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#(Because Of People Constantly Doing Things Like This Among Otherwise)
izzyizumi · 2 years
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{BLOG P.S.A} On Blog-rules
Look, people, I'm usually glad if someone likes anything I've made or posted
But if you continue to blatantly ignore my banner and I check your bio/About/etc and there's blatant things from my banner in it I'm just Blocking you.
I have blog rules, a side-bar description noting my fav series / charas / etc and an F.A.Q and I've literally screamed for people to read them (and made those banners) because I've been so stressed over this.
Please read them. Please ACKNOWLEDGE them. Please respect my boundaries.
I was told once about a specific person (a 21+ adult) who did this, "oh, they may have missed your banner" but that person was highly active in the ship tags (and yes I'm going to specify here; namely Ken//yako and Sora//to tags but especially the former, apparently they barely gave a single care towards my own like Kou//Tai or my other Queer ships too) and replying often to "Meta-fandom" posts and also ignored my own tags on my posts and such, (despite often acknowledging those on/by others' posts) Not much later on I saw them jump on someone else's post to act really, suddenly and blatantly a-hole-ish directly to them too, so I have my doubts they actually ""missed"" it. That was why I added the extra text at the end to clarify and even that goes ignored at many times, since I first did that.
Please. Stop. Doing. That ESPECIALLY if you consider yourself a 'member of' or someone 'contributing' to {+'Adv-02-Kizuna'} "Meta-fandom", PLEASE. STOP.
My works and posts are not for people who do that.
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comradekatara · 14 days
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do you have a masterpost of "ty lee comes from crypto-air nomad" posts? I'm fascinated by this idea and want to read everything I can but I can't find where it started 😭
i feel like this is a question better posed to @kyoshi-lesbians, who, at least in my book, is the leading expert in ty lee studies (among other things). that said, i can definitely synthesize the argument (and why i find it cogent and persuasive), even if i don't actually know from where the theory originated (but i'm sure that if you look up "ty lee air nomad you'll immediately be directed to an old reddit page or fan forum from years ago; it's a "theory" that goes way back).
firstly, ty lee's appearance is distinctly "air nomadic" in a way no one else's is. save for aang, of course. she and aang do bear an uncanny resemblance. everyone else in the fire nation has yellowish brown eyes, for example, while ty lee, like aang, has charcoal greyish brown eyes. and they also have similar (round and cute) facial features, similar expressions, similar vibes. similar dispositions...
ty lee does not "have the personality" of a ruthless fire nation soldier, despite acting as the princess's right hand who takes out more opponents than pretty much everyone else put together. ty lee acts like an airbender, flirty and flighty. her relentless optimism and goodwill and cheer is decidedly a mask, but it is a mask she adopts adeptly. even if she is performing, she nonetheless performs the "aang" function of her respective group.
ty lee presents herself as more spiritually attuned than other people in the fire nation, who outright disrespect the spirits and spirituality. her constant talk of auras is likely a calculated move on her part, as nearly everything is, to make her seem silly and trivial, because she thrives best when she goes underestimated. but her talk of auras also has to come from somewhere, and seeing as literally no one else mentions auras once throughout the entire show, ty lee's sources are clearly scarce.
ty lee also fights like an airbender. despite generally taking the offensive, ty lee nonetheless exhibits a graceful, acrobatic quality when in combat. she never kills anyone either, merely incapacitates them momentarily. and when she is faced with stronger than typical opponents, she usually relies on her skills as an acrobat by taking the aerial advantage. note her ability to jump incredibly high, such as in "the chase," or her ability to run along a moving cable wire in "the boiling rock." ty lee's skills go beyond merely being a good acrobat. she's incredible. and perhaps even exhibiting some latent airbending skills she inherited from her ancestors.
ty lee's air nomad ancestry coheres really well with her arc as a character. imagining that her family of genocide survivors hid in the heart of the fire nation and assimilated into the imperialist culture that sought to exterminate them makes her own role that much more impactful. there's already a beautiful parallelism to the fact that ty lee is an acrobat and performer who contorts herself to suit the desires of others and performs obsequious loyalty for her own survival, but an extra layer of depth is added if she's also assimilating into the royal court by reducing herself and hiding her true feelings and motivations, just as her family did.
i see ty lee's ancestors as having assimilated into the imperial core out of fear, but over the generations, genuinely being subsumed into fire nation culture, with the desire to social climb a natural extension of their patriotism. but there are also still facets of ty lee's ancestry, whether genetic or otherwise, that have remained in traces. the generational trauma, for example, definitely reflects why her parents had so many children. and the fact that she's constantly torn between two worlds, as a genocide survivor who also directly serves the imperialists who murdered her ancestors, represents her internal struggle as someone who desires freedom of expression and the choice to assert her individuality, but is also forced through circumstance into lying and deflecting and manipulating (which, to be honest, is also the air nomad way) for the sake of survival.
surviving is ty lee's number one priority, in a way it just isn't for mai. mai and ty lee both come from social climbing families (although i've always assumed that mai's family is far wealthier than ty lee's) but mai is also depressed and frustrated and bored out of her mind. and even though she was raised in a family that forced her to don a mask and reduce herself and perform a passive model of femininity, she also has no problem stating aloud how she's feeling and what her limits are (with the exception of when azula gives her a veiled command as a test, and mai has no choice but to obey).
mai has the privilege of knowing that the stakes don't really matter, which she all but states when she claims that she grew up in luxury and opulence, and always had everything handed to her. which isn't to say that she led a perfect, easy life. she wouldn't be as depressed and repressed as she is if there weren't factors actively harming her, but she still chooses to join azula by choice, even if it's really only the illusion of choice between two awful options, whereas ty lee has to be coerced through violence.
mai kind of has a "fuck it we ball" attitude and doesn't really seem to care about her own safety (if anything, she's more concerned with comfort), whereas ty lee would do anything to ensure her survival. and that kind of mentality illustrates how she differs from most of the fire nation elites, who were inculcated into imperial privilege and never really considered what prioritizing survival even entails (zuko learns that lesson the hard way). ty really exhibits the mentality of the genocide victim/colonized subject through her prioritization of survival in the face of what to mai is a problem, but to ty lee is an existential threat.
whether or not ty lee even recognizes that her desperate desire to live comes from a place of generational grief and trauma is another story, but i do think there is something to be said for the fact that descendants of genocide survivors can feel that grief as it has been passed down to them. i think ty lee feels it, and i think that it motivates her to do whatever it takes to live, because above all, she is a survivor. and even if she has to assimilate and manipulate and cut away every part of herself that's real and authentic and true, she will do it (until she doesn't). and that's also, incidentally, what makes her such a great foil to aang.
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oftenwantedafton · 27 days
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Confession - Priest Steve Raglan/William Afton x Female Reader
Chapter 1
Word Count - 1.8k
Rating - Explicit
CW - CAUTION - religious themes
Also available on AO3
taglist @charlottecutepie @robin-munson @ahsxual
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William Afton thinks this is, perhaps, his best alias yet.
A man of the cloth, as they say, and though he subscribes to no religion, professes no faith himself, the diocese doesn’t need to know that. Just like they don’t need to know his real name, or anything about his past.
So he is now Father Steve Raglan, a pitifully easy role to adopt. He’s had years of practice forging documents and smooth talking his way through sticky situations. This was a piece of cake compared to the challenges he’d faced in the past. Guiding a small congregation in a dusty town still within close reach of his restaurant—he was hardly going to surrender that—naturally suited his needs. The words for his sermons spilled from his fingers easily. Lies interspersed with quoted scripture to placate the devout attendees each Sunday.
He’s lost none of his charisma as he’s aged; has even seemed to gain some, in fact. The old ladies constantly plied him with baked goods and crocheted items. The middle aged crowd donated heartily when the collection plate was passed around. There were endless invites to gatherings around dinner tables. The troubled sought his wisdom behind the slats of the confessional. Depending on his mood he’d add or subtract more than the standard amounts of prayers on the rosary. There were whispers among some of the women—and surely some of the men too, though he wasn’t specifically aware of this—of how handsome he was. He hardly needed his ego inflated any further, but they were only too happy to oblige. So here he was. A man of God who did not believe in a higher power, because he felt he himself was that absolute deity. Answering to no one.
He’d been enjoying his newfound success for a couple of months when a new member of the flock comes into the fold.
The bearded man’s used to letting his eyes wander during the delivery of his sermons, while pacing in front of the altar, or standing before the pulpit preaching the Gospel, never fixing on any particular parishioner or pew or stained glass window, yet he does a double take when he sees you for the first time.
Steve cannot say exactly what it is that draws you to him so suddenly. Something in your eyes, perhaps. Not glassy with boredom like the teenage youth in the fourth row who’s clearly daydreaming; not shining with hope like the mother with the sick daughter in the hospital; not evasive like the man Raglan knows for a fact is having an extramarital affair with the woman in the row in front of him. No, your look was something quite different. You did not just see his physical appearance: the graying dark brown hair and neatly trimmed beard; the crows feet and laugh lines on otherwise smooth skin, belying his actual age; the easy smile which never quite touched his pale steel eyes, set just a touch farther apart than the standard—no, it felt, when your gazes linked, as if you could see directly into him. Past the facade of a holy man. Into his very soul.
He nearly stumbles mid sentence but manages to recover, the years of deception once again rushing to his aid, and no one in his audience seems the wiser.
Except perhaps you.
When it’s time for the gathering to make their way up to the altar to take communion, he’s forced to confront you directly. So many people lowered their eyes in respect, or bowed their heads once receiving the Eucharist. But you do neither of these things. You meet his stare unfalteringly and part your lips and he seats the wafer on your tongue. An inexplicable heat floods through him, the tips of his fingers just lightly brushing that moist carpet at the base of your mouth. Your lips close so rapidly he doesn’t yet have time to move his hand—or perhaps he himself is at fault, lingering too long—and you close your mouth, capturing a taste of manicured nails and calloused pads before he snatches his hand back as if burned. No reaction from you. You turn and make your way back to your seat.
The rest of the mass seems to drag on. At last it is time for the final song. He cringes inwardly. The keyboardist is an aging, half-deaf woman who hits more wrong notes than correct ones, the melody jarring along. He himself has a decent enough singing voice, or so he’s been told. Even with the harsh tune in the background, the voices he leads do a decent job.
At last the hymn is finished and the mass draws to a close. Now Father Raglan assumes his customary position by the entrance of the church, bidding farewell to his visitors, making vague noncommittal promises to attend the many occasions he’s invited to attend. You are the last to leave. The false priest is determined to regain some of his authority, starting here and now.
“We haven’t had a chance to be introduced yet. I’m Father Raglan. Welcome to the congregation.”
You say your name. Steve is forced to raise a hand as a makeshift visor. He should have stood on the opposite side of the walkway. The sun is beating down fiercely and he can barely make out your features.
“Are you new in town? Or just new to our church?”
“Both.”
“And what do you do for work? Or are you in school, perhaps?” It’s difficult to determine your age.
“I’m a seamstress.”
