#I'm not expecting anyone to actually be interested enough to do either of those things but you never know

[phantom-of-the-501st]

And we're back!

Initial thoughts on TBB S3 Eps 1-3

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT

3x1 Confined

Final season premiere let's go!!!

Storms are never a good sign

There's creepy shit on Tantiss (crocodile thing from the trailer maybe?)

Although Hemlock counts as creepy enough

He's the creepiest thing on the whole planet 😬

Tbf there's a stunning view, it's just a shame about the prison window blocking it

CROSS IS BACK!!!

Omega blood sample? That's gotta come back later in the season!

Are these blood samples labelled? How tf does anyone know which is which??? That's just bad lab practice 🙄

Oh the weird machine knows. Nvm

"Replicate the genetic M count" and they want Omega's blood???

Nala Se is protecting Megs. Slenderbitch may actually be of some use

Force senstive Megs?

This feels like this is linking with the cloning plot in The Mandalorian

The animal welfare standards here are abysmal 😠

BATCHER?! Oh that's adorable 😍

And I thought Omegas's room was bad holy shit 😭

The grid across Cross' room is casting a crosshair on Omega's face. I love little details like that

21 tallies on wall = 21 rotations? That doesn't seem like very long

STRAW LULA?! 😭❤️

Why are there blood drips going into each sample? This seems like a contamination issue

At least 150 tallies now 😭

Subject will be terminated if they don't heal. Feels very much like the clones when they were on Kamino, which just shows how much the clones were treated like animals

"I belong here" *sobs*

Cross don't make me cry istg. I can't do this at 8am on a Wednesday 😭

Okay but the droid kind of had a point about Batcher struggling in the wild because of Omega domesticating her. One thing you learn about working in a zoo environment is that hand-reared animals have no idea how to behave like their wild counterparts and basically turn into little psychos (like you can't actually be in the same room as some of them levels of bad). That or they rely on people too much and have no idea how to fend for themselves. Either way, the droid wasn't entirely wrong

Hemlock is a bastard 😒

Omega's theme!!!

Season premiere and only two Batcher (neither of whom are Hunt or Wreck). Interesting!

1x2 Paths Unknown

Fucking Roland Durand?!

Did not expect that in episode 2 omg!

Hunter and Wrecker being mercenaries for the Durands?

Ah okay it seems to be a one off

THE GOGGLES IN THE SHIP! 😭😭😭😭

Hunt and Wreck be looking a bit scuffed

Echo and Rex mention!

They won't be available for 2 rotations? Well we're not seeing them this episode then...

Hunter's emotions are making him impulsive and that's not really a good thing

Wrecker is actually the one holding back, which is an interesting dynamic. Wrecker can see how bad Hunter is coping and is probably having to keep him in line as much as he can so that they don't lose another brother

CLONE CADETS! CLONE CADETS!

These ones actually have New Zealand accents as well

The slither vines were genetically made and got out of hand? This is what we mean by invasive species, people. Very much not good

Okay so we have one called Box and one called Stak

Are the cadets not affected by the chips? Do they only active in fully trained soldiers?

We need to get these kids to Echo and Rex

GONKY BACKPACK!!! 😆

Poor Gonky is stuck upside down.

These vines are making vocalisations somehow and it's confusing me. Plant voice boxes?

OKAY WTF ARE THOSE THINGS???

They look like weird green versions of the slogs from Abe's Oddysee

Why are you breaking into the Marauder???

You better not be stealing it. That's already happened and we can't do it again

Okay clone cadet 3 is Deke

Ayyyy rescue time!

Okay, I'll let them off for getting on the ship

Because we totally needed a swampy sarlacc thing rn 😭

PABU!!!

*Remembers invasion of Pabu in trailer* FUCK

1x3 Shadows of Tantiss

I'm going to throw hands if Echo isn't in this episode 😤

Ooh mystery clone(?) who everyone thinks is Tech!

Nala Se is helping again 👀

The special guest is probs Palpatine

Le Palps is back

Project Necromancer - bringing back the dead?

So is this to do with the cloning stuff or something to do with Tech?

Probs the cloning thing tbf

*Angry mouse droid squeaks*

FUCK YEAH CROSS!

Missed watching this guy fight

Cross and Omega team up let's go!!!

Cross doesn't question why Omega only mentioned Wrecker and Hunter. Has Omega told him about Tech or did he just not question why she only brought two up?

And in that case has she told him that Echo is with Rex?

I HAVE QUESTIONS!

Cross went for the stun not the kill. Very different from 2x3

Do you think Hemlock has a scar or does he just choose to shave a slit in his eyebrow? 🤨

Oh great a big green monkey cat. Just what we need!

"Of course he did". CROSSHAIR BEING SOFT ABOUT TECH HELP

Cross is missing shots because of his shaky hands :(

OMEGA M COUNT???

Oooooooh they're adding blood with midichlorians in to the samples to see if they would take. That explains the blood being added to the samples

Overall I love these episodes! It's nice going back and forth between Cross and Omega, and Hunter and Wrecker. We're going to get some interesting dynamics

This is a very sad day for Echo stans though. I feel like we're going to be suffering a lot this season 🥲

And here's the bingo card as of rn!

[robininthelabyrinth]

I messed up my prompt, I left some out so I’m going to awkwardly regroup it.

Au where Wen Zhuiliu is Meng yao’s dad instead of JG. Meng Yao is raised in the wen sect, as his son also the idea of the golden-core-snatcher thing being hereditary or not would be fun to explore. It’s be the ultimate dagger-up-the-sleeve move. Meng Yao joins Wen Qing and Ning to study at the Lans sect.

ao3

"Question," Lao Nie said, and Wen Ruohan tried not to groan - the other man had a tone that suggested trouble. "Do you remember that time in Yunping when that Jin bastard was so drunk that he couldn't find the brothel stairs?"

"Why do you care?" Wen Ruohan grumbled. He just wanted to sleep - Lao Nie was one of those irritating people that got more energy after sex rather than falling asleep like any normal man. Freak. A freak who wouldn’t stop poking him, and not with anything fun, either. "Fine, fine, yes, I remember. What about it?"

"Didn't you order that new retainer of yours to go upstairs and fuck that prostitute for him? Saying something like 'it's a waste not to get the value even if he can't'?" 

That sounded suspiciously like the sort of spiteful mean-hearted joke Wen Ruohan might make while drunk, yes. 

"What about it?" he asked.

"She got pregnant."

Wen Ruohan blinked.

"Now, she's saying it's Guangshan's, of course,” Lao Nie said. “They all do when they don’t realize how much of a miser he really is under all that gold. But if there's a chance...it was that Zhao Zhuliu fellow, wasn't it? The one with the core-melting hand?"

"Wen Zhuliu," Wen Ruohan corrected. "And yes. I think he was too new to realize I wasn’t actually serious...hm. You think the child may have inherited his talent?"

"Why not? Especially if you start teaching him early..."

What an interesting proposition.

"So…” Lao Nie scooted closer. Somehow. There was not enough room on this bed. “Can I have this one?"

"What? Absolutely not."

"But you already have the father!"

"And that means the son is mine as well. Get lost!"

"But -"

"Keep your grubby hands to yourself,” Wen Ruohan scowled. “All good things belong to me, least of all talents that I've put in time and effort to raise."

"Spoilsport,” Lao Nie said, though he didn’t look especially put out by the refusal. “Anyway, what if I were to put my 'grubby hands' here..."

“Get lost!”

-

"Sect Leader."

"Get lost," Wen Ruohan growled, not even bothering to turn to look at whoever it was that had entered. When he didn't hear the pitter-patter of fleeing feet, he added: "Or else I'm going to kill you."

It wasn’t a threat. It was a statement of fact, and a sincerely meant warning.

Wen Ruohan might have a temper and be inclined towards sadism, but he valued talent. Anyone with access to his study was a talent he had cultivated with great effort, and it would be such a pain to undo all of that by murdering them himself. 

Which was not to say he wouldn't, if his mood were bad enough, just that he'd make the effort to warn them away first. If they still didn't listen, that was their problem, and presumably a sign that they didn't really have as much talent or brains as he'd initially thought.

"Sect Leader, I have some news for you."

