#honestly though their friendship is one of the greatest i have ever seen in an animated series

[handfulofmuses]

"I'm not going anywhere."

No but she definitely has some kind of abandonment issues. Her body language, the crack in her voice - almost crying of happiness when Scratch is goofing around.

The friendship between her and Scratch was forced because of the curse, Molly is aware of that. She's excited over the curse because it means her new best friend can't leave her this time.

Then, they almost lost the house. Loved these two episodes by the way, Scratch trying hard to take care of everyone while they work on getting the money and then scaring everyone away who tries to buy the house because to him, it belongs to this family now.

Curse is broken because they left the house and she brings it up that Scratch is no longer stuck with her. She genuinely believed that he would leave her now. Molly is aware of the rocky start and I think Molly herself also knows that she tries too hard in connecting with others - the only reason why Scratch managed to stay that long was because of the curse.

"I'm not going anywhere" was the reassurance she needed from him because that means it's genuine now - no curse keeping them together but his own choice.

[maxarchive]

Fear, faith, friendship: Inside F1’s most precious relationship

[...]

When now-triple world champion Max Verstappen was first promoted to the Red Bull team mid-season in 2016, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was tasked with moulding an 18-year-old possessing both supreme talent and a frank demeanour with only a few days' notice.

"I had experience working with multiple drivers before Max, and that was one of the biggest helps in terms of hitting the ground running with him. I think if I would have been a newbie to my role - I won't quite say he would have eaten me alive, but I'm not sure he would have had that respect for a junior engineer."

Their relationship was an immediate success. Verstappen became the youngest race winner in F1 history, finishing first on his debut at the Spanish Grand Prix. But, generally, the first few years of Lambiase and Verstappen's partnership were spent chasing perennial frontrunners Mercedes.

"Max learned some really harsh lessons in the two or three years before 2021. His racecraft really was something that we focused on, making sure we were just picking up points when it wasn't possible to win a race. We were concentrating on building his consistency, needing to be finishing every race, maybe not putting himself in a situation where he can end up in a 50/50 accident with another driver."

[...]

Sometimes, though, tension between driver and race engineer can spill over in the most high-pressure moments.

Now in his ninth season working with Verstappen, having won the championship in each of the past three seasons, Lambiase's voice is a staple of every F1 broadcast and has become recognisable to fans all around the world.

The pair's success does not mean their communications are entirely straightforward.

"I think it is inevitable in any relationship that there are disagreements. The first port of call is acceptance of that. Secondly, you need to have faith in each other that it is for the greater good rather than there being any kind of malicious undertone. That is at the core of the relationship. As an engineer, I need to understand that ultimately Max is in the hot seat, not me. So while we are all working in a pressurised environment, the driver is at a level well beyond that. As an older citizen I would like to think I am mature enough to step back and let him vent when necessary, but to also make him understand why decisions are being made. If I was a yes man, I would have been gone long ago. We have just got that honesty in the relationship between us that we can be blunt and straight-talking when needed."

As well as coping with adrenaline themselves, race engineers must manage the pressure on their racers.

The 2021 campaign was arguably the most intense in F1's 74-year history. After an acrimonious year marked by heavy collisions between the pair on track and serial sparring between their respective team principals in the paddock, Verstappen and rival Lewis Hamilton's title fight came down to the wire at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

"I wouldn't want to repeat 2021 in a hurry. It was incredibly competitive on and off the track [but] sometimes I think it went beyond the realms of sport. In terms of taking that pressure away from Max, I tried to stress with everybody here that we continued as normal. We treated every race as a single event rather than trying to look too far down the line at what could be."

[...]

In some cases though, the idea of starting afresh following the end of such a deep connection doesn't appeal any more.

"I honestly see Max as a younger brother. We can talk about anything and anyone at any time. We're at the point where we just felt completely relaxed and at ease with each other. Maybe I am speaking out of turn, but I don't think I would have any interest in working with another driver now. Having had the success that we have enjoyed together with Max, working with one of the greatest talents that the sport has ever seen, I don't think it would be fair on another driver, from their perspective or mine, to try and replicate what we have achieved with Max."

In Formula 1, as in all our lives, the magic of the most special relationships will always remain utterly unique.

[pinkyqil]

Fuck boy // Patri x Pina

Summary : just two bestfriends who happens to be madly inlove but one's just a straight up fuck boy or girl whatever you want to call it and are inlove but can't admit to it.

Notes : y'all wanted fuck boy patri x pina so here it's,gonna be a mini series so send me some ideas or what you'll like to see between them or how the tension goes

© PINKYQIL

Pina was done with patri's fuck boy act everyday was her hearing about some new girl who landed in her bed and how amazing it was.

she was tried and had enough fantasizing about what patri was like. how she treated the girls she brought to bed wanting it to be her instead of some random strangers.

Yesterday the team had gone clubbing but Pina couldn't go due to being sick all weekend.and now she was stuck between mapi and patri who hadn't stop talking about some chick she had made out with last night.

Her jealous feelings where rising the more she had to listen about patri fawn over some girl she definitely had enough listening.

"Patricia shut up for once we get it already you made out with some hot chick like you always do now let some of us have peace". Pina told her before walking away.

"Amiga what did you do". mapi asked cause she's never really seen the duo be that mad at each other before.

"Nothing that I could think of I don't really know".

"Oh lord you got the tiniest one angry and don't know what you did your dead meat at this point". Mapi told patri before pulling her along to do some exercises.

Everyone else around them became a little bit suspicious as the duo hadn't done anything stupid or pulled a prank like they normally do on one of them. it made everyone low spirited especially the younger ones who got to pull pranks or have fun with the duo in general but a few were happy that they wouldn't have to deal with any of the duo shenanigans.

The rest of training patri had tried talking to pina but would just get ignored by the girl or when trying to do some drills together she would rush to someone else before she could ask it broke patri to see Pina ignoring her without knowing what she did wrong.

Pina on the other hand thought she's been doing well her plan was to ignore patri until she could sort out her feelings which look's like it would take a while cause patri doesn't plan on giving up.

"Pina please talk to me or at least tell me what I did wrong". She said getting in her way before she could move.

"Nothing now please get out of my way". She honestly didn't mean it that way but it came out way aggressive than expected.

"No not until you tell me what wrong". Patri wasn't going down without a fight even though she was hurt by pina's tone.

"Patri just drop it I don't wanna talk about".Pina told her once more trying to leave.

Patri knew she must have fucked up when she saw th way pina's facial expression changed on her cause she wasn't the type to be that mad at her through out there friendship.

"Before you leave how about I make it to this Friday there's this new restaurant that opened up let me take you there please".

"Fine can you let my hands go now". she said making patri drop her hand.

All night pina's mind was filled with thoughts of patri.

wondering how she could like her bestfriend well not wondering but like who wouldn't fall inlove with a tall brunette spainsh woman who probably has one of the greatest abs and also one spain biggest fuck boy to ever exist even though pina knew she shouldn't be feeling like this.

Friday came like a breeze pina was ready to face patri after a week of ignoring her while dreaming about how sexy she was..

Patri promised to pick her up which she came right on time. opening the door for her pulling out her chair which would be very out of character for the tall one.

"So I just want to apologize for whatever dumb thing i did that offended you to be that mad all I really want is my bestfriend to stop ignoring me and acting like I don't exist". She said.

"It all okay I probably over reacted a little too much sorry for ignoring you".

"So we good". She asked

"We are". Pina told her before she busted out laughing at their awkwardness.

There day at the restaurant ended up well except the part where the waiter passed by mistaking them for a couple which left both of them blowing different shade of red.

Patri had convinced Pina to stay over for the night as they had the weekend off.

Bad idea really bad idea.

Arriving at patri places they both had been playing fifa for hours in her room until patri had pushed pina on the bed trying to mess her game up.

"Puta stop trying to cheat just cause you can't play like me".

"Says the person who's the same as a baby bear". Patri told her before climbing on top of Pina who had just been laying on the bed.

before holding her hands together staring into her eyes.

The two of them found themselves in a un required position that would be when patri had pulled Pina by the waist and kissed her.

Leaving both of them in shock by her sudden actions.

What wil happens now? how would they both react!? Would patri pull away or counting kissing pina ???

A/n: cliffhanger causes why not 😝 this might be a mini series so send in more ideas and feedbacks as there heavily appreciated thanks for reading hope you enjoyed.

[sungbeam]

spread some love !

talk about your favourite mutuals and why you like them

hi anon! thanks for sending this in :') im always so bad at posting these things, but i can def do this one. i don't know if i would classify them specifically as favorites, but more so people i've interacted with the most 😭

@justalildumpling : i don't even need to go on besides saying that this woman is my soulmate. "in another life" but we're gonna beat the universe and meet in every life, type of connection. the girl who has seen me at my worst and has still treated me with as much kindness and compassion and care as she did the first time. i feel like in certain ways, we're kind of polar opposites, but also the same? i mean, on paper we can be so different, but when we talk abt what we like and dislike, when we laugh together, it all becomes something of the same and she restores my faith in other people again. she's the person who constantly makes me want to be a better person.

@ethereal-engene : one of my two beloved 姐姐's on this site skfnrknf but i remember talking to ash so many nights abt just any and everything. i am so happy that we're comfortable enough to be able to joke around, share our niche interests, have deep conversations, and even pen pal!! like i think it's crazy how SIMILAR our families are; we could legitimately be long lost sisters haha but also the blood of the covenant runs thicker than the water of the womb sometimes, so that makes sense. she's one of my comfort people, and honestly, i feel like we both come out of nowhere with some topics, but either person will hop right into the convo regardless and just vibe 🤧

@winterchimez : my second 姐姐 on this site !! my older sisters def take care of me well and i am so grateful for that :')) ally is always so supportive and yet so energergizing to talk to. she's def seen a lot of my brainstorming and i feel very comfortable bouncing ideas off her. she's always so generous with me too, like care packages??? RAH 😭 obviously, i love her for reasons besides the material goods, but it's a love language nonetheless. ally is prob one of the warmest and most welcoming presences on this hellsite tbh, so if ur ever looking for a new friend/mutual, she's the best.

@loveliestfelix : nana is another reason why im still around. i like to thank that beomgyu drabble every day for kickstarting our friendship because i have never met someone i have had such lengthy and fun brainstorming sessions with. nana is the type of person i would love to meet irl and just share stories over coffee with, though i feel like i always associate her with train rides and coffee now HAHA she's also one of my greatest writing inspirations, like i was and have always been blown away by her mind, and her word counts. i love calling her the queen of angst, and you will never be disappointed when reading something of hers.

