#how are we supposed to play the event after this

[toriaaniin]

Part III - Strategic Separation

In the wake of a year filled with whispers, photo ops, and carefully curated distance, one question keeps resurfacing: why the separation?

Not just physical separation, though we’ve certainly seen less of Luke and Nicola in the same frame. We’re talking strategic separation. One that feels deliberate. One that seems designed.

It’s not hard to notice that the Luke and Nicola of the World Tour — all shared laughter, soft glances, mirroring movements, and resonance so thick it nearly buzzed through our phones' screens — have given way to something more subdued. And it isn’t just the natural ebb and flow of a press cycle.

There’s space now. A carefully curated space. And from a branding perspective? It makes sense.

Building Individual Identities

After the World Tour — where Luke and Nicola radiated joy, emotional synchronicity, and an unmistakable intimacy — the public naturally began to see them as a unit. The chemistry was real. The affection was visible. And for many fans, it became impossible not to believe that what they were seeing went beyond promotional performance. It wasn't about Polin anymore — it was about Luke and Nicola.

But in the professional world of casting directors, studios, and brand partnerships — being seen as part of a unit can be limiting. Especially when I'm sure Luke and Nicola want to be considered for a wide range of roles, across different genres, with different emotional tones.

Enter the strategy: controlled separation.

Luke and Nicola may not be appearing together as often — but the divergence in their visibility has been striking. Since mid-2024, Nicola has been a whirlwind of professional success: major award nominations and wins, leading brand campaigns, a new agency signing, and standout solo appearances across film, TV, fashion, and activism. Luke, in contrast, has appeared sporadically — attending a few fashion events, filming White Mars, and releasing the occasional editorial photo shoot or aesthetic carousel post. While his content leans into stylized masculinity and carefully managed visuals, it’s Nicola whose work has truly spoken for itself. The space between them hasn’t just been curated — it’s been lived.

The Emotional Cost of Distance

But if it’s a strategy, it’s one with consequences. Especially for a fandom that became invested in them — not just their characters.

When you build something on resonance, on mutual affection, and on shared light, pulling that back creates confusion. Disappointment. Even grief. Many fans have felt that withdrawal acutely (I certainly have), and it’s no wonder why: we weren’t just watching two co-stars promote a show. We were witnessing connection.

And then came the SAG Awards.

February 23, 2025. For a brief moment, the curtain lifted. Luke and Nicola reunited on the red carpet, in video interviews, and in photos — and the spark, the ease, the undeniable chemistry was not just present; it was stronger than ever. Their body language, micro-interactions, and mutual glow reminded fans exactly why we'd believed in the first place. It wasn’t nostalgia — it was confirmation. And for many, it felt like coming home. How could a bond that palpable vanish so quickly?

It didn’t. But what followed was telling.

In the weeks after SAGs, the narrative shifted hard. Antonia's presence was amplified. Jake appeared more consistently in Nicola’s orbit. What had been a quiet effort to curate space now became a full-force campaign of diversion. If SAGs gave fans hope, the immediate pivot gave us whiplash.

Antonia, who seemed all but gone in the second half of 2024, reappeared suddenly — styled (on an apparent budget) and positioned like a partner, but somehow still peripheral. Their appearances feel choreographed, heavy with performance, and lacking in spontaneity. For a supposed real-life romance, it reads more like narrative filler than it does organic connection.

Jake’s presence, too, plays into the illusion of separation — his role seems ambiguous, shifting between friend, companion and platonic protector. He’s appeared alongside Nicola at multiple events: a music festival, a few movie premieres (one in NYC), the red carpet & BAFTA Nominee' party as her plus-one, even the Canneseries the other week (as an assistant?). The consistency of his presence — and the neutrality of his energy — seems less about romance and more about optics.

Together, these choices reinforce distance. They anchor the illusion that Luke and Nicola are moving on, apart, individually. But to longtime observers like us, the contrast is stark. The ease between Luke and Nicola has been replaced by a very deliberate lack of shared public presence — no photos at shared events, no joint interviews, and with the exception of that one moment caught on camera where Luke leans down to speak with Nicola in the BAFTA theatre, no casual moments caught by fans. Every appearance, every frame, every post now seems to reinforce the idea that these two no longer exist in the same narrative. It’s not just distance; it’s engineered absence.

It doesn’t just feel like a pivot. It feels like erasure. And fans feel it deeply.

When the Distance Protects Something

Still, what if the space isn’t a loss, but a shield?

There’s a version of this story where the space between Luke and Nicola isn’t about ending something — but protecting something. Where Antonia and Jake aren’t romantic players, but camouflage. Where the very lack of interaction between Luke and Nicola is the clearest indicator that the stakes are higher than we thought.

If they are together — emotionally, romantically, or even as co-parents — then they’d need space. Real space. Space to let the dust settle, to raise a child out of the spotlight, to move forward without having to perform for a fandom constantly hungry for proof.

This isn’t about denial or confirmation. It’s about looking at the shape of what we see — and noticing the negative space just as much as the presence.

The same Luke who bent his knees to greet Nicola in a hug at SAGs is still there.

Maybe we’re not meant to see Luke right now. To see their connection. And maybe… that’s the point.

But with distance comes a different kind of question — one fans have been whispering louder with each carefully curated image:

When the warmth seemingly disappears and the connection fades from view… how far does the performance go?

In my next post, we'll take a closer look at the optics — the cold moments, the strategic silence, and what happens when the man once celebrated for his heart now appears to be holding it back.

Aaniin Xxx

P.S. Find a listing of this blog post series along with short summaries of each - including those not yet published - here:

[mallory524]

Hello!

Bob meeting reader at a bookstore where they reach out for the same book and the conversation goes from there! :) The rest can be up to you!

Take your time and thank you!

(This is adorable)

something new

bob x reader

tags- thunderbolts spoilers*, occurs months after events of thunderbolts, bookstore meet cute, kiss on cheek oooo, the thunderbolts are a nervous wreck (and kinda nosy)

word count- 1513

notes- past few days have been crazy so that’s why posting has been scarce

The bookstore’s such a nice break from the loud chaotic streets Bob just walked along to get there. It’s warm and peaceful inside, and some songs that Bob recognizes are playing softly over the speakers. He could stay here for hours.

Bob walks up and down the rows, occasionally pulling out a book and sitting on the carpeted floor to read the description and maybe a chapter or two.

He’s made it to the back of the store, in the furthest corner from most of the other customers, when a book with a light blue cover and an intricate little design catches his eye. He reaches for it, but so does someone else.

He looks up to apologize and he ends up just saying nothing for a few seconds. This stranger, whose hand he’s still touching by the way, is gorgeous.

He pulls his hand away. “Sorry”

You just smile back at him. “Don’t worry about it.”

There’s another beat of silence.

Bob doesn't know exactly what to do. Why are neither of us walking away or anything? Why are we both just standing here? What am I supposed to say? I have to say something-

Luckily you break the silence for you both.

“You take it,” you say, gesturing to the book.

“Oh, uh thank you. I’m... just looking around and checking stuff out, you know,” he tells you. He's trying to sound casual, as if his heartrate isn't starting to pick up just a little.

You try for that energy, too. “Yeah, yeah same.”

You look at him for a moment. This guy’s really cute, what with his soft oversized sweater and dark curls. It's weird, though. He’s really familiar...

"I feel like I know you. Maybe I've seen you around town?" you suggest.

Bob knows it’s pretty likely that you recognize him from that day Valentina introduced the group as the New Avengers, and all the ensuing press coverage, but he doesn't want to talk about any of that right now. He just wants to talk to you about something normal.

"No, probably not. I don't get out very much," Bob tells you, and then immediately worried that that sounded too cold.

It's true, he really doesn't leave the tower much unless he's with the team. They all tell Bob to go out and do something fun while they're off on some mission he can't go on, but he always insists he loves hanging out at home- which he really does. It's nice. However, today felt different for some reason. He really felt like getting out there and trying something new. Now he's really glad that he did.

“Hm. Maybe I was wrong,” you say, “but I’m meeting you now. What’s your name?”

“Bob” he answers, extending his hand with a little smile.

You introduce yourself and then take his hand in yours. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Bob.”

Bob feels the energy shift just slightly. He doesn’t know how so - and he doesn’t know why - but something’s different.

This is where conversations with strangers are supposed to end. But he can’t. Your words and actions seem so... intentional. The way your hand gently held his for a second longer than you typically would for a handshake. The way you’re looking at him, with so much care ... you're making it impossible for Bob to walk away.

He tries to keep the conversation going - super casually.

