#and that it is within his power to develop a better relationship towards other people's autonomy that's not

[july-19th-club]

we talk a lot about how the shtriga case was bad parenting and horrible just being-a-person-ing from john back when the boys were KIDS but this time im talking about how . it's also horrible parenting when the kids are adults. like you held the guilt of that night over your son's head in his childhood, you looked at him different, you know? and that was worse. and THEN he's a grown twenty-something and he hasn't seen you in half a year because you're back on your old obsessive quest and you keep him busy by sending him cases to work. you send him this one because you know your son, and you know that when he realizes what he's hunting here, the same child-devouring creature he once left his little brother vulnerable to (although you never told him what he needed to look out for, and never gave him a reason behind the orders, and never explained), and that he will hound himself over it and insist upon finishing it and you allow him to do the job and you allow him to continue to take responsibility for your decisions seventeen years ago, when you left an anxious eight-year-old alone with a preschooler for three solid days to be bait for a thing that would kill them. he finishes this case thinking he's finally righted the wrong from back then, finally made up for his failure (as a CHILD) to protect his brother, to follow the orders, to obey and behave, and he'll never be corrected about this. he will insist to the boy in this episode that it's not that kid's fault, he will insist that it is not really his father's fault, no, dad gave me an order and i didn't listen. don't. don't. but nobody will ever tell him this one wasn't his fault

[demonic0angel]

Phantom Family (In Uniform)

My headcanons for when the Phantoms are in costume and working with other DC heroes :3 (click for clarity)

All four of them work separately, but team up whenever there is a world-ending crisis in their universe or in the DC world (where they’re currently staying). Cue shenanigans bc they’ve been gaining the trust and love of people around them who had no idea they were siblings??? (The Batfam feel a strange sense of deja vu)

More notes:

+ Danny joins the JL, Jazz joins Jason's gang as his assistant, Dani joins Young Justice, and Dan is a loner who only works with Nightwing.

+ Danny is named Phantom, Jazz is named Wolf, Dani is named Spirit, and Dan is named Wraith, named for multiple reasons.

+ In my hcs, the DP world and the DC world are separate, and the DP characters go to the DCU for various reasons. Ofc, these makes people from both worlds slightly different from one another via genetic makeup, culture, politics, etc.

+ Jazz was the first to arrive and she mainly wanted to study and practice her fields at Arkham Asylum. However, she got bored and decided to join Jason’s gang as his assistant before quickly earning his trust and then accidentally gaining more power within the gang. Dani came next and asked to join Young Justice. She was accepted and thus became friends with everyone there. Dan was next, but he thought he got the wrong universe and wasn’t able to contact anyone for awhile. He met Nightwing, and after being interested in his innate goodness, decided to stay around him and continue bothering him, eventually resulting in a genuine relationship where he strives to become better. Danny came last and asked to join the Justice League, which they allowed after awhile as he proved himself, eventually becoming one of the top hitters and most powerful members.

+ Danny’s relationship with the JL was cold at first because his arrival was unprecedented and he was considered an unknown. Eventually, they started realizing that he was chill, but it took a long time before anyone could even trust him since he wasn’t really a team player. At some point, Batman was able to get his identity out of him, and after realizing that he was genuinely young, Batman softened and everyone started trusting and befriending him slowly.

+ Jazz’s relationship with Jason was stilted at first bc Jazz was lowkey suspicious and Jason didn’t trust her. After a while, she proved herself to him and helped him a lot, so they began developing a friendship and eventually, she gained the trust and loyalty of everyone around her. She and Jason have a great but complex relationship with the only hurdle being their secret identities. Both of them have an irrational fear of rejection from the other, so they go out of their way to avoid finding each other’s identities (even if it would be really easy for both of them) which has resulted in a lot of frustration and slow burn.

+ Dani’s relationship with Young Justice started out a little awkward, but her personality and charm won them over and with her assistance towards Secret, she was able to integrate herself into the group easily. She’s considered the newest, so they kind of treat her as the baby, but after a lot of crazy adventures, they trust her with the spiritual and supernatural stuff.

+ Dan’s relationship with Nightwing started out as extremely hostile since Nightwing took no chances and almost immediately wanted to attack him. Dan had no problem with this and often provoked him, but was too powerful to be fought off, only leaving whenever he wanted, which resulted in a lot of frustration and anger. As time passed, Dan made himself into a neutral force in Bludhaven as someone who would not kill others, but would not help unless it was Nightwing asking. He wore down Nightwing enough by popping up for more fights that eventually, Nightwing just lowkey teamed up with him until he was accidentally established as his partner.

+ Danny has both his job of being hero and of being the High King of the Infinite Realms. He balances it out pretty well, since JL is also rather flexible. Jazz has both her job of being Jason’s assistant and of being a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. She cannot sleep well so she has a bad habit of overworking herself until she drops, but Jason convinced her to sleep in his office at times. Dani has no jobs and only studies or has fun whenever she’s not out and about as a hero. Dan has a bunch of random jobs whenever he’s not flirting with Nightwing, so he can be seen as a bartender, a babysitter, an accountant, a barista, an artist, etc.

+ At some point, they all meet and everyone looks at them like 😟😦😦 bc WHO WAS GONNA TELL THEM THAT 4 PEOPLE WHO ARE STATIONED SUSPICIOUSLY NEAR THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACES WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ARE ACTUALLY SIBLINGS????

[meglosthegreat]

I have a lot of problems with the Treviso/Minrathous choice, and could go on for days about how poorly thought-out and implemented it was, how it screams "late addition" and how it's so obviously a choice for the sake of there being a choice, the consequences of which are only there for the sake of being consequences.

But one thing I'd like to highlight is how the characters relevant to the consequences of that choice could have been so much better served if the outcomes for each of their relevant cities had been reversed.

As it stands, if you fail to save Treviso, a lot of civilians will die and the city will be overrun with the Blight. If you fail to save Minrathous, the Shadow Dragons will be destroyed and the Venatori will seize power.

Neve's storyline is all about protecting the people of Dock Town. She is heavily involved with the Shadow Dragons, but her primary investment is in her city, and her personal quest centres around deciding what kind of protector she is going to be to its people.

Lucanis, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with his family. His actual relations, of course, but also the Crows at large as a form of extended family. His personal quest is entirely focused on his brother, and how he is going to respond to Illario's betrayal.

So, we have Neve with her love of her city, and Lucanis with his love of his family. But when the dragons attack, Minrathous doesn't lose its civilians, it only loses the Shadow Dragons. And Treviso doesn't lose the Crows, it loses its civilians. Each city, in short, loses exactly the thing the OTHER character would be more upset about losing.

As it stands, each character remaining perpetually upset about your choice seems petty, but imagine how much more impactful it would've been if Lucanis had lost the Crows instead. He doesn't seem to give two shits about Treviso before the choice, and only starts caring if you don't pick it, but you already know how much the Crows mean to him, and as his entire quest is centred around his relationships within the organization, his anger towards Rook would've felt a whole lot more justified.

And imagine if Dock Town was overrun with Blight instead - you know, the place Neve cares about more than anything else. More than the Shadow Dragons, who she only seems mildly interested in at the best of times, if you do save Minrathous. Losing Dock Town would have been devastating, and really cemented Neve's decision to do whatever it takes to protect the place she cares about.

But of course, because this choice was most likely added late in development, it probably had to be done in the way that impacted the least amount possible, and I think that's a crying shame. As much as I think the choice sucks to begin with, they could have at least made it relevant to the characters' themes and stories, and they chose to do the opposite. What we're left with feels arbitrary and disappointing whichever city you go with.

[genericpuff]

ten storylines u think could have been amazing in lo if they had been handled better?

10 already feels like so much for a story like LO buuttt:

1.) the act of wrath plotline, seriously this one felt like it had some of the most lost potential as one of LO's more unique plotlines (and it lost that potential as soon as it was turned into some "oopsy" committed by persephone due to her wrath being a 'gift' from eris when she was a baby??? still bugs me so much ugh) give me back that dichotomy of Persephone and her internalized wrath, dangit.

2.) the Eros and Psyche plotline. it started off so promising as a parallel B-plot to H x P and then seemed to just get dropped halfway through S1 when Psyche got turned into a nymph.

3.) Echo's involvement as a double agent for Zeus. that was clearly the intention when she was introduced but then she was promptly dropped and only showed up again to say "fuck you Zeus" with zero build-up or implication that she had a change of heart. Like imagine if we actually saw her leaking info back to Zeus but then also getting closer to Hera on a personal level and realizing that she didn't want to keep snitching on her. it would have also made the 'big reveal' of Hera kissing Echo a lot more impactful because then they would have had an actual story arc.

4.) Persephone's character development into becoming the Dread Queen. Right now the story wants us to think that Persephone is somehow "better than ever" despite the fact that her version of the "Dread Queen" is being an absolute Karen. But think of how it could have been if her character de-evolution was the point, to show how Hades had corrupted her. Or if they were meant to be actual shitty people and not shitty people that the narrative was trying to convince us were good.

5.) Hades' and Minthe's relationship. It goes without saying that Minthe was wrong to turn to physical violence, but I'll die on the hill that Minthe wasn't being treated fairly by Hades, either. Those three flashback episodes in S2 leading up to Minthe getting turned into a plant were such a missed opportunity to showcase how Minthe became as bitter as she did towards Hades and what their relationship was actually like in the beginning (and why they liked each other in the first place which they very clearly did) but instead it just dragged its heels because obv Rachel didn't want people empathizing with Minthe.

6.) Ares being used as a tool for war by Zeus. It's clear being sent off to these wars is taking its toll on him and it's created a steep divide within the family, especially concerning how protective Ares is of Hera esp when it comes to how Zeus treats her.

7.) The Aphrodite / Hephaestus plotline. Good god I have no idea what the thought process was behind this one, some of the myths she kinda got away with flipping but this was the one that made the least sense to flip. There was so much potential there that was squandered, a lot of it at the expense of Aphrodite and Ares as traditionally powerful and respected gods.

