#she's optimistic even after seeing the hatred in the world

[gurokatt]

I think Lucy Maclean might be a blorbo

she's my silly rabbit

[kirain]

I know you've said you're not into shipping, but if you HAD to ship bg3 companions (you do, I'm saying you have to😝) which npcs would you ship them with?

Well, since you're forcing me. 😅

...This was actually harder than I thought it would be, since I don't usually consider ships. But I think I'm happy with my choices.

In my opinion, Lae'zel and Varsh Ko'kuu would make a fantastic couple. Personally, I prefer the ending where Lae'zel returns to the Astral Plane to usher in a new age for the githyanki, hopefully turning them from their violent and conquerous ways. To do that she'll need support, hence her call for rebellion. I like to think Ko'kuu would be one of the first to join her, as the Narrator tells us he's grown "tired"; likely of his people's brutal and callous ways. He's clearly diplomatic and maternal, as well as open-minded enough to trust an outsider with his young, so he'd be a perfect ally. As he becomes Lae'zel's righthand man during the civil war, they would naturally form a bond that blooms from respect and admiration to romantic. He would also make an excellent father to Xan.

This ship I don't think I even need to explain. Karlach and Dammon are absolutely perfect for each other. They respect each other, they like each other, they understand each other's struggles, and they're both kind, caring, optimistic people. Karlach not only fantasizes about Dammon in her origin run, but they also have an adorable handholding scene once he upgrades her engine. So in relation to her somewhat disappointing ending, I like to think Dammon discovers a cure for her condition and follows her to Avernus, where they break into Zariel's forge, construct a permanent upgrade that negates the deadly heat inside her, and then escape back to the material plane. After that, the two would become inseparable. They would start a new life in Baldur's Gate, with Dammon continuing his work as a respected blacksmith and Karlach becoming an avid defender of the city.

This ship was actually my friend's idea, and I believe she's planning on exploring it further on her own blog. As we discussed it, we both agreed Sebastian would probably hate Astarion and want blood, even knowing he had no choice but to follow Cazador's demands; over a century of misery and torment leaves little room for forgiveness. After his release, I think he'd track Astarion down and try to kill him in a blind act of revenge, but hesitate, failing the task. Still a sweet and delicate soul, he'd fall to his knees in tears, lamenting everything he's lost. Plagued with guilt upon seeing his broken state, Astarion would comfort Sebastian, knowing what it's like to feel nothing but fear and hatred. Things would be rocky at first, slow, messy—but eventually Sebastian would forgive Astarion, falling in love with him all over again. And with that closure, Astarion would finally be able to forgive himself.

To me, this ship makes the most sense (and may also be the sweetest), as Shadowheart and Nocturne already have a shared history and they've both suffered under Shar. When we meet Nocturne, she implies she's grown wary of following the dark goddess and her cult, but she's too afraid to leave. So after defeating the Absolute, I like to imagine Shadowheart rekindles her relationship with Nocturne, eventually turning her away from Shar and convincing her to leave the sanctum. With her once best friend's guidance, Nocturne would adjust well to the world outside, growing close to Shadowheart once again and rebuilding her lost memories, as well as making new ones. Together they would travel the world, forever wrapped in each other's loving embrace.

I fell in love with Exxvikyap the moment I met her, and I think she'd be perfect for Wyll. He needs someone who can match his excitable, charismatic energy—and she definitely would. Whether Wyll follows in his father's footsteps or follows Karlach to Avernus, at some point I like to think he'd return to Baldur's Gate. Once he does, he'd find himself visiting the Rivington General for a new weapon. As she helps him find a sword best suited to his fighting style, they'd strike up a conversation. Wyll would find her warm and bubbly personality both infectious and endearing, which would lead to him visiting the shop again. And again. And again. And again. Slowly, he would begin courting the sweet dragonborn woman, and she would happily accept his advances. Eventually she would quit, joining Wyll on his many adventures and defending the Sword Coast from any who would threaten to harm it.

This ship I waffled on for a while, because personally I didn't see it; especially since I think Gale needs someone who's compassionate and affectionate. But then I realised Rolan is both of those things. At least by Act 2. He's sassy and snappy and self-important, but he loves his siblings—to the point that he was willing to risk his career to stick by them at the Grove, and enough to risk his life by searching for them in the Shadowlands. He also saved the orphans, even though he whinged about it. He wants to be independent, but he later learns to accept help, which leads me to Gale. At some point, I like to think Gale visits Ramazith's Tower, looking for a book. He bumps into Rolan, who's struggling to cast an advanced spell that summons a hoard of angry mephits. Chaos ensues, causing Gale and Rolan to team up and reverse the damage. Rolan would beat himself up over the incident, but Gale would encourage him, teaching him the proper way to cast the spell. From that point on, their relationship would blossom in ways neither of them expected. Together they would find a perfect balance, propping each other up while also keeping each other humble.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Part 20 Fishman Island (Sorry if this is a lot)

They make it to Fishmen Island, with Reader amazed left and right from everything and seeing all the different Merfolk

Reader is with Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Ace and Sanji, rencounter Camie and meet the Medika Mermaid Quintuplets (Who are swarming around Reader since she’s small and very cute)

She was concerned when her Big Brother Sanji started sobbing seeing all the Mermaids (Which Zoro and Ace told her he’s fine)

Reader was hiding along with her brothers from the Royal Family (But was begging along with Luffy to get a blood donation for Sanji) and went to town to get blood for Sanji

Y/N was very shy meeting and thanking Madam Shirley

However Reader was really happy to see Nami again (And Nami made sure to take all the kids clothes for Y/N) and was surprised to meet Neptune, the King (She calls Neptune ‘Mr. King’ or ‘Mr. Neptune’)

She and everyone else were surprised to find out they’re invited to the Palace (But doesn’t know why everyone is shocked about them being invited)

When they got to the palace, Y/N was in awe of the Giant Palace and was surprised that Neptune was being scolded, and go along with Luffy and Ace in a bubble to find food, only to meeting the Giant Mermaid Princess named Shirahoshi

Though Reader was horrified to see a giant axe trying to hit Shirahoshi, which Ace and Luffy deflected it to protect Shirahoshi

Reader *Politely* told Luffy to stop being mean to Shirahoshi, and would comfort Shirahoshi whenever she started to tear up (She can understand Shirahoshi’s fear of the outside world)

Shirahoshi and Reader instantly click and form a bond over their shared fear of the outside world, but it’s Y/N who encourages Shirahoshi in seeing the outside world (As Reader’s now a bit more brave and optimistic thanks to her family showing her that she’s allowed to live and be free *Which makes Ace and Luffy smile, happy that Y/N feels and thinks that way*)

Reader feels sorry for what Shirahoshi and her family had to go through after the death of their mother Otohime (And brings Otohime back to life, shocking the Civilians, Hody Jones and his crew and the Royal Family)

Y/N had to hide with Shirahoshi since Hody Jones demanded her and Shirahoshi (As Hody saw Reader is the only Human that he would need alive and plans to use her power to his bidding, even if it’s against her will, something he bragged at Luffy and Ace, resulting in him getting an even harder smack down)

Y/N freaked out when her brother Luffy needed a Blood Transfusion and no one was willing to give any, resulting in her begging Chopper to use her blood (This was a shocking development since they know how Y/N feels about her blood being taken) only for Jinbei to come in a say he’s willing to give his blood since they have the same blood type (Y/N was so grateful she started bawling because her brother Luffy isn’t going to die!)

Otohime willingly adopts Reader to show that there can be change between the Human and Fishfolk (As thanks for bringing her back to life to her family and people, with Reader being proof that not all humans are bad and evil)

Reader wanted to help Jinbei by bringing back Fisher Tiger, but he gently told her no, as Tiger suffered a lot while alive, but maybe if he met Reader during his time alive, maybe, just maybe the hatred and agony wouldn’t have such a strong hold on him (And maybe Tiger finally feels at peace in the afterlife all thanks to Reader and Luffy)

During the huge Banquet, everyone is laughing, dancing, smiling, eating and drinking (Y/N is drinking juice with Ace)

Though everyone was wondering why Y/N is carrying a pillow with her (Thinking she might be tired) only for her to show them by her being quick enough to move Ace’s food out the way and instead with a pillow for him to face plant on (Making Luffy and the others cackle realizing the pillow is for Ace and not her, showing how kind Y/N is for her family)

However, when Y/N went out to play with some of the Fishmen children (With adult supervision from ) she wasn’t there when Luffy was talking with Big Mom, with the threat to make Fishman Island become his territory

Y/N and everyone Pinky Promises Shirahoshi that they’ll always be friends (Reader was the most excited to do a Pinky Promise because she was told it’s an ‘Unbreakable Bond’ between friends and family)

Sorry if this is a lot, I’m trying to remember what happened in this arc and I don’t mind if this gets abridged

I will say this about this piece, since this arc is so massive: this will be heavily abridged, so it won’t include all details that occurred in this arc.

-When you woke up, you were with Usopp, Ace, Sanji, Luffy and Chopper, and while you were worried about the others, Luffy assured you that they were fine, and your group would meet up with them a little later.

-You were amazed walking around, seeing the beautiful buildings and so many different types of Fishman people, there were so many shapes, sizes, and species.

-You then heard a voice, “Y/N!” your eyes lit up as you smiled, rushing towards a familiar face, “Camie!” the two of you hugged each other, Camie sighing deeply as she held you in her arms before she pulled back, tears in her eyes, “I never got to thank you Y/N- for what you did for me in the Auction House. So, thank you Y/N- thank you all! I’m so happy to see you all again!”

-Ace patted both of you on the head as you were both comically crying, others staring at the two of you, thinking you were both adorable.

-You then heard a new voice, “Who’s this?” and, “Who’s that?” and, “I don’t know.”, then,  “She’s so little!” and finally, “But she’s cute!” You were amazed, finding yourself surrounded by five mermaids who were very similar before Camie introduced them at the Medaka Mermaid Quintuplets, Ichika, Nika, Sanka, Yonka, and Yonka Two, before introducing you to them.

-They swam around you, using their bubble rings, complimenting you on how tiny and cute you were while you were smiling, telling them that they were so cute which made all six of you smile so brightly!

-You were lying low with the others in Camie’s house, for some reason you were hiding from the Royal Family, Usopp wouldn’t tell you when you asked him, he just said you all had to hide for a while, as they believed that you all were being hunted to be brought before the Royal Family.

