#feel free to share your own thoughts as I'd love to hear them

[babacontainsmultitudes]

Hmmm... So the whole thing about Zhouzel's mother having to eat 1000 souls might explain at least part of why the initial (failed) ritual was set up as a boxing match (immediate souls to be fed after she's eaten the warrior offering, albeit probably not nearly enough but a start), and Zhouzel supposedly being a god-slayer that fights the other entities explains why the man in the trophy store described Zhouzel as "brave", though he also described it as "rising in the light of Adothi" and I wonder now if Adothi is simply the name of its mother or something else entirely.

-> Okay below is a lot of random, loosely connected thoughts that have been circling around in my brain regarding the happenings of the world and its entities, but please note before venturing further that 1. A lot of it is quite out there, incredibly speculative (if not full-on conspiracy), and likely to be flat-out wrong and 2. I haven't like relistened to the episodes properly so there could be plenty of important details I'm forgetting/missing. So please, feel free both to refute any of the theories being proposed here if you think that evidence exists to the contrary, and feel free to share your own thoughts and theories (no matter how "out-there") on the mysteries of Peachyville and everything beyond it, I'd love to hear them.

OKAY. Speaking of the trophy guy, flame has been playing an interesting role in the narrative thus far. The trophy gu- oh Hal that was his name- Hal wields it in an attempt to spare both himself and the party from whatever fate Peachyville is apparently destined towards should the powers that lie beyond the veil (Zhouzel included) be unleashed, then we learn from the book Trudy finds [did it have a name? I can't remember] that the being unleashed from the failed ritual (presumably this was also Zhouzel's mother) is weak to fire, then related to and following that we have that pretty horrifying scene where the flamethrowers come out through a portal (more on that in a moment) and kill everyone who was trying to escape, then in this episode the ritual room has fire extinguishing foam prepped and ready to go. So what's up with that? Are all the entities weak to fire (unlikely, since The Doodler does not appear to be)? Is it just some of them, or really just Zhouzel's mother? Could there be some other entity associated with flame in some way or another? One that inspires its own kind of madness, as in the case of Hal?

The flamethrower scene is quite interesting and raises a number of questions. The goal was almost certainly to do away with the entity in the ring, but whether that was with the goal of reattempting the ritual down below or fighting the ritual entirely is unclear. The latter case is rather interesting, because it implies that there are people other than Moth Jesus (and Relish Wet?) and the PCs actively trying to prevent The Bisons from summoning Zhouzel, and that these people may be quite powerful and dangerous in their own right. Moreover, in his phonecall with Trudy (who he believed to be Tucker), Dr. Man actually suggests exactly this: that there are people working against those still involved in Project Heartland (or whatever's become of it now) and that betrayal within the organization has already occured. So who then? Actually *one* of these enemy factions we've already known for a while now: the soviets. Everything that "Penny Picket" had to say to Tony in episode 4 and that which E.B. White had to say about her in episode 5 (describing her as the "former KGB occult operations officer") suggests that 1. the soviets are aware of and against the plan to summon Zhouzel, and 2. the british are most likely in favor of and associated with it and Project Heartland alongside the americans. So maybe the portal and flamethrowers belonged to the soviets, but are there more possibilities than that? Well, Mama Anderson (I can't remember her first name if it's been said), as you may recall, wanted Kelsey to win against The Bison's chosen warrior, which as we saw of course fucked with the ritual, so it seems likely albeit not certain that she and the Anderson gang are enemies of The Bisons and against Zhouzel's summoning as well, possibly responsible for the flame thrower incident, though the extent of their intentions remains unclear (they could just be a gang mainly concerned with money, of course, or things could go much deeper than that).

Leaving that there and instead returning to the topic of flame, I ask again, could there be some entity associated with flame and fire? It's a farfetched theory at the moment, but not entirely out of the question. Of those mentioned, Zhouzel and Adothi (if Adothi is the name of an entity at all and not just something else entirely) are most likely out of the question, as is The Doodler of course, and I highly doubt either The Maggot Whore or "The Cloud Thing" would be. Daegon perhaps? [Okay, now we're getting into real conspiracy theory territory for a moment or several] The only "Daegon" I could find (with that spelling at least) is the mortal combat character hehe, but in all fairness to the theory that guy is a demi-god and does have fire-related abilities. Not connected to Daegon specifically but still to the possibility of a fire-oriented entity, when Trudy reads from her book she reads the following passages:

In 1503 I saw through the veil And cried 666 words in a wail Ask me a question and draw out 3 cards And with them I'll show you the fate in your stars

For our purposes right now, it's the 666 portion that's of particular interest, since it alludes to more classical/biblical notions of something demonic/devilish and hence associated with fire. Guillermo Campos' accounts and existence may nod to the existence of a more devilish entity as well (referring mainly to his ties to catholicism, sins, and the inquisition). As a small and mostly unimportant sidenote, though I don't have any real evidence to support this, I somehow feel as though these passages may be related to the "Testimony of the Unknown Pagan", referenced in episode 9. Also, both Trudy's and Guillermo's books suggest that contact with all that lies beyond the veil far precedes Project Heartland.

As a small, final note tangentially-related to that last point, books also seem to be a reoccurring and important matter, as evidenced by the individual books mentioned as well as the existence of the archives themselves. The Maggot Whore, moreover, is said to read from The Book Of Many Eyes (and this book is mentioned again by someone talking to Dr. Man in the hospital in episode 7), which kind of makes me wonder if we'll finally encounter her(?) at the archives, though to be honest the zoo feels just as likely to me (something something rotting flesh). This reoccurring motif of books above all else has me wondering what's in store for Peachyville's happiest and snappiest schoolmarm, and that's not even getting into the implications and consequences of the decision she made today.

...

Okay okay one more thing that absolutely doesn't matter and never will but the implication from the episode 3 intro that the film "four father's in fantasy land" was used as part of a failed experiment orchestrated as part of Project Heartland (that failed experiment of course being what happened to Hildy/what we saw footage of in Oakvale) makes me wonder if there's an original version of the film, and hence of the S1/S2 universe, before its tape was altered by the Heartland experiment, where the doodler isn't released and S2 of course goes very very differently. OKAY THAT'S ALL GOODNIGHT PEACHYVILLE, GOODNIGHT.

[soramystic]

The actual Plot of Kingdom Hearts

Okay so here’s something that’s been bothering me that I haven’t seen anyone talk about; the macro story of Kingdom Hearts. Because it’s easy to point and kind of laughingly go “what is the plot of Kingdom Hearts anyway”, and with all the talk of Darkness and Light and Keyblades and friendship and Hearts it’s easy to lose track of so okay. Let’s take a look at what we got. The overall, actual plot of Kingdom Hearts.

So let’s zoom out. Let’s zoom all the fucking way out. The biggest scale we can go to; the two fundamental forces of Light and Darkness.

Kingdom Hearts is, fundamentally, the story of Light persevering. Let me explain.

We start with the Chi-saga. It’s the Age of Fairy Tales, the realm of Light is thriving, and as someone once so succinctly put it, everyone and their grandma has a Keyblade. This is Light at its peak. I’d even go so far as to suggest that this is the only point in the story where Light and Darkness are fully balanced. The Master of Masters does mention a before-time where he and others waged war on Darkness, so maybe not a perfect balance, but the percentages are pretty much even.

But Darkness starts to creep in, do what it does best and corrupt from the inside out. Then Daybreak Town is gone and the Keyblade Wielders are greatly diminished. The ability becomes less common, and those who possess it are to be trained carefully. Missing Link isn’t out yet so we can’t assess the state of the Light during that period, but we don’t need to, because we have Dark Road.

Keyblade Wielders are pretty much entirely limited to Scala, Daybreak Town’s descendant. (…Theory that Daybreak Town/Scala Ad Caelum is a stronghold for the Light, but that’s for another time) From what we see in Dark Road, there are still enough people with the ability to justify setting up a school for, but by the end? Darkness has struck again, and Odin is no longer accepting students, leaving himself, Xehanort, and Eraqus as the last Keyblade Wielders (not counting Luxu and Yen Sid for obvious reasons.)

Which then leads us into Birth By Sleep. How many Keyblade Wielders do we have aside from Xehanort and Eraqus? Well, there’s the Wayfinder Trio, Vanitas, and Mickey. That’s five people. Five. From the thousands upon thousands that we started out with.

And they fall. Eraqus dies. Ventus is seized by sleep, taking Vanitas with him. Aqua seals herself in the Realm of Darkness. Terra is both literally and metaphorically ripped to shreds. They still live, but they are in no condition to protect the Realm of Light, and even if either Ansem or Xemnas had the ability to wield a Keyblade, they wouldn’t want to. Arguably we still have Mickey, but let’s count: that’s ONE. PERSON. One. One person against the Darkness that has broken and corrupted so many worlds, so many people. The Realm of Light is in danger. The Realm of Light is dying. The Light is dying.

So what does the Light do? One last-ditch attempt at saving itself – it takes its Keyblade, and finds a suitable Wielder. And it finds one. A child, bequeathed even, with the overwhelming desire to protect those he holds dear. And the Light thinks perfect.

But Riku chooses the Darkness. The Darkness could grant his wish, and due to the darkness already inside him – jealousy and arrogance, he accepted its offer. So where does this leave the Realm of Light? Any potentional Wielders have either abandoned the path of the Keyblade, or were taken off of it thru no fault of their own. The Realm of Light is done for.

Except it’s not.

Because you can argue that all of this came later, this giant macro story. All this history, this context was added by the later games. Right?

Except it wasn’t.

Because they say it. They tell you outright. They say it in the very first game: the story of Light fading, and how it survived in the hearts of children.

In the face of overwhelming darkness and despair, worlds crumbling and without his friends, without his weapon at one point even, Sora didn’t give up. Even traveling to the End of the World and seeing the shards of the worlds that already fell, that couldn’t hold out, he stared Ansem in the face and told him he was wrong. That the true nature of all things was not Darkness. That Kingdom Hearts is Light.

And so it was Light.

Light persevered in his heart - literally, even; he sheltered Kairi, a Princess of Heart. A heart of pure Light.

Light survives in the hearts of children.

And from there the tide turns. The Light is back, it has a foothold again, it has defenders.

Because that’s the thing. Kingdom Hearts wasn’t threatened by Ansem. If it were, Sora would likely have been given the X-Blade. But he got the Key of Light. Called the Kingdom Key, yes, but still the Keyblade for the Realm of Light. Because the Realm of Light needed his help, the Realm of Light was in danger.

So yeah, after that there are more Keyblade Wielders. Of course there are; the Light is finally able to fight back, once again trying to achieve a balanced state.

The fight against Darkness is never over, and it never will be. That’s how this universe works. But if this series has taught us anything, it’s that no one is ever wholly evil and no one is ever wholly good. Everyone has a little darkness, just as everyone has a little light. You simply choose for yourself which one to nourish.

The Light is not inherently good – we see this most prominently in Eraqus, who believes Darkness must be defeated and that if anyone possesses any darkness, they are evil. But the Darkness is not inherently evil either – as showcased by Riku.

Light and Darkness are two forces who need each other as much as they hate each other, and the power they grant is just that; power. Power is power, it’s just a tool. No morality attached.

The heart is a mess. Not fully good, not fully evil. Not fully light nor fully dark. One cannot exist without the other, and full dominance from either side is no good. The greater the light, the greater the shadow, right?

There must be balance. And balance takes hard work, and dedication, and no easy way out.

And the Hero of Light works harder than anyone else.

