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captainremmington-13 · 1 month

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A Lady Made of Snow

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own The Hunger Games franchise, the images above, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or any of the characters in this fic other than Bellova. I also do not condone the beliefs or actions of Coriolanus or Bellova.

SUMMARY: Coriolanus begins to manipulate Bellova, and decides she needs to stay out of the way while he rearranges her life completely.

⚠️Warnings⚠️: THIS IS A DARK CHAPTER. It contains manipulation/gaslighting/brainwashing, drugging, and misogynistic undertones.

A/n: This is when Coriolanus’s true colors begin to reveal themselves. I also recommend listening to the song “Milk and Cookies” by Melanie Martinez while reading this.

After the incident in his office, Coriolanus locked Bellova in his study and rushed to Dr. Gaul’s lab. He was slightly mortified by what he had just done.

What would the public think of him if they found out?

When he burst into the room, one of Dr. Gaul’s assistants immediately pointed towards where she was. The people who worked with the doctor knew that Coriolanus only conducted business with her, and didn’t want anything to do with the others in the lab.

“Ah, Mr. Snow,” Dr. Gaul said, setting down the bird carcass she had been inspecting. “You look troubled. Whatever is the matter?”

Coriolanus adjusted his tie, as he often found himself doing when he was nervous. “I used the serum.”

Her face split into an unnerving grin, and she gestured to a chair next to the table she was working on. “Sit. Tell me everything.”

As Dr. Gaul continued poking and prodding at the dead bird, Coriolanus explained how Bellova had come to his office proposing a marriage for social and political benefits. He vaguely described how it had gotten heated, and that his mind immediately went to the serum in his desk when she had started to blackmail him.

“She lunged towards me, and I felt my instincts take over. I was able to regain control of the situation and injected the serum into her neck. And a few minutes later, it was like she was completely new person.”

The doctor smiled. “The serum erased any trace of combative behavior in her personality.”

Coriolanus nodded. “It also seemed like she’d experienced some kind of amnesia. She remembered who I was, and appeared to know how to function as a civilized human, but that seemed to be it. I don’t know how to proceed.”

“Her memory was specifically erased and altered to work in your favor,” Dr. Gaul said. “You can rebuild her into what you want her to be.”

“Yes, but what if she relearns her old ways? If she becomes the same Bellova from before-“

“Mr. Snow,” Dr. Gaul cut him off abruptly. “You are failing to realize that you are in control. While she may have been your rival and a threat, she is now nothing but a shell of who she once was.”

“I know that I can influence her perception of the world,” Coriolanus said, slightly frustrated. “She is gullible and easily impressionable, she will believe anything I tell her, even if it directly contradicts reality. But I don’t know what kind of person I want her to be.”

The doctor hummed. “Think of it this way: what are the things you hated the most about her in the past?”

“She was stubborn, ill-mannered, headstrong, and somewhat intimidating.”

“And what are the opposite of the words you listed?”

Coriolanus thought for a moment. “Compliant, polite, submissive, and weak?”

Dr. Gaul nodded. “I have already paved the way for you to cultivate those traits within her mind. All you must do is maintain those characteristics by encouraging her when she acts the way you want her to, and punishing her when she does not. That’s what I do with many of my most intelligent mutts.”

Coriolanus thought this over. Despite the ethical issues, Dr. Gaul had a solid point. If he went about it correctly, he could train Bellova to be a valuable but harmless asset.

“Thank you for your guidance, Dr. Gaul,” he said, standing up. “I think I know how to proceed now.”

He gave her a respectful nod and started towards the exit.

“Oh, and Mr. Snow…”

The doctor’s voice stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to face her.

“She was right about one thing: having her as a bride would do you nothing but good.”

When he returned to his office, he found Bellova sitting in his desk chair, drawing on a piece of scratch paper she had found. As soon as he entered the room, she smiled brightly at him, setting aside her sketch.

“Hi, Coryo!” she chirped. “I missed you.”

Coriolanus let out a small chuckle. “I was gone for ten minutes.”

Bellova pouted. “Where did you go, anyway?”

“I…went to go see Dr. Gaul. I was concerned that something had happened when you hit your head. She concluded that you have suffered from some memory loss.”

She frowned. “That’s not good. But you can help me remember, right? You can tell me what I have forgotten?”

A smile spread across Coriolanus’s face. “Of course.”

And that was how the new Bellova came to believe that she had always been sweet, dutiful, and soft-spoken. That she had been Coriolanus’s sweetheart since their second-to-last year of the Academy.

And that she had sworn on her life to always be by his side, no matter what.

Of course, there were still issues that Coriolanus had to address. What would all of Bellova’s friends and family think when they discovered this drastic change in her personality?

He had to figure out how to preserve his reputation and erase any suspicion surrounding her transformation. Or all of the atrocities he had committed were for nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coriolanus wished he could steal Bellova’s ability to lie flawlessly. With all of the false information he would need to distribute, it would be quite useful.

After locking Bellova in his office again, he rushed back to Dr. Gaul’s lab to borrow a sedative. She handed him one she used for experimenting on larger animals without question.

He took the elevator down to the bottom floor of the Citadel, where there was a small café for workers to eat at during breaks. He quickly purchased a cup of hot cocoa for Bellova and a sandwich for himself. While in the elevator returning his office, he poured the sedative into the cup, stirring it a few times for good measure.

When he returned this time, Bellova was leaning back on his chair with her feet propped up on his desk, staring up at the ceiling.

“Please don’t do that,” he said, gesturing for her to remove her feet from the desk. She obeyed immediately, muttering a quiet “sorry”.

He held out the cup of cocoa to her. “It’s alright. Here, drink this, you need to keep your energy up.”

Bellova immediately took a sip. “What for?” she asked.

“For…the events we have later tonight.”

He winced internally. The old Bellova would have immediately reminded him how bad of a liar he was.

Fortunately, the current Bellova didn’t question him. She simply gave him a naive smile, continuing to drink her cocoa.

After less than a minute, she was laying on the floor of Coriolanus’s office, fast asleep.

Coriolanus double-checked that his door was locked before sitting in his chair, sighing loudly.

He would tell emergency medics that she had passed out suddenly, and that he was the first one who stumbled across her unconscious form. She would be in the hospital for a couple days, giving him enough time to execute another crucial part of his plan.

When she woke up, her world would revolve solely around him.

✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊

TAGLIST: @daenerysqueenofhearts, @squidscottjeans, @euphemiaamillais, @gracieroxzy, @effectwalker, @vxnilla-hxrddrugs, @mystargirl-interlude

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think in the comments! I’m so excited for you guys to see what happens within the next few installments!

Also, let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

#coriolanus snow #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #coriolanus snow x oc #coriolanus snow x reader #the hunger games #tbosas #the capitol #thg prequel

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anlian-aishang · 2 years

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I AM HOPPPPPPPPING ALONG, I SAW REQUESTS OPEN--

Okokokokok. May I have a oneshot in canonverse with Levi and reader - already in a relationship - where after an expedition the reader is struggling a lot. Like with low mood, anxiety or nightmares, and Levi is there to provide TLC? In his usual Levi way? Like with tea, soft physical gestures and-- just levi being soft in private with reader after an expedition?

no pressure !!!!! you know how much i love your oneshots! !!!!

Thank you so much for the request, @peace-for-levi! For more caretaking fluff, I have written some similar pieces here, here, and here ^^ I hope you enjoy ~ <3

Word count: 1500 Tags: levi x reader, sfw, canonverse, angst turned fluff, hurt-comfort, levi calls reader “princess”

Everyone had their own reactions to expeditions. Eren, of course, was angry as always. Mikasa would pine after him until he shooed her away, when she would then hole up in her room - knees hugged to her chest. Erwin was quick to head to the books, taking inventory of all that was lost, distracting him from the overwhelming guilt of overseeing it all. Hange buried themselves in their lab work, certain that if they could just make a breakthrough, they could prevent future tragedies. Everyone had their coping mechanisms. For the Scouts, they were as key to survival as any long-range formations or ODM maneuvers.

Still, all others believed that Levi remained immune to it all, that his prior upbringing in the underground had hardened him to the point of solidity. He had even volunteered himself and his squad to take on the most difficult task: alerting the families of those lost. His comrades took note that on those trying visits, he never once cried. He never cried.

Until you had started a relationship with him, you also bought into that assumption, but only when you started spending your nights in his bed did you see how deeply he was affected by tragedy. He never wanted to talk things out, but he would smoke a cigarette out his bedroom window. He never wanted to go for a run, but he would stay up and active - tossing and turning all night. On especially trying missions, the insomniac would be knocked out for entire stretches of days. Even though the failures kept him up at night, his body would take over, forcing him to sleep - building back those muscles and regaining the energy he had exhausted beyond the walls.

Tonight, unfortunately for you, was one of those nights.

You were selfless beyond belief. Too selfless for your own good, as Levi put it. Though, for as much as he encouraged you to look after yourself, that selflessness was what caught his attention and ultimately snared your partner. You loved Levi. You admired his leadership. However, you still stayed stubborn in your ways: refusing to ask for help even from the man who loved you more than life.

Off the brink of post-expedition nightmares - the titans, the screams, the terror - you were still quick to quell your instinctual need for safety. In the midst of reaching out to his figure, consideration stopped your movements. Moonlight on Levi’s skin revealed him to look so at peace. The even rise and fall of his breaths validated his calm. Survivor’s guilt, the bloodshed you had seen, were already weighing on you. If you were to wake Levi up from the first good sleep he had gotten all year, you were not sure you could bear it.

Such was what brought you here: in his living area, curled up on his recliner, bundled beneath a blanket and into a ball. Tears fell down your face, but your sobs were thwarted. The distant howls of wolves and winds were louder than any sound you made here. You were quiet on the outside, screaming on the inside. You had walked away from your comfort, but were yearning to rejoin him. If anyone were to come and ask if you were alright, you would vehemently nod even though the answer was no.

Back in the bedroom, Levi was also awake. Apparently you thought that deserting him would be the best for his rest, but the opposite was true. As soon as you departed, he could feel it. The mattress became uneven. The sheets lost their taut. Warmth had left his side, leaving him cold, empty, shivering - everything but content.

You jumped at his shadow, squealed at his approaching footsteps. Of course, Levi noticed your reaction, and of course, it pained him. He took a deep breath, a shaky exhale you could hear, and took solace knowing he would make you feel better soon.

“Levi?” You leaned forward in the rocker, wooden creaks a complement to your anxious tone, “You’re awake?”

Levi continued his approach. Silver eyes shone down to you in pity. His palm pet your head, smoothing the tangles flat. His low voice cascaded, “Can’t sleep when you’re like this.”

“Oh, I…” you swallowed, “I’m sor-”

“No.” Levi put his hand atop yours, fingers curled around your wrist, keeping you sound in his hold, “Don’t be.”

At his command, your eyes rose to meet his eye contact. Not angry, just concerned. Tired, but not of you. Bruises ravaged his body. Cold sweat caked his bangs. Yet still, you caught a spark of alert and adrenaline - anticipating the opportunity to aid your ailments. Levi squeezed your hand tighter, “Can I make you something?” Leaning down just a bit, “A midnight snack? Some tea?”

“... Chamomile?”

A slight smile, “Chamomile.”

Levi gave another lingering pet, temporarily leaving your side, but not before reassuring you, “I’ll be right back.” The kitchen was just a handful of paces away. From there, you heard the drag of his drawer, the jostle of a box, and the strike of a match. Levi lit a candle for light, the stove for heat.

You closed your eyes, leaned back, and oscillated in your chair. Back and forth. Back and forth. Levi opened his cabinets, stepped on his tip toes, and unscrewed the canister to his most valued tea. To him, this was the least he could do. To you, he was moving mountains.

A rustic squeak, Levi started his faucet, filling the pot just an inch beneath the brim. A metal clang, resting it atop the flame. Only steam, no boil, Levi propped his head in his hand, his hand on the counter, “You know, I’ve been thinking…” a silent yawn, “maybe we should take some personal days.”

“Personal days?”

“Exactly.” He blinked, “That’s why we should use them.”

You giggled, What a cutie. Folding your hands together, “But where would we go?”

The kettle was just about to scream, Levi snatched it before it could, “Doesn’t matter,” he tipped the lid back and poured the water into two ceramic mugs, “just somewhere away from here.” Levi lifted his attention from the drinks to you. A wink so swift, you wondered if it was real or imagined, “You’ve earned it.”

Somehow, after your many years together, he still managed to make your heart race. Breathless, you reciprocated his affection, “You too, Captain.”

Whenever you whipped out his pet name, it always turned his ears red. Levi flicked his head to the side, letting his locks cover them. “Don’t tell me, after all this time, you’re just a kiss-ass subordinate?”

You tossed your hands in the air, palms open to him, “Guilty.” Instead of easing up, you doubled-down. Biting your lip, batting your eyelashes, “Besides, isn’t Captain Levi too important to go on vacation?”

A flicker in his eyes, “I’m sure Erwin and Hange can handle.” Levi used his muted, joking tone, “Maybe they can put the hot-head in the dungeon again, stick the other Ackerman down there to supervise, I bet she’d do a great job.”

Levi extinguished the stove and carried over the candlelit lantern. Two cups of tea - one sweetened, one unsweetened - both steaming hot, Levi balanced them on his trek back to you. “Two hands,” he warned, “it’s hot.”

You grinned wide, teeth shining. That smile of yours, Levi thought, he could tell this was working. “Hot like my boyfriend.”

Levi rolled his eyes and scoffed, but in its wake, you swore you caught a smirk, “You really are just a kiss-ass.”

Levi joined you on the chair. He sat upright, reclined. You rested atop him, legs slung over the armrest, arms hugged around his neck. Silently, the two of you sipped your tea. Words reserved, but sentiments spoken. Sturdy, he was here for you. Wrapped, you were tied to him. Levi had your happiness. You had that connection. With those promises, both of you began to lower your defenses, too tired to fight off the wave of 3 AM tire.

Fingers lazily threaded through his locks, “And what will we do on our days off?”

Levi nuzzled himself into your neck, your chest his favorite pillow, “Whatever you want, princess.”

Ten minutes. A half-hour. An hour. In the pitch black night, neither of you could keep track. For that length of time, you rattled off all the potential activities for your time away. For each one, Levi nodded, his Mhms increasingly sleepy. Eventually, you both had drifted off to sleep - that anticipated vacation leading the way of your dreams.

