#i didn't even know i thought about this series that much

[chefkids]

Claire is Carmy's projection of Sydney.

Costuming is one of the most straightforward ways to tell an audience what a character is like and what their role is. Claire's costuming choices show how she was literally just a clear blank slate for Carmy to project Syd onto. So come peel this onion with me.

When he first sees her after being away from him for a while she's wearing a green jacket, who else famously has worn a green puffer jacket all throughout the series and when she reconnected with Carmy after she left?

When he takes Claire on that post office trip drive through Sydney's favorite UPS route, Sheridan Road, she's wearing a brown jacket which looks very similar to the kinds that UPS drivers like Sydney would wear.

When Claire is at the party with him trying to get with Carmy and pursue a new relationship, she just had a denim jacket. Which we have also seen Sydney wear a denim jacket around him when they were trying to start a new relationship aka partnership together by building the new restaurant.

And then we see her white button shirt, dark pants, and the blue denim jacket when Carmy takes her back to the restaurant, which is basically all Carmy saw Syd wearing for most of the time while at the restaurant when she was in her white button down, dark pants, and blue apron.

When he cooks for Claire we see her for the first time in a tank top at the exact same time we see Sydney the most undressed she's ever been in a bra.

When she's in his kitchen she's in his white t-shirt she tries to have a somewhat vulnerable moment with him. She asks him what he is thinking about when he's clearly stressed and he deflects to just complement her. Later when he is with Syd in her white t-shirt in their kitchen at The Bear, he is vulnerable with her about his mother and tries to get her to be vulnerable with him and she finally tells him about her mom dying.

At Friends & Family night is the one time we see her dressed in the most uniquely herself way in a black dress, and she looks like she's ready for a funeral. Which it essentially was the death of her and Carmy's relationship that night. We also know that this is what Sydney will be doing at the start of Season 3, going to a funeral with Carmy. RIP Claire. (yes i know it's marcus' mom but the metaphor is still there and this is still a comedy after all)

Claire has very little identity of her own because Carmy never bothers to know her like he knows Syd. When Claire is on her own she's always in her scrubs, because he doesn't have much else of an image of her besides the fact that she's a doctor now. But he knows Syd well enough to know the exact designer brand she likes to wear and make her a custom jacket.

He knows about Syd's mom dying because he repeatedly asks her about her family and parents without even knowing them. Claire told him about her cousin dying and he basically said "damn that sucks" even though he knew him personally. He knows about Syd's struggles with her job history through catering and fine dining. Claire told him about her life as a doctor and the only thing he came out with was that it was a time intensive job and that he thought she liked taking care of people by helping to fix them. Which is exactly what he tells Sydney he notices about her later on. She likes to take care of people and to fix things like she tried to fix the restaurant.

He didn't give af about Claire's life or personality, he just wanted to project Sydney's onto it. Carmy wanted to want to be with Claire, because everyone around him told him it was what he should want from Mikey to Fak to Richie. So he chose to see and project as much of Syd, who he already knew deep down he liked but was too scared to pursue, on to Claire. That's why he took her on that drive and why he made her the Sydney's pasta recipe that he knew Sydney already liked. Because he doesn't bother getting to know Claire, he just assumes Sydney's identity on to her. And what he did come to know and do with her that was her choice, like going to a party with drunk friends, only ended up associating her with his alcoholic mother and his brother at their Christmas party.

And in the end he still realized he couldn't just replace Sydney in his mind with her.

[ktaerssoi]

cheering for us pt. 2

pt. 1

summary; the three first dates with kate martin

kate martin x cheerleader!reader

you had been cheering your girlfriend on from the sidelines for four years, the first two years you were just hopelessly staring out on the court doing your routine cheers, praying that she would see you. then she did, and the two years since then have been truly nothing but bliss. 

you have countless stories of the dates the two of you have gone on, but none of them can top the first three. 

date one, the movies. 

traditionally, first dates at the movies aren't great. sitting in a crumby theater with a bunch of other people where you can't talk for at least an hour? and you're supposed to bond with someone? That's why your plans to go to the movies were adapted. 

kate had picked you up from your apartment at six o'clock on the dot. you had a feeling she wasn't exactly sure what she was doing from the moment she had asked you to the movies. 

it was half time and the spirit was high as you and the rest of the cheer squad tried to ramp up the energy. Iowa was down by 6, and you could tell Kate was stressed. you guys had been friends for a little while at that point, she called you her "good luck charm." she told people she never did well at games when you weren't there. needless to say, people already thought you guys had something going on. 

because it was halftime, you and the team had been instructed to go out onto the court and do some sort of routine. it wasn't bad, to say the least, the crowd ate it up at the team seemed to be ready to lock in for when the third quarter started.   

before you could leave the court Kate had grabbed your arm. "hey do you want to catch a movie sometime?" the words had tumbled out of her mouth and your adrenaline kick mixed with the fact that she was the only person you thought about while performing made you give her an instant "yes!" an answer that you would not regret in the future.   

Now, you were standing in the lobby of the movie theater, playful banter between you and Kate as you argued whether Skittles or M&M's were better. (it's skittles.) you guys had gone to see some Marvel movie, Marvel being a movie series that you originally bonded over. 

as the two of you were walking out of the theater, you realized that it would be time to part ways for the night. but, it was your turn to be spontaneous. "hey, wanna go back to my place?" you bit your lip trying to gauge her reaction, and as you saw the look of a middle school boy thinking about what "going back to my place" could mean, you quickly added onto your statement. "or we could get food or something, I just don't want to go yet." 

kate saw your nervous demeanor, thinking it was cute you didn't want to leave yet. "yeah sure, I could eat." 

-

You had been ranting to Kate for the whole twenty-minute drive to some diner you found on Google Maps, and she would occasionally have a question or words of advice. 

When you pulled into the parking lot before you could even unbuckle your seatbelt Kate was opening the door for you, her hand extended out to you. "Thanks," you mumbled as you tried to hide your flustered state. 

walking into the diner, you quickly get seated. you were almost self-conscious of how much you had been talking, biting your lip to try and silence your words. 

Kate clears her throat, looking down at the menu before her eyes flick up to you. "so, whatcha getting?" You snap out of your thoughts, picking up the menu and flipping through it. "um, I don't know, probably a sandwich or something.." 

"Mmm, sounds good, I think I'll go for the burger. You okay? You're quiet all of a sudden." She sets the menu down, crossing her arms. She was staring at you. intensely. 

"I, uh, yeah. I'm fine, I just want to get to know you more." It's your turn to cross your arms, thinking of more topics to talk about. Kate takes a deep breath, narrowing her eyes at you. "Okay, what do you want to know? That you don't already know, I mean." 

You smile, a playful eye roll following it. "Well, what did you think of the movie?" She takes yet another deep breath, smiling. "It was good, gotta love Dr. Strange." 

"Dr. Strange? That is your favorite character? seriously?" You scoff, then quickly sit up straight as a waiter comes over to your table. She jots down your drink orders, letting you know that she would be back shortly with them.  

"Yes, Dr. Strange. He's hot in a way.." Kate says sheepishly, her cheeks becoming red. "No shot you just called Dr. Strange hot. I thought you were supposed to like me! hm, you know, I'm thinking this was all just some ploy to go fangirl over him."

"What? I'm offended, truly." She raises her hand to her chest in mock offense, her mouth agape. "And I would take a date with you over Dr. Strange any day." You nod a smile on your face at her antics. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. but I swear if I catch you watching edits I'm out of here." 

date two, the fair 

A week or two after your first date you got a text from Kate, inviting you to go to the fair for some double date. You accepted before even finding out who the second couple was, but you knew it would be fine as long as Kate was there. 

You found out later on the phone that night that the second couple would be Caitlin and her boyfriend, and that's when it hit you. caitlin and Conner weren't the second couples, you and Kate were. To most people, that wouldn't mean anything, but to you it made you think that Kate had been talking about how awkward the first date was and Caitlin decided to step in and help. 

Or you were overthinking. Definitely overthinking. 

-

You smiled as you read the text that Kate had sent you letting you know she was outside. You waved as you walked up to her car, "Hi Kate," You watched as her face lit up, color rushing to her cheeks. "Hey," She said breathlessly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. 

"Oh my gosh I am so excited for funnel cake." you ranted as she drove to Caitlin's, the four of you deciding to take her car. "I only had it once, and it was in like the seventh grade with a bunch of my friends but it was so good." 

"Really? I dunno, I think fried ice cream is far better." She liked hearing you talk, it gave her time to think. mostly think about you, and if it wasn't you, it was your future together. "What about the games? I mean, the ring toss is so fun" 

You were surprised, you had been friends for a month or two before she asked you out, but even then she listened to you more than she spoke. "Really? Aren't there rides too? I feel like I remember a drop ride" 

"Uhh, yeah. I'm not a big fan of them though, it's freaky that they get taken down and put back up so quickly. Cait likes them though, so you could probably get her on a ride." She bites her lip, shuddering as she thinks about the structure of the attractions. 

"Yeah, sure sounds fun." You mumble as the car pulls into Caitlin's complex. "Are they nice? like I know Caitlin chill with you, but like how is Conner, do you think they would like me?" You fidget with your hands, trying to relax. 

"They'll like you, I swear." She parks the car, grabbing your hand, and giving it a gentle squeeze before she got out to open your door. making your way up to Caitlin's apartment.

You take a deep breath as you watch Kate knock on the door, trying to calm your nerves. You relax as you see Caitlin's warm smile, you had never met her before, not officially, but you could tell she was kind. 

Caitlin cared for her teammates and you were aware of how close she and Kate were, that's why you were surprised when she pulled Kate in for a hug. She quickly remembered that you were there too, and pulled back flashy you one of her signature smile. 

"Hey, I'm Caitlin." she sticks out her hand, which you quickly accept. "Nice to meet you, Kate has told me so much about you." You smile at her, following Kate as Caitlin leads the two of you into her apartment. 