@jaehunnyy : chip's been here for a really long time, like guys, no one can compete when she's been here since i had park jisung as my pfp and she had jeno as hers 😭 i think i really treasure our friendship and how much it's grown over the past two years :')) so much has happened over that time, and i think that if i met her in real life, i would just be blown away by how pretty she is like TT anyways,, i always love talking to her because of how much chaotic energy we create when we do, like i feel like we can power an entire city grid with how much chaos we make, and it's all the better for it. i love her very much, and i hope she understands just how wonderful of a person and friend she is.

@mosviqu : oh, my beloved bar, i love u to bits and pieces. i think recently you've become one of the few reasons why im still here writing and posting. like i am so utterly, from the bottom of my heart, grateful for all of your support and the love you've given and shown me. and even when we moved to dms to converse, i just realized how cool you are as a person, and how similar we are (in the best way possible). it's really nice to be able to connect with a person on multiple levels, and im really happy that was the case with us :') as soon as i saw ur love for tomorrow by chanyeol, i knew there would be something more to our friendship. i am so very fond of you, and your writing blows me away every time i read it.

@zzoguri : moni :( i hope ur doing well, friend, and i know you haven't been active here lately but i do wish you all the best. i love how passionate and committed you are to improving in writing and developing your own creative writing style, and it's so impressive to read your writing in general :') i love the confidence you advocate for yourself, and how real you are. thanks so much for being a friend; i just really appreciate all the support and hype you've given me during my time on deobiblr, like thank you for being such a thoughtful person.

@wuahae : cat and i have definitely interacted more off this site than on this site, but i felt that it was dire she was included here nonetheless. like bro, thank you for literally being the reason i come out of my apartment (or in most cases, invite people to my apartment), and for thinking of me! i think i once told you how hard it is to find friends in college, but you've made my experience here far less lonely. i love getting dinner with you, planning outings, and making weird animal noises together on the streets 😭 also, cat's writing is literally so poetic, and just her explaining to me her plot ideas tears visceral reactions out of me TT

@yunhoszn : i feel like me and fawn are low-key on the same wavelength a lot of the times, but in general, i think fawn's just such a rad person. i've told her once or twice before but i genuinely love her writing style because it has so much personality in it. it just makes reading her fics such a fun and enjoyable experience. also even off this site, i have so much fun interacting with her, like just commenting on her instagram posts like the gremlin i am, i know she's gonna hit me with the best response back skfnkejd (waiting for the day i go to where u r so u can do my makeup low-key... ur so fly, pls do my makeup...)

@goldenhypen : em, my lovely twin :')) i know our interactions have def decreased, but i don't think that's decreased the fondness we hold for one another. i remember when em first started interacting with my works and then followed me, i literally rolled off the couch cuz i started fangirling 😭 and she is one of the most genuine and brightest presences here. she is a follow forever, bro, you better follow her forever. i just adore her compassion for others and her absolutely adorable fic concepts, and omg don't even get me started on her work ethic 😭 i wished u the best everyday you had requests, i don't know how u did it. you are literally superhuman.

@hqrana : i haven't spoken with noa in quite awhile, but im guessing it's cuz she's girlbossing her way through to that nursing program 🤧 my favorite woman in stem girl in this hellsite, she is my beloved xnonie 😭 i think i just appreciate noa's undeniable presence and character so much, like she brings so much energy to my inbox whenever she's here, and her support of my ideas and fics just makes me 🙇🏻‍♀️ like thank you for being here. and to know we both love marvel and taylor swift? i feel like she has to be like,, my best friend? like she needs to be my best friend?? sending hugs and well wishes your way, always.

[lkoiii]

Hazbin Hotel Season 1 Finale Thoughts

Honestly, didn't know entirely what to expect going into this. For some reason I remember enjoying the Helluva Boss pilot more than Hazbin Hotel, so I was surprised when the first 4 episodes dropped and I was hooked. I have many thoughts, and a few theories? Kinda curious what others think. (Haven't done something like this before so sorry if it's rambly/dumb.)

I don't have as much to say about episode 7, but there were some standout moments. This episode helped tie 6 and 8 together well with the amount of content they both covered. Songs were all pretty good, the final one was probably the best of the bunch but I'd have to rewatch. I'm not sure anything can top Stayed Gone or Hell's Greatest Dad for me though (unless Alastor and Vox have another duet).

-Alastor. Need I say more? I mean he's clearly up to something, and he made a deal with Charlie to help him in the future. Is this because of the deal HE made before that Husk mentioned? Maybe if Charlie is more powerful than the one he made the original deal with she can break it? Idk, but seems important. Sus behavior, but he does it with such style I can't be mad.

-I really loved how they didn't dwell on Charlie and Vaggie's relationship issues too much, just enough. Like it wasn't drawn out to the point of, okay we get it, you're hurt just talk it out. They had reasons to feel the way they did, but they do truly love eachother so ultimately it worked out. Rosie's talk with Charlie was refreshing. Speaking of..

-ROSIE. Rosie is so sweet! I had no idea what to expect from her, but she's great! Her and Alastor's friendship was nice to see. Very different than the one he has with Mimsie, but he seems quite fond of them both. Honestly the entire cannibal town I liked way more than expected. Susan's antics were a highlight, even Alastor made a comment about Susan. Charlie losing her cool with Susan also made me laugh out loud.

-Carmilla instantly knowing Vaggie was an exorcist was so amusing, because she basically listed all the points fans theories did as reasons for that being the case. Their dance/battle practice was very well choreographed, and I liked the song.

Okay Episode 8.

-Vox's commentary throughout the episode was so damn funny. (I love him, he's so pathetic.)

-I saw some saying that including the before battle scene was bad for pacing but I couldn't disagree more. I'm glad we got to see all the main crew interact in the hotel before shit went down. Angel's chill convo with husk, the maniacal laughter shared between Nifty and Alastor, and Sir Pentious trying and (mostly) failing to rizz up Cherry Bomb. Glad she was included in the fight, makes sense for her character and friendship with Angel.

-The "More than Anything" reprise (along with events in episode 7) helped me appreciate Charlie and Vaggie's relationship a lot more. I think we just needed more time with them.

-The entire fight segment was.. well it was alot but I liked it! I like how we got see how different members of the cast fight in their own way (meanwhile the Vees are eating popcorn). The comentary about the angelic weapons being what can damage them was funny.

-Vox's reaction to Alastor and Adam facing off made me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair. I had to pause the episode for like, 5 minutes. I don't know how I can ever recover from Vox's reaction to Alastor being "Oh fuck, I'm so hard right now." Shit was hilarious.

-I didn't think we'd see Alastor and Adam face off, but actually, that makes a lot of sense. While Charlie should be more powerful, she hadn't used her powers from what we'd seen. (more on that in a bit)

-"I'm about to end your fucking life" went so hard. That line didn't have to go so hard.

-I thought Alastor was gonna die for a sec, I should have known better. But I was still traumatized.

-Sir Pencious. The true rizz master. If not for one other, he may have been the MVP, but he certainly had the most heart. He even got to confess, good for him. Very glad he got redeemed, maybe we will still see him around. Sera and Em's reaction to seeing him was hilarious/precious.

-Lucifer appears to save the day! I wasn't sure if we'd see him but thank goodness we did. Charlie and her dad both ended up fighting to save those they love. His beef with Adam was hilarious, and super valid.

-"It's fuck you UP, Dad" Charlie whispers while everyone else looks at Lucifer with confusion.

-Nifty the true MVP. We should give her a giant flyswatter asap, for a certain moth.

-Honestly wasn't expecting Adam to die . That really caught me off guard. I guess Lute is now in charge of the exorcists, so it'll be interesting to see how that plot line continues (obviously with Lilith, which I will bring up later). Doubt this would happen, but it would be hilarious if Adam respawned in hell as a sinner for everything he's done.

-Finally, Charlie get's some positive press for her hotel and friends.

-"Charlie told me to stab, so I did".

-I loved seeing the team rebuilding the hotel, they're bonding! The memorial for Sir Pentious, and either razzle or dazzle was a nice touch. I will miss Sir Pentious's chemistry with the group, I hope he's able to visit.

-I watched the QnA with Vivzie, and Charlie and Alator's VA's. They mentioned Alastor has alot more going on and based on that final scene with him, and the deal he made with Charlie, I see Alastor playing a much more active role next season. He's very bothered by "the constrains of his deal". Possible villain arc? Hell he could be the final big bad (prob not), but as long as it involves Alastor it'll be entertaining. Meaning he can't double die. I would be devastated.

-I normally don't get into shipping, and I may be biased (fuck you Val) but in all seriousness I still can't see Vox and Val as anything more than friends with benefits. Mostly because I don't think Val is capable of anything more than that. That and Vox is a pathetic lonely man who thinks Alastor ran off again, and possibly died. Velvette will def be using that image for blackmail. This isn't really a point, I just had an urge to bring it up. (realizing as I type this that the Vox tag will be filled with Val as well for a while. Definitely need that oversized flyswatter lmfao also Vox having a functional tongue is... well that's information.)

-Is Alastor's mic permanently broken? I noticed his voice didn't have a filter right after, but I think it returned during the song. I thought I remebered reading that was part of him, so how does that work? Can it heal? Does he lose some power?

- Can't wait to see how Vox reacts when he finds out Alastor is ALREADY back lmfao and don't think I didn't notice THIS IMAGE.

Cause that's def an old picture of Alastor and Vox and I need answers. Not only that, Alastor allowed a picture to be taken with him in it, no static. Is Vox the only reason Alastor is so against cameras? I love whatever is going on between those two, even if I don't fully understand it (other than Vox having a hate boner). Whatever it is, their beef isn't nearly over yet, and with the Vees seemingly wanting to take over, things should get very interesting.

-Lilith what the hell. Why are you chillin on a beach in heaven, what have you been up to? She clearly knows about the exterminations and everything going on. Now apparently to stay in heaven, she has to help stop Charlie?? What is Lute planning here?

Anyway, those are my very disorganized thoughts about the finale. I'm excited for Season 2. Anyway, if you will excuse me, I have some things to draw, and stuff. Probably Vox and Alastor. Probably.

[generalluxun]

You say that 'Strong Female Characters' are rarely allowed to struggle. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? How much can a person struggle and still be called a “strong character”? Is the common standard in mainstream fiction different between men and women? Is Felix a strong character? Is Gabriel a strong character? What about Andre Bourgeois? I’ve got a feeling Astruc considers Andre a strong character.

Felix is not a strong character. He is a Wiley powerbroker, but we saw the moment things didn't go his way he folded like a deck of cards in front of Adrien and Kagami in Emotion and had a breakdown.

Andre is a sack of meat and little more.

