#pals n buddies

[shadowboxmind]

Maybe a hot take, but I don't think the Traveler was being inconsistent or out of character in the last archon quest at all. People are getting upset at their reaction to Lyney and Lynette's behavior from the perspective of players, with meta knowledge of the story that the Traveler, the character, doesn't have.

The players know, for example, that because they're playable characters, Lyney and Lynette are ultimately friendly and on "our" side, and we can also trust that what they told us about their backstory is true. The Traveler does not have that knowledge.

TO BE CLEAR this post is talking about my thoughts on the TRAVELER'S thought process. If we want to talk about how I personally would have reacted to the situation, I'm an overly trusting bleeding-heart who would absolutely get scammed and probably murdered by Fatui in this universe.

(Also characters, even main characters who you normally like, can do things you disagree with and that doesn't mean they're badly written. I mean, sometimes they are, but I don't think that's true in this particular case)

But think about it! Looking at the entire situation from an in-universe, in-character POV, it's a really bad look for Lyney and Lynette overall, because here are the facts as the Traveler is aware of them:

Lyney and Lynette are not only members of the Fatui, the primary antagonistic force in this story, but are specifically members of the House of the Hearth, which is known to specialize in espionage, subterfuge, and sabotage.

Both of them also work in a field that would further require them to be masters of misdirection, audience manipulation, and drama.

They "coincidentally" ran into the Traveler right as they arrived in Fontaine and immediately began to do them favors and be very friendly, including saving them from Furina, bringing them to meet their family, and gifting them VIP tickets to Lyney's show.

During the trial, the twins withheld key information, and not just about their identities (and listen, I get it, I fully empathize with why they did it, I get the reasoning, but it's still a bad look when it gets figured out) but also about what they were doing in the tunnel.

They admitted that the entire magic show was a ruse to do, guess what? espionage! To break into the room with the Oratrice's core and find out how it works. To, through subterfuge, obtain Fontaine's secrets about the nation's most important mechanism and central source of power.

The Traveler has known these people for like, a day total.

So what conclusions might the Traveler draw from these facts? When the evidence shows that Lyney and Lynette have a record of misdirection and obfuscation for their own ends? When the Traveler has no way of knowing if even their initial meeting was orchestrated for an ulterior purpose? How are they supposed to know if the tragic backstory is even true, or if that's just Lyney trying to win back some favor and sympathy? In my opinion, at that moment, they don't. Hence the coldness.

My interpretation of events is that the Traveler does like the twins, and wanted to keep liking them, but was struggling to reconcile their initial impression of two friendly magicians with the realization that these two friendly magicians were dishonest with them for most of the time they'd known each other, so they needed to have some space to figure that out.

And for those saying the Traveler is inconsistent, here's the thing: they still helped Lyney. They still acted as his attorney, investigated thoroughly, won the case, and cleared his name. They've done similar for other Fatui members in their acquaintance—they helped Childe with Teucer, they helped Scaramouche/Wanderer with getting his memories back, they helped that other member of the House of the Hearth fake her death and escape the organization—whether or not they fully trusted them, and generally they didn't.

As for the Traveler's supposed hypocrisy, my view of their relationship with Childe is that it's only improved because, despite Childe trying to nuke Liyue in the past, the Traveler knows that

a. They can handle him if it comes down to a fight again; b. He likes them, regardless of if the feeling is mutual or not, and is indeed aggressively friendly to the point where it's easier to just be civil; c. Childe is generally upfront and honest about his actions and will strike from the front, not stab them in the back; and d. He's worked together with them before when they had a common goal (for example, the labyrinth they went through with Xinyan).

They know how his mind works and what motivates him. Childe is a known quantity, the twins are not, and it took in-story time and shared experiences for the Traveler to get to even this point of neutrality; they were openly suspicious of him during his story quest.

As for holding his Vision for him, the Traveler didn't exactly volunteer for the job, Childe literally threw it at them with no warning and peaced out. What do you expect them to do, drop it in the sea? That would be inconsistent with their characterization.

