#he's just... so smart... so thoughtful... so insightful... so dutiful!!!

[dimiclaudeblaigan]

i am quite honestly completely and wholly enamored with him.

[originalaccountname]

Mori Ougai’s belief as the boss is [...] “The boss stands on top of the organization, and at the same time, be the slave of all.” For the sake of the organization, the boss must always take the “logical optimal solution.” That is the duty of the boss. [...] “Therefore, no matter how much your heart aches, you have to ignore your personal feelings.”

Kafka Asagiri, for the BSD exhibition

On Mori and regret.

This man acts based on his perceived "optimal solution". It means relying on cold logic, detached from (his own and others') emotions. In that way, he fits right in as one of the smart characters of BSD, contrasting for example Dazai's way of working with/around people's feelings, and Fyodor's way of manipulating and twisting those feelings into monsters.

Mori remains cold, logical, distant, efficient. It meant disregarding Yosano's and the soldiers' deteriorating mental health during the war because the concept of an army that cannot be wiped out was too good. It meant following Natsume's plan and taking the old boss' place himself to fix Yokohama's underground and protect the city and its people. It also meant disposing of Mimic by sacrificing Oda in order to get the special ability business permit, despite (and perhaps because of) Dazai's attachment to the man.

The thing is, humans are not logical creatures, and will inevitably encounter conflicting emotions.

(does this look like the face of a man without regrets to you?)

Mori in Dark Era tried to pass on to Dazai his practice of putting aside his own feelings for the sake of choosing the most efficient solution that will benefit the group. It backfired spectacularly, so much so even, that Mori regrets it to this day.

For the BSD exhibition, Asagiri wrote some individual character commentaries, all very interesting insights into their characters and the writing intentions. For Mori, here's what he wrote:

“He who fell out of the optimal solution” Mori Ougai’s belief as the boss is described in the novel “Dark Era” and “Dazai, Chuuya, Fifteen”. That is “The boss stands on top of the organization, and at the same time, be the slave of all.” For the sake of the organization, the boss must always take the “logical optimal solution.” That is the duty of the boss. There is an unspoken additional point to it. “Therefore, no matter how much your heart aches, you have to ignore your personal feelings.” We can catch a glimpse of that in this scene. [the ADA-PM alliance meeting] Mori’s expressions after “Burnt it.” and “Like what you did to your predecessor”, gave us a glimpse of his true feelings that were made sacrifices for the sake of the “logical optimal solution”. (By the way, it goes without saying that Dazai is inducing Mori’s thoughts by words that will make him regret the past. It is to make him decide to form an “alliance”.) source and translation: Popopretty

(notice the inclusion of Hirotsu in this scene. Remember that later, Hirotsu suggests that Dazai knows why Mori did what he did to overthrow the old boss, which, in my opinion, is both a proof of Dazai's support in Mori's goal, and a reminder to uphold it.)

One of my favourite parts of the Dark Era light novel is a small scene during the epilogue that was not adapted into the anime. This is two weeks after Dazai defected:

To quote Asagiri again, "Therefore, no matter how much your heart aches, you have to ignore your personal feelings." Mori is conflicted about the outcome of the Mimic incident. He holds in his hands the Silver Oracle he himself gave to Oda, and reflects on its purpose: to "help the man mentioned above without hesitation in the face of any and all trials". Didn't he fail to do just that with Oda? Didn't he set him up and sent him to his doom? Didn't he abandon him to his trial?

But he rationalizes the events by saying he got the permit they so badly needed. No matter if he sacrificed one of his men. No matter if he drove Dazai away. He accomplished his priceless goal. It was a total success.

And yet, he poorly folds a paper airplane with the very Silver Oracle he gave Oda, throws it, watches it crash immediately, and mourns the loss of his right-hand man, without ever moving on.

But we have a direct example of Mori expressing regret.

The perception that Mori in BEAST is a completely different character than Mori is in canon, when that perception doesn't extend to any other character from that universe, rubs me the wrong way. The characters in BEAST are very similar to their canon selves, with some core traits getting a new twist. They are all one or two major life changes away from becoming these versions of themselves. As far as we know, Mori's only life-altering event was being forcefully removed from the Port Mafia by Dazai, and secretly put in charge of Atsushi's old orphanage.

Mori unambiguously made that orphanage a better place, as stated by Atsushi himself. BEAST!Mori is a lot softer, vulnerable and honest. That Mori offers to be a father to Atsushi while he heals. He also expresses regret in not being able to help Dazai when he was in his care.

I think it's very interesting, especially when knowing that Asagiri wrote both BEAST and Fifteen at the same time for the Dead Apple movie, because in Fifteen we have this:

The beginning of the first chapter of Fifteen is a gold mine. It is narrated from Mori's point of view, the man of logic and calculations, and yet it is full of doubt. He is alone and struggling to fix everything with so many people against him. But, throughout this scene about grasping at the Port Mafia's power, there is also this secondary thought being woven in, of Mori having started to actually care for Dazai.

The teenager is scary to him, smart enough to be a threat should he decide to be done with all this and turn against him, and yet, he immediately (and with a hint of sadness) finds that Dazai reminds him of himself. This lonely, lonely man found a kindred spirit, bright enough to grasp any situation in seconds and prone to using an uncomfortable obsession to divert and keep you guessing his true intentions. Mori entered Mentor Mode™ then. He taught Dazai his ways, he shared his struggles and thought process, he fought tooth and nail to keep him alive.

So when he asked Dazai why he wanted to die, it was with the concern of someone who has started to care. It was with the mind of someone who is trying to prevent the worst by fixing the problem at its source.

(translation: Reneray)

But it's also that self-projection/ability to relate that made him drive Dazai away, when he pushed too hard and forced Dazai to adhere to his optimal solution philosophy. Because Dazai cannot separate himself from his attachments, could not ignore his emotions like Mori does, and chose Oda over Mori's logic. From Dazai's point of view, that was betrayal. Mori and him were accomplices!

Dazai planted the idea that Mori was afraid of him taking over as boss, and Mori seems to agree with that thought (would it be because he feared for his life, or for Dazai's ability to replace him?) Yet, for a man afraid of his closest subordinate backstabbing him, he seems to be hanging on quite hard to the possibility of Dazai coming back, leaving his seat open to this day, inviting him back twice in the same arc, and...

(yeah I used this picture at the start too. "I hAvE nO rEgReTs" he says)

Mori may try to convince himself he feels no regrets and no guilt over his own actions by weighting gains and losses objectively, but he still hurts and has a very hard time moving on. He's human despite his best efforts, prone to mistakes and doubts. He's lonely and wishes to impart his knowledge onto others. His cold logic has both helped him in fixing the city, and alienated him from some of the people he most cared about.

In a similar vein, should the ADA employee transfer be of topic again, and should Mori clash with Yosano again, I wish we get to see some similar conflicting emotions in Mori between the usefulness of Yosano's ability, and Yosano herself as a person. The war was 14 years ago, that's a long time, and I want to believe that counts for something.

[yandere-wishes]

hello it is i, your friendly neighborhood sol simp reporting for duty. i loved what you wrote for him last time, so i am here yet again to offer my thoughts that you are free to turn into stories if you so desire

consider: sol and darth teeth both have an intense fascination with you, and it comes to a head when they end up saber battling over who gets your heart (i think that since i have 2 hands, we can all learn to share but i digress)

alternatively: sith master sol. think of how wild the yandere vibes could be if he was just a little.... dark, a little fucked up if u will. he allows his desire to possess, his tendency for attachment to take hold until it corrupts him so deeply that he cannot let go of you

No cause this aligns almost perfectly with my original hopes for the series.

Before we knew anything about the show and just had one sentence to go off of for the plot. I genuinely thought it would be about a Sith acolyte disguised as a former padawan who slowly turns her former master to the dark side. All while plotting against her current Sith master. The story would have ended with the Jedi master and Sith acolyte killing the current Sith master. Then the Jedi master would become the new Sith acolyte and his padawon would be the new Sith master.

Anyway, I digress...

Imagine this...

You are Sol's new padawan, young and edger in all the ways a padawan should be. Desperate to uphold your Jedi legacy. But it's all so hard to become the perfect Jedi when your own master doesn't seem to believe in your abilities. He's smoldering, snuffing out your independence with cotton soft words that cut like blades. Sol constantly keeps you out of harm's way. Refusing to take you on dangerous missions or even let you out on your own. It's exhausting, tiring. Maybe that's why you run away. Maybe it's the guilt you feel whenever you see the unruly love glistening in Sol's soft eyes. He shouldn't love you like this. It's not the Jedi way. Not only have you disgraced your order, but you've ruined your master too. The shame chokes you, hot caol caught between your throat.

