#there's others but they're not important enough

[asidian]

One thing I don't see talked about enough is the amazing cast of women who make up Dead Boy Detectives.

And I don't mean throw-away, there-for-the-sake-of-having-a-girl women. I mean actual, three-dimensional characters, with their own wants, goals, and emotional character arcs that exist independent of the titular ghost boys.

This is a show that runs laps around the Bechdel test in episode one and never looks back.

This is a show that's full of women who are allowed to be messy, complicated, brave, funny, scared, angry, and lash out in their pain. This is a show that's full of women who are allowed to learn from their mistakes, and grow, and change.

This is a show that's full of women who talk to each other, and support each other, and give each other advice about life.

And this is a low bar, but given the state of media today it's a big deal: there is never a single scene in this show that sexualizes a female character. A lot of action movies and supernatural shows frame the women on their cast to show off an ass, or the curve of a breast. Not here. The women are fully covered. They're framed to show their faces and their emotions, because what they're feeling is the important part. It's focused on who these women are as people and not what they can show to entice an audience.

Women in Dead Boy Detectives are heroes and catalysts who are learning to be better people.

They're earnest and clever and processing their own grief and sense of mortality.

They're complicated antagonists who have journeys of their own to walk.

They're cynical, distrustful father figures learning to reluctantly look out for others.

They're cruel and funny and vengeful and have been torn down by a world that did them wrong.

And those are only the main ladies in this cast. There are an absolute pile of supporting women who run the gamut from hilarious to heartbreaking.

I could go on for literal paragraphs about how refreshing it was to see wrongs against women treated as wrongs in the script, or how I have literally never before seen a woman turn down a protagonist romantically and not be villified for it, or how much of a breath of fresh air it was to see a woman's primary emotional arc be an arc about learning to become a better person, but my goodness, there's all that and more.

Nobody is doing it like Dead Boy Detectives, and by god, I love to see it.

[merakiui]

This is so exciting! Please, more ideas from police officer!Darling and prisoner!Floyd

Maybe the prison has made an exception for Floyd because he's such a dangerous criminal (and they're trying to prevent as many injuries/casualties as possible). They allow him to spend an hour with you, one day per week. Of course this is all under your supervision (and the supervision of security cameras) and you're not afraid to cuff him if he does anything out of legal line that poses a threat to you or the other officers/inmates. But Floyd behaves very well during this time (and most times when it comes to you). He would never do anything to risk losing precious Officer Shrimpy time.

Most of the time you sit in a room and chat, or you'll play a board game. Maybe you'll doodle alongside him. Whatever Floyd wants to do, really. But one day you show up to the usual session looking...not so happy. Floyd can tell your entire mood is off even though you try to mask it. He's ready to defend your honor, make the small fry who made you sad pay (in broken teeth and blood), cheer you up, do everything and anything for you! He tells you you can talk to him about it if you want. He'll listen. You give him a weird look. Why would you ever confide in him? He probably just wants to see if your story will be interesting enough to keep him entertained for the next hour.

Floyd insists that's not it. Can't he just offer his ears? Why does there have to be some sort of ulterior motive? He's a criminal, but he's still a decent guy (or so he tells you). He just wants his favorite officer to feel better.

Perhaps the day has been particularly rough on you, or you're just tired and emotionally drained. Whatever the case may be, you end up confiding in him about your troubles. And, just as he promised, Floyd listens and provides verbal comfort in his unique Floyd way.

Afterwards, you apologize for taking up his hour with your personal problems. That was highly unprofessional. You're certain your coworker Riddle will nag you: "He's a criminal! He's playing with your pathos to lower your guard. That's the whole point." After all, the deal was that you'd spend time with him so he wouldn't cause trouble. Not...whatever that impromptu therapy session was.

Floyd simply smiles. "Nothin' to apologize for," he says, shrugging casually. "I'd rather spend an hour makin' sure you're okay than doin' a puzzle that can be done any other day. Shrimpy's more important than that."

Oh. That...was actually very sweet of him. You weren't expecting that.

[aangelinakii]

BRUCE WAYNE + JEALOUSY.

note : this was requested, and i didn't know if you wanted an imagine or headcanons, but i felt it would be easier as a headcanon sooo here we are :)

not proofread !

bruce is not easily "jealousified"

made jealous ?

he's not easily made jealous

he's quite sensible, mature, understanding, all those things

i've gonz into this in detail in the batfam love languages and i will find a way to go into it in every headcanon but bruce really cherishes trust

wants to trust you and wants you to trust him

so, if he trusts you enough, he doesn't doubt for a moment that you're not enabling the guy flirting with you

what i'm trying to say is that he doesn't get jealous of you or anything because he trusts you wouldn't purposely put yourself in a position like that

but he may get jealous ( he says protective, but potato potato ) whzn he notices someone getting overly comfortable with you like

or flirty

he can tell the signs of a flirt even when he's on the other end of the room

he's an ex-serial flirt after all

say you're at an event together, a gala, you're both all dressed up

and you look gorgeous / handsome, he just can't stop looking at you the entire night, even when he's halfway across rhe room

but he's noticed someone else has their eyes on you

i mean everybody there has admired you for a few seconds tonight

but i mesn this guy is like

looking likz they're about to approach

and bruce is trying to time it right before he steps in, becquse who knows ? maybe he's delusional and been imagining it this whole time

( spoiler alert he hasn't !!!!! )

as soon as he sees thzt guy in his rented tux approach you, bruce excuses himself from the conversation he was having with someone to insert himself in this new unwanted one

slings a casual but protective arm around your waist, careful not to snag your attire on his cufflink, and offers the person that award winning smile

they'll back off pretty quick

bruce wayne is nice and all, but any sane person would refrain from getting on his bad side

which is probably why tommy elliot keeps trying to call his office

if in public though, bruce may have some trouble being more assertive

like he doesn't want to make a scene, and he's literallh at the grocery store with you becausz you wanted him along to grab somz ingredients to cook together back at your place

it isn't super obvious who he is at first

a guy in a dallas cowboys cap, his usual white button-up, black trousers and shiny leather oxfords replaced with a white t-shirt, the sleeves tight around his biceps, a pair of jeans and some sneakers he isn't quite comfortable in yet

like that's not bruce wayne is it ???

and who knew he was a cowboys fan ??

he was off in the frozen aisle, contemplating whether to buy a box of ice lollies to share with you after dinner

when he returned to you in the fresh fruits section, a man was talking to you

not bugging you per se, no bullying or harassmzent

but he sees him pull his phone from his pocket and gesture to it

this guy wants your number ????

i think the fuck not

so bruce approaches, acting all casual until he's beside you, frosty box of lollies under his arm, and tips his cap up slightly to reveal more of his face

that alone is enough for the guy to slide his phone back into his pocket

bruce doesn't want to embarrass or shame anybody, but he does know he wants to show the world how important you are to him

it's not your fault everybody wants you so bad !!

[fuji-sen]

the 'evil imposter' just wants to be a baker!

Prologue: The Food turned Imposter?!

Part 4.5 special! : adventures of a pyro slime

[ part 4 ] || [ masterlist ] || [ part 5 ]

divider is made by @/saradika-graphics

The pyro slime stared at you worriedly, it wanted to comfort you but alas, even if you weren't in a body of water it must not. For even touching you would leave you with more pain. Perhaps it had been better if he was born from a different element.

Their eyes squint into something akin to a glare, if only those stupid humans didn't hurt you! or got to you first! they were fake non-believers! they didn't know a real prophecy from a fake one even if it burned them to crisp!

Focusing on the task at hand, the slime watched as something purple crackled from your skin, and its eyes widened, electro! that would be easy to cure. It jumped, but you did not notice as you slowly fell into a pit of hurt, wallowing in pity. Okay then, it jumped away and disappeared in search of a few items.

It's eyes lit up finding a purple crystal, or rather an electro crystal, So, since it had no arms or claymore, it did the first thing that popped into his mind. Crash into it, which worked after a couple of headbutts thanks to the elemental reaction 'overload' which was very neat!

Anyways, after acquiring the electro crystals and swallowing it for safe keeping (which left a weird tingling sensation in its mouth) it then went off to find some butterflies.

Finding one was easy as butterflies were not scared of a slime's presence, they were however quite flammable. The slime stared down at the numerous burnt and dead butterflies that littered the destroyed path. .

damn.

