#THIS IS ALL SO OBVIOUS I LOVE SCIENCE WHY AM I NOT DOING SOMETHING WITH MY LIFE RELATED TO SCIENCE

[hellfirebarnes]

Slow-Burns - Part 1

PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5

I split this up in several, shorter parts because I know the feeling when you want to read a fic but don't have the time or energy to get through a 10k+ words one. Also if you hate my writing you can just read part 1 and then leave it. Win-win I guess?

Anyway, this is set after Thunderbolts so if you haven't seen it - spoilers I guess? It absolutely does not follow canon, but yeah better to be safe than sorry.

Summary: Bucky has fallen. Hopelessly. And the only thing more hopeless is his team trying to help him get to the end of this slow-burn.

Bucky x fem!SHIELD!reader

2.5K Words.

Fluff, ''normal'' violence and descriptions of injuries. For sure out of character stuff, but I am who I am. Your appearence is barely desribed what I can remember, I think your hair and a couple types what clothes you're wearing?

You're referred to as ''Agent'' and ''Sunshine'' in a desperate attempt from me to not use Y/N.

Let me know if there's anything else I should warn about.

Otherwise, enjoy :)

There was a quiet kind of chaos that followed you wherever you went. Not the destructive kind—no, that was more John Walker’s flavor—but the kind that stirred a room like a gust of wind through curtains.

You weren’t even officially a Thunderbolt, just a freelance S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who showed up whenever the mission required you. But if you asked anyone in the Tower, they’d say the team didn’t really feel like a team until you were in the room.

Well, everyone except Bucky Barnes, who would say nothing at all. Not out loud, anyway.

He was perched at the edge of the strategy room table now, arms crossed, jaw tight. Watching.

You were laughing at something Bob had said - again. He had practically glued himself to your side the moment you walked in, his frame hunching just slightly to hear you better. And you let him. You laughed, touched his arm, asked him questions.

Bucky didn’t blame Bob, not really. Who wouldn’t want your attention?

“Why don’t you just talk to her?” Yelena muttered under her breath from beside him.

Bucky blinked at her. “I talk to her.”

“You grunt at her. Sometimes nod. It’s tragic.”

“She’s always with someone else. I’m not interrupting that.”

“Oh no,” Yelena deadpanned. “Not the scary emotion man afraid of social interaction. How shocking.”

“Shut up.”

Across the room, you dodged John Walker’s attempt to toss a protein bar at your head and shot him a look.

“Really?” You said, “Are you twelve?”

“Just testing your reflexes, Agent,” John grinned. “That’s what we call combat preparedness.”

“Then maybe prepare not to get your ass handed to you next time I see you in the field.”

“Ouch. That one had some spice.”

“It’s called accuracy.”

Alexei’s voice boomed from the hallway as he entered mid-conversation. “Bah! All this fighting. You know what you need? A good man. Someone strong. Tall. Lots of biceps.”

You rolled your eyes, but the smile lingered on your lips. “Not the matchmaking again.”

“I’m telling you! You are too stunning to be walking around without boyfriend. You need love! You need someone worthy.”

“And you’re offering who? Yourself?”

Alexei blinked. “Do not be ridiculous. I’m too old. Too broken. No, you need someone special. Maybe someone on this team…” He turned slowly—too slowly—toward Bucky.

Bucky froze like a deer in the middle of a sniper’s scope.

Your brows arched in amusement, and you looked Bucky’s way. Your eyes met and his heart did that thing again. The skipping, the stalling, the full-body malfunction. And you smiled. He looked away first.

“Don’t make it weird,” you said casually to Alexei, still grinning. “We’re all just coworkers here.”

“Some coworkers are good for kissing,” Alexei replied like it was obvious. “Is science.”

You snorted and shook your head, walking past Bob, who promptly shadowed you like a happy satellite.

“I’m stealing him for a strategy session,” you called over your shoulder.

“Strategy?” Bob asked excitedly, bounding after you.

“Yup. You’re going to help me map out weak points in that compound wall, remember?”

Bucky watched you go, still unmoving. Every second you were around, he felt like he was holding his breath. Not because he was afraid you’d say something cruel - no, you were never cruel. It was worse. You were kind. Inclusive. Thoughtful.

You invited him into conversations he didn’t know how to join. Remembered tiny things he’d said offhand and brought them up weeks later. You saw him - more than the metal arm or the haunted past or the thousand-yard stare. And Bucky Barnes didn’t know what the hell to do with that.

“She’s not gonna bite, Barnes,” John said beside him, cracking open a bottle of water. “Unless you want her to.”

Bucky glared at him.

“I’m just saying. You’ve been crushing for, what, three missions now? Ask her out before Bob proposes.”

“I’m not crushing,” Bucky muttered.

John snorted. “Yeah, okay. You keep brooding from the corner. That’ll win her over.”

Later that night, you were the last to leave the strategy room, lingering over the holographic map display. The others had filtered out, but you hadn’t seemed to notice - or maybe you had.

“You always stay late?” Bucky’s voice was rough behind you.

You turned, surprised. He rarely sought you out on his own. “Only when the company’s good.”

He hesitated at the door, then walked in.

“You okay?” You asked softly, tilting your head. “You’ve been quiet. Well, quieter than usual.”

He wanted to tell you everything. That he couldn’t sleep half the time because his mind wouldn’t stop replaying the way you laughed. That when you touched his arm in the field to steady him, his whole body went static. That you made him feel like he could still be someone worth a damn.

But instead, all he said was, “I’m fine.”

You gave him a look that said you didn’t buy it, but you didn’t push. “Well, if you ever want to talk… I’m around.”

He nodded. Said nothing more.

But you smiled anyway. Small, warm, real. “Goodnight, Bucky.”

“’ Night.”

He stayed behind long after you were gone, staring at the space you’d just occupied. And for the first time in a long time, he found himself hoping. Quietly, stubbornly, impossibly hoping.

The Thunderbolts rarely got downtime. So when Val booked them a mandatory “team-building weekend” at a secure retreat site somewhere in the Catskills and invited you along, everyone assumed it was a joke. It wasn’t.

“We don’t do bonding,” Yelena had said flatly while stuffing clothes into her duffel.

“Speak for yourself,” Alexei had grinned, holding up a board game called Russian Conquest: Family Edition.

Now, 24 hours into their wilderness exile, things had somehow developed into a campfire, bad chili, worse storytelling, and Bob draping himself across your lap like an oversized golden retriever in flannel.

“Bob, you are crushing my legs,” you groaned, trying to shift out from under him.

“But you’re warm,” he said dreamily, eyes half-closed. “And your energy is calm. Like a star. Or one of those… lava lamps.”

Across the fire, Bucky sat stiffly on a log, watching with a barely concealed scowl as Bob grinned at you with that infuriating, sunbeam-level adoration. You just laughed and gently pushed his head off your thigh.

John passed you a beer from the cooler. “That makes five people on this team who’d die for her. Six, if you count the way Barnes stares like she’s the last donut on Earth.”

Bucky kicked him under the log.

“Ow. You’re just mad I said it out loud.”

You glanced over, catching only the tail end of that exchange. “What are you whispering about, Walker? Trying to plan your next tactical failure?”

“I was thinking of asking Bob to move so I could rest my head on your lap next.”

“Try it and you lose your teeth.”

Alexei cackled from where he was roasting a suspicious-looking sausage over the fire. “She is fierce! I told you all, she needs a man who can handle her. Someone who doesn’t crumble when she glares.”

Yelena pointed a stick at him. “She doesn’t need a man, Dad. She has us. We are superior to all men. Especially you.”

You laughed again, easily, genuinely.

Bucky’s heart did the now-familiar stutter-step. It was unbearable, this thing you did. The way you effortlessly slipped into every space, made it lighter, warmer. Home-like. And still, he couldn’t say more than five coherent words to you unless he rehearsed them mentally first.

But tonight, it felt different.

It was the soft kind of night - one where the stars showed up, and the fire crackled like an old lullaby. And maybe it was the low-pressure setting. Or maybe it was the beer. Or maybe it was the fact that everyone else was slowly crashing for the night, and you had stayed behind at the firepit, legs tucked under you, hoodie sleeves bunched at your wrists.

Bucky walked over before he could talk himself out of it. “Mind if I sit?”

You looked up, surprised - but pleasantly so. “Course not.”

He sat, a little too upright, elbows on his knees. There was a beat of quiet. Not awkward. Just full.

You nudged his arm lightly with your shoulder. “You’ve been kind of quiet today.”

“I’m always quiet.”

“Yeah, but today you’re, like… extra cryptid.”

He huffed out a laugh before he could stop it. “Cryptid, huh?”

“You absolutely lurk like one.”

Another pause. Your shoulder bumped his again.

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” you added softly. “But I like it when you do.”

That stopped him cold. You didn’t say it like it was a big deal. But it was. To him, it was everything.

He swallowed. “I don’t always know what to say.”

“You don’t have to impress anyone, Bucky.”

“I’m not trying to impress anyone,” he said quietly.

You tilted your head. “Good. ‘Cause if you were, you’d be failing spectacularly.”

He blinked, and then your grin slipped out. Playful. Warm. He shook his head, a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

There it was. The moment again. That impossible, bone-deep hope.

Before he could speak again, a voice echoed from behind you.

“Are we sleeping outside now?” Bob called from the cabin porch, where he stood wrapped in a blanket like a burrito. “Because I want in.”

“Go back to bed, Bob!” You yelled without turning.

“But I miss your gravity!”

Bucky gave a bewildered side look. “Do you always attract this much chaos?” he asked, smiling despite himself.

You shrugged. “Maybe. But it keeps things interesting.”

You stood then, stretching your arms overhead. The firelight kissed your face in amber tones.

“I’m heading in. Try not to brood so hard you fall into the fire.”

He watched you go, silent again.

But you paused at the cabin door, looked back, and gave him a smile that made the whole damn night bend inward. “Night, Bucky.” He didn’t respond fast enough, so you added one more thing before disappearing inside: “Next time I call you a cryptid, I expect a better comeback.”

He chuckled under his breath, alone now, fire crackling at his feet.

He was going to need help. Or a script. Or both.

You stood in the middle of the kitchen wearing a “Property of S.H.I.E.L.D.” T-shirt, sweatpants, and the kind of look that only appeared when one walked into a room and discovered exactly too much happening.

“What,” you said slowly, “is going on.”

