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echoequinox · 1 year

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I keep joking that my OTP within the Mane Six is just. The Mane Six. So I wrote how I think every relationship would go-

I'm sorry in advance. Under a spoiler because it can get a little saucy. (These horses have mortgages, you know they're doin' it)

(Also I've only seen like, some of season 4, and only up through half of season 2 recently. If you wanna see how much I've watched go listen to Friendship Is Content on Spotify, that's me!)

Raritwi: A lot of soft, quiet moments. The two bond over a lot of cerebral activities like crafts and learning various tactile techniques and so a lot of their hanging out is parallel play. Dates are usually nice dinners where Rarity gets to dress Twilight up all fancy and listen to her infodump for hours.

Twidash: Dash is Twilight's own personal research subject. She's fascinating to her in so many ways - from her extraordinary speed to the magical connection to their cutie marks to what loyalty means. It's a lot of gentle teasing and butting heads.

Twipie: Even more than Twidash, Twilight and Pinkie are different. They're so inherently opposite one another. Pinkie is extroverted and Twilight is introverted. BUT, both are such massive people pleasers that it draws out interesting sides to both. Pinkie planning events for Twilight has to dig into what makes a quiet, calm night in so much fun, while Twilight spends time learning the study of Play and what makes parties so important, both sociologically and historically.

Fluttertwi: A lot of their relationship is built on quiet companionship. Similar to Raritwi but an even stronger focus on being alone together. Dates are usually things like taking the other to a spot that's important to them, learning things the other likes, like a site of ancient magic or a nesting ground for a rare breed of animal.

Twijack: Where Pinkie and Twilight draw out the ways the other is socially different, Applejack and Twilight are a dichotomy of motivation. AJ is heavily focused on external motivations - the farm, her family, the apple legacy - and Twilight is focused inward - her studies, her friends, her career. Dates vary wildly from huge Apple family get-togethers to a quiet night by the hearth enjoying each others' cooking.

Raridash: Trophy wife. It's a trophy wife relationship. Literally both ways. Rainbow Dash is dead certain she lucked into the hot arm candy trophy wife in Rarity, the kind of hot gal that has every other butch at the track hooting and hollaring, and Rarity knows she has the toughest hottest slab of meat of a woman this side of Equestria. The sex is insane.

Raripie: Weirdly, their common ground is beauty and aesthetics. Both are very into making sure things are CORRECT and pretty. They feed into each other in a really healthy way, where Rarity teaches Pinkie the importance of diligence and attention to detail, while Pinkie stresses that sometimes it's good to let loose and let things BECOME beautiful instead of making them. You can only invite people to a party, you have to hope they have fun!

Rarishy: It's a lot of compromising, that's for sure. Rarity loves going out, Fluttershy likes staying in. Rarity hates being unclean, Fluttershy loves the forests and plains. It pulls the two into realms of uncomfortability, but they do find times when they relate to one another - see: the spa - and learning to compromise is good for the both of them.

Rarijack: Like Raridash but more raw emotion. If the Raridash sex goes crazy, the Rarijack dates are even MORE insane. AJ starts trying to woo Rarity, who cannot be shown up by the likes of her, and the two are competing for who is cuter and more in love with the other. It's a nice blending of two very different mindsets.

Dashpie: Pranks and smoochin'. That's the foundation of their relationship. They play pranks, they tease the others, they zip around and have fun, and then they make out until they pass out from lack of air. They're both so STUPID.

Flutterdash: Classic friends to lovers. More than any of the others on this list. Known each other for years, Dash stands up for Fluttershy constantly, it's a relationship based on respect and a long history with one another. Long, lazy, nightly flights around Ponyville just shooting the shit and nuzzling under the moonlight kind of stuff.

Appledash: If an arm wrestle could be a relationship, that's Appledash. They both THRIVE on competition. Trying to be better than one another in every way, stronger, faster, a better lover. Sex is a game, and both of them are POSITIVE there's a way to win at it.

Flutterpie: Very sweet, very soft, very patient. Pinkie is exuberant with most partners but with Fluttershy she understands there's a level of patience and understanding that has to be had. Big parties, loud cannons, all of the things Pinkie is used to and comfortable with aren't things Fluttershy likes. Her ADHD may make her vibrate out of her skin sometimes, but the quiet moments with Fluttershy make it worth it.

Applepie: FUN. All the time. Laughing, jokes, japes. Lots of family functions, lots of parties, even for no reason. Pinkie throws "Apple Bucking Parties" and "AJ's Favorite Tree Is Three Years Old Parties" and "I Made AJ Laugh During Sex Last Night (Again) Parties", and AJ's overwhelming earth pony stamina has her kickin' it for each and every one (as long as her work is done, of course). Their baked goods go INSANE.

Appleshy: A very picturesque relationship. Kind of "little house on the prarie" shit. Fluttershy is very much "stay at home wife" and AJ is very much a breadwinner, out makin' the bacon and bringing all sorts of lovely gifts for her beautiful girlfriend with every anxiety disorder. Fluttershy helps take care of AJ's animals.

Bonus ships:

Twiluna: Both living in Celestia's shadow means that they have this mutual understanding, this feeling of trying to measure up, trying to please a woman who is already pleased, and it means they both have INSANE praise kinks. It's truly bonkers. Luna says Twilight is a good girl one time and Twilight rides the high for a week. She has to tell Spike to come up with a letter because her Lesson On Friendship that week absolutely cannot be telling Princess Celestia how soft her sister's lips are. Insane.

Twitrix: Kismesis. Blackrom. It's all hate sex all the way down. Every single word out of Trixie's mouth makes Twilight more and more furious, and seeing how cute she is drives Twilight up a fucking wall. Twilight will insist she's a better mage - SHOW Trixie undeniable truth - and Trixie will hit back with some stage magic that she says proves Twilight wrong. She kisses her just to get her to shut the fuck up.

#personal #rarity #twilight sparkle #rainbow dash #applejack #fluttershy #pinkie pie #mane six #ships #my little pony #mlpfim #friendship is magic

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semisolidmind · 1 year

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How did Wukong find MK and decide to adopt him?

non-spoiler answer: wukong found mk when he was small, had a rare moment of empathy, decided to adopt him and raise him as his own.