That’s why Sora is special. Not because he’s “the only one who can wield a Keyblade” (also who even said that? Riku? Literally what the fuck does he know he was being manipulated by Ansem and Maleficent), but because he was literally the least qualified person in the room and still made it work. Because of who he is. That’s why the Light chose him.

Light perseveres.

Sora perseveres.

That is the plot of Kingdom Hearts.

[hellfire-state-of-mind]

i'll do anything you say (if you say it with your hands)

pairing: Pero Tovar x fem!reader

rating: E for Explicit

word count: 2.2k

warnings: 18+ content, fingering/hand job, unprotected piv, creampie, praise kink, brief talk of injury/treatment (reader gives him stitches), reader has no physical description besides breasts and feminine clothing, Tovar is able to lift reader

a/n: my submission for @iamasaddie's kinky may challenge! i was given the honor of writing Tovar with a praise kink 😤 i haven't written smut in a long time so please be gentle 🥲 extra special shoutouts to @frannyzooey and @joelscruff for hyping me up with the snippets i shared with them. feedback is always welcome, i was equal parts excited and scared to write this so i'd love to hear what y'all think 🙂

Tovar squirms again, making your hand slip and press harder on the wet rag you’re using to clean the sizeable gash along his right collarbone. He hisses slightly through his teeth before glancing down at you. You glare at him and huff once more.

“I told you to stop moving.”

Before he can respond, you hike up your skirt with your free hand and straddle his thighs. Tovar freezes completely upon your sudden movement, gripping the bench now supporting the both of you, his brows raised as you lock eyes.

“Now, hold still.”

You twist to the table next to you and pick up a sewing needle and thread, taking a moment to hold the needle in the flame of a lit candle to sterilize it before threading the eye. You don’t ask if he’s ready before beginning to stitch the wound.

Your stitches are slow but precise in the low candlelight. When you finish, you lean forward slightly to cut the thread with your teeth and secure the ends. It’s only when you pull away to set aside your tools that you notice Tovar’s breathing, or rather the lack of. He’s completely still as a statue, focused on a vague point off in the distance behind you.

“Did it really hurt that much?” You maneuver to try and catch his eyes but he veers away. You teasingly brush your fingertips down his muscular bicep. “I thought a big, tough mercenary like you could handle more than a few stitches without a fuss.”

Tovar clears his throat and his voice comes out lightly strained and breathy. “It is…not my wound that is the trouble.”

He shifts uncomfortably beneath you and you feel it. His full erection is pressed against your bare inner thigh. You can feel his weight and warmth just as he can feel yours. You bite back a smirk when he passes you a guilty glance.

“Forgive me, my dear. It has been a long time since I’ve felt a woman’s touch.”

You pause to consider your next move. You can’t deny your own attraction to the man, and you’ve been experiencing an extended dry spell of your own. It’s a miracle your own arousal hasn’t found its way to the front of his trousers where you’re still perched. Who knows how long he’ll stay here at the Wall? Who knows if he’ll even live to see another moonrise? What’s the harm in a little release?

You smirk and look up at him through your eyelashes. “Allow me to relieve your pain, then.”

You slide back on his thighs far enough to reach between the two of you and unfasten his pants. He grips your wrists with one thick, massive hand to stop you from going further.

“I cannot ask you to do that.” His voice and eyes are stern, intent on not crossing any unwanted boundaries.

You look back at him with sincerity. “You’re not asking me. I want to.”

“Querida-”

“No one ordered me to tend to your wound. I came because I wanted to. I wanted to help you,” you gently pry your hands from his grasp, “and I’m not leaving until I’ve finished helping you.”

Tovar’s expression is difficult to read. You can see the turmoil behind his eyes, so you try to make the decision easier for him. Shifting closer once more, you take his hand and guide it between your own legs. The corner of your mouth twitches up as his pupils dilate upon coming in contact with your soft, damp hairs. You press him further into your wetness, cupped fully in the palm of his hand now, and he breathes in sharply.

“If you truly want me to go-”

“No.” Tovar cuts you off quietly. You smile in satisfaction when you remove your hand but his does not budge. “But I will not indulge in what is not offered.”

Striking your final blow, you undo the strings closing the top of your tunic, shrugging the shoulders off and letting it fall around your waist. Your breasts are exposed, nipples peaking in the cool night air from the window beside you. Tovar’s eyes are ablaze now as he takes you in, using every last bit of his willpower to resist until you give the word.

“Is this offering enough?”

The breath is stolen straight from your lungs as Tovar plunges one thick finger inside you up to the knuckle, his other hand smoothing up your bare thigh to your ass cheek and grasping it. He tugs you close so your tits are pressed to his solid chest as he slowly pumps in and out of you.

Your hands fly to his shoulders to steady yourself, but you move them away just as quickly when you put pressure on his fresh stitches. Tovar only grunts softly, otherwise not acknowledging the slip. You instead find a handhold along his ribs, gripping him tightly as warmth begins to spread up into your belly. He nuzzles his nose into your cheek, breathing deep and focused as he eases a second finger inside and increases his speed. You gasp at the foreign stretch and claw at his sides.

Tovar’s hips buck into you at the pinch, and you’re reminded of your initial mission. One hand slips past his waistband and settles on his hip. You bow your head and spit into the other before reaching down his front to grasp his length. The two of you groan simultaneously at the new sensation. You start pumping him, matching the pace of his fingers.

Your motions soon falter, though, as Tovar curls his fingers to press into your sweet spot. Your head falls to the side and rests on his, unable to stay up on its own as the wave of euphoria builds and threatens to crest. You fight to maintain your own strokes as Tovar chuckles from deep in his chest into your ear.

“You’re doing so good for me, querida. So soft and warm, so tight.” He cuts himself off with a stronger groan as your hand on his hip circles back to the top of his ass, while the one wrapped around his cock slides down to cup his balls as well. “I know you’re close. Don’t fight it, bonita. Give it to me.”

 The wave comes crashing over you with his encouragement. You mouth drops open as you make no attempt to smother your cries. Tovar flexes as your hips rut against him.

“Very good. Let it out, let me hear you.”

Tovar continues his movements until you’ve completely come down from your high, though it begins to build again almost as soon as it dissipates. Finally, he removes his fingers, making a soft pop as your walls try to suck him back inside. He raises them to his lips and generously sucks off all your release from them, never once breaking eye contact. You feel a fresh gush of arousal drip down your thigh at the sight. You quickly fumble to pull down his trousers and free his raging cock. Tovar tilts his hips, tugging them down to his mid-thighs, but grasps you by the waist before you can impale yourself on him.

“I need you to say it first, mi amor. I simply cannot take what is not freely given.”

“Then take me,” you huff impatiently.

Tovar loosens his grip enough for you to rise onto your knees, notching the weeping head of his cock at your entrance. You lock eyes with him and take a deep, steadying breath before sinking down. You cry out in both pain and pleasure, the stretch more intense than his fingers especially after so long without. Tovar moans along with you, letting out a pained shout of his own as you take him all the way inside, settling onto his lap once more.

You nuzzle into his neck, inhaling his scent of sweat and a hint of gunpowder, your breath hot against his skin. You try rocking your hips to relieve some of the tension, but Tovar abruptly stands, slipping out but clutching you to him tightly. You whine at the loss, then gasp when you feel the coolness of the thin sheets adorning the simple bed in the opposite corner of the room.

Tovar settles above you, supporting most of his weight on his knees and forearms. His pelvis rests lightly between your spread legs, his hardness bobbing against your mound with every breath. The dark trail of hair leading up his abdomen tickles your stomach, and you take the opportunity to truly admire the specimen hovering above you. The rippling muscles in his back, littered with long-healed battle scars breaking up the smooth skin. His dark hair, cut short but curling slightly at the nape of his neck. You rake your fingers through it, pulling him close. Tovar rests his forehead against yours, lips parted, exchanging breath. His gaze is piercing but you feel yourself being pulled in rather than pushed away.

Tovar must feel the same as he leans down just enough that your lips brush, but not seal together. You whimper his name on the verge of desperation and he closes the gap. He immediately takes charge, his tongue invading your mouth, feeling and tasting every crevice. You buck into him once again and he rips away from you, pinning your hips to the bed with one hand splayed across your lower belly.

You want to scream in frustration. “Tovar, please!”

“Shh, I know, mi amor. I know what you need. And you’ve been so good for me, I promise I will give it to you.” He moves his hand away and guides his tip back inside, pressing in slowly until his hips are flush with yours. The two of you groan in sync again and you wrap your legs around him, locking him in. “But we must go slow. I would hate to finish too quickly and bring an end to such pleasure that has only just begun.”

With this, he captures your lips with his own once more. You two stay locked like this for a while, savoring each other’s taste and touch. Tovar’s hands explore your body as you did his, tracing bones and squeezing flesh. Only when you feel totally consumed by him does he retreat from you, leaving only his tip inside. Tilting your chin up to look at him, he sinks back in to the root. And again. And again. Your second high hits you without warning as he sets the perfect rhythm.

Tovar bites back a guttural moan as he feels you tighten around him. “Dios mio, mi amor. You’re taking me so well. I would stay just like this forever if I could, buried in this cunt.”

You feel as if you’re floating, evaporating into the air from his heat and force of his thrusts. Your pleasure reaches new heights as he cups the back of your knee and pushes it up to your chest, welcoming him impossibly deeper. Tovar’s intense gaze remains on your face as he fucks you, committing every sound and expression of bliss to his memory.

You feel the wave cresting again just as his hips begin to stutter but never lose their force. You try to call out his name, a warning of your impending release, but you only manage pleading cries of “please.”

He understands immediately, snaking his other arm underneath you and up to your shoulder, pulling you against him as he slams into you. His voice is just as desperate, strained from holding off his own release to wait for yours.

“That’s it, mi amor. Cum for me. Cum on my cock. I want it. I need it. I crave it.” His snarling in your ear tips the scales in your favors, sending you over the edge. Your legs tighten around him as your back arches off the mattress. Tovar takes one breast into his mouth, biting and sucking his mark onto you. He unlatches in time to smack his hips to yours once, twice, three more times. A roar erupts from him as his cock pulses, forcing out rope after rope of his cum to coat your walls, content to plant there and never escape.

He fills you to the brim, milky white droplets beginning to seep out from where your hole has sealed around him. When he’s finally spent, he lowers himself flush to you, arms curling around your back. The salty, heady scent of your activity surrounds the two of you as you each fight to regain your senses.

You card your fingers through his hair once more as Tovar turns his head to press his lips to your neck. Soft at first, then open and hungry, nipping at the skin to coax out another mark matching the one on your breast, tongue soothing the spot after each bite.

You hear his breath begin to deepen and slow, feel his heartbeat matching it. You know you shouldn’t allow yourself to fall asleep beneath him. But how could you rip yourself from his arms now?

As if sensing your thoughts, Tovar rests his head atop yours, gazing into your eyes once more, lids half-closed.

“Ay, mi amor. I have half a mind to steal you away with us. What kind of man would I be to leave behind such perfection?” He seals your lips together and, at the same time, your mind.

What’s the harm in being his forever?

[poisonous-honey]

Hello...

Lately is a shitty time for me on miHoyo's games. I lost both my 50/50s both to Genshin impact and Honkai star rail. On Genshin, i got QiQi by pulling Xianyun and Gepard by pulling Black Swan. Now i'm broke and my moral is at its lowest.

I'd love some headcanons (or a scenario) about SAGAU(and SAHSRAU if you can) hearing the reader yell and cry of frustration about this. Like: "I'M DONE I'M SO FUCKING DONE!! CAN I JUST HAVE THE ONLY THING I'VE WANTED FOR WORKING AND WAITING THAT HARD!!?? FUCK ALL OF YOU I HATE MY LIFE!!!!"