Yelena was on the counter, holding a ladle like a weapon.

John was standing on a chair, aggressively flipping a pancake with a spatula in his non-dominant hand.

Alexei was arguing with the toaster.

And Bob—dear, wonderful Bob—was shirtless and wearing a pastel apron that said ‘Hot Stuff Coming Thru’, holding a blender overhead like it was Mjölnir.

“Breakfast battle royale,” Yelena said brightly - like that explained anything.

“What?” You repeated.

John jumped in. “We’re determining who gets cooking privileges for the rest of the month.”

“I voted for mortal combat,” Alexei growled, “but Walker insists on waffles.”

“Because waffles are democracy.”

“I made you a smoothie,” Bob interrupted, bounding over to you with a grin the size of Nebraska. “It has banana, peanut butter, and exactly 11 grams of love.”

You blinked at the pink plastic cup he handed you. “…Thanks, Bob.”

“You’re welcome. Please hydrate.”

Across the kitchen, Bucky hovered by the cabinets like a glitch in the Matrix. He wore a black hoodie and a wariness that only intensified as you laughed—again—at something Bob said about the molecular density of pancake batter.

You glanced his way. “Bucky, save me. I came in for coffee and now there’s smoothies and an apron situation.”

He opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Nodded.

“Helpful,” you said with a grin, brushing past him to open the cabinet.

He nearly dropped the mug in his hand when your arm accidentally touched his.

It was unfair how effortlessly you undid him.

Bob leaned closer to Bucky and stage-whispered: “You should offer to make her toast.”

Bucky side-eyed him. “You think toast is gonna fix everything?”

“No. But it’s the start of a breakfast-based romance. Like in the movies.”

“…You watch romance movies?”

“All the time. I cry every time the dog comes back.”

Bucky didn’t respond. Mostly because you were laughing again - this time at Alexei accidentally flinging a waffle at John.

“You were in the army!” John yelled. “How do you have the reflexes of a brick?”

“I was trained for war, not toaster physics!”

Yelena caught the flying waffle midair with the ladle. “I win.”

You raised your smoothie. “To chaos. And carbohydrates.”

Yelena smirked. “To the only person on this team who’s not legally insane.”

“Jury’s still out,” John said. “She did willingly come back after the last mission.”

“I came back for the drama,” you said.

Everyone laughed. Except Bucky. He just watched you. And this time you looked right at him, mid-laugh, and the smile softened into something gentler. Less amused. More… curious. Like you saw him watching. And didn’t mind. He looked down at his coffee before he could combust.

“Someone save me from feelings,” he muttered.

“I can punch you,” Yelena offered sweetly.

“Appreciate it.”

Later that day, you sat on the floor of the rec room with Yelena and Ava, all three of you surrounded by mismatched nail polish bottles, junk food, and one confused Russian man who’d never witnessed a girls’ night and looked like he was trying to understand a new language.

“You paint your nails before mission?” Alexei asked, genuinely baffled. “What if the enemy sees glitter?”

“They’ll be blinded by the fabulous,” you said, wiggling your toes.

Yelena reached over and added a stripe of blue polish to your middle finger. “This is for when you inevitably flip someone off.”

Ava smirked. “Perfect aim.”

Alexei shook his head in wonder. “You women are terrifying. I love it.”

John walked by, raised a brow, and muttered, “Is this a cult?”

“No,” you said. “But you can’t sit with us.”

Bob appeared from nowhere and sat crisscrossed in the middle of the polish like a devoted disciple. “Paint mine next?”

You held up a glittery gold bottle. “Only if you promise to stop drinking three energy drinks before noon.”

“No promises,” he said, holding out his hands.

From the hallway, Bucky paused at the door, watching again.

Yelena noticed him, rolled her eyes, and lobbed a pack of sour gummy worms at his head. “Stop creeping and come join the estrogen.”

He caught it reflexively, but didn’t step forward.

You looked up then. “C’mon, Barnes. You can be our official taste tester. I think this one’s radioactive.” You held up a neon green nail polish.

His heart did that collapsing thing again. But he stepped into the room.

Just a few feet. Sat down near the wall, close enough to see the curve of your smile as you joked with Ava and Yelena, as Bob dramatically gasped when you gave him a sparkly gold thumbnail.

And as the laughter rolled on, something about the moment didn’t feel like watching from the outside anymore. It felt… almost like being part of it.

Even if his heart still beat too fast every time you looked at him.

[starsinthesky5]

Do joe and her ever just sit in bed and like…have one of those random deep talks 🥲 like literally about life, aliens, god knows. I gotta know what it’s like

a/n: enjoy my rambling :)

───────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆───────

they do. all the time. they’re the kind of couple who end up talking for hours without even realizing it—lost in each other, wrapped in the safety of soft sheets and the dim lights of their bedroom, like the world outside those four walls doesn't exist. it’s their own little bubble, warm and motionless, where time doesn’t move unless they let it. it usually begins when the day is winding down. they’re curled up together, bodies fitted like puzzle pieces, her face tucked into the crook of his neck, his fingers drawing lazy circles on her hip. the tv is still on, flickering softly in the background, but neither is watching it. they’re too caught up in each other; too in love with the way these quiet nights always turn into something magic.

it starts off small, almost silly. she’ll say something out of nowhere like, “do you think aliens would find us cute or annoying?” as she scrolls aimlessly through her phone. and joe, blinking sleepily but still so in tune with her, will smile against her temple and mumble, “annoying. for sure. but they’d keep you,”.

“me? why me?” she'd ask skeptically, and his response would both melt her heart and make her giggle until she couldn't breathe.

“you’d sing to them and they’d fall in love,” he'd say.

she laughs, swatting at his chest before shoving at his shoulder like he’s ridiculous. “you’re so dumb, joey,”.

“and you’re so cute,” he says, without even thinking, and it hits her in the chest like a warm wave.

sometimes, though, it turns deeper—softer. heavier in the way that makes your chest ache, but in the best way. she’ll be half-laying on top of him, draped in one of his old college t-shirts, her cheek rising and falling with his steady breaths. and she’ll whisper something like, “do you think we’ve done this before? like…in another life? found each other somewhere else?” and he’ll be quiet for a moment, fingers brushing through her hair, before saying, “i think i’d find you in every one,”.

and it’s so casual. so easy. like of course he would. like the idea of not finding her is impossible.

they talk about everything. their childhoods, the weird quirks they’ve carried into adulthood. what scared them when they were little, what still scares them now. what they think happens after we die. if fate is real. what they’d be doing if life had gone another way. joe once admitted, in that low, gravelly voice he uses only when it’s late and quiet and just them, that he always thought he’d be a high school science teacher if football didn’t work out, completely disregarding the fact that he did an internship on wall street at one point and could be a fantastic businessman. “you’d be a hot teacher,” she told him, nose scrunched, and he rolled his eyes. “you’d be the music teacher with the hoards of dramatic twelve-year-olds worshipping you,”.

“you’re just jealous,” she teased.

“i’m literally in love with you,” he replied, and god the way it rolled off his tongue. so easily, so smoothly. she couldn’t even speak after that. just buried her face into his neck, because how do you respond when someone says it like that? like it’s the most obvious thing in the world?

sometimes the talks are a little more chaotic. she’ll go off about timelines and soulmates and alternate realities with the energy of someone who had caffeine too late in the day. joe will just watch her with this stupidly soft smile, eyes all sleepy and full of awe, and say, “how do you have this much brain power at 1 am?”.

“because i had dessert. and i’m wearing your hoodie. and you’re next to me. i’m thriving, baby,”.

they’ll talk until their throats are dry and their eyes are heavy, until the world outside is completely silent and their room is filled with nothing but their voices and soft laughter. sometimes she drifts off mid-sentence, and joe will kiss her forehead, whisper “we’ll finish tomorrow,” and hold her tighter. and in the morning, she’ll wake up remembering something he said the night before—something like, “home doesn’t feel like a place anymore. it just feels like you,” and she’ll carry it with her all day like it’s precious.

the best part is, they don’t plan these talks. they just happen. like breathing. like gravity. two souls orbiting each other, drawn together by something deeper than love. they don’t need a prompt or a reason. just each other. just a boy and a girl lying in bed with the lights low, asking questions, laughing at dumb answers, getting a little lost in the wonder of “what if” and “maybe someday,”.

and it’s in those moments—those quiet, blinking-between-yawns, head-on-his-chest moments—that they fall even more in love. because loving someone isn’t always loud. sometimes, it’s a soft question at 2 am. a hand in your hair. a smile you can hear in the dark. and the kind of connection that makes you feel like no matter how big the universe is, you already found the best part of it.

[suiana]

I cant do this anymore our science and ap subject now have math

so sorry to hear that babe... but imagine dying and ur yandere! scientist who's your best friend that's not-so-secretly in love with you brings you back to life after you accidentally die

you're dazed, body completely stiff and sore as you take in your surroundings. huh... why did it feel like you just woke up from a super duper long nap? where were you? weren't you dead? you were pretty sure that you got hit by a truck when you were walking home...

that's when you realize that you were chained to a bed.

"what the-?!"

"good morning darling! did you sleep well?"

your best friend pops out from nowhere, surprising you as he holds out a few of his thingy majigs. what? were you in his... home or something? doesn't look like it but since he's here it's not completely impossible-

"you're in my lab, my cute lil frankestein ❤️"

???

um... were you hearing correctly or did he just call you frankestein?

"whaha... funny joke my guy-"

and then you sit up and realise that he wasn't joking. you really did look like a freak of nature. a real frankestein.

your skin was stitched together, the colour looking almost green and- what the hell did you lose an eyeball?

"you-! did you steal my body from the cemetery?!"

"i couldn't let my darling die now, could i?"

the scientist merely shakes his head, clicking his tongue. you could only stare at him in horror as he begins going on another one of his stupid rambles about how he needed you by his side and how he would die if you weren't there with him.

"uh, i never said it when i was alive but dude, don't you think you like me a little too much? it's almost like you love me or something haha-"

"oh my, wasn't it obvious? i am in love with you."

oh my balls.

"if it wasn't obvious from how i talked to you, i'm pretty sure it is through my actions. i mean,"

he pauses, looking at you before sighing dreamily. he clasps his hands together, wearing a crazed look on his already crazy face. you could only shiver as he presses a kiss to your forehead and sits down uncomfortably close to you.

