#you gotta realize that people like this make fools of themselves

[bitchesgate3]

I know I'm just built different and none of ya'll are going to understand me, but whenever any of the characters in bg3 are callously evil I think it's the stupidest, funniest shit.

Voss talks down to you in such a clearly over the top and racist way with his whole chest? Hilarious. Dude is delusional. Couldn't wait to bait out more of this behavior just to laugh at him more in EA.

Astarion brings little kids to Cazador to never be seen forever and then - in a moment of reflection - admits OUT LOUD that he doesn't feel a twinge of remorse. What??? Funniest thing I've ever seen.

When stuff like that is so egregious, that shit is as funny as a duck waddling in a top hat. Why aren't ya'll laughing with me?

[gachagon]

I love it when characters who were previously incredibly pompous and egotistical realize that the pedestal they've placed themselves on is actually worthless given the current situation they're now in.

Kaiser is realizing now that his idea of what it takes to be on top, to be the best striker is wrong and that it's probably been wrong for a while. And that's really got to suck, because while Kaiser has accomplished a lot of great things, ultimately his goal pales in comparison to the people he now has to go up against. Isagi and the other Blue Locker's aren't just there to rise up the ranks slowly, this is a last man standing program and Kaiser isn't strong enough to stand on his own.

He had become a great player, but he's not the best player. And he needs to be better in order to even have that position of acclaim in the first place. I am reminded of what Isagi taunted him with earlier, calling him a "Naked Emperor/King" which is an obvious reference to the "Emperor's New Clothes".

In that short story, a king orders himself new clothing that outshines everyone else and so the court creates "Invisible Clothing that only he can see" for the King. The king accepts the clothes and "wears" them, and so to him he is wearing the finest cloak imaginable, but to everyone else he is just a naked man making a fool of himself.

In a way, Kaiser ended up being the naked emperor in that he only came to the realization that his past achievements weren't good enough to stay in the team until this very game with Isagi.

I really think that fear of losing everything he worked for was always holding him back from really going above and beyond as well, because while he does have the support of a partner to do passes for him and he's able to read the field accurately, he doesn't take chances that tougher opponents hand him.

His backstory as a thief really puts this into perspective too because thieves wait for the right moment to strike instead of going out into the open to steal. And just like a thief, everything they get is "unearned" because they just take it from other people. In a way, you could almost say Kaiser's position as the best and the king was unearned because he hadn't actually done what needed to be done in order to get to that level.

And that's why I think this makes him so upset when Ness rattles off all of the thing's he's done, because ultimately none of those things will really amount to anything if he can't keep control of this team and be the best among them. It won't matter if he's scored a goal in every match, or if he's gotten offers from top teams, his goal is to be better than everyone and right now some dude from a no name prefecture in Japan is wiping the floor with him, and easily.

You really gotta feel sorry for Ness too, because he thinks of himself as one of Kaiser's "accomplishments" in a way, but Kaiser literally doesn't care about him enough. He just see's Ness as a tool to use, someone who's easily replaceable and loyal like a dog.

My moot (@miyamiwu) made a really good observation about how Ness might just leave Kaiser soon if he doesn't keep playing in that magical way that captured Ness in the first place, and I think that's true now especially since Kaiser himself seems to also realize it. When he's thinking about all of the achievements he could potentially lose if he doesn't win this, Ness is one of them.

"I thought I was becoming human." Is so sad too because I think deep down he really did think that by being close to Ness that he was truly becoming a normal player, that he was on the fast track to achieving his goals. But because he doesn't really know what that goal is anymore, the rug has been pulled from under him now and he has to literally reevaluate what is probably years worth of self reflection.

I also think this chapter is Kaiser ditching the rose as a symbol of his ego because he's truly looking back on things and realizing that the object that really gave him solace wasn't that symbol of the impossible, but the soccer ball itself. He is coming to terms with the fact that without soccer, he doesn't have anything at all, and that it is the only reason he was even able to get this far or have the courage to fight back against his abusive shitty dad.

Instead of the rose tattoo being here, we see there's a new tattoo that's prominent now and it's in the shape of a crown. And rather than being in a place where he's most vulnerable (his neck), the tattoo is on his hand, which I think symbolizes how he is able to take his own freedom and by extension his own place as a king with his own two hands.

Kaiser's solitude is something he really needs to become the best, because if he can't do it alone, than he can't do it at all. He is clinging desperately to the things he has managed to gather throughout these years, including Ness' loyalty and he's so afraid of losing even one of those things that it's making him a worse player.

However, whether or not being totally alone is what he needs to heal as a person is another thing entirely, which is ultimately why I don't think Kaiser will ever beat Isagi and that if he does it'd actually be the worst ending for him. Throughout this entire manga, Kaiser comes off as a really calculated person who's always thinking ten steps ahead, but inside he is just a damaged kid who is using soccer as his one means of coping with the trauma he faced as child.

And that phrasing "I thought I was becoming human" really just makes me feel so sad for Kaiser, because to him if he doesn't have soccer he is less than human and has nothing to give back to the world. He has never allowed himself any time to just be a normal teenager and just make friends in a healthy way, and the one friend he does have might just up and leave if he's not playing in a groundbreaking way. He thinks so lowly of himself that he hinges his entire identity around how other people perceive his abilities in the game, and if he's not the best at the game, he surely can't matter that much as a player, no matter how much Ness tries to placate him with words about how he's "already done enough".

Ego Jinpachi said it as well after Nagi made his really good goal, that some people are content with just being average and "good" instead of being great. And that it's because they're content with where they are in life, that they never advance at all. The idea that they are totally fine in their current position makes them lose the drive they normally would have if they weren't still thinking about trying to get better.

And Blue Lock's philosophy hinges on the player wanting to always get better and better and beat the other players on the field. Being "good" is never enough, hell being "Great" isn't enough at times, you need to be the best forever. You need to make it so that dethroning you is an uphill battle.

[dreemurr-skelememer]

I'm gonna be anonymous when I say this because I have seen this done by many people... I strongly dislike the "Error and Nightmare gang are the good guys and trying to make the universe stable while The star sanses are the idiots who will not see reason" .. Like... I .. really? I'm not sure if the reason why I don't like it is because I have seen it so many times or what but it annoys me dearly. The members of the star sanses are reasonable and they are just often made as one sided ignorant people- I mean okay Lets go on the different pov, on the bad sanse side: You see them risk their lives every day getting themselves hurt over and over again all to defend different worlds for the sake of bringing what they believe to be peace and you label them as the fools who just want all the glory- really??? people who get hurt over and over again just do it for that stupid reasons??? I mean come on! Seeing as generally it is shown that the bad sanses want peace as well why not be trying to reach an agreement??? you fight over and over again and you couldn't even be bothered to try and reach their heads to finally listen to what you are saying like what "in a way" dream has done with nightmare countless times but they cant do the same? Just have them fight knowing that the other side are in the wrong and you choose to do nothing but break them?? Like is this your pride or something?? Why are they labelled as good guys yet they allow the other side to fight to their deaths with a good motive in mind but they only lack the full picture?? How am i suppose to "root for you" if this is what you do????? We get inside information of how peaceful they are and how they care for each other deeply, but if you care so much for each other why would you allow the other side to keep fighting your loved ones when they are missing the big picture, you know the big picture yet you say... NOTHING. NADA. ZILCH!! you cannot tell me that they don't listen to you when you barely speak up about the true issue or find a way to show them- you maybe say it once or twice in the whole story and then any other time you go straight to fighting or just avoid them.. COWARDS!! ALL OF THEM!! And in these stories the star sanses always state their reasons for their interference yet you cannot tell them why you are doing this?? All that comes out your mouth are insults and sneers, who would want to believe you when that is all the comes out of your MOUTHS... Excuse me... Just pissed sorry for the long rant.. Oh my gosh AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON DREAM AND NIGHTMARE, DUDE YOU GOT THE BALLS TO BLAME YOUR KID BROTHER FOR BEING A KID AND NOT RECOGNISING YOUR TRAUMA EVEN NOW AS YOU ARE MUCH MORE MATURE AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU BOTH AS CHILDREN????? Is he the one holding onto the past or is it you??? Night is always depicted as the dadmare, boss, the caring lover, the brother yet he doesn't even have the decency to face the fact he abandoned his brother in stone for 500 years or so, when he comes out you automatically hate him for something he had no idea or control of and choose to ignore his pleads, when your brother wants to reach you, you break him over and over again not wanting him in your life ever again when as i said before he was your "KID BROTHER" and you want to tell me your the good one for just wanting to cut him off with no answers or anything? You gotta be pulling my leg bro... and it would be a different story if the dreamtale background is different but no! it isnt! nothing is said to make it seem dream was an abuser of sorts, they were both hurt and yet you blame dream for all of it you have a whole ass support system yet that is your mindset??? I cant.... I really cant Uh sorry again for this long ass rant though =w=

anon our souls are holding hands resonating as one

my two cents on this (that isn't something i said. a million times before already) is that it's usually because people refuse to see the star sanses in the same light they do the bad sanses the people who actively dislike the star sanses and what they do usually do so because they can't relate to them, from what i've noticed

the bad sanses are easier to root for because of the fact that they are made of struggle and the dirty, gritty parts of morality and life so to say it's easier to think of good things in the middle of so much bad, because it's in our nature as people to look for hope or root for the good, no matter how little it is having the ability to look for goodness and love in so much evil is a form of love in of itself everybody struggles and life sucks and sometimes the world is evil and sometimes we do bad things, but that's the thing, the fact that we as people find something good in the middle of it all (like finding familial love bloom in the bad sanses, as an example) is very inspiring. at least to me!!! that's how i see it!!!! that's how i like to think people see it as well because that's how i see and enjoy them together so i can totally see why people find more relatability and love for the bad sanses. i really do get it and i agree!! like a lot!!!!! i love them too

but that exact reason is also why it really sucks that people just don't see the star sanses in the same light?

i wanna reemphasize my point in relatability: it's difficult for most people to relate to the star sanses because inherently they are the heroes, the protagonists, the main characters, because nobody are any of those things i feel like people often put them on a pedestal because of their central tropes and characteristics. they have it all already, they don't need more praise, right?

i think the biggest problem people have with the star sanses, like your whole ramble very clearly shows, is that they don't humanize them i feel like a lot of people assume that just because they are good and choose to be good and are praised for being good, they are unreachable people don't think they struggle. that it sucks being that.

it's often why i like writing the star sanses with so much struggle and so much mental illness lol, because being good is fucking HARD and they're as imperfect as everybody else. dream is anxious, ink is brash, blue is a workaholic, stuff like that

there's a lot to say but it's just....the bad sanses and the star sanses are two sides of the same coin. the bad sanses is finding good in the middle of, basically, evil and misdeed the star sanses is finding struggle in the middle of trying to do good

people often portray both of them black and white morals and it's why it gets frustrating and flat and badly written.

idk, just like how i find inspiration in the bad sanses of finding hope and love in the middle of darkness, i really admire the implications of the star sanses when you actually decide to humanize them. because if you make the star sanses struggle throughout their praise, glory, and righteousness, it's...really admirable that they still choose to do good.

like you said, the star sanses risk their lives often and fight, offering treaties and agreements, just to make things right that's so??? admirable????? like for the amount of times the bad sanses fucking fight them, i genuinely would've just given up completely, but they just....don't??? and that's so admirable and sweet? it makes them so deserving of their titles as guardians.

idk!!! this is a massive ramble too, i don't even know where i was going with it but like, yeah, i think i wanted to talk mostly about why people preferred the bad sanses over the star sanses and how it makes me sad i get you anon. with my whole body and my whole soul. i understand what you mean and i see you

[baelpenrose]

Nihilus Rex 31: Next Step

The back and forths writing this one.... Oh side note, Afterverse Studios does NOT endorse anything that Nils and Lash or their new psychopath plan in this chapter! Do not do this! @canyouhearthelight and I did have a lot of fun going back and forth with this tho...

