#which sounds good in theory but everyone already has there own which works for them and reflects the nuances of their work

[mariacallous]

There’s this one part of a project our team is working on that everyone kind of agrees is bullshit and useless but senior leadership want it and I’m trying to make it work and get started on it but it’s such bullshit.

[hypewinter]

The boy had fallen out of the sky. To be more exact, he had fallen out of a portal that had opened in the sky. He then proceeded to land face first next to Batman. As he looked up to see everyone gathering around him, he tried to speak. It was a weird cacophonous sound, a garble that was a mix between static and echoes. Everyone covered their eyes and Nightwing yelled out, "We can't understand you!"

Just like that the cacophony stopped. Everyone uncovered their ears as the boy whispered, "Sorry."

Now that he was sitting up, they were able to get a good look at him. The boy from had Lazarus green eyes and starch white hair that did not obey gravity. His body also has an ethereal glow to it. Everything was a blur after that. They ended up bringing the boy back to the cave when they noticed he was bleeding profusely. Batman wanted to bring him to a hospital instead but he got so panicked when that idea was mentioned and looked like he was about to bolt, so the cave it was.

The boy had barely maintained consciousness as he babbled on about getting away from someone and hoping they would let him stay for a few days to recover. As he rambled, Alfred began peeling back his styled hazmat suit to reveal everyone a sickening Y shaped scar running down his torso which oozed a distinct green color. Alfred had patched him up as quickly and steadily as possible, being guided through how to do it from the boy himself. Apparently whatever his physiology was, it didn't work like a human's. Soon after he was patched up, the boy (Danny as they found out) lost consciousness.

The boy in front of them completely changed after white rings had formed around him. His white hair was now raven black, his skin had taken on a healthy tan, his stylized suit had become a T-shirt and jeans, his blood turned red. By all accounts, this was not the same unknown they had just saved. Unless?

"Do you think he's similar to the Martians?" Tim asked.

Everyone turned to him, their gears already turning. Nevertheless, Batman spoke. "Explain," he said.

"Well you know, how they can change themselves to blend in. And he was talking about hiding from someone. What if he, I don't know, decided to just try to blend in with us."

Dick piped up next. "I mean, considering how many of us are running around, it wouldn't be hard. And look at his face. It's the perfect mix of all of us. He probably decided the best way to fit in would be to look a little bit like all of us. It'd be the best way to throw off his pursuer."

"Or pursuers," Jason cut in.

"And how can we be sure he stopped at just faces?" Damian inquired.

Now everyone was looking at him.

The former assassin puffed out his chest but it was clear from the slight rigidness of his stance that he didn't like everyone's attention on him.

"Tch. I am simply stating that if he truly wanted to blend in with us, he might as well copy our mannerisms as well. He has already copied our speech."

That was true. He had easily switched his speech once Dick had started talking. Of course they couldn't rule out the potential that he had simply known the language beforehand but considering how many aliens Earth got that could instantly adopt a new language, the former theory held more ground.

"Hmm. That may be true. Naturally we'll do our best to hide him from any pursuers. But-"

"Don't you mean you'll do your best to convince him to let you adopt him?" Steph interrupted with a cheeky grin.

"But," Bruce continued on, "we will need to make sure he doesn't imprint on us too much. We'll encourage him to be his own person and try out things that he enjoys so that when all of this is over, he can live independently of us. That being said, I want you all on your best behavior. We want to try to ingrain as many healthy behaviors into him as possible. That means no threats, no violence, no unhealthy sleeping habits, and no extreme intakes of coffee. And I clear?"

There were various mumbles and groans throughout the group and one particularly indignant squawk from Tim. "I said am I clear?" Bruce repeat. The group answered yes in unison. "Good. Then dismissed."

Everyone filed out of the cave one by one. Some went back to their own home and safehouses. Some hit the showers. And some headed straight upstairs. Finally there was only Bruce left. He looked down at Danny still sound asleep on the table. Making sure this boy was protected and cared for for while also making sure he didn't get too attached and therefore dependent on everyone was better said than done. Still, Bruce would make it happen, after all, he was Batman.

I got this idea from the lovely @damngirlidk . Truly a great idea.

[respectthepetty]

Pride Petty Watch (The Untamed) 1/?

I let the crowd pick which two blacklisted shows I would watch from my Petty List, so I flew through the first one knowing I had this 50-episode beast waiting for me. People have warned me that the first two episodes wouldn't make sense, there are a ton of characters to keep track of, I need to watch it at normal speed, and I need to keep the sound on. Therefore, I was already mad before I hit play, yet somehow I started the first episode, blacked out, and emerged five episodes later.

Which means I like it so far, and here's some quick reasons why:

Before I start, these two better be an item because they are my favorite BTS song aka "🔥" and since I haven't seen them in the present yet, I'm fearing something happened to them in that great battle in the past, and if so, I'M GOING TO BE BE LIVID! I've had them for three whole minutes, and they are everything to me, so I feel this story is going to fuck me over.

Everyone is chasing after this golden black snitch, yet nobody is catching it, so although there is a lot of death happening, I'm laughing.

If you squint, My Stand-In and The Untamed are the same. Boys who fell off a cliff come back in another body only to live the same life with the same people and make the same bad decisions. Cool cool cool.

This current lecturer is stating nobody could find the body but he fell into fire/lava, so what body were they thinking they would find?! Also, don't think I didn't catch homeboy getting in trouble in the past for asking in class what happens when a spirit demands revenge and the instructor got upset because look where we are now! Possession of a body for the sake of revenge. Should've entertained the question, professor, because sixteen years later, it will come back to haunt you, literally.

And homeboy applied his own theory of making the possessed bodies work for him to fight the other body. He is a smart cookie, and that's why the original Moo Moo person gave his body up to him.

@dribs-and-drabbles, if this is why you told me I needed the sound on, I'm confident I'm not going to remember this melody. And how is he playing a leaf right now?

I can't take this seriously. This feels like an 80s music video, and he is about to hit me with the hottest synthesizer intro.

And the sword has the golden black snitch in it. *Pikachu face*

I can't play an instrument but for a DIY flute made out of bamboo on the spot, I thought his playing was excellent. For people being saved from being squashed, they are some haters, and I would have stopped playing just so they could suffer.

I picked up that sister is dead in the future, but her kid is a brat, and I would've been mean to him too.

And did the brother really kill him in that battle on the hill because when the entire crowd was like "you killed him, right?", he was looking like . . .

So this is the brat's daddy? It would make sense that a man who shut down an entire hotel for his party would have a son who sets 400 traps so nobody else can catch anything. The privilege is genetic.

I like him AND I respect him. He has priorities and they are to drink and party because even when he came back in that other body, he snatched the liquor. As the opening showed, he's here for a good time, not a long time.

I don't like Fuddy Duddy. He can remember 3,500 rules (this place is where fun goes to die), but couldn't remember to tell my party bro that his sister and brother were inside? Everybody just left homeboy without a note saying where they are, and Fuddy Duddy had the information, yet was too busy lecturing about rules. AND committed the ultimate party foul and wasted the liquor. Make that the 3,501th rule! He's lucky he can lay the synthesizer so well.

This is where the big battle is/was (Nightvale, Nightshade, NightWhatever), and I hope this man died in it because he is doing TOO MUCH! "I don't fear death; I fear boredom" YOU'RE boring! Shut up and go collect the pieces of that dumb rock, Thanos Jr., so we can get this battle going.

HE BROUGHT A BIRD INTO CLASS! This is the everyday American high school class.

Why is everyone in the Fire Nation so pissed? Is it because it's hot there? All of y'all are doing too much except for that sister and her brother. I know that brother was the zombie guy from the statue fight, so that means the main homeboy was talking to Fire Nation sister at the graves. That was her family's grave, and she must be a good person, who is probably dead now too.

So they can all play magical instruments? They're like Josie and the Pussycats, playing gigs between fighting crime.

The brat's dad is gold, the Cloud Recesses (what is this name about because they should be a lot more fun with a name like that?) are white and blue, and the Fire Nation is red, so it's odd that homeboy had the dark blue robes with red underneath before coming to school, and keeps getting really friendly with the fire people. Plus the cloud people's power is blue, but his comes out in bursts of red. Is his daddy really Fire Nation? Get Maury on the line.

So his bird buddy gave him porn, which he gave to Fuddy Duddy, who then ripped it up. No wonder why he is so good at school and remembers 3,500 rules. Got nothing but time on his hands since he isn't using his hands doing anything else by being so repressed.

Fuddy Duddy just said he doesn't touch people, yet in the very beginning he snatched homeboy's hand without hesitation, so he wouldn't fall to his death. Then, he snatched that premium liquor for him. I see you and your heart on your sleeve, my man! Just like this water demon, the feelings are sneaking up on you and snatching you up!

Should've bought her the comb, bro, because she's going to be dead after that big battle since she was sent to snoop for the Fire Nation. Even though she is trying to help her brother, I feel this will be y'alls Romeo and Juliet moment.

So the brother was always going to come back from the dead since he already was cursed(?), and my homeboy is once again proving to be a friend to all. I like you, and I will learn your name, hopefully by episode 28.

Only three marks healed in the present, so whoever is the last mark has to be one of these hoochies, and the more backstory I get, the more I think it's going to hurt when I find out who the last mark is.

Half these people have already died leading up to that big battle and the other half will die as homeboy sets out on his Kill Bill journey, so like . . .

"You and I have unfinished business"

*slams on the 'next' button*

[candlewaxandp0lar0ids]

jealousy jealousy || Changbin x Reader

Summary: It's as you're working with Changbin on a school project — and he's being as infuriating as he always is — that he invites you to go see 3racha perform in a bar that night. You decide to take the opportunity, because you do find the group talented, and also, what could possibly go wrong?

Word count: 4.3k

Genres: college AU, rapper!Changbin

Warnings & Tags: jealousy, academic rivals to lovers, alcohol consumption, brief sleazy behavior from someone else, consensual kiss while under the influence, light angst, oc has insecurities

series masterlist

A/N: Similarly to the I.N. oneshot, please ignore the thing about music if you know better and it doesn't make sense, my years of studying music theory are far behind me :') Hope you'll enjoy the piece, would appreciate to know your thoughts on it if you do!

If you had had your say on this assignment or on your choice for a partner, you wouldn’t be sitting there, across from Seo Changbin, in his fucking studio, watching him nod his head as he’s working on the arrangement you’re supposed to turn in next week.

“The guidelines say we’re supposed to use an unusual time signature,” you say, partly to be annoying and partly because he’s literally using 4/4, which, like, come on. It’s like he’s trying to go against the rules.

“They’re used for a reason,” he replies after a good thirty seconds of silence, which could be because he was ignoring you or because he can’t multitask. “It’s more important to turn in something that’s good than something that follows the guidelines.”

“That’s not mutually exclusive.”

“You can’t let others tell you what to do,” he insists, still looking at his screen. “You have to make your own decisions based on what’s good for—”

“It sounds like you just can’t take a challenge,” you interrupt him and this time, he turns around to glare at you. For a second, he looks offended, which was the reaction you were going for and, you have to say, it brings you an evil satisfaction. Then a corner of his lips lift and he smirks.

You really don’t like how attractive you find that look on him.

