward spiral. He acts the persona of a bully as a means of gaining control of his situation,when it's obvious that is not how he truly is lost and founders day being a prime example,he was genuinely getting better until he found out about project H,and I can understand his reaction his dad who's always absent,hardly ever pays any attention to him literally won't look him in the eye unless it concerns bussiness,cares more about his son's friend then he cares about his own son,did Hazel deserve to get yelled at though?no she didn't, it's still not her fault.

Then immediately after Hazel leaves Peri comes back and tries a feeble attempt to cheer him up by persuading him to make a wish,which really wasn't the right call to make in that specific moment which further aggravates Dev into telling him to leave before having a mental breakdown.

And later in best of luck he ends up getting in a vulnerable position when Peri declares he's quitting,and Irep ends up being a bad influence,he gets manipulated and tries to take over fairy world as a desperate means of getting Dale to finally, finally pay some attention to him which he does initially until he immediately shifts his focus to Irep instead. Literally leaving Dev in the dust on the ground. Alone again.

(I really want to make this post a bit more detailed but I'm six days away from an exam so I can't find the time,any grammar mistakes is because of how rushed this one was might edit it later)

Cosmo phrases it best what he wanted was something no fairy could ever give him,he wanted a parent's love and that is something no amount of wealth or magic is ever going to amount to,which is ultimately the final straw in making Dev abandon everything and accept the consequences without any persistence.

Peri couldn't really relate to or understand Dev because he always had the love or his parents even when he was anxious of messing up they were always supportive and loving, I don't think it's a coincidence that the panel always shows the three of them hugging infront of Dev and Hazel the latter trying to talk to him after everything that transpired. A physical metaphor of what he doesn't have and has to see Infront of his eyes all the time. Again I don't really blame anybody(except maybe Dale but if I'm blaming Dale I'm also blaming Vicky),Peri is a rookie he just graduated so it's unrealistic to expect him to be the best right away, I actually think he might need to ask Wanda and Cosmo for advice in season two how they dealt with certain kids and how he can improve himself.

Because neither Dev or Peri were perfect they were horrible to eachother,but that doesn't mean they can't be better.

It's clearly setting up an overarching story, I actually have faith in the new writers they didn't throw in that scene of Peri saying he cared about Dev and leaving it ambiguous whether or not Dev actually still remembers because of that one theory for nothing.

My reason for bringing in Mrs Crocker is to point out that the only way Dev can really quell his own emptiness is by attaining the love he always wanted, I think by off chance he does indeed remember everything- which I believe is the better option to retain his charecter development-,he may have finally come to understand that no matter what he does his dad would never care about him the same way he cares about his Business and himself,maybe this will lead to him forming better connections with other people, reconciling his friendship with Hazel and befriending Winn and Jasmine and maybe even getting Peri back as his fairy.

Another reason slightly crack that inspired me to make this post is this

This is Peri's eventual state/reaction every time he gets a godchild, boy's been bad at this from the very beginning it's that and simultaneously always gets a hard case on his first try

[lemonhemlock]

I think a thing that bothers me the most is how fragmented TG (the fandom) is now. After season one, many of us had issues with character writing, but it still felt like we were largely on the same page. Now, some people can accept Aegon got bad writing but not Aemond, Alicent, or Helaena. They are all “good” or “bad”characters depending on how much they hurt Aegon this season. I’m so glad he got the time to be well rounded, and that TGC delivered on all his scenes, but I think people forget Aegon has received some poor writing as well even this season. His whole outburst about Jaehaerys’s death is not about his son, but the impact on his legacy- I thought this very odd at the time, but realize it’s because they can’t have him mourn Jaehaerys for a long time either. Nobody on TG is allowed to focus on this dead child, least of all his mother! Aegon goes out drinking with his friends next episode 😭 seemingly unconcerned. But somehow only Alicent and Aemond are called out for this, when it is a clear problem that Daemon is more affected by this loss than the greens. It feels like such an uphill battle to even discuss the faction and family anymore.

This is such a good point!

I know I am so contrarian about this rn, but I have had some issues in connecting with Aegon's grief scenes over Jaehaerys this season. And it's such an opinion I DON'T want to have, bc I'm fully on the Aegon/TGC bandwagon and I do think TGC is a competent actor.

But it's something about the general clownery of the framing, how everything is gloomy and dark but at the same time no one gives that much of a shit over Jaehaerys? It's very weird to describe. I know Olivia also shows Alicent crying and swallowing sobs and trying to conceal her grief, but, if you think about it, Alicent is just Kind Of Like That in a lot of her scenes anyway. Big doe wet eyes, filled with regret and unspoken emotions etc so that her acting similarly after B&C kind of doesn't hit as much?

And, in that context, having Aegon rage over this event is rendered kind of.....hammy and, honestly, comical. I'm reminded of the scene of the small council where everyone is somber and quiet and he kind of looks like he's pretending to cry. In other moments it's fine but there are frames where I can't take it seriously and it registers in my brain like a parody.

I realise how I sound right now, like I'm not satisfied with the subdued performances, but I'm not satisfied with the expansive ones either. IDK. I have a huge problem with the framing and direction this season, I think it's a huge impediment in making me enjoy the supposedly emotional scenes.

All of this to say that I agree, Aegon has also received some bad writing this season, especially him ALSO being kind of over Jaehaerys the next episode. But people tend to overlook it, because when you draw the line, the writing for him is still so much better than what he got in S1.

And, yes, this is why I can't really join the choir in blaming Alicent and Aemond for how they act with him, because it's not a naturalistic and organic progression, it's shoehorned in with little buildup or motivation and not even drawn to its natural conclusion. For example, Aemond should have been toast the minute Aegon woke up, because Prince Regent or not, Aegon is still the King and has the power to remove Aemond if he fears him. He doesn't have to justify himself in front of anyone, just give the order to arrest his brother and name someone else as regent, then just go back to sleep.

[absolutebl]

Hi!

So apparently GMMTV will be announcing their 2024 line up in October!

Which actors do you think will be paired together this time? I feel like Mix and Pond have hinted they will be studying more so maybe not their pairings…. GeminiFourth said they will have a series so definitely them…

I would love to see ThorFluke plus Pawin with anyone and Drake with anyone!

What are your predictions?

Ooooo, GMMTV 2024 Pure Speculation

(remember if it's not data driven I'm historically pretty bad at this, but sure, let's shoot the shizz)

Most Likely

EarthMix - they're reading v burned out (in addition to Mix + school) but they are currently GMMTV's cash cow so I can't imagine GMMTV won't try to put them in something, no matter what Mix said... but it's possible they'll be let rest for most of 2024.

First & Khao - naturally, if GMMTV can find a script the boys like, these two are likely their the biggest pair earners (if EarthMix really are out).

GeminiFourth - of course, the new princes

ForceBook - honestly they are steady, reliable workhorses who visually suit many BL scripts, they seem easy to work with, fun, and game. Not the most charismatic pair and I'm shaky on their range and versatility, but GMMTV clearly doesn't feel that way. I think it's pretty likely they will get something... I just hope it is something interesting. Are they bankable enough for a historical? That's the real question.

Not Sure

JoongDunk - I really don't know, I think they are slightly more likely than not but they keep getting lackluster scripts. GMMTV is more likely to blame the pair than the show. And it is possible they are just a lackluster pair... too.

JimmySea - what happen to (or will happen with) Last Twilight?

