#it's not passivity - every second i choose and fight for you

[buglyknight]

1341) Invertebrate

Ah this is an easy feeling to recognize

The anxious gnawing of abandonment

When did I become a slug?

I am some - pointless hypocrite

Not even a day has passed

Get over it.

Don't leave me, please.

I want to be the one doing the leaving.

Chasm from a pot hole

Brain, quit burning me to ashes.

DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T LEAVE.

The feeling resides like a fire

At the top of my skull

When did I forget how to relax my eyebrows?

Always fraying my forehead with wrinkles

I hope you're alright.

---

I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN?

YOU LOATHE YOURSELF SO MUCH.

BLEEDING DRY WITH BITTERNESS

At least she messaged back.

GOOD. NOW YOU CAN BE THE ONE WHO LEAVES.

SHOULD YOUR HEART EVER STOP HOPING

IT WILL BE HELD BY HER

AND NOT HELD TO HER

SLUG. INVERTEBRATE.

Must I always be halfway between

Fight or flight?

FREEZE. WAIT.

Does the universe really

Give back what we put in?

NO, ALL THAT YOU POUR OUT IS LOST

THE SUN WILL EXPLODE

THE STARS WILL FADE AWAY

THE CORE OF THE EARTH WILL FREEZE

So why not stay?

YES. TORTURE YOURSELF WITH

IMMATURE LONGING AND HOPE

THAT THINGS WILL SOMEHOW GET BETTER

IF YOU REPEAT THE CYCLE FOR THE FIFTH TIME.

ELEVEN YEARS OF BEING A WORM.

RETURN THE RING.

YOU HAVE NEVER DESERVED THIS LOVE.

TO HOLD SOMETHING SO BRIGHT.

REMEMBER?

WHAT DID MOTHER SAY?

WHAT DID THEY ALL SAY?

NEVER. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.

---

GOOD. CRY. SNIVEL. COWER. BEG.

BEG FOR SOME IMAGINARY BEING TO HELP

HAS THE SKY OPENED UP YET?

HAS THE NIGHT DONE ANYTHING BUT SWALLOW YOU WHOLE?

THOSE TWINKLING POCKETS OF NUCLEAR FISSION

THEY NEVER MEANT ANYTHING

SHE WILL FALL IN SOMEONE ELSE'S ARMS

LOOK AT THEM AND BE AT PEACE

YOU WILL BE SOAKED IN THE AFTERTHOUGHT OF SPRINKLERS

WHILE YOU SIT THERE AND TWIDDLE YOUR THUMBS

HOPING FOR A MIRACLE THAT WILL SHOW ITSELF

IN YOUR PASSIVITY.

NOBODY IS COMING TO SAVE YOU.

NOBODY WILL MEET YOU AT THE GAZEBO

YOU WILL BE ALONE. ALONE. ALONE. ALONE.

WHAT PATHETIC LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

ABANDONMENT ISSUES?

YOU CAN ABANDON EVERYTHING EXCEPT THIS

SO COMPLACENT

YOU SLIME COVERED INSECT

WIPE THE MUCUS ON YOUR FACE

WHERE IT BELONGS

MONSTER.

I'm leaving. I'll leave.

OH, WILL YOU?

The one who leaves, wins

ALWAYS SECOND TO SOMETHING ELSE

SOMEONE ELSE.

YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE.

Help me. Can somebody help me?

Is anybody capable of helping me?

Please, a hand to hold. Please.

I want to hold someone's hand.

I'm so afraid

I was so scared she wouldn't respond

DO YOU ENJOY BEING SO CRIPPLED?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN SHE LEAVES AGAIN?

SHE WILL.

Won't she?

YOU HAVE TO BE THE ONE WHO LEAVES.

ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO GOOD AT?

EAT YOURSELF ALIVE IF YOU MUST

ANYTHING TO SURVIVE

THAT IS ALL YOU DO

NEVER TAKE A STEP FORWARD OR BACKWARD

FOLLOW THE WHIMS OF THE WORLD

PASSIONLESS AND EMPTY HUSK

SO DESPERATE TO BE BRIGHT

SIT AND ARGUE WITH YOURSELF

LIKE TWO MISMATCHED PUZZLE PIECES

SHOVED INTO ONE MIND

UNTIL YOU DO NOTHING

REPRESS YOURSELF AND EVERY FEELING

YOUR HEART IN A CHOKEHOLD

UNTIL YOU STOP THE BEATING WITH A BULLET

NEVER AMOUNT TO MORE THAN A STATISTIC.

YOU ARE JUST A ROACH.

NEVER EXCITED, ALWAYS BORED

SOMETHING INSIDE YOU IS DEEPLY WRONG.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE WORTH LOVING?

IT WILL ALWAYS BE UGLY.

IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING

it will leave over and over and over

hold on for dear life

until you find your own hands

wrapped around your throat

at least i got her through June

NOW JULY? AUGUST? WHEN DOES IT END?

HOW MANY PARTS OF YOU WILL CRACK

BEFORE YOU SHATTER?

[pellucid-constellations]

If You Cared to Ask

Azriel hasn't been listening. You got hurt. Sometimes, an argument can't be boiled down to just one instance.

Part 2

“You never listen! I have tried over and over to get you to understand but it’s like you don’t even care.”

Azriel’s brow twitched in irritation, the only tell on his otherwise passive face. “That is not true. We have sat down and discussed this at length, y/n. I listen.” 

You laughed, an incredulous pressure weighing down your shoulders. “Okay, fine. You listen, but you never hear me, Azriel! I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall most of the time.” 

“I can reiterate every word you’ve ever said to me. I hear you and I listen to you.” 

Anger twisted through your gut at his nonchalance. You clenched and unclenched your fists and tried to ignore the heat slowly encroaching upon your ability to remain composed. Although, compared to Azriel, you were not even close to the picture of calm. 

“Tell me why it bothers me then,” you seethed through clenched teeth. “Reiterate it for me, Shadowsinger.” 

Azriel’s jaw shifted as he clasped his hands together in his lap, the faelight in the kitchen clashing harshly with the planes of his face. He leaned back in his chair and let out a tortured sigh that almost sent you reeling. 

“You seem to believe,” Azriel began, his voice a low drawl. “That I am blatantly avoiding you—that I am choosing to serve my high lord in place of spending time with you. Both of which, I am not doing. I simply have a duty to this court, y/n. You know that.” 

“Oh, fuck you, Azriel,” you rolled your eyes. “Making this about duty and honor. Making me seem like I’m the crazy one for being angry when you promised me—” 

“You know there is little I can do about promises,” Azriel snapped, a hint of anger finally showing through in the darkness of his eyes. “You knew when we were mated that I have responsibilities that go beyond our relationship.” 

You pushed back from your seat at the table and set to pacing in the kitchen, fighting the urge to tug at the roots of your hair. “Yes, obviously, Azriel, but this was so important to me. I needed you there and this isn’t the first time I’ve been abandoned without even a word.” 

“Abandoned,” Azriel scoffed. “I would hardly call not showing up to your clinic at the camps one day abandoning you. Rhys needed me to—” 

“I needed you!” you shouted, your hands pressed to the countertops and your gaze frantic as you stared at Azriel’s unmoving figure. “I needed you, Azriel. I had every eye on me in that camp and when Devlon’s men had me yanked from the clinic for what I was doing I needed you to—” 

“He did what?” 

“Oh, don’t act like you care now.” You waved off the staunch posture he had adopted and rolled your eyes for a second time at the piercing hatred that had taken over his expression. “Don’t you dare act like you have the right.” 

“You are my mate, y/n. If anyone put their hands on you—” 

“Well, they did. Bruised up my arms and everything. But you were so busy with your duty to your high lord that you couldn’t give a shit until after I was thrown into the mud surrounded by the women I was supposed to be helping up there.” 

Azriel’s hands turned white as he clenched them in his lap. His lashes fluttered and his brow furrowed and he looked utterly lost at the situation—unable to formulate any kind of response to what could be considered his failure. 

“I thought you were simply setting up the back rooms. I didn’t know you were starting the practice or speaking to the camp,” he croaked, eyes downcast and searching the floor. 

“Except I told you I was. I told you two weeks ago and then again right before I left.” 

“I—I can’t remember you saying that.” 

“Of course you can’t. Because if it isn’t Rhys giving you orders or Cassian leading training you’re absent. You stand right in front of me and you’re not even here.”

Azriel finally looked up from the ground and met your eyes with the same torture his sigh made you privy to earlier. But this time it was rooted in something else—this time, he seemed to finally grasp the weight behind your words. 

But you were utterly sick of trying to get him to this point. “I’m so sorry, my love,” he expressed, pain in the furrow of his brow. “I hadn’t realized—with Rhys just returning to Velaris I’ve been so caught up in—” 

“I’m sorry too,” you cut him off. 

Azriel froze. “What?” 

You bit the inside of your cheek and felt the dread begin to rise. You knew you were going to hate this part, but you hadn’t expected Azriel to apologize. He hadn’t apologized for anything in months. You’d been alone in this relationship and he chose the day you’d packed your bags to show remorse.

“I can’t do this, Azriel. Not right now.” 

“Can’t do what?” 

The silence in the kitchen was oppressive. Azriel had leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and you were on the other side of the kitchen counter, protected by a barrier you knew you should have put up weeks ago. Your eyes never left his. 

“I can’t do this with you.” 

Azriel breathed in sharply, his eyes widening. “No,” he stressed, heaving up from the chair. “No, y/n, don’t—what do you mean you can’t do this? Explain it to me.” 

Your mate attempted to round the counter and reach for you, but you weren’t going to accept the affection…not when you had been begging for it for months. Not when he was only ready to give it to you now.

You backpeddled until you reached the hall. Azriel didn’t follow, afraid you would take off. 

“I’ve been telling you this was a problem for months now. I thought it was just an adjustment period—I knew that having Rhys back would change things at first and I was okay with that. Your brother returned from hell and you needed to be there to support him. To support your family. 

“But I’m your family, too. And you forgot that. I can’t—I can’t be relying on someone like that right now. I’m doing too much at the camps for you to… forget about me so easily. I can’t keep building you up in my mind just to be disappointed and hurt.” 

Azriel's jaw quivered. 

“Emotionally and physically. I would’ve asked someone else to come to the clinic with me yesterday, but I chose you. And you forgot about me.” 

Azirel looked as if he’d been punched in the stomach, his shoulders caving in with his anguished breath out. You pressed your lips together as you watched him, all of your anger morphing into a twisted sort of guilt that didn’t sit right in your gut. 

“Please,” Azriel whispered. His hands shook at his side. “Please, I’m so sorry, my love. I never wanted—Please, don’t leave me.” 

