#and he would absolutely be willing to write off some oddness in the interest of staying out of it

[just-j-really]

Another Dreamling fic I'm probably not going to write: amnesia AU, but played for comedy/fluff. Hob forgets everything from the night he met Dream onward because of some sort of curse. Dream decides to look after him until the curse wears off, because he is Being a Good Friend.

So from Hob's perspective, a Mysterious Hot Guy told him he'd see him in 100 years time and then he woke up in the future, with the Mysterious Hot Guy refusing to let him out of his sight.

Hob is under the impression he's being kidnapped/seduced by some fey creature, and "show him the delights the future has to offer" is just how this guy flirts.

Hob is not opposed.

Meanwhile Dream is being dragged along on a whirlwind tour of the year 2023 by a Manic Pixie Dream Medieval Peasant who wants to see absolutely everything there is to see in the future right now immediately.

(I am a little bit thinking of the festival dance scene in Tangled, with Hob as Rapunzel. Only instead of Festival Activities he is enthusiastically dragging Dream around to the various Sights of modern London.)

The Sights in Question are this bizarre mix of 'things a modern person would consider an attraction in modern London' and 'entirely banal parts of modern London' and Hob is having the time of his life. The future has stores full of more food than he's seen??? And types of food he's never seen??? And spices and off-season fruit just sitting there??? And fabric is so soft now???? And medication and pest control are just??? Available??? Life is so rich!!!!

(And on the other hand like. This man was excited about playing cards. Someone please show him an arcade. He is forcing Dream to play every multiplayer game available. Especially the driving ones. Neither of them knows how to drive.)

(Dream takes him to a museum and he's staring at a display from the 14-1500s marveling at how futuristic the technology is. He's actually more excited about that stuff than he is about the whole 'computers' thing because it's close enough for him to have some point of reference.)

(Also sidebar from the comedy- Maybe Dream shows Hob the ruins of the White Horse. Hob stares at the building for a long time, then starts crying. Not outright sobs, just tears steadily slipping down his face like he's not really aware of them. Dream panics and tries to comfort him, mentally kicking himself for showing Hob the one connection to the life he knows in ruins. But Hob, laughing now, explains that this was the first time it really hit him? That he's actually 600 years in the future, not in some fairyland Dream created. And that means that all the disease and starvation and war and world-ending horror he was staring down 600-odd years ago didn't. He was going to grit his teeth and live no matter what but the fact that the world made it here along with him? That humanity's still here? And managed to create antibiotics and planes and chimneys in the meantime? That's a goddamn miracle.)

And Dream is getting dragged along with Hob, at first reluctantly, but slowly falling for Hob's enthusiasm throughout the day/week/whatever. And this version of Hob is like. Outright flirting with him. He's outright flirting with a lot of people, fair, but Dream especially. And of course Dream's having a feeling about it, because of course the version of Hob who doesn't actually know him, doesn't know how cruel he was over the centuries, is the one who'd be interested in him.

The Manic Pixie Dream Medieval Peasant Tour of London ends up taking on a decidedly romantic note, after a few days. And one night, after an evening in a restaurant that Dream knows is one of Hob's favorites, where everyone around them was silently willing them to get a room because the tension between two people who are very carefully sitting on opposite sides of the table and not actually touching, just talking to each other, was far too palpable, Hob caves, and drags Dream into a kiss the second they get back to his flat.

It's a good kiss, and Dream lets himself enjoy it for a moment, because he'll never get to kiss Hob again so at least he can have the memory of this one. Then he gently breaks the kiss and tells Hob, equally gently, that they can't. That Hob doesn't remember the majority of their relationship, how cruel Dream has been to him. That his present self doesn't feel the same way.

And then Hob, who's been staring starry-eyed at Dream this whole conversation, says "I do, though."

And Dream is like "Yes I know you like me now with but the you with your memory intact does not."

And Hob's like "No, I do. I got my memory back right when I kissed you."

And there is, unfortunately, more confusion (Hob explaining that yes he has always liked Dream it's just that 600 years have made him minutely less reckless and also the current him remembers that they are friends and doesn't want to ruin that. But no, Dream is wrong on all counts, he remembers every moment of their friendship and he does like Dream the same way and holy shit??? There is a 'same way'???? Dream wanted to keep kissing him????)

And then they clear all that up and live happily ever after.

(Yes it was a True Love's Kiss thing)

[bronzeagepizzeria]

TEN AND ROSE: WERE THEY HAVING SEX?

Disclaimer: I absolutely support people writing whatever makes them happy; this is NOT a criticism of ten x rose smutfic/established relationship/babyfic etc, I’ve read and enjoyed several of those, this is simply my reading of their canon relationship.

Every once in a while, the Rose Tyler tag sees text posts about how, obviously, Ten and Rose were sleeping together throughout Series 2, as evidenced by their absolutely sizzling chemistry in episodes such as New Earth and Tooth and Claw.

Most of them are usually in good humour—a “can you BELIEVE this chemistry” sort of thing, but there does exist a genuine belief among some that they really were sexually intimate already.

So, let's examine this canonically, from a Tentoo lens.

Were they having sex?

Short answer: No.

Long answer?

Throughout Series 1, we pick up on hints of the Ninth Doctor’s feelings for Rose growing, as well as Rose beginning to have feelings for the Doctor. It’s quite subtle in comparison to Series 2; here’s two great friends beginning to fall in love—flirting and bantering and getting jealous of other love interests xD. It’s not a very explicit romance (and this is why Rose haters tend to prefer NineRose, but that’s a conversation for another day) but it is heavily implied, and it is sealed with a kiss in The Parting of the Ways.

When Rose looks into the heart of the TARDIS and comes back for the Doctor, this romance is made explicit. When the Doctor dies to take the vortex out of Rose, the romance is made explicit. This is no longer a crush, or simple endearment, they’re in love.

The Tenth Doctor is born out of this love. He now knows the extent of Rose’s feelings, and he knows just how far she is willing to go for him. (This is a blessing and a curse, but we’ll come back to that some other time.)

Rose’s immediate reaction to seeing Ten is asking him to change back—(something that noticeably distresses him—the fact that she might not like him anymore). She spends the entirety of The Christmas Invasion mourning him, (which is fair since he never told her the tiny little detail of his ability to regenerate. Sigh.) and only really comes around to him at the end of that episode. We can safely assume, then, that they haven’t had sex.

In New Earth, they’re still very much relearning their dynamic—how do they work together, fit together now? We learn that Rose is physically attracted to the Tenth Doctor, thanks to Cassandra, and Rose's slightly mortified reaction at hearing this from him implies that there's been no confession of the sort to him.

You could argue that maybe something happened off-screen between Episodes 2 and 3, but as Ally on the tentoo x rose server pointed out, that would be shoddy writing. A physical relationship amongst the main two leads that is never even alluded to with a chaste kiss, is odd. So we can assume this major development didn't happen.

Tooth and Claw, the one episode that is constantly subject to 'they were totally shagging' discourse, has exceptionally flirty energy, yes, but this is because Ten and Rose are both very tactile people. Make no mistake, they definitely are flirting and being more touchy-feely than strictly necessary, but it would be narratively inconsistent for the reason for this behaviour to be 'they were having sex.'

Why?

I'd like to point out this dialogue we get from Queen Victoria:

This moment is extremely important; it plants the seeds for the proper beginning of one of the main themes of S2, which is the biggest reason the two of them are not constantly shagging in the TARDIS.

From this point on, something has been re-awakened in the Doctor, the fear of outliving someone he loves again.

We have to remember the Doctor is a severely traumatised man, a man who has outlived his entire species, and the idea of this girl he loves dying and leaving him alone is unbearable.

In School Reunion we get this spelt out for us. The Doctor sees Sarah Jane again, and reality strikes. This will be Rose, one day. There’s a key confrontation that takes place in this episode, an argument that remains unresolved because there are certain things Ten cannot bring himself to say.

DOCTOR: I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you…

ROSE: What, Doctor?

There is a later confrontation in the same episode, where the Doctor is tempted with the idea of never having to see anyone wither and die again.

Even the infamous The Girl in the Fireplace doubles down on these themes--the Doctor's immortality. Time running out.

The Age of Steel two-parter brings with it the “gingerbread house”. Things we want which we cannot have.

This, in fact, is the crux of their entire relationship, folks. The incompatible lifespans. Rose's mortality. Untapped desire. The unsaid.

This is why it's important and impactful that Rose, on the last day she gets to see the Doctor, ever, plucks up the courage to actually put words to what she feels. This is why the unfinished confession in Doomsday hurts so much. Because they finally, finally took that plunge but it was too late.

Assuming that they've been in a physically intimate relationship all the while takes away from the gravity of this moment.

(Not to mention it's super exploitative, considering the inherent power dynamics. To think Ten had sex with Rose all that time--entirely aware of her feelings--and didn't have the decency to say he loved her and then proceeded to force her to choose between him and another version of himself...is problematic.)

I would go as far as saying it's a fundamentally wrong reading of their entire relationship, and of the Doctor himself.

I've seen people say the "baby scare" in Doomsday is proof that they'd been physically intimate, but it is, quite obviously the Doctor being afraid Rose was pregnant with Mickey's baby, not his.

DOCTOR: You've still got Mister Mickey, then? ROSE: There's five of us now. Mum, Dad, Mickey and the baby. DOCTOR: You're not?

He is, in his not so subtle way, trying to figure out if Rose is back with Mickey. It only hammers in the fact that he's missed his chance---not that the child might be his.

DOCTOR: Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead. Here you are, living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have. ROSE: Am I ever going to see you again? DOCTOR: You can't.

Again, the narrative hammers this in. Their time is up. Rose will inevitably move on one day, without him.

All this to say…

TenRose in Series 2 is a tale of what could be. Of missed opportunities, and the lives and love we could have had.

But why is this important?

