#us have given our addresses or anything yet? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

avelera · 11 months

Text

Sandman Meta: Hob has exactly zero way of figuring out who Dream is (before they reunite)

More than once in a fic I've written from Hob's POV I've had readers note their astonishment that Hob has not yet figured out Dream's identity, even if Dream does not reveal it himself.

Even in fics of mine where Dream reveals his name, like in Giving Sanctuary, I have Hob be slow on the uptake when it comes to the extent of Dream's powers, even things like being able to enter and control dreams, and the reason I do this is carefully considered and based in the fact that Hob would have no way of knowing who Dream is or by extension what he can do.

So I kind of want to take a step back and address in detail just how actually impossible it would be, objectively, for Hob to figure out who Dream is in a world that doesn't have The Sandman comic for him to read to figure it out.

This is, of course, because, from a Doylist angle, Neil's "Dream of the Endless" is not based in any single mythology. Indeed, Dream as we know him is cobbled together from at least three or more different mythological figures, none of which combine to actually form the "Dream of the Endless" we see in the show or read in the comics. The Endless are completely made up for the comic and the Sandman, Morpheus, and Oneiros are all from wildly different mythologies and none of them actually overlap to form the complete picture of who Dream is as an entity in the Sandman show or comic.

So even if someone straight-up told Hob that the person he meets is the Sandman, Morpheus, or Oneiros (btw, there is no singular figure of "Oneiros" in Greek mythology) he would still not be able to put together the full picture of who Dream is. Even if he's given the name "Dream of the Endless" to work with, those words combined don't mean anything on their own if you don't have what an Endless is filled in, because it was made up entirely for the comic. (Of course, a fanfic author absolutely could make up such a book for their fic but it would be a creation for that fic, serving a purpose within that story like to tip Hob off, though I think it's entirely reasonable to make up a book in the Sandman world that goes into detail on who the Endless are. The Magdalene Grimoire, btw, is not that book. It only talks about Death. Death is a figure in many mythologies including the Christian one, but Dream is not. Even Burgess needs the Corinthian to tell him who Dream is in the show, and he's an occultist.)

Couple all of this with Hob's personal experience with Dream, encountering him as part of a wager with Dream's sister Death to see if Hob could bear a life of immortality, you get far more clues that would send him hurtling off into a totally incorrect direction before you'd get anything close to the truth, if we assume only the books available in our world are available to him.

So the reason this is a bit of an irritation for me that there's this idea that Hob has "all the clues" to figure out who Dream is because it smacks of a logical fallacy.

Basically, it's easy to see that the answer to a complicated math problem is "obvious" if someone just hands the answer to you. But challenging people to actually solve it themselves could be quite a bit more complicated. And in this complex formula solving for "Who the fuck is Hob's mysterious stranger?" there's actually so many blank X's of unanswered questions that I genuinely think there's no way for Hob to solve this equation without someone giving him the answer.

Let's go through this systematically, using just what Hob knows as observed on screen in the show.

1389 - a pale man in all black with a ruby at his throat approaches Hob's table and challenges Hob to meet him there in 100 years. He then smiles enigmatically and leaves.

That's it. That's all Hob has to go off of. He never sees Death, he has no idea about the wager. As far as he knows, Dream gave him immortality. It would be the most logical conclusion given that the day before Hob didn't have immortality and the day after, presumably, he does.

1489 - The only confirmation he has is actually seeing Dream there in 1489 and the first thing he asks is, "How did you know that I'd be here?"

Dream does not answer him. Hob takes a few stabs at guessing his identity which reveals his Christian European context: are you a wizard, or a saint -- to be clear, these are two types of human magic users that make sense to Hob for his context. The only other figure he can think of is The Devil. He doesn't ask if Dream is a pagan god or a faerie, he assumes a man with arcane or divine magic, or the Devil.

Dream says that he's not the Devil, much good that would do if he was a Devil who could just presumably lie to Hob, and says he's interested in Hob's experience and implies that he will grant him another 100 years of life. He is sarcastic and unimpressed about Hob's wonder at the world. He doesn't even actually show much interest in Hob being in the printing business. He only shows a spark of interest in Hob's continued desire to live, and then immediately takes off.

1589 - The only new information Hob gets this year is 1) Dream is supremely uninterested in food or the wealth Hob has earned, or his family, and 2) puny little Will Shaxberd, a crap playwright with no shot at becoming anything more, suddenly becomes a famous playwright. He would eventually become a renowned playwright in his day but keep in mind, Shakespeare didn't actually become mega famous centuries after his death. In his day, many people thought other playwrights like Marlowe were better.

My point is, from this Hob doesn't necessarily get even the pieces to determine that Dream likes art. It might seem obvious to us because Dream is Prince of Stories, but that's not the offer Dream gives Shaxberd. He just asks if it is Will's will to create dreams to spur the minds of men. Yes, we know that Dream wants Will to make dreams for him, but in Hob's context, Dream is just asking what Will would sell his soul for, just like he overheard Hob saying he had no intention of dying. From this perspective the only strong conclusion Hob can draw is that Dream grants wishes.

From this, Hob could conclude that Dream is a djinn/genie, or perhaps a faerie, but there is absolutely nothing to indicate he's associated with dreams or literature directly besides a mention of creating dreams nested in the context of asking Shaxberd what he wants, giving him a supernatural gift much like the one Hob believes Dream gave him.

At this point, the domains of Dream's power are very muddled for Hob because he doesn't know Death gave him immortality. So as far as he knows, Dream can give immortality AND make an amateur playwright into the greatest writer who ever lived. Putting these two things together does not bring you naturally to the domain of dreams by any stretch.

(I will note here, that in Giving Sanctuary, I had Hob learn that "Death" is Dream's sister before he learns Dream's name. There, his initial conclusion is that Dream must therefore be Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the one known for wearing black (and not eating seems like a clue with Dream too) my point being that having another, small piece of the whole puzzle still would probably send him flying off in the wrong direction given his cultural context.)

1789: The next time Hob gets any hint that Dream has powers is with Lady Johanna. He uses his sand to show her her, "old ghosts". Note, she does not fall asleep but rather begins to hallucinate.

The Sandman myth has its origins of Scandinavia and it is first written down in in "Der Sandmann" a context that Hob might have access to, if he's very well read, in the early 1800s. By the way, the description of the Sandman in that book bears a striking resemblance to the Corinthian, because he eats the eyes of naughty children, and very little to Dream beyond the use of sand in his magic.

There is absolutely nothing to link the Sandman to Morpheus the Roman God of Dreams, who was made up entirely by Ovid in the Metamorphoses and never mentioned anywhere before that. That's because Neil Gaiman was the first to link those two mythological figures.

And on that note, there is no Oneiros attested to in Hesiod. The mention of Oneiros is actually to the "Oneiroi" an entire tribe of dreams and nightmares who are the children of Night (Nix). There's Hypnos (Sleep) who is the brother of Thanatos (Death) but that is about as close as we get to the Endless in any other mythological source besides the comics. And again, Dream does not put Johanna to sleep, he makes her hallucinate.

1889- Again, there is precious little to go off of. Dream is tight-lipped as ever. The only thing he gives away is that Lady Johanna later helped him with a task, a fact Hob is visibly annoyed and I daresay jealous about, and when he lashes out he refers to himself as, "One such as I."

But "One such as I," only reveals something Hob already knew: that Dream thinks highly of himself. That doesn't actually reveal that Dream is even magical, he could just be nobility or a powerful immortal magic user and refer to himself that way. Hob already knows that Dream is magical, and immortal, and probably some sort of high born or aristocrat. He's probably known that since 1389 given how Dream was dressed and given that giant fuck-off ruby (which actually might make Hob, in that day, wonder if Dream was a relation to the Black Prince)

That's it. That is the grand total of everything Hob has seen of Dream.

Hob in the comic will eventually admit, in The Wake, that he figured out who Dream was on his own. But this is after Seasons of Mist when Dream toasts him in Hob's dream and Hob wakes up with the impossible bottle of wine on his bedside. He has another encounter too with Dream where Dream eventually accedes to Hob's request to make the men who killed Audrey, his dead girlfriend, know who she was. Presumably, Dream makes them dream of her.

So Hob in the comics by the time we get to The Wake has more to go off of to make the link to the Lord of Dreams. Hob as we see him in the show, has had much less to go off of.

Even if you give Hob one piece of the puzzle, like one of the names like Morpheus, or The Sandman, or Oneiros, that still doesn't help give him the whole picture. The word "Endless" would be meaningless. He would have to have read at least three pretty obscure books that span a period of 2,000 years (between Hesiod and Der Sandmann) to get the three books that Neil primarily drew from to combine these figures into the Dream of the comic.

Look, my point is, unless someone gives the answer to Hob, and explains the full extent of what the Endless are, he's got little to go off of. Arguably, not enough at all to solve for "X" as to who Dream is, even if he's given more pieces. This would be a tough problem to solve.

#the sandman #sandman meta #hob gadling #dreamling #1689 fic #Giving Sanctuary

478 notes · View notes

shewrites444 · 1 year

Text

official [xavier thorpe x reader smut]

my first smut yuhhh ( ﾉﾟｰﾟ)ﾉ this is written by me and only me!!

word count - 2.6k

[summary: the night of the rave'n, the reader and her date, xavier thorpe, address their situationship and unspoken sexual tension in a way the reader least expects.]

[warnings: risky sex, dom male, dom female, small mention of a mommy kink, unprotected sex, and just straight up smut lol]

whoever said the rave'n was the biggest event of the year was certainly correct, because xavier was clearly trying to make tonight extremely memorable for me. while we were yet to be official, i had a feeling he'd want to ask me out tonight, but i really wasn't sure how to even go about it all. yes, i liked him a lot, but there was a ton of things he still didn't know about me, and i really didn't know where to start explaining.

obviously he was aware that i was classified as a vampire, but that was fairly simple information, along with my deep focus on my academics and basically everything and anything that wasn't romance. when xavier and i started to get close after the summer, though, he grew on me far quicker than expected. despite how close we were now, he was still extremely unaware that when we sealed the deal on our label, i got comfortable very quick.. and frankly, i really wasn't sure he could handle how badly i needed sex and everything that comes with it.

that word was unknown territory between us, because i didn't know how he felt about it, and i don't think he knows how i feel either. we had yet to talk about it, and if he asks me to be his girlfriend tonight, i still don't think he understands what he's getting himself into. there was a lot of tension between us when we were in public and when we were alone, but i was so scared i would make him feel uncomfortable, and i knew he felt the same on my end.

i tried to block those thoughts out the best i could because tonight was about having fun with our friends and possibly getting asked out, not fucked like there was no tomorrow by my date.

he stood aside me as we entered the doors to the ballroom, which was so lightly colored that i felt blinded by the colors that surrounded me and the other guests. xavier slid his arm around my lower waist, pressing his palm against the silk white fabric of my gown, and leaning down to peck the side of my forehead to grab my attention, before glancing to the refreshments on the left of us.

"you want punch?" he asked quietly, looking down to meet my eyes with a soft smirk on his pink lips. "we can go tag along enid and ajax too for a little before i force you to actually get up and dance."

i nod with a grin, crossing my arms and watching him walk over the table, where i then walk towards enid, ajax, wednesday, and a few other friends. i look to enid with a smirk and motion my head towards ajax. she blushes and shakes her head.

"don't look at me like that, [y/n]," she giggles, playfully poking my side and leaning closer to my ear teasingly, "i won't be the one getting asked to officially be a girlfriend tonight.."

i roll my eyes and grin, shaking my head as my cheeks redden. "oh, hush, enid. between you and me, i kinda hope i get a little more than that."

"don't tell xavier i said any of this, but he told ajax he definitely wants to do more than just that if you were comfortable with it." enid whispers, watching my eyes widen before she then turns back to ajax as xavier hands me a drink and stands right next to me.

i take a sip and look down at the floor in disbelief. sure, xavier and i had made out before, but that never escalated because i always assumed he would want to wait awhile given how seriously he takes relationships and commitment. but before i could get too in depth of my thoughts, i broke the trance by looking back up to my date and linking our arms.

maybe, if what enid said was true, he would take what i was about to say seriously. if he really wanted to make tonight special, i'm sure he would do almost anything i wanted to, even if it was a small, stupid request.