"It's really nice outside-"

"Bob do you want to grab something to eat?" you say, pointing at the little cafe on the other side of the store, effectively cutting him off.

His eyes widen just a little and you try not to smile. You clearly caught him off guard with that one, but you knew what he was doing; he was trying, but he wasn't about to make a real move.

"Yes. I would like that."

The two of you sat in there, happily snacking and chatting and getting to know each other for a long time. You talked about your friends, your favorite movies, your favorite books, what books you both think should’ve never been adapted to movies, your favorite places to shop, and on and on- You’re there for two hours before Bob decides he’d like to check out a thrift shop you'd mentioned.

You go and mostly just walk around the store looking at stuff, but Bob does end up buying a few things.

"What do you think of this sweater?" he says, throwing it on over his clothes. You reach out and touch the material, and it's the closest you and Bob have stood the whole night.

"I think it looks really nice on you. It's soft."

You look up and meet his eyes, and just then your phone starts loudly ringing. "Sorry, I've gotta take this."

You step outside for a moment, and Bob realizes he never took his phone off silent after leaving the bookstore.

He really should’ve done that earlier. 8 missed calls. 22 new messages.

He only has to read the last four texts in the group chat to understand that the Thunderbolts got home and didn't see him and now they’re getting frantic.

yelena- bob im so serious where did you go

bucky- If you’re out doing something fun, don’t stop on our account. Just let us you’re alright

john- you’re freaking us out. yelena’s about to search the entire city

john- call us

bob- sorry guys, I’m good don’t worry

yelena- oh thank god

john- WHERE WERE YOU

bob- i met someone and we’re out right now and my phone was on silent. I’ll be home soon

ava- ooooo you met someone??

yelena- WHAT

john- you’ve been ignoring us for 3 hours because you’re on a date?

john- but seriously congrats buddy

bob- it’s not a date

yelena- are you sure??

You come back and he puts his phone back in his pocket without responding to Yelena.

“Sorry I had to answer that. I was talk to someone from work about something we have to do tomorrow.”

Bob smiles, “Ah, don’t worry about it.”

Since you have work in the morning and Bob has 5 people waiting for him to get home, you decide to call it a night.

You’re walking along the city streets and taking in all the sights and sounds of the night. You notice the Watchtower in the distance and stop walking. “It really is pretty when it’s all lit up like that,” you say.

Bob decides now is probably the time to tell you the truth.

"It’s funny, that’s- that’s actually where I live. Those "new Avengers" are my friends. I didn't want to bring it up because ... it’s all so complicated, and I didn't want that to be the only thing we talked about. I should've mentioned it earlier, though."

He looks at you, waiting for some kind of exaggerated response (or for you to not believe him at all) but he’s just met with a sweet smile.

"I know," you say. "I figured it out a little while ago. I realized I'd seen you on the news… Plus, when you were telling stories about your friends, you kept referring to them by their names."

"Oh, well I'm sure that was a big clue," he says, laughing a little. He's glad you know - and he's especially glad that it doesn't seem to matter or change dynamic at all.

“I was more interested in hearing about you, Bob,” you tell him, taking a step closer to him. He’s looking at you like he’s trying to figure out if this is real. If you’re really standing in front of him and speaking to him so sweetly.

“Uh, I had a good time today. Would you want to do something again?” he asks, praying he didn’t misread this and this could be something that actually happens again.

"I thought you’d never ask. I’d love to. Can I have your phone?" you say, and proceed to add yourself to his contacts, with a little ":)" next to your name.

A minute or so later, you successfully hail a cab to share. You reach the tower, and as Bob is about to get out, you stop him and quickly kiss him on the cheek.

“Thank you for a nice day. I had a good time.”

Bob nods and steps out, and the cab drives further and further from sight, but he’s still just standing there. Totally shocked.

He gets in the elevator and savors the quiet moment. It’s warm and the only sound is the faint hum of the elevator lifting him up to floor the Thunderbolts are on.

He knows that when he steps out of that elevator, they’re going to say "you scared us to death!" and "please do not ignore your phone like that again", and then they’ll have a thousand questions about you. He’ll have to tell them that they were right: it is good to get out and do something new every once in a while; sometimes you meet really cool people.

[rannie-moon]

https://www.tumblr.com/enhypendata/783799400065630208/jungwon-desire-unleash-concept-photo-make-ver?source=share

this is insane. I just know heran is jumping his bones.

bro I'm about to jump his bones...

but if that's me then you know heran is multiplying that TEN FOLD!! definitely wasn't able to focus on her own shoot because she was too distracted by him (she's a simp like that). ALEXA PLAY JUNO BY SABRINA CARPENTER!!!

It was supposed to be easy—if anything it was the easiest part of their job. stand in front of the camera, follow instructions, and pose. but it was anything but easy when your boyfriend had the same job—walking around during your shots looking hotter than... god heran didn't even know.

her eyes were fixed on him entirely, the shimmer of something brighter behind the lenses of her glasses. she didn’t even realise how long she’d been staring until her thigh collided—painfully—with the sharp corner of the cold steel table she was supposed to be posing next to.

a sharp clink echoed through the studio.

“are you okay?” the director’s voice called out, half concerned but mostly fighting off a laugh at her full-body jolt and tiny yelp. he watched with amusement as heran dramatically turned to glare at the table like it had personally disrespected her entire bloodline, wiping off an invisible speck of lint on her pants like it was the table’s fault she was down bad.

"okay, you good to get on the table?"

"yup," she said way too quickly. "yup. definitely. totally professional. not at all distracted—" her words died mid-sentence because jungwon had just leaned against the wall across from her, arms crossed, still in his concept outfit—black harness, mesh gloves, that ridiculous chain around his neck like he was trying to kill her with just his existence.

the smile he gave her? Illegal. arrest-worthy.

she inhaled through her nose. "this is gonna be a long day."

heran climbed onto the table, fixed her pose like she was told, stared right into the lens, and whispered under her breath, "god, I'm gonna have to repent after this shoot."

the solo shots wrapped, but heran’s internal crisis? ongoing. unresolved. borderline spiritual.

because now it was time for the group shots. which meant standing next to him. him as in jungwon. jungwon as in her boyfriend. jungwon as in the man currently fixing his sleeves with the rolled-up menace of someone who knew exactly what he was doing to her blood pressure.

“heran, stand next to jungwon,” the director called out casually, like he wasn’t orchestrating her downfall in 4K.

she moved into position, trying to keep her face neutral—chill, effortless, professional. but then he shifted slightly, so their shoulders brushed, and that was it. she was spiraling. girl math was mathing and it equaled death by proximity.

he turned his head toward her and tilted it just a little. “you okay?”

“huh? me? yeah. totally. fine. normal.” heran was blinking a bit too fast, gripping the chain hanging off her hip like it was a stress ball.

he gave her a funny look. “you’re breathing like we just ran laps.”

“I’m fine.”

“you look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I’m not—passing out! I’m—resting my eyes. while open. for fashion purposes.”

he stared.

she turned her face forward again, jaw clenched. “don’t look at me.”

“you’re literally shaking.”

“It’s cold.”

“we’re inside.”

“exactly.”

the camera flashed.

“alright,” the photographer said, “let’s do a couple with jungwon and heran alone.”

heran: 😐

jungwon: 😏

If she made it through the next thirty seconds without combusting, it would be nothing short of a miracle. maybe even a canon event.

taglist: @angie-x3@deluluscenarios @chaeryyeongz @akitoshi39i@sparklydoll444 @yunjiiin @kaitieskidmore97 @yb763@reibelhearts @enhaverse713586

[mxtxfanatic]

Nie Huaisang: By Any Means Necessary?

I had actually begun to write this meta back when I did my mdzs re-read a few years ago, but it never came to fruition. Thankfully, this mxtx interview inspired me to pick it back up again!

A lot of fandom argues that Nie Huaisang is a morally gray character, usually to promote the idea that he is "just as bad" as the actual villains of the novel because he "doesn't care about other people's lives." I agree with the moral ambiguity of his character but not the idea that he is willing to achieve his goals by any means necessary, including recklessly throwing away the lives of others for a slim chance of gain. If you look at Nie Huaisang's actions and the sequence in which events played out, you would see this is not the case.

