#it's not that he isn't self-aware it's that that's not the point!!!

[thegoldencontracts]

Hi

What do you think about Self aware!Housewardens and what are your Headcanons for them HSBSJJAJAJAHA idk I've been into ddlc recently.

FELLOW DDLC + TWST FAN SPOTTED I MUST RAMBLE

I'm going to make more specific fics with this later because who doesn't like self-aware AUs? Probably someone but that someone is not me

Ignorance is Bliss

The housewardens of Night Raven College come to a crippling realization about the truth of their world. They all handle it in different ways.

Riddle, who knows he's in a game, that everyone here is fake. What did he learn all these rules for? What was the point of his suffering? He's just a character to be watched by others for amusement's sake. Was the Queen of Hearts a mere character too? Did any of this have meaning? But then he sees you. You're real, and he's enraptured. What are the rules of your world, the real world where life isn't some story to be played? Though Riddle can't help but envy you, he really does wish to get to know you better.

Leona is hit by the revelation after his overblot. Everything he's gone through was all a part of some game. Just a way to keep players entertained. You're real. You'll never have to deal with the crippling realization that everything you say's a part of some script, that whole life's a game you'll never be able to leave. More than anything, Leona hates the fact that he knows your kindness towards him is all fake, but he still can't help but be captivated.

Azul is envious, just like Leona. He's gone through all of this just for entertainment? His overblot, his family, his world- none of it was real? And you're there, watching his suffering like it's some game for you to play, because that's really all it is. A game. He's a character in a game. But, seeing how real you are, even if your words are conveyed through the black sprite of a self-insert protagonist, how genuine your kindness is - it draws him in. He's meant to be a cold, rational individual, but perhaps he can be a bit softer with you. You won't mock him. You won't leave. And besides, if this really is some odd game, can't Azul get more of your gems with gap Moe?

Kalim is rather accepting of his circumstances. Sure, he's heartbroken to see the truth - that his whole life's a part of some gacha game meant to make some massive corporation called Disney more money, but can he really do anything about it? Besides, Kalim has always been someone who believes in making the best of the terrible hand he's been dealt. He's stayed kind in the face on constant poisoning attempts, and he's kept his heart in a world where there was no one he could trust. And in his attempts to make the best of his situation, he can't help but get closer to you. After all, you're a real person, and you don't gain anything from turning on him. You appreciate his kindness, and even if there's a fourth-wall separating the two of you, Kalim's grateful.

Vil is shaken by the revelation. This is all a game? You're just here to be entertained? But in spite of how worldview-shattering the realization that he's just a game character meant to Garner profit is, he can't help but he oddly comforted. Nothing's wrong with him. Neige 's performance was supposed to be worse than his, and the ordeal at VDC was just as unfair as he thought. Though Vil isn't exactly fine and dandy, he's not quite broken either. And, in the actual fanbase of this game he's in, people like him better than Neige? And you're one of those people? If it turns out you write fanfic or draw fanart of him, he'll be very appreciative.

Idia's shocked. His brother's death, his overblot, all the overblots, they were setups for him to be a character in some non-otome gacha game? It's weird. Idia's all too used to not being in control of his life, though. He just tries to cope in any way he can. He's definitely going to try and learn about his fandom, what type of ships and fanfic and fanart and the like are made about him. He's one of the most likely to try and ask you about the fandom. If you make fancontent for him, he's going to be especially interested. Be warned, though, he will nitpick your characterization of him so hard. At least your stats are better now, I guess?

Malleus is already an isolated individual, and now you're telling him what little connection to others he has is fake? In all honesty, he's definitely the most attached to you out of all the dorm heads. You're the only real friend he'll ever be able to have. The only real friend any of them will ever be able to have. He does find comfort in his massive fanbase, though. You're telling him all these people care for him, and because of the difference in the way time passes in game vs in reality, they won't die in a matter of what feels like seconds for him? As shaken as he is by everything, it really is a comfort.