“You think that’s going to work on me?”

You grit your teeth. Well, rationale and logic weren’t getting you anywhere so far, so this was at least worth a try.

“I’m not looking forward to you tanking my grade,” you reply with a shrug, attempting, and probably failing, to look nonchalant.

This time he scoffs before going back to the computer.

“It’s not going to tank our grade. The teacher values quality more than following the rules, and even if he didn’t, you shouldn’t change yourself to make someone happy.”

Valuable life advice, you’re sure. It just does not apply whatsoever when a grade is at stake. Unfortunately though, he is right about this teacher valuing ‘quality’, though you don’t like how subjective his view of it appears to be. You think there should be metrics when it comes to grading your students. Either way, so far Changbin’s been fucking breezing through this class because the teacher just adores everything he puts out. You think it’s a gross display of favoritism and you suspect that it has a lot to do with 3racha’s popularity, but everyone’s too busy making heart eyes at the golden boy to think about it.

And, look, you like 3racha. You think they’re talented. You don’t know where Chan finds the time to do music while being captain of the swimming team and all the other stuff he’s doing — seriously, when does he sleep —, you think Jisung’s a very talented singer, rapper, producer — basically a one man group already without needing to add the other two in— and Changbin’s… Yeah. Changbin’s good. There’s no way you could deny that. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that it doesn’t seem to have crossed his mind that there are some people in here who don’t have a record deal lined up for them as soon as they walk out of their graduation. Some people who are not going to have full creative control over their stuff until they’ve really established themselves, if that ever happens. Some people who also just simply enjoy figuring out a way of making something interesting, something good in ways they wouldn’t have thought of if they hadn’t been forced to deal with an obstacle of some sort barring them from picking the easiest solution.

The problem is that, as you reluctantly have to admit, Changbin isn’t picking the easiest solution. In fact, once you notice what he’s doing, you can’t help but lean forward on your seat, all your attention on him and his hands moving on the keyboard. Shit. It seems, infuriatingly, that he had a point.

“What’d you think?” he asks once he’s done, and you blink yourself back to reality after having watched him work his magic.

“It’s smart,” you admit. You’re not the type to lie just because you have an issue with him. “Using tertiary rhythms in 4/4 to give the impression of another time signature… Yeah. It’s good.”

You can practically see his ego getting bigger with every word you say. Dammit, you almost wish he were a hack.

“But,” you add, a little too be annoying and a little because you have an actual point to make, “I think you should start off with binary rhythms.”

Changbin visibly deflates, then frowns, and you realize belatedly that you might have been able to push back on the use of the time signature then and there. You think he’d have given in, if you still didn’t like the end result, but that hadn’t even occurred to you.

“Why?” he asks, folding his — impressive — arms over his chest. “That’d be boring.”

You shake your head, pushing yourself up next to him and taking the mouse out of his hands to start making the changes that are clear as day in your mind. The gesture seems to outrage him, but if you’re being honest that’s actually a plus in your book, so, tough to be him.

“You start out with something familiar,” you explain as you’re working, “to lull the listener into a false sense of security. Then you hit them with the unusual to have a bigger impact and to make them wonder how the piece got there. That way, they’ll think they’ll know exactly what you’re going for from the start and be more surprised when you go for something else.”

There are a few seconds of silence after that, before Changbin also leans forward, his body suddenly much closer to yours.

“You have to work on the transition some more if you’re going for that,” he says, and his breath tickles your cheek. “’cause it’s just gonna feel jarring if you don’t.”

“I was getting to that,” you say with a click of your tongue, elbowing him in the stomach in an attempt to keep him from messing with your work. Through the first, soft layer, you come in contact with strong abs, which doesn’t surprise you considering how much time he’s rumored to spend at the gym.

Not that you’re paying attention to these rumors or anything. It’s just— Know your enemy, or something.

He does manage to use his muscles pretty easily to get the mouse back, and after an undignified shriek when he wraps an arm around your body to lift you up and get you away, you admit defeat. If your cheeks are warm now, it’s just because of the effort.

It’s also the reason your heart beats faster, and it’s got nothing to do with the satisfied grin Changbin shoots back at you once he’s back in front of the computer.

“Hey,” he says as he’s working, “you know 3racha’s having a concert tonight?”

Of course you do.

“I heard about it.”

“You should come. I can get you in.”

You raise an eyebrow. You’ve never actually seen 3racha perform. Tickets to their stuff aren’t that easy to get on campus or around i, and you’re also busy working your ass off most of the time, whether it’s for classes or at your part-time job. But you have tonight off, and considering this assignment is going nicely…

You bite your lower lip as you consider it. You’re not really looking forward to the screaming crowd looking at Changbin like he’s a god, but you are interested in the actual show. You’ve heard so much about them, and the stars aligning for a ticket offer and not having to work…

Ah, fuck it.

“Okay.”

Changbin’s head whips back in your direction.

“What?”

You take a step back, shoulders instinctively coming up to your ears. Your defenses come back up in a matter of seconds.

“If you don’t want me there, you shouldn’t have—”

“No, you should come!” he protests, and then his voice gets softer. “I’d be super happy if you came, I just didn’t think you’d be interested.”

“Of course I am,” you say with a shrug.

Changbin turns around towards the computer, but not before you catch a bright smile on his lips. Not his signature smirk. A bright, genuine smile.

And this time, you have no excuse when your heart skips a beat.

It doesn’t come off as a shock to you that 3racha are really fucking good on stage. You didn’t have any trouble getting into the bar after giving your name, which Changbin had told you would be enough. It had taken a little more, uh, elbow work to get reasonably close to the stage, because the place was already pretty filled up. The people there are almost all from the college, but there are a few groups of mostly young men — some looking like they’re too young to have been let in — that stick out as well.

You make yourself comfortable as you wait, sending the occasional glare at people pushing you. Lots of girls there, you note, and you don’t think they’re all there for the music, which you find amusing. You certainly don’t judge. That’s something that the people from the labels would have noted, and it’s not like there’s a wrong way of enjoying a group.

The crowd goes wild around you when Jisung — or rather J-One, his stage name — jumps on stage, practically vibrating with energy. You don’t really catch what he’s saying, both because it’s too loud and because he’s speaking too fast. You are, however, acutely aware of the way he presents himself, of his cocky grin, of the way he sticks his tongue out and wipes at his lower lip with his thumb.

He’s followed on stage by Changbin, who, unlike him, barely looks like he’s acting. Yeah, his stage persona is raw confidence, supercharged with charisma, but he doesn’t bother doing much of anything — though you think he’s flexing his muscles a little more than usual. Except, of course, when he gives the audience that fucking smirk of his.

And suddenly, you’re very, very aware of how hot it is in the room.

Chan’s the last one to get on, and he does so with a roar of “Are you ready?”. Everyone goes insane, and you find yourself being pushed around by the people around you jumping up and down. Though you’re not quite giving in just yet, you do enjoy the enthusiasm. If half of what you’ve heard about them is true, they certainly deserve the hype. Seeing the wide, uncontainable smile on Chan’s face at the crowd reaction, as he can’t keep up with his stage persona for a few seconds, just makes your heart swell.

Then, after getting the crowd even more riled up, they get started with their set. You’re familiar with all the songs, of course. Music is ideally going to become your job and you want to keep yourself updated, but also, you do find them to be good. Even the stuff that’s not to your personal taste is always backed up by an actual creative idea, which is not something you’d say about a lot of pop songs that get blasted on the radio every day. It makes their music feel new, and yeah, sometimes it means it’s not that easily accessible and it’s going to turn some people off, but it sure makes you respect their artistic integrity.

They’re also giving themselves on stage, 100%. And, because there’s just no point in denying it now, Changbin looks ridiculously fucking hot doing it. It makes all sorts of things tingle in your stomach and lower when he growls in the mic. You haven't been able to look away for a second.

Outside of the general hotness — you’re human, what can you say — you can’t help but appreciate everything else, everything musical. How easily he rides the beat, how music seems to inhabit his body, how skillfully he’s crafted the verses and choruses and made them feel— You’re not sure how to phrase it. They’re not predictable, but they are obvious. It feels like there would be no other way of doing them, no better way of phrasing them, no arrangement that would be more efficient. It has to be that way.

And it’s as they’re reaching the peak of their last song that dread washes over you, seeping straight to your bones.

You find Changbin annoying. You think he’s cocky, overconfident, and that he doesn’t pay enough attention to others. You also don’t like the way he gets everything handed to him on a silver platter and that, unlike you, he doesn’t have to split his time between work and college. But if you’re being honest, that’s not nearly enough of a reason to dislike him. The guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s always happy to help out, maybe even lets people take advantage a little bit. And he’s so, so fucking talented. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t find all of that attractive.

The problem, as you’re staring at him on stage, is that the question that is truly at the center of it all, the one you’ve refused to ask yourself all this time as you kept working your ass off and he kept doing better than you, just came up to the surface, and you can’t avoid it any longer.

What if you just don’t have it?

Look, you believe in hard work, but you find it hard to deny that some people just have something else. Call it talent, call it luck, whatever. Changbin’s got it.

You’re not sure you do.

You just might keep working and working and working and never get to the level he’s at. You might just not have the thing that makes him able to come up with hooks that stay inside your head for days on end.

What’s been your dream job for almost a decade now might remain forever out of reach.

As the crowd erupts in cheers around you, and 3racha stay on the stage, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down their forehead, the future you’ve always wished for doesn’t quite shatter completely in front of your eyes, but it takes a nasty crack that ripples onto its entire surface.

You turn around, away from the stage. You hadn’t planned on that, but fuck it.

You need a drink.

Even as you down two drinks a little too quick and gesture for a third, you know this is a bad idea. You’re running straight into a wall, you’re going to regret this so much tomorrow, and you’re doing it anyway. This isn’t like you. You make the good decision, the right decision, you do what’s smart, what you should do.

Except apparently, none of that is enough, and that thought gets you to ingest the third drink as well, the burning taste of alcohol a welcome distraction.

“You can really knock these back,” a voice comments next to you.

You glance at the guy who’s already way too close in your personal space for a stranger. Normally, you would roll your eyes and you’d never even consider entertaining it. Who even hits on someone after they’ve seen them try their best to get intoxicated in as short an amount of time as possible?

Tonight though, his maths has paid off, because you welcome the distraction.

If you’re going to be making bad decisions, why stop at one, right?

You spin yourself towards him, rest your elbow on the counter and put your head on your hand in a pretty unnatural pose. You’re not quite coordinated — not usually, and certainly not with that amount of alcohol in your blood — but it doesn’t appear to throw him off.

“Sure can,” you say — it might come off slurred, you can’t tell, “but the question is, can you?”

He raises an eyebrow, but he looks amused. Honestly, he’s giving sleazy vibes, a little too happy to be running into someone trying to get wasted, you just— you just don’t give a fuck right now. You feel like you’ve watched the life slip forever out of your reach, and you just want to forget about it, forget about how you may never get a job and never live from what you want to do most in the world, forget about fucking Seo Changbin and how ridiculously talented he is when you’re— Yeah, you’re ordering another drink.

The guy offers to pay for you, and you’re not going to say no. He makes a dumb comment about it which you think is supposed to be a joke and you laugh way too hard, throwing your head back in a tried and tested move.

