#without even knowing its canon

[wait-what-was-i-going-to-say]

Me when my 7 year old cousins that have never watched mlp make them kiss

[ciderjacks]

despite Laios low self esteem making him think that if he’d been eaten, Chilchuck and Marcille wouldn’t have helped Falin,

theres a small part of me that thinks the reason Chilchuck stayed with the party and went back in the dungeon in the first place was because he didn’t want to leave Laios alone. That Laios was moreso the reason he stayed.

[rainyraisin]

Blue Stray on the brain…

First of prolly like. A billion pieces of fanart I want to draw for @tumble-witch ‘s Bread Girl AU!!!! I wanted to post a bunch at one time but I am so impatient lmao ITS BLUE STRAY HOURSSSS‼️‼️

Gotta draw Golden Beetle next I am 3-1 on Marinette vs Adrien drawings my boy needs some love 🙏🙏 (Im just a sucker for angst)

Went. Insane in the tags bc that’s the best way to yap 💖🌸

[holmesunenthusiast]

Okay but of all the stories Watson could pen why tf would he choose The Engineers Thumb 😭😭 absolutely fuckall happened. Dude showed up without a finger, told them an insane story from the POV of one of those ugly stress toys that get exploded in hydraulic press tiktok bot videos, and...? That's it 💀 they tried to find the criminals and the MFS already burnt the house down and escaped. The only thing Holmes deduced was that the murderers don't live eight miles from the station but actually just two feet. No payoff. Victor didn't even get his money. 90% of it was a grwm storytime while my doctor sews up my finger and I tell you about the time I almost got flat stanleyed. The titular thumb wasn't even there.

[deoidesign]

A frustrating development with the growing lack of reading comprehension I've personally noticed is an emerging fervor of insisting things aren't canon unless they are explicitly stated beyond all reasonable doubt.

I can not emphasize enough how harmful a mindset this is to have. Yes, it's wonderful to have characters outright say "I'm trans," but to deny a character's identity for not saying that is dangerous.

Plenty of real people prefer not to use specific labels. Historically, people didn't have our modern terms or modes of expression. Many modern cultures don't use these terms, either, and plenty of people within those that do can't safely openly identify.

If the only representation you accept as canon is within modern (and let's be honest, wealthy white able-bodied American) standards, then you are denying yourself and others a huge amount of representation and seriously limiting the media around you.

[xxplastic-cubexx]

it doesnt need to be said but its genuinely so funny how at-the-hip charles and erik are in krakoa like they really had the green light- the OBLIGATION- to be as obnoxiously close to each other as possible and abused that right to the fullest extent

[qoldenskies]

I love the choice to make the wwww twins privileged rich kids, if that's what ur going for. I don't see a take like that on Draxum kids much!

to an extent yeah!! it's something i mostly plan to play for jokes mostly to contrast with raph and mikey's more rough-and-tumble lifestyle, especially since both of them didn't have a donnie to build them new clean beds and heating during the winter and a kitchen to preserve food. there's a bit of a culture clash, especially when the twins end up living with splinter full-time. it gets better because donnie's there to renovate, but still. it's quite the change of pace because they never had to worry before.

although draxum is a bit of a recluse, so they werent very social rich people, especially when they were younger. it was more like the disneyesque trope of growing up in a big lonely castle with no real outside friends, which is why both of them are also relatively maladjusted. they'd come along when draxum had to run errands or go to important meetings, but they were usually instructed to stick close to him, and they mostly listened.

the only outside connection they really had is big mama, because she fell in love with them the moment she saw them. they call her auntie. she spoils them rotten. i think she would be a terrible actual mom but she's pretty good as a distant wine aunt LMAO. but even then she's a lot closer to leo than she is to donnie, because he's always been the more assertive and socially confident one. he's learned a lot from her!