8.) Hades' alcoholism. Minthe was right, simply falling for Persephone and dropping the cigars and brandy to make himself look better for her doesn't make him a changed person. If the alcoholism was linked to his trauma, why didn't we explore that more? Why couldn't we have seen him actually pursue proper recovery and have it not just be "I'm hot for the 19 year old girl but if I'm drinking constantly that'll make me look bad so I'm just gonna put on the best fake persona I can to make her fall in love with me" instead of actually getting to the root of his issues?

9.) The SA plotline. As much as I talk about how shitty it is, I have zero issue with the original depiction of it, I think it was very accurate especially when it comes to coercion. A lot of people assume SA has to be violent, kicking and screaming, begging for help, but coercive assault is often a lot quieter and more about manipulation which that scene nailed in depicting. It's just everything after that that feels completely misfired and more so for the purpose of making Hades look like a better person simply by comparing him to Apollo on the basis of "he never assaulted Persephone!" and it drives me nuts.

10.) Demeter's winter. In the most recent FP episode, while discussing it with pals, all I could really say was, "This was supposed to be a retelling of the Abduction of Persephone". And Demeter's winter is a core part of that story, one of its biggest purposes in Greek culture was using the myths to explain the creation of the seasons. Despite this being a "retelling" of the Abduction of Persephone / Hymn to Demeter, one of the most important characters in the entire myth has been reduced to, at worst, a Mother Gothel Disney villain, and at best, a pointless NPC.

[romanticizing-writing]

Presenting "Actor Falls" AU

So, as far as I am aware, no one has done an actor AU solely for Gravity Falls. Orxinus and Fazfuri do have a collab actor AU, however it's based off of their AU's exclusively and not the show itself. So, I decided to become the (maybe) first one to create one for Gravity falls.

General Gist:

My AU "Actor Falls" is set within a "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"/"Once Upon a Studio" type universe where humans and toons act together to create cartoons and fictional entertainment. Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Fiddleford, Ford and the rest of the human cast of Gravity Falls are, well, humans. Bill, the henchmaniacs, and all of the other supernatural creatures, meanwhile, are toons — cartoon characters who exist as real people in the world. They are all employed by the company Disney to work on the series.

Stanley and Stanford are biological, identical twins (just like how they are in the series), while Dipper and Mabel aren't actually related. They didn't know each before being cast with their roles, but quickly developed a close bond as if they were genuinely siblings. Bill and the Axolotl also don't have powers of any sort; the amphibian isn't truly a god, and two-dimensional triangle isn't a dream demon.

Background Information:

In order to avoid weirdness, I'm not going to include any of the people who genuinely worked on the show in my AU. Instead, GF was written by Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. They decided to project the evolution of their brotherly bond and relationship into the story — Mickey unintentionally ruining Oswald's chance for success, causing an accident that destroyed his brother's life, Oswald resenting him for decades, and the two of them coming together in order to defeat a threat larger than life. Everything that happened in "Epic Mickey" actually occurred, and Mickey had the game created out of the events in order to restore Oswald's heart by reintroducing him to the public. They won't be the focus of the AU, but they're still part of it as the writers of Gravity Falls in-universe.

In-Depth Details:

Originally, they were just going to have Stan act as a double for the mysterious other twin in the story and green-screen an extra pair of fingers on. That was until Stan told them that – conveniently — he had a twin with polydactyly. He discussed the idea of becoming an actor for the series to Ford and he was hesitant about it at first, unsure of how well of one he would be. However, with some encouragement from his brother and reminders that his acceptance would benefit everyone, Ford ultimately ended up agreeing to the role.

Unfortunately, once he started working he found out that Bill also happened to be an actor for the series. They're canonly exes in this AU. They used to date in secret because of the strong public hate towards human/toon relationships. But, in the end, the lingering guilt of doing something so 'wrong' caused them to break up. They still long for the other, but will never openly admit it. Not yet, at least.

The two of them have a mutual, silent agreement to keep their romantic past hidden, in fear of wrecking their reputations. Bill is better at masking his disdain and remaining love, since he's a professional actor, but Ford struggles, being the newbie. This ends up causing rumors and gossip about the two of them currently dating. This certainly isn't helped by their dymanic in the show and how they seem to put extra emotion into certain scenes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Content

[coraniaid]

Actually, on reflection, I think I'm persuaded that the "poor Willow is a magical junkie now and it's not her fault :(" subplot in Season 6 is, contrary to what I've said before, actually the worst multi-episode subplot on Buffy.

Say what you like about the other two contenders for that honor: the non-mystery of "is Giles really the First Evil and why hasn't anyone thought to check yet?" or the banality of "shall we engage seriously with the fact Spike has a soul now and how that might change him as a person, or shall we just say that a mean ghost hypnotized him?". But neither of those plots involve a woman telling her significant other (and I am really not paraphrasing much at all here) "I don't like that you used magic to violate my mind and rob me of my ability to consent to our relationship, because it's not good for you".

Moreover:

While the two Season 7 subplots are both pretty bad and boring to watch and are certainly part of why I don't enjoy that season, I don't think removing or somehow rewriting either of them would automatically make the season much better. By contrast, the Willow subplot of Season 6 is the worst thing about that season -- one which I think otherwise had a lot of potential and is arguably the most ambitious season the show ever did -- and fixing it would improve the season as a whole a lot.

The Willow subplot also takes up a lot more of the show overall than the two Season 7 subplots do. Giles as the First is a complete waste of everyone's time, but it's also fully resolved in less than half a dozen episodes (we first get the fake out that Giles might be dead in Never Leave Me, the ninth episode of the season, and we see that he isn't in The Killer In Me, the thirteenth episode). The Spike hypnotic trigger lasts a lot longer, but it still over within about half a season. But the Willow subplot dominates most of Season 6 and also continues to have ramifications for WIllow's character development (or lack thereof) for the rest of the show.

It's easy, I think, to understand why the writers resorted to the two Season 7 plots. They needed some excuse for Buffy's friends to not trust Spike, but for various reasons are committed to the idea that having a soul means Spike himself is now inherently Good and Blameless and so the reasons not to trust him can't be related to anything he's ever chosen to do himself, it has to be something done to him against his will. And the writers obviously stopped caring about Giles as a character with any sort of inner life the very minute ASH asked to be partially written out of the show so he could move back to England. I honestly don't believe the writers were capable of writing good subplots for either Giles or Spike by this point, even if they'd tried. But the Willow subplot comes out of nowhere and completely derails what was going to be a really interesting story line about Willow that the show had been patiently building towards since at least Season 3 and arguably even longer.

More broadly, both the Season 7 plots are bad in part because they are attempts to make the First -- previously a forgettable monster of the week whose primary powers included 'making people who have done bad things feel suitably bad' and 'not being able to touch anything'; a plot device which Buffy herself already rightly dismissed as all talk all the way back in Season 3 ("I get it. You're evil. Do we have to chat about it all day?"). Of course they're not successful attempts: there's no way to make the First as menacing and important as the writers wish it was. Being annoyed at the way they fail almost seems like missing the point.

Most importantly, I can more cheerfully ignore the two Season 7 subplots because I don't really care about either Spike or Giles at this point of the show's run. But I like Willow, so it bothers me more that she's subjected to all this dreadfully bad writing and that her character never really quite recovers from it.

[merwgue]

The anti-ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) fandom is not merely a group fueled by blind hatred towards Rhysand and the Inner Circle. It’s far more nuanced, rooted in thoughtful critique of the moral issues embedded within the narrative. The common misconception that anti-ACOTAR fans are wielding pitchforks against Sarah J. Maas or irrationally hating Rhysand fails to grasp the deeper concerns that they are pointing out—concerns about accountability, moral dissonance, and problematic portrayals of power and relationships.

The Core Problem: Cognitive Dissonance and Moral Blind Spots

Let’s start with cognitive dissonance—a psychological phenomenon where a person holds two conflicting beliefs, causing discomfort. In the case of the Inner Circle, readers are presented with a group of characters who are written as heroes but who consistently engage in morally questionable actions. Rhysand, in particular, is portrayed as a figure of justice and fairness, yet he perpetuates authoritarian behavior, often violating basic moral principles.

For example, Rhysand's actions under the Mountain, particularly his treatment of Feyre, included scenes of sexual assault, manipulation, and degradation. But where is the self-reflection? Where is the apology? Moral development theory suggests that as people (or characters) grow, they recognize when they have wronged others and seek to make amends. Rhysand never truly apologizes for the harm he caused to Feyre, which leads to discomfort for readers because the narrative tells us he’s the hero while his actions tell a different story. Psychologically speaking, this is a classic case of moral disengagement, where Rhysand justifies his harmful actions through the lens of doing what’s "necessary" for the greater good. He never engages in genuine introspection, nor does he attempt to change.

If They Were Villains, This Would Work—But They're Not

This brings us to a central frustration of the anti-ACOTAR community. If the Inner Circle—Rhysand, Mor, Cassian, and the others—were written as morally grey or even villainous characters, this would make perfect sense. In fact, many readers argue that it would make the story even more interesting. If Rhysand’s actions were framed as morally ambiguous, and if the narrative reflected that, it would add depth to his character. But that’s not what we get. Instead, these characters are positioned as champions of justice, as beacons of righteousness who never face any real moral consequences for their actions.

Let’s take the Illyrians as an example. Rhysand segregates them into warrior camps, a decision that reeks of elitism and classism. The Illyrians are portrayed as lesser beings in comparison to the fae of Velaris, and the way Rhysand controls them reflects a severe moral blind spot. Moral hypocrisy emerges when a character believes they are the moral authority but acts in ways that are deeply harmful. Rhysand’s control over the Illyrians—treating them like tools for war while never allowing them to integrate into Velaris—is an abuse of power, plain and simple. And yet, the narrative presents it as if he’s making a hard but necessary decision for the greater good. This moral justification makes him no better than the leaders of the oppressive systems he claims to despise.