You have a similar introduction with Conner, and soon after, the four of you leave to head to the fairgrounds. You and Kate found yourselves situated in the backseat while Caitlin and Conner took the front. 

-

"Oh my god funnel cake!" You laughed as you dropped Kate's hand, running over to the stand. "You're so immature." Kate laughed as she caught up to you, pulling out her wallet. "Hey woah, what are you doing? I got it, it's for me after all." You narrowed your eyes at her, pulling out your wallet. 

"Nuh-uh, I'm getting this...please?" She gave you her signature puppy dog eyes, and you knew you couldn't say no, opting to instead shake your head as you watched her pay. "Unbelievable." You mumbled as Kate walked over to you, a plate of funnel cake in hand. 

"shut up, you love me." She quickly realized what she said, and the color drained from her face slightly. "I, um, I didn't mean it like that I just," You nod, a smile of adoration on your face as you watch her get all flustered. 

"It's fine, I know what you meant." You grinned down at your food, picking up a piece and trying some, a look of surprise on your face. "That's so good! Oh my god, seriously try some. What?" You look up to see Kate already staring at you, a look you couldn't quite read present on her face. 

"Nothing, it's just, i don't know. You're so pretty." She tucks her hair behind her ears, something she does when she's nervous, and you realize that Caitlin and Conner have disappeared. "thank you, I mean, you're really really pretty too," You stutter, not exactly sure what to think. 

"Can I kiss you?" She asks quickly, her eyes flashing between your eyes and your lips. "Yes." You don't even think about it before pushing yourself up onto your tippy toes to level your heights. Her lips crash onto yours no more than a second later, passion and adrenaline coursing through the two of you. 

You were the first to pull away, letting your feet fall flat as you took a deep breath. "Woah," you say breathlessly, your close proximity still clouding your brain. 

Kate chuckles, a sound you wish to never forget, as she brushes a stray hair out of your face. "You are so pretty." She stares at you, not breaking eye contact for a second. dodging the compliment, you ask a question, "Where'd Caitlin and Conner go?" 

"Um, I think to get a pretzel, Conner was hungry or something. I don't know, the guys a tool," she says as she looks around, seeing if she can spot them in the crowd. "Kate!" you yelp, playfully hitting her shoulder. 

"What? Are you telling me it's not true?" She smiles down at you, waiting for your objection. "Exactly, the guy is a tool!" You shake your head, amused by her antics. 

Best second date ever. 

date three, a picnic 

Not even a day after your date at the fair you ran into Kate at the gym, and she had asked you out, yet again. This time she was more formal with it. 

You had been packing up your things, it was late, almost four. You had been walking out of the shower area, taking out your AirPods when you ran into someone. "Oh my god, I am so- oh, hey Kate." You flashed her a wide smile, happy to run into her. 

"Hey, I didn't know you came here?" She crossed her arms, and you watched as they flexed under her shirt. "Yeah, I switched gyms a few months ago, longggg story." You smiled, pulling your eyes away from her biceps.

Sensing the conversation coming to a close you began to walk away, but were quickly stopped when Kate lightly tugged on your arm. "Want to go out again this week? We could have a picnic or something, I'll plan it and everything I just want to hang out with you."

You nod your head, watching her intently. "Yeah sure, I would love to, text me about it later." She looked at you expectingly, and you almost didn't understand what she wanted. "I'll see you around Kate." You were going to keep her waiting. 

-

The plans had been made that night, she had called you after practice, telling you all about her day. One thing about phone calls with Kate is that she was a completely different person. She was talkative, saying anything that came to mind, regardless of your opinions.

The two of you decided to have a picnic the following day.

-

"hey," you smiled at kate as she opened the door, moving to let you into her apartment. "hi, i just need to grab some stuff and then we can go, okay?" kate looked at you, waiting for your reassurance.

"oh yeah, sounds good." you nodded, taking the moment alone to look around her space. Kate kept a clean home, all the blankets were folded neatly and everything seemed to be in its place. Either Kate was surprisingly clean-lined, or she had clean profusely before your arrival.

You snapped out of your thoughts as Kate walked back into the living room, blanket and cooler in hand. "Ready?" Kate questioned as she nodded toward the door, you responded wordlessly, walking over to the door and holding it open for her.

"Are we taking my car or yours?" You asked as you held your picnic supplies while Kate locked her front door. "Mine, obviously. I mean, it's the one with the bigger backseat." She says with a grin.

Confused, you narrow your eyes at her, not understanding her implications. "What does size have to- oh. I get it." Kate nods, a smirk on her face at your bashful state. "Mhm," She hums as she walks over the the drivers side of her car.

You quickly place the items you were carrying into the backseat, Kate was right, the backseat was bigger in her car. "So, where are we off to?" You question as you hop into the passenger seat.

"It's a surprise," Kate notices your hesitation at her comment, "a good surprise a swear." You nod, anxious for the possibilities of the night. "So, what did you think of the other night?" Kate asked, her hand inching closer to your leg as she drove.

"Like, the people or the night in general? because the fair was great, the company, not so much." You grin, shrugging your shoulders as she gasps. "Well, here i was thinking i was taking out a nice girl, but really you're just leading me on. What a shame." Kate tries to contain her laughter, but fails as she sees you giggle.

"No, seriously, it was a lot of fun. Did Caitlin like me? I mean, her liking me is almost as important as your family." Your question is joking, but Kate can sense the hint of true curiosity in your words.

"Yeah actually, i was talking to her after practice yesterday and she said that she really liked hanging out with us. She even invited us to some party." Kate had taken her arm away from your leg to make a turn, and you miss the feeling of slight anticipation from your closeness, but quickly regain your excitement when you realize where you've arrived.

"Oh my gosh, i haven't been to the beach in ages!" you smile, opening your door as soon as the car was in park. Kate watches as you run down the boardwalk, kicking off your sandals as you rush down to the water. "Calm down, Killer, we still have to eat before you go and drown in your excitement."

"Hey, i'll have you know that i was on swim team! The only one with the possibility of drowning in excitement is you, because your here with me," You send Kate a wink, watching her face flush at the simple action.

"Okay, lets not get to cocky." Kate shakes her head, as she continues her walk to a picnic table not far from the water, you close behind her. "So, what did you bring?" Your face lights up as she pulls out a fruit salad, and to her surprise you get even happier when she tells you she brought cookies too.

"You're seriously to sweet," You take a moment to admire Kate, taking note of the way loose strand of hair falls perfectly from her ponytail, how her hands are calloused from years of refining her sport, she was breath taking.

"What?" The sound of kate's voice pulled you from your thoughts. "Nothing, you're just amazing. I mean, you didn't have to do any of this." You sit down across from her at the table, looking at all the food. "Is it to much? If it is i totally understand, we can just go get pizza or something,"

"What? No this is literally so sweet, i'm just really grateful." You grab her hand, giving it a squeeze of reassurance. "We never talked about our kiss." The words tumbled out of Kate's mouth, like she had been thinking of saying it since it happened.

"Well what is there to say?" Your eyebrows knitting together at her statement, you thought it was a good kiss, not relationship defining though. "I don't know, it was good." Kate bites her lip as she hands you one of the paper plates she brought.

"I thought so too," you laughed, thinking back to the memory. "I had a lot of fun, i really like hanging out with you." you pop a piece of pineapple into your mouth, punctuating your statement. "You trying to ask me to be your girlfriend or something?" you nearly choke on said pineapple, the thought of calling Kate yours being insane.

Clearing your throat, you spit out your thoughts. "Is that what you want me to be asking?" Kate's eyes widen slightly as she pushes a grape around her plate, shrugging. "I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea.."

You shake your head at her attempt to be nonchalant. "Okay then, Kate Martin, would you be my girlfriend?" You bite your lip, awaiting her answer. "Well now it feels forced!" Kate laughs, nodding her head yes. "but yes, i would love to be your girlfriend."

"cool, good thing we talked about that kiss." You laughed, getting up to throw your plate away in a near by trash can. Kate pulled you close to her as you came up behind her after discarding your plate, her chin resting against your stomach.

"you're so pretty," Kate mumbled as she stared up at you through her eyelashes. "Uh-oh, thats what you said last time we kissed and now i'm stuck with you!" You giggled as Kate stood up, muttering a little "shut up," before her lips were on yours for the second time that week.

"Is that how you talk to your girlfriend?" You cross your arms as the two of you separate. "Seriously shut up, i'm not done." Kate rolls her eyes, pulling you closer to her once again.

That bigger backseat did come in handy.

notes: a special thank u to my fav person ever, @girlokwhatever.. i swear im going to bed after this.

[obsidianbaby]

Don't Love Me Like A Brother - Prologue

Brothers Best Friend Series - PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1 -

series synopsis - ronnie's younger brother, tyler, is a famous youtuber & influencer and is best friends with the sturniolos. This series will be following ronnie's life as she befriends the triplets and catches herself developing feelings for a certain someone...

**series will contain smut as it develops but warnings will be added to those specific chapters

**found myself writing a few flashback chapters before present day just to build up the established friendships bc I'm impatient and don't want the slow burn to drain anyone 😭

warnings/notes - no smut in this as it's just the prologue to introduce y'all to the story.

a/n - starting this series and im very exciteddddddd i hope y'all fuck with a slow burn, friends to lovers best friends brother type beat. Buckle up mfs it's gonna be an angsty ride

a/n pt 2 - im not gonna share who ronnie develops feelings for just yet I want y'all to be on edge okok enjoy MWAH xx

__________________________________

PROLOGUE

ronnies pov

having a brother who's famous on social media is humbling to say the least.

The amount of fan girls who have followed my accounts just because they're obsessed with him makes me question many people's sanity (including my own).

But tyler is one of my best friends. And thank god for my dad, who from the jump, did not tolerate any misogynistic bullshit from my brother.

Raising two kids as a single dad after my mom passed away (before ty and I were older than the age of 5) was tough for him and he embraced the times when he needed support (like when i first got my period, bless his heart he bought almost every type of menstrual product off the shelf).