"you wanna go to your dorm?" i ask, watching his expression change. "i forgot my phone back there before we left and i really want to take some pictures tonight."

xavier looked a bit confused, but nodded after taking my drink and setting it down on the table. he looked to ajax and grabbed my hand. "we'll be right back, [y/n] left her phone in my dorm."

ajax smirked, chuckling a bit to himself before nodding. "okay, don't be too long."

xavier grinned and turned the other way, leading me out of the room and down the long hallway that lead back to his room. as we walked, there was a silence that consumed us. i could feel his palms begin to sweat and his eyes glue to me while we took the steps closer to his dorm. i may not be gifted enough to read minds, but i knew for a fact exactly what he was thinking about.

i glance up to him as he unlocks the door, letting me walk in first. i watch him shut it, and upon his turning around to face me, i tilt my head with a confident, teasing smirk.

"i think you know i didn't forget my phone, xavier." i say quietly, walking back up to him, and watching the back of his tall, pale build press against the wooden door.

he nods slowly, looking down at me and moving his hands to my back, sliding them down onto my ass as i take my own hands and press them against the front of his suit. i lean up to kiss him, feeling him eagerly return the gesture through his own lips, and his fingers as they grabbed my ass cheeks assertively.

i pull away after a minute, and take one of my hands, moving it to the bulge that was beginning to grow in his pants, and gently press my fingers against it. i watch him take a heavy breath, looking down at me with lust in his eyes.

"i also think you know i'm not going to let you take control over what's about to happen, or have any part of me, if you don't even officially have me as yours," i mutter as i look up to meet his eyes, then motion my lips to his ear, "so if you want me so bad, then why don't you ask me what you were planning to ask me tonight?"

xavier leaned down, moving one hand to hold the back of my head, his lips tracing from my neck to my right ear, where he speaks quietly, but in a whining way, as if he could barely even take what i was doing to him right now.

"will you be my girlfriend, [y/n]?" he asked genuinely, but nonetheless seductively, as i could feel his hot, staggered breath against my skin.

i grin, moving my hands off of his lower body and to cup his cheeks, pecking his lips softly. "of course.. but i also want to ask you something, too, xav."

"anything, baby."

i look up to meet his eyes, and hold piercing eye contact, so much to the point i wanted him to feel uneasy but sinfully turned on at the same time.

"how badly do you want me to fuck you?"

he signed, a smirk painted on his face, shaking his head. "you don't even know how long i've wanted you to."

i take his hand and turn towards his bed, but feel his free hand grab the back of my neck, making me yip as he turns me around, my face stained red with surprise when he crashes his lips against mine unexpectedly. i quickly wrap my arms around him, feeling him lead me out of the dorm room, shutting the door behind himself as we stumble down the empty hallway.

i pull away, my eyes wide as i look around. "what are you doing?" i asked confused, "we can't do anything out here."

"sure we can. we'll go right back to the dance after anyway." xavier nips back, grabbing me by the ass and picking me up, setting me on the decorative table in the hallway of dorms, getting on his knees and sliding his warm hands up my long dress, pulling my underwear off withing seconds, before moving his head underneath my dress, as i spread my legs almost instinctively. i feel his tongue meet my clit, and my eyes widen, my face moving to pull my dress up just enough to where i could grab onto his hair.

"h-holy shit..!" i gasp as his arms wrap around my legs. "this is fucking crazy.." i breathe, oddly turned on by how risky, yet how dominant xavier was being at the same time. this was a side of him that even i couldn't predict, and while i was more dominantly natured, i was never going to let something this fucking hot stop just to defend my sexual ego.

his tongue circled my clit, quickly sending a knot in stomach as i grew wet within seconds, which he obviously picked up on as he let go of one of my legs and motioned his fingers from my inner thigh to my entrance, where he slid his middle finger in, earning a heavy moan from me.

he pulled his tongue away from my clit, standing up as he began to finger me with a second finger, looking down at me with a now messy bun on his end, his front pieces sticking to his wet lips. he smirks, almost tauntingly, as he finger fucks me on the table, which was now hitting the wall from how aggressively he was pumping his fingers in me. he leaned down to peck my lips, then licked his own.

"i think the real question is how badly do you want me to fuck you?"

i shake my head, looking up to him with a seductive grin. "you know i'd never let that happen without a fight."

xavier scoffs, moving his free hand to my throat, holding it lightly while he continues to rock my body, and the furniture, against the wall. i close my eyes, and lift my head up, as my mouth hangs open while he continues to penetrate me, so much to the point its almost painful, but deeply enjoyable at the same time. he watches me get closer and closer to my climax, and just as my breath cuts short, and i feel my legs shake while my core tightens at every pump of his fingers, he pulls away, sticking his wet fingers in my mouth before i could even speak.

"you wanna cum, you'll let me fuck you." he says, moving his hand from my neck to my waist, picking me up and letting me stand back up, my white heels now clicking against the tile floor while he turns my body around. i feel him hike up my dress, and his fingers slide out of my mouth, which only hung open in complete shock at what the fuck was happening right now.

i feel his cold belt buckle graze my ass cheek as his pants slide to the floor, and he bends me down with one hand, while the other slides his dick inside of my already wet entrance. i gasp, feeling him slide inside as he then grabs my waist, holding me as he begins to pump himself in and out of me while i lean against the table, holding the ends while my boyfriend fucks me like i never expected him to.

"you're so fucking beautiful, baby.. you don't even know.." xavier praised, kissing the back of my neck. "i've wanted you to be mine for so long.."

i let out a soft moan as he trails kisses from my neck to my cheek. i turn my head to lock our lips, "let me fuck you, xav.."

he shook his head, pecking my ear, and sliding himself out of me, watching as i turn myself around, grabbing his hand and turning right back to the door of his dorm, quickly opening it and shutting it.

"while what you pulled out there was so fucking hot, i'd rather fuck in private if i'm doing all the work." i smirk, standing before him and pulling my dress off, dropping it to the floor. i watch him undress, then press my hand against his chest, pushing him on his bed and standing above him.

"oh really?' xavier bit his tongue, looking me up and down. "what do you want me to do, hm? you've gotta do more than just look at me, [y/n]."

i slide my heels off, getting on the bed and taking his dick with one hand, teasingly rubbing it back and forth across my folds while i look down at him. "beg for it."

"do i really have to beg for something i already have?" he teased, moving his hands to my hips, and slamming me down on his dick. i gasp, feeling himself fill my insides up as he holds my love handles. "ride my dick please, mommy."

i let out a moan, immediately turned on from his words as i begin to rock my body back and forth, taking one of his hands and lacing our fingers together, leaning down to peck his lips affectionately.

"you don't understand how much that turns me on, xav.. way more than you know.." i mutter between staggered kisses, feeling his hand slide down my back, guiding me as i move my body in rhythm, while he begins to thrust underneath me.

"same here.." he admits, looking up to meet my eyes again, squeezing my hand. "everything about you turns me on. i've never wanted anyone more than you.."

i lean up, letting go of his hand and moving my fingers to my clit, stimulating myself while he now pumps himself into me, his hand reaching over to grab my tits as they bounced. our moans sync as we fuck, the bed creaking with each and every movement. i close my eyes as my climax nears, which he takes note of, quickening his pace and twisting my right nipple to further stimulate me.

"oh fuck, baby, i'm gonna fucking cum... fuckkk..." xavier cooes, his head hitting the mattress while he fucks me from underneath. i nod, nearly pushing myself to my limit as i rock my body with his, our hips clashing together, before we both let out a loud moan, and xavier finishes inside me, his cum dripping out of my pussy once i slide myself off and onto the mattress aside him.

he turns himself to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me affectionately, then pecks my forehead, before putting a hand in my hair and guiding my head to his chest.

"how... how were you so good at that..?" i ask quietly, regaining my breath while i move my legs to intertwine with his.

xavier chuckled, looking down at me. "uhmm... it was actually a dream i had about us... and i realized you wanted to have sex just as much as i did.. so i sort of thought about it so much to the point i knew exactly what you wanted me to do, and i knew you'd like it just as much as i did."

i look up to him, sitting up with a shocked yet entertained face. "no fucking way. your wet dreams, and powers, are way better than mine. you better tell me the next time you have a dream because i need to be way more prepared for that."

"for sure." xavier laughed, kissing my cheek. "but on a real note, i am really happy we're official now, [y/n]. seriously."

"me too, xav." i smile, resting my head on his chest again. "but don't we have a dance to get back to now?"

"oh shit, i forgot about that. oh well." he shrugged, wrapping his arms around me. "there's always next year."

#wednesday #xavier thorpe #xavier thorpe smut #netflix wednesday #smut #x yn #smut writing #wednesday series

1K notes · View notes

ecoamerica · 2 months

Text

youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

15K notes · View notes

rosewaterandivy · 2 months

Text

stop making plans / start making sense

Summary: eddie finds himself smack dab in the middle of an ap english iv class, all because some do-gooders at Hawkins High happen to “believe in him” or whatever. the catch? it just so happens to be your ap english class.

A continuation of this blurb and the result of an ongoing eddie munson hc convo with @powderblueblood 💚

Warnings: eddie’s senior year 2.0, no Upside Down, scary smart debate team captain reader, NHS president and tutor nancy wheeler, ap music theory nerd and general nuisance robin buckley, pretentiousness alert - you have been warned!

W.C.: 1771

It’s his second time around as a senior, not even the first week of school under his belt when Mrs. Meloy calls him into her office. The counseling center, which he is unfortunately far too familiar with, is busy as it usually is at the beginning of the year— schedule changes, registration, students complaining about not getting late arrival or early dismissal. Before he can settle in one of the worn chairs by the door, a woman pops her outside of an office door. She glances around, blue eyes searching for someone or something, before landing on Eddie.

“Think the wall can hold itself up just fine Edward,” She calls as she opens the door to her office and waves him in.

He grouses at the use of his full name and rolls his eyes, languidly strolling into the smaller room that smells overwhelmingly of cinnamon.

“Go ahead and make yourself comfortable.”

She’s turned around, fingers flicking through thick manilla files in the cabinet in front of her. A cup of coffee sits on her cluttered desk, cold, from the looks of it. Mrs. Meloy mutters under her breath before turning from the filing cabinet in annoyance.

“It’s only the first week of school,” Eddie points out, “I haven’t done anything.”

The yet between them goes unspoken.

The older woman merely raises a knowing brow and takes her seat opposite him. She sorts through a few loose papers on her desk before letting out a surprised huff, “Gotcha!” Flipping through the file, his file, Eddie supposes, her eyes scan over what is undoubtedly his lack of academic achievement.

Satisfied with her perusal, she sets the papers down on her desk and addresses him.

“Round two.” Mrs. Meloy begins, resignedly. “Hopefully the NHS tutoring placement will be to your benefit Mr. Munson. Miss Wheeler is an exemplary student and I have high hopes for you under her tutelage.”

She then runs through his current schedule, emphasizing the classes he needs to perform well in (mostly all of them, save for English and a few others).

“Which brings me to the reason for our meeting today,” she says with a smile. “It has not escaped my notice, nor that of Mrs. Seguin, that you are quite adept in English class. At least,” she qualifies with a pull of her lips, “When properly motivated.”

And yeah, okay, he was decidedly not trying all that hard in Mrs. S.’s senior English class last year and he breezed through with a respectable A minus.

Wayne even got a little choked up when he read that particular report card.

“I guess so,” he says with a cross of his arms.

“Rather than having you repeat the same content and curriculum this year, Mrs. Seguin and I have petitioned the principal for permission to move you into a more challenging and appropriate English class.”

Well, that perks him right up.

“Principal Higgins has agreed to the change, with a few stipulations.”

Of fucking course.

The gist of it is, Eddie’s admittance to the AP English IV class will be probationary for the first quarter, given his past exploits and record. If he can keep his grades at a respectable B across the board, Eddie will be permanently placed in Mrs. Seguin’s advanced class. If he can’t, it’s back to regular Senior English with that crone, Mrs. Cotter.

Easy peasy.

And he’s almost out the door when Meloy stops him with a furitive, “Eddie,” and pauses to look him in the eye. “We believe in you and we went to the mat with Higgins on this.” She says emphatically, standing up to escort him through the office, “You can do this, Eddie, we know you can.”

She smiles and sends him off with his newly revised schedule, the summer reading assignment, and information for Wayne to peruse about Advanced Placement courses.