Accountability and Apology: What’s Missing in ACOTAR

One of the key tenets of growth and development is the capacity to acknowledge wrongdoing and apologize. Apology, according to psychologists, is a critical step in maintaining healthy relationships, rebuilding trust, and achieving personal growth. When we harm someone, we apologize and strive to do better. The anti-ACOTAR fandom isn’t asking for perfection; they are asking for accountability. They are asking why characters like Rhysand and the Inner Circle never apologize for their actions, even when those actions cause immense harm.

Consider the contrast between Rhysand and Tamlin. Despite being portrayed as a villain later in the series, Tamlin is one of the few characters who attempts to make amends for his mistakes. He apologizes to Feyre, he reflects on his behavior, and he faces consequences within the narrative. Rhysand, by comparison, rarely faces any significant repercussions. His behavior under the Mountain is dismissed as a necessary evil, rather than acknowledged as abuse. And this is what leads to fan frustration: it’s not the mistakes themselves, but the lack of acknowledgment and the absence of true growth.

Imagine, for a moment, if Rhysand apologized for his actions under the Mountain—if he faced his moral failings head-on, admitted that he had been wrong, and worked to make amends. That would be compelling. It would humanize him. But without that, readers are left with a character who moves through life as if his actions have no real consequences. It’s a dangerous message because it implies that those in power can do no wrong, as long as they believe they’re doing it for the “greater good.”

The Inner Circle: Power and Elitism

This brings us to the deeper issue of elitism in ACOTAR. The Inner Circle consistently portrays themselves as morally superior, as the ones who know what’s best for everyone else. And yet, their actions—segregating the Illyrians, imposing their will on others—reflect the very behaviors that they claim to oppose. In authoritarian regimes, leaders justify their control by claiming it’s for the greater good, but this is simply a way to maintain power. Rhysand and the Inner Circle behave in much the same way. They impose their will on others without consulting those affected, assuming that they alone know what is best. It’s a deeply flawed form of leadership, and yet Maas writes it as if it’s heroic.

It’s not just Rhysand. The entire Inner Circle is complicit in this elitism. Mor treats the Illyrians as lesser beings. Cassian perpetuates a warrior culture that is both brutal and stifling. None of them truly work toward equality or justice; instead, they maintain a status quo that benefits them at the expense of others. Again, if they were written as villains, this would make sense. But as heroes? It’s deeply troubling.

Rhysand’s Moral Disengagement

Finally, let’s talk about moral disengagement again. This term refers to the ways individuals rationalize harmful behaviors to avoid guilt. Rhysand’s treatment of Feyre, the Illyrians, and even Nesta (locking her up with no professional help) are all instances of moral disengagement. He justifies these actions by telling himself and others that they are necessary for the greater good. But in doing so, he avoids any real accountability. This is what makes the anti-ACOTAR fandom uncomfortable: the fact that Rhysand continues to engage in morally harmful behavior while the narrative asks us to believe he is always in the right.

If Sarah J. Maas had written the Inner Circle with more nuance—acknowledging their flaws and allowing them to face real consequences—then the criticism would be less intense. But by framing them as untouchable heroes, Maas forces readers into a space where they must either accept this moral dissonance or push back against it. The anti-ACOTAR fandom is pushing back, not out of blind hatred, but out of a desire for accountability, for depth, and for a narrative that doesn’t gaslight its readers into believing that harmful actions are justified simply because they’re performed by characters we’re supposed to love.

In conclusion, the anti-ACOTAR fandom’s criticism of Rhysand and the Inner Circle isn’t about irrational hatred. It’s about recognizing the deep moral failures of characters who are written as heroes and calling for accountability, growth, and self-awareness. The critique isn’t that these characters are flawed; it’s that they never acknowledge their flaws. And that, more than anything, is why the anti-ACOTAR community pushes back so hard—because real growth comes from acknowledging your mistakes, apologizing, and striving to do better.

IN MY PSYCHOLOGY ERA??? SOMEONE GIVE ME LAW IDEAS I NEEEEEDDDD TO WRITE ABOUT LAWWW

[return-of-a-space-cowboy]

🧚‍♀️ Anon

Little Shop of Horrors (I loved watching that when I was a child as it holds a very special place within my heart)

Doppio and Darling with Diavolo/Risotto as the Plant Monster?

Both work for many reasons, for Risotto with his powers related to blood and no problem with killing and Diavolo because he and Doppio are the same individual

Doppio is infatuated with Darling, who works at the Flower Shop and she’s always so kind and sweet towards him, offering him some free flowers (Even if she gets yelled at by her greedy boss who cuts her pay) and always cheering him up when people yell or are mean towards him (He falls in love with her)

Darling is in love with Doppio, but has low self esteem and is in a toxic relationship with a man who belittles and abuses her (It’s Leaky Eye Luca)

She’s too afraid to break it off because she thinks no one will love her and even if someone does like her, he can ‘do better’ than her (She’s unaware Doppio likes her, chalking it up to him being naturally a nice guy)

So during a Solar Eclipse he finds a strange, small looking plant, he plans to take care of it so he can give to to Darling after caring for it to admit his feelings towards her (As he remembers Darling telling him she loves exotic plants)

But he’ll have the plant stay at Darling’s work in the Flower Shop after it began to bring in customers to see such a strange and unique plant (Her boss allowed it for the profits)

However this isn’t an ordinary plant, rather it’s an Alraune, a Carnivorous Alraune to be precise that feeds on blood to live (Later animal and then human victims)

Depending on picking Risotto or Diavolo as the Alraune, it will affect the story just slightly

If it’s Diavalo, the part that’s Diavolo within Doppio (Half of his soul) was absorbed into the Alraune when he fed it his blood, with Diavolo and Doppio being separate beings (Like in your Coraline AU) but they have a telepathic connection with each other (Doppio is able to hear Diavolo speak to him in his head)

If it’s Risotto, he’s the Alraune but also develops a telepathic connection with Doppio because of all the blood he fed him (He doesn’t intend to stay weak)

Both use promises to help Doppio win Darling’s heart and affection, but Doppio must help him first by feeding him more Food, starting with Doppio’s own blood (Helping Risotto/Diavolo grow bigger and bigger each day) however Doppio can’t feed Diavolo/Risotto his own blood anymore as he doesn’t have much blood left to keep feeding him constantly as he’s getting bigger (He became the size of Doppio within a 2 weeks)

So Risotto/Diavolo begin to manipulate Doppio like a puppet, and use his feelings for Darling to get him to do his bidding to get him more food to grow (Like feeding him stray cats and dogs Doppio finds, but that only works for a little bit and now Doppio needs to find Diavolo/Risotto Humans to eat)

And what better way than by showing Doppio that Darling’s ‘Boyfriend’ abuses her? He’ll encourage Doppio that he’ll be Darling’s ‘Hero’ if he gets rid of the man hurting her as well as the many other individuals who harm and belittle the both of them

He gets Doppio fully under his control and obedience after showing Doppio that he can’t trust anyone but him (As Darling’s Boss became too greedy with the profits of Doppio’s exotic plant, threatening to go to the police after seeing Doppio chop up Darling’s Boyfriend, only for Diavolo/Risotto to devour him in mere seconds right in front of Doppio’s eyes)

He intends to make Doppio emotionally reliant on him and reassure Doppio that everything he’s doing is ‘good’ and it will be all worth it once Darling accepts his feelings (He’s not against using his sweet smelling pollen to keep Doppio under his control if he starts to show any signs of hesitation)

Only… He has no intention for Doppio to have Darling, as she belongs to him (His species reproduces sexually and Darling is the prime candidate to carry his Offspring, and if he must he’ll use his pheromones and nectar to keep her under his control)

Risotto/Diavolo reveals his true appearance to Darling when he calls her using Doppio’s voice to get her to come in the Flower Shop (He looks like Audrey II’s Plant Appearance, but rips himself open to reveal his more humanoid appearance from the waist up while waist down he’s submerged in a red/pink liquid within a huge blooming flower) and reveals himself to be over 12 feet tall (He can still get even bigger)

Once Risotto/Diavolo’s plan is completed no one will be able to stop him (Complete world domination of this planet)

This is based off how Little Shop of Horrors has two endings a ‘Good Ending’ and a ‘Bad Ending’ (Both make good endings for Doppio and Risotto/Diavolo)

The reason I always choose Diavolo or Risotto is because Part 5 has the best characters, especially for villains (I’m also a huge Simp for Risotto)

If you want I can send you the Good and Bad Endings if you like this idea?

Sorry for the constant splurge of stuff, I’m suddenly packed full of ideas (I like to thank the spooky season of Halloween)

Ooooh, I love little shop of horrors, this could get very interesting... please do send endings

I'll do the Doppio/ diavolo idea first as that'll probably be the most fleshed out

Warnings: minor mentions of abuse, self harm

Doppio is the employee of a nursery and Darling works at the flower shop that's either a part of the building or neighboring it.

They've grown close due to their shared love of plants. Darling has always had a love of exotic plants, especially the carnivorous kind. Of course both are crushing on each but can't just confess for the life of them. He's aware of her partner, Luca whose a member of the mafia and uses that fact to get exactly what he wants. He hates seeing the way he yells at and pulls darling around but is too afraid to do or say anything.

But all that changes when he comes across a mysterious sprout on a walk after the solar eclipse. It's got jagged leaves with pink tips and black spots along them and a large bud in the center. He quickly runs back to his apartment to get some gloves, a spade and pot to transfer the plant back home.

He looks at every book about plants he owns but he can't find a thing, so he brings it to work and asks his boss who doesn't have a clue but demands he figure it out himself.

So he decides to try and figure it out, using the nurseries amenities to experiment with different types of lighting, fertilizer, water levels. It doesn't grow an inch, stubborn thing it is until he cuts his finger while pruning and some of it gets on the plant and it noticeable grows infront of him. After he cleans and covers his cut he immediately grabs some blood and bones but nothing happens. He's confused but goes about the rest of the day normally before the next day.

"And how am I supposed to care for you?" He mutters but doesn't expect a response.

"Fresh..." He hears the faintest of mutters. He turns around but no one is there.

"Fresh..." the voice says again, this time he sees the plant squirming. There can't possibly be? He puts his ear closer to the plant.

