#pulls me out of the 'this is the greatest love' narrative

[neyafromfrance95]

as much as i want galadriel to stay with sauron, willingly or unwillingly, i do have reasons to believe that they won't go there, after all. let's talk about it so that we don't come out of s2 finale too bitter.

other than them saying that sau/gal dynamic is going to be central throughout all seasons, what gives me hope is that they have said sauron "groping" for galadriel was an inspiration for s/g relationship in the show (and i think of the story itself). it means that the creators are aware of the same thing we know - in order for trop to make sense in regards to lotr, sauron has to still covet galadriel at the end of s5, and galadriel still has to struggle with his temptations. so their push and pull has to continue till the end.

now, i think unlike the lorebros, the show isn't in a hurry to introduce celeborn (and if he is introduced, he is gonna be like molly from hannibal, lol) and a lot of timelines are going to change for convenience so that 8ep format is more or less neat for the gen audiences. i think this is an opportunity for them to re-establish the mind-palace. still not sure if they are intending to, but how else is sau going to grope to see gal's mind if they aren't in a close proximity? and also, how else is galadriel going to struggle with the darkness (bc again, even without succumbing, it wouldn't make sense narratively for her struggle to end yet)? how else is she going to become a powerful elf-witch and what of the dark!galadriel from the 3rd age? even more importantly, while she isn't even close to admitting to her greatest desires rn, she does in the 3rd age. so we need this development.

ofc sauron "stealing" galadriel like morgoth stole silmarils would create a perfect parallel, and give the writers an opportunity to explore a very interesting circumstance, to actually bring galadriel as close to the darkness as possible without making her fall into it. but i doubt the execs would allow that to unfold so literally. the star wars and marvel formula is still policing our mainstream media, after all.

doesn't mean that the finale is going to be bad for us shippers. it might be confirmed more clearly (for those who need it) that sauron indeed loves galadriel, and that galadriel has feelings for him too. i personally love the whole one-sided pursuit of marriage + one-sided hunt for slaying slow burn of an unresolved tension, it's the most lover/enemies dynamic of them all, after all! makes haladriel into a fantasy au hannigram, haha.

[freckledsweetpea]

the fact that Hollywood has taken a liking to no cut sex scenes makes it horrifically uneventful and boring to watch two clothed individuals kiss for 3 seconds before a penis is inserted into a vagina with overdramatic (on her part) thrusting for 43 seconds before it's completely over because dude cannot last. and then it's over over and they're both in bliss and you want me to believe this is the epitome of romance? this is what straight women clutch their pearls and fantasize about???

[eclecticpatrolroadlawyer]

Illicit affairs (chapter 1)

Summary: Bucky and Y/n are in arranged marriage. Bucky is having an affair. This is all it is about... Let's see where Y/n's fate lies... Should we?

Pairings: Bucky x reader, Bucky x Dot ...

Genre: angst, affair, unrequited love

'Love' The word floats between all of us on a soft gust of air. 'Deep, abiding, unconditional love. You want it so much you're willing to live for it' Most people think the greatest sacrifice they can make is to die for something. They are wrong.

The truest act of love someone can make is to live for something- to allow it to consume you and turn you into a version of yourself you never recognize.

It is a tale of 4 souls twisted and helpless in their love lives. It is a narrative that contains some heartbreaks, the bitter taste of unreciprocated affection, and one that dared not to unveil itself- which takes courage to love for so long from a distance.

This is a story where one soul offered everything at love's altar, a vulnerable sacrifice, while another callously exploited that very vulnerability, sowing discord where passion once blossomed...

Y/n's pov

The room feels colder than usual as I stare out the window, my heart sinking with every passing minute. The anticipation is suffocating, and my patience wears thin. "Again," I whisper, the word heavy with disappointment.

I watch the street below, searching for a familiar figure that is yet to appear. The seconds drag on, and my anxiety intensifies. The lump in my throat grows, making it harder to swallow. A sigh escapes me, a mixture of frustration and hurt.

"He is late again."

I can't help but clench my fists on the curtains, the fabric bunching in my grip. The emptiness in the room echoes the ache in my chest. Tears threaten to spill, and I fight to hold them back. I bite my tongue, tasting the metallic tang of frustration as I try to steady my trembling emotions.

I force myself to look away from the window, taking in shaky breaths to regain composure. Each breath feels like a struggle, a battle against the rising tide of disappointment. I look up, my eyes blurred with unshed tears, and will myself to find strength.

Deep breaths. In and out.

I wrestle with my emotions, fighting the urge to crumble. It's a lonely battle, and the weight of unspoken words hangs heavy in the air. The silence is deafening, broken only by the echoes of my own heartbeat.

half an hour later

The sound of the door knob rattling pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see him entering, supposedly from his so-called 'jogging' session. His disheveled hair and the hickey marks on his neck don't escape my notice, but I keep my gaze down, focusing on chopping the ingredients for breakfast. The rhythmic slicing helps channel my frustration into the task.

Silence hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken words and the weight of disappointment. I clench my jaw, determined not to let the emotions bubbling within me overflow. Why me, I wonder.

I put on a fake smile, a mask to conceal the turmoil beneath the surface. Breaking the tense quiet, I decide to confront the reality before me, choosing words carefully as I break the uneasy silence.

"How was it?"

The question hangs in the air as I continue chopping, my hands steady despite the storm raging inside me. The tension is heavy as I await his response.

He seems startled, caught off guard by the unexpected interruption to your silence. Nervously, he stammers a response.

"Huh? W-What?"

"Jogging... You went jogging, right?" I press, my eyes focused on the task at hand, but my peripheral vision catches his every move. I put down the knife, turning to face him with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Oh, jogging... Yes, jogging... Yeah, it was good... good," he replies, the words rushed and accompanied by a forced smile. The tension lingers, hanging in the air like an unspoken truth, and I maintain my fake smile, masking the hurt that hides beneath the surface.

The question hangs in the air, a carefully veiled inquiry concealing the knowledge I already possess. "Bucky," I murmur, the weight of the question palpable in the room. "how many years has it been since our arranged union? One or two?" I lock eyes with him, searching for a flicker of guilt, a hint that he might confess to the secrets he thinks are well hidden.

The room feels heavy with the unspoken truth as I press on, my voice carrying a subtle undercurrent of accusation. "You would never hurt me, right?" I ask, knowing the answer even before the words leave my lips. His eyes betray a hint of unease, a fleeting glimpse of a man caught in his own web of betrayal.

I turn my attention to the task at hand, my fingers gripping the edge of the counter as I continue, "It's just, sometimes I wonder about our arranged marriage. Do you?" My words linger in the air, a calculated challenge, as I maintain a facade of innocence, masking the storm of emotions that swirl within me.

Bucky shifts uncomfortably under the weight of my penetrating gaze, his eyes momentarily faltering before regaining composure. "Uh, yeah, it's been two years," he answers, attempting to sound nonchalant. His attempt at a casual demeanor betrays a hint of unease, a subtle acknowledgment that he senses the underlying tension.

I maintain my facade, the corners of my lips twitching into a semblance of a smile. "And you'd never hurt me, right?" I press further, watching for any subtle changes in his expression. Bucky hesitates, a fleeting moment where the truth seems to hang in the air. "Of course not," he replies, the words lacking the conviction they once held.

As I turn back to my task, the air between us crackles with unspoken truths and concealed betrayals, creating a rift that neither of us dares to bridge.

Bucky's POV

Bucky's response hangs in the air, a weight on his conscience that he can't shake off. As I turn away, the guilt tightens in his stomach. He can't escape the unease, knowing he's betraying not just the arrangement but the person at the center of it.