"i brought you back to life after all."

you feel your mouth grow dry at his words, unable to get anything out. what were you supposed to say to that? i mean, yeah, you think he's devoted if he brought you back...? like???

"good news though! i found a way to help you live forever! you won't ever die now!"

"what?!"

if it were possible, you think your only remaining eye would've rolled out of your skull as well.

"oh don't worry, my sweet darling. when the time comes i'll make myself a frankestein too! that way we can be together forever!"

that was not what you wanted to hear, damnit.

sure you loved him as a friend but now that you know that he likes you? and that he's crazy enough to steal your body from the cemetery (which you're 99% sure is a crime) AND bring you back to life... you're pretty sure you'd be trying to find another way to die if you had to spend the rest of time with him ngl.

"we'll never be apart again ❤️"

oh hell nah you're getting BACK in the coffin

[ilona2nerrie]

Ghost!Bruce SuperBat: Chapter one, heart.

@cheffebear

@kittensniker-meh

@animatedmess

@hngryazn

@thequeenluffy

Now, Clark didn’t obsessively keep an ear on Bruce’s heartbeat, even if it was in his nature. But when he knew Bruce was in the area, he’d check it every time, without fail. What could he say? He loved that man. so, when he called for the league in a battle, and he didn’t hear Bruce’s heartbeat when he turned up, he almost had a full-on heart attack. 

When he turned to look at Bruce and didn’t see him instantly, he panicked. Doing a 360, he saw no Bruce, before he homed in on a figure. It definitely had the same stature as Bruce, just… in a new suit? Huh. Bruce barely ever changed his suit- especially not to something like… like it looked there, less heavy, almost like he didn’t have to worry about being injured now. It didn’t have Kevlar or body armour; it was superhero clothes with awesome branding. Sure, he was Batman, and it was probably something, but it didn’t feel like that. It felt stupidly vulnerable.

He landed next to Bruce, who was conversing with barry, and pulled him aside, ignoring the explosion in the background.

“Are you ok?” Clark asked him, looking at his boyfriend with obvious concern.

“Of Couse I am, why?” Bruce responded, no hesitation at all. That was good, right?

Clark put his hand over Bruce’s chest, eyebrows furrowing and looking at the other with genuine concern.

“I can’t hear your heartbeat. Why can’t I hear your heartbeat Br- batman?” Clark caught himself with the name before it spilled. He expected Bruce to lecture him on that but that wasn’t nearly Bruce’s biggest concern at the moment.

Bruce stiffened, bitting his cheek and cursing internally. Flash had a similar reaction, but it went unnoticed as Bruce went to think of something on the spot. “new suit.” He settled on finally. “Made of a new material. You can’t hear through it.”

Clark would’ve thought it impossible, but he knew to trust Bruce on these things. Instead, he nodded and flew back up, grabbing a piece of shrapnel thrown and throwing it right back.

Barry looked at Bruce, with a wince seeing the expression on the others face. Barry knew. He had been there at the accident when it took place, having had called Bruce to help him with a villain. He could’ve called anyone else, but Bruce was like the league guy. Whenever there was a problem, he was called. Barry really wished he called Clark now.

It had been a terrible accident. They were infiltrating a new lab Barrys villain set up, before realising this was much bigger. This particular lab was being used to combine magic with science, not by letting it coexist. But by merging those partials with literal magic they drained from an artefact. Dark magic actually. And it was dangerously unstable.

Bruce had told barry to hold a button down, and barry did! Bur god he wished he could’ve held it for longer. Bruce had gone out and grappled to the top of the ceiling to get to the main access Pannel above the super collider, but barry had seen the villain. And barry had had to doge for his own safety, but that button was keeping it from dissolving everything. And when barry dodged he let go of the button. A particular stray beam hit the grapple, and Bruce fell into the midst of the beam, dead on impact.

But that magic had needed a host.

So, the science aspect created a new body.

Well, not a new body. Just this one. Bruces body atoms regenerated every few seconds, just making themselves new. It didn’t need to pump its own blood anymore, or breath. Because it just created the atoms he had rushing when he died back, even if he breathed on instinct. If Bruce’s body wasn’t peak physical condition before, it was now. But it wasn’t a body Bruce wanted.

When barry had checked Bruce’s pulse and found none, he assumed he killed the batman, panicking and ripping off the mask, desperate to see if he could save his friend. When Bruce’s eyes immediately went wide open, he nearly had a heart attack, eyes still over the pulse but getting none. He was wondering if it was muscle spasms before Bruce rubbed his head sitting up and asking what happened.

It did not take long for the two to figure out what happened, and it was an awful realisation. Everything felt so much duller to Bruce, not in the mental sense of course. But when he touched things, it was like they were muffled, everything tasted like nothing and he was never really warm unless someone else or something was providing him warmth, his body not really doing that itself anymore.

It of course made Bruce a better batman, but he didn’t want It at the cost of his humanity. He didn’t wear body armour because he couldn’t get hurt. He changed his suit because without wearing the perforce for the core, a small gem barry had helped him poke a hole through and put on a chain, the power he was given from the fusion would go haywire, and he didn’t want that power. He was batman. Not someone who relied on their powers.

A piece of shrapnel came towards the two and barry stepped out of the way and it cut Bruce’s arm off. Who sighed and counted to ten as a black Smokey, shadowy substance engulfed the place where his arm used to be, and pulled away to show a new, exact copy of his limb. Bruce sighed, barry made a face.

“Still disgusting that happens man.” Barry said, holding his arms up.

Bruce crossed his over his chest and glared at the other.

“Thanks, I’m so sorry my death has disgusted you. Maybe you should have a go at it sometime? Because now I have to slowly break the news, I’m dead to the best person I know and somehow keep it from my family, so they don’t either freak out, or morn. I’m still here! Just different. Ok?”

“Your much more emotional than you used to be.”

“of course I am! I’m dead! Your dead lucky Clark doesn’t use his hearing during fights.”

“Heh. Dead lucky.”

“Grow up.”

As barry ran off to go help the fight, Bruce paused before looking at the team. He was more like them now then before, weirdly powerful. But he didn’t want it.

He never asked to die, and he really didn’t want to tell the person he loved he was like this. But hey if there was one part Bruce liked? He travelled between the dead and the living. He got to see people he long lost, no one that far back yet, but they were further away then those who recently passed. And this way? Being basically immortal? Him and Clark could live forever.

(Authors note, I like to think that since the Kryptonian planet is so far away from the sun in this universe, that people just live longer. One Kryptonian year is fifteen human ones, because they revolve less around the sun, and their life span equates to 150 years so time that by fifteen. I know it’s ridiculous, but I want my babies to live forever. And it's my story, screw people who don’t accept the immersion. And since Bruce can travel in between Plaines he’ll still be seeing Clark when he passed, and his great-great-great grandchildren.)

(Also, this is just part one. I'll be tagging the same people in part two, if you want to be tagged for the next part tell me, and i hope you enjoyed!)

(One more time, will add link for second when its written.)

[liketwoswansinbalance]

What's something that you heavily disagree with??

Hmm... multiple, closely-related things come to mind. Keep in mind that I am human, biased by default and probably defensive as all (or most) humans are, and that no one has to agree with me. Anyone is allowed to argue with me. I will not mind being questioned or examined. (Also, why this question? Just curious.)

Anti-intellectualism. I can somewhat understand people who may not trust experts or science. They probably have their reasons or personal proof not to. However, I would (in most cases) not trust anyone who subscribes to anti-intellectualism. I'm not sure, but I think I would not think highly of myself if I were forced to live a simple life and do "ordinary" or manual labor type of things. Nothing is wrong with any of these things. I just think I would not be content and would feel unimportant in my head. I would probably judge myself, even if I wouldn't want to criticize others.

Mob mentality. Dumb mobs that are too sure of themselves sound very scary. I wouldn't know, but in theory the entire idea is just... not good. Dangerous. Unstable. With this, I have the vague idea that if there's anything in this world to be feared, it's not necessarily (or not always powerful) individuals but more so when deindividuation strikes and affects swaths of people at a time. I wouldn't say rule by one person would automatically be better, but I have a distrust of any image where unorganized crowds exist or when any decision is unanimous.

Actually, that adds another item to this list:

Certain unanimous decisions. Basically, groupthink. The fact that people sometimes suppress the truth or necessary fact just to get along.

^They do not feel right in certain contexts. If everyone agreed, I might feel like something about the situation were wrong? Are those involved brainwashed? I think I don't trust collective judgment. I'm not sure whether this is learned or instinctual, but I know for a fact that multiple psychological concepts prove me right in that people collectively or gathered en masse are... far from ideal, let's say.

Relatedly, extrajudicial punishment and vigilante justice.

Anarchy as a concept probably? No laws? No regulations? I would not trust a world with free rein, knowing human nature is imperfect and that we live in a fallen world. I know we are a selfish species and that we need order, social contracts, various things, etc. to keep the less ethical than average few(?) in check. I claim we are selfish because I doubt that for most people selflessness comes easily in an all-loving way. For instance, do you prioritize your family, friends, or your community/nation over the rest of the world or anyone you do not know personally? Many people do this, so I’d argue we all possess a degree of selfishness, even if it isn’t obvious.

EDIT: Silly but—I was re-reading this and realized that I might be starting to sound like TBOSAS Coriolanus because I've been reading some fics lately. So, correction: my reason for thinking humans need laws and the thought of (reasonable) consequences is not as bad as his. I promise I do not think humans are brutes. I just think we sometimes can lose sight of what's right and that we need need reminders or tools in place to remind us of (self-)restraint, to remind us, that, just because we can justify anything to ourselves in our own minds, we still could be acting with bad conduct and should not. If we are clever enough to create beneficial laws, we should be good enough to follow them.

Lastly, lack of education/simplistic morality? I'm not sure how to put it, but I'm aware certain conditions are more likely to cause violence to break out. I think this is true statistically and am not trying to cast judgment, but I personally do not approve of unprincipled, animalistic, immoral, immoderate, reckless, or unrestrained people, especially those with zero impulse control or who live by their ids. I think everyone should be taught conscious decision-making, if possible and if they are capable.