"I need... Fresh blood" the plant tells him and he falls back in shock. It talks?! A plant that can talk?!

"Blood..." He can hear it still pleading. He gets up and grabs the pruner he used yesterday. He hesitates, not wanting to inflict harm on himself but eventually he cut himself and let's his blood drip onto the plant.

"Yes Doppio... good" the plant mutters a response as it grows. And so begins the horrible cycle of feeding this talking plant. Darling notices the bandages and how pale and tired Doppio looks and asks him if he's alright, he always has an excuse.

One night he stays back late with the plant that calls it's Diavolo. Now at a much bigger size it requires more to sustain it.

"I require my blood" it demands Doppio.

"No... anymore and you'll kill me" doppio tell it.

"Then find me another source" it says.

The next day he brings meat from the butcher.

"Doppio, I want my food fresh" it tells him.

"But I can't just go and kill an animal" he retorts.

"Not an animal, I need human blood" he says.

"That's even worse!" He exclaims.

"Don't you wish Luca was dead? Would sure make it a lot easier to get with that darling (Y/n)" Diavolo suggests.

"How do you know about that?" He asks.

"You gave me your blood, I'm practically part of you now" he explains.

"But that's illegal! How would I even pull that off" Doppio says.

"You figure that out and I'll make sure there's nothing left" he tells Doppio.

It turns out Luca had plans of confronting Doppio due to darlings recent closeness with him and he breaks into the nursery and Doppio accidently kills Luca in self defense and ends up following through with Diavolo's plan.

The next day darling brings up that she hasn't seen Luca and Doppio plays it off that he doesn't know.

Diavolo starts demanding more from Doppio, convincing him into killing people who don't treat him well before he demands that he wants darling.

"No! Why would you even think I'd kill her" Doppio exclaims.

"I don't intend to eat her, wasn't your whole plan to grow me to show me off to her to impress her?" He asks.

"I... I don't trust you" Doppio stutters.

"Remember I'm an extention of you, my intentions with her are the same as yours" he explains.

[kanna-kizuchi-enjoyer]

Analyzing the versions of Terusai

How well it fits within canon and with the characters general personalities

Explanations:

Kokomi and Kusuo: Theyre already close friends and Kokomi has been shown to have a crush on him, when his powers went away, he stared at her and did say that her face would be considered pretty. Also the combination of gorgeous and psychic would be unstoppable.

It would also help both of them out, both of them get considered more than human, by their family especially. Kusuo already considers Kokomi to be a regular girl which is part of why she likes him so much, platonically or romantically. I think that opinion would do wonders for her, she would be allowed to have a break and wouldn't have to keep up her performance around him. And for Kusuo, Kokomi doesn't know him extremely well as shown by her fantasy version of him. However, she could get to know him better as time progresses. Even if she does learn about his powers, she would be shocked at first obviously, however she would grow to accept it, and given how shes been treated and how she is favoured by God, and her ability to guess people thoughts on her with extreme precision (see: average boy from the 3 legged race) her experiences border on psychic, this would allow her to be able to see Kusuo more as a regular boy than most people who know do, an example being Kuusuke.

It would also most likely help with their familial issues given the similarities. Both their older brothers have their issues, albeit different degrees, this would allow them to understand each other's problems and therefore let each other work through it.

Makoto and Kusuo: Who doesn't like enemies to lovers? They hate each other but they keep interacting, one time Makoto even halfway hugged him, strange behaviour to a guy you hate, not to mention how many times Makoto has randomly showed up at Kusuo's house unannounced. Also, Makoto is shown to be very jealous of Kusuo due to his friendship with Kokomi, a good twist on this would be that he's jealous of Kokomi but can't handle those feelings so he copes in the strangest manner. This would improve Makoto's character and the fanbases opinion on him. He is definitely the most hated Saiki K character, why? Because of his blatant obsession with his own sister, if you remove that, you can focus on his better qualities more. He's a funny and interesting character with a great design but that gets overshadowed by the sister thing.

Aside from that idea, it still works even if you keep the sister issue. Learning to love someone else would be good for him. His obsession hurts him and especially Kokomi, so being separated from her would give both her time to heal and him time to learn to love someone else, and allow the siblings to develop a healthy sibling bond.

Kokomi and Kuusuke: I believe it would be toxic as hell. Kuusuke has been shown to be actively hostile towards her (and most people) and given how much of her pride he shattered, she probably holds a deep grudge against him. I think if they were to date they would act nice to each other around people but it would be very strained and fake, but they would end up trying to best each other constantly, Kuusuke because he dislikes her, and Kokomi because she dislikes him and to regain her damaged pride. They would be like the couples who actively despise each other but Kuusuke and Kokomi would not tell people that.

However, in the scenario of a healthy relationship, It could benefit them in some ways. As I said with Kusuo, Kuusuke doesn't consider Kokomi anything more than a regular girl, (he actually believes that she's less than that, or more accurately, all humans are, except Kusuo and he likely places himself between the two categories.) Since he doesn't consider her godlike, she could be free to be herself, and be somewhat free from that pressure. On top of that, Kuusuke figured out her entire characters based on about 20 minutes with her, so there wouldn't even be a point of being a perfect pretty girl since he already knows who she is. I would say it would help him get over his competitiveness against Kusuo, however, I doubt he thinks highly of anyone else's opinion so Kokomi's input would have no effect on his behaviour. However, seeing the Cambridge scenes, he seems extremely lonely, so companionship, romantic or not, would benefit him.

Makoto and Kuusuke: Honestly, there's no telling how they would react to each other, they have no dynamic to go off of. However, everything I said about Makoto and how Kusuo would improve him, goes for Kuusuke as well so it would impact Makoto at least, and with Kuusuke, as with Kokomi, it would help dwindle his loneliness. Also, they have a lot of comedic potential, they are both very eccentric and strange men, being around each other's influence would probably amplify those traits. Imagining the amount of disapproval Kusuo and Kokomi would have about it is great on it's own. Overall, they are up to interpretation, they can be whatever the viewer wants them to be, and that in of itself is wonderful potential.

My personal opinions on them

What does "Positive but neutral" mean? It means I like the ship but I do not indulge in actively shipping it. Other than that, I post about Makoto and Kuusuke everyday without fail, I love Kokomi and Kusuo's friendship and see them more as best friends rather than lovers, and I am not very fond of Kuusuke and Kokomi (as a ship, as characters I adore them)

Overall, I respect all ships and the people who ship them.

[undoing-anobrains]

you bring me home - matty healy

part four

pairing- matty x f!oc

wc- 3.4K

summary- following her fiancé suddenly calling off their engagement caroline daniel finds herself moving in with her brother and his best friend who she had a huge crush on as a teenager just in time for a worldwide lockdown.

Something had shifted within Caroline following the night she spent connecting with Matty. A change which wasn't unfamiliar to her, in fact it was all too memorable. It was like finally coming home, like remembering what warmth feels like after a seemingly permanent coldness. And Caroline was absolutely petrified by the sudden resurgence of emotions she had buried a long time ago.

He had just taken pity on her, Caroline reiterated to herself. Like any decent human being he had comforted her when she was evidently distraught. Matty had only been acting out of obligation because they were somewhat friends and more importantly she was his best friend's little sister. His words didn't have any deeper meaning, he was just an inherently good soul.

If she let herself entertain her delusions she would be no better than her ex she mused. Even if he had never really been committed to her, she had given her everything to that relationship and she couldn't possibly move on that quickly. But Matty was frustratingly conscientious and always checking in on her so it was impossible to avoid him, despite knowing she had to if she wanted to prevent her little resurfaced crush from developing any further.

So that's what prompted Caroline to come back to the hospital to work on the unit after leaving to pursue research the year prior. Coming back to work on the front lines in the middle of a global pandemic was stressful but she found it gave her mind the necessary rest from her own problems – it was much easier to face and solve other people's than her own. And it gave her a sense of purpose in a time where she truly felt lost. She could be a friendly face, a comforting presence for her patients, she knew how to do that. What she wasn't so sure of these days was who she really was underneath all of that. The studio is alive when Caroline returns every evening, a stark contrast to how things were at the start. It's buzzing with energy and she somehow walks in to the boys doing something stupid every time that makes her genuinely question their sanity before falling into side splitting laughter with them over their antics. It's the good kind of laughter Caroline notes, the kind that you can still feel in the slight aches of your ribs hours later - serving a very needed reminder that it was real.

She can handle her highly inappropriate yet persisting feelings towards Matty in small doses. Even though those small doses are concentrated ones where he's in constantly in her orbit. Although if she's being completely transparent it would be more accurate to say she's in his orbit. For Matty is the sun. Radiant and blinding. Luring people in with his warmth and for the most part unknowingly the centre of everything. At least for Caroline because in the heart of her world Matty was the brightest star, an ineffable illumination of everything good in the world even if he purposefully extinguished it to the prying, outside eye. Every interaction with him was akin to stepping into the gentle embrace of dawn after a night filled with pitch black, stormy skies.

He had seriously committed to his unspoken promises of reviving Caroline's genuine smile and expelling the lingering misery she still experienced. His laughter was everywhere all of the time – occupying every neuron, every auditory pathway until it eventually overwhelmed her auditory cortex with its captivating and melodic quality. It was as if his mirth had the ability to dispel the shadows, coaxing a smile from the corners of her lips even in the gloomiest of moments. Matty had that kind of power over people. The power to kindle a spark within them that soon spread like uncontrollable wildfire. Then when you pair that with a long lived crush still breathing...well it only amplified that effect of his.

But just as the sun graces the world with its light it also casts shadows. And in the gentle radiance of his presence, there existed the shadow of her unspoken, resurfacing feelings. A dichotomy of warmth and yearning, a constant tug of war between being content with their shared moments in private and longing for something more. It was a paradox she navigated, for she knew that while he was the sun that illuminated her world, he was also a star she could only admire from afar.