When you're high, who ya flyin for?

When you ride, who ya ridin for?

When you toast, who ya drinkin for?

When you play, gotta deal with the devil.

Pop Evil "Deal with the Devil"

Nils

The date with my parents and Lash had gone without a hitch - hopefully the ladies’ day would be good for Lash and my mom. And Mrs. Botelho. 

In the meantime, Bishop, me, Lash, and Dickie Gray - Richard, I supposed - were meeting up to talk about our next big plan, which also had to include some kind of provision to rid ourselves of the attention of that obnoxious Fibbie who was still crawling around town. We had our minions posting about her movements to keep from getting caught flat-footed, but I still wanted her out of my city as quickly as possible.

Heh, ‘my’ city. I sounded like a mob boss.

“Bishop, you have the proxies set up to call the human-hunting enthusiast?”

“Yeah. Creampuff, Baklava, we’re gonna talk about your choice of lieutenants.”

“Yes, but later. Get the fucker on.” 

The screen came to life, and that same, deeply unpleasant icon popped up. “Nihilus, Phoenix. You wanted a meeting?”

“We have FBI in town. Our next mission is going to be to deal with some eviction notices getting served - and to take care of some banking properties while we’re at it. You already called our bluff on the QAnon bullshit, so real talk - none of us here want the government or big corporations owning all the houses or all the medicine. So we’re breaking that up a bit. But we want something to draw off the FBI while we do it. We have to do something beneficial enough to build support and flashy enough to draw attention off our core command structure.”

“Is there a reason we’re going with social engineering?”

“The reason the right always loses populist games in the long term is that they don’t invest in helping people with their actual problems.” 

The icon with the skull and dagger flashed. “Heh. Point. Benefits for loyalty. Can’t last forever.”

“He who comes to a principality against the wishes of both its nobility and its people should endear himself first to the people for they, who hope most not to be oppressed, shall bind themselves to their benefactor upon receiving generosity where they feared evil, where the nobles, seeking to oppress, can be dealt with as open foes, replaced with pliable fools in austerity and bribed to compliance in prosperity.” I quoted. “If I choose who to satisfy, I choose the average person. It means I have to kill fewer enemies in the long run. If the politicians could just figure that out, we’d have a lot fewer issues.” 

Lash blinked. “Machievelli isn’t normally the person one quotes if they are making a moral argument.”

“And yet the argument I just made would lead to more moral governance if its tenants were followed than anything our current government is doing.” 

“Still… Machievelli?” she muttered.

Bishop glowered and I abruptly realized he’d muted all our mics for us. “Children. Maybe don’t argue with each other and therefore imply internal division when your psychopath lieutenant with the survival of the fittest mentality is in the room?”

“Right.” I unmuted. 

“I think I’m satisfied with your logic. Do whatever flashy bullshit you want to get the fibbies attention, and whatever civic crap you want to get the normies on board.” Gray sounded unimpressed. 

I thought about it. “Right now, what are they saying on the boards you’re frequenting?”

“A lot of them are still on board with their local churches that keep raving about the current dumbfuck-in-office being anointed by god, or about dealing with those goddamn degenerates that have been making all the kids squall about pronouns lately.” His tone made it clear his own opinion on the queer community’s existence itself was likely indifferent at best, but that in his mind their true sin was not deviance but whining. He struck me as a person who would more easily respect an armed queer than an unarmed cishet, and ultimately I could follow the logic, uncomfortable though it was.

“So, as long as the gays pay taxes?” I quipped.

“Long as they don’t ask me to take care of them.” He muttered. “I don’t give a fuck what people get up to as long as they don’t need taking care of once they’re grown.” 

I filed that away for later - I was getting a fuller picture of his worldview the longer this went and I was increasingly certain we were gonna need to put him down. “Where were you going though?”

“Lot of people in the far right are gonna be a little bound up with the government because a lot of their churches have a little love affair with their modern day King Cyrus, Emperor Constantine, whatever analogy they’re using this week.” 

I sputtered. Christians were not being persecuted in the US, and…Stupid, stupid. Okay, something to work on. “Got it. I’ll have to work on that. Thanks for the tip.”

I glanced at Lash. “I… I honestly cannot figure out anything to say to him for this current operation that wouldn’t derail it,” she shrugged, biting her lip in apology. “I don’t agree with it, but his logic is sound enough that arguing may actually tip him against us.” Even as she said it, she looked queasy.

I glanced at him. “Alright then. This meeting is done. Keep our people that you’re supervising out of anything until I contact you again.”  The meaning of those words was clear - they were still my minions, not his. The call terminated.

Churches were keeping people locked in line with the state, as churches historically tended to. Okay, so our next job was going to be to fracture…Many megachurches had a lot of people who open carried, right? Our gun nut guy might be able to tell me, and I could double check later, but that had been in the news lately. I could check which ones…

“Lash. If these hateful megachurches that love SWATing gay clubs - the ones who just love. Love. Showing off their second amendment rights in church. Who have, for years, been fed a steady diet of ‘the government is coming for your children’ and 'the government are coming for Christians’. What if, and hear me out. What if they get SWATed back? What if we get a firefight between them and the cops going? Get a wedge between the right and law enforcement, leave the state without non state actors? Re-create the Night of the Long Knives via false flag?

In a gesture I had long learned was her method for buying time, she took a long, deep drink of water before speaking. “I don’t understand guns in a place of worship, I’m going to be honest. It… it baffles me, I guess? But then I see shootings on the news, and wonder ‘why do you think guns are the answer?’.  So, logically - “ She took another long drink of water before gasping for breath. “I guess I think it isn’t logical to have guns in a temple, and the police should know about that.  Provided,” she hedged, “that they know there are children present and, if they need to fire, it’s at grown up height.” She held her hand level with her eyes, a hair around five foot.

I was already thinking. "If we call SWAT, they're going to go in with weapons at shoulder height." Of course, once they were fired on, anything could happen. If kids were hit, that'd be more reason for the churchgoers to fire on cops in the future, the ‘jackbooted thugs shooting Christian kids’ narrative was something we could get a lot of mileage out of…

“Baklava is a pacifist, in case you haven’t figure that out,” Bishop grunted.

I laughed, while Lash huffed. “I just hate hearing people use ‘survival of the fittest’ when they mean ‘might makes right’.”

“No she bloody well isn’t,” I said to Bishop, idly, then shifted my gaze to my girlfriend. “No, I get that, though I can’t really argue that nature miserably echoes capitalism in that survival favors those who outcompete - or at least adapt. We both want a gentler world than the rules of nature - either the bloody ‘eat or be eaten’ he imagines or the ‘thrive and adapt or die’ that Darwin actually suggests.” 

Bishop looked between us and finally threw up his hands. “Okay, I’ll bite. You’re saying the same thing and rephrasing it, like it means something different. But ‘survival of the fittest’ is pretty clear.”

“Oh my god,” Lash groaned. “It’s the least clear thing in the world, apparently.  You, chucklefuck on the phone, and most of Nils’ pet racists all think it means ‘survival of the toughest and best equipped to fight’, when that’s the last thing it means. ‘Survival of the fittest’ means literally that: ‘to those who adapt and fit in with the least effort go the spoils of evolution’.  Why do you think mice are so common?  They aren’t exactly out there whipping ass and taking names… but they are definitely having more babies and more live to a reproductive age than larger predators, that’s for sure.”

“Which,” I added, “Is also why invasive species are so dangerous. They’re usually better able to adapt really well to a variety of environments and take over niches that more specialized species rely on, which leaves a lot of things on the chopping block. I am not totally sure I trust the idea of ‘natural selection’ as it actually applies for morals either. In natural selection, you have a plague, and then everything that can’t survive it dies, and either you have enough left for a stable population or you go extinct. I’d hope we can be better than that as well.”

“Don’t even get me started on anti-Semitism as a result of the bubonic plague,” Lash muttered, covering her face with both hands and shaking her head. She peeked at me. “I know you’re the historian, but you don’t go into clean water initiatives and miss that little gem.”

“You don’t study history without noticing that any bad thing in the middle ages, they somehow managed to blame on the Jews. Except for one part in the early 11th century in Northern Germany of all places, where they blamed it on pagans in the Black Forest. And even then, they roped in the Jews and threw in a pogrom on the side.” 

“Circling back to our current surprisingly less racist than most of our minions issue…” Bishop cleared his throat. “Do we - or better yet, the two of you - trust him?”

“I want to point out he’s absolutely not less racist than most of our minions, and he might actually be worse, it’s just in a very specific and far more flexible and less dogmatic way. He’s an accelerationist fash.” I said, irritable. “Put this way: to him, white people being more militarily advanced and able to conquer everything was proof that we’re ‘better’. Same time, to him, the idea of ‘white genocide’ is laughable. Most white supremacists are deep-down terrified of having to compete on equal footing with people of color because they wonder on some level if they’re actually better or if the global majority has been artificially kept in second rank the whole time, so they rely on cops. This psycho thinks that police protection is making white people weak and decadent and wants an outright race war to get people sharpened back up. So no, I don’t trust him, I want to put him down as fast as possible.” 

“Which, in English,” Lash interjected, “means that while most racists think they shouldn’t have to do as much as they are doing now, Gray thinks they aren’t doing enough. So yeah, I don’t trust him as far as I can throw this mall.”

Bishop looked between us. “And…you’re working with him? You just said he’s not as bad as the average lunatic you’re dealing with but almost an order of magnitude worse. And you’re working with him.” 

“Yep. Which is the other thing: any idea of how we dispose of him when he outlives his utility?” 

Lash gave me a dangerous look, looking at Bishop in silence before looking back at me. “You two really haven’t figured that part out? It’s pretty obvious.”

“I thought about the police route, if that’s what you’re thinking. Set him up as our next patsy. There’s no way he doesn’t roll over on us if we play that route, unless we go way out of our way to ensure he isn’t taken alive, which…he may be harder to play that on than most of them. And we’d want to let him cook for a while before we let the ax fall on him.” 

“Suicide by cop, you got it in one,” she fired at me. “Bishop, the main reason I’m willing to work with this guy - and probably the same for Nils, at least a bit - is that he doesn’t want cops involved, at all.  Which is something we don’t want either.  So, take a racist who hates cops, let him poison the whole batch to the same line of thought, and then we just… wind him up a bit at a time.  Eventually, we might be able to make him take care of himself for us, as a martyr rather than an enemy.”

“And if you don’t, your minions Order 66 you during your moment of triumph.” 

“Given the number of gun permits the guy has…. I’m betting on blaze of glory,” Lash admitted. “No one who distrusts cops owns that many weapons without being willing to use them.”

I thought about it. “The risk is setting him up at the right time and giving him time to marinate in our brand of chaotic shit. Too early and he dies before he’s gotten his minions fully trained and drilled, which is what we want him for. Too late and his martyrdom creates a spinoff force that isn’t under our control. Timing is going to be key.” I couldn’t deny Lash’s argument though - Gray was probably capable of giving a 30 minute lecture, on demand, about how the 2nd Amendment was the most important one in protecting us from government overreach. 