(season 4 spoilers: context taken from later episodes in the season. also bad end mk lore, ig)

spoiler answer: stone egg.

mk comes from a similar place as wukong; made from the same stone, although mk came out as a young child instead of a fully formed adult. despite having a small thought about "sparing" mk the pain of a life as a monkey demon by killing him then and there, wukong decides to adopt mk and raise him to be as strong as he can. think of it like an extra middle finger to heaven from the monkey king (that and the fact that the only person wukong ever would have felt comfortable having kids with has been dead for thousands of years and he isn't sure if she's gonna reincarnate, so mk may be his only chance at having a legacy).

i have a theory that the reason mk looks human in the show is because he saw humans when he wandered into the city, so he unconsciously changed his form to look more like them. like, the magic that created him knew he'd be safer if he looked human.

however, seeing as villain wukong decided to adopt him and raise him alongside the other monkeys of ffm from the beginning, mk's form in this au is similar to the monkey form we see in the show. he has better access to his powers that way, on top of swk actively discouraging him from looking human.

it's like the reverse of what we see in the show. mk has been raised (by wukong) to believe that humans are mostly terrible, so he should be happy being a monkey demon. when he does his gold magic glitch-out thing from the later episodes, he looks human during said glitch. it's a sort of reflection of his mental state; he's come to see himself as more human because of his exposure to mortal society and his changing ideals, but the distrustful, cautious side of him can't face that fact.

the mk of this au has some considerable differences from the normal mk. the biggest one being his skill level in combat. in this iteration, swk has been training him from day one, so that classic mk clumsiness is practically nonexistent. the kid's basically a living weapon (almost) on par with one of the greatest fighters in the world. there's an innate power and grace in his movement.

he's a lot more brutal in his fighting style as well. you get trained by a villain notorious for going all-out, you learn to not pull your punches no matter the opponent.

this is compounded by the fact that mk has his own staff. villain wukong isn't about to give up his signature weapon, and it doesn't seem like that much of a stretch to just...go steal another magic pillar from the eastern dragon palace.

"Like that old codger could stop us. C'mon, kid, let's go get you a real weapon."

another difference is mk's general attitude. sure, he's still a fairly happy kid, but he was raised to always keep his guard up. strike first, ask questions later. his first meeting with mei was an all out battle, because he didn't understand that this dragon decendent wasn't trying to hurt him. he's a bit more serious here too, and it's mei who's the upbeat one between the two of them. she's also the one that introduced him to pigsy, sandy, and tang. she's kinda his safety net as far as mortal interactions go, teaching him the ins and outs of mortal culture.

this version of mk can kick red son's ass stupidly easily. the whole dbk family, really. to the point that red son's terrified of him, though he tries to hide it behind a superior attitude. this could go for all the demons in the show, really. mk scares all of them to a certain degree.

he wouldn't reallyneed his friends help, in this au. he's got this idea in his head that he shouldn't be dragging his much less powerful friends into fights he can easily finish on his own. he's been raised with a "help yourself, because noone else will. in fact they'll be in your way" type mentality when it comes to battle.

his story in this au is more of a "allow people to get close to and care about you, not everyone is trying to kill you" arc, instead of a power-up, training arc. mk needs to learn to let people help him, and allow himself to be open.

to sum it up; mk is seen as a monster like his father, and is learning to be less of a monster. he wants to be a hero.

"I...I don't wanna be like him. I wanna be better, I want to use this power to help people, to protect them! I just...don't want to be what the world thinks I should be."

#bad end wukong #mk is a liiiittle different here #bad end mk

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romancomicsnews · 5 months

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5 Characters who should get an Invincible Special Origin Episode

Invincible Season 2 has just wrapped up, and while some fans are a little disappointed with its ending, overall the general consensus has been positive. From excellent music, to phenomenal voice work and animation, along with X-Men '97 its been a great time to be a superhero fan AND an animation fan.

This season also brought in a handful of new characters, as well brought some fan favorites to the forefront, including Allen the Alien, Rex Splode and Immortal.

I think I speak for everyone when I say I love being in this universe, and would love to see more. And while I know Season 3 will be here sooner than Season 2 was, I've been thinking about all those incredible characters and the Atom Eve Special.

It went a long way in showing how good the animation got, expanding on Atom Eve, and evening building up threats like The Lizard League.

I think theres alot of potential in expanding some of these characters, seeing their origins and helping build up their character development.

So I'm going to go through some, along with ideas as to how the episodes can play out. Spoiler Warning for Invincible Season 1 & 2 and mild spoilers from the comics.

5. Bulletproof

Starting off with one of the newest members of the Guardians of the Globe, Zandale Randolph AKA Bulletproof is definitely a character you forgot was in this season.

While he is known for a few big things in the future, he didn't really get to do much this season. He wasn't very useful in the sequid invasion, didn't really help in any major fights, nor do we know anything about him. So why him?

His history in the comics is rather tragic, and I think is something we are going to explore. His twin brother, a mad genius, attempts experimenting on Zandale in order to give himself superpowers. Instead it gives Zandale superpowers, and kills his brother.

Due to this, and unable to tell his parents, he pretends to be both brothers to preserve his brothers legacy.

That tragedy is alot, and could make for an amazing episode, with his brother being the villain and explain why he is so guarded.

Plus, I love Jay Pharoah. More Jay Pharoah please.

4. Dupli-Kate

We got some hints at Dupli-Kates origin in her eulogy from Immortal. Her powers come from a curse upon her family, that led to both her and her brother gaining the ability to multiply.

What you don't know is they started off as a brother sister team before going their separate ways.

We actually see Kate's brother Multi-Paul in the cell when the Maulers escape again. Seeing a young version of Multi-Paul before their inevitable confrontation in a later season could give us more stakes.

Yes, this is another sibling rivalry just like Bulletproof, but this could start way more fun than Bulletproofs.

And two multipliers who are children fighting it out in a dramatic finish? Also good television.

3. Monster Girl

Talk about a tragedy.

Monster Girl's curse was given to her after falling in love with a man whose grandmother disapproved of her. That grandmother was a witch, who turned her into an ogre with extraordinary power.

We don't get much else from her origin, which could give us some wiggle room.

This could start as a love story turned horror story, unable to get out of her monster form, feeling trapped in her own body. We can have the witch be an Agatha Harkness type, and a physical threat in the episode too.

Once she is defeated, Amanda is able to turn back and be with the man she loves, until she realizes months later, that she is getting younger, and he breaks her heart.

The beats are all there, and I'd love to see a magic based episode in the Invincible Universe mixed in with some Hulk style action. Plus, building up Amanda will be important as she is vital in the comics.

2. Thaedus The Great Betrayer

You didn't think I was only picking Guardians did you?

Thaedus' episode could be by far the most interesting, showing us Viltrum from a first hand perspective, before he betrayed and before he formed the Coalition.

I don't want to get too heavy into spoilers, but he causes a brutal blow on the Viltrum Empire I'd love to see first hand. We can keep Peter Cullen, or get a younger voice actor, but either way, seeing a younger Viltrum Empire would be very intriguing and a bloodbath.

1. Rex Splode

Despite being one of the most annoying characters in Season 1, Rex is by far the standout of Season 2 in my eyes.

Another origin that was slightly teased, I can imagine Rex's episode can be his sad origin, meeting Atom Eve in act 2, and taking out his oppressors by the end in a good old fashioned team up.

This could be a direct sequel to the Atom Eve Special, giving us more Eve, and help us understand their relationship even better. Plus Rex being blind sided with a girl who can make anything? Sounds like a fun battle to me.

Thank you so much for reading! Please consider following, and check out my socials and other sites here! And let me know: Who do you want to see get an Invincible Special Origin Episode?

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blindmagdalena · 6 months

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Here is another "let me pick your brain" lol.

I was wondering what your thoughts are on whether Homelander would die for Ryan and the endless debate about Homelander's mental illness.

