#((also bad end is still living rent free in my head and I'm blaming you for it))

[localwebslingers]

Send to 10 other bloggers you think are wonderful. Keep this going to make someone smile. ☆♥

You can't uno reverse me! Sparrow you are a delight, completely and utterly just across the board. You are so sweet, and so much fun to talk with and write with, I am very emotionally invested in these boys, all four of them, and I appreciate you! And if this is all part of your master plan to get more fans for Harry I'm not complaining. He deserves them and you play him, both of him, beautifully well.

[the-kr8tor]

Im thinking of the fae hobie series and specifically one of the endings. I need hobie to get revenge like so bad, i cant stop thinking about what could happen if he kills that stupid thing. Even if its a little to late since the cycle is already broken and he wont ever see you again. It gets me trying to think of more positive endings begause like what if hobie cant exist without that thing? Like what if the horrible monster thing and hobies lives are like together. Like both of them have to be alive or neither are, and what if hobie doesnt know that. So when hobies going to get revenge and when he kills the thing, it kills him. (I dont know my minds going to a weird place its like 7am in the morning for me almost 8)

I dont know that series kills me (i need more of fae!hobie, i love him so much if it isn’t obvious) it kills me because no matter what just eating the bread just pushes off the nightshade until later, and hobie feels guilty for letting you live but you cant seem to leave him. Even when you do leave him and break the cycle you never truly leave him. You are his heart and it has basically been torn out of his chest. Im trying to like think of more happy endings even if both are bittersweet because reader will always eventually die. (even though their is none, im just tryna cope with the pain that series gives me)

Man that series kills me and i dont even read it on a daily basis (i think about it on a daily basis it doesnt leave my mind)

I could go on a rant about fae hobie. It’s probably gonna be the exact same with the pirate hobie series, cause i just inow that shits gonna be angsty.

Im gonna like have to request for you to just like calm down with the angst and making me cry ao badly/j

The the ttn series is also upsetong but it still ends on a good note, then theirs just the fae!hobie series that says ‘no’

Fae hobie takes up my thoughts and im not scared to admit that (he has made me cry multiple times, whenever im sad now and dont have a reason im gonna blame it on fae hobie)

I love your writing so much, it needs to stop living in my head rent free. I really do love your writing so so much though, even if it makes me sad.

Oh my love, every version of Hobie stays in my mind forever like i really want to make tf a comic or something bc i just love how I plotted that especially my notes were so messy and I still can't believe I didn't fumble the story through my writing.

That's a really great theory! Either way he's already dead inside whether or not he kills it because you're not with him anymore 😞

I specifically made tf the angstiest thing I've written bc i needed to get all the sadness out on paper or I'll burst. And im really glad you still loved it even though it's very sad. (Tf needs more love tbh or angst for that matter) (also writing angst is my specialty before I started writing fluff. Oh if only my og story would see the light one day ☹️)

"you are his heart and it has basically been torn out of his chest" you're so right for that 😭 imagine that but a hundred times over the centuries he's been alive (that line goes hard tho)

I'm really happy that my work has made you feel things bc I've always been insecure in my writing, so thank you so much for showing your love in tf and my other works! This warms my heart ❤️

[okiroash]

I need to ramble about Yomiel real quick (he's been living in my head rent free 💥)

usually I don't like villains who do bad things just because their backstory is tragic but Yomiel is different, he's.. very balanced in both sides? I'm not sure how to describe it

He was literally just some guy, did nothing wrong in his life (except, maybe that hair of his- which I am quickly growing fond of)

It all spiraled when he accepted a job to help them organize the nation's secrets

But then he got accused of being spy and was threatened to ruin his life for a statement (it drove him into hopelesness.

he shouldn't have taken the gun, but it was his only 'light' at that time..

Now- from an outsider perspective one would think "oh what the fuck, why did you take her hostage" ..and hm. I still think like this LOL

but desperation and panic can influence one's behaviour, how it becomes hard to think reasonably.. especially when time is running out FAST. doesn't excuse what he did but I think it's important to know what led him to do this

And then.. oh god, him having to see his fiancee die because she wants to be with him. His cruel fate didn't let him into the afterlife (Yomiel mentioned this which either means:

1. When he didn't exactly die from the meteor shard, he knew he couldn't

Or 2. It might be that he has tried....to be with his fiancee (it didn't work))

(The fact it was mentioned that she had just died recently, knowing that if he had arrived sooner she would still be alive. That shit hurts)

yomiel only has his cat for support, a recently dead man can't have human friends. It would only lead to trouble (I mean, a guy who died from a meteor is unnatural, the news is probably in everyone's newspaper)

And it keeps. getting. WORSE. He lost his human functions! (Yomiel says this but I can't remember when) he cannot feel touch (in chapter 15 we can see him uneffected by pain) and we can guess to an extend: smell, taste, and everything else

Just numbness and loneliness, his last few moments of life was hopeless and pain.. his "unlife" is even more awful (this man can't catch a break huh?)

Imagine living like that for such a long time.. and knowing nothing will change. that he will forever spent an eternity like this.. that's bound to make anyone lose their sanity (and he most likely had lost a lot of them)

It makes sense why he was so.. angry and vengeful, he was an innocent man dragged into this. He loaths his unlife so much that he despises everything that had led him to this fate, he ends up hating the girl too (because she was there, giving him an option to take her as hostage) [<- trying to understand his perspective.. it sounds a little less selfish now, but still! not cool yomiel!]

But most importantly of why he's reaaaally angry, is because he thinks the death of his fiancee was caused by them

(Dialogues where he mentions her)

1. In the submarine with lynne

The way he tried to ignore it.. T_T

2. Coversation with jowd

Again, he avoided it.. only responding with silence

yomiel is wrong hurting many people and blaming lynne too, but when you've spent years (10 YEARS. 120 months. 3652 days. 87660 hours) without human connection.. soul welling up with negative emotions.. do you think you can still feel empathy towards other human beings? after all the things that happened as well?