This is when "Darth Teeth" finds you. Wondering Coruscant, headed for the transport docks, desperate to flee away from everything. It's here where he tempts you, playing the role of an insightful stranger, a benevolent sympath. It's here where he slowly lures you in. You return to the Jedi temple that night, high off the promises of really learning the secrets of the force. Of training under a new master who wouldn't baby you. Little do you know you're decent to the dark side has already started.

You feel bad about deceiving Sol, truly you do. But it's his fault in the first place. He's the one who forced you into this corner...

Sol is pretty smart so I'm sure he'll piece together what's happening eventually. Maybe when -despite his best efforts- the council deems you ready to become a Jedi knight. It's then that he realizes you've been training under another. He decides to confront this "other master". It will definitely end in a battle between the two. While you're forced to sit there and watch.

I think an ending where -ultimately- Darth Teeth wins would make the most sense. Somehow he's able to turn Sol to the darkside and takes him as his new acolyte. While you, poor little doomed darling are forced to be their little lover. Ensnared once more in the cage you hate so much...

But I agree imagine just how suffocating a dark side Sol would be. He's allowed to embrace his feelings freely and let them control his every move. He'd be so possessive and protective of you!! Never letting you out of his sight, controlling every little thing you do.

I LOVE this concept so so much, the only problem is that the Acolyte has such a small fandom that idk if it warrants me making a full fic. But yeah let me know~💜

[gyllenhaalstories]

Laurie!! 💛 (sorry, I just live in your inbox now 💖)

I'm back on duty and I'm here to tickle the collective fandom brain.

With Presumed Innocent coming out soon (aaaah), I would just like to hear all your thoughts on Rusty. 

Is he guilty? If so, would we still do unholy things with him (duh, obviously)? Or is he just an innocent little guy and only guilty of cheating and murdering pussy? He obviously likes being choked and I'm not complaining. What else might he like? Is he a pancakes or bacon/scrambled egg breakfast kinda guy? He does need his protein tho, for several reasons... 👀

Please let me/us know all your thoughts and hopes for the new show and the character we're blessed with this summer, thank youuuu.

Paying my Rusty tax for inspiration ✨ (again)

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! 💖 it's so good to see you in my asks again, daphne! thank you for the rusty tax (and the painful reminder that i wish this was ME) and the great questions! i've thought about that man A LOT but the majority of those thoughts are just about how badly i need him so... they're not too constructive... let's see what my -1 brain cell comes up with pretty much on the spot! 🤭

i don't think he's guilty. since the first teaser, i just had the feeling that he's innocent and his wife killed carolyn. clearly he has a talent for lying and manipulating facts (isn't it essentially his job?), he even lied to his therapist in one of the recent clips i saw! trying to lie to the human equivalent of a lie detector is both bold and dumb. he's clearly not completely innocent. cheating on your wife is bad but when your wife is ruth negga it's DOUBLE bad! i watched a quick interview of the woman who plays carolyn and oof. renate has something special. so i kind of get it <3 but i am better than a man and i would not ruin my marriage! the text messages and calls he's sending her are also very bold and dumb. he should know better than anyone how to avoid looking guilty. the dna, the messages, the stalking, the affair that was not so hidden since they were going out together and everything, this is just so stupid! he'd probably be so mad if he defended a client who basically did everything he shouldn't do and now tries to plead for innocence. i'm interested to see if we get an insight on how an attorney of his prestige and of his rank can turn into the most stupid person you've ever met. i mean, we know how, he's desperate to get his dick wet. but still, maybe there's more to it. maybe carolyn isn't that sweet, smart, picture perfect girl either. i'm giving her the side eye too.

i'm soooo excited for the show!!! my only point of reference is defending jacob so i like to compare both series. defending jacob had some really good twists so i expect the same from presumed innocent. in my opinion, one of the most powerful plot twists in defending jacob included the mother, laurie (i can still hear chris evans saying i love you laurie it was an amazing moment <3). so maybe that's why i focused on barbara sabich right away. i don't know, i'm so curious to see. i want to watch the original movie after the series, just to compare as well. i might never do it but at least i'm planning on it! anyway. can we just take a moment to appreciate how crazy it is to have this kind of show as your first television project? jake really popped off with this and his acting is absolutely insane in what we've seen so far! everyone in the cast seems solid. i'm guessing they showed most of the freaky sexy scenes in the trailers already to tease the audience, but i'm curious to know if there is more of that good stuff that they're hiding! i'm also looking forward to watch jake and peter saarsgard on screen again! and the glasses. i can't word vomit all of this and not bring up the glasses. now that we know jake is practically legally blind, i proclaim myself the protector of his corneas and i demand that he wears glasses more often. my motivation is purely selfless and it's not because i fold like a folding chair at the sight of jake with glasses (vision pun intended).

i saved the best stuff for last apparently! but mmm. what is that man into? i can't cook to save my life so he's eating cereals for breakfast. i'm kidding! (well not really but still). we know he's into choking, finger sucking, doggy style, public sex/sneaking away in a public setting, he loves the thrill of forbidden things and we see how touchy he is with carolyn so i'm guessing he's into marking because it's like a proof of something that is happening in secret of others? idk, just thinking. i don't know if his stalking habits fall into kinky or just regular obsession over the one thing he can't have under his total control, but i'd lowkey like it if he extended his stalking with some spicy elements. the way he holds on to carolyn, touches her everywhere, it's giving possessive and i love it. the ring though. oh the ring. why doesn't he take it off? does carolyn like it, does she get off knowing she has a taken man under her spell, that this greek god of a man prefers her to his wife? does rusty like the reminder of his cheating? does he like the self-inflicted guilt and pain of being reminded of his horrible and immoral actions? i think there's definitely some masochist tendencies in him. he's so quick to apologize for everything like oh no i might have killed a woman but i'm sorry tho </3 he might loooove the fake pity and fake apologies. whether he uses this tactic or if it's used on him does not really matter. to put it briefly: rusty is a FREAK and i want to be the somebody who matches his freak!

thank you for doing this, daphne! it was so fun to ramble pure nonsense fuelled by the sad 2 hours of sleep i've gotten last night 😭 i can't wait to read this tomorrow and be weirded out by how little sense it makes. i especially can't wait to read this after watching the entire series and seeing how wrongggg i was. it will be just as much fun as writing all of this! mwah mwah ily! 💖💖💖

[highlordofkrypton]

Day 4, Prompt 1 for @tamlinweek: Calanmai.

I've been wanting to write a fic for just Andras, and it is still on my to do list. Please read the notes!

For those looking for smutty! Tamlin at Calanmai, may I direct you to this chapter of Wildflowers, no previous reading needed (I think?): Click for Tamsand Calanmai smut. This is chapter is also referenced, so you can read that for added angst.

Read Calanami (Reprise) on AO3 or below the cut.

“What is this?”

“An intervention.”

“A support group.”

“For what?”

Andras looks between his two friends, confusion etched into his pale features. He tilts his head, pale hair tumbling over his shoulder like a curtain of starfall. The three of them make quite the constellation—the gold of the sun, the fiery blaze of comets and the silver of moon. None of them are quite as mysterious, or as insightful as the celestial beings.

Together, they are a lovely band of idiots.

“Have you ever been with anyone before?” Tamlin asks, cautiously. It is a sensitive thing, the intimate prowess of a male. Andras has not lived through the war, he does not know the crassness that travels through the camps. At Court, formality and hierarchy still rules, and it might very well be to the detriment of his love life. There’s just something else about the raw passion—

“With anyone you love,” Lucien clarifies. It’s important. There’s a difference.

A deep flush colours Andras’ expression. It takes him one, two, three tries before he moves past stuttering into an actual coherent response.

“That’s what you’re here for?! Get out.”

“We know how important this is to you—”

“And to the Court—”

Lucien turns to Tamlin and leans in, whispering but Andras can hear them perfectly well. “I thought we weren’t going to mention that part.”

“But it’s true.”

“It’s additional pressure.”

“I can hear you.” Andras growls, folding his arms. He’s already changed to the loose tunic and comfortable pants for the ceremony. “I know what to do. I’ve been to Calanmai before. Many of them. If you recall, I’m the one who brought it back, remember? With your help of course, thank you for that, Luce, and no thanks to you, Tam.”

“Hey! I showed up!”

Both Lucien and Andras level Tamlin with a deadpan look. They both recall the epic and a half that was luring a half-feral High Lord out of the woods to come perform his courtly duties. No, his duty to the entirety of Prythian.

“Anyway,” Lucien steers them back to the topic at hand. “Both Tamlin and I have experience with romance. Not actively—”

“Ouch,” Tamlin chimes in.

“Lucien! You can’t just say that!”

The grin on the Fall Faerie’s face is sly and all-too-amused. Tamlin doesn’t seem too hurt by the comment either, but Andras is shocked on both their behalves. Neither of them have had good outcomes when it comes to love. More specifically, their love lives ended in brutal murders—plural!