Those dreams in your future. Harsh nightmares in your past. Now, at last, and together, both of you could rest easy.

// masterlist //

#levi x reader #levi ackerman x reader #levi x you #levi ackerman x you #levi #levi ackerman #fluff #angst #2022 #oneshot #request #anlian writes #my writing #alias's

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justsomerandomfanfic · 1 year

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Hi! Hope you're doing well! But may I ask for a matchup, please (matchups for both eras in HP, the MCU, and Stranger Things?) Thank you! <3 I'm 24 years old, aquarius sun/scorpio moon/gemini rising, INTP, slytherin with ravenclaw tendencies, biromantic asexual with a preference for guys and I go by she/her pronouns! I was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and I have yet to get myself rediagnosed since my last diagnosis was like over 20 years ago so yeah. I'm currently in College taking up Bachelor of Multimedia Arts, Major in Animation!

I also stand about at 161.3 cm based on my last height take!

As for my personality, the thing is that I know more about the worst aspects of my personality but I'll try to start off with the good ones before spiraling down on that. POSITIVE TRAITS: For a start, I think of myself as someone who is kind, charming, strong, nice, humble and loyal. I like helping people out as much as possible and try to be open-minded and understanding since the world's already as wack as it is. I also like to think I'm pretty funny with some of my weird sense of humor but I'm usually sarcastic. I also stick to my personal opinions but I'm happy to learn from a mistake, if I'm being spoken to nicely and not yelled at. I would also do anything for my loved ones but I have a hard time showing it, I'm also very understanding and will stand up for what's right and fight someone for them and I won't hesitate to defend the person or call them out on their bullshit while remaining respectful. But that usually depends on the person, as much as possible, I try to be neutral.

My friends also designated me as the chaotic wine aunt/gremlin with minor mom friend moments but usually the chaotic wine aunt/gremlin friend. I also have a mischievous streak at times as well but nothing too big. I'm also smart, introspective, creative, ambitious, brave, determined and willing to change. I've been told that I always seem to speak with gentle words and that I bring positive energy to conversations. My best friend thinks I'm very clever and sly. NEGATIVE TRAITS: I've been told by some of my family members that I could be aloof and closed off from everyone (I mean there was a point in my life that my older sister said I was like Wednesday Addams) and because of this a lot of people think I have low EQ. I also spend a lot of time in my head than being well down with people and I always have this strong urge of proving people wrong. There are also times where I have to rely on other people's opinions to see who I really am because I don't know who I am at certain days. Often I'm also commonly perceived as someone who's either always grumpy or angry. I also have the mindset that no one will love me for me because of the fact that I have ADHD (but mostly this has something to do something my grandmother said to me as a young child). I'm very stubborn and too independent for my own good and I have this solid belief that I can do everything by myself but when in reality I just don't like asking people for help because I'm a bother to them or that its a sign of weakness and I don't like being seen as someone who is weak.

I also have the tendency to be sharp-tongued, forgetting about other people or doing certain things but I always say 'I'll do it later' but actually won't end up doing it eventually, pretending I'm okay but when in reality its not and just bottling everything inside of me until they come toppling over. There are also days where I would prefer the easy way out than the hard road taken and that I give advices out to people but I don't even follow them, I've also been told that I can be selfish and inconsiderate but I'm trying my best. I'm also very cynical and a high procrastinator who either is very cautious or too trusting of people that it becomes a mess.

I'm also very introverted and that I like love and the idea of it but I'm afraid that once I'm with someone, I might hurt them or I get hurt by them. I also don't like being compared to my father like it really gets to my nerves that someone says that. I also have this rebellious streak but not super rebellious. HOBBIES: I have like a LOT of them. My grandma says I'm a 'jack of all trades, master of none' Most of them are artistic exploitations such as drawing, listening to music or playing music since I have like instruments of my own like a ukulele, an electric piano, flute, writing, crafting or coming up with unique stuff on my own and constantly reinventing stuff I have or the stuff I hyperfixate on, cooking and reading, I also like learning about the occult and I usually dabble with divination and astrology and I collect stuff like funko pops and books but I'm usually seen on my phone and being on social media where I shit post memes to my friends and talking to them either joking about arson, doing petty crimes and etc. or I'm playing video games (Stardew Valley, The Sims 4, etc.) I'm also very particularly fond of learning about flower languages and symbolisms because I have this knack of like piecing things together like a big tapestry of sorts, like they don't mean something to the normal person but to me I could just as easily connect something small to something silly.

Thank you so much for requesting a matchup! I hope you enjoy them!! Sorry for the wait! <3

Harry Potter (Marauders);

Remus Lupin:

🐾 You met Remus in Hogwarts, but didn't become friends with him until after you both graduated; having bumped into each other again in a bookstore

🐾 You both bonded over your love for books, love for learning, and your love for the arts; Remus had mentioned to you that he thought you were a great artist from that one time at Hogwarts when he returned your sketchbook

🐾 After the meeting, Remus offered to buy you something to drink at the small cafe next door, you were a bit hesitant, thinking that your actions or what you say might scare him off, but you accepted his offer; though you were worried, Remus seemed to understand you better than anyone else

🐾 You didn't start dating for a long time, your thoughts getting the best of you in most situations, you were worried you'd hurt Remus in some kind of way, and you, yourself didn't want to get hurt in the process either; Remus though, as smart as he is, always seemed to see through you and always reassured you

🐾 One day, while the two of you were baking, Remus asked if you wanted to go on a date with him, you were a bit hesitant again, your mind thinking about your ADHD, but Remus was there to reassure you one more; he loved all of your quirks, he'd never do anything to harm you... He cared about you so much

🐾 It was slow, but you did begin to start dating, going on walks together, traveling, reading by the fire, and even teaching remus how to play some of your favorite video games; even knowing about his furry problem and insisting in helping him after a full moon

🐾 Sometimes when you're feeling particularly down in the dumps, Remus is always there for you, he'd drop anything and everything just to run to your side and try and help you; no matter how stubborn you got or how much you disliked being helped, he broke down your walls and was there for you; whether that be holding your hand and talking things out or just sitting beside you, just in your presence

🐾 As the years went on, Remus seemed to unlock more and more about you, your love for drawing and animation to your brilliant talent for playing the ukulele and flute; you were beyond amazing and a beautiful soul, he couldn't get enough of you

🐾 Sometimes on slow days, in your shared home, the two of you would just read books or write in front of the fire, enjoying the quiet and the peace, enjoying each other's presence; even sometimes trading books with one another and learning new things

🐾 You even joined Hogwarts as the new arts teacher, teaching longside your Remus when he taught DADA, the two of you would eat together at lunch, and Remus was always there if you needed him or vise versa; you two are the perfect match and Remus is so happy he had met you

Gilderoy Lockhart:

💞 You were just minding your own business, thinking and daydreaming in your mind as your walked through the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley on your way to your favorite book shop when you noticed that a certain author was present inside

💞 Gilderoy Lockhart was someone you had heard of before, even reading one of his books before you got slightly annoyed by his self-obsessing, egocentric, and narcissistic self-promotion; so finding him self-promoting in the book store you were entering was a bit... Eh

💞 But, you were a kind and understanding soul, maybe Gilderoy's actions and behavior was because of something from his past or someone had said something to him that had made him be so self-centered; so you kept an open mind about the man, and went on your merry way inside to find the newest edition of your favorite book series

💞 What you didn't know what that Gilderoy had noticed you enter, and was star-struck, captivated by you as you walked by to the point he didn't even call you out to try and get you get buy his new book; he didn't even offer you an autograph; star-struck he was

💞 As you were leaving the bookstore, having purchased your new books, you were finally stopped by the blondie, (somehow he snapped out of his admiring thoughts of you enough to finally speak to you); that's when he offered you a book of his... For free (how could you pass that up?)

💞 That's when he asked for your name, you awkwardly/hesitantly answering before he autographed the inside cover of the thick book and even a picture of himself for good measure; he even tried his hand at asking if you were free for dinner, and you politely declined before thanking him for the book, and leaving

💞 When you go home, you opened the cover to read the inscription, you cheeks feeling a bit flush when you found that Gilderoy had written a full poem for you, about you even; you had to admit it was a sweet sort of odd gesture, but you didn't really know what to think really

💞 You couldn't stop thinking about the poem that he had written for you, so much that when you were heading back to the bookstore after finishing your new book and in need of another, your brain replayed the poem often; it was also just your luck when he was in the bookstore that day again

💞 What you didn't expect was some random guy screeching at the poor author about how narcissistic he was, and you hated yelling and fights especially when the antagonist was being so mean for really no reason; so you broke up the fight, telling the guy off for just being plain rude and to leave Gilderoy alone; and when I tell you gilderoy had heart eyes, he had heart eyes

💞 Gilderoy thanked you once the man and the small crowd dissipated, finally being honest and somewhat humble when he spoke, and that was when you built up the courage and pushed away the nerves to ask if he wanted to join you for lunch; of course he said yes

Bruce Banner:

👨🏻‍🔬 You were part of the Avengers, having amazing powers and intelligence to match, Steve Rogers actually recruited you for the team after you bumped into the Super Soldier at a museum; you were a bit hesitant at first, but you agreed to join them, at least for a little while

👨🏻‍🔬 But the thought of helping others from aliens and baddies was the real reason you decided to stay at the tower as one of the Avengers; you loved helping others especially from wrongdoers, and with your powers, being able to save others came easily

👨🏻‍🔬 When you weren't out on the field or helping in missions, you were in the lab with Tony and Bruce; from the way you sometimes acted aloof or a bit closed off, some of the Avengers, I won't name who, thought you weren't really that smart; you fooled them when you were able to calculate equations as if it was second nature for you - which shocked them immensely

👨🏻‍🔬 They also found your art skills fascinating, even little Peter Parker asking if you could draw him with eight legs; no matter how odd the request was, you drew it for the kid and he loved it

👨🏻‍🔬 Working in the lab, you dealt with Tony being somewhat of a nuisance and Bruce, being the sweet and shy guy that he was; you slowly bonded with the two of them, moreso Bruce than Tony (though you sarcasticness and mischievousness did clash well with the Iron Man)

👨🏻‍🔬 As said, you grew close to Bruce, finding him to be a loyal and understanding friend; to a point in your friendship though, you began to grow feelings for the man which was a bit nerve-racking to say the least

👨🏻‍🔬 You kept quiet about it, keeping your feelings in your mind as you did your best to pretend everything was alright; at some point Bruce even asked if you were alright, and you said that you were, but you weren't; your mind constantly raced with insecurity

👨🏻‍🔬 Bruce thought felt the same way, he thought you were incredibly smart and charming; even some of your jokes made him laugh, to Tony's dismay

👨🏻‍🔬 Now you two didn't start dating for a long while, thought that didn't stop the two of you from getting coffee together at cafes or some brunch at the diner down the street; you and Bruce spent hours talking about astrology, divination, and even flower language

👨🏻‍🔬 Thought it took a bit of adjusting, understanding, and trust, and in the end the two of you were more than just best friends :)

Steve Harrington:

😎 You went to college for Multimedia Arts a whole state away when you met Steve Harrington, for some reason he had decided to drive to another state just to get away for awhile

😎 You both ran into each other at a diner with your friends, he accidently spilled his drink on you and profusely apologized to you, offering to literally go out and buy you a new shirt or something, he even went out of his way to even give your his jacket to wear; when you tried to give it back to him, he refused, shaking his head, it was yours know

😎 Steve then gave you his number so he could do something to repay you while he was in town, you took it, though you felt a bit unsure at first

😎 Your friends were supportive and even encouraged you to meet up with Steve, thinking that he might be a good match for you, you had the strong urge to prove them wrong... But they were right

😎 You awkwardly called Steve with the support of your friends, and Steve asked if you wanted to go to an art diner, you accepted and you were surprised to see Steve with a clothing bag in his hand, he gave it to you and it was a new shirt; you couldn't help but smile

😎 The two of you ate at the art diner, before wandering the upstairs where you both looked at all the art from people in the community, which inspired you greatly; the two of you even spoke about your interests, it was hard in the beginning but it got better

😎 After three months of meeting up with Steve at diners or parks, he asked you out on a real date, and shyly, you said yes; it was a fun date at an arcade and a nice dinner afterwards

😎 Steve felt nervous around you, all the time, he really, really liked you; he loved how caring, strong, creative, and funny you were, and you liked Steve a lot too, from his sarcasm, bravery, to his hair

😎 When Steve had to leave back to Indiana, you tried to hide your disappointment, but Steve said that he'd call you when he could and he kept his promise, calling you almost every night and when he was busy he always made sure to call at least once or twice a week

😎 You missed him a lot, but both you and Steve had planned to meet each other again during breaks and vacations, and you couldn't wait

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perriwinklesblog · 3 years

Text

I know some people prefer consistent content but I like to take it as it comes and sometimes life happens and other projects need to take priority.

So right now, I consider this to be a mid season break. Techno going into the prison was like the midseason finale for the Dream Prison Arc and Wilbur and Ranboo’s stuff was like their midseason finale and the Red Banquet where the egg was contained, was a midseason finale and alllllllll the mini episodes we’ve had since there are like specials etc.

You know, like how in Dr Who you can go a few years without a solid season but get a special at Christmas and New Year? You know like that.

So like all other programs, stories, videos I watch, I am coming up with ways in which the next bit could go. Some are a bit out there and definitely not happening, others I could see happening.

This is long and pointless and full or errors both grammatically and spelling wise but I had fun thinking of what could happen next. Read if you want.

Dream escapes prison with Technoblades help. A server wide man hunt comes for Dream but unlike his videos he had stolen the spare armour in the prison and so is pretty OP making it easier for him to put distance between his enemies and himself.

Technoblade returns to the artic and him, Phil and Will come to an in pass, a slight disagreement. Philza whilst having sided with Dream before, knows he’s not a good guy. Only used him to help destroy lmanburg for his own morals. It was not because he agreed with Dream. In his eyes, he was using Dream for his own goals. Plus, now he’s seen the aftermath of Dream’s terror on the citizens he realises the man perhaps shouldn’t be set to run entirely free. This slightly goes against Techno’s beliefs but the main issue of tension between them is Technoblade willingly placing himself in danger when he didn’t need too and helping release the man who tortured Tommy and clearly has something going on with Ranboo thats bad.

