#there's such a perfect balance of stuff we're given and stuff we're not with him

[tsutsumi-kurose]

Do you have any Tsukasa analyses?

hi!! thank you sm for the ask!! i love tsukasa analyses, so i was really excited to get this!! there is a small/specific thing i've been thinking about with regards to a couple tsukasa moments recently, and that is:

tsukasa and some not-so-rhetorical questions

there are two specific instances i've been thinking about recently of tsukasa asking typically rhetorical questions in a genuine way. the first time happens in chapter 91. when hanako and nene ask tsukasa how he got to them and why he was there, he asks "who cares?"

i find it really interesting that this question comes before tsukasa asks a long series of hard hitting questions about nene's lifespan, hanako's wish, and destroying the yorishiros. he's asking very real, actionable questions! and this question is grouped in with them! so while "who cares?" is typically a very throwaway question, coming from tsukasa in this moment, i read it as having much more weight. i think tsukasa is experiencing the feeling of that in a very real way. especially given the context of more recent chapters ("he doesn't come when i call," "if you want out, you're going to have to do the best you can by yourself," etc.) while this question may come across as flippant, tsukasa must truly be wondering: "genuinely, who cares where i've been? how or why i'm here? genuinely, do either of the two of you care what i'm up to? you're worried about nene's lifespan and the yorishiros. who he cares about how i got here or why? i have no reason to believe you do." i don't think it's a stretch to think that a boy whose calls for help don't get answered would genuinely wonder: who cares?

and with all the context of 91 up to now, i love to read this question in 110 as a genuine question from tsukasa that hanako hears as rehtorical, and flippant:

"so?" asked so briefly and bluntly is often a rhetorical question: more a statement of "that doesn't matter" or "i don't care." and from hanako's perspective, he has just poured his heart out. he's just said, "yes i could have anything in the whole world, but then i wouldn't have you." to him, this surely must seem like a logical fill in of, "I wouldn't trade you for anything."

but this is tsukasa. tsukasa, who has spent god knows how many years calling out for amane with no response. tsukasa, who knows the following to be fact: 1) hanako knows tsukasa is his yorishiro. 2) hanako has been working to destroy all the yorishiros. thus, the logic from the facts tsukasa has would say that hanako prefers to be without tsukasa. of course he'll be confused that hanako's words suggest he doesn't want to be apart when all he's done with his actions is keep tsukasa away from himself!

it's not surprising, then, that he would want an explanation of how these things connect. the facts tsukasa has say amane doesn't care about him and is prepared to destroy him. so of course amane saying "i wouldn't give you up for anything" is not going to compute, that seems like almost an exact contradiction to the facts tsukasa is working with. the "so?" here is the same question tsukasa's been asking since 1968 in chapter 101: "you'd prefer it if i stayed here, right, amane? or would you rather me gone?" tsukasa thought he had the answer, but now amane's saying the opposite.

i love this panel, because it reads as so hopeful. i really read this as tsukasa wanting to know more about why amane is hung up on never seeing tsukasa again. how often does tsukasa ever want anything for himself? other than to know how someone is feeling? and this moment feels significantly softer than other times he's asked similar things. tsukasa's always asking: what are you thinking? what are you feeling? amane, are you happy to see me? so i think he's genuinely asking here: why would that be a problem? i interpret this panel as tsukasa really, genuinely asking amane to explain that he cares about him, that he wants to be with him. because he has nothing to go off of to prove that that's the case. are you happy to see me, amane? so what if you can never see me again, amane?

to get really specific, i love the lighting in tsukasa's eyes in this panel. his eyes are mostly in shadow, but there's just a bit of light at the tops of them; his irises are almost all black, but there's a little bit of light flooding in at the bottom. because i love to torture myself with tsukasa angst (lol), i like to interpret this specific lightning choice as representing understanding beginning to dawn for tsukasa. a literal flicker of hope. maybe... amane does care about him? maybe amane does want him around? he might just be starting to understand that amane cares, but he needs it explained more, needs it spelled out. hanako's actions have not suggested this is true, so all he can go off of are hanako's words. he needs more words from hanako to make it make sense. so? why would that matter? he's starting to get it, but he has to ask, especially since it goes against all the other signs he's been given.

but, of course, hanako is hanako/amane is amane (i love him but he does win worst communicator for more than fifty years running <3 lmao) so he takes this as a rejection, and doles out his own in return, not hearing the request tsukasa is making, thus affirming what tsukasa already thought: that he hates tsukasa.

the mix of light and dark is gone from tsukasa'a eyes after hanako says "i hate you so much."

his face and eyes are flush with light--with clarity. i know you hate me, amane. no more doubt, no more questions, no more hope.

i'm obsessed with the angst of this entire interaction, and tsukasa asking, "so?" is the hinge it all rests on. the moment of suspension.

here's their chance. here is tsukasa wanting to understand why hanako isn't going through with the plan just because the two of them would never see each other again. here is hanako's chance to explain that he cares.

but it can't line up, not expressed like this. not with "do you love me?" tsuakasa and "of course!" amane. not when they're both so sure their love for the other is obvious, not when they both hear rejection in everything. not when they've both come to expect loneliness as a default, to the point where the other caring about them is never the logical conclusion in their eyes, no matter how obvious their love for the other seems to themselves.

here is a beginning, here in tsukasa's eyes, in his question. but both of them are only ever expecting an end.

(this analysis of tsukasa's eyes in this interaction also connects to the seed of a larger theory i want to explore more soon, which is the possibility that tsukasa's eyes going black isn't necessarily--or at least not exclusively--about the entity's powers taking over, but rather/additionally a reflection of his emotional state... but then that also ties into the really long post i'm trying to wrangle into coherence about tsukasa being genuinely tsukasa... so i may have to elaborate on that another time lol)

thank you again for the ask!! i really love diving into all the possible meanings behind specific/small moments, so i had a lot of fun with this!!

[bobbydagen24]

anyone else here read this fan fic? I absolutely loved it in fact I finished it a few weeks ago and I just went back and reread chapter 16 and my god its still Heart-breaking.

the person who wrote it did a great Job with the characters honestly its everything I Really wanted to see with the Brothers after TBT and chapter 16 where we get the big confrontation.

where Branch loses it after the Bros tell him they're going to leave soon but try to Reassure him that they will all still be in each other's lives is just Heart Breaking AF.

another Detail I Really appreciated was even after all the major emotional Drama was Resolved and the family did come back together the writer still had Branch admit to himself that he may always have some issues with his Brothers due to their History.

it was just nice acknowledging the family wouldn't just suddenly be perfect with each other given all the History but they were still going to try in the present day to keep the family together.

Honestly after finishing Reading this Fic I felt a little Bummed out when I Remembered that this wasn't actually a cannon story I'd just Read lol.

I know at the end of the day its a franchise meant for children so we're not going to get a slice of life Drama Tv show like this Fan fic felt like.

but I do Hope we see another Christmas Special and or Tv show in the future that maybe covers some stuff similar to this.

like Branch Fearing that after his Brothers leave they will just never come back and cut off all contact with him again.

and maybe a nice little mature acknowledgment that his Abandonment issues wouldn't just suddenly be fixed because the Bros sang one song together in a life or death situation.

and it'd be nice to see them having a more serous Reaction to seeing Branch's Bunker and seeing the paranoid crazy Hermit life he lived for so long.

I know they have keep things light for the kids but as we saw in the first film and unlike in TBT there can be a good Balance between serous and light hearted content.

so I Have my fingers crossed for a future Holiday Special and or Tv show that could expand on the family stuff a bit more in an interesting emotional way.

what do you think?

[ahgasegotarmy116]

Semantic Error | A Jeon Jungkook Series | Chapter 3

Based off of Semantic Error (bl) by J Soori Summary: y/n meets Jimin and makes Jungkook jealous Pairing: Techie inexperienced fem!reader x Artist fuck boy Jungkook Word count: 2.7k~ Warnings: Explicit language, Idk that's pretty much it for this chapter. A/N: This is heavily based off of the original bl (boy love) Semantic Error and it covers chapters (episodes) 4,5 and 29. I've switched around the timeline quite a bit and got rid of some scenes here and there to make the story progress a bit faster so they're not exactly alike but I would like to stick close to the original story so let me know what you think! P.s. If you don't mind spoilers I would highly suggest reading the original story. I read it on the app Manta with the english adaptation being done by Angy and you can also find the Kdrama on Viki :) Read from the beginning

The next day as I'm walking to the cafeteria I see a guy fall dropping some books and papers all over the floor. I decide to walk past because honestly it's not my problem but unfortunately once I'm in his line of sight he decides to call out to me. "Hey sorry do you think you could help me pick this stuff up? I shouldn't have tried to balance all of it on top of each other" he says clearly regretting his actions. I start picking things up quietly, not making an effort to make conversation and once we're finished I decide to turn and go. 

"Wait! What's your name?" he asks preventing me from leaving. "y/n" I state and wait for him to continue on with whatever he had planned to say. "Well y/n would you mind helping me carry this stuff over to the music building? I'm just worried I might drop it all again" he says taking all of the heavy books and hoping that I'll pick up the folders full of sheet music. I stand there for a second trying to calculate the time it would take me to help him out and if I can fit it into my schedule. 

"If you help me, I'll buy you lunch" he says with a bright almost perfect smile aside from his cooked front tooth. Thinking about it now with that incentive clearly tips the scale, providing him with a favorable result. I wordlessly pick up the things he couldn't manage to carry and wait for him to lead the way. "You don't talk much do you?" he chuckles giving me a sideways glance. "Not unless it's necessary" I say and continue to follow hoping I'll get this over with so I can get back on schedule.

"So...what's your major?" he says obviously trying to maintain a conversation with me. "Computer Engineering" I answer giving his as short of answers as possible. I'm not one for casual conversation, let alone conversation at all. Like I said, only when necessary. "I'm Jimin by the way, and if you couldn't guess already my major is music. Well, music and dance but my course load this semester is very music centric" I nod my head and he decides to keep rambling which seems to be something he's used to doing.

From the casual glances we're getting it seems like he's pretty well known in this department. "Hey Jimin you down to go grab some lunch in a sec?" a guy in a big group of people yells out. "Nah that's okay, I promised to buy y/n lunch for helping me out" he says motioning to me as best as he can with his hands full. "Oh...okay well have fun" the guy says and goes back to one of the many conversations going on over there. 

I turn my head and look back up at Jimin confused, "You could've just given me enough for the cafeteria and have gone with them" I say hoping to brush him off and go back to my solitude. "I'm not gonna buy you food from the cafeteria silly, let's go somewhere! There's a cool pizza place right outside of campus that I've been wanting to check out. You wanna go?" he asks asks and nods towards the classroom that we're meant to leave these things at. "I guess" I shrug not really caring at this point. Since my class doesn't start for another two hours I guess I could afford to go off campus to eat for a change, especially since it's free. 

As we make our way into the pizza place (creatively named Pizza Planet) we're greeted by a pretty big crowd but luckily we're able to find a table near the entrance right away. "Welcome in" someone yells letting us know they saw us come in and they'll be with us in a moment. "This place is pretty cool huh? He says referring to the theme that seems to be trendy these days. "Spaceships, nice" I say barely looking up while scanning the QR code to get the menu.

"Have you never watched the movie Toy Story?" he says, surprised that I don't have a better reaction to it. "No I'm not big on American movies or whatever. My family really only showed us media that was Korean or Japanese" I say hoping to show that I'm not interested on elaborating on the topic any further and luckily before he can say anything again our server comes to our table. 

"Welcome to Pizza Planet guys, what can I get you?" he says with a bright smile until his glance falls on me. For some reason his expression changes to that of annoyance and I'm slightly confused but not enough to comment on it. "Do you know what you want y/n?" Jimin asks me and I take a quick glance over the menu and settle on the most expensive item. It's a free meal so might as well milk it for all it's worth.

Jimin places his order and the server looks back down at me and asks if we wanted anything else to which Jimin denies. "You guys do student discounts though right?" he asks holding out his card and the server takes his eyes off of me to inspect his student ID and confirms his suspicions. 

Once he hands him back his student ID the server's gaze for some reason falls back on me. "Do you need to see my ID too?" I question suddenly weirded out by his glaring. "No" he says full of spite, pushing up the bridge of his glasses. "Okay well then you can go now, don't you have other people to serve?" I say shooing him off, to which he looks down at me with utter confusion and opts to just turn away to go put in our order instead of making an further discussion. 

"Are you okay?" Jimin asks, clearly aware of the weird tension between the server and I. "Yeah I'm fine, he was just acting really weird" I say and shake it off for the time being. "Do you know him?" he asks tilting his head at me. "Why would I know a random guy in a pizza place?" I say confused as to how this all connects in his head. "Well because he goes to school with us, I believe his name is Jungkook, I had a class with him last semester and he seemed like a cool guy or so I thought. Are you guys okay?" he asks clearly concerned, seeing my face contort into an uncomfortable realization when I finally put the pieces together. 

I guess I didn't recognize him because he was dressed so differently while sporting a hat and glasses. Looks like he clearly recognized me though, and he definitely wasn't happy to see me. I watch as Jungkook makes his way out of the shop as another server comes to relieve him. "Would you mind it if I went outside to go talk to him for a second?" I ask already standing up not really caring to wait for his permission. "Oh um yeah okay, I guess I'll just stay here" he says awkwardly while watching me walk out before I'm finally out of his view. 

Looking around I notice that there's a small alleyway between this pizza place and the next building over and I can see a puff of smoke coming out of it as well as hear someone's voice sounding like some sort of argument. I walk over and thankfully it's the exact person I've been looking for. "Hey can you get off the phone?" I say and he looks up glaring at me and he stops leaves a pause in the conversation happening before he tells the person on the phone that he has to go. "What do you want?" he says before taking a drag off of his cigarette. 

"We need to talk" I say seeing if he's open to it. "So talk" he says and purposefully blows smoke in my direction which leaves me having to wave away the smoke and clear my throat before I'm able to start. "I owe you an apology" I start off, "No shit you do" he mumbles under his breath. "Are you gonna let me talk or should I just go back inside?" I say getting short with him. "Yeah go back to your boyfriend, see if I care" he spits out and throws his cigarette on the floor to stomp it out before pushing himself up off the wall and making moves to walk off.

