#and we. still haven't gotten an explanation for why it was HIM and not ANYONE ELSE

[applebunch]

michael was haunted by leon but nica wasn’t... nica not being haunted by leon did not mitigate the suffering she underwent... thinking abt it forever

[genericpuff]

Hey,I was just wondering,you mentioned something abt Hera’s coat prophecy?what was that about?

Ah, see, in the physical volume of Volume 1 that contains the first 25ish episodes, Rachel included a bonus chapter that explains why Hera didn't want the fur coat that Hades gave to Persephone in the first few episodes.

In the bonus chapter for Volume 1, we see Hades gift the coat to Hera (preceded by an obligatory scene of Hera talking shit about Minthe who was brought along as Hades' +1, because ofc 😒) and then after touching the coat, Hera has a vision about Hades marrying... someone. We, the audience, can tell that it's meant to be Persephone, but Hera doesn't, and before she gets a chance to see who's under the veil, she's snapped back into reality. She then decides to "reject" the gift while winking at him that he might need it more than her some day, insinuating that she somehow believes this coat will lead to Hades marrying someone someday.

And then we see Hera giving this same kind of coy statement to Persephone, indicating that she's "in on the bit"... except it doesn't work the other way around because it entirely relies on knowledge that's exclusive to the books. If you haven't read the first volume of LO, then this is just Hera complimenting Persephone's coat with a stupid af expression on her face that implies she knows something that Persephone doesn't - and neither does the population of readers who didn't buy the books.

I'm honestly surprised this reference didn't get an author's note explanation like that "you've killed the Goddess of Spring" bit did. It certainly warrants more actual explanation than Demeter using a metaphor that's obvious to anyone who knows how to read. But nope, no clarity for the bonus episode that you could only read if you bought the books. Granted, an author's note for this still would have been ham-fisted, but it just goes to show how odd it is that crucial information like this got relegated to the backside of the physical books as bonus content, rather than being written into the actual comic.

Rachel even states in the book that these were scenes she wanted to included and was advised otherwise by her editor... but that doesn't make any sense because it's a scene that was clearly important and should have been there? And it's not like there aren't tons of pointless scenes already in LO that could have gotten the axe in favor of the more important ones. So it really just feels like Rachel either throwing her past editor under the bus or just making up professional jargon reasons to cover for the fact that she never actually had that scene planned and simply wanted to add it after the fact through the books to pretend like she had "planned" all this from the start.

Which she very clearly didn't, as we can see from how it all turned out in the end.

[green-alm0nd]

[Crosshair x gn!reader]: Leave a light on.

----

----

Summary:

After Crosshair joined the squad again, he's made peace with everyone; except you. And you're willing to change that.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: SPOILERS FOR TBB S3, Crosshair being snarky and sarcastic, Tantiss, torture, mostly angst, but some fluff too, kissing, swearing, trauma, mentions of Order 66, mixed feelings, established relationship. Not proofread.

Enjoy!

----

When Crosshair rejoined his squad, he never really showed anyone nor told anyone about his hand tremors from time to time.

You noticed a few weeks later, and so did the squad. You had gotten a very quick, curt explanation while the rest got a more detailed version (because Omega forced Crosshair to do so) even though they didn't really know if it a was mental or physical matter.

He had explained to everyone what they did to him on Tantiss, except for you. He had simply told you that his hand shook involuntarily from time to time.

He didn't add anything else, that was the only piece of information he had given you.

And you felt a bit frustrated about that, especially because you were his significant other. Although the relationship was...distant, it was still that: a relationship.

You were picking up some crates to bring from the port to Upper Pabu, and decided to organise your thoughts on the way back to the port. You figured that it was probably for the best if you spoke with Crosshair.

So, you did. After leaving the crates where Shep said to leave them, you slowly walked towards the snarky sniper, but realised that he was talking to Omega and AZI.

"If you were to elaborate more on the experimentation you were subjected to, I could determine the cause-"

Crosshair let out an exasperated sigh.

"Forget it." He said, before storming off.

...

You managed to find him looking at the seashore, leaning on the railing. He was probably deep in thought, by the way the frown on his face deepened.

"Cross." You called, from afar.

To this, Crosshair turned around and looked at your feet, unable to stare at your eyes.

"You and I have to talk. Now." You stated, crossing your arms.

"Why?" He asked, finally staring at you after a while. He had already had enough with AZI and Omega, and he didn't want to face you now.

You raised an eyebrow. "We both know why. Come on." You said, motioning for him to follow you.

...

You arrived at your shared cottage, and you sat down on your bed while Crosshair leaned against the wall.

"Hunter told me about your hand." You commented, trying to start the conversation.

"Of course he has." He grumbled in response, annoyed. He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Can you blame him? You haven't told me a thing ever since you came back." You answered.

Crosshair scoffed in response, his gaze piercing your souls as he finally looked at you. "There's nothing to talk about."

"There certainly is."

Clicking his tongue, the sniper waited for you to elaborate, though he was the one who was supposed to elaborate.

"I didn't hear from you for months after Order 66. You're transported into this unknown place, and then you suddenly come back and you don't want to have a conversation with me about anything?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He replied, gritting his teeth. His hand started trembling, and he cursed quietly before clenching his fists and looking at you.

"Then why have you told your brothers and not me?" You asked, desperate.

"Because you blame yourself for everything!" Crosshair finally yelled.

Your eyes widened, staring at him with a confused expression on your face.

"If I told you what they did to me in Tantiss you would blame yourself for everything. I know because I know you. And I know that if I told you that I was submitted to unforgettable torture measures you'd blame yourself, and I didn't want that. I told my brothers because they know it was my mistake. But for some damn reason, you always feel guilty for a choice I made!" He spat, breathing heavily.

With AZI telling him about talking about what he went through, and you wanting to know, his head started to hurt. So, he figured it was best if he tried to get some air before things escalated further, which was something he did not wish for at the moment.

...

You were left at your shared apartment, your mouth running dry. Was the fact that you didn't blame him for anything the reason why he never told you?

If anything, he was right. You did blame yourself. If things had gone according to plan, Crosshair would've been free from all the torture and everything else.

In the meantime, the sniper wondered if he had gone too far. He sighed, staring into the ocean, as the sun began to hide. One of his hands rested on the stone railing, while the other hung loosely.

He heard footsteps from behind, but didn't bother to look at the person, already knowing it was you. He felt something intertwine with his hand, and flinched at the touch.

"What." He said. It didn't even sound like a question, but a statement.

You stared at him, determined.

"I want you to tell me about Tantiss. I need to know." You answered. "I don't care if you think I feel guilty, I can't wait for another day."

Crosshair gulped, his snarky personality slowly disappearing.

"Fine." He grumbled, rolling his eyes.

...

"...That's...why Hemlock is dangerous."

You stared at Crosshair, with a sad expression. Your hands reached for his.

Crosshair was never a man fond of physical affection, he was always more into acts of service. In this intimate moment, however, he let your hands rest in his, though his body screamed for him to get away.

"Thank you, for telling me. I'm sorry for insisting so much." You told him, with a small smile.

He nodded, and decided to exit his comfort zone, and awkwardly placed an arm around you, pulling you closer to him.

You chuckled softly.

"Hey, you don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable with it." You commented, smiling at the sniper.

He grunted in response, slowly bringing his lips to your hair.

You closed your eyes, smiling at the sun, who finally said goodbye for the day. Your lips found Crosshair's, quietly thanking him for telling you his story. He had definitely gone through a lot, and you appreciated his honesty.

"You're surprisingly clingy today." You chimed.

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Is it because you missed me and my charming self, Cross?" You teased, smirking.

"You're being an idiot." Crosshair responded.

"It's called confidence."

"It's called being an idiot." Crosshair, though annoyed, still enjoyed your bickering.

----

I have a French official exam tomorrow and I am shaking in fear :')

Reblogs and shares are very appropriated! Requests are still open :p

[taeloke]

Overanalyzing 4KOTA Chapter 142 instead of just waiting for more info (2/2)

Part 1

This is the part where I talk about King and no one else. Also, this is more ramble than analysis by the end, and I'm making myself not worry about length this time, so...you have been warned :) As for Mertyl, I'll definitely talk about him again over the next chapter, though I might not say as much as I did the first time.

Firstly, look at this face. Remember all those seasons ago, when everything was peaceful for like a single week? How sweet and thoughtful this little guy was, especially against his own personal wishes?

This is King--regardless of how he's like on the outside.

Elaine herself described him as someone who tries to act tough but is really a crybaby. He's someone who can't seem to stop wearing his heart on his sleeve. He always tries to hide his feelings to keep everyone else from worrying, but try as he might, anyone will see through his "tough act" if they're around him for long enough. Awakened or not, he's not King if he's not a highly emotional character like that. He's just a lot better at putting a cover over those feelings now. He's grown up for real.

If you read these last few 4KOTA chapters without remembering the original Seven Deadly Sins story, it only makes sense to look at him more like an ass of a father right now. There's a lot to his perspective that we just haven't gotten to witness yet, and one of the easiest conclusions to make from all of that unknown space is "King loves Nasiens more than the adopted son he raised." For crying out loud, he's giving an immensely scarce cure-all to a young man who introduced himself as a human without an explanation for why Myrtel hasn't received it yet. We don't even know for sure if he's tried using the Drug of Yore to treat Myrtel's condition in the past right now.

There's just one problem about that conclusion: King isn't like that at all. It only looks like he is because this family drama is fatally poisoned with tension and misunderstandings at this point. It's starting to explode.

Remember how way back in the series, King first thought Diane without her memories of him would be better off without him at all?

I think that's a lot similar to what he's thinking with Nasiens right now. If King didn't play a part in their present happiness, then what right does he have to want their love? He'd label that as too greedy or selfish in a way that he can't allow himself to be. He thinks he knows his place, and that place is somewhere forever distanced from his first-born kid.