His values were the perfect structure for us to grow up following; respect, open communication, giving our best efforts to everything (even if the only effort we could offer up was a 60% instead of a 100%)

My childhood friends would always whine about how "chill" my dad was. And it's not cause he didn't care, (he probably cares too much) but he didn't want to shield us either, knowing we need to learn how to exist in the world without him constantly up our asses.

"As long as we can talk about shit at the end of the day then we're good" one of his favorite mantras he would spew to me and ty when we would get caught doing something you might call a "right of passage" as a teenager.

And since it was just the three of us, we've always leaned on each other a lot. Sunday family dinners at nans' every week, taking turns helping my dad at his shop after school (he's a car mechanic), movie nights every thursday night where my dad would close up shop early, setting up the projector in the shop garage and ordering us pizza. My brother has been a best friend to me since I held him in my arms at the age of 3 when he was born.

And of course, we have the usual chaotic fights to the death like most siblings do, him pranking me in the most annoying ways, me making fun of his dumbass, him eating all of my food, me stealing his cool clothes, him begging me to uber him around everywhere, etc.

But we also just really enjoy each other's company too; going on late night walks around town, sitting in bed staying up talking all night, playing mario cart for hours (id always kick his ass), going adventuring together to forests or beaches, hanging out at the skate park together (me laughing at him eating shit and him chasing me around trying to whack me with his board), us both ditching our friends to stay at home and yap to each other instead, us having campfires in the backyard with both of our friend groups together, working on restoring mom's 1967 ford mustang together that she left us when she passed.

So when he came to me a few years back, during the pandemic, asking my thoughts on him posting on youtube, I was in full support (after teasing him that no one would find him, an 18 year old lanky white boy about to graduate high school funny or interesting. I have to keep him humble ya know?)

But his first few videos on youtube went viral and his following kept growing daily, especially when he started posting on tiktok too.

He's had me (and even my dad) featured in his videos which i don't mind at all (since im the one that's editing them)

I can see why the internet loves him (i did help raise him of course).

But since he's hit over 3 million on youtube last year, he's been doing a shit ton of collabs with other influencers and youtubers; the sturniolo triplets, larray, emma chamberlain, jake webster, tarayummy, vinnie hacker, carrington, etc.

And these days I try to stay behind the scenes as much as possible, trying to enjoy my solitude away from the opinions of crazy fans. (why do they care so much about what im doing anyways?)

Yet he understands (thank god) and he's always inviting me to come hangout with the friends he's made through social media, and i can't lie and say i don't enjoy being in the company of such dope (and attractive) people.

END OF PROLOGUE

______________________________________________

a/n - hellooooo i have a few more parts already written for this but im gonna wait to see how this post goes first (because i have a dire need for validation and praise) anywaysssss thank you for reading mwah xx

[writingmeraki]

project : get the guy — enha hyung line smau.

project one : this is literally targeted hatred.

synopsis : chaos ensues when you're assigned to do a project with the four supposed "cool kids" of the university and even more chaos when apparently one of them likes you, just that you have no idea who. warnings : cussing, bit of baby slander (?)

word count : 2.4k

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"L/N Y/N."

Confusion flooded you as you thought Jungwon had called you but he wasn't in your class.

Keyword being thought.

You looked up from the bent position you'd previously been in due to texting on your phone and your eyes widened when you finally realized who had called you.

Now, Mr. Jeon was in no way a mean teacher, most of the time how he dealt with students was pretty lenient, so you couldn't help but feel guilty when he caught you doing not-so-fit for college things.

Which was right now.

Clearing your throat, you shoved your phone quickly into the side pocket of your bag firstly to make sure it wasn't what got confiscated.

"Y/N, tell me am I that boring for you to put your head down for almost 15 minutes."

Mr. Jeon looked at you while glaring and you scanned his face wondering how he had the patience to deal with students this early. It would certainly make his life easier if he chose another job but then again who were you to judge his career choices when you didn’t even know what you wanted to be?

Mumbling a small yes under your breath, you stood up and you smiled at him, one where your molars were grinding against each other.

"No…sir of course not! I was just…a bit unwell."

“The health center is always open, if you feel unwell, you can go there.”

If it were any other student, they’d probably be insulted and embarrassingly sit down. But you were not just any student especially nor was he just any professor.

You shrugged and were about to grab your bag, anyway ready to ditch the class. But he glared at you so harshly, that you just sat down quietly, not wanting to push his limits. He might just fail you, Jungwon’s words flashed through your mind.

“Sorry sir. I'll pay attention.”

You said it softly, biting your tongue for any snide remarks because you knew you'd only get in more trouble.

All your professors were great. You even behaved properly and they'd also be polite towards you. You just didn't understand why Mr.Jeon had such a problem with you.

Perhaps it was because you may have accidentally hit his car during that one time you were parking.

Or that one time you bumped into him and all his coffee spilled all over his white shirt.

Or that one time you made him trip when you'd kept your foot out while he was making rounds during a test.

Actually, he may have reasons to not favor you.

“Alright class. As previously mentioned I was rudely interrupted,” He quickly narrowed his eyes at you before he continued,

“You all will be given a project which will account for around 50% of your total grade for this course. This project is something where the process of how you handle it till the very end will also matter and not just the result.”

“And it is a group project.”

Groans could be heard and a few whispers and murmurs going around about taking people in the groups while you silently looked ahead.

This is where you felt a slight sense of regret for not making any sort of friends let alone acquaintances in this course.

It’s not that you were not a social person, you had your fair share of friends and even close friends. It’s just your social energy could only deal with so much and hence you decided to not make even more in a course where you probably would never see them again after the semester ended.

“I hope I don’t get you in my group again.” You heard someone say behind you while groaning and you turned your attention to him.

As cliche as it sounded, you paused a bit, eyes widening at the unrealistically pretty boy.

How did you not notice him before? Like ever?

You’d seen your fair share of attractive people, you were friends with said attractive people, but the guy in front of you was like attractive on another level.

“I deal with you enough in my life, not this time again.”

You turned your gaze to the other person he was speaking to.

You were sure if Niki was here, he'd definitely make fun of the way your eyes widened even more as you felt your jaw slack a little.

Since when did this class have attractive men?

Both of them looked like actual models, you couldn't even comprehend synonyms enough to describe them.

Mr Jeon cleared his throat which made you snap out of your weird daze, glad neither of them noticed you staring like a creep.

“And as much as I know you might hate me for this but the groups are already chosen. By me.”

It seemed the entire class collectively groaned in disappointment while someone like you was sort of happy because for one you weren't even sure who you would have been in a group with.

Although, you somehow hoped you'd get into at least one of the two hot guys. That is if fate was with you.

Mr Jeon smiled gently and continued,

“So what I'll be doing is giving you all a brief on what this project is. Then I'll list down the groups and member names, to which all of your members have to come upfront and take your material. Material which will soon arrive.”

That made most of the students perk up in curiosity including you. The university, despite making most students go into debt paying for the fees, rarely gave out materials without extra payment. It was ridiculous.

“This project is called ‘The Baby Project’ ”

You cannot believe you'll be playing with dolls in university but here you were.

"I suppose the majority of you would have this question, why? Well this course is about human psychology. As most of you would know. What will be observed in these four weeks is how the physical behavior and surroundings would affect the growth of a child in their brain development stage.”

“Another question you may have is why isn't it a set of two people, like parents. But for that, the issue is the number of students is more than what was expected hence you'll be in groups of four and due to odd numbers two or three groups will have five members.”

Of course the one time they provide materials, they don't have enough.

The classroom door was knocked on, to which you assumed a teaching assistant entered with a cart. Full of baby dolls.

It was actually pretty creepy with how realistic they looked.

“Your task is to simply take care of the child. Write reports on its behavior down to what you've been doing to take care of it. By the end, essentially we'll see how well developed your child has become and that would be your grade for the project.”

You were sure this was some sort of hatred towards you. You weren't a fan of children. You didn't hate them but you just mildly disliked them. Let alone toddlers who'd only scream, cry and throw up on you for no reason.

“Now before more of you start dozing off, I'll announce your group number, names and you all come and collect your child. Preferably, discuss a name in class and get it noted down by me.”

“Group one, Lee Soohyung, Kim Wonyooung, Sarah…”

Three more groups passed before it was your turn. Finally.

“Group four, Lee Heeseung, Park Sunghoon,”

You heard a low cheer and groan behind you,

“...Park Jongseong, Sim Jaeyun…”

You heard more cheers and sigh of either disappointment or relief you couldn't quite tell,

“...and what do you know? L/N Y/N.”

You blinked in disbelief. You were paired up with the pretty dudes? Did fate finally open up their chances to you?

“Did we really get that person who Mr.Jeon hates? We're going to fail what the fuck?”

Pause.

Your mini celebration was disrupted as you heard one of them whisper. Whisper about you more specifically.

“Please come and collect your child.”

You stood up, grabbing your bag and hooking it over one shoulder,turning a bit before snapping back at the guy who said that about you.

What a waste of a perfect face.

“You won't fail if you put in the effort.”

His eyes slightly widened when he heard you reply. He didn't know you heard, and felt a bit bad for saying that.

You turned forward, not paying attention to the rest, as you went near the place where the dolls were.

You didn't notice the four moving to stand besides you.

Turning to them, you calmly spoke,

“So we should introduce ourselves first I suppose.”

The first to speak up was the first pretty guy, and his voice matched his face, it was soothing and just…

“Lee Heeseung. Third year music student.”

A senior? Oh, he got even more attractive.

And the small smile he gave off after he spoke definitely did not help with your heart fluttering.

Another guy cleared his throat and it was pretty guy #2.

“Park Sunghoon. Second year psychology student.”

Your eyes widened a tad bit before you pointed out,

“Oh woah, same!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, second year psych.”

You smiled at him in content, glad you found someone who was having the same major.

“Uh, I am Sim Jaeyun but you can just call me Jake. Second year too but major in Physics!”

