#Especially when the source of horror is her first 'true' 'love'

[hajihiko]

Your tag saying Mikan is gonna have it rough has me worried. She’s already been through enough! I mean they all have but especially her! I don’t even want to imagine what her haunting is like!

there's no metric for suffering so it's not like she literally has more bad than the boys. I just mean that, to me, things pertaining to childbirth and the menstrual cycle is horror in itself so it hits harder

[dragonflies-draw-flame]

10 fandoms/10 characters

Many thanks to @tomatette, @jaynesilver, and @fallingdeeperintothispit for tagging me 😁.

Star Wars (Sequels): Armitage Hux. I really do love Kylo too—Ren is such an interesting, dramatic character, and he's absolutely perfect for Hux, seriously. But Hux with his emotional unavailability, hard, overly-composed exterior, his passion/drive to the point of his own detriment, traumatic past...he's everything I could want in a character, because I am also all of these hard-to-love things (though thankfully minus the space fascism).

Star Wars (Prequels): Anakin Skywalker. Look, I know he's a bit whiny sometimes but damn if I don't love a murderous pretty boy on a fool's errand for the person he loves. Mystical space powers and dramatic sweeping outfits are just an added bonus.

Beauty and the Beast: the Beast. For the handful of people following my BatB Kylux fic, this is TOTALLY shocking, I know (and also you guys are amazing ❤️). I do love Belle—she's a book-loving introvert, so that's a given. But the Beast (notice I didn't say Prince Adam)...yeah, I did NOT know how to deal with my attraction to him when I was younger. Mercurial, cursed, awkwardly endearing, dark-haired, passionate, and desirously fluffy?! Wears dramatic capes, has an enchanted rose determining his future, and has the library of my dreams that he is willing to share?? What the fuck more could I want?!

LOTR trilogy: Aragorn. Do I really need to explain that to anyone?? (Also: sorry, Legolas...you were a VERY close second).

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Jemma Simmons. Brilliant, adorable style, much more resilient than she looks. Her quote that goes "Past events...have shown me that I’m not good at improvisation. However, I excel at preparation" is not that great out of context here, unfortunately, but regardless, it was so validating to me. Me too, Jemma!!

Once Upon a Time: Killian Jones (Captain Hook). My husband loves this show, so we have watched it so many times. Hook is a seductive, charming bad boy who eventually really does try his best. And his pirate get-up? UGH, have mercy. (Also, wow, apparently I really, really have a thing for pretty, dark-haired, dangerous men who wear mostly black INCLUDING at least one garment that falls to at least knee length. Huh. That's...rather specific.)

Harry Potter: Hermione Granger. I related hard to a bookish girl who had a hard time making friends when I read these in grade school.

Howl's Moving Castle: Howl. I did not know how to process the extent to which I was attracted to him either, especially because he's not even human some of the time (which I liked, a lot). It was a revelation to find the world of online fanfic where I was very much not alone in those kind of thoughts!

Mean Girls: Janis Ian. Yeah, I know Janis does some shitty things in this movie, but she is unapologetic about who she is. I totally admired her boldness in high school, especially since I too dealt with the horror of rumors being spread about my sexuality (except the ones about me were true ahaha). And I always leaned much more Victorian goth than punk, but I nonetheless appreciated her style as well.

t.A.T.u.: Lena. I would be remiss to leave off this duo, even if they were a musical group, which is not one of my usual fandom sources. BUT they were the first pairing I actually read fanfic about online, way back when, and wrote a ton for them too (unpublished). For a 12-year-old who was struggling massively with...well, everything, but especially feeling incredibly alone and terrified of my sexuality, their music video/song "All the Things She Said" blew my mind. Unfortunately I never got my own chance to make out/run away with a pretty redhead in the rain, but still.

Tagging: I think I've seen this done by most people I follow already? But if you haven't done this and are reading it, please consider yourself tagged and do so, if you wish! I love these get-to-know-you things and would genuinely love to hear about you :).

[mylifeincinema]

My Week(s) in Reviews: October 21, 2023

It's been a while... Here's what I've been watching.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Wes Anderson, 2023) The Swan (Wes Anderson, 2023) The Rat Catcher (Wes Anderson, 2023) Poison (Wes Anderson, 2023)

I dropped the ball and didn't get around to reading Roald Dahl's stories before watching these, but it was hard enough waiting for all four to release on Netflix, so I definitely wouldn't be able to wait to get my hands on the stories. From my understanding of the source material, though, these are all perfectly peculiar adaptations, staying true to Dahl's voice and heart. All four short films shine unique light on Wes Anderson's strengths as a filmmaker and storyteller, and it was a pleasure to witness. The Rat Catcher is very likely my favorite of the bunch, with a bizarre story and characters, including an award-worthy turn by the always fantastic Ralph Fiennes. Second best would easily be The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which highlights Anderson's knack for idiosyncratic storytelling, grabbing hold of the viewer and honoring the source material by keeping it intact. Poison was an experiment in suspense, and both Anderson and the cast delivered completely. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing him venture into more tense material in the future. And, despite the jaw-dropping performance from Rupert Friend, The Swan was probably my least favorite, over-utilizing its narrator storytelling to the point where I felt detached from the story. There's just so much to love throughout the four of these shorts, though. Unsurprisingly, the production design in all four is brilliant, and I especially loved how interactive Anderson & Co. got with it all, here. The stagehands and creative handling of props stoked the imagination. Robert D. Yeoman's (and even Roman Coppola's) cinematography was singularly stunning. And the cast was pure perfection. The aforementioned stand-outs are only the beginning; everyone here was working at the top of their game. I know they're shorts, but don't be surprised if you see Fiennes and Friend - as well as Dev Patel and Ben Kingsley - popping up in My Best of 2023 lists. I really wish I could've experienced these in a cinema, but when it comes to Wes Anderson, I'll take whatever I can get, whenever and however I can get it. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar: 9/10 The Swan: 7.5/10 The Rat Catcher: 8.5/10 Poison: 8/10

Totally Killer (Nahnatchka Khan, 2023)

The overreactions to the way the teens in the '80s behaved got annoying real fast and shone a horribly unflattering light on just how disinterested people of her character's generation are with taking context into consideration when spouting their attention-hungry pontifications. Then again, that's probably the point? So, good job? The cast was okay. The kills were dull. The horror wasn't scary. The comedy wasn't all that funny. The writing in general is lazily paper-thin, and the stakes damn-near nonexistent. - 3/10

The Creator (Gareth Edwards, 2023)

I gets some extra points for being an 'original' sci-fi film in a landscape of sequels, reboots and additions to the MCU, but sadly those wind up being pretty much the only points it ends up with. Despite being 'original', every single aspect of this film feels like a tired rendition of a significantly better film. And worst of all, it's all just completely forgettable... I literally forgot Allison Janney until checking IMDb, just now. Sturgill Simpson was a standout, though. I look forward to seeing him again in Killers of the Flower Moon, this week. - 4/10

Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (Leigh Janiak, 2021) Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (Leigh Janiak, 2021) Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (Leigh Janiak, 2021)

They function a little too much as more a limited series than even a trilogy, so they lose some points for that. However, all three are quite good. The best is the first, of course, working the most as a standalone. It also has the best kills and characters, and a tone that most successfully mines the scares out of the material. The second has a good setting, but the extremes of the characters detract from the tone. And while the third works best in its back half, when it completes the storyline set up in the first film, the 1666 section is enjoyable enough in its depiction of just how absurd the 1600s puritan belief system was. 1994: 8.5/10 1978: 7/10 1666: 7.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[yaksha-garden]

//holds a microphone up to u. tell me about the slay the princess/eden brainworms.

i am RIPPING the microphone out of your hand and marching up to the front of the stage to tell everyone about the brainworms. none of you will be spared. this is what you have wrought. you've let the world ending princess out of the basement now.

but also. massive Slay The Princess spoilers below. seriously, this is gonna spoil the whole deal of what the Princess actually is, and it's really the sort of game you should go into reasonably blind, you won't regret it. It's hot among indie horror let's players atm I think, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a playthrough.

But then again I'm not your dad so just know you've been warned.

first of all: the princess' final form/The Shifting Mound takes cues from the iconography of hindu deities, or at least seems to. if the reference was unintentional I'll be genuinely surprised (this isn't an accusation of appropriation or anything - Hinduism isn't a closed religion, and I actually think the reference fits with the Shifting Mound and the princess' many forms' whole situation, so it's just a cool detail). it will be informing my inner picture of eden's true form during their "glory days" (before plague and giving up the Keystone and most of their power) from now on.

but the whole deal of like... the princess (and the many forms she can take) being the fragmented essence of a deity of change who was feared because she also represents death is like holy cow! edencore! they're essentially a deity with a fragmented memory, a multifaceted domain, and diminished existence! they don't represent chaos but nature can be kinda similar, in themes if not aesthetics. and especially like... in the fear of something ultimately natural, like death. and how that fear isn't unfounded or unreasonably, but when taken too far, it inflicts disaster on the world.

eden too is a shapeshifter. mostly in that they have animal forms, but i think emotionally, they're a mimic - and that's the source of a lot of their apparent volatility. if someone's kind to them, they'll be downright magnanimous right back. if someone antagonizes them, they'll be bitchy in turn and they won't be the one to de-escalate or stop holding the feud first. that tbh. that sort of thing is the driving force behind The Princess' shifting forms imo. she is a creature of perception, you are what you make her, but I find she responds in kind to whatever you, the protagonist, do. if you imprison her, she seeks to imprison you. if you betray her, she'll betray you when you're the one with the exposed back. but if you love her, she'll love you back. cuts both ways.

also like... the world the game takes place in. the construct. i kind of want to make something like that as like, a dream of eden or another powerful figure? maybe one of the Devatas' past schemes to get Eden away from The Verdant Haven permanently was to trap them in that sort of dream realm, a forever-repeating, mutating, airtight story-realm. obviously that didn't work. this is where the brainworms are taking me in terms of setting and backstory design.

and also... this isn't about main verse eden. in fact, it's about their original verse, a soulslike-inspired hindu mythology-based setting where Eden was the dying, comatose god who all plant life depended on, and Vayu/Yuya was the protagonist trying to revive them. And I made this years, before I ever knew about Slay The Princess, but by sheer coincidence, Yuya <--> Eden what the protagonist <--> The Princess in slay the princess in terms of metaphysics: separated fragments of the same whole. someone who reccomended the game to me actually said after I played it and rambled at him that he partly reccomended it to me because it reminded him of vayuden a little. and man. that made me ecstatic.

anyway this is not nearly the full extent of the brainworms, just the brainworms I could put to words. you understand. thank you thank you for indulging me.

