#I do love characters inadvertently growing up to be just like their parents

[just-a-local-dreamer]

The very first time we see Coriolanus Snow, he is putting on his father's old dress shirt. It's the only good one he has left, the buttons made from mosaic tiles. And still, he is too proud to eat while others see him (just like his father, Highbottom tells him).

Later, Tigris tells him the thing he remembers about his father is the hate in his eyes. "You can be a good person," she says, but what she really means is don't be like him.

And in the end, Snow puts on his new, bloodred robes and Tigris can't even stand to look at him. "You look just like your father, Coriolanus." This is not her Coryo anymore, this is someone else.

From the first moment he's foreshadowed to be just like his father, a ruthless, hateful person. Now Coriolanus carries his name and his legacy.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Omg hey I woul like to request something ! Ken x Reader (male, if possible) where the reader teaches Ken about the real world and they're also very in love. Thank you very much !

When Ken returned to the Real World again, he had a vision similar to Barbie's--realizing his owner was nearby.

Instead of a child....it's you, an adult who (like Gloria) inadvertently projected your own insecurities onto him while looking at an unboxed Beach Ken doll in your attic.

When you were younger, you really wanted to play with it unlike other boys who had action figures and nerf guns...but you were sorta shamed into keeping it boxed, as your parents said it would be more "valuable" one day.

Similarly..Ken had been stuck in a box all his life, trapped in the role of Barbie's accessory until recently.

So there's an instant connection when you two meet.

To make a long story short, you're like "ohhh hey I guess I kinda fucked up your mental stability, bro...you wanna come over and we can talk about it, man-to-man?"

He was very eager to go with you and learn more about your world beyond all the patriarchy and toxic masculinity.

You tell him about using your "male privilege" for good, and one defining example was when a random woman taps him on the shoulder, looking terrified and almost in tears.

"H-Hi, um..this is gonna sound really awkward but can you two pretend to be my friends for a second? This guy has been following me-"

"Of course." You reassure her, before looking to the confused Ken and telling him to go along with it.

The creepy guy comes along and backs off when he sees you two standing there protecting this lady, and once he's gone, she thanks you with hugs before leaving.

"I think I did a good job." Ken turns to you for validation, eyes shimmering. "Was that good, [y/n]? I mean playing pretend is all I've ever done so-"

"Yep. You did great." You chuckle, patting his shoulder. "I'm glad she thought you were a safe person to approach."

He nods and is giddy the whole way back home, especially when you get into your car and show him the different mechanisms, with him clinging to every detail.

These life lessons you're teaching him, however, made him think back to the "Kendom"...and he admits to trying to reinvent patriarchy there and feels ashamed of how he treated the Barbies.

He didn't think he'd open up this quickly to you, considering he never had any "manly" talks with other Kens (besides beach-offs).

But besides you being his owner, there's something about you that just made him feel...secure enough to do so. Like he could tell you anything.

You listen and reassure him that acknowledging his mistakes was a great first step to unlearning those toxic mindsets.

With all of that finally hashed out, you decide to show him the simple pleasures of the real world. Like cooking, watching TV, playing video games, etc.

Just mundane things you regularly do, with Ken picking up on some of your habits/routines as well as having some independence of his own.

You two grow closer as a result over the next few weeks, and you began falling for him and his humor and his charming smiles-

Yeah, you're 100% smitten for this doll who crossed worlds to meet you.

But you're not sure if he felt (or even could feel) the same way, since he was made to love Barbie and was...clearly still getting over his "breakup" with her. So you left it be.

That changes when you show him some emotional movie where the lead male characters showed vulnerability (ie Good Will Hunting or Brokeback Mountain) and he unconsciously holds your hand as he stares at the screen, tears staining his cheeks.

While the credits roll, your heart melts as he looks at you with those pretty blue eyes, his watery smile persistent.

"Th-Thanks for showing me this, [y/n].."

"Of course, Ken. Now you know that us guys don't always have to pretend to be tough. We're allowed to have feelings." You rub your thumb across his knuckles, a sweet gesture which makes him blush.

On the subject of feelings, he realizes that the ones he has for you are...leaning more into romance than "bromance" (yeah you taught him that term and it's part of his vocabulary now).

He becomes uncharacteristically quiet when you ask him what's on his mind, before he leans in to kiss you on the cheek. Purely on impulse.

You're both flustered at what happened, yet he panics internally when you don't say anything, trying to get up to leave so you didn't see him cry over the stupid decision he made-

"Ken, it's okay." You take his hands, convincing him to sit back down. "I had no idea you swung that way, but I'm...actually glad."

"Glad? Y-You're not...mad or anything?" He sniffles.

"Of course not. I....was planning to come out of the closet sooner or later. I just didn't know when or how to bring it up, but....I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore, thank god."

"So...does this makes us boyfriend and g....boyfriend?"

"If you want it to be, sure. I wouldn't mind a handsome doll being the love of my life." You wink.

Ken mirrors your smile, relieved to know you reciprocated his feelings.

Then he gets stumped on something and his eyebrows furrow.

"Wait...what closet were you talking about?"

Oh boy.

You just chuckle and give him a kiss on the lips.

Falling in love with a Ken doll from Barbieland certainly wasn't on your bucket list....

But you're perfectly content with that.

[arvandus]

barbatos headcanons sfw or nsfw? totally fine if not <3 i love anything you write for barbatos <3

Ohhhh man, so many headcanons considering how much space he takes up in my brain. Most of it centers around relationships and, by proxy, NSFW stuff. It ties into what I recall of canon material, but take it with a grain of salt since I haven't finished the OG game yet (I'm on lesson 42 right now). I'm just going to put SOME of them since I have so many. Also, some of these will probably sound more like character analysis than headcanons.

WARNING: MINORS AND AGELSS BLOGS DNI; THIS POST CONTAINS 18+ CONTENT. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT FOLLOW ME!

My Humble Barbatos Thoughts:

General stuff (SFW):

He smells like warm bread and spices due to all the baking/cooking he does and the tea he grows and brews.

When Asmo painted his and Diavolo's nails to match the brothers (per Diavolo's request), Barbatos let Diavolo choose his nail color for him.

His biggest worry is the mistakes of his past coming back to haunt him by inadvertently impacting Diavolo's reputation by association. If Barbatos's past sins became public knowledge, he would worry about how the Devildom might view him and how that would impact Diavolo.

Because of how incredibly old he is, and the way he seemed to come into Sol's life when he was a teenager (if I recall correctly?), and came into Diavolo's life when he was also young, I see his relationships with them as almost parental/guardian (at least initially).

Which means he probably doesn't really have any truly balanced/equal relationships with those around him, which can cause him to be somewhat isolated. He's there for others, but he's not very willing to let others reciprocate. He believes he needs to handle all of his troubles/worries on his own.

I can see his dynamic with Diavolo evolving into a more equal/balanced friendship over time, the parental/guardian dynamic falling away as he let's go of his protective role. I think this has already happened with Sol, since they seem more friends/equals than father/son (e.g., he allows Sol to have power over him not just in pact, but also with his grimoire); Diavolo is harder because Barbatos still sees the young prince as his responsibility (plus Dia is always trying to sneak out like a teenager 😂).

Barbatos has a LOT of talents and interests; he may be very proper and well-mannered, but he's been around for a LONG time. Canon things we've learned about him so far: he likes heavy metal music, he likes classical music, he is great at ice skating, fangol, and chess; he kills it at cross-dressing and dancing... he's a very diverse individual which tells me he did and tried probably literally everything when he was younger.

He's 10/10 middle-aged adult energy now. He's done everything, experimented with all the things, and now he just wants stability. He's still got some spunk to him and will engage in fun activities (especially for the sake of others), but if he had his way, I think he'd want to relax with his tea, his gardens, and his walks under the stars.

Relationship/Intimacy (including NSFW):

He had plenty of lovers earlier on in his life, but he didn't exactly have a lot of emotional intimacy. He's always been the oldest demon, and when he was younger, that simple fact made him arrogant and he saw himself as always being above others. It drove an invisible wedge between himself and those around him.

He's a greed demon, so I imagine that in the beginning he was more emotionally charged and selfishly motivated.

He has literally tried every kink under the sun moon. Young Barbatos was kinkier, hornier, meaner (due to his arrogance), and likely was not a very healthy individual to engage in relations with. Probably had lots of red flags. Was very free-spirited (our boy was hopping timelines will-nilly);

Young Barb had fuckboi energy, but in a quiet, intelligent sort of way (if that makes sense). He was hard to resist, yet very much untouchable.

As time passed, he mellowed out but also became more reserved. This made emotional intimacy even harder, and sexual escapades grew boring after a while.

Young Barbatos certainly got around, but he only truly fell in love once. But he had to leave that person behind when he made the decision to go back and fix his mistakes. He still thinks about them to this day.

In the past, when he saw the consequences of his recklessness and how it had impacted those he cared about (Dia, Sol) he had a change of heart and devoted himself to fixing his mistakes and to be in service of others before himself.

It may seem endearing and like excellent character growth; which it is, to a point. But it's also reactionary to the harm he caused. Barbatos sees his passions and desires as something toxic, something negative. As such, he sees them as being something that needs to be bottled up and controlled at all times.

Which makes it so much harder to fall in love, and when he does fall in love, it will scare him, because he feels that pull of selfishness, of wanting purely for the sake of wanting it. He has yet to figure out how to find balance within himself (i.e., trust himself), to allow himself to want without letting it consume him, and to give without self-deprivation.

Monogamous or poly? I could see it going either way, although I see him leaning more towards monogamous. It's the greed and also how he isolates himself; letting in one person would be hard, letting in more than one, especially to the same extent, would be nearly impossible. He's a VERY private person.

But poly can also work as long as its established that the relationship is exclusive between him and his partners (no open relationships/flings with outsiders). Poly might also be nice for him in that he can take comfort in knowing that his partners are there for each other when his work keeps him away from them (i.e., he'd hate for his monogamous partner to be alone all the time).

Either way, mono or poly, Barbatos does not like to share. It's the greed in him. They're his, and no one else's.

Barbatos would be very VERY resistant to entering a relationship in the present time mainly because he's dedicated himself to Diavolo. He knows his partner would not be able to be his top priority no matter how much he loves them, and not many people would be okay with that.

Barbatos used to be very sexually promiscuous in his younger years, but now he's completely closed off simply because has a reputation to protect for Diavolo. He doesn't want any jilted lovers/ex-lovers to try to cause trouble for the Prince of the Devildom simply to get back at Barbatos. Also, the man has no time for shenanigans.

If someone does manage to worm their way into his heart, it would be very slowly, over many years without him noticing until he suddenly realizes one day that he'd be lost without them. It'd be jarring for him, to say the least.

Barbatos is canonically VERY romantic. He's a giver, and his love language is acts of service. That includes not only errands/duties/chores/meals/dates, but also physical acts of service (massages, orgasms, etc.).

Loves LOVES to give oral. He loves making his lover(s) putty in his hands (think service dom).

Lots of kissing. So so much kissing. He's gonna worship every inch with his mouth and tongue.

Definitely does have a kinky side, but it only comes out to play with someone he really REALLY trusts.

He'd be down for nearly everything. Bondage, anal, edging, etc. He can even be a mean dom if you ask him really nicely (he needs to believe you REALLY want it before he lets that old side of himself come out to play); however, the only things I can see him having a hard no on would be anything in a public space where there's a chance of being seen/caught (remember he's worried about reputation) and hard degradation via name-calling (sorry, I just can't picture it - he'd respect his partner too much regardless of whatever nasty kinky stuff they do together).

Will most definitely use his tail on himself and his partner(s).

If his lover is human, he'd be constantly keeping himself (and his strength) in check out of fear of hurting them.

He'd be big on consent. He's a master at reading body language; the slightest hint of distress and he's stopping everything immediately. He's not one to lose himself in the moment.

However, this doesn't mean he doesn't have the capacity to be passionate; it's just that his passion can be a bit strong, so he's always worried about overwhelming his partner. But if his partner can handle it, then it'd open up an entirely different side of him.

Despite his capacity for kinky shenanigans, Barbatos's favorite type of intimacy with his partner will be more vanilla and filled with lots of love and affection. So think lazy oral on the bed or couch in the privacy of his room, missionary so he can see your face and feel your legs wrap around him, and you in his lap so he can let you have control and wrap his arms tight around you.

Barbatos is the KING OF AFTERCARE. Baths, tea, cakes, warm blankets, firelight, soft touches, gentle massages, kisses to your cheeks, your temples... and very heartfelt verbal confessions of his love for you.

Will snuggle you tightly after all is said and done.

Loves watching you sleep while he holds you in his arms.

He'd never say it out loud because he doesn't want to burden you, but getting up early each morning and leaving your warmth is the most painful, torturous thing for him.

[thestupidhelmet]

What do you think are the best and worst traits about each of the main characters?

Tough to be reductive about complex, often-changing characters, but I'll give it a shot. 😀

Note: I'm not including any traits I consider too far afield from the characters' consistent characterization (consistent includes character growth and devolution).