their lives weren't picture-perfect-- draxum was not always the best parent. he's fought with leo pretty much ever since he started his trademark snark, he went from micromanaging their lives down to the minute to kind of letting them do whatever they want, he's never encouraged them to socialize and his expectations are high and very daunting. the gargoyles (who are stupid, god bless) were mostly in charge of dealing with their fights and emotional problems, and they weren't very good at it. emotionally the twins kind of raised themselves and each other.

but there was never, ever any stress about the future, outside of the whole weapons of war thing. donnie from the beginning has limitless resources to build with. they both are intense about clothes shopping and maintaining personal hygiene and they're both pretty germaphobic. they've mostly seen combat as something more sports-like than something for survival, at least now, and even then donnie thinks its kind of asinine and disgusting. they're both picky as fuck and they're going to struggle to understand a lot of raph and mikey's issues, initially, especially because they're both more food insecure than they are in canon. a lot more self-restrictive about resources and both a lot more hard-working.

you can honestly see the difference best in the way mikey and donnie operate in their environments. donnie's a rich, privileged baby of the family who got into tech with no feelings of obligation to drive it, while also dealing with a pretty unstable family dynamic with draxum and leo, while mikey's grown up in an environment that's less emotionally tumultuous and noticeably tighter-knit than canon (raph and splinter are very diplomatic with each other, and things are very amicable outside of some surfacing issues with raph being overprotective) but resources have to be carefully preserved and he's learned from the start to be more cautious. their respective issues also factor into their conflicts with their older brothers. it's complicated yo.

[fire-on-fuel]

the thing about skirata induced daddy issues is that implying their existence isnt even a dunk on kal skirata. it's impossible for kal skirata to occupy a healthy place in nulls' psyche as a father because kal isnt just their father he's used to being their everything and theyre used to it too

[mossterunderthebed]

[swiiivet-screamathon]

"Ah-- shit shit shit-- Milky I need a hand--!"

"What have gotten you so bold now then?"

"I don't have time for your snark-- just come help!!"

"Or else?"

"You're responsible for cleaning up two 10 kilos worth of wafflebot ingredients--"

"This problem isn't my fault! Can't just put that on me, tut tut."

"I thoroughly do not ca-- arGH-!!!! Get down here!!!"

"Fine, fine, what do you need?"

"That crank, pull it now, as hard as you can--"

He raises his staff--

"No no, not magic, it will break it all--!"

"Huh? How the hell is that supposed to work?"

"STOP ASKING AND PULL IT--"

He floats down and apprehensively grabs onto it.

"HURRY!??"

He gives a glare to Crepe, but pulls it... And tries again-- whoo-wee is he going for it.

"Holy-- Okay just magic this thing up, be careful and do not move it at all."

Smilk glares again at Crepe but lets go, and does way wave his wand-- a set of strings get summoned that holds the collapsing wafflebot in place and Crepe quickly sprints over to pull the lever, that pulls with no resistance whatever. With the switch it enables some mobile poles that hold up the machine.

"Phew-- wait hold on-- no don't leave I know you're about to. I'm not judging you."

"I think you should be grateful enough that I saved your little project regardless of your earlier audacity."

"I am, I really am, genuinely thank you for helping me. But apparently there's some safety hazards that needs to be discussed if you don't want me to kick you out."

"... You dare threaten me?"

"It's not a threat, it's for everyone's safety here-- There's a lot of physical work that goes on here, if something falls on you and you can't lift it off you that's a hazard that PV will never let go. This is essentially a construction zone, you know that right?"

"I've got no reason to stay here if you want to follow through with it. In fact I can level this entire place if I'd so choose."

"Sigh, look, I know you're a secretive stubborn twat, but if you didn't want to be here we wouldn't have constructed an entire floating capsule for you to live in, so I have to do my due diligence to make sure no work accidents occur, or else we both get kicked out. Do you have a physical disability?"

"And here I thought you good guys would have more-- tact, than that."

"Shadow Milk, I know you like avoiding personal questions but this one has to be answered today; do you want me to go tell Vanilla to get you to talk or will you answer me right now?"