“A morbid sense of humour is a permanent side effect of grief, unfortunately.” Lucien tries for somber, but he’s not very believable. These two are his best friends, and they know he’s being smart about all this.

“And rage problems,” Andras chimes in.

“Hey!” Tamlin frowns.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve had to deal with your cranky arse for years. You threw a tree at me that one time. A tree!”

“I told you to go away,” the High Lord mumbles under his breath. Fair is fair. He warned his stupid self-appointed (at the time) commander to stop doing stupid things. “This isn’t about me! You asked if you could perform the Calanmai, so we,” he gestures to himself and Lucien. “Want to make sure all goes well. Now, do you know which parts fit with which?”

“Tamlin!” Andras covers his ears, unwilling to listen to his High Lord tell him about the birds, the bees and the pollination cycles of beautiful Faerie ladies he’s had a crush on for, at least, five years. He flops on his bed, groaning.

Tamlin grins and sits on the bed, patting his knee. “Pretend all you want, but I know you’re nervous. You’ll do fine.” He pauses, thoughtful. “The thing is… There’s nowhere to hide.”

The mood tempers, and Andras tips his head upwards to look at Tamlin. No one dares to interrupt him. This moment is theirs—quiet vulnerability shares across the years together. Outside, they are High Lord, Lord-Emissary and Commander, but here they are brothers.

“Even if you don’t say anything, she’ll feel it in your touch. It’s the closest thing to baring your soul to someone, the magic will sense it and Ailsa is damn perceptive. You should tell her.” Tamlin perks up, as if he didn’t bear his soul to them. “And, well, if it doesn’t work, I guess I can let you do it next year.”

“It may seem terrifying,” Lucien supplies, but Andras is quick to jump in.

“I’m not afraid. I love her. I’m just worried about all the growling. It’s kind of… embarassing?”

Tamlin’s jaw drops and Lucien’s snort echoes through Andras’ chambers. The Calanmai has a way of turning him feral and give in to his primal senses. After all, the ritual reconnects him to nature and draws out his baser instincts. He has spent most his life in other forms, and finds home in both fauna and flora. It’s not embarassing!

“It manifests differently for others,” he grumbles under his breath, folding his muscular arms across his broad chest. The sulking doesn’t last because he’s ruffling Andras’ hair affectionately. “You weren’t raised in the wild, you’ll be fine.”

“You weren’t either!”

“The previous High Lord didn’t growl. He was quite… fine. At least, until he found privacy with the Maiden in the caves.” Lucien had never actually attended Calanmai, and the ceremony was closed during the war, but he has heard stories about the different celebrations across Prythian. “And you’re not a High Lord, it should not affect you as much.”

“Okay, then I’m fine.”

“But I can scent—”

“Tamlin, what did we say about smelling us.”

“I told you I can’t help it.”

“What did we say about telling us what you scent on us.”

“Hm, if I recall, it was something about you disliking how I can smell your bullshit?”

“Can you both get out of my room? I’d like some personal time before I have to perform the most important ritual to our culture.”

“Ah, yes,” Tamlin nods sagely. “You might be inclined to find release now to last longer later, but—”

“Get out!”

***

“Let the celebrations begin,” Tamlin concludes his speech. He raises his arms, and his small but loyal Court cheer in response. The borders are still (mostly) closed to the other Courts, save for Summer, and Tarquin winks at Tamlin playfully.

He descends the dais, ever-willing to concede the spotlight to his priestesses and his commander. This is Andras’ moment, and he is eternally proud of his friend’s courage. No one else would dare to take a High Lord’s place in anything, but Andras had bothered to ask, and he had been terribly considerate of Ailsa who has been Tamlin’s maiden ever since he returned from his self-imposed exile.

To her, or anyone in the Court, the role of being Maiden is an honour. Andras did not want her to lose her right in the Great Rite to particiate because of his affections. Little does he know, he had already won her heart when he asked her beforehand (so not to make her feel forced to perform with him), and promised that he would put himself at the mercy of the High Lord for her. It’s the gesture that counts; the Spring Court knows that their High Lord is kind and good.

Music reverbrates in Tamlin’s chest as Andras begins his hunt in the crowd, looking for his Maiden. He joins Lucien in watching the festivities, his friend has never participated. Instead, he takes the opportunity either to socialize or reminesce. Tonight, the Lord-Emissary looks terribly thoughtful.

“First love,” he hums over the lip of his goblet.

“Hmm.” Tamlin agrees.

“You performed your first Calanmai with him, didn’t you?”

They don’t say his name. Not now, not ever. The High Lord of the Night Court is still alive, but they treat him like the dead. Worse than, actually. They give him no reverance and no remembrance.

The memory is an ache in his chest. Rhysand had saved him. His assignment to the Great Rite had been a punishment from his father; his father had known what Amarantha had done to him, and yet, expected him to let his Court touch him freely. Tamlin had run from it like a coward, and Rhysand had guided him home. Rhysand had been his safety.

His emerald gaze watches Andras as he takes Ailsa by the hand, grinning wider than Tamlin has ever seen. He latches onto their happiness. It’s a simpler kind of love, unlike the undertaking that had been falling in love with his enemy.

What if—

What if he had killed the son of the Night the first time they crossed paths?

You bit me, laughs the man made of Dreams.

You stabbed me in the heart, recounts the Wildflower.

“You’ll ensure everything goes well?” Tamlin asks Lucien, and Lucien frowns.

“You’re not running away, are you?”

“No, no, just going for a walk.”

“Tam.”

“Today is a good day, and I want it to stay that way. I’m just going for a walk. I will return, I promise. No hiding. You know where to find me, anyway.”

Tamlin realizes that he’s happy here with his best friends, but there’s a wall that limits his joy. So, for the last time, he will mourn his lost love, and then, he will be finally be free.

[transfemmbeatrice]

parker's personal much ado primer

i'm gonna keep posting much ado shit so here is some background on my personal favorite interpretation of the characters; this is not a primer on the actual play and these opinions somewhat differ from my like. canonical readings of these characters. this is what my personal action figures are like when i'm talking about aus. i'm mostly leaving physical descriptions out bc they can vary quite a bit.

when i say "we" i mean me and my wonderful spouse @zaxal because so much of this we sort of developed together over the years and none of these characters would be quite who they are to me without them.

Beatrice: beatrice is a trans woman to me!! i talked about this a bunch here. she will also always have red hair to me (thanks catherine tate for that one). she's hot, she's confident, she doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks about her, she has relatively good judgement, she sometimes struggles to be vulnerable or soft with other people, she loves hero more than anything. she's also arrogant as hell! and often quite angry. beatrice is all fire all the time, she is alive and loud and proud and really likes having the last word. you will always know when she is in the room.

Benedick: oh this man is such a slut. grade a whore. pansexual as shit too. always cracking jokes to cover his own insecurities, desperately needs to be liked or if not that at least the center of attention--even if people don't like him, if they're thinking about him and watching him, that's good enough. he loves being witty and he is prideful and acts somewhat detached when in reality he feels things the Most and gets desperately attached to people and doesn't truly believe they could love him back.

Pedro: strong sense of duty. pedro is one that tends to vary more wildly because we've fallen into "suffocated by responsibility and shitty father, actually kinda shy and dumb and kind" which i love but in the play he is mostly just kinda shitty but i don't WANT him to be, so sometimes we try to lean more into the shitty side of him but often he is an earnest idiot (affectionate)

John: as mentioned in my beatrice post, i hc him as a trans man! sometimes more genderfluid or nonbinary. he's quiet, serious, and calm, and has been done fucking dirty by his dad/the world. generally our thought is that he was raised by his mom until about age 12 when she died and he got dumped on the palace steps and the king extremely resented taking him in and everyone was shitty to him because he's illegitimate. everyone thinks he's a villain and he knows he'll never convince them otherwise so he doesn't try; he just keeps to himself and doesn't form many attachments.

Hero: usually soft spoken but whip smart, doesn't like a lot of attention, stem major, big lesbian facing comphet vibes. she and beatrice are basically sisters. she's insightful but she doesn't share those insights with most people, and is by far the one who calls beatrice on her shit the most. we've ended up friendshipping hero and john because they're both such flat characters who exist at the whims of others and i love the idea of two wallflowers finding each other.

Claudio: obviously the villain. there are lots of different approaches to this--he might be an entitled golden boy, or a rich kid not used to hearing no, or an incel--but essentially he's a bully. i think its most interesting when he appears very nice at first and then when there's any amount of pushback things get ugly but i hate him so much i often make him pretty rancid from the start.

Margaret: outgoing and fairly relaxed, a jock, bi, in love with hero.