Wen Ruohan restrained the urge to throw something - did he seem like he was in the mood to receive news, either positive or negative? - but only because the longer speech had revealed the identity of the servant that had intruded: it was little A-Yao, Wen Zhuliu's boy.

He was being uncharacteristically stupid in stubbornly insisting on approaching Wen Ruohan now, which was most unlike his usually gentle and cautious character, but he was also ten years old - some stupidity was to be expected. Didn't adolescence start around then or something....? Or whatever it was that rotted teenage boys’ brains the way it obviously had his sons’? 

Wen Ruohan pinched his brow and exhaled hard, struggling to manage his temper. He had not yet descended to the level of squabbling with children.

"What," he forced out through gritted teeth, "is it?"

"Nie-gongzi wrote that he'd like to come visit," Wen Yao said, which was both exactly the type of "news" a child might be expected to think was earth-shatteringly important and which made Wen Ruohan nearly see red at how stupidly inane it was - and all the more because it included that accursed surname Nie. "He says his father is being intolerable."

Well, Wen Ruohan could scarcely argue with that.

After all, wasn't that why he himself was so angry at this precise moment? Lao Nie's cavalier behavior, his indifference, his disdain...

Wen Ruohan frowned, suddenly distracted from his anger. 

"Did you say Nie Mingjue was complaining?" he asked. "Nie-gongzi, not Nie-er-gongzi? Not Nie Huaisang, the littler one?"

Nie Huaisang complained about everything, being six, but loud with it. But Nie Mingjue?

Nie Mingjue was fourteen and fundamentally a good boy, with none of the typical self-absorption and moodiness of adolescence. For him to complain about another person, least of all his father, and to someone in another sect, no less, even if that someone was just a friend he'd made during his father's visits to the Nightless City or Wen Ruohan’s own to the Unclean Realm...that was out of character.

That was practically a cry for help, really. It suggested something might be genuinely wrong.

Something wrong with the Nie sect leader –

Wen Ruohan’s anger, entirely caused by the particularly aggravating behavior of Lao Nie, abruptly cooled so fast that it felt as though his entire body had fallen into an icy river.

After all, who didn't know about the Nie sect's famous inclination towards qi deviations...?

"Yes, sect leader," Wen Yao said, blinking up at him. "The older Nie-gongzi. He seemed very distressed. Should I write him back and ask about particulars?"

"No need," Wen Ruohan said, making a snap decision. "I'm going to go pay a personal visit to the Unclean Realm right now. I'll settle the details myself when I get there."

He swept out the door, tossing a "Get someone to clean this mess up, will you?" over his shoulder as he did.

-

It turned out the letter from Nie Mingjue was a fabrication, but after patching things up with Lao Nie, Wen Ruohan was in a good enough mood to forgive Wen Yao for his little schemes.

-

"How attached are you to Wen Yao?"

Wen Ruohan blinked, then stared incredulously at Lan Qiren, who was probably the last person he'd expect to try to poach talent away from him. It was Lan Qiren, after all, boring old-before-his-time teacher that he was.

Lan Qiren grimaced at him, which was an unusual posture with which to start such negotiations. Normally someone trying to steal someone away, much less someone actually surnamed Wen, servant or not, would put on a flattering expression and try to butter him up first. Lan Qiren’s disgruntled expression was completely out of place. After all, people didn't try to steal other people's servants involuntarily...

Unless.

"Wait, you're saying Mingjue's little scheme worked?" he blurted out, and Lan Qiren’s scowl worsened. "It did? Absurd. I don't believe it."

Nie Mingjue had only been talking for the last two or three years about how he had to introduce his two good friends, Wen Yao and Lan Xichen, and how well he was sure they would get along. Up until now, Wen Yao had been politely putting him off, mostly because of some ridiculous self-image issues - so what if he was a servant's son or born of a prostitute, he had the Wen surname, and that alone made him nobler by far than any of the smaller sect's true-born children, perfectly capable of speaking on equal terms with the heir of a different Great Sect, and really, Wen Ruohan needed to encourage the boy to pick up more of the arrogance that was now his right - but with Wen Ruohan sending him, Wen Chao and Wen Ning to the Cloud Recesses for lessons with Lan Qiren as a favor to Lao Nie, he presumably wouldn't have been able to avoid meeting Lan Xichen any longer.

Apparently, it had gone even better than Nie Mingjue had predicted, if Lan Qiren was already here to feel Wen Ruohan out about a potential marriage agreement.

Unless that had been what Nie Mingjue meant all along - Wen Ruohan wouldn't put it past Lao Nie's son.

He wouldn’t put anything past that family of rascals.

"Believe it or not, as you wish, but that doesn't change the reality of it," Lan Qiren said, sounding grumpy, and for the first time Wen Ruohan realized that the other man - who he normally avoided out of residual dislike of teachers, and perhaps some jealousy of Lao Nie having friends other than him - was completely unafraid of him. How interesting. "I assume you'll want to extract everything you can over this and naturally you have me over a barrel, so I thought it better to finish it quickly so that you wouldn't have time to think of any more outrageous demands."

How delightfully blunt. Had Wen Ruohan missed something here, seeing Lan Qiren only in his role as acting sect leader? He'd assumed that the overly-cautious pedant was all there was to the man, Lao Nie's unfathomable appreciation for him aside, but perhaps Lan Qiren was one of those rare people who was genuinely different in a different milieu. 

Perhaps Lao Nie might even be right about him, which, knowing that man's proclivities, would mean that this seemingly innocuous man was actually dangerous in some fashion. 

Interesting indeed.

"What's the rush?" Wen Ruohan asked, and suppressed a grin at Lan Qiren’s audible huff of exasperation. "This is their life we're talking about, after all. We should treat it seriously."

It was said that Lan loved only once in a lifetime, and irrevocably - if that were true, Wen Ruohan really did Lan Qiren over a barrel, as the other man had so forthrightly admitted. Given Lan Qiren’s obvious adoration of his nephews and Lan Xichen's role as sect heir, even sect leader presumptive given his father's seclusion, Wen Ruohan was in a position to make considerable demands.

Studying the man in front of him with curiosity, he wondered idly if he could even go so far as to obtain a person of the previous generation. A teacher renowned throughout the cultivation world had to have considerable talent, and, well, Wen Ruohan had always appreciated talent...

[earthtokhal]

At this point, either confirm it or stfu. This constant merry go around is annoying.

Daniel has not yet reached Yuki in points, but he has been picking up his performances and becoming more consistent.

People who want him gone fail to understand that everyone besides Marko is calling it a sister team, NOT a junior team. Marko himself has called it a sister team before. The whole rebrand was to make sure the team was able to stand on its own and get results, and now suddenly, the same shareholders want it to be a junior team?

To me, it sounds like a not so subtle way to remind the shareholders that Christian brought Daniel back as a potential replacement for Sergio and now that it didn't happen, Marko should have his say again but at this point it just looks silly, they've already told us why they re-signed him.

In addition to that, we've had countless confirmation that Daniel has been driving the technical side. He is the one giving feedback. Yes, the last upgrade didn't work as well in terms of results, but it was a whole new car, and we were able to overtake AND not completely botch the start. Both of which were difficult to do previously. And Yuki felt comfortable enough during quali that he said "that was a good lap" only to be told that he didn't make it. I genuinely feel like they will figure it out soon regarding the new upgrade. People don't want Daniel, but they still want the car he helped improve.

As for Joe, let's not forget that according to him, Daniel was supposed to be replaced in Miami, Alonso was supposed to have signed with Red Bull and a big announcement was supposed to be released last week. All this on top of his whole Logan/Kimi thing. He gets things right, but they are few and far between.

Whether he heard about the tyre test that Liam is doing in July and decided to put two and two together after Markos article and get 5 instead of 4, is beyond me .

Liam's result last year came after dnf's, but at the same time, he was able to keep it clean and drive a faultless race. His results look so great because, in reality, there was nothing to compare it to, Yuki suffered from some dismal luck.

Daniel isn't taking up Liam's seat. That seat was always Daniel's. Liam didn't "replace" him last year, Liam stood in for him. We must remember that on three occasions, they had the opportunity to put Liam in that seat, instead they chose Nyck, Daniel and then Daniel again.