[wayfayrr]

Hey there, I wondered if Tears ever gets insecure about his arm, scars or possibly even his height. Like I find his height absolutely perfect and adorable but he is smaller than most other people and it might bother him?

So I've been wondering how he acts when insecure and what would be a good way to comfort him. I would just hold him and try to convince him of all the good qualities he has. As well as petting through his hair. Making him feel loved and secure. And honestly an extraordinary arm isn't that bad, it doesn't affect who he is after all.

I wonder if that would help or he'd need some other form of comfort. Or maybe to be left alone. Anything from an answer to hc's to a short story or even deletion is fine! If you even have time and are willing that is!

Have a great day! <3

I absolutely loved this request, thank you so much for it - I've gone with three different possible scenarios for why he could be dealing with feeling insecure and some headcanons for how you could help him feel better about himself after each one <3 There is one major one I left out but the issue regarding his memories will definitely be explored some time soon!

honestly exploring tears is just so fun, it's nice tearing into his different layers :3c headcanons under the cut!

[masterlist]

due to his prosthetic 

✦ This is the easiest of his insecurities to deal with, as it only really tends to show itself when his phantom pains act up. 

✦ he’s long used to having lost his arm by the point that you meet, having had to figure out a replacement for when Rauru’s arm faded after his second quest was over.

✦ despite that though he still isn’t used to the ricocheting pain he gets once every so often, less now than when he was first still drowned in gloom but still just as debilitating. 

✦ He just needs to taken away from other people and shown affection, reassured that his is a benefit rather than something people only pity him for. 

✦ it’s all he really needs in those moments of vulnerability, when he can feel the flesh being shredded from his none existent bone. 

“Wouldn't it be better if there was some way to just have my arm go back to how it should be? That way I wouldn’t be such a burden when he decides to haunt me again.” “Sherbert whatever do you mean? You aren’t a burden for this, why even consider it?” “The whole group has had to come to a stop just because of this stupid pain and I know you’ve seen time getting pissed off with me for the things I can do with it.” “Time’s just an old man who’s worried about your safety, he means no harm with it. Wars got the rest to come to a stop for the same reason, not because you’re a burden, but because we care for you.” “But If my arm wasn’-” “Your arm is part of who you are. And I wouldn’t have it any other way, I love you for you Li, don’t even waste your energy thinking otherwise.”

✦ another way to help him through these patches is more to do with also indulging his love for learning about your home, or well more to the point - stickers. Giving him ones with meaning and that he thinks are pretty help him to work his confidence back. Because it wouldn't be possible without his arm!

due to his height 

✦ This comes out even rarer than his doubts about his arm, and only due to a very specific scenario and that’s if you’re talking about Earth's beauty standards - how taller people are often seen as more attractive.

✦ If you aren’t quick to say otherwise he’s going to assume that’s what you think too, it’s going to do a real number on his self esteem - because the thing is, he never really cares about what other people think about him, it simply doesn’t even register as something he should be worried about before he met you outside of the memory issue but that’s a whole other thing 

✦ this is the first time that something that REALLY has never been an issue for him becomes a big problem, if you aren’t aware of why he’s feeling like this then the sudden shift will come as a surprise. As he starts to avoid you and tear up whenever you see him before leaving. The rest of the chain mention that they’ve seen him tinkering with things but no one has seen exactly what it is.  

✦ the reason it came up was possibly from another member of the chains jealousy of how close the two of you were before this, or simply another villager trying to get you to go with them ‘because why wouldn’ t you want a tall handsome guy? 

✦ the sooner you can catch on and comfort him the better, as it’ll give it less time to get stuck in his head that you aren’t comforting him because it’s true, and it’s harder to tell himself that it isn’t while you’re pretty much confirming it

✦ but when you finally do get through to him that you don’t care about his height? That you aren’t secretly judging him for being so short? He’ll have a little moment where he breaks down, he’s been avoiding you for so long… and for what? All that time with you he’s missed over such a ridiculous reason will haunt him for at least a few days. 