Sorry. I just wanted to let it out...

Who’s Here: Reader/Player, Diluc, Jean, Mona, Keqing, Tighnari, Astral Express crew, and Gepard

Contains: SAGAU and SAHSR (Not Cult AU)

Note: Hey, hey! I'm sorry this happened to you. I also lost her to Qiqi and had to spend everything else I had to try again, 50/50s suck. Their banners aren’t gone yet though so I hope you end up getting both of them soon! (ノ_<。)ヾ(´ ▽ ` )

💛💛💛💛

It was an accident, it always is with them.

The six of them that are considered standard 5 stars never mean to ruin your chances. They care for you and your happiness, they also want you to continue to play their game. Even though they'd love to be the ones going on adventures with you, both to spend time with you and for their own benefit (Tighnari would love to study other nations' fauna, Diluc could gain new ideas for drinks etc.), they know forcing themselves into your party would never work. You'd just grow to hate them, which is the opposite of what they want.

They're jealous of other 5 stars. Sure they can join you technically whenever they want, unlike the others that have to deal with limited timed windows, but that also guarantees you want them. All they can do is break that or hope they're the lucky one chosen on Wanderlust Invocation. Not only do they have to share a space with each other, but they're also going against weapons, which none of them are remotely happy with.

It's when these emotions are at an all-time high, they're jealousy and longing, the stars will glow gold and tug on their heart.

Diluc is always at his desk when he accidentally takes it. Stewing over boring paperwork his mind will wander from time to time, eventually landing on thoughts of you. He'll find himself missing you and desiring your attention, not realizing you've started a wishing session until it's too late, and he hears you cursing the world. He feels incredibly guilty, and it only grows worse when the wind clatters against his windows. Tries to make it up to you with materials and mora. You’ll find your mail flooded with talent books, adventurers EXP, a ton of mora, and the sincerest apology he could write.

Jean would be trying to sleep. She doesn't have time to think about you during her job, so it’s when she’s on the brink of passing out she’ll start to think of you. The thought of travelling with you sounded like the best break she could get. Eventually she’ll fall asleep and dream about you, only to be suddenly woken up by your screaming. She panics and seeks advice from any and all of her friends on how to make it up to you. Ends up acting similar to Diluc, working herself to the bone to get you talent and weapon materials. She’ll pair them with a few dandelions before sending them to you.

Mona is thinking about food. During a time she forgets to set aside enough mora for a decent meal, she’ll find herself thinking about the delicacies you’re able to provide. Even if it involved fighting, it was a free source of marvellous food. Her mouth waters as she thinks about all the dishes you’ve made, only to be abruptly pulled from her thoughts when a star bumps into her and flies off. She sighs when she hears you start cussing up a storm. Knowing your current state, depressed and full of ire, is because of her, she’ll attempt to make it up to you in a way few others could. She manipulates the fates of the stars so you’re bound to get your next gold star early. A simple method she feels guarantees to make you happy and hopefully take the heat off of herself. It wasn’t simple she wishes you could praise her for it

Keqing would be reminiscing her interactions with you during lantern rite. Whenever she sees the traveller in the distance, but is too busy to stop and talk, that’s where her mind will wander when she finally gets a moment of rest. It’s at this moment of respite she’ll long to see you and the traveller again and when she’ll notice the sky turn gold. She feels incredibly bad when she hears you cry, but she doesn’t have much time to meaningfully apologize to you. The best she can do is write a letter to both you and the character she stole the spotlight from saying she’s sorry. She’ll definitely send you some Golden Shrimp Balls when she next has some for herself.

Tighnari, in a similar boat to Jean and Keqing, would be too preoccupied to miss you on a normal day. It’s when he’s out with his friends and slightly inebriated he mentions missing you. Alhaitham starts to mention how that’s a dangerous line of thought for him to have when Tighnari’s chest starts to glow gold. Everyone winces when you soon start shouting and Tighnari slams his face into the table. He’d end up gathering bunches of every flower in Sumeru and send them to you with a picture of him, Collei and Karkata. 

For Qiqi it's a little different. She can't remember the last time you've gone adventuring with her. Half the time she's too preoccupied to even remember she's already on your team. When a star falls and asks if she wants to go, she doesn't have time to check her notebook before she says yes, the star becoming hers and landing on your screen. 

Your rage and disappointment is always made evident fast, which always has Qiqi turning to Baizhu.

“Did I… Do something wrong?”

Baizhu sighs and kneels next to her, “You made a mistake, but it's alright. Come, why don't we look for an apology gift?”

The next day you open up the mail to see one from Qiqi. Attached to it are all the herbs she collected with Baizhu, her specialty dish No Tomorrow, and an acquaint fate.

Sorry… Qiqi doesn't remember what Qiqi did, but Qiqi knows Qiqi is sorry.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Upon finishing the most recent event, you had teleported to the train suddenly before they noticed your presence leaving them. They couldn’t tell if you were in a menu or had left your computer entirely. After a while with nothing happening on your end everyone aboard the Astral Express quickly settled in, expecting to be here for a while longer. March was in her room organizing her photos, Dan Heng was going through the archives, and Himeko was making coffee while Stella and Welt were entertaining the guests. Gepard and Serval had come to visit the train that day. Pom Pom had wandered off earlier somewhere in the train and everything was relatively peaceful… Until they heard you start screaming.

March, Dan Heng, and Himeko all rushed into the Parlour car while the four already there were looking at each other in a bit of shock. It’s when they start making out what you’re saying and see Pom Pom rush back into the Parlour car did they realize you had started warping. A session which obviously didn’t go as planned.

They don't like hearing you angry or sad, so they try to come up with a plan, something - anything that will cheer you up without seeming too suspicious. All of them are in the middle of discussing when they also hear you mumble out a very quick and aggressive “Fuck Gepard.”

Everyone turns to him and his face goes red.

Plans are immediately put on hold as Stella whips out her baseball bat and attempts to smash his skull in. Welt tries to step in to stop her, Himeko and Dan Heng stand-off to the side (one more disappointed than the other), March cheers Stella on and Serval ignores her brother's plea for help.

They do eventually get around to cobbling up a multitude of jades for you to at least try again, but not before Stella nearly gave Gepard a concussion. He separately sends you an extremely long apology letter paired with a choice item to allow you to pick a 5 starlight cone of your choosing. Some of the others berate him for being so obvious, but he doesn't care as long as you're happy again.

[naavispider]

Hi, I love all your Spider and Quaritch Fics. Can we get drunk Spider One shot talking about the McCosker?

Somewhere at the back of his brain, Spider knew he was talking bull. He knew he should probably stop, but he just couldn't quite find it in himself to care at this particular moment. "They never liked me," he announced, a slight slur contaminating his words. "And it's fine, I didn't like them either, to be honest." He huffed in amusement, looking towards the group of recoms that had huddled around the fire. He was expecting to see empathetic nods and laughter, but the firelight only illuminated looks of scepticism and, here and there, a smirk.

Zdinarsk replied first. "Sounds like we'd get on," she grumbled. Quaritch cast her a mutinous look, but Zdinarsk didn't see. "It's good to know this is all nothing new to you!"

Spider flipped her off with his left hand, while bringing the oversized beer can up to his lips for another swig. "Eh," he said. "You're not so bad."

At this, Quaritch's eyebrows collapsed into a frown, while the rest of the group shared looks of surprise at this revelation.

"Did I just hear that right?" Walker joked to Fike.

"I never thought I'd see the day!" Wainfleet cheered, raising his arms up as if to praise Eywa. "Budget Tarzan doesn't hate us anymore!"

"Pfft," Spider scoffed. "I wouldn't go that far. You're just nicer than the McCoskers, that's all."

"Jesus, kid," Walker exclaimed.

"The hell do you mean by that?" Quaritch said, leaning closer as a kind of pensiveness shrouded him.

Spider shrugged. He didn't feel like boosting anyone's ego any further than he already had. The buzz from the beer was starting to make him tired, and he wasn't interested in pursuing the topic anymore. He played distractedly with the moss at his feet, shredding it between his fingertips.

A rough boot to his thigh brought him back to the present. "Hey!" Quaritch snapped. "I asked you a question."

"Ow!" Spider bemoaned, but he wasn't really hurt. He lifted the beer can up to his lips again, but Quaritch snatched it away. At the man's glare, Spider realised he'd have to entertain this. "What?!"

"You can't just drop that the other side of the war has treated you better than your own goddamn foster parents and expect me to be cool with that."

Spider stared blankly at Quaritch. This was the first time they'd spoken about Spider's parental situation and it was beginning to sound a lot like the recom was getting protective. "You care, or something?"

If he wasn't buzzed from the alcohol, he wouldn't have missed the awkward silence that blanketed the camp, as each recom sat back on their haunches and watched the Colonel for his reaction.

As it was, it didn't seem like Quaritch knew what to say to this. He seethed, watching Spider intently.

Luckily, Spider didn't notice any of this, and spoke next of his own volition. "Nash is an asshole. They both have their own lives but he used to get so angry the moment I interfered with that, you know?"

"What was he mad at you for, existing?" Zdinarsk asked.

"I guess," Spider shrugged. "They had their own kids after a while and it was just easier for me to look after myself."

"No kidding," Wainfleet said reproachfully, eyeing Spider's matted hair and unkempt loincloth.

"So I started hanging out with Jake. I used to think it was so cool when he visited the shacks. Soon as I was old enough, I was outta there. S'how I met Kiri and Lo'ak."

"Your little forest friends?"

Spider side eyed Quaritch, but nodded.

“They keep out of our way, no harm’ll come to them.”

Perhaps that was Quaritch’s way of trying to reassure Spider he didn’t want to murder his only friends, but it was little comfort to Spider. “Why do they get a free pass? You’re fine with attacking and murdering everyone else but you draw the line at Kiri and Lo’ak? I’m honoured.”

“Ain’t nothing to you with you, kid. We’re not the monsters you think we are.”

Spider scoffed, but Wainfleet chose that moment to pipe up. “Hey, he just said he thinks we’re alright!”

“That is not what I said,” Spider grumbled.

Wainfleet made a disparaging noise. “Hm, I think it is kid, and you’re just in denial already.”

“It is not.” Truthfully, Spider had already forgotten exactly what he’d said - the conversation from the past couple of minutes had already merged into a bit of a fuzzy blur as a new wave of tiredness swept over him. “All I said is that I’d rather be around even your crusty asses than the McCoskers.”

On the other side of the campfire, Wainfleet sobered. He'd been teasing the kid in earnest so far, amusedly listening and winding him up when the situation called for it, but now he hesitated. It didn't sound right at all that Spider would make that confession, least of all surrounded by the very people he should hate. The corporal's eyes drifted from Spider's drunken form over to the Colonel. Quaritch had been watching the boy, but now seemed to be contemplating Spider's words himself. Their eyes locked across the fire. They didn't need words to communicate in that moment. Wainfleet had known Quaritch long enough to tell that Spider's revelations had unnerved him. He was able to hide it well, and Wainfleet knew that nobody else would pick up on it.

"Hey, get over here and let me teach you Rummy," Wainfleet called out to the boy, reaching for his deck of cards as he did so.

Spider groaned and made a face, but that didn't matter. It was the glint of gratitude in the Colonel's eyes that was why he offered.