Liam deserves a seat. As do Jack, Theo, Ollie... but expecting that seat to be made free by Daniel is unfair. There are multiple drivers there with fewer points than him and yes, one can argue that Daniel is almost half down in points than his team mate but then anyone who actually pays attention to Daniel's weekends can tell you how much of those results were not Daniel's fault.

On a weekend, when things align, even with a penalty for something that wasn't his fault and even with narrowly dodging the flying Williams and Ferrari, he will get points. In his short time there, he has already earned their highest quali and results twice.

It is also not surprising that Marko ran to the media a day after the news about Liam and Audi made its way around. Yuki's announcement was half assed too, less than an hour before quali just after news got out that other teams were interested.

On many occasions, we've been told that the management would look at driver options in the summer break.

It is also wise to note that Daniel is currently in a visa ad that will probably run for a while, I don't think it would be wise to replace the driver who brought in visa and is currently in the ad campaign by end of July.

Also, "sacking" Daniel for performance while, at the same time, rewarding someone who prior to the Spanish gp earned the same points as him in a superior car is laughable.

At the end of the day, Daniel and the team aren't only saying they're working together. We can see it. I'm annoyed that this is the weekend he is going to get all these annoying questions, but he has handled it well before.

Whatever happens, he won't go down easily.

Not without a fight.

[buggiewhump]

I have a headcanon request? What do you think Bullfrog’s love languages are? Would love to see what you have in store

Hey, thank you for the request! I wasn't expecting this but I'm absolutely delighted to answer! C: ❤️

WARNING: brief spoilers ahead.

HEADCANON REQUEST | Bullfrog's Love Languages

When it comes to the typical five love languages, funnily enough I actually have a difficult time seeing which ones Bullfrog wouldn't do. The ones that stand out to me in particular, however, are words of affirmation, physical touch, and acts of service!

Words of Affirmation -

☆ One of the few things we currently know about Bullfrog is his way for words, and he knows how to use those words well.

☆ This is one of the love languages of Bullfrog's that is incredibly prevalent in the show, as he's always the voice of reason, encouragement, and kindness even when it isn't necessarily deserved. Hell, when Dolph showed no interest in developing a friendship with him or the other ghosts, Bullfrog continued to support him. Yet after all of that, he still felt the need to apologize to Dolph for not doing more for them when he believed he could've.

☆ As a slight continuation, Bullfrog is always calling the others little nicknames, especially "friend", "mon ami", "my lady", etc. While these are more platonic, I can absolutely see him giving his partner(s) sweet nicknames in a romantic sense too.

Physical Touch -

☆ Bullfrog's verbal intimacy will inevitably go hand-in-hand with his physical intimacy, as he not only loves receiving physical affection but loves giving it too. His love knows no bounds either, and Bullfrog is always showing small gestures of affection whether it be platonically or romantically.

☆ I believe this being one of Bullfrog's love languages stems from a "I'm going to love and hold you like I'm going to lose you" mentality. He has a strong will to cherish those around him even if they don't necessarily appreciate him the same way, and being no stranger to death, he wishes to stay close to those around him while they're still around.

☆ Holding their hand, hugging for no reason, soft touches of consolation, butterfly kisses... the list could go on. His method of showing physical affection is highly dependent on the person he's with, but these are just a few of his favorites.

☆ The physical affection completely ramps up during colder months. Due to him being susceptible to the cold, anyone who's naturally warm-blooded will inevitably become his cuddle buddy for the season. There's something therapeutic about being held close against someone after a long day out in the cold; it certainly helps to bring some life back into him, at the very least.

Acts of Service -

☆ Even in the show itself, Bullfrog has shown his love for helping out others in a time of need. You could argue it's his entire occupation given his association to the creed, but I could absolutely see him doing acts of service in even the most mundane ways.

☆ Despite me saying that Bullfrog has a knack for words, I can also see him being the type of man who wholeheartedly believes that actions speak louder.

☆ As a continuation, some services he finds himself enjoying the most is cooking/foraging, dressing wounds and injuries, administering massages, or even something as simple as washing clothes or brushing someone's hair. He's always ready and willing to help out his loved ones whenever they need it, no matter how simple it may be.

[tsunflowers]

list of which precures I think are lesbians

nagisa: we see her suffering from terrible comphet. one day she will see herself as bi honoka: lesbian hikari: I don't know her :(

saki: doesn't know she's bi yet. probably will swing more towards girls once she figures out mai: lesbian michiru: I think she would go on a date with a boy to gather intel and feel nothing but if she went on a date with a girl she would feel something kaoru: I can't imagine her crushing on anyone but maybe that'll change

I feel like I still don't know the yespre girls well enough but I do think karen and milk are both lesbians

love: bi but completely oblivious to romantic overtures from any gender miki: I could see her dating another girl one time but she's mostly straight inori: ally setsuna: lesbian

tsubomi: probably bi or lesbian but the idea of romance in real life is still kinda scary erika: girl who calls her friends her girlfriends and it makes tsubomi uncomfortable for reasons she doesn't understand yet itsuki: bi but around the end of the series and immediately after she'll explore her interest in boys more bc she never thought she could express that before yuri: lesbian

hibiki: lesbian bc if she dated a boy she'd be letting us girls down kanade: bi ellen: I just can't imagine ellen having a crush on anyone bc it's been so long since I watched the show ako: still too young to be interested and also the examples of romance she's seen are hibikana and whatever her parents have going on so she's sort of down on the whole concept

miyuki: well her crush is peter pan. I think she's not interested in romance in real life. maybe she will be someday, maybe not akane: I remember shipping her with nao but somehow it's funny to me to say she's straight. she did have a crush on brian yayoi: like miyuki she's more interested in fictional romance. if she dated someone she would expect it to be like in anime nao: bi. she's like makoto sailor jupiter where she thinks boys dont like her bc she's too tall so she has to date girls reika: lesbian

mana: canonically straight rikka: canonically into mana. lesbian alice: I think she's still working on developing her own self-image outside the expectations of her family, who would certainly want her to marry a man makopi: disease where instead of brain you have princess marie-ange. lesbian aguri: still at the age where she thinks romance is something that happens in a movie where a prince rides in on a white horse

megumi, hime, yuuko, iona: bi

haruka: lesbian minami: lesbian kirara: bi towa: bi

mirai and riko: lesbian kotoha: I don't see her ever being interested in romance due to her whole thing

ichika: bi himari, aoi, yukari, akira, ciel: lesbian ciel flirts with guys but it's like when a gay man jokingly flirts with a woman. no real interest

hana: I don't have a strong feeling for her. wait she was into homare that one time. bi saaya: I don't have a strong feeling for her either homare: I think homare's straight actually emiru: lesbian lulu: no interest in boys, ever. lesbian

hikaru, lala, elena, madoka, yuni: lesbian I don't know if they have lesbians on lala's planet though

nodoka: I think for most of her life she was like "romance is something that happens to other people" so she hasn't spent time figuring it out yet chiyu: bi hinata: bi asumi: doesn't have those feelings which is good bc can you imagine asumi trying to date

manatsu, sango, minori, asuka, laura: lesbian

yui: bi but oblivious, like love kokone: lesbian ran: bi amane: lesbian

sora: lesbian. replace every time she says hero with lesbian mashiro: she definitely thinks she likes boys but I'm not sure if she does tsubasa: his curse is that if he hangs out with anyone his own age ageha will keep elbowing him and raising her eyebrows and he has to be like "it's not like that!!" so he doesn't know what it is like yet ageha: I feel like she does kind of have straight girl who calls her friends girlfriend energy elle: I dont know what to say about elle due to her situation

komugi: lesbian in dog years iroha: I think bi but hasn't explored it at all bc she's told herself it's not important yuki: lesbian cat mayu: lesbian human

[thenightfolknetwork]

Back when I was in school, I thought it'd be great fun to create an urban legend or local cryptid. I got some friends together, managed up some costumes, snuck out at night, wandered around looking creepy. And it was; great fun, that is. Sure we were all tired the next day whenever we did that, had weird scrapes and bruises from stumbling around in the dark, and at most we ever heard someone mention that they thought they saw "an animal" out where we were lurking; but we were out with friends, doing something we probably weren't supposed to do, we were young, it was wonderful.