As you make painful small talk with him while waiting for your drink, you’re struck by how mediocre he seems to be. When you’re around Changbin, as annoying as he can be, the conversation’s just… brilliant. He’s interesting, he’s actually smart, he has stuff to say, and talking to him makes you feel, well, annoyed, sure, but it’s also challenging. He never bores you.

It’s been less than a minute, and you already wish that guy would shut up.

He doesn’t. He seems intent on smothering you with facts about his life that he probably believes to be impressive — his money, his job, his connections —, like you don’t know why he’s doing it. It’s almost insulting that he seems to believe that he’s seducing you with all of that fairly mundane stuff, when really, the attention you’re giving him has nothing to do with, well, him.

He’s moved on to putting his arm around your shoulders in the least subtle way known to man when you hear your name and you turn back around.

There’s Changbin, eyeing you and the guy, looking half pissed, half concerned.

“Oh, hey,” you say. “You were really good.”

His eyebrows knit, but then a smile that he can’t seem to hold back lifts a corner of his lips. It’s not arrogant for once, almost bashful actually.

“You thought so?”

So good that it gave you an existential crisis, so, yeah, you did.

“Yeah, you guys weren’t bad,” the dude behind you chimes in, and since you’ve got your back turned to him, you openly roll your eyes, which Changbin can’t miss. You doubt the guy knows shit about the time and efforts that had to go into that set, or into the writing of the song before even getting onto the stage, for that matter. “A bit derivative,” he adds, like an asshole, “but you might go on to do great stuff.”

There’s nothing bashful about Changbin’s smile now. He doesn’t look hurt or anything, but he seems to be thinking that the guy’s a real fucking moron.

“Thanks,” he says, sarcasm dripping in his voice which the dude doesn’t catch. Then his eyes fall on the glasses in front of you, and back to the hand on your shoulder. “Is that all yours?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m questioning my existence,” you reply with a shrug. “So that seemed like a good idea.”

Changbin looks confused for a second, but not completely deterred by your lack of coherence.

“’kay, then I think I should take you home.”

That’s objectively a good idea, and the more time you’re spending looking at him and talking to him, the less you want to keep talking to the other dude, actually.

“Hey,” the guy in question says from behind you, “I got there first. Find someone else, dude.”

Changbin’s eyes harden instantly and he takes a threatening step forward. He’s shorter than the man, but significantly larger. You just so happen to not be drunk enough to watch them fight. You blame your dad’s genes for making you somewhat good at handling your alcohol, because you wish you were hammered enough not to care right now. You push yourself on your feet, a bit unsteady, and put your hand on Changbin’s arm — totally to stop him and not at all to stop yourself from face planting. His muscles, you discover with some interest, are not just impressive but also extremely hard, perhaps because he’s prepared to fight.

“It’s good,” you say, “thanks for the drinks but he’s right, I need to get home.”

The man’s face contorts with anger.

“You can pay for your own drinks, you fucking—”

One of Changbin’s arms wrap around your waist, and then he takes a step forward, easily getting you out of the way while keeping you against him, to grab the man by the collar.

“Want to finish that sentence, asshole?”

If you were sober, you’d think something judgmental about men and aggressiveness. Right now, you mostly, uh, think it’s very very hot of him. Being pressed into his hard body makes your heart rate spike up, and in that state, it’s so hard to deny how attracted you are to him.

The guy backs down quickly, sputtering an apology, and then Changbin’s dragging you away, keeping his arm around you to ensure you stay on your feet.

“You okay?” he asks. His eyes scan your body, focusing back on your face when he finds nothing.

Alcohol has a tendency of making you even snappier than you usually are. Right now, though, hearing the genuine worry in his voice, you feel that part of you melting away.

“I’m good, Changbin. I think I just— I just need to get home.”

And though he’d be the last person you’d take help from if you were sober, he seems like the perfect pick at the moment.

You make it to the campus without too much trouble. It’s not like your legs don’t carry you anymore, just that you don’t walk quite straight, but Changbin doesn’t let go of you for one second of that walk, monitoring you the whole time, and then he insists on getting you back to your room as well. At least you live alone, because that is not something you’d like to have to explain.

“Did something happen?” Changbin asks, finally, as you’re making it up the steps, like he just can’t keep it in anymore. Your mind, which had been peacefully quiet this whole time, filled with his warmth and his presence, is flooded with noise again. It takes you a few long, painful seconds before you come up with something to say.

“Do you think I’m any good at this?” you ask just as you’re reaching your floor.

He shoots you a weird look.

“Good at what?”

Right, he wasn’t privy to everything that was going on in your mind.

“You know,” you say with a vague gesture. “Music. Producing. What we do.”

“Of course you’re good at it,” he scoffs like it’s the most obvious thing ever. “You’re super creative. You can follow all the stupid rules the teachers give us and still turn something good in. You think I’d let you work on my stuff in my studio if I didn’t think you were good?”

It’s his tone that gets to you, you think. Changbin’s honest to a fault, from what you’ve seen, but he says this so matter-of-factly, so casually, that it’s hard to question, even for just a second, that he doesn’t believe what he’s saying. You know it will take a moment to sink in, that Changbin has that kind of confidence in you when even you don’t, but, even if the thoughts will definitely come back later, it’s like he dispelled them all in just a few sentences.

It’s as you’re coming to a stop in front of your door that he almost jumps with realization.

“Wait a second. Did that fucker say—”

And then you kiss him. It’s not that hard, from the position you were in, to pivot into wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing your lips against his, which you find to be soft and plump. He tenses for a second before his hand tightens on your waist and he kisses you back hungrily. If he can taste the alcohol on your lips, it doesn’t seem to bother him. His hand holds you close to him with almost bruising strength, but it remains chastely on your waist, his only movements coming from his lips and tongue.

His teeth graze against your lower lip, pulling on it, and it sends shivers through your whole body, but this is when you pull away from him. Despite his previous stillness, his head moves forward, chasing your lips for just a few seconds longer.

When you open your eyes, you find him panting, cheeks and ears a pronounced shade of red. It’s— extremely cute, if you’re being honest.

“Thank you for taking me home,” you say.

“Y—Yeah,” he says, glancing away when his voice cracks. “Yeah,” he repeats, “any time.”

“I’m gonna go to bed now,” you say, though you still haven’t taken your arms from around him.

“That’s good,” he says with a decisive nod. “’cause, you know, you’re drunk, and I wouldn’t wanna— You should go to bed.”

It makes you giggle, but you still decide give yourself a second more, during which you put your head on your shoulder, and Changbin just lets you, his hand rubbing circles on your back. When you still don’t move, he clears his throat.

“D’you want me to carry you?”

“Seriously?”

His response to that is to lift you up princess-style, one arm under your knees and the other under your back. He lets out a grunt as he lifts you, but then stabilizes himself and manages to get you through the door.

You know that you’ll have some things to seriously think about when you wake up with a throbbing headache, but in that moment, you just laugh and let him carry you to your bed, because having his arms around make you feel safe.

He makes you feel like you’re going to be okay.

Taglist: @lethallyprotected @jisuperboard

[works-of-heart]

"E/riel has plot!"

What plot? If they're already 'in love,' what's the plot for them to fall in love?

Oh Forbidden romance?

...You mean how Elain ISN'T FORCED AT ALL to accept this mating bond? How literally no one is forcing her hand one way or another and it's up to HER whether she wants to accept her mate or not?

How Rhys challenged Azriel to show he had ANY feelings beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to, but fell short?

Or how Rhys said that if Elain DID choose to reject it, that she would have their support? (Clearly Rhysand isn't standing in the way if Azriel's feelings for her were anything beyong "the fantasies he pleasured himself to." or could at least say with his chest he was over Mor.

Oh, you mean the tons of other 'theories' that e/riel has come up with that literally destroys all the character/ story build up she's been writing? Having an SA survivor be evil and luring men. Or having that character not be involved at all (Because you know, THAT plot threatens your ship.)

Oh riiight, the millions of different kinds of 'mate' theories. How ONLY Elucien's bond is the wrong one, but everyone else's? They're right! Even though, Lucien shares the SAME mating qualities that Rhysand and Cassian share. The longing stares, (Azriel had that for Mor too before Moriel got retconned. Don't worry Az, there's a fiery red haired beauty waiting for you!), the concern, the mate desire and the chant of "you are mine and I am yours." Sounds like Lucien's bond fits right alongside the others doesn't it?

The plots they claim would literally take Lucien's HEA away, despite SJM's OWN WORDS that there was 'someone special' for him, then making him mates with ELAIN. Then going on to say that there's a great deal of Tension, growth and HEALING for them( TOGETHER). Oh, look! That sounds like PLOT doesn't it? A plot of healing tension and growth! Something that SJM is known for in her books. Something Feyre, and Nesta got. Interesting.

Lucien is carrying the story in the Background. He has his hands dipped in Koschei, Vassa and Jurien, Beron and Eris, Spring court, Day court (finding out his true heritage), Emissary to Night court and Ally (As Rhys clearly explains).

Hmmmm. It sounds to me like Lucien has a TON of plot surrounding him. Elain being a seer, being said that Spring court was built for her. Her scent is the "Promise of Spring." (Who is currently stationed in spring court? Oh, Lucien, her mate! Look at that, it's already set up! =D) Even Rhysand states that we haven't seen all there is to Elain, and yet SJM is prepping her to go to spring.

Tell me, how does E/riel fit into spring? Do we need yet another contradicting 'plot/theory' to make it work?

The way Az's shadows don't run from Gwyn, they dance with her. They don't raise up alarm (which let's be real, if she was evil, his shadows would ABSOLUTELY tell Azriel to be cautious. Instead, they sit calmly at his shoulders. They're playful and sing.) Azriel not having to hide his scars, not having to think negative, degrating thoughts about himself while he's with Gwyn. The spark in his chest he got at the thought of her teal eyes lighting up. A thing of secret lovely beauty (Not a thing of deciept and magic). And no, he never got a spark in his chest for Elain.

The tie to Valkyrie and Illyrians, there's banter and laughter between them. Nesta being Gwyn's chosen sister, Cassian being Az's chosen brother. Think of the cute double dates they'd have!

If E/riel needs to make people who SJM have literally set up to have epic stories 'villains' or have them die, or not even exist for the ship to work, if their HEA includes ruining entire plots and stories, butchering characters, then it isn't very good now is it?

Meanwhile, Elucien and Gwynriel are set up to have intrigue, healing and growth for BOTH of the couples. I dunno, you can call the bad character breaking theories 'plots' if you want. If that helps you believe in your ship, sure? I rest easy knowing SJM isn't out here trying to rewrite her WHOLE entire story and throw out everything she wrote in the garbage, just to make ONE ship happen when she said there were clearly 2.

[drippingviolets3]

Omfg yall I’ve had this theory boiling up for MONTHS now and I gotta spill-

So first of all for my normal viewers, though it doesn’t say so in my description (yet. That I am aware of.) I’m into a game called Touch Starved and it’s a gothic horror visual novel. The demo is our, it’s free, go play it if you’re cool with the themes.