“Ah. Well, that’s a useful skill.” Steve’s stomach is growling. He typically eats a light breakfast before mass, preferring to indulge in a generous meal afterwards.
“You’re hungry,” you observe.
“Heard that, did you?” He grins ruefully.
“Starving.” The smile slips from his features. He does not think you are speaking about nourishment in the traditional sense of food and drink. He has that uncomfortable sensation of being exposed again.
“Right. Well, it was nice to meet you. I’ve got things to attend to. I’ll see you next Sunday.”
He hurries back up the stairs, eager to be away from your intrusive stare. The oak doors slide shut and he’s forced to blink for a few moments, trying to dash away the lingering sun spots. He can feel his heart racing; something he has not experienced in some time.
Who are you?
***
Confession day.
The amount of visitors seeking to serve penance varies. Certainly higher volumes preceding holidays, when they are reminded of their religious obligations. Lately it has been fairly quiet.
Steve does not mind the narrow confines of the confession booth. It reminds him of being sheltered within his favorite animatronic suit. Close and comforting, albeit that residence came with the added danger of the springlocks, which he knew only too well, having fallen victim to them years ago, narrowly escaping with his life.
Here though, there was nothing to die of save sheer boredom, perhaps. He can smell the polish recently applied to the wood. The bench creaks slightly when he shifts positions. He does wish it allowed for a little more room height-wise; his six foot four frame was forced to fold and crouch a little more than he’d like.
He hears footsteps on the flooring outside. A woman’s walk. Lighter tred. The click of the sharp point of a high heel. Clearing his throat, he readies his hand to draw back the wooden clapboard on his side of the booth. The figure enters, the seat on the opposite creaking similarly as his had. He exposes the privacy screen dividing your faces and sucks in his breath sharply. It’s you.
You make the sign of the cross. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It’s been six weeks since my last confession.” You pause. “I’m not the one who should be asking for forgiveness, though, am I, Father?” You say this honorific with a note of mockery.
“My child, I am afraid I don’t understand your meaning.”
“I am not your child. Not one of those poor unfortunates you’ve tortured.”
Steve’s fingers curl into a fist. “Who are you?” It’s impossible for you to recognize him. To know what he’s done. He has always been so careful. Deceiving the authorities. Concealing his crimes. You couldn’t possibly know.
“That’s not important. The name that should be revealed is your own: William Afton.”
His blood runs cold. The first fear he’s known in a long time. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My name is Steve Raglan.”
“Your name isn’t Steve Raglan, nor are you an ordained priest. So stop pretending. We both know better.”
“What do you want?” His mind is racing, trying to figure out the best way to dispose of you. Best to do it now, while the rest of the chapel was still unoccupied. He’s wracking his brain trying to think of what he can use as a weapon. Something from the altar, maybe.
“I want you to acknowledge your sins.”
He scoffs, some of his standard cockiness returning. “That won’t be happening.”
He sees you exit the booth and he drags the velvet curtain back, joining you outside the confessional.
“You should go lock the front doors. Wouldn’t want to be disturbed, would we?”
Afton frowns. He does want to lock the doors. The question is, why do you want them locked?
“I’ll wait here for you.”
Turning his back on you seems a bad idea. But he has no choice. He strides briskly to the entrance to the chapel, withdrawing the ring of keys from his pants pocket and hastily slotting the metal into the lock. When he turns back, he finds you standing exactly where he’d left you.
For a moment, your shadow cast against the white chapel walls changes shape. Arches stretch out from your shoulders, like the crests of an angel’s wings. Gone again so suddenly he’s convinced he imagined it. Just his nerves. He needs to regain control of the situation.
“Name your price. Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you. I have numerous resources available to me.” He walks towards you slowly. A wolf cautiously approaching its prey.
“My price?”
“For your silence.” William has no intention of letting you go, of course. He’s merely stalling. Trying to decide what item within reach will dispatch you the fastest and most neatly. He doesn’t relish the thought of cleaning blood off these pristine floors.
“I have no interest in revealing your secrets to anyone. I’m here to hear them from your own lips.”
“Not happening,” he snaps.
“I could taste your sin the other day. Heavy, so strong it drowned out the flavor of Christ’s body.”
The man jerks to a halt when he’s a foot away. “Who are you?”
“What am I is a better question. I can be your salvation and guide you to the path of redemption. Or I can lead you straight to hell. A route I think you’ve danced near on more than one occasion. Make your choice, William.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why not? That’s who you really are. I know what you really are,” you whisper, closing the final distance separating you from the false priest.
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chiibinomonodamon · 11 days
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WHO WANTS TO HEAR ME RAMBLE ABOUT GAY FURRY DEMON SEX? XD
(damn, there's a sentence I never thought I'd say....)
Okay...so I see some Stolitz confusion and bashing online and I need to type up a defense here because I won't be able to sleep otherwise lol
I consider myself to be a Ship Critic and someone who takes shipping rather seriously.
What I mean by this is, I like to analyze and break down romantic relationships between fictional characters because it's just interesting to write for me. I especially take delight in friendly debating with opinions that I strongly do *not* agree with.
Let me start off by saying I am NOT a "this ship is awesome because gay furry sex lol" type of girl.
FAR from it. I'm generally more passionate about hetero ships between human characters (because I can relate to them more) among other reasons. So if you wanna dismiss my defense as "shallow fangirlism", you can forget about that lame excuse.
I fell in love with Hazbin Hotel when it was finally released in February and suffered waiting for each new two-parts per week. During that time, I decided to watch Helluva Boss as well, after a friend showed me a particularly soul-crushing clip (Moxxie's childhood trauma about his mother).
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Yes, I like funny sex jokes as much as the next goofy adult but scenes like this, scenes that carry a very heavy emotional weight are what really get me in the end, even moreso when VERY little dialogue is exchanged. I knew I had to watch the entire episode run after seeing that the creators had a talent for this.
I saw people asking:
"How did Stolas go from using Blitz as a sex toy to being painfully in love with him?"
Oh I can tell you. I can tell you the EXACT moment this is revealed. But it's not spoon-fed to you; it's quite subtle actually and this is why lots of people miss it.
See, one of the strongest talents Vivenne has shown me is that she REALLY knows how to get her characters to communicate their feelings to the viewers JUST from their expressions and body language. These can be 'blink-and-miss-it' teeny little scenes and it may require a couple rewatches.
But since people demand time stamps for all information others post here, I'll rewatch a few scenes from S1 E7 'Ozzie's' as I'm typing this.
'Ozzie's' remains to be not just my favorite episode of HB...but probably my favorite episode of any adult-targeted animated show outside of Japan (aside from S2 E7's Mid-Season Special)
It has this huge reveal for both Blitzo and Stolas.
We'll first address Blitzo's irrational, stalkerish behavior of Moxxie and Millie.
He's obsessed with them. He finds both of them very attractive, fantasizes about threesomes with them and is constantly inserting himself into their personal lives.
Why?
Because they have everything that he badly badly wants for himself.
They have the perfect marriage and he is trying to live THROUGH them.
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This was hilarious to me at the beginnning of the show but it's slowly revealed that it's one of the most tragic and depressing things I've ever seen. And it's scarily realistic too.
But you know this already so let's move on...
Blitzo follows the couple to Ozzie's but he can't get in without a date. So he calls up Stolas and yes, this is very low but he doesn't realize how much this means to Stolas (hell, I'm not sure even Stolas realizes it himself!) but the owl man is giddy with joy, he rushes over and they enter Ozzie's.
When Ozzie and Fizz mock Moxxie for being so sappy towards his wife, this strikes a chord with Blitzo (because they're his IDEAL relationship) and he speaks up to defend them.
NOW PAY CLOSE ATTENTION; THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART:
Fizz, still holding onto his past grudge turns on Blitzo to humilate him:
"Some nerve you got commenting on a relationship"
Time Stamp: 11:37
As Fizz says "-ship", Blitzo VERY QUICKLY makes eye contact with Stolas who has a look of panic on his face. Blitzo is seeking VALIDATION from Stolas in this sharp, subtle second of screentime, as if to ask
"Well, ARE we in one?"
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And then what happens next...Stolas remains silent, Blitzo's ex joins in to announce how selfish Blitzo was in bed with her, tearing him down further. Stolas stands up like he's going to put a stop to it but then Ozzie notices him and interrogates him about sleeping with Blitzo.
Blitzo looks incredibly ashamed and guilty as Stolas blushes with similar feelings...and hides his face behind his menu; HIS BIGGEST MISTAKE IN THE SERIES SO FAR.
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Time Stamp: 12:24
The look on Blitzo's face as he grits his teeth and darts his eyes away basically says
"Yeah, I should have known...boy am I an idiot for trusting him to stand up for me".
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(look how SHOCKED he is...wow, this hurts fr ;_;)
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This is a silent betrayal on Stolas's part. Afterall, his reputation is on the line, so if he were to defend Blitzo, it confirms they are in fact, dating. He chose his pride over Blitzo and Blitzo is crushed by this betrayal.
Moxxie finishes his song and kisses his wife tenderly. Stolas watches this and also wants to have an affectionate moment with Blitzo (who is rightfully glaring daggers at him) and tries to reach for his hand.
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Blitzo rejects his touch and suggests they leave. As they do, Blitzo still looks furious and hurt. Stolas is now realizing how badly he screwed up with a "What have I done?" face (13:41)
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He even looks disappointed with himself.
After Blitzo drops Stolas off, he thanks him and tries to smooth over the awkwardness with sweet talk but Blitzo just rolls his eyes in disgust and pulls on his face like "I don't want to hear this bullshit".
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He responds coldly and curtly, "Yeah." Stolas makes more suggestions to spend time with him, which just makes him even angrier and he snaps
"I'm not fucking you tonight, okay!
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I'm really just..." (14:28)
he pauses to wipe a tear because at this point he can barely hold it together (top notch voice acting and animation directing btw)
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"...not in the mood, Stolas."
Stolas still tries to talk him into doing couple things unrelated to sex.
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Blitzo's face switches back to anger and frustration because Stolas isn't getting the message so he goes for the blunt tactic;
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"Stolas, don't act like what we have is anything but YOU wanting ME to fuck you, okay?"
(14:42)
"You make that really clear all the time."
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(again his voice sounds like he's about to break down)
"But I-I just can't do it tonight, okay?"
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(Finally meets his eye)
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"...I'm sorry."
I believe this is code for "I'm sorry we're even in this situation and how your reputation got damaged. " Or, more painfully, "I'm sorry I'm such an embarrassment to you".
Stolas replies "Okay" and takes a deep breath to compose himself. They say goodnight and depart.
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An important note here is that Stolas calls him "Blitzo" instead of "Blitzy" to show more respect.
As Blitzo zooms away coldly, Stolas looks up at the sky with tears in his eyes, surprised at how much it hurts.
He then sits down with his head in his hands in anguish...because he's getting that
"Oh...no. These feelings are real" epiphany.
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And as if this wasn't enough angst, Blitzo collapses onto his couch at home, goes through the memories on his phone and starts sobbing.
