#hopefully this is semi-coherent

[zackmartin]

hiiii 🎁 i love you ok bye <3

(sorry sorry i'm dealing with a lot of health stuff so i haven't been logging on much and when I have I've only had the spoons to Lurk™️ for a few minutes)

UMMM, HI??? HELLO???? LSDKJFSLKDJ I wanna articulate how much i love this but my brain just,,,,, 😍💕💓💖💗💞💝💘🥰😍💕💓💖💗💞💝💘🥰😍💕💓💖💗💞💝💘🥰😍💕💓💖💗💞💝💘🥰😍💕💓💖💗💞💝💘🥰

(also like, not to get fake deep over a playlist but. the way this matches my exact vibe?? like i'm pretty sure there's not a single song I don't like??? which is truly hard to accomplish because i'm super picky and set in my ways when it comes to music ladskjf)

anyway ummm, i love you with my whole heart and I WOULD lay down my life for you 💕

[lynsstrange]

i think one of the things the pjo show has understood the best so far is specifically the isolation and insecurities that come with being neurodivergent, and how it reflects onto percy. the book touches on it a lot, but i think rick really wanted to push percy's own internal struggles more obviously to the forefront for the show.

Percy references again and again how inattentive and zoned out he is constantly, and how he blames himself for being stuck in his own world. He feels crazy and misjudged by everyone around him just for having what everyone else presumes is a very active imagination, hyperactivity, and a brain that works differently. and when people do acknowledge his differences, even attempting to spin them positively to him, like Sally and "Mr. Brunner," it only makes him feel worse, because again the only thing they can tell him is that he's "special," inherently other, something he's come to associate with being an embarrassing and shameful thing, with Nancy calling him "special" as an insult. I've seen "special" thrown at nd kids as an insult by their peers over and over again since I was little. So Percy can't help but believe it's a negative thing, no matter what the adults that do support him in his life try to tell him, because it's been internalized that he's just different in a way that's bad and inferior, and that that there's a reason he's lonely and troubled and delinquent. Even if it was a positive thing, like Sally and "Mr. Brunner" insist to him, he feels inherently isolated and confused and wrong in the mortal world for being different, and like there's nothing that can change that or make him normal.

We see Percy break down in front of Sally after being expelled about how he's terrified something's irrevocably wrong inside him now. And his immediate reaction of rage and confusion when the only thing she can tell him, once again, is that he's special. And I think that is really going to resonate with a generation of nd people who've experienced these types of scenarios.

[sassypantsjaxon]

Kurogiri is not Aizawa's villain to take down

he never was, and he never will be, if for no other reason than because Horikoshi hadn't decided what to do with Kurogiri when he was first introduced.

Kurogiri and Shigaraki are the only two villains that we're introduced to at USJ who are part of the final war. because Horikoshi hasn't figured out Kurogiri yet There's nothing between Kurogiri and Aizawa. They did not recognize each other then. At all. There's nothing there. This is later confirmed at Tartarus, when Aizawa and Mic are told the truth about Shirakumo and Kurogiri.

Horikoshi likes foreshadowing. If he had intended for Kurogiri to have been Aizawa's childhood friend from the start, there would have been some sort of hint of it back then. Okay, so then when did he decide on Kurogiri's origins? Probably by the time we got the remedial training arc, because that's the first time we really get Mic as a character. Granted, we don't get a whole lot of insight into him, because he's not the focus of the plot. But we do get some glimpses of who he is. He's smart and sarcastic and weird and doesn't seem to like conflict or at least awkward conversations and most importantly Aizawa trusts him.

Mic is Aizawa's other childhood friend, of course he trusts him- No. It's not just that. Here's the thing. Mic and Aizawa and Shirakumo are so intrinsically tied together that when we first learn of Shirakumo-through their memories-they are both present in each other's memories with Shirakumo.

Mic had to be allowed to become a full character because he was going to be part of Kurogiri's story.

I would almost make an argument that Kurogiri is more Mic's villain than Aizawa's even. Okay? Remember how I said Kurogiri doesn't recognize Aizawa? He recognizes Mic. Or at least according to Garaki he does. He confirms that they were after Erasure, so if they were watching Aizawa back when he was a student, they should know that all three of them were friends, right? But he refers to Mic as Kurogiri's friend. Present tense. Kurogiri still knows who Mic is.