Yes Nie Huaisang released the arm at Mo Manor, but he released the arm way after the Lan disciples had shown up, as they appeared during the day and the arm only started rampaging that night. This is also after Wei Wuxian had already broken out of the shed (that he did not clean up) and publicly showed out in front of the whole spectating village. This means the arm was only released into the household after there was confirmation that Mo Xuanyu had completed the ritual:

Lan SiZhui, “This hand was coming for us.” Wei WuXian smiled, “How do you know?” Lan SiZhui, “Spirit-attraction flags of different levels are drawn in different ways and have different amounts of power. The spirit-attraction flags we drew at Mo Village had a range of only twenty-five hundred meters in circumference. Yet, this ghost hand has a strong killing intent, feeding on human flesh and bone. If it had been within that range in the beginning, with its level of malice, Mo Village would have been a river of blood since long ago. However, it appeared after we arrived... This means that it must have been set there purposely at that time, by someone with ill intentions.”

—Chapt. 19: Contentment, exr

Nie Huaisang shows up to the Sabre Hall after Jin Ling blasts his way through, but seeing as Jing Ling wasn't supposed to go there to begin with, it's doubtful that he had anything to do with this fluke. The next major event is Yi City, in which a "huntsman" points the juniors to Yi City after they'd spent days being harassed by dead cats nailed to their doors. Yes he leads them there but only after wangxian had entered Yi City, themselves:

Wei WuXian, “How long have you been here for?” Lan SiZhui, “Around fifteen minutes.” “Fifteen minutes?” Wei WuXian asked, “HanGuang-Jun, how long have we been here for?” Lan WangJi’s voice sounded from behind the hazy fog, “Around thirty minutes.” “Look, “Wei WuXian continued, “We’ve been here for longer than you did. How is it possible that you ended up in front of us, and only ran into us after you turned around?”

—Chapt. 34: Grasses, exr

Yes Nie Huaisang very likely knew that the second siege was a trap and doesn't warn anyone beforehand, but he also shows up and is the only voice of authority speaking on behalf of Wei Wuxian, saving lives:

Still hesitating, the continued their hard fight with the fierce corpses. Others were able to manage for a while with their spiritual powers stripped away, but Nie HuaiSang couldn’t. Everyone knew that he was both timid and untalented. He wasn’t ambitious either, and didn’t work hard as a cultivator. He was caught off-guard by the sudden change of events and didn’t receive any wounds only from his personal guards’ protection. Seeing that the corpses grew larger and larger in number with no end in sight, he hurried, “Are you all going to go in or not? If you don’t, I’ll go in first. Excuse my absence. Quick, quick, quick—everyone, come in!” Before he even finished speaking, Nie HuaiSang led the QingheNie Sect’s disciples into the Demon-Slaughtering Cave with quick decisiveness. He really was as anxious as a dog that had lost its owner, as scared as a fish that had escaped the net. Others were immediately shocked speechless by his straightforwardness. ... Right now, having lost his spiritual powers and spent half the day fighting, Jiang Cheng was exhausted, and somehow successfully pulled into the cave by Jin Ling. The Jiang Sect’s cultivators hurried to follow their leader too. At the same time, Nie HuaiSang’s beaming voice echoed from within the empty cave, “Everyone, come in! It’s quite big inside! Could a senior come in and help mend the array on the ground? I can’t! I don’t know how to mend it!” Hearing his last sentence, three large words appeared in everyone’s mind, “Good-for-nothing!” Lan WangJi’s fingers didn’t leave the strings of his guqin as he looked up, “Uncle!” In the first place, Lan QiRen didn’t want to go inside the Cave. He’d rather battle here outside until his last moment. Yet, right now, he wasn’t alone. He was responsible for many Lan Sect cultivators and the Jin Sect cultivators who’d been left to his command. The main force of the battle wasn’t him, either. He didn’t want to ignore the lives of these disciples, willing to catch any hope that there was. He didn’t look at Lan WangJi, raising his sword and ordering, “Proceed with caution!” Until now, the LanlingJin Sect, the GusuLan Sect, the QingheNie Sect, and the YunmengJiang Sect had all gone inside already. With them in the lead, the rest of the people immediately decided not to continue the struggle either. If there really was some beast or demon within the cave, there were four tall pillars blocking it for them. They hastened inside as well. In the end, the MolingSu Sect’s people were the only ones who hadn’t moved.

—Chapt. 79: Loyalty

Yes Nie Huaisang orchestrated the incest reveal against Jin Guangyao, but given that he already had Bicao in his pocket, there was no reason to have told Qin Su ahead of time about her sham marriage unless it was to give her a courtesy warning before making the information public. Qin Su is given a letter in private and allowed to make her own deductions, but it would not have been possible to predict that Qin Su would 1) immediately confront Jin Guangyao and 2) be immediately manipulated into killing herself before a crowd of witnesses less than an hour later. To say that he manipulated her death is nonsensical. Following this same thread, bringing Sisi and Bicao before the cultivation clans could have very well backfired had they been brought before an audience while Jin Guangyao was still in power, such as during the aforementioned cultivation conference where Qin Su is murdered. Instead, he waits until Jin Guangyao's reputation and credibility is tarnished beyond recovery to let them give their testimonies, compensating Bicao for hers and freeing Sisi from imprisonment for hers. On top of which, because their testimonies were so damning, the women, themselves, would be effectively untouchable for as long as Jin Guangyao and his faction remained unaccounted for, if only because the rest of the cultivation world are petty and wouldn't let evidence this damning against a man who tried to wipe out their clans be destroyed.

And then at Guanyin Temple, he is the only one not caught up enough in the drama that is Jin Guangyao's sob stories to forget to keep the child!!!! out of the mass murderer's reach:

Suddenly, Jin Ling screamed, “Why?!” He stood up from beside Jiang Cheng. Eyes red, he rushed toward Jin GuangYao as he shouted, “Why did you have to do this?!” Nie HuaiSang hurried to pull back Jin Ling, who seemed as though he wanted to fight with Jin GuangYao.

—Chapt. 106: Hatred, exr

On the one hand, Nie Huaisang could possibly be blamed for Mo Xuanyu's death as he is the one who planted the idea of the ritual in the man's mind, but he neither forced the other man to go through with it nor killed him, himself. Whether or not the man went through with the ritual or the ritual failed, Nie Huaisang had a contingency plan (the fact that the juniors were nighthunting with Hanguang-jun) as he seems to with a lot of these schemes. Even the juniors during the Yi City arc said that they hadn't been directly led to Yi City but only led around in circles for days until finally ending up in the city "coincidentally" after wangxian had already entered—as if their harasser was waiting for the main duo to find their way to the city first. If wangxian never went, then the person could have simply vanished and let the juniors get back to what they were doing with just a little more paranoia as a souvenir for the adventure.

On the other hand, Nie Huaisang wasn't at all the one who made Jin Guangyao hide away Xue Yang's continued existence and crimes, nor kidnap the juniors, nor plan to massacre all the cultivation clans together, nor kill Qin Su, nor take Jin Ling hostage. Blaming him for the fact that villain of the story's instinctual reaction to facing adversity is to commit more villainy is nonsensical. While Nie Huaisang's actions were risky, at least it was a risk that he planned contingencies for and put his own life on the line to see through. Other than Yi City, there is not a single incident he was involved in that he didn't physically involve himself in. He was at the Sabre Hall, the siege, and Guanyin Temple where there was no logical reason for him to be and where an underling probably would have done just as well a job. Being at Guanyin Temple can be explained by him wanting to see the his schemes finally come to fruition, but that does not explain the other two instances. While he surely wanted to ensure that his plans went right, he also clearly wanted to minimize as much of the deaths as possible.

The difference between Jin Guangyao and Nie Huaisang as hidden schemers is that while Jin Guangyao is a "by any means necessary" type of snake in the grass, Nie Huaisang is undeniably a tactician who prioritizes minimizing losses.

[tgd-sideblog]

I think I am most frustrated by what they’ve done to Chris. Yes, he is a supporting character not a main, so I never expected him to have a major arc, but there should have been something.

His pain at the climax of S7 was what caused him to call Eddie’s parents to take him away. In 8a he was repeatedly standoffish to Eddie putting up barriers to their communication and therefore convincing Eddie that nothing could be resolved without going to Texas. And he also completely ignored Buck on the one shared call we saw them on.

