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sometimes nifty characters come from lousy media, but they still deserve a loving home! and that's where fanfic comes in

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So, the boys' desk is weirdly wide?? and I just realized it's because it's a partners desk.

There are drawers facing us and also presumably where Edwin sits.

" A partners desk, partner's desk or partners' desk (also known as a double desk) is a mostly historical form of desk, a large pedestal desk designed and constructed for two users working while facing each other. The defining features of a partner's desk are a deep top and two sets of drawers, one at each end of the pedestal" - Wikipedia

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so edwin and internalized homophobia right? because it is just internal. he never really shows any issue with homosexuality except when it's towards himself. niko talks about her sexy yaoi manga with him, monty very openly and blatantly flirts with him and he never seems uncomfortable or even shocked or surprised with that. and his discomfort with the cat king's advances are more about his own reactions and feelings as opposed to what the cat king is doing.

so edwin doesn't have a problem with homosexuality. he has a problem with his homosexuality specifically. and i think this is why it was important that he fell in love with charles specifically. because that's what helps him break through the mental block that's upholding the inherent contradiction of his views.

and not in a "romance fixes everything kind of way" but in the sense that. okay. so edwin has always known he's gay. and he's been made to feel that there is something wrong with him for being gay, that him being gay is terrible enough that it's going to get him murdered. but he falls in love with charles. charles who he thinks the world of. and he has always loved charles but now his love has taken on a form that he has been taught is wrong but it's charles and he has to reconcile the idea that either the love he feels for charles is wrong or this fundamental belief that feeling that kind of love at all is wrong. because if he is in love with charles, then how can that be something bad? he has loved charles all this time and it has only ever brought him good things.

which is what makes it important. he didn't need to learn homosexuality isn't wrong. he apparently figured that out all on his own before canon. he needed to learn that his own love and desire is something beautiful and should be celebrated because his relationship with charles is something beautiful and worth celebrating no matter what form it takes.

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*Reverses your Christmas*

A gift from @i-am-as-normal-as-you-are to all of you :) we really wanted the boys to get along for once, and what better occasion than Christmas? anything to make the Edwins happy!

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chapters: 20/21

Summary: Adrien’s favorite color used to be orange. Until Marinette.

An Adrinette fic with short, drabble-y chapters all involving the color pink

20. magic

It’s always the sewers, somehow.

Adrien drops through the manhole and reaches up to help Ladybug down.

“Home sweet home, right?” He wrinkles his nose. “We should bring some scented candles down here next time.”

She shoves him lightly while their miraculous chime together, a beat off from perfect unison. “No time for jokes. Go.”

They hurry toward a split in the tunnel, where a wall can stand safely between them as their transformations fall.

Adrien’s eyes slip closed while the tingling rush of magic travels from his toes to his head, stripping the protective layer of his suit away. The air on his skin feels cold and damp.

“That was close,” Ladybug says breathlessly. Her voice echoes slightly against the stone. “I’m not sure we can beat Renaissance Man on our own.”

“Do you need to call in reinforcements?” Adrien asks. “I think I can distract him for at least a few minutes.”

Plagg dives into his pocket for a wedge of cheese. On the other side of the wall, Ladybug is silent for a moment.

“I—maybe. But I don’t like the idea of leaving you out there alone.”

“You don’t think I can handle it?” He leans against the wall with an easy smile. “Milady, I’m wounded. I thought you trusted me.”

“Of course I do.”

“Well—”

Plagg flits in front of his face. “We’re out of camembert.”

Adrien blinks. “What?”

“We’re out.”

He scoffs. “What do you mean, ‘we’re out’? I know I had some earlier today. It got squished all over my phone screen during algebra class.”

“But then I very nicely cleaned it off for you,” Plagg says. “And then I very nicely cleaned up the rest of your pocket.”

“You mean we don’t have any?” He desperately pats down his pockets. “What were you thinking? You know it’s for emergencies. Like this one, for example!”

“It’s not my fault!” Plagg protests. “Math makes me snack-y.”

“Everything makes you snack-y.”

“Uh, Chat Noir?” comes Ladybug’s voice. “I have extra. Do you need it?”

Adrien sighs. “Yes. Thank you. And I apologize that my kwami is such a pig.”

“Ha! Daizzi wishes he were me.”

“Shut up, Plagg.” Adrien edges around the wall, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. “Milady?”

“Here. Reach out your hand.”

Fingers brush his, and something smooth and round nestles into his palm.

He turns around and looks down at it. A macaron, pink with white polka dots.

Everything in him freezes.

“Kid, I’m starving!” Plagg whines. “Give it here.”

“Wait,” he says absently. He stares down at the macaron, at the careful arrangement of white dots stamped against the blushing pink.

He knows this pattern. He’s seen it before.

Behind glass, standing in neat rows, while the rain tapped against the bakery window.