In order to understand Tentoo and Journey's End, it is vital we understand this aspect of TenRose. The yearning, the skirting around feelings in the room, the denial of gratification on Ten's part. The desire he cannot give in to.

Because Tentoo is the realisation of this desire. He is the second chance.

He is the embodiment of the Doctor grabbing hold of his one, short life and deciding to live it to the fullest. Tentoo is making a choice here--a choice to truly love Rose the way he has ached to do for years. This is why it's significant that he was able to get the words out while Ten wasn't.

This is why Rose chooses him.

This snippet of an email RTD received from Pete Bower sums it up extremely eloquently:

“In having one Doctor grieve for his lost love, while the other Doctor went off with that same lost love, you have written of that moment we all have where we make a choice. It is grieving for the love we never had (and the sex we never had) because of the choices we made.”

[hangmanssunnies]

Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Multipart Fics

House We Share

Summary: At first, living with a man, let alone a smart attractive Naval aviator, wasn't your ideal living situation. However, you discover while Jake "Hangman" Seresin may have a few unique quirks, he is the best person you have ever lived with. So, it feels a little doomed that with every new thing you learn about him, you fall a little more in love.

One shots

The Hangman Special

Summary: On a night out with your friends at a fancy cocktail bar, you are just trying to keep your head down and ignore the girl that your ex cheated on you with. The night only seems like it's going to get worse when you are dared to kiss a stranger at the bar. However, it seems like the odds might finally be in your favor when you notice a familiar set of broad shoulders. If you can be convincing, you think you might just be able to get your brother's friend Jake "Hangman" Seresin to help you out with your little problem.

Heat To Boil

Summary: After a failed Tinder date, you go to hang out with your friend Jake "Hangman" Seresin. When you get to his house, you unexpectedly find him with a baby, and it is a sight that rewires something in your head. Jake needs a baby of his own. Right now — like yesterday, actually. And that is a task you would be more than willing to help with; now, you just need to work up the courage to bring it up.

Green, Green, Green

Summary: You haven’t had a very good Saint Patrick’s Day. Somehow your neighbor Jake “Hangman” Seresin makes it all better, and also so much worse.

Reminders

Summary: Your definition of teasing has changed significantly since you started sleeping with Jake “Hangman” Seresin. The man lived for it. Anything you two were doing, he would find something or some way to tease you.

All Bets Are Off

Summary: When Jake “Hangman” Seresin starts coming onto you in a club, you are convinced it is too good to be true. Your past experiences have taught you that there is only one possible reason this man might be interested. The question exactly is just how much money does he have riding on this bet?

I Would Walk 10,000 Miles To You

Summary: The first thing you notice about Jake “Hangman” Seresin when he rings your doorbell at 1:30 in the morning is that no matter the time of day, he is devastatingly handsome. The second thing you notice is that he is absolutely smashed drunk. You know your hands will be full dealing with your brother’s friend tonight. Well, you suppose he might be your friend too.

They All Know, He’s In Love With You.

Summary: From the night you first set eyes on Jake “Hangman” Seresin, and went home with him from the bar, you knew that there wasn’t ever going to be anything serious between you two. You just wish you could figure out why he keeps acting the opposite, and everyone thinks you are together.

Writing on the wall

Summary: Hangman is back from a three month TAD. However, when he comes home he discovers you have done some redecorating concerning the pictures in the house. You know it’s because of your insecurities, but he comes to some different conclusions.  

[chaifootsteps]

so Lily Orchard made a video about Hazbin Hotel and it's kind of odd, tbh?

her coverage of the working / pay conditions basically boils down to 'animators just need to unionize' (seriously, she spends barely any time on it at all), which like, unionization would definitely help but it doesn't let Viv/Spindle off the hook for poor management in the meantime, & it's baffling to me that she implies otherwise. If Lacakdaisy and (as far as we know) other indie productions like Far-Fetched can behave professionally, why can't Spindle? (also like, absolutely zip mention of how the pilot cast were treated. nada. nothing.)

the entire hope of the indie scene was that it could grind up less animators than big studios do, & sweeping all that under the carpet is so deeply unempathetic to me. so animators being subject to poor deadlines, favoritism, unprofessional behavior, having their work literally stolen from them or going uncredited and then getting blocked when they try to correct it is no big deal, apparently? (which strikes me as funny bcause Orchard's work is so obviously inspired by The Jimquisition and Stephanie Sterling's work constantly critiques the game industry for its poor working conditions even though they also don't have unions)

a lot of the vid has this undercurrent of 'Viv has a big hatedom just for being a bi woman of colour and hatedoms are always bad and parasocial' and like - yes, I agree Internet mobs are bad. Yes, I agree people can get into a parasocial hatred of someone just as easily as parasocially loving or defending them. Yes, I agree someone who isn't straight, white or male is more likely to attract haters. And yes, I agree a lot of the criticisms of Viv are stupid.

my problem with this framing is it lumps in all criticims of Viv with the stupid ones. Again, does Lily Orchard not care about people being underpaid, overworked or uncredited? Does she expect unionizing to solve all the immediate issues people have faced with Spindle in the meantime? Also like - what Viv has done herself to feed this toxic environment goes totally unacknowledged. Viv's bad faith framing of her critics and multiple defensive threads get no mention, & Lily's video implies that only the critics of Vivzie are toxic and doesn't mention at all how bad /much worse some of her supporters are. none of the bullying and silencing attitudes from her fans get brought up; it's not like it would be hard to find when researching critiques of the show to see how even big creators like Cartoonshi were harassed into never covering it again.

I find her attitude towards the writing of HH odd, too. I understand why she doesn't like cartoons dragging their heels and stretching things out (goodness knows HB has been wheel spinning basically its entire second season and Western Energy was a complete waste of an episode), but calling HH's pacing 'breakneck' is generous. There's no time to breathe and none of the nuance or quiet moments she claims to want more of in other shows.

If the show is also about Heaven&Hell being an unjust sorting system as Lily claims, why isn't that more clear in the writing? Why is the viewer simultaneously supposed to believe Hell is full of murders and etc. but also is just full of people being unjustly persecuted. Even Angel Dust, the one character we're supposed to believe has developed the most, was a gangster in his human life & presumably killed people along the way, none of which the show bothers to examine even though his sister made it to Heaven and he didn't. (she has said she has no interest in helluva boss, which is a shame because I would have been curious to see if she would have convienently ignored the bootlicking praise for Stolas and the misogyny in the writing just because she seems to feel Viv is getting unfairly criticized)

she has said she's making a follow up that's more about the voodou issue, which she does agree is a problem, but idk. I just find it odd to watch a video where someone is willing to be critical of how voodou is represented, but the additional problem of real harm being done to up and coming animators is treated as not worthy of discussion. I think representation should be critiqued as much as the next person, but aren't the actual materia conditions faced by people working on the show as important, if not more important, than that?

Lily talks a big game for someone who molested her sister.

[ithseem]

hi!! just discovered your blog and I was like omg!! you write for cod!! can definitelyy relate to hating guy and your post where mc burnt his dress hit the spot (bro literally KISSING the mc when they first met in the prologue left a sour taste in my mouth) could i request the ancient magic users (or just toa, lynt and roy if that's too much) with an ABSOLUTELY CHAOTIC gn mc who speaks all their intrusive thoughts out loud, I think it would be funny

"hey what if the school just. burnt down. right now"

"is a hot dog a sandwich or a taco" "birthday presents are just rewards for not dying that year"

thank you and have a great day/night!! also i'd like to be 🍭anon if possible

Absolutely, 🍭

Toa, Lynt, and Roy with an Unhinged S/O

Toa

Honestly kind of appalled at first by you.

As a prince he kind of has to speak through a filter, you know, because of political reasons.

But he won't deny that he is curious about you.

Will be caught off-guard if you say thoughts like "kinda wanna set the potions lab on fire"

What? You're not going to do that? You just needed to say it aloud?

Once he understands that you're basically Fenn 2.0, he won't really mind

In no time, your lack of a filter would be a breath of fresh air, especially if you say something out-of-pocket to Guy.

Don't say anything too outlandish though, lest it get you into trouble.

Also especially compared to the kitchen appliance fan club (Toasters), you are refreshing to be around.

Lynt

Doesn't really mind as long as you don't act on your intrusive thoughts.

Sometimes what you say will catch him off-guard and he might lose a few minutes of sleep.

Things like ""Go to bed, you'll feel better in the morning" is the human version of "Did you turn it off and turn it back on again?"" or "Millions of people are doing the exact same thing as you are right now."

How could you ;-;

He'd mostly just sleep through a lot of what you're saying

Roy

Roy's met some pretty interesting characters, and his fangirls are quite an odd bunch

You are also odd, but in an amusing sort of way.

He appreciates honesty and openness, but he most sincerely hopes you're all bark and no bite.

Thank goodness you are, since life can be a bit dull sometimes.

While he does find your antics entertaining, you gotta be careful not to get into too much trouble though.

Is willing to entertain shower thoughts with you.

[klutzyroses]

Hiii! This is my first time making a request. I was wondering if you could write a fix where the MC (in Ilene Sengoku) stands up for herself instead of having the ML’s do it + Their reactions. I hope I’m not asking for too much. The situation in which she stands up for herself doesn’t have to be extremely specific (In other words you can make it up). Thank you!

I hope I've met your expectations anon~

IkeSen HC: Stand Up MC

How do they react to MC standing up for herself?

Suitors: Nobunaga, Ieyasu, Kenshin, Shingen

Nobunaga

You know he is impressed right from the beginning.

A woman as strong willed as she is noble, hm? She is quite the intrigue to him.

The amount of self respect she has heavily outweighs her fear of people above her and not allowing others to treat her however they wish is a trait most people lack around here, yet it is a characteristic he most closely identifies with her very quickly.

She proves herself very capable of knocking people down a couple of levels, even those most would be afraid to speak back to. She however shows little to no fear.