Hearing footsteps it went to its ignited state to appear menacing only to relax upon finding some hilichurls exploring the area. So without any fear, or young slime protagonist approached the hilichurls who stared at it curiously.

"olah, kucha celi beru si?" (hello, little fire what are you doing?)

The hilichurls stared at the pyro slime that spat out a few pieces of electro crystals and then stared at the many charred butterfly wings. "sama! sama!" (samachurl) The pyro slime tried to convey in its own slime voice, which sounded like a person trying to speak under water with a dry throat.

"dala?" (what?)

"creator! help! uhhh" the pyro slime tried to remember the hilichurlian language, its eyes brightening up at remembering a few important words.

"Tomo Unu!" (Help God!)

The hilichurls flinched, straightening up in a way the slime was reminded of those rigid knights. "Unu?!" (God)

"Yaya ika!" (Humans bad/Enemy!) the slime told them "Unu Mosi gusha*" (God sad).

The hilichurls then understood and from what they gathered, the slime needed the help of a sama so one of them left to return to their camp and soon enough an anemo samachurl had come. It crouched down, staring at the pieces of electro crystals and the burnt butterflies and deduced what the slime had needed.

An Insulation Potion.

OMAKE

"Upa!" The samachurl yelled and commanded pointing at the distant butterflies. And with a battle cry the hilichurls ran towards the flying insects and begun jumping high with their arms flailing in an attemt to catch them "Upa!"

One hilichurl fell face first on the hard ground and another laughed at it, his hands were closed as he had successfully caught a butterfly "Ye kucha!"

The hilichurl that had fallen had stood up and proceeded to kick the other one, due to the pain the other hilichurl clutched his knees and accidentally released the butterfly it caught.

". . nye. ."

*Mosi Gusha means "eat vegetables" but is also used as an expression of sadness. I wonder if Hilichurls don't like vegetables since they associate it with sadness or something negative.

taglist: @fantasyhopperhea @rhoswen-drake @cchiiwinkle

Also please comment what to name our little pyro slime buddy! They're gonna be one of our many best friends and companions in the story.

[fuckingrecipes]

could u enlighten me on how to hard boil an egg? mine always end up either waaaaay overdone (green yolks) or not done enough (goopy yolks)

Pick your egg size deliberately. Medium-sized eggs are smaller and need less cook time. Large eggs need more cook time, 'cause there's more egg in there.

Fill a pot with enough water that the eggs will be completely submerged when placed in, but will not overflow the water. This amount of water will change with the size of the pot.

Put the heat up to Medium-High Get the water at a rolling boil before you put any eggs in. This means the water is churning with bubbles.

Only put enough eggs into the water, that they are not stacked. You don't want the eggs piled on each other & unable to swirl themselves around in the water.

Once you put your eggs in, set a timer. 10 minutes for medium-sized eggs, and 12 minutes for large eggs.

While they're cooking, get a big bowl of cold water ready, and put some ice in there for good measure.

When the timer goes off, remove the eggs and immediately put them into the ice bath

This should result in perfectly hard-boiled eggs.

FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY! The timing is important. The order is important. The egg size is important. Not overpacking the eggs into the pot is important. The heat is important.

Green yolks aren't harmful, and can be eaten. It's just aesthetically not as pretty =\

[ryescapades]

❝ [ kiss the bride! ] ╰┈➤ of the same thread (kaiju no. 8)

characters: narumi gen x lil sister!reader + hoshina soshiro cw: fluff, crack, hint of sexy times but nothing detailed a/n: silly brainrot time for my otst series >:) can be read as a standalone! <700 wc | mini series masterlist

imagine your and hoshina's wedding ceremony where narumi severely insists that he becomes the marriage officiant for you two. no priest or government official whatsoever. him, your older brother.

and as the time comes when narumi has to give his speech, he'd drone on and on about 'how big of a responsibility it is to be one's equal, how hard it is to juggle both work and personal life, how important it is not let your spouse struggle on their own' and whatnot.

and then he'd end his speech with something along the lines of "any objections towards this... wonderful union?"

lines upon lines of family and friends gathering, not a single person in the beautifully decorated hall says a word. because all of them support you and hoshina. except one, it seems.

narumi proceeds to wait for a response.

there might've been a crow flying by, perhaps.

with your hair perfectly done, face prettily dolled up and body gorgeously draped in your customized wedding dress, you shift uncomfortably on your heeled feet as you realize what the long pause is for.

gods, you're this close to strangling the loving heck out of your brother.

your husband-to-be sighs with a deprecating smile on his face, clad in his suit and looking as charming as ever (you had almost lunged to grab at his neatly straightened tie when you first stepped into the hall, to run your hair through his soft violet strands, to mess up his gracefulness and make him look as utterly ruined as he was a few nights ago... fuck, now you're irritated and horny).

"you're stallin'," hoshina finally points out your brother's obvious attempt at halting the ceremony. narumi raises an eyebrow, "no, i'm not. i'm just asking for opinions from everyone. it's good etiquette to include others too, you know?" he nonchalantly says.

that's bullshit, of course. if anything, hoshina soshiro is more versed in etiquette than narumi has ever been in his entire life.

"literally no one is sayin' anything right now," the swordsman deadpans, causing your brother to shrug. "maybe they just need more time. this is a serious matter, after all. need to think it over and all. what do you know about time, huh? hastily proposing to my sister in a goddamn hospital room after she just recovered. tch, so unethical."

"as if you bein' the officiant is not a derogatory towards ethics and tradition itself." narumi snaps at that, the faint pinkish tints that dust his cheeks reflecting his embarrassment, "what did you just say?!"

unaware of how loud his inner voice can get, kafka speaks up, "what are they arguing about? i thought they're gonna kiss already?" he asks reno as they stand side by side at the rows of seats below the altar.

the three of you freeze, reno's eyes dart around uneasily and kikoru visibly hides her face in her hands, internally groaning at the whole situation from somewhere in the distance.

hoshina turns to the older man. "kafka, ever given a marriage officiant speech before? i got a new job for ya," he says. narumi jolts beside him, stunned. "oi, what are you trying to do?!" he sneers just as the crowd starts to chatter in hushed whispers.

trailing his eyes up and down, then up and down narumi's figure again patronizingly before hoshina says, "dischargin' you from your current position, of course. what else?"

"excuse me? who gave you the right to do that?!"

"i'm the groom here. i can do whatever i want at my wedding, captain narumi."

the crowd becomes rowdier, and you grit your teeth, cursing in annoyance when the two dick-measuring males don't seem like they're gonna stop anytime soon.

you just wanted to get married in peace and this is what you have to deal with? such blasphemy!

and thus you finally snap, loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear, "for fuck's sake - may the groom fucking kiss the bride!" you insert yourself between your brother and your now husband, pulling hoshina into a ferocious kiss that he scrambles to reciprocate. narumi and all the other attendees gasp scandalously, which you don't pay any attention to, too busy trying to get yourself officially married.

all's well that ends well, you suppose.

taglist: @maruflix @pixelcafe-network @iamjellyfish @ouiouimochi @yueliie @justwinginglife @lumiambrose @minasfwoopyponytail @17020 @bgyuus @moon-cakiie

©🅁🅈🄴🅂🄲🄰🄿🄰🄳🄴🅂. do not steal, translate or repost my work anywhere else !

[caitlinsgirl]

Reader drunk texting caitlin

Summary: caitlin and the narrator are childhood friends. narrator joins coworkers on a night out despite not wanting to go.

Word count: 820ish

author's note: something quick i wrote while wasting time at work <3 thank you sm for requesting it's very inspiring

tags: alcohol, clubs, taylor swift

 A Rose by Any Other Name is a Scandal

            Another night, another boring night, another lame night surrounded by folks who could not care less about me. The loud speakers of the club project a bass that shake my bones. My third martini glass sits heavy in my hand as I stare into space. I wish to be anywhere but here. The high-pitched blabbering of the people from my work cut through the noise, but it still sounds like a lump of gibberish to me. I would rather spend my night with anyone but them. Well, maybe not anyone…

 

           How easy it is to agree to plans with people who are not remotely interested in anything I have to say in an important setting. As if showing up to the club in a pretty dress and getting hammered in front of these people would make them appreciate my contribution more when the workweek starts again on Monday. At least God has given me the brief relief that they appear more engrossed with whatever nonsense the other has to say, rather than remembering I tagged along and sit just a few feet away.