We grew up, as tends to happen. We found more interesting things to do late at night. A bunch of us moved away, including myself. Gradually, we mostly lost touch with each other. I mean I could probably still contact all of them if I really needed to, it would just be awkward. I never mentioned those "adventures" to anyone, because as I got older, it just seemed more and more embarrassing, plus -- as I came to realize -- INCREDIBLY insensitive to the creature community. For the last few years, I've been trying to forget all about it.

Until recently. I was chatting with my mother on the phone, and she mentioned that in the past few weeks, there have been Sightings in the area. She'd never shared it before now, because it was just some minor local gossip, except she'd seen it herself the day before; just a glimpse, but what she described, it matched how we'd dressed up, how we'd moved, even the places we'd done "appearances" in.

My first rational thought was that maybe she'd known the whole time -- as a kid, you're a lot worse at being sneaky than you think you are -- and this was just a very time-delayed prank on me. But I looked into it, and it's not just her telling this to me; I won't bore you with the details, but if this is her prank on me, it's better planned and coordinated than most military operations.

There's three explanations I can think of. The first is that one of my friends has decided to start it up again, after all these years, for whatever reason; or they'd shared it with someone who decided to do the same. On the face of it, this would be easy to check, but that's not taking into account the crippling awkwardness that doing so would entail, plus I know for a fact that the person who'd be my best suspect for doing this, doesn't live within easy travel of the place any more. There's other reasons that make this option seem unlikely to me, but they involve personal details I'm not going to share.

The other possible explanations I can think of, are more up your alley. That either somehow a bunch of dumb kids managed to close-enough replicate what an actual being, that actually exists, is like, and now one of them is there, maybe as a coincidence, or maybe to find the "other one" (which never actually existed, because it was just us). Or that somehow, that same bunch of dumb kids managed to accidentally CREATE a being. To put it in the silliest possible way that my brain keeps repeating on endless loop, accidental catfishing or accidental parenthood.

Should I look into this further? Do I need to swallow the awkwardness and talk to the others? Come clean in public with what we'd done? (I don't think any of it was technically illegal, plus we were children at the time, but it would still be even more awkward than my current benchmark for 'extremely awkward'.) Is it none of my business? Should I start actively hiding any involvement? I go back there about once a year, to visit my parents, and it's a few months still before I'd be expected, so I have time, but I'd need to have a plan in place first.

First of all, reader, I'm glad to hear you have since come to understand how incredibly inappropriate and insensitive your actions were when you were a teenager. I hope young sapios today are a little better educated on the matter of treating liminal cultures and identities with respect, but I confess, it is not a particularly robust hope.

I hear your concerns that you and your friends may have participated in some kind of accidental manifestation. I think I can put those fears to bed. Bringing forth an entity through the power of imagination alone is an astonishingly difficult feat, and one which requires a great deal of concentration, dedication and, frankly, natural magical talent. It would be unusual to the point of near impossibility for a group of teenage pranksters to stumble their way through such a working without knowing it, and even more unlikely that the effects of that working should remain hidden for so long.

I think it equally unlikely that you somehow happened upon an accurate representation of an existing, but as yet unknown, genus. The creature community is vast and varied, and the chances of you managing to cobble together anything like an accurate representation of a genus you've never seen before seems highly unlikely.

However, there is always the possibility of… let us call it “suggestion”. When you think back to that period, is there anything you can remember that motivated you to design the costume as you did? If you can trace your inspiration directly to, say, a particular book or a certain film, then we can set this aside as a possibility.

But if at any point you felt your decisions were driven by something less tangible – if it felt as if “inspiration” had struck, and you moved by shared instinct, all seeming to strive for the same end without communicating that end to one another – then we might start to consider the possibility of external influence.

This could also explain why these sightings have started again. Rather than being a living creature suddenly coming out of hiding, this sudden apparition seems more likely to be another group of young sapios, subject to the same external influence as you and your friends were all those years ago, compelled to don the same costumes and cavort in the same places.

Quite why anyone or anything would be exerting psychic/phasmic influence to this end, I can't guess. There doesn't seem to be any harm in it, apart from inducing sapio teens into insensitive behaviour – and let's be honest, it's even odds they would have done that anyway. And in any case, I think this explanation falls firmly in the “none of your business” side of things.

I say, draw a line under the affair, and move on. Someone in your town may be playing silly buggers, but as an erstwhile silly bugger yourself, I'm sure you can allow them their bit of fun.

[For more creaturely advice, check out Monstrous Agonies on your podcast platform of choice, or visit monstrousproductions.org for more info]

[frankenjoly]

hi hello may i interest you in some misc ships both rare and not <3

"i want her back" + higumitch

"none of us go on forever." + fukufuku

"what? sorry, i'm a bit tired." + mushiango

"we can beg for forgiveness later" + lemon futon

*cracks knuckes*

higumitch + “i want her back”

“Gin!!!” Higuchi called out, running towards them so fast she basically collided against her friend when finally getting there. In fact, if Gin wasn’t strong enough to counter such a speed with ease, the two would have ended up on the floor. “I need your help, please! It’s… an emergency.”

Gin let go of her and took a step back so there was enough space to motion, then signed a simple ‘Context? Please.’

“Okay… I’ve just met a very pretty girl, and I’ve also totally made a fool of myself and…” She let out a deep, embarrassed sigh. “I stumbled so badly. Then I panicked and fled, and almost tripped with my own feet too and… fuck. Bet she thinks I’m a complete idiot.”

‘No. Doubt it.’ Gin replied, stretching a hand to readjust one of the clips on Higuchi’s hair, and before she could ask how anyone could be that sure, the answer manifested in the most literal sense.

Margaret was approaching them.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” She said when arriving, a polite smile on her face. Gin instantly shook his head, which wasn’t much of a save but didn’t count as throwing Higuchi under the bus either (as if her friend would actually do that, but well, she was nervous). When she mirrored the gesture, Margaret continued. “Then I want her back.”

“O-oh! Of course, yes.”

Said and done: tapping her shoulder in encouragement, Gin quickly took her leave.

lemon futon + “we can beg for forgiveness later”

“And if something goes wrong and we get caught?” Katai asked, already dreading the answer he might get.

“Ah, don’t worry! We can beg for forgiveness later.” And… there it was; just as he was expecting, Kajii didn’t exactly reassure him. In fact, he was so nervous he might be about to puke at any moment. Still, he didn’t let go of Kajii’s hand and let him guide them both to the place. “Have you never ever risked getting into trouble just ‘cause the thing you were gonna do was fun?”

“Uh… no, not really.” Growing up, Doppo had been his only actual friend, and the only one of the two who ever got into trouble as well even if it was about defending certain causes and not looking for fun per se.

“Oh! In that case, will you let me show you, my dear Katai?” Instead of seeming upset in any capacity, there was a glimmer in his eyes hinting at how the possibility appealed to him greatly. He even stopped for a second, now taking both of Katai’s hands and smiling from ear to ear. It didn’t take a genius to notice the silent plea that accompanied the gesture, nor could he resist it.

“I--” A smile tugged at Katai’s lips. “Alright, I will.”

fukufuku + “none of us go on forever”

“None of us go on forever, I know.” Fukuzawa said, after only a brief moment in silence; it felt like, if he left anything unsaid, it would be like that permanently. And given how they had to return from the book’s space eventually, the feeling was rooted in something very real. “But I wish things had been different.”

“Me too, Yuki. Me too.” Gen’ichirô replied, and something stirred inside his chest at the sound of those words.

‘Yuki’ was a remnant of way simpler times, where they could be just kids and their first separation was still so far ahead none of them could have predicted. And getting called like that, now they were heading for their last…

Without even thinking about it, he held out his hand to the side, and shortly after their fingers were entwined. They way it had happened many years ago, as Gen’ichirô led him towards his latest discovery (a new bakery, a stray cat, the train they shouldn’t miss). The way it had also been when they became a couple.

“I wish we’d had more time, too.” Was the last thing Fukuzawa heard before the moment was broken.

mushiango + “what? sorry, i’m a bit tired”

“What?” Ango said, finally moving his eyes away from the documents he had been… glancing at, saying he was paying attention at that point would have been quite the overstatement, and Mushitarô knew it. “Sorry, I’m a bit tired.”