If someone lives by their first thoughts, executed by their hands like thoughtless children, I would definitely not trust them. I also hate the thought of brutality or primitiveness in general and I don't like how people mistrust intentionality. Yes, anyone can have bad intentions, but sometimes, I believe deliberating over intentions or acting with intention is proof that something (a course of action?) has been thought through. It's one step above being animals, children, or potentially, uneducated. Of course, having intention doesn't automatically makes someone more moral, but being able to pause, think, and decide could prevent a lot from going wrong, or prevent people from doing the above and taking justice into their own hands, especially if they are misinformed or acting from very personal or unfair motives. I believe the world would be partially bettered if criminals or criminals-to-be did not act on impulse or with unclear heads.

Essentially, anything that puts emotionally-charged or hot-headed people (plural) (especially those with grudges or vendettas) in charge of anyone's lives is kind of disarming to me. And while it may not be immediately true, I see assembled people as more dangerous than one outspoken individual—unless the one has widespread influence over many.

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

i need to hear those thoughts, pretty please,

Okay this is a very late reply, but I finally feel as though I can word the thoughts I have regarding them. I want to preface this by saying that all my talks of Jayvik being queer coded stem from my own personal aroacespec perspective. I don’t perceive all forms of close affection and devotion as romantic, but the visual coding regarding Jayvik, and Meljayvik leads me down the path of ‘this is something I personally interpret as romantic’.

MelJayVik is such a deeply fascinating relationship to me because I think a lot is gained from their relationships in the series by looking at them through a polyamorous lens. It may be my own bias, I’m willing to admit that, but the dynamic feels as though it was written to be Poly.

It begins with the obvious queercoding between Jayce and Viktor, and the visual and thematic parallels between them:

Both are written as representative of Jayce’s choices, which can be simplified down to politics and science, and as characters, they inform the choices Jayce makes, and the consequences of those choices, while simultaneously being their own well-developed characters and having their own agendas. I would argue the way it’s written and depicted in the animation, taking into account a lot of the animator’s personal romantic agenda regarding Jayvik, feels akin to the setup of a typical romantic love triangle.

Two people harbour feelings for Jayce, and Jayce is given the decision between the two of them, but that to me is where the similarities between them a love triangle ends… because Jayce never actually chooses. I know some may argue he does because of the final scene with Viktor, but I don’t perceive that as the case at all.

Jayce clearly has a deep love for the both of them, seen so clearly in his actions.

With Mel and Viktor, he truly feels like he can take on the world.

Jayce struggles to balance his life between politics and science because he wants both. He wants Mel and Viktor to be important in his life, but he isn’t capable of managing that, and his own biases and privilege do begin to damage his view of the system and his relationship with Viktor, and Mel does unintentionally worsen that divide. It’s why I love the polycule so much honestly — to me it isn’t just slapping three people together to stop any ship wars, no, it’s a genuinely complex and nuanced dynamic that has initial struggles and hardships.

And to claim that Mel doesn’t care for Viktor is said in complete ignorance of the source material. Mel does come to perceive Viktor as important. Initially, she does ignore him, and treat his presence as secondary to Jayce, but that changes once she recognises the flaw in her actions and how close she was to becoming like her mother. In the final scene of season one, she smiles at Jayce and Viktor. In the beginning of season two, she says that Viktor will come back to ‘us’. Not just to Jayce.

It feels tragic almost. They could have had such an interesting relationship with Mel now wanting to connect to Viktor, but she shattered the chance of that happening. The same way Viktor’s magic repels and rejects her, he does the same.

And god don’t get me started on their magic parallels. For as much as I criticise season two, this is a compilation of my thoughts on MelJayVik in canon, and so I am willing to analyse the way they’re portrayed in season two, and the fight scene in the council room In particular makes me violently ill.

It feels intimate on both ends.

I know people focus especially on Jayce and Viktor’s scenes, and I get it, the scenes between them are particularly intimate

However, both Mel and Viktor and Mel and Jayce also show intimacy in that scene. The way Jayce holds Mel after the fight, despite their previous ‘break up’ scene, and how even though there’s conflict between them, they still can’t help but handle each other with such care and affection. It’s just how they are.

And to me there’s something equally horrifying yet beautiful in the way Viktor bypasses Mel’s own magic, no longer rejecting her, but being intrigued and fascinated by her.

“The arcane stirs within you.”

They are connected by something more than just flesh, more than just physical, and that’s kind of insane to consider.

The tragedy of Mel regarding this is she loses both of these people: the man she knew, and understood, and allowed herself to be vulnerable with, and the man she wanted to know, and to understand.

So here’s how the Noxus spin-off can fix that and canonise MelJayVik! <- lying to myself.

[dandysworldhcs]

greetings, dear modlings. as i am pleased with your astro headcanons, i will provide miscellaneous headcanons of my own:

(sorry for wall of text btw i’m just really really excited)

shelly has feathers on some parts of her body e.g. arms, calves, tail end. these feathers are iridescent & she likes to gift them to toons she likes. all the mains & tisha have one.

sometimes, shelly pronounces her ‘r’s like a small growl.

shelly is also extremely flexible, as cephalopods are. she’s freaked out many people and toons by squeezing through tight spaces. she’s passed under a door successfully at least once.

pebble, if he were a real dog, would be a cardigan welsh corgi. when he distracts twisteds, he’s just following his little corgi instincts & thinks he’s just herding them into one place. he also uses herding tactics while distracting, e.g. barking and nipping heels

the christmas toons no longer get locked up when it’s not christmas because the humans are gone, and now just live with the non-event toons. however, when winter passes, their energy levels are much lower and are less likely to go on runs.

twisteds can still talk, but the extent varies from toon to toon. mains are usually more vocal, with twisted vee being the most chatty.

the tapes are not old episodes, but are instead cut-up footage of the making of the toons. (the reason why they were even cut up in the first place was as a safety measure, so that you couldn’t know what the process was like unless you obtained all tapes.) the ichor operation is more or less dandy trying to find a solution to the twisted problem, or at the very least, put the twisteds out of their misery.

there used to be science events at gardenview for the older kids and teens. it was run by astro and brightney (the nerd duo ahahaha) and they’d do various experiments together. alternatively, they were also used to teach lab safety (e.g. how to handle apparatus properly esp. more dangerous ones like bunsen burners, how to properly store chemicals and keeping them from reacting with each other). astro and brightney may have been responsible for teaching at least a couple of teenagers how to make molotov cocktails.

as a reminder of those old lab days, astro and brightney have both kept their lab coats. they’re sometimes seen wearing them around gardenview as regular coats.

excess sensory input (bright lights, talking crowds) tends to make astro very tired as it’s all very overwhelming. thus, he used to dread public appearances as he knows he’s gonna get exhausted really quickly.

astro is ironically, or unironically, the worst toon to sleep in the same bed with because he’s so LOUD when he sleeps. not only does he move around a lot, his snores are so notoriously loud and is constantly sleeptalking. the other mains (as all the mains like to sleep in a pile together) describe his sleeptalking as ‘mildly irritated, as if he’s always complaining about something’.

all of the mains have detachable heads. vee is the only toon that does this in front of humans, as the action is required for some of her stunts in her dramatic entrances.

vee still hosts her ‘gameshow’ even without the humans. the show has now taken the form of a deranged hybrid of cards against humanity, quiplash and family feud. for obvious reasons toodles is not allowed in these games.

vee has access to the internet & is aware of the ‘can run doom’ meme. after some curiosity-fuelled experimenting, vee found out that she can run doom as well.

dandy’s world is still a widely-loved cartoon. this means that there was a massive poll ‘hear-me-out’ esque poll on which character they had a crush on either as a kid and/or now. (for obvious reasons i don’t think i should have to state, toodles, pebble and coal were excluded from the poll). this poll is immensely chaotic and has caused actual fights. vee knows about this poll and has also participated in some of those fights.

HELP these are so coolcore,,,getting you

[aliesbienish]

Love at first swipe

Benedict Bridgerton x fem reader. Modern Au.

Warnings: Cheesy AF. Innuendos.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Cute smile. Check.

Kind eyes. Check.

Well written profile with no misogynistic undertones. Double check.

This guy must be to good to be true. Definitely a bot. Or married and cheating on his poor wife. Plus what girl hasn’t been screwed over by a ‘Ben’, maybe he’ll be yours.

Still against better judgement you swiped right on Mr. cute smile, and then called it a day. Closing tinder and setting down your phone, reluctantly getting up to make yourself dinner. Honestly having a partner to share the cooking load was just as appealing as the romance at this point.

Basic spaghetti made and glass of wine in hand you plopped back onto the couch to continue your next rerun of pride and prejudice, the tv show of course. At least you could always day dream of life with Mr Darcy, and if he was always looking like he just emerged from the lake then so be it.

Grabbing your phone to enter into some simultaneous mindless scrolling you saw a notification from Tinder pop up. Oh boy a new match. Maybe you needed more wine.

Of course you couldn’t help being intrigued, so you opened it up to see a new message from the definite robot himself.

Ben: Good evening [y/n], to what do I owe this pleasure?

You: Bit early to determine I’ll be a pleasure isn’t it?

I’m actually only here because I am convinced you are a bot and honestly chatting with a bot is almost guaranteed to be more exciting than chatting with a man.

Ben: I’m nothing if not optimistic. I promise I am not a bot. And before you say it; I know that it’s exactly what a bot would say but it’s also exactly what a human would say.

You: Touché. Alright Ben, prove it.

Ben: Do you interrogate all your matches or am I special?

You: You’re special. But don’t get sappy about it, I’m just suspicious that your profile doesn’t have a photo of you fishing or in front of a car.

Through many years of observation I’ve hypothesised that each human man must show one or the other.

Ben: And have you hypothesised why that may be?

You: It’s almost certainly something to do with their hunting and gathering skills. That or compensation.

Ben: And how was this concluded?

You: Well fishing is obviously a modern (and frankly boring) man’s hunting and gathering.Least amount of work and blood involved. These men want to prove they can provide, but will likely never actually do the real hunting and gathering ie. Grocery shopping.

Ben: Science seems sound. And cars?

You: Well that’s obvious. The bigger and shinier the car the smaller the 🍆.

Ben: I quite agree…but that might be because I own a mud covered beetle.

You: Haven’t you heard it’s best to keep expectations low?

Ben: And risk losing out? No thank you.

You: If you’re real, which the jury is still out, I’m sure that’s not an issue.

Ben: Still? I’m flattered. And while it may not be an issue let’s say why would I settle for bronze when I can have gold?

FYI that’s me saying I think you’re gold

You: thanks for the clarification. You’re really into calling this early aren’t you? 10 minutes and you’re obsessed.

