#everybody wants to be my enemy

[ghostofaformerself]

TAG DROP — VERSES

[darklordofthesimp]

Anything VIII (König x Reader)

The 8th instalment in the Anything-Verse

Main Masterlist

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

Like the characters? Read their fics below!

Sunshine Masterlist || Saint Masterlist

Series Summary:  A lack of information from the chain of command results in König mistaking you for an enemy sniper.

A/N: No one make any sudden movements. I have returned. Excuse how rusty my writing is.

Category: Angst || Hurt/Comfort || Unrequited Pining || Tension

Warning: Graphic Language

What a sight you must behold. 

Sleepless, stressed and on the verge of your breaking point… again. 

It was no wonder that Saint watched you with deep concern, no wonder that they held their pen like it was a lifeline rather than just stationary. You wanted them to just understand, you needed them to know that you weren’t insane- everything was so elaborately planned and you were just on the verge of unravelling it. 

“Saint,” you rasped, “there are people in on this…. The brass. I think König too. It’s a fuck-fight.” 

The doctor leaned back into their chair, eyes never leaving your jittering figure. The sigh that fell from their lips released none of the tension balled tightly in their shoulders. 

“Birdy…” 

You stood to your feet. You didn’t want to hear it. 

You were sick of hearing people say your name in that tone: placatingly, diminishing your thoughts and dismissing you as if you were the local crazy. 

Maybe you were the local crazy. 

Is that how everybody saw you? Did everybody truly think that you were so off-kilter that you’d hallucinate a coup? You were a victim of assault- not insanity. 

“Stop,” Saint put their pen down firmly on the table, drawing your attention back to the situation at hand. “I’m listening. I’m just a little…  hesitant. It’s a very serious accusation, Birdy, but I’m not doubting the source.” 

You shot the medical officer a knowing glare. “Oh,” you drawled sarcastically, “because everybody takes me seriously at this unit with my history, right?” 

“I don’t give a fuck about whether anybody else takes you seriously,” Saint’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I take you seriously, Birdy.” 

The room was doused in tension. Your fingers curled to form tight fists, skin stretching over your knuckles until they turned white. You don’t know why you were angry at their declaration, angry at their loyalty. 

Maybe it was because you knew it was misplaced. 

Maybe it was because you knew you’d disappoint. “Yeah,” you sighed softly, relaxing your hands as you turned for the door. “That makes one of us.” 

_______

The walk to training always held some anxiety but this time it was as if you were drowning in it. Each step felt like a death knell and sudden dryness in your mouth made you want to turn back and run to the safety of your room.

You thought that you were well and truly past this. 

Apparently, you couldn’t get past anything. 

As you approached the door you were surprised to hear voices. No one ever wanted to interact with König, let alone at 7 a.m. on a Saturday. The room was always booked for the two of you at this time, interruptions were specifically warned against by Price. 

It’s just a conversation. You took in a deep breath. Not everything required a downward spiral, not all mysteries needed investigation. 

Literally just a fucking conversation. Get a grip. 

You straightened your shoulders as you approached the door and the dialogue became clearer. 

“Birdy will be here soon.” König’s voice was as familiar as your own. “You need to leave.” 

You pulled up short just before the entrance, frozen like a deer in the headlights. There was a short silence before a soft thud echoed throughout the room. It sounded like a hand being clapped over the shoulder but you weren’t sure. Could have been a punch, could have been a really intense kiss, who fucking knew? 

All you knew was that they weren’t meant to be there. Maybe it was Sunshine. 

Although you hated the arrogant fucker, it would relieve you to know it was them. They were inconsequential and, although they were annoying, they wouldn’t be behind your assassination attempt. 

Sunshine would have made sure you were in the ground, no matter the cost. Sunshine would have succeeded. 

Instead, the voice that rattled in your ears wasn’t your fellow coworker. 

“Just be careful. Wouldn’t want to jump the gun, would we?” 

Your blood turned to ice.  

Graves. 

You could almost hear that snake-like grin in his words, you could almost see the look in his eyes that was nothing but predatory. Phillip was charming when he wanted to be, but there was something terrifying about him.

Like a trap lying in wait. 

Like a traitor waiting to strike. 

The sound of sure and steady footsteps snapped you out of your thoughts. Panic flooded your system, kicking your adrenaline into gear. There was nowhere to hide, not even a small nook in this god-forsaken hallway.

As Graves drew closer to discovering your presence, you bounced back a few steps from where you’d been frozen. Throwing your arms above your head as if you were stretching and squinting your eyes with an outrageous yawn was all you could pull together. 

Phillip rounded the corner with a cocky sway that made your heart race. You watched him scan your slowly approaching body, seemingly tired and unaware. You acted surprised to see him, carefully schooling your face to return to the usual lifelessness that it held. 

“Birdy!” Graves said, slowing his pace. With a flash of teeth, the corner of his mouth pulled upward into a knowing smirk. “Good to see you.”

“I bet,” you said monotonously, adding a dismissive nod at the end like a punctuation mark. 

Phillip’s smirk turned into a smile. 

“Enjoy your session,” the man said slowly. As he drew closer you could feel your chest tightening. He smelt fresh like he had just gotten out of a long, hot shower. You hated that he was close enough to smell the fucking body wash on his skin. 

His shoulder brushed yours as he passed by, setting your body alight with fear. You didn’t dare look over your shoulder as you trekked towards the gym door, eyes firm on that handle. His footsteps still echoed along the hallway by the time that you’d reached the entrance. 

“You’re late.” 

König’s voice startled you despite making direct eye contact with him. 

The man looked disgruntled, to say the least. His hair looked like he’d been running his fingers through it over and over, and your guess was confirmed when he roughly raked it over once more. König’s eyes were looking anywhere but yours. 

“I’m not.” You’d meant for those words to have some bite to them but you couldn’t muster up the venom. Not when he looked like that. 

“You are,” he insisted with a snarl. 

You raised your hands up in surrender, eyes narrowing at his hostility. The urge to leave grew tenfold and so did your distrust for the man before you. There were too many things that pointed towards his guilt in planning your assassination. 

The way he’d tried to blow off your concerns, the vehement way he’d shouted for you to drop it, and now, his interaction with Graves. You thought back to your time in the kitchen when Phillip had first encountered you both. 

“Now, who’d have thought that you’d both be so… close.” He had said.

The Shadow had watched with intrigue as König stepped in front of you as if protecting you from him. If you really thought about it, most of his smarminess was aimed at the man beside you, rather than yourself. 

You swallowed and choked on your own spit. It was a distant reminder of when it had been your own blood that you’d coughed on. 

König’s sigh tore you from your spiralling conspiracies. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. His tone was quiet but his eyes were genuine. 

“Yeah,” you cleared your throat. “No, it’s fine. I get shitty when I deal with Graves, too.” 

But why was he with Phillip in the first place? 

You wanted to ask him, everything in you pleaded to seek out the truth. You needed to investigate-, you needed to know. Your mouth opened to get the answers you so desperately desired, but a thought made you stop in your tracks. 

What if you let on that you were suspicious of him? 

It was clear that you were no match against König. Your entire life had become interwoven with his and it felt like he was there in your every waking moment. If he knew that you suspected him, it would only put you in danger again. He’d busted through your bedroom door once and that was enough to tell you that you wouldn’t be safe from him anywhere you went. 

You distantly realized that König was watching you carefully from where he stood, jade eyes analyzing every quirk of your lips and every twitch of your brows. 

“What?” You said, feigning self-consciousness. “Admiring your handiwork?” 

The man shot you a glare and you prayed that was enough to shift his attention. 