But he can't just do nothing for Nasiens. Maybe just one totally subtle yet significant expression of love can slide, right? What could he, seemingly as nothing more than a ruler, possibly give to Nasiens to make him happy? Maybe if he gives Nasiens just one perfect gift, Harlequin will feel like he was good for his son at least once. He'll feel like he's finally atoned for losing Nasiens for too long and failing him as a father, and then he can let that "sin" go. Surely, Nasiens wouldn't be happy knowing the truth anyway. He'll be better off never learning about his true relations, since he's built his life without it already. Assuming that "logic" is what King's going through, a lot of his actions make sense to me.

And yet he still almost slipped up and spilled the beans.

Nice save, King, but if you gave Nasiens more time to think he would have realized what you really meant. Tioreh gave him time to realize she believed he's a fairy and his initial freeze then was the exact same.

None of this is easy for King. It isn't easy for any of them. In some ways, those past 2 years must have felt like forever to him. Precious time to have his first-born kid around that he'll never get back. And after 2 years of keeping distance...

"Sorry, I couldn't help but follow you."

"I just wanted to help you out, in any way I could."

King can't keep his distance anymore. His true feelings are starting to break free.

"Hee hee... Don't be shy, now. I just want to be of assistance."

Sure, King. Saying it like that totally doesn't make it sound like there's more to this, even with your confident/amused chuckle.

Of all the gifts he could give Nasiens, I'm sure King believed this was the one thing Nasiens couldn't refuse to accept from him. A powerful healing drug that he advertised as one-of-a-kind and a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. With it presented not only as that, but also as something that might bring Percival back, how could Nasiens reject such a gift? Right?

...And then Nasiens rejects the gift. Immediately, King gets so nervous that he breaks character.

He immediately started sweating too. King prepared everything up to this moment, and he has no excuse as Nasiens questions him and calls him out.

And Nasiens is right to call him out because of how this looks.

Nasiens, just like us, doesn't yet know what the truth here is. He's right to be suspicious and King needs to realize that plans in how the changeling duo is handled need to change right now. Ready or not--telling the truth is the only way to save what's actively starting to cave in.

But the sad thing is...I have a feeling that it's too late already.

Things are only going to get worse from here... I don't know how, and in a way that makes this feel more awful.

Sixtus should tell King that Mertyl saw him offer the Drug of Yore to Nasiens. There's no doubt in my mind that King will realize the problem once he has that information and try to do whatever he can to make things right. PLEASE don't make him too late again. At least give him a chance to talk to Mertyl before things fall apart if that's where all of this is headed.

[callsign-rogueone]

ok but!! ive been reading some fw theories in the subreddit, and one that has a lot of diff opinions on is whether liam has a second signet or if he was wielding ice in that scene, especially since deigh’s name means ice. what are your thoughts, do you think it was just a mistake?? and what about liam in your universe?

[insert that clip of Cardi B going: “I’m glad you brung it up because I’ve been dying to talk about this for a minute”]

FOURTH WING AND IRON FLAME SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT. this ramble is not going to be proofread, nor supported with textual evidence, because I have a migraine. but if anyone wants to jump in with page numbers and quotes or things I missed / got wrong, please feel free! 

in short: I think it’s possible that Liam did have a second signet.

first, my only hangup on this theory: what are the odds of two riders in the same squad, in the same year, having the same signet (Ridoc and Liam)? I know some signets are more rare than others, but that’s still a very slim chance when there’s 20+ signets out there that we know of, and RY will probably come up with more (fr, I need to know what Garrick and Aaric's signets are. I hope they're something unique, that we haven't seen yet.) but here are a few arguments in favor of two-signet Liam:

one: I don’t think it was just “RY putting the wrong name”.

Ridoc wasn’t there at Resson, so RY would have to have confused the two boys entirely for it to be a mistake. besides them both being perfect little bbs and adoring fans of Violet, they’re not alike in appearance, dragon color, nor backstory -- what is Ridoc’s deal? like why did he want to become a rider? I need to know for my next gfverse chapter 😭 and the mistake would also have to slip past multiple rounds of editors and proofreaders as well, which is possible, but not probable.  and was Ridoc's signet even confirmed at that time? maybe this is me forgetting things, because ADHD, and it’s been a while since I’ve read FW in full, but the first time I remember hearing about Ridoc’s signet is in Iron Flame — when they’re at RSC and he’s like “I could force the locks open with ice”. that confused me at the time because I didn’t know about (or remember) his signet. and then it really clicked for me later, when he makes an ice pack for poor Brennan after Mira decks him lmao. is it mentioned earlier than that? when I search “ice” in my FW ebook it shows me every instance of “voice” and "nice" and “office” etc., too, and I'm not scrolling through all that 🙄 and neither of the reference sites I like to use have a page number listed for him getting his signet or the first time it’s mentioned. as another aside: look how gorgeous Ridoc is here. smash. EDIT TO ADD: it is mentioned in Fourth Wing, in one line on page 289 (as identified by @hockeyspiral23 - thank you!) but he doesn't actually use it. no wonder my adhd brain forgot about it when there were bigger issues at hand lol they also pointed out that it could still have been a mistake, if RY meant to have it be another one of the barely-mentioned marked riders who aren't part of the main gang, as ice-wielding is "a common signet" (FW p. 289), and there were a few students we never really met apart from Resson (including Masen and Soleil. RIP.) so it could have been one of them. another possible explanation that I just came up with for the mistake category -- unreliable narrator? the events of that day were incredibly distressing for Vi, and she literally gets poisoned and loses consciousness and doesn't wake up for three days (following the theory that FW and IF are her diary, written in an ancient language and translated by Jesinia later) so it could have been a blur / hard to remember and VIOLET could have gotten it wrong. If I were RY, and it was a genuine mistake, this is the explanation I would give lmao

two: Deigh meaning ice is another tally in the “not a mistake” column.

RY likes to have the dragons' names refer to their current rider's signets. (Tairn = thunder, Aimsir = weather...) but not all of them match (Tiene = fire, I think, and Mira makes shields.) Liam and the ice is only mentioned once, at Resson, but there are many characters who we don't see getting their signet -- really just Vi's sex-induced lightning, and a mention of Sawyer nearly killing someone in a swordfight on accident. and Sloane's siphoning, too. okay, maybe this isn't a great point. but I still want to hear how they figured these things out! especially Bodhi. and Xaden's second one. poor thing couldn't tell anyone, even his best friend, and had to figure out how to manage it entirely on his own (he had Sgaeyl, but that's it.) and maybe Liam didn’t realize he had the ice until Resson, and just started slinging icicles at the wyvern once he figured out that he could. though that's kinda unlikely, I guess, since he would have channeled in November or December and Resson wasn't until July... hm.

three: Deigh could have been the dragon of Liam's relative, giving him a second signet like Xaden has with Sgaeyl.

it’s my understanding that Liam, like all the marked ones (except my addition of Darling and her little sibs) were military kids, and his mom is mentioned in IF as being the one to weave the protection runes, which I believe requires a level of magic that only a rider would have. so he has at least one relative who was a rider, and therefore probably more. ngl, at first I thought it was mad suspicious that his parents were executed separately from everyone else’s, but then we didn’t meet them in Aretia, so I guess they really are dead. but how mf heartbreaking would it be if they were alive -- and the first time they see their son in a whole year of him being gone at Basgiath, it’s Xaden carrying his body into the fortress 😭 and Vi and X crying and apologizing to Mama Mairi for not being able to save him… I’M SO SORRY. IT JUST CAME TO ME, AND I HAD TO WRITE IT DOWN. if any FW writer wants to write that AU, go for it. we could all use another good cry. there seems to be a trend of the dragons who had Tyrrish riders purposely (and "illegally") bonding the descendants of their previous riders. - Xaden has a second signet from Sgaeyl as his grandfather was one of her former riders, allegedly, but he "didn't make it out of the quadrant"? so he had a kid (Fen, Xaden's dad?) before graduating? is that why Xaden mentions that his dad hated dragon riders in one of his letters to Vi? - and then I believe Imogen has the dragon of a relative, but not a direct relative, so she doesn't have a second signet, but the one she does have is just really strong? I feel like they glossed over that a little too quickly, and it remains unclear to me how that whole thing works. - and now maybe Liam, too?

I might tack more stuff on below as it comes to me, or RB with commentary, but I think that's all I've got for now.

but regardless of if it was a mistake or not, I’m not planning on putting it in Liam and Spark’s story — just his farsight, which is confirmed multiple times. if Spark believed in the gods, she’d thank them for not giving him something as destructive and deadly as her water, but Li’s still gonna have some issues with it, because I feel the need to project my issues onto my fave characters, and everyone loves some mild hurt/comfort that’s resolved with cuddles and a nap, right? 🥰

[keyh0use]

why I've been absent & tw for m*rder, su*cide

I know I don't really owe anyone an explanation but I want to give one for my own piece of mind because I feel so guilty. Back in February I was injured really badly and hospitalised, and a couple days later my cousin, Christopher, was brutally murdered in prison. As a CO myself I've seen it happen more times than I can stomach to think about so it wasn't a huge shock, but we had gotten close over the last couples years, trying to provide him the support the rest of our family has denied him since his sentencing. Amongst so many other things we surprisingly had in common, he wrote too (not the same content as me, obviously, lol) and he was willing to provide me with a perspective I could only speculate on in Delicate, going over the relationships and how he would feel reconnecting with the person who got him incarcerated, like Rafe does with Barry in the story. And he succumbed to his injuries all by himself, no funeral, no obituary and I clung to that fic, terrified if anyone read it and criticised it I would literally never write again. As a distraction I put all my efforts into a story where Rafe tries to follow in his mothers footsteps by committing suicide, I just felt the heartache for it. My first funeral was for my aunt and uncle, Chris' parents, also murdered and the comparisons kept coming until I finished it. Then the same thing happened, it felt too real and vulnerable to share. So I tried writing something lighter, couldn't. Vampires? Blood, killing. Reminded me too much of what it felt like to be really hurt. And like what happened to someone I cared deeply for. As the months went by I pushed myself way too hard to get better physically and emotionally, pressured myself to sit through movies that made me uncomfortable to try and associate violence with actors instead of myself and ended up just getting way, way worse when I faced my attacker in court. Things slowed down after that, I tried to give myself a break that didn't make me feel guilty, ignored all the messages and comments asking for updates, just stayed off this side of social media all together so I wouldn't be reminded I'm not giving people the content they follow me for. My grandfathers cancer progressed, I spent a lot of time with him thankfully, and he committed medically assisted suicide the day of my best friends wedding rehearsal. The next night? Love of my life confesses his feelings for me but it's too late, we never said anything over the last 11 or so years and a couple weeks ago he married someone else. We buried my grampy, miscommunication tropes are super fun to write about but absolutely suck in real life, and I'm still not really feeling up to posting anything. All this to say I'm really sorry if I'm disappointing anyone. All I can do is promise I'm trying to figure everything out and that I haven't abandoned any works.

