#capable that i just can't and it's a little annoying how many i go through deleting

[distortedkilling]

Friendly reminder that this is a roleplay blog. I can't respond to asks that don't keep that in mind. Usually I have no limit on how many asks people send me, because I don't really get overwhelmed by that stuff. I know to take my time.

Problem here is that it gets to be a little tedious deleting asks that have no thought or consideration behind them. I like silly shit, but only if I can write Mahito mostly in character for it. I write Mahito from the angle of being A Problem (dangerous, threat, etc) and not the 'silly lil' guy that's quirky' angle. While the latter is certainly part of the former, I get bombarded (and I mean BOMBARDED) with asks from mostly personals treating him like some silly lil' guy that will go along with nonsense. When he won't. Especially with humans (unless you've earned your fun badge with him).

If I can't answer in character or explain something about him out of character, then those asks aren't for this blog. I'm open to engaging with anyone, I just ask for folks to be mindful so we both can have fun.

This is a boundary post. Not throwing shade. Personals (and roleplayers for the most part) that have been following/mutuals with me for a bit now should know this isn't about them - or have already been told. But if you're worried, just let me know. Usually I handle this stuff privately but the issue is a lot of them have been anons, and while I suspect the blog(s) involved I don't want to accuse anyone in case I'm mistaken. So unfortunately, I gotta make a public post at this point to try and scoop all the known ones and unknown ones together. Sorry about that!

If anyone is unclear feel free to just ask. I don't want anything to be unclear. <3

[lou-struck]

Missed Messages

Lucifer x reader

~ You have always tried to be self sufficient and fight your own battles. But when you reach your breaking point, you find yourself alone.

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, physical and emotional feelings of stress, reader getting treated poorly for being a human, group projects.

~2.9k

You feel like there is a little stress demon bouncing around your chest. In the human world, group projects were annoying, and unfortunately, they still exist in hell.

For one of your classes, you were paired up with Olivier, a Greater demon from one of the Devildom's wealthy families, and his companions. Right from the get-go, he made it very clear that he had no intention of working on a project with a filthy human and that if you were to say anything about his refusal, it would make Diavolo's exchange program look bad if it appeared that the demons at RAD were not being accepting of humans. 

At first, you thought his threat was silly. That he was simply a slacker who wanted to get out of work. But after a while, you realized that Olivier has a strong distaste for humans and could have the influence to cause problems for the exchange program if you were to speak out against his behaviors. 

So, you put on your best face and ignored his prejudiced behavior. The subtle comments he would make under his breath when you asked questions in class, the way he would cleanse his hand with fire magic after coming into contact with something you had touched, and the way conversations would die out whenever you entered a room without one of the brothers, the Angels, or Diavolo himself by your side. 

You have been tirelessly working on this massive project all by yourself; it has stolen all of your free time, and feelings of sardonic frustration are just welling up inside of you. Now, just like the too-heavy book bag that clings to your shoulder, You are nearing your breaking point. 

The House of Lamination is a safe haven for you after your tiring days at RAD, but right as you enter through its massive double doors, you come face to face with Lucifer. The Avatar of Pride greets you with a loving expression, but he looks just as exhausted as you feel. 

"Mc? Is something troubling you?" he asks, taking in your downcast features with a frown. You want to tell him of your little problem, but he is ridiculously busy and probably has more important things to do than dealing with your inability to play nice with others.

After all, a classmate not liking you is no excuse for you to receive a poor grade on your project…

"Not at all," you reply, flashing him a sweet, convincing smile. "I'm just getting a bit hangry, I can't wait for dinner tonight."

"I see," he says doubtfully.

"How are you doing?" you ask, changing the subject. 'You look a bit stressed."

"Is it that obvious?" he chuckles, raking his hand through his raven-colored hair. "Apparently, those rubber duck toys from the human world have become quite popular in the Devildom, and Lord Diavolo thought it would be fun to give them out at RAD. So now I am going through the student council finances to determine how many ducks and varieties we need."

"Sounds complicated, but why you?"

"No clue," he sighs, "But he seems to think that I have a hidden fondness for these toys."

"Well, I'm sure this Rubber Duck event will go off without a hitch," you say earnestly. "You are so organized and capable you can make anything successful."

"Do you really mean that?" he asks, a smile gracing his fine features. You nod as he gives you a soft peck on the forehead as thanks for your kind words. "I have to work through this paperwork now, but I feel more inclined to do it after your encouragement, Mc."

"Wait," you call after him. "You better make it down for dinner tonight then; if you don't, I will personally invite Solomon to come and prepare the next meal."

His eyes widen as a shudder courses through his strong back. "There's no need for that. I promise to be down for dinner."

~

Hours later, everyone is gathered around the dinner, eating some kind of Devildom variation of lasagna that Satan made.

Beel has a whole sheet pan to himself and is chowing down as he and Belphie seem to be having a telepathic conversation that no one at the table is able to decipher. Lucifer is at the head of the table, keeping true to his promise of joining you, but he is eating quickly, clearly in a rush.

Asmodeus sits to your right, talking animatedly about something that happened today when he was at the mall, you're sure it's an entertaining story based on the reactions of the others, but you are too lost in thought, poking at your dinner plate with a silver fork. 

Although you have been working on your project for days, there is no way you are going to finish the damn thing on time. This workload was meant for a large group, not just one human.

"Mc? What are ya thinkin' about?" Mammon asks, stirring you from your thoughts. "Ya haven't touched yer dinner."

"Satan looks up at you from across the table. "Do you not care for this dish?" he asks. "I could make you something else if you would prefer it?" his dejection breaks your heart.

You shake your head quickly. "No, not at all," you say. "I love it; the sauce is really creamy, I just got distracted."

"Oh, I see." he nods as you take a bite of his dish. "I'm relieved."

"Gahhhh," Levi cries from his seat as he sets his game console down on the table. His screen flashing red tells you that he has just failed the level he was on. "I can't believe it, I was so close."

"Leviathan, what did I say about playing video games at the dinner table?" Lucifer asks the purple-haired demon sternly. 

"N-not to." he sulks, slipping the little handheld off the table and into his deep jacket pocket.

"Thank you," the eldest responds. He clears his throat to get the attention of everyone. "Now, if I could just have a second of your time."

"One," Belphie deadpans, looking at his older brother. They hold eye contact, and it is clear the youngest is struggling to keep a straight face at his joke.

"Anyways," the taller demon continues, "I have a very important task to finish tonight, and I will need absolutely-"

"That's two seconds now." Satan interrupts with a snicker. 

Lucifer, with the wisdom and patience of the oldest sibling, chooses to ignore the teasing and continue with what he is saying. "As I was saying, I require peace and quiet to complete these documents, so I will now be returning to my study and enchanting the door with a noise-canceling spell. I do not wish to be disturbed, so please only contact me if it is an emergency."

"Wait? So we jus can do whatever we wanna do tonight?" Mammon asks, his eyes sparkle with mischievous greed as he imagines the possibilities before him.

"Within reason, Mammon," Lucifer's crimson glare shoots to all his brothers. "But if I find out that any of you decided to waste your free time running about the Devildom causing problems, rest assured, I will punish you using everything at my disposal." The room falls silent as the Avatar of Pride rises from his seat and turns to leave. His massive cape swishes dramatically as he walks out the dining room doors. 

Unsurprisingly, Asmo is the first to spring from his seat. His arms wrap around you as you inhale his sweet peach-scented cologne. "Mc, come to my room. I have the cutest top you can wear tonight when you go to the club with me." he purrs into the shell of your ear.

"No way," Mammon objects. "The human is gonna come to the Casino with the Great Mammon tonight." 

Before the two demons try to drag you across the Devildom to party, you object. "Actually, I have a project to work on," you say, standing. "But you guys have fun."

"Wait, Mc," Beel asks softly, his big eyes full of hope. "Belphie and I were gonna go get some shaved ice for dessert. Would you like to join us?"

Your heart flutters tenderly at the Avatar of Gluttony's request, but the stress you are feeling is hitting you ten-fold. "I wish I could, Beel. But I really have to get my assignment done."

"May I join you two?" Satan asks. "I find myself in the mood for dessert."

"Me too," Levi quips.

"Sounds like a plan," Belphie says, looking at you with a pout. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"I'm positive," you reply, giving them your most convincing smile. "Now, you guys should go before the shop closes for the night." Beel's eyes go wide with worry, and he hastily leaves the room. As the others follow him out. 

Now alone, your body begins to tremble under the stress of the deadline looming over your head. The walk back to your desk is a long one, and tears begin to wheel in your eyes as you stare down at your assignment rubric and wonder how, in the three realms, you are going to be able to finish this project on time. 

~

It's been hours of working. Stressing, erasing, and overthinking and you feel like you are nearing your wits end. 

Your screen lights up with a message from Asmodeus. When you open it is a video attachment. Clicking on it you see that the 6 brothers are sharing a lush VIP booth at the Fall. "I wish you were hereeeee," Asmo yells into the speaker just above the thrumming base that belphie manages to sleep through peacefully. Their cheeks are ruddy from demonus, and they have the happiest smiles on their faces. 

It brings a smile to your face as you rewatch the video. Just behind Mammon, you see a figure that has you seeing red. 

He is double-fisting some kind of green demonus and wearing a ridiculous hat, but you see your classmates, the demon Olivier and the rest of your 'group' out partying without a care in the world.

While you are at home, working tirelessly on their project. 

Something inside of you just shatters, and you turn away from your desk and throw yourself onto your bed. The soft pillows muffle your cries of frustration. Your DDD feels like a brick in your hand as you raise it to your eye level. 

Your tired face stares back at you on the black screen, and you feel so alone.

You need to talk to someone…

But it's the middle of the night, Simeon and Solomon have gone to bed hours ago and Diavolo and Barbatos are off at a diplomatic conference. You know in your heart that Lucifer is still awake, hunched over his desk as he works through his mountain of paperwork.

Although he said he did not want to be disturbed, your feelings are too severe. 

This feels like an emergency. 

You call him, wanting to at least hear the soothing sound of his voice. The Dial Tone rings once, twice, thrice… but he doesn't pick up.

You sit there, listening to the dull sound of his answering machine. "I guess even in Hell, I have to leave voicemails," you murmur, waiting for the beep. 

"Hey… It's me," you say into the speaker. It's a struggle to keep your voice steady. "I know it's late, and you have lots to do, but if you get this, could you ple-please come here. I just really need someone to talk to right now."

Just voicing your struggle is enough to send tears trickling down your face, and you quickly hang up the phone before you let out one of those raspy, croaking sounds loose from your throat.

Exhaustion courses through your body as you give up on completing the group project for the night. Perhaps when you wake tomorrow, you will have the energy to pretend your problems don't exist.

~

Lucifer wakes up with his head against the polished mahogany of his desk. A bit of drool wetting the surface as he runs his hands through his hair. "What time is it?" he mutters groggily, reaching out blindly for his DDD. 

He pats the empty surface and sits up straighter. Finding that his device is not in its usual place on his desk. His brow furrows as he begins to look through the mountain of papers, trying not to ruffle the organized stacks that he completed earlier before dozing off.

Minutes later of flipping and straightening, he finds it under the center stack and sees that it is flooded with pictures from his brothers, who look like they had a great, but expensive, night out together. 

It brings a warm smile to his lips when he sees their cheesing faces. But then he notices another notification he hadn't seen before. "Mc sent me a voicemail?" He clicks play.

"Hey… It's me. I know it's late and you have lots to do, but if you get this could you ple- please come here. I just really need someone to talk to right now." your voice sounds so weak and shaky it fills him with dread. 

How could he have missed this?

He stands abruptly, papers flying everywhere from the movement, but he really couldn't care less.

You need him. 

You needed him last night and he wasn't there for you.

He has to find you, hold you, and do whatever he can to make you feel better. 

~

Apparently, falling asleep after hitting an emotional low does not constitute the most restful sleep. Your neck feels stiff as you pull your head up from your pillows. The fabric is still slightly damp from your tears the night before. There's this icky feeling in your chest, but it doesn't seem to go away. It only intensifies when you look over at your desk, your unfinished project littering the once pristine space.

Your door flies open suddenly as a gust of air reaches your skin. Lucifer stands in the doorway tensely. He looks ragged, tired, and his deep crimson eyes are muddled with heartbreaking concern. You immediately remember the voicemail that you sent him the night before

You stressed him out; you have to fix this. 

"Good morning, Lucifer," you smile. But it doesn't reach your eyes. He can see through your little act. "I didn't mean to worry you with that voicemail; it was really nothing."

"What's wrong?" he says, coming forward, closing that painful distance with determination. His hand cupping your cheek, forcing you to meet his eyes.

It's funny how one simple touch has your self-assured act crumbling to the ground like a poorly constructed house of cards. 

You find yourself spilling every detail to him, your exhaustion, the group project, the ostracization from your groupmates, and how you saw that they were out at the club last night."

All the while, Lucifer nods along with your story, his thumb gently running along your cheek in a soothing motion. His actions are caring and tender toward you, but there is a fire blazing in his eyes reserved for someone else. You may not know it yet, but Olivier’s days of comfort are numbered. 

"Why didn't you tell me of this before," he asks softly once you finish your explanation. "Why did you take this burden upon yourself?"

"I was worried, "you admit. "I heard that Olivier comes from an influential family. If I said anything, he could cause problems for the exchange program that you and Diavolo have worked so hard for."