(Maybe- but if it was me I'd be too blinded by hate, and that's probably what yomiel feels too.. ah of course his dwindling sanity only made it worse)

So when Lynne sympathize with him, cried for him, he DECIDED his revenge was over

One of the reasons of his revenge, He wanted them to feel the same pain as him ..and they did, he finally felt understood

but also. I'd like to think it's because she gave him a human connection, a connection to the living, something he hadn't felt for a long time and it came from the person he sees as an enemy

he wasn't really a bad guy, he's a man messed up in the head because of all his upbringings, lynne gave him a reminder of what it's like to have someone (and it must have been so lonely, after losing his only friend at that night)

Again- Yomiel is still accountable for the crimes he committed, it's just the events that made him become like this is so.. understandable

In the end we can't really fault any of them, I guess you can say cabanela (because he was the one who interrogated him and left the gun there)

But who would've thought that there will be a meteor crashing into the park? It's all is just really. Really. Unfortunate

It genuinely delights me so much that this man is actually getting mentally better

He most likely have guilt complex but I'm sure he'll be able to let go of it since most of his actions were undone in the new timeline

[narratingvoice]

how much new content do you think it'll take to satisfy the fandom, discuss

(aka this is my own attempt to come on here and say to the Mod: I absolutely love the way you write The Narrator's replies!! they sound so canon istfg reading all of your text posts makes me wanna write or draw smthn (even tho I can't rn since I have both writer's and artist's block help ☠️) like damn I would've mistakened you for the real dude /hj anyway I hope you're doing well in this hellish summer toodlesss)

How much new content? My dear, there is no limit to the amount of new content that people will demand. Even if one person says, "all right, that's enough Stanley Parable for me for the rest of my life", and moves on to other pursuits, there is always another eager to continue. And I can't really blame them, can I? I'm the one who made the tagline of the entire game "the end is never the end". If you feel disappointed that the game is not literally infinite, well too bad, I already got your money. I hope you liked what I gave you. (No really, please tell me. I need to hear the adulation.)

But in any case, you can always rely on your imagination to expand the story ever outward. And many of you have. Just look at this:

From this statistic we can deduce two things: One, the fandom is insatiable for more content starring me and Stanley (and maybe some other, less important characters). Two, they are able and willing to provide it themselves. This is an arrangement that pleases me greatly, because it means I don't have to do any of the work but I still get the name recognition. It's been over a year since Ultra Deluxe released and the brand is still going strong and sticking in people's memory. That means I win! I am living in your head rent-free, as the kids are fond of saying. It means I am loved, and I am remembered, and I am real. Keep going forever!

In fact, if the rate of fan works ever starts to fade away, I'll just drop another remake onto whatever new consoles are out by then, with maybe a few new endings carefully hidden deep within the office, to make people hunt for them. That certainly seems to be working out for Ghost Trick right now and I don't think Capcom added any new content at all. That way we can keep a mutually beneficial cycle of content and attention going.

((thanks so much! It really means a lot because I try very hard to nail his voice. it's been very hot and humid and i hate it. also, play Ghost Trick))

[casspurrjoybell-27]

Claimed by the Beast - Chapter 7a

*Warning: Adult Content*

War - Part 1

- Everett -

"Take me to bed?" Everett mutters to himself.

"Have I lost my fucking mind? Why did I say that? Why did I almost let him..."

Everett glances at the stairs leading into the basement for the hundredth time, wondering what's taking Knox so long to come back.

The movie he started is now at the midway point and it shouldn't take someone this long to move their motorcycle down the street.

Not unless something bad happened.

"Oh, no. What if..."

Everett hops off the bed and races upstairs as his thoughts take a dark turn.

He immediately inspects the ground for blood and a body once outside, silently praying the body doesn't belong to Knox.

It's frightening and alarming how close he feels to Knox while also hating everything about the man.

Maybe even closer than what he felt towards Shaun and they knew each other longer.

"Fuck. Did he just up and ditch me, then?" Everett questions after clearing his empty, spotless driveway of any crimes.

Eager for an explanation, he reaches for his cell phone, only to find it isn't in his pockets.

As he turns to head back into the house, his parents pull up and park.

They step out of the car and look as miserable as Everett feels on the inside.

"Did you come out here to greet us?" his father jokes.

Sarah gives a pitiful smile before scurrying into the house while clutching her stomach.

"I was, uh, just getting some fresh air," Everett lies. "Is there anything you need me to do for you guys?"

His father shakes his head.

"But if you could go back in time to prevent us from going to that damn restaurant, I'd really appreciate it."

"I'm afraid I haven't mastered that ability yet," Everett teases.

They head inside the house and go their separate ways.

When Everett locates his cell phone, he sends several texts Knox's way.

Hours pass without a reply, leaving Everett to assume the worst has definitely happened.

He doesn't sleep well that night, tosses and turns through the majority of it.

The little sleep he gets comes in the form of a terrifying nightmare, instead of Shaun being the one lying in a pool of red on the floor of Club Inferno, it's Knox.

But the pain doesn't end there.

The knot in Everett's chest expands when the nightmare switches to Knox's funeral.

Everett is the only one in attendance.

No one mourned for the man, no one showed up to send him off to the afterlife properly.

He entered this tragic world alone and that is also how he left it.

The next morning, Everett wakes with dried tears on his cheeks. 

He does a few breathing exercises before rolling out of bed, hoping his nerves will eventually calm.

He then checks his cell phone but much to his dismay, the messages with Knox remain the same as it did yesterday, unchanged.

Everett exhales a frustrated breath while marching to the bathroom for a shower.

If only he remembered the way back to The Fallen Angels clubhouse, he could 'borrow' his father's car to verify with his own eyes that Knox was still alive. 

"What has you frowning like you've lost your best friend?" his father asks during breakfast.

"More boy troubles," Everett answers while taking a seat at the kitchen table.

The bowl of cereal he made for himself suddenly looks a lot less appetizing when he picks up his spoon.

"I can't seem to stay out of it."

His father grunts and then glances over his newspaper to meet Everett's eyes.

"I remember the biker that came over here last week. The tall, skinny fellow with all those wild tattoos. Has he been giving you a hard time, or is it someone else? Either way, it's no problem for me to step in and handle it."

"Dad, calm down," Everett laughs, deciding to play along with Finn being the biker that's living rent free in his mind.

"Whatever you're imagining, I promise it isn't anything like that. Miscommunication is to blame but we'll get through it..."

Everett looks at his phone again, impatiently waiting for the text his heart knows isn't coming.

"Hopefully, anyway."

"Well, if you don't, I will happily dust off my pistol..."

"Dad."

"What? I have every right to look after my kid."

"I know, I know."

"I never get on you about the men you date but if I ever find out one of those assholes has hurt you in any type of way, then it's war." Everett smiles.

"Glad to know you're my ride or die. And for the record, the same thing goes for Sarah if she ever ends up breaking your heart."

"Let's pray neither of us ever has to step out of character like that."

His father laughs, then gets back to reading the news.

Everett spends the rest of the day moping around the house and blowing up Knox's number with more panicked texts, half of them cursing him out.

Relief doesn't come until after his father asks him to make a run to the grocery store, and outside he sees a familiar motorcycle speeding down the street.

The man riding the beast of a machine has a large, muscular build that makes Everett's stomach flop.

He nearly drops the car keys in his hand after the uninvited guest parks his in his driveway and removes his helmet, freeing long, tousled locks.

Grey eyes meet brown and Everett's cheeks instantly heat with a feeling that he shouldn't embrace.

Pure delight.

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

Hi! I'm the justice/revenge anon again. I think I'd like to vent a little, and give a bit of an update.