Eric

Best: His compassion, willingness to take risks outside his comfort zone, sense of humor, fighting for what he believes is right (or just), self-sacrificing, loyal to his friends, respects Donna's timeline with their sexual relationship, loves his family, is forgiving.

Worst: Can be insensitive, impulsive self-focused to the detriment of others, sexist, possessive, myopic (unable to see or understand the whole of a situation outside of how he's affected by it), selfish, vindictive, indecisive, obsessed with having sex with Donna.

Donna

Best: Compassionate, courageous, intelligent (academically and otherwise), creative, passionate, self-confidence, willingness to put her pain and hurt aside to protect Eric's ego (she does this a lot, but it's not exactly best for her), ability to see the bigger picture when she gets a reality check, sense of humor, fights for what he believes is right (or just), protective of her friends.

Worst: Becomes self-destructive as a way of getting attention from neglectful parents or to avoid feeling grief; when in emotional pain, her needs are all that matter, and she's willing to use -- and inadvertently hurt -- loved ones to try to alleviate her pain; quick temper, sometimes flip-flops on certain feminist values she holds, has a bravado she can't always backup with actions, can be selfish, can be vindictive.

Hyde

Best: Protective of the vulnerable, whether friend, foe, or relative stranger; very self-sacrificing, compassionate, takes no help he receives for granted and makes sure to show his respect and appreciation through consistent actions, willing to give people who hurt him a second chance if they seem remorseful and to have changed, sarcastic sense of humor, doesn't burn people when they're truly in pain, takes chances despite being afraid of potential consequences, doesn't allow loyalty to friends to stop him from doing the right thing (but will find loopholes if he can, as not to break loyalty and still do the right thing), eventually opens to the possibility that the people he loves won't hurt or abandon him like his parents did, is generally a hard worker (despite his declaration of laziness).

Worst: Has passive-aggressive tendencies, trouble communicating his feelings directly; is afraid of allowing his vulnerability to show, so he uses a multitude of self-protective techniques to hide it, afraid of how angry he is from childhood trauma and does his best to suppress it (and doesn't always succeed), can be insensitive, doesn't trust people can truly love him and believes they will ultimately hurt or abandon him -- or both (again, childhood trauma), will use a person's naivety for his own purposes, allows his pride to get in the way of what's best for him, paranoid (not in the pathological sense; it's really insecurity and anxiety and, yeah, PTSD from childhood trauma).

Jackie

Best: Compassionate, savvy (eventually), smart (when not dumbing herself down for Kelso), uses her own experiences to give others perspective, gives or does what she can to help her friends and boyfriends, doesn't take crap (especially once she breaks up with Kelso for good), willing to be vulnerable with someone without expectation of return, very forgiving, cares about certain people even when they don't care about her (she would never admit to any of these traits 😂), self-reflective and, thus, grows and changes for the better.

Worst: self-centered, narcissist tendencies, controlling, (these first three traits weaken greatly once she dates Hyde), self-entitled, jealous, classist, unnecessarily insulting of Donna, tends to live in a fantasy world rather than face reality, doesn't always think before she speaks, lies somewhat habitually (but this trait weakens as she grows as a character), allows her pride to get in the way of what's best for her.

Fez

Best: Strong emotional awareness and an ability to analyze other people's feelings accurately (S1), kind* (he displays both true kindness and transactional kindness), funny, academically intelligent and devoted, loving, sensitive, doesn't care about U.S. masculinity mores of the time and has no problem showing intimately platonic affection to his male friends; is a good boyfriend to Patty, Caroline, and Rhonda (except when the writers destroyed his character in their breakup episode), connected to his feelings and unafraid to express them.

Worst: Suffers from Nice Guy syndrome with Jackie, showing her kindness and respect in the belief he'll get her romantic and sexual affection in return -- feels entitled to it, in fact, due to his "kindness" so that when he realizes she won't give him what he wants, he turns on her instantly and becomes disrespectful and unkind; doesn't respect his female friends' boundaries in different ways, gets jealous easily (of male and female friends' friendships with each other), doesn't understand how far to take a joke due to cultural differences, and this trait eventually turns into what people call his perviness, can be selfish and sexist.

Kelso

Best: Very funny, has the capacity for growth and change (but the writers always return him to status quo), loyal to and supportive of friends* (unfortunately only on rare occasions), can feel remorse for his bad behavior* (once he's been wounded by someone else the same way), eventually works up the courage (with the help of his friends) to be a father to his baby, respects Brooke's sexual boundaries in actions (but is still suggestive even after she makes clear the answer is no), is a hard worker at his jobs (but not academically), is protective of his sister and mother.

Worst: Selfish, self-entitled narcissist; sex addict, habitually violates Jackie sexually (see the episode "Sleepover"), habitually violates Donna's physical boundaries or tries to, serial cheater while never intending Jackie to find out, dangerously impulsive, cruel to Fez verbally and physically (S1-S4), incredibly vindictive, hypocrite, misogynistic tendencies, often doesn't learn from his mistakes because he doesn't believe he made any, lacks common sense in a way that's hazardous to himself and others, often treats all his friends like crap and doesn't believe anyone's feelings but his own matter.

Kitty

Best: super compassionate (and passionate), a healer (emotionally and physically since she's a great nurse), joyful most of the time and wants to help others feel that way, funny, emotionally strong; does whatever she has to do (legally) to keep her family safe, like being the sole moneymaker with longer hours when Red's searching for work or can't work after his heart attack; is kind to all of Eric's friends (most of the time, lol), takes control of a situation once a line has been crossed, great cook and baker; is the epitome of the feminist ideal Midge is trying to attain, despite that Kitty doesn't think of herself that way.

Worst: Sometimes infantilizes Eric, becomes overly clingy to Eric whenever him moving out of the house seems to be his plan, becomes controlling of Eric and interferes in his attempts at autonomy when he becomes engaged to Donna, uses alcohol to narcotize the pain of having perimenopause (no more babies; although she and Red always could adopt, but that's a different subject), can be judgmental, can hold a grudge, can be devious to get what she wants, sometimes is weirdly inappropriate, can be too passive, can sulk.

Red

Best: Compassionate (but unhappy that he has this trait, lol), hard worker, has romantic/sexual attraction only to Kitty, passionate, risked his life more than once for his country as part of the navy, sees through people's bullcrap (although not always his own), helps Eric's friends in spite of himself, wants the best future for his kids (including Hyde), is open to changing his point of view (about a person, at least).

Worst: (First a note. Many of the following can be seen as stemming from his time in WWII and the Korean War and the PTSD this created in him; he has war flashbacks, a canon part of his character). Most of his feelings are communicated through anger, he's xenophobic toward people (of any skin color, including white) and also of foreign-made products; he refuses to face the reality of who his daughter is, and when the fantasy is broken, he punishes her for not living up to his idealized version of her; when Eric doesn't meet Red's standards for masculinity or makes a typical teenager mistake, Red can be verbally degrading or punishing; can be insensitive to Kitty, holds some antiquated views (even for the '70s) of female and male gender roles (wait until he learns about nonbinary people ... 👀🏳️‍🌈).

[xjulixred45x]

Arthur Pendragon/King of Chaos X Reader

I inadvertently deleted the request for this scenario, so here is a short version of it, Arthur with a wife(reader) who has a dangerous magic, consequently, makes her very vulnerable.

Thanks @ultravioletqueen for the order! I've been wanting to write about Arthur for a long time, although I like almost everything in 4KotA (except Loli Guinevere, please take that out).

Character: Arthur Pendragon/King of Chaos

Genre: Headcannons

reader: female

Warnings: illness (?something like that), sick/weak reader, Arthur himself is a warning now, spoilers for the four knights of the apocalypse manga, mainly Fluff.

There are two ways in which you two could have met (even if it ends in the same scenario).

The first (and the most probable) is that You both met after the anime (that is, in 4kota) and the second (less likely) is that you met during the series, but the first possibility will be used mainly as a reference (apart from the fact that there Arthur is already an adult).

Your kingdom became one of Camelot's greatest allies after the holy war, they were fed up with the other races doing what they wanted with their lives, so they provided Arthur with all the necessary support (be it ballistic or magical, spreading their ideas, etc.).

Thanks to this they gained a certain level in the Camelot hierarchy, and that is where you, the princess of said kingdom, come in.

For as long as you can remember you never knew how to control your magic well, no matter how hard you tried to measure it or take it out, or it was something very small or it almost killed someone (or you), so you decided better to just contain your magic and hope that nothing will happen.

Spoiler, something happened.

And it is that your body could hardly handle the intensity of your own magic while you were growing up, it was like having a container that was too small, and when you tried to release all that pressure you almost killed half of the curt.

As a consequence you were weak all the time from the force you had to exert to prevent the magic from coming out and it still did sometimes, you were so depressed about it all.

And your parents too, they decided to take a chance and use their connection to the king of chaos and find out if there was something, anything, to help you.

Arthur was interested to see this new type of unknown and apparently powerful magic, besides, your kingdom would not be of much use without an heir, so he agrees to see you and try to help you.

Even so, he doesn't admit it, the first time he saw you he felt sympathy for you, having all that potential that at the same time destroys your conscience, he understood it and was willing to see what he could do.

The first few days he came I was accompanied by Merlin, who did a few tests and Arthur made sure that the energy waves of your magic will not affect them.

While Merlin was doing her thing, he would walk around your room/tower and talk to you, quite basic at first, but as you went, showing more of your side without pain, he became friendlier, more sincere.

There were times when he only came to keep you company (because very few people came close for fear of your magic) and in general he tried to cheer you up and so that you did not feel so isolated, it was a breath of fresh air for you, and for him.

Someone so innocent wouldn't have to go through all that physical and emotional pain, It motivated him in a certain way, wanting to change the world for people like you.

After a few months Merlin already knew what you had and how to help you, Arthur was surprisingly happy, considering that at first it was just a means to gain more sympathy, now he felt very comfortable with you and it definitely didn't go unnoticed.

Let's just say what Merlin made was an amulet that drains your magic enough to finally be able to live your life in peace, the happiness with which you ran to hug your parents fearlessly for the first time in god knows how long was just adorable.

It was the moment he realized he was in love.

Going directly to when You two are married, I think Arthur would be very cautious with those who talk to you, many people will see the potential of your magician to be destructive and will want to have her-have you as a weapon, which for Arthur is obviously a big NO.

you are not a weapon, you are his wife, the queen of Camelot.

He will not let you be disrespected by treating you like an object.

He sees you with a Real respect that many people don't show him (with one hand and you have plenty of fingers) but still he can't help but want to protect yourself from everything.

Very affectionate behind closed doors or alone, hugs, kisses, snuggling, everything. If you are the one who initiates the affection it is even better, you will stay trapped in his arms until you ask him enough to leave you or until he has to attend to some real business.

You're just like his favorite stuffed animal, especially if he sleeps with you.

He wants to keep away from everything shady about the "everlasting kingdom" plan, he would be really sad if you come to be afraid of him or even suffer because of him, he sees you as a fragile spirit and he is so afraid of crushing you with the truth.

Usually having those kinds of thoughts just makes me clingier than usual, wanting hugs or saying "I love you" almost out of the blue.

I imagine that there are days when Merlin has to extract the magic accumulated in the amulet, so your pain can return either very slightly or terribly, depending on the day.

In those situations, you are practically forbidden to move or make a basic effort, seeing you in pain overcomes it, so he expects to have it attached to you during those days.

The only thing I'd let you do for yourself on those days would probably be going to the bathroom (no kidding).

All his knights know how to bow to you, not only the heiress of one of his main allies, but also the king's wife, no one is foolish enough to try to hurt you.

Sometimes he'll just sit on his throne with you on his lap telling you about his day (excluding the bloody parts) and probably because of this you know even more about the current situation than many of his trusted knights.

It's slowly turning you into a spoiled person, you literally just have to mention something you slightly liked and almost the next day you have it.

He definitely wants a family, he is a king after all, he needs an heir, but he will wait until you are ready both physically and mentally for that.

For what happens in the manga, you most likely also know about the knights of the apocalypse and vice versa, so just as a precaution Arthur would not let you leave Camelot until he has everything under control with his knights.

When he returns from his first run-in with the knights of the apocalypse, you expected anything but a radiant Arthur, but he just wanted to go to sleep with you (and maybe more than just sleep).

(probably with the residue of your magic Merlin is planning something sinister bastard, I'll leave that to interpretation).

As long as Arthur knows you're safe, happy, and healthy, he can handle anything.

[alyss-kelly]

My opinion about Another Code Recollection Part 4

It's the last part, I promise and it's the just the last point of the negative...