            I down the rest of my drink and get up from my seat to approach the bar. I’m sure another one would make this night a little easier for me to stomach. Just one more. The bartender notices me and his mouth moves, as if asking me a question. The noise makes it impossible for me to make out what his words are, but I nod in hopes that he is asking to make me another drink.

heyyy hows it going so far?

            My phone lights up with a message from one of my dearest girls, I mean friends, I mean she is a friend who is a girl… nothing inaccurate about that. On the speakers, the song ended and a familiar tune starts up loud as ever: It feels like a perfect night, to dress up like hipsters… Seriously. It's like the world is taunting me.

            they're playing ur song at this club

            My fourth drink in front of me appeared as if it was out of thin air. The retreating bartender appears like a vanishing magician from this angle. His latest act: fueling my future hangover. My stomach buzzes with butterflies and alcohol as I stare at her contact name on my phone: Catilin Elizabeth.

She had asked me to hang out with her earlier in the week, only it was after I had already made plans with these coworkers. I felt obligated to stick to my original commitment, despite heavily disliking my coworkers and greatly liking…

what song?

            I always felt I was too obvious around her. The media has recognized me as a friend who is constantly around Caitlin, the ordinary girl who attends every home game, and often attends away games. To her, the gleam in my eye registers as nothing more than the look of one of her oldest friends. To the observant fans on the internet, they recognize the almost life-long longing that I have yet to admit to myself. It started when we both bonded over our shared love for Taylor Swift as young girls. Over a decade, I sent her links and lyrics of my favorite songs that reminded me of her. My excuse: she likes these songs, too.

            wise men once said wild winds r death to teh candle

            a rose by any otherrrr name is a scandal

            My fingers poured out the words from the latest song that has been on my mind. It feels impossible to admit the way I feel, not to her, not to myself. Caitlin goes through enough scrutiny in the media. If I said what was in my heart out loud, it could end really, really, really badly. Earth-shatteringly horrible. If we had a falling out and the world found out one of her life-long friends stopped showing up to her games, they would run with the worst assumptions to paint her in an evil light, like they always have.

theres no way theyre playing that one in the club rn 🤣

            I started giggling into my cup at the sight of her message, like a crazy woman standing on the corner of a street. The alcohol causes my vision to darken in this already-dim establishment. Electricity runs up and down my stomach and I cannot tell if it is from the martinis or from her.

            shes the albatrossssss 🦅she is here to destroy you

okay, do u want me to pick u up now?

            I looked back at my coworkers, who disappeared into non-existence. Are they seriously bar hopping, without even asking me if I wanted to tag along? If I had a ride? If I felt okay being left alone here?

            they lef tme alone here:(

fucking morons

i'm on my way

            Neither of us can admit the feelings in our hearts to ourselves, let alone to each other. But I cherish the quiet understanding intertwined in her knee-jerk reaction to drop everything and come save me.

thank u my pretty lady

[mellonieee]

Every single time Foop/Irep has ever interacted with and/or mentioned his parents

(OG FOP only because he hasn't talked about them once in A New Wish. That might change in season 2 if they decide to include the antifairies more. I love this family and their non-existent relationship ♥️)

I go into quite a bit of detail here so I'll put the rest under the cut!

1. Anti Poof (Season 7, episode 1)

This was the only episode his parents showed up on screen with him. But it's important to note how Anti Wanda and Anti Cosmo react to his existence in the first place. They're excited!

They both want this child! Anti Cosmo starts the episode bemoaning the fact that there isn't an anti-poof and that he wants equality for antifairies. (Poof/Peri has existed for an entire season at this point.)

I'm assuming it's just the case of antifairy pregnancy possibly being longer than fairy pregnancy and the fact Poof/Peri was made through a magic wish unlike Foop/Irep that they weren't born around the same time, but who knows how any of that even works. But regardless of that, his parents are both overjoyed when Foop/Irep is born--Anti Wanda's love for her son is out of the question, and Anti Cosmo only gets mad at his son once Foop/Irep goes out and ruins anti fairy world, not in any other instance does Anti Cosmo act mean to Foop/Irep, even when he gets zapped twice by him, AC merely reprimands Foop/Irep by telling him that he needs a nap.

Gotta love the ending where his parents get him a cake and want to break him out of jail. Baby's first jail time!

Irep/Foop's second appearance Playdate of Doom (Season 7, Episode 22) doesn't have any mention to his parents, sadly. And oddly enough, this goes both ways with his parents. Anti Cosmo and Anti Wanda appear in Balance of Flour (season 7, episode 29), which was their last and final on screen appearance in the original show, and they dont mention their son at all. It's noticably weird because Poof/Peri was there the entire time. Despite his parents disappearing off screen, the start of Anti Cosmo and Anti Wanda getting mentioned does start the next season after.

2. Love Triangle (season 8, episode 1)

(I'm going to just refer to Irep and Peri as their current names from now on instead of using both because it gets tedious.)

Irep's Kelly Clarkson lunchbox aside--in this scene he states that his Mother packed Anti Venom in his lunch as well as his chicken nuggets. I like to think this means Anti Wanda packs his school lunch regularly because that's cute.

These constant mentions of his parents from here on out are notable because it means that even though they don't show up, heck, they don't even show up in the episode Spellmentary School is introduced despite Cosmo and Wanda being there and that being the perfect opportunity to use Anti Cosmo and Anti Wanda, it's being implied and shown that Irep is still in the care and custody of his mother and father.

Despite showing up in season 9 by himself, Irep does not mention either of his parents again after the first episode of season 8, but it's still shown that he lives with his parents in their castle.

(image fromThe Terrible Twosome, Season 9, Episode 6)

3.Return of the L.O.S.E.R.S. (Season 10, Episode 7)

Irep starts mentioning his parents again starting in season 10. In this scene he states that he's in timeout for now because he put spiders in his father's food. If I wanted to get nitpicky about this, Love Triangle implies antifairies actually eat spiders and don't seem to mind.

New Headcanon: Anti Cosmo is the antifairy version of vegan or whatever and that's why he had issue with it.

Irep continues to mention his parents in a few season 10 episodes after this.

4. Blue Angel (season 10, episode 13)

Irep mentions that he took his rich father's credit card and used it to buy a bunch of cars to destroy the environment. I don't doubt Anti Cosmo has a ton of money considering he's the leader of the antifairies, but there's no way he actually gave Irep that card willingly lol. Outside of that the Chloe and Irep interaction in this was nice, the only part of the episode I really liked.

Irep continues to show up in season 10 after this episode and does not mention his parents in any other appearances outside of his last one. Which is episode 35...

5.Certifiable Super Sitter (season 10, episode 35)

Certifiable Super Sitter is that one episode with the Vicky chainsaw image that people keep ragging on because it breaks every established rule. Peri doesn't show up at all for this entire season until this episode. The in-universe reason is because he was at school the entire time, the writing reason being because of too many characters. Despite this, Irep shows up more often than his own counterpart.

Irep states the reason he came over is because "his parents left without leaving him a forwarding address again."

Again? What does he mean by again? He's literally been living in Anti-Cosmo's Castle the entire time. These screenshots are from the exact same season. And there has been nothing to imply that Anti Wanda and Anti Cosmo even moved out of the castle in the first place. The castle in literally still in Anti-Cosmo's name. Even after they stopped appearing, Irep's mentions of them implied that they all still lived in Anti-Cosmo's Castle. How else would Irep be getting his lunches packed by his mother, how else would Irep have gotten in trouble for putting spiders in his father's pasghetti?

Anti Wanda attached herself to her son as soon as he was born and called him "Sweetie." (Anti Poof) Anti Cosmo literally cried over not being able to have a godchild. (The Fairly Oddlympics) I don't think they would purposely do that.

If Irep never mentioned his parents outside of Anti Poof, then I guess that could be a way to explain their absence? But it just doesn't make sense. He kept bringing them up. His parents were in his life. Like I'd even take the explanation of 'Anti Cosmo and Anti Wanda had an offscreen 3 season side plot where they get hunted down' or something crazy like that. What happened???