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I'm going to be real with you; this is the most heart-breaking shit I have ever seen in an adult show of this type. It's also the first time a show of this type got me to cry.
The last six minutes have revealed so much information without spoonfeeding it to the audience because the show RESPECTS its audience.
To recap:
*Blitzo takes Stolas on a first official date to use him
*Stolas is extremely happy about it
*Blitzo gets humilated and looks to Stolas for validation
*Stolas betrays him and breaks his heart
*Blitzo snaps that their relationship is nothing more than lust-driven sex
*Stolas realizes he's actually in love with Blitzo and it's a huge problem because (he believes) that it's unrequited.
*Blitzo breaks down because the ONE person whom he thought would protect him didn't do so.
So these two are convinced that neither one loves the other...while the irony is, it's quite the opposite.
Because if Blitzo REALLY didn't feel anything towards Stolas, he would not have gotten this emotional.
Yes, they are both lonely...but I really don't think that's all there is between them.
So..........we know WHEN they started falling...now the question is why;
I think the answer's quite simple; single-target affection.
It was mentioned in S2 that Stolas and Stella did sleep together ONE TIME...but Stolas didn't enjoy it at all. He is stuck with a wife who hates him so much that she put a HIT on him...and a daughter who thinks he's a loser. Blitzo is pretty much the one person in his life who is able to make him happy. That one small, bright spot. He enjoys the sex with him but he also simply enjoys his company, as shown in Ozzie's episode. He is thrilled to simply talk to him about his day...and do anything else that couples do. They're complete opposites. Stolas is an intellectual but naive and sheltered. Blitzo is poorly educated but cynical and street-smart. Opposites attract...though this is likely more from Stolas's POV than Blitzo's.
In other words, Stolas is into bad boys xD lmao
In Blitzo's case, Stolas is the only character who shows him physical affection which he desperately craves. He's pretty tsundere about it most of the time...but I think he actually does enjoy that attention...especially when he's always getting disrespected by Moxxie and Loona..and quite a lot of people around him. BUT he's too scared to get serious with anyone because of past trauma and he also believes that no one could possibly love him as a person. :(
Reasons I Think This Love is Real
Aside from what I pointed out in the Ozzie's episode...there's quite a lot of evidence, esp from Stolas's POV.
After he realizes he's in love, he goes to Asomodeous for an ALTERNATIVE method for Blitzo to use so they will no longer sleep together. He wants to set Blitzo free. Which means he DOES truly love him because love is about being generous to the other person. He COULD be totally selfish about it but he isn't.
Asomodeous mentions how against love potions he is and Stolas agrees. He thinks that's out of the question.
'Look My Way' music video. Lol I don't have to say anything more.
In S2 E6 OOPS
This exchange at 16:57
Fizz: Seems your taste has gotten more 'regal', lately?
Blitz: Yeah, well unlike you, I fuck who I want WHEN I want. I'm not gonna be tied down to some big blue-blood asshole.
Fizz: You coulda fooled me the way Prince was cozying up to you at Ozzie's.
Blitz (gets very defensive) HEY! Stolas only cares about have a rugged peasant raw-dog him into his mattress, okay!
It's nothing...(gets hesistant and looks away)...you know...
(Fizz gives him a 'bitch please' look xD)
"it's nothing else."
Fizz: Then why were you even there?
Blitz: OTHER very important reasons of course.
Fizz: Whatever. I don't actually care.
Blitz: Stolas is just a loud, thirsty BITCH!
(Fizz is rolling his eyes again)
Blitz: He loves feeling the thrill of getting dicked by the lower class.
It's a novelty to him.
Fizz: LITERALLY just said I don't care!
Blitz: And then he'll call me and try to see how my day was!
And he'll pretend to care about me and comment on my photos laugh at my jokes...
Fizz: (Smirking) OH! That's definitely your clue right there that it's all bullshit!
Blitz: I KNOW, RIGHT??
Fizz: (Making a 'What in idiot' expression, shaking his head)
Blitz: HE'S JUST A FAKE, PRIVELEDGED ASSHOLE...
Fizz: Sounds like you just hate him for being a prince!
No one (laughs) and I mean NO ONE pretends to care that much just for a cheap lay.
All right. IF ANYONE knows what real love is like, it's Fizzaroli...who is in a very HEALTHY relationship with Asomodeous. He recognizes the signs because he's IN that place. He sees it...and he's annoyed that Blitzo keeps denying it and brushing it off...yet clearly can NOT stop talking about Stolas (amusing irony)
To sum up (this freaking essay lol) 'Stolitz' ABSOLUTELY has the potential to be pure and true...these two just need to communicate...or Stolas has to PROVE to Blitzo that he's serious about his feelings in another way.
There is no doubt that this ship is 100% endgame and is a case of the 'Earn Your Happy Ending' Trope. I look forward to the rest of the journey. Ron is putting my feelings about Stolitz in a perfect phrase:
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batmanego · 1 year
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SO YOU'RE TIRED OF BATMAN: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE TO DC SUPERHEROES
one of the most common things i hear when trying to get people to read comics is that they're just not that into batman. which boggles my mind! not because i'm a huge batman fan -- which i am, but i can understand why people might not be interested in his comics -- but because it's insane to me that batman (or superman, or wonder woman, or any other dc superhero they've made a movie about) is people's default perception of dc superheroes.
there's a whole world out there! and if you're intimidated by the big superheroes, or uninterested in their stories, or even if you like them but you're looking for something different, this is the guide for you. without further ado, i present:
DC MINUS THE BIG THREE: A FIELD GUIDE FOR THE DISENCHANTED AND DISINTERESTED
DOOM PATROL (1987)
to nobody's surprise, doom patrol is first on my list of recommendations. it's a comic book about a group of disabled people who have been labeled freaks, weirdos, or otherwise undesirable by society, coming together to save a world that doesn't care about them because there has to be beauty in it somewhere.
good for: well, i'll let the introduction quote do the talking. “remember when all the other kids on the block had superman and batman as positive role modes? well, if you could only identify with a human brain in a metal body or a guy wrapped up in bandages, and if you grew up weird, welcome home. you’re among friends now.”
read doom patrol here. trigger warnings for: ableism, child sexual abuse, medical abuse, transphobia.
2. HELLBLAZER (1988) BUT ONLY THE FIRST 41 ISSUES OK?
hellblazer is a 300 issue long comic book, mostly comprised of dogshit stories by dogshit writers. i am recommending it because i genuinely think the first 41 issues are art. please do not do as i did and read all of hellblazer. you won't survive the experience. ok? ok.
hellblazer is a comic about aging punk magician/occultist john constantine trying desperately to sort out his life in late 80s london while constantly being beset by poor life choices, poverty, and also lots and lots and lots and lots of demons.
good for: punks, anarchists, fans of the occult, enemies of aleister crowley, anyone who has a personal vendetta against margaret thatcher.
read hellblazer here, BUT STOP READING AFTER THE FIRST 41 ISSUES OK? trigger warnings for: literally almost everything you can imagine, but specifically discussions of child sexual abuse are prominent in the original sins run. also, it was written by a white man in the 80s, so it suffers from "white man in the 80s" syndrome.
3. WILDCATS (1999)
"FERRIS", some of you comic book knowers cry, "WILDCATS IS WILDSTORM NOT DC". to that i say Shut the fuck up DC acquired the rights to the wildstorm universe it's close e-fucking-nough.
wildcats 1999 is about cole cash (a conman and ex-special ops man), hadrian 7 (an alien robot posing as a human named jack marlowe), and noir (a bisexual ex-arms dealer from france who talks in the third person) picking up the pieces of the OLD wildcats team after they all found out they were soldiers in a war that ended before most of them were born and nobody bothered to tell them, and trying to 1) run a company and 2) save the world.
good for: people who hate the military, tacky sci-fi fans, anyone who wishes guys would suck more, anyone interested in the horrors of war.
read wildcats 1999 here.
4. SLEEPER
"ferris i want to leave wildstorm" too fucking bad. we're talking about sleeper right now.
sleeper is about holden carver, an undercover agent in the world's largest underground crime organization/network, who gets stuck undercover when his handler (the only guy who knows he's undercover and not just a traitor) gets shot and put in a coma. it is about grappling with your own morality, losing faith in your ideals, and (like most wildstorm properties), how war is a pointless exercise in horror.
good for: fans of spy thrillers, evil women enjoyers, evil men enjoyers, anyone who has ever thought they could make someone worse, people who want bad things to happen to people in power.
read sleeper season 1 here, and then sleeper season 2 here. trigger warnings for pedophilia (the pedophile gets beat to death in issue 2), homophobia, and child abuse.
5. THE AUTHORITY (1999)
stop crying we're almost done with wildstorm. the authority is a comic book about 6 super-people (who are very loose parodies of the justice league) forming a self-described "anarchist cell" to operate against the wishes and outside the influence of earth's governments to defend the planet against extraterrestrial threats and handle human rights violations.
good for: political science fans, good sci-fi enjoyers, people who think batman and superman should have kissed instead of making a million movies, people in polyamorous six-ples.
read the authority here. trigger warning for "this writer probably shouldn't have written this asian nation like this", homophobia, sexual abuse.
6. SUICIDE SQUAD (1987)
hey, remember how i was talking about wildcats? imagine the same sort of themes of wildcats (the horrors of war, the effects of being in the military, american imperialism, what it means to be a hero or even a good person), and then apply them to the worst group of people you've ever had the displeasure of being in the same room as, and they all fucking hate each other. suicide squad is about a bunch of incarcerated villains being "recruited" (forced) into working hero-missions for the government, because nobody will miss them if they die.
good for: villain apologists, people who (in the immortal words of hack/slash) think "there just aren't enough big mean women in comics", and this guy:
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[ID: a comment on read comics online by “the king of anime” reading, “I want to give this a try would it be worth it”. end ID.]
read suicide squad here. trigger warning for, again "white man in the 80s syndrome", along with... probably pretty much everything else imaginable (it's been a while since i read this!)
7. STARMAN (1994)
starman is a story told with the drama of a theater production about jack knight, a late-20s to early-30s punk antiques dealer who gets the mantle of starman (a well-known superhero from the golden age) thrust upon him suddenly. it is a story about legacy, family duties, identity, and most importantly about being kind of a loser who gets shot at all the fucking time.
good for: sci-fi fans who are too proud to admit they also like fantasy, rock opera listeners, family disappointments, single fathers.
read starman here. trigger warning for sexual assault.
8. ARKHAM CITY: THE ORDER OF THE WORLD (2021)
"ferris you said no batman" i did. i did not say no batman villains.
arkham city: the order of the world focuses on some of batman's lesser-known foes, and the fallout of arkham asylum collapsing. i can't really explain it more than that, but it is good and legitimately unnerving at times.
good for: horror fans, enemies of the psychiatric system, villain enjoyers, people who live in new york city.
read arkham city: the order of the world here.