[faejilly]

Shadowhunters prompt! Where the A/B/O thing means Magnus’s attempts to get Alec’s attention are really out there. Alec is charmed but baffled

so uh. I wasn't quite sure where to go with that, because Magnus & Alec's ability to try and communicate at dramatic cross-purposes is Very Them™️, but I usually think the a/b/o thing would make it easier what with pheromones and more defined gender/courting rituals? But then again it's not like Nephilim would have any idea how anyone else does things, and Magnus would be rather paranoid about crossing any lines?

Yeah. That totally works. Even if I failed to explain any of that IN THE FIC, hopefully baffled Alec is still entertaining? LMK if you want more, there's a whole lot more explanation in my head so I'm sure I can come up with something. 😅😅😅

That was Magnus.

In the Institute.

In a suit with a vest but no shirt and those boots and his hair, and Alec suddenly realized he was still standing with his arm raised from opening a door even though the door had shut behind him.

He was alone with Magnus in the Institute foyer and he was gorgeous and he smelled perfect, as warm and comforting as the incense that burned in the chapel without any of the cold tang of adamas-laced stone beneath it that always made Alec's spine straighten and nose wrinkle because that smell meant work.

Alec finally remembered to let his hands drop to his sides, and then realized Magnus had said something, and he was almost smiling and he was...

Holding out a bouquet of flowers?

Alec blinked.

"What."

He didn't manage to make it sound like a question, and he almost winced as Magnus' expression tightened, and he leaned back and he was further away and the flowers were gone, and Alec almost whimpered in disappointment.

"My apologies, of course."

And then somehow Magnus was bowing and he was even further away with a flourish of his hands and a twirl of his coat and the click of his boot-heels on the stone floor and Alec tried to reach out a hand because he still couldn't figure out what Magnus had said, he'd been too distracted by how pretty he was and how nice the flowers were but then he was alone by himself in the Institute with his hand hanging in front of him.

Again.

What.

Why.

Alec sighed, and stared up at the ceiling, as if that would give him the answer, would explain how his why are you giving me flowers when we haven't even rescheduled our date yet and I haven't gotten you anything? somehow come out as why would you think I'd like flowers despite the fact that Alec adored flowers and would love to tell Magnus that.

If he could just remember how to talk when Magnus showed up?

He'd managed to say yes when Magnus asked him out for drinks!

Only then he'd had to chase Clary and apparently Magnus thought that meant something other than literally having to chase Clary because she didn't have the sense God gave sheep.

Izzy or Jace were going to manufacture a disaster and call Magnus to clean it up just to find out what was going on between them, and Alec hated to think how much of a catastrophe they'd manage on purpose, considering the chaos they pulled off all the time mostly by accident.

He hated even more that he was half-tempted to create a disaster himself so Magnus would stop thinking he'd done something wrong and disappearing to regroup before Alec's brain could reboot after seeing him.

How the fuck was one person that attractive, it should be impossible.

Maybe he could write a letter and throw it at Magnus the next time he showed up?

He heard the door he'd come through open, and the stutter of boots as someone had to shift to avoid him where he was still standing by himself right in front of the door.

Alec sighed again. "Yes, Yoshino?"

"I was uh." Yoshino somehow still looked perfectly composed and reasonably elegant in her leathers even as she shrugged and side-stepped to get around him. "Just going out for coffee. Want anything?"

Alec shook his head. "No, thank you."

"You... all right sir?"

Alec lifted his brows at her.

"You've got that smoky cedar smell thing going on, and that usually means you're about to do something on purpose that terrifies the trainees more than their own reckless stupidity, and I just want to know if I should get some extra bold beans to stash in the kitchen for the rest of us so we can keep up."

Alec snorted and shook his head again. "I promise not to scare the trainees."

Yoshino's nose wrinkled as she stared at him. "Two bags then, got it."

He blinked, and she turned and left, and he allowed himself a grin as the door swung closed behind her. That was probably a good idea, actually. He could use the kick to help him figure out a new approach.

[skys-archive]

TW TALK ABOUT PSYCHOSIS AND PARANOIA

Guys I can tell this is gonna be bad

I'm out of my antipsychotics and people are testing me so hard. This is the worst time I'm going to go psychotic.

My boyfriend of a year and a half is at basic training right now for the army. I haven't talked to him in about a month because of this. We weren't able to see each other for a while beforehand for reasons that don't matter related to this post, but a few days before he left he showed up at my house with a few of my things and basically was just there to reassure me that he was safe and okay and would be leaving that Monday for basic.

Today my best friend called me and asked me if he was engaged. I said no, she asked if I was sure. She sent me a TikTok. It was one of those "you may have dated him but I get his last name" posts with a picture of my boyfriend(??) and her together and her hand with a ring. Part of the thing is, this was posted in May. When we were still very much seeing each other very often.

I'm very, very confused. He's not the kind of person to not tell me things, we've been together and serious for a long time and I genuinely love him more than I've ever loved anyone before. It somehow feels so so fake. Hes never dated her as far as i know i didnt think he even really liked her. If it is fake, a thought I have is that, his parents are very very homophobic. They've constantly pressured him into being straight and marrying a woman. I feel in my heart that there's some explanation that makes sense. But I don't know if that's real instinct or if that's my delusions getting the best of me.

If it's a thing for his parents, why would he never tell me? If he didn’t love me, why would he keep seeing me? It's not like it was for sex, I'm asexual.

I feel like there's an explanation. But I can't get one right now. He's at basic, I can't talk to him, i wasn't able to see him much prior so I never found out the address of where he is so I can't send him a letter. I have to wait several weeks.

And on top of this, I'm finding out that other people knew. Other people knew this and didn't tell me. It's starting to make me think people are out against me. It's making me think people are trying to hurt me as much as possible.

I've struggled with paranoia and psychosis for years. With my boyfriend, I've always had the issue of other people. I will admit, before I knew him he really wasn't a great person. He did a lot of things he shouldn't have. Before I met him he started to get better. He is truly a great man now, and I'm really proud of how far he's come and how much he's grown. But anyway, a lot of people knew him before. A lot of people don't like him. The whole time I've dated him, I've had people telling me he'll be bad for me. That he's grooming me, he only wants me for sex, he's bad for my mental health, etc when all I've ever seen is the complete opposite. He never pressured me into anything sexual, I've been happier with him than any other time in my life. And quite frankly about the grooming just, no??? He's not???

But im psychotic. I have paranoia. I have delusions. On multiple occasions all of these things people say to me have gotten to my head. I've gotten thrown into episodes convinced he's playing this long sadistic game to hurt me as much as he possibly can. Nearly every time there's a misunderstanding, it starts to make me panic. I start worrying that people are right. And that if they are right they'll never have sympathy because "i should have seen the signs". Every time, he and my best friend have helped me pull out of it. To recognize that I know it's not true, I have proof it's not true. They're patient and loving and caring and do everything to help me be okay when I have psychotic episodes.

But right now I don't have that. I can't talk to him. I can't talk through what I'm feeling and thinking and what's scaring me. I can't have him help me explain everything. And I can't with my best friend either. Because we don't fully know. We don't know what's going on we don't know if it's true we don't know why thus happened. So she can't sit there with her logic as she always does. She can't say that she's seen me be happier and watch how great he is for me because all of this is so out of the blue that we don't know. We don't know what's going on.

And to top it all off im not on my risperidone right now because I had an issue with refilling my medication and US pharmaceutical industry is shit. So I have all of these things eating away inside my head and I don't know what to believe and I'm not even on the medication that helps me deal with it.

I don't know who to believe I don't know what to believe. How can I believe my instincts that there's more to this than I'm seeing if my brain is full of delusions that make me believe myself against all facts. I'm once again convinced that this was a game. That he decided to play the long game for two years and being fake and do everything to love me and treat me wonderfully and just be perfect only to rip it all away from me when it would hurt the most. And I know logically this can't be true can it this can't be real. He's never like this. Who plays the long game just for their own sadistic tendencies BUT PEOPLE DO IT. People are sadistic people like to see others hurt.

I don't know. I don't know what to do. I have several weeks until I can figure out the truth. Several agonizing weeks of letting delusions and paranoia flood my head until I'm back in that awful spot I was all over again.

I'm so scared. I can't fix it this time. I can't pull myself out of the psychosis. I don't want to go back.

I don't know what to do.

[amelias-zelda-calamity-quintet]

7, 20, and 21 for the Behind the Scenes Fic Asks, answer for whichever fics u wanna :]

Thank you @doubtfulloser for the ask. It's probably gonna be Mark of a Hero, we're gonna be honest. I'll try to do it for Goddess of Secrecy too, that's only fair to the whole plot combo deal they got going.