“I figured when you didn’t answer the first three times.” He answered, scrunching his nose a little before letting out a simple sigh.

“Sorry, really. I thought I could get this done before heading out and now it’s been… how much time has it been?” As he finished speaking, Ango moved to reach for his phone and check the hour. But instead of letting him proceed, Mushitarô basically shoved the screen of his own towards Ango’s face. And, upon reading the clock’s numbers, his eyes went wide. “Holy shit…”

“Yeah. Anyway, you’re going home.” Mushitarô turned the phone screen back so he could face it again, and started looking some things up. “And I’m going to cancel the reservation for tonight’s restaurant.”

“What? Wait!” Ango grabbed his wrist, pleading, but he didn’t yield.

“No. If you’re as exhausted as you look, there’s no way having dinner out is going to be as enjoyable as it could be. So you’re going home, I’m going with you, and we’re ordering takeout instead.” 

At what was very clearly the realization of how Mushitarô wasn’t calling their date off but rearranging the specifics, Ango visibly relaxed.

“... Oh. Alright.”

(Also on ao3.)

[slytherwrites]

I don't mean to be mean or rude but there were these people in my class who were wearing like REALLY revealing clothes and I've gotten an idea: How would yanderes Draco, poly yanderes Fred and George react to the reader who's usually an introvert suddenly wearing really revealing clothing since she wants to be noticed and doesn't want to be viewed as an introvert anymore? Tbh, this is actually what I'm thinking rn... it's like if I want to be noticed in my college these days, that's the step I'll have to take but I don't feel comfortable wearing such revealing clothes

i think this is my first non mha request across my two writing blogs and im esctatic!!! also, dont do things youre not comfortable with just for attention.

also im assuming that this is for two different sets, draco and the weasley twins, not all three of them (which would be an... interesting set up)

and anything mean or degrading i say does not represent my feeling on how people dress, just how i imagine these characters feeling, whilst being yanderes

and i made sure to make this as gender neutral as possible

Draco Malfoy - 6th Year (HBP)

He isn't a stranger to attractive girls trying to get his attention. His family is rich and powerful and with the state of the world at the moment, siding with a notoriously dark wizarding family isn't the worst thing in the world.

But you? He expected better.

You were dressed like one of those muggle harlots pureblood men would talk about. If their wives were frigid, they could always get someone of an inferior status for a short little while. Women like that were always impressed by riches and jewels.

But you? Nice, pureblood you? He couldn't believe it.

The Hogwarts uniform itself looked nice on you. You dressed respectable, nice even in your house color. But you ditched the cloak and hiked up your uniform to show skin. The hem at the bottoms were brought up and your button up shirt left with one too many buttons undone. Your tie was strung haphazardly across your neck, lining up against your collarbone.

It was sickening, pathetic, and dare he say, hot.

But, you weren't supposed to be like that. You were supposed to be better than that. And that causes Draco to intercept you.

He grabs your arm before you can even get to the Great Hall for breakfast, clenching your wrist until his knuckles turn white. He looks up, then down. Slowly taking everything in.

"I take it you don't like my outfit, Draco."

"You're getting bold."

"I guess."

"And, dare I ask why you're dressed like this?" He asks, "You're not a veela you know."

"Just..." You reply, "Wanted a change of wardrobe."

He lets go of you just long enough to wrap his own cloak around you.

"You shouldn't dress like that you know." He says, "And keep the cloak on. No one should see you in this state."

You look at him, taking it off before he puts his wand in your face.

"Put it on, or there will be consequences for your behavior."

"Okay Draco." You add, "Whatever."

You roll your eyes, taking the cloak. You can always just go change in between classes.

He lets you go before getting the last word in, "And if you want to dress that slutty again, stop by my dorm before doing so."

Weasley Twins - 6th Year (GOF)

It's the Yule Ball and the twins didn't officially bring anyone. Neither did you. But everyone in Gryffindor Tower knows not to touch what the twins want.

And what they want, is you.

It's been apparent ever since the three of you started Hogwarts together. The twins and their person, their third half. There was a sense of safety when it came from them. Nobody would mess with the one thing that some of the most mischievous students at Hogwarts desired.

And oh, did they desire you. They have wanted you ever since they rode the train with you, all those years ago. You were their third half, the born-away piece of their soul. The one person who knew either of them just with one look. Because you knew them for who each of them are, not for who they are. And that's what makes you special. It's what makes you one of them.

"Oh Georgie..." Fred comments, "Look what the cat dragged in."

George whistle, "Look what the cat came in with."

Damn, did their other partner clean up nice. Well, nice may not be te right word, but it certainly must be what you were feeling, because you never graced them with this amount of skin ever.

"I don't think I've ever felt so..."

"Lucky?"

"Aroused."

"Understandable, Freddie."

The encircled you, cutting off most people's view of you. And oh, was it a view. They need to take you to nicer places more often if this is how you'll dress for them. It's better than the muggle photos people smuggle in and even more so thatn the magical magazines in circulation. even if everything isn't showing, you've left nothing to the imagination.

Part of them wants to show you off, keep you pressed against them and ensnared in their arms. everyone could look and be envious of what they could have, but then people would try to take you away from them. And that's not an option, ever.

You aren't leaving their side, even if you want to. You can keep on dressing pretty and showing yourself off, but they're going to make it big. Their business will rise off the ground. And they'll be able to dress you up in the sluttiesst of dress robes all of the godamn time, if you left them take a peek at what's underneath afterwards, of course.

[bellaxgiornata]

Do you have any tips for people who really enjoy writing fanfiction but struggle to actually get themselves to write it? Like I love writing specific scenarios in my head (mainly because that’s what I really want to read but no one else has written that yet) but I struggle to actually just get the motivation to do it, so my ideas just stay in my brain as a “I want to write this” and then the interest dies off and it never gets written.

I completely understand this feeling so much. Before I started writing in the Daredevil fandom I often just daydreamed in-depth scenarios in my head. I usually wanted to write them into stories but then I just...never did it. Even though I have been writing different fanfics in different fandoms for a really long time, I more often than not just created up scenarios that lived in my head and then that was it because I never wrote them down. So nothing ever came of them and I was never able to share them with anyone. I could have written so many more things if I'd just sat down and tried.

(As always, I'm long winded so more below the cut 😅)

In all honesty when this happens, I think the best thing to do is just that. Just sit down in front of a blank document and free write whatever comes to you. Take the pressure off of yourself first and foremost, though--you don't have to share whatever comes out with anyone. Don't tell yourself that it has to be good, either. Have literally zero expectations for whatever ends up on the page. More often than not, that really helps the words start to flow. When you sit there and nitpick how you're starting a sentence or a scene or a word choice, that's when you start second guessing everything and that can often lead to thoughts like "I can't do this" or "no one will read this" or the classic "I suck at this" (which I still hear in my head some days). Ignore all that bullshit and just focus on whatever it is that's in your head--a conversation between some characters, maybe an entire scene you've had playing out in your mind, a fight scene, or whatever it is that you're currently excited about. Just sit down and try to get it out with no expectations. Because you can absolutely always come back to it and edit it up how you want after the fact and make it into a story or a one shot or whatever if you want, but the hardest part is just getting something out on a page.

But truthfully, the only way to write something is to make yourself sit down and do it. I don't know of any other tips to give besides that. Sure, you can make a playlist or a mood board for the vibe of a story or a character. You can make outlines of what you're seeing in your head that'll give you bullet points of what you picture happening. But really you just have to get excited enough about whatever it is that's on your mind and write it. And I think that's part of the beauty of writing fanfic when you do share it and people interact with it. The commentary and interaction from readers is what helps keep the excitement for a story alive for the writer, which then gives us that necessary motivation to keep coming back to work on a story. Because any writer will tell you that sitting down and getting the words out is hard. Some days it sucks and you have to slog through it to keep going, but that's just a part of the process. Over time it becomes a habit, though.