The rest of that day unfolded as expected despite his new schedule. Slight differences were made, such as: Eddie sitting in the middle of the class instead of the back, hopefully next to Buckley or Wheeler if he could swing it.

With Nancy’s help, he was able to narrow the summer reading options down to books that would hold his interest. The librarian, Ms. Berkowitz, was more than happy to oblige him with checking out a copy of Notes from the Underground by some Russian dude whose name Eddie couldn’t possibly pronounce.

The bell for the final class of the day rang just as he slipped through Mrs. Seguin’s door.

“Timely as ever,” she teased and kicked the door stop into the classroom.

Her room was the same as last year, but the mood within was markedly different— more relaxed and at ease. Students sat where they pleased and chatted amongst themselves while Mrs. S. checked off the roll and fielded a few questions from the group.

Eddie settled in the only open seat right in between Nancy and yourself. He tried not to be offended that you didn’t even glance up from your furious scribbling on the page, seemingly writing a mile a minute, as if you couldn’t get the words out fast enough.

Ink smeared on the college ruled paper underneath your hand.

Eddie found it endearing.

“Okay, okay, let’s get this show on the road.” Mrs. S. set her clipboard on the desk and leaned against it with a casual grace.

She was one of the newer teachers to Hawkins High, from some big name school out west with not one, but two degrees framed on the wall behind her desk. She was young and quick to laugh; the older teachers were a bit weary of her and those “new agey” teaching philosophies, but the results produced were proof enough for her to granted the AP English III and IV courses for this year. According to Nancy, she’d only had AP juniors and regular seniors last year.

Eddie, being one of those regular students, would know.

“Alright, hopefully we’ve brought in our summer reading novels today. The goal is to break you all into thematic groups based on your selected text. From there, you will collaborate with your peers to create a presentation on your findings.”

With this, she steps away from her desk and begins writing on the chalkboard.

“Consider such things as character archetype, thematic resonance, literary merit, of course. But more importantly,” she says, turning to the class with a smile, “How did the story affect you? What new perspective or insights were gained? What concepts were reinforced? Did you despise the protagonist, or did you identify too closely with them?”

The class has fallen to a hush, you’ve stopped writing and are rapt with attention. Eddie, used to overworked teachers and coaches who could care less, is shocked.

“I remind you, as always, that there are no right or wrong answers in here. As long as you can support your interpretation—” She begins.

“With evidence from the text,” The class choruses in reply.

“Good, exactly.”

At that, students break away into smaller groups and begin talking in hushed tones about the project.

“Whatcha got there?”

This, from Robin, who unceremoniously plucks Eddie’s book from his grasp. She flips through it, eyes lighting in interest, just as Mrs. Seguin makes her way over.

“Eddie, always good to see you.”

“Right back at ya, Mrs. S.”

She smirks, eyeing Robin scanning through Dostoevsky. “Had a feeling you’d gravitate toward the nihilists. Got a chance to start reading yet?”

He swipes the book back from Robin and ignores her petulant pout.

“Uh, kinda. Started it during lunch today.”

She nods knowingly, “Well, I’m sure you’ll be caught up in no time.” Surveying the classroom she nods to herself, “And now that I think of it,” She turns back to Eddie, “Looks like you’re in the right group over here.”

He almost says there is no group over here, but then he notices Nancy and Robin chatting with you. Feeling his stare, you turn back from where you’ve set up shop on Robin’s desk and jerk your head, an invitation by any other name.

“C’mon Munson, we don’t have all day.” You say this softly, chidingly, with no real heat behind it. Your eyes narrow as a group gets particularly loud across the way, “Because I’m certainly not about to let Phillips show us up.”

“Oh, bite me!” Phillips crows from his desk.

“You wish, you cretin!”

Eddie does his best to hide the curl of his lips and stifle a laugh while Phillips sulks at his desk.

Robin thumbs through a worn copy of Nausea while Nancy talks Eddie through the plan thus far. She’s read The Death of Ivan Ilyich and come to the conclusion that the novels in the group are both deeply depressing and deal with themes of existentialism, and in some cases, nihilism.

“I dunno. Philosophy is all well and good, but,” you pipe up, “Mine had elements of magical realism and a satirical critique of Soviet Russia.”

Eddie attempts to process what you and Wheeler have just said. Sensing a lull in the conversation, you slyly pass your novel over to Eddie and start to take notes over whatever it is Nancy is rambling on about.

The Master and Margartia.

Huh, weird title.

He reads the blurb on the back cover and kind of regrets not choosing this one to read. Maybe you’ll let him borrow it after the project is over. Setting it back on your desk, Eddie peruses the syllabus Mrs. S. must’ve slipped him.

“So, will that work for you Eddie?”

Lost in a daze of genres and titles, he looks up. “Sorry, what was that?”

Nancy sighs, “We’re going to meet at my house on Thursday for a study group. I know you and Mike have that thing on Fridays, so.”

“Oh, yeah. Thanks Wheeler; that’ll work.”

With a smile, she goes back to chatting with Robin.

“Psst.”

A neatly folded paper lands on his desk. Eddie glances at you, curious, taking in your arched brow and smirk.

Scary smart, he reminds himself as he unfurls the page.

I know Nance is your NHS tutor, but if you feel like you need to catch-up for this class, give me a call.

Your deft hand and neatly printed letters dance across the page, an errant smear of ink where the heel of your hand drug across the paper. The digits of your phone number underneath your missive make his heart race.

Annotating your copy of Dune without permission was one thing. And at that you didn’t even bat an eye, but this…

Well, this had potential.

He tries not to let the possibility of what if turn to ash in his mouth.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fanfic #stranger things fanfic

104 notes · View notes

babydollmarauders · 1 year

Note

luke blurb with 40. “You come here often?” “Well, I work here. So I think I’d have to say ‘yes’.”? maybe reader works at the rink/a local spot the team go to often?

notes: i’m not gonna lie, i definitely got carried away with this one.

my night has been a disaster. if anyone asks, i would have to tell them that i do not recommend working at a bar close to a hockey arena. and if they must, then try not to be scheduled on game nights.

i’ve been yelled at, dropped plates, had my ass slapped by drunk men, had people stiff me on tips, and spilled a beer down the front of a customer after someone knocked into me from behind. i’ve officially given up on my night getting any better, now just counting down the hours until i go home.

i had hoped that my favorite customers would be here tonight, as they always turn my night around; but they usually come in around eleven on game nights, and it’s now eleven-thirty and they’ve still yet to show.

sighing, i sink into the stool behind the hostess stand, letting my head hang forward and drop onto the wooden stand. the bell above the door rings, signifying a new patron, but i can’t get myself to lift my head, just letting out another deep exhale.

“bad night, y/n/n?” the voice is like music to my ears, my mood instantly perking up. i raise my head, a grin spreading across my lips.

“John!” i stand from my stool, my eyes scanning the group of guys. “it’s been an off night, but a lot better now that you guys are here. was starting to think you weren’t gonna show!”

“we would never leave our favorite waitress hanging!” Dawson jokes as i make my way over to their unofficially designated table, the 3 boys following behind me.

“no Jack tonight?” i wonder as they take their seats in the circular booth.

“he’ll catch up with us. he had to wait for the rookie.” Nico tells me and i nod in understanding.

“got it. you guys wanna wait for him or do you want your beers now?” i ask.

“now. now is good.” John affirms, making me chuckle. i nod once more and quickly make my way over to the bar.

“3 beers!” i smile at the bartender and he chuckles as grabs the drinks for me, already knowing who they’re for. i hastily make my way back to the table, dropping off the drinks.

“anything else for now?” i question and Dawson nods.

“three orders of cheese fries.” he holds up three fingers, making me smile.

“you got it. that all?”

“that’s it for now. thanks, y/n/n.” Nico assures me.

“i’ll be back with that. if i’m not back by the time he’s here, just have Jack come and find me and i’ll get him his beer.” i tell them before i take off to the kitchen, letting the chefs know their order. while i wait, i drop down onto a seat at the bar, making conversation with the bartender.

“hi.” someone’s sidles up beside me. i turn my head, coming to see a boy addressing the bartender. he appears to be around my age, curly hair, and slightly resembling one of my favorite customers, which makes me furrow my brows as i assess him. “can i get a coke and a beer?”

the bartender nods and gets to work on the drinks, making me roll my eyes at his nonchalance about checking ID’s. it’s always been an issue with him. something he seemingly forgets to do.

the boy turns his head to look at me, catching me scanning him. he smirks, striking another resemblance to my favorite customer.

“hey.” he nods his head once at me.

“hi.” i reply, giving him a smile.

“you come here often?” he asks, making me giggle at his obliviousness.

“well, i work here. so i think i’d have to say ‘yes’.” i tell him. his cheeks turn pink at my words and he lets out an awkward chuckle.

“oh. sorry, it’s my first time here, i didn’t know.” he says, scratching the back of his neck as the bartender returns with his drinks before going to help another customer. “i’m Luke.”

“i’m y/n.” i smirk. “you old enough for that beer, Luke? ‘cause you look about my age, and i know i’m not old enough.”

“oh, the beer isn’t for me. the coke is. the beer is for my brother, who’s twenty-one.” he explains, and i decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, accepting his excuse. however, before i can speak again, my tables order is called.

“okay. you should get that to him then. hopefully i’ll see you again, Luke.” i stand from my seat, walking away towards the order window as he calls out a goodbye.

picking up the tray with three plates of cheese fries, i say my thanks to the chefs before making my way towards the table. my eyes stay locked on the floor, making sure nothing is in my way to trip me like earlier in the night. finally, and safely, arriving to the table, i smile.

“cheese fries for my favorite guys.” i chime, setting the plates on the table.

“thanks, y/n/n!” i look up at the owner of the voice.

“Jacky! you arrived!” i cheer, making him laugh.

“the guys told you i’d be joining, right? just had to wait for my brother.” he tells me.

“your brother?”

“the rookie.” Nico informs me and i nod.

“oh, there he is now!” Jack exclaims, making me turn my head to find him.

“Luke!” i cheer, gaining the attention of said boy.

“oh hey, y/n!” he smiles as he drops into the booth, sliding the beer in his hand over to Jack.

“you guys know each other?” Jack asks, his face scrunched in confusion.

“oh yeah, we go way back.” Luke jokes, making me giggle.

“a whole five minutes, when he hit on me at the bar.” i tell them, making Luke bury his face in his hands as the boys laugh. “aww don’t worry, Luke. i won’t tell them what you said.”

the four others immediately start questioning us, asking what line Luke had used. i laugh at his red face as he answers.

“i asked if she comes here often.” he mumbles, making the others burst out in laughter, quickly chirping him for his lame pickup line and how it backfired.

“hey, y/n/n? can i get another beer?” John asks and i nod, excusing myself to the bar once more. while waiting for the beer from the bartender, i grab a napkin, hastily scribbling on it with a pen.

“here ya go.” i grab the beer from the bartender, clutching the napkin in my other hand, making my way over to the table.

“one beer.” i place the drink in front of John before placing the napkin in front of Luke. “and one napkin.”

“i didn’t- oh.” his sentence dies off as he spots the number sprawled across it. i wink at him as i turn to leave.

“what is it?” i hear Jack ask before he lets out an ‘oooh!’

“little bro got game!” Jack cheers and i peek over my shoulder to see him slap Luke’s shoulder in excitement.

#luke hughes #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes blurb #luke hughes imagine #luke hughes fic #new jersey devils #nhl blurb #nhl imagine #faithlynn’s writings <3 #debut!blurbs

542 notes · View notes

cassandraclare · 1 year

Text

no mourners, no funerals

spoilers!!

poesflowercrown asked: Why didn't we see kit's [Christopher Lightwood's] funeral

Okay, so quite a lot of the questions I’ve gotten are some form of “Why wasn’t there a funeral for Christopher?”

And the answer is that Christopher surely did have a funeral — but that it strikes me as fairly obvious why he didn’t have one that took place during the time when London was under attack by Belial. Also, had they had a funeral in Idris during this time (where his body was, and where they have funerals), we have no POV characters who are there to see it.