[risingfire17-the-weeb-trash]

40 Day Anime Challenge Day 34- Most messed up anime you’ve ever watched: Happy Sugar Life (2018)

*Trigger warning: mentions of pedophilia and sexual assault*

Synopsis (from MAL):  Satou Matsuzaka is a beautiful high schooler who has...a chance encounter with a young girl named Shio Koube [that] makes Satou realize that this is her first and only true feeling of love...Satou secretly shares an apartment with Shio. Despite her innocent appearance, Satou is willing to do anything to protect her beloved, resorting to desperate measures to ensure that their ‘happy sugar life’ remains intact.”

Okay look (I feel like I start a lot of these off that way lol) I’m a connoisseur of messed up anime. And something I’ve realized in my history of watching messed up anime is that most of the time, there are some redeeming qualities, especially if the anime ignores some of the more disturbing parts of the source material, particularly regarding children. For example, Kodomo no Jikan addresses the changing role of the school in student life in Japanese culture and the delicate balance between the school’s respect for family privacy and the duty to intervene in suspected child abuse cases. Bunny Drop and If It’s For My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord both showcase found family and adjusting to the responsibilities of parenthood, particularly in a society that historically has not been friendly to adoption or adopted children. IF we ignore the fact that in the manga versions of all 3 anime, the adult caretakers of these 5-8 year old children become romantically involved with said children when they become teenagers. The anime studios felt the anime would be better received if they just stopped before reaching that point, which was probably a good move. So even anime that show some...less than healthy blips along the way (probably most evident in Kodomo no Jikan), there are some good things to be found.

Happy Sugar Life is NOT one of those anime. Happy Sugar Life is a “love story” (aka Stokholm/Lima Syndrome story) between a 17 year old girl and the 5 YEAR OLD GIRL SHE KIDNAPPED. Multiple people die as she tries to keep the kidnapping secret. Also for some reason EVERYONE wants to get with this 5 year old, except for the ones who want to get with the teenage characters in the show. I don’t think there is a single adult character who isn’t a pedophile and/or hebephile. The only person in this show who actually likes someone her own age dies for discovering the truth. And there was no real point of it all. All we really got out of it were glossed-over tragic backstories of the perpetrators that are somehow supposed to make us forgive their actions. And look, I love a good tragic backstory and redemption arc, and with the right amount of screentime dedicated to each, I’ve found I can forgive a lot. And admittedly, I’ve also shipped plenty of ships between an adult and a consenting teenager (who is usually of the age of consent in Japan.) But I have yet to come across a story that can make me forgive the two greatest atrocities of this anime: sexual assault against an unconsenting teenager, and a romantic relationship forced on a prepubescent child. (With sexual relationship implied but thankfully not depicted.) And if an anime is going to try to redeem that, it better try a whole hell of a lot harder than it actually did. Although (having lived through the 2010s and the golden age of villain redemption) I realize there are people who may be able to forgive this kind of horror, which can cause problems if they also start to forgive it in real life. Which we already see in too many court cases.

Basically, my criticism of Happy Sugar Life can be summed up as: it had too much harmful shock value with no justification for it. And this is coming from someone who loves shock value and finding what motivates these horrifying actions most are too scared to look at. I mean, look at Kodomo no Jikan- is it horrifying to watch an 8 year old throw herself lewdly at her teacher every 5 minutes? Yes. Is it useful to remember that there are children who act like this because that is what’s modelled for them and that educators, social service workers, and anyone else who interacts with children needs to be able to recognize that this behavior means something is horribly wrong at home and intervene appropriately? Also yes. Happy Sugar Life just didn’t have any sort of moral to teach underneath the shock value and exposed viewers to disturbing content for no reason.

[sockhatingsapphic]

my thoughts on buddie as "toxic shipping"

i recently read a post that discussed "toxic shipping" of mlm ships by straight women and their main/first example was buddie so i wanna talk about that. i won't be linking that post because i don't want people to hate on the op and clog their notes unnecessarily.

more thoughts and correct capitalization under the cut:

However, I do want to say that people often assume that the main shippers of mlm couples are cishet women and that is very often not true. I can't say this definitively, of course, and I've heard horror stories of middle-aged cishet white women who literally write mlm fanfiction but aren't cool with real life gay people (especially lesbians). However, as a (cis, white) lesbian I have many other queer friends who enjoy mlm fanfiction.

Okay, now more specifically with Buddie. I don't remember the exact points in this critique, but I'm going to try to focus on the ones I do remember. Hopefully, if that op finds this, they won't think I'm completely twisting their words. The first thing I want to say is that I don't know if the op has watched the show or just interacted with the fanbase. Either way, I have done both and want to add some insight.

Firstly, a big problem with non-canon mlm shipping is when fans hate on the real female love interests in the source material. Buddie fans definitely do this, but I want to give a bit of defense, centering three of the most important female love interests of both Buck and Eddie.

Abby Clark (Buck)

I don't have beef with Abby as a person or a character, but she very much hurt Buck and the way she left was a bit of an asshole move. I haven't seen a lot of criticism of her other than that and I think criticizing that is fair.

2. Ana Flores (Eddie)

Ana does get an unreasonable amount of hate, but it's still not that much from my POV? Most of what I've seen of Ana hate is just fanfiction where she is extremely OOC, and she doesn't show up enough on-screen for the audience to truly know her character. I think people mostly use her as a plot device, which is unfair but also kinda what happens to her in canon too. I also want to mention racism in connection with people hating Ana, as I am sure it (both consciously and unconsciously) affects how she is perceived, but as a white woman who has not done a lot of research I'm going to leave it there for other people to dig deeper into.

3. Taylor Kelly (Buck)

Oh Taylor Kelly. She is a much more active character than Ana, and even more than Abby simply because she's been in more seasons. Taylor has a very dynamic character on the show, and she gets a lot of that "canon female love interest of half of an mlm ship" hate. But also, Taylor Kelly fucking sucks! In canon, her and Buck have finally broken up, so I don't see a problem in saying that they were not right for each other, plus she did a bunch of really shitty stuff to the firehouse. She was literally introduced in an episode where she filmed the 118 while they were non-consensually drugged! And left after an episode where she made a promise to Buck about keeping their privacy and then immediately broke that promise for her job. Okay, I don't want to make this just a Taylor Kelly hate post, so that's all I'm gonna say about her. I understand that she has her own motivations and trauma but she's still done a lot of bad things and I am glad Buck broke up with her.

OKAY DONE WITH THAT

The other main point that the op had was that it's shitty to call a ship queerbaiting if there are already queer people/couples in the show, and representation of other diverse peoples (paraphrasing, please don't attack them). This is... kinda obviously not true? I mean, one of the best (worst for the audience) examples of queerbaiting is Sterek, which comes from a show with a Latin lead and at least a few queer side characters. Another good example is Supernatural, which does not have any main characters of color or queer characters (as far as I remember, and I'm not including Castiel because he was queer for like 5 seconds before dying), but has several POC and queer side characters, including some recurring characters like Charlie (and others, idk i don't watch spn sorry).

"But Zoe, those are different! 9-1-1 has main characters that are queer and POC!" This is true, but the importance of their queerness and/or race is rarely touched upon. Think about it: Hen and Karen get about 2 episodes per season that actually focuses on them and their relationship, and one of the first ones is literally Hen cheating. Not really fantastic representation. Also, like, queer people often flock together, so having more than one queer main character is not "unrealistic" or whatever the problem is.

Lastly, I want to talk about Buddie itself.

I don't really think it can be called full queerbaiting, because I think that has to go beyond the screen and include promotional footage (like Sterek) and cons (like Destiel), which I haven't seen any of. However, I am fairly new to the fandom, and only found out Oliver Stark is British like two months ago. So maybe there have been outside hints that could make Buddie queerbait if it doesn't become canon. Either way, there's definitely something there, and I don't appreciate the way outsiders have gaslit fandoms for several years into thinking they've just "put on shipping goggles" or something like that.

We all saw Eddie's entrance to the show, right? When "What A Man" starts playing as Buck slow-mo turns around to see Eddie half-naked? I don't think this ship is the end-all be-all of TV romance, but it's definitely got a lot of hints in there that were purposeful by the actors, directors, editors, and crew. If not queerbaiting, they have definitely participated in some queer-coding/romance-coding of this couple and we are not insane for noticing that.

ANYWAY

that's it, and I hope I didn't accidentally co-opt a discussion of a deeper topic, but I want other shippers (god I hate that word it sounds so juvenile) to know that we're not insane or seeing things no one else does.

thanks for reading and also all the fish!