I was arguing this point, and I personally thought he would. The person disagreed due to someone citing Homelander's narcissism and sociopathic personality.

We also disagreed on what and the spectrum of mental illness he suffers from. My personal belief is that he is that he is on the spectrum of grandiose narcissism, sadism, and APD (specifically sociopathology). I wouldn't put him completely in any of these boxes because he repeatedly demonstrates behavior that doesn't fit nicely in them. Still, he certainly has tendencies that fit somewhere on the spectrum of these disorders.

so, i don't feel qualified to talk on the diagnosis (even fictional) of these various mental illnesses, but i'll happily talk about what i believe is in character for Homelander, and what narratively makes sense to me. first and foremost, he is a tool in a story, so he's bound to make choices that don't fall in line with any singular diagnosis, but instead best serve said story. from the perspective of the writers, anyways.

yes, i think under the right circumstances, Homelander could sacrifice himself for Ryan, and i think that precisely because of his ego. it's important to remember that Homelander thinks of Ryan as an extension of himself. he wants for Ryan the life that he never had.

minor speculation/spoilers mb for season 4, but Homelander is getting older. that's going to be a crisis for him, and the only chance he has at any kind of legacy or immortality IS Ryan. his son is his second chance and his proxy.

all that said, i know that i'm presenting the Vader narrative. redemption at the last minute through death. that's not the spin i would like to see on this situation, though.

i don't believe in accountability for fictional characters. i don't believe redemption and love and sacrifice are all easy or clear-cut subjects that can—or should—be spoon fed to us. stories are tools of human emotion just like music and poetry and art, and emotions are messy.

were i writing for the series and it came down to "Homelander has to die for Ryan. Go." i would frame this as an impulsive move on Homelander's part. an honest to god miscalculation in a crucial moment driven by his instinct to protect his son. we already saw Homelander turn his back on a hostile enemy for Ryan's sake once. had Butcher not also been swayed by Ryan's injury, that right there could have been a death sentence.

in my minds eye, Homelander dying in Ryan's arms is straight up denial. he looks younger than his years and confused, like he just can't really process that he, a god, is dying. it doesn't make sense. so he assures him, "Hey, it's okay, bud, I'm right here. It's okay. Your dad's here."

because in the end that's all he ever wanted for himself. someone to love and protect him despite his strength and powers. and the only way he's going to get it is by giving it to his son.

#discowizard88 #homelander meta #ask and you shall receive #ryan butcher #ryan #homelander headcanons

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liyawritesss · 1 year

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ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴜ

Characters: Hope Mikaelson x Black!Stem!Reader

From: Legacies

Type: Drabble

Synopsis: Hope’s determined on not letting anyone else into her fragmented world. Yet, when things get overwhelming, she finds that you are the only person to soothe her.

Warnings: mild cursing, spoiler warning for legacies season 3-4, mentions of character death

A/N: my friend has been slowly but surely getting me ba k knto the TVD universe, and upon doing so I've rediscovered my crush on my favorite lil redhead Hope 🥺🥺 be nice to this i havent watched legacies in a HOT minute. Song Inspiration: “WAIT FOR U” by Future, ft. Drake & Tems, “Unthinkable” by Alicia Keys, “Flaws N’ All” by Sonta

Tags: @mbakuetshurisprincess @shuriszn @verachii @writingintheshadowsforever @cafehyunji @lulu-network @babyboiboyega @badass-dora-milaje @niyahwrites

Three fifty-seven is what reads in bold red letters on the digital clock that sits on Hope’s night stand. They burn against the back of her eyelids, yet do not promote any kind of sleep. They only prove as a reminder as to why she had not been graced with slumber.

There’s a picture that rests next to the clock. A candid photo taken by MG on one of their days into town to enjoy themselves as regular teenagers. Her eyes traced over every feature of herself in the picture; mouth wide with laughter and eyes shaped into crescents at the joke Caleb had made that she, for the life of her, could never remember. A boy sat next to her, head full of black curls and skin milky and freckled with perfectly imperfect blemishes that once made her heart swoon.

She never gathered the courage to take the picture out of its frame. She never had the courage to let go of one of the few good memories she had of that time. When things were simpler - as simple as they could get in the life she led. When she could look at that boy and tell herself that she made the right choice in trusting him with her heart.

Imagine, having to kill the one person you wanted so desperately to love.

No, the redhead’s own voice echoed through her mind, which was both empty and becoming increasingly overwhelmed at the same time, I am not doing this tonight.

Hope slips from underneath her covers, slipping from underneath the weighted blankets that had failed to help in her mission for sleep, slipping from the warmth they provided. Her long sleeved shirt did nothing to shield her from the cool air that contrasted the warmth of her blankets, the still breeze of the room nipping at her bare legs. Only shorts adorned her bottom half, cut off mid-thigh and leaving her pale skin rippled with goosebumps in the process.

Perhaps she thought the cold would provide some sort of shock to her brain that would make her realize how tired her body was, how it begged to be allowed rest, but it proved all for naught. Now Hope was exhausted and cold, with no way of remedying the situation.

Well, there was one remedy.

Hope glanced at her phone that rested on the nightstand. Her eyes lingered on the device for a long time, her mind battling for reason. It’s four in the morning, she reasons, there’s no way she’s gonna pick up.

Yet, she remembers your bouts of insomnia and knows that you find yourself waking much earlier than you intend to for class anyway, and there’s a small part of her that reasons that it wouldn’t hurt to try.

So Hope hesitantly grabs her phone from the mahogany surface of her nightstand, unlocks the device with her fingerprint, and finds herself scrolling a bit too eagerly to find your contact information.

What would the people around her think if they saw her now, she wondered, frantically calling up the girl who she made it very clear with that there would be no possibility of a relationship in any near future? Would they think her mad? Would they call her delusional? Both were traits that certainly ran in her family, and she would not be surprised if a part of her had still remained that way after only recently returning back to her original self.

She finds your contact information, but her thumb all but hovers over the call icon that rests under your name. Perhaps she shouldn’t be a bother to you, Hope thinks. She’ll think I’m crazy, she thinks, and yet, perhaps it is that particular thought that drives her to press the icon anyway. Because if Hope was crazy for wanting to even hear your voice to calm her aching soul, then perhaps such a title that was placed upon the likes of her father wasn’t so bad.

One ring; the pit inside of her stomach grows in intensity. It seems like the wait between rings is even more agonizing than the actual wait for an answer.

Two rings; Hope is beginning to regret listening to the part of her that has a soft spot for you. Why did she have to remember your sleep schedule? Why did she have to get her hopes up?

Three rings: you won’t answer. You’re asleep, and if she hasn’t already interrupted your slumber, she would surely have to come up with some creative excuse to use tomorrow when the two of you met in class-

A monotone click sounds. Silence, for a few seconds, though to her they seem like hours.

Then, your voice sounds.

“What the fuck, Hope,” you groan through the cellular device, and Hope’s aforementioned worry of awakening you is confirmed by the rustling of sheets and a following groan. She knows she should feel guilty, but the satisfying tingle that runs across her skin from hearing your voice takes away from any remorse she surely would have felt, “it’s…four in the fucking morning-”

“-I know,” Hope interjects, “I just…couldn’t sleep.”