[beesneedswords]

Final Rest

Ascended Astarion ending. 🪷

Masterlist

You sit and stare at the wall as you finally take a bath. It's the first one in weeks, but you're finally free of the tadpole in your head, and free of the Brain. You and Astarion have bought Cazador's Palace, to him it was another step in gaining himself back, to you it was a house, finally. A place to lay your head, a place to make your own. You were thinking blue instead of red, it's a royal color, but you also love how Astarion looks in it. You contemplate the pattern for the curtains when Astarion walks in.

You don't notice, but he stands and watches you for a minute, "Almost done, darling?" You're startled, but not frightened. He smiles at you, not a full smile, a small one you haven't seen him have since the ritual.

"I was thinking of redecorating." You stand and wrap a towel around yourself, "I was thinking blue."

"Whatever you want. I know you'll make it look perfect, just like you." He kissed your hand as you both walk to your room, "The red is a bit too much anyways, and I'd like a change."

You stand as he sits on the bed, drying yourself off. In his eyes you see the same darkness from when he turned you into his spawn. The power, determination, and degrading look he gives you. You don't mind that you have lowered yourself, but you now worry you won't be enough for his ever growing ego. The thought slips away as his hands lay on your hips and his eyes are now softer, the old Astarion reflected in them.

"I want to fulfill what I said, before you turned." He pulls you to him, "A decade in each other's arms."

Your heart leaps, maybe you were wrong, he's still the same vampire you fell in love with. He kisses you and you both collapse onto the bed, the last few months weighing you down. You hope to sleep for a decade in his arms.

You turn to look at him, his eyes are closed. You admire his pale skin and the bruises and scars from previous battles that are starting to fade. Your fingers comb through his hair and his muscles loosen, you never realized how tense he always was. With the mindflayer, Absolute cultists, Cazador's ritual, and the Brain, there's no wonder he has been living on the edge all this time.

You twist the silver strands around your index finger and notice the red eyes on you, "Thank you." His voice barely a whisper.

"For what, love?" You ask, his eyes close again and he pulls you against his body, "Star, what is it?"

"You saved me, you helped me become what I am." He sighs, "I'm honestly surprised you did."

"I want you to be happy. You lived two centuries in torment, I want you to finally feel love."

"Love."

The words leave his lips, but he's still unsure of the real meaning. He thinks what he's done to you, sharing his newfound power and his new purpose is love. Maybe it is, but love to you is going to the ends of the world to keep what you have, killing anyone who would dare threaten it. It's putting yourself aside for other people. You know he is still learning what it means to be someone's everything, so you push aside your thoughts for now.

You lay your head on his chest and listen, but there is no sound. No heartbeat you'd expect to hear. Slowly your eyes get heavy, and you do as he'd hope. You spend a decade in each other's arms. Together you redecorate the palace into a beautiful blue, you host your late companions over when you can. You don't leave each other's side for a decade. You couldn't be happier.

[quietthoughtsandmusings]

Depth of Devotion

First post! This is just a little fantasy I've decided to put down to share with yall about our favorite Austrian. Feedback is appreciated and if you have any suggestions for anymore I'd love to hear them! Be gentle with me I will cry.

Part of a longer story? 🤔

Minors DO NOT INTERACT

Mention of she/her pronouns

By this time König knew your scent by heart. He could pick it out from a crowd like a bloodhound and after your unfortunate mishap with your purchases the other day he now finally knew what lotion you used, as the contents of your ripped grocery bag sent the bottle of lotion rolling to his front door on the floor of the apartment building you shared. Therefore it was only right that he went out and purchased the same kind that day. König closed the door of his apartment and leaned against it. Back shoved against the cheap wood. “God,” he thought “I feel like a teenager again.” Dropping the shopping bag he fumbled with his pants, desperate to set his painful erection free from its confines. König tugs the hem of his t shirt up and places it between his teeth mainly to get it out of his way and to stiffle him moans since the walls were thin.   As his cock sprung from his boxers he reached his hand down into the shopping bag and fished out his new purchase. Pumping some of the lotion into his hand he was immediately hit with that oh so familiar smell, making his painfully hard cock twitch with arousal. Closing his eyes as the smell of you filled the air around him, he began to stroke his cock, smearing the lotion all over it. Mixing you and him together. He imagined you were in the room with him doing his best to imagine it was your hand and not his own. He shivers at the thought and his breath comes out shakily through his nose. One could say he was depraved, sick for jacking off with the same lotion you used but at this point he needed something, anything to keep him from taking you every time he saw you. He was desperate for you, feral for you, but he was not a creep he would wait for you to come to him. To tell him that you needed him and all that he could give you. As König stroked himself he imagined it was you sliding up and down on him. Your wet pussy gripping him, reciprocating his desperation for release. Swallowing him physically and emotionally. He imagined your tits bouncing with every slam of your hips glistening with sweat and his spit. He imagined what your moans would sound like. God, he hoped you were loud so all the neighbors would know not to come near you for you were his. Would you say his name? Tell him how good he felt inside of you? Beg him to cum inside you? As all these thoughts coursed through his mind, his breath quickened, his moans getting harder to choke back. He could feel the sweat beading at his temples as he worked himself. “Show me how you play with it, show me.” He panted, he was close. The fire in his belly burning brighter. Grunting König imagined you picking up your pace chasing your own orgasm. He works himself closer and closer to the edge. Pumping his hips into the twisting of his hand “That's a good girl, that's a good fucking girl.” saying the last part through gritted teeth he feels his cock twitch and throb as he cums. The pleasure numbing his mind to anything else that could have been happening at that moment. Yes. This is what he needed, for now. Though it would only hold him over for so long. He slowly opens his eyes to sees the thick ropes of cum on the floor of his apartment. What a waste he thinks. Wishing it was buried deep within your pussy. Leaking out from your abused hole only for him to scoop it up with his fingers and shove it back inside you. Marking you as his. The most intimate of tasks. He cleans himself and his mess, not bothering to wash the smell of you off him. To him this is how he shows the world he belongs to you even if you don't know the depth of his devotion, yet. 

[voidvannie]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄

𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐮

𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞

｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ 🕊️🤍 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ jamie decides he wants to change isabelle’s name but first he has to ask the most important men in her life.

ੈ✩ ━ ❪ feel free to send an any request of things you want to see in this series, or if you just want to share some thoughts about what your read! i would love that! ❫

June 4, 2024

When you see somebody Who erases everybody in the room I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do

Jamie hadn't meant to be up as early as he was, the bold black letters of the time plastered on the screen of his phone reading 5:30 AM while he sat out on the back porch of the hughes lake house.

Another Summer of spending time with his girlfriend, her family and a couple of their friends was a nice getaway from their every day lives of playing hockey and doing all of her social media things.

The hockey players mind flashes to the small velvet black box that he had packed away in his duffel bag, making sure to keep Belle from finding.

He can hear the backdoor slide open but he doesn't take his eyes off of the sun rising in front of him.

"Morning, Jamie." Jim's voice flows from beside him, taking a seat an the empty chair.

"Morning." Jamie sends him a half smile as his head turns to look at him for just a second.

"You're up early." He says after a moment of silence, sitting the coffee cup on the arm of the chair.

"Yeah, I just needed a breather before we get up to whatever Jack has cooked up or us today." Jamie tells him with a slight chuckle.

Jim lets out a chuckle of his own and they sit in silence for a moment before the father of four broke it, "I can see all the signs, son....so go ahead. Ask me."

Oh, I I don't wanna change who you are I don't wanna mess with your dreams Or get in the way of who you wanna be

Jamie feels the palms of his hands grow sweaty as he wipes them on the dark grey material of the sweat pants he's wearing, his words suddenly catching in the back of his throat.

"Um, I.....I want to ask Belle to marry me." He finally chokes out, eyes never leaving the sunrise in front of him.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Jim turns to look at his daughter's boyfriend.

"For about year. I’ve had the ring since December 27, 2023." He tells Jim, finding a sudden interest in playing with the thing bracelet on his wrist with 'IMH' engraved on it.

"A year?"

Jamie smiles, "Yeah. It first crossed my mind when I was traded to the Flyers. I called her right after I got the phone call when we were in Memphis and she told me that we would be okay, I'd be okay. That's when was like, 'damn, i really think i want to spend the rest of my life with this girl.'."

"And when were you sure you wanted to marry her?"

"A week after I was traded, when she packed up her apartment in California to move in with me in Philly." Jamie has no hesitation as he speaks.

Jim smiles at the adoration in Jamie's voice when he talks about his daughter, "Jamie, when Belle first came home telling Ellen and I about you, I was honestly worried. I love my sons, and I love hockey, but I didn't want my daughter to date a hockey player. But listening to how she talked about you, how she talked about the way you treated her, I told Ellen, 'i'm happy that he can put this big smile on her face and a bright sparkle in her eyes'. That's all a father could ever want for his little girl."

Jamie listens, hanging onto every word.

"And if you wanna marry my daughter, I give you permission to do so." He says as they both stand up, Jim bringing Jamie into a hug.

"Thank you."

────── ❪ 🌿🕊️! ❫

No, I I won't stop your runaway heart I just wanna be why you stay Only thing about you that I'd change is I'd change your name

Ellen and Belle had decided to take the time to have a little girls day, leaving the boys and Jim at the lake house.

Jamie sat on the couch next to Luke, playing with a lose thread on his jeans as he watched the others playing video games, trying to think of ways her could ask four of the dozen hockey players staying.

Taking a deep breath, he just decided to rip the band-aid off and quickly blurts it out, "I wanna ask Belle to marry me."

The yelling that had been going on quiets down as everyone turns to look over at Jamie, the sounds of Luke dropping the controller to the ground following.

“Did I hear that correctly?” Quinn leans forward to be able to look at Jamie.

“Dude! Come on!” Trevor groaned as he stands up from the couch, pulling his wallet from his back pocket and slapping a twenty into Jack’s outreached hand.

“Buddy, you made me twenty bucks richer!” Jack smiled widely, “Make me an Uncle in six months and I’ll win another twenty!”

“Don’t make him an uncle cause I’m not giving him another twenty.” Trevor huffs sitting back in his place. “Marry your girl, Jamie!”

“This is really what you want?” Quinn asked, his tone serious as he looks at the hockey player.

“A hundred percent. Guys, I love your sister with every little ounce of my being.” Jamie tells them, “Belle is the only person that I see myself marrying.”

“And our dad?” Luke raised an eyebrow.

“Asked him this morning, he said yes.” Jamie wipes his hands on his jeans, growing nervous again under the gaze of all the guys.

“Well, you have my yes.” Jack grinned.

“When do you want to do this?” Quinn crossed his arms over his chest.

“This weekend, before we leave.” Jamie answered, “She’s always talked about getting proposed to on the end of the dock.”

Quinn smiled, “Okay. You reeled me in. Yeah, you can marry my little sister.”

“Luke, you’re really quiet over there, buddy.” Jack grinned at the little pout on Luke’s face.

With the pout still on his lips, Luke crosses his arms over his chest, “Fine, you can marry my sister.” He pauses, "But I would also like to become an uncle, just not in six months."

────── ❪ 🌿🕊️! ❫

June 11, 2024

I can't see 20 years from now Hell, I can barely see today Can't promise you your sky won't drop a little rain When that smile in the mirror disappears I promise you I'll be right here

"Hey, baby." Jamie grins as he walks back into the lake house from being on the boat with the boys, leaning down to kiss her, "Got anything planned for tonight?"

"Hmm, no." Belle shakes her head, "Why?"

"I'm taking you out to dinner." Jamie tells her as she looks at him, "What is it?"

"What do I wear?"

"Something pretty."

“Okay.”

────── ❪ 🌿🕊️! ❫

Oh, I I don't wanna change who you are I don't wanna mess with your dreams Or get in the way of who you wanna be

“Have I mentioned how pretty you look?” Jamie grinned from the driver side of the rental car her shared with Trevor.