“Tears? Link what are you doing? You’ve been avoiding me for nearly a week now. And - are those?” “I, no I haven’t been ‘avoiding’ you, just, I’ve just been busy… yeah.” “Were you just making those stilts this whole time? Is that why you’ve blanked me, seriously?” “I just - I, that - in the village.” “Hey, hey lilac there’s no need to cry love, I’m not angry, I’ve just missed you. You don’t have to tell me why, it’s just worried me.” “It - that guy, what he said - I just, wouldn’t you prefer someone taller?” “Well someone taller wouldn’t be you love. And I couldn’t even imagine being with someone else.” “R-really?” “Really darling.”

✦ he'll be impossibly clingy and almost showy after the fact, to the point where other people start getting concerned about how close he's getting - but it's not like he's hurt anyone else over it yet but if the villager who planted the idea in his head ever appears again then, well who would blame him..?

due to his sexuality (haha demiromantic asexual tears hc stepping innn)

✦ This is a bit more of a unique one, because it isn’t something he’s had to put all that much thought into before, it’s just never come up, but when he hears how some of the others talk about relationships he starts to have doubts about himself. 

✦ He simply doesn’t feel things that the others have described and the things that he has felt happened so much slower than how they said it did for them. He simply can’t help but question if there was- is something wrong with him. 

✦ He only started to fall when he was good friends with you, not the instant connection that he heard that time had with malon, or twi with midna. He doesn’t want you the person who he loves more than his own life to be with someone who he’s starting to think as so broken. If he can’t feel love ‘right’ then how could he hope to treat you right? 

✦ If he learns about this being normal, about the fact that other people share the same things as him, that he has flags that can use to show off his identity? It’s the biggest relief that he’s felt since meeting someone who treated him like a person. 

✦ once he’s gotten it through his head that he’s not broken, and that he doesn’t need to be worried about not being enough for you. You accept him for what he is and aren’t trying to make him change. It’s something he very very rarely gets to experience, and it definitely helps him feel even closer to you in the end 

✦ some of the biggest comfort he gets is you just accepting him and letting his feelings progress at his natural rate, it’s one of the best things he could have hoped for.

[beanghostprincess]

Something I adore when it comes to Sanuso is that their relationship canonically has a type of development we don't pay much attention to. We do talk about their remarkable scenes together but not the differences between them and the time they take place.

When they meet they do not get along. Like. At all. They start yelling at each other and arguing and honestly? It makes so much sense keeping in mind their personalities and differences. They just don't click.

Then Alabasta comes and Sanji returns Usopp his goggles. It's not a grand gesture, but it's intimate and nice and they are crewmates, after all, so of course he would do it. Sanji is just kind like that and he cares so much for each of them, so he gives. And I don't think Usopp is used to being taken care of like this, so he takes. Also, we already see them interact as friends, so we can say they are a family.

Now this is when the huge development starts taking place. Because even if their dynamic of constantly arguing and personalities clashing, Sanji sacrifices himself for Usopp (and Nami <3) when the fight against Enel happens. In fact, Sanji and Usopp spend all of Skypiea together, basically, and despite the comedic banter, Sanji seems to be keeping an eye on Usopp constantly. Worrying. And it's not only from Sanji's POV, because Usopp also keeps clinging onto Sanji and looking after him so he doesn't do anything stupid (like almost killing himself getting electrocuted, thank you).

So we've established not only a friendship, but a bond strong enough for Sanji to protect him in instinct. Although it's not like Sanji cares much about his own well-being for self-sacrifice to be considered a privilege, he would do it for anyone, but!! The way in which they show it on screen and portray their relationship and how Usopp is actively worried about him too makes it seem like they want you to focus on them.