Conrade: john's bf, utterly loyal, and by a twist of fate it has become a running joke that he has tumblr disease (purple eyes/white hair). we usually depict him as similar to john--stolid, serious, not interested in taking anyone's shit, but lately i've been wondering if maybe he should be the bright sunshine in contrast to john.

Borachio: essentially a stray dog john and conrade adopted. he comes and goes. he's a mess.

Antonio: beatrice's surrogate parent, and elder queer genderfuck who uses ve/vir pronouns. general chaos agent.

ship abbreviations:

b&b: beatrice/benedick bbp: beatrice/benedick/pedro benepedro: take a guess beap: beatrice/pedro heromeg: hero/margaret johnrade: john/conrade

[gaiuswings]

Incoming braindump, because I have a lot of thoughts about Tav!Gaius and Wyll and I need to get them out SOMEWHERE.

One of the things I love about pairing these boys is how similar they are in so many ways, and then the other half they are stark contrasts. Like they are both mirror and opposite side of a coin at the same time.

Folk heroes. Do-gooders. Intensely strong moral compass and compassion for others, especially the outcasts and common folk without the means to defend themselves. They're both so corny and make half the party roll their eyes with their bleeding heart antics. They're the "Two Men: Our bodies are strong but our friendship is stronger!" meme except they're also dating each other. And it's sweet and sappy and Astarion is making gagging motions in the background.

But the struggle in their relationship is the hero worship they each have for the other. Placing the other man on a pedestal while comparing their own shortcomings to this mental ideal they hold.

In Wyll, Tav!Gaius sees the storied hero sung of in every tavern. The Blade of Frontiers! Dozens of adventures already under his belt and beloved by all the good people of the Sword Coast. He's smart and charming, and his poetic way with words leaves Gaius with butterflies in his stomach. And then add on top of that the 'Tragic Cursed Prince' air that he has - Wyll has been faced with numerous impossible choices throughout his life and never hesitated to sacrifice himself for the greater good. It's lent him a mantle of duty that sits heavier than any horns upon his head. Gaius wonders how Wyll can continue to smile so warmly, how he's lived for so many years banished and despised by the very loved ones he sold his soul to save. Would he have been able to make that same sacrifice? Would he have been able to keep on living and fighting when the world kept kicking him into the dirt, to pick himself back up and keep going because there were people that needed him?

How can Gaius, a simple green-behind-the-ears farmboy playing at paladin hope to compare? When he's just a big ox-in-armor stumbling blindly into traps, falling again and again for the tricks of their enemies because he can't see past the innocent faces they hide behind. He's better suited for the hay fields than the lordly courts Wyll was raised in.

And in Tav!Gaius, Wyll sees the shining knight that epics sing of. Bright, brilliant, good and humble and just, the shield against evil. He's the textbook definition of a paladin, but with the humble beginnings that keep him rooted with the common folk. He's quick to smile and makes friends everywhere they go, having a natural likable aura that draws people to him. He's always willing to offer a helping hand, no matter how small and unglamorous the deed. And the man is far more insightful than his 'simple country boy' demeanor lets on. He can peel back the defensive layers of a person to gently address the trauma driving those wicked deeds. And always offers a second chance to those willing to change their ways. Even to the most reprehensible, seemingly too far gone to be reached. He offered a sympathetic hand out to THE Kendrick Thorn, the necromancer lord of the Shadowlands! And even more miraculously, the man responded with contrition, realizing the wickedness of his actions! Could he, Wyll, every be able to achieve that level of heroic gallantry? He who is so quick to slay the 'wicked,' to exact his vigilante 'justice' - a quick, easy, bloody fix that takes lives that might have otherwise been saved if he'd been willing to take the risk and offer a hand instead of a blade.

How could he, who dances on the strings of a she-devil for his hell-born powers, ever dare to stand equal beside this living embodiment of goodness?

So they each pull themselves down while uplifting the other. But that also leads them to support each other when they realize those bitter feelings are weighing them down. It just takes time for each of them to open up and be honest with themselves for once.

Paladin and Warlock. Farmboy and Courtly Lord. Two boys raised on tales of heroes and good vs evil, chasing those ideals.

Bonus screenshot as thanks for making it this far through my character rambles!

[arabellasleopardcoat]

is there an otto fic in the works? *wiggles eyebrows*

My thoughts on Daemon and Aemond

Anon: Nope. But if some of you want it, the requests for my bingo are still open. And I have three pending, including the Alicent spanking fic.

What is in the works and what I wanted the Otto discourse for is an Aemond fic. If I plan right, it should be out the week after I wrap up Divine Intuition. I am hoping to gain some insight on Aemond's character the same way I pinned down Daemon. If you are up for seeing my method, it's under the cut. I totally used this ask as an excuse to talk about what I like.

So. As some of you know, I have not read the ASOIAF books, nor the ones pertaining the Dance of the Dragons. But this is not my first rodeo on fic writing, and before I write for a character, I like seeing what makes them tick.

Daemon was easier to crack down for me than Aemond. He has more screen time, which helps. But what really helped me nail down details about him was a Matt Smith's interview and his interactions with other characters. Especially, those with Viserys and women. From that, I got a few key points that I keep in mind every time I write him: Attention seeking, sadistic, controlling. I make sure to hit those in every scene he is in. But also, I try keeping in mind his motivations and his core values, loyalty, love for Viserys and Rhaenyra, competence (When he wants to)

I think in the case of Aemond, when considering his interactions with other characters, there are two that are key. Mother and Father.

Alicent is very important. She teaches him about the Faith, and it's clear she favors him. Aemond doesn't want to give her trouble, hence his attitude towards duty. He knows she has one problem child already, he doesn't want to be a cause for concern. It also determines his relationship with Aegon and Helaena. Aemond loves her. A lot.

Father should be taken in terms of absence. Viserys is just not there, so when looking for Aemond's father figure I have to look at two different stages. Childhood and teenage years. During childhood, he has Criston. I have been reading up discourse on him and rewatching a few of his scenes. He influences Aemond's sense of honor, he taught him how to fight, he actively parents him (See, the "All women are reflections of the Mother) To get Aemond, I need to get Criston.

But then, Otto comes back to King's Landing. And he influences Aemond during his teenage years, which is really relevant for a kid. This is where Aemond gets his sense of duty, his planning and his love for knowledge. Otto is a second son too, but one that is different to the other second son we are introduced to. He is one that stands by his own merits, that has risen to the highest position in the realm. Aemond probably looks up to him.

And you can't tell me that Otto was not an involved grandfather, because look how he acts when Helaena is making his toast or when Aemond gets up to give his. Watch his body language. He cares for these kids.

Finally, last talking point. I like Otto. I find him very interesting, and I like the mirroring with Corlys Velaryon. They both have the same objectives, getting their family on the Iron Throne. That's why I made him Aemond's Hand on Last Man On Earth (Which has to be the worst fic I have written, too many typos) I think him and Otto share the same ruthlessness, one that is very interesting to explore. And Aemond, obviously, soaks that up like a sponge. It shows even in the way he moves. When he is wrestling Aegon, it's not just siblings fighting to me. There is a sense of ruthlessness there, when he tugs at Aegon's leg, Aemond is pissed off and uncaring of hurting him. He is willing to get him to stay through any means.

Otto is blunt too, haughty. Despite being Hand, he is not a good courtier. He has the awkwardness of smart people, his brain moves too fast and gets frustrated when other's can't keep up. That's why he and Alicent clash, too. To Otto the picture is clear, to her, it takes her a bit longer. Many issues in their relationship would be solved if he took time to explain his thought process to her and listened to her thoughts. He doesn't. Otto thinks his reasoning is obvious. And that he knows best. Alicent feels blindsided and manipulated by his actions.

I think Aemond is similar. His speech is to the point, unless he is deliberately trying to insult someone (See the toast to his nephews) And even then, they are not particularly well hiden insults.

Then, there are Aemond's anger issues, of course. I have read a few Ewan Mitchell's interviews too. The boiling pot of emotion, being so cold and calculating on the outside (imitating Otto so hard in my opinion, mind over heart) but with the Targaryen's temper.

Still on the topic of anger, we have to agree Aemond is petty. So are Criston and Otto. He is just like his fathers.

So that's what I want the discourse for. It helps me, reading others opinions, even if they clash with mine because I get to think and spin my little web.

Sorry for the rambling! It's also eight in the morning for me, so probably not my most eloquent.

[frostfall-matches]

[ matchmaking... ]

@in2thenewworld : [ match report ready ]

your match is…

✦ Ignis Scientia

The calm, stoic type with the talkative, outgoing type. You and Ignis balance each other, with your differing traits being compatible enough that your dynamic works very well. (He actually thinks you and Prompto are really quite similar, so he warms up to you rather quickly). While Ignis is on the reserved side, he doesn’t have much difficulty socializing or carrying a conversation. He’s a good conversation partner, and always has something witty, insightful, or thoughtful to share. Ignis is smart and mature; it’s all too easy to have deep, interesting chats with him. That being said, he does tend to listen more than speak, so conversations lean more heavily towards your contributions.

