#im kidding im just genuinely questioning my ability to do anything and if i will ever be able to hold a job again

[asano]

just did the worst dumbass thing i can remember and am probably going to be fired . might just kill myself before the big boss can find out. can’t fire me if im dead

[aihaitahm]

Hiyaaa! Could you do headcannons for Gepard and Jing Yuan on like them as parents? I don’t know why but the concept feels like stuck in my mind and I’d really like to see your takes on it

gepard + jing yuan as parents

hiii sorry been busy!! i got zelda:totk recently and been playing that + honkai star rail + genshin. also im abt to get a job soon so i might be extra busy. enjoy <3

cw gn! reader, using yanqing as the adopted kid of jing yuan. sorry idk much abt being a parent so its short

gepard

whether you birth your own kid or adopt one, he would still love it with his most. gepard is super sweet and he wants to make sure you both are happy and to live comfortable in life.

even though he can be super busy and always have shifts as the captain of the silvermane guards, he will always always always attend to his child’s performances, birthdays and just in general a present father to them.

he would spoil his child/children so much… sometimes you have to tell him not to. but how could he deny those puppy eyes. he would attempt to sing lullabies or read stories to them all the time. you caught him one time trying to sing a lullaby and he just turned into a flustered mess.

would cook them meals and pack them snacks if needed. isnt the best cook but also not the worst. would always protect them and teach them how to do self defense. would let auntie serval babysit them if needed if you both are away.

overall a very good father figure. the type to listen to what his kid/s has to say. can be stern enough when lecturing his kids but you also have to be there or else he starts feeling really bad when his child starts tearing up after his lecture.

jing yuan

strict but sweet dad. he wants his kid to grow up responsible and strong while they also have fun but be also disciplined. (yanqing duh) sometimes you have to tell him to take it easy on yanqing and he understands where youre coming from. even though he is strict, he wouldnt insult or shout at his kid.

would bond with his kid a lot because bond is simply irreplaceable. he genuinely wants yanqing/his kid to be happy at what he is doing and regardless of what they want to do, he’d support it.

the father figure where his child can open up to him about anything. he would listen intently and give them a solid advice or answer a silly question. he would often relate them to his past experiences and tell them what he did in a similar situation.

is never worried. very confident in his kid/s abilities. lets say yanqing got an injury and he just isnt worried. already attending to him/asking doctors to heal him, while he has to calm you down. his kid is strong because they got it from him (doesnt care if its not hereditary, they still got it from him.)

[shotorozu]

ooh, can i please request "pulling your partner onto your lap" for Izuku?? ty!!

OTHER WAY AROUND — MIDORIYA IZUKU

(send me a bnha character + a physical intimacy prompt and i’ll make something out of it!)

gender neutral reader, reader has an assertive personality, reader is STRONG but no mentions of a quirk, lower case intended 😭

note(s): hey yall 🧍‍♀️ i know im posting these slowly as i could possibly go but something real bad happened at school, so i just had to delay the uploads a little bit (but i am feeling a bit better so expect at least one post per day this week because of valentines day 😭)

»»————-　♡　————-««

midoriya izuku if not rarely— never pouts.

he recognizes pouting as a part of sulking— which is a normal thing. (in fact, he does it a lot)

as much as no one really says it out loud, everyone has done it at least once in their life. a kid pouting because they couldn’t get their parents to buy them that toy they really wanted, a teenager that’s feeling particularly moody that hour, or an adult thats plans just didn’t work out.

he feels lots of things, especially after all he’s been through. at this point, what hasn’t he felt? positive, negative (sulking included) and the neutral. of course he has— it’s all a part of the process, but for some reason, he feels the need to suppress the negative a little (an understatement) more than regular.

midoriya izuku if not rarely— never pouts.

but he’s doing exactly that, and you know it. he’s sulking, pouting over something that doesn’t look worthy enough to be pouting over for the green haired teenager personally. and he knows that you know— so, he just hopes that means he doesn’t have to say it out loud. he isn’t sure if it’s something you’d usually ask or tell someone.

but he knows you— your unofficial ability to pull out any thought out of his mind, so he knows he’ll give in and end up fessing up what’s on his mind. he just knows.

you step in front of him, and he’s pulled out of his trance when you tap his chin and tilt his head upwards.

“why the long face? hmm…” you question, humming thoughtfully to yourself afterwards. if izuku’s pouting— then that’s when you know that something’s really, really wrong.

he cracks an imbalanced smile, “does it bother you?”

“not really,” you bring your unoccupied hand to cup his cheek, “it’s just that my boyfriend’s pouting, y’know? so how could i not ask?”

he brings his hand up to rest against the hand cupping his cheek, “it’s almost as if you see right through me.” he intones, sounding less shocked and more— interested and genuine.

“i mean, you’re not exactly slick.” you bluntly remark, “an open book.”

he goes red at that— “i figured,” and he starts to wonder how many times he’s been obvious on something he was trying to conceal. oh the embarrassment is starting to flood through him—

“so go on, shoot.” but it goes out the window when you start scratching under his chin like he was a cat. a shiver urges to run through him.

but the less embarrassed he becomes, the more insecure he grows. the main reason why he was pouting in the first place starts to come back to him.

“so,” he begins, clearing his throat with a cough, “promise you won’t think it’s weird?”

“i promise,” to him, your eyes look like they twinkled with sincerity. “although, you’ve really gotten me curious. is it actually weird or are you just being subjective?”

an open book, he thinks to himself. you’re so right about him. it’s like you know him like the back of your hand.

“it could be both? depends.. maybe.. actually..? ” he mumbles, genuinely considering which reason was it. you blink— and you become dead silent, as a way to allow him to respond.

he understands, “okay so,” he squeezes your hand cupping his face, “why don’t you want to sit on my lap?”

you don’t respond, like you’re expecting more out of his question. but to find the green haired hero in training not say anything else, and blink back in similar fashion— translated into ‘oh, that was really it’ for you.

“..is there more you wanna say?” you speak after a few seconds of nobody saying anything pass by, “i find it hard to believe that there’s no context to this apparently weird question. because honestly, this isn’t strange. i’m wounded by your dishonesty.”

izuku lets out a chuckle, which was genuine, but ended up sounding nervous. he begins to fiddle with his hands,

“there is context,” he gulps, taking his gaze off of you— being unable to take the extensive amount of eye contact. “it’s just that, i’ve carried a lot of people, so far. because of heroics, y’know? and most of them also sat in my lap— although unintentional. i’ve asked you before, but whenever i do it’s like.. you don’t say no, but you act as if nothing happened?”

you hum, allowing him to carry on— and you continue to scratch under his chin while listening.

“and if you don’t want to, that’s totally fine! but if it’s because you’re worried about crushing me or what not, then i don’t think it’s a concern—��

“izuku,” you cut in, halting all movements to take your hands off of him. he misses the contact already, “don’t you think it’s because i want it to be the other way around?”

he gulps rather loudly.

“what does.. that mean?” he questions, feeling his face already starting to warm up rapidly.

laughing, you poke his cheek. “although i don’t mind your idea, i prefer the idea of you planted on my lap instead.”

he lets out a squeak, and your laughter rings in his ears again.

“oh!” he exclaims, he only wished your laughter would’ve provided physical comfort like how it usually does— but it only managed to make him flush red more. “i.. i see!”

“yep.” your lips make the ‘p’ pop with emphasis.

“that.. makes sense. i never thought of it that way!”

you give izuku a smile, patting your thighs with both hands as a signal. he knows what you’re trying to tell him— he’s done it as a signal to you before. for him, it was done so casually.

yet for some reason, with your assertiveness, it was anything but.

“you want me to…?”

you pat your lap again, “it’s right here.”

“okay, okay. alright,” your freckled boyfriend breathes in deeply. suddenly, he found himself standing up and putting his jittering hands on your shoulders lightly— heart making several steep drops in his chest.

and then, you’re lowering him on your lap, and he lets out yet another squeak as you maneuver him on your lap, sitting him on one leg and spreading his legs across yours in seconds.

you pat his thigh, just to feel what it’s like to have his legs on top of yours, and you shift your hand to rest it against the small of his back.

he wonders if his heart could hammer against his chest any harder. he could hear it in his ears, and he was acutely aware of it.

despite it, he’s clinging to you like he belongs (he does) and he wraps an arm around your shoulder. “i’m sorry if i’m—”

“shh, shh.” you hush him, bringing the hand that’s not resting against his back up to stroke the back of his head— petting his hair and threading through the green, voluminous locks with your fingers.

“hypocrite.” you whisper, but you don’t exactly mean anything malice of it. “telling me not to worry about me being heavy on you, but here you are, worrying about being heavy on me.”

“my bad—”

“no,” you’re almost amazed by the way he could find new ways to apologize, “just, enjoy this, will you? isn’t this nice? this is what it must feel for those people to be sitting on your lap. it’s comfy, right?”

you’re assertive, but izuku could also sense the tiniest speck of nervousness in your voice. he knows you just like how you know him— you’re minding the way you’re coming off right now, and his reaction to all of this, like you’re worried he wouldn’t like it

which is out of the ballpark, because—

“yeah, you’re right.” he whispers, “this is comfy.”

this might start to become his next favorite past time.

»»————-　♡　————-««

[atla-suki]

“and suki’s bc i love sukka and i am deciding that they stayed together forever bc it’s my blog and i make the rules” being completely honest do you think they stayed together? like deep down? Im always split not because i dont believe they could last but more because Bryke would be like ‘yeah no they went their separate ways’ or whatever. I dont know !

honestly… this is a really difficult question lol

do i WANT them to be together forever and ever? yes of course. do i think they DID stay together? well….

as much as i absolutely adore sokka and adore suki and am obsessed with their relationship, i feel like it’s too unrealistic if kataang AND maiko AND sukka end up together. (this is assuming izumi’s mother is mai. just go w it for the sake of the argument).

the fact that we didn’t see anything of sukka’s potential children (or of sokka or suki themselves except one flashback) in LoK makes me feel like bryke didn’t really think about whether sokka and suki would stay together. or whether they were relevant to the plot of LoK (DUMB. btw. all they had to do was have asami or someone be like “yeah i trained with suki, leader of the kyoshi warriors” or have a scene of sokka w tenzin & tonraq defending baby korra against the red lotus. like cmon now. anything is better than nothing).

anyway back onto what i was saying i think it’s unrealistic for ALL of the teen couples to have stayed together for so long. kataang, fine, i guess, because they’re the main characters and most often things work out Good and Happy for the main characters. but i honestly feel like there was too much working against sokka for him to have the same romcom type fate idk.

no suki in the yakone flashback. no mention of ANY children (and you know that if they were together into their adulthoods it’s likely they would’ve had kids). that one scene in the fortuneteller episode where sokka is told he’s gonna have a life of self-inflicted misery (i forget the actual quote but yk which one i’m talking about). the fact that he and suki are in a long distance relationship throughout the comics… i just don’t know.

of course i WANT them to be together. i think that of all the couples in the original series they deserve it the most (not bias this time, i genuinely think they had the best chance of something real), but i also think bryke doesn’t rly care about sukka as much as i do.

do i think they stayed together? yes. one of my favourite things about sukka is their ability to find each other over and over again, even through long distance.

do i think bryke actively kept them together? probably not.

HOWEVER, *i* live in a state of delusion. so yes, sukka are together to me.