[darcytaylor]

Where I stand on certain speculations

Nicola and Luke seem to have a bond that comes from years of working together, sharing experiences on set, and a mutual respect. It’s easy for outsiders to assume things based on what they see - or don't see - but that doesn't mean they have the full picture. Just because they aren't publicly hanging out or posting about it doesn't mean they're not close. In fact, it's quite possible that they do spend time together in private, especially considering how much unwanted attention or speculation can come from being seen in public.

In the celebrity world, it's common for people to protect their personal lives and relationships from being scrutinized or overanalyzed, and that’s completely valid. Assuming they're not friends simply because we don't see it is flawed logic. Their bond is likely much more complex and personal than anyone outside their circle can fully understand, and it's important to respect that.

When it comes to Luke and Antonia’s relationship status, it's true that none of us have enough insight to confidently state what’s going on between them. Just like the speculation about whether they live together, people can guess or infer from small details, but without direct confirmation, it remains just that - speculation.

As for the shift in their social media presence and some signs of rocky waters, it’s important to acknowledge that people, especially public figures, often make changes in their public behaviour for various reasons. It could be due to personal boundaries being crossed, external pressure, or some other factor that we are not privy to.

The Italy trip may have played a role, but again, we can’t know for sure what happened. I can see some signs that there were some issues that took place and Luke is trying to remedy that. If Luke’s team did step in to manage the situation, it wouldn’t be surprising, as public figures often have to navigate their personal lives in ways that minimize unwanted attention or speculation. But again, this is all conjecture without any real evidence, and it’s crucial to recognize our limits as fans.

Just because Nicola and Jake have been seen together in certain settings doesn’t automatically confirm a relationship. Attending a concert with friends, standing next to each other, or being at a bar in a group or solo are all very normal activities that don’t necessarily imply anything romantic. People often jump to conclusions based on minimal or circumstantial evidence. But unless Nicola or Jake explicitly confirm something, it’s all just speculation.

It’s important to separate normal social interactions from actual relationship confirmations. Making assumptions based on public outings often leads to unnecessary rumours and can put undue pressure on the people involved.

The logic of assuming people aren't friends just because they don’t frequently hang out in public overlooks the possibility of a deep, private bond. Conversely, assuming people more than friends because they’re seen together ignores the reality that friendships can be just as meaningful without romantic implications.

But then who knows? Maybe Luke and Antonia are married and had a double wedding with Nicola and Jake in Spain. That could be fun!

[ghouldtime]

*slides into the DMS*

S O. What does social anxiety for König look like through your fantastic characterization then? 👀

(Love your Alone operator series btw. Got me on the edge of my seat with each chapter!!)

(Thank you!! 💚💚💚 I'm so glad you're enjoying :D you all have been so so sweet with it and Im over the MOON so many people have liked it)

To answer this question I'm going to have to be a biiig yapper and explain why I think of him the way I do

Going to say this to start, but I'm going with the true fact that König is indeed diagnosed with social anxiety - anything else I'm saying is based off of my personal interpretation of how he acts in game as a disclaimer

I'm also going to state that personally, the König I write is in his lower to mid 40's. Sorry not sorry, I don't see him as a young dude. Especially not when it's pretty much agreed upon that he's a colonel. So he's had a SIGNIFICANT amount of life experience, and a significant amount of time to work on himself and have introspection.

To me, it makes the most sense that he was diagnosed with social anxiety earlier on in his childhood since it was significantly more obvious when he was younger. Something that severe wasn't unnoticed by those around him because some of them did care about him. It's also stated he's suffered from severe social anxiety throughout his life so that's how I took it.

I personally go with he grew up in a more rural town in his homeland of Austria, which meant there weren't exactly others around during the first few years. "Go play with the neighbors kids" didn't really work when there weren't neighbors around. It was mainly him and his parents and an occasional relative over.

What could be brushed off as initial shyness clearly couldn't be anymore when he finally was enrolled in school.

Even on the first day when it's "introduce yourself to everyone", he fucked that up so monumentally it'll be engraved forever in his hall of shameful memories that he thinks about late at night. School was an utter nightmare, quite frankly, from moment one. The whole situation was too much, too stressful, and too different from the life he had at home. He flat out refused to get up and present in front of the class and wouldn't talk in group projects just for the fear of embarrassing himself. At that time, he was hitting all the indicators for social anxiety like they're the targets he shoots at today.

He missed out on a lot of interaction with other kids initially because of how awkward he was - and having any form of anxiety never helps in social situations. Talking to others wasn't something that came naturally and his own panic amplified it tenfold. Most times, he'd either pretend he didn't hear them, avoid them, or stray as far to the edge of the group as possible to avoid it. Unfortunately this made him an easy target because kids are RUTHLESS and turned him into even more outcast as well which only worsened it.

School always sucked for him due to that, despite the fact that he was a smart kid. No amount of smarts could save you from social persecution when you had nearly no social skills to boot. [ side note but I'm dying on the hill that he's incredibly intelligent and has a bachelors degree (at the very least)].

His parents kept him in therapy to help him manage because without it, he'd be back at square one refusing to go to school and faking a cold just to get out of it. And of course, therapy is a very important tool when it comes to healing, coping, and managing severe mental disorders. The whole reason why he doesn't show such bad anxiety anymore is because he kept the skills he learned and applies them so much that it becomes his second nature.

He's had at least 35 years of this, he's good enough to mask and to keep up his facade.

Another part of why he doesn't show it nearly as much is because he joined the military and was thrown through the wringer with it. Being bullied for so long was a major motivator for joining in the first place, as he needed something to get away from the peers who tormented him so and he needed a new life where he wasn't known as target #1. But he ALSO wanted to gain actual confidence and more certainty in himself.

Joining the military really means you're not left with such things as many choices when it comes to anxiety in social situations. You're forced into quarters with others, have to work side-by-side, do nearly everything together, so on and so forth. He knew that going in but at that point for him it was like extreme exposure therapy, the last step he needed to really put everything he learned in therapy to work.

That doesn't mean he didn't suffer or loved it. No, it was terrible, intense, and nerve-wracking. But he wouldn't have done it otherwise if he didn't want that. Being in the military didn't give him the leeway to avoid what made him anxious, it taught him to face it head on and fight.

Now that he's up there in age and has considerable more experience (and leeway with having a higher rank), the ways he expresses it [look at me finally answering the question] are more subtle.

On the field, you're likely not going to notice it. Because that's him turning the little auto pilot switch in his mind to on when he has a job. The job is his focus and everything has been so engrained in his mind that it's muscle memory. He's, quite frankly, focused on not dying and getting any job done over himself. The joking you often hear him do and taunting alike is part of how he's expressing the confidence he feels when he's in his element, when he KNOWS what he is doing.

If you look closely or approach him off the field, however, it's another story. He usually tenses or straightens himself out when people approach and will hold that until they leave (unless they're someone who he truly knows). Many assume that's a taught habit of the military, but that's only half-true. He did that before then.

Unlike when he's working, he doesn't have a guide or things he knows he has to do in a specific order to best ensure survival - no matter how much talking to other people feels like the heat of the battle, you can't (legally) solve it with a gun or throw a frag and book it out of there. There's no true guide to social interactions and that stresses him out. There's no manual, no field guide, no ten step card on how to successfully navigate them.

He knows things that are normal to say, he knows sometimes what he should say - it's just a matter of finding the phrasing and how to say them. Yet it seems like whenever someone doesn't follow his pre-programmed line of thought when it comes to their talking, his mind can shut down and go blank as he stares, trying to figure out where to go or what to say (spoiler: it usually doesn't end well).

He's usually awkward to talk to because he's running over everything in his head as he tries to think of what best to say to avoid further interactions or ones that could be more targeting to him. And, as mentioned, he lacks the average set of social skills that plenty learn in childhood because he didn't have that proper socialization. He's also still not the best at talking itself and can be blunt and to-the-point, which also doesn't usually go down well.

Not to mention, he's bad at small talk and has a terrible, sarcastic sense of humor that many can't read and it quickly turns things uncomfortable very fast because everyone takes him seriously. It never helps he usually doesn't explain himself all too well, usually leaving it as is as he secretly wishes he didn't talk at all when mortification sets in. Hurrying away with an excuse of some paperwork or something else to busy himself is his go-to after those.