"He's not my boyfriend, in fact not that it's any of your business but we just met today and the only reason I'm here is because he offered me a free meal for helping him carry some stuff across campus" I say in one breath and open my mouth to continue "That doesn't sound like you" he interrupts laughing bitterly at my story. "Well it's the truth and you can ask him yourself if you really don't believe me" I say crossing my arm, becoming aware that this has now become my defensive stance of choice against him.

"No that's fine I believe you, I just find it adorable that you could be so food motivated. Helping out a perfectly good stranger and then making a trip with him off campus. That wasn't very smart of you y/n" he says taunting me. "Just because you're older than me doesn't mean that you get to talk down to me" I say getting even more irritated at this situation. "That's funny that you say that" he says getting closer until he's sure to tower over me, "because it looks like I have to love" he says trying to get some sort of reaction out of me. 

I'm not sure exactly what it could be I decide to take a step back but as I do I find myself slipping on something and I mentally brace for impact but it never comes, now seeming to notice a firm grasp on my waist instead of my back on the cold hard street. "Be careful there y/n, we wouldn't want to have an accident on our hands" he says amused at our forced proximity and my facial expressions because of it. I get back up on my feet and push him away after I've sure I regained my balance. "I apologized okay? Now stop being so hostile, it's annoying" I say while straightening out my clothes. "But I like seeing the faces you make when I'm annoying you" he says with a smirk. 

"What faces? I don't make any faces" I deny. "Why don't you go look in the mirror pretty, I'm sure you'll see why I like it so much" he says before walking past me. "Hey where are you going? Aren't you going to apologize too?" I call after him before he gets too far. "Sorry love, I've gotta go back to work, why don't we pick this up later?" he says sending me a wink before opening the door and walking inside. "But I don't want there to be a later" I say under my breath kicking the rocks that I had no doubt slipped on just moments ago. I shake myself out of whatever headspace he had me in and take a deep breath trying to calm myself down. 

I've never had a rush of so many emotions running through me before, and the only other times it has gotten close to this it seems like Jungkook has been the one to triggered them. I groan and make my way back inside as well and I sit back down at the table not making an effort to say a word to Jimin. "So how did it go? It seemed like he was pretty happy when he walked in" he says intrigued by our polar opposite returns with me being the one who looks upset now. "He's happy because he was able to irritate me and get a reaction out of me. Ugh I should've never went out there" I groan and take a drink of my water.

"Why did you end up going out there?" he questions, clearly interested in the story behind our weird behaviors. "I said some things that were probably interpreted as being mean, I'm not the kind of person who cares much about others but I'm adult enough to admit that what I said was out of line" I say rolling my eye irritated that I let him get the best of me time and time again, but for some reason I end up being the bad guy.

"I swear this man is going to put me in an early grave" I say and then speak of the devil Jungkook shows up with our order. "That's not very nice, are you already trying to be mean to me again" he pouts jokingly. "No but you are being rather rude listening in on people's conversations" I roll my eyes and go back to taking a drink of water. "It's not my fault that you're talking about me right in front of me. Anyways is there anything else I can get you guys?" he asks looking between the two of us.

"No I think we're all set" Jimin responds sending me a smile which I return with a nod. "What about you pretty? Do you need anything else from me?" Jungkook says leaning towards me and tucking my hair behind my ear to see my face better. To which I respond to by choking on my water while also spilling some on the table. "Shit y/n are you okay?" Jimin asks clearly concerned for my welfare. I cough a few times and send him a thumbs up trying to calm my coughs down. "I'll go get you guys some napkins" Jungkook chuckles walking off. 

"Man I swear guys like him think they can get away with anything just because they're more attractive than the average male" he says rolling his eyes at him and handing his napkins over to me. "Thanks" I say and clean up as best as I could while we wait for the rest of the napkins. "It's fine I'm over it" I say clearing my throat hopefully for the last time right as Jungkook returns with more napkins.

"Sorry guys I was just teasing, your meal's on me this time okay?" he says giving us both a charming smile. "You sure?" Jimin asks looking surprised as ever. "Yeah it's the least I could do for interrupting you guys and making y/n upset" he says but I can tell he's still teasing me even though he's behaving in front of Jimin. 

"Thank you so much" Jimin says giving him a thankful shallow bow. "It's fine don't mention it, also you can call me Hyung if you want to, I don't mind" Jungkook offers, clearly trying to get on Jimin's good side. This whole act he's putting on is ridiculous, I haven't known him for long but I can sure as hell tell when people are lying. "Okay, thank you Jungkook hyung" he says and smiles back at me. "You can call me Oppa if you want to y/n" he says offering it to me as well, waiting for me to take the bait. 

"Jungkook is just fine for me, I'll call you JK if you want me to, but that's it" I say not bothering to show any sort of respect and grace to the person who just bought my meal which is probably cold by now. "Aw come on just once?" he says mercilessly taunting me still. "Don't you ever get tired of being a pain in the ass?" I say finally fed up with all of his antics "Nope" he says popping the P at the end before leaning down to whisper in my ear "You look cute when you're feisty" he says making sure to blow on my neck again making me shiver slightly. 

I stand up abruptly and he straightens his posture and takes a step back giving me the tiniest bit of room to pass by. "Jimin I'm leaving if you want I'll wait for you outside so we can take the food back to campus" I say and make moves to leave as quickly as I can, not missing the way Jungkook chuckles at me on the way out. "Um yeah I'll be out in a second. Hyung do you think you could box this up for us?" he asks using the new term he had been encouraged to use. "Sure, see you around y/n" he says making sure I hear it before the door closes behind me.  

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[dailycass-cain]

Balancing real-life stuff so I couldn't do this over the weekend. So tonight here are my thoughts on Detective Comics #1087 (all of it, main story and side).

Cass's appearance in the main story is brief but still has a great weight around it. There's just something I love of Ram V where every small moment still has overtones to everything that's gone on in his run.

Every side character on this quest Batman has been through gets to shine. It hits me with utter 😄seeing the payoffs occurring in this run that have been built here or throughout other stories. These payoffs are just SOOO good and these aren't even the "end" ones.

For Cass, it's being her and just not giving up. STILL fighting, still honoring the bat symbol, and the legacy of the Batman. Aka reasons why we love this character 101.

ust the way she's introduced in the issue? chef's kiss

That extra added, "Oh they boned and know it." just by the added panel of Cass's eyes narrowing. SOOOOOO good I was little squeeing in gittiness at it. Something that's consistently happening since 2020. 😊

Likewise, you can feel that "ending" coming as Batman readies his schemes, the Orghams entering their's, Gotham too, and of course the twist we all saw coming given last issue with one other party throwing their hand too.

I'm really curious to where this all goes from here on out, and honestly I feel like a broken record but I cannot wait to see the payoffs. Like I know and feel these are all gonna be earned.

Oh sure, we might get a reset on some (Two-Face and Mr. Freeze), but man; Ram V's characterizations of both are leaving an impression on me. Something for me to continue spouting top of my lungs, "This is kino and enjoy the ride." to anyone who hasn't picked it up.

The art by Christian Duce and Stefano Raffaele is just 🔥 with the coloring by Luis Guerrero just stunning too. DC since 2020 has been killing it with the colorists they've got sprinkled throughout their books. Just makes everything the artists draw pop more.

What else can I say of the main story? Other than it just keeps delivering every month. But hey we're getting more kino with Ram V with the New Gods. That's gonna be great and curious to see where he goes with that.

The secondary story is something I've been hoping to see since the character showed up in this run, and that was some Jean-Paul Valley goodness, and not only do we get this here.

We get Dan Watters back on writing him. Oh sure, he couldn't get Nikola back, but hey Francesco Francavilla on it? Oooooh sign me up! Seeing his Cass was a delight at long last.

The story itself is just rooted in SOOO much back lore with Dick and Jean-Paul. You can take it as the perfect case to their history with one another (and it isn't pretty). I'm kind of glad we got this in the story to show this wasn't forgotten.

That this isn't just a united heirs to Bruce working together. There's still some stuff there from past that causes spite and mistrust (aka KnightsEnd).

In that regard, Dick is right to be this way. He's given Jean-Paul multiple passes and well every time Jean-Paul fell back to the conditioning he went through.

But again, Cass being Cass. Her coda is stone. "You can change. You can." Even when she was at the brunt of it too, she still that beacon holding for that hope this is the time Jean-Paul defeats his inner demons for good.

Again, it's a nice balance between the three characters. An actual reason Dick would be no trusting, and Cass being, "TRUST HIM." Given all she's been with Jean-Paul due to No Man's Land. I wasn't expecting this to be remembered on my 2024 comic bingo card.

That's something I wish someone would dig further into. That Cass could be that rock for Jean-Paul, kind of like how Steph is for Jason currently. Or Oynx was for Cass (kind of hoping that this is revisited on when she arrives in BoP) or currently Cass bonding hard with Barda.

Again, layers upon layers here. Why I enjoy this run currently for all of this.

Detective Comics #1087 continues the ride and makes me appreciate this run even more. Like, again this feels different to me. To have Cass entwined to a modern Batman epic?

Oh sure she has sprinkles in Batman runs or past Tec runs. But here? Not just the fan service appearance but characterization and history.

All the reasons why people love this character are all here. Leaving me ☺️🥺every single time I read an issue of this run. I can't wait to have the whole thing collected and just read it all.

Gonna be great.

[prismatoxic]

"I hope any of this was interesting"

OF COURSE IT'S INTERESTING, THAT'S WHY I ASKED !!!

that's literally so great, those points you've talked about are some of my favorite things from ptk and it's really exciting to know you're so invested in it! (well, duh. Obviously, you're the one writing it)

At first I was kinda wary about the whole dysphoria and gender stuff, I was sort of scared to read when provided the warnings, but as I kept on going (because well, I just couldn't stop. The fic is just that good) it turned out being a really really interesting exploration of Chilchuck's journey, and some things even I could relate to !! To a strangely deep, personal level what the fuck tox

And oh, fuck yeah. The worldbuilding aspect is top notch. Probably my second favorite part of the whole thing beside the dynamic between chilaios. It's just so good to get to witness this carefully crafted world and how each of the characters fit in it! I really fucking love the way it works so well but is also riddled with some deeply rooted issues. How chilchuck fits in it, or rather, how he doesn't fit in it but makes room for himself anyways, learns to work around it. It's fucking great. It just ends up being sort of the default I think about for when I imagine any more modern universe stuff within dungeon meshi. The car stuff! that's so clever and interesting! Ugh half foots don't even have cars!!! Wtf!!! So cool!!! How do I explain to my friends this without making them read your fic wtf !!

Been ranting for a bit too long, and didn't even mention chilaios too much, but. Their dynamic. Fuck yeah. It had me twirling my hair kicking my feet. Laios' daddy issues, how they manifest in his relationship with Chilchuck (from the beginning too, ugh. Saw it coming from miles away and I was ecstatic waiting for it to finally boil over) and how Chil ALSO has some Dad issues (he is simultaneously the dad and the son) and how they both fuck about it freaky style. They're so good, and this is the perfect Chilaios dynamic, where they belong. So good. I love weird queer sex and if we're lucky they'll be having lots of it. Eventually.

They are SO hot together. I'm going insane. It's just so hot, the fic didn't even have smut yet and I was already cartoonishly pulling on my collar like "is it hot in here??" From having Laios call Chil "sir" instead of his name. All the setup had me going crazy, you did such a good job!

Anyway. Rant over. I need to calm tf down. Ty for writing ^_^ but take your time at the fic, enjoy your oc brainrot hours freely and don't force yourself to be churning out chapters just because we like the fic, we can wait, and we will.

THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE THIS MESSAGE IT'S SO NICE...

ptk is my baby, i've put a lot of time and effort and love into it and it really does mean the world to me when people appreciate it for what it is ;_; and plenty of people do, it's surprisingly popular ?? but i get very giddy when people engage with it on a deeper level, where i'm writing it from

i do want to get back to it soon, oc brainrot or no i'm extremely determined to see ptk through to the end, and some time away from it has given me some fresh ideas. plus i do need to get to the penetrative sex!!!

anyway, you're very nice and i love how you view and appreciate my story, here's a preview of chapter 12 for you

"...Laios?” he croaks.

“Oh, g’morning,” Laios says behind him, the sound of his typing stopping immediately. “...Good afternoon, I guess,” he corrects himself. “How are you—Actually, forget that, I think I know the answer.”

Miffed by his warm tone in spite of the fact that he’s acknowledging Chilchuck’s abject misery, Chilchuck lifts his head to glare over his shoulder. “Why am I naked?”

Laios is, himself, only in a pair of sweatpants, his legs crossed and laptop balanced on top of them. The curtains beyond him are drawn shut, but the light that is coming through is still far too bright. His stupid smile is even brighter, though there’s a touch of concern to it. “You got hot,” he explains.

That tracks. “Don’t remember that,” Chilchuck mutters, rolling bonelessly onto his back with a groan and throwing an arm over his eyes. “Was I trying to claw my clothes off in my sleep?”

“Yeah,” Laios confirms with a little laugh. “And thrashing around. I helped you get out of them and you went right back to sleep.”

He’s talking quieter than usual, Chilchuck realizes. “So much for me taking care of you,” he mutters.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship,” Laios assures, and Chilchuck feels gentle fingers card through his hair. “Let me get you some fresh water.”

“Don’t use—” Chilchuck makes a strangled sound as Laios starts to get off the bed, the movement making him feel like he’s on a boat at sea. “...Don’t use biology terms about your boyfriend, dipshit,” he finishes when it settles. “Fuck’s sake.”

“Don’t be mean to me, I’m going out of my way to baby you right now,” Laios chides, voice receding from the room.

“Baby me?” Chilchuck squawks, lifting his arm to glare indignantly at the doorway, and Laios laughs out in the hall.