And in 8b we skipped right past any reaction he had to Eddie moving to Texas. When we finally saw them together he was civil to Eddie, a little distant but with none of the brush offs we’d seen him give during the 8a video calls. And when he learns about Eddie’s financial strain and uber driving, he off his own initiative goes to Eddie to reassure him of their relationship and offer to return the PS5 to help with Eddie’s financial situation. All with no explanation of why there has been such a sudden change in his attitude to Eddie. Then we have the chess plotline where we get some explanation that he dislikes chess but feels pressured to please his grandparents, but is glad to be back living with Eddie when Eddie makes that decision for him. He’s happy Eddie is his dad again, there is no exploration of the fact Chris is the one who pushed Eddie out of his life to begin with. He also has no expressed opinions of being in El Paso and at no point in any of this arc makes any reference to having left a life or friends back in LA. You could watch this arc in isolation and think the Eddie begins flashback played out different and Eddie let his parents raise Chris this whole time, because Chris makes no acknowledgment of anything outside of his immediate situation (including the events that instigated it).

Then the funeral happens and Eddie flies back without Chris (not entirely unreasonable, although they were both part of the wider 118 family Chris was not personally close to Bobby) and with no explanation of who Chris is staying with (presumably Eddie’s parents, does Chris have any opinion of being left with them a few weeks after Eddie so pointedly took him away because they were pressuring Chris to the point of making him sick? who knows). After the funeral Eddie stays in LA for an unconfirmed amount of time but at least several days, possibly more than a week, before Chris is contacted by him to come to LA to surprise Buck with a family dinner.

He seems pleased to see Buck at this point, but what has he thought about Buck the entire time he’s been away? Have they been in any contact? Did he miss him? Did he want to reach out? Who knows. He’s happy to see Buck in that moment and offer condolences for Bobby’s death, but the fact he’s had a year long absence by his own choice is unexplored.

Then they’re about to fly back to El Paso. Chris looks rather glum in the leaving party scene but does and says nothing. Then he sees the high rise collapse on TV and draws Eddie’s attention to it, but again, looks unhappy but has nothing to say about the situation and we cut away before he can react to Eddie deciding to go help. And then Eddie changed his mind at the last minute and they’re moving back into the LA house. Chris has plans with his LA friends. Did he miss them this whole time? How much has he kept in touch? How does he feel about rejoining a group that has spent a year without him. Does he have any thoughts about the decision to move, opinions on changing schools or leaving friends behind in El Paso? Who knows we're cutting to one of several dramatic Athena walking shots in this montage.

Eddie’s entire season 8 arc hinges on Christopher’s choices and emotions, and yet in the back half of the season Chris is almost entirely passive and given no agency and little emotional depth. Eddie flies him in to cheer up Buck, and it’s a sweet gesture, but Chris is supposed to be a 14 year old, he should have some input in this, not just be waiting in El Paso for Eddie to hand him over. No relationships with anyone outside of Eddie and Eddie’s parents. The only time his motives are explored is the chess subplot. We have no exploration of why he was still freezing Eddie out months after the incident or why is chill with Eddie again by the time we see Eddie settled in El Paso. Chris instigated the move to Texas, yet has no opinion on living there or in LA.

He’s only a minor character, but he’s previously been treated as a character in his own right, and in 8a his choices were a driver of the plot and Eddie’s own decisions were constrained by Christopher���s agency, but then in 8b he’s basically reduced to a plot token for Eddie to fight with his parents over and give to Buck to cheer him up while having no opinions of his own about any of the upheaval in his life.

We didn’t need to see his thoughts on everything, but after using him to instigate so much he should have also been involved in the resolution. And it frustrates me that he was written so passively, not all of the 118 kids get a lot of exploration, but we’ve seen Chris’s personality develop over the years so it’s frustrating to see him written in such an unnuanced way.

[taki79]

Today was just… down right terrible. Tribe Nine announced its EOS and game termination for November 27th.

I’ve been breaking down having random moments of crying and just sobbing the whole day.

I have never been so attached to a series ever since my heavy love/obsession for One Punch Man. (Comparison cause I love both series.)

This series made me cry several times, from the story to the characters, to the world building. I love Tribe Nine from the very bottom of my heart and now it pains me harshly to seeing it get axed after 3 months of release. Today was supposed to be the release of a new character that I was saving up for and I was so ready to play with the new events. Now we won’t get either, nor any additions to the game itself during the period it will be alive for.

I really want Tribe Nine to live! It’s too good for it go into a dumpster fire! Akatsuki Games, please and seriously reconsider about its current state!

I will never forgot this series for as long as I live. But I also won’t forgive whoever was the higher up at Akatsuki Games to EOS the game. (I get the profit loss and etc, but still….!)

The developer team for Tribe Nine, you did such an amazing job for the 3 months it’s been out for! I will forever thank you devs!

Same goes for Kodaka, although he was only the world builder for the game. He is doing more than he should for a game that isn’t even in his control. I deeply respect Kodaka for even talking about this, thank you Kodaka.

I really, really, REALLY, want Tribe Nine to live. Please.

No matter what format.

No matter how long.

No matter what.

I will wait and continue to love Tribe Nine. It gave me motivation to continue pushing myself to be better in school. It pulled me out of my moments of brain fog and depressed moments in my life. I need something to have fun and look forward to and this game was it. Now it feels like a huge chunk of me is missing.

—————————————————————————————————-

With that said, as my final piece for now:

Buy Hundred Line and play Tribe Nine while you still can!!!

[agisleepy]

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

A new challenger approaches (slowly)

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[unproduciblesmackdown]

what in the. see this is why it's a good thing that multiplayer videogames especially are about having fun & being yourself like what do you mean disguised spies automatically had the speed of the disguise's class & everyone's like yea if i wasn't always going for the scout disguise i'd kill myself right now. i'd be like haha can't catch Me out supposedly the extra slow or extra fast class >:) i am a harmless engineer

[welcometoteyvat]

rant ahead lmao

i believe your gripes are completely valid because i have the same gripes. it feels like their storytelling (for the entire game) is all over the place. the high cloud quintet is literally something i’ve never chanced upon in the game. i only know it via fandom. this is similar to how that pyro butterfly lady is the crimson witch. only those who dig deep enough into the game will find out about it, and just like genshin, such “information” spreads quickly in the community.

HOWEVER, what genshin does better than star rail is that its main story DOES NOT rely on these snippets to tell its story. do i need to know she was the crimson witch when what happened to her happened? no. not at all. she was there for X purpose in the main storyline and therefore she did what she had to do and left. her being crimson witch was to add depth to her character which the main story had no space to do so.

stair rail, on the other hand, EXPECTS you to find out all these little tidbits, which to me is too time consuming and annoying. why split the story into its separate segments if i need to know them in order to understand the main story?? that’s just poor storytelling imho.

i think you’ll like this video. i agree with it. i get that the funeral for fox character was supposed to be emotional, but this video is right that we know NOTHING about this character. from my own personal experience, the funeral was so boring and honestly irritating because i. don’t. care. in fact, i didn’t even know she was with us throughout the quest so when she had her background voicelines i was always so confused????

i feel the hype around the characters is because the designs of each character have given people a desire to seek more about said characters, and there is abundance information. but this shouldn’t be something to expect of the players.

give me a reason to care that’s not just aesthetics, please.

video will be sent in next ask.

video: https://youtu.be/vaPL0UZK_HQ?si=puvssJPBLc2H57vk

ok thank you for validating me LMAO i was constantly wondering "where is the ancient dead people lore" (hcq) during the entire quest chain, which unfortunately contained very little of what fandom promised me (character depth). apparently i've not be reading enough books and pamphlets you can collect since the lore is concentrated there and in limited character's character stories

tbh I think the reveal that La Signora was the Crimson Witch was also really bad lol, for the same reason that the video argues DH IL's transformation is unimpactful. like "omg wow alternate identity revealed!" but it doesn't really have any impact on the conflict of the story we're currently looking at. they could've just switched it, or not even given her a transformation, instead just showing an extended duel with us and making it visible that she was tired and out of power before she dies, and I don't really know if anything would've changed. same with dan heng IL, I'd probably get more out of it if I read the hcq book from that one opera performer, but ehh there wasn't enough visibly shown leadup, like you said.

