#(so subtext and hidden meaning behind words)

[luna-azzurra]

Emotionally reserved characters

Instead of openly sharing their emotions with others, they keep their feelings locked inside, letting their inner thoughts do all the talking. You get a glimpse into their mind, where a storm of conflicts, doubts, and desires brews quietly beneath a calm exterior. This internal monologue allows readers to understand what’s going on inside their head, even if they don’t show it on the outside. It’s like seeing the world through their eyes, where every little thing stirs up a wave of emotions that they never express out loud.

For these characters, actions speak louder than words, but even their actions are restrained. They communicate their emotions through the smallest of gestures—a slight tightening of the jaw when they’re angry or hurt, a brief flicker in their eyes when they’re surprised, or a controlled change in posture when something makes them uncomfortable. These tiny, almost imperceptible movements can say so much more than an outburst ever could, hinting at feelings they would never openly share. It’s about what they don’t do as much as what they do.

When they do speak, every word is carefully chosen. Emotionally reserved characters don’t ramble or spill their feelings in a flood of words. Instead, they speak in a measured and controlled manner, always keeping their emotions in check. Their sentences are concise, sometimes even vague or indirect, leaving others guessing about what they’re really thinking. It’s not that they don’t feel deeply, they just prefer to keep those feelings close to the chest, hidden behind a mask of calm and composure.

For these characters, what they do is often more telling than what they say. They might not say “I care about you” outright, but you’ll see it in the way they go out of their way to help, the quiet ways they show up for the people they love. Their actions reveal their emotions—whether it’s a protective gesture, a silent sacrifice, or a kind deed done without expectation of recognition. It’s these unspoken acts of kindness that show their true feelings, even if they never say them out loud.

They often have strong personal boundaries. They keep their private lives just that - private. They don’t open up easily and are cautious about who they let into their inner circle. They might deflect conversations away from themselves or avoid sharing personal details altogether. It’s not that they don’t want to connect, it’s just that they find it hard to lower their walls and let others in, fearing vulnerability or judgment.

When they do show vulnerability, it’s in small, controlled doses. These characters may have moments where they let their guard down, but only in private or with someone they deeply trust.

Sometimes, emotionally reserved characters express their feelings through objects that hold special significance to them. Maybe it’s a worn-out book they keep close, a piece of jewelry they never take off, or an old letter tucked away in a drawer. These symbolic objects are like anchors, holding memories and emotions they can’t express in words. They serve as tangible reminders of their inner world, representing feelings they keep buried deep inside.

When these characters communicate, there’s often more to their words than meets the eye. They speak in subtext, using irony, implication, or ambiguity to convey what they really mean without saying it outright. Their conversations are filled with hidden meanings and unspoken truths, creating layers of depth in their interactions with others. You have to read between the lines to understand what they’re really saying because what they leave unsaid is just as important as what they do say.

Despite their calm demeanor, there are certain things that can break through their emotional reserve. Specific triggers - like a painful memory, a deep-seated fear, or a personal loss - can elicit a strong emotional response, revealing the depth of their feelings. These moments of intensity are rare but powerful, showing that even the most reserved characters have a breaking point.

Over time, emotionally reserved characters can evolve, gradually revealing more about themselves as they grow and change. Maybe they start to trust more, opening up to those around them, or perhaps they experience something that challenges their emotional barriers, forcing them to confront their feelings head-on.

[moons-and-mobility-aids]

Beyond The Screen: Chapter 13 - masterlist

Chapter Word Count: 1.8k words.

Chapter Summary: Your relationship with Prongs, Moony, and Padfoot evolves from flirtation to something deeper—something far more personal. What began as playful, respectful banter on OnlyFans has grown into intimate conversations and moments of emotional vulnerability. You find yourself offering pieces of your real self—voice notes, candid snapshots, and raw videos meant only for them—while quietly questioning how much is too much. When a message from Prongs breaks the usual rhythm, acknowledging the deepening connection, a series of honest exchanges follow. For the first time, feelings are cautiously named, boundaries are gently discussed, and the shared desire to explore "what this is" is spoken aloud. What emerges is a fragile, thrilling mutual understanding that something real may be taking shape—slowly, and on your terms.

Tags: Emotional intimacy, blurred boundaries between creator and fan, discussion of vulnerability and personal sharing, light sexual references (non-explicit), tension around online/real-life relationships, discussion of complicated feelings, cautious exploration of mutual attraction.

Taglist: @alohastitch0626, @jspidey5, @laceandsuch, @kneelforloki, @fionaapplelover2010, @nubigenouss, @padlockedheartsreading

You hadn't realised it at first, the subtle shift in your thoughts towards them. But now that you're aware, it's like seeing a once invisible thread drawn taut, pulling you closer with each passing day. Prongs, Moony, and Padfoot—three names that have come to mean more than they should.

They stand apart from your other subscribers, their messages offering a connection deeper than the surface-level exchanges you've grown used to. It's not just the tips, the compliments, or the requests—it's something less tangible, something real.

The line between fantasy and reality blurs as you find yourself waiting for their messages, anticipating the familiar thrill that comes with seeing them pop up on your screen. At first, you thought it was merely the excitement of interacting with three men who seemed genuinely taken by you. But now, as weeks turn into months, you can't shake off the feeling that there might be something more.

With each passing day, the line between you blurs a little more. You find yourself sharing snippets of your life that are more personal, more intimate—both sexually and otherwise. You tell yourself it's because they've been kind, respectful, fun. And they have. But somewhere deep inside, a part of you knows there's more to it than that.

You don't do this with your other fans—those thousands of anonymous faces hidden behind screen names and profile pictures. They don't get the voice notes of you laughing at a silly joke you heard or the candid shots of you curled up in bed with a book. They certainly don't get the unfiltered, raw videos of you pleasuring yourself late at night, their names falling from your lips like a whispered confession.

The exhilaration is undeniable, but so too is the unease that lingers at the periphery of your thoughts. You've begun to straddle the line between creator and fan, a boundary you'd always respected until now. Yet with Prongs, it feels less like a transgression and more like an evolution of your relationship. It's comfortable, even right, in a way you can't fully articulate.

Still, there are moments when you hesitate before hitting send, questioning if this is crossing some unspoken line. But they've never overstepped, never pushed for more than you're willing to give. If anything, they seem as cautious as you are, feeling out this new dynamic without rushing into uncharted territory.

Then, one day, the game changes once more.

A message from Prongs pops up on your screen, just as it has many times before. But this time, something is different. There's a shift in tone, minute but discernible. The usual flirtatious banter gives way to something deeper, a subtext that beckons you closer even as it sets your heart racing.

ProngsPlayground_free: Hey, just wanted to say that the last video you sent was amazing. You always know how to make us feel appreciated. 😉 But I can't help but think there's more to you than what you show us. Not that we don't love what you do, but it feels like we're only seeing a small part of you.

The message appears on your screen, and you read it twice, the glow of the monitor reflected in your wide eyes. There's nothing overtly different about his tone—he's as charming and appreciative as ever—but something shifts within you as you take in his words. It's as if he's peering through the pixels, trying to catch a glimpse of the person behind the performance.