I'd like to see Jimmy paired with someone else. He's too charismatic for Sea. To really break us they should pair him with Gun and just burn down the world. GMMTV would never do this, tho.

Least Likely

It's unlikely PondPhuwin will lead out a show. Pond def said something about going back to school. (Which is code for a long break, if nothing else). They're good but less $ than EarthMix so I think GMMTV will back off from them.

OffGun - I'm not saying it won't happen anymore, but...

TayNew - see above

Bright with... anyone but Win.

A queer can dream, tho.

Some noodling

I do think First & Khao were successful enough, and Only Friends will be enough of a sensation, for GMMTV to consider more First Khao style stuff. AKA instead of just dropping a whole pair, GMMTV will try rearranging pairs. Especially for couples that had previously been mostly just sides.

So we can expect Neo, Mark, Marc, Puwin, Aou, possibly even the twins or the Flukes show up paired "experimentally" with different other actors. Some that may genuinely surprise us.

That said, I'd like some more role swapping too.

For example, with Pond away, and him getting older and being SO established in the genre, I would love to see Phuwin play a seme roll. Not sure he has the personality for it in terms of how he's bonded with some of the newer GMMTV talent since I don't watch any of the variety/BTS anymore, but he has the screen presence.

Remember originally Neo & Phuwin had a pairing... I wonder if that would ever happen again.

I would love love LOVE to see Tay paired with someone else. I thought he was a revelation in 3 Will Be Free showing range I'd no idea he had and he's such a big puppy and friendly with everyone. I bet he could get many partners to trust and relax.

Similarly New needs to play a seme. I think he once said he'd rather not do BL with anyone but Tay, but I still think he'd be fun to see.

So New is less likely, but I think we can safely assume Tay would be game. With TayNew it's whether their shipper/stalker fans would "allow" this.

What GMMTV Wants/Needs

I said in the past they needed to onboard new talent and they went for free agents (Joong, Perth). I thought they'd go for whole pairs, and I still think they'd be wise to consider this.

Given they're likely shifting focus on expansion into darker, higher heat, and more gritty arenas (which I think they need to do given the paucity of scripts within their preferred BL style, the tenor of the market, and the aging of their existing stable) what they want is Zee++. Now they can't wrestle him/his pair free of Dormundi, so...

For solos they are looking for:

actors who have lost their pair, have range into dark territory, will do high heat, and can play harsher seme roles (tall a bonus.)

If they're smart they make a play for Bible, but I wouldn't rule out Lee Long Shi. Both actors have a style that fills a niche in the GMMTV stable and are pro enough to work well in a new pair that GMMTV sets for them.

You KNOW they want Bible. How could they not? Can you imagine?

If they go after a pair?

If they're smart as I think they are? They want NetJames. And they might be able to get them, depending on contracts. NetJames has been awful quiet recently, they either are actually finally filming Love Upon a Time or that's fallen through and they're in contract negotiations. YinWar and JaFirst are also tempting prospects, I would imagine. Especially Ja.

It's this "new pair to GMMTV" announcement I'm most interested in, come October.

I think I'm leaving a key high heat pair on the table, but GMMTV also has a specific appearance and acting style they tend to cast for, and not all of the current indy heat pairs have that. Plus their are high value pairs that clearly do not want to sign with or work with GMMTV (OhmFluke for example) so that's a factor.

Finally, you KNOW they want to recreate the magic of GeminiFourth with young talent so I would bet they are actively recruiting high school grade pink milk via auditions, so we can expect one set of totally fresh faces.

Also tumblr ate half this post so I might have missed a few pairs worth discussing, because I had them but it deleted them. Don't blame me, blame tumblr, and leave a comment.

FYI my predictions for 2023 were as follows:

10 GMMTV THAI BL 2023 Predictions (and how I did)

(these are the ones I made last year before their announcements)

EarthMix (yes, 2x)

something with Joong but not paired with Dunk (nope, they tried the same thing again)

dito Jimmy (not sure what's going on there)

what the hell: Lee does a BL (still no, last man standing)

probably a new attempt at ForceBook (yep)

2 set in high school and fewer set in uni (yep/nope)

at least 1 set in an office of some kind and at least 2 set in the countryside (yep/sorta but mostly nope)

one experimental paranormal/alt reality/time slip (yep)

something Friend Zone messy featuring several LBGTQ+ characters and couples and higher heat (yep)

an attempt to resurrect big guns like TayNew (yep - if cherry magic happens) or even BrightWin (nope, they went for OffGun instead, who I had thought were out)

So here's my...

10 GMMTV THAI BL 2024 Predictions

First & Khao lead out something non-school and complex (GMMTV BL grows up)

ForceBook & GeminiFourth get new shows

Phuwin paired with someone else

GMMTV starts experimenting more with busting up and rearranging pairs

What the hell, Tay does a BL with not New.

We see Joong and Perth star in something GMMTV but not BL

GMMTV pulls in at least one established outside talent who plays harsh seme roles and has a more aggressive tone

GMMTV recruits/onboards an established pair who can and is willing to do higher heat

They option something v complex: crime thriller, mystery, suspense, historical even, I wonder if they might be interested in adapting say... Trapped.

JoJo gets to helm another "off brand" show

What I want them to do?

Finally admit that they can take an established script and "make it gay" and just LEAN in. Descendants of the Sun, but gay. Business Proposal, but gay. Home Town Cha Cha Cha... but gay. Thailand has the latent pool and the screen time but they don't have the scripts/stories.

Time to look to Korea and just fill in the gap that Korea is already leaving on the table (by only doing short form BLs).

Korea has the romances. Hundreds of them. MANY of which are not gender dependent.

Can you fucking imagine if Boss & Babe had been that exact cast but GMMTV doing a gay Dali and the Cocky Prince instead? It would have been amazing.

(source)

[twiixr4kidz]

Hi again!!! S000 can I have a Scott + Evil exes taking care of u when ur sick head cannons (there like ur bf/gf) Thankies -💀🎀

yeah ofc!!

scott pilgrim + the evil exes taking care of their sick partner!!

scott pilgrim

he doesn't know what he's supposed to do tbh

like you tell him you're sick and he's like "uh..."

he suggests that you do what HE does

just get your favorite takeout, get some cold medicine, and take a nap

he doesn't mind waiting on you though

if you need something, he'll get it for you, no problem

matthew patel

he's almost overbearing but in a sweet way

he finds out that you're sick and he shows up at your door with an armful of medicine and things that will (hopefully) make you feel better

if you have a headache, he's gonna get you some tylenol and a cold cloth, if you feel like you're going to throw up he's got a bucket ready, he is literally going to do it all

he gets you a cup of hot tea and insists you drink it and get some sleep

and when you wake up, he's made you an indian dish, one of his mom's dishes, that's supposed to make you feel better

and even if it doesn't it tastes absolutely delicious and it was made with love, so you can't complain

lucas lee

he would straight up take a day off of his movies to stay home with you and nurse you back to health

he insists you don't move from your bed like at all, unless you have to use the bathroom

he literally hates being sick so he feels really bad for you

the only thing is, he doesn't really know what to do to help??