And this was confirmed back in Tartarus when they first confront Kurogiri too. This time Kurogiri recognizes them both (he only indicates that he knows Aizawa from USJ btw). Aizawa starts talking to Shirakumo, who tries responding, but he's not able to actually break through until Mic also calls out to him.

Aizawa's never able to reach Shirakumo alone. He confirms that he kept trying while they were both at central hospital, but was never able to get a response. If Kurogiri was solely Aizawa's villain, then he would have been able to get through to him then. Shirakumo would have been the heroes secret ace in the hole during the final war, there would be no need for Monoma to have learned to use warp gate. There would have been no reason to use Mic as an actual character. There would have been no reason for Aizawa to ask Mic to be at the hospital. Because again, Aizawa trusts Mic. He knows he's not able to reach Shirakumo alone and is hoping Mic can.

And he's not wrong. When it comes down to it, and Kurogiri wakes up, there's a part of Shirakumo fighting for control too. Because Mic called out to him.

Kurogiri is not Aizawa's villain. He is, at the very least, both Mic and Aizawa's villain (and maybe it's just me projecting as a Mic fan, but I'm almost inclined to believe Mic is going to play a bigger role than Aizawa in this plot) But the last time we saw any of the three of them, they were together, so we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out for them.

[oddlittlestories]

I promise I'll do a proper post about this sometime but

House was so different before the infarction, and we as a fandom don't talk about that nearly enough. His gentleness and vulnerability with Stacy (at the end of The Mistake "so what do we do now?" - in the middle of the ep with her husband). In s1e21 Three Stories, he's so gentle with Cuddy even though it was her hospital's mistake. He doesn't shout at the nurse or rail against anyone, just quietly insists on his (borderline suicidal) course of action.

Basically, the level of abrasiveness, misanthropy, etc etc that we see in the show pretty clearly (though subtly) didn't exist prior to the infarction. Is it exacerbated by the clear self-esteem issues, implied trust issues, and ofc his usual anti-authority attitude that clearly came from a lifetime of being raised by John House? Yeah.

But House could be and was vulnerable before the infarction. Sometime I'll write a post about his different life stages through the show, but tldr;

the abuse House suffered as a child was only one of the core drivers of his "walls to keep people out;" the infarction was another massive change / hit for him.

[self-spaghettification]

callum is a trojan horse s6 theory

In the event that the Novablade doesn't work on Aaravos, because .... he's already been stabbed with it, then...

Aaravos intentionally made Callum terribly afraid of him so Callum would HAVE to go to the Starscraper to kill him—so scared that he’s even doing it when he knows—and Rayla told him—it was a bad idea to bring the pearl. he just made it easier for him. the irony is wonderful. so Aaravos gets the sword, the last ingredient to his revenge on the stars, who he swears will fall.

so he's not dying at the hand of the Novablade, it's his weapon

Added thoughts from mutuals were-- Startouch elves were probably barred from entering the Starscraper for some reason, that’s why he needed to use Callum as his vessel, his Trojan horse—throwback to Fall of Lux Aurea btw, "You allowed my vessel to walk ...directly to the source of all your power?" He's done this before—anyway

Today I Realize

the intro to the show directly supports this idea

just the novablade, on screen. while the stars are falling. in aaravos’s name

in his name. the novablade is literally in his name. but also. metaphorically. likely going to be used/ the stars will be falling in his name

in the intro of a show planned out by arc, an intro set to go the rest of the arc

those bastards knew what they were doing since s4 while everyone was bashing it and they were doing this. they were doing this. isofjdsokfjlskghjoiyet4rwehsufdiggjkhlytr im so ILLLLLL

love you show creators for also making it evident it's gonna be callum/supporting my theory further because

The only other place Aaravos's desire for the stars to fall is mentioned is in Patience.

And what's right below this part that closely parallels the arc 2 intro?

Ziard, Viren, and Callum. in S6, Claudia is also likely interacting with Aaravos. (S6 poster) so...why isn’t she here? Only Callum and Viren are here. Could it be because they’re fulfilling such similar roles?

