#whatever. whateverrrr

[foreverppl]

Orla’s liberation comes at the price of the merc’s. The further they entrench themself into being used as an implement for her to use to her ends, the more divorced they become to themself (though, even that’s a bit complicated. Who is the merc without Orla? Her guiding hand. Her crook shepherding. Her word governing.) She’s building her empire; the merc’s shoveling their grave. But at the same time, her empire doesn’t necessarily guarantee her own (true) freedom and is, in fact, a kind of gilded cage in its own right. You painstakingly build yourself a palace behind enemy lines, with all the luxuries you can scrounge together. Give yourself every comfort, loud music to drown out whatever ghosts you’re still trying to outrun, good sex, good food, people who will jump to murder for you without blinking an eye… yet it’s difficult to truly allow yourself to relish in any of it for more than a couple fleeting moments when you know there are serpents slithering just right outside the gates. Doesn’t matter how much you fortify your house of cards, it can still all come crumbling down with a gust of wind. And what then? One king (queen) deposes another, Vapolis continues on. No one will mourn. Orla knows this. Orla is terrified by this.

Anyway.. @vapolis sending you my therapy bill as I type this.

[prophecyofgray]

still trucking along with the dnp sims rewatch. feeling very normal about 2017 dan saying "leave them alone! let them figure themselves out!" re: ppl shipping dab and evan from their very first interaction. And then dab and evan actually start dating and then post-hiatus get gay married. oh there are Layers here

[insecuregodcomplex]

Percy “i almost chose you over Grover but I didn’t want you and annabeth to gang up on me” he was always going to choose her.

[alolan-persians]

Going insane rn because obviously tenna and spamton are exes and tenna and mettaton are definitely gonna bone at some point but, spamton and mettaton are also so deeply connected. Something like. You've never met me and I've never met you, but your discarded dreams became my only hope for freedom. I clothed myself in your ideal self and maybe it meant nothing, but for one shining moment everything you ever wanted was real and present and mine. Also your new TV took my pipis in the divorce

[sporesigil]

martin blackwood fan club where u at

[pteropis]

SURE . WHATEVER. YEAH OKAY .THATS FINE.WE FINALLY GOT THE STORYBOARD STOBOTNIK SCENE

[casscainmainly]

Barbara was Cass' teacher, and that bled into every aspect of their relationship. For Cass, Babs was the one who solved problems, who could explain things in a way she'd understand:

Batgirl (2000) #5

Babs was the person Cass went to whenever she had a problem, big or small. Despite Cass admiring and loving Bruce so much, whenever she needed advice she always went to Babs.

Batgirl (2000) #17 // 23 // 42

Cass is so attentive in all these instances. She often reads too much into Babs' responses, leading to her trying to emulate Babs in DC First: Batgirl/Joker by fighting the Joker, trying to emulate Babs' romances via Kon and Tai, and trying to embody Babs' Batgirl by donning her old costume.

This line from Batgirl (2000) #45 is the epitome of Cass asking for Babs' advice. Remember that in Cass' early days, being Batgirl was her first identity. Asking Babs what it was like to be Batgirl is essentially Cass asking for advice on how to be herself. Cass constantly tries to emulate Babs because she sees Babs as holding the key to her own identity.

Batgirl (2000) #5

"Tried to fix me. Teach me." To Cass, 'fixing' and 'teaching' are synonymous. Babs as her teacher also doubles as her 'fixer' - in a way, Cass sees Babs as a healer. It's no coincidence that Cass borrows Bruce's language for Leslie to describe her own relationship to Babs:

Batman Chronicles #18 // Batgirl (2000) #25

Cass is not only calling her "like a mother," she's also likening Babs (maybe subconsciously) to Leslie, a doctor. Leslie fixes up Bruce, just as Babs fixes up Cass. She doesn't just go to Babs for advice, but also for emotional support and healing.

Batgirl (2000) #49

This moment is so pivotal to me. Like other times, Cass approaches Barbara with a question (why?). But she's not looking for an answer this time - she just wants Babs, just wants to feel the presence of someone who loves her. It's here that Babs' role as teacher/mother/healer converges into someone Cass goes to whenever she feels hurt or lost. Here, no words need to be said. Babs is speaking Cass' language.

Which is why Babs calling Cass stupid is so tragic. Cass' love for Babs is tied up in Babs teaching her, guiding her through life. To be called stupid from the person who has all the answers, who you went to for guidance, who fixed you up and healed you - it was devastating.

Batgirl (2000) #54

Babs doesn't realise that Cass has been learning from her; the lessons Babs taught her weren't about literature, but were on how to live, how to love, how to be Batgirl and how to be Cassandra Cain. Babs not only dismisses Cass' efforts to learn English, but also all those other lessons that Cass knows she has learned but Babs doesn't catch. I think it's in this moment that Cass realises how little Babs actually understands her.

Babs essentially implies Cass is 'unteachable', which to Cass means Babs is no longer the person who fixes anything. So she leaves.

Their reconciliation in Batgirl (2000) #67 is also interesting. On Cass' quest to find her mother (who she thinks might be Shiva), she once again links motherhood to teaching ("Shiva wants to... teach?"). But here, Babs attempts to stop teaching Cass. She stops herself from correcting Cass' language.

Now, Babs talks about what Cass has taught her:

"You make me know change is real." I think this line is really important to Cass. For the first time, she's seeing that she has stuff to teach Babs - and Babs is letting her see that, as a way of apology. Babs finally actually addresses Cass' disability, too. They reconcile and, when Babs tells Cass to call, Cass says "The phone's two-ways." Their new relationship is built on a bedrock of mutual respect, where they can both now teach and learn from each other.

Batgirl (2008) #2

Now, Babs understands. They've gone through those ups and downs and come through with something different, something stronger. Cass still asks Babs for favours, and Babs still worries about Cass, but it's grounded in something less unequal and more trusting.

All this to say that a Cass without that core emotional connection to Babs just isn't really Cass. Babs was so integral to her sense of self and her development, and even when they drifted apart, they always came back together again. Babs was her mentor, her teacher, her mother figure; she went to her for guidance, love, and support. And I just wonder how not having Babs impacts current Cass. When she's hurting, or confused, or lost, or lonely - who does she go to now?

[umbreoncomplex]

this was supposed to be normal hlvrai but i blacked out and drew y2kvr on instinct

[clingyduoapologist]

most fucked up part about assassin's creed is that desmond was 25 and literally was at the club… but they ripped that boy out his natural habitat…

[cupidsncheerios]

i love the ‘jayvik were teleported’ theory because if you combine it with the ‘jinx went to ionia’ theory you get the potential funniest post canon scene

[ssseriema]

displays of affection. or somehting

[rammliedmania]

嗯…那也不错吧 OH YEAH forgot to mention; Potemkin has bruises on his hands because of his metallic gloves and because he only uses his hands to fight. i imagine skin agaisnt metal agaisnt something hard is not very good for the hands :(

inspiration of second picture below!

[getthembees]

cass… i love you creechur

[alarts]

finished veilguard a week ago and loved loved loved the final slideshow and the pose their story ended with so I had to redraw it in my own style... their love endured <3

[frajer-00]

Who else up normal about them. Uni kicking my ass

[scary-monsters]

he's here to pick up his valentine's date 🧡🦖