so it ends up turning into a really relaxed movie day, with him laying in bed with you and you getting him sick (oopsies)

he totally asked for it though

todd ingram

you tell him he's sick and he immediately asks what you need

similarly to everyone else, he's gonna do a lot to take care of you

but he also insists that you get just a little fresh air

he helps (pulls) you out of bed and leads (drags) you to the front door

if you're feeling okay enough, he'll take a short walk with you just to get you feeling even better

roxie richter

at first, she's like a teeniest bit hesitant because she's prone to getting sick

but when she sees you, suffering and sniffling in bed, she feels a lot of pity for you

she tells you to stay there, and she will yell at you (not seriously though) if you even try to move

but she's also going to try to keep her distance a little bit :(

she's gonna miss cuddling with you, but she has a really solid reasoning so you can't really blame her

kyle katayanagi

he doesn't really get sick, just hungover LMFAO

so at first, he thinks you got hella drunk the night before and then you have to explain to him that no, you did not get drunk at all, you woke up feeling sick

he offers you a lot of water and some painkillers and tells you to just lay there for a little while

he's probably gonna come back with mcdonalds or something

buying you fast food is his love language

ken katayanagi

"i told you that was gonna happen" he says, dramatically rolling his eyes

okay sure. he did tell you. maybe you ignored him. maybe you went outside in the cold for an event that lasted a few hours. maybe you shouldn't have done that.

he scolds you the entire time

even so, he tries to make you as comfy as he can, supplying you with whatever medicine and blankets you need

gideon graves

he's somewhat reluctant to take care of you because he doesn't want to get sick - he insists that sickness hinders his epic producer ability

he's joking (he likes being an asshole on purpose)

he only lets you eat light foods because he doesn't want you to throw up, so have fun eating just buttered toast, apple sauce, and soup

he keeps you either in bed or laying on the couch

he is very very insistent that he doesn't want you moving at all

[gaypyro]

To be honest, in EPIC I think the takes I like the least are the ones trying to absolve Odysseus of Guilt or defend his actions.

Is Odysseus a sympathetic character in over his head who gets screwed by circumstances? Absolutely! But often eh screws himself by leading to those Circumstances by his Pride and obsession with finding the perfect solution. The man is a great tragic hero! But like... a tragic hero often is responsible for their own downfall.

Odysseus has a tendency to think he knows better then anyone else; and its only when faces with an overwhelming force that he stops. This tends to make him operate on a perfectionism that makes it so he tries to find a perfect solution; when pursuing such a solution often just makes it worse.

"The Blood on Your Hands Is Something You Won't Lose, All You Can Choose is Who's" is a very important line as it defines the central themes of the Musical. Odysseus is a military leader and King, who needs to make tough decisions, and trying to stick to his guns and perfectionism instead of actually making sacrifices, until it's to late, bites him in the ass.

Polyphemus, Circe, Poseidon and Zeus, all these threats attack Odysseus over what his decisions lead to in order to either get revenge on those important to them, or keep them safe.

Odysseus never apologizes outside of to the infant he is about to kill. He never expresses genuine remorse for the terrible shit he does, as he is, even from the start, to caught up in his own hype to do so. Polyphemus was attacking him not because he was hungry, or because he broke into his house, but because the sheep were his close friends. If Odysseus simply ransacked his home for food, that would be a thing he'd need to sort over but theoretically defendable with Odysseus' defense of "I was Hungry, here I'll pay you back." When Poseidon orders Odysseus to Apologize for leaving his son blind (Instead of killing him), Odysseus just tries to explain why he blinded him, as if Poseidon is an idiot who can't pick up context clues. And while he doesn't defend himself for sacrificing his men to Scylla, he also doesn't express any remorse for it. While apologizing likely wouldn't fix these issues, it stems from his Pride and later on, desperation.

And Odysseus' Pride doesn't just stop there, it also causes him to think he needs to get as many people out alive as possible before the Thunder Saga. If he killed Polyphemus, or at least didn't try to teach him Mercy and reveal his name; he could have gotten home scot free. If he chose to either brave the storm despite the risk of losing a few ships, or just kill people who tried to open the Bag, he'd not have lost his entire fleet. Odysseus only successfully got everyone out alive when he had literal Divine Intervention from Hermes, who was impressed with his speech.

And when he did start to embrace Ruthlessness, he did so at the cost of his followers, instead of for them! Something no one else was doing. The Cyclops attacked to defend his flock, Circe cursed them to keep her Nymphs safe, the Siren begged for her Sisters lives, Zeus attacked only after he broke a divine law, and even Poseidon, though he lacked the love the other 3 had, still attacked Odysseus for his son's sake. It's little wonder Ares and Aphrodite are so unsympathetic to Ody, by the time he started being willing to go killing people to keep his men safe he also reached the point were he stopped caring for his men. He was a coward in there eyes, and they only let him go when Athena told them he would cause a Bloodbath for the only people he cared about left.

It's easy to blame Athena for "Provoking" Odysseus into revealing his name, even if she really, really didn't and he was doing it entirely of his own volition. Similarly, it's easy to blame Eurylochus for opening the bag and being a coward; but unlike Odysseus he tried to actually apologize at the first opportunity (It's what he wanted to talk about at the start of Circe) and had actual regrets. Every problem that plagued Odysseus often was made worse by his Pride, and to try to blame others for them ignores the fact Odysseus has agency, and is smart enough to know better. It's what makes him so interesting as a protagonist; that Odysseus is at the end of the "Selfish and Prideful and Vain." The musical is a tragedy, and his tragic flaw has fueled much of the conflict. He's not an idiot, but he also isn't some victim of fate.

[rose-tinted-kalopsia]

THE "after all, you and i... we're the same. true kindred spirits" AND WHAT YOU SAID ABT MANIPULATION? thats fits sooooo well somehow i can see it

DJSJJF I MEAN LIKE. there's a lot that can go into that line!!! i'm probably reading into it more than necessary!!! but it's just really interesting to me that he says it considering they're first meeting in the main story 🤲 and i dunno if it's intentional or not or true or not, but he does nevertheless frame his words (this line and along with the other quotes i mentioned, too!) in a way where mc is the subject— which is a manipulation tactic that... somehow i haven't seen any of the LI's use on her like this as of yet !! so it stuck out to me 🤔

but like. there's two sides to it and i'm going to. analyze his dialogue under the cut,

(1); using "I" statements directs the subject of the conversation to you yourself. it's usually done by starting the sentence with "i". this helps to avoid pointing fingers, especially when touching sensitive topics. it's used when you want to say something without making the other person recede/back away from you or otherwise gets defensive, because they feel blamed/accused for something! it also shows vulnerability, which makes it easier for others to sympathize with you subconsciously!

for example, "i felt upset when we argued about this earlier" is nicer to hear than "you made me feel upset when we argued about this earlier".

similarly zayne's line in snowy serenity— "i need you. i have never denied that." contrasts how mc says things like "you should stay quiet while i'm still pitying you" and "you're better off not talking" even "the person you like may not feel the same way". the first (zayne) conveys more vulnerability, whereas mc's lines convey more harshness—the same way that zayne uses "you" statements when he scolds her!