(also suki didn’t die young idek where that came from and the fact it’s still circling around is silly)

[lumiereandcogsworth]

hey lumi! I just thought of another question I wanted to ask you, other than batb, which live action remake do you think is the best? I haven't seen any and I want an expert opinion 😄

oh my gosh!!!!! i’m so honored. and i’m also SO autistic so i did so much more here than you asked. but anyway i wanted to wait to answer this until today because the little mermaid (2023) just dropped on disney+ and i JUST watched it for the first time. so i can include it in my list!!

of course prefacing with these are all my personal opinions, im not a film expert (and i pray to God i never am) i just like what i like! so without further ado: my thoughts! also this is just in chronological order, not ranked.

alice in wonderland (2010) - dude!! this was SUCH a hyperfixation for me when i was a kid. somehow, batb 2017 is NOT the first live action disney movie i’ve been utterly obsessed with. this movie is so good. i love the lightly gothic, mysterious fantasy aesthetic that is has. i love the wardrobe, i want to wear every outfit alice wears. i love how dark it is, like there’s such an edge to it while still being pleasant and fun enough to respectably be a disney movie. johnny depp does a fantastic job of course, (purely discussing his acting abilities here) he truly brings the madness into the mad hatter. all the acting is fantastic though. i highly recommend this film. you don’t really need to have seen the 1951 cartoon, i hadn’t, but it doesn’t hurt to! (i don’t recommend the sequel, alice through the looking glass, though. they really should’ve quit while they were ahead on this one)

maleficent (2014) & maleficent: mistress of evil (2019) - i enjoyed both of these!! i actually liked the second one more, but either way, it’s such a fun take on sleeping beauty. and this is coming from someone who LOVES sleeping beauty 1959!! it’s different obviously but it really is a good time, absolutely worth watching.

cinderella (2015) - beautiful! lovely!! not the most exciting film honestly but i do love the aesthetics and wardrobe. it’s a really pretty, pleasant movie. i’d love to rewatch it sometime! if only disney+ had it! which it doesn’t! for some inexplicable reason!!

beauty and the beast (2017) - i know you said besides my wife but obviously i have to still list it because. that’s my wife. anyway perfect film no notes!

the nutcracker and the four realms (2018) - i wanted to like this one so much more than i did. but it was just, so weird. it derails from canon in a way that isn’t enjoyable. ah. twas a let down, for me.

christopher robin (2018) - i don’t remember much honestly but it’s cute!! certainly worth a watch, but i don’t recall anything too special about it. it did make me cry though (that’s not hard for me to do at movies, to be fair)

mary poppins returns (2018) - CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!! THIS MOVIE IS LIKE IF JOY WAS TURNED INTO A FILM!!!! AAAHHH!!! :) SO LOVELY SO WONDERFUL!!!

the lion king (2019) - :/ genuinely not worth your time. it was TOO similar to the cartoon in terms of storyline, so it felt incredibly pointless to me. plus, it’s kind of boring that they look like real lions. i felt like i was watching animal planet but then pulled out of reality whenever they spoke or sang afjskfj

aladdin (2019) - ever since i saw this, i’ve only ever had three takeaways, and i’ll say them like a compliment sandwich. 1. visually STUNNING. the colors and the choreography, the people! all very beautiful. 2. the romance was… very flat? i honestly kept forgetting there was a love story going on. when they kiss at the end i was like “OOOHHH RIGHT!!” lmao. there’s just so much other stuff going on, jasmine & aladdin’s love story really fell to the wayside for me. 3. i LOVED that they gave jasmine her own song. she’s like the only disney princess that didn’t have her own song, somehow, so i was happy they gave her one and it was SO good. i remember it giving me chills on the first listen. — so, all in all, it was fine. not the worst but also not a personal favorite. worth a watch.

mulan (2020) - BLEGH sorry i almost threw up a little. maybe the worst live action remake of all time? let’s think: what are the best parts of mulan 1998? the music? mushu? shang’s bisexuality? shang, in general?? WELL LOOK NO FURTHER BECAUSE THIS HAS NONE OF THAT!!! :) it’s genuinely just… so bad. they took the basic concept and turned it into a freaky ass action movie. they make it so mulan was like, gifted from a young age with superhuman abilities (calling it chi, which, i don’t know the full story but i believe there was some major cultural appropriation that occured) instead of just being a normal badass human!!! and it wasn’t the villain from the cartoon it was a random witch. nothing made sense and it was stripped of everything that makes mulan one of the greatest disney films of all time. *godfather voice* look how they massacred my boy.

the little mermaid (2023) - so honestly i never really liked the original cartoon. it just never clicked with me. but i had every bit of hope that this one would maybe bring it to life for me!! and… well, it wasn’t bad! it was visually lovely and the music was fun. i just don’t think i’m a “love at first sight” kind of person. but eric was an incredibly likable nerd boy, sebastian the crab was funny, and ursula was SCARY. especially at the end oh my gosh???? anyway. worth a watch, but not my personal cup of tea. ariel and eric get points for dancing a bit AND they hugged at the end which was really sweet. couples Do Not hug enough in media.

lastly, i can’t comment on: peter pan & wendy (2023), the jungle book (2016), dumbo (2019), lady and the tramp (2019), and cruella (2021), because i have not seen them. i will absolutely note though that i despise cruella 2021 in solidarity with my friend @freakwiththeknifecollection because it blatantly disregards the canon of 101 dalmatians 1961 and they couldn’t even like?? train the dogs?? for ONE scene?? huge huge mess. i’m just scratching the surface. if you want a live action cruella, look no further than 101 dalmatians 1996. top tier live action that i loved as a kid!!

[cator99]

The other day I mentioned to my male coworker that I'm planning on moving to Toronto very soon and he just started gawking like why would you do that its sooooo expensive what a huge risk! then he like opened up chat GPT I don't even know what the fuck that is but he was like I guess asking this AI questions about the cost of living in Toronto versus Calgary because he was too lazy to google it or whatever and trying to tell me that it was like unlivably expensive I'm sorry but Alberta is unlivably garbage so I dunno maybe I have my reasons that make this decision worth every penny like it's so fucking condescending, you think I haven't thought of this? You really think I'm just doing this entirely on a whim and I'm too stupid to do my own research and come to my own conclusions about what I want to do with my life and where I want to do these things... it would be one thing if he seemed genuinely concerned and wanting to like help me figure out the logistics but this wasn't that he was just trying to instill me with a sense that it's better here and discourage me from doing something I've been planning for a while now and I made that very clear and in response he made it very clear that not only does he think I'm stupid but that he doesn't perceive me as having any sort of interiority or whatever like I'm just toddling about the world thoughtlessly and if I didn't have Dumfuk Dylan here to guide me back onto the right path staying in yeeyee ass goofsville then I'd end up... what, exactly? Like what's the worst that could happen ? I end up homeless in Toronto? I've been homeless how many times... in a youth shelter and couch surfing regularly and all that shit.... I did my first round of couch surfing at 14 I'm sure for someone like him the idea of risking the comfort of monotony and the ability to do the same boring pointless shit for decades straight with little variation and no actual goals beyond Stay Here And Be Comfortable At All Times Find Wife Have Kids Move Back To Suburbs And Continue The Cycle Save For Retirement And Kids College Fund blah blah blah im sure it seems unfathomable to people like him and my goals incomprehensible but that's the thing asshole I have goals and they do in fact require risk but the truth is that no matter how much it might look like I'm risking anything I'm really not and I will always be in a better place (physically, mentally, all of it) than I started pretty much no matter what and that sense of perspective makes it easier to fuck off and do whatever I want. Also- and I'm being real here, baring my soul type shit- I don't need retirement savings. I'm going to live the way I want to live, and die the way I want to die. More or less.

[luc1d-dr34m5]

Oh man I wasn’t expecting a response so quickly! And thank you for putting it in the main tags lol.

But I really like the idea of dreadful harmony! Those two really are the toxic yaoi/yuri of all time (though I don’t find them to be all that toxic lol)

I def have more questions but I’m worried about flooding your inbox a little sorry. Like how did DH lose their humanity? (I know that HC lost it due to the UW fusing him with half of I-no but I’m curious what the UW could have done to DH)

Im also curious about Lethargy too. Does HC/DH consider them their kid? Or what do they think of lethargy and vice versa?

Or hell I’m curious what other people think of HC and DH’s unique dynamic. (Especially Asuka damn. )

Sorry if this is long!

I only call them toxic YaoiYuri depending on the current roles they're playing, these two are so versatile in vibe cuz one drawing they could be having the most toxic moment ever and the next drawing theyre like sleeping on a couch after watching movies together and both situations fit them a lot atleast to me

And dw dw pls flood my inbox with more questions im going to explode about them in a good way

DH lost their humanity bc of the information flow from the Backyard being far too concentrated, while HC got the luxury of basically becoming fused with a god's powers, DH did not and their own abilities stem from the fact theyre basically a walking Tome of Origin that haw a super genius mind that can constantly revise and create new spells all the time. In this way Both DH and HC are equal in power. Also why would The Universal Will throw and trap DH into concentrated Backyard info area is cuz it was a desperate decision and they assumed DH would die but... like... thats, thats the one who weaves the spells. Universal Will had a dumb moment but hey it threw the Original off. To esplain Further DH had managed to make a way that they can survive by taking in the information influx from the Backyard but it came at the cost of their humanity, they managed to keep their memories and biases tho.

And YEAH DH ans HC lovingly(and annoyingly to Lethargy) consider them their child.

HC to Lethary - is like that annoying kind of parent who likes to poke their nose into ur bussiness but they genuine love and care abt you, Hes probs taken to the role as the Overprotective Parent just to stir drama every once in a while, i like to think during the earlier parts of Lethargy's story when theyre their panicky and terrified of their own strength self Happy Chaos just teleports sweets to them, Regional sweets, they both got sweet tooths. Havent got a full concrete thing on how he thinks of Lethargy cuz he has too many thoughts in his head but the basis of it all is fondness and horror, the closest he could feel to it cuz Lethargy is stronger than both HC n DH combined but Lethargy prefers being human than to become anything else. But the fondness overpowers the horror tbh he cares for the kid

Lethargy to HC - Basically think of someone in their rebellious phase, Lethargy loathes the fact they and HC have similarities, Easy to rile up n all. They tend to start bickering with HC on random topics HC started rambling abt. They think hes annoying n all, but when they do get along oh boy, Oh Boy. Prepare ur popcorn besties this boutta be the best show of ur life.

DH to Lethargy - Bias exists here, though they cant feel emotion they do try to show Lethargy that they care for em. They take on the role of 'Damage control' parent, this family has 1 braincell and DH has it half the time, the other half is when HC and Lethargy cause joint chaos together. Theyre the type of parent to be chill and such but WILL put their foot down if needed. They're the one who mainly teaches Lethargy how to use their own abilities since Lethargy can grasp Circle theory. Same case with HC there is both fondness n horror in their own unique way but as always the fondness overpowers the horror. Theyre the favorite parent and they know it.

Lethargy to DH - Favorite parent. No he will not let HC fight DH for the spot of favorite parent. DH is the favorite parent and Lethargy will forever shove that fact into HC's face. Lethargy is thankful to DH for being so goddamn patient with them bc Lethargy can be so clumsy and dumb. Lethargy wonders where DH got all this patience from (DH got it from knowing and dealing with HC for years lmaoo)

Regardless thought the two like to be embarrassing parents, always like, bragging abt Lethargy's accomplishments and they of course inherited DH and HC's immeasurable IQ's they just have a morality to hold back themselves.

I dont know that much about the Conclave members individually yet so i cant say for them, Asuka on the other hand... he's semi used to it, he was clueless they used to date eachother tho lmaoo.