When possible, he'll avoid small-talk and greatly prefers gestures instead. Someone who can appreciate his greater need for silence and a lack of talking is someone who he will greatly appreciate in turn. He's a firm believer that not all silences are uncomfortable and sometimes, it IS best not to say anything at all.

Due to his childhood too, he's not really fond of being around many people and will do his best to avoid it. Unless he has to grin and bare it, he won't. He finds his mind calmest when he can just be himself without having to worry about saying the right things to appease others or to be friendly. That way he can focus on what he wants, think how he wants, and feels how he wants without second guessing himself or having to worry about existing.

He's going to avoid most public settings when possible. Though he can now suitably manage his anxiety, they're something he passes up on. Grocery store trips are something he does maybe once a week or two, if that - stock piling so he has to go to the store less is his usual strategy. Anything he can do himself, he WILL do himself, if he doesn't have a trusted person who can do it better or can help.

Notably, he also doesn't have many friends. He's like talking to a brick wall and unless you're considerably persistent and understanding of his need for space, you won't get far. A lot of people don't have the time nor patience for it, but if you do get close to him, he does come out of his shell. He appreciates anyone who cares enough to actually get close to him and get to know him despite how awkward he can be, and will be loyal to the end because of that.

Another side effect is that he doesn't sleep well. Between the massive amounts of trauma from his job and the trauma from his childhood, he doesn't sleep well as is. But the social anxiety aspect comes into play because many nights, his mind is rerunning all the interactions he's had as he chronically overthinks them. He always wonders what he could've done, how he could've improved, and what they're thinking of him (even if they're someone he may never run into again). Its very hard for him to shut his mind off and doing such usually requires him drowning everything else and making himself not think about that, or anything, any more.

[Another side note: He's an avid reader. Reading gives him new things to think about and can help put him to sleep, especially before bed. It's a good way for him to stop thinking about whatever was nagging him and shifts his mind into thinking about other things he enjoys instead)

Basically, IN SHORT this isn't my full in-depth detailed characterization of exactly who I think he is - the reason he's not presenting it as an anxious ball of pure energy who is so uwu shy and soft is because he is incredibly well-managed with his severe social anxiety at his age and that's uh, just not him. Social anxiety doesn't mean he's a blubbering mess or will cry at the slightest inconvenience and reducing him to that or treating anyone with social anxiety like they're a child because of it does not help at alllll.

He's had extensive therapy for this, he's got his methods, he can mask very well. He's a WHOLE GROWN MAN who is responsible for not only his actions but how he manages his emotions and he knows it. But if you know him and know what to look for, you'll be able to pick it up.

(Also the sheer amount of scenarios I've seen where people think he just would... cry if you took his mask off??? Him???? HIM???? König, "I can make you talk, where are they?" the skilled PMC operator? That one? That guy? Yeah no, anyone dumb enough to do that better have signed their will prior or hopefully has an intensive love for scrubbing all the floors with a single old toothbrush. He won't tolerate people harassing or hustling him or pressing on his nerves. Sure, it reminds him of his childhood bullies, but quite frankly that behavior as grown adults trying that is RIDICULOUS, it pisses him off and immediately lowers his opinion on them.)

To whoever made it this far, I hope this made sense, I took melatonin before I got the ask so I'm in another realm right now LMAO. König is one of my favorites and was the first character I realllly really loved and I just hate seeing him done so dirty. Especially as someone with severe social anxiety myself, it irritates me when it's portrayed just so... wrong and quite frankly, in a lazy, offensive manner lacking any nuance especially in relation to the character who has it. Like just making him stutter and cry isn't all social anxiety is and there's SO much depth and things to work with despite the... actual substance as far as his bio goes

[greatwyrmgold]

One thing I appreciate about Mayonaka Punch of that Masaki is a deeply flawed woman.

It would be easy to write a story where Masaki was cancelled due to misunderstandings or malicious ex-friends or the cruel whimsy of troll communities. It would be hard to call that unrealistic; look at GamerGate's targets, or so-called lolcows, or pretty much any trans woman on social media.

But if Masaki was a perfect little victim, if she didn't have overwhelming anger management issues, she'd be much less interesting. Not just because that characterization would be terribly limiting, or because unexpected cartoon violence is funny, or even because it gives her more to do than virtuously support MayoPan and grow a spine. All of those are important, but the most interesting thing it does is give us perspective.

If Hype-Sis was a real YouTube channel and Masakichi really got kicked off for assaulting one of her real friends/coworkers, I would not be surprised at Masakichi's harassment. I wouldn't participate, but I wouldn't speak out against it either, and I doubt I'm alone in that. I've been around the block often enough to know how hurtful it can be to have Twitter out for your blood (not in a sexy vampire way), but if I'm not gonna wade into that kind of discourse to defend a lady who keeps punching people. Let her get cancelled.

But they're not real, so we get perspective. We see Masaki's side of the story, where the violence was still mostly unjustified, but also not out of nowhere. We also see parts of her that don't relate to being Twitter's villain of the week. We understand her as a person, with virtues and vices, strengths and weaknesses, love and hate.

We understand that, even though Masakichi absolutely did punch Otomi, and punched her again after they went out drinking, and also punched that other girl backstage at Tsuma Fes, and then punched Live onstream, and will probably punch more people in the future, she doesn't deserve the psychological damage from nonstop online harassment. No one does!

[deramin2]

I get that people mean well when they say some variant of "Critical Role shouldn't tell people they can watch Campaign 3 without watching other campaigns because they can't understand XYZ reference."

But that's actually gatekeeping. Functionally that ends up communicating that people can't possibly enjoy a piece of media if they aren't enjoying it exactly like you do after doing over a thousand hours of homework first. It just keeps people from being new fans without because they see their experience being looked down on.

I do think there's value in seeing it all and that it does deepen understanding of the material, but it's also likes studying history. You don't have to study absolutely everything in order to get an understanding of what came after. It certainly helps, but it's not always necessary.

If a character is important, Critical Role actually do give enough information to get the gist. Especially from the current party's point of view. They don't know all these people and their exact histories either. As long as the audience knows what the party knows it's fine. It's enough. Even when the cast's excitement shows this is someone they're excited to see again. The wikis are there if new viewers are curious.

It's vital in fandom to understand that everybody's not going to have our want the same experience with the material and that's fine. Even the thing that makes watching the show the most enjoyable to you. It may not be interesting or achievable for other people and that's fine.

A company that encourages completionist gatekeeping is undermining their own audience growth and the accessibility of their material. Critical Role is just recognizing that not everyone is going to have the same path in and they don't need to. Fans need to learn to do the same.

[mrs-stans]

Sebastian Stan describes the 'big reactions' from New Yorkers over his A Different Man transformation: 'I was terrified'

The actor and makeup artist extraordinaire Mike Marino unpack Stan's dramatic prosthetics turn.

By Nick Romano

Sebastian Stan was so determined to work with Oscar-nominated makeup artist Mike Marino on his film A Different Man that the actor was willing to undergo a social and professional experiment.

As Edward, the 42-year-old Marvel star would play an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis, or NF1 for short, who undergoes an experimental procedure that radically changes his face, only to then emotionally spiral out of control when he loses the part he was born to play to Oswald (Adam Pearson), someone with NF1 who lives a much fuller life than Edward ever led, pre- or post-procedure. Stan needed the man who made Colin Farrell unrecognizable as Oz Cobb for The Batman and HBO’s The Penguin to pull off such a feat.

Since Marino was already busy on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Stan walked the few blocks from his apartment in New York City’s SoHo district to Marino’s home every morning around 4 or 5 a.m. “Then you just wait till they're ready for you on set,” Marino remembers saying to him. On some of those days, Stan would kill time by wandering Manhattan in full makeup until his call time. “I walked up and down Broadway, basically,” Stan, sitting in the New York offices of studio A24, tells Entertainment Weekly. “It was a busy street. I was terrified, but I would just go get a coffee or sit.”

