#and while I do not necessarily agree with everything said there the fact that she can inspire people to get excited over her character

[dawndestroyer]

the fact that I have seen so much analysis posts and art really digging into her psyche is so [chef's kiss]

I haven't quite identified what it is about her and her choices and her actions that make her stand out among a cast of characters where everyone has something wrong with them as its hard not to be blinded by my own biases. but there is a darkness about her

[gay-dorito-dust]

I just read your demon fan fic where the reader used to work for bill and honestly that would make for a good x reader with ford. where they teach him things bill didn’t with no strings attached and just enjoying life with the pines family. Some wholesome ass shit

I personally imagine demon! Reader eyes to look like gambit from x-men’s if that makes sense, I just think they are pretty.

‘Great demonic auntie/uncle y/n you’re back!’ Mabel exclaimed as she saw you appear in front of the mystery shack in a puff of purple smoke.

‘Indeed I am kiddo, just had to pay an old friend a visit.’ You said as you playfully ruffled her hair, feeling the dark void of where your soul once was warm at the sound of her laughing. it was still something you weren’t use to after spending countless decades driving humanity into fits of madness and misery, but it was something that you were beginning to favour especially when it comes to the human family you’ve come to love as your own; even if demons couldn’t exactly love or feel it necessarily.

‘He didn’t try anything on you did he?’ Ford asked concerned as he looked into your eyes.

‘Nope, well actually he did try to make me remember the good old days, tempt me into falling into old habits but I stayed strong and remembered yours words about how there are some fates worse then death.’ You replied as you held Ford’s face, watching fondly as he relaxed under your cold hands a little, smiling. ‘I’m glad.’ Ford said as he reached up to hold his hands over your own. ‘I’m really proud of you my dear.’ He adds and you could’ve sworn you felt your cheeks heat up at his praise but decided to smile mischievously instead. ‘All in a days work for the chaos demon of insanity!’ You reminded him boastfully before pecking him on the nose.

‘Okay love birds tone it down there are kids on the premises, that and it’s getting dark, so you either get your asses inside now or get locked out.’ Stanley called from the doorway, behind the twins, keys in hand and you couldn’t help but think of a reality where you didn’t decided to redeem yourself and where you would be without the Pines Family.

‘Probably in Theraprism with that triangular freak is.’ You thought to yourself but quickly waved it off when you felt yourself being watched, only to see that it was Ford and you sighed. You knew that he was still a little on edge with being close to another demon and you didn’t blame him, bill was…well bill and he was psychotic on a whole other level who’ll do anything and everything to get what he wants while disregarding everything else; so while you wanted to help ease his distrust towards other demons, you couldn’t help but agree that not every demon was worth the deals they made.

‘Are you sure you’re okay my dear?’ Ford asked in a low tone when he saw the conflicting array of emotions you were internally fighting with. You smiled at him, stroking his cheeks.

‘I’m fine Fordy, let’s go inside before Stan locks us out.’ You told him as you both walked into towards the shack, another thing you were growing found of doing over the likes of floating and flying or as mabel would say that it was “overrated.”

‘Even if he did lock us out, you’d just teleport us inside and scaring him in the process.’ Ford brought up casually and you couldn’t help but smile at him as you nudge his side. ‘You usually condemn me for teleporting anywhere, have you finally gotten soft on me smart guy? I’m flattered.’ You teased as you saw Ford’s cheeks becoming more and more flustered, it was adorable and you couldn’t help but take advantage of any and every moment given to watch Ford slowly loose his composure.

Ford cleared his throat as he pushed his glasses further up his face. ‘I merely stated as well known fact about you, nothing more.’ He says but his burning cheeks and tips of his ears told a different story that you couldn’t help but hum and lean yourself against him, resting your head on his arm. ‘How sweet of you to notice things about me, it’s enough to make a demon like me feel all fuzzy and warm inside.’ You chuckled as you saw his cheeks look about as red as ripe cherry tomatoes, or the way his eyes went wide that you felt the need to kiss his cheek, and that exactly what you did.

‘You’re too easy to make flustered Pines, but that’s okay, I enjoy seeing your cheeks go cherry red and become all skittish under my gaze.’ You purred, kissing his cheek again as Ford could only smile dopey as you did but the moment was ruined when Stan sprayed you both with a water bottle from his chair.

‘There. Are. Young. Impressionable, kids, here!’ He emphasised with each time he sprayed you with water, making Mabel and dipper laugh as you hissed like an angered cat before snapping your fingers, which made Stan’s spray bottle grow legs and run away into the forest outside. ‘Hey! My spray bottle!’ Stan cried as he glared playfully at you as you smirked triumphant. ‘Oops.’ You said as you sprawled yourself comfortable on a lounge chair.

Ford couldn’t help but smile at yours and Stans antics, you acted like the best of friends who had known each other since nappies, and it warmed his heart because not only two months ago did he think you and Stanley would get along like ever. However you both managed to surpass his expectations when he saw you both trash a boys house after he was being disrespectful towards Mabel, arms thrown over each other as you laughed maniacally, only for the laughter to die down when you heard cops and quickly grabbed Stanley close as you teleported the pair of you back to the shack.

Ever since then you and Stanley would casually commit crimes together and teleporting away before the cops could ever get to you, sure it wasn’t ideal for Ford but then he remembered who he was scolding; you a literal chaos demon from the insanity realm and Stanley, his twin brother who was a professional conman who could tell his way out of a tight situation. So he just left you both be for the sake having to scold you both for doing something somehow even worse that petty theft and vandalism.

‘Fordy, come sit with me!’ You cheered, waving from your lounge chair that Stanley stole for you.

‘Where else is he going to sit? it’s not the floor because if he’s anything like me, then he’ll take hours getting up from it.’ Stanley said as you only made a face at him as Ford made himself comfortable next to you, just for you to cuddle up to his side, smile in content, and begin to do something akin to a cat purring when his hand rubbed up and down your back soothingly. Nobody but Mabel cooed at the adorable sound you made.

‘You sound just like a kitten great aunt/uncle y/n!’ She cried as her eyes became wide with awe at your cat like purring.

You smiled as you ruffled her hair once more, making her giggle as she swatted your hand away. ‘I do not, do I?’ You asked Ford who offered you an apologetic look. ‘I’m afraid you do my dear.’ He said as you then looked at dipper for a secondary opinion.

‘You kinda do.’ He said as he lowered his hat over his face.

Stanley laughed. ‘Ha! Who knew the chaos demon could purr like a kitten! That should be my next attraction! How about it y/n?’

‘No. Go find some other purring demon for your tourist shop.’ You deadpanned as you pouted, Stanley only laughed harder as he clapped you on the leg that draped over the armrest, squeezing it. ‘I’m joking!’ He said with a smile.

‘Sure you are.’ You drawled but couldn’t help but replicate his smile as you felt Ford laugh before nuzzling yourself into his warmth, breathing him in as you thanked whoever for this second chance at life.

‘Everybody shut up the movie is starting!.’ Mabel exclaimed as you all focused on the television and as you looked to each member of the Pines family, you found yourself wanting to do nothing but watch movies with this wacky but endearing family for a long, long time.

[rafedaddy01]

The Sex Counselor

Part 1

I hope this is what you wanted.

“Very nice to meet the both of you. Before we begin, would you mind sharing a little bit about how the two of you are intimately?” Dr. Cameron clicks his pen and gets his notebook ready to jot down notes. I clear my throat as the nervous butterflies flutter around my stomach. I wanted to be here. Me and my husband both talked about this, we agreed that something needed to change. But it just felt so weird telling a complete stranger about my sex life.

“Well you see… he has trouble satisfying me. Don’t get me wrong, the sex in the begging was amazing, we couldn’t get enough of each other. But lately- I don’t know- we just can’t seem to get back into it.” I wring my hands in my lap as i look down and speak. “I see.” Dr.Cameron writes something down before turning his attention to my husband. “And do you feel like this as well Mr. Y/l/N?” “Yes. I think we can both agree that things have been troublesome for a while. I mean we tried to ignore it, but we just simply can’t. And I’ve tried everything.” I scoff at his response. He has not ‘tried everything’ “Mrs. Y/l/N, is something wrong?” Dr. Cameron cocks an eyebrow in my direction.

My cheeks flush as i take a deep breath and look up at him. “He has not tried everything.”

“Go on”

“Well a couple weeks back I suggested we try spicing things up a little. You know, maybe add some handcuffs or try some foreplay before we just get right into it. He totally shot down the idea” “That’s not necessarily true!” My husband interjects.

“Mr. Y/l/N, please, let her finish.” Rafe encourages me to continue. I shoot him a shy smile and swallow my nerves before speaking “He said that it was pointless to try because I would find something to complain about like I always do..” I look down at my hands in my lap, feeling embarrassed as I feel the cold stare of my husband next to me.

“Is this true?” Dr.Cameron asks my husband. “There is no need to lie. We are here to resolve an issue and the only way I can help you with that is if your both honest”

My husband grumbles a yes as he leans back into the couch, man spreading and looking out the window.

My eyes find Dr. Cameron’s and he’s looking at me with such intensity. I feel like I should look away but his stare is so entrancing. The way his hair sits on his head, gelled back. The color of his deep blue eyes, pulling you in like the tide in the ocean. The muscles bulging out of his pressed black dress shirt. And the bulge in his- oh my god- my eyes shoot back up to his face and a small smirk creeps his lips. “Alright. Well it’s clear to me that you both have some issues. I feel like this goes a lot deeper than just sex. I think, y/n, you feel very unheard in your wants and needs and I feel like your husband might need to put his ego aside and listen to his wife” Dr. Cameron clears his throat before continuing. “I would suggest meeting with your wife one on one for the next session. I feel she needs a comfortable space to share exactly what is bothering her and I would like to do the same with your husband” he writes something down in his book before snapping it closed and standing.

“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both. I look forward to our next session” he opens the door of his office and shakes both our hands before I hear the soft click of the door shutting behind us and something inside me gets giddy at the fact that I get it be alone with him next week.

Taglist

@f4ll-for-you @v21sstuff @rafeysworldim19 @baby19sthings @sevenwivesofrafecameron @rxfecameronsslut @findapenny @r1vrsefx @spencerreidsrealgf @rafescokenostril @thievin-stealing @hoesindifferentshows @rafemotherfuckingcameron

[cameronspecial]

Assisting In Deception (Part 2)

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of Sex and Assassinations.

Pronouns: She/Her

Word Count: 2.8K 

Summary: Rafe makes an unusual offer that Y/N takes just to prove a point to her cousin.

Masterlist

Y/N enters Rafe’s office to see him scrolling on his phone at his desk. His coffee is left cold in its mug while his focus is on his phone. He looks in her direction at the sudden feeling of another presence in the room. She walks over to the chair in front of his desk and waits for him to put down his phone. “Yes, Ms. Y/L/N. What do you need?” he offers, giving her his full attention. She readjusts her posture with the sudden new gaze on her, “I know it’s a little early, but I was wondering if I could have March 18th off.” His eyebrows knit together in confusion. She isn’t one to request time off unless she is sick and he highly doubts she can predict being sick six months in advance. He knows she is a planner, but no one could schedule a sickness.