“You don’t get to have both, Azriel.” Your voice was as weak as his. “You don’t get to have me and treat me like I’m something you deal with on the side. I matter more than— 

Azriel shook his head and broke through your words. “You matter more than anything. I’ve been a fool. I know I’m an ass. Please, let me fix this, my love. Please don’t leave.” 

You clenched your fists so hard your nails embedded into your palms. 

“I need time to be alone.” 

Azriel was quick to nod. “I’ll give it to you. I’ll leave and—” 

“No, I need… more time than that. I have some things packed. I’ll be back, but… I need to leave. I can’t think clearly around you.” 

A choked cry left Azriel’s throat and the sound burned at your waterline. “Where?” 

You only shook your head. 

“Tell me where. Please. How am I supposed to know you’re safe?” 

“How were you supposed to know before?” 

Part 2

[botanicalsword]

How Venus reacts ➸ when they realize they’ve won someone's heart

It is showing the other side of Venus when they try to avoid committing to love that they may be unsure about

Love can be tricky - when someone feels truly loved, each Venus may react in different ways. Some may push their partner away, others may lose interest, and some may make things more complicated.

⠂⠁⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠂⠁⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠂⠁⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂

Venus in Aries ♈ : I wanted you until you wanted me back

the thrill was in the pursuit, then they started eyeing the next challenge

Venus in Taurus ♉ : great, now I can relax

they stop putting in effort, assuming you’ll always be there, but sure you can fulfill their deep need for emotional and material security

Venus in Gemini ♊ : Interesting…

their attention drifts, they start craving novelty, even if it’s just a flirty conversation

Venus in Cancer ♋ : do you really love me?

they become moody and insecure, reading into every little thing - the whole thing turns into emotional withdrawal or passive-aggressive behaviour

Venus in Leo ♌ : I don't mind you worship me more now

they expect grand gestures, constant admiration, and absolute loyalty, anything less feels like an insult - they demand to be treated like royalty

Venus in Virgo ♍ : you adore me ? let me find all the reasons why you shouldn’t

Overthinking, they have that checklist of your imperfections

Venus in Libra ♎ : hmm what if someone better comes along

they will second-guess, compare, and flirt, they’re terrified of choosing wrong

Venus in Scorpio ♏ : I feel like I care less now

intensity fades. the chase is over. they might test you, pull away, or even flirt with others - but just to see if you’ll fight for them

Venus in Sagittarius ♐ : thought we're having fun

they panic at commitment. suddenly, they becomes too busy, making excuses, because freedom matters more than feelings

Venus in Capricorn ♑ : you like me? let’s see if you’re worth keeping they start evaluating, your loyalty, your ambition, your long-term potential. it isn’t just emotion - it’s an investment

Venus in Aquarius ♒ : cool. now give me space.

say no to clinginess - the more you show devotion, the more they detach, treating love it like an hobby rather than a priority

Venus in Pisces ♓ : aww thats sweet, but I can’t promise anything

avoid defining the relationship, keeping things dreamy but unclear - they might even unconsciously invite some drama to avoid real commitment

>> Collection | Astrological indicators >> Relationship ♤ Sexual Energy Breakdown >> Career ✧  Successful year? ✧ Solar Return & Midheaven (MC)

✧ >> Back to Masterlist ✧ Explicit Content

Quick Access to : ❥ Astro / Asteroid Indicators ❥ Synastry / Composite Chart Observations ❥ House Stellium Observations ❥ Astro basic info / Brief reads ❥ Asteroid database ❥ Personal studies ✧ spiritual journal

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[darklcy]

𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐭.

────˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚─────

‣ vi x reader | arcane masterlist | 1.9k words | enemies to lovers, angst, not super fluffy but happy end, mentions of low self esteem

‣ you assumed she hated you, but maybe it goes deeper than that when a fight has you taking shelter in her childhood home

‣ welcome back vi lovers! the arcane s2 brainrot is here and im back from my hiatus! (i hope you enjoy i may be rough i haven't written in a while)

Vi was too reckless for her own good.

Self-sabotaging can only carry you through so much, her invisible trophy wall of each violent encounter growing by the day. It was frustrating to see her do this, and yet every time a splotch of bruises formed, or a new line of blood dirtied her cheek, the more her perseverance began to crack. 

The pressure was abundant on her shoulders, you could practically feel it yourself. Whether she pulled you in, or you jumped yourself, the burden was also yours to carry. 

Sometimes you wondered if she disliked you. A simple question of well-being, how are you, earned a chilling glare and passive aggressive comments she meticulously crafted to falter your ego. Maybe she thought you were too weak to understand her pain, or perhaps it was the way your concern pushed through whatever bite she spat at you. 

Or maybe she just didn’t like you.

A bit ironic, seeing her sustainable relationship with the Enforcer from topside, the last person you would’ve thought her to be acquaintances with. And if you observed closer, Vi seemed to carry herself differently around her, this Caitlyn from Piltover. 

Though, there was credit to give. Her marksmanship was unlike anyone you’d ever seen in the lanes. She was light on her feet and agile, shooting her targets with perfect precision. No wonder she bore a badge proudly. 

And you were anything but a fighter. Maybe that’s why Vi looks at you the way she does. She’d marked you as a liability, vulnerable to the dangers of the world. It upset you, the way her nose scrunched up with her glares and cold shoulders. 

Who was she to judge you anyway? Every time you choose violence, you come out broken and bloody, so what’s the point? Whatever. Screw her and her opinions. Who the fuck needs her anyway. 

If only you’d fucked off when she told you to. Maybe then you wouldn’t be in this mess. Here. In the ruins of Vi’s childhood home, with a bloody nose and bruised cheek. With Vi. Damn your determination to prove her wrong. Damn those thugs for surrounding her completely, for not giving her a second to get back up. There was no stopping what was to come, that was clear the moment your bags were strewn hastily to the ground and shouts were thrown at her perpetrators. A sock to the face immediately took to the ground. The punk wouldn’t stop pounding hits to your face. Damn you, Vi.

Your pain wasn’t for nothing when Vi dragged herself up and freed you from his grip, knocking his ass to the concrete with a bloodied lip. Your vision was blurry as she took off running with her fingers tight around your wrist. When you stopped to breathe is when you realized your surroundings, confirmed with a stone marked with the names Power and Violet. 

The neon sign that previously towered over this ghost town had been toppled over and destroyed; half the foundations of the house torn to dust. The sight made you frown. The only remaining wall was to your left, sheltering a twin sized bed mattress with a tattered sheet on top. A groan to your side beckoned you to look over, watching as she shuffled to the mattress. In the distance, you could make out the faint echoes of yelling, the vast cliffs muffling the words together into a vague holler. 

“It’s probably best to sleep here. They’re not gonna leave anytime soon.”

Vi grumbled, not missing the hint of annoyance coming from her. She was laying on her side now, back to you and arms circling her stomach. You didn’t respond, instead trudging over to the bed and stiffly laying down beside her, back slightly grazing hers.

Neither of you spoke a word. 

It was hard to tell what she was feeling. She never was one to vocalize her thoughts, especially with you. With Caitlyn, maybe.

“...I didn’t need your help.”

Your shoulders tensed up. 

“I had control of everything. You just messed it all up.”

The fabric of the thin sheets acted as a stress reliever as you gripped tighter and tighter.

“...What the hell was I supposed to do? Seriously,”

“Not interfere? Now we’re stuck here.”

Today was not the day to be dealing with her attitude. You were sore, bloody, and in the worst mood possible to be treated like this. It didn’t help that her words stung, the bitterness stabbing into your open wounds.

“Well, maybe don’t pick fights with a group of guys who are clearly bigger and stronger than you.”

She snapped her body up and looked down on you.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

You rolled over to your back, glaring up at her.

“They were clearly stronger than you! If I hadn’t shown up who knows what the fuck they would’ve done?”

“Oh yeah? And what good did you do? Take a few swings to the face?”

You rolled your eyes, sitting up to be eye level.

“I mean, yeah?! If I hadn’t taken those punches, you would still be on that damn street!”

Vi mockingly put a hand over her heart. “My hero.”

“Fuck off.” You moved to shove her in the shoulder, but her hand snapped around your wrist. Her glare intensified, eyes turning sharp and nose scrunching up. All your anger drowned in a pool of nerves while her fingers tightened, the skin of your hand turning red. She leaned in uncomfortably close.

“You really wanna go there?”

Her eyes bore into yours, not faltering eye contact for even a second. 

You could feel the tension in your neck beginning to ache. You would never win against her, but the thought was intoxicating. After a few quiet seconds, you yanked your wrist back, her fingers marking red indents into your skin. 

She scoffed, nodding her head while moving away from you. “That’s what I thought.”

You wanted to beat her. You wanted to win, just once. 

“What the fuck is your problem anyway.”

Her sharp eyes flickered to yours. It intimidated you every time, like she was the big bad bully in school, teeth grazing her lips as she fought back the retaliation.

You pushed through. “...All I’ve ever done was just try to help. Yet here you are, always pissed at me for no damn reason. What have I done to make you hate me so fucking much?”

Her eyebrows pinched together for a breath of a second. “...Huh?”

You threw your arms up, shuffling forward and standing from the cushion. 

“Every single day, you treat me like I’m some helpless child, like I’m a fucking idiot who can’t do anything. I’m an adult, Vi. Just because I can’t fight doesn’t mean I can’t do anything, for fucks sake.”

She watched you pace throughout the empty house, her eyes heavy as lead. You huff.

“It’s like, every time I try to do anything, you look at me like I’m some stupid child who keeps messing up. I’m tired of it. Either tell me straight up or leave me alone.”

Your spine met stone as you slid down to the floor, her carved name above your head. 

Pulling your knees up, your chin fell to your chest, arms dangling across your kneecaps to finally give your body some rest. Didn’t feel like a victory, but the weight of her burden dissipated just by a little. You’d never snapped back before, never given yourself the strength to stand up to her. Enough was enough. You can’t live like this anymore.

Vi remained quiet, whether she was debating on arguing or not, you didn’t care. The fight of sleep was winning, and your eyelids began to slowly surrender.

“...I wasn’t going to do anything, yknow.”

They snapped back open.

“Earlier, I mean. I wasn’t actually gonna hurt you.”

You don’t move to face her. Vi continues.

“I don’t hate you, you just,” She sighs. “You do things that confuse the fuck out of me, and frankly it pisses me off.”

You scoff. “Like what?” 

“Like jumping into that fight. That was a dumbass move, and you know it.”

“Oh my god. How is that a dumbass move- I helped you out, didn’t I? Besides, I put myself there, why are you the one pissed off? I should be pissed off.”