Gabriel is... strong in a sense? the show is very inconsistent on this front. It has taken time, planning, willpower, and determination to preserve his wife and become hawkmoth in the first place. Facing setback after setback and continuing on, also takes strength. S5 kind of goes all over with him in a messy way though so in the end it's. 🤷‍♀️

Marinette is supposed to be the 'Strong Female Character' in the show. She has all the earmarks of the old stereotype. She is good at all things, she plows through and always ends up winning. Her mistakes are trivialized and her victories amplified. This is a shame because honestly, a Marinette who struggled a little more would be a heck of a lot more compelling(seen in the movie and in lots of fanfiction)

But wait! you say, she struggles a lot! Her struggles are all self-inflicted, and while self inflicted struggles are valid, they can't be the *only* struggles someone faces. No one was ever a serious 'threat' to her love story with Adrien. Kagami was allowed to get in the way for one whole episode (and this after Marinette herself had Luka waiting in the wings) Adienette was just waiting for the train to arrive at the station. On the super side there was some build up of tension early on, but when the main char's power is 'Win the battle with this thing' it's hard to heap too much tension. Not only that S5 very quickly turned losing all the Miraculous into just the status quo of one akuma at a time. *They were fighting Monarch with paintball guns and winning* No stakes.

Before Emotion/Pretension I would have said Kagami qualifies as a strong character. She struggles in love and friendship, but she works and tries to find a path through. Her greatest enemy in love is also one of her first friends. How's that for a challenge? Watching how she interacted with the adrienette dynamic from day 1 up to Protection was great. THEN she got foisted off onto Felix as a prize and sold out Ladybug. Girl deserved better.

There are plenty of strong female characters (which is different than 'Strong female character') in other media though. Adora, Luz, Willow just to name a couple off the top of my head.

The problem with finding them in ML is that the plot tends to jerk them around randomly. Like, I would like to say Ms. Bustier, because she holds to an ideal and does work to keep to it until the end. But she also ignored one of her students doing zero work in her class for multiple years. That's... not good. That is what makes you think the strength might be vapid apathy instead. See how hard this is?

Oh hey! Duh, Alya! Alya is definitely a strong character. I mean, she's the one who gets Marinette on her feet. She threads this path of upholding her morals while tempering them with reality. She doesn't hide behind 'identity rules' to avoid tough decisions. She *trusts* people, though it can be a risk. She helps those around her whenever she can. Yes she's stuck holding the idiot ball for plot purposes now and then, but it's so blatant when it happens I can't count it against her.

[kawarikisaki]

He also seems to trust and respect Akako beyond the crush thing and judging by Sun Halo I think he’s mostly gotten over it. Wether he still likes her(that way) or not is up in the air.

Perhaps this one is going to be a hot take, but I'm not actually convinced that he was ever crushing on Akako.

He thought she was pretty for sure. He blushes the first time he takes notice of her, but if blush was all that was needed to make a crush then Kid makes Hakuba's face much redder than Akako does, just saying.

The first time was see them interact is in A Gift from Akako, but the extent of the interaction is really just that; Akako approaches when Kaito and Hakuba are talking, Hakuba blushes a little 'oh we had a girl like that in our class too?' and then Akako pulls Kaito away. When Akako later impersonates Kaito as Kid she does get a big reaction out of him, but honestly there's not really much there.

I don't think it's enough to claim he has a crush on her, especially when any other time they're together going forward they seem to just be friends- weird friends but friends nonetheless. And even if I were to concede that he had a crush on her we can't be sure that was his real feelings and not the effects of her magic. So that doesn't really mean much.

What does mean something is that like I already brought up their next interactions are weird but friendly.

When Midnight Crow rolls around they're at the point where they can banter a little. The interaction we see is brief, and Kaito is also a part of it, but we see both Akako and Hakuba approach Kaito for the same reason but take different paths to get there. Hakuba saying in more flowery words 'I have white in my name so I don't want to see white lose to black', while Akako says 'this black one may be strong, but I want to see the underdog struggle and win.' Both are expressing that in this instance at least they're rooting for Kaito, they don't want him to lose to anyone unless it's one of them, and they don't really hide this from each other- they do however hide it from Aoko, clamming up when she joins the conversation.

And they do something similar again in Sun Halo, with Akako telling Kaito 'hey I read your fortune, it's not good, maybe postpone what you have planed for tonight, but if you do I'm cheering for you' and Hakuba saying 'oh cool, you've gotten a motorcycle license I'll keep that in mind for later but just so you know that's not allowed at school so maybe don't break the law in your civilian persona.' Though notably this time they do it in front of Aoko, though do still take steps to make sure that Aoko doesn't hear a single accusation of Kaito being Kid.

So what does this mean? Akako and Kaito are both aware that the other is an ally.

And we actually see that come into play later in Sun Halo when Akako calls Hakuba and essentially entrusts him with one of her greatest secrets, admitting to having summoned Lucifer to obtain information on where Kid was. And while Hakuba probably doesn't believe that's really her source he does end up trusting her enough to take the clue she got him and is able to follow it to it's conclusion, and when asked how he did it he doesn't tell anyone, but he does inwardly thank Akako for the hint. Just that shows so much respect and trust between these two. It's lovely, magical even, that Akako trusts Hakuba with her secret and Hakuba earns that trust by not outing her but respects her enough to take it as true whether he believes the source or not.

Also the fact that he has her number in his phone and answered even though he was busy. This doesn't seem like something that happens very often, seeing as Hakuba seems a bit surprised by it, but even so it speaks to the idea that these two have interacted outside of what we've seen. So yes, Trust, Respect, Friendship, bonding over their shared rival/friend..... that makes it sound like a Shonen battle manga, but I definitely think it's accurate.

[allidoistrytrytryy]

but it’s not real, and you don’t exist (neteyam x reader)

AO3 version if you prefer reading over there

part 1 part 2 part 3 (Neteyam’s pov of part 1)

(Neteyam and the sky girl, series)

summary: And his nights were plagued of you. Memories. Nightmares. Dreams.

(5+3 : five times Neteyam dreams of you through the years, three times it's real.) (can be read individually, but reading the others parts is advised for more understanding.)

warnings: hurt/comfort, fluff and angst, lots of angst tho, no use of y/n, aged-up characters when it comes to present time, not canon-compliant, everybody lives, human!reader, no use of y/n, 5+1 but actually it’s 5+3 as a little treat

little note from author: thank you for all your notes once again!!! this is a 5+1 (but actually 5+3) moment of dreams Neteyam has had through the years and through the three first parts, and three moments of reality. honestly, it acts as his pov of part 2 of "don't want no other shade of blue, but you" but i wanted to keep it fresh in another format with more details about how it was for him in between! i may write the mating next (may be the only explicit part i do in this series, who knows lmao) or reader settling in with the omaticayas and the metkayinas... we’ll see ;))

1 : growing up

Neteyam barely remembered a time when you weren’t around. You had come into his life one day when Spider dragged you over and he had thought no more of it.

He had thought you would be closer to Kiri. Closer to Lo’ak even.

They were freer. Freer than him and the responsibilities of being the oldest. Even at six, he knew the weight of them. He saw the stares and heard the talks around the clan.

He was the oldest son of Toruk Makto. He always tried to be the best, even at such a young age. He hid the way it made him feel.

That meant he wasn’t as outgoing as his siblings. Kiri was free, a lover of nature. She could get lost in everything around her and he had to keep an eye on her. Lo’ak was a hothead, he jumped head-first into everything.

Neteyam wished he could be like him sometimes, he wished he didn’t overthink everything and try to be so responsible about everything.

But he couldn’t. So he protected Lo’ak most of the time. Rolled his eyes. Gave him a side stare and hoped he would understand that he needed to calm down or mom and dad would kill them.

Spider loved to get into Lo’ak’s shenanigans. It made his life harder.

You were close to all of them. He thought you would be closer to them.

You ended up getting closer to him.

He remembered the first time you ever sat down next to him while Spider and Lo’ak were off...where they were going.

Neteyam had looked at you, surprised. “You’re not going with them ?”

You had shaken your head. “I don’t want to be dragged around in whatever they’re going to do.”

He had softly laughed. “I won’t be as fun, though. Maybe you should still go.”

He remembered your eyes on him, looking over his face. He had felt like you had seen through him that day.

“I’m sure I’ll have more fun with you, than those two idiots.”

You had smiled at him with a big smile, your front tooth missing, your face scrunching up with the magnitude of it.

He had felt something move in him at that exact moment. Something had clicked, something had changed.

He had smiled back, his baby cheeks still prominent.

He didn’t think it would be the start of the greatest friendship of his life, that you would be beside him through the good and bad times, that you would be his shoulder in times of need, that you would hold his hand and smile at him through everything.

Neteyam was eight when he had his first dream of you. You were running with him, human, trying to catch up.

“Wait for me !” You screamed, laughter intertwined with your words as you pushed harder on your little feet.

“It’s not a race if I stop !” He screamed back as he kept running.

He didn’t remember much after that. All of his dreams were of you, laughing, smiling, and happy. Dreams of running through the forest, playing in the water, climbing trees, being kids.

He would wake up every time with a smile, eager to see you.

They shifted when he was around fourteen.

He never realized it back then but he only looked at you, all the time. Lo’ak had already made a few comments (“Big bro, she’s not going to disappear.” He had said one time, as Neteyam looked at you speak with other kids of the tribe. Neteyam had given Lo’ak a blank look. Lo’ak had laughed, rolling his eyes at the obliviousness.) but he had never truly understood them.

He was simply concerned for his best friend.

Until his iknimaya. Until his dream hunt (flying and crashing in water. Red.).

Until he was now an adult in his clan’s eyes. Until he was told he could have his bow made of the wood of Hometree. Until he was told he could choose a woman.

A large celebration full of life and dance and laughter was thrown for him. He watched his family dance and eat. He watched you dance with Tuk, watched you pull Kiri in who looked reluctant to even participate.

He smiled at her roll of eyes before getting in it and laughing at your antics.

Neytiri left Jake’s side as he was talking. She approached Neteyam with a big smile. He was as tall as her now. “I am so proud of you, my son.” She caressed his face.

“Thank you, mom. It’s all thanks to you and dad.”

She shook her head to dismiss his words. “It is because you’re a great warrior and a great brother, Neteyam.” Her hand left his face. She now stood beside him to watch over the rest of her children.

Lo’ak had decided to join you, Tuk, and Kiri. He was spinning you around, almost carrying you through a stupid dance you were doing. He could hear your laughter from here.

“Me too, Lo’ak ! Me too !” Tuk screamed out and Lo’ak swooped in to have you and Tuk both in the dance. She started laughing out loud too. Kiri smiled.