[annachumsblog]

Marius and Cosette Headcanons

. Marius, who never experienced poverty or the slums all his life , was interested in hearing Cosette's stories of her earlier childhood ( before the whole Thenardiers horror episode ) in the slums. Cosette tells Marius of the times she would use the rocks on the streets as dolls to play with, or the faint memories of her mother Fantine would tuck her to bed even though Fantine, although not full herself, allows her daughter Cosette to eat the last of the leftovers.

. Marius tells Cosette about his troubling relationships with his maternal side of the family ( the Gillenormands ) and that he rejects the Royalist views as he grows up.

. Cosette still keeps in contact with her friends from the Petit Picpus Convent School even after she graduated there.

. Marius and Cosette became friends with each other's friends

. When Fantine died, all of Fantine's friends and many of her coworkers in the slums of Montreuil Sur Mer all wept bitterly at Fantine's funeral, and devastatingly decided that the ' Petit Alouette ' is already dead.

. So when some of Fantine's old friends and neighbours, who moved to Paris in search of a better life, saw Cosette again 10 years after Cosette was adopted by Valjean, they are all overjoyed.

. Through the unexpected run ins that Cosette has with Fantine's old friends and neighbours in Paris, Cosette's faint memories of her earlier childhood in the slums began flooding back.

. In the brick, Marius and Cosette took on Marius' grandfather's Barony title. Yet in some adaptations ( like Shoujo Cosette ), Marius and Cosette left Paris to start a new life elsewhere.

. Personally I like the latter one better ( no disrespect to the brick tho ) cuz it's a symbol that Marius is willing to break free of his grandfather's Royalist views and his father's Bonapartist youth, and willing to start a new life with the woman he loves ( and who loves him as well ).

. I headcanon that Marius and Cosette moved to Marseilles sometime after Valjean's death, and Marius becomes an investigative journalist whilst Cosette became a French literature and art teacher at a catholic school.

. Cosette knew all along that Eponine had a crush on Marius, yet she isnt concerned since she knew that Marius is faithful to her, and that deep down, she knew that Eponine confuses her gratitude for Marius and his friends once saving Eponine from a rape attempt for romantic feelings.

. Nevertheless, Cosette feels a degree of compassion towards the Thenardier siblings ( yet all her sympathy towards Monsieur and Madame Thenardier vanished through the winds after witnessing the abuse the Thenardier siblings endured during the Attacks on Rue Plumet )

. Cosette is basically a source of light in Marius' life, and a solid rock to his soul. Without her, Marius' maturity and development is never explored.

. Even though Marius is understandably shocked after Valjean reveals his true backstory to him, Marius' respect for Valjean never wavered.

. Shortly after Marius is told of Valjean's backstory, he blurted it out to Cosette, who is just as shocked as he is. Yet Cosette convinced Marius to not cut off Valjean just yet, since she feels that, despite Valjean's complex past, Valjean is still a good person.

. Cosette turns out to be right. And Marius slowly realizes it, especially upon the news of Valjean dying. 🥺🥺🥺🤯🤯😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

. Marius and Cosette end up having 4 children : ( oldest to youngest ) Victoire, Marcelin II, Michel II ( Marcelin II and Michel II are twins and 2 years younger than Victoire), and Adelaide ( 4 years younger than Victoire ).

. Victoire is named after Marius' mother Victoire Gillenormand ( my headcanon first name for Marius' mon cuz why the fuck not ).

. Marcelin is my headcanon first name for Enjolras, and Michel is my headcanon first name for Courfeyrac.

. Adelaide is named after St. Adelaide of Italy.

. Victoire has chestnut Gold hair like her mum and hazel eyes like her dad, and she resembles her father personality wise

. Marcelin II got chestnut brown hair and celestial blue eyes, and personality wise is a mix of his parents but is more like his mum.

. Michel II got golden brown hair and hazel eyes, and personality wise also a mix of both parents but is more like his dad

. Adelaide has her dad's chocolate brown hair and her mom's deep celestial blue eyes, and resembles her mom personality wise.

. Cosette never knew much about Tholomeyes. When she was little, whenever she asks Fantine who her father was, all Fantine ever responded was ' he is dead to me '.

. When Cosette was 8 one summer ( a few months after she was adopted by Valjean ), Cosette saw a newspaper of Tholomeyes being thrown in jail for corrupt legal malpractices. It turns out Enjolras' parents played a part in exposing Tholomeyes corrupt lawyer deeds. Without knowing who Tholomeyes was yet, Cosette already concluded that he is ugly, conceited and stupid.

. A decade after that, Cosette discovered through the whispers of the streets of Paris and was absolutely devastated by that parentage.

. Valjean, her friends and also Marius comforted Cosette that she is nothing like Tholomeyes, and that she is kind and compassionate like Fantine 🤯🤯🤯🥺🥺😭😭🤯🤯🤯🤯

. Marius and Cosette both have SPADES of PTSD due to all the stuff they been through. They have therapy after the June Rebellion.

. Cosette suffers from claustrophobia due to the horrors she experienced at the Thenardiers, and Marius suffers from fear of concussions after getting violently hit on the head in the June Rebellion and sent to a hospital.

. Cosette went through therapy sessions hosted by therapy nuns during her time in Petit Picpus Convent for her PTSD from the Thenardiers. On Cosette's first day there, Mother Innocente ( the Prioress of Petit Picpus Convent when Cosette was in that convent school ) saw at once that the poor child was deeply traumatized and immediately signed her up for therapy.

🤯🤯🤯🤯🥺🥺😭😭🤯🤯🤯

[kansascitykhaleesi]

There are moments in life that become etched into our memories, moments that we remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when they occurred. Eighteen years ago, I experienced such a moment that brought my world to a standstill. It was a night spent at a friend's house when I received a phone call from my first love's mother, delivering news that would forever change my life. As I reflect on this day and the years that followed, I find myself grappling with the weight of loss once again, as my first love's mother recently passed away.

That fateful night, I was enjoying a sleepover at a friend's house when my phone rang in the middle of the night. It was my first love's mother, and I instantly felt a sense of unease. She informed me that he had collapsed during basic training due to a rare heart disease that had gone undetected in his physical examinations. I couldn't comprehend the magnitude of what she was saying. Just a week before, I had seen him and he seemed perfectly healthy, always full of life, and known for his mischievous pranks around Halloween. In that moment, denial consumed me, and I struggled to accept the reality of what had happened.

In the years that followed, I reached out to his mother every year on this day especially. She confided in me, emphasizing that I was the only one who truly understood the depth of her grief. Our shared connection through love and loss forged a unique bond between us. We would reminisce about our memories, finding solace in our shared understanding of the void left by his absence. These annual conversations became a source of comfort for both of us, a way to honor his memory and keep it alive.

This year, however, everything changed. His mother, who had been the last connection to his presence on this earth, passed away from cancer. With her departure, every trace of him seemed to vanish. The weight of this day became heavier than ever before, as I found myself grappling with the loss of not just one person, but two. The void left by their absence is immeasurable, and it has left me with a profound sense of grief and reflection.

Tonight, I sit alone in a hotel room, seeking solace in horror movies and indulging in comfort food from Taco Bell, It's my way of navigating through the emotions that this day brings. The darkness and suspense of the movies provide a temporary escape, allowing me to immerse myself in fictional horrors rather than dwelling on the painful reality of my own. And strangely, eating comfort food brings a sense of familiarity and temporary satisfaction, he used to work there when we were teenagers, providing a momentary distraction from the weight of my emotions.

The loss of my first love and the subsequent passing of his mother has left an indelible mark on my heart. As I spend this day alone, I'm reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing the moments we have with loved ones. I am reminded that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope, there is always strength, and there is always the opportunity to find solace in the memories that shape us. For it is in these moments of reflection and remembrance that we find healing, growth, and the strength to carry on. In the end, it is through our experiences of loss and grief that we learn the true value of love, connection, and the fleeting nature of life itself.

Tomorrow, I will continue to honor their memory by living life to the fullest, embracing love, and being present in the lives of those who matter most.

While the pain of loss may never fully dissipate, I find solace in the memories and the connection I shared with him and his mother. Their presence may no longer be tangible, but their impact on my life and the lives of those they touched will forever remain.

[scorbleeo]

Book Review: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

by Grady Hendrix

Source: Google Images

Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula in this Southern-flavored supernatural thriller set in the '90s about a women's book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns out to be a blood-sucking fiend.

Patricia Campbell had always planned for a big life, but after giving up her career as a nurse to marry an ambitious doctor and become a mother, Patricia's life has never felt smaller. The days are long, her kids are ungrateful, her husband is distant, and her to-do list is never really done. The one thing she has to look forward to is her book club, a group of Charleston mothers united only by their love for true-crime and suspenseful fiction. In these meetings, they're more likely to discuss the FBI's recent siege of Waco as much as the ups and downs of marriage and motherhood.

But when an artistic and sensitive stranger moves into the neighborhood, the book club's meetings turn into speculation about the newcomer. Patricia is initially attracted to him, but when some local children go missing, she starts to suspect the newcomer is involved. She begins her own investigation, assuming that he's a Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy. What she uncovers is far more terrifying, and soon she--and her book club--are the only people standing between the monster they've invited into their homes and their unsuspecting community.

ISBN: 9781683691457 (2020) | Source: Goodreads

Maybe Slightly Interesting but Most Part Boring

This book confused me so much and I am not referring to the content. I was reading page after page after page because I wanted to find out what was James Harris's deal and what the ending would be like, but oh my goodness, I was bored majority of the time. As a horror thriller, this was disappointing because The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires was neither horrifying nor thrilling...