After that, we jump ahead six months, and obviously his funeral isn’t going to be after such a long period of time has elapsed — instead we see grief at the stage of what it is often like after half-a-year: the most active part of the mourning is over, and the Shadowhunters are moving into fitting Christopher and the grief for him into lives that go on and go forward. James dreams of dead Christopher almost every night, and yet he is still moving on with his life: they are Shadowhunters, this is how they live, knowing life can always be interrupted by destruction, battle or war, and knowing (in a way mundanes don’t) that any day carries with it the possibility of immediate death and loss.

Now, could I have shattered the structure and timing of the book to shove in a funeral between the coda and the wrap-up of the epilogue? I think it would have been a lot of more jarring and weird than people realize, but I also think that it wouldn’t have offered anything. I get a lot of questions that seem to think a funeral for Christopher would have offered “closure” somehow — either to the characters or readers — and the fact that I don’t think it would have done anything like that, or offered anything useful or meaningful, is partly why I didn’t include it.

Shadowhunter funerals aren’t like mundane (human!) funerals: they’re not for closure, but rather for generally honoring the dead of war, because the Shadowhunters live in a constant state of war. What would have happened at a funeral for Christopher is that he would have been burned on a pyre along with Elias and those who died freeing London; people would have come up and given polite condolences to Gabriel and Cecily, the Consul would have given a general speech, and that’s about it. We see this with Livvy’s funeral. — how it is entirely unspecific to Livvy. We see how much closure her funeral offers her family (none, basically.) I think what people are imagining as “Christopher’s funeral” (everyone cries, makes speeches, has feelings) is not what a Shadowhunter funeral is.

There is one more thing I would say, which is that death, as depicted in art and fiction, is not required to offer closure. Sometimes the point is to sit with that lack of closure, and feel the absence of that person, that character, because living with the death of someone close to you is often living without total closure: sometimes for a long time, sometimes forever. That is okay. It is not required of books that emotions be neatly put away at the end of them, like guest towels. Sometimes they are just there to be felt afterward.

[I have also seen people say that Christopher’s friends didn’t mourn for him — which is so bizarre I haven’t decided whether to address it or just leave it as a Thing We Totally Disagree About, like the many questions I get about how we “never see that Tessa loves Jem” or “Isabelle doesn’t care that Max died” etc. Sometimes you just can’t see eye to eye about things; I don’t really get how Thomas being so stricken by Christopher’s death that his physical appearance is literally altered forever, or Anna “turning to stone” with grief, or Matthew being unable to even say Christopher’s name without flinching in pain, is “not mourning”, but we all have our different ideas of how things should be depicted. I tend to believe in a less-is-more philosophy about showing intense emotion, but we are not all that way!]

Anyway, closure. The intense mourning for Christopher in the Sanctuary is short-lived not because the Shadowhunters have gotten bored mourning intensely, but because of Belial. Because they are at war, and then and forever their grief for Christopher must fit itself within the interstices of them needing to save the world. In looking at research into Shadowhunter mourning, I looked at the way people mourn when they are either civilians in war, or soldiers on the front lines, because all Shadowhunters are all least one of those things. A great deal of intense compartmentalizing is required, because the preservation of life going forward must be the priority. The Shadowhunters know this; they are raised knowing this. They know that not only may you be called upon to sacrifice your own life to be what you are, but that it is likely you will lose other people, and if you lose them in battle, you have also sacrificed the ability to stop the world and engage in just grieving. You sacrifice, sometimes, even the ability to bury your dead or to know where they died. As Lucie observes:

“And now they were back at the Institute courtyard, which was empty and quiet, as it always was. There was no scar here, no sign of the dreadful things that had happened there such a short time ago. Lucie envisioned a plaque: HERE IS WHERE IT ALL BROKE APART. Matthew and James’s vanishing, Christopher’s death—they seemed both very close, a trauma still ongoing, and yet far away.

On the other hand, she thought, this courtyard had been torn up by Leviathan a couple of weeks ago, and there was no sign of that, either. Perhaps to be a Shadowhunter simply meant drawing runes over one’s scars, over and over.”

They mourn, they grieve, they have to go on — to “draw runes over their scars” — because the other option is wallowing in grief and doing nothing to prevent Belial winning. Lucie is feeling these things as “far away” because they have to be shoved down in order for the Shadowhunters to continue doing what they need to do. They can’t lie on the ground and scream NOOOOOO for days; they honor Christopher by going on, by seeing his project through to the end and using it to save countless lives. Which is what Christopher would have wanted — not a cold and monotonous funeral in Idris.

So short answer: I didn’t think a funeral for Christopher would have provided anything worthwhile to the story, but rather would have made it worse. In the end, that’s usual the answer to the why of any decision. :)

#chot #chain of thorns #spoilers

778 notes · View notes

chaotic-archaeologist · 19 days

Note

long time follower, first time asker... i really need some wisdom or encouragement right now. i'm in my 30s and have been working on a bachelor's degree for years, in fits and starts, with a lot of setbacks. (finally landed on history with religious studies minor, but i used to study anthropology as well.) the thing is, i recently watched a guest lecture by a wonderful religious scholar (dr. francesca stavrakopoulou) and she was so... inspiring? erudite? smart? she was incredible to listen to, she seemed so in touch with her field and was able to draw amazing connections and answer questions with references to multiple religions and languages off the top of her head, was able to recommend peers of hers by name for other specialities, it was really inspiring.

but as awesome as she was, after the lecture was finished i was a little devastated because i feel like i will never be able to achieve that level of ease and expertise no matter how much i study. i feel like a fraud, i feel like my adhd is holding me back and turning my brain into swiss cheese. it's already taking me so much longer to get a bachelor's than it should and i'm painfully aware you have to have a PhD to really work as a historian; i feel like i'm so far behind that i'll never catch up and that as i get older i'll just get worse at learning... is this imposter syndrome? am i just struggling with a plateau and need to push harder to reach the next level? am i just not cut out for academia? have other academics also struggled with this? what do i do? :( i love this field more than anything, i have wanted to study people and history since i was in high school. i don't even know what i would do with my life if not this, but i just don't know if i'm completely out of my league and living in a fantasy land or if having a career as a historian is really still possible...

You know what, I'm really glad you asked this question.

I had a very similar experience recently, where I went to an academic talk that was so well done it left me thinking well shit, I'll never be able to do something like that. But you know what? I really do think that's the imposter syndrome talking.

I'm a fan of the four stages of learning. Unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence.

You and I, as upper level students, are maybe somewhere on the cusp of conscious incompetence and conscious competence, which is not an especially comfortable place to be. We're aware of how much we don't know, and when we do things, we have to try really hard to be good at them.

The talks we both watched were given by people at the level of unconscious competence. And you know how they got to that level? By doing a PhD and spending a really long time immersed in the literature. They started their learning journeys earlier, and so they know more than we do right now. Which is normal!!! At this point in our careers, we are not expected to be able to do work like this, and there's a reason for that—we're not ready yet. But with time, we will get there.

(Psst, you know what the biggest prerequisite for giving a talk like that is? It's passion and a genuine interest in your field. You can't learn that, or force it if it's not there. And it sounds like you've got it covered.)

So now I'd like to address your fears of being too old. I totally understand—ageism is real, and it's especially hard in college settings where everyone around you tends to be 1) much younger, and 2) on the high school -> college track. Not being on that track is not a moral failing. The higher education system in the United States is very hostile to anyone who doesn't perfectly fit into the university's machinery. That is a problem with academia, not with you.

I know plenty of nontraditional students who have gotten their degrees at varying ages. When they give you your diploma, it won't have your age on it or how long it took you to get your degree. What matters is that you've earned it, not when. Better now than never. Don't give up.

I would like you to try to do on thing for me: look back through your life and make a list of all the moments where you had an "aha" moment. When you realized this was something you wanted to do for the rest of your life. When you did something and felt good about it. And I do really mean write! it! down! Keep this list (and add to it) so you can look back at it. I pay attention to stuff like this when I write in my journal so I can remind myself during low moments.

Congratulations, it sounds like you're passionate about something enough to pursue it doggedly, even when things are difficult! That's something special that not everyone gets to have. I think you owe it to yourself to do your very best to pursue your dream.

-Reid

#academic advice #academia #imposter syndrome #internet brother

57 notes · View notes

lord-angelfish · 11 months

Text

So! This is the full argument that I made, copied word for word from the draft that I sent a dear friend of mine to proofread. This happened during the conversation with the other Bangs & Bangability mods leading up to my resignation sent in the discord server and the subsequent fallout here. I'll also include a direct transcription of the response I got to it. All under the cut because it's very long.

Regarding the earlier conversation, there are a few points I need to make with regards to the direction we seem to be heading in. To start, organizing in favor of a specific subset of participants to the detriment of another is unethical and unjust, which will make us seem and in truth be untrustworthy and unreliable in a management capacity. As stated previously, should that be the course of action taken, I will be obligated to step down and will no longer be able to participate in good faith. The reception and handling of the primary brought-upon issue (re: Wincest and incest inclusion) have been presented in a way that implies a strong personal bias amongst administration. If this was going to become a significant problem, or in the event that there were concerns with how it would affect the bang's run, it should have been addressed during the discussions and preparations before sign ups were opened to avoid false advertising and participant fallout. The point of a moderation team is that it's supposed to function as a team. Should a member of said team struggle with a personal bias or aversion to something stipulated in the rules upon sign up, yet still wanted to participate, then discussion ought to be opened up immediately. As I am someone capable and willing to handle the content prompting the aforementioned problem (re: Wincest and incest), the entire situation could have been smoothed over far sooner and with significantly more finesse. Personal boundaries can and should be set for both staff and participants, but without alienating an entire subset of participants or abandoning responsibility for said participants entirely, after already promising inclusion, safety, and accomodations for. On a personal level, fundamental to my moderation policy is that a moderator can not and should not be expected to be personally responsible for the triggers or squicks of every individual in their event or server. As a member of any given staff, one can only provide tools for each individual implement on their own to protect themselves at their own discretion. To wit, our goal should be to be able to say "We have enabled you to avoid the chat that makes you uncomfortable. It's now up to you to curate your space and stay out of conversations and spaces that upset you."

The response I got to this (transcribed directly from a screenshot and names left out to protect the privacy of the person in question) was this:

"Wow don't even. I would like to be inclusive and I did just open a dialogue with the mods, in the private mod chat, not in the middle of the fucking server. And if you read back, you will note that I said absolutely next round the rules are being changed. But you know what? If I need to do it sooner, I will. Bottom line, this is my baby and I can adjust so everything is copacetic for the majority of participants. And if that means alienating a handful of people who think fucking their siblings is a valid lifestyle choice, well, shit. Sorry if that's offensive to you"

I'm posting this in the interests of full transparency so please do not send hate or anything to the mods of the bang. I'm just very disappointed that an event that was supposed to be inclusive ended up going to shit for people. I'd also like to point out that the phrase "...a handful of people who think fucking their siblings is a valid lifestyle choice..." is just recycling old anti arguments and banking on a disgust reaction to back up the completely nonsensical argument made.

Please feel free to ask me any questions you have about this!

#i like talking at y'all #wank tag #discourse tag #fandom wank #fandom discourse #spnbangsandbangability #spn #bangsandbangability

166 notes · View notes

andrewwtca · 1 year

Text

a Soriku Endgame, Actually essay on Light and Darkness

Also available to read on Archive of our Own.

Kingdom Hearts, with Sora and Riku in particular, has been on my mind as of late. It’s always been on my mind, to be honest, ever since I first got into the series. It’s grabbed my hand and hasn’t let go, especially with all the new lore. And yet, I’ve been struggling to make peace with myself.

On one hand, I don't want to get my hopes up, thinking that Sora and Riku would ever become something 'more' or that what I’m seeing is anything other than in-depth speculation. I've had my heart broken before and this series means too much to me for me to foolishly dive in like this.

On the other hand, I can't ignore what the story is telling me, as a literary analysis enthusiast and as a diehard fan. There have been parallels established, setups finally going through, and Nomura has said before that “this series is not intended to be child-focused, and so the complexity of the story is purposely made prominent.” I can’t keep turning a blind eye, knowing everything I know, thinking everything I think. If I did, I feel like I would be doing a disservice to both my experiences with the series and my experiences as a person.

So yeah—Soriku Endgame, Actually. Today, I’m arguing its canonicality because of the balance of Light and Darkness (or lack thereof) throughout the series. Please enjoy my messy and impassioned essay!

a sky of falling stars

The Children of Destiny is a new concept introduced to us in the finale of Dark Road. To summarize, they are people with the ability to feel what others feel, connect, and become one with them—empaths with Light.