Ben: It’s actually been about thirty minutes if you count when I first came across your profile and haven’t stopped thinking about you since.

You: That is either incredibly honest or an amazing line.

Ben: Oh it’s both. But first and only time I’ll use it, cross my heart.

You: So what next?

Ben: Coffee, tomorrow hopefully if that’s not too soon?

You: Tomorrows great. Meet in the city? Say Leicester Square at 11am?

Ben: Done. I look forward to it.

You: You’d better be real or I’ll hurt you.

You were standing in the square outside of the cinema, your agreed meeting place. Despite the anxiety in you wanting to call the date off you’d made it. It was likely a good thing you only had 24 hours or so to think about it. Ben had been funny and endearing and so damn sure he wanted to meet you. He seemed so lovely that it defied belief, but you were willing to suspend reality.

You felt a hand on your shoulder, and you spun around to come face to face with Ben. In the flesh, as handsome or in fact even more so than his profile photos.

You meet his eyes and suddenly you felt lost in them.

“Hi,” You muttered, a goofy smile plastering your face. “I’m [y/n]”.

“Hi back. My real names Benedict. But Ben is fine. Long story. It’s lovely to meet you properly.”

“Thank god we’re both real,” you laughed.

“To be honest I never had any doubt. When you know you know.”

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Maybe I’m just trying to manifest my own luck on the dating apps 🤷🏻‍♀️

[0ne-shot]

okay i know im team chaotix centered but god dAMN i am shaking screaming crying after the sonic 3 trailer it was sososo good

one thing that i am actually nervous for though is how paramount is going to take shadow and tails's relationship in the third movie

now i KNOW that in the trailer shadow pulled one of his kicks on tails again but yknow. he beat the shit sonic and knuckles too. i dont think its that personal as everyone thinks. i'd argue he hurt sonic and knuckles even MORE than tails: the fox just got a simple kick while sonic got SLAMMED into the air and knuckles got his wrist bones gone. reduced to atoms.

i just hope. HOPE. that they dont give shadow and tails that stupid fucking beef between eachother like in some sonic media. i know shadow just spent most of his life in a pod for 50 years and just went through immense emotional pain and trauma but i genuinely do not think that shadow is immature and or irrational enough to hold a forever grudge towards a kind-hearted child he barely knows. he's an antagonist, not a monster

ALSO about amy and rouge not being in this movie (god DAMN you paramount write a fucking WOMAN for ONCE PLEASE) im also hoping that MAYYYBE possibly that tails might be the one who reminds shadow of maria (if they'll include something similar to sa2) because sonic just. i dont see him being a parallel to maria at all im sorry and i think why knux wont is obvious. also the fact that tails has a bunch of similarites to maria (blonde hair, blue eyes, in the child stages, innocent, love for science, calm and mature-like etc etc) ALSO another reason for why the shadow and tails beef shouldnt have happened in the first place

i am clinging onto the slight dynamic changes sega has been making with shadow and tails over the years as i manifest their friendship in the third movie (the shadow the hedgehog game where they both fight alongside eachother and consider one another allys, mosth where tails and shadow talk with eachother and banter casually, that one tailstube video where tails INTENTIONALLY gives shadow a gift i am still weeping happy tears over that)

tails could even be what makes shadow slowly trust in familial love again after his heart's been shattered back at the ark

so uh. yeah. that's out. the shrieking goblin in my brain can finally rest until the full movie comes out

[ineffable-suffering]

Trauma-Dumping on your plants: The Anthony J. Crowley Chronicles

This has been living in my silly head rent free for so long, I finally decided to slap it on here in hopes of thinking about it a little less (than three times a day. It's been years. I need to get over it.)

Also, I'm absolutely certain I'm not even remotely the first person to realize or post about this, since it's not the hardest of parallels to figure out. Alas, I still shall, because out of mind, out of sight and all that. So:

Let's talk about how Crowley is using his houseplants to work through his own Trauma of the Fall. Or, well, maybe not work through it per se, but more so roleplay it to give it somewhat of an an outlet because he never got over it. Lol.

It's not rocket science to figure it out and God Herself actually gives us a pretty spot-on explanation of it in her own narration.

Crowley's plants are perfect. They're, as God Herself tells us, the most luxurious and beautiful in all of London. He takes great care of them, waters them, mists them. Does any and everything to give them the perfect conditions so they won't have a worry in the world.

And yet, we're immediately shown that despite the seemingly perfect conditions they're living in, Crowley's plants still get *gasps quietly* spots. And we all know how Crowley feels about that:

It seems like such an unnecessary tiny thing to get upset about, right? Like, plants get spots all the time. They're not perfect, they're part of nature and nothing is ever perfect in nature. Crowley would know that by now. Imperfection is the whole point of nature. If everything had stayed exactly the way it always was, nothing would have ever changed or evolved.

Besides, Crowley is a demon. If it were merely about aesthetics to him, he could easily miracle away any spot with a blink of his serpent eyes. But he gets so angry about it, it's almost comical. At first we think it's just to show us, the audience, that, in contrast to Aziraphale, who cares very dearly and lovingly for his books, Crowley is a mean, mean demon who, instead of being outwardly nice to the things he loves (like Aziraphale does), yells at his plants because he's a mean meanie.

But! If you look at the whole scene and what God says, it's pretty obvious what he's actually doing is something else entirely: "What Crowley does is he puts the fear of God in them. Or, the fear of Crowley. The plants are the most luxurious and beautiful in London. Also the most scared."

Folks, this man dude serpent is literally roleplaying the concept of God/Heaven threatening angels with their Fall in order to keep them obedient ... with his houseplants.

Have I mentioned yet that I am absolutely obsessed with him and also desperately wanna get him a therapy voucher?

Because what does he do once he sees a plant disobeying his rules of perfection and acting out? The same thing God did to her questioning, equally disobedient angels (including Crowley): Parade it in front of the very scared rest, making an example of it ...

... only to then, well ...

... quite literally chuck it out.

To anyone else, this seems like a completely ridiculous thing to do over a tiny, minuscule spot. There would have been a bunch of other ways to go about fixing that spot.

Figuring out what it was the plant needed that might not have been given to it yet.

Taking care of it in a different, individual way so it would have been able to thrive again.

Listening to the plant and letting it tell you why its spot appeared in the first place.

Telling the plant, that loves and relies on you entirely, you love it too, despite it not being without fault, despite of it not fully living up to your unreachable standards of perfection.

Caring for the plant not because you want it to be perfect, but because you're okay with it being imperfect.

(We're no longer talking about plants here, as you are probably aware.)

Alas, this isn't what Crowley does. Because it wasn't what God did, either. We still know very little about Crowley's actual Fall and the Fall of Lucifer and the rest. But we do know that Crowley was never like or even with them.

All he did was ask some questions. A tiny spot. A seemingly insignificant blemish in the luxurious, beautiful flora of Heaven.

And yet, before he knew it, he did a "million lightyear freestyle dive into a boiling pool of sulfur". Cast out, chucked away, just like his little spotty plant. And for what? Well ...

... to keep the others angels plants check, for the rest of time.

***

(Addendum from the comments: If we go by what the book tells us, Crowley doesn’t actually end up violently throwing out the ‚bad‘ plants. He just finds a different place for them and makes sure they‘re looked after. So much to him being a big, bad, meanie-mean demon.)

[craving-for-chaos]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this because I based the whole premise of my current fic on this: What you do think the "Incident" that completely changed Viper was?

The obvious answer would be the assassination attempt, but I think there might be more to it as traumatic as the event was to Viper. Her voice line "I will not lose my home again!" is also interesting in that aspect because I cannot see how that ties to the assassination or, by a long stretch since it was the most significant Omega attack, Venice

I feel like either Riot just purposefully left this vague because they're, well, Riot, or there is a huge chunk of Viper's backstory that they're hiding from us

Ohhhh man. Thank you for giving me a chance to yap about this actually—I have SO many thoughts.

Personally, I don't think that the "Incident™" was her assassination attempt. I dare say that I'm 90% sure it wasn't, and yes, I firmly believe that we're still missing a LARGE portion of her backstory. Okay walk with me on this one, this is going to take a while.

First of all, we have been explicitly told by 2 agents now that Viper used to be in the business of saving people. Vyse's voiceline, "We saved the world once, Sabine. I don't doubt we can do it again," could technically be more science related, so I'll admit that that isn't very indicative of much other than the fact Viper seems quite protective of Earth. Omen's voiceline, however, leaves a lot less room for guess work: "Just think, Sabine. You used to heal with your skill. Funny."

"Heal" is a VERY specific word to use here, and I also think that—aside from the whole Doctor Sabine thing with Cypher—it's the reason that many people, myself included, headcanon that she used to be involved in the medical field. This is also supported by the fact that she's able to somehow help Lucia with her health problems. But back to why this is relevant; as of the Reckoning cinematic, where we see the flashback of Viper's assassination attempt, she is ALREADY VIPER-IFIED.

Okay, so what do I mean by that? Well, her employment at Kingdom alone suggests that for whatever reason, she's already turned her back on "healing" and begun focusing on chemistry. In addition, her demeanor in the Reckoning flashback, while possibly warped since we see this from Omen's POV, is quite...detached, for someone who was just nearly killed. We know that Omen scared/scares her here, as shown by her later behavior when talking about this event, but in the moment, she seems focused. Logical. And, now for the main evidence of her "Viper-ification," she already has her snakebite made, and her mask at the ready. The mask could be excused if she often works with gases, but the literal corrosive acid? Yeah, I have trouble believing she created that for work, Chief Scientific Officer or not.

All of this implies that she's already being plagued by ideas for revenge, which I'm confident stem from the actual incident that made her the way she is. As you said, the assassination attempt was quite traumatic, but not devastating or life-altering in the way that Viper and Fade make the Incident™ seem to have been, especially considering Viper willingly chose to recruit Omen to the VP and treat him kindly after he lost his memories. If he truly was the cause of her current mental state, all of that hatred and anger she seethes would be directed at him—and yet none of it is.

Now with all of that out of the way and onto your actual question, what was the Incident™? Well, I've always personally thought that it MUST have something to do with the deaths of her family and/or a partner.