That one character This... This I still don't get... Why ? Change their story so much ? I saw the hints and choose to think that maybe I was just thinking too much... Well, I was right and I really hate it. That's the second thing that pissed me off the most in the game. I'm wondering if I would've liked the plot they went with, if I didn't know anything on the game and quite frankly... I don't think I'd enjoy it either. That's a problem in itself. I don't think I'll be able to say much without explaining the changes that were made and how I feel about them. I'll avoid naming the character and refer to them as "X". But I'll talk about plot point from Two Memories, R and Recollection. So heavy spoilers ahead.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ Where do I start... This character shares similarities with Ashley. Three to be exact. 1) They both have a scientist parents. 2) A father that worked so much that it created a rift in their parent/children relationship, inadvertently or not. 2) Both characters had the same traumatism of watching their mother get killed in front of them when they were kids. It ends there but what's interesting is how the living parent reacted to the death of their wife and what they did to help their kid. Richard obviously left Ashley with Jessica, his sister and proceeded to find the truth about Sayoko's killer. Being so young when her aunt took her custody, she forgot her dad's face and didn't saw him again before Blood Edward Island. We don't know much else beside that Jessica was very caring with her and that she loves her very much. So, we can only conclude that she grew up as a happy kid and it shows in her personality too. "X" was older than Ashley when they saw her mom die. And this traumatized them to the point that they started to emotionally distance themself, it broke them. Their dad, decided to use the Another or something similar to erase the memories of their mom and the accident. I supposed he did it out of love because he didn't want to see his child suffer any longer. This is where Recollection decided to changes things up. In the Wii version, "X" 's lived and their dad made them believe he was just their mentor. In the Switch version, the character dies and their memories are stored in a container, in their dad's lab. Recollection tried to use a more "modern" way to deal with the character, maybe to make us feel more emphatic toward them. To make them less violent ? I'm not sure. They decided to kill "X" when their dad experienced on them as a kid but kept on living as a somewhat Artificial Intelligence, unknowing of their parent. In R, "X" grows up to become a sociopath and it is believed that deleting their memories damaged the part of their brain that process emotion. Growing up "X" follow their "mentor" 's path and becomes a scientific too. They later learn that what they always believed was "just" their mentor was in fact his dad. This character is very intelligent but also manipulative, they mask their emotionless side from everyone and the reveal about their dad made them resentful to the point of seeking revenge. It is also shown through the game that they could be suffering from depression too, explaining what they do at the very end. "X" didn't feel any fondness toward Sayoko in R like they showed in Recollection. In R, the character actually manipulated the one who killed Sayoko in order destroy their dad. It wasn't the only thing they did to ruin their parent but it's one that involve Ashley. In Recollection, they made it feel like it was ok to do crime because it wasn't a real person after all. In the Wii version, they did terribles things but in the end, they had to take accountability for everything they did. It felt right, it felt realistic. I wasn't even a fan of that character in the first place, but when you see that every meaning they had was deleted... it's a bit infuriating. Because it doesn't just erase their character but it affects Ashley too. I liked how you could understand that if Richard took the same steps as "X" 's father, Ashley could have taken the same road "X" took. I really like how they kinda reflect each other. Their motive was petty and a bit childish but very human too, you could understand their circumstances but you could still think they were bad and fucked up. Take away the humanity aspect of the character and now the rest is meaningless. What can you do about an AI only Ashley can see to make them amends for their wrongdoing ? Not much. /!\SPOILERS END/!\

(Something I couldn't put it either category, because it's not related to Another Code's story, is that I enjoyed to see the little Hotel Dusk cameo a lot !)

In conclusion, I enjoyed the Another Code Two Memories part of Recollection (even if it was missing some things), and I didn't like Another Code R from the remake. My issues mostly lie in the second game. And in the loss of characterization for a Ashley and the others. Once again, I have mixed feelings about it, which sadden me with how happy I was when it was first announced. But I'm still glad this game exist.

It's the first time I'm doing something like this so I hope my points and everything makes sense to everyone.

End of Part 4

---

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

[warblingandwriting]

More 'The Company of Wolves' thoughts

Basically, this is a short story with an adaptation that I actually (mostly) really love! The story (featured in Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber) is probably my favourite of the collection, and interesting look at folk tales, tradition, and breaking free of the tradition. The ending, while somewhat gruesome, ultimately tied the entire collection for me, and made me retroactively like some of the other stories better because the bluntness of this one admittedly made some of the themes I had been uncertain on clearer to me.

So, that said, it’s not surprising to me at all that this is the one the spawned a movie. The 1984 film was also co-written by Angela Carter, which is probably why it stays as true to the story’s themes as it does, and retains its feminist messaging. On top of that, the production design and special effects are fantastic, I mean check out this transformation scene (TW, Gore, like, a lot of it):

And the fairy-tale like village the characters live in feels at once whimsical and claustrophobic, which considering the ending, I’m sure is intentional. I’m being a little cagey about it because I truly think everyone should watch the movie and read the story. The story is only like ten pages long, and all you have to do to get it is click this link (Only the first 12 pages in this PDF are the actual story). The film is great too, and available on free streaming services like Tubi, so I recommend checking that out as well.

What I want to talk about though, is the themes, and I do kind of have to spoil both story and film to get there, so here it goes.

The one thing I take issue with in the film is the bookends. See, the fairy tale world we get, in the film, is really just the dream of a girl who is on her way to growing up. The opening scene is two (present-day) parents meeting their older daughter outside of a lavish mansion, and her going inside to wake her younger sister, who she calls a brat, and implies is being difficult. We then see the younger sister tossing and turning in bed, and cut to the woods. Then, at the end of the story, grandma gets eaten (as she does in the short story) and the main character runs away into the sunset with her attacker, becoming a wolf -or werewolf- herself (as she does in the short story). Then, we cut back to the young girl, and a wolf bursts through her bedroom window, and to me the metaphor was obvious: periods, right? Getting older, losing innocence, ect ect. And while I think those themes exist in the original story, I’m far more interested in the one the movie (perhaps inadvertently) sort of cuts out.

That theme is the rejection of tradition. Without the bookends, when the story ends with a young woman becoming a wolf (and running off with the wolf who killed her grandmother no less), she does not just grow up, she specifically grows out not of girlish folly, but of her village, her family, her grandmothers folksy stories. The death of the grandmother, the older generation, serves as both a metaphor for growing up and taking on a mantle, and of rejecting the old ways, the old stories, of leaving what you’ve know for “the paws of the tender wolf”. And I feel like bookends, in making granny’s death and the subsequent love of the wolf not ‘true’ events, emphasize one theme and sacrifice the other. This theme is made stronger by the way it runs throughout the entire short story collection as well. The old guard (usually fathers or elderly husbands, but sometimes simply older/immortal beings and people) die, leaving room for the next generation to flourish. It’s a theme I began to appreciate more and more as I read more and more of the stories in the collection, so it was one I was sad to see take a back seat, because there is no tradition, really, for Rosaline to shed in the film. In fact, we don’t know anything about the ‘real’ Rosaline (although it is safe to assume, I think, that she is at least fairly similar to her dream self).

I still really enjoy both, but it did interest, and disappoint me a little that the immediate metaphor the film came upon and lead into was ‘periods’ over anything else. Granted, Ginger Snaps did that too, and I also love that movie. A bit of a nitpicky thought, but one I wanted to share nonetheless, even what I think is a really great film can drop the ball on adaptation sometimes.

[dreamwritesimagines]

It’s CMA-

I’m writing this from a paleontology society meeting this time lmaoooo. Time to learn about trilobites and clover’s traumatic past in one fell swoop.

Also I watch binged dimension 20 a court of fey and flowers and am now in the mood for some regency romance/drama let’s goooooo

Lmaoooo clover straight up saying that an apology wouldn’t work without even trying😂😂 queen of the emotionally constipated dumbasses club (I think we all know who the king would be…. (Not romantically just in general)

Yessss her uncle is calling her out on her bullshit finally!! I love that everyone who loves her is totally willing to call her on her shit and she completely refuses to listen to any of them lmaoooooo

“The head of the family said yes” LMAOOOOOOO I mean we knew they were going to bond over their protectiveness of Lottie but this is genuinely hilarious

“She doesn’t like you anthony” lmfaooooo damn Ben. I love how you write them like normal siblings just roasting the shit out of one another.

(Have you seen that LOTR tumblr post that’s like when the fellowship is half reunited and they all start roasting one another immediately and the king goes like ‘surely we are witnessing the reunion of dear friends’ or something like that? Anyway that’s siblings in ur fic. They roast because they care (like monsters inc but not))

Lmao Ben and Anthony and clover are that meme from the office of the three people pointing finger guns at one another

(note: at my meeting they’re talking about paleobotany which feels fitting for it being the meeting I’m reading clover’s story in lololol)

I do wonder if Lottie was more willing to listen to clover because she doesn’t know her as well, so the betrayal stung less, or because clover was the one who inadvertently revealed it, compared to Ben and Anthony who would have theoretically would’ve kept it a secret forever.

…. Does Lottie know what lust is? Also bless her for forgiving clover right away and being understanding. I just hope no one overheard them talking….

Omgggg they’re bound by fate that’s so sweet 😭

Oooooh the marina/Colin scandal is coming up!!! Haha Anthony really isn’t getting a break

“Holding you” skdjndsnnddndn I am unwell. The way that they’re so casually affectionate even when no one else is around and clover still thinks that they’re not in love with one another I just-

SHE CALLED ANTHONY FAMILY AND SHE APOLOGIZED?!!??!!!??!!!??? HOLY FUCK ITS HAPPENING PEOPLE SHES GROWING AS A HUMAN BEING

(also knowing that her parents are going to come and ruin this as soon as possible…. Grrrrr….)

Fuck this chapter is an instant fave for sure

CMA my love hiiii! 🥰😍

Oh that sounds like a very fun meeting! 😁

Exactly! 😂 She's not used to apologizing at all, so she was so using that as an excuse 😁 And her uncle knows her so well😂

Both Anthony and Clover absolutely adore Lottie🥰 And them bonding over that will be entertaining for sure! 😁

I love how you write them like normal siblings just roasting the shit out of one another. IT IS SUCH A FUN DYNAMIC😍 I'm so happy to hear that you like it, I love writing them like that 😂

Wait I haven't seen that LOTR post! Ooooh I'm so curious now! ❤️

Totally fitting for Clover😁

I think there were a lot of reasons why Lottie was willing to listen to her! ❤️ One of them was that she approached her first and another one is, like you said, Clover ended up telling her the truth even if it wasn't intentional, while Anthony and Benedict were still hiding it from her ❤️

Lottie definitely does know what lust is😈 And she'll get to experience it soon 😏

Bound by fateeee🥰

Anthony needs to take Lottie and go on a realllyyyyy long holiday to get over the string of scandals this season 😁

They are having a bunch of romantic moments for months now, and Clover is still in so much denial 😂

Character development my beloved! 😂 It only took her like thirty chapters😂

Thank you so much for this darling! ❤️ I hope you're having a wonderful day! ❤️

[bad4amficideas]

Earth 1T8 random HC's

(long post)

Note: English is not my language, so I hope you will be understanding of any flaws you find.

🦇 Y/N Wayne has been training since their new parents died. Alfred is a platonic yandere. So no, they don't disappear for 9 years, much less without giving any signs!!!! although the Al Ghul held them for a season where, of course, they continued training.

🦇 Alfred is papa you MUST love him because I said so, also his influence shows. In this home, because is not a house neither a mansion, is a hOMe, there is a point where killing is okay (especially if the other option is to make someone paraplegic or comatose or torture them for a lifetime, says Reader, inadvertently giving all their yanderes ideas). Self-demonstrated with the death of the Joker.

🦇 Reader literally throws that taunt at Batman from the original reality when he tries to censure them for killing Joker.

🦇 This led Harley Quinn to become their best friend... After the first one will go through a Mourning Time and improve her mental health realizing that the Bat had done her and the world a favor. Plus Reader got a free therapist and actual nice friend.

🦇 In fact, the cowl had all of that on tape and both Harley and Jason see those and the warehouse cameras from time to time, which doesn't speak highly of their mental health. Jason focuses more on Reader's suffering "they loves me, they loves me, they loves me".

🦇 And then somehow Ivy ended up in the mix of HarBat/ BatHar. And sometimes Selina. Well, at least that way they don't get into trouble (I lied they do, but without killing anyone which is better than nothing). Pamela works for Waynes Enterprises (and not as a biologist but dismantling organizations that harm the environment so that Wayne attorneys have work) and although Harley is no longer practicing she sometimes writes articles under another name and is happy with her daughter and girlfriend/s. They all keep destroying things and Selina keeps stealing so Reader goes after them paying damage and telling themselves that human lives are priceless.

🦇 Ra's Al Ghul and Tim Wayne are friends and enemies in the purest Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr style but none good; yes including chess, although they also play shogi, go, chaturanga, janggi, xiangqi, markuk and senet via Ra's knowledge. It isn't uncommon for they play several at the same time.

🦇 Reader is ready to yell "mea culpa" if Tim Wayne rises one day as King of the World. Part of themselves would not be surprised at all but they will still look ugly at Ra's.

🦇 I hope I not surprise anyone, I already said that Tim had to do with Jason's resurrection, how do you think that happened? Here our Drake can take a player or two more to his dungeon game easyly.

🦇 Ric, aka Dick has tainted eyes with hot shiny gold details that seem to grow or not with his emotions from the crap the Court do to the Talons.

🦇 Something similar happens to Jason but in green 'cause Lazarus Pit. And his green doesn't vary and shine that creepyly.