“I hate it when you say things like that,” he hissed, pulling his jacket down his arms and throwing it aside. “Seriously.” 

“Yeah, well I hate having a chopping block for a face.” You tilted your head to shoot him a deadpan look over your shoulder. “Seriously.” 

“I cannot deal with you sometimes, Birdy.” König hissed. 

“I can tell,” you jerked your thumb towards your marred features. 

You knew that you were playing with fire. The way the man stood straight, his gaze narrowing and any sense of banter dissipating from his features, made it very clear that it was time for you to stop pushing that particular button. 

“Your attempt at deflecting is not as effective as you may think,” König said, his words slow and deliberate. Jade eyes bore into yours and your breath stuttered in your chest. 

You could lie to him, you could play dumb. He was dangerous and if you tipped him off you would be dead by morning.

You couldn’t make sense of that logic, though. If he wanted you dead, you’d well and truly have been dead by now. Your cheeks stung at the thought… you suppose that there wasn’t a lack of trying. Maybe it really had just been a failed attempt. 

“Birdy,” the soldier said, shooting a glance at the door. “I know what you are thinking and you need to put a stop to it.” 

Those contesting thoughts came to a staggering halt. 

“I don’t even know what I’m thinking,” you snapped. “What would you know?” 

König raised a brow at your tone, opening his mouth to deliver what you would assume to be an infuriating response. The words choked and fell from his tongue, though. There was a huff as he turned on his heel, stalking towards the exit and closing the door. 

You swallowed thickly. 

When he swivelled to look at you it was with a burning gaze that pinned you to where you stood.

“You bring attention to us in ways that will get us killed,” König whispered harshly, his accent was sharp and heavy with each enunciation. “You need to stop.” 

“Stop what?” You waved your hands at him. “You’re so fucking vague.” 

He flinched forward, pushing his finger onto your lips. You smacked his hand away like a cat pawing at something irritating. 

“Would you be quiet?” He snarled through gritted teeth. König took in a deep breath, casting another look at the exit. He was watching the light beneath the door, making sure there were no shadows tipping off an eavesdropper. Why was he suddenly the paranoid one? 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” You lowered your tone but the urgency behind it was still present. 

“You need to stop chasing this lead,” König shook his head, gaze imploring. “You need to stop trying to find who planned the accident.” 

Your mouth went dry. 

“Is that a threat?” The words were a true whisper this time. Barely falling from your lips and only as audible as a soft gasp. 

König’s eyes widened. “What?” 

“Are you in on it?” You asked, taking a step backward. 

Bile roiled in your stomach as if mimicking a stormy sea. There was a distinct buzzing in your ears, numbing you to anything but the situation at hand.

“What?” König repeated. “What? No. That is not what I meant by that.” 

You shook your head, “the other day- the way you reacted says otherwise.” 

He reached out for your arm and you wonder if it was to comfort you or to detain you. You finched away from him but this time the man before you didn’t yield. He did not back down and he did not allow you the illusion of control. 

Instead, König held you firmly by your biceps. 

“I need you to listen to me, Birdy. We don’t have time for this back and forth thing that we do every time.” 

Rage tore through your chest at his dismissal and you would have told him as much had he not looked so desperate. Instead, you kept your mouth shut as the man watched you pleadingly. You would let him speak because maybe he had the answers you were searching for, maybe König would be the evidence to prove that these suspicions weren’t delusions. 

The man cast another glance towards the doorway before letting go of your arms. You straightened cautiously, being mindful to not rub at the skin he’d had contact with. 

“Well?” You whispered impatiently, waving a hand at him to continue. “You wanna manhandle me or do you want to talk?” 

“It’s not safe for us to talk here,” König’s words were barely audible. “You need to stop with your head-hunting. Stop asking questions.” 

His eyes were fierce, warning you not to challenge his demands but you couldn’t care less. He, of all people, had no right to be telling you when to chase answers.

He raised a hand before you could speak. “You are going to get us both killed because you gather intel like a child-” 

“What does that even mean?” You interrupted harshly.

“It means you have alerted everyone, Birdy!” König snapped, his voice harsh and his eyes flashing. “Whoever did this knows that you’re onto them. They know that we know.” 

You blinked dumbly, stunned. 

The man glared at you for a long moment, his chest heaving with laden breaths. The silence that eneveloped you both was anything but empty. There was a buzzing in your ears and you weren’t sure if you were relieved or horrified that he’d confirmed your suspicions. Blind rage filled your lungs as if you were drowning. 

“You mother fucker!” You hissed between gritted teeth, shoving at his chest with as much force as you could muster. “You fucking knew?” 

“Of course I knew!” König bit back as he stumbled for his footing. “I’ve been trying to find them and you have been hindering me every fucking step of the way, Birdy.”

You wanted to scream at the top of your lungs, you wanted to bash this man over and over just like he’d done to you. You weren’t insane but he was more than happy to intimidate you into thinking that you were. 

“How could you keep this from me?” Your fingers dug into the skin of his arms as you grabbed him. You wanted to shake the truth from the giant before you, rattle the honesty right from his mouth. “After everything that’s happened!” 

König didn’t so much as wince at your nails in his skin, fury simmered in his eyes like molten jade. “I was your main suspect and you outright told me about your suspicions while you were locked in a room with me, Birdy. What would have happened if I was actually everything you make me out to be?” 

You swallowed thickly, your fingers loosening their grip. 

“I could have killed you right there,” König continued softly, “at this rate you’ll die before you find them.” 

“You said I already tipped everyone off,” you rasped, almost meek in tone. “How have they not come for me yet?” 

The man rolled his shoulders, shooting another paranoid glance at the door. He continued talking as he scanned the room, searching for telltale signs of a third party.

“Everyone thinks you are disabled, Birdy, no one is taking your concerns seriously.” König straightened, levelling you with an evaluative glare. “But I knew better.” 

You drew in a deep breath, holding it in for a few moments before releasing just like Saint had taught you. Your heart squeezed in your chest at the thought of your therapist. You told them everything- König was right. You’d mouthed off your suspicions knowing that Saint and Price were close. What if Saint had told Price? Then Price would have told Shephard and Simon and then- God. 

You’re so fucking stupid. 

Of course everyone knew, you’d practically blasted it across the unit’s P.A system. 

“What now?” You managed to croak. “What do we do now?” 

König frowned at you, his body falling still. “We?” 

“You’re not leaving me out of this,” you ground out. 

“We are not doing anything together,” he said, eyes roaming over your features quizzically. Your heart lurched desperately, there was no way you’d let him do this without you. You deserved to be a part of this, you deserved to get your justice and whoever did this deserved to die.

“You owe it to me!” You nearly raised your voice, fear trickling down the expanse of your spine. Not a fear of the man before you, but this time it was a fear of being left behind. Left to paranoia, left alone with your thoughts and suspicions and no one to hear them. 

König shook his head, “we cannot work together.” 

“We have to!” 

“We can’t!” 

Your eyes were wide and your chest was heaving as the man before you gripped your shoulders. He lowered down to a knee, drawing close enough that you were only a breath apart. You opened your mouth to offer a shaky response but the way his gaze ran over your features stole the words straight from your tongue. 

“I will not risk your safety again, Birdy.” König’s words brushed against your lips, warm but sorrowful. “That is what I owe to you.” 

[playedbetter]

Viktor Verses

This will be updated as verses are added or developed.

Main Verse

Set in the League of Legends/Arcane universe at any point in the timeline.