We see a bit of them throughout the show but my favorite thing is how they go from not being able to stand each other to Sanji kicking their captain so he doesn't tell Usopp to leave the crew. He doesn't take any sides because the fight isn't his anyway and he is aware of what they need to do in the end, but Sanji also understands Usopp better than anybody else and his favoritism at this point is so damn obvious it hurts. He doesn't only hit Luffy but is obviously more affected than the rest of them by Usopp leaving. He stays with him during all of Enies Lobby and supports him constantly. He gives him what he needs, space, but being close enough to watch how he's doing. He offers him some type of alliance. It's not only "I'll do what you can't and you'll do what I can't" but "You trust me and I trust you". And we know he means it in a way for Usopp to trust in his abilities and to also trust the crew in general, but it feels so... Intimate that it's more of an "I get you. I understand" than anything else.

Then it becomes even more painful but horribly obvious how close they are, because Sanji loses Usopp during Sabaody and the scene is just so damn focused on them only (ft Brook at first. I love him). Sanji's desperation to protect Usopp and sacrifice himself for him and Usopp refusing to let him do it because he won't escape without him...

It's the little things that make their relationship so well-written. It's not only the constant parallels but also the subtle development they have. Their relationship goes through so much.

And then they barely have any scenes together post-timeskip but at least we got a picture of them stargazing together during the Marineford arc so that's something--

Although we can never forget how Usopp still trusts Sanji to protect him because during Punk Hazard he is always relieved when he sees Sanji's face (even though it's Nami) and because during Wano Usopp just assumes Sanji is going to be the one protecting him. So we might not have much of them now, but their development hasn't been for nothing.

[indigo-constellation]

It's taken me far too long to have this thought out in public

Daniil should be Artemy's sacrifice in the termite ending.

tl;dr Haruspex route is the only one Daniil doesn't fit the criteria for a sacrifice in and it's been haunting me for years.

NOW, what's the criteria we get for the sacrifice? Beautiful young woman who is in love with Artemy right? well, yes, but that prophecy is given to the player by Katerina, the false mistress, all of her other prophecies are in some way wrong, why is this one followed to the letter? Well there is another definition to the sacrifice Artemy must make, two actually. (it's one, I know, but this is easier for me)

The first is that it has to be equal to the udurgh, which the polyhedron isn't. This is why Artemy does not become the foreman in the termite ending and why that ending feels so deeply unsatisfying and unfitting for him, because he never actually fulfils his goal (THIS IS WHY HARUSPEX ROUTE UTOPIAN ENDING IS SO MUCH BETTER but I already ranted about that) Aglaya fills that criteria.

Now you might ask why, and that leads very cleanly to the second point, the real need in the sacrifice to be equal to the udurgh is that it isn't a man, and in Aglaya's own words, "Simon was almost human. And me-I'm not quite human." Aglaya is not quite human, because she is aware of her status as a doll.

What does this have to do with Daniil?

Well, Daniil is "not quite human" himself in the two other routes.

Bachelor route is very simple to explain, not only does he get to discover that he is a doll, but even if he doesn't heal another bound and meet the powers that be, he is still the player character, he still has this level of separation from the world caused by the player, this distinction between the player and the character is made most clear in the Haruspex route where it's explicitly said that Aglaya isn't in love with Artemy, she's in love with the player, as the player themselves say, "Did you fall in love with him because he was free? But that wasn't him; it was me." Meaning that the player is separate enough from their character to justify the player character being "not quite human."

Now Changeling route is where this gets interesting. because there it is also not his route but Daniil is still aware of his status as a toy in it, claiming it to be the third time he's been deceived, outright stating, "I'm a plaything! And so, undoubtedly, are you." Now this obviously makes him fit the criteria of "not quite human" as established by Aglaya, but, this is where it gets interesting.

Because in that same conversation, Daniil can say, "Self-denial is the meaning here, silly. Deny yourself and you win. Yes, that's how it is! That's the essence of my discovery." And this, this line. This one line, which is specifically set after the player played the Bachelor's route, implies that he has known since. Now that might be a bit of a stretch but with the recommended order of playing being Bachelor -> Haruspex -> Changeling, how hard is it to believe that there is a chance that he is aware during the Haruspex's route? Honestly that makes that possibility so fascinating, because he is right when he's saying that he only wins by self-denial, because by denying to himself (and to Artemy, ie, still himself) the fact that he is a doll, he is keeping himself alive. Because otherwise, he would fit the criteria, being a Healer, a past (or future) player character, and "not quite human" he would very well fit the criteria to be an equal sacrifice to the udurgh.