“Yes. Yes, you should!” She stands up from the mattress to tower over you, her voice beginning to raise.

“You should be pissed off, because you got socked in the face and now, you’re stuck here. Why did you do that? That was so stupid.”

A pinch pulled your brows together. “Obviously I know what happened, I’m literally here. What point are you trying to get at?”

Vi shakes her head and runs a hand through her spiked, greasy hair. 

“Oh my god, I can’t believe how dense you are.”

You watch as she saunters over to the same name engraved stone to slide down the rock, her knees knocking with yours. She’s silent for a moment as you stare at her profile, the hint of a smirk coming up her lips.

“It’s stupid of you to concern yourself with me. It’s my problem, not yours.”

You still didn’t get it.

“But why does that piss you off?”

She turns towards you now.

“I know what I’m capable of. I know what I’m getting into. You don’t. You walked into a fight that wasn’t yours to begin with, and in return, you got hurt.”

“So…you’re mad that I got punched in the face?”

A groan leaves her falling chin. 

“I’m mad that you were there to begin with. I’m mad that you got hurt on my behalf, and I’m mad that you’re dragged into this mess. It’s my shit to deal with.”

She pauses to take a deep inhale. “And…I took my frustration out on you, and I’m sorry.”

The tensed muscles of anger faded from her apology, her eyes carrying a softness you’d never seen before. She was being genuine. Open. Vulnerable. 

You sighed with her. 

“Thank you.” 

The quiet that fell over you two now was pleasant. It was nice seeing Vi like this, being used to her thirst for arguing. Your head leaned back against the rock as you let your eyelids close once more. 

“How bad is it?”

Her fingers touch you softly before you peer up at her. She gazes at the blood smeared under your nose with a grimace, her pointer finger stroking the welt on your cheek. 

“It’s fine. Could be worse.”

She shakes her head. “...It’s my fault you got hurt.” 

You scoffed. “It’s completely mine. I’m the dumbass who jumped into a fight that wasn’t mine, remember?”

You smile at her despite the twang in your jaw. Her hand falls back to her side.

“My hero.”

Her lips upturned, the scar on her upper lip flashing itself at you. You don’t miss the way she falters for a moment, relishing the close proximity her face is to yours. Her fingers twitch by her thighs to touch your cheek again, but instead she smacks a hand on top of your head, gently ruffling your hair. 

She stands up to make way back to the bed. “Come to bed. You need rest, too.”

You haven’t moved just yet, the whirlwind of her processing slowly in your brain. Your skin felt hot under your cheeks, but as you shakily stood up to join her, you found the burden of her turning into something else. 

Vi was different, now. Good different. You liked this different. Laying down beside her on the mattress, you don’t turn away from her.

[angelluv16]

Finding our way back

Max Verstappen x reader

✩: Weeks after letting you walk away, Max finally faces what he’s been running from, and he’s not willing to lose you again.

Want to be added to my taglist?: Click here

pairing: max verstappen x reader

request: Yes!!

warnings: Fluff ending, Emotional conversations, and past conflict. breakup recovery

part 1

You hadn’t heard from him.

Not in a text. Not in a call. Not even in a passive-aggressive like on your story. Nothing.

You thought you’d be relieved after walking away, after choosing yourself for once, but instead, you felt like you were floating in some strange limbo, somewhere between heartbreak and healing. The days blurred. Your apartment was too quiet. And your heart… your heart still beat like it was waiting for his.

It had been three weeks.

You thought maybe Max was done. Maybe he’d let you go that easily because it really didn’t matter that much anymore. That all the time, all the nights you’d stayed up waiting for him to come home, all the soft I love you's whispered into his collarbone, none of it was enough to make him fight for you.

But what you didn’t know was that Max hadn’t slept right in two weeks either.

He’d wake up and reach for your side of the bed, forgetting you weren’t there. He’d go to tell you something about his day, a dumb moment from the garage, a text Lando had sent that made him laugh, but you weren’t there. He’d scroll through old photos at night, fingers lingering too long on the ones where you were looking at him, not the camera.

He had let you walk away.

And that silence? It was loud. Louder than your voice ever was when you begged him to let you in.

It was after the third night in a row of sitting in the dark with your photo pulled up on his phone that Max realized he hadn’t just lost someone he loved. He’d lost the one person who saw him, even when he was too stubborn to let it show. And worse, he hadn’t even tried to stop it.

So he did what he should’ve done weeks ago.

It was a Saturday morning when he showed up.

You heard the knock at your door, three soft taps. You almost didn’t open it. You thought maybe it was your neighbor again, asking about your WiFi or whatever. But something in your chest tightened, like it knew. Like it had been waiting for this moment the whole time.

You opened the door.

And there he was.

Max, standing there in a hoodie you’d stolen more times than he could count, hands in his pockets, eyes tired, lips parted like he’d rehearsed something but forgot every word the second he saw you.

You blinked. “Max…”

“Hi.” His voice cracked, like it hadn’t been used in days. “Can I come in?”

You stared at him for a second longer, then stepped aside silently. The second he crossed the threshold, the air shifted—thicker, heavier, but not angry. Just quiet. Cautious.

Like you were both walking on old wounds.

Max stood there for a beat, looking around your living room like it had changed. Like it wasn’t his second home for so long. “You moved the couch.”

You let out a breathy laugh, sitting on the edge of said couch. “It’s been two weeks. I’ve been trying not to think about you every time I sit down.”

His eyes dropped. “I deserve that.”

You looked at him—really looked at him. He looked like hell. He probably thought the same about you. “Why are you here?”

Max sat down slowly, but not too close. His hands wrung together like he didn’t know what to do with them. “Because I owe you the conversation I should’ve had that night. And I—” he paused, swallowing thickly, “I owe you an apology.”

You crossed your arms, not cold, just guarded. “You said a lot of things, Max.”

“I know,” he said quickly, almost desperately. “And I didn’t mean them. I was angry, and scared, and—I don’t know—I thought I could push you away before you walked away yourself.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “Why would you think I’d leave you?”

Max’s eyes finally met yours. “Because I’ve spent my whole life preparing for people to walk away. I thought… if I didn’t need anyone, then losing them wouldn’t hurt.”

He laughed, bitter and small. “But losing you hurt. Worse than anything.”

You were quiet for a long time, your chest tight and your heart beating so loud you swore he could hear it. “Why didn’t you say something before? All I wanted was for you to talk to me.”

“I know,” he whispered. “And I hated that I couldn’t. Not because I didn’t want to—but because I didn’t know how.”

He ran a hand through his hair, fingers shaking slightly. “I was always taught to stay focused. Stay locked in. And somewhere along the way, I started thinking that being vulnerable made me weak. That needing you, showing that I needed you, meant I wasn’t strong enough to handle everything on my own.”

He shook his head, eyes glassy now. “But God, I was so wrong.”

You looked at him, really looked at him, and all you saw was the boy underneath, the one who loved deeply but had never learned how to say it out loud. The one who let silence do the talking until it was too late. The one who finally looked like he was ready to try.

“I’m not asking you to be perfect, Max,” you said quietly. “I never was. I just wanted to be let in. I just wanted to know you trusted me enough to carry it with you.”

He nodded slowly. “And I do. I always did. I was just too proud to admit it.”

A beat passed.

“Do you still love me?” you asked, your voice barely a whisper.

Max didn’t even hesitate. “I never stopped.”

Something cracked inside you—something you’d been holding together with duct tape and denial.

“I love you,” he said again, clearer this time. “And I know I messed up. I know I let you walk away and didn’t fight for you when I should’ve. But I’m here now. I’m ready to be better. I want to fix this, if you’ll let me.”

You blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. “I don’t want perfect, Max. I just want you.”

Max scooted closer then, slowly, like he was afraid he’d scare you off. “You have me,” he whispered. “All of me. If you still want it.”

You nodded, a small smile breaking through the storm. “I do.”

He reached out then, his fingers brushing against yours, and it was like breathing again for the first time in weeks. Like the silence had finally broken. Like maybe, just maybe, love really could survive the silence.

And when he pulled you into him—arms wrapping around you tight, nose buried in your shoulder—you knew something had shifted again. Not back to what it was.

But to something stronger.

Something rebuilt.

You found your way back.

Taglist: @anamiad00msday @Ale-522 @meadhbhcavanagh @fulla02 @fanficfanatic77 @ihtscuddlesbeeetchx3 @lottalove4evelyn @edgyficuselastica @nebarious @fanny2811 @greantii @norstappenvibes @mary-op81 @jiggly-puff-12 @ana-23-03 @nichmeddar @honethatty12 @camillyb @mynameisangeloflife @galaxygurlll @esw1012 @rere10

[comicaurora]

I heard you talking on a recent OSPod about Hades, and as someone who very much can get ADHD-yoinked into games, it got me curious, but I'm...not great at video games and have found Dark Souls-y games where you try over and over and keep failing at the same task kind of frustrating. How's your Hades experience been in those regards? (although I'm not sure your general game skill)

Hades feels like it's really carefully designed to circumvent those frustrations.

I also hate the feeling of lost progress, which had me wary about playing a roguelite defined by constantly trying and mostly failing, but by far the most helpful part of the game design is that Zagreus also hates it, so it feels like the game and I are on the same page about it.

It also helps that most of the actual, tangible progress in the game is bound up in advancing the character arcs, which isn't a totally skill-free experience since it involves finding a couple characters out in the underworld, but a lot of it can be done back in the House of Hades, so every time you lose and die you can run around having conversations with everyone, almost all of which will be new and unique and advance your arc with them. If a character doesn't have a new interaction for you, you usually just can't find them on the floor, so there's very little time-wasting.

Speaking of, there's a lot of advancement that can only be done in the House of Hades, and a lot of it involves resources you can actively choose to seek out on runs. I did a couple runs today where my only goal was getting the last of a specific olympian's Boons so I could fill out their Minor Prophecy achievement and reap the rewards, and everything after that was just a bonus. This means the game is passively encouraging the player to develop secondary objectives beyond just making it to the end of the game again. It also helps that making it to the end of the game basically just gives you a weapon-unlocking resource and another small slice of conversation with [EXTREMELY OLD SPOILERS] so while it feels important, and is necessary for advancing towards the true ending of the game, it's not so overwhelmingly rewarding that you feel absolutely crushed when the final boss takes you out halfway through his second healthbar again.