PsyOps Verse

Viktor was once a member of High Command, the leaders of PsyOps a group dedicated to protecting the world using their psychic powers. He left after the discovery of an alien gate in the artic which he has become obsessed with getting through it and utilizing it. To that end he became the leader of Black Rose Group and has been perfecting human bioweapontry.

In this verse Viktor has technokinesis which he can use on technology within 700ft of himself (about two football fields away).

Also can be used for crossovers with sci-fi, conspiracy, or military (with psionics/aliens present) based verses.

High Noon Verse

Dr. Viktor came from poor immigrate parents who came to the west looking for a fresh start but only found struggle. He had been looking for a way to save people from death itself by rehousing their minds in bodies made of clockwork, but faced with numerous set backs and his own failing health when the Mechanical Devil approached him he had no choice but to take up the deal and begin working for the devil.

Also can be used for crossovers with any magical wild west verses.

Battlecast Verse

Set in the battlecast verse. Viktor has become the creator and leader of the battlecast army and now is attempting to assimilate all of Runeterra into it.

Riftquest Verse

Viktor of Zaun is a battle smith who once tagged along with an adventuring party helmed by a brilliant paladin, where he ended up doing practically everything no one else had wanted to do. Eventually as his efforts continued to go underappreciated he decided to betray them and race them and their enemies for the powerful artifact they are all after.

This can also be used to crossover with d&d verses. In d&d lingo Viktor is a human urchin artificer (battle smith).

Battle Academia Verse

A second year at Labrys God-Weapon Academy who has fought to be among other future heroes, having incredibly weak abilities which he's had to augment with brilliant technology to keep up with his peers, and hopefully some day surpass them. He is a member of the luminary club.

Superhero Verse

By day Viktor is the lab partner of Piltover's darling Jayce and a renowned scientist in his own right. By night he is Machine Herald, a 'villain' working against the authority of the city through robbery and the killing of key targets.

Can be used in place of my dc verse if requested by dc muses/verses.

Modern Verse

Post university Viktor is working in the field of prosthetics. Heavy wip.

DC Verse

Born in the slums of Gotham city, Viktor was meant for better things, and he felt so did his peers. In his young adulthood he found work at Starr Labs in Metropolis, moving there in the process. Eventually he quit and disappeared off nearly everybody's radar, and in that absence a supervillain, the Machine Herald, has appeared robbing labs and terrorizing cities with his attacks on public figures. Threads can be set anywhere in this timeline.

More info to come.

ATLAS Verse

Set in the main universe of @outofthiisworld (check out their blog for more lore!). He was a member of ATLAS until eventually fleeing the company. Verse still in heavy development. Exclusive to @outofthiisworld.

Danganronpa Verse

He we scouted out from a slum in Russia by Hope's Peak for the talent of Super Highschool Level Cyberneticist in Class 66th. His time at the school was overall peaceful (as far as anyone recalls) and he graduated. In the time since then he's been working on human cyborgs along with service robots, creating Blitzcrank as a proof of concept. Then Tradgy overtook the world, and frankly he found the whole emotional battle of hope and despair stupid, neither would fix the world, his own logic could though. It's funny how apathy comes across as despair...

(Anyone other than Viktor himself would say that he's a despair and the experiments he's turned to are highly unethical at best if not literally a form of torture.)

Apex Verse

Set in the Apex Legends universe. Viktor is an employee of Mercenary Syndicate who's become disillusioned with the group, slowly working against them from the inside and plotting his escape from them.

Exclusive to @v1r4l

Misc Verse

For any thread where the verse is unclear or non-developed or one off AUs.

[snnydcysarchh]

SNNYDCYS  :  independent  ,  semi  to  highly  active  ,  blog  for  allison  jade  "sonny"  munroe  from  disney  channel's  sonny  with  a  chance.  she  has  been  written  since  october  2020  by  lumi  (  27+  ,  she/her  ,  cst/pst  ).  click  for  biography  and  verses.

sonny  can  also  be  found @snnynatural  (  supernatural  verse  blog  )

guest  muses  :  sofia  ortiz  jessica  alba  (  cousin  )  ,  camila  alvarez  lindsey  morgan  (  distant  cousin  ) , the cast of so random

guidelines and more below . . .

be kind and respectful: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat.

age: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that.

do not rush: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby!

trigger warnings: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), c*lowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect.

affiliates / mains / exclusives: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system.

shipping: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things! sonny is also fluid.

banned fcs: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know! i also do not write with animated fcs.

credits

@harlivycommissions , @boyiega , @injungifs , @zvlda , meg bun , @corneliagifs , @katherine-mcnamara

[snnydcysarch]

SNNYDCYS : independent , semi to highly active , blog for allison jade "sonny" munroe from disney channel's sonny with a chance. she has been written since october 2020 by lumi ( 27+ , she/her , cst/pst ). click for biography and verses.

sonny can also be found @snnynatural ( supernatural verse blog ) and @mommydcys ( nsfw blog )

guest muses : sofia ortiz jessica alba ( cousin ) , camila alvarez lindsey morgan ( distant cousin )

GUIDELINES AND MORE BELOW:

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat. AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that. DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby! TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), clowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect. AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system. SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things! sonny is also fluid. BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

WHERE ELSE TO FIND ME :

@greatcstarcher , @antiqsvchotic , @havntedbase

MISC BLOGS :

@lumiiiscorner ( positivity blog ) , @lumiiicreates ( commissions blog )

AFFILIATIONS VERSE WORLDWIDE will continue to be added

@ofblackskies , @doubtsndemons , @stanfordprepped , @carp3diems , @gunchamber , @multi-royalty , @tvintedspvrk , @hellgiven , @offorester , @cordelliism , @stopthecarrrr

gif credits : @harlivycommissions , @boyiega , @injungifs , @zvlda , meg bun , @corneliagifs

[greatcstarcherarchh]

greatcstarcher  :  independent,  semi  selective,  semi  to  highly  active  blog  of  marvel  cinematic  universe’s  hawkeye’s  kate  bishop.  written  since  december  2021  by  lumi  (  27+,  pst/cst,  she/her  ).

click  for  biography and verses

affiliated  with : @lokitm , @agcntmobius / exclusives : @anunkindncss (andrew garfield's peter parker) , @salvatoraes

guidelines  &  more  below

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat.

AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that.

DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), cl.owns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect.

AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system.

SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things!

BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

where else to find me

@snnydcys , @snnynatural​​ ,  @havntedbase

credit

psd: purple angel , tweaked gifs: @corneliagifs

[qveenr0sie]

QVEENR0SIE  :  independent  ,  low  to  medium  activity  ,  blog  for  rosalinda maria montoya fioré  from  disney  channel's  princess protection program.  she  has  been  written  since  october  2020 & brought back on 2024  by  lumi  (  27+  ,  she/her  ,  cst/pst  ).  click  for  biography  and  verses.

sideblog to @snnydcys

continue to read below . . .

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat.

AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that.

DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), c*lowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect.

AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system.

SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things!

BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

where else to find me

@snnydcys , @snnynatural , @greatcstarcher , @havntedbase

credits

psd : autumn sun by tigeredits

icon border : me

[t4ffys]

T4FFYS : independent,  semi  selective,  semi  to  low  active  blog  of  lisa frankenstein’s  taffy swallows. written  since  february  2024  by  lumi  (  27+,  pst/cst,  she/her  ). click for biography and verses.

sideblog to @havntedbase

guidelines and more . . .