“Hmm, almost every chance that you get.” Belle smiles over at her boyfriend, bringing her hand up to play with the hair on the back of his neck. “Tonight was nice, just the two of us.”

“It was.” Jamie pulls into the driveway of the lake house, “But I have one more surprise.”

Belle raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend as he quickly jogs around the front of the car to her side, pulling the door open for her, “Thank you.”

“Always.” He smiles, kissing her for a brief moment before he takes her hand and starts leading her down towards the dock.

A quiet gasp leaves her lips as she takes in the sight of the small boat dock.

Candles lit up the walkway going out to the end. Seven bundles of roses lined up the sides as well as rose petals scattered along the middle.

“Jamie….” Belle stops in her tracks as tears begin to rise above her water line.

Jamie grins as he takes her by the hands, pulling her close to him, bringing her hand to wrap around his neck as he let his own drop to her waist, “Isabelle….,”

“No, don’t drop to one knee right now.” Her bottom lips trembles as she looks into her boyfriends eyes.

A chuckle leaves his lips as he sniffles, “You know, Trevor caught me watching your videos the night before we met? I had found them a couple weeks before and watched them all, and I never picked up that you were related to Jack, Quinn and Luke. And then I walked out of the locker room, and there you were.”

“We went back to our house after dinner that night, and I couldn’t stop talking about how amazing you were so Trevor gave me your number and I was so terrified to do anything with it. Took me two weeks to build up the courage to text you and ask you to have lunch with me.”

“After, I went home and I called my mom. I’ve never told you this, have I?” Jamie stops to ask her, which she shakes her head no, “Good. I went home and I called my mom, and I told her, ‘This girl, she’s it. She is everything that I’ve been searching for. She’s it for me,’ and she just laughed me off and said, ‘Jamie, your young, you’ll have more than one experience like this’, and I told her, ‘watch me marry her.’.”

“We’ve been there for each other through every good, bad, up, down. Through sickness, career moves, through every hockey game, every time you needed someone to participate in videos for your channel, TikTok pranks, and your pregnancy scare last year.” Jamie kept going with his speech, never once losing eye contact with Belle as he did.

“And the other morning, I was sitting out on the porch, lost in thought about how I was going to ask your dad and brothers, when your dad came and sat down next to me. He could see it on my face that I wanted to ask him, and he asked me how long ago had I been thinking about asking you to marry me. For an entire year, the thought of marrying your had been in the back of my mind, but six months ago I finally got the courage to buy the ring."

"But the exact moment that I really knew that I wanted to have you for the rest of my life was last year when you packed up everything you made for yourself in California and moved with me to Philly." Jamie's thumb wiped away the tears falling from Belle's face, tears of his own falling. "Can I get down on one knee now?"

A sob rips through her throat as she vigorously nodded her head, "Please."

Jamie chuckles before pulling the ring box out of his pocket, dropping down to one knee as he looked up at the blonde, "Isabelle Marie Hughes, will you marry me?"

"Yes, of course!" A giggle leaves her lips as Jamie slides the beautiful ring onto her finger before standing up and bringing her into a deep, breath taking, kiss.

Loud cheers fill the air as everyone comes out of their hiding spots, Luke instantly rushing to his older sister, spinning her around in a tight hug.

"Oh, let me see the ring!" Ellen grabs her hand, smiling at the diamond ring resting on her finger. "Oh, my baby is getting married!"

No, I I won't stop your runaway heart I just wanna be why you stay Only thing about you that I'd change is I'd change your name

Jamie smiles as he watches his fiancee gush over the ring with her mother, that smile growing bigger as she locked eyes with him, “I love you.” He mouths watching as she mouths the words back.

[cant-get-enough-btr-forever]

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Big Time Rush Show Theories!

Okay, I'm not actually MsMojo.

But here are my theories, anyway. They get darker as you go down. You have been warned.

10) Mr. Knight's First Name Is Donald

This wouldn't be complete without a Kendall's Father Theory, so I included three of them.

In "Big Time Beach Party", Kendall's middle name is revealed to be Donald. I'd bet money that this is his dad's name.

9) Mr. Knight Is a Famous Athlete

Mr. Knight is probably a well-known athlete, at least in Minnesota. He was the kind of jock who got all the scholarships and trophies. Since Mama Knight was a cheerleader (revealed in "Big Time Pranks II"), she likely met him during a game. Since he particularly excelled at hockey, it became his main profession.

This would explain why Kendall loves hockey so much.

8) Carlos' Helmet Is a Gift From His Father

The age-old question: Why the heck is Carlos so obsessed with that helmet?

It's simple, really: His dad gave it to him when he was a child. As Mr. Garcia is a police officer, he was probably away from home for long periods of time. Carlos grew attached to the helmet during these periods, because it reminded him of his papi.

This attachment worsened after Carlos moved to California, for obvious reasons.

7) The Jennifers' Origin Story

I actually made a whole poll for this one (which is what inspired me to write this essay).

Until recently, I'd never given this question much thought: How did The Jennifers become The Jennifers? More importantly, why?

Well, I have a few theories. I'll list them in order of most to least plausible.

Theory 1: The Jennifers just happened to meet at the Palmwoods. Once they realized how much they had in common (right down to their names), they decided to form an alliance.

Why? They are insecure and ungainly on their own, so they find strength in numbers. Just look at what happens in "Big Time Prom Kings", when one of The Jennifers is separated from the others. She is shown to be an awkward weirdo.

Theory 2: They're victims of the Industry—that is, they were forced into this "mean girls" act. Their real names may not even be Jennifer.

Theory 3: They're adopted sisters. This means that their parents 1) took them in as babies and named them all Jennifer, or 2) only adopted kids named Jennifer. Either way, their parents are psychopaths.

6) Logan and James Are Only Children

Please don't cite me (or fight me) on this; I am not a psychologist. You can, however, cite this.

Being an only child would explain James' desire for fame/attention: He got undivided attention from his mom (maybe not his dad) as a child, so it carried over into his later years.

Or...maybe he didn't get enough attention as a child. This would've also carried over into his later years. So, really, it could've gone both ways.

It would even explain James' habit of talking to himself/the mirror. He had no siblings to vent to, and something tells me his parents weren't the listening types.

This is why Brooke Diamond was so against the idea of him leaving. Many people find it hard to part with their only child. And, in Brooke's case, the only heir to her company.

As for Logan, being an only child contributed to his social awkwardness. On the plus side, he was more successful academically, since he didn't have to vie for his parents' support. It's the opposite of James' situation, basically.

This is why no other siblings are mentioned in the show. Now, as for Carlos? Well...I got nothin'. He doesn't give off "only child" vibes to me. In fact, I can picture him as the youngest sibling in a big, happy family. Additionally, the odds of all three being only children are pretty slim.

Feel free to share your own theories as to why other siblings are never mentioned.

5) Logan Diamond

This is a wild one, but please hear me out.

In "Big Time Moms", Logan's real name is revealed to be Hortense. Brooke Diamond didn't like that name, so she ordered the boys to start calling him Logan instead.

But...where did Brooke get the name "Logan", anyway?

My first theory was that it's his middle name. Makes sense. Then I thought of another theory that isn't too far-fetched:

Brooke couldn't have just pulled the name out of thin air—she liked that name. That name was special to her.

What if "Logan" had been her second name choice for James? "James" may be Mr. Diamond's name, which is the only reason she went with it.

This would mean that we almost had a "Logan Diamond."

4) Gustavo's Wife Cheated on Him

It sounds funny. But it also makes sense, when you think about it.

Gustavo seems like this big, mean rock (pun intended) who is incapable of any emotion besides rage. However, in "Big Time Secret", he says (after eating Mama Knight's snickerdoodles),

So, clearly, he's been in love at least once.

Here's my take: He had a wife many years ago, before he was a famous producer. But once his fame increased, so did his job-related anger/stress. Growing tired of this, his wife became unfaithful. Eventually, she left him altogether.

This embittered him into the cynical, love-hating Gustavo we know today.

3) James Used to be Bullied

I think James was bullied as a child, before he met the other boys. Maybe he was made fun of for being underweight/overweight. Maybe he was one of those kids who had to wear headgear. Whatever the reason, he was ridiculed for the way he looked.

This is why he's so concerned with looks in his later years. He's afraid of being "ugly" because he's scarred by those bad memories.

2) Mr. Knight Cheated on Mrs. Knight

As I said in #9, Kendall's dad is likely a popular athlete. Famous athletes are often swimming in money...and fans. Mr. Knight would've had plenty of opportunities to be unfaithful. This is what led to his and Mama Knight's separation.

He left his family very little money, choosing instead to spend it on his mistress. Mama Knight was forced to wait tables in order to support her kids (she says so in "Big Time Demos").

So, it's easy to see why the Knights never speak of him. What makes this theory even better is that Challen Cates (Mama Knight's actress) kind of confirmed it in this tweet.

⭐⭐⭐

Before I unveil my #1 pick, here are some honorable mentions:

The Entirety of Big Time Movie Is Carlos' Dream

Think about it—Carlos didn't actually wake up at the start of the movie. The whole thing is just a continuation of his dream.

Jenny Tinkler Suffers From Spontaneous Human Combustion

How else do you explain the random fires she causes? There has been a surprising amount of research on this phenomenon, by the way.

Buddha Bob Comes From a Wealthy Family

This humble maintenance man mentions in "Big Time Fever" that he went to business school. He proves it by rattling off some genuine financial factoids.

Business school costs thousands of dollars. This leads me to believe one thing: His parents are loaded. I wouldn't be surprised if they bribed Mr. Bitters into hiring him.

(Of course, he could've also taken out a student loan. Maybe he's working at the Palmwoods to pay off his debt. I dunno.)

⭐⭐⭐

1) Logan's Father Is Dead

Why is Logan so bent on becoming a doctor? Yes, he's smart. But he doesn't quite fit the profile: He panics under pressure, is easily grossed out, and is indecisive. I would've expected him to pursue a career in astronomy, since it seems to suit him better.

So, I mulled for a bit, and this is what I came up with: Mr. Mitchell passed away from an illness when Logan was little. This is what fueled Logan's desire to help other sick people. It would also explain why we never see his dad—or even hear him mentioned.

This ties in with the "only child" theory, because Mrs. Mitchell probably never remarried. Thus, Logan never had any siblings.

Do you agree with my picks? Please share your own theories; I love to hear them! I've pinned a link to all my Big Time Rush essays (I plan on writing more). And to MsMojo: Please don't sue me.

[amerricanartwork]

I saw your lilypad art post, and I got curious: why do you enjoy lilypad? it's not a common RW ship, so I'd be interesting to hear what about it you enjoy!

Hear me out, guys... I must explain myself before I get onto the Lilypad essay.

I made that original comment because, at the time, I wanted to just get the aforementioned headcanons out as soon as possible. Understand, my reluctance wasn't because I didn't want to talk about Lilypad, but rather the exact opposite: I had so many feelings about it, yet had put so little effort into expressing them in a coherent, presentable format that I just knew it'd distract me for the next week or two if I let it rent too much space in my conscious thoughts. But now that little comment has left me with several people asking me to share those thoughts, and, both thankfully and unfortunately, I simply can't resist indulging in thoughts about the characters I love—!

Keep in mind, I haven’t finished Saint campaign yet, and even then I’ve found like less than half the broadcasts in Spearmaster campaign yet, so there’s likely some extra canon info I may be missing that could add to or change some of what I say here. I also apologize if some of what I write here seems really out-of-character. I try not to let my passion for my little headcanons and scenarios make me disregard the canon, but even so, I might slip and think up some weird things occasionally. Nonetheless, I feel like I’ve got enough of the picture to start confidently enjoying this ship, so I’ll talk about it anyway! 