I guess the difference between genshin world lore (things in artifacts, weapons, books, world quests etc) and star rail lore is that genshin's is either about the past or future, but not necessarily about the present characters? thinking about the pale flame lore, which gave everyone the fatui crumbs before scara and la signora's stories were introducted in the main storyline, the enkanomiya quests about the vishaps and ancient history of teyvat, and the narzissenkreuz quests that also connect to that + khaenriah + a host of other world lore things. I guess it's nice that reading through all the materials isn't "mandatory" because it's either about the ancient past, dead npcs (so many of the artifact sets) or foreshadowing for important elements in the future that will still get introduced in the main story. I will be biased and agree w you, star rail's lore crumbs are rather :\ storytelling. like I would be fine if the hidden nuggets of lore were about >npcs >lore that happened but is not directly relevant to a character's main arc >foreshadowing for future events/story. but instead it's more like mandatory background reading that is crucial to understand a character's stories, instead of enriching your knowledge of them? anyways yeah

now abt tingyun. I agree that the funeral was really ???????????? i agree w you and the video lol. playing it, I was mostly in disbelief that we're assuming tingyun is legitimately dead even though she's still playable (no dead playables in genshin moment). I also think the thing with the 3 npcs we had to talk to was bullshit because. like the video said, we could've spent time with tingyun (maybe visiting the npcs we collected things from) BEFORE she died and maybe it would have given us more emotional impact. the way they retroactively show how kind and generous she was really put me off, we could've seen this all in person instead of hearing it from other people...... bruh also the way everyone got together in that cutscene when i dont think any of them were really shown to have a deep connection w her is so ..... >_> the emotional impact did not hit whatsoever

but I'm gonna level with you I think they made her role as our guide pretty clear and the implication that she was traveling with us was also pretty clear. no shade though

about the rest of the video: oh he put things into words that I could not articulate JSDKLFJDSKL. not really any thoughts but i agree that a lot of the characters (qingque, xueyi especially) could have just been cut T_T i like both of their designs and personalities based on other material in game but their main quest participation was Not It rip. also agree about the characters being vehicles for exposition and not having their personalities shine through. I'd argue maybe you can tell somewhat of what they're like (jing yuan, fu xuan, yanqing to some extent) but man there's just too much lore explaining for them to really show what they do on a normal schedule it's so .......... also because fanart and fanfic makes them seem so fun im standing here looking at the main plot like >_> <_< what was that. i'm sure it gets better inside their own companion quests, which I haven't done, but that shouldn't be the only place the character gets to really shine lmao

I agree that their design makes people more willing to invest but god I'm so sorry hsr designs really aren't my thing, the color palettes are just incredibly bad JDKSFLJDSKLGHKDJ the only thing holding up the story are the plot and personalities of chars and neither of those were delivered ...

[cogitrot]

My very first map with my very first Captain! They're not dead yet and I am very proud of them - they're a trooper. Especially because I didn't realize the 'Shop' tabs worked in ports outside London for the first, oh, four hours of the game.

[a-hermit-pining]

LaDS Men React To An Unexpected Pregnancy

AN: Pregnant reader. Not the boys. That genre is currently unexplored on this blog but not for long 🤭👺

Pairing: LaDS boys x Fem reader

Ingredients: 75% fluff, 25% angst.

My Fav: Rafayel's (new segment because I want to discuss which ones I liked best when writing)

Xavier:

You pass out during a mission. That’s how you find out. In the Hunter Association’s medical ward, you stare at the positive report in stunned silence.

The nausea hadn’t just been Xavier’s cooking.

How even…? You sit there, frozen, until he walks in, finding you pale and unmoving.

A child.

He leans against the wall, the report in his hand. God.

He had vanished the day he found out. Left you bitterly alone. But you didn’t need him, you could raise the child on your own. If Xavier was too weak to accept the truth, so be it.

But he returns. You don’t know where he went, only that when he comes back, he is broken.

"I couldn't change it." He falls to his knees. "The world remains unchanged," he repeats, voice hollow.

The destruction he had accepted, the grief he had worn like armor, now, it becomes unbearable. Because for the first time, he isn’t sure if he can ever manage to save it for his child.

Rafayel:

He dreams of it. Strange dreams.

He’s not one to obsess over omens, but even he, in his eternal wisdom, cannot decipher what a colony of seals playing with marbles is supposed to mean.

Then, one afternoon, he dreams of a baby seal. It coos at him, glumphing closer, making infant-like noises.

And in the dream, he bends down to pet it. Only for you to pick it up instead.

He jolts awake. Hands immediately over his stomach. Breath unsteady. No...not him...it was you. You picked the seal, that meant-

Then he stumbles out of bed, nearly tripping over himself in his rush to find you.

Drives like a madman. He counts the days. Two months. He counts the signs.

His heart refuses to slow down.

Barging into the Hunter’s Association, he’s chased by guards, by an exasperated receptionist, but none of it matters.

When he finds you, he grips your shoulders, searching your face. How could he have missed it?

By the tides, he was a fool.

And then—he feels it. A whisper, warm and murmuring, like the gentle pull of the waves.

A half-formed yawn, ringing softly in his mind.

The presence of his child.

Now all he has to do is tell you.

Zayne:

You watch Zayne eat dinner, half-listening as he talks about his day. He absentmindedly bites into another baby carrot.

Not just baby carrots, baby corn, baby potatoes, those tiny tomatoes.

"How’s dinner, Zayne?" you ask, feigning nonchalance.

He nods, smiling. "It’s good. Very healthy."

"Notice anything?"

He hums in thought. "You’re trying Italian cuisine these days." He places his hand over yours, gentle. "But you don’t have to cook if you’re tired after work."

He’s too kind to mention the small incident with the oven last week. To be fair, the bun in the oven analogy is a classic.

A week. A whole week of hints, and still, he hasn’t caught on.

Sighing, you give up on subtlety. "Darling, did you visit the pediatrics ward today?" you ask, pushing food around your plate.

"I didn’t have time. Had to miss the volunteering event for surgery."

You grin. Taking his hand, you guide it over your stomach. "Well, luckily for you, we’ll have one right here soon."

His mouth hangs open. Eyes darting between you and your stomach before his fingers brush over the nonexistent bump.

"Really? Are we—"

"Yes, you dummy!" You pull him into a hug. "I’ve been trying to tell you for days."

For a man obsessed with your health, he somehow had been ignorant of the biggest of surprises. Unplanned or not, you were going to give him the longest late night shift of his life.

Sylus:

The timing could have been better, he muses, wiping blood off his cheek.

But he had been too lax.

Not that it mattered. Everything was under control.

"Clean up," he orders, snapping his fingers. Shadows slither forward, dragging the remains of his enemies into the abyss.

The news of a child had changed things. He had let fate play its part for too long. Now, it was his turn.

Whatever slow-moving scheme he had let linger, ended now.

There was no way in hell he was letting you go on any mission while carrying his child.

Aether Core be damned. EVER be damned to NEVER. He would wipe them out if he had to.

For now, though, he had other priorities.

Leaving you safe at home, he finishes this last errand. Your only battle at the moment is morning sickness which, much to his surprise, isn’t just limited to mornings.

He wipes his hands clean, heading for his bike.

One last stop. You wanted pickles.

He smiles, revving the engine. Soon, only cars.

And then, he’s gone, speeding into the night, back to you. Back to his family. To cuddle the little dragon who gives you unrivaled heartburn and kicks like a menace at 18 weeks.

Caleb:

He knew.

Some would say he saw it coming, but just because he kept track of your cycle didn’t mean he could predict your ovulation exactly.

He was just…good at math.

Mental math.

And taking you to a convenience store for cough drops, right next to the pregnancy tests, had been pure coincidence.

Not that he totally snuck a glance at you eyeing them. And if he excused himself to grab a snack right then? Also not planned.

You hand him the test. "I think I’m pregnant."

He goes through all the expressions shock, surprise, joy, tears. So dramatic that it fools no one.

Seriously, he’s atrocious at being subtle about it.

Instantly proposes. Shotgun wedding because the baby will need a family.

Grins like a madman when it turns out to be twins.

Secretly, he’s very, very proud.

Heavens, he thinks smugly, I really am amazing at math.

[quickestgold]

Okay but LISTENNNNN. Reader and Jack having feelings for eachother but he pulls back (she’s still new , too young , etc) he’s been cold and she decided to take that day off work and go to Pitt Fest and …oh no…. (Still lives but it’s BAD)

Strip Her: Dr. Jack Abbot x Reader

Synopsis: Amidst a mass casualty event, Jack’s medical instincts clash with his personal life when the woman he loves risks her own life to save another. Is he about to watch you die?

Warnings: Canon-typical depictions of trauma/gun violence, mass shooting, GSWs, blood; Reader basically does what Santos did, but in the field hah! > No "good girl" energy from Jack, just anger for putting yourself in danger lol

Word count: 2k+

A/n: Thanks so much for sending this in, so sorry it's taken so long!! Lmk what you think!! ♡

This is not exactly in our mass casualty plan.

Blood is for the ones we can save.

Ten other patients will die if you put all of your energy into saving this girl.

Jack’s own words haunt him, playing through his mind on a torturous loop.

He looks at Robby, pleading for something. Then back at you, watching you fight for your life.

"Hi, handsome."