[broodsys]

just life stuff, nothing bad. a little complicated, some heavy topics, but mostly just me feeling safer and more at ease with myself here at home

so i've found it kinda remarkable that like... okay, so i quit smoking weed like... fuck, idk. probably around 6-7 months ago now? and i'm still figuring myself out. like, i feel like i'm having to relearn myself from scratch. but that's not a bad thing and that's not rly what this post is about

what it is about is that i am making progress with my family. my brother has been a really, deeply triggering presence ever since he came back home, and i just... i couldn't talk to him, i could barely look at him, i just felt sick all the time that he was here

but he finally kinda... he started respecting my boundaries instead of trying to push them. and when i had to put my cat down, he was very kind. it was short, it was simple, but he was still very kind. and he's given enough and proved that he's willing to respect me enough that i've begun to talk with him again

we're not friends. we'll never be friends. but i never thought we could have anything like this kind of balance in our lives again. so it's a mix of a lot of things - i'm not smoking; i'm no longer so fucking worn out by school; i've made more friends and have a healthier balance to my life; and he started respecting my boundaries. but it's made the house feel a lot better to me

and in this recent ice storm he even came out and just helped me deal with an issue outside. it was nice. i just feel safe here in a way i haven't for a long, long time. or maybe ever. i still don't feel like... entirely supported or comfortable, i'm not saying that, but i feel safe and that's new territory for me tbh. a lot has happened these past few years and also over the course of my life that has led to me never really feeling safe anywhere ever, but i'm starting to get there

it's strange, but good. far from perfect, but better than it ever has been

[bluescarabguy]

So I hadn't gotten a chance to look at the 8-minute gameplay demo for the DEAD SPACE remake until now, but wow does that look good and like exactly what I want from a remake of that game.

Like...same story and environment and characters and locations. But now it's more interconnected and thus feels even more like one big location than the illusion of one the original two games fabulously created, and we've backfilled in DS2's gameplay improvements, like better manual reloading and the ability to freely move in zero gravity rather than the surface-to-surface jumping the first game had, Iassume due to a mix of tech and design limitations that were fixed by DS2. And of course my personal favorite thing even if it's not that important to the design, which is that Isaac has dialogue in the first game now, but it's still the same actor and most likely the same personality we know.

I personally think Isaac actually works wonderfully as a silent protagonist in the first game. His silence and the fact you only see his face at the beginning and end gives him a Gordon Freeman level of immersion, that you're playing as a specific person and not a self-insert, but also that you're not just viewing that character's story, you ARE them. It's identification rather than self-insertion or cinematic distance. It's a very careful line to tread, and Dead Space does it perfectly.

BUT...it does it perfectly in isolation. The moment they made the decision to give Isaac extended dialog and show his face emoting throughout DS2's many cutscenes, they'd now introduced the cinematic distance they avoided entirely in DS1. That's fine, that's totally okay, I think DS2 does a great job balancing immersive identification with cinematic storytelling, mostly by using the fairly novel at the time but well-worn by now technique of never hard-cutting, just seamlessly moving the camera away from its usual over-the-shoulder anchor to other points during cutscenes and then back to over the shoulder before gameplay resumes, so we never actually leave Isaac's perspective. We might not always feel like we're in Isaac's brain anymore (except of course for all the hallucination stuff), but we're always standing right next to him.

But that is the core presentational difference. Because Isaac didn't talk in the first game and the camera never left his shoulder, you filled his personality in with everything YOU felt. YOU were Isaac Clarke, space engineer dealing with alien zombies and creepy cult artifacts. But in DS2, the devs assert that no, Isaac has a definitive character beyond how you as the player feel wearing his boots. Again, both creative decisions are equally valid and incredibly well-done. But all this preamble is just getting to the obvious point: by giving Isaac objective character in DS1, we're now led to question why he never displayed it in DS1.

It'd be like if Gordon Freeman suddenly talked in Half-Life 2, or Master Chief never talked in Halo CE but suddenly had things to say in Halo 2 (which is kind of the opposite of what happened, but that's another discussion). So it's nice that we're establishing with this remake that Isaac has a definitive depiction of characterization across all three games.

But if they had cast ANYONE other than Gunner Wright, it would have implied they were using this as a chance to REBOOT Isaac's personality, rather than just backfill the one they created for him in DS2. So it's a gigantic relief that Wright returns to grace us with what will undoubtedly be another great everyman performance.

Seriously, how crazy is it that Isaac had no dialogue in Dead Space 1, and yet they still cast the guy who provided his grunts and yells to perform whole scenes in Dead Space 2? And he was perfect! It feels like a given that after the first game's success and the decision to give Isaac dialogue in the sequel, they would have recast with either a more popular voice actor (2011, so almost certainly Nolan North or Troy Baker) or a film/TV actor stuntcast (like spiritual successor Callisto Protocol's casting of Josh Duhamel as its protagonist). But Visceral trusted Gunner Wright to bring it and he brought it. The duology of the first two games, and the trilogy as a whole despite DS3's other shortcomings, wouldn't have worked otherwise. Glad Motive/EA understand that for the remake too.

I couldn't be more excited for the remake. Hopefully it comes through, unlike (according to what I've seen and heard) Callisto Protocol, the game we expected to be better as a spiritual successor from the original Dead Space team rather than a theoretically soulless cash grab EA announced after killing Visceral.

[ghoste-catte]

I adore ur fanfics but this is not gonna be about gaalee

Since u tend to put nejiten, kakagai, shikatema and kankiba could u please talk about why u like them?? Im curious but also adore hoe u talk about stuff!!

Hmmm. OK I'll start with KakaGai since they're probably my 2TP (is that a thing? The Naruto ship I love the most 2nd to GaaLee of course.)

Anyway, there's nothing about KakaGai that has me convinced they're anything less than canonically married. Like, from the moment Gai called Kakashi his man of destiny, they've been joined at the hip. Gai has been there for Kakashi through every loss, every trauma, just this consistent presence in the background. When he offered to basically sacrifice himself into ANBU because he saw Kakashi being swallowed by the darkness, my heart cried for both of them. And that's not to say that it's one sided! Kakashi was there to defend Gai when his father was attacked. He said he would have given up *anything* to heal Gai's leg. He's gone from finding Gai a nuisance to acknowledging him as a true rival, someone who he fights back to back with. They know each other so intimately, I can't see their relationship as anything but canon.

NejiTen and ShikaTema are about the only het ships I can tolerate in Naruto (except for ChouIno but nobody ever writes them). I think they're both good balances, personality wise.

Neji needs someone to soften him up a bit while not letting on he's being softened up, and Tenten’s combination of brashness and affection is perfect for that. He needs to be able to let loose and be silly, and Tenten can bring that, since she plays a great straight man to her teammates' lunacy. And as we've seen in canon (well, filler), Tenten struggles with not being the way a kunoichi "should" be, and I think Neji, who--if he had been given the chance to mature--likely would have bucked tradition, is exactly the sort of person to accept her for who she is, to help her develop her strengths, and (crucially) to happily listen while she rants for hours about ninja tools.

ShikaTema have a similarly complimentary dynamics. Temari is one of the few kunoichi who I think wouldn't tolerate any of his bullshit (we're ignoring Boruto here because FUCK Temari being a housewife like ... who *is* that??) In my mind, Shikamaru is a devoted househusband and they split their time between Suna and Konoha, because neither's job is more important. Plus they're just the endgame ship with the most development in canon - there's a clear mutual respect and attraction from the beginning, and Temari was literally like "Hey if we go to this hot spring I'm not gonna be able to resist throwing myself at you" and tbh I love a forward woman who knows what she wants (i.e. that D).

Aaaand that brings us to KanKiba. Frankly I just think they're a hilarious chaos couple. Like they're just a couple of dirty, grungy guys with arrested development and mommy/daddy issues. Their entire dynamic in my mind is a hilarious dance of "if the balls don't touch its not gay" and neither of them washing their asses.

[nightowlwriting]

summary: caleb is not so sure that he deserves the kindness you've done for him. you're sure that he deserves so much more, and you plan to show him in small increments so that you don't scare him away. the shopping trip is only the beginning. (part 3/13 of the kindness series, a thematically connected series of c2/exu imagines)

word count: 2.1k

warnings: caleb's low self-esteem, mentions of political corruption, set early in c2

note: i am only on ep16 of c2 so that's where we're at folks, also my german is so so so rusty so uhhh hope it's right but any germans want to correct me feel free lmfao

masterlist - request - support my work? - ao3

Caleb Widogast is a jumpy, jumpy man. You assume it’s for good reason - he’d confided in the group that he met Nott in jail and, well, typically people don’t go to jail unless they’ve done something.

(Although, the more that you adventure with the Mighty Nein you’re not so sure that’s true. It seems like corruption runs deep in the Empire, and you’ve only scratched the surface.)

Still, he is far jumpier than even Nott, and she’s a goblin in the Empire. You watch him, sometimes, and cringe when he flinches. It’s not pity that makes you start being nice to Caleb, but that does color your actions in the beginning. You are of the firm belief that he is a good person, that all of the Nein are, and that they deserve kindness. Caleb most of all. He is so hard on himself and no amount of coaxing from the rest of the group can get him to ease up. Not even Nott, and she functions as his pseudo-mother. But you want him to loosen up, want more of those moments where he makes a joke with a straight face, only to crack a small smile when the group looks away from him. (You try not to look away, craving those moments where you can see the smile light up his face.) When your group arrives in Zadash, you make it your mission to get Caleb to feel some sort of positive emotions about himself.

Or some sort of positive emotion that’s not scarred by whatever happened in his past. You want him to be happy, to heal from whatever keeps him held back from joking with the rest of you. It doesn’t even matter if he reciprocates how you feel about him - you don’t really care. You can love him from afar, be kind to him, and that will be enough for you. He doesn’t have to fall in love with you like you’ve fallen in love with him, really, that’s not why you’re doing this. This being stopping by Pumat’s shop to pick up some more spell scrolls for him with your gold. He had been muttering to himself the last time you were all in about not having enough money, but you hadn't wanted to embarrass him by purchasing them on his behalf, so a separate trip it is. Pumats, all of them, seem to know what you’re doing because they smile when you tuck the scrolls under your cloak and sweep out of the shop.

Your next stop is an ink shop, where you pick up some more ink and incense for Caleb. You’re not really sure how his magic works because it’s not something he was born with or given by a God, but you know that he’s always looking for good ink, parchment, and incense. Just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean that you can’t be supportive. You hope that’s what Caleb will get out of your gift, and not anything else. After you gather the magic supplies - you’d asked specifically for the things that wizards use just to make sure - you make your way to the Chastity’s Nook. Maybe Caleb was joking about wanting to be titillated while he learns, but you feel better safe than sorry.

The worker there is incredibly nice, if not shy, and helps you pick out something educational, historical, and terribly smutty. It makes you blush when you glance through it, but it seems to be the right balance of the things that Caleb has expressed interest in before. (Even if that might be fake - you’re not totally sure. Still, it can not hurt to try.) She even wraps it up nicely for you, offering to wrap your other gifts too. That might be too much, so you decline, but you still pass her a few more silver as a tip. You’ve never been so nervous as you are when you make your way back to the tavern where you’re staying, but it’s almost easy to keep your cool and mask the absolute terror you feel when Caleb is sitting with the group, eating dinner. You were kind of counting on him being in his room, reading, but you don’t let his sudden appearance stop you. Jester spots you first, patting the empty seat between her and Nott, calling your name. You slip into it, easily concealing your gifts behind your back. “Where did you go?”

A sly smile slips onto your face as you reach forward, taking a portion of the food they’d ordered, “Oh, you know, around.”

“You smell like perfume,” Beau leans over Nott and sniffs you, making a slightly disgusted face, “Why do you smell like perfume?”

“I went shopping,” You cut in before Jester and Molly can interject with salacious theories, “That shopping happened to be in the Tri-Spire, thank you very much.” Caleb raises an eyebrow, sharing a look with Fjord, but you ignore it. “What did you guys do today?” You don’t really listen - only enough to hum or nod as they’re speaking - because you’re focused on figuring out a plan to get your gifts to Caleb without the others noticing or making him feel like you’re doing it out of pity, or that he owes you. You just want him to be happy that he’s getting a gift. It’s later, when everyone has cleared out, that Jester shakes your shoulder lightly, calling your name.

“Are you okay?” Her dark blue eyebrows pull down over her eyes, incredibly worried, “You didn’t talk at all during dinner.” You take her hand in yours, squeezing it briefly.

“I’m fine, Jessie. I think I might head to bed, though.” You give her a hug before heading up to your room, looking over your shoulder just before you hit the stairs to see if Caleb had gone to bed when you had zoned out. He’s easy to find in the corner, nose deep in a book, and you grin. That makes everything so much easier, especially since Nott is tucked into the booth next to him. That means that their room is completely empty and a perfect place to drop the gifts without any of the unnecessary baggage that might come with giving them to him face to face. You don’t even think about the fact that he might have warded his room until it’s too late. (That being until you watch the string snap around your ankles when you make it four steps into the room.)

But, damnit, you have a mission to complete. There’s at least a minute before Caleb makes it to the stairs and perhaps another half a minute before he hits the door. You set the things up on what you think is Caleb’s bed a little messier than you wanted but you’re running out of time. The door is a no-go to leave, and you can hear Caleb bounding up the steps. You whirl, tugging your cloak tightly around you as you debate jumping through the window instead of opening it. In the end that will just draw an entirely different reaction than you want, so you settle for slamming the window up and slinging one leg over the sill. Caleb’s room is on the second floor, so the fall might hurt a little bit, but Caleb is right outside the door, so you don’t have any other choices-

“Was machst du in meinem Zimmer!?” He bellows, hands already engulfed in flame, when he kicks the door open. It startles you off of the window sill, luckily into the room instead of out. You pop up, hands raised and already talking.

“Okay, I don’t know what you’re saying but I didn’t know you had your room warded, I was just trying to give you the things that I bought you today, and then by the time I realized it was too late because I couldn’t just leave without giving you the stuff, because then you’d be scared-” Caleb extinguishes the flames that had started to crawl up his arms, shutting the door as he comes closer to the bed. You scramble to your feet, snagging your cloak in your hands to twist it nervously. “-I should leave now, excuse me.” You do your best to skirt around him but Caleb holds up a hand, eyes on the pile of loot you’ve left on his bed. He wraps a warm hand around your wrist to keep you in place as he tries to process what’s happening.

“What is on my bed?” Caleb finally looks toward you then, eyebrows furrowed as he watches you nervously fidget with your robe, biting your lower lip. “I am not mad, but what do you mean things you bought me?” He gestures loosely with the other hand and you take a step closer to him and the bed. You weren’t ready for being confronted with Caleb, despite how much you thought about what you might say to him in a situation like this. You almost swallow your tongue trying to figure out what to say to him.