9. THE SHADE (1997) and THE SHADE (2012)
hey, remember starman? want a series about the old immortal victorian man with an "ambiguous sexuality" from it? okay. the shade (1997) follows his origins: specifically, his long-standing beef with one specific family. the shade (2012) is a sort of cross-country whodunnit as the shade tries to track down who is trying (and failing) to murder him.
good for: bisexual enjoyers, dramatic theater kids, vampire fans, goths, people who would have fucked lord byron given the opportunity.
read the shade (1997) here, and the shade (2012) here.
10. METAL MEN (2007)
lastly (but not least), a comic featuring will magnus from doom patrol. metal men (2007) is... a complicated story. it's about robots? it's about being mentally ill. it's about a guy who is so divorced forever. it's about being a little loser guy. it's about time travel, and terrible relationships with your brother. it's hard to describe. but it's fun.
good for: bad sci-fi enjoyers, people who can understand the timeline of looper, robot fans, anyone who has ever been consumed by a desire to create.
read metal men (2007) here.
BONUS:
not included in this list because batman is there, i encourage everyone to have a look at the original justice league international series. it is a superhero comedy. it is silly and stupid and i love it.
OKAY, THAT'S ALL! THANKS FOR READING!
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wolfythewitch · 10 months
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do you happen to have any more thoughts on the what-ifs of odysseus?
like a continuation of the sketches of ghost Odysseus or something
Oh!! I do have a short thing I wrote, basically where I got the captions from haha
I'll put it under the line. It's mostly just word vomit because I was thinking about it too hard and couldn't properly draw it out
Tw for description of death
Here is what death feels like:
It is agony. Death makes a home in the spaces of your ribcage, winds around the walls of your chest, and roots itself into the skin on your bones. It is a memory, it is a pull, it is an emptiness that seems as vast as the sea.
Death isn't an absence, it's a remembrance.
Odysseus is dead. Or he isn't. We don't truly know when he makes the transition from living to dead, from breathing to still. One moment, his heart beat in time with the world and the gods, and then it stopped, and that was that. He will tell you otherwise, and you must believe it. After all, a corpse does not move. He is right. Odysseus is an anomaly. He isn't right.
We do not know how or when or why. The people who might have known are now long gone, sunk somewhere on the ocean floor, and the only one alive to testify thinks himself a living man. See, it isn't really important though, is it? He was alive, and now he's dead. Or perhaps he is neither, perhaps he's something much worse.
The damned man drifts at sea, and water flows through his bones and down his throat. He chokes on it. Salt clings to necrotic skin. His gaze is dull, his eyes sunken. He has them pointed on a single spot in the horizon, doggedly leaning forward as if it could propel him faster homeward. It doesn't, and he's a fool to think so, but it soothes him.
His tongue is rough and rimmed with salt. There is blood under his finger tips, so dark it looks like tar.
He prays. Silly, the gods don't listen to the dead.
An island appears from the mist. It looks too good to be true. Ah well, it's not like you have anything to lose.
Here is what death looks like:
He looks like a shade, like a monster, like a corpse. His skin is pale under his cloak, his eyes hooded in shadow, his cheek sunken. In the light, all you can see is teeth. His legs are red with blood and it's the only color to paint him. The courtyard is littered with the body of the dead, eyes open in screams that will never sound. Twelve nooses are pulled taut underneath the trees, white feet swaying in the wind.
Death walks among them, and he smiles.
Here is death:
He lives in Ithaca, nestled in its heart. He is a haunting, he is a ghost.
The king is home. This is cause for celebration. Music rings through the kingdom for seven days straight.
The queen and the prince attend the festivities. They are withdrawn but happy. The kind is nowhere to be seen, but that is to be expected. He's had a long journey.
There is talk, once a month passes by. They rarely see him, and when he makes an appearance, his hair is drawn and wild. His himation is pulled close around him. His fingers are bony and thin. He does not look well. There is talk.
The servants gossip, when the royal family do not listen. They speak of the walls, of the smell of rot that followed the damned man home. It grows too strong to stomach. They've taken to hanging mint and herbs to try and cover it up.
Water seeps through the cracks in the walls. The floors are constantly slick with water. Puddles pool in the stone.
The queen only smiles and waves away their questions. The prince is not so merciful. Any rumors are nipped at their source. There is a coldness to him. It is strangely close to fear.
The king is nowhere to be seen. Somehow, this was the most familiar.
Here is where death goes to die:
An oar, a winnowing fan, a sacrifice. He kneels and pushes the oar into the soil, whispers a prayer through cracked lips.
He does not get back up again.
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aro-bird · 2 months
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I do have to say, as someone on the camp of "you could probably ship someone else who isn't non-partnering but honestly I don't care as long as you don't harass people over this", I think it's lost on some people that the reason why so many non-partnering aroaces may become defensive over these characters even if "it's just fandom" is the fact that a lot of aroaces who do fit these stereotypes and who may fall into this camp genuinely had horrible experiences about their social circles and yes, especially this fandom site, harassing them and saying they don't exist or that they're mentally ill and should "get fixed" among other things.
As common it is to see aspecs here on Tumblr, the queer social media site, you need to understand that there's still a lot of contempt for aroaces outside and inside this place. Hell, I received an ask calling aros and aces delusional just last Christmas Day 2023 that came with a wave of increased arophobia around that time. As much as that time period was definitely discourse against aroallo men, aphobes did not cherry pick on who they're sending hate to.
Besides this, a lot of non-partnering aroaces often receive this kind of dismissal in real life too and as much as some people may think it's not a big deal, it definitely fucks up your brain when people say you and your experiences not only don't matter but you are doomed to live a lonely and miserable life if you don't find someone. Even my otherwise very supportive relatives expressed this concern and it's absolutely out of care but it's fucking damaging to constantly hear that I will die alone if I don't find a partner (romantic, platonic, or otherwise).
This is besides dismissals like this or even non-acceptance had literally barred me from mental health care when I was a teenager because my specialist said I had a "distressed sexuality" and had specialists focused on that aspect rather than all my other issues.
The shipping of a non-partnering (typically romance repulsed or uninterested) character feels like another form of dismissal for someone like me, like my sexuality is not good enough or serious enough to be respected. The shipping of these characters sometimes reinforce the narrative that non-partnering aroace people can't find happiness on their own and do need someone (romantic, platonic, or otherwise) to be happy or they will become happier if they do find this someone. People are having fun with their ships but there are still many people who don't want to spend the time actually extending grace and understanding towards me and my experiences. I'm just another discourse topic and someone who's inconvenient to some of them.
This doesn't even account for how these fan communities aren't just filled with aspec people and do extend to allos who may take some of the discourse and actively apply it in real life to other real life aspec people. People who go and interact with real human beings and may hurt them or harass them. It isn't even accounting for the fact that even online things affect real people too.
Of course, I do understand that a lot more complex aspec identities often don't get the spotlight so they may express themselves through shipping fandom characters but non-partnering people should deserve more than these people isn't really the point of this post.
The point here is that there's a reason why a lot of non-partnering (typically repulsed or uninterested) aroace people get defensive about these things even in fan communities and it's very likely that it's because aphobia and especially against the stereotypical aroace™ still very much exist outside of our little community and they can be informed by media and the fans that consume it and this shit could genuinely have negative consequences. This of course extends to those who do have complex aspec identities as society does not treat those who don't live up to what is expected as "normal" in terms of romantic relationships and sexual attraction kindly.
Distancing yourself from these aroaces who do have frustrations with how media and fandom treat their sexuality because they're being "prudes" or are just affected by "purity culture" is unhelpful to say the least and honestly veers eerily close to shit I hear aphobes say about us.
Absolutely do stop people and block them if they're instigating and participating in harassment over shipping of all things, even these aroaces, but trying to say that every person who do have issues with shipping aroace characters are the same way with this is extremely lacking nuance and absolutely dismissive of other members of the community and why they may have the opinion they hold.
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youatemylollipop · 1 year
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How do you think Gintoki would react to his partner confessing to him that he's their first when they're about to get intimate and they're a little insecure and embarrassed about this fact? 🩷💌
A/N: OMG!!😳 I’m sorry! I just couldn’t stop myself from putting this GIF!😂
Ft: Sakata Gintoki (Gintama).
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Sakata Gintoki
➵ Freaks out, as if the world is ending.
➵ Despite Gintoki's cool and unbothered demeanor most of the time, he's the most likely among the Gintama boys to react this way.
➵ He honestly doesn't know what to do, and it's more likely that his partner will end up taking care of him instead.
➵ I swear! He's not trying to be mean, but poor baby just really has no idea what he's supposed to do! 😭
➵ He doesn’t mind the fact that it’s their first time, of course! It’s just that he doesn’t know how to continue with this newfound information.
➵ He's probably going to be extremely awkward throughout the whole process, constantly worrying about where to place his hands and how rough to be.
➵ The worst part is that he's too shy to even ask questions about how his partner wants things to go! It's just too much for his manly ego to admit that he has no idea how to proceed! 😤 His partner will have no choice but to guide him through it all.
➵ And if his partner wants him to be rougher, then they'll have to literally snap at him to get some action. Otherwise, he'll continue with the whole 'my s/o is too fragile to handle me' act.
➵ Somehow, this guy has managed to mix awkwardness with smugness. I have no idea how it works, but it does with him.
➵ In the end, everything will depend solely on how his partner decides to deal with him.
➵ If they decide to be the sweetest thing on earth, he'll turn into the king of smugness for providing such a night of pleasure.
➵ However, if his partner decides to tease him, he'll become the most discreet little mouse they've ever seen, blushing at the smallest things.
➵ Ultimately, it's all up to their preference. 😉
You find yourself in a cozy, dimly lit bedroom. You're lying next to Gintoki, who's lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling with a small smile on his face.
You glance over at him, feeling a blush rise to your cheeks as you think back on what just happened. Despite his usual sarcastic demeanor, Gintoki had been surprisingly sweet and attentive, taking his time to make sure you were comfortable and enjoying yourself.
You clear your throat, breaking the comfortable silence. "So... that was, um, nice," you say, feeling awkward despite yourself.
Gintoki chuckles softly, turning his head to look at you. "Just nice?" He teases, a smug grin crossing his face.
You roll your eyes, feeling a smile tug at the corners of your lips. "Okay, it was amazing," you admit, snuggling closer to him.
Gintoki's expression softens, and he reaches out to run a hand through your hair. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he says, his voice low and gentle.
"You know, for someone who's been with other people before, you were surprisingly clueless," you tease him, earning a blush from the usually smug samurai.
He grumbles in response, "Hey, I never said I was a pro at this. I just go with the flow." You chuckle at his nonchalant attitude, but you know that he's actually just too shy to ask about your preferences.
"It's okay, Gintoki," you reassure him, reaching over to take his hand. "I enjoyed it all the same."
He squeezes your hand back, relief washing over his face. "Good, because I was really worried I was too rough."
You shake your head, "No, you were perfect."
He grins, "What can I say? I'm the king of providing pleasure."
You can't help but laugh at his arrogance, but you know that deep down he's just happy that he was able to make you feel good. You snuggle closer to him, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.