-You turned back to see Sanji collapsed, bleeding out again from seeing all the mermaids and you were quickly in tears, sobbing that Sanji was going to die, wanting to heal him. Ace tried to tell you that he was fine, that this was normal, but you sniffled, looking up at Ace and Luffy, begging to go with them to get a blood donation.

-They were unable to resist your teary eyes, and Luffy agreed, and you all headed out along with Camie, seeking out someone called Madam Shyarly.

-She was another mermaid, a shark type one, but she was so much bigger than Camie was, and while she welcomed everyone to her Mermaid Café warmly, you hid behind Ace’s leg, feeling a bit shy.

-You could feel that she could be dangerous if she wanted to be, and there was something about her that was unusual, but you couldn’t put your finger on it.

-You were shocked when you learned that she was Arlong’s half-sister, and you realized that’s why she felt dangerous, but she was nice, giving you a room to treat Sanji in. Shyarly was nice to you, letting you sit on her lap as you drank some juice that was prepared while Chopper was treating Sanji.

-You beamed when you saw Nami and the others all arrive, greeting them all and Nami beamed, showing you a shopping bag, “Time to play dress up Y/N!” you lifted your arms up, cheering with her while Robin and the mermaids all giggled, thinking you were adorable.

-You were put into a long sleeve dress that looked like mermaid scales, dark green in color and you twirled, “It’s so pretty!” Camie smiled warmly at you, telling you how cute you looked, “These are really popular with human children, and I can see why!”

-King Neptune was even bigger than Shyarly, but unlike Shyarly, whom you were hesitant, at first, he was different, he felt warm and kind as he introduced himself and you smiled, “It’s nice to meet you Mr. King Neptune.”

-The King was nearly assassinated by cuteness, falling to the floor, clutching his chest as your family and the mermaids all laughed, thinking it was funny.

-Everyone was stunned to hear his invitation to come to the palace, but you were more confused as to why everyone was shocked.

-The palace was enormous!! It was also super pretty and everywhere you looked you found something new, something more to look at.

-You, Ace, and Luffy were shooed away while Neptune was being scolded, with Luffy leading the charge to seek out food.

-You came to a massive door, one that was so big that you probably would have fallen on your rear if you weren’t in the bubble and inside you found what you thought was the biggest mermaid you would ever see.

-She was a bit scared, before she calmed, realizing that the three of you weren’t bad people, introducing herself as the Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi and welcomed your brothers to enjoy her food.

-Shirahoshi was so gentle with you, letting you sit on her hand as she asked you questions about the surface world, and you asked her questions, the two of you instantly hitting it off, bonding over your curiosity of the world.

-You pouted lightly at Luffy when he made Shirahoshi cry, being a bit rude, but you were quick to find that Shirahoshi was a bit of a crybaby, but Luffy did appease you and apologized to her, but she was quick to bounce back, and you helped calm her down if she did get teary eyed.

-Shirahoshi could tell that Y/N was a lot like her, cautious and fragile, scared of the outside world, “You’re so brave Y/N- you go out into the world with no fear. I wish I could be like you.”

-You smiled up at her, “My big brothers and the rest of my family keep me safe, and they teach me lots! It’s not like… I’m free now and they let me be free!” They had all heard the pause, your two brothers sharing a hard look between them.

-Your past is something you had yet to be able to tell them anything about, other than a few vague details, but they hoped you would be ready one day to tell them everything.

-When a giant axe flew in, Shirahoshi was quick to shield you, despite being afraid herself, but Luffy and Ace were easily able to deflect it, and she told you about Vander Decker and both Ace and Luffy grinned, promising to keep her safe as well.

-It did cause quite a commotion when you all arrived in the main hall, seeing the Royal Family, Hody Jones and his crew, several civilians who were concerned, the rest of your crew, with Shirahoshi in tow, as she chose to believe Ace and Luffy.

-Hody had come, furious that Neptune had invited humans into the palace, “Don’t you remember what they did to Queen Otohime?! All humans should be exterminated!!”

-You were scared, shying away before you looked up at Shirahoshi as her brothers came over to watch over her, “Who is Queen Otohime?” Shirahoshi told you and the others about her mother, and how she had been attacked and killed by humans, as she had been working on the relationship between humans and Fishmen.

-Nami’s eyes went wide, gasping, “Y/N!” all eyes went to you as your horn flared to life in Shirahoshi’s arms, as you had started crying, hearing about her mommy, hearing how nice she was, and your powers, just like in Skypeia, brought her back from nothing.

-All eyes went wide as Otohime reformed and gasped loudly, looking just as she did the day she was killed, stunning all in attendance.

-You fell to your rear, feeling a bit dizzy as your fever started taking over, Luffy quickly pulling you into his arms as the Royal Family all rejoiced and within minutes, after civilians and guards ran out, everyone knew that a human child brough Otohime back to life.

-Hody was stunned, seeing this, before quickly seeing you as the only human worthy of keeping alive as he cracked his knuckles, “Oi- hand over the princess and that brat- she’s the only one I’ll keep alive. She’s going to bring back more Fishmen, so we can take over.” Ace turned, a fierce glare in his eyes, balls of fire appearing in his hands, “Y/N’s powers are for her to use as she wants! She won’t be used by anyone ever again!!”

-Hody just smirked, immediately turning himself into the Straw Hat’s biggest enemy, “I’ll do what I want with her- and if she doesn’t, I’ll just beat her until she does.” Otohime was stunned, hearing this before a massive brawl happened.

-Otohime quickly turned, “Shirahoshi take Y/N and flee!” Her daughter looked scared, but she felt something new as Luffy turned, giving you to her and she cradled you carefully and took off, rushing out of the palace, fleeing away with you.

-It was hours later when the Straw Hats found you and Shirahoshi, with help from Camie and Jinbei. Your fever was gone, as you had gotten to rest and you got to meet Jinbei, who you recognized, “You helped Luffy when I thought Ace and grandpa died.”

-Jinbei smiled gently down at you, you were so sweet as you held his hand, having no fear, as you knew that he was a nice person and you found out that they were going to be going to war against Hody and his army who shared his views about humans.

-You were watching from the Sunny, having been brought there by Brook, “Just stay here Y/N- you’re in charge of guarding the ship!” He meant it as a joke, as they were all going to be between you and the army, but you were ready to defend it! How- you didn’t know but you were going to do it!

-Otohime, who was still causing shock with her resurrection, tried to appeal to Hody and his men before the impending battle, telling them that they didn’t need to do this- as there were both good and bad humans, just like there were good and bad Fishmen.

-You gasped as Hody slapped her hard, sending her to the ground and Shirahoshi started crying loudly, even louder than before as Luffy pulled Otohime to safety, getting her back towards Shirahoshi.

-You froze, seeing the Sea Kings quickly surrounding Shirahoshi, coming to her aid, sensing her distress, which made everyone else freeze in awe as well, seeing this, but apparently this was something of importance to Fishmen, as there was a prophecy about the mermaid princess being able to do this.

-The Sea Beasts were docile, for the moment, as they were tending to Shirahoshi, who was wondering what was going on before they swam away, Otohime managing to calm her down before they started rampaging.

-You were safe on the ship, watching the fight and you were in awe, watching how strong everyone was now, seeing all of their new attacks and strength, your eyes sparkling.

-You heard a sound behind you, and you turned, your eyes instantly going wide, seeing one of Hody’s men who managed to sneak on board, to grab you.

-Your eyes were wide in fear as he approached, “Hody’s going to be so pleased with me! And you’re going to help us bring all our friends back!”

-Your eyes trembled in fear, falling to your rear as you stared up at this scary fishman, memories reentering your mind of your life before you came to this world, before Luffy, before you were safe, seeing similar men leering down and reaching down to you.

-He grabbed you, lifting you by the front of your shirt and you felt something hit your chest and your eyes widened, it was your baby sword! You quickly pulled it from its sheath and stabbed him in the arm, nothing fatal, but he did drop you, clutching at his arm before you heard Ace, “Duck Y/N!” you did as you were told as Ace flew in, kicking the fishman away from you.

-He was stunned, seeing the bloody baby sword in your hand, you had stabbed that man, but now you were in shock and Ace glared slightly before throwing the offender off the ship and he remained there, to keep everyone unfriendly away from Sunny and you.

-When you saw Luffy, after the battle, Chopper saying he needed a blood transfusion, you were beside yourself, being brought off the ship, but Usopp caught you, holding you as you struggled, “Let me go! Let me heal Luffy!” Nami was trying to calm you, “He needs blood Y/N- you may heal his wounds but he would still need blood!”

-Others, Otohime and the fishmen who laid down their arms, stopping the fight, where stunned when you pulled up your sleeve, showing your heavily scarred arm, in tears, “Take my blood then! Chopper please use my blood!”

-Your family froze, as you were notoriously terrified of anything medical, even a checkup, and to see you willingly offering your blood, breaking down in harsh sobs, you broke their hearts.

-You laid on Jinbei’s chest, clutching at his shirt as you cried, thanking him as he shared his own blood with Luffy, something that was unheard of for humans and fishmen.

-Once wounds were wrapped and peace appeared again on Fishman Island, a massive banquet, with everyone, even civilians, were invited to come and celebrate with the Straw Hats and the Royal Family.

-Otohime stunned everyone there, once everyone was in attendance, by kneeling before you, “Y/N- you gave me my life back, for this I thank you, and you have showed me that no matter how big or small you are, anyone can do anything. I will claim it here and now, as Queen, Y/N is now my adopted daughter!!”

-Jaws dropped all around before loud cheers went around your family, as you now had more allies as Otohime hugged you tightly, smiling down at you.

-You had some quiet time with Jinbei during the party, while Luffy was going to see what was taking Shirahoshi so long, along with Sanji and Zoro, and you asked him, “Do you miss Fisher Tiger? Do you want me to bring him back?”

-Jinbei felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, seeing how selfless you were, petting your hair softly, “I do miss him, Y/N. But no- he suffered a lot while he was alive, but I have a feeling he’s happy now, especially because of you and Luffy.” You looked up at him, smiling softly, “Really?” he chuckled softly, nodding.

-It was a bit odd, about twenty minutes later, when you walked by with a large pillow, as many were curious that you wanted to lie down, Robin and Nami, and even Otohime offered to take you someplace quiet so you could rest, but you just smiled, “It’s not for me!”

-You joined Ace at a large table, enjoying some juice that he got you, and everyone was watching you keep looking up at Ace, like you were watching something before Ace suddenly froze.

-You managed to grab his plate and put the pillow on the table as he face planted down, having a soft landing this time as everyone around howled with laughter, thinking it was funny but also so sweet how attentive you were being.