"... Not what I'm aware."

"Okay, so your inability to pull a very light and greased lever is just a lack of exercise?"

"There's no point in putting any effort in your physicality when you're baked immortal and can solve all your problems with magic. That's something you mortals have to contend with, not me."

"Well that lever is made with magichanical engineering just like most of the equipment in here, where if affected by uncalculated magic will screw with its wiring and make it unable to control its items as precisely as it currently does, so you're gonna have to do some physical stuff in the world ever."

"Last I checked I still wasn't employed here to do your petty work."

"Breathe in, breathe out-- Okay, how about we take this another avenue; do you want such an obvious weakness where if I throw a rock at the back of your head you're out cold?"

"And you think I'm so blind with my multitudes of eyes that I can't see you revving up your wafflebot to throw one at me to prove your puny point?"

"Eugh, your confidence is going to get you killed-- I'm just considering getting him anyways, he'd get through this layer of ego and I wouldn't have to waste my entire afternoon on this when I should be fixing what broke my machine in the first place. Look, you can be physically weaker than the average cookie and not be weak overall, I am very much willing to admit you've got a good head for magic, certainly better than the 'prodigies' from the school, I'm not judging you for struggling in this avenue."

"Curious how you believe it's ego that's making me not want to do your labor for you."

"And here I was suspecting you just wanted to get paid to do the-- eugh, """puny""" labor. I mean it's obvious you're here for a reason, if you weren't you wouldn't be here, anyone with half a brain could figure that one out, yet it's also something you're not willing to just not say outright. I doubt it's embarrassment, you don't get embarrassed, you just get annoyed-- it really does feel like it's your ego, that you're the Beast of Deceit, so you have to be all macho all the time retaining a mystery because what else beyond that is a better lie? It'd be a lot more appreciated if analysing your dough answered these questions, simply knowing you're full of knowledge does nothing to help with your stubbornness."

"D'aw, do you really think that lowly of me?-" Suddenly a marionette's control bar appears above Crepe and the strings ties itself around their limbs, lifting them off the ground-- much to Crepe's complete disappointment. Though it seems that they shuffle strangely underneath their coat.

"-Believing me to be a petulant child who's roleplaying out their fantasies? What could I possibly have done to give you such a view of me?"

"This isn't exactly helping your case. Why haven't you left yet?"

"Out of the two of us I'd describe you as the petulant one, trying your best to squeeze an answer out of me, such patheticism is entertainment."

"I think I'm being quite reasonable trying to get neither of us evicted, though if the only reason you're sticking around is to watch me be mad then maybe I should go tell Vanilla that you're no good fit here."

"It is true that eventually your absence would be noticed, and who else would be the bigger suspect; but that only matters if I care to be a criminal to this floating rock, doesn't it?"

"You're gonna threaten to crumble me over trying to determine whether you can lift a twig? Real slick there, bluey."

"Of course not! One of us actually has some tact, you know. I've got far better means to ensure things go my way."

"For as long as I've known you I cannot say I could even fathom what 'your way' is supposed to look like, your motives aren't exactly consistent."

"You were right with one thing, I am the Beast of Dec--ough--!"

Suddenly Smilk is ensnared into bindings made of golden scrolls, where he looks down to see what occurred only to become immediately disappointed and glare at Crepe.

"I've got him Crepe! Land safely!" Crepe's own puppet strings poofs into the ether and Crepe themself falls to the ground yet lands without any damage.

"Took your time, that's for sure."

"I know, I'm sorry, but are you harmed?"

"No I'm good. No, this wasn't really an emergency at all, sorry for alarming you but I needed you here quickly to settle a thing."

"Huh? Settle a thing? What's with the puppeteering then?"

"I just wanted a better look at them! Land bound cookies are so difficult to keep eye contact with. We were having a civil discussion"

"He threatened to 'make me absent' so that he wouldn't have to confront you."

"Are you pushing Shadow beyond his boundaries?"