For a moment, you hesitate, fingers hovering over the keyboard. How do you respond to this subtle shift, this sense of wanting more? You bite your lip, considering your options, then begin to type, your reply casual yet laced with an undercurrent of something deeper.

You: I'm glad you liked it. 😉 And yes, there's always more to a person than what they post online, isn't there? But I think I've been sharing more with you than most. 😘

You hit send and wait, a flutter of nerves coursing through you despite the distance between you and them. You're not sure if your words are too forward, too revealing, but they're true. You have been sharing more with them—parts of yourself you keep tucked away from your other subscribers, parts you've only recently discovered you enjoy revealing.

A few minutes later, Prongs replies.

ProngsPlayground_free: We've noticed that, too. And we're not complaining. It feels like we're getting to know the real you, bit by bit. Makes the connection feel more... real. Makes us want to know more.

There it is again—that subtle implication that they’re interested in more than just your content. You’ve sensed it before, in the way their messages have become more personal over time, but now it’s starting to feel like they’re testing the waters, seeing if you’re open to the idea of something deeper.

And the truth is, you’re not sure how you feel about it. Part of you is intrigued, even excited, but another part of you is cautious. You’ve worked hard to keep this part of your life separate, to protect yourself from getting too close to your subscribers. But these three have always been different, haven’t they? They’ve always made you feel like more than just a performer, more than just content.

Before you can fully process the implications, another message blinks onto your screen. It's from Moony again, still using Prongs's account, but there's a distinct difference in the tone and phrasing that tells you it's him.

ProngsPlayground_free: I think what Prongs is trying to say, in his own way, is that we feel a connection here. It's not just about the videos or messages, though those have been fantastic. It's also about getting to know the person behind the content, even if it’s just through tiny glimpses. We're not asking for anything beyond what you're comfortable with, but I think we'd be lying if we didn't admit to a curiosity about the real you.

Your breath catches, held captive by the words on your screen. There's no mistaking it now; Moony isn't referring to their usual playful banter—he's talking about something deeper, something inherently personal. For a moment, you remain frozen, fingers hovering over the keys as you grapple with how to respond.

The conversations between you and the boys have always edged around personal boundaries, careful to respect the lines drawn by anonymity. You've shared parts of yourself with them, true, but always within a safe limit, always with a layer of protection. Now, it seems Moony is pushing gently against those barriers, inviting a deeper level of trust. The thought both thrills and terrifies you.

Drawing in a deep breath, you begin to type, each letter appearing on the screen like a confession. Honesty threads its way through your words, cautious yet hopeful.

You: I've really enjoyed getting to know you all too. It's been different from my usual chats here, for sure, but I've always been cautious about how much I share. I just don't want to make things complicated, you know?

With a final tap of your finger, the message shoots off into the digital ether. You sit back, staring at the screen as if it could reveal what comes next. There's an uncertainty creeping at the edges of your consciousness, a dawning realisation that something is shifting. But despite the unease, curiosity tugs at you, whispering of possibilities and connections beyond the norm.

The response comes from Padfoot this time, his tone immediately distinguishable even through text. Direct yet playful, his words carry a weight that has you leaning forward, your fingers hovering over the keys.

ProngsPlayground_free: Complicate things? Us? Never. 😏 But seriously, we understand. We don't want to make things hard for you. We've just been thinking about you a lot lately. Not just because of the videos. It feels like you're more than just someone we watch. Does that make sense?

The words on your screen pulse with a mix of boldness and sincerity that mirrors your own turmoil. You've been thinking about them, too—more than you'd care to admit aloud. What unnerves you isn't their presence in your thoughts but rather the ease with which they've settled there, the naturalness of this unfolding conversation.

You begin typing a response, fingers hovering over the keys as you search for the right words.

You: Yeah, it makes sense. I've found myself thinking about you guys a lot lately, too. More than I probably should. And that's what's... complicated. I've always kept this part of my life separate, you know? And I'm not sure how—or if—I want to change that.

The words hang there in the chat, bolder and more revealing than anything you've shared with them before. You feel a rush of vulnerability, wondering if you've said too much, exposed too much. But alongside it is a strange sense of relief. You've been seeing them as more than just subscribers or fans for a while now, and at least they know that now.

The next reply comes quicker than you expect, and it's from Prongs.

ProngsPlayground_free: We get it. Honestly, we've been feeling the same way. It's hard to know where those lines should be drawn, especially when things start to feel... well, more real, I guess. We don't want to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable. Just know we're here, and we're open to exploring whatever this turns into, at your pace.

The message is gentle, almost cautious, as if they too are treading on unfamiliar ground, and you let out a breath you didn't realise you were holding. They're not pressuring you, not asking for commitments or declarations. They're simply acknowledging what you've all begun to sense—that something has shifted in the space between keystrokes and screen names, and neither of you knows quite what to make of it yet. But their willingness to navigate it together, slowly, gives you a strange sense of comfort.

You smile, fingers hovering over the keys before you start typing again, a blend of excitement and relief coursing through your veins.

You: Thanks for understanding, even though I'm not exactly sure what this is either. But I suppose... I'm open to finding out. Slowly. 😊

The message sends, and you feel a shift in the air around you, as though the tension has lessened ever so slightly. You don't know what comes next, but for the first time since this all started, you're not afraid. You're ready to see where this path leads, however winding and uncertain it may be.

Your phone buzzes again, and the message that greets you is simple, but it sends a shiver down your spine, a thrill that you haven't felt in far too long.

ProngsPlayground_free: Whatever pace you need, love. We're here. 💖

And with those words, the line between creator and fan blurs just a little bit more—and for now, you're not sure you want to draw it back into focus.

[yoshifan456]

Have you ever really listened to the lyrics of the song that plays when they enter the O-club?

Cuz I did.

And it's about Mav 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 (Ice) 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯s o𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'.

Charlie ain't be having a 'guarded face', Mav is only 'turning around' to see Ice, whose face is 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 guarded by his sunglasses.

𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺.

As both Ice and Mav are haunted (and in Ice's case introduced) by their pasts, reputations and how they are remembered.

��𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, '𝘤'𝘮𝘰𝘯, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'.

When Mav tries to escape his legacy (being polite and agreeable in the first meeting by thanking Ice for the compliment about Top Gun), Ice taunts him, 'leading Mav on' to get a reaction out of him about Cougar.

𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦.

No clue what this means, but this poetic? Must be about love.

𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.

Ice and Mav should get untangled out of certain patterns concerning a 'light of a life', which is usually a loved one. So he wants to stop being solely straight...

𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.

Leave the one, straight side, to the other side, to the place that has to be hidden from the Navy, maybe even in 'the shadows of the night?!'

𝘚𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'.

Ice doesn't dare to do it alone, he needs someone else to 'lead him on' to the gay side.

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯

𝘖𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯

He's down bad, this is practically a proposal...

𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺

A plea to be together in the gay night?

𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺

'𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'

This is Mav singing to Ice (I think) so that means he's saying 'if you look in the mirror/you see yourselves/the way you look makes it easy to say 'lead me on' which is the invitation to be gay. So: 'you look so great it's easy to ask me out?'

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘺

You dream at night, but he dreams about a day. So Mav wants to make 'choices of a lifetime' by having a gay day, outside of the shadows of the night/anonimity. So it's a personal proposal this time.