Let us revisit the prophecy by Katerina, by Artemy's own description, Daniil is handsome, he is 28/29 so arguably young, not a woman, and well, in love with Artemy. Considering the fact that Katerina's prophecies are never outright true, this is as close to confirmation as I am going to get.

Why do I care?

WELL, one, potential, so much potential, I have a wip waiting about this.

But also, it would make the problem of Haruspex route termite ending being a kind of boring and unfulfilling ending not be that, and add another layer of tragedy to it. Let me explain, the problem with termite ending (Artemy route) as it is, is that Artemy makes the wrong choice, it's said multiple times that the right choice for him, is to destroy the town, this is stated in Clara's ice prince story, in the character selection screen, as well as the conversation with the executor in the end which states that "inevitability" is the only true villain. Daniil being his sacrifice would prove that wrong. It would give Artemy a way out of that trap laid for him. It would mean the acceptance of the butchers and Artemy gaining access to the living blood below the earth, not just what will spill from the polyhedron's base. It also adds another interesting aspect to the game in that this would be the one chance for a player character not your own to die, and it will be by your hand. Which assuming the player played/is planning to play Bachelor route, would hurt.

I'm not even going to go into the queer interpretation of that possible ending just know that I am thinking about it constantly

I hope this was somewhat coherent, I have been thinking about this specific thing for years and it's not leaving me alone.

[uneducated-author]

Okay, I DO NOT want this to come off as hate, because I love this show, have loved this show and will continue to love this show (I have no choice, I'm pack bonded) but... If I can bring up the way that the show feels... Off.

I don't want to say I dislike it, because I haven't really given it a fair chance, and I actually do really like a lot of the new episodes, and I would hate for anyone to see this and think that I have anything but huge amount of respect to the writers, actors and professionals working together, but I just wanted to know if anyone agreed, or is thinking along the same lines as me.

Meta Humour can work, and work really well. Fleabag's strongest storytelling point is the metaphor of a third wall break being her way of 'leaving' her real life, where we as the audience become her confidant, her trusted friend, her escape. Princess Bride has a meta humour that folds into the framing device. The Emperors New Groove uses it for comedy, and ties it to the medium, framing device and the tropes set up by virtue of the genre. Other shows can have throwaway lines with double meanings, one for the characters and one for the audience.

But Doctor Who Excelled in Commiting to the story. The suspension of disbelief, and the sheer illusion of this madman, hidden from us by our own inability to Notice, it was fun. It connected itself to our world with jokes about pop culture and throwaway lines about Merlin and Robin Hood and all these running jokes but...

Doctor Who proves that no matter how ridiculous the premise, a story can be great if you believe in the story you're telling. You can throw cat women in a hospital, have bad CGI mannequins clone a man, create bats that feed off time energy, but it doesn't matter, because if you and the actors are devoted to the world you're building, the audience will have no choice but to love it too.

Even Peter Capaldi has these scenes where he addresses us as an audience, lecturing us, but not only does it set up his career as a lecturer at a university, it has an in universe reason, where he explains that when he's unsure about how to get out of a bind, he retreats within his mind, pretends he's already escaped and he's bragging to Clara. The throwaway line 'I'm nothing without an audience' carries weight because... Well, he does need an audience. This is his own illusion, we're just sneaking a peak. This isn't the actor lifting the curtain a la Oz, this is us being brought into a characters mind.

Missy has a hilarious meta joke where she roleplays as the doctor and introduces the companions as 'Exposition' and 'Comic Relief'. It's targeted at fans, and clearly a shakedown of the tropes and- it works. Because this is a game to Missy, because she doesn't take this seriously, she's playing a role. It makes sense for This character in This context, and it doesn't break the illusion.