Ignis appreciates your optimism; he also appreciates that you can be serious when needed. His friends might tease him for being serious and stony-faced, but he absolutely has a sense of humor and has no qualms about cracking puns or witty jokes - and his timing is impeccable. You’re definitely able to pull smiles and chuckles out of him on a frequent basis (though there are absolutely times where he responds to the joke as serious as can be), considering you like to joke around when you can. Still, life isn’t all fun and games. There’s a time and a place for humor, just as there is for seriousness. Many people have difficulty grasping the gravity of some situations, so he’s relieved that you’re mature and insightful enough to know when to reel your humor in and focus.

He tends to default to acts of service as a love language, but is happy to receive physical affection from you. You might catch him off guard sometimes, especially if you’re around others or if he’s focused on something else, but he truly welcomes your touch. Once you two build a routine when it comes to snuggling up together on the couch or in bed, he actually comes to really crave it and miss it when you two are too busy or preoccupied. Ignis is often busy with his duties as royal advisor, so he greatly appreciates any time you two are able to dedicate solely to each other. And despite how busy he is, and how much he’s already doing for other people, he’s happy to help you out in small, subtle ways. For example, if you’re going out to work or classes, he’ll have lunch packed for you already; or he’ll always bring an extra umbrella or coat if the two of you are going out together.

Sometimes… Ignis is exasperated by you. Even if your behaviors are overall endearing to him. Namely, this is in regard to your tendency to stay up late and sleep in, as well as those moments where common sense escapes you. Even your clumsiness gives him cause for a bit of stress. He might scold you a bit but don’t take it badly; all he really wants is for you to be careful, which means you should be more mindful of your surroundings. The stare he gives you when something completely flies over your head or you pull something absolutely dumb is… well, quite funny, if you weren’t on the receiving end of it.

When the two of you have a quiet moment to yourselves, he enjoys having tea and snacks with you. Culinary expert that he is, he knows very well which flavor profiles work together. Ignis has amazing suggestions for desserts to pair with whatever tea you’ve selected for the day. If you two plan a little tea session in advance, he’ll be more than happy to bake said dessert (and while he brushes off your praise and acts humble, he secretly thrives off of your compliments about his cooking). These are definitely one of his favorite ways to decompress from the stressors of the day and just focus on you.

Classy as he is, he tends to opt for more traditional displays of romance and affection. Sometimes, this may be seen as cheesy to you or outsiders; but it’s a good thing you’re a sucker for a cheesy romance. Dates, no matter how simple, are done with a flourish. This might be him coming to you with flowers or a small gift before he brings you out to dinner or a stroll in a nice scenic area. Even more casual dates where you two stay in and he cooks dinner for the both of you include him getting the tablet and dining room set up to set the mood for a cozy, romantic date. Ignis is definitely the type to give you soft kisses to the back of your hand and whisper sweet compliments in your ear so only you can hear them.

Ignis quietly admires your care for your appearance and how you present yourself; even if you’re only dressing up and wearing makeup for yourself. And even when you’re not dressed to the nines with a full face of makeup, of course he still thinks you’re beautiful. He finds that he quite enjoys watching you do your skincare or do your makeup; if you’re comfortable with him watching here and there, that is. It’s hard for him to explain if you ask him why, but he really likes how focused you are when putting makeup on, and he’s quick to appreciate how much effort goes into looking good (and how effortless you often make it seem!). In terms of style, he likes how you don’t tend to fit in one box, and he looks forward to seeing what particular style or blend of styles you’ll be wearing that particular day.

He shows interest in your creative hobbies, though he often waits for you to show him what you’re working on instead of prying. That’s not to say that he won’t ever ask, out of the blue, what sort of project or craft you’ve been working on in your spare time recently… but he also doesn’t want you to feel like he’s pestering you. Since he’s a perfectionist, he just kind of assumes that others may not be willing to share their creative projects unless it’s a finished product. He is very good at thoughtful and genuine compliments, even if you’re not satisfied with your work yourself. He’s sensitive enough to know that constructive criticism isn’t always wanted, so he’ll only ever give it if you ask for that specifically.

Overall, Ignis seems to match the kind of traits you look for in a partner. He might not be the most warm and affectionate type, but he is quietly and subtly kind. He is genuine and approaches you with honest intentions. And if his loyalty to Noctis is proof of anything, it’s that he will be devoted and loyal to his partner. While he encourages you to be self-sufficient and independent, he will step in when he feels it's needed to support or protect you. In fact, he might be a little overbearing about it, at times (and if it gets to be too much for you, you only need to say the word - he’s good about listening to and respecting others’ boundaries).

[oftenderweapons]

Hi Dita! I've enjoyed your work for a while. You are so talented! I find your representation of the members to be so real and fascinating. If you are comfortable, I was wondering how you usually go about characterization. Obviously some of the characters in your work are OCs and some are (i'm guessing somewhat) based on real people to a level. How do you decide how you will represent the individuals in BTS in your work? How do you decide on OC characterization?

hello there!

Very glad to go about this more technical ask regarding the writing and characterisation process, I hope it gives you further insight about how I write and how much work goes into each fic.

Okie, here we go! More under the cut

I'm a huge fan of tropes, so usually I find core ideas in fiction (be it written or other media) and often social media give great ideas in terms of prompts that you can develop into fuller plots. Some fics are pure, undiluted romanticisation of daydreams I have in real life, starting from silly things that happen to me (oof, you don't know about best man Jeongguk yet... HEHE)

About characterising the boys

Usually I develop a prompt into a very unstructured plot, and according to the way the male character behaves, I choose the member that is most likely to share the same way of thinking as the male mc. This way, I usually tend to have extremely quiet and thoughtful, introverted boys matched with Yoongi (idol!Yoongi, but also Neon High!Yoongi, and ofc Sugar and Spice!Yoongi); the young, shy and surprisingly bold boys matched with Jeongguk (idol!Jk, and Small Town Swoons!Jk, and also Partition!Jk). Then there's the brooding, very responsible, very committed type, (I'm biased, it's Namjoon, in an ideal world he would be impersonating Mr. Darcy and a dear friend of mine still owes me a Rochester!Namjoon fic, which we're not gonna discuss here because I would rant in English major Jane Eyre obsessed scholar).

I'm a bit less biased towards the others, but I do see Taehyung as the artsy, whimsical, mercurial type; Jimin is more of the trickster brat, who also has an eye for aesthetically pleasing activities. Then there's Hoseok, who's the bright, lighthearted type but also the wildest of cards. And finally Seokjin, the jokester who actually is very serious and responsible and reliable and steady.

I think talking about them like this is quite reductive and stereotypical, and I believe reading a lot (mostly novels, and mostly romance) has really helped me go from a tropey, stereotypical type to an better-rounded, realistic character. I think my duty as a writer is staying true to the very generic vibes the guys give in real life, while also adding extra traits that make the characters into the separate individuals who inhabit my stories. (So yup, it's not impossible, but sort of unlikely that you'll catch a Namjoon who doesn't look for 100% commitment, or a Yoongi who isn't highly emotionally intelligent, or a Jeongguk who isn't just a tad shy and boyish in his ways, not in my fics LOL).

About characterising the OCs

As I wrote above, once I have a rough plot, I know the kind of girl I need to get the job done. The first character that came to me was Vixen, and I do have a special bond with her. I knew from the start idol!Namjoon needed something small, smart as a whip, and sexy as hell. And there she was. Add something that makes her much less independent, that calls to his saviour complex, and you have two ride or die's, forever symbiotic. All the girlfriends are structured similarly.

Kitten is morally grey to the very core, and it's something that resonates with Yoongi's "agust d" personality. Angel has a cuteness that matches Seokjin's, but also vibes well with his sense of humour.

Giggles was a delight to plot. She's the equivalent of J-Hope, with floral patterns and freckles and an extremely caring personality. If Hope World could be a person, it would be Giggles.

Princess matches Jimin's classy, exquisite taste, and works in a fashion magasine, because I've always known they met at a shoot (like, it's canon). Lace needed to be as whimsical as Taehyung is, someone particular, unusual and "vintage" as his aesthetic. Meanwhile, I needed the sweetness, the reliability, the "serendipity" soulmates romance for Jk, and that is Candy.

Other than that, all the girlfriends were created in about two weeks, and after that I started adding more data to their personalities and back stories. I have Pinterest boards for them, Spotify playlists and Excel spreadsheets to keep each of their aesthetics in check, to connect with them and try to shape them more and more accurately. It was surprising when, after two years of writing about them, I met people in real life who looked and talked like them, it made me feel like I'm headed in the right direction about creating realisitc characters.