(tw's are: emotional abuse, stalking/harassment mention, smear campaign, victim-blaming/DARVO, and the frustration of when there's just no justice in sight, at least in the conventional sense of it. But also I feel...hopeful??)

So, my abuser was ditched by the "Someone New" (SN) that he was love-bombing. I don't know what happened, and I think it's better that I don't know, but all I know is that SN left after he hurt them, just as I had feared, but since all I know of is because SN is a friend of a friend of a friend, all I hear are the echoes of it through social media.

I got curious, and decided to have a look at what he did in the aftermath (bad idea).

My abuser blames *me* for what *he* did, because apparently he was "profoundly triggered" when SN enforced boundaries, since it reminded him of his "trauma" (of how me leaving because he was abusive to me was "traumatic" to him--I am not one to invalidate but how he uses this to excuse/justify himself deeply disgusts me), hence why he lashed out at the Cool Person.

Then he flips and claims that I abused/harassed him, accusing me of the very things he did to me. I did no such thing. Then he calls himself names in public, claims he's going to go to therapy and that he's going to retire from social media until he figures himself out, then deletes his accounts.

Then less than two weeks later mutual acquaintances now have this new social media account following them (it's obviously him) and this guy just wants to... start over. He's already been confronted by people who recognized him, and he claims he changed, and he claims he wants to "prove himself to the people he hurt so they can find peace".

It's frustrating. And pathetic. My abuser infuriates and disgusts me, but for some reason I also feel pity towards him. He's reaching his 30's but he's profoundly immature, and knowing his patterns of behavior all I can do is quietly watch as he keeps going from person to person and unravel their lives. And he was already a very lonely person when I first met him, and as he grows older and pushes more people away he'll only get lonelier.

My urge to out him has simmered down, because I know he'd immediately use the opportunity to flip the script, but also because I realize that I don't owe him anything, let alone any or energy I'd have to spare if I were to out him.

I feel for the people he crosses in his path, and I still wish he'd rot, but I don't want to let him live rent-free in my head anymore. I'm moving on -- although I think if he were to rear his head in my life ever again I would not have the strength to hold back my urge to expose him.

But I think on some level he knows that I would put him on the spot if I ever saw him again, and he's one of the most cowardly people I ever met (he's practically allergic to accountability, to the point of faking not one, not two, but four suicidal episodes as responses to being called out for his behavior, and he would spontaneously get better if you dropped the matter or did what he wanted), hence why he's finally left me alone, after harassing me for literally years after I tried cutting him off.

Maybe "my revenge" is simply the knowledge that my abuser lives in constant self-inflicted misery, unable or unwilling to see how his abusive behavior is the reason he always ends alone. And I think that that is a much more cruel "revenge" than anything I would ever be capable of doing to him. In a just world he would genuinely take the steps to become a better person so he never hurts anyone the way he hurt me ever again, but that seldom happens.

I don't think I need to out him anymore. I just need to focus on evicting him from my head now, and the first step to do so is by letting go of my fixation on justice and revenge. I'll also heal faster if I don't let myself steep in my bitterness; I wasn't a bitter person before all of this happened, and I don't want to become a bitter person because of someone like him.

Thank you for your advice and responses on my previous asks, here's hoping this is my last update about this guy 🤞

Hi anon,

It sounds like you've done a lot of processing and healing from your experience, and you've arrived at a point in your recovery where you want to prioritize evicting your abuser from your head. I'm proud of you for coming such a long way and having the strength to reach this mindset, as even I am trying to get there.

Hope you're doing well. Please let us know if you need anything.

-Bun

[bonesandthebees]

It's been about a week since no time confounds me ended and these things still live rent free in my brain:

Wilbur not being able to finish saying it's manageable before it became very much Not Manageable.

The description of Phil looking like he's about to watch a funeral procession because he knows how harrowing the next 20 minutes are going to be as a witness, if Wilbur even lasts that long.

Wilbur being so worn out and in agony from the duel that he can't even acknowledge their victory properly before allowing himself to finally pass out.

Honestly just Tommy in general while the duel is going on. He hates this so much but Wilbur's relying on him to help him through it and damn it, he's not losing his brother without a fight. Also I'm holding "Wil, you're done" so gently, made me untense the first time I read it when I didn't even realise I was physically tensed.

That one bit after the apartment confrontation where Tommy just wants to listen to Wilbur's heart and Wilbur suddenly realises his life matters so much more to Tommy than he previously thought. That kid only knew him a year but he'd mourn Wilbur for decades, if not centuries, if something bad happened to the human best friend he wasn't able to save.

Him worrying he wouldn't recognise his vampire self and being hesitant about checking his reflection because of that, only to find he was still himself in his eyes.

And finally, falling asleep on Tommy's lap in the car then later bickering about age differences because who cares that Tommy's technically twice his age, he's still the older brother in this dynamic, thank you very much.

hi yes all those moments live rent free in my head too

the "wil, you're done" line just hits so hard in my head. he's finally done. he did the impossible. he can go to sleep now because the nightmare is over. im just-

oh yeah if something had happened to wilbur, tommy would've mourned for decades. he met wilbur when he was completely isolated from his coven for the first time since he was Turned. he was a complete emotional wreck and when he met wilbur, he got attached. like, pretty unheathily attached tbh. codependent crimeboys ftw haha... but yeah, he would've mourned for a very long time because he was so attached to wilbur and also because he'd directly blame himself for anything that happened to him

you can't take the little brother out of tommyinnit it just doesn't work

he was still himself!! one of wilbur's biggest worries and it was unfounded because he was still able to see himself in his eyes :)) one of my favorite details i included tbh

i'm so glad you enjoyed the story!! now that i'm out of my insane haze of writing i actually do really like it looking back at it lol and i'm happy I wrote it :D

[thefangirl-16-blog]

Ranting about Every Wide Smile

(that is currently in my playlist)

So I have a playlist of 20 different versions of wide smile and I'm bored so I'm gonna talk about them (cos I've got a mostly free day today and I'm procrastinating) also i worte this as I was listen to each versions so some have way more than others, sorry

1983 Workshop

I cant understand 90% of what he's saying but what i can hear i really like. But i mean its Michael and he's great so of course he sounds good lol. The context of this version's very different since it would go there U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. is the final show and really wish i could hear it better cos the lyrics are definitely different and id really like to know they are. Also also I love much he gets into it

OLC Cast Recording

I listen to this one almost everyday lol. I have clear Michael Staniforth bias but can you blame me? idk what to say about this one, its just really great lol

Japan/Australia Tour 1987 album

The intro from Bway onwards is somehow giving both 14 year old writes edgy poetry and actually being kinda cool and idk how. This one does kinda sound like he's just singing instead acting it at all but that could also just be me. Like the way he says this red C will not divide a lot