The fire within her is a sight to behold, her pretty face set hard and firm, just like her clenched fists, almost poised to fight if she absolutely needs to.

Of course, if push comes to shove, he will not allow even one scratch on her being, but it's still commendable that she is undoubtedly prepared to stand her ground, even if the odds aren't in her favour.

This fireball of a woman is definitely a keeper.

Ieyasu

Well...

Knowing how prickly he himself can be, one must have quite the backbone to stand up to him.

He doesn't know what to expect from the young woman when he subjects her to his sharp tongue, but it certainly wasn't that she would put him in his place as hard as she does.

He would never show it, but the way she claps back at him, demanding his respect, and chastising him so harshly for looking down on her that he is rendered silent for a second or two as she storms off without waiting for a response from him.

Her beautifully aggressive voice has a hint of an irritated growl in it as she chided him. It'd be rather sweet to listen to if it wasn't directed at him with scathing words.

He would sooner die than say so, but he does have some form of respect for her...just a little.

Maybe she isn't so weak after all..

Kenshin

This woman...

The warmonger has always been vocal about his...opinion on women. It does however, shift upon meeting this particular maiden.

The unabashed defiance in her eyes as she stands up to him, even fully knowing who he is and what he is capable of doing to her, is something that takes him aback, though he doesn't show it openly.

He is unsure whether she is truly that brave, or that foolish. Either way, she...interests him. She is unlike most, who would cower before him, or run for dear life. She instead looks him dead in the eye with a serious expression, her lips set in a hard line, not a trace of fear in her features.

He almost finds himself wanting to find what her limits would be if he raised the stakes of his threats...yet he doesn't for reasons unknown to even himself.

He will think about it even after the incident has passed, the fiery and stoic woman who met his gaze without so much as a flinch or a tremor staying within his mind. Who was she, that she could stare the Uesugi lord and stand tall rather than cower?

These are the questions that plague him as he contemplates seeing her again.

Shingen

Ah what a fascinating beauty!

He doesn't see women like her come around very often. This is, after all, a time where more demure, quiet women are commonplace.

But that is precisely why she is all the more lovely. Especially when upset or offended when one dares to disrespect her in any way. The way her gorgeous eyes light up with anger and indignation towards the subject of her ire is captivating on it's own.

While he rather see her happy and smiling, her angry and proudly defending herself is a special kind of beautiful he didn't realize he needed to see.

She should expect to be showered in praise for her bravery and dignity...even if he is the one she was just standing up to.

He often wonders what this strong angel would be like against the likes of Kenshin. Or rather, what Kenshin would do against the likes of her.

That is a sight he would like to see indeed.

🌸

[hayatoseyepatch]

➼ Personality: Tell me a little bit about yourself. What are your pronouns? What are you like? Are you an introvert/extrovert? What are some of your interests? Give me as much to go off as possible to pair you with a match ♡︎

I am Steph. My pronouns are she/her. I'm a mix of introvert and extrovert. I tend to be very bubbly when I get to know you. I am eager to always put myself out there and try to make friends and build relationships. I love music (I collect vinyl) and watch a lot of movies. I bake from time to time, but I mostly have time to cook more. I like to connect with my roots a lot since I'm Guatemalan. I haven't cooked any of my motherland's dishes yet, but I bought a cookbook to experiment with.

➼ Fandoms: Which fandom do you want a match up for? JJK

➼ Trope: What are your favorite writing/fanfic tropes? I like to feel a sense of longing and romance. I'm super corny.

➼ What’s your Type: What do you look for in a partner? Do you have a type? What is it? What gender character do you want to receive of any specifics? My person needs to accept that I can be adventurous, but know that I have limits and won't just do anything. I often am quick to reveal everything about myself, and I'm not afraid of being an open book. I do like both male and female individuals, but I think I've mostly been familiar with males.

➼ Favorites: Who are your favorite characters in your given fandom? Satoru Gojo is my baby boo. Nanami Kento would be second.

➼ Icks: Are there any characters in your chosen fandom that you don’t wish to be paired with? Is there any type of character (personality, hero/villian, etc.) that you don’t like/wouldn’t want to be paired with?

I really really don't like Mahito. He makes my skin crawl.

AHH STEPHHHH ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡ Thanks so much for your congrats and for indulging me in my event. I hope you enjoy what I've cooked up for you.

I'm gonna match you with the one and only NANAMI KENTO! ♡

⤜♡→ Nanami Kento is an absolute sweetheart, complete husband material if I've ever seen it. You want devotion? Longing? Romance? Look no farther than Nanami Kento.

⤜♡→ Nanami is a former alternative kid, I can just imagine the both of you at concerts. It was a side of him only you got to see. His blazer long gone, replaced with a tight-fitting t-shirt and dark jeans as he was ready for the pit of your favorite group. There was something different about this side, just seeing him let loose and have fun, that made you fall for him just a little bit more.

⤜♡→ Yuuji is a constant visitor in your home. Nanami couldn't help the soft smile on his face. Sipping a cup of tea as he watched you two get so passionate about your interests. Yuuji was a yapper and he was more than happy to share that with you.

⤜♡→ I feel like Nanami is often mischaracterized as a boring workaholic. This is a grade-one sorcerer who just wants to travel. He is more than happy to indulge your adventurous side, so long as you are willing to indulge his.

Nanami knew he had been busier than he would have liked recently, he hated that his career often kept you both apart. First, it was his corporate job, and now sorcery. He sighed upon driving home, at least he had been able to get out early today. The others may tease him for his distaste of overtime, but if they had a loving partner waiting for them at home they would detest it just the same. He walked in the front door calling out that he was home as he stripped himself of his jacket, eyes narrowing as his shoes shortly followed. No response. That was odd. However, it didn’t take him long to find you, his heart melted upon seeing your sleeping form on your shared bed. Eyes soften with adoration as he brushes your hair from your face. Pressing a delicate kiss to your forehead.

Changing out of his work clothes he hums, heading downstairs to get started on dinner. He grins picking up the cookbook from the counter. He had known your want to connect more with your roots, though not having had the opportunity to try any of your culture’s foods. Nanami was an excellent cook if he did say so himself. So after a quick order of some of the ingredients you didn’t have, he got to work. He allowed you to recuperate some your energy, wanting to preserve it for his plans for the rest of the evening. Just as he was placing the finishing touches on the dish his ears pick up your soft footfalls as you come down the stairs.

He turns with a gentle smile collecting you in his strong arms, humming contentedly into your lips “Good evening my love, it seemed like someone was tired when I came home. I had some extra time so I decided to take a crack at one of the recipes from your book.” He sees your eyes widen with surprised delight. His shoulders relaxed, smile returning as he brushed his forehead against yours. “Next time we’ll try it together, hm?” He felt like he got to connect with you in a different way from making something from your culture. And what more could he ask for than to be the reason for your beautiful smile?

[spider-xan]

I feel like one of personal my gripes with MSM1's writing is that it felt like the game never managed to meld Li helping people via the FEAST shelter and also being willing to bomb a bunch of random people just to spite Norman (instead of kidnapping/attacking Norman himself until the end under Otto's orders) in a way that feels coherent. It honestly felt like the game went "and now have him kill puppies so that Peter is justified punching him" (rewatching the City Hall bombing scene also reminded me that white Americans can only take mass death and disaster seriously if they can somehow make it remind them of 9/11). I was also really disappointed we never even got a flashback of Peter and Harry interacting with Emily , and the second game instead fell on the "saintly dead mom/wife" trope. I feel like the games liberal politics also perfectly reflect actual liberal viewpoints: absolutely can recognize fucked up aspects of the system we live in, but supremely entrenched in the idea that it is the only realistic option available by virtue of it being what they've known the most, and any attempts at change will only be carried out by people too driven by petty emotions to affect any actual positive change.

Yeah, some of the writing for the Insomniac games, while more compelling, does fall into the MCU school of writing villains where they are completely correct about the evils of society, then run off to kill puppies just so you know you're not supposed to root for them in any way or else you also support killing puppies; but yeah, the bombing plot is odd bc while I think they were going for Li having such tunnel vision that he ends up becoming exactly what he hates - someone who killed the parents of other children, and in an explosion, no less - it doesn't square with the rest of his character, especially if they were trying to avoid the Evil DID split personality trope from the comics (which is a good thing imo bc whew, Dan Slott was weird about both that and the Orientalism in the comics) and then the plot beat gets repeated with Otto and Devil's Breath later anyway, and imo it worked better there bc for all of his good, Otto definitely had a petty and egotistical streak, evidenced in his final betrayal at the end; also, even if the Inner Demons are Chinese rather than Arab, a terrorist attack on New York meant to invoke 9/11 by Eastern terrorists is, uh, a choice, on top of it happening at an event to honour a heroic cop, which is like, there's the copaganda again.

(Related to that, but while I did like the Miles and Li revenge plot in MSM2, I think it's a fair criticism from Miles comic fans that killing off Jeff as his Uncle Ben moment that drives his heroism later is an odd choice bc it's part of a bigger issue where Peter's source material is respected, even with the liberties that Insomniac was open about taking, whereas Miles got almost nothing from his comics and was more inserted into Peter's cast, but that's a whole other discussion other people have written about better than I can.)

And yeah, Emily is handled so weirdly bc I agree, I think if the game was going to do all those flashbacks and have her be a driving force for Harry's work at the EMF and then the later warped idea of healing the world as Venom, it would have helped to actually show her as she was in life versus the saintly dead wife and mother we get from Harry and Norman's perspectives - I think it would have been more interesting if the real Emily was a more complex person bc again, this is a billionaire woman who loved and married Norman, and no completely, truly benevolent person would willingly hitch their life and life's work to that and Oscorp; and I know they had her be an environmental lawyer bc that is a Good Lawyer type to most people, but in real life, most environmental lawyers work for corporations to protect their right to pollute, so I feel like you could do something really compelling there between that and her corporate ties through her husband, but yeah.