As Caroline returned to her work at the hospital, an unexpected transformation seemed to weave its way into the fabric of her relationship with Matty. The dynamics between them shifted, evolving into a state of familiarity and comfort that bordered on domesticity. It was as if the unspoken connection they shared had blossomed into a new phase, one where their interactions were marked by a sense of intimacy that transcended the already blurry bounds of their friendship. The transition was subtle, like the gradual turning of seasons, but it was unmistakably present.

The first time Matty made her coffee, Caroline was half-asleep and unsuspecting. As she shuffled into the kitchen, eyes half-lidded, she was met with the sight that would etch itself into her memory. There stood Matty, a vision in tousled hair and sleep-drawn features. His right hand held her travel mug, his fingers wrapped around the vessel with a certain tenderness that belied his dishevelled appearance.

The corners of his lips curved upward into a sleepy grin as his gaze met hers. "Mornin'," he greeted, the warmth in his voice a stark contrast to the chill present due to the early hour. He extended the mug toward her, a silent offering that carried more weight than words ever could. "Thought you'd need this."

The weight of his gesture, of the effort he had taken to ensure her morning started with comfort, settled over her like a cosy blanket. She accepted the mug with a quiet gratitude, her fingers brushing against his briefly in the exchange. The world outside may have been chaotic, but in this small moment, it was as if time stood still.

Caroline cradled the mug in her grasp as she studied Matty's features in all their morning glory. He was somehow still beautiful despite it being evident that he hadn't yet slept a wink – clearly having spent all night abuzz working on something for the album. Bringing the brew to her lips she took a sip of the hot liquid and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't as though she doubted Matty's ability to make a good cup of coffee but considering he typically made his a lot sweeter than she would normally take hers, Caroline was impressed that he noticed those little details.

"Good stuff, huh?"

Caroline smiled in return, a soft warmth settling in her chest. "Yeah, really good. Thanks."

His smile widened, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "I'm wasted making music."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh definitely, I'm sure Café Nero would be dying to have you back if you ever get bored of being my personal barista and world famous musician."

"Cheeky," he goads "was going to make you another tomorrow morning but I think I'll just sleep in instead."

Caroline held back a laugh "I won't force you but you'd be earning a lot of points in my books Matthew."

His expression softened "well then...I'll be waiting, same time tomorrow."

Mornings follow suit with a sense of anticipation, as Caroline would find herself waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the studio. She would step into the kitchen to find Matty, already awake, a warm smile playing on his lips as he handed her a cup of her favourite brew. Initially she had thanked him for the coffee but persuaded him not to lose sleep over her but she hadn't been very successful as the following mornings Matty greeted her with her travel mug full, his own mug of tea and the knowledge that he usually went right back to bed once she left for work everyday. Slowly and not without complaints he adopted her sleep schedule – or at least the early morning aspect. When Caroline asked him why he was making such an effort his answer rendered her speechless. It was the only time of day during the week which he got to spend with only her. That he'd grown fond of their midnight ramblings but these days they were so inseparable with George and Louis that the mornings were regretfully their only time alone.

The boys, in their own way, embraced this shift. Evenings greeted Caroline with the comforting scent of food fresh out of the oven. It was nothing spectacular but they managed to not burn anything and it was the sentiment that touched Caroline. She would have been happy to cook for them all in the evenings regardless of her just arriving home from work but that suggestion had hardly left her lips before it was meant with protests. It was rather sweet how they all insisted that Caroline deserved a rest after the long days on her feet.

When she'd returned to dinner at the studio the first time she had been shocked to say the least because none of the boys were even close to amateur chefs. In fact her first reaction had been to raise a brow in mock scepticism and quip "You lot? Cook dinner? Are you trying to give me food poisoning?"

To which Matty retaliated, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, come on! I can cook, you know."

With a well-practiced sense of theatricality, Caroline countered, "Right, and I'm the Queen of England."

The friendly sparring continued, each word exchanged a playful volley.

"Literally the only times I've ever seen you cook for yourself the smoke alarm thought we were under attack," she recalled, a grin playing on her lips.

Matty met her accusation with a smirking defence. "I was just testing the fire safety measures. A responsible citizen, that's me."

And then came George's orchestrated declaration, wrapped in an exaggerated façade of admiration as he tried not to cackle. "Ah, of course! You, responsible. Truly the pinnacle role model Mattthew."

So when Caroline came back to dinner made every evening like her life was an episode of some bizarre gender swapped fifties fever dream she accepted it happily so as to not set the boys off on a rant about how they couldn't possibly make Caroline, the resident genius and hardworking radiation therapist cook her own meals and continue to work once she came home. Even when she pointed out that they were literally also working all day they quickly brushed that argument under the rug, informing her that adding the finishing touches to an album was nowhere near comparable with saving lives and treating cancer patients daily.

The studio had become a haven, not just for the boy's creative endeavours but for the shared moments of respite they found in each other's company. Matty, in particular, seemed to take on a new role as a constant presence in her life. During her work hours, she would receive unexpected FaceTime calls, snippets of songs from their upcoming album playing softly in the background as Matty's voice offered glimpses into their world of music and inspiration. Sometimes all of them would be there on a call with her when she eventually got her lunch just to keep her company because Caroline had mentioned in passing how unsettling she found the otherwise empty and sterile canteen.

Caroline cherished these stolen moments, the sense of connection deepening with each passing day. It was as if Matty was inviting her into a space that was uniquely theirs, a realm where the boundaries of friendship blurred into something more profound. The snippets of songs he shared felt like secrets whispered in her ear, a testament to the trust he placed in her. In the evenings, the studio transformed into a realm of games and laughter. Game nights became a ritual, although putting four highly competitive people against each other often ended in disaster and strings of light hearted but intense insults.

The evening sun cast a warm, golden hue across the studio as Caroline stepped through the door, shedding the weight of a long day at work. The scent of familiarity enveloped her as she kicked off her shoes and set her bag down. The studio seemed to exhale a sigh of relief as she returned, as if it had been waiting for her presence to fill its spaces once more.

Caroline's tired gaze fell upon the inviting sight before her: the cosy living area adorned with soft cushions and warm throws, the gentle crackling of a fire in the fireplace, and, most importantly, the figure of Matty, seated on the couch with a book in hand.

She offered him a weary smile, her shoulders relaxing as the strains of the day began to dissipate. Matty looked up from his book, his eyes lighting up as they met hers. "Long day at work?" he asked, closing the book and setting it aside.

Caroline let out a soft chuckle, the tension in her features easing as she moved toward the couch. "You have no idea," she admitted, sinking into the plush cushions beside him. The warmth emanating from the fireplace and his proximity seemed to chase away the remnants of stress that had clung to her throughout the day. 

Matty reached for a nearby throw blanket, unfolding it and draping it over both of them. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes about his attentiveness. "Well, you're home now," he said softly, tucking the blanket around them both. "And I've got the perfect remedy for a long day."

Her curiosity piqued, Caroline turned to him, a playful glint in her eyes. "Oh, do tell. Is it a secret Healy remedy?"

Matty's grin was infectious as he leaned in conspiratorially. "It's simple, really," he began, his voice low as if sharing a well-kept secret. "I might have done a tesco delivery with a stash of your favourite snacks earlier and then you have good company."

Caroline chuckled, the exhaustion of the day giving way to a sense of contentment. "And I suppose you're the 'good company' part?"

Matty's feigned offense was accompanied by an exaggerated gasp. "Well, if you must ask, I suppose I can reluctantly fill that role," he replied, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

Once again Matty had surprised Caroline with a sweet gesture and it really wasn't making trying to suppress her feelings for him simple. Luckily for her Louis shortly joined them after he got off the phone with his girlfriend and George came back minutes later. Caroline was grateful for them being there because she didn't trust herself to be alone with Matty at the moment - even if her mind was well aware of the fact that starting anything with him was a bad idea, her heart was screaming at her, begging her to throw logic and reason out the window. 

The four of them curled up in a messy pile of blankets on the couch and Matty turned on some random movie that Caroline had never seen before but didn't care about enough to know the name of.  As much as she tried to focus on the screen Caroline found her gaze kept drifting to her right where Matty was curled up alarmingly close to her.

Their legs were thrown all over the place, even on top of each other. Matty's right leg was drooped across George as he also snuggled into the left side of his torso. Louis was on the other side of Caroline and he had the most space by far and also the most pillows. Initially Matty had been leaning over Caroline in an attempt to snatch one of them from his brother's grasp but Louis hadn't let any of them go. Merely sending Caroline a knowing look as Matty then resorted to using Caroline's shoulder as a headrest. Feeling his warm breath on her skin sent Caroline's brain into overdrive as it struggled to function. His presence and the lack of space between them was overwhelming, goosebumps forming on her skin in anticipation. 

Caroline couldn't keep her eyes off of Matty but it seemed to be reciprocated. Occasionally she'd force herself to look at the screen but his eyes always drifted back to the man currently resting his head on her shoulder. He was truly captivating, even more up close when you could see all the intricacies and tiny details like the small freckles from the sun or the soft pink flush that spread across his cheeks whenever they locked gaze. And Matty's close study of her features, as if he was trying to commit her to memory had Caroline losing her mind. There was a tenderness to his expression - as if he was observing a beautiful piece of art and not a jaded shell of a woman whose eyebags grew and darkened by the day with a practically permanent indent across the bridge of her nose from the pressure of her protective mask digging into it all day at work.

When the movie ended George let out a soft yawn and rubbed his bleary eyes "I think I'm going to head up to bed, see you lot in the morning." They said goodnight to him and Caroline didn't fail to point out that he wouldn't see her because she'd be long gone. Then despite looking awake as ever Louis rose from the sofa and announced that he was off as well. Sending a cheeky wink in Caroline's direction when Matty wasn't paying attention on his way out. He knew exactly what he was doing when up and left claiming to need to sleep and now Caroline was alone. Alone, with Matty . Alone with someone who she had spent such a large portion of her life in love with.

"You're comfy," Matty said quietly, almost like he was too scared to say it any louder.

Caroline's chest grew heavier at that. Suddenly everything was weighing her down and she was terrified. It felt like her heart was slamming against her chest so rapidly that it would burst through her sternum with ease.