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 '𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'.

When the Navy isn't breathing down their necks, Ice wants Mav to take him on a date.

𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦

𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.

𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵

𝘚𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'

All the same, same meaning, except for ' in the reaches of space' becoming 'and the look on your face', equating the two, equating the reaches of space/the sky/flying/Mav's love for flying with Ice's face/the look on his face. Mav is down bad for the guy.

𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘺𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘺𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘐 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦-𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.

𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺, 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.

Sounds like Mav can hear behind the random words of Ice, his love, like during the talk with Cougar, where there is subtext, both homoerotic and just character wise.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺

Mav wants to know what Ice really means, like when he corrected Ice about Cougar.

𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦

That's plenty self explanatory I think.

𝘖𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦, 𝘰𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯.

Lots of 'oh's because they are finding their answers in the O-club. Also a 'we' for the first time in the song. And the first time Mav says 'lead me on' back to Ice, accepting the offer for a date.

𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦

They go on a date, Mav sees Ice again.

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦

Ice isn't hiding anymors, Mav can read him.

𝘚𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'

Ice is still uncertain, because internalized homophobia is a bitch

𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺

Connecting the 'memory' part about his legacy, to the earlier 'dream' part, which was about wanting to be open/not hiding and also about 'choices of a lifetime'. So Mav wants Ice to be part of his legacy, for the rest of his life.

𝘈 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 '𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯'

Connecting this 'light' to the 'light of the life' and the 'caught' to the 'captive' from earlier, those two sentences are heavily connected. Since the first was about love, this one means that Ice is caught by love.

𝘓𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 '𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯' 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.

So basically, the song that plays during their first meeting is already a heavily IceMav coded love song.

[chiwhorei]

OOOOH THE BOYS uhmmm what abt gross daddy butcher ! butcher who's possessive of his little girl, keeping her locked up tight, hidden away from anything and everything that could hurt her.

Now Daddy Billy is a goOD DADDY. I feel like went a little crazy with this but the bugs in my brain wouldn’t let me stopp. Cough cough, my fatherless behavior, that’s the bugs.

Tags: incest, stalking, debugging, noncon, manipulation, daddy issues for REAL ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა♡

Daddy Billy who would would have Grace looking after you your whole life so no one hurts you. That means he was never around, but that was for the best- that’s what he’d tell himself at least. You aren’t just the most important thing in Billy’s life, your the only thing important to him. Billy is motivated by your existence alone, running towards a finish line, checking off names on a kill list to make it safe enough of a world for you.

The first time you meet Billy Butcher is at a bar close to campus, you’re out from Grace’s nose for the first time in your life, trying to have all of the normal-young-adult experiences.

That’s when you meet a man old enough to be your father.

He’s rough around the edges for sure but there’s something about the older man that seems to be dragging you towards him. Maybe it’s the fatherless behavior your friends always rib you about. He’s tall, undeniably handsome and has a sexy accent. His black hair and beard is peppered with gray, he’s got a jagged scar above one eye and his hands are covered in bruises and scratches.

Billy introduces himself with his real first name, testing the waters to see if Grace had told you anything she shouldn’t have. You introduce yourself with a clueless, glossy smile. He buys you a fruity drink and you laugh at his jokes. He lets you bitch about the stupid frat guy that just broke your heart, he even offers to kill ‘em if you give Billy his address. You laugh that off too, but there is intent behind his words that you don’t pick up on.

For a second Billy feels like the most normal person in the world. You’re not the daughter he’s been keeping tabs on since you moved to the city— now mere inches away from him instead of states apart. And he’s not the bastard everyone else knows him as, crawling around in your peripherals looking for a chance to pounce.

He shouldn’t have invited you back to his place, but you were far too drunk to walk home alone- plus his apartment is just around the corner! You wobble on your heels following him inside, and Billy catches you.

You start babbling and hiccuping and squirming in his arms. You’re body is feeling heavy and your head is foggy, usually just one drink doesn’t get you more than a little tipsy.

“How’s about Daddy takes care of you tonight, sweetheart?” And you giggle into Billy’s neck, nodding and running your fingers through the rough hair on his face.

“You- you wanna be my daddy?” You look up at him with lidded eyes, he brushes a fallen eyelash from your cheek.

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” You don’t catch the subtext between slow blinks, looking up at your father with no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.

Billy makes a mental note to not dose you this strong next time, he almost feels bad at how out of it your are. But you also fall into the mattress so easy and you arch your back so pretty when Daddy’s hands paw at your ass.

He fucks you raw and deep. You cry out for your daddy and beg to be his good little girl. You want nothing more than to be a daddy’s girl, even barely conscious. That burns in Billy’s blood, pumping into your poor pussy even harder. He’s got a lot of making up to do.

[tyran-the-tyranical]

That one line from Raphael's Second Diary will never cease to get me 🥺 LIKE MIGHT I ADD- these are his private thoughts, separate from his manipulation attempts and so he, with his full chest, admits so much in his second diary, like when he says "never have I been so attracted to mortals as I am to those infested by the tadpole." AHH, (my delusions are so real, trust)

BUT WHEN HE SAYS "They gestured to the melting hooks, suddenly glanced my way, and in their face I saw they had the best of me." look, I get the subtext behind all these quotes, but a girl can just ignore all that media literacy and take it for face value, OK? 💅 but also reading into it, he does admire Tav to a certain extent, and I have to wonder, why? Tav isn't an origin character and Tav's actions and character basically changes with every playthrough (Same with Durge, as they can change too) So I have to wonder if it's because Tav is controlled by the player, since, Raphael does end up breaking the fourth wall in his epilogue speech, so perhaps that's what he sees.

Another way to look at it is, either way, no matter what the playthrough, he sees something in Tav, something that makes them stand out much brighter than their companions (For some reason???)

To further that statement, what is the best of Raphael? I mean, if its an evil playthrough, that would be obvious, but if you're playing a good playthrough, what then? perhaps what he sees is someone he can finally use to get the crown, that's also very likely. Still though that's a very to the point (IMO) not as interesting of a reading since it's literally just his end goal for us, BUT STILL A VALID ONE, because, it is true, that's what he wants from us the most.

Also his third diary where he just straight up admits that he's being so honest with us so he can manipulate us, love that for him, "I am master here. A prince of bargains cloaked like scarlet satin. All that hidden under sublimely obvious truths that cannot be discounted." Which also makes me wonder, is Raphael actually an honest person? I mean, Korilla thinks he's at least decent, but honest? outside of helping us, if we look at Yurgir, he really fucked him over lol. Obviously, Raphael isn't what he seems, even if he's honest with us, to what extent? he says it himself, he's honest about "...sublimely obvious truths..." but what about when he says he's grown quite fond of us in his own way, HMMMM?

I wish this man got a proper story arc in the game, outside of the whole deal for the hammer and House of Hope, that's all plot related for the hammer, but a storyline about Raphael as a character? I mean yea, maybe that would whisk away some of his mystery, his intrigue, but I'm sorry- you cant just end it with him fucking himself (poorly) and trying to break Hope (making her a metaphorical symbol of hope anyway, I think....) AND LEAVE IT THERE?!?!? at the same time, I do like the ambiguity of his character, you could think of him as a cruel bastard after seeing what he's done in the House Of Hope to his debtors and Hope herself or perhaps just a Pathetic lil guy who's shit in bed lol, or maybe even soft, if you go off Korillas words and what he does for us in game he can come across as quite nice, especially after we've interacted with Mizora who's is the only other Cambion example we can go off of.