“Okay, may I ask why you need the day off?” 

“For my cousin’s wedding. I mean it would be great if I could have the whole six months just to look for a date, but I could do with just the day.”

“You need a date for the wedding?” 

“It’s not necessarily a need. It just would make my life a little easier to go to the wedding without being questioned by my relatives about why my romantic life is non-existent. It also doesn’t help that there are like a million parties before the actual wedding that I will be going to solo.” 

Rafe shifts his body weight forward, placing his elbow on his desk and his chin on his hand to show his interest. He feels as though fate plopped this opportunity in front of him. What are the chances that Y/N needs a boyfriend at the same time that he needs a girlfriend? “I have a proposition for you,” he states, calmy like what he is about to say is an everyday offer. Y/N’s head tilts, “What would that be?” He looks into her eyes and it feels as though he is about to reveal a deep dark secret. “I want you to be my girlfriend.” She sits there in shock for a solid minute; her mouth hangs open, saying nothing. Rafe worries, waving his hand in front of her face, “Ms. Y/L/N?” “I’m not sure what to say about that,” she admits with bewilderment all over her face. Rafe nods, “I should clarify. I would like for you to be my fake girlfriend. I would go to all of your family events and in exchange, you would let me use you to show the media that I’m not everything they say I am.”

“I see. So you want to use me.”

“Well, yes. But I shouldn’t have used that word. We would just make media appearances together and that’s it.”

“Theoretically, if I were to say yes, I need more details on what you would require me to do.” 

“Exactly what I said. You could flaunt me in front of your family. I’d go to the engagement party, bridal party, the wedding and any other thing related to the wedding. For me, you would just need to make one or two event appearances, be seen with me in public a few times and maybe one interview. That’s it. If you agree, we could write this all down in a contract.”

“What about the fact that you are my boss? Don’t you think people will say things about that?” 

“They probably will, but everyone will have criticism of who I say I’m dating anyway. I have full confidence that you can charm the public.” 

Y/N takes a second to ponder what he is saying. She weighs the pros and cons of his statement and in her mind, the cons come out on top. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cameron. But I don’t think I’m comfortable with the idea of being in the spotlight. Thank you for offering though.” She gets up from the chair and makes her way back outside.

——

It’s been a few hours since Y/N has been in his office and she can’t stop thinking about what he said. She turned down the offer because she wasn’t sure it was a smart idea with her crush on him. The relationship would be fake, but the possibility of her catching true feelings for him could be a risk. It would be too painful if that happened and then they had to stop dating. She would rather take the annoyance of being single than the pain of heartbreak. She still can’t believe how calm and collected he was throughout the whole conversation. He acted like he was asking her what she wanted for dinner, not like he was asking her to lie to the world about their relationship. The ringing of her phone snaps her out of her thoughts. 

She takes it out of her pocket to answer it. “Hey Y/N, how are you? Did you get Francine’s wedding invite?” Natalie asks through the phone. Y/N shakes her head at her cousin’s inability to hide what she really wants to know. Natalie has only ever had one interest in life and that is one-upping her cousin. “I did, Nat. Are you going?” she plays into her cousin’s game. 

“Of course, I’m going. I love Francine, so I would totally want to go to her wedding. Plus, Richard can take the day off. I’m thinking of getting us matching hats for the wedding. Well, a fascinator for me and a top hat for him.” 

“That sounds like a great idea. I’m glad that you are happy with Richard.”

“So… Are you going to be going to the wedding solo again?”

The hint of pity and patronizing in her tone irritates Y/N to no end. Y/N responds without another thought, “Actually, I do have a date. Not that it is your business really. Anyway, I have to go. My boss is calling me.” She hangs up the phone and sighs at what she has to do. She gets up from her desk, knocking on Rafe’s door. She enters at his approval and sits herself in the same chair again. “I accept,” she informs. “But I want a say as to what goes into the contract.” 

“I can work with that.” 

Rafe holds his hand out for her to shake. As she shakes it, worry floods through her. She realizes that this isn’t just going to be something her family is going to see, but the whole world is going to know about their relationship. What will they say when they learn she isn’t the heiress of some big company? What will they think if they learn she is his assistant? She buries her stress deep inside and promises to not let it out until this whole thing is over. 

——

The staff lounge is empty except for Topper sipping his tea whilst on his phone. He may be the head of legal at Cameron Development, but he always makes sure to get to know everyone in the company, no matter the rank of their job title. “Ahh, well if it isn’t the new Mrs. Cameron,” he jokes when he notices her at the door. She smiles at him and walks to the Nespresso machine, “That is not a new nickname that you are calling me. So I see you got the contract.” Topper laughs at the seriousness of her voice at what he called her. “That I did. I have to say I was not expecting to see a contract about your relationship with Rafe when I woke up this morning.”

“Me either. All I wanted was someone to go to my cousin’s wedding with me. And now, I am going to be paraded around his world.”

“Well, you could’ve just asked me. I’m always available to take you out.”

“Thanks but the only taking out I’m considering right now is the one where you would need a gun. All jokes aside, I think it’s going to be fine. Rafe is a good boss.”

“He is and if he ever gets on your nerves too much, you can always come to me.” 

“I’ll definitely keep that in mind.” 

——

Rafe looks around the subway station horrified about the state of the place. His expensive dark blue polo shirt and tan dress pants are a stark contrast to the hot and rat-infested platform. Y/N giggles at the look on his face, “It’s like you’ve never been on  the subway before.” “I haven’t,” he admits, looking at her with raised eyebrows. Her head moves from side to side and she hesitantly takes his hand to guide him onto the arriving subway.

One of the stipulations of the contract is that Y/N gets to take them on their first “outing” as a couple. She wanted to go out with him outside of work to get to know him more than the very little he’s allowed anyone he works with to get to know him; the exception being Topper and Kelce, who grew up with him and were given jobs when he took over the company. The other rule she stipulated is that she wants a soft launch of the relationship until it is necessary for her to be revealed as the mystery girl. At least, this way she can keep her privacy as long as she can. She had told Rafe to dress casually, but she really shouldn’t have been surprised that he still arrived looking like a million dollars. 

He keeps his sunglasses on as he pauses to sit down beside her on the subway seat. He takes a chance to glance at the costumed cookie monster and looks back at her. “Do you have to keep your sunglasses on? We are on the subway,” she questions, leaning in to talk to him. His eyes dart to the muppet beside him, “Yes, because me wearing sunglasses indoors is the strangest thing here. Why couldn’t we have taken my car?” She shoots him a playful glare. “Your fancy dancy car would bring too much attention to us and that is the last thing I want right now,” she explains, checking the subway screen to see how many stops until they get off. “Where are we going anyways?” he inquires, following her gaze. 

“It’s a surprise.” 

——

The pair exit the station and the sight before him is one he is familiar with. He isn’t sure what “regular” people restaurant is around Central Park, but he lets her steer them in the right direction. He looks down at their joint hand and he can’t help but notice how they interlace together perfectly. He shakes himself out of his observation and looks up to see the reason why she stopped. In front of him is a street cart that appears to be selling hot dogs. He looks over at her with a questioning look, “You want me to eat food that has come from a cart?” 

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad. And this place has a permit. It’s fine.”

“You can eat that stuff, but I’m not risking it.”

“Stop being so snooty. Eating is part of a date. So you are going to go sit on that bench and eat whatever I get you. If you are a good boy, then maybe I’ll get you a Spider-Man or Spongebob ice cream. Dealers choice.” 

He stares at her in surprise that she talked to him in such an ordering manner. She always speaks her mind, but she normally does it in a less commanding way. He listens to what she says and goes to sit on a bench looking over the lake. After a few minutes, she comes back with two hot dogs and water bottles. She hands him one of each, “I have ketchup and mustard packets if you want. I didn’t get you a New York hot dog because I thought I would ease you into street food culture.” He takes the packets with thanks and adds the condiments to his meal. They eat in silence until she breaks the silence. “So you grew up in the Outer Banks. What’s that like?” He looks over at her, finishing chewing before answering, “Yeah. It was quiet.” 

“Wow, this has been a great conversation. Thank you for participating in it!”

“I don’t know what you expect, Ms. Y/L/N. I’ve never been much of a talker.” 

“First, when we are outside of the office, you can call me Y/N. Second, what I expect from you is to stop being Mr. Cameron, my boss, and to be Rafe, my boyfriend. If people are going to actually believe we are dating, then you have to separate those two.” 

“Okay, fine. I see your point. Ask me another question.” 

She grins at his offer and takes a second to think about it, “You are never playful or smile, so why do you tease me sometimes? It’s the least serious I’ve ever seen you.” 

“You’re the only one who isn’t afraid of me. Plus, it amuses me how flustered you get.”

Y/N is rendered speechless and she uses one hand to put her hair that is framing her face on both sides of her face behind her ear. The conversation flows in small talk while they finish their hot dogs. She takes their garbage and stands up, “You’ve been good. I guess I can get you an ice cream. Do you want Spider-Man or Spongebob?”

“Are those the only two options? What about the other flavours?” 

“Yes. Now, choose.” 

“Spongebob.”

She nods and heads back over to the stand. He watches as she pays for the sweet treats and returns to him. Rafe didn’t want her to pay for everything on the date, but she had put it as a requirement in the contract. He takes the package from her, opening it as soon as it makes contact with his hand. The disappointment on his face is evident on his face and she laughs. “This does not look like the picture,” his lips turn in a microscopic pout. Her head moves from side to side, “Things rarely do, Boss.” 

——

Y/N returns home from the date a little after five to find Juni sitting on the couch, watching TV.  “Where have you been? You didn’t tell me you were going out, Sweetie,” Juni interrogates, getting up from the couch to be closer to Y/N. She chuckles at her best friend worrying like her mother. She gives her a hug, “Did you forget that I told you about my fake date with Rafe today?” “Oh, yeah. I did. Sorry, I’ve been so busy with work that I forgot. How was your date with the Big C?”  she apologizes, sitting herself down at the kitchen island. 

“One. That cannot be your new nickname for him. Two. It was good. He opened up to me a little bit, so we are making progress. It was adorable, he was so disgruntled that the Spongebob ice cream wasn’t like the picture. Also, apparently, he teases me because he likes to see me flustered.” 

The loving look in Y/N’s eyes causes Juni to frown, “Just be careful with him. I don’t want you getting hurt in this whole fake dating thing, Sweetie. I’ve never seen these things end well.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t fall for him. He’s my boss and nothing more.” 

Alexander enters the apartment with no knock and an annoyed look on his face. “Why must people be so crude? Why does no one want a serious relationship anymore?” he complains, settling himself on the couch. The girls turn with concerned looks on their faces. “Another bad date?” Y/N poses, getting up from her stool to sit beside him. “Yes, this guy literally told me all he wants is a fuck buddy. And when I asked him why he still tried to match with me even though my profile said I wanted a relationship, he said that he just thought I was lying and would agree to just fucking when I saw his face,” he answers and lets himself be embraced by Y/N. Juni gets up to rub his back in reassurance, “Ugh, I hate men that are so cocky like that. I’m sorry the date went bad. He doesn’t realize what a great guy he is missing out on.” 