Sebastian Stan is unrecognizable as an actor with facial deformity in trailer for A Different Man

Stan doesn’t consider himself to be a physical actor, and yet his body of work might suggest differently. Even when the costume shoulders the bulk of the transformation, such as playing Tommy Lee in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, his body language molds to match the look. That skill is especially prominent in A Different Man (playing now in limited release). “Even alone, being able to only look out of one eye and then having one ear more covered immediately changes a lot,” he says of Marino's makeup effects. “It changes how you stand. It changes how far away you are from people, how you look at people. I felt oddly on my back foot more. It's a defensive reaction because you want to be prepared in case something's coming, that you have enough time to react.”

“What we get is such an incredibly passionate, skilled actor that can hide within a true character,” Marino tells EW in a separate conversation on Zoom from his SoHo apartment, part of which serves as the mini studio where Stan’s makeup application occurred. “He would actually now have a chance to live with people's reactions and how they were treating him.”

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That experience informed Stan’s entire performance, and it became important for him to do so, even outside of the mornings' wait time. He would often stroll away from set on the Upper West Side in between breaks or setups. “New York is pretty evolved in a lot of ways, but I still got some big reactions from people,” he recalls. “Like, ‘Oh s---!’ ‘Oh f---!’ ‘Look at that!’ It was scary to experience. It was hard to experience. I felt powerless in those situations in some way. And, I guess, a lot of that is how Edward feels in the film.”

Sebastian Stan transforms in the discomforting drama A Different Man

Other reactions were less intense, but equally informative. While standing at a stoplight, for instance, Stan noticed the difference between those pedestrians avoiding eye contact completely, compared to those trying to discreetly steal a look or offer him a forced smile — all bystander reactions that director Aaron Schimberg incorporates into the movie. "I don't think it always comes from a bad place," he says. "Sometimes people just want to connect or feel okay. It's actually about their own experience. It's not even about you. It's like they're in that moment feeling something that's funny to them and they're trying to deal with it. They don't know how."

Marino wanted to be involved with A Different Man thanks to his love of the 1980 film The Elephant Man, loosely based on the life of Joseph Merrick, who lived with a facial disfigurement. As a 5-year-old, the movie scared Marino. But as he fell in love with the art of makeup transformations on screen, he came to see it for what it was: "a beautiful" and "touching story," he describes. "That really made an indelible mark on my life."

He would need that motivation for the obstacles that Stan's look on A Different Man prompted. "There were many technical challenges," he recalls. "It is very difficult to do makeup that thick where they have very thick areas. So I had to really balance what was too big, what was too small. I still need the movement of Sebastian to come through. I still need his own face to drive the makeup and not have it look purely like a mask. I studied Adam's photos. I really analyzed him and tried to balance how I can make it work for Sebastian."

Sebastian Stan calls out journalist who refers to his new character with disfigurement as a 'beast'

Stan has another transformative part coming out soon, the buzzed-about and already-controversial performance of young Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Because he's now promoting both that film and A Different Man simultaneously, it's been interesting for him to think about the ways in which he approached both jobs.

"I've been finding strange parallels that I never really thought about," he remarks. "There's some similar themes being explored in terms of truth, self abandonment, denial of reality to some extent. I think these last couple of roles have required a different degree of physicality. One, obviously, is specific, a real person. But I think about that, of course. You have to, because everyone walks differently and everyone carries things in their body differently. Sometimes you gain access in a different way to things by simply changing a physical aspect of yourself."

The greatest compliment he received for that kind of work on A Different Man, even more than the glowing praise he's seen from the critics, came from Pearson's mother. "After she saw the film, she was like, 'All I ever wanted was for someone to walk in his shoes for one day, to know what it's like, and you were able to do that,'" Stan remembers of their exchange. "I came close to that, I guess, in a way, to feel that kind of invasiveness that he probably felt at some point in his life, walking around."

[portraitofalinkonfyre]

hello :D i'm so in love with your writing i actually came up with a request for the first ever time *ever* since i joined like 5 years ago lmao

-reader gets into trouble with the chain for self endangering, reckless behavior, reprimanding/arguing ensues, maybe with reader not valuing themselves all that highly in comparison to the others? preferably with some rather rough lovin' as an escalation, just to get it through reader's thick skull that they're wanted and important

-i'd love to see Time, Warriors or Sky with this, but if you think someone else fits better that's perfectly reasonable too

-feel free to switch up any details you can't really work around (but no degradation please)

Absolutely!! I love this idea so much, so thank you for gracing me with it! I was also really inspired by this ask so it's going to be about 3-4 chapters long <3

The Bluest Eyes

Pairing: Warriors x Reader

Warning(s): A whole lot of smut and a few scenes of Reader suffering from PTSD. Reader is requested to be female.

Notes: Set in the same AU as Burning Love, where Reader is a retired war medic from Warriors' Hyrule. Also, a "night rail" is a type of nightgown :)

Main Masterlist | Fic Masterlist | Next Chapter

"Get down right now!" Hyrule's shout rang through the clearing, unusually annoyed for the typically patient traveler. Warriors lifted his head, blanching when he caught sight of you sitting atop the thick branches of one of the nearby trees, feet swinging down as you yelled back. 

"No! Go heal Wind!"

"Wind has a scrape on his arm," the traveler stressed, gesturing to the snoozing hero as the others began to gather under the tree, expressions ranging from concerned to downright shocked. "You've been stabbed, (Y/n)."

"I'm fucking fine," you hissed back as blood dripped onto the ground from the wound in your shoulder, and Warriors was caught between terror at your condition to complete bafflement at how you managed to climb the tree in such a state. "Leave me alone!"

"Not until you let me heal you," Hyrule ground out with a stormy expression, hands twitching as if he intended to make you come down with sheer force of will alone. 

"(Y/n)," Time tried in a soft tone, ever the voice of reason. "Denying yourself care will only hurt you further."

"Then I'll be hurting and Wind will be alive," you snarled, snapping your legs up when Wild took a running jump for them. More blood splattered from your shoulder, staining the sleeve of your tunic beyond repair, and Warriors finally noticed the unaltered fear in your expression. 

You were afraid, and he had an idea why. Being a medic during the War of Eras, there was no doubt in Warriors' mind that you had seen terrible things–death, disease, perhaps even betrayal--and the way your eyes nervously shifted to study each of them only confirmed his theory. You were trying to sacrifice yourself for them, though he couldn't fathom why; they had more than enough health potions to go around, and Hyrule had hardly even used his magic when tending to Wind. 

There was no reason for you to be acting this way, yet he knew exactly what you were. There was a faraway gleam in your eyes, like you were looking at something that didn't exist anymore. 

Warrior's stomach churned as he couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since you felt truly safe. 

"(Y/n), please..." Legend's voice was uncharacteristically soft, eyes wide with worry, an expression they all shared. "It was only a lizalfos attack, no one else got hurt."

"He did," you spat, pointing to Wind, and Warriors couldn't take it anymore. 

"That's it, we're coming up."

You gasped as the captain took a running start, leaping up and just barely latching on to the branch below your feet. "Get down right now, you're going to hurt yourself!"

"We're just trying to help you," Sky took a less physical approach, moving to stand beneath the branch with a look of barely disguised regret. 

"I'm fine," you repeated in a weak voice, and Warriors knew he had to act fast. 

"You're bleeding out," he grunted as he heaved himself over the branch, ignoring the blood dripping down onto his scarf; it wasn't like he couldn't wash it later. 

"It's just blood," you said, and he could have laughed at how disappointed you looked in yourself when the words sunk in. 

"Just blood?" Warriors pulled himself onto the branch, settling next to you, hand reaching around your waist to stabilize your swaying form. Your hands valiantly tried to bat him away, but you were far too weak to do any real damage. 

"Please," his heart ached at the beginning of tears forming in the corner of your eyes. "Get down."

"Not without you," he countered quietly. 

"You're hurt," you whimpered, and it was as if all the air had been sucked from the space. Your gaze was worryingly unfocused as you turned your head to look at him, and Warriors could only imagine what you were seeing. "I can't heal you."

"I'm not hurt," he replied gently, not wanting to scare you even more than you already were. "It's all yours."

"Oh," you blinked slowly, as if you were struggling to comprehend his very words. "I'm sorry."

There was a knot in Warriors' throat. He tried to gulp it down, but it bounced back with more force than he expected. "Don't be sorry, just let Hyrule heal you."

Your gaze flicked slowly to the heroes waiting below, a protective glint in your slowly-focusing eyes. "...What about them?"