"Wanna come over after your shift?"

Read.

You huff out a humorless laugh. The old man really left you on Read.

You know Jack isn't a big texter, making the age-gap between you hilariously obvious. But today it gets to you.

Jack isn't your immediate superior, but you wonder if this is why he's been acting cold. More than usual.

The ER staff love to talk. Of course they do. But neither Jack nor you care about that. You’ve made it clear there’s an undeniable connection between you.

So, you’ve acted on it.

The last couple of months have been bliss, an unspoken understanding of exclusivity.

But now, Jack's been distant. Swapping shifts, avoiding working with you.

Was it something you did?

You've already double texted him today, wishing him a good shift and letting him know that Robby's asked you to 'babysit'.

How embarrassing. But you draft another.

"Heading to Pitt Fest now, will be up for some fun when you get home... ;)"

You delete the last part. God. Don't show your age!

"Heading to Pitt Fest now, see you soon."

You hit send.

Code Triage. Emergency Department Now.

The mass casualty event is in full swing. Patients come and go. Green. Yellow. Pink. Red. Black and White.

It's a haze of coordinated chaos.

Jack keeps trying to reach you in-between treating patients, leaving you countless voicemails.

Of course he would.

"Hey, Y/N. It's Jack. Call or text me the second you get this message, okay?" His voice trembles. "She's not picking up."

"I can't reach Jake either." Robby mutters.

"I'm sure they're ok." Dana offers gently.

Time slips away, minutes turning into hours. Their shift was supposed to end a while ago, but they've stopped keeping track.

"I'm going to check on triage." Robby announces, stepping out to help Shen and Ellis assess incoming patients. "No pulse. Black and white. Pink zone. Strong pulse. Unresponsive. No obvious GSW. Red zone GSW left chest."

A familiar voice cuts through the noise. "She was talking when we first got into the truck. T- There was so much blood."

"Jake!" Robby's at his side in a flash.

"Robby! Leah got shot. It's really bad...", Jake cries out.

Robby is at a loss for words, his medical instincts fighting the fatherly ones in a gruesome match.

"I've been putting pressure on the wound the whole time", Jake stutters.

"That's good. You're good", Robby reassures him, more for himself than Jake.

The team rushes Leah into the ER. Jake follows closely behind. "You can't stay with her. There's no room and we need to work on Leah right now", Robby says firmly, getting to work immediately.

Jack spots them and hurries over, panic rising in his chest.

"Where’s Y/N?" he asks, voice tight.

"I- I don’t know," Jake mutters. "She stopped Leah’s bleeding, then went back in."

"What do you mean?" Jack growls, trying to keep his voice calm.

Robby looks up, taking in Jake's words. The lines on his forehead growing deeper.

"People were screaming. The shots were so loud. She- She went back to see if others needed help." Jake's eyes well up, before he is wheeled off to get treated.

Of course you would put someone else's safety over your own.

Others might see it as noble, but Robby and Jack think it's reckless.

They exchange a look, knowing there's nothing they can do to reach you. To make sure you're okay.

Jack is called to another patient, while Robby proceeds to work on Leah.

Despite their best efforts, it's not enough.

Minutes pass. Jack watches Robby closely, his desperation becoming more evident by the second. Dana gives Jack a knowing look, recognizing the only person who can reach Robby right now is him.

Jack steps closer, glasses off, his voice gentle.

"The bullet tore through her heart", he says softly, giving Robby time to process.

"Anyone else with a wound like this is pronounced dead in the field. You can't keep up with the blood loss. If she was our only patient, we'd do a thoracotamy, maybe ECMO. But even then, I doubt we'd get her back." Jack's words hang heavy in the air, but he continues.

"We're gonna lose ten other patients if you put all your efforts into saving this girl." Jack doesn't let it show, but it pains him to see Robby hurting like this.

Robby does one final pulse check. But Leah's heart is no longer beating, the realization shattering his own.

"Okay, we're done", Robby whispers, breaking.

"We stopped at 19:47", Dana declares. "Move her to Pedes?", she asks gently.

Robby just nods.

"You want me to go with you to talk to Jake?"

He shakes his head. "No. No, thanks. I got it."

But another gurney is wheeled in. Robby notices first.

"Jesus Christ", he mutters. "What's going on?"

"Female. 30s. GSW to the right inguinal region. Retroperitoneal bleed", Dr. Mohan declares. But there's someone else kneeling at the end of the gurney, holding the patient's leg up. Robby and Jack's eyes widen, when they meet yours.

"The bullet must have tracked north and hit the external illiac", you state nonchalantly, ignoring the stunned looks from your colleagues.

It was supposed to be your day off.

"Dr. Y/LN did a REBOA in the field to stop the bleeding", Samira continues.

"You did what?!" Robby gasps, incredulous but unable to hide his pride.

Jack is by your side in an instant. "Are you shitting me?"

"Hello to you too, Dr. Abbot", you smile weakly, still focused on the patient’s wound.

Another time, your smile would’ve lit a spark. Not now.

Jack's anger is palpable.

You’ve seen it before, his cold, stone-faced demeanor, always one existential crisis away from breaking. But never directed at you.

"Are you hurt?" Jack’s voice is dangerously low.

He's scared.

Robby and Jack scan your blood-soaked clothing. You quickly dismiss their concern.

"Uncontrollable bleeding from a pelvic artery, no other options. I blew up a balloon in the aorta to stop the bleed. Going in a few inches, zone three, below the kidney. I just needed to hit the femoral artery."

You hesitate, but go for it anyway.

"Piece of cake", you grin, weaker than usual, but you hope they don't notice. They do.

"Radial's stronger." Mel confirms.

Robby and Jack both notice your uneven breathing but chalk it up to the stress and trauma you've experienced.

"Also, GSW to the chest, left hypochondriac region. Probable internal bleeding", you continue.

"No. That's not true-", Samira objects.

You direct everyone's attention to your own chest, your breathing becoming erratic.

"What?!" Jack's voice cracks, disbelief, shock and fear hitting him all at once.

You feel like you can hear your own heartbeat, the ER growing eerily quiet at your confession.

"Okay. Let go of her leg", Robby orders in an intimidating tone.

"Gurney!" Jack barks.

"I need to lock the balloon first." You stare directly into Jack's eyes, knowing he won't budge. You turn to your friend and mentor, pleading.

"Robby." He knows you're right.

"Do it." Robby nods, ordering Whittaker to check the wound once you're done.

"BP's 110, by palp", Donnie announces.

Jack remains frozen, his mind racing a million miles a minute.

"The balloon can stay up for an hour max. Get IR and Vascular on the case." Robby directs, before drawing everyone's attention back to you.

Your patient is stable.

You've done what you can.

But the blood loss is catching up with you.

"I- I think it's a through-and-through. My back hurts like hell and my legs feel funny." Jack snaps out of his trance, his training kicking in.

Robby lifts your top, shocked at the severity of the injury. Jack shuts his eyes, unable to stomach the sight.

It must be bad.

But it doesn't hurt too much.

Not a great sign.

"Okay. Stabilize her", Robby orders, multiple hands are on you immediately, steadying you. Grabbing the base of your neck, your shoulders and hips, securing you in place.

You're still sat on the gurney, but have now let go of the patient's leg.

"Strip her", Jack commands, voice low and firm, eyes dark and unreadable.

You try to lighten the mood. "Gee, buy me dinner first, won't you?"

A few giggles from the team, but Jack's lips are tightly pressed together in a fine line, facing downwards.

Dana cuts through your top, leaving only your bra. Unusual. But you're relieved to not flash your coworkers. You'd rather like to maintain the mysterious vibe you've got going on.

"Cowards", you tease. More chuckles, but worry growing on everyone's faces.

You whisper to Jack, "I'm sorry."

He doesn't respond. Can't look at you. Instead he orders a chest tube and a unit of blood.

A sharp gasp rips through you, the weight on your chest suddenly making it hard to breathe. "Fuck, that hurts." Any last traces of playfulness vanish, replaced by something else.

Fear.

Jack realizes he has to save his anger for later. "Hey. It's okay", a slight smile now tugging at his lips. "I've seen you worse", but the vulnerability in his voice betrays him.

Shit. It must be really bad. He's cracking jokes now?

Your anxiety spikes.

Is Jack about to watch you die?

You shiver at the thought. Or maybe it's the blood loss. Probably both.

Your vision blurs. Your thoughts get foggy.

"J-Jack?" You're not sure he hears you. Or anybody really. Did the words even come out?

Your eyes flutter shut. There are no more thoughts.

Only darkness.