Wilbur is angry because Techno won’t say where Dream has gone due to an agreement between the two and Technoblade is a man of his word. Wilbur wishes to thank and meet the man who saved him. This also worries Philza because he’s worried he’ll revert back to the man he saw the day he blew up L’Manburg. Over all tension between the three

Niki and Wilbur finally meet and it is as heartbreaking as it is beautifully tragic. Wilbur apologises but misses the mark, misses what hurt her which hurts her more. There’s an explosion with their argument that leaves a stunned silence. Niki asks Wilbur to leave. He does so.

This leads to a Wilbur and Ranboo conversation where Ranboo tries to reason with Wilbur about Niki’s side. Wilbur brushes it off because much like the blue counterpart we all miss, he’s not a fan of the negative emotion. He tries to focus on the business etc and let’s slip that Dream has escaped somehow. Ranboo leaves. Wilbur is confused but distracted by a confrontation with Quackity.

Ranboo then starts his stream and he’s in the fucking panic room and he’s panicking because there are signs so many signs and they don’t make sense. Theres lesson rules, asking about the missing journal and it’s like every issue he’s ever faced is staring right back at him because Ranboo has never really resolved any issue, just pushed and moved on. He’s tried but that usually failed and for a while he’s ignored all the issues and here they are in front of him, all at one. A big volcanic eruption of anxiety and stress, and it ain’t sitting with him.

Dream appears. But is it really him? We never know because after a conflict and a back and fourth about everyone in Ranboo’s life eventually landing on a threat about Michael and Tubbo, he blacks out and the stream ends.

Quackity is livid with everything thats happening, the careful empire he’s building is falling apart and he’s shifting the blame around from person to person. He manipulates everyone around them into believing this is somehow their own fault and that they must make it up to him because he has been nothing but kind and loving to them. He gave them a place, a roof on their head when they had nothing. He misses out the parts where he insulted and or destroyed their homes, but it works and his employee “family” become the main bounty hunters for Dream, with Bad and Ant tagging along since they’re guards.

Now the streams relating to the manhunt displays everyones wants. They’re all doing this wanting something, and whilst it’s to gain Quackity’s favour back they’re all doing that for different reasons. Their motivations are somewhat different even if on the surface they are the same and so on the man hunts, because there will be many, this is slowly picked apart and through that the manipulation of Quackity is revealed and then we see a parrallel between Quackity and previous people in power where they start to get desperate to keep control over the thing they’ve created. Because that’s been one of (not the only) issues with every leader on the server, the control and their feeling of lack of, even if thats not truly the case. But you get these moments between all the characters where they’re trying to outwit one another, trying to figure it out without blatantly saying it. Maybe Foolish does. He’s a bit of a himbo.

Ponk always said he’d leave the door open for Sam and I truly think something happens, whether it be a look in the mirror with one of his guards going too far with someone or a conversation with Quackity where Quackity holds the mirror up to Sam maliciously, that causes him to hit the rock bottom and just break and I want that breakdown in front of Ponk. And I want Ponk not necessarily to give him the second chance off the bat but give him that peace offering, give him that hand to pull him up. I want him to take Sam to Niki and explain to Niki we’ve done bad things in the past, this is a safe haven and I believe Sam needs help and a place he can truly feel safe and for a moment Sam does and this begins his raid to redemption in gaining back the trust of the people in his lives. He becomes Tubbo 2.0 spying on Quackity like Tubbo did for Wilbur, but maybe less... bad.

But what of the Fiances? Wellllll,. With Dream escaping him and George meet in secret. George confesses he doesn’t believe it’s real and for a long time has been struggling with reality. He misses the early days, misses when they’d just have fun. Dream says he was having fun and George says I wasn’t. Dream shows true regret for George but says its too late now, can’t change the past. George agrees. Dream asks him what he’s going to do and he simply replies with “Sleep” Ending stream.

Sapanps stream is a lot more WE ARE GOING ON A DREAM HUNT WE’RE GOING TO CATCH A BIG ONE, I’M NOT SCARED. vibes. He’s gearing up, he’s suiting up and he’s saluting pets on the way. He made a promise and with everything else going on in his life, he’s ready to throw himself into a distraction. He tries to convince George to help him but he waves him off saying, what’s the point? and mumbles something about divine powers and dreams which Sapnap just shakes off. He tries to find Karl in Kinoko but instead comes across Quackity. They have a blow up about how They abandoned each other, both did wrong but neither see the other side of things and eventually he tells him to leave. Quackity says okay, and the place blows up. Foolish cries in the corner. All that heard work but the boss said so. Sapnap ends the whole thing saying at least he’s there for Karl and Quackity pauses and is like why? And Sapnap is all like you care. Just go, you’ve done enough damage, I can’t have you damaging him too. And after a little more but but but between the two, Quackity goes. Sapnap leaves the place to burn, going to find Dream and hopefully Karl on the way.

Karls in space. That’s where his latest travels have taken him and where the other side decided was his time to visit. Here I see a Wizard in Oz scenario where solutions to some issues will be revealed for Karl in relation to the other side. When it comes to his Dream SMP stuff, he starts confusing names and people more and Sapnap is worried about him, considering keeping him in a safe place. The only place that survived was the library with Karls books. Karl says he’ll stay there. Thats where the answers are anyway. Sapnap is unsure and gets bad vibes but is distracted by a lead on Dream and agrees, he tells him he’ll be back soon.

They don’t see each other for a long ass time

I’m not sure on the egg stuff but I do feel Niki and Puffy should have a conversation about all the shit thats happened and Puffy trying to help Niki and vice versa. I feel like Puffy should reach out to Foolish and try and comprehend what the fuck is he doing with Quackity. They have a little argument but it comes to a point where Puffy realises she cannot shield Foolish from harm and that her son ,just make his own decisions. All she can do is guide him where she can and hope that when it comes down to it he will make the right choice. She hopes she didn’t fail this dependant like she did with Dream her duckling. Though only she sees it as failure.

Jack and Niki finally talk. She goes searching for some things and comes to his new place, he tells her to fuck off and that he doesn’t need anyone. They all abandon him. Niki pretty much does the verbal equivalent of slap some sense into him as she and him discuss how he is not the centre of everything, how he is not the sun. She was hurting, and he didn’t bother, no instead they just fed off each others anger and once he couldn’t feed of her or anyone else he isolated himself. She tries to convince him there are better things in life, there are better ways to place your energy etc. A lot of healing talk with Jack being stubborn. Eventually Jack finds himself at the door of Quackity after sticking to stubbornness, not quite ready to heal and he becomes the next member of Las Nevadas. A big blow to Wilbur too.

They finally destroy the egg with magic. I dunno how but either destroy or hatch. Either or would be great. Red comes out the thing and I want a gay ass villain please. Bring it Red. Let’s go. Invite him to the server, bring the fire, bring the plant power Red. He can be the villain that unites everyone in a begrudging way. Like they all hate each other but fine i guess we’ll team to stop Red and Ant.

Skeppy’s dead.

Tubbo and Ranboo have a fight but Ranboo says “Weren’t we enough?” and it’s in relation to him and Michael (this happens before panic room). Thats when Tubbo realises where the wires got crossed and he immediately rectifies it but explaining he’s happy with the two of them but he wanted a job, something to work towards. Family wise he’s got it all, he’s content with it all but he wanted a project and one that didn’t incite violence. Fun rivalry sure, but he’s done with violence, he’s doesn’t want to add to the nightmares he already has. He wants competition but not one that will put all he loves in danger. So they talk it out and Ranboo feels more confident and Tubbo asks him to tell him if he ever takes anything too far because he can get a little carried away sometimes. Ranboo agrees and then they have a cute playdate with Michael. Then Ranboo does the thing with Wilbur and ends up in panic room.

Tommy and Tubbo discuss everything and lay it all out on the table because Tommy doesn’t want to be on the other side again with Tubbo. Tubbo doesn’t understand why everyone is making such a big deal about his burger business and Tommy tries to explain the issues with Quackity and the level of intensity he’s seen with Wilbur but Tubbo just laughs it off. They eventually talk about Ranboo and Tommy relents saying he likes Ranboo although he does sometimes get jealous of how Tubbo seems to have it all. Tubbo tells Tommy of his nightmares and so does Tommy to Tubbo. They come to an understanding with each other and understand that no matter how long they go apart, there is always a space shaped to fit them perfectly in their lives for them. Tubbo and Tommy then go play some pranks.

Wilbur is unhappy with the pranks and gives a lecture and they get into a fight. This leads to Wilbur talking man to man to Quackity. Theres some weird sexual tension. Once again they’re trying to outwit one another. That when we get to the crazy stuff.

And here’s where I get crazy with my stuff.

Ponk is digging in his lil cave when he accidentally breaks through to a random room buried deep underground. Tommy’s there trying to scam him out of something he has. Tubbo and Ranboo too. When they get to this room Ranboo thinking it’s the panic one and freaks out, but the others calm him down. Ponk thinking theres diamonds in the room storms ahead setting off some traps but surviving. Tubbo opens one of the chests and just says theres a bucket in there. Ponk pulls it out and says it has a named fish in it.

You see where I’m going.

They empty the bucket whilst asking what the fish is called. They are interrupted by a voice. It’s Sally.

Dream had captured her and bound her to a bucket and put her in the chest and hid her from Wilbur.

She has been released. She freaks out over how much time has past because for her nothing has changed at all. She thought it might have been a couple of hours or something since Dream pulled that prank on her but clearly not.

They all catch up and the season ends with Sally and Wilbur meeting in front of Quackity, Dream in the shadows and Sally and Wilbur turning to see Fundy who just freaks the fuck out.

Oh and just a side, Callahan is the last member of the syndicate and God of the server and is having fun playing with the mortals.

And then I have the next season planned out and how I’d end the whole thing but like until then. This is it. Mid Season to finale. How I picture things happening.

None of this will happen but isn’t it fun to imagine?

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loliwrites · 3 years

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Hello, Loli! So, Alex ironically/jokingly calling Addi "angel" because for some reason she's acting like a lil tasmanian devil (maybe it's nerves because she's trying to get a new project approved or some other reason), but she gets accidentally horny? Is it a big "oh, what do I do now?" moment for him or a "oh, I wasn't expecting that, but let's do this" moment?

Oh ho ho, Non. You cheeky little devil. I'm all here for this. Sign me up. Consider me RSVP'd to this party. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not so sure this is "accidental horny". And I think Alex knows exactly what to do when this little scenario happens.

The one thing that gets our girl going more than the solid, good, loving ✨vibes✨ in her relationship, is absolutely dominating in her professional life. For a good, long while her career is what defined her (at least in her eyes). She worked tirelessly to reap the benefits of a successful career, and so now that she regularly sees the product of that hard work, she has these moments of feeling on top of the world. I also think it's exactly as you pointed out -- Alex doesn't ever really expect these moments, but he's never shocked or confused when they arise. He knows all the twists and turns of his little slugger's psyche.

Maybe he beat her home that night... which, for days when he was on set, was pretty unusual. His days ran long and in his job, he didn't get to dictate his schedule. That alone gives him enough of a clue that her day has either gone catastrophically wrong or earth-shatteringly good. And there's no in-between. He hears the front door close, and it wasn't a brutal slam -- another good indication that she'll be riding a high.

His back's to her, busy cooking up dinner, when she enters the kitchen. With a quick motion to sling her purse over a chair-back, she's on him in a hot second. Arms snaking around his torso and down past his hips. Fingers pushing their way beneath the waistband of his sweatpants and wrapping firmly around his manhood. He knows she can feel him throbbing in her hands already and instead of pulling back to let him off the hook temporarily, she tightens her grip ever-so-gently and starts stroking him.

"That good, eh, slugger?"

She smiles and presses her face against his bare back, "you're in the hands of the writer and EP of Universal's newest film of the Western genre revival."

Alex sets down the knife he'd been using and twists in her arms, practically forcing her to release him so he can do so. "That is good," he bends forward and kisses her gently. "Proud of you, sweetheart,"

At some point she'll take this praise and earnestly hear it. But not tonight. Not when she's vibing and feeling on top of the world. Not when all she wants is to throw her man made of pure Swedish muscle down and ride him half to death.

Addi wastes no time in reaching back into his pants and taking a handful of his length in her palm, softly tugging at him while that handful grows less significant the harder he gets. She raises onto her tip toes and nibbles on his neck, "I want to fuck tonight."

And that's the moment Alex truly know what he's in for. While she's not one to shy away from profanities in everyday life, she rarely, if ever, refers to sex as anything other than sex. So this, and the stroking that's gaining in speed and fervor... clear indication that he's in for a wild time and has very little say in the matter. She's the one with the power tonight.

She absolutely rides him within an inch of his life, doesn't she? 🥲 Throws him back to the bed, straddles him, and keeps him in that position until he's literally begging her to give him a second. To let him gather himself and calm down so he doesn't inadvertently cut their night short. But of course she's stubborn (and not inclined to cut him any slack), so she doesn't give him a moment to breathe. Just keeps riding him and spurring him on until he busts inside of her, body twitching as his climax becomes the catalyst for hers. And at that point he thinks he's done it; he's survived (in the most pleasurable way possible) the night. She used his body in the most spectacular of ways, and he lived to see it through. Only she's absolutely not done. Definitely takes him again, right? To the point that she's still on top of him, but knowing the poor guy needs a few minutes for his body to be ready for action again, she grabs her vibrator and keeps herself occupied. He knows right away what the goal is and by God, it's going to work.

After round two, she has every intention of going again. Alex can tell by the look in her eyes that she's looking to go for some sort of sex marathon. A record. Look, he really does want to give her whatever she wants tonight. He's enjoying the hell out of himself and is more than happy to let her have her way with him. It doesn't happen all that often. But he also spent a long day at work; that followed four previous long days at work. His body is spent, even more-so now. Alex is convinced that the only reason she stopped at all was because his body physically stopped responding. When she could no longer get a rise out of him (literally), she slides herself off of him and starts up on the aftercare routine that he usually performs. Warm washcloth to clean him up, some water, a snack, and a whole lot of cuddles before he knocks the fuck out.