You also benefit very greatly from not playing the game the same way twice - using new weapons or adding new challenge modes is the only way to re-acquire the unique boss rewards for the three main regions of the underworld, instead of the more generic resources that replace the unique ones after you win them for the first time, which means instead of feeling like you need to optimize a winning build and then use it every time, you're encouraged to play with the other weapons that you might find unwieldy or annoying, and if you manage to beat even the first boss with them, you'll be disproportionately rewarded. Also, on every run a random weapon will be empowered to give you bonus resources if you choose to use it, so even if you're a strictly melee-only main you might find yourself willing to figure out how to use the bow in exchange for the extra gems. The Boons you get also dramatically change the strategy you're likely to naturally fall into over the course of fighting your way out - some builds are extremely melee-based, others just boost your ranged abilities to the point that you can mostly just dash around the battlefield while your Casts chew through everyone's healthbar at top speed. So when you reach the final boss, you're not going to be using the same strategies, and even if you lose, it feels less like you had a skill issue and more like you've learned something to look out for or try out next time around. The final boss's strategies and moves don't change either, so you'll know what to expect every time even as your own moveset might be completely different from run to run.

In my personal experience, I have a pretty good feel for when a game is disappointed in my performance. Nothing says "the designers didn't expect you to get stuck here" like endlessly looping dialogue or not-so-subtle hints that you can knock down the difficulty if you need to. Hades has thus far done this to me very little, and only in specific areas - even if I'm no longer getting unique banter with Theseus every time I kick his ass, I'm still having unique conversations with Asterius in the same region and it doesn't feel like I'm anywhere near done with the dialogue back in the House. Zagreus's dialogue when he enters the same three boss arenas will also randomly go from seemingly-interchangeable lines of "yep it's this boss again" to much more unique angles that legitimately change the game from then on. Yesterday, after killing the bone hydra something like a dozen times, he randomly decided to nickname it Lernie, and now he consistently calls it Lernie and every time I kill it the victory banner says "LERNIE VANQUISHED". Today he got Tisiphone to say his name instead of just "murderer" all the time. The game knows you're going to be fighting these guys a lot, and this tells me I haven't outstayed my welcome in the anticipated main timeline of gameplay.

If I have a frustration, it's that I'm not always sure that what I'm doing is advancing the character plotlines, and you can only talk to a character once on any given visit to the House. The game kind of helps you out here, your little information codex will tell you stuff like "Learn more by having X more conversations with this character" or "learn more by deepening your relationship with this character" but it can still be pretty vague and opaque. There's no dialogue trees, Zagreus basically just says what he wants, so when, for instance, Achilles indicates that I should talk to Nyx about maybe getting Orpheus's deal with Hades undone, it's a little frustrating that I can't then go over to Nyx and ask her about that. Or, in fact, ask her about it at all in any of the dozen runs I've done since that nugget got dropped. It's not a game-breaker, but it is a little frustrating. On the other hand, this is clearly intentional, because this means you're tempted to get back into a run as quickly as possible, because then when you die more conversations will have unlocked back at the house - but also, to deincentivize just running out and dying on purpose to get those dialogues going, there are some characters who will only appear in the House if you get far enough into the run to deal with them, and certain characters whose arcs and dialogue only advance if you find and talk to their missing loved ones out on the run. So you'll always have something new back at the House, but you're strongly encouraged to get as far as you can before you die, because the farther you get, the more you'll have to do when you get back.

The game is basically designed to never, ever make you want to sit still. You can quickly exhaust everything there is to do in the house, and that makes you want to go out on a run and see what new things will happen. Then while you're on the run you have the benefit of randomization keeping things interesting and making you make plans for the next time you encounter a given character. It's got a good rhythm to it!

[felassan]

More from Game Informer: ''A Deep Dive Into Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Combat, Abilities, Skill Tree, And More''.

The article contained new screenshots of skill trees - one for Level 30 Warrior Rook, one for Level 30 Mage Rook, one for Level 30 Rogue Rook, and one showing the 'pop up info' for the skill Wall of Fire. Going by these screenshots, the 3 specs for mage Rook are Death Caller, Evoker, and Spellblade. I think this is the first time the three specs for mages are confirmed. I wonder, is "Thorne" this Rook's custom first name, or one of the faction-defined surnames?

Text in last image reads:

"- Large circle: Class - Diamonds: Abilities - Medium circle: Major Passives and Ability Upgrades - Small hexagon: Traits - Small circle: Minor Passives and Stat Boosts"

Other excerpts from the article:

"Every single entry reimagines what combat is like and I would say our goal was to make sure we had a system that allowed players to feel like they actually were able to step into the world of Thedas. They're not a player observing from afar – they are inside of this world. Being this authentic world that's brought to life, the combat system needs to support that, so you are in control of every single action, every block, every dodge, every swing of your sword." [...] "During my demo at one point, we use a sword-and-shield Warrior Qunari that hip-fires and aims their shield to throw it like Captain America while hammering down big damage with a sword" [...] "a Mage's firewall that deals continuous damage" [...] "This extends to companions, who, at your choosing, bring three abilities (of their five total) into combat, executed either with quick select buttons or the pause-and-play combat wheel. Every time you rank up a companion's Relationship Level, you unlock a skill point to spend specifically on that companion – this is how you unlock new combat abilities. This extends to companions, who, at your choosing, bring three abilities (of their five total) into combat, executed either with quick select buttons or the pause-and-play combat wheel. Every time you rank up a companion's Relationship Level, you unlock a skill point to spend specifically on that companion – this is how you unlock new combat abilities. " [...] "Passive abilities unlock jump attacks and guarantee critical hit opportunities, while abilities add moves like firewall and spartan kicks to your arsenal" [...] "Busche says BioWare's philosophy with the skill tree is "about changing the way you play, not the statistical minutiae." 

-

"If you completely ignore companions in combat, they will attack targets, use abilities, and defeat enemies all on their own. "[Companions] are their own people, "Busche says. "They have their own behaviors, they have their own autonomy on the battlefield, they'll pick their own targets. As their plots progress, they'll learn how to use their abilities more competently, and it really feels like you're fighting alongside these realized characters in battle."" [...] "Busche says there are more explicit synergies, with intentional combos where specific companions can play off each other, and you can queue up their abilities to do just that."

-

"Busche utilizes Veilguard's dual-loadout mechanic. As Rook, you can create two weapon loadouts for quick switch-ups mid-combat. As a mage Rook, she uses magical attacks to add three stacks of arcane build-up to make an Arcane Bomb on a Sentinel, a mechanical set of armor possessed by a demon. If you hit the Sentinel's Arcane Bomb with a heavy attack, the enemy will take devastating damage. Once the Sentinel has an Arcane Bomb on it, Busche begins charging a heavy attack on her magical staff, then switches to magical daggers in Rook's second loadout, accessed with a quick tap of down on the d-pad to unleash some quick light attacks, then back to the staff to finish charging its attack. She then unleashes the heavy attack, and the Arcane Bomb explodes in a liquidy whirl of green magic."

-

""I've seen [Veilguard's combat] refined over time [and] I love it," BioWare general manager Gary McKay tells me. "I love that balance of real-time fluid action, but also the ability to have the depth in the RPG, not just in terms of pause-and-play, but the depth in terms of how you bring your companions into the battlefield. What are you going to do with their skill points? What's the loadout you're going to use? Everything is about bringing Rook to the center of the battlefield, and I love it."  Former Dragon Age executive producer and Veilguard consultant Mark Darrah feels Veilguard is the first game where the combat is legitimately fun. "What I see in Veilguard is a game that finally bridges the gap," he says. "Uncharitably, previous Dragon Age games got to the realm of 'combat wasn't too bad.' In this game, the combat's actually fun, but it does keep that thread that's always been there. You have the focus on Rook, on your character, but still have that control and character coming into the combat experience from the other people in your party."  I get the sense from watching Busche play several hours of Veilguard that BioWare has designed a combat system that relies heavily on players extracting what they want out of it. If you want to button mash and use abilities freely when their cooldowns expire, you can probably progress fine (although on the game's easier difficulties). But if you want to strategize your combos, take advantage of elemental vulnerabilities, and min-max companions and Rook loadouts, you can do that, too, and I think you'll find Veilguard rewards that with a more enriching experience."

[source]

[reijisteacup]

From a Reiji simp to another, a scenario where Karlheinz forces Reiji to marry a girl from another vampire family. How would that go? How would he feel? Do they end up loving each other? Love the blog!!!

YESSS REIJI SIMPS UNITE <3333

======================================================================================================

Reiji’s Initial Reaction:

Emotionally? He’s furious. On the surface, he’s composed, cold, and formal. But beneath it? Rage and humiliation. This marriage means Karlheinz still sees him as nothing more than a tool. Worse, it confirms that even when he strives for perfection, he remains second-rate in his father’s eyes — useful, but disposable. He swears to himself he will not grow attached. You are a task, a diplomatic duty. Nothing more.

The First Months:

You? Intelligent, graceful, and perhaps just as resentful as he is — maybe you’re headstrong, maybe you’re too kind, or maybe you play the quiet game too well. Either way, Reiji can’t figure you out. And that bothers him. You live in the Sakamaki manor, in a separate wing. Reiji keeps things formal: “You will adhere to my schedule. Dinner is served at seven. I expect punctuality and silence.” But he notices things. You’re a quick reader. You reorganize the alchemy cabinet alphabetically. You refuse to let anyone else clean your tea cups. You’re not passive. You’re observant. There’s one night where he sees you alone, crying quietly in the library after reading a letter from your family. You try to hide it. He says nothing… but the next morning, you find your favorite childhood book — perfectly restored — left on your desk without a word.

The Turning Point:

It begins with small kindnesses disguised as discipline. You both fight. You challenge each other’s opinions during tea. He tells you to stop interrupting, and you snap that being married to him doesn’t mean you belong to him. He’s shocked. Most people shrink under his tone — you don’t. You stand your ground, gracefully but with steel. And that night… he can’t sleep. Over time, Reiji starts looking forward to seeing you. He catches your faint smiles, how you always steep his tea to perfection, how you start leaving notes in the margins of his books just to annoy him (“Incorrect deduction on page 42. -Yours Truly”). He finds himself... smirking. Genuinely. He begins to ask about your day. About your studies. And finally, about your opinions.

“Your insight on rune-based blood rituals was… thought-provoking. Surprising. I find myself curious about your thoughts more often than I would care to admit.”

When Love Takes Root:

The moment it clicks. You get sick — a rare poison in a teacup meant for him. Reiji is furious. He destroys the alchemy lab trying to create an antidote himself, pacing like a madman. He doesn't sleep. And when you awaken, his head is bowed at your bedside. “You nearly died. Because of me. Because you became important to me.” “This was not the plan. You were not supposed to… matter.” From that point on, he changes. Subtly — but he does. The touches become more frequent. The eye contact lingers. He stops correcting your every movement at dinner. You catch him staring, once, as you laugh with a maid. His gaze? Unmistakably possessive. He starts calling you by your first name. And finally, during a formal dinner with the other families:

“She is not merely my wife. She is my equal. My partner. And if you have any objections… I invite you to voice them now — so I may destroy them.”