But the new series... There's just a plastic feeling to it. I almost feel like they're setting up a Wandavision bit where it's all a TV show. The joke about 'I thought that was Non Diagetic' was hilarious, and I loved it, but the winks and nods to the camera? The overexplanation and overexposition? 'Never seen a TARDIS before?' Lines said to the audience, basically dropping the wall between us. We are not watching the Doctors life, nor are we being brought into his mind. This isn't showing a characters view, or self aware commentary. It's a cheap laugh that doesn't land.

I don't want to hate the show, and I don't! But it's just... Loosing itself. Back when it was help together with duct tape and a prayer, they had to commit, to make up for the penny sets. Is it such a bad thing to miss that?

[tiredassmage]

tyr & hyroh or rhyst & hyroh for the oc date meme? 👀

Send me “[your OC name] + [my OC name] = date?” for me to tell you the chances of my OC going on a date with your OC

I suppose it's fair to establish Tyr never rules out seduction as a means to an end, though it's generally not the first path he reaches for (and probably less so the older he's gotten; more correlated to the different roles he's taken since his early Intelligence career compared to now than doubt of his skills, but I digress). But that'd imply he'd be looking at Hyroh like a job and fuck is he ever tired of looking at the whole damn galaxy like he's holding a thermal detonator in the middle of an oil field. Even if it's maybe true. Even if it is maybe one of the few things that's kept him alive. Aside from the spite. The spite does wonders sometimes. It's also a little toxic simultaneously, but that's not a first date topic. At least take him home for a night or three before you start trying to crack open his aching desire to simply exist, please?

It'd almost transfix him that someone's even asking. And Tyr, battered idealist at heart that he is, so long as he's not actively looking like a trap? If he's confident enough he's not going to walk immediately into one. Alright. Sure. Let's see what happens for an evening, a night, a quiet morning. He'd like somewhere a bit quieter, if you don't mind. Big, public scenes aren't... really his thing, not least because there's more variables to a sound exit strategy when there's more people involved.

I'd also call him liable to catch feelings about the whole thing because there's very few people who can or bother to try making him feel seen and this question asked with any genuine intent to get to know him is... one of those things, lol. Tyr doesn't commit to people lightly, but when he does, he tends to do so with his whole damn chest and every ounce of him he can uncover in whatever rubble exists of Cipher Nine. He's... fallen a little in love with a fair handful or two of people along the way because of that, I'd say. Little's come of most of it, of course, but... it's worth it, to him. It proves it's all real. It reminds him why he keeps marching forward.

TLDR, I guess, lol, Hyroh's got the right stuff to make Tyr feel emotions. Maybe they'll have luck actually processing them together? At the very least, you've made a friend who'd protect your secrets with his life. I think he'd find way more in common with Hyroh than he'd expect, lol. But that'd just draw him in more, tbh. It's difficult to resist the call of a potentially kindred spirit when they are a rare brand in the galaxy. (And... generally for reasons Tyr would classify as 'good.' He's still fighting this mess so there's hopefully less people as lost as he is.)

Oopsie that was an essay, Tyr unlocks so many emotions in me, how do either of us process all of this???? Rhyst is telling me I should go to bed because it's almost midnight sO. >.> Let's call it here for the night, lol.

[dazais-guardian-angel]

kinda wild to me that one of the most compelling aspects of both Chuuya and Kunikida's characters to me, that I never really see talked about, is how they're heavily set on a doomed crash course towards complete and utter destruction, and how I am so, so worried for them both.....

[trekkele]

Oh? You like [popular ship]? Which one is always making "unecessary boundaries" and is "emotionally incompetent" and which one is always stomping over those boundaries in the name of "emotional competence"?