#alexander skarsard imagine #alexander skarsgard drabble #alex skarsgard #asked #anonymous #naughty al #more alex and addi #boss babe

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linkspooky · 3 years

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Do you have any thoughts on how Maki will develop technique and character wise later on in the series do you think she’ll see Toji and take it has inspiration and free herself from the Zen’in or will she start to lean on others and deviate from her I’ll be strong on my own mentality

Toji is set up as a bar Maki is meant to surpass in both aspects. Toji forced himself to choose between family and his pride and regretted his choice. However, in a sense he also really didn’t choose either. He kept wavering between them. He wanted to become the strongest and cut his ties to everybody, but he still loved his son Megumi. He loved Megumi, but was unwilling to let go of his pride so he chose to neglect his responsibility as a father and push Megumi as far away from himself. Rather than choosing wrong, Toji chose indecisively, he was out of balance - he couldn’t choose one until the literal end of the line.

Which is why, Maki’s character isn’t about choosing one over the other, but finding a balance between the two. I’ll explain more under the cut.

1. Maki and Nobara are Blind

Every character in Jujutsu Kaisen has a flawed viewpoint, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Rather, I prefer to think of them as “out of balance.’ Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t about black and white ideas of right or wrong but rather a multitude of different perspectives. Selfishness isn’t bad, selflessness isn’t always good. Good intentions don’t lead to good results, sometimes bad intentions can help people.

Rather than completely changing or flipping their views, because often the views that characters are hold isn’t necessarily wrong it’s much more likely they’ll be pushed to reconcile their views with the views of the other people around them. For a quick example, at the beginning of the manga, Yuji wants to save everyone, Megumi wants to seflishly choose who to save, rather than saying one or the other is wrong when Yuji hears Megumi explain himself he says that Megumi clearly put a lot of thought behind his beliefs. Rather than one of them winning over the other they come to an understanding.

So, I think with that logic as the reason Maki will actually choose both, to free herself from the Zen’in, and also to lean on others more.

Maki’s primary character flaw comes not from really being wrong, but a lack of understnading. She doesn’t really want to integrate the viewpoints of other people into her own views.

Which makes absolute sense if you think about it, Maki is the scapegoat child of the Zen’in. She went through the same abuse Toji did, which was having everyone constantly look down at her. She was treated as a servant and an inferior to her own twin sister. It’s likely she responded the exact same way Toji did, by shutting everyone else, all their hurtful words out. Toji dealt with it by rejecting everything, both himself, and others.

That’s why in comparison to Maki who is still struggling against the Zen’in family, and still has her life very much defined by her want to be better than them, and prove them wrong, Toji is aclled “the one who is free.”

Toji’s way of coping is what Maki wants to do, which is to shut everything out and pretend she doesn’t care about anything. Only focusing on getting stronger. Maki has intenalized an unhealthy idea of what getting stronger is: not showing any weakness. Of course she has, that’s what the Zen’in household has forced into her head her entire life. Even if she escapes from the house she’s still affected by it. So then, here’s where the foiling with Nobara comes in, they both have the same tendency to shut others out, and they both tend to be blind. Nobara loses an eye, Maki is always wearing glasses.

There’s a reason the fight in the Kyoto tournament ended up being Maki and Nobara vs. Mai and Momo.

Mai is the opposite of Maki, that Maki does not want to confront. Someone who cares about family more than being a strong willed individual. Someone who admits that she wants to cling to otherse.

Momo is the opposite of Nobara that Nobara does not want to confront. Someone who is much more open about how she cares about her friends. Nobara rejects the ideas of her friends, Momo indulges them to the point where she sort of enables their bad behavior and lashing out (but that’s a different meta).

Momo is much more open about how much she cares about her classmates, (Nobara cares she’s just guarded about it) and the Kyoto group is as a whole much closer together even though they’re labeled as “weak” by mechamaru.

Maki sees this dependance on others as a weakness. She still does. My best guess is her development since volume zero is that she’s come around to Gojo’s line of thinking that she wants strong comrades to fight alongside her, but she still doesn’t want to expose her weakness in front of somebody else. I don’t think Maki could ever openly cry in front of others the way Miwa can for example.

Mai and Maki are two opposite extremes that need to be reconciled, Maki is independent, and Mai too codependent on her sister. We see the effects of Mai’s lashing out, but also I think it’s just important to understand the reasoning for Mai’s lashing out, Maki doesn’t really understand her own sister, what she’s going through, or how she feels.

It’s even in the flashback. We see Maki bravely walking past the curse, and Mai timid and afraid of it. However, the difference is Mai can see the scary curse in front of her, and Maki can’t. So of course it’s easier for Maki to charge fully ahead.

Maki wears glasses all the time. Her vision in impaired. She can’t see cursed spirits without them. Symbolically, Maki is blind the same way Nobara is. There’s even more parallels in their backstories, they both come from environments where they had to shut everyone else out because they never really wanted to be at home. For some reason or another, they never feel home at the place that was supposed to be their home.

They both live in complete rejection of the place they come from, while at the same time sort of being defined by it. Maki is still very much tied to the Zen’in clan, and Nobara is closeminded in her own way like the rest of the closeminded villagers she hated. Your environment effects who you are whether you want it to or not. They also think having left their own homes, they can’t really find any home anywhere else, except for within themselves. Which is why they don’t let people in.

Which is also why we see the same consequences for Nobara and Maki they are, they keep getting blindsided. Nobara’s consequences come from not listening to people who have her best interest at heart: Nanami telling her to stay behind. As a result of not listening to him, she loses her eye in the fight against Mahito (symbolism).

Maki tries to do what she always does which is prove that she’s stronger than the anyone else in the Zen’in household, only for this to fail. Maki not only doesn’t contribute much to the fight, she actively gets in the way, and has to be saved by Naobito, somebody she hates.

Every strategy that Maki has used before, her determination, her stubbornness, her refusal to backdown, starts to fail in the fight against Dagon, and then Toji shows up and makes things worse (the thing he’s best at).

Not only does Maki lose to Naobito, the head of the Zen’in family, she also loses to Toji, the reject of the Zen’in family. Playful cloud, the cursed tool that Geto used to beat Maki up all the way back in volume zero something she hasn’t recovered from yet, not only kind of rejected her, but is used way better than Toji. Pure and solid power, for this reason it’s strength, depends on the wielder’s strength.

Maki is basically getting called weak by everyone around her, Naobito, Toji, even Playful Cloud which she couldn’t use to the best of her ability. But that’s not a bad thing. Realizing your weakness is a much better way to get stronger than just ignoring your weakness. Look at the symbolism as well, when she’s humiliated by Nabito her eye narrows, when she sees Toji her eye widens.

So, in effect this arc has presented Maki with the two options she has to go forward.

Return to the Zen’in Family as she originally planned. Abandon everything for the sake of strength and her personal pride.

Only to show her that she’s too weak currently to accomplish either. She can’t be Toji, and she can’t be Naobito. However, Maki has an option that neither Naobito nor Toji has. She has her sister. She has Nobara. She has the rest of the students at Jujutsu Academy. If Maki lets these people in, they can open her eyes, and show her that both are a possibility to her. She can be both strong as an individual, and still have a family to lean on, and lean on others.

Her sister is someone she needs to reconcile with not win against. She’s not going to be Naobito or Toji, she’s going to be better than them both.

#1-percentbettereveryday #jjk meta #metasks #maki zenin #fushigoro toji #nobara kugisaki #zenin maki #kugisaki nobara #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen meta #jujutsu kaisen theory #jujutsu kaisen analysis #meta

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electricbluebutterflies · 3 years

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Nina/Mattias + fight sex but they’re idly bickering about something that doesn’t matter very much

Canon-divergent / the little adventure up in frozen hell took long enough for this dynamic to develop (because what even is a timeline and I have no clue how long it actually was on the show). Also, for plot purposes and context, this does make use of my belief that everyone is just SLIGHTLY aged up on the show and in my head most of the main lineup is 20ish. Oh, and first time writing these babes so fingers crossed I got characterization okay. Obviously NSFWish ahead, a little more graphic than I’ve written in a while and also involves a First Time...

He’s keeping the third blanket from her.

It is, objectively, the most petty Nina has felt since the whole almost-dying thing happened, maybe even since the getting-captured bit. Trying to get under his skin, trying to handle the daily shifting of their dynamic, has been almost as exhausting as trying to stay alive. Which in itself is enough of a challenge, because somehow they are lost and whenever Nina gets back to civilization she is going to have so many comments about Druskelle navigational instincts or the apparent total lack thereof. So. Many. Comments. The moment she has a possibly appreciative audience, because she is not wasting her breath on that here right now and-

At least tonight they’re in some kind of fishing shack again, clear space to build a fire and a pile of blankets of various questionable quality. There have been nights they haven’t been so lucky. She’s saving her energy for where it matters. But on the other hand, she is a delicate fragile creature who has made a point of avoiding this sort of climate, and…

Mathias still has the third blanket, and the fire is going well enough that they objectively can stay on opposite sides of this space, and Nina decides it’s time to change the game.

He’s pretty, okay? He’s annoying and stubborn and honestly at this point him technically being The Enemy is relatively low on the list of reasons he’s stomping on her every last nerve, but the man has two things in his favor – he’s loyal, and he is very nice to look at. Nina does not historically have the attention span when it comes to that level of pretty, but this one has decided to make it difficult for her. Like, he can say up and down that he does not want her, but they’ve shared a sleep-space – “bed” is too nice a word for most of those situations – for a week or so and she doesn’t need words, she knows what she wakes up to.

And she knows how damn respectful he is, she thinks as she starts undoing her vest buttons. This outfit, while very cute two weeks ago before her entire life took a very undesired detour, was not made for seduction. But if she does it slow enough, she hopes she won’t set him off. The other time she had to deal with that element of things, he was polite and turned his back even though she didn’t ask him to, and she assumes the same will happen here and she’ll get nowhere and-

Okay, fine, it’s not like taking off her vest reveals anything outright explicit. The current light makes her shirt a little more see-through than it’s meant to be, but still. She is about as decent as she ever gets.

“What are you doing?” he asks, tone about as calm as she’s ever heard him.

“You do not need two blankets,” Nina counters. “I want.”

And oh does that phrase cover more than his little Fjerdan mind has probably ever thought of. All those comments he’s made about assuming she’s trying to seduce him? Yeah, hasn’t been the main goal yet but she’s thought about it. Seeing what she could do to him – she does not expect he’d take any initiative there, highly doubts he’s ever even kissed anyone – would not be the worst way to spend an evening. So, that’s part of the plan now. Make him squirm, get on top of him, and take her prize. Should be easy.

As if to prove her point, she starts loosening the laces of her shirt just enough to easily take it off. She hadn’t bothered to wear anything under it, another brilliant idea proving that two-weeks-ago Nina had questionable judgment in all things, and it is all too easy to push it up over her shoulders and off her arms and…

He’s still watching. He looks wide-eyed and possibly concussed, but he’s still watching.

If Nina were a different sort of person, and probably also if she had gotten laid within the past six months (for the record it has been eight and that cute little bartender with the long nails was a way better lover than she was an informant), she would cross her arms over her breasts and stop here and wait for whatever protective instincts Mathias has to kick in. Even given what she’s just done, she looks vulnerable and cute enough to wake him up like that, and-

“What are you doing?” he asks again, this time more hostile. Good. When he’s frustrated his voice gets all growly, and that does things to her, and-

“Can we get this over with?”

“This?”

“The part where we have questionable hatesex that I will forget ever happened within the next year and you will remember for the rest of your life because whatever little creature gets stuck with you someday will not fuck you like I want to.”

For a moment, she’s pretty sure she broke him. This is definitely not about the blanket anymore, and-

“I. Don’t. Hate. You.”

Nina laughs. “Yeah well you are deeper in denial than anybody I’ve ever met. I am everything that scares you and you are stuck with me and I’m not sure which part of your code I do not violate but I am sure you would’ve-”

“You saved my life. I owe you everything.”

“Cute. Obligation. Great reason to put up with someone but still do everything you can to drag your feet about it.”

“Why do you… want me?” He sounds all hesitant, and good grief has nobody ever told this man what he looks like? Or do all of his people look that good at that age… that’s plausible enough…

“Limited options right now. It’s you or my hand and you’re warmer.”

She is not sure what she’s expecting beyond not what he actually does.

Fine, so she’s been good and hasn’t looked more than she had to when he’s been in a state of undress. Watching him strip right now, layers of leathers and furs that are apparently frightfully easy to take off, is different. He is wanting her to watch, keeping his eyes on her the whole time until he is completely naked in front of her and… she can’t help licking her lips, he is pretty and she wants all of that all over her. Now.

“This or your hand,” he repeats in a way that suggests that at least she probably won’t have to explain the general patterns of female masturbation to him. “Make your choice.”

She about tackles him.

He’s built like a damn tree, Nina reminds herself in the process. Solid enough to handle her attempt at literally jumping him, which doesn’t exactly work but does throw off his balance for a moment, and she gets him pulled down for a bitey kiss. He has just a little bit of scruff now and she’d wanna see what that feels like between her legs but also she is pretty sure Fjerdan men do not do that and she doesn’t want to completely wreck him in one go, and while she still suspects all of this is new to him, he has good instincts.

Her skirt and underwear are feeling like too much of an undesired obstacle, so she undoes them with her free hand while trying to stick her tongue down his throat. So she’s a little aggressive, whatever, he’s clearly into it and nobody gets hurt by it.

“What do you need me to do,” he breathes, and oh he can admit being clueless, this is a treasure, this is-

She grabs his wrist and puts his hand between her thighs. “Poke around until you like the noises I’m making.”

Mathias has good hands. She’s known this for several days now, but it is a different thing to know it with one of said hands exploring her soft parts. She feels a fingertip inside her then quickly pulled back, another batting her clit back and forth with uncertainty. Then the finger inside her is back, and she knows how wet she is, and-

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmurs.

“That’s why I’m leading. I’m not giving you the chance.”

But he couldn’t hurt her like this, she thinks. Not with his hands prepping her and a second finger up inside her and accidentally finding her sensitive spot, not with his prick hard against her belly, not with his mouth taking kisses as he learns what he likes. There is something inherently good in him and she worries for a moment that what they are about to do will break it, and yet-

“Get on your back,” she orders. Easier for both of them if she leads, she reminds herself.