James was the worst villain in this book, you know who made better villains here? The husbands. At least those useless husbands got a rise out of me, especially Carter and the abusive one whom I have forgotten the name of now.

Okay, so I have a lot of issues with The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires but none of that can beat my hatred for the feeding process. Do the victims need to be completely naked? What was the point of them being completely naked? I don't know Hendrix's works (this was my first) but I seriously hope he does not over-sexualise things that don't need to be over-sexualised in his other books. Seriously, what does being completely naked have to do with the plot of this book?

Someone who shares similar reading preferences to me loved this book so naturally, I expected to love this book. Unfortunately, it was disappointment after disappointment. Now thinking back, I think I only liked one character and that's Mrs Greene. I do not hate the book but there is no love for it either.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

[inkyara]

2, 3, 9,13

Questions for Problematic/Villain Muses II Accepting!

What's something you constantly have to re-explain about your muse?

I think usually it's mainly that he's problematic at all, or that he's from a indie horror/negotiation game. There are a few people that don't know what YTtD is, or haven't played all the way. He's so multifaceted that depending on the setting and interaction, his behavior drastically changes. The thing is, Sou is incredibly relatable, so anyone could see him from a few interactions and conceptualize him incorrectly without context. Heck, even other YTtD players tend to take him at face value at some points when they probably shouldn't if they want to open themselves up to other possibilities. I could even be guilty of this myself!

What's an inherently problematic view your character holds?

Shin's entire worldview has been carefully groomed by the real Sou's constant experimentation. Sou loves humans to the point of experimenting on them and breaking them, in every sense of the word. While mostly he's left Shin physically intact aside from surgically meddling with his memories, Shin firmly believes that the strong, or anyone powerful only want to use and tear down the weak... and that anyone showing him kindness only does so on a whim, or to use him. He sees himself as weak in every sense, and that inadequacy leads him to see himself as the underdog even when he might actually have more of an advantage than he initially thinks. In a way, his poisoned worldview is actually naive when examined from every angle.

What's a line your muse won't cross under any circumstance?

This line is extremely blurry, and Shin doesn't like to think about it or reflect on himself for it that much... there's cognitive dissonance, but Shin typically will NOT and despises sacrificing children. Small teens, especially if they are vulnerable and weak... he can't stand it. However... before the first main game, when he had control of the sacrifice card, he kept planting it in hopes that Sara or anyone would pick it up. Sara especially, despite the fact she's still a teen, all because he suspected her. He cleverly brushes past this when Joe picks up the sacrifice and his execution passes, but Kanna calls him out for it and forces him to reflect on what he did. Despite his reasons and his suspicions, his actions still resulted in a seventeen year old boy's painful death.

When it comes to your muses' loved ones, are they the exception to their behavior or are they also treated poorly?

Unfortunately the answer to this isn't cleanly-cut. Yes, and no. Shin doesn't have a lot of autonomy in the Death Game, and while that is a reason it is not an excuse for his prickly manipulation of Kanna. It's true that he loves and cares for her dearly and she's an intelligent girl that can see right through him, but her best interests weren't his initial concern and he did what he did to save his own skin. He didn't have much of a choice since he couldn't gain the trust of the group that Sara had, but this is also his own problem since he's such a liar, and no doubt the others could pick up on that. Even if he had good information, he couldn't be a reliable source. However, there are times his affection shines through despite his flaws, and that's changed Kanna for the better and given her a sense of purpose after losing her sister (and by extension, part of her soul/will to live). This has even shined through to Sara, and she rightfully hates him enough to want him dead. Even Joe's final words to everyone was that he thought even Sou was a good person deep down.

[abcnewspr]

ABC AUDIO FIVE-EPISODE NARRATIVE PODCAST SERIES, ‘THE KING ROAD KILLINGS: AN IDAHO MURDER MYSTERY,’ LAUNCHES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 

Series Hosted by ABC News Correspondent Kayna Whitworth and Features Unparalleled Access and Reporting on the Murders of Four University of Idaho Students as Scheduled Hearing for the Suspect Approaches  

20th Television to Develop Podcast as Series  

ABC News’ ‘20/20’ Plans Continued Coverage  

ABC Audio*  

ABC News announced today the new narrative podcast series from ABC Audio, “The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery,” will launch Wednesday, June 7, with new episodes dropping weekly. The five-episode series hosted by ABC News correspondent Kayna Whitworth covers the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students who were stabbed to death in their off-campus house on King Road in Moscow, Idaho. Whitworth brings listeners behind the scenes as she investigates the savage murders that captivated and horrified the nation in the winter of 2022-2023. The immersive, deeply reported podcast series will detail the night of the murders and profile the victims — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kaylee Goncalves — taking a close look at why these students might have been targeted and how fear can grip a town especially when little information comes from law enforcement. The final two episodes will include real-time updates from investigators revealed in the preliminary hearing for the accused murderer scheduled for this summer. 

Whitworth spent six weeks on the ground in Moscow, Idaho, reporting on the murders. Her commitment earned her a deep level of trust with those who knew the victims and law enforcement, leading to her booking the first interview with Moscow’s chief of police, who led the investigation. 

“Kayna was in Idaho as soon as the news broke and stayed long after the murders happened, so she could truly understand the community and the affected families,” said Laura Mayer, executive producer of podcast programming for ABC Audio. “While this series will delve into the details of the murders and the potential motivations of the alleged suspect, using never-before-heard reporting, this won’t be your typical true-crime podcast. Kayna will tell this story through a personal and uniquely human lens.” 

20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, is developing the podcast as a limited series. Development on this project follows the highly successful run of the Hulu Original limited series “The Dropout,” from Searchlight Television and 20th Television based on the award-winning ABC Audio podcast produced and hosted by Rebecca Jarvis. The award-winning limited series from Liz Meriwether received multiple Emmy nominations, including a win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for star Amanda Seyfried.  

ABC News’ “20/20” will continue to cover the ongoing developments in the case. Previous coverage includes the two-hour January special “Horror in Idaho: The Student Murders,” with reporting from Whitworth providing a comprehensive look at the case and exclusive interviews with parents and loved ones of the victims, along with interviews with those who knew the accused murder suspect. 

“The King Road Killings” trailer is now available for free on all major listening platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Stitcher, TuneIn, Audacy and the ABC News app.  

“The King Road Killings” is produced by ABC Audio. Laura Mayer is executive producer. The podcast was previously announced in April under the working title “The Idaho Murders.” 

About ABC Audio 

ABC Audio is America’s premier source for radio news, entertainment content, and podcasts. ABC News Radio reaches more Americans than any other commercial broadcaster through its network of more than 1,600 radio stations and digital distributors. ABC Audio offers affiliates on-demand access to original audio, video and social media content, as well as news, entertainment and lifestyle digital text stories. ABC Audio is part of a top-ranked podcasting network, along with partners at ESPN, National Geographic and Marvel. The growing podcast portfolio includes ABC News’ flagship daily news podcast, “Start Here,” as well as the critically acclaimed, chart-topping hits like “The Dropout,” “Reclaimed: The Story of Mamie Till-Mobley,” and “In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson.”  

*COPYRIGHT ©2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC News. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.  

[kristen-stewart-cheats-onoe]

kristen stewart cheats on rob pattinson mod menu A6NO?

💾 ►►► DOWNLOAD FILE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 It turns out that Stewart had no true reason for cheating on Pattinson with Sanders other than that she was going through a self-destructive. After the fiasco, Kristen, later on, made a public apology to Robert, by claiming that she made a grave mistake by cheating on him. The actress. Rupert Sanders called his affair with Kristen Stewart back in as a momentary lapse and a mistake made in the heat of the moment, and. Kristen Stewart Shares Why She Cheated On Robert Pattinson It was in when the actress opened up to Marie Claire about her cheating. are robert pattinson and kristen stewart still friends What a difference a year makes. Us Weekly broke news of the fling with exclusive photos of the shocking tryst, taken on July Now, one year later, both respective couples have ended their relationships. Here, Us offers a timeline of events that lead to the heartbreak and all that has happened since the scandal. July 17, The year-old actress met up with Sanders, 41, for a series of steamy makeout sessions in Los Angeles, which was caught by photographers. The twosome spent the afternoon driving around L. July 19, Pattinson and Stewart seemed especially cozy during a date at Hotel Cafe. The stars walked out on stage holding hands and gave their awards to their fans while thanking them for their years of support. July 23, : Rumors began to circulate that Us was preparing to publish an explosive story that Stewart was caught cheating. Fans took to Twitter to express their disbelief and horror over the mere idea that Stewart could be unfaithful to Pattinson. She then later deactivated her Twitter account. This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together. Twipocalypse arrived as fans try to come to terms with the reality of the scandal after Stewart and Sanders confess. Pattinson and Stewart delighted fans when there were photographed together for the first time since the cheating scandal. The reunited couple were spotted having an intimate chat outside a L. When asked if she was back together with Pattinson during a Nov. March 19, While Pattinson was away for over two months filming The Rover in Australia, rumors circulated that the couple was broken up. But Robsten fans breathed a little easier after the Twilight twosome were photographed reunited in L. May 18, Multiple sources confirmed to Us that Pattinson and Stewart broke up. July 8, Love for Robsten continues for fans even after their breakup. For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews — Subscribe on YouTube! Cancel OK. Your account. Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions. First Name. Select Male Female Non-Binary. Edit info Save Cancel. Shopping Preferences. What type of traveler are you? Unsubscribe from All Newsletters. Your Orders. You haven't placed any orders yet. Order details: Image. Your Subscriptions. Yes, please send me the Us Weekly Daily Newsletter with the latest news and photos of my favorite celebs! Yes, I also want to receive information about promotions, events, sweepstakes, giveaways, and other offers from UsMagazine. Yes, please send me the Mens Journal Offers and Promotions. Yes, please send me the Mens Journal Whiskey Wednesdays. Yes, please send me the Mens Journal Newsletter. Yes, please send me the In Touch Weekly Newsletter with the latest news and photos of my favorite celebs! Yes, I also want to receive information about promotions, events, sweepstakes, giveaways, and other offers from In Touch Weekly and trusted partners! Yes, please send me the Closer Weekly Newsletter with the latest news and photos of my favorite celebs! Yes, I also want to receive information about promotions, events, sweepstakes, giveaways, and other offers from Closer Weekly and trusted partners! Receive emails from Us Weekly Marketplace. Sign In. Need an account? Sign up now! Forgot password? Sign Up. Your password must include: Min 8 characters Min 1 lowercase character Min 1 uppercase character Min 1 number. I agree to the terms of the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy. Forgot your password? Enter your email to receive activation code. Visit Google or Facebook to do that. Reset your password. An email has been sent to with a recovery code. Please enter it below: Enter new password Your password must include: Min 8 characters Min 1 lowercase character Min 1 uppercase character Min 1 number. More News. Account My Account Sign Out.