Same goes with other OC's, especially with some of the Small Town Swoons ladies. And I won't even mention the Three Sugars ladies: I've been working at their aesthetics for one whole week now, so yup... Stuff's coming LOL!

Oh, and imagining the girls' signs and natal charts really helped adding more to their traits!

----------------------------------------------------

Sorry for the super duper long post, I just ranted randomly, but if you have more questions, generic or specific, let me know! I love analysing my writing process 💜 Stay safe bubba, ily✨

[ozomatli-9]

Netflix ahh storyline...

A self preservational main character who toils in themselves about being an immortal vampire who has to live in night time for all eternity. He works as a security guard for facilities or a bouncer type (he himself would address an issue rather than intervene directly). He feeds on those he's intimate with, but people dont really stick around him long enough for him to maintain a consistent diet (because hes a drag), because of his overall inactivity, he doesn't need to feed too regularly. He meets someone he really likes so much that he doesn't even feed , and he starts working on himself. He goes feeding less intimately and instead hunts and prowls in the night, feasting on unsuspecting victims the standard vampire shtick so he can be vital and show his commitment to her. She also starts taking steps to show her commitment to them. Till eventually, in a playful way, he plays with the hypothetical that what if he was a vampire and the only way they can be together forever is if he turned her into a vampire then she giggles dismissively and shes like oh then I would slay you because im apart of a sacred order of knights that slays unholy dreg beasts and she shows him a brand in her scalp ad the guys like 👁👁 i thought you guys disbanded back in the 1312 and shes like yea we did but thats just so we can live our normal lives while continuing our sacred duties casually also how do u know about that and hes like oh uhhhh i am a bit of a history nut and shes like whattt me too and the guy cunningly switches the conversation to history and he offers her his personal insights to certain events acting as though he just dies his research and shes like "thats exactly how I remembered it", but quietly to herself as he goes on showing his hand confirming her perspective of being a vampire ... anyways time goes on, and eventually, shes like my family would love to meet you and the guys like erm gulp sure and hes like yeah lets go out at steak dinner at night and shes like no I was just gonna take you to there home just as a handshake sort of thing this weekend afternoon and the guys like .... !!! okay and he loads up on blood by increasing his night vampiring slapping hands with fellow niggas of the night and then its time and hes out and about kinda looking and feeling like shit cuz the sunlight is cooking him up and hes being extra awkward and weird to limit his exposure but luckily her families estate is like surrounded by trees. So hes just getting peppered with sunlight, and as soon as they roll up the chicks, family is like .... bruh again with this bullshit you brought another one them over here and the vampire guy (whos black btw) assumes theyre just being racist and is like what do u mean them and the dads like a monster, by the looks of it a vampire this time and hes like ... ermm check, please, and the chicks (whose half asian half white) like yaa, and im gonna keep bringing them till you all stop being old-fashioned and accept that monsters are not all inherently evil. And the dads like again, oh yeah, then why has there been an increase in attacks in the city leading up to this day, and she's like because he loves me and felt like he had to feed in secrecy. Just to shake your hand and the guys like, so how would he feed if not under the cover of darkness in the night blood letting is inherently violent. Then they get into a really philisophical debate about how life is violent and how their violence is better than their violence yadda yadda then she lays out a blue print on how he can become a manager and use his vampire ability of creating minions to create jobs for people doing bs job stuff and just feed on them willingly giving him blood as part of their job and the dads like ur so smart daughter and shes like how does that sound to the vampire guy and he already booked it out the front door at the prospect of becoming an office manager type . ..

[cassandrabaresi]

Ah! This damn delicacy.

A group of people came to the corridor, led by Manager He, who was in charge of all kitchen affairs. Tang Yu had only seen him in pictures. He bowed and introduced the recent situation of the kitchen to the people behind him. Gu yuanyuan pulled Tang Yu to stand against the wall, lowered his head, and whispered: "There should be a big leader to check the work, and we will go when they go over." "Ha, Xiaoyu, you're here." The speaker pushed aside the crowd and stood in front of Tang Yu. "I heard my son say that you work here, so I came to have a look." Aunt Liu sold her son as soon as she opened her mouth. Aunt Liu opened the chatterbox on the difficulties, she did not have a word with Tang Yu pull home, behind that group of large and small leaders look at Tang Yu's eyes are different. What's that in your hand? It took Aunt Liu a long time to see Tang Yu's lunch box. Tang Yu hid the lunch bag behind his back: "I prepared the lunch." "Let me see." Aunt Liu's face was so excited that she could not tolerate Tang Yu's refusal.not simple. She has a bright future. Tang Yu roared in his heart: "Why are there so many plays?"! This is just a lunch box to satisfy hunger! Others were suddenly enlightened and admired Manager He's unique insights. Tang Yu: Wake up. Forget it,smart board interactive whiteboard, I won't take out the chili powder. Aunt Liu's stiff expression relaxed: "I haven't seen Xiaoyu for a few days. It's much worse.". But these look tasteless, aunt knows your mouth is picky, today aunt is the host, don't be polite. She turned and asked, "Lao He, is Siyao here?" "She hasn't been here for some time." Aunt Liu is a simple person, what expression is written on her face,interactive panels for education, for example, now, she is very unhappy. With her family's high salary, but not on duty every day, no one will be happy. Aunt Liu, I want to learn how to cook. You know I haven't read many books. I want to start from the original taste of the dishes, to understand the characteristics of each dish, maybe I can match special dishes in the future. Tang Yu weaves a beautiful dream that does not belong to her in order to escape all kinds of unexpected dark dishes. Aunt Liu was very moved: "I didn't expect you to have such a great ambition." Tang Yu still went to the box on the third floor with Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu ordered a table of dishes, and she ate the lunch box in her hand. Thanks to her, Gu yuanyuan also enjoyed half of the dishes on the table. After Aunt Liu came, Supervisor Zhang never said a harsh word to Tang Yu again, and occasionally other kitchen people came to chat up. These did not cause trouble to Tang Yu's work, classroom interactive whiteboard ,65 inch smart board, but life was much better, and she successfully ended her two-month internship. At this time, Tang asses and said, "I'm going to resign from Peng Dong later. I'll say goodbye to you first." Zhong Mingyi got the answer and was secretly happy. Others bid farewell to Zhu Siyao one after another, just polite, most people are not familiar with her, she has not stayed in the small kitchen for half a year as long as a new person in Tang Yu. After being polite enough, Zhu Siyao put on his sunglasses again and said haughtily, "Don't bother me." At the door of the small kitchen, Peng Yuhao, who did not know when to come, blocked Zhu Siyao's way. He did not open his mouth and stared thoughtfully at Zhu Siyao. The corners of Zhu Siyao's mouth curved: "Why, do you want to keep me?" PThis also looks good, Peng Yuhao thought. He's talking about those eyes. Peng Yuhao came to his senses quickly, almost in an instant. If Zhu Siyao hadn't been staring at his face,interactive panel board, he wouldn't have found his brief gaffe. But after all, she found out. She looked back. "Is that her?" "Yes, that's her." Peng Yuhao followed her words. hsdsmartboard.com

[kphobcapt]

my live thoughts for ep 5 how are we already HALFWAY THROUGH this season definitely tl;Dr

aabria you’re so cute and look at the autumn flowers!!

Oscar your beard is beautiful I adore you

lou is gonna fuck that wave lol

the first dance at the ball 👀👀👀👀

emily you are so clever and smart i want to live inside your brain

PRINCE APOLLO

the path leads you to what you truly DESIRE RUEHOB HOOT GROWL

it is more interesting to limit yourself emily lol

i love how. quiet brennan is when his character is not directly interacting with anyone. i feel like it’s his quiet protest to pcs that talk when he is dming lol

if rue and hob end up meeting at the heart together im going to swallow my teeth

YES squak make a MESS

prince apollo is uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hot

Oscar giggling like a schoolboy gives me life

Andhera 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 “what do you want” 🌿🌳💚”i hold nothing from you”

Nat 20!!! Roll for Rue!!

binx 😭😭😭 i love you THE HAND GRAB there were no more blankets left

you and i have a connection and you have full support from me 😭😭😭😭 it is an honor that I will never disgrace 💜💜💜💜

THIS IS CURSED AND IM SO SORRY HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAA

Brennan i am begging you please stop breaking my heart it is already so crushed oh poor hob 😭 i have gotten some closure. It just wasn’t about you. You just didn’t matter. Kill me. MORE SMITTEN THEN BEFORE 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

an insight check on yourself aabria you are a genius and just decimated like 300 years of philosophical thought eat dice brennan

you smell peonies 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️🌸🌸🌸

i will live and die by these little lou/oscar asides i love them so much

brennan i will rend you asunder with my bare hands. a reproachful laughter. he forsook his duty. scorn and humiliation. in that moment knows himself a coward. im gonna kill everyone and then myself.