There’s a pause; it’s intense, and Hope finds herself wondering what you’re thinking. Could you be silently cursing her out on the other end? She surely wouldn’t blame you if you were.

There’s more rustling that follows the pause, which causes worry to grow in her stomach, before she hears your voice again, “you want me to come down?”

“......could you?” She bites her lip, tugging at the skin on the pink area, and she doesn’t understand why she should be fearing rejection from you, as if you’d ever give her the pleasure of feeling such an agonizing sting to the heart.

“...yeah,” you finally answer, “yeah, just gimme a minute.”

There’s a blessing that comes with you staying a floor above Hope. It’s fairly easy to slip down the different dorm floors, she’s figured out, In the time between hanging up and waiting for you to come, Hope finds herself stuck in a state of overwhelming thoughts. They’re loud and varying in range, but all of them revolve around you.

Hope remembers when she rejected your advances a month prior. The expression on your face had been emblazoned into her mind, forever carved into memory how she had crushed your world. And yet, you’d been nothing but kind to the tribrid, still considering Hope and her feelings in every engagement the two of you had. You acted as if the rejection never took place; she wondered if this was your own coping mechanism for dealing with heartbreak. It certainly would be more healthier than any method Hope called herself using.

How could you still be so kind to her? How could you still be so willing to love her when she had expressed no possibility of reciprocation? Could you tell that Hope never meant as such? Did you still have hope in her?

How could one have hope in a desire openly denied? The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if such a question should be asked to you, or to herself.

A knock sounded on her door, bringing Hope from her state of entrancement. “Door’s open,” She mutters out loud enough to be heard, which prompts the soft click that sounds with the twist of the knob to her door. The creaking reveals you, slipping into her room, and almost immediately, your presence makes everything better.

There’s very little exchange of words from here on. It’s as if this is a practiced routine, one that had been engaged in for a while with the way you expertly slip into Hope’s bed, under Hope’s covers, and pull her into you. You place her head above your heart so that the melodic thumping of the muscle gives her mind something else to focus on. The way you operate with care in regards to her being has her heart aching, though she can’t decide if its from yearning for you or antipathy of the concept of loving someone.

She could contemplate on it another time, though, because the combination of your heartbeat and the low humming you’ve taken to doing has her body finally succumbing to her inclination of sleep. The last thing she remembers is you muttering words she’d never heard before - perhaps words to a poem or lyrics to a song you fancied.

I will wait for you, rings in her mind long after she’s succumbed to your gentle caress of her hair, and even in sleep, Hope wonders if that is a challenge you’re truly up to take.

If you enjoyed, please leave a like, comment, and reblog for others to see! And don’t be shy to send in a request!

#black reader #black tumblr #the vampire diaries #tvdu #legacies #legacies x reader #legacies x black!reader #hope mikaelson #hope mikaelson legacies #legacies hope mikaelson #hope mikaelson x reader #hope mikaelson x black!reader #hope x reader #hope x black!reader

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dwellordream · 2 months

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thoughts on HOTD, episode 7, season 2 (spoilers below)

I like the point that Aemond's advisors fear him, to everyone's detriment- they're so terrified of his rages that no one wants to tell him the Blacks are gathering dragonseeds. Aegon was a terrible king, but the courtiers ran roughshod over him because while he could be cruel, he wasn't very intimidating to anyone save servants and smallfolk. Aemond is a terrible king because he impulsively makes decisions based on fear- either his own terror of being seen as weak and ineffectual, or to make other people fear and respect him- or both.

Daemon and Oscar Tully's dynamic is that of a bitter, washed-up middle-aged substitute teacher who hates kids, and the overachieving, humorless star student who has zero respect for him. I love it. Also, I think the actor playing Oscar would make a great Robb Stark. I can dream. I do think it's good that the show delves into the ramifications of the Blackwoods' war-criming it up on Bracken lands at Daemon's encouragement- now the river lords have nothing but contempt for Daemon, and the Blackwoods are reviled as honorless thugs. It really gets across Daemon's inherent scumminess- he used Willem Blackwood as a violent pawn, and is perfectly willing to throw him under the bus after the fact.

At this point I think Daemon's Harrenhal hallucinations have run their course. The show could milk it for 3/4 episodes, and I was fine with that, but they're overused by the penultimate episode of this season, and not revealing anything we didn't already know about Daemon. I'm not entirely against Daemon's Riverlands arc the way some fans are- like it or not, at this point during the canonical Dance, he's not doing much. But I think the fever dreams are much more effective in smaller doses. There's nothing else to explore in regards to the Daemon/Viserys relationship. Daemon craves power but has no interest in the mundane reality of ruling. We all know this by now.

I don't get why Rhaenyra's children are depicted being shunted off with so few guards in the Vale- are we supposed to intuit that Jeyne Arryn literally does not give a shit what happens to them, or is this foreshadowing that they will be attacked on the road? It's not clear whether the show is going to do the canonical Battle of the Gullet or not, but again, I wouldn't be surprised if they depict Joffrey dying in it instead of Jacaerys, in order to give his character more screen time and development in Season 3.

I don't agree with the fans calling Jace hypocritical. Yes, he was all-for recruiting other legitimately born nobles of vague Targaryen descent to become dragon riders a few episodes ago. But empowering the actual smallfolk is another matter, and Jace is naturally insecure about the rumors regarding his birth and parentage. If any commoner bastard can tame a dragon, what does that say about him? He's right that Rhaenyra's succession will in all likelihood be challenged, even if she wins the war. Being a dragonrider no longer makes Jace special. And he is perfectly entitled to be angry with Rhaenyra for the legacy she left him. No, she didn't deserve to be forced into a marriage against her will, and she didn't 'owe' anyone legitimate children. But her choices have consequences and they've made Jace's life very difficult.

I actually enjoy Ulf's character here. He's a braggart and an arrogant idiot, but he's not delusional, and I think his back-and-forth with his friends about whether he has what it takes to claim a dragon is fucking hysterical. He's the typical burn-out former party boy, now in his late 30s, who's beginning to realize nothing great is coming around the bend for him.

I also enjoy their take on Hugh. It's debatable whether Hugh is implying that his mother was literally Saera Targaryen, or rather a bastard daughter of Jaehaerys, but either way, what a way to stick it the Conciliator, who was by all accounts a horrible father and husband who treated his wife like a broodmare and his daughters like shit. Hugh is mourning the loss of his daughter and has nothing left to lose. He wants revenge for the basic rights he was denied as a commoner. He's arguably one of the most heroic characters in the show.

I think the issue with Alicent in this episode is that despite this season being so slow-moving, they've sped-run her disillusionment so quickly that now that she's clearly regretful of encouraging Aegon to take the throne and disgusted by Aemond, the writers don't know what to do with her except have her brood. I think it would have been wiser to actually let her express some anger and grief over the loss of Jaehaerys- even if she wasn't close with her grandchildren- rather than to have her floating around nihilistically. At least give her something to motivate herself beyond 'my life is ruined'.