He does without any complaint, and she takes a moment to enjoy the view. The solidness of him, for the next few minutes all hers. Would any of the girls he might get stuck with back home be able to handle this? And the way he’s looking up at her, a scared but willing participant in whatever she decides to do. Maybe he’s right. Maybe hatesex is the wrong word.

She straddles him, knees around his hips, and drops.

Blame the dry spell. Blame the absolute weirdness of the situation. Blame the fact that she is tired and hungry and cold. None of that matters. He feels good inside her and she makes a noise she cannot describe and-

“Am I…?”

“No. Feels good.”

She rolls her hips against his to prove a point, works him even deeper into her and leans down for more kisses. She can taste the shock and the innocence of him. This isn’t how he thought his first time would go, she is sure of it now, and yet he is allowing her and-

His hips jerk up and she makes a shocked little noise. “Do that again.”

He does, and she continues her pattern, and… it’s good, on her side. Not the best sex she’s ever had, but his hesitance is useful enough. She doesn’t trust him to say if he’s getting close, so she stays focused on his face, looking for signs, looking for-

She shifts her angle just a little bit, his prick hits the right spot inside her harder than she expects, and she shatters.

As she comes down, she sees that his expression has turned to something worse, scared and worried and unable to speak. He’s still hard inside her, at least, but he is motionless and cold and she doesn’t-

“Did I hurt you?”

Nina laughs. She shouldn’t, this is a legitimately valid question, but-

“No. What you just did felt amazing. Your turn.”

She resumes rolling her hips against his to indicate the conversation is over and she does not want to explain herself, and a few clenches of her inner walls later he spills inside her. It’s a beautiful thing to experience, the sudden warmth overlapping with the strangled gasp of surprise and-

“You know this means I have to marry you,” he says when he’s capable of coherent thought. “If there’s any chance…”

She shifts position so their bodies are no longer connected. “No. It doesn’t.”

“But I…”

“We’re too different,” she murmurs. “You know that. There’s nowhere safe. If anything… if the worst happens, I’ll lie.”

“Honor is honor. If there is even a chance-“

And oh, for a moment she wants it too. For a moment, she lets herself think about the impossibility of being all that she could be, both Grisha and wife, not forced to choose between her complexities. Unrealistic, she knows, a flighty daydream at best but she wants all the same.

“Nothing to worry about. My last cycle finished three days before your people tried to kill me, so… right now I can’t get pregnant.”

“Still. If it happened… I would stand by you.”

She kisses his face, covers the angles of him in wet kisses. “Good to know.”

#pixievixen #helnik #nina x mathias #ebf writes fic

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entropictome · 3 years

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Holiday Hot Pot

S:Final Fantasy XIV No plot or purpose. Just one man, his friends, family, his overwhelming grief and their very late Starlight. [mentioned non-WoL OCxThancred] 5754 words [ More FFXIV Content ]

“You look like shit.”

Moth’ir was missing his characteristic shades so all four occupants could clearly see the viera’s tactless comment send his eyes rolling. Five if the infant in his arms wasn’t soundly asleep. His comeback was snappy as always. “Thanks, kid. Thought I’d take a page from your book for a change.”

The Burn’s reaction was immediate. His rage coiled in his arms as he quickly changed stance. Ever one to turn to violence before reason. His voice rose as he started “,Why are you always-”

The rest was swallowed by a mitten plopped against his mouth. His smaller─but no less dangerous─companion shot him a long suffering look. Keeping The Burn’s temper under control was like trying to keep a lit match from igniting firedamp in a coal mine. Most folks had no hope but to abandon the mission to begin with. Ibuki was the sole exception. Though she could give him a good and proper dressing-down, it didn’t take much besides a sigh and disappointed look to upend his rampage before it started.

The anger didn’t go away, it just receded, but it allowed the pale and dark scaled auri to turn their attention back to their long missing friend. The three gathered around him with varying levels of interest. Leaving Havhen to flail helplessly as their presence was quickly forgotten in that of Moth’ir’s. Whom was obviously the more respected between the two when it came to their present company.

“You’ve been gone for months without word! We were really worried!” Ibuki stated, nearly whining with the intensity of her sincerity.

“We would have come sooner but there were a lot of things to take care of,” the Xaela man spoke apologetically. “There were so many festivals and trying to keep the bar staffed with so many people wanting days off and of course the Basement-”

Ibuki elbowed her much taller compatriot and cut his further worrying off by enthusing “,but Bukidai has dealt with all of it marvelously well so you don’t need to worry.”

“Oh?” Moth’ir looked at the Xaela with an appraising look. Though, paired with an easy grin, it was unlikely he was being serious. “Food baskets?”

“All delivered as of yesterday,” Bukidai, who was serious, assured him. “Thanks to our volunteers.”

“Volunteers is it? Did Mr. Auberdine show up?” Moth’ir asked and chuckled lightly when he saw Bukidai’s surprise.

“Ah, yes. Though we had to ask him to leave-”

“Because he was trying to convince everyone that volunteers deserved two baskets for their trouble.” Moth’ir interrupted, leaving Bukidai startled once again. “Did that every year. A few others too. Reason why I started delivering them my own damn self if I’m honest.”

“Every year?” Bukidai’s horror was indication enough that Mr. Auberdine had thrown one of his characteristic fits before he allowed himself to be let go.

“Grew up as a wealthy merchant’s son and then his family landed themselves in dire straights with bad investments,” Moth’ir shrugged. He was sympathetic but the sympathy was for Booker, not the man. “He’s remarkably less worse than he was but he’s never quite gotten over the idea he deserves more than everyone else.”

Bukidai sighed and shook his head. “Regardless, I think we can make do with our other volunteers if they want to pitch in again.”

“If you say so,” Moth’ir said dubiously. Bukidai held unto hope for dear life but Moth’ir had been divested of that a long long time ago. “Take care with old U’leh. Greying Miqo’te lady, very unassuming. She likes to troll through some of the donated items in Spring and Autumn for cakes to raffle off at her little charity parties.”

“She raffles off donated cakes?” Bukidai was aghast then pulled himself off the topic for another. “Spring is an awful long time away. Aren’t you coming back?”

“If you need to break out, we’ve got you,” Ibuki rose her sweater’s sleeve so she might flex her otherwise deceptively pudgy arm. Havhen─who had been watching their interaction with keen interest and was not familiar with Ibuki’s playful personality─shot Moth’ir an alarmed look over her shoulder.

“Contrary to whatever belief you might have, I am here of my own free will,” Moth’ir stated firm enough that they knew he meant it. He had certainly come of his own accord anyway. Staying was less than thrilling since he didn’t much care for the sole physician in this strange hospital. Divulging why was far more personal than he was comfortable sharing but he did add a “More or less.”

“More or less?” The Burn attention had been momentarily bought by the possibility of fighting.

Moth’ir gave him a stern look “,I’m staying.”

It was the right thing to do. More than that, it was where Thancred had left him. Left them. The four of them descended into an awkward silence. None of whom seemed particularly thrilled with the prospect.

Ibuki, hopping from one foot to the next, tried her best to break the quiet. “Is the baby yours? Bukidai said you left because you were feeling sick and had suspected but we didn’t know for sure.”

“Ibuki!” Bukidai chastised her.

Moth’ir gave him a solid kick to the shin. Which might have actually hurt had he been wearing anything but his slippers. He gasped and proclaimed with played up scandalization “What a gossip!”

Havhen was likely the only one of them who noticed the slight hissing. Something which indicated an actual irritation from Moth’ir he hid by dramatizing it.

“Is it a boy or girl?” Ibuki asked before throwing her arms up and blithely gesturing “,you know, for now.”

It was a joke that three of them understood better than the other two. Though she wasn’t aware of Havhen’s case. She had quite nearly forgotten they were there at all. Which was more or less in their favor as they were busy taking mental notes. Specifically on Moth’ir’s face after Ibuki asked her question. Moth’ir had settled into fatherhood like a round peg in a square hole. He’d fallen in but the corners weren’t right. Fairly typical of new parents but he’d taken his ineptitude as immediate failure and the guilt had landed him here in Havhen’s care. He’d only just been able to acknowledge his daughter directly at all.

Moth’ir visibly braced himself before muttering “,it’s uh... she.”

“She’s so cute! Can I hold her?” Ibuki thrust her arms out exuberantly. Either not noticing the stumble or too polite to point it out. Moth’ir handed her over mayhaps a bit too eagerly but the fact he’d been carrying her without needing to was progress. Havhen made a note of it.

Holding a baby was something Ibuki had enough experience in that she hadn’t needed coaching. Utterly doting, she looked fairly natural cooing down at the fussy bundle who had begun to stir due to the commotion and movement. Moth’ir struggled not to look miserable watching the pair, ears flattened against his head. Grief that went unnoticed now that all attention was on the baby.

“What’s her name?” Bukidai asked pleasantly.

“Doesn’t have one.” Moth’ir said flatly. Bukidai looked to him with confusion but Moth’ir waved him off and continued. “Her dad thought I should name her but I’ve been preoccupied and just... haven’t.”

Havhen distinctly remembered the white haired hyur had mentioned he’d wanted Moth’ir to name her because it might help them bond. And something about having already named two girls but that hadn’t been meant for Havhen’s ears. The concern of Moth’ir’s friends weren’t at all alleviated by the explanation but Bukidai had enough sense to recognize Moth’ir’s agitation. He simply nodded and smiled, if a bit awkwardly. “I’m sure it will come to you soon.”

Moth’ir brushed him off, glanced over at the window and the dwindling light outside. Whatever he’d wanted to see there caused him to sigh. He postulated “,You three didn’t really have a plan once you got here, did you?”

Said three exchanged glances that said they hadn’t and then all four heads turned to Havhen. The physician shook their head and crossed their arms in front of them. “Absolutely, not! This is a mental care facility! Not an inn!”

“It’s not like you’ve got any other patients and there’s not exactly a line waiting,” Moth’ir stated sternly.

“Nevertheless there are professional standards I have to adhere to,” Haven pushed back with just as much authority.

“It’s a madhouse,” Moth’ir exclaimed incredulously “,You’re already a joke and a half!”

“Not a madhouse!” Haven corrected him with a great deal of passion. “Those facilities garner their reputation by focusing on containment and are as like to cause as much─if not more─damage to their patients had they just left them alone. This facility is for study and treatment with the intent of rehabilitation.”

Havhen was a generally genial person but this was a subject they were particularly staunch on. Moth’ir, on the other hand, was just normally stubborn and exceedingly opinionated. Where the standoff would go was any one’s guess but it wasn’t likely to be clean. With that in mind, Ibuki interjected “,that’s actually quite fascinating! I’d love to get an interview with you on the subject for an article. Mor Dhona isn’t that far from Ul’dah, I’m sure some of my readers would love to know more.”

“You’re a reporter?” Havhen asked, scrutinizing the pastel garbed auri woman closer. “Publicity would be nice but your ilk are so fond of twisting things on their head for greater attention.”

“Well, you’re in luck because miss Bunji is far more partial toward fluff pieces,” Bukidai noted with a fair bit of amusement.

“Oh! I’m so tired of writing hard hitting news! Everyone is so wary of talking to me now but I don’t mean to find bad things! I’m just very good at tripping into them,” her sudden outburst sounded surprisingly sincere considering it’s absurdity. It had also upset the baby who she quickly went about soothing. “Oh! I’m so sorry, dear thing. It’s okay! Nothing’s wrong! You’re not running a money laundering business out of here are you?”

The last question was aimed at Havhen who simply held their hands up defensively. “If I was I wouldn’t be struggling to make rent.”

“You’d be surprised,” Ibuki sighed as she gently rocked the baby back to complacency.

Havhen considered the three newcomers and nodded approvingly. “Alright. You can stay for a short while.”

There was a short lived celebratory movement before Havhen added: “Under the condition you do chores around the building and submit yourselves for an interview of my own.”

Moth’ir balked. “Nevermind, everyone can go sleep outside.”

Havhen crossed his arms and said firmly “,if she’s going to write about my organization she might as well get the best understanding of what I’m trying to do.”

“I think we can handle some housework and questions,” Bukidai offered, trying to hearten Moth’ir whose grimace only deepened in return.

Moth’ir threw his hands up and shook his head but went to his next order of business “,Regardless, your kitchen stock is atrocious. Scribbles, go out and see what food stuffs you can pick up for tonight. It’s Starlight and almost sundown so don’t expect a lot.”

“You can count on me!” Ibuki chirped despite his sentiment and snapped off a salute unfamiliar to Havhen.

“You,” he pointed at The Burn “,there’s some weird creatures out of town. Ask around the adventurers, see what all is edible and how, kill it and bring the proper bits back.”

The Burn grinned and smacked his fists together. “I can do that.”

“As long as you can ask politely and don’t pick a fight,” Ibuki said to him as more of a warning than anything else.

“You’re with me in the kitchen,” Moth’ir nodded toward Bukidai “,let’s prep and you can see if you have any more ideas about what we have on hand than I.”

“And me?” Havhen pointed at themself.

“You’re on baby duty.” Moth’ir gestured dramatically toward his daughter, still in Ibuki’s arms who passed her off to them.

“Alright kids, we have a short amount of time and very little to work with. Let’s move,” Moth’ir gestured and his people went to do as they were asked.

Havhen and the child watched them all scatter. Before today Moth’ir had been antagonistic and withdrawn around them. This commanding man and the willingness of his peers to follow his direction was bemusing. Both attitudes were entirely alien from the way he had been with his beau. At least when he didn’t think Havhen was looking. Assuming different personae to suit different groups was normal enough but, when all was said and done, some of Moth’ir’s faces would likely have to die to save the host.

“It should be an interesting night for us, I think.” They cooed gently to the nameless girl.

--------------------------------------------------------

Havhen had hoped they might be able to observe something that would give them clarity on Moth’ir in the process of the night. What they happened to see was utter chaos. Babies need care and Moth’ir’s child was particularly fussy without any seeming need to be. A fact even her wet nurse had noted. Then there was the utter mess that Moth’ir and Bukidai were making in their kitchen. Which was adequate enough by Havhen’s standards but not theirs.

The Burn returned first. A bit bloodied for his trouble. He’d gotten a handful of strange looking material he all swore was good for eating in a variety of ways. Havhen had some doubts but Moth’ir took him at his word.

“Who did you piss off?” Moth’ir asked passively after getting a proper look at the viera’s nose.