There's a moment of silence as you both just lay there, enjoying each other's company. Then, Gintoki speaks up again. "You know, I'm not usually one for this kind of thing," he admits, sounding a little awkward.
You turn to look at him, curious. "What do you mean?"
Gintoki shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. "I mean... I'm not very good at the whole... emotional stuff," he says, frowning slightly. "I don't really know how to talk about my feelings or anything like that.”
You reach out to take his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "That's okay," you say. "I'm not exactly an expert either."
Gintoki gives you a small smile, looking relieved. "Thanks," he says quietly. "I just don't want you to think I don't care or anything like that."
You shake your head, feeling a surge of affection for the lazy, sarcastic man lying next to you. "I know you care," you say, smiling. "In your own way."
Gintoki chuckles, sounding a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess I do," he says. "I mean, I wouldn't have done all this if I didn't care about you."
You feel a warm feeling spreading through your chest at his words, and you lean in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "Thank you," you whisper.
Gintoki wraps an arm around you, pulling you close. "Anytime," he murmurs, his eyes sliding closed. You both drift off to sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms, feeling content and happy.
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extralively · 4 days
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Satoru's apartment (Part 1)
Continuing with my whole thing of trying to make the characters' apartments from my fic in The Sims, let's finally get into Satoru's apartment! ....Or part of it, because his apartment is fairly big lol. Here's the layout:
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*The office and washroom are blurred because I haven't actually gotten around to them yet lol
Satoru's place is pretty big, but not the biggest he could have afforded because he is just one guy... so a fairly "modest" apartment will do.
("modest" my ass lmao)
His apartment is pretty neat, which tends to surprise people that expect someone like him to make a mess of things, lol. But Satoru had a pretty strict childhood so some things just stuck with him, and along with the way his family never allowed him to decorate his room in the Gojo Estate with trinkets and stuff, most of his apartment ended up the same--almost void of personality. The things he actually cherishes are kept away from prying eyes, even if this is his own apartment.
Honestly, I had a few very vivid images of what I thought his apartment looked like in my head (or parts of it), and it was kinda tough trying to put them all together into a definite layout lmao. If I made some weird architectural choices, well.... good thing I'm not an actual architect! I just really wanted to make it look like how I pictured it in my head.
In this post we'll take a look at the living room/fireplace/dining area and the kitchen after the cut!
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The entrance is pretty spacious, and right behind the camera here there's a door leading to a whole ass closet for shoes and coats and stuff.
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This here is the living room, where Satoru spends a lot of his free time watching movies (especially when he has people over. And by people I mean Yura and Shoko, mostly). He has a bunch of DVDs and Blu rays there on the shelf behind the TV, and he also has a couple of video game consoles that he doesn't use a lot.
Yes, this is where the Movie Night oneshot took place (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)... among other scenes.
(That corridor in the second pic with the white door leads to the guest bedroom, the office, and the washroom. That white door is the guest room, specifically.)
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This is the fireplace area! Satoru doesn't actually use the fireplace a lot since he has central heating in the entire apartment, but in the opening chapter of Deeper in the Dark, this is where Satoru made a little pillow nest on the floor for him and Yura to snuggle... and yes, other things.
It's got a pretty good view! (...just pretend it's Tokyo back there)
(That corridor in the first pic leads to his bedroom.)
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Here is the dining room that Satoru only uses when he has people over, otherwise it's just easier to eat in the kitchen or outside in the balcony (more on the balcony in another post... cause I still need to make it prettier lmao)
Also I might make some changes to this dining area at some point because I'm not 100% sure on the decor yet....
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And here's the kitchen! This is the one place that has the most trinkets on display, a lot of novelty items that were mostly gifted to him by Yura over the years (and that he actually makes a point to use). Funny mugs, cookie jars, silly sugar bowls--since Satoru is filthy rich, it's very hard to give him gifts, so Yura eventually found out that he actually likes being given 'stupid stuff', in her words.
I had a very vivid image of the kitchen entrance in my head from that chapter where Yura was sleeping in the guest bedroom after coming back from NYC, and she sleepily stumbles into a shirtless Satoru with his back to her by the counter... cue her brain short circuiting for a moment lmao.
Anyway, next up should be the bedrooms! It's been a struggle making this apartment because I had to download so much CC and mods to be able to make things look the way I wanted to, and I'm still constantly changing things lol. If I do decide to change something, we'll just call it Satoru renovating his apartment at some point throughout the years lmao
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nanomooselet · 3 months
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Episode Nine: Millions Knives
Knives is firmly among my favourite characters. Adore him, fascinated by him, need to hit him over the head with a baseball bat.
The thing about Knives is that he lies constantly. I think he's so used to lying that he's come to believe himself truthful and sincere. To be fair to him, his emotions are very sincerely felt - I think they rattle his teeth, actually - but I don't think he understands them, even in hindsight. I don't think he understands the emotions or responses of others, either. They make no intuitive sense to him. So he rationalises reactions he doesn't expect as weakness, error or corruption to avoid admitting to himself where the problem might lie, and considers them only on those terms. Which must be terribly, terribly isolating, and it means he also lies to himself.
I suppose it's not a secret that I see a lot of myself in Vash - the guilt, the distance, the way he exaggerates his reactions around others - but there's a little bit of Knives there too. Enough that I feel sympathy. But I also recognise parts of him that aren't in me at all; they were a sickness I didn't realise I had, or the voices of people I wish had known better.
So my feelings about him are complicated, to put it mildly. I remember after watching the finale I had simultaneous urges to wrap him in a blanket and beat him to death with a tire iron, and that hasn't really changed. It's a difficult state of mind.
He's a great character.
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Such a sweet, sad scene from a character we saw being so vicious. The notes begin slow, faltering - loneliness, hesitation. Perhaps even regret? And then Vash enters in his memory and adds his voice, and while it's still a little awkward, the notes themselves seem to smile along with him. Knives has learned over time to play the song himself, but it's still incomplete without Vash. The room is ridiculously huge, which makes Knives in the centre even tinier and lonelier than he'd otherwise be; the distance of the long-shot also conceals that he sits just a little further to the right than he needs to, so the realisation is slow. There's a lot of empty space. It looks like the room is unfurnished besides the piano and bench, with some random debris scattered around. How long has he been staying here? How long has he sat on that bench, trying to fill all that emptiness? Around him, beneath him, humans do human things and he is indifferent. He permits it only because soon none of it will matter.
I have to wonder what it is that Conrad got for Knives that made Knives look so pleased. Can't help but consider it ominous.
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Also, Luida wasn't the only member of the SEEDs crew to pass on a haircut.
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They have very similar clothes, too. That must have been an interesting shopping trip.
I spent literal hours combing through all my references trying to figure out if that was SEEDs Ship Five the city was built in, and I don't think so - Ship Five had human passengers and July was built in a Plant carrier. (So much for "I made sure the Plant ships would survive.") So at least we're spared the twist of the knife (sigh) it would have been to know somewhere in among all these withered Plants might be the twins' birth mother or the one who greeted them with Rem - but Jesus V. Saverem Christ, that doesn't make it better.
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Knives, y'know - I do get why you killed those men. I really do. Humans are not innocent of this horror. Humans are not angels. Humans are survivors. We're also unfortunately greedy, short-sighted and brutally indifferent to those we don't perceive as part of the ingroup, especially when desperate. Even if you're willing to overlook this callous, casual abuse of living beings - and I wouldn't be - this is a recklessly unsustainable approach. Almost like a decision one might make in panic out of misfiring instinctive urge to seek safety? Not that I'm implying anything about your decisions.
And so when he sees Vash Knives immediately blames all of humanity when Knives bears at least a portion of the blame himself. There would always be casualties in such wide-scale destruction, even among those he intended to spare. Nor did he seem to do anything to protect the Plants aboard the crashed ship (likely because it would require relying on more humans), though it's obvious they would be vulnerable. But there's no way he can take responsibility for the deaths of his own kind on top of everything else he's done... though truly we're also our own worst advocates.
I'm sure they were happy to be useful.
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Maybe Knives should have thanked the technician who said that to him before his death, because what he said made Knives so very angry. Anger, for Knives, is strength, and strength is certainty. A frightened little boy is sorry that he killed his mother and drove his brother away. A frightened little boy couldn't do this. Vash is frightened, of course. Clinging to Rem's skirts, a coward still, years later. Totally lacking conviction. But Knives thought of this. He knows how to work with that too.
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Interesting that when Vash felt unworthy of the people of Home, he took off the coat they gave him to give it back. Knives, though, he snatches the gift he gave Vash straight out of his hands. If he's learned to play a duet alone he doesn't need Vash to do this either. He doesn't need Vash. It'd just be nice! You know. Not to have to rely on himself all the time!
His stupid little face and its utter bafflement. Where is this coming from? Vash isn't like this! I don’t remember it being like this! What could possibly have changed?
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Knives intended to keep his calm throughout this confrontation. You can watch him visibly gather himself when he notices Vash enter; take a deep breath, push his hood back - it's why he went from kneeling to standing. It's like he can't be vulnerable, or even ask for comfort, but I swear if he'd just asked Vash for a hug instead of stabbing people the series would have ended there. Instead he tips further and further over the edge, refusing to reach out for help on terms other than the ones in his head, which he refuses to explain. And the moment a variable he can't control enters the situation, his first and only reaction is to violently remove it.
(Poor Luida must have no idea what the hell is going on. Although I bet this reunion explained a lot with hindsight.)
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Why do you point that gun at me? Even though I saved you?
That's really the question Knives needs to consider the answer to himself, and he's not going to. Instead he imposes a time limit (and I'm starting to think when it ran out, that was when the Eye of Michael got into gear, so it's been around for approx. forty-five years) and runs off to cry in his piano room as though Vash is the one who needs a time-out.
Well.
He does, at that.
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There's so much hope in what follows. Compared to Knives's vast hollow space, Vash's little room is so full of warmth and acceptance. He has people who love him and even a solution to the ongoing crisis, albeit an imperfect one - but he has something, he's not just flailing around until the day he catches one too many bullets. He has a goal in healing the Plants and helping people, and he has people who support him in it. And sure, he faces scepticism. Not to mention the parameters he's put on himself (I'll never kill, ever again... I'll figure out a way to save everyone. The humans, Plants... and Nai) which are Dark Souls times Atlus superboss impossible. But even Brad, who once called him a monster, thinks he's in with a chance.
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I truly wish I found that more comforting than I did.
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lvicevlk · 1 year
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i wonder sometimes if people miss that when jiang cheng says "don't make me look bad" what he means is "not embarassing me in public is the only thing i have found that gets around how my mother has convinced you that you are disposable" except when he means "if the howling mob comes after you with torches and pitchforks i'll stand with you but honestly, bro, i don't like our odds."
It has taken me forever to get to this and I am so sorry. Real life was draining me and I’ve finally got some time off to recover. Thank you for your patience.