NAT 20 intimidation b you must be so happy

ya wanna cast a spell ya gotta kill some goblins 🤷🏻‍♀️

i just keep thinking about that look, it’s the only one that mattered to rue 🥹🥹

hey girl hey 😂

brennan reacting to emily reading game mechanics gives me life

is prince apollo kind of…..stupid?

water cave horse im here for it

im incredibly attached to brennan backseat dming and helping omar with his rolls the boy can’t help himself

DEAR SISTER GET FUCKED HAHAHHAHA

corporal strump no notes no questions

COUNTERSPELL

lou not with the water bottle 😂😂😂

FIRST BOX OF BLOOM

prince of darkness andhera baby you CRIT 🤩🤩🤩 with the Darcy hand flex absolutely

studio audience emily thank youuuu

that teaser so much happens in the next episode and i am fully dead

[animeyanderelover]

Yandere Ayasegawa Yumichika Hc’s

Literally went from a guy I was sort of annoyed with to one of my faves😂💘.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, delusions, worshipping, clinginess, guilt-tripping, manipulation, jealousy, Yumichika being a true diva and drama queen

🦚Despite his rather vain nature, Yumichika falls in love surprisingly fast once his darling managed to catch his attention and triggered fuzzy feelings in his chest. Now, he’s not as sappy as to constantly swoon, especially not whilst he’s working under his squad. But people who know him good enough do notice that he seems distracted here and there, eyes staring into the distance with a dreamy smile on his face. And oh god, once someone pushes him to start talking he’s all gushing and praising you. Sure, he is arrogant but it’s that sort of nature, the one where he often judges people at first only from beauty, that has him becoming a worshipper. He’s surprisingly talented in figuring out what he loves so much about his s/o, be it their cute laugh, sweet smile, their voice or how absorbed they can get when focused. His reactions to critique or mean words about you are highly offended and slightly angry and he simply can’t keep quiet when he hears only the slightest accusation. He’s sensitive about negative words about himself and his darling alike and if it’s needed he will pinpoint exactly down why he loves s/o so much and why they’re better than the one who delivered critique.

🦚He’s majorly obsessive and wants to know everything about his darling. They’re all that haunts him in thoughts and dreams and the Shinigami is relatively swift to act on his growing emotions as he proceeds down the path of obsession. His ways of acting might not hint it always, but he’s a very insightful and smart person who remembers things he hears or sees about you and uses those to befriend you and your closer circle to gain as much closeness as possible. Incredibly time consuming as well, as soon as he has time he always wants it to be spend with you and he uses his work as some sort of manipulation, arguing that he is so often away, that work was a little bit stressful and that he just misses you so terribly. Even though clingy and manipulative, Yumichika wouldn’t isolate you from anyone unless he deems them as a problem. He’s delusional since he believes that he knows his darling the best, loves them the most and for that deserves to be with them since no one else would be good enough. He knows that you could feel a bit lonely though since he’s the Fifth Seat and often busy with duties so he lets you have your time with others when he’s away, he has good relationships with most of them anyways.

🦚Surprisingly humble enough to admit to himself that he has his jealousy phrases, on the outside he tries to hide that though. Due to his peacockish attitude he won’t get jealous at first sight as soon as darling talks or looks with someone or the other way around, his possessive side can get brushed the wrong way though. He’s made it clear to everyone that you two are in a romantic relationship and he tells everyone to clarify things from the very start. The guy usually gets less jealous than more annoyed when someone constantly bothers him and darling, his jealousy is mainly stirred when you behave in a way he does not appreciate. You can divide some attention to others and dedicate your time to them, but at a certain rate Yumichika gets sort of iffy and petty about it and if that person uses that to their advantage and enjoys it all the worse. He can turn very waspish when he wants to be and ends up keeping darling busy to make them avoid that person. Limited patience Leads his mask to break though, resulting in a terribly strained smile and twitching eyebrows at one point.

🦚His Squad is known to love fighting and he enjoys good fights, though he isn’t completely prone to violence. If someone gets hurt and you hear it, it might end up backfiring where you seek closeness to the injured and pay them more attention and care. Whether he counts that possibility in beforehand or found out firsthand, Yumichika wants you to avoid that person. So rumors are often his favored method since a small gossip can deliver immense damage to one’s reputation the larger it grows. I said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s intelligent and good in manipulating the scene from behind with some evidence and witnesses. Threatening the poor person is not out of option either, inducing fear is rather effective as long as he knows they aren’t in a higher position and could drag him into troubles. Being careful doesn’t mean he never grabs his Zanpakuto though, he gets rid of people who have pushed his limits too much. He isn’t messy though, he does some decent planning on how to get rid of a corpse or at least make it look like he was only defending himself. Even he wouldn’t get away with killing a innocent person and tainting his image in your eyes so he will make it look like he was the victim.

🦚Leads a fairly normal relationship, even if he seems to work at a fast pace in comparison to others. He wants to live together with his darling after only a few months and even if he politely handles declinations, he becomes sort of worried and confused after a few times. Yumichika wants to respect boundaries, tends to get easily hurt and irritated though since his love and dedication is limitless and he kind of thinks that you feel the same. If he kidnaps his darling though, he needs a reason since he isn’t that terribly petty. Be that you suddenly cutting ties with him, not wanting to be with him anymore or finding out the truth. Truly, he attempts to change your mind via manipulating and guilt-tripping your family and you, if he finds himself unable to stop you he will take a different approach though. He might just be able to get Ikkaku to help him as well.

🦚Calls you all sort of nicknames, his favorites are probably ’angel’, ‘beauty’, and ‘sweetheart’ though. He’s sort of careful to not even mention his duties in the Squad if he knows that you are no fan of violent commotions or fights or he just alters the story a bit. Depending on that he also hesitates a bit longer before introducing you to his friend Ikkaku and his Captain Kenpachi. He has the habit of constantly getting his darling accessories or creams to help them look prettier so they have a lot of different jewels, hair slides and lotions all thanks to him.

[edelegs]

black eagles relationships i like but don’t see talked about enough

Ferdinand and Petra - I adore their supports. You see a lot of Ferdinand’s dorky side with his reading about historic weapons, and you see that he is genuinely curious about Petra’s culture. He admits that he initially didn’t realize how sophisticated Brigidian techniques are and I just adore his vulnerability with her. And then there’s Petra in their A support, admitting she found a second home in Fòdlan, and the two discuss their loneliness? It’s such interesting insight into both characters (especially Ferdie; I’d say these are some of his most well-rounded supports)

Hubert and Dorothea - Dorothea sees right through Hubert’s edgy theatre kid persona. She approaches him like she would any friend right from the beginning and teases him about his love life. She also respects and believes him when he says that unrequited love isn’t his motivation. I would’ve liked a conclusion that wasn’t Dorothea suggesting they marry, but it is really funny that she did that. I love their paired ending too--completely platonic espionage opera! What could be better?

Hubert and Byleth - in my head they have a quirky sitcom where Byleth keeps trying to arrange Edeleth/Ferdibert double dates and Hubert has to attend them. (but seriously, the appeal of Hubert is looking at this man and saying “I’m gonna make you like me”, and then you do it). Outside of my shipping biases, his threats to you are funny as shit considering that he has no power over you and he’s always dying in battle, but once you win his trust he admits that despite looking Blatantly Evil, he truly abhors TWSTID and is already planning their follow-up war. I could easily see him and Byleth co-leading the war in the shadows (and that’s where the dialogue of the aforementioned platonic Huleth workplace comedy takes place). Also my friend who played as m!Byleth told me the “we could be a couplet of birds” line in the A-support still exists regardless of gender. Hubert is demiromantic bi and you CANNOT change my mind 

Edelgard and Petra - “Don’t settle for being the bird. Be the arrow instead” Both have a great deal of mutual respect for each other, even though Edelgard is heir to the nation that has kept Petra’s country down for years. You see the same beliefs Petra holds in her supports with Caspar here--that being, “we are not our parents, we can make different choices”. It’s a shame they only have 2 supports. I think it would’ve been cool to see Petra asking Edelgard for Brigidian independence or otherwise talking about how she can achieve her goal. 

Edelgard and Linhardt - I actually think people talk about this a bit, but it’s one of my favourite Black Eagles support chains so I have to mention it. This one is the key to understanding that Edelgard’s better world is only possible in her route, when she has the support and opportunity to trust others enough to learn how to listen to them and consider their perspectives. I advise anyone who thinks Edelgard would be a brutal dictator to watch these supports, because they so blatantly contradict that idea? Linhardt initially frustrates her because she knows he’s talented and smart but he doesn’t want to do anything to help the world with that. Characters like Linhardt are usually given an arc in which they overcome an initial selfishness to help others. This is not that. These supports are about Edelgard learning to understand Linhardt and accommodate him. Edelgard agonizes over finding the perfect way to allow him to do his research in a way that suits him--and when she senses his hesitation at her initial plan, she presses him for the problem and reconfigures the idea because she won’t put him in a situation he’s not fully content in. This is astounding character growth (from both of them, but mostly Edelgard). Also the struggle depicted in this chain is just something that spoke to me when I first saw it--”be useful” versus “learn for knowledge’s sake” is pretty much my exact struggle in life 😂 Seeing two of my favourite characters reach a resolution that satisfied both of them was hopeful, to say the least. 