7. What inspired the idea for the plot?

GoS - I wanted to do a convergence timeline theory, and I had the idea for Endeavor's character from the 25th anniversary medley. At the time (I mean, it's also still true) I was also playing through Minish Cap again and there was still no in lore explanation for why there was occasionally a fourth element and sometimes there wasn't, and a fourth Golden Goddess seemed like the best solution. And by those powers combined, we got GoS started.

MoaH - I thought I could write something bigger than BotW and I will! No, but I adore high fantasy/epic fantasy settings, and I wanted to take that particular branch of fantasy to Zelda. I think the original thought was "Zelda but Witcher" and it's definitely not that anymore, but I liked the idea of meeting "serious" worldbuilding with the nonsense of Zelda. Like, let me find an explanation for the silly lore rule, we'll make it work. I want the hoops to figure out how to connect them, that's the challenge of it!

20. What is something you wish more people noticed about this fic?

Ok, this is true for both GoS & MoaH but there's too many spoilers for how I expand Reechka/the Horned Goddess in MoaH to get into it yet, but like. The amount of little lore tidbits in Reechka's design having Her be the goddess of what She is. Like at least for what's out in GoS, the Minish Cap references with Her being purple and the earth stuff and then how Soul magic developed and how She's connected to the other big four title, Majora's Mask, which is why She gets Fierce Deity imagery.

There is another reference in MoaH that y'all haven't gotten to yet, so this isn't a fair answer, but the theme of some of the things connected to the Horned Goddess have yet another reference and I wanna see if anyone notices it once it's out this winter.

21. What is something you didn't expect people to notice or gravitate towards in this fic?

GoS - The fic itself. Sassy Link. I wasn't expecting him to be read as sassy and maybe it gets toned down in the edits, I can't say, but folks loved how sassy GoS Link was. It definitely helps me separate GoS and MoaH Link in my head and how their personalities differ for the like random short bursts of Link Meets ideas I get.

MoaH - The fic itself. This has varied with the releases. Back in the 2017 uploads, it was Marela. Which, to be fair, Marela did become a more important character because I also fell in love with her and didn't expect it. Since the return, it's been Saddiqah, which absolutely, I get it. Together, these two will steal this series from me, I guarantee it.

Also for both, the worldbuilding. I appreciate the compliments on this so much because I always worry I haven't said enough on my settings. To hear that's the thing people think I'm doing the best in the story means a lot and I'm thrilled to hear y'all are invested in these versions of Hyrule.

And thank you again for the ask!

[andiwriteordie]

HEY ANDI :) CONGRATS ON 1500 FOLLOWERS !!! YOU DESERVE IT AND SO MUCH MORE <33

okay i wasn't sure if the prompt thing was still open which is why i haven't sent one in yet but i was wondering if you could write something like a party sleepover with pining Mike and madwheeler ? im a HUGE platonic madwheeler enjoyer and that'd be just perfect

ahh, thank you so much! i hope you enjoy!!!

—

kiss you in a crowded room

Max Mayfield is on a mission tonight, and she’s not leaving this sleepover until she completes that mission.

Quite honestly, the mission shouldn’t be that difficult, except for the fact that her friends are literally fucking idiots. That’s the simplest explanation for it. Everyone in the Party is just a little bit stupid, but by far, the stupidest member of the Party has to be Mike Wheeler.

…

She means that with love. Really, she does.

But see, Max can say shit like that because tonight, she’s going to do Mike Wheeler a huge favor. She’s going to (very gently) nudge Mike and Will in the right direction, so they stop pining after each other, like they’ve been doing for the last several years. Apparently, it hadn’t even gotten any better when Max was in her coma. Oh no, in fact, it had gotten worse, according to Lucas. 

And somehow, even though the war with Vecna is now over, Mike and Will still haven’t started dating each other yet.

Everyone else seems to be content with waiting for them to figure it out on their own, but hey, if there’s one thing that being killed and brought back to life like Jesus taught Max, it’s that you shouldn’t waste the time you’ve been given.

So, that’s exactly why Max has concocted a little plan—with El’s help, of course—to get Will and Mike together.

It’s quite simple honestly, and it’ll be hilarious no matter what.

The Party’s going to play spin the bottle.

“We are not playing spin the bottle,” Mike protests, and Max leans back, scrunching her nose in the direction of her friend.

“You gonna tell a blind girl what she can or can’t do, Wheeler?” Max asks boredly. “Because that’s really, really rude of you.”

Mike just sputters. “I didn’t… I’m not… What does that even have to do with anything?”

“It has everything to do with everything,” Max says, as cryptically as she can. “Besides, I missed out on like… two years of Party sleepovers. Ergo, I deserve to pick out our first party game.”

“She’s got a point there, Mike,” Lucas remarks, and Max grins. She can always count on Lucas to side with her, even if her point is a stupid one. God, Max loves him. “And what’s the harm in playing spin the bottle?”

“Maybe I don’t want to kiss you guys,” Mike says stubbornly.

“Okay, ouch,” Max says, pretending to be offended. “Is anyone else hurt by that? Anybody?”

“A little,” El says with a bit of a giggle. “But it is okay. I do not want to kiss you either, Mike. You are a lousy kisser—”

“Hey!” Mike protests.

“I still vote we play though,” El adds. “I have never played spin the bottle.”

“Me either,” Dustin agrees. “I mean, it could be fun. And it’s not like our kisses mean anything.”

“Dude, why are you winking?” Mike gripes. “You do realize that implies the exact opposite of what you just said?”

“No, Mike,” Dustin says sarcastically. “I was just winking for the hell of it.”

Before Mike can say anything else, Max jumps back into the conversation. “Well, if Dustin’s on board with the game, then we’re playing,” she says simply. “Because even if Will votes with you, Mike, the four of us want to play. So. Party rule and all that shit. Sorry.”

Mike lets out an exasperated groan. “Why did we agree to let you in our party?”

“Because I saved your lives from my asshole brother and immediately established myself as the third coolest Party member,” Max says cheerfully, and she reaches for the empty Coke bottle sitting by her side. “First coolest is El, in case you were wondering. Second coolest is Will, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Lucas agrees. “And you are third coolest, but I think I’m fourth.”

“Hey now,” Dustin starts to protest, but before he can say anything else, Max turns towards Lucas and nods.

“No, you’re right,” she chuckles. “Then, it’s Dustin, and then Mike.”

“Hey!” Mike protests. “Why am I last?”

“You really want me to answer that question?”

A beat passes.

Then, another.

And another.

“He doesn’t know what to say, does he?” Max asks dryly.

“Nope,” El answers. “He’s currently pouting to Will.”

“Oh, good, Will’s still here. He hasn’t talked in a while, so I was beginning to think he left.”

“I’m still here,” Will says with a small laugh. “Just quiet.”

“Mm, quiet is not going to work for me, Byers,” Max tsks, and she sets the Coke bottle in what she believes should be the middle of the circle. “Alright, if I’m way off, someone make sure the bottle is in the middle. Who wants to go first?”

“I’ll go!” El says cheerfully. “I want to try it. What do I do?”

“Oh, you just spin the bottle, El,” Dustin explains. “Then, whoever it lands on, you have to kiss.”

“We won’t make you kiss Will though,” Lucas adds. “That’d be weird since you guys are technically siblings now.”

“Oh, thank God,” Will sighs.

“Yeah, Indiana’s bad, but we’re not Alabama,” Max chuckles. “Anyways, El, you ready?”

“Ready,” El says, and the next thing Max knows, she hears the familiar sound of the glass bottle spinning on the wood floor. The noise goes on for a little bit longer; then, finally, it stops. “Oh, it’s Dustin. Okay!”

“Sorry, Suzie-Poo,” Dustin says with a dramatic sigh, and Max scrunches her nose. She hears her friend shift, presumably moving towards each other. It’s followed by the briefest little kissing sound; then, El sits back down beside Max.

“That was easy,” El remarks. “Max, it is your turn now.”

“Cool.” Max grins, and she reaches for the bottle. Once again, it spins and spins and spins, before finally, it stops. “Alright, friends don’t lie. Who do I have to kiss?”

“Me,” comes Will’s voice. He laughs, a bit nervous. 

“Aw, Byers!” Max laughs, holding out her hand. “Cute. C’mere.”

“Here I come,” Will says with a laugh of his own, and before Max knows it, Will gives her a chaste little kiss. 

“Thank you,” Max says cheerfully, leaning back. “See, Mike? Kissing people in this game’s not that bad. We’re all adults, and we’ve all kissed people before.”

“Technically, you’re the only one of us who’s eighteen,” Mike points out. “And… I don’t know if all of us have kissed people before.”

The room goes silent, and Max’s brow furrows. “Wait… who hasn’t…”

Her voice trails off, and Max’s jaw drops open. She turns her head in the direction she’d heard Will’s voice earlier. “Holy shit, Will, was that your first kiss?”

Once again, the room goes silent. It’s all the confirmation Max needs.

“I don’t count,” Max reassures, waving her hand absently. “You don’t like girls, so I’m just like… a practice dummy.”

A little laugh escapes Will’s lips. “And if I kiss one of the guys tonight?” he asks dryly. “Does that count?”

“Mm, depends on who you kiss,” Max replies with a smirk. “Anyways, Lucas, it’s your turn.”

“Got it,” Lucas says, and he reaches for the bottle, spinning it in a circle. Once again, the bottle spins for a while; then, the room goes silent. “Alright, El, you up for another kiss?”

Beside her, El laughs. “Why not?” she asks, clearly unbothered by this. She shifts, presumably moving towards Lucas, and Lucas shifts, presumably going to meet El in the middle.

Again, a little kissing sound fills the silence in the room, and Max claps, a dry smile on her face. “Congrats on your kiss,” she says with a chuckle. “I hope you both enjoyed it.”