And yeah, that's another great point, re: the weird (neo)liberal politics of the game - direct action against corporations is bad and violent (and they kill puppies) and the wrong way to fight a billionaire corporation that harms and even kills people without remorse, the right way is to turn them into the police so they face justice (they don't lol), so the right thing for the heroes to do is protect the evil billionaire and corporation and not actually do anything about the evil corporation, and we're going to fight climate change with an eco-capitalist start up - bankrolled by the evil corporation, but let's not look too far into that and ask questions lol

[roobylavender]

who are your favorite writers of bruce and the dynamics he has w other batfam ? i remember you mentioning some writers you specifically dislike lol but im interested in some genuine recs :)

this is a very late answer and i apologize for that! off the top of my head:

bruce and dick: mike w. barr (early to mid 80s). his stuff for these two is far and few in between like it's a few back pages stories and then the occasional crossover between the titans and outsiders but i really adore how he writes bruce as this concerned parent who can sometimes be overbearing and protective but ultimately wants dick to succeed and so when dick feels suffocated bruce is more than willing to correct himself and back off. like it achieves the two things of holding bruce accountable while not painting him like some emotionally stunted abuser who makes all of dick's choices for him so i appreciate it loads

bruce and jason: mike w. barr (early to mid 80s); max allan collins (post-crisis intro arc). i don't think there is a lot to say here like they're the two writers who are probably the most sympathetic to jason as a human being and hence the way they write bruce's relationship with him is really nice. i'm not a fan of starlin or winick for obv reasons

bruce and tim: alan grant (early to mid 90s). alan grant to me was the perfect person to bring in following dick and jason's exit bc he provided the perfect amount of introspection and self-awareness for bruce to actually be a quite practical mentor to tim. like admittedly yeah a lot of that went down the drain once knightfall happened but i nonetheless think this was bruce at his most active and corrective stage of mentorship bc he was more aware of the consequences of his choices and really wanted to instill in tim that this wasn't a game they were playing at

bruce and stephanie: there's like one issue of gotham knights, #22, written by devin grayson (i know. i know) that i absolutely cling to bc it's really the first (and only) glimmer of hope for steph's relationship with bruce i think. like after multiple issues of tim and bruce being total dickhead misogynists to steph bc this kind of thing is absolutely unavoidable in dixon's writing it's so nice to see a bruce who is awkward but appreciative of steph's effort and unbothered by her tendency to babble bc it fills the quiet. i wanted that explored more between them sooooo badly but unfortunately scott beaty (i think. cmiiw) went on the whole bruce calling steph an inadequate failure shtick and ruined my life forever and i never read a batman comic again

bruce and leslie: mike w. barr (smattering across 80s and 90s). i would say the most heavy handed work to develop leslie as a foil to bruce adamant on pacifism was done by barr. barr in general was probably the most left leaning writer in bat editorial pre-00s so while his politics are not perfect (he tends to believe that violence by both the oppressed and the oppressor is bad) he was able to capitalize on leslie's relationship with bruce the most and i'm very fond of legends of the dark knight #21-23

bruce and selina: bob kane (golden age); mindy newell (late 80s to early 90s). the latter is obv a given if you have been a follower of mine for a while. but i don't think i've spoken on here specifically about how kane truly paints the most distinct picture of selina at her core that miller and newell subsequently capitalized on in their own setting of gotham following the crisis. there's nothing better than catwoman's golden age appearances to convey her thirst for notoriety contrasted with her odd mercies and while it's passed off as a bit of a joke that bruce lets things slide with her bc he thinks she's pretty i also love that it opens the way for him to be sympathetic to her in general, bc he knows she's better than she presents herself to be. bruce should always implicitly trust selina against other people's judgment imo

bruce and talia: mike w. barr (80s into early 90s). i recognize i am developing a pattern here lmao i truly love this man's writing more than that of any other bat writer! but yeah i think there is no one who really understands the complex loyalties and yearning of this dynamic better than barr and more importantly who manages to respect talia's individual agency within that dynamic. he really posits them as equals without any sort of disdain factoring into it and i think it sets him apart from a lot of other writers in the same era

these are the dynamics i can speak to. i've unfortunately never paid close enough attention to writers on issues where bruce's relationships with either gordon feature and then you guys already know i've yet to read up on cass and duke (cries) so i'm no good in that department :/ but i hope these are somewhat useful! the mike w. barr stuff is easy to find if you simply peruse his wikipedia and read all of the batman related stuff and then alan grant is obv the main writer on tec (iirc) for most of the 90s so that's easy enough. mindy newell also has a very small catalogue to her name and the golden age issues with selina you can find through dcu chronology!

[sanddusted-wisteria]

A Builder, a Researcher, and a Rooftop, Ch. 15: Literature Review

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Also on AO3

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Research Question (RQ) 1: What is the root cause of the following symptoms: accelerated heart rate (independent of physical or mental stress), unusual warmth in the general torso region, loss or redirection of mental focus?

Qi stared at his open journal, idly tapping his pencil on the table and propping his chin up with his free hand.

His visit to Dr. Fang had been fruitless. The doctor had insisted that he was perfectly healthy (though he firmly recommended that he sleep more). Aside from some odd squawking from the bird (“Oh, are you nervous, honey? Squark. It’s okay, don’t be scared. Awk! Just say it, dummy!”), he’d gotten nothing from the clinic. So he was back to square one, and without any help.

It had been at least two hours since he came back, and despite his usual morning dose of tea (plus an extra cup for good measure), he still couldn’t think of anything. He huffed a sigh, rubbing at his still-puffy eyes. Times like these weren’t uncommon; when he’d get stuck on ideas or designs with no discernable way forward. Usually he’d at least be able to walk away from the problem for a while and work on something else. But this time, getting stuck on a problem was causing a total mental blockade. His mind wasn’t able to produce anything, but he couldn’t bring himself to think about anything else, either.

At least the builder had picked up their blankets while he was out. Who knows how much worse his internal deadlock would be if he had to deal with them being here?

Qi sighed again and brought his pencil back to the page. He was hoping to tackle each of his questions in successive order, but perhaps with the mental block, he should consider multiple questions at once.

RQ2: How and why is the builder associated with the aforementioned symptoms?

Even though both his intuition and an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence pointed to them, he couldn’t just assume that they were the root cause. Needlessly blaming them for his problems would be poor practice and unproductive. Also, they would not take very kindly to that.

Perhaps, if he could aggregate any and all observational information he recalled about the builder, he could pinpoint something more specific that was causing his symptoms.

He drew a simple two-column table on the page, labeling the left side “Symptoms”, and the right side “Obs. abt Builder”.

The symptoms column was at least easy to fill out.

Accelerated heart rate (unknown cause)

Warm sensation in general torso region (esp. heart and stomach)

Unusual dreams?

Constant distraction

Disruption of normal thought patterns

Now for the harder part, the observation column. Not necessarily because Qi was lacking in information, but because he had absolutely no idea where to start. Well, maybe with the obvious ones…

Skilled, efficient builder

Regularly comes to research center for diagram requests, pleasantries, and stargazing

Semi-routine schedule; deviates according to demand

Amicable conversationalist

Willing to assist townsfolk for both large and small matters

Those were the basics; things that anyone with rudimentary pattern recognition could see. What about the less obvious things? Things that not everyone would be able to see, or at least not right away.

Skilled relic hunter

Shows interest in relics, science, and technology

Procures many data disks and power stones, often donates to research center

Proficient cook

Engaging storyteller

Creative thinker

His hand was moving faster now, coasted by momentum, writing out words before his mind could even process them.

Inquisitive

Observant

Generous

Proactive

Tenacious

Persistent

Courteous

Wonderful

Qi froze. What was that last one?

Wonderful

His eyes bore into the page, scanning the lines, seeing the grain in the paper where the graphite couldn’t quite mark. That was indeed his handwriting, calling the builder wonderful.  

He took his hands off the journal and reread everything he just wrote. The right column of the table trailed way past the end of the center dividing line, all the way to the bottom of the page and straight onto the next. He read over the extensive list from top to bottom, page to page, over and over. A frown grew deeper on his face the more times he read it. 

Maybe the problem wasn’t only caused by the builder. Judging by this list, perhaps it had something to do with Qi and his perceptions instead. This was getting complicated fast. Feeling a tad uneasy, he wrote down his next research question:

RQ3: What are my attitudes toward the builder?

Right as he finished dotting the question mark, his mind kicked into high gear, bringing forth memories of quiet nights and the smell of tea.

I find them reliable.

When they first arrived in town, they established themselves as a reliable builder within a week. Far more reliable than nearly every other member of the Commerce Guild. Even outside official commissions, he’d come to rely on them for other things, like relic excavation.

I’m curious about them. I find them intriguing.

They had always been a curious individual. How could he not be intrigued by someone who single-handedly managed to triple the output of the Commerce Guild in a month? That curiosity only grew when they started coming over to stargaze. He still had no idea why they decided to come. He’s not even sure if they knew, either. But what he did know is why he let them keep coming, week after week.

I enjoy their company.

Putting it down in writing caused an odd shift in his stomach. Hm. Qi quickly added that to the list of symptoms. But regardless, it was true. He hadn’t really spent too much time with anyone in Sandrock since he moved here, and what little time he did spend was usually limited to business. He thought that the builder would’ve just been another regular client to add to the roster. But soon enough, he found himself enjoying the company of another for the first time in years. So much so that…

I don’t want to inconvenience them.

The builder was always willing to do things for him. Building machines he designed for his own personal use, showing concern over his well-being, providing him with power stones and relics and nourishment, all without so much as a second thought. All of it was immensely helpful when added up over time. He wished there was a better way of expressing his thanks to them. The very least he could do was ensure their efforts weren’t wasted. The last thing he and his habits needed to be was an inconvenience.

I hope they retain a positive outlook of me.