You really liked the sort of excitement he carried, it showed how he was a bit nervous but it was kind of…cute. And a physics major?! He was probably very intelligent.

In fact all of them were.

“I'm Jay. Park Jongseong. Second year culinary arts student.”

It was the guy who had some beef with you even when you didn't know who he was until now.

Too bad, such a good looking fellow had a weird prejudice issue.

You just nodded in acknowledgement at his introduction, trying your best not to roll your eyes with the way he spoke to you like you were just a bother in his routine. Dismissively and just merely out of convenience.

“Well. Nice to meet you guys, I think you must have figured out my name but yeah I'm Y/N, second year psych.”

Heeseung and Sunghoon nodded as they raised their hands to shake yours. You were a bit taken aback but you gladly shook their hands one by one.

Even Jay’s despite, and you may have squeezed his hand a bit tighter. Just a little for him to perhaps get a message.

“I see you've introduced yourselves.”

A voice spoke up from beside you, to which you internally groaned as you faced him.

Mr Jeon, was a psychologist. He was a teacher so it means he was a master in the subject because after all to be a teacher in anything, you have to be a master in it. He surely knew a fake smile when he saw one.

And you were wearing one right now as if your entire grade depended on it.

“Yes, yes we have.”

He turned towards the rest of your group, briefly smiling at them all and they were the typical college adults, smiling back awkwardly.

“Well, now pick your child and tell me the name, so you all can go as you please.”

“Right, yes, we're just doing that.”

To say the least, picking the child was something you didn't realize was as tasking.

Tasking because it seemed none of you could come to an agreement to choose which one.

Too creepy. Too ugly. Too dull.

“Guys. Come on, it's a fucking toddler. Just. Pick.”

As displeasing as you were to say it, you were glad Jay was able to control them. It seems it was something he did a lot.

Now that that daunting task was done. Another hassle comes. A bigger one.

Picking a name.

“Ethan.”

“No, we are not naming it your English name.”

“You have different names??”

“Bob.”

“I am not naming my child Bob, like what is that, a Bob cut?”

“Bob-bob cuts are hairstyles how is that even—”

“Jerry.”

“Wow, a mouse. You're so smart Y/N,”

“ If you don't shut the fuck up—”

After a whole bunch of disagreements, friendships almost breaking, a lot of seeing things you shouldn't in the first meeting, you finally got a name.

“Jaeyhoon.”

“What like a combo of Sunghoon and mine's name?” Jake asked to which you nodded and also added,

“Yes but Jay is there too, a Y after J-A-E. Fully spelt J-A-E-Y-H-O-O-N.”

“Hey! Where's my name there?” Heeseung asked to which you rolled your eyes at his pout. It was cute though.

“You can put your last name. Lee Jaeyhoon.”

And unexpectedly, Jay spoke up,

“And what about your name?”

“Uh I didn't think about adding mine.”

“How about its middle name? Lee Y/N Jaeyhoon.” Sunghoon said to which you actually didn't mind the sound of it.

Picking up the baby from the cart you raised it, “Welcome to the family Lee Y/N Jaeyhoon.”

It seemed as though it was happy with the name because next thing you know it's giggling to which you got slightly horrified and almost threw it out of your hands.

Luckily, Jay was there near you and was able to catch the child before any damage could be done right from the beginning.

“You should be more careful.”

“Sorry, sorry I didn't expect it…it to laugh.”

“It's not it, it's a he.”

You narrowed your eyes at his demeaning tone, about to retort when Heeseung waved his phone in front of you.

“We're going to be needing your number, so we'll create a group chat where we'll discuss how we go about this whole thing.”

You agreed by nodding and grabbed his phone. Typing in your number, you gave yourself a call so as to have his number.

“Okay. I think we're done for today aren't we? We can discuss what to do ahead after the lunch break?”

You didn't even realize it was almost 12 pm and your stomach grumbled in hunger.

“Righttt, well who's going to take the little human around for now? We can talk about what and how to go about after lunch?”

You asked around to which Sunghoon replied,

“How about we all just sit at the same table? Seeing we'll be talking afterwards anyways.”

Seems fair.

Though I should probably inform Niki, Sun, and Won.

“Sure, let's go then.”

a/n : GUYS ITS UP🙏🙏 FINALLY. also yes this is very much more writing based but it's just for you all to get an idea/brief intro to the characters, further going it'll have less written and more smaus parts! ( I hope) don't worry next chap you won't need to wait 29921 days. also Jay alr having need with u liek 😭😭 anways I'll do my best to upload asap <3 let me know what you think of this!!

taglist ( open ) : @strxwberry-skiess ; @whippedforbeomgyu ; @urszn ; @cha3w0n-hearts ; @cassie6392 ; @nicholasluvbot : @xiaoderrrr ; @eleanorheartschishiya ; @wonunuwoo ; @antonsgirlfriend ; @aygotnobitches ; @dimplewonie ; @hoeinthehouse ; @belovedsthings

all written works as well as images and edits (unless credited) belong to pri. do not plagiarise, repost, re-edit or claim as yours. pics mostly found on pinterest.

writingmeraki Ⓒ 2024

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[skywalker1dream]

part of the stuck with stranger series

Navigating Love's Secret Path

part one | part two | part three

note: I will add summary later, I am working on other fics and I'm little lazy but read it and you will find out and it need little editing too. hope you like it, and I hope you are having a goo day or night, drink water and eat healthy. bye ;3

warnings none?

@barcelonaloverf1life @bokutos-babyowl

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

As the revelation hung heavy in the air, tension crackled between you and Carlos like an electric storm brewing on the horizon. His gaze searched yours, seeking answers, understanding, perhaps even forgiveness for not knowing sooner. But the truth remained, casting a stark light on the intricacies of your burgeoning relationship.

Carlos's brow furrowed as he struggled to process the unexpected twist. "Your sister?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… but I had no idea… that you….."

You watched as the shock registered on Carlos's face, his features contorting with a mix of disbelief and dawning realization. It was as if the ground had shifted beneath his feet, leaving him adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

In that moment, you knew that nothing would ever be the same again. The revelation had shaken Carlos to his core, casting a shadow over the fragile bond you had built together. And as you stood there, caught between past and present, you couldn't help but wonder what the future held in store for you and Carlos.

Before you could say anything, Lando, oblivious to the bombshell he had dropped, chimed in with his trademark grin, "Yeah, I thought it was time for her to see what all the fuss is about in the paddock."

Carlos's gaze flicked from you to Lando and back again, his expression unreadable. "I… I need a moment," he managed, his voice strained.

You watched as he turned and walked away, his steps heavy with the weight of newfound knowledge. And as you stood there, grappling with the ramifications of the revelation, you couldn't help but wonder how this unexpected turn of events would shape the future of your relationship with Carlos.

As Carlos walked away, his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Betrayal wasn't a word he associated with himself, yet the revelation had stirred doubts he hadn't anticipated.

He found a quiet corner in the paddock, away from the prying eyes and the cacophony of the racing world. Leaning against a wall, he closed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all.

Did he betray Lando by developing feelings for his sister? The thought gnawed at him, twisting his gut with guilt. Lando had been more than a friend; he was like a brother. And now, here he was, entangled in a romance with someone so closely tied to him.

But then, amidst the guilt, there was a flicker of something else. A warmth in his chest, a longing that refused to be extinguished. His feelings for you were real, undeniable, and he couldn't simply ignore them, no matter how complicated the situation had become.

As he grappled with his conscience, a voice interrupted his thoughts. Lando stood before him, his expression a mix of concern and confusion.

"Carlos, what's going on?" Lando asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

Carlos hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I… I didn't know, Lando," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "I never meant for things to get so complicated."

Lando's confusion deepened. "What do you mean?"

And as Carlos struggled to find the words to explain, he realized that the path ahead was fraught with uncertainty. Love had thrown him a curveball, and now, he had to navigate the complexities of his feelings while confronting the possibility of losing his best friend in the process.

Certainly! Let's explore another direction:

Carlos took a step back, his mind reeling with the revelation. The thought of betraying his best friend gnawed at him, clouding his judgment with a heavy sense of guilt. He never intended for things to unfold this way, for his feelings to complicate what was once a simple friendship.

"I… I need some time," he finally managed, his voice strained with emotion.

Lando, sensing the tension, nodded solemnly. "I...okay, I understand, Carlos. Take all the time you need, If you want to talk I'm here, mate"

As Carlos retreated to gather his thoughts, he couldn't shake the feeling of remorse that weighed heavily on his heart. He had always prided himself on his loyalty to Lando, but now, he found himself caught in a web of emotions he couldn't untangle.

Hours passed, the buzz of the paddock fading into the background as Carlos grappled with his inner turmoil. Was it worth risking his friendship with Lando for a chance at love? Could he live with the consequences of betraying his best friend?

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice you approaching until you were standing before him, your presence a soothing balm to his troubled mind.

"Carlos," you said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "We need to talk."

He met your gaze, seeing the concern etched in your eyes, and felt a pang of guilt wash over him. "I'm sorry, (Your Name). I never meant for any of this to happen."

You shook your head, a small smile playing on your lips. "It's not your fault, Carlos, its mine . I should have told you sooner but I got scared."

As you spoke, Carlos felt a glimmer of hope stir within him. Perhaps there was a way forward, a way to navigate the complexities of your relationship without sacrificing his friendship with Lando.

Carlos and I exchanged hesitant glances, the weight of the revelation still heavy on our minds. After a moment of tense silence, I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to broach the topic.

"Carlos, I think... I think we need to talk," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his expression serious as he met my gaze. "Yeah, we do."

We moved to a quieter corner of the paddock, away from prying eyes and curious ears, where we could speak freely.

"I know this is... complicated," I began, choosing my words carefully. "But I don't think we should tell Lando just yet. Not until we figure out what this... what we... mean to each other."

Carlos listened intently, his brow furrowed in thought. "You're right," he agreed after a moment. "We need time to sort through our feelings before we involve anyone else."