He sighs, heavy with remorse, as he heads for the bathroom. The sound of running water becomes a feeble attempt to drown out the turmoil in his mind. Bucky leans against the cool tiles, steam clouding the mirror, mirroring the fog in his thoughts.

"What have I done?" he whispers, the weight settling in his stomach. The jog's facade crumbles, revealing the truth of his choices. The affair, the lies—it's a web tightening around him, and he's not sure how to break free without causing irreparable damage.

Under the shower's cold stream, Bucky stands, his hand braced against the tiles. The water pounds against him, a feeble attempt to wash away the guilt. As each droplet falls, he confronts the consequences of his actions. The arranged marriage, once a distant pact, now feels shattered. Bucky closes his eyes, trying to block out the guilt threatening to consume him. In the cascade of water, he faces the mess he's made, uncertain if there's any way to salvage the delicate threads holding their union together.

The cold shower beats against Bucky, a stark contrast to the heat of his thoughts. His hand tightens on the tiles as he battles the storm inside. The water's steady drumming echoes his emotions, a chaotic mix of regret and confusion.

"What am I doing?" he mutters, the words lost in the shower's noise. The images of his mistakes play on a loop in his mind—the marks on the neck, the messed-up sheets. It's a vivid reminder of betrayal.

The truth is undeniable. The affair breaks trust, a breach of the commitment he made, even if reluctantly, in this arranged marriage. As the water rushes over him, Bucky tries to wash away not just the physical traces but the guilt staining his conscience.

The fogged-up mirror reflects a man in conflict. His guilty eyes meet their own gaze, and for a moment, he doesn't recognize himself.

"What have I become?" The question lingers, unanswered, as he stands beneath the unrelenting water. The bathroom isn't a refuge; it amplifies the loneliness. Bucky is stuck in a silent struggle, torn between duty and desire, unsure if he can find a way out without leaving everything shattered behind.

Dot's POV

(girl with whom Bucky is cheating with)

"He is gone again," I murmur to myself, my gaze fixed on the fan dangling from the ceiling. The bed beside me feels emptier than usual, a constant reminder of his absence. The weight of silence settles in the room, and once again, I find myself engulfed in loneliness...

Every day, it's the same struggle. A battle between the promise I make to myself and the undeniable pull he has on me. "Every time... every day. I let him in," I admit in the quiet of my thoughts. The bed, cold and untouched, bears witness to my internal conflict. It's a routine of surrendering to a love that should never have blossomed.

"I can always stop," I tell myself daily, a mantra of resistance that crumbles with each passing moment. The realization hits hard — I'm ruining myself for him. The weight of guilt presses down as I acknowledge the gravity of my actions.

"I am so bad," I confess silently, my heart heavy with self-loathing. I'm entangled in an affair with a married man who has a loving wife. The reality of my choices echoes in the hollow spaces of the room. "I'm so sorry," I whisper to no one but myself, a futile apology to the shadows that witness my moral descent.

"I hate myself... I hate it," the thought echoes, a painful admission of the self-destructive path I tread. Love, tangled with regret, becomes a poison that seeps into every corner of my being. Yet, despite the self-flagellation, the ache for him lingers, a bittersweet melody that refuses to be silenced.

The room, my safe place, now shows the mess inside me. I turn from the fan's spin, lost in the shadows. The secret love has left marks, stains that no apology can wipe away. As I try to understand this mess of feelings, I wonder if I can ever fix the pieces of my self-respect that have shattered.

The words slip out in a hushed murmur, barely audible in the quiet room. "I am sorry." The weight of the apology hangs in the air, a fragile attempt to mend the fractures that linger between us. It's a simple phrase, but it carries the echoes of regret and a longing for forgiveness. The weight of regret settles in, and I can't help but wonder if these simple words will ever be enough to mend the fractures I've created.

The illicit affair has left its mark, a stain that no amount of whispered apologies can erase. As I search through the wreckage of my emotions, I'm left to wonder if the fragments of my self-respect can ever be pieced back together.

Not everyone gets the same version of me.

One person might tell you I'm an amazing beautiful soul.

Another person will say I'm a coldhearted bitch.

Believe them both, I act accordingly.

-love

Chapter 2

Note: Hey guys! Hope you like it. English is actually my second language so if there's any mistake you can inform me by messaging me privately. And PLEASE REBLOG AND DON'T STEAL MY WORK. Please like and comment too so, that I can know your views. Thank you for reading guys! Have a nice day and please comment if you wanna be tagged in.

Taglist: @angstysebfan @cjand10 @learisa @themorningsunshine @binkszamsstuff @dreamerglassesgirl @winterslove1917 @perfectpieslimeprune @nikkivillar @bethexo07

[decadentpostnachos-evil-twin]

See a more or less short rendition of my experiences when I first read the acotar series (Three years ago?) beneath the cut. I purposefully misspelled some names, I don't feel like getting death threats from obsessive stans tonight. Bisou x

The funniest thing for me is that I started reading acotar spoiled and biased. I got the recommendation from TikTok, and everyone there was raving about Fey/sand and hating on Tamlin. So naturally, I started acotar being prepared to hate Tamlin and yearningly wait for Rice sand to make an appearance.

How the tables turned with that.

First of all, I was whipped for Lucien the moment he first appeared. (I have also been in the Eris corner ever since...2021? Or so, when there was literally one piece of writing for him and that was some headcanons. Anyway.)

Secondly, I folded for Tamlin too, against my expectations when hearing people say he was a nasty abuser and Rice sand is the feminist king. Like, I was prepared for Tamlin to be the biggest prick, and then he came along with lines like "I play a mean fiddle" or "I love you, thorns and all" and writing Limericks to help Feyrug learn to read, and he was fumbling so bad, it was just absolutely cute.

And when Rice sand made his first appearance, I was underwhelmed. At that point, I had only heard people sing praise about him and how perfect he is, and he was just the prick I expected Tamlin to be.

Utm was disgusting, and fundamented my dislike for Rice sand because he was giving Sex offender in the worst way possible.

Acomaf came along and I was kinda happy to have things "back to normal". And then everything went to shit, Tamlin was completely disregarded and vilified, as was Lucien. And Feyrug began sucking Rice sands dick. I was so disappointed, and I clung to any crumb of Lucien and Tamlin I could get, especially after the Summer Court debacle and the CoN whore thing, because that was just disgusting.

Acowar sold my soul to Eris, to the point of no return. I was an Eris girl before that, but after? Altered my brain chemistry. There's hardly anything he can do at this point to make me not like him. It also festered my hate for the Ic even more, and I began to really despise Feyrug too. I wanted to burn the book when Rice sand was resurrected, because I had hoped that he'd just stay dead atp.

Acofas was a train wreck and the only good things about it were the one appearance Eris and Lucien had each. The rest was either cringey or anger inducing, or both combined. My villain origin story.

Acosf... I hate how she treated Nesta. My girl deserves better fr. I despised Cassian's povs, except for the ones where Eris was present. (Duh) Once again, only a few good things about this book. Those being Eris, Lucien and the Valkyries. The pregnancy plotline sucks ass, and if I see one more Rice sand lover saying Eris is misogynistic for saying Morningan dresses like a slut while defending Rice sand for the shit he pulled with the pregnancy because "he just wanted to protect Feyrug" and still calling him feminist, I'm going to have an aneurism.

I went into this series biased. I literally hadn't even opened the first book and already thought Tamlin sucks and Rice sand is the greatest salvation. It was deeply ingrained in my mind before I even read the series. And even then, I came out hating Rice sand and his AA circle of life and loving everyone the popular narrative told me to hate. So no, I'm not delusional for liking the characters I do. People who blindly stan the Ic just lack reading comprehension or the will to think about what they are reading for more than five seconds because there's nothing more they want to know than the length of bad imitation Batman's cock.