[spice-chan]

Untold

description - king Katsuki Bakugo, who’s desperate in wanting to get closer to his mate hatches a morally dubious plan to do so. Let himself get injured ? check. Convince his clueless mate that his dragon needs to breed her otherwise he will rampage ? check. 

warnings - Bakugo is soo bad at feelings. loss of virginity (m&f), dom bakugo, vaginal penetration, dirty talk ?, clueless reader, breeding kink, slight lactation kink but reader isnt lactating, implied brain washing. Bakugo and his dragon are like two separate entities who existing in one body. feral baku. mentions of poison and injury. Manipulation. slight dub con if you squint.

The first time Bakugo met you was after a meeting at your kingdom. A meeting he was more than disgruntled at having to attend. 

You were the epitome of angelic, you had pretty, curly hair that framed your face, with bright (e/c) eyes that glistened in the sun as you helped a maid up. There was not an ounce of supercility or contempt in your humble smile. He didn’t even think you were a royal at first glance from how willing you were to touch and talk to someone so beneath you societally. 

Not that he thought a lot at that moment, because the only thought going through his head was - 

Mine. 

That, he made you. 

At least in the eyes of the nations of the dragons and your home land. 

Not in the eyes of his dragon, the fiery beast who resided within him, and neither in his, because he craves you in intimate ways that he has yet to experience, let alone experience with you, his wife. 

He promptly negotiated a marriage with your family who approved, and married you a week after. 

You didn’t get a say in it, in fact, you only spoke to him a few times before the knot was tied. It physically pained Katsuki to see the resent in your eyes. 

You slept next to him everyday, but he knew you wished to be far, far away from him. 

The closer his body got to you, the further you shrunk away from him. It was pitiful, how your small and fragile body that was made for him, scurried far away from the body made to protect it, the body it should be lusting over.

He was well endowed, a very tall man with muscles earned through hours of grueling training, yet the only thing you graced him with was a polite smile as you passed him in the hallway. 

He loved you, gosh, he loves you so bad. But you can’t see it, can you ? You just see a man who you were forced to marry within a week who ripped you away from your life. A strange, barbaric man who growls when things don’t go his way and sniffs your hair after he deems that you’ve fallen asleep. 

And Bakugo has a plan to finally make you want and need him. 

…….. 

The sunlight hasn’t yet painted the sky a yellow hue, yet Katsuki somehow finds himself waking up. He stirs awake, his eyes opening languidly as his over sensitive nose seeks the smell of his mate. He turns his head to your side on instinct, and finds you snoozing without a care, your chest rhythmically moving up and done, and adorable features relaxed and vulnerable. 

Vulnerable, yet you sleep so far from him, the distance between the both of you almost reminds him of the sun and moon. 

When he married you, he bit your neck to mark you, making you officially his mate. Bound to him for life. He could deduce that you are his soulmate, a phenomenon among dragon species. They were a powerful nation, therefore to make sure their numbers don’t go out of control yet stay stable, they were gifted with soulmates. The only person they will feel sexual attraction to during their long, long lives. Their mate will age like them and the children, if one parent wasn’t of dragon kin, will still turn out full dragons. Their blood is powerful. No wonder your parents were so eager to tie themselves with him. He feels slightly furious when he remembers how eager they were to marry you off, did you live with this sort of apathy from your parents your whole life ? 

Well, it doesn’t matter how those bastards treated you because you are with him now. Besides, their uncaringness made the marriage easier and smoother. 

He turns to face you, and finds you sleeping with your back to him, your hair looks like a pretty mess across the pillow. Do you feel trapped ? Do you sometimes lament on the years you will have to stay bound to him ? 

But questions fly out of his head when his eyes stray to your form. He pants softly in need, his dragon clawing at him to claim you. Your silk nightdress did little to cover your voluptuous ass, and the spaghetti straps did little to cover your spilling cleavage, and least from what he could see from your back to him. He feels incredibly robbed about not being able to touch you right now. But he didn’t want you to hate him…

He turns his head away from you and steadies his breathing, but the tent in his pants stood proudly. Great, another day of rubbing one for you instead of ravishing you… 

…………

The first step of his plan to get closer to you is to prey on your kindness. He’s going to let himself get injured enough to trigger his dragon’s self defence mechanism. That means not letting anyone get close to him, because he classifies everyone as a threat, except his mate, of course. 

Now, how to do it without losing his honour as the dragon king is the true question. 

Well, the answer to that is one of his counsel man. A mad cowardly enough to run away from a fight with the dragon king, and lacking honour enough to try and poison him at the same time for a few thousand quads. 

………….. 

Bakugo holds his sword in a lackadaisical manner, staring at the man across from him who shivers from his intense glare. Bakugo rolls his blood red eyes, his mouth forming into a sneer. Look what finding his mate had reduced him to. 

A vulnerable mess. 

The training ground is filled with spectators who stopped their own training to watch their king fight, a necessary thing for his plan to work. He’ll have you in his arms in no time. 

His dragon rumbled in happiness at the thought of having his mate. 

The fight starts, with steel meeting steel, a minute goes by, and just as discussed, the man lets go of his sword, forfeits and bows down. 

Then grabs a sharp dagger from his pocket, coated with paralyzing poison, and slashes it across Bakugo’s chest before making a run. 

Katsuki feels his limbs become heavier, falling to the floor as the large opening in his chest bleeds and burns. Had he not been a dragon, this cut would have been fatale to his mortality. His pupils dilate as the sound of growls fill the air. His simple minded beast trying to warn the bystanders to keep clear of him or else. His dragon desperately tries to get it’s host to move, and when the beast tries to take over the host in order to survive, Bakugo gladly let’s it. 

The wiser of the bunch go to fetch the queen, their hearts hammering across their chests in anxiousness as a murderous aura surrounds their king, which is fatal to them. A dragon in this state will kill anything and everything around it to ensure its survival. His abilities, which are already deadly, will be doubled once the effects of the poison wear off. They can’t run, that would be shameful, but they can hope that the queen gets here in time. 

Deadly and furious growls fill the air, their eyes keep on switching from looking at the imminent threat that is their king and their possible saviour which is his queen. 

His toes and fingers move, and Bakugo’s reptilian eyes lock on them in clear warning. No sight of you. His claws elongate and his teeth lengthen and sharpen, their size enough to rip a chunk of meat clear of a man's chest. No sight of you. 

His limbs are slowly becoming mobile again, but too fast for the spectators' liking. No sight of you. 

They were slowly succumbing to their gruesome fates. 

His feet, which have regained mobility, along with his arms, support his previously supine body into a standing position. His enraged face faced them, his fiery throat lightening up and ready to erupt them into flames. And he was about to, until a -

“Katsuki !” 

He abruptly turns towards the sound, familiarity oozing from every syllable of the soft angelic voice that called him. 

His reptilian eyes lock on her neck, recognizing the soft pink marks that mar her neck as his own. 

“Mate.” His guttural voice spoke, the sound so deep and raw it was almost inhuman. 

You were slightly taken aback that he recognised you in this state. Dragons must really put their mates on a higher pedestal, especially considering how he was about to toast those men… 

“Mate” he repeats. He turned to the strangers, growling at them with newfound vigour. They are a threat to his mate. Kill threat. 

“No. No, no.” You said in horror, waving your hands back and forth to get his attention away. 

You slowly walk to him, your steps tentative as you gauge his reaction. He seems confused, and he remained unresponsive, at least verbally. 

You steps continue until you you could feel the warmth emanating from his body, and that's when his arms circle you and pull you possessively to his chest, protecting you as he shields your face away, still wary of the ‘threats’. 

“Katsuki, what happened, why are you trying to kill them ?” You speak patiently, trying to ignore how close you are to him. This is the closests you’d ever been to a male, and your face speaks volumes of that. 

“Kill me. Kill mate.” 

You quirk a brow in confusion. “What do you mean ? Why are you speaking like this Katsuki ?” 

“No Katsuki. Me !” He growls in frustration, looking into your eyes desperately, his eyes seem more… red- more animalistic somehow. Even when he looked into your eyes, he still kept an eye on the men nearby, who for some fucking reason are still here. 

“Why are you guys just standing here ?! He obviously wants to kill you, go !” You command, your soft voice raising into an octave none of them ever heard from their kind queen. 