“I bought you things,” You blurt, “Because you deserve it. I’m not sure if it’s all the right things, but I tried and even if you can’t use them for, you know, magic things you can use them for other stuff-” You watch as he makes his way over to the pile and begins rifling through it, mumbling to himself in Zemnian. “I’m not doing this out of pity, or anything,” You move to his side, peeking over as he skims through the book you bought, “I did it because I want to, I promise.” You wring your hands and look off to the side, avoiding watching the way he’s pouring over what you’ve bought, “You weren’t even really supposed to know they’re from me, honestly, I just wanted to do something nice for you because you deserve kindness-”

“-I am not so sure about that,” Caleb turns to you, catching your attention. He smiles, but it’s weak, when he looks at the small pile you’ve bought for him, “The spells will be useful for the group, but the rest… You are too kind.”

“I’m not!” Perhaps on instinct, you reach out and clasp his wrists in your hands, “No, Caleb, please. I didn’t do this to make you feel bad, I want you to feel good. You’re so bright, Caleb, and so amazing that I just want you to feel a fraction of the happiness you make me feel.” He hesitates so you press on, taking the chance to step closer to him as your heart takes off at a breakneck pace in your chest. “Please, don’t feel guilty. I did this because I want to, okay? I want to make you happy and make you smile, and make you feel good because it makes me feel good. You don’t have to do - to do anything and if you want, I’ll stop. You just say the word and I’ll stop, but I see you, Caleb.” Your voice breaks off as your eyes mist over. He looks awe-inspired at you, not stepping away or pulling from your grasp, “I see you. I see the way you bite back jokes, and sometimes they slip through. I see the way you care for us, for Nott. I see the way you sacrifice yourself in everything you do because you don’t feel like you deserve to be happy, but you do. Please, you are such a good man - I can see it. I can feel it, Caleb. You deserve the world’s largest kindness, but if I can’t give that to you I’ll give you small kindnesses, if you’ll let me.” Your lip quivers and your voice comes out in a hoarse whisper when you decide to fling yourself off the metaphorical cliff you’ve found yourself on, “Caleb Widogast, I wish to give you never-ending small kindnesses not only because you deserve them, but because I love you. I am in love with you.” The difference sits heavy in the air between you as you watch Caleb process everything that you’ve said.

“You… Are you in love with me?”

“Undoubtedly.” You confirmed, whispering. He’s stepped toward you a fraction of an inch, but it puts the both of you nearly chest to chest. “I have never been so sure of something, Caleb.”

“I enjoy the way you say my name.” He confesses. You watch in wonder as red begins to crest from underneath his facial hair, coloring his cheeks a rosy, pretty pink. He tries to look away, but you duck your head to try and keep some semblance of eye contact. Your hands tremble in his.

“I’ll say it forever, then,” You try to smile, but you really only manage an upward quiver of your lips, “Every day, if you’ll accept my kindness.”

“Es wird schwer,” Caleb says under his breath as he shuffles even closer to you, “Es wird so schwer, aber ich werde es versuchen.” You’re not totally sure what he’s saying, but when he presses a terrified, hesitant kiss against your lips the message comes across loud and clear.

[mimisempai]

You are making every day a little less ordinary

Summary:

During one of their usual lunches in the TVA cafeteria, Casey, curious about his friend's datinf life, wonders what a date between Mobius and Loki is like. Loki remembers and recounts his most memorable dates.

Or

5 times where Mobius surprises Loki and once where Loki returns the favor

Notes:

Tumblr request : 5+1 about their dates with one being a picinic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32863855

3042 words - Rating G

"Hey Loki, mind if I ask you a question?"

Casey and Loki were eating lunch in the TVA cafeteria, as they regularly did. Loki was still surprised at how Casey had somehow grown fond of him, where many people kept their distance. Which he couldn't blame them for, given his past.

So he was enjoying these moments with Casey.

"Since when do you need to ask?"

Casey looked a little hesitant, "well, it's a little bit of a personal question."

"Go on and shoot." Loki replied, curious as to what the man was going to ask him.

"Ahem... you and Mobius are together."

"I think that's obvious, since we don't hide it."

"Yeah, yeah, and so considering it's been over a year, um... I guess... you guys have dated already... and uh... I have a hard time imagining what you and Mobius can do on a date." Casey paused, his cheeks on fire before continuing, "No, forget it. I should never have asked you something like that."

Loki shook his head and laughed, "No, no, I have no problem talking about this. You're talking to someone who didn't even know what a date was until a few months ago..."

Loki straightened up a bit in his chair and continued talking, "Looking back, I'd say our first date took place here."

"Here?"

1.

After their return from Pompeii, Loki had fallen asleep in the middle of their research. Mobius had woken him up and taken him to the cafeteria. Thinking back, even if at that moment they were not together, for Loki it was still a first date.

There were only them in the cafeteria, the light was rather dim, which had given even more of an impression of intimacy and in addition there was the close way they were sitting, their legs touching.

Loki remembered perfectly all the details of that moment.

Those few minutes of respite, where they had gotten to know each other, or rather where Loki had gotten to know Mobius.

"By the way, at your desk, that magazine?"

"Yeah. The one on jet skis?"

"Yes. Why do you have that?"

"Because they're awesome."

There was something touching about Mobius as he spoke of his passion, a passion he had never practiced.

"So, why read about them?"

"It just helps remind me of what we're fighting for."

"I mean, you really believe in all this stuff, don't you?"

"I don't get hung up on, "Believe, not believe." I just accept what is."

He was surprised by what followed, not by the content, because it was clear that Mobius really believed in the cause he was working for, but he was surprised that Mobius did not feel attacked, that they both left the dialogue open, without judgment.

"Actually it's exactly the same thing. Because if you think too hard about where any of us came from, who we truly are, it sounds kinda ridiculous. Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. And I'm just lucky that the chaos I emerged into gave me all this... My own glorious purpose."

Mobius' arguments, in the context in which Mobius lived, had held up surprisingly well.

They had not agreed, but they respected each other's opinions. If not for the context, of Loki in captivity of sorts, and the lie upon which the TVA had been built, the evening could almost have ended in "My place or yours." Because undoubtedly they had gotten closer at that point.

So yes, it was indeed for Loki their first date and that's what he told Casey.

**********

"Honestly Loki, I have to say that this is an original first date, but ultimately a true reflection of your couple." reacted Casey with a wink before continuing, "but now I'm curious what your other dates were like, if there were any at all."

Loki laughed softly, "Oh there were, many. Mobius, knowing that the concept of a date was totally unknown to me, redoubled his creativity and used this pretext to make me live all sorts of unknown experiences."

"You don't want me to feel sorry for you, do you?"

Loki smiled again, "Oh no, I have nothing to complain about at all. I'll tell you the most memorable ones for me. One of them was a picnic."

"Oh?" Casey's eyes sparkled with interest, as he settled down to listen to Loki's tale.

2.

Loki was reading on the couch when Mobius hugged him from behind, kissing the top of his head.

Then Mobius had said in his ear, "Sweetheart, don't be scared, I'm going to blindfold you, because I'd like to take you somewhere and keep it a surprise until the end."

Loki trusted Mobius completely so it was easy for him to agree.

"I'm really curious though."

Once the blindfold was tied, he felt the light caress of a kiss on his lips and Mobius took his hand.

He let himself be guided.

He heard the typical sound of a timedoor appearing, and then letting himself be pulled by Mobius' hand, he recognized the usual sensation that accompanied the crossing of the door.

He felt a difference in the ground under his feet, like grass perhaps.

Deprived of sight, his other senses were alert, so he also felt the warmth of the sun on his face and the smell of flowers reached his nostrils, while he heard birds chirping around them.

Mobius was now holding him by the elbow and guiding him gently.

"You still okay, sweetheart?"

Loki simply nodded, a smile on his face because he could feel the excitement in his lover's voice.

After a while, Mobius stopped him, and made him sit slowly on the floor, on something soft. Then Mobius gently removed the blindfold.

Loki's eyes adjusted to the radiant light even though they were in shadow, and he took in the sight.

77_Frigga... the little planet Mobius had already taken him to when Loki had told him he missed the starry skies of Asgard.

Loki looked around, he was sitting on a blanket spread on the ground, under a tree that while providing shade, did not deprive them of the beautiful light. They were in a field of flowers, the same paradisiacal vision as on their first visit here. Mobius sat next to him and clearly waited for his reaction.

Loki leaned in and put his lips to Mobius', letting him know in a slow, passionate kiss how much he enjoyed his surprise.

Mobius turned to a basket that Loki hadn't noticed and began to pull out everything needed for a perfect picnic.

"Did you pack all this?" Mobius nodded his head and Loki kissed him gently again.

They enjoyed the meal peacefully, chatting about everything and anything. Once the leftovers were put away, Loki lay down on his back, his head on Mobius' lap

"Thanks love, that was amazing."

Mobius, a little embarrassed, leaned over and kissed him tenderly.

They had finished the afternoon while enjoying the heavenly surroundings and each other's presence.

**********

Loki lost in his memories, was brought out of his reverie by Casey's whisper of admiration, "Aww, Mobius is really dedicated, you know you are lucky right?"

"Don't worry Casey, I'm totally aware of how lucky I am."

This reminded him, another original date, another surprise from Mobius that he was quick to tell Casey about

3.

Sounds from the kitchen woke Loki from his sleep. He stretched, shivering because the sheet had slipped down to his waist.

"You're awake."

Loki looked up to find Mobius smiling at him, standing by the bedroom door, dressed in just sweatpants and a t-shirt, his longer hair still disheveled and a budding beard. A perfect view to start the day, in Loki's opinion.

What caught his eye was the tray in his hands.

Mobius moved closer, carefully perching himself on the bed and balancing the tray on his lap.

"I wanted to surprise you." Mobius smiled, offering the tray to Loki and laughing affectionately as he watched him contort himself to sit up. "Breakfast in bed or let's call it a breakfast date. I thought it would be a nice change, since it's our day off."

Loki's mouth suddenly watered between what he saw and what he smelled.

Usually they had a light breakfast, but on days off, getting up later, breakfast also served as lunch.

On the tray was a plate of bacon and eggs, buttered toast, a small pile of pancakes covered in syrup, a large glass of orange juice, and an assortment of fresh fruit.

"Oh Love, you spoil me." said Loki, a piece of pancake already in his mouth.

Mobius shakes his head with a small laugh. "I always want to spoil you."

Loki leaned forward to capture Mobius' lips in a sweet kiss. Mobius took the opportunity to sneak his hand through Loki's hair and pulled him to him while being careful not to flip the tray.

When they separated, Loki was out of breath.

"Let's eat."

Mobius sat next to Loki, the tray resting on their knees. They ate breakfast, talking, feeding each other.

Later, Loki hummed over one last incredibly delicious bite, his head resting on Mobius' shoulder.

Definitely, this dating concept was quite interesting.

*********

"Okay Loki, thanks to you, now I'm hungry." Casey paused for a moment and then resumed staring Loki up and down, "But I wonder where you put it all..."

Loki replied with a mischievous smile, " Workout, Casey, workout..." His impish look left no doubt as to what kind of workout he was referring to.

Casey pretended to cover his ears. "I don't want to hear about it!"

Loki chuckled, "Too bad you won't hear about another memorable date of ours."

Casey, calmed down, too interested in what was next.

4.

"Uh, wow, that's... that's gorgeous." said Loki, looking around their living room.

The entire room was bathed in a soft glow from a multitude of small candles, scattered here and there.

"Do you like it?" the voice of Mobius whispered in his ear as his lover took off his jacket, before hugging him from behind.

"Hmm." Loki nodded in the embrace.

"I figured we both needed a little break, are you hungry?"

"I'm starving." replied Loki turning his head to drop a kiss on Mobius' cheek.

His lover directed him to the table that Loki had not noticed, perfectly set, bathed in soft light, and garnished with two steaming plates and glasses of fresh wine.

Mobius gallantly pulled out the chair for him to sit on and took a seat opposite him.

They began to eat, discussing their day, their work, and all the while hardly letting go of each other's hands that were entwined on the table.

Then after the dessert, Mobius got up, took the remote control of the music system and a soft music invaded the atmosphere. Under the eyes of Loki, he approached him and offered his hand, « May I have this dance, sweetheart?"

Loki nodded, smiling softly, and took the outstretched hand. Mobius immediately wrapped his arms around him and they began to sway to the soft notes coming from the speakers.

Loki sighed with contentment, his face buried in Mobius' neck.

They must have looked like the epitome of sap and fluff, but at that moment, Loki didn't care. This was them, here, in the privacy of their lives. Their happiness.

They continued to sway for long moments, so absorbed in each other's presence that they didn't notice that the music had stopped.

**********

"Loki... you know I just feel like I'm listening to a digest of all the romcoms out there?"

"Romcom?"

"Romantic comedy.Haha I know something you don't."

Casey laughed cheerfully at Loki.

"Very funny, but do you know what karaoke is?"

"Yep... I'll remind you, since the fish thing, I've been catching up, and I'm learning every day. So what about karaoke?" Casey frowned for a moment and then exclaimed, "No! Karaoke? Who? Mobius or you? Or both?"

Loki chuckled at Casey's excitement.

"Mobius came up with the idea for the date, but I did the singing.

"Tell me about it!"

5.

"Mobius..."

Loki stood on the stage of the small bar, and pointed to his lover leaning at the bar, "Mobius, my partner, brought me here because he dreams of hearing me sing in my native language for him. No one will be able to say I don't like to satisfy my beloved." He blew a fingertip kiss to Mobius under the whistling and wolf howls of the customers. He waved to the DJ and the music started to play. He began to sing in Asgardian, the words and notes flowing naturally on his tongue.

So many people around me without a meaning or a goal

It's always someone left

Tell me, why does it always be like that

Someone from up above must have seen me

And yet thought that it's his turn,

my turn to meet someone who knows what I need

it seems like my lonely days

For its always gone

As he sang this, he began to walk towards Mobius, his eyes in his. He saw the understanding in Mobius' eyes, who, understanding perfectly all languages, grasped perfectly the meaning of the song for Loki and him.

For I have the heaven around the corner

My own angel in a bed

As if all the heavens tiny stars

Sang for me, sang for you

In a wonderful refrain

You are the heaven

around the corner for me

When he reached the end of the song, Mobius' eyes were filled with emotion.

As soon as the last note came out of his mouth, Loki hugged Mobius and kissed him, ignoring the cheers and applause of the customers.

When they separated to catch their breath, Mobius asked him, his forehead against his, in a joking tone, « Am I your own angel?"