“Some weird frogs, some newts, wriggly things, you know,” The Burn gestured toward his assorted meats as if the question in itself was inane.

“I said: who,” Moth’ir reiterated, pointedly.

The Burn crossed his arms and stood defiantly. Which unraveled under Moth’ir’s steely gaze and he finally yelled “,it was some roegadyn, okay? Didn’t like the way I asked and wouldn’t listen so he started punching. He was asking for it.”

Moth’ir shrugged and shook his head. He wasn’t exactly pleased but the disappointment didn’t stick. He said to The Burn “,Thanks for the bits, kid. Since you’re here, try and keep that one out of our hair.”

Moth��ir gestured toward Havhen, saying to them: “And you? Good luck.”

It was a particularly perplexing series of statements that cleared itself up over the course of a brief conversation. Havhen came to the conclusion that The Burn would make a good case study if he’d allow it. Alas, it was unlikely that The Burn would avail himself to their care so Havhen was forced to deal with him on a social level. Which was an exceedingly unpleasant task. He was combative, sullen, and downright rude without any self awareness. A hungry malboro would have made better company.

Luckily, Ibuki returned not too long after. If her strength had been in question, it was not now as she managed to juggle a notable number of boxes. Of which she was more hampered by the awkwardice of their distribution than their weight.

“What did you do? Buy the whole market?” Bukidai exclaimed as he started offloading her parcels.

“There’s a lot more in the market than food, you know,” Ibuki retorted. “I just got things that they said were edible and looked good.”

“Is that a whole dodo?” Moth’ir asked as he eyeballed what she’d brought in.

“Yup! The man said I could have it cheap because it’s Starlight,” she said as she divested herself of her last package. Arms free, Ibuki turned to Havhen and stretched them out to them “,let me see the baby!”

They could hardly deny her after she asked so passionately.

“More likely that the seller misjudged his buyer’s needs and wanted to offload it quickly,” Moth’ir commented looking the bird over. He’d found little wrong with it all the same.

“Oh! Oh!” She hopped back around to face him after having secured the baby in her arms “,I was thinking maybe a hot pot would be good?” Ibuki’s suggestion sounded more like the favorite child pleading a favor of an otherwise stern parent.

“I think I saw a burner for one,” Bukidai added with a questioning note. Indirectly asking why Havhen would have one to begin with.

“I’m quite particular towards hot pot dishes, myself,” Havhen explained “,I should have noodles too.”

Ibuki looked enthused for all of a second before she schooled herself back and asked “,like, spaghetti?”

Havhen gave her a sympathetic look and patted her and the shoulder “,I’m not sure I’ve had pasta in a hot pot. Personally, I’m preferential toward glass noodles but I have udon too.”

This suitably reignited Ibuki’s excitement. She nearly launched herself at Havhen, might have had it not been for the babe, asking “,you have a lot of stuff from Othard here, actually. Have you gone to Kugane?”

Havhen suspected the woman might be a tad homesick but unfortunately had to shake their head. “Not myself. The matrons of my clan told me stories of Yanxia from when we’d travel before the Garlean occupation. I believe it’s a short boat ride between?”

Moth’ir audibly hissed. A thing so uncharacteristic that it completely silenced the room a second and then was immediately moved on from. Moth’ir’s friends assuming it had been unintentional; like a sneeze. They hadn’t been told that Havhen had just happened to be Moth’ir’s long lost sibling. That their clan had once been his. At least, before they’d left him to die as a small child. But Havhen did.

They gave him an apologetic look. Divulging details about their clan hadn’t been their intent. It was an act which Moth’ir had very clearly expressed wanting nothing to do with. Their conciliation did little to quell the absolute rage that Moth’ir was having trouble keeping from his face. Cooking did though.

Havhen and Ibuki settled into chatting idly about Othard while the babe slept in her arms. The Burn─whose chaotic nature had been hard contained just moments before─sat calmly watching Ibuki. A man who was seeing his girlfriend in a domestic light for the first time and wasn’t sure what to think. Havhen rather thought he looked awed. The dining table they sat at and the kitchen were hardly separated. Only a partition that covered perhaps half the room from view. With The Burn preoccupied, he could hardly stop Havhen from observing Moth’ir.

Havhen had thought Bukidai might be in charge of the hot pot, seeing a Xaela would surely know more of the concept than a Eorzean born miqo’te. He was no doubt talented but it was to Moth’ir’s beck and call that he scurried. Ibuki mentioned to them that the pair had come to Kugane some time ago and that’s when Moth’ir had picked up some new techniques. Havhen was fairly impressed that anyone could simply “pick up” traditional methods from one trip but there was a great deal they did not know about Moth’ir.

Ibuki and his hyur “friend” had both spoken about Moth’ir’s prowess as a craftsman. The man had asked him to make a dress for their child and what he produced was of a higher quality than Havhen had expected. The act of putting the dress on the baby had helped Moth’ir acknowledge her and he’d since made several articles of it’s ilk. They had encouraged it because it seemed to be a source of catharsis for him. In the kitchen, Moth’ir seemed just as at home as he did with a sewing needle. Though these two fields were not the limits of his capabilities, Ibuki confirmed they were two specialties of his many interests.

He also seemed to be cooking more or less as a stress relief at the moment. As evidenced by the increasing number of plates Bukidai was producing.

“This is actually pretty early for us.”

It was a lovely little spread. Maybe more geared toward ten people than five. Ibuki had gotten her hot pot. Her eyes glittered despite the fact some of the ingredients used were… questionable in texture. It did look appetizing despite knowing where some of it had come from.

“Do you usually make so much food too?” Havhen eyed the spread and glanced to Bukidai.

“Uh…” Bukidai sheepishly responded, rubbing the back of his neck and then taking a moment to remove his neck tie as he’d suddenly become cognizant of it. “Yes and no? Traditionally, we cook a lot more but we also share with the neighborhood.”

“They do that at the end of every moon but Starlight is supposed to be special,” The Burn noted dully.

“Must be profitable in Ul’dah,” Havhen suggested without having any real clue.

“Oh, it’s all free though.” Ibuki commented cheerily.

“Who knew you were such a philanthropist?” Havhen remarked, turning around only to find Moth’ir missing. They stepped into the kitchen and found him sitting behind the partition. His head between his knees and both hands resting on the back of his neck.

“Gimme a moment.” He’d murmured, completely devoid of any venom he’d usually summon. He could only turn with a facsimile of it when Havhen sat beside him but the comment he’d expected to have to beat off never came. They simply sat there quietly.

Bukidai pretended to busy himself with the spread once again. Shooing Moth’ir’s clockwork toy off the table. He remarked “,that thing has a mind of it’s own.” A statement that started Ibuki and The Burn on a discussion on whether it had been set to follow the babe─since it was never far away from her─or if it was actually possessed. For that matter, where was the other one? None of the three had seen that one in a while. They only made indirect mentions of the man whose countenance both automatons shared. Neither Ibuki or The Burn knew what his relation was to Moth’ir though they’d seen him from time to time. Only Bukidai had any clue.

Bukidai who much preferred this to impeding on Moth’ir’s privacy any more than he already had.

They sat like that for a long time. The three younger ones chatting amicably amongst themselves while the miqo’te siblings sat out of view. After a bit, Moth’ir had gathered himself enough to pull himself to a more relaxed position. Havhen gave him a moment before risking a quiet remark “,they sound like family.”

Moth’ir only hmm’d at first. When he managed to speak, his voice was quiet too but the lack of force was from the palpable exhaustion that colored the tone. The kind of exhaustion unrelated to sleep. He replied “,Maybe they are. Ul’dah is a long way from the Steppes, Hingashi and wherever the hell The Burn fell out of.”

“Ul’dah is a long way from the Twelveswood too,” Havhen said gently as they could “,but you seem keener to keep your distance.”

“So many questions,” Moth’ir spat but even this indignation lacked fire.

“When one cannot find answers they are often left with nothing but questions,” Havhen replied pleasantly enough. It still pissed Moth’ir off.

The Burn was yelling about something but Ibuki and Bukidai were laughing. At his worst there was a request he calm down because he was disturbing the baby. Words which were also choked with laughter.

Moth’ir let them hang there. Content to sit and listen and not at all up to acknowledging what was a valid statement. He was supposed to be getting better after all but sometimes Havhen and their questions made him want to disappear into the swamp.

“If you don’t celebrate on Starlight, what do you do?” Havhen asked him, trying another angle.

Moth’ir sighed with his whole body. He tried to say “stuff” but all he managed was a weak roll of his wrist.

“You and your man must have some traditions?” Havhen offered.

Moth’ir snorted. The idea of Thancred being any one person’s was cute to him. Even after the hyur had confessed all those things to him before he’d left. Before Moth’ir had had the ability to say it back. Words that he so desperately wanted to say back. They pooled in the back of his throat and begged to be released so Moth’ir did something uncharacteristic of him and spoke about him. If just to speak of him at all. “Thancred’s not usually home when the holidays come around. ‘Specially not these last couple years but when he is it’s just a drink and then sleeping in.”

“Festive,” Havhen said with a chuckle.

Admittedly it didn’t sound like much but it had meaning for him. Maybe Thancred too. A tradition started nearly a decade ago. A rare occasion when Thancred hadn’t had any luck with any fair maiden despite his “silver tongue.” Too inebriated to make it to his lodgings but just sober enough to crash against the backdoor of Moth’ir’s home and workplace. Thancred almost looked dignified sitting there, looking like a misplaced gift from Nymeia’s Saint after Moth’ir’s very long and miserable day.

Thancred somehow talked him into one single drink for the occasion despite Moth’ir’s distaste for alcohol. So they might be on equal footing or some line of the sort. Though Moth’ir wasn’t anywhere near as intoxicated by the time he’d managed to dump Thancred in his bed. Then they’d passed out in a sleep near as deep as death itself. An act remarkable for the both of them.

All their important moments seemed to be in that bed. Very few─if any─had a thing to do with Thancred’s typical salacious activities. It was another sort of intimacy only available to them in the privacy and relative safety of Moth’ir’s room. Honestly and vulnerability that they’d not allowed themselves anywhere else. And yet...

“I didn’t realize you lived together.”

Moth’ir rolled a hand dismissively again. “Some of his stuff is at my place but I don’t think he lives anywhere anymore.”

“Too busy doing what he does.” Havhen said with some meaning. Near everyone who paid attention to the daily happenings around them had some conception of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn even if they didn’t know each member. Savior’s of the realm and at their center the indomitable Warriors of Light.

But Thancred was quite faliable. It was one of his charms.

“I don’t want to go back.” Moth’ir said so quietly Havhen almost didn’t hear him.

Havhen lightly bumped his shoulder against Moth’ir’s. “His life is largely here in Mor Dhona now, isn’t it?”

Moth’ir crossed his arms over his knees and pressed his eyes there to shut out the pressure from behind his eyes. He’d had some conception of Thancred’s work but it was something alien and distant. He imagined it was much the same for Thancred and Moth’ir’s work outside the Tavern. They’d known each other in a way that no one else did─that no one was supposed to─but they’d lived separate lives save where they let it intertwine. A special and private part of themselves tailor made for each other. It had worked. Might have continued to work but then Thancred had taken him from this hospital to the Rising Stones.

He’d met the women who’d given Thancred a shave and a haircut and found he’d liked them both despite that. Hadn’t recognized the man with the sun and stars before he spoke because he’d been missing the goggles and shroud he’d seen him in before. Lightly roasted Thancred with a Seeker woman with whom he shared new material to his friend’s chagrin. One of them would tell him if anything happened to Thancred while he was on the field. Thancred had assured him of such before he’d left.

And he’d liked that. He liked the idea that he’d be one of the first to know. He liked that Thancred had shown him context to the part of his life that had been a thin outline. But Moth’ir could never go back to waiting and wondering and subtext and half told stories they were too tired to finish telling because living it had been too much. He liked knowing and he liked being here and he knew he could never ever go back to that room. It’s privacy and false safety be damned.

He’d fooled himself into thinking he’d feel differently once he returned and started to go around the usual rounds but here he was. The same comedy routine fit like a glove but it was a glove that weighed as much as a buffalo and he was so tired. More than that: “They don’t need me,” Moth’ir said, choking back something that might have been a sob. Though he didn’t know why or what he was feeling exactly.

“It’s gonna get co~ld,” Ibuki’s voice came from beyond the partition.

Bukidai’s voice came after, raised suspiciously “,alright! alright! But make sure you don’t eat everything!” His added emphasis that the couple had had a habit of scarfing down an absurd amount of food returned to a normal pitch but the reaction to it was no less raucous.

Havhen shook their head in agreement and said “,Maybe once, but they do seem to have themselves covered now.”

“Wish I did,” Moth’ir breathed. Drawing himself up and closing his eyes, trying to center himself once more.

It was quiet between them again. The only sound coming from Ibuki singing over what was assumedly a well done meal. But Moth’ir broke the silence by turning to them and stating “,I never wanted children.”

Havhen cocked an eyebrow at him but let him continue on his own without prompting. So Moth’ir continued. “I did when I decided to keep her but I never wanted children. I don’t know how to do this and I don’t… how do we do this? I don’t know how to name kids.”

Havhen considered the distance Moth’ir had kept himself from his family and friends. They considered that he carried internalized feelings of guilt as if his abandonment was due to his own fault. The way he shied away from his daughter and the way he tormented himself for having done so. They wondered if “I never wanted” simply meant he hadn’t thought he should as if he was not worthy.

Moth’ir could simply have been asking for their opinion but the emphasis on “we” seemed like more. They did not know if he meant as keepers or as a clan. They weren’t sure if offering their typical naming conventions would be much use to him. Havhen offered a smile and said “,Oh, I’m not sure it’s all very complicated. You just pick something you think sounds nice or has meaning to you.”

Moth’ir sighed, clearly unsatisfied by that answer. Answers to a question that wasn’t the one he wanted to ask would never be sufficient.

“I think picking a name of someone important to you is suitable as well. As a tribute of sorts,” Havhen tried again despite the futility.

Moth’ir’s eyes stared upward as he considered various people whom he’d had some attachment to. It was an ordeal when one specifically kept people at arms length with few exceptions. “Can’t just name her Menphina, can I?”