I do enjoy them showing that the dragonkeepers have developed their own ideology and politics. They idolize old Valyria to such a degree that they cannot tolerate the idea of even letting dragonseeds approach dragons, and it's foreshadowing of how the Targaryen legacy is doomed to cannibalize itself. Rhaenyra has to loosen the 'standards' of what makes an ideal dragon rider to gain support for the war- but at the same time, she can't stretch too far, or risk open rebellion from any lowborn dragonrider. If dragons are what makes a king or queen, then does being of noble blood really matter?

I wish they'd had Rhaenyra go down the self-righteous 'the gods will it so' route sooner, but I think it's a good contrast with Alicent to show Rhaenyra becoming inspired by the thought that all is preordained and that her own destiny is to be a great queen, while Alicent has lost faith in her religion, her family, and her own choices. I don't think Rhaenyra is insane or deluded here, but she is able to justify greater and greater sacrifices because she now truly believes she is fated to rule and that Westeros will crumble existentially without stable Targaryen leadership. She believes it to such a degree that she risks her own life with Vermithor in order to show her power before the smallfolk.

I think the ending scene was very well done, Ulf's gleeful flight over King's Landing and Aemond's genuine panic when he realizes he is no longer in control of the dragon power in Westeros was perfect. Overall, I enjoyed this episode more than episode 6, since shit actually happened. I'd give it a 7.5/10.

#hotd #word to the wise

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3nigm4art · 2 months

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An informal essay/rant on Samurai Jack S5

I love Samurai Jack, for the most part. But my biggest gripe is how season 5 turned out.

Despite the artistic achievement of season 5, the main issue was how rushed it was. With only 10 episodes and still having to deal with the 50-year time skip, many characters feel underdeveloped.

Take Jack as an example. Jack's change was the most drastic yet resolved the quickest. 50 years of a battle with no end in sight is incomprehensible to a normal person, and winning seems impossible at this point for Jack. Understandably, depression, guilt and anxiety have taken over Jack, especially after he lost his magic sword. The voices in his head and the vision of the phantom samurai are evidence of his mental decay. But as a mental health struggler of many years, it feels like Jack's mental struggle should have been way past that stage. Though it should be said that everyone experiences these mental health struggles differently, it just felt less realistic as Jack's descent was not documented well enough. Depending on when his descent started, it could have very different results. Many things could happen in 50 years that would affect a person's outlook in life. It could be total despair: Jack finds no way of continuing and believes that he has completely failed. It could be dutifully depressed: Jack no longer considers himself righteous but still carries on out of habit. It could be blind optimism: despite losing the magic sword, Jack thinks, "Hey, I have fought for 40+ years. I could still do this!" Are these outcomes sound? No! Because there is no development for Jack to prove that they are sound. It also doesn't help that Jack's characterisation is so consistent in the first 4 seasons that jumping from level 1 to 100 in depression for Jack seems improbable and leaves the audience to imagine what happened. After all, depression and anxiety often do not originate from a singular event and build up gradually. Sure, I can buy that Jack is depressed, but I cannot buy that it can be resolved within 7 episodes, with half of that time occupied by Ashi's arc.

Speaking of Ashi's arc, her arc demanded the most time yet is the most unrefined. Her character has simply bitten off more than it could chew for 10 episodes. Within season 5, she went from being a daughter of Aku to an ally of Jack to Jack's lover. Each of these changes can be at least 10 episodes on its own. Especially when she has to undo 20+ years of conditioning, and completely acknowledging that she is on the wrong side of the war is bound to take a toll on her perception of reality. Yet it was resolved as quickly as 6 episodes, thanks to finding out, "Wow, Jack is actually a good guy and helped so many people!" This part of the arc was resolved because of Jack. So naturally, she becomes Jack's ally and then becomes Jack's lover. There is a terrifying idea that lurks in Ashi as one comes to realise that her entire personality revolves around Jack. In other words, if you remove Jack from Ashi's life, she becomes nothing. It is also deeply worrying that Ashi lacks emotional maturity and development as she "falls in love" with a man she has only met for maybe a week (not to say Jack is not also immature here). Her lack of independent development makes her character flimsy and frankly disturbing. She is literally made to become Jack's love interest. There is some irony in one of her final lines in the show; she says, "Without Aku, I would have never existed" when on a meta-fictional level, she would not have existed without Jack.

Character development is crucial in crafting the themes of a story. The above tackled the lack of character development leading to weak characters, but there is one thing that will determine the legacy of the story, the ending. Though it is often commented how Samurai Jack's ending was unfulfilling, it is not true that unfulfilling endings are bad. (Minor spoilers for True Detective season 1) True Detective season 1 did not end in a fulfilling manner, as it did not resolve all of the mysteries it brought up. That wasn't a huge issue as it complied with the genre of strange fiction and the theme of the world being a strange and inexplicable place that evokes more mysteries than it explains. Samurai Jack's ending and, thus, the conclusion to Jack's arc promotes the idea that overcoming one's weakness, sacrificing for the greater good, and bringing justice will not bring you the happiness you deserve... Which does not make sense relative to Jack's character development and characterisation. Jack is often characterised as a selfless hero and a bringer of hope. And the people benefit greatly from his aid. The only person who often does not benefit from this is Jack himself, who often forsakes his opportunity to return to the past in favour of saving the people in need. The show promises that Jack will find peace and happiness when he fulfils his destiny of defeating Aku. And with the classic hero's journey-type story Samurai Jack has, the show rips it apart at the very last moment, with no warning whatsoever. It wasn't a comment on the genre, as it did not deepen its themes. If one wants to turn Samurai Jack into a "we don't always get what we deserve" (please don't) story, then make fate truly cruel and unkind and provide Jack with no divine help in the story. Again, with the irony of Jack's tea being unbalanced, the show is unbalanced, too, as it rewards a suffering protagonist with more sadness and suffering at the end of his story.

Despite what this blog is about (it's art, by the way), art and aesthetics are not everything. Samurai Jack as a whole is beautiful aesthetically, but the rushed story and an unfulfilling legacy feel like a shame. Characters did not have the time to grow in complexity or realism, which made the audience feel disconnected from the characters. I wished I could see Ashi grow and develop into something more than "Jack's love interest". Or they could even develop into something that is not romantic, such as a mentor and apprentice story, which could be as, if not more, interesting. Having more refined characters creates a more refined theme that, if done right, can stir the right emotions in the audience that impact them for a lifetime.

Samurai Jack season 5 had a lot of potential but just couldn't deliver.

#Samurai Jack #Rant #essay but not really

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stereax · 11 months

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I seek your wisdom, o wise one.

Exactly how screwed are the sharks, the flames, and the oilers?

You can't see me but I am RUBBING MY HANDS IN DELIGHT at this ask. Nothing I love more than talking about why teams suck. As always, meet you under the cut! 💜

(Also, sorry this took so long! Had to make a presentation on the Chinese Super League for sports diplomacy and it siphoned my will to live.)