Now, one of the character’s has caught my eye, and for all the wrong reasons. Leander, the only “human” (or at least, non-cursed human) of the cast. His gang of bloodhounds are both portrayed as saviors, but are also described as being just as bad as the senobium (again for my usual viewers, go play the demo and you’ll learn what that is). This got me suspicious, and as everyone in the fandom has been doing, I started to theorize and….

Bro Leander is totally a cult leader 💀

My reasoning goes as follows:

1• The base of operations for them is a tavern. It’s said that their alcohol is watered down, but it makes people drink more. Alcohol can lead to dumb decisions, but under influence and the right persuasion, it could lead to something drastic.

2• Everyone seems to worship Leander. He’s able to get an entire bar to calm down when the player even mentions the senobium (more on that later), they always want to see his magic in work and receive his gifts, like how cult followers will seek out blessings from their leader

3• The matching cloaks. That alone screams shady, but at the same time screams unity under one cause. If Leander is their leader, they’re following *his* cause.

4• The phrase “as above so below” that they used in their ads. It means that whatever happens in a higher realm or plane of existence, will also correspond with the lower realm. It comes from The Emerald tablet of Hermes, which is a part of Hermeticism. The thing that they worshipped was not to be shown or described as straight up the devil or god, people were meant to come to their own conclusions about him. That could mean that the Bloodhounds are luring in people from various circumstances, and promising them each something they believe in because they’re all meant to have a individual belief on their being of worship.

4• Leander claimed that his flower bouquet he made was for someone in need of good luck. Leander could very well be the person they’re worshiping because they belief he’s creating miracles, and we all know Leander is an attention whore.

5• The bloodhounds are given a place to stay as well as food and water. The member’s entire lives are in control of Leander and the bloodhounds. If Leander decides you aren’t worth his time he could easily give the word and everyone would rip you apart. This could encourage obedience from the members.

Every character in this game has a dark side as edgy as that sounds. No one is truly innocent, including characters like Leander. I’ll be adding to the theory as I go on, but other then what I’ve already written that’s all I have so far.

[saphirered]

Heyy!! So lately I've been in a very domestic, fluffy feel. SOOO NOW IM PROJECTING THAT onto this request rq teehee. I was wanting to do one for Percy, with season two out I missed the angsty gunslinger on screen. Set after the campaign, maybe during winter's crest? As of you and Percy coming back to whitestone for the occasion, its decided to round up all of Vox Machina. For a night of fun amongst friends, with a whole lot of ale to go around and stories to tell. Percy seems distant lately, staying more to his workshop and genuinely his own tasks. Not like his workshop isn't already a second room, it's just ODD to say the least. As the day rolls around, everyone starts to arrive at whitestones castle. With happy greetings and laughs, that night's activities begin. To sum it up , Percy proposes to reader. Thinking it would be a nice gesture to pull. Also cause I know this extra bitch would make a ring for you. I know it sounds cheesy but like hear me outtt!! The moment just sounded so sweet to me and I NEEDED to send this in. I'm a sucker for this cute content <3 Byeee Saph!!! :D

A proposal you asked for, a proposal you'll get. Fluff and cheese and all of the things. Sorry for the wait but I hop the 3.6k word count made up for it. Hope you enjoy and thanks for requesting! 😘

“I’ll be right with you, dear!” He’s spoken and shouted those words over the noise of his ongoing projects far too many times. Percy feels somewhat guilty for all but banishing you from his workshop and hiding this one secret project of his. He’s been so caught up in it; it has to be perfect after all. But that did mean he couldn’t spend as much time with you and his mind is elsewhere whenever he does leave his workshop. He’s seen your accepting but sad smiles whenever he wanders off. His heart hurts when he finishes late and you’re already in bed, asleep and alone curled up on your side because he missed yet another dinner. It’s reached the point where he’s been considering just spilling he beans. He doesn’t want to hurt you over some stupid secret but you’re so damn understanding and accepting. Of course you’re disappointed when he does join you for a meal and he informs you he has errands to run and won’t be back until late. You’d simply give him a kiss and wish him good luck. He’s barely seen you outside of your overlapping responsibilities. He just feels bad. But then there’s a breakthrough!

The door to his workshop slams open, or rather off its hinges entirely. Now very few people are able to break a deadbolted several inch thick heavy steel door clean off its hinges and that immediately signals him; it’s not you at that door. Given the shadow that all but blocks the light from entering He knows enough. He’s all but grabbed by the shoulders and lifted from his seat and can barely settle his things before he’s dragged out of his workshop. 

“Come on Percy, you’re not going to let us have all the fun, are you?” Scanlan speaks in a sing-song voice when he’s pushed into the hallway and sees the gnome casually leaning against the wall like the arsehole he is. 

“I was perfectly content finishing my work instead.” He counters but Scanlan wouldn’t have it. 

“We’re having a night out, like old times! Let’s drink dry a tavern! Start some fights!” The gnome tries to persuade him and while anything coming out of Scanlan’s mouth should always be questioned, He can’t help but long for some normalcy. No matter how much he might pretend to hate the ruckus his friends cause which inevitably ended with them getting kicked out of the establishment, district or even city, he likes it and misses it. And before he know it he’s spiralling in memories of you, covering his back while he tries to fight off that minotaur barkeep, and the time where you smashed that stein in pieces thug’s head. He also thinks of the conversations you’ve had, the things you learned about each other, and the sometimes drunken ramblings where your questionable theories actually hold some weight. He misses it all. He misses the glint in your eye right before you’re about to absolutely decimate some card players. He misses your laughter at Keyleth’s horrible jokes, and your caring side when she has a little too much. He misses your little battles of charm with Vex as the two of you attempt to have the group drink for free and negate the expense of the damages done to the establishment or people. 

Percy is so caught in his mind that he automatically walks with when Scanlan and Grog begin to move. He doesn’t even put up a fight. He’ll have this one night. He’ll enjoy it. Then he realises how bloody stupid he is. 

“Excuse me. I’ll meet you there.” He turns on his heels but comes face to face with Grog’s chest.

“Nuh-uh! Pike said she won’t let us have any ale if we don’t bring you back.” Grog pouts at the thought of being refused ale. No surprise there. 

“And what’s your motive?” Percy wonders out loud. He already knows the answer and Scanlan just raises an eyebrow implying the same. 

“You really wanna know?” 

“Point taken.” Percy shakes his head, takes a step back from Grog but that doesn’t mean he’s not craning his neck to stare up at him. “If you have to come along, be my guest. I just need to get something from my workshop. That is all.” Scanlan shrugs at Grog. Grog shrugs back. Scanlan shrugs again. So does Grog. Percy’s already sick of this so he just starts walking and they follow whispering not so inconspicuously. He still choses to block him out.

Once back at the workshop he engages the safety door; not ideal but at least it wards off snoopers. He walks over to his work bench, sits down and pulls open one of the drawers under it. He pulls out two bands of precious metal, notices they’re a bit dirty and quickly cleans them with a rag. He sees Scanlan peeking around the corner. The gnome knows not to enter his workshop but Grog has no such reservations, not even when he tried to ingest some very caustic materials. 

“Ooh! What are those for?” Grog exclaims trying to peak over his shoulder. 

“What? What is it Grog? Get out of the way I can’t see. Ugh.” Scanlan tries to look around the goliath blocking his view right now. 

“Nothing concerning you.” Percy replies but Grog talks over him.

“They’re fancy rings. Super shiny.” He says and Percy just sighs, pockets the set of rings and gets up walking around Grog and back towards the doorway. 

“You’ve been making some jewelled cock rings or something? I might have a commission for ya. Something with diamonds-“ Scanlan keeps going but Percy tunes him out. He’s had plenty of time to practice ignoring the bard after all. They continue their journey to the tavern Vox Machina had chosen.

The Tavern is already lively with people and music by the time they enter. The rest of Vox Machina had already taken up a table and safeguarded it from any thieves with death stares for those who didn’t recognise them. They’d already started dwindling the top shelf by the looks of it. You’re leaning your elbow on the back of Vex’ chair as she plays a game with Keyleth. You point at a card but in doing so, with some sleight of hand exchange it for Vex to gain the better hand. You haven’t noticed him yet, or so it seems. So Percy casually walks up beside you, lets his hand drift to your back to draw your attention and when you look over your shoulder, whatever words he wanted to say, fall completely silent. His lips part but no words leave. You chuckle and rise fully, brush your fingers along his arm and press your lips to his in a greeting. 

“Hello to you too.” You grin when you pull back and Percy’s somewhat come to his senses. You pass some coins to Vex who takes them with a ‘thank you, darling’ and keeps playing her card game with the druid. 

“What was that for?” 

“Well, I may or may not have lost a bet.” You lace your fingers with his and pull him along to the abandoned seats only to see yours has been dragged off to another table. You have half the mind to demand it back but haven’t had nearly enough to drink to start a tavern brawl this early into the night, so you just push Percy to sit in the remaining empty chair and sit yourself down across his lap. 

“Do elaborate.” His arm wraps around your waist as you lean over the table to grab the bottle of wine and an empt glass. You pour a drink and hand it to him while Pike slides over your own glass and you wink a thanks. She raises her cup. 

“Vex said you’d walk through the door willingly because you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself. I said Grog would drag you by the back of your coat while Scanlan loudly announced our esteemed presence to this good folk in song.” He gives you a disapproving look. You hide your smile behind your glass. “Oh please, not as if it would have been unlikely.” The look fades very slowly as it only puts more truth to your statement. Were it any other situation he might have been the victim of just such a scene. 

“I don’t get it! Why do you always keep winning?” Keyleth hiccups and Pike and you share a look as the cleric quickly takes Keyleth’s cup, downs it, and fills it with water before putting it back in its previous place. You exchange a nod. 

“That’s because she’s cheating.” Vex might as well have shot him then and there given the look Percy receives at his comment. 

“Are you calling me a cheater, Percy?” Her eyes narrow leading you to interpose yourself between the two; an easily achieved feat given you’re in his lap. You tap his arm, telling him to let it go.

“I’m merely saying you apply different rules to the game than commonly accepted.” 

“I knew Vex wasn’t cheating.” Grog mumbles but gets his bubble burst pretty quickly. He still doesn’t get it though. An argument ensues though none of it serious. Keyleth tries to steal a card from the deck using her druidcraft but doesn’t pan out well. To be fair, drunk Keyleth and magic use have not and will never go well together, Voice of the Tempest or not. Before you know it some other patrons rather rudely insists you and your friends take this elsewhere or they’ll make you. You should have known the moment Grog smiled, this wouldn’t end well. And in a matter of seconds a fight ensued. It spread like wildfire like any tavern brawl does. You let them fight it out, stay seated with Percy as you two clink your glasses together. 

“So how has your day been?”

“Uneventful until now.” Percy speaks casually. “And yours?” You bite the inside of your cheek in the way he knows you to do when you’re trying to formulate a nice answer as opposed to a more unfiltered one. 

“Eventful. Given our friends arrived a couple of hours ago. You’re welcome by the way. I managed to keep them from exploring the clocktower on their own.” You take a sip of your wine. 

“Oh thank the gods.” He breathes in relief. You spared him a likely disaster. “How will I ever repay you?” He adds a bit more dramatically. Maybe it’s the wine. You laugh. 