“Not bad,” El remarks.

“Not bad at all,” Lucas agrees. 

“Jealous,” Max deadpans. “Okay. Whose turn is it? Mike?”

Across the circle, Mike groans. “Do I have to?”

“Yes,” everyone else responds in perfect unison. 

“Don’t be a bad sport, Wheeler,” Lucas scolds.

“It is just a game,” El adds.

“Seriously,” Max says dryly. “I mean, honestly… is there someone you just don’t want to kiss here?”

“You,” Mike deadpans.

“Ooh, good. The sentiment is shared.” Max smirks. “Or maybe there is someone you want to kiss… you just don’t want to admit it.”

Mike goes silent again.

Bingo.

Before Max can make another comment, the sound of the bottle spinning on the floor fills the silence, and Max gently bumps her shoulder against El’s, hoping her best friend understands what she’s saying. The bottle spins and spins and spins; then, finally, the room goes quiet again.

Nobody says a word.

“Okay, well someone has to tell me who it landed on,” Max complains. “Hello? Did you all forget that I literally cannot see?”

Someone—Mike, Max thinks—gulps quietly. “It’s, um… it’s Will,” he says, and oh yeah, he definitely sounds nervous now.

“Okay.” Max shrugs. “So, kiss Will.”

“Well, I don’t want to be his first kiss if he doesn’t want me to be!”

“Oh, Jesus,” Max groans. “So, ask him then.”

The room goes silent. Again.

Max facepalms, and she turns towards Will now. “Will, do you mind if Mike is your first kiss?”

…

…

…

“Dude, seriously, you have to say something,” Max reminds, waving her hand in front of her eyes. “Yes or no: Mike Wheeler is your first kiss. If you say no, then we’ll let Mike spin again. I’m not that mean.”

For a brief moment, Will is quiet again. Then, finally, he says in a small voice, “U-um… yeah, that’s… that’s fine. Sure.”

Max fights the urge to grin. El bumps her shoulder lightly, as if to say, We did it, and Max damn near laughs aloud.

“Okay, cool,” Max says, as casually as she can. “Have at it, then.”

The sound of people moving towards each other fills the silence, and someone takes a deep breath. Then, the room goes still and quiet.

For… several moments.

The room remains silent, and Max blinks, leaning towards her own boyfriend. “Are they still kissing?” she whispers.

“Yeah,” Lucas whispers back. “They, uh… they are. It’s really awkward.”

“Glad I can’t see it then.”

“Lucky you.”

Finally, someone pulls away, and every other member of the Party sighs in relief. Max whistles lowly. “Alright, then,” she says with a smug smile. “How’s that for a first kiss, Byers?”

“Um, good!” Will squeaks—like actually squeaks. His voice is about an octave higher than normal, and Will clears his throat. “I mean… yeah. It was… it was good.”

“And Wheeler?” Max turns her head towards her other best friend, and she makes sure to plaster her biggest grin on her face. “How was what I’m assuming was your first kiss with a dude? Did you like it? Are you glad we played spin the bottle now?”

Once again, Max doesn’t get a response for her questions, and once again, the silence is a confirmation of exactly what she’s thinking. 

Perfect. If Mike is thinking about his kiss with Will and if he enjoyed it, then they’ll definitely get together soon. Her plan is foolproof, and Max is a genius.

So, with a smirk on her face, Max leans back, tilting her head towards where Dustin should be sitting. “Alright, Dustin,” Max says cheerfully. “Your turn!”

Dustin’s little laugh breaks through the silence, and it’s quickly followed by the sound of the bottle spinning. It lands on Lucas, and neither of them throw a fit about it, thank God. With those two, it’s honestly hit or miss.

Then, Dustin hands the bottle to Will, and Max smirks, leaning her head on her hand and listening to the bottle spinning. She imagines El probably won’t interfere again, though if she did, she thinks it’ll be funny.

The bottle stops, and Max sits up. “So, who gets to kiss Will?”

For a moment, no one responds.

Then, El answers, “It… landed on Mike again.”

There’s a certain smugness in her tone, and Max fights back her laughter. It sounds like El definitely did rig the game again, and God, that’s even better. Having a best friend with superpowers is amazing.

“Okay, well ground rules here for everyone’s mental health,” Max says dryly. “If you’re going to make out with each other, please just do it in a place where the seeing members of the Party don’t have to watch. We promise we’ll only make fun of you two a little bit.”

“Or a lot,” Lucas mutters.

“Or a lot,” Max agrees. “But either way, you can—”

“Hey, Will,” Mike blurts out, cutting Max off.

A beat passes.

Then, Will tentatively says, “...Yeah?”

“You want to get some fresh air?” Mike asks hurriedly.

Again, a beat passes.

“Yep,” Will answers, just as rushed. “Fresh air sounds great.”

The two of them scramble to their feet, and before Max knows it, she hears the sound of two sets of footsteps running up the basement stairs. The remaining four Party members are left in total silence, and Max reaches for the glass bottle.

“They’re going upstairs to make out, aren’t they?” she deadpans.

“Yep,” El answers.

“Absolutely,” Dustin confirms.

“100%,” Lucas agrees.

“Great.” Max falls backwards onto the floor, and she lets out a satisfied little sigh. “My work here is done. Good job, El.”

“Thank you, thank you,” El says, and she falls back, lying on the floor with her. “I like this game. We should play it more often.”

Max can’t help but laugh, and she gently bumps her best friend’s shoulder. “Someone’s eager to kiss their friends,” she teases, and El just joins in with her laughter.

“I have kissed everyone but you and Will now,” she says, sounding a bit smug. “And I don’t plan to kiss my brother any time soon.”

“Again, we’re not in Alabama,” Max chuckles, and she sits up, grabbing the Coke bottle. “But hey, if you want to kiss me, now would be the time.”

Once again, a little laugh escapes El’s lips; then, she reaches for the bottle, spinning it. The glass bottle spins and spins and spins until it comes to a stop, and Max smiles teasingly. “Who’d it land on?”

“It is a surprise,” El whispers. 

Then, without another word, El leans in and kisses her.

The kiss is short, but it’s still electrifying—in a similar but also different way from how her first kiss with Lucas had been. And… look, Max doesn’t really know what that means for her, and maybe now isn’t the time to figure it out…

But that’s definitely a question she’ll be revisiting later.

[boosmidnighthour]

Here's a little drabble that I haven't gotten back to in a while. I made it back in September and don't really know how to finish it or lead up to the moment I've written to.

Working Title: After The Cut

Fandom: Total Drama, Total Drama 2023

Bowie's missing from the party celebrating Priya's success. Raj goes to find him.

He found him. 

Sitting alone on a rock, watching the waves lap at the sand, there was Bowie. Raj walked over, frowning to himself once he saw how tight the other's posture was, how pale his knuckles were from the grip he had on his hands.

"Bowie?"

The lanky teen nearly fell off his rock, seeming entirely startled. Even with only knowing him for the summer, Raj knew that this behavior was entirely un-Bowie-like. He hadn't gotten this trapped in his head, at least from what he had seen from watching and re-watching the last few episodes.

"Raj- what're you doing here?" Bowie started immediately after collecting himself, looking at him with a quirked eyebrow. Then his eyes darted around him, and his brow curved in, more concerned. "Where's Wayne? Did something happen at the party?"

"No." Raj sat down on the rock next to him. "Well, nothing serious. Wayne just got tired and overwhelmed and went to one of the cabins to sleep. Head's messin' with him, ya'know?" After all, they were still recovering from the cassowary attack and falling from the side of a cliff. "I just came to see where you went, since I noticed you weren't with anyone else." He looked out over the lake. "... What're you doing here, anyway? You tired, too?"

His question was met with silence, and when Raj looked back to Bowie's face, his expression seemed conflicted. "Not… exactly," he started hesitantly. It looked as if he was trying to rip some sort of explanation from the depths of his heart through his throat, mouth open one moment and then his lips sealed tightly the next. He continued on like that for a moment, getting frustrated each time his mouth opened and nothing came out.

"You don't have to tell me. We can just talk about something else," the hockey player quickly interjected. 

Bowie groaned, putting his head in his hands, palms digging into his eyes. "I want to be honest- you deserve that much- but it's just… ugh! Why can't I spit it out?!"

Raj blinked as he started piecing things together. He looked back to the light of the campfire and the smoke billowing, the faint cheering from the ongoing celebration just barely reaching them over the gentle sound of the waves. Then he looked at Bowie, remembering all he had endured today.

"Is it about the finale?"

"Yes."

"... It's not your fault you didn't win-"

"Yes, it is!" Bowie started, looking at Raj incredulously, almost offended. It startled the hockey player. "It most certainly is! If I had just… just kept those stupid goats in line, ran faster, kept my stomach as steely as ever, pushed myself harder, I could have done it! I would be a millionaire right now- I was so close!" He curled in on himself, the last word hissing through his teeth as he did.

Raj watched as his back trembled with how tightly he had himself wound. He frowned, worry spiking as he bit his lip, not knowing what he should do or say. But it didn't matter. Bowie looked back up, a rage filling his normally warm brown eyes.

"I worked so hard to get there, and I placed second. Second!" He scoffed, teeth grit so tight, Raj thought they'd break. "I can't believe I suffered through disgusting kitchen slop for nearly a month, just to get this treatment- I was so close!" He said louder this time.

□◇□◇□◇□

If you have suggestions, don't hesitate to comment.

[sleepygenie-o]

Just started thinking about TWST, y'know what that means-

..So. Feel like I'll need to make some kind of Masterlist soon. But as the title says. Thought of things with TWST, ahah- Now of course this would be like your usual brainrot. But people who see my very, VERY rare posts might see a lot of:

✨SKY✨ (or UT, depending if I escape the hole or I get dragged back in cause of fangames and having to still beat Sans on genocide run. Yes I haven't beat that mf yet-)

With that out of the way! What if Yuu was a sky kid?

☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜☆⌒゜

Now I don't think Sky!Yuu would like to be plopped in a coffin. A closed coffin

A CLOSED, DARK COFFIN.

Absolute P A N I C, you COULD take out your candle, but it was too cramped to move. So all you could do was call for help and hope a sky kid could get you out of, whatever the hell this is

"Gotta get a uniform soo- huh?!" That little, mischievous tanuki lookin to find his way to being the greatest mage, hears what can be described as either:

A bell ringing

or a goose.

...

He went with thinking it's a goose.

"OI! How did YOU get in, ha?! Fngahh!" Oh there he goes, burning your coffin- WAIT BURN- Oh! You're a sky kid! Nevermind!

Oh, your savior! You thanked the elders and counted your lucky stars to see fire burning whatever you were stuck in away!

Why's that fire blue tho?

As soon as you fell you wasted no time to scoop up the little. What- what is that? A krill cat?

Oh well! You still scoop him up, hug him, and twirl him around as a thank you!

He didn't like it all that much though-

"EEEEEK! THANK YOU SO MUCH I SWEAR I ALMOST-" You spun Grim around like crazy, to his despair.

"OI! PUT ME DOWN HUMAN!!!"

"Oh, sorry!"

As you put the tanuki-cat down, you took time to notice your attire

WHERE THE F*HONK* IS YOUR CAPE?

oh it's under these weird robe-capes! Nevermind!

Soon the crow b*honk* i mean. Crowley, the headmaster had came in

As usual, chastised you for not taming your familiar.. ("whats that?"-yuu).. and grim trying to defend himself

Soon, after he gives you a good enough explanation on where you were, you have gotten to the ceremony where everyone was

"There's the headmaster."

"I thought he got a stomach ache~!"

You noticed the one who talked was a red head with blue eyes and someone with white hair and white eyes.

Huh, white haired people seem to be rare. Aw man!

Soon, the headmaster told you to go to the mirror, as soon as you did-

"State Thy Name"

"OH MY MEGA BIRD YOU CAN TALK?!" Wow! This world was so cool! A talking mirror!

"...Does anyone understand them?" Someone with blonde hair and purple tips asked 'Woahhh, he looks so pretty!' You thought, you're eyes behind the mask held absolute excitement.

"Ahem! My name is Yuu! At least that's what my friends call me and we all like it!"

"Your soul is fit for...."

"...."

"...."

"I can't see." Ah, that's. that is a problem

"WHAT?!"

"The soul is too bright to discern, but the best dorm to put them in would be scarabia for the time being, though they are not an official dorm member." (you end up staying in ramshackle more after finding it on campus, it looked haunted and could use some light!)

Wow. that's a first.

You were asked to remove your hood, and mask.

Everyone almost mistook you for a stereotypical angel honestly-

"What's that glow around them?" "Are the eyes glowing or is it just a realllyyy bright yellow-?"

One asked what your gender was. You had no idea what it was so you said:

"I'm Yuu- wait, none of you can understand me-" you had to try and propose some kind of friendship candle to someone. You looked to the red head, he seemed pretty scary though...

You still approached him, kneeling (someone: WHY ARE YOU PROPOSING?) and showing a candle, glowing brightly.

The hell were you doing?! "What are you doing! You BOW to royalty, or the dorm head! Not kneel and offer... a candle?"

Riddle, take it d*honk* it-

He did take the candle, reluctantly before it disappeared into sparks.

"Hiya! My name's Yuu, can I call ya Mr... Riddle?" (small hc: there are nametags for the students in the ceremonial robes, but they are removable)

"How am I understanding you now?" He asked, he was at least yuu's height, maybe a bit taller

"No one is able to talk to each other without offering a candle first!"

".. What."

He was now your translator! You told him everything you wanted to tell everyone and he repeated, not without a longgg sigh (riddle: what has my life come to?)

"*ahem* They said: "Hi! My name is Yuu, I am a veteran of Sky, I was recently helping AURORA find more memories with some others till I passed out here""

He continues: ""I don't think I know what a gender is, is that a way of showing your rank or is it a type of person of Sky?" Now, please *turns to Yuu* ask someone else for this, why not someone from Scarabia?"

...He had a point. Well! Now yu have somewhere to stay, so win-win!

(might add more to this idea :DDD)

Anyone is allowed to use this idea even without crediting me! I honestly just write these all for fun

[7ban-sama]

Why does Amane choose his name hanako, I understand yako choosing misaki but why hanako of all things, why the specific spelling in kanji that means flower kid

Ooh, you know, incidentally, I've been dwelling on the name "Hanako" lately...

The kanji (花子) is actually pretty typical, for "Hanako"... Let's say, it's one of the most classic spelling of this name? Building off of that, the myth of "Hanako-san of the bathroom" (トイレの花子さん) is actually one that has existed in Japan for years, and in it, the name is commonly spelled like that. From a writing perspective, Iro-sensei is just maintaining the ah, iconography of the name, I suppose?

I've talked before in a previous ask about how the "Jibaku" in the title is evoking several things at once. Well, I think Iro-sensei is the sort that likes everything to feel multilayered, so even the usage of "Hanako-kun" is conveying something very particular. Hanako is a very feminine name (as flower names commonly are; think of names like Daisy or Rose) — so appending -kun to it is a little bit strange... My wife and I have joked, it's sort of like, if the story was starring Bloody Mary… but the twist is that Mary is a boy, and we call him, Little Lad Mary, or something… Lol. This is one of those things western fandom might be missing out on, due to culture discrepancies. We read Hanako, and it perhaps doesn't stand out next to Natsuhiko as a very girly name. To the point where I don't really blame anyone for not keying into it; it's not so intuitive for us.

I mean, I myself have had to really internalize what the experience of reading the title could be like, for a native speaker. You're looking at Hanako-kun on the title, and then seeing this spooky cursed boy sitting on a toilet. And you're like "-? ? .. ?? Hanako... toilet ghost, but boy-? And, self bondage???" (lol) There's just ah, a different first impression when picking up volume 1, I think.

Now, to get into the in-world reasons for why Amane uses Hanako... Well. The thing is, we haven't actually gotten a very direct explanation on what Amane feels about the name. Feels quite shrouded in mystery still... perhaps, it's not something we'll know the truth of until we are able to learn about what Amane went through that made him become a mystery in the first place. For now, all we can do is infer...

Logically, we can say the name Hanako comes from the rumor of "Hanako-san", which is something that could have existed before Amane even died. The mysteries can be swapped out by other individuals, as we see with Mitsuba, who becomes the new "Hell of Mirrors". It seems the rumor itself doesn't suddenly change, despite Mitsuba being a wholly different person. And, beyond that, perhaps there was a different entity before that tengu that was the Hell of Mirrors... etc. So, a possible explanation is that the name Hanako was one that Amane inherited once he became No. 7.

Though, we do have examples of mysteries with titles that allude to their specific circumstance... such as the Misaki Stairs and Shijima-san of the Art Room. Questions that arise from this are: If a kaii replaced Yako or Shijima, would the rumor stay the same? What were the rumors for No. 2 and No. 4 before theirs existed? Were there any at all...? I suppose, we don't know how long there have been 7 mysteries guarding the school. In any case... I wouldn't totally rule out the possibility that Amane himself is the origin of the Hanako-san rumor. For whatever reason, his actions in the past might have created Hanako-san. Shijima-san's rumor is a product of misinformation about Mei's death, so it might not have been Amane's choice how people perceived certain events.

I try and keep my mind open to the possibility, at least... though, if you want my personal opinion, I'm leaning more towards the former. I assume that Amane just inherited the role of No. 7, and the rumor associated with it was Hanako-san. The reason is... before meeting Nene, I'm not sure who else would even be calling him Hanako-? The mysteries are relatively distant from one another, and typically refer to one another by their numbers. I would say Tscuhigomori is the mystery that knows Amane the most personally, and deep down, I think Tsuchigomori simply sees Amane as... Yugi Amane. To Tsuchigomori, Amane is the same as when he knew him in life; he's been frozen in place here, never moving on. Tsukasa meanwhile knew Amane best, ostensibly, and was close with him through most of his life... and only ever calls him Amane.

I'm of the belief that Amane himself, does not closely identify with the name Hanako, before meeting Nene. I think it was a business name... I think it was even, kinda funny, like, Lol, girl's name... sure. He's amicable to wearing thigh highs and letting Nene dress up his hair, nor does he really fret about being gender-swapped, so it's not like having a "girl's name" would bother him much. It must feel very inconsequential...? He's only being regarded as Hanako-san on the rare occasion a soon-to-be-dead student summons him. Otherwise, he's Nanaban-sama to his co-workers... and internally, I think he's Amane... er, in a compulsive way-? Like, he can't control this remnant of his past life... Tricky, since there is a bit of compartmentalization happening; I do think Amane thinks of "Yugi Amane" as having died and no longer "really" existing beyond that death... What he is now, is something different and unrecognizable (... or, so he thinks.) At that point of dehumanization, he probably doesn't regard his current self with any name. Maybe he is just, a kaii, a mononoke, a murderer... etc.

Upon befriending Nene... I think that Amane wasn't taking their relationship so seriously. Her referring to him as Hanako-kun was kind of cute, funny, novel. He WAS obfuscating his identity, after all, so maybe it was ideal for her to see him this way. (Amane himself wouldn't have even let Nene know he killed someone in the past, let alone his real name...) So, performing as Hanako became something he does specifically for Nene's sake. This comes packaged with representing the mysteries as more close than they are, his job as more heroic than it really is, etc. I would say at this point, Amane starts to imagine a divide between Amane, living boy, and Hanako, the ghost that came after.