It appears that the Children of Destiny are all descendants of Ephemer, characterized by silvery hair. There's Ephemer, there's Baldr, there's Xehanort—and, oh yeah, there's Riku.

Upon the release of the finale, a lot of people—myself included—quickly jumped to the conclusion that Sora is a Child of Destiny, which isn't all that wrong. If we're going by what the games have given us, Sora is very special. What other character has housed five different hearts inside his own? What other character had an entire arc in Birth by Sleep talking about how he felt the pain in someone else’s heart?

But Nomura has insisted since the beginning that Sora is an ordinary boy, that he wasn't born with anything special, explaining that he “had the premise that a heart like Sora’s exists within all the players. Sora is ‘ordinary’, therefore everyone is ‘ordinary.” (Before anyone argues Nomura is just going through a retcon, I doubt he would go through with one to this extent, given how he has had the ending to the Dark Seeker Saga in mind for years.)

Riku, on the other hand, has not been given this kind of treatment at all. He's always been painted as a golden child, better than Sora at everything, being the original bearer of the Keyblade. For crying out loud, he had a light in Birth By Sleep that was seen from space, not Sora. If you factor in bloodlines, it wouldn't be too far off to theorize that Riku is a descendent of Ephemer's line. Riku isn't who most look at first, but all signs lead to him being a Child of Destiny.

But that doesn't explain Sora at all. He may not have been born special like Riku, but he's special somehow. After all, Nomura did finish his ‘Sora isn't special’ line with, “I figure even if you’re ‘ordinary’, for something important, everyone can exhibit a special power just like Sora.” Aqua even calls out that Sora is the one who can set things right, the boy who can touch others’ hearts.

And that is where the necklace theory comes in.

Sora has always been associated with royalty, sitting on a throne in box art or having crowns plastered around him—or on him. From his debut, Sora has had a crown necklace that has never been explained. Despite wearing it in every outfit, it's never been addressed how it came to be.

It’s after Aqua and Terra came, judging by the BBS cutscenes of him and Riku. But it’s before KH1, as that's when his journey began. That’s a huge timeframe, from being a kid to deciding to leave the islands, but it's easy to pinpoint a time when considering something the games still never fully fleshed out: the meteor shower.

In Chain of Memories, Sora and Riku fight over this memory they supposedly both had of Namine one night during a meteor shower. One of them promised they would keep her safe, and it's all cute until we remember that Namine wasn't actually in these memories. And Namine can't make any new memories—she can only rearrange old ones.

Sora and Riku both share this memory. And the way they fought over this memory gave it the utmost importance. It becomes obvious at this point that the both of them witnessed a meteor shower, and given what we know about their dynamic (and that's a lot), it would make sense to assume it was Riku promising Sora to keep him safe—almost like a charm.

The necklace theory has been around for years, but it’s only after the Dark Road finale that it was expanded upon (or perhaps it’s just me and maybe three others who think this, but I don’t mind one bit.) It isn't just Riku promising to keep Sora safe. In giving Sora a necklace, a crown, Riku has metaphorically crowned Sora. He has brought Sora up to his status as a Child of Destiny, putting all his love into a charm that he hopes can keep Sora safe.

There’s a flaw in my logic though, trust me, I know. I just said that this meteor shower didn’t happen until after BBS, and yet it’s during the game that Sora feels the pain of others, it’s during the game that Aqua says that Sora is going to be the one to set things right. But I still stand firm in my belief. Riku has always been painted as the golden child, the Child of Destiny, but his love for Sora runs deeper than his love for anything else.

Riku’s light is the one that brought Terra and Aqua to Destiny Island but Riku’s light shines for Sora; sort of like step one to Sora’s crowning. Riku’s light rubbed off on Sora, ever since they were kids—after all, a Child of Destiny’s power is to connect hearts. Why not connect his own with another? Why not share his light?

Further, in BBS, Sora can feel Ven’s pain and take care of his heart, but he isn’t fully aware of this nor is he able to really do anything about this. It isn’t until KH1 that Sora ever exhibits a power of truly connecting to another’s heart when Sora entered the darkness swallowing Riku and touched Riku’s heart’s light to obtain his Keyblade, explained by Nomura himself. And it isn’t until KH3 that Sora finds the power to wake up Ven’s heart.

Regardless of whether or not I’m right about this, it means Nomura isn't technically wrong about Sora being normal. Sora, no matter what, doesn’t have some divine birthright, but he still has the makings of someone who can bring peace to the world—all thanks to Riku.

This helps set the tone of their relationship, of the depth of Sora and Riku’s bond. It also moves the storyline forward to how they will be the ones to instigate change—but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s first talk about who once were and who they could’ve been.

in another life

Kingdom Hearts is pretty on the nose on parallels between Xehanort/Eraqus and Riku/Sora. Besides personality, Xehanort and Riku are both Childs of Destiny who give in to the darkness and Eraqus and Sora are endless sources of light. But the parallels don't exist to make us empathize with Xehanort/Eraqus: they're to tell us a cautionary tale of what our protagonists could've been.

So it begs the question, what actually separated Sora and Riku from becoming like Eraqus and Xehanort? Let’s start with Riku.

To recap, Xehanort was a student in Scala ad Caelum alongside Eraqus, who watched all his classmates die. He learned from Baldr about their roles as Children of Destiny and in his grief, became obsessed with wiping the world clean. He wanted a Keyblade War to create a fresh start, void of Light and Darkness, so that the world could try again.

Riku seemed to have been walking the same road as Xehanort. He stopped fearing Darkness and started dancing on the line between it and Light. Riku was angry at the world and angry at his friends, and perhaps in another life, he may too have wanted to wipe the world clean.

But every time I compare him and Xehanort, I can't help but think that a cautionary tale isn't what Xehanort/Eraqus is. Because I can't help but think that it just could never have happened to Riku, and it's for two main reasons:

1) Hope.

Riku has hope in the world. When we look at all the other Children of Light, they all had a Darkness that took them down (although in Ephemer's case, it was a literal Darkness that killed him). Baldr lost himself in grief. Xehanort lost himself in rage. But not Riku.

When Xehanort saw that the world couldn't be fixed (to how he believed it should be), Riku did not even see a world that needed fixing. Riku saw the world in all of its complicated glory. For instance, Riku is one of the first characters to acknowledge the feelings of Nobodies; their pain, and their love. He doesn't see them as an extension of Darkness or Light. They simply are.

Riku believes in redemption. It's been his entire character arc, after all, to redeem himself and walk the Road to Dawn, a term coined way back in CoM. Ever since then, Riku has been closely associated with the sunrise—night turning into day. Darkness becomes Light. Redemption. This symbolism is shown in box art, said in interviews, even his Keyblade is called the Way to Dawn.

The fact that Riku was even able to think of the Road to Dawn proves that he's nothing like Xehanort. Xehanort believes that there is no redemption because the world needs to be wiped clean. But Riku believes that there is a road he can walk, a road he can take to salvation because the world is not good or bad, but made for people to live and learn. But how? How was he able to walk that road? He has hope, but how was he able to use it? And that's the second reason.

2) Sora. Riku has Sora.

It may feel a bit obvious to say, but it's true: the fact that Riku is Riku; Sora is Sora; and their relationship is the way it is, is the key to why they would never have fallen to the same fate. We don't know the full extent of Xehanort and Eraqus's relationship, but it's safe to assume it wasn't as kind or loving as Riku and Sora's ever were. The two would play as kids, promise to keep each other safe, tell secrets—the two became princes of destiny together, destined to fight their way home.

I can't see Xehanort and Eraqus as anything more than students in a fucked up situation. Because when things got bad for Xehanort, he didn't think of Eraqus as his guiding light. He only thought of what he lost. There’s even a line in Dark Road of Xehanort hearing Eraqus crying in the other room, yet he never comforts him, never approaches him. They suffered alone, too afraid or perhaps too blind to reach for one another.

When things got bad for Riku, he saw Sora. He saw how Sora loved Kairi and sacrificed himself for her, and he saw that Sora was forgiving towards him. The reason why Riku and Sora didn't end up like Xehanort and Eraqus is that they simply aren't them. Their bond is deeper and their love is stronger, and Riku’s hope is simply stronger than Xehanort’s ever was.

It’s important to emphasize that this truly is a feat that only Riku (and Sora, one day) could’ve accomplished. It's natural to us that Riku, one of the series' protagonists, was able to do this. It's easy to shrug off the balance he managed to strike between his Light and Darkness, but for so many actually in the series, it's an incomprehensible thought. Mickey even stated in CoM, that Riku introduced Light and Darkness in a way nobody has ever seen before. To understand how this affects Sora and Riku’s relationship, it’s important to understand the way things currently are.

the light we pass down

Light and Darkness are the very core of this series. Light represents the connections you make with others, while Darkness represents the lack thereof—those with Darkness in their hearts are those who walk alone, while those with Light are those with many friends around them. Darkness is selfishness, and Light is selflessness.

Darkness is usually framed as an inherently evil source in many stories, but it's something that cannot be extinguished. Light needs to be there to balance it.

But Kingdom Hearts seems to be going down the path less taken—yes, Darkness isn't 'good', and it isn't desirable to isolate yourself from the rest of the world. But the series is asking the question many like to ignore: when does Light become Darkness?

In nearly every game, you can trace one character fed into the illusion that Light is good, everything else is bad, and the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. MoM to his pupils in Union X; Odin to Baldr in Dark Road; Eraqus to his children in BBS; Yen Sid to Mickey in forbidding him to speak of Aqua; Donald and Goofy to Sora in telling him that their ship runs on happy smiles. It is generational trauma.

A cycle of hypocrisy has been forced on not only the 'defenders of Light' but 'agents of Darkness.' Xehanort doesn't care who he hurts as long as he can get his own idea of balance in the world, believing his judgment to be supreme to others—despite his initial thoughts in Dark Road, that unless someone's heart is pure Light, how can one know for sure what is right and wrong? To which Eraqus responded that they as Keyblade Wielders held the supreme judgment towards morality.

Again and again, this cycle of defending what they believe is good and Light repeats, hurting themselves and hurting others, and even Sora is not free of this hypocrisy. While he doesn't go out of his way to hurt others the way Xehanort has, he is capable of hurting others: Riku was hurt by Sora in KH1 when he was silent when Kairi suggested leaving him behind or when he shrugged off Riku going missing in Traverse Town. In CoM, when the idea of him ‘abandoning’ people was presented, he acted out harshly and completely rejected the idea (this is all another parallel to Eraqus!)

He even denies the idea that Riku has hurt others. Despite Riku acting out of his own free will, the reason he feels the need to atone and walk the path to redemption, Sora believes that the Darkness was forced on Riku by others.

Sora has been carved into the same mindset as so many others, the idea heavily tackled in Dark Road, that Darkness is only brought upon by others, and that it needs to be expunged. Sora is a firm believer that the Darkness is something to be eradicated, such as with his encounter with Vanitas in KH3. When Vanitas states that he is simply Darkness, Ven is quick to understand and even accept. Sora, on the other hand, rejects this and insists that it isn’t okay.

Even our series’ protagonist is unable to shake himself from this self-righteous, black-or-white thinking. Riku is the only character in the series who has formed an actual balance in himself, with all other characters having to pick one side. Lea, Xion, and Roxas leave the Darkness of Organization XIII and become Keyblade Wielders. Terra embraces his Light, Aqua leaves the Realm of Darkness, and Ven is literally separated into a being of Light and Darkness (although not out of his own volition).

The series is not framing any of these things as negative—there’s nothing wrong with embracing Light. However, these characters are falling into the same cycle that the generations before have; they will once again be faced with a Darkness too deep to defeat and ignore. It must be talked to, reckoned with, and faced with open arms. Riku has been the only one able to return the hug and walk away.

We’ve explored what makes Riku’s character arc so significant and what Sora’s flaws are, and it’s time to dive into the murky waters of the future.

when does the sun become the night?

Sora. Oh, Sora. I love you, Sora. Now let me tear you and your smile apart.

The parallels between Xehanort and Riku are very on the nose and easy to distinguish; meanwhile, Eraqus and Sora are a bit more challenging.