I also just think it's interesting that he sees anything in Tav/Durge at all. Ofc he says he sees the best of him (Always gotta relate back to himself lol) but that especially a mortal is what he could see himself, the best of himself, but then again he does see potential and ambition as admirable (?) or just something he appreciates, you can see that with Mol and Gortash to some extent anyway, But what ambitions does Tav have outside of just trying to survive? Like, the obvious answer is he wants us to give him the crown and we're the underdog in the story but then why does he refer to Tav so differently then? I fear this has turned into another rant again, lol.

Just a final thought here, but, if he did ever get a story arc, similar to the companions, would they give you multiple directions to take his character? i mean with Shadowheart for example, you could help her break from shar or have her fully convert into shars chosen, but even then, if you free her from shar theres the point of saving her family or freeing her from Shars (curse?) there's multiple ways for her story to end. Though, Raphael isnt a companion, so would he have something similar to idk a minor companion like Halsin or Minthara, who don't really have that much of a diversion (I think) in their endings, they don't really have the option, only really if the player decides to be evil or not, they kinda just follow them either way, it doesn't really impact their own stories. Obviously, I would prefer something with nuance but also, HE ISN'T A COMPANION 😭 and pressingly some of the companions need more work done than he does atm lol. Maybe that's me just projecting lol, once again, me wanting to have my cake and eat it too, anyway, that's me done... for now lol

[koalatysleep]

Why Kuwameshi is the main text instead of the subtext, as revealed through clothes 🤣🩳👖👕❤️‍🔥

If you've read Togashi's Storytelling DNA & How it Reveals YYH's Hidden Meaning, you'd already know that YYH is a Detective Game where seemingly throwaway details reveal a hell of a lot,

which is why Togashi actually showed us that Yusuke and Kuwa got TOGETHER after the Dark Tournament, via the clothes Kuwa wore when he woke up at Yusuke's place the morning after Mitarai's attack! 🤣

In a nutshell, Kuwa's clothes were extensively torn, tattered & soaked-through during Mitarai's attack:

But after Kuwa brought his friends & Mitarai back to Yusuke's place --- So proud of you Kuwa!!! Choosing Mercy to save Mitarai was the crowning moment of your Redemption Arc!!! --- Kuwa slept in a dry pair of boxers coz his clothes were obviously too soiled & wet to sleep in:

Kuwa was trapped in Mitarai's water creatures to the point he almost drowned, his boxers would have been soaked through as well, so how did he sleep in a dry pair of boxers post Mitarai's attack, at Yusuke's place? 🤣🤣🤣

A doggedly heteronormative read might insist Yusuke loaned Kuwa a pair of his own boxers that magically fit Kuwa's physique perfectly coz maybe Yusuke just happens to like loose boxers that hang down to his knees for some unknown reason we never see in canon 🤣, or perhaps the Urameshi household just happens to be the rare few in 90's Japan that has a dryer at home even though Atsuko has no steady income, and they tossed in Kuwa's own boxers to wash & dry in the world's shortest cycle all before Kuwa passed out from his injuries 🤣, but consider this!

Kuwa woke up the next morning at Yusuke's place and got dressed in Kuwa's own very clean, very fresh jeans & tee which fit Kuwa perfectly:

Which means.... these clothes, including the boxers, weren't loaned to Kuwa by Yusuke, coz with their height & build difference, Yusuke's jeans would never fit Kuwa so perfectly, it wouldn't even cover Kuwa's ankles! 🤣

Since the jeans & tee are obviously not Kuwa's dress pants & jacket from the evening before either (see first screencap in this post), all this means Yusuke has at least 1 set of Kuwa's clothes at his home, including a pair of Kuwa's boxers!!! 🤣🤣🤣

I'll let your imaginations fill in the blanks on how Yusuke came to have Kuwa's laundered clothes at his place, including Kuwa's boxers 🤣🤣🤣

What could they possibly have done on a sleepover that would result in Kuwa having to leave his boxers, jeans & tee behind for Yusuke to launder, I wonder? 🤣🤣🤣

To give you some ideas, Kuwa's sleeping in his boxers like it's his own home in Yusuke's room, on Yusuke's pillow, which has Yusuke's scent, which I personally feel has EVERYTHING to do with a certain redacted uhm reaction in this manga drawing 🤣🤣🤣

I never thought I'd ever draw a big blue arrow pointing at Kuwa's anatomy to meta YYH, but Togashi's audacity never fails to fill me with laugh-out-loud DELIGHT!!! 🤣🤣🤣

What can I say? Kuwameshi isn't even the subtext, it's plain main text, just revealed through subtle details like sequence of events, clothing, and strategically placed redactions!!! 🤣

The sensei not only made the Kuwameshi Soul Bond Romance the MAIN TEXT in 90's Shonen manga, he did it so CLEVERLY in PLAIN SIGHT that censors were none-the-wiser! 🤣🤣🤣

It's no wonder anime Kuwa has an official Character Song called "Dachi" (short for Tomodachi aka friend) where the lyrics straight out say:

In the dead of the night I would come calling Not that girl I love, it's you Those nights might seem strange, but hey, isn't it nice, for a change? Without saying another word, I start walking

I think the lyricist didn't need my big blue arrow pointing at Kuwa's reaction to figure out what Togashi wanted us to infer from his sartorial choices for our heroes 🤣🤣🤣

Apart from giving the term "revealing clothes" a whole new layer of meaning 🤣, this is also why there was a Fashion Variation section in the YYH Official Character book to clue us into how clothes reveal things that Togashi hid in plain sight! 😁💛🐛💙❤️

Wanna know what else Togashi revealed through clothes and other seemingly throwaway details post Dark Tournament?

Check out The Good Fight to see a VERY SPECIAL REVEAL about Yusuke in one of the chapters! ❤️🌿💛🐛💙

If you'd like more meta like this, check out this Kuwameshi Meta series, especially the latest addition Why Yusuke's Entirely Made of Love & Whip Smart! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[tinybirbwrites]

The Ultimate Strategy (Astarion & Reader)

This is very silly. Set rather early on in the game. Nothing romantic, just silly and fun. Gender neutral reader, no use of y/n, sort of implied player!reader. Sort of graphical description of someone being set on fire? Not too graphic but it happens. 1,6k words.

People would often think you’re stupid—Astarion could tell by the way they looked at you or talked to you. He himself thought you weren’t the brightest of the bunch when he first met you. Ohh, but you weren’t stupid at all. Yes, maybe some logical thinking and some puzzles proved a challenge for you, and sometimes the subtext was too hidden for you to see, but you could read people quite well. You could tell when they were trying to fool you; there was always that little knowing smile on your lips and that glimmer in your eyes when you knew exactly what they were trying to do, and yet you went along anyway to humor them, only to beat them at their own game. 