"Mc, I promise you, that little rat was greatly exaggerating his self-importance." Lucifer's hand rubs gentle circles into your back. "If anything, you have far more influence in Devildom politics than he does," he adds with an amused chuckle. "

"He's still a jerk, though." you sniffle, wiping your eyes. "Thank you for coming here to cheer me up."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," he murmurs. "You needed me, and I let you down; please let me make it up to you today."

"You have nothing to make up for," you start, glancing back at your table. "Besides, I have to finish that project before tomorrow."

"Absolutely not," he says abruptly. "You will not lay a finger on that project since clearly you have done more than your share. I will make sure Lord Diavolo hears of this situation and you receive full marks on the work you have already done. I need you to know that you can rely on me. No matter how busy I am, I should never be too busy to come to your aid."

"I love you," you sigh, feeling the burdens lifting off your chest and disappearing into nothingness. "But I should've told you sooner. What do you think will happen to the rest of my group?"

He smiles and kisses the top of your head; as you lean into his touch, you don't see the dark look on his features. "Don't worry about them, Mc, I'll make sure they never cause you pain ever again. Now, let's get changed; I'll take you to that new cafe that opened up to Majolish and enjoy the rest of the day.

Tagging: @enchantedforest-network

[jewish-vents]

Goyim are wearing on my last nerve. I get the Mr. Rogers "look for the helpers" quote thrown at me regularly, people go "oh just don't watch/read/listen to them" when I mention someone being antisemitic, and act as if Jewish people who are upset are at fault for looking at something we knew would make us upset. And that's just not how this works.

I have never gone out of my way to look at something that makes me upset once in my entire life. I block people and stop using sites that upset me. I installed a Firefox extension to help filter content. I unsubscribed from every YouTuber that I used to watch who was antisemitic, installed an add-on to make them never come up in my feed, and installed an add-on to hide comments underneath videos from me. I've had to drop all my friends. I don't do anything to be visibly Jewish. I avoid any political content anywhere I see it. I have so, so many words filtered on multiple sites.

And the stuff that's allegedly my responsibility to just not watch/read/etc finds me anyway.

Try to watch YouTube? Antisemitism. Try to look at some fanart? Antisemitism. Watch the news? There it is. Searching for a D&D group? It pops up yet again. Look for some Animal Crossing design codes? Once more, with feeling. Walk to the dining hall from my dorm? Right there, in my face, yelling full volume. Go to class? The professors will make it a routine feature of lectures. Walk to the grocery store and back to get food so you can avoid the encampment? The cashiers are chatting about (((the Jews))). Search for something on Etsy for your mom's birthday? It's in the search results. Open up a website you go to for recipes because you want to cook until you feel less stressed? "Top 10 Recipes Stolen By Israelis". Buy a book at the used bookstore to read to take your mind off of things? An entire display is all anti-Israel books, right there to greet you when you walk in. Go to the thrift store to donate things you made or repaired? Your reward for this good deed is a sign in the window with the 'from the mountains to the sea' quote. Go home for a weekend to hang out with your family and naively think in a little town you wouldn't encounter antisemitism? Right-wing people drunk on conspiracy theories talk about their baseless beliefs right on the street where you can hear it through the windows.

There's this thing in psychology called DARVO. Deny, attack, reverse victim and offender. And it perfectly sums up the "nice" goyim's responses. The world isn't the offender, it's you. You're not being hurt, you're the one weighing everyone down with their negativity. They never address the root issue, that being that antisemitism is rampant, they just divert their attention onto something else, something pleasant to think about.

The problem with DARVO, like other abuser tactics, is that if you use it too often, it stops being effective. 11 months in, it's over the threshold. I am no longer going to feel guilty for noticing things are messed up.

If you don't want me to notice it, then change it. The easiest way to get people to stop complaining about the state of the world is to make it even marginally less bad, just enough we can convince ourselves there's hope for the future. But goyim can't do that, because that would take effort and involve admitting they have maybe done a single thing wrong in their lives. And their whole self-confidence rests upon the lie that is abdicating themselves from responsibility for their own actions.

I used to be angry at them. Now I'm annoyed at myself for ever expecting better. Genuinely, I do not know why I ever thought they were capable of being any better than they are now. There was nothing going on to prove to me that they had the capacity to be decent to other people when it wouldn't get them public praise, and most goyim are motivated entirely by extrinsic validation from their peers.

There is no anger left. There's just disappointment. And it's not even disappointment in them, because this is the best that they can do.

.

[teyamskxawng]

What Once Was [I]

Lo'ak Sully x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader

Neteyam Sully x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader

Part II here

The rundown: The once unbreakable bond between you and Lo'ak is tested as a newfound connection develops between you and Neteyam

Warnings: language, love triangle, jealousy, miscommunication, angst (i think?), Lo'ak can't handle change, Lo'ak is emotionally immature, everyone is kind of oblivious, characters are aged up

WC: 5.0k

A/N: love triangle fic bc i was feeling messy but i'm kind of struggling to write this... i have absolutely no idea how it's going to end, but we're sticking with it i guess

For as long as you can remember, you and Lo'ak have always been inseparable. Born just days apart, it's like you were destined to grow up side by side, practically attached at the hip. From your most embarrassing moments to your proudest achievements, there was, and still is, rarely a time when the two of you aren't together. 

Once a wide-eyed, lanky little girl, you've blossomed into a strong and capable young woman. And it's no different for Lo'ak. The wayward and reckless boy from your childhood has matured both physically and emotionally (sort of) into a man. Neither of you are children anymore. You've outgrown those naive days, stepping into the world of adulthood.

It's all still new and bizarre to you—your sudden awareness of the terrifying looming task of finding a mate, the unexpected influx of second glances and prolonged conversations with the other guys in your clan, the near-constant gossip that there's more to your relationship with Lo'ak than meets the eye. But you figure these little sprinklings of oddities are simply part of the ever-changing journey of growing up. 

And throughout all the confusing changes and inexplicable hormones, Lo'ak continues to be your rock. His enormous smile and infectious laughter remain the same; they still possess the power to brighten even your gloomiest days.

To many, he's the olo'eyktan's son; a direct descendant of the esteemed Toruk Makto; the antithesis of his older brother; some four-fingered anomaly to stare at and whisper about. But to you? You've never defined him by any titles or labels. In your eyes, he's simply Lo'ak: the first person you ever called a friend. Stupidly reckless yet fiercely loyal, easily the most annoying person on Pandora yet the one soul you could never live without—you wouldn't have him any other way.

You're forever intertwined through idyllic shared moments: climbing your way up towering trees until your palms were raw with blisters and hurt like hell, egging each other on to reach risky new speeds and daring new heights while soaring through the sky atop your ikran, spending nights wide awake in adjacent hammocks while trying to hold in your childish giggles over idiotic jokes that no one else could possibly understand. The friendship between you and Lo’ak is steadfast and unwavering; nothing can shake the bond you share.

At least, that's what you thought until Neteyam entered the picture.

In all fairness, Neteyam has always been around. He's like a constant presence, just sort of hovering on the periphery of your life. With him being a year older, it used to seem like an entire lifetime separated you during your childhood years. He bore so much responsibility on his shoulders at such a young age yet still held so much respect and admiration from everyone around him. Destined to become the olo'eyktan of your clan and recognized throughout Pandora as an extraordinary hunter, Neteyam grew up as a literal prodigy in every sense of the word.

And despite growing up alongside him and his siblings, Neteyam's awe-inspiring reputation often still makes him seem larger than life—like an ethereal figure rather than someone deeply connected to so many of your childhood memories. 

You and Neteyam have always been on friendly terms, but you never reached the same level of closeness as you did with Lo'ak, Kiri, or even Tuk. Your interactions with him typically consist of simple hellos whenever you pass each other in the Sully tent, aimless lighthearted conversations during your joint training sessions, or joining forces to playfully (not really) gang up on Lo'ak in a mutual spirit of camaraderie. Even though these moments are undoubtedly positive and enjoyable, they're also few and far between compared to your experiences with the other Sully kids. 

Neteyam always has so much shit to do, so many things to train for, so many duties to obey. You'd be lying if you said you didn't feed into Lo'ak's 'perfect little warrior' quip about Neteyam behind his back.

And when Jake decides to send all of the warriors in your training group on paired week-long hunting trips to put your acquired skills to the test, he doesn't even think twice before shooting down your and Lo'ak's mutual request to team up because he's a heartless, cruel old man he has first-hand experience of the way you and Lo'ak seem to revert back to children in each other's presence. 

Lo'ak gets paired with some stony old head who's over twice his age, while you get paired with Neteyam, which actually is alright with you. Neteyam sends you a warm smile when his father points you his way, and you, in turn, shoot a massive grin back at Lo'ak's sad little face.

The hunting trip goes even better than you could've imagined. Throughout the week-long journey, not only do you make a handful of clean kills, but you also manage to break through some of the emotional barriers that Neteyam has always maintained around himself. Behind his protective walls, when he lets his guard down, he's just like any other Na'vi your age—he's witty, charming, and endearing in his own distinctive way. 

He's also objectively nice to look at.

So it's really no one's business if you find yourself mesmerized by the muscles rippling across his back as he draws his bowstring, aiming at a fish you should be helping him track. Or if you're too busy admiring the way his tanhì glow in the moonlight to register that he's called your name three times in a row without receiving your response. You're an adult; you’re allowed to admire other men. Besides, Neteyam seems to be blissfully unaware of the fact that he's a heartthrob. He's kind of introverted and shy, yet arguably one of Pandora's most genuine and kind-hearted souls. And honestly? You feel kind of stupid for not taking the time to peel back each layer of his carefully crafted facade and build a deeper friendship with him sooner. It's an unexpected companionship that blossoms during those days spent side by side with Neteyam in Pandora's mesmerizing beauty, and it'll forever be a treasured part of your shared memories. 

Upon returning from your week-long hunting trip, it's apparent to just about everyone that something has changed between you and Neteyam. Your bond has deepened, and every moment spent together is more meaningful than before. Your laughter booms louder; your conversations last longer; your shared glances become more playful. To say the experience has brought you closer would be the understatement of the century.

Lo'ak quickly picks up on the not-so-subtle changes in your friendship with his brother. 

The shift in dynamics has left him feeling a confusing mix of emotions—anger, hurt, and maybe even (definitely) a tinge of envy. As he watches his brother grow closer to you, he can't help but feel like he's losing the one stable thing in his life—the one person who never mocked him for his avatar blood, never made him feel like an outcast, never picked his brother over him. 

Not until now. 

It's bullshit. It's like Neteyam doesn't have enough blessings already, like he doesn't have his choice of any other person on Pandora. It just had to be you. With each passing day, Lo'ak feels himself becoming more distant from you and his brother, unsure how to navigate those choppy waters. 

Which brings him to today.

The three of you are together, riding your ikran to scout out an uncharted waterfall that you stumbled across while on a solo hunt earlier that week. You practically begged Lo'ak to go back to the waterfall with you, and despite all the emotional commotion clouding Lo'ak's mind, he still decides to join you, hoping that maybe things will return to normal. Just you and him. What he doesn’t know, however, is that you also invited Neteyam to tag along. It’s a surprise Lo'ak discovers only when he arrives at your meeting spot and finds his brother already there, leaning on his ikran and chatting away with you like the two of you are best friends. Neteyam has a stupid smile plastered on his face as he holds your attention, completely oblivious to his brother’s arrival.

He never intended on slipping into this role—the one left behind. But here he is, grappling with feelings he can't totally name or understand; vulnerability mixed with longing, anger chased by guilt.

Childishly, Lo'ak stands there in silence for a good ten seconds before either of you notice his arrival and finally make room for him in your little group.

"Hey," you greet him, a wide grin spreading across your face. But it goes entirely unnoticed by Lo’ak, whose eyes are dead set on his brother. Maybe if he tries hard enough, he can telepathically tell Neteyam to go away. 

"You didn't say he was coming," Lo'ak mutters, finally glancing in your direction. Because you didn't. He doesn’t even need to say his name; it’s obvious. The two of you never include his brother in your outings.

Your enthused expression falters at Lo'ak's noticeable lack of excitement or even a simple 'hello' in response to your greeting. 

"No…" you begin hesitantly, your eyes darting back and forth between the two brothers before settling once more on Lo'ak. "But Jake got called to High Camp and canceled Neteyam's training session, so I figured he could join us instead."

It must be obvious that your words haven't exactly won Lo'ak over because, at his continued silence, you add, "You know he never gets a break."

Lo'ak's jaw clenches as he just stands there, motionless and marinating in his stubborn silence. In his head, he's cussing out his dad and Max and Norm and everyone else in High Camp for ruining his afternoon. Lo'ak frustratedly bites the inside of his cheek to keep the expletives in before calling out to his ikran. As he waits for his ride, he's still silent and brooding and completely ignoring both you and his brother.

The high-pitched shriek of his banshee echoes off the trees as it approaches from a nearby cliff. It swoops down and lands gracefully in front of Lo'ak, and he reaches out to scratch it behind the ear without a word. Only then does he finally lift his gaze to find you and Neteyam staring at him in bewildered silence.

Neteyam's previously wide eyes squint in confusion when Lo'ak locks eyes with him. Struggling to find the right words, Neteyam asks carefully, "Is that okay with you?" His voice is slow and cautious, as if one wrong move might set Lo'ak off.