Like, as their student he had no idea The Original and The Architect were dating, he had suspicions but he didnt wanna ask them. To picture how ridiculously oblivious Asuka was during this time, The Original and The Architect could be smooching out in the open and he'd be like "Something fruity going on here... But probs isnt" /J/J those two were a bit more subtle but yeah Asuka truly is bad with relationships, even seeing em.

Adding sum tidbits here on The Architect/DH and Asuka's own dynamic. DH and Asuka were much closer actually, DH even when human was stoic and rarely showed visible emotion even verbally. Only diff betwene them is that DH isnt clueless on emotions, they acknowledge the importance of feelings even as who they are now. Its why betwen DH and HC, DH causes less casualties and suffering due to this. tbh DH would be scolding Asuka for not taking how he himself felt into account even in a scientific way. Emotions are a variable regardless, why ignore such a vital thing?

and i like to think that as a parallel to HC's "Asuka Asuka Asuka Asuka... You're a natural born lunatic" and the response of "Quiet down, Teacher."

DH's line is "Asuka Asuka Asuka Asuka. You're an unnaturally oblivious person." In a more scolding manner, response is "Louder please, Tutor?" in a sheepish tone

If u have more questions u can send em in i will be very happy to answer wjdnw sorry if im a lil late i had things to do

[nobodies-png]

Did you play the kh dark road update? If you did what are your thoughts about it?

 I DIDN’T PLAY BUT I WAS WATCHING DAMO’S LIVESTREAM THE MOMENT THE UPDATE DROPPED </3 honestly the reason I’ve gone inactive is because I’ve done nothing but work on wayfinder charm designs for the scala squad and the upperclassmen, you don’t uNDERSTAND IM OBSESSED 

but but but, here’s some thoughts under the cut ! as usual, warning for spoilers ahead and lots and lots of text bc I’m a blabbermouth

ok so, I’ll start in order so it’s easier for me to keep track of

the disney worlds being more relevant AND helpful to the story

I’ve seen so many people say this and they’re so fuckin right, cause disney worlds used to be just fun places where SOMETIMES things related to the plot might happen. at best, a certain disney sidekick and their movie helped develop the main gang/plot but no one really thinks “hey KH2 atlantica really helped Sora grow as a person and was super important to the overaching plot huh”. like, sure, not EVERYTHING has to be plot heavy or super relevant, especially in a game aimed for kids but christ I literally erased all of KH2′s lion king from my brain bc the only thing worth remembering there is “look sora is a cute lion!”   

it just feels nice because in other games, all these bad guys WERE meant to be THE hottest shit in the world, the scariest mfs you would ever face, but they essentially had nothing other than a fun boss battle and boom bye. nomura kinda spent a few games kicking maleficent’s dead body trying to make her relevant again.

so seeing the Scala squad actually make use of the magic mirror’s abilities MORE THAN ONCE was actually fucking revolutionary for me like, yeah of COURSE you would go back to THE magic mirror that so far has been doing nothing but answer any question you’ve given him. of course it’s cool when MALEFICENT KILLS BALDR’S SISTER because she hasn’t been directly relevant in anything since. what. KH1 or KH2. I liked that Hades, as the GOD OF THE DEAD, actually has the power to BRING PEOPLE BACK IF HE WANTED, if only for a bit LIKE. WOW!!! THEY *ARE* IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL PEOPLE

characters being more than just good vs bad guys. the morality and mentality of light vs darkness being more nuanced. 

the main issue a lot of ppl had with Xehanort and Eraqus is that they were rlly painted as strictly bad vs good, but only Eraqus was allowed ??? some semblance of respect in the games ??? even if he fucked up A LOT. because he was, in the end “a good guy”. and Xehanort was just this villain bordering on cartoony with the funny wiggly fingers no one fucking understood but that you were meant to forgive in KH3 despite everything he did, which felt very undeserved

BUT HERE IN DARK ROAD you get to see more of everyone and their clashing ideologies and morals, which is even sadder in retrospect when you see that they’re extremely close and genuinely cared about each other and their world. Xehanort wants change, Eraqus wants to remain the same, Vor is conflicted because she’s right in the middle, the upperclassmen are willing to do horrible things for the greater good, baldr is. well. going thru it 24/7, etc.

Eraqus being so fucking stubborn and determined to eradicate darkness because to him, darkness is inherently evil, MEETING SOMEONE who thinks the same AND is willing to go a STEP FURTHER to help was SO good to me, like Vidar really showed up and did that

just like Xehanort, someone who knows change is part of life and believes darkness could be controlled if you’re strong enough, who has been an outsider everywhere he’s been, MEETING BALDR, WHO IS AN EXTREME VERSION OF HIM GONE WRONG TOO. its good, its very good, i like it

THEY ALSO TALK ABT THE THING I’VE BEEN WAITING SO MANY YEARS TO BE BROUGHT UP ??? ABOUT HOW DARKNESS AND LIGHT ARE EXTREMELY OBJECTIVE CONCEPTS AND UNIQUE TO EACH PERSON - the constant discussions between Eraqus and Xehanort about where darkness comes from exactly, if it’s inherent to a person’s heart or if it’s an outside force corrupting them and so on are genuinely very interesting to me. because there ARE people who are genuinely corrupted and shitty, but there’s also people who go through horrible shit and are consumed by their trauma and negative feelings. you’re not just “a bad person” just because you suddenly have darkness inside you. you’re not just a “good person” just because you side with light either.  everyone is fucked bc they all have to make do with the things they know and what they think is right while darkness is out to get their asses

its not that simple, but with a single push anyone can go joker mode basically, it’s just fucking stupid to think anyone can be pure absolute light. DDD even touches this when it comes to Sora being perfect too, but he’s just as liable to falling into darkness if pushed enough, HELL, ANTI SORA  IS A REMINDER OF THAT

sure, KH3 did drop some vague shit about Elsa being at the verge of falling to darkness BECAUSE she believed her powers were harmful and thus they became part of the darkness. sure, KH3 also had Aqua falling to darkness after all this time, but you don’t see why or how, she’s just THERE for shock effect and eh. ehhh.

alternatively, the lack of upperclassment content makes me sad........... I wanted to see them banter and see a bit more of their personalities individually

I love their designs, man......I wanted to see more of them...... just look at them... look at this fella...hes just layin down, sleepin, chillin

look at them... Vala took off her glasses to sleep, you barely even get to fuckin see these two bc Vidar’s dialogue box gets in the way but they rlly did that little detail... 

Also the ninja, Vali, not talking and being sneaky bc he’s a ninja and his only dialogue happening during the fight against Baldr.... I JUST - LOOK AT HIM HES SO COOL AUGHHHH 

like all fucking upperclassmen are so cool and strong like the part where Baldr summons a bunch of heartless before going to the tower and they’re all surrouned bUT THE UPPERCLASSMEN KILL EVERYTHING IN A FUCKING SECOND ????? 

LIKE WHY DID YALL DIE TO THE ALBINO TWINK LIKE?? BRO

Vidar and Hoder are also really interesting characters from the scenes they’ve had. I think about the moment at the tower during the final confrontation against Baldr, when Hoder shows up to talk to him and because they’re so close, they know exactly what’s happening and block each other’s attacks. And when they reach out and they have the same expression. AND WHEN ODIN ASKS XEHANORT TO RID BALDR OF DARKNESS, HODER DOES IT BC SHE KNOWS XEHANORT IS HESITATING BUT SHE DOESNT BC THATS HER BROTHER. SHE KNOWS ITS BETTER LIKE THIS

also also, all the little details, tie-ins and foreshadowing too

I like how they explain that death is not commonly called, well. “Death”. because these people don’t die normally, they replace the word “die” with “disappear” because that’s literally what happens to people who die. BUT that also makes me really curious about the graves? What’s exactly the point of tombstones and shit if there’s nobody buried there, like it’s probably just so you can see HOW many people died and feel the weight of Scala ad Caelum’s story but idk, I would’ve liked some unique way of commemorating the death that fits the way they die. 

DDD mentions that all the worlds operate on their unique timeframes and that they’re essentially looping over and over, but the restart happens at random. here in dark road we get to see the worlds BEFORE the restart, hence why Agrabah is empty, and the explanation for the constant swarms of heartless which I thought was a nice touch lol

this mention of the Final World which makes me think about THIS post right here saying that one of the stars in KH3 could be Hoder herself

then we see the conversation between current old man Xehanort and Vanitas about how Vanitas is most likely the remaining Darkness hiding which is A Lot To Think About given the fact that Vanitas has Sora’s face and Sora is hinted to be the next proper Child of Destiny (EVEN THOUGH I STILL THINK IT’S RIKU BUT ANYWAY) like yeah yeah, Vanitas looks like that because Sora and Ventus’ hearts connected very early on but how ironic is that ???? 

THEN that convo between Xehanort and Eraqus about how many lives they’d want and Xehanort has the balls to say 14 and then days later Nomura drops a fucking drawing of Xehanort in (possibly) Quadratum? yeah. yeah I’m eating that up

oh right, also Eraqus’ entire quirky trait about running away and shit? I thought that would come up eventually as in, he actually ran away and people died because of that choice but I guess not lmfao, that was kinda eh considering how many times it’s brought up in the beginning 

ALSO the fact that their keyblades is a more fancy version of the starlight from KHux really got to me like, yeah. YEAH..... This really is Ephemer’s legacy.....

AND the fact that during Vor and Baldr’s scene at the tower, in every flashback you see EVERYONE fading away in light minus Bragi. Plus some of Bragi’s dialogue like his reason to become a keyblade master, it really is good foreshadowing 

also Odin saying this :

to the guy who was supposed to be the child of destiny like yeah man, destiny sure fucking SUCKS. yall really fucking got this guy to be a sacrificial lamb huh

Baldr as a vessel for Darkness and his entire mass murder scene was pretty cool ngl

Again, I really like the scene where you get to see in a fucking row all the days he spent in his room grieving and mourning and spiraling, like. You know that one post that says “producers : you guys cant show anything showing death or blood.  writers : ok *makes up a fater worse than death*” yeah............... the absolute irony of being possessed by the entity that orchestrated your own sister’s death AND your own demise is very very good 

It’s a bit on the nose that he was meant to get absolutely fucked in the story since he’s been missing from pretty much everything and he has. well. White hair and a sister. That can only mean ONE thing and it’s tragedy.

THIS detail went too fast for me to notice but while rewatching the video I caught it and ??? BRO ??? I THOUGHT VALA TRIPPED BUT SHE SHOVES VOR OUT OF THE WAY TO SAVE HER

also really lets be honest, the counting is so extra and so good. the little quips and jabs like “OH DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU?” and shit were also really funny to me like yeah, absolutely, please show me the flashbacks and explain what happened bc this is Kingdom Hearts and you fucking bet I need the extra info

I like how Eraqus insists that they can STILL save him while Xehanort was ready to fucking kill this guy and that moment of hesitation was all the darkness needed to give ANOTHER fucking speech about shit - a speech that works perfectly because he’s casting so much doubt in Xehanort’s heart by making it all about “it’s us and then there’s THEM” and kind of being like “yeah, the second your emotional support boytoy Eraqus dies, it’s fucking over for your sanity bro, I’ve been there”

and the entire explanation as to how constantly insisting that darkness is inherently bad has led to people like Baldr go absolutely unhinged because they start to believe THEY are bad, despite having done NOTHING to prove that, which relates to Terra’s entire journey and Ansem the Wise’s resentment towards Nobodies and consequent treatment of ppl like Namine, Xion or Roxas who CLEARLY felt things, were developing unique personalities but because they weren’t inherent light, then they weren’t worth the chance 

so basically every goddamn old man who has become a teacher in this entire saga of games is a shithead lmfao. Eraqus doesn’t get to see this conversation between Hoder and Baldr, so of course he clings to that belief of Darkness = evil evil evil, especially with the shit Xehanort is going to start pulling right after this but like

man. look at them. 