After the end of s5, we know Viren is likely not the main player in Aaravos's game now, not an option (in one way or another) so

next up as Trojan horse / vessel…

Yeah

so excited for hearts of cinder 2: epic fail: so good at "hero" stuff he accidentally doomed the world

[tumblezwei]

I may have asked this before but do you think Ruby & Yang are more ruthless than their teammates?

Yang while not happy to have killed seems fine with processing it and moving on. Ruby will extend a hand but when its slapped away she's quick to go for the throat.

This isn't a critique, in truth I find it extremely interesting.

Hmmmmm

It might partially be due to their upbringing as huntresses in training. Compared to Weiss, who had a lot of technical skill but very little practical experience, the two were exposed to the world of huntsmen and the violence that naturally stems from it.

Blake was similarly exposed to violence from a young age, but I think how they compare to her is Blake's sense of guilt and responsibility. Not to say Ruby and Yang don't feel responsible or anything, but Blake has spent a lot of her youth doing things she regrets, so she's more hesitant to forgive herself and slower to anger. At least in my opinion lmao.

It's why we see Blake asking Yang if they did the right thing by killing Adam. They did, and Yang knows that and says as such, but Blake being the person that she is still needs that reassurance.

In the end I think it's not so much that Ruby and Yang are less... compassionate? Merciful? And more that their teammates have arcs and backgrounds that focus a lot more on personal empathy.

[saturnskyline]

i was rewatching hospital scene, our beloved, and realized that for someone who lost everything, vegas actually won the most in the end. his father is dead, he is free from doing the job he hated, he has pete and macau, and a happy hospital ending. he can build a new life, read books, learn to cook and spend time with his family, and heal from the abuse.

meanwhile we have unhappy kim and chay, porsche who became everything he hated in some ways (he did found his mom and kinn at least), and as far from his beach bar dream as possible, kinn who is still just a chessboard piece (got porsche though) and not that happy about his job either if episode 6 tells us anything. so in the end "the villain" got the best outcome? kinnporsche is insane?

nonnie you are SO RIGHT. the way that vegas hits rock bottom and still sorta wins in the end?? very not normal about it 😭 i also really love the nuance of the ending overall. kinnporsche slaying as Mafia Boyfriends™, but ultimately trapped by korn (always emo about the beach bar.. just terrible), kimchay being miserable with their unresolved issues, despite being the couple that arguably has the least baggage (? i mean it's still a lot though) .... meanwhile beloved hospital family, dysfunctional as it is, gets to end on a pretty positive note! vegas is alive, for one, and as you pointed out, he has pete and macau and is free from his horrible father! so yeah, lots of unexpectedly good stuff going on there <333

now, obviously our dear family's situation isn't perfect - vegas still has to cope with his life being turned upside down, and while they're supposedly "out" of the mafia, it's hard to know what korn has planned for these three in the future. and sure, all of them have LOADS of trauma to work through, what with the torture and the abusive fathers, etc. but what i really love about the happy moments throughout the series is how they exist in spite of all the darkness. against all odds, these people have survived and gotten to spend, at the very least, a peaceful moment with each other. the "antagonist" of the story (if kinn is to be read as the "protagonist", that is) gets the chance to start anew with the people he loves most. and wow, isn't that just something?

one more thing, since i'm incapable of shutting up about this: i will never be over just how completely the show sold me on vegaspete. all the pieces just came together, and by the time we got to the finale, it was insane how cathartic and satisfying that hospital scene really was. so much has been said about this already, but i still can't believe the extent to which i fell in love with these freaks... and by that i mean occasionally disregarding the main couple (the literal name of the show????) in the second half of their arc and wanting to skip back to the deeply toxic, painful, walking-daddy-issues-in-a-trenchcoat pairing. (not like kp doesn't have any problems.. but c'mon lol.) anyway, i guess what i'm trying to say is that, while i never anticipated this, i'm really quite happy to be here 😅😅

[outeremissary]

kasperia character journal please? 👀

Hi Romeo! Sorry this is a lil late (days later edit: now a lot late), time kind of stopped functioning for part of Friday, hahhh . Anyway some good luck on this one being the only one I have screenshots from while my laptop hangs between this world and the next! (days later edit: it's actually dead forever) Anyway, this was admittedly a bit of a cheat because it is a tabletop character journal, but it's a WIP to me and I like working on it. Counts!