-Otohime saw you fiddling with your cross necklace, as Ace had told everyone that you had stabbed someone with your baby sword to defend yourself, something that was quite shocking, but Otohime didn’t know that as she was sitting with you while Luffy was talking with Big Mom, claiming Fishman Island as his territory now, “What’s that Y/N?”

-You beamed, pulling out the blade to show her, “A baby sword!” her eyes went wide, worried you would hurt yourself with it, “NO!” as more roars of laughter filled the room, before Brook explained that your baby sword was a gift, and that you didn’t really know how to use it.

-Shirahoshi was trying hard not to cry as you got ready to leave, and you could feel your own tears pricking at the corners of your eyes and everyone in the crew, including you, touched pinkies with Shirahoshi, making a pinkie promise to be friends forever.

-You waved goodbye to your new adoptive family as they all shouted for you to visit, something you were looking forward to, unaware of the dark cloud looming, waiting for you at the next destination.

[ronwestbreeze]

TO YOU , WORLDS AWAY : PART ONE : CHAPTER NINE

pairing: jake sully x human!fem!reader

summary: hey, tinkers...

warnings: angst! death!

word count: 3.8k

author's note: i cried when writing this so good luck lol

AO3 | prev | next

“We’re almost there, okay?” You whispered to Grace as you double checked her now wrapped bullet wound.

It had been a couple of hours since you escaped Hell’s Gate. Jake and Norm had Trudy fly to Hallelujah Mountains to grab the camp container which held all four of your avatar transfer pods and now you were trying to find the Tree of Souls. You really didn’t know where this place was but you knew Grace had studied it from afar since outsiders weren’t allowed near it. This would be your first time seeing it in person rather than on screen.

You wished you could be excited about it, a scientist’s mind finally being fed. Instead it felt as if the world was just tipping. Barely on land and far too close to the edge. Hanging by a thread. Gently, you patted a towel against her glistening skin, her skin becoming paler the more time they wasted.

“Just hold for a little while longer okay? Everything’s gonna be fine.”  You tried not to glance toward the wound. Instead, you grabbed the blanket and pulled it over her.

Grace chuckled tiredly, “I’ve never known you to be optimistic, Tinkers.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?” You rested your hand on her shoulder while your other elbow leaned on the edge of her bed. “We’re basically at the brink of war. Someone has to hold it together, you know?”

“Man, you being all positive? It really is the end of times.” Grace croaked out a laugh, wincing as she did so. Your heart dropped a few times. Every bit of you tried not to show your panic, tried not to show her how scared you were for her. Because you knew that if you were in her shoes, you’d want someone to do the same.

“Don’t strain yourself, Augustine. You almost sound like your age.”

“Oh the horror.”

Your eyes were hurting when Grace looked at you through her droopy eyes. Every now and then it would be a bit blurry then refocused as you blinked it away. You’d look away and busy yourself with something else like picking at the sheet of the cot she lay on or adjusting the blanket on her body. Grace would just watch you quietly. And you let her, knowing she could probably see right through your attempts but never pointed it out. It both frustrated you and made her love her more all the same.

“Tinkers.” Grace’s hand then stretched out toward yours, grasping it gently and causing your movements to stop. “If  things go wrong. If I don’t make it—”

“You’ll make it.” You said firmly, scowling at her for even thinking such a thing. “You think I would allow you to die on me, Augustine?”

“Just listen, kid.” Grace even though she was weak was giving you one of her stern glares. “If I don’t make it, don’t go through with Project Pandora. Do not let your hatred for him be the cause of losing your life. Promise me, please.”

You frowned and paused. Her grip on your hand tightened and you mumbled out, “There are no promises in war—”

“I am asking you. Begging you not to do it.” Grace croaked. Her eyes were pleading, desperate. “Please, Y/N.”

Silence was your friend in that moment as your mind began to swim. And after another long moment, you squeezed her hand in return.

“I will try.”

That was all you could give her. You could not fully commit to a promise you knew a part of you would not keep. If Grace was to…

No. You would not allow your mind to wander that far away to despair.

Grace was quiet as well.  She then breathed out a long, shaky sigh, “Good, now that we have that out of the way. Enough pushing Marine away. Pushing everyone away. You do not deserve to be alone.” She then gave a lazy smirk at your flushed face. “It’s obvious, kid. Even Chacon sees it and she hasn’t even spent those three months with us.”

This was honestly the last thing you wanted to talk about but you couldn’t help but let out a disbelief laugh at how unexpected it was. “Please save your energy instead of worrying about Jake and I’s relationship.”

She chuckled, “Whatever you say, Tinkers.”

Eventually, you left Grace’s side and found a bench further inside the ship. For a while you stayed there, watching the world of Pandora go by as the sun slowly came up. You would’ve marveled at the sunrise, at the beauty of Pandora all over again as if it was the first time seeing it again. You missed that childlike wonder, the happy nativity, the true optimism that you abandoned long ago.

Your face fell into your hands but you refused to cry. You just closed your eyes, hoping that this was all a long and suffering nightmare and you would wake up soon.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

“Hey.”

Jake was rolling toward you when you looked up. “Hi.” You gave him a small smile as he stopped next to your legs. “So…what’s the plan here? I assume you told them the truth already?”

Jake nodded, eyes down casted, “Let’s just say it could’ve gone a lot worse, I guess.” You could see the hurt that he tried to hide and your heart felt heavier seeing how his face fell, even though their reaction would have been justified, it still hurt him.

Reluctantly, you scooted closer to him and held his face in your hands to make him look up at you. His hand squeezed one of your wrists as he leaned into your touch, his eyes fluttering closed.

“I have to find a way to convince them I’m on their side.” Jake mumbled, leaning his forehead against yours as you listened to him quietly. “They can save her. They’re the only ones we can rely on to save Grace.”

“How do you think you’re going to win their trust back?” You asked, running your fingers through his hair.

He frowned, “I don’t know yet.”

You closed your eyes, keeping your achy eyes at bay. “Well…for what it's worth, I believe in you, Puppet.”

Jake scoffed but a smile tugged at his lips, “Still with the ‘Puppet’?”

His hand snaked toward the back of your neck, pulling you closer as you fought back a smile of your own, “Yeah, you're still my Puppet. It’s not going away any time soon.”

“Your Puppet?” Jake smiled wide.

You nod, “Yeah, all mine.”

The both of you were a candle in the darkest room. The small warmth left in the cold. You clung to the light. You clung to the warmth with all of your might. Because if you let it slip through your fingers again, if you let it leave, you knew it wouldn’t return to you. That it would be nothing but darkness. Nothing but the cold.

And so you took a chance while the moment was still here. You wouldn’t waste it. So, you leaned in first, glancing down at his lips letting yours hover over his for a few seconds. Jake met you the rest of the way, hungrily capturing your lips with his. 

His grip on you was possessive yet his lips were gentle and moved against yours as if you were the most fragile thing on this planet. Your touches were light against him, tugging his shirt so he’d be closer to you.  You realized, while finally kissing him, that you had wanted him for so long, that you had hesitated, that you were scared to act on anything until now.

You were still scared. But it wouldn’t stop you from this. Not when you didn’t know what would come next.

“We’re about to land the camper!” Norm called from further away. His voice caused the two of you to break away, looking up to find him approaching the two of you. “You’re up soon, Jake.”

Jake nodded to him, though he didn’t let you go right away. When Norm walked away, you squeezed both his wrists, taking them from your face and holding them in your hands. “You got this, okay?”

He squeezed your hands back, “Come with me.”

You smiled sadly, “I want to stay at Grace’s side, so she’s not alone. This is your mission, Jake. I can only encourage you from here.”

For another moment longer he watched you and then leaned in to steal another kiss from you. “I’ll be back.”

You nodded before he finally let you go and rolled away toward the front of the ship. And after coming out of your dazed state, you realized that the ship was lowering slightly to the ground. Through the window, you could see the forest and the camper right below you as it was set down among the trees.

When the ship finally landed, both Jake and Norm grabbed masks and got out to rush toward the camper. You stayed by Grace’s side like you said, making sure to keep her awake and talking while waiting for Jake.

“Hey, hey, Grace, we’re near the tree.” You whispered to her, squeezing her arm to stay awake and talk to you. “You might get to see it if things go well with Jake.”

“Oh, really?” She smiled tiredly. “Hey, Tinkers, do me a favor and get some samples for me…with their permission of course.”

You nodded, letting out a shaky chuckle, “I’ll try. But first let’s get you better, okay? We’re going to heal you, promise.”

Trudy came in minutes later. The sun was beginning to set soon, letting you know just how long this day had been.

“I gotta take this baby back soon.” Trudy mumbled kneeling down next to Grace’s side with you. “How long do you think—”

“I don’t know.” You massaged your head exhaustedly. “I don’t even know if they would accept him back after what he did. I just don’t know.”

Trudy patted your shoulder, “I know, I know, sorry. Quaritch doesn’t know it was me that helped you guys, I kind of want to try and keep it that way, you know, just so you have an extra spy on the inside.”

You smiled small toward her, “Thanks for helping us, Trudy. Could’ve been selfish, I know I would’ve been in your shoes, but you weren’t.”

“Hey, what are friends for, Doc?” Trudy grinned.

Before either roof you could say anything else, there was a heavy thud that hit the ship. It wasn’t strong enough to damage it or knock it over—thank Eywa—but it was enough to startle the two of you, hell even Grace sat up a bit with what little strength she had left.

Trudy looked around and grabbed her mask, which was already around her neck, and placed it on. “What the fuck was that?”

You got up and rushed toward the bench you had been sitting on earlier and grabbed your mask as well.

“Please don’t be an animal, please don’t be an animal, please don’t be an animal.” You mumble quietly to yourself as you also put your mask on before rejoining Trudy and Grace.

Suddenly, one of the doors opened. Trudy grabbed her gun and you stayed close at Grace’s side, watching the now open door cautiously. Night had come already, which made this all the more frightening.

Before either of you could react, Jake, in his avatar, jumped into the ship, shocking both Trudy and you.

“Holy shit, Sully!” Trudy scowled, lowering her gun.

“Sorry, sorry.” Jake quickly said, raising his hands up.

You quickly got over your momentary shock and looked up at him anxiously, “So? What happened?”

Jake nodded reassuringly to you, “Mo’at agreed to help Grace. But we have to hurry.”

You definitely didn’t have to be told twice. Jake crawled over toward, having to crouch down because of his massive height. He moved to pick her up but Trudy stopped him.

“Whoa, whoa! She needs a mask!”