On a plate on his desk at school, surrounded by balloons and streamers and stars.

In his own hands, catching the crumbs before they scatter on the bedspread.

“Come on!” Plagg darts toward the macaron, but Adrien holds it out of reach.

It’s the same pattern she always uses. Her signature.

The lining of her favorite jacket.

The cuffs of her favorite jeans.

“Chat Noir?” Ladybug asks.

Her backpack. Her handbag. The skirt she made herself two weeks ago.

Polka dots.

Spots.

“What flavor is it?” he asks softly.

“Wha—why?” Ladybug’s voice is a thin sort of red, the kind that goes pink in the middle when the light shines through. It cracks like bubble gum, urgent and sharp. “Chat Noir, we need to hurry.”

“Is it strawberry?” he insists.

“I could tell you if you’d let me eat it.” Plagg dives again toward the macaron, and this time, Adrien isn’t fast enough. It’s gone in a single bite.

“Tikki, are you ready?” Ladybug asks.

Her arm brushes against his. Soft. Like cotton candy.

“Ready!” says a small, high-pitched voice.

“What about you, Chat Noir?”

She smells like cherry blossoms.

“Yeah,” he whispers.

“Spots on.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, but he can see the light through his eyelids.

Sparkling, dazzling pink.

_____

They don’t need reinforcements. Within minutes, Ladybug is armed with another lucky charm and one of her signature crazy-but-brilliant plans. Then, just like that, Renaissance Man has surrendered his magical paintbrush into Adrien’s crackling glove.

Adrien helps the man to his feet. Across the street, Ladybug raises her lucky charm—a spotted pencil, shaped just like the orange one tucked into his book bag. The one Marinette saved for him on that day at school, months ago.

She throws the pencil into the air, and magic swirls around them.

It’s pink.

Her favorite color.

“Chat Noir!” Ladybug calls. Her arm is extended for their ritual fist bump, but he can’t look away from her face.

She’s pink. Just like her magic. Her cheeks are pink and her smile is pink and underneath her raspberry-colored suit, he knows her heart is pink too.

His own heart resounds inside his chest. He can feel it through his whole body, every beat drawing him closer to her. She blinks as he steps into her space without raising a fist in return.

“True or false,” he whispers. “You get those macarons from the Dupain-Cheng bakery.”

Her mask scrunches in confusion, gaze flickering over his face.

(Her eyes. They’re exactly the same. How did he never see?)

“Um … true,” she replies carefully. “Why?”

Adrien nods nonchalantly. “Good choice. They’re the best in the city.”

“Yeah …” She shakes her slightly. “Why—”

“And those are the best macarons too,” he goes on, leaning in a little. “They’re called Marinette macarons—did you know that?”

Her eyes (the same eyes—star bright, ocean blue) go wide. “W-what?”

He straightens. “You know, next time you’re there, you should try the raspberry mousse cake. I got a professional recommendation for it, and it’s really good. In fact—”

She grabs him by the wrists.

“True or false,” she breathes. “You’re Adrien.”

He smiles and whispers her name, soft and pink.

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I am a WHORE for “the love is requited, they’re both just idiots”

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If BookTok and the subsequent rise in popularity of “dark romance” has taught me anything it’s that mainstream media can get away with some of the nastiest most depraved shit imaginable as long as it’s a straight couple

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I’m not a big fan of discourse and confrontation, so oftentimes if there’s discourse in my fandoms I’ll just keep scrolling. I’m a big fan of leaving the things that don’t affect you in real life alone, even if you might disagree with what’s being said. And honestly I don’t think that all disagreements in fandom are bad, it can lead to some really interesting analyses of media that you might not have noticed without having to go back to the source to defend your points. But I feel like it needs to be said that the amount of disrespect for individuals has increased significantly in fandom. Part of it is the modern relationship to internet access and usage but a lot of you people are becoming way too comfortable being casually cruel to others within your own and separate spaces. I think we need to remember that fandom at its core is about community and connecting with others over a shared interest. You don’t have to agree with everything that is said especially if there are some figureheads in your spaces that are more outspoken but you can voice differing opinions without trivializing others, since most people use their own personal experiences to analyze media.

Like I know that the “go touch some grass” sentiment has kinda lost its impact, but I’m being so for real right now that some of you people need to take a break and go spend some time away from the internet and gain some perspective.

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best friends to lovers is only good if theyre still best friends while theyre lovers

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(alt included)

Link to Video. (Please help Panda make money.)

Video description and transcript under the cut.

Description: TikTok video by The Panda Redd. Re-enactment of final scene of Under the Hood. All roles played by Panda. Setting is a dark basement lit only by a hanging light bulb.

Transcript.

Jason: *holding gun on Bruce* "Bruce, I forgive you for not saving me."