AND THEN THEY PULL OUT THEIR SWORDS AND THEN HODER DROPS HERS??? AND BALDR IS REACHING OUT TO HER ONE LAST TIME and the fuckin purple fart just has to come back to ruin it

also this ? THIS? yeah. I love the entire chain thing coming back, I also love seeing the gazing eye and waving at it knowing MoM is writing all this shit down

Vor. Just Vor. I rlly like Vor now

The second I saw her I disliked her because she’s small and cutesy and in media like this those are red flags to me because. All small cutesy characters usually end un being marketable annoying sidekicks with high pitched voices that I can’t fucking stand

BUT I really liked how Vor was present and important throughout the entire thing, acting as a mediator for Xehanort and Eraqus of sorts and also being the middle ground/indecisive person, because ofc not everyone can have super strong morals or want to radicalize the world. She felt like a nice balance and well, I guess everything in KH has to come in sets of three 

I didn’t understand this part during her death at first, I really thought she fucking meant she belonged in the afterlife or death as punishment for leaving her friends behind and I was like holy shit thats sad as fuck, bUT LMFAO SHE MEANT SHE BELONGED WITH HER FRIENDS AFTER ALL IM DUMB AS BRICKS SORRY VOR

Eraqus in this specific frame, that’s all. He looks very polite, I like him, please look at him

anyway that was just to bait you all into reading this part and remember the line Xehanort drops about how Eraqus has done nothing but cry every goddamn night since everyone died and that he’s heard all of it. that was VERY good too I loved that and all the fanart it’s spawning from that, it’s HEARTBREAKING to think about, especially when Eraqus is trying to get Xehanort to laugh as if he hadn’t spent the whole week crying his heart out

and then Baldr’s entire speech about how Xehanort is different, that he’s not like Eraqus and that eventually, once Eraqus leaves or disappears, it’ll be fucking over for Xehanort bc all he’s done is chase after him desperately just casually being destroyed by Eraqus being his funnyman silly self, reinforcing their friendship and that if Xehanort ever falls to darkness, he’ll be there to pull him out

yea

anyway i really hope that the entire bloodlines arc in missing link doesn’t reveal them as cousins or something because. they’re my emotional support divorcees, they got literally everything - childhood friends, trauma, scarring each other emotionally and physically for life, keeping in touch for the sake of their kids, another divorce, absolute pure death and then a second marriage while ascending to the heavens, its amazing

THE Luxu reveal lives rent free in my fucking head you don’t understand, I love this man to bits

everyone used to be so fucking afraid of their favorite characters being part Xehanort or getting norted, now everyone is at the risk of being Luxu and it’s so funny to me as a Xigbar enjoyer

I really like that we’re keeping up the “brai” names lmfao, but also the implications are spiraling in my brain bc does Luxu pick people who have those names As A Statement or does he change them once he possesses them. what happens to the original owners of the body and where do they fUCKING GO, LUXU DID YOU FEEL GENUINELY ATTACHED TO THESE KIDS OR WERE YOU FAKING IT, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BY XEHANORT’S SIDE KNOWING HE MOURNED YOUR DEATH IN HIS TEENS, DID YOU BECOME A FUNNY MAN OVER THE YEARS UNCONSCIOUSLY BC THATS EXACTLY HOW THE MASTER OF MASTERS ACTED? WHAT IS LEFT OF THE ORIGINAL YOU, WHEN YOUR BODY IS NO LONGER YOUR OWN AND YOUVE GROWN AND CHANGED TOO MUCH TO BE RECOGNIZABLE, I NEED ANSWERS I LOVE THIS BODY SNATCHING TERMITE, HES MY PERSONAL SHIP OF THESEUS AND I LOVE HIM

The KHux player not being Xehanort confirmation is pretty sad but eh. The child of destiny thing and the bloodlines are interesting at least

I really really really liked the idea of Nomura trolling the fanbase who is very vocal and tired of Xehanort being everywhere by making the player ACTUALLY xehanort. it also made sense, Xehanort’s obsession with finding the people in his dreams, because those people were ACTUALLY his friends in his previous life, him being a superempath who leeches people’s memories and feelings is kinda eh in this specific context because I don’t feel it justifies all the shit he does to find Ephemer, Ventus, etc

but baby nort is very cute and I like that we get to be his grandparent and mentor for awhile, probably being the reason he’s also very interested in the outside worlds due to him being stranded here AND all the stories we most likely told him about everything. and I also like that he was pretty much set up to fail the second we died, doomed characters are very fun

I guess this confirms that Skuld’s descendant is Xehanort’s mother since he does mention his mom looks like “the girl from his dreams” aka Skuld herself. So that would mean Ephemer and Skuld’s bloodlines becoming one too, which is interesting, I cant wait for missing link..........

[lovebecomeshim]

hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?

Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.

*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!

This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.

I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)

The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.

And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.

(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)

The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.

First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.

The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.

(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)

They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.

(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)

Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)

Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.

Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.

Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—

And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.

Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.

There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:

There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.

Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).

Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.

Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.

The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.

And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.

tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.

So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.

[ohnopoe]

Hiya there!!!! Could i maybe please have some headcanons about the characters you write for being in love with a very domestic/ cottagecore/ disney-princess-loving sweet girl who works at a daycare (with babies) ?

Im sorry if that didnt make much sense im french but i love your writing!!! Have an amazing day!! 😊

Your patience is extraordinary. I’m so sorry this took so long, and I’m additionally sorry that I couldn’t provide more characters for this. Between it beginning to feel repetitive and just having a mental block on it, which has been practically consuming my ability to write, I’m afraid I was only able to give you five characters, but hopefully the accidental mini stories they turned into makes up for that!

Under the cut you will find headcanons or miniature fics tbh for Din Djarin, Ezra, Frankie Morales, Javier Peña and Poe Dameron

Din Djarin

Looking after Grogu is Din’s priority. So, when he sees his adoptive son clinging to your leg after he leaves him at the small daycare on Nevarro, utterly enraptured in your every movement as you finish putting away the colourful pencils the children had been playing with, well, he’s intrigued.

When Grogu is reluctant to leave the planet, putting on a fuss as he flies away, well, he’s fascinated.

Plenty of people got along with the little green baby, and it seemed people fell for his big bug eyes everywhere they went. But he hadn’t seen the child so enraptured before… It was almost the same kind of adoration he seemed to throw towards Din.

Weeks pass before he’s landing back in Nevarro, ready to take on another job, and he’s almost forgotten about you. But the way Grogu perks up at the familiar surroundings is an instant reminder.

He hadn’t even intended to leave the kid at the daycare this time, it was only meant to be a short trip after all, but who could say ‘no’ to those pleading eyes?

The day’s half over when he knocks on the door. Children of all species are spread about the room, and there’s an air of chaos to the scene, but as you meet his gaze through that vizor that keeps him shielded from the rest of the room, he finally understands the absolute sense of calm you exude.

He’s frozen.

Your smile cuts through him, it’s gentle and soft and reassuring and everything he didn’t know he’d been missing for so many years now.

He stutters, genuinely stutters when he hands Grogu over, asking if he can spend the rest of the day with the other children. And if you notice, well, you’re not about to mention it just yet.

He’s making more trips to Nevarro, even he refuses to acknowledge why. The kid needs to socialise more, jobs from Karga are smarter, it’s good to keep in contact with the Cara, to know what the rebellion is up to… Excuses seem to pile up upon one another. Of course it couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that every time he sees your smile directed at him, every time he watches the way you play with Grogu, the world seems a little lighter.

A dangerous mission is what changes things.

He knows it’ll bring good credits, and provide more safety for the kid in the long run, but bringing him along for the ride is too risky, and it’s exactly what the enemy would be expecting. So he asks if you’ll look after him, just for a few days.

Of course, you’re more than happy to take the little green menace, but it’s the way you tell him to be careful, the way he can almost see genuine worry in your gaze as you utter words of care that he’s so damn unused to that has him struck once more.

The sight of you there, looking at him with such a gentle look, with his kid in your arms, well, it distracts him more than he’d care to admit.

So when he comes back to Nevarro, to your house of all things, he’s a little worse for wear, and he’s certainly not expecting the way you usher him in, or the way you look after him. Suddenly, leaving Nevarro at all seems like the stupidest decision possible, when you’re there in your humble house that still screams home more than anything he can remember.

He stays for days, you’re insistent that he heal properly and take the time to rest before he goes rushing back into the universe. And it’s the most relaxed he’s ever felt.

Ezra

After his time in The Green, Ezra is certain of one thing, he’s had enough of that damn colour.

There’s only so long you can spend surrounded by shades of green before it starts to haunt you, and even the most poetic of people lose any sense of beauty they once found in it.

But then there was you.

You, who lived a life so far removed from what he had experienced, that the flowery poetics seemed to just flow from him once more.

His insecurities after losing his arm seemed to lessen in your presence, caught up in the whirlwind that was you.

Laughter and joy seemed to fill the days, and sometimes he’d even help you with your work simply to enjoy the bubble of joy you seemed to exude, to embrace every moment of happiness that he was lucky enough to experience.

Colours seemed brighter, and filled with a range he had only hoped to see, when you were around. And those poems he had loved so dearly were not just a distant dream, they were tangible and real.

Softness and beauty coloured his days once more, and his heart was full.

Even green seemed more beautiful now.

Frankie Morales

In all honesty? He’s terrified. You’re his daughter’s daycare worker and it doesn’t matter that you make him smile, make those damn butterflies fill his chest in a way he hasn’t felt since he was an awkward teenager. It doesn’t matter that your smile is so damn captivating that it has him smiling goofily to himself the whole damn drive to work after he drops his daughter off with you.

It doesn’t matter because it can’t. He won’t interfere with your work and he certainly won’t be that creep who asks you out when you look after his daughter, no, nope, absolutely not.

But then, a year later, and his daughter is off to preschool, and yeah, ok, he’s a bit of a wreck as he shops for school supplies, but suddenly you’re there. It hasn’t been long at all, and yet he can’t help but think how much he has missed that smile.

It’s so much harder to explain to his little girl that, despite the chance encounter, you won’t be a part of her life anymore, especially when she’s so darn excited to see you, and so he stumbles, he struggles and glances to you for help and, well, the help you give has him even more lost for words.

You suggest lunch, on the first weekend after she’s started school. Just Frankie, her and you, all meeting at a park where his daughter can tell you all about ‘big school’.

He’s silent so long that you worry you’ve overstepped, and just as you’re about to ramble off some excuse in a desperate attempt to backtrack, he offers you the most beaming smile you’ve ever seen.

Well, your not so little crush was doomed, and so was your heart. But after lunch that soon turned into a weekly affair, you soon came to realise, your heart was in very safe hands.

Javier Peña

I’m not going to lie, at first Javier is skeptical to say the least. He’s seen chaos and pain and suffering for so long, that seeing someone so damn gentle? Yeah, he’s wondering what your game is. But then it becomes something else, it becomes a fascination. You seem sincere in your softness, and he finds himself smiling back at you in an instant, before he can even question it.

So, skepticism turns to curiosity. Are you just naive to the horrors of the world? Are you really that sheltered that you believe what the fairytales told you the world would be? He has to know, even if he’s cursing himself the whole damn way.