🦇 Right now Ric is just a Talon (nº1 but Talon noneless) and has no pretense of anything else, like, why? but only as long as none stick their noses in his business (just tell him, SERIOUSLY, that he can't keep toying as now with his mousie, rat, little rodent Y/N), he might become Owlman and the new leader of the Court of the Owls and fuck them all.

🦇 I haven't invented the Powers family, they are canon characters, members of the Court of Owls. I only chose the non-dying ones that an IsekaiReader might have missed.

🦇 Every Wayne except Reader and Billy has thought about gouging out Ric eyes at some point. Including Alfred. Billy is more about cutting hands (not better anyway...)

🦇 There's a bet on how long Reader will take (or will) accept Ric on a date among the rich in Gotham. It's disproportionately large, whoever wins could get placed behind the Wayne family in wealth.

🦇 Writer here is sad to have made Tim and Dick super hot (from their POV) and not Jason's too. They promises to work on him.

🦇 I compare Yan!Batman to chessmaster and Yan!Tim Wayne to dungeon master because Tim still tries to make Reader have "fun" with him and his twisted schemes, which is why so many suggestions to adopt kids. And why, if Gotham runs out of villains, he is capable and becomes a new Joker.

🦇 SuperboyBat adoption was something Tim didn't count on, though. But since the batcave and his own place have lead and are soundproof... and hey, another yandere to protect Bat!

🦇 Speaking of SuperBat, I can see all the kids agreeing to join the various groups that Bat doesn't want to belong to keep an eye on them. Something like: Shazam and Hood in JL, RRobin and SuperBat in YJ, then RRobin goes to Titans and takes care of the League of Assassins in his spare time, Spoiler and BlackBat/Orphan are the youngest (minus Billy and tecnically Conner) training with Batwoman and usually cover Gotham when their lovely Reader wants a vacations and BatGirl/Oracle coordinates everything alongs Alfred and will support in terrain the team which needs it in due course because she's so badass she can be wherever she wants whenever she wants. Oracle is too the link with GCPD (here, we BatmanBeyond and she could become Police Commissioner)

🦇 Dark twist but Wayne and their "fetishes" for black-haired children was a media scandal for a really long time that had everyone at the Mansion with their teeth and claws pulled out. Cass hit someone in front of the cameras Although the bets on the house were that Conner or Jason would be the firsts ones in put a hit (btw Billy won the bet)

🦇 Also a very hurt Stephanie who actually dyed her hair for a long time, feeling less loved. This is when Reader joined what the hell are you saying? And put an end to all rumors.

🦇 The kids order of "age" by physical appearance ('cause Conner) here are: Dick (actually tiny age swap in comparison), Jason, Tim & Conner, Cass & Steph, then Billy. Better sibling relationships? Jason-Conner, Cass-Billy, Tim-Steph. First three in university or working, last three about to enter it.

🦇 At least one of the kids learned to play an instrument because they heard that Bat liked it.

🦇 Tim would have studied whatever is studied to be CEO for appearances and then more things for his own interest but not at public ears. Jason ofc literature and actually can legally teach and be both a journalist and editor of any kind. Conner has a remix of subjects that nobody knows where he's going (but it will not be journalism). The rest beg not to have to think about it.

🦇 In each Gala, everyone, each one of the kids regardless of gender, must dance the same number of times with Reader as Ric dance (to decontaminate them) Everyone knows that dancing with Y/N Wayne is a privilege.

🦇 And Cass and Y/N dancing is always worth leaving space and enjoying, like a professional show, apparently Cass is the best dancer.

🦇 And each one of Ric and Reader dances makes the viewers think someone needs a shower (and maybe are the viewers and not the dancers).

🦇 Reader can wear like only black/grey/white in the galas. Why? Because red (Jason, Tim, Billy), orange (Tim), yellow (Cass, Tim too, is greedy our fiery drake), purple (Steph) or indigo (Conner) and they will pout. Then with their relationship with the Al Ghul is, 99% best neither wear green... That leaves blues, but once Ric mentioned that he loved seeing Reader in blue. So, imagine, blues is a NONO, all children agreed in that. If they dresses in color they has to keep a calendar and make sure to go to a gala with each one of their colors on their suit, shirt, tie, jacket or dress at least once in the same year. KIDS!!!

🦇 So local our Bat might at times also looks at the local goth rich of Gotham City like, what a remedy!

🦇 Tim Wayne as his counterpart uses a bo (but his with hidden blades in both extremes) and also his suit has retractable claws (in both hands and foot), in that it resembles Talon's (whom has an infinite belt of kunais/knives and two sica -short- swords). Even if Tim hits you without taking them out, it's going to hurt.

🦇 Jason's suit in his protections looks very "knighty", in social networks they sometimes call him that, Gotham Knight, Hooded Knight, Red Knight. It also doesn't help that this Jason prefers knives and swords This Jason is still Wonder Woman fan, after all (and of course the hidden pistol so that no one sees the bullets coming, thinking that he's the knight who always goes with the swordfighting).

🦇They call him that because as I said in the previous post, the Bat is the Ruler/King/Queen of the Night/Gotham much to the Court dismay

🦇 Batwoman doesn't have that shit, guns are and don't hide it. I lowkey ship this version of her with Selina and Huntress XD (...Selina would be then in both relationships with Harley+Ivy one side and Batwoman+Huntress in the other???? ^-^)

🦇 Cass always tends to melee and at times uses a kubotan in a fighting style kinda Ty Lee in AtLA. Reader thinks she looks more like a deadly assassin squirrel than a bat, and that she would be more comfortable without the cape, but there is no way.

🦇 Stephanie main weapon is the Bat's Utility Belt which makes Reader adore her (somebody listen to me!!!) Sound, light, smoke, paralyzing gases and sleeping bombs, small explosives, everyone see her take a tiny ball out of her belt and everyone cover their face and run. I'm very proud of Stephanie. She also fights with sticks similar but no to Nightwing ones.

🦇 Superbat and Shazam have powers so they don't count, but 1T8 Shazam's cape is black because of his family (because black is bad is a bad cliche). Superbat's clothing looks like the Red Hood from the Main Universe but with other colors (and without helmet), which always brings Reader a smile.

The first time I wrote Earth 1T8, I was considering various ideas for the "facade" of our Reader of course some inspired by many of the hcs that run on tumblr. I share them, you can choose to your venom.

🦇 I confess it was my first idea: Almost canon but wilder and at the same time more "you can't get close to me because I'm not really here, hehehe" Rich but easyly addicted to anything and easy to hate person, the typical one who appears one day paragliding at the other end of the world, then disappears a month for being in a drug addiction center, then they are at a party in Gotham flirting, they say they were bitten by a bear! then they say that they went diving with sharks... In this case Reader would add being a daddy's pampered child, adrenaline junkie, and Alfred would direct WE until Tim's appearance. And the children would be Afred's attempt to make them settle down.

🦇 Totally stick with canon. Reader man or woman or both or neither, I don't care. Partying and going out and having sex with whoever it moved I wanted. Psychologists say that Reader is trying to fill the emotional void of their parents' death with physical pleasure. It's unfortunate, but does it seem like they're trying to get better, getting involved with WE and adopting children?

🦇 You are a stereotypical rich. You do enough at work not to look like someone who is in home every day although most think that you are in your work, as decoration. And if you put on finery and make donations it's obviously to reduce taxes, it's clear that you imitate your parents. And heaven knows what adopted children thing come to.

🦇 The kid's trauma was too much. Kinda, If I give enough money and show and DO my good intentions, and I think 90% of Gotham has my name on its back by now btw, everything will work out. Kittens and rainbows and flowers and so on, on instagram. I heart Gotham. Sucks!

🦇 Tired, tired, tired parent who returns from work and thanks their own father for keeping the house being on fire. Because even having their own apartments, most of their kids are more in the mansion than in their own homes. Also, who are the responsibles do I have 5 missed calls from BOTH Gotham Academy and College/University AGAIN?

[juurensha]

Ship Meme: LongJun

Now it’s time for a danmei ship, so let’s talk about my favorite danmei ship, Li Jinglong/Kong Hongjun (Longjun) from Tianbao Fuyao Lu/Legend of Exorcism !

(lots of spoilers under the cut, so beware)

Kong Hongjun (Kong Chouxing):

Our cutie main character (with his very different looks in manhua and donghua, but anyway, he’s adorable!). Half human and half peacock yao and raised by the phoenix yao emperor Chong Ming, Hongjun is sent off to Chang’an to give the Heart Lamp to the Chen family descendant and to figure out the mystery of his father’s death. Things don’t go quite according to plan, but he joins the newly created Exorcist Department, solves mysteries, learns about the world, fights yao, matures and discovers more about himself, and falls in love.

As a protagonist, I really love Hongjun because he’s adorable (and a glutton) but also because throughout the series, you get to see him gradually grow up and mature, to the point that it becomes him supporting Li Jinglong when all seems lost, and eventually becoming yao emperor himself. He’s a badass little cutie who I only want good things for!

Li Jinglong:

Our secondary protagonist in many ways, Zhangshi of the Exorcism Department, the always unlucky Li Jinglong.

Li Jinglong is a guy who works extremely hard and is extremely smart and strategic, but he’s also extremely unlucky, so many situations tend to blow up in his face. (Like the first time he and Hongjun run into each other in the streets of Chang’an after Hongjun arrives on a mission...) Still, for all that, he is the one who leads the team and gives them direction, and he also has a VERY soft, sappy side for a certain half-yao cutie :DDDD (The man got a peacock feather tattoo over his heart before even confessing, he has it SO BAD with or without his memories of their childhood).

What I especially like about him though is that he is always so encouraging with Hongjun, always explaining things to him, and always telling him that “No, you’re not dumb, you just haven’t seen much of the world yet” when Hongjun feels kind of stupid. He is Hongjun’s biggest fan (Chong Ming may disagree, but anyway), and of course, when he gets to his weakest point and thinks that he’s completely useless to the team, he leans on Hongjun, and the two of them manage to get through it together.

Which now brings us to....

Longjun:

They’re so sweet??? They definitely hit all my favorite childhood friends vibes because yes, they were childhood friends who basically promised to marry each other when they were tiny, but of course, due to everyone hunting down Mara, Hongjun’s parents died, Hongjun was de-aged by two years (which is why originally they were only 2 years apart in age, but now they’re 4), and all of their memories were wiped. Still, they managed to find each other again and fall in love all over again, and they are SO devoted to one another.

Li Jinglong sings the whole Song of Yue Boatman to Hongjun to confess to him! He climbs a mountain to get to him! He buys food constantly for this boy who has a black hole for a stomach! Hongjun doesn’t want to go back to Yaojin Palace as soon as he thinks of Li Jinglong alone in the exorcist department! He  constantly fights to protect Li Jinglong! Even when he doesn’t understand his own feelings, he tries to figure it out, for both his and Li Jinglong’s sakes!

Li Jinglong will do anything in his power to keep Mara from taking Hongjun over, and Hongjun will make sure that no one bad mouths or hurts his Zhangshi even Li Jinglong himself.

Which is not to say that everything is roses in their relationship: after all, there’s the big thing of Li Jinglong inadvertently causing the entire incident that led to the death of Hongjun’s parents, Hongjun having the seed of Mara within him, and Li Jinglong very insecure over his position on the team if he has neither the Heart Lamps or his planning skills with him. 

And in the end, they do manage that! And even adopt a son! It’s all very cute (and they totally deserve it after all the pain it took to get them to that happy ending).

But juu, why are they your favorite danmei ship?

I guess it’s because with Tianbao, we get to watch both of them gradually grow and mature together. Hongjun is the most obvious since he starts the series at just 16, but Li Jinglong also matures as time goes by and learns that his worth is not just in how useful he can be to everyone and to rely on others. Also, they’re childhood friends who managed to meet again, and I eat that stuff up with a spoon.

But juu, what about Langlu??? Why aren’t you writing about them????

Of course I love Mo Rigen/Lu Xu! I didn’t write 2 whole fics about them for nothing! And I will admit that they were the pairing that made me start reading Tianbao, but Longjun is what made me stay, and if I have to pick a favorite pairing in Tianbao, then it’s Longjun even with tsundere Lu Xu. It helps that Longjun gets together relatively early in the series, at the end of volume 2, while Tianbao Langlu are a mess until almost the end of the series, so you get to see Longjun as an established couple for way longer than for Langlu.

This entire series sounds super interesting, but where can I read it, juu?

So of course there’s the original jjwxc raws and a guide on how jjwxc works, and there’s the ongoing English translation by moon over on ChickenGege that I’m helping with. If you want to read the manhua, Bilibili has an English site, but ChickenGege (which is the official team Bilibili is using) also posts it on their site.  Season 1 of the donghua is on Netflix, and probably season 2 will be up there soon too, since Bilibili just announced that season 3 is coming out soon!

juu, which adaptation do you like best?

So of course I like the original novel best since that has the most detail, but the manhua and donghua are really nice too! I love the manhua artist’s style (she’s also doing the I Ship My Rival x Me manhua too), and the donghua really went all in on their 3D animation budget. Of course, sadly, the manhua and donghua is more censored, while the novel (as long as you get the uncensored traditional version or the old raws before jjwxc clamped down) was written before JJWXC really started clamping down, so it’s way more explicit about the romances.