Anywayyyy. I don't think it's actually been said on Tumblr at this point, but Kasander and Asperia are two parts of a dissociative identity disorder system (I don't know if this is too jargon-y an explanation...?). Not the only two, but the two who interface the most with the outside world and in some ways have the strongest feelings about "Asperia's" life. In tabletop, their journal is how they communicate with one another to mitigate the effects of losing time and to get some sense of coordination with what they're doing. On a meta level, it helps me track what each of them knows about game events and how they feel about each other (and any other alter who adds something to the journal). Relationships within the system aren't really something that generally makes sense to externalize into regular RP. The journal is a helpful way to develop that running self-exploration side plot without derailing what's happening in session.

It's been a really fun exercise in character voice. I love writing epistolary type stuff- Carmen's mission report character journal was one of my favorite parts of playing her back in 2019- so it's been very relaxing to me. Excited for our hiatus to end to gather more material for it. I've gotten a little off track from some original plans though- one significant concept I'd had going in was that Kasander's parts of the journal are written as direct letters to Asperia, while Asperia's were supposed to be written as a diary as if the other pages didn't exist. Stubborn willful ignorance from someone struggling to come to terms with their reality. Unfortunately, it's very fun to write things that are a little bit more communicative ^^;; I'll probably have to rewrite pieces of recent parts of the journal to be a bit more in line with that intent before adding the next chunk to our party's notes drive. Not a lot room to develop the twins' relationship over time if there's not much distance between the start and the end, after all.

With that said, some of the direct exchanges are very fun. Pros and cons.

It's also fun to think through what's tracked and what's omitted (intentionally or unintentionally). Kasander loves describing the cultural experience of a location but carefully skips mentioning having actually spent money on things. They're always on thin ice with the funds. Asperia keeps (mildly exaggerated) accounts of personal achievements but completely skips over failures, especially failures that involved injury to the body. She needs to communicate a sense of superiority- something that certainly works when Kasander apologizes profusely any time the body is hurt under their care.

(yeah it seemed like a good idea at the time to use a more "handwritten" font for the final thing but I've been having A Lot Of Regrets)

I unfortunately don't have a screenshot, but the journal has also had one small addition from Paracelsus as well. It's just a to-do list of ways to organize and restock the crafting supplies. Very typical of them. Asperia thinks he wrote it, like everything Paracelsus writes.

Also fun to get to work in some in-world explanations for things that raise some meta questions, like not having some items that I need for my character concept (I ran out of starting equipment budgettt). This bit is also consistent with the pattern that Asperia avoids referring to Kasander by name.

How common the two of them actually sabotaging each other's possessions is has yet to truly be established, but it is an aspect of what the party thaumaturge refers to as their "feud."

Pros over BG3: they are aware of and communicating each other, and they didn't have to have five near death experiences for it to happen. Yay!

Cons over BG3: lot more hostility from Asperia persisting past that point. Kasander did in fact ruin their life a little.

[lumpofwhump]

Bad Things Happen Bingo: The Most Dangerous Game

Continued from this.

The worst nights, from Whumpee's perspective, were the ones when Whumper got bored. When she got bored, she drank, and when she drank, she got terrible ideas for how to keep the two of them busy. If he was lucky, she would share a bit of the foul stuff she'd brewed up with him before she got started.

"So here's what I'm thinking," she said in a slurred voice after her third or fourth cup one night. "You wanna get out of here so bad? Heh, maybe I should let you try."

"Whumper, I-I couldn't, my hands are still -" Whumpee started, knowing full well that this would end in yet more pain.

She pressed a strong hand over his mouth to silence him. "Hey, hey, shut up and listen, I'm not done yet. So, how about this, you get a head start, and the farther you make it, the less bad it'll go for you."

Whumpee gulped. Less bad. Not even better. "Maybe tomorrow?" he ventured once she had let go of his face. "At night the rocks can be -"

"Did I ask for your thoughts, you piece of shit?" Whumper demanded, slamming her newly-filled cup onto the wooden table, causing Whumpee to flinch. So get going. If I catch you in less than an hour, you'll be hanging by your wrists from the railing tonight."

Whumpee skittered back toward the stairs in wide-eyed terror, already remembering how much pain he'd been in after a single hour of such treatment only a few months before.