He’s spending more time with you to figure you out, that’s what he tells himself. Of course, it’s obvious to everyone else the change that you bring. His shoulders are less tense, he’s not bitting people’s heads off at work, hell, he’s smiling more.

It’s different to what he’s used to. It’s softer, and slower, and he’s reluctant as hell, but things just seem to happen.

You’re at his place as often as your own. You’re sharing movies with him that he’s never even considered seeing before, you’re sharing your lives with one another, and there hasn’t been a single date so far.

You’re everything he’s fighting to protect, before he can even acknowledge his own feelings for you. But as oblivious as Javier can be to these things, you’re not. You know the stories, the tales of love that seemed to pass him by. You’re patient as he navigates his way through his feelings.

It’s a random moment in time, really. You’re on his couch, talking about the children you work with, it’s just another day. But it’s everything to him. It’s the moment he realises you’re his all, that being right there, in that moment, listening to you talk about children you clearly adore, children that aren’t even your own, it’s all he’s ever needed, and all he ever wants.

The progression from that odd friendship to something more is surprisingly smooth.

Of course, he’s bound to stumble along the way, it’s so far from what he’s used to that he’s terrified half the time of stuffing up to a point of no return. But it’s genuine, it’s real, and you can both simply be yourselves; even if he does tease you a little about the ‘childish’ decor that starts to fill the apartment when you finally move in.

Poe Dameron

It was an accident, the first time Poe quite literally ran into you. BB-8 assured him that it would be faster to get to his ship through the path he had never ventured before as he rushed to fly out for a sudden mission, and he was right. What the little droid had failed to mention, however, was that said path ran directly through the resistance’s schooling area.

It was a small group of rooms, with few children of resistance members actually living on base, but it was something so downright shocking that it had him stumbling in shock as he glanced about at the colourful finger paintings and bright array of plants that he didn’t even notice the way the group of preschoolers stared up at him in awe, or, for that matter, the fact that you were standing before him... until you weren’t. The force of his sprint landed you on the floor with nothing but a surprised “ooft!” coming from your lips, and an echoing round of shocked and anxious gasps from your students.

After an awkward round of apologising, and continuing to call out long after he had checked you were alright and helped you up, he was off, making his way once more, the sound of “sorry!” fading away as he drifted further down the corridors.

One chance meeting suddenly turned into more. It seemed wherever he turned, there you were. Grabbing a late meal at the same time, having your med-checks one after the other… it was as if fate itself had decided the two of you simply had to interact.

You filled his mind, someone so normal amongst the chaos of war. And while he may not have realised it, he began to seek you out.

Chatting with your kids about flying, bringing back interesting plants he saw on his adventures, there was always a reason to see you, after-all, Poe Dameron was the King of Excuses.

But you brought him a sense of hope and home, something he had missed for far too long, and he wasn’t about to give that up anytime soon.

[6sakusa]

‘worth more’ part 3, oikawa tōru.

a/n: im dedicating this part to @humanitysvertigo for motivating me to write & inspiring this piece with your song suggestion ‘like you do’

warnings: implications of toxic relationship, mild swearing, anGST, me not proof reading.

“you’re an idiot.” iwaizumi grabbed the setter by the collar in a brash attempt to knock some sense into him. more often than not he’d been constantly named as too aggressive for his own good but the ace knew exactly what oikawa needed in order to be brought to attention and there was no way in hell that he was about to let him get away with this.

“i’m not in the mood for this right now.” oikawa scoffed shoving off his bestfriend as he picked up another ball from the pantry preparing himself for another serve.

“i don’t care what you’re in the mood for, this isn’t good for you, how many times have i told you to cut this shit out.” iwaizumi launched towards the male, he was now raising his voice as he made reach for the ball. it was insane how much he would get riled up when it came to oikawa’s safety even though he hated to admit it.

“why are you like this.. you’re all like this, why are you trying to stop me? i need to get better, i need to do better, i need to—“ his words were cut off by a swiff headbutt from iwaizumi causing him to go crashing towards the ground.

“don’t you ever get tired of saying selfish shit.” it was obvious that anger was building up within the ace, but if you didn’t know him well enough you would miss how it was interlaced with pain and sadness. the sight of his bestfriend hurting himself took a toll on him too regardless of if he showed it or not and he couldn’t bare the sight of oikawa mistreating both you and himself. growing up together iwa found himself as the boys sole protector, as if he was his responsibility and now as the days grew longer it seemed as if the burden was almost getting to heavy to carry. the last thing he wanted was to have to walk away from the friendship because it was becoming too stressful and draining, no, because part of iwaizumi was oikawa and he couldn’t imagine his life without the selfish boy.

“don’t you wanna win? why do you play iwa? are you content with the participation awards? because i’m not.” the setter grit his teeth as he reflected back on his recent loss. the way the ball had hit the ground just a hair out of his reach, the way the score was so close and the taste of victory was almost on his tongue, the fact that it was their last try at going to nationals, the way it was his own kouhai who had beat him, the way he had disappointed iwaizumi above all. he had to make up for it, he had to make up for all of it.

“i play because it’s fun.” the ace shouted shoving him further into the ground. “i play because.. i like it, i like volleyball, and i like playing with you and the rest of the team, it’s made me who i am today.” his voice softened and he finally let go of his bestfriends collar, inhaling a deep breath as oikawa watched with wide eyes. “what does volleyball mean to you now? do you just want to be the best at what you do for something you don’t even find fun? look around, think about all the people you’re hurting.” he referred back to you.

“i’m doing this for you guys as much as i’m doing it for me—“

“no you’re not, we’re in our third year now, it’s done oikawa, it’s over.. there is no next game, there is no next tournament, there is no next time, and that’s okay because these past three years have been the best of my life, there’s nothing else i could have asked for, you’re the best partner anyone could ever want, my bestfriend and the best setter.” iwaizumi sighed collapsing backwards, hitting his own head as the words just kept tumbling out.

“really?” there was a newfound light in oikawas eyes, one that the ace much preferred in comparison to his gloomy figure that would always pop out when he was being much too harsh on himself.

“yes really, you are the best setter—“

“no.” oikawa cut him off unexpectedly. “really? i’m your bestfriend?”

“are you shitting me? you’re an idiot, who else would it be? we’ve been friends since we were kids.. stupid crappykawa.” he mumbled off at the end noting how sappy the setter had turned him.

“you have a way with words iwa-chan, or maybe you’ve just gone soft on me hm?” he joked around lifting the tense atmosphere off the two of them.

“and now you’re all smiling and shit? you were just depressed two minutes ago” iwaizumi clicked his tongue at the sight of his friend, he wondered how he was always able to switch his mood up so easily. sometimes he was envious of his ability to do so, he wanted nothing more than to turn off the nagging voice at the back of his head sometimes that would tell him—

“what can i say? i’m suddenly feeling inspired.” he looked up to the ceiling as if he was in some soft of romcom and iwaizumi scoffed at the sight of it. sometimes he wondered how he’d ended up with a bestfriend who was so cheesy.

“well good because aoba johsai isn’t the whole world, there’s a volleyball career waiting for you anywhere on this planet, but nothing everything is replaceable like that.” iwa successfully recaptured the setters attention with his last words.

“what do you mean?”

“y/n... she’s not replaceable but you treated her like shit today didn’t you? i saw her sitting out in the rain so don’t even try to deny it.” he gritted his teeth at the thought of it, the way your fingertips were icy cold, your warm tears juxstaposing the freezing rain, your clothes absolutely drenched and your catatonic state of pure silence as he walked you home. there was only one person who could be the cause of such pain, and he was standing in front of him now.

“the rain?” oikawa jumped to alert now, he knew he wasn’t in his right mind when he had spoke to you, all that was going through his head is that he was a burden that you needed to rid yourself from, but that didn’t mean he didn’t love you or didn’t care about you or could live without you.

“what did you say to her?”

“i said i didn’t need her..” his heart clenched as he recalled the events, how could he be so foolish? and then to let you sit out there while he was ignorant to the entire situation as he stood there selfishly serving the ball over and over again.. “i scared her.” he swore he was on the verge of tears as he forced out those words, nothing hurt more then seeing your eyes wash over from love to fear in the matter of seconds as he towered over you. and for what? all you were doing was trying to help.

“well why are you still standing asshole? go to her, i’ll clean your mess up.” the ace sighed staring at the vast amount of balls sprawled over the court.

“no i can clean it up, don’t wo—“

“shut up, go.” he was interrupted by iwaizumi who had his best interests in mind as he always did.

“i owe you one.”

“you always do.”

—

finally changing out of your drenched clothes you could barely bring yourself to move, you’d already turned down food and avoided questions when your parents had ask why you were practically dripping onto the floor. it was too much to even speak, it felt like a part of you was gone, someone you had planned your entire future with just didnt need you anymore in the blink of an eye. you were even reconsidering your university options just to be closer to oikawa and now he had tossed you away like a tired ragdoll. you had been warned about oikawa before, plenty of people named him a playboy, even his own bestfriend had warned you to stay away but something had left you so drawn to the male that it was unexplainable. it was a feeling that only those who had experienced it would know, it was true love, if soulmates existed you were sure he was yours and never in your life had the thought of even breaking up crossed your mind.

the two of you had gotten into heated arguments before and many times it would end with you in tears or him storming out but he always came back. why hasn’t he come back? was it truly over? were you just not enough for him? you knew how important volleyball was and you always supported him but you hated seeing him overwork himself. did that make you a bad person? maybe you were, maybe he was right and you weren’t being the supportive girlfriend you were meant to be, it was your fault, you should be better right?

“y/n?” your thoughts were interrupted by a sickeningly familar voice and you turned to see the very boy that you were just thinking about. there was no doubt now that fate existed, otherwise why did things always end up like this?

“what are you doing here?” you narrowed your eyes at the setter, scrambling to wipe the tears off your face. you hated looking weak more than anything but you couldn’t help the dent that the entire situation had left in your heart.

“iwa-chan told me what happened and your parents let me in, were you crying?” he moved closer towards you, watching as you tried your best to stifle your tears as if nothing happened. you knew it was a pathetic attempt, you really did, but you couldn’t help how badly you wanted to be strong. you flinched backwards, causing him to halt his movement as he was making his way to cup your cheek.

the sadness that washed over his eyes in that moment was almost unbearable for you to witness. of course it would pain him that you would flinch away from his hands like that, it looked as if you were afraid.

“w-what? why are you flinching? i would never hit you, i love you.” you hated the way you knew exactly when he was telling the truth and when he was lying, and right now tōru oikawa was being the most genuine that he had in a long time. one part of you wanted to pull away so badly, to tell him that he treated you like absolute shit, that he didn’t deserve you and to scream and shout at him to get out. but the other part of you, the stronger part, wanted nothing more than to revel in his embrace, for him to whisper sweet nothings in your ear and promise how he was going to marry you one day while he played with your ring finger reminding you over and over again how much he loved you, because no one loved you like he did.

“please.. say something y/n.” he clenched his jaw as you stared at him with empty eyes, he couldn’t bare the thought of knowing that he was the one who had done this. it was always him who had caused you pain and suffering and now he was wondering if he had made the right choice by coming here.. if he hadn’t you would get over him one day wouldn’t you? you’d probably find someone who loved you without the grief that he always provided, someone who made you happy without requirement, someone who could give you a life that he couldn’t. what he didn’t know was how much you wanted to tell him how no one else mattered to you and how you had felt this way since the moment you’d met him but your mouth wouldn’t say the words you wanted them to so badly.