"They'll be okay," Warriors promised, and you nodded weakly, head lolling to the right to rest against his shoulder, pressing your wound to his chest with nary a hiss. 

"Okay," you whispered in the most broken tone he had heard from you. 

Warriors was sure he hadn't moved quicker in his life, carefully gathering your limp form in his arms and dropping back to solid ground. He remained silent as Hyrule dashed over, hands already glowing with green magic. 

"Lay her down," the traveler said in a wavering voice, and Warriors did as instructed, placing you on the ground as if one wrong move would shatter you, and it was then that he truly noticed the ashy pallor your face had taken on, eyes squeezed shut as Hyrule worked his magic above you. 

Slowly but surely, the exposed wound on your shoulder closed, your skin knitting together under the traveler's hands, leaving behind a wide rip in the blood-soaked sleeve of your tunic. The fitful expression on your face softened some, but he could still see the slight frown tugging at the corners of your mouth. 

Warriors' hand found your uninjured shoulder, shaking it softly as Wild plopped down beside you, face twisted with worry. "How are you feeling?"

There was no response, and his heart could have damn near stopped when he registered the tell-tale softness your breathing had taken on. Nearly shoving Hyrule aside, he pressed two fingers to the side of your neck, fearing the worst. 

"Is she dead?!" Four exclaimed in absolute, unadulterated horror, and the others began to murmur in fear. Warriors' pressed harder, motions unusually desperate as he fought to find a pulse. No, his mind whispered, a cacophony of dread as his fearful thoughts soared, cursing himself for not acting sooner. He shouldn't have waited, and now you were paying the price for his stupidity--

The very notion of time seemed to skid to a standstill when you wheezed suddenly, throat bobbing harshly against his prodding fingers. 

"She's alive!" Hyrule exclaimed in palpable relief, and the tension in the air began to dissipate. Warriors took several breaths to calm his racing heartbeat, removing his hand from your neck as you coughed, turning your head to the side, groaning softly. "Fuck," you said, and the captain was torn between crying and laughing. 

"Are you alright?" Sky was quick to help you into a sitting position. You winced, rubbing at your healed shoulder with your free hand. 

"Yeah," you mumbled, looking around with mounting apprehension. "...Where's Wind?"

"Here!" called the sailor, having just woken up from his nap, and you gave him an exhausted half-grin. 

"Good," you tried to stand, only to be pushed down by Hyrule. 

"Not a chance, (Y/n)," the traveler chided, obviously still shaken from your initial refusal of help. "You're staying right there."

"I'm okay--"

"No," Hyrule said in a tone that brokered no argument. "You are– you are going to sit there and get better, or Hylia help me I will tie you down until you do."

You opened your mouth to respond, but Warriors noted how quickly you reconsidered the idea when Hyrule fixed you with a dark glare, crossing his arms over his chest in a manner that screamed 'try me and die'. 

"...Fine," you relented, slumping backward, and the captain had a distinct urge to ruffle your hair. Your cheeks pinked and you all but hissed: "Stop that."

"Nope," said Warriors, laughing softly when you fixed him with one of your practiced stares, though even a fool could see that there was no heat whatsoever in your gaze. He rose to his feet, deftly dusting the tops of his pants. "Time, do you–"

"Um, guys?" Wind's voice interrupted, filled with apprehension. Warriors turned to face the sailor... only to blanch. 

A portal had opened in the center of the clearing--pure white mixed with swirling hints of gold. The air around it crackled softly, charged with an explicably dangerous energy that had the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. 

"Is that...?" You trailed off, letting the situation speak for itself. 

"Time," Warriors drew his sword, stalking over to put himself between you and the portal. "Do we have another–"

"No," the oldest hero cut him off, tone unusually icy. "This isn't anything I recognize."

"We'll have to go through it, then," said Wild, already advancing forward. Warriors gazed back at Twilight and Legend, who both nodded, unsheathing their swords while the captain re-sheathed his, bending over to gather you in his arms. 

"I can walk," you half snapped, though you made no real move to prove that point. 

"No, you can't," Warriors responded, turning to face the portal as Time and Twilight entered it, disappearing in a flash of light. The others followed swiftly, and he could only hope they'd be able to survive what awaited them on the other side.

You recognized the castle gates as soon as you saw them. 

You had long since wrapped your arms around Warriors' neck, holding on for dear life despite the fact that you knew he wouldn't drop you, deftly studying the bustling streets as the group stepped into Castle Town. 

It was undoubtedly your Hyrule, and there was a certain comfort in being home again. You remained silent as the others chatted, half because you were nearly asleep and half because you couldn't fathom what to say to any of them at this point. Embarrassment coursed through you as you recalled their terrified expressions when you scaled the tree, too lost in your thoughts to realize what was going on. 

You liked to think you kept decent control of your emotions, but now...

"Hey," you felt the words rumbling from Warriors' chest before you heard them. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," you said quickly. Perhaps too quickly, from the way he cocked an eyebrow down at you in response. "I'm fine."

"You keep saying that," the hero paused, then continued in a far quieter tone. "But I don't think I believe you anymore."

"Maybe because it's none of your business," you hissed... and immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, I just–"

"I understand," said Warriors. The hand on your ribcage tightened as he hefted you tighter against him. "I really do."

You didn't doubt that, you really didn't, but a thick ball formed in your throat and you didn't trust yourself not to start bawling in the middle of the street. With a shaky huff, you tucked your head against the broad expanse of Warriors' chest, letting familiar darkness consume you. 

You couldn't sleep. 

The bedroom Queen Zelda had so graciously gifted you was too cold, yet your pillow felt hot enough to burn a hole through metal. You flipped onto your stomach, gripping the pillow as you buried your face into it. Every time you closed your eyes, memories of the War would pop into your mind's eye like flies, only dropping when you awoke, panting like you had run a lap around the castle itself. 

"Fuck..." you whispered to the empty room. Warriors had passed you off to Twilight and Hyrule as soon as his boots crossed the foyer, declaring that he had a meeting with Zelda, only returning with a grim expression and ten keys. The Queen had heard reports of a black lizalfos roaming the land, but they were largely unreliable, leaving everyone with no choice but to stay in the castle for the night. 

While you were grateful for the unexpected privacy, there was something to be said about sleeping in the open with what you now considered to be some of your closest friends. The room, decked out in purple tapestries, was terribly lonely, as four-poster beds typically weren't the chattiest of company. 

The bed creaked as you shifted onto your back, staring up at the stone ceiling, hands fisted in the soft fabric of the creme night rail you wore. You tried not to think of how Wind had almost been slashed, or how close Time had gotten to being bisected by a moblin, but they kept popping up the harder you willed them away. 

It was hopeless, you realized. Completely, utterly hopeless. 

You swung your legs off the side of the bed, kicking your slippers on and shuffling to the nightstand, where a lone candle sat. With trembling hands, you lit it. A fierce orange glow illuminated the room, and you used it to guide you to the door, peering outside at the empty hallway. 

You were no stranger to the castle, which is why you stepped out for a short walk, shoes scuffing gently on the polished floor. 

Aimlessly, you wandered, uncaring of where you ended up. Dark shadows stretched and spun before you, quickly vanquished by the light of the candle. You walked beneath one of the many arches, entering a hallway you didn't recognize. A large portrait hung on the very back wall, a stunning caricature of Queen Zelda and... Warriors. 

You approached the portrait, holding up your candle for a better view. Their faces were relaxed–not too relaxed, of course–and could be vaguely described as peaceful. Warriors himself looked younger, like the burden of being a hero had not yet hit, with a small grin that made the corners of your lips quirk up. 

"...(Y/n)?"

You nearly dropped the candle as you spun around, heart nearly leaping from your chest. 

"Wars?!"

And there he was, in all his blonde-haired, bleary-eyed glory, dressed in nothing but a pair of pants. You tried not to look at his chest, mostly because it was highly inappropriate and partially because you were supposed to be upset, and looking at that glorious abdomen made you feel anything but sad. 

"You're not asleep," he observed in a matter-of-fact tone. "Why was I expecting this?"

You crossed your arms over your chest. "I could say the same about you."

"I know," his gaze flicked to the portrait, then back to you. "Do you want to talk?"

"Not really."

"Liar."

You bristled. "Excuse me?"