"Well his boundaries are a workplace hazard and if I want to keep my workshop I need to get some answers out of him."

"Okay, before we get explanations to catch me up, are you going to threaten Crepe again, Shadow?"

"It wasn't a threat, just playing around."

"No playing around either?"

"If you're currently threatening me with these bindings what choice do I have?"

"I'll take that as enough of a yes." The bindings unfurl and dissipate into golden sparkles, letting Smilk stretch his newly freed limbs.

"I want to hear Crepe's telling first, and then yours Smilk, any objections?"

"If you insist."

"Before I start, can you go pull that lever?"

As asked, Pv walks over to the pointed lever and does indeed pull it, where one of the wafflebots legs raise up into the air.

"One of the supports holding my wafflebot collapsed and fell on me, so because I was busy trying to not get crushed to crumbs I asked Milk to pull the lever to get a new support, but he could not pull it. Once it was sorted and fixed I asked him about it since being unable to pull it is a sign of extreme physical weakness, and knowing the stipulations for me staying in my workshop I needed answers that he's been avoiding continuously."

"And is your telling different from theirs?"

"I wouldn't exactly define it as avoiding."

"You've not answered me at all!"

"It's his turn to speak."

"... Fine."

"I'm neither a huge fan of you treating us like children settling a meaningless argument, calling mom was entirely unnecessary."

"I'm not quite sure how else to handle the situation, I apologize. But if they are speaking the truth I have to admit I am concerned. Can you really not pull that lever?"

"The writer and ringleader has no need to deal with the activities the rest of the troupe employs, my job is to direct, not anything like that."

".. Crepe? Can you promise you won't tell anyone about what you witnessed today for Shadow's sake?"

"I couldn't give any less of a shit about spreading any rumors, that's the easiest promise I can make in my entire life."

"Good, I think you can go then, I'm sure he'd like some seperation right now."

"Why can't you guys just leave my workshop instead of the other way around? Eugh, yeah sure, don't break anything. T_T"

...

"If you don't mind me asking, can you stand for me? On the ground."

It's just barely noticeable that he seemed taken aback by the sudden request.

"What, don't want me to bring you to my eyelevel too?"

"No, I want to see you walk around the room."

"Do you really think I'm so weak I can't even do that?"

"Well if you can then it should be simple to prove me wrong, to rub it in my face about how wrong my inquiry was, shouldn't it?"

"Hmh..."

He floats down to the ground and lands as indicated by a subtle sound, though to the most observant it seemed unsteady.

"You want me to go down the catwalk now? Wanna watch me pose while you're at it?"

"However you want to interpret 'walking around the room whilst on the ground' is good, I don't need poses."

"I didn't think I'd ever get to see you this sick..."

He does as requested, taking a prance around the room, but with each step it becomes clearer and clearer that it's a struggle with every foot that goes past the other, getting wobblier and wobblier. Once a circle has been met he swiftly returns into the air.

"There we are, fulfilled your fantasies now? Gonna sleep well tonight?"

"I can't believe I never noticed your ailment, I'm not sure what to say. My first instinct is to ask whether you want me to see if you can be healed or helped."

"My ailment? I don't have any ailment, besides a headache from this entire thing."

"Are you lying by omission again or do you really not know that's not normal? Every cookie I know who can fly can also walk just fine, no struggle at all."

"Sounds pathetic to me."

"Sigh, Crepe was right you know. Staying in here whilst being so weak endangers everyone, you included. You may be immortal but you are still fragile, you know I know that. I can do my best to help you regain some of that strength though if you want the help."

"... What'd that look like?"

"A variety of things, but probably first establishing if you've always been this way, or if this is a deterioration."

"I've not deteriorated."

"... But?"

"... A library doesn't shelve itself."

"I see. Well, either we could investigate your dough to see if anything is fundamentally wrong, or we can go straight into very basic exercises to get your body back into the idea of being used again."