“I mean,” Havhen shrugged and said flippantly “,your fellow Eorzeans might find that blasphemous but it’s your daughter.” They received a gentle elbow to the ribs for their trouble.

“Moth.”

“After your mother?” Havhen asked.

Moth’ir eyed him warily. Karga clan was very distinctly something that was his and his alone. It was never far from his mind that Havhen had only ever had their gods forsaken clan. He did not know what they saw when they thought of him and his siblings and his mother together. They all had meant the world and more to him and he misliked the idea of someone belittling that.

Havhen continued to smile at him warmly as he tried to assure him “,I think it’s a lovely name. And, from what your brother has told me, a woman deserving of such dedication.”

Moth’ir only knew that Moth’wo had trusted Havhen with the health of his brother. He’d not had a clue said brother and they were related by blood. How close the two actually were was a mystery to him. He hadn’t even ventured to ask so he had no choice but to accept the comment at face value. Or at least he had no energy to grill them about it.

Eased somewhat he turned his attention inward. He reiterated the name Moth in a whisper. More for himself than Havhen’s benefit. Making it real. Making her real. He closed his eyes and used it as a point to center himself.

Havhen ventured to tap his shoulder to grab his attention before holding their arm out, hopefully offering a hug. Moth’ir regarded them irritably but leaned his shoulder against theirs and allowed himself to be pulled closer. Havhen lightly pressed his head against Moth’ir’s and so they sat. Silent while idly listening to the other three while their minds were elsewhere. For their part, Havhen was busy committing the moment to memory. A small victory for them that may mean nothing but a memento of their brother when he left them for good but that in itself would be enough.

“Hey, you think she can eat some of this meat?” The Burn’s voice asked from beyond the partition.

Moth’ir snapped to, breaking Havhen’s precious moment. On his feet and away in a second. “You feed that baby anything and I swear I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

Havhen let themself linger for a moment. Wrapped their arms around their knees and listening to the new argument. Havhen had been walking with Moth’ir’s ghost for over a decade. They’d been convinced of his death by their mother and it haunted them. But then he’d returned alive; so very much alive. That life had been a messy and painful one. Whether he cared to know or not, Havhen’s had been much the same. The mystery of what laid before them could very much be more of the same but that wasn’t the important part. That they were alive is what gave those lives meaning. Nothing more, nothing less. Which is why they allowed themselves a moment to linger and not a moment more.

A life must be lived.

And there was a hot pot they needed to get to before it was gone.

#My Writing #heirsofdiscord #Final Fantasy XIV #Moth'ir Karga (FF)#Thancred is technically here but also is he?

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fatesdeepdive · 3 years

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Entry 8: Rinkah’s Burning Loins

My Castle

After fully dedicating ourselves to Hoshido, the game finally really begins. We’re given access to a customizable castle in the Astral Plane where our army waits between battles. We can talk to our units, giving them minor stat boosts or new weapons. Right off the bat, we have a farm and spring to give us resources, rooms for Corrin and Lilith, and a Hall of Records.

In Lilith’s spring, we can feed her to make her level up. Different foods affect her stats in different ways. Note that, although Lilith now has stats, she isn’t usable in battle. Other players can invade our Castle through spotpass, which I’ll discuss in a later entry, and Lilith is only usable in those battles.

Lilith

Lilith is a weird squirrel dragon thing that floats around clutching a random ball. She used to be our stable girl and is now our pet. I think she has a crush on Corrin. Her design is unique and cute, I like it. Gameplay wise, she can only use a modified Physic staff. I don’t dislike her personality, but she feels like a throwaway character added at the last minute. She raises a ton of questions that I doubt will ever be answered.

In the Hall of Records, we can see descriptions of all the units we’ll ever recruit, rewatch cutscenes, read unreadable poems, and play around with a relationship tester. The relationship tester is randomized, by the way, which kinda makes it pointless. That said, it told me that Corrin expects betrayal from Rinkah, while Rinkah’s loins are set afire by Corrin. This is now canon, I have decided.

In Corrin’s room, we can change their hairstyle and invite an ally over to chill. I chose Kaze. He complimented Corrin’s piano skills, which she apparently has, then stared at us, blushing, while thanking us for saving him from Garon.

So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. In the Japanese version you get to rub units while in close up mode. Like Pokemon Amie except...with people. This was removed in the English version. A lot of Fire Emblem fans were pissed, crying about censorship because Nintendo of America had the gall to remove the minigame where you rub Camila’s tiddies while she moans. And I’m going to say a hot take right now: they made the right call. That stuff was weird and indulgent. It was the living embodiment of the fanservice focussed design that plagues modern Fire Emblem games. Good riddance.

Inviting allies to Corrin’s cool sex treehouse boosts our support levels. I suppose it's time I mentioned that. In Fire Emblem games, units form bonds from fighting next to each other, unlocking short conversations that flesh them out as characters. Units also fight together better when they have high supports. Now, here’s the fun thing about supports:

There are more than 600 supports in this game. Not support conversations, support lines, each of which is made up of three or four conversations. And, because God has cursed me for my hubris and my work is never finished, I’m going to read all of them.

Admittedly, I’m not going to unlock all of them. S-Rank conversations result in marriages and each unit only gets one. It’d take a few dozen playthroughs to get all of Corrin’s S-Rank conversations and I don’t hate myself that much, so I’m reading the transcripts from the wiki. I think I’m going to do four supports per Entry; that’ll leave me with a few extra by the time we reach the end, but I’ll just do a support grab bag entry or something.

Before we do supports, let’s finish up improving the castle. I built a weapon shop and a statue of Corrin that boosts her max speed. We are limited on the number of buildings we can build, but that isn’t a big deal yet because the only other option was to build a stave shop.

Support: Corrin/Rinkah

C: Corrin attempts to discuss battle tactics with Rinkah, but Rinkah blows her off and tells her to stop trying to be friends. Rinkah does acknowledge that Corrin’s authority and that Corrin saved her life, but tells the princess leave her alone.

B: Corrin pesters Rinkah until she explains why she’s so aloof. Rinkah explains that, the Flame Tribe keeps a great flame burning in the center of the village to honor the God of Fire. In the past, outsiders have extinguished the fire. One such instance was followed by a volcanic eruption that decimated the tribe. As a rule, the people of the Flame Tribe are wary of outsiders. Rinkah also explains that she’s working for Hoshido because her father commanded her to, much to her chagrin.

A: Rinkah explains that she would have preferred to die an honorable warrior’s death than be captured and resents Corrin for sparing her. Corrin says that she’s glad Rinkah is still alive, because it means Rinkah and her can be friends. Corrin also says that, despite the chaos of war, she believes in fate and its ability to bring people together. Corrin encourages Rinkah to use this opportunity to learn more about the outside world and bring that knowledge home with her. Rinkah begrudgingly agrees.

This is how the conversation will end on my playthrough, but if Corrin has a penis, you can get an S-Rank proposal conversation. I’ll be listing all of these off along with the normal conversations.

S: Rinkah comes to Corrin, blushing, and tells him that he has been a constant reminder of her shame and regret over being captured. But, over time, these feelings were replaced with love. Love that she hated, because Corrin is an outsider. Corrin says that he’s loved Rinkah since the day they met and only told her to be friendly to other people as an excuse to spend time with her. Rinkah states that, from now on, she will remember her capture as the happiest day of her life and the two get married.

Review: I really like this support line. It expands Rinkah’s backstory and culture, ties it into Corrin’s own isolation and belief in fate, and deals with the tumultuous meeting they had in Chapter 2. The confession comes out of nowhere, admittedly, but I do like Rinkah grappling with her mixed feelings of hate and love. Solid support.

Support: Corrin/Jakob

C: Corrin comes to Jakob to ask for a favor. Jakob interrupts her by humorously listing off the things he would do for Corrin. Things like slay dragons for her, which is actually kinda offensive now that I think about it. Corrin begs Jakob to allow her to be independent and Jakob refuses. Corrin explains that she’s his boss and he tells her that servitude is his reason for living. Jakob explains that, when he started working for Corrin, he was incompetent, and her kindness towards him made him indebted to her. The two compromise on the agreement that Jakob will teach Corrin how to make tea. After Corrin leaves, Jakob mumbles to himself that things might get apocalyptic.

B: Corrin repeatedly tries and fails to make a decent cup of tea. Both of them get some funny lines in, with Corrin telling Jakob that she can’t hear him because she’s ignoring him and Jakob saying that, saying that they’ll run out of leaves before Corrin makes decent tea. They meaning the nation in this case. Corrin eventually makes a passable cup, after Jakob secretly adds in sugar.

A: Jakob admits to Corrin that he messed with her tea and she laughs it off, admitting that she knew all along. She apologizes for being stubborn and accepts that she still needs Jakob’s help sometimes. Jakob says that he falls apart without Corrin. Corrin says that the two of them are alike in that way and Jakob literally faints from joy.

S: Jakob is acting more distant than normal. When Corrin asks him about this, he admits that he’s fallen for her and resigns from his duties as butler, because it is improper for him to have feelings for his mistress. Corrin begs him to say because she needs him and admits that she loves him too. The two of them get embarrassed and Corrin fires Jakob, giving him the new job of husband.

Review: This was a hilarious support that really made me appreciate Jakob’s snarky yet loyal personality. He is the perfect butler. The conflict of Corrin wanting to be independent and Jakob wanting to take care of her is a good dynamic that made me appreciate the relationship between these two characters. I do like them more as a platonic couple than a romantic one, but Jakob quitting his job because falling in love with Corrin is improper is a nice character moment.

Support: Corrin/Kaze

C: A villager gives Kaze a bunch of radishes because he’s super hot. And I mean, he is. Kaze apparently doesn’t realize that he’s hot until Corrin explains it to him. Kaze mentions that he dislikes the attention because he isn’t a good person before running off.

B: Corrin asks Kaze to follow her around so she can figure out what’s bothering him. Kaze says no, so Corrin annoys him until he agrees to hang out with him. Then he runs away again.

A: Kaze admits to Corrin that it was his fault that Garon kidnapped her, because when he was a child, he noticed the Nohrian soldiers that killed Sumeragi were in the city but said nothing about it. I don’t know how that makes Corrin’s kidnapping his fault, you’d expect there to be soldiers guarding a king. And the fact that Kaze was there means that there were also Hoshido soldiers, which means there was no reason to be suspicious of the Nohrians. Also, Kaze was a teenager at the oldest, so he should probably get some leeway. Whatever. Kaze apologizes to Corrin and Corrin, in turn, apologizes for making him live with guilt for fifteen years. Corrin also points out that Kaze led her home, meaning that they’re even now. Kaze compares Corrin to Mikoto because of her kindness and pledges to serve Corrin as her loyal retainer.

S: Corrin and Kaze joke around about Corrin’s kidnapping. It’s cute. Corrin mentions that, now that she’s spent so much time offscreen with Kaze, she likes him even more. Kaze blurts out that he loves Corrin, despite being her bodyguard, and the two propose.

Review: I found this chain a bit lacking, to be honest. The first two conversations were filler and the origin for Kaze’s guilt complex is kinda dumb. Kaze’s relationship with Corrin defines him as a character. He is so guilt ridden over her kidnapping that he would betray his country and his family to protect her. Later parts of the game hinge on this relationship. But, three of their four conversations are dull. I do like Kaze’s guilt complex as a concept, and think becoming Corrin’s retainer alongside Jakob and/or Felicia and a way to repent, but it isn’t enough to save this support line.

Support: Kaze/Rinkah

C: Kaze gets a bunch of candy for being hot and shares it with Rinkah, who secretly loves candy.

B: Kaze continues to give Rinkah candy.

A: Kaze continues to give Rinkah candy.

S: Kaze reveals that he’s been giving Rinkah candy because he’s in love with her.

Review: This one was a big let down. The fact that Kaze and Rinkah are introduced together made me think it would be about their capture, but no. It’s just Kaze giving Rinkah candy for four conversations straight. And it’s cute fluff, but it’s nothing more than that. There is something interesting below the surface with Rinkah hiding her love of candy to protect her image, but it’s never really explored.

So, off to a mixed start with the support conversations.

Birthright Chapter 7: A Vow Upheld

Team Corrin heads to a Hoshidan fort where Sakura is tending to wounded soldiers. We are introduced to Sakura’s retainers, Subaki and Hana. Suddenly, the fort is attacked by Nohrian forces. Corrin and Azura point out the ridiculousness of them attacking immediately after they arrived. Sakura freaks out because the fort is being used as a hospital and has no military value. So apparently Nohr is now being evil just to be evil.

Subaki and Hana agree to help Corrin defend the fort and argue over who’s more important to Sakura, much to her annoyance. Subaki and Hana give me a good opportunity to discuss a few interesting things about classes in this game. First off, unlike in most Fire Emblem games, classes are NOT gender-specific, as demonstrated by Subaki being the first male Pegasus Knight in the series. Secondly, the classic Fire Emblem classes were divided between the two nations. Nohr got Mercenaries, Hoshido got Myrmidons. Nohr got Wyvern Riders, Hoshido got Pegasus Knights. Etc. I really like this, it gives the two countries different feels in combat both aesthetically and mechanically. Finally, a lot of Hoshidan classes were renamed to be more Eastern, shown by Hana being a Samurai instead of a Myrmidon, or by Sakura being a Shrine Maiden instead of a Cleric.

Subaki

Subaki is a Sky Knight, this game’s equivalent of a Pegasus Knight. He can fly over terrain and has good speed and resistance, but is decimated by arrows. His personal skill buffs his hit and avoid when he has full health. Design wise, I like how ridiculously smug he looks. Personality wise, he seems over-competitive yet fiercely loyal to Sakura.

Hana

Hana is a Samurai with high speed and skill. Her personal skill damaged nearby enemies when she scores a kill. Her design is fine, if a little bland. Personality wise, she seems over-competitive yet fiercely loyal to Sakura.

Starting with this chapter, we have a prep menu, where we can choose which units to use and rearrange them on the map. We can bring our whole team in with us, so it’s a little pointless, but it's nice. Worth noting that you can have units start in pair up via this menu, unlike in Awakening where you had to pair them up after the battle started.

At the start of the battle, the chapter’s boss, a Cavalier named Silas, shouts out to Corrin that he’s her childhood best friend. She does not remember him even slightly. Okie dokie.