[joe-spookyy]

Dude tell me your thoughts about Daniel Cain + any headcannons??

hi what greatest ask i’ve ever received because all i ever have are thoughts about daniel cain. sorry this is gonna be an essay. um.

tldr - dan cain is a super fascinating character (especially when you read him as queer) and his high empathy makes it difficult for him to make the hard but necessary choices found often in the medical field, but easy for him to be manipulated by those he thinks can help him do the most Good. also he is not immune to herbert west. full post under cut and it’s pretty good you should read it.

ok first off he is literally JUST like me for real. but second. i really think he’s a fascinating character no matter how you read him. his empathy is Soooo high and it affects literally everything he does - sometimes for the worse cause he’s a doctor and honestly cannot afford to be getting this upset every time he loses a patient. but it’s part of him, which i think makes him a super interesting counterpart to herbert. he’s so distinctly Human and he cares so much about the people around him, and he’s a horrible doormat/people pleaser. this is, obviously, not at all like herbert. narrative foils oooooh. when i met bruce abbott he told me he thinks dan is a “spineless worm”, which may be technically true, but i think the way dan is so easily convinced to go along with herbert is because of this heavy empathy. he wants to do everything within his power to make things better, and what could really be better than conquering death? how much pain could he stop just with that?

because of that, i think it makes SO much sense that it was so easy for herbert to initially manipulate him into working together. plus i also think later on in the films his feelings for herbert get in the way of his judgement to. an incredible extent. herbert just has to ask and dan will immediately be at his every beck and call. hes like a dog. he wants out but he can’t stop coming back to herbert. i struggle to find any other way to explain why he’d still be living with herbert after the first movie - after all, herbert kind of did kill everything dan ever loved (girlfriend, cat, legitimate medical career). and i think these things affected him on a really deep level (which. yeah. obviously) but the way he acts in bride is so indicative of what that kind of trauma does to a person and it’s fascinating to me. he projects so hard on to gloria because of how guilty he felt for not being able to save meg. he shuts down in a lot of the more serious situations. sure, he did have his little going into shock moment in the first film, but it’s a reoccurring thing in bride. he doesn’t seem to have such a strong moral code anymore, but that empathy is still there - even though what he’s doing with herbert and their little bride project isn’t quite morally Right, all he really has left is herbert and he is dying for a way to get back to the normalcy that herbert has pulled away from him. and yet, he’s never able to really Leave. he can’t move out, he can’t stop helping herbert, he can’t really get meg back as much as he tries. but he’s too far down the rabbit hole to really care at this point. he just cares about getting what he loves back.

and sure. did he abandon herbert at the end of the first movie for meg? yeah. did he abandon herbert at the end of the second movie for francesca? also yes. did he rat herbert out to the authorities? yes (but that’s a character choice i simply cannot get behind he would not do that shit after everything he still does obviously love and care about herbert if he was gonna be a narc he would have done it after the first movie herbert didn’t even do all that much wrong in the second movie like come on he was just getting creative. whatever. anyways.) now, his choice to save meg in the first movie makes a lot of sense, in my opinion. he assumed herbert was dead (which. not a bad assumption tbh) and meg was his girl - it makes a lot more sense to save her than someone he hasn’t known for nearly as long. but when he chooses to escape with francesca and leave herbert behind, it’s a little bit jarring. he’s obviously gotten close with herbert. they still live together, they bicker like a married couple, and if we’re being honest he kind of follows herbert’s every command. again. like a dog. and plus! they just created life together in a quite homoerotic fashion!!! why in the world would dan fumble this?? well, i think i can explain it. herbert represents a lack of societal normalcy. think like doctor praetorius in the bride of frankenstein. herbert’s heavily queercoded, he actively defies god, he kills and he disrespects the dead and he’s terrible socially and he shoots up drugs (sorta) and he is all about medical malpractice. this is the opposite of what someone like dan SHOULD want. dan’s straight passing (or straight if you want to read him that way which i don’t recommend cause otherwise this analysis doesn’t make as much sense), kind and friendly, and wants a good, normal career in the medical field. and he loves his perfect girlfriend. meg (and later francesca) represent these “good” and “normal” things that dan wants and is expected to want. herbert, again, represents the opposite. so for dan to choose herbert and save him over either meg or francesca, he would be choosing to step away from the life he is “supposed” to live, the socially acceptable life. people are already suspicious of him and west as we see in the novelization of the first movie, and to save his visibly queer strange little “roommate” over the woman he’s supposed to love would have certain implications that would draw dan away from this life of normalcy that he wants so badly. but most importantly. herbert always comes back. he’s a part of dan that can’t be escaped.

well. that was a lot. headcanons. umm. i think you probably got a lot from the novel i just wrote but here’s more.

- i loveeee the dan starts smoking after meg dies hc

- i don’t believe he ratted on herbert. i think they’re still working together making freaky shit to this day. even as old men.

- i know i just said queer the whole time i was talking but he’s bisexual and you aren’t allowed to disagree with me. herbert’s gay though. emphasizes the differences between them - dan CAN choose that “normal” life but herbert can’t.

- i think he ends up needing glasses as he gets older. he wears em to read in the first movie and i think his vision declines.

- also he goes grey earlier than herbert imo cause of all the stress. herbert makes fun of him for this but herbert’s hairline is. ummmn. less powerful. so dan has ammo to fight back.

- i don’t think he’d ever be able to get a cat again after rufus. or really any pet. i don’t think he trusts himself not to damage everything he touches

- i think he’s a huge talking heads stan. you could argue this as canon because of the stop making sense poster above his bed, but i think he’s a super fan. and maybe i’m projecting. so what.

- no matter how many times herbert does it or offers it to him, he refuses to take any of the reagent.

uhh. yeah. sorry that this post is so long i hope it is sufficient to what you were looking for. thank you sincerely so much for asking this was the most fun i’ve ever had. bless up.

[mdhwrites]

How do you feel about Alador (if you haven't already talked about him before)?

Opens mouth

Closes mouth

You know what? I don't think I really have. Not on his own at least. Admittedly, like many parent characters, it's hard to talk about him as just his own character. The other side of that coin though is that unlike other parental characters, it's much less about his kids than it is about his wife. You know, someone else who really isn't much of a character and doesn't work.

Add to this the flip flopping, wishy washy nature of his character and you have someone who is hard to judge as anything but a waste of time. He spends 80% of the series quite literally only backing everything Odalia says. The one time he disagrees is to point out that his wife's goals are being met despite them not being through her own agenda so maybe it's okay to let Amity have this win? That is still serving her interests though and instead just presenting a second view point.

As a character, he is just a feckless father. The most basic stereotype of a dad who works too much, mixed with VERY forced moments of being easily distractable which don't even feel accurate to the one episode they're a part of his character, Escaping Expulsion. Just as Odalia is boring in that she is what you think of for an evil capitalist, Alador is just as basic.

This is also why the only thing people bring up about him is his inconsistency. How the show never shows him as anything other than entirely loyal to Odalia before turning him around 180 degrees and expecting the audience to believe it. There just is little else to talk about. Any wasted potential you want to even claim is mostly within Odalia already, making it feel like Amity could have honestly had just one parent and nothing would have changed besides Amity's motivation for wanting to enter the Bonesborough Brawl. Yes, you could claim the Abomatons too but if you make Odalia the abominations user, that is immediately fixed. Because that is all, story wise, Alador actually contributes.