Do I have you? Great! Okay. Let's go one by one.

CALGARY FLAMES: CANDLE IN THE WIND

I, for one, never got the hype behind the Flames. Every pundit in the entire NHL was saying "Oh, the Flames are going to have a massive bounceback year, last year was a down year for everyone!" And now look at them. 3-7-1 to start the season with a mere 7 points in 11 games.

Spoiler alert: Trading your best forward in points production to literal Satan for a single corn chip is not going to help you be competitive. Who'd'a thunk it?

In addition, there seems to be a major coaching problem. On theory, this team should be solid. Maybe not top of the league good, but solid enough to make a wildcard spot at least. But you watch the systems at play and they just don't work with the players. For instance, Huberdeau is an east-west player being forced to play a north-south system. He can't do what he does best, make plays, because the current north-south system simply won't allow it. Firing Sutter was supposed to fix this locker room. It only seems to have made the problems worse. Christ, Zadorov is apologizing to the fans because they're playing that shittily.

How screwed are they? Probably a solid 8/10. Markstrom seems to have bounced back, but the team in front of him has not, tanking his save percentage because the defense simply cannot defend. We're being treated to a classic Huberdeau and Kadri Disappearing Act (2-4-6 and -12; 1-4-5 and -12). Mangiapane and Andersson have both gotten suspensions already for no god damn reason. All extension talks (Lindholm and Hanifin chief among them) have been suspended. It's chillingly possible this team will have to sell big at the deadline to get any value out of their expiring UFAs - and then what? You've got a few good pieces (Cary, Sharangovich, Wolf) that can lead your retool, but you've also got anchor weights in massively underperforming contracts, like the aforementioned Huberdeau's, that come with no-move clauses and are just such bad deals that even if those clauses were waived, who'd take them?

EDMONTON OILERS: BULLS ON PARADE

I think if you told anyone in July that the Edmonton Oilers were going to start their season 2-7-1 in 10 games, you would be laughed out the door. And yet.

I do have to preface this by saying yes, McDavid was out for several games, and when you're without the best player in the NHL, it gets tougher to win games. But fuck, man. The Devils are now down BOTH their top six centers for the foreseeable future and yet they're still managing to win games. You know why? DEPTH SCORING. Something that the Oilers have not had since seemingly the 80s. If your game plan revolves so strongly around one guy, chances are you'll be fucked anyway if that guy goes down.

Also, Campbell cannot stop a beach ball in net. Skinner isn't much better. How much of this is the defense and how much is just the goalies sucking? Unclear, but it is NOT a good sign. Although the Oilers mostly work under "outscore your opponent before they outscore you", you want to be able to make SOME timely saves. Neither tendy is giving any hope recently.

And all this can ultimately be traced back to Ken Holland fucking this team over with contracts. Nurse did not deserve that much. Kane is questionable at best. Campbell? Christ. And then you have no cap room to sign actually decent bottom sixers and then wonder why they're getting shelled. Why is Sam Gagner, a random legacy Oiler on a league minimum contract, on your second line? Make it make sense!

The thing is - you CAN win if you have a few guys getting paid the big bucks. Just look at Vegas for an example of that. You CAN'T win if you have a few guys getting paid the big bucks and almost no depth beyond your top line where you stack McDavid and Draisaitl to try to get SOMETHING going. You can't doubleshift those two across the entire lineup. I know, it sucks.

SAN JOSE SHARKS: COLD WATER

How screwed are they? I'll give them a 6/10. We're seeing the "or bust" part of "cup or bust". Can they turn it around? They have McJesus. Anything is POSSIBLE when you have McJesus. But it's not looking pretty, at all. I bet they end up in the wildcard hunt, or close to it. Just enough to maybe make the playoffs but too exhausted to do anything else.

Remember, Draisaitl's contract is up after 24-25. McDavid, 25-26. Will they want to stay in this garbage fire? If one, or God forbid both, ask to be traded, this team better channel the early 2010s and tank hard.

And now we reach the ultimate lolcow. These guys STINK. 0-10-1 in 11 games. .045 points percentage. The only point they managed to get was because Blackwood stood on his motherfucking HEAD in game 2.

But then you have contracts like Hertl, Vlasic, and Couture, which you can't move and which will weigh down the franchise for years while it tries to rebuild. What are you going to do with them? How will you get rid of them?

What's the problem? More to the point: What isn't??? There's zero star power on the entire roster. The defense doesn't know how to defend and the offense can't score against a Shooter Tutor, much less an actual NHL goalie. The goalies... they're trying! I think! Give them credit. And Quinn's trying, maybe, to coach? But when do you kick his ass to the curb too, just to try to put some life back into that lineup? That is the world's deadliest team. It's like hockey is a punishment to them!

FanDuel is running bets on when they will finally win their first regular season game. That's how ass they are. I wish I were kidding.

On top of all this, the locker room seems like it's going up in flames. Remember the Nucks' 10-1 beating of the Sharks? Kahkonen, the Sharks' tendy, got injured after the sixth goal, when Kuzmenko ran into him. Kuzmenko and the Canucks made sure Kahkonen was alright and that it wasn't a major injury. The Sharks? They just went back to the bench!

This unironically is probably the worst team in my lifetime, and maybe for decades before I was born too. They're just so BAD. There's no redeeming reason to watch Sharks games at all except to laugh at the Sharks as they get 10 goals dumped on them.

How screwed are they? 10/10*. I'm sorry, but fucking Zetterlund is leading your team in goals. ZETTERLUND. I cannot name ONE player on that roster who I would send to an All-Star Game. Maybe Blackwood, if he doesn't crumble into fucking dust first. And knowing how injury prone he is, he just might.

But this is a 10/10 with an asterisk. And here's why: * They WANT to be bad. The worse they do this year, the better their chances for Celebrini or whoever is the first overall. That's the idea of the Shark Tank. And if that's the goal, it's being executed perfectly.

There you go, anon! Hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to drop into my inbox! 💜

#stereanswers #stereanalysis #san jose sharks #calgary flames #edmonton oilers

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protege-not-protagonist · 9 months

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Masterlist

Criminal Minds: the Protégé

After deciding to leave the BAU, Spencer is now a full time professor at the FBI Academy, teaching profiling and criminology. Spencer is struggling to live life without the BAU, but that is to be expected when it has been all he has known for almost 2 decades. The BAU meanwhile, struggled to find someone to fill the genius shaped hole in the team when he left, and they still are struggling. At least, that's how the newest profiler, Agent Grace Matthews feels. Grace is good at what she's good at, it's why the bureau accepted her earlier than most. But how could anyone live up Dr. Reid's legacy? So, when Grace answers a call intended for her desk's previous owner, she jumps at the chance to meet her predecessor and ask him for some advice. Together, they find a kinship… but unfortunately, they also uncover a disturbing pattern in the deaths of inmates and patients the BAU have helped put away.