"You will not get me on some regimen. >:I"

"Then I won't suggest it, but something has to be done if you want to stay here in the workshop, even if it isn't some scheduled rigorous thing. We can try something here right now though, come here."

He quietly and apprehensively floats back over, where Pv takes each of his hands into his own.

"Stand again."

He looks to the ground, his feet dangling in the air, but after a moment steps back down again.

"If you need to you can put all your weight on me, you won't fall."

"Of course I won't fall, I can fly."

"Well, I won't drop you either way."

A couple seconds passes, he already seems to struggle staying in one place. A minute passes, he's starting to shuffle his feet to regain balance. Another minute, and he gives up, floating back into the air, ripping his hands away from Pv.

"Walking was easier than standing, wasn't it?"

"..."

"It seems that will be our benchmark for now. My deepest gratitude that you were willing to commit to that, I'm proud of you."

"... (> _눈。)"

[elrxiel]

each time a G/wynriel says "Elriels wants Elain to be Gwyn so bad!" I lose another braincell trying to understand how someone can be so delusional and absolutely blind to canon sequences repeated over and over by multiple characters, yet so passionate in looking for clues between the lines (which in most cases, are simply not there, dare I say) and twisting the most obvious scenes to fit their narrative

we're all entitled to our own opinions and preferences but I simply cannot take them seriously when all I see are those opinions absolutely misreading canon text and giving characters qualities they do not possess - or trying to take away the ones they do - because they do not suit some wild theories which have no reasonable grounds to back them up

if you fail to understand Elain's character, qualities and background even if it's stated blankly in the books, that's on you I guess, but don't embarrass yourself saying anyone would like Elain to be Gwyn - I can assure you that while most of Elriels like or even adore Gwyn's character and the others are neutral towards her, all of us here writing about Elain are here for her exactly how she is being portrayed throughout the whole series

we love her exactly how she is and frankly, none of us has to take away anything from other characters

maybe before stating something so profoundly stupid, take a look in the mirror and look up the word "hypocrisy" first

[spiderman616]

idk where people got the idea shadow is better/faster/more powerful than sonic anyways. like no he isnt??? obviously hes pretty close but its very obviously not a surpassing level.

[ohmigoshiloveu]

Okay so like. I still haven't managed to get myself to finish episode 9, so I don't fully know how Theo's glow up finishes, but regardless I fucking love relistening to Emizel's section of episode 1 and like. Fuck man Theo does a lot of growing. Like he's a little bit pathetic at the beginning of the series. He's so, so brave during the alleyway fight, but he sounds shaky and scared and like a sopping wet pathetic baby the entire time. Charlie specifically describes him as not very alert, not a great fighter, and gives him this little moment where it takes him a second to manage to crush a soda can. He botches the check to beat Emizel in Smash Bros so there's a chance he sucks at the related skills (dexterity and computers I think?), but also after he loses Charlie specifically has him sound super frustrated and conclude that he should've 'stayed in his lane'. When Emizel says 'We'll do what we do best,' and Theo immediately responds with 'drink soda?' so fast that the other players notice it. Charlie might've had that as a predetermined character thing. Theo drinks soda. There's not much else to him.

Which creates this interesting dynamic between him and Emizel, because Emizel is so much better at him at all of these skills that the people around them (a FUCKING GANG) value. Emizel's perceptive, and agile, and strong, and a great fucking fighter irl and in videogames AND he always sounds badass. He's the top dog, the apex predator in their social circle. And I think that colors their relationship a lot? Like Theo has to look up to Emizel. I bet that Theo's looked up to Emizel since they first met, maybe Emizel came crashing into his life doing something epic and Theo thought it was the greatest shit ever.

On the flip side, I was getting a few hints of resentment? Hear me out! It's that 'should have just stayed in my lane' line. He's painfully aware how great Emizel is, compared to how much he's (from his perspective!) just a one trick pony. He's here to drink soda and say funny things, that's all most people want from him and he fucks up whenever he tries to do anything else!