If there is a writing lesson to be taken from Alador, it's actually WHY parents seem to never be around in shows. It is the importance of understanding what elements are important to your show and necessary. The best example of this is Clouds on the Horizon. Let me explain in the best way I can:

The love interest for the story has just been told they must be without their love. Not only that but that to continue being a part of their family and society, she must stand by cruelty and evil. The one forcing this upon her is her own mother. Everything that has been the push and pull of the character comes down to this. To reject the past, the traditions that cause harm, and embrace an uncertain, beautiful, warm future.

"No but you were very close!"

And in one line, all that weight is lost. It is not Amity overcoming all of this. It is not Amity's morals winning out versus her mother's. It's not even love winning out over hate. No, now it's some asshole who hates his wife enough that he's decided to betray her and fight her. The narrative climax of one of your main characters, one of the ones with the most plot lines related to her and what could have been a powerful climax is instead given to a minor character who has barely had twenty minutes combined in the entire series up until now.

That to me is his greatest sin. How him never existing would have strictly made the show better. Because eventually you need to figure out what your story is about and what is actually needed to tell it instead of providing endless repetitions that only get weaker with each retelling.

And boy, by the time Alador is telling the tale of his redemption. that tape is well worn and never belonged to him in the first place.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[stealingyourbones]

Bruce isn't the best parent, but a chunk of the issue is that he's an only child. Should he stop Jason and Dick from throwing Damian back and forth like a human ball? Is Tim threatening to bite Cass an issue? Are those death threats serious or not? The poor man is an only child trying to run herd on at least a half dozen feral siblings. He exists in a state of constant confusion.

I.

This isn’t to be mean, but that is simply not the case.

I keep getting bad parent bruce takes and it sucks because all of them aren’t even proper reasoning for his character.

I’m just using you as an example, but hear me out.

Bruce is an extremely smart person, Homie has watched movies and read books, he can learn from situations around him that things are sibling things. Sure, he was excluded as a kid, but that isn’t nearly the main issue why he isn’t the best parent.

homie has so much shit wrong with him, he’s emotionally just not there, he keeps himself stuck in a perpetual state of grief and mourning for his parents of a thing that happened when he was a child, he has been trained by assassins and has experienced loss and pain to an insane extent, he has such an insane extent of paranoia and trust issues that it affects his daily life, is definitely autistic, and has issues with social cues.

I’m trying to properly articulate just why that’s not the case but my brain isn’t working with me so I’m handing this over to my twin @bonebrokebuddy who is far more articulate than me.

———

Hi, it's Billy, Bones's twin writing because Bones had a hard time putting this into words and I'm more of a canon nitpick than her.

Uh- have you ever. And I mean even once, met an only child.

I promise, if you read even a singular comic, you could tell this take is incredibly out of character.

Bruce isn’t a good parent. He’s also not a bad parent. He loves his kids. He literally could not stop them from pulling dumb shit if they tried and putting themselves into danger.

Bruce is the worlds greatest detective. He knows how to spot and detect emotions and trouble in his kids. He’s The Worlds Greatest Detective.

His issue with being a parent likely comes from having Alfred as a father figure. Imagine having a dad that you can fire at any time, you pay so they can stay with you, and can just leave at any moment if they don’t approve of the person they work for. That will severely fuck up a kid.

His issue isn’t that he’s an only child, it’s that it’s every Robin’s god given right to go against and defy Batman’s orders whenever possible because kids are viscous little buggers who don’t like being told “you can’t do that” even if it’s for their own health, they’ll do it anyway.

After you’ve taught your kids how to exist in deadly situations, they think they’re invincible when it’s because Bruce is doing all he fucking can to make sure his kids don’t get hurt. If they feel like they can make the world a better place, they’ll do it, regardless of the risk because they’re inherently self sacrificing and good people.

Bruce’s issue with parenting is due to his relationship with his kids. Again, it isn’t that he’s an only child, it’s that the kids he adopted are their own people and they are even more stubborn and bad at communication as him.

Even more so, it’s due to the dang narrative.

Conflict between Bruce and his kids that cause them to separate has been the backstory for plenty of solo batkid runs to endure Batman isn’t as involved or the main focus of the run.

Narrative tension is literally the cause of all the bad parent decisions for Bruce, because conflict drives narrative or miscommunications cause the story to lengthen and complicate itself

it’s not as easy as “Bruce is bad dad” because he’s Not. Bruce is good with kids! He has a pouch in his utility belt specifically with suckers for kids!

But Bruce isn't a great world star dad either. He definitely inherited his ability to communicate with people outside crisis situations largely from trainers around the world and his arms-length-distance-at-all-times distance relationship with the butler who raised him.

Despite him being good with kids, his kids have lives of their own with morals and opinions of their own that conflict and clash constantly. It’s not a simple case of “Bruce is a bad dad.”

It’s a case of “everyone has slightly different opinions and approaches to situations so occasionally conflict happens when they clash or interfere with each other” because it’s a comic that tells a story!

Anyways, my recommendation? Pick up a comic. And preferably? Read it. Or watch BTAS if it’s more accessible to you. either works. This opinion isn't your fault most likely, just the quality of the DC fan-content you've been consuming that are incredibly removed from the comics. If you want, DM me at @bonebrokebuddy and I can send you some good quality DC fics with in-character Bruce.

————

Bones here again,

That basically sums up the exact stuff I couldn’t properly describe. I was using you more as an example because I have dozens of bad parent bruce takes in my inbox and I am 90% sure that the cause of them is that they simply haven’t read anything about the character.

Read a comic, read some strictly DC fanfiction, watch some of the many many TV shows and animated movies, there are even motion comics free online to watch that have voice acting and everything!

Being an only child doesn’t make you a bad father.

[thief-of-eggs]

HELLO LOVE <3

Brainworms have been worming extra hard since I stumbled upon your Bruce and Jay post (plus the doomed narratives one,, BELOVED), honestly those two make me so fucking ill oh my god. The tags on ur post? So true. Kith ur tags on the head. LO VE LOVE <3333 adding a little to the discussion since I am ill (and if you don't mind!!)

LOVE THE DOOMED NARRATIVE because their reconciliation is never possible imo. Grief is a wretched force that has twisted Jason's memory from the image of his beloved son into a detached, reckless amalgamation. Bruce compartmentalises to such a degree that if he has to keep functioning (both as Batman and as Bruce Wayne) that he can't possibly face the fact that his actions killed his son. His mission born out of the death of his parents couldn't have killed that bright child who was albeit a little angry at times but so full of compassion and life, right? Right?

But he has to continue. And because he does, he has to, on an internal level, make himself believe that Jason was doomed from the start. That he was too reckless. That he was too much of a mess. That he should've never been Robin (which is true in a different sense, but this line of reasoning is not it) and was destined to die. Bruce's messy cycle of grief has concluded. Acceptance comes in the form of his cherished son now being seen as 'his greatest failure, a reckless Robin, a good soldier.'

And unfortunately, the whole thing about Jason is that he is continually trying to communicate with the Bruce he remembers before he died. They're both on completely different pages in this conversation, and Jason is so mentally ill—oh my god, PTSD?—and he's trying to communicate with someone who doesn't remember him as he was. Plus, Gotham is such an intrinsic part of him that he can never pull away from it. He just gets stuck in a cycle, continually pulling away and then reaching out, and then pulling away—essentially in Limbo.

SJSJOSAOSKSOS I DO LOVE THE BRUCE AND JAY RECONCILE NARRATIVE 😭😭 THEY'RE BOTH NUANCED CHARACTERS, I BELIEVE IN THEM BUT GOD... the amount of growth they'd have to show from both their sides for that to ever happen??? YEAH. NO. 😭😭 AaaaaAAAA

ANYHOW. RANDOM WORDDUMP. U HAVE COOL AF POSTS !!!!! much love !!!!! Thank u for appearing on my tl :D !!!!!

HELLO HELLO!!! WELCOME !!