So I hope you guys enjoyed my little ramble about Longjun, and if you’ve never checked out Tianbao before, you really should! It’s a great novel with tons of humor, adventure, angst, heartwarming moments, and romance!

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 299: No Chains Left

Previously on BnHA: Horikoshi was all “and then AFO broke out all of the inmates from six other prisons and took a nap. well anyways, here’s the hospital angst.” Kacchan woke up two days later and was all, “WAIT BUT HOW ARE DEKU AND TODOROKI AND ALL OF THE OTHER CHARACTERS EXCEPT IIDA DOING” and then we cut to Shouto’s room where the other U.A. kids were sitting around being Mutually Traumatized and giving each other moral support and such. Everyone was alll, “...”, and then the rest of the Todofam showed up, INCLUDING POSSIBLY REI?! which, omg. The chapter ended with Kacchan STOMPING THROUGH THE HALLS all “WHADDYA MEAN DEKU HASN’T WOKEN UP YET”, dragging along Satou and Mineta behind him, fueled by the power of ALL OF THE FUCKS HE NOW GIVES. He gives so many fucks now you guys. This boy cares so much he can probably deduct it on his taxes.

Today on BnHA: SPEAKING OF PEOPLE WHO GIVE A LOT OF FUCKS, the story cuts abruptly to Hawks, freshly recovering from his near-death experience, and pondering the threads that have weaved the tapestry of his life and led him to this moment. Basically he grew up in poverty with his Jerk Dad and Jerk Mom until his dad got arrested one day and his mom sent him off to go Find Money Or Something, and so he rescued a busload of people and found himself a new career. Back in the present day, Hawks and Jeanist ride around town in Jeanist’s Jamborghini having awkward encounters with civilians in a country on the brink of social collapse, and visiting Hawks’s mother’s home. Hawks is all “I know from an outsider’s perspective it must look like my life currently sucks, but now that the HPSC is gone, my public image is shot, and my parents are finally out of my life, I’m actually feeling SURPRISINGLY GOOD.” Anyway so he’s gonna go meet up with Endeavor now, and p.s. this chapter was fucking fantastic though, damn.

oh my god?? is this Hawks narration?? something about him growing up watching the heroes on TV and thinking of them as fictional characters

okay I scrolled down a little bit more to see the rest of that “Keigo” panel, and wow

this is basically a shed. poor boy definitely grew up rough. let me tell you guys, I came in here ready for some BakuDeku shenanigans; I was not prepared for Hawks Flashback Angst. I AM HERE FOR IT, but also wow I gotta brace myself now lol

HELLO MISTER HAWKS’S JERK DAD, SIR

BnHA sure does have an array of Jerk Dads, doesn’t it. makes me appreciate characters like Masaru and JirouDad all the more for bucking the trend

anyway. so Horikoshi, you really thought that one itty bitty chapter of hospital catharsis would be enough to calm us all before you went right back to showing us child abuse huh. my god man can we rest

BABY HAWKS

swear to god this kid can’t be more than five or six, and yet he has this completely blank look on his face even with his dad looming over him being all threatening and shit. like he’s shut down his emotions to protect himself. imagine what has to happen to a child for him to have learned this at such a young age. fuck

AND MEANWHILE THIS GUY

don’t mingle with humans?? not “other” humans, just humans?? what is this implying here?? and also holy shit Hawks definitely didn’t inherit his looks from his dad orz

then again he doesn’t really bear much of a resemblance to his strung-out mom here either

omg omg omg. and this child is basically trapped here in this environment with these two people. this explains a SHITLOAD about Hawks’s personality though you guys. his ability to completely separate his real thoughts from the face he presents to the outside world. his pragmatic approach to analyzing and solving problems. his layers of emotional walls. turns out almost none of that came from the HPSC training -- that was all learned hands-on in his own personal do-or-die survival nightmare childhood!! oh, boy

and small wonder then that he latched on to Endeavor so strongly if he really is the one who brought down his dad and inadvertently saved him from this. also, just putting this out there, I know people are always talking about him and Dabi being foils, and I think it’s very interesting how Touya grew up in a household where he saw firsthand the dark side of hero society, and so ended up becoming a villain in order to bring it down. whereas young Keigo had almost the exact opposite experience, growing up experiencing the dark side of villain society and becoming a hero in order to bring about a world where no one else has to experience that. just. both of them are so determined not to become their fathers. some interesting parallels there

so Hawks was sort of an accident after his parents had “thanks for helping me not get caught after I killed that guy” sex, and now this little boy is growing up in squalor and being beaten by his father for things like Sitting In The Wrong Out-Of-The-Way Corner Trying Not To Be A Bother To Anybody. holy fuck. this is so rough to read through you guys

wait so does Jerk Dad have a an eyeball manipulation quirk?? because he doesn’t have the wings like his son, but wth are these things??

this presumably also means that Keigo has never been to school or anything either. he basically doesn’t exist. he thinks heroes are fictional characters, he doesn’t realize that they’re real people. these are people who could help him if he could escape and find them, but he doesn’t know, and they don’t know about him

OH MY GOD HE’S JUST SITTING IN HIS CORNER HUGGLING HIS ENDEAVOR PLUSH OH MY GOD

how could this child possibly have an anti-fandom when he’s done NOTHING WRONG HIS ENTIRE LIFE. huh. just explain that to me. lol I mean I’m not looking to pick a fight with anyone, but also, MAYBE I AM, idk?? this kid has gotten me all riled up lmao

anyways, Protect Keigo 2021, and thank you Horikoshi for these three very terrible pages. I am pleased to inform you that you’ve effectively gotten your point across and you may now commence saving this kid already

YAY

oh no, Keigo’s dumbass jerk dad tried to steal a car and the popo nabbed his ass and now his mom can’t just sit around neglecting her VERY YOUNG SON all day long, oh horrors. sorry lady my tiny violin is on backorder. just imagine that I’m playing a very sarcastic song on it for you

anyway so what are you gonna do now, abandon him? I can hardly imagine he’d be worse off, if anything it might be a near-instant improvement

LMAO HE’S ALL “WAIT WHAT ENDEAVOR’S A REAL FUCKING DUDE?!”

AND THEY SAY THAT A HERO CAN SAVE US~~~~ I’M NOT GONNA STAND HERE AND WAAAAAIT~~~~~ I’LL HOLD ONTO THE WINGS OF THE EAGLES, WATCH AS WE ALL FLY AWAAAAAAY~~~~

lol what a randomly pivotal moment in his young life. TIME TO GO MAKE THESE MEMES INTO DREAMS YOUNG ONE

anyway so his mom freaked out and grabbed him and they wound up at a train station with her TELLING HIM TO GO GET HER SOME MONEY, oh my god. SURE MOM LEMME JUST WALTZ RIGHT ON DOWN TO THE “JOBS FOR FIVE-YEAR-OLDS” STORE AND TELL THEM I NEED SOME CASH. ffff manifesting someone to come help him in 3... 2...

...

SIGH, JUST GO RESCUE THE PEOPLE FROM THE BUS, KEIGO. is this the outfit he was wearing when that happened?? it must be, right?? I can’t imagine them surviving more than a couple days out here unless this starts getting REALLY dark in a way I know that even Horikoshi won’t explore, so yeah. cut to the HPSC now please. never thought we’d be glad to see them. I mean sure, it may be an “out of the frying pan...” case, but good god

THANK YOU!!

and I guess it was his mom’s eyeball quirk then. anyway, whatever, see you again never, hopefully. lol oh man. thaaaat, was upsetting. need to center myself here for a sec. NAMASTE

OH YAY THE PRESENT

so we cut from Baby Hawks Angst straight to Present Day Hawks Angst, huh. not that this exhausted and traumatized lil lad isn’t still a baby to me too, I’ll have you know

BEST JEANIST, ALWAYS WITH THE JOKES

“WHEW, THOUGHT YOU DIED ON ME FOR A SEC THERE KID.” lmao. Caleb will no doubt ruin this by making his word choice all stiffly formal as usual, so I’m just going to treasure this “WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, I’M FRESH OUT OF FUCKS” version of Jeanist while I can

look at him, driving his Jeanistmobile

again, is it any wonder Kacchan was bitching about Endeavor’s dinky little car when he was used to riding around town in style like this. anyone else staring at this panel trying to figure out how this car is somehow secretly made of jeans

NOOOOO

FUCK YOU DABI LMAO. PUTTING THESE VOICE ACTORS OUT OF A JOB ONE BY ONE

anyway so Jeanist is all “GOOD THING IT’S THE FUTURE AND WE’RE SO GOOD AT MEDICAL SCIENCE” to handwave how Hawks went from one step shy of being a very handsome corpse, to sitting around texting Jeanist in a car all of two days later

OH MY GOD, AND FINALLY AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS

wait a minute. I’m so confused lmfao. soooo, was Hawks all “anyway, here’s Jeanist’s dead body, you can examine it but please don’t look at him too closely and also I’m gonna need that back unharmed.” how tf did you pull that off lmao

(ETA: also isn’t this technically confirmation of the ol’ Noumu Jeanist theory lol. I’m gonna go ahead and say it is.)

NO BUT PLEASE, CONTINUE. I unironically love reading Horikoshi’s overly convoluted “SEE IT’S NOT A PLOT HOLE” explanations

lkldslfk so wait, you’re telling me Hawks convinced Dabi and the League to put Jeanist’s body in storage, and basically just hoped they wouldn’t use him for any experiments until he could put his plan into action and have the HPSC’s people break in and find and revive him?? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG. A FOOLPROOF PLAN IF I’VE EVER HEARD ONE

fff this man really asked Jeanist to risk it all to prop up his little cover story, and Jeanist was all “sure why not” omfg. anyways, thanks for recapping all of this out loud for no particular reason in your car conversation you two

LMAO NOW WHAT

TROUBLE YOU SAY? GOOD THING THE NEW NUMBER ONE HERO IS ON THE JOB THEN

okay no it’s just some random thugs strolling around terrorizing the downtown. fuck ‘em. so Jeanist is making short work of them now

uh oh

won’t come? not can’t, but won’t?? what???

WOW

well I guess that makes the local heroes A BUNCH OF SHITHEADS now doesn’t it?? jesus

and okay, serious question, if the cops are spread too thin and the heroes have literally walked out on the job, what exactly is stopping everyone from deciding to use their quirks to defend themselves, legal or not? nothing, as far as I can tell. society just got a hell of a lot more chaotic

anyway so this is an interesting panel here

man, Dabi really did pull it off, didn’t he. well anyway so here’s that better world all of the villains were wanting, you guys! isn’t it so great?? everyone’s terrified and angry and losing hope and society is inches away from collapsing into total anarchy! but hey, at least we exposed the number one hero as a hypocrite

anyway so what are these guys up to

fucking hell, he’s visiting his mom. I really wasn’t prepared to commit this much emotional energy towards reading this chapter today. BUT VERY WELL, WE PRESS ON

?? wait she’s not there?

is this supposed to explain how Dabi knew who Hawks really was? except that there’s the little matter of how he even know where to find his mother in the first place. feels like we’re still missing something there, but oh well

OH MY GOD

RHA I TAKE BACK EVERY WORD I EVER SPOKE AGAINST YOU. YOU ARE A SCANLATION GROUP FILLED WITH ANGELS LMAO. I WILL TAKE THIS PANEL IN MY HANDS, AND TREASURE IT AND KEEP IT SAFE

ANYWAY, BECAUSE MY TIRED BIRD SON’S LIFE SUCKED SO MUCH ALREADY, IT TURNS OUT HE’S ACTUALLY PLEASED WITH THIS NEW TURN OF EVENTS LOL HOW ABOUT THAT

GOOD FOR YOU BBY. YOU GO OUT THERE AND BE YOUR OWN PERSON

and in all seriousness, I love that identity he chooses -- chooses, because it actually is him making a choice now, possibly for the very first time in his life -- is “guy who helps people”, though. it really is nothing short of miraculous that he held on to that kind of optimism and desire to do good even with everything he’s been through. there were so many times he could have chosen to turn his back on the world in retaliation for the way it treated him. but he didn’t!! and here he is now, finally free, and what he wants to do with the rest of his life now is simply to help others. anyway please excuse me for a moment, I need to go find some sort of basket or a big vase to put all of my fresh new Hawks Feels in, pardonne-moi

YEAH BOIIIIII

“FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, MISTER JEANIST, WHERE DID YOU FIND YOUSELF THAT SWEETASS CAR.” hey, all I’m saying is if this boy’s wings really aren’t growing back, he’s gonna need to find himself a new means of transportation y’know?

oh my god you guys it’s a flashback to his mom buying him the Endeavor plushie when he was like two because, and I quote, ALL MIGHT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE

oh my god oh my god. my boy out here with a new lease on life finding hope in the darkest of times

wasn’t your throat supposed to be all fucked up lmao. Horikoshi was suddenly all “oh shit the VAs are gonna be pissed at me if I keep this up huh”

“that’s why Bubaigawara was such a great guy” motherfucker IT IS A TERRIBLE DAY FOR RAIN. FORECAST SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS

:’)

yes ma’am. yes indeed. confirmed, I really will straight up fight some motherfuckers for this child. well not really, but YOU KEEP YOUR DISCOURSE OFF MY LAWN AND OUT OF MY BLOG YOU HEAR. THIS IS A HAWKS-FRIENDLY SPACE. WE RESPECT TAKAMI KEIGO IN THESE STREETS

and he’s saying (or is he thinking?? what a weirdly shaped speech bubble this is) that even if what Dabi said about the Todoroki household is true, “I’m not sure it’s the same now.” which happens to be ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. man this whole chapter really is all about saying “fuck the past” and moving forward and I am living for it

SON!!!!