Heat rushes to his cheeks and he scratches the back of his neck. They look into each other's eyes. Anyone but them can see the obvious attraction between the two. Y/N looks between the pair with a slight bit of jealousy. She wishes that she could have chemistry like that with someone, but that would require believing in love first.

Taglist: @loves0phelia @thelomlisrafecameron @wickedlovely121 @aprilrudgate @loving-and-dreaming @thepatriarchykeychain @maybankslover @abbybarnesstuff @wh0reforbucknasty @spencereidbasis

[fyodior]

It's like 6am now but brain is Thonking Things and I gotta get them out before I forget them

The thought of the day is: getting pregnant with twins

I just know oda would be the happiest out of them all to find that out, like we were supposed to have only one child but now we're getting a bonus one too?? We get to take care of two more kids?? Best day of his life. As soon as you tell him you're gonna have twins I can see him looking at you with his usual neutral face like this 😐 while you can hear the cogs spinning in his brain for a moment as he processes what you said fdjsjdj then a moment later he comes to terms with the fact that the two of you have really been blessed and he hugs you close to himself and tells you how happy he is and how much he loves you with a bit of a wobbly voice bc he's just that happy🥺 the next day he's going to his usual restaurant to tell the owner and the orphans how they're going to have two new friends soon

Dazai would be kinda shocked bc we're gonna have two mini demons running around the house instead of just one??? Am I gonna have to share my belladonna's affections with both of them??? On the outside he's going to act like a clown as usual, telling everyone in the ada about the news and having kunikida nag him for hours everyday bc DON'T YOU DARE MAKE YOUR CHILDREN BECOME SUICIDE MANIACS LIKE YOU!! cjsjsjs But on the inside, having a child with you was already a big choice that required lots of trust for him, but after he hears the news and accepts them he goes to oda's grave and tells him as well, he tells him that he's finally settled down with you and is going to have a family and how happy he is to get to do this this you. "I hope you're proud of me, Odasaku."

Chuuya was already reluctant having just one child with you bc he's a mafia executive and he knows his profession/position could endanger you (not that he'd ever let someone hurt you ofc) but then the two of you agreed to try and have one child to see how the situation would change. He didn't expect that at all when you told him you were having twins, he just stared at you with a mix of joy and shock and he didn't even know what to say. He didn't want to upset you so first he might go to kouyou to talk about his concerns, and after she reassures him that everything will be alright he comes back home and swears to himself to do everything he can to help you throughout the pregnancy and after the children are born. Once he's holding both of them for the first time in his arms he might try to act all tough but then he slowly breaks down into tears and cries with you

Now for fyodor, everything he does is calculated, so having you get pregnant might also have been a calculated act on his part. He decided that this time would be the best for the two of you to have a child bc his plans wouldn't interfere with the pregnancy and viceversa so he bred you extra hard yk djsksks what wasn't calculated tho was you having twins. He knew it was a possibility ofc but he didn't expect that to actually happen. He is obviously happy and gives you lots of praise and patience throughout the pregnancy, making sure your health is at its peak at all times and spoiling you with whatever you might want on your bad days. He might find it endearing when you're so close to crying bc your belly is too big and you can't koala-hug him on his lap anymore jdjsjsdjs you know that some people put headphones on their belly to make the child listen to music? He does that too with you but in the extra fancy way that is playing the cello next to your bed. I'm trying so hard to keep this sfw but my brain keeps chanting pregnancy sex pregnancy sex djdjsjdj

- 💍

my brain is also chanting pregnancy sex at all times always and forever. also everything utc because this got long as per usual

and you're so fucking right abt all of them kfljslf;ksjkd oda would be ECSTATIC because. idk if he necessarily wants a big family but he wants more than one, though the thought of you suffering multiple times for multiple babies is so painful for him. so the fact that you're getting TWO babies for the pain of only one pregnancy makes him soooo happy like it's probably everything he could've asked for. and when you're freaking out bc you were already worried about keeping up with care for one baby and now there's gonna be two, he easily calms you down and assures you he's gonna be there every single step of the way bc you're a team. and even tho any mention of the orphans fills me with debilitating pain it melts my fucking heart thinking abt how over the moon they'd be esp because they rarely see oda that happy. he would ADORE your body too

like you said with dazai it definitely would take a LOT of trust and chewing on the idea for him to even be willing to try for a baby, and that's with expecting only one at a time lskfjskd and i can see him only wanting one in general. he'd so paint on a dazai-typical happy silly face for his coworkers but yeah it'd be a pretty major internal struggle for him at first. and all of the agency is a little bit scared bc they could barely picture dazai with one kid but now he's gonna have 2 LMAO but they know you well and trust that you'll raise them well. and you know that dazai's heart is so big and he's such a good guy that'd genuinely want the best for his babies and would work so hard to be a good father, probably thinking of odasaku and what he would do a lot. and the thought of him sitting at his grave to tell him is fr tearing me apart that fucking hurts lfdsjsdkl i can see him bringing a bottle of liquor and pouring two glasses, just talking like. "two! crazy, isn't it? i think you'd be a great uncle." and he'd definitely tell his kids allll about their uncle oda </3

ur right because chuuya would act so brave but would fucking flip out - but he knows you're anxious as hell about it so you wouldn't hear a second of it. i agree i think that kouyou would be the first person he went to, like the only realistically responsible adult he knows flkadsfljdks when mori finds out he'll be so excited and want to dote all over them and have them play with elise but chuuya would be like only under my supervision you fucking weirdo LMAO he's a very smart guy who's amazing at troubleshooting and dealing with any situation but i think he struggles with it more in his personal life, though he'd find his footing eventually. he'd realize that the most important thing by far is supporting and helping you the whole way, doing anything and everything he can because whatever stress he's feeling you're definitely feeling tenfold. when chuuya loves he loves hard, and that applies to both you and his kids

i think fyodor would definitely be mostly prepared for the scenario of twins, but still be taken aback because he didn't quite expect it to actually happen aldfja;kdfj he would def spoil you to death even to the point where ur like i love you but chill. i think he'd be excited though. im guessing he's never had a loving, supportive family who genuinely cares for each other (and shows it) so i think (with time, i wouldn't say he's necessarily like this now) he'd be very happy to not only show love to a whole family but to receive it too. to be looked up to and revered with unconditional love by 2 babies is something unfathomable to him. he's similar to chuuya in that when he loves, he loves HARD. and every single waking second would be spent protecting you, which would obviously increase to protecting his 2 babies. it would be hard for him, but the now 3 of you are his entire world and he's very protective/possessive - no one is allowed to step anywhere near those kids for a while alkfjlskdjfds "can we please homeschool them?" "no. they're going to real school fedya." similar to oda but probably more so, he would absolutely adore and revere your changing body, would be absolutely obsessed with your growing baby bump that is obvi bigger with two babies. he wants to touch it and be near it and play music for it all the time, sometimes he talks to your stomach more than he talks to you aldsfjadslkj i love him so much :(

[clementine-thedestroyer]

Aroura Borealis - König x reader - Part 1

Series master post- Read on Ao3

This is a multichapter fic so just to clarify, not all of these tags apply to this chapter (in fact, almost none of them do) but I do want to give people a heads up of what they're getting into, especially because this is a lot darker than my usual writing.

Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

Warnings/Tags: Fem!reader, eldritch!König, kidnapping, manipulation, gaslighting, violence, minor character death, end of the world, apocalypse/post-apocalypse, potential dub/non con. Dead dove, do not eat. It may not seem like it now but you've been warned. Based on/inspired by the Lemon Demon song by the same name. Alt summery: your boyfriend turns out to be an immortal being beyond your possible comprehension, but all he really cares about is making sure you're safe through the end of the world. /j but not really.

“Let’s take a month-long impromptu vacation we can’t afford to the Canadian Northern Territories.” Your boyfriend said.

“It’ll be fun,” He said.

You shouldn’t have agreed to this. You should’ve raised more questions at König’s sudden insistence to take a holiday.

But no, you’d let him bring you out here. You’d let him pack way too much for this trip. You’d let him convince you that he had the money for it. You’d let him take you somewhere so remote that you had to fly in to the closest “town” (town being a strong word for the small collection of buildings he’d shown you on google maps) on a bush plane, just to get some guy König knew from the military who knew the area to drive you up to the place you’d be staying. You let him do all of it. You’d pushed past your unease and just tried to enjoy yourself for once. And for a brief moment, everything had been fine. König had been right, you were just being weird about it.

The area was beautiful. The town was the only civilization for miles, and it was situated on the northern bank of a large, frozen river and surrounded from all other directions by boreal forest and rising mountains. 

The buildings were a charming hodgepodge of styles, sizes, and colors. The rural, unplanned community was so different from the cookie cutter suburbs and high density urban areas you were used to.

The ground was covered in dense layers of snow- packed down into makeshift trails where people would walk from building to building or towards the tree line. The wind whipped across the flat, icy plane of the river, gathering speed and picking up tiny bits of snow and ice so when it hit your skin, it felt like a thousand tiny pinpricks all at once. 

The people you met were lovely too. There was a small general goods type store towards the center of the town that König had directed you to go wait and warm up in while he talked to the guy he’d known from up here, and the elderly couple who ran it were sweet as could be. You’d bought a few basics for dinner and a cheesy little souvenir keychain from them. Not necessarily because you needed it, but because the couple who ran the store were as sweet as could be.

You chatted with the woman as she rang up your items, telling her about how König had decided to bring the two of you up here and listening when she tells you how during the summer, the cabins on the mountain side are rented out regularly for vacations, but that she’d never seen the owner rent one out during the offseason.

“Strange young man, that one.” She mutters, shaking her head and looking out the window at the man talking with König before turning back to the small register and punching in the code for a can of chili. “He’s lived up here for god knows how long and I hardly see him. Never heard him say more than a few words or take off that mask and sunglasses either.”

You frown, watching the König and the man talk outside for a moment. 

It wasn’t snowing at the moment- although the locals had assured you that you’d probably be sick of the snow by the time you left- and König and the other man stood stiffly facing each other. König had his hands stuffed deep in his pockets and wore a tense expression towards the other that didn’t quite fit the narrative of “old military friend” he’d given you. The other guy seemed much less on edge- as he was leaning against the side of the bed of what you assumed to be his truck with his arms crossed loosely over his chest. He was shorter than König and wore a fabric face mask, hat, and reflective sunglasses like the ones you’d see at outdoor stores like REI or Bass Pro Shop.

König was wearing a face covering of sorts too- as was typical for him. You knew that, on the field, he almost always wore a sniper hood (he liked to keep his work separate from you- he tried not to let you see him in full gear or anything of the sort, but as far as you were concerned, the “sniper hood” looked like an old T-shirt with eye holes). But in public, it was usually just a disposable face mask. The cold had given him an excuse to switch it up a bit though, and he’d taken to wearing a hat and scarf- with one of the scarve’s loops done loose enough that it could be lifted up and over his nose and ears to cover the bottom of his face.

The two painted a stark contrast, with König wearing carefully chosen sets of layers under his windbreaker and snow pants and looking like someone properly dressed for the weather, with the other man wearing a dark leather bomber style jacket over what looked like no more than a sweater underneath.