PLZ add on omg RAHHHHHH !!! Nothing makes me feel more loved as a writer and poster than seeing people get inspired by my silly little words and seeing them expand on !!!!

Also yes yes YES Jason Todd is one of my favorite muses for doomed narratives!! Every single goddamn relationship that kid attempts to have is destined to fail. From his mom to his short-lived time as Bruce’s apprentice/son, to his fragile and tense relationships with his almost-but-not-quite siblings.

Jaw on the floor, first off. Do you write??? Please do you write???? I need to read more of your words if so bc you understand these characters on SUCH a deep level UGH

“-he can’t possibly face the fact that his actions killed his son” - THIS THIS THIS !!!! Bruce is an immovable wall with Jason because he CANNOT accept the accountability. It’s like Jason is having a completely different battle with him, because Jason sees things for as they are, if not a little tainted by his own begrudged feelings, but meanwhile Bruce is seeing things through a clouded lens of denial. Bruce doesn’t understand the pain he caused Jason because he cannot even see it. It does not exist in his mind. Because to accept the pain is to accept WHY the pain is there, which in turn would just spiral out of control and Bruce is forced to accept that his no-kill ideal ended up digging his son’s own grave.

Ugh LOVE the idea of Bruce gaslighting himself into thinking this was how it was always fated to be. Putting the blame not on himself or Jason or the Joker, but on some higher being that he doesn’t even believe in. It’s such a Bruce coping mechanism. Sweeping everything under the rug bc now he can’t see it. IM UNWELL

YES YES THEY ARE ON SUCH DIFFERENT PAGES!!! YOU GET IT!!! They literally are having two separate conversations and neither understands why their words aren’t sinking in to the other. They may as well be talking to their own hallucinations at this point- Jason at the memory of his father and Bruce at the doomed ghost of a boy who once was.

And YUP that’s why I write little “good dad bruce” fics and read so many too, because I WANT them to reconcile but… in the actual real world reality? I think the best they could do is an uncomfortable middle ground. Where Jason is no longer antagonized, but not exactly welcomed either. He’d have an expected seat at the table, but he’d never come. He’d be on every place card, every invite, but he’d never show up. He’d be included, but would choose to stay away. And that breaks my heart but also I truly don’t think either of them can go beyond that. In an effort to cling to familiarity and sanity and a guilt free life, Bruce pushed his biggest regret away. He could have had his son back, but instead he chose to believe it couldn’t be true. And like the greatest self fulfilled prophecy, he made it true.

ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY AND BLESSING MY INBOX !!! seeing so many words made my itty bitty heart so happy. biggest MWAH to you <33

[the-blue-fairie]

(Some of) The Greatest Performances I Have Ever Seen

Since @thealmightyemprex tagged me in that "share a piece of acting that blew you away" post and it got me thinking about the best performances I have ever seen. I've now compiled this list and I wanted to share it. @ariel-seagull-wings @themousefromfantasyland @piterelizabethdevries @courtneysmovieblog @vulpinesaint

Linda Manz in Out of the Blue

An open wound of a performance that, even after a second viewing, is difficult to discuss because it is so raw in its portrayal of the effects of trauma and its devastating, empathetic hopelessness.

Isabelle Adjani in Possession

Adjani is hypnotic here. You will not be able to rip your eyes away. Every moment she is onscreen, she locks you in place and you cannot help but watch in awe.

Sheryl Lee in Fire Walk with Me

If Roger Ebert were still alive, I would hunt him down for his dismissal of this film. If the original series is all about the audience realizing that Leland is actually BOB, this film is all about Laura realizing that BOB has always been Leland. Sheryl Lee is phenomenal.

Rebecca Smart in Celia

Possibly the greatest performance from a child actor I have ever seen, and emotionally devastating. One of the few films to truly understand childhood and the trauma of existing as a child in a world that treats you as less than.

If any film gets childhood, this one does. Please, please see this film.

Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves

Lars von Trier can go fuck himself, but I still connect deeply to Watson's performance here. Nakedly vulnerable, sensitive, and heartbreaking. And a better Passion of the Christ than Mel Gibson's fucking Passion of the Christ movie.

Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc

Speaking of better Passion narratives in film, Falconetti's face is etched into my soul, detailed in extreme close-up that captures every glint of tears in her eyes.

Ewa Froling in Fanny and Alexander

Emilie screaming in the night over Oskar's bier has haunted me for years, and yet it is only one moment in this richly multifaceted performance. Her composure and presentment over Christmas. The confusion, shock, and horror when Oskar first collapses. The intensity of sober grief as he is dying, followed by those screams that hollow out your soul. The relatability of looking for something stable after deep grief and thinking you've found it, only to realize you have been manipulated and fighting back. The cold, ruthless defiance of a woman breaking free of abuse. The... all of it.

Emilie is done dirty in the theatrical cut. If you can see the Television Version, I implore you to watch it.

Gunn Wållgren in Fanny and Alexander

Liza, you may say, are you just going to list off every performance in Fanny and Alexander? I may not go that far, but the next few on this list will all be performances from that film. It is my favorite, after all, and I reserve the right to gush about it.

I love Ingrid Bergman, but I'm glad that Wållgren got the role. She brings an aching warmth to the role of a matriarch passing from mask to mask as she holds her family together.

Bertil Guve in Fanny and Alexander

Alexander will be haunted by phantoms long after he has grown. Another incredible performance from a child actor that I have connected with for many years now.

Jan Malmsjö in Fanny and Alexander

I love Max Von Sydow (the role of the bishop was originally written with him in mind) but he could not do what Malmsjö does here. There's an almost genial charm to him that Sydow could pull off, I guess, but it would be different... less disarming, less chilling. The kindness that does not extend to his eyes, that betrays the affectation of kindness as just that - affectation. The way his hand, extended to caress Fanny's cheek, curls into a fist when she turns from him. With just a hand gesture, without a glance at his face, we know so much.

Irene Papas in Iphigenia

Greatest final shot of all time. I'm pretty sure Agamemnon knows he's a dead man in this retelling even as he's setting foot on the ship.

Laura Dern in Inland Empire

I Do Not Know what I witnessed but I Do Know I would watch Laura Dern acting in this for another three hours, and that is a testament to an arresting performance.

[youcantdateosmosisjones]

thoughts on the fable reboot

-until proven wrong, I'm like 98% sure this fable reboot loosely takes place after fable 1. it's got that fable: legends whimsical style to it (think that's the new artistic direction they're going for with this series- still getting used to it), magic is still around, and technology is at a minimum (hey! bows and arrows are back!). The vibe and stylization is very different than what I'm used to for albion, but no complaints.

-the only reason I confidently think it takes place after fable 1 is because of the castle. think it could be fun if we get to explore the lore behind all the shit that went down there before fable 2. mysteryyyyyyy oh yeah also bowerstone is huge now. not city-huge like fable 2, but the reign of terror has fo sho ended, and civilization is expanding... i think... it makes sense to me

-I do know for a fact that the heroes guild is/was up and running. Humphrey's got his pendent thingy, but I still dunno if this reboot is full-on retconning the lore. I hope not- because sometime after Fable 1, when guild dissipated and heroes became somewhat resented, the place got burnt to a crisp. don't think that's happened just yet- but i don't think the guild is all that popular at the moment And hey- the heroes falling from public grace is in the trailers... kind of (lots on emphasis on the people being sick of them). Would make a cool plot-point to see the guild's fall.