Relief washed over me at his understanding. "Exactly. I don't want to hurt Lando, but I also don't want to rush into anything and make a mess of everything."

He reached out, gently taking my hand in his, a silent reassurance of his support. "We'll take it slow," he promised. "And when the time is right, we'll find a way to tell him together."

With a shared understanding, we knew the path ahead wouldn't be easy. But as long as we faced it together, with honesty and care, we believed we could navigate the complexities of our relationship and emerge stronger on the other side.

As we stood there, hand in hand, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty. And with Carlos by my side, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, united in our love and determination.

In that moment, with you by his side, Carlos knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he was ready to confront them head-on. For in you, he had found a love worth risking it all for, even if it meant defying the expectations of friendship and loyalty.

------

As I approached Lando in the bustling paddock, he turned towards me with a bright smile. "Hey there! What's on your mind?" he asked, his eyes full of curiosity.

I returned his smile, though my mind was preoccupied with the weight of the conversation I'd just had with Carlos. "Just wanted to catch up with you, Lando," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

Lando nodded, gesturing for me to join him. "come on, I was just thinking about grabbing a coffee. Care to join me?"

Before I could respond, Carlos appeared beside us, his presence catching me off guard. I tried to hide my surprise, but Lando noticed the brief hesitation.

"Hey, Carlos!" Lando greeted him with a grin. "Perfect timing. We were just about to head for some coffee. Care to join us?"

Carlos glanced at me, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features before he nodded. "Sure, sounds good."

As we walked towards the coffee stand, Lando chattered animatedly about the upcoming race, effortlessly filling the air with his infectious energy. Meanwhile, I stole glances at Carlos, silently communicating the need to tread carefully in front of Lando.

The three of us settled into a cozy corner of the café, sipping our drinks as Lando continued to regale us with stories from past races. Despite the weight of the unspoken truth between Carlos and me, I found myself getting lost in the easy camaraderie of the moment.

"So, what's the plan for later?" Lando asked, turning to Carlos with a grin.

Carlos glanced at me, a silent plea for help in his eyes, before turning back to Lando with a shrug. "Not sure yet. Any suggestions?"

Lando's eyes lit up with excitement as he launched into a myriad of ideas, each more adventurous than the last. And as we laughed and joked together, I couldn't help but marvel at the delicate dance we were performing, keeping our true feelings hidden beneath a facade of friendship and camaraderie.

But deep down, I knew that sooner or later, the truth would have to come out. And when it did, I could only hope that our bond with Lando would be strong enough to weather the storm.

[miguel-manbemel]

There's one thought that came to me today about Sanders Sides, and specifically the nature of the Sides. So many people have missed one important, crucial point about the Sides. They're not human, and I don't mean that they can shapeshift, appear and disappear and all that stuff. I mean that each of the Sides represents just one limited zone of c!Thomas' psyche, and therefore they're only confined to that zone of Thomas.

What does it mean to judge them as humans? It means many people demand of them the complexity of action humans have, the same capacity to grow and evolve as if they were a fully fledged human, and that, my friends, just cannot happen, because it's not in their nature. I'll try to explain my point. We've seen the Sides learn and grow from different situations they went through in the past, and I say "have we?"

Don't mean they didn't go through the situations, I mean, did they really get a long term growth? In some cases they did, in others, the growth was incomplete or null, because the Sides are only able to grow in their own area of action in Thomas' psyche, and will remain, not oblivious, but, like that student that simply doesn't get how to solve a problem at school, and tries and tries to solve it right, but it just doesn't stick in their head. They will only learn the part of the solution in their area of expertise, and the rest will simply not stick at all.

For instance, Virgil knows if he causes a panic attack, Thomas will suffer and that will help no one, but he just can't help it, it's in his nature to cause panic attacks if the conditions are met. Other example, Roman knows that too much fantasy can be harmful, it can disconnect you from reality and that can break Thomas' heart. He knows, he's been told, but he can't help it. He's literally Thomas' dreams. Same way, Patton cannot escape the morality he was created with during Thomas' growth, Janus can't help making Thomas deceitful, Remus will show his creative thoughts at all cost no matter how it makes Thomas suffer, and Logan will always have problems to put feelings in the equation when trying to find solutions to an issue.

Does that mean that the whole show is a lie and the Sides are hopeless beings that can't learn from their mistakes? Not entirely, because when they face issues, they all face them together as a team, they go through them together and find a global solution that can help Thomas grow.

Then why do they revert back after learning so much about Thomas in the past? As I said, any item the Sides are not capable to learn according to their nature will not fully stick and they'll be prone to repeat problematic attitudes, even if they try not to.

What can be done then? The solution comes from Thomas. The Sides are Thomas and Thomas is all of them, and most important, he knows, or is learning, how to combine the different aspects of himself. In another analogy, the Sides and Thomas are like an orchestra and the orchestra conductor. Each instrument has only access to their partiture and can only play their own sound, even if they know how they're all supposed to sound together, only Thomas has the full information of the song, and only he can tell any of the Sides when to play and when to stand back.

To be fair, Thomas still doesn't have the full partiture ready, he's still writing on the fly, that's why the song is incomplete and both the Sides and Thomas are still struggling, but as the series goes on, the song keeps writing itself, slowly but surely and when it's complete, Thomas will have the full song and will learn how to make their Sides sound perfect in harmony...

Well, most probably, the song will never be fully complete or perfect, but eventually it will reach a grade of completion enough to make Thomas and his Side harmonious enough to make good, melodious songs. That is, eventually, Thomas will know how to be the best of a person he can be, because no one is perfect, but he will learn how to feel good enough, and how to be happy with himself and get as best as he can be.

That means the Sides will learn how each can help the other Sides in the areas they lack expertise so they don't repeat the same mistakes from the past. But they must learn to work together to reach that goal, they can't do it each on their own. When they learn this ultimate lesson, everything will get better for Thomas and the Sides.

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

"The Bad Batch" Series Review

Now that this show is over and I've had some time to think about it, I'll give my overall thoughts, its strengths, weaknesses, and how it compares to other two main popular animated shows. In general, TBB is a solid show with fun characters, beautiful animation/music, and moments of truly peak Star Wars. Is it perfect? Definitely not, but I love it all the same. It's probably a solid 8/10 for me. In many ways, TBB is the type of show I absolutely love. It's dark, character driven, and touches on mature themes. I love seeing how different characters came to terms with Order 66 and the birth of the Empire. At a time when hope seemed at its bleakest, seeing characters try and find it again is very compelling.

Tbh, I think one of the reasons why I love this show so much is because it really hits home for me. A lot of the themes and ideas that are explored by the characters are also things I've been exploring at the same time. TBB has been a comfort show for me as the world becomes even scarier and I grow as a person. It was the show I needed right now. Also, the Batch remind me of my own friend group. So, I might be a bit biased here.

In comparison to the other shows, I think I love TBB about the same as much as the others. Some days, I'll prefer TBB, other days, I might prefer Rebels or CW. Each show has something I truly love and something that frustrates me. For example, Rebels has a lot of emotional moments I enjoy, but Zeb was really slept on after S2. CW had an amazing scale and scope, but some arcs were just awful. You know which one I'm talking about. TBB is the same. It really depends on the vibe though. At the end of the day though, I truly love all 3 shows and all the joy (and tears) they give me.

Alright, let's get into the nitty gritty.

Weakness:

I'll start off with the flaws just to get them out of the way. I think TBB's biggest flaws are regarding balancing the character dynamics and arcs. I understand that Omega is more or less the main character since she really changes the Batch's life, but they needed to do more. I wanted to learn more about the Batch. However, sometimes it felt like characters could only grow when Omega was with them. Granted, this wasn't the case 100% of the time. Crosshair is the most notable example of this and I loved Tech's interactions with Romar and Phee. Unfortunately, it does affect the characters if they only get characterization with one character. Echo is the biggest victim of this imo. They had a goldmine to explore how he felt in the aftermath of Skako Minor, but they didn't. Crosshair wound up being the Batcher who would've understood him most, except they only exchange two lines of dialogue together in S3. That's it. Imagine how impactful it would've been for Cross if he talked to him. Echo truly understands the horrors of being turned into a lifeless machine. It was an opportunity that was practically gift wrapped for the writers. Sadly, it did not come to pass. Overall, this show just needed more Echo.

Btw, TBB wasn't the only show with this problem. As mentioned above, Zeb didn't get much to do after S2 and I'm disappointed in that. Even Rex and Kallus also got sidelined after S3. CW's format was more forgiving with this, but certain characters like Savage became more irrelevant once more popular characters showed up. Additionally, Echo not learning about Fives was a massive missed opportunity.

Branching off of that, having Omega as the centerpiece also means that the emotional moments tend to happen with her. Now, that's not a bad thing, except it only seems to happen with her. In S1, it really felt like no one cared that Crosshair was gone. This is their brother who they've known forever. Why is Crosshair the only one who seems to be really emotional about the whole thing? Since the Batch have only ever had each other, I would've expected them to be more upset/bothered when one of their own suddenly does a 180 in personality. And again, it's not like it's not there, it is, but it really needs more. I'll be honest, I really didn't like S1 Hunter at all. The man tunnel visioned on Omega.

I'm more forgiving about the rough start since both CW and Rebels were also kinda rough. However, I think the lack of clear focus did hurt the show a bit. Rebels and CW had a greater scope: fighting in a war/revolution. TBB doesn't have this since everything just got uprooted. Had the show been a bit more focused, I think it really would've helped a lot. S2 and 3 both established what the overall focus was pretty quickly. But with S1, it seemed to jump from the inhibitor chips to whatever Omega's purpose was to Project War Mantle and I was like: so, what was the Batch's goal other than survival?

There are other things that bugged me as well. Tech's death should've been handled better. I get that the Batch are soldiers so they aren't expected to cry in each others arms. Except the closure for Tech's death wasn't enough. What wound up happening was half the fandom questioning if he was really dead and searching for hints that he was alive. I covered this in my S3 review, but to summarize: the writers needed more time and more deep character moments. TBB thrived on those deep, mature conversations.