The earth shook as a booming voice rocks the earth, you look left and right, trying to find the source of it when you realize that you are hugging the source. 

Katsuki’s skin fills with leathery patches of red, and his elongated nails pierce your skin as he holds you protectively, his eyes try to find the slightest movement in his surroundings. So he can eliminate it. 

“Mate. Angry.” 

You were starting to understand something. 

“Oh. Are you the dragon ?” You ask,  once again trying to direct his attention to you. 

He nods, his features relaxing slightly as he looks at you. 

“Well-uh- um, why are you trying to kill them ?” You ask him in an attempt to diffuse the situation, your uncertainty leaked into your words however. 

“Threat.” Came his simple answer. 

You sigh, trying to think your words over but you feel choked. There’s many lives on your hand. 

“No. They aren’t a threat.” That caught his attention. You gesture with your head to the exit of the training grounds, and decide to tug him after he stood still for a solid minute instead. 

That’s how you end up tugging a dragon to his bed, who in turn keeps a tight hold on you and growls at anything that moves. 

Eventually, we made it to the bedroom. You open the door, noticing that for the first time, the dragon seemed somewhat relaxed. 

“Do you have a name ?” You question him curiously, having tired of calling him dragon in your head and otherwise. 

He seems more like a puppy now, trying to cling to you while you lead him to the bed. He rubs his head against your cheek, trying to get his smell on you, but when he registered your question, he shook his head. 

“Do you mind if I call you something ?” 

He smiled excitedly, maybe like a child offered candy, but his sharp teeth were anything but childlike. You’ve no doubt they could rip flesh like marshmallows. 

You took that as a sign of acceptance. 

“Ok ! Oh, but maybe I shouldn’t give you a new name. Since you are Katsuki… Ok I’ll just call you Bakugou so I don’t mix the two of you up.” You exclaim with child-like vigor, the innocence in your eyes contradicting how consequential your current actions are. The dragon and his human host, who are so incredibly enamored with their mate, are carefully weaving a web in an attempt to trap her. Their mate, who was slowly inching to the web out of her own free will. 

He nods.

Your eyes stray down. You gasp at the sight of his bloodied chest. 

“Oh God ! I’m so sorry, this must hurt a lot.” You apologize profusely, mistaking his growl as a pained one. You move to call for a medic or something of the sort, but Ares grabs you and pulls you to lay on the bed, your supine body beneath his large frame. 

He looks down at the gash, his body will recover soon. He can’t smell anyone nearby or in the room except himself and his mate. So there’s no danger. 

His chest rumbles in happiness though, knowing his mate was worried about him. “I heal.” 

The worry evaporates from your face, instead replaced with amazement. Though the sight was unappealing, upon taking a closer look, you could see the edges of the cut sewing themselves together. 

“Amazing.” You breath out. His chest puffs up in pride, knowing he was the cause of the current expression painting his mate’s features. 

“Cute-“ his simple observation causes your face to heat up ”-good mate” and the rest of his statement didn’t help that. His face leans down and instead of pecking you, he nudges your face, and sinks down to your neck where he starts laying kisses, then slowly begins licking. The warm sensation was strange, but you didn’t find yourself hating it when he spread his warm saliva on your neck. You didn’t even find yourself hating it when his teeth start softly suckling on your neck like a chew toy. His sharp teeth aren’t quite breaking the skin. 

A content sigh leaves your lips as tingles travel down your spine. He continues leaving love bites on your neck, and upon finding it decently covered, he goes on to suck on the mating mark, and to your horror, a tiny moan escapes your lips. His movements pause, and his wet mouth detaches from your neck to flash you a smirk, and you found yourself longing for the sensation. 

This is strange, you should be protesting, you should be embarrassed, but it feels as though a fog is clouding your senses. A sweet, sweet fog. It’s as if you’re put under a spell and all that is occupying your mind is the dragon who claimed you as his mate. Little do you know, you aren’t that off mark. 

“Hot.” He says as he caresses your cheek with his calloused finger hand. 

“I’ve never done this with anyone before. It feels so nice…” you confess, your eyes seem glossier than usual, it’s as if being teased by this pleasurable feeling then having it taken away is frustrating enough to make you want to cry. 

He made a satisfied noise that is akin to a rumble and a growl. “Good. Mate is mine.” 

His hand starts caressing your tummy. Even with the dress you adorned, you can still feel the warmth. His head followed the direction of his hand, his nose doggedly sniffing your stomach. If you hadn’t known he was a dragon, you might’ve assumed he was a wolf shifter. 

“No hatchling.” 

You frown, not having expected this. 

“Do you want kids ?” You ask and receive a singular word in response. 

“Hatchlings.” 

You grow increasingly uncomfortable as every daunting second passes by. You didn’t like the direction of this conversation at all. If you could even call it that. 

Would Katsuki be repulsed by his dragon’s behaviour? Would he be repulsed and weirded out by you ? He didn’t let the tiniest hint that he might like you slip out. 

You notice that the sky outside has darkened. It would be safe to assume there would be no dinner tonight. Not with this primal dragon keeping you away from the prying eyes of anyone. You wiggle out of this hold, and when he notices that you are trying to slip away, he makes a move to grab you but you stop him by putting a hand on his shoulder. “No.” He whines in response, trying to ignore the barrier of your hands but you repeat the ‘no’. 

“I have to change.” You explain, wincing at the thought of sleeping with this uncomfortable gown. Pretty, but uncomfortable. 

Bakugo was about to protest, your dress made you look like the queen you are, the pastel shades of pink and flowers decorating it make you look...Cute. But then the image of your nightgowns cross his mind. 

Your tiny, tight nightgowns that leave most of your delicious legs on display and do little to contain your womanly breasts that are going to fill with milk and feed his hatchlings soon enough. 

He lets you go, and to his delight, you come out of the bathroom in a maroon night dress. Your maids would usually come in two hours to prepare you for bed, but today is a mess as it is. Maybe going to bed earlier would be favourable for everyone. 

Katsuki’s chest is completely healed, nothing but a tender, pink line across his chest to tell the tale. You could bet that by morning there would be nothing. And this day will be a forgotten memory in your husband’s mind. You brought with you a wet towel to wipe his chest of any remaining blood. 

You sit on the edge of the bed, and push his body into a supine position. He watched you intensely and in silence as you wipe his chest, the warmth blooming across it either from the hot water that dampened the towel or from the love within the confines of his heart as you cared for him. Maybe it’s because for once, he feels true care from the other side of the bond the two of you share. 

He loves you so fucking much. If only he can just tell you. Well he can, but Katsuki can’t . You’ll reject him and it’ll ruin everything. 

“I love you, mate.” He speaks softly, that even his deep voice feels like a warm blanket on a winter day because of how tender his confession is. 

Your blood rushes to your face and ears, but you clear your throat awkwardly. You don’t know what to do. The dragon might think that he does because of course he fucking would, he marked your neck and bonded with you, but Katsuki doesn’t. 

“Thank you.” You reply stiffly, before disposing the towel and washing your hands. 

Your head is reeling from the confession, but you feel incredibly robbed, for some twisted reason. If only you got stuck in a loving marriage, if only. You yearn for love, but the one person in your love who mentioned love in relation to you is a beast who’s human host will never let out after this turn of events. 

The dragon, Bakugou, on the other hand wasn’t faring any better. He was happy when you expressed your gratitude in relation to his confession, but when he clocked that you never said it back his mood plummeted faster than a dragon whose wings got obliterated mid flight. 

His mood felt so low, that when Katsuki prodded him for control, he didn’t protest. 

……… 

 After freshening up yourself, you return to the bedroom and immediately sense the change in demeanor. 

Katsuki should do this now. He needs to bind you to him emotionally. 

“(Y/n). I need to speak to you.” He motions for you to sit down, his voice that’s usually boisterous and loud is now eerily calm. 

You walk, the padding of your steps filling the otherwise empty room. 

The few seconds it took you to sit on your side of the bed, facing him, were enough for him to finalise his plan. 

“I need to get you pregnant.” Your mouth gapes at his blunt statement. 

“Excuse me ?”

“This thing today, it happened because we delayed consummating our mating because I knew you weren’t ready. But I can’t delay this anymore. I’m sorry, but my dragon demands a hatchling, or what happened today could be repeated until I can’t control him anymore.” He explains. Don’t question. Don’t question. Please, accept his explanation- or more befittingly, his lies. 

You didn’t see his paralyzed form on the floor, he didn’t especially fill you in on what mating entails. 

And he’s reaping full advantage of that. 

Maybe his lies will come back to bite him, but he needs a child with you so he knows you won’t leave him—maybe after tonight, you’ll also develop some affection for him. He’ll be so good to you, you just have to give him a chance. 

His heart pounds so hard that he can hear it as loud as a drum being played right next to his ears. His poor, sensitive ears that will soon fill with the sound of your moans. 

You sigh. You didn’t want to do this. It was too abrupt. To have a child… but the thought of endangering all those lives didn’t sit well with you. It’s not Katsuki’s fault, it’s not, it was nice of him to wait for you anyway. But tears still formed at the corner of your eyes. Frustrated tears, helpless, angry tears. But tears won’t help you. 

He could have forced you to do it on your wedding night and demanded you perform your duties as a wife, even if you didn’t want to do it. And for his understanding, you were grateful. 

“I-“ your voice cracks”-I—I understand.” And his heart cracks upon seeing your red eyes that filled with tears, tears that veiled the natural curiosity and brightness that your eyes seemed to naturally permeate. Tears that didn’t make you any less beautiful to him. 

Before he starts feeling guilty, he reminds himself that he’s doing this for your future. He’ll make your sadness and doubt disappear soon enough. 