And later in the segment Theo snarkily brings up a medicine check that Emizel had just fucked up in like this super backhanded, super passive aggressive way. That could be him wanting to rub Emizel's one singular fuck up in his face (especially because Theo was having a Moment about how he feels like people only see him as the soda guy, so any feelings of inadequacy would've been dialed up to eleven, so if there was any time for him to resent Emizel it'd be then), but it could also be that he was frustrated with Emizel being an ass (Emizel had just guessed that Theo's dream was to be a nurse, which was flat out wrong, and that's literally what set up the backhanded comment. Theo was saying something like 'thank fuck you don't wanna be a nurse cuz you sure fucked up with nursing that guy earlier.' It could also be that Emizel literally almost forgot Theo's name. Theo literally gave him the 'th' sound, it might've just been a bit Charlie was doing or it could've been Theo being AWARE that Emizel almost forgot his name. Or! It could be that in this moment, where Theo was confiding in Emizel about feeling like being the soda guy was all anyone ever saw in him, Emizel said something to the affect of 'well yeah Soda's the fun one.' Emizel doesn't think before he speaks and literally has a 1 in empathy. Just because he loves Theo doesn't mean he's not gonna blunder into being a complete and utter asshole to him. I'd hazard to say Emizel accidentally being an ass to people he cares about is a running theme).

But also all of that might come down to Charlie still getting the character down. Or, because I've theorized before that Theo might not've been supposed to survive the first Gabriel fight, the little hints of bitterness might've been intentional (even if they were completely improvved and Charlie didn't mean to add that to Theo's character) because Charlie was trying to shove as much character into this character before he was gone, but once it became clear that Theo was going to stick around longer he dropped it. As far as I remember, that bitterness is completely gone in all later interactions we see with Theo. OR! It could be that the bitterness drops because they've both got bigger fish to fry from that point onward, what with Theo's Shilo Incident TM, Emizel's vampirism, the Weylin twins. He doesn't have time to be bitter, he's too busy worrying about losing a cornerstone of his identity or helping his best friend adjust to being a fucking vampire now. And then after he learns to live without soda that basically negates his feelings of inadequacy- like, getting over the idea that he's nothing if he's not the soda guy would be required for him to give up on being the soda guy. And then Emizel would drift back into JUST being a guy to aspire to instead of also being a reminder of Theo's short comings, and then drift even further down into being 'guy who is actually going through it and has to overcome his own demons just like I had to overcome mine'. Like, I think we got to watch Theo slowly start to take Emizel off this pedestal in real time (he still definitely thinks Emizel's hot shit tho. Emizel's his boy, after all.)

Regardless, even if Theo did resent Emizel a little in the beginning, it's so fucking clearly overshadowed by how much he fucking loved him. And like, how could he not? Imagine you're Theo, critically low self esteem, and the literal coolest guy you know fucking LOVES you. Like, Emizel keeps consistently going out of his way to pull Theo up to his level and to treat him as an equal (mostly. Sometimes protectiveness bleeds through, like in his hypothetical fang scenario in ep 1 where he predicts there being five Fangs to fight and he says he can take three and Theo can take two (which in itself is still incredibly kind to Theo. Like, boy, you thought Theo was gonna be able to take out two whole guys? Hell no.) But that could also be chalked up to Emizel just being a cocky ass who wants to show off). Like dude, c'mon. Emizel might be a reminder of everything that Theo's not, but he's also probably Theo's biggest cheerleader. He wholeheartedly thought he was being supportive when he said he thought Theo'd make a great nurse! In all seriousness, though, even if it ultimately discourages him, Theo playing that Smash game against Emizel was at least a little bit of proof of him decidedly not 'staying in his lane,' and Emizel seems to inspire that! Later in that segment he challenges Theo to see which of them can break one of the Fangs kneecaps first! I bet Emizel challenged him to stupid competitions a lot, and that got Theo fired up and competitive in return!

