#exploding them with my mind

[isjasz]

YOU'RE DEAD TO ME

Also a cover version done as a joke bc it looked like a novel/manga cover for some reason + lineart :D

[lovegrahams]

we don’t talk enough about why it was so easy for hannibal to love will. why it was so easy to surrender all of himself to him. will graham collects strays; he would pick up a wounded wolf right out of its den. he’d wash it, brush it, nurse it with all the love in his heart. he is willing to forgive the gnashing of teeth that bite and the blood that comes from claws that tear. he is willing to forgive the fear of a pained animal. the fact is, no matter how untamed a wild beast may be, with time they will roll on their back and wait for the gentle touch they’ve received thus far to then be placed upon their underbelly. hannibal, if he is absolutely anything at all, is an untamed beast. he awaits will’s hand on his underbelly. he awaits his love. patiently. and, by the end, by every end possible, he receives it.

[spadelynnne]

They make me ill

[rreyy]

los wiwis

[inkydiamonds]

I HAVE REALIZED SOMETHING.

So. For people who are not Ethoslab watchers, in his most recent episode he showed off these beautiful statues Joel supposedly made of Etho in front of his house.

I figured Joel built them, and it seems Etho did too, because he sent Joel a message via mail about them.

This note... honestly surprised me a bit? I didn't think much of it at first, but the tone of it felt out of place. Obviously these two have this ongoing bit of being obsessed with each other, and they've done nothing recently but yes-and to the sun about it. This note seems to almost shut this bit down, saying "this bit hasn't gone too far yet, because I'm showing this on camera, but it's getting there." Which is a possible explanation for this note! But considering all they've done recently it feels very sudden.

And then. Joel claimed to not have built the statues. "Oh," I thought. "Joel is claiming not to have built the statues because he doesn't want to seem obsessed." Makes sense. Or maybe he *didn't* build the statues and someone is pranking them. That also makes sense.

But it was only when watching Joel talk about it on Impulse's stream, when I heard Joel say "honestly, I think Etho might have done it," that it clicked.

Oh.

This motherfucker.

He 100% did. That's why the message is so weird. Ethoslab built statues of himself outside Joel's base, messaged him via mail saying "that's kinda weird bro" and then DIDN'T EVER REVEAL THAT HE BUILT THEM. Oh my god THIS MAN...

From Etho's audience's perspective it just looks like Joel was continuing being obsessed with Etho, as usual, just another example in a long list. But *Joel* knows he didn't do that and *Etho* knows Joel will figure out who did. This mischievous motherfucker. Oh my godddd I hate them. Listening to him read back the note with that little smile in his voice. I am unwell. Why are they LIKE this

[goodnightbirdy]

thinking about the fact that in that scene where meeks and pitts are dancing together, meeks cant hear the music 😭theres only one set of headphones and pitts has them. meeks is dancing to the sounding of pitts' shuffling feet and breathing and he still has the widest grin on his face.

im losing my fucking mind.

[saintzinthecity]

LETHAL frame i got... oh okay...

[gremnda]

i need them both dead <3

[stxphy2]

I want Millie to run them over🫵🏼

Fuck they drive me INSANE

Veronica casually pulling the baddies

[xxch3rryl0v3xx]

“I need you.” WHEN I CATCH YOU BOTH.

[inkyrainstorms]

they plague me

uhhhhh @afkphorabit @aliens-took-my-iwa-chan @kaykayli look at them <3

[cogs-incorporated]

Happy pride month! Love wins <3

[lovegrahams]

everyone talks about how hannibal always jumps at every opportunity to tenderly touch wills face but nobody ever talks about how will lets him and i think we should

[lenacethemenace]

I am so sick of this BS.

Warning for an absolute essay of a post about Team Dark and fandom portrayal. This is not intended to point out or call out anyone specifically, just because it's not my vibe doesn't mean it can't be yours. Write what you want, enjoy what you want; your personal takes are valid.

With that said, I am so so so so soooo sick and tired of going to read a sonic-related fanfiction with an interesting premise that has any type of focus on team dark, and they're portrayed like a bunch of asshats. And they're not just rude to others, they treat each other like shit. I've seen it in so many fics, and it's been so abysmal that I've straight up dropped them. Shadow being a dick to Rouge? Omega has 0 personality other than "destroy all eggman robots" (yes, that is a lot of it.) My boy has flair, give him some sort of interest or something at least.

But above those two, and the topic of today, WHAT in the molly-whopping dirt munching misinformed mischaracterization is the way that Rouge is written???

I've seen, countless times, Rouge being uncaring, unkind, or self-centered to a degree where it's not a flaw or something the writers have her overcome, but she's just a kleptomaniac. On top of all that, they make her seem like she'd been using Team Dark for personal gain. While it can be said she treated them like friends, it's played as a manipulation tactic that frames her as a piece of shit. She takes a deal from Eggman in exchange for some sort of bribe, and she betrays not Team Sonic, not anyone else, but HER team. She betrays her two closest friends, I'd even argue family, and that's just not the Rouge we know and love???

This isn't me just talking out of my ass, but it's also based on the media I consumed first, that being the more "mainline" games like SA2, Heroes, '06 (BUT ONLY FOR TEAM DARK) and even into the recent SXSG.

Starting with Heroes, which is my biggest point of reference when it comes to how I view them.