I know I just went off, but I truly love this show with all my heart. I know it's capable of so much more as shows in its strengths. It just frustrates me when it falls short.

Strengths:

Crosshair. Looking back at his overall journey, Crosshair is easily the most compelling character. I'm linking my study of him because his arc is just that good.

https://www.tumblr.com/marvel-starwarsfangirl/750696139213471744/crosshairs-character-in-tbb-a-study?source=share

What's so impressive to me about Cross is that he doesn't need to be in a lot of episodes in order to tell his story in a satisfactory way. Everything he's in is so well written that I can easily tell how he's feeling, why he feels that way, and why he makes the choices he does. In S2, not once did I have to wonder why he decided to betray the Empire or befriend Mayday despite that arc being only 2 episodes. The subtext really said it all perfectly. TBB does such a good job with his character, but I won't go on any further because we'd be here forever. Anyways, I love Crosshair and he has the best redemption arc in Star Wars. You can't change my mind.

TBB also touches on mature themes and I love that they are explored in a thoughtful way. Tech's conversation with Omega is really beautiful. It speaks to a lot of people and I love that the writers chose to take a thoughtful route instead of just having Tech say something nerdy and calling it at that. The same thing with Crosshair's PTSD. It was a genuine issue that affected him and not just when the plot needed it. I also appreciated that he was given time to actually try healing. Letting the characters sit down and have deep moments is what really connects the audiences to them because we see what makes them vulnerable. Light-hearted action is fun and all, but there is so much more to these characters than "blaster go pew." I really resonated with Crosshair's story and I know many people did the same with Tech's. I also loved how the show showed Omega adapting to the change around her; it can be very difficult sometimes and I appreciated that it wasn't still sunshine and rainbows after. Echo had a role within the Batch and his absence definitely shook the dynamics.

The animation and music are just perfection. It speaks for itself, but it's perfect imo. (yes, I'm aware of the errors, but it doesn't impact the actual quality).

The Empire was really freaking scary. TBB did a great job showing how the Empire started encroaching on the entire galaxy and began phasing out the clones. Occupations started, Rampart began his chain code system, and any form of dissent was immediately silenced. There was no question as to how ruthless they were. And there were genuine consequences to the actions of characters. Rampart was thrown under the bus for something he was ordered to do. The Empire doesn't protect anyone except Palpatine. "The Outpost" is so brutal and raw, but it perfectly shows how the Empire can drain a person until they break. Both Rampart and Hemlock are two fantastic villains that capture the true horrors of humanity. Rampart is a cold and greedy man. We all know people like him and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Not even humble juice in prison could make him reevaluate his views. Hemlock is a monster that only cares for his experiments. He was such a different villain compared to the Sith and greedy imperials we tend to see and I appreciated that. Even Crosshair was a good example of how misguided beliefs can turn people against one another. Like with Rampart, we all know people like Crosshair. It grounds TBB that much more.

I also loved the main focus on family in this show. It's a value that I hold dearly because of my beliefs and how I was raised. At the end of the day, the Batch's greatest strength comes from the bonds they have with each other. In times so dark, it's the people they love the most that will help them get through their struggles. I honestly love that. Whether it's friends, siblings, or parents, those bonds are so important. People aren't meant to tackle the world alone. TBB does a great job showing how hard it is when you're stuck in a dark place and how impactful it can be to have people who love and support you. Overall, I really loved it.

At the end of the day, I just really love the Batch. They mean a lot to me, especially Crosshair and Omega. Omega herself is such a sweet bean and her light truly is beautiful. I've loved watching her journey over the last several years. She's a wonderful character and I love her dearly. I love Crosshair (he's really hot, ok). I love Tech's charm and quips. I love Echo's strong drive for justice. I love Wrecker's big heart. I love Hunter's... fatherly instincts.

Ok, I know that was long, but I am so grateful for this show. I love TBB with all my heart and there's so much more to say. For now though, I'll just say that TBB has truly made an impact on my life. It gave me something to enjoy when times got rough and it gave me Crosshair. I will always be thankful for him.

[darkspellmaster]

I wanted to ask if you think that our!Ciel have feelings for Lizzy since childhood? He was always watching her from afar along with Real!Ciel. It seems that in childhood Our!Ciel and Lizzy didn't convived too much compared to the other twin.

Short answer: Yes! Totally!

Long Answer: So, for the Book of Murder Yana wrote a manga chapter that had the characters playing up the part of a number of fairy tale characters, while Sir. Arthur is being drawn through them via a dream. O!Ciel at one point is seen as Red Riding Hood, with his wolves (the servants, minus Snake), and then later, He's playing the part of Kai while Lizzie is Gerta from the Hans Christian Anderson story the Snow Queen.

Now, there's a commonality between Kai and Ciel. Both boys watched their close friend/the person they liked, though the window of their home, where they saw them among roses. In O!Ciel's case it was watching from the window in the house, or while sitting with his mother, Edward, et all, while R!Ciel played with Lizzie in the garden with roses. For Kai he was seeing Gerta playing at the window sill across the way by the flowerbox that was in her grandmother's home.

Going over the flashbacks not only in the Blue Memory arc, but Lizzie's memory, shows that, O!Ciel was always watching her and smiling when she was around. He used to play with them when he was four, until the asthma kicked in. It seems like he enjoys spending time with her, such as when she's talking to him about how he's feeling. Also when he sees them playing O!Ciel seems to be happy to see her happy.

That leads up to the fact that Kai and Ciel ended up with a devil's shard in their eyes. In the Snow Queen a mirror is made by the devil to see the darkness in people's hearts. it get shattered because he tried to send it up to heaven, (don't ask why its not really explained), and one of the pieces ended up in Kai's right eye. Notice, same eye as the seal with Ciel, and Kai's heart. Then the snow Queen comes, and takes Kai away to her castle.

In the chapter Sebastian is the Snow King in this case, who has made O!Ciel's heart cold and given him the splinter in the eye. He tells Lizzie, who is Gerda in the story, that he wanted her to stay by the roses and be happy. And what do we see when we see Lizzie playing with R!Ciel, she's usually in the garden, or associated with roses. Not only due to her being an English Rose, but also with all the significance of how both beautiful and deadly that flower can be.

It feels like the chapter is trying to hint at how he felt as a child, and, if you know the story of the Snow Queen you know that by the end of it Gerda does save Kai with her love of him, helping him to spell the word eternity, and the snow Queen lets them go, and it shows that in the time they were away the two had grown up.

The reason I bring all of this up is this is one of the few times, we get something from O!Ciel describing his view of Lizzie, "I wanted you to stay by the window sill with the blooming roses." Meaning he wanted her to be happy." It's something that Ciel seems to show throughout the series, even at the start.

He has a dance party with her, let's her put stuffed toys on him, sleeps peacefully when she's around, is one of the few people other than Soma that he lets touch him, seemed very much happy when she converses with him, and so forth. He even smiles when she's leaving being so happy that he's willing to go and do some sort of date with her when she gets back from her transatlantic trip. Ciel and Lizzie are growing up, slowly to be sure, but there are enough hints both in the main story and the flash backs, especially Ciel's confession on never saying Lizzy was scary.

Now did he realize he had feeling for her back then? Probably not, but I think that he felt something for her, since he seemed sad when she rushed over to his brother, and he thought she didn't want to talk with him.

Honestly re reading the chapters of Blue Memory made me also notice that R!Ciel brushes her off a lot. O!Ciel says he should go out and play with Lizzie, R!Ciel would rather spend time with his brother. Lizzie wants to play and he's like, well I have to study, which understandable, but the way he says it. "Well it can't be helped..."

Even in the present he basically told her, without directly saying it. "Great, I used you for what I needed you for. You can go home now Lizzie. Our play date was fun, but I wanna spend all my time with my little brother so shoo."

I know this is probably meandering, and I hope it makes some sense. But yes, I highly suspect that O!Ciel probably had feelings for Lizzie, though as a child it was probably more along the lines of caring for her and strongly wanting to spend time with her, but it's grown into love over the years. So that's my thoughts on it. Hope this makes sense!

[one-piece-aus]

Unbottle Your Emotions

Eustass Kid x Reader (Part 2)

Part 1 | Part 2 Ahoy, here with Part 2 of this series. Quick A/N that if Apoo is ooc, I don't care. This story is about Eustass Kid :3 Enjoy ^-^

"Yo yo yo! How are my favourite non-party people doing?"

"Hi Apoo," you greeted the DJ who slung his long arms around you and Hawkins.

Apoo's the extrovert friend that adopted you and Hawkins. At first, you didn't understand why he decided to hang around you guys until he admitted he felt excluded by the social crowd in school. You and Hawkins had let him be a part of the conversation and he liked being around you guys after getting to know you. He invited both of you to a few of his parties but then realized you weren't party people, hence the nickname.

"Greetings Scratchman, are you planning to join us for lunch?" Hawkins asked Apoo while you closed your locker.

"You know it," Apoo replied and took his arms off your shoulders, aware you didn't like physicalness for too long. "Where we heading?"

"We're going to the vegan restaurant Hawkins wanted to try," you answer as the three of you head out of the school.

"What?" Apoo look at you dumbfounded. "I thought you didn't like that stuff [N/n]."

"[Y/n] had been partnered with Eustass in English and their last conversation left her not wanting to face the redhead again, so she asked me to get her stuff and we're going to the restaurant as her returning the favour," Hawkins explained to Apoo.

"Oh, you're partnered with Kid?" Apoo looked to you for a response. Seeing you only nod, made him switch topics. "... Hm, to the restaurant we go. What's going to be served there anyway? Salads?"

"You are aware vegans eat more than just vegetables," Hawkins stated with an unamused expression, though to those who pass by, he still kept the same face.

"My bad." Apoo held up his hands in defence. "But you can't blame a guy for thinking vegans just eat rabbit food."