“Marry me?” Were he less schooled in proper etiquette he might have spewed across the table. He looks around but no caught on, they’re too occupied in the fight. You’re content being a witness for now it seemed. Percy worries you might have caught on somehow, that you might have figured it out but you don’t let anything show. “I’m joking. Partially. One day. If you ask nicely but for now, think we should help them out?” You gesture to the tavern-wide brawl and save the bottle you two were sharing before someone is thrown onto the table and pummelled right in the face by Pike. 

“Yes. You’re probably right.” He blurts out and downs his whole glass. You down the last bit of your glass, a large swig from the bottle and get up. You offer your hand. Percy takes it as well as  the bottle as you help him to his feet. He feels like he is going to need that booze to deal with the near heart attack you gave him but before he can take a swig of his own he’s forced to turn the bottle into a weapon. Quickly he turns it in his grasp and hits it over the head of some man charging for the both of you. The man didn’t see the blow coming and glass shatters along with the remaining liquid inside. 

“What a waste of a perfectly good chardonnay.” You pout. 

“I’ll get you a new one.” He’ll buy you a whole cellar’s worth if you want. He might actually… 

“My hero.” You joke pulling Percy aside and aiming a high kick at the face of another drunkard coming for the two of you. You peck his cheeks before the fight continues and you’re no longer able to have this brief bubble of solitude. You’re in the fray now but you’re in it together. Together and you kick some ass. It’s magnificent and just as he had thought, it does feel like old times. You’re having a grand old time. He’s not ashamed to admit you saved his ass when he got a little sentimental and couldn’t shake a certain memory or simply stopped to admire your magnificence. 

But all good things get even better when the guard shows up and Vox Machina ends up running like some juvenile troublemakers. The guards didn’t notice who you were and you doubt any of you look like the respected and well known group of heroes in this state and so you took advantage of this. Scram! You ran and enjoyed losing their trail but as a group of stumbling oafs that’s an incredibly difficult thing to do and so you separated. You stuck with Percy pulling him into alleyway and street though he could have pointed out the fastest and quickest way back to the castle. It’s his city after all but he enjoyed living in this moment and when you pushed him against the wall a couple of times pressing close to him while trying to cover your own giggles, you were simply adorable. He was going to make this moment last. By the time you got closer to the castle district you’d been going so long what little booze you had had all but faded. 

“So how about we continue this inside over a bottle of true top shelf from Emon? I brought some from my last visit. I think you’ll appreciate the vintage.” The two of you begin to climb the stairs of Whitestone Castle. 

“That’s a fantastic idea…” You nod satisfied with his answer. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you…” Percy can feel the blood pumping in his ears, his entire body is pulsing. He feels short of breath, and everything is just chaos but so right at the same time. You look over the city. 

“Did you hear that?” You wonder but Percy gently grabs your chin, turns you to face him and standing level with you; the castle to one side, the town to the other. This is it. This is the moment. 

“Tonight was quite enjoyable. I’ve missed times like these. My fondest memories are in the trivial things. I couldn’t help but reminisce-“ You smile and bring your palm up to cup his cheek. 

“Is that why you almost got a barrel to the head and thrown through a window? Because you got distracted?” You jest and peck your lips to his briefly brushing your thumb along his cheekbone. 

“I’m trying to say something nice and you’re making a fool out of me.” He returns in jest. 

“Okay okay. I’m listening. Please continue proclaiming your undying love for me.” He lets his fingers slip into your hair and gives an ever so light tug. “Oi!” You exclaim and roll your eyes at him but smile. You’ve had your fun. He knows you’re joking but little did you know in part that was very much his intention. The irony. He’ll forever hold it over your head. As you would want and expect him to do. He needs to keep you on your toes after all, or you might accuse him of slacking on the job. 

“I’ve not been the partner I should have been for the last few days. I’m aware of my flaws and you have put up with them, you’ve scolded me for them and pulled me out of my own insanities. You keep me walking the path I did not ever think I could. I owe my life, my home, my world to you and I could not ever repay you for what you have given me. I feel my life would be duller without you in it. I’d be lost with out you. Perhaps it is selfish of me to think so but I would love to have you at my side, to be at your side for the rest of our lives.” Rarely does he get you speechless. You always have something to say, some witty remark, some teasing quip or just some input. He’s always welcomed it. He always will but now it is your turn stand there wide-eyed processing his words, lips parted ever so lightly. You had been stroking your thumb along his cheekbone before but your motions had frozen. You try to formulate a response and he awaits patiently. 

“If you’re selfish then so am I. Let us be selfish together.” You smile and pull him into a deep kiss. He still hadn’t asked the question he intended to ask but he’ll take this moment. He gets caught up in it for a while until he breaks the kiss. He leans your head against his, reaches into his breast pocket. Your eyes dart to the side but you decide to ignore whatever caught your attention. He takes one of your hands and within it you feel something cold and metal. 

“Will you marry me?” Percy breathes. This is not what he intended or how he intended it to go but he couldn’t wait. He couldn’t analyse it to death. He couldn’t plan every single detail. This, this was just perfect. No grand displays, no banquet or a fancy ball. Instead it was a night out with a tavern brawl and a run from the authorities. It was perfect and now here, on the steps of his home, at the root of his life in this moment he entangles it with you. 

You look down, at the rings in your hand; two of them, one beautifully detailed but not ostentatious. The set stones are precious and enhance the design. The other is a slightly simpler version, more muted but still beautifully made. You’ve never seen anything like it. They’re unique and that’s when you realise what they’re made from. Your first job with Vox Machina. Percy had given his share to Vex as he always tended to do with his earnings. She resided over the finances. You’d come across a beautifully made silver broach, large and very ostentatious made from platinum and set with the most gaudy aquamarine and diamonds. You’d told him he should keep it; because you thought it matched his eyes and should he ever need a rainy day fund, that piece would make him a king for a day. He’d kept it. He’d kept it all these years. The stones had been cut down to smaller ones and the platinum melted to form the bands. They’re beautiful. They’re perfect and you know Percy well enough he would have trusted no jeweller with this task. He’d have trusted non but his own hands. 

“You made these?” You ask enthralled as you pick up the simpler of the bands. 

“Yes.” He’s practically shaking in anticipation. You take his hand, and place the ring around his finger. 

“If you even for a single second-“ His heart beats so fast he thinks he might pass out. He’d almost be more content facing the Briarwoods as opposed to dealing with this stress. 

“Of course I’ll marry you.” Percy feels like he can breathe again. 

“Oh thank the gods. I thought I might have fainted.” He chuckles as he takes the remaining ring from your palm and places it on your own finger. 

“I’d have caught you.” The image passes through his mind.

“Before or after you had a laugh?” He never said it was a graceful image. 

“Can’t have my husband-to-be mess up his handsome face, now can I?” You grin and press your lips to his entwining your hands. That satisfying feeling; of that cold metal against your skin, and feeling it on his, that’s something out of this world you could not have begun to describe. 

“Excuse me?! You were going to propose all this time and made us miss like half if it?” Scanlan pushes forward, clothes stained by you don’t even want to know what. “I would have made an awesome show! We could have had fireworks, music, hell, I’d even teach Grog an interpretive dance.”

“Intentrepative what now?” The goliath seems more focussed on the leaking barrel of ale on his shoulder. 

“Wait you’re engaged? To who?” Keyleth clearly hasn’t sobered up yet and is leaning on Vex who just pats the girl’s arm. 

“Let’s get you sobered up, Keyleth.” She begins dragging the druid past you and up to the palace but not without a quick “Congratulations.” and the implication of leaving you to enjoy your moment. 

“I’m officiating.” Pike follows suit and begins ushering the others forward as well. You watch them make their way up the stairs. 

“That’s our life in a nutshell, right there.” You claim. 

“I couldn’t agree more.” He takes a step forward and your entwined hands urge you to join. You do without a moment of hesitation, unable to wipe that smile of your face. Neither can Percy by the looks of it. That’s okay. You can be fools tonight. You’ll be fools in the morning still and when people come knocking. You’ll tell them to fuck off and be fools a moment longer. 

“You sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me?” You ask jokingly. 

“Oh yes.” That’ll do. 

[justaboot]

fine okay HBO human DT would be like

(tw blood, gore, drugs, suicide mention)

Beakley's husband was killed by their daughter, who was a FOWL big bad. Beakley loved her more than anything but, in the end, they couldn't stop her, and she locked her in an uncrackable limbo pocket dimension, took newborn Webby, and told everyone she was dead. Every night, she doesn't think about how she's still in there, alive and rotting. (I hc this regardless)

Gladstone signed away his soul for glitz, luck, and luxury when he was young. He rains gifts and affection down on the kids, decked in the best money can buy and bored by all of it, surrounded by designer drugs and sex and fancy friends and desperately lonely when he's not with the fam.

Pre-series, the boys' father was a traitor who sold them out, nearly to Donald and Scrooge's death. Della goes alone to a standoff in an abandoned plane hangar, fucks him good one last time to get close before beating his head in with a socket wrench.

Goldie told her how.

The kids figure out Gyro's fallen into a brutally accelerating addiction to a stimulant chem of his own design, bc its producing incredible results. Scrooge has been looking the other way. Because results.

Actual Scary Girl Webby in a real way. She wants answers, and has no understanding of taboos. Stares at her first dead body way too long. Asks della too many questions about self-amputation, what it smelled like, if she could feel the difference between muscles and tendons when cutting. Did the ligaments snap back? did the bone splinter? did you see marrow? She just wants to know. The next day she asks bentina if they can get a whole pig to pit-roast and if she can be the one to carve it. Watched Scrooge and Goldie from the vent in his bedroom, looked too long at the line of Goldie's back as she moved and thought about it all night.

We see Beakley actually homeschool them. They have a library thats the school room, and Huey and Webby practice cello in Webby's room. They test themselves on new languages they're learning together by talking through music theory in them while playing.

Huey made Della a teak shower bench. Not HBOcore but its true and you should know it. It replaced the chrome one, and on bad nights, she hands out in there in the steam at 4 in the morning bc the room is bright and warm and the fan is loud and beakley'll be up in an hour which means the house wont be Still and Quiet.

Louie actually gets caught up in the underground crime scene. He slowly builds confidence gets too cocky, and gets in deeper and deeper shit until it goes south. Fast. His tricks dont work, because hes TEN, and Goldie has to pull him out of a human trafficking ring. He doesn't think to ask what she was doing there until much later, and she's already gone.

We see Donald's therapy sessions. He loves the boys more than anything or anyone in the world. He tells his therapist that he hates his sister for what she did to his future. His therapist asks if he hates the children, too, and Donald hesitates. He loves the boys.

Magica has Scrooge for weeks during the Shadow War. Plays out all his failures in shadow puppets on the wall for him. The spear, his parents, his sisters, goldie, everything. she was there in the dime for the whole ten years he was alone, and she plays out all the ugliest things he said and did. Shapeshifts through all the friends he's lost to taunt him, spitting words as young Donald. She shifts into Della, asking in her voice why he'd do that, telling him how painful it was, how it feels to freeze to death, what human lungs sound like when there's no oxygen to breathe. You'd think they'd be quieter, but there's a wet crackle that sounds like a sponge. She tells him how he was going to kill the boys, too, because he's too selfish, but it's not a problem now, because they've left again. They're safe now. But she says it all so kindly. He's exhausted and hes starving and hes half out of his mind, so when he asks what she wants from him and she puts a knife in his hands and tells him to end it, he does. Until the knife turns to smoke, he's unharmed, and it's not della but Magica who's laughing at him. Lena sees the whole thing, and later on, when the kids find out, Scrooge omits details, and the kids laugh at how Magica would ever think Scrooge would go through with it, just give up. He'd never give up. Lena doesn't say anything, and Scrooge doesn't look at her, and he has to cope with believing that'll be the last time he'll ever hear della's voice.