Robby orders Jack to step back, the roles tragically reversed.

This is not exactly in our mass casualty plan.

Blood is for the ones we can save.

Ten other patients will die if you put all of your energy into saving this girl.

Jack’s own words haunt him, playing through his mind on a torturous loop.

He has been distant with you. But not because of your age, or your careers.

No, it's because letting you in means risking losing you and he knows he can't survive that kind of pain. He’s seen too much death, too much loss. And loving you only makes that fear stronger.

He looks at Robby, pleading for something. Then back at you, watching you fight for your life.

"I know." Robby is laser-focused, but shudders at the thought of Jack up on that roof again.

Painfully aware of the inevitable cost of losing you.

They won't. They can't.

Monitors and machines beep in a faint rhythm.

You wake, eyes heavy. A familiar figure is propped up in the armchair beside your bed.

He looks like shit.

Jack's wearing the same bloodstained scrubs, dark circles beneath his eyes, hair dishevelled. On second thought... it's a look.

"Hi, handsome", you whisper, unsure if it’s the relief of being alive, the pain meds or just seeing Jack, but a wave of comfort floods you.

He leans in, eyes wide with tenderness.

"Hi, beautiful."

His gaze radiates a warmth that kept you alive, even when your skin grew cold.

"How are you feeling?" His voice is soft. So unbelievably soft. The anger has subsided, but you know there’s a conversation you’ll have another day.

He takes your hand in his, squeezing it gently.

"Peachy", you exhale, giving him a warm and genuine smile. He returns it, his shoulders relaxing more with every steady breath you take.

You hesitate, but finally go for it. "So, about you leaving me on Read." Your smile turns into a familiar smirk. "You know only old people leave voicemails, right?"

Jack's breath catches in his throat, caught off guard. He chokes out a strangled laugh.

"You're unbelievable", he says, before leaning down, his lips brushing gently over yours.

The grip this man has on me I swear... Also, I'm still in shock from ep13 and I fear it's only getting worse... Jack being so rational about letting Leah go was So Painful, so writing this was very cathartic. Pls comment/share your thoughts below. ♡

[yukioos]

hey! Your post are great and made me think..... what's about a bakugou x y/n where they are cuddling in his dorms room and stuff and they are at a point in their relationship where he is SUPER inlove with her, and he is resting his head on her chest like a pillow and he starts to think about them (doing it) so he asks her and she's like.. "but babe.. I'm not really ready...uhh" and of course he goes with it and cuddles her more after. ☺️😗😫

when katsuki bakugo respects your wishes

katsuki’s head lay comfortably on your plush chest, arms wrapped securely around your body. your hands rubbed up and down his toned back, occasionally playing with his spikey hair if you got bored. words didn’t need to be said. it was clear that he just wanted some peace, away from all the chaos of his class.

he loved you so much. it’s almost been two years since he asked you to be his girlfriend, and it’d been the best decision of his life. for every day that passed, katsuki became happier and happier simply because of your presence. his parents loved you, hell, you even accompanied him to family events! he never doubted for even a second that his whole family loved you, you were meant to be together.

maybe you could get married once you graduated from u.a, or was that too soon? all he knew was that he wanted to be your husband and have children as soon as possible. he wanted to start a new life with you, have babies. would you have a boy? girl? twins? would they have your eyes and his hair or the opposite? would they just be a carbon copy of him or you?

katsuki just wanted to become more intimate with you, to feel closer to you. he’d been thinking about asking to have sex for a while but never had the time or confidence to ask you.

suddenly, his mouth ran faster than he could think, “can we have sex?”

your eyes widened and your body froze. was he truly this eager? i mean, you were flattered but didn’t know he would ask so quickly. how were you supposed to phrase your dissatisfaction without making it seem like you hated him?

his crimson eyes looked up into your worried ones, which darted across the room. you mumbled, “katsuki, i love you so much, you know that, but i don’t think i’m ready. i’m excited to start a whole new future with you but,” you paused, “i’m sorry, i’m not ready to have sex now. i don’t think it’s the right time for me.”

he nodded against your chest and quickly responded, “you know, you don’t have to get me a full explanation. just say no and i won’t ask anymore, alright? don’t feel pressured to do it if you’re not ready.”

how were you supposed to feel guilty about not being ready when he was that sweet? your cheeks warmed up at his kindness, and you couldn’t hold back the smile that appeared on your face.

you kissed his forehead and stated, “i love you, katsuki.” then kissed him once more on his cheek.

“i love you too, idiot.” he grinned once you kissed him multiple times, but he quickly paid you back with tickles on your stomach, resulting in loud laughter and upset neighboring students, and him peppering kisses all over your neck.

i’m so glad you love my writing! thank you all so much for 1000 followers! i love all of you so much, and reqs are still open! please read who i write for and rules & guidelines if you have an ask.

[pleasureable]

Pink Goes Well with Purple

Summary - After entering in a series of death games, a popstar fallen from grace finds comfort in a certain purple haired stranger.

Warnings - mentions of reader having pink hair (hence the title lol), ooc Thanos?, bad writing, please excuse any grammatical errors, this is pretty short

A/N - this is my first ever attempt at writing fanfiction for a character so I know this story might be hot ass, I just really wanted to jump on the Thanos bandwagon since he's one of my favs from this season and there's not enough fics on here for him to quench my thirst lol

Once a universally loved popstar, the emotional distress caused by the separation from your ex-boyfriend caused you to fall down a rabbit hole of sex and drugs, not to mention the $70,000,000 lawsuit you were slapped with after punching a paparazzi for putting his camera just a tad bit too close to your face. The heavy fallout from the legal battle was enough to make the whole world turn its back on you. Essentially blacklisted from the industry as a whole, you were desperate to rebuild your image (or at least get your money back) in any way you possibly could.

That's when you were approached by a man in a suit offering you $100,000 if you beat him in a game of ddakji. Managing to win 2 out of the 3 games played, you were given your $200,000 as promised by the suit-clad man standing before you.

"You know, I have a simple solution to your debts." he said. You were confused as to how he knew you had debts, you didn't recall mentioning your financial situation to him, at all. You tried to brush his comment off, maybe he had seen your name in a tabloid mentioning your lawsuit somewhere and he recognized you.

"How do you know I'm in debt?"

No answer, he just pulled a card out of the inside pocket in his suit and handed it to you. "We don't have many spots left so if you're interested, please call us as soon as possible." Then, he was gone.

You spent the rest of the day looking at the brown business card given to you, you took notice of the shapes that were on the front of it. The simplistic design of the card was weirdly intriguing. On the back, a phone number. On one hand, you didn't want to be wasting your time. On the other hand, you needed money in order to rebuild your life. So, this could either be the biggest scam or the biggest blessing of your entire life.

Fuck it, you dialed.

You didn't really know it at the time, but that phone call would unleash a chain of events that would change your life, forever.

That's how you winded up in the situation you were in now. Transported to a room designed to simulate a courtyard, a giant doll on the other side of the room.

Suddenly, you heard a voice come up from behind you, "Hey señorita" the deep voice spoke. Turning your head around, your eyes were met with the sight of a tall, purple haired man. "Knew I recognized that pretty pink hair from somewhere. You're that singer that socked that paparazzi guy in the face; Y/N, right?"

"Yes, Y/N. Who are you?" I said back. "You don't know who I am?" He said, a twinge of pretend hurt in his voice. "Am I supposed to?" You always had a slight dislike for people who expected everyone to know who they were. Clearly, this guy was one of those people.

"No, but we can get to know each other. Tell me about yourself, beautiful."

"Are you flirting with me?" a slight smirk began to form on your face. While his attitude was a bit off-putting, he was pretty cute.

"Yo, pink hair, you're so fine

like a bouquet of flowers, all intertwined

You're the rose to my thorn, the petal to my stem

Red, orange, yellow, green

I'm a legend, Thanos"

You giggled at his comically bad attempt at freestyling. "Thanos, huh? I guess that would explain the purple hair. Although, you're not as hideous as the titan."

"I'll take that as a compliment, petal."

Masked men wearing pink jumpsuits began to round up every other person who was dressed in the same blue-green sweatsuit as you and Thanos; you did a quick head count, confirming the amount of people to be about 400. Once a female voice on the intercom explained that you were all going to participate in a game of Red Light Green Light, the big robotic doll began to recite the games' chant.