[osamid]

an interesting (unpopular? i think?) soukoku opinion i have is i don't think dazai was oblivious to his feelings towards chuuya, like ever. i understand WHY people interpret dazai as having trouble identifying and reckoning with his emotions; i'm not knocking it! there's plenty of evidence to suggest that and also i think it fits with his actions. HOWEVER. for me dazai is the most fun when he's deliberately suppressing and neglecting his own feelings. dazai realizes at the tender age of like 15 that he's at least infatuated with chuuya, and his first instinct is "well how do i compartmentalize that. how do i make sure this doesn't interfere with my plans and our job at the mafia." and then he compromises with his emotions by keeping chuuya close but not allowing himself to seem too affectionate or "trick" chuuya into liking him back. i think this version of dazai is most compelling to me because then the struggle isn't "get blockhead dazai to realize he's in/can love" its "get blockhead dazai to realize he's allowed to indulge in love" which is much more fun, especially when you have seven (or even more, i don't think this mindset would be limited to chuuya) years worth of distancing himself from his own emotions to contend with.

[the-haunted-prince-au]

Currently playing with the inherent body horror that comes from Snatcher being alive and human again

(The "purge my insides doodle was originally gonna be a bit gorey but I decided against it)

@return-of-the-queen-au

[sinkableruby]

i think i finally put my finger on what bugs me about saying that ougi wants to make araragi alone

because like, she doesn't. not exactly

in the owarimonogatari light novel (and in the anime!) she's genuinely disgusted when araragi mentions he had no friends back in freshman year. this is not the reaction of someone who wants someone to be all alone forever

there's nuance to it, i think-- in owari when araragi says he's going to wait for kanbaru, she responds: "so you're counting on being saved by others?"

recall her words in the avant of kabuki: "people think they're being watched by god when they're going under these streetlights" (when really they're not totally free from danger)

under that philosophy, putting all your eggs in the basket that someone will show up for you is too hopeful. what if no one ends up showing up? then you'd be sitting there helpless. better to learn how to stand on your own two feet before you wait for someone to pull you to them. that's what i think the idea is: "you can't always rely on the people around you, so it's best to be able to rely on yourself if you need to." being able to help yourself, in other words

of course, asking for help could be a form of self help. but just don't bank on it, is what ougi suggests here. (and not even that adamantly i might add. she's not pushing for it very hard-- this is just one point in her criticism, not the whole itinerary. which is why it confuses me when people say getting him to be alone is her goal. because it's really not)

the tsukimonogatari scene is a little different-- ougi criticizes him for relying on a "little girl" (ononoki, whom she knows is not truly a "little girl"), calling it pathetic. i think the ethos is ultimately the same here: "really? putting your problems on a little girl? why don't you learn some self-sufficiency and take care of it yourself?" araragi relies on people a lot, so it's only natural that it would be a recurring point of criticism for ougi. i think the "little girl" thing might either be to rhetorically make araragi's reliance more of a heavy thing-- corpse dolls might not be bothered as much by the weight of your problems as a little girl would. perhaps it calls attention to the idea that oddities changed based on how they are perceived-- calling ononoki a little girl makes her seem just a little more incapable, a little less able to deal with araragi's issue. or perhaps it's to produce more of a sting when ononoki designates herself clearly as a monster to araragi, create more of a rift between them (that she admits she is hoping for). but it's not clear cut, and i'd have to rewatch tsukimonogatari probably to be more sure

either way, the through line still seems to be "don't count on other people or god to help you. do it yourself." which isn't exactly bad, but again since araragi relies on people a lot, ougi criticizes him more for it, and also is just overly critical in general, so it starts to become pushing him away from his friends as a result of that. but my point is it's not "isolate yourself" for the sake of it, it's isolate yourself so you know you can help yourself by yourself

which of course would make hanekawa and meme's appearances in ougi dark all the more baffling to her. she'd been trying to get araragi to not count on a miracle, but because he decided to stay open to one, one actually did happen.

[merrilldidnothingwrong]

Fenris’ Temper

So, with Fenris, a lot of the fandom focuses on how angry he can get in conversation and cutscenes. However. There’s good reason for it, and it’s nowhere near as bad as the fandom makes it out to be. His anger in cutscenes is a direct response to him being triggered by his trauma. In conversations, it’s a different thing.