Bishop took a breath. “Alright. So. Speaking of using him. You told him to wind up his minions in the megachurches to be worried about the deep state. Did you have a particular target in mind for the SWATing?”

I froze. “I had a few, some pastors who keep making news, ones I…figured ought to get some pain before things were out.” 

Lash didn’t even seem to hesitate, which I hope made Bishop rethink his comment about her pacifism. “That crazy one down in Florida, the one that protests the funerals of veterans.  Most gun lovers are either vets, vet-adjacent, or wannabes, right? Low fruit, easy pickings.”

“I was skewing towards that guy in Tennessee who keeps making news for really uniquely fucked up takes about what should be done with queer people, since there’s a lot of wannabe vets and gun nuts afraid of the ‘deep state brainwashing their kids’ in that congregation. No harm in going with both.” 

Bishop blinked and stroked his beard. “You two have some grudges, I see.  Love the readiness, though.” He pointed at Lash directly. “I did expect you to at least need to think about it, love.”

She shrugged. “Being pragmatic and being a pacifist aren’t the same thing, Bishop.  And what is it, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?  Fewer hateful adults, fewer fearful kids.”

I was busy staring, open mouthed, at Lash, and feeling incredibly happy she and I were together. 

He rubbed his temples. “You two are…I can’t say if you’re bad for each other or good for each other. Ever since you’ve gotten together, both of you have been more focused, more disciplined, come up with better ideas. But you’ve been more ruthless, Nils has been more self-destructive, and I don’t know where it’s going. I suspect I want to be there to see.” 

“Nils is eating three meals a day,” Lash pointed out. “And 85% of my parents are barely out of the hospital… last time we relaxed, Baba lost a leg and Mama lost the lobe of one lung.  You know how I feel about my family.”

“Yeah, I do.” Bishop took a breath. “Sorry.” He walked towards me and then whispered, “And you? You’re eating, but the medication…”

“It’s under control.” I said, quietly.  I actually hadn’t double-dosed on my adderall in weeks. “Honestly better than it’s been in years.”

Bishop made a ‘hm’ sound. “My apologies. Maybe I was just rattled.” He looked like he wanted to say more, and then simply said, “I’m going to grab us some coffees.”

I turned to Lash. “What do you think that was about?” 

“All I’m going to say is, I didn’t know he thought I was a pacifist.”

“Easy mistake to make, in this business: you place a high value on human life.” I squeezed her hand. “Bishop just makes the really common mistake of conflating kindness and mercy for weakness.”

“Him, we keep,” she squeezed back. “The more people to rein us in if needed, the better.  Which reminds me… I think I need to tell Mori something.  I don’t want my entire family left wondering if something happens to me, and Mori I at least trust to not tell Mama or Baba anything until she has to.”

[beecreeper]

✨🍯🧀(for any of them but esp interested in briar :) )

You fool! You've given me the window to talk about everyone!

(Answering for Briar, Ferox, and Molli under the cut)

✨ (sparkles) - What gives your oc confidence? Is it something physical or more emotional? Do they inspire confidence in others? Why or why not?

Pre-tadpole Briar got a confidence boost from being conventionally attractive. She loved being perceived as sexy and using that to her advantage. She also got a bunch of confidence from the fact that she, you know, had an entire cult worshipping her. In her peak cult days her arrogance and confidence was through the roof. She essentially thought herself completely perfect and invincible. Post tadpole, losing both of those things in addition to how weak the amnesia makes her feel is a huge hit to her confidence and she is a lot more insecure (which manifests as her being grumpy and closed off). She gets more confidence back the more she's able to successfully manipulate people and ESPECIALLY the more Sceleritas tells her she's special and perfect 😚

Ferox is the exact opposite. External praise makes him feel mad uncomfortable, especially since it's rarely for something he feels proud of (like him being very good at smashing people's heads in). I do, however, think he has a very pragmatic and realistic view of his own skills. Like, he knows whether or not he can accomplish something and is neither over confident nor under confident about it. But like, his *personal* confidence? In the trash. A view like "I can successfully do a b and c tasks. I am a horrible person though."

Molli's confidence comes out when she can put on a mask. She is MUCH more confident in front of strangers than with people she has to interact with more than once. Like, she can perform for a crowd of people no problem but has to psyche herself up for conversations with the companions. Has a constant feeling of imposter syndrome and that the longer anyone spends with her the closer they are to realizing that she's not actually good enough.

For a summary/comparison: Briar's confidence is linked to what she is (I *am* a god. I *am* perfect), Ferox's is linked to what he can do (I can do this, I can do that), and Molli's is linked to what she can be for others. (I *will be* funny. I *will be* obedient.)

As far an inspiring confidence in others? Briar loves to make other people feel insecure as a hobby. Ferox will give you direct feedback do with that what you will. And Molli is a bard her literal job is being a team cheerleader.

🍯 (honey) - What are some reasons someone would like or get along with your oc? Are these positive traits something your oc is aware of?

Barring uuuhhhh just about everything else about her, Briar is entertaining. She's spontaneous and down to do just about anything for a laugh. You just gotta be a certain kind of fucked up for a lot of things she considers fun. And while her confidence ABSOLUTELY spills into arrogance, there is something to be said for someone who is rarely worried about things or second guessing themselves. She's also surprisingly charismatic and able to talk people into things they wouldn't normally approve of. She is very aware of this strength.

I think Ferox's strongest positive traits are that he's thoughtful and dedicated. Loyal to a fault tbh. He's the kind of person who notices a bunch of small things people and quietly acts on them. Like, he will notice your favorite food and specifically pick it up whenever he sees it around. Or does chores around camp without being asked or saying anything about it. He sees the actions he takes for other people as his value and isn't really aware that the root, his thoughtfulness about other people, is valuable in of itself.

Molli's got a bright personality (when she isn't paralyzed by nerves lol). Bouncy and sing song-y in a way that can be annoying but also a lot of people like. She's CUTE and she's FUNNY and she's KIND (Uuuuugh talking about this is embarrassing because she's so much a self insert that I feel like I'm just complimenting myself...)

🧀 (cheese) - What’s the funniest thing that your character has ever done? Alternatively, what’s the funniest thing that’s happened to them?

Ugh how was THIS the hardest question to answer???

I think if you asked Briar, she'd say the funniest thing she's ever done was this

Convincing Yurgir to kill all his minions and then himself is also up there

For the other two??? Uuuuuuuuh

I dunno I don't have a specific stories in mind but I would say for Ferox it must have been some sort of sweet moment when him and Myrala were traveling together. Some sort of harmless mishap that they could both laugh at together.

And then for Molli I think her funniest moments come out in surprising people with how lewd her performance style can be compared to how cute and silly her outward appearance is. Busting out whatever the Faerun equivalent is of Baby Got Back around the campfire. Or when she sang a dirty mermaid song to save Mirkon from the harpies.

[val-the-bookworm]

While I work on Felix Escellun’s analysis here are some quotes that I love from Two Against the World! They are all said by Nicky unless stated otherwise.

* “But you gotta look at pressure as an opportunity to be great.”

* “Pressure is a door, and waiting for you on the other side is success. How you get through that door is up to you.”

* Mc: “I’m not from this dimension.”

Nicky: “So, like from Upstate?”

* “My voice ain’t nothing to write home about, but I’ll curse in Italian and maybe people will think that I’m an opera singer.”

* “Brace yourself, love, when it happens, you’ll be the Mrs. in no time.” (Replace with Mr or mine for other pronouns)

* “You gotta treat the one you care for with the utmost respect, in my mind.”

* “Peaks and valleys, sweets. Sometimes the valleys get a little steep.” “ We don’t have to go to the valley alone.”

* “Because as much as I care about you, as much as I need you, the most important thing to me is that your happy. And if that means you’d be happier back where you came from, then so be it.”

* “And ain’t nothing easier in this world than loving you.”

* “I think you make loving you so easy.”

* “I’d take an eternity in hell if it meant one more day with you.”

* “The best part about going to bed with you is knowing I get to wake up to you.”

* (From the Masseur) “It doesn’t take work to fall in love, but it does take work to stay in love. Doing little stuff like this for your partner every now and then reminds them you care.”

* “I love hard and I live fast and you gotta be the same way.”

* “And all I want. All I ever want… is to give you what you want.”

* “But I do think that what we see, what we experience - this life. It ain’t all there is. There’s something more.”

* “I think forever sounds nice if your involved.”

* “It’s funny though. A billion stars in the sky and I cant keep my eyes off of you.”

* “People are what count, Mc. Things don’t.”

* “And Mc, my sweet love, you are my weakness”

* “You can still love something and leave it”

* “The mind can be a noisy and messy place.”

* “I learned that life is to short to be worried about the future. What’s going to happen, is bound to happen. We must enjoy the days we have”

* Mc: “Not everyone wants that kind of attention, Nicky”

Nick: “ Sure they do. They’re just worried that if they do get that kinda spotlight, they’re going to make a fool outta themselves. But what you people don’t realize is that just by getting that kind of attention, you already won. Even if you totally screw the pooch, you got to be the one up in lights.”

* “That’s the problem with being poor in this country. If you wanna get some bread you gotta rob the bakery.”

* “Tell me I’m lying! We’re a couple of fools to think we know better than our bodies. When Cupid’s arrow strikes, we ain’t gonna have a chance.”

* Ralph: “If we’re in the movies, why’d I get a life of chronic asthma and a booze hound mother who used to beat me up as bad as the boys🤨” (I’m sorry but this line gets me every-time lmao)

* “Maybe, but it’s hard to see a way out when the city walls are closing in.”

* “My opinion, you gotta leave the nest if you ever want to know how to build one of your own.”

* “I learned, that life is to short to be worried about the future.”

@dreamtydraw has asked to be tagged in fictif content, so here you go! Hope you enjoy!

[poetrypage-for-anewage]

Like a two headed emu

I can't see you

But I see you

But you only see me

You don't see me

As me

For me

I try to be

Just be

Me

But I don't see me

I see me

"But I'm so different"

Different doesn't matter to me

But I like different

Different is good

Because the world is in chaos

Because our universe is entering a new state of conciousness

Were all connected

The world is in chaos

We all feel neglected

The pepole

The ones we elected

The ones we neglected

That make us feel small

Because we do nothing at all

They have all

The power

We say

We have the power

We don't use ourselves to the fullest

Were fools wasting

Lives to the fullest

"He lives our lives."

Say this twice to real lives

Say that twice to win

Meaningless prizes

If you cant open your eyes

To see whats in front of you

There lies

The real prize

I wanted to say

The there lies

The real price

Real ize

Realeyes

See realies

Dont accept lies

Don't accept

Realize

Live and grow

Understand

The world around

Rhetoric

You

Me

We

Us

All

Rhetorical

You

Me

We

Them

They

Us

All

We

Us

Them

They

All

Rhetorical Rhetoric meant

The Rhetorical Rhetoric Mint

"The Rhetorical Rhetoric Mint, meant.."

What did it mint?

"oh it meant that it mint."

Rhetoric

"Did you get what that meant?"

Bigger picture

Do you know what rhetoric meant?