As always, feel free to add to these ideas if you can! Without further delay, enjoy this 3381-word essay, with a few initial headcanons sprinkled in, on why I adore Lilypad!

Oh, and just in case, if you couldn’t already tell, major Hunter campaign spoilers below.

Quetzalli on Loving Lilypad

I’m gonna start this out with a preface: I can generally find the appeal in a lot of different ships and the art other fans make for them, but for me to ship something enough to actively draw it and make my own headcanons about it and such (outside of, perhaps, gifts for other people), it usually has to contain a variety of “ship tropes” that I personally fancy. Many of my most-favorite ship tropes tend to be the ones that aren’t just cute, but that carry narrative significance and seem poetic in some way, usually because they can facilitate character arcs in the involved characters. The more of these a ship has, or the more ship tropes I can portray it with without it seeming too out-of-character, and the more I like those specific tropes, the better. This principle is a major reason why I’ve gravitated towards Artimand as my main slugcat ship, but for now, I’m going to focus on which of these I see in Lilypad — in canon content, other fan-portrayals, and my personal headcanons — that, as opposed to other iterator ships, has currently won me over.

I’m gonna describe the main general things I like seeing in this ship. Some of them are more due to fandom portrayals than what’s in the canon, but they all play a big role in my current love for Lilypad. 

Synergy

I’ll begin with how I really appreciate just how much synergy Looks to the Moon and No Significant Harassment are shown to have, at least in fan content! I always like seeing pairings where the characters aren’t just romantic, but also work really well together as a team or even just as friends. After all, just because the characters may be romantically in love doesn’t mean they must only show it in explicitly romantic ways. To me, Lilypad strikes me as a relationship where Sig and Moon would make an amazing team in many aspects of their lives, whether it's collaborating on projects, sharing their interests, or trying to maintain order in the rest of their group. And their compliment is just really sweet to me, though I’ll get to that later.

A Shoulder to Lean On/The Lady

One of my favorite ship tropes is “character with a lot of weight on their shoulder who finally gets to lift it off and be ‘normal’ for once when around the other”. I’ve always found it sweet when characters like this, especially ones who are normally very selfless, finally get a chance to indulge and enjoy themselves for once! And once again, this is another thing I imagine in Artimand too, and you could project this onto Trafficlights given Suns’s implied high status, but I think it works especially with Lilypad, given Moon’s role as group senior means she objectively has a lot to manage all the time with no permanent escape from it. Even beyond the whole Five Pebbles rot drama, Moon probably had a lot on her plate just in terms of maintaining order between the rest of the group and setting a good example to the younger generations, especially as the group expanded over time, not to mention trying to find the solution herself. Combine this with how I picture her to be the kind of person who cares a lot about her image as a “proper” and  “dignified” leader, and someone who often sacrifices her own desires to promote the group’s welfare, I just find it really soft for her to have someone to lean on, metaphorically (and in a worm-off-the-string scenario, literally), and who better to go to than her best teammate, who knows the power of a good laugh and will stop at nothing to have fun with those he loves? Not to mention, since I headcanon Sig as slightly younger than Moon (2nd gen, specifically), I just find it rather cute in an ironic sense that the older, more serious Moon is soft around the younger, far more chaotic Sig, especially as Moon would go through the realization that she actually kinda likes this little troublemaker! 

This also comes back to something I mentioned in the tags of that beepsnort post, which is that one of my other favorite ship tropes is “guy who loves/is good at making people laugh x girl who has a REALLY weird/embarrassing laugh”, and that just works so well with Lilypad! It’s admittedly a very headcanon-based thing for me, but given how I’ve already explained my perception of Moon as very proper and serious, I imagine one of the best ways Sig takes the weight off her shoulders is by being the only person who can consistently make her laugh so hard! And with the beepsnort headcanon it’s even cuter, because of course Moon would be super embarrassed every time she even so much as gives a half-chuckle at one of his jokes, because Sig is relentless when it comes to getting the giggles out of her, and he won’t stop until she’s rolling and shaking on the floor of her chamber, her beepy-snorts filling the room! My GODDD I love this trope so much, and for beings who are inherently such workaholics, I think getting to genuinely relax and have fun for a bit, once she gets over the initial shock and embarrassment, would be something Moon would really come to value.

Inverses Attract/The Tramp

I’ve mentioned it in my last Artimand headcanons post, but one of my absolute all-time favorite ship tropes is the classic “opposites attract”, although I prefer the name “inverses attract”. As I like to portray it, the trope not only involves characters who are opposites personality-wise, but those being opposites of the same core aspect, and ultimately helping balance each other out by offering the other half of the equation to each other (hence the name “inverses”). The trope I just wrote about above is how Sig helps Moon to relax and have fun, but as I try to do with all ships, how does it work the other way too? Well, I really like to imagine Sig learning to be more openly serious and dedicated! Don’t get me wrong, Sig is a hard worker (it’s pretty much the nature of all iterators), but given he seems to pretty strongly reject the quest for the Triple Affirmative, I imagine the next problem would be in him finding a new purpose to strive for. And what better new purpose than in standing by and protecting the group senior he thinks he just might wanna be more than friends with?

It already works because Moon, of course, would work to keep Sig in check and make sure he doesn’t go too overboard with his shenanigans. But just imagine how inspired he’d grow over time seeing Moon work so hard to keep the group together and keep them striving for their purpose, even if he doesn’t agree with it. I imagine it’s why Sig’s methods are still rather controlled rather than purely chaotic, and there’s a reason to his rebellion. Thanks to Moon, rather than slaving away at a seemingly impossible solution until his mind collapses with his structure, he’ll use his talents to, at the very least, keep the local group together as long as possible, because even if they’ll all be gone one day, that doesn’t mean they have to go alone!

It’s why I’m also labeling these two tropes together as “the Lady and the Tramp”, yet another ship dynamic that gets me every time! It’s a specific instance of “inverses attract” where the noble, proper lady finds a taste of freedom and courage from the dangerously charming tramp, who from her finds a new sense of purpose and honor! And in my opinion, Lilypad is most definitely the best opportunity for this dynamic among Rain World ships!

The Fated Couple

Slow-burn couples seem to be pretty popular in many fandoms, but what about a really slow-burn? There’s something just so romantic to me about the idea that Moon and Sig, from the moment they met, have always just clicked so perfectly, and have been by each other’s side so constantly ever since, to the point it seems practically inevitable to everyone (except them of course) that they’ll eventually get together romantically. Of course, there are two main roadblocks to their romance being 1.) their whole objective and purpose for being created is kind-of fundamentally opposed to strong attachments like love (I mean, if Karma 3 is Companionship, wouldn’t romantic love be considered the worst example of that?), and 2.) even if they did reject this purpose, being massive immovable structures with the only humanoid part stuck deep inside a box, a budding romance seemingly couldn’t really go anywhere anyway. In fact, because of these roadblocks much of my Lilypad imaginings take place in the ever-popular “worm-off-the-string” scenario, especially since the next couple of reasons for why I like the ship play a lot into the themes I like to incorporate in this story concept. 

However, these issues towards such a romance are also what make it so sweet in the end! Just think of Moon, alone in her chamber, beginning to worry about how she’s actually kinda sorta, maybe, hypothetically, possibly, just a little bit starting to like the carefree and charismatic Gen 2 in the local group as even more than just a work partner and a dear friend, but oh no, that’s indulging in a Karmic Sin, and as group senior she can’t just throw away their purpose like that and set such a bad example to the rest! What’s she gonna do?? And then on the other side, Sig puzzling in his chamber, pining so hard for the group senior yet seemingly unable to confess, because, even disregarding Karma 3 and the fact that giant immobile calculators aren’t about to be snuggling any time soon, why would someone as perfect and powerful as her want someone like him, so dismissive of their core purpose and unorthodox in his methods? Is there even a point in having these feelings at all, when they might very well end up simply fading to dust along with the rest of his structure?

Maybe, they both think, it’d be better to just keep these feelings to themselves and quietly love from a distance. That is, until…

Moon’s Collapse and the Slag Reset Keys

The fourth reason is, of course, the most steeped in canon. It goes back a bit to the “shoulder to lean on” concept, but even aside from that, there is something just so romantic about this on both sides.

Firstly, from Moon’s perspective. There’s no doubt that the collapse must have been very traumatic for Looks to the Moon physically, but I like to think about just how much it’d affect her emotionally, too. I mean, being so painfully destroyed by your own brother, with seemingly nothing that can be done to stop it and no one to help you? And then consider how lonely it must have been in her final moments. The only comfort she does get is from Spearmaster’s visit, and even then she sends him off to go deliver her final words, which has still got to be really depressing. And finally, think about how betrayed she must have felt, trying so hard throughout her operation to help her citizens and the local group and be kind to everyone, only to have it be repaid like this, forced to collapse in on herself, being buried under her own body, unfathomable pain all around, and with not a soul to help her.

So then, think about just how shocking and heartwarming (literally, if you think about it) it must be when that lovable Gen 2, always so playful and carefree normally, is the one to give her a second chance and being her back when all hope seems lost, and using such a unique delivery method no less! I mean COME ON, Sig literally brought her back to life, how could one NOT fall in love with someone who did that for them? It links back to the “shoulder to lean on” idea, in that, for once, someone finally looked out for Moon and gave back to her for all the kindness she gave to the world. Think about this as the moment she truly realizes she’s in love with No Significant Harassment, and how tragic it’d be knowing now, it’s too late to say it. But, even so, if he’s willing to go this far to make sure she’s okay, then maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance her love at least wasn’t alone.

Now, my thoughts about this from No Significant Harassment’s side (which also kinda turned into a mini NSH appreciation paragraph that links back to the earlier Inverses Attract and Lady and the Tramp segment), I think it’s very poetic to see him going out of his way to take his messenger concept, originally used for no more than a trivial prank and at most a very experimental and unfinished alternative communication method, and turning it into a noble last-ditch effort to rescue the one he loves. It doesn’t just clearly show how much he cares for Moon that he worked to save her when no one else did (and if that’s because the odds of being able to do anything seemed very low to the rest of them, that makes it even more sweet) I think it shows off a lot of Sig’s character beyond just being a jokester. Like, I’d seen this kind of personality for Sig in the fandom content before, but this action and the other broadcasts are what first made me truly realize not just that it is based in canon, but that, more importantly he’s not just stupid or unfocused, he’s rebellious. He doesn’t joke around because he just doesn’t care, it’s because he’s independent, he’s got other places he wants to go and plans that don’t fit into what most of his peers are used to. He makes light of the world because he sees what others don’t, and it’s honestly pretty frickin’ funny how blind others can be most of the time (case-in-point: him making a slugcat from a messenger, which no one else thought to do because those creatures seemed too “dull” and “primitive” to ever be capable of such a thing). So think about how significant it must be when he’s openly taking something seriously. This is where that dynamic of the Tramp, and how Sig would benefit from this relationship is really highlighted. I just adore it when the easygoing, carefree character finally finds purpose in their lover, and springs into serious action like they never were before! And it makes sense too given what I said about them not getting together before: seeing Moon collapse would show him directly that even beings as durable as iterators don’t last forever, so if he’s got these feelings for Moon, he’s got to make a move while there’s still a chance! And what better way to show his love than to bring her back when all hope seems lost? Which brings me to the final aspects I’ll talk about here, first of which is…

True Love’s Kiss

Yes, you read that right. The real reason I love the slag reset keys as a plot element so much is not just because it shows Sig’s secret strength of character, not just because it finally gives reward to Moon’s kindness, but because it is a real fairytale come true! 