However, over time, the identity of Hanako-kun became more sentimental than Amane would ever have chosen. This was never supposed to be... more than, a flimsy front, a mask he wears, your silly bathroom ghost friend. That's why he's confused in Picture Perfect, with Nene's insistence that Amane-kun is the same as Hanako-kun. These should be separate things — Amane shouldn't be the same as Hanako! But... of course, they are, because he's the same as ever...

Haha, it's all kind of convoluted, but I like how much it makes one reflect on identity... Whether you personally identify with something or not, the urge to split yourself up, but also the way that you're always... yourself, even after things change... *wiggles fingers* Pretty cool, right? Often in posts, I'm kind of wrestling with how to refer to Amane, and how to keep things consistent enough to not be suuuper confusing... but it's hard! The names Amane and Hanako can be useful in tandem. It's such a Vibes thing, at times.

I typically default to Amane when referring to him as... the character, the entity of Amane, across many worlds/timelines. The entire history of the character, is "Amane" to me. Whereas I think of Hanako as more specifically encompassing the time he's spent with Nene! It's really Nene that has made Hanako more than just a title... though deep down, ig the real endgame of this would be regarding him as Amane...? [personal blatherings here...] Anyhoo...

We're surely due for more information on this topic someday. My wife has even mused on why the name Hanako is used for him... It's something to really contemplate-!!

[motheatenscarf]

There is a fun template making the rounds and I decided I also want to play. I think most of these are self explanatory at a glance, but I'll elaborate a bit more for anyone curious/interested.

Okay, I lied, it was not a bit more, it wound up being a LOT more. Brevity is the soul of wit and I am a blathering fool.

-> Krile. She's a work friend. They get along well enough but don't ever really hang out beyond maybe getting lunch together sometimes. She's capable and reliable, but there's not a whole lot they have in common and they haven't even gotten to trauma bond yet. Dawntrail will probably change that.

-> Minfilia. Oh boy, is this a complicated relationship. They got along so well at first. Talia was terrified of this Echo and Blessing and had no one to talk to about it for years, and Minfilia was kind and patient with all of her questions. They confided in each other and supported one another in having this bizarre path in life that they didn't choose. But Minfilia the friend and Minfilia the leader were two different people. The more time Talia spent with the Scions, the more she started to question Minfilia's decisions. Every call she made seemed wrong. It wasn't Minfilia's fault she hadn't been prepared for this role that was thrust on her when Luisoix died, but Talia pinned the blame on her for everything that followed. Watching the Scions militarize under bad leadership reminded her of Garlemald. It seemed inevitable that they would be misused and she would have her faith and devotion broken again and again. She had one foot out the door by the Bloody Banquet, and then Minfilia chose to stay behind. Talia was still angry at Hydaelyn for taking away the only gift that made her useful and giving her the silent treatment without ever telling her why, but her was the big blue rock herself telling Minfilia to die without explanation as to why, and Minfilia was blindly obeying. It spit on the sacrifices her people had just made. Talia blew up at her before storming out of the sewers. She said some cruel, unforgivable things, just to be hurtful because she was hurt. She regretted them the moment she was in the carriage escaping to safety, but never got the chance to apologize. They weren't friends anymore when Minfilia died. It's something that haunts her to this day.

-> Tataru. A very sweet and uncomplicated friendship! They grew closer as Tataru shared her fears of not being able to do enough to protect the Scions, and then became friendlier and more open around each in Heavensward when it was just the two of them and Alphinaud. They look out for each other in more social matters, and Tataru is one of the few people Talia feels safe enough to be stupid around and is among her top choices when looking for someone to spend downtime with.

-> Thancred. The brother she never had. Few other people look out for her the way Thancred does. He's probably the person who is most interested in not just her physical safety, but her emotional well-being. He's vigilant to people taking advantage of her, which I'd like to believe is because he sees how hard she beats herself up over past mistakes and how she believes atonement must be paid in her own blood. It's a self destructive impulse he's familiar with, and one he's reluctant to open up about, but when he finally does, they're closer for it. They're also able to give each other just enough well meaning shit without pushing past each other's boundaries, which is the ideal sibling dynamic tbh. The only point of contention they've ever had was over how he treated Ryne, but both of them were just projecting their issues about Minfilia onto her, albeit in opposite directions.

-> Estinien. The brother she never wanted. Alphinaud came home with a dirty stray cat that was hissing and spitting and asked "Can we keep him?" and Talia said, "How about this other, better cat who isn't allergic to sentiment and doesn't belittle you?" And Alphinaud said, "Ysayle's nice, but this one's good, I can tell." And then Talia was stuck with Estinien forever. She started to come around on him before he got turned into Nidhogg's scooter, appreciating how reflective and intuitive he was deep down. She's very glad that Alphinaud reminded her of her own values that had been eroded by cynicism and told her they had to save Estinien. Because yeah, he was right all along. Estinien did turn out to be good. Even if people suck today, you never know what they can be tomorrow. He's one of the few people she feels good about having saved because it was an instance where she didn't just stop a threat by being the champion of murder. Estinien was proof that change is possible and that sometimes, believing in that is worth the risk. So he means a lot to her not just as a person who's reliable, who's been through hell and back with her, who's grown so much and become one of the most introspective and insightful people she knows, but as a sort of proof of concept of the ethos she wants to live by.

-> Lyse. God, she loves Lyse so much. Having her around felt like having a sister again. I almost put the green mark up there, but I don't think Lyse reciprocates the feeling. Her surrogate sister was Moenbryda, a loss over which she opened up to and leaned on Talia in a way no one had trusted her with until that point. People asked her to run dangerous errands, sure, but Lyse trusted her with real, genuine, vulnerability and it was the fist time Talia felt like the Scions were more than just coworkers. Throughout Stormblood, Talia finally had someone who was on her level. The Scions are mostly Archons, all far more intelligent, well educated, and capable than she is. Lyse was just a girl who missed her sister and could hit things good and wanted to make a difference, just like Talia. More than that, she was fun. Her idealism and sincerity were infectious. And then Lyse left. She had ideas and dreams and aspirations and wanted to make them real. It was a worthy, understandable desire, but Talia was gutted by her choice even if she supported it. She loves getting to visit her and catch up, but she wishes she'd stayed.

-> Y'shtola. Mean goth girls with emotional walls who love to roast people, yes, they do bond over this. Beyond that, though, there's no one whose opinion Talia respects more than Y'shtola's. Full stop. She is the most capable, most reliable, and most honest person she knows. It's comforting to know that Y'shtola will hold everyone to the same standards she holds herself, even if it's a little intimidating how high those standards are and how easily she seems to meet them. And Y'shtola looks out for her just as much as Thancred does, albeit less tactfully. She was the only person who respected her enough to tell her the honest truth about the Light poisoning. Given her history, Talia always prefer a harsh truth over a comforting lie. But sometimes that harshness makes it hard for her to let herself open up around Y'shtola. Her competence is a double edged sword that hides her vulnerability, which is the measuring stick of intimacy. Y'shtola's so capable, Talia frequently doubts that there's anything she can offer her besides a good swordarm. Her affection is something Talia's had to learn to interpret, and something Y'shtola self-admittedly struggles to convey, but they're both important to each other and they're working on it.

-> Urianger. He was the Scion she took the longest to warm up to, due largely to his own self imposed isolation after Moenbryda's death and his continued deceptions in Heavensward and Shadowbringers. She thought he was pragmatic and useful, but cold. That opinion changed when she saw patient and gentle he was not just with the twins, but with kids in general. There was a warmth there she hadn't thought he was capable of and it helped make his lies easier to bear. When he broke down and confessed to his deceptions and expressed his remorse, his shame, she just... didn't have it in her anymore to hold that grudge. She'd been through enough of that with Minfilia and Emet-Selch. By Endwalker, she was a raw nerve on her last legs, and Urianger was as gentle and patient with her as he was with the kids they bonded over. When he finally, after years, opened up to her even a little bit about Moenbryda and his difficulties making connections, she felt safe enough to let him in and to be there for him. It took a while to get there, but they are, genuinely, very close, and she's asked him to help her with one of her biggest insecurities; learning magic, specifically healing.

-> G'raha Tia. There are few easy dynamics among the Scions, huh? G'raha is one of the people she admires most, but also someone who has left her a goddamn husk of a person composed only of tears and anxiety. First off, he is single handedly responsible for the second worst mental breakdown she's ever had, second only to the time her actual twin sister died. She was ready to kill him on the spot upon arriving in The First if he did not produce Alisaie and Alphinaud right then and there. It drove her insane how secretive he was while acting like some old friend. Finally seeing the scale of devastation he was fighting against with everything in his power, she started coming around. There was still anger but once she figured out who he was, all she could really do was pity him. He'd been so quick to throw his life away, appointing himself as the guardian of Allag's mistakes, protecting the world from the horrors of the tower, only to become a symbol that everyone pinned their hopes on. That felt familiar. And then when she realized that it was all for her, and that he intended to die to save her, all she could think about was losing Haurchefant. She maybe wrapped up a lot of that unresolved trauma and her issues of self worth in saving him. My favorite screenshot I ever took in this game is still this accidental moment of poetic cinema where she's holding his soul in her hands against her heart, enveloped by the memory of Haurchefant in the House Fortemps ring she never takes off.

That's it! That's their relationship! Got it in one! He is so compassionate and thoughtful and by his own merit, she cares for him deeply, but there is a LOT of baggage she's wrapped up around him. He's just as much a symbol to her as she is to him, someone she was finally, finally able to save who held this impossible idea of her in his mind's eye (Haurchefant, Emet-Selch). She cares for him very deeply and yeah, isn't oblivious to his... pretty obvious romantic idolization of her, but. Good lord. There are a lot of very difficult conversations they need to have in unpacking their baggage and the issues they keep projecting onto each other before they can even begin to discuss G'raha's crush and what to do about it. Until then, she just... kinda lets it be the elephant in the room and tries not to think about it.