Final Outcome:

Yes — he falls in love. Deeply. Not the impulsive, passionate love of a teenager. But a steady, disciplined devotion that terrifies him with its depth. He respects you. He desires you. And more than anything, he chooses you — not as a duty, but as someone who brought meaning into a life filled with shadow and comparison. He never thanks Karlheinz. But in quiet moments, as he watches you sleep beside him with a book still in your hands, he wonders…

“Perhaps… for once, Father’s manipulation gave me something worth cherishing.”

[totallynotpochacco]

Yandere Victor & Andrew x reader !!

—Genre: Smut, yandere, a bit of fluff (Mostly with aftercare, if you choose to add that)!! —You can make this a normal Victor & Andrew x reader- maybe just simply making them jealous, or turning it down a few notches- but if you don’t mind I like yandere fics, especially with duo yanderes!!

—Victor (Main headcanons): Victor is a more fluffy yandere, but he’s secretly very manipulative, due to his ‘shy’ nature he comes off as innocent, and he fully uses that to guilt trip reader when he doesn’t get enough attention from them. Victor’s also scared of losing Reader, afraid he won’t get any more letters just for him from them. But Victor does what every yandere does, when he gets threatened by someone else, he gets threatening back, it’s subtle, but he’ll send a letter to them, basically saying Reader doesn’t love them and they should back off- in a passive aggressive type tone, but if they don’t back off, during the manor games, he’ll purposefully put them in danger- tripping them, messing up decoding, etc. Though Victor will always play the “innocent, sweet postman” when confronted, feigning a lot of trust in Reader to seem more naive and incapable of doing such things!!

—Andrew (Main headcanons): Andrew is also very manipulative, but uses it in a different way, he both guilt trips you, and uses his “pathetic gravekeeper” status, to make Reader seem more intertwined with him. And by proxy, with people getting freaked out by Andrew, they’ll slowly become more isolated until they have nobody but him. Andrew was raised alone, never understood or given basic empathy, so when Reader showed the slightest affection, he opened up and became obsessed. Andrew is delusional, thinking this is what the lord destined him, an angelic, patient person to deal with his melancholy nature- and how any rivals are demons, he uses this to justify when he feels guilty for hurting Reader, indirectly or directly. If the isolation doesn’t work, Andrew will straight up threaten him, taking advantage of his lanky, sickly figure to scare off others!!

—Plot: Andrew noticed Victor getting too warmed up with Reader, and with how obviously affectionate Andrew was Victor noticed him. Originally they planned to full on kill the other, until they realized they had a common goal, plus they were also very close prior to becoming obsessed with Reader- so the two besties made a deal, they’d share Reader!! Andrew is vanilla because he’s holy-er than thou, so Victor had to explain certain positions suited for 3 people, making both blush really bad- surprisingly Andrew is the most dominant, and Victor is the more subtle one!!

—M anon: Your biggest fan !!

OMG.. NO WAY…

First off, this was just, chefs kiss.. like I loved reading this.. the writing and the font and the colors and askskdjdj

Second, MY FIRST LETTER ANON!! AHHH- I could kiss you…

Third your so right.. they would totally do all of that but let me present to you some of my thoughts..

Also I didn’t really feel like making a whole fic, sorry, but I’ll make one soon surrounded around this..!

Andrew and Victor sharing the same darling..

———————————————————————-

Okay first, I just kinda wanna state what’s in my head first,

So in the manor I like to think that they can die, but they just wake up again in bed. Like respawning.

So Andrew definitely killed Victor out of spite at least once by ‘accidentally’ shoving him into the Hunter and getting him killed.

Victor would totally attempt the same but he’d never get the chance because he’d figure out their common goal.

So relationship wise I don’t feel like they’d be very poly, mostly because I’m sorta uncomfortable writing poly stuff but I’ll let the threesome stuff slide, just a bit. Though, they’d definitely take turns sharing you.

Like there’s dedicated days…

Not gonna go into the days stuff but they sometimes, rarely, fight about it.. just know that holidays are mostly on whoever lands on that day and the other has to suck it up and save it for the next..

So when it comes to actual sex Andrew was kinda standoffish because like, sex in general is unholy, wouldn’t doing it with two people make it worse?

After some gentle convincing, Andrew caves and agrees. Only to find out that he.. tolerates it. It’s good in a way but it’s not his favorite.

It would take Andrew sometime to warm up to this sorta stuff, but once he’s into it, he’s into it. Victor doesn’t seem to have a problem either way, he’s getting what he wants at the cost of having to share. And it’s mostly a win/win.

Andrew would rather have you to himself. As would Victor, but anyways, he figures out, somehow, the best types of positions. And gently guides the three of you through it.

Andrew is behind you, with Victor in front, ass up and mouth open, taking both of them so nicely.

Victor is gently grunting as he thrusts into your mouth, while Andrew has a hand on your hip and another in your hair, pounding into you as he loses himself in pleasure.

By the end of it you’re stuffed in all holes and sandwiched between the both of them. Their hold on you very possessive.

I Lowkey feel like they’d make a competition out of this, to see who can pleasure you the most. There doesn’t have to be a winner but the jabs here and there make it worth it.

———————————————————————-

I hoped you like this.. I really don’t know how to write smut well. I also hope I didn’t like derail what you had in mind cause that’s the last thing I wanted to do..

[hard-core-super-star]

Ngl, being able to edit things here is cool, other media don't have this option so all you have to do is delete or slowly die every time you remember that mistake🥲

WELL– in that case it would be really fun to see Yelena just being a big softie to reader and end up getting caught by her friends doing so, then everyone would make fun of her or something (it would probably be their last time making fun of something in their lives, poor souls.

I saw that you still have things to write, so no hurry (and good luck with all this-). Also, Your writing is really good so it will be good anyway, but I'm sure you'll get it!

passive-aggressive magic tricks [Y.Belova]

pairing: yelena belova x reader

summary: a fun game night with your friends takes a turn when they realize how much of a soft dork the russian turns into when she's around you.

warnings: none, i think [except peter being verbally attacked every other paragraph lmao]; so much dialogue; a weirdly written game of uno; just...so much chaos; never written for yelena before so feel free to yell at me if she's too ooc in this one

wordcount: 1.2k

a/n: this gif makes me feel things gonna start this off by saying that this is meant to be romantic but you can read it as platonic if you want. i know everyone has an opinion on yelena's sexuality and not everyone will agree with mine and that's okay! [just don't be a jerk about it. i personally think yelena is a demiromantic asexual so do with that what you will] ALSO, this is so chaotic and borderline nonsensical and you can blame 🌟 for making me think about yelena playing uno that one time. ALSO ALSO, thank you for the vote of confidence, lovely anon, this was actually really fun to write and i hope you enjoy <3

* * * * * * *

“This sucks,” Kate declares with a pout.

“Don’t be such a crybaby, Kate Bishop.” Yelena’s words only make the archer’s pout deepen which makes the whole situation feel even more ridiculous.

“Yeah, Kate,” you jump in. “You’re the one who started talking shit in the first place.”

An offended gasp escapes her lips at your accusation. “I wasn’t talking shit! I was being honest about my skills.”

This time, Peter cuts in before the blonde gets a chance to make fun of the archer again. “Guys, I thought we decided against Monopoly so we wouldn’t fight.”

“Fighting is Yelena’s love language,” you reply with a shrug.

You pretend not to notice the way the Russian’s lips quirk up into a small smile and instead focus on Kate and her awful decision-making skills. It takes her a few extra seconds and she still manages to choose the most annoying card in her hand.

“It took you two minutes to throw in a plus-four?” Peter questions, clearly doing his best to not sound judgemental.

“Shut up and take the cards, Pete.”

The boy grumbles something you don’t quite catch but Kate is quick to punch him in the arm, earning herself a kick to the shin. Their dynamic is certainly…interesting and you can’t stop yourself from wondering how much of it comes from being two only children attempting to one-up each other.

Yelena leans in toward you, pretending to whisper. “Why are we hanging out with them again?”

The pair clearly overhears her considering both the glare and the pout that gets thrown your way. You merely shrug in response, attempting to shield your cards from her expert gaze. “It’s…entertaining, I guess.”

“You guys are jerks,” Kate says, speaking the thoughts Peter is far too nice to vocalize. (It’s definitely not because he’s terrified of getting on Yelena’s bad side.)

“And you suck at Uno.”

She rolls her eyes at you but decides not to reply. The small moment of silence allows Peter to take his turn and the game continues…until Yelena decides to betray you.

You’re not fully paying attention to the strategies each one of your companions is forming which means you don’t realize it when they decide to team up against you.

You’re only four cards away from winning and the blonde beside you can’t stop herself from sneaking a look at your deck. Kate somehow manages to catch her in the act and the two stare each other down until the archer raises an eyebrow, silently asking to be a part of the Russian’s plan.

A plan that quickly leads to Kate placing down another plus-four card and Peter being thrown one of Yelena’s under the table. 

“We can stack, right?” He asks, mainly in an attempt to keep you from noticing what they’re doing.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” you reply with a shrug. “Just don’t be surprised when Yelena pulls out a knife from her boot.”

The joke gets a few chuckles, and a slightly concerned look from the young Avenger. 

“Do not worry, Spider-Boy, I promised y/n I wouldn’t threaten you…again.”

“Right…” Peter’s clearly not convinced but he throws in his card anyway.

You turn to face Yelena with a smug smirk. “Sorry, babe, but it looks like I’m on my way to winning this round.”

“You sound like Kate Bishop.” She playfully rolls her eyes at you but the glint in her eyes shows off more amusement than annoyance. “I hope you handle losing better than she does, though.”

“Hey!” You and the archer both voice your protests, albeit for different reasons, as the blonde slams down the last plus-four card needed to ensure you won’t win any time soon.

This time around, she’s the one who looks at you with a smug grin but you’re too busy being dramatic to fully appreciate how good she looks when she’s being competitive. It’s genuinely just a stupid card game and yet you pull out all the tricks you’ve learned over the past few months to get the Russian to melt into the huge softie she is at heart.

“Oh, come on, that was mean.” You pull on your best impression of Kate’s wounded puppy dog look. A look that includes slightly wide eyes and an incredibly deep pout.