His hand, as if it has a mind of its own, goes to your soft cheeks and wipes the falling pearls. Your doe eyes look at him, innocently surprised, and the witness coating your lenses only made you look more angelic. As if acknowledging that you’re at his mercy-or rather, trusting him with your sadness. 

He wipes all your fallen tears, then brings your smaller body closer and hugs you. This would have been greatly romantic-and it was to you, but the underlying truth is that Bakugo is the cause of those tears. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you and our hatchling.” We’ll be the perfect family, just that way we're always supposed to be, mate. 

“It’s-“you hiccup”- it’s fine. I-I don’t blame you.” You reassure, returning his hug. You were surprised that Katsuki was capable of being nice like this, you didn’t know that he possessed a gentle and tender touch. Everyone always pitied you for being forced into wedlock with him, despite keeping their opinions to themselves. Maybe that’s what caused the barrier in your relationship. You suddenly feel shame at judging him so fast. 

But instead, you soak up the warmth of his body pressed against yours. 

Katsuki took the initiative, he cups your cheek and presses his warm, supple lips against yours. A truly loving kiss, because Katsuki loves you and he’s about to show you what him loving you entails. 

Surprisingly, his dragon makes an odd request.

Katsuki tries to continue kissing you but his dragon is growing increasingly demanding with his pursuit of control. 

Katsuki detaches from your lips, dissatisfied with it, but why ? The first time he kissed you at your wedding, it was magical, but now he hungers for more. 

Through his frustration, he lets his control slip and that’s when Ares comes out. 

And he truly looks like the God of War. 

He’s ready to conquer.

He smashes his lips against yours, rather roughly, and the smacking sounds of your lips filled the room. His warm tongue prods your lips, and through your inexperience, you clumsily followed his cue. He’s like a more primal version of Katsuki. 

His tongue begins exploring every crevice and every corner of your mouth, only becoming more hungry at the taste of you. 

He only separates himself after you start running out of breath and when your delicate hands push his chest away. 

His hungry eyes take in your red and swollen lips appreciatively. “Mate delicious.” 

His smirk however, flips to reveal the unfamous scowl of Katsuki. 

“Sorry. He’s eager. He wants to breed you roughly, he demands it.” Katsuki tells you shamelessly, panting with need and cheeks blushed lewdly. His predatory eyes take in your compromising position, thinking of different positions to breed you. 

“It’s ok, just please be gentle with… you know-- I’m a virgin...” you remind him with a chuckle as you try to play it off, but the embarrassment is evident on your face. Katsuki was well aware of the fact, but seeing you admit that he would be the one to deflower you just made the tent in his pants more obvious. Sprawled out beneath him, trying to avoid eye contact from shyness. What a beautiful sight. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you enjoy it.” 

He went back to kissing you, and his dragon kept giving him tips, surprisingly, and seeing how he ravished your lips before, he took the beasts advice wholeheartedly. He shed his clothes while you were preoccupied with his lips. 

“I am too, if it makes you feel any better.” That’s pleasant to hear, and it only gave your ever improving image of Katsuki more credibility. He’s not like those perverted male royals who frequently use prostitutes while fussing over the slightest male interaction their wives have. You guess that’s a plus of marrying a dragon.

After he thoroughly swapped saliva with you, his lips go to your ear and breathlessly whisper “I’m going down to prep you.” 

Your features scrunch adorably in confusion. “What do you mean ? Don’t you just put it in ?” 

He internally coos at your words, so naive. 

Outwardly though, he chuckles. “You’d be crying if I just shoved my dragon cock on you sweetheart.” 

You gasp and his words and cover his mouth with your hand. 

“Katsuki ! Don’t be crude. And did you just call your manhood cock ?” 

He continues chuckling, only now with new found vigor while removing your hands. “Yes, I called it cock.” 

His red eyes didn’t seem to hold the slightest bit of shame, you huff grumpily. 

“Ok (y/n), you have to be relaxed for me, ok ?” He asks seriously, and you nod, not knowing what to expect, but willing to let him lead. 

Katsuki goes between your legs, and lifts your tiny dress up to reveal your panties. He could already see some wetness. He slips your cotton panties down to reveal the delicious sight of your pussy. 

You adorably turn your face away, not willing to look any longer at him looking at your private parts. 

He’s lucky his primal urges are guiding him on what to do or he’d be lost, but his dragon is eagerly licking his lips at finally being able to taste his mate. He takes a tentative lick, and becomes pleased when you tense up. He takes another, slower one and when he pinpoints the exact location that had you tensing, he pays attention to it. 

After hearing a cute, restrained moan escape the confines of your mouth, he begins sucking on your clit. Your thighs close around him as you moan louder. 

“Ah. Katsuki, that feels so good.” So sexy, it’s like all his dirty daydreams in one sentence. 

He keeps sucking, and his fingers prod at your opening. You were lubricated enough that his thick finger slips right in. He experimentally thrusts it in and out while he keeps on sucking you and gets rewarded with pleasurable noises from you. 

He adds a second finger, the stretch still not quite enough. 

A third finger prods your entrance, and you gasp. “Please slow down Katsuki…” 

He gives your thigh a kiss, and murmurs a little apology before he resumes eating you out. 

Your thighs clamp around his head in pleasure as he continues sucking you. Your heart rate speeds up as you abandon all inhibitions and moan for the man pleasuring you. 

“Katsuki I feel- I feel like I’m going to pee…” you confess bashfully as he continues to suck you with his mouth while two of his fingers thrust in and out of you, mimicking the movement of his manhood. 

“No, you're about to cum. Don’t hold it back.” He commands you. So that’s what the knot you feel in your stomach is. 

He takes his fingers out and uses both of his hands to lift your hips up. His tongue teases your nub, not sucking anymore but merely rubbing your clit with the tip of his tongue. The loss of the stimulation of his fingers, added with this, makes you come down from your high. Frustrated tears stream down your face as dissatisfaction gnaws on your chest. 

“Why ?” Your question while looking down at his face between your legs, he gives your clit lazy strokes. 

“You didn’t say thank you. Is that how a good mate behaves ?” Katsuki’s voice was deeper now, not deep enough for it to be Bakugo-the dragon, but deep enough for you to know he’s primal right now.

He did say he wanted it rough… 

“I’m sorry Katsuki. I’ll be good from now on, promise !” You beg, desperately for more stimulation then the lazy strokes if his tongue. 

“I don’t know if I should believe you.” He rubs his dampened chin, looking contemplative. 

“Please, I’m gonna be a good mate ‘n say thank you Katsuki.” You plead again and he hums in response. 

Katsuki is crooning with pride seeing how desperate for him you are. Your lip wobbles as you beg, dependent, submissive to him and only him. 

“Fine, since you begged so nicely. But next time, I’m going to punish you.” You nod in acceptance. But before he can reprimand you for the same mistake, you use you words. “Ok, thank you.” His chest rumbles in pride at your obedience. 

In no time, Katsuki had you cuming in his tongue, and he laps it up, moaning at how tasty at is. 

“Thank you- ah. Thank you-“ you babble incoherently. 

Katsuki lays kisses on your thighs, giving a few nibs to mark you. 

He slips your night dress off while you bask in the afterglow of release and growls at the delicious sight of your bare breast. 

He captured a nipple in his mouth, twirling his tongue on the sensitive skin then suckling like a hatchling would. 

You bury your hand in his hair, pulling at it as pleasurable tingles travel through your body. 

“Gonna fill those with milk soon.” He declares, his fierce and deep voice confident while he squeezes your breasts in his hand. 

He took off any remaining layers on himself, deciding he delayed this enough. He was kind of nervous at your reaction. 

You look in horror at his monstrous manhood, huge, absolutely huge and the thickness towards the end could compare to a coke can, a fizzy common drink you saw servants indulge in. 

“ it’s not going to fit.” You say, folding your legs against your chest protectively. This huge thing, inside you ? Hah. 

“Yes it is.” He growls. But he softens his tone when he sees the intimidated look on your face. 

“Don’t worry.” Even though you still wanted to protest, you realize that it’s not like he can help his size, so you nod cautiously. 

He takes hold of your ankles and spreads them further apart, revealing your juicy core. 

A white pearl of precum gathers at the tip of his dick, glistening and proof of his excitement at finally being able to breed you and claim your body. His balls were full and ready to be milked inside your walls. 

“There, you can hold my hand. And tell me if it hurts.” You nod, and he interlocks his fingers with yours while his other hand adjusts his cock at your entrance. He pushed it inside, smoothly at first and he had to bite his lip to contain the whine that was going to slip out. A few inches in and you were gripping his hand until both of your knuckles turn white. 

“It hurts.” You rasp out. Well that’s troublesome, less then half his cock is inside. 

Despite how tempting it is to just ram it all in, and bask in the warmth of your walls, he gave you his word. So he pulls out, his length wet from your juices. 

He puts one of your legs over his shoulder and goes eye level with your cute, tight little hole that didn’t manage to take him. 

He gathers saliva in his mouth, then sticks his tongue inside. His warm muscle fucks you for a few minutes, thrusting in and out and relaxing your rigid walls. 

But when you start moaning for release, he takes his wet muscle out. 

Half of his length slips right in from your wetness. 

He grabs your hand and laces his fingers in yours yet again. Your hot walls clamp around him, and as he pushes his length in more and more, your tightness becomes comparable to a piece of cloth stretched too thin. It feels as if he’s going to rip you apart. 

Tears slide down your face, he’s too much. “Katsuki, it hurts…” he squeezes your hand, and begins kissing your tears away, distracting you from the painful penetration. 