It reminded you a bit of when you’d see how people from warmer places would dress for the cold as opposed to people from those areas- and you’d never admit it to König, but you did find it a bit funny.

König’s friends have always been a bit odd. The face covering isn't the most out of place thing you’ve seen among them. König, himself in fact, could probably be considered a bit odd. You’ve always just chalked it up to his military career.

Once the woman had rang up your things, you bid her farewell with a smile and promised to stop by again before you headed back home.

König had made quite a fuss about your purchases when you came back out, asking why you took so long and insisting that the cabin would already have everything you needed in it, and that there was no need for “backup canned chili”, as he called it.

He had seemed nearly glued to your side that day, always keeping you close by with a protective hand somewhere on you or directing you exactly where to wait for him as he sorted out issues. Hence, you being told to wait inside the store.

After finishing with his lecture on the backup chili, König sighed and took your hand, telling you to come meet the friend he’d told you about.

He starts to lead you toward the man and his truck, and as you get closer, you can see a heavy duty set of snow chains in the vehicle’s tires. When you get close to the man, König stops, pulling you tight against his side by your waist, introducing the man to you as Horangi.

For a moment, the man was silent. Simply looking you up and down before turning his head back to König.

“This is her?” He asked, not giving you so much as a second look.

You can’t see it, but you hear the rustling of his clothes as König nods his head in response. The exchange filled you with a mix of embarrassment at being spoken about like you weren’t present and awkwardness at the palpable tension between König and Horiangi.

Another second of silence passes and Horiangi gives you another look before stuffing his hand in his pocket and pulling out his keys.

“Alright. Get in.” He says, apathy audible in his tone. He pushes himself upright from where he’d been leaning against the side of his truck and turns around, walking around toward the driver's side without another word or glance.

The whole exchange had struck you as odd, but König simply patted your back, directing you towards the passenger door.

“Sorry, Schatz. He doesn’t get out much.” He says, giving you an apologetic smile before opening the passenger door of the truck and folding down the passenger seat.

You hold back a groan at the sight of a jump seat, knowing that you’ll be stuck in the undoubtedly cramped back seat for however long the drive is. You weren’t quite sure where you were expecting to sit, as the truck only even had two doors- and König certainly wouldn’t be the one climbing into the back, but the sight of the tiny, low to the ground bench seat was enough to make your legs ache just thinking about it.

You step one foot up onto the floor of the truck, using it as a step so you can squeeze through the small space left by the folded down front seat to get into the back.

You try your best to do so gracefully and not fall face first into the back, but König resting his hand on your lower back to steady you (and not at all just so he could slide his hand down towards your ass) startles you and makes you lose your footing, leaving you to slide into the back and land on your knees with a soft “oof” sound.

You shot König a small glare, not missing the smirk he fails to keep hidden- even with the scarf covering half his face.

Once you’re situated in the backseat with your seat belt buckled and your backpack handed to you, König sits the front seat back up, and you find yourself crammed into a space that’s really only meant to hold children. Leg room as a concept is nonexistent. The seat is only half a foot or so off the truck floor and there’s barely enough room for you to sit with your feet flat.

The drive had been long and quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Horangi seemed comfortable to focus on driving, navigating the snow covered roads expertly even as they wound and doubled back on themselves, and you were happy to just enjoy the scenery, watching through the window as spruce, firs, and pine trees- all with their beaches sitting heavy from the weight of snow- pass by.

Your legs ached to be stretched after sitting in such an uncomfortable position and you’d found yourself beginning to doze off during the drive. Not quite falling asleep, but leaning your head against the window frame and letting your eyes glaze over. The flight had taken a toll on you - flights, actually. Plural. Because first there was one just to get to Yellowknife, then there was another on a bush plane to actually get to the area. And the jet lag was, frankly, a bitch. 

You were jerked out of your daze when the truck stopped and König reached back, using the shoulder of the driver's seat to brace himself, and you felt his hand envelop your shoulder as he gently shook you awake.

“Schatz, we’re here.” 

You let out a groan, sitting up and waiting for König to fold forward his seat so you could get out. 

Horangi had opened his door and gotten out the moment the car stopped, jerking the parking brake up and putting the car in park before yanking out his keys and tossing them in the cup holder, not bothering to take them with him. You stared at the keys for a moment, brow furrowing.

It was easily explainable enough. You were in the middle of nowhere, there was likely no one but you three for miles. But even then, Horangi leaving his keys in his truck made you do a double take. 

Most people would’ve slipped them in their pocket out of habit at least- but maybe your and König’s presence was simply disruptive. It was clear that Horangi either wasn’t in the mood for other people, or König calling them two “friends” had been a stretch… or maybe it was you. You wouldn’t blame him for not wanting to be a third wheel.

Regardless, you got the sense that Horangi wanted to get the two of you settled as fast as possible, even if for no reason other than to get you out of his hair.

When König folded the front passenger seat down, you first helped to hand forward the stuff that’d been put in the backseat with you for the drive before climbing out- nearly falling on your face in the process, courtesy the burning in your legs from the cramped space.

Outside of the truck, you caught your balance and looked around. Horangi was nowhere in sight and König was already moving away from the car, walking towards a narrow path that cut through the conifers. You took it as a sign to follow, reaching down to pick up two bags from where they sat in the snow.

The area where the road ended was densely wooded with spruces and firs, and the fluffy snow that blanketed the ground was undisturbed aside from your little trios’ footprints and the truck’s tire tracks.

It was cold, but König had apparently known what he was doing as far as getting winter gear for you, because the temperature was manageable, despite the wind burning your face whenever you made the mistake of looking into it.

You’d hardly had the chance to take two steps before the bags you were carrying were plucked out of your hands, making you jump and yelp as you turn to see Horangi beside you.

You hadn’t heard him approaching- a feat considering how loudly the snow would crunch as anyone walked across it. You stood frozen for a moment, watching as he took the bags from you with no more than a grunt. 

“You startled me-“ you said, trying to keep a stutter from your voice. “I didn’t hear you coming.”

“People usually don’t.” Horangi says, not giving you another look or a chance to respond before he starts down the trail.

You’re left standing there, staring at the space Horangi had disappeared to. The odd response left you drawing a blank.

You were really starting to think he didn’t like you… either that, or maybe you still weren’t used to the weirdness that came with König’s friends.

[ofindigoskies]

while I do agree that it is funny to assume the characters in the fell xenologue are simply personality flips I also think it would be so much more fun to take it as an examination of the characters, what changed to make them different from their counterparts, and how it reflects on the ones that we know in the main story

so with that said….. here's my essay on why despite the fact that it looks like personality flip with no basis, alternate Alcryst (Altcryst) is actually not that unbelievable, just a version taken to the extreme due to the nature of the alternate world

"must I do everything for you, my pathetic excuse for a brother"

a good example that it is not simple swaps can start with Celine, I have seen many point out that the alt version of her is not necessarily a personality swap, just her ruthlessness to do whatever it takes for the benefit of her people taken to the extreme in a harsher world

"if they must suffer in order for our people to live, so be it"

(and this is just from her B support with Alear)

Celine cares deeply for her brother, and by extension the nation of firene.

(A support with Fogado)

Now this version of her has grown up in a world where peace isn't a norm and has to be fought to assured, pushing her ruthlessness to achieve it to the front.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if alt Fogado turns out similar to alt Celine

(A support with Celine)

ultimately they are willing to do the extreme for what they believe is for the benefit of their family and kingdom, but since they have grown up in relative peace, they do not often have to act on it and as such this side is rarely shown.

Due to the world fell xenolgue presents which is much less peaceful, this tendency and side is pushed to the forefront. This I believe can be applied to Alcryst as well

(images you can hear)

From just one line, it is already a shocker that 1. Altcryst is extremely harsh and 2. he is demeaning alt Diamant (not giving Diamant a funny nickname sorry)

regarding the first point. (slapping alcryst like a car) this guy can fit so much rage and hate in him. This negative energy in general is primarily seen directed towards himself but we have seen it directed at others before, mainly towards those he does not respect and consider his enemy

(chapter 11 where being a hater overrides respecting diamant)

this cold brutality also can be seen in his introduction scene, he has an aggressiveness that is quite fitting for a country of might, and has a very attack first, apologise (profusely) later policy

this is also seen towards Ivy and Hortensia who used to be his enemies and he does not drop that attitude towards Ivy until their C support when he realises that she no longer needs to be considered a threat

Camilla notes in her bond conversation with him that he is different on and off the battlefield. She also says that they are similar in their duality of kindness to their allies but lack of mercy to their enemies

(from their A bond conversation)

this is especially shown in how his critical lines are quite different from how he normally speaks, in the eng version this comes across as him being confident and assertive and in the jp version he comes across as being steadfast and serious. (I enjoy both and I'm not trying to pit them against each other but think there is enough difference to point it out)

I was going to insert clips but tumblr doesn't allow more than one video per post :/ you can look at the eng version here and the jp version here

notably, Alcryst's attitude and manner of speaking while in battle is similar to the personality Altcryst shows in the trailer. This leads me to believe that this is the aspect of Alcryst more prominent in the universe

so while Alcryst is a sopping wet cat, he has absolutely the potential to snap and bite, the gap moe is vital to his characterisation even

which brings us to the second point, that Altcryst does not seem to have those boundaries and is able to berate even alt Diamant. so. why?

first let's look at why Alcryst has low self worth in the first place, and why he puts Diamant on such a high pedestal.

Conveniently, Alcryst's B support with Fogado lays it out because Fogado straight up was like hey Alcryst can you tell me about your childhood so I can understand why you are Like This

which, in short, Alcryst was born with a significant age gap between him and Diamant, and as such grew up hearing everyone praise Diamant and compare him negatively in regards to Diamant's achievements, ultimately making him internalise it as having no worth at all. which. uhm. why are you comparing a child's achievement to someone probably in their teens.

(support B)

Alcryst has put Diamant on such a high pedestal that he is flawless in his eyes. (this also isn't helped by Diamant's own issues that is afraid of showing weakness) He seems to have his world blown when he learns that Diamant actually has fears and weakness.

(Support B with Diamant)

It is important to note that Alcryst in fact does have a good relationship with his family, we see Diamant and Morion be nothing but supportive towards him and his mention of his mother in his support with Saphir imply a good relationship there as well.

the impact that outside influences can still have on someone should not be underestimated though. I imagine this dissonance of being doted by his family and criticized by outsiders (who are likely nobles and private tutors who he still interacts a lot with) complicates his feeling of self worth and exacerbates his imposter syndrome

and the thing is that Alcryst is actually pretty skilled! It is straight up stated in his Ally notebook

(from serenesforest)

and in his A support with Diamant he scores 8 out of 10 in their archery competition while Diamant scored 9 out of 10

(A support)

which, you can take at face value like Alcryst that Diamant performed better than him, or note that it is actually pretty impressive for him to be so closely matched with Diamant considering their large age gap and thus the amount of experience they have

he is also very strategic that is noted in both his solo and paired endings, as "brilliant yet humble strategist" and "unrecognizably composed and powerful force in government" respectively. he also seems to naturally note the strategic effectiveness of areas he's in based on some of his exploration quotes

(from serenesforest)

lastly... regarding inner strength...... Alcryst may be far more stronger in it than Diamant. He is more decisive than Diamant, who is more hesitant and struggles with self doubt and his readiness for the throne. Ironically this may be due to the expectations Diamant has experienced since young, leading him to be far more reserved and careful due to potential repercussions. Meanwhile Alcryst already thinks he's at the bottom and as such has no qualms making a potential mess to fight for what he thinks is right. Basically:

diamant: oh I asked for no pickles :/ ah well

alcryst: EXCUSE ME !!! he asked for NO pickles !!!!!

this particular decisiveness is actually what makes Morion say this:

(chapter 8)

actually this whole part shows a pretty important glimpse into what kind of enviroment the Brodia Bros grew up in so I'm going use my singular video embed on it.