Red light, a bee had landed on the neck of the girl standing in front of Thanos while the doll was scanning the room for movement. ''There's a bee on you, don't freakout." Instantly, the girl began to swat at her neck in an attempt to get the insect off. While the scene unfolding was slightly amusing to watch, your heart felt like it had stopped once a single bullet pierced her forehead. Her blood had splattered onto Thanos's face, and you watched as his face dropped once her body hit the ground.

Green light, Thanos picked up his cross-shaped necklace and opened it, revealing an array of colorful, circular pills. "Want one, petal? They'll help you relax." Red light, you stood still while staring at the pills in his hands; you had been clean for a little over 3 months now, but pill popping had never sounded better. "Fuck it, give me one."

Green light, he quickly placed a blue colored pill in your hand then grabbed an orange pill for himself. He grabbed your hand and started to lead you both further across the courtyard. Immediately, you began to feel the effects of the mysterious pill you had just ingested. As you continued to advance through the game, your vision became nothing but a colorful kaleidoscopic blur. The sudden energy burst allowed you and Thanos to quickly cross the red finish line, jumping, dancing, and twirling together on the way there.

After the game was over, the remaining players were all taken back to the room where your bunk beds were. You and Thanos were standing against a wall together, giggling at seemingly nothing. "Stick with me from now on, petal. I'll protect you." He said, finishing his statement off with a playful wink. "THE Thanos wants to protect me? Wow, I'm so fucking lucky" you chuckled. "I'm serious! I wouldn't want anything to happen to my flower now, would I?"

You just looked at him with a slight smile. His nickname for you made you blush, your cheeks taking on a subtle hue that matched your hair. He had such a way with words, you couldn't help but be totally charmed by him. "Fine then, let's team up. Thanos the Mad Titan and Y/N, Popstar Fallen from Grace; world's greatest duo." Your words made him smile like an idiot. He loved your company already.

"Of course we're the world's greatest duo. Pink goes well with purple, petal."

[inbabylontheywept]

Memories of Grandpa Dale

I was playing in the barn, but I was also hiding from my grandpa. I was aware that this hurt his feelings, but I didn’t know what else to do. Every year I’d ever visited him before, he’d seemed kind of mad at me, but I’d hoped still that year was the year that we’d finally be friends. I even made a list of things to do together. 

Unfortunately, the list did not fix things¹ so I'd been forced to acknowledge that if he couldn't be happy with me there, and he couldn't be happy with me gone, then perhaps he simply could not be happy. At least, not until someone invented The Secret Third Thing.

(But I was only nine. So. That someone would probably not be me.) 

Fortunately, being happy is a task that I've never needed to delegate - I’m actually quite good at it. I’d been sad in the barn for maybe an hour or so, but eventually that got boring, so I invented a new game where I would chase big clouds of shiny blue flies off the sun-warmed horse-poop and try to shoo them towards a corner of the barn that I knew had a large spiderweb in it. 

I was perfectly aware that this is not ideal for the flies, but I had just read Charlotte’s Web, so my empathy function was very biased towards spiders, who I perceived as patient and compassionate and slightly maternal women. Who just happened to have eight legs.  

(I, like most nine year old boys, would have personally been willing to fight a war for every patient, compassionate, slightly maternal woman I had ever met. If you, personally, have ever hugged a little boy who was trying very hard not to cry in front of his friends after skinning his knee, know that there is a child in this world that would kill in your name.)

(Now live with that knowledge.) 

I played my game with the flies for a long time. Long enough to get into a rhythm of running and laughing and then panting outside on my back while wallowing in the long green grass.

It was during one of those walks outside to lay in the grass that I noticed my mom. She was sitting on a hay bale, looking baffled. I don’t know how long she’d been there, but I was too young and confident to even feel odd. She asked me what I was doing, and I just kind of gestured to the ceiling, and said, You know, just. Feeding spiders.²

She nodded. I was feeding spiders. Of course. 

We sat there a few moments. It was an amicable silence, but I was still faintly relieved when she broke it.  

Your grandpa’s been looking for you, she said. He got some grapes earlier. Wanted to take you to feed the ducks.

I've always really liked feeding ducks³. Visiting them had actually been the next thing on my list. 

I was baffled by the effort. 

He’s mad at me, I pointed out. My mom, to her credit, looked genuinely confused. 

He’s not, she said. 

But he was mad when we picked blackberries, I pointed out. And when we went on that walk down to the prairie. And he snapped at me this morning when I asked if I could have some of his dried mangos. 

The mangos had been my last straw. The weirdest part was that he didn’t even say no, he just (angrily) said of course you can, as if it was an insult to his hospitality that I was asking when just the year before he’d yelled at me because I ate a tin of dried apples. Apparently, I was just supposed to know that those apples were exclusively reserved for The Apocalypse. 

(To be fair, my grandpa has always been very worried about the apocalypse, but mostly in the context of not having enough dried apples for it. There was a period of my life where I thought that The Apocalypse referred to some kind of prophesied biblical event where there would be No More Apples. This thought has stuck with me for a very long time⁴.)

Well. Yeah. My mom said. He’s mad. But he’s not mad at you. He’s just… Mad. 

I mulled this over. 

What about the mangos? I asked, and she shrugged at that. 

Alright, so that time he was mad at you, but that’s being mad one time in three days. Cut the man some slack, you’ve been asking him for permission before eating anything. 

I just don’t want to eat the wrong thing, I said. I’ve always been very defensive of my rule-following. Both because rules are important, and also because that #10 can of dried apples ripped through me like a shotgun full of razor blades⁵. That “snack” had 400% the recommended daily fiber for an adult man. And I was very definitely not a grown man when I ate it.  

It was a very painful experience is what I am trying to say. 

I know, my mom said. 

I don’t even like apples, I added. Still defensive. 

I know, my mom said again. She’s very good at saying it. It always feels like she’s agreeing with me, and not just trying to rush me onto The Point. Sometimes, people need to make detours from The Point in order to explain things. Like, hypothetically, why they once ate a very large number of dehydrated apples. My mom is wise, and she has always known this. . 

I just really wanted to eat something sweet, I continued. They don’t keep anything sweet in the whole house. The day before I ate those apples, I licked all the salt off a saltine just so I could eat the cracker plain. And then the cracker tasted just like a cookie. To me. That’s how crazy I was going. 

My mom nodded her head sympathetically. 

My first month of college, she said conspiratorially, I ate about a box of poptarts a day. 

There was another longish pause as both of us considered what led us to this point. 

My parents are crazy, my mom said at long last. It’s a very peaceful statement to her. I'm sure it was stressful when she first realized it, but she's had a long time to make her peace, and she's made it well.  

Will you go with me? I asked. To feed the ducks?  

He’s not mad at you, she said again. Reemphasizing her point. He’s just mad. It’s just how he is. 

But she went with me anyway.

I watched Grandpa Dale closely the whole way to the pond to see if my mom was right. She was. She almost always is.  He was angry while he drove, and he was angry while he parked and he was even angry while he strode purposefully towards the park. When we got there, he took several grapes, and he angrily put them in his hand, and angrily extended the hand towards the ducks, and he looked at me, and for maybe a tenth of a second he looked okay. Not exactly happy, but a little less mad. Then a duck bit the webbing between his pointer finger and his thumb.

He immediately, without hesitation, without even a second thought, hit the duck with a haymaker⁶. For a human, the punch would have been devastating, but the duck had the benefit of having essentially no inertia, so it just kind of moved sideways and looked perplexed. 

You son of a bitch, my grandpa said. This is a funny thing for anyone to say to a duck, but it was especially funny to hear coming from a former Mormon Bishop. 

Quack,⁷ said the duck. 

My mom started laughing. I'd felt a sort of holy terror at the anger my grandpa was exuding in that moment, but the moment she laughed I realized how absurd it was. I was watching a grown man beef with a duck. I was watching a grown man beef with the world. 

I started laughing too. In a better world, maybe my grandpa would've joined. Maybe he would've taken a good hard look in the mirror and questioned why exactly he was so angry. But he didn't. Instead he swore at the duck some more, and he threw his remaining handful of grapes at it overhand, like a baseball, and then the duck ate the grapes out of the water, and my mom actually laughed so hard she started dry heaving a little, and my grandpa had to go sit in the car for a few minutes by himself to regain his composure. 

¹ He managed to pick blackberries angrily

² Unfortunately, I do this kind of response quite a bit.

³ I got my first kiss from my wife because I managed to capture a duck. They're like, a motif for my life. Very lucky to have that.

⁴ I reference it again in this very weird short story.

⁵ I eat a lot of strange things.

⁶ My wife is concerned people will not know what a haymaker is. It is simply the most redneck kind of punch.

⁷ ...What did you expect it to say?