Qi stared at the line. It shouldn’t have been a statement that dumbfounded him, but somehow, it did. It never really crossed his mind, he supposed. He was very aware of the last two statements, but for whatever reason, he never put two and two together. Indeed, he hoped that the builder thought well of him.

I feel at ease holding any conversation with them.

At first, he never cared much to talk to them beyond commission and research talk. But soon, they had started showing interest in astronomy, which gave him some motivation to converse more. He’d been more cautious when the topic of the Mobile Suit started to come up, nervous that he would be subject to mockery. But even with some light teasing at first, Qi quickly found himself comfortable talking to them about it. Not to mention how he so effortlessly divulged some of his earliest, most precious memories, something that he was pretty sure that no-one outside Mint and his family knew.

No matter what the subject was, even those that made other people’s eyes glaze over or those that were deeply personal, the builder always had an open ear and an open mind.

…But it wasn’t just in conversation, was it?

I feel at ease whenever I’m around them.

There were many stargazing nights where hardly any words were exchanged. A simple “hello,” maybe, but nothing else. Just the two of them, the stars, and the silence. And yet, he still felt the same way as he did when they were talking. Unrestrained and unrestricted. At peace and at rest.

Something clicked in Qi’s head. That felt…familiar, somehow.

His dream. He felt it there, too.

Because memories of dreams rapidly decayed soon after waking, he’d been mentally rehearsing the events in it ever since he woke up. But he hardly needed to struggle recalling that undeniable feeling of ease when they appeared. Not to mention, how it only managed to morph and amplify when they…when…

Qi swallowed.

RQ4: What kind of reactions do the builder and their behaviors trigger in me?

His heart pounded and his stomach churned. His grip on the pencil tightened, but still kept frozen in place. Somehow, someway, he knew the answer straight away without needing to put it into words. But nonetheless, the tip of the pencil met the page again and slowly wrote out the answer, plain and simple:

Ease

Fascination

Gratitude

Happiness

L

Qi furiously shook his head. No. Impossible. That wasn’t what it was. All these symptoms, these thoughts, it couldn’t be, they…

…were a perfect match, weren’t they?

With unsteady legs, Qi got out of his seat and numbly went over to his bookshelves. Shaky hands scanned the spines and flipped the occasional book open to check. Finally, he found what he was looking for: a medium-sized volume with a cool-blue cover: Refine My Heart, Build Our Love.

He’d gotten it a few weeks ago with his last book order. As for why he’d gotten it, he still wasn’t too sure. It was definitely for…research, though. Of course it was. He devoured the book in a single day when he got it. A perfectly decent novel, better written than some of the others he had in his collection (which were also purely for research, thank you very much). He’d hoped that through reading it, he’d figure out exactly why he felt compelled to get it, but no such revelation came.

He skimmed through it again, rereading different sections. As he relived the protagonist falling in love with their builder sweetheart, he caught glimpses of their thoughts and reactions. So many of them were similar to his symptoms: an odd fixation, funny feelings in the heart and in the stomach, bursts of exuberance… It was practically one-to-one.

And it didn’t stop with the protagonist, either. As his eye caught segments about their sweetheart, his mind couldn’t help but make some…choice substitutions. The attributes of the builder character started to morph in his head, transforming into features he was a little more familiar with.

Familiar bright eyes, familiar strong arms, the familiar curve of a familiar smile…

And a familiar voice, declaring their love to the protagonist in the sweetest whisper.

Qi snapped the book shut with clammy hands, heart pounding faster than ever.

But even so, that voice still echoed in his mind throughout the recesses of his memories, just as warm and honey-sweet.

“Aw, were you worried about me?”

“Hey. Thanks. That helped. A lot.”

“I know. But I wanted to.”

“It feels nice to know that you’re thinking of me.”

“I’m glad you let me share that joy with you.”

“I…I care about you, you know?”

Another jolt spiked through Qi’s stomach. Last night…

He’d been so preoccupied with trying to remember and analyze his dream that the hazy, sleep-deprived memories of their conversation just before had completely drained from his memory. But the echoes of their voice suddenly dredged them back up, bringing them back into alarmingly clear focus.

He remembered how unsteady he felt, waiting for the builder to arrive, the sound of their footsteps signaling that his efforts for them hadn’t been in vain.

He remembered how angry they sounded when he explained the situation to them.

He remembered the unsteadiness only growing as he laid down, head lolling to the side.

He remembered how the edge in the builder’s voice and the fog in his mind drove him to admit his worries.

He remembered their smile and the absolute sincerity in their voice. How they quashed his greatest worry with a few simple words. And suddenly being awash in an emotion he had no idea how to describe or name.

It had flooded his nervous system with a most exuberant sensation, tingling all down his spine and into the very tips of his fingers. It stirred his stomach and pulled at his heart, as if determined to change his very anatomy. It stoked that unusual warmth inside him again, almost like a tactile glow.

And then, having spent the very last of its energy creating that incredible rush, his body finally succumbed to fatigue.

The last thing Qi could remember was drifting off into oblivion, cradled by warmth from within.

All that…to lead up to the present moment. Where Qi could finally put a name to what that unknown feeling was.

RQ5: What is the answer to all of the aforementioned research questions?

Pencil met paper, and Qi’s eyes met his long-awaited conclusion:

Love.

With the word finally solidified both on the page and in his mind, Qi felt a sense of release, despite his pulse still hammering. The rush of finding a difficult answer, of making a discovery…he knew it well. Although this time, it was compounded with…something else. He didn’t need to think through what it was.

Now that he had his conclusion, Qi just had one last thing to consider to wrap up this study: further work.

There was only one follow-up question to come from such a conclusion, which Qi threw up his arms and shouted into the empty research center:

“Now what?!”

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[acidicbarkbeast]

wip wordsearch game

rules: share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you (optional addition: if you can't find the word in your WIPs, or you simply don't have any WIPs, you can just write a sentence around the word) invited by: @afewproblems i never get tagged in these so thank you for making yours an open invitation!!! here goes! last two happen together, just my luck. answering to the words -> concentrate, loose, fire, bubble, giddy

concentrate:

He knew that the kids would never take it seriously, how could someone like Steve be so concentrated, each stroke deft and thoughtful, meaningful.

Harrington Senior would call it useless, a waste of time better spent elsewhere, an expensive waste of money too, something that would never return a profit either.

He already knew what his mother thought of it all, when she’d stumbled to the basement instead of the wine cellar. She’d said a lot of things that evening; messy, senseless, uncoordinated and unfocused.

Steve had never stopped. He couldn’t help when the words occasionally got to him, when the basement door would stay closed for days or weeks, but ultimately he never quit. The paintings filled every corner, every wall, some sitting unfinished on easels, others stacked against furniture or piled on top of each other.

loose:

“I’m just saying that it doesn’t make any sense!” Steve threw his hands up in defense, shaking his head as if to clear the conversation from his brain. Eddie wouldn’t be surprised if he had to knock some words loose from all that hair, “Is this guy even a real, actual myth? I feel like I would've heard of him by now, if he was so interesting and important.”

"One; real myth is an oxymoron." Dustin accentuated, “Two; I’m sure there are plenty of things you don’t know, Steve. There are lots of things even I don’t know!” He patted the older teen’s chest reassuringly, “It’s good you’re curious, though. Curiosity is what drives most if not all of scientific exploration. Think of it, if not for our inquisitiveness and persistence, we would have never made it to the moon!”

“Sure.” Steve eyed the kid, “Just… Don’t call me a moron, pipsqueak.”

fire:

“Trailer shower barely fits one person, sunshine.” Not to mention, Eddie had never really been with anyone before Steve, at least, not so seriously. There was no need to say it aloud, they’d had the talk before, early on, followed by what was quite possibly the most tender night of Eddie’s life, every touch setting small fires on virgin skin.

Leaning down, Steve nosed along his jawline, breathing him in, “First time for both of us then, if you’re willing?”

Eddie leaned back, a mix of playful and surprised, “You haven't?”

“Felt too intimate, never got that far with a girl,” Steve mumbled, though not sadly. He’d been speaking quieter than Eddie’s ever known him since his hearing really went out after the bats, always unsure of how loud he was truly being. It made pulling those wanton sounds out of him all the more thrilling.

bubble:

Once. Twice. Eddie reread the letter three times before the first period bell went off, stragglers hurrying around him. He didn’t know what to think of it. Somehow, he found the odd few spelling mistakes endearing where he once might have found them annoying. It was confounding, the sheer effect this had on his lonely heart

It wasn’t like he was being summoned anywhere either, not like sophomore year, when he’d been foolishly lured to the football field and sent home with a black eye. This felt safer, like a phone call in a bubble. It felt private. He had a choice in receiving more letters. He could say no with just the flick of a marker, no time lost, no bruises. He could say yes just the same.

giddy:

An urge which he absolutely resented went off like an alarm in his head. He was mildly horrified, finding himself inclined to indulge some baser instinct of himself, something he’d normally chide others for doing. He rubbed the pads of his thumbs over the paper, possessive, before bringing the letter up to his nose, and breathing deep.

The smell had a vice on him immediately, scarily. Too sweet for a beta, too savory for an omega, not sharp and pungent like an alpha might be. It was smoked maple wood and marshmallows. It was breakfast for dinner: sausage rounds, pancakes drowning in pecan syrup, salty bacon. It had his mouth watering right there in public.

Eddie wanted more, he was giddy with it.