“why.. why do you always do this to me.” your voice cracked and you couldn’t hold it in any longer, your eyes glossed over before tears spilt out uncontrollably. you moved to clutch your own body, burying your head in your knees as you cried your heart out to your boyfriend who immediately moved to embarace you. what shocked him is how cold you were to the touch, you were sure to get sick tonight so he would stay by your side the entire time if he had to.

“i don’t know.. all i know is how sorry i am.” he pulled you closer so that you were not facing his chest as he brushed the hair out of your face and rubbed your back soothingly. “i cant explain it y/n-chan, i mess up really badly sometimes and i don’t know why, all i know is that life isn’t the same without you in it, since i met you everything just seems brighter, like it’s all worth it.. no matter what i say to you i will always love you.”

you cried harder as you came to the realisation of how weak you were for him.

“you’re the only person i can’t bear to lose y/n-chan, you’re the most selfless person i know, please don’t ever walk out of my life, i’ll do better i promise.” a tear rolled down his own eye as he imagined how empty things would feel without you, he wondered where he would get the willpower to wake up everyday.

“you promise?” you looked up at him with tear stained eyes through those beautiful eyelashes of yours, and how could he not love you when you still looked so pretty even when you were crying over him.

“i promise.” he hugged you a little tighter, wanting to memorise this moment for everything that it is.

“then i’ll stay by your side forever tōru.” you smiled softly at the thought of the rest of your life with the boy you always intended to spend it with.

“and i’ll marry you one day y/n-chan.” that day you fell asleep in your boyfriends arms as he stroked your hair and coddled you with promises that you’d remember for decades.

what the two of you didn’t know was how iwaizumi sat in the gym, motionless with a pained expression on his face and a slow tear rolling down his cheek as he led the boy he’d loved since childhood right back into your arms as he always had. he even stayed cleaning up for the rest of the night before practicing how he would face the two of you in school the next day with a smile on his face. as long as his bestfriend was happy he told himself.

because oikawa was wrong about one thing, there was someone more selfless than you.

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers: January 17th, 2021 (Part 1)

More ask answers! It’s gonna be a lot today, so we’re splitting it into two.

i love Cliff and Kyra's relationship so much ?? even though they had issues they managed to work things out and remain friends through the years! it's so refreshing over the narrative of people resenting each other after they break up.. im kind of curious tho , do they see each other strictly platonic now or is there still something lingering?

Aw, I’m glad to hear you like their relationship. Their feelings are very platonic now. Kyra views him as an ex and co-parent and then a friend as time goes on. Cliff does struggle not to think of her as still his family, even though he’s not romantically attracted anymore. But he’s knows it might be crossing a line to be that attached to a woman who divorced him and so he tries to let her just live her own life.

Can i ask just how tall Cove exactly is in Step 3? And will he be even TALLER in Step 4? My short heart cannot handle this. (Also this game is absolutely flawless and I haven't been able to stop thinking abt it since I played. Planning on getting the dlcs soon, y'all did SO WELL!!!!!!!!!) 

Haha, thank you very much.

Step 1: 4'1 feet Step 2: 5'4 feet Step 3: 6'0 feet Step 4: 6'4 feet 

Hey! So, I know Steam is having its fall sale/boxing day sale or something so i was wondering if you guys were gonna participate in that?? I was thinking of buying XOXO Droplets (the extended version) but i didnt want to do anything before there was a potential sale. May seem like an odd question, but I was genuinely curious. I can't wait to play the full game when i get it tho :D

I’m afraid we have some things we wanna fix in XOXO Droplets before really promoting it/pushing it with sales, so for now it won’t be participating in Steam sales. Hopefully we can update it soon.

Hello I'm still trying to get the CG for Step 2-3 and didn't see or get it when I told Cove of the deal in the Dinner moment like your guide says. I got the achievement but no CG. Is there another choice I'm suppsed to make after telling him?

Make sure you go back to the house with Cove after he leaves and don’t stay in your living room.

* don't be suspicious* *don't be suspicious*  ...Hi, there's another way to pay for the Our Life +18 dlc besides Patreon? Patreon have very limited payment options and I've been struggling with the platform. Anyways, thanks for the amazing game I hope I could support any way ^u^

Haha, right now there isn’t anything specific, but once it’s finished in a few months we’ll look into other hosting sites.

do you think we can get another our life dlc plzzz i would pay so much for it <3 i want to see their life together when they have kids or pets or just live with the two of them and i really want them to adopt kids too since jamie is adopted :)

I’m afraid we likely won’t. As much as we love OL: B&A, we’ve gotta start putting our whole effort into new projects soon. Maybe someday we could come back and do special new content, but it’d be quite awhile after all the planned DLCs have released.

How do you delete a save file? 

On PC or Mac you hover over a slot and hit the delete key, or you can go into the saved data folder and delete the files directly. On Android I’m afraid I don’t know. You can save over them with something else, though.

this is like. totally embarrassing and silly to ask but im dying here; i love cove so much i wanna climb that boy like a tree. so basically what im asking here is like. will the nsfw dlc have explicit stuff or is it more like an implied kinda situation? cuz i want some full on nsfw shit im so thirsty for cove and only this can satisfy me

It’s truly 18+ and explicit with nude art and straightforward descriptions of sexual acts. That’s why we can’t release it as part of the main game, haha. I’m glad you’re into Cove~

Hello! I've really been enjoying Our Life and am noticing some animation changes with the update! I just had a question though. In Step 2 we meet Jeremy but I was wondering if he was only meant to appear in Step 2 as a typical mean kid or is there more we don't know? 

Jeremy is a horrible pill in Our Life, but he is also a beloved romance option as a teenager in our other game XOXO Droplets. His personality is quite different once he grows up more. I imagine Cove and the MC would be pretty surprised.

Hi! i absolutely adore our life so far and I can't wait to continue supporting the game with the upcoming dlc drops! i was just wondering if y'all were planning on uploading any art for steam icons/the steam point shop in general<3 

Thank you! And we might. But we’re first trying to focus on making a new game update since there are still some improvements we have in mind.

I hope this question doesn’t come off weird but would Cove be the type of guy to memorize your period? I imagine he’d be the kind of best friend/boyfriend who would keep track of your cycle to support you during it or something like that 

We’d be shy about it at first and avoid mentioning what he was doing, but he would try to keep track of it based on any insight the MC gave him. The longer you’re with him, the more it could be just a normal thing the two openly talked about.

Hi there, how often do you do auditions? I am a voice actor and would love to be part of a project ?

We usually have auditions two to three times a year. Our next planned casting call will be for side character in Our Life Step 4.

Are the 5 moments included in the Derek and Baxter DLCs different from the normal Step 2 and 3 DLC? And will they focus exclusively on Derek and Baxter respectively? I was a little confused when I read the DLC FAQ. Thanks! 

Mostly they’ll be completely new Moments that star Derek or Baxter. Though, for example, Derek’s DLC will allow you to take him to the Soiree. If you go with Derek that will remove your ability to go with Cove in the Cove Step 2 DLC.

Sorry if you've already said this, but how will your character transfer over to the patreon exclusive NSFW DLC?  Can it access your game memory or will you select traits your character showed and choices you made from a list? 

It’s a standalone event that happens for MCs who are in a relationship with Cove and have been dating him for a while. Other details about the MC/their dynamic with Cove will just be picked in the event itself. It won’t try to take data from a specific save in the actual game.

I love your games, but currently only have an Android. When will you put your other games on android? 

I don’t know. They might not able to be formatted for Android very well, unfortunately. We’ll see how much time we’ve got later this year to try figuring it out.

Thank you so much for all the questions :D

[shioritsumi]

Just saw Luca and im like,,,,

so yes, Portorosso had a history of hating sea monsters. Lots of places have that sort of history. And this could either be just the way this particular small town is, or it’s genuinely like the 50s to 60s. (I don’t know how small Italian towns are, given as I’m not from one.)

But like, in the 21st century I’m more wondering....MAN....the sea monsters are all colorful, like caribbean coral reefs, with SHARP TEEFS and long tails and long fingers and- dude where my monster fuckers at? Half-sea monster kids have GOT to exist somewhere. 

And if regular sea monsters possess the ability to maintain a human form provided they remain completely dry, what would that mean for a human? Or rather, a human-sea monster hybrid? Or would it vary from hybrid to hybrid? Like some hybrids may look like a sea monster all the time, some may only look human, some may have a muddled look with skin AND scales, some might be able to shift back and forth like their sea monster parent, some might look like sea monsters but be incapable of breathing underwater...

so maybe hybrids vary. 

Which inspired my own OC because THAT’S what I do when I get obsessed with something new, I make ocs. 

Anyways, long intro to my new Luca ocs Achille Bianchi and Marcello Esposito!

Achille is an OLD sea monster some might call a “mad scientist”, and he seems to have fallen into a peculiar obsession with one particular form of study, primarily sea monster-human hybrids. It almost seems personal for him, even. He has books upon books upon books all filled with notes of the hybrids he’s met and how he’s lost them in eerily cold and scientific terms. 

Enter Marcello, currently on the run from a particularly dangerous Hunter known only as the Kraken. He’s the first hybrid Achille’s ever found that has a perfect balance between his sea monster and human sides, swapping between human and sea monster forms almost seamlessly with practice and focus. (he’s still studying the scientific reasoning behind this)

When the tall thin sea monster showed up and immediately obsessed over the teenager, his family wasn’t....exactly enthused. They pointed out that he was behaving like a creep, and Achille finally remembered to act like a functioning adult and explain himself, about how he was studying human-sea monster hybrids, and he just wanted to understand how their bodies functioned with the mixed genes. 

“Are there any catches, Signor Bianchi?” “No, non, none at all.” “......” “......” “......” “....I’ve been having a really hard time...keeping my test subjects for study because a certain hunter out there is killing hybrids. He thinks they’re an abomination and need to be destroyed.” “THERE it is! How do we know you haven’t let this man straight to our son?” “He never attacks any hybrid without extensive setup, and he moves quickly. He’s always ahead of me, never behind. I’m usually late. This is....rare.” “....you didn’t answer our question.” “I’m following him, not the other way around Signora Esposito.”

Bonus OC: The Kraken! Known information: .....probably male, responds to male pronouns, masculine looking form, approximately 6 feet tall? is he human or not? unknown. age unknown, but Achille’s been struggling with his desire to eliminate human-nonhuman hybrids for a long time. Very fast, well practiced in hand to hand combat and anatomy but not terribly tech savvy. 

He may have been operating to close to a century, much like Achille himself, lending credence to the idea that he’s either not human or not a singular entity. (Achille thinks it would be an appropriate ‘fuck you’ to himself if his greatest rival turned out to be a hybrid as well.) His nickname Kraken was finally attributed to him in the 1970s due to the tendency to kill people in seaside towns who usually have at least one parent who “sailed off and never returned” or the like. 

Of the three....

Likes- Achille: science, biology, anatomy, genetics, learning, anything lemon flavored, BAKING lemon flavored foods, EATING lemon flavored foods  Marcello: swimming, reading, solving puzzles, the mystery genre, deep sea diving, cooking, coffee flavored foods The Kraken: math, logic puzzles, acrobatics, mixed martial arts (fighting junkie), racing, orange flavored foods

Dislikes- Achille: orange flavored foods, failure, art (bc he’s not good at it), preconcieved notions without evidence, the smell of burning meat Marcello: any food with squid ink, fishing, gym class, washing dishes The Kraken: himself, hybrids, idling, romance, “chick flicks”, lemon flavored foods

Someone: so do you three believe in gay rights? Achille: I’m pretty sure we’re all gay Someone: they’re dodging the question!