Hopefully any of that somewhat helped, but unfortunately there isn't some magic answer to make it easier to get started. Having other writers to talk to about your ideas really helps, too. Or just someone to talk with/at about whatever is on your mind. Breaking an entire fic idea into chunks chapter by chapter helps if you're making a big story, but just picking a starting point and writing it is your best bet. I actually first wrote the entirety of Marci and Fog's wedding for FFTD and then worked my way backwards afterwards to start that huge ass series. It all started with those two installments and the idea/scene in my head that I didn't get to until "The Breaking Point" far later. So you can absolutely just start with an idea and expand on it. But unfortunately, you kind of just have to force yourself to start somewhere 😅

[possamble]

do you think falin went on dates/potentially even hooked up with people periodically during those 4 years she and marcille were separated? i know you ascribe to has-been-pining-since-childhood falin (and tbh so do i), but i find it interesting that there were at least Two people interested in falin if we are to believe chilchuck's party relations chart. at the very least, she considered toshiro's proposal -- even if her intentions for doing so were rooted less in mutual interest and more in her fear of being alone -- and it makes me wonder if anyone else were to like... show interest in falin, what would the circumstances have to be for her to be an active participant/if she would've reciprocated if it was casual enough (because i can't see her getting into a serious relationship with anyone while she's still in love with marcille -- unless?)

i could see it going either way. girl who can't believe people could actually LIKE her that way because she struggles with liking herself (despite probably being the most beloved character in canon, though her ostracization in her hometown and the magic academy could explain why...... wait hold on i'M GETTING SIDETRACKED!!) vs. girl's first time being freed from an authority's expectations going a little wild at, well, a taste of freedom (plus a dose of delayed sexual awakening due to prior ostracization + "don't think of marcille like that don't think of marcille like that doN'T. DO NOT." double whammy)

idk idk idk! i find it SO interesting that she's so beloved in canon but is simultaneously very passive about it? i really love how a little creature explores what a more proactive falin could look like, and i'm super curious about your thoughts on what falin's love life would look like/if a love life would even exist decoupled from her newfound dragon instincts and marcille

honestly this is the one aspect im never sure about bc... i've seen other people establish that falin's gone and kissed or gotten involved with some of the other girls at the academy, or other adventurers. and i respect that! mostly bc it's a way of painting falin as more independent and mature than the canon material, and i can't knock that.

but i guess? idk. she was as clueless about shuro's feelings as laios was until he actually proposed to her. she also believed that she wouldn't get another proposal, so there's an element of her not realizing that she's particularly attractive. that, or she's... still somehow working by her hometown logic, which im assuming is the old "if you're not married by your teenage years you're considered a really bad marriage candidate for men" type thing, considering how much of a small town it was/the fact that she and laios already had marriages arranged from a young age.

an intensely auDHD woman, who has spent all of her independent life focusing on at least one person she was inseparably close to, not having had any romantic experience at the age of 23? that's very likely. personally i'd consider it more likely than the alternatives, but that's just my opinion lol

[general-cyno]

Sitting here thinking about Luffy's blind faith in Zoro. I can tell a thousand reasons why Zoro's devotion makes even more sense, I mean, it's not like Luffy doesn't spend every moment unintentionally proving that Zoro was right to trust him. But Luffy's faith? Is it entirely based on the strength of Zoro's spirit? And I find that amazing. Crazy. Insane. Because Luffy canonically has no interest in those who don't have dreams but the only thing Zoro had when Luffy met him was his own dream and the conviction to hold on to it? And that was what struck Luffy the most, even before he knew that Zoro was actually a good person? And that Zoro is, for Luffy, probably the definition of invincible. Because he never gives up on his dream, because his way of joining the Straw Hats or sacrificing himself is to never give up on his dream but to make other dreams (Luffy's dream) part of his? I-

sorry for the late-ish reply anon! and hmmm. it may sound like I'm arguing semantics here but I don't really think luffy's faith in zoro (or anyone, for that matter) is blind per se. huge? heartfelt? intense? yeah, just not necessarily blind. for all that he's very trusting and prone to falling for tricks/underhanded methods, luffy is usually a very good judge of character and if he ever extends his trust or faith to someone it's bc he's got a reason for it or simply believes in their potential. if they fail to meet his expectations, it's their loss, not luffy's. he can take care of himself, and even if he's in danger he relies on his crew to back him up.

now curiously enough I've seen the "it doesn't make sense" argument for both zoro and luffy wrt each other, also that their relationship isn't very reciprocal from luffy's side and it's not something I really agree with. while their relationship does rely on more subtlety than people would think at first glance, I'd argue that as early as zoro's recruitment into the crew we can see why luffy trusts and believes in him as much he does. it's not solely about strength (mental or physical) because as interested as he may have been in zoro's reputation, luffy himself said he'd only ask zoro to join him if he turned out to be a good guy. though zoro had a cool dream, luffy wasn't exactly happy about how dismissive he seemed to be about pirates at first. ultimately, what persuaded him was witnessing first hand that zoro's the kind of person who'd eat dirt if it meant repaying someone's kindness, that he places great value in honor and is a man of his word even if those around him (like helmeppo back then) don't give him the same courtesy or mock him behind his back.

a dreamer just like luffy, someone who stays true to what he promises, who protected luffy, called him captain, became his first crewmate and long lasting companion, regarded him as his friend right away, pledged his dream to luffy's etc etc, how could luffy not have faith in him? not to mention zoro proved to be on luffy's crazy wavelength (to the point he understands luffy's reasoning and motivations to do xy without having to voice them out loud) and that he's as much of a dork too, on top of all that. if luffy's demonstrated why he's earned zoro's trust with his actions, either towards zoro or in general, zoro's also shown why luffy's had plenty of reasons from the beginning to have that much faith in him in turn, and those have only fortified with time, sometimes without luffy being aware of it (ie thriller bark). I've also mentioned it before and this kind of applies to his overall relationship with each member of the crew, but luffy's belief in zoro's strength, dream and so on is a reflection of zoro's in him. it's one of the many reasons I don't really see their mutual respect/devotion/loyalty as blind in either case. I love that about these two so much! everything about their relationship is so intentional, built brick by brick, sprinkled all over the story and their characters. so good.

[genericpuff]

in reference to the have you read LO poll by god have I tried but god. God...

A vicious cycle. I go okay I really do need to plow through more of it if I'm gonna hang around the ULO reddit, and then I step on the comically placed rake. I can't do a complete skip thing bc I'll be too disorientated on where I'm at in the plot but my brain only tolerates it up until she declares she's missing her dick appointment and like, girl. Please. You committed mass murder (if not genocide) and this is a slap on the wrist considering, let alone that your moms got the worse end of the deal.

Why it's that specific moment idk but the bottom just drops out for me and it's soooo fucking stupid because like, she couldn't have just... bitched about being stuck with hard labor? That's the bitchy shit I'd sort of expect from a privileged nepo baby and even barring the twue wuv story going on it's her actual biggest issue going on right then. What she's presently living out. But yeah no, horny, we gotta establish that she's horny. Okay.

Sorry about the borderline vent over it there's just enough really interesting thoughts mixed up in the pile of flaming garbage to make one go rabid if they stew on it, and you clearly get that given the rewrite. Have a good day.

omg i've had that exact sort of thing happen with me before too tho, not in quite the exact same sense of like, "wanting to take part in a community but struggling to get through the source material it's based on", but there are like, so many webtoons and manga and stories I've tried to read - after being urged to by pals and people who read them - that I've dropped after multiple attempts of trying to read them. And they're not necessarily dumpster fires like LO (though some of them definitely aren't great) it's more like I'm sitting there wondering "when's this gonna get good? when's this gonna be worth all the hype?" Tower of God is the biggest one that comes to mind, I have tried to read that webtoon on SEVERAL occasions and I just can't justify trudging through all those early episodes for it to maybe "get good". And that's not even me saying it's bad, it's just not interesting to me in the slightest. No hate to anyone who likes ToG, I think I've also sorta drifted away from shonen over the years so that's definitely not helping, but I just can't be bothered to try and read that webtoon anymore, I've given it so many attempts and I'm doing lmao Kudos to the creator though because it's a LOT of work to make a webtoon of that length and they should be proud of that.

Back on the topic of LO though, yeah, I was following the comic when that episode was still brand new and it really made us all go 🤨 because of how out-of-pocket it was. And then like an episode (or two?) later she bullied a former classmate of hers from 10 years ago at his job. That was the precedent for Persephone's character that was set for the third season of LO and it's just gotten worse as it's gone on.