-dunno about the hero of oakvale, tho. he's probably dead. is only memorialized by a number of books, songs, and small easter eggs... maybe a statue if we get really lucky. wouldn't surprise me if this game takes place a few hundred years after fable 1 (there's 500 years between fable and fable 2- there's plenty of time to spare) and he's simply faded from the public consciousness. this Humphrey guy is probably the latest, greatest joe-schmo who just got off the pedestal ...actually the implications of past heroes fading out of favor soon as their glory days are over, and being replaced the next "savior" of albion is kind of depressing

-but also! Oakvale could very well still be thriving if i'm right. No shadow court (yet. would be cool if they made a guest appearance ig), possible location to visit, etc

-not gonna get my hopes up with this one- but potential cameos, or little easter eggs for beloved characters are always awesome. seeing theresa minding her own business for once... he-who-shall-not-be-named as a farmboy... one can dream. pulling up on the side of the road to help a blind lady- possibly a random encounter- only to get a brief, cryptic fortune reading from eldritch gma... ohhhh, the potential... .............but jack of blades reference..? any kind of reference to the court at all? pretty please??? all I need is a random poster on a wall commemorating their defeat, and I'll be happy

-I'm very interested in seeing what story this game's gonna tell. I have a feeling it's gonna lean further into player choice, like how bg3 has wonderfully showcased (not that extent, of course). We might actually get multiple endings, too. Least I hope so. With this new stylistic shift, new studio handling this, it'd be nice to see the narrative truly be affected by our decisions.

-im already kinda loving this villain

so yeah

[eclecticpatrolroadlawyer]

Illicit Affairs (preview)

____________________________________

'Love' The word floats between all of us on a soft gust of air. 'Deep, abiding, unconditional love. You want it so much you're willing to live for it' Most people think the greatest sacrifice they can make is to die for something. They are wrong.

The truest act of love someone can make is to live for something- to allow it to consume you and turn you into a version of yourself you never recognize.

It is a tale of 4 souls twisted and helpless in their love lives. It is a narrative that contains some heartbreaks, the bitter taste of unreciprocated affection, and one that dared not to unveil itself- which takes courage to love for so long from a distance.

This is a story where one soul offered everything at love's altar, a vulnerable sacrifice, while another callously exploited that very vulnerability, sowing discord where passion once blossomed...

Y/n's pov

The room feels colder than usual as I stare out the window, my heart sinking with every passing minute. The anticipation is suffocating, and my patience wears thin. "Again," I whisper, the word heavy with disappointment.

I watch the street below, searching for a familiar figure that is yet to appear. The seconds drag on, and my anxiety intensifies. The lump in my throat grows, making it harder to swallow. A sigh escapes me, a mixture of frustration and hurt.

"He is late again."

I can't help but clench my fists on the curtains, the fabric bunching in my grip. The emptiness in the room echoes the ache in my chest. Tears threaten to spill, and I fight to hold them back. I bite my tongue, tasting the metallic tang of frustration as I try to steady my trembling emotions.

I force myself to look away from the window, taking in shaky breaths to regain composure. Each breath feels like a struggle, a battle against the rising tide of disappointment. I look up, my eyes blurred with unshed tears, and will myself to find strength.

Deep breaths. In and out.

I wrestle with my emotions, fighting the urge to crumble. It's a lonely battle, and the weight of unspoken words hangs heavy in the air. The silence is deafening, broken only by the echoes of my own heartbeat.

half an hour later

The sound of the door knob rattling pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see you entering, supposedly from your so-called 'jogging' session. Your disheveled hair and the hickey marks on your neck don't escape my notice, but I keep my gaze down, focusing on chopping the ingredients for breakfast. The rhythmic slicing helps channel my frustration into the task.

Silence hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken words and the weight of disappointment. I clench my jaw, determined not to let the emotions bubbling within me overflow. Why me, I wonder.

I put on a fake smile, a mask to conceal the turmoil beneath the surface. Breaking the tense quiet, I decide to confront the reality before me, choosing words carefully as I break the uneasy silence.

"How was it?"

The question hangs in the air as I continue chopping, my hands steady despite the storm raging inside me. The tension is heavy as I await your response.

You seem startled, caught off guard by the unexpected interruption to your silence. Nervously, you stammer a response.

"Huh? W-What?"

"Jogging... You went jogging, right?" I press, my eyes focused on the task at hand, but my peripheral vision catches your every move. I put down the knife, turning to face you with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Oh, jogging... Yes, jogging... Yeah, it was good... good," you reply, the words rushed and accompanied by a forced smile. The tension lingers, hanging in the air like an unspoken truth, and I maintain my fake smile, masking the hurt that hides beneath the surface.

Chapter 1

(SHOULD I CONTINUE??? I'M SORRY I WAS AWAY FOR DAYS CAUSE I HAD WORK AND COLLEGE...I HAVE BEEN THINKING OF COMING BACK AND ALSO MY ENGLISH IMPROVED SO YEAH MY WRITING STYLE IS DIFFERENT.)

Note: Hey guys! Hope you like it. English is actually my second language so if there's any mistake you can inform me by messaging me privately. And PLEASE REBLOG AND DON'T STEAL MY WORK. Please like and comment too so, that I can know your views. Thank you for reading guys! Have a nice day and please comment if you wanna be tagged in.

Taglist: @angstysebfan @cjand10 @learisa @themorningsunshine @binkszamsstuff @dreamerglassesgirl @winterslove1917 @perfectpieslimeprune @nikkivillar @bethexo07

[findafight]

It is tiring to be regarded as a 'homophobe' when you claim to not like a queer ship or say you do not think a queer ship is going to be canon & should not go canon. ST fandom has this type of fans especially Bylers and recently Ronancers. Sorry that I do not think Byler has a chance of being wrapped up in a nice way when the writers actively refused to even breakup Mileven in this season and intentionally added a confession scene on the show from Mike to El. We literally have 1 season left with everything else going on in a limited time frame but I am expected to be okay with the possible resolution of this whole thing, and should expect a nice wrap up where we supposedly will see Mileven break up, Mike and El moving on from each other, there will be a time for them to adjust to that, for Mike to consider dating Will HECK even for Will to consider confessing and dating Mike, for the writers to make that all believable to the audience in a nice way within the narrative.... and I am expected to like Ronance when Stobin is one of the most important platonic relationships on the show and we canonically know Nancy and Steve's break up was bad, and that Steve still has feelings for Nancy. I want to see representation, I really do but it feels like the fandom itself is bending any logic and sensibility to make a ship seem reasonable and make sense within the narrative... when it really does not.

God. Yeah. Like sure queer people can have internalized homophobia or intra community basis (like bi/a/trans phobia) etc but to say someone's a bigot just because they don't like the a fictional ship, or even that they just don't think it will be canon, is just silly and causing problems on purpose.

The intense blr shippers have really turned me off the ship, honestly. I have a few asks from them saved as drafts just to get them out of my inbox, and they're saying the same as others "we're fighting homophobia" "you're just as bad as people saying why don't we shut up about blr and ship mlvn if you don't think this has been part of a grand and epic master plan for the greatest romance ever" as well as just not understanding what the very specific phenomena of queerbaiting is, all telling me I don't belong in the ship because I don't ship it correctly. So. Makes me feel bad and really disappointed. People who ship mlvn (which my original post was also tagged, because it discusses them too) DIDNT come to my inbox and call me names or a fake shipper when I said I thought they should break up. Make of that what you will.

As much as Will and Mike getting together would mean to people, putting that much emotional weight and expectation and emphasis on a single aspect of a show, a single ship, is not healthy. It also, if it does happen, will not be the epic romance planned from the start they think it is. (We remember tjlc, right?? RIGHT??) If it happens it will possibly be slap dash and rushed, because you're right. There's a lot happening, the show struggles with ending/starting romances, and they are NOT the only characters that matter. The breathing room required for both Mike and El AND the audience to make the breakup feel real and that enough time has passed to not make Mike look like an asshole for immediately dating his ex's brother (and for Will not to look like an ass for dating his sister's ex?!?) Is now insufficient given how short the seasons are, and as you said, they should've broken up in S4 to pull that off.