(2) using "you" statements directs the subject of conversation to the person you're talking to. it usually involves starting the sentence with "you", and it generally gives off a harsh, authoritative tone. it's imperative, usually—it's commonly used for scolding or chastising, and it's difficult to use sometimes because it can come off as very accusatory. HOWEVER. it can also be used to feed on things like empathy and a sense of belongingness. because the subject on the conversation is on them, they feel special, and seen, and understood, sometimes even wanted—it's one way to garner rapport with someone, and you can even get them to talk about themselves this way! and it's normal human nature for humans to want to talk about themselves, which is why it can work!

for example, "but you're here now, and that's what matters the most." is more attuned to your presence being there, while "i'm so glad you're here now, that's what matters the most." is more attuned to what they feel about you being there. there's a difference depending on what vibe you want to convey in the conversation.

or, off the top of my head there's xavier's line "you seem to bring me happiness that sleep can't give" that sounds easier on the ears and is more heart-fluttering than "i feel happier spending the day with you than sleeping", or something along the lines—it's about what you do to him, not about what he feels.

and so in the dialogues we see so far, sylus seems very fond of using "you"-statements... which like.... i think i can only remember zayne using them the first time we meet him in the main story because he scolds mc on her health, or something? 😭

but again considering that they're just meeting, and yet it already seems like he's making a very conscious decision to choose his words in this way....

it's not even in the same scolding way like we see with zayne/mc, nor is it in a gentle way like with xavier's line

it's like it's deliberately played out to spin the narrative that yes, mc is the guest, the star of the show, and she deserves every bit of attention in this moment.

"you went through all that trouble to enter the N109 zone"

(1) places a card of sympathy (whether mocking or not) because the fact is that the N109 zone is difficult to get into and;

(2) regardless of the situation, mc's efforts to get in are recognized, and she is seen for it.

"i must fulfil my duty as your host"

(1) starts of with "i" so it's technically an i-statement, but closes of with a variant of the pronoun "you". mc is not the subject of the sentence, but mc is the object. in a way, she's still the focal point;

(2) the point could be to soothe being "pointed at"/accused by the harshness of the previous you-statement, while not driving away the focus from mc—she's still seen and recognized in this case, enough so to be treated as a guest, and sylus the host.

(3) it's fun to note that this is the second clause of his statement; it's a follow-up to the previous one. he chooses to address her effort first before going on to shift the harshness of his words, and allow her to relax a little by placing responsibility on him as the host instead. because all a guest has to do is sit back and relax.

(4) a bonus bc!! the introduction of power dynamics! which is an interesting point! because! with hosts and guests—the guests might be getting special treatment, but the host still runs the show! sylus is still able to insinuate that he is the one in control right now, that this is his territory.

"after all, you and i... we're the same. true kindred spirits."

(1) starts off with "you" and is therefore a you-statement BUT...

(2) it's formulated to be almost sympathetic. it's a way of saying, "i understand your plight, your struggles," without being outwardly vulnerable about it. so sylus gets to keep his position of power, while simultaneously:

(3) playing into the theme of belongingness. mc is in an area she's not familiar with, yet sylus uses words that give her the sense of belongingness she likely wants to feel somehow—because humans will always want to feel that need.

(4) it's attempting to simulate trust and, again, make her needs feel seen and understood; therefore making it seem as if, on the emotional front (disregarding the conditions we don't actually know about right now), like mc is obligated to agree.

and like. you know. the pattern!!!!!! it fits with a lot of his other dialogue too and like... generally? it feels like a conscious choice from what we see of him im the trailer. and i have genuinely no idea how intentional that's supposed to be, but because of that, there are hints of subtle manipulation in his dialogue that made me so interested in it LMAOFJSJFJSJJF

LIKE IM PROBABLY OVERTHINKING?? bc who are we kidding right? we don't know anything about this guy or what situation they got caught up with

YET... yk... its a fun thing to try and pick apart

because again it's like. if it's true? we get to see how that facade melts away into genuineness when we realize he actually cared for her. which is like. just as fun <3

[thatgirl4815]

Intimacy (Ep4)

So there is a lot of behind the scenes work happening in this episode, diving into character histories and further developing how they've come to find themselves in the relationships they're in. All of these details will likely play a large role in how each couples' bonds deepen or widen.

RaySand

Ray's behavior gets a lot of context this episode, particularly in regards to Mew, who he is still crushing on. Because this is such a big plot point this episode, it has a lot of subtle implications for Ray's burgeoning relationship with Sand. Forgive me while I go on a tangent about Ray...

It's become clear--and I think Ray himself even realizes this--that Ray's feelings for Mew are more about the role Mew can fulfill rather than the person Mew really is. How many times does Ray say "No one loves me" in that opening scene? Ray needs so desperately to feel that someone loves him, and he's grown accustomed to being called a brat and a burden because he sees himself that way too.

Ray tells Mew that he isn't looking for a real relationship, but he seems to crave one. I think though that if Ray did date Mew, he would find himself in a similar situation as what he is (eventually) going to find with Sand: having someone love him is all he wants, but the threat of that person leaving him is worse than receiving no love at all. The thought of having Mew return his feelings is perfect because it's just a fantasy--a reflection of what he needs to feel whole again.

Ray turns back to Sand to distract himself from Mew, but Ray's relationship with Sand is going to show him what happens when the fantasy of being loved by someone becomes a reality. Being loved means acknowledging all of the hurt and pain that Ray has likely worked so hard to suppress in the years since his mother's death.

Ray and Sand are edging closer and closer to the edge of the "feelings" abyss, and at the moment, Sand is still the only one who seems aware of it. They've already developed an intimate relationship physically, but small gestures like this reflect the emotional intimacy they're working towards. That's what could end up destroying both of them.

TopMew

Top and Mew make more headway as far as physical intimacy this episode, but their emotional intimacy has taken a few steps back from the steady incline it's been on so far...Mew just doesn't know it yet. The trust they have in one another is going to be put to the test again and again as Top tries to conceal the truth about his hookup with Boston.

While I admire how strongly Mew holds to his convictions, particularly where sex is concerned, something still feels missing from their relationship both emotionally and physically. I can't decide if it's intentional or not. If it's intentional, perhaps it's meant to reflect that all is not as it seems between them, that there are still substantial barriers they'll have to overcome to make their relationship work (trust issues, for one). Part of it might also be that we have witnessed Top try again and again to win Mew over, but Mew still seems resistant in any case. Again, I don't blame him given Top's reputation, but even when he opens up, Mew still comes across extremely guarded, almost as if he isn't completely sold on being in a relationship at all.

This might just be my take on it. I'm curious if anyone else feels similarly. I want to be invested in Top and Mew's relationship, but the very obvious cheating and lying going on is making it difficult for me to anticipate a happy ending, and it casts a cloud over their intimate scenes already. (Again, probably intentional. I'm anxious to see where it'll go from here.)

BostonNick

Boston never changes. He plays Nick like a fiddle. The only change we see between them this episode comes from Nick's side, with him finally admitting verbally that he's into Boston (as if we did not already know that). I find it funny that Nick agrees with everyone who tells him that Boston is bad news, yet he's just as down bad as before. I think Nick takes the cake for most pathetic character on the show (*affectionate*)...can't say I condone his obvious spying and breaking into Boston's phone though. At least Nick has flaws too, otherwise Boston would be blowing him out of the water as far as negative traits are concerned.

Boston's ego is also extremely apparent in every scene with Nick. I think Boston likes knowing that Nick is developing feelings, even if he has no intention of returning them. He sees himself as a prize, and Nick's affection just reaffirms that (something he desperately needs while Top is rejecting him).

Boston and Ray both take the cake as far as getting back into Nick and Sand's good graces though. Those cheek kisses and puppy dog eyes haven't failed them yet.

(Not entirely related, but I am not ready for Boston and Nick to crash RaySand's makeout session next week. Let the boys kiss in peace please.)