Batman: *glares silently*

Jason: "But why? Why on God's Earth—" *hits Joker across the face*

Joker (tied to a chair): *cackles*

Jason: "—is HE still alive??"

Joker: "AHAHAHAHAHHAHA!"

Batman:

Batman: "I'm sorry, d'you want me to be serious here or—?"

Jason: *in disbelief* "YES, Bruce! I want you to be serious right now! If he had done what he did to me to you, I would've done nothing but search the earth for this pile of death-worshiping garbage!"

Joker: "I love you too, Sugar Plum."

Batman: *holds hands up* "Okay, yeah, I get that, totally, I get that. Um. Have you tried?"

Jason: "Excuse you?"

Batman: "Have you tried to kill him yet?"

Jason: *to Joker* "Is he being serious?"

Joker: *also confused* "I'm gonna be honest with you, Junior. I don't know."

Jason: "Got it. Great." *turns back to Batman* "What the fuck does THAT mean?"

Batman: "Okay, so no, you haven't. Cool. Do it."

Jason:

Jason: *lowers gun* "What."

Batman: "Do it, cap his ass. Shoot him."

Joker: "I'm gonna go with Junior here, and say: what?"

Jason: "You want me to shoot him?"

Batman: "I want someone to shoot him! Give me the gun, I'll do it!"

Jason: *mutters, brain blue screening* "What is going on right now? This should a lot harder than it is."

Batman: "C'mon, son! You decapitated like eleven people three days ago! Fuckin' do it!"

Joker: *turns to Jason quizzically* "This has gotta be some sort of test, ri—" *Jason fires. Joker lands on the floor lifeless, eyes still open.*

Jason: "There, you happy? Jesus. Was that so hard? All of this time and it was THAT easy!"

Batman: "I don't know what you're talking about "easy". There's nothing there." *nods at floor*

Jason: "What the fuck is that supposed to—" *looks down at floor where the Joker was lying*

Floor: *is devoid of Joker*

Jason: *stares*

Floor: *continues to be sans anything but carpet*

Jason: "What the fuck?"

Batman: "Yeah."

Jason: "WHAT THE FUCK?"

Batman: "Take as long as you need with this."

Jason: *looking around frantically* "I just shot him! He hit the floor! What the f—"

Floor: *is just vibin'*

Jason: "Where the fuck did he go??"

Batman: "See that shit? That shit right there happens every fucking time!"

Jason: "There's not even a blood stain! It's just gone!"

Batman: "Yeah, like two days after you died, I chased him into a helicopter where he got shot like six times. The helicopter exploded and crashed into the ocean. And his body was gone before Superman could find it."

Jason: "Oh my God. I don't understand how this is even fucking possible!"

Batman: "He's like a cryptid! I don't fucking get it!"

Joker: *disembodied laughter*

Jason: *freaked out, turning in circles trying to find him* "Oh my God!"

Batman: "THAT OMINOUS SHIT HAPPENS TOO! I DON'T KNOW, DUDE!"

Jason: "Dude. Fuck whatever's going on here, that's some fucking bullshit."

Batman: "Thank you! Finally someone gets it!"

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I keep thinking about how Crystal asked the Washer Woman I need to know who I am and she meant getting her memories back but the Washer Woman replied "when the earth moves and the bird cries, stop looking without, and look within"

And I know the Washer Woman's focus is on saving lives and the revelation Crystal had there did eventually lead to her being able to reclaim her memories but the fact remains she asked a wise prophet who am I? and the answer was you are a beautiful blossoming tree and you have access to a strong, rich lineage to help you and a great potential to do good

It is not her memories that make her who she is, or her parents, or her name. She's not defined by the environment she grew up in or the horrible things she did in the past. She asked to know who she was and this is the answer. Resilient, glowing, beautiful, empowered by generations before her to be herself and protect others. She really needed to hear that and she’s gotta be so grateful she learned this before getting her memories back. She's a strong and loved psychic medium first, the person she was before second

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"Imagine still posting fanart a whole year after the game came out" brother what are you talking about

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I’m sure that most DBD fans know by now about the disappointing events that took place on Twitter yesterday.

I don’t want to rehash it, so I’ll just say that artists deserve to be paid for their work, and creating Cameos is work.

In case you aren’t aware, Cameo has the option to “Send a message.” It only costs $2.99 and gives you 250 characters to say something nice to George and Jayden.

Please consider telling them how much you appreciate them, and I personally think it’s best to avoid mentioning the Twitter bs. We don’t want to sour this lovely thing they are trying to do for us by reminding them that some people don’t know how to behave in public.

Just send them some love. They deserve it and they probably need it.

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hey!! can we not harass a dbd cast member so badly that they deactivate their twitter account and stop interacting with the fandom?? i joined this specific fandom to avoid any shitty people who start shitty drama and the fact that people can sleep well knowing they did this is baffling me. do better, please.

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