Let's take a look at these voicelines (bolded words are especially relevant):

"Let's take from them what they took from me—everything!" "I will not lose my home again!" "I'll take everything from them." "You wanted a villain? I gave you a villain!" "I am your monster. You made me this way! Never forget that." "Something wrong, KAY/O? Death's on your conscience? We're not so different after all." "What's it like, Reyna, fighting to keep a loved one alive? No, please. Tell me." (Not as straightforward as the others, but something about her delivery of this line is just...off.)  "Sage, you're the only one who can keep us alive. Don't fail us now like you failed me then." "Never, ever assume you can help me. You can't help me, you can't help them!"

Notice a pattern? Viper is the only agent—and I cannot emphasize that enough, the only agent—who speaks to and about Omega Earth and its agents this personally. She acts like she has been personally wronged BY THEM, as if they've ruined not only her life, but also her herself. She acts like they specifically are the ones responsible. And the term "everything" is very broad, so it doesn't tell us much other than something extremely important to Viper was taken, but what's more important to someone than their family?

And then there's the recurring theme of deaths/loved ones/"them."

Often times, when Viper says "them," she's referring to the enemy. But that last voiceline is her response to Sage bringing up an offer that she has apparently extended to Viper before, so we can only assume that the "them" here is referring not only to important people to Viper, but also important people who Sage thinks she could help; moreover, people who need help in the first place. Then there's the KAY/O voiceline, which implies that Viper, too, has deaths on her conscience. And the Reyna voiceline, like I mentioned earlier, I personally think is delivered in such a way that makes it seem like Viper DOES know what it's like, and she's being almost sarcastic/bitter when prompting Reyna to tell her about it.

This is why I think that the Incident has to do with her family/loved ones in particular. I think that Viper's literal home could have been destroyed, maybe, but considering she's American, let's be honest, that's quite unlikely. What I do think is more likely, however, is that Viper's home was somehow invaded, and her family—be it parents, siblings, partner, kids, etc.—was injured or killed because of it. Viper's other voiceline about Sage failing her in the past also supports this, because while that could be referring to Omen (considering Sage seems to be involved in Omen's past somehow), I find it much more probable that Sage and Viper crossed paths because of The Incident™. And why would Viper need a healer if she didn't have people who needed healing?

I also believe this is all very intentional on Riot's part, teased but not fully revealed yet. Not only because of all the evidence I've already listed, but because of Viper's playlist on Spotify. There are several songs on it that mention houses/homes being burnt down, and one even highlights family relations in specific. And, fun fact, you know the whole March 20th thing with Viper? Well, a lovely friend of mine actually caught an interesting detail: this year, around the actual date March 20th, Riot briefly added two songs to Viper's official playlist. Those songs were Sick of the Sun by Poppy and My Limb by Hayley Williams, and I'll save you the research—Sick of the Sun literally has a lyric saying "I'm sick of the sun, it burns everyone," and the entire song features a general theme of exhaustion and possible suicidal ideation. My Limb, on the other hand, is about losing a partner specifically, and the grief that comes with it. It also features a lyric saying, "If your part of me is gone now, do I wanna survive?"

Now, those two songs have since been removed, but both the topics and artists suggest that they were intentionally put on that playlist (since Paramore and Poppy are both artists that have songs on it). And, to be quite honest, even I'm not sure what to make of the whole recurring theme of her home literally burning down yet. But even without that, I feel like the rest of the stuff I mentioned is evidence enough of my theory lol.

...That was a lot. But to put it concisely, I'm almost certain The Incident™ involved Viper losing her family directly at the hands of Omega Earth or its agents somehow, that Sage was involved in the aftermath, and that this all happened BEFORE the assassination attempt. Thanks for coming to my TEDtalk lmao.

[tm-trx]

Pit Babe 2, ep 4

Live Reaction Notes:

(warning: may will contain inconsistent punctuation/capitalization, stream of consciousness reactions, and rampant speculation)

now it's Babe's turn to be the protective boyfriend love it

lol Chris - all these emotions are getting in the way of his science

Jeff has a secret now? is he pregnant?!

ah no just another vision - borrring! also I thought he’d told them everything already

of course Willy showed up at the same gym

too distracted by Babe/Pavel working out; can’t concentrate on what they're saying

::brief pause for appreciation::

and we’re back: “what did i do to you?” he’s playing the clueless card, but not believably, sorry kid

IG photo alibi, okay sure

okay but was Babe lying about ‘sorry i misjudged you’ and why did Willy have that look on his face? is he catching actual feelings?

plot cliche that I loathe alert: the loud over-reaction to someone clearly trying to be stealthy and/or keep a secret just so another character notices and joins the scene

put a ring on it Charlie!

that’s the second “not until after the serum is complete” - fishy

Hey Pete, you know this isn’t Way, right? The way he’s pursuing Chris makes me wonder.

Pete has a speakeasy in his basement: nice.

That’s right Chris, they weren’t even boyfriends. Run. Away.

oh that was intriguing; I'm trying not to over-analyze every time Chris’ face changes while Pete is telling him about his history with Way.

love me a pool table scene

um wow did they just . . . ?!?

Kim and Kenta: Team Cockblock

ah so cute - he really put “Mama” on the cake lol

flowers, candles, etc is usually too cheesy for me to take seriously but this is nicely done and Babe loved it; i love them

and then Tony ruins the vibe by corrupting Winner completely yikes; I suspected that other guy was doomed but not like this.

Final Thoughts:

current Tony Mole count:

Willy (obviously is)

Kenta (also obvious but unlikely)

Chris (still might be Way)

Dean (stealth option)

Has anyone written up a lore guide for this show yet? I have thoughts about the world they’re in and how the senses work in everyday life. I know why the characters want an erasing serum, but what would a layperson think of the whole idea? Pretty sure they’d be horrified by what both Charlie and Tony are doing. I’m trying not to think too deeply about it because that’s a whole can of meta worms to get into.

This show is giving me all the romance cliches and I am eating them up. Babe, sitting beside Charlie’s bed for hours, waiting for him to wake up but scared he never will. Delicious.

I was very confused about what Jeff was worried about now, because I thought last episode brought everything out in the open. Turns out he hadn’t been totally honest about what all he’s seen.

I went back to rewatch the gym scene to figure out what is going on with Willy and got distracted again. >.< I’m desperately curious about what is up with him. Is he developing feelings for Babe? Is it hero worship? Do they have history that Babe doesn’t know about? And does Babe really believe the social media alibi or is he stringing Willy along to get info?

Pete and Chris - Holy shit, chemistry! I’m really starting to think that Chris might actually be Way. Or Way’s brother? Could be his brother. His reaction when Pete said that he left Way behind with Tony was telling. Yes, Pete was telling him something horrible, but that looked like a personal reaction. And what was he starting to say to Pete, when the doorbell rang??

I really thought Kenta somehow had proof that Chris was Way and that’s why he needed to get ahold of Pete so urgently. Total letdown to find out he just wanted to go investigate Tony. LOL

Babe’s face when Charlie said no, these aren’t marriage rings. He wants to be married so bad. I’m glad Charlie picked up on that and reassured him, but if we don’t end with a marriage epilogue or at least a proposal I’m going to be just as disappointed as Babe.

Winner - oof - The actor played that scene so so well, wow. Desperation, disgust, and fear were all over Winner’s face while he was killing Tony’s guy. But mostly desperation. He is stuck and he knows it. And unless he swallows his pride and reaches out to the X-Hunter team, I don't see a way out for him.

So, who's taking odds that Tony kidnaps Chris to fix his serum problems?

My Pit Babe 2 recaps: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13

[millhearts4]

CHEMISTRY ~

Paring: Tutor!armin x reader

synopsis: You never thought you would be getting tutored your senior year of college but here you are. Is real chemistry possible? Read and find out! ﹙♡﹚

Warnings: Fluff, slightly mature content❔

———————————————————————-

(P.S my first post please let me know how to improve / what you would want me to write! Also not proof read and i am dyslexic so yes if i flipped words I’m sorry)

"Ugh, i don't get this at all" You said whining about stupid science homework. Armin stared and watched dumbfounded.

He rolled his eyes slightly and grabbed your hand that had the pencil in it he moved closer to you and began moving your hand across the paper.

"So humans have to eat things to get energy right? Its the same thing with plants" he said trying to explain it in the best way possible.

You groaned again and were on the verge of impulsively dropping out.

She understood what Armin explained, It wasn't biology that you were stuck on it was chemistry. You sighed as you dropped your head down on the desk as you mumbled miserably.

"chemistry, i dont understand it?! why is this even relevant." You sulked as you slowly lifted your head up. Saying that in front of a stem major was like saying you don't believe in God.

"Uhm chemistry is basically in everything" He said sighing shaking his head slowly. tutoring you these past few weeks have been.. hard.

Not just on your end but his as well to be brutally honest you have a thick skull and don’t take in new information easily, it drives Armin nuts!

"Okay well i might as well fail college and like marry rich-" you said as you bit the inside of your cheeks his hand still on yours.

"Come on just focus" He said as he slowly let go of your hand and put his arm around your shoulder. He leaned in even closer His lips brushing your ear briefly. You widen your eyes slightly at this shocking behavior.

Armin and you have gotten a little close you could say the more he tutored you the more you guys had in common. It felt like every session he was just getting bolder and bolder.

"How can i focus if you do something like that huh?" You rolled your eyes slightly still pouting you were completely lost and you couldn’t fail chem. In the silence your thoughts drifted, You didn't mind his arm around you... but his lips were questionable.

He laughed softly as he tucked your hair back and gently kissed the back of your neck leaving small pecks.

Your face lit up in a instant immediately glowing pink. He was touching a different base, i guess it was obvious now that they kind of both liked each-other just a little bit.

"Armin-" Your voice came out dry and shaky from nervousness it wasn't rough. He was gentle it was more love pecks than him sucking your neck.

He licked her neck before he smoothly hummed "hm?." As he lifted his head he pushed you so that you were sitting inside his legs.

"Are you sure I'm the one who needs to focus?" You huffed still feeling a little hot and pink from the earlier altercation. you tilted your head back and looked up to see his sly smirk.

"why do chemistry homework when we have all the chemistry we need right here?" He said in a teasing manner and flirty tone.

You couldn't help but let out a little laugh as you looked up at him, that was such a cheesy line and it barely made sense. Her laughter was cut short as soon as he placed his lips on hers.

You're heart started racing and you're thoughts too did you feel a little nervous and wanna pull back? Yeah..but god you were melting into the kiss and there was no turning back.

