elinor would be lying if she said there wasn’t a small part of her that enjoyed the terrified look on the soldiers’ faces. there was once a time where she resented the way people kept their distance, avoiding her eyes but keeping her name on their lips as they whispered behind her back. with years of practice, she’s learned to accept it as a sign of power.
yet, for all the times elinor has reveled in her solitude, she finds she’s come to enjoy having beth at her side. the princess, despite her timid air, did not shy away from her as others did. she was always graceful and sweet when addressing even the darkling – never fearing her dark armor or the blood on her hands.
elinor wishes she was half as brave and dared to show beth all of her. the idea of her toll of death and destruction proving too much for the princess makes her breath falter, weak when faced with the possibility of finally losing something she holds dear.
despite her resolve to steel her features around the crown’s army, they soften easily at beth’s quiet remark. she holds elinor in too high regard – it’s addictive and dangerous, the darkling realizes as she attempts to will the warmth in her chest to go away. never did she want to be seen so desperately, knowing it could cost her everything.
she almost points out beth is the only one to think it a loss, but deems it a disservice to the other’s kindness. elinor gives a smile and a grateful bow of her own head instead. what must the soldiers see when they watch them from afar? two dignitaries exchanging pleasantries? would they be able to spot elinor’s subtle fidgeting, suppressing the urge to take the princess’s hand in her own?
brows raise at the remark that follows, surprised beth mentioned the bluebirds. it had been an afternoon in equal parts lovely and terrifying, with elinor offering her a secret so close to her heart. no one knew of her birds, not even her father. it was something she had always believed she’d carry to her grave, a softness she was not allowed. yet beth didn’t even spare it a moment of judgment – and there’s nothing if not gentless in her features when elinor dares meet her eyes now.
“ – i miss them dearly as well, ” she confesses, voice low and tentative. “ they’re quite independent, but i do regret not being able to ask one of the maids to look after them. ” despite being otkazat'sya, harys could command fear into the royal staff as well as any grisha general. they’d tell him of anything they saw out of place – including elinor’s own behavior. she’s lucky she can pass her meetings with the princess as mere courtesy.
“ i may stay a few more weeks, depending on how everything goes. ” as far as everyone knows, the general is here to oversee operations regarding the recent fjerdan attacks on the northern border. her letters to her father will detail whether the search for the sun summoner has proved fruitful after hearing hushed reports of a nearby sighting.
“ and yourself, your highness? ” elinor turns the question to beth. “ i’m sure your sisters will be happy to see you, but the soldier camps may grow quite dull after a day or two. ” she reckons the princesses are allowed to leave their post based on status alone... but elinor finds herself selfishly wishing for stricter rules, if it allows her to accompany beth during her stay instead.
Link answered her question with a smile and a very, very tight hug.
The emptiness he felt waking up alone in the shrine of Resurrection, somehow knowing he "lost something...or someone"...it vanished instantly once he hold Zelda in his arms. He knew. and his heart felt full again.
Zelda can't believe Link is really is here. Alive, breathing, holding her. Knowing who she is.
The next shot of the sequence would be them slightly parting, Link takes Zelda's hand in his and rest them on his heart, saying "Yes. I remember you."
I always pictured the follow up to "do you really remember me" like the iconic Final Fantasy VIII Rinoa & Squall's reunion scene. FF8 is a milestone game title in my life. I doodled this in homage of the game's 25th anniversary celebration. Happy Anniversary FF8!! You are an imperfect game, and i dont care. I love you ❤️
one thing i find interesting is that Rellana's sword description said the red one is engraved with "golden flame", it's the same flame seen on Fire Knights' weapon and Messmer's spear. so, flame with gold tinge.
only the flame in Messmer's Orb has black tendrils of the Dark / Abyss, and it's the Orb description that specifically states he hates his fire. other items like his Kindling and Embers also have very distinctive dark outlines (the Kindling description confirms the Abyssal Serpent was eating away at the fire).
so we can safely assume Messmer's fire, when given to others, carries over the golden grace Marika blessed him with, whereas when it's Messmer himself wielding it, or if it's a catalyst that "can't find purchase" in other hosts like Fire Coil / Fire Serpent spell, it will always have the additional dark tendrils, since only Messmer carries the Abyssal Serpent. such a neat design choice and a very consistent way to showcase that.
and it kinda makes me emotional because Marika is vulnerable to fire, yet her blessing to her son is so strong that her gold bleeds into his fire, & it's something that carries over when he shared it to those under his command. like how full of warmth and love that blessing must be? man.