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat. AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that. DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby! TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), c*lowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect. AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system. SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things! BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

where else to find me :

@greatcstarcher , @antiqsvchotic , @snnydcys , @snnynatural

misc blogs :

@lumiiiscorner ( positivity blog ) , @lumiiicreates ( commissions blog )

credits :

psd : love me again , melinoe3

[rcsrrectedwitch]

RCSRRECTEDWITCH : independent,  semi  selective,  semi  active  blog  of  cw’s  the  original’s  davina  claire.  written  canon  divergent.  story  based  off  a  mix  of  the  originals  and  supernatural. written  since  january  2021 by  lumi  (  26+,  pst,  she/her  ). click for biography and verses.

sideblog to : @havntedbase

heavily affiliated with @he11sprncss

guidelines & more below

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat. AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that. DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby! TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), clowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect. AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system. SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things! BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

where else to find me:

@snnydcys , @snnynatural​​​ ,  @greatcstarcher​  ,  @antiqsvchotic

credit:

icon border: me psd: don’t remember the name, but i do not claim. only edited for specific coloring gifs: not mine

[littlesvn]

LITTLESVN : independent,  semi  selective,  semi  to  low  active  blog  of  disney’s  tangled’s  rapunzel. written  since  march  2023  by  lumi  (  26+,  pst/cst,  she/her  ). click for biography and verses.

sideblog to @snnydcys

gif credit : @sunlethrps , @nicolebonnet

guidelines and more below :

BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL: i do not want any ooc drama at any time. this is a safe space just to write and have some fun. if there is any problem, i am always open to chat. AGE: i am 26+ years old and am only comfortable writing with muns AND muses that are 18+, so please be respectful of that. DO NOT RUSH: there are days where i just don’t have the energy to write, so please be respectful of that. and you don’t have to worry about rushing either! take your time. this is a hobby! TRIGGER WARNINGS: so since dark subjects might come up, they will be tagged accordingly! i will absolutely NOT write any of the following - eating disorders (my trigger), c*lowns (my phobia), large age gaps, incest (including step siblings/step parents), rape, any form of abuse, ect. AFFILIATES/MAINS/EXCLUSIVES: i am the type of person who gets anxiety about exclusivity due to just wanting to write with everybody. so i will not be doing exclusives unless it is discussed between me and a mun. affiliates and mains, i consider it the buddy system. SHIPPING: this is a multi ship blog so no ships will intersect with each other unless plotted. i also will not and do not accept force ship. this is all based off of chemistry. i also don't just ship, i welcome all platonic, familial, enemy things! BANNED FCS: the ones who have asked not to be written, serious criminal charges, youtubers, ect. to name a few: amber heard, logan paul, lea michele, ect. if you have any questions, just let me know!

where else to find me:

@snnydcys , @snnynatural  ,  @greatcstarcher​ ,  @antiqsvchotic

credit:

icon border, pinned banner, & psd: me and somresource (paris holds the key)

[fauscailt]

@reivontulet:  ❝ i’ve seen your face around here. ❞

Jason suppressed the smile that twitched at his lips in response to the greeting - he wasn’t sure if she noticed him, tried to tell himself he didn’t particularly care if she did. But after the first few accidental glances passed each others way, the aloof but friendly smiles shared as strangers in the same coffee shop every other day, it had felt more and more like a lie. “That you have.” He agreed, craning his neck round to look at her as they stood in line. “I think we both might spend a little more time here than is healthy.” He noted jokingly.

[brawltogethernow]

@mirrorfalls​ submitted: Came across this while searching for James Bond’s scrambled-eggs recipe (long story). Your thoughts?

~~

But did you find James Bond’s scrambled eggs recipe?

In this article, Scocca laments his inability to find accessible, lighthearted superhero comics suitable to read with his young son, while also demonstrating a mysterious aversion to looking at DC and Marvel’s lines of comics for children, which is where the accessible, lighthearted superhero comics suitable for reading with young children are. He wants his elementary schooler to be able to safely have the run of all superhero media so he doesn’t have to touch the yucky baby books.

This is not an industry-wide crisis. This is just one dude who got paid to write an article where he accidentally exposed one of his personal hangups.

The child headed toward the trade paperbacks of Marvel and D.C. superhero titles on the side wall […] a few steps in front of me. […] Is he with you? a clerk asked me. I said he was. You know, the clerk said, we have a kids’ section. The clerk gestured backward, at a few shelves near the entrance. I said, Thanks, we know and tried throwing in a little shrug, as the kid kept going.

You can’t just turn a seven-year-old child loose in a comic-book store to look at the superhero comic books. […] My seven-year-old really wanted to see that last Avengers movie […] that is, he wished it were a movie he could see, but he understood that it was, instead, a movie designed to scare and sadden him—a movie actively hostile to people like him.

They have a children’s section. Because comics are a medium suitable for stories for everybody, and they are sold in comic book shops, which have sections, like bookstores. You can use this organization to find books that you know in advance are suitable for children. What goes in that category is determined by industry professionals. This area will be bigger the bigger the shop is. These comics are not lower quality that titles from the main lines. They are actually slightly better-written on average.

Your local comic book shop has considerately wrapped Empowered in a plastic bag, so your child will not be drawn in by a colorful superhero and accidentally read a graphic scene. If you think your kid might find a memoir about internment camps upsetting, it is your job to notice them picking up They Called Us Enemy and read the blurb on the back before you let them have it. This comic adults are meant to read is in a comic book shop because that is where comics are sold. Not every public place is supposed to be Disneyland.

Movies have ratings systems. If you do not want your child to watch a PG-13 movie, you will find that most superhero cartoons are for children. They are about the same characters. Some are quite good! I really enjoyed Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Your child may like Avengers Assemble. At least I think that’s right. I’m always mixing those titles around.

This is a deeply weird bias for Scocca to casually demonstrate, because he identifies in the article that real childishness is striving for empty maturity.

He compares an old comic,

[…]a 1966 Spider-Man comic in which Spider-Man meets, fights, and defeats the Rhino; participates in a running argument between John Jameson and J. Jonah Jameson about his heroism; buys a motorcycle; breaks up with his first girlfriend, Betty Brant; flirts with Gwen Stacy; and reluctantly agrees to let Aunt May take him to meet her friend Mrs. Watson’s niece, Mary Jane.

and a new comic,

[…]a 21st century comic book in which Thor, brooding in a Katrina-destroyed New Orleans, beats up Iron Man. He also yells at Iron Man a lot about some incomprehensibly convoluted set of grievances, including involuntary cloning, that he believes Iron Man perpetrated against him while he was dead(?), and then summons some other Norse god from the beyond somehow for reasons having something to do with real estate. I think. Where the 1966 comic is zippy and fun and complete, the whole contemporary one is muddled and lugubrious and seems to constitute a tiny piece of a seemingly endless plot arc—simultaneously apocalyptic and inert.

and concludes that the edgier comic is actually less mature. This is true. (This is not news about mediocre comics.)

It also has nothing to do with either comic being child-friendly, the article’s nominal thesis, except in the sense that ASM #41 (yes, I eyeballed that from that summary, yes I am just showing off now) is better written, making it more everyone-friendly. It also has practically more space dedicated to word balloons than art and is about a college student juggling girl problems and a part-time job with a tyrannical boss. But the immature one, as Scocca points out, is dour.

These are both teenagery issues, separated only by quality. It’s true that lots of new comics published by the big 2 are bad in the specific way Scocca describes here, taking themselves too seriously and hauled down by associated stories instead of buoyed by them. Some are not! Some titles from these companies’ main continuities are zippy, contained, and child friendly. Give your child The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl! Or if you like vintage comics so much better, why don’t you…buy some?