"You're unexcused," Warriors shot back, and you became distinctly aware of just how close a two-foot distance was when you were alone. "Tell me the truth."

"And that is?"

The captain fixed you with a half-hearted, largely exhausted glare. "Gee, (Y/n), maybe when you climbed a tree to avoid medical attention?"

"That's diff–"

"Or perhaps when you refused to let Hyrule heal you until we climbed the tree?"

"That's not–"

"Or should I mention that time you attempted to give Wild a healing potion after he stubbed his toe?"

"You–"

"I'm not done," Warriors cut you off, running a hand down his face. "Do you have any idea how worried we were? How worried I was?"

There was silence, because you didn't trust yourself to speak without breaking down. 

"Well?" the captain prompted. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

You stared at him. This was pointless; you didn't want to talk, you wanted...

A knot formed in your stomach. What did you want? It had been so long since you considered something so... well, you felt it was rather mundane, but that didn't excuse that you had no idea what you wanted. 

You didn't realize you had begun to cry until Warriors' hand swiped gently at your face with a gentleness you didn't know he possessed. For you, at least. 

"It's going to be alright," he said, and, before you knew it, you were bawling, thick sobs shaking your shoulders. Wars wordlessly pulled you to his chest, wrapping his arms around your trembling form. 

"I can't do it," you whispered against his clavicle, arms encircling his bare back. "If I can't help him, how am I to help the rest of you?"

"You don't have to," the captain responded softly, hugging you a bit tighter. "You've helped enough-- no, more than enough."

"I know, b-but," you hated how your voice wavered noticeably when you spoke the last word. "I can't lose you."

"You won't."

"How can you promise that?" you hiccuped, pressing yourself closer, heavy tears blurring your vision. "Wars..."

"We're strong, (Y/n), we'll always be here," he responded slowly. Carefully. "Always."

“Promise me,” you whispered, unable to force any other words out. You needed to hear him say it, and the anticipation was tearing you from the inside out. 

“I promise,” said Warriors. He sounded genuine, but, then again, he always did. 

“Good,” you sniffed, feeling slightly sheepish for crying on him in the middle of the night. “I’m sorry, I just…”

You froze when Warriors put a finger over your lips, shushing you softly. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said, holding you like he would never let go. “Don’t apologize for things that aren’t your fault, okay?”

That… that was new. You had always liked Warriors; he was kind and reliable, not to mention an excellent strategist. Butterflies fluttered in your stomach, but you willed them away, hoping the night was dark enough to conceal the burning flush on your cheeks. 

“...Okay,” you agreed, distinctly aware of the flexing muscles lying just beneath your fingertips. Warriors was strong–they all were–and you felt as much anxiety over it as you did comfort. “Why… Why were you up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he responded quickly, and you couldn’t help but chuckle half-heartedly. “What is it?”

The words slipped from you like a knife through butter, like the softest silk and the quietest breeze. “We’re both hopeless.”

Warriors hummed and turned his sparkling cerulean gaze to you. “Maybe,” he whispered to the night. “Helplessness can be helped.”

“You think?” You were almost afraid to ask, but you could have done anything to hear his voice again. 

“I think it’s time for bed.”

You laughed before you could stop yourself. Warriors released you when you pushed lightly on his chest, arms hanging loosely by his bare sides. “Isn’t that Sky’s line?”

“...I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“Deal.”

With slightly-lifted spirits, you peered outside, studying the star-spangled sky with mild interest. The moon was bright, bathing the hallway in a milky sheen that made it all the more eternal, and you wondered why you hadn’t taken the time to study it before. “It’s so–… I never noticed…”

“Beauty comes in many forms,” Warriors intoned softly with a glance in your direction. “There are people who go their whole lives without appreciating the little things.”

“And you are?”

The captain hesitated, shoulders slumping slightly, making you wonder if he would appreciate a hug. “I’m still working on it,” he admitted softly, and made the executive decision not to pry.

“So am I,” you shot an exhausted grin his way. “...How mad do you think Hyrule will be if I don’t sleep?”

Warriors ran a hand down his face, and only a fool would miss the very obvious, very large smile he was attempting to conceal. Until it shifted to a grin, then a smirk. 

“If I have to sleep, you do too.”

“Actually–”

“Hush,” you blinked dumbly when his hand extended, palm up, toward you. A few seconds passed, and Warriors let out a small huff. “(Y/n)–”

“Present.”

“...Just take my hand.”

You did.

First chapter done! This is the second ask that has activated me like this, and I'm excitedly-terrified of the other wonderful ideas y'all might send me in the future!

[satanfemme]

I....I think I might have some of the anger you used to have. How did you grow? How do you become so positive but it doesn't feel fake anymore?

a combination of a shift in perspective + the kind of healing that just takes a lot of time and practice.

on my shift in perspective:

understanding political theory better has helped (communism, anarchism, and transfeminism are the schools of thought I study the most. the abolition of prisons/punitive justice is also especially important to me). it sounds silly, but when you don't understand truthful and reality-based political theory it's very easy to feel like there's fundamentally "good people" and fundamentally "evil people", if not feeling that it's human nature as a whole to be evil, and this worldview can taint every part of your life. studying theory has helped me understand HOW and WHY horrible things happen in the world on both large and small scales, and that it's more complicated (and also more solvable) than just paranoid and misanthropic "people are bad" fears. this has helped me a lot.

on a more personal and esoteric note, I've also come to see people as inherently interconnected. I believe we're all part of the same macroorganism and there's no fundamental differences between us other than circumstances. everyone in the world is traumatized and doing their best to respond to what's happening to them as it's happening, and learning as they go. it's a lot harder to hate someone once you understand whatever they're doing to wrong you is out of fear/trauma. it's also a lot harder to hate someone once you understand that you could've been them if only your life went a different way. (in other words, as I like to point out: everyone is capable of being abusive, and people who are abusive are still people). it also probably helps through all these beliefs that I don't believe in genuine free will, but I understand that thought probably isn't comforting to most people the way it's comforting to me.

on my healing:

living away from my abusive parents for five years and counting helps. trying to find ways to treat my mental disabilities with patience and grace (and with an increasingly anti-psych viewpoint) has helped. getting an emotional support dog has helped.

maybe the BIGGEST help has been meeting and befriending more people in real life, and doing new and novel things all the time. socially speaking I consider myself raised by social media, and although my feelings towards that fact aren't wholly negative, let me tell you that the real adult world is SO much better and healthier than any website. I like meeting people who are different than me, and have different thoughts than me, and I like exploring, and going to shows, and experimenting with things. nothing makes me feel as alive as when I'm out there in the world Doing A Thing, In A Location, Dressed In An Outfit, and With Other People.

I also think age has helped to an extent, but not because of any pseudoscience "your brain matures at X age" stuff. I think I just have a lot more practice at being a person than I did in the past. and I hope to have more practice in the future. this is the first year I've felt like an "adult" and it feels fucking GREAT! I feel emotionally mature, I feel autonomous, I feel really good.

AND ALSO. my last piece of wisdom for you: stop worrying about how other's see you, stop worrying about your interests being cringe, stop worrying about being the most perfect morally pure person in the world. letting go of these fears doesn't happen over night, it takes time. but the more I become openly & proudly freakish and weird, the happier and nicer I become. I love being a cringy furry pervert so much. it's awesome. can't recommend that kind of thing enough.

[nqueso-emergency]

Seeing how desperate Buddies have gotten lately reminds me of TJLC. I bet they'll think there is a secret episode in the works when 9-1-1 ends and BuckTommy are married, and Buddie died a long time ago. I call it:

TBC

* The Buddie Controversy

Which also means

* To be confirmed: because Buddies exclaim Buddie is confirmed every three seconds when Buck and Eddie are just standing next to each other.

Which also means

* To be concluded: because we have two important cast members turning down the possibility of Buddie in several interviews (Tim won't listen to mean people, and Ryan says Eddie is straight).

Which also means

* To be continued: because Buddies cover their ears without a care in the world and will continue to be delusional, even after 9-1-1 is over.

This interesting but tiring drama is inspiration enough for future internet historians to make YouTube videos about the subject. And this is how I met Buddies!

- BlueFire

I mean... they're already think the karaoke scene has the first buddie kiss... do, yes, we're in hell and the bestie boos were right: Buddie will make history but not in a positive way.