[new-tella-us]

Okay, I just got a little thought. Demon War- Erik's Route. At some point, it was suggested that Mika was pregnant before that got shot down for the Oribel plot. And I like the Oribel plot.... but hypothetically... what if it was pregnancy? I could see that working. Clearly unborn, demon kids have consciences because Oribel so I have an idea for the Erik route if they did use the pregnancy idea.

Demon kids have consciences, thoughts and opinions before they are even born. It seems they have the intelligence of a young child but it gets reverted to a baby once they are born. They can hear and somewhat "see" through their mother's eyes. However, all they know is who their mom is. They wouldn't really know their dad and it's not as intrinsic as literally being hosted by their mom.

Mika's kid doesn't know who Erik is. Since they haven't acknowledged Mika as pregnant, they haven't verbally acknowledged Erik as the kid's father. They don't know that she exists yet, after all. All she knows is that a weird man is touching her mom. A man far stronger and more magically inclined than her mom. In response, she starts making Mika defensive and even makes small spells to keep the "icky man" away.

Eventually, the child appears to Mika as a soul, trying to bond with her mother and convince her to get away from Erik. This defensiveness increases when the Demon Lord kidnaps Mika. The child doesn't know that she is related to Erik but she can tell that Erik is related to the Demon Lord aka the "evil man". Why would she want her mom anywhere near someone connected to the "evil man"? Especially someone who the child already didn't trust.

The three endings of the route now differ.

(For future reference, I tend to call the bad ending you get usually midway as "The Bad Ending" and the bad ending you get at the end of the route as "The Worst Ending" So in this case "If I can't live, you can't either" = Bad Ending, "You hurt me, Now I'll hurt you" = Worst Ending)

In the midway point of the game, the soul confronts the group mid exorcism to say that she thinks Mika is her mother. Afterwards, you will get a decision to either claim that the soul is a Soul Eater and is lying to you about being your kid or claim that the soul may be telling the truth. Both bad ending come from determining that the soul is lying to you.

In the Bad Ending, it goes similarly to canon. You need low love points with Erik. You won't get the decision to determine the honesty of the soul because Erik is too busy trying to skewer it. The soul dies but takes Mika with her out of spite.

In the Worst Ending, you have high enough love points to convince Erik but you don't convince him to stop, instead choosing to side with Erik. Everything seems okay, the soul seems to have died but there's something odd about the gameplay. Mika is very distant and things you would usually have a choice in, like whether to be affectionate to Erik on your last night or just go to sleep, you no longer get a say.

The war has begun, the two make it to the castle, the demon lord is slain but... instead of it all being over, when Diana and Erik have their backs turned, Mika uses magic tentacles, similar to Erik's, to stab them both. Turns out, the soul lived. And the soul that Erik and Diana managed to remove from Mika's body and destroy was Mika's own soul. The child, now possessing her dead mother and furious, kills the people she blames for taking away her chance at having a happy life and a loving mother.

In the Good Ending, Mika convinces Erik that this child may be telling the truth and they manage to talk and figure that this is in fact Mika and Erik's child. She's able to use all of Erik's abilities, granted, at a slightly lower power range. This helps in battle where the child is able to use her magic defensively to protect her mom. Then the same thing as canon happens, the path, the castle, the dead father in law, etc. But instead of Diana meeting Oribel, Diana simply admits that the unborn child reminds her of her little sister, "Oribel".

Everyone goes home and epilogue is that there's a new member of Mika and Erik's family.

[cloud-somersault]

49 and 26 for the ask game

Does either of them have a hard time being away from the other?

Yes! Definitely! They both have a hard time being away from the other. This isn't as apparent...well, it kinda is now. It's kinda apparent where we are now in the epilogue. Wukong deadass just said he wants Macaque to come around more, and Macaque said he'd think about it, but, before the fight, he was actually going to stop by more. They like being around each other...they like hanging out together! they just are prone to fight and be stupid LMAO

But! If they're together, Wukong has the hardest time being apart. After nearly... 2,050 years of having NO MACAQUE in his life? He wants to be beside Macaque always and forever now. He gets upset when Macaque has to go do something. Similarly, he gets upset when he has to leave Macaque to go take care of some business. Wukong always invites Macaque to come along with him, and Macaque only sometimes agrees to go.

Macaque also misses being around Wukong, though he hides it better. It takes a bit more for him to "miss' Wukong due to the whole. Murder. But he also can hear Wukong no matter where he is. Macaque can just listen to Wukong's heartbeat and his breaths. He can listen in on conversations Wukong is having. And! He can instantly teleport to him, so it's a bit harder for Macaque to "miss" Wukong. But he does. He will find himself wanting Wukong around or wishing Wukong was with him.

If they've been separated for a while, they both get clingy. Wukong is always clingy. Macaque will get clingy if it's been a while. He'll wraps his arms around Wukong from behind and play as if he's tired or lazy, but really he just wants to lounge about and hold Wukong in his arms.

Macaque will also just pick Wukong up sometimes. Just! Pick him up and carry him around. Sometimes, Wukong clings to Macaque's back or his front like a baby monkey, and Macaque has to like...cook dinner with his husband attached to his chest and like...sleeping. Snoring in his ear.

What are their vices?

Wukong had a drinking problem in the past. He'd get drunk at every feast and be unable to handle his duties the day after. Macaque kinda got tired of having to handle that on his own, so they had a fight about it. Wukong cut back on the alcohol and now it's just a special indulgence.

Other than that, I kinda take this to mean "bad habits" and Wukong's bad habits are avoiding things, keeping secrets, being impulsive, all that. He's kinda cut back on the impulsivity...kind of. He's working on it. But! He's definitely not as bad as he used to be. He also has a bad habit of thinking if he attempts to do something, it'll work. And he can't be blamed for that too much; when he was training with Shifu Subohdi and all that, Wukong took to things quickly where others needed more practice.

For Macaque, he's prone to isolation and forgetting that...relationships and talking with other people are actually essential things and yeah, he should leave the house and get some fresh air. He also likes to think he's right most of the time. He sometimes doesn't listen to others opinions and stuff. He just...objectively believes he's got the right answer.

He's also got a bit of a coffee addiction. He hides it, but if he doesn't have coffee before bed, he gets very cranky. He likes a cup before bed (I hc he sleeps at around 4am) and then one when he wakes up (around noon or so) the caffeine helps him sleep.

[sizzlingpatrolfox]

More than whether he has a girlfriend or not, JK's persistence in feeding his y/n's delusions is annoying. And then he wonders why his fans are so crazy and stalkery. If you leave your gate open and house unlocked, I won't be able to act like it's not partially your fault when you get robbed blind. So if you spend all your time making statements like ARMYs are my girlfriends and ohh I have no time for one, and then your fans stalk you to the gym, or spend their hours trying to look into your house - I don't want to victim blame but maybe JK should take some responsibility too especially since he's obviously benefiting in other ways which is why he keeps doing this.

I'm glad Jimin grew out of this phase - he always set boundaries but he used to be a bit more lenient indulging this sort of behaviour in the past. Nowadays he almost always (sweetly) shuts y/n's down and even shipping-wise, he treats all the members pretty similarly - not that that helps much but still. JK with his y/n's and Tae with his shippers - they should really tone it down.

- I doubt JK is lying but all he said is that he doesn't have a girlfriend. He didn't confirm or deny the video. Chances are she's just a hookup and today's remarks will be enough to kill this whole discourse. Plus he posted a new Tiktok so that'll be a good distraction too.