(girl I did not notice the promos at the top until I downloaded it and clipped it on my phone I am not going to bother redownloading another video)

someone out there in Diamant Nation has probably dissected this more thoroughly than me but when Diamant expresses his worries, Morion does not outright dismiss it, but still brushes it away, not taking it very seriously. Morion is still a pretty good dad! both his sons clearly love him deeply but he also unknowingly contributed to a lot of their mental health problems, which Morion himself likely acquired from the environment of Brodia as well. he straight up says that he does not fear death, but fears being known as a king who runs from battle.

Diamant is similar to his father in that way, carrying a fear of not being a proper ruler and king for Brodia. Diamant struggles to uphold the values he was taught with but to instead use it to bring peace and separate it from a nation that uses it to wage war. and amidst all that he worries and worries and is told yet again that fear has no place in Brodia.

and despite all of Alcryst's low self worth, he does not hesitate or worry, he is decisive and quick to make harsh decisions. He does what he believes needs to be done, including dealing the killing blow at their father to spare Diamant from the guilt of having to do so

(and the tone of voice he says this in both eng and jp is the same one in his crit lines and therefore what Altcryst uses YESSSSS I am COOKING)

also this is a bit [guy with conspiracy theory strings] moment here but it may very well reflect in how they work as units as well. fe engage's gameplay encourages the player to go on the offense, which Alcryst excels at, Diamant on the other hand is has sol and geared more for defensive play (and the sol barely activates due to his low dex oof) while alcryst with luna that scales off his high dex is activating it every other attack. this is also an excuse to link a funny video I found

so!!! due to the environment Alcryst was raised in, he grew to believe that Diamant was better than him in any way and as such placed him on an incredibly high pedestal. He in return perceives himself as having very little worth, when in truth is very skilled and possesses many traits that one could argue are very "Brodian"

well what kind of enviroment did Altcryst grow up in?

we can see that Altcryst is harsh to alt Diamant, Diamant is no longer on the high pedestal our Alcryst has placed him at (or arguably never there at all? there's not enough information to know)

so what's going on with alt Diamant? from the trailer, the way he speaks sounds much meeker to the Diamant we know. from a surface glance of that, it might be assumed that the brothers simply swapped personalities, but you have already read my argument on why the world is not a simple swap, just a change of circumstances that brings sides of the characters we know that is not so easily seen pushed to the front. and the same can be said of Diamant, who we've already seen struggles with anxiety, self doubt, and hesitance on his readiness for the throne.

Morion notes that Diamant has increased worry lately, from what I can assume is from the threat of a full war. I don't find it difficult to believe that alt Diamant, who grew up in a much less peaceful world, will be much more anxious. as such, the anxiety and fear that Diamant keeps buried is brought to the forefront in this world.

Altcryst interestingly says "must I do everything for you" implying that he believes he can do a better job than Diamant and take over the task, that he has done this multiple times before, and maybe even a frustration that he has to do so. If it's difficult to imagine Alcryst believing he can be better than Diamant he actually achieves this in their A support!

in this context he follows it up by saying

(which is another important part of Alcryst's character, that he will push past his boundaries for the sake of his loved ones)

there's no direct connection, but I do find it interesting how he says this after he realises that Diamant isn't as perfect and flawless as he thought

going back to Alcryst and Fogado's B support, this very interesting idea is brought up:

and Alcryst's response to why he wouldn't is:

which poses the question of, how would Alcryst have turned out if he realised much earlier that Diamant isn't as flawless as he thought?

well the fell xenologue is right there

half joking, while I do think that is part of the reason, the other reasons that I have mentioned play a role as well. along with the fact that due to the restless state of the world, Altcryst is put into "battle mode" more often bringing out that side of him more

okay so here comes my own interpretation that has less of me pointing back to canon and more of me going a bit delusional (I say as if I am not over 2k words deep in this)

In this world with more prominent conflict, alt Diamant is unable to cope with it like our Diamant can. As such, the worries and anxiety that our Diamant already hides is brought to the forefront for alt Diamant, making him come of as much more meeker than the one we know.

Due to this Altcryst does not place alt Diamant on such a high pedestal that our Alcryst does. I won't be surprised if the comparison still happens though, because it was already illogical in the original world. However, instead of taking it lying down and internalising it, Altcryst instead channels the rage and anger that our Alcryst is already capable of to prove them wrong. and from the competency already seen in our Alcryst, this is entirely doable.

I also believe that due to the state of the fell xenologue world, there are more conflicts thrown at them. and compared to Diamant's hesitance, Altcryst's quick thinking decisiveness often leads to him stepping in and taking charge. (much like how alt Celine is more ruthless in this world and alt Alfred, while reluctant and hesitant, still calls for the invasion to Brodia)

"must I do everything for you"

and while Altcryst's harshness to alt Diamant probably adds to alt Diamant's list of Problems (tm) it is likely a compounding addition. with their large age gap alt Diamant didn't grow up with this and likely developed his meeker personality from the other factors previously discussed

I still think that Altcryst cares in some way for his brother. much like how Celine and Fogado's ruthlessness is tied to the love for their family, Alcryst's capacity for rage and lack of mercy is strongly tied to how much he cares for his loved ones

(rotates this comment from their A support in my head in contemplation)

IN CONCLUSION

the fell xenologue world is not a simple swap but the aspects of the original counterparts that were not so obvious being brought to the front due to the harsher world they are in

the aspect that is brought out in Alcryst is his rage, brutal competency, and cold decisiveness

due to not placing Diamant on such a high pedestal, Altcryst does not suffer from as much lack of self worth and is able to channel his rage more easily (because this guy cannot cope properly in either universe)

Alcryst's capacity for harshness and lack of mercy goes hand in hand with his capacity to love, and I think Altcryst still cares for alt Diamant in his own way

thank you for coming to my TED talk

no seriously if you read all of this thank you so much

[jacksgreysays]

Hiiii how about a prompt for Further Down Road One, political marriage!Shikasuke, maybe something from an Uchiha's POV on the Shikabane-hime's meteoric rise in power, international acclaim, and political capital? And how it ripples out onto the clan as a whole?

I mean, the point of Road One is that the arranged marriage itself already does SO MUCH to change the trajectory of the Uchiha clan’s fate for the better that, basically, everything else after that is kind of a bonus. The fact that Shikako’s smart and powerful and a good person is NICE, yes, but just being engaged to Sasuke already earned so much approval from the clan as a whole that it’s just kinda… ehhhh…

Although… and this somewhat of a tangent to the prompt… it would be funny if… okay, let me set this up by saying: I don’t necessarily like Itachi as a character. When he was kind of a psychopath and apparently just murdered his entire family to test his power, that was at least a… strength of will or conviction that kind of resonated thematically. Like, what if Will of Fire goes bad kind of thing. Or the pressures of being clan heir, of being pushed too hard and too fast, would lead to a genius of violence snapping and using said violence. Then when it turns out he was given orders to murder his entire family and his one condition was that Sasuke would get to live is like… what the fuck dude. It’s both backtracking to make Itachi weaker as a character and also, somehow, even more of a psychopath in my opinion. And, like, sure, Danzo maybe used Shisui’s Sharingan to unbreakable genjutsu him into it, but I don’t think that really absolves Itachi.

All that being said, theoretically in this kinder world of Road One, we never get to that point. Additionally, there’s less pressure on Itachi to continue to excel SO OVERTLY since the clan isn’t getting isolated and also because Shisui is still there and alive to share the burden.

BUT, I do still… the idea that the Uchiha elders have been wanting one of the clan to become Hokage is something that I hold to be true unless proven otherwise. I do think the clan elders would push more for Itachi to be Hokage—because he is clan heir and so has the pedigree, while Shisui (just as powerful, literally Flee On Sight in the bingo books at such a young age) I think we’ve fandom agreed is an orphan or at least a lesser branch of the Uchiha clan.

Anyway, all of the above leads me to: Shisui and Itachi trying to PR campaign for their sister-in-law Shikako (who WILL be an Uchiha once the marriage actually) to be the new “best candidate” for an Uchiha Hokage. Like, really just them listing off all of her accomplishments to not only the Uchiha elders but the rest of the clan (who, again, already quite like her).

I also think, in this universe, that Shikako would DO SOMETHING about Sora-ku once she feels a little more comfortable making decisions—or, at least, making proposals with attached logistics—for the Uchiha clan. Like. It’s a huge chunk of territory that seems to be an abandoned city. But it’s apparently functional enough to have a community of sorts of black marketeers and a support system. Like, it’s not so out of the way of things that nobody bothers with it, which implies that it could be rejuvenated with the time and resources. I think I read a theory once that it’s because Senju used their skills to desertify the area so there just wasn’t enough food to support a city of that size. BUT, now they’ve got Shikako. And Shikako’s connections. Whether that is the ANY clan alliance or Tenzo/Yamato or upper echelons of Hidden Mist’s administration (Haku is an ice user, yes, but like he and Zabuza wouldn’t throw a squad of Mist nin with water nature to help with irrigation at Shikako’s request for free) or even the literal oasis creating ancient god Gelel.

So, you know, she’s more than proven herself to the world. And with the Sora-ku rejuvenation, already brought a level of prosperity to the Uchiha clan than they could ever imagine. “Shikako for Hokage” is not a hard sell for Shisui and Itachi whatsoever (and also, they do think Sasuke would be so happy as her First Gentleman/trophy husband)

Yeah, that’s kind of all I can think of for this prompt in terms of it being different than how the Nara clan or DoS canon clans for that matter would view her meteoric rise. Hope you enjoyed, anon.

[sageistri]

I have been entertaining the thought that RM demanded a solid promotional campaign and rollout since he’s been witness to everything that panned out last year. He watched from the sidelines JK getting posters, ads, promotion videos, playlisting, radio, influencer collaborations, media play and more. And I believe RM is someone who understands charts a fair bit. He watched one of them get everything on a silver platter and now probably wants a better package for himself too. Good for him. I hope everyone gets it. They still won’t get the scooter package, but anything is better than nothing. I hope JM gets it too. He’s gonna go to new heights with a half decent, unsaboataged album rollout.

Yeah so far his promo looks better than for indigo, not necessarily because of the posters alone but because I've seen a couple press releases giving insight into the album, and that's always a good way to drum up excitement.

But in my opinion all that doesn't do much if he's not getting the basics, the things that actually drives streams up and help with chart positions, which is good playlisting. What's the point of doing these things that only armys are going care about if they aren't doing the stuff that will get his music to a broader audience.