London 1988

Okay unpopular opinion time but this is low-key my second favourite wide smile. Idk i just really like his energy also its very elctraboose-y to me so that's probably a big factor as well. "You naughty know it boy" my beloved. They way he says no way makes the brain very happy which is a weird thing to focus on i know lol

1989 Bochum Press Rehearsal

Rip Electra's Mic in the opening. I love the way cb moves so much also the way hes like red caboose:D at certain points - very cute. Mini handshake for the win HANDSTAND CARTWHEEL THINGY

Broadway 1988

TODD LESTER MY BELOVED <3 my absolute fave version no competition. THE SPILTS!!!! incredible. Gets one point off for Electra's brush hair tho. "I admire you soo" and "GREASEBAWL". The way he says rail disaster lives rent free in my way and can't explain and the hiding in the back of the freight train bit, basically all of it lol. Also im trying not to focus too much on visuals but love the choreography. V. good electraboose handshake as well. The little bit at the end with even more pop culture references is low-key incomprehensible half way through but i cant help but love it. "Sleep tight sleepy head, the red caboose is under your bed"

Bochum 1989

This somehow has less pixels than my beloved london boot. Idk how i feel about his laugh at the start still a very funky little guy tho. Nothing really stands out too much but its still very soild (as if theres a bad version this song) does the red ca-BOOSE thing at one point

US Tour 1990

I really like the way his voice sounds but idk how to articulate why. He gets the longer ending again which i really enjoy

'National Tour' 1990 (might also be US Tour)

Voice doesnt really scream cb to me but I dont dislike it either very different take on the handshake bit vocally but since I'm listening to these all at once, it's a welcome change

Bochum 1991 Album

The opening 2 seconds gives me life. Not sure about how i feel about it just kinda starting tho. He seems kinda quiet? at the beginning but i like him the longer it goes on tbh. He's just a funky little man here and i love it also he basically yells red caboose and i love that

honestly I have no idea what year this is Bochum

This one is defiantly in the wrong place in the playlist lol. I wish I had more to say about this one, it's just very solid but this is another one where nothing really stands out too much. I like his little laugh at the end tho

1991 Bochum

Another one that moves in a very cb way idk how to explain it but it juts screams cb to me lol. Love his voice as well. The way he say red caboose is so great. Handstand-cartwheel-thingy my beloved <3. Love his laugh as well

Bochum 2001

Very mixed emotions on this ceeb. Definitely think he goes way too far his laugh, he does sound pretty gremlin-y but im not sure if it's in a cb way? idk how to explain it. This Electra wig is just bad I'm sorry. Gets props for being the last video that I've found with the handshake. I think I've been too mean on this one, he's not BAD im just not sure if the vibes is right i guess?

Bochum 2003/4

The first handshake-less wide smile video. Also the audio on this insanely loud for some reason? it's got nothing to do with the performance tho. A nice ceeb, I enjoy. Electra puts his hand on CB's shoulder at end and i'm counting that as an electraboose moment now

Bochum 2003/4 (but a different one)

That moment when you realise this footage might be as old as you. fdjbjdkbgkbfkdb i hate having nothing say. He's good but nothing really stands out that much after it cut down imo so it makes the later ones hard

Bochum 2004

You can tell his guy is faking the laugh :/ he does just sound like he's say hahaha. Electra rolling the r in red sound is cool tho. This ceeb low-key did a little laugh-word thing on one of his red's and that's cute, i like that

Bochum 2015

Nice laugh in the beginning, still hate that they somehow made it shorter again and less electraboose stuff. He definitely does the red caBOOSE thing and I love that so much. There is lowkey electraboose at the end tho which is good (i mean they stand now to each but you know - im easily pleased)

English Charity Gala Bochum 2017

I don't really love Dan's CB that much tbh. His voice just doesn't really fit for me? love his can't explain. He has a v. good laugh tho, especially at the end

London Workshop 2017

Okay don't @ me but I really like this guy as BV, like i don't really like him the rest of the workshop but I do really like his wide smile. The way he says back and track is so great and idk why. "Ain't that rich". The vibe is very different from the ceebs but i think that really fits BV so im not complaining

Bochum 2018

I hinted this before, but I think Dan is a better BV than CB imo. Didn't say this before but I love that it's longer again (now give them a handshake as well). Dan's high notes absolutely give me life

[donotpercieveme123]

Hello, I saw your post about wanting to have friends who are fans of the Naruto founders era, mood.

Rank the characters of the founders era from your least favorite to your most favorite and why

Hey thx for the ask, you and mira were actually the first two people I followed on here. I love ur blog!

I'll just do the uchiha and senju brothers, because the others don't get any screen time and I haven't seen much of them in fanon either.

4. Hashirama

I love him, he has the potential to be such an interesting character, thematically. But I haven't really seen it done well. He's either characterised as a completely goofy idiot, as a prop or foil for other characters (often madara), or if they try to make him darker it's just the bad brother trope for madatobi fics. And it drives me up the wall. My personal take on him is that he's a kind person through and through, he puts his dream before everything else but I don't think that makes him as callous as he's made out to be sometimes. I think his reasons for what he does are very valid. And he would be very interesting to explore the weight of power and responsibility through, and how despite best intentions dreams can go sideways. Man didn't even expect the village to survive lmao, says a lot. He's more of a typical shonen protagonist, which I'm usually not a fan of, but I loved every second of screen time he got.

3. Madara

If I were talking solely about canon he's definitely my favourite. Completely iconic! I'm still salty about how they dealt with him towards the end of the war arc. But yah he is such an interesting character, I could write essays about him and his philosophies and his actions and how much more potential he could have had if Kishimoto wasn't sus. I loved every second he was on screen, especially his interactions with Hashirama! He's completely obsessively unhinged and I love that for him. This man tried to become God and force world peace lmao, what else needs to be said. And I can appreciate his nihilistic take on dependent origination, enlightened King lmao. Absolutely insane. Also I love torturing him.

2. Tobirama

I just think he's neat. I instantly get obsessed with any character who is remotely autistic coded, what can I say. He's low key an asshole and completely insane, even if he tries to rationalise everything he does. But he's also loyal and self sacrificial when it comes to the people and things he cares about. In the sense that everything he's cultivated himself into has been in service of something bigger than himself. Second heirs am I right. This is also very true, more so, for Izuna too. I think he's also very misunderstood, and very polarising lmao. It's kind of funny to watch when it's not frustrating. Yes he's morally grey, yes he's capable of doing fucked up shit, no I don't think he hated the uchiha, and no he'snot some unredeemable monster. Let the man have nuance. I haven't seen many fics of him I like, but that's probably mostly because 90% are madatobi (if I could completely block and never see this ship again I would in a heart beat lmao). But yh I haven't seen a lot of him so he's been living rent free in my head because of it, more so than hashi or madara, so now I'm completely attached to him lol. Also aroace King, love that.