“Here, take mine.” You said. After inhaling a large breath of air, you removed the mask and placed it on Grace. You directed Jake to carry her before rushing off to find another mask.

When you found another one lying on the floor, you grabbed it and put it on just as Jake got off the ship with Grace’s body in his arms. Jake glanced back toward you just as you got off the ship as well.

“We have to get to the tree.” Jake told you as you slowed to a stop. “Doc, come on!”

You shook your head, “I’ll meet you there! Just take her and go!”

After seconds of hesitation, Jake finally ran off with Grace in his arms. You turned toward the camper.

When waking up in your avatar, you didn’t know what to expect once your eyes opened. Last time you had been in your avatar, you were in the Hometree. And Hometree had just gotten destroyed. God, you really hoped your body wasn’t left in there.

Fortunately, once your eyes opened, you were taken aback when you saw a glowing tree. Having that be the first thing you saw when waking up made you confused, made you freeze for a few seconds as you wondered just where the hell did your avatar end up. But once you realized the other bodies, the people of the Omatikaya, kneeling around the tree, everything clicked.

Slowly, you sat up, eyes never leaving the Tree of Souls. It was the  most beautiful thing you had ever seen. No amount of blurred pictures could ever live up to the real thing in front of you. The energy, the color, the height of it all was all so overwhelming. In a way that made your heart feel heavy and your body warm.

God, Pandora was so beautiful. And you, so undeserving of its beauty.

Soon your eyes finally landed on the base of the tree where four figures kneeled next to two bodies. Your senses began coming back and you're fuzzy mind made out those four figures as Jake, Neytiri, Norm, and Mo’at. And they were leaning over two bodies.

Grace and her avatar.

You staggered to your feet and made your way toward them, careful not to disturb those that were kneeling.

As you got closer, it was Mo’at’s voice that reached your ears first. “—The Great Mother may choose to save all that she is in this body.”

At her words, you carefully made yourself known to them, “Is that possible?” Jake’s head turned to the sound of your voice instantly just as you joined them. “Can it work?”

Jake grasped your arm and lowered you down in a crouch next to him as Mo’at spoke, “She must pass through the eye of Eywa and return. But…” Your heart squeezed as you hung onto every word, “My tsmuke, she is very weak.”

You never had considered yourself religious or spiritual, but you were desperate and you were willing to do anything to help Grace, to make sure she’d survive this. She would survive this. And you kept telling yourself this. Grace was the strongest woman you knew, she would survive this. She would.

“Hey, hey, Grace.” You whispered down to her, squeezing her shoulders to let her know that you were there. “It’s going to be okay. You’re gonna be all better soon.”

“Yeah, they’re gonna fix you up.” Jake agreed from beside you. “Just hang in there, Grace.”

Soon you watched as Neytiri joined the crowd of people. They began to sway in sync, the ground glowing around them. Mo’at chanted and the people repeated her words. Though you could not listen, you could not make out what they were saying. All of your focus, all of your attention, was on Grace.

It was as if the world went silent around you.

It was just you and Grace.

“Hey, Tinkers!”

You looked up and frowned as Dr. Augustine approached you with a smirk, “Tinkers? What the hell is Tinkers?”

“It’s what you are, kid.” Grace then gestured her head toward the exit of the lab you had been working in for the past hour. It was empty by then since some of the scientists had left for lunch. You, on the other hand, decided to stay back. “Come on, there’s a chicken sandwich begging to be eaten and I don’t want any of those marine boys taking it before I can get my hands on it.”

Rolling your eyes, you focused back on your papers, “Nah, you can go on ahead without me.”

It was quiet for a moment before Grace suddenly appeared over your shoulder. She whistled lowly, “AP Algebra, huh? Damn, it’s been a minute since I thought about high school. How’s it going?”

You grumbled, “It sucks ass. I often contemplate dropping out, so you know, the usual.”

“So it hasn’t changed then?” Grace joked, earning a small hint of a smile from you. He then grabbed a seat and pulled it up next to you, “Alrighty, what are we lookin’ at here?”

You frowned, “I thought you wanted that chicken sandwich?”

She waved it off, “There will always be others…”

“Um, thanks, Doctor.”

“Grace. Just call me Grace, kid.”

“Okay… thanks, Grace.”

“Mhmm, have you been practicing Na’vi at all?”

“No, it’s kind of hard. I keep messing up some words and forgetting a lot of phrases.”

“No worries, it took me a while to learn it too. I’ll help you.”

“…You really don’t have to, Do—I mean, Grace.”

“But I want to. Plus, I’m counting on you to keep up with my genius, kid. All these idiots are gettin’ on my nerves here.”

“That’s a big ask. I don’t know if I can live it up to that.”

“I know you will, Tinkers.”

“Okay, that name? Gotta stop.”

“Nope! It’s sticking now!”

.

.

.

.

“Tinkers.”

The chanting had stopped. But the ground continued to glow around you as Grace turned her body slightly to face you. Her hand found yours instantly.

You offer a shaky smile, “Hey, Grace.”

She smiled up at you, happily, “I’m with her. Tinkers, she’s real!”

That means it should be working, right? She’s met the eye of Eywa, right?  It’s working, right?

You watched as her eyes fluttered closed and felt as her hand went slack in yours, slipping from your grasp.

Jake hovered over her, calling for her. But you waited and looked over toward Grace’s avatar just as Mo’at moved over toward it. You waited for her body to twitch. You waited for her to open her eyes again. You waited for her voice. You waited for her amazement of the tree. You waited for her to tell you what meeting Eywa was like. You waited to tackle her in a hug, feeling her skin and knowing that she was alive, that she was real.

Nothing happened.

“Did it work?” Jake asked Mo’at when he crawled toward Grace’s avatar. “What happened?”

You waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.

“Her wounds were too great. It was not enough time.” Mo’at finally said. “She is with Eywa now.”

You shook your head and looked back down at Grace’s still body. “Hey, Grace? Grace, please, wake up. Grace, come on…” Again you squeezed her shoulder, gently shaking her. “Grace, wake up. Grace! GRACE!”

“Ssh, ssh, hey,” Jake’s voice appeared next to your ear. His hands gripped your arms gently, “Y/N, she’s gone—”

You fought off his grip, a sob leaving your lips. “No, no, no, no, no, Grace! Grace, come back! Please! You can’t leave me—please don’t leave—c-come back…”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Jake pulled you close to him, despite your attempts to push him away.

Neytiri appeared on your other side and gently removed Grace’s mask. You shook your head, reaching to stop her, “No, Neytiri, no, please—she can’t breathe without that—please—Grace—s-she won’t be able to….”

“She is safe, tsmuke.” Neytiri told you gently. She placed a hand on your shoulder and offered you a sad smile. “Eywa will take care of her now. Just as she has taken care of you.”

And at those words, you were then silent. Tears spilled freely down your cheeks. You turned back to Grace’s body and it all became too real.

Grace was gone. Dead.  

It wasn’t like your parents’ death. Sudden, barely giving you any time to react. Barely giving you a chance to even know them, truly. They were just gone, just like that. You didn’t even blink.

But Grace...

You allowed yourself to blink and she was gone. And she took everything with her.

A part of you wanted to be angry at Eywa. You glare up at the tree, wanting to scathe her, loath her with everything you had left.

But in truth, Eywa did not take Grace from you.

When Jake stood, you hadn’t realized until he was gone that the majority of the warmth you felt had come from him being at your side. Close to you, comforting you.  Now he was standing tall and facing the rest of the Omatikaya.

Neytiri, after squeezing your shoulder, stood as well. Norm, who had been watching quietly, was already standing and watching Jake closely as he approached Tsu’tey.

You remained at Grace’s side. No part of you could even move from it. You’d feel like you were betraying her somehow if you were to leave her. So you stayed, you stayed as you listened to Jake give a speech to the people.

“—We will send them a message! You ride out as fast as the wind can carry you! You tell the other clans to come! You can tell them Toruk Makto calls to them!”

So that was how he won back their trust, you realized numbly. You closed your eyes, zoning them out for a moment.

This war, no matter what, was going to happen. The Sky People wanted it and now they’ve got it. Now there would be more death, more fighting, until what end? You knew Grace wouldn’t have wanted any of this, hell she had actively tried to stop it many times.

But it seemed, no matter her efforts, war was inevitable. All she had worked for, all she had done, was it all for nothing?

If I don’t make it, don’t go through with Project Pandora. Do not let your hatred for him be the cause of losing your life. Promise me, please.

You opened your eyes.

No. Her death would not be in vain. You would not allow it.

Grace’s still body lied in front of you. Gently, you kissed the top of her head and whispered to her just as hoots of victory surrounded you.

“Forgive me, Grace.”

You were done with mercy. They never gave it to you anyway. No more empty promises. The only promise you swore yourself to would be the one that ended it all.

The war has always been right at your doorstep. It was time you finally unlocked the door.

taglist: @luvvfromme @sully-stick-together @dazedshoon @jakesullylvr @s-u-t @ssc7514 @cheari@tojigirl @nyotamalfoy @perfectprofessorloverapricot @erenjaegerwifee @naityelen @dumb-fawkin-bitch @raggedyoldwitch @dorck26 @nhemmingsf @biooiuygjjgfsrb @thatsenoughformelol@tojigirl @thotd-f1 @beaniebeensbaby201 @theoriginalwife000

[quipxotic]

I can't remember the last time I wrote so much after an episode right after it ended, but I have so many thoughts! This time, it's things I'm looking forward to in the next episode or things I hope happen.

Spoilers for Episode 77 below the cut:

Ashton is awkward and often an asshole, which distracts people (both in-game and in fandom) from the fact they are also one of the main caregivers in Bell's Hells. There are endless examples of their care, particularly for FCG, Laudna, Orym, and Fearne, but also for the others, both in battles and in conversations. But that care mostly goes unremarked on by the rest of the party or themselves. Because they're so durable in a fight, Bell's Hells have rarely had to face the thought of what life would be like without Ashton. Now they've all had to stand by and watch them die over and over again, with only two of them able to help in any way. If nothing else, they'll all have to confront that idea now.

Ashton is a mess. They use bluster and arrogance to cover up their low self esteem and self-hatred. They are convinced they are the most expendable person in any group they are in, even as they're desperate to matter in the world and for connection with others. They're a hypocrite, demanding everyone else know and acknowledge their worth and not take unnecessary risks, while ignoring that advice themselves. Everything in their life has taught them they only have value if they can do things for others; if they're not useful, then they're worthless. But because they're relatively quiet about all this and are reliable and responsible in most situations (at least compared to most of the rest of the team), none of that shit has so much as inconvenienced anyone in Bell's Hells. It's never caused an issue before now, so it's never gotten any attention. I hope that's going to change after this, it's a problem that can't be ignored any longer.