Loki grasped his head in his hands and replied seriously, his mouth against his, "You are Mobius. You are the angel that brought me out of my darkness. You saved me from myself." Then he captured his lover's lips again, putting into the kiss all what Mobius meant to him.

**********

"Loki, I think I'll be fine, I think I've had my fill of sweets for the day, if not for the next month. If I get diabetes, you'll be responsible for it."

Loki laughed again and shrugged, "Hey! You're the one who wanted it."

"Well, at least you have a lot of work to do to be on the same level as him, because apart from the karaoke, he still made the most effort."

Loki smiled cheekily, "Hm, I think I made up for it with our one-year anniversary date, but since you don't want any more sweetness... I'll shut up."

Casey pointed his fingers at him, "Ah no Mr. God of Mischief, you're not getting away with this!"

Loki surrendered and began his last tale.

+1

This time it was Loki who had surprised Mobius by blindfolding him and leading him through a timedoor.

When they reached their destination, he slowly untied the blindfold, "You can open your eyes, love."

Mobius opened his eyes and gasped. Then he laughed softly.

Loki hugged him from behind and whispered in his ear, "Happy Anniversary my love. It was here a year ago that I started to fall in love with you."

They were in the TVA cafeteria. Alone, because Loki had made sure of that.

A table, THE table was elegantly set.

Mobius let himself be guided by Loki, who said softly, "I know it's unconventional, that we weren't a couple yet, not at all, but-"

He could not continue, Mobius had closed his mouth with a tender kiss.

Pulling back, he placed a finger on Loki's lips and replied, "Don't justify yourself.First of all, since when are we conventional?" he raised an eyebrow before continuing, "Secondly, you weren't the only one who was already feeling something at that moment sweetheart."

It was he who pulled Loki to the table.

They sat there, almost the same way they had that day, their knees touching in a familiar way. But this time the rest of their bodies were close. They shared the meal, interspersed with renewed oaths, smiles and casual conversation. Just savoring the joy of being together.

Mobius noticed, however, that the closer they got to the end of the meal, the more excited Loki seemed, almost as if he couldn't wait for the dinner to end. So much that once the last bite of dessert was swallowed, he stood up and bounced over to Mobius and held out his hand.

"Our night is not over, I have one more surprise. Can I put the blindfold back on you?"

Amused and intrigued by Loki's excitement, Mobius nodded.

Loki tied the blindfold behind his head, placed a kiss on his forehead and took his hand.

He felt them pass through a timedoor again, then suddenly felt a great warmth around him. He recognized Loki's magic that passed over him, and suddenly felt warm sand under his naked feet.

The blindfold came off and he let his eyes adjust to the light.

For the second time that evening, he gasped, and then almost cried with emotion at the sight before him.

He realized he was in a bathing suit when Loki made him put on a life jacket. Then his lover gently pushed him towards the jetski that was waiting for him at the end of the pontoon. "Go my love, go..."

He moved forward a few steps and then turned back to Loki who was looking at him with a loving smile. "And you? Don't you want to come?"

"You deserve to have your first round alone, don't worry, I'll be there."

Winking at him, Loki pointed to two lounge chairs under an umbrella.

"Go my love."

Loki went backwards to settle on the deckchair and with a cocktail in hand, he did not leave the eyes of his lover who listened to the instructions of the instructor before finally making his first ride of jet-ski.

Long minutes later, he saw Mobius coming towards him, a bright smile on his face, he whispered again, "Happy Anniversary my love."

________

As always, bear with me as it is not beta'd and english is not my native language I hope you enjoyed it 🥰

Song used for the karaoke date : Himlen runt hörnet by Lisa Nilsson

Whole series of oneshot here : X

[alittlefrenchtree]

I love how we have the same view on the Dune marketing. I also wanted to add that as much as I understand why T+Z are paired in interviews and little promo bits most of the time from a promotional point of view, doesn't mean I can't find it's too much given their roles in the movie, and this is because I absolutely am not the reference target. As you pointed out, as much as they did Sean Harris dirty, LRD presence in The King promo was more balanced

Hi!

The thing is, it's not a really a view on the Dune marketing, because thankfully, as a whole, there has been many great and interesting things but, when you look at it through the prism of T and Z, there is this bizarre decision of making each of them practically revolving around each other in an exclusive way.

And like you said, we understand that this content exist for some extend and some of their content has been actually great and brillant. Like when they've hit the Venice red carpet together, almost dressed in characters (but in a fancy, glamorous way), it was amazing. I was rooting for them because the scenery was SO GOOD. You had all the vibes of the royal couple no-touching-but-all-power that is absolutely perfect to represent Paul and Chani and show what a second, third movie could look like. And it made sense because they're both big influential names in fashion with pictures spreading massively so yeah, lets go for it. Same for the fortnite characters, the partnership with a e-sport team, great idea. EW was cool because it was about them but also about the cast as an whole so it looked natural. I mean, let them do a couple stuff for social media, a couple of interviews here and there but... half of the press junket of Venice? again in London? GMA? Stephen Colbert? the BBC radio thing? etc. etc. It's way too much?

I mean, does she even like to just sit here to be TC best friend and nothing else? Her fans are going to watch her anyway, why not sit her with Sharon and/or Javier and make them discuss about the Fremen (instead or just giving them material to gossip about her male friends/co-star)? How they see these characters, what do they think are their strength, their weakness, their faults, their beliefs? And same for Timmy, I'm not asking much but please make him sit with Rebecca to talk at least one minute about the relationship of their characters together. About that scene in the tent. About walking in the desert together. Make him sit with Josh to talk about the fight scene. The run in the desert, something. Make Timmy sit alone to talk about the million things he could talk about about every scene of the movie.

And again, this is not something against either Timmy or Zendaya because the promo must be mainly thought by the Warner and I don't know how much their personal teams can actually negotiate about what they're doing and with whom in the promo circuit but I can't imagine being in Z's position and be satisfied with what today's MTV interview (to only named the most recent example) makes here look like. Twisting the "what did you learn from each other?" question to make sure she mentions WE'RE FRIENDS and then sitting there to listen to Tim basically doing a solo interview, it's just.. sad.

But yeah, like you, I'm not the main target so all I can do is complain about the treatment of both young-ish artists and audiences by people who only cares about the clicks. It's pointless but I'm going to keep doing it just in case 😊

[lovecolibri]

At least Michael chose Maria because he wanted something fun and easy, he would have chosen literally anyone who is not Alex at the time because he associated Alex with Jesse's crimes or was mad at Alex for leaving, I don't even know the exact reason anymore, Maria just happened to be there. But Alex apparently is in love with Maria, she is the perfect woman for him, if only he was straight he would choose her over Michael in a heartbeat. We all thought Alex didn't fight for Michael in S2 because he put Michael's happiness above his own, but no he just gave up on Michael because he wanted to make his dream girl happy.

This is exactly everything about why Alex stanning m*ria so hard this season is bothering me SO MUCH. (Also not to side trail too far but given that 2x04 had Michael telling Alex when he's feeling guilty about what his family has done "it wasn't you" and showing the two of them flirting and acting like friends and making heart eyes all day, we are once again having to ask the question why aren't they together yet?) And the narrative that they were pushing with that "m*luca is a breath of fresh air" nonsense being all about how Michael needed a "softer/happier/lighter/more gentle and feminine" love interest was bad enough (on top of the fact that he didn't actually get any of that, he just had someone making derogatory remarks about him to anyone who would listen and putting him down constantly and not listening to him or offering him any emotional support), but now having them pushing this narrative that Alex just worships m*ria and the ground she walks on is not only gross now, but like you said, retro-actively making season 2 look even worse! We're now being told that Greg has ALWAYS had a thing for m*ria (bitch, where?!) so his actions last season look like like supporting his brother and more like him trying to drive a wedge to get the girl he wants. Alex doing all the emotional labor for m*ria looks less like a trauma response from an abuse victim trying to make himself smaller and not upset the delicate balance of friendship lest he be abandoned and more like Alex longing to not be gay so he can have m*ria but since he so unfortunately can't, he'll do the next best thing and make sure the man he I guess loves can be with her and Alex will manage the whole relationship with her to make sure she's happy (and don't even get me started on the kinds of disgusting stuff the m*lexa stans are going to come up with because of all of this 🙄), even if she's making Michael miserable and being awful to him. Michael going to m*ria looks less like him spiraling and taking the first warm bed offered to him and more like him not being what Alex needed so he'll try and be as close to Alex as possible by being with her. It's just....GAH!! It is such a bad look I can't even. How are they even able to retcon things to make season 2 look WORSE?! HOW?!

And even IF they decided they wanted to go with the "sassy gay friend" trop for Alex, it doesn't work NOW with what we've already been given! The time to have Alex be the "sassy gay friend" would have been in season 1 when m*ria was going after Max and Alex called her out and encouraged her to stop being awful and talk to Liz about it. Not him having to be the "sassy gay friend" for m*ria while she's actively dating the love of his life and him having to just be okay with it, and now this season having to keep telling everyone how fucking great she is and not be allowed to have any negative feelings about her behavior.

I had hoped it was just c*rina's awful storytelling and lack of things like, putting together comprehensive backstories for characters so you know what their motivations are and how and why they do certain things, but apparently not because the show is still suffering with not taking past things into account and how that affects future events. I get that season 2 was a MESS and they had a lot of clean up work to do and not a lot of episodes to do it in, and somethings that couldn't ever be made "even" without perpetuating the crappy writing that lead to the issues in season 2. But also, filming was delayed and the show was pushed back so they had time to work out the kinks. Unfortunately, while they are having Echo acknowledge their season 2 mistakes, m*ria is not being held to that same standard, and by pushing Alex being her biggest fan so hard they aren't just "ignoring" season 2, they are actively damaging the current narrative because as much as we would all like to forget it, season 2 DID happen. And the events that happened SHOULD affect the new season. And by pretending some things didn't happen and not allowing them to have an effect they are unable to fully offer closer to those things and they will continue to affect the viewing of the show because it's just dangling out there not being addressed.

[tempoaryblogformightyjensblog]

After a Longass time, I'm gonna make a response post to a post from @itsclydebitches. Not sure if I'll acknowledge All

Of it, but still..

1.Thats, the opposite of what the First episode shows, the first episode shows that the Military presence in Mantle dosent really do anything to actually help them with the Grimm. With it even being joked about as usual for the Military by Nora. The next episode also states that wasn't even the reason James had for it. It was to handle the 'eventual' Panick.

2.This and the recurring point of this later on is something I kinda want to address, because it's sort of what I was trying to say in My ask but I should go into more detail.

The point is basically that If James was shady for what he did, then So is Ruby for being willing to work with him for that long...I kinda want to mix this with a different Criticism I heard. That Ruby not trusting Ironwood was horrible and ungrateful because of all the good stuff James had done and how sympathetic and well meaning he was. The issue is that they are both 2 halves of the picture that ignore the other half, wich was what the heroes actual response was.

Him being sympathetic, clearly just trying to help and all the Good stuff he was doing is why they are willing to work with him and help with things. But Ruby didn't like his shadier actions either, wich is why she didn't trust him completely. And also? ""Nora dosent agree...But Ruby, the leader, does. She pushed Ironwood to finish Amity somwhow", that....isnt What happens, we see After Nora yells at James, ruby walks up to him and tells him more calmly that his actions, his management of Mantle and such were only helping Salem and it's what was making it easy for Salem to frame him. And earlier on we saw her with the other protags suggest working with Robyn. That's not 'Reaping the benefits of his actions even if they don't like them', that's not liking some of his actions but still trying to Understand him, and hope to reason or talk him down. Basically...Well it's a display that the other charachterization for Ruby, that she was a judgmental child who considered anyone who went beyond her standard of perfection to be Evil, isn't true. She tries to help and Understand James because she knows despite his flaws he is trying to do good, she tries to reach out to him and get him to see his actions were flawed.

Hell, the Jobs they were actually given were jobs where they could actually help soften the consequences of James actions, like Ren and Nora guarding the wall. the Robyn thing was a direct display that they weren't just doing anything James asked or were perfectly fine with his morally ambiguous actions. When ordered to attack a Huntress who was just trying to help, they instead went against his orders and even tried to actually fix things in a better way.

3.This is a few different issues, I'll start by saying that, that wasn't Ozpins problem in the Previous Volume, Some fans and some of the Heroes in there Angrier times think that, But the big thing was basically that Ozpin wasn't trusting anyone With that Info, that's what separates it from Rubies situation with James, Ruby wasn't trusting James because he actually did have many traits that made him look untrustworthy. And...well Finishing Amity and the plan is not pointless even with Salems immorality. Ruby dosent 'Know' That her being immortal means that the whole plan is pointless for 2 reasons, 1 is that she never had the mindset that it made it all pointless, she was actually distinctly against that when the others thought that under the Apathies influence, and makes her stance clear later, that Salem being Unkillable doesn't mean she's unstoppable. And 2, she dosent 'Know' that because....Its not true. Even if they can't directly kill her like James is planning...Were explicitly, directly told in Salems first actual appearance in the show that Humanity United was a threat and that was why she was going to ensure she divided them. Not to mention that...It isn't even all about the plan? It's made clear that global communications being down was a really bad thing and fixing that alone would help.

4.Im just gonna address one point here...It was not 'The Majority of Mantle' Being taken, were told that they were not even close to being done evacuating.

5.Basically what I said at 2, But to also state, James wasn't an Unambiguous Bad guy in Volume 7, He was in the Wrong In Volume 7, but he wasn't meant to be a Villain yet. The point of James charachter is basically he's someone who meant well but was highly flawed and made bad decisions, and instead of growing from his mistakes, he doubled down on them and let his flaws consume him. I'll get to it more later, but, that doesn't mean he was always evil or meant to be, Also...Jaunes license was given to him by James but, he was not part of the Military being fused with Huntsman, especially by this point. And with Winters words in her and James fight, I have my own issues with that fight or Winters Arc, but I don't think that point holds up either because we weren't meant to see Winter as unambiguously a good guy in Volume 7. Her words in there fight was after she had changed, that dosent mean we're supposed to believe she was a hero while working under James. It just means her POV changed after leaving him, now she wasn't following her programming of being blindly obedient anymore. Penny called out Winter for her being willing to follow through with euthanizing the Winter Maiden, Marrow calls her out in Volume 8 asking the Weiss question.

