#and then hide it again as we left

[bri-cheeses]

personally I think that all queer books should have a “special edition” with a subtle cover (and a code name if it’s necessary) for all of the people in homophobic areas

[thealdersgateoffice]

Diana Taverner knows Jackson Lamb’s weak spot is Catherine Standish and she will go for it every time.

Slow Horses | 1.05 Fiasco 🐌🐎

[genericwizard]

My main flaw with how I characterize Kaeya in my head is that he doesn't actually hate being a knight. He gripes like any adult gripes about their job, but the reason he hasn't left to pursue literally anything else in Teyvat is his ingrained cultural trait of loyalty.

Not to a god, but to his friends, his community. He's needed in Mondstadt; needed as a strategist, diplomat, and administrative head of an organization of civil servants.

I can't help but compare his actions with Capitano's account of his allegiance to Natlan (more specifically the masters of the night wind) or even Arle with Fontaine, though she like Kaeya is contemporary. Or perhaps most critically, the Dahri of Sumeru.

Kaeya, as distant as his ties to Khaenri'ah are, still embodies their shared trait in supporting humanity, no matter their allegiances or faiths, in times of crisis. He's already paid his price to be here, now he's making the most of it, even if he likes to pretend he's not.

Still the same boy who scrubbed wine casks 'til his hands bled for someone else's punishment.

[lavampira]

(COUNT)DOWN TO DAWNTRAIL — day four: shadowbringers

atlas my old friend I found some people want to lend a hand carrying the weight of the world

[bleaksqueak]

I've put a decidedly Halloween twist on my desk's right hand side, considering that the stores are putting all their pumpkins out. Bog Witch to Halloween Party City mode: Engage! (The shaky hand is a feature, not a bug.)

[spookie-puppy]

What if I wanna invite my friends fron different parts if the timeline out for ice cream?? What're the time demons gonna do then?? Snatch me???

[sweetandglovelyart]

It’s a little bit late for Valentine’s Day but here’s the reveal of my cursed Kirby crack ship as promised: it’s Dyna Blade/Captain Vul and I envision their relationship dynamic as being like Donkey and Dragon’s relationship dynamic in the Shrek movies.

[nortonwifey]

i may have been too emotionally invested in this one random nor.ton player in this one match i played,,,,,,

[martianbugsbunny]

A Drama In Two Parts

So the context is, my sis and I have been griping to each other about the lack of Zeb and the potential of Kalluzeb to either be canonized or be massively no-homo'd in the Ahsoka show and this is the product of that enjoy

[notmoreflippingelves]

I'm biased as heck and I'm gonna go with one of my faves - how about 18, 22 and 25 for Francisco from EoA and a freebie question - thoughts on his relationship with Esteban pre and post series?

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

It gets much less screen time/focus than his relationship with the other characters, but Francisco's relationship with Isabel is very underrated and one of my favorites to watch. It's especially poignant and striking as Francisco is the oldest of the main characters, and Isabel is the youngest--but there is still so much understanding and affection between them. And the two of them have such similar personalities.

I feel like they are probably the most alike of all the Flores family members. Both are quieter and relatively even tempered (or at least compared to the rest of the family who are much more talkative and hot-headed), sensitive, creative/artistic. I'd also say that they are the two "wisest" members of the family and the most open-minded. (Though of course, they do have their very stubborn moments as well!)

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

Honestly, I don't think I've read a ton of Francisco fic, but not really sure that there's a ton out there. But I do enjoy the little I see of him as a background character in other fics. In terms of an aspect that I like (and would love to see more of), I really enjoy seeing focus on his relationships with Isabel and Esteban. Much of the Francisco content that we see in the show itself is understandably focused on his relationships with Luisa and Elena, so it's always nice to see fanwork delve deeper into his dynamics with the other members of his family. I've already talked a bit about his relationship with Isabel and I will talk more in another question about his relationship with Esteban. But yeah, these are really rich, underrated dynamics that have so much wonderful potential to be explored.

As for something I don't like, I read a fic once where Francisco died the day after "Coronation Day," and he sort of knew that it was going to be his last day, which gave him a bit of an extra vitality on the day itself. And just...it made me too sad. Plus, like Esteban was just finally reintegrated into the family again, Elena just ascended the throne. There's so much going on in Francisco's life at the end of the series that he should be there for. Yeah, I get that he's older and he might not be in the best of health (especially given his sweet tooth). But no, in my mind, all the characters (except Shuriki, lol) are functionally immortal for the foreseeable future.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

I liked Francisco reasonably well from the start, and I like him even better now. I find him a nice, calming presence for the Flores family. He gets a long reasonably well with everyone and is able to provide some very sweet moments as well as a little bit of humor.

26. FREEBIE QUESTION!!-- thoughts on his relationship with Esteban pre and post series?

While we really don't get to see all that much of it, I feel that Francisco's relationship with Esteban was very, very good-- pre-series, during the main timeline of the show, and post-series alike. In fact, I feel like I would go so far as to say that it's probably one of (if not THE) most positive relationship in Esteban's life. Esteban was around 8-9, when he was orphaned, so he likely remembers very little about his actual father. Instead, Francisco was the fatherly presence guiding Esteban through the struggles of adolescence.