Imogen, Laudna, FCG, and Orym all tend to lean into the idea of martyring themselves for the team or the world. I can't wait to see their reaction to watching Ashton almost doing exactly that. I would love if there was some self-awareness that happens on their parts because of all of this, but I'm not overly optimistic. At the very least I hope they all talk about it finally.

Just...these people need to talk to each other! I want them to be angry and hurt at the way Ashton did what they did and at the risk they took. If that hadn't worked they would have lost not only their beloved friend but also the shard, a power they need for the fight ahead, that they all worked so hard to get, and that can't ever be replaced if lost.

And Ashton is loved by all of them, that's what's underneath that anger and pain. I want them to tell them that, even if they can't really hear it or internalize it. Someone needs to and they need to do it again, and again, and again until it sticks.

I want Ashton to talk about his feelings for the others. Directly, honestly, without all the hedging and awkward bluster. They've adored Fearne from the first moment they met, she needs to hear that! They have some kind of feelings for Orym, what is that? They love Laudna, Imogen, and FCG so fiercely, come out and say it! They even love Chetney, whether they're ever willing to admit it or not. Of everything in this list, this is the thing I'm the least sure will happen. I suspect when faced with anger, Ashton will give anger right back. I hope I'm wrong or that someone won't let them get away with it.

[sizzleissues]

So here’s what I think the reverser world looks like (can’t wait to see I’m wrong or have thought about this too much)

Origins

The guardians and Master Fu are a malicious organisation that controls and deals the miraculous. Whether the kwami’s agree to this I’m not sure but historically the miraculous were used for personal gain and power, with occasional blips of heroic holders but their miraculous were always eventually reclaimed by the Order through bloody means.

The organisation and thus the havoc it wrecked on the world disappeared in a fire (Master Fu still fucks everything up but on purpose this time). Most miraculous housed there were destroyed and the miracle box (the most powerful) was stolen as Master Fu escaped. He lost two on the way. The Butterfly and Peacock.

He thought they were destroyed until where Origins would have taken place, a champion appears.

Master Fu immediately finds two souls to take his most powerful miraculous in order to retrieve the lost pair. He selects two people with a bone to pick with society and no problem causing some mass destruction to lure Hesperia out.

Gabriel

Gabriel seeks out the legend of the miraculous in hopes to use their powers for good. Tales of them being heroically used are rare but he believes that the miraculous are neutral, they aren’t inherently evil things. A book on them had been passed down through his family so he knows of their powers. He finds the lost two and decides to study them with his wife before using them on strangers.

They find the peacock is broken but Emilie becomes enchanted with its power to create life. She cannot do the same. In a fit of despair she uses the miraculous to create a son. She soon falls ill. Their son has always been strange due to the circumstances of his creation. Gabriel focuses on raising him for the time being and caring for his sickly wife.

Upon her death she instructs Gabriel to use the Butterfly for good. To create a better world for Adrien. Soon, Gabriel creates his first champion.

Marinette

A Marinette that did not have the same resilient kindness as her normie counter part (though under all that eyeliner there are the kindlings of what she could have been). She soured from Chloe’s toture and became jaded with society.

Her parents are never around, too busy working too many jobs after Chloe has their bakery shut down. They are still good people but they are tired and can’t support Marinette the same. She’s allowed to fester hate while putting on a pleasant face at home.

She blames the system for no supporting her family. For allowing people like Chloe to wave her hand and ruin lives. She wants revenge.

A perfect candidate for Master Fu’s plan.

Adrien

He can’t help but know he’s the reason his mother is sick. He realises this in her last years and spirals because of this

His mother was always distant with him - afraid of her creation and thinking him the curse affecting her health.

Gabriel is overly optimistic - never admitting the obvious and avoiding the problem. This infuriates him. Gabriel never blamed Adrien from what Emile did. He loved his wife but the decision to create Adrien and cause her downfall had been her decision, Adrien was the blameless product of a power he’d warned her was dangerous.

He’s Adrien was even less self-esteem and his mother never gave him a loving streak. Gabriel may be good but he’s still emotionally constipated. He spoils Adrien to make up for it but it does nothing to help.

Adrien’s self-hatred turns outward in a violent rebellious phase. As son of the philanthropist and fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste, his misbehaving is on a world stage. Gabriel attempts to uphold the brand image but it only makes Adrien hate him.

(Adrien does love his father. Deep down… very deep down)

Another perfect candidate for Master Fu.

They both take the power willingly, doing as Master Fu instructed even before he tells them what to do.

That’s a wrap

[soullessjack]

good morning everypony here is my overly long caffeinated autistic analysis of the end scene from 14x19 ^_^

so for starters,

Jack’s glowy-archangel-eye color is canonically **gold.** not yellow like the princes of hell or shifters, but **gold.** Very shimmery, very sunshiny and starry and warm. yellow and gold are also the colors/aesthetics associated with jack most often in the fandom because of this so it’s his Thing™️ . however, in the smoky fiery background, they appear to be glowing so intently that they start to become a little…red …like Lucifer’s eyes so poignantly glow. the background is also extremely red (courtesy of the bunker going into lockdown, effectively *caging* them in), of course with some orangish yellows from the fire, but it’s very … “Lucifer in the background of Jack.”

secondly, jack is almost completely obscured by all of the smoke and backdrop fire/lockdown alarm lighting. if you zoom in close enough you can just barely see the white stripes on his cuffs, but otherwise he has absolutely no discernible features besides his glowing-out-of-skull eyes. he’s unrecognizable, vaguely human, but the prominent and most visible trait is the one he inherited from his nonhuman father, Lucifer, whose shadow he was pretty much born in and fought to get out of.

He feels nothing here but “icy hatred” and “fury,” and later on after he leaves he visits his grandparents specifically because “it’s clear—rejected by sam and dean—Jack’s looking for some kind of connection. Some kind of family.”

Lastly, of course, the utter destruction surrounding him; the twisted scrap metal remaining of his coffin, the numerous tiny fires that sprung from its’ demolition, the smoke that fills the entire dungeon so much that it engulfs and obscures Jack’s very being; it’s a very small scale of destruction compared to the “universe devouring” he was hyped up to deliver, but destruction nonetheless—and destruction in its own furious vengeful right, born from a deep sense of grief and pain of rejection and, like Fenrir, lashing out at being treated like a monster by those who you believe loved you; coming full circle into becoming that very monster in the process.

At his core, Jack’s base desires have almost always been to belong and have a family and be loved, especially for who he is, but he is also deeply afraid that ‘who he is’ is something evil and unlovable, something that can only ever destroy and ruin and take away; something that should die for the greater good of the world. he builds up a very specific well-mannered and optimistic hero/protector persona, not just to appear normal, but to be someone he thinks is “good” and useful and therefore worth loving, and the core fear of his “true nature” manifests as an avoidance of anything being ‘wrong’ with him in any capacity.

he lashes out at Mary over this direct fear, because she says something is wrong with him, and he can’t even cope with that with a soul. he tries to reassure Mary that “[he’s] not any different, that [he’s] still [himself]” and becomes defensive when she says otherwise; “the jack she knows would never have done that,” which, in his state of mind and rooted insecurity, would very easily translate into “you are not the person I know,” and likely goes even further to “you are not the person I know and love.” Mary insists on helping him, but Jack “shuts down; knows there’s nothing anyone can do.” He tells her that she can’t [help him] and just wants to be left alone as he begins spiraling, and we of course know the rest.

But afterwards, throughout Jack’s psychosis, Hallucifer basically tells him that he’s useless to the winchesters now, and useless = unlovable = not worth saving to them. He calls Jack their “pet monster,” “muscle to take out their enemies,” and just “pet,” diminishing Jack’s place in the family as their surrogate son (and likewise, them as his surrogate fathers), and reinforcing that he’s still a monster to them, and one that’s only valued or “loved” for his power. vocalizing his subconscious fear. He also taunts Jack’s obsessive motivation to resurrect Mary and, presumably earn forgiveness/regain his place in the family, as pathetic; not just a pointless effort to fix the unfixable, but something he shouldn’t even care about or want anymore, because he doesn’t really belong there anyways. The grief he feels for Mary is “just a reflex” from having a soul, not a genuine emotion or motivation that Jack still has; it’s not really about her, it’s about him being loved again. all of which Jack responds to with increasingly agitated “Shut ups.” And remember, that these are literally Jack’s own thoughts; his intrusive thoughts and long-held insecurities.

much like when Michael said he’d become more powerful and less human as he got older, and Jack “didn’t want to admit it was possible,” — he’s afraid to admit the possibility that he’s doing this selfishly; that he’ll never be loved again, that he was never really loved to begin with; that this is it. This is his true nature, the evil and destructive and pathetic unlovable pet monster that’s only good for being shown an enemy and told “sic-’em, boy.” he’s afraid that he might be doing this selfishly and is adamant that it’s because he really loves Mary. he really wants her back, too. he also goes and does those biblical atrocity murders with the same motivation, so much so that it actually irritates Duma to see he still cares lmao.

it’s a horrible culmination of grief and fear from the same root place, a horrible desire to be loved. to desire is to suffer and such. and that specific obsessive grief-stricken desire to be loved is intimately what twists jack into that unrecognizable rage-filled shadow.

jack’s desire to be loved and his fear of becoming/always being an unlovable monster is ultimately what drove him to becoming that monster.

@dakrapatops @dragonsareattackinghogwarts @aurorasleepsin @shallowseeker @honeyedwhiskey @jvnkless @ / anyone else I forgot lol

[oxygenbefore1775]

how colors from aot merchandise/official illustrations somehow correspond perfectly with each of the assigned characters

or

aot color analysis

*disclaimer for some controversial character/ship dynamic opinions but also stupid rumblings about color analysis*

Eren - Red

Do I fucking need to say more?

It's like a flag that needs to make itself seen and aknowledged. It spells warning and danger which Eren becomes in his adult years. Red is also agression and hatred, Eren's most prominent personality traits. It's a color most commonly associated with evil and Eren was known to the outside world as Devil of Paradis. But more than anything, red is a color of blood that gets spilled wherever there's violence and slaughter - very indicative of what's become of the Continent after Eren started the Rumbling.