Let me

Say that facetiously

Fearfully spoken

Like a king

Without is broken

Like a king

Without his throne

Is broken

Open

Your eyes

Your prize

Come alive

First times

Misunderstood Missinterpretations

Reelctin vetrins

They do the same thing

They know how

They want to live

We dont know

How to live

At the bottom

Where we live

Up

In the sky

In your mind

Where we live

Choose to live

Fly only means

In the sky

Fly in the sky

Fly

Any means

Too many

Means

Too many

Things

I only mean

Many things

I

Is

Us

Rhetoric about

Rhetorically

Running about

"talkin'bout"

The rhetoric

"he talkin'bout"

Don't scream

Don't shout

You dont

"you don't gotta.."

Shout back

Quick

Fast

Re

Act

Re

Lapse of time

Judgement

Laps

Laps of judgement

Lacks

Judge mint

Judge meant

Mint

The judge

He said it

Its made of stone

Carry the weight

Of

His throne

It is

It is known

He's made of stone

Can't move

The laws

Made us

I

You

Me

We

Made

The laws

Rhetorically

It is

"some rhetoric bull shit bout to be clout, jealous cuz he dont do himSELF out but wanna shout bout these otha niggas outdoin themselves out side wit tha cameras tryna get people to follow them for their prize. See they get paid a price per eyes that view their lives on the internet so thsts how they live their lives. On the internet. Thats what they about"

On the internet

Don't sweat

The internet

Enter debate

On the internet

Enter

Web on

Me And I

Just entered

The webs

The weebs

The trolls

"more like moles"

Rhetorical rhetoric

They might as well be

Moles live in

Dark holes

Scared of the light

They adapted

All they know

Is dirt

Livin

In the dirt

Scarred

To come out

Into the light

Shadows

Illuminated

In the light

All shadows

Disappear in the light

So shadows

Convince you

"Dont go out in the light."

"they'll see me"

For you,

Me

For me

You

For you

Us

For us

All

We

Are

Is

People

Normal

Average people

Well

Not all

Of us

Deep

Well,

"That's deep as a well!"

Well, we'll go

Dig a well

Digging

For gold

Oh,

Well?

Oh well

Oh we'll

Oh we'll go

Oh well, we'll go

We

We've got

We've got to

We've got to dig

"oh well we'll go, we've got to go dig a well"

We'll discover

Uncover

Our selves

Discover ourselves

And

Uncover

Our selves

So

We can

Grow

Another

Grow another

Self

So we can uncover what's really going on

Whats rhetoric?

What

Does he

Mean rhetoric

I

Mean

I mean

What does he mean

Rhetorical rhetoric

I

Should

Look up

Rhetorical rhetoric

Then

Then this

Then this means

Than this

Then this means that that than this

Rhetorical rhetoric means

Your talkin bout this, but mean that

I'm talkin

About that

Rhetorical

Rhetoric

Get it.?

[fictionalreads]

Love is Blind Season 4 Episode 4

Zack and Irina

This is awkward. He looks like “fuck I chose wrong” as soon as those doors opened.

This is weird af. They ain’t lasting though the vacation. I’m calling it mnow.

CRINGE I need to fast forward

I am already over them.

They’re so cringe together.

Get the coffee away from Ralphie.

No I’m with her for once. Stop singing. You doing the most.

This pairing is not it. I’m tired of seeing them.

The tatas are out and in danger of flashing someone. I feel like that’s disrespectful. Not the outfit itself but the size of it. She could’ve secured the girls a bit more out of respect for her fiancé and her friends and their fiancés.

That sounds like I’m saying she needs to cover up cause guys can’t control themselves and I’m not. Wear what you want. I’m just saying it felt like she wanted to put on a show for the other people there. If it felt like she was doing it for herself that’s one thing but to put on a show for others when you’re supposed to be committed to someone, is rude to me.

Why is she so into Paul. That’s your bestie’s man. That would be a red flag to me if I was Micah.

If his touch makes you feel gross, end it. Don’t drag him along.

Paul and Micah

She’s just so condescending to me.

Weird.

LMAO I think those are petals not feathers

….brewing potions? LMAO

Kwame and Chelsea

They’re definitely sleeping together the first night.

LOL So in other words you wouldn’t have found her attractive if you met her on the street

An honest conversation. A lot of things you haven’t faced yet cause you’ve been in this bubble. If he had said nothing I wouldn’t have believed him.

I’m glad he brought up him talking to Micah before he went and did it. There’s curiosity there

Chelsea seems fun.

Marshall and Jackie

I can see Marshall not being her type physically.

Where is this coming from?

Damn Marshall I would’ve have guess that was underneath those shirts.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them go beyond the resorts before. Like into town.

What happened with them? They were just good!

Girl what is going on? I’m so confused.

Weird thing to focus on right now but didn’t she just have a green bottle? Where did this blue bottle come from?

Not gonna lie, I feel like I could cry like that at the end of vacations when I realize I gotta go back to work and shit. This is not to make light of what she’s feeling, I’m just saying I get it.

Awe. What a moment. He stayed outside the door waiting for her and then she let him in and he immediately got up and went to her. Are my standards so low that that got to me?

LMAO Jackie being comfortable enough to say ge was fine in front of Marshall.

Brett and Tiffany

I am Tiffany. Tiffany is me. Cause I would’ve been out too.

He got her a bathing suit? How did he get the right size? Did he just tell producers “hey I want to choose a bathing suit can you get the right size?”

Damn he really into her ass. Grabbing it all on camera. I see you boi

….they haven’t?! Could’ve fooled me.

Miscellaneous

God that water looks beautiful.

Does anybody know the song playing at 31:28? The one that’s like “the rains taking a day off?” It sounds like a good song but I can’t find it so if you know the artist or sing please put me on.

It feels like Micah is still flirting with Kwame. Why is she talking about she could’ve chosen him? I’m glad he’s like “we ended up with our right people”

I do see what she’s saying about Chelsea though. I thought she was bitchy at first but then I saw more of her.

LMAO DAAAAMN IRINA TRIED TO BE BITCHY AND IMITATE CHELSEA AND KWAME WAS NOT HAVING IT

Oh. My. God. Irina and Micah are so bitchy.

That was fucked up Micah. Even Brett had a look like “damn that was over the line” I mean I could see if y’all were friends and it had been years since the “breakup” but it’s been a week at most. Chill.

Why is she still all over him? And why is he still talking to her? (Kwame and Micah I mean)

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super 128

Hey, it’s the Cbat episode.

I should explain that.  Some time ago this guy posted a story on Reddit about how he enjoyed making love to the song “Cbat” by Hudson Mohawke, but his partner didn’t like the song or the quality of the sex.  This caused something of a stir as people would see this tale and look up the song to hear it for themselves, and yeah, it really sucks.  I mean, whether or not it’s a good soundtrack for sex almost seems irrelevant, since it’s so terrible in general. 

I don’t want to be too hard on the dude, since apparently he got a lot of online harassment after this whole thing went viral. Nonetheless, the song went viral for being horrible, and then someone realized that Toonami had used it for a promo of Dragon Ball Super Episode 128.  No one probably paid any attention at the time, but now the song was infamous, so it takes on a new significance.

Anyway, I need a palate cleanser, so let’s look to a far better song for having sex, “Sure Know Something”.  Why are people fooling around when they have the entire KISS discography to serve as background music for their bedroom activities?

All right, enough clowning around.  So last episode, 17 blew himself up to buy Vegeta and Goku a little time to recover and try to fight Jiren again.  But the boys are exhausted, and Vegeta’s the only one who makes it back to his feet.  He can’t even transform, so he just attacks anyway, doing anything he can to keep this fight going.

There’s a flashback montage that helps him muster the will to get back up and keep trying.  I find it amusing that this train ride from Episode 2 made the cut. 

Beerus is astonished to see Vegeta continue to get back up and keep fighting.  I guess this sort of closes out the relationship between Beerus and Vegeta in this series.  There’s always been this casual disrespect Beerus has shown toward Vegeta.  I think it’s mostly done to prod him into getting stronger, but now Beerus has been stuck on this bench for the whole arc, and his divine power means nothing while he’s reduced to a helpless spectator.  Beerus’s own continued existence is on the line in this fight, and Vegeta is fighting tooth and nail to buy them a chance.  

He still looks goofy as hell in some of these shots.  I miss @awkwardvegetaphotos​, you know?

At one point, Vegeta gets knocked out of the ring and hangs from a floating fragment of the stage.  He nearly passes out, but he hears Bulma calling out for him to keep fighting.   I had forgotten this scene, but I think this was done as a tribute to Hiromi Tsuru, the original voice actress who played Bulma, who died tragically before this episode aired.  I’m pretty sure they just used previously recorded lines for this, and Tsuru’s final performance of the character was in Episode 96, when she saw the team off. 

Well, sometimes you just gotta pull yourself up to your feet and keep going.   It doesn’t matter if you can win, you just have to drag yourself forward.  Sometimes people are gone and you just have to do the best you can on your own. 

To his credit, Vegeta manages to perform a Final Flash, but all it gets him is a punch in the face and some words of respect from Jiren.  Vegeta’s done.

But before he gets teleported back to the bench, he sends the last of his power to Goku, and pleads for him to win this somehow, so that he can keep his promise.

I’m too old for this shit, but I still dig how gigachad it is for Vegeta to be the most badly beat up dude to arrive on the bench.  He fought until he could fight no more, true to his principles.  Krillin gives him a senzu bean and everyone congratulates him on his performance. 

As for Goku, the boost he got from Vegeta helps him get back to Super Saiyan Blue, but it isn’t enough.  Jiren clobbers him and he drops back to base form immediately.  There’s just nothing left for him to work with.

Honestly, this part of the episode just feels like a repeat of the first half, but with Goku taking the beating instead of Vegeta.  Goku keeps trying because 17 and Vegeta sacrificed so much to give him this chance, and they’re trusting him to make the most of it, but there’s just nothing he can do.

Finally, Jiren prepares to finish Goku off...

And Goku has a flashback to all of his teammates asking him to continue.  Also Frieza just says “dance for me, monkey”, which kind of spoils the mood. 

And suddenly Goku vanishes before Jiren can hit him, and then... Well, I think you know what’s next.

That’s right, Goku’s reached Ultra Instinct for a third time.   And this time...

There will be punching.

Yeah, eat it, you creepy jock.  Plenty more where that came from.

So now it’s time for the real main event.  The past few episodes were nothing more than an ordeal to push Goku into this moment.  Now he’s here, and the time has come to see if his Ultra Instinct can get the job done, or not.

[anemia-rp]

Looks is something that fools a lot of people and of course the way you act. I think for me it's a combination of both and the fact that I'm really impulsive. People don't think I could be smart and at some point they realize they fucked up because I am. So are you saying people view you as less smart as you actually are too? How do humans usually see you?

To not exit officially surely has his perks especially if you're up to not so legal things. I'm curious whether you will tell me more about what your clan does exactly. But take your time to make sure I won't try to get you in trouble. I personally decided to still exit for a while longer even though I know at some point I need to re-invent myself.

Maybe it is endless? Maybe it will get weaker over time... maybe if I learn to really trust someone. But even if my hatred would get weaker it wouldn't change what I am now.

I find myself agreeing with you on that. The right mindset can make a huge difference. But you also should be open to get surprised by someone once in a blue moon.

Are you really sure about that? I mean so far I haven't been obeying to you for all that's worth.

I died in that other world and I came back once I turned into a day goblin. It was like a system reset for me. The people behind those games saw me like a new player and for the people I already met nothing had happened. My challenge there is to not show to other people there that I'm not human and cheat so to speak. I can walk out of any game I want without caring what will happen to others playing it.