Ymir i get it. i get you. you covet the strength of a mother so much cuz that strength is truly incomparable. welcome back BIoodborne's "Let the pungence of Kos cling, like a mother's devotion...Mercy for the poor, wizened child."
my heart dropped when i read the statement that sm put out re: taeil, genuinely the last thing i expected to read today. i’m shocked, disappointed, but most of all- i’m angry.
angry at what he’s done, angry at seeing some fans defend him, angry at those turning this into a gotcha moment to promote or lift their faves up. please, this isn’t just some discussion on the internet- there is a very real victim, a very real woman at the heart of all this. i hope she gets the justice and healing she deserves.
my most underrated Kataang take is, I think, the inclusion of Katara's epiphany in The Fortune Teller at all. We've talked ourselves hoarse about how it's the clear turning point in how she consciously thinks of Aang (I will always mandate that she was just unknowingly down bad since the pilot because Look at her behaviour dear god) and how it's important that she has this epiphany even after knowing Aunt Wu's predictions 'aren't real' or necessarily set in stone.
What I want to talk about is why I think it's important that THIS is the moment she sees Aang in a new light amid his previous attempts to have her think of him 'differently' than she did at the beginning of the episode.
When Aang is being sweet to her (making her a woven accidental-betrothal necklace that she happily accepts), Katara is appreciative and responsive, but still says "he's just a good friend, a sweet little guy, just like Momo".
When Aang tries to flirt with her under Sokka's aloof guise, it falls flat. When he tries to get her attention in general (and when having parallels with Meng), it likewise doesn't work.
Finally, he tries the flower but it falls into the lava (symoblism, anyone?) and they have bigger things to deal with, like making sure the town isn't completely wiped out by the volcano. It's also worth noting that after Aang's conversation with Meng:
He never actively tries pursuing or wooing Katara in the same way. He's still kind towards and supportive toward her, of course. He, at some point (probably after the 2nd cheek or third cheek kiss) eventually starts to think (understandably) that Katara has feelings for him. But as of The Fortune Teller, he's stopped trying to have her see him in a new light or do a big romantic gesture.
And that's exactly when she does, consciously, fall for him.
Not when he's trying to woo her in failed, false personas, not when he's being his sweet romantic self, but when he's being the most himself all episode: Aang, "the bravest person [she] knows, who's done nothing but help people and save lives" since she met him (1x12).
He's not paying attention, he's not trying to impress her. He's just being a good, determined Avatar. A good, helpful person. A powerful bender, completely in control of himself and his element. Being himself.
Eddie Munson is the most infamous hitman in Chicago. Everyone knows of him and if you ever feel like getting rid of someone he’s who you should hire.
Enters mob boss Tommy Hagan.
He hires Eddie for a delicate job, one that gets Eddie doing home visits for Tommy, something he doesn’t usually do. There he meets Tommy’s fiance, Steve Harrington.
Steve is… Addictive. Eddie couldn't take his eyes off of him, even if he tried.
And he doesn’t really feel like trying because Steve is sweet, gorgeous, everything Eddie ever wanted but could never have.
Steve might be a househusband, but he knows a lot about Tommy's business and the people he makes deals with, so under the pretense of researching his target, Eddie starts spending time with Steve.
Tommy keeps a bunch of archives in his home and he asks Steve to personally help Eddie through all of that while he's dealing with other shit. Steve is more than happy to comply, enjoying the distraction - and the company.
It doesn't take long for Eddie to realize there's something wrong happening between Tommy and Steve. Tommy keeps the facade of a good soon-to-be husband, brings Steve's flowers and gifts every time he goes out, but Eddie has never seen Steve out of the house.