But it's also important to remember that Eren draws blood each time before the transformation. Red is a color of sacrifice in this sense, the passion and zeal which drives Eren to fight. As it does to all of the humanity behind the Walls. Red is a great color for banners, the ones that encourage and lead people into the battle, just like Eren's presence did. In this sense, red bears a positive connotation for Paradisians as it represents life.

And let's not forget that color red is symbolic of warmth. The scarf that Eren gave Mikasa on the day she has lost her family was red. The color is indicative of home that Mikasa found in Eren.

Mikasa - Blue

Or rather navy blue.

Although Mikasa's signature color in anime is red but blue suits her much better. She's a stark contrast to red's aggression and energy. Blue, on the other hand, conveys the same calmness and security that Mikasa does. Blue is the stability which Mikasa craves the most in her life. There's not a lot of blue in the nature (if you don't live by the sea, that is) and the only blue thing commonly available is the sky yet it still very far away and feels foreign. So in that sense, Mikasa is one of a kind on Paradis and seems foreign to other people.

Yet blue also represents sadness. It's the color of the past and serves as the constant reminder of the gone days, bearing negative connotations. Also, blue and red - even if they compliment each other in a way - still create a very strong contrast, much like Eren's resolve to move forward opposing Mikasa's desire to stay behind and not fight the fate. When there's too much of blue, it may come off as unfriendly.

Armin - Yellow

And you thought it'd be blue, huh.

Armin is more than the ocean, he is the sun itself which is represented with color yellow. Invoking a feeling of optimism, it is the literal essence of Armin who stays perseverent and keeps up his spirits in the most dire situations. Much like the sun, survival of many people depends on Armin as he mostly came up with all the battle plans that ensured Paradis' victory. Speaking of plans - yellow is the color of intelligence and "enlightement" which Armin is mostly known for.

But as much as yellow can be optimistic and invigorating, it can also induce anxiety that Armin's sometime riddled with. This color is also representative of deceit - seeing how Armin often used manipulation for his plans to succeed, it seems very fitting.

Jean - Olive Green

Sometimes he's represented through light blue but I completely do not agree with this rendition. *cracks me knuckles* Get ready for a rant on this one.

What can I not say about the color green? It's everywhere, it's the nature, it's the very essence of life, but not in the grandeous and elevated way. Green is all-enveloping but still very much grounded in reality. Just like Jean, it's the representation of practicality as it doesn't reach for the stars and doesn't chase dreams. It symbolizes reason, which is very much Jean's most prominent aspect of personality. This color is the definition and celebration of life that Jean treasures so much. Green also exhudes calming influence and promotes the making of rational decisions in the moments of mayhem - just like with Jean, who often had to take control in his hands during critical situations since he was the only one with a cool head. Besides, green means safety and stability and that where its contrast to red sets in - although Jean is not afraid of danger, he'd assess the risks of a situation beforehand, whereas Eren goes into action recklessly.

Green also has its negative sides. As much as it is realistic, it can also be overly materialistic, turning to greed, represantion of Jean's initial goals when he became a Cadet. It can also symbolize the envy - feeling that Jean often felt towards Eren.

But when it comes to Jean's green - which is olive green - out of all colors of the other characters it reminds of the scout uniform the best. His green is more strict and militaristic, as if symbolizing Jean's true vocation as a soldier and a leader.

A combination of yellow and blue, green has properties of both of those colors. But Jean's olive green seems to have more yellow, signifying the major role the reason has in his life. And, it also makes it more comparable to Armin's yellow, seeing as they have intellectual dynamic going on between them. At the same time, it lacks the calmness of the blue which corresponds with Jean's occasional hot temper and anger outbursts.

Levi - Green

Just like with Jean, Levi's green is the representation of how down-to-earth he is. He doesn't have big dreams of grandeur and his motivations are simple, straightforward and rest on his desire to defend the lives of the innocent and provide others with safety, which is also symbolized through green. It's also the color of the nature and its immortality which in a way corresponds with Levi's persistence and undying resolve in the face of countless dangers. But that, of course, also has its negative connotations since Levi continues to stand, untouched, while he has to bear witness to the deaths of his comrades.

Levi's green is also reminiscent of the cloaks that the scouts used to wear while he's the only one who still wears one. It shows his unwavering loyalty to the old ways and how he still carries the spirit of the former survey corps.

In comparison to Jean's, Levi's green is more rich and cool as it has more blue to it, which represent his self-composure but also wisdom since among other scouts he has much more experience.

Hange - Purple

Oo, this one's going to be interesting.

A mixture of blue and red, two clashing colors, purple is very unique and Hange rocks it so well. First thing first, it's a color of royalty and its authority - quite fitting, seeing as Hange was in the leading positiion as the head of the survey corp. Color purple has also always been associated with ingenious minds. Purple welcomes knowledge and anything knew really, like Hange who is eager to learn if opportunity presents itself. It also represents knowledge - not grounded in reality one, but almost extraterrestial and mysterious. This color encourages to dream of something otherwordly. Part red, it also conveys passion, mostly passion for learning so it makes sense in a way that Hange and Eren were once united over their shared passion for titan knowledge. By some accounts, purple is described to be the color of insane emotions and energy which obvioulsy calls back to Hange's vigor that can be overwhelming sometimes. But on the other side, purple also has blue, a representative of authority and security that they, no doubt, bestowed upon their comrades and friends.

[mikkokomori]

Repressed!AU Anon here! Let's try this again: First... I feel honored that there's even a small chance you'd wanna draw something for this au, since ur art is soso pretty and it looks awesome and sydguyfdud /vpos And since you gave me rambling rights,,, you cannot escape it,,,, although for now, I'll give u RW peeps >:3 originally was gonna give DW counterparts too but,, that'll be for another ask thanks to Tumblr being mean </3 Here's the casting call for Real World!:

RW!Sunny: What haven't I said about him than I did in the first post... He's just A Guy with a terrible memory and a passive demeanor! Quiet and reserved, but isn't as emotionless as the original Sunny is, since amnesia of the past can kinda change ur personality me thinks. He also wears bandages around his head, not because he's wounded or anything, it's more of a symbolic thing for his mind/memory being "hurt" thanks to the treatments he gets. He's also allowed to do painting in the mental hospital's activity room, where he mostly draws what he remembers from his Dreamworld. He mostly remembers stuff from Dreamworld than he does for the real world, and he does sometimes mistake some people reappearing in his life as the Dreamworld counterparts that also conveniently reappear as well! RW!Kel: Kel's still as optimistic and playful as he is like his original counterpart, except a lot more grounded and not as much as an idiot (/aff). He often has to take care of his brother, and since he has to pick up on what Hero is now failing to do, he's become a great student in lots of clubs and different extra activities, now becoming the family's golden child. He's the first to visit Sunny mostly out of sympathy, not seeing Sunny as a psychopath like the others at first do, just a boy who'd been victim to mental illness and has been receiving help for the past four years. Just hope his brother doesn't find out about this...

RW!Aubrey: A partially broken girl in a broken home life, now living with Kim and her family because of her bad past living situation. Losing Mari and knowing her old crush killed her made her have fits of anger and depression, but the Hooligans have helped her regain her footing. While not the same Aubrey as she was, she's doing her best to heal. She's quieter than her original counterpart, nor is she as mean or as brazen. She's more of just a punk who spraypaints, ditches school, and sometimes shoplifts with her friends rather than do any sort of bullying. The only reason she ends up at the mental hospital is after she finds out Kel has been seeing Sunny, and with the encouragement of the Hooligans, she decides it's time to try and show him a piece of her mind... although once she sees Sunny's sorry state, will she have the courage to do it?

RW!Hero: A college drop-out who works part-time jobs to try and keep himself afloat. He could never get himself out of that depression, but that depression has now boiled into anger, hatred, and rage, as any mention of what happened makes him a little pissy. The only person he can't be mad at no matter what is Kel, as he's still his little brother and he doesn't have the heart to do it, especially since he's aware of what his brother is shouldering for him, and wishes he could show his appreciation somehow. Hearing Kel visit a mental hospital, let alone Sunny, does make his blood boil, although arriving himself to pull Kel away from this monstrous murderer, he isn't sure how to feel seeing how Sunny doesn't remember anything.

RW!Basil: He's trying to live a normal life, but that guilt of what he's done is still there. He basically ruined Sunny's life and reputation, after all, and all over an accident. He wants to forget what happened four years ago, but he can't, and now since Kel has started making visits, he's becoming more and more scared of what will happen if they ever know the truth...

Stares at this....... Kel always keeps being put in the middle of winning and losing in AUs doesn't he...... I think he deserves a spa break from how much he carries everyone SUDFBLIUGDBFV

and Sunny!!! Sunny!!! Sunny!!!! So he's just a little bit mellower :0 do you think he carries around something in replacement of a knife?

[morally-grey-girlbosses]

Homura Akemi Propaganda Post

she fucked with time itself and shot a weird little immortal evil aminal for her gf what else could you need

A thousand thinkpieces debating the morality of Homura already exist, you don’t have to look far to find them. She’s obsessive, she’s toxic, she’s brutal, she’s doomed to a downward spiral of tragedy. She’s literally the devil. She’s god’s specialist solider. She’s an optimist, holding onto hope with her teeth. She’s driven by love and grief. She’s radical change in the face of suffering. She perseveres in search of a better future even though it costs her everything. She’s a teenage girl. She’s an asian catholic lesbian. She’s got a gun.

Homura is a 14 year old girl stuck in a time loop of her own choosing in order to save her best friend from becoming a magical girl after having watched her succumb to becoming a witch over and over again. She uses time stopping and time traveling powers and also straight up weapons that she's stolen from shady organizations. In fandom she's usually headcanoned as being catholic due to her intense devotion to Madoka as well as having a lot of guilt and hatred towards herself. In the 3rd movie Rebellion she literally creates her own ideal world where madoka and their other magical girl friends are happy and alive but Homura still ends up spiralling after discovering that she was the one who made this too perfect world and she ends up succumbing to her own despair by becoming a witch. She's isolated herself from the other girls since she's the only one who knows the truth about the magical girl system and is committed to working by herself so she seems untrustworthy to some people but Madoka still chooses to see the good in her, so much so that she becomes basically god so that she can protect all magical girls. And then homura kinda becomes a demon in rebellion after madoka saves her from her witch form and she rewrites the whole world again. But yeah uh Homura ... she's got A Lot going on and is in desperate need of therapy but at least she has a gun and a goal.