1. Izuna

Yh I'm obsessed with everything about him. He's my little guy. I saw a character who was insanely important to the plot but got no screen time, and who is only ever mentioned in relation to Madara (he didn't even get a personality lol), and said this is free real estate. I like maybe two or three fics with him in (and a few that are just pwp cuz they don't get the chance to mess up his characterisation lol; I blame WASS for being so picky). So he lives completely in my brain, he's mine. I characterise him as completely insane lmao, he's just a cocktail of mental disorders, and I love torturing him.

He's also very capable though, he was Madara's right hand man, and based off how Madara handles the 4th war... he definitely needed all the help he could get. In this way I think Izuna and Tobirama are parallels of each other.

He's also such a fun character. He's pretty, and he knows it, he's confident and he knows what he wants. He's also a bit of an asshole, a pretentious art hoe, definitely judgemental and a complete drama queen at times lol. Also morally grey, in a similar way to Tobirama actually (god I'm obsessed with the dynamic they could have). He's also a bit of a control freak, and definitely insanely nihilistic and paranoid (I actually think Madara only got that paranoid after Izuna died, despite the peace, or maybe because of it). He HAUNTS the narrative and I love that. Madara actually develops Izuna's worst traits after his death.

He's also my favourite to write. Especially his internal monologues. I also think he's obsessive and insanely possessive. Deranged. I love it! But he also puts his duty and everyone he cares about before his own needs and wants. So yh jts just so interesting to explore. I get obsessed over characters with shit loads of wasted potential lol. Also he has big aro energy, completely repulsed by romance and I definitely support that lmao.

Jesus this was long. Definitely got a bit ranty towards the end.

[khaleesiofalicante]

レクシーは東京に行きたいと言っていたので、これでいいと思いました。 こんにちは！ もう一度ここで私はこの人々の半分のために同性愛者です

So, I tried the tea yesterday and I still had a weird dream but it wasn’t bad so THANK YOU!! OH and also I'm like Alec bc when I cant fix something I start fixing little things to cope, so I had like 20 open tabs with different fics that I wanted to read but I couldn’t and I just read most of them through this day to clear that up and there was one of yours!! I think it was called "Last on the list" Bro, that shit hurted and I fucking loved it so much💙💙💙 I will stop there bc if I continue I will rant about all the things I LOVED about it <3333 Anyway, LETS GO!!!

I also want dreamless sleep please!!! I love that shit too!! (but good for her!!)

I love the words you are using for each one <3

OMG its their birthday??? And 17 yo??? I lost her age at 15 wtf??

“Nope. Rapunzel is currently on Sleeping Beauty mode.” Ok, that was a good pun tho...

Gabriel is jsbdkdkdk🥺

Fuck Michael!!! LOVE SELENA!!! YESSS

The amount of joy I get from them calling her Sirenita.... 💙 AND RUE?!! 💙💙

Bro you haven't talked to Liv??? Get your gay together and talk to her!! (this from a girl that just 2 nights ago realized my best friend liked me back but we were both idiots smh. Dont follow my stepts dude..)

Its amazing that she is controlling her powers and using them to help people as she loves💙

Oh god Lexi and Max are masters at blackmail😂

YES THEY HAVE THEIR BASKETBALL EQUIPMENT!

Jace is so🥺🥺 makes me so emo seeing him be a father💙💙 AND THE PRESENT OMG I LOVE

So, how do I tell you this...?

Now, thats betrayal.... Also him calling Simon a rat jsjhsydkjs I cant with those two

David understands😌

Mavid's picture tho🥺🥺

ROSEWOOD MOVE TOGETHER?? YESSS❤️

Wait, how long has this been since last chapter?

Lovehollow are just big softies💙💙

Gabriel and Selena live in my heart and head 24/7 free rent <3

God, TALK. TO. HER

✨Parabatia✨

They are literally the cutest parabatias💙THEY ARE MY RELIGION

HOLY FUCK SHE MADE A SWORD FOR HER!! WTF WHY IS SHE SO GORGEOUS???🥺🥺

"Be Gay. Do Crime." Bro, bro thats the sweetest thing like ever!!!  THEY ARE THE SWEETEST!!

David and Jace being protective fam!!

Ok, but David must look so good tho...

Honestly cant blame Max😂😂 he is a lil horny shit I love sjsjjsksns

"Selena was always happy for other people. Now she was happy for herself." YES SHE IS SO HAPPY AND SHE DESERVES THAT💙💙

Yes she has, Jace, she had a sword😌

Istg this girls better talk to each other or so help me god...

Ok, but I just realized Selena is wearing a crop top!! AND STRIPED JEANS!! She is getting better and happier each day I'm kdjsisjsis <33

David touching Izzy's belly is literally so soft and wholesome I'm about to cry 😭

Firecrackers with the colors of the pride flag... Can the stop being perfect??? Honestly they settle really high hopes for friendship its not fair!!

Malec being malec >>>>>

Yes Brother Enoch is here yall!!!

"Sit here and brood with me.”😂😂

He has no time for bullshit. He has enough Herondale practice

I didn't see that coming!!! Liv was the one who asked for the potion 🥺 AND SHE STILL GOES HOLY FUCK!!

"Alexandra. Do not make me push you off the rooftop." Please do it bro!! I love her but she need it dbjslsnd

HE IS THE REAL MVP

I can't believe he is giving Lexi dating advice 😂 he is so done with Jem and Herondales pining and I say GO OFF

If I do it, will you promise to leave me alone? “We both know that’s not going to happen, bro.” (Come on, you love Lexi and you know it!!)

HE HIGH-FIVE HER OMG YESS

I love all their pijamas!!! I barely have and old one of a salior :(

Achilles knows the real tea kdbsksnsn

You like each other!! Just kiss already!! (although I also love their awkwardness <3)

"This fake thing we did?” Lexi asked. “It was the realest shit I’ve done.” (I'm-🥺🥺🥺🥺)

“Then let me wake you up.” HOLY FUCK YESS FINALLY OH GOD I'M SO HAPPY FOR THEM AND I'M CELEBRATING AND JDBDKSKKSM. ALSO "The kiss was very good and very gay. The end." FUCKING MOOD

“You’ve always been my angel. Olivia. You are the only angel I care about.” I just cant with this scene. My heronstairs feelings came true and they are a power couple and I'm so gay for them

Honey... Stop talking😂😂

*sigh* girls, right?

“No,” Lexi said and pulled back. “I booked a date with you for the rest of my life.” (You cant just say romantic shit like that and expect me to be ok!!! But yess bloody Herondales!!!💙💙)

"And Lexi, for once, fell with a smile." I'm not ok and I'm perfect at the same time jdjdksns

Air is no important when you are gay and there are two girls with swords kissing each other

😂Yeah, she is bad at snicking out

Clary, it wasn’t your fault!!! 🥺🥺

She can keep some parts for helself hell yeah!!