But it was all silence after that until Matty broke it. "Caro," he began, his voice a conspiratorial whisper as they lounged in the living area of the studio, "I've been thinking."

Caroline's eyebrows quirked in curiosity, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of intrigue and amusement. "That's rare."

Matty's grin widened, his enthusiasm contagious. "How about we do something... a bit out of the ordinary?"

A bemused smile tugged at the corners of Caroline's lips. "And what exactly do you have in mind?"

Matty's eyes twinkled as he leaned in closer, his voice taking on a dramatic flair. "A fort," he declared, his tone hushed as if revealing a secret of the utmost importance. "We should build a fort."

Caroline's laughter danced in the air, a melodic sound that filled the room. "A fort? Are we twelve years old again?" Too many times in her childhood had she found Matty and George inside a fort he had built in George's room when they were meant to be asleep and Caroline used to join them on the promise that she wouldn't tell their parents.

Matty's expression remained earnest, his enthusiasm unwavering. "Why not? I haven't made one in forever."

Eventually giving in to his eager but pleading smile she found herself gathering an assortment of blankets and cushions, their laughter mingling with the rustling of fabric.

In the heart of the living area their fort began to take shape. They draped blankets over chairs, positioned cushions just right. With each layer added, the sense of nostalgia deepened, harkening back to a simpler time when building forts was an art form in itself. Their fingers brushed against soft fabrics, occasionally lingering too long or too close to each other.

Matty gestured with a flourish toward their handiwork, a playful glint in his eyes. "We did good, should be a professional."

Caroline laughed, her heart lighter than it had been in days. "It's... surprisingly impressive, I must admit."

Matty patted a cushion invitingly, his voice a whisper that held a touch of mischief. "Well, come on then. The fort awaits its inhabitants."

How had she ever believed she could get over him? Had she ever really wanted to get over him? Either way - she was well and truly fucked now because she was fully enraptured in the whirlpool that was Matty again and faced with a choice, sink or swim?

[inventedsanity]

a 3am essay where i ranted on remarried empress again....

part 1

as a rashta fan, i don't think navier's character is that bad but i do wish they explored it more. like it is interesting to see a person realize they are more than what title they hold, navier had to learn on how she can do other things by just being herself and not an empress.

she herself told how much the title empress meant to her and how losing it feels like losing a part of herself, which shows her codependency on this title but in my personal opinion, it felt like the webtoon never explored such themes enough. her character was barely explored or even had that much development. though to be fair, i haven't read the webtoon in a while after i saw how horrible the author was treating rashta and her character.

the only thing explored in the webtoon was navier learning to be more in a relationship, the reason why soveishu and navier did not stay together was because of they relecutency to open up to each other even though they were in love with each other, they just failed to open up with each other. and i do wish that the author talked about how even navier has a play in this, im not saying soveishu being cheated should be excused but they should have showed on why not opening up to your partner is not always a good thing in relationships.

rashta makes awful decisions for her wanting power just so she can't go back to her horrible past of being a slave, she's tired of being manipulated by the people around her, but during her want for power, she gets manipulated by the viscount who also traumitized the shit out of her by giving her a dead baby. which i also add that he never gets the proper treatment for his awful actions. he is not for once called out for being an asshole.

also navier being a classist would also be a great theme to explore in the webtoon, she doesn't even have much of a reaction to the fact slavery happens in the kingdom. in the first few eps, when she finds out rashta was an ex-slave from rumors, she asks soveishu if it is true in such a weird manner like downgrading her? could just be me though

duke ergi (i do love him), the guy who manipulated rashta the most after she came into nobility is given the least reprecussions in the webtoon, even the fans applaud him for manipulating her. he is aware of how alone she feels, she can't trust others after what her previous lover had done to her, by what the viscount did, by what her father did. she suffered so much and duke ergi is aware of how isolated she is, and took advantage of it.

im not saying the author should excuse her actions, but they should stop downgrading her or making her do stupid actions (which is ooc) just to make navier better. literally in the latest episodes, we see panels of where rashta is sufferring and navier is just living her life and they have similar situations. like rashta sufferring after giving birth to her child and navier finding out shes pregnant. it just shows how the author has blatant favoritism towards the female lead.

characters who are literally victims but also bad people at the same time and are so treated by the story are literally my favorite characters (azula from ATLA). i wish rashta got the same treatment as azula.

rashta is smart and cunning and i wish the story accepted that. they make her do dumb decisions just to uplift navier to spread the message "navier wouldn't do that", the thing is ofc navier wouldn't do that, she was literally raised in nobility and taught to become an empress from day one but rashta? she was a slave and had to literally use her very limited skills to get a position in nobility, yeah she did do stupid shit but isn't it impressive that with literally no education that she somehow was able to survive in nobility? and navier that took years to study on becoming empress, rashta has done much faster within the limited time she has, obviously she hasn't perfected her studies and even complained on having to study, but i think she has the right. she was literally thrown into this hell fire without any time to prepare.

part 2

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

I have to ask where to fefeta and Erisol fit into your theories. Obviously fefeta exploding due to to two different people trying to apologize to her then arguing caused her to explode, and probably hint that the two halves are pitch for each other. But what about Erisol, why out of all alpha sprites, he is the most stable? What does it say about Eridan and Sollux? And a possible relationship of theirs or lack of one

Is Erisol the troll-sprite embodiement of Terezi’s and Gamzee’s shitty relationship. Absolute fucking disgusting codependence that allows them to wallow in their self pity. If that’s the case Eridan would be like a comfortable blanket for sollux, but not a good relationship

Why did Skaia give Eridan a quest that is knew Eridan would royally fuck up due to being raised as the next orphaner and thus have a trigger finger on anything big and white. Is Skaia stupid? Could Eridan come back to it at a later date and find that his quest is now to help the angels rebuild? Is it because Skaia accidentally made Satan and tried to set its most powerful aspect to beat it, overriding character development for hope players?

Answering these one by one:

For my thoughts on Erisol and Fefeta, see this essay and this essay.

It's hard to say why Gamzee brought the trolls back; I have an ask in my inbox positing that he's trying to set up pitch relationships (which I like the thought of) - I'm still rereading this part of the comic, so it's not super clear to me, either. I don't want to speculate when I can't be sure of my opinion.

Lastly, we don't actually know what quest Skaia gave to Eridan. We know that Eridan received prophesies from the angels of their lord, whom he believes he was meant to defeat, but it's unclear if this was his planetary quest, or some side thing he had to deal with, similar to how Feferi has an overhanging prophecy to "unite the two races" and Karkat has his to "bring equality and forgiveness between all bloodlines."

However, what we do know is that free will > predestination within this setting (predestination only exists insofar as characters paint themselves into corners with their own choices, but it was still their CHOICES that created those corners, and not the machinations of fate and destiny), and Eridan is the one who chose to give up his destiny of defeating LE:

GG: im pretty sure hes from the future! CA: wwhy GG: because he said hes my grandson … CA: that gun i just gavve you is somethin of a hatchright to the kid CA: happy i could play a role in your dirty stinkin lineage GG: like an heirloom? i guess it could be … CA: i kinda think thats wwhy i found the gun in the first place CA: but noww im forsakin it because fuck i just found a better destiny than my old crappy one wwhich i nevver got any appreciation for anywway

It wasn't an insurmountable challenge for him and his team, it was just one that they failed because they couldn't/wouldn't address their personal problems in time, and that he voluntarily abandoned. Moreover, if we assume that, indeed, Eridan's classpect quest WAS to defeat LE, then we can still see a fairly clear character arc set out for him: Eridan's main emotional conflict stems from his inner hope being in anguished conflict with the despair and anxiety he feels toward the future that Alternia laid out for him - orphaner, empress's sea dweller, nobility. As a hope player, his struggle lies in believing in things. It's encapsulated in the way he decries magic as stupid and fake and dumb and bullshit, but he FUCKING LOVES MAGIC, since he collects shitty wands and has no less than 6 wizard statues in his respiteblock.

That anxiety and despair won in the comic, and he went on a killing spree because he felt he had nothing left to live for; in a hypothetical scenario where he DOES manage to grasp his powers and destroy WITH Hope rather than destroying Hope itself, then the opposite would be true: he defeats his anxiety and despair, asserting a new belief for a better and brighter future, shooting a beam of "make impossible things possible" through LE's otherwise unconditionally immortal heart.

[skaald-of-the-hearth-fires]

I read your post on Logan and the blame/hate he gets from the playerbase because of what happened with DE and I just wanted to say that, while playing, I understood why his relationship with DE suffered so much. I judged him for his decision, but I still liked him as a character. He was very human.

After reading the book myself, however, I've realized that any ill emotions I had towards him immediately shifted to Jennah herself.

She's been shown to be strong and calculating over and over again. She put an illusion on all of Ebonhawke to trick Kralkatorikk's minions and it was so strong that no one realized what was happening until she lifted the illusion and explained herself.

There was absolutely NO reason to call Logan to her. She would have been 100% fine.

It's not super clear if she was truly aware what he was doing at the time (aka literally about to fight Kralkatorikk), but their bond seems to be a lot more magical so... could Logan have not gone had he chosen to remain? Did he even have a real choice?

The book really changed my perspective of queen Jennah tbh. I've developed some nasty feelings about her.

Simultaneously, my feelings on Logan went somewhat into pity. No matter what would have happened on that day, what he would have chosen, he would have been ostracized by one side or the other.

Ngl that's a pretty common perspective a lot of people have, but I just don't see it. Let me explain.

Firstly, Jennah couldn't have cast that illusion without a lot of time and preparation - just looking into Kralkatorrik's mind nearly undid her. Logan being there bought her enough time to actually save what remained of Ebonhawke, and iirc she needed to draw from Anise's power as well to be able to cast it. That was a team victory, not a solo party. She would NOT have been fine without Logan - Branded hyenas had already killed Dylan, who was the only guard at the tower Jennah was in, and would have gotten in quite quickly.