Lo'ak responds with a deep sigh that echoes through the air, not even bothering to hide his irritation. Reaching over his shoulder for his queue, he connects to and mounts his ikran in a flash of silent, swift movements. After settling on its back and letting the tense silence steep for a few moments, Lo'ak answers his brother's inquiry with an annoyed shrug of his shoulders and an uptight "Sure."

So, to say that Lo'ak was pissed would be an understatement. 

A bubbling cauldron of jealousy and resentment brewed inside him throughout the entire flight to the waterfall. And as all three of you land your ikran onto a nearby patch of grass, his blood continues to seethe with envy. Lo’ak grabs his queue and separates the connection between himself and his ikran. Immediately after doing so, the ikran emits a sharp hiss directly in his face. The creature then abruptly shifts its gaze, evidently fed up about sharing Lo'ak's unnerving emotions through their bond. Lo'ak knows it's immature to be so upset over something so seemingly insignificant, but it still gnaws at him relentlessly. So much so that the prospect of seeing the waterfall doesn't even excite him anymore. The entire outing feels overshadowed by the looming presence of his brother. 

Clearly though, you feel the complete opposite way. You're practically vibrating in anticipation, each beat of your ikran's wings drawing you closer to the ground. As soon as you land, you hurriedly shower your ikran in affection with a few loving pats on its flank before quickly dismounting and happily leading the way toward the waterfall.

Lo'ak and Neteyam have to jog a little to keep up with your enthusiastic pace as you navigate through the dense forest landscape. You're a good ten steps ahead of them, deftly bobbing and weaving beneath low-hanging branches while simultaneously working to untie the armband from around your bicep. Your figure keeps disappearing from Lo'ak's view—vanishing behind veils of cascading leaves one moment and leaping over boulders the next as you determinedly forge ahead. It’s like you’ve never been outside before.

Finally, he catches sight of you, standing triumphantly at the base of a colossal rocky wall. Rising above you is a mind-blowing waterfall that makes Lo'ak pause in his tracks. It stands so tall and roars so loud that he momentarily forgets all about his shitty mood. No amount of grumbling or sarcasm can compete with, or diminish, the raw power of the wonder that lies before him. A thick mist envelops the base where the water comes crashing down, blurring the boundary between the waterfall and the pool below. Beams of daylight pierce through the airborne water droplets, casting vibrant spectrums of color that seem almost alive as they dance across the expanse of the creek.

Using both hands, you gather your braids away from your face and retrieve the armband from its position clenched firmly between your teeth. Your back faces Lo'ak as you drink in the mesmerizing sight before you, and your excitement is practically bubbling over as you shout over the roar of the waterfall, "Isn't it amazing? I told you, I've never seen anything so beautiful." 

The blend of mist, light, and color casts a glowing halo around your figure as you secure your hair with the band, and Lo'ak is momentarily entranced. His breaths are a little shallow as he nods wordlessly at your back, not really processing your words, but fully convinced of them nonetheless. 

Your head tilts back as you crane your neck to further examine the sprawling wall of rock. "It's kind of a climb to get to the top," you warn. Lo'ak can practically see the gears turning in your head as you map out the best route up, the strategic warrior in you taking over. When your focused attention finally returns to Lo'ak and Neteyam, there's a mischievous twinkle in your eyes. "We should race," you challenge them with a grin.

The rugged, nearly vertical incline is intimidating but definitely doable. Lo'ak knows you're a skilled climber; the two of you spent your childhood scaling trees together. He fondly recalls days spent scrambling up trees and challenging each other to reach the highest branches. It felt like the biggest accomplishment in the world when you'd both reach the summit of Hometree. You'd bask in the view of the forest from the canopy until your parents inevitably tracked you down and scolded you for your reckless behavior.

You practically made climbing trees your entire personalities until Lo'ak's dumbass had to go and fall out of one. It left him with a nasty purple bruise that was way too big to hide, and when he went to his grandmother for healing, you were both unceremoniously banned from your cherished little hobby. It wasn't even that high up, but you've never let him live it down—constantly (and only half-jokingly) claiming that the accident is the sole reason he's a little off in the head.

The memory makes Lo'ak's lips twitch into a grin, and he's about to remind you of that nostalgic day when Neteyam speaks up.

"I guess it's good we didn’t invite monkey boy," Neteyam says, entirely serious. He's gazing up at the rocky enclosure in determination, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the harsh daylight before turning back to face you.

Your face scrunches up in confusion as you ask, “Who?”

Neteyam just nods at you before clarifying, “Spider.”

Lo'ak watches as you're silent for a few beats before you break out into a slow, wide grin and let out a loud snort of laughter. 

Lo'ak has to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes, because nothing that Neteyam said warranted that kind of reaction. The remark wasn't even supposed to be funny; their whole family has been calling Spider by that nickname ever since he was little. But of course, the first time you hear that piece of information, it has to come from none other than Neteyam. And Lo'ak just has to stand there in silence like a third wheel for the umpteenth time that day. 

You’re barely able to string together words through your uncontrollable bubbles of laughter. "My Eywa," you gasp out, your eyes squeezed shut as you shake your head in disbelief. Finally catching your breath, you implore him lightheartedly, "You need to tell jokes more often, Neteyam. I’m serious."

Lo'ak knows that you're probably being a little sarcastic and a little serious at the same time, but either way, it's not like Neteyam knows that. He's just beaming back at you with that same dopey look on his face as he basks in your amusement. 

"I will…?" comes Neteyam's response, almost as if it were a question or a statement requiring some kind of validation. Lo'ak watches as you extend an arm to playfully nudge the back of his brother's head. This time, Lo'ak does roll his eyes as the two of you fall into a cycle of tugging on each other's braids and tails like a pair of five-year-olds. 

And it's been like this more and more often lately: Neteyam showering you with attention, you grinning from ear to ear and laughing at every single word that leaves his lips. It's irritating. And it gets even worse.

You finally manage to sneak out of Neteyam's reach, refocusing your sight on the towering wall ahead. 

"I'll go first," you declare confidently, surveying the wall from top to bottom as you adjust the bow and arrows securely fastened to your back. You locate a small protrusion in the rock's rough surface and firmly position your foot into the crevice, your fingers searching for a higher ledge to grip. Finding one, you propel your entire body upwards with a determined leap.

Lo'ak, unable to suppress his competitive inner child, is soon hot on your heels. From the moment you both mastered your bow and arrow, taking down your prey with clean precision, to the day you tamed and forged a bond with each of your ikran, your combined spirit of friendly competition has fueled a relentless desire to outdo each other. 

And today is no different.

"Bro, wait up!" Lo'ak shouts, his voice cutting through the cool mountain air. "I thought you said we were racing!" He scrambles onto the wall beside you, his eyes locked on your every move. Your quick hands and feet expertly navigate the rough, uneven surface of the rock wall, leading the way up.

"We are," you retort, not even sparing a glance at him as you carefully calculate each handhold and foothold. You keep your focus on the task at hand, stretching your arm out to grab a rock to your far left. 

Lo'ak extends his arm to grip the same rock you just occupied. He's well aware and not at all ashamed of the fact that he's blatantly copying your every move now—anything to keep up with your quick pace. 

"Then why'd you start without us?" he manages to ask, a little bit out of breath.

"So you can watch and learn," you reply confidently, a smug smile playing at the corners of your lips. Your outstretched foot reaches over just enough to give Lo'ak's shoulder a teasing little nudge. 

"Txanfwìngtu," Lo'ak mutters under his breath, but clearly not quiet enough. The unmistakable sound of his brother's disapproving "Lo'ak" reverberates through the air behind him. You whip your head in Lo'ak's direction before half-heartedly hissing at him. Your attempt at intimidation quickly dissolves into barely-contained laughter as you revel in the look of pure irritation on Lo'ak's face. 

You're still laughing as you resume climbing, but as you take your next step, you miscalculate your foot's placement on the rugged surface and momentarily lose your balance, whispering a soft "shit." But before you even have a chance to panic, you quickly catch yourself and regain your footing like it's nothing. Because it isn't. 

But Neteyam, the picture-perfect angel that he is, doesn't hesitate to reach out and steady you from his spot standing right behind you, even though you're barely as high off the ground as Tuk's height and it's obvious you're not going to fall. 

Lo'ak’s brows furrow as he watches your entire body tense up the instant Neteyam's hands wrap around your waist.

Something ugly swirls in Lo'ak's stomach as he notices the way his brother's eyes are practically glued to your waist, his fingers lingering on you for a few beats too long for it to feel friendly anymore. It's not until you turn your head over your shoulder to meet Neteyam's gaze that he actually has the presence of mind to shift his eyes up toward yours and let go of your middle.

"Sorry," he mumbles, so quiet and timid that you'd think he was lying if he told you he was the future leader of the entire clan.

"No, no, it's okay. Thank you," you say with a smile, clearly trying to brush it off and diffuse any lingering awkwardness from the situation. You turn back around and resume your ascent like nothing, but it doesn't escape Lo'ak's notice that he can detect the distinct scent of your arousal in the air, as clear as day. 

It's a natural reaction, something Lo'ak has noticed before in various situations without any cause for concern. He'd usually just tease you about it, and that would be that. But today is different. Seeing his brother so close to you and knowing how easily those kinds of emotions can rise to the surface because of his presence makes something ugly swirl in Lo'ak's stomach. 

Lo'ak has become increasingly agitated by your budding friendship with his brother ever since that week-long hunting trip you shared with him. And now? Now he's just confused. Everything feels so different. He's almost positive that there's something more going on between you and Neteyam—something deeper than just a normal, platonic friendship. The nagging feeling inside him refuses to go away, and he can't understand why it hurts so much.

You and Lo'ak have always been best friends—nothing more and nothing less. He's watched you talk to other men in the clan. There were countless instances where guys would boldly make a pass at you, even with Lo'ak standing right there by your side. But he'd always just laugh it off or poke fun at you. Because deep down, he's confident none of them are truly worthy of you, and nothing serious will ever come out of those flirtations.

But things are different now. Along came Neteyam—the perfect little warrior son who defies each and every one of those odds. Lo'ak can't ignore the fact that his brother is more than good enough for you. In fact, Neteyam is probably one of the few clan members who could actually be considered suitable for someone like you. This harsh truth strikes Lo'ak like a massive weight dropping on his chest.

Because of this, it's increasingly difficult for Lo'ak to shake off the nagging suspicion that something must've happened between the two of you. His mind is practically racing as thoughts of what could have transpired between you and Neteyam play over and over again inside his head like a dissonant, never-ending loop. Because what the fuck was that back at the bottom of the waterfall? Even now, your scent lingers in the air like a constant reminder of how Neteyam put his hands on you, cruelly etched into Lo'ak's memory.

He tries to focus on anything else but that moment: the lush forest surrounding the waterfall, the light filtering through the rustling leaves above, a stingbat hanging from a tree branch. He even tries taking deep breaths to calm himself down, but nothing works. It's like the soundtrack of his thoughts can't be silenced. He's a swirling vortex of anger, confusion, and betrayal, demanding an outlet to release all the pent-up turmoil.

So as soon as the little waterfall outing is all said and done and you all return to Hometree, Lo'ak swiftly grabs Neteyam's arm, pulling him aside. A puzzled expression sweeps across Neteyam's features, which only fuels Lo'ak's rising frustration over the entire situation. But the tense silence hanging in the air is cut short by your concerned voice.

"Is everything okay?" You inquire, your wide eyes dancing back and forth between the two brothers, searching for some kind of explanation.

​​Lo'ak's eyes, previously burning with rage, soften as they shift from his brother to your worried face. You just have that effect on him. 

With a brief nod of his head and a forced grin, Lo'ak tries to casually address your concerns. "Yeah, don't worry about it. I just need to talk to Neteyam about something." Sensing the tension ebbing away, he loosens his previously iron grip on his brother's arm, finally allowing it to drop altogether. "We'll catch up with you later."

Lo'ak holds his breath as you narrow your eyes at him, your face a clear mask of suspicion given his not-at-all-reassuring response. Your eyes dart toward Neteyam, who only offers you a shrug and a half-hearted smile. But clearly, he doesn't fully understand what's happening either.

Lo'ak doesn't let out the breath he's holding until you give him a reluctant nod in agreement before walking away.

Lo'ak's eyes are glued to your retreating form as you walk away, pushing past a group of low-hanging vines and disappearing into the distance. He refuses to tear his gaze away until he feels confident that you're far enough from him and his brother. With his heart pounding in his chest, he turns to face Neteyam, his eyes filled with accusation.

Without bothering to offer any preamble or context, he bluntly demands to know: "Did you fuck her?" This question has consumed him for what feels like an eternity—days melting into weeks.

Neteyam just blinks at Lo'ak, caught off-guard by the explosive confrontation. His forehead wrinkles, and his eyes squint towards his younger brother, clearly puzzled by the unexpectedness of the question. As shock gives way to disbelief, all he can muster in response is an incredulous "Are you serious?"

Lo'ak shoots back with a sarcastic huff of laughter, but his expression is anything but amused. "Dead serious, bro," he confirms, punctuating the statement with a firm nod of his head.

Neteyam's hands reach up seemingly unconsciously as they rake through his braids in clear frustration before rubbing at the sides of his temples. His eyes squeeze shut as he takes a moment to process the incredulity of it all before shaking his head and sighing heavily in exasperation.

He finally opens his eyes again and answers with unwavering certainty. "No," he replies with conviction, locking eyes with his brother to drive home the sincerity of his words.