Lena Comes Back WrongTM

anyway you get it. everyone has a really rough duality. feel free to add.

(this post got too long, ask me later about the boys' birth and scrooge's secret s1 curse)

[mari-lair]

Ohhh your actually dead Akane theory makes me wonder how the other characters would react to learning that, especially Teru given that Akane is his first friend! Like ever! And he's already walking on a thin line because Akane's a half supernatural, but then he's actually dead? And he has to deal with the fact that he would lose the first person to see him for himself? Heartbreaking.

If we pretend my Akane is already dead theory is right, I think it would be revealed when he dies, and there are two alternatives: He could lose all connections to supernaturals when he dies and become a normal spirit or he is already intertwined with the clock keepers and will immediately be a full supernatural.

If his contract does force him to be a full supernatural when he dies, or if he chose to linger of his own accord after death, he will go against the natural order of the dead and cease to be the ‘person’ we know.

We can’t say how much Akane would change as a supernatural, but I personally believe he would have a big denial stage, convinced that he is not like other supernaturals, his soul is still human, since delusions and arrogance is something that don’t seem to be altered too much from their human self. They may even became stronger in the years and years supernaturals spend refusing to change their core beliefs.

I can picture Aoi trying to delude herself that “Akane is still around” if he became a supernatural, cause his apparence likely won’t change much, and she isn’t very familiar with this fantastical world. She was herself on the far shore (when ‘dead’) so Akane would be himself too, right? Ideally to me, they would cling to denial, mutually hurting each other out of love and a selfish insistence to not let go.

And if he just moves on, I can imagine Aoi locking herself in her room, trying to detach herself from it all but breaking down at a seemingly random moment because they were so ingrained in each other's life, everything must remind her of him.

Nene wasn’t as close to Akane as Aoi or Teru, but his death could be her wake up call. We are shown many times that Nene doesn’t want to think about death, doing her very best to put an optimistic spin on things and push any thoughts that make her uncomfortable away. Because of it, she ends up self-sabotaging herself and does not fully understand the gravity of losing a life. Be it her own, or of other people.

I can see his death being used similarly to Sumire's soul being eaten: Something that forces her to face loss head-on, but worst than Sumire because her ghost was of a different time, and as depressing as it sounds, no one Nene knows cares about Sumire, she will not be missed, but Akane dying would affect everyone. People will feel his loss and react to it, be it by her close friends joining in on her depressive mood (which makes it harder to push her negative feelings aside) or by her classmates not remembering him. Which is a good pipeline to what she doesn’t want to see but needs to face it “The one dead could have been you. This is you. You’re a walking corpse too.” route. There are just a lot of cool possibilities.

Kou would be shattered, take it as another failure. Even if it is completely out of his hands. Cause they weren't very close, but he trusted Akane.

As for Teru!

I believe Teru doesn’t care that Akane is half supernatural, he sees him as a normal human with supernatural powers, so Akane becoming a full supernatural would fuck Teru up a lot. There is no space for denial with Teru, he knows how the world works: Regardless if Akane moves on or if he becomes a supernatural with memories, the person Teru could comfortably call a friend will be gone.

Is very hard to know how Teru would act. On one hand, the people he gets attached to are irreplaceable to him. He treasures them dearly, and I doubt he can comfort himself with the knowledge that this is Akane's fate and there is nothing he can do to change it, like he did with Nene's situation.

Teru could try to be close to this new Akane (cause he always prioritizes the people he loves over his exorcism job: stealing from the shrine he works for to save Aoi, not exorcising Hanako cause Kou might hate him, tolerating all the mokkes cause ‘tiara like them’, using being a ‘cool big bro’ as his main motivation for working hard as an exorcist, and so on), but Teru is awful at handling change. He will make a mistake at some point. Or ‘Akane’ will say something that is far too disconnected from his human self to keep the illusion that “not much changed”. This approach would end badly, it's only a matter of time.

On another hand. Teru can stay level-headed about anything related to the supernatural, and he is used to death and radical situation. If he knows Akane is beyond saving and trying anything would do more harm than good, he may as well... Not do it.

When his mom died, it must have greatly affected him, and he was far far younger than now, but we never got any hint he obsessed over it. He was just... forced to accept it. To move on.

Loss is a part of life. And Teru knows that well.

If Akane became a supernatural that can hardly be called Akane anymore. I can imagine Teru visiting Akane’s grave more than “the keeper of the present”

[anderscim]

another david chiem-related train of thought (wow i totally am NOT obsessed with him)

huge incoming tangent warning

as well as major ch2 part 1 spoilers

(take this theory with a grain of salt)

just wanted to talk about david’s plan in ch2. though it had a bunch of flaws, it was probably better than any of the other options the group had

okay i’m not a david apologist or anything but let me explain my train of thought—

there’s really only a couple of ways you can take action in a situation like that:

do nothing and all of the secrets get revealed. given the fact that a lot of these secrets are specifically written to incite emotion (trauma, anger, etc) it’ll likely stir a hell ton of conflict all at once as people inevitably scramble to identify who’s secret is whose and will probably lead to a worse predicament

someone actually gets murdered before the deadline. true, the secrets won’t be revealed, but they would be trading a human life, which for obvious reasons can’t work out

everyone reveals whose secret they have, and what they are. we can already know from j/arturo and arturo/eden’s situations that having someone else reveal a secret that you’re holding close to your chest will make people react very emotionally—and will just make more conflict

or, like david’s plan, have everyone reveal what they know about their own secrets. in that case, each person would be able to explain the context behind their secret so there’s less likely of a chance they’ll be confronted for it when it eventually gets revealed, and in some cases trauma dumping can actually be good therapy for some people.

however… that’s about where the benefits end for david’s plan. it’s honestly just as risky as the others; for example, some of the cast have secrets that are horrible and seem irredeemable regardless of context. additionally, there’s cases where people retaliate especially if it’s a secret that the person holds very close to their chest / that they’re really sensitive about. we see as much for a lot of scenes in chapter 2.

but the thing is… though it is incredibly risky, it has a slightly higher chance of working compared to the other methods. in a more “better than the alternatives” sort of context.

even if david recognized that he’d essentially be gambling with this plan, and knew he probably wouldn’t get the best outcome possible (in fact i think he was aware it probably wouldn’t work), he likely decided to ignore that and roll with it anyways—besides, a 5% success rate is better than a 2% success rate.

so really, the only place where he would’ve “lied” was the way he promoted his plan. in order to get the ball rolling, he had to present his argument in a way that made the plan sound foolproof—which, given the holes the plan had, wouldn’t work unless he covered up all the possible risks and convinced everyone to blindly have faith in him.

fortunately, with his speaking skills, he could probably pull that off quite well. which leads to what happened in ep4 onwards

also, i don’t think he could’ve intentionally lied about his secret during that moment (although him slightly modifying it is possible—i’ll explain that later). whit likely never reached out to david about his actual secret so he didn’t know for sure what it was.

but the thing is, everyone else’s secret, though written in a way that took out crucial context and painted them in a bad light, was at least somewhat based on an actual occurrence, portion of their identity, and real information.

david’s secret is the most vague and was written in a way to attack his purpose and what he personally (secretly) believes his actions to entail. but, unlike everyone else, there’s no concrete occurrence, action that he’s done, or any specific detail in that secret that connects him to manipulation. additionally, his is the most open-ended. i’m going to assume guessing a secret like that would’ve been very difficult

given david’s behaviors and dialogue as well as some subtle details about his preferences and such, it’s very likely that he has depression and was desperately trying to hide it in order to keep his optimistic image. so for him, it would make more sense for his secret to be something related to depression—which is probably why he said what he said in episode 4.

that being said, i think he did half-lie a little about what he believed to be his true secret in order to preserve his image.

note how he specifically says “family history of depression.”

this is a really subtle wording detail, but david only claims there was a tendency for depression to run through his family—he never says that he has depression himself.

as a similar example—though this may just be me—if my family has a tendency to develop certain cardiovascular diseases, though it does increase the risk that i may develop the same disease in the future, it doesn’t necessarily mean i have that disease.

david likely used this same philosophy, and by saying that depression “runs in his family,” he’s subtly implying that he doesn’t have depression (though admitting he has a higher risk for it).

and like what i said before, i’m 90% sure he’s actually struggling with depression—but he decides not to admit it here in order to keep his own “optimistic leader” image.

(and don’t get me wrong, i don’t think the family history of depression is a lie—just the way he expressed it was kind of… intriguing for me)

i may be wrong about all of this, especially that last part because that may just be my own overthinking and assumptions influencing me 😅

so as always, feel free to refute literally anything i said and i will listen.

and again, please take this with a grain of salt

[shewhowas39]

pairing: Astarion x June (female durge) chapter title: "Blush" chapter summary: in which Astarion definitely is not worried about June, the gang makes plans for their next steps, and everyone gets wine drunk. content warnings: blood, biting, alcohol consumption

A/N: i got really excited so this is up early. it's really long and all over the place but i swear it goes somewhere. this is a BIG ONE.

***

PREVIEW

“Hey, I think you two have the right idea,” Karlach says when she spots them in the corner with their now half-empty bottle. “Oy! I have a proposition for everyone!”

“Oh my,” Astarion says. “I do love being propositioned.”

“We’ve already been here a few hours. It’s hot as balls outside, but cool and dry down here. And we have a lot of alcohol. Hows about we make camp down here and spend the rest of the day getting drunk off our tits?”

“You propose we waste more time?” Lae’zel asks. 

“Don’t have to be a waste of time! Think of it as a team building exercise,” Karlach says. “It’ll bring us closer together.”

“Somehow you just made spending the entire day in a dirty cellar sound worse,” Astarion says. 

“I’ll be honest, I’ve been eyeing the wine since we got down here,” Wyll says. “There’s a few good vintages down here. High quality stuff. A drink among comrades might be nice.”

“You had me at cool, dry place,” Gale says. “The humidity up there is brutal. I’m going ot hae to learn more ice spells just to keep myself from having heat stroke.” 

“Come on, Lae’zel and Astarion,” Karlach says. “I’ve been trapped in hell for ten years. It’s my first chance to have a drink with friends. And don’t look at me like that - either of you - we’re friends whether you like it or not. I’ve decided. And, hey, if we turn into mind flayers tomorrow, at least we’ll have had one good night, yeah?”

“There’s just one little problem, darling,” Astarion says. “Much as I once loved wine and still attempt to drink it from time to time, it usually tastes like vinegar to me now. And doesn’t get me inebriated in the slightest.”

“You serious?” Karlach says. “That’s terrible, mate. There’s no way for you to get drunk?”

“Well, there is one way. In theory. If I drink the blood of someone who has already indulged, I could perhaps experience the wine’s effects that way. But I’d need a volunteer of course.” He looks over at June and winks.