A pout Yelena has never been good at resisting. (But only when it comes to you, much to the archer’s dismay)

She, literally and figuratively, keeps her cards close to her chest but you catch the way her free hand twitches slightly, almost as if she’s fighting to keep herself from touching you. It’s strange how affectionate she wants to be with you when she’s always been the first to pull away from a hug, the first one to scoot away when someone sits too close. 

Being guarded had always felt like second nature to her until you came along.

Her hand reaches out before she can stop it, landing on your knee and giving it a soft yet reassuring squeeze. It's a subtle reminder that underneath all her sarcasm and the rough edges, she cares about you. A lot more than she ever thought herself capable of.

“It’s just a game, sweetheart.” The words are a mere whisper but somehow the person with the worst attention span you’ve ever seen manages to overhear them.

“Did you just call y/n ‘sweetheart’?” Kate blurts out, clearly far too shocked to worry about her safety. “You actually have feelings?”

“Wait, did she really say that?” Peter’s slightly more cautious but there’s both awe in curiosity shining in his brown eyes.

“I heard her!”

“I think you hit your head too hard on your last mission, Bishop,” you reply, trying to steer the conversation away the second Yelena starts glaring at your friends.

Despite all her other skills, Kate is still awful at reading the room so instead of accepting the safety you’re offering, she decides to be stubborn like always. “Don’t lie to me, y/n, I know what I heard. Yelena’s just a big-”

“A big what?” The blonde cuts in with the most threatening glare she can manage. Which, considering she’s an ex-assassin, is quite effective at shutting the archer up.

“Um…” You can practically see the wheels spinning in the brunette’s head as she tries to come up with something different to say. She clearly fails based on the words that come out. “A big softie..?”

“Oh, Kate,” you sigh. “You’re never going to learn to stop poking the bear, huh?”

“What do you mean?” 

Her confusion lasts for about a second before Yelena shoots up from the couch and lunges toward her. The archer gets the message pretty quickly after that, expertly ducking out of the way and taking off running in the direction of the bathroom.

All you can do is laugh and shake your head as the Russian chases after her. “Go easy on her, babe!”

“Yeah, Yelena, listen to your girlfriend!”

“Kate!” You and the Russian yell out at the same time, leading to a fit of giggles belonging to the biggest instigator you've ever met.

"So much for a chill game night," Peter mumbles, placing his cards onto the coffee table. "You're gonna go help Kate out, right?"

You shrug. "I'll think about it."

[lucianapinkgirlprettycure]

These are my unpopular opinions about The Lion King, and you may or may not agree with me; clarification, this is not hate speech, but rather expressing opinions that I disagree with and would like to refute

First unpopular opinion: "Simba and Nala are underrated"

To this first opinion, you will surely tell me: 'But Simba and Nala are popular, they are not that underrated', yes, but from a serious point of view, every time I see someone choose their favorite Disney couple, they seem to completely forget Simba and Nala, since they are usually belittled and criticized for phrases like: 'Their romance is rushed', or 'They have no chemistry as a couple', something I don't agree with, because to begin with, these two have known each other since they were little, and for me, it makes sense that their romance would develop quickly; however, not only are they underrated as a couple but as characters too, as poor Nala is written off as a useless girl who supposedly did nothing except give Simba babies, and Simba himself also is misinterpreted as a bad character or a passive one who expected others to do his work for him; yes, they both have their flaws, but that's what makes them more relatable; Nala is more than Simba's love interest, and she deserves her recognition as a strong female character because she's super important to the story; and as for Simba, while he made his mistakes, he doesn't deserve that silly hate considering everything he went through to get to the throne, so more respect for this couple, and their kissing scene (or kiss/lick on the cheek scene) is also underrated because it's so romantic that it has to be included in the best love scenes and kissing scenes in movie history

Second unpopular opinion: "Kovu and Kiara are no better couple than Simba and Nala"

Let me make one thing clear: I don't hate Kovu and Kiara, in fact, they are a well-developed couple, but lately it has become fashionable to say that the second film is better than the original, something I disagree with, because for me, this will be one of the best animated films that Disney released in the nineties; although I recognize that Kovu and Kiara had a little more development due to the focus more on romance, I don't like when people say they have more chemistry than Simba and Nala, or what would be the same, overvalue them and put them on a pedestal, while criticizing Simba and Nala; as the user said @princesssarisa, it's not fair to compare these two couples because their love stories are completely different from each other; in one, we have a Romeo and Juliet-style story with a happy ending, where the protagonists fight hard to be together, while Simba and Nala's, although it is more of an aspect and not the main plot of the film, is endearing and works very well, in fact, I think the first film would not work without the romantic element; so, saying that Kovu and Kiara have more development than Simba and Nala, is like saying that the (failed) romance between Jo and Laurie from Little Women is not like that of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, just because the first two didn't end up together and the other two did, and for me, Simba and Nala are underrated, while Kovu and Kiara are a little overrated; let me clarify, I don't hate them, I just prefer Simba and Nala more than Kiara and Kovu, please respect opinions

Third unpopular opinion: "Timon and Pumbaa are somewhat hated these days"

Although Timon and Pumbaa are very beloved characters, nowadays, it seems like there's a small trend of hating or criticizing them for being the most popular characters in the film; personally, I still like them, I don't think it's fair that they were hated just for their comic relief; I mean, I understand that not everyone will like them, but why hate them just for bringing comedy to the story? I've even read some comments that said the second act became less interesting with their arrival; there are also those who blame them for making Simba forget his responsibilities; yes, it could have been detrimental, but they also took care of him, helped him reclaim his land, and even babysat his children; I must also admit that their TV series is entertaining, and the third film is the funniest in my opinion; what does this have to do with the hatred towards them? That in reality they are more than comic relief, they are important characters for the plot, and they do not deserve to be hated just for bringing comedy to an otherwise dramatic and sentimental story

Fourth unpopular opinion: "I hate the theory of the supposed incest between Simba and Nala"

Seriously, I hate with all my soul this theory that Simba and Nala are related, or that their story is one of incest disguised as a fantasy; seriously, stop putting your real-life ideas into my favorite movie; understand on the one hand that some lions do that in real life, but stop ruining people's childhoods with comments like: 'Disney incest story, oh, how horrible', or, 'Don't show this to your children, they're romanticizing incest'; please, shove that up your asses and stop bothering us with those perverted ideas

Fifth unpopular opinion "Simba and Nala did not have sex"

I've made this clear in another post, but I'm tired of this whole 'The Lion King is the only Disney movie with a sex scene,' or 'We all know Simba and Nala got it on off-screen,' and the worst one, 'This scene is an allegory for the lion's sex life.' It's a kids' movie, you perv! I never saw it as something sexual, it's just two lions showing affection to each other; I'm sure Nala's look is a bit too flirtatious for an animated movie, but as I've made it clear, for me Kiara was born after the Pride Lands were restored, which took a long time to recover; nothing else to say, there's nothing sexual about it, in my opinion

Sixth unpopular opinion "The Lion King is not overrated"

And finally, you may disagree with me, but there are people who, while I understand they won't like the film, seem to be trendy to say that this film is overrated, or that there are much better Disney films; while I think they're all masterpieces in their own way, it's unfair to compare one to another; to me, they're all good films, but the reason The Lion King is special is because of its deep plot and under-examined themes, that's why it's still beloved. I understand if you don't like it, but don't bashing people who say that, for them, it is the best film in history

And that was it, and as I said at the beginning, you can agree with me or not

[baileypie-writes]

~Shut Fluff Alphabet~

Fandom: Go! Princess Pretty Cure

Fanfic Type: Alphabet

Reader: Gender neutral

Relationship: Romantic

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1838

Warnings: Mentions of fighting, jealousy(Shut), Shut being pathetic

~Masterlists~

~Go! Princess Pretty Cure Masterlist~

A - Activities(What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?)

Shut really loves doing makeup with you! Whether he’s doing yours, or vice versa, he’s ecstatic! It’s not just that he likes makeup, but it gives him an excuse to be close to your face.

He’d spend every second with you if he could. You’re his favorite person! He only goes home if he has to. So most of his time is spent with you.

~~~~

B - Beauty(What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?)

Just the thought of having to choose a favorite feature of yours makes him anxious. He simply can’t! Every bit of you is beautiful in his eyes!

~~~~

C - Comfort(How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?)

Shut feels what you feel. He’s extremely sympathetic. So if you’re crying, he cries with you.

It’s not very helpful when it comes to panic attacks, though. He has to calm himself down before he’s able to comfort you properly. Otherwise, you’d just have two people panicking.

When it comes to comforting you, he’s so sweet. He never lets go of you— making sure you know he’s there. He talks you through it as well. He tells you how much he loves you, and that you’ll be okay.

~~~~

D - Dreams(How do they picture their future with their s/o?)

Shut’s only wish is that he can be with you for the rest of his life. He’s pretty flexible with anything else. He does not want kids, though.

~~~~

E - Equal(Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?)

While he wishes he could be the dominant one, he’s too much of a pushover when it comes to you. He follows you like a puppy— answering your every call. You make the decisions, and he listens and obeys.

He feels slightly pathetic for this. He wishes he could be someone you see as your Prince Charming, not a clingy servant. But even so, he’s happy.

~~~~

F - Fight(Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?)

As stubborn as Shut can be, that’s all thrown out the window when it comes to you.

He avoids fighting with you as much as possible. He’s so eager to please you, that you could say that the sky is pink, and he’d agree.

But even so, emotions can take over, and arguments break out. He’s super whiny and bratty when this happens.

Even if he truly believes that he’s in the right, he’d never stay mad at you. Just the fact that you’ve fought makes him depressed. He can’t bear the thought of you being mad at him— let alone the reality. So he’s quick to forgive and apologize.

~~~~

G - Gratitude(How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?)

He’s grateful for you just existing. So it’s safe to say that he’s always showing his gratitude for you. No act goes unnoticed by him. He’s always thanking you for any little thing you do for him.

~~~~

H - Honesty(Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?)

Shut wouldn’t dare hide anything from you. He thinks keeping a secret from you might as well be the same as cheating. He couldn’t even if he tried. He ends up caving in from pure guilt.

~~~~

I - Inspiration(Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?)

If you’re a Pretty Cure, you definitely helped him get on the road to reforming.

If not, you’ve probably helped him get into other clothing and makeup styles. He’s just barely stepped out of his regular gothic style, so he’s willing to try new things.

~~~~

J - Jealousy(Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?)

He totally gets jealous. He knows it’s not your fault, but he just can’t help it. For a while, he’s perfectly fine. But the longer your attention is focused on someone else, the more restless he gets.

While he doesn’t say anything, his mood is still very clear. He’s slouching, pouting, all of the above. When you’re not looking, he’ll use his flamboyance to intimidate whoever’s taking up your attention. But he never goes further than that.