(Something similar went down in S3 when she put a shield over the entirety of Divinity's Reach, which a lot of people interpret as her Just Being That Powerful. But it's clearly stated that 1) those spells were prepared WELL in advance, 2) with the help of some of the Shining Blade's best mesmers. All Jennah actually did was activate the spells.)

Jennah is a queen. You don't have a queen without a council of advisors, assistants, etc. You don't have a kingdom without people to delegate to. You don't have authority without the good will of the people - which can be pressed far but is not unlimited. Jennah knows all this.

She bonded Logan in part because she wanted a hero, and in part because she needed someone she could trust outside the politics of Kryta. If she were truly as powerful as to cast these spells by herself, she wouldn't really need Logan, nor have any reason go bond him outside of her own attraction to him. Now she IS powerful, no doubt - able to kill off assassins with a snap of her fingers. But she's not ALL-powerful.

As for whether Logan had free choice, that's a common question... but I do think he did. Jennah didn't make that magical bond until AFTER he'd (voluntarily!) sworn to come whenever she called. She wanted to be able to call him if needed - not summon him against his will. Also, if the summons was against his will, I don't see how he could have done anything else WITHIN his will while he was in Ebonhawke.

He was making assessments, analyses, and decisions from the moment he arrived - "the queen is currently safe, but the courtyard needs a better defense. We have charr prisoners that I'm uniquely situated to try to recruit," etc. He didn't arrive and go "gosh golly gee! How did I get here?? I'm supposed to be fighting Kralkatorrik!"

Jennah hadn't thought to recruit the charr prisoners - she had no friendliness to them until after they helped fight. That was Logan's decision given his history with Rytlock, and showed Jennah how valuable a treaty with the charr would be since the dragons were rising.

You can't have both "Logan was mind-controlled to come" and also "Logan was making his own decisions" at the same time.

But you're absolutely right: no matter what decision Logan made when Jennah called, come or stay, there would have been disaster. We saw what happened when he went: DE split up, Kralk alive, Jennah safe.

If he'd stayed, Jennah would have died and we'd have Caudecus and the Ministry in charge; Ebonhawke would be a Branded city; humans and charr would still be at war; Kryta would fall apart. If anyone knew Logan could have helped, he'd be blamed for most of that. But Kralkatorrik would be dead, the first Elder Dragon to fall, and the hope that that would put into the hearts of all Tyrians would be massive. Destiny's Edge would still be together, Snaff would be alive, and they'd be capable of trying the next Elder Dragon.

I don't think the narrative gave him a right choice.

Logan was doomed to make a wrong choice no matter what he did. I don't think he OR Jennah were at fault.

And I think that tells a story about us a lot of the time; we're faced with impossible choices and have to make the best of it. What matters is less the choice we make but how we handle it afterwards... and also, how do we treat our friends when they're in similar situations? Are we going to be like Rytlock and ruin the friendship over it, or can we be like Caithe and try to forgive and move on?

...

Thanks for the ask, as you can tell I love this subject, especially when it's not just This Side versus That Side but rather a nuanced, thoughtful conversation on the problems at hand. Logan's story is deliberately kept a complex topic to grapple with. "What if I did it differently" is, as you said, an incredibly human doubt to grapple with. I think Logan approaches it very maturely by concluding it was a bad choice no matter what: someone would have died.

So yeah! Thanks for the question :)

[sydmarch]

I enjoyed watching a playthrough of life is strange, but never got into the rest of the series cause of mixed reviews. Which games do you think are worth playing, or is it worth going through all of them?

it's so difficult to recommend for or against any of these games bcus opinions among fans of the original lis are so varied it's impossible to guess how someone else might feel about them so instead of recommendations on which to play vs skip I'll just write a (spoiler free) bit about my thoughts on each & hopefully that's enough info to see which are up your alley!

lis 2: the only lis game after the original that was also developed by dontnod (not counting captain spirit which is such a short lis 2 spinoff/intro id hardly consider it a separate game). lots of people hated this when it was released largely bcus they didn't like the idea of the lis franchise as an anthology & just wanted more of the characters from the first game, which is an opinion I fully disagree with so all my opinions moving forward are heavily biased by this. I personally loved lis 2 despite agreeing that a lot of the political stuff felt very heavy handed. I always liked the idea of similar types of stories w new characters rather than potentially fucking up a good thing with direct sequels. imo the mechanic of not directly playing as the character with powers & instead being his older brother and influencing both his general development & use of powers was fun and creative but a lot of people didn't like it. 4 completely different endings depending on your choices & within those endings there were also a fair amount of minor differences so I felt very satisfied on the choices front. each of these games is marketed as "choices matter" & I have very strong opinions with each game on how well I felt like that was followed through on, in some of cases I enjoyed a game well enough on the first playthrough only to do a second one, realize nothing was impactful as it seemed towards the ending, & have my opinion completely change, but lis2 definitely wasn't one of those.

I also enjoyed how you move through lots of locations & meet a large cast of characters throughout the game but a lot of people who basically just wanted to play something like the original lis all over again were annoyed about this aspect lol. whether or not you'll like this one really depends on what expectations you have going into it & what you're looking to get out of it. it's very in line with the original lis in terms of being about a complicated relationship between main characters, difficult but very real circumstances that have a supernatural twist, & choices that feel meaningful, but it's super different in a lot of other aspects

before the storm: first lis game developed by decknine who my opinion of got lower with each release so that bias will definitely be present in my thoughts moving forward lmao. this one was beloved by a lot of fans of the original but personally I never cared for it. I'm not much for prequels in general but I especially didn't think it made sense for a lis game like.. ok what meaningful choices am I going to be making here when what happens next is already fixed? it cheapened a lot of narrative elements like aw chloe and her stepdad can build a better relationship... that I guess goes back to being shitty by the time everything in the original game takes place?

I love chloe but I felt no need for a game where you just play through events that you for the most part already know about. rachel's entire purpose in the original game is haunting the narrative, everything is BUILT around her absence, i get why some people were excited to get to see her as an actual character who you get to interact with but to me it felt like she was so heavily mythologized narratively that there was no way they could just successfully make her a character without tainting that to some extent. to me this one left no impression other than feeling pointless & like an attempt to cash in on existing characters rather than a story that really needed to be told, but for someone who really enjoys the idea of a deep dive into chloe's past, isn't put off by prequels in general, & isn't bothered by the fact that they try to sell you on choices in a fixed story, I can see why it would have appeal.

true colors: this one I have VERY mixed feelings about & I think anyone's enjoyment of this is heavily dependent on what you're looking to get out of it & how much your choices feeling meaningful matters to you. follows the blueprint of the original lis but with different characters so closely that it feels borderline cowardly to me but in spite of that I thoroughly enjoyed my first playthrough & wasn't put off by that. the characters & main mystery were compelling enough that I was only minorly put off by some of the problems I noticed on first playing (how much time is wasted on an in game larp, how little time & gameplay is actually devoted to investigating the main mystery) but this one for me completely fell apart on a second playthrough.

there's a scene near the end that's set up where you think "ok so the relationships I've built with this group of characters is going to influence how the main plot (investigating the death of alex's brother) resolves, cool!" but on a replay it turns out that the main plot resolves itself the same way regardless of any of that, & what you actually influence is basically an epilogue scene based around the secondary plot. for me personally this just ruined the game for me and made everything feel really pointless when the relationships you built with characters & how they went mattered SO little. & the love interests felt more flat the more I dug into that element of the story. neither one ends up feeling like they have any real agency - both supposedly have really strong feelings about what they want to do with their futures but will completely drop that & do whatever is asked of them by.. a brand new girlfriend who they met a couple months ago?? it would've made more narrative sense for them to have written it like ok, dating steph goes with x choice in the epilogue & dating ryan goes with y choice, but they leaned too hard into letting the player have their cake and eat it too that it makes them feel extremely unrealistic. the romance in this game really felt like "ok it's a lis game so we have to have a guy and girl love interest option for the player". despite my haterism again I liked my first playthrough so I think for someone who is ok with taking this game more casually & having the correct expectation set that this isn't one where your choices make a huge impact but where you follow this one story with minor deviations depending on what you do there's a lot to be enjoyed about this game in spite of some of the writing that I've complained about on here before.

double exposure: ok so as soon as this was announced i was like I think making a direct sequel was a mistake there's no way they can resolve the bae vs bay endings issue in a satisfactory way without either doing some detroit become human level of narrative branching (which they obviously didn't do) or going for a nihilistic "see how things turn out pretty much the same regardless of what you do" type of thing (maybe they were trying for it idk but I don't think it felt successful if so) but I still felt compelled to give it a shot. & for the first maybe 2/3 of the game I WAS having a lot of fun with the mystery & I was reasonably satisfied with how they handled continuing on from the ending of the original (until I replayed it & saw how extremely few differences there were then I changed my tune) but towards the end the writing went completely off the rails.

this one felt more like a cash grab & setup for a sequel than anything else. absolutely nothing felt resolved in the end & there were so many weird writing choices. it did not feel like ANY choices mattered because literally nothing resolved itself. the first love interest that's introduced is introduced SO early on & is basically forced on you unlike in other lis games where you can choose to be into someone or not, even if you choose the less interested options it's still extremely forced, & the secondary love interest literally just feels like "it's life is strange we need a bisexual second choice!" again but even worse than in true colors. this is the only one I'll flatly say I don't recommend actually playing, if it sounds interesting watch a let's play. it's overpriced & had a ton of performance issues when I played it on the non-gaming laptop I had at the time of release. the early parts were fun & I appreciated that max still really felt like max & some of the characters were really interesting early on but I just cannot recommend this one unless you're someone who really isn't bothered by a marvel-esque "to be continued" ass ending

I'm also including my thoughts on some dontnod games that aren't actually related to the lis franchise bcus most of them feel more like spiritual successors than some of the actual lis games decknine put out

tell me why: fantastic game that I'm going to just flatly recommend. when it first released I was like ok & this isn't lis 3 because..??? most of your choices have smaller impacts & the only thing really majorly impacted is the relationship between the twins but it's a very zoomed in story thats entirely ABOUT that so it feels very satisfactory. just one love interest you can either date or become good friends with and both feel totally natural. all the relationships feel very fleshed out, the environments are so gorgeous it made me want to go to alaska lol, & I really enjoyed the power in this one & the way the story dealt with memory

twin mirror: I thought this one was good but definitely the one I was the least compelled by. a fair amount of things thematically similar to lis (awkward protagonist returning home after a long time, dead best friend, mystery) & a lot of things different (extremely gritty in comparison, very cishet, writing around the mystery was much more eh imo bcus the answer was EXTREMELY standard, no supernatural element with the mc's 'powers' being more sherlock type mental stuff).