If a TTH placement wasn't the most important of all, some hybe artists wouldn't be getting it for every release and spending months on there.

Also I saw a lot of armys saying new jeans got the playlisting and support that BTS solos didn't get, and I agree but do they also forget that one member got more than new jeans ever got which means that Hybe could give it to the other members but they don't want to?. Like I understand saying "oh this rookie group got this but not bts", but I'm not going to blame a group of young girls for a decision hybe made themselves. Yes mhj is a leech, but I highly doubt she stopped bang pd from giving the others playlisting. Armys talking about payola when when jk is literally right there. If jk could spend months on TTH with multiple songs then I think other BTS members could get a good placement as well.

Like we all witnessed seven being moved up multiple spots on TTH in a single week, when usually the playlist gets updated weekly. Do you know the kind of in you need to have to get Spotify to do that?

Posters mean nothing when there's no playlisting, radioplay or even a good amount of physical cd stocks. If those weren't the ultimate needs, jk wouldn't have gotten all of that with 50k CDs being restocked every week.

Yes Tae got versions (but no CDs mind you or TTH), Hobi got CDs (and posters according to someone) but still no TTH. Everything's worse because the members aren't even here to perform or promote the music at all so they should be getting other ways to spread their music. At this point they can only hope a miracle happens for them.

Y'all don't understand how much work playlists do for an artist but I do understand and that's why I always talk about it. It's how you increase your monthly listeners because more people are introduced to your music, it keeps your Listener count and streams stable even of you don't drop music for a while. The weeknd doesn't have the biggest streams debut but he has the highest monthly listeners in the world and stability because his songs are added to a shit ton playlists.

At this point it feels like Hybe is doing all these little things like posters and CDs (with not even enough stock available) to hide the fact that they are not actually doing anything. Like I seriously doubt jk had less than 50k CDs first week for all 3 of his singles, but here they go giving other members 10-20k CDs that never gets restocked again. But of course jk Stans will say "I thought y'all said x could achieve what jk did if the got the same promo?, well look at friend(s)"... Itunes pre-orders and a couple versions does not even begin to put a dent in the kind of promo and push seven got but ok. If Hybe decided to give the other 6 members the exact same kind of push jk got they would definitely go bankrupt so why would they do that?

So right now even with Jimin I'm not banking on them doing what's expected, my hope right now is that he's able to get a broader audience even without their help. Lots of other artists have done it and he could.

[artistsfuneral]

The Road to Kaer Morhen - p.2 (there's an ao3 link now!)

Ultimately Jaskier decided on buying a long coil of rope and use the leftover coin to invest in a little Good Luck charm – not that he necessarily believed in the gods, but he liked the tradition. Given the fact that he had no idea what would await him on the path it really seemed like the best choice, but in the end only time could tell how much that was the case. Purchasing the rope went without any complications. The vendor clearly eyed the puffy sleeves of his favorite red and teal doublet, but decided not to comment on it further than a raised eyebrow.

The second stall though was tended to by a young woman, who had been staring at Jaskier for quite some time now. Like most sisters of the temple of Melitele, she wore a carmine dress and white shawl to resemble the goddess. Their eyes met and the bard immediately broke into the wide smile of a professional charmer. “A wonderful morning, isn't it, sweet lass?” She giggled, holding up her hand to hide how her cheeks reddened from Jaskier's gaze. “You're not from around here, are you?” she asked, busying her brown eyes by looking anywhere but Jaskier's face, who had yet to figure out if she was indeed as shy as she acted or simply a performer like himself. “Oh you are correct indeed, I am a humble traveler on my way south,” Jaskier lied with a flourish bow. “I certainly would have remembered the name of such a bewitching young lady as yourself, had we met before.” A delighted little sound escaped her mouth and she smiled down at her fidgeting hands. “My name is Josi. I was named after a cat.”

Each and every day Jaskier was reminded why he chose a life traveling the country over sitting in an estate all day and ruling over one. While he could very vividly picture Geralt's confused face in his mind, unexpected conversations like this brought him nothing but pure joy. Meeting new people, getting to know the most random facts through a conversation and being able to connect with them one way or another made the bard happy. “That is a wonderful name, Josi. I am Dandelion the Poet, I was named after a flower.” She giggled once more, “I like dandelions. They're yellow and puffy.”

“I like them too,” he agreed, imagining for a moment how he might look in a yellow doublet with puffed shoulders and a matching hat. It had been a while since he last tailored his own stage clothing but if he was spending an unforeseeable time in a fortress in the mountains it'd indubitably give him something to do during the awfully long summer days.

“Would you like to buy something?” Josi asked sweetly, pulling him away from his thoughts and back into the town, where he was standing at a market stall. “I'd love that,” Jaskier said, smiling when the young woman nodded her head in excitement. “Say, I've been eying that blue charm ever since I saw it, would you sell it to me?” Mimicking his smile she carefully held up a beautifully crafted sachet for the bard to inspect closer. Jaskier, who was drawn in by everything bright and colorful, gently took hold of the bag and openly marveled at it. It was a saturated, bright blue and had little golden flowers and a green vine stitched into it. The embroidery was of excellent quality and the little bag carried the soft smell of lavender and lemon grass. “You can pay less for it,” Josi offered, meeting Jaskier's eyes for a short moment as if to make sure he knew that she was being honest with him. Normally he'd accepted her goodwill in a heartbeat but Jaskier would have no use for coins if he was hiding away in the wilderness. “It is quite alright, dear, I can see that this was put together with a lot of care. It's only fair I pay you the full price.”

“You're very kind, Dandelion,” Josi spoke quietly, making Jaskier's stomach swoop.

“I try to be.”

After paying with the last of his coin, Jaskier bade Josi farewell with a gentle wave of his hand and the promise to think of her the next time he saw a colorful cat.

The way back to the inn wasn't extraordinarily long, but the streets had filled with the town's people and Jaskier had to carefully navigate his way through the crowd without bumping into anyone more than necessary. Meeting the eyes of the baker he winked at the man through his shop window, before opening the wide door to the inn and slipping inside. The air in the entrance was already warm and stuffy, promising an even warmer afternoon. Much like he did with everyone else, Jaskier greeted the innkeeper with a warm smile and a wave of his hand, before making his way up the stairs and to his room.

Upon entering the bard was met with a loud yawn and the view of his companion, sitting up in bed and arms stretched towards the ceiling. He chuckled, “Finally awake, sleepy head?”

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[weirdestcornelius]

I think the way Eve and Ally are treated by the narrative is weird.

Out of character, Kc has called both of their behaviors unreasonable. i forget the exact wording but kit said something about them being non-perfect and extremely flawed, that they weren’t necessarily wholly good as people. She seems to accept that their behavior is concerning, yet when writing the comic neither of them are given any kind of punishment. No one is ever called out (except Barry telling Eve to be nice like once i think??), nobody ever thinks back on their actions and tries to change, and with the recent development that “actually Sly is totally fine with Eve bullying her!!!” It feels like theres some weird disconnect between what Kc says and what she shows us in canon.

Sorry if this doesnt make sense or is a stupid thought

- 🃏

Don't worry, it makes sense! And I completely agree.

Kc says that they are flawed people, and that they're not perfect. Which they aren't! And I feel like the fact that they're never called out for their actions could make an interesting character arc. Such as Sly finally getting tired of the way Eve treats fen and blowing up on squeak instead of staying silent forever. Or Howie telling Ally that kits anger issues are an issue and stresses him out. But nope

Kc TELLS us that Ally and Eve are flawed characters, but we don't see that. There's no conflict. Everyone bends to their will, and while again; that would be interesting for a character arc, it's painted so that Eve and Ally are always in the right. "Ally gets angry when people say aliens aren't real because of kits autism!" Is a perfectly fine way to explain why she acts like that, but it is not an excuse for her to throw such giant tantrums that put others in literal danger.

I said this before on another blog, but using your mental disorders or neurodivergence as a shield to deflect people's problems with how you behave is ignorant and childish. While it can explain why you do something, if your actions hurt others around you (mentally or physically, both are terrible) then you need to change said actions. Even if your brain is wired differently, that is not an excuse to hurt others around you.

The fact that Kc is completely ignoring all of Sly's trauma and past thoughts and actions (take her toyhouse, for example) and retconning it to be that Sly is completely fine with everything Eve does and finds it FUNNY is terrible writing at best, and sticking up the middle finger to every family trauma victim that spoke up about it. The fact that buns hides Ally behind a shield of her autism is also upsetting; autistic or neurodivergent people do not get a free pass to hurt others just because of their neurodivergence. And just because Eve has been traumatized in the past does not give her an excuse to traumatize others, and that's coming from someone who rewrote Cuddles to act that way! It doesn't excuse her actions, because squeak is continuing the cycle of trauma and Kc is glorifying it.

[fryandleelasbigfling]

i think leela deserves more appreciation than she gets.

i mean obviously there’s the people who just kind of degrade her into a pinup girl, we can all agree that’s lousy. but i think even a lot of good natured fans will write her off as the no-nonsense straight man to fry and bender, the “one with the braincell,” the one who has everything together and isn’t really willing to get silly like the boys. 

and yeah that can be true, especially in earlier seasons. but i think people underappreciate leela’s development and the fact she really is a messed-up, complicated, weird woman. 

for one thing, her kickass fighting abilities are well understood, but her kung-fu skill emerged as a way to work out her anger from being bullied, so she often resorts to violence as a defense mechanism even when it isn’t necessarily needed. in “hell is other robots” she gets freaked out by the mosh pit and beats up the other concertgoers, “bender’s game” is about how her anger can overtake her and even being punished for violence won’t faze her, and in “lethal inspection” she outright admits violent outbursts are how she copes with mortality. “anthology of interest 1″ shows that she will descend into a murderous rampage at the slightest provocation if she had just a bit worse impulse control. 

she’s also really stubborn! like, she will have a full-on mental breakdown if someone insists she can’t do something, because she has such an issue with being treated as unwanted and “worthless” that she needs to prove herself as highly capable of anything. "the sting," “mobius dick” and “bender’s game” are both great examples, as is the back half of “bender’s big score” -- note the sharp turn from “happy, calm, in love, willing to let other people handle the situation” to “insists on taking charge, kicking ass, and self-isolating” after lars leaves her at the altar. 

also as great as it is that she’s more organized than fry, this veers into some weird habits like freezing all her dinners a month in advance and having a very minimalist apartment for a while. this plays into how anxious she gets about taking risks. she is very pedantic about grammar and can get ridiculously overzealous about keeping her crew safe and healthy. however she gets bored and frustrated when she doesn’t have excitement in her life. 

she is very bad at organizing papers, preferring to just hide things away even when they become too big to ignore (symbolic!), completely failing when she steps in for hermes in “lethal inspection.” she also forgot to vote despite preaching about it all episode in “a head in the polls.” she is not as infallible as she wants people to believe! she just tries harder to justify it to herself than others, because she also has a severe guilt complex -- if she admits to herself that she did something wrong, she feels she needs to be punished.

she has a lonely, mundane home life. she can struggle with creativity and settle on an unexciting option (i.e. wanting to use superpowers for “humdrum activities” in “less than hero”), which is where fry’s tendency to blurt out any idea that comes to mind comes in handy. 