In the initial introduction of the team, it shows off Rouge sneaking into Eggman's stronghold, finding Shadow in his little pod, and Omeg, who had been locked in that room as well. Omega starts BLASTING! And the first thing Shadow does when he wakes up is tackle her out of danger, ensuring she stays safe on the sidelines, and then rushes in to take out the perceived threat.

When Rouge hears Omega say that he must "Eliminate all Eggman robots," she realizes this whole fight is a misunderstanding, and breaks the boys up, making them see reason. After a bit of discussion, they realize that Shadow's an amnesiac, Omega's out for revenge on Eggman, and her goals as well, all align. In a way, they all need answers from the bastard, so Rouge, and let me say this again, ROUGE makes them a team. It's not met with Shadow brooding, bitching, or being a jerk, and it isn't met with Omega saying that it isn't integral to his mission, they all agree. Even if they're a bit reserved at first, throughout the game, you slowly see them begin to have more playful banter.

They are a TEAM, and although at this point it's more ragtag, as we, the audience, learn more about them, they learn more about each other. Rouge isn't just using them to serve her goal; no, she genuinely cares. She wants justice and answers for her friends. She doesn't need to help Shadow with his lack of memory, she doesn't need to help Omega get his revenge, but she CHOOSES to. She knows they'd work great as a team, and they do.

Shadow himself, focusing on him for a moment, also worries about their well-being. He's more reserved in his care for them, but it's present. He tells the two of them to be careful, and in response, Rouge tells him that the sentiment extends to him as well. It's not just "Watch your back," it's "I'm watching your back because I know you have mine."

Later in the game, when Shadow believes that he might not be the "real" him, he isn't left alone; he doesn't bear the burden alone. His struggle doesn't go unnoticed, and it's Rouge who checks in on him.

He presses on, and because he's moving, she matches his speed, if not encouraging him to take a moment and slow down.

That's not the look of someone who doesn't give a fuck, that's the look of someone who would notice a friend having a bad day from across a room and make sure they didn't feel isolated. She's a jewel thief, an expert liar, a secret agent, but she isn't just that. Interpersonal relations and group care is exactly what heroes is about. Even if they seem like an unlikely bunch.

Moving ahead, looking into '06, as jank as we all know that game is, it does do Team Dark pretty well.

So the group is united again. Rouge meets up with the other two, and as Shadow gets straight to buisness, our favorite white bat chimes in. Remarking that he doesn't change. It's endeering, and shows that she understands him well enough to know damn well it's not personal.

Ya' girl is sarcastic and sassy, so is the rest of the team by extension.

The entire game, we see the three of them work together, swoop in and save each other, even when they are later met with a downright awful dilemma. Because of Mephiles the dark (MEMPHIS TENESSE!) and his offer for Shadow to help him take over the world, Shadow lets him know "Nah mf, you're in this one alone." So eventually the jerk tells/shows Shadow that in the future, he will be sealed away, and the world will become his enemy.

Then when it's revealed that E-123 Omega will be the one to put him away, the group is in disarray. We're all friends aren't we? What happened? Why would he do that? Well he has no say. Omega would take no joy and no pride in his actions, he's probably miss his friend as well. Wouldn't this cause tension?

At this point, you're probably thinking. Well golly gosh jee willikers jeepers creepers tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip berry pembo and jinkies batman, they're in a bit of a pickle!

But no, it just serves to strengthen their bond, it makes their time together precious, something to hold onto and cherish for the years to come. Rouge makes it a point to show her support for Shadow AGAIN!

Shadow doesn't question her, he knows she's being truthful. If anything, he is one of the very few who has not a doubt in their mind about Rouge or her motivations. That's his homegirl, arguably his best friend, of course he knows she supports and cares for him, he feels the same. It's a moment that reinforces just how important she is to him. She's one of the reason he feels so comfortable, one of the biggest supporters in his life.

Turning to their interactions in Sonic X Shadow generations, Rouge, once again, proves that she is in his corner. When she meets up with him, she teases him for "losing" to Sonic, which is met by some back and forth. Shadow reveals that he swapped the real emerald for the fake one, and of course Rouge voices how impressed she is with him, mentioning that as a jewel thief, she approves. She's clearly proud about it, and it's sweet.

Outside of that, we have the dialogue between the two, she talks to Shadow about what's been going on with Sonic, talks about classic, and pokes at him for being kind enough to at least give the blue blur a fake Emerald instead. Playful, friendly, banter.

Beyond just that, when it all comes down to it, she's always there for him.

(The Amy bit has me going crazy, iykyk)

With all of that said in my impromptu rant, I want to say that they are fantastic friends, a great family, and although this focused primarily on Rouge and Shadow, it is this way because they are typically written the MOST wrong when it comes to their relationship. If you find it to be platonic, familial, or romantic, that doesn't really matter. It’s the fact that people see these three, watch these three, and read these three and think, "Yeah, this little found family would curse at each other with their full chests and lament about how they're obligated to work together." My brotha in Christ H U H ?

Yeah they say "bitch" but they mean it in affectionate jest. I can excuse AUs to a certain degree, I can excuse alternate timelines where maybe they never had that connection. BUT YOU CANNOOOTTTT LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME THEY ACT LIKE A HIGHSCHOOL FRIENDGROUP AND ACT FINE WHILE HATING EACHOTHER? The BULLLSHHHIIIIIT!

End scene.

[itzmshadow]

Time loves him so much guys- and elemental is tired of his brother being a sappy man

[goodnightbirdy]

mittsie text post

i love them so bad