CLARY IS SOO WISE AND HER ADVICE SO GOOD I'M AMAZED BY HER (and honeslty saving some to rember later bc everything she said was on point and I sometimes forget it)

Loyalty before all lmao😂😌

"Sometimes it doesn’t, baby,” her mother said gently. “But you get better at carrying it, okay?” 💞💞

Pressure? Ok, I aprove and love it💙💙Yeah, they can also pass good pressure!! SOMETHING THEY CAN FIGHT WITH HOLY-

WOW. Her. Just wow. She is such an amazing character.. Strong and funny and kind and everything else (still so gay for her)

バイバイ！！ また近いうちにお会いしましょう！ 今週のご多幸をお祈り申し上げます。

Hello baby 💙

oh noooo you read that fic idk why I even wrote that lmao skdfnksf it was just pain lol. Glad you survived.

Also, you said it's a tough week. How are you keeping up? I'm glad the sleep is a little better!!!!

And god I love your reactions.

As always, I sneak in random things that make me uwu and you someone always manage to spot them.

HOW?

This is the face David had every time he felt Abigail kick in Izzy's stomach:

[straybreeze]

GX MONTH 2021

Day 1: “Hero Signal”

We’re kicking things off with everyone’s favorite hero Judai/Jaden Yuki’s birthday! Show the fluffy boi some love!

Yay, this is my very first time participating in a Tumblr event! Thank you @gxmonth for making this, I'm so excited!

I tried my best to include my OC as well, I hope it won't be too cringe lol.

Also, I would like to remark here, that I'm not a native English speaker, so if I made any grammatical errors or other mistakes, please let me know!

Word count: 2475

Pairing: implied spiritshipping

Warnings: slight angst

Happy, happy birthday Judai.

The sun was already high on the endless blue sky, showering the small apartment room in golden light when a big, orange and round thing pushed the door open with its head. The cat made his way through the mess and straight to the bed, where his owner was still sleeping. Confuting his own respectable weight, he jumped easily into the bed and snuggled up to the sleeping boy’s side, purring loudly. The quiet snoring suddenly stopped as the boy slowly opened his deep brown eyes, his hand automatically searching for the cat’s fluffy head.

“Let me sleep, Pharaoh! Just five more minutes!” Judai pleaded and covered his eyes with his free hand.

But it had been proven to be an unacceptable answer to Pharaoh. If he was hungry, nothing was an excuse for being late for breakfast. And in fact, it was almost lunchtime.

“Meow!”

However, Judai still didn’t seem willing to move, so he had to try harder.

“Ouch! Pharaoh, I know you are hungry, but I’m not your food! Don’t eat me!” Judai moaned as he sat up reluctantly. He squinted in the vivid lights, reaching the phone on the nightstand. The screen was showing 11 AM and the date below: 31th August.

31st August. The last day of summer. And his birthday.

Judai almost forgot about his nineteenth birthday. But to be honest, this day is going to be just like any other of the past week. He had nothing to do besides sitting at home and feeding Pharaoh occasionally. There was no real difference from what he did ever since he arrived from his last journey.

In fact, he was stuck in Domino City and had to stay there until he would eventually get a phone call from Chancellor Samejima. In the past one year of his life, an incoming call from his ex-headmaster meant one thing: a new job is on the sight. Not that Judai minded that. He loved travelling around the world and solving intriguing cases with his dueling skills. He didn’t continue his studies in a college, nor joined the Pro Leagues like his other friends. No, he just did the same as in his Academia years: slacking and occasionally saving the day. That is the duty of the heroes after all.

…And at least he could be useful in something as well.

Judai spent the last two weeks in this apartment, which he and Johan were renting together. In the first days, it wasn’t so hard to stay put, but Johan went on a holiday to his family in Sweden more than a week ago. He promised that he will get home before the end of summer, yet he messaged his roommate that he had to stay for a few more days. So in the end, Judai was left alone for his birthday.

Okay, not completely alone. At least Pharaoh was there for him, he thought as he strolled out to the kitchen to find some breakfast for his hungry cat. And for himself.

One year had already passed since they graduated from Duel Academia. A lot of things happened to everyone and it appeared that nobody had the time to greet Judai on his birthday. At least none of his friends told him that they would like to see him today. No missed calls, no unread messages yet.

Have they already forgotten him?

No, that was nonsense. They might be just… busy.

Sho and Manjoume have joined the Pro Leagues right after their graduation, so they were already living their restless life just like his other pro friends, Edo and Kaiser. Well, in his Academia years Judai already got used to that Edo is as much unavailable as the Emperor of Japan himself, but it appeared that Kaiser is that kind of celebrity too. Since he more or less recovered from his heart condition, he started a Cyber Pro League along with Sho and they both attended various events actively in the country and lately overseas too. Of course, Kaiser was told that he must not overstrain himself and stress too much in general, but Judai would bet that he disregarded all of those rules anyway. Especially because he hadn’t talked to him in months, so he must be busy as hell as always.

On the other hand, as far as Judai knew the Tenjoin siblings still lived in North America – Asuka was still studying in Duel College for sure while her brother, Fubuki-san was… doing something too, he assumed? Judai hadn’t heard much of them lately, but he knew that Fubuki-san followed his younger sister to chase his dreams and become an idol abroad. Judai didn’t know much about the school system of America, so Asuka might have classes at this very moment, maybe that’s why she hasn’t called him yet.

For his younger friends, Kenzan graduated from Duel Academia this summer, while Rei is going to start her last year in October. Maybe they are both on a vacation right now, enjoying themselves on a beach or something. It was still summer anyway, Judai couldn’t blame them for that.

And oh, there was Aurora, too. She was the roommate of Edo (and maybe his stepsister as well? Or something more? Who knows. She was a mystery anyway), who befriended him less than a year ago. Judai supposed she doesn’t even know that this day is his birthday.

After he gave some salmon flavored cat food and fresh water to Pharaoh, he decided to grab a bowl of cereal for breakfast and lunch at once.

As much he wanted to act like his birthday was nothing, if it was just like any other day, it made him hurt deep inside that nobody, even his closest friends haven’t paid attention to him on his day. He already got used to that his parents don’t care about him, but he thought he found a new family in his friends.

Maybe he was wrong.

But hey, it was him who abandoned them in the first place, Judai reminded himself. He was the one who left the Academia without saying goodbye and ran away from them straight to another country. He shouldn’t feel sad, because he knew that their friends would be estranged from him sooner or later. And he was the only one to blame.