[bsd-verse]

Fyodor's Ability?

Still to this day, as we all know, his ability is a mystery just like himself, so I've made a little theory about what could be his ability and how it actually works. Must say that I don't know if this had been made before, so it's all an idea for now. Also these are my opinions, you don't have to agree with them anyways.

🔸️manga spoilers!🔸️

Let's get started already with the name of his ability, Crime and Punishment which is one of his most famous work. It's about a man called Raskolnikov and his act of the crime he did. I haven't finished the book yet so I can't really say all the stuff but you can tell it's mainly about this and I think the choice of the work suits Fyodor's personality. He sees himself as if he's God, superior than most humans he's seen. Sounds similar right? He enjoys having control on others in my opinion, also won't hesitate to kill even an innocent life. He sees those lifes as a 'pawn' and nothing more. All this to achieve his goal. As far as I remember he wants to get rid of ability users, which is an interesting yet intriguing one. Why would he want this anyway? Maybe he doesn't like ability users? Or maybe he doesn't like his own abilty. We still don't know it yet but I'm pretty sure we will learn it soon, with his backstory. And what's his backstory? I don't have any clue tbh, but I think his goal has something to with both his ability and his past. And this is where my theory comes from.

I think Fyodor's ability is not something active but rather a passive one. More specifically, it's just killing with a single touch on skin. Just basically the same as seen in the manga and anime. And on this one, I agree with others saying that his ability doesn't work on ability users. But on just normal people. As if showing them having an ability isn't something that cool or good at all. Bc his ability would only kill and pretty much that. Who would want an ability like that anyways? Not just this maybe that's why he thinks people are sinful, especially ability users, since they have an ability, which in his opinion is a 'crime' and shows people that his crime, only kills them bc they are sinful, it's their 'punishment' that is death. But since it doesn't work on ability users, he can't kill them. That's why, he is looking for the Book, easily with a good narrative he can get rid of everyone with an ability, including himself too. This way he thinks God would erase his sins he has as an ability user. It's already a crime in his eyes, and playing the villain there, he proves his ability's 'crime' part. Just like how murdering someone is a crime already. His punishement would be staying in jail for years, but why would he really choose that instead destroying all of them, erasing the sins it has and being finally 'free'. Maybe that's why Nikolai says Dostoyevsky is the only one who understood him. And I think his whole goal started way before. As known, there are not many ability users, and even if some ordinary people have, they probably don't know it, since it can be something very random, such as Kajii's, I wonder how he even found about his own, but that's not the topic for today. So I like to believe Fyodor discovered his ability when he was a child or maybe a teen. Maybe his own ability killed someone dear to him, but dunno about that one, given his current personality it just doesn't suit him, but that would explain why he would want to get rid of them. Or he has another reason for this.

Tl;dr: Fyodor's ability only kills ppl with no abilities and he thinks it's just a crime and then shows them that this is just a punishment, both for those whom he kills and himself. So he wants to get rid of all of the ability users, including himself.

I don't know how much this makes sense, but wanted to share my opinions! ^^

[tolkien-feels]

Do you think that Fëanor and Maglor bonded over writing? I mean, words were a significant thing for the both of them, whether through linguistics or music, and I love imagining young Mags showing/singing songs to his dad to get criticism and compliments from the person he values so.

I most definitely do!

I actually have a headcanon that Feanor is surprisingly bad at poetry. Not like, bad bad, but out of everything you can do with language, this is the thing he feels the least naturally comfortable with, and that’s part of why he greatly values Maglor’s talent. Which doesn’t mean he hypes up whatever Maglor does - no, no, that’s not Feanor’s love language. In my mind, Feanor actively studies the theory behind poetry so that he knows what to demand from Maglor - and I do use the word “demand” here very intentionally.

The indescribable thing that elevates skill to genius is Maglor’s gift and Feanor will only ever encourage it, but the technical aspects? Oh, he’s ruthless about them. He sees it as his responsibility to help Maglor achieve the perfection all Feanorians are always chasing. Even beyond things such as prosody, you can bet Feanor is very demanding about things like not using a mostly-right word when there’s an exactly-right word available if you only put in some effort to find it.

And by saying all of this, I don’t mean that Feanor turns music into a chore. No, getting better at their chosen craft is bonding for this family - let’s not forget this household is spearheaded by Feanor and Nerdanel, whose love story is basically All About Shared Interests. Why wouldn’t they extend that kind of love language to their children?

Anyway, if Maglor wants to stay up all night three days in a row fighting a single unimportant verse in an epic that lasts like half an hour, Feanor is right there being a sounding board and, maybe more importantly, having full confidence that Maglor is right in expect so much of himself, he’s talented enough that he can achieve the result he’s looking for.

The mix of “I expect a lot of you because I trust you to be this good” and “I very openly beam when you succeed in little or big things” thing I imagine Feanor has going on just about ensures all his sons grow up very sure of their own skills. But I imagine that growing up (though that changes later), Maglor was particularly susceptible to wanting to please everyone - comes with being able to see many points of view, which comes with being a minstrel - so rejection of his art hits him in a way most of his brothers simply don’t. And to raise the stakes, because his craft involves performance, Maglor is getting people’s reactions to his subcreations in real time. But Feanor is a very demanding but fair audience, so if Feanor says he’s doing well, then that goes a long way in helping Maglor not zero in on the ONE (01) person in the audience who didn’t like his latest work.

And this is already long enough, but I actually have other headcanons related to this, so I’ll probably come back to this later this week

[dailyzlinghe]

Zhang Linghe's Theory of Everything

Stephen Hawking once searched for an excellent formula that could be used to ultimately explain all phenomenons in the universe. In his youth, Zhang Linghe once regarded him as a hero and admired him for his research on theoretical knowledge that has an impact on human civilization. Then, he studied hard and spent happy days at school such as deriving interrelated formula. Later, he became an actor & discovered the beauty when rationality & emotion are matched. Now, his logical perception of reality, his empathy perception for the characters & fiction world has formed Zhang Linghe's unique theory of everything.

It was a very early photoshoot schedule. Zhang Linghe was drinking his daily iced americano with oolong tea beside it. His bangs, which hadn't been set was a bit covering his eyes, but he remained to look sincere and witty. We asked him whether he has always like this kind of bitter drink, he said he learned to like it. "At first, I drink it to reduce swelling, but later it became a habit & I keep doing it." Recently, Zhang Linghe's face has filled our sight. Love Between Fairy and Devil is still popular, Story of Kunning Palace has just finished filming and he currently joined the filming of Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Yuehong Chapter. Although the role of Hu Weisheng played by him is not main character, it has unique personality which is different from his previous roles. "Weisheng is a little timid and a bit silly, but at the same time, he also sincere & cute. I already know the crew from previous project, so I feel very familiar when I joined them. This saves times as I already know them, I could quickly get into the work environment." Zhang Linghe still thinks carefully. "I've been thinking about how to make this silly character more lovely. Later, I found that integrity is an important point. As long as he is kind & sincere, everyone will like him.

Let's take a look of characters played by Zhang Linghe. They all have different personality & look. Chang Heng is warm & firm, Xie Wei is thoughtful & meticulous, Hu Weisheng is simple & pure. Among these characters, Xie Wei is the most complex. "It took me some time to find out how this character feels, he's really different from me, so I made a lot of preparations. I try to use his personality to think about every decisions he made. I discuss his thoughts & emotions with the screenwriter, I also talk to the novel author, I want to know as much as possible about what the author gave when creating this character. Combined with the final result expected by the screenwriter, I finally able to understand him & experience his story." As Zhang Linghe said, playing the role of Xie Wei is beyond his experience, his dialogues able to make him think deeply for a long time. "In a scene, I had this dialogue the world is finally at peace, now it doesn't matter if I die However, as I play Xie Wei, I need to understand and figure out his mind & feelings when he said those words. Later, I read the novel. I feel that the reason why he is fighting all the way to get high position is because he has hope in his heart. But then, this hope has gone. Then for him it's what he means by now it doesn't matter if I die.”

People often said that being good at finding out the rules of constant things is the necessary ability for smart people to survive, so it is inevitable that Zhang Linghe, who loves to solve mathematical problems, has summarized his own methodologies for acting. "The concept of my methodology is divided into two parts. In some technical & empirical things such as reading the script and understanding the role will be expertized through the amount of experiences I had. But when I really started acting, I found that the emotion & perception of the characters remain prevailed. I'm not professional-trained actor, so I can learn more about the power of sincerity in acting through more experiences." His tone sounds relaxed, but his attitude is earnest, with a great sincerity for the ‘acting’ itself.

Perhaps the nature of his logical thinking or the feeling of accomplishment brought by obtaining a unique solution that made Zhang Linghe interested to physics. But unfortunately, acting is on the opposite side of rationality. It requires actors to think deeply, but it also requires them to throw away the result of thinking and finally get close emotionally to the character. These two things are mutually opposite, but surprisingly, they reacted wonderfully with each other in Zhang Linghe's life.

What if you have to compare your love for physics with your love for acting?

"Both have their own charm. The joy brought by acting is like the release of dopamine, like there's a 'bang' of fireworks in your brain. The joy of physics is to satisfy curiosity. You will dig deeper & deeper into a conjecture and you must chase after the final answer before you stop. But these two things have their own difficulties at the same time. A thousand people have a thousand hamlets in their hearts (meaning a thousand people might have a thousand different opinions), to what extent you can understand and bring something into the character. While for physics, the road of study might never end".

However, compared to the physics conjectures, acting is more difficult. In this process, Zhang Linghe needs to let go a few sense of control over the results, to let go the strong reins of rationality and let himself enter the character's soul. In the acting class, the teacher told him to freely express his character. He must give up the thinking part and embrace the sensibility. "In the class, the teacher will specially choose a role that has a big contrast with you and ask you to try. I remember at that time the teacher asked me to imitate a kitten, its cute gestures & behaviour. With more training like this, I started to found a few methods of how to get into the characters."

However, when he first truly empathized with a character, it still brought a great emotional impact to Zhang Linghe. "The first time I felt that I was empathizing with the character was when I filmed Flourish in Time. It was a very simple scene. I went to give my sister an examinee identity card. Actually, I didn't need to give her a strong feeling. But when I was acting for this scene, I happened to notice the drama will wrap up. So, when the director shouted "cut", I fall apart. And it lasted for ten or twenty minutes. I felt trapped by Jiang Haoyue's feelings. Later, I realized that I will feel this way when I get into the role." This experience made him realize the feeling of being affected by the characters' emotions. But also from the moment when the characters walked into his heart, Zhang Linghe felt that he could really continue his acting journey.

Recently, Zhang Linghe filmed some costume dramas intensively. At first, he considered wearing a headpiece & using hanging wires as new fun things. But as the filming went deeper, he began to feel the deeper cultural power. "The more costume dramas I filmed, the more I feel it as our powerful cultural characteristics and able to bring us the cultural confidence. After Love Between Fairy and Devil was broadcasted, the ancient culture in the drama has been loved by many audiences, including overseas, which is also one of our cultural export. It's really an honor for me to be able to join this outstanding costume drama. When talking about acting, Zhang Linghe always has a lot to say, eager to share his feelings about the role, but also firmly state his own shortcomings. " In acting, what I want to improve most is (how to express) the dialogues. How can I make the dialogues fit into to the characters? I want to continue exploring and practice it.