Neytiri started talking again. “You may now have your bow made of the wood of the Hometree.” Neteyam nodded. It was the greatest honor. “You may also now choose a woman if you wish to, my son.”

He felt his whole body stiffen. A woman ?

Neteyam had never thought of a relationship. He had always wanted something to what his parents had, the love and care shining in every aspect of their interactions. But, he had never thought of it for himself. Not really.

His mother patted his shoulder. “You have time, Neteyam.” She went back to his father.

A woman ? He had never thought of anyone like that. No one in the clan.

Your voice got him out of his thoughts. “Nete, come dance with us !”

You were looking up at him, a hand outstretched to him. Your eyes sparkled with happiness. He took your hand and felt different. Your hand was small and soft and warm in his.

His heart skipped a beat as you pulled him into the dance. He only looked at you, even as Tuk insisted on being carried by him too.

You were a woman. You had grown up since the time you had met. You were beautiful.

Something was shifting. A seed planted in the back of his mind, a scream at him to realize what had been happening since they were children.

That night, he dreamed of you.

It had started like any other dream. You were in the forest. You were running, laughing until you settled down.

That was when it changed. You sat closer, almost on his lap. You put a hand on his cheek, softly caressing it with your thumb.

He was holding your other hand against his heart. You looked at him, bathed in the light. You looked out of this world, painted by the sun shining on you. You were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, more beautiful than the Pandora sights, more beautiful than the floating mountains, more beautiful than the sights from his ikran.

His heart raced and raced against your hand. He felt like he was going to die, explode. A heart could not beat that fast and make it. How could he survive it ?

“I see you.” You whispered.

Neteyam saw your heart in your eyes, in a way he had never seen. He had always read you better than anyone, seen through you. As a best friend.

He had seen it all wrong. His heart ached, fought to get out of his chest.

You hadn’t been just a best friend for a long time. You were more.

He saw you. He wanted you close, he wanted to be one with you, he wanted to melt into you, he wanted to never let go. He wanted, wanted, wanted.

How had he not realized the way you had wormed into his heart and taken a place right there ? How had he not realized the way his heart beat for you and only for you ?

His heart had already chosen someone. His heart had spoken before he had caught up with it.

The words struggled to get out of his throat. Not because he didn’t want to say them, but because he didn’t know how to without choking on the emotions he was feeling.

Love, so much love. Powerful, but so easy. It was so easy to love you. It was so easy for him to fall into the realization. It felt like a breath after a long climb.

You nodded with a large smile. “You don’t have to say it back. I know.”

Did you ? Did you truly know the extent of what he was thinking, feeling ?

He woke up abruptly with those questions at the forefront of his mind.

Neteyam was not able to play dumb after this dream.

He was in love with you. He could not undo the knowledge.

Something had shifted in him and everything was clear. The way he always watched you, the way he always craved your attention on him. The way he wanted to protect you and watch over you. The way he wished for you to always stay beside him.

And he could not go back to not seeing the looks you would send him. He saw you. He knew.

He wouldn’t speak, though. He was too scared.

He kept the knowledge close to him. His heart was in your hands, without you knowing.

2 : door

It had been a week. A week of you hiding behind the door, hiding in your room.

Neteyam felt like an animal in a cage, something sky people used to do, had said his father. Locking animals in cages for the benefit of people watching. (Until they all went extinct by the greed of sky people. “I hadn’t seen an animal in...a very long time, on Earth.” His father had told him on a hunt.)

He truly understood how one of those animals must have felt like. Going crazy in between the bars and the walls. Losing patience. Scared.

He wanted to rip your door, he wanted to get angry, he wanted to yell, he wanted you back. Home.

You never answered, which made everything worse. He had no sign of you. The only people you would talk to were Norm, Max, and Spider.

He felt like he had failed somewhere, failed to make you trust him fully that you had decided to close your door.

His dreams were plagued by you. He dreamed of you, of your smiles and your eyes and your touch on his skin. He dreamed of you human and you Na’vi.

His nightmares were also plagued by you.

He was in front of that same door. He tried to open it, tried to rip it out, but nothing. It stayed locked in front of him.

“I don’t want to see you ever again !” You screamed through the door. “Just leave me alone.”

Neteyam cringed at your words. When he finally heard your voice, you were pushing him away.

“I just want to be alone. I don’t want to be a part of your family.” You said, your voice feeling farther and farther away with every word.

“Sky girl, please...” The only words that came out of his throat.

“I don’t want you. I don’t need you, Neteyam. Leave.”

Those were always your last words. He would never hear you anymore. He would stay standing in front of the door.

He always woke up with one more break in his heart, one more fissure. His mind always played the same tricks on him. What if you truly did not want him anymore by your side ? What if you did not need him anymore ? Did you want him to never come back to your door ?

But he couldn’t believe the words. He couldn’t listen to his spiraling thoughts. He would drown if he did. He would drown and never come up for air.

He never stopped going after you. He never listened to his nightmare.

3 : chaos

“I’m sorry, Neteyam.”

Your words kept replaying in his ears. You had pushed him away. There was no way in back to you, back to your heart.

You had closed it, through the tears and the hurt.

You loved him too. You saw him. You couldn’t accept it. You had closed your heart to protect his.

It’s too late, he thought. You already carried it in the palms of your small hands. There was nothing to protect.

He didn’t know how he made the flight to the Metkayinas without flying straight into something or in someone.

He saw the looks his father kept throwing at him. He felt the looks from Lo’ak and Kiri on his back.

Neteyam wanted to scream. He still felt like an animal in a cage, stuck in the prison of his own mind. He paced and replayed the scene. He replayed your words, your look, your sobs.

He kept it all inside as they flew. He kept it all inside as they arrived. He kept it all inside as they settled in the small hut.

He put on his best mask. The responsible son. The calm son.

He did not speak about it. Not even when Tuk looked at him and reached for his hand, comforting him the best she could without words.

He did not speak about it. Not even when his father drew him for a hug and comforted him.

He played it off with a smile.

He did not think his mother would be the one to breach the subject, that night, as they ate.

Neytiri looked at him with a knowing look. He knew that she knew exactly what was happening in his head. He did not think she would speak.

“Neteyam, do you want to talk about it ?” She asked, her eyes searching for his, which he kept towards his food.

He froze.

Did he want to talk about it ? Did he want to disclose anything about what he felt ? Did he want to break open his chest and show it all to his family ?

He shook his head, before getting back to eating.

He felt Lo’ak’s words before he even said them. “I really think you should talk about it, big bro, it could help.”

“There is nothing to say,” Neteyam growled, his eyes finally looking up.

“Really ? That’s why you didn’t even look at her as we left ?” Lo’ak scoffed.

He was not about to get into it with him. Not tonight. Not now. Not over this.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Leave it alone, Lo’ak.” He stated with anger, his eyes narrowed at Lo’ak’s face.

“Are you fucking serious ? You think that didn’t hurt her ?”

“Lo’ak !” Jake chastised, over the curse or his words, Neteyam didn’t care.

The logical part of Neteyam knew his brother was simply concerned over him, over you. The logical part wouldn’t win tonight. “You don’t know shit, Lo’ak.” He got up, ready to leave. “I’ll take a walk.”

“So you’re running away, big bro ?” Lo’ak added, standing up before he could even get a foot out of the hut.

Neteyam turned to Lo’ak and got in his face, a finger digging into his chest. “Stop whatever you’re doing, baby brother, before this gets bad. Leave. it. alone.” He enunciated every word with a push of his finger.

Lo’ak was about to respond before Jake got in between them, pushing them further away from each other. “What the hell are you two even doing ?” He growled at both of them.

Neytiri tried to calm everything down. “Neteyam, your brother was simply concerned. We are all concerned.”

He felt restless in his own skin. He felt like he was about to jump out of his bones. “And I don’t want to talk about it. What’s so fucking difficult to understand about that ?”

Kiri, who had been watching the whole time, finally spoke up for the first time in hours. “We want to understand what happened, ‘Teyam. You didn’t look at her and you haven’t been the same ever since you came home.” She sighed. “She’s my best friend too. And you’re my brother.”

He rubbed his forehead, turning his head away from them all.

“There is truly nothing to say, except that I have been a fool.” He admitted, finally. “We had a fight that has made me realize how much of a fool I have been. And I simply could not look at her as we left.” He turned to his family. “Are you happy now ?”

Lo’ak didn’t say a word. He simply looked at Neteyam with sadness in his eyes.

He did not need to add more. They had mostly understood.

Neteyam walked out of the hut.

He walked and walked. He found an isolated part of a beach. He laid down and looked at the stars.

He let himself cry, for the first time in hours. He closed his eyes and thought of you. He fell asleep.

He dreamed of you that night.

He dreamed of your warmth against him in the forest, of watching the stars with you. He dreamed of your breath against his neck, your hand in his, your hair over his shoulder.

He dreamed of the chaos afterward. Of your words. Of your heartbreak and his.

He dreamed of walking away. Until he stopped at your sobs. Until he turned back and took you in his arms.

“Don’t push me away, please,” Neteyam whispered in your hair, as you tried to get away, as you babbled in your cries. “We can’t go back. I can’t go back. Whatever you say won’t change the way we feel.”

You cried harder but you hugged him back. “I know, but I had to try anyway.” You whispered.

You both did not say a word after that.

He woke up. You weren’t in his arms. He wasn’t home. He cried again.

4 : settling in

Neteyam was doing his best to settle in the Metkayinas. It wasn’t easy every day.

They didn’t fit in and some liked to remind them of it. Hence his split lip when Lo’ak decided to punch Ao’nung and he got into it to protect his brother.

Hence the time Lo’ak had disappeared for too long.

The last time Lo’ak had been seen was to apologize to Ao’nung and his friends. And Ao’nung was right in front of him, but he didn’t see his brother.

He walked up to him, angry, his whole body menacing. “Where’s my baby brother ?”

“Man, I don’t know,” Ao’nung said with a look at his friend, with a laugh. “He must have gotten lost or something.”

Neteyam pushed him by the shoulder. “He went to apologize to you. And now he’s just gone ?” He hissed. “You better tell me where he is.”

Ao’nung looked at him with fear in his eyes but still with a smirk on his face, trying to act tough. “Or what ?”

He got into his face, looming over him. “Or I show you what I can do when I’m truly serious.”

The metkayina boy stopped smirking, clicking his tongue in the process. “Listen, he came to us to apologize and came with us to hunt, farther away. And...well, we may have left him there.”

Neteyam hissed again before dragging him away. “What are you doing, forest boy ?” Ao’nung hissed too, trying to tear Neteyam’s hand off.