He would've been the one who taught Esteban everything he knows about being a man. He would have been the one to teach him how to tie his cravat and how to shave. (My headcanon is that adult!Esteban decided to grow out his beard and mustache during the Dark Times specifically as a way of honoring his absent abuelo who has his own impressive facial hair). He was probably also the one to teach Esteban how to play the guitar and the one we see in "Secret of Avalor" may even have been a gift from him. (Shame that Shuriki probably had it destroyed at the end of the scene).

And the little hints that we see of their relationship in the main series suggest that the relationship continues to be strong. During Esteban's trial, Francisco is the only one to vote in his favor. His line about judging Esteban not for the mistakes of his past but the man he has become in the present--suggest that in Francisco's view, Esteban has become a man that he is proud of and one that is already worthy of forgiveness/a second chance. As a lonely, love-starved, fatherless boy, Esteban probably worshipped Francisco when he was a child, and so to hear that --even knowing Esteban's greatest mistake--Francisco is still proud of what he's become must have been so validating for Esteban as an adult. That's all he's ever wanted: to be a great man, a true son of Avalor just like his abuelo. Too bad Luisa then totally crushes Esteban's heart immediately afterwards.

I am also very struck by the throne room scene with Francisco, Luisa, and Cahu in "Coronation Day." While Luisa has the flashier role in the scene and the more powerful lines, I'd argue that Francisco is actually the one who ultimately inspires Esteban's decision to sacrifice himself for Elena.

Esteban watches Francisco call for a sword to defend Luisa from Cahu, hears Francisco ask him "why are you doing this, Esteban?" because Francisco still cares enough about him to want to understand. Esteban knows that Francisco is the kind of man that he himself has always wanted to be, the man that he should be. The man that maybe he still could be if only he had just one more chance. And then he does get that chance, and he's finally able to do exactly what Francisco would do--sacrifice himself to save his family.

I also have a lot of feelings about how the last interaction we see between the two of them on the show is at the end of Esteban's sacrifice-redemption-and-resurrection scene. We see Francisco place a hand on Esteban's shoulder as the scene fades to black.

[orchideae]

1) Opens up drafts with my head empty, ready to be flooded, not knowing where I'll go. 2) 30 seconds later: Okay but I will go feral any day of my life over Perilous Trail, and the fierce dichotomy of Xiao and Yelan. While they're far from being 'the same', they both view themselves as soldiers in one way or another (it's a very difficult word to use for Yelan, so I'm using it very liberally and very loosely), they have both suffered losses on the 'battlefield' and carry the burden thereof in their own ways. And yet they stand so firmly in opposition throughout the entirety of that questline up until the very end of the 'the end of the line' conclusion of the quest. Yes, I know that she offers him her gratitude in its aftermath and it is genuine, but she still never agrees with him and the decision that he made moments earlier. It simply 'worked out' because of Zhongli's interference, he's the only reason it worked out. And it's because of that, that she doesn't give him a hell of a hard time (obviously she can't go down there, but imagine the inner frustration of severe extents; when you condemn someone who you can't even see anymore). In the same way that she would do to anyone who would sacrifice themselves for others, but in this case, I think it's 'beautiful' that it's to Xiao; the one who seems most adamant to do so (which honestly, fits into the contract that the Yakshas chose to sign with Morax; 'the ultimate sacrifice' to protect for Liyue; 'for Liyue', and Liyue has always centered itself around its people), the one who everyone reveres (and so does she, as she notes in her voiceline, 'if I ever have the honor to fight alongside') and respects for good reason, she stands against him, because in that moment, regardless of his status, he makes a call that she considers wrong. And he doesn't even... fight her on it very fiercely, and that's what actually hurts me the most, it's as if the following line hit the nail directly on the head?

"Besides, if you were really so determined to end it all, you wouldn't have given us the opportunity to share our opinions."

[the--days]

so it's like this.

you're young and you're scared and you're trapped in the feywild (happens to the best of us) with the love of your life. You're a half-elf and she's a fullblooded elf but you don't think about it very much because you're barely surviving day to day. And you get offered a deal to get yourself home again, and you take it. And the price of your freedom is that you leave her still trapped there, alone.

And then five years pass. And you age a century in that time, and you grow, and you change, and you find her again, and you're still in love, and you meet people, and you lose people, and you love them too, and you learn, and you start wanting a future again, and caring again, taking care of yourself, taking care of other people--

and after all of that, at the end of things, you find out the man responsible for all of the misery in your short, sad life has cast a spell which gives him complete control and ownership of you- mind, body, and soul (again. this happens to the best of us). And you are given the choice to stay under his thrall, and live a thousand years-- or to age and die, like humans do, and to be free of him.

And the love of your life is there, and you're married now, and she's still a full blooded elf, and you're still a half-elf, and you think about what that means a lot more than you used to.

And still, after everything you've learned-- you choose your freedom. You choose leaving her behind.

[void-tiger]

…I need to stop waiting for you to either apologize or ask for an explanation. Or send your own damn meme. I already know deep down it’s not going to happen. Even though you’ve acted outside my (actually low, negative) expectations before.

[hauntingblue]

I think this flashback episode is very cruel to show us luffy as a child suffering because of the same thing current luffy is going thru. Enough

[whisp3roftheheart]

I really am the most embarrassing person when I like someone lmao

[ozzyfromthecafeteria]

how did it go again? the end is never the end?