“the first step is at my beginning” fklkjlk. what an iconic fucking line??

AND HIS WINGS!!!! THEY ACTUALLY ARE GROWING BACK AHHHHHHH. “PUT A RAINCHECK ON THAT CAR, JEANIST-SAN.” THE HAWKSMOBILE CAN WAIT, RIGHT NOW HE HAS TO GO INSERT HIMSELF BACK INTO THE TODODRAMA WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT

you guys. I came here ready for some BAKUDEKU HOSPITAL ANGST, and I got DIDDLY SHIT of that, and none of my other kids were even in this chapter, but!!! ASK ME IF I CARE LMAO omg. because bird son is hanging with his new best friend, and he’s out here Finding Himself and picking up the pieces and putting them back together stronger than ever because RESILIENCE HAS A NAME, AND IT’S SPELLED H-A-W-K-S, and you guys. profound, my love for this child. holy shit. hey google, play Silence by Marshmello

[the-blue-fairie]

Elsa’s scars are because of a complex interplay between the pain of the accident AND the pain of her upbringing thereafter.

I talk about the ways  in which the trolls’, Agnarr’s, and Iduna’s choices negatively impact Elsa and Anna a great deal. It’s a complex subject to discuss - and I feel like I’m always returning to it because the fandom often tries to reduce it to black and white.

On the one hand, there are people in the fandom who vehemently dislike Agnarr and Iduna and portray them very negatively.

On the other hand, there are people who love Agnarr and Iduna and try to defend their every action, even when their actions hurt their daughters.

And... the trolls don’t usually get brought up at all. I mean, there are definitely folks who point out that the trolls are to blame for stoking the whole royal family’s fears... but I don’t think people can see their pain as easily in the abstract magical characters’ actions, so they just don’t dwell on them as much.

In my opinion, both extremes are approaching the matter in the wrong way. I don’t agree with people who hate Agnarr and Iduna. I don’t agree with people who paint them simply as abusive parents. In both the first film and the second, Agnarr and Iduna are good people trying to do their best in a painful situation. BUT, at the same time, their parents’ actions and the trolls’ actions hurt both of the sisters - and I feel like, when people bend over backwards to defend their actions, people ignore the hurt they caused.

AND, in some ways, I feel like the second film encourages this black and white thinking. The second film WANTS viewers to ignore the negative ramifications of the trolls’ and the parents’ actions. That’s why the film proper never discusses Agnarr’s and Iduna’s or the trolls’ actions while the sisters were children - opting instead for the tie-in book Dangerous Secrets to discuss those events... a tie-in book that, however well-written, will only reach a select audience while the films will reach a far wider audience.

This bothers me because it usually means I see people ignoring many of the external forces that caused Elsa to grow into who she is as a character.

In some cases, these are people who simply treat Elsa like a bad person because they ignore all the context that informs why she behaves like she does.

BUT, at the same time, I have friends who are deeply sympathetic to Elsa... but can’t seem to process how deeply Elsa’s upbringing informed who she grew up to be. 

Like, I’ve had long discussions with friends who have told me that, if Elsa was raised differently, she would still grow up the same because her trauma comes from the accident.

I feel this represents a gross misunderstanding of how child development works.

Yes, Elsa was devastated by the accident. But consider her actions and body language immediately thereafter:

Her first instinct is to run to Anna and hold her in her arms. Even after her parents coming rushing in and her father asks what she has done, she defends herself, saying, “It was an accident. I’m sorry, Anna.” She still holds Anna close:

Elsa has to be taught to recoil, to shrink away, to keep her distance from Anna.

Elsa’s fear is learned. We only see her truly starting the pattern of shrinking away, of curling inside herself with fear of herself after Pabbie shows her an ominous vision, telling her there is “danger” in her powers.

A fear of herself that continues thereafter, after she has processed that she is and so begins to see herself as a danger:

Yes, the accident itself scarred Elsa. But to say that, “If Elsa was raised differently, things would have turned out the same because her trauma emerges from the accident” is simply wrong. 

Elsa was a child being influenced by adult authority figures who ultimately failed her.

Pabbie igniting a vague and fiery vision of danger before an impressionable child influenced her, helped to cement the idea in Elsa that she is naturally dangerous.

Agnarr and Iduna separating the sisters reinforces to Elsa that there is something wrong in her - something she has to repress.

Keep in mind, I’m NOT saying this to demonize Agnarr and Iduna. As this moment shows, they are heartbroken the more Elsa shrinks from them. They love their daughter, and hate to see her hurting like this: 

BUT that doesn’t change the fact that their actions helped to hurt her. Inadvertently, I know. But they still did.

To ignore the influence of the adult authority figures on who Elsa became is to ignore the complexity of how children interact with the world, how they respond to elders who are in positions of power. Elsa trusts the signals given by the adults around her. When Pabbie tells her there is “great danger” in her powers, she believes him. When her parents tell her that it is a necessity that she isolate herself and conceal herself, she trusts them.

Sometimes, certain people make much of the nuances of Pabbie’s words  or Agnarr’s words. They point out that Pabbie also says there is beauty in Elsa’s powers and that “Fear will be your enemy” also refers to Elsa’s inner fear of herself. They comment that “Conceal it, don’t feel it” is not the same as “Conceal, don’t feel.”

The thing is, these readings put the blame on Elsa for misunderstanding - instead of putting the blame on the adults for inadvertently imparting hurtful messages to a child.

It shouldn’t be placed on the shoulders of a child to decipher a cryptically worded aphorism. It should be on the adult figure, especially when this adult figure is an ancient and wise being.

And really, for all the distinctions between “Conceal it, don’t feel it” and “Conceal, don’t feel,” their essence is still the same. The misguidedness of concealment, of not feeling something that is a part of you, is still rooted in the words regardless of which version we choose.

 Elsa, as a child, was still told by the adults around her that she should keep her distance from others for their protection and so, as she grew older, she took that more and more to heart. She grew into what she had been taught - even though the teaching initially came from a good-hearted place.

Sometimes, I’ve had my friends ask me, “But by putting all this focus on Elsa’s influences growing up, are you sure you’re not losing focus on the pain Elsa feels because of the accident itself?” And... no, I’m not. That’s why the title of my post is, “Elsa’s scars are because of a complex interplay between the pain of the accident AND the pain of her upbringing thereafter.” Because I WANT this post to be a nuanced reflection.

But... if Pabbie hadn’t shown a vague and terrifying vision to and impressionable child and her frightened family... you can’t tell me things would have been the same.

If Iduna and Agnarr hadn’t limited Elsa’s contact with people, you can’t tell me things would have been the same.

A friend once pointed to the trail of ice Elsa makes on the journey to the Valley of the Living Rock, arguing that this shows Elsa’s loss of control and panic before Pabbie stresses that she is dangerous - and therefore arguing that this highlights that things would still turn out the same for Elsa growing up even if the trolls and her parents made different choices because she fears what she can do:

I feel my friend’s reading here is... a bit of a stretch. Elsa is scared, yes, but the self-hatred that defines her as an adult? That comes later. That, she has to learn. And it is that self-hatred and fear of herself that paralyzes her.

And I’ve had friends point out, “But Elsa WAS dangerous! She DID hurt Anna, and that’s tied into her stress with wanting to protect her, and that was before the trolls or her parents had any involvement...”

I don’t like this take because it seems to put an impossible amount of weight on Elsa as a child. It asks Elsa as a child to be perfectly composed. To not be scared for her sister’s safety. To... not feel.

It’s a take that follows the misguided logic the film ultimately refutes while defending the mistakes that caused that misguided logic to do so much harm.

And, yeah. Sure. Elsa becomes scared. In the ballroom and riding through the forest. She’s a tiny child.

That doesn’t justify teaching her to fear herself, actions that only make the problem far, far worse.

 And you can say, “Well, the adults didn’t MEAN to teach Elsa that-” I know they didn’t mean to do it.

But showing a terrifying light-show to a little girl will impact her, regardless of what Pabbie meant. Especially when he does not clarify.

But slamming the gates shut will have a powerful psychological effect on both Elsa and Anna, regardless of what their parents meant.

Elsa was a child.

Children learn from their surroundings. They respond to the actions of adults they trust, adults they love. While the accident itself impacted Elsa, we cannot ignore that the way she was brought up thereafter also had a profound effect on the way she saw the world, the way she responded to the world. 

Elsa was a child being influenced by adult authority figures who ultimately failed her - and the fact people are so willing to put the weight of that on a child instead of the adults surrounding her is troubling to me.

The fact that the second film kind of tacitly puts the weight of that on Elsa’s shoulders by only making abstract references to “fear” - instead of openly talking about the complex circumstances Elsa and her parents found themselves in - is troubling to me as well. It allows viewers to disregard the more complicated elements of Elsa’s relationship with her parents and only focus on the positives the second film puts on display.

(Keep in mind, I DON’T intend this post to be anti Agnarr and Iduna. I love them as characters - ESPECIALLY Iduna, with the backstory F2 offers. Agnarr and Iduna are good people. They are loving parents. They were put in a horribly complicated position... and ultimately their actions - for all their good intentions - had negative consequences.) 

[blossom-hwa]

inspired by 'rush hour’ (gaho).

wc: 2.6k ~ changmin x gender neutral!reader ~ slice of life!au ~ triggers: none ~ the boyz masterlist ~ 4 year anniversary drabble game (requests closed!)

for chair anon :)

[ 6:00 pm : rush hour ] I try going forward to you But I lose you at this dead end

.

The traffic light is still green. Changmin sighs, tapping the board flipped up by his side. It’s been green for what feels like forever - is it ever going to turn red so that he and the growing group of pedestrians around him can move across this short stretch of the street?

If he wasn’t going to meet someone, he might just take a chance in the lulls of traffic and race the cars, letting them honk angrily as he jaywalks - jay-skates? jay-boards? There probably isn’t proper terminology for that, but jay-boards sounds okay - past, flashing them a quick smile to infuriate them a little more. It’s okay. This street isn’t too crowded. The only cars that pass through are usually old businessmen making their way back home to penthouse apartments, so Changmin feels less than guilty for screwing around with their evening.

But he is meeting someone. A very special someone, in fact. Someone who told him on no account was he going to jaywalk or jay-board (he’ll have to tell you about the new word he invented when he gets to you) if it meant risking his safety. So Changmin sighs, taps his board some more, and waits at this seeming dead end of a street corner where the green light never turns red.

.

It’s alright alright alright It’s alright alright alright

.

It’s alright. Changmin smiles as the flow of traffic begins to cease, lights on the streets ahead turning red. He can wait a little longer to cross the street legally.

Anything for you, after all.

.

I’m talking in circles around you But you always pass right by

.

Changmin still can’t quite believe his luck, even months later. He doesn’t know how he managed to catch your attention, the small skater he was who stayed quiet around others, really only raising his voice in the presence of his friends.

You were the noticeable one. You were the one with the guitar slung on your back and a friendly smile always on your face. You were the one everyone had a crush on, platonic or romantic. You were the one everyone flocked around at the park on weekends, sitting on a bench, strumming the strings of your instrument with the softest grin on your lips. If it wasn’t for Younghoon accidentally tripping over your guitar and subsequently you, sending you flying into Changmin as he rolled past trying to escape the monitor chasing after him, it might never have happened. Changmin might never have had the chance to do anything more than admire you from afar.

And what would’ve happened then?

.

It’s alright alright alright Who cares? I’m alright

.

But who cares? Changmin grins. It’s alright, yeah? Because you noticed him anyway, and even if he got a detention for skating indoors, it was worth it when you offered to buy him a coffee in apology for inadvertently getting him caught by the hall monitor.

It was the coffee that turned him into even more of a stuttering mess than he would’ve been. It was also the coffee that gave him the bit of energy and courage he needed to keep talking anyway.

It was the coffee, ultimately, that got that blinding smile turned in his direction. And it was the coffee that got him your number for future conversations, future meetups at the park, and eventually, a date.

The light turns green. Changmin nimbly leaps on his skateboard and rolls across the street, grinning.

Who cares about how it happened, in the end? As long as it did.

.

Everyone tries to get your attention One by one, honking at you

.

Honking sounds follow Changmin down the sidewalk as he weaves around office workers rushing home, people ducking in and out of small restaurants and cafes, either alone or holding someone else’s hand. His grin widens at the sight of a laughing couple that just manages to dodge around his board, giggles undeterred by the sudden interruption.