Although Lo'ak finally feels a hint of relief surge through him at Neteyam's denial, the rage he's been harboring toward the entire situation continues to seethe just beneath the surface.

"But you want to, right?" he questions, his voice laced with a touch of hysteria, his frustration boiling over. "You just can't help yourself from taking the one person in my life who actually cares about me? You're that fucking selfish?" Lo'ak's mind races as he rambles on, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His fists clench tightly at his sides, just itching to find their way to his brother's face.

Neteyam seems genuinely taken aback by Lo'ak's sudden outburst. He actually has the nerve to look like he's in disbelief. "That's not fair, and you know it," Neteyam says, his voice carrying a hint of hurt.

Lo'ak scoffs at Neteyam's defense, shaking his head in frustration. "Not fair? You're so full of shit," Lo'ak fires back. Because Neteyam will never understand. His life is picture-perfect. He doesn't have to carry the burden of being the second-born son—always the second thought, always living in someone else's shadow. He'll never get it.

Neteyam tries to reason with Lo'ak, his voice calm and pleading as if he's carefully picking each word to tread lightly on volatile ground. "Look, Lo'ak," he begins, his words measured like he'd practiced them already. It wouldn't really shock Lo'ak if that was the case.

"Y/n and I appreciate each other's company, but it's never crossed the boundaries of friendship. Still, I don't see why that matters. You told me the two of you are just friends, right?"

Lo'ak's silence hangs heavy in the air, as if the weight of the truth is finally sinking in. Neteyam's words weren't untrue; Lo'ak can't deny them. There were rumors floating around about you and him supposedly courting each other, barely over a year ago. You and he just laughed about it before mutually shutting everything down because you weren't anything more than friends. Aren't anything more than friends. But now the memories of those rumored whispers haunt him, like they're laughing at how stupid and confused he is about everything concerning you all of a sudden.

Lo'ak hesitates for what seems like an eternity, drawing a knowing smile from Neteyam, who then places a firm hand on top of Lo'ak's head like he's a little kid. The gesture only serves to intensify the fire burning within Lo'ak. Neteyam doesn't know anything about his friendship with you. 

Frustration and anger bubble up within Lo'ak as he forcefully wrenches his brother's arm away from him. "Get your hands off me," he mumbles, taking several steps back to put some distance between them. "And keep your hands off y/n," he adds as an afterthought, his voice bitter with resentment.

The air between the two brothers is thick with tension and unresolved emotions. It's like a storm, just waiting to break loose. Their bond has always been iffy, but at this moment, it feels like it could be severed altogether by the thin thread barely keeping them connected. 

It's too much.

Without another word, Lo'ak turns and walks away, each of his footsteps heavy with the weight of his tormenting feelings.

A/N: This feels so dramatic?? Lmfao this is exactly why I don't write angst, but I do have a second part sitting in my drafts 😼

Next part here

[creative-kny-fics]

hii!~ I'm not sure if requests are open (no worries if not!), but I was wondering if you could do a ler!Tanjiro / lee!Muichiro fic set during the Hashira Training, like when Tanjiro comes to train with Muichiro? Perhaps he's getting too annoyed/embarassed at all the favoritism Mui is showing him, and decides to get the point across through this way instead! ~ Thank youuu! ♡

It still makes me laugh how Muichiro's expression changes so quickly when he talks to Tanjiro JAHSJSHJAHSKSHSAJA (I hope you don't mind, but I did both switches)

Switches: Muichiro Tokito and Tanjiro Kamado

Tanjiro had already finished the training, but, even though he did well and received praise from the Mist Hashira, something made him feel uncomfortable...

Maybe it was that there was clearly a preference? Maybe that's it...

'You really are lucky... We've been here for almost 2 weeks, and you've only been here for 5 days... Who knows how many more days we'll be here with him...'

'T-two weeks ?! Five days?!', he was surprised, his suspicions were true.

Tanjiro didn't feel special, he wasn't a hashira, he didn't have a rank like Kanao or any gift to deserve that respect or preference, according to him.

So he decided that he would not leave that place until Muichiro began to have equal treatment, even if that meant that he had to stay longer, it was fair, right?

'Tanjiro? What are you doing here? I told you that you could go with the next hashira... Besides, it's already late, today's training is already over...'

'I know, it's just that I wanted to stay a little to talk to you, we haven't had much time to do it. Of course, if it doesn't bother you!'

'Why are you making a strange face...?', Muichiro questioned.

It was true, Tanjiro was not capable of lying and when he did, his face turned into a strange grimace, what could he do?! If he discovered it...

'You'd better pass on, it could be tiredness' 'Thank you...!', as Muichiro closed the door, Tanjiro sighed in relief, he hadn't realized

He only turned around for a moment and Muichiro was no longer there, he didn't think Tokito was playing hide and seek, especially not in an almost closed place. 'Tanjiro...'

'AAAAAAH!!', Tanjiro fell to the floor, at what moment?!. 'W-what?! Tokito-San!? Wait, you were here and now you're here and now I'm on the ground and...!'

'You were taking a long time, so I decided to go drink some water and brought you a glass for yourself, I figured you would be exhausted. What's the matter?'

Tanjiro shook his head, he didn't think he would have a chance against him, he did all that in a single carelessness, avoiding Tanjiro shouldn't be a problem. 'Tokito... Why?'

'Why what?' 'Why you seems to have some kind of preference for me?', Muichiro tilted his head, he wasn't the type to have preferences was he?

'What are you taking about? I have no preference for you or anyone. What makes you think that?'

Tanjiro told him what the others had told him, from 5 days to 2 weeks there was almost 10 days difference and it was impossible not to notice it.

Muichiro shrugged when Tanjiro finished, guessing that it was only his potential that helped him pass the training faster than them.

'Tokito-San... It's not good to lie, I've noticed how your expressions change with me. I'm not special enough to deserve that respect from you...', Muichiro pulled Tanjiro by the ear. 'Don't you dare say something like that about yourself again, if you do I'm going to kick your little ass until you can't sit up'

Weird threat, but it wasn't like Muichiro could do more, Tanjiro was neither Sanemi nor Uzui to do to something worse.

Again, that preference for Tanjiro, but this time Tanjiro knew how to take advantage of it. 'Tokito-San, you don't mind if I do something, do you?'

'No? As long as you don't get hurt I think it's fine...' 'Fine! Come here!'

Tanjiro approached him moving his fingers, he expected a bigger reaction from him, but all he received was a...

'Tanjiro, what are you doing?', Tanjiro stopped, wasn't he ticklish?

'Eeeeeeh... Ehehehehe... I was... Well... I was trying...'

Muichiro raised his eyebrows and looked around, waiting for Tanjiro to at least finish a sentence, he was so embarrassed about it. .

'Well, I'll be honest, I was trying to tickle you, but it seems like you're not ticklish...'

'Tanjiro, don't you think it's kind of... Silly to have a weakness like that? We're hashiras, I don't think something like that would affect us...'

'Giyuu-San always laughs when he's tickled. Also Kanroji-San... Uzui-San too... Obanai-San, even Shinazugawa-San laughs!'

Was Muichiro screwing Tanjiro over that? Yes. Muichiro remembered that he, like the other hashiras, is ticklish but he knows how to hide it well? Yeah.

'Well, I guess you have a point. But what are you going to gain if you manage to make me laugh?', Tanjiro hadn't thought about it, what could he ask of him?

Maybe let the other slayers go to the next hashira? Or that Muichiro treats Tanjiro as one of his own? Or maybe the only thing Tanjiro would gain would be a good memory of friendship with Muichiro...

One thing was for sure, Tanjiro had to stop getting too deep into his thoughts.

He didn't notice that Muichiro was talking to him and waving his hands in front of him, so he chose to do the same as Tanjiro, but this time he did get a response. 'E-eh! To-Tohokito-Sa-!!'

'And? How did you expect to "teach me a lesson" if you couldn't stand the way you were trying to convince me?'

'I did not think that-!! AYIE!! Nohohot theherehehe!! It wa-wahasn't suppohohosed to be ehehehe like t-thihihis!!', Muichiro shrugged and smiled, it was funny.

In an attempt to escape from that situation, he dropped to the ground, curling up into a ball and trying to turn his back on him, but it didn't help.

Muichiro simply followed him and was quick, the moment Tanjiro was about to snuggle, he stuck his hands under his arms, digging into his armpits and laughing when Tanjiro "tried" to stop him from continuing the tickling by hugging himself, just to make the feeling worse.

'Well well, maybe I should tell the next hashira to also do this training with you? Maybe it will help you, I'm being too gentle and kind to you'

'See?! Yohohou ha-have ahahaha pr-preferehehencehes!! He-hehehey!!! TOKITO!!' 'And you continue with that? Well, then I have to show you that I have no preferences for anyone...'

Tanjiro shook his head when Muichiro gave him a break, and when someone gives you a break it's because what follows will be worse than what he went through before.

Muichiro took one of Tanjiro's wrists and placed it on top of his head, smiling as he once again brought his fingers closer together, moving them only to "anticipate" Tanjiro what was coming. 'Where can I start? You had a good reaction when I went for your armpits, are you the same as Genya? Have they told you before? No? Well, I'm telling you then, you have to be careful because someone can do this and... THIS!'

'TO-TOHOKITOHO!! WAHAHAIHIT!! COHOMEHE OHOHON!!'

'Why should I wait? You insist that I have favoritism for you, well if I have so much favoritism for you why am I doing this to you?', Tanjiro screamed, the only thing he needed to add to his shame.

And they were like that for a long time, Muichiro was not being nice to him at all, he changed spots at random, used different techniques, blew the occasional raspberry, pretended to stop only to attack again.

Tanjiro couldn't even think about escaping, he had asked for it in a certain part, and Tokito had to stop, right?

'So you still think I have favoritism?' 'NOOOO!! OKAY, OKAHAHAY!! I GEHEHET I-IT!! YOHOHOU CAHAHAN STOHOHOP!!'

Muichiro raised an eyebrow in disagreement, should he do it? What guaranteed him that Tanjiro wasn't lying? Oh right, Tanjiro never lies, much less knowing that he will be tickled more for lying.

As a last warning if he was lying, he blew one last raspberry and after that, he stopped, laughing as Tanjiro once again curled up into a ball. 'That was fun, we should do it again!'

'Ehehehe, yes... We should... But, now you're the one getting tickled!'

'Huh?!', Muichiro and Tanjiro "fought", although to be fair, Muichiro decided to be nice and let him win.

How bad could it be? Tanjiro had already tried that before and was unsuccessful, why would he change now?

'Know? Talking to Genya and Giyuu-San, they told me that you were good at hiding your reactions, but... That I could make you laugh if I really kept pressure on that point...'

'Yeah, wait... THEY TOLD YOU?!' 'No ahahaha! I only said it to see your reaction, but apparently my suspicion was true! You must like raspberries, right?'

Muichiro nodded, but then realized that Tanjiro wasn't specifically referring to the fruit, and he shook his head, denying that he liked it, too late.

Tanjiro inhaled as much air as he could and held it for a while, Muichiro opened one of his eyes and looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

What was he planning? Well, he just wanted me to open his eyes to catch him off guard and boy did he do it.

'Well, it seems I was right! How many raspberries should I give you? Taking into account that you quite like them...' 'NO-NONE MORE!! I DON'T LIKE IHIHIHIT-!! GEHEHET OHOHOHOFF!!'

'Na-ah! Before you tickled me you said that I should show you this, so that's what I'll do!', Tanjiro laughed, again inhaled and blew.

How could Muichiro fall into that trap? He means, Tanjiro wasn't lying when he said that, Giyuu and Genya always did that and that's why, to a certain extent, they were the only ones who managed to make him laugh that way.

But now he felt like a fool for letting Tanjiro win, apparently he was right, he had a crush on Tanjiro and he wasn't going to stop until he admitted it. 'Tokito-San, you let me win because you like me, right? Sees it?! I'm still your favorite! That means you lied when you said you didn't have favorites! And lies are paid with raspberries!'

'NOOO!! I'M SOHOHORRY!! FINE, YES I HAVE A FAVORITISM FOR YOU!!'

'I knew it hahaha! Hey!', Tanjiro turned away, he didn't see it coming honestly.

Now he understood why some were afraid to tickle Muichiro, he kicked and slapped, luckily it wasn't that hard, so Tanjiro was fine.

'I'm sorry... I don't...' 'Okay, woah ahahaha, surprising! So, will you be as kind to the other hunters as you are to me?'

'Only if they deserve it, otherwise, no.', well at least he would try, so it was worth it

[princelylove]

Dear prince,

I have come again because I cannot ignore your callings any further. (I'm the anon that requested the jotaro hcs and prosciutto with model darling) sorry they were a bit tame, I have so much I wanna ask but don't. Partly because I get so nervous and giddy while thinking of sending them and partly because I forget to.

Anyways, I've been thinking of sending you an ask about the more doting yanderes e.g. Bruno, Jonathan and whoever else comes into your mind with a little 'miss independent' darling. They get so offended and pouty when their captor tries to help them or do something for them, thinking it's an act of underestimation and thinking they aren't capable enough and have to be babied. (How will the yanderes handle this? Maybe even a bit of brat taming?)

– 💝🪤 darling

There's no need to be shy about it. I'm fairly happy to humor requests, even if they're on the tame side. I do wish I'd receive some odd ones, though. Variety is fun.