Maybe if he hid somewhere in the lighthouse itself, he could wait her out…

But no, there were only so many places to hide, and he couldn't depend on her to fall asleep before an hour had passed.

"Here," Whumper called over to him before he could leave, tossing her bottle carelessly in his direction. He winced and caught it in his still-healing hands before it could shatter against his face. "Liquid courage. Gods know you don't have enough of the other sort."

Whumpee flushed with humiliation but took a couple of swigs, telling himself that it was only for warmth. He set the bottle down on a ledge near the stairs, not trusting himself to have the aim to toss it back. Missing would be a quick way to find himself hanging outside for the night.

As prepared as he could be, he stepped out of the lighthouse into the chilly fall night and headed in the direction opposite of where the light shone down. He carefully made his wy down to the freezing water, biting back yelps and whimpers as his burnt, peeling hands made contact with the jagged rocks. The waves crashed loudly against the outcropping, and water soaked through his thin shirt as he reached its edge.

Staring into the water, he wished he'd thought of a better plan.

Stay safe, his friend had signaled him some weeks back. I'll find you.

If he'd found some way to signal them back somehow before he'd left, he mignt not be in this position.

Without any other option, though, he forced himself into the freezing water, gasping in shock as it rose up to his neck. He thought about turning back then and there, but the only thing worse than swimming in the cold would have been hanging outside in it from scalded wrists while soaked.

He had made it only twenty feet out into the water when he heard a plop next to him. He looked over to see a sharp object bobbing next to him, connected to a chain and leading back to a figure staggering on the rocks.

"You're not gonna make it a full hour like that, Whumpee!" Whumper shouted after him as she pulled what looked to be a double-sided hook back toward the shore. When Whumpee realized what she was holding, he frantically paddled further out into the water, doing his best to ignore the pain of the salt in his recent burns.

Despite his best efforts, Whumper's next harpoon shot speared through the back of his lower right leg. He thrashed wildly, opening his mouth to scream only for water to flood into his mouth. His struggling only intensified as he felt the chain attached to the hook tighten, pulling him back to shore. Finally he kicked himself free of the thing, cutting the bottom of his left foot in the process with a squeal of pain.

Fueled by pure adrenaline, he propelled himself out further into the ocean and out of Whumper's range, or so he hoped. This burst of energy didn't last long under the barrage of waves and pain. He looked around frantically for any option other than returning to shore to face Whumper.

Then he saw it. The remains of the ship that had crashed onto the rocks a couple weeks ago lay half-submerged against another, smaller bit of jagged land poking out from the sea. He paddled with dwindling speed and coordination toward the open cavity of wood, finally grasping its edge and pulling himself inside while trying to ignore the splinters that sank into his fingers.

He bit down on the front of his shirt to stop his whimpers of pain at his newest wounds, and rather than standing on the creaky solid remains of the ship, he lay on them sideways at the water's shallowest point. Still, he knew he couldn't have escaped so easily. Whumper would find him eventually, even if she had to wait until daybreak. And there was no getting to the other lighthouse now, nor to its keeper.

So he waited, until he heard the splash of a paddle breaking water. He immediately scrambled deeper into the wreck, biting down through his shirt and into his lower lip in an effort not to scream. When he turned to look from his newer, better hidden vantage point, he saw that sure enough, it was Whumper in a small wooden boat, harpoon at the ready. His leg and foot twinged at the memory of what it could do, and he did his best to remain perfectly still.

Whumper took a look around as she stepped off into the wreck, hardly as steady on her feet as she would usually be. Whumpee trembled where he knelt, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Hmm," Whumper said, before abruptly raising and shooting her harpoon into the wood mere feet above Whumpee's head before pulling it back. Whumpee couldn't hold back a yelp, causing Whumper to train both her gaze and her aim on him and start forward.

Whumpee pulled himself farther back into the portion of the ship that had flooded, his burning hands now having to do all the work as the pain in his legs grew worse.

Under the water, he could see a hole leading out to the other side of the ship. If he could get there…

Then what?

A shot of the harpoon grazed his flank, and he shrieked in agony as it pulled back coated in his blood.

"Time to go home, Whumpee. You made it a good hour and a half," Whumper called out.