“I’m all in honey. It’s ok.” He rasps out. You sigh in relief. It hurts so badly, but you’ll bear with it like a good mate. 

He stays still for a few moments, cockwarming you, while he tries to restrain his raging dragon. He growls in satisfaction, having popped your cherry and claimed your body. His scent is all over your body, even your insides. 

He begins moving his hips, hungry for the friction. You start to relax slightly, and after a few thrusts, you start to even enjoy it. 

He moans when your walls squeeze him, squelching sounds filling the room as he picks up speed. He lays his head on your chest, sucking your mounds while his hips snap against yours. 

“‘Gonna breed you so good. You’re gonna be gorgeous, swollen and full with our hatchlings. They better look like you, gorgeous.” He rambles, his cock twitching at the thought of you nursing the hatchlings with your milk and rocking them and cooing at them. It seems that you agree with him, because you hug his body tighter and squeeze him harder. So hard that his fucking falters. 

He groans when your fingers pull his hair, pretty lips mouthing pleas to come, the broken begs sounding better then any music he’d ever heard. 

He grabs your knees, pushing them against your chest, which made your walls even tighter, and let him breach and massage untouched places. 

“Ah.” You moan loudly in surprise when his tip nudges against your crevix, your tongue lolling out lewdly. 

His expression mirrors yours as he flushes an even deeper shade of red. He groans as you tighten around him in preparation for an orgasm. 

“Tell me baby, did that feel good ?” He asks, pushing your legs against your chest even more while the sound of the room fills with his balls slapping against you. 

“Yes. Thank you- thank you. Please let me cum. I’ve been good. Please. Please.” You plead and plead, but his hips slow down in response. 

“No !” You protest. He shushed you gently, grunting at the sudden lack of pleasure coursing through his body. 

“Shh. It’s ok. I’ll let you cum if you do this one thing.” You nod eagerly in response. Anything. 

“Tell me you love me.” You almost expected the voice you heard to be animalistic and deep like Bakugo, but it’s the more humanoid one lf your husband. 

“I love you Katsuki.” 

His heart flutters, the words he’s been so desperate to hear finally come out of your mouth. His lips lay a soft peck on your lips, his tender touch soft like a lover’s touch would be. 

“I love you too kitten.” He replies, and before your brain can return to its senses, his hips begin slamming again, and in no time, you are squeezing him like a vice while you cum around his cock. He hugs your small body close to him, your soft chest against his, while his cock paints your walls white. 

“So much cum and it’s all for you. It’s gonna keep coming out because dragons have that much fucking cum for their mates-“ he rambles breathlessly, shocks still traveling through his body, “- then when it finishes, I’m gonna flip you and fuck you from behind and fill you all over again.” 

The fog was starting to clear from your head, and once again, you become aware of your sweaty bodies hugging each other close and his massive cock that's still inside you and still filling you with cum.

“Uh, you want to do it again ?” You ask, unsure whether his post orgasmic rambling his nonsensical or not. 

His red eyes look at your flushed face, and he wipes any sweat or tears sticking to it with his hand- which is fairly sweaty in its own regard, but he wanted to feel like he’s taking care of you. 

“Can I ? I- the dragon is not totally satisfied yet.” He confesses while his hand presses your bloated stomach and hisses due to his cock still being inside. He’s proud of having bloated his mate because of his seed. He’ll be damned if he doesn’t do it again.

..................

please like and reblog if you liked this, and thanks for reading.

kofi

[emblemxeno]

Edelgard’s Weird Family History

It’s honestly exasperating talking about Edelgard’s Brady Bunch family but like... let me explain in detail why it irritates me with a comparison to a similar situation in FE Fates. Here’s a small thesis on Garon’s concubines in Fates.

Fates Concubines

“Garon had lots of concubines who were vying for power and his favor. There were many children sired by Garon who lost their lives in various ways, the most notable of which being involved in concubine feuds and murdering one another. Along with this, Xander’s mother Queen Katerina was well loved and respected. Because of this, the second queen, Arete, and her daughter Azura were treated badly by the other concubines and Nohrian aristocracy. All of this was relatively unknown among the Nohrian common folk. The Nohrian siblings’ dynamic and way of life was shaped by these experiences.”

Supporting the Thesis

How do we know the concubines existed? They are confirmed by all of the Nohr siblings. 

How do we know they were vying for power? Many of the Nohrian siblings’ supports confirm this, among which are Camilla/Niles and Leo/Elise. 

How do we know there were once more siblings and that they lost their lives in various ways? The JP version of Leo/Elise confirms the concubines had their children kill each other, while the Fates drama CDs confirm that other siblings were lost by execution, falling in battle or getting captured by Hoshido. 

How do we know that Arete and Azura were mistreated? Azura and the Nohr siblings confirm this, and Azura’s entire personality is a result of people treating her badly during her childhood. 

How is this unknown among the common folk? Both Niles (Niles/Camilla) and Laslow (Drama CDs) reveal they never knew that such a thing occurred and react with shock when they learn. Not only that, but the common people and the Nohrian nobility are basically cut off from each other, the former living in an underground city/shutting themselves away and just trying to survive, while the latter lives above ground. 

How do we know that these experiences shaped the dynamic of the Nohrian siblings? Many supports and story moments show this. Xander’s denial and inability to question things in fear of risking his family is because of his relationship with Garon and his regret of losing his other siblings. Camilla’s desire for love resulting in her unconditionally giving love to Corrin and her retainers is a result of her mom only loving her as a tool. Leo’s need for affection and validation from the family he has left (specifically from Camilla) is a result of being aware from a young age that he wasn’t loved by his mother. Elise’s pure and innocent outlook contrasts this because her mom was the least involved in the concubine feuds.

There are multiple sources and dialogue in Fates that you can use to support the initial analysis. Let’s try to do the same with Edelgard’s family.

Edelgard’s Family History

“Ionius had many consorts but had married for political reasons. He sired eleven children, his 9th child being Edelgard. Edelgard’s mother was Anselma, who Ionius had met at the officer’s academy on a romantic evening at the Goddess Tower. They fell in love, but Anselma was content with remaining a consort. Then Ionius tried to consolidate power to throne by taking power away from the Seven Noble Houses and consort kin such as Arundel. In the ensuing power struggle, House Hrym was destroyed, leading the other houses as well as Arundel to start an insurrection. During this time, Arundel took Anselma and Edelgard to Faerghus to escape political strife. Edelgard then returns to the Empire and is then experimented on by order of Those Who Slither in the Dark and the Nobles of Adrestia. All of Edelgard’s siblings were crippled by disease, went insane or died. Ionius could do nothing but watch in horror as all of this happened. As a result, Edelgard bore a second Crest and swore to create a world where such meaningless sacrifice is never again sanctioned, for the sake of her family.”

Supporting the Thesis.

Who exactly did Ionius marry for political reasons? Beats me. Why would he have to marry for political reasons as the emperor? Was Ionius unpopular and needed to do something to fix that? I don’t know. Nothing ever clarifies that.

Why does Edelgard say that her father and mother met at the officer’s academy, when it’s noted that Edelgard is the first Hresvelg in ages to attend? Is the word ages being exaggerated here? I don’t know.

Why is Ionius taking power away from consort kin including Arundel when it would no doubt negatively affect the one that he loves, Anselma? I don’t know. Maybe love wasn’t as big of a deal for him as political power was?

Why is only Edelgard noted to be taken away from the Empire’s political problems, and nothing is said of her siblings during this time, even by her? Who knows. Where does Ionius’ wife, the empress, go during all this? Who knows.

Why are the Adrestian nobles ordering experiments to make a stronger emperor when they just took away power from the throne? The best answer that I could give is that they want a powerful emperor they can control, but nothing really supports that part of the theory because Edelgard and the nobles mutually hate each other. Couldn’t the nobles just do what they want to do if the emperor was made that politically impotent? Probably! Then if what Edelgard said was true, why didn’t they do it already? I don’t know!

Why does no one but Edelgard and Hubert acknowledge the existence of the other imperial royal kids? Wouldn’t her noble classmates like Ferdinand at least be aware of them, especially if there were that many siblings older than Edelgard? No fucking clue.

If Edelgard swore she would change the world where such things wouldn’t happen again, why is she working with the perpetrators? Because she needs their power to topple the church. But why would she need to topple the church when the church preaches against abusing power blessed by the goddess i.e. Crests and tries its best to treat everyone equally? No fucking idea. 

Conclusion

See what I mean? Edelgard’s family history is so damn sloppy. Some important aspects go unexplained and other important aspects are contradicted. In contrast, with the Nohrian royal family’s internal politics and power feuds, where everything noted to be important is supported by the text with no major contradictions in sight.

But the worst part is, that even if you go with my approach and say “Edelgard is a known fucking liar and information that solely comes from her mouth shouldn’t be taken at face value” well... then you’re left with ‘well if Edelgard did lie then what’s the real truth’ and you don’t get answers because the game doesn’t care despite those things being integral to the main cast of two routes. 

Plus you have to suspend your disbelief that Edelgard is such a genius that she’s able to construct an entire false history regarding Adrestia’s hit sitcom “How I Met Your Consort Mother”. And Edelgard has her moments yes, but I don’t think she’s really that smart. Or maybe she is and I just can’t wrap my head around it.

So, yeah. Pick your poison. Suspend disbelief that Edelgard is such a fucking genius and/or liar or resign to the fact that the game’s writing can be really sloppy. Or pick both.

Or pick none, and believe that Edelgard is actually telling the truth about everything in regards to her family and what happened to them, with explanations that would make even a hardcore Watsonian like me dizzy with confusion.