This was fun!!

anyone who wants to do this can say i tagged them, idc :3 Your words are -> heart, ink, brave, offence, consider

[hermitdrabbles56]

Oh, if you’re looking for Sicktember specific stuff, how abt Wind has The Sick and Twi makes him the Yeti Soup, which is somewhat similar to Grandmas Soup bc Taste Like Home And Love :)

If just General prompts, what abt Wind being freaked abt Horses because they don’t have those in the great sea :)

I hope you get Brain to write what you would like to :))))

I was waiting to reply to this until I had both written, but my brain is refusing. so I will add to if I ever manage to write the sick fic.

in the meantime? HORSE

Outset Island, what an interesting place to have landed on this new and bizarre journey of theirs. Everywhere smells of salt and fish, the odd trees occasionally dropping massive round nuts. Brightly colored flowers he'd never imagined could exist. And a truly massive, endless, lake. Or as he's been corrected several times already, an ocean. (He's still going to call it a lake just to irritate the veteran) 

As horrifying as the prospect of being surrounded by endless water on a very small mass of land is, it's a very peaceful feeling place. Warm and sunny despite the uncomfortable sand that keeps finding its way into his boots. 

And another pleasant perk? Absolutely nothing to do. So for the first time in weeks, the wayward ranch hand decides to take some time to tend to and absolutely pamper his horse. He's not all that great with explaining their weird journey anyways, so he's more than willing to leave the difficult explanations to the local hero to everyone else. 

"There there, it's okay." Twilight coos as he brushes along Epona's neck as he scratches her cheek a bit, knowing full well she's been on edge since they got here. "You don't have to go anywhere near the water if you don't want to, I know it's scary seeing so much of it." 

Epona gives a little snort and shakes her head before raising it out of his touch. 

"Oh what, you want me to believe you're not a little shaken with all those wary glances?" 

She gives an indignant little huff and raises her head higher as she looks away from him. 

"Well pardon me m'lady, how dare I assume that the great Epona would be scared of a little water." Twilight smirks. "I assume you're not afraid of the portals either?" 

She shuffles her front hooves in place and gives him a pointed look accompanied by snort that borders on mocking. 

"Oh I'm the scared one am I? And you're just pretending for my sake, is that right little miss hardened warrior?" He questions as he rests his hands on his hips. 

With a confident bray she nods her head insistently. Drawing an almost insulted scoff out of her rider. 

"You're unbelievable, I've been pulled through more portals than apples you can count and you say I'm the scared one?" He frowns. 

She gives an argumentative winny and stomps her hoof a bit. 

"Suppose you've just been acting like a baby to get sugar cubes then huh? I guess you won't be needing any more of those?" 

If looks could kill, this horse would be a mass murderer. Stomping her foot again with an insulted snort. 

"No no, little miss hard as nails. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think I'm coddling the great Epona." 

Twilight steps back with a smirk just as she rears up with a loud winny. Coming down with a hard stomp where he'd been just a moment ago. He knows very well she'd never hurt him no matter how much they argue. But the startled gasp he hears from off behind him, is a reasonable reaction from anyone who's never seen the two of them bicker before. 

Ears flicking a bit he turns to look in the direction of the small voice. Spotting a flash of pale blue as it disappears behind one of the odd looking spiky, fern like bush trees that's a little squaty and a little round. Epona giving a worried little knicker as she pads close to him again. 

"It's alright you two, you can come out, she won't hurt you." 

Very slowly the two figures peer around the odd looking tree. Twilight recognizes the tan skined blondes with bright sea green and blue eyes. He'd be lying if he said he didn't think this world's Link and his little sister were adorable. 

"Sorry if she spooked you, she's a sweetheart I promise." Twilight says with a soft smile as Epona's large head comes to rest on his shoulder. 

"You're..the one they call Rancher right..?" Link questions warily. 

"That I am." He says with a nod and a smile. 

"Why do they call you that?" 

"Because it's what I am, I'm a rancher, also known as a farmer." 

"What's a farmer..?" 

Twilight can't help but chuckle about that. "It's someone who tends to a large amount of land that either grows massive crops, or cares for large herds of animals. For me specifically, I'm a goat herder. But I do other things too." 

"....is that a goat?" Aryll questions as she points to Epona. 

"Nope, this is Epona, she's a horse." He grins. 

"What's a horse?" The little girl asks as she tilts her head a bit. "Also What's a goat if a horse isn't a goat." 

"Well, a goat is a farm animal that produces milk, and in my village they also produce wool that can be used to make clothes. Meanwhile horses are work animals! Epona here carries me on her back, and makes it a lot easier to travel long distances on land. She can also pull carts and wagons if bribed enough." He explains happily as he pats her cheek. 

"...are they all so…big?" Link asks warily. 

"No, not necessarily. Depends on their breed." Twilight explains as he nuzzles into Epona a moment. "She's on the bigger end, she's a full bred war horse in the draft family. Draft horses are some of the biggest and strongest. Though I hear that the war horses of the Gerudo are even more formidable." 

Epona had held her head up pridefully until that last part. Looking at Twilight and giving an insulted snort. 

Twilight just rolls his eyes. "My apologies princess for implying that you aren't the most fearsome and intimidating steed around." 

She gives him an unamused glare. 

"I…can't tell if you're, actually talking to her, or you're fucking crazy.." Link says with a bit of concern. 

Twilight blinks a moment before a snort escapes him and he breaks into a hearty bout of laughter. Epona giving a long suffering sigh of sorts and shaking her head. 

"Crazy it is." Link decides which just makes Twilight laugh harder. Aryll beginning to giggle with him. 

"I- assure you I'm not as insane as I look." Twilight manages as he calms down a bit. "I've known Epona for most of my life, we're apart of each other so you could say we have our own language." 

He'd always felt this way since he was a kid, so at least he has a less insane way to explain that yes, he can talk to his horse. He can talk to any animal that he meets. Infact since arriving he's learned that the seagulls of Outset have rather insulting opinions of everyone but Link and his family. And that the pigs are easily amused by the kids' shenanigans, but he'll keep that to himself. 

"...well..crazy or not. I have more questions." Aryll states. 

"Ask away." He says with an amused smile. 

"Is she soft?" 

"Yes, especially after a good bath." 

"Could she crush a coconut with her stompers?" 

"I uh, I don't know what a coconut? Is? But as long as it's not a rock yes, she can crush things very easily with her hooves." 

"Like skulls?" Link ponders. 

"..I mean..technically." Twilight admits awkwardly as the memory of her getting fed up with a few bokoblins comes to mind. 

"How do you not know what a coconut is?" Aryll frowns. 

"I don't have coconuts where I'm from." 

"How is that possible! Everywhere has coconuts!" 

"Well..we also don't have an ocean in my kingdom. So that's probably why we don't have them." 

"NO OCEAN?!" Both of the kids ask with confusion and a slight bit of horror. 

He shakes his head a bit with an amused smile. "No ocean. Just a very big lake." 

"So can you not swim?" Aryll asks 

"I can swim! There's lots of water, just not this much water." 

"Can she swim?" She asks as she points to Epona. 

Twilight and Epona both shake their heads. "No, she's not a fan of deep water. She'll travel streams and creeks. But if it gets too deep it's a no go." 

"What does she like then?" Link asks. 

"Jumping, obstacle courses, herding and just…running wild through an open field." 

Epona happily dances in place at the thought. 

"What does she eat? Is she like the pigs?" Link asks. 

Twilight gives a soft chuckle. "She can eat meat, but mainly she's vegetarian. Grass, hay, certain fruits and vegetables, and some grains." 

"Sounds boring." Link frowns. 

"Ehh, to us, yes. But to her it's the best thing in the world." 

"....can..can I pet her..?" Aryll asks carefully. 

Twilight looks at her and gives a kind smile. "She would absolutely love that." 

Aryll gives a grin and moves to run forward but Link snatches her up. "Woah woah what! No, absolutely not." 

"But why!!" Aryll wines as she wiggles in his strong hold as he lifts her up off the ground. 

"She seems…plenty nice, but she almost crushed him earlier! She's literally called a war horse and her feet are bigger than your head and that's saying something!" Link defends with a worried tone. 

"Hey your heads bigger than mine! Put me down he said she'd want to be pet!" Aryll grumbles as she starts kicking wildly. 

"No! Absolutely not.." 

"If it helps.." Twilight says calmly, catching the attention of the siblings before it turns into a full squabble. "She may be big, but she's grown up around children and babies. She gives the kids in my village rides all the time. And she's like a mother hen when she's around babies. I know our bickering looked upsetting, but I knew very well how she was going to react to me poking at her. And she would never ever rear up like that around you two had she'd known you were there." 

"Doesn't change the fact that.." 

Link trails off as he watches Epona back away from Twilight. Prancing around in a little circle before lying down in the grass without prompting. Her tail flicking lightly as she gets comfortable. Looking over at the kids with those big brown eyes and nickering softly. 

Very slowly Link sets his little sister down. Swallowing thickly and watching Epona like a hawk. Meanwhile Aryll is all too happy to scamper over to the mare as soon as she's steady on her feet. Stopping just in front of her with a big grin as Twilight crouches down beside her. 

"Just hold your hand out alright? She won't hurt you I promise." 

Aryll does as she's told and her smile gets all the brighter as Epona nuzzles her big head into the girl's tiny hands. Little fingers starting to gently pet and scratch at her short coat, before the kid just giggles and full on hugs her muzzle while petting her cheek. Epona giving a happy little rumble in response. 

The rumbles only continuing when she feels Link's tentative hands gently and hesitantly starting to pet along her neck. Then comb through her coarse mane and gently undo any tangles he finds. 

"Okay…I..I guess you're not all that bad.." Link says quietly. 

Twilight just gives a pleased smile. The moment feeling all too much like home. 

[thanzag]

someone who’ll set my heart free

the river styx does not wash away the poison that led to zagreus’ most recent failure. thanatos lends a hand.

than/zag sick fic, meg/zag mentioned in passing as something that is happening but otherwise not really relevant for this story.

fic masterlist here

content warning for mention of the concept of vomiting, but no description of it

Normally when Zagreus walks out of the River Styx and back into the House, it’s as if nothing happened. The adrenaline from his escape attempt (failed, again) will have faded, his injuries are healed over, and he’s as good as new. Normally he either walks right past his father to dip into the lounge and say hello to whomever is inside, or he greets Hypnos and Nyx and goes straight to his room. With Achilles being caught up in his own thoughts about Patroclus lately, there’s not a lot of reason to head to the West Hall, most of the time.