The books on the kid’s rack are good and fun and totally suitable for parents to read with their children without wanting to scoop their eyeballs out. Scocca cites the Batman ‘66 comics as the brightly colored, tightly written all ages solution to his problem about sharing superhero stories with his son. My local comic shop stores this title in the kid’s section. I am glad that Scocca’s does not, as he seems to have a peculiar aversion to looking for comics to read with his son there.

Scocca cites Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as a superhero movie he could watch with his kids. (I was surprised when this line made it sound like he has several. I don’t want to assume the other one isn’t in this article because they’re a girl, but I very much am assuming that.) Great! Go to the kid’s section and look for Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man. It’s a fun, zippy title directly inspired by ITSV where Miles, Gwen, and Peter superhero together. It’s much more tightly written than most of the various Spider-Verse comics, which are ambitiously messy ubercrossovers. You may not want to give those to children because they include murder and so on, but also you just have the choice between the two as an adult reader deciding how much continuity you want to deal with. Adventures is one of the only titles I would buy on sight before corona. The kid comic rack is a reliable place to take a break from How Comics Get Sometimes regardless of how old you are.

This article makes me feel quarrelsome. Maybe it’s that it doesn’t seem like exploration of a single idea so much as a loosely grouped bundle of things to kvetch about. Maybe it’s that the experience of getting into superheroes that Scocca describes experiencing, projects his seven-year-old son will experience, and from which he extrapolates a metaphorical microcosm of the history of the genre is completely alien to me.

Comic books [and] comic-book movies—are […] trapped in their imagined audience’s own awful passage from childhood to adolescence. A seven-year-old has a clean […] appreciation of superheroes. They like hero comics because the comics have heroes: bold, strong, vividly colored good guys to fight off the bad guys and make the world safe.

But seven-year-olds stop being seven. […] They become 13-year-olds, defensively trying to learn how to develop tastes about tastes.

The 13-year-old wants many things from comics, but the overarching one is that they want to prove that they’re not some seven-year-old baby anymore. They want gloomy heroes, miserable heroes, heroes who would make a seven-year-old feel bad. (Also boobs. They want boobs.)

Not because of the boobs line, although that does illicit an eyeroll that this gloomy thinkpiece is fretting over preserving the superhero experience of little boys who resemble the little boy the writer was while casually dismissing everyone else. I was one of those unlikable little seven-year-olds with a college reading level and the impression that maintaining it was the crux of my worth. I only read Books - distinguished media you could club someone with. I have a formative memory of pausing, enraptured, in front of a poster for Spider-Man 3, preparing to say that it looked pretty cool, and being beaten to the punch by my mother making a disparaging comment about how the movie was trash. It wasn’t out yet, but it was a superhero movie. That meant it was for loud, brainless children.

That was the total of my childhood experience with superheroes, excluding being the unwilling audience to incessant renditions of “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells” that left me wondering why in god’s name Batman’s sidekick was named Robin. I certainly never visited a comic book shop. I got into TvTropes, which got me into webcomics, which got me following David Willis, who got me into Ask Chris at ComicsAlliance, which led to me rewarding myself for studying like a demon for the AP tests with three volumes of Waid’s Daredevil, pitched as a return to the character being colorful and swashbuckling. I was seven…teen.

This is of the same thread as Scocca’s point that immaturity is running from childish things. It leaves me baffled that he doesn’t follow that maturity is embracing them.

I will disclose here that while I think it was dumb I had to overcome my upbringing’s deeply embedded shame associated with enjoying arbitrarily defined lowbrow media and children being childish, I think it’s fine that I was allowed largely unchecked access to technically age-inappropriate content. In my limited experience, content small children are too young for is also content they’re too young to understand, so it kind of just bounces off of them, and what actually ends up terrorizing them is unpredictable collages of impressions that strike out at them from content deemed perfectly child-friendly. I would not forbid a seven-year-old I was in charge of from seeing an MCU movie unless I had a reason to believe that specific child would not take it well. These are emotionally low-stakes bubblegum films. It will probably be easier to socialize with other kids if they have seen them.

But then, when I picture being in charge of a hypothetical child, I usually imagine this being the case because they are related to me, and the pupal stage in my family strongly resembles Wednesday Addams. ALL children love death and violence, though, right?? This isn’t a joke point. I know it looks like a joke point.

The MCU thing seems especially weird in light of the article’s particular focus on Spider-Man, which is the kiddie line of the MCU, even if they refused to waver from their usual formula enough to get a lower rating. Though I am more inclined to describe it as “preying on the young” than “child-friendly”.

(MCU movies are increasingly dubious propaganda, but I would not judge them in front of a child who wanted to watch them for that reason, just in case this led to them partaking of them without me the second they were old enough to and then they grew up to run a blog about them while our relationship suffered because they didn’t feel like it was safe to talk to me about their interests…Mom.)

I tried to overcome the philosophy of letting anyone read anything while compiling this handful of mostly-newish superhero recs for the road that anyone can read. (Handily, I have been in spitting distance of being hired as a comic shop clerk enough to have thought about it before):

For actual children:

Marvel Adventures Spider-Man (the new one is reminiscent of ITSV, the old one is more like 616) any DC/Archie crossover, Archie’s Superteens The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (for bookish children who think they’re too good for comics and adults afraid of the kid’s section) Teen Titans Go (even if you hate the show) Superman Smashes the Klan

For teens:

Ms. Marvel Young Avengers (volume 2) Unbelievable Gwenpool Batman: Gotham Adventures Teen Titans Go (the tie-in comic based off the old show was also called this)

Here are a bunch of relevant C. S. Lewis quotes.

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

I don't mean to discourse in your inbox, but I'm not as well versed in Kataang fandom as you and others are. I only ship fanon queer couples. I was wondering if you or maybe one of your followers could let me know the idea behind Kataang fandom being disingenous.

I have a close mutual who ships Zutara. I find that ship weird but w/e. We agree to disagree. Today though they told me some things that gave me pause and it's not the usual anti Aang arguments I've heard.

The main thing they said is that Kataang fandom does not engage with the "unsavory" parts of their canon and that it's an annoyance. I asked for clarification and they mentioned that in The Southern Raiders Aang when tells Katara she has to forgive her mother's murderer, Kataang fans don't understand how unfeeling he was being. I'm assuming my friend used this example because I lost my dad to gun violence because she asked me how I'd feel if I was told that I needed to forgive the person who shot my father. I just said that Katara pushed back on Aang when he said that just as I would if anyone said that to me, and that Aang and Katara have different viewpoints on that but it doesn't mean Aang was unfeeling. My grandmom forgave the guy who shot her son. She knows I never will, and she's never pressed me on it just like Aang didn't press Katara on it.

My friend kinda backed off on that but said that Kataangers don't acknowledge was Aang said was not okay, even though Katara did push back. But he's 12? And has a different mindset?