I know this sounds crazy and probably totally unrelated to Rain World, but think about it! You guys have probably seen Snow White and Sleeping Beauty before, or at least one of the two? Isn’t the whole trope that the beautiful princess, fairest maiden in the land, gets cursed through some means or another to die (or in Aurora’s case, fall into an indefinite sleep), which is only undone when the strong and brave prince, riding upon his noble steed, awakens the princess by giving her true love’s kiss? I already love both those movies on their own for various other reasons, but after my description, is this starting to sound familiar in another way?

I mean, with everything I’ve said about Moon in this post so far, there’s no doubt you could perceive her as the “fair princess”, who through unfortunate circumstances is put to a premature and indefinite death. And there’s no doubt Sig fills the role of the brave prince by working to save her with the slag reset keys, which in this metaphor are undoubtedly the “true love’s kiss” that ultimately conquers all, always longed for, and finally delivered! And hey, given Hunter is the one to carry the keys to Moon, a small yet courageous beast who stops at nothing to meet his goals, Sig even has his own “noble steed”! And even if Hunter is technically the one to actually deliver the green neuron, and the death the “princess” succumbs to wasn’t out of genuine malice towards her, I think the sentiment is still there and the parallel is close enough! 

But yes, as strange as it may sound, the fairytale parallel is the main reason Lilypad resonates with me so much! Those classic fairytale-esque romance tropes and that poetic storytelling found in Disney’s first feature-length animated films has always been dear to my heart, and is even more so now that I’m older and can truly appreciate the beauty of them. So now, even in my fandom experiences, ships that win my appreciation over all others are often those that manage to embody those classic romance tropes and themes as best as possible, and frankly, even Artimand loses ever-so-slightly to Lilypad in this regard! Or, as I also enjoy calling them, “Lifeline”, for reasons that are probably obvious now. 

And it’s even better when you consider…

Some Things Never Change

Another trope I’ve recently begun to love is the idea that some phenomena in the world never truly disappear, but simply manifest in different ways, sometimes unexpected ones. And given the whole Triple Affirmative quest and the Ancients’ mass ascension philosophy, this idea is something I especially love seeing in Rain World content. Even the canon events show this idea, but think about how wonderfully it would work with Lilypad beyond just the slag reset keys, especially taking up that “worm off the string” iterator AU concept some have explored in this fandom already.

Just think about how sweet it would be when Moon and Sig, operating primarily through their puppets now, get to finally hug and kiss and be with each other so directly now! Think of the way Sig would speak to Moon about how, even after her collapse, she's still somehow beautiful as ever, and Moon returning with how even all the trouble the group has faced hasn't put a dent in his charm! And it's even sweeter when you consider it’s against everything their creators stood for! Think of Moon, after everything she’s been through and how much she’s probably changed at this point, now willing to give some of these “worldly attachments” a chance, because you can never truly get rid of them, but she knows better than anyone that you won’t be around to experience them forever, so why not enjoy it while you’ve got the chance? And it’d make sense too, not just for her own benefit, but for Pebbles and the rest of the group’s sake too! She’s always strove to set a good example for them, and since their original quest has left them with nothing but pain and trauma, why not show them that maybe all these attachments aren’t so bad after all?

I just think it’d be really interesting to see Moon joining Sig in that rejection of the Triple Affirmative, and what better way to do that than by finally embracing that love they’ve felt for each other for so long? Because love never truly dies, it just appears in new people. And maybe they don’t have to spend their whole lives as grand iterators, the vast infinitely-advanced mechanical deities who embody perfection in almost every way. Maybe, even just for a bit, they can just be people, falling in love just as their creators did all over again!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

And with that, I think I’m FINALLY done here. HOLY COW, this is easily my longest post yet, and I hope it doesn’t disappoint! Part of the reason it took so long was because I was trying to find the perfect way to express all these ideas without it just spilling out onto the page in some weird half-coherent mess. But eventually I just said “ah screw it, let’s just ramble about this ship and see where it goes!” and my god, did it go far! And I still managed to somewhat organize it, so yay!

But aside from that, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who asked for my thoughts on Lilypad, and everyone who made it to the bottom of this essay! I’ve never really gotten a chance to openly ramble about one of my favorite ships to the rest of the fandom like this, so seeing that some fans, even if it’s ultimately not a huge amount, actually wanted me to do it was such a welcome surprise!

I hope you all enjoyed the drawings and the art! I’ll be around in case someone wants me to write another ship essay or something! And who knows, it’s likely I’ll find more reasons I like Lilypad as time goes on and I see more fan-content and find the rest of those broadcasts! But at least this was a starting point! 

Expect more LIlypad content to come in the future, but until now, thanks again for the opportunity!

[ladyjayde]

Okay, I have some things to say about the first season of The Magnus Protocol... This might be a long one but I don't care ✨

SPOILERS OBVS IF YOU'RE NOT UP TO DATE

I'd like to mention beforehand that I absolutely ADORED TMA, and I'm a big fan of Jonny and Alex's work. Maybe this is just me having too high expectations for this series, but I have spoken to some of my friends who also listen to this podcast and have listened to Magnus Archives and pretty much everyone agrees. So here we go

I'm not feeling it. I didn't enjoy this season at all in all honesty. The only moments that excited me was the lore we had for the TMA characters to which, as far as we know, have nothing to do with this story. It was all filler to please the fans which is appreciated, but every statement in this season felt unimportant. Sure, we had Mr. Bonzo and a couple others that we saw again as part of Gwen's work, but they never truly felt like a threat to me. If anything, most interactions they got felt coincidental more than anything.

Which leads to my second point, there was no action in the season and it made it political and boring to me :/ I understand that's this is how TMA kinda started as well, with a lot of build up and set up for the world. BUT, at least we got SOMETHING by the end of the season. There was real danger and survival instinct activated for the characters. TMAGP has none of that... They jump in, no questions asked and no questions answered. There's no thrill, there's barely any suspense. It feels empty.

And now the characters themselves. Well, except from the very charged introduction to all of them at once that lead many fans to be confused and have difficulty identifying each of them in the first few episodes, they are pretty mundane. None of their stories truly engage with me. Don't get me wrong, I still love them, but they feel a bit boring and all too similar to each other. They get lost in the plot and don't feel like individuals. It's like they're forgetting who they are in order to feed into the plot.

Now, with all of that being said, here's what I think could've helped make this a better series.

1. Make it a longer series. As of now, there's only one episode left which, yes, is supposed to be double length, but nothing has happened yet for me to want a second season. Even if it has taken an extra year or two, I would've rather waited. So, unless something very intense happens next Thursday, I don't think S2 will be in my "Need to listen" list. Too much setup, not enough fear. Like, I'm not even worried that Sam or Celia will die in the next episode. They have so much plot armor I'm certain they'll survive.

2. Make the statements have an effect on the characters. Only Sam seems to take interest in them. But with the others just setting them aside and ignoring the stories, it makes us feel like they're unimportant as well. And it sucks, cause TMA's statements had an effect on the characters and changed their ways of thinking. Now, they're just there to be there and not much is coming out of them.

So yeah, this is MY PERSONAL OPINION and I still want to support Rusty Quill for all the beautiful podcasts they create for us, but TMAGP was not it for me. I love this fandom, I love the lore and the writing itself, but the story didn't hook me in as much as I would've liked it to.

I might regret all of this by next week when the last episode comes out, but for now, these are my thoughts.

I'll get back to you all next week to share my overall thoughts on the S1 of The Magnus Protocol.

Feel free to comment or repost with your own thoughts! I'd love to hear if I'm alone in this or if people agree

Love you all <3

[why-what-no]

I’m All Yours

Pairing: Anthony Lockwood x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Slight violence, reader is a bit of a badass

Notes: Once again, British people feel free to bully me if I’ve written British-people-speak badly, I’m always ready to improve. Requests open for Lockwood and co

Summary: Lockwood had been trying to recruit a fellow agent for ages, despite the fact that she claims to work alone. But when she gets hurt on a mission and asks for his help, she finally find out just how much he wants her to join Lockwood and co

Honestly, if (Y/N) didn't know better, she'd say that Anthony Lockwood was obsessed with her. 

The two of them were both ghost hunters, some of the best at what they do. But while Lockwood had his little team, (Y/N) felt a lot more comfortable working by herself. Once upon a time, she had a partner. But the thing about agents is that they had a habit of dying.

So now she did her own thing.

Lockwood didn’t get the hint, however. They bumped into each other plenty of times, crossing paths during missions and sharing info when needed. (Y/N) liked him, she could definitely see how he inspired such loyalty in his coworkers.

And now, every time they see each other, the posh boy tried to get her to join Lockwood and co. Honestly it was a bit funny to (Y/N), teasing Lockwood about seeming desperate.

She liked him, and his team. They were always kind to her and clearly talented. But she wasn’t willing to put in the effort to care about a group who had a habit of throwing themselves into danger.

Lockwood was clever and handsome, but (Y/N) were well aware that boys like him, posh boys with charming grins and silver tongues... they were more dangerous that any of the ghosts she faced. He’d make her as attached to him as his team was, and she was well aware of his messy relationship with his own mortality… and his difficulty (or inability) sharing his personal thoughts and feelings.

At least, that was what she told herself. Until…

***

35 Portland Row’s landline was ringing. It was late at night, a time when ghosts owned the streets.

Usually Lockwood and co were doing a mission at that time. But tonight was a calm night. At least for them.

Anthony Lockwood picked up the phone. “Lockwood and co, how can I help you?” He said in his best professional, costumer service voice.

"Hello, Lockwood, my love. How are you?" (Y/N)’s voice came through the phone, and he immediately relaxed. Leaning against the counter, he smiled at the sound of her voice.

"I'm doing well (Y/N). Always a joy to hear your voice. How are you? What can I do for you?"

"Umm, so, funny story... I’m doing a mission right now and I had a little bit of an accident.” His smile immediately dropped. “Ghost was stronger than I thought. My arm is most likely broken and I'd quite appreciate some help if you're free." She told him the address, then paused. The silence made him more nervous that her words, he knew how much she hated asking for help. It must be serious for her to call him like that. "Okay, so... ghost is back. If you could come quickly, that would be appreciated."

She hung up.

Lockwood had never gotten his team and equipment together so fast in his life.

***

When they got to the house that (Y/N) was allegedly in, they immediately tracked her location from the noises coming from the top floor.

“Fucking hell! You cunt!” (Y/N)’s voice rang out, followed by a crash. Of course she would try to fight a ghost verbally when she couldn’t fight it physically

Lockwood and co sprung into action, going after the ghost and searching for the source. Lockwood’s first priority was (Y/N), finding her turning her sweater into a makeshift sling for her arm.

“Are you alright?” He rushed out, checking her over for bleeding.

“Yeah, I…” She began to speak before she noticed something behind them. “Looks out!” She shoved him to the side, grabbing her sword from the ground and swinging it at the ghost that had just appeared.

Lockwood gathered himself, quickly finding the source and covering it. The ghost had been dealt with.

(Y/N) sighed in exhaustion once he did, collapsing against the wall. “Cheers, Lockwood. I owe you.”

"You manage to save me from getting ghost touched.” He replied, chuckling as he willed his heart to return to it’s normal speed . “With a broken arm... while I was trying to save you."

"I'm just that good, Lockwood…. Huh, good, Lockwood. That rhymes."