It is astonishing to me that so many people somehow fail to understand the importance of reputation in the story. It’s a damned central theme how reputation, how what people think of you or say about you directly impacts how they treat you. It’s a presiding factor in Wei Wuxian’s downfall at the end of his first life. He makes everyone scared of him and thinks that’s going to make them leave him alone, instead it terrifies people to the point that the Jin can use a base truth, that he doesn’t have much respect any authority or boundaries aside from his own, to paint him as an imminent threat to the world. He built himself a reputation as an uncontrollable and frankly heretical wildcard and it comes back to bite him in the ass when people respond accordingly.
Reputation matters hugely to the story and to the people in it. Jiang Cheng is not wrong for trying to impress this on Wei Wuxian.  Reputation is, among other things, a currency all it’s own and, if we’re focusing on the Yunmeng boys here, Jiang Cheng spends a lot of his life shelling out cash to try and cover Wei Wuxian’s debts.
When they’re kids, it’s one thing. It’s still very not good and look, for me personally, I would not chose to spend a whole lot of time with a guy who seemed to think that violating my boundaries and publicly humiliating me was prime entertainment but Jiang Cheng loves Wei Wuxian and Wei Wuxian loves him back, even if they do not express that in ways that are all that healthy. Wei Wuxian teases Jiang Cheng because he wants his overly serious baby brother to relax, to smile and laugh and have fun. That’s a wonderful impulse and there are times where it’s works. There are also times where it’s utterly inappropriate and Wei Wuxian is, I think often willfully, blind to that. And worse, he doesn’t listen when Jiang Cheng tells him so. I once saw someone claim that Wei Wuxian only acts like that in public so that Jiang Cheng can look good by reining him in, which would be an interesting take if it was at all supported by the text instead of being a blatant contradiction thereof. It would require that Wei Wuxian not only listen to Jiang Cheng but do as he is asked. Which he does not at any point ever. It’s kinda a massive plot point that Wei Wuxian Does What He Wants and no one can tell him otherwise.
When they get older the consequences of Wei Wuxian’s habit of dicking around and messing with Jiang Cheng go beyond pissing off Madam Yu and become a lot more pronounced. Madam Yu’s anger is understandable even if the way she expresses it is unconscionable. She knows that Wei Wuxian’s behavior is damaging both to the Sect and to Jiang Cheng’s reputations and that it will and does actively impede Jiang Cheng’s ability to stand on the political field with the other Sect Leaders. Because when they look at him they see his reputation: the less favored child, the lesser cultivator, the Sect Heir and then Leader whose own right hand constantly dismisses and undermines him. Why should they take him seriously?
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It sort of irritates me when people act like Doof is such a great dad. When canon explicitly tells us the opposite.
I don't mean to say Doof doesn't care, he does. Very much so. But just caring doesn't make him a good dad. It just makes him a decent person. Vanessa loves him very much. But love isn't the only thing needed to be a good parent.
I see people cite the Mary McGuffin doll, and him spending years tracking it down as proof of him being a good dad. And it does tell us (and Vanessa) he cares, but it also tells us how out of touch he is with Vanessa's actual wants and needs. Vanessa is 16. She doesn't really want the doll anymore. The doll only has meaning to her because of the effort he put into it. Proof he has actually listened to something she was saying even if it was nearly 10 years ago. Doof has set the bar that low that Vanessa feels so attached to this one gift. In Vanessa's own words he is a substandard dad. She is biased, due to the way he embarasses her, but she's not wrong as often he can't even be bothered to actually listen to her.
He took her to Tokyo instead of Paris for his own interests. He tried to erase Vanessa's memory in order to make himself look better to her. He compared her (or rather Candace's) fashion sense to a clown. He set up a little girl's party when she was 16 and didn't even know she considered herself to be punk.
He tries, oh does he try. But without listening to Vanessa he can't actually do anything for her. His few successes are often facillitated by Perry who does. This lack of listening is at the center of the finale, where it almost causes him to lose her completely. When he finally listens he can finally start connecting with her, and not only that he realizes other things about the way he's been living. And this is something Vanessa, his 16 yr old daughter is telling him. Vanessa is being her dad's therapist and that's not necessarily fair to her.
And in Milo Murphy's Law when he moves in with the Murphys he continues to cross boundaries and not listen to people (particularly the household's teenage girl), acting in many ways more like an overgrown child than a parent himself. And in Vanessa's appearance she's still cleaning up after him and playing couple's therapist with him and Perry.
And don't even get me started on how Doof treats Norm, who recognizes Doof as his father only for Doof to constantly belittle him and refuse to treat him like a son. (Not unlike his own parents). Doof does seem to care for Norm, but that doesn't mean the other stuff he does doesn't exist.
This is especially egregious since PnF and MML have lots of great parents. Lawrence knows about and sometimes goes along with his boys shenanigans and often inspires them. He and Candace may not always be on the same page, but he makes and effort to include her, to try and spend time with her. In regards to Mary McGuffin, Lawrence may have not known Candace still cared about her doll, but he gave her more money than he made off of it to try and make it up to her when he realized that she did.
Martin is someone Milo admires, taught him how to deal with Murphy's Law, who left to give Milo his moment in Athledecamathalon and has otherwise offered his full support to Milo and dedicated time to spend with him. We see less of his interactions with Sara, but he's aparently the one who got her into Dr. Zone, and he understands Murphy's Law can be hard on her too and makes efforts to stay away from her when she needs space. He knows when to cheer his kids on and when to step back.
Dave Grant, Beppo Brown, Richard Chase and Roman Carter are all among the many father characters who seem to have a more healthy relationship with their kids than Doof. Not to mention the grandfathers. None of these parents are necessarily perfect but they are good parents.
I love Doof. He's a great character and a loving father. But he's not a great parent and that's part of what makes him a good character. Makes his interactions with his family fun. The functional dysfunction of it all. He's not simply a good or bad parent. But he's certainly not great.
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ichayalovesyou · 2 years
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The Spock We Know From TOS Is Grief Incarnate
You ever think about how the reason Spock is so disdainful of emotions and his humanity in general is probably because he’s grieving?
He’s hurting, a lot. Within the span of less than a decade he:
Loses his sense of linear time and almost his sanity, institutionalizing himself after his first five year mission on Enterprise.
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Loses Michael, who was his first and strongest link to human friendship and familial love (aside from his mother). Due to circumstances beyond his control. His visions, his needing Michael, indirectly leads her to fulfilling her destiny, and being forced to leave him behind.
Has a falling out with T’Pring, because she feels he does not value their relationship or his Vulcan heritage enough. Which he internalizes as not being Vulcan enough period. A confirmation of what he already believed.
Has a falling out with Chapel, because she’s in love with the humanity in him which he has come to resent, and cannot be what she wants/thinks him to be. He is not human enough among humans. A confirmation of what he already believed.
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He loses Chris, his captain, his best male role model (cuz he’s not getting that from Sarek and his only brother has been in rehab most of his life). Pike, who accepts him as he is and cares about him. Who sacrifices himself because he knows for a fact Spock will go on to do greater things. In doing so, also ends up parting ways with Spock.
He spends 90% of his young adulthood losing people.
Spock’s Vulcan ties reject him, and every human he has ever loved enough to reach out for so far has seriously hurt and/or been hurt by him.
He associates emotion with his humanity (even though Vulcans do feel), and his humanity with the humans that have touched his life.
It hurts to love, love is a human emotion, the logical solution is to further reject my humanity and connection with humans so that I do not feel this pain again.
“I am a Vulcan, there is no pain.”
Is it a wonder that he’s so disdainful of humanity by the time we see in in TOS? Not just from human vs Vulcan prejudices (because damn they hostile to each other constantly), but because being condescending and rude and aloof keeps people from reaching out to him or finding him approachable. If you think about it, that persona, the one we don’t see formed yet in SNW, is a deliberate product of all of that.
Logically, if you don’t want friends, if you don’t want the inevitable pain that love causes, the most direct course of action is to project a persona that people don’t want to be friends with. Evidence suggests that bad things happen to the people who accept him as he is. The last thing he wants is to be loved and to be hurt by another human, another person, right now. Not after what happened to Michael, to Hemmer, to Chris.
You know the two people aboard who immediately see through that and start chipping away at the ice from the moment they meet him?
Jim and Bones
“Listen closely little brother, this is the last advice I’ll ever be able to give you. Find the person that seems farthest from you, reach for them.”
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He gets along with Kirk so incredibly, reality bendingly well. It scares Spock! He keeps trying to avoid it but Jim has him pinned and isn’t going to let him go. “When I feel friendship for you I am ashamed” goes beyond the inherent embarrassment of a Vulcan feeling an emotion, it’s the shame of getting attached and believing whole heartedly that it will end in suffering. So much so that he leaves and attempts Kolinahr rather than chance that bond deepening further! Which ultimately fails because, while Chris and Michael both loved and needed Spock, not nearly the same way, the same soul wrenching intensity, that Jim needs him. It’s the stuff that myth is made from.
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And Bones, like the saw for which he’s nicknamed, makes it his business to cut through Spock’s bullshit. He forces Spock to acknowledge his humanity, that well of love and of pain and loneliness, where Spock would otherwise deny it. Bones sees through the Vulcan-isms that Spock is hiding behind and sees the truth, a truth so obvious to him and foreign to Spock that it actively pisses him off. Bones confronts, challenges, goads, dares Spock to feel. Bones accuses Spock of being so far gone he can’t feel, just to make Spock prove him wrong. He knows what he’s doing and it’s working. Which is what makes them as inseparable as Jim and Spock, rather than two coworkers who hurl casual insults to each other. Bones KNOWS him, and in his own way needs him for the same confrontational nature he dishes out.
Neither of them could get Spock to heal on their own. Jim isn’t confrontational enough, and Bones is too prickly. Which is one of the many, many reasons the Triumvirate is such a powerful trio.
Love is going to hurt, it always does, but the love is always, always more important than the pain of losing it. Where Nyota’s character arc begins, is where Spock’s ends.
Like Hemmer says
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strwberri-milk · 10 months
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Hi hi hello! Can i request mordern high school love with thoma? Reader being a gentle and reserved person being more popular among the juniors and thoma popular for his charm and being on the basketball team. Theyre relationship isnt too open but its not a secret either. They try to keep it low key of course
Now imagine the small moments with him :( after school studying at the library, walking home together, recess on the rooftop, arcade dates on the weekend and him winning you a plushie that we know sleep with evry night :(( him asking you to prom and being a gentleman :(( him coming over after school to study but end up staying over cause of the thunderstorm outside :(( our parents love him hes so sweet
(Pls help im so delulu for him)
ngl i love. modern high school aus theres smth about the simplicity of high school and being in the in between where you're *almost* an adult but still treated like a child and knowing youre about to ?? crest smth that everyone talks about anyway idk i really romanticised my high school life and ngl all my friends are from higschool LMAOO also the whole freshman/junior/sophmore/senior thing makes no sense to me idek if i put this in the right order and i wish prom was more of a thing here bc yall make it seem so fun
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Thoma is definitely that kid that people know of, but don't really know all too well. He's really nice and all the teachers and students like him, and of course being both attractive and athletic made him that much easier to admire.