Whumpee shoved his head back underwater to stop himself from screaming and clumsily made for the hole. Another harpoon shot hit the wood next to the hole, luckily for him tearing it open wider.

He pulled himself through the opening before Whumper had enough time to take another shout, paddling with his arms for as long as he could underwater before coming up for air.

He was farther out now, without any way back to shore even if he'd wanted to. Exhausted and defeated despite his narrow escape, he absently wondered if he'd bleed out or drown first, hoping that one or the other happened before Whumper could find him.

Without thinking, he crawled up onto, and halfway into, a broken barrel floating near the ship and curled up, holding himself despite his side's screams of protest. He was too cold to care.

He distantly registered a boat approaching, but he couldn't bring himself to care. After all, the moon was smiling down at him and the barrel's movement was soothing, like being gently rocked into his last sleep.

Are you alright?

He didn't answer.

Here, let's get you home.

Hah, that was a good one.

He let out a weak laugh as gentle hands lifted him out of the water and laid his shivering form carefully down onto the wood floor of a small sailboat.

I told you I'd find you, didn't I?

…Caretaker?

--

Tags (Let me know if you want me to add or remove you!)

@skinofafish

@whumpsday

@whither-wander-whump

@brutal-nemesis

@badthingshappenbingo

[just-some-guy-joust]

for future polls, if you want a tiesweep it HAS to be a perfect tie. witchs heart and orv characters were allowed to go together because they had the circumstances of Both Their Characters Against Each Other Round 1. round 2 is different. i can say there will be at least one match up of characters from the same fandom round 2, but they both managed to survive round 1 so they won't be given the chance to sweep together. i find it more entertaining, and still fair, this way

[whysamwhy123]

What if I wrote about Shayna pegging Christian #Feminism #GirlBoss #PegThePatriarch(y)

[maimingkillingiii]

I feel bad that’s your first ask now- HAISJS! So, your top Saw characters? With reasons if you want to include.

OUGHHHH I can’t keep putting off answering this ask. This is so so hard for me. It would be easier to answer my favorite movie in the franchise (LYING). Anyway.

Obviously Amanda is my Number One Pookie of All Time. Blorbo Supreme. She’s just so cool. I don’t just like her because “teehee, make two women kiss” (although we love playing with characters like dolls). She just has so much going on and it breaks my heart but it also makes me feel seen, which now that I say it may be the biggest red flag any human has ever admitted to in the history of the universe (being facetious).

I know I post a lot about Saw women (or at least rb a lot of posts about Saw women), but I don't want to say that any of them are "favorites" (except Amanda because that's just such a basic thing to say). I cannot form a coherent thought about any one of them and I feel gross if I think about them for more than approximately four seconds at a time (these conditions are related, and are probably also related to “teehee, make two women kiss,” but we aren’t unpacking that today). Also a lot of them got super fumbled as characters (if they were even that developed) which pains me and I don’t have hope that they’ll ever stop (although I can dream). But yeah, while I'm sure I could probably tier-list all of the Saw women and maybe write essays about several of them if given a couple of days, I don't feel confident in my abilities to claim any of them as favorites (aside from Amanda, who I did write an essay about for one of my classes many semesters ago.)

Wow, short list. Okay, uhhhh… Adam and Lawrence? They are a set, do not separate. Without them there is no Saw. They at least deserve a mention. I cannot write an essay about them, but I don’t need to because that’s why we have Ao3 I guess?

There are plenty of other characters I like for one reason or another (often silly reasons, like "they're pathetic" or "they said the realest one-liners") but I genuinely cannot think of them which is so sad 💔 smh all these fake Saw fans on tumblr dot com (me) (this is a joke)

These are the most basic opinions anyone has ever had. I'm sure if I really put my mind to it I could pull some truly wild choice for favorite character out of my skull, but I am so so lazy and I just don't want to put in the effort to saying that like, Troy from Saw 3 is my favorite character (he's not, but you get what I'm saying.)

[sun-marie]

Thinking about bg3. And the prevalent themes of being taken advantage of by trusted authority figures and stuff. BG3 spoilers ahead.

Nearly every companion in this game is suffering from being taken advantage of, often by someone they trusted. Some, like Karlach with Gortash, Astarion with Cazador, and Wyll with Mizora, feel it keenly, so so keenly. They can't escape from that betrayal and the consequences of said betrayal are ever present and devastating.