Hearing you say that you don't know how you are while being drunk makes me more curious to find out. Also I never seen a drunk vampire in general so it would be a first. And I'm confident I will see you wasted at some point and then I will tell you how you act after you're sober again.

Use my new gift on me, huh? Those words are a hint in a way... at least I think you won't try to kill me with that gift just to see my non-human form. I will admit this once I'm always open to a challenge especially if it's to get something in the end.

Less smart…yeah, guess so. Or better said: Not credible because lots would believe the words of a guy in a suit more than the word of someone with long hair and tattoos. Not credible, arrogant, distancing. Not as someone on their eye level. And in fact they're not even too wrong with this. I gotta say I often need humans to prove themselves to me so I take them seriously, too. It's a mutual feeling.

Getting /me/ intro trouble, when you know too much about the clan? It's rather that /you/ would get intro troubles if you knew internals. Plus I can't tell yet how trustworthy you are. Yeah, I wouldn't say I re-invent myself, but I try to open myself up more for new experiences, simply to avoid boredom. Guess I've been to stubborn in the past. However it's mostly not even that drastic that happens.

To get changed in my core is something that won't happen either. Just development. If I allow it.

Yeah, that's what I work on. To get rid of a narrow mind. I'm really good at making myself my own prisoner and that's fucking bad, man.

You don't obey me, but you don't dominate me either. So I'd say we're equal. What's nice as well actually.

Keeping a secret can be difficult and challenging, that's true. And exciting just as well.

Tsk, of course you wanna see me drunk now. Guess that makes me try harder not to get drunk even. Once I woke up with a bloody hand and no memories. But a bloody hand can mean a lot of things. It says drunk people are honest.

Nope, that's not what I plan on doing, watching you to burst into flames. So you like rewards, to put it simple. Or is that wrong?

[saetoru]

𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐋 | 𝐁𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐆𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔𝐊𝐈.

bakugou thinks love at first sight is bullshit if he’s ever heard it. he thinks it’s an elaborate ruse people use to convince themselves making bad decisions all in the name of “love” is okay—and he’s not letting himself make bad decisions. he’s not letting himself reason into acting like a fool for someone he doesn’t even know.

but then he watches you laugh with dunce face, and his eyes fall onto how you clutch kaminari’s bicep as you giggle. his first thought is to grab your hand off, that you have no place letting kaminari feel your touch. and he doesn’t know why, he doesn’t know why he even cares—he doesn’t even know you or your name or anything about you, really.

but he knows your hand doesn’t belong there.

“hey, dunce face,” bakugou calls, voice a slight growl as he stomps up to the both of you with a frown on his face. “why aren’t you—”

“excuse me, but i was in the middle of talking,” you interrupt, not a trace of care in your face, making his eyes dart to you in a split second.

he tilts his head, blinks for a moment, and then he comprehends. then he’s shocked, scowling at you as his eyes scrutinize every feature of your face and every inch of your skin. if he likes the sight, he makes no indication of that, but it’s definitely a sight he can get used to. and you have guts, he’ll give you that, but bakugou has never backed down from a challenge before, and you’re certainly not special enough to break that truth any time soon—no matter how insanely perfect your face might be.

“i wasn’t talking to you—”

“and i didn’t ask. i was talking to denki, and you interrupted me to talk to him. that’s not gonna work. you gotta wait your turn, jackass.”

he’s almost slightly amused by the way you’ve got your hands planted on those cute hips of yours, he’s almost just the slightest bit turned on by the way your eyes are narrowed slits and your lips are a curled scowl. if shouldn’t excite him, shouldn’t make him feel this way, but for some reason it does. all it takes is a slight poke from him and you give him a shove, not holding back no matter the fact that you’re standing in his agency right now.

“wait my turn?” he snorts, raising a brow in amusement. kaminari tries to say something in the background, trying to diffuse the tension, but one sharp glance thrown his way from the both of you has him wilting back instantly. “what are we, gonna start waiting in lines to speak to ‘im now?”

“well if we are, you belong in the very back,” you say matter of factly, batting those damn lashes in a know-it-all manner, and bakugou doesn’t even realize he’s a goner until you promptly turn away from him and don’t even spare him a second glance. you smile at kaminari once more before speaking, “anyway, as i was saying…”

there’s a happy lilt in your voice as you speak to kaminari, a gentleness in your features and kindness in your tone—and as much as bakugou craves you pushing him to his every pull, he also thinks he might just crave you pulling him. because he’ll follow—he thinks he’ll follow, and it’s not a good idea, and it’s probably a bad decision, but he can’t help but reason to himself it’s okay.

because he thinks this might just be love, and one sight of you is all it takes to know he never wants you out of his line of sight again.

[scoops-stevie-archive]

Misty Taste of Moonshine - ao3

Six months into their relationship, Steve realizes how different Eddie is when he's around certain people. He doesn't put on the theatrical facade he wears when he's at school or hanging out with the party, all loud and brash and in your face as the name Eddie Munson has come to be known.

He's been to enough Corroded Coffin practices to see the way Eddie interacts with the band. Little inside jokes and a casual affection that should make him jealous, but in those moments, he sees himself and Robin and feels nothing but warmth. That even after everything, Eddie can still have this with the handful of people that know him better than anyone.

Even so, they don't know the Eddie that resides at the Munson trailer. The real Eddie, not the one dimensional being that deals in the doorway under the dim porch light and in the shadows, the one that's on the receiving end of sneers and the word "devil" spat at his feet like his face isn't even worth the trouble of aiming for.

Steve learns that when Eddie was four, his mom died in a car accident on her way to pick him up from the babysitter's. His dad had never been around, so her brother Wayne was the only next of kin eligible to take him in.

"I don't really remember my mom," Eddie says one night after dinner. He and Steve are in Eddie's room. Wayne's already left for work so they've got the trailer to themselves until morning. They could use the time to fool around like the teenagers they aren't, but tonight, Steve just wants to hear Eddie talk. There's an acoustic guitar he keeps in the closet, a gift from his grandpa before he and Wayne moved to Indiana. He strums it quietly as they sit on the bed. "I remember she used to sing to me a lot, though. Lots'a Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash." He's got a soft smile on his face as he plucks the strings absentmindedly.

"My first real memory is of me sittin' on my great grandma's knee in her kitchen. She had this rocking chair in the corner by the window that looked out over half the holler." He turns his smile to Steve. "I'm takin' you there one day, Stevie. You gotta see it."

They don't know the real Eddie. Steve considers himself lucky that Eddie trusts him and feels comfortable around him to let every single carefully constructed wall come crumbling down when they're alone in the safety of the trailer.

They don't know that the voice they hear everyday isn't his real one. The one he grew up speaking with. When it's just them, Eddie's outside voice fades into one with a soft twang and it makes Steve's insides melt like butter in the screaming hot cast iron skillet that's seasoned and so well loved by both Munsons. Steve can cook, don't get him wrong (with his parents gone for weeks at a time it was either he learn how to use the stove or starve) but compared to Wayne and Eddie, his food is on par with a ten year old who just learned how to boil water.

Eddie always appreciates Steve cooking for them. He stands behind him at the stove with his arms gently wrapped around his waist and his chin on his shoulder, gently swaying back and forth. In the beginning, Steve would get embarrassed with Wayne in the room and brush his boyfriend off, but now it's almost second nature to lean back into his hold and accept the kiss on the nape of his neck and the quiet "smells good, baby" in his ear, the man who has come to be more of a dad to him than his own father watching with fondness behind his beer can.

Steve has always known that Hawkins wasn't home to Eddie, not really. He knew that, to him, home was deep in Carter County, Kentucky where lived with his uncle and grandparents. And his great grandparents and various aunts and uncles and cousins. Unlike Steve, Eddie never grew up with a shortage of love. There was always plenty to go around, even if they didn't have much money. Then Wayne got laid off from the coal mine when Eddie was thirteen and they moved up here to Indiana where he got on at the Sattler quarry. From what Eddie's told him, though, most of his family moved out of the holler and into the southern regions of Ohio. Only a few cousins stayed behind to keep their grandparents' cabin in the family.

To this day Steve still kicks himself for not fully noticing Eddie sooner. For not befriending him before Tommy H. and Carol dug their toxic claws into him and turned him into the douche bag he's still revered as. He remembers the new kid being introduced at the beginning of seventh grade and how hard he tried to make friends. He remembers how he was shut down every single time with laughs and cruel comments. Kids outright making fun of his accent and his clothes until he no longer tried reaching out and hung back from everyone. He eventually met Jeff and Gareth, and Steve was so grateful to them for getting Eddie out of his shell again, but the damage was already done and it followed him every year since.

Sometimes Steve will ask Eddie to sing to him, and he'd settle further into the pillows on the other boy's bed (the trailer was more his home these days than his actual house) and listen with his heart almost bursting with emotion as Eddie played a tune on his acoustic. A Johnny Cash song that Steve vaguely recognizes, a song that Eddie says almost every Appalachian family has their own rendition of. Steve thinks it's also eerily fitting for everything that's happened in the past year.

And when he's finished, Steve will pull him into a kiss and vow to never take for granted this version of his boyfriend only he's allowed to know.

[satansliteraryhero]

King Steve Mingles With Peasants

summary:

"steddie time travel au where after the events of vol2 steve is thrust back into his senior year of high school and idk he decides to make amends sooner, tries to get to know eddie sooner, realizes he's gotta crush and eddie the freak munson does not understand these developments" prompt from tumblr user @enough-is-a-fools-dream​

words: 1.5k

quick notes!

-even though the prompt suggests this is from steve's pov, i wrote it from eddie's -steve's senior year takes place during season 2 and im pretty sure eddie and steve were in the same grade before eddie got held back (at least that's how i wrote it here) -realistically the upside down is still happening but i just want steve to be happy so we're ignoring that (the upside down still exists and everything i just don't want to write abt it LOL) -lastly, this story is BASED off the prompt so it doesn't follow it exactly

you can read this on my ao3 too!

okay that's all i hope you enjoy!! <3

------

1984

-------

It had started with nods in the hallways as they passed each other. 

Eddie never returned them, always too stunned to do anything.

There was no way Steve “The Hair” Harrington was actually acknowledging him, right? 

But then nods turned into small smiles and quick waves.

These Eddie managed to respond to. He would give Steve tight-lipped smiles and then quicken his steps to get away from the other man. He knew Steve had lost a lot of his friends because of Billy; the junior was determined to become the new king of Hawkins High. But Steve was still popular and popular people didn’t give Eddie “The Freak” Munson smiles or waves . They shoved him into lockers and jumped him after school. The only time the popular kids had conversations with him was when they wanted to buy weed from him. This was how it’s always been and that was fine with Eddie. 

So why was Steve Harrington so adamant about getting his attention?!  

The waves Eddie could handle, after all, it wasn’t like Steve and him were even talking. But the day Steve sat down at his lunch table was the last straw.

“Hey, Eddie!” he had said with a bright smile, sliding into the seat next to him.

Eddie froze and slowly turned over to look at him.

No way.  

“Uh… Hey, Harrington…” He looked over to his band mates for help but they were just as shocked as he was, “Can I help you?”

Steve shook his head, “Nah, man. Just wanted to sit here today. Is that cool?”

“…Yeah… man. That’s fine…”

There was a beat of awkward silence before Gareth asked Eddie about their new D&D campaign. Grateful for the distraction, Eddie had indulged them all with a few teasers, getting their interests piqued before shutting them down. 