~~~~

K - Kiss(Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?)

Shut is a hopeless romantic, so you know he’s a good kisser. He’s definitely nervous, and a bit clumsy at first, but once he gets the hang of it, he takes your breath away.

While he’s given you hand kisses plenty of times before, your first real kiss was by you. He never dared touch your lips without permission, so it was bound to be that way. When you did it, he nearly passed out from the euphoria. He felt truly honored to be kissed by you. For the rest of the day, he had a dreamy expression on his face.

~~~~

L - Love Confession(How would they confess to their s/o?)

Shut’s very upfront about his feelings for you since the day you met. So the moment he developed feelings for you, you knew. All you had to do was reciprocate. When that did happen, though, he nearly passed away.

~~~~

M - Marriage(Do they want to get married? How do they propose?)

He definitely wants to get married! It was on his mind as soon as you started dating. To him, it’s the natural next step.

He wants you to see him as you’re Prince Charming, so he’d be the one to propose. He’d make sure to get the most beautiful ring, and make the most heartfelt speech. Loudly and proudly, he’d get on one knee, and propose. When you accept, he’d definitely cry.

~~~~

N - Nicknames(What do they call their s/o?)

Your name is his favorite, but other than that, he calls you “my Princess/Prince/Royal”, “my dear” and “my beauty”.

~~~~

O - On Cloud Nine(What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?)

Like I said, his feelings are clear as day. So literally everyone knows he’s in love. He’s practically on another planet, to the point where he ignores others. The only thing that matters to him is you.

~~~~

P - PDA(Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?)

Shut’s most proudest achievement is being your boyfriend. So there’s no way he’d hide it. When introducing you to others, the first thing he says is that you’re his beautiful, amazing partner.

He most definitely brags about you to Close and Lock. But only when you’re not around. He doesn’t want to embarrass you!

As for showing affection in public, he doesn’t mind it one bit. When with you, it’s like nothing else matters to him. Also, it lets people know you’re taken, so that’s a bonus!

~~~~

Q - Quirk(Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship)

His sense of style is immaculate, as well as his makeup skills. So he’s always willing to help you choose outfits, and get you all dolled up. No matter the occasion, he’s got you covered.

~~~~

R - Romance(How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?)

Shut’s the definition of a romantic. Romance flows through his veins. He’d do just about anything to make you happy.

While he’s very cliche— doing the whole “kneeling while presenting you with a rose” thing— he does get clever with it as well. He always listens, so he remembers the little things you tell him. And he uses those to craft the perfect dates.

~~~~

S - Support(Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?)

(Specifically reformed Shut)

He’d do anything to help you achieve your dream. He doesn’t know much about that though, so you’ll have to lead him.

As long as your goal is realistic, he believes in you. So he’s very supportive.

~~~~

T - Thrill(Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?)

Shut mostly prefers routine. He finds comfort in predictability. However, he doesn’t mind trying something new every once in a while! Just as long as it’s not too scary!

~~~~

U - Understanding(How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?)

He’s memorized every interest and dislike of yours. Every time he learns something new, he makes sure to burn it into his brain. You could mention something once, and he’d remember.

As for empathy, he feels what you feel. When you’re happy, he’s smiling with you. When you’re sad, it makes him cry. Even if he doesn’t understand the cause of your emotions, they always rub off on him.

~~~~

V - Value(How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?)

Shut can’t imagine living without you. If he were still a villain, he’d switch sides in a heartbeat for you. He doesn’t even wanna picture life without you. Just thinking about it makes him go looking for you for comfort.

~~~~

W - Wild Card(A random fluff headcanon)

Shut always dresses up before going to see you— no matter how casual it is. He wants to look his best for his partner! Even if he’s sleeping over, he puts on the fanciest pair of pajamas, and does his hair up in a bun or braid. All for your visual pleasure.

~~~~

X - XOXO(Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?)

He’s a very polite man when it comes to you. So at first, he didn’t dare touch you. He waited for you to show signs of being comfortable with it. Once you did, he finally revealed his affectionate side.

He loves kissing and cuddling! He just adores you so much, how could he not? His favorite thing is to pepper your face with kisses— leaving black lipstick marks all over it. He always feels a bit bad afterwards, though. So he helps clean it off.

~~~~

Y - Yearning(How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?)

Simple— he doesn’t. When you’re gone, he feels as if you took his heart with him. He tries to be a strong, mature, adult man. But after about a day, he’s blowing up your phone with texts and calls, ranting about how much he misses you. Yes, he knows he’s pathetic.

~~~~

Z - Zeal(Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?)

Like mentioned before, he’d be willing to leave Dys Dark to be with you. And if he had to, he’d use his powers to fight anything in his way.

~~~~

Dividers by @dollywons

~~baileypie-writes

[muffinbringer]

42 Miles Morales x chubby female reader.

Pink is you Uncle aaron is orange and Purple is Miles

Summary: You are an obese teen girl and you met Miles, as time moved on you became friends and then his girlfriend. This is how he treats you in a relationship.

Miles is known to be stoic and rude to almost everyone, the only exceptions are his mom and his uncle. That changed when he met you. You just happened to be the new kid when he met you, the teacher introduced you and then someone straight up insulted your weight in a passive aggressive manner. While everyone laughed you laughed along with them which surprised them.

You came back with a comeback immediately which caused the person to be embarrassed and everyone to be shocked, including Miles. Miles thought you'd be like the others, all embarrassed and stuff but you quickly proved them wrong, proved him wrong. You proved that you weren't a little bitch and would fight back if irritated. This is what made Miles interested in you. You were really talkative and loved to make friends.

Everytime you'd guys had to pair up, you'd talk none stop. Eventually, you broke through Miles' tough, hard and cold exterior and became friends. Miles had soon become your bodyguard. Whenever people would insult you he would glare at them and the say something like " You wanna say that again, vato?" with a threatening aura. You'd roll your eyes and give him a look. He knows you don't like it when he protects you or whatever he calls it but he just does it anyway.

When y'all start dating everyone is surprised. They'd never thought of Miles being in a relationship because he seemed like a loner but I guess he'd prove them wrong. He'd spoil you rotten and you'd accept the gifts and get him one as well which he'd find cute but then playfully scold you because your buying him stuff and says something like " Mami, I should be the one spoiling you. Not the other way around." and you'd retort by saying " It's only fair. Plus, I won't accept the gifts you give me if I can't get something for you. Also you shouldn't be wasting your money on someone like me."

" Its my money bebe. I can do whatever I want with it. If I choose to spoil you then I will. I can't have my girl wearing clothes that I didn't buy her." " But you should spend it on someone prettier than me." "Princesa no one is prettier than you. Quien te hizo sentir así?" Miles would stare into your eyes cause he knew that if he did then you would tell him. "Everyone, I heard whispers of someone saying that I was probably just a play thing for you. Today some girls cornered me today when I was going to my locker. They said that an ugly fat girl like me shouldn't be with someone like you." Miles would immediately get angry but doesn't show it. He'd ask you to tell him who and once you did, within a week those girls didn't show up to school anymore.

Anyways, the second you begin to shame your body he'd quickly correct you saying something like " Mami your beautiful, your body is beautiful and I love both you and it." You'd get flustered and pout, still disagreeing with his claim. " Promise me not to say that about yourself." You'd promise but then secretly say it under your breath. You'd think he didn't hear but he heard every word of it. During recess he cornered you in an empty classroom. The conversation went something like this. " Didn't I tell you not to say those things about yourself? Don't lie, chica. I heard you saying that shit all day under your breath. What's up with you?"

" It's nothing babe. I think your hearing things cause I haven't said barely a word all day." " That's part of the problem chiquita. What's up with you? You've barely said a word to me and when I do hear you speak, I hear you saying all that crap about your body. Dime que pasa Carino." You knew that he'd force it out of you if you didn't tell him. " I don't know, I guess I've just been a little self conscious about my weight lately." " A little is an understatement, bebe. I told you I didn't want you to think that way. Eres perfecta tal como eres. Why can't you see that?" you'd blush and look away. " You're too sweet Miles." " I don't want you saying those things. If I catch you saying them or even hear you say that to someone then I will drag you into an empty classroom at recess and then mark my initials on your neck for everyone to see the second I'm done. Got it?" You nod and that was the end of you insulting your body in front of him.

When yall are alone Miles is touched starved. He's always had to touch you in some way. Whether his hand be on your thigh or has his arms around your waist, he'd always be touching you. You're a really good cuddler and are great at giving hugs to people who need it. When Miles gets back from whatever job he has, he calls you in the middle of the night saying he needs you. You'd have to go up to his apartment, dead ass tired, in the middle of the night, to go and see what Miles wanted. Once you got to his room he'd throw you on the bed and then collapse onto you and then hug you. You'd then understand why he called you here.

His family absolutely loves you. Rio often makes jokes about you and Miles getting married and uncle Aaron often says something like " You got a keeper Miles, Don't loose her." "I don't plan on it."

When you found out he was the prowler you weren't surprised. The conversation went something like this. " Why aren't you scared? Why aren't you surprised?" " To be honest you seem like the perfect candidate to be the prowler. Plus it explains why you got so much money to spend on me. I'm not scared because what you do as the prowler has nothing to do with me babe." " Are you gonna report me?" " Why would I? You could kill me at anytime before I got my phone out or even got to the station. But then again, you wouldn't hurt me now would you? Again, what you do in your free time isn't any of my business." " Your not mad I didn't tell you?" " No. You had your reasons to keep it from me." To say the least Miles was shocked when you showed no reaction but was happy you still loved him.

[rambleonaud]

I think about the new GoW games a lot. I just like them.

What I sort of observed on my second observation of Ragnorok's story was a lot of Odin-as-false-Tyr's interactions with others and 1) He makes me SO mad but 2) I think his dynamic or intentions with REAL Tyr are so interesting based on how he acted.

For one, maybe it was his intention to be as seemingly useless/passive as Tyr as possible, but in the Alfenheim quest, I did wonder if perhaps he saw and was confused by the lack of power he had as Tyr to convince others of anything. My mind goes to that phrase that went around that was like "One can only be Peaceful if they're capable of great harm, otherwise they're just harmless". As Odin, he's able to subtly convince others based on the sheer amount of bloody credit to his word. Every word has double meaning so he can step away from a situation with clean hands if he's called out. I think he got used to that, and was actively confused when the elves, who Tyr worked with so successfully, didn't pay him any mind.