“Taking you to my parents. You’ll repeat it to them, yourself.”

He did. They found Lo’ak shortly after that. He lied and said he was the one to ask Ao’nung and his friends.

Neteyam wanted to smack Lo’ak behind the head. Protecting someone he shouldn’t protect, for the peace his father asked of them. Not when Lo’ak could have died. Skxawng.

But Lo’ak already fit better with the metkayinas than he ever would. He met a tulkun and seemed to bond with him. He was getting closer and closer to Tsireya, which he liked to tease him about (“So, going to see Tsireya again, baby brother ?” He had smirked, tugging on one of Lo’ak’s braid. “Shut up, skxawng.” He had grumbled before walking out. Neteyam had laughed.).

Neteyam liked the sea. He liked the beach. He liked swimming with his sisters and his brother and the others once Ao’nung had stopped being an ass.

Seeing the tulkuns had been a beautiful thing. The large creatures were beautiful and majestic.

But he missed home. He missed the forest, the mountains, the wind in his braids, and on his face as he flew. He missed running and climbing and screaming as he flew through the clouds.

He missed you. No day went without a thought of you. No day went without the image of your face. No day went without a memory of you and your smile. No day went without the ring of your voice in his ears.

He missed hunting with you. He missed the weight of you against his chest on his ikran.

And his nights were plagued of you. Memories. Nightmares.

Dreams.

Dreams in which you were Na’vi. Your features. Twitching ears and a tail that wrapped itself around his.

You were with him, with them, as they settled in the sea clan.

You looked beautiful as you swam on your ilu. You smiled and laughed and raced with Tuk.

You won, obviously. Tuk complained that you had a bigger and faster ilu. You flicked her forehead.

She grumbled and you turned to him with big beautiful emerald eyes. “Keep up, Nete.” You signed with a little smirk, playfulness in your eyes.

“You’re on.” He signed back, catching up to you quickly.

You swam with him and around him, a dance in the water until you got closer. You smiled and kissed him. He melted into the kiss.

You broke the kiss before swimming away faster. You stuck out your tongue at him from farther away.

He shook his head at your antics and went after you. He always would follow you anyway.

Neteyam woke up again, looking at the same ceiling of the same metkayina hut. You still weren’t there.

Kiri was the only one around when he sat up.

“Did you dream of her again ?” She whispered, her eyes raking over his face. “You were smiling. You only do it when you’re sleeping lately.”

He looked at Kiri. He nodded, with no words. She nodded back with a sad smile.

“I dream of her too, sometimes. And Spider.” She sighed. “I miss them.”

Neteyam gestured for her to come closer. She did. They hugged.

They didn’t need words.

+1 : seizure

He had jumped into action, the minute he had seen Kiri in the state she had been.

She had connected to Eywa. She was convulsing.

Neteyam took her as fast as he could to his ilu. “It’s a seizure !” He exclaimed. She wasn’t breathing. He went right into motions he had learned from his father, the lessons kicking in, giving her mouth to mouth.

She breathed again and the relief washed over him. He put her in front of him on the ilu before he went as fast as he could to the clan.

His parents were panicked. His mother held Kiri’s hand the whole time, in fear of what was happening. His father called Norm and Max over in emergency.

Neteyam and Lo’ak decided to leave the hut, to leave space for them to come and do what they needed to do to wake their sister up.

“You think she’s going to be okay ?” Lo’ak whispered as they sat down with Tsireya, Ao’nung, and Rotxo on the beach.

“She is going to be, don't worry about it, baby brother. She’s a fighter.” He whispered back with a smile and a squeeze of his shoulder.

After a while, they heard the helicopter start again.

Norm and Max were leaving.

Neteyam stood up first to tell them goodbye if they had the time, or at least watch the helicopter fly away. (He wanted to ask how you were. He wanted to ask so much about you. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t.)

As they all went towards the helicopter, he narrowed his eyes. There was one last person walking in the helicopter.

They turned their head towards him.

He froze.

You were there. You were there. You were there.

You were real.

His heart sped up. You had been there to see Kiri. You were leaving.

Your eyes watched him. You were both frozen, looking at each other. His eyes raked over your form.

How he had missed you.

Norm said something to you.

He unfroze. You were leaving. He couldn’t let you go. Not again.

He walked towards you as fast as he could until he saw the shake of your head. He stopped.

“Sky girl.” He said out loud. Please.

You gave him a sad smile. There was heartbreak in your eyes again, in the way you held your body.

You hadn’t changed your mind. You still wouldn’t let him in.

He stayed frozen there as you went in the helicopter. He watched it fly away, watched you get further and further away from him.

Neteyam was so very tired. The weight of it made him fall into a crouch, his hands going through his braids, pulling on them.

Lo’ak crouched next to him. He put his shoulder against his but did not say a word. Neteyam was glad for the silence.

(They went back to the hut afterward. They hugged Kiri tightly as she complained.

“It hurts, skxawngs !” She yelled as she swatted them away. “That’s what you get for scaring us.” Lo’ak scoffed, ruffling her hair.

She looked at Neteyam. “You saw her, didn’t you ?” He nodded with a sigh. “She seemed sad and tired.” She added with a grimace of her own.

He felt the ache in him intensify. He knew you would feel the same as he did this whole time.

Why were you both hurting each other this much ?

He missed his safe place.)

+2 : prisoner

Neteyam had managed to lead the tracker far away and drop it somewhere in the water.

He thought everyone would be okay until he swam as fast as he could and at a safe distance from the boat to see Lo’ak, Tuk and Tsireya cuffed to the railing.

He needed to get to them. Now.

He dug back into the water, hiding, trying to think of a plan.

He saw Payakan under the water, rising out and crashing on the boat.

That was his chance. He jumped out of the water and jumped off his ilu, climbing up the boat.

“Neteyam !” Tuk screamed out, joy in her voice.

He smiled and cut her cuffs, checking with his eyes if she was okay. She didn’t seem injured. He felt relieved.

He cut the cuffs off Tsireya and got to Lo’ak. He smirked. “Who’s the mighty warrior, huh ? Come on, say it !” He boasted to him as Lo’ak rolled his eyes.

Lo’ak moved. There was someone else behind him, cuffed too.

You.

He felt dizzy for a second. Why were you there ? You weren’t supposed to be there. You were supposed to be far far away, safe with the omaticayas, safe from all of this.

He felt the panic in his veins. You shouldn’t be here.

“What the hell are you doing here ?” He asked hurriedly while cutting your hands free, almost angry. Not at you. Angry at the situation. “No hello, how are you doing ?” You jokingly asked.

He wanted to shake you. Neteyam glanced at you, serious, annoyed. He couldn’t keep his hands off you, gently rubbing your wrists.

“I was...kind of taken by Quaritch.”

The words registered in his mind. You were kidnapped by Quaritch. He had taken you away from the forest. He had gone after you. He was going to kill him.

Neteyam raked his eyes over you and felt the murderous intents rise up in his body. His hand held your chin, rising it up so he could see better. You were injured. You had a bruise around your eye. Small cuts on your cheek.

His eyes went down. Purple marks around your neck, in the shape of large hands.

He was going to rip him apart and not leave a single part of him unscathed. He felt the rage throbbing in the back of his mind. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.

He felt around your neck and your head. He grazed a bump and you grimaced.

“You’re hurt.” He growled, a deep rumble in his chest.

He couldn’t keep his hands off you. He kept tracing your face gently. He wanted to kill.

“Nothing much, Nete. I’ll be fine. We need to get out of here.” You said gently, searching for his eyes with a smile. Neteyam hated that you were downplaying what had happened. But, you were right. They needed to get out of here first. Needed to get Tuk out.

“We need to get Tuk out of there first.” Lo’ak stopped him. “Tsireya and sky girl, go with her. We have to get Spider.”

He hesitated. He felt like Spider would be fine. He was sky people and he was Quaritch’s son. He would be okay. They would get him later.

“We can’t leave him here !”

He knew Lo’ak would go anyway, with or without him. He had to stay to protect his baby brother. He accepted with a sigh.

“I’m coming with you guys.”

Your voice. No way. No fucking way.

He shook his head vehemently with a snare on his face. “No chance, sky girl. You’re taking Tuk and getting to safety. Now.”

You shook your head back. “I know where to go... kinda. I can help you.” He still tried to push you away towards Tsireya and Tuk. He couldn’t have you there. Not you. What if something happened ?

“I’m not leaving Spider and I’m not leaving you. Not again.” Your eyes searched around for a rifle and you took it. “I can defend myself.”

How could he love someone so much and want to strangle them at the same time ? He knew you wouldn’t back down, as you held the rifle in your hands. He was thankful his father had taught you.

“You are all going to kill me one day, I swear.” He sighed. He had two people, two of the most important persons in his life to protect. Neteyam had a bad feeling.

“You stick to me. No funny business. No risk. We find Spider and we go right away. Understood ?”

Lo’ak and you nodded, intently listening to him. At least, you were both serious. He could feel relief from all of your lessons kicking in, all the lessons from his parents.

You showed the way, from behind Neteyam. He refused to have you go first.

You found Spider. A part of him felt relief, you could finally all get the hell out of here. Another part of him had a bad feeling growing and growing. Something telling him that this had all been a bad idea.

“I’ll distract them ! Go !” Neteyam screamed as they tried to get out of cover. Lo’ak and Spider jumped in the water. You didn’t. You were so stubborn. So stubborn in the worst moments.

“You skxawng, you better get in the water right now, or I’m pushing you in myself.” He hissed at you, the panic and the bad feeling eating at him.

“I’m not going without you.” You insisted. He was so going to scold you after all of this. Kill you. Something. “I’ll kill you when we get out of this, sky girl.” You nodded with a smile. “Looking forward to it, Nete.” Eywa, help him.

You both managed to find a way out, ready to jump in the water, you first as he stayed beside you. He wouldn’t jump first.

He didn’t have the time to do anything. He felt you push him with as much force as you mustered. He fell into the water.

No. No. No.

He fought with the water, to rise up. He saw Lo’ak and Spider, but not you. No. What had you done ?

He saw you struggle to maintain your head out of the water.

The bad feeling. An alarm in his head. Something was so very wrong.

Neteyam rushed to you, holding you close.

“What’s wrong ?” You wheezed for air. “Got...shot...”

No. Not you. Please, not you.

“Shit, shit, shit.” He swam as fast. He lifted you up to put you in front of him on the ilu. He saw the blood soaking your tank top.

Great mother, I beg you.

“You’re gonna be okay. It’s gonna be fine.” He had to believe it. He couldn’t imagine anything else. He couldn’t imagine a reality in which you would leave.