After not filming for awhile, Zhang Linghe has back to be a completely rational person. He doesn't believe in things without theoretical support. He also doesn't believe that zodiac sign and personality tests can explain the personality. I think this is the matter of phenomenon & result or vice versa. Actually, the characters commonality exists first and people will put themselves as the result of a zodiac sign or a personality type. Even if there is no astrology, this character commonality will still exists, only we don't know how to describe it. When he was a child, he wanted to be a person like Hawking, Einstein or Galileo. He was fascinated by the exploration of world's law of nature. After getting into the acting world, he like Tony Leung. He watched Infernal Affairs over & over again just to see Tony Leung’s acting. "Tony Leung laoshi looks handsome. He has one kind of highest quality of performance sense. I like this movie because I also like Andy Lau laoshi. The two of them created dramatic tension in that movie."

He just made a great start of his acting career. There are a lot of possibilities and expectations to be accomplished. "The types of roles I've always wanted to play is still a police in crime movie. the reason is because I can play as police or maybe gangster. I'm looking forward for it." Perhaps his love for reasoning themes comes from his love for detective fiction novels & enjoying the process of battle-of-wits with the author. "I have read quite many of Keigo Higashino's works, because it's not just a simple case of reasoning, there is also a lot of human thoughts in addition to complicated reasoning techniques. Sometimes it's interesting to read this kind of novel. You hope to win over the author & guess the next step of his plan, but you are also expecting to be surprises." Besides the detective fiction novels, he also likes the science fiction novel such as Liu Cixin's works. The kind of hard work that built on a complete set of logical systems. "After I read Three Body Problems and Ball Lightning, I find it’s hard to immersed when I read another novels. These novels gave me a deep impression. He successfuly bridges the gap between fantasy and reality. You will be fully convinced with the world he created. It really is amazing.”

One of science fiction movie that Zhang Linghe recently watch is "The Moon Falls". There is also “Interstellar” which is an irreplaceable masterpiece for him. In his spare time, he will open science fiction category on the streaming platform & will watch it one by one without selection, as if everything about the universe is within his liking. He believes that there are higher dimensions of life observing us & we are just tiny beings in three-dimensional world. "A lot of superstring theories mentioned that the universe is 11-dimensional. We live in a very low-level dimension. There are too many things in the universe beyond our understanding and imagination. There are too many coordinate axes outside of xyz. This world is multi-layered.”

Does this make you feel little? "It will broaden my mind & heart"

Most people who like physics and macro perspective have the courage to face the unknown. It is a precious spirit to be able to happily live even after realizing our insignificance. "Sometimes you go to learn about the universe, look at the satellites and asteroids revolving around the sun, and think about the Milky Way beyond the solar system. Every star is so far apart. Separated in a distance that beyond the reach of mankind lifespan. You will suddenly feel that your world view has expand. The sun, the earth and human beings are just one tiny part of a huge world. You will feel that nothing can bother me. But sometimes we need to change our perspective & don't be carried away by the view of pessimistic and worthless effort. We still need to return to our life, do our work well, be satisfied with the present while keep imagining the future."

Would you be afraid of choice if every choice we made would turn to bring about a parallel universe, as in Coherence?

"Of course not. Maybe there will be some psychological pressure, but I accept the results of every choices."

Indeed, Zhang Linghe has never been afraid to choose acting, roles and sincerity

It is interesting that Zhang Linghe still keeps the habit to read. It may not be a heavy read, but he always maintains the relationship with words. In this era where people tend to look at pictures & clips, this habit seems special. "Words are the foundation. Visual sense is based on content & words. I often need to read scripts & get into the characters from the dialogues. From appearance to the tone of speech, they are all come from words. the script or words are the medium to get the output.

This is your advantage, now there are not many people like to read. "Maybe, but it's something that I have to do"

So far we still don't know whether Zhang Linghe already has his own theory of everything, but considering his sensibility, calmness & sincerity, it's hard not to deduce a wonderful solution, isn't it?

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

No I've been thinking about it and I believe drinking a vampire's blood turns a human into a vampire (it's been implied heavily that Yui needed blood in order to awaken), so I thought if other races could, it would be the same, and that the only way for some races to turn someone into one of their own is feeding them their own blood. Maybe the wolf clan (just suggesting, not really DL, just basic werewolf stories) and vampires can also turn others by biting them, but how would Adlers and Founders do it? (Of course, this is if they can) Perhaps the reason no one's ever been turned into a Founder is because their pride was stopping them. Maybe no one even knows if that's possible since their pride's way stronger than their curiosity. The Tsukinamis may have considered this if it was a legit solution that could 100% work, but if no one knows wether it's true or not, and the idea passed through their minds, would they try it? Or would their pride stop them from trying to find out the truth?

I'm afraid I really don't have anything to add here beyond my original answer. I have discussed the process of human's becoming vampires in DL previously in this post here.

As I said in that first post, I think if the Tsukinamis could turn a human with their blood then they would and I do not think this specific example, that isn't addressed in the games at all, should be used as proof the founders are too prideful (which they are but the evidence is already there, you don't have to reach for it). Given that we know vampires can turn humans, I would be extraordinarily surprised if the idea of using blood to turn someone had never occurred to Carla, even if it wasn't a practise that was historically done.

As for why this doesn't come up in the games, I've already said, it can't, because otherwise the Tsukinami brothers would not have needed Yui as badly and Rejet would not have had a good plot for DF.

If you disagree with me anon then that's absolutely fine, I am not claiming to know everything, this is just my interpretation of events and the characters and as this doesn't come up in canon there is nothing else I can offer you.

Just as a general point guys, I am happy to discuss theories about DL lore and talk about my own take on canon and how I think it translates into stuff like this. And if you don't agree with my takes on things, that's fine, everyone will read the text differently and I do not work for Rejet so ultimately I will never be able to 100% say what their intentions were.

However, if you want to try to persuade me that I'm mistaken in something I've said, I am going to need some evidence from canon or something so I can have a proper discussion about it, as if you just repeat yourself or give your own opinions with no evidence, I'm not going to have anything to add on other than "okay sure, you do you".

You are more than welcome to reblog my posts and add your own take so others can read it if you would like. However if you don't like or disagree with my opinion, there is no point in asking for it again on the same subject.

I'm sorry if this sounds rude at all, I don't mean it to be, but this isn't the first time something like this has happened, and, like I said, I just don't have anything else to add without new evidence (ideally with reference to where this information is from so I can look it up and learn for myself).

Anyway, I'm sorry if this wasn't what you wanted to hear anon, but I'm afraid I truly don't have any other opinions on this to offer you. I hope you have a good day.

[limitless-shadows]

Wer glaubst du stirbt am Ende von JJK? (Nobara, Yuji, Gojo oder Megumi)

Anon-san u_u I'm sorry I don't speak German so I used DeepL;; this is what I got. I hope it's correct and I'll answer based on it:

"Who do you think dies at the end of JJK? (Nobara, Yuji, Gojo or Megumi)

Is this related to what Gege-sensei said about 1-3 or 3-1? If it's one dies and three survive, then I think the one who will die is Yuuji u_u

This post contains manga spoilers.

In my opinion, he is the most likely to die due to how the series started (grandfather's parting words + execution after consuming the 20 fingers).

But hey! that sounds really sad! Yuuji's just a 15 year old that lost his only (?) close family member, ate a finger to save another person which earned him a delayed execution and jujutsushi work. He is a character that had a normal life until he got stuck in bad circumstances and dies at the end of the series. Doesn't he deserve a good ending?!

Yeah. But what is important is the journey if you think about it...

(although the execution part might change in the event that Sukuna ends up getting his own body and if they're 100% separated)

Yuuji's character seems like the lonely type to me despite him being so friendly. Before the events of JJK started, the only one that was a constant in Yuuji's life that we know of (as of writing this post) was his grandfather. He was worried about Yuuji wasting his time on him when he could be making friends.

Throughout the series, we see how Yuuji starts getting acquainted with Megumi, Gojou, Nobara, Nanami, Toudo, Junpei, Choso, etc. His circle is expanding. I think that by the end (when he dies, if he dies), he will be surrounded by loved ones (yeah, we don't mention some of them) just as what his grandfather wished for.

Would that be a proper death for Yuuji? I hope so. Or at least that he passes on without regrets. And well, it would suck if the series doesn't play on the proper death theme more.

In conclusion, if Yuuji dies, it would be kind of "boring/expected" because it followed what the series hinted at the start, but bittersweet.

When properly crafted, I enjoy mangas where the MC dies at the end. It's not that I hate their character, but it's more of a narrative thing? something to study? Such as following the main character in their journey and their death is a conclusion to a well-written chapter adventure. It's kind of poetic since a main character's death usually has a stronger message behind the action. I'm not making a lot of sense now... but yes, it still hurts to see them die ;-;

If it's three dies, then Gojou and Megumi are the other likely candidates (or for solo death too).

I don't think Nobara will die. Her own arc is well developed when compared with others and her current status is putting a pause to her character's progress. Now that I remember, someone once mentioned how Nobara is the only one out of the four who doesn't have blood in her volume cover.

Although this theory isn't consistent with other volumes.

And just because she has a good arc, it doesn't mean she's exempt from death o_o Nobara has been "dead" for too long already, if she dies again I would be like "Eeeeeh. Really, Gege?"

About Gojou, if he ends up dying, it would be a symbolic "I'll leave my legacy to all of my students." which is not bad imo. Even though I would prefer to see him alive so he can witness the changes to Jujusociety that he was a part of.

On the other hand, the existence of someone as strong as him is affecting the ecosystem of curses and somehow there's the expectation that someone as strong as him will die. I personally don't see that, and think that he will end up being nerfed (pls stop with the left eye tease, Mappa) and survive like a certain strong character from another anime who also had a ton of red flags.

People are also looking forward to Gojou vs Sukuna although I'm not sure if it will play out smoothly. If everyone dies except Gojou, it would be depressing for the sensei lolol

About Megumi, the guy was "suicidal" at the start of the series, but he got over that haha.

Now the biggest flags from him are coming from Tsumiki and Sukuna. Will he sacrifice himself for Tsumiki? He became a jujutsushi for her. Will Sukuna kill Megumi after he has no use for him? Or more like, he might put Megumi in a situation that kills him for his own gains. I do think Sukuna will end up achieving either part of his plan or all of it which definitely means he will get his hands on Megumi.

Anyway, what if the cat is trolling us and everyone already died? :>

Yuuji: when Sukuna ripped his heart out

Megumi: suspended death state

Nobara: also suspended death state

Gojou: stabbed in the head by Touji

Oh you, Gege ._.

But Anon-san did say at the end of JJK, so here's my TL;DR :D

- One dies; three survive: Yuuji dies - Three die; one survives: Nobara survives (it's up in the air, actually)

Regardless of my suppositions being proven wrong by the end of the series, this is definitely one of those questions that make fans speculate and it's interesting to see their conclusions based on how they view JJK and its characters.

Thank you for the ask, Anon-san! Danke für die ask, Anon-san!