He's seen Steve asking their house staff to get groceries and things like that but he always just assumed Steve preferred not to leave the house. Now...
Eddie starts to see that what he thought was a good, perfect relationship doesn't seem that perfect anymore. He sees the bags under Steve's eyes whenever Tommy greets Eddie in a bad mood. He sees the underlying tension in Steve's shoulders whenever Tommy walks into the room.
He sees the bruises, too.
The decision is made before Eddie can even think it through, and he is willing to risk his reputation, his work, and his life if it means getting Steve out of this.
But he’s not the only one with secrets and things won’t be as simple as just killing Tommy and walking away.
If there are two movies that have inspired my artist brain rot it would absolutely be rotg and spiderverse, so why not combine the two for the maximum healing-my-inner-child indulgence!!
here’s some 2am color keys for more scenes that will never exist, trying to explore how jack would explore what it would be like to live amongst people
genuinely tearing up about how much they look alike here. their shirts being the exact same style just different colors. their postures. their hair. even their side profiles.
I am once again thinking of this line from one of my absolute favorite fics by @tawaifeddiediaz
update to the Playing Undertale With Roommate Whose Only Social Media is Pinterest situation: we only just got to waterfall and so far it has been a fucking trip
they have No Idea the significance of Flowey yet. not even a hint. they thought the sans echo flower conversation was about echo flowers
during the papyrus date and especially when they got to his room they kept looking at me and saying "THIS is your man????" which they stopped asking after the date. they have read some of my fics. i do not think i am any less insane to them now
they gave papyrus a valley girl voice btw. mostly because i had to beg them not to give him a mickey mouse voice instead
they didn't fucking know what skeletor sounds like
bc i know The Efficient Ways to do Things and they don't they've been reminding me of a buncha details & lines of dialogue I don't actually have embedded in my memory. particularly "PAPYRUS IS HUNGRY, TOO! HUNGRY FOR JUSTICE!"
they got the "Can I speak to G..." phone call. i have never once gotten that in any of my playthroughs, probably because i don't usually go up to that area but still. ik its not REALLY rare but i have never actually seen it Organically before so it was crazy to ME
Dogsong is my morning alarm ok. so when it showed up in the game and they realized they recognized it on a subconscious level they looked physically pained
Undyne's first chase scene scared the shit out of them
Me watching the scene explaining how Buck got his nickname from Bucky for the first time: *goes over my head because so much gay shit is happening*
Rewatching the scene again: "Buck this, Buck that. Buck, can you help me tie my shoes? Buck, help me fly this plane." 👀👀
Thinking about it randomly: Hehe, "Buck, can you help me tie my shoes?" That's cute.
Thinking about it for the hundredth time, my mind getting no rest imagining how that went: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BUCK CAN YOU HELP ME TIE MY SHOES, YOU SLUT, YOU WHORE. DO YOU ASK FOR HIS HAND TO CROSS THE STREET TOO??? *sobs* Is Buck just saying this shit as an example? But why would he say that? LEAVE ME ALONE.
Do you think Bucky ever asked Buck to help him tie his shoes? Do you think Buck helped him? 😭 I don't know why I fixated on this. I'm in agony and I wanted to share ❤️
NAH BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK. i can't even count how many times i've rewatched this scene, whether from rewatching the show itself or from making edits or checking dialogue for fics, and yet??
somehow my brain never latched onto that moment either until reading this ask, for the same reason you said LOL. i'm literally tweaking oh my god. i want to believe so badly that john's actually asked him to tie his shoes lmfaooo like gale does say it like he's just rattling things off as a joke, but knowing their dynamic, i wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.
a more likely scenario that popped into my head though is john being too drunk to untie his shoes when they get back to their room one night during flight school, and having to humble the fuck out of himself by slumping over on the floor against the wall and being like "...buck, can't get my shoes off." and gale asking "is that a statement or a cry for help?" and john giving him the ol' puppy dog eyes and grumbling out "can you help me untie my shoes, please?"