I'm sorry, I'm losing the plot. I guess the tl;dr is that my Zutara friend claims that most people push back on Kataang because Kataang fans don't engage in good faith about mistakes Aang made with Katara, and I guess I wondered your feelings about that.

hi anon! for one, im deeply sorry you lost your father, and - though this may be just me - im sorry your friend felt it was appropriate to try to compare fictional circumstance to the very real tragedy that befell you and your family. i don’t know how long ago the instance you describe was, but i send healing and good things your way 💛

(also, a reminder for everyone: there is no pressure to ever share personal/life details in my inbox. for one, your life is your life and there’s no reason you should ever feel like you have to put personal information out onto the internet! and two, of course, im just a teenager behind a screen lol.)

moving onto the atla-related aspects of your ask. i mean,, my gut instinct is honestly to just shake my head in amusement, because the fact of the matter is that yeah, i know why someone who primarily (or perhaps only) ships zk might believe this:

they don’t interact with kataang content.

it’s incredibly easy for someone to label the kataang fandom as being “disingenuous” if that person isn’t regularly engaging with kataang content 😂 so that’s my natural conclusion! no, the kataang fandom isn’t disingenuous, your friend who ships zk simply isn’t an active part of the kataang fandom and thus they aren’t going to see kataang fics/metas/arts/etc. related to tsr.

and in that same vein, i wouldn’t be surprised if there are kataang shippers out there who would call the zk fandom disingenuous for similar reasons, i.e. that they don’t feel zkers engage with the “unsavory” aspects of zuko and katara’s relationship (when zuko and katara were still enemies). i guess some specific examples would be him tying her to the tree and manipulating her with her mother’s necklace, as well as his betrayal at ba sing se? like, i can say with total honesty that i haven’t seen any zk works grappling with the severity of those events - particularly the latter - but i can also say that i don’t go out seeking to interact with zk content! just bc i haven’t seen that zk content doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist! just bc your friend hasn’t seen that kataang content doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, either! you see where im going with this?

and i’ll also admit that i of course disagree with your friend about aang being “unfeeling,” lol. i discuss in this post aang’s comments to katara in tsr, specifically how aang - as the sole survivor of genocide - is essentially the only person who can fully understand katara’s grief. i also touch upon the parallels between gyatso’s and kya’s deaths and the respective discoveries of their bodies, which further reinforces just how much aang does understand katara’s circumstances and was thus not being “unfeeling” with his comments to her. honestly, i still think zuko was such an ass in tsr 😂 but to each their own interpretation! your friend can think whatever they want, no skin off my back

anyways, as i’ve started to do when i get tsr-related asks, time for some self promo: everybody should go read broken pieces still belong, my 20k katara-centric fic exploring her emotional journey from the events of “The Western Air Temple” through those of “The Southern Raiders” 😎✌

i hope this answered your question, anon!! ultimately, i really do think it’s a case of yeah, obviously a zker might feel that way, because they aren’t actively seeking out any kataang content 😂 it’s scarily easy for people to slap labels onto entire fandoms, yk? which is why i always try to emphasize that yes, i’ve had negative experiences with both zk and kataang shippers. i’ve seen content from both sides that i don’t and will never like. but i know that my experiences are not universal, and i know that this negativity does not make up the vast majority of either fandom. pretty straightforward, am i right?

[yumgrapejuice]

An analysis on Ranboo’s lore playlist

okay y’all first of all, ranboo has a killer taste, i love him, and second, i couldn’t resist. i’m an analyst by nature. am i looking too deep into some things? did ranboo maybe choose some songs purely for the vibe? perhaps. do i care? no. let me have my fun.

I’m gonna drop my own analysis/interpretation based on these songs but feel free do use this yourself if you want!! And also feel free to disagree/correct me on anything!! I’m not a professional musical analyst lol and I did take some inspiration from already existing interpretations for the more lyrical songs.

here’s the playlist btw

“Introduction to the Snow”—introduction to the album. Fitting for the playlist’s beginning, seeing the tone. It’s mostly referencing (self-imposed) isolation.

“Dream Sweet in Sea Major”—this Miracle Music’s whole album is about dreams and reality, how they clash, loneliness and the wish to be close to someone, yet still remaining isolated. Very whimsical, metaphorical, melodic, and it has this vibe as if on the edge of consciousness. I’d say it fits quite well with c!Ranboo’s general vibe. This song in particular deals with sleepwalking(ha)/being in a dreamlike state, the line between what’s real and what’s not blurred.

“The Mind Electric”—oh this one fits Ranboo extremely well. First part is in reverse, the second in normal (mirroring), and it can get quite unsettling. Like you’re not sure what’s happening with the instrumentals, many different voices. Again, very metaphorical, but to put it shortly, the protagonist is being judged for a crime they’ve committed and, in their defence, they say: “Father, your honor, may I explain, my brain has claimed its glory over me; I’ve a good heart albeit insane”. They get “condemned to the infirmary” for that, where electric shock is used on them as a form of “therapy”. As a result, the protagonist loses grip on reality and themselves and truly does go insane. They beg for mercy and sympathy, but there’s no one to help them. “Someone help me; Understand what's going on inside my mind; Doctor I can't tell if I'm not me”—need I say more, really?

“Live and Let Die”—the phrase “live and let die” means to live your life how you wish and let others live how they wish without interfering. At first, you live by the phrase “live and let live”, meaning you have your ideals and you try to change the lives of others according to them, but as life progresses, you stop caring as much/try to distance yourself from others’ business.

“Turn the Lights Off”—dreams and nightmares. Mildly foreboding yet energetic. The actual meaning is about growing up (transition from childhood to adulthood), but we can take some other interpretations that’d fit with Ranboo’s character better. This Tally Hall’s album deals with differences, black and white, and how there shouldn’t be a divide between them. In this song, there are some noteworthy lines that I’d like to mention:

- “Bend the nightmare, you control it; Artful dodger, easy does it”—lucid dreaming, you have to be careful with it so as to not lose control.

- “Shut the closet, get under the covers”—you’re afraid of something and instead of facing it and seeing whether there even is something to be afraid of, you hide.

- “Turn the lights off”—confront your fears. It can also mean that in the dark, there’s no differences between people, going back to the album’s meaning.

- “And everybody wants to get evil tonight; But all good devils masquerade under the light”—this could mean that everyone has a darker part of themselves but those who actually indulge in their dark tendencies do so in plain sight by pretending to be someone else.

“Ruler of Everything”—the main theme here is time and how it’s the “ruler of everything”; time doesn’t matter about where it goes, and it will never stop. The second verse is most interesting to me—there are two singers, man and time, but for the sake of interpretation let’s just see it as two voices. One is obsessed about being liked, fitting in, constantly asking for reaffirmation (“Do you like how I walk? Do you like how I talk?”), while the second criticizes the first (“You practice your mannerisms into the wall”). They argue—”I’ve been you, I know you, your facade is scam; You know you’re making me cry, this is the way that I am”. The second is calling out the first for not being honest to himself. Tone is lighthearted but with an edge of unease.

“Merry-Go-Round of Life”—from Howl’s Moving Castle soundtrack. The title’s self-explanatory, I’d say.

“Killer Queen”—this one’s a harder one to interpret in regards to Ranboo lol. The song is about, based on an interview with Mercury, a high class woman that likes to indulge in her various desires (mostly sexual). I would doubt that’s what Ranboo was going for, so! Perhaps about a person that has no regards for their reputation and instead does whatever they feel like it? They have a certain image but still act however they like. Yeah, not too sure about this one :’) But that’s what I’ll go with for my later analysis.

“Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”—quite straightforward. A person that performs bad deeds has reasons for them. Not excuses, but explanations, and you can sympathize with it. We all do “bad” things for one reason or the other, and, in the end, we’re all just trying to get by. Once again, plays into the theme of there not being a clear distinction between good and bad.

“The Bidding”—another harder one to interpret. On the surface, it’s about an auction where men are trying to sell themselves to women. They all present themselves in different images, and it’s remarked that the women care less about the date and more about the prospect of it, the pretty words. The date, actually, ends up being disappointing. Could be about expectations. Some men outright admit they’re assholes so whoever chooses them should know that. People can tell you what their intentions are from the start so if you end up hurt, you have no one else to blame but yourself.