What will it be like when he gets to you? Will the crowds at the park be as large as the ones cluttering the streets? Will he even be able to see you on your bench, surrounded as you might be with children and parents and teenagers trying to get a peek at your guitar?

.

But I hope my voice can reach you Turn that music on

.

Does it matter, though? Changmin pauses at another intersection, watching the cars go honking past. Just the same way he can pick out your voice singing above the sound of the guitar, you can pick out his eyes, smiling at you from within the crowd.

You’ve always noticed him. He’s always noticed you.

There’s no reason that should stop now.

.

I got stuck on you My heart is in chaos right now

.

God, it feels like nothing’s changed since the day he realized he had a crush on you. His heart still flutters at the sound of your voice, his lips widening in a smile at the thought of your eyes.

.

I got stuck on you As if I’m stuck in traffic

.

The traffic light turns red again. Changmin skates across the street, ignoring the impatient honking of cars that follows him down the sidewalk. It’s kind of like the traffic clogging the streets, his adoration for you - stuck in one place, going with the flow but never really seeming to move.

Though if traffic meant he could stay with you forever, he wouldn’t mind it so much, really.

.

I want drama between you and me Trying to escape this trauma

.

It’s kind of like a drama, isn’t it? Unnoticeable boy, very noticeable love interest. Though maybe the roles are flipped - very noticeable main character, unnoticeable boy - because it doesn’t feel like Changmin has ever been the protagonist of this story. You’re the main character, and he’s the love interest who will support you in everything that you do.

.

Drama with you Feeling like it’s rush hour

.

Changmin grins, feeling wind rush past his face as a car speeds past.

If this is his part in the drama, it isn’t such a bad role to play.

.

I try to jump right into you But the conversation keeps cutting off

.

His phone buzzes. Not bothering to stop - you’d yell at him for that, but it isn’t as life-threatening as jay-boarding across the street and you’re not here to scold him for it - Changmin pulls it out, deftly navigating his way around a group of office workers as he accepts the call. “Y/N?”

“Hey, Changmin.” He can hear your smile through the phone. “You on your way?”

“Of course,” he replies, almost affronted. You agreed to meet at six - why would he be late? “Why aren't you playing? Is your little concert over?” You don’t usually end early.

“No, just a lull in traffic.” Your laugh sounds like music. “I’m taking a pause and thought I’d call. Almost here?”

“Almost,” he promises, rolling to a stop at the next intersection with a sigh. “The actual traffic here is murder.”

“Okay, sounds good.” When you pause, Changmin can hear the babbling of a little kid faintly over the phone - something about guitar and please? “I’ve got to go back in a minute. See you soon?”

“Go please your audience,” he replies, smiling. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Get here safe.” You pause again. “You weren’t talking to me while on your board, right?”

Changmin stays silent. His silence is much more telling than anything he’d say, anyway.

“Changmin.”

“Y/N,” he mimics in your tone of voice. Serotonin floods his brain when you snort a laugh into the phone. “I’ll be safe, I promise.”

“You better be,” you warn. “Bye, Changmin.”

.

It’s alright alright alright Turn that music on

.

He grins, already looking forward to hearing the strumming of your guitar in person, not over the phone. “Bye, Y/N.”

.

Everyone tries to get your attention One by one, honking at you

.

Two intersections later, Changmin finally finds himself at the entrance of the park. Children and their parents still abound despite evening quickly approaching, so he keeps to the sidewalk, carefully avoiding any paths full of shouting kids. It’s okay. Changmin knows the ways to your bench better than the back of his hand. A few honking cars and yelling toddlers can’t keep him from you.

All roads lead to you in Changmin’s world, after all.

.

I got stuck on you My heart is in chaos right now

.

The expected crowd surrounds your bench when Changmin finally steps off of his board. Fridays are always the busiest days, after all - people celebrating the end of the work week with a walk in the park and, by chance, some music as well.

He hears you before he sees you, crowds obscuring your face but not your voice that carries sweetly through the air, accompanied by the strumming of your guitar. Changmin didn’t think the smile on his face could get any wider, but when the first chords reach his ears, it somehow does.

Your voice is music, even more so than the instrument in your hands.

.

I got stuck on you As if I’m stuck in traffic

.

Then your face appears in a crack between the crowd as Changmin edges his way through, eyes closed in peace as your fingers pluck easily at the guitar strings. And nothing really has changed, nothing at all, just like the traffic stuck in rush hour -

Because as he watches you sing, Changmin feels himself falling in love with you all over again.

.

I don’t wanna lose you, never I just wanna hold you all day

.

Sometimes, when Changmin sees you like this, body framed in the pink and gold and orange of the descending sun, he panics. A part of him seems to think that when the sun finally dips below the horizon to be replaced by the moon overhead, it’ll take you with it, sparkling eyes and musical voice and all. Even your guitar. Because in moments like these, it feels a little like you’re an illusion, something too perfect to be true.

But then -

Your eyes open. They search the crowd like they’ve done it a million times (perhaps they have). They meet his, and immediately the sparkle brightens until it’s even brighter than the sun overhead, and it’s then that the panic fades because Changmin knows you’re real. Knows you’re not an illusion.

What illusion would become even more beautiful, after all, just because he happened to be there?

.

Even if the numbers on the calendar switch up I’m only thinking about you

.

Day by day, week by week. The routine is the same - you two get home from school, Changmin goes to work while you go home, and if it’s a Friday or a surprisingly free weekday, he’ll meet you at the park at six, like clockwork. You’ve been doing this for months now, almost a year - if it were anything else, Changmin is sure he would’ve gotten bored at this point.

But when you smile at him again before turning to the crowd and announcing your last song, Changmin knows he could never find it in himself to be bored with this. It’s you, after all, always you.

Day by day, week by week, it’s always been you.

.

You’re swimming in my ocean The waves keep growing larger

.

You sing a last song with a lilting voice, something about oceans and sunlight and waves whirling around you like the warmest hug. Changmin’s smile softens as you sing, fingers tapping his board not out of ennui this time, but to keep the beat of the music flowing from your guitar and from your lips. The waves of your voice wrap their arms around him, growing, growing, settling soft on his skin.

.

You’re swimming in my ocean You’re on my mind

.

Waves, crashing waves that mix with laughter and warm sunlight beaming down on the water. The beach is a couple of hours away - Changmin wonders if you might like to go when summer comes and you have a little more time to spare - but it doesn’t matter, not when he’s already swimming, laughing in the ocean of your voice.

.

I got stuck on you My heart is in chaos right now

.

You finish the song with a last chord and a smile, bowing in reply to the childish shouts and claps from the audience. Changmin lifts up his board to join the applause, eyes fixed on you and you only as you turn around to finally meet his eyes.

“Hey,” he says, and he knows you hear his voice even over the applause still carrying all around you.

Your smile widens as you step forward to give him a kiss. “Hey, yourself.”

.

I got stuck on you As if I’m stuck in traffic

.

Changmin helps you pack up your guitar, helps you organize the loose change and bills that some kind people left in the case. You get excited when you realize it’s enough to treat him to a meal that you make him swear not to pay for - he’ll try to, you both know, it’s just a matter of being faster than the other - and then Changmin lifts up his board with one hand and takes yours in the other. His fingers tangle with yours automatically, a promise to never let go. “Should we go?”

You nod, smiling. “Come on.”

.

I want drama between you and me Trying to escape this trauma Drama with you

.

It really is like a drama, Changmin thinks as you two walk out of the park, hands still locked together as you enter the busy streets once more. It’s cheesy, definitely, but does it matter? It’s the only way he can describe this perfection of the moment, holding hands with you as you argue over where to eat for dinner.

Changmin leans down to kiss your nose. You laugh at the touch of his lips to your skin, fingers involuntarily squeezing his.

He swears he hears music in his ears.

.

I want drama between you and me Trying to escape this trauma

.

Definitely cheesy. Definitely a drama.

You smile at him, and his heart flutters.

But when you make him feel this way, does it really matter?

.

Drama with you feeling like it’s rush hour

.

Another light turns green before you can make it across the intersection, so Changmin pulls you to a stop before you can accidentally take the next step into the street. “Now do you know why I’m always so impatient?” he asks, casting a pointed glance at the board under his arm.

“Yeah, kind of.” You roll your eyes. “Maybe we should stop agreeing to meet at rush hour.”

Six o’clock. Peak traffic. Rush hour. Just like Changmin’s mind, forever stuck on you, waiting at a traffic light that never seems to change.

But when he’s stuck on you, it really isn’t so bad.

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I like it.”

Your eyes sparkle into his. Changmin squeezes your hand and smiles.

“I think we can keep it as is.”

If you enjoyed, please don’t forget to reblog and leave a comment to tell me what you thought! Thank you for reading and have a lovely day <3

(1 reblog = 1 heart for the couple, they were so wonderful to write :D)

[ckneal]

So, there’s this one angel story in the back of my head that I know I wont write. I wont write it, because it’s utter nonsense, with very little regard for the canonical timeline of Supernatural, and a willfully blurry view on what is and is not “in character.” It’s fluff. It’s all fluff, in the form of a bunch of smaller stories that gradually weave together, following the Love, Actually style of storytelling, but instead of problematic love stories, it’s all about angels playing hooky from Heaven after the Fall.

(Seriously, there is no substance here, I swear.)

Stories include Abner, living out the first half of the movie Family Man, struggling to figure out how to be a good father and house husband after he steps into the life of the raging alcoholic who agreed to be his vessel. There’s also a very minor story about Esther (not to be confused with Hester, who is not in this story because she never deserted her post in Heaven) learning to play the part of a little girl and navigating schoolyard politics, but kids can be mean and Esther learns the hard way that Michael’s approach to asserting dominance in Heaven does not translate well. There’s also Daniel and Adina, who both settle into vessels in the same movie theater where a romantic comedy is playing, and fall into a very innocent, play-acting sort of love after they leave the theatre—like little kids pretending to be in love, recreating the scenes from the movie, but at the same time not really understanding it. Balthazar, Gabriel, and Anael each trying to roll with the luxurious high roller life style, and awkwardly running into each other at VIP poker games, exclusive spas and clubs, and the occasional orgy that they promptly leave IMMEDATELY after running into a sibling (don’t give me weird looks, Balthazar and Gabriel canonically include that sort of thing in their definition of luxury, and the whole thing of their story is their siblings keep cramping their style). Tyrus is in there bowling, somewhere. Benjamin’s playing arcade games with his wife. And then there’s Thaddeus, my pet favorite minor angel character, realizing what’s happening as he’s falling with all the other faithful angels during the Fall and seizing the opportunity to abandon his life as a guard and torturer, settling into a pop star for his vessel—initially for the sake of the cushy lifestyle, but then gradually looking back, before the garden and Lucifer, before everyone was assigned a job in Heaven, like it or not, and the options were to adapt or to be smote, and remembering that back then, he could sing.

And of course, Michael and Adam get a story too—in which Michael lowkey gets into a pissing contest with death, as he and Adam travel the world, hitting up hospital after hospital to heal people. Because the first thing Adam wanted to do after getting out of the cage (okay, second thing—burgers came first) was go to the nearest medical center and start healing people left and right. And at first, they’re having a great time. Adam steals a white jacket he finds in the breakroom somewhere, and anytime someone says he looks a little young to be a doctor (Adam still looking nineteen years old, because I say so), Michael wipes the poor sap’s mind. But eventually—sometime after they’ve cleared out the children’s ward, the cancer ward, the cardiac ward—Billie shows up, sniping at them that they can’t just go around healing people who are destined to die, because there is an order to life and death that cannot be shoved aside. And Billie tries to make a show of it, as Terra did with Dean, by having several people who Adam had healed over the course of the day inadvertently cause several massive accidents. The news suddenly comes pouring out of the television, channels flipping as newscasters talk about tragedies occurring in several different parts of the city they’re currently in. The sound of approaching ambulance sirens fills the air, as in the hospital hallway, doctors and nurses begin hurrying to receive a rush of ER patients.

Adam’s horrified.

Michael does not take kindly to this. He snaps his fingers and makes it so that the carnage has never happened. Because he is the archangel Michael, only two steps away from being a god, and if he says that all of these people are going to live, then they are going to live, and he WILL NOT be intimidated, especially by an amateur reaper whose only qualification for her position was dying at the right time.

Billie in turn lands Michael with a cold stare, and points out that the order to life and death is beyond even God’s authority, let alone daddy’s blunt, sniveling instrument.

As Michael’s eyes start to glow, Adam steps in and says, “So, to be clear, you want us to stop healing people on the verge of death? We can do that.”

After Billie leaves, Michael is outraged, but Adam says, “No, Michael, THINK about it.”

We then cut to other stories, where newscasts in the background reveal that ailments that are not IMMIEDATELY fatal (AIDs, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, etc.) are mysteriously disappearing overnight, worldwide.

Billie is not amused, and tells her reapers to be on the lookout for an archangel at every major hospital in the world.

Cut to Michael throwing open the door of the bunker, muttering aloud to Adam that he’s going to do it, he’s going to bind Death, just like Lucifer did—how hard can it be? Sam and Dean see him as he goes stomping off toward the cabinet where they keep all of their magical dry goods, but Michael snaps his fingers and the two of them are abruptly half drunk in Dean’s man cave, sitting in front of Dean’s flat screen TV, watching some campy monster movie, because that’s lowkey what Michael and Adam assume they do all day.