You had a crush on him for what feels like forever, wishing that one day he'd notice you out of all the other people who liked him too. He had so many admirers due to how kind he was, but being his friend you knew that there was so much to him.
When he finally asked you out it was the most cliche, yet sweetest way he could have ever done it. He drove you to a place that the two of you often frequented. When you got out, you turned around to see a picnic he prepared for the two of you, thinking it was just another nice thing he was doing for you because you were a little stressed out recently but the flowers and shy look on his face told you otherwise.
The two of you didn't go out of your way to tell everyone you were dating. Thoma just wasn't as willing to let people touch him as much, and you were seen hanging around the basketball team a little more often than before. Thoma always walked you to class anyway if he could, so people couldn't really tell the difference until one day they saw him give you a hug.
By that point everyone found out pretty quick but the two of you didn't feel the need to justify anything to anybody so you'd just confirm that you were dating and that was it.
Thoma always loves taking you on various dates whenever you can. He would see what kinds of places pop up on his feed and scout them out before taking you out for a night on the town (until curfew of course).
Your parents were really trying to look for something to be wrong with him, not wanting him to distract you from your life or end up in an unsatisfactory position of your heart being broken or anything like that. However, the fact that he constantly brought you home on time and made sure to say greet your parents every time as well as bring them treats he baked himself made it hard for him to stay hated in their eyes.
He's constantly gifting you things that remind him of you. If he's at the grocery store then he's giving you a candy that you liked. If he's at the mall he found some accessory he thought you'd look good with. It doesn't matter when or where - you're always on his mind and the trinkets you've accumulated from him are proof of that.
Whenever there are any events locally he loves to take you to them. Whether it be some sort of festival or just a pop up his favourite thing to do is explore the grounds with you and spoil you with prizes or the food there. He's got no limits when it comes to you.
Exam season means crunch time. The two of you are forcibly holed up by each other to try and get studying done. He's a hard worker so he's got tons of study tips for you if you need it and the right amount of rewards too. Whenever you get a practise question right or finish a writing prompt within the time limit well he always congratulates you with a hug or a kiss.
I can see him being super into doubling too. The two of you are one of those people who are constantly on call just doing random shit together. Neither of you has to actually talk to the other person - you both just like being in each other's presence.
Your room and bed are both filled with tons of things that Thoma gives you and he can't help but grin to himself whenever he comes over and sees it. He's got photos commemorating everything on his phone, glad that you like the things he gives you as much as he likes you.
Thoma absolutely adores you and I can see the two of you being high school sweethearts. He comes to your events and you to his, and the two of you end up living a perfectly happy life together, glad that one day oh so many years ago the two of you were assigned lockers next to each other.
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starsreminisce · 2 months
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I didn’t intend for this to be so long I apologize in advance😭
Have you or anyone mentioned this before?
What if when Elain and Lucien had their ambiguous meetup in WAR,.. what if Elain wanted to give Lucien a peck or a hug and be in the comfort of her stranger(!) mate and was drawn to him in a way she couldn’t fathom which is why she now keeps clear of him. It’s not hate, it could be confusion. People really exaggerate her being freaked out of the feeling of the bond. It is because SHE IS AWARE of it. We know this, Elain knows this, Lucien knows this, her sisters know this… there’s no need for readers to be all shocked pikachu face about Elain currently not wanting to be around Lucien. Nesta and Feyre or mostly anyone (especially someone like Elain who misses their old life) would’ve reacted similarly. If you’re only seeing the couple/pair and not the individual, isn’t it then harder to figure out what motivates that individual? Elain’s decision-making won’t have to do with someone else, that’s her own thing. What happens after a couple is formed is another thing (i.e. Feyre in TAR and MAF vs Feyre in WAR and SF where she makes plenty of decisions as a unit with Rhys aka when a couple gives into one another fully)
Yk, I can imagine it’s much scarier when you feel a pull to someone while knowing that somehow you both are connected biologically.. and they happen to be someone you just met. Feyre and Nesta were scared too when they found out they had mates! Heck they were a little intimidated when they first met the guys who were going to be their mates (duh they were among scary fae)
I think people tend to forget that Feyre and Nesta also took their time at different points of their own journey and in their relationships to figure out what kind of future they wanted. And they did this while away from their mates (i.e. Feyre accepted the bond before she gave Rhys her heart and body, so a more traditional romance approach, while she was alone at the cabin. And Nesta wanted to keep it strictly physical w/o the bond. Meaning keeping her heart/feelings out of it bc of her low self-worth. The aftermath of her fight w/ Cassian was spent with Emerie and Gwyn).
It’s actually perfect that Lucien is constantly away from Elain right now because otherwise it would all be much harder for her to process the situation she’s in. This exact courtesy given to Feyre and to Nesta by the author (all of this isn’t my thought I know this point has been made a lot!). Again, if we only think in terms of romance and not the individual then it’s going to be harder to understand why a character is making a certain choice
Idk how readers are interpreting these male characters but do they really think these males are they type to be like “we are now bound together, accept the bond or else; you must obey and come with me” I mean, SJM even found a way for Rhys to whisk away Feyre with her consent!
I think SJM likes showing different ways mates end up together and she’ll “select” a couple to demonstrate that. For example, Feysand= mates which one person isn’t aware of the bond because they grew up human, and it snapped for the fae without them revealing it to their mate and etc, etc. Elain and Lucien just happen to be the fated mates who had their bond snapped before they knew who the other was! Honestly SJM could’ve had any of her other couples go through with this. But also maybe there’s a specific reason- which she knows- for why she choose it for Elucien. Maybe it fits their characters best?
Authors are just puppet masters pulling at strings and coming up with possibilities y’all! There’s no need to act like these characters were done dirty because it was designed that way, pls for the love of the Mother. All that means is you have a problem with the story or writing and that’s not gonna change. So maybe it’s best for some people to look for other content?
Anyway- Elain is right now in the series taking the time to figure out what she wants (like her sisters did when they learned of their bonds!!) Maybe SJM could’ve elaborated with Feyre and Nesta and how they considered their options for the future? Lets be fr there’s a few details that SJM leaves out which tends to be important for the readers but not to her (maybe). But anyways the difference with Elain? She’s taking her time to decide and figure out the bond situation outside of her own book. As soon as Elain’s book is out why would she need to be away from Lucien any longer? Feyre had reason to be away from Rhys in MAF.- tamlin, her human life, etc. Nesta wanted to stay away from Cass at the beginning of SF because what even is a mate plus her self-worth issues. Do we wanna see this again with an Archeron in a whole book or rather it happening in the sidelines this time around? I mean with an Elain (Elucien) book they then have to be near each other at some point. NOW their story is beginning. I just expect it to have a happy ending:) <— Elain staying away from Lucien now but not later isn’t an original thought, I know this point has been made by many blogs!! Sooo I think this is what SJM is doing. Keeping them at a distance in the meantime. Because they won’t need it at some point.
It’s going to be different in Elain’s book because who wants a repeat of how Feyre and Nesta dealt with their bonds and their mates! We want some difference in the romance with each couple and how they handle big revelations! Authors love stepping out of their norm and showing variety, surely SJM will do that!
P.S this msg had a lot going on so if there’s anything you’d like clarification for pls feel free to say so :)
It's all good!
If there is one thing that SJM appears to have an issue with regarding fated pairs, it's the idea of instant love that often comes with fated mate tropes. She weaves into her narrative a desire to demonstrate why these pairs are perfect for each other and what her idea of a perfect match looks like.
As Elriel shippers and other non-shippers begin to realize, the bond itself serves as the primary conflict in Elain and Lucien’s story. It's something they both will tackle and eventually come to accept because this bond is now an intrinsic part of them. That's what I personally anticipate and look forward to in their story.
Upon rereading ACOMAF, I found my perspective shifted. Despite Feyre and Rhysand's bond snapping after Under the Mountain, Feyre still entertained thoughts of her upcoming wedding and pondered her future alongside Tamlin, all while feeling guilty and inexplicably drawn to Rhys. It wasn't until spending more time with Rhysand that Feyre began to recognize their shared desire to protect loved ones. This shift in perspective was crucial for Feyre, who grappled with her past actions, including the deaths of innocent faeries, and came to the realization that Rhysand had supported her far more than Tamlin had during her trials.
Rhysand's actions spoke volumes about his commitment to Feyre, even when she was unaware of his feelings. Conversely, it's somewhat frustrating when critics question why Lucien didn't do more for Feyre, especially when ACOMAF emphasizes the unique and profound nature of the mating bond. Lucien's efforts to support Feyre are acknowledged, but it's clear that Rhysand played a significant role in keeping her grounded. Similarly, Lucien's understanding of Elain's needs and his efforts to help her, such as demanding she be exposed to sunlight in ACOWAR, further illustrate the difference of their connection.
While there are limitations to the bond, it's unfair to hold Lucien to the same standard as Rhysand. Lucien and Feyre share a close bond, but they are not mates. Their relationship is distinct from Feyre's bond with Rhysand, which offers a unique level of support and understanding.
Similarly, Lucien demonstrated his understanding of Elain's needs in ACOWAR by demanding she be brought outside to the sun, just as Rhysand knew the music and images of the Night Court would help Feyre.
The passage of time is felt more keenly in Elucien's story compared to Feysand's and Nessian's. Feyre met Rhysand in Calanmai, saw him only once after a month, and then spent much of her time with Rhys Under the Mountain in a drugged state before returning home. It was only after two months that Rhys called in the bargain after Feyre reached out for help.
Nessian isn't exempt from this, either. There were four months between the war and Nesta and Cassian's confrontation, followed by another nine months before Cassian was sent to Nesta's apartment under orders for an intervention.
The difference lies in our experience of Elucien's time apart from each other. They are still included in other's stories, whereas we receive only a brief mention of the time lapse before the start of Feysand's and Nessian's story.
I often wonder if Nesta's and Elain's story drew inspiration from ACOMAF as some sort of "what if" scenario. For instance, what if Rhysand had decided to rescue Feyre himself, considering he kept hearing her vomiting, and that's what ACOSF explores? Or what if Rhysand hadn't winnowed away after their bond snapped after Under the Mountain, but instead blurted out to Feyre, rather than Mor, that she was his mate? Then Feyre went back to the Spring Court knowing she was Rhysand's mate. That is the essence of Elucien's story.
SJM does love to show the variations of the bond snapping. For instance, Kallias and Vivianne's bond snapped after they were married, Miryam was a slave present to Drakon, and Drakon set her free. Miryam had a relationship with Jurian, and while Jurian was seducing Clythia, that's when Miryam's and Drakon's bond snapped. We don't know when Tamlin's parents' bond snapped, but we do know that Rhysand's parents' bond snapped the first time they met, and Rhysand's father did not give his mother the freedom to decide what to do, even after he had saved her.