“A Mask of My Own Face”—another interesting one! Unusual instruments, strong beat. They’re singing about how they have a desire to pretend to be someone else while secretly still being themselves. “I’d rob my own apartment and I wouldn’t give a damn; I’d blame it on the person that nobody knows I am”—implying they have no regard for their own livelihood and are just out to have some fun. Plus, that no one would be aware it’s all an act. “I'd wear it on Thanksgiving and I'd laugh in the parade; At all the people hissing, knowing I'm the one they hate”—they take delight in the idea of upsetting others and them not knowing it’s actually the singer that they should be hissing. “And at the big finale I would tear my face away; And smile as they grip their own and try to do the same”—everyone wears masks, and this person implies that their mask and their true self is not different from each other while others’ are.

“Stardust Crusaders”—soundtrack from Jojo. Action-packed? idk never seen it sorry lol

“I Can’t Decide”—oh, this one’s a doozy! One of the ones that do not fit c!Ranboo at all, but that’s what makes it interesting. A classic, the singer is out to have fun, very lighthearted and yet they’re singing about murder. The protagonist here is clearly mentally unwell and they’re indecisive whether they should let their enemy/toy/(up to interpretation) live or not. Some curious lines:

- “It’s not easy having yourself a good time”—in the context of the song, that “good time” implies something wicked.

- “I’m not a gangster tonight, don’t wanna be the bad guy, I’m just a loner, baby, and now you’ve got in my way”—they don’t view themselves as “bad”, however, the next two lines are paradoxal—the singer says they’re alone and yet decide to “mess around” with whoever comes up in their life.

- “No wonder why my heart feels dead inside, it’s hard and cold and petrified”—signifying lack of empathy.

- “It’s a bitch convincing people to like you”—they don’t actually want to do that and see it as a bother.

“Stranded Lullaby”—back to Miracle Musical, back to the theme of isolation. Super lyrical, super musical. They talk about how their memories float around aimlessly in their head, a sea, and may sometimes get lost. The protagonist, a sailor, is losing touch with reality and can’t tell apart what’s a dream anymore and what’s not. They question what they’re going through and why.

“Hidden In The Sand”—a song about longing, in my eyes. The protagonist sings about how “you” love things and how he wishes to love the same things, in the end admitting that “all I’ve wanted was you”. They don’t wish to be separated, they wish to have someone in their life that they could love.

“Now I’m Here”—euphoric. They sing about how they’re alive again, thanks to one specific person. I’m not gonna go too much into this one (partly because it’s a more difficult one for me again, partly because it’s Queen and I don’t wanna uhh talk nonsense on accident lol), but what I got from it is that when one one else saw them, someone did, and they made them “live again”, and now as a result the protagonist is devoted to them.

“&”—really highlights Tally Hall’s album’s theme of black and white and that there shouldn’t be a divide. The repetition of comparing opposites is present throughout the entire song (Weak & Strong & Wet & Dry…) and it’s heavily implied we should “say goodnight” to this mindset. But people love to choose sides, put things into good or bad categories. By the line “They took a lesson from their fathers” it’s implied that people don’t develop this mindset by themselves and are rather influenced by others around them. The whole album is titled “Good & Evil” and Tally Hall examines and criticizes this idea. If we keep dividing people into good and bad, eventually, we’ll all destroy ourselves.

“I’m Gonna Win”—a song about someone who’s struggling to get by. “Sometimes it can seem like a merciless dream”—life can get really hard and the protagonist wonders “what’s really worthwhile”. In the chorus, whoever, they declare that they’re “gonna win” no matter what. They might get “bloody and bruised” but they won’t give up until they “won’t be abused” and until they’re “laughing alone”. No matter how hard life/others kick them down, they’ll keep going. By the lines “It’s hard to be charming and smart and disarming; It’s hard to pretend you’re the best; It’s hard to fulfill everyone’s expectations; It’s hard to keep up with the rest” it’s implied that they find it tiresome to keep up appearances and be liked. It’s challenging to always fit everyone’s expectations, but they’ll continue doing whatever they have to to “win”.

if ranboo ever adds more songs to his playlist, i may add them here too :) 

[amoungwildflowers]

tag dump. jillian mcnamara.

don’t let me get me i’m my own worst enemy (jillian mcnamara) she said hey it’s alright does it make you feel alive (jillian aesthetic) you can’t abandon people they’ll think they’ve done something wrong their whole life (jillian replies) i keep dancing on my own (jillian’s ipod) everybody’s got a dark side (jillian’s main verse) all you wanted was somebody who cared (jillian’s high school verse) it’s not a secret that i’m just a reject (jillian facts)

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt.87

Mami seemed happy to be getting out of the nursing home for the afternoon. Lance was happy to have here there, as Keith and Krolia hadn’t spoken... Krolia waited by the car, while he and Keith had headed in to see Mami. Sitting up in the activities area, his mother’s face lit up as they walked in to a fresh bout of whispers about them. Keith managed to get himself groped, by one of his mami’s friends, his poor boyfriend didn’t know what to do other than blush.

When Keith and Lance had gone home to change, Krolia had too. Now dressed in a loose black shirt and jeans, the woman didn’t look capable of having a 26 year old son. Lance could only assume Keith took after his father, but that family had some good genetics. Leaning against her red sedan, Krolia smiled as they approached, Lance very carefully elbowing his mother, desperate for things to go well

“Hey, Mami. Your walker matches Krolia’s car”

His Mami nodded, Lance happy she remembered him saying that Keith’s mother was joining them today

“Red does go faster”

“That’s what they say”

“I reckon I could take her with my walker”

Lance groaned

“Mami, you can’t race every red car in Platt, I’d never see you”

“One of the perks of being old, everybody never expects it. I could take’m”

“For now can you at least try to be nice to Krolia and not fight her for her car”

“Phooe. Let me have my fun”

Lance sighed again, shooting Keith a defeated look. Keith wasn’t exactly smiling yet seemed in a better mood with Miriam around

“Yes, Mami”

*

Keith felt like he didn’t belong at church with Lance and Miriam. He didn’t understand why Krolia had come with them, nor what she was getting out of being there. Lance and Miriam both knew what was going on, what the Bible verses seemed to mean and what the priest was on about. Unlike in the movies there was no singing of hymns, and unlike Rome, the service was conducted in English rather than Italian. For the most part Keith let his mind wander and tried not laugh at the idea of a vampire in a church. There was no way you’d get James into one, though with how much of a dick he was, he’d probably burst into flame. Keith wasn’t sure he could believe in god with all he’d experienced, but he wasn’t about to judge people for their faith. Not unless they were using it to be arseholes. Miriam seemed happy, that being the main thing, and so far his mother hadn’t been too weird.

The drive hadn’t been awkward for him at least, he and Lance were in the back where they could hold hands as Miriam and Krolia talked. They seemed to have hit it off, chatting back and forth, his mother smoothly skipping or changing topic when Miriam seemed to get a bit confused. Lance added a thing or two to the conversation, Keith remaining quiet. The words never came easily around his mother, and he other things on his mind like the way Lance vampired out with Lotor, and that he was going to have to play the role of pet again. He couldn’t ask for a better “owner” than Lance, because Lance didn’t see him as a pet. He had confidence in Lance that he didn’t have in Krolia. That’s what it came down to.

When the service ended, Miriam and Lance stayed a little longer, Keith excused with a gentle smile from Lance that tugged at his heart. Waiting for them near Krolia’s car, he soon realised his mistake when his mother approached. Sensing he was on the defence, she raised her hands in surrender

“I’m not here to pick a fight”

“I didn’t say you were”

Krolia moved to lean against her car, Keith didn’t know why she smiling but it annoyed him

“I’ll go wait near the door...”