Hawkins would've glared at the DJ if not for you giggling, seeing you amused made him let it slide for now. "Rest assured, there are a variety of dishes you'll be able to choose from."

"We'll see about that," you said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yo, the coconut cheese nachos were da bomb!" Apoo exclaimed as he exited the restaurant. "Who knew vegan food taste so good!"

"Ehhh, I still prefer my burgers," you teased the blond who held the door.

"I'm at least grateful you gave it a try, even if it was for paying back a favour," Hawkins said, letting the door close and joining your side.

"Yeah, yeah." You waved it off.

Your mood has picked up since this morning, practically forgetting what had happened in the first place. You suppose you could thank Apoo for his infectious upbeat vibe. Despite how annoying he can be, it's nice to have someone who can distract you from stressful things in life.

"Next time I'm picking where we eat!" Apoo declared walking backwards in front of you and Hawkins.

"Sure, do me a favour sometime and we'll go." You smiled. "Just as long as it's not you trynna sneak us into a club with a bar again."

"Aw right!" Apoo threw his arm up. "Trust me guys when I say, you are gonna love- Oof!" He stumbled forward when he bumped into something, or rather, someone.

"Watch where you're going," a blue-haired guy said.

"Yo-" Apoo turned around, his defensive mode switched on. "Maybe if you didn't stand around blocking the sidewalk I wouldn't have to," he "countered".

You deadpanned, it's not the first you've seen Apoo puff his pride to where you can hardly tell the difference between him and a barking chihuahua, it just gets old after so many times. Perhaps this attitude of his is the main reason he's excluded from the social crowd at school. Though, it never bothered you much since you knew it wasn't real beef, and Hawkins... tolerated it? Well, he never brought it up so you can only assume as much.

Hawkins rolled his eyes and passed by the two. "Leave it, Scratchman."

"Come on, Apoo." You walked by him and patted the other's shoulder. "Sorry about him."

"Yo, can't you see I'm not the one at fault here?" Apoo questioned you guys.

"People who don't watch their surroundings get killed." The guy glared at Apoo, and that's when you recognized who this guy was. He's Heat from Kid's gang, which means the rest are nearby.

No... no no no. You already didn't want to bump into Kid again, being in range of his anger is so much worse. The thought alone caused stress to weigh on your mind. Haistly, you spun on your heels.

"You threatening me or some- hey!" Apoo didn't finish when you grabbed his arm and scrambled to get away. "Ayo, what gives [Y/n]?"

"Go. Go! Before-"

"What's the going on here?"

Fear ceased your haste, and colour drained from your skin. You knew the voice belonged to Kid before you turned around, though it didn't surprise you that the rest of his crew followed in company. Seems like they came out of one of the restaurants.

"Nuh- nothing! My friend just accidentally bumped into your buddies, sorry about that." You bow to show your respect as you apologize, nudging Apoo to do the same.

"What? I ain't apologizing." Apoo frowned at you.

Kid got ready to pick a bone when he saw you throw a deadly glare at Scratchman while gripping the guy's arm and not two seconds later it had Scratchman saying sorry. He eyed you, intrigued, the actions you just displayed shined a different side of you he had not seen in English class. You gave off the impression you were an academic scatterbrain, then he found out you listen to metal which confused him. You seemed too submissive and agreeable to be into something so hardcore. That glare you threw at Apoo told another story. You were strange, he couldn't figure you out. Perhaps there's more to uncover.

Kid narrowed his eyes at you as if staring at a puzzle. "You should hang out with other classmates, [L/n]."

"It's not like anyone else wants to be around me," you muttered to yourself, not knowing Kid picked it up. "We'll be leaving now, have a good day Eustass." You flashed a soft smile at him.

Little did you know the effect your smile would have on Kid would start something.

[dr-spectre]

Talking about Side Order and... Marina. (SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!)

You know, i really enjoyed Side Order, like it wasn't perfect or anything but i had such a blast with it and if they continue to expand on it we could have something REALLY amazing. My reaction to the GOD DAMN TUTORIAL BOSS GOT ME HYPERVENTILATING! IM NOT JOKING! IT WAS SO EXCITING AND SHOCKING!!! THE FINAL BOSS WAS INCREDIBLE TOO! I was singing along to Spectrum Obligato and WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN THE STUFF FROM THE LIVE CONCERT VERSION OF EBB AND FLOW MY JAW DROPPED!!!

However i gotta admit, the story could have been better, what was the deal with the Octoling engineers Marina was talking about? That goes completely nowhere and i thought it was gonna build to something with the repeat playthroughs of the final boss.

And of course, the biggest missed opportunity in my opinion, Marina Agitando.

Now look, i wanna say right off the bat, the design is excellent, it was so smart to bring back her Order outfit and make her into a giant abomination that moves in such a weird way that makes you feel uncomfortable. When i saw her for the very first time when you enter the room, i stood there for at least a solid minute in complete disbelief and shock seeing a giant Marina in some octopus tentacle heart thingy that beats and pumps with the music. The song that plays too "Unconscience" is such a BANGER and honestly it rivals Octo Callie's Bomb Rush Blush remix in my opinion.

The build up for this was pretty good too, seeing Marina say "help me" before she was knocked unconscious and then possessed by Overlorder BROKE ME! I was like "OH NO! ITS HAPPENING AGAIN! NOT MARINA!!" The build up to the 10th floor was so anxiety inducing because you know in the back of your mind that Marina is gonna fight you but you don't know what it's gonna look like, if you were there since Splatoon 2 and have watched Pearl and Marina since the beginning then this build up is even more anxiety inducing and its pretty damn good. And once you free Marina she feels so sorry about what happened and helps you out to put things right, heck she goes through a small character arc of embracing chaos.... but... i have to say...

It is unfortunately not executed that well or with any depth in my opinion because they repeated the whole thing of "oh no a character we know is evil because of (quote on quote) mind control!!!! oh noooo!!" Which is a tired trope in this series that needs to stop or else I'm gonna get REALLYYYYYY pissed off.

I've done enough ranting about Callie's villain arc and how that has been misinterpreted and stuff, but for Marina, i really wish they didn't do the whole "oh no a character is evil because of an evil character oh nooo!! we gotta save them!!" thing again and i wish Marina was more of a villain with a sad motivation for her actions. As much as its cute to see Pearl and Marina act all flirty with each other in Side Order, it kinda ruins the mysterious and dark tone of the story that was teased from the trailers and the tutorial in my opinion. Everything is also explained so quickly early on which really sucks. I really wish Marina was actually conscious throughout her time as Marina Agitando and most of it should have been her fault. She does blame herself for creating Overlorder but it's kinda brushed aside quickly and Marina ends up being totally fine and free of guilt. There isn't enough depth to it which is so lame and a missed opportunity.

Marina is flawed, she makes mistakes and acts emotional and angry sometimes. We have seen a side of Marina where she snaps at Pearl when she loses Splatfests and has shown signs that she still hasn't recovered from her time before she met Pearl.

She picked team Order because she was genuinely scared that her new life would fall apart and she doesn't wanna lose the people (especially Pearl) that she's met and grown to love. Marina is also heavily theorized to be on the autism spectrum and as someone who is autistic, i can see myself in Marina, they could have really explored Marina's psyche and mental health in Side Order but they just... didn't. Instead she's put to sleep and controlled by her ai child and all of the focus is put on stopping it like a traditional "oh no we gotta stop an evil ai!! oh noo!!" story... ugh... I mean Smollusk is cute i guess but there's not a ton to them and they come off as yet another "evil ai that wants order and control!! roarrr!!!"

From reading the most recent interview on Side Order and seeing the concept art, they said that they wanted to tell a story about Marina losing herself to a machine that she created. Could you imagine how tragic it would have been to learn more about Marina and how she's so wrapped up in anxiety that she decides to make this replica of Inkopolis Square and make the Memverse? Maybe at first she makes it to help Sanitized Octolings just like in the dlc, but then maybe due to overwork and burnout (which Pearl mentions in the tutorial by the way), her emotions and anxiety become so strong that she becomes consumed by it, this obsession of order and trying to achieve happiness takes over her and then she gets the idea to spread this order to the real world, where her friends can be "happy" and "safe." Maybe Overlorder is still there but they just whisper to Marina, manipulate and point her in the right direction to continue to her mission of order instead of just fucking knocking her out and using her as a meat puppet for 5 minutes.

Could you imagine how much better the build up would have been to not see Marina until you get to the 30th floor for the first time and you got to unlock her diary entries beforehand? Seeing her thought process and her slow descent into becoming an antagonist. I'm not sure how they would have changed the permanent upgrades but they could have thought of something man. I get that they wanted to subvert expectations but, i think they should have gone WAY further with Marina Agitando.

I was waiting for Pearl and Marina to have their "Tidal Rush" moment where it's this emotional battle between the two, could you imagine how DEVISTATING a remix of Ebb and Flow would have been if it had gotten that "Tidal Rush" type of remix? Pearl singing her parts in this chaotic and emotional way, on the brink of tears trying to get Marina back and calm her down, and Marina trying to fight back against her words, not wanting to believe her because she's so wrapped up trying to make them both happy in her way. She's so caught up in order that she has forgotten what Pearl wants, that Pearl wants to be with her and go against any obstacle that stands in their way together. God i would have cried seeing that I'm not gonna lie. Maybe once Marina starts to think rationally, she breaks free from the machine and then leaps into Pearl's arms, and then we have to go back up the 30 floors to fight Overlorder and we slowly see Marina learn to embrace chaos throughout the floors instead of it just being at the final boss.