Wellll. Do you like to be restrained? Because this is like begging to be given less and less privileges, assuming their darling is already safe and sound in their 'home.'

Bruno loves you a lot. He wishes he understood what he's doing wrong- spouses are supposed to relax when their man is home!

He gets fairly frustrated early on. It's agitating, if he's being honest. Bruno doesn't know how to punish this kind of behavior- his instinct is to bend you over his knee and make you count how many times he spanks you, but that's probably just going to give him more problems long term. You won't relax in front of him if he's hit you before, and the goal is to make you want to roll on your back for him...

Maybe he can't hit you, but he can scold you. Bruno exists to help you, please just let him handle the dangerous things, even if it's just cutting up some fruit. Knives aren't a joke!

He goes through a few stages before he lands on proper scolding. First, he tries to bribe you. Then, he tries to reason with you.

"Come on, amore. This is for your own good. What can I do to help you through this?"

Since neither of those work, it seems he has no other option than to chide you.

Jotaro wishes you would just shut up and behave. You're such a pain in the ass sometimes, you know that? He regrets how he handled taking you home. Maybe if he were nicer, you wouldn't behave like a spoiled brat that acts out for his attention.

Yeah, he's fully convinced it's an attention thing. You're just fucking with him. Obviously you're pouty and whiny because he's been busy lately, so... sorry. He'll be around more, ok? No need for all of this whining and screaming and crying shit, it's annoying as hell.

Yeah, sure, you can take care of yourself. He's not doing that. He's checking you. You're not a baby, sure, he never said you were. Can you just lift your shirt up already? He needs to check for bruises again.

You can expect any verbal resistance to be met with.... verbal resistance. Jotaro is unsurprisingly quick witted, and can be pushed a little before he starts to find it annoying. He'd prefer you to be docile and happy about it, but Jotaro can see a little back and forth as fun. Maybe. It depends.

When you really piss him off and aren't cooperating in the slightest, he's less fun about it. His ability to stop time comes in handy when his favorite brat thinks they can get away with not humoring his paranoia checks. If you're not going to play nice, Jotaro will just violate any sense of privacy you were clinging to before this. Fine, ok. Make him be the asshole because you don't want to do something simple like let him see your arms or stomach.

He offers no comfort afterwards, because he didn't do anything wrong. Maybe if you listened to him, you'd understand. The house rules aren't up for debate.

... Yes, he still wants to sleep with you tonight and to tuck you in nicely. That isn't up for debate either.

[itjazzbicch]

New Motivation

Pairing: Magna Swing x Reader 

First time writing for Magna so I hope I did well! 

Summary: Wanting to get stronger so Magna can win in a sparring session against Luck, he challenges his best friend, the reader, who has gravity magic, not thinking he's improving, but the reader knowing he is, giving him new motivation to get even stronger...

Warnings:  Slight Swearing, and just fluff! 🥰

Word Count: .08k

"I don't plan on taking it easy on you, Magna!" I was all smiles, but dead serious while opening my grimoire, ready for this little sparring session.

"I don't either!" He spat cockily, readying himself, "If I can take you down, I'll definitely get Luck next time!"

I rolled my eyes at his comment about Luck. All they knew how to do was fight one another, but Magna was my best friend and if sparring with him made him stronger, I had no problem sparring.

"Sure about that?" Using my gravity magic, the fireball he had formed in his hand started to fall to the ground along with the rest of his body.

"Hey! I didn't say go!"

"So?!" I laughed, turning my back, thinking I had already won, "Too easy, Magna!"

"Just who are you laughing at-" Groaning through his words, I turned my head to the side to see fire, flame blinding me, grazing the side of my face, searing my hair at the ends a little, "HUH, Y/N?!"

He shouldn't be able to stand upright with how I was manipulating the gravity, let alone throw fire like it was some toddlers play ball.

"Want more?" Fixing my hair and walking over, "Let's see if you can dodge these!"

Creating a small zone of mana, my gravity magic allowed me to move quicker and made me more agile, so I could save stamina, but for Magna? He was tripping over his own two feet, just barely able to stand and dodge my punches.

"WOAH!" He squealed, noticing how fast they were coming, "HOLD UP A SECOND!"

"If you could throw a fireball, you can throw punches!" I didn't slow down, he was slowly improving so I added more pressure, so he could mold under the heat.

"Is this a mana zone?!" He didn't know for sure because I never told anyone about my mana zone. Not too many people that I knew who were our age, were capable of such things.

"Yeah, you're one of two who's seen! Congratulations!" Now I was growing annoyed, holding back a punch that he went to dodge, sweeping him off his feet next, placing my foot on his chest as his back hit the ground, "Now, are you going to shut up and focus or not?"

Staring at the sky with frustration in his eyes, he quickly covered his face with his hair falling, backhanding the ground, over and over:

"Damn it! I'm never gonna be strong like you guys!"

"Magna, look at me," I said softly, keeping our gaze locked as he only peeked through his fingers, dropping and sitting on top of him, taking his hands away so he'd look at me, "You are strong and if you talk bad about yourself again, I'm actually going to kick your ass."

His cheeks were red like tomatoes, eyes hiding behind his bangs as he murmured, "But I'm not. I can't do anything alone. I'll never beat you or Luck."

"You're the second person who's been in my mana zone, and the only one who was able to move in it. You know that?"

Finding my gaze again, his expanding pupils showed his shock, growing teary when I also noted:

"You also caught me off guard with that fireball."

Showing the slight burn on my cheek, proved how close he was to getting a direct hit, but the sight made him panic:

"Oh, crap! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"Shush," Putting my finger over his lip, my smile showed that I was fine, trying to raise his spirit, "It stings a little, but I'll live. This is about you. You are strong, Magna. And if you can move and fight in my mana zone? Just a little bit more practice and you'll kick Luck's ass, and maybe kick mine."

He was still conflicted with his emotions, trying to hide his voice as he wiped at his eyes:

"I wish."

"You're stronger than you know," I cooed, taking his hands away again, seeing how quickly his chest was heaving when my head fell, kissing him softly.

Struck with a good shock, he was frozen, then melted when he kissed back, interlocking our hands, still going for more when I picked my head up.

"What? Want another kiss?" I teased, leaning back down as he nodded, stopping right before our lips touched again, "Beat Luck and you'll get another one."

"You're cruel," He pouted, making me laugh and feel a little guilty:

"Alright, fine. One more."

Pouring more passion into this one, I was hoping that my kiss would not only let him know that I believed in him but also, encourage him to keep getting stronger.

He held my hands even tighter, panting when I gave one last peck before pulling away, "And I'll even change my little offer. Beat Luck and we can go on a date. How's that sound?"

"I'm gonna beat the crap out of him," He panted, as serious as ever, the look of seriousness making me laugh:

"That's a fight I'm looking forward to watching." 

2023 © itjazzbicch — do not repost or translate my work. Likes, reblogs, and comments are always welcome 

[cosmic-glow]

Could you write some headcannons about being negan‘s daughter?😄

Notes: I'm terribly sorry it took me so long to write this, but I hope you still enjoy it, good reading.

Warnings: fem!reader; a little angst; Negan being a loving, playful and protective father; SFW.

You are a princess, and that is exactly what you are called among saviors.

Negan is a very affectionate father, with his sarcastic and crazy way.

He could never actually say "no" to you, since you were little he spoiled you, you are his little princess.

He's very protective of you, always has been, but after the fall and your mother's death he became even more so.

Would teach you how to handle weapons and kick anyone's ass that bothered you.

You don't like to remember it but you know that even if he never said it, you were the one who kept him rational and firm to follow after your mother's death, it was a very difficult time for both of you.

And that's one more reason why he's so protective, he can't lose you too.

Negan is really good at reverse psychology and emotion interpretation and all that, so it's hard for you to hide anything from him.

Trust me girl, even when you think you haven't let anything slip he'll have asked at least 3 trusted saviors to make sure you don't get hurt going through with it.

Sometimes when he's alone in the office you go up to him just to gossip about something going on at the sanctuary, like two mean girls talking.

Depending on your age he would joke that you should date Carl or Daryl, just to piss you off. "You could symbolize peace between the groups! We would have a ceremony at the sanctuary, it would be beautiful, dear!"- his eyes glistening with sarcasm.

Oh wait, do you like girls? You're still not free from his teasing, even if you're asexual he'll find a way to annoy you with it.

But actually the idea of ​​someone with you really makes him uncomfortable. I mean he's ok with the idea of ​​you dating, but first he has to scare the person a little bit to doesn't dare hurt you.

When you were little he hummed you to sleep.

He'd let you makeup him, take you to soccer or baseball practice, watch the recitals, the plays, and he was always so proud of you.

But Negan is also the type of dad who would tease you a lot, making silly pranks, jokes and always taking the conversation to the more comical side. The kind who would rather see you sulk than miss the joke.

You know that parent whose child slips and falls and the dad laughs first and then helps? So, is Negan.

As soon as he saw you for the first time and held you in his arms he knew he was more than ready to give you the world if that's what you needed.

Negan made a "list of possible gifts" the Saviors could find to bring you, but you don't know it.

If you're feeling too superior in front of others, he'll embarrass you by saying something like, "Oh, there you are, daddy's big baby!" or "come on, my pretty princess, we're done here!", anything like that just to put you back in your place. After all (for now) he's the boss.

He would talk to you about "business", about how he wants you to fill in for him if something happens, what actions you should take, how you shouldn't truly trust anyone, never bow your head to anyone, and how even though you have to be stern and impetuous at many times, you must never lose your humanity, otherwise all will be lost.

You go on missions, but never alone to places he hasn't been, in fact most of the time you're accompanied, even if you don't realize it.

He knows you're more than capable of defending yourself, he's trained you to, but he still prefers to be on the safe side because he cares about you.

After all, you are his little princess<3

Sorry for any typos;

Buy me a coffee?

Masterlist;

Drabbles Game

[katieskarlette]

Long time, no ramble

I read The Calling, the new short story about Anduin. It was heart wrenching, emotional and poignant...but I couldn't stop thinking about how much I disliked the plot that sent him on this trajectory.

No matter how well Anduin's PTSD and guilt are handled, I can't forget that they stem from the train wreck of Shadowlands. He should never have been put in this position in the first place.

Just as Anduin was literally yoinked into the sky by the Jailer's minions to start the expansion, he was also yoinked out of his plot arc. He was starting to come into his own as a king, moving beyond his father's shadow bit by bit, finding the balance between his own peace-loving tendencies and the grim necessity of some violence in a world such as Azeroth. There were hints that he was struggling with the balance of Light and Shadow, as well. All of that character development came to a screeching halt when he got kidnapped and turned into Zovaal's puppet.

What made pre-Shadowlands Anduin unique was his stubborn insistence on empathy in a world full of bloodthirsty warmongers. The siege of Undercity at the start of BFA was the perfect microcosm of that: he set down Shalamayne and used the Light to heal/rez his soldiers instead. He was finding ways to lead that were effective but which allowed him to be true to his ideals.

There was nothing wrong with the way Varian led his people (or at least nothing that I want to get into right now), but that doesn't mean his style is the right choice for Anduin. I've always had a soft spot for characters who are like, "Yeah, I know the world is a cruel place. I'm not naïve. But that's all the more reason to spread hope and kindness."

I would have been fine with a plot where Anduin struggles to find a happy medium between "We must strive for peace" and "We need to mercilessly obliterate our enemies to protect innocent lives," and errs too much on the side of violence. He could feel the same remorse and lack of trust in himself as he does in the current canon, feel unworthy of the Light, think back on how Varian atoned for some of his misdeeds, and grow as a person. It would mean more if he was actually making choices and working through the consequences.

As it stands, Anduin is beating himself up over something that isn't his fault, even a little bit. I sympathize with him up to a point, but by the end of the short story I was frustrated and even a little annoyed with his stubborn self-hatred. He's not stupid, and it's not like being controlled by evil forces is a new concept for an Azerothian. He comes across as obtuse when he insists that he's indelibly tainted by what happened to him, when he personally knows people who have been in similar situations and did not become pariahs.

(Yes, I know trauma responses aren't logical. Irrational guilt and survivor's guilt exist. But realism doesn't necessarily translate into a satisfying narrative. And yes, characters need to change and face challenges, but when those challenges were born from atrocious writing it leaves a bad taste in the audience's mouth.)

Is there dramatic irony in the kind, altruistic character not being able to extend the same grace to himself? Of course. But is Blizzard's storytelling capable of that level of nuance? Forgive me for being skeptical. I'm sure he will find himself again and heal through the coming expansions, but, again, I'm not optimistic that it will be handled well.

I'm probably judging the story too harshly because my patience for WoW's story ran out during Shadowlands and I'm still bitter. If they had to try to salvage a halfway decent character arc from the bullshit of that expansion, this is probably the best way to go about it.

The new short story was well-written and tugged at the heartstrings. It just didn't win me back. I didn't expect it to, though. Instead I continue to mourn a franchise that captivated me for many years before its trip to the realm of Death meant the demise of my devotion. :(

Disclaimer: I didn't hate everything about Shadowlands. Sire Denathrius can read off a list of my sins anytime. Aww yeah. The rest can be retconned to oblivion, though. ;)

[glitteringcrab]

IF the Freaky Mortys theory is true (yeah I can't stop talking about it lol)...

...then Morty killing the auditor in the street was 100% premediated.

Like, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the auditor showed an incriminating clip of him and took matters in his own hands.