Sometimes Astarion wondered whether you were a master diviner, someone who dreamed about the future every night, because he swore some things you knew shouldn’t be possible. He would see you buy or collect some strange item and think “how unnecessary,” only to be proven wrong a little while later. 

“Humor me,” he said to you one morning, making you look up from your bowl of leftover food from the evening before. “Why are we collecting these?” Astarion gestured over to the big pile of barrels, each either containing oil, smokepowder, or firewine. Quite hazardous, which is why it was being kept far away from Karlach’s tent. You had insisted on collecting each explosive item you could find and carry it back to camp, and because everyone had grown to trust you, no one argued. Because, just like Astarion, the other companions had also noticed your futuristic insight and fondness for ridiculous yet clever strategies. 

You beamed at him. “I’m so glad you asked, Astarion.” Putting your bowl down for the time being, you instead took a stick and drew some lines into the dirt. “Using your wonderful imagination for a moment here, you would see that this,” you tapped the middle of your drawing, “is the place right outside the grove. You know, where we first encountered the goblins that were attacking the tieflings and humans outside the gate.”

He tilted his head, then went to stand directly behind you to look over your shoulder. “I can sort of see it. What about it?”

“Well, my dear friend,” you turned your head and grinned up at him, waggling your eyebrows. “What if I told you that there will be a big confrontation, and we could easily solve it with the right means.” You nodded towards the barrels. “Just imagine; the whole field, full with explosive barrels. One little bolt of fire and they all go boom.”

Astarion imagined it, and yeah, okay, that sounded like fun alright. “And who are we blowing up, exactly?”

“The goblin army, of course,” you said, as if it was obvious. Noticing his frown, you quickly explained, “Everyone keeps talking about ‘the big goblin problem’ this and ‘the goblin camp’ that. Obviously there will be a confrontation at some point, and I just wanna be prepared for it. We’ll probably find out more once we go to the goblin camp ourselves.”

He raised an eyebrow, partly impressed, partly doubtful. “And, what? We just put barrels all over the field and hope they won’t notice and just walk right into the trap?”

You pursed your lips. “Okay, good point. Either we bury and hide the barrels, or we, uhh… Maybe we could put some illusion spell on them? Surely Gale knows a way.”

Astarion stared at you for a moment. “You’re only thinking about this now? You honestly thought the enemy wouldn’t notice—” he looked over at the pile and roughly estimated the quantity, “thirty-something explosive barrels standing around an open area?”

You cleared your throat and put the stick away to keep eating. “... Maybe. But, hey, thanks to you, we can prepare for it now. Thanks, Astarion.”

He could have made more indignant and snarky comments, could have teased you more, and usually he would have. But your smile was so earnest and genuine and bright, all he could do was make a small noise at the back of his throat and shake his head.

Turned out that Gale did indeed know some good spells to disguise the barrels, by putting an illusion on them to make people think they were something else, like a bush or a piece of wood or a big rock. After a few hours of setting everything up, you declared a job well done and that you all would infiltrate the goblin camp the very next day. 

Again, things worked out more smoothly than Astarion thought.

You’d revealed the grove’s location to the drow, Minthara, much to the other companions’ shock. When Karlach took you aside to question your decision, you had assured her that everything would be fine. “I planned for this, remember? It will all work out, trust me. They won’t step one foot into the grove, I won’t let them.”

Astarion personally didn’t really care either way—he had absolutely not grown fond of the tiefling refugees or any of their thieving children, thank you very much—but he was very much invested in your strange plan at this point.

So when the time came, tieflings and druids warned about the goblin army (with most of the refugees actually preparing for the fight, while the druids hid away like cowards inside the caves) and everyone stood up on the hill by the big horn, and you watched as at least a hundred goblins, big and small, together with their blood hungry pets marched up to the gate, you were confident. Perhaps even a little smug.

Minthara was on higher ground, the hill near the middle of the field, and Astarion remembered how you had insisted on carrying several barrels up there as well, fretting about their exact positions. Again, he was convinced you must have somehow known about this. This couldn’t be just a lucky guess or coincidence. 

Some of the goblins even carried little explosive barrels on their backs, which were lit up like a bomb as they ran towards the gate to blow it up. Before they could get any closer, you had already given Astarion the order to shoot the fucker down and let it explode next to one of your own hidden barrels. 

He held his breath, and everyone watched as the chaos unfolded so very beautifully. It was a wonderful and perfect chainreaction; one barrel exploded, immediately setting off the next, and then the next, the fire and explosions taking all of the goblins with it. Before Minthara could react, you quickly told Gale to throw a firebolt at one of the hidden barrels near her position as well. It hit, and Minthara was soon blown off the hill and hit the oil-covered ground. She screamed as she was burned alive, trying to put herself out and sort of succeeding. 

“Karlach, Wyll, can you take her?” you asked. 

“Thought you’d never ask,” Karlach growled, taking her greataxe in hand. 

“With pleasure,” Wyll nodded, drawing his own weapon. Again, under your command, they drank a Feather Fall potion to jump down, and Gale used some spells to put out the flames so neither of them would get burned to a crisp. They were resistant to fire, but not immune, and everyone knew you didn’t want your friends to get hurt. 

With fresh burns and wounds all over and her ears ringing from the explosions, Minthara could barely put up a fight. She tried, of course, and she did better than most in her position would have been able to. But with both Wyll and Karlach, still at full health and energized, she didn’t stand a chance. Merely a minute or two later, Minthara was dead. The tieflings cheered loudly, some patting you on the back while Astarion did his best to avoid the praise. The gate was opened to let Wyll and Karlach back inside, and you laughed as you were hugged and picked up by several people (sadly, Karlach still couldn’t touch anyone, otherwise she would have probably done the same). 

“That was incredible!” Zevlor laughed. “We barely even had to do anything, and not one of us got hurt!”

Later on, as you cleaned up the battlefield a little with some others, looting the goblin corpses, you eyed Minthara’s armor, then looked up at Astarion with a critical eye.

“What?” he asked, crossing his arms defensively. 

“Do you think this would fit your frame?” You gestured at the armor—it was rather beautiful, golden and dark gray, the shapes of the plates reminiscent of spiderwebs, fitting for a Lolth-sworn drow like her. 

“Maybe,” Astarion said slowly. “Why? You want me to wear it?”

You shrugged. “I think it would suit you nicely. If you want it, it’s all yours. Maybe Dammon could modify it a little if it doesn’t fit, before he leaves the grove.”

Astarion looked down at what he was wearing now—armor mostly made out of leather, good for stealth, but not the most fashionable, in his humble opinion. Then he looked back to Minthara’s corpse, humming thoughtfully. “Oh, by the Hells, why not? But I want it thoroughly cleaned, I can still smell the smoke and oil all over it.” 

You grinned. “It looks so good, right? I kept eyeing it when we first met her.” 

Reluctantly, Astarion relented. “Well, you’re not wrong.” Hesitantly, he asked, “You really think it will suit me?” He wasn’t self-conscious about his looks, of course. He just hadn’t seen his own reflection in quite some time, and he barely had any idea what colors suited him now. Though he supposed he was doing something right, because most people still swooned when they saw him—including even you.

You nodded eagerly. “Yes, trust me. Gold, silver, black, red, blue… all of it would suit you. I think you could make any color work, if done right. But this armor is just… perfect for you.”