I really do feel like Splatoon has this issue of trying to appeal way too hard to kids and being really scared to dive into the flaws of these characters. They are so avoidant of being more serious and they hide it away in optional collectables and obscure posts on social media that creates misinformation and stories that feel way too undeveloped. They just say "oh this character has been brainwashed!!" which is such a lazy and bullshit trope they slap on these characters to avoid getting into their flaws for some stupid reason. (Hell that word has lost all meaning to me now to be honest. Like no, Callie wasn't "brainwashed" per say, hypnosis is not brainwashing or mind control I've said that a trillion times in other blog posts but whatever. Agent 3 was knocked out and had no clue on what was happening. They weren't "brainwashed" they were used as a puppet from a fucking goopy telephone for five minutes while they were asleep. Maybe its poor translation i don't know.)

I know that Splatoon is made for all ages and primarily for children but, i find that to be a stupid excuse for bad storytelling, a good story with depth that's explored and set up properly can be applied to all kinds of age groups not just adults. And the adults that say that shit too, why do you think like that? Why do you wish to dismiss that sort of thing in media? So what if it's made for kids? Adults write these stories and plant themes and arcs into them. Why do you think people cried over the Rosalina storybook in Mario Galaxy and think its the best part of that game? You don't want that kind of stuff in games because "they are made for kids"? Why do you think there are so many adults in the Splatoon community hmm?

I am so worried for Deep Cut in the next game because i really don't want this to happen again, i want an actual proper villain arc for either Frye or Shiver. No hypnosis, no brainwashing, no mind control. Just a pure fucking villain arc caused by the flaws of the characters and without the involvement of a third party. Please, i wanna see growth in these characters that is explored way more clearly and better. Or maybe don't do a villain arc again and just have Deep Cut be fully happy with each other and develop their relationship more with lore and backstory. PLEASE!

Anyways ramble over, thank you for reading!

[perfecteggpartyland]

i love kevin is a coward anon. the only other person willing to accept the truth, instead of going ballistic because somebody mentioned a character having a flaw.

I'll go ballistic cause I'm tired of people completely misunderstanding a character to the point all people know him as is something he's not. Even if you thought so during the series at the end of the series he's not . And when Kevin's flaw becomes his entire personality and his entire good sides gets ignored. Neil has flaws too; Andrew has one ; other foxes do yet I haven't seen people describing Neil as a reckless hypocrite as much as they do Kevin. at the end of the day think how you want to think but I'm going ballistic cause over 7 years onto this fandom and people still define traumatized Kevin as a spinless coward and nothing more when he's not . By your logic is jean a coward too? Kevin told Neil to run away in the middle of the season knowing exy would be at risk ; he offered to talk to Neil about riko when he literally has panic attacks because of it. That's not cowardance. Neil has nothing to lose and isn't exactly empathic to other people since he's surviving .The same way Neil being scared of his father/abuser isn't cowardance. Kevin HAS flaws ; I've never said he didn't just like other foxes yet their flaws aren't made their entire characters same way Kevin's is and it's unfair.thats all I'm saying. Agree to disagree. I can't accept the truth just fine.

[someone-elsa]

(part 1 of 5)

🔙 Chapter beginning ⬅ Previous Chapter • Part 2 ➡ 📝 About the story and characters

Alex and Justin sat on a bus to San Sequoia where their supposed grandmother lived. Kody had wanted to come but he had been needed at the Newells'. Alex had changed his mind about going a dozen times but in the end, Kody and Justin had been able to convince him to go.

Still, he was anxious and debating if it was wise to go. But he had started keeping those thoughts to himself and let everyone think he was content with the trip.   We will be on our way back in a few hours, he assured himself.

Justin's phone had beeped constantly. He had giggled at the texts and quickly replied, only to snicker at the next message. Alex had forgotten his earphones and was getting annoyed with his little brother.

"Okay, what is it? Who is it?" Alex said, almost snapping when Justin had just received the hundredth text.   Justin was startled and blushed deeply. It took Alex aback; he didn't remember ever seeing Justin so flustered.

Justin didn't do good job hiding the screen and Alex got a quick glimpse.   "That's… River's brother, isn't it?"

"…Yes," Justin said like he had been caught doing something forbidden.   "I didn't know you two were friends."

Justin sighed. "We have been for some time, since the Photo exhibition party last year. He convinced me to finally get higher education and since we both now study at SSCU, we see each other quite often. He has sent me all these memes, they are about studying or this series we have been watching, you wouldn't get them… Anyway, he's fun!"   "So it seems."

"We have so much in common! Next week, we're going to a board game cafe in Bluewater Village…"   Alex studied him and gave a sharp, knowing look.   It made Justin even uneasier. "…What?"

"You like him."   "Yes, he is my friend."   Alex snorted. "You like like him. You fancy him."

Justin opened his mouth to protest but not a word came out. "I don't know, maybe. I have never felt like this about anyone. You know I'm ace, and I thought that maybe I'll never have romantic feelings either but… maybe I just hadn't met the right person."

"So…"   "What? He's taken. And I like his girlfriend. Like, as a friend. I couldn't think of going between them. They are so good together. We are friends and never anything more. And he must not know about this, it would make things awkward. Never tell anyone."

"Promise!" Justin said as Alex didn't reply.   "I promise, I promise!"

"I'm super pathetic, right?" Justin sighed. This was another side Alex hadn't seen before. Justin was always so carefree.   "Aren't we all?" Alex said clumsily. He really wasn't one to give advice.   Justin shrugged.

"San Sequoia Bridge should be just behind that hill," he said a moment later.   Alex sighed. "Is it too late to turn back?"

Notes: I realised I hadn't posted chapters on tumblr in a long time. Sorry! 😅

[thekittyokat]

you ever just have a lot, a LOT of feelings all at once about a character and not even remotely enough words or brainpower to FORM the words to describe everything you're feeling. so it feels like you may explode. yeah

[hwiyoungies]

welcome back kang younghyun 💕

[iamnmbr3]

the moment when you realize an ai would've written a better larry show than mike waldron bc an ai would've been trained on previous loki content and thus, unlike mike, would've actually watched the films

[vegalocity]

Hiii the other day I was reminiscing about your oblivion fic, (it's my favorite fic of all time), do you plan on continuing it? Or if you're leaving it (which is fine btw, I don't wanna put pressure on you) would you tell us how you were planning to end it?

Okay so first off-

aww thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy it that much! And second off-

....

under the cut

I DID have two last installments in mind as i was planning out how things would go, But i wasn't able to get them to paper before i lost steam--In large part because @unseelie-robynx And I ended up fleshing out the Bad End from Side B And came up with a sort of splinter AU we call the Tyrant Prince AU (for more info click here!) (also Robynx has done a BUNCH of additions to the Bad end idea with her own path, it's real fun) I might go back to the original story i don't know at this juncture, so assuming i won't i'll just tell you my plans-

So i had part 5 and part 6 planned out- Part five (Ovation) was going to be about the rest of the Monkie Crew finding out about what was going on with Red

Everyone of course would react differently, Xiaojiao is trying to figure out the practicalities of un-brainwashing someone, Tang is morbidly curious about both Red's mental state and Oblivion itself (Ironically the true difference in Oblivion Classic and the Tyrant Prince timeline is that in TP Freenoodles didn't get together until AFTER Xiaotian went off the deep end into 'mind control is fine actually' but in Oblivion Classic They're long married because there was gonna be a joke about Pigsy threatening to divorce Tang if he tried to use him as a guinea pig for mind control studies) And Pigsy is sure 'mind control' is just Xiaotian not understanding how drugs work and thinks Red's just Suuuppeerrr High, Sandy is most concerned with keeping Red comfortable so when the 'high' fades he won't have TOO Massive a crash.

But Red IS starting to sober up, if slowly, and once more tells Xiaotian he loves him- which Xiaotian asks again for him to stop,

And it's the first time Red's sober enough to say no to him. I never got to this scene but i imagined Red being both THOROUGHLY addicted to the mind control present, but also getting sober enough to know that something's not right. though the only thing he can peice together as not right is that he's not going to pretend like he doesn't 'love' him when he does and that he 'doesnt need oblivion' which his supposedly also does.

And this is the moment where Xiaotian decides he can't pretend to know what's best for Red, OR that he'd be a good anchor for Red to cling to while he gets sober, and he has to just admit defeat and properly deliver him back to his parents.

He explains the situation as best as he can to them, but they don't really trust or believe him, but he hands red over, says they don't have to tell him anything past this point, but for his own peace of mind he'd LIKE to know if Red starts doing better, and just leaves. (doing his best to ignore Red's crying for him and begging not to 'give him' to his parents because 'he belongs to him' and all that)

Which leads into Part 6 which is basically just a one scene epilogue

it's two years since then, the bull family hasn't been seen hide nor hair of excepting one or two sightings of bull clones buying groceries, and Red Son returns to the city, clean for long enough that he still has some questions and tests that need to be done. It's awkward, but Xiaotian agrees to whatever Red Son needs.

It's simple things, asking for Xiaotian's perspective on the whole event, if his Parents DID tell him how he'd been doing (they did not) and asking if he gets the memories of the clones when they destabilize (He does not)

And then ultimately- asks him to order him to do something. anything. Said firmly, said like he EXPECTS him to do it. So he can be SURE he can say no.

Xiaotian obliges, something simple like 'take off your glasses' which is immediately responded to with 'Fuck off Noodle Boy'

They're both pleased.

Red Son states his parents might try to take over the world again, and he'd probably supply them with tech, but he's not sure if he's ready to get back into the fights himself. it feels... wrong, still. That he's not THAT recovered yet. And perhaps when his therapist hears he sort of went rogue for this, he would be scolded for trying to rush the process, but...

there was one more thing he wants to know. Something he NEEDS to know for himself. Because if he doesn't know then he'll spend the rest of his life questioning it.

Xiaotian is about to ask what he means but Red Son rushes up to him-

and Kisses him.

Because he needs to know if that was real, or just another thing the clone did to him.

Admittedly i wanted the result to be ambiguous, Xiaotian pulls away and Red Son immediately fire teleports away, and we switch to his POV, and he's several buildings away, still watching Xiaotian as he looks around for him, looking worried. And Red Son takes a breath, and looks back in the direction he knows the club once was, and heads home with a smile.

the Last line being 'But now he Knew'