I was running this scene through my mind again because after the auditor died Morty seemed REALLY stressed, and that was completely in character for Morty but 100% out of character for EVIL Morty (like, he's killed so many people already, why should he care) so it was kinda a snag in the Freaky Mortys theory...

But then I remembered, Evil Morty is capable of some VERY fast mental gymnastics, and also has pretty good situational awareness. There's no way he DIDN'T notice the incoming truck. Which means he timed his kick so that the auditor would fall in the truck's path and die.

...and afterwards, he was all "oooh nooo, these guys can die?! It's totally not what I was going for!" lol

And what I find funny is that Rick probably wanted to get rid of the auditor for similar reasons. Like, the rock guy was out of control. How long would it be before he showed a clip of, say, Rick taking that Free Replacement Morty Coupon behind Morty's back. (By the way, if Ricks all act the same, organize their garage in the same way, put their portal gun in the same pocket, etc, then it's quite likely they also put their Morty Coupons in the same place, aaaand it's possible Evil Morty knows it's there).

I mean, I was thinking it was kinda out of character that they were in THAT much of a hurry ot get rid of the auditor. The guy was annoying, sure. He wasted their time. But Rick said "this may have been a mistake"; how often have we heard Rick admit he's wrong about something? And he'd admit being wrong over a rock dude wasting their time a little bit?? Also, when Morty was listing reasons why he didn't like the auditor I honestly felt they were weak. Like, "I don't like how he's making jokes, I don't like how he's talking down to you"? These are not... bad things? Would Morty Prime really get displeased that SOMEONE is talking down to Rick, or would he relish the opportunity a little bit? He's pretty displeased by Rick by the end of season 6, I'm sure he wouldn't mind someone taking him down a peg. Or at least he would grab the opportunity to tell Rick "AHA so you admit you SUCK a little bit. You should have just trusted me."

Instead, both Rick and Evil Morty were grabbing at straws, making up reasons why they wanted this guy out of their hair RIGHT NOW, before he showed them something they couldn't afford the other to see.

I dunno, it just... the Freaky Mortys theory puts this scene in a completely different light.

[aihoshiino]

I dunno if its just me but it stands out to me that even though ai describes herself as someone whose never loved or been loved she seems to put a lot more emphasis in trying find someone to love rather than finding someone that loves her for being her

ai, please you deserve love too :((

(message from future claire from the end of this ask: to no one's surprised, this turned into an Ai essay... I ended up straying onto the topic of Ai's ideal lover, who that could even be and what 'salvation' and a long term positive arc would look like for Ai)

Nope, you're entirely correct!! It sticks out so bad to me that what Ai is actively looking for is not a person who will love her, but a person she can sincerely give her love to. It makes me want to eat wet cement!!!!

It's interesting to think that as Ai of B-Komachi, she probably hears people say they love her all the time. Viewpoint B even specifically identifies B-Komachi as a gachikoi group in the original Japanese text, meaning they are built from the ground up to exploit the types of fans who develop serious romantic fixations for their oshi, and with Ai being as popular as she is, it's almost a guarantee she has a whole army of these types of fans - and uh, we know for a very unfortunate fact just how sincerely and deeply obsessed with her a lot of these men are.

But ultimately, none of those people actually love the real Ai. As she herself puts it in Viewpoint B again, 'Ai of B-Komachi' is her idealized self - an ideal for both the fans and for Ai herself. She's a perfect, pure, invincible girl who loves everybody with no limits and no restraint. From Ai's perspective, performing 'Ai of B-Komachi' is an act of love outwards to the fans but because she's not the real Ai, none of that reciprocal love is actually for her.

The sad part, though, is that... Ai of B-Komachi isn't really that different from Ai herself! She's polished and airbrushed and lack any of Ai's human flaws but her strength, her warmth, her charisma, her playful sense of humor and her deep, deep kindness and her efforts to love everyone no matter what... those all come from the 'real' Ai and we see them authentically expressed through her again and again and again. But of course, Ai can't see that.

The reason Ai doesn't look for someone to love her, imo, is because she simply doesn't believe it's possible. She hates herself too much to imagine that anybody could ever love her as she is, so she compromises by slicing herself up into as many pieces as possible and letting everybody else reassemble her into an Ai they might be capable of loving. Even when she's directly asked who her ideal lover would be in 45510, her initial response is just sooooooo depressing.

"I guess I'd like to be with someone who doesn't lose their cool with me when I mess things up, ‘cause that happens a lot! Someone who gets all worked up over every little thing would probably get tired of me pretty quick. It’d be unfair for them, so I'd rather be with someone who's not like that."

Like... really think about what she's saying here. The narrator even specifically notes that Ai is as unfiltered as she gets during this stream and the best she can come up with is "Idk, someone who won't get annoyed with me even though I'm annoying as fuck". She herself even says a few lines later that even if someone told her to their face that they loved her, she simply wouldn't be able to believe it. To quote the 45510 narrator...

People evaluate others based on their own understanding of the world. Someone who lacks an understanding of love might struggle to believe it when others express their affection, just as a habitual cheater is more inclined to suspect their partner of being unfaithful. It’s one of those things you grow into understanding as an adult.

Babygirl I'm going to turn into a California fucking raisin!!!! Please!!!!!

45510 does conclude this train of thought with something interesting, though - with Ai's truest feelings that even the 45510 narrator can't dismiss or write off as a lie.

"I don't want anyone to hate me. But it's not like I don't want to talk about myself, even though it might sound a bit contradictory. I want people to know. I want them to know about the dirty parts, my rough edges, and all the rest, and I want them to say that it’s okay. That they accept me."

This is, ultimately, why Ai doesn't bother finding someone to love her as she is. Someone loving the real Ai would need to see the things she talks about here and not reject her. They would need to see the parts of Ai that she calls dirty, irresponsible, underhanded and impure and tell her that they accept her as she is, warts and all.

And she can't believe anyone would. Why would she, when she's faced rejection and abuse all her life, been failed again and again and again by every single person who had the responsibility to care for and protect her? The ultimate cruelty of Ai's life is, ironically, also its greatest joy: that the two people in the world who should have absolutely, unconditionally loved and accepted her as she was - her children - turned out to be people who, even years after her death, continue to only see Ai of B-Komachi.

I've talked about this elsewhere off Tumblr just in terms of writing Ai long term in fanfic and RP and what have you, but all this stuff is why I think the ideal long-term positive arc for Ai could never be one about Ai enacting change in herself - becoming self sufficient, learning to love herself on her own, etc. It would ultimately be a betrayal of what Ai's arc is trying to convey.

Ai is the way that she is because from the moment she was born, she was continually let down and failed by everyone else in her life who was in a position to love her. Nobody saved her from her mother's abuse, nobody helped her heal from it and nobody protected her from exploitation. This failure of care was so consistent that Ai ultimately concluded that she was the problem - that she had to make up for whatever about her was so reprehensible and lacking by being harmless and agreeable and useful and slicing herself to pieces so she could serve herself up in the most consumable way.

This is why I'm actually really glad that OnK has never gone the route of challenging Ai's assertion that she's dirty and impure - because the core of that idea is that Ai lacks worth because of that. Disproving her conclusion that she is 'dirty, impure, hopeless, etc' does not actually challenge this central idea that Ai only has worth so long as she is perfect and pure. Her salvation could only ever come from someone seeing her most wretched, dirty, ugly and miserable self - having someone strip her to bone and marrow, put their hand in her guts and cradle her heart and accepting her as she is, wholeheartedly, unconditionally and without compromise.

[waterfallofspace]

Thank you to the INCREDIBLE @ezynse for giving me this so I can ramble about my guys~ 😭💗ily so much (part one can be found ~here~) ~From This Ask Game~