-> Ryne. Talia was determined to be as kind to and supportive of Ryne as she wished she had been to Minfilia. When she saw how hard Thancred was on her, she stepped in to provide unwavering love and support, became her guide on living with the Blessing of Light that Minfilia had once been to her. She also maybe saw some of her younger self in this girl that she desperately wanted to nurture, as she wished someone had done for her. Talia's not quite a mother-figure to her,more of an aunt who knows what an asshole Thancred can be when he puts his mind to it and thus knows how to cheer Ryne up to console her through it. On her own merit, Talia thinks Ryne is one of the bravest, kindest, and most thoughtful young women she's ever known. She's so proud of the person she's becoming and is amazed by her resilience.

-> Alisaie. The only reason Alisaie is second to Y'shtola on Talia's list of people she respects is because Alisaie is still a child, and it would look really bad if her top advisor was 16. When it comes to knowing what's right though, Alisaie is always on mark. She cares so much about everyone all the time that the only way she can express it is rage at the universe for not being fair to those same people and then fixing it through the raw force of power that is Teenage Girl With A Chip On Her Shoulder. Alisaie is the most incredible person Talia knows and there is no one she is more proud to have earned the love and respect of, or whose development into her true self she is more proud to bear witness to. Alisaie's strength is also exactly why Talia has insisted on mothering her despite the girl's obvious desire for independence; because she'll never ask for that help when she needs it most.

-> Alphinaud. If Estinien is the proof of concept of the ethos she wants to live by, Alphinaud is the one who penned that ethos and embodies it on a daily basis. There is no one she loves more than this boy, she might try to mother Alisaie, but Alphinaud just is her son. He is the primary reason she held to hope in the gauntlet of despair that is Endwalker. Alphinaud has grown as much as she has, if not more, and they've gone through that growth together. Talia was a jaded malcontent when they first met, and Alphinaud, when he wasn't parading around like the Widdlest Dictator, was smug, condescending, and insufferable. And then the universe slapped him in the face with a humble pie and he lost faith in everything, himself most of all. Seeing him like that, she realized... oh fuck. Right. He's a child. And she'd been projecting her contempt at her own past naivete about Garlemald onto him. And maybe that wasn't fair. Maybe that was the same awful thing she'd done to Minfilia. So instead of taking him to task, she just hugged him and told him it was going to be okay. He'd messed up. He'd messed up real bad and people had died because he didn't realize how ugly the world was, but wanting to believe that better things were possible wasn't the mistake there. She knew exactly what that felt like and exactly what he needed from her that she never got from anyone, not even herself; forgiveness. She became very protective of him after that, desperate to preserve whatever innocence and hope he had left. And at the darkest point of the Dragonsong war, it paid off. Alphinaud realized that he'd internalized the wrong message about his grandfather's death; it isn't about what we're willing to sacrifice for some greater good, it's about what we want to save. It was something so obvious that she'd forgotten after she fell so hard from losing her faith in anything bigger than her own bloodied hands. He made her want to try to have hope again. By choosing to save Estinien, that boy saved her too, and the fucking world, and all creation. All by being his sweet, thoughtful, brave little self. She is stupid proud of him and loves him so much. She's his mom now. And I think given how much he relies on the WoL, how much more receptive he is than Alisaie to their concern for him and how he seeks them out for advice and comfort, the feeling's mutual.

[ultfreakme]

Hello, I'm new to the jujutsu fandom, I've already watched season 1 of the movie and I'm in season 2 of jujutsu, I also follow the jujutsu manga, I liked your tumblr and started following you, I like your analyzes and you make me understand more jujutsu, thank you. I have a question, don't you think Sukuna is a boring villain, sorry, but he's too annoying, even Mahito is more interesting than him and it's impressive that Mahito gave more weight to the work than Sukuna, Sukuna killed Gojo and his death It had no significance in the work, it's something terrible, I think the author got lost.

Ah thank you so much! Glad the blog could add to the JJK experience!

Personally, I am getting a little tired of Sukuna never being phased. I'd understand his constant victories if we got more insight into his Cursed Technique but we still have no explanation for what he is and how he came to be, very little Sukuna info has been unlocked since the beginning so it feels kind of frustrating for me.

I can't tell what the author is thinking, but I think the number of deaths is getting to us as readers. People just keep on losing and dying with little impact on those that are alive. Deaths had a huge impact at the start of the story. Like S1, Junpei's death shook Yuuji so bad that he entirely changed his way of thinking. But he only knew Junpei for like a day. So when characters like Nanami, Nobara, Gojo and many more people that Yuuji has known for months die, I think equal levels of impact is expected on Yuuji.

But that doesn't happen.

We don't know Yuuji's mental state after witnessing his teacher die. The excessive focus on fights without slowing down to let the characters grieve or process what they've seen is likely impacting how we see Sukuna, his fights, and his powers.

Like why wasn't Yuuji freaking out more when Higurama died? What was he really going through when he saw Higurama and got reminded of Nanami? A moment's pause, just focused on the grief of that could up the stakes and make Sukuna, if not interesting, at least someone we can hate more.

Emotions and character interactions are what gives a story stakes. We care that Gojo died not only because he's the only person who can stand up against Sukuna, but also because he is someone we connected with emotionally from S1. His death will make characters we love devastated.

When you take away the emotion, the sense of loss and don't show that, the fights become boring. Yuuji's still moving and seems to hold the same attitude as the beginning of Culling Games while fighting Sukuna right now after witnessing multiple deaths.

You could say he's hardened his heart and has gone numb to everything but that's speculation as readers, it'd be way more meaningful if we see Yuuji falling into that kind of state, or be shown to have some kind of emotion and reaction.

My one big critique for JJK is pacing. It's fight after fight after fight. Okay, bad take when the manga is literally called "Sorcery Fight" but I am no stranger to manga/anime entirely focused on fighting (I've read a weirdly high amount of martial arts and hand to hand combat manga). Even in most fight-centric stories, we get breaks, we get characters talking to each other. Like how come we STILL haven't gotten a proper, extended interaction between Yuuji and Yuuta that isn't a fight? Has Yuuji even spoken to Maki? How does Ino feel about Choso?

I think it's why I enjoyed the Yuki v Kenjaku fight more. The fight was interspersed with moments of character interaction.

No stakes and impact makes it boring. Sukuna's the most dangerous villain now and he keeps defeating people without proper explanation or faltering in any real way so like, why would we care? Sukuna's going to win against anyone that isn't Yuuji, so what's the point? It used to be fun for me to try to understand how Sukuna does the things he does. I still enjoy watching him beat the shit outta people but i do admit it's getting tiring.

Sure, the CT and Domain expansions whenever an improvement is shown are very cool but it'd help if we could slow down a little and talk about the character interactions. Honestly Sukuna himself can remain a mystery but our MCs should get more backstory and emotional moments.

[myimaginarywonderland]

My live thoughts on episode 7x05

Station 19 actively ruining the team is wow.

Where is Travic? You want me to believe that Beckett after everything that happened wouldn't maybe keep an eye on her? On the other hand the amount of care you can hear when Beckett ask her "Hughes" to bring her back? I am melting.

I still don't like Maya (probably never will) but Andy/Maya is truly the friendship that keeps on giving.

I could not care less about Sully and Ross and this whole marriage storyline. I am just so over it. They annoy me. I don't even hate them but this is dragging on so unnecessary for so long.

Ben self medicating??? Hello? What the hell is this storyline? Why is it here all of the sudden?

I love Jack apparently working in dispatch but would it have killed the show to maybe show how he got there? It's the last season and he is one of the main characters and we haven't gotten like anything since two episodes ago.

The amount of people that don't understand Beckett's frustration when Maya actively blackmailed him and funded his addiction is stunning. Let Beckett be pissed! But yeah he shouldn't take it out on the job. That is bad on his part. But then everyone has done that so I am not suprised. I just wish they hadn't gone that way because it is like slowly regressing his character development. Beckett showing that character growth? The whole talking it out? This is what I wanted. I needed to see Beckett talking to talk anyone besides Vic and Sully.

I love that they are showing Travis and Warren sort of in a parallel way to how Warren had to leave Travis injured. And Travis bringing him back? This is the team content I wanted to see.

I am also sort of living for the Warren/Sully friendship but I would just love some more focus on other relationships.

That scene with Jack/Warren and Sully? I am dying. Uncle Jack continues to live on and I can't wait for it.

Also Andy rushing to get her team? That is the shit I wanted to see. That is the captain she is capable of being. I just wish that they show this the whole rest of the season.

Vic obviously having a public breakdown will hopefully finally kick start things but even then, nothing of what she said is false or even bad. She has just been through a hell of a call, probably is traumatized or at least had some PTSD flashback and the legacy of her dead best friend is publicly being taken away even when it clearly has helped and supported probably hundreds of people.

As soon as I praise Andy she fucks shit up again and openly ignores warning signs. She is making the same mistake as all the other captains with not helping someone who clearly needs help. I can not believe we are seeing the same storyline multiple times and nothing changes. What is this shitty writing?

Also Theo's character flip flopping the whole seasons is just wow. What are they trying to do with him? I guess he is at least trying to reach out which is seemingly more than can be said about most characters.

I adore the flashback but I am still not Andy's biggest fan and I just wish we had some more I don't know, scenes of the OG family?

Overall I don't like the episodes this season. It just doesn't feel like a final season? Too many storylines for too less episodes, characters and relationships all over the place. Characters having sudden 180 with no development or explanation? The vibes since Miller's death have been off but I feel like since the end of season 6, they are just so weird. It almost feels like the set up is too split up the time and regress like 90% of the characters. Travis has been going downhill, they have ruined one of the most important relationships (Travic), random story arcs are dropped etc. It almost feels like a set up to actually resolve things in season 8.