And then the fandom would likely feel a bit cheated after building it up so much in their heads, only for it to be a bit of a flop. But I guess a lot of people don't mind how Nancy and Jonathan got together, so with the way some of the people in my inbox were talking about El then it could be like that too. Just. Not giving a shit if someone, a character I personally love, was really hurt and betrayed by her recently ex boyfriend and her BROTHER.

Pretending it was all fine because romantic love is the most important thing ever to them I guess. When it's not, especially in the show! Non romantic bonds are so important to these characters! It would just ruin it for me, because what I was originally saying was that Will, Mike, and El all mean so much to each other and actively try to not hurt one another (even if the do accidentally or end up hurting themselves) and that, because Will and El are siblings now, Will might think twice about dating Mike so soon after he broke up with El. It would make them look cold hearted and selfish tbh. That's why a good ending would be Will feeling comfortable enough to come out, and being accepted by his friends. (All of them not just Mike) and that final emphasis on the Party as a whole rather than individual Romo relationships.

It's actually very important to consider other people's feelings in everyday life, I think. Sure, ultimately they shouldn't dictate all your actions, but there will be consequences for some of them. They can lose friendships, or other relationships. It can also make a character look REALLY BAD.

For rnce, people go on about how Robin absolutely does not need to consider Steve's feelings in pursuing a girl. (Ignoring other issues people have with the ship that have nothing to do with Steve, lol) And sure. Okay. For every girl but the one that broke his heart, cheated on him, and who he still has feelings for that Robin herself encouraged. People are out here saying they could be endgame without completely ruining stobin's friendship like huh??? Do they understand Robin "what if we just combined" Buckley? Do they not care about the most important relationship in her life? Do they not care about her beyond how she can hype up Nancy instead of one of those icky boys?

A problem I have with rnce is that a lot of the writing saying it could be canon (which, lbr, it won't be. While I think blr may be canon just in a kind of disappointing way, I don't think there's any chance of rnce happening, especially with Vickie right there blushing and flirting with Robin) only focuses on how it would be good for Nancy, or if it's trying to make it seem good for Robin ignores their personalities and other relationships. Like Nancy isn't annoyed by Robin until Robin's speech gets them into Penherst, or that Nancy wasn't dismissive of Robin's ideas, and Robin wasn't clearly nervous and apologizing for being annoying in order to get Nancy to like her (tbh I think Nancy should have been the one pursuing a friendship with Robin instead of the other way around but alas). Tbh I could go on about how Nancy and her relationships and her needs/wants inside those are often misdirected? Misidentified? By fandom, and how that feeds into Robin being reduced to someone who supports Nancy (which, if people complain about Robin considering her bffs feelings about her dating someone, shouldn't they complain about her becoming a glorified cheerleader for Nancy...oh. it's because it's romantic. And some parts of this fandom value that most.) In rnce, which strips Robin of her personality and makes it boring. But this is already long haha (Not to mention it'd be super weird for Nancy to be dating her ex she cheated on and never actually told she cheated on him's best friend. Awkward!!)

I used to not mind rnce that much, tbh. I didn't get it and did think it was weird but the art was cute! And now it's sort of an alarm bells for people being weird about stobin.

Steve and Robin's relationship, like so many platonic relationships but more glaring with just how obsessed with each other they are, is often devalued by the fandom by virtue of the idea that a romantic partner needs/should be someone's number 1. Even though those two want to combine, and are seen taking active roles in trying to get them a romantic relationship, and are really the first person the other felt they could be completely themself around. They're the most important person to the other, regardless of their romantic relationship status.

[dangermousie]

By now this drama has departed so wildly from the novel that I’d call it at most inspired by the source material. Because of that, it has narratively started becoming rather a mess (and that is why ultimately, I don’t cry into my pillow over not ever getting to see HYX btw. I love 2ha and they’d have to pretzel it to make it into a drama and that would drive me nuts.) 

BUT! Despite the mess (and I find it’s a rare cdrama that does not get messy near the end tbh), it has two awesome things going for it: (1) LYX’s exquisite portrayal of suffering and (2) it is SUCH an interesting premise, if wildly different from the novel - demon god not only built himself a meat suit per specs, he has also predestined said meat suit’s whole life, down to all the betrayals and suffering - and specific, not general “his life will suck.” Thus any seeking of happiness, any defiance on part of TTJ becomes an act of determined insanity of the best sort - despite literal Divine (demonic) telling him this is how his life is and how it controls that life (and with evidence for the same) and despite making any person feel helpless and meaningless to know all his emotions and actions were predetermined and written out to tenderize the meat for best consumption, so to speak, that he is a puppet, a marionette, that his volition is illusory and free will nonexistent - Tantai Jin looks at all of this and goes NO. I have agency. I will do what I want even if all that happened before was a play for my benefit with my strings being yanked. Even if there is no reward, because free will is its own reward. His life prepared him for hopeless fights (And in a way, the cultivators and the world are so awful ironically demon god being worse to TTJ is the best thing in their favor - to give in to demon god would be agreeing to the wishes of your greatest torturer, the conductor of your misery.) 

With demon god as the writer and TTJ the character whose strings he yanks and whose wings he pulls off, and TTJ’s utter refusal to give in, despite the absolute ruler of his life saying he should, this reminds me of Extraordinary You, my favorite drama of all time, very different in plot and setting, but with that same idea - creations refusing their creator and establishing free will on the margins, whatever the cost. 

God, the way his life is ashes in front of him and he still fights.

I honestly think the only way he doesn’t break under this ocean of horror is because his life has been so awful he’s built up a tolerance. (The concept of universe out to get you reminds me of Mistakenly Saving the Villain and the divinity being either absent or uncaring horror and the world cannibalizing itself but the main choosing to go “I will still choose good” despite the futility or the horrors thrown at him, makes me think of Wu Chang Jie. Both are huge faves.)

Fuck you, demon god!

Of course not. Gotta give him some happiness to not make him permanently numb because those permanently numb cannot emotionally be flayed.

Honestly, how does he not break?

The poor man. All I want is therapy for him and some cookies.

But honestly, give LYX all the awards, he is SO good!

[diableasura]

Hawks has the potential to be the greatest kidnapper of all time and he pulled 76 people out of a building while manipulating each feather individually.

There's an anime scene where he dodges bullets and out speeds men with guns. He's faster than Endeavor, Deku, and Bakugo. He's explicitly faster than people with super speed quirks.

This manga loves for people to forget their capabilities for dramatic effect. The story nerfs or buffs people according to whatever the narrative needs at the moment.

For example, Compress was able to marble HIMSELF in the forest camp arc. Later, we see him tear his own body apart to escape his bindings and this ability is nowhere to be found.

Hawks killing Twice was one of the most ridiculous scenes in the manga because he didn't even have to talk to him. He could have kicked this guy's head in and knocked him out before he could react, and been out of there.

We saw him do this to a flasher! It takes Hawks zero effort to knock humans out. He doesn't even have to look at them.

imgur.com/a/9vNxGAn

Twice doesn't have anything that gives him extra durability and he'd go down like anyone else would. Literally the exact same sneak attack Hawks did to him in canon could have been designed to knock him out rather than cut up his muscles so Hawks could insult him, taunt him, and then give the most unconvincing recruitment speech ever.

So the guy intentionally dragged this out for an absurd song and dance to try to half assedly convince him? Why?

Anything he needed to say to Jin could have been done in a cell when Twice woke up again.

Assuming Hawks took Jin down cleanly and abducted him, he may have even been able to come back to try and take out another League member.