And even when Emizel's not building Theo up, he's still giving Theo special attention, or readily receiving any attention Theo gives him. If nothing else, even at his lowest points that might've made Theo feel cool by association.

On Emizel's part, I think he's like, possibly completely oblivious to any turmoil Theo's going through? Like he thinks Theo's the shit and genuinely sees him as an equal. I'm 99% sure that Theo being his right hand man happened because Theo would've put himself into the role (in episode one before he gets all of his character development he's pretty much always looking to Emizel for what to do, and still more or less does whatever he says up to where I'm at in the series, with refusing to leave the alleyway being the only exception I remember). I think if Theo'd had higher self esteem or been less eager to defer to Emizel, Emizel would've happily gone about his business slotting Theo into more of a partner role. He tells Theo to run from that alleyway because Theo'd taken a fucking devastating hit and Emizel was sure he could handle himself, not because he knows Theo sucks at fighting. He tries to turn Theo into a cool vampire. He convinces Shilo that Theo'll be a valuable asset to raiding the Weylin warehouse and they take Theo with them instead of having him stay behind with the car like Grefgore, despite Theo being the one who actually knows how to drive. He tells Theo about being a vampire even though he keeps it a secret from everyone else, confides in Theo that 'yeah he might absolutely be susceptible to going into a frenzy like Shilo did.'

When you get down to it, Emizel pretty much tells Theo everything he would think is relevant, with two notable exceptions. Maybe three if you count him not telling Theo he has nine lives like a cat but tbh I think he might've just forgot. Or maybe he gets to it later, or maybe he did tell him and I forgot! idk man! But! Those other two things. First off, he like. Pointedly does not tell Theo that he's a prince. Like when they were doing the recap on the way to the Weylin warehouse, there's like. Charlie gives Condi an opening to say it, a little 'is there anything else?' and Emizel just. Doesn't. And the second one is that (at least where I'm at) Emizel never comes clean about bloodbonding Theo. Maybe it just hasn't come up yet, but still. It fits a pattern of Emizel not wanting to admit something that makes him, like, ABOVE Theo somehow. He sees Theo as an equal, and a precious one at that, he doesn't want things to get weird between them because he's literal royalty, and he doesn't want Theo's life to literally revolve around him like it would under a level three blood bond- and doesn't want to admit that he even considered it, even if he did it without really understanding what it was.

And Emizel backing off from ghoulifying Theo after Arthur explains what it actually entails kinda leads into a far more headcanon-y relationship analysis thing so um. Feel free to skip the next paragraph.

So! Like. Why the fuck was Emizel so attached to Theo being Soda. Like he gets over it decently quick, cuz that's his buddy and it's what Theo wants, so like. Whatever. But like, if I'm right about Theo always looking up to Emizel from the moment they met, there might've been some wiggle room between when they first became friends and when Theo became Soda. And like, before Theo became Soda, being Emizel's buddy would probably be the only thing he'd feel he had going for him? Which would've made it even harder for Emizel to get them both on equal footing, and I think that's just... really unappealing to him. Like! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Emizel loves having people kiss up to him and respect him and blah blah blah, I just think Theo being his boy and Emizel treating him like a partner go hand in hand. Either they weren't best friends yet or Emizel was just. Kind of uncomfortable and eager to push Theo into growing into something more than a hypeman. And then the soda incident occurs, and it gives Theo SOMETHING to define himself by, something people like him and know him for that's got nothing to do with Emizel, and maybe the initial soda incident was bad, but having that sense of identity and falling into what kind've feels like a class clown kinda role might've helped get Theo over his self esteem issues long enough for Emizel to go 'oh you're actually super cool. sweet.' and then blah blah blah they get super close like they are in canon. And then whenever Theo seems like he's backsliding into what he was before the soda incident, Emizel tries to course correct not because he doesn't think Theo's any fun without soda, but because he's made the mental connection that Soda without soda turns into less of a best friend and more of a follower, which as stated before he probably really doesn't want from Theo specifically. but idk. pure conjecture here.