“Nope! No more questions! You’ll have to wait until later today when we start playing.”

“Can I join?”

Eddie froze along with the other members. He had been trying to forget that Steve was sitting with them.

“You want to join Hellfire?” he blinked.

“Yeah, it seems interesting.”

Gareth interrupted, “Do you even play D&D?”

“No…,” He said with a frown, looking over at Eddie, “Do you think you could teach me?”

Eddie’s breath caught. Had Steve always been this pretty?  

He hoped nobody saw how red his face was, “Uh- Yeah. Sure. I’ll teach you.”

He heard a chorus of what?! around him but he silenced them with a hand, “Boys, we’re pushing the campaign to tomorrow after school. Harrington,” he began talking quieter, leaving the other members to complain amongst themselves, “If you want to play you’ll need to make a character using a character sheet. I can help you with that today if you want.”

Steve smiled at him, “Yeah, sounds good. Wanna come to my place after school?”

Eddie’s heart raced, “Sure.”

After school was over, Eddie followed Steve’s car with his van as the two made their way to Steve’s. He couldn't believe he was on his way to help Steve Harrington make a D&D character. He felt like he was dreaming. They reached the richer man's house quickly and the two men made their way inside.  

Eddie looked around the house as he toed off his sneakers and whistled, “Nice place you’ve got, Stevie.”

He swore he saw Steve blush, “Thanks, man. It’s nothing special, really.”

Eddie snorted, “I didn’t know King Steve could be so... humble .”

“Yeah, yeah. But listen, Eddie,” he looked nervous, “I’m not like that anymore. I’m not King Steve. And I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you. You didn’t deserve it- you don’t deserve it.”

Eddie didn’t know what to say. Could someone like Steve, who had always acted so high and mighty, truly be sorry? Eddie didn’t want to be too vulnerable with Steve. This could all still be some sort of prank.

“It’s whatever, man. Forget about it.”

Steve nodded, “So, how do I make a character?”

That’s how Eddie Munson turned Steve Harrington into a Dungeons and Dragons player. He had joined Eddie’s campaign along with the Hellfire Club members. Even though he received a few looks in the beginning, by the end of the campaign the other members had accepted him into the club.

“Wait... so the bad guy was tricking us all along?”

“Yes!” They all groaned.

“Ohhhhh! Now I get it! How do we stop him?”

Eddie almost ripped all his hair out during the game.

It was scary how quickly Steve became a constant part of his life. Whether it was at lunch, after-school hangouts, or D&D campaigns; he was always with him. It got to the point where other students noticed, too. The rumor hill had been buzzing with stories, the most popular one being Steve and Eddie having some weird friendship for weed deal going on. Neither of them cared about what the others had to say and continued to hang out nearly every day.  

This was dangerous, though, because Eddie was falling fast for his new best friend. Steve and his perfect hair, and his stupid jokes, his ridiculously tight jeans, and his unbelievably pretty eyes. And, of course, Steve just had to be the touchiest person he’s ever met. Personal space just didn’t exist in Steve’s world and that made it increasingly difficult for Eddie to repress his feeling.

It all came to a boiling point one afternoon in Steve’s room.

They had decided to hang out and watch a movie like they normally did. The movie, however, was quickly forgotten in favor of talking. They sat close together on Steve’s living room floor, backs against the couch.

Steve touched Eddie’s hair, playing lightly with the curls, “How long did it take you to grow it out?”

Eddie tried to control his breathing, “Um- Like all of high school.”

Steve hummed, commenting offhandedly, “It’s shorter than it was before, though.”

Eddie furrowed his eyebrows, “What do you mean? This is the longest it’s ever been.”

As if only now realizing what he said, Steve’s eyes widened and he froze, “Um- I didn’t- I meant it used to be way shorter, right?” He finished off with a nervous chuckle.

Weird .

“Yeah, dark times,” he laughed lightly, “I used to have it buzzed in middle school. Never again.”

Steve’s gaze dropped down to Eddie’s forearm, “Have you ever thought of getting a tattoo here? Like bats or something?”

Eddie’s stomach dropped, “How’d you know that?”

Steve looked panicked, “Shit.”

“Steve. I’ve been thinking of getting that tatted for months. I haven’t told anyone about it. How’d you know?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was a lucky guess?”

Eddie have Steve an unimpressed look.

Steve sighed, “You wouldn’t believe me.”

Eddie took Steve’s hand in his, enjoying how Steve’s face flushed, “Try me.”

Steve took a deep breath, “I’m from two years into the future.”

Eddie’s jaw dropped. He had expected some sort of magic trick or something, not time travel.

“Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“Can you prove it?

Steve looked away in thought, “I mean I guess. But nothing that would make you believe me now.” He looked back at Eddie, “Metallica will come out with a new song in two years called Master of Puppets.”

Eddie took in this information. That would be fucking sick if Steve was right. Did he really believe him, though? But that would explain the tattoo…

Eddie hummed, “Guess I’ll just have to wait two years and get back to you.”

“Yeah. Guess so,” Steve chuckled.

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they looked at each other.

“…Eddie.” Steve looked apprehensive as he continued, “Being back gave me the chance to get to know you, and… I’ve realized something now.”

Great. This was when he told Eddie that he really was a freak. That he regretted all the time they spent together.

“What’d you realize?” It nearly killed Eddie to ask this.

“You’re nothing like I thought you’d be like. And I wish I’d got to know you in high school the first time around. Because maybe then…” Steve smiled at him, “Maybe then I would’ve realized that I liked you sooner. Like… like like you.”

Oh.

Oh.

“Can I kiss you, Stevie?”

“Please.”

They met in the middle for a kiss that was all teeth. It hurt a little but it felt so good. Steve’s hands made their way to Eddie’s hair. He tugged lightly, causing Eddie to groan into his mouth. They parted for air.

“Fuck , Harrington.”

Steve chuckled, “Don’t stop now, Munson.”

They continued like that for a while, neither of them getting enough of the other. Steve was quickly shown what he had been missing and God, he was obsessed with Eddie Munson. Eddie had managed to graduated that year, Steve being able to help him with school since he had taken the same classes before.

Two years later when Metallica published their latest song, Master of Puppets, Eddie nearly lost his mind  

Holy shit, he had thought.

Steve Harrington was actually from the fucking future.

-----

OKAY!!! wow this was actually way harder to write than I originally thought it would be. i restarted this fic like three times before I was happy with it.

also does this technically create a stranger things multiverse? idk.

i hope you liked this! this is my first stranger things fic so thats exciting ig (i included a little chrissy line idk if anyone noticed)

thank you again tumblr user @enough-is-a-fools-dream​ for this prompt, it pulled me right out of my writer's block

see you guys next time i decide to write

ilyyy <3

tags: @sharpbutsoft @cloud-fizz​ @remuslupinsbigjumpers​ @ladyapplejackdnd​ @partycreeper80​ @jinxneedssleep​ 

[babyboibucky]

Charm

Pairing: TFATWS!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Bucky checks whether he still has his 1940′s charm.

Word Count: 1,613

Warnings: TFATWS spoilers! No warning, just a bit of fluff I guess???

A/N: Nothing really, just that Bucky deserves all the love in the world :’)

Charming (Part 2) || MAIN MASTERLIST

“You should date someone.”

Bucky groans at Yori’s suggestion. Again. The old guy had been pestering him about it ever since they started their little friendship. Introduced girls and forced him to take them out to dinner or bingo. He did try of course, but it always seemed too fast for him.

“I already did, haven’t I? You sort of forced me to go on one, remember?” Bucky asked before downing a glass of sake in one go.

Thank god they went to a different Japanese restaurant this time. His date with the girl at the other restaurant went pretty badly, with him walking out after a particularly sensitive topic and never returning. Bucky felt bad and as much as he wanted to go back there and apologize, he just doesn’t have the courage to show his face again.

“Yeah, well you messed up.” Yori said pointedly.

Bucky chortled, “Or maybe you messed up by forcing me. I told you, you gotta take it slow like a dance. I mean, you don’t just ask anyone to dance with you. You ask someone you’d like to dance with.”

Yori’s shoulders trembled as he tried to bite back his laughter. Bucky made a face when he realized he’d been talking a lot.

“Then go find someone you want to date. Or maybe you just don’t have it in you.” The older man teased.

Bucky couldn’t help but grin, “Sounds like a challenge.”

As Bucky poured himself another glass of sake, he began to wonder whether Yori was right. Maybe he really didn’t have it anymore, the confidence and charm he used to have back in his time.

Only one way to find out.

-

The club was a bad idea. A really bad idea.

Initially, Bucky thought that it would be the perfect place to find someone to date. Apparently not, because despite the presence of beautiful girls, they were pretty much throwing themselves at him. As much as Bucky was curious about the so called “hook-up” culture in the modern times, it just wasn’t for him.

And good god, the dancing? It’s not what it used to be; Bucky wasn’t even sure if he could call those movements “dance”.

Bucky called it a night and quickly headed to the exit. And that’s where he noticed you, fumbling with your phone and clicking your tongue from what seemed to be frustration. He slowed down in his steps, not wanting to interrupt your little moment as you mumbled a string of curses to yourself.

He eyed you from head to toe, noticing that you were wearing something too simple for a club: just a white shirt, some jeans and a pair of sneakers. With Bucky’s experience, he learned to be observant enough to read someone’s personality.

You were definitely not a frequent visitor to these clubs. And he was right about that because you were just forced to tag along to your officemates to celebrate a promotion.

“Ugh, fuck. Come on!” You unintentionally exclaimed out loud, stomping on the ground causing for Bucky to let out a chuckle.

Bucky’s eyes widened when you abruptly turned around, “Oh sorry. I didn’t meant to uhh...are you okay?” He asked timidly, slowly walking over to where you stood.

You huffed out, “I’m trying to book a ride, but the signal here sucks.” You explained. “And I’m not really comfortable to walk home at this hour.” You quickly added.

It was close to ten in the evening, it wasn’t that late yet but given the location and downsides of being a woman, you really didn’t want to risk your safety.

“Won’t your friends give you a ride home?” He asked.

You groaned, “They aren’t really my friends...I just work with them. They’re all shit-faced drunk and I didn’t even plan on coming here. Not a fan of clubs.” You admitted.

Bucky chuckled as he kicked the ground, “Guess that makes two of us.”

Your hum caught Bucky’s attention and when he looked up, you were looking at him suspiciously. For a moment he thought that you might have recognized him but you merely laughed and shook your head.

“You don’t seem like the type to hate clubs. Why are you here then?” You asked curiously.

Bucky shrugged, “Thought I’d find someone here that I can you know...take out on a date.”

You cackled out loud, it was the kind of laughter that made Bucky join in. You probably thought it was stupid for him to come looking for love at a club. And well, given his experience inside, you were correct.

“I know. It’s stupid. I haven’t been to clubs really, so I honestly didn’t know what to expect.” He admitted, rubbing the back of neck sheepishly.

You nodded, “How was your experience inside then?”

“You could say I was pretty shocked. And disoriented. The lights made me dizzy.” Bucky said, widening his eyes in emphasis.

Laughing, you nodded and agreed before introducing yourself so casually. Bucky repeated your name, he liked the way it sounded.

“I’m James.”