Wanderer's whole situation is even weirder, since the Traveler was able to experience his actual memories and emotions and therefore has good reason to trust that he's had a genuine change of heart. Not to mention that they're not friends, I'd argue they're in that same nebulous "neutral" zone, and that only because Nahida usually functions as a buffer (and also because, again, the Traveler knows that they can handle Wanderer in a fight, and Wanderer also tends to be blunt and honest).

Also, in Lyney's story quest it seems like everyone got over their problems pretty fast and they're all chummy now, so you can all rest easy that the twins' feelings weren't too hurt about it.

Anyways if you disagree go ham, refute my points, whatever, just keep things civil.

[jadewritesficshere]

18+only

Something about curling up next to Steve and falling asleep next to him on the couch, but it doesn't mean anything because he's a good friend and he makes you feel safe.

Something about flirting with Steve, but it doesn't mean anything because it's just joking around between two friends.

Something about accidentally kissing when you're both high, but it doesn't mean anything because Eddie was daring you two to.

Something about getting drunk and making out with Steve, but it doesn't mean anything you just know he's a good kisser.

Something about you and Steve making out while sober, but it doesn't mean anything because you were just testing to see if the chemistry was still there.

Something about Steve helping you take off your clothes, but it doesn't mean anything because Steve's now taking off his.

Something about Steve moaning in your ear as he thrusts in you, but it doesn't mean anything as you dig your fingers into his back and scratch.

Something about Steve holding you close and kissing your forehead murmuring how beautiful and pretty you are, but it doesn't mean anything.

It means everything and you can't keep lying to yourself.

[candycatstuffs]

😶

😐

[shalpilot]

temporary buddies

[marineduo]

It’s kinda funny. I enjoy Coby and Helmeppo as just #Besties as much as I like them as a ship. But as much as I’ve recently seen people call them brothers I can’t see them as brothers. In love? Sure. Queer platonic partners? Hell yeah. Besties that you’ve got to keep an eye on cause they are unstoppable together? Absolutely. Brothers? I don’t see it. To me they are not brothers they are In Cahoots.

That being said I think Tashigi and Helmeppo would absolutely be siblings they would roast the hell out of each others’ taste in people and also argue about swords. And also have each other’s back and share gossip.

Oh actually one more thing. I know I did Cobymeppo fic recs but people should let me know if they want me to rec some fics that are just Coby n Meppo as besties.

[clefablepb]

actual awful thing my classmate i refuse to call a friend (/j) drew on the school table with a corrector pen: pregnant henry stickmin with his wife bill cipher and their demonic stickman-triangle hybrid satanic children. i am in tears.

[mav-doodles]

Woe, Palworld AU be upon ye. I haven’t talked about it At All- but.

Take Aero “legally” obtaining his ShadowBeak

[tomboyyyaoi]

aggh

[oasisofgalaxies]

lilac fern mint and lollipop

:3!!!!!!!!

[nitroish]

continuing the drawing other ppls aus to get me into drawing again train ; here is a legend from @ageless-soul-au !!

[musclesandhammering]

If you’re a minority and you give your non-minority friends a pass to use slurs, make bigoted jokes, butt in on minority conversations etc, just because you “know they’re not really like that” or “know they don’t mean anything by it” or “they’re basically a minority by association haha”, then you’re a clown & a massive disappointment to your community & should be put in a public stockade btw

[xochimillilili]

writing horny shit with serani poji in the background is just part of my sundays now :]

[inhidingxoxo3637]

Acosta when he finds out exactly which KTM spokesperson dropped Gardner

[keeps-ache]

got the piano set up so my brother and i have discovered we have the ability to make the Dreariest tunes ~+~anytime~+~ :3

[patches-and-her-selfships]

MUTUALS! what’s your signature emoticon?? mine’s probably :P

[ripbells]

bimbos at the vampire mansion….

@mistahwhiteimserving