Anyways, above all else, Theo's important to Emizel. I really, really like the idea that Theo was supposed to be like a brother to him (which. Again pointing at my 'Theo was supposed to die in episode 1' theory, can you IMAGINE the angst Emizel could've had about that? Lose one brother and then someone else claiming to be your brother shows up? It would've felt like some hellish, not-worth-it trade. Like a betrayal, like accepting Shilo might mean replacing Theo, and how could he ever?)

And Emizel's important to Theo! But unlike Emizel (who I'm 99% sure is gonna have some kinda moment with Theo but I genuinely cannot see him loving Theo in any other way than the way he does now), Theo has the bonus of having his view of Emizel have a clear trajectory to evolve over the course of the campaign. Like I said, he seems to be getting more confidence in himself and like, not gonna get into the stuff I've had spoiled beyond episode 9 but it seems like Theo's gonna get a lot more comfortable being a proper leader and not just a number two. He's gonna have an easier time seeing Emizel as an equal, and I think that's fucking awesome!

I could be completely off base, but if I never watch another episode then I'll never be proven wrong. So. Ya know.

[riordanverse-ship-polls]

Clarification Note: This poll features Bianca, not Nico.

*Shares name with Solangelo (Nico di Angelo x Will Solace) due to di Angelo siblings sharing a surname

[oceanwithouthermoon]

ive never liked powerless saiki aus because the entire conclusion of the series is him accepting his powers as being a part of him that he cant change so like.. in aus where the power remover works, half of his development is erased..

if he had been "powerless" for longer, we wouldve gotten to see him realize this himself and im genuinely sad that we didnt.. we got to see him realize that being powerless wasnt the change he wished it would be and that its something he cant change, but its literally over a two day long period and we miss out on sooo much potential development..

and then in aus where hes born powerless, people think he would have the exact personality and development that he THOUGHT he would if he got rid of/didnt have his powers, like NO ? "without powers he would be another satou-" NO he would be a shy, borderline flamboyant, weird, awkward, genius LOSER.

he would have a more normal relationship with his brother (still probably competitive but in a way more average sibling way and kusuke wouldnt have had the motivation to become so murderous) and he would probably be even more friendless but with less trauma.. he may or may not have ever befriended akechi at all, and the classroom incident wouldnt have happened.. even some of his current friends might not be around if not for coincidences due to his powers or direct involvement from his powers.. (nendo and kaido would for sure still be there though, but this only ensures the idea that he would be the biggest fcking loser ever)

he would still be saiki, but. his powers are a key part of him. he would be totally different without them, but NOT in the way he thinks he would..

[qoldenskies]

Donnie for sure the second youngest but I don’t think he probably thinks of Leo as older practically. They’re probably only a few months apart at most and I don’t think Donnie would consider that developmentally significant enough to see Leo as a big brother like he does Raph. Leo on the other hand, absolutely views Donnie as a bratty little brother. Basically they’re not twins but still do the twin thing when someone asks who’s older.

Younger: we’re twins it doesn’t mat-

Older: me I’m older

its honestly why i usually like to make their twinship a compromise for donnie's sake. he doesn't really accept the idea of there being a power dynamic between them with their ages (even though there kind of is? raph and leo are in their own little camp separate from donnie and mikey, it's pretty clear by the way raph puts so much pressure on leo in particular) and i usually dont have him bring it up much it at all unless he's thinking more about mikey because i think them having solidarity over having to deal with their older brother bullshit is true and like. genuinely kind of canon? they're so fed up with them LOL

like ngl i actually care so much about second youngest donnie BECAUSE of his relationship with mikey. b team is my favorite thing in the world

(also yes absolutely no matter how small the gap is to me, leo will use EVERY opportunity to hold it over donnie's head. i mean i think episodes like lair games make that clear. when he grabbed donnie's vambrace and held it out of reach in smart lair too LMFAO... genuine bastard older brother behavior)