I wish the main plot elements were more compelling to me because this one was REALLY good in terms of your choices mattering. multiple ways things can go with major differences within the 'main' ending, an important character can die or not depending on what you do, & all the characters feel really fleshed out and you have compelling relationships with them all. but that being said I only managed 2 playthroughs because the main story wasn't interesting enough to go through again despite all the things I liked about it. I'd lean towards recommending this one but it depends how much the journalist returning to his hometown and investigating his best friend's death & shady things happening in the town plot is to you, bcus despite not being a cop game it felt to me a bit like a standard cop game in a way that didn't fully grab me.

lost records bloom and rage: an absolute must play especially for anyone who liked the original lis. characters, plot, general vibe, mystery, romance, impact of your choices, all perfectly well crafted. up there with disco elysium lis1 & undertale as a top game of all time

[bluedalahorse]

Young Royals and the divine disruption of eros

Young Royals enthusiasts have a lot to say about the nature of love (specifically eros, or romantic and/or sexual love) in the show’s universe. Usually they identify an element of the divine in the love we see onscreen. The show itself nods to this with soundtrack choices like Elias’s “Holy” and through some of the imagery and filming choices. (Someone else can probably speak to that better than I can, and probably already has.)

But what does it mean, that love/eros has an element of the divine? Is divinity always benevolent, or kind? Does it always encourage someone toward more compassionate behavior? In a Christian context, we usually think of “love” as being associated with moral goodness, or at least a kind of selflessness or compassion. As a former classics major, however, I can’t help but look at YR’s divine eros through the lens of the ancient Mediterranean myth and folklore. Here, the divine is more a force of nature, and far more morally neutral.

Some background: in the ancient sources Greek gods and goddess are less like immortal, superpowered humanoid beings, and more like abstract and/or natural concepts personified. In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the divine figure most associated with eros, and she is a powerful and at times vengeful goddess who should not be underestimated. Modern sources (and even a few ancient sources) tend to downplay or soften her influence—leaning into this idea of a beautiful goddess playing matchmaker for lonely individuals—but even when she’s bringing companionship into a person’s life, she’ll still shake things up in the process. The Trojan War begins because Paris chooses Aphrodite’s realm as his definition of beauty/excellence, and Aphrodite sets Paris and Helen’s relationship in motion.

What makes Aphrodite—and by extension, eros—so dangerous is that she is so disruptive to the social order. Marriages in the ancient Mediterranean tended to be arranged, and while eros certainly did exist within some of those marriages, it wasn’t a guarantee at all. You may well develop feelings for someone other than your spouse, and what if that destabilizes your marriage? You could also develop feelings for someone who makes you behave outside your assigned gender or class expectations, and then you aren’t fulfilling your class role, which causes a breakdown in the social hierarchy. Being in love may be euphoric, especially if the person you love loves you back and you’re of compatible social ranks, but it may also be unbearable if circumstances don’t work out for you. Unchecked eros can even lead to the birth of monsters, such as when Aphrodite dooms the Minoan queen Pasiphae to fall in love with a bull, which then eventually leads to Pasiphae giving birth to the Minotaur. Look at any selection of poems from the ancient Mediterranean and you’ll find as many poems cursing love as praising it.

And one of the wildest things about eros? Nothing about it is rational. People may try to rationalize their feelings of eros later, or come up with why they like a person… but feelings just are what they are. Actions can have a rational component, and an element of agency. You can technically control your actions. Still, feelings do not operate in the same way, and feelings are always trying to influence actions. Part of the reason it is important to respect Aphrodite is that she can always get you and hijack your heart when you least expect it. (Unless you’re aromantic I guess, which. Hooray exceptions?)

Let’s bring it back to the Swedish show. I think often, people want to talk about the wilmon and sargust pairings as being as far apart from one another on the spectrum as can be. I’ve even seen the idea thrown around that wilmon’s eros is the Most Real while sargust’s is Less Real, and while I get where that argument is coming from, I also don’t necessarily agree with it myself. On my end, when I look at love/eros in Young Royals as defined first and foremost not by moral goodness but by its power to disrupt, these two pairings feel very alike to me and deeply thematically connected. Moreover, they are equally exciting to watch play out onscreen. Each of the four characters involved develops feelings that conflict with something about who this character is as a person and the social role they hold. Each character at times resists their feelings and at other times gives in. Sometimes both characters give into their feelings together! (Those parts of the story are often gif’d and reblogged by tumblr, at least on the wilmon side of things.) You can also learn a lot about each character by how they deal with the disruptive power of eros, and what they allow eros to disrupt—ultimately, August tries to exert control over his romancey situation with Sara and make it fit his concept of the social order, and disrupts the well-being of the Eriksson family in the process. Wilhelm, meanwhile, is willing to challenge the structures of the monarchy and his own family because of his relationship with Simon. There’s also a lot of twists and turns along the way for each of them that are enjoyable to watch.

There’s a tendency in fandom to hold wilmon as a sort of Fixed And Unquestionable Religious Truth Of The Young Royals Universe, and I get why. There’s also a sort of tendency to see sargust as the devil to wilmon’s god, and again, I get why folks feel that way too. For me, though, I don’t really feel that way, in part because I see both pairings as equally subject to the divine nature of eros, and eros is something that is dynamic and morally neutral and constantly in flux and most of all, disruptive. I like that both pairings are a little chaotic and capable of making me feel a range of things, even if I always do come out of a YR marathon exhausted because of it. Eros is disruptive the way that war and revolution are disruptive, and sometimes they’re all happening at once, and in the end it makes a pretty good story.

Anyway, if you’re wondering, one of my favorite Greek plays is Hippolytus by Euripides, and Aphrodite is pretty terrifying there. I find her power to disrupt and destroy fascinating. And that’s probably why, against the expectations of my mlm slash-loving younger teenage self, I’m going to be writing fic about these trash-tragic horsey heteros for as long as this fandom exists and I feel compelled to do so. No apologies about that, really. You’ll all just have to put up with me.

[melanthiosthescreamer]

Genshin Gnosticism theory

I went a little too far down the rabbit hole that is the internet tonight, and I stumbled upon something that made a few things click in my brain. Analysis isn't something I'm very comfortable with, so please bear with me for a moment. Also, I'm well aware this is a connection that has already made. Try to think of this as my perspective on the theory!

(disclaimer! I'm in no means an expert on gnosticism, all I have to my name is surface level knowledge on the subject and maybe a dash of delusion. You can be the judge of that, though)

I'm not sure if you know where the word "Gnosis" comes from, but it's the Greek word for knowledge. Cool, right? I'd say what's even cooler is the ties this word has to Gnosticism.

Essentially, gnosticism is a belief in "demiurge" (which literally translates to "craftsman"), which they believe created the universe.

the direct definition:

"a heavenly being, subordinate to the Supreme Being, that is considered to be the controller of the material world and antagonistic to all that is purely spiritual."

(key word : ANTAGONISTIC)

They pretty much think that "God" (aka the demiurge) is an evil being who imprisoned humanities souls into flesh, and that our souls, or spirits, are sort of "divine" things that are being suppressed because of this. Not only that, but Jesus was sent to save us from this.

another direct quote:

"...Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme divine being, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the redemption of the human spirit."

They discourage things like reproduction because in their minds it's just a tool being used by the demiurge to keep us trapped within these bodies.

Anyway, my brain connected this to genshin at "god is actually evil and oppressing us" because, who have we been learning not to completely trust throughout the game? Celestia! And we see how the Archons are not so subtly giving AWAY their gnosis (knowledge?) for this liberation (which could also be why they're named after demons)

The ONE nation that has no Archon controlling it, and what does Celestia do? demand everyone destroy it! and the thing is we KNOW Khaenri'ah was a well developed and welcoming community, in fact it seemed to be doing vastly better off without an archon to rule over it.

And hey, the other archons probably DO realize this, right? why else would they willingly give away their symbols of power? relinquish their control over their nations?

A rundown, for anyone who needs to job their memories:

• Venti has a drunk bard persona and lives comfortably among the people of Mondstat. We are also aware of him lying about how Archons remain so powerful, how he likely let Signora take his gnosis, and his thoughts about ruling a nation through force

• Zhongli faked his death and then destroyed every other contract he's ever made, leaving everything to the hands of humanity, essentially beginning the process of his own eradication from human history

• In her story quest, Raiden has a realization about her plans for Eternity, and while she still has power over Inazuma, seems to have realized the error in her ways and is taking the steps towards a new direction (which she fought 500 years with the shogun for)

• Nahida is generally still growing as the new dendro archon, but has still has a more casual (as casual you can be with your god) relationship with her saviours. Not only that, but she also literally gave away both hers and Raidens Gnosis

• Focalors crafted an ingenious plan 500 years prior (fall of Khaenri'ah) to trick the heavenly principles, and essentially destroy the position of "Hydro Archon", whilst also giving full power back to Neuvillette (a hyrdo sovereign dragon)

A few things: I have NO idea where Paimon would fit into all this, but she no doubt has ties to Celestia. Also, a lot of huge plot points all point to what happened 500 years ago (Khaenri'ah, Focalors, the rifthounds in Inazuma, spread of cursed knowledge in Sumeru, and probably more I can't remember right now).

Also, I'm fairly certain that this "curse of flesh" is just the Hilichurls, let me know if you think differently though.

There are most definitely a lot more ties that my sleep deprived self couldn't dig up, but i'll report back if I find anything else 🫡