Astarion did not blush—he wasn’t even sure if he physically could. But whatever the case, Astarion didn’t blush, ever, for anyone or anything. Absolutely not.

[theboytatu]

I'm curious, do you think baekhyun was shading anyone when he said 'don't make too many celeb friends' as advice on star diary the other day? i thought he just meant like in general but i'm seeing lots of speculations it could be taehyung or ravi shade and idk?

baekhyun never says anything without 100% having an agenda behind it. like right off the bat I want you to know that - as a baekhyun stan - he is completely aware of the way his fans take every word he says and cling on to it and he is also aware that the deeper meaning behind what he says will be probably analyzed by most fans. out of every member he's the one that most often uses that power to set a public narrative/turn an opinion around/do damage control/speak on another public matter he very well can't do explicitly. working in pr and stanning baekhyun is a full time job cause most times i am left reeling thinking about why he said it and how he intended that to work over his audience lol.

anyway all that prelude is to say yes I think when baekhyun said "don't make too many celebrity friends" he was shading the industry but not targeting one idol specifically. I think he did it for two reasons: the main explicit message and the subtextual hidden one.

my guess is the main explicit one is obvious which is: he gave a 16 year old idol who has just started out her career a very wise and common sense piece of advice she actually really needs to remember if she wants to make it in this industry for the long run. I think it came out of a genuine place of caring because people will try to get to you in order to further their own agendas. and since being predatory towards young female idols is so prevalent that advice is twice as important for eunchae

my guess for the subtext hidden message in his very pointed comment probably has to do with a) the way sm mediaplay has been trying to smear exo's image since the lawsuit and how most if not all celeb friends who appear to be close to them didn't lift a finger to defend them, b) the whole bts book bullshit and armys once again jumping to talk shit about exo when no names were dropped - if you remember I already talked about how bts and exo were actually friendly back in the day until bts decided to capitalize on the self victimizing narrative and let their fandom paint exo and other idols as their bullies, and c) to a less probable extent kai's enlistment and the whole ravi thing. i'm less convinced on this last point because we simply can't know how much ravi's situation influenced kai's plus they haven't been as close as the fans want to think they were years ago. kai has said multiple times his only idol friend outside exo is taemin as recently as two months ago so i don't really buy that even though exols seem to think baekhyun was 100% shading ravi which imo is dumb and doesn't really do anything for kai.

but to the people saying it's not that deep or that baekhyun didn't mean anything by it I can tell you right now. baekhyun always always means something by what he says and everything he says is intentional because he's a messy bitch who loves drama but also because he's almost uncomfortably good at shaping his fandom's opinion/view of things

[idrellegames]

I cannot count how many times I’ve replayed wayfarer, and every single time I make one small choice that winds up changing so much, and I love it. I can’t imagine how long that must have taken. I’ve explored all the different backstories, too, and the only thing I’ve kept consistent is that my Wayfarer is always smitten with Aeran (because I am, love me an angsty elf). It really does seem like every time I go through I discover something new. For instance, I did not know you could take the weird Faran relic from Drakehand. Anyways, all this to say, I love your writing and characters and all of it. I am curious though, out of all our introduced major characters, who is your favorite to write?

Hmmm good question! I genuinely enjoy writing everyone, I don't really have a favourite? There's never a character where I go "ugh, I don't want to deal with you now, why are you here" (with the exception of Aeran trapping me in a 90k word dialogue loop in Episode 3 and I was getting a little tired of cycling through variations of the same conversation by the end of it 😅).

Mel is always fun because he has a lot of hidden meaning and subtext in how he phrases things. Phaedra is delightful, I really enjoy writing politically-minded characters because of their dialogue (Zenaida falls into a similar boat). Sabien amuses me to no end. Nova's prickliness is very enjoyable, she likes to stir the pot in certain circumstances.

Veyer kind of steals the show, if I'm very honest. They're always fun, but they have a lot going on behind the scenes, so there's a lot of nuance to their character that doesn't necessarily come to light right away.

[crmsnmth]

Black (Part One)

(It is extremely rare for to put a trigger warning on my work. In fact, I don't think I've ever put a trigger warning here, other than the blanket one I have in my pinned post. But I feel that I need one with this one. The following poem contains extremely dark themes, violence, murder, and suicide in some what graphic detail. This poem is fiction, and that is just that. It does not reflect with how I feel or how I have ever felt. This is just a story and nothing more. It isn't based on anything that's happened in my life, it's just a graphic fictional story. There is no hidden meaning, no subtext or anything at all. Please, proceed with caution.)

Back lit by lighting strikes and pouring rain I stand on the sidewalk outside a three bedroom house Her truck left only a few minutes ago And his roommates are all doing who the fuck cares I never needed to learn anything except their schedules They aren't part of the plan And the weight is carried in my belt behind me It's cold steel fingers press into my skin

I watch lights turn on and see him through the windows Building courage to do what I need to do I make my way to the back door with the square window And I wait I wait for thunder to crash to camouflage the sound and when it does I take my leather gloved hand shattering the window into pieces There's no alarm paid for here Not for a college student's broke stereotype

The house is cool as I enter like it's my own Thunder rumbles and shakes the walls There is no light on in this kitchen Other then the green digits on the oven's face Somewhere deeper in I can hear water running And the basslines of some obscure punk band I know where he is I know what he's done There is no forgiveness left in me I gave all that upon the prize that he had stolen

I find the empty quiet living room And I find a chair to sit rearranging furniture so I can watch him and so he can burn my face into his short term memory It's all he has that matters

I sit in the dark Showing only the burning ember of my cigarette the same one's he forced her to quit

the hiss of water is silenced and I'm almost giddy with anticipation I feel the black cold metal in my hands Sliding it and removing any chance of safety He'll smell the smoke before he comes to see but just like the cat, he'll follow his curiosity

I finish the pall mall and toss it onto the carpte I doesn't matter to me if this place burns to the ground Neither of us will even feel the flames So in the end it doesn't really matter

The bathroom door clicks as it opens I know that door sticks from the steam I hear his footsteps in the hall, edging closer and closer And I grin and point and click as he flicks the light on His face is instantly afraid as I introduce myself for the very first time And also the last time I motion with the barrel "Sit down. We need to talk."

He takes his place across from me, hair still wet and warm He's visibly shaking and I guess I can't blame him I would be too with a psychopath in the room I offer him a cigarette and he shakes his head "I think you should." I toss the pack to him The one on the carpet still smolders

"Who are you?" He finally spits out with trembling words I laugh and laugh and laugh I don't answer right away, letting him drown in his confusion I relish in the smell of his ozone fear "You know exactly who I am."