Maybe they did have good chemistry there lips fit together like puzzle pieces, Even though kiss was gentle but a little sloppy. Neither of you were pulling away you both had no intention too.

Armin let out a slight noise before he reached out and flipped you over so that he was hovering over you, your back against the floor before he began kissing you again.

Unlike the first kiss it was less gentle and more needy, desperate. It was getting to a point where you couldn't breathe.

You gasped in-between kisses moaning,

"Armin- I"  You breathlessly muttered out. You're hair was all disheveled and your chest was rising up and down as he pulled back.   

What a sight to see laying under him, once he looked at you he slightly blushed too. But he wasn't going to look away.. no.. this was a prize better than any video game, any stem fair could give him.

He breathed heavily too as he slowly slid back off of her.

"excuse me-" He said trying to talk before catching his breath but realized he couldn't, he was still proper though of course.

"Does that mean it's obvious that i like you now?"  He cooed out once he caught his breath he grabbed your hand and helped sit you up.

Once you heard him say he likes you, your heart was fluttering even more now. You never had a guy say they liked you not to your face like this of course.

You stared at him for a good minute or so with your pink rosy cheeks and an awkward nervous face.

He let out a little chuckle as he saw your hair and reached out a hand and helped tame it.

"I like you too, a lot actually" She said as she frowned a bit, you were just a little sad and happy to finally get it off that chest of yours.

You never had anyone like you back ever it's only ever been one sided so this made you like him more.

"Im glad" he smiled before his finger ran down her face to her jawline his thumb and pointer finger lifting her chin up.

(More coming soon? Maybe.. for yall freaky gals who want that smut)

[verysanebsdfan]

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟻: ᴠɪʟʟᴀɢᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴋᴇ

The Perfect Equation: Village by the lake

Ishigami Senku x fem!reader

masterlist tpe masterlist

<previous ・・・・・ next>

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

"My name is Kohaku. And I do believe I've fallen for you quite hard."

She says, making Senku drop the tree he was slowly trying to place down. I am also startled. "Did she really just say that? We just met. I mean, she is cute but..." I think, not daring to make a sound, at least not before one of them.

Senku looks annoyed, as always, when anyone mentions romance involving him. "Sheesh. Annoying crap like that makes me wanna curl up and die." Senku groaned, not trying to hide his annoyance and disgust. "I mean, really? You've got a crush on me now? In an emergency like this...?"

"I'm not saying that at all!" She said in her defense, and I relax, leaning closer to Senku.

"Even if she was, so many guys would take that chance; she kinda looks like Lillian Weinberg, you know... The American singer." I chuckle and then look back at her. "Sorry to say that, but it really sounded like it, no offense, now calm down... Both of you." I smile.

"I'm just saying I'll cooperate with you because I like you as people!" Senku finally calms down, saying he appreciates it, and then he says something about how love is the most irrational emotion ever. Wait till he finds out about jealousy.

We all got ready to sleep since the sun was already setting. I prepare the fireplace and light it.

"Hey, (Name)? Do you want this sleeping bag or can I take it? I only have one, sorry." He tells me apologetically, to which I shake my head. I've been sleeping without one for some time now, so I'm okay. He then proceeds to huddle into the sleeping bag and turn around.

Both Kohaku and I lay, well, more like sit, in almost identical positions. Sitting, our back supported by a tree, and our hands on our stomach or chest, getting supported by a leg. The only difference is that she has her knives in her hands.

"So you new humans sleep with blades in hand?" Senku asks, watching her from his comfy sleeping bag.

"It's pretty obvious I don't have 'love' on the brain, right? Hah! I may be curious about your ways, but that doesn't mean I trust you. This is just a habit from having had to protect myself my entire life. Don't let it get to you." She said, looking alert just like before, her teal eyes reflecting the fire quite nicely. "I still don't get why you thought I had a crush on you, I'd never take someone's man. That's like common courtesy, is it not?" She says, and I nod along until I realize what she said. And I am not the only one who realized it.

"She is not my woman!!" Senku yells, looking agitated, a light blush coating his cheeks. "Anyway, you can drop the weapons, I ain't so brave to suddenly attack a lioness like you. So don't waste another 0,1 seconds and get to sleep already.

"A lioness?!" Kohaku angrily exclaims. "That's mean! You may live like a gentleman, but your super-filthy mouth tells a different story. My blade may find that sharp tongue of yours before either of us knows it. (Name) How do you put up with him?" To which I just chuckle, "I'd also like to know that."

・・・・・

"That long-haired man, you're fighting him?" Kohaku asks us, just as she picks up her huge jar. "I would be happy to help, I'm not one to retreat in disgrace, you know."

"Yep. That's why I'm building a Kingdom of Science." Senku says, looking determined. It suits him.

"Science? You mean your sorcery?" Kohaku questions but is not met with an answer.

"But first, I need manpower!" Senku states, and I smile, I am so glad he got revived. One thing is that I missed him; the second is that we would have no chance without him.

"Then you should come with me." Kohaku offers. "I'll be returning home after fetching some hot spring water."

"Hot spring water?" I tilt my head in confusion. What could she need it for? For medical or relaxation purposes? Rituals? I don't know. I'm sure she'll tell us, though.

Kohaku approaches the spring and fills the whole Jar with steaming water. "This will make a fine hot bath once I carry it back. Perfect for rejuvenation." She clears out my confusion, mostly.

"But you're ten billion percent healthy. Why would a vigorous lioness like you need rejuvenation?" Senku asks, looking dumbfounded.

Hearing that, Kohaku bursts into anger, "I am no lioness!" she defends her pride. "And it's for my older sister!" She sighs and picks up the jar. "I swear, she's such a nuisance. That sister of mine only slows me down. She's been sick lately; if I could take her place and give her this healthy body of mine, I would." She calmly says, looking sad, understandably so.

"But then you would be the one sick Kohaku. That would be just as bad, no?" I question, to which she does not respond.

We all start walking down the hill. I take in the beautiful scenery. Green was everywhere in sight. No signs of a modern civilization. It was so peaceful, and the air was so fresh. I could get used to this. I might miss modern life as much as possible, yet nature makes it so much better. The beautiful sight made me relax a little. I was no longer alone. I had Senku with me, and now also Kohaku, whom I already adore.

"That pot only holds about 50 liters. Not exactly enough for a full-blown bath." Senku states. He's right. It's far from enough, so why? "How many times have you gone back and forth, carrying that big, heavy thing, day after day?" Senku asks softly. He looks impressed and melancholic. No, that's not it, but it is an emotion I don't seem to be able to classify.

"Hah! It serves as my daily training. The water is just heavy enough for that. It helps strengthen my body, so I suppose I have to thank my troublesome sister for that." Kohaku says positively, smirking back at us, yet then she almost trips and almost spills the water. Senku caught the jar just in time.

"You're still not totally healed from earlier, huh?" He smirks at her, holding the jar up. Did he get stronger? He said the jar is about 50 liters, which would be 50 kilograms, counting only water; the jar also weighs something. If both of them are holding it, I can only assume how much he is currently holding, but I'd guess about 25 kilograms. "That's a lot!" I nod my head, he has definitely gotten stronger. "We'll be in a real pinch if you overdo it and kick the bucket. Lemme lend you a hand." Senku offered, still showing off that stupid smirk of his.

Kohaku, of course, handed him the jar, and that was too much for him, and he ended up falling face first and also spilling the jar. "Talk about overdoing it." Annoyed, Kohaku said, picking up the jar and going to refill it.

"Am I the only one in this stone world who's not a gorilla? Kohaku, Tsukasa, Taiju..." Senku grumbles as he gets up from the ground.

"Hey!! I'm not a gorilla, too, idiot. Right now, I'm probably weaker than you." I tell him while chuckling. I approach him and dust off a little dirt from his shoulders. "Here."

・・・・・

While Kohaku was out, Senku decided to make a three-wheeled vehicle to transport us to Kohaku's village faster.

"Amazing, building such a useful contraption so quickly!" Kohaku squeals excitedly as she sits on the jar at the front of the vehicle.

"So quickly? It's only because I had the perfect set of materials from the pulleys yesterday. Progress gives rise to further progress. And practical application of that progress is at the core of science." Senku yells from behind me.

"Senku, I don't wanna underestimate you, but... does this have breaks?" I ask, sweating nervously.

"No!" Senku responds. Of course, it doesn't; what did I even expect? And, of course. We crashed. I felt the harsh ground scraping my kneecaps, palms, and elbows. Groaning, I try to get up, until I realize Something is holding my lower body down. Senku was laying right on my thighs. This made me flustered. The intimate nature of this position is getting into my brain. "He looks cute, lying there."

He grunts and props himself up on his elbows. "You okay?" He asked, and I quickly stood up, ignoring the small streak of blood from my wounds tickling down my leg. "Yeah." To which he just shakes his head and says: "I'll patch it up for you later."

We dust off the stray dust particles on our clothes and look ahead of us. "Welcome to my village!" Says Kohaku proudly.

"How many people live here?" Asked Senku. "I forget how many children and elders there are, but them said,e we have exactly forty!"

We are staring ahead at the primitive settlement on two islands by the shore of a lake. If there are forty people plus some children and elderly, it means there must have been a lot of generations or a lot of revived people. But those people do not seem too knowledgable about, well, anything. At least from what I can see. They do seem like good fishermen, though.

We get closer to the bridge that connects the first village island and the shore, but then, out of nowhere, two men get ready to attack us. Thankfully, Kohaku deflects their attacks. "No violence, Kinro, Ginro! I'm alive thanks to those two!" Kohaku shouts at the men.

"Sorry 'bout that, Kohaku, but no can do." A blonde man with a side part, chin-length hair, and green eyes says. "No outsiders allowed. You know that. The chief'll be mad.

"There's nothing to argue about. Rules are rules." Says the other man. His haircut looks like it's straight out of Bungo Stray Dogs. I swear the random long piece in the middle of your forehead is not that hard to cut off. He does, however, have the same eye color as the man beside him, a pleasant shade of green.

"No humans live beyond our borders. Any outsiders have to be criminals we kicked out in the past. They cannot stay here. Whether they're your saviours or not, the details don't matter." The man with the strange haircut says.