Normally, he doesn’t have to drag himself out onto the steps, the tile, as if the pool is trying to suck him back in. Normally his head isn’t pounding, his skin isn’t hot, and the torchlight doesn’t leave terrible auroras burned into his brain. Normally he is able to get his feet beneath him to stand. Normally, standing isn’t even on a list of problems.

The lingering shades, stuck waiting in line, are looking at him. Chattering amongst themselves. He doesn’t have it in him to care. He drags himself a little further out of the pool and groans. Trying to sit up gets him nowhere.

“You don’t look so good down there!” Hypnos enthuses from above him.

Zagreus isn’t sure when he dozed off — it’s been either an hour or an eternity. He drags his heavy eyelids open and tries to speak, though that doesn’t really work out, either. Hypnos looks down at his clipboard before looking at him again. “I mean it, you look terrible. That satyr poison will make you sick, you know!”

“…thanks,” Zagreus eventually drags out. Why does his throat hurt? Hypnos cocks his head to the side, smiling brightly.

“You’re welcome!” He turns to leave, to head back to his post, and —

“Wait!” It hurts to speak. “Can you — help me?” He swallows. “Please?”

Hypnos turns back to him, quilted cloak billowing as he does. He folds his clipboard against his chest. “What do you need help with, Zagreus?”

Surely Hypnos can tell that this isn’t normal for him, right? Zagreus has come out of the river so many times —

“I need help to my room, I think,” he says after a long moment of Hypnos watching him, and the other man brightens again.

“Oh, well why didn’t you say so? I can’t really leave my post, but I’ll get someone!” Maybe Achilles will help him, if he can be drawn from his thoughts.

At least knowing that he’s emotionally invested in someone else will keep his crush from resurfacing. Or maybe Nyx will help him, though her support has always been more from afar.

Hypnos leaves him there, face pressed against the cold tile, and Zagreus tries to keep it together.

“Oh, you are kidding me,” Meg says, drawing him out of his stupor.

“Thank you Miss Megaera!” Hypnos chirps, and then the sound of him walking away echoes in Zagreus’ ears.

“What did you do, Zagreus?” she murmurs, standing high above him. He recognizes the way she’s standing, even though her face is hard to see from down here. The stalwart ‘this is bullshit’ stance she has so often when she’s gatekeeping him from Asphodel. He groans and tries to turn over onto his back to better look at her, and — eugh. That’s a bad idea.

“…dunno. Sick.”

“And you need help getting to your room,” she says flatly, not-asking, and he hopes she’s willing to take pity on him enough to at least help him stand before she ducks out of this one. Hypnos should have asked anyone but her, even Dusa. Or Cerberus. What he and Meg have is great, but it’s not something borne out of care-taking. This is out of her comfort zone. He’s thinking in dizzy circles when the sound of her saying his name draws him back to reality.

“Zagreus.”

“Yeah, sorry.” He mentally shakes his head — if he really does, he might be sick. “Help me up?”

“Don’t be stupid,” she says — not the expected answer, truly — and then she’s kneeling to scoop him up in her arms.

Moving so quickly does make his head throb, and he spends however-long it is that she is carrying him thinking — of course she can carry me. She’s so strong. She always is. I should have known better. But why —?

The darkness of his room settles onto him before he finds a real answer in his mind. She lays him on the bed, on his back, and he can feel her watching him now. He groans without meaning to, but it’s easier to open his eyes in this low light.

She’s standing at the side of the bed, and she’s got her arms crossed like she’s annoyed. If he had the energy to be sardonic with himself, he’d think that of course she is — she’s always annoyed with him. But he doesn’t, and instead he lets his eyes slide off of her and onto the mirror at the other end of the room. It’s easier than looking at her face right now.

“If you’re going to vomit, don’t get it on me,” she bites out, and he shakes his head even though it does, as expected, make it ache more.

“I won’t. Thanks, Meg.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m not your nursemaid. If you need anything, get Dusa. Or anyone else.” Her words are stern but, more briefly than he can comprehend, her cool hand is touching his forehead. And then she’s gone.

Zagreus falls into a fitful sleep sometime after she leaves, feeling hot and cold in turns in a way that has him wrestling the covers on and off of him. He has terrible fever dreams, reliving past escape attempts. Reliving the feeling of being run through with blades and cut down with — whips, and other things.

When he wakes up again, it’s because he can feel someone watching him. He drags his eyes open and turns his head, expecting to see Nyx, maybe, or possibly (very unlikely) Meg back again. But it’s not either of them.  

“Than?” His voice is pitiful, but at least he can bear to speak, unlike before.

“These things would only happen to you,” is what Than says, lingering at his bedside. Zagreus thinks he’s come a little closer, though that might just be his faulty vision.

“I’m special that way,” Zagreus says with a smile, distantly aware that that’s not a normal response, or even what he meant to say. He has very suddenly become hot, all over, and he tosses the blankets off of him. He’s sweat-soaked.

Than does come closer, now, and touches his head. His hand is so cool on his skin.

“You’re burning up, Zag.” Than sounds either unimpressed or worried. Right now, he can’t tell.

“Yeah, sounds right,” he agrees. Than’s hand moves from his forehead to his cheek, and Zagreus turns his head minutely to press a weak kiss against his palm.

“You’re incorrigible. What happened to you?”

“Mmmh. Satyrs in the temple,” he answers. Nuzzles into Than’s hand. “I’m cold.”

“You threw your blankets off. Of course you are,” Than says dryly, but he pulls the covers back over him anyway. Zagreus privately mourns the absence of the hand on his face.

“Missed you.”

“I know, Zag. I missed you too.” Even dizzy and addled, Zagreus is aware that this is not — being brushed off. He knows it’s sincere, even though Than is curt as ever.

“Come cuddle?” He feels so terrible.

Than frowns, minutely, and even from that Zagreus knows it’s going to be a no. “I can’t stay. But I’ll bring you Mort, alright?”

He just groans an affirmative, nestling a little further into his blanket cocoon.

Than does leave for a moment, returning with Mort in both hands. He presses the little mouse against Zagreus’ chest, tucking it under the blanket. “There you go.”

“Thanks,” he murmurs. He’s half asleep already, but he doesn’t miss the soft, tentative press of lips to his hot forehead.

He rests again, still fitful. He can’t get comfortable, still sweaty and aching all over, but he does doze. At some point Nyx and Dusa do come through — he thinks someone turns up with an extra blanket, maybe. But it’s easier and more comfortable to just sleep, so he doesn’t put effort into waking.

The next time he does really wake, it’s against his will. Someone is shaking his shoulder, talking to him instead of around him.

“Come on, Zag, sit up.” It’s Than again, and Zagreus is just aware enough to know that it must have been a long time, if Than’s had time to go do work and come back.

He groans but does try to sit up, manages to get an elbow beneath him.

“Whassat?” Than’s holding a corked bottle of glowing liquid.

“I’ve got the antidote. Drink this,” he insists with little preamble, popping the cork out. Zagreus lets Than tip it into his mouth, swallows it down. Almost instantly, he does feel better.

“Than,” he says, swallowing again, licking his lips. He feels refreshed, too. “Thank you.”

“You’re feeling better?” Zagreus blinks slowly, thinking about it.

His head still feels fuzzy, and he’s a little warm. “Probably should rest some more.”

“You must be feeling poorly still to suggest it yourself,” Than says, but he’s smiling that indulgent smile that Zagreus thinks is just for him. “I can stay for a little while, now, if you wanted company.”

“— really?” If he had the energy, he’d be delighted. As it is, he feels warm all over in a way that has nothing to do with his departing fever.

“Yes, really.” Than discards his scythe and sword, leaning them against the wall. He unbuckles his pauldron and leaves it on the floor. And then he’s climbing onto the bed, underneath the blanket, right next to him. “It was hard enough to leave the last time.”

Zagreus turns over and curls against Than’s side, presses his face against his shoulder in lieu of trying to find the right words to say. Than’s arm wraps itself around his back, stroking his spine, and he nuzzles in a little further.

“Glad you’re here,” he does say, and lets himself sleep again.

[nikikyuuun]

can i request crushing headcannons for ace, ruggie, lilia and kalim?

hello hello! it's more than alright, i looove writing crush hcs~ i previously did ace in another post which you can find over here, so i just did the other three! i haven't Consumed Much Ruggie Content yet, so i'm not too familiar w his characterization yet, but i hope you enjoy ♡

❧ kalim, lilia, and ruggie with a crush

content warnings: none

❧ kalim is quite open with his affections, though he may not quite be so quick to realise that he's gone way past "friend territory" with regards to how he feels about you. you're a very important friend, he'll say, and rationalise any and all butterflies in his stomach as simply enjoying being around you. though he doesn't act much differently around you, he's... still quite obvious, honestly.

❧ he loves spending as much time with you as he can! not that that's unusual, nor is it much of a surprise—just about everyone can see how happy you seem to make him, from his thousand-watt smile to the way he all but vibrates from excitement when he waves you over to his lunch table, to the... oh? the slightest evidence of a flush on his cheeks? kalim makes even more of an effort to invite you to do things with him, even if they're quite mundane: why don't you make yourself comfortable while you take out your textbooks? he'll make some tea for you.

❧ even before he's aware of his own feelings—and for almost every waking moment afterwards—kalim seems much more eager to impress you! would you want to watch the light music club practice today? or maybe you'd need a partner in alchemy? even if you just want someone to talk to, kalim would love to be that person for you—even if he doesn't quite feel ready to admit his own feelings for you, yet.