He shakes his head violenlty hard enough that his stupid turtle shell glasses fall to the floor He makes no effort to get them "No, I don't. What do you want?" Tears start to slide down his flushed cheeks

"You took something from me The only fucking thing I've ever cared about. You know exactly who the fuck I am." His eyes scan the room, but there is no escape there's no trick, the barrel stays on him the whole time Suddenly, a moment of clarity washes over his face "Your…" I cut him off by cocking the metal slide

[kyrodo]

The difference between now and 2020 is everybody I try to be friends with doesn't communicate with me entirely out of abuse tactics. Look at me, I'm Ronnie, let's rt something about telegram so the simp subbing me will go there and I can pretend they're acting like a fucking predator. Like every time it seems like you're telling me to do something I just have to assume you're doing it so you can fuck me up. Why didn't I think about that sooner? The truth is no matter what I do, abstain from interacting with you, or not you were going to find a way to take advantage of the situation. Like when you were acting all sad mad or heartbroken I was leaving you behind. The only difference is how. All the endings are bad endings where I'm heavily misrepresented, the only difference is severity. The only difference is whether or not I let you treat me like a fucking idiot. Yes I could have shut your subtexting out much sooner. Yes, I could have walked away and you wouldn't have been able to do anything to me. I know better now. All your abuse requires me to walk the red carpet you lay out for me into hell and that's how you justify it. I looked you up, I'm the bad guy. That's all you need to say and everything I say afterwards is completely invalid, because I took the fucking bait. I say anything directly all of a sudden it's just retweets. I'm not allowed to interact with you without keeping this unregulated gate open for you to freely harass me with, accountability and rent free.

Cause you couldn't be like Omi, or Kay, or Belle, or Marcus, or Freedy, or whoever and just interact without all these extra strings attached. Without all these hidden words and phrases to attack me with every step of the way. Without being able to say what we mean because the only time you want to talk to me is when you're about to stab me in the back.

I fell flat on my face. I played the simp role a little too hard and my emotional instability back then did not help things. My social etiquette on multiple fronts was not the greatest, not ever getting a single clear word from you aside. But I'm stronger for it. I'm better for it. The entire way I approach social interactions is completely structured now and fine tuned to avoid every last thing I did wrong. As far as what you do when you are on the wrong end of an interaction like that goes, I literally can't do any better than I have. This is as good as it gets and anything beyond it is nitpicking or more of your framing.

It's not my job now to justify how you treated me. It's my job to make sure you recognize what my potential was.

[nauticalnotions]

Mastering the Subtext in Dialogue: A Deep Dive into Nuanced Communication

Understanding Subtext in Dialogue

Subtext in dialogue is the art of expression for what lies beneath the surface of conversations. It's about unspoken thoughts, hidden feelings, or secret motives characters express indirectly. Unlike direct dialogue, which is transparent in its respect with regard to intentions, subtext is all the more engaging—it is that shadowy layer inviting readers to read between the lines and add depth, hence enriching a narrative while being drawn deeper into your world.

Why Use Subtext?

Engages Readers: Subtext in the dialogue makes the text more engaging to the reader by stimulating his or her urge to uncover hidden levels of character interaction.

Reflects Real-Life Complexity: It represents the complexity in real life, where often what is left unsaid holds a huge amount of sway.

Enhances Narrative Depth: With subtext, it enables one as a writer to write truer and lingering scenes that echo with intricacies of human relations and emotions.

Crafting Dialogue with Subtext

1. Concealed Conflicts and Secrets: Imagine two persons, A and B, who ascribe to deeper past betrayal but today need to move in cooperation for some common goal. Their dialogue may seem respectful, even collaborative at one level, but lays beneath the veneer of constant distrust and resentment. For instance:

A: "I trust you've got everything prepared for tomorrow?"

B: "As always. Wouldn't want to leave anything to chance, would we?"

Here, B's response, while ostensibly affirmative, also hints at past issues where perhaps A's lack of preparation led to problems, echoing a history of mistrust without spelling it out.

2. Enhanced Reader Involvement:

Interactive Narrative: Like a weaver, use subtext within conversations and turn readers into detectives, trying to piece clues together from what characters say—or don't say. In doing so, the reader becomes involved in what goes on in the story.

3. Realistic Interactions:

Mimics Human Communication: Subtext makes character interactions real by complicating them to the degree human communication does in real life. As most of our talking has been done through subtleties—led by emotions, relationships, and social situations—then detailing it in writing will render your characters very believable.

Practical Subtext Writing Tips

Identify the Emotional Undercurrents:

Foundation of Subtext: Before you begin your scene, pinpoint the emotional dynamics between your characters. What are their desires, fears, or secrets that influence their dialogue? Knowing this can help you write meaningful, multi-layered dialogue.

Select Expressive Details:

Non-Verbal Cues: Use words and body language that merely suggest what is underneath. For instance, the character who looks away or fidgets while speaking might demonstrate a level of unease or lying. Likewise, overenthusiastic agreement can indicate sarcasm or disbelief.

Subtle Dynamics Example:

In the scene during which one of the characters learns about the success in a field their friend has achieved, which involves competition with them, the dialogue could be as follows:

Dialogue: "Wow, congratulations! I always knew you would make it big." - The forced smile and the slight pause before ‘big’ subtly convey the speaker’s envy and personal disappointment.

Seamless Integration:

Natural Flow: Be sure that subtext does not feel contrived or exceptionally obtuse. It should blend easily with the surface dialogue to provide a natural flow that emulates real conversation. You're looking for enough clues to make one curious, but not so obscure as to lose the real meaning.

The Impact of Mastering Subtext

Mastering subtext deepens your narrative, characters, and emotional toll in your story. It varies the simple exchange into richly human situations, continuing to haunt the reader and lingering over the unsaid depths behind the words your characters say. This is what allows, sometimes, your dialogue to whisper secrets or scream emotions without one's having raised a voice in your fantasy novel—a mesmerizing journey through nuanced communication.

[lovelyfirebouquet]

I am frustrated.

Why does nobody say what they mean?

Everything is hidden under 100 different layers of subtext and "hints."

If something one friend does bothers another, even something so simple as a conversation topic, it's left unsaid and festers within the bothered party until it either bursts or is disclosed at a later date, when all that had to be said was "This conversation topic bothers me" or "I don't enjoy talking about this, can we move to something else?"

In prose or literature, things are meant to be dissected and digested. In media, this is FINE. I love looking for the puzzle pieces buried in the sand. But in real life, between close friends, it is incredibly exhausting to constantly hunt for the emotions behind each ignored comment, each remark.

Isn't it easier in the end to say what you mean? To resolve things quickly?

I'd rather someone who doesn't like me tell me outright than go along with the whole charade of kind words but sharp and bitter insults behind closed doors, or worse, occasional ignoring. It's anxiety-inducing and incredibly frustrating.

[stargazeraldroth]

Hm… I’m curious- How does 404 even know Ink? Assuming he actually knows him at all, of course- Did he wanna be Ink’s rival when they were younger, only to get upstaged by Error? We’re they friends and 404 just got way, way too possessive? Does he actually think Ink is in love with him, or does he not care about that? Do Ink and Error even know he exists, or is this a case of, like, erotomania or something?

Does Didi factor into it at all- What does she think of Error and 404?

Congrats, Anon, you did it. You made me look up what erotomania is. Not like it's dramatic or anything, since I know some similar words (such as nymphomania), but still. I didn't even know this was a word. For those who don't know what that word means, it's basically just an excessive desire to smash like hell.