(Y/N) walked off, going to find the rest of Lockwood’s team. He just shook his head, amused. He never had any idea where (Y/N) mind was. No matter how many times he found her, she kept disappearing on him. It drove him crazy.

***

In that case, however, (Y/N) ended up following them back to 35 Portland Row. Letting Lucy put a proper bandage on her as George and Lockwood locked the source away in the basement.

“You know, it’s never boring working with you lot.” She said to the other girl. “Very fun.”

Lucy chuckled. “I could say the same about you.”

“Touché.”

(Y/N) flinched as Lucy pressed a little too hard. She moved away, immediately apologetic. “Sorry.” She paused. “You are right, though, it is fun. It would be nice to work together more. Lockwood can have his dream of being the best agents in the company, and I could finally have another girl around.”

(Y/N) chuckled, although she couldn’t hide a smile at Lucy’s words. It felt nice to be appreciated. “Maybe you’re right.” Was her response. “Although you certainly sound like Lockwood right now.”

Lucy gave her an expression of fake offence. “The horror.” She said, causing the girls to dissolve into laughter.

Lockwood joined her and Lucy in the sitting room as soon as he was done in the basement. The other girl made an excuse to leave, meaning that (Y/N) and Lockwood were alone together.

She sighed, speaking first. "I know what you're gonna ask, and at this point..."

"At this point you want to know why I still bother?"

Normally she didn’t like to be interrupted. But he was right. She nodded

“You scared me today (Y/N).” Lockwood admitted, sitting down so that he was facing her. “I got that call and I was worried that I'd be attending your funeral this time tomorrow."

That thought had been floating around in her head the last few hours. However, she has too much faith in her own abilities. “That wouldn’t happen."

Lockwood didn’t have nearly the same amount of blind faith in her abilities. He knew she wasn’t immortal. He knew what happened to most agents. "It would. And because we don't work together, I wouldn't even know you were gone until it hit the news. It's not like we have any mutual friends who would tell me. I'd open the newspaper one morning and find out that I'd never hear one of your sarcastic little comments again."

It took (Y/N) a moment to figure out a response for that. Lockwood’s voice had cracked when he said those words, clearly hating the idea. Honestly, she hated that idea too. She had told herself not to get attached, but it might have been too late for that.

But she didn’t want Lockwood to know that. "Yeah, that sounds tragic." Was all she said. Hating her words as soon as she said them.

But Lockwood continued, reaching out to take her hands. "So please stay. If you really need to, you can do some missions solo as a member of the agency. I just want to make sure you come through this house every day. Just think about it, alright?”

It was tempting, so tempting. Part of her wanted to agree just to make him happy.

She didn’t respond, and he just chuckled at her stubbornness. “ In the meanwhile we should probably get you checked out at a DEPRAC hospital, make sure the bone is set properly." He told her, soft concern in his eyes.

The concern nearly made her shiver, and she immediately put her cool facade back on.

"Taking me to the hospital, huh?” Her tone turned flirty. “You know, Lockwood, if you wanted to ask me on a date, you could just say so."

"He paused, and then after a moment, he chuckled. "Alright then. Would you want to go on a date with me?" There was an almost nervous look in his eyes as he waited for her response."

That was unexpected.

"Are you being serious?"

"What? Have I been better at hiding my feelings for you than I thought I had?” Lockwood was full on grinning, at her shock. “Lucy and George have been teasing me about fancying you for ages."

"Is that why you've kept trying to recruit me?" She was trying to make sense of his words. Was he really just as interested in her as she was with him.

"I've been trying to recruit you because you're amazing at what you do, and because it's suicidal to work alone.” He corrected her, not wanting her to double her abilities. “However, enjoying your presence to the extent that I do was certainly a bonus."

"Wow, so charming. I bet that you say this to all your recruits. Did Carlyle and Karim get this same heartfelt confession?"

"No, just you. You're just special."

(Y/N) sighed, leaning back. Her gaze was pinned on Lockwood with the aim of making him nervous.

"If I say yes, to both joining you and going out with you, there will be no backtracking. You hear me? I want honesty and trust from you, I won't be chasing after some boy who is too scared to open up to me or treat me as an equal. I have better things to do."

She needed him to agree to that. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stand any behaviour like that. If she was meant to depend on him, she had to know he would give her the same regard.

Part of (Y/N) expected him to avoid her words. But to her surprise (underestimating just how much he wanted her with him), he nodded. "Why would you even think of chasing after me? I've spent so much time chasing after you that it's practically my natural state at this point." His sentence ended with that charming grin, the one that made her feel like Eve in the garden.

She tried to stay firm, to fight against that grin he gave her. But the idea of living under the same roof as his and his friends, befriending them herself... Of eventually being able to go on that date with the mysterious and charming Lockwood boy... it overrode her desire to need nobody but herself.

"Alright then, darling.” She threw her hands up in defeat, but there was a wide smile on her face. A twinkle in her eyes. “I'm all yours."

Taglist: @dark-academia-slut @silverhart93

[ingravinoveritas]

I've already shared many of my thoughts on Staged winning two I Talk Telly awards today and the subsequent acceptance speech videos for those awards, but I can't stop thinking about Michael not being in either video.

Michael and David are the heart and soul of Staged. It's not a far reach to say that they are the reason Staged came to exist in the first place, after Simon witnessed their amazing chemistry in GO, and that they are also the reason it continued on for as many seasons as it did. I am in no way attempting to diminish the supporting cast, but there is a reason that Michael and David keep winning the acting-related awards and no one else has.

For them/the show to collect two new awards (Best Comedy and Best Comedy Partnership) and Michael to appear nowhere in either acceptance speech video is very strange at best, and at worst, downright concerning. And it is further not helped by the way in which the videos are presented. It would actually be much less bizarre if we only saw David and Georgia's video, as they did the same exact thing when Michael and David won that same award in 2021 (when Michael was sick with Covid, which was why he wasn't in the video). So it makes sense for them to have gone this particular route:

...And then we have Anna's video. A video that contains cardboard cutouts of David and Georgia in the background, and in which Michael is neither seen nor even mentioned, which seems thoughtless at best given that Michael is the reason Anna was in the show in the first place (and apparently as a very last minute addition).

And for some reason, Lyra is the one speaking while they are both in front of the cutouts and AL is standing there like she's giving away a new car on The Price Is Right:

I'm just honestly at a loss for what the reasoning was behind this. Because all it does is draw more attention to the fact that Michael is missing, that he's been virtually absent from Twitter since the end of October, and that he's been previously reluctant to promote Staged and is apparently equally reluctant to appear in a video with his own girlfriend co-star (as he himself once referred to her, mere moments after saying that he loves David).

Whatever the case may be--if someone from PR has told Michael to continue laying low, if he's busy with rehearsals for the play he's about to star in, or if Michael is fully over promoting Staged in any capacity--none of this seems normal. I'd love to hear what my followers think, of course, so please feel free as always to speak your mind in the comments on this post...

[justali-anne]

May I please have a cartoon series about the brothers going on wacky misadventures and making life interesting in Snowdin? Because to me, that's what this text is implying.

Like a bunch of goofy fun and antics, maybe even getting into trouble and causing a little bit of chaos... Mostly Papyrus, though. I dunno, it just seems like Papyrus would be the "leader" of the two, I guess? Sans just follows along with whatever he's doing and makes jokes and quips at his expense.

I can imagine the series consisting of Papyrus wanting to try something new and dragging Sans into his antics. Once on a blue moon, maybe it's Sans who will come up with something and they inevitably leave another impression on the town. They seem well-liked by Snowdin anyway, judging by the above quote and the reactions of the townsfolk if you kill Papyrus. To be fair, the bunny lady seems kind of amused/fond of them. I would be too if I lived in Snowdin.

So, yeah, does anyone remember Funny Bones? That animation about Sans and Papyrus that consisted of them and their funny antics?

This one?

Yeah, that just sounds like pilot material. If there was a cartoon about Sans and Papyrus... Well, it would be just like this!

Honestly, I think it would be primarily some sort of heartwarming slice of life comedy, with occasional creepy and sad bits in-between. (Ooh, and songs! The cartoon-loving theatre kid in me would love to hear occasional songs!)

Anyway, I would ramble on about what kind of stuff they would get up to all day, but I think I'd prefer it if you come up with your own stuff for this hypothetical series. What sort of antics will they get up to? What would it even be CALLED? Please feel free to share your thoughts, I really want to discuss this more. :)

[sagessge]

[We've all got a Matilda in our lives. Or at least we have seen them,suffering yet keeping a smile on their face,to all my undervalued people,I'm sorry. Just know,you are amazing, someone loves the laughs they share with you, and your face and smile lightens up someone's day and your words are valued,so valued and you are so loved and amazing,just know that♡]

Matilda

What happened to all the stars that fell on earth,

Before the comits were valued?

I see one of them

Right in front of my eyes

She is not valued

Taken for granted

Treated so bad even by her owns

If Matilda had a personification

It would be her

Her eyes hold wonder and love

Yet her posture holds the fear

Her body twitches anxiously

All she wishes is a life of freedom

And free of anxiety

I hear a crying sound in her voice

Yet 'tis not louder than her laugh

She's a sunshine,painted by the dark clouds of circumstances

Always the hard worker,yet never valued

I've seen her,trying her hardest at whatever she does

Yet a someone finds a way to make her feel trivial

She gained something as she aged,wisdom and perhaps thoughts of her own

Had a habit of looting other,might be generational

Now she's the only one who I see standing on the other end

No, wait not the only one

But definitely the loneliest one

And I know,opening up her heart is hard

But for my sister,I'd hear the screams of her silence

I just want you to know

If you ever want to cry

My shoulder will collect all your tears

I promise you,my sister

You'd be safe,here.

[dykementality]

forgive me if you're not interested, but I'd actually love to hear more of your thoughts on the maroon arc, what you thought was/wasn't done well. would u like to share?

hii i didnt see this. im gonna apologize right away bc this is not gonna be organized i have talked soooo much today already and im tired lol.

for starters what i think was done best is flint and madis dynamic. its incredibly well played both as individual characters and as representatives of pirates and maroons in relation to empire. their chemistry is crazy and their dialogues are extremely didactic. i also find that flint not immediately viewing the maroons as natural allies but as tools to reach his own purposes and later deconstructing that after getting involved with them aggregates to his ongoing theme of progressive radicalization which i think is also a highlight of the maroon arc in the way it makes it explicit for good that his political stance has done a 360 and is now entirely discordant from the one he had as a lieutenant in every aspect that matters. freeing and partnering with the maroons is expected after that and i dont think theres anything special on that regard. then the shitty parts are essentially everything else. especially steinberg admitting he stalled to really explore the topic of slavery due to not being in his element as a white guy but still not putting black people on the team to do it. this reflects very obviously in the show and makes the entire arc feel rushed and reticent besides leaving a billion loose threads and missing opportunities to appropriately explore character dynamics that couldve been way more interesting (such as silver/julius/flint & madi/eme & madi/eleanor & eleanor/scott) and really engage confidently in the impact that flint and the pirates having canonically sold slaves would have had in their relationship. speaking of julius i also very much felt like it was a tragedy to hinder his presence and had they started it earlier or extended it longer his perspective on war vs. protecting his community as opposed to madi’s for example would have been probably my favorite part of the arc. i know the version in my head of it is. all in all its a vital arc for the story and everyone slayed really hard with with they had i just wish the creators hadnt shied away from all the implications of it. if i had the energy to go look for some posts for u i would bc my mutuals have definitely also discussed this before but alas. thanks for asking anyways feel free to add ur own thoughts or question mine further