Elain is the only one among the sisters who knew about the bond firsthand. She knows that whatever she is feeling towards Lucien is a result of that bond. It's interesting to note that both Elain and Lucien, who spent most of their lives suppressing their needs and settling in their environments, have similar experiences. Lucien was severely punished for making waves, whereas Elain grew up with two sisters with big personalities who had no issues rocking the boat. Consequently, Elain does what she can to avoid being a problem. This is where the conflict of the bond comes in - Elain was engaged to someone she loved despite the short amount of time to be told “well, actually, your soulmate is this person. That person who told you that they love you actually hates you because of what you are now.”
This is also the first scenario where Elain actually gets to tell someone what to do. She isn't trying to argue against or support someone. For the first time, Lucien is giving her autonomy for the decision and the space to make it.
I personally believe that SJM was so confident in her match between Elain and Lucien that she mated them almost instantly, pulling back any further conversation beyond their initial discussion. In ACOSF, Cassian and Nesta primarily think of them as a package deal because whenever Elain does something, there's usually a comment about where Lucien is or isn't. It's also extremely telling that their only interaction in the book is with Lucien still looking at her with longing, while Elain acts the opposite towards the only person she cannot hide her real emotions from.
If Elain wouldn't reject the bond in someone else's book, including the novella that includes multiple people, then we should also be asking why Elain would act a certain way towards Lucien, except for the one thing that will absolutely cement that we know she doesn't like him.
It's been two years since it was revealed that Elain and Lucien are mates. The reason why she resisted this long deserves more than a hundred pages (roughly part one) of her book.
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luuvarisuu · 1 year
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# 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗶𝗯 !!
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— 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀. arisu ryohei, chsihiya shuntaro.
— 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. chishiya´s backtstory spoilers.
— 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀. headcanons about how the aib characters would confess to you + (how you met)
— 𝗮/𝗻. lmk if i missed smth!! AND IM SORRY THIS IS SO LONG FOR NO REASON
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✧. - ̗̀ 𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘂 𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗵𝗲𝗶 , ❨ gn!reader ❩
— falling in love with arisu feels like . . . a soft breeze on a summer night, the warmth of a hug, an afternoon with friends, a colorful sunset, a clumsy first kiss, comfort, the smell of a new book, the pain in the stomach after an uncontrollable laughter, a walk through an art museum.
— ..♡;
ever since you first saw arisu, you felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
you couldn't say why exactly, but the way he was simply made you feel instantly comfortable.
the truth is that arisu was very obvious with his feelings every time you were around.
it all started when you helped him in a game, saving his life.
some time later, without knowing too much about you, both of you separated, believing that you would never see each other again. however, you caught arisu's attention from that moment on, thinking of you even days after what happened, believing that maybe he would see you again when whatever is happening is over.
it was so that some time later, after having found the beach, he saw you once again, recognizing you instantly.
HE WAS IN SHOCK
at first, he couldn't believe that it was really you who was among all those people, even being part of the executives.
although at first he thought you had something to do with what was happening, you protected him all the time, mainly from niragi, who constantly messed with him. you stood up for him and even allowed yourself to chat with arisu from time to time, even if it was very brief.
but arisu, although he tried to convince himself otherwise, began to notice changes in his own behavior.
the way he unconsciously missed your small talks, or found himself looking for an excuse to be with you, or even look at you.
how shy he would get when you sent him one of your bright smiles that made him melt, and how he found himself dazzled by your lovely eyes, turning red everytime you gave him attention.
in fact, arisu quickly recognized that what he felt for you was not something of friendship. he knew perfectly well that what attracted him to you was unconditional love, an undeniable romance.
arisu would start to protect you even more than he used to, and worry excessively if he saw you leave to renew your visa, the worst possible scenarios playing in his mind, and making him relive bad times.
because if there was one thing that arisu knew, it was that no matter what, you were the only person he couldn't bear to lose.
he also used to look for ridiculous excuses to hold your hand, and would make gestures to silently ask you for a hug, loving the feeling of your body in contact with his, making him all fuzzy inside.
neither could he help the lovesick smile that formed on his face when you ruffled his hair in an affectionate gesture, or when you congratulated him for having solved a difficult game, making him feel proud of himself.
the indiscreet way in which his face lit up when he saw you, and his eyes seemed to form hearts when his gaze interwined with yours.
the long, lovingly, warm hugs he gave you every time you returned safe and sound from a game.
his love for you reached a point where he couldn't keep quiet about it.
he was tired of having to pretend that his gestures were just friendly, and of not being able to confess to you that this is not how he looks at you, because as obvious as it is
you just didn't seem to notice his attempts to show you that he likes you, or maybe you were pretending you didn't (which is the kind of thought that definitely terrified him)
but, this was definitely the moment when he had to tell you
if he kept prolonging, according to him, "the perfect moment" to confess, that moment would never come
it was he who had to make it perfect for you
he spent HOURS writing a long and cheesy speech that adapted to something characters would say in love movies that chota forced him to watch just to annoy him (lol i think this is so canon)
obviously just to inspire, not to copy the exacts phrases, actually putting his own toughts on it
he was thinking and analyzing for a long time the type of things that you once mentioned that you liked to be able to add them
he put the paper in his pocket and spent a lot more time trying to remember everything word for word.
that day you noticed him especially nervous and shy when you got close to him, much more than usual
and suddenly, one of those nights when you liked to take walks by the pool just to think a little, arisu found the exact moment to tell you.
HE WAS SO NERVOUS
his palms were sweating and he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably every five seconds, trying to calm his feelings
but it was at the moment when he looked into your eyes, sweet and full of stars, that he caught his breath.
the words stumbled off his tongue and his mind simply went blank, feeling a whirlwind of feelings overwhelm him, knowing he didn't need any speech to tell you what he thought.
"i love you y/n…that's all i wanted to say to you"
though all his talk was stuttering and avoiding your gaze, for the first time you felt his voice crisp and clear, making intense eye contact
and finally you smiled, completely dispelling his fears and leaving room only for relief, his heart beating faster at the way you looked at him, eyes full of love
"i love you too arisu…"
and at that moment, you swore that you had never seen a person blush as much as arisu did at that moment, the sparkle in his eyes increased and simply the relief of knowing that his feelings were reciprocated gave way to a sincere smile, the kind of smile that only had when you were around
the kind of smile he had knowing that you love him as much as he loves you
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✧. - ̗̀ 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗼 , ❨ gn!reader / pre!borderland ❩
— falling in love with chishiya feels like . . . the sound of rain on a cold day, a first i love you, a hot shower in winter, the smell of clean clothes, the warmth of a sheet in a cold room, the moonlight reflecting on a river , the lovesick smiles of two lovers.
— ..♡;
after a long time of doubting, and having been under a lot of pressure from your family, you decided to choose a career in medicine.
it was a winding road, like climbing a mountain with no grip margin, a guaranteed fall
and yet, here you are, years after much effort, working in a hospital, just as you dreamed
the first time you saw him, you noticed something about that made it impossible for you to avoid looking at the blond when you accidentally ran into the him in the hospital corridors, unconsciously following him with your eyes until you lost sight of his presence
it was kind of routine, going by specific places and making brief eye contact.
and yet, one day, you had the opportunity to exchange a couple of words with him, exclusively for work
among your clinical folders you found one that belonged to him, soon seeing you have to talk to him to return it
perhaps it was his neutral look, or his calm tone of voice that slightly caught your attention, adding that to his mysterious and reserved personality that if you didn't find him interesting, you would even be scared.
and there you saw it on his id card: "chishiya shuntaro."
that was the last time you got a chance to talk to him (at least as two normal people)
because days after that was that the nightmare had begun
all you knew were blurred memories, and all the people important to you were strangers
you had to start finding a way to survive no matter how hard it gets
it was like that, how you accidentally ended up on the beach as one more member, meeting someone you definitely didn't expect to see again
yet you were not complaining
in some way, chishiya seemed to recognize you in the same way that you recognized him
it's as if the precise moment you two made eye contact he realized he knew you, somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he'd seen you before and he was willing to understand where and when exactly
that feeling, was the main reason why you caught his attention
but what kept it, was your courage and your curious way of seeing the world, not to mention your strong and determined personality that undoubtedly fascinated him
in his eyes you were definetly a really interesting being, unpredictable, unafraid to defend your ideals
in a way, at first he saw you only as a way out, one more phase to add to his plan.
but nevertheless, trying to win your trust so that you could trust him and he could use you to his advantage, fell apart the day he noticed that there was something else, a completely foreign feeling
you made him feel things
and he didn't like it one bit
he was IN DENIAL for the longest time
but could he really keep lying to himself?
he isn´t sure when the exact moment was when it hit him
maybe…
the moment when he found himself anxious, thinking if you were be okay, if you were be safe after not seeing you for a long time
the moment he found himself asking kuina and the people you used to hang out with on the beach if you're back yet, and the unknown feeling of relief and warmth in his chest when he found out you were safe and sound
he also searched for you when he knew you we´re leaving to play a game to speak to you before you left, saying something just to let you know he actually worries
he probably just says something weird and you giggle at his attempts, making him blush slightly
chishiya might just tell you smth like "dont die, im really not bothered to replace you" trying to come out as tough and heartless but you surely see trough that
he also likes how easy you understand him so he doesn't have to be obvious about things
not good with words but makes an effort for you
the moment when he first felt his heartbeat increase when you unconsciously took his hand to make him walk faster
the moment when his smirks would widen into a full smile, one that he only showed to you
kuina constantly asking how you did to put him in a good mood (because after meeting you he was most likely grumpy all the time —her words)
the moment when his eyes unconsciously searched for you in a room full of people
the moment when he began to stop feeling your voice as an annoying sound, and he even enjoyed the feeling of calm that hearing you talk gave him, still pretending that he wanted you to shut up (secretly wishing that you would never stop talking)
the moment you started to care for him and take care of him, making him feel finally appreciated
the moment when after a game you went full on doctor mood and started taking care of him (even if he protested that he also knew how to heal his wounds, secretly enjoying the feeling of your hands on his skin, and the loving touch and soft with which you treated him)
the moment he said it, it wasn't anything particularly special really, it was something more impulsive and definitely without the intention of being too obvious
it was on the beach terrace, the place you two had designated as your secret place
not explicitly clear, but suddenly chishiya and you began to meet causally there and it became a kind of tradition to both of you
"y/n" the call of your name made you hum to let him know you were listening "…you're really aren't as bad and annoying as i tought the first time i saw you.." chishiya said quietly, still not making eye contact with you, keeping his gaze fixed on the starry sky, mesmerized by the glow of the moon
"what?" you smiled softly at his words, turning your head to look at him, kowing he meant to say something else but didn´t know how to start. you just waited, and he looked fucking beautiful right now just as your eyes examined his features
"i think.." he made a pause, trying to find the exact word "i think i actually like you..you know? like..romantically"
and that was all you needed to widen your smile completely, and finally look into his eyes, noticing how he tried to hide a smile that threatened to come out when he finally met your gaze
"yeah.." you whispered "i think i like you too...like, romantically"
and then, you heard chishiya laugh slightly, finally opening up to you and feeling comfy about it, just talking and leaving all worries behind for a minute.
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©luuvarisuu !!
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