And you know what? Yes. Yes he does. He's also a fricking yandere, for that matter. But the erotomania isn't that important, it'd really just be like, trivia or subtext or some crap. I know I said that there would be more mature content in the Pokemon AU, such as Pokemon experimentation (*cough* Didi *cough*) and potentially even character death, but I don't know how I feel about adding any kind of NSFW content. If I do, it'd most likely be in the form of adult jokes, like the ones hidden in cartoons or something.

I actually forget what the plan for 404 was, so I'm just gonna be pulling everything out of the trenches of my memory and my ass. I think one of the ideas was that 404 was gonna be one of the students that went to the same academy as Ink, Error, and others. 404's a strong trainer in his own right, but battling also isn't his strongest passion. I'm thinking he's kinda like Colress. I'd say he and Ink at least knew each other, maybe they were classmates, but drifted apart due to different paths- Ink went on to become a Champion and 404's working as a scientist. The important thing with the Cult is that they're all pretty delusional, which should be obvious by their goal of obtaining perfection by any means (and what the frick they're doing), so 404 is very much delusional about what could be. I like to think that 404 and Error were always rivals, even when Ink wasn't in the picture, and the fact that Error married Ink just rubbed salt in the wound for 404.

Astral Mother: And then we'll kill Ink, one of our greatest opponents-

404: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Astral Mother:

X-Gaster (he's also here, completely separate from normal Gaster):

404:

Astral Mother: ... Fine. You can keep him.

404: YAY :D

Didi is actually very crucial to the storyline, more than what you'd expect for a Champion's Pokemon. Didi was actually one of the Pokemon experimented on and abused by the Cult, which led to the discolored look they have. Instead of looking like a shiny Diancie, they have a brownish palette for their "skin" (is it skin or is it all just rock?), to match Broomie's own color palette. I forget if I mentioned that, but Didi's basically the Broomie of this AU, hence why she has a nickname and isn't just called "Diancie". The Cult used Didi to create hundreds if not thousands of diamonds for their larger scheme. This is where Ink comes in: in true Protagonist Fashion, he ambushed the operation and beats everyone there, freeing Didi in the process. Now, just to clear things up, the Cult wasn't present for this. It was actually a different group carrying out orders from the Cult. In other terms, the Cult is pulling the strings behind everything, and other Cults essentially get forced into cooperating with them.

As for Didi's bond with Error, there... really isn't much of one. Until it gets revealed, Error's actually one of the only people who knows about Didi being in Ink's possession. And while he can't say he's too fond of Didi, they're a good Pokemon. He just wishes they would stop trying to jump on the bed, they can't keep replacing the sheets and blankets. Well, they can, they're rich, but you know what he means.

So, to summarize: 404's a yandere and a sore loser, Didi is an experiment survivor, Didi tolerates Error, and Didi despises 404.

[cat-madhouse]

I think

I think that me thinking I'm a compulsive manipulator for most of my "aware life" has something to do with the tism

[yourheartonfire]

A few folks have asked about how to establish distinct character voices in dialogue. I'd say for me there are three key things you need to decide that help distinguish voices: 1. Your character's primary value, 2. Your character's main strategy in how they speak to others, 3. What your character wants in this moment and how they intend to get it.

And since everyone's talking about Goncharov (1973) right now, let's do a little scene study and look at the bedroom scene before the poker party. On the surface level the dialogue is simple, even trite. But it's the subtext that reveals character.

Here's a line by line breakdown, dialogue in bold, my comments in italics.

This scene of course immediately follows the involuntary revelation from Andrei that Goncharov knew something about Katya's father's death, a sequence that ends when Goncharov barges into the bedroom and asks:

GONCHAROV: Have you seen my braces?

He doesnt wait for an answer, strips off his shirt and starts putting on a clean one. Katya's thrown off her rhythm, as are we. After all the buildup of Goncharov as this unstoppable force of nature, this is... silly. It's disarming, it's intimate, it's human. (It's also sexy.) Goncharov meanwhile is distracted, doesn't notice Katya's expression in the mirror. It's not until he moves towards her dresser, where the gun is hidden, she says:

KATYA: On the chair.

Because of course she knows where it is. She knows Goncharov so well, yet not at all.

GONCHAROV: Thanks, love.

A rote endearment and a rote kiss on the cheek as he squeezes past her vanity. Such a great bit of physical business - that little squish and the face she makes. Katya puts down her make-up and watches him dress in the mirror. Does she directly confront him? Haha no.

KATYA: Must we really do this?

She presents this behind a bored sigh, as if her real concern were social. This is her strategy: hide her intelligence and fear behind this pouty, playful, spoiled persona, walking a fine line between demanding respect and not being taken as a threat.

GONCHAROV: Eh? Hurry up, we're going to be late.

Goncharov's strategy - ignore what he doesn't want to hear, bull his way forward. With a side of deflecting his own error - his lateness - onto his wife. It's gasoline on Katya's simmering anger. She stands, spoiling for a fight.

KATYA: I said, must we really do this? Why not stay home? Why do things that make us miserable?

I mean, there it is. There's Katya's real question and it flies completely over Goncharov's head. He cannot hear what she is asking him because they are speaking different languages. He assumes she's being a brat and again, brushes her words away.

GONCHAROV: We don't have time for this. What's the matter with you?

If he'd actually meant that, actually took a minute to hear what was wrong... But he doesn't. Vest still unbuttoned, he grabs her and steers her out the door. She lets him, still complaining as he frogmarches her down the hall.

KATYA: Maybe I have a headache. Maybe I need to pin you to the bed and make sweet love to you all night! Stay home and find out.

MARIO AMBROSINI: I'd understand if you take her up on that.

The Russians pull up short. Mario Ambrosini stands (beautifully framed) in half shadow in their living room beside the open door.

Goncharov immediately releases Katya, slips into character as Il Straniero.

GONCHAROV: Mario, my friend, I did not know you were meeting us here!

He embraces Ambrosini, who is notably less comfortable with physical affection than Andrei. Ambrosini prefers to be the one needling people.

MARIO AMBROSINI: I did promise to take you for a ride in the new auto. If you are still coming?

Goncharov turns to Katya.

GONCHAROV: My dear. Do you really have a headache?

There's a sincerity there under Il Straniero's charm. He is offering her the chance to stay home. Katya tightens her lips.

KATYA: I'll get my bag.

She marches off. Goncharov and Ambrosini are left awkwardly together. Goncharov shrugs with smarmy smile: "Women, amirite?". Ambrosini does not smile back.

MARIO AMBROSINI: What if she really wanted to fuck you?

Before Goncharov can answer, Katya returns, purse under her arm and fastening her watch (!) on her wrist.

KATYA: Are we going to a party or are we standing around with our dicks in our hands?

She flounces out the door, Ambrosini jumping to offer his elbow like a gentleman. Goncharov takes a deep breath and follows them.

So there you go. Goncharov's value is establishing his business/power base, his strategy is dismiss/ignore, and what he wants is Katya to fall in line and do what he says. Katya's value is relationships and safety, her strategy is to hide her real concerns behind this big, outrageous persona, and what she wants is to make Goncharov slow down and think. And then of course Ambrosini is a mystery, but I'd say his value is to defend his Naples power base, his strategy is to needle at people's insecurities, and what he wants is to throw Goncharov off his game.

Hope this is helpful to those looking to learn from a great script and a great movie!