“Is there anything you find personally offensive about the Kraken, though? Like if he didn’t try to kill hybrids, could you ever be friends with him, in another life?” “Absolutely not, Marcello-that monster buries himself in orange Perle de Sole all day every day. You can tell when he’s near because you can just SMELL the vitamin C stench off of him a mile away!” “.....why do you hate oranges so much.”

[i-hate-boyfs]

writing jeremy heere as jewish: a quick guide

so, i reblogged a post i made for a jewish character in a different fandom, but im going to make one specifically for jeremy. if you’d like to read that post, go here.

anyway, here we go! this is very very basic information, just the basics, just skimming the surface of what judaism is. im gonna reiterate this a lot because it’s important: if you have a question i don’t answer in this post, ask me.

hanukkah is not the biggest jewish holiday. the biggest jewish holiday is yom kippur, the holiest day of the year, which follows rosh hashanah, jewish new year.

when writing a christmastime fic, jeremy can be celebrating hanukkah, but do not make it out to be the biggest holiday, do not fall into the thinking that it’s jewish christmas, because it is not, and god forbid, do not have jeremy celebrate christmas.

there are multiple denominations in judaism, just like christianity. the largest of these are the orthodox and reform branches, which are the furthest to the sides of conservative vs evolving. (this has nothing to do with politics, in this context it means that they hold to the old beliefs and laws and do not evolve with changing times, in reform judaism everything is always evolving.)

i don’t particularly care which branch you assign to jeremy so long as you do your research (again, dm me/shoot me an ask if you have any questions i don’t answer in this post!), except for messianic judaism. messianic judaism is not actual judaism, and followers are basically christians with jewish holidays. this is not, i repeat, not judaism. this is an attempt to convert jews and also for christians to pretend they’re jewish. make no mistake: if you say jeremy’s a messianic jew, i will come to your house and fuck your wife.

here, i have to discuss stereotypes, because you bitchass motherfuckers really don’t know how to do jewish characters.

do NOT:

give him an extremely big/hooked nose. (before anyone says anything, ive personally got no problem with the jeremy sprite in bls, i think it’s both prolly art style & wcon’s nose is p triangular, and i don’t think they had any malicious intent)

call him a goblin, a rat, dirty jew, a jewboy, or even call him a jew if you aren’t jewish. call him jewish, do not call his people jews, call them jewish. im not kidding.

make him greedy, with money, yeah, but also Anything. if your jewish character has to be jewish and has to be greedy & rich you have an issue.

he. he probably doesn’t know hebrew, and if he does, he’s not going to call michael baby boy in Hebrew. quit fetishizing both jeremy’s judaism and michael being filipino just so that michael can call him mahal kita and you can butcher hebrew whatever way you’re gonna do it with google translate. goddamn all of you who have done this, you fucking meshuggeners. (that was yiddish, btw)

you CAN, however, make him say oy vey (and oy vey ist mir, that’s what oy vey is short for, and oy vey gevalt tells of impending doom. oy vey is yiddish, not hebrew, btw). honestly, i see oy vey used too much in some settings by goys, and this fandom doesn’t use it ENOUGH. the boy says oy vey and that’s the tea.

lastly, the word goy (goys, goyim, etc), are not slurs. it’s a word in the same vein as gringo, it means a non jewish person the same way gringo is a non Hispanic person. jeremy can and should call michael a goy.

remember: most antisemitic portrayals are subtle, not so much in your face hooked nose and droopy eyes and holocaust jokes. it’s a guardian angel fic tagged with ‘just forget jeremy’s jewish’. it’s art calling him a little goblin boy in the caption.  if you think something might be read as antisemitic you can ask me, i promise i’m not going to get offended even if it’s completely wrong if you genuinely don’t know what’s okay and what isn’t.

the most important thing: do not ignore jeremy’s judaism. jews deal with enough erasure, and simply not mentioning it (especially in the context of a holiday fic) or even explicitly saying ‘oops, i forgot’ and not mentioning it... that’s not okay. jewish people are not the most represented, and erasing just one character’s judaism is deeply hurtful and wrong. you👏cannot👏leave👏out👏his👏judaism👏👏

if you have any questions about anything relating to judaism, again, i would LOVE to answer them! send me an ask or a dm and ill answer them to the best of my ability. it’s better to ask dumb questions than to portray jeremy’s judaism in a dumb way. but also, do your own research. watch some of BimBam’s videos on this playlist. google is your friend, as are your jewish friends. you are capable of doing your own research, and you are capable of figuring out what is and is not okay.

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

In response to the Jane ask, I totally agree! Her song, as vague as it might be in the newer versions, is very much about emotional abuse and her realizing/reflecting on it. In the other versions this is arguably even clearer! Besides the list in the first verse, there’s a line in the student run version that always get me, in the second verse after “with out my son your love will disappear”. Usually in the lastest version it’s “I know it isn't fair, but I don't care”, which can be a sign of even tho she knows that he has hurt her at this point, her love will still be there for her son. But the student run it’s something like “you’ll let us fall apart, try to break my heart” which I think is much more powerful in showing more of her self awareness at what would happen to her. Also that opening monologue before about if she was really loved or just checked all the boxes on a list before she could make him angry, she knew that he would be willing to destroy her if she didn’t do as he wanted (Cause Anne wasn’t some death that would never happen again and that only happened cause Jane was there, he was to said to have threaten Jane with the same fate cause of the pilgrimage of grace incident (also well it did happened gain two queens later). Also just a slight unrelated thing, I can sorta understand why people blame Jane for Anne’s death but also not really. It was a whole campaign against Anne, and we only know that Jane was yeah trying to be queen due to influence from her family and others trying make sure she was but I don’t think it’s her fault Henry (and others) decided the best course of action would be to kill Anne. Though I am not a big Tudor researcher, this is only from multiple weeks and hours of searching and learning cause of curiosity and someone could fact check me but that’s what i interpreted the history as. Random rant over) Also the fact (and I’m pretty sure this is true in the newest version), she says “loved” most of the time. The past tense is important there, cause yeah maybe she did truly think she “loved” him. And he may have been the only one she ever “loved” but that cause she probably didn’t get a chance to love someone else (when Henry says it’s you, it’s you after all). This is just speculation though, I can’t assume what a 500 year old historical figure was truly feeling but a character in a show is different and ready for analysis. For that I say that maybe she did “love” him but it easily could have been out of fear or wanting to just deal with the cards dealt to her. But at the end she realizes where she wants her love to be directed towards, and that’s her son and in “Six” her new found family.

And fun fact about her part in “Six” (I kinda learned from something on tumblr but can’t remember who but either way here it is.) it’s 200% about the queens as her family, with her pun at the end being the main signifier of this. “You could perhaps call us the Tudor Von Trapps” is a reference to the Trapp Family Singers, an Austrian singing family (if you see the wiki for them, they are apparently the inspiration for sound of music, Neat!). So from that you would think “oh she’s talking about Henry and her kids with him having a band” but then she says “Just kidding! We’re called the Royalling Stones!”. A Rolling Stones references and they were made by friends forming a band, so that can be associated that the queens are said friends in this case but also part of family that has grown! Also Rolling Stones have a song called heart of stone, seriously this is the most clever joke Jane had during the show and it makes me, a pun/joke lover, very happy to see this be such a character trait that it’s in the damn description for her character for an auditioning sheet (check out Citadle Theather and Six the Musical in google, i think you’ll find it.)

Anyway sorry about this long ramble, it’s just that even though I totally can see how people view Jane as “weaker” in terms of some writing choices made, I still think there’s a lot to talk about with not just her current incarnation but also the other ones as well. I wish some changes werent made to her song, but she is a still strong character about the effects of emotional abuse and maternity. There’s nothing bad about talking about those things, your right that it doesn’t make her any less feminist. Anyway ramble over and I hope you have a lovely day :)

Hello hun!

Please don’t apologise for rambling! I’m always so interested in hearing other opinions on the queens and I love the opportunity to discuss any queen at any time! Frankly, I’m just impressed you got the whole essay into one message! Have they gotten rid of the character limit? Sorry, not relevant to the question.

(Also sorry for how long this took to answer! Uni happened sort of happened and I didn’t want to half ass my response to such a well thought out ask)

I adore the older versions of Heart of Stone, especially the student run version! I completely agree that Seymour feels so much more aware of her place in Henry’s life in the older versions. In the older version she knows she wasn’t Henry’s true love (even though she loved him) and she knows her worth is completely dependent on her ability to give Henry a son. She literally says “nothing lasts forever, I’ll fade away”. That is such a powerful statement and I wish that line was still in the song! I still think these themes are in the new version, but they’re nowhere near as explicit. Plus the character development in the student run feels much more explicit, with Seymour saying “soon I’ll have to go, I’ll never see you grow” instead of “him grow” in the new versions. She’s clearly speaking to Edward in the older version, so the last half of HOS in the old versions (at least in my eyes) is actually directly speaking to Edward and not Henry as many people think. I still think this is true for the new versions, illustrating Seymour’s character development as she breaks away from Henry and rather concentrates on her son, but again I don’t think it’s obvious in the new version. The older version just felt so much more powerful and I think it presented Seymour as much more as a victim than the newer version...which I argue is true! Seymour was as much of a victim as any other character in the show and I think she deserves more sympathy than the show gives her, and for as much as I love the newer versions of six, you can’t deny that Seymour is reduced to a joke for half of the show. The student version is such a genuine and earnest version of Seymour, and I can’t help but love her. It’s definitely a testament to the actresses from the student run that their characters are still on parr with professional versions of the show!

(Im so sorry I don’t feel like I’m adding anything to your analysis, but you’ve really summed up my feelings perfectly! )

Weirdly, I think that the student run and studio run play with the idea of having a “heart of stone” better than the modern version. I love the contrast between the material things that Henry can buy versus the natural world. Material things can fade, but the natural world (and Seymour’s love) transcends that. It’s a really nice use of juxtapostion in that song and I just don’t feel like the newer versions play with those images as much as the older version.

I do sort of get why they changed it (I think Seymour spends upwards of 10 just listing different objects, which is powerful in its own way but I do think audience members could get bored of those verses) but I wished they had still somehow managed to keep the theme that Seymour as explicit. I still think it’s there in the newer version of the song, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as obvious as the older version. It would make HOS more like AYWD in a way, and that would be brilliant. Six shouldn’t be afraid to tackle different forms of abuse.

I personally can’t comment on the whole Anne Boleyn vs Jane Seymour thing because I just don’t know enough about the situation. However I don’t think any of the wives should be burdened with the blame of what happened to their predecessors. It wasn’t their fault.

Also I’d never thought of the tudor von trapps vs the royalling stones indicating that it was a found family rather than a blood family, but it’s actually such a neat little detail and I think it makes complete sense! I have always maintained that Seymour’s “family” doesn’t have to be related by blood. Found family is just as meanigful and as important as a bloof family, and Seymour finding her place with the other queens and calling them her family rather than Henry is very powerful in my opinion. I just don’t think the “my family’s grown” lime has to be as literal as people take it. Thanks for bringing that line to my attention though!

Seymour isn’t a “weak” character, both in term of the writing and in terms of character development. As much as I love the older versions of Seymour, I still like the new versions and appreciate that Toby and Lucy decided to allow Seymour to be a motherly character and have that be treated as an equally empowering thing as the other queens. Some women want to be mothers and that’s okay!