Get added to the tag list

AO3 link if you prefer

scenes in a Meme masterlist

Character Mail - send an ask to a character

Audience: recommended mature audience for depictions of violence and sexual references (canon typical for criminal minds)

Chapter 1: Please, Not Another Auditor

Chapter 2: Tangents

Chapter 3: MNI

Chapter 4: My Brother's Keeper Part 1

Chapter 5: My Brother's Keeper Part 2

Chapter 6: My Brother's Keeper Part 3

Chapter 7: My Brother's Keeper Part 4

Chapter 8: The Mountain King Part 1

Chapter 9: The Mountain King Part 2

Chapter 10: The Mountain King Part 3 (alt Title: Trivia Night)

Chapter 11: The Mountain King Part 4

Chapter 12: The Mountain King Part 5 - coming soon

Author's Note: You might have recognised this story from it's previous iteration on Ao3. I had a bit of a personal crisis and deleted my account. So I am re-editing what I have saved on my computer and reuploading it with some fixed continuity errors now that I finished CM Evolution. Will be cross posted here and on Ao3 if you prefer. This fic is dedicated to giving Spencer a happy ending, serving my desire to write crime/mystery and getting my horrific idea's for unsubs out of my head. Set in 2023, and mostly canon compliant. Sorry this is all plot, no peen. But promise there will be a love interest for Spencer, the Grace acts as a wingman for. This more a found family/ give Spencer a smol bean to mentor fic.

It mostly spoiler free and independent it just mentions some past cases and some event of season 17 but I think if you've watched season 12 you could comfortably read this with enough context and knowledge of the characters

#criminal minds #the protege #spencer reid #my fic #OC: Grace Matthews #mentor spencer #smol bean oc #big brother spencer

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mvrtaiswriting · 1 year

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Wonderland (Part 3) x Reiner Braun.

third and final part finally here! this artwork had me spiralling for months - and i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did. this will be the concluding part of the series but nevertheless, not the last work about reiner eheh. thank you for being part of this journey with me <;3 (part 1 here) (part 2 here). as always, let me know what you think!

Follows AOT timeline, so please be mindful of any spoilers ahead. Specifically, this first part contains spoilers from season 4 (every animated part). The segments and different timezones of the story are divided by quotes from different Taylor Swift songs, which were vital for the formation of this idea. More specifically, the song that served as the backbone for this part of the story was The Great War, from the Midnights album. This part also used Out of the Woods, from the 1989 album, Afterglow, from the Lover album and Renegade, by Big Red Machine and Taylor Swift, from the How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last album.

gn! reader.

usual AOT violence.

2.7K words.

All the the bloodshed, crimson clover .

Forcing you to kneel on the ground, Floch pinned your hands behind your back and quickly handcuffed you, preparing you for the execution planned by Yelena. A small laugh escaped your lips as you realised how ironically your fate had played out. Being held at gun point, gagged by a stupid cloth between your teeth, tied behind your head tight enough to not slip away. What you were leaving behind was a legacy of lies and betrayal, patriotism winning over love. How ironic of Marley to invade Paradise now that you were seconds away from dying - taking away the last ridiculous crumb of hope to see Reiner once again.

It probably didn't matter - he probably hated you by now, you knew very well what it meant to be betrayed by the one you loved the most. It was the type of pain that never really goes away, like an old scar that still burns even after years. You and Reiner were even now, but at what cost? Did he love you as much as you loved him? Was he ever torturing himself for what he did the way that you kept doing since the first night you slept without him?

The first gunshot you heard made you jump a little. It was close to you, enough to momentarily make your ears whistle. Jean always had a good aim, what was this bullshit? The second one followed almost immediately, just a few centimetres away from the other one. When the third shot missed you too, you knew something was off - and before you could realise it, you were pulled away from the whole scene by Mikasa, who was quick to untie you.

Handing you your ODM equipment, Mikasa silently pointed out towards the city. And that's when you saw him - towering even Eren's titan, his golden armour shining through the explosion's smokes. A small smile formed on your lips - you missed him so much, yet you were fighting again. In different fractions, on opposite sides.

It was an endless fight - every second, you saw your companions falling from the sky, shot down like birds. You were doing your best to protect your comrades, soaring through the sky and killing your enemies as if they were annoying flies. There was no time to wonder about morality anymore - it was you against them. Orders from Jean asked you to pay no mind to the titans that were entering the city through the breach on the wall, unless they were a threat to life - and so you did. You kept fighting and fighting, until a screeching scream stopped you in your tracks - a roar so familiar, that you couldn't quite recognise.

When you finally turned around, you saw the Armoured titan's nape being bitten and slowly destroyed by a titan. For the first time in years, an old, paralysing feeling invaded your body. Your muscles stiffened whilst your heart started beating so fast it could have almost burst out of your chest.

Fear.

For the first time in years, you were afraid. It took you more than what you wished it did for you to finally soar through the sky again, using the remains of the surrounding buildings as levers to your ODM gears, running towards Reiner. The normal titan had now changed its target but Reiner was standing still, impaled by one of Eren's fists. Using one of your thunder spears, you aimed at Reiner's nape - it was now or never. In seconds that felt like an eternity, you grabbed Reiner out of his titan body.

"C'mon big boy, wake up!"

You said through gritted teeth\, wrapping one of Reiner's arm around your shoulder and soaring through the sky once again. He wasn't responding, his body was heavier than yours and it was slowing your movements down. This couldn't be the end - not for him, not for you. And if it was, you wouldn't have left him behind anymore. It was you and him now, regardless. And if he had to die tonight, then you would too.

Twenty stitches in a hospital room - when you started crying, baby, I did too.

Finally finding repair in a now abandoned house, you laid Reiner's body on the floor. Searching through the various drawers, you managed to find a blanket and a first aid kit - not the best you could ask for, but definitely enough to save his life. Despite his self-healing abilities, you were still afraid he wouldn't be able to heal properly on his own. His body kept giving off steam, slowly closing his wounds.

Tucking him with a warm blanket and providing him the best pillow you could find, you finally sat back. The war outside was still going strong - at every second, a loud explosion would make the walls tremble. Screams of pain and terror filled the brief moments of silence between gunshots and bombs. You took a second to take a closer look at Reiner, your gaze meticulously scanning the way he was seemingly sleeping like a baby, the usual crouch on the bridge of his nose now finally relaxed. It had been months since the last time you saw him, but it felt like an eternity; he almost looked older - his beard was longer and the lines on his face seemed a little deeper. Scribbling a quick note on a piece of paper which you left next to his pillow, you kissed his temple and fixed your equipment - your friends were still out there fighting as the apocalypse succumbed on Paradise, and it was your duty to fight.

You were on a roof with Mikasa and Armin when the walls started to crumble. One by one, each colossal titan trapped inside the walls was released, marching away from the Island. The earth trembled with every step they took, filling the air with steam and an unbearable rumble. Nonetheless, the city was now invaded by titans - familiar titans, with a name, a life, a story. With Armin co-ordinating the attack once again, you gave one final goodbye to whom was once a fellow cadet, or a captain.

My love was as cruel as the cities I lived in; I'll tell you the truth, but never goodbye.

"Enough!"