As they’re raiding Sam and Dean’s supplies though, Adam says, “Wait, I have an idea.”

Cut to Abner looking up while pushing his vessel’s daughter in a park swing, and literally seeing Michael and Adam chasing an ambulance, so they can technically heal the person inside before reaching the hospital.

Yes, I’m aware that Abner was dead by the time Michael and Adam got out of the cage. But see, this story? This story is like when someone gifts you a goldfish unexpectedly, and you put it in a bowl, checking in to feed it a couple times a day, lowkey expecting it to die. But it doesn’t die, it gets bigger. And you’re not a cruel person, so you put it in a bigger tank, but it just gets bigger again, and you don’t really know what’s going on, but you know, you just kind of keep checking in, meeting the minimum requirements but not really getting in there as a guiding force because it’s a goldfish and it’s surely going to die any minute now—but then you look over and there’s giant tank taking up your living room, and you’re thawing out bloodworms twice a day, and looking into tankmates to keep Charles company, and realize that “Oh wow, I guess this is a thing now.”

In short, the story says we’re ignoring the timeline, and it’s calling the shots. I’m just keeping the tank clean.

The angels all eventually wind up running into each other. Abner and Esther happen upon one another in a park, where Esther is morosely realizing that she is terrible at being a human child but she does not want to go home to Heaven, and it just happens to be the same park where Abner goes with his “little nibblet” once a day to let her toddle around the playground while he chats with nannies and other house parents. Anael, Adina, and Daniel meet up when the latter two’s game has reached the point where they’ve decided to get married, and they apparently need to buy something new—preferably blue—as per this very important rhyme someone told them about. Esther and Gabriel run into each other in an ice cream parlor. Thaddeus gets recognized while doing an interview on TV that everyone sees. And, while out joyriding in a Lamborghini, on their way to meet up with the growing community of angels who decided to opt out of their responsibility to Heaven and their father’s legacy, Balthazar, Gabriel, and Anael are all startled to see Michael land on an ambulance stopped next to them at a red light.

Balthazar and Anael are both terrified, as if they’ve just been busted by a parent, because Michael, of course, is the guy who enforces the rules, and isn’t he supposed to be in Hell? They both shoot Gabriel looks as if to say ‘what the hell are you doing’ when Gabriel, watching as Michael climbs down and matter-of-factly wrenches the ambulance doors open, calls out, “Hey, Mike! Is that you?”

Michael looks over, freezes for a second—not prepared to be suddenly thrust into a social situation in the middle of his self-imposed mission to spite death—then his eyes flash and Adam takes over. “Oh hey, you’re Michael’s family? What a small world! I’m Adam, I’ve heard so much about you. Wait, hang on—”

The light starts to turn green, but Adam snaps his fingers and it promptly reverts to red.

Three jaws drop in the luxury car, and they don’t even hear Adam politely explain that he and Michael are in the middle of something, as he ducks into the ambulance, because Michael’s evidently letting a tiny human use his powers like it’s nothing, and what does that mean?

“Sweet dad in the unknown, Michael’s shagging a human. . .”

“Nooo!”

“HOW?”

“Hey, kid, you like weddings?”

At some point in the story, all the MIA angels are together, and Benjamin or someone comes running in saying, “Quick, they’re coming! Everyone hide!”

And everyone scatters, except for Michael, who stands in place, saying, “Gabriel, we’re archangels, two of the most powerful beings in existence. Why would we—”

And then Gabriel picks Adam up like a sack of potatoes and sprints off, calling back, “Trust me, you do NOT want to get involved with them!”

Being a projection, Michael is obligated to follow.

Team Free Will then walks by, looking constipated from whatever Big Awful Thing is currently threatening to destroy the world.

The story, of course, culminates in the wedding of Adina and Daniel, who still don’t quite understand what marriage is beyond promising to love each forever, which of course they will, after all, they are the very best of friends—which is about the same concept that most of the other angels present have. Adam is the first one to actually approach the big awkward question, upon finding out who the bride and groom are.

“Wait, aren’t they brother and sister?”

To which Serafina’s Adam, (who is of course there since Serafina was the original angel to play hooky) whose sons married his daughters, and all the angels, who do not understand what that has to do with anything, all cock their heads in unison and respond with, “So?”

Adam struggles to find words, looking into so many innocent faces. Then Benjamin’s wife puts a hand on his shoulder, whispering, “Shhh, let them have their fun.”

Benjamin’s wife and the two Adams wind up sitting at the venue’s bar, where they order nachos from a very confused bar tender, and watch as the angels go about setting up a wedding. But given that most angels haven’t been on earth regularly in roughly two thousand years, none of them have a clear grasp of what a human wedding entails.

“I heard it’s traditional for the father to give away the bride.”

“I think they’re supposed to kiss over bread.”

“Do humans still slaughter cows at these things?”

“I’m pretty sure someone is supposed to break a glass—”

Several angels promptly throw glassware on the floor.

At no point do the angels ask the humans for advice.

Occasionally, Gabriel knowingly throws out obscure details to keep the confusion going.

“You know, the groom needs to stand with the right arm to the aisle in case a sword fight breaks out.”

“Right! . . .How do we know which one’s the groom?”

At the bar, Adam open’s his mouth to say something, but the original Adam shushes him.

“No no, son, let them get there.”

The angels agree that being the better fighter, Adina should be the groom.

They’re nearly ready to start when Michael suddenly doubles over with his hand over his mouth. It coincides with the sound of Adam pounding the bar top, having just eaten a Carolina Reaper pepper on dare. Michael’s eyes quickly flash silver-blue as he straightens, and both he and Adam are abruptly fine—even if their eyes are still watering somewhat. But a different sort of damage has already been done, as Anael, Balthazar, and Gabriel all abruptly turn toward the triad of humans, having been reminded that the Michael walking around with them is actually a projection. In actuality, Michael is anchored to the human ex-college student sitting at the bar.

All three of them rush toward Adam, but Serafina gets there first, asking Adam if he’s ever tried mushroom tea.

Balthazar gets there next. 

“Adam, was it? We didn’t get to talk in the car, let’s fix that. Are you over twenty-one? You know what, this is a family affair, don’t worry—CAN I GET TWO SHOTS OF DON JULIO OVER HERE?”

From that point on, any time Adam turns around, there’s one of Michael’s siblings, wanting to get to know him—by consuming some sort of beverage. Because Adam and Michael are sharing body—and that means they share a liver too. A bet ensues as to how much it will take to get God’s alleged favorite wasted.

Gabriel’s actually one of the first out, having been convinced that Michael would be a lightweight. Little does he suspect that Benjamin and his wife caught onto what was happening soon after Adam was fed his third long island iced tea and second jager bomb, and began quietly cleansing the alcohol from his system through casual shoulder pats and high fives.

Adam does not know what to make of any of this, but it’s Michael’s family and he wants to make a good impression, so he just goes with it.

Thaddeus, of course, is in charge of music, Gabriel and Esther consume the majority of the cake, and Michael catches the bouquet (he may have cheated after finding out what the bouquet toss is for).

[gentil-minou]

Hey, first I'm sorry for my bad english! I just wanted to say thank you for all your amazing posts especially on Adrien! I, myself suffer from Cptsd, Depression and Anorexia and spend most of the past 3 years in the psych ward. I relate to Adrien/ Cat Noir so much even though my story is different and I didn't grow up with my parents for the past years. Your posts make me realise that I'm not alone (even though Adrien is fictional i know) and that the boy I love and admire most experiences the same that I do. I've been in the miraculous fandom for a four years now and even though I'm turning 18 this year I still love Adrien with all my heart. To be honest I really don't know what I would do without him. Whenever I'm feeling down or smth I think of him or read your posts and remind myself that he feels the same but remains strong, goes to school, sometimes even stands up against his abuser and that I can try to do the same.

Thank you so much for helping me understand Adrien and myself better :)

One thing i would like to ask : do you think Adrien is the kind of person who would self harm? Not only in the way of sacrifising himself for ladybug but also cutting, burning etc.? Idk if it's a weird question but i am just interested in hearing your thoughts :)

I'm glad this character can be a source of support for you, and I hope that your situation will improve one day too <3

Regarding your question, I hope it's okay for me to say I'm not really comfortable with answering. The reason why is because self-harm, while it might feel like it helps in the moment, is not a healthy coping skill and my work includes looking for other coping mechanisms a person can use for support. I don't want to inadvertently make it so someone thinks they should self-harm because they emulate Adrien. Sor respectfully, I'm going to have to refrain from answering.

I will say I think Adrien has plenty of support from his friends and kwami and I think that whatever turmoil comes his way he will be able to get through it. I'm a firm believer that life gets better with time, for everyone.

[tottymatsuno]

Who You Actually Are (Osomatsu-san: Osomatsu x Reader)

Cyclical

Author: Roro (tottytown)

Fandom: Osomatsu-san

Pairing: Osomatsu x reader

Category: hurt/comfort, character study>

Rating: gen

Summary: How does one grow up?

Word count: 844

Warnings: Child abuse, mentioning of vices>

Commentary: just literally uploading shit bc i have emotions. im gonna try to do a few more.

| Oneshots | All Fics | Multichapter Fics | Osomatsu Fics |

Entire Series

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He thinks about what he’s learnt and who taught the lessons while lying next to someone he does not deserve. A series of emulated behaviors from those Osomatsu did not quite respect, but had no choice but to follow. The only examples of what it means to be an adult.

A cold beer after a long day that turns into a case, the cigarette smoke that lingers with it’s absence being noticeable, being taught how to gamble in parlors, betting on the horses. A series of bad choices that Osomatsu proudly wears like the very same heart on his sleeve. He has to be honest; please look at the very worst Osomatsu has to offer. This is all he knows, it’s all he’s been taught and he’s much too scared to learn anything new.

The idea of someone openly looking past that is an unrealistic fantasy and Osomatsu is not ready to face that head on. He feels much more secure in self destruction and harming any opportunities for himself because Osomatsu knows he will inadvertently fuck it up anyways. Why hope for better when he already knows the outcome?

Even if anyone looks past his defensive poison and sees him disgustingly bare, even if they love him holy and whole...they will leave him. Osomatsu is unfit for a romantic relationship considering his parents being his only role models for love. Two people who can barely stand each other; tethered together out of duty and obligation.

Twisting, bending, breaking, reattachment, detachment, disillusionment.

Cyclical in every turn from honeymoon to scream matches. The instability of his life isn’t something Osomatsu would like to share with anyone who was not forced by fate into it as well. Only his brothers would understand, after all they were all once the same cell split six times over. Isn’t it funny the importance of birth order is when Osomatsu is his brothers and his brothers are him?

The first out of a set when their life experiences are mere moments of difference. Why is Osomatsu the leader, why is he responsible for this children’s crusade? Where were their parents? Shouldn’t there have been just one person to lend actual guidance for what it meant to be an adult?

School, college, part time work, then salaried work. Spend all of his time checking off boxes, spend all his money on things of importance, spend all of his life doing as he’s supposed to in order to be a productive member of society. Be a good child, be a good older brother.

When will he fuck this up?

Osomatsu has no frame of reference of what it means to be in love; actually in love. Can he say that he is loved by his family or simply tolerated? Is it okay to only be tolerated, why does it feel safer than affection? Insults comfort more than a compliment and being told, “You’re a piece of shit, Osomatsu.” blankets him like a hug too tight.

Is it better to be loved or hated? Is it better to change himself with the acceptance of rejection or to stay suffocated and stagnate. Is it better to be comforted or slapped? Is it better to be kissed or kicked?

To laugh with others comfortably or to be laughed at with derision? Is it better to be with people who care about the disgusting child inside of Osomatsu or is it better to be with people who tell that child to stop crying because he’s the eldest?

It’s easier.

It’s easier to be used to breathing with half full lungs than taking in a full gulp of air. The burn and transition is too much, Osomatsu thinks as the silhouette of another body sleeps peacefully.

You shift in the dark and mutter something about it being too hot in the bedroom. It’s summer and this is his first time he’s ever spent the night here; the familiarity of it already is overwhelming. “Turn on the fan, Osomatsu-kun.” You tell him with a dry and thick voice.

Is it okay to be happy? Does he deserve it? What did he do if not? How can he change?

When Osomatsu tries to get up you reach for his hand and tug. “Kiss first.” So he does with far away eyes and a smile that contains so much affection and insecurity. You don’t notice in your barely conscious state and are back to dreamland when the fan begins its whirling. Osomatsu slips back into the sheets where you welcome him into your arms. Even in your sleep you seek him out.

He needs to change, he desperately wants to be better. To get along better with his brothers and to be a proper adult. He wants to conquer his fear of the unknown because being fed a steady diet of cyanide isn’t healthy even if it comes from ripen cherries from his mother’s bowl.

With an embrace Osomatsu tangles his legs with your own and tucks his head to your chest and listens to your heartbeat.

Osomatsu wants to grow up.