Part Two: G/ojo

~~~~~

🤧: What does their sneeze sound like? (Description, spelling, or both!)

If he let it out naturally, it would be whiny, slightly desperate, and deeply ticklish, yet still soft. Something along the lines of "hh'yiieshhiew-! hiHhZShh'tiew-! hiHHkashh'ih-! tshhieew-!" But he normally likes to add some ~flair~ to them, whether to annoy people, or just for fun. So they end up sounding more like "hK'yIEZShhh'CHOO-! anGZShhh'shhoo-! krZSHHhhioo-!" Though, he can also stifle almost perfectly, (though he can't keep it up forever), so those can range from "nxt-! kxt-!" to "enGXT-! ah'dNT-!" all the way through to ones that break free with more of a "knzshh-! dt'chh-! ah'nGXT'iew-!"

😩: Do they tend to sneeze just once or twice, or multiple times? Do they have fits frequently or rarely? Does how many times they sneeze depend on the cause?

Multiple times. If he gets one sneeze, and just one, it's a sure sign that something is wrong. Like for some reason he is holding the rest back (which he's entirely capable of, at least for a little bit~) or he has some sort of illness, basically the only time he'd get singles, though it's still rare.

Even his 'natural' sneeze comes out in multiples. Photic sneezes are always multiples, allergies are fits, and usually sickness is fits, albeit sometimes spread out ones. T

he cause will change the desperation of the fit, how long it lasts, maybe how intense the sneezes are, but the amount varies more based on how sensitive he's feeling that day. (he's incredibly sensitive, but some days are worse then others).

😭: When they’re sick, do they try to downplay their symptoms, or do they treat every little cold like the plague? Do they whine a lot, or do they complain quietly or even just in their head?

I think he's the first one I've done for this where it's an intense complainer. Mans could have the sniffles and he'll act like he's literally about to die. Whining all the time, INCREDIBLY clingy, pathetic, just a mess.

However. This all ends the second he actually starts feeling that the illness/attack is out of his control. If he starts feeling actually unwell, like there's actual weakness being shown, the complaining will stop because he will vanish. Just dip immediately, you will not see him anymore. </3

💦: How wet are their sneezes? Do they spray barely at all, or are you gonna need an umbrella? Do they try to cover at all, or just let it go? Do they sniffle a lot when they’re sick or allergies are bugging them?

(still not a mess person 😭) I'd say he gets a little bit of mist if he's letting them out naturally, but when he does the whole exaggeration thing then they end up a little wetter because he's spraying a bit more. However his stifles end up pretty dry, surprisingly, until they start being a little more let out/escaping.

Absolute sniffle man. Purposefully to annoy the people around him or/and show how pathetic and miserable he sounds. He wants the attention, whether that's sympathy or annoyance, attention is attention <3

😳: Are they embarrassed by their sneezes, or do they just not really care? Do they apologize after sneezing? Do they say “sorry!” or “excuse me!” or anything like that? If they’re embarrassed about it, why?

Not embarrassed, doesn't care, in fact I'd go so far as to say he likes them because they get him attention. However. If his natural slips out when he doesn't mean for it to, that can get him a little embarrassed. Also he does not apologize, but he might give a mocking "wow, sooorry!" or "exSCUSE me!" entirely meant to draw more attention/tease.

📝: Quick! Come up with a scenario for them! It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just something you think would be cute or something you’d like to see with them!

Off the top of my head- so it's not gonna be very good, and it's feat. Nanami because while my heart is a satosugu, they're a lil too tragic for the lighthearted prompt im thinkin of rn <3

The first indication of a fit was the hitching. Nanami had to push Gojo to keep from him hitting a wall. Still, no one batted an eye. It was more unusual to go a day without a Satoru Sneeze, and he's not exactly known for being careful.

When the sneeze never came, Nanami didn't bat an eye. Any scents could be setting him off, or the lights, but with infinities help, it makes sense that it would be held off.

But when Nanami turns around to scold him for lagging behind, his glasses nearly fall off at the sight waiting him. Gojo has one hand pressed against his nose, blindfold hanging around his neck, tears streaming from his brilliant blues.

"What are you doi-"

"Shhh!! You'll sc- hh... scare it away!"

"What are you on about?"

BLAH BLAH- Gojo has to sneeze, it isn't coming, and he drops infinity, still doesn't come, he's staring at the lights, still not coming, eventually Nanami has to grab him by the arm and pull him into a heavily scented store (bath and body works typa place).

Then Nanami gets the fun task of explaining to the concerned bystanders and employees why there's a man having a desperate allergy attack frantically smelling a candle that seems to be only making it worse. (and letting out whines that are frankly undignified).

THANK YOU FOR THE ASKS THIS HAS BEEN SO FUN AND I'M SO SORRY FOR HOW LONG THESE WERE <3333 (and I'd also be incredibly down to write this one sometime, though this was more off the top of my head and I'm not sure how good it is hahaha~)

[desaturatedd]

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 ! ( a  collection  of  dialogue sentence  starters  by elmer c . albatross from baccano ! )

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟓: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄

❛ c'mon and smile. ❜

❛ guess i didn't even need to check; you look fine. ❜

❛ when you're panicking, for starters, it's better to smile. smiling will cool your head. ❜

❛ if you can smile, that means you're still at least a little human. ❜

❛ no matter how small the possibility is, i want to try. ❜

❛ i think it's important to respect the dead — but they don't really interest me. ❜

❛ i doubt my whole body could express this joy with anything less than an explosion. ❜

❛ you may think you've got me cornered, but think again! ❜

❛ why do you sound all grown-up all of a sudden? ❜

❛ smiles are the highest of all human emotions! ❜

❛ you're a pretty good guy yourself, so relax and just live. ❜

❛ if you're going to get all worked up over not being good, why not just be good? ❜

❛ people can change, too. ❜

❛ if it'll make you smile, i'll do anything to help. ❜

❛ there are no limits to recklessness! everything that goes beyond its own limits is reckless. ❜

❛ for the sake of a happy ending, i'd sell everyone in the world to the devil without a second thought. ❜

❛ if someone's died a meaningful death, i'll applaud them. ❜

❛ being unhappy isn't a crime, but not seeking happiness is. ❜

❛ lots of people die never even knowing the word hope. but you know about hope. denying that is an insult to your life. ❜

❛ i'll teach you. i'll show you, alright? i'll teach you, i swear, no matter how many years it takes.❜

❛ smiles give me strength. ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟏: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀

❛ if i stay here any longer, you won't be happy. you'll just get annoyed. ❜

❛ the thing is, i've lost my way. ❜

❛ you should smile more when you hit people. ❜

❛ people generally enjoy looking down on others. ❜

❛ even if you're fine with that, i'm not. ❜

❛ it doesn't matter whether i die or not, though. ❜

❛ is there anyone who'll be sad if you die? ❜

❛ oh good. you'll be able to die happy, then. ❜

❛ if you've forgotten how to smile, i'll teach you. ❜

❛ as long as you're alive, you can get through just about anything. ❜

❛ i promise, no matter what i learn about people's pasts, i won't blab about it. ❜

❛ if you're warning me, that means you're worried about me. ❜

❛ because i want to see everybody smile. ❜

❛ ignorance isn't a crime, but i don't want someone to be unhappy because i used it as an excuse. ❜

❛ what do you suppose i'd have to do to make everyone in the world happy? ❜

❛ i think choices are a fundamental part of human happiness. ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟑: 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐇

❛ i did listen. and then i ignored you. ❜

❛ can't get away with anything around you, huh? ❜

❛ hey, what happens if it summons something? ❜

❛ i'm going even if it is a trap. ❜

❛ i do want to see ____ again; it's been so long. ❜

❛ we've known each other for _____ years, but we've never fought. ❜

❛ he may not look it, but he likes to make a dramatic entrance. ❜

❛ well, it isn't as if i didn't expect that. ❜

❛ if i could use real magic and started casting my spells everywhere, i bet i'd upset people from all sorts of religions. ❜

❛ hi there. we haven't met before... i don't think? ❜

❛ actually, just between us, i'm older than i look. ❜

❛ whoops. you're busy, and here i've been chatting about nothing at all. i'm sorry. ❜

❛ i think you'll find happiness someday. ❜

❛ every smile you've shown me has been fake. ❜

❛ show _____ how cool you are once in a while. ❜

❛ let's go with not killing them. ❜

❛ i could wish you happiness, but you're happy already. ❜

❛ he couldn't stand me, for some reason. ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟒: 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐊 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃

❛ i think it's a terrific plan that will leave us all smiling! ❜

❛ if there's an accident, more people might survive with one more capable body. ❜

❛ you may not believe me, but... the thing is, i'm not human. ❜

❛ i wonder if these people had families. ❜

❛ how can we help their loved ones recover from their deaths as quickly as possible? ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟓: 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐆

❛ your sheep's clothing never ceases to amaze me. ❜

❛ all's well that ends well! ❜

❛ fake smiles are no good. ❜

❛ are you jealous of me? ❜

❛ none of you know anything about my past. ❜

❛ i'll tell you about it, if you ask me. ❜

❛ wanna go sneak in? it'll be fun, i'm sure! ❜

❛ i figured it'd be faster to check into it on my own. ❜

❛ we can just pretend we didn't see it and forget all about it, right? ❜

❛ right now, your smile stopped being real. ❜

❛ you're being remarkably honest. ❜

❛ you almost never show your true self to anyone. ❜

❛ i know what your own eyes can't tell you, obviously. ❜

❛ you're incredible! i bet you're a genius! ❜

❛ what matters is whether you trust _____ or not. ❜

❛ do you believe they'd betray you? ❜

❛ a person who wants to destroy the world shouldn't be talking about peace. ❜

❛ you really shouldn't trust someone like me! you'd better be careful! ❜

❛ well done! it's so helpful how quick you are! ❜

❛ you're asking the wrong person. ❜

❛ hi there. i came over to spend time with you. ❜

❛ i didn't come to laugh at you, i came to make you laugh. ❜

❛ everyone has an equal right to smile. ❜

❛ you don't need to forgive them. ❜

❛ if i'm funny, then laugh. ❜

❛ i played a little trick on him. ❜

❛ i never thought they'd actually fall for that. ❜

❛ wow, am i glad to see someone i know! ❜

❛ walking alone at night really does make you nervous, doesn't it? ❜

❛ relax and smile, please. ❜

❛ are you alright? you don't look so great. ❜

❛ your friend grew while you weren't looking. ❜

❛ people change. maybe they turned into somebody different when you weren't paying attention, but that doesn't mean you have to be sad. ❜

❛ don't be so pessimistic about everything. ❜

❛ that's all you ever had to say, you know. that's enough for me. ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟔: 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑

❛ what are you doing out here? ❜

❛ if you fall, you'll almost definitely die. ❜

❛ i'm not sure what's the best way to put this... but i think you probably shouldn't. don't you? ❜

❛ i was out here first, you know. ❜

❛ what'd you think of my joke? ❜

❛ i may not succeed in stopping you, but it would still give me the experience of trying. ❜

❛ will dying make you happy? ❜

❛ do you think you'll go to heaven when you die? ❜

❛ if leaving you alone would make you happy, then i'd gladly do it, but... ❜

❛ you thought i was feeling bad for you, didn't you? ❜

❛ you're a good kid, aren't you? ❜

❛ i'm just a smidge immortal. ❜

❛ i wasn't trying to eavesdrop. ❜

❛ i sense a new business opportunity here. ❜

❛ it's been a long time since i met anyone this interesting. ❜

❛ how can i make it up to you? ❜

❛ i had no idea this town was in crisis because of me! ❜

❛ thank you... thank you so, so much! you've shown me the error of my ways! ❜

❛ even if the world doesn't forgive you, you only need to have one person who does. ❜

❛ if nobody forgives you, then i'll forgive you! even if i don't know what for! ❜

❛ because it'll make me happy. ❜

❛ people do call me crazy quite a lot. ❜

❛ if lunacy is your philosophy, that's terrific. ❜

❛ earth is so incredible. i think we're lucky just to be living on it. ❜

❛ i want to know whether _____ can be happy. ❜

❛ if you just decide to have fun for now, i think the sadness will probably go away. so come on and smile! ❜

❛ are you worried about something? ❜

❛ if you don't know what to do, then smile! ❜

❛ smiles are magic, you know. ❜

❛ all you have to do is sell your soul. ❜

❛ you okay? that was a close one, huh? ❜

❛ you don't get to decide whether you're worth it. ❜

❛ you're, uh — what's the best way to put this? you're a good guy. ❜

❛ i can always tell when people are faking their smiles. ❜

❛ you're a good guy. i just wanted to let you know. ❜

❛ are you satisfied now? ❜

❛ it's scary what can happen by coincidence, but it's fun in its own way. ❜

❛ maybe i'll have found a way to get rid of your pain by then, and the wounds of the people you hurt may have healed. ❜

❛ that was lucky, huh? they let us go without a scratch. ❜

❛ now that your revenge is complete, do you think you'll be able to smile sincerely?❜

❛ revenge isn't something you do for the person who died, you know. you do it to resolve whatever's in your own heart that isn't satisfied so that you can move forward. so that you can live. ❜

❛ you have the right to be happy now. ❜

❛ i don't know whether what you did was right or wrong, and i don't actually care. ❜

❛ are you wondering whether you should atone for your crimes? ❜

❛ if you regret it, just think of a way to start over. ❜

❛ there's absolutely no reason to give up. ❜

❛ i will never deny your right to be happy, even if the rest of the world does. ❜

❛ my friend always says people should be way more afraid of me with good intentions than of god with bad intentions! ❜

❛ you don't have to stop crying, but for now, smile! go on and smile! ❜

𝐕𝐎𝐋. 𝟏𝟕: 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄

❛ that's right, i haven't introduced myself yet. of course you're suspicious. ❜

❛ so, what do you want to do now? ❜

❛ i'd like to start by asking why you look so sad, but i won't force you to talk about it if you don't want to. ❜

❛ i just thought i might be able to help you out with whatever it is that you want to do next. ❜

❛ you want to see this person, don't you? ❜

❛ will that satisfy you enough to let you smile? ❜

❛ maybe you're thinking 'nobody asked you' or 'this has nothing to do with you.' ❜

❛ it's kind of an important issue. it's going to affect how enthusiastic i am about this. ❜

❛ aw, i've been rejected! will you comfort me? ❜

❛ i'm sorry if i upset you. ❜

❛ i don't know anything about romance. ❜

❛ if it made you feel better and smile, i'd let you punch me or stab me as much as you wanted. ❜

❛ don't you worry. in fact, i'm glad you weren't serious. ❜

❛ i think someone like me probably shouldn't get married. ❜

❛ so who is this person you've fallen for? ❜

❛ if there's anything i can do to help you, i'll do it. ❜

❛ hello there. another terrific smile today. ❜

❛ oh good! because of you, i get to live longer. thank you! ❜

❛ i thought we had plenty of trouble already, but i suppose it wasn't as bad as it could get! ❜

❛ let's smile a lot before everything gets worse! ❜

❛ i think you just said something rude about me, but i've probably insulted you, too, so i'm sorry. ❜

❛ if you said that getting revenge would make you smile, i'd gladly help you. no matter what you're trying to do. ❜

❛ my goal is to make everybody on the planet smile. ❜

❛ if there's a road to travel on, i'll be able to get there someday. ❜

❛ i'd like to figure out a way to live a long time. ❜

❛ wait! i'll go, too! let me come! ❜

❛ i'm sure _____'s all right. i don't think they'd be happy to see you so sad, you know? you should smile. c'mon, smile, smile. ❜

❛ it really does bring back memories, doesn't it? ❜

❛ faking a smile when nobody's around is kind of odd. ❜

❛ did you bring back anything for me? ❜

❛ i saw a hint of a real smile, although i don't know why it was there. ❜

❛ would saving ______ make you happy? ❜

❛ if you get to see ______ again, will you smile? ❜

❛ if you tell me that, you know i can't turn you down, right? ❜

❛ well, i'm off. i hope we get to meet at least once more while we're still alive. ❜

❛ i hate long goodbyes. it's hard to smile when everyone acts so gloomy. ❜

❛ i'll never forget ______ as long as i live. ❜

❛ you don't have to repay me. just do what you can to help people smile. ❜

❛ you had better keep that promise you made me. ❜

❛ see you later, then. ❜

[sol-consort]

Do you think ME Andromeda is worth playing? It's on sale on Xbox and as you can probably guess I love the first 3 ones but I'm worried about the characters and story being different. Have you played it and is it any good?

I played through a good portion of it after finishing the trilogy, after 68 hours and getting spitroasted by the denial & bargaining stages, I accepted that the only thing in common between Andromeda and the Trilogy is the fact they're set in the same universe, that's it. That's where all the similarities start and end.

Is it fun? Yeah, no, kinda? It's not ME kind of fun, so don't expect that from it.

It's more like galactic sci-fi watchdogs. It's a semi-open world. Exploration and fighting random enemy encounters will be how most of your time is spent.

Unlock waypoints, find collectables, grab side missions along the way, get crafting materials to make armour and upgrade weapons—yes there is a big annoying crafting section now, credits alone don't cut it anymore and some materials are gatekept by only spawning on certian planets that are story locked so you can't simply hoard a bunch of materials at the start. Yes, getting matierals is a very prolonged and dragged out process. Yes, it's a hassle for no reason, but to purly inconvenience you.