“I told you to stick to me. I told you no funny business, you skxawng.” He whispered, desperate.

You laughed and he saw blood come out of your mouth. No. You were going to be fine. You had to. He wouldn’t accept any other alternative.

Lo’ak and Spider were on Lo’ak’s ilu behind them, Tsireya following them. He barely took any look towards them, his eyes focused on you and on the rock approaching.

He took you off the ilu, held you, and laid you down on the rock. He started pressing his hands against your wound. He looked at you with a smile. You were going to be okay. You were going to get out of here.

His parents got there a few moments later, as he soothed you. His father approached, observing the wound, turning you around. A somber expression fell on his face. He looked at Neteyam with pain.

No. There was no way. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t understand what his father was telling him. No fucking way.

“Sky girl, you’re going to be okay. We’re going to make it out and we’ll go home, okay ?” He shakily said, a hand on your wound, the other gently going through your hair. He was not about to break. He had to stay strong.

“Nete...” You wheezed. You didn’t move. You were limper and limper. “I never...never told you...”

He wouldn’t hear a goodbye speech. He wouldn’t accept it. Not from you.

“You’ll tell me later. You’ll have all the time to tell me. We’ll have so much time, you and I. So much time.” He traced your face, traced the constellations in your eyes. He couldn’t stop looking at you. He couldn’t stop his words. He had to believe. “We’ll go hunt, we’ll go fly on my ikran, we’ll keep watch on the rest of the idiots, we’ll slip away at night and look at the stars. We...” Beautiful dreams, beautiful memories. He would never let you go this time.

You stopped him. “No, need to tell you...now. I see...you. Always have. Always...” You whispered, with a weak voice he had never heard from you. Not even when you had gotten really sick that one time when you were kids.

His hands trembled against you. He was about to break. He couldn’t feel anything anymore but pain. Pain. Pain. His ears buzzed. His eyes burned. “I know. I know, sweet girl. I see you.”

He had always known. Of course, he had. He knew. He saw you too. He would never see anyone else. He would never love anyone else.

You didn’t say more. You looked at him, your eyes all over his face. Until your eyes got lost somewhere he couldn’t see, until your body went completely limp in his arms.

Neteyam couldn’t believe it as he looked at you. It had to be a nightmare. It had to be.

He would wake up sweating in the metkayina hut. He would wake up and you would be okay in the forest, far, far away from here. He would take his ikran and go back to you.

He would go home to his safe place.

It had to be.

But it wasn’t as he tried to shake you. As he tried anything.

He wasn’t waking up.

You were gone. The love of his life was gone. His mate. His sky girl.

Neteyam broke into pieces. You took everything that was him with you.

5 : gone

Neteyam barely slept. He was too scared to close his eyes. If he did, he would dream of you. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.

He didn’t know how he made it through your funeral. He didn’t know how he made it through every day since you left.

All he felt was pain. Numbness. Emptiness. All he saw was your cold body in his arms. All he saw was the blood on his hands.

He had scraped his hands raw to take the blood off. He still felt it all over them.

His family all tried to be there for him. They didn’t say a word. No one talked about it. They were all grieving too.

He would hear Tuk cry some nights and Kiri try to comfort her as best as she could, in a broken voice. Lo’ak would get lost in his thoughts, his eyes lost in the distance, his fingers playing with that one bracelet they had made that night and he had kept.

Spider barely talked. He would only whisper with Kiri sometimes, but he was barely there too.

His parents tried to be the force behind them, to keep them going every day.

Neteyam barely went out of the hut. He couldn’t handle anything anymore. He couldn’t handle other people’s looks.

No one would ever understand what he was going through. Even his family. They all grieved, but how could they understand ?

He had lost the one. His one person, the closest to his heart. He had lost his mate. The only person that saw him and knew him inside and out.

You would never get your happy ending, the both of you.

He only ate when his mother put food in front of him but he never finished anything. He had no strength, no will to eat or live. He could barely breathe. He felt the pain and the loss with every breath.

He would only sleep when exhausted and when he could not keep his eyes open anymore.

You did not leave his dreams, even when you were gone.

Your feet were in the water, as you stood in the sun, enjoying the breeze on your skin. You turned around.

“I thought I heard you, Nete.” You smiled and he was reminded of your big smile as a kid.

He wanted to weep. He wanted to fall to his knees and beg you to come back, tell you he couldn’t do it without you.

He simply looked at you with an aching hole in his chest.

“Are you not going to join me ? Come on, the water’s really nice !” You exclaimed a hand outstretched to him, always.

Neteyam walked to you. He tried to take your hand.

He woke up with tears on his face, on the ground he laid on. He looked outside the hut. It was raining.

He would give everything for just one more moment with you.

+3 : reborn

He always had to remind himself he wasn’t dreaming. He had to pinch himself sometimes to remind him the pain was real.

You were bathed in the light, painted by the sun over your blue skin. Your feet were in the water as Tsireya pointed to the ilus.

He couldn’t believe you were there. You were real. You were Na’vi. You were with them with the metkayinas, learning their ways.

You were mated. You were his, truly his, as he was yours.

He would have given everything for one more moment. He got a whole life.

You turned to him as you were fully in the water, forming tsaheylu with an ilu and swimming for the first time with it (with...some difficulty. You were still adjusting to this body, to how everything felt so different but so familiar at the same time.).

You smiled at him and waved him over. You wanted him over as you did it all.

Neteyam walked to you.

[imperiuswrecked]

I've seen that you ship Namor/Dorma. Could you please explain their relationship and dynamic. I've only seen them in some early Kirby/Lee Fantastic Four. Could you also please do the same with his other love interests like Marrina Smallwood. Thanks.

Canonically Namor's only had three major love interests; Betty Dean, Lady Dorma, and Marrina Smallwood. (I'm just counting actual on page relationships, not short romance flings or flirting moments).

Namor/Dorma is my canon endgame. (art by @pointdotiozao )

(If Marvel ever brings her back in the comics then I want it all, Atlantean Wedding, Emperor Namor/Empress Dorma, them having kids, everything.)

Dorma and Namor grew up in the Atlantean Court together and she was one of his few friends.

Dorma is such a great character, she's high maintenance and very confident (like Namor, lol), dramatic, loyal, with a deep love for Namor and for the Atlantean people. She's very beloved and respected by the Atlanteans and she was Namor's greatest true love. Namor literally chooses to save Dorma's life over finishing his quest to finding Neptune's Trident and regaining his birthright as Prince. He gave up his chance to be ruler of Atlantis once more for Dorma.

Dorma was always there to save Namor's life, she loved Namor deeply and even died to save him from Empress Llyra. Here's a reading guide for Lady Dorma if you want to read up on her. I know she's a very jealous and possessive person when writers have other women around Namor but honestly I see Dorma as this old school glamorous hollywood diva, she's very fierce and always believes in and supports Namor and her goal is the safety and care of her people and her Prince. She was Namor's first wife, and he's often shown to have a deep grief over losing her, often remembering her.

Dorma and Namor had a very dramatic relationship with Dorma pining over Namor alot in the beginning until he began to court her and returned affection, they were deeply in love.

Marrina Smallwood was Namor's second wife, and Namor fell in love with her after he invited her to spend some time in Atlantis with him following her rescue. I'm very fond of Marrina, and theirs was a very gentle love, soft and joyful. (Namor hadn’t fallen for anyone since after Dorma, he had tried to move on once with Valkyrie but he was still grieving over the loss of Dorma at that point.)

The Avengers/Alpha Flight Namor/Marrina arc is:

Alpha Flight (1983) #3-4, 12, 14-16, 35-40 Avengers (963) #262-270, 272, 282-293

Even though Marrina would slowly turn monstrous, Namor would never abandon her, and would try to help her. He loved her so much!!!

I find their romance so sweet but also very sad with how it ended. It also has one of my all time favorite Namor lines “Woe to love that it should demand such a price. For surely I must now cut out my living heart!”

Betty Dean was Namor’s first surface world friend, later lover. I love Betty Dean, she is also a wonderful character! She’s very feisty and never let’s Namor get away with anything, lol, but also she loved Namor very much.

The first time she met Namor she put a gun to his head and was ready to shoot him if he didn’t listen to her! She was a cop sent out to stop Namor. lol. 

Betty was very influential in getting Namor to see that not all humans were bad, and their friendship continued even after decades. I’d say read Marvels Snapshots: Sub-Mariner for a recent look at their relationship as it was, or even read Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary comic, I don’t have a Namor/Betty reading list since her appearances are mostly golden age and some silver age with a pop up here and there in the modern age.

She would later reconnect with Namor when she was older and she becomes the adopted mother of Namor’s cousin, Nita.

Namor loved them all deeply and each loss hurt him, each one had a different dynamic but I love them.

[ryansjane]

Which Off role do you think I should watch I have only ever seen his BL work plus his work in Midnight Motel which I loved but I do want to expand my viewing experience of him is there a must watch role of his that you think I should check out? I don't really mind on the genre

so I have made many posts on this, here's me ranking every off role, and here's me recommending my fave offgun straight roles, but I'll make a summary for you :)

GIRL NEXT ROOM: RICHY RICH

light & fun but with great commentary on growing out of generational poverty. krathing & duchess are absolutely one of off's best ships ever with their chemistry & banter, and krathing in general utilizes perfectly off's ability of making the greatest facial expressions ever & being a cutie <3

FABULOUS 30

sadly that show was deleted off of youtube bc gmmtv sucks but it's on dramacool :( the first show to contain both off & mond, but with all due respect off absolutely carried the show. not only is zen an absolute BICON, but his ship with yui was so beautiful & touched on insecurity and intimacy in a very beautiful way imo. definitely one of off's best roles!

I'M TEE ME TOO

I mean, a show with offguntay?? how could it not be adorable! no shade but off definitely carried the show too, maetee is a cross-dressing icon with mommy issues who really shined & stole my heart. that role also puts off's screaming skills to the test LMAO

WOLF

off jumpol going abroad & flirting with all the women?? yup, it happened! this is basically khai from tol if he stayed an asshole lol. this is the first straight role from off I ever watched & I love por so much bc his facial expressions, especially with glasses, are literally the cutest ever! moreover, even though the show wasn't executed the best, the concept is very daring & interesting for the time and it didn't deserve to flop like it did at all. I honestly would recommend it :)

10 YEARS TICKET

so I'm gonna be honest, the more time passes since 10yt the more I realize it wasn't that incredible of a show, even though it's definitely a good show still. and off in it was amazing even though he was pretty withdrawn, but both of his storylines, one involving the mafia & the other involving his grandma with dementia which is a topic that touched me particularly, were amazing, and off did such a good job.