Judai was so lost deep in his thoughts that he didn’t even realize that the milk was long overflowed the bowl and it was already spilling down the table. Pharaoh didn’t waste a single second: he leapt to the white liquid dripping from the edge of the table and licked it with such joy as if he had never tasted it before in his entire life.

“Dammit!” Judai moaned, then hastily wiped the milk off from the table and the parquet.

Oh well. He hadn’t been awake for ten whole minutes yet, but he already knew, birthday or no birthday, this was not going to be his day.

As the day continued, Judai climbed back to the bed and chose to do nothing today besides watching silly TV shows. He could have gone out at least for a walk, that’s true. He lived in Domino City after all, the city he loved the most. If you are a duelist, this is the best place for you in the entire world, especially if you live in downtown. The coast was not too far, Kaiba Land and other fun places were within easy reach too. But nothing was entertaining enough if you had no friends around.

“I feel like you’ve forgotten something,” Judai heard a familiar voice from all of a sudden. Slowly, the television screen became blurry as he was still staring at it, and a demonic shadow appeared at the end of his bed.

“Yubel,” he spoke their name aloud as he closed his eyes. “What did I forget?”

“Me,” came the obvious answer. “Why do you feel so lonely?”

“I’m not lonely. I’m just…” Judai began but then realized that the sentence had no continuation. “No, Yubel, everything’s good.”

“You sure?”

“Uh, yeah! I’m glad you’re here. It is enough for me.”

“You are a bad liar, Judai. You know that?”

“Hey, I mean it! I’m glad you are here, Yubel.”

“… I know.” Yubel smiled, gentler than it was imaginable from them. As they took a short break, their heterochromatic eyes curiously scanned the boy who was bound to them for an eternity. “But I still don’t understand, what is the matter with you?”

Judai didn’t answer their question. At least with words. He thought it was enough for an answer that he checked his phone every five minutes if someone messaged him already. But sadly, nobody had searched him so far.

It was already late afternoon when he finally heard the standard ringtone of his phone. He almost fell asleep again, and the vibrating sound made his heart pound in excitement. He immediately grabbed his phone, but when he checked the screen, he had mixed feelings.

The caller was Aurora, Edo’s roommate. And the last one who Judai thought would call him on his birthday.

“Hello, Rory! What up?” he greeted her, a soft smile unintentionally crossed his lips. But it had soon vanished when Aurora didn’t answer immediately. “Rory? Is something wrong?”

“Judai,” she spoke finally. Her usual melodic voice was trembling somewhat as if she was nervous. “I’m glad I could reach you!”

“Yeah, I mean, you could have totally called me all day! I had nothing to do, you know.” Maybe he shouldn’t have hinted things like these, but still.

“I see. Sorry, Judai, but may I ask you something?” Aurora’s voice still didn’t sound too firm.

“Sure, anytime!” Judai’s eyes sparkled at thought of the adventure. “But you’re fine, aren’t you?”

“Y-Yeah. I just… need to talk with someone. With you.”

“Really? Well, I’d gladly chat with you, but if you wanna talk about some… girlish thing, you know I’m not your man.”

“You will be completely fine. I wanna talk about something else, not girlish things.”

“Something happened with Edo maybe?” Judai guessed.

“Not at all! Ahw Judai, stop asking questions! I will tell you everything if I see you in person. So get ready and come!”

“Come where?”

“I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance of Kaiba Land in fifteen minutes.”

“Why there? You’re not even a duelist—„

“See you later, Judai!”

Before Judai could remark that he may not be there in fifteen minutes, Aurora had already hung up the phone. Surely, she became weirder and weirder. Maybe it was Edo who was a bad influence on her.

When Judai arrived at the said place, he was nearly jumping out of his skin. He was curious about what Aurora wanted to talk to him about, and at the same time, he was glad that he finally had a reason to leave the apartment.

Though it was still a bit unexpected that he would spend his birthday with Aurora, but why not? They were friends after all. He should have thought about her sooner.

“Judai!” Aurora shouted and waved him from the distance.

As he came closer, Aurora silently turned around and headed into the Park. It was almost sunset, the monstrous structures of Kaiba Land were glowing in orange.

“Okay, would you tell me now what are we doing here?” Judai asked while he barely could keep up with her.

“You will see, I promise!”

“Come on, Rory!”

“No worries, we are almost there!”

And that was all she told him, no matter how hard he tried to get more information. But the sparkle of hope ignited in his heart, that something bigger was standing behind this weird invitation.

Kaiba Land was slowly emptied out as the closing hour was coming, so they didn’t meet too many people. Especially as they got deeper and deeper into the amusement park.

They were nearby the rollercoaster when they finally stopped.

“Judai,” Aurora turned to him. “I know that this whole thing came from all of a sudden, and I’m so happy that you followed me without a question anyway.”

“Well, actually—”

“I hope you know that it means a lot to me. Not just me. To all of us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Judai, you have amazing friends. And you are the best among the best for all of them.”

“Rory, I’m not sure I understa—„

“SURPRISE!!”

Shouts were coming from everywhere, and suddenly a shadow of a whole crowd appeared in the dim lights of the setting sun. Before Judai could have the time to react, a short figure stood out from them and started running towards him.

“Happy birthday, Aniki!” Sho shrieked as he bumped into Judai and embraced him closely. Shortly after, he found himself surrounded by people. Surrounded by his friends.

“Happy birthday, Judai!”

“Judai-sama! I wish the bestest birthday in the world to you!”

“Nice to see you, loser! Where the hell have you been for this long?”

“Yeah, Judai, we were all waiting for you!”

“Happy birthday, Aniki-don!”

“Damn, I missed you so much!”

Everyone was there. Asuka and Rei. Manjoume, Fubuki-san and Kenzan. Sho was still holding onto him, almost crying.

“Hehe, surprise! I came back from Sweden today just because of your big day!”

Even Johan was there. He came home finally! Judai couldn’t help, but sudden warmth flowed through his body as Johan hugged him along with everyone else. Even Manjoume was in the crew.

“Hey guys, you flatter me…”

“See, Edo? We almost missed the group hug because of you.” Another familiar voice came from the distance, and when Judai glanced up, he saw Kaiser Ryo and Edo Phoenix’s silhouettes were approaching them.

“Don’t blame me because Kaiba Seto himself wanted to talk with me. But I assume you can still join the group hug if you’re really that desperate.”

When the pros reached the crew, they greeted Judai in unison.

“Happy birthday, Judai!”

“You two…”

“In fact, these two were the masterminds for this plan,” Aurora joined the celebration too. “Happiest birthday for you!”

With suppressed tears in his eyes, Judai looked around his friends. Yeah, Aurora had right. He had the best friends in the world and now he felt terrible guilt that he had ever questioned them. Yubel were right after all, for not understanding what was his problem. Now he didn’t understand too.

“Okay, who wants some cake?”