I'm ESPECIALLY happy that we get to see who REAL Tyr is in the Valhalla DLC because he's perfect. He's kind, basically a therapist, but also INCREDIBLY capable. He's SCARY and it makes him feel like so much more. Like you know based on how he's able to outright STOP Kratos every time he loses that he's just sparring. Holding back. He is capable of great harm. He just chooses not to. That's not who he is. I don't think Odin was able to grasp that, and could only pantomime it by making Tyr unwilling to fight. Because all he saw was a resigned, traumatized version. Or maybe Tyr knew about the events needed to unfold, too. The ones that would prevent the greater harm the first predicted Ragnorok would bring on. Maybe he KNEW Fey, and her own predictions, the reality that would change the path.

[mneiai]

Idk what this is lmao

Gilbert/Leon.

Second season prologue. Spoilers for Leon's and Gilbert's routes.

Can't sleep and wrote this on my phone just now. Might continue later idk

---

It wasn't until they were announced and stepped into the room that Leon's brain (exhausted already from just the last half hour) caught up to what, exactly, they must look like:

Gilbert von Obsidian and Leon Dompteur, wearing near-matching colors, stepping into the ballroom side by side as if one was escorting the other. As if they'd planned to announce a romantic relationship to the public.

Leon didn't need to look to know Clavis was having the time of his life somewhere in the crowd and if he wasn't already, would soon be spreading rumors to make it all the worse. This momentary folly would, under Clavis's usual artistry, surely turn into a years' long star-crossed love affair that Leon's reputation might never recover from.

"Look at those faces, they must be impressed by what a lovely couple we make, teehee."

Gilbert's voice, which had been going almost non-stop since Leon found him in a corridor he should not have been in (almost certainly lurking about with the goal of harassing Belle), grated on his nerves and spurred him onto recklessness.

"Then we should continue to impress." He offered his hand with a flourish. "Might I have your first dance?"

For one single beat Gilbert was quiet and still, his eye narrowed and the beast within roiling to the surface, and then he was all smiles and laughter again. He took Leon's hand, but flipped the hold, eye glinting in what might have been real amusement.

"I think it would be best if I lead."

Leon raised his eyebrows. "I'm taller."

"I'm older," Gilbert shot back, with a carelessness that made it clear he'd give arguments until Leon was forced to give.

If he hadn't spent most of his life as Chevalier and Clavis's younger brother, Leon would have found that attitude frustrating, but he generally dealt with Gilbert by thinking of him as a mix of the two. It didn't hurt that he could see Chevalier in the crowd, now, his eyes narrowed and a certain bestial fury in his aura despite his cold, passive expression.

Chevalier hadn't predicted this and was upset about that. How could anyone, though? In the long list of potential victims for Gilbert to latch onto, Leon didn't think anyone would assume he'd be the one to get this special treatment.

The song started and Gilbert, with practice and elegant typical of any Rhodolite royal, but that Leon found himself surprised an Obsidianite would bother with, did indeed lead him in the dance. Each step was perfect, like they'd danced together countless times before, but in truth they were both treating it like they would a battle, bodies responding at the slightest hint of movement until it seemed seamless.

If not for his pride, Leon might have made himself look clumsier, so they looked less attuned.

"You know, if Belle doesn't choose you, you'd make a wonderful consort in Obsidian."

Leon gave a lengthier blink than normal to coverup how he rolled his eyes. "So you can have a claim to Rhodolite's throne as my husband?"

"Or because you're just my type." Gilbert's smile was bright and set off every instinct for self-preservation Leon had from both parts of his life. "Fighting so hard against the tarnishing of your pure, commoner heart in the midst of all this noble corruption."

He did not stumble, did not flinch, but he knew Gilbert was aware he'd wanted to, that hidden behind his polite facade, Leon was panicking at the possibility of this particular beast knowing his deepest, darkest secret.

"You seem to be mistaken."

Gilbert's smile turned sickly sweet. "Oh? Do you think you're already completely corrupted?" He added an unnecessary spin to the dance, but Leon adjusted expertly, despite the fact he'd only ever led. "Tell me, little lion, how long have you known about Julius?"

Anyone who knew anything about Gilbert knew he despised lying, and certainly it was in multiple reports about him that had come across Leon's desk. Obfuscation might be allowed, but an outright lie might get Leon into very dangerous territory at a time when Rhodolite couldn't afford more instability.

"Since the beginning. Since the moment I met him."

"I really shouldn't be surprised, you've always been so good at reading people: I remember you were even wary of me as a child, and back then I thought I was as purehearted and kind as could be." Gilbert laughed again, the sound joyful and beautiful.

Leon couldn't say he'd been wary of all the clever people around him, back then, terrified someone would figure out the truth despite how hard he and the fourth prince had worked. Maybe Gilbert had, but hadn't revealed anything because he had been a kind, caring boy, and then had held onto that information after he'd changed to use against Leon someday.

He thought of Belle, tucked safely in her room, and reminded himself this was worth the risk.

Focusing again, he pushed away his fear and documented everything he could about Gilbert from up close--the chilled flesh he could feel even though his gloves despite their exertion, the way his pulse seemed a little too fast, his breath a little too labored, for someone in such good shape. Was he ill?

Moving closer when the dance allowed, Leon brushed his cheek against Gilbert's and whispered in his ear, "Are you trying to make Chev jealous?"

The closeness allowed him to confirm everything and he started going through every disease he knew of with such symptoms, though he knew he was unlikely to figure it out himself. And while Gilbert was their enemy and rightfully feared, Leon wouldn't be able to bring himself to tell Chevalier about these signs of weakness. They were too personal, too vulnerable.

Gilbert had jerked a little at the closeness, but he was laughing, a reedy note to it. "That I might be getting a beautiful, talented consort while he's still all alone?"

With a snort of amusement, Leon pulled away, bringing the dance to a quick, though not too abrupt, end. "Why don't we go get some fresh air? I think this ballroom is too stuffy."

That earned him a narrowing of Gilbert's eye and an indulgent smile. "So sweet," he murmured as he moved back to Leon's side, and Leon was reminded of the claims at the beginning of their dance.

Was his heart really still so pure? It didn't feel like it. As much as he tried to avoid it, even he had killed before. Even he had to make the hard decisions that resulted in people being hurt.

"I saw your recent water retention project plan for drought relief," Gilbert said, seemingly out of nowhere.

Leon spared a moment to think how that was still a draft, how only a handful of people even knew about it, before the promise of having Gilbert himself offer feedback made him dismiss his worries.

With the change in subject, Leon unintentionally relaxed, and it wasn't until they stepped onto the balcony and came face to face with Keith that he remembered who was next to him and that they were not, could not be, friends.

[lasi-nariyoyoreads]

Suho, Baekhyun and Chanyeol's soulmate reading

SuBaekChan is the second group for this soulmate reading! I had a bit of a hard time to read into them, but the oracles cleared the situation a bit. It seems to me that tarot cards tell me what is the nature of their relationship while oracles describe more the overall vibe or evolution of their relationship, so really it was helpful to pick more cards.

Disclaimer:

My readings are made for fun and you should read them for fun too. So don't take them seriously.

Suho

Cards: 3 of pentacles, king of swords, ace of cups, gift, poverty, chance

I think this person is someone that taught him something like a teacher or simply someone who has more experience than him in a certain field.

This person is very rational and level headed and they teach and inspire Suho. I assume they might be someone that works in the same field as Suho.

They might also be someone who is like an authority figure for Suho.

I have the feeling that this guide-figure might introduce him to a new love interest or to new people in general, either because this soulmate has a lot of acquaintances or because the skill Suho acquired will make him able to approach new people.

The oracle card Gift might refer to the fact that this person will do a lot for Suho, not only he’ll grow professionally, but Suho might also meet new important people.

It’s possible Suho was lacking something in the past? Something that gets filled thanks to his soulmate’s gift.

This soulmate is like a door to a new world of opportunities. From this person a lot of good things will arrive, probably Suho will feel like the stars aligned in his favor, he might probably feel that it’s a miracle he met them and that a lot has changed for him since then.

Baekhyun

Cards: rev knight of swords, 9 of swords, 4 of wands, nourishment, grief, fight

4 of wands is back again.

I think it has the potential to be a positive and stable relationship, but there are some big issues they need to deal with.

I think they meet at the wrong time and meet several obstacles.

It's possible one of them isn’t exactly at their best when it comes to mental health, they probably have deep insecurities and anxieties.

Nourishment in my deck is represented as a mother cat who feeds her puppies. The milk of a mother is the only food a kitty can eat, it’s what makes them grow strong and healthy. A mother’s milk is the most nutritious food.

So it makes me think that in this union there’s a lot of support, they take care of each other, they heal each other.

But every puppy will have to leave their mother sooner of later. Here comes the Grief.

I think Baekhyun will have to be separated from this soulmate, but for what reason? One of them hurt the other? Was it a problem within the couple? Or was he pressured to do it by an external force?

There’s a lot of pain and regret in this phase because it feels as if Baekhyun lost his main source of sustain.

After Grief, in this reading, comes Fight. This means that he (or both) will choose to stop being passive and anguish in this pain and take an active stance. 

It could be that he finally chooses to let go of his feelings and look ahead, maybe focusing on his job, friends or trying to meet new people, especially if the cause of their break up was caused by one of the two.

Or, if the break up was caused by a third party, it could mean that he’ll start to think that it’s time to prioritize himself, his mental health and his feelings, so he’ll try to get closer once again to this soulmate.

Chanyeol

Cards: rev 10 of cups, rev ace of swords, rev the moon, choice, message, creativity

I get similar vibes compared to Lay’s reading but in this case, the person is someone that gives good advice to Chanyeol and someone he should listen to.

This person is not a lover or they're an ex, I don't see a future for them as lovers, even though they have an intimate relationship.

They’re a very positive presence, a mind-opener, someone who can give him good ideas and help if he ever feels confused. Literally like the light of the moon during a dark night.

The Choice is represented in my deck by a cat that is in front of two streets, one street leads to a building, the other one doesn’t have a clear destination.

If this person is really an ex (which now I think is the best interpretation), it means that at some point Chanyeol had to make a choice, probably this other person wanted to settle down and get married or live together while Chanyeol wasn’t ready. Or maybe this person forced him to choose between their relationship and his job. Probably his job was taking all his time and they felt left out.

Either way, their relationship ends, but on positive terms.

I think this relationship was a good experience for both and taught them a lesson, for example it’s possible Chanyeol learnt that stable relationships aren’t his things, so he shouldn’t really invest too much into them or make it clear from the start that he doesn’t have any intention to settle down.

Ultimately, creativity may reinforce this idea that Chanyeol truly chose his job (which is a very creative one, he is into writing, music production etc.) as his main mission in life, it might also imply that their relationship was a good source of inspiration for him or that this person will give him good advice when it comes to his creative process.