Literally so in love with another girl that she unconsciously created a false reality where they were happy together, then discovered she was the one who created the false reality when the other girl broke her out of it. Proceeded to become the actual devil, kidnap the girl (who was also god), and make another false reality again. Queen of trying so hard and making everything worse

Efficient girlboss who cares so much. She restructed timelines and rewrote the universe(morally dubiously, not to spoil anyone) for her very best and only friend

In the movie Rebellion, Homura betrays and dethrones God, taking her place, claiming herself to be the Devil and bending reality to her will in order to create her ideal world, without Madoka’s consent on taking her godhood. Therefore trapping her and the quintet quartet into yet another false reality, something nobody but Homura wanted.

Both the narrative and Homura herself view this action as corrupt, and the narrative considers it wrong. However, it is not evil, because her intentions were to be able to save her best friend, Madoka, from the cruel fate she saw her in. Homura doesn’t base her actions in the greater good, only in what would give Madoka happiness, even if said choice would go against Madoka’s own wishes, (for example, in the series, there is a supposed murder attempt against Sayaka due to her choices “making Kaname suffer”) said mindset being created due to the mindfuck timeloop that Homura stuck herself in attempting to save her first friend.

And even if she doesn’t care as much about the other members of quintet (and basically tried to kill Sayaka lol) she still gives them a happy life in her creates reality. So while stripping Madoka of her godhood and, depending on how the world building develops, *possibly* dooming the world to continuing to have witches, it was done with good intentions and the fact that there are multiple debates on fandom about whether that was a good decision or not shows that this was something with complicated morals.

If I messed this up sorry, it’s been a while since I watched the movie, haha!

[inbarfink]

Second part of my AT Roleswap AUs, after the Bonnieverse, it’s the Marcyverse! Finn-Marceline IK-Peebles roleswap!

Details under the cut:

Marcy Abadeer: The young half-human daughter of the Lord of the Nightosphere. Marceline "Marcy" Abadeer ended up stranded in Ooo. The idea of being a “hero” started as a goof, something she thought would annoy off her dad if he heard about it. But she ended up having to commit to it after the nerdy wizard she rescued turned out to be the King of the Ice Kingdom - who told basically everyone that there’s a new hero in town and is also generally like really nice to her. And eventually she became genuinely invented in helping people. Generally a very laid back person with a bit of a jerk streak she grows out of, prefers to use axes in battle. Coming back to the Nightosphere starts as her first priority, but it keeps shifting up and down as a priority depending on her current emotional state - eventually, when faced with the choice to leave Ooo forever, she decides to stay.

Hambo the Doll: Marcy’s favorite childhood toy, granted freaky magic powers (which basically match with Marceline's powers in the mainverse) and sapience by the dark magics of the Nightosphere to give Marcy a protector and companion. Her only real friend before coming to Ooo. A bit of a nervous stick-in-the-mud to serve as a foil to Marcy’s chill, rebellious streak. And seeing how he is literally a mess of demonic energy dressed in the body of an adorable doll, he can be kinda Evil at times. But he is a good, loyal friend to Marceline.

King Simon of the Ice Kingdom: Immortal founder and ruler of the Ice Kingdom, a winter wonderland of sapient penguins and friendly ice monsters. King Simon is an intelligent, fatherly man with a talent with both magic and science. Despite his long life and many experiences, he has not lost his optimistic and idealized view of the world. However, he is not handling the grief of losing his wife, Queen Betty, very well at all. Nor does he have much success in the dating scene. Sometimes those antics are just goofy and embarrassing in a middle-aged-single-dad sort of way. Sometimes the combination of bad luck, social awkwardness and the fact that most potential romantic interests in Simon’s age group are terrifying ancient monsters means his bad dates can snowball into actual threats to himself or even the whole Ice Kingdom - necessitating a rescue from Marcy or some other hero.

Bubblegum Princess: A semi-solid mass of sapient gum-blob who rules over a vast sugary wasteland known as the Candy Kingdom. Once a pre-War human scientist, Bonnibel Rosazucker was infected by a mysterious gum-blob creature and was slowly transformed into a candy monster. Now she is a sugary mad scientist interested mostly creating various freaky candy monsters, Bubblegum Princess has been also known to kidnap wizards in order to dissect them in her mad experiments (for SCIENCE and also out of a powerful obsessive hatred for Wizards in general) with King Simon being an especially favorite target (he secretly thinks she's kinda attractive in a weird way, although he'd never admit to that sober.)

Finn the Cyborg Lord: The once-human son of Dr. Minerva Martens, an old colleague of Bonnibel Rosazucker. Finn was put in her care after his mother’s apparent death - only surviving the post-Mushroom War landscape thanks to Bonnibel's cybernetic modifications. After parting ways with her, he tried to make a name for himself as a hero of the wasteland - but as the years went by, he became more and more jaded with heroism. He became known as a great warrior - but not necessarily the most principled one. In the Ice Kingdom, he is mostly known as the bothersome prankster King Simon is always demanding will get off his lawn. Marcy being around and doing good kinda gave him a new, more optimistic lease on life and he’s been getting back to adventuring and actual heroics. After all the various cybernetic mods Bonnibel and his overprotective A.I mom and various others gave him so he could survive a 1000 years in Ooo, basically the only human organic part oh him is (most of) his brain

[simlit]

2, 3, 4, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 for Ven

What architectural or design aesthetic would best suit them?

british colonial; reminiscent of the period in which his was born, there’s a sense of familiarity, but the infusion of the cultures they borrow from is the distance he needs from too much of the “traditional”: one | two | three

If your OC likes art, talk about which piece they would love best.

The Tortoise Trainer by Osman Hamdi Bey; Having lived life traveling the world, and his deep-seeded hatred for his homeland, I think Ven would love art outside the Eurosphere, as well as things that break the mould. He’d have deep reverence for art of different cultures, from Ukiyo-e to Sudanese ceramics. Because he made his home in the Caribbean, he’d love the pottery, stonework and sculpture of the indigenous people throughout the islands as well as South America. This? Very Ven.

If your OC were to live in some other time period, which era would they be best suited for?

Contemporary; I think Ven would do best in the time period with the least amount of restrictions. Where there's freedom from tradition and less focus on things like status and class. A place and time where he can get lost and just be part of the crowd instead of belonging to some larger institution.

What trait do they find most attractive/appealing about others?

Genuine kindness and empathy.

What sort of role do they take on in relationships, either familial, romantic or platonic. i.e. are they a defender, protector, nurturer, etc.

A supportive role. He's very much the "rock" they lean upon. He offers a sense of comfort and reliability that his family comes to depend on. Both a listening ear and a crying shoulder.

What is one thing that they only let those closest to them see?

His guilt. Even though he spends much of his later life attempting to make amends for it, he presents himself as someone who is always happy and optimistic. A lot of that is his true nature, but it's also a mask he uses to hide his own pain and regret.

How would their life be different if they had never met their partner?

He wouldn't have lived very long, obviously. But that aside, he wouldn't have settled down. Having a family and staying in one place only really occurred to him after he met Naida. Had he intended to live on, he would have just kept up with his lifestyle of collecting wayward souls and tried to help them as a way of repentance.

What was it about their significant other that made them fall in love with them? Was it a single eye-opening experience or many gestures over time?

Her empathy and her perseverance. Similarly to Taryn, actually, Ven admired Naida's ability to overlook her own personal pain in favor of others. Despite her difficult life, she still had a deep ability to care and sympathize his plights, even if he thought he didn't deserve it.

What is some advice or guidance they received that had a big impact on their lives or outlook? Was it a positive or negative impact?

The person who had the single biggest impact on his life is without a doubt Artrice. She guided him through the darkest time in his life, and helped set him on a path to redemption.

Which “tortured artist” does your OC share the most similarities with?

Is it too cliché if I choose Johnny Depp? Don't care, doing it. I think Ven is selfless to a fault. He has engrained manners, but he also has a natural desire to entertain people and make them happy. He can brighten an entire room just with his presence, but on the other hand, he's a deeply self-destructive person. He's lived through a lot of abuse, some pushed upon him, a lot self-inflicted. He’s lost himself and spiraled, but inevitably he fights to get his life to a state of normalcy. Something he can live with, even if begrudgingly. 

[yxami]

The fact you said Eamon would just pace out and wonder what to do, while Kauno thinks the bestfriend was the problem, it's so interesting!

It actually makes me even more curious of the aftermath of them and reader, what if reader basically after weeks of silence treatment from reader and being practically restrained physically. Reader finally speaks but to the empty space and apologizes as if they're seeing their dead bf, saying how devastated she was for their death but since the supposed 'culprit' was caught and given the rightful punishment by law, she decided to let it go because she knows how her bf wouldn't like of her to live in hatred and ruin her supposedly healthy relationship, work and mental health over it. It was actually also a form of grieving but in optimistic way after indulging in a certain period of depression, she only became better after venting her negative emotions through different ways, even so her bf's death would've stayed as an eternal scar anyway.

Reader began sobbing quietly and confessed she saw her world shatter the moment she knew and now she would never forgive herself for allowing this to happen, even going as far to say she knows she's imagining her bf's spirit right now but if going crazy was kinda of price for being the indirect murderer of her bestfriend, so be it. It's not like she would be happy with the Yan keeping her captive.

(damn, this was long.... I'm sorry, you can adjust little details to your liking)

_🍡

I had to read this 3 times to get what you meant 😭

I was like readers boyfriend??

[sealrock]

12. Is your OC cynical or optimistic? Who or what shaped their outlook on life?

ask meme

answer roulette

12. Is your OC cynical or optimistic? Who or what shaped their outlook on life?

(I'm splitting this ask into two parts under the readmore)

cw: mentions of abuse

for cynical, tauvane is definitely a cynic, there's nothing that could change her general outlook now. tauvane sees things as a 'glass half empty' type person, the game of life is ran by self-serving people who use others before tossing them by the wayside. what little happiness she had slipped away from her fingers—sometimes through no fault of her own, sometimes as a direct consequence of her actions that she believed irredeemable and not fixable

tauvane wasn't always like this; once upon a time she was a hopeful girl who wished for someone to love her and vice versa. given her background growing up in a financially strapped minor noble house in ishgard, love wasn't a word used in her family. she was constantly berated and treated worse than a dog by her family, her father and sister mostly. after going through many traumatic experiences, her optimisim was snuffed out and that was what ultimately made her cynical. she thinks an optimistic person is living in a fantasy world, she thinks that they can't handle reality

on the other hand, patroclus is the most optimist out of all of them. he's a 'glass half full' type of guy. despite everything that would've made him turn against the world, patroclus never once lost hope that things would turn out for the better. he can't bring himself to be too bitter and pessimistic like his brother. patroclus chooses to actively make his life better and those around him, even if they don't see things from his perspective

one would say his main motivation to be optimistic was his mother briseis. during the short time he had with her before her death, she instilled in him that hope is alive and breathing, and that he should never sink into the hole of cynicism and hatred, that he should love himself when no one else would. the years he spent with his grandfather priam were challenging at best, tortuous at worst given the man's suffocating and oppressive personality. while evander got the worst of their grandfather's emotional abuse, patroclus knew that his grandfather was waiting for him to slip up and give him a reason to disparage him like all the others. but instead of giving up like evander, patroclus stubbornly remained optimistic, and it stuck throughout his childhood into adulthood

[blackwldcw]

@gowithplana asked:

21. A memory of the first time they did an activity they love.

It isn't something often associated with them. They are reserved and withdrawn, better suited for the aloof academism of a laboratory or library rather than a performance theatre.