In BBS, Eraqus is the Master of Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. He forms a bond between them, as one would expect, mentoring and looking out for their well-being. The Light in his heart is strong due to his connections with them, alongside being a Keyblade wielder. Although not perfect (feeding into Terra's insecurities about his Darkness, cough), he does care for them. But when the world falls to Darkness, Eraqus doesn't hesitate to be selfless, to give up his connections, the Light in his heart, to kill them to save a greater good. As long as someone somewhere can benefit from his actions, he isn't harming.

But is that selfless? Is sacrificing for a 'greater good' truly selfless? Is there a line between the needs of the many and the needs of the few? Or is there a certain ‘darkness’ that comes with these acts? Disregarding yourself, disregarding others, selfless yet selfish; it's not the right thing to do, and the series doesn't hesitate to frame it as that. What Eraqus did was wrong. He hurt others, even if he refused to acknowledge it.

And yet, no one seems to make any noise toward Sora.

Sora is a Guardian of Light. He is the cheerful protagonist who makes everyone smile and feel better. Ever since the first game, when Donald and Goofy (although not with ill intent) told him that the Gummi Ship runs on happy faces, he's been under the precedent that his emotions do not matter in the greater scheme of things. In the long run, what matters is that others are safe, the people he cares about.

Once again, like how Xehanort and Riku deviated in terms of having hope, this is where Eraqus and Sora begin to deviate from their parallels. While both are selfless to the point of ‘darkness,’ they show it in dramatically different ways. Eraqus is willing to hurt the people he cares about (and by extension, himself) to serve this 'greater good', but Sora is only willing to actively hurt himself.

I feel the need to remind everyone that this is a teenager we're talking about. If we weren't in a franchise partially owned by Disney, I feel like more people would be willing to call this what it is: suicidal. This is not Light.

We've already seen ways that this harms Sora outside the narrative and the whole getting sent to Quadratum thing in his Rage form. Sora transforms into a drive form that’s oddly reminiscent of his time as a Heartless and can unleash powerful attacks that lower his HP (hmm). Furthermore, this form only appears when his HP is low (double hmm) and stated by Nomura, “based on him going into a rampage state, controlled by feelings of anger (triple hmm).”

Back inside the narrative, the climax of KH3 was Sora believing that he's worthless without his friends, genuinely worthless, and unable to fight at all. This is the very definition of a Light gone too far when remembering that Light is the connections you form with others. With too much Light, Sora lost himself. He couldn't find himself past who he was for others.

In the section prior that broke down generational trauma as it appears in Kingdom Hearts, I mentioned that Sora does not only end up hurting himself but passively hurting others around him, most notably Riku. Sora is unable to understand that Darkness is not the absence of all good but rather the shadow that simply follows you around. Sora cannot understand that Darkness is not something to be shunned, to never talk about. (This could also be tied back to his Rage form—while he does not actively channel his anger to hurt, that is what happens; only to never be acknowledged by him.)

(Off-topic, but I find it funny that Sora, who is so keen on the idea that Darkness is Not Good, was only ever to have a proper conversation with Riku in the Realm of Darkness. It’s very telling to their characters.)

Kingdom Hearts is setting up a narrative that Light and Darkness cannot exist in excess. That Light doesn't exist to balance out the Darkness, to stop it from becoming too strong—you need Darkness to exist as well.

Sora has gotten this far along the story and still hasn't managed to learn this, because it’s just not something you can learn (or unlearn, rather) on your own. Because this kind of thinking isn’t undone with hours of contemplation; in a fitting Kingdom Hearts fashion, it’s connections that lead to the revelation.

the roads we walk

Xehanort and Eraqus fall out with each other. They stop talking and sever the connection with each other. That was a core reason things got as out of hand as they did for each other; they weren't keeping each other in check. Xehanort's Darkness left him blind and unable to see that there was Light after all, and Eraqus's Light blinded him and left him stumbling with a Keyblade for a 'greater purpose.' Their hearts fell too far to one end of the balance, leaving the scales unbalanced.

Riku and Sora do not have that. They have a connection like nothing seen in this series before—Riku had literally raised Sora to become a Child of Destiny alongside him. The Light of their hearts is just so awe-strikingly bright.

Sora, however, has lost himself in all his light. He is stuck in the same bright room that Eraqus was, stumbling around with his Keyblade. But where Eraqus was forever lost, Sora can be found: because where Riku had Sora to guide him to the Light, Sora will have Riku to guide him through the Darkness.

Riku spends the majority of his character simply proving that he is capable of redemption. It takes him the ending of a game to realize the errors in his ways and another game to figure out the solution he must fight for, and these weren't revelations he finds on his own—he found the first with Sora and the second (in CoM) with Mickey and Namine.

For Sora to even have the revelation that he cannot keep shutting out the Darkness in him unless he wants more pain for himself and others, he needs someone to help show him that is an option. And who else but Riku, who is living proof that existence isn’t just black-or-white, Light or Darkness?

Riku is Sora's foil. A foil is a character who either has pronounced differences between themselves and the protagonist or is so alike that a contrast appears. Riku is the ladder, similar enough to Sora that one can begin to make assumptions about where the story is heading. Their similarities aren't hard to find: they both hail from Destiny Islands, they both have a love for adventure, they both were assumed to walk a path of Light for the rest of their lives, and they both care deeply for each other. The contrast begins in KH1 when Riku begins his fall to Darkness while Sora remains firm in his standing.

Riku’s arc ended with acceptance; he needed to accept the Darkness and the Light inside him to find peace. It’s only natural that his foil, struggling with the same imbalance, would go through a similar arc but still different enough to be his own.

It isn't just the story telling us this. Riku has always been associated with imagery of dawn, the breaking of Darkness into Light, and Kairi is always associated with imagery of dusk, the breaking of Light into Darkness (which is a conversation all on its own). Sora, on the other hand, is associated with a large blue sky (his name, after all, does mean sky.) It's not hinting towards a journey of any kind—not a redemption like for Riku.

He is the daylight. He is the Light in everyone's lives. But ‘Sora’ doesn't mean the day sky. It simply means sky. Sky, at day or night—and I don't mind if you call me reaching at this point, but it feels like it's calling out to the fact that Sora needs to accept that he is both Light and Darkness, the way the sky is both day and night.

Nomura has even stated in an interview before when asked about the two different versions of the Dream Drop Distance illustrations that he “wanted its composition and look to remind [the player] of the title’s catch copy, ‘Darkness becomes light, light falls into darkness.’” The parallel structure of the tagline serves to mirror the parallel structure of Sora and Riku’s paths, Sora’s road to night and Riku’s road to dawn.

But I digress. Exhaustively, it’s very apparent that Sora is heading toward a climax, a Darkness he cannot ignore. His breakdown in KH3 was left unspoken, unresolved, and his disappearance only contributes to the fact that he’s heading toward another breaking point, where the cheerful protagonist can no longer remain cheerful. But like in KH3, something is going to be the same: Riku.

At his lowest point, it was Riku who was next to him, telling Sora that he believed in him. It was Riku who carried on when Sora couldn’t. Riku is going to be key in Sora's journey to night. Riku was able to find his Road to Dawn by remembering Sora. He was able to walk by remembering his love, his passion, his everything, and it was because of Sora that Riku found balance. He found the Light within himself, and he learned to accept that the Darkness would always be a part of him, the way it is for others.

Sora's arc will be spun into motion because of Riku. The next installments of Kingdom Hearts are setting up that Riku's dreams are the key to finding Sora, implying perhaps that it may be Sora and Riku all alone in a world. Whatever the case, Riku is going to be by Sora's side, as that is where they are at their best, to face Sora’s worst.

And it's fitting. Riku had to go from Darkness, defined as a lack of connections, to a balance with Light, having connections. He went from his isolation, wearing a blindfold and not being able to face anyone, to being the charming Riku we all love, fighting alongside the Keyblade wielders. His journey would have him open up, so he would be joined by memories, ghosts, not by people until he began to embrace others.

Sora will be going from Light to a balance with Darkness. He'd be going from connections to a lack (though not in the same extremes that Riku did), in a sense. Understandably, he can’t do it alone, make such a drastic change; he'd need someone.

This change, this balance, this emphasis on connections, it’s guiding us to what the narrative has been trying to tell us all along.

we can be the darkness, and the light, and the sunsets and sunrises too

When asked about the theme of KH3 and the entire series, Nomura answered, “It’s in the title: hearts. The consistent theme across the whole series is ‘What is a heart?’”

Kingdom Hearts is going to be doing something unprecedented in not only a lot of media but in its world itself. While the idea of Light and Darkness existing within characters is not new, the characters aren't exactly behind that idea. Most of the Keyblade Wielders and Guardians of Light cherish the Light above all else—while all the primary villains worship the Darkness. They fight for a balance but don't fully grasp that within (nearly) all of them lies both entities.

Riku seems to be more accepted in the world, as he did join the Light in the end. But what Sora would do is... just absolutely bonkers. He will be embracing a Darkness in him, the same kind that Terra and so many others were taught to push out. Sora will be... well, a teenager. Happy and angsty and all the things teens are.

This is where Kingdom Hearts has the chance to seal the deal, to fully welcome this balance of Light and Darkness: a relationship between Riku and Sora.

For all Guardians of Light, there is a generational trauma hanging over their heads and haunting them, and Sora will need to accept his Darkness to combat it, but the story can't end there. The games have been building up the idea that Sora will be the one to bring change to the world, that Sora will be the one to end this cycle. He won’t just accept his Darkness but lead a new age. He will be the one to show that there's a different way (or really, only one other way) to move forward:

Love.

Unconditional love. Not love depending on whether they fit the wielders' definitions of Light and Darkness, not love depending on the amount of Light in someone's heart, not love clouded by hypocrisy. Just pure love, forever forgiving and growing.

So who better for Sora’s love than Riku?

Let’s get all the arguments for Kairi out of the way first. Some may say that Kairi could still fulfill this role of spreading love in the next games, but that’s only if her role in the story is completely revamped. She represents friends growing apart as they grow older yet remaining close. While Sora and Riku represent a balance between Light and Darkness, Kairi represents holding a Light close to your heart, even when it's so far away; fitting for her story of being ripped apart from her home.

The games keep pushing the friends' growing apart narrative rather than pulling from it, having Kairi remain with Aqua to train while Riku goes after Sora. There is little space for Kairi to suddenly walk a road to dusk that leads to romance. Especially because it’s Sora and Riku who are the Children of Destiny, they are the ones who will connect to other hearts and bring change, not Kairi. Her lesson would be for herself, not for the world to see.

A relationship between Kairi and Sora would just be backtracking on this message. Sora needs to accept his Darkness, but joining forces with a Princess of Light does not challenge any norms, it does not provide a new answer. It makes sense because the core of Kingdom Hearts isn’t a Prince and Princess of Light—it’s two boys who saw the night sky fall one day, two boys who grew up together, two boys destined for something greater who write their own paths anyway. It’s Sora and Riku. Nomura himself has stated that “Sora and Riku represent the theme of the Kingdom Hearts series, which is the ‘light and dark sides of the heart,’” the essence of this essay.

Carrying on, some may stop me here and say that their love doesn't need to be romantic for a point to be made. But I argue that there is no other way.

Romantic love in stories often serves as the culmination of the story’s themes. In Leigh Bardugo's books, her romances serve to show the importance of love and healing. In the Shadow & Bone trilogy, Alina has the options between the Darkling, representing power, Nikolai, representing nationalism, and Mal, representing love. Just love. Not one befitting of a Saint, someone to change the world, but that’s not who Alina wanted to be; she just wanted a happy ending. Shockingly, she picks Mal. In Six of Crows, Kaz and Inej's romance, both traumatized teenagers, serves to show that you can heal and you can love. They're both scared of people, scared of intimacy and yet they still love with all their scars on display.

In Revolutionary Girl Utena, the romance between Utena and Anthy reaches its climax at the end of the show, displaying the vulnerability of both girls and the rawness of their feelings. But most importantly, it drives home the message: that the power to bring revolution is not the power of a prince or a witch. The power to change the world is love. The only way to change the world to be suitable to live in is through love. The power, a revolution, brought by love.

Romance is a revolution. It’s often saved for the last act of stories because of how it acts as a thread between all of the themes. In Kingdom Hearts, the theme needing weaving is balance: balance between yourself and others, balance between selflessness and selfishness, balance between Light and Darkness. Sora and Riku getting together would be Yin and Yang—a boy who had to accept his Darkness and a boy who had to fight for his Light. They complement each other and fill where the other lacks.