6.Well, to answer the questions there, were told in episode 5 what the recources were. Clover says how they were taking 'Construction resources', were told this again by Penny in the Car ride, wich makes total sense. They are changing Amity so that it could serve as a shuttle, so needing Construction stuff makes sense. While we may not be told how much power James had explicitly, they do give us a decent idea, that he had way more then he should. It's said in the Council meeting that they set in Checks and balances to keep him from overstepping with his seats, and that he basically just Ignored them to pull the actions he did in Volume 7. And Watts gives us both one Major decision that shows James flaws and gives a Clue as to part of the reasons Mantle was crappy as it was, saying how James updated most of the code in Atlas after the fall of Beacon, but 'As Usual' None was updated in Mantle. Aside from showing a...Truly Spectacularly callous move on James part, it also gives a big clue as to part of the reason Mantle is as crappy as it is, That Atlas and James basically treat Mantle like an afterthought and neglects changing things there to make things better, resulting in the City's state that we see. And, I imagine that being surveillanced and patrolled almost constantly wouldn't be ideal, and it's established by Winters line in that first episode that not cooperating with Personal was a punishable offense. I think you also....Picked a really bad example with Rhodes, if anything, Rhodes is probably a perfect demonstration of why being complacent or loyal to a system is bad for Huntsmen. I think if he would have loved to help Cinder more, it's just that he was loyal to the System and wasn't doing anything to upset the status quo despite knowing it was wrong. If issues like that existed, then it makes James specialist program, wich is specifically supposed to be Huntsmen trained to be loyal to the system, an even worse idea. Also I sort of feel like the bits at the end are sort of a false equivalency. I explained Ozpin amd Rhodes but also...Well for one, while we don't see portals line up in those specific areas, the plan was to have Jaune explain what was going on with everyone. And Qrow, Marrow and Robyn were still taking in the other Ace ops,they knew the plan so they would likely just head over to the nearest portal after, and...Maria and Pietro weren't there. And in James case, it wasn't just him 'saving who he could', it's that he could have tried to do more but didn't because he didn't want to risk it, and as Volume 8 showed, they really did have lots of time to evacuate people and could have found a way to Launch Amity. And...Well in his case there's the little fact that, as his Convo with Oscar makes explicit, James plan involved leaving the rest of Mankind To the dust and at Salems mercy.

There are problems with RWBY, but I don't think it's shoddily written, partially because I don't really find it 'particularly' flawed and think the good far outweighs the bad. And you know what? To some degree, I agree. I do think there's a weird bias towards authority in the FNDM, but maybe alot of fans are too dismissive of criticism, I do think to some degree we should acknowledge the RWDE and such aren't all right wingers and there's now a Vocal part of it that are on the left or members of minority groups. I don't agree with a ton of the things they say, and think most of it dosent hold up, but instead of just dismissing, perhaps it's better to look at things in detail and give proper arguments agaisnt them. So I won't treat you like an idiot, I'm going to give a full rundown on why I don't feel like it holds up under analytical scrutiny.

For one, while it doesn't have those specific issues like in the real world, I don't agree with this Criticism because I feel it is the one that sort of ignores the worldbuilding and what's been shown or said about the Military and the world itself and not the show, It sort of feels like people just bring up the basic concepts that would seem reasonable and ignore how the show executes certain things. For one, the military was a leftover from a time when they were meant to fight against other humans, It was something an Authoritarian state held over after its defeat and reformation, James and the Military helped Jac as he turned the SDC into the horrific corporate empire it is, Covordin shows that Nationalism is indeed a bit thing and that there were high ranking officers who were fully comfortable with the possiblity of just waging war on the other Kingdoms again. And then there's the specialist program, I've seen people sort of distill it to its very basics to make it seem more reasonable, describing it as just stuff like Huntsmen having rules and such, when the show displays it being way more screwed up then that. It literally involves indoctrinating people as students, were shown Elm reprimand the protagonists saying how they don't need to think about Orders just follow them. As both Volumes show, the culture of the program is deeply screwed up and unhealthy for them, were shown how they taught stuff like repressing your emotions and how deeply unhealthy it is for them.

And...Furthermore? If we're judging by how things are In Universe with the show the world built...James way of doing things is, completely absurd. I already dislike Cynical 'This is the REAL world 'Types IRL. But....In the world James is in, his strategy is just....

He lives in a world where negativity causes monster attacks and the villains whole Shtick is manipulating narratives to cause disarray and ensuring people stay divided. James strategy involved closing off Atlas from the rest of Remnant after they were framed for causing the Fall of Beacon, never bothering to clear there name when sleet and Camilla say he could easily do so, he dismisses both his image across the Globe and in Atlas, and dismisses what the people of Mantle want and the stuff his actions currently cause, all as Neccesary sacrifices when that's all completely insane and Relies on basically ignoring absolutely everything about the situation they are in and how there enemy works, wich again, Ruby points out, that he was actively playing into Salems hands and making it easier for her.

I think it's a decent display of the Tunnel Vision James has, he's prepared for the negativity of the END result of his plan and made preparations for it, but he...Basically ignores the consequences his actions are having right now and how that will affect his ends.

Overall...I think the issue is that James is not meant to be the Bad guy through Volume 7, and I feel like its not that the show 'contradicts' it's pure black and white take on things, it's just that it wasn't there to begin with. Whenever a Major flaw Ironwood had from the start is brought up, it's claimed that it means he was supposed to be 'Always evil'(admitedly some fans as well), when it dosent, it just means his flaws and darker aspects were always there and he didn't jump off the slippery slope instantly like some claim.

Were meant to sympathize with James, understand him, ECT. We're meant to want to see him get better, to be escatic when he does almost get better.

Overall, I don't agree with the idea that James was a reasonable charachter who was bastardized, the show set him up as flawed pretty well already, he's sympathetic because he's designed to be sympathetic. He's not potrayed as a Villain through 7 because he wasn't meant to be til the end.

Also...Well, even if you still felt that him 'Just' abandoning Mantle was still just morally gray...That isn't dropped in V8, it's bascially dropped not 2 episodes later. Where not only does he shoot Oscar but Oscar pointed out not only was he abandoning Mantle, but abandoning the rest of Mankind. Wich James just responds calling it an 'excellant philosophical point'.

[scentedsongrebel]

Tyohaar (Festival)

Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader 

Summary: Celebrating Dussehra in Delhi with the Soldier Trio.

Warnings: Language, Fluff, Hindu references, mythological stories, Mentions of Violence, minor angst, Hospitals and injuries, tell me if I miss any....

Word Count: 4290

A/N: Sorry for the delay you guys, I was having a rough few days but I finally have it out. Hope you guys like it.

This from the same universe as my stories Homecoming and Bura na Mano Holi hai but can be read as a stand alone.

Hope you guys like it and sorry for any mistake.

Pictures not mine credit to the owners.

Steve runs his right hand through his hair as he looks over at the crowd gathered around him. The constant buzz was voices hangs around in the air as people keep talking over each other and children burst firecrackers with their parents close by, keeping watch.

You stand near the ice cream stall, Bucky and Sam with their Bionic masks on their faces concealing their true identity, check over the huge menu that the ice cream vendor points at. Your figures visible through a street light under which you all stand in the dark that comes with 9pm.

When you had seen the ice cream cart making its way in your direction, you had just screeched in excitement and ran towards it hastily asking what ice creams each of them would like to have.

The cart itself was impressive with a huge refrigerator attached to wheels at the bottom for the guy manning it to propel it in whatever direction he wants. Several pictures of ice cream bar were hanging off the top of the thing attached to the huge half cylinder shaped roof over the cart and one corner of the cart had several menus hanging off  it. 

After looking at the menu once he had decided on the simple orange bar but after you had exclaimed about this kulfi thing being amazing he decided to try that.

Bucky and Sam were an entire other story. They had to make their own decision and so they had been staring at the god damned thing for the past 5 minutes not reaching any decision.

You had already started licking your kulfi bar and Steve was very close to stop waiting for his friends and just eat the thing himself.

"I really wanna go for this chocolate bar but there are like three of them. Which one do I even go for?"

"The one that you want Sam" Steve grinds his teeth together, having lost all his patience close to 3 minutes ago

"I don't know what I want that's the problem Steve" He sighs and Steve has to take a deep breath as he comes in closer to look at the menu properly

"Well you're allergic to nuts so the fruit and nut option is out"

"What if its the best one?" Bucky pipes in and you nod from beside him, the corner of your lip stained with cream from your kulfi

"It is amazing, the nuts just add perfect crunch to it" Steve closes his eyes in annoyance before opening them again and shooting a glare your way as he wipes the food off your face with a tissue that he picks up from the cart

"Damn it" Sam hits his hand against the pillar supporting the roof of the ice cream cart, winces in pain, shakes his hand, then brings it to his chest to cradle it with the other hand to relieve the pain that punching a metal cart entails

Steve shoots a very very apologetic look the appalled guys way who not so discretely pulls his cart away from the group. With his face heating up, he turns back to his friends, very dedicated to get it over with as fast as he can before he looses all his money in the huge tip he sure is given the guy.

"No ice cream is worth a run to the hospital"

"How do you know it isn't though?" you shoot him a cheeky smile and before he can stop, Steve finds his lips breaking into a curve.

"He would take the chocolate bar" Steve finally decides before there is any more argument and is relieved when Sam seems to accept his decision.

The vendor scrunches his eyebrows together before pointing at the chocolate option on the menu in question and nods his head when Steve gives his confirmation. Steve has to remind himself that not everyone in the world understands English.

"Bucky?"

"I'm gonna go with the butterscotch cornetto"

"Good"

Once the orders are placed and received and Steve has thanked and given extra tip to the vendor for his commendable patience, they head on towards the crowd.

"Its funny how you preach about Sam not eating nuts cause he's allergic but when it comes to you, you don't practice"

"I'm not allergic to anything"

"Oh but you were when you were the small punk" he grins "remember when milk products would give you horrible gas but that didn't stop you" Bucky says through a bite of his ice cream, prompting you to giggle as Steve shoots him a pointed look

"Yeah I grew up and know that's dangerous"

"Oh yeah you grew up alright" Bucky gestures at his body as Steve huffs

You stop a little away from the cluster of people that have gathered in the park and the others follow your lead.

A massive crowd of people has gathered around the park and form a circle around two enormously huge statues of three mustached guys in some kind of robes. They are standing at almost 20 feet tall, one smaller than the other. The statues are tied to the ground by long ropes that keep them erect.

When Sam had curiously asked about the material used to design the appreciable design you had google searched and informed them about how they made use of bamboo sticks to make the frame of the body after which paper and cloth is used to cover it and lastly paint to give the clothes color and add facial features.

The mustache is very important

You had told them after Bucky made a comment about it being his favorite.

"Okay so I just realized this dude in the center has additional heads? On either side" Sam wonders curiously as he looks over at the design

"Those are heads?" Bucky squints as he now watches the statue with a new perspective "Holy shit! Those are heads, I thought that was some jewelry"

Steve scrunches his eyebrows together and looks over at the statue in the middle and there it is. Tiny heads on either side of the face.

"Yeah, why does he have-" Steve points his finger at the subject in question and starts counting "9, no sorry 10. Why does he have 10 heads? And why are they so small?"

You shoot a small grin his way, looking around at the crowd gathered and take his hand in yours

"The heads are supposed to be the same size but I guess it would have messed up the balancing of the statue so they used small sized heads"

"Okay that makes sense but what are we here for" Sam crosses his arms and winces as a screaming child runs by him "And why are we not on the quinjet and half way to New York by now?"

It was a simple reckon mission to check up on the anonymous tip of a possible Hydra base in a small village in North India.

It was just gonna be the Soldier Trio but you gotten really excited when you learned they were going to your home country and decided to join them.

Seeing as it was just a reckon for an anonymous tip that was mailed to Tony and because they really didn't think it would turn out to be anything, Steve had agreed for you to join them on the condition that you stay at the hotel while they finish their job.

The simple mission did turn into a full fledged fight when the base actually did have a fully functioning Hydra facility and one of their guys in civilian clothes recognized Steve and issued a warning. It took hours to take them down with the help from the Indian Army and Thankfully, there were no civilian casualties.

Steve had stopped the rest of the Avengers from getting their as the fight was almost over by the time they got the news and there was no use for them to travel all the way across the world for nothing and so they stayed.

Following that was a stay at an Army hospital where Sam got treated for a broken nose and several severe wounds across his body while Steve and Bucky were pretty much healed completely by the time they got to the hospital.

You had been safe and sound when Steve had rushed to your hotel room in Delhi in panic only to find you watching the news in fear and trying to get in contact. After all this time with the Avengers you knew better than to leave the hotel.

After a teary reunion and you having completely examined him for injuries and kissing the hell out of him, you spent the rest of the week in the hospital, looking over Sam.

Following that was an entire week of diplomatic meetings in New Delhi, explaining to the government officials why a simple reckon turned into the destruction that it did and the presence of Hydra, their aim and all the other stuff that was out of your expertise and so you let it go.

You were the Avengers'' doctor, not an Avenger and sitting alone while the team deals with these things is something you are used to.

So seeing all this you could understand why Sam would be desperate to go home and just sleep for a whole month but when you were on the way to the airport and saw a Rawan statue on the way, there was no way you would have gotten on the plane. Especially when you googled it and realized Dussehra was today.

"We are here because its Dussehra Sam!" You exclaim, your mouth slips in a huge grin as you feel the warmth that always comes with celebrating festivals at home.

"You already said that Y/n" He grits his teeth and you make a face at him

"Its a festival. Don't you think its faith that I'm here and we're free, exactly on Dussehra?"

"I really don't"

"You should" You straighten up the kurta that you had purchased at one of the stores on the way in your festival excitement. Once who had learned you actually were home on Dussehra for the first time in 3 years, there was no stopping you from going all out and buying an Indian outfit from the first store you could find.

It was a dark green 3/4th sleeve Kurta that ran down to just below your knee. It was quiet modest the little fake buttons running down the middle from the closed collar. It was had simple golden design all through it and you had paired it with a designed palazzo that you had honestly fallen in love with. 

(I’m really bad at this description. Sorry)

Before Sam can but in with another comment you motion towards a corner of the park and lead Steve by hand, which he does not resist. You know Sam and Bucky will follow close behind.

When you reach a less crowded corner where you are a little away from the crowd and still have a view of the statues you sit down on the grass, pulling Steve's hand to pull him down with you.