Well it stemmed from a pretty gross violation of privacy so it's just as well I guess.

Tae should take some notes honestly. Him staying mum during the photo leaks, the whole following and unfollowing Jennie ig debacle and the (in my opinion) botched soft launch of their relationship in Paris - that was one L after another.

---

No, he didn't say it wasn't him in the video. And there are more photos of him inside his apartment, from the same angle of the video. I only saw one where he's cooking and it's literally the same kitchen, same trashbins and all. I'm pretty sure it is him in that video.

I also never said that was his girlfriend, just a girl he was having sex with, so this changes nothing for me because my question was "is it Jungkook in that video?" no "does Jungkook have a girlfriend right now?" There is a difference.

Besides, he said he's not going to sue them - why couldn't he have clarified that it's not him in the video in the same sentence? Just saying that someone was spreading lies about him, or spreading false footage claiming it's him would've been fine. He confirmed tho that there's something that could be sued, he's just not going to. He also said he doesn't have a girlfriend right now because he wants to work. But back then when the video was allegedly filmed he wasn't working, so.

Not to mention everyone -shippers included- saying "he should sue those stalkers" like girlssss I thought that wasn't him being stalked? JSKSJD but well. That's about the fandom and not really about him.

I can't with jikookers tho, because some others are saying "well, he's not going to admit to having a girlfriend" and they're right. Jikookers have spent two years calling Jimin and Jungkook liars but now they're trying to act like the bigger person acting like they're offended at people calling him opportunistic and an editor of the truth. Like they don't do that themselves everytime their imagination of jikook doesn't fit reality.

For the record, I actually believe they would deny a girlfriend even if they had one. I said that months and months ago, that they would deny a relationship if it was the best thing to do because they're putting their careers first. ESPECIALLY Jungkook now, who's so desperate for fame. He'd literally be the first to deny a girlfriend the most vehemently even if he had one.

Not to mention it was the wrong place and time to say "actually yeah I have a girlfriend". Like I'm going to need people to be real.

The women who date people like them know that. They know they're not going to be acknowledged publicly. Chen was it? From exo. He's not even as famous as BTS and he never admitted to having a girlfriend, even though a lot of his fans already knew about it. He only came through when he had to get married, and that's what most do. So, if idols who are far less popular than BTS are keeping their romantic lives private, do army really think BTS -who have way more to lose- wouldn't do the same?????

As fun as gossip is and sometimes you just want to watch the world burn, I also don't really believe that they should admit to relationships. Part of me thinks that in case of taennie for example, all those photos were leaked and they've been seen together, they should've acknowledged it out of respect. On the other hand, they don't really owe anyone an explanation.

There's stuff that bothers me on a personal level, like once Harry Styles said he's never had a public relationship, when in fact everyone in the world who's interested could make a timeline of every single relationship he's ever had in his life because of how public he was about it. But... the thing is he was seen in public with his girlfriends but he never acknowledged them to the public. He doesn't get asked about them in interviews, fans don't ask him about it either. He doesn't even speak to the fans outside of his concerts. He definitely never brings up his girlfriends on conversations either. He doesn't show up to events with them.

So that bothered me a lot when he said that because it's very gaslight-y imo. Like, dude... we've seen it all. We've seen you with them. And the thing about taennie is pathetic to me in a similar fashion because we've also seen it and everybody pretends it doesn't exist. And the thing about following her on Instagram and victimizing himself like the app had done something wrong to him. That was so shitty. One thing Taehyung does have in his favor is that at least he never really denied it either.

In conclusion, I'm just a girl and human and sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me and there's a lot of lingering frustration about not knowing everything. At the same time, logically and empathetically, I understand that people are under no obligation to disclose personal information.

[fakeosirian]

anatomy of a scene - house of anubis s2x85

joy and fabian's fight during the senet game makes me feel INSANE. i'd elaborate more above the cut but that'd defeat the purpose of the cut. so. long story short: this is one of, if not the best scene in the show in regards to character writing in the moment and as a fulcrum in the story at large (in my opinion). transcript + meta as follows:

JOY: What's the point in asking for my help if you're not going to listen to me?

FABIAN: I got it wrong. Okay.

JOY: Wrong? Fabian, this isn't chess; if we make a mistake, someone falls through the floor!

FABIAN: Don't you think I know that? I feel bad enough as it is!

JOY: So you should.

JOY: None of them have signed up for this. Even Victor chickened out when he knew what the stakes were!

(one of the top 10 funniest cuts of the series)

FABIAN: No- Anyway, who knows what would have happened if we had done your move!

JOY: Worst case scenario? We'd have lost Amber. But I would have had two players playing this game instead of one.

FABIAN: You always have to be right and rub everyone else's noses in it, don't you? And do you know why? It's because you're a bully and a control freak.

(screenshots can't do it justice -- the way her face changes is SO subtle, but her eyes get flat and her whole face tenses up. it's eerie)

JOY: Yeah? Well, you're a geek and a coward.

FABIAN: You're a witch.

JOY: Doormat.

They stare in opposite directions. Long beat.

JOY: So what do we do now?

FABIAN: I don't really think we have much of a choice, do we?

Another beat -- still not looking at each other.

FABIAN: Joy...I'm sorry.

Joy nods ever so slightly. She takes a short breath in.

JOY: Okay. Let's do this.

She only makes eye contact in the brief moment before she turns to sit back down.

not gonna transcribe the whole next scene but key point is instead of being irritated on her own behalf or shutting down completely, joy is acting more similarly to before patricia/amber fell through -- then she was visibly nervous, but now she's bordering on tears and openly expressing her doubts about her abilities. she says that she's worried about the "victor" guard because his movements are "unpredictable," but we know she feels that way because she couldn't get a good angle recording him before to study him like the others. throughout the scenes, she's gone from more plainly stating she's frustrated she couldn't get a solid reference on him to making him out to be almost sentient, something beyond her ability to predict despite the mundane reason for it. (could be that he's genuinely moving at random, but i'm choosing to interpret it the interesting character motivation way, especially considering her reasons for naming that guard "victor." girlie is projecting and i don't blame her)

fabian's also done a complete 180 in his demeanor since the fight, gently reassuring her, looking at her with the most fondness we've seen towards her this entire season tbh, and explicitly stating his confidence in her abilities in no uncertain terms. then, he does something really interesting: he lies. he says that he wants her to tell him what her next move would be, promising that he won't do it (with a tone of voice that implies he thinks it'd be ridiculous to do so and he just wants to "review"); once she does, he IMMEDIATELY does them and is totally fine. even when the guard almost whacks him in the head, he looks more defiant than anything.

the neat thing here is there's LAYERS to this fight and what each insult they throw at each other means re: the past, the present, and the future. the future's the easiest because it appears surface level -- they're both doing the opposite of what they were accused of before. joy's not looking to control anything and refuses to cause harm to him; while he's doing exactly as he's told, it's not as a doormat or a coward would. he's making a gamble by not only doing the opposite of what she wanted for him (despite it being her strategy), but even abandoning his own perception of the game (so not even being a "geek" either).

there's more implications for further in the future, but that's on like, level 4 of subtlety and narrative complexity so let's do the past first.