You screamed, stopping Jean's arm from landing one more punch on Reiner's face, now covered in blood. Reiner didn't even flinch - he stood still, taking every hit from Jean's angry fists, ignoring every survival instinct he might have had. The usual adrenaline did not kick in - not a fight or flight situation, he just let violence rain over him.

"Enough."

You reiterated with a firmer tone, softening your grip on Jean's arm and letting your hand slide to his shoulder - to comfort him, of course, or to have a better grip if you needed to pin him down to stop him. A sigh of relief escaped your lips when you felt Jean's muscles relax under your touch, his intimidating gaze never leaving Reiner's. Carefully, you moved in front of Jean, your body now acting as a barrier between him and Reiner. Resting your hands on his chest, you gently pushed him backwards, forcing him to take a few steps back. Your steps followed his, never letting your hands slip off his chest. This was always your thing, after all - calming Jean down, dragging him off from the dark places his mind often wondered to. And so did he - you lost count of the amount of times he saved your life, sometimes more metaphorically than others.

Jean's eyes were now piercing yours - his brows were still frowned but he slowly regained his composure. His breathing was still heavy from the adrenaline rush he had experienced, but it slowly became steadier, more regular. As much as you hated to admit it, you were partially responsible for Jean's outburst - his hatred towards Reiner has been fuelled and nurtured for years. He was the one who saved you when Reiner pushed you off the Wall Maria, he was there when you almost got eaten by a titan because you were still grieving Reiner's betrayal to fight properly. He had wiped every tear and saved you every time - yet, at the end of the day, you always ran back to Reiner. Regardless of how bad he had hurt you, regardless of all the times you said you hated him - you always fell back into Reiner's arms. And Jean hated it - he hated the way you would always break your back to surprise Reiner, the way he would always win. Jean hated Reiner because he was still alive after all the shit he had done and Sasha wasn't, he hated him for the way he always managed to somehow redeem himself and have his happy ever after. Even now, the absence of any kind of reaction disgusted Jean - Reiner took every blow, knowing that he would self-heal every wound in a matter of minutes. More than that, Jean was disgusted by Reiner's audacity to give you the silent treatment - if he could have done it, Jean would have probably shoved an hand down Reiner's throat and pull all the words you needed to hear: something along the lines of "thanks for saving my ass out there" or "I don't deserve you".

Yet, all you received was silence. Even when everyone laughed at Hange's reaction to the cart titan, even when you called out his name to ask him if he wanted more soup. It was as if the armour of his titan was still working even now, in his human form - keeping his emotions safe, locking his heart into a silent crypt.

Tell me that I'm all you want, even when I break your heart.

Sneaking out of your tent in the middle of the night, you made your way to Reiner's sleeping bag.

"Can we talk?"

You whispered, shaking his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up. Shifting in his sleeping bag, he slowly turned around to face you.

"Reiner, I swear to god.." You mumbled again, this time in a more menacing tone. Anticipating your moves, he instinctively moved away from your painful grip before you could pinch him awake. It was an old habit of yours, a trick you had learned to be very effective when trying to get him out of bed during particularly sleepy mornings. For a brief second, Reiner almost forgot he was sleeping on the ground in the middle of a forest - for a sweet moment, memories of the two you spending all morning in bed came back to him in a blur.

Stepping away from the little camp Hange improvised, you walked your way into the woods. The flickering campfire you had lit hours ago was still burning, allowing you to catch a glimpse of Reiner's face. His tall figure was laying against one of the trees, his muscular arms crossed across his chest.

"I had no other choice. And I'm sure you know how it feels."

You finally spoke, finally breaking that uncomfortable silence that had suddenly settled between the two of you. Your words came out sharper than intended, hitting Reiner exactly where it hurt him the most.

"You're a better liar than I ever was."

Reiner quickly replied, a chuckle escaping his lips as he locked his eyes on yours.

"What's there to talk about? Didn't you say enough already, with all your fairytales about love and forgiveness? "

He continued through gritted teeth; he was furious, but his voice slightly cracked mid-sentence, betraying his stoic façade. There was a subtle irony to the nature of his hurt - you followed his steps, bringing destruction and death upon his country. Reiner shared his tears and nightmares with you, he showed you the depth of his remorse, the sincerity of his regrets - and you had cried with him, you told him that none of it mattered now that you had each other. Days turned into week and before you could even realise it, you were living together. He even bought a ring: he only had a few years to live and nothing to lose; he wanted to dedicate his life to you. Instead, you left without a warning sign and dragged him down to the end of the world, forcing him to be what he hated the most - a weapon, a monster, a cold blooded assassin.

"Why do you think I saved you? I don't want to be thanked for it, but at least dare to look at me? At least try to acknowledge my existence instead of treating me if nothing ever happened, like what we had wasn't real."

You snapped back, raising your voice. Words kept rolling off your tongue, you were speaking faster than you could think and you almost lost your breath.

"I really don't know. I don't know why you saved me, I don't know what that ridiculous love scene with Jean was, I don't know what those months spent together meant to you! Because if they did mean something, then why did you leave? Why did you leave me behind when you knew, you knew! You knew I would have followed you!"

Reiner roared back, the vein on his neck become more and more visible. His body was now only few inches away from yours, his taller figure completely obliterating yours.

Silence dawned between the two of you once again - you had never seen Reiner so mad. There was so much you wanted to say, but the lump in your throat killed every word before it could come out, leaving you like a nervous, silent wreck in front of the man you loved. It was the end of the world and this time, you were defenceless. There were only a few steps between you and Reiner - he was close enough to let his breath caress your face, the scent of his cologne burning in your lungs with every breath.

"I had to." You finally whispered, only causing Reiner to sigh in response, trying is best to not snap at you again. Your voice was weak, troubled by the burning knot in your throat. He brushed on his wide hand against his face, as if that gesture could help him reorganise his thoughts.

"Is it insensitive for me to say get your shit together, so I can love you?"

Reiner replied hopelessly, another sigh leaving his lips. His voice was calmer now, but his words felt heavy, sharp as a dagger piercing through your heart, once inch after the other.

Weakly shaking your head in response and the sound of you snorting your tears away was all it took to melt Reiner's heart. Wrapping his arms around you, he brought you closer to him - your head was now resting against his chest as the tears you were hardly fighting finally streamed down your cheeks. Being into Reiner's arms felt just right - as if all the planets just aligned, as if all your broken pieces were put together again.

When you first agreed to your mission in Liberio, you weren't expecting to fall in love all over again with Reiner. You thought these feelings were buried deep enough to never emerge again, hidden under a carpet of hatred and resentment. You entered Liberio wanting revenge, wanting to be even with Reiner. But when you left, revenge didn't taste as sweet as you expected; rather, it felt like sour liquor burning down your throat, slowly melting away every piece of your being like some kind of corrosive acid. Your relationship with Reiner felt like playing a chess match, each of you using the most unfair techniques, disguising your pawns as queens. It felt like war and it wasn't fair; and now that you were given another chance, you promised yourself would not waste it. Regardless of the future that lied ahead, from that moment you vowed you would spend however time you had left right by his side.

"I vow I will always be yours, if we survive the Great War."

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