Others, like Shadowheart and Lae'zel, have yet to realize the dangerous way they have/are being manipulated, and when we meet them are utterly devoted to Shar and Vlaakith respectively. The nature of these relationships changes depending on the direction of your game.

Then... there's Gale.

Seemingly the odd one out. The Wizard Prodigy with the tragic flaw of hubris, carrying in him a physical, permanent consequence and reminder of his failure. Because what he did was wrong. Right? He tried to please Mystra, his goddess and his lover, by committing something unthinkable, and in his mind he is being rightfully punished for it.

Except. Why was Mystra, the goddess of magic itself, in such a relationship with a mortal in the first place?

Gale's relationship to this concept of being taken advantage of is so interesting to me, because for the most part it is much more subtle compared to some of the other companions, and much of it is left up to to player interpretation. Because, yeah, ultimately it was his mistake, but when you hear him speak it almost sounds like he was *primed* to make such a mistake, to think he could handle something like the Karsite Weave. (He gives me big big "gifted child left with no true support system bc they're seen as being able to handle themselves at too early an age" energy)

He shares in common with Karlach that unlike the other companions, who *are* being taken advantage of, Gale and Karalch *were* taken advantage of. Past tense, over and done. And in both cases, the one with the power in the relationship (Mystra and Gortash) go on their merry way, basically unaffected, while the one without power (Gale and Karlach) are left holding the bag.

Mystra also differs in how she's presented by the game, bc unlike the others mentioned she's presented as neutral to a fault. But she wields her forgiveness like a weapon, and she manipulates Gale to make him fee like *she's* the one who truly suffered for his prideful crime, he *deserves* all the pain that's come from it, and that he *owes* it to her to just die. For her. And for the most part, she isn't *wrong* per say, she just pushes it very far. Farther then someone who had Gale's best interests at heart would.

And I just. I find it interesting.

[whattanerd]

I have a theory about how the golden apples breaking the soulbond works, as others have pointed out it cant be because of the regen as pearl had a suspicious stew with regen and it didn’t do anything. I think its cos golden apples give you the two extra golden hearts when you eat them. however that would only be for you as a player, theres no way of making that transfer over the bond to another player. if we follow this train of thought, the other person would take the same amount of damage still so if one person were to eat a golden apple and take 10 hearts of damage, their soulmate would die because that’s their whole health bar but the golden apple person would still have 2 hearts left, thus their bond is broken.

[official-raihan]

I've made a facts/about thing, links are on blog and the pinned post

[mysacredmuse]

more about loser in love Aventurine <3 (hopefully this is more articulated, last thing I wrote was literally a 2 minute brainstorm with no coherency lol), kinda a mix of pre-relationship and loser in love bf Aventurine :3 of course, this is all lovingly and lighthearted :)

let me know if you'd like more or share your own thoughts! also, I want to write a bit about soft bf! Aventurine, biting my hands so hard not to do it here because . . . thoughts are too loud

dividers by @/cafekitsune :)

Panics with no filter as soon as you are out of his sight. You could be walking down the street together when suddenly something catches your attention making you quickly run away from him. Aventurine will literally freeze for a moment, anxious eyes looking for you as the only thing that slips past his lips is "where are you? where did you go?" as he turns his head around hoping for the best. As he finally spots you, a huge sigh of relief leaves his body. He would scold you with such seriousness, how dare you leave him behind without a word? He isn't a babysitter to watch your every move, so try and behave!

As soon as you reply to him, explaining that you don't need a babysitter, fully capable of taking care of yourself and that he is just an overreacting drama king...he just gasps. How dare you ruin his only method of making himself seem semi-normal? Anyhow, he ignores your rationality and the fact you are not dependent on him in a way that he is on you, in the process making a new decision - as this happens...a lot, he decides to use it as an oppprtunity and a lame excuse for you to hold his hand every time you go out together.

He tries to act like it's not a big deal, but internally he is all over the place as the two of you walk holding hands. (he will get teased for this years later)

He is also a needy for attention type of loser with no personal space who texts you all the time. When he isn't texting, he would call you anytime he can, which seems to be a lot. Even if there is nothing to have a conversation about, he is just asking the same questions...over and over again.