46 DAYS

I legit think 46 days is the funnest romcom ever produced in thailand. it's such a fun, over the top show, with still very great moments. I loved the female friendship in it, I loved that the "perfect" male lead is shown to be more than that, and I absolutely loved the side ship with off & mild (again). pat is probably the most tame & mentally stable off character lol, but he's still very fun & a cutie to watch, especially with mild who's character noina is not too dissimilar from duchess in girl next room. the offmild pairing is just always a pleasure to watch & this whole show is just very fun & lovely :)

xxx

[shieldagentnatasharomanoff]

So it's my birthday and that means it's also the two year anniversary of me coming onto Tumblr :D it's been a blast and as this is what I did yesterday I want to shout out some of the wonderful people I met and friends I made on the way.

@supremestrangeness whose a brilliant writer and always seems to know how to carry a story endlessly yes...anding my silly whims and ideas. Nat loves the eldritch mess (in all his forms) and I am incredibly glad and ever greatful for your friendship!!

@cherryfinolahobbes anyone who says OC's shouldn't be part of fandoms should go and check out this blog right here. I don't think I've ever seen a muse woven through a fandom with so much care. The mun is just as wonderful, ever patient and happy to listen to my antics while go tackling house hold tasks. I wish we would chat more. I need to make more time for that!! (Also she's got brilliant recepies and food tips, honestly how can you not love that?)

@strxngemxgick I know this muse and mum haven't been around for a while. But they are such an infinitely wonderful and talented person. They've sparked my joy for artistic language and long form posts when there's a partner that matches the enthusiasm and length. I got to explore a softer side and more tragic stories with Nat in all our writing ant it is truly delightful. I hope they will one day decide to come back but even outside of Tumblr the mun is always considerate and so supportive. I'm always happy when they have a minute to chat.

@prplhawk As a fellow country person I am so happy you go along with all the silly AU ideas with a snap of the finger. The mun is amazing and such a flexible writer they catch their muse from silly moments to full fledged angst blood and gore. I miss you!!!! Let's write more crazy AU things!!!

@resignedworkaholics I've literally known nothing about James Bond when I met this lovely Q. And somehow a whole new spy world AU was born. I love the adorable sillyness of these two so much and I'm truly happy we get to write these stories. I know you've got tons going on. But I hope you're well and know you can reach out at anytime.

@ssolessurvivor If you ever need a friend. Logan is the one to call. Again. An amazing OC built and laced into so many worlds with a flexibility that still makes my head spin. I'm having so much fun with this wonderful little flirty friendship thing we have created and I can't wait for you to come back. I hope your wedding goes amazingly and you have the best honeymoon!!!

@seesbetterfromadistance My very first writing partner on this platform. Then he forgot about me XD but that's fine. Part of a very big platform and coming back after a while. I adore your Clint and the way you capture him so effortlessly! The mun is also amazingly talented in his craft and I love it when you share all your fotographs in an excited spam even though I can't always answer simultaneously. I hope that whatever is happening you keep that joy alive :) I don't think I've ever met a person this excited about a cactus in bloom and I am so glad you took me along for the ride (because I was very excited about that cactus then too!!!) I wish you well and hope you return for more writing shenanigans sometime :)

@smertzimy I miss our found fur family. Especially with these two tragic characters. They deserve all the love (and pets) they can get. Watching Eurovision this year has been a blast with the great commentary provided XD and I hope that it will be just as great next year. The mun always finds the greatest memes and pictures and the icons are on point!! I hope you have the grandest time and we find more of it to write again.

@esotericdescent / @thiefofcrows Is absolutely amazing! Please go check out his multimuse if you are even remotely interested in the eldritch and supernatural. But on top of that he is my Main Kaz Brekker (yes I write Inej Ghada on a different blog but this is my blog and my birthday and I get to shout about how much I love whomever I want for as much as I want here.) He is incredibly talented and I adore plotting with him. I am a massive Crows / Literature fan / overall nerd and this mun gets to suffer through it all and meets it with the greatest enthusiasm. I love the stories we built and the complexity I get to write without ever having to think twice if 'its alright to write this' because fuck yes it is!!! Thank you for your friendship and support of all the fun ideas and picture spams you get :)

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

Regardless of this up there. Thank you if you've stuck around, written, discussed, interacted and lived with me through another crazy year. The world isn't any easier but I know there are safe spaces and people to escape too. Be kind to each other and have a great day. I'm certainly planning on enjoying today to it's fullest (as I try with other days even if it isn't always easy)

[tinygamertris]

Randomly decided to talk about Gentian's feelings about his fellow expat Garleans! Behind a cut because there's a few of 'em.

Cid Garlond

It would be so easy to hate Cid. Following in his footsteps at the Magitek Academy was a nightmare; following in his and Nero's footsteps was beyond the pale more often than not. Except... Cid is nice. Really, genuinely nice. And he's seen his at his weakest, when his mind was barely holding together, and while he was a bit brusque he was kind. Kind enough to look at a broken chronometer belonging to a dying man and think 'I don't know why I know how to fix this but I will because it will make someone happier'. Kind enough to look at Eorzea and think 'I want to help everyone' and then do it. Things are awkward between them sometimes, life being what it is, but Gentian genuinely likes him.

Nero tol Scaeva

Holy shit did Gentian hate his guts for a while there! He's so self-obsessed and rude! Aaaaand then Shinryu happened, and Nero was the first person to suggest an option that wasn't 'throw the Warrior at it'. And stuck around to help with Omega even when it got him genuinely hurt. Every time some top-grade magitek minds are needed, he's there with a smirk and proclamations of superiority, and somewhere along the line it went from 'oh my god shut up you enormous piece of crap' to 'oh look at Nero, we all know you love this shit'. So while it probably won't ever be more than distant friendship, it sure as anything improved once Gentian started to actually work out how to read his smug ass.

Lucia Junius

Is honestly kind of the biggest badass he knows. It didn't take being thrown out of an airship by her own side to drive her to freedom; she was sent into Ishgard to do terrible things and instead she saw the worth in one of her greatest enemies and turned coat because she believes in his dream. Just surviving the inevitable retaliation from her fellow spies is incredible, and then she went and modified a Reaper and turned it on the Emperor himself! Sometimes it feels like he should be intimidated, but honestly he views her as closer to a big sister who he wants to be more like. (Yay anxiety.)

Maxima quo Priscus

He didn't think much of Maxima on first glance. Mostly because he was too busy trying to rile Asahi up, because everyone in the Garlean army knows that Asahi is a social climbing little feral creature with a passable sword-arm and a hardon for Zenos that will never, ever be requited. Once everything fell apart, though, and Maxima stepped up? The respect was practically instantaneous. Even knowing that his entire mission was just an excuse to restart the war, he stepped up and decided to try and make it a reality. And when that failed, he came back to Eorzea and kept trying. How could he not like this man? It doesn't hurt that he's generally soft-spoken and a bit awkward in his own way, it's nice to have a friend who knows how tightknit the little neighbourhood communities in Garlemald are and understands how it's possible to love the country and the people and hate what the politicians have turned it into. They're really good friends, and Maxima is one of the people Gentian turns to when he needs to get away from the chaotic world of the Scions and just be himself.

Gaius van Baelsar

Of all the people to turn rogue, Gaius van Baelsar is the last on pretty much everyone's list. Which just goes to show how much he regrets what Lahabrea used him to do, he supposes. It's nice to have such a reliable (terrifying) ally out helping remove the Ascians from the equation, but there's just too much baggage on Gentian's end for them to ever be friends. Allies, though? Yes, that he can do. (And he absolutely makes time for Allie and the sons 'adopted' by van Varro. They none of them deserved his bullshit.)

[motivationisdead]

I know I normally ramble on about MDZS on here but today I’m going to ramble on about Naruto and you guys are my unwilling captives.

So, first things first. Naruto has a lot of nostalgic value to me as I’m sure it does to a lot of other people. And I had a lot of fun watching it which is why I’m now going to enjoy putting it under a microscope. So spoiler warning if people haven’t seen Naruto or Shippuden.

Most of the issues I have with the story are in Shippuden and are compounded by just how good Naruto was setting up to be early on but I do have some issues with the first part as well.

The handling of Naruto’s and Sasuke’s relationship is one of those things for me. It felt very… forced? Or rushed? To me? I could see the progression of Naruto beginning to grow fond of Sasuke and building a rapport with him but at no point did I understand or relate to what drove Naruto to have such an attachment to him.

And maybe that’s just because I was never Sasuke’s biggest fan. I could be (probably am) biased. But the only way I can make sense of it in my mind is just by chalking it up to Naruto’s complete unwillingness to give up on anyone—not Sasuke specifically. And maybe also the result of some attachment issues on Naruto’s part.

(Though I would have payed to see what it would have looked like if Naruto was forced to give up on Sasuke or forced to kill him and how that would have affected him. A lot of missed opportunities there.)

Ironically though most of the things I like about the Naruto series are the things Shippuden threw out the window by the end.

I really like a lot of the fight scenes in Naruto because more than anything else they had to be clever when they fought and constantly deceive their opponent. It felt like a fight between ninja because they constantly had to be two steps ahead of their opponent. Zabuza vs. Kakashi and briefly against Sasuke and Naruto kept me on the edge of my seat because I never knew what was coming. I rewatched Shikamaru’s fights more than anyone else’s in the series because it was utterly fascinating to watch him play 3D chess with an opponent that was more often than not still on checkers. Every move was thought out and every battle a mind game.

By the end of Shippuden most of the fights were boiled down to ‘throw bigger chakra blasts at each other’. And make no mistake, I cheered as hard as anyone else when I was swept up in the moment. But I’ve also never thought about those fights ever again because there was nothing mentally stimulating enough to make me go back to them.

The beginning of Naruto was about impressing how harsh the reality of being a shinobi was against Naruto’s more idealistic view. It was Naruto having to accept the truth of his life while still holding onto his convictions. It was Naruto seeing how the ninja world broke people—Haku seeing himself as a tool; Tsunade, despite being one of the greatest ninja’s and healers to live, off drinking and gambling with a crippling fear of blood because everyone she loved died; Neji being oppressed by his own clan; Naruto and Gaara suffering as their villages’ biggest secret and weapon—and becoming determined to fix it. Naruto and his ideals were always constantly being challenged just be virtue of how the shinobi system worked.

And it was great to watch! The set up was all there. And yet a lot of what should have been big pay offs never really came through or had satisfying conclusions by the end of the series—instead focusing on Naruto’s relationship with Sasuke. Outside of some flashbacks the internal strife of the Hyuuga is never brought up again. Naruto gets a cop out for achieving world peace because the Nations need to unite anyway against a common enemy. Naruto and Gaara’s friendship is one of the best things in the series honestly though I do wish they got more time to just, idk, hang out.