Either way, if I'm being honest, you're really not missing much by skipping over the majority of S3 (like, if you made it to the dick appointment episode before giving up then you're already pretty close to the current point in the story). Like I'm not gonna lie, you could easily skip up to the midseason cutoff point because everything leading up to that is just a bunch of nothing. Hades and Persephone get married and it's the most underwhelming scene ever despite it being the moment people had been waiting years for, also they 'adopt' Dionysus but he's barely in the comic except for when Rachel remembers he's a character so you could also get by on minimal details. Oh yeah, and it turns out Demeter had a kid during the 10 year time skip who we see in like two episodes and then proceeds to get fridged forever.

So yeah, as much as I'd recommend people read LO as a sort of "entry ticket" into the crit community surrounding it, S3 is a lot of nothing and you would frankly not miss out on a thing if you skimmed it or skipped the middle portion of it entirely lmao

[poisonedfate]

58 merthur for he prompt thing if you'd like to

hello!!! ii got a little carried away with this one, so it ended up being about 1.1k words (oops). you can read it on ao3 or under the cut.

prompt: “I’d die for you. Of course, I’d haunt you in the afterlife but really, it’s the thought that counts.”

send me prompts!

The ache in his shoulder was still there, as was Arthur's unreadable, if not slightly concerning looks. There were only fading scratches now visible on his arm, so really, the ache was nothing to worry about, but that only gave him more time to wonder about Arthur's looks. 

Merlin would often ignore them, the looks directed only at him - he either did not want to know, did not want to answer the questions that followed, or Arthur would tell him anyway - no point in losing sleep over it. But the looks did not seem to lessen, if anything it was the opposite, and the other had made no clear attempts at making his thoughts known. Arthur's eyes followed him around, weighing on him until he had finally had enough:

"Those worry lines are going to be permanently etched into your skin if you keep looking at me like that," he spoke, turning around quickly, now facing Arthur who was sitting at the table, staring. 

"I think I'll be fine," Arthur quickly muttered in response, scoffing and looking away. 

If anyone were to ask, Merlin would absolutely blame Arthur in every way possible for making him believe he could move quicker than necessary, just to escape the prince's gaze, resulting in a sharp breath and a moment of halted movement. And, really, it should've been fine but Arthur was being obnoxious, so of course he noticed. 

"Alright, Merlin, I've had enough," the prince said, voice already closer behind him than Merlin had expected. Was he actually about to blame Merlin for getting hurt? He better not. Merlin gave an unimpressed look in response.

"You know I'd actually prefer it if you could be in one piece whilst doing your job."

"I am in one piece!" he immediately retorted, only for Arthur to poke him in the shoulder. Not strongly enough to hurt him, just enough to make his point.

"Please, I know you can be dramatic sometimes, but this a new low even for you," Merlin continued, earning a glare from Arthur, "this is nothing."

"Why hasn't it healed yet?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't actually have all the answers," another glare from Arthur. The prince stayed quiet for a moment, staring at his shoulder like there was something interesting there - not that Merlin would know, he was pretty sure it was just a shoulder. 

"You need to stop doing that," Arthur spoke again, a seriousness lacing his tone now.

"Doing what?" Merlin tilted his head, brows furrowed. 

"Putting yourself in harm's way on my accord."

"I'm quite certain it was the sword that came at me not the other way around. Besides, you were the one who had to help me get out of that one, maybe you should think about your own tendencies of jumping into danger," he smiled.

"I'm a knight!" Arthur's eyes widened like they usually did when Merlin said something to offend him.

"Ah, well that explains it," he replied, trying to lighten the mood, though it did not seem to work, so he continued, "Arthur, you know I’d die for you. Of course, I’d haunt you in the afterlife, but really, it’s the thought that counts. You're not getting rid of me that easily." 

"I don't need-"

"Oh, will you get over yourself? You might have the power to make me shine your armour and make your bed, but you don't get to tell me who to live or die for," he sighed, tone slightly mocking. 

It might've, however, backfired on him slightly, a glint appearing in Arthur's eyes, something he has come to recognise as an idea on the prince's part. 

"So,-"

"You give me a job and I'll follow you anyway," Merlin interrupted, unimpressed. Arthur raised an eyebrow at that, though they both knew it was true, even without Merlin saying it. 

"Just tell me I'm really brave and let's move on from this, hm?" he had decided to go the full-mockery route since the frown on the other's face was only barely beginning to fade. 

Arthur sighed, a gentleness creeping into his features, as he reached for Merlin's arm, the one that didn't hurt, dragging the palm of his hand across it, stopping once he reached Merlin's own hand, lingering, hooking his pointer finger with Merlin's for only a second before letting go. 

He could only stare at the other, not sure how to respond. It wasn't unusual for Arthur to seek out soft touches, especially when there was something bothering him, but that didn't mean Merlin had figured out how to react. Usually, when the other made the first move, he would just go with whatever Arthur wanted, though that typically meant waiting around to see how he would continue. 

More often than not, he'd stay there for a while, close to Merlin, quiet, changing the topic once the thoughts in his head had stopped running, turning away from him. Arthur hadn't made any attempts to move now, however, and Merlin didn't like it. He didn't like that he couldn't read Arthur, that he was doing something Merlin couldn't predict. 

"Arthur," he kept his voice low, careful.

The prince lifted his eyes, taking a step towards him and placing his hands on either side of Merlin's jaw, leaning in closer. 

"Just be careful, will you? Otherwise, I won't be around for you to haunt, having to stress over you would've sent me to my doom already," his tone was earnest, a hint of annoyance somewhere in there too. 

"I will only try to die for you when strictly necessary, you have my word," he put his hand on one of Arthur's arms, giving it a barely-there squeeze, smiling. 

The prince rolled his eyes, moving the arm Merlin wasn't holding away so he could point at him. 

"Merlin,"

"Yeah, yeah," he grabbed at Arthur's hand, lowering it, "your wish is my command."

"Merlin."

It was his turn to lean in now, though at this point they were only a couple of breaths away from each other, so there was not a lot of room left for dramatics. 

"Yes, sire, when the time comes I will let you die, otherwise they'll throw me in the dungeons for trying to protect you and...killing you anyways?" he mocked, causing Arthur to grab at him, holding him by the arm, pulling. 

They were dangerously close to each other now, completely still. Merlin could hear the exact moments of Arthur's inhales and exhales, his breath heavy, could see the other's eyes lower to his lips and then up again. 

And, well, at least Arthur had finally figured out a way to stop Merlin from talking back. 

[im-the-queen-of-stardust]

Alright people, just got my early access of the Magnus Protocol Premiere. Been thinking about whether I should do a live blog like I did for Magnus Archives. Still not sure but we're just gonna start it and see where it's going. Tbh I've been so out of the loop with the podcast I didn't even know the premiere episode was coming and I have no idea when further episodes are getting released. I thought it would start next year! Anyway, I'm gonna put all my reactions down below under the read more so I'm not accidentally spoiling anyone.

That intro music is amazing. Love it.

So glad they included a transcript, I would've already been lost with all these voices. That's what I loved about tma, never got confused there because the introduction to the characters was so nice and slow

Oh, here we are then! Jumpscared by Alex already. Did not expect him to turn up so soon. I'm certain there's nothing sinister going on here. Not me already theorizing that it's Martin who got stuck in the system or something after Mag200. But that means Jonny is one of the other voices who occasionally reads out the statements, right? Gotta be. So Chester or Augustus, who do you think he is? Putting my money on Augustus I think. Why? Because why not.

First look at the Fears?? Is it the Stranger? That's got to be the Stranger, right?

The transcript has these little stage directions and I gotta say I'm in love with "Lena's office is pristine, sterile and has nothing that might indicate its occupant would be brash enough to have a personality"

Btw don't know the in universe reason for the recording yet but friends, your microphones are shit. Jon's recordings were never as bad! Your voices do that thing where it gets frizzy. Might I suggest using a tape recorder?

Is that more static in the background I'm hearing when Gwen says "I'm not most people." Oh, I kinda missed overanalysing sound cues.

We have great vegetarian sausages in Germany too, Colin. I already like that poor IT guy

Sam I really don't think this is the job if you're "just trying to get back on your feet" There must be more going on there

Damn, had a 50/50 chance and didn't get it. So you're Chester then, Jonny? Really can't decide if I would love it more if these voices had some connection to tma or if there's just no reason at all.