But they love to dance.

They remember attending the coming-of-age ceremony of an elder sister. They remember hearing the drums and pipes reverberate off the stone walls. They remember seeing graceful shapes twirl and contort in the firelight, and instinctively, join.

They don't notice the gasps or murmurs of approval. They don't notice the way their mother offers a rare, yet genuine, smile. They feel loved, part of something greater, as the music caresses their hands, legs, feet, heart and soul.

It is the closest they have ever felt to any god.

26. A memory they want to share.

They remember first donning their guise in the Autobot Academy, so many stellar cycles ago.

It was foolproof. There were forged birthing records from “Tetrahex,” and forged death records from their creators who “perished”during the Great War.

And the cloaking technology is state-of-the-art. Whenever anyone looks at them, all they can see is Elita-1. Young and optimistic, clad in blue and yellow like a beautiful yet deceptive poisonous flower. She is intelligent, but also fierce. During some exercises, she leaves even Sentinel behind, and after some snide banter, he stares down at her like she’s the most desirable thing in the world.

A young cadet named Optimus is much the same. But whereas Sentinel is loud and brash and stubborn— an unmovable stone— Optimus is water. Tumultuous as a tsunami when angered but with her, always as calm as a still pond.

If they were Seekers, they would be considered a trine.

Elita stares up at the stars and aches for a home she can never return to. Sentinel is already asleep at her side, his helm on her lap, while Optimus leans against her shoulder, their servos interlocked.

“Optimus?” they murmur.

“Hmm?” he answers before stifling a yawn.

“Would you still care about me even if I was different?”

“Different? How?”

Melancholy is making them honest. “If I was a Decepticon… if we were still at war— would you kill me?”

Optimus strokes the back of her servo with his thumb. “Killing you would be killing myself. You know that.”

Elita offers him a wry smile, but she nonetheless understands. And her doubts are assuaged. For now.

She pretends not to notice the way his lips brush against her cheek when she starts to doze.

29. A memory they can’t let themselves forget.

Screams. The coppery tang of blood on the air. Fire in the trees around them. They don’t run forward. They’re pushed, by other soldiers eager to join in the fray.

Over the centuries, Megatron’s ideal for a new Cybertron built on liberty and equality has been corrupted. He’s become paranoid, prone to punish out of blind hatred. He has turned his optics on organics now. Not satisfied with destroying his home, he claims that organic planets with technology capable of posing a threat to mechanical species must be razed to the ground, and then cyber-formed. A new era for the Decepticon Empire.

Blackarachnia has never felt ashamed of wearing her sigil until now.

She quickly finds herself alone as the soldiers disappear into the brush. More cannon fire. More screams. Bodies sprawled on the ground and hanging on branches. Native ships and tanks turned to shards of scrap metal.

Something stumbles into their path. More screams. One of the natives shouts something in their alien tongue and points a weapon at her. They’re guarding their mate, who in turn guards their belly. Blackarachnia scents on the air that she is pregnant.

They quickly scan the tree line. Approaching metal footfall crashing through the under brush. No time. They engage something on their forearm and shield the organics with their body. Another scream; and then silence.

Their fellow Decepticons past them by. They are unseen. A boulder on a planet full of them.

Meanwhile, the two aliens gaze up at them with questions in their eyes.

“When the coast is clear, I need you two to run south. The Decepticons won’t get that far for a few days yet. Call for reinforcements.”

It seems that their translator is still functioning, because when the alien speaks again, this time they are better understood.

“Why are you helping us?”

Blackarachnia looks disgusted, but not with them. “Because this is NOT why I joined the cause.”

Thousands are dead, but at the end of the day, they save three lives. Inquiries, of course, are made. Where were they in the heat of battle? Unconscious, they answer— and a few self-inflicted wounds back up their story. They are better suited for the laboratory, not the battle field. The soldiers laugh, but they believe her.

She was sent there as punishment after her demotion from Shockwave’s service, after all. If she is injured, no one cares.

When the organic reinforcements arrive— the Black Block Consortia and its allies— they see them coming. She and Blitzwing escape.

Changed.

Haunted by what their faction has become.

[i-bring-crack]

Post Canon He Xuan meets and falls for little Maiden Shi Qingxuan.

As much as I think this might not work because canon- fck canon.

Here is a prompt idea: what if HX had met SQX back when they were both so young and started pinning from afar unaware of SQX's gender. However due to qingxuans's awfully bad luck, he would often get stuck in some kind of trouble (fall of into a ditch, loose his papers in the wind, run and fall into someone who was carrying water and let both of them be splashed, get sick, etc.) and miraculously, someone would always help him out of trouble. Shi Wudu wasn't blind to this either, so in one of the many misadventures of his sister, He Xuan had been caught secretly helping the little maiden that had gotten chased by a lot of mean dogs.

Instead of being told to not befriend the girl due to bad luck, He Xuan was welcomed by the Shi who were really grateful for the kindness that he had given the little girl all this time, and Qingxuan wouldn't mind having a friend, someone who actually helped, someone who would still stay despite the bad outcomes the little maiden faced.

It wasn't all sunshine really, at times he Xuan really did think it would be better to leave.

"You could have passed the scholar exams!" the scholar rubbed it off, he had not given a present, that was his own fault for forgetting, not the fault of his friend (not when she always wore with a smile the little trinkets he gave her.) besides, after many many years he was able to finally land a rank thanks to Shi Wudu hearing about the situation (but not from him, he wouldn't add more problems to the family that had an unlucky daughter)

"You could have married, had a good wife and settled!" He could have, his childhood sweetheart from long ago had reciprocated his feelings, and yet when she mentioned that they would leave far away, from this village, from her, he couldn't accept. So he let his lover go, for the sake of another.

Worse of all, when Qingxuan had heard of this, he berated him for it, told him the same words as his father and mother. "Why stay? go be with the one you love." That oblivious statement made him choke out a laugh between all of his tears. "What reason could you have for leaving such a beauty?"

If only you knew.

If only you knew the many times bad premonitions came true, the worst nightmares' came alive and the only thing you felt towards the heavens was hatred and sorrow.

If only? Because of that bad luck Qingxuan had been given by birth, the reason as to why this is all happening! So what if he is having a bad day? Qingxuan's day would be even worse! If he had lost some money, then Qingxuan would have lost all months' savings, if there was only a small amount of food then Qingxuan would have been hungry that day.

And yet.

and yet.

Qingxuan can still smile, still laugh with him, still be optimistic despite the fear that has been stuck deep inside her veins to the points she trembles at the mere mention of a premonition, or screams and laughs even when the taunts come back. Every day there is that smile, big or faint, for long or for shot periods of time, a fond one when they are together and a sincere one with everyone else.

How could he leave.

He thought it would have been easy to do so when his bad luck had spread to his family and and his sister, his dear little sister had been kidnapped and turned to bed attendants. He pleaded to get her out, but they only accused him of adultery and threw him in jail instead.

He really thought he would keep up with whatever the world threw at hi, as long as he could see Qingxuan smile again.

He was released not long after his parents towed their heads to ask for help to Shi Wudu. The cultivator and his friends went in quickly, they cleared the mess and took the little sister back to the family, Shi Wudu promised him that they would never get hurt again.

"But." The cultivator was cut off by the sudden arrival of Qingxuan, paled faced from the news and from the time it took to run all the way here.

Both brother and sister looked at each other, the younger sister's eyes trembling before looking back to He Xuan, and his own little sister who looked twice as furious, more than when she got kidnapped or when she found out about the time he was almost beaten to a pulp.

"You cursed woman."

He Xuan covered her mouth instantly, but the words where already out. The pressure had thickened, he could see Qingxuan's face wanting to break into a sob, so transparent as always.

"Meimei. Go along with that cultivator, ill catch up with you later."

Now alone, he was ready to calm her down of all the worries that she always had, to tell her he was fine and apologize for the outburst of his sister.

However, Qingxuan spoke first, "You wont have to worry about this again anymore." It was such an unfamiliar tone, not pitched, not high, not too low.

"I was born a man,"

"Ever since I was born, I was told that I would lead an unlucky life,"

"My life had been a meal for the Reverend of empty words to feed itself of all my fears, ones that would always come true despite all the tries to deviate such fate from my life," "I was to live a secluded life, never to be within the sight of anyone. I had to be kept as a secret, never be too extravagant or talented. That was supposed to be my life,"

"I couldn't be the second son of the Wealthy-- of the merchant Shi family, I was just to be the daughter Shi, not a famous merchant like my father, not an intelligent person like my mother."

"That think, it would always keep tailing me around, ripping out my fears and ruining all that I had... friends gone, money, gone, parents, gone... Ge tried to stop the curse as much as he could... but there was only so much he could do... you know." The pitched tone came back again, as though he wanted to laugh, and cry, and smile and then wail.

"Im sorry... Im sorry..." he heard a few steps come towards him, "Im sorry... Im sorry..." Two arms wrapped around his face, the small makeup falling due to the tears falling out. "Im sorry... Im sorry He Xuan." The hands stroking his head trembling a bit, but going off the same way as before.

"Im sorry...I wanted you to have a good life. But im here... I ruined it all for you just so that I could still be here with you... Im sorry."

You hate, don't you?

"I'll stay with you."

Qingxuan's breath hitched, in disbelief, he looked up, he brought his arms too, this was the real He Xuan. The He Xuan that decided to stay by his side ever since they were young.

No matter what.

No matter the outcome.

The fear in his heart started to die, to be covered up by hope, by trust. By love.

----

And reverend of empty words dont like that but guess what fucker, Shi Wudu just assended, He Xuan would do the same in a few years due to his scholarships.

Qingxuan? and Qingxuan? he'll finally live his own life no matter the odds because that revered of empty words had faded away, been defeated by love.