Likewise, a relationship between them stresses the importance of connections. Tai Yasue, co-director of the series, has stated that “the theme of the KH series is ‘connections of the heart,’” and the narrative will take advantage of any opportunity to let that theme shine. Previously, many defenders of Light would sacrifice their connections with others for a greater good. But Sora and Riku choosing to love each other, choosing to love the Light and Darkness in each other instead of trying to chase away their Darkness, is showing that love is their other option.

Sora getting with Kairi challenges nothing. It tells the others that Light must be with Light, that good must be with good. Even their grand attack in Re:Mind is two giant angel wings where they proclaim, “Light!” Sora and Riku, however, show that Light does not mean good. It shows that people can do bad things, and it doesn't make them bad, because people are not black and white. Like two kingdoms forever at war with each other, finally coming together and realizing that the other side is human and that you can't simply demonize them.

Sora and Kairi say there is nothing wrong with the world. To carry on. Sora and Riku say that there isn’t anything wrong with the world; it’s the people looking the wrong way. There is nothing wrong with what’s around us. Nothing wrong, nothing right. “Nothing is whole, and nothing is broken.” It’s simply being: being Darkness, being Light, being both, being neither.

It has to be Sora and Riku. It's always had to be them. Riku brought Sora up to the status of a Child of Destiny, and their journeys were led by each other, their character development taught by one another, and their acceptance will come from (an eventual) conversation between the two about their pain and hurt and Darkness, it’s all always been leading here. To this moment in time where they show the world all the hurt they hold and how they carry on with.

All of that, and loving each other?

They are crossing the line, as Hikaru Utada sings in Don't Think Twice. They are going to be crossing every line established in Kingdom Hearts, and this is their power. Their revolution. Their predetermined yet self-made destiny. The payoff for years and years of searching and yearning and pining and chasing is a love that brings revolution, and oh...isn't that just romantic?

That is the answer to “What is a heart?” The heart is the love you have, despite it all. The heart is the connections you make, despite it all. The heart is your Darkness and your Light and your experiences and your fights, despite it all. The heart is Sora and Riku, despite it all.

grant us the power to bring the world revolution

A lot of this analysis really depends on whether or not you believe Sora and Riku are in love with one another, I realize. You may agree with me that it seems fitting that their coming together as a pair would catalyze all the themes in Kingdom Hearts, but you disagree that it means they'd ever be a pairing. Which, I'd like to thank you for at least hearing me out.

The queerness of their relationship means there will always be naysayers to them getting together, there will always be people claiming that I'm reaching. I do not care if you see them as brothers or ‘just’ really good friends. I see a love story. I see a love story and a love story saying to love, above all else. Do not judge others for you don't know what is wrong or right, for you are biased, for you are flawed, for you are human. Love others for that is the heart's will. Love.

I see that their getting together would be a testament to that love. To that forgiveness, to those flaws we have. It would be an acceptance of Riku's pain and Darkness that he mysteriously doesn't want to acknowledge, it would be an acceptance of Sora's pain that he's been bottling up ever since the beginning of his journey, and it would be an acceptance to the Light they both share. It would be the balance that so many generations have looked for and couldn't find because they did not practice acceptance, only judgment.

Sora and Riku getting together is acceptance and it's proof that love is the answer to a generational trauma that has been around ever since the beginning of time. So yeah: Soriku Endgame, Actually.

Thank you so much for reading! I’m a really big fan of stories about light and darkness and the balance between them, stories about love, and just Kingdom Hearts in general. I didn’t want to keep these thoughts in the back of my head and I’m glad I wrote them all out, even if it’s messy (and a shocking 6k words long...) Kingdom Hearts is a bit messy, after all.

If you're interested in more about Sora and Riku's relationship or just literary analysis of KH in general, please check out Constructing Kingdoms on YouTube, as it helped give me the words to write a lot of this essay. Further, if you're in total denial that there is any queer text in Kingdom Hearts, please check out this amazing video essay on Riku being gay.

That's all I have. Please feel free to share if you have any disagreements or if any parts really spoke to you, or if you have anything to add, or anything really. These two live rent-free in my mind, and I don't mind talking about them or about how they're just so perfect to change the world.

Thank you. Spread love (and the Soriku agenda.)

#kingdom hearts #sora #riku #sora and riku #soriku #soriku endgame actually #media analysis #literary analysis is my special interest #andrew's essays #meta essay #kh meta

264 notes · View notes

white-rose-week · 1 year

Text

White Rose Week 2023 Officially starts now!

PLEASE REMEMBER:

-Follow the rules! Rules:

DO NOT post art that is not yours unless the artist has given you explicit permission.

DO NOT use another artist’s work as the base for your fanart. Any kind of plagiarism WILL NOT be accepted.

DO NOT post prompts before the event begins, however, once it does begin, you can post any prompts in the week. For example, posting art on the prompt for Friday on Monday that same week.

Your post must be tagged as #white rose week with spaces. This needs to be one of the first 5 tags or it won’t show up in the White Rose Week tag.

Please specify the prompt you’re using in your post.

NSFW posts must be under a cut and/or tagged accordingly. This includes anything triggering to audiences and severe degrees of violence/death/tragedies or possible gore.

DO NOT post racist, sexist, homophobic or any kind of offensive material.

It is completely okay to post anything dedicated to this event once it has passed; your work will still be posted/reblogged on here.

If you have posted your work and you see I haven’t reblogged it yet or posted it, it could mean I couldn’t see it on the tag or just simply haven’t checked the tag or my submission box yet. If this happens, feel free to just notify me if your work still hasn’t been posted for a while.

HAVE FUN! IF THESE RULES ARE NOT FOLLOWED YOU WILL GET STRIKES:

Strike 1: A simple warning that what you did was not okay and you’re free to still enjoy and participate in White Rose Week.

Strike 2: Final warning without consequences!

Strike 3: You will be blocked from this blog and event for the rest of this year’s event and the next year’s. The block will be lifted after next year’s White Rose Week event passes.

NOTE: of course, you will not get a strike for accidentally tagging your post wrong or posting too early without knowing. However, if rule numbers 1, 2, 6, and 7 are broken, you will definitely get a strike.

-These are the prompts:

Voted/Audience List

Body Swap

Scar kisses

Vampire Schnees and Vampire Hunter Ruby

Time travel Ruby searching for a reincarnated Weiss after every death

"WAIT! That was YOU?!??!!!"

Wolf/Werewolf AU

Secret Identities

Free Day

Admin List

Atlas Ball

Homecoming

Weiss Crying Over Ruby’s Heavy Ass Weapon

Vtuber or streamer or youtuber AU

Childhood Promise

Maid Cafe AU

Ruby is a single mom with a baby and one day Weiss babysits and the baby starts calling her mom

Free Day

YES you can pick from either list

YES you can mix and match the prompts

NO you don't have to do all of the prompts

PLEASE REMEMBER that the admins and I are all human with our own busy lives outside of this event, which means if we're behind on reblogging your post or addressing something, please have patience and understand we will get to it in time.

HAVE FUN!

GO TEAM COMBAT SKIRTS

Header credit: @thegreatweissshark

#rwby #white rose week #white rose #whiterose #weiss schnee #ruby rose #announcement post

135 notes · View notes

razorblade180 · 5 months

Text

Captain Catch Up

Aether:It’s been a while since we got together like this. What’s the occasion?

Keqing:It’s important to touch base every so often. I’m sure a few of us have things worth mentioning? For example, How’s Lyney?

Amber:I passed his training awhile ago. He’s pretty tenacious, although he still has a few things to iron out. Him and Dehya seem to get along pretty well though.

Kokomi:I’ve actually appreciated her progress a lot when it comes to supporting Miko. Nahida has given her high marks as well.

Klee:She’s very nice to me! I don’t get hurt as much.

Aether:Well Chongyun, it sounds like you’ve trained another talent.

Hu Tao:Oh brother, don’t praise him too much. He will go from blue to red in no time. Also, what’s one or two good eggs under his wing.

Chongyun:One or two? There’s three at this table! You’re one of them!

Ayaka:You do good work.

Ganyu:Thank you for your efforts. How’s Freminet coming along?

Chongyun:He’s really hardworking. Truthfully,there’s not too much to really show him aside from team building.

Yanfei:Let’s address the elephant in the room shall we? Do we think anyone should be promoted to Captain? We’ve gained so many new friends and they’ve all got talent. I’m sure a certain someone in here would like to stop being the newest member.

Wanderer: Don’t really care either way. I’m sitting here right now because it’s mandatory.

Aether:I thought you’d be happier. This is technically your first meeting. You’ve escaped it for a decent time.

Wanderer: I don’t see the point in this. It’s not like we aren’t constantly crossing paths one way or another. My work speaks for itself. As well as my thoughts on who I see as…useful.

Yoimiya:Aw, is that your way of saying Faruzan is great? You gave her a crown! You two might as well be a dynamic duo. A trio if we include Diona.

Wanderer:No comment.

Amber:Lyney isn’t ready yet, but I’ll keep an eye out.

Yoimiya:He needs a few more laps around the block for sure.

Ganyu:It kinda sounds like you two are just gatekeeping pyro archery…

Keqing:I nominate Nilou.

Everyone:Ooooo

Keqing:It only makes sense. I constantly have to coordinate with her on who got to call on which dendro user during events or abyss. Not to mention the blatant fact she has pushed beyond simply performing her niche.

Ayaka:She is constantly going back in forth with my brother. And now that Furina and Yelan are here…

Yanfei:She’s always on a roll. It really wasn’t a lie whenever she said “Every hydro and dendro has a home and forwards her ideas.”

Kokomi:I nominate her as well.

Aether:Well if there’s no objections?

Everyone raises their hands and claps three times.

Keqing:Good. I’ll tell her the news. Now speaking of Furina…

Aether:I can’t let her have the satisfaction of progressing this fast.

Hu Tao:Ha! You’re so petty.

Yoimiya:I haven’t spent the most time with her but I’ve seen Noelle recently and noticed the healers in our group really giving it their all. I think she’s earned the ego boost.

Yanfei:She’s kinda crazy Aether. I was putting up numbers.

Klee:Same!!! It’s been sooo long! I’d always call for her if she wasn’t so busy.

Ganyu:She is certainly popular. Honestly it might be better for her to stay on calm instead of being a Captain. It’s why Nahida is where she is; happily on call.

Aether:I can’t argue with that.

Chongyun:It’s not like you aren’t going to give her crown. Why act calm now?

Aether:It’s complicated. Also I think it would be criminal not to mention both Charlotte and Lynette have found comfortable footing.

Wanderer:Boasting about your own teaching?

Aether:No one’s humble all the time. Anyways, I’m sure Furina will come is wondering herself about her progress. It pretty apparent how much she’s shaken things up. I’ll talk to her.

Keqing:If nobody else has anything to mention, we can call it? I don’t want to keep you all too long.

Chongyun:Who’s Navia training under?

Hu Tao:More importantly, what if she’s good enough for Captain? Poor little Noelle might feel some type of way.

Amber:Noelle has two crowns. Although you do have a point? Maybe have Navia shadow under her for the time being? She’ll learn the ropes and it’s a new leadership role for Noelle. I bet those two will get along.

Ayaka:Isn’t that a little risky to put two people so alike together in that situation.

Amber:I trained Lyney

Chongyun:I trained you.

Hu Tao:One of you was clearly a little agitated and the other try turning in their resignation and thought they were being replaced.

Chongyun and Amber: That’s neither here nor there.

#genshin impact #gi aether #gi amber #gi klee #keqing #sangonomiya kokomi #kamisato ayaka #chongyun #hu tao #ganyu #gi wanderer #naganohara yoimiya #yanfei

45 notes · View notes

scorchedthesnake · 3 months

Text

March 7, 2011

I moved to New York City in August 2010. My life before New York was something I’d grown completely unsatisfied with: I had moved to Connecticut for graduate school in 2001, had weathered two recessions in the relative security of academe but could see the writing on the wall for the doom of that profession and so had, via my teaching assistants union, begun to work for our international union as a communications staffer. This had given me a way out of Connecticut, though escaping the cultish environment of the union would still take a few more years.