And I’ll be honest, Naruto was interesting because nothing about their lives was ever really as clean and simple as Naruto seemed to think it was at first. In the first part the biggest overarching enemy was always the shinobi system and how it effected individuals. And then that all gets brushed away in favor of bullshit chakra goddess to never really be addressed again? Boo. Boring.

I dislike how Naruto and Kurama’s relationship was built even though deeply I enjoyed watching their partnership. Most of Naruto’s interactions with Kurama consisted of him either demanding or taking his power (and Kurama trying to manipulate him in turn) aside from, what, Naruto throwing out one line about helping Kurama someday? Wtf. I would’ve told Naruto to go fuck himself.

Naruto showed Kurama basic empathy once and Kurama’s down to be nice after a whole flashback about how humans only want to use him? As Naruto uses Kurama’s chakra—that he took by force and without permission? What, no. In what world does that progression to “mutual” partnership make any sense. There is literally nothing on this earth that could convince me that this makes any kind of sense no matter how fun of a team they make while working together. If anything I think this is just Kurama finally developing Stockholm Syndrome.

I hated the Indra and Ashura plot line for Naruto and Sasuke because it felt like it completely undermined all the blood, sweat, and tears Naruto and Sasuke had to spill to even get the scraps of a relationship they had when they were younger and how hard it was for them to get there.

The chakra goddess plot line was boring and I honestly having else to say about it. I literally fast forwarded through those episodes okay? It just… did nothing for me. I could not have cared less about it.

I hated every romance in that show except Asuma’s and Kurenai’s and I honestly think that’s just because they were shown so little before Asuma died that Kishimoto had next to no way to fuck it up.

Okay, and with that out of the way here’s the things I actually like about Shippuden.

Asuma’s death and how they handled it and Shikamaru’s growth from it was absolutely perfect. It reminded me what I liked so much about Naruto before. It was tragic and heartbreaking and revenge was sweet. And Shikamaru eventually helping Naruto cope with Jiraiya’s death was also really nice touch.

Shikamaru period. He’s one of the characters that got the most development that made sense in the entire show. I was more interested in him than I was in anything else happening in that show honestly. Him realizing the responsibility that came with leading people after becoming a chunin and seeing people get hurt on his orders and vowing to do better—it was perfect. Him looking out for Kurenai after Asuma died and their kid—perfection. Shikamaru’s growth from being unmotivated and uninterested in being a ninja to the competent shinobi we see later is fantastic.

I really liked Sakura’s reintroduction as a competent medic-nin that could punt people through walls until Kishimito fell back into the habit of sidelining her with an occasional side of Bad Decision Making. I was hyped when she was treating Kankuro. Literally vibrating in my seat at the character growth she showed.

I really like the Akatsuki and all it’s colorful members. I could watch a show just about them. I even liked Obito being revealed as a shadow leader even if I thought their entire masterplan was stupid and shouldn’t have existed.

I really liked Pein’s attack on Konoha and how absolutely devastating that would have been if Kishimoto hadn’t been a coward and actually left people dead. I still stand by that even if I was ecstatic to have Kakashi back. If we see them die-die then they should stay dead.

And… yeah. I think that’s everything. And none of my negative points stopped me from finding enjoyment in the series. I had a lot of fun writing this though and of course everyone’s entitled to their own opinion about the show. Things I hated someone else might have loved.

[talesfromaurea]

Writerly Question Tag

I saw this on my dash and decided to yoink it. Consider this an open tag if you wanna do it too!

About You

When did you start writing?

I wrote my first book when I was around 6 years old. It was a picture book (illustrated by yours truly) about a dog going on a walk lmao

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

My favorite books to read are nonfiction and I write fantasy. In the realm of other fiction genres though, I enjoy reading sci-fi, historical fiction, and thrillers

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you’re often compared?

I don't think anyone has ever compared my writing to someone else's. There are many authors I admire but none that I consciously try to emulate or look up to specifically.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)?

The couch in my living room tbh. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll put on a wax melt.

What’s your most effective way to muster up some muse?

Music

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

Maybe in the sense that I was stuck in boring suburbia so I was always dreaming of fantastical adventures 😅

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Groups of misfits becoming friends, shape shifting and/or monstrous aspects of the self are probably the two big ones. And no they don't surprise me at all haha

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

I love all my babies equally (but it's Sakrattars - my know-it-all dickhead elf who falls into an anxious spiral)

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

Maybe Kaja, since she's so easy to get along with? Otherwise probably none of them tbh...

Which characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

Probably Sakrattars lmao we're too similar and I think it would Cause Problems

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

Honestly they just kind of kick down the door in my head and introduce themselves. And when I come up with new ideas about them, they will absolutely let me know whether it suits them or not

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

Loneliness (that eventually becomes friendship!)

How do you picture your characters?

Your Writing

What’s your reason for writing?

I am plagued by visions

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

I love when people tell me how they felt reading certain scenes or passages. But really any type of comment is a good comment (unless you're just being rude)

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work?

Do not perceive me please 😅 I just want to tell you a story

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Characters and dialogue. Luckily my partner's strengths are world-building and plotting so it turns out ✌

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

Characters, dialogue, descriptions

How do you feel about your own writing?

There's always room for growth, but it suits me fine

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

Probably, like 80% of my writing has never seen another pair of eyeballs before so yeah lol

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy?

I write for me lmfao. Y'all can read it too sometimes, but my target audience is definitely me

[yukikorogashi]

I know we have sent each other so much in the last few days, so I won't make this super long, because I know I could go on for days and days. Becky, you're such a wonderful friend to have and I am so lucky that we decided to connect the way we did way back when --- when we decided to become friends beyond little positive memes. Since then, I have enjoyed endless conversations with you and so many fun stories ( some making us holler in audacity ), but all the same. These are experiences that I am so grateful for and I know you are always going to be someone I think of when I think of my history of writing on this hell site. You have worked so hard and gone through so much --- and overcome so much. I am so very proud of you, my friend. And I mean that, 100%, from the heart. I can't tell you how proud I am of all your work now and the way you push out these projects while still finding time to write. You are a marvel, my friend. Never let anyone put your light out --- you are stronger than anyone will ever know. I hope you know that. Thank you so much for your presence in my life, and the lives of all who know you. Know that we appreciate you and I, for one, am incredibly grateful for your friendship and existence in my life. Happy New Year, Becky ! Stay strong, my friend !

2022 is coming to an end!

   AEHAWUEH GIIIIIRL YOU SAID IT! I love how we’ve just been cannonball-ing love at one another over these last few days though! 😭❤️ Though I once again feel like I will never be able to express how much I appreciate you, no matter how much I blabber off, hahah! But yeah, it’s honestly been so fun catching up like that, and once again it makes me look forward to us interacting more this 2023! Ahh you are such a dear, always spoiling me with all this love! I don’t know what I did to deserve it, but oh lord my heart can’t take it sometimes awewah!!!

   I am so happy whenever we get the chance to chat again, like you said-- we have so much to share with one another and it-- feels so, so nice to just feel so comfortable around one another and open up to each other like this. ESPECIALLY with all the horrors that we have INDEED been through, WHEW! I truly appreciate the listening ear that you are always so ready to give me. And I hope you know my side is always open for when you need the same, along with all the hugs thrown in there. 

   And please-- the inspiring one is you! The incredible works that I still see you write on here, especially with how much you gotta do offline-- will always floor me. Leave me in absolute awe of your writing prowess (And of course the endless amount of love and passion that you have and are so able to easily show in all that you do). I know how tired you are, how much you yourself deal with on your end... and yet you are still going, GOING SO HARD AT IT ALL! STAYING SO DAMN STRONG, I swear you are actually a superhuman at times! And not to mention, the ability to make others feel so loved and appreciated, making them feel welcomed and that they actually belong here... you are truly one of the few gems that make this hellsite worth coming back to, again and again.

   Happy New Year, my dear friend! I am once more so honored to know you and call you my friend. And I hope you will always know just how much I love, admire and appreciate you. No matter how quiet I may seem at times-- know just how hard I will always be rooting for you. How loudly I am actually screaming for your success, just like I had at the MMA fights, AUEHAWU!!! I was actually that loud despite how everyone around me were cheering and yelling too, apparently I embarrassed some folks around me, 8I Thank you so much, for all that you do. For continuing to be in my corner of the ring. For always being so understanding and loving and supportive towards me... You are a treasure, Ash. One of the greatest treasures this world’s ever’d seen. ❤️

@galaxycrxss ❤️💕❤️

[lostinwoods]

We always keep on talking about Naruto's pain. His agony over losing Sasuke, his anger over not being able to get him back and his bone deep sorrow over losing him over and over again.

But we don't really get much to appreciate Sasuke's side of the story. I am a huge sucker for his pov. Though my greatest disappointment with Kishi is his decision to show only so many limited thoughts of Sasuke.

We need to appreciate more of how Sasuke had to leave the true happiness he had found with Naruto and fulfill his 'responsibilities towards his clan'.

Sasuke's pain everytime he saw the person who can bring him peace and give him happiness and know that he had to crush him with his own hands. Naruto I believe, represented a physical embodiment of happiness, hope, desire, love and friendship for Sasuke. So killing Naruto to him was synchronous to killing his heart, his emotions. Which in turn would have made me into a colder individual and he would not feel much pain submerging himself into mindless and hopeless pain.

Naruto was like an anchor to him, acting like a signpost (Itachi himself had mentioned this to Sasuke) and Sasuke who only knew his brother as a guiding figure and then gave that position upto Naruto must have felt really lost and aimless.

Sasuke's strong conviction towards killing Naruto was such a huge emotional turmoil to Sasuke that he, even after trying so many times had always stopped at the end (even after blowing Naruto's arm off he looked like he had lost half of himself).

It had also been mentioned once that seperating himself from Naruto was like cutting half of himself off. This is such a painful thing to go through.

And especially when the one you are trying to ruthlessly stop loving loves you back to death. I am honestly surprised Sasuke had not gone completely insane after going through all this.

Finding your perfect life and cutting yourself away from it is the hardest. Having to kill the one you love is the most painful and wanting to go through all this because you had been burdened by a destiny that you had not even wanted is the cruelest.

Sasuke did all the above and still some people hate him. I will never understand why. And all this is only a fraction of what he went through.

For me, Sasuke was the one who suffered the most. We think of Nart's side only because we had seen it. And honestly I don't think I would be mentally prepared to view Sas's side, ever.