Anyway thank you so much for this ask my love! I really enjoyed thinking about Seymour (since she’s not a character I talk about a lot). Sorry again for taking so long to respond ❤️❤️❤️

[hopelikethemoon]

Past Connections (Javier x Reader) {MTMF}

Title: Past Connections Rating: PG-13 Length: 2100 Warnings: Mild Angst  Notes: You can find everything about Maybe Today, Maybe Forever here. Set in March 1998. Summary: The second article hits the newstands. 

@grapemama @seawhisperer @huliabitch @pedropascalito @rogrsnbarnes @thewallpapergoesorido @twomoonstwosuns @gooddaykate @livasaurasrex @ham4arrow @plexflexico @readsalot73 @hdlynn @lokiaddicted @randomness501 @fioccodineveautunnale  @roxypeanut @snivellusim @lukesrighthand @historynerd04 @mrsparknuts @synystersilenceinblacknwhite @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead @exrebelshocktrooper​ @awesomefandomsunited @ah-callie​ @swhiskeys​ @lady-tano @beskar-droids @space-floozy @cable-kenobi @cool-ultra-nerd @himbopoes @findhimfives @pedrosdoll @frietiemeloen @arrowswithwifi @random066 @uncomicalhumour @heather-lynn @domino-oh-damn @cyarikaaa @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @im-still-a-pieceofgarbage @ksgeekgirl  @yabby-girl @xqueenofthecraziesx @punkass-potato @coredrive @pascalesque @theduchessofkirkcaldy @queenquazar @sabinemorans @buckstaposition @holkaskrosnou @yespolkadotkitty @fleetwoodmactshirt @seeking-a-great–perhaps

PAST CONNECTIONS SPEAK OUT IN DEA SCANDAL 

Following the bombshell report The Post released in the March 2nd issue, the DEA came forward with allegedly incriminating documentation purporting a pattern of unsanctioned expenditures, where Javier Peña had filed expense forms on evenings spent with Colombian hookers. 

During our investigative reporting, The Post was able to connect with three of the women who had been paid by Peña, using DEA funds, during his time with the DEA in Colombia. 

Elena Ramierz, who was willing to go on record using her own name, was forthcoming with information concerning her time with Peña. 

“I would not be where I am today, had I not crossed paths with Javi. He was willing to sponsor my immigration request — without asking for anything in return. Javier Peña is one of the only men I worked with who was a genuinely good man. He cared about all of the girls at the brothels and would look out for us. I cannot, however, say the same about other men who abused the systems the DEA willingly put into place.”

When pressed further, Ramirez went into detail painting a picture of the systemic abuses that were encouraged by the DEA, including but not limited to brutalizing sex workers, non-consensual contact, and intentional situations that led to physical and mental harm. These claims were largely substantiated by the other two women who were willing to speak with The Post. 

“He hated what he had to do to get information for the DEA. You could see the weight on his shoulders. Despite the brutal situation he was in, he was always kind and gentle with me and the other girls. Whatever picture the DEA is trying to paint him out to be, it’s to hide their own misdeeds.”

At the request of the DEA, The Post also made contact with Lorraine Jackson (neé Davis) who was the former ex-fiancé of Peña. Jackson, who hails from Laredo, Texas, provided details about the nature of her relationship with Peña nearly thirty years ago. Despite the DEA’s insistence that Jackson’s testimony would be detrimental to Peña and Morley’s case against DEA, her statement was to the contrary. 

“Look,” Mrs. Jackson stated, “Javier left me at the altar when we were kids. I was angry for a long time. A long time. Even after I got married and started a family with a truly wonderful man. I was still wounded by what Javier did, but it all worked out for the best. I can’t even imagine what life would’ve been like if he’d shown up. Have you met his daughters? They adore him. He’s a good man, despite what happened between us.”

Mrs. Jackson continued, “When the DEA approached me about our relationship, I let my hurt feelings get the best of me. He made a lot of mistakes when he was younger — but didn’t we all? He left, went to college and came back to work for the Sheriff’s Office. He’d closed himself off and frankly, he was an ass. I don’t pretend to know what happened in Colombia, I wasn’t part of his life then, but I could see he had changed when he came home. The DEA wants to paint him out to be a villain in all of this and that’s just not the case.”

The DEA issued a revelatory statement, rebuffing the claims previously printed in The Post. 

There is no doubt that Ms. Morley contributed admirable efforts in the war against Pablo Escobar. As the American people have now seen, her records contain multiple instances where she assisted in the apprehension of multiple associates of Escobar’s. 

Despite her efforts, during her tenure with the DEA in Colombia and Ms. Morley failed to uphold the standards expected of a DEA field agent. One year after her transfer, she entered into a relationship with a CIA liaison who was an active member of a joint task force formed by the two agencies. It became clearly, early on, that she was not capable of maintaining a professional work environment. 

In 1992, when Ms. Morley revealed that she was pregnant, she was immediately placed on desk duty. During a meeting with her direct chain of command, Ms. Morley intentionally concealed the identity of her child’s father. When questioned about Mr. Peña, she blatantly denied that she had any sexual contact with her partner. The following year, when Ms. Morley and Mr. Peña provided the DEA with the truth, we were forced to terminate her employment for her misconduct. 

While The Post may attempt to twist this situation into a gender-based discrimination case, it is abundantly clear that both Ms. Morley and Mr. Peña engaged in unethical practices unbefitting of federal agents. 

The Post reached out to CIA Agent, Lance Collier, who Ms. Morley was in a relationship from June 1988 to June 1989, clarified that their relationship had been approved by his director prior to its beginning. 

Collier was willing to go on record with a statement of his own, “Annie was one of the hardest working agents I’ve ever worked with. During meetings, I repeatedly witnessed her being ignored and silenced by her superiors. They would ultimately use her knowledge under the guise of their own, intentionally undermining her abilities. On numerous occasions, I was also present for meetings where Javier Peña and Steve Murphy would go to bat for their partner. Annie was well aware of the risk and complications related to being a woman in a male dominated field, and despite that she persisted. I have seen men who acted as bad agents against our government still be venerated, so why are they still punishing her for becoming a mother?”

The Post is dedicated to the continued investigation of this scandal. 

 ————

 “You’re brooding.” You told Javier as you shut off the stove and grabbed a trivet to sit the pot of wild rice off the burner. 

Javier huffed, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the kitchen counter across from you. “I’m not brooding.” He rubbed at the back of his neck before he pushed away from the counter and moved to grab two plates out of the cabinet. “The timing was just less than ideal.” 

“I know.” You grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out the pan of chicken patties, sitting it on the stovetop. “I wish Vickers had told us how thorough Valerie was going to be in her statement to the paper.” 

“It was fucking mortifying, baby. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through exams next week. Think it’s too late to make it a paper?” He questioned, grabbing the buns and mayonnaise out of the fridge. 

“Unfortunately,” You made a face as you shut off the oven and moved to grab a paper plate to cut the tomato on. “It’ll blow over.” 

“Not nearly soon enough,” He shook his head. “You know how much I hate looking back on that shit and now everyone knows my business.” 

“It was a risk we were both willing to take,” You reminded him. “Say the word and we pull the plug.” 

“I’m not pulling the fucking plug, baby. I’m just saying — did my class really need to know about my exploits with hookers in Colombia? I get that it’s tantalizing, but she pushed it too far.” 

“Even Elena didn’t realize how far it would go,” You sat the knife down and wiped off your hands on a dishtowel, turning to approach him. “I’m sure the DEA thought they could put a wedge between us — like I didn't know what you got up to.” 

“You talked to Elena today?”

You nodded, “I called to thank her. Her word would’ve been enough I think, but having two ‘Jane Smiths’ reaffirm what she was saying? There’s so much bullshit going on, in the pursuit of stopping drugs that has to end. We both know how they abuse those women.” You reached up and brushed your fingers over his cheek, leaning up on your toes to kiss him. 

He snaked his arm around your waist, pulling you towards him. “Think they’ll try to track down Matias next?” 

You let out an incredulous laugh at that, “God, I don’t even know what happened to him.” You admitted, “I doubt they’d be able to track him down.” He had been a sweet young man you’d spent a handful of evenings with in the pursuit of intel nearly a decade ago. “It’s not like you don’t know.” 

Javier dragged his teeth over his bottom lip and nodded slowly, “It’s just fucking bullshit. Even if it exonerated us.” He sighed heavily, “I should’ve cancelled class. Standing up there trying to keep on topic — knowing they’ve just read an article with three women who I’ve fucked.”

“Technically five.” You pointed, clarifying when he arched a brow.  “Elena, Valerie, and Mia, Lorraine, and myself.” 

He made a face, feigning disgust before he released you. “I hadn’t realized the DEA would be so determined to punch below the belt.”

“Because bribing Monica to say you’d fucked her was above the belt?” You pointed out as you moved to grab two buns out of the bag, throwing them on the plates and using a spatula to pick up the chicken patties and place them on each bun. 

“Alright, alright. You’re making valid points.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “One day the girls are going to see these articles.” 

“Then we’ll explain to them that sex workers deserve more praise and credit than they’re currently afforded.” You stated simply, “And that there’s nothing wrong about being sexually active — like we were, before we got together.” You shrugged. 

“You wanna have that conversation with them?”

You shrugged, licking your thumb clean after you got mayonnaise on it, “Sure. It doesn’t bother me.” 

Javier pinched at the bridge of his nose for a moment before he started plating up his chicken sandwich, “You got cheese?”

“Hang on,” You headed for the fridge, pulling the door open and rummaging around in the deli drawer. “Swiss or cheddar?”

“Do we have any of the pepperjack left?”

You hummed as you pulled open a drawer below, grabbing the bag of pepperjack cheese. “You’re in luck. I hid it the last time Nadia was here.” You tossed it onto the counter beside him, “That girl loves cheese.” 

“Monica wasn’t in class today,” Javier stated, throwing two pieces of cheese onto his chicken patty before topping it off with the bun, “Did you hear from her today? I meant to call but got pulled into meetings.” 

“I called her this morning at work,” You told him as you stowed the mayo back in the fridge. “She’s still pretty skittish after everything that happened.” You explained, smiling when you returned to your plate and Javier had scooped up a spoonful of wild rice for you. “Thanks, babe.” 

He pressed a kiss to your cheek, “Anytime.” Javier gave your ass a playful swat before he headed for the kitchen table. “She’s got office hours with me tomorrow.” 

“I wouldn’t make a big deal about it,” You cautioned him as you sat down across from him at the table. “Honestly, she seemed fine. She just wanted to skip today.” You took a bite of your sandwich, before washing it down with a swig of beer. “I can’t wait for all of this to be over with.” 

“You and me both, baby.” Javier retorted, covering his mouth with his fist as he spoke with his mouth full. “I want them to fucking pay for their bullshit and let us get on with our lives.” 

You nodded your head slowly, “Everyone at the P.D. has been so supportive. They’re far from perfect, but they at least recognize what the DEA’s been doing is morally and ethically wrong.” 

Javier rocked his jaw slowly as he stared at you across the table, “You still thinking about quitting?”

“All the time,” You admitted with a shrug. “I just want to get through this first. The DEA’s been such a dark shadow for so many years.” 

“Once this is over, I feel like we’ll be able to really live.” 

“Right?” You agreed with a grin, “Connie thinks we should go on vacation.” 

“As soon as this semester’s over.” 

You leaned across the table and took his hand into yours, giving it three short squeezes. “There’s a part of me that is stupidly excited about my name finally being attached to yours in the record books. And Steve’s, of course. It’s bizarre to see our lives laid out in the newspaper, but at the same time — I love it.” 

“Me too, baby.” Javier grinned at you, “It means no more hiding.”