When Fenris is angry in conversations, invariably, it’s because another companion crossed a boundary they shouldn’t have. And most of the time he simply snarls, instead of outright lashing out. When he lashes out, mostly at Anders but occasionally at Merrill, it’s usually because they crossed a boundary in a far too personal manner. (Anders does this with a lot of people) But most of the time, Fenris is simply snarling in response to his boundaries being violated.

And this is important, because Fenris is a man who is only now, in the time of the game, figuring out his boundaries, and starting to live and grow, instead of just surviving. He’s spent the grand majority of his life that he can remember as a slave who wasn’t allowed to express anything that his master would disagree with. So when we see Fenris in-game, we’re seeing someone who is figuring out that it’s okay for him to express emotions like anger, or happiness, or love. And he’s doing a lot of personal growth over the course of the game.

He’s learning to read, he’s figuring out his likes and dislikes, he’s making friends for the first time in memory. He walks away from a romance with Hawke because he doesn’t feel like he’s personally ready for a romantic relationship. And if Hawke is willing to wait, he will come back when he feels ready.

So of course when his boundaries are crossed, he’s going to defend them with all the snarling of a mother bear. Because he’s spent his life not even having boundaries to defend. And Fenris is so determined to hold onto every freedom he gets. And the freedom to be upset is a big one. So no. I don’t blame Fenris when he gets upset, because while he might not always say great things when he is, every time he’s angry, it’s for good reason. - Mod Alistair

[laceratedlamiaceae]

geneuinely a hate crime to give Stede better taste than Ed. Stede would not appreciate ABBA because he hates women too much and thinks Money, Money, Money is a personal attack on him.

I maintain that Stede has better taste than Ed (although I might be biased because I love to talk shit about Ed), however "Stede would not appreciate ABBA because he hates women too much" is the funniest thing I've ever received in my inbox

[kinnoth]

Ok but think about how fucking horrible Loki would have turned if Thor had managed to become king. Like, even when they were only princes together, there was basically nothing Loki couldn't get away with: bullying the patriciate, being a flagrant wizard, spending extravagant amounts of money on absolute tat. And then, he was only the third most powerful man in the empire. With Odin gone, and only Thor who could possibly curb him? Dear fucking god.

Bc when has thor ever showed an interest in curbing anything loki has ever wanted or done

[simptasia]

when i was a kid i used to write stories about dr. katz, a 6 foot tall cat man who was a paediatrician. but he’d always eat all his patients. he ate children. i never explained how he kept his job, considering all the dead children. anyways, i’d always draw him wearing an old fashioned nurse uniforms, like in cartoons. that wasn’t to imply crossdressing was some creepy lunatic thing, i just found it more fun to draw a nurse’s uniform than some regular doctor uniform

[trickstercaptain]

       also though while i'm thinking about tattoos and the symbolism of them, i also laugh to myself that i frequently describe Jack as not a romantic when the following things are true:

• he says in tpof that he has read "most of" shakespeare's poetry, and considering his poetry is almost entirely comprised of the sonnets, some of the most famous love poetry in all of human history.... and while you can say that it might have been pure coincidence that Jack happened to obtain a book of poetry over some of his plays while he was younger.... the indisputable fact is that Jack still read them.

• the bandana and the sash are both gifts from lovers and pieces of his clothing that he is inseparable from, and the majority of other effects and trinkets are sentimental gifts/keepsakes from people he's cared about and places that he's been.

• likewise, his method of gift-giving is to randomly pick up things on his travels and spontaneously give them to people. like a crow.

• literally falls in love with his ship on first sight and is therefore guilty of the most cliche romance trope of all, and does so in spite of the fact that she was in a poor condition and in desperate need of tlc, because Jack always sees past the surface level of the things and people around him.

• and speaking of his ship, everything that he has ever done for or because of her would be worthy of any romance novel if the Black Pearl were human, i'm js.