❧ oh, how interesting, for you to have caught lilia's attention so thoroughly. he's almost painfully aware of when his innocent interest in you turns into infatuation, and then slowly—ah, it seems he's enamoured by you. unless you knew exactly what to look for, though, it's almost as if his feelings for you had never changed at all, save for a certain softness in his eyes, his voice, his hands.

❧ don't think that this lets you off the hook, though—lilia seems more than willing to tease you, out of both affection and simply a desire to see how you'll react. he just thinks it's absolutely adorable how you stutter and stammer, how your face grows warm at his words. but there are moments, however, when the playful lilt of his voice is less teasing and more genuine, and in those few moments he lets some semblance of his real feelings for you shine through—quickly followed by another tease, of course.

❧ though lilia is arguably aware of his own feelings for the longest out of the three, he still prefers to take his time working through them before confessing, or in his words, beginning to court you. it's not out of caution, or some odd feeling of having to keep his guard up, but rather out of curiosity—out of a desire to learn more about you, and these new feelings you've given him.

❧ despite his normally laidback nature, there's a certain stiffness to ruggie's voice whenever he catches sight of you, or when you stand too close to him, or when he accidentally brushes his hand against yours borrowing a pen... he swears at himself for being so awkward around you—for being awkward in general—but it dawns on him, slowly. had your smile always been that pretty?

❧ he tries the hardest to keep up his composure around you, to rather... mixed results, sometimes. he might uncharacteristically losing track of a conversation, holding off on a tease or a lighthearted little prank after hearing you sputter out a laugh. there's a way he acts around you and speaks about you—an admiring little shine in his eye, a genuine tinge in his laugh—that all but screams, down bad.

❧ much like kalim, ruggie wants to almost prove to you that he's, well, reliable. he'll gladly dive into the sea of fellow students to grab your lunch order for you! and he'll bring it back with a self-satisfied little smile, teasing you about owing him a favour to pay him back—he won't ever cash it in, though, but he won't admit that to you. he might scold you over things he berates leona for, but in his case his tone is much less exasperated and much more fond—a sigh, a click of his tongue, even as he scolds you for not taking proper care of yourself... but he'll let it slide, for as long as you pay little mind to the way his gaze lingers on you a little too long.

[charmixpower]

Okokokok so I wanna talk about the s2 Tecna/Timmy arc bc brain worms, this arc was really interesting and fun and slightly wasted in some places so I get to ramble about it

Tenca thinks the thing she values most is logic but this is blatantly false, and a fun little character thing because she actually doesn't know what the real thing is any substituting it for what people expect her to value most, told her she should value most, or the cultural consensus of what Zenith values most

There's a lot of examples of her ignoring logic for something else and they show a trend

It's stated that Flora and Musa have the best grades, and that Tecna is the smartest out of all of the Winx. This obviously means that Tecna probably skips class, doesn't do homework, half-asses assignments and more because her grades don't reflect how much she knows. It's implied that she spends this time making new technology

When the Trix have Stella captured in Season 1, Tecna is the most firm in refusing to give the Trix the ring. She was resolute in fighting the Trix, despite all previous encounters pointing to the fact that this was a beyond stupid idea. On top of that episode was to show off Bloom's leadership ablities, because she was able to think about this calmly without being able to rely on Tecna to give the facts

You'd think Tecna would be the slowest to act, waiting on the full information of the situation, but she isn't. In season 1 she shoulder bashed doors so she never had to slow down, girl isn't deliberate. Tecna prefers to work and quickly and efficiently as she can to mitigate future harm rather than understand the whole situation. As seen with the Avalon's Secret episode

Tecna realized that the Omega portal could be closed in a perticualr way, but instead of telling anyone, she decided the fastest way to deal with it was to do it herself. A additional note is that when getting their Enchantix's though sacrifice, Tecna is the one I'd argue had the least amount of emotional reason to act rashly. Her sacrifice is the only one that absolutely couldn't be interpreted as a panicked split second decision. Everyone else made they're sacrifice in emotional turmoil, Tecna walked to hers

From this you can see that Tecna clearly cares more about something else more than the logical decision. When someone is in danger, she usually tries to save them quickly. Prioritizing getting them to safety quickly over the best possible course of action. She HATES conceding anything to the enemy, enough that it makes her too angry to think straight. Tecna is ready and willing to give up her life, without any adrenaline making her act more rashly than she nomrally would, to keep people safe

It's not surprising that she'd be upset at Timmy. When given a similar situation, Tecna would pick die before she'd let the Trix walk away. It's clear that she doesn't know or care that it's stupid, she's too tied up in her feelings

And I think that's the thing that actually made Tecna mad. Tecna at this point was just staring to open up, so she really wouldn't have a way to express how she actually felt. I think she was mad because she thought Timmy wasn't committed to their shared principals and would roll over when someone more powerful than him entered the ring instead of still trying despite the odds

This is how Tecna functions, and it's fairly unsurprising that she'd be upset that the person she's in love with doesn't share this commitment to what she sees as their shared principals

Now, I fucking hate how Timmy's writing was handled and this arc. I hate it so fucking much. It's god awful. Just thinking about it makes me wanna grind my teeth

The consequence of Tecna seeing Timmy as uncommitted is that she also sees him as unreliable. So the show tackles this part of her upset. Which is dumb. Timmy's sudden burst of confidence thats completely contrary to how he acts in the ENTIRE rest of the show will get on my fucking nerves for the rest of my life. They just changed his personality for a few episodes so Tecna could realize she was wrong for thinking he was unreliable

The show takes the stance that Tecna was being unreasonable when she got mad at Timmy, and they immediately undercut this by having Timmy prove himself to her. Why? The show acknowledges the fact she's holding everyone around her to the same exact standards she holds herself to is irrational. So why vindicate her original thought by pulling him ooc and making him prove himself? Leave him alone and have her realize that she's expecting too much on her own, or have Timmy show bravery in a way he'd normally would and when Tecna gets snippy have him explain why her expectations are stupid

Timmy has stood up for himself before, like in s1 when he yells at Riven and Brandon to shut up. Her expecting him to attack the lady that nearly murdered one of your squad members who's the best at combat, is worth standing up for himself. Why they did not take this path I'll never understand

This would also make Tecna's arc so much better. Batting the writers hands away from Timmy. Leave him alone, who are you making him prove himself. He doesn't owe Tecna shit rn

In this argument he'd make her realize that her expectations are way too much, and that it's better to live another day than die and still not win. Tecna would argue back, being unable to let go of her world view, revealing that she holds herself to the same expectations. Expecting this fact to win the argument. Then she'd be hit with something along the line that she shouldn't do that to herself, or something to that effect. Which she can't comprehend. Giving her a complete existential crisis, and then Timmy fucks off bc he hates arguments and is stressed tf out

Looking at all of this makes me think that Tecna was raised with a very strong "cog in the machine" mentality, that stifled both her ability to express her emotions and gave her a lack of self preservation. Which could tie into her arc of learning to express herself, bc then it could be both emotionally and her individuality...

I think I've lost the plot a little bit, but I love Tecna's character arc and I think Timmy shouldn't of had to prove himself to her in s2 bc that's dumb lol

Anyways I like this arc a lot. Tecna just being wrong because she's so caught up in her own feelings is such a good character defining moment. I love her, she's so much fun

[simplyotometrash]

Hey can I request something for obey me? If so you can choose any characters, can be all, can be one, i don't mind. But what would they do with an mc who doesn't like touch, like they aren't scared of it, they just don't like it. ( example : hugging, holding hands, cuddles, etc- )

AN MC WHO IS LITERALLY ME!? I hate being touched. I hate physical touch. Cuddles and shit sound cute in theory but I do not want to be that close to a person

I'm having a rough time writing lately, so I'm gonna write for my personal favorites<3

Levi, Asmo, Belphie x Gender-Neutral Reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None

MC Doesn't Like Physical Affection

Leviathan:

He is the most okay with you not liking physical touch.

Levi does crave it from time to time, but he really is touch averse.

He's not fond of just...being touched by people. Even the person he loves the most.

Levi leaves the physical stuff up to you whenever you actively WANT to give him physical affection.

If you feel like holding his hand because it struck your fancy, he won't oppose.

He was a bit anxious about kissing. He worried you wouldn't ever want to kiss him but absolutely melted when you did for the very first time.

It was well worth the wait.

All in all, Levi is okay with you guys not being a very physical couple. There are tons of other ways to show affection.

For Levi, that just means he wants to exist in the same space as you, share interests, and spend lots of time together.

Asmodeus:

It hits him the hardest out of any of the brothers.

Asmodeus is an extremely physical person. Physical contact is one of the ways he best shows his love for other people.

So when you told him that you didn't like physical touch very much, he was more than a little disheartened.

But he understood that it was your preference. He couldn't fault you for it and he would never make you feel guilty about it.

If you do, on the off chance, want some form of physical contact then you know he'll always be more than willing to provide.

He just has to make sure he channels his affections for you into other displays of affection so that he's still showing his love.

Yes, he is a very verbal lover as well, he also showers you with gifts.

He can't resist buying you things that he thinks or knows you will like. You get a lot of presents from him in lieu of being touched.

Asmo has a hard time adjusting to the limited physical contact in your relationship, but he's okay with it in the end.

Belphegor:

Okay, so this does and doesn't get to him.

On the one hand, he's a bit disappointed that he can't cuddle with you for naps and hold you close to his body.

On the other hand, Belphie isn't really a touchy person otherwise anyway.

So it's both a win and a bit of a loss in his eyes. He will never voice his disappointment, though. You don't need to be feeling guilty.

If you ever want to cuddle then all you have to do is say so. It's very rare, but he relishes in it when it happens.

Like Levi, Belphie is content to just exist in each other's space with you. It makes him happy knowing you just like being with him.

The most contact you guys usually make is him laying with his head on his pillow and you running your fingers through his hair.

That's honestly enough for him. He's okay if that's the extent of your physical relationship beyond the odd kiss here and there.

He is just happy you guys are together and that you like being with him.