despite being fairly fashionable, she sometimes struggles with traditional femininity. not just bc of her attitude and mutations but also her feet and breath stink lmao. she also has a bit of a potty mouth and has said “fuck” (bleeped out) in at least three episodes. she's a terrible singer (despite katey herself being a great singer).

she is implied to have a “hedonistic” past and used to drive around in a mausoleum as a teenager. she went to her prom alone with a dress made of carpet remains. she dropped out and “bummed around india for a while” after college. 

she has a massive soft spot for animals, including “gross” ones like leeches, and despite all her violence, she usually backs down if it means a (perceived) innocent animal will be hurt. this can sometimes backfire on her (i.e. “into the wild green yonder”). she is very protective and empathetic towards living creatures, probably cuz she never had anybody looking out for her. she likes to read books about animals to relax. 

she regularly visits the orphanarium and is very concerned with being a good role model for those kids, emphasizing especially with sally. it is repeatedly implied in the (admittedly semi-canon) comics that she wants to be a mother. 

she plays with her hair when she’s nervous or flirty. she had an anxiety attack and physically froze up when she thought a mutant was stalking her. she had a bedwetting problem as a child and even her warden still holds it over her head. 

she has repressed mental illness related to her lack of family growing up  and has a desperate need for companionship, but sets high standards so she won’t get her heart broken first. whenever she’s single, she is very cynical about love and doesn’t do well seeing happy couples. 

she seems very obsessed with normality and stability which is why she often seeks men of high status to date, even if they turn out to be jerks. however, she outgrows this after meeting her family, as she becomes extremely attached to them despite their low status and embraces her mutant culture quickly. 

her mutations are not limited to her eye. she not only has a whole episode about her now-cured genetic mutant disease, but she occasionally lays an egg and has talons on her elbows. depending on the episode, she can be quite disabled by her single eye due to her lack of depth perception. there’s also the singing boil but that episode sucks lol

she also can get really horny lol. once she’s dating fry steadily, she tends to initiate things a lot more, even in public. i think it’s sometimes more of a fanservice thing but it’s always funny to see her so down bad, especially in the comedy central era

she likes bender because of his “in your face attitude” and often has a playful dynamic with him despite disapproving of his lack of morals. she doesn’t like amy a lot of the time but they can get along and comfort each other when the time is needed. i’m not even getting into her and fry because that’s its own post.

overall i just love leela a lot, she’s such a weird, complicated, fascinating character and i could go on about her All Day. 

[rius-cave]

About the topic of Luci giving Eve the apple (I'm the same anon who wrote that they didn't like each other back then btw)

I kinda feel it was mostly Lilith's doing tbh. Just think about it. The apple itself doesn't "give" free will. It's the apple of knowledge. It most likely just made Eve aware of the situation she was in. Which can both mean the whole concept of the garden (as many like to compare it to a "prison" where humans live mindlessly, provided with everything) AND Adam's controlling nature. And the fact that they only gave the apple to Eve makes me strongly believe that it's mostly the latter option. My personal hc kinda goes like this: Lilith ran away from Eden because she thought Adam was controlling and she had a strong enough will to go after her own head and ideals (this is why I think she herself never ate the apple, she already "gained awareness and free will" in a way by not wanting to submit). Lilith obviously disliked Adam so when she heard about Eve she wanted to give her a chance to get away from that guy too whom she believed to be controlling and just simply a dick lol. She wanted to "free" Eve from Adam because she experienced his nature (or at least, how she saw him in her own perspective, mind that we only know her story, we don't know what Adam exactly did aside of being "controlling", perhaps he was really an asshole, but maybe it's more complex). So, she asked Lucifer to help Eve and give the apple to her. Lucifer, being the idealistic dreamer he was, agreed to it, with the pure intention of helping humanity, showing them what they can be capable of and freeing them. Eve accepted and we all know how it ended. However, I love to hc that Lucifer would've included, or at least tried to include Adam too if he had the chance. Yes, perhaps they didn't like each other, but I see angel Lucifer kinda like Charlie is now, not giving up on people and trying to convince them, help them, forgive them and all. I believe he would've put up with Adam for the sake of it, but he couldn't since everything went south when Eve received the apple.

At this point it feels so much like I'm villainizing Lilith lmao but that's not my purpose actually.

It's okay anon we love villainizing Lilith in this house

Jokes aside I think that's really interesting. If I recall correctly, the little Eden flashback depicts both of them offering the apple to Eve, yes? But I think we should all agree that that story is unreliable at best and just a plain lie at worst.

It's interesting to think that Lilith was the mastermind of it all, really. If we're real, Lucifer definitely got the shortest end of that stick right? After Lilith became a demon, the story says that she just gained a lot of power while Lucifer lost his will to dream and all that, which is interesting.

To be honest I'm confused about what exactly the apple did. Bible tradition says it gave them them the knowledge of good and evil, some people think it made them aware of their nature and all that, and then Hazbin says it was how evil came into the world. I think it's kind of open to interpretation but I really want the show to tell us what the deal is in its canon.

However, I do think Lilith has a bigger hand on it than we think, I know this is just me, but GOD I WANT HER TO BE MANIPULATIVE, not even necessarily in an evil sense, I just want her to do some morally questionable things to reach the goals that she thinks are the best! In the case of the apple, it doesn't matter whether or not that was the right call, the important part is that Eve *knew* she shouldn't eat it, she SAID she wasn't allowed to eat it (at least in the biblical tradition), and Lilith, or Lucifer, or both, manipulated her and then manipulated the truth to suit their cause, even if they didn't realize what consequences that would bring.

It's a bit murky because we don't have a lot of details and I think this is something that could change depending on context. Really hope we get more info on this in the next season

[mikelogan]

hello. i really enjoy your content, but i have to say i'm kinda disappointed on you still being a ts fan. this woman knows what disney does and yet she still gave them the rights, meaning she either doesn't care or actively supports the genocide. or maybe she decided to turn her morals off because money is more important. not to mention how she consistently associates herself with questionable people and how a person literally died in one of her shows on brazil and she gave zero fucks. this woman is not a good person and there are no excuses to being her fan anymore.

no, i fully understand what you're saying and where you're coming from. over the last like. idk year and a half? ive been pretty vocal about my disappointment, distaste, and disagreement with a multitude of the choices she's made lately. i 100% agree that her silence on the subject of palestinian genocide (as well as many other human rights/social causes) is at best a sign of apathy and at worst a sign of support. especially when miss americana was all about her wanting to be more outspoken and be an activist. that all feels so incredibly performative now -- and has for a while. a lot of things that she's said and done since midnights, which is when i became more active in the tumblr swiftie community, have left a bad taste in my mouth for her as a person.

like i said, i genuinely agree with what you're saying. the only thing i take issue with is that she didn't care that a fan died at her show. she donated money to the fan's family and took time to meet them. regardless of my many issues with her, i do think she can be an empathetic person and i don't think that she just straight up didn't care that someone died before her show. it's one of those things (of which there are many) where we'll never know her true thoughts bc she doesn't talk about things. which is frustrating in itself.

now that's not the point of your message, so feel free to write that off as a digression. i strongly disagree with her making yet another version of the eras tour movie and hosting it on disney+. I'm personally boycotting disney+ and have been for a while. I don't even intend on watching the new version and like the vast majority of everything I gif, that shit is pirated -- that's how I watched the original release of the movie. obviously my consumption/boycotting is just one person compared to blondie, who has influence over millions, who could make real change if she spoke out against genocide.

at this point, im not supporting her financially either apart from listening to her music. which i love. im sorry, but I do. if I didn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation. i think her constant churning out different exclusive versions of the same albums are a transparent money grab and maybe an effort to set more records as far as sales or streams or however that all works. and I'm not just saying that bc I literally couldn't even afford to buy a digital copy of an album right now.

so yeah. I appreciate that you enjoy my content and thank you for saying so, but if you need to unfollow or block, i understand. I've definitely toned down/completely stopped sharing posts about her as a person bc I'd much rather focus on just the music. and maybe that makes me a bad person for continuing to listen to and enjoy her music. im not saying i necessarily feel good about it, but i think the fact of the matter is that a lot of the celebrities, actors, musicians, etc. we like or whose content we enjoy hold views we disagree with and have different values or priorities. nuance exists. right now, im someone who is vocal about the palestinian genocide and I try to share resources/posts about it when they come across my dash and im also someone who is a fan of Taylor's music.

Idk, I hope what I'm saying makes sense at least on some level. I've done my best to word things coherently, but brain fog fucks w me a lot. and like. it's probably whatever, but I do plan on changing my url after ttpd releases. That probably upsets you more and I can see how people might think im a hypocrite or something and yeah, I get it. Idk, I just want to enjoy someone's music without endorsing them as a person, but that's extra difficult when the person in question is the biggest singer in the industry. but you'll never see me making excuses for her on things like this or the m*tty situation or numerous other things she's said and done that gross me out. im not so far up her ass that I think she's perfect or that I feel the need to defend her at every turn. like I said, nuance. anyway, if you feel the need to respond, i welcome you to do so as long as we both remain respectful, which I think we've done. this is a difficult topic, but that doesn't mean we can't discuss it. I appreciate your point of view and I'm sorry that I've disappointed you!

[that-ari-blogger]

The Perils Of A Set Up Episode

If you take even a basic writing lesson (and I'm talking super basic, like watching a YouTube video), you will probably learn two things: Show don't tell, and set up and payoff.

This is fairly decent writing advice, and though its universality is debatable, it can prove helpful. The issue I want to highlight, is that set up isn't always the most enthralling of things to watch or read. This isn't a fault, and there are a ton of ways that you can make set up interesting. It's also essential, in my opinion, to at least foreshadow elements of your story.

But why am I talking about this? Because the subject of this post is Hooty's Moving Hassle, the sixth episode of the Owl House, and this episode is entirely setup. As such, this post is going to try and analyse all of the things that this episode sets up, and some of the pitfalls that the episode falls into.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

One criticism of the Owl House that I have heard a lot, has been that the show starts slow, and that season one takes a while to find its feet. I don't necessarily agree that this is a fault, sometimes something needs time to gear up to a meaningful conclusion. Anime is famous for taking its time (One Piece is 1097 chapters long at the time of writing this), and the Owl House is plainly inspired by the genre, so I'm not holding this element of the show as a failure, just a difference in taste between audience members, which is perfectly fine.

That being said, pacing is difficult, and I am not blind to the fact that not everything can be a slam dunk. While Once Upon A Swap is the poster child for this part of the Owl House, Hooty's Moving Hassle is where I see it most obviously.

The problem isn't that this episode is bad, I want to make that clear. I do not dislike this episode. The problem is that this episode is entirely set up for other elements to come later on. This episode needed to happen, and this is a pretty good execution of that need, but that fundamental premise of making other stuff more digestible and interesting waters down this episode's memorability, in my opinion. (This is just my opinion; you don't have to defend your honour for liking this episode)

In any case, this episode is actually really well written for what it does. As in, this sets up a lot of things very efficiently, and I'm going to try and delve into some of these.

I'm going to start by just listing some of the ideas that this episode introduces.