Bucky found himself easily opening up to you. The conversations flowed naturally, from something as basic as favorite food down to your mutual hatred for crowded places and everything in between. Bucky learned that you often volunteer at an orphanage and that you hate plums which happens to be his favorite. It resulted to a harmless debate that lasted ten minutes.

You asked him about his work, something that he had to lie his way around. As much as he wanted to be honest with you, he was afraid that revealing the truth might scare you off. You seemed to be really interested in him whenever he talked about his boring daily routine.

“Do you...do you like to talk somewhere else?” Bucky blurted out.

You offered a sad smile, one that broke Bucky’s heart because you were probably going to reject him. Understandable though, he was a stranger and it was late at night. It was hard to trust people nowadays.

“I have work tomorrow morning.” You apologetically said.

“But you can walk me home...if you’d like?” You asked. “I probably sound demanding but uhh, I don’t think I can really book a ride and I don’t want to walk home alone at this hour.”

Bucky heaved out a deep sigh of relief and laughed, “I thought you didn’t like talking to me.” He sheepishly admitted.

“No, I actually like talking to you. You’re fun. And interesting.” You smiled.

Bucky beamed and extended a hand, letting you lead the way before matching your pace. The more he talked to you, the more he realized that maybe, just maybe, you’d be the first person he’d willingly ask out on a date.

The walk lasted half an hour but to Bucky, it only felt like minutes. It was definitely not enough for him to get to know you more.

“Well, this is me.” You announced when you reached your apartment building.

“Thanks for walking me home, I really appreciate it.” You said.

Bucky placed his hands inside his pockets and nodded, “Call me old-fashioned, but I felt like any gentleman should do so.”

Bucky held your gaze and debated how he should ask you out. Should he just blurt out the question? Would that be too soon? Your number! Maybe he should ask for your number first, show his therapist that finally, there was a new number registered in his contacts.

“Well, I should head inside.” You said when Bucky remained silent and although Bucky didn’t want to assume, he thought he saw a look if disappointed in your eyes.

Yori is going to regret saying that he doesn’t have game.

“Wait,” Bucky called out before you could turn around. “Being old-fashioned and all, I know this might be too forward. Or too fast, even.” he trailed and cleared his throat.

“Would you like to go out on a date with me? This Saturday. We can go to the beach, get ice cream...” he suggested.

Wrong move! Out of all the places he could suggest, it just had to be the beach! It’s not like he could wear a long-sleeved top and his gloves without getting dirty looks from people. You were going to find out the truth about him, his arm, his past. And then you’d regret letting him walk you home because who knew what the Winter Soldier was capable of?

“I’d love to.” You replied with a grin but before Bucky could suggest another place, you had already walked up to the front door of your apartment building, pulling it open before suddenly stopping.

“Or we can just take a walk at the park if you want, if that’s more comfortable for you.” You suggested turning your head to look back at Bucky.

He furrowed his brows in confusion. Again, he was unable to say something because you beat him to it with a surprising revelation.

“I’ll wait for you to come pick me up on Saturday. And don’t worry about your arm, I don’t mind. Good night, Bucky.”

And with one final beautiful smile, you headed inside the building leaving Bucky with a confused look. You knew him all along but didn’t say anything. You opened up to him, held his arm when you laughed and still, it didn’t bother you. You didn’t call him out when he lied about working for a mechanic shop, didn’t get scared when he offered to walk you home.

It took a few seconds for Bucky’s brain to process everything. And then he found himself grinning like a fool when he proved something to himself. And well, Yori too.

“Guess I still got it.”

-

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[pennylaneforthoughts]

Okay but episode 4 from Mobius' perspective is literally the saddest thing if you let yourself think about it for too long.

Imagine you're Mobius and you have a huge massive crush on Loki, and by the end of episode 2 you feel like you've bonded so well, and you know, maybe there's a chance he likes you back. But then he betrays you, runs through that time door after Sylvie and everyone is telling you he's just yeeted out Like Always but you're like "No there's gotta be another explanation. We were friends. Really friends. We had something."

And then you find out that not only did he yeet after Sylvie, as you're dragging them through the halls, all they look at is each other, and it's not until Sylvie's down another corridor that Loki even pays you any mind or says anything to you. And you're just absolutely seething because of course everyone else was right. How could you be so stupid to think Loki could ever like you back? Hes a literal god. You're just some random guy, a bureaucrat. Of course he would rather be with some crazy, stab-happy version of HIMSELF than you.

And you feel so jealous, so angry, so unwanted you can barely think straight. But you still have to do your job even though you feel like this, so you lie and sneer and poke and prod because you're angry and hurting and a part of you wants Loki to hurt too. And then as you're interrogating him, you see him get all teary eyed over Sylvie, and you think, "How horribly painful and awful is this?" He'd cry over this girl after knowing her for less than a day, but he'd leave you without a care in the world. Not a goodbye or any sort of explanation. Would he even care if someone had told him you were pruned? Unlikely.

And you're so upset that even when Loki's yelling at you, desperately trying to make you see he's telling you the truth, it doesn't relieve you to see so clearly in his eyes that he's not lying, because those are the same eyes that you just saw worried over and crushing on Sylvie. So you slam your face directly into denial because how dare he? How dare he be honest now? And so you run away before you let yourself get sucked back in by those eyes, but it's too late, the damage is done. And even though you're angry and bitter and kind of wish Loki would just disappear, you can't deny he was being honest for very long. So you go and stick your neck out and investigate anyway, because you're nothing if not a lovesick fool, and even being angry at him isn't going to change that, no matter how much you try.

And if you're being honest with yourself, something really has been off about this whole thing, and Loki's rare honesty was the proverbial straw that broke your camel's back in this whole mess. After all, you've never been good at denying him when he looks at you like that. You were bad at it when he wanted to go to an apocalypse with you, and you're bad at it now. So you steal Ravonna's tempad and look for yourself. And where else could you go except to the archives where you and Loki had spent so much time together hidden away? It's only appropriate. And what you find just makes your heart sink.

Not only was Loki telling the truth, it's so much worse than either of you realized. Ravonna had killed C-20. And she had lied to you. And what beautiful, horrible irony that the person who was supposed to do nothing but lie was the one being honest, and your friend for nobody even knows how long is the one lying to you. Your whole world starts crashing down around you, and it's too much. You were already emotionally wrecked by everything going on with Loki. You didn't need this too. And oh God, the implications of it.

This means that everything you've done and said your whole known life has been wrong. And more importantly, it means you've hurt and killed for nothing. And that guilt just eats at your soul as you remember what you've said even just to Loki.

"You were born to bring pain and suffering and death. All so that others can be the best versions of themselves."

What have you done? How much damage have you caused? And it's this thought that spurs you forward. Because screw ideology. Screw glorious purpose. What even are those in the face of a person in pain, much less the person you've found yourself caring about more than anything else?

So you run. Almost on instinct. You run to Loki knowing exactly what memory you've looped him through out of bitterness and jealousy and spite, and you're praying you haven't caused irreparable damage.

"You deserve to be alone, and you always will be."

No, no, no, of course he doesn't. He has you. He'll always have you if you have any say in the matter. He has...

Sylvie.

You remember her. Them. The nexus event. And you have a theory. A theory you hate so much it makes you want to crawl out of your own skin and die, but it makes too much sense, and unfortunately, it could work. So as you step into the time prison, you ask.

"Do you really believe you deserve to be alone?"

And he says he doesn't know, but you can see he just doesn't want to admit that yes, he does. And it breaks your heart because you know that you've had a part in that. So you apologize in the only way you think Loki could begin to accept.

"You can be whoever, whatever you want to be. Even someone good."

And part of you is saying that to yourself too, because heaven knows you need to hear it just as much. And Loki's words are still ringing in your ears.

Friend.

How bittersweet. But you're an adult. You know you can't demand Loki's affection as much as you selfishly want to. If he wants to be with Sylvie, you'll force yourself to find some way to cope with that. It's fine. It only makes sense. You'd rather have Loki in your life as a friend than nothing at all. And you're happy to be reconciled at least a little.

But then you step out into the Time Theatre and everything stops. Ravonna is standing there and she's obviously pissed. She knows. You deflect, you lie, try to be as Loki as you can to get out of this. You're surrounded by Minutemen and pruning sticks but all you can think is you can't let Loki get hurt. Not now. He's the key to taking down the TVA. And it's clear Ravonna is having none of it. But you know her. You were friends. Good friends. And you know she's more angry at you than Loki at the moment. So you realize what you have to do to keep it that way. To protect him.

So you press the button you know will hurt her the most. You answer her question from just a short while ago. You bring all the focus onto you, knowing what it'll likely mean. Knowing it'll hurt her and make her lash out. You're not stupid. You're good at reading people. That's why you're an analyst. And if it means protecting Loki, you know you'd have been willing to die much longer ago than is probably reasonable.

You don't even try to avoid the pruning stick. And honestly? It's not even the most painful thing you've experienced today.

And besides. It's better this way. Now Loki can be with Sylvie, be happy, and you don't have to feel a dagger through your heart every time they look at each other. And it's not like Loki will really miss you.

It's better this way.

[abbacchiosbelt]

Someone Great | Yandere!Satoru Gojo x GN!Reader

Word Count: 3.1k.

CW: Manipulation, yandere behavior, kidnapping. SFW but allusions to not sfw acts.

-

"What's wrong, sugar?"

Gojo's sing-song voice makes you cringe - he knows what's wrong. It's just like him to play the fool, to pretend that he was innocent in all of this and that you were the one with the problem. You glare at him and he holds his hands up, the grin on his face never faltering.

"You know I'm just doing this to keep you safe. How many times do I have to tell you—"

You cut him off, repeating the phrase he had attempted to drill into your head back to him. "You're the strongest. No need to tell me again."

Gojo shrugs, unbothered. "I'm the strongest." You roll your eyes at his need to repeat what you'd just said, the words only meant to stroke his out-of-control ego. Gojo plops down where you're tied up on his couch, snaking an arm around your shoulder. Even if you pulled away, there would be no escape from him. Some bullshit jujutsu sorcery kept you bound to your current spot, unable to move. Gojo squeezes your shoulders with his broad arm, making you wince. "C'mon, at least look at me. You know I love you."

Anyone else in the world would be lucky to see Gojo's eyes and hear those words from him - you'd felt lucky once, too. But that was before Gojo took an interest in you, before he took control of your life.

"Baby," he sighs, pressing a peck to your cheek. "You've gotta get used to this. You can't keep fighting me forever. I know you love me too."

"It's been a week," you spit. "A week since you trapped me here."

"And haven't I treated you well?" Gojo replies, calm.

"I would never hurt you. You'll realize one day that this is what's best for you."

I.

There was a distinct divide in the world you lived in - there were civilians, and there were Jujutsu Sorcerers. With the sorcerers came curses, although the average civilian wasn't meant to be aware of curses or what they entailed. You, however, had become a frequent flyer when it came to needing the help of Jujutsu Sorcerers.

When you were born, a curse attached itself to your back. Later, you'd learn that there was a man in the hospital room with your parents meant to dispatch the very thing that had attached itself to your back. You were only 5 when your grandmother had told you about the family curse - each child born in your family was cursed upon birth. It had been happening for centuries. Allegedly, one of your ancestors had done something to anger an obscenely powerful curse. Your life would be filled with troublesome events, she'd said. But it wasn't all bad. There were people in this world who could dispatch such curses. They could see them, unlike you or your family. Your life wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't over before it began.