In comparison to Mass Effect missions with set paths and clear goals, Andromeda is an entire different new game.

They don't give out much more interesting lore about the alien species either, at least the OG Milky Way ones. It's called new beginnings for a reason, everyone wants to forgo the way of the past and start anew with new cultures and believes. Female krogans and Salarians are a common sight, Turians are spread around instead of being a tight-knit group for the spirits and all. So many things changed, every race feels like "humans+" instead of their own people.

Especially the asari—god the asari. They lost their spark, yk how they're chill but suddenly say or do something very ominous that makes you remember oh yeah those guys are freaks with ruthless societies? Yeah...they're literally just humans now, completely utterly human.

There are politics to resolve, like always, but nothing with major scales like how Shepard was with the council. It's room-temperature political tension with you as the mediator.

...A mediator that no one respects or listens to much. You're a little bit more convincing than a sitting duck in any given argument.

You are unknown, young and a nepo baby so no one respects your authority. Your character doesn't know how to lead or take charge much either, you stumble along wherever the more capable people tell you to go run errands at.

Oh yes, running errands is the entire gameplay. So. Many. Errands.

Andromeda feels spread out thin. There were definitely attempts to build something intricate and ask meaningful questions, but everything was left half cooked.

It's not a nothing burgers... but it's definitely a watered-down cola, after all the ice melted and diluted it.

I heard the online play was fun? you can play as the other alien species and they each have their own abilities, I never tried it tho.

As for the "new" species, the angara are wonderful and held a lot of potential but we never get the chance to explore them much bc of...errands.

Finding out more about their lore was akin to finding a needle in a haystack because vital information gets dumped into stupid optional side missions that you could very easily miss. I felt like I had to complete all the side missions just on the off-chance one of them might grant me more angara lore crumbs.

They're a civilisation that rebuilt itself after near mass extinction, isn't that neat? So not only can you find out about their current lore and culture, but also about the civilisation they used to be, heritage they themselves barely managed to remember and pass down between generations.

But that's it, just the angara. That's the whole brand new alien race. An entire galaxy, and you only get one.

Actually, I lied you do get another alien race

The Kett... but they're surface level "baddies" species. They're not explored much, or if they were, it was so end-game that after nearly 70 hours of playing, I managed to acquire 0 information and a very "eh" impression

The new crew didn't grow on me like the Normandy one. It wasn't well done like in ME2 where they introduced amazing characters through personlised missions that made you form an attachment to them and seek them out.

No, they just...hand you the crew ready to go. From the start. You barely know their names. And you're the captain.

They don't treat you like the captian, this isn't the army. You're like a middle manager to them? a nepo one that's too young for their position. While the atmosphere is very causal, it doesn't translate into friendly or intimate. It's just...informal?

I liked Jaal and Vetra, but a huge chunk of their allure is the fact they're the first of their kind to be romance–able. I wanted to get with a women turian ever since the Omega DLC in Mass effect, and Jaal is already interesting by proxy of me being an honorary angara archaeologist. I would've slept with him just for the chance to study the angara up close.

I was that obsessed with this imaginary group of funky people yet the game was such a bore that it fumbled the bag and managed to lose my interest.

There is a hot Krogan dilf :( You don't get to romance him but the fucking asari doctor does! Let me fuck the old man krogan ughhh.

I got very bored playing Andromeda ngl, something that rarely happened in Mass Effect. The lack of action and your missions not holding any real plot relevance takes a toll on you. You're not in the army anymore, you're a pathfinder, an explorer. No one addresses you as commander :"(

If you want an exploration game set in the world of Mass Effect with none of the plot relevance, sure go for it.

If you want Mass Effect 4 or just Mass Effect 3.5 Then I'm sorry to say, just wait for Mass Effect 4 to release.

I understand that it is unfair to compare Andromeda to Mass Effect Trilogy because both of them aimed to achieve different things. The Trilogy wanted to be a story about war and it succeeded, Andromeda wanted to be a story about exploration and new beginnings, it kinda succeeded but the funding ran dry halfway and the time was ticking so they just delivered a half-baked pie.

Was it too ambitious? eh maybe. But not because of a desire to do something new or unique, it was because of greed. Andromeda reached for so many things at the same time, it never quite grasped anything fundamental.

For a Mass Effect-esque genre game it's like 2/10

for a sci-fi open world exploration adventure game it's 7/10

Will I finish it? no. I fucking hate open world exploration games, they do nothing but bore me + give me so much motion sickness.

Also it makes the romance routes progress very awkwardly because they aren't full missions to go on to like in Mass Effect? So you can't simply talk to your crew after each mission to see if the relationship progressed.

No, you stay in the open world when missions are done and leave on your own time. One mission is next to another and another and another plus the 50+ side missions littered around. It's a coin flip chance of either getting overwhelmed with so many new romance flags and plot progressing when you're done or getting nothing for shit at all despite wasting consecutive 5 hours just doing missions nonstope.

The ship is cool tho, loved its design better than the Normandy. It felt like a diplomatic ship set out to make a good first impression, The milky way races adorning a pretty dress to take the trash out just because they moved into a new apartment complex and one of their new neighbours might be outside!

[stitching-in-time]

Voyager rewatch s4 ep8: Year of Hell pt 1

I really don't think I've rewatched this since it first aired- I usually ignored it when casually rewatching because I knew it was the one where Voyager nearly falls apart, and everyone's dirty and stressed, and generally having a bad time. But there's entire scenes I didn't remember at all, and they're all very good.

This was the first appearance of the astrometrics lab, which Seven and Harry had been building for the past few eps, which will be a primary set throughout the rest of the show. (Is it me, or did they change the ceiling of it later?? It feels different to me somehow in this ep, maybe just an unusual camera angle? I'll have to look more closely in future eps.) They have a little unveiling ceremony, where the Doctor tries to make a speech, and ends up being so annoying that everyone is glad to be called back to the bridge. (And he's still dunking on Tom- what did he ever do to you, dude?? Y'know, except be a supportive friend to you even though you treat him like crap??)

(RIP to Janeway's magnificent Gibson girl up-do hair once and for all- they cut it very short for this ep, and she wore some version of a bob cut for the rest of the series, which I have never stopped lamenting. She's always gorgeous, but the up-do was perfection. No, I will not be accepting criticism on my very correct opinion.)

The events of this episode were foreshadowed by Kes in 'Before and After' last season, but apparently, everything that Kes told them about it got erased from their memories when she got sent back to the current timeline, because none of them know who the Krenim are here, or that they should avoid them. So they waltz on through Zahl space as the Krenim start erasing the Zahl from the timeline with their time weapon, and they get caught in the crossfire, because of course the Krenim don't want anyone flying through what is now their space. (Literally everybody in the Delta Quadrant is so territorial! How they heck do they have interstellar trade when every alien species they meet is like 'no one is allowed to enter our space!!' Srsly dudes, why do you even have space travel when you're so damn xenophobic?? Why even would their societies actually put in the effort to develop warp capability when they don't want to go anywhere or meet anyone?? It doesn't make sense, but I guess it's necessary for The Plot, so ok, here we go with Xenophobic Delta Quadrant Aliens volume 15! lol)

The lead Krenim baddie is played by Kurtwood Smith, who gives a perfectly fine performance here, but this was right before That 70's Show started, and now, after having watched him in that show for so many years, I cannot unsee Red Foreman whenever he's onscreen. Like, I just keep expecting him to throw off the civil facade and have him angrily tell Janeway to leave Krenim space before he puts his foot in her ass. I'm usually pretty good about separating actors from roles, but Red is so iconic, I just can't, no matter how hard I try, and it's kinda distracting, tbh. But at least that isn't anyone's fault- the guy playing the second Krenim guy, however, is giving such a bad, over the top performance that I really question both the casting director and the episode director on their choices here. He straight up reminds me of the guy from those Liberty Mutual commercials, where it's supposed to be a caricature of a comically bad, good looking actor who can't even get through the simplest lines. Like, that's literally this guy. How could they have cast him, and let him act like that?? Idk, but that particular distraction is absolutely the production team's fault.

So Voyager has to go through Krenim space while under constant attack, and the ship gets beat up more and more each time, with power failing, the hull breaching, debris falling everywhere, things are on fire, everybody's getting injured and dying, nobody is doing okay. Everbody basically becomes the embodiment of the 'This is Fine' meme in this ep, especially Janeway, who's powering through it all by repressing her emotions as much as possible, knowing that she has to singlehandedly hold the crew together through it all. Chakotay has another one of his 'I'm going to disagree with you in the dumbest way possible' moments when he suggests to Janeway that they can't make it with Voyager, so maybe they should all abandon ship and try to get home in escape pods. Janeway's obviously like 'WTF NO CHAKOTAY' because she's not abandoning ship, ever, and she's not breaking up the family (she straight up just calls the crew 'the family' now, it's not even subtext anymore) and they'd be way less likely to get home scattered in tiny escape pods. To which Chakotay's like 'lol, that's fine, I didn't think it was that good of an idea, I just wanted to give you shit for no reason suggest it haha', as if that wasn't a mean and deranged thing to say to the most stressed out captain in Starfleet. (She must love that man so damn much to put up with that bs, good lord.) He decides to be nicer later, and gives her a pocket watch for her birthday, which she tells him to recycle because they need the replicator rations. He tells her he replicated it months ago before the Krenim attacked and he's been saving it for her, but she still won't take it, even though she's obviously moved by the thought he put into it. Maybe if you stop questioning her judgement she'd accept your gifts, you dumbass. It's a rather heartbreaking scene, since Janeway is clearly stifling her emotions just get by after months of attacks, when she no longer knows what the date even is to remember it was her birthday in the first place.

There's lots of heartbreaking little scenes in this one- the Doctor having to let two crewman die as he evacuates his patients from sickbay, knowing the hull is about to breach and they won't reach the hatch in time; Harry and B'Elanna playing a trivia game to pass the time and distract her from her injury while they're trapped in a turbolift waiting to be rescued; Tom triaging wounded and lingering with B'Elanna even once she's stabilized, clearly worried about her; Seven acting as a guide for Tuvok after he's blinded in an explosion while retrieving her from a jeffries tube, where she'd stayed back to find the phase variance of an unexploded chronoton torpedo. (The same one Kes did in 'Before and After', though the radiation doesn't seem to be a problem in this timeline, for some reason.) So many excellent slices of the crew soldiering on, and pulling eachother along through sheer force of will, with their dedication to each other and their mission to get home all they have to keep them going.

Seven's discovery of the phase variance on the Krenim torpedo allows them to create a defense against it. When the main Krenim baddie uses his temporal weapon to try to erase another enemy planet from the timeline, and ends up erasing half the Krenim empire instead, Voyager sustains no damage from the shockwave, which draws the main Krenim baddie's attention. He realizes Voyager's presence somehow messed up his calculations, and he kidnaps two of Voyager's crew to interrogate, and threatens to destroy the nearly crippled Voyager if they get in his way.

Captain Janeway finally, reluctantly decides to let the majority of the crew take escape pods to evade the Krenim as long as they can while she stays on Voyager with the senior officers as a skeleton crew to try to get Chakotay and Paris back from their Krenim kidnappers, and to find a way to get Voyager through Krenim space in one piece to rendevous with the rest of the crew on the other side. The last shot is the escape pods leaving Voyager, which I think was maybe the first time we'd seen escape pods launched en masse from a Starfleet ship, which was a pretty heartbreaking cliffhanger to end the episode on. I'm honestly surprised this was a mid-season two parter and not a season closer/opener, but at the time, I'm sure I was glad to only have to wait a week to find out what happened next instead of a whole summer.

Tl;dr: A sad but well done disaster-type story where the crew is pushed to the brink, with a devastating cliffhanger.

[strandnreyes]

Heyy if you're still taking questions for the ao3 wrapped then 12, 27, 29 and 30 please ❤️

12. How many WIP's do you have in your docs for next year?

answered here!

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Usually nothing in particular, just whatever background noise is happening at the place I'm in. I sometimes make playlists for my fics, usually AUs, but I tend to listen to those when I'm thinking about ideas, not actually writing

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

I wrote a lot of words this year, so I can't say for certain, but here are some that come to mind.

sappy - from you and me, forevermore

 “You love my annoying habit of socks that don’t make it in the hamper or never remembering to add something to the grocery list when I finish it? And how sometimes I overreact or get worked up over little things?” “Yes.” “Carlos—” Carlos’ hand is on his cheek, unwilling to let him look away. “Because my life was so lonely and quiet and, and hollow before I met you,” he says, as if TK didn’t already know. As if he didn’t courageously say it in front of everyone they know today. “So everything about you that is real and full of character and makes this place a home is the best thing I could’ve asked for.”

funny - from meet you after dark

“Baby, teeth,” he hisses quietly, frantically looking around to make sure no one’s paying attention to them. Carlos frowns way too adorably for the situation. “Huh?” TK watches as he runs his tongue over them, his eyes instantly widening. His head ducks as he mumbles through his mostly closed lips, “Oh. How do I—” “Just,” TK gestures at his mouth, “put ‘em back.” “I don’t know how,” he says desperately. “Oh my god,” TK mutters, stepping closer. He can’t exactly do it for Carlos, but still he reaches for his mouth, poking one of the sharp fangs. “You need to relax your jaw.” “I’m trying,” he mumbles around TK’s finger before swatting him away. “TK, get your hands out of my mouth. We’re in public.” “Oh, and showing your fangs is a better option?” TK huffs, retracting his hand. Carlos’ own hand comes up to cover his mouth as he moves his jaw around. “They won’t go back up. Why are they out?” “You’re focusing too much.” “Well, how do I focus less?” TK hears a throat clearing behind him and he scrambles away as if he’s been burnt.

angsty - from no rules in breakable heaven

“Maybe I find it humiliating for the head chef at L’Etoile to be the one to point out your pattern to me. I’m supposed to look professional to these people and now they see me as your… boy toy of the year.” “Excuse me?” Carlos whips around, rising to his feet as well so they're standing on opposite sides of the bed in a stalemate. “Is that what this is? I’m just another one on your list? You get your fill with whoever comes through that house?” “We never said we were anything more than that.” “I thought I at least meant something to you, TK,” he admits, wishing that the first time doing so was in any other context. “I thought I did, too,” TK says with an unwilling acceptance, nodding once as his tongue points at the corner of his mouth. “That was before I knew you were so humiliated to be seen with me.”

smutty - from your first string

“Baby,” TK cries out, his hand fumbling to hold onto Carlos, but he’s too far away and his arm falls back down to the wooden surface. As if Carlos’ mouth weren’t enough, his fingers brush across TK’s ass with a featherlight touch before they press his own release back into TK. “Fuck, Carlos. You—” A broken moan escapes his throat as Carlos presses up against his prostate, rubbing back and forth over that spot as TK writhes on his back. He searches for something to clench his fist around as his hips arch farther off the table and his shoulders press down. His arm shoots out to the side to grip the edge of the table and it sends something scattering to the floor. TK can’t think of what it could possibly be. He can’t even think of his name, his mind only capable of Carlos, Carlos, Carlos.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

answered here!