“WAIT, we have cake?” Judai asked in shock. How the hell did they bring it to here?

“Of course! I mean you have it, Judai,” Asuka corrected him.

Before Judai could shout in happiness, his phone started ringing again. To his surprise, Chancellor Samejima called him.

“Happy birthday, Judai! Are you ready for your next adventure?”

Judai couldn’t help but smile again.

“Ready as I’ll ever be!”

[pepperf]

For the director's commentary thing, slight curveball: Just the entirety of "Everything Is Peaches But The Cream". It's not even 500 words and I always really enjoy it when I read it back but I'm also like "What went down here?" There is of course a danger that you don't know either XD

Either way, thanks for any insight!

Oh lord, now you're asking…! Okay, first reaction is that I have absolutely no clue what's going on and I basically stole the premise for this from one of my favourite songs, 'Handcuffed To A Fence In Mississippi' by Jim White:

I'm handcuffed to a fence in Mississippi. My girlfriend blows a boozy good-bye kiss. I see flying squirrels and nightmares of stigmata. Then awakening to find my Trans-Am gone. Still, I'm feeling pretty good about the future. Yeah, everything is peaches but the cream. I'm handcuffed to a fence in Mississippi, where things is always better than they seem. Things is always better than they seem.

It goes on, but basically this guy is in a shitty situation, there's a mysterious bloodstain and sirens in the distance…but it's still kind of cheery and optimistic. He's letting go of the idea that you have to be having fun or be happy all the time. Sometimes things are dark, and that's okay too.

And that kind of fitted my image of Diego and Lila's relationship: they argue a lot, and they do some objectively bad stuff to one another, and their lives are kind of awful, a lot of the time—but that doesn't mean they have to be sad about it, or let it get them down, if that's simply not how they feel. They can enjoy the challenge of it, they can trust in themselves to find a way out of it, they can even love each other when they're still doing bad stuff. Just that kind of cheerful view of, like, 'oops, looks like I'm about to be framed for murder…better do something about that.'

I did have some scattered thoughts in my head about what had happened. This is a post-s2 scenario where Lila has been doing some appearing and disappearing from Diego's life, because she's not yet reached a point where she feels safe or comfortable committing to him or to a fixed point in time. But she's drawn back to him, she's crazy in love with him—she's just not settled in herself yet. And he's kind of accepting of that.

Diego shook off the last of the dizziness as he watched the red taillights bouncing off down the uneven road. He could hear an excited whoop drift back to him, over the roar of the engine.

Dammit. He’d really liked that car, too.

I am a simple soul, I like cars and hot people. I liked Diego's scrappy old car in s1, it pinged the part of my brain that wants a Ford Mustang (and it's green, like Steve McQueen's—I'm not sure, but I'm thinking they deliberately did that, bc the shape is about right, too…I wouldn't be surprised if Diego was a fan of the movie Bullitt). Also, I figure that Lila has either drugged him or knocked him on the head. I am cool with that. Diego is cool with that. It's a minor inconvenience in his life. :D

He tugged experimentally at the handcuffs that shackled him to the chain-link fence. They were pink and fluffy on the outside, and absolutely professional underneath.

Lila has waylaid him to a seedy motel with the prospect of hot sex, obv. She has some reason of her own to want to be there, possibly an assignment from the Commission, or some personal loose end she wants to tie up. She just wanted some company, and to make Diego's life more exciting.

Still, they wouldn’t be an obstacle - if he had anything to pick the lock. But all he could see were rocks and scrubby twigs, and Lila’d taken all his remaining knives, along with his wallet, keys, and boots. He poked at the ground with his bare toes, failing to unearth anything useful, like a soda can tab or a fully-equipped lockpicking kit.

Remember back in the day when every corner of every street was liberally littered with soda can ring pulls? I feel like the TUA universe also still has those, as well as no internet. I don't know why. It's the 90s-ness of it, I guess.

Also, Lila is more thorough than almost anyone who's restrained Diego before. He's finding her a challenge—but maybe not in a bad way. He strikes me as a guy who doesn't like to rest on his current skillset, and is always seeking ways to push himself further. So he's simultaneously annoyed, impressed, challenged, and kinda turned on.

Sinking down into a crouch, he gazed up at the night sky, looming magnificently over the ugly motel. There was a good view of the stars out here in deepest Mississippi, and if he’d ever followed that line of studies, back at the Academy, maybe he’d be able to name a few constellations.

I get the impression from what little we see in s1 that the kids were able to choose, like…study modules, like how Vanya chose to learn the violin. It's the one freedom they seem to have had (well, obviously some of it was still prescriptive, like their combat training and so on). I imagine Luther went for the astronomy parts, flight, that sort of thing, judging by his room décor. Diego…maybe went for additional combat training? And in his limited free time, just read whatever he got his hands on? I'm not sure.

It was peaceful now that all the shouting and violence was over. He could hear the sounds of wildlife, insects and shit. There was a gentle breeze. It might even be nice, if he wasn’t handcuffed to a fucking fence.

The recurring motif. The chorus, if you will. :) I think all the shouting and violence happened outside of his view, he maybe caught the start of it before he ended up unconscious through whatever means. She probably drugged him, or he'd be talking about a headache about now.

He noticed three things at the same time: the distant wail of approaching police sirens, his boots tucked neatly under a nearby bush, and the massive bloodstain on the floor outside the room they’d rented.

Lila left him the boots. (Probably someone else called the cops, after all the shouting and violence.) She's playing 'nice' and giving him what she considers an advantage. She's expecting him to get out of the handcuffs, and escape the police, but it's just a little more pleasant not to have to do that barefoot. Also, she left him fully clothed! She was basically going totally easy on him, in her mind, because she's sweet on him.

It was shaped like an arrow, and it pointed helpfully - from the point of view of a rural police department looking for a person of color to blame - straight at him.

A tribute to the Umbrella Academy title sequence for Lila, and a coincidence in-universe. She's not murdered someone in a way that purposefully ends in a bloodstained arrow. Probably. Also the person totally deserved murdering, idk why, but they did.

Diego sighed, and rose smoothly to his feet.

Time to play Which Will Break First: Cuffs, Fence, or Wrist?

See, he's had a nice rest, and now he's ready to play! This is a relatively low-stakes operation, whatever is happening, it's something that he'll get out of, at some inconvenience to himself, and get back home, and then later on she'll show up again and he can grump at her for leaving him handcuffed to a fucking fence, what the hell, Lila?! to his heart's content.

(ETA: Also...he’s handcuffed to a fence. It’s probably wooden, or if not, rusty. Of course that is going to break first. He just needs to twist or kick right.)

I think that's all I've got! Aside from the fact that, weirdly enough, today I am wearing a T-shirt that says 'Just Peachy', which I mainly like bc it reminds me of that song…