now, my feelings on the nina/fabian/joy love triangle are WAY too extensive to fit in this post, but i'll do my best to condense how i feel about the jabian side of things. joy overstepped repeatedly to a critical degree and was aware she was overstepping. fabian didn't trust himself to communicate his discomfort in a way that wouldn't hurt her feelings (he clearly doesn't think highly of his own interpersonal skills and defaults to other people's advice, even if he thinks it's not very good. that's how little he trusts himself), so he was caught in a bind: he's not to blame for freezing up around someone whose opinion of him he took very seriously, but despite the fact that she acted beyond inappropriately, i can see why joy would feel led on.

joy sidebar: the main things i think of here are the kiss-under-false-pretenses and the movie date. that's definitely material better left for another meta but tl;dr on my thoughts: her behavior was inherently self-destructive at its core, but that doesn't change the fact that when she sets herself up to either experience the best thing or worst thing ever because she can't stand the uncomfortable grey area between, she's setting up everyone around her for the same, which is Appropriately Selfish for a teenager, especially one fresh off of a uniquely horrific traumatic event! i love joy because she's chronically wrong!

fabian sidebar: i think he would have had a far easier time talking to joy if nina wasn't an intervening variable, despite his feelings for her in theory making it easier to turn someone down. that's all i'll say here

SO. the insults, interpreted with that context. "bully" is definitely referencing "ninagate," and while my first instinct was "control freak" referencing the exhibition/ball/how she drags fabian around in general (and i think that's what he thinks he's getting at), the more i think about it, the more i'm convinced it's projection on his part. more on that in the present section.

she reacts by shutting down because that's...kinda what everyone's been calling her already this entire season. and not without reason -- the scenes where patricia confronts her about her behavior (and they start to grow apart as a result) are well placed throughout the narrative, each triggered by something very specific and with a general trend towards distance, but it's not a straight line. joy's felt she's gotten some "redemption" lately being let in on the senet game, so having it "snatched away" kicks her right back to self-preservation instincts: fighting back, even if it means she's "living up to the reputation" that feeds the vicious cycle of her behavior.

"geek" is deliberately impersonal as an insult because her pulling back and not only seeing him so one-dimensionally, but pulling out an insult he'd hear from someone who isn't close to him (doesn't understand/appreciate his intelligence and interests) tells him she doesn't give a shit about him. she obviously does, but she can't let him think that him thinking so lowly of her would hurt her as much as it does. he'd "win." (gee, i wonder why someone betrayed by adult figures in their life, those who as a child you'd previously rely on as your foundational source of and model of trust, would make someone react that way...)

"witch" is fabian's default insult towards bullies. it's what he called patricia when she was picking on nina early season 1 despite their existing friendship, indicating it's an insult designed to set him apart from "being on your side" -- a counterattack to her doubling-down on the "bully" persona he set up for her in this conversation (though in the context of ninagate, it's not an unfair assessment, and she definitely chose to embody it (hello self-destruction) before he called it out directly).

i didn't talk about coward with geek because it's wrapped up in "doormat." she held back before he said witch -- despite the fact that she was the first to feign a lack of closeness with "geek," him seeming to confirm this sentiment tips her over the edge into stating something...particularly twisted coming from her. if anyone has taken advantage of the fact that he's a doormat when it comes to social interactions, it's her. "coward" can be localized to the senet game more easily -- she had a point earlier! why ask her for help if you're going to be bossy anyway? makes it seem like he's just trying to divest responsibility without the power and make her feel like a scapegoat! (uncharitable read, but understandable in this tense environment!) but doormat? he's not being a doormat now. he's been a doormat in the past (notably only in regards to social/relationship stuff -- he's generally a decision-maker and even "insubordinate" when it comes to mystery stuff. he defers to nina a lot, but only if he doesn't think he knows better -- see: getting patricia and alfie involved behind her back). joy knows reminding him of a big insecurity like that will get under his skin. get under his skin, and maybe he'll stop. (and he does. note that her automatic logic here doesn't consider just...demanding he stop in plain language. he probably would, but once again: fundamental lack of trust triggered! it's not "personal" to him in that he caused that issue, but it hit the button.)

does she like that he's a doormat, though? honestly, i don't think she does. she likes when he goes along with what she wants to do, but not because she told him to -- she just wants to do things with him, and she thinks she has to find the "right thing" that will "make him realize he does." when talking to patricia, she implies she truly believes fabian wants to go along with whatever thing she's pressuring him into at that given moment, despite patricia trying to tell her that he's...well, a doormat who can't say no to her. she wants him to want her out of persuasion, not intimidation. her calling him a doormat wasn't just an insult; it's a resignation. it's her giving up hope on not only a romantic connection but maybe friendship, especially since that revelation had to be dragged out of her by him finally not being a doormat and overcorrecting (as he's prone to do. see: the poem recitation to nina disaster).

speaking of...the present.

the irony of the present is that they're not in a romance plotline scene. they're in a mystery plotline scene, where fabian expresses VERY different character traits re: what i was saying before about the doormat comment. joy arguably does too -- it's harder to get a read on her because she's only one level above a human macguffin in s1 and hasn't interacted with the plot directly until This Arc, but with the small sample we have, we can see she's far more inclined to caution, knowing full well the consequences of making mistakes but without the regular exposure to desensitize her. when she asks what they're supposed to do next and fabian tells her they have One Option, he doesn't need to say what that option is, and it's not important. what he's communicating is far subtler than that; his more haphazard approach to strategy -- deliberating/mitigating but actively taking risks regardless of previous failure -- isn't borne of pure recklessness. she's optimistic you can sit out and still survive but cynical you could survive by trying; he's cynical (and correct, in this case) about nonparticipation, knowing it's Not An Option, but optimistic that if they just take one more risk they can win back and surpass their losses. they have before, and the consequences of opting out are beyond taking an automatic failure.

it ties back into his social doormatism; he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he abandoned nina because he can't deny her anything, even if it's her breaking up with him or her asking him to throw himself in a hole. calling that "being a doormat" is really, really uncharitable of course, but for the sake of the parallel, he has to RESIST being a doormat to joy (and has no problem doing so -- he overrides her MULTIPLE times in this plotline after telling her she's in charge) to do so, which while the "only option" for him, is obviously difficult because of the habits he's developed on the social side of things. the fabina relationship has always been part of the "plot" side of the show to me, with s2 muddying the waters/making it straddle the line with the "slice of life" stuff more by involving joy and giving them romance scenes that aren't entirely related to the mystery. this scene does the reverse for jabian -- it's officially plot because fabian finally used character traits he only has access to in a plot context to impart consequences to the "slice of life" plot, officially ending it. there's a reason no jabian turning down/closure scene before this really felt "real" -- it had to be broken down here, like this.

i think it's also for that reason that she doesn't return his apology. some of it is her still having shit on her end to work through, but i have a hunch that you could attribute the source of some of that shit to her realizing that Exact Thing. he's putting nina over her. it doesn't have to be through every hoop i jumped through up there -- it's as simple as the unspoken gut feeling of "you'd never say that to nina."

to tie up the rest of the insults re: the present, most of them are equally contradictory to their current situation/the immediate reason the fight started. (she wasn't bullying anyone/being especially "witchy" beyond being a little harsh towards him. he wasn't being a coward. him being "a geek" could be in reference to him needing to be involved in the "brains" part of the operation here, but that's a bit of a reach.)