It wasn't easy. People tended to avoid you, even when you were young and innocent. It was hard to make friends, and most of the interaction you got aside from your family involved the sorcerers dispatched to take care of the ever-returning curse on your back. They were kind to you, but they were always distant. You did the best you could, hoping that one day someone would be able to see past the gloomy aura that followed you around.

That someone came in the form of one Satoru Gojo, dispatched to dispel your curse when you were in your mid-twenties. You had recently moved and registered with the local technical college. By now, it wasn't a big deal to you to tell people about your curse, especially to jujutsu sorcerers. They always were a bit odd, and though you had never grown close to any of the sorcerers who had serviced you, their presence was more calming than the presence of your peers.

Gojo had been sent to your home, the technical college hoping to ease your burden (and unknown to you, hoping to offload Gojo for just a couple of hours) by not making you take the train. His arrival was like no other jujutsu sorcerer you had met - he'd barged in your house without knocking, a broad smile on his face and stylish sunglasses covering his eyes.

The shriek you made at his surprise intrusion was undignified, but the white-haired sorcerer didn't seem bothered. He had laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Aah, sorry. I thought this was an urgent deal." He raises his eyebrows as he watches your lips contort into a frown. "I'll knock next time."

"You'd better," you mumble, and Gojo smiles.

"Or else?" He quips, taking a step towards you. You didn't even know this man, and he was acting like this? This is who the technical college had sent over?

"I'll request someone else." You respond, curt. He laughs, loud and jovial. What was with this man?

"They didn't tell you about me, then?" He crosses the distance between the two of you and sticks his hand out, tongue poking out of his mouth. You take his hand, dubious, and he shakes it with vigor. "I'm Satoru Goju, and I'm the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer."

You stare at him for a moment, dumbfounded. He really had an ego on him. He takes your silence in stride, still smiling. "I know. You don't meet people like me every day. But trust me, I'm here to help you. Don't you feel better knowing that I'm here?"

As much as you wanted to tell him no, that he's a certified, over-bearing maniac who just barged into your house... You can't help but bask in the comforting aura he emits. Something about him, despite his manic personality, felt safe. The air in the room felt calming—

Gojo notices your sudden shift in behavior and tilts his head, still smiling "When we shook hands. No need to worry about it coming back for a while."

"Oh," you reply, amazed. It didn't take the other sorcerers long to dispel the curse on your back, but it usually was a bit of an affair. Satoru Gojo had gotten rid of the damn thing without needing to lift his pinky finger. "Well... Thanks." You shift from side to side, suddenly feeling small in his presence. Maybe he really was the strongest.

Gojo puts his hands in his pockets and leans back, relaxed. "If you really want to thank me, let's go into town. I'm starved."

The awe you felt immediately dissipates and turns back into annoyance. Sure, he had done you a great favor, but it was part of a contract you had with the college. Now he wanted food? Still... You couldn't deny that you were curious about him, even if he was managing to press all your buttons upon your very first meeting. You sigh, resigned to the fact that you knew you would regret it if you didn't take him up on his offer.

"Fine. Let me grab my bag." Gojo claps his hands together at your response, humming contentedly.

"Great! I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so I hope you're okay with sweets for lunch..."

Gojo goes on and on about his favorites while you grab your bag, fighting with yourself not to roll your eyes at him. What had the college gotten you into?

-

II.

As time passes and Gojo visits you to remove your clingy curse, the two of you grow closer. It's slow, at first. He gloms onto the fact that he annoys you and revels in it, smiling with glee every time you roll your eyes at him. At one point, he removes his shades when he arrives and teases you about the expression on your face for the rest of the day. It's like he can read your mind - you want to kick yourself for being so obvious, but it's impossible with someone like Gojo around. No matter what he does or how much he makes your blood boil, the calming aura surrounding him never falters. You feel at home around him. When you start to feel something tugging at your heart whenever he's around, you know you're at the point of no return.

You don't expect anything, though. Gojo is beyond your level - it's not a judgment of yourself, but simply a fact of life. Besides, Jujutsu Sorcerers were hesitant to get in relationships with civilians from what you'd learned over the years. You couldn't blame them, as their line of duty would put their partner in harm's way. The least they could do was be with another sorcerer who was able to defend themselves.

It comes to a head one evening when Gojo had stopped by unannounced. You weren't due for another curse removal, but you didn't mind his company. You had answered the door in your pajamas, not expecting anyone other than perhaps a neighbor wanting to ask you a question. Instead, you opened the door to see Gojo standing there dressed to the nines and holding a gigantic bag from the sweets store you and he frequented.

"U-uh." You stammer, feeling at a loss for words. "Gojo?"

He shifts from side to side, and you catch the tiniest hint of nervousness from him. Odd. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by. I know you're curse-free right now, but I always want to check on you."

You balk at how smoothly he'd confessed, ushering him in without saying another word. You weren't sure what to say - had Gojo really just said what you think he'd said? He always wanted to check on you? Surely he meant it platonically, there was no way he looked at you romantically.

Gojo sits down on your couch likes he owns it and pats the spot next to him. You sit down without thinking, watching Gojo carefully as he unloads the bag of sweets on the coffee table. He talks about the different sweets as he places them gently onto the table. His blindfold had been pushed up, revealing those sparkling blue eyes of his that made you feel like you could gaze at him forever.

"Are you even listening?" You snap your head towards Gojo, finding his lips just a breadth away from yours. He had moved closer, close enough so that you could feel the warmth of his body, and you had been too distracted by your thoughts about him to notice the very real physicality of him.

"Gojo," you mumble, He pulls back a little and simply gazes into your eyes, waiting for you to continue. For a man who always talked, he was being rather quiet right now. "Why did you come here?"

Gojo smiles, soft - it's a look you haven't seen on him before. "Why else?" He leans towards you, oh-so-close again. "I can't stay away from you."

Whatever self-control you had is gone, and you lean forward to press your lips against his. He responded immediately, using one of his broad hands to cup your face as he deepens the kiss. The tension between the two of you is palpable, and the heat flooding through your veins is telling you more, more, more—

But just like that, he pulls away, sighing.

"Gojo?" You ask, concerned. Was it you? He looks at you, the longing in his eyes obvious.

"You know you can call me Satoru," He says, playful. But a second later, his face falls into a serious expression again. "I want this. I want you." He turns to face you, sliding one of his hands onto your thigh. "But this isn't what jujutsu sorcerers do. The danger you would be in if we were together... I can't put you through that."

As much as you want to argue, you know he's telling you the truth. You place a hand atop his. "Satoru, then. I think it's obvious I want this too." He smiles and gives your thigh a tiny squeeze. "I won't force you to do something you're not comfortable with. But, you'll still be my friend, won't you?"

Gojo chuckles, but there's no mirth in his laugh. "Who else would annoy you? Ah... I could never be without you, either." He turns away from you and stares into the distance, closing his eyes. "Maybe..." He shakes his head suddenly and turns back towards you.

"I should go." He bites his lip, staring at you. "Or maybe... just once. We could be together."

Oh. Oh.

"I'd love to, Satoru."

-

III.

Once turns into twice, and twice turns into three times. Gojo departs after cleaning your sheets and making you breakfast, ignoring your pleas that he didn't have to do any of that. 'It's the least I can do,' he'd said, smiling all the while. It had felt off, though - like there was something unsaid. You'd chalked it off to melancholy over the fact that things could go no further, and had spent the rest of the day busying yourself with chores.

The visits continue, though, even when you don't have a curse that needs expelling. Things don't make it to the bedroom again, but Gojo is intense. His eyes are always on you, and he's practically plastered to your side. When you go out he keeps his distance, but he's always on alert. He takes your hand when he knows no one is looking and sneaks kisses to the top of your head in private. You accept it, knowing that this is how things have to be.

It concerns you when suddenly, Gojo starts to appear at your apartment every day. You'd thought about giving him a key, but you couldn't remember if you had or not - yet he had a key, and he'd told you that you'd very much given it to him. Perhaps it was the curse muddling with your memory, he'd suggested. It had happened before.

It's fine, then. He's just looking out for you - it's the best he can do in the current situation. Gojo starts to spend the night, walking around your apartment at inane hours to make sure things were okay. When you're sleeping, he checks your phone (he'd watched you put in the password) and your calendar. He deletes texts from people he doesn't approve of and removes calendar dates when they interfere with his schedule. It's all to keep you safe, of course. You are the most important thing in the world to him.

You're blissfully unaware of this, writing off any strange incidents happening to you simply because of the curse that clung to your back. Even when it wasn't present, it still appeared to meddle in your life. As long as Gojo was there, though, you felt safe.

You never expect Gojo to be the one who makes you feel unsafe.

-

IV.

A particularly busy week at work left you unable to see Gojo for longer than usual - you were working, and he was out of the country on official business. You couldn't answer his calls or texts like usual, only replying every once and a while when you had the chance.

When Gojo returned, he was angry. You'd never seen him angry before, yet here he stood in front of you, eyebrows furrowed as he lectured you about answering his texts. It was unusual, and it felt wrong. You weren't dating him. You were just friends. That had been established by Gojo himself, so why was he acting like this?

"Satoru, you're not my boyfriend. You don't need to keep track of me every second. Even if we were dating, it'd still be too much."

He grits his teeth at that, clearly not impressed. "Don't you understand how much you mean to me? I can't stand it when I'm not with you."

You give him a pointed look. "This is... too much. I don't like it when you act like this." As much as you cared about him, this was ridiculous. He wasn't your keeper. You think of the threat you made the first day you met him. "I can request someone else to dispel my curse." He glares at you. "We'll still be friends. We just need some time apart."

"You don't get it." Gojo scolds. "I didn't want to do this, but I can't take it any longer. You can't take care of yourself. I need to protect you." He's on you faster than you can blink, and the last thing you see before your vision goes black is his angry expression softening back into bliss. "Just go to sleep. We'll be home soon."

-

V.

When you wake up, you're in a strange room with no windows. It's pitch black, but whatever you're laying on is heavenly. It's plush, and it smells like Gojo— Gojo. You panic, sitting up in a hurry and rushing towards the door. Locked. You shake the handle and pound on the door, confused and terrified. "Satoru? Are you there?" You yell, panic in your throat. "Please, let's talk! Please, Satoru!"

The door swings open and you fall back, gazing up at the towering figure before you. Gojo had never intimidated you, but the way he stood above you now was terrifying.

"How are you feeling, sugar? I hope that didn't hurt." He steps into the room and flicks on the light switch, alighting the room with a soft blue glow. He crouches in front of you and pushes his blindfold up, a manic smile crossing his lips. "I love you. I want to keep you safe. This is the best solution," Gojo says. "It's the easiest solution."

"W-what?" You're baffled by his words, by his behavior. What had he done? "Satoru, this isn't... This isn't normal. You have to let me out of here." You pause, trying to think of something to push him towards your favor. "We can figure our relationship out. I-I didn't mean what I said about requesting someone new, I just got scared."

"And I don't want you to be scared of anything," Gojo says, giving your head a condescending pat. "You won't be as long as you're here with me."

You grunt, frustrated. He was the reason you were scared! "I can't stay here forever. You won't do this to me."

"I will." Gojo tilts his head. "I told you, I love you. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Tears well in your eyes - what else could you say or do? Nothing was getting through to him. Gojo notices the tears brimming in your eyes and leans forward, wrapping his arms around you. What once felt comforting feels suffocating, the warmth of his body and the familiar scent of him all too much.

"This is what's best for you. I promise."