Like Dabi. Hawks could do some real damage if he got the drop on him. Or forget Dabi. He could have went after Himiko or Compress and left Dabi to someone who isn't weak against him.

That's the frustrating part of discourse about this.

Everyone just takes the story at face value and ignores what we've seen people do before.

This plan was stupid. Hawks is stupid. The entire situation was contrived. None of it should have happened based on who we know Hawks to be and what he's capable of, but because the author wanted to create a situation in which Hawks killed Twice, it happens this way.

It reminds me of the Zack Snyder Superman movie Man Of Steel where the author wrote Superman into a corner specifically so that he'd need to kill a guy who was about to laser eye beam a family.

So Superman snaps his neck.

He later asked "What else could he have done?"

Well, he could have gouged out his eyes, or broken the lower part of his spine, or repeatedly slammed the guy's head into the ground. He could have choked him until he lost consciousness, or dragged him under water and held him under the surface until he passed out.

All of these are a lot less lethal than snapping a guy's neck and show the character attempting to keep to his no kill policy.

We go from something 100% fatal to something that has the potential to be fatal but could not be. While still allowing him to achieve his objective.

It wraps around to Hawks again. If he was really so worried about Twice's potential danger, why wasn't his first action to chop off the guy's hands?

Overhaul got his arms ripped off and he couldn't use his power. It's known that Twice's power was in is hands.

Maiming someone is bad, but it's not as bad as murder.

This whole thing had the most limp dicked ending ever. The guy murders someone on live TV and no one gives a shit. His wings don't get burned off despite Tokoyami exclaiming that, once again showing that Dabi's not worth shit when it comes to actually killing or harming named characters. And then his character becomes about being Endeavor's hype man. He, a kid who lived with an abusive father, also does not care about his idol being an abuser.

I'm not asking for a conga line of everyone shaming these guys, but at least we could get a scene of them wanting to sit with other hero characters at the cafeteria and then everyone standing up and sitting down at a different table.

Maybe Burnin' tells Endeavor that she and the rest of the sidekicks are quitting after the war is over, because she doesn't even know who her boss is anymore.

This is what you'd see in an episode of Law and Order. Why have events happen if they mean nothing and don't lead to anything?

What's Tokoyami think about this? We don't see it. He still loves Hawks. Would Tokoyami kill a person? The story doesn't care much about Tokoyami, but it would be nice if he and Hawks discussed this.

If he doesn't think Hawks did anything wrong, would have have done the same thing in his shoes?

I feel sorry for anyone who liked Hawks. It must be painful to watch how they massacred your boy.

You covered almost everything i have issues with when it comes to hawks vs twice and the lack of relevant consequences after the first war arc.

All the people arguing that hawks had to kill twice because they can't fathom their fav actually doing something morally reprehensible is already bad enough but it becomes so much worse when, as you said, in one of his first scenes in the manga Hawks knocks a guy unconscious with his wings without even looking at him.

I read the war arc chapters as they came out weekly and when the chapter where hawks killed twice dropped i was obviously devastated and very sad for twice, but i was also so excited for what this would mean for hawks' character in the future cause at the time everyone foolishly believed horikoshi actually had something interesting to say with his character. It's obvious now he didn't.

I said it before but Hawks' story perfectly mirrors mha's story as a whole: it started out posing very interesting questions about the morality of hero society and its insidious inner workings which were covered up by a shining facade of flawlessness, but it ended up abandoning all those questions in favor of a more simplistic, easy and frankly underwhelming conclusion.

I'll never get tired of saying Hawks is a wasted character and most of his fans only like a fanon version of him they've read on ao3 cause they can't stomach the fact that he was robbed of his arc and given a horrible conclusion as endeavors bootlicker.

[the-xolotl]

“… I want someone to want me”

Helluva Boss trailer spoilers + Stolitz small analysis !!

i feel like Stoles might be letting go of Blitz. he’s tired, he’s the first one to say how fucked their arrangement is not to mention the entire song of inner-conflict he had about his relationship with Blitz. Stolas, while still not the greatest, is becoming the bigger person and possibly wanting to call it off for good.

when we have the line of Octavia calling him out on putting Blitz before her and Stella we get the lovely imagery of many portraits of Blitz cracking and shattering away is a whirlwind. without being over analytical, it does give me the sense that this is causing a great impact on Stolas, he has to let go and destroy (in a way) what he feels for Blitz. he has come to the conclusion he needs to put aside his feelings.

and because he just needs to put himself first. Blitz isn’t receptive of his feelings no matter how hard he tries, and he has has endured a loveless marriage for far too long to now be in a situation of the exact same kind with someone he knows/thinks won’t change, even for him.

this scene here particularly breaks me because all the scenes we see Stolas in we see a defeated, reluctant, and resentful individual and it’s almost always when he’s with Blitz.

But there’s a lot to be said about Blitz as well, because even if Stolas pulls away first, Blitz is surprised but then walks away angrily. further demonstrating his unwillingness to fight for Stolas. and he still stand where he is, he doesn’t walk away but he’s also done chasing him.

then we hear Blitz speaking and going on the same narrative that he has convinced himself is the only truth; that Stolas uses him as a kink and stress reliever. no matter how hard Stolas tries, Blitz won’t hear to him or even believe him when he tries to show he does genuinely like or even loves him. and so he walks away.

it goes back to his line in “Look My Way” ; I must grant you this choice.

Stolas wants Blitz to choose him, but to a degree knows he won’t.

[mtreebeardiles]

Things I'd like to know about my fellow writers

Tagged by @illusivesoul -- many thanks!

Tagging uh... um. All of you. Any writer who sees this and wants to participate

Last book I read: oh god I read a lot of books at the same time uhhh hmm I did recently finish Claudia Gray's The Fallen Star (book three in the High Republic books) and am emotionally compromised about it

Greatest literary inspiration: Ooh, gotta be Tamora Pierce. Amazing world building, great characters, a wonderfully down-to-earth writing style you don't often see in the high fantasy genre. Good stuff all around.

Things in my current fandom I want to read but I don't want to write: luckily for me someone IS writing WWII crossover fics ( <3 @theoriginalladya ). Otherwise it's less an issue of not wanting to write something and more an issue of not feeling like I can pull it off as well or else not having the energy to do so

Things in my current fandoms I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me: Guardian Angel x Songbird in a borderlands/cyberpunk crossover/au. The entire concept of the second part of my ME:A long fic because I go even more off-script -- talking Kett characters from beyond the heleus cluster, AI fuckery, poking at the jaardan, and yeah. Stuff. Probably why I'm struggling so hard to finish the first part, eh?

You can recognize my writing by: excessive love of commas and semicolons; third person with a stream of consciousness touch. a rousing game of "is this a run-on sentence or does the comma negate that" (it DOES, i swear).

My most controversial take (current fandom): Hoo boy okay uhhh

For Mass Effect: ... I don't ship shakarian and I don't ship Talibrations. If I were to write anything with Garrus it'd probably be an OC or someone with less established interactions in canon, because i feel Garrus's canonical depictions are all over the fucking place. And I just really like Tali with Traynor /shrug

ME:A is a good game. Cry about it. (as in im crying about it because chances are high they won't let us go back)

Top three favourite tropes: idk if this is a trope per se or if it is idk what it's called but I'm such a sucker for people being super dorky in their relationships. Absolute nerds. Hmm I also like "saved" by the narrative -- characters who have to face the consequences of making it out alive and figuring out what that means. Found family is another goodie.

What’s your current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut): 0.5 -- i wrote like! Some sentences recently! Ayyy!

Share a random frustration: I think I need a different dedicated writing space. My current office is just too "this is the place you work" and it just adds to the already pervasive sense of burnout.