The owl beast limits Eda's magic, and the curse is getting worse. What could this mean?

Tibbles' rivalry with Eda. You could say this is set up and payoff all in one place for this arc, but in my opinion, this just sets up later storylines with Tibbles.

The Night Market is a place where you can get weird stuff. What kind of weird stuff? Maybe weird stuff that could curse someone, I don't know.

It's also mentioned off handedly that Tibbles can just call the emperor's coven, which would mean that they know about this illegal market, and don't do anything about it. Why? What is their angle?

The moon has magical significance that brings things to life and revolves around friendship. This is kind of the Collector's whole deal in season three.

These goofballs. Tom steals the show here, but that's not the point. The point is that this is why the Owl Beast is kept a secret. If these guys want to sell a house demon to a restaurant, what might they do to Eda?

Willow and Amity used to be friends. This is why their relationship is so strained. Although I want to point out how this is said.

"When Amity got her magical powers, and I didn't..."

Willow then immediately shows how good she is at plant magic. So it's either Amity doesn't like magic that isn't her perceived normal, which has been disputed when she learns about the glyphs, or there is something else going on here.

More hints about Amity's whole deal. She lives in a manour, and she is starting to show some more sympathetic qualities towards Willow, even half-heartedly standing up for her. She doesn't actually help, and that's the point. She is willing to be "nice" but she isn't willing to back out of her societal status. One is important, but the other is more important to her at the present moment.

And finally, Hexes Hold'em. And it is this that I would like to dwell upon, because it is a neat little metaphor for the rest of the series. First up, what do we know about this game? It's addictive, and it doesn't make sense. You get called back to it because you think you will win. This isn't a sly point here, I'm not guffawing and saying that "oh the series draws you in with promises of greatness and doesn't give you it" because that ain't true. What I'm saying here is that this is Belos' whole plan.

You get drawn in with promises of greatness, the deck is stacked against you, but that's what will make it so sweet when you win, right? But you don't win, because there is a wild card in play. Even when you think you are winning, one card can turn the tables.

And that's also what Luz does. Luz is the wild card in the series, the spanner out of left field that Belos cannot predict. The question of the series is which wild card will prove victorious? And the answer is neither of them. The answer is the collector. Luz and Belos turn out to be the players, and the Collector themself is this wild element. Whoever controls the collector controls the game.

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[dettiot]

Star Wars Fic: Burden of Proof

(Part of my modern Obitine lawyers AU. Catch up on AO3.)

Burden of proof: The duty to prove disputed facts. In civil cases, a plaintiff generally has the burden of proving his or her case. In criminal cases, the government has the burden of proving the defendant's guilt.

XXX

She was a mature woman. A lawyer who had defended clients in all kinds of cases. A woman who had truly seen some of the darkest impulses within humanity.

So there was no reason for her to smile and skip along the sidewalk towards Ben's townhouse.

Yet Satine couldn't seem to help it lately. Certainly she was in some kind of strange honeymoon period, where she adored everything Ben did (especially that thing with his mouth) and found him perfect.

Well . . . no, he wasn't perfect. He was entirely too stubborn and had the fashion sense of a hermit.

But Ben Kenobi was hers, and she, Satine Kryze, was his.

After everything that had happened to them, sue her for wanting to burst into song.

Chuckling to herself, Satine climbed the steps to Ben's door and rang the bell as she juggled her overflowing briefcase, a bag of takeout for dinner, and her purse.

She could hear Ben speaking as he approached the door; once it was open, she could see he was on his phone.

"Yes, Anakin, I can see that," he said, giving her an apologetic look and a quick kiss. He took the bag of takeout from her and headed towards the kitchen, his voice floating back towards her as he kept speaking.

Satine slid off her jacket and stepped out of her heels, giving her toes a little wiggle. After she put down her briefcase and purse, she followed Ben into the kitchen and leaned against his back, pressing a kiss to his neck as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

He let out the most delightful shiver, and if he had been talking to someone about work, she'd keep torturing him until he got off the phone. But he was talking to his foster brother and Satine wasn't about to interfere.

"Anakin, I assure you, as much as you'd like to press charges, it won't do anything."

Until Ben said that.

Letting go of him, Satine moved to face Ben and gave him a look, setting her hands on her hips.

"One second, Anakin," Ben said, before moving the phone away. "He's getting hassled by a city cop and he wants to bring him up on harassment charges."

"And you think it won't do anything?" Satine said, quirking an eyebrow.

"You don't know all the facts of the case--" Ben said, before he stopped and closed his eyes with a sigh. "That was a stupid thing to say."

Satine waited for him to look at her again before giving him a butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth smile. "Yes, it was."

She plucked the phone from his fingers and put it to her ear. "Anakin? Hi, this is Satine. Talking to your brother is clearly getting you nowhere. Would you like a second opinion?"

"I mean . . ." came the deep voice she recognized from hearing it through Ben's phone so often. "If you don't mind? I wouldn't want to screw up your plans with Ben."

"Tonight is takeout and research, so no, it's fine," Satine said, leaning back against the counter and smirking at Ben. "Fire away."

Even as she listened to Anakin, taking in the information, she couldn't help watching Ben as he moved around the kitchen. Opening up the takeout containers and plating the food, selecting a bottle of wine and pouring them each a glass, gathering silverware and napkins: it was so domestic and lovely and how on Earth was he still so attractive to her while doing such basic activities?

Ben glanced at her and she nodded as Anakin finished speaking. "I don't necessarily agree with Ben that it would do nothing, but I will concede that it'd be very challenging to prove harassment. And there's no guarantee that the officer wouldn't be back on the job within weeks. But what I can do is give you a rundown on dealing with the police, especially since you're a PI. I'll get your number from Ben and call you tomorrow, if that's okay?"

"Thanks, Satine," Anakin said, sounding more cheerful. "I didn't really know what my options were. And even though Ben's the best lawyer there is, he's also my brother, y'know?"

Satine smiled softly as she looked at him. "I know."

"After this, now we really need to meet," Anakin said, clearly grinning on the other end. "You and Ben, me and Ahsoka--we should do dinner or something."

"Oh," Satine said, straightening up from her lean. "That's true. Why don't you coordinate that with Ben? He knows my schedule. Let me give the phone back to him."

Ben's eyebrows were raised as he took the phone back from Satine. "I was going to talk about non-lawsuit methods, Anakin, you just didn't let me get there."

Swallowing, Satine grabbed one of the glasses of wine and took a rather-too-large swallow.

Whatever Anakin said made Ben huff out a soft laugh. "I'll call you later," he said before hanging up and looking at Satine.

At his unspoken question, Satine let out a breath and walked over to him. "What if Anakin and Ahsoka don't like me?"

Ben frowned, looking slightly confused, before he suddenly let out a snort of laughter.

"I'm serious!" Satine said, lightly punching him in the shoulder.

"No need to prove it with violence," Ben said, taking her fist and kissing her knuckles. "They will grill you for a few minutes but quickly realize you are wonderful and there's nothing for them to worry about."

His confidence was inspiring, but she couldn't help the small kernel of doubt. "You mean it?"

Ben nodded, a soft smile on his face as he pulled her close. "And one day, when they're teasing you and pulling pranks on you and being so loud and utterly obnoxious, you'll wish you had never met them."

With a laugh, Satine let her head fall against his chest. "I guess we'll see."

He rubbed a hand down her back. "We will. Now, let's have dinner--I'm starving."

And when she lifted her head, she could tell he wasn't just talking about the food.

XXX

Maybe she should have worn a dress? Or would that have been too stuffy, especially since they were getting Mexican and tacos were always messy?

Giving her head a shake, Satine opened the door of the restaurant and stepped inside, looking around. She was meeting Ben, Anakin and Ahsoka here; she had a case going to trial on Monday and had needed extra time to prepare while Ben and his siblings spent the afternoon together.

She spotted him and smoothed down her pale pink sweater before walking over to the table. "Hi."

"Oh, thank God," Ben said, his eyes sparkling as he stood up and kissed her. "These two have been driving me crazy."

There was no annoyance or frustration in Ben's voice; in fact, he just sounded happy.

"We should have gone to the American Indian museum," Ahsoka said. "Not Air & Space for the hundredth time." She shot a look at Anakin, who shrugged.

"Planes and spaceships are way cooler than history."

"See what I mean?" Ben said before turning towards Anakin and Ahsoka. "This is Satine. Please try to act a little normal so she doesn't run screaming into the night?"

"No promises, Ben," Ahsoka said with a wide grin. She was stunning, in Satine's opinion: her skin was a deep tan, other than a few spots on her forehead and around her nose that lacked melanin. Ben had told Satine that Ahsoka's vitiligo sometimes earned her negative reactions, but Satine couldn't help smiling at Ahsoka's spunky energy. Her hair was streaked with white and blue and her fashion sense was definitely a million times better than Ben's.

Anakin set down his glass of water with a scoff. "Like Ben would pick someone that namby-pamby." He was just as attractive as Ben and Ahsoka, Satine thought as she sat down next to Ben and across from Anakin. His hair was light brown and curly and his blue eyes were full of mischief. A scar along one eyebrow and the prosthetic arm, both acquired during his time in Iraq, helped undercut his Botticelli angel appearance.

"It's true, I can't see Ben with anyone who doesn't like to argue," Satine agreed with a smile.

Ahsoka groaned. "He's the worst to argue with. He stays so logical, and the angrier you get, the more he stays calm."

"Except when I fight with Satine," Ben said, taking her hand under the table.

"Really?" Anakin said, smiling widely as he leaned forward on his arms. "This I gotta see sometime."

"I'm sure you will," Satine said, squeezing Ben's hand.

Both Anakin and Ahsoka looked positively gleeful. Ben let out a soft groan and covered his eyes with his free hand. "What did I do to deserve this?" he asked, only half-rhetorically.

"Just lucky," Ahsoka said, while Anakin smirked and waggled his eyebrows at Satine.

And just like that, Satine felt any remaining anxiety drift away. She smiled brightly at Ben's siblings, then leaned over to kiss Ben's cheek. "So let's talk about food."

"Ben, she's a keeper," Anakin said, picking up his menu. "I want one of everything."

"You always say that and then you never finish it," Ahsoka said, sounding slightly distracted as she looks over her own menu.

"Leftovers are amazing."

As the two of them started to quietly bicker, Satine looked at Ben. He smiled and shrugged. "You see what I mean?"

"Nope," Satine said. "They're the wonderful ones. And you are lucky to have them."

A soft, gentle smile appeared on Ben's face. He leaned in close to her, practically whispering in her ear and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. "I know. But please, don't ever tell them I said that."

Giggling, Satine lifted her hand and cupped Ben's jaw, kissing him lightly.

Mock groans of disgust arose from their companions, and Satine couldn't help laughing. "All right, rascals," she said, turning to face them as she grabbed a menu, too. "I've never been here--what do you recommend?"

Amid Anakin's and Ahsoka's competing recommendations, as they grew louder and louder as they each defended their choices, Satine just kept smiling and kept holding Ben's hand.

Yes, they were loud, and probably a bit obnoxious. But meeting Anakin and Ahsoka had given Satine another piece of the puzzle that was Ben Kenobi.

And it made her love him all the more.

End.