I actually read a fanfic like that before. Immediatly though about it when I heard Alex's voice. Jon was sorta trapped in the tape recorder. All Martin and co had were his recorded statements on tape and at some point Jon got like powerful enough to be able to communicate through the tape recorder I think. Was a really great read. Would be funny if this turns out to be similar

Oh, Magnus Archives ruins!! What are you gonna find there RedCanary?? This is exciting

Of course you've been having trouble uploading the pictures, RedCanary! And I don't think that's you're normal getting paranoid either. Oh, I love this. It's like my old friend, spooky Magnus Institute is back

An Archive, you say?? And it's empty. Interesting.

Side note, the music during this is fantastic. Like loved it from the beginning but right now? Amazing.

"What the hell is that? Are those eyes?" Never thought I'd actually be happy about eyes getting mentioned. But eyes, people!! This statement has everything: Magnus Institute, some poor bugger who's descending into paranoia and madness, weird symbols, an artefact (?), ominous texts ("Canaries should stay above ground", okay obviously a reference to the user name red canary but also do you think that has anything to do with like mining. Weren't birds used to detect gas?), eyes and were those the last few notes of the tma intro in the background music?

Oh, who is listening then? Can't mean me, Colin

The Magnus Protocol is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill and licensed under a creative commons attribution non commercial sharer like 4.0 international license

[lustandrot]

To those new followers,

// Just an ooc reminder, only because I have several newer followers and I'm not sure just who is interested in writing as of yet! So this is to just help those individuals out so they aren't confused by the things I post here. Most of you following my blog already are probably no doubt o.g fans of THoND and so this isn't really to those who already know the original novel and other novel-leaning canon renditions of this story. 99.9% of the time on this blog, I will be writing as Claude Frollo from Disney's North American musical adaptation from 2014, which is not completely book-canon, but it's not exactly animated movie canon, either. Very much like the book, Frollo is the Archdeacon of the Notre Dame Cathedral. He was involved in the church for pretty much his whole life and took care of his younger brother, Jehan. However, in musical canon, Jehan ran off with a Romani woman and later, Quasimodo was born. So Quasi is his nephew that he takes in once Jehan dies, leaving Frollo with a "burden" to take in the deformed baby. He also just does not naturally possess the insanely righteous power to just turn over the whole city of Paris and condemn people to death. Considering that musical canon Frollo is granted military power by persuading the King, to which he of course... goes completely overboard anyway. He can negate the laws of sanctuary in the final finale because he basically owns the church. Just a lot of things make more sense... I'm not going to blabber on here about it, because it's not all that important to list all of the differences, but I will say his character arc and development are vastly different as well from the animated movie. We see a more human side of Frollo, the side I feel like we were always really meant to see, even in the original film, but there was no time. It was a kid's movie and he was the bad guy, right? This is where the book really interests me, but I won't get into that, either. The book is a lot to read. Regardless of such, I just didn't want anyone getting confused over why my version of Frollo seems to be nice? Well, he's not nice. But there is such a deep-rooted part of him that ultimately attempts to help Esmeralda. In this version, he is convinced that he needs to save her soul... and of course, if he can't and she resists, he's willing to let her burn for not choosing him. For not allowing him to save her. Same concept. But we get to see him actually in pain over his desire for her. We get to see him attempt ... try... and then fail. I love the animated Frollo, but sometimes he's just too callous (and sometimes batshit af) for me. (In my opinion. Just watch the musical and then watch the animated movie and you'll see. It's like wtf.) Which is fine! I love him. He's a good baddie. But... you really see more of a LACK of humanity than you do any proof that he is indeed human and struggling with very human things. Of course, as the viewer, we know he's human and what's wrong with him, but we aren't really inside of his head enough to grasp it fully. He goes from "Omg, she danced on me and humiliated me" .... to "Find her...." ..... to "Choose me or the fire" really fucking quickly. There's no conflict with himself besides 'Hellfire', which makes him sometimes unrealistic to me. Especially as a writer? Needless to say, I have nothing against the original film. I just wanted to post a lengthy response as to why I almost never write the Frollo that most of you would be expecting.

But, of course, this slimy, racist, holier-than-thou Judge is always available by request.

I can't say I won't or don't write for him, but it's just not my usual cup of fresh tea. He's fun but sometimes I get too into the whole Disney-villain-esque thing and it's hard to sometimes draw the line between what the real Frollo would do and what the animated Frollo would do. If you feel me? He is just even more of a piece of shit than the book Frollo (outside of a few things anyway.) Anyway, feel free to drop a line or anything if you're interested in writing at any point!

[hotchfiles]

Lari, I apologize in advance, but I really want to add to the discussion of writers supporting writers, because it makes my blood boil sometimes, lol, and I'm sorry if this gets long, and if i sound like a bitch but....

Okay, first off, interaction is important, period! Doesn't matter if you have no followers, if you are a writer with a few followers, or a writer with a lot of followers interaction is important, in every sense! And writers with a lot of followers should be VERY aware of that, because once upon a time, they were a smaller blog too, wishing for people to interact with their works.

Writers especially feed on the interaction, and especially seeing people's thoughts and opinions on their works, and that's where the comments and reblogs come into play!

One thing, that apparently, some big blogs seem to either forget, or not give a sh*t about anymore, because they are just too big now. People are interacting with their works, so they've made it, right? Wrong, because once again, your readers, and their interaction with your works made you big! So, instead of being high and mighty, return the favor by boosting the works you liked reading, written by smaller blogs! (Side note, I'm not hating on anyone, calling anyone out specifically, or etc. But I was a writer in another fandom once, and it was much the same, and it grated on my nerves then, and it's grating on my nerves now)

I was a writer that only used to like, when I was running my old blog, but on this one, reblog, reblog, reblog. Doesn't matter that I don't have a huge number of followers that can benefit from recs, I'm supporting the writer, and to me, that's the most important.

On the mutuals matter, I think you said it right. My works might not be my mutuals cup of tea, or theirs might not be mine. One thing i wanna add here, even if I have mutuals, who's works I don't read because x, y, z, every once in a while I'd reblog a work of theirs and be like "check out this person's works, they write great (character) fics". To me that's just a way to boost your moots, and who knows, maybe someone that follows you actually likes their works.

On indirectly being asked to read their stuff, I think there's nothing wrong with that, BUT! Like you said, if I'm going to support you, I'd expect you to support me too. It's not hard. I myself have asked others to read my works (on my old blog), but I've made sure to interact with them via asks, read and interact with their works, before and after asking! And not because I want to be transactional or anything, but because I genuinely enjoy their works, and asking them to read mine, yes, it might boost me up, but i just want to hear what some of my favorite writers think about something I've written. Later, those same people became my mutuals and I loved that we lifted each other up!

Finally, if some people aren't comfortable interacting, that's completely and totally fine!  What I wrote is for the writers, that honestly should know how tumblr and the community works, well enough to know that boosting people and interacting with people makes for a greater overall experience!

And to the anon that started this whole thing (if they are even reading this, lol), continue being supportive and interesting with the blogs you love, and the works you enjoy! If you still want to read the works of the writers you talked about, be a silent reader, lol. Like you said, they're doing fine! Devote your time and energy and interact with the people that will support you back, and are sweet and kind to you! And, be the person you are now, supportive, because it seems some writers tend to lose sight of where they came from when they grow, and to the ones that don't, you rock!

Again, I'm so sorry for this being so long, lol🥴 (also, if I'm being too bitchy, feel free to ignore and delete this, lol)

i dont even have anything to add you said it perfectly

i love that you mentioned the transaction part because YEAH its not about being a transaction or anything of the sort, its about being reciprocal, and treating others works like you want yours to be treated

i genuinely love reading and helping so i dont mind at all when people ask for me to do that, i just feel like that if you enjoy either my fics enough for that, i should be seeing you reblogging or commenting my fics and the people (really, people, it happens quite frequently) i mentioned just never ever ever reblogged or commented on any of it 😭

i honestly thought i was exaggerating it but it seems its been happening to a lot of writers so

please, writers (especially if you complain about comments and reblogs)

be reciprocal