but the most interesting one is "control freak," which i mentioned i'd be circling back to later. now is later! joy's not being a "control freak" -- he literally asked her to help and won't let her do her job. that's the projection, by the way. he's the one overstepping, and while i at least can tell it's coming from...not an intentionally bad place per se (mix of guilt running amok/being the usual "ideas guy" and doesn't know how else to deal with feeling stressed out despite it Not Helping/Genuine Concern And Fear), it's certainly super obnoxious of him to take it out on joy, and i wouldn't discount the interpretation of him being arrogant/a bit of a chauvinist here, lmao. chauvinism doesn't feature much, if at all, in his characterization as a pattern, but arrogance certainly can.

i say can because this is the 4th layer of future, LOL. the senet game serves as great foreshadowing (and in some ways, a better version of, in my opinion) fabian succumbing to the sin of pride -- to RFS himself, no less, who designed this game as a hubris trap. it's notable that sinner-fabian targets joy to insult directly, ESPECIALLY after she's had such a successful growth period while so many other people in the house became the worst versions of themselves, and i like to think that was written with this in mind.

i'm going to be saving any s3 thoughts past that for another day because they're...complicated, and i'm not sure how to best express them yet and REALLY don't want to contribute to tired-out discourse or come off like a hater, lmfao. the only reason i even Mention it is because i don't have any of the...usual? issues with it? i have no gripes with screen time balance and like that it really delves into the logical-conclusion consequences of previous seasons. if anything, it has a lot of my favorite shit (KT, joy's "redemption arc," fabian being allowed by the story to be as unreliable as other characters, eddie's maturation). my issue is more in the very-pretentious-narrative-theory zone (specifically craft stuff like tone and the specific mechanics of how character development functions on screen, not necessarily what the characters develop into), so i'll leave that for the "The Only Two (2) Functional Changes I Would Make To Season Three That Leave It Both Essentially The Same, And Yet Different Enough To Solve What I Believe Are Critical Audience Engagement Complications" post? i guess?

if you made it this far, i'll buy you some eyedrops because i know MY eyes are dry after typing this beast up in one sitting. i am terminally verbose :3 but fr, thank you! let me know what you think, ESPECIALLY if you disagree. i promise i won't call you a geek or a bully <3

[shitty-davesprite-daily]

okay, I can't Double Jeopardy you about being gay. BUT, I'm gonna fucking litigate you to hell and back about this.

In perfectly serious legal terms, FYM, 'pretend he cares about me'? Let's move onto the first piece of evidence: @badlydrawnjohn and his Dealings With The Fuck Hat.

John's first though upon learning the Truth was not to think any lesser of your own person, but instead worry about how YOU'D think of HIM! This ties back into Strider V. How Down Bad Is Davesprite For John Egbert (2023), (viewable here), as you similarly elevated your own concerns of the Fuck Hat and worried about John's views and opinions on you! And, with the effective ruling that You Are Down Bad For One John Egbert, this is certainly cause for further examinations on John's feelings! But, i'm not done yet! In our second piece of evidence, JOHN'S OWN THOUGHTS ON DISCUSSING TIMELINE FUCKERY WITH YOU!

NOT ONLY would he be willing to discuss his feelings with you (despite he himself being hesitant to do so), HE IS DIRECTLY-QUOTABLE IN SAYING HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO HIM! But wait! I'm back for round three, with: WOULD HE HAVE SIMPLY LET YOU DO THE WINGY THING IF HE WAS NOT AMIABLE...

In Circumstances Just As Meat-Dave and Karkat are having a blushy-blushy, You-Make-My-Heart-Go-Doki-Doki ass moment?? And Finally, for my Times Four John-Care Combo,

UN-GRIMDARKIFYING HIM WITH AN ACT OF LOVE AND CARE, WHICH WOULD'VE NEEDED TO FORCE THROUGH HORRORTERROR BULLSHIT, WOULD HAVE HAD TO MEAN SOMETHING TO HIM ON-PAR WITH CUTTING DOWN TO HIS VERY SOUL, The very ESSENCE OF HIS BEING! I rest my goddamn case.

Of Course, this isn't to downplay everyone else's role in The Un-Grimdarkening but you can't deny that it's still meaningful that the thing that dealt the final blow was The Hug. (sorry for the Longass Posts but. Davesprite man. Can You Blame Me.)

TG: oh my god dude i

TG: seriously

TG: what the fuck do you want me to say

TG: yeah okay maybe he cares about me

TG: for some fuckin reason

TG: and obviously i care about him

TG: but what the fuck am i supposed to do about that

TG: especially when people like you are absolutely reading into shit that isnt there about how much he "really" cares about me

TG: seriously man

TG: im fine. im cool

TG: just lay off

[ryuseiired]

Hello!! I meant to respond to your reply but I forgor -- thus, I'm here to ask about any Mahiru thoughts/theories/opinions you have 👀🌻 (only if you want, I'd just love to hear!)

OHHH you have no idea how happy i am to talk about mahiru... she is so dear to my heart. as evidenced by the last time someone asked me about her and i accidentally wrote a 1900 word response. going to try and make my answer to this ask a little shorter lol.

i think there's just something really compelling to me about the fact that like. whatever it is that happens with her boyfriend feels so much more like an interpersonal problem that went horribly wrong than like a murder case. obviously the characters with more traditional and direct murders can be and are interesting as well but there's just that special flavor of tragedy to the instances where characters never intended for their "victim" to die. especially mahiru, who sincerely loved her boyfriend and seems to have not even wanted to inflict Any sort of harm nor to have been aware that she was doing so.

i really really like and resonate with how she deals with the realization that she in fact Did hurt her boyfriend though. it's just so nuanced and realistic, you know? she blames herself for her emotions and desires and her inability to get it right, and she doesn't want to hurt anyone again... but she also can't stand the idea that she'd have to be alone and unloved for the rest of her life in order not to hurt anyone, either. which i think is a dichotomy mahiru seems really familiar with: she doesn't really want to get upset with her boyfriend or hurt him or anything like that; it's just that she also desperately wants more attention and love and commitment than what she's getting (and ends up giving in to that desire and demanding it seemingly to his detriment, judging by all that "calling you in the middle of the night" she mentions in this is how to be in love with you, or the "if you don't hug me our hearts will drift apart").

which is... a really realistic struggle, you know? wanting something from someone that they for whatever reason can't give you. on one level i think she does need to work on how to actually be okay by herself, and to find healthier outlets to cope with it. on one level her behavior is destructive and harmful to others. but on another level, she's not wrong for having a high desire for attention and reassurance, either. and it seems like she doesn't really know how to deal with those emotions. or with her emotions in general, actually... she gets carried away with happiness when things are good, and sinks into despair when they're bad, and doesn't know how to handle it or find a middle ground.

it's just a really nuanced situation without a clear right or wrong, and that level of difficulty in coping with/controlling your emotions is really hard to handle even without a situation where you end up becoming implicated in your boyfriend's death... i feel for her a lot :( poor girl just needs therapy and a better support system in her life. and actually circling back then to my tags on your fic... i think in another world, that mahiru with her uncontrollable emotions and ideals of love as her meaning to live could absolutely find some sort of kinship and seeing herself in kotoko, who similarly seems to struggle with her anger towards injustice spiraling out of her control and with her vigilante work being connected to a sense of purpose for her.

unfortunately, as is... i think the opportunity's been a bit lost with mahiru's canon guilty vote and what happened between them. mahiru forgives her, yeah, but... i just don't think it'd be great for her to pursue a connection with someone who nearly killed her.

that's what alternate universes are for though, right? ;)