The person I was back then was very unlike the person I am now. I wasn’t very much fun those first nine months in the city because I was just so afraid of everything. Bars scared me; too many strangers. Clubs scared me; too dark and too many unknowns and unpredictable scenarios. I was happy to be in a new place but petrified by what that freedom actually meant, and I had yet to find any place to belong or feel at home in.

I worked on 7th Avenue back then, around 27th Street. I remember sitting in my dreary cubicle that Monday, when I got a message from my best friend Matt, asking me if I wanted to go to a show that evening. No, I said, I really just want to go home and hide from the world. It’s the show John (O’Malley) is working on, he said, and he got us comps. Well what kind of show is it, I asked? “We’re gonna, like, chase sexy dancers around a warehouse.” Oh god that sounds so stupid, do I have to? “Just come with me, if you hate it you can leave.”

So around 7pm I walked over to 10th Avenue and the block was so dumpy back then – junkyards, warehouses, not much else. I saw a small line of people gathered at the address I’d been given, so I approached and was handed this card:

I don’t remember anything about checking in or what it was like seeing Manderley for the first time, though I do remember Maximilian being there, giving a short speech and then we were taken to the elevator. I remember getting off the elevator on 3, and taking far too long to explore an empty Macbeths bedroom before, I suppose, figuring out I should investigate the other floors.

I’ve told this story often, though: at some point I came across an extremely attractive man moving quickly, so I did what it seemed like many others were doing: I followed him. We were in the 2nd loop by now, and I had realized it was a loop; but my target soon was running down High Streeet and through a darkened door and it slammed in my face and, to my surprise, was locked.

Oh, there are secret things all over here, aren’t there?

So I picked up his trail again as soon as I could, and stuck as close as I could. Including when we stumbled down all the flights of stairs and I wondered, should I call for help? Is the performer injured? But I stuck to him like glue and when he again approached that darkened door I was close enough to get inside.

And so the highlight of my first show was seeing Luke Murphy in interrogation.

After the finale I reconnected with Matt. We had, of course, seen completely different shows. As we exited we saw John. “Did you get any one on ones,” he asked? One on whats? “Well, I had one where the man in the lobby took me into a room and started putting on makeup.”

No we hadn’t seen anything like that. We immediately set about buying tickets for later in the six-week run. And we wandered the streets for a couple hours after that, comparing notes, feverishly reconstructing what we had just experienced.

Obviously I did not sleep that night.

So much of the time you don’t know when everything has changed. You realize it long after the fact and in retrospect. Not this, this I knew was a fundamental shift. I’d never felt my senses at full alert like that, my mind racing trying to make sense of something so visceral. The music rang in my ears for hours, days later, and I knew when I came back, I’d need a plan.

#sleep no more #sleepnomore #mckittrick hotel #sleepnomorenyc #sleep no more nyc #punchdrunk #mckittrick

28 notes · View notes

smalls-words · 2 years

Text

Pushover

Summary: You work with SHIELD, but sometimes, it feels like working with children.

Pairing: WandaNat x Fem!Spider!Reader

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: depressing thoughts, self-doubt, confrontation. Please read carefully.

A/N - I need a vent about a work shift. I fucking hate children sometimes.

*not my gifs*

The night was young, but yet you were still so tired. Everything had blown up at work today - as a SHIELD agent, you were tasked with helping young SHIELD recruits train in basic espionage, such as hacking and simple self-defence.

However, with that came a lot of complaints. Your teaching methods were ‘old’, and they didn’t want to be taught by you, they wanted to be taught by Natasha but she was on a mission with Wanda. The good half thanked you for your time and your patience, especially with the shier ones who weren’t sure how to solve their code or do certain moves.

The others were needy little brats who wanted Natasha to be right up against them whilst teaching a move, not you. They wanted her breathing down their shoulder, her sweet scent of cinnamon and lavender, not your sweaty BO.

There was one recruit who specifically asked when Natasha was coming to take over your teachings. That simply pushed you over the edge and you finished training early.

Now, you were in a heap of blankets with a third-full pint of ice-cream to your left, the spoon sticking out of it like a gravestone in the ground. You were sniffling uncontrollably and every thought about that training session brought another tear, only for you to wipe it away.

You looked down at your phone as it buzzed, bringing it to you with a web out of your wrist. You brushed off the substance before reading the messages on your lock screen, a small spark of happiness illuminating the dark depths of your crushed soul.

-We’ll be home soon, Iubirea mea-

-No more than fifteen minutes-

-Do you want anything for dinner? FRIDAY told us you haven’t had yet-

Wanda was always the one to text you, since Natasha was often making a speech, manning a Quinjet or driving. The text became blurry as tears filled your eyes, tears of love and sadness clashing together to make your eyes burn.

“FRIDAY, I told you not to tell them.” You growled softly.

“I meant no disrespect, Ms Parker. But you haven’t been eating properly since you took over Ms Romanoff’s newest recruits.”

You sighed. “Tell her to get whatever she wants. I’m not fussed.”

“Right away.” FRIDAY disappeared and you were alone in the silence of the night.

Time wasted away as you stared at the black screen of the TV. How could you ever think that you could handle Natasha’s recruits? She had the most rigorous training schedule and without her being there to pressure them, you should have known they would take advantage of you.

You really were a pushover.

It was a comment made a lot about you. You were always happy to take on other people’s projects if they were in a rush to make a deadline or had to go do something. Maria would always scold you and then eventually reprimand the people taking advantage, but you would never find out because she kept it discreet.

Your mind drifted back to the recruits. The harsh ones hadn’t even addressed you as Agent Parker - it was just Y/N. You were an equal to them; the higher ranking on your shoulder meant nothing, and if anything, they wondered if you had taken Natasha’s spare suit to use when training, given that they never would have thought you would be a Level 9.

A knock at the door didn’t even pull you out of your dazed state.

Natasha walked in first, her gun out since you hadn’t responded to her call, but she simply saw you curled up in blankets on the couch. She pocketed her gun and guided Wanda in with the single bag of groceries, that almost fell when Wanda saw your mind.

They both sank down next to you, with Natasha pulling at the blanket seam by your head to reveal your puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

“Oh, lyubov (love)...” She cooed.

“What happened to our dragă (darling)?” Wanda murmured as she tucked your hair behind your ear.

You didn’t answer them at first, still wrapped in your blanket. But you slowly moved out of them, the two of them surprised to still see you in your uniform, and you leaned your head against Wanda.

“Please… I can’t…”

Wanda’s heart cracked at the soft beg of your voice, a sound she had never heard before. She looked up at Natasha, who was just as lost as her, before red wisps surrounded the three of you.

Natasha’s heart began to race at the words thrown at you by her recruits, recruits she was sure would behave for you. She looked down at your exhausted form, tears still running down your cheeks even though you thought you had nothing left.

“I’m going to beat them to a pulp.” She snarled.

“No!” You yelped, grabbing her arm as she reached for her phone.

“Y/N, honey, Natasha has to do this.” Wanda took your hand away from the redhead as she stepped out of the room.

“No, Wands, they can’t know I complained! I’ll just sound like a big baby…” You muttered, shaking your head softly since you were slightly dizzy.

Her fingers slid into place upon your chin, tilting your eyes to look into her dark emeralds you were always mesmerised by. “You are not a big baby. This is disrespect, my Y/N, and disrespect does not fly in SHIELD. It most certainly does not fly with us, either.”

“But… I don’t want to be asked to give a statement. What if I remember something that didn’t happen?” You stumbled along your words, your anxious mind finding more reasons to add to your pushover-ness.

“If something didn’t happen, Maria will just excuse it.” Natasha stated, watching the both of you look up at her.

“You called her?” You questioned weakly.

She nodded as she sat down beside you. “I did, sweets. Maria says she’ll review CCTV footage and call up the agents for me tomorrow. The others, the kind ones I trust, will be given the day off.”

You nodded, relieved that there was now a plan in place. Exhaustion filled your muscles and you slumped into the couch, a long sigh leaving your lungs.

“I think we should all call it a night.” Natasha chuckled softly, picking you up whilst Wanda stood too.

All the way to the bathroom, which felt like a year to you, Wanda held your loose hand whilst Natasha hummed a soft Russian lullaby. You didn’t even notice how they stripped you and themselves to lie within the bathtub, washing your skin and taking note of certain bruises.

You only realised that your surroundings had changed when you felt cold sheets cover you and warm heaters lay beside you, one brushing their fingers through your hair whilst the other caressed your stomach gently.

“Goodnight, our love.” They whispered in unison before sleep consumed you.

⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖🜃🜂🜁🜄⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖⧖

When the morning greeted you with 11 am overcast clouds, you groggily sat up to an empty bed. Last night was the worst night you’d slept in a long time, your dreams plagued with anxiety and fear.

“FRI’AY, where’s Tasha an’ Wan’a?” You asked through your ripping yawn.

You didn’t need an answer, however, as the bedroom door opened to reveal the warm lights of the hallway and two of your most favourite silhouettes. They came over to you, gentle and nurturing smiles on their faces, before they each gave you a good morning kiss.

“The Quinjet will be here in half an hour. Do you want some help getting ready?” Natasha asked softly.

You shook your head, standing up with shaky legs before they stilled. You looked up at them both and they stepped out of the room, giving you privacy.

When you were done, you walked down to the kitchen to see some breakfast already made, waiting for you with a red dome over the top. You grinned childishly as Wanda removed the dome, the steam rising like a mushroom cloud to hit your face.

They both showered you in affection and love as you ate, stealing only one bite each before kissing your shoulder, cheek, temple; any area they could get their lips on.

Eventually, the Quinjet arrived, and Wanda finished your water bottle as it landed. Natasha took you by your hand and led you onto the jet, sitting you down in her lap as she dismissed the agent to sit in the back.

Wanda came to her co-pilot seat and would often steal you for cuddles, admiring the scent of her shampoo in your hair and Natasha’s lotion on your body. The journey itself didn’t take long and the agent was thankful to have an hour’s rest.

Natasha and Wanda walked you through the halls to the gymnasium, where the misbehaved recruits were lined up against the wall. Wanda’s eyes instantly glowed at the sight of some of them, her stare falling onto one man in particular.

Leo Salidio.

You followed her gaze and remembered his question of Natasha’s return, your hands beginning to shake slightly in your girls’ grip.

“Each of you is to be suspended for six weeks.” Natasha declared, shock on all of their faces.

“But we didn’t do anything-”

Wanda’s grip around Leo’s throat lifted him into the air slightly, just enough so his feet weren’t touching the ground. She looked at the other agents and they all stepped back against the wall, fear in their eyes as Natasha spoke again.

“Disrespecting an officer higher than your ranking is prohibited in SHIELD. Rankings are there for reasons - security, safety, and most of all, communication. So, let’s all take a moment to practice that last part, shall we?”

Natasha’s stare pierced all of their souls. “Who is Agent Parker to you?”

“Our superior.” They chorused.

“And what do you do when she asks you to do something?”

“Follow the order.”

“What happens when you disrespect Agent Parker?”

“Suspension.”

Natasha smiled, but you knew that it wasn’t a true smile. “Good. Now, all of you leave except for Salidio.”

They all scurried away to get out of the stuffy room, filled with tension and fear of the Black Widow. At a simple gesture, Leo stepped forward and faced you.

“Apologise.” Natasha ordered.

“I’m sorry for disrespecting you, Agent Parker. It will not happen again.” He looked at you, waiting for your answer.

You did not give him one immediately.

“Agent Parker?”

“You may leave.” You muttered.

He walked calmly out of the door before you sat down on the gym mat, trying to process the encounter. Had it gone too far? Were Natasha and Wanda being too strict? Were you being selfish if this didn’t feel like enough?

Wanda knelt down beside you, your thoughts not even blocked by your mental wall she’d practised with you. “Just because he apologised, my darling, it does not mean you have to forgive him.”

“Forgiveness comes with time, but it may never come at all and that's completely okay” Natasha added.

“Can we just… sit here?” You asked, to which they both nodded.

You weren’t sure what you were going to do moving forward. But you did know that you had Natasha and Wanda by your side for it all.

#smalls words #wandanat imagine #wandanat hurt/comfort #wandanat angst #wandanat x reader #wandanat x fem!reader #wandanat x female reader #spider!reader #fem!spider!reader

642 notes · View notes