"You leave me no choice," Kohaku says, "Right here. Right now. Fight me!" She threatened them, making a really scary face, but I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kohaku, let me at least..." I sigh and turn to the young men. "Uhm, hi, uhm, how about we take this logically and without fighting. Both me and my companion seem around your age, if not younger. Which means you would know if we were criminals. You might say that our parents were criminals. Well, I do not have a good argument for this one, but look, if they were, they would more likely have more kids and attack you, obviously." I try to reason with them. "Either way, I don't need you to trust us right now, but I would appreciate it if you didn't fight, with Kohaku especially."

Then, some bubbles fly from behind me. I see Senku using our soap and a bit of the hot spring water to make them, blowing them through his finger. I smile; this brings me back to my childhood. But I can't say the same for the men. Kinro and Ginro, was it? They look absolutely baffled and terrified.

The brown haired one tries to pop them frantically, while the blondie looks at the 'flying jewels' that are floating around him.

"Whut?!" Senku exclaims while sticking his pinky into his ear. "They're that primitive, huh?" and then he makes a really nasty face. "Heh, heh, heh... perfect. They'll all be mine. I'll have the power of science and forty people to boot once I recruit this bunch to my cause," he exclaims while holding his hand up. This really is some face a main villain would make when talking about world domination or something. "Get excited!!"

[dj-wayback]

((ooc feel free to ignore if there's too much here or just cus. Couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted to send. My first ever ask so I'm not used to this (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠) ))

Sep strikes me as someone who might appreciate fidget toys. Or just having something to do with their hands (I'm partial to making origami myself). I'm sending over a package with a few small fidgets of varying types and materials (metal, plastic, etc.), a crochet kit, some yarn for finger knitting, a small booklet of tear-off origami paper, a couple hair ties, a puzzle, and a pair of those funny oblong magnets that make that odd sound. And a weighted plush of 33 because I don't think you've gotten many (any?) of those. Sep, I'd appreciate if you'd humor me and try a few of these out. Shouldn't get in the way of your productivity since I don't think you really need your hands for that (correct me if I'm wrong). Give it a shot if for nothing other than the sake of the scientific method (I'm testing a hypothesis here). Up to you though, of course.

This also made me think of fidget spinners, so I'll send a couple of those (one classic plastic, one light up) Wayback's way. And some of those foam capsule dinosaurs you put in water. Bet he'll love those :) .

Khm, hmm, that is, I do value the gesture. I am not one to refuse offerings. Especially ones of high quality such as these. I can tell this was a lot of thought and work, and…but…

I fear you are utterly mistaken in your impression of me. I do not need “something to do with my hands”, I don’t—I do not know why you would…this is not to undermine your efforts, of course, but I am quite unsatisfied with my chamber being used as a place to accumulate purposeless objects.

Because, truly, I do not know what expectations of my actions you had in mind when you sent these over. I do not “fidget”. I do not need “something to do with my hands”. These items add nothing to my productivity, they simply take up space and…I don’t have the time for this. Even if I did have time, I would not be utilizing it in such a senseless way. It’s really not…

A-and if you genuinely needed these tested for…the sake of science…you could have easily done that yourself, I apologize as that is inconsiderate, but it is the truth. Of course in every other circumstance I am always, always happy to provide help and do what’s required of me—this, however, is just…what you ask of me is…

…

Play with them!

I do not—(Needless Separation scoffs in disbelief, like that was an answer they weren’t completely anticipating)—“play”. Who do you take me for? A toddler?

heeeey, what’s the implication here, man? Playing’s fun! Playing with the things you got looks fun! There, logical conclusion just for you brother. PLUS they said it’s for their Hypothesis‼️‼️

I do n—

You Do Not Do Fun, right? Or something like that? You Have No Need For The Fun? You Do Not Require The Fun? did you know you speak like a cartoon villain

…

…….

Okay, fine, you don’t have to Play, but you got other stuff in there too, right? Like—oh! OH!

I—uhhhaha, yyyeah? i mean, what’s not to like, right? it’s also really fun and you get to make a pretty picture and feel smart about it, it’s like, very high on my tierlist of Activities. straight up A-tier

I simply did not take you for someone who…

…

Well, I would not use something as unsophisticated as “fun” to refer to it. I would call it intellectually stimulating, if anything.

oh, it’s intellectually stimulatingggg, okay whatever you say Mr. Serious (definitely not cartoon villain)

I—

i still think you should do it! i—well, i don’t know if you want to—probably not—but i could, y’know, help……or i couldn’t…..or i…………could………………………or i couldn’t. Or could I

…While, yes, this activity seems to at least serve as a solution to a problem of some kind and has a designated purpose, thus being made more appealing than all the…other ones, I am still, ah, busy. As you can see.

i can?

Yes.

Are…you busy?

…Yes. Was that—was that not obvious?

Oh, um…right.

…

So…

No, then.

…

…

…

I…will give your offer some consideration.

[aspoonofsugar]

What do you think so far of season 2 of Arcane ? Honestly I think for my part that it’s too rushed and there are too many storylines it’s so confusing. Besides they completely destroyed Vi and Caitlyn relationship lol the disappointment is high

Hi!

I am sorry you are not enjoying the season very much. On my part I am loving it and I am looking forward to the final act!

I think much criticism I have seen stems from the very own premise of Arcane as a show tbh. I think there are two things to clarify.

First thing to clarify

Arcane is in the end a League of Legends show. Its main commercial goal is to explore the Lore of the Game, so that new fans can be brought in and old fans can have fun spotting easter eggs. As a result, it takes some choices that in another story you wouldn't have. Two examples:

1- Mel's arc feels out of the blue, but it ties into the lore of the game (I heard they wanted to make Mel into a new champion? If so, she is probably going through an arc where she is receiving magical abilities, as smart as fuck and good at politics isn't exactly a set skill that works in LOL). It is a storyline you would not usually add, as you would not usually add the Black Rose shenaningas. They added it because it probably lets them add a new champion to the game and it lets them play homage to another popular character of the game. That said, Mel's own storyline has the potential to tie nicely with the main plotline:

a) Mel's disappearance does in fact have an impact on the narrative, i.e. it lets Medarda do as she pleases in Piltover. If Mel were around, there is no way she would have let her mother establish Martial Law without a fight. I think Mel could have also had a positive influence on Cait. Not only that, but Medarda's love for Mel humanizes her character and gives more depth to her relationship with Caitlyn. It is obvious Medarda and Cait's bond is one where they are projecting on the other a loved one. Cait finds a new mentor figure/mother after Cassandra's death. Medarda finds a new mentee figure/daughter after Mel's disappearance. They are not mother and daughter, but they project on each other a need they both feel, as they are both grieving.

b) Mel has always been linked to Jayce and Viktor's B plot aka Arcane plot, as she, Viktor and Jayce are the ones who created HexTech. This season Viktor and Jayce have both "touched" the Arcane, which has traumatized them in opposite ways. In a sense, they have both lost their humanity in the pursue of progress. Moreover, they have both become entangled with magic. Well, even if I know very little of LOL Lore, I think it is safe to assume Mel inherited some kind of magical ability. The fact she is trapped in some kind of magical dimension where she has to decipher old runes makes me believe her experience is not very different from Viktor and Jayce, thematically. They all pursued progress through science, only to now face something of wild and irrational. Also, Mel being the one with the higher magical potential among the trio could be pretty interesting.

2 - I would not have wanted Vander to come back in any other series and was skeptical about the choice of having him be Warwick. That said, I also understand it makes a very interesting background for the champion, so I understand why they made this decision. What's more, I actually like a lot how he has been used. Instead of being reduced to a simple agent of chaos, he has been used as a catalyst in Vi and Jinx's arcs.

Basically, they are taking choices, I would not recommend in any other story. However, they are making them work pretty well both for Arcane and for LOL.

Second thing to clarify

It is true Arcane is an ensembled cast and it balanced different pov rather well in season 1. However, this does not mean that ALL characters have the same importance. I think both season 1 and this season so far have made very clear that the story has ONE main character, that is Jinx:

She is the one given the major focus BY FAR.

The whole first season is her journey to become the Jinx in the games, which is symbolically why the season ends with her embracing this alterego. Every other major character's plotline in the main A plot is after all tied to her. Vi wants to save her. Silco wants to control her. Caitlyn wants to arrest her. She is the reason why Cait and Vi meet each other in the first place. Not to count she also unwillingly kicks off the B plotline by having Jayce's research come to light.

The second season so far has revolved around her, as well. This time she is going through a journey, where she tries to fix what she has broken. At the same time, she has to accept the consequences of her own actions. She grieves Silco, connects with Sevika, adopts Isha and tries to mend her relationship with Vi. Meanwhile, all the other major characters are impacted by her. She is at the centre of the conflict between Vi and Cait, for example. She is the one who almost kills Viktor, so that Jayce tries to resurrect him. Finally, she becomes the centre of the major conflict between Piltover and Zaun.

In short, I think it is fair for people to be annoyed their faves are not receiving the screentime or focus, they had hoped. However, I think that so far the series has been coherent in keeping Jinx at its center. We'll see if it will be so for the ending, as well.

Finally, I don't think Vi and Cait's relationship was ruined. I think the conflict among Vi, Cait and Jinx is actually my favourite part of this season. I will add that their conflict is actually a mirror of the first season:

Season 1 has the first act focused on Vi's relationship with Powder and it ends with their separation / Season 2 has the first act focused on Vi's relationship with Cait and it ends with their separation

Season 1 has the second act focused on Vi and Cait's relationship, as Vi looks for her family / Season 2 has the second act focused on Vi and Jinx's relationship, as they look for their family. Both relationships start as conflictual and slowly grow better

In season 1's third act, Vi fails to reconcile her relationship with Cait with the one with Jinx. We'll see if in the final act of season 2, she will fare better.

In short, it has never been only Vi and Cait, but always Vi, Cait and Jinx, as her lover and her sister represent two different sides of Vi. Just like Jinx has to reconcile both Jinx and Powder, so Vi has to reconcile both Jinx and Cait. Similarly, Cait needs to reconcile Vi and Jinx as two parts of Zaun.

In conclusion, I do agree that there are a little bit too many storylines, some of which might feel out of the blue. I also understand people wanted some characters to be explored more. However, I also think they are doing a great job at telling the story they want to tell and they are giving the viewers all the elements to understands the characters' developments. Surely, it would have been great to have some dynamics and psychologies explored more, but the writing level stays pretty high.

This does not mean you should like it, though. You probably were more interested in some dynamics and storylines that ended up being sidelined and it is totally valid to be annoyed by it.

Thank you for the ask!