"We really need to sit on the ground?" He asks, clearly knowing the answer

"Its grass Steve and I've seen you in proximity of way worse things like Alien blood and and Hydra goons" You chastise and Steve sighs

Bucky quietly sits down in front of you, patting your shoulder with his metal hand that is disguised with some advance SHEILD tech, before settling down and crossing his legs

"I love that you keep Hydra goons and Alien goo at the same level of gross"

You just shrug as Sam sighs and sits down too and Steve is left with no other option but to follow. The four of you sit around in a small circle with your legs crossed.

"Yeah so Dussehra" You rub your hands together "I did not want to have to scream for Sam in all that noise"

You refer to the loud, screaming children that were making it hard to talk at the place that you guys previously stood at.

"What do you mean for Sam?"

"We got super hearing Pal, we can hear her even if she whispers" Steve squeezes his shoulder and Sam swats his hand away, licking quickly at the corner of his ice cream that starts to melt and fall down.

"Yeah so whatever" You pull the attention back to yourself

"Today is Dussehra" You start to explain "It is the Hindu festival that signifies the victory of good over evil.

See years ago Lord Ram was the King of Ayodhya, he is one of the human birth of Lord Vishnu, one of the three major Hindu gods. And he was sent on a 14 year exile because of a promise his father made to his step mother"

"She a villain?" Sam buts in and you shake your head

"She loved him like her own son. Lord Ram had two step mothers Kaikeyi and Sumitra and his birth mother was Kausalya. He was the son of King Dasharath and he had three brothers Laxman, Bharat and Shatrugan. They were a very close knit family"

"Then why did she send him on an exile?"

"She got carried away. My mom always says that it was the part that she had to play to take Lord Ram to his destiny. He was God, he was supposed to accomplish the mission he had for this birth and Kaikeyi was an important part of that. She regretted her choice and tried to make it better but Ram declined. But that is a story for Diwali. I will tell you then."

"Okay" Steve takes your hand in his and prompts you to narrate the story further. Sam and Bucky looking at you in interest

You take long, deep breath and continue

"Yeah so during his exile, his wife Sita ji and his brother Laxman accompanied him through his journey in the forests. One day his brother had an altercation with King Rawan's sister and cut her nose"

"He what?"

"Yeah, she survived, never understood the logistics of it but she survived and returned to her brother and to avenge his sister and because he was evil he decided to kidnap Lord Ram's wife Sita who was the human birth of goddess Laxmi, the wife to lord Vishnu"

"The one Ram is the human form of?" Bucky asks trying to keep up and you nod

"Yes. So he fools Sita, making her think he was an innocent Sadhu asking for food and then abducted her and took her to Lanka and then after a 10 month long hunt and help from several people he found on the way, he finally discovers Lanka and kills Rawan."

"10 months??" Sam exclaims and you nod

"No one knew where Lanka was at the time, Lord Ram had assembled an Army of half humans and half monkeys who helped him in search"

"Half monkeys" A hint of a smile takes over Bucky;s face but you just nod

"Its so interesting because I was talking to my father once and we figured that the descriptions of the Half monkeys or the vanar sena matches that of the primitive man so my father had said that it could mean that was the time we were transitioning from that form to this form and thus there were both forms existing simultaneously"

"Wow. But that is not part of the story?"

"Its not clearly stated but my father and I really did wonder about it a lot and it makes sense."

"Okay?" Bucky nods his head, furrowing his eyebrows together in understanding

"And Lanka meaning Sri Lanka?" Steve asks and you nod

"Yes, he was the King of Lanka, present day Sri Lanka and that may also be the reason it took them so long to find Lanka, it was an island in the south. They did not know anything about it"

"Wow. Okay I think I get it a little bit" Sam nods his head "So one of those dude is Rawan?" You nod "and the others?"

"The middle one is Rawan, the other two are his brother Kumbhkaran and his son Meghnath, they were one of the key helpers of Rawan but that is a story for another time"

The collective nods of all three of their head tells you that their minds have exhausted their capacity and you giggle at the thought and look back at the people that have started to prepare for the ceremony, if you can call it that

"They are gonna burn the statues one by one, the last one being Rawan. This ceremony signifies, Lord Ram's victory of good over evil"

"And the 10 heads?"

"Rawan had 10 heads, it was part of a blessing he had earned from Lord Shiva after years of hard worshiping. When Ram tried to kill Rawan, he tried to shoot arrows at his head but they would just re-emerge until Rawan's other brother, Vibhishan who had decided to support good and had thus betrayed his brother told Lord Ram to aim at his stomach."

"And he died?"

"Yes" you grin "Tale as old as time. Victory of good over evil"

Sam sits up straight from where he was completely crouched, a little stick in his hand, now that he had eaten all the ice cream from it.

"Well okay, nice story" he runs his tongue across his lips and looks up at the big statues and the now busy crowd "When are they gonna- you know?" he wiggles his fingers trying to imitate the gracious dance of the fire

By the time you had finished your story, a the crowd had doubled. From the corner of your eye, you could see the people that were preparing to roll up a newspaper

"You see them" You point at the group of men and three pairs of eyes follow your motion "Those people over there with the rolled up paper? They are gonna light fire on the paper and then place in on the statues that have been filled with inflammables"

"Oh okay"

You guys sit in silence for a while as the announcement that the function is starting is made, from your position in the far end, it is very easy to have a perfect glimpse of the festivities and so you four sit there with Sam and Bucky who were previously facing you have turned their backs on you as they face the other side.

You sit besides Steve, your shoulders touching and your hand in his but still maintaining a respectful distance as is appreciated in this place.

"After everything that the trip brought" Steve whispers in your ear, not taking his eyes off the man that starts to light up the statue of Meghnath, it takes a while before the flame catches up and the statue quickly starts to catch fire and everyone starts moving farther away "I'm glad you could have this"

He squeezes your hand lightly and you turn to look his way

"Thankyou for letting me tag along with you guys"

"I'm always glad to have you around doll" A small curve takes his lips as people scream in joy when the statue starts to completely burn and they start to light up the Kumbhkaran statue "Though I would prefer trips where I'm not worried about Hydra getting to you"

You bite your lower lip as the loud sound of crackers that had been tied inside the statue start to burst

"God its been so long since things have been so loud around me. God I missed it"

Steve throws his head back and laughs before shaking his head

"We can have our house as loud as you want"

You laugh at that

"Yeah, no I think the sound pollution is only good when given in small doses"

"We have have whatever you want in our home"

“okay...?” you shoot him a skeptical look as he grins 

"Why are you not getting it?" he asks 

A loud cheer comes from in front of you as they start to finally light up Rawan

"Getting what?"

"I'm asking you something"

"There was no question Steven" You are now extremely confused

"Well fine" He huffs and looks around to make sure no one is looking and takes both your hands in his as he takes your attention to him "I'm trying to talk about building our life together"

"We already live together"

"Yeah and that's the best thing that ever happened to me"

You smile

"Okay...?"

The loud noise of crackers booms from the front as people scream in excitement

"Y/n, my love" he starts, staring deep into your eyes "When I was pulled out of that frozen state and been told that I slept for almost 70 years and everyone and everything I knew was gone, I never thought I would have a reason"

He stops to take a deep breath and you feel your heart quicken in its speed

"A reason to want to stay you know? I went through the motions, did what was considered right for the world, fought the fight that needed to be fought but I was just going through the motions. Doing what I thought I needed to do. Doing what may very well be the reason I woke up now right? Because everything happens for a reason right?

And I thought my reason was this. To discover Hydra' presence in SHEILD, fight off freaking Aliens and every Avenger thing that I did and still do. It was all I had except for my friends but even that felt hallow like they were only my co-workers even after I found Bucky, there was something missing. It wasn't until I met you that I started loving life. I have never done that. Even in the forties, I had hated myself, dreaded the next day and that is what I was doing now but Y/n my love, you slammed your way into my life and unknowingly broke down every single wall that I had built. And I love you for that and for the amazing, brilliant, smart, beautiful, kind, lovely person that you are and so so much more my love-"

"Steve" You whisper, tears freely falling down your eyes and even through the explosion of voices around you, you know he hears your whispers just like every other voice around you is muted except for his

"Y/n" he whispers back and you barely make it out on the shape of his lips

"Y/n I have been waiting for the right moment since forever ago and I even went the traditional route and got your mothers' permission and since then I've been waiting and waiting but I just couldn’t find the right moment"

"Steve"

"Right now, in this exact moment, this exact second of time, I think I realize that every moment I have with you is perfect. There is no the perfect moment because everyone I have with you is perfect"

"Steve"

"So Y/n L/n, would you do me the honor of marrying me and making me the happiest man on earth?"

"I- Steve"

A second of stutter in your voice and Steve feels his heart stop. What the hell did he do. You didn’t want this. You were not ready. He should not have done this here. He should not have spoiled this day for you. He should have waited. He should have the ring.

"I'm sorry but the ring is this secret safe in the house and I never thought it would happen like this but I promise to give it to you the moment we land in New York if you say yes that is and its okay if you don’t” He starts blabbering, his fear taking over his tongue “Its okay if you say no. I can live with that. Its fine. No hard feelings. I-”

“Shut up” you scream and he goes silent before looking around, noticing how people move away from the smoke coming off the burning statues and get closer to where the four of you sit

“I would have kissed you right now but I don’t think that would be appropriate in this setting” You tease pointing at the group of kids that are starting at the group of you suspiciously and Steve checks his mask just to make sure its still working

“Are you?”

“Saying yes?” you bite your lip “Maybe? I don’t know. Give me the ring and maybe you’ll get an answer.”

You push yourself up from the ground, patting his shoulder one last time, saying something about checking where you guys could have dinner around here, leaving him dumb founded and confused.

“You know she said yes right?” Bucky asks as he stands up too, offering a hand to Steve to help him stand. He then offers his hand to Sam who takes it but falls on his butt when Bucky pulls him up and then leaves his hand promptly.

“She did?” Steve asks still confused.

“You were the one who said you loved her horrible jokes man” Sam says, massaging his back to relieve some pain he had gotten after his fall, punching Bucky on the shoulder which has zero effect on the super soldier and then he is following after you

“Come on Punk, I was promised food” Bucky follows right behind Sam, leaving behind a very confused Steve with a group of kids that have closed in on him

Before he can understand what is happening, one of the kids blocks his way

“Are you Captain America?”

And now Steve really is speechless.

---- THE END ----

Sorry if this felt like a rushed ending but my brain had stopped working. 

@fangirl-swagg​ Thankyou for encouraging me to just write it. I would have quit half way through if it wasn’t for your enthusiasm.

[fire-angel]

DRAGON HEART

Hey guys, so the prologue is in my profile, below this part 1. (I'm still learning how to add the link and stuff so bear with me please haha)

PART ONE

Part 1

We're now sitting around a camp fire while we rest for a bit.

"I'm a deciple of a man. More than a man really, he's a myth to others, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong, Jeong Jeong the Deserter is what they call him. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?"

"He was very highly ranked, we get it." Sokka cuts in.

"Yeah! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness any more. He's the first person ever to leave the army - and live. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad - but he's not! He's enlightened" i say (while doing the hand motion of "imagination" from sponge bob)

"You mean there's a firebender out here who's not with the Fire Lord?" Aang says standing up "We've gotta go see him! He can train me! " says with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"We're not gonna go find some crazy firebender! " said Sokka

Crazy? I stand up "He's not crazy! He's a genius! And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar! That's why I helped you escape at the festival. "

Sokka stands up "Look, thanks for the help, but we're leaving for the north pole in the morning. "

"Sokka, this could be my only chance to meet a firebending master who would actually be willing to teach me." replied the boy.

Katara standing up as well "It can't hurt just to talk to him.

"That's what you said about going to the festival! Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me!? "

As Sokka turns to walk away from the group, he almost runs right into a spear. In a flash, we are surrounded by men wearing straw hats and armor and wielding spears.

"Don't move!" says one of the men.

"Y/N Jeong Jeong told you not to go to that festival" says Lin Yi.

Sokka looks at us all confused "Hold on, you know these guys!? "

"Oh yeah! Lin Yi's like an uncle! Right Lin Yi?

Lin Yi lowers his spear "Quiet. Keep moving."

I just roll my eyes and follow.

We continue walking, Down the hill, we spot the little hut.

"Go on. He sees you only. " Lin Yi pushes me towards the shack.

I try to hold my ground "Oh that's okay, we can chat later."

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk to him right away. " Aang asks.

Aang begins to move forward, but it stopped by a spear shaft across his path.

"No! You wait" Lin says as he keeps me in "Go now! "

"Okay okay! Don't worry! Everything'll be fine. He's a great man, great man!" I assure them.

I walk into the tent getting ready for the wrath of Master Jeong Jeong.

"Oh hey there Master, hows it going?"

"You disobey my orders and run off into town and for what!?" the flames from his candles gain more flames.

"I just wanted to see what it was like...-"

"And now you bring the Avatar, you know I never wanted anything to do with the boy, he's not ready. He should leave immediately"

"but Master he was in trouble and I knew he would have been safer with us. He's just a boy. Can't you at least see him? He really needs to talk to you. He really thinks you can teach him firebending and so do I"

Jeong Jeong just huffs and turns away.

I head out if the shack to be faced with Aangs hopeful eyes.

"What happened? Can I see Jeong Jeong now? "

I sit down and shake my head. "He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately. "

"Finally! Let's hit the road." Sokka says as he stretches out his back.

"Why won't he see me? "

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet" I explain.

"Wait, how does he know that?" Aang replied with a surprised look.

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell."

"I'm going in anyway!" Aand starts to walk away towards the shack

I try to reach out "Wait maybe you sho- and he's gone. Hey Sokka, Katara, follow me. I'll take you to your shack. You can rest here for tonight."

----------------------------------------------------

The next morning I go out and I see master Jeong Jeong training Aang. I guess he decided to train him after all.

"Widen your stance. Wider! Bend your knees. Now, concentrate." Jeong Jeong demands. (Aang takes on an expression of concentration) "Good, good! "

Wait! What do I do now? asks the boy.

"Silence! Talking is not concentrating! Look at your friend, is she talking?" (Then, pointing to Sokka) "Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing!"

Sokka from a far shouts a " Hey! "

"But what am I concentrating on?" Aang asks in confusion.