Caspar and Ferdinand - What strikes me about their supports is that it compares and contrasts these characters’ ideas of justice against each other. Honestly, the Black Eagles as a whole have takes on morality that are just slightly skewed, and these characters’ arguments about it exemplify it. Caspar just thinks that people who hurt others should be hit right away, head empty no thoughts but j u s t i c e. Ferdinand initially believes that all sense of justice comes from being nobility, and with that comes an obligation to be morally superior. Having Caspar just go “uh yeah, what does nobility have to do with it? I just had to hit that guy” is one way in which Ferdinand’s ideals are challenged. It’s a cool contrast that I think highlights an interesting aspect of the Black Eagles and what they were taught. 

Dorothea and Bernie - I love everything about their interaction. If Dorothea were a lesser character, she’d be the mean popular girl who shames Bernie for her messy hair and her anxiety. Instead, Dorothea is patient and Bernie is like “oh no she’s Too Cool for me”. Dorothea also makes note of what Bernie says as she gets too anxious to continue the interaction and aims to comfort her in their next support. We get a good Bernie character moment in their B-support, where she mentions her father ruining her friendship with a commoner boy--and a cathartic moment where Dorothea tells her that her father’s an asshole and that they’re going to be friends anyway. Bernie cries in Dorothea’s arms and AHHHH why didn’t we get MORE of this???

Bernie and Petra - If I could add any support and ending to the game, it would be Bernie/Petra. They have such a good starting point--because of Bernie’s anxiety and Petra being a second language speaker of Fòdlandish, they are prone to miscommunications (which is the general theme of early Bleagles supports). They had a nice 2-support arc where they understand each other a little better--but then there’s the paralogue, where Petra encourages Bernie to come to her homeland with her and Bernie realizes she wants to travel and see amazing things like carnivorous plants. This is fantastic character development for her and is a satisfying conclusion to her arc. I feel like most of Bernie’s endings involve her just reverting back to her hermit self instead of developing a balance between who she was at the beginning and who she’s grown into. I think Petra would offer to let her come to Brigid again, where she helps her navigate a new language and culture. Bernie’s anxiety is still bad but Petra has been in her position and can offer advise and reassurance. Petra is also patient and would give Bernie a safe little house near the carnivorous plants for her to retreat to when overwhelmed. It becomes both of their refuge, with Petra taking time away from her regal duties to spend time with Bernie and her art and her stories. Whether it’s romantic or platonic is up to preference but I low-key ship them 😏

[cienie-isengardu]

My RepCom Musing: Delta Squad’s Rules

Republic Commando Game gave us an insight into squad dynamics between Boss, Fixer, Sev and Scorch but also into their operative methods. Including some rules of apparently established “code” to follow.  of which some rules commandos mentioned through the storyline.

It is impossible to say if these rules came straight from Walon Vau or are squad personal instruction set to keep themselves grounded but I think we should agree that whatever Deltas were taught and what adapted into their own modus operandi comes directly from their training sergeants and what he drilled into them on Kamino.

These rules in fact are a very interesting source since Vau was seen as borderline-sociopath (Old Psycho) with the best results, especially within the lowest numbers of killed in action trainees on Kamino and later, during war. His squads being seen as the top of best commandos is a valid reason to be proud but such pride could easily turn into conceit and putting the desired results over the safety of his trainees. The rules, though known to us only partially, however seems to imply a different thing - Vau really put pressure on survival rather than them scoring the best among other commando batch (the survival & survivors in general are one of the most often used words in narrative toward Delta Squad in the book series, the quotes were mentioned in my other meta about Jango and Walon.)

 And so we have:        

Rule #1: Kill them before they kill you.

Rule #17: Always make sure they're dead.

Rule #23: Never pull sentry duty on an empty stomach.

Rule #39: Never say no to bacta.

Rule #48: Any crash you can walk away from is a good one.

Rule #89: One's an anomaly, two's a trend.

In which the set of rules starts with literally “kill your enemy”. No “never fail” or “never do something sarge Vau would not agree with”. Deltas first and foremost are to make sure to eliminate the threat to their safety (and by logic, the mission) and this safety measure is so vital, it was repeated at least once, in another rule (number 17): Always make sure they’re dead. Even if that means wasting ammunition on a dead body, it is better to shoot a bit more ammo to be safe than let self-confidence kill them. There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to survival. And Sev really took this rule to his heart!

Scorch: D'ya have to make such a mess?

Sev: Rule 17: Always make sure they're dead.

Scorch: It looks dead to me.

Sev: It is now.

or

Scorch: Sev, did that corpse give you a nasty look?

Sev: Rule 17...

Scorch: Yeah yeah we know, always make sure they're dead.

Then we have #23, do not be on watch duty if you are hungry, because hunger may distract you from noticing the danger and kill you or your brothers in the process. Also, let’s not forget the famous Scorch’s line “Remember what sergeant Vau always told us? Eat your vegetable capsules”. Because of course strict parent training sergeant would say that.

Number 39, never say no to bacta is once again, don’t let overconfidence get you killed. You have a chance to heal, even the supposed not-lethal, superficial injury? Then do it. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you smart and in a better position to face upcoming challenges. It makes your chance for survival rise and in the worst scenario this little difference may decide between death and life. Once again, Sev follows faithfully this one too:

Scorch: Sev, I thought you were invincible.

Sev: Rule #39: Never say no to bacta.

and so is Fixer, who keeps reminding Boss about making sure the squad will not forget about it in the heat of the fight (especially Sev!):

Then we have the Rule #48: Any crash you can walk away from is a good one.

Which of course could be just about literal crashing of any vehicle but I personally see it as something along the lines it doesn’t matter as much as you fuck up, as long as you are alive and capable of walking away from the mess, everything is alright. 

I especially like this one, because through the books we could see how Sev and Scorch (albeit to a lesser extent?) were anxious about failing Walon Vau by not being good enough. This of course says a lot about Vau’s brutal methods that literally gave such hardened soldiers the lasting emotional problems to deal with. But at the same time, Ordo, who was constantly praised by his doting father, also had similar anxiety about failing in any way Kal Skirata so I suspect Sev and Scorch anxiety though definitely rooted in their difficult (sometimes abusive) relationship with Vau, may not be solely created by their training sergeant and be another layer of why clones despite Kaminoans and their continuous quality tests that started way before any Mandalorian hired by Jango showed up on Kamino. 

And even though Vau definitely trained his boys to not do stupid and reckless things if it wasn’t necessary and always demanded from them perfection, the rule is ultimetaly a reminded that in their area of expertise, fucks up will happen regardless of their skills so as long as they survive the mess, the crash (failure) wasn’t truly that bad. Are you alive? Are you capable of getting out? Then you did not fuck up that bad, move on. This is pretty reassuring actually? Even if not part of the first ten or twenty - presumably the most important - rules, it is somehow in the middle. Survival, as doing or not doing things that will keep them alive are at the top, then comes the reassurance that okay, you screwed up but you survive, keep going, kinda makes sense within Vau’s philosophy passed to young cadets.

It is also a heartwarming that Scorch quoted this rule to Sev ("Rule #45, Sev: 'Any crash you can walk away from is a good one”) who seems to be the most anxious about failure.

And then is the most standing out Rule #89: One's an anomaly, two's a trend aaand I will admit I don’t know if this is something Vau told them or something that Scorch (and Sev?) made up/added because I can see both groups saying something alongside that line. At least it makes sense it is so down on the list, as in, not related to the most bent on basic surviving rules (I’m guessing it is about repeating patterns for which commandos should look to avoid enemy/danger if it comes from Vau? Which is of course good advice but one used when you have time to analyze enemy’s moves not in the heat of the fight when you rely more on instincts and learned reflexes than anything else).

Naturally, all training sergeants drilled into their trainees how to survive, but so far only Deltas (Vau’s men) seems to have and use a whole numbered list of what to do and not to do, probably for every possible occasion and the worst scenario memorized and quoting on various points of their missions.  Which is as much as awesome as hilarious. Talk about diligent students!

As far as I remember it right, Omegas/Nuls usually went with “what Kal would do or say” in time of need while Deltas has literally everything important numbered down and drilled into them for good. This is what makes it hilarious to me 🤣