The smiled faded, something he didn’t know clouded her expression

“Keith... Look... I don’t want to fight. You’re my son... I know it wasn’t there when you needed me to most... but I never stopped loving you. There hasn’t been a single moment since I found out about you, that I haven’t loved you”

What was that supposed to mean? She wasn’t there. She wasn’t there for any of it, and when she was, she didn’t have time for him

“Right... that’s why I’ve proven repeatedly to be nothing but a disappointment. I know how you feel, mum, you don’t need to keep up the lie of caring”

“You’re not a disappointment”

Keith sighed. He didn’t know how to do this

“This is a bad idea...”

“I’ve wanted to talk to you... You left without saying goodbye... Keith, I know... I know I wasn’t the mum you needed, and I know you think I don’t care but I do. I always have. I’ve always been proud of you. I never wanted this life for you. I wanted you to grow up free from it all...”

“You mean you don’t want me to date Lance”

Krolia stretched back against her sedan

“I didn’t say that at all. Lance is... He wouldn’t be my first choice for you, but this is your life. He brings out something in you that I wish I could. He makes you happy”

“I don’t understand what you want from me”

“I want to know you. I want to be part of your life and not hearing from Shiro the things you like and how you are. I’ve wanted to be part of your life since before Shiro brought you in”

“That’s why you’ve ignored me for years”

“I never wanted to ignore you. I know you hate me. I know you don’t forgive me for not being there. I truly believed you’d be safer with your father. I loved both of you so much... It broke my heart when he died, but I couldn’t take you with me. I wanted you to have a good life... I wanted you to grow up normally and be happy. You... You are son and I... I love you. I know you think I’m here for work, but I applied for mission lead here to see you. When we first got reports on Lance, I sent you here because I thought you and Shiro would be safe after what happened with Adam. Coran’s been running this place for years and I was never blind to how you were treated. I never knew you’d fall in love with a vampire. Not after what happened with Adam. Lance has been good for both you and Shiro”

“Lance has gone through hell because of me and Shiro... He had his whole life ruined because his brother reported him. He refuses to say anything about it because he seems to think his brother has a right to be a dick”

“He seems quite smart”

“You mean smarter than your son who didn’t graduate high school”

Krolia sighed deeply, stepping away from the car and moving so she was standing in front of him

“No. I know you’re hurting and angry. But Keith, I don’t know how to tell you what you want to hear. Leaving you broke my heart. You... You never knew but I never once stopped thinking of you. I sent money because I... I couldn’t have you caught up in this life so I wanted you to have the best. I know it was a mother’s dream, but I truly prayed you’d be taken care of and that someday we could be together again. You are not a disappointment. You being with Lance... I support it because I can see your happiness. I can see how he looks at you. He sees you. He sees more than those stupid rumours. He sees who you are. You’ve never disappointed me. Even if you don’t believe me, I want you to believe that”

Keith felt flustered. He didn’t know what he felt. Lance would have understood. He would have happy they were talking... but Keith... He couldn’t do it. He didn’t know how to. He didn’t know how to have a mum

“Lance and Miriam are coming back. Just think about what I told you. I do love you. I did love your father. And no matter what happens, you will always be my son. I’ll drop you and Lance back at VOLTRON after this. I’ve taken enough of your time today”

Now she was saying that, Keith didn’t want her to go. The feeling was weird and foreign, stemming from his abandonment issues. It had to. He didn’t understand why he’d feel that way otherwise.

*

Dropping Mami off, Lance tried not to feel guilty about parting with her. They didn’t have time to stay, though he would have liked to. His Mami seemed to like Krolia which was a weight off his shoulders, other than the fact Keith had been off since he and Krolia both left before them. Lance needing to getting the stealing off his chest to God and his Mami spent extra time praying for their family. She didn’t need to say it out loud. She said a prayer for all their family each time they visited. Making sure she was settled in her room, Lance wanted to curl up in bed with her. Feeding his ego and letting it go a tad out of control left him feeling sick to his stomach. He hated that side of him. He hated being a nasty show off. Being rude and insulting. And he hated Keith seeing it. He’d scared him and Allura... Allura who’d seen and dealt with worse than him... She probably had been hurt by his ego being such a dick to the guy she liked... or no longer seemed to hate.

Returning to he car, Lance climbed in beside Keith, opting not to take the vacant front seat. He was hopelessly in love with Keith. Aware they were in that honeymoon phase, where everything was simply made better by being next to each other. Lance so badly for things to stay the same between them. For Keith to never wake up to the fact that he wasn’t as great as he seemed to think he was. Keith was human and now he had to dress him as a pet and not like the actual amazing human being he was. Lance didn’t like it. He’d need a new outfit, something without everyone else’s scents on it... which want taking Keith shopping... The vampire slightly scared they wouldn’t be able to find that balance between pet appropriate and offending Keith, and that Keith would judge him for having to spent money he didn’t have on a suit he’d probably only ever wear once.

“I’ll drop you boys at the front. Make sure you get receipts and then I’ll see to it you get reimbursed. Thank you for agreeing to help us out here. The fact that you know Platt and are close with Coran carries a lot of weight, even though it might not seem so”

Lance blinked, raising his gaze he found Krolia smiling at him in the rear view mirror

“Oh... it’s fine. I know I’m the enemy here, but out of control vampires is something that needs to be stopped as soon as possible”

Krolia laughed

“I’m glad you understand. We do have other vampire we could contact, but you’re nothing like them. I mean that as a compliment. You’re remarkably human”

“He is human”

Bless Keith. Always quick to jump in to defend him

“I get it. I’m sorry you had to see my ego today... that’s one side that I really hate”

“Nonsense. Did you see Lotor’s face. He never expected that from a breeder. I shouldn’t find it funny, but we Blades have quite an unusual sense of humour. Don’t let Kolivan get to you. He’s under a lot of pressure at the moment”

“I imagine so. He also seems to have his hands full with your werewolves”

“They’re very driven. They’re effective agents, though I don’t know for the life of me why there needs to be such a rift between them and the rest of the Blades”

Lance guessed that was Krolia speak for the way James and Keith acted like mortal enemies

“Ego will do that. I’m learning how to live with werewolves at the moment”

Krolia nodded

“Matt and Rieva. Rieva certainly put up a fight. Some of the Blades can be over zealous... We hadn’t wanted to apprehend her, only talk to her thanks to Shiro’s connection with Matt. She’s certainly a live wire”

“She’s more settled than Matt. They’ve kind of become part of the furniture at home”

“That’s good. Okay. Here’s where I leave you both. Lance, if you can come in early on Wednesday for briefing that’d be appreciated. Also, if you need help disgusting yourself, don’t be afraid to dress how you please. We know you don’t tend to associate with vampires, if you feel the need to completely change your image, we’ll reimburse for things including piercings and accessories. Don’t be afraid to go all out”

That didn’t sound good... a valid point seeing his looks wouldn’t be forgotten... they’d all have to be careful. Krolia parked in front of the bookshop, Keith scrambling to get his belt undone as Lance smiled politely

“Thanks, Krolia. It was nice to see you again... without being shot”

“It was nice to see you again too. If you have the time, I would love to go to dinner with you and Keith. Naturally Shiro is invited too. Please let him and see if the three of you can decided upon a time”

“Sure. Sounds good. Come on, babe. We better get this done”

Keith ignore him as he let himself out Krolia’s sedan. Lance couldn’t exactly say no to Krolia, nor could he spirit Keith away, or assist in him running from his problems. Hopefully by the time they finished shopping, his boyfriend would have figured out what was on his mind and understand that Lance wasn’t trying to pry.