As I'm watching from the side, I decide to chip in. "Feel the heat of the sun. It is the greatest source of fire. Yet, it is in complete balance with nature."

Aang looks at the sun then turning back to Jeong Jeong, a large smile on his face "So when do I get to make some fire?"

"Concentrate!" Master shouts.

I can't help but giggle. That's Jeong Jeong for you.

-----------------------------------------------

Later in the day Jeong Jeong calls me to his hut. I enter and sit down.

"Y/N I'm afraid our time together will be cut short." He says still facing away.

"What? Why? Suddenly?"

"I knew this day would come. For you to join the Avatar and his friends on his travels to restore order to the world. That is why I resisted to meet the boy. I did not want to let you go"

"Master, I'm not ready to leave you. There is so much I have to learn........Have you given up? Just like my teachers when I was young. I know my bending is a bit different and I still need to learn how to control-"

"No of course I haven't given up on you. My child you are more powerful than you think. For this is the reason I have to let you go with them. With time you will see the wonders of your power, not only through bending but through your spirit as well"

I start to tear up when suddenly Aang enters the hut.

"What are you doing here!? I did not tell you to stop!" said Jeong Jeong

"I've been breathing for hours. " Aang replied.

"You want to stop breathing? " Said Jeong

Honestly i kinda wanted to laugh at the moment but Aang seemed so serious that I held it in.

Angrily throwing his hands wide in a gesture of frustration "I want you to stop wasting my time! I already know how to squat and breathe and feel the sun.I want to know how to shoot fire out of my fingertips! "

Jeong Jeong lowering his head "Ughhhh. I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline."

I put my head down as I remember of the stories he told me about this pupil.

"-He was only concerned with the power of fire ,how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path., but fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to consume and without control it destroys everything around it. Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love"

Aang then leaves the tent and I follow him out.

"Look Aang, Master can be hard on you but he has his reasons for teaching you this way. He really believes in you and just wants to make sure you know what's at stake when you fire bend." I put a hand on his shoulder and give him a small smile "I'm going to go find some wood and fruit for later, see ya"

---------------------------------------------------

Walking along the river side I see some Fire Nation ships aproaching. This is bad news. I let go of whatever was in my hands and darted towards the huts, I find Master with Aang.

"Master! There is trouble. " I say almost out of breath

"What's going on?" Aang asks with a worried look.

"Concentrate on your leaf. Y/N stay here and watch him" says Jeong Jeong as he leaves.

"This is the worst firebending instruction ever. All he does is leave me alone for hours to concentrate or breathe." Aang tells Katara who is on the river's edge near us.

"I'm sure there's a good reason." She reassured.

"But I'm ready to do so much more." Aang continued.

Suddenly Aang's face lights up. He widens his stance and he begins to breathe. He still holds the leaf, which begins to smoke. Suddenly, the leaf bursts into flame and disintegrates. Aang is now holding a fireball in his hand.

"I did it! I made fire!" He exclaimed.

Katara coming closer " Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow."

Aang's expression gets annoyed at this comment, and the flame instantly gets bigger. He and Katara are surprised

"You should be careful!" I tell the boy.

Aang retains control and reduces the flame to its former size, but not before almost falling into the river

"Now that's firebending! " he says with a smile.

Aang then shoots a whip of flame and then begins to juggle his ball of flame happily

"Aang, you'll hurt yourself! You're still new at this" I try to explain.

Aang continuing to play "Wonder how that juggler did it?"

Aang loops the ball around him. It begins a complete circle around him and he pushes it outward. I was able to extinguish the fire headed towards me. Before I knew it the rest of Aangs flame engulfs Katara and burns her hands which she has raised to protect her face. She cries out in pain. Katara crumples to her knees.

"Katara! " Aang shouts. He hops over to her as she cries "I'm so sorry!"

I head over to Katara and Sokka appears by my side.

"Katara, what's wrong!?" He asks. Now looking at Aang angrily "What did you do? "

"iiiit was an accident! I was... Katara, I'm so - " He says as his voice starts to shake.

Sokka cuts him off as he grabs Aang and tackles him to the ground just as Aang tried to put a hand on Katara's shoulder

"I told you we shouldn't mess around with this! Look what you did! You burned my sister!"

Katara gets up and runs away. Aang who looks on, stunned, as she exits.

I wake up from my state of being in shock and grab Sokka from his collar to lift him off Aang. "Listen here Sokka, we get it that it was his fault but it was his first try" I look at Aang sadly. "I know what it's like to not have control over your power and believe me, he feels very sorry for what happened"

Jeong Jeong comes back right on time but Sokka turns to him and blames him for what happened. Did he just ignore me!? I start to feel my skin getting hot but Jeong Jeong appears and gently grabs my arm, wincing a bit as he does. Sokka takes notice. I try to do my breathing technique to calm down and count to 3 in my head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't...-" Sokka walks away "-I'm sorry!"

Jeong Jeong walks away to find Katara.

-------------------------------------

Moments later Katara comes back

"Katara! Are you all right? " Sokka and I ask.

"I'm fine, we've got to get out of here. Where's Aang?"

Sokka thumbs in the direction of the hut. Katara runs down the hill path to Jeong Jeong's hut to talk to Aang

------------------------------------

Aang and I head out to find Jeong Jeong and we see him with someone from the Fire Nation.

"Look at you. You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage."

How dare he!

"It is you who have embraced savagery, Zhao." replied JeongJeong

Zhao!? He's that pupil Jeong Jeong always talked about.

"It's Admiral Zhao, now. "

more like Admiral of Side Burns

"That title will not help you against the Avatar. Do not try to fight him! You are no match!"

Zhao starts to laugh "I think I can handle a child."

"I have never seen such raw power. " He replies

"Jeong Jeong! " Aang shouts and I aproach

"We'll see. Men! Take the deserter! "

Jeong Jeong gets surrounded by five of Jeong Jeong's spearmen. Aang tops short in horror as they close in. Jeong Jeong smiles at me and wraps himself in a massive ball of flame. When it dissipates, he is gone.

Zhao angrily shouts "It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!" Turning to Us . "Let's find out what my old master has taught you kids"

"YOU were Jeong Jeong's student?" Aang says with a surprise

"Until I got bored." Zhao says with a smug.

He launches a fireball at Aang, who dodges that and another and sends some towards me and I quickly make it disappear

"I see he taught you how to duck and run like a coward. But I doubt he showed you what a firebender is truly capable of!"

"Aang, remember what Jeong Jeong said, he has no restraint, lets use that to our advantage, follow my lead" I whisper

He launches another fireball at Aang. It flies over Aang's head as the Avatar produces a flat, spinning whirlwind of air underneath him and balances himself on top of it with one finger.

He fires several more which Aang either dodges or breaks with airbending. Zhao's blasts have torched much of the surrounding forest and the sky fills with smoke.

"Stand and fight!" Zhao demands.

"Oh, were we fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up." I say with a smirk.

"I was!" He says. He fires many more all of which miss.

Is that all you got? Man, they'll make anyone an admiral these days! " Aang taunts

"Yeah totally, I've seen kids do better"

Zhao launches another errant fire blast with a dreadful noise of frustration. I use my firebending to launch myself up to one of the ships and Aang airbends himself up.

After several failed attempts at attacking us and lots of damage to our surroundings.

"You've lost this battle. " Aang says

"Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow! "

Motioning to my left "No, but you have. " I smile.

Zhao looks to his left and grimaces. Three ships on fire. The first is now sinking fast into the river.

"Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint. " I tell him.

We get off the ship

"Have a nice walk home! " says Aang.

"Aang, come on! " Sokka calls over. Him and Katara on Appa's back.

We run over and hop on.

"Wait! Where's Jeong Jeong?" Aang asked

"He disappeared. They all did. " Sokka replied

"Aang, you're burned. " Katara tells Aang.

He looks down in wonder to see that she is right. His sleeves are torn open and there are burn marks.

"Let me help you. " She says.

She opens her water bottle and wraps some water around her hand. It glows white again. She places it over the burned area , breathes and concentrates. When she lets go the wound is healed. Wow, I've heard stories but never seen a water bender heal up close.

" Wow! That's good water." Aang says amused

"When did you learn how to do that? "

Katara shrugged "I guess I always knew. "

"Oh... well then thanks for all the first aid over the years. Like when I fell into the grease briar bramble and that time I had two fish hooks in my thumb! "

Appa keeps flying us through the late afternoon sky. Sokka continues.

"-Oh, and the time that big snake bit me! Thanks for healing that up. That was great. Really helpful. "

I sit quietly looking back and whisper

" I hope I get to see you again....

grandpa"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry if this was kind of long, but I hope you enjoyed it.

Oh!! And if you guys want any one shot blurbs for ATLA, feel free to dm. Hope you all have a good day (or night)

[tranquil-space-ninja]

The Gray (Sanders' Sides)

Four: When He Sees Me

Logan was sitting at the kitchen island, reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for figuratively the millionth time. Patton had just taken a tray of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven when Roman skipped in, giggling. Patton smiled at him.

"Hey, kiddo! You seem happy! What's up?"

"I've never been better, padre," Roman said, removing a cookie from the sheet. "Janus dropped his stuff in my room this morning, and Remus and I formed King again and pranked Virgil!" Patton froze. Logan looked up from his book. His heart was beating at an alarming speed. Judging by the fact that there were no other factors present that could increase his heart rate to that extent, Logan concluded that the sudden change was from Roman's news of King Creativity's temporary return. It was no surprise, either. King Creativity involved Remus, who Logan admittedly had a rather large soft spot for.

"H-how did you--er, King-- prank Virgil," Patton asked. His reaction wasn't a surprise either. While Patton had no part in the splitting of King Creativity, his memories of him weren't very pleasant, as far as Logan could tell. Patton did not talk about King Creativity or the split often, and usually changed the subject rather quickly of he was brought up.

Roman's lively grin faltered. "Is everything alright," he asked.

"Everything's fine," Patton lied. "Tell us about the prank King pulled."

"Is this about Janus," Roman asked quitetly.

"Of course not," Patton gasped.

"Why? Are you afraid that we won't accept him as your partner," Logan asked. "Because, I assure you, no one has any objection to the two of you courting."

"This is about King, then." Patton sighed.

"Roman, it's not like that, it's just--"

"Are you considering reforming King Creativity permanently?" Roman shook his head.

"No. Remus and I ended up tearing each other apart when Thomas was five. We'd just do the same thing again. Why?"

"No reason." Roman grinned suddenly.

"Your face is red," he teased. Logan glared at him.

"Falsehood. My skin tone is the same as yours, Roman."

"Liar," Janus sang. He walked over to Patton, grabbed a cookie from the rack, kissed Roman's cheek, and left. His remark made Logan blush even more.

"Logan, do you have a crush on one of us?" Logan turned even redder than he thought possible.

"No! Silence yourself!"

"He's still lying." Janus grabbed a plate, put some cookies on it, and left again. Logan sighed.

"Alright. I may have taken a liking to your brother." Roman gasped dramatically while Patton squealed.

"Go talk to him" they ordered simultaneously. Logan shook his head.

"That isn't very likely to happen."

"Why not? You two would be perfect together! You could balance out his chaos, and he could help you lighten up a little," Patton said.

"Just like Anna and Kristoff or Maria and Captain Von Trapp," Roman added. Logan stared at the other two sides in utter incredulity. Did he really need to explain this to them?

"I am most comfortable dealing with facts and statistics. When I have all the information I need in one convinient location, I minimize the amount of guessing Thomas needs to do to find the best course of action to take in any given situation. I do not enjoy guessing games or dealing with feelings, especially ones I'm not familiar with. How am I supposed to operate in a situation such as this, where there are too many variables to determine the best course of action to take?" Patton and Roman exchanged a look.

"What do you mean by that, Lo," Patton asked.

"I mean I don't know enough about Remus to know whether or not I should tell him I like him."

"Really? My brother is kinda easy to figure out. He likes--"

"I know his basic personality. Part of that personality is his tendency to be unpredictable. I don't know if he'll randomly start singing that song he sang when he was introduced to Thomas, or if he'll begin to ask me personal questions before I decide I'm ready to answer them or if he eats Oreos and Kit Kats wrong."

"I get the Kit Kats, but there's a right and wrong way to eat Oreos?"

"Yes! You take them apart and eat each section individually, the way the manufacturer intended." Patton and Roman stared at him.

"Okay," Patton said. "But those things shouldn't stop you from talking to him, kiddo." Logan sighed.

"There's more than that, but I think I was clear with what I told you. I do not like going into situations without gathering enough data to know how to proceed."

"Wait. What's the more?"

"Don't worry about it. It's ridiculous."

"C'mon, Logie, you can tell us anything! What's bugging you?" Logan sighed. It couldn't hurt to tell them. Patton and Roman were his friends and wouldn't think any less of him.

"I am... Afraid. That he may not return my affection. What if he leaves as soon as I tell him how I feel? What if we do end up courting each other, only for him to be disappointed when he learns more about me? What if I share the most important parts of myself, only to have him push me away? I don't think I could find a way to recuperate from the emotional pain I'd experience."

"We, Logan, no one with any sense would do that to you. You have so much to offer!"

"Yeah, Lo. Don't you think you're being a bit defensive?"

"FALSEHOOD!" Patton and Roman flinched. "I've seen this many times in televised movies. Two people fall in love, only for one party to find that the other lied about their identity. One cannot be too careful when it comes to choosing a partner to spend their lives with. I don't know if Remus is planning to harm us or if he blames us for Janus leaving, or if we'll end up making each other miserable. He could use me to get to either of you, or even worse, he could really love me and draw me out of my shell. What if, as soon as I speak to him, he knows I like him? What if he shows me scenarioes I never thought possible, and I can't turn away from them? What if my heart rate increases when we're together? I'm afraid of being vounerable like that." Patton and Roman stared at him, eyes wide. Logan knew it was because that was the most open he'd been with any of them. He sighed, moved his glasses to the top of his head, and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm not prepared for anything that could happen between us. But I can't help but hope that, maybe, he likes me, too. It's unbearable." Logan felt two pairs of arms embrace him at once.

"Cheer up, nerdy wolverine," Roman said. "You'll figure it out."

"Yeah, Logan! And if you're too confused about anything, you can come talk to us!"

"Thank you, both. I will call upon you for assistance if the need be." Roman and Patton let go of him and grinned.

"Alright, Mister," Patton said cheerily. "March on over there and get your man!"

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