"so, what are you doing?"

"mhm, have you eaten?"

"how are you feeling?"

"mhm, is there anything new going on?"

"mm, sooooo, what are you doing?"

"that sounds fun! anyways, do you miss me?"

You can swear that he kicks his feet anytime you talk over the phone or text. But when you explain to him that you don't have to talk to each other all the time, he is slightly offended and sassy. What do you mean by that? Are you bored of him? Is he simply not worth your time anymore? Fine...he will stop doing it so much. . .for about 2 hours perhaps (his personal record! are you proud?) and then he will continue in his old ways.

Don't be mistaken, he does understand that you need your own time and if you put up a genuine boundary he will certainly respect it. It's just that when it's more playful and chill time, he uses it to the fullest because he is a needy man.

Bonus: Aventurine loves sending you videos that remind him of you or the two of you, especially those little cute animals videos where they cuddle, the little art videos and those adorable encouraging pics (definitely not a loser for this, just thought it was cute as hell)

Bonus 2: anytime you send him a picture of yourself, he puts it as his background. Replies "screaming crying throwing up, pls one chance pls pls pls", somehow you manage not to take it seriously which makes him even more desperately in love

Bonus 3: he saves your contact by some silly, yet cute nickname while adding 50388383 emojis and hearts (preferably the ones that are in your favorite color). He says it's a joke, but...but...well.

Desperate, pathetic, miserable, needy, so sickly in love, he absolutely NEEDS you. He can't take it.

Once you get more comfortable with each other, not even fully in a relationship, this man clings onto you like it's his last day alive. Wrapping his arms around your forearm, playing with your fingers if you are distracted, hugging you from behind anytime you stop walking (yes, even while waiting for a green light to cross the road), throwing his thigh over yours anytime you sit somewhere together, takes any chance to lay on your lap and begs you to play with his hair. He is the type of mess up something, get on his knees and hug your legs until you forgive him. He is also the type to do that...for no reason at all actually. Simply because he wants attention and he loves being close to you.

Anytime he has to go and do something by himself, you can tell how pissy he is afterwards. He walks up to you with an evident disappointment and annoyance on his face, quickly grabbing your hand as he mutters how idiotic it is to have to use the toilet. Let's not even mention when he needs to be by himself for longer periods of time.

Speaking of that, he would also question whether you missed him or not after 2 minutes of separation. You sure did? Hm, is that sarcasm? He doesn't care, he will take it as long as it confirms it. He just wants you to miss him and need him as much he misses and needs you.

Bonus (not really a loser): Now, in a relationship, Aventurine needs you to have eyes for him only as he does for you. Only him and nobody else. He wants you to want him, he needs you to need him and he must feel the desire and love you have for him. He mentions multiple times, you can do whatever you want with him however you want, if you wish to use him as a plaything for a while - he is perfectly okay with that, but the one rule he has is to be your only plaything. His desperation comes cute in certain departments, however...there is a lot of work awaiting in order to teach this man what is a healthy relationship.

He actually confesses his love for you properly when he gets sick. A mild cold, slight fever - should be gone in a few days, if not less. But no! He is certain that this is the end. Immediately sends you tons of panicky messages how you need to come see him immediately. So you do, first time taking him quite seriously.

Only to be met with his red stuffy nose twitching as he tries not to sneeze in the middle of his confession. He is so serious and determined that it makes a laugh stuck in your throat as he slowly explains himself, barely able to take deep breaths, not even looking at you. Talking about all the memories, the feelings, the thoughts he ever had with or about you.

"The only thing that I regret is that I am doing this too late."

He is so melodramatic, coughing loudly afterwards as he finishes up his actually heartwarming confession.

You can't help but giggle at the man in front of you, gently urging him to lay down, not exactly replying to his confession yet, but only mentioning how you will make him some soup and tea. He just nods, a bit exhausted from the all-nighter he pulled to come up with his excellent (miserable) confession. Next thing you know, he is fast asleep, hand mindlessly reaching for yours and as soon as he finds it - he brings it to his chest, almost hugging it. Moments like these are very special to you as he becomes more vulnerable and more himself. He will certainly get your own confession as soon as he gets better and least to say, you are the one to make the full first move since he is just...in shock the whole time. But, that's something to unpack some other time.