This map is decent. It’s a bit short, but it features a lot of good bottlenecks. The Dragon Veins can be used to open heal tiles, which is a bit pointless because you have two healers. When Silas and Corrin fight, he reiterates that they used to be friends. Corrin says that she can’t remember her past. And that confuses me, because I was under the impression that she got amnesia when she was taken to Nohr, which would have been before she met Silas. Unless he’s lying.

After the battle, Corrin refuses to kill Silas. She interrogates him about why he was so hesitant to attack them and he explains that, when they were children, he helped Corrin sneak out of the walls to have a picnic. The guards tried to execute Silas for this, but Corrin stopped them, because apparently guards listen to small children. Because of this, Silas feels he owes a debt to Corrin.

Question. Why was this random child allowed to play with the super secret hostage princess? Whatever.

Corrin eventually recovers a vague memory of Silas and asks him to join the gang. She explains that Garon is crazy and evil and that’s enough to make him swap sides. Silas is now officially the most sane character in the game. I mean, he should have probably realized this stuff before being sent to destroy a hospital for shits and giggles, but still.

Also, Silas mentions that Corrin’s favorite food is surf and turf. Perhaps this symbolizes how Corrin is stuck between both kingdoms? Or maybe it’s a random throwaway line. You be the judge!

At the end of the chapter, Saizo and a new character named Orochi show up, wounded, and report that Takumi and Ryoma have gone missing. Uh oh.

Team Corrin decide to help search for the missing princes. Sakura decides to come along, despite Corrin and Kaze’s objections. Silas also decides to come along and Saizo points out that he totally could be a spy or traitor. He’s a dick, but he is infinitely smarter than Kaze.

#fire emblem fates #fire emblem birthright #fe14 #fire emblem #hoshido #nohr #corrin fe #kaze fe #corrin x kaze #corrin x rinkah #rinkah fe #rinkah x kaze #silas fe #jakob fe #corrin x jakob #hana fe #subaki fe

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phoebehalliwell · 3 years

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Piper/Kyle, except it's an AU where Kyle's parents were never killed by demons, so he lived a perfectly normal, happy childhood and grew up to follow their footsteps into teaching and Kyle's a normal, maybe even a little boring archaeology professor who secretly dreams of having his very own Indiana Jones moment - up until the day he opens some dusty old chest and unleashes a demon that tries to kill him, and he barely gets away only to run into this petite brunette woman who proceeds to blow the demon the fuck up, and Kyle's never believed in love at first sight before, but he's pretty sure he can make an exception for Piper

wait omg mentally stable kyle au okay wait i gotta wrap my head around this kyle but not absofuckinlutely insane whatta picture omg. okay. i feel like he’s still gotta have this belief in the supernatural i feel like that’s a large part of the charm in literally any kyle dynamic with the sisters is Witch Who Gets It and Man Who’s Only Got Raw Data. there’s an appeal to that. seeing things from different angles all that. so we can say kyle ever good at puzzles has taken his parents notes and everything he knows and various texts and kinda pieced together okay magic does exist. but in this au he’s a professor and not an fbi agent so he can’t just walk around saying Magic Is Real because um he needs this job. also he’s never seen it. but like. the data does not like. like. like it’s real man like are you kidding me. and we’ll say he has one normal friend because he’s normal in this au and he’s like okay here me out tho magic is real and his friend is like ......okay. because like. it could be, i guess? i’m not gonna fight you on this. and kyle also definitely read a lot as a kid he reads a lot now and he’s always kinda like. like you know wondered what it might be like to be a man of action not someone stuck behind a desk all day seeing the world through books. so when he starts to see markers of the gathering storm,,, well. these are the times that make a man. he can either be a pussy about it and keep living his life through paper and ink, or he can follow his intuition. blah blah blah this leads him to get kidnapped by pirates which like. excuse me??? and kyle’s kinda kicking himself because he Wanted to be like a character in an adventure book and well like bada bing bada boom you get what you ask for. which. all due respect on his part. is smart enough to outwit them and escape. he might have dropped his wallet there tho. but when he goes back the same route wandering through the thick fog, all he finds is a solid wall of rock. so i guess he’s fucked in that regard. whoops. but!! magic is real. so that’s a dub. digs a little bit more into the blackjack cutting lore, maybe finds the x marks the spot on where their main hideout was, road trip to. seattle? i guess? port city that isn’t san francisco but is more reasonable to drive to that like. nola or boston. and lo and behold he finds it and find their documentation of the gathering storm accidentally trips a booby trap and jesus fucking christ pirate skeletons with sword which - respectfully - kyle is holding his own for the most part, not getting immediately worried, but there’s no way that would have lasted had the three skeletons not been blown to pieces. and he looks over and sees three brunettes and the one in the center is like who the hell are you? to which kyle really feels like He should be the one asking that question but after stammering out some kind of response about how he’s a professor and he was just looking for some soil samples something generic archaeological because hey. he doesn’t trust these women. he doesn’t know what side they’re on. and he’s not just gonna sacrifice the information he has on the gathering storm. and it’s obvious they don’t believe him, but they don’t kill him either. instead, the one in the center just says be more careful where you leave your stuff and tosses his wallet back to him.

and later at the manor paige is like we just let him go?? and phoebe’s like yeah how to we know he’s not a demon? he wouldn’t be the first to pose as a mortal in the mortal world (because phoebe went to the university to return kyle’s wallet because like it has is ID in it employee id all that under the guise of like. giving a lecture to some of the student’s there as the bay’s leading advice columnist oh hey is there a kyle brody here yeah haha he’s a friend of a friend anyone seen him no he’s on vacation right now? left real abruptly? and then immediately went into his office and touched every surface trying to get a premonition (au in which phoebe didn’t get her powers stripped) and concluded that he’s just Some Guy. like he like has friends and a nine to five and an apartment. so a guy). but piper’s like we don’t know. but we also don’t know what he’s up to or what his connection to the pirates was, which is why i cast a tracking spell on the wallet. and both phoebe and paige approve and in this au again phoebe didn’t get her powers stripped so in styx feet under it’s her and paige on mission and as paige is the one who cast the protection spell and as paige is also very stubborn and also refuses to let innocents die she is the one who gets to become death. she also has a very compelling relationship with death because like. she watched her parents die. and she’s prue’s replacement. the replacement for the dead girl. also fun paige/prue parallel! meanwhile right Should state in any piper/kyle au we just extend pleo’s divorce era by having him remain an elder and keeping that early s6 vibe. so piper’s definitely like a bit more neurotic than normal because you know things haven’t gone great for her and those pirates were warning about the gathering storm and honestly that better not be something that’s gonna hurt her boys because she really could not bear to lose another family member so she’s doing some digging which begins to imply that kyle knows more that he let on so where is he now? the university? great.

and kyle’s you know minding his own business in his office when the same woman practically kicks down his door and is like alright i’m gonna ask again who the hell are you and this time you better answer me honestly. to which: wow. like wow. she’s. she’s a force to be reckoned with and also kinda immediately gains points in kyle’s book for like a) kinda confronting him about knowing more because he’s pretty good at covering his tracks all that so if he’s been Found Out it’s by someone good and b) she also disintegrated evil pirate skeletons so like. 👍. But. he does not trust her for shit. no. absolutely not. he has no reason to. but piper’s not yielding blasts a hole in the wall near his head like quickly now or next time i won’t miss but kyle’s so fuckin stubborn he’s like 🤐 and piper’s. i mean, she can’t kill an innocent. she doesn’t know if that’s who he is, but she can’t run that risk. and kyle’s not saying shit, so she leaves.

then it’s the guardian angel episode where the charmed ones are there on instruction (though they don’t know what they’re looking for. maybe they were just scrying for information) and kyle’s there on a hunch and piper and kyle see each other and it’s um. mac charlie see each other from across the room reaction image. both like. what the fuck are you doing here? and in this one paige is still the one to get her guardian angel stolen and piper’s immediately on high alert because you know big sister/mom mode activated. but they don’t know what they’re looking for and kyle’s like it’s her guardian angel. and piper once again snaps to him firey look in her eyes but kyle’s really just trying to place nice here so he’s like guardian angels. they’ve been going missing being stolen whatever. he’s got the research on it. and piper doesn’t want to trust him but paige is really in grave danger. so, as the sister with the offensive power, she’s going with kyle, and phoebe has to make sure paige doesn’t like. pull a grams. (which for the record i do not accept prewitched as canon but like the elders definitely killed grams <3)

so blah blah blah piper’s now and kyle’s place which is ten times worse than his office because this is where he does his real work and he’s got all the guardian angel shit up and out and is explaining it to piper and it’s making sense but what catches her eye is something on the gathering storm that kyle left out now they’re talking about that they’re starting to realize they’re on the same side. blah blah blah save paige. next episodes what werewolf episode. skip. then!! idk paige still runs magic school right so she’s in the library and she calls piper and she’s like hey remember when you told me to keep an eye out on the gathering storm? and piper’s like yes yeah what is it? and she’s like well we’re inventorying the library and we have books on them and piper’s like that’s good news ! ? and paige is like yeah but we’re missing one. book five. in this something something series. and piper knows Exactly where that book is because she fucking saw it on kyle’s kitchen counter. so now she’s barging into kyle’s place which is getting to be a common occurrence at this point and kyle kinda wants to complain but this is by far the most interesting his life’s been ever and honestly? he’d be kinda bummed if piper stopped kicking down his door. wait actually scratch that you want my book no fuck you changed my mind. to which piper’s like look we’re looking for the same goal here right so give me the book because i have the rest of the series and this could be the missing puzzle piece and kyle’s like okay fine i’ve read the book cover to cover give me the rest of the series and i’ll get you your answers and piper’s like okay let’s get things straight here i’m the witch you’re some two bit archeology professor so when it comes to the handling of sacred magical tomes i’ll be taking the reigns here and kyle’s like fine then you won’t be taking the book. and piper’s like wanna bet and the next think kyle knows he’s hearing the door slam his book’s gone and he’s hearing tires peel out onto the street and he has no idea how she did it.

back at the manor piper’s got her reading glasses on an volume one open and god this fucking sucks. so she makes phoebe take a stab at it and she hates reading it too. paige also starts it and is like respectfully no. piper’s the only one who did the reading in high school. this is her turf. but my god she cannot make it through all eight of these fucking books. So. she calls kyle. he has to come to the manor because there’s no way she’s giving him the books and there’s no way she’s letting him in magic school so. hi. welcome to the house. but!! by a contrived plot device!!!! a gnome has been shot in magic school this book was the only thing at the scene and paige wants to investigate further but she can’t just leave it out there so she brings it back to the manor she’s gonna cast some spell to find out if there are already spells on the book how to reverse it she just needs to find the spell first and like. there’s no way in hell paige ever wears an outfit with big enough pockets to keep the book on her. so she leaves it on the table. to which kyle asks how this is relevant to the collection. to which piper says don’t open that!! whoops. see, this is why i said we don’t let two bit archeology professors near magical books! piper/kyle charmed noir..............

#love me a good piper/kyle ask 🤙🤙🤙#charmed #piper halliwell #kyle brody #piper x kyle #margaretsminiessays #haven't used that tag in forever whoops #should probs go back n backtag

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sketch--booked · 3 years

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Pleeaaase I love Harumi and the points you made, rant about her some more !

jhfgjdkjgh I don’t really think there’s any more to cover?

I haven’t watched season 8 or season 9 in a solid while--I have more points on Pythor than I do Harumijghgjh.

When she resurrects Garmadon, we all know that she basically gets Garmadon to adopt her. Which I always found strange, Since she openly expresses that her actual adoptive parents (the royal fam) were never her real parents and he actively dislikes them. She also shows great love for her biological parents. So when Garmadon calls her “daughter” it’s likely only because she wants to rub it in Lloyd’s face some more. And not because she wants Garmadon as her real dad. (she probably doesn’t actually like it but it hurts Lloyd so it’s worth it 🙃)

A lot of the things she does or says, especially when she’s angry or in a heightened state, is quite childish (I think even Nya or someone calls her a child or something??). Which I find interesting because it looks like she’s stuck in the mindset of a child, herself, as well as being stuck in the mindset of “The ninja killed my parents” and “Now who’s the one on top, Lloyd?”. Just as she never grew out of her hatred, she never grew up in general.

In contrast to Lloyd, who grew up physically by leaving his childhood behind, quite literally. He had to instantly control his emotions and act and behave his new age. While Harumi actually had that time to grow up but refused, holding onto her beliefs and being stubborn. Like a kid.

As I said, she defends Mr.E even while Garmdon is destroying him. And genuinely looks like she’s about to break down, which implies she probably does see the SOG as more than just “They work for me”. She has a closeness with them that she probably doesn’t want to admit because it would imply that she does want a family and a place to belong. (that one hurts just a bit)

I uhhh, I can’t actually think of anything else right now--I think I’ve used up my brain juice for todayjhjhjf

It’s fin though, doing these little well, not little talks or rants about characters,, sorry I can’t give more, I can’t get brain to think--

#ninjago #ninjago harumi #ninjago season 8 #ninjago s8 #aaaaaa if i can think of anything i'll chuck it down on a google doc and post about it laterjgkjkg

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thecuckooinmyhead · 3 years

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Ma as I called my mother and I never shared any sort of camaraderie ever since I was growing up. Truth to be told, I did not understand who she was. A woman of middle stature, long black hair unto her waist, fair and someone who was always very important to our household. While I was always at loggerheads with her she did not really have the SOP to be a mother at 17. By the time I was 14, she was 34 and I always disregarded her because of her temper, tantrums and her favouritism for my younger sister. I would constantly appease her unless I wanted to be whacked with a hot ladle, mop or anything that came to her purview. At 16, I convinced my parents to send me back to Calcutta for further study and when I returned back home to my parents’, I was 21, ready to be married off despite securing a job at a star hotel. Because my mother would have it no other way. She was stubborn as a mule.

We weren’t nemesis exactly so to say, but her bias, her orthodox perception were making me claustrophobic. Marriage was the only way out of that banter.

We often went on for months without speaking to her till she broke the ice. Not a lot had changed until 2017, when I consciously decided to understand and make amends. I realised she was the last of 9 siblings, unloved, uncared and mostly sad or hysterical. Things improved a whole lot between us, I often helped her with all the things that needed new age technology, whether it was an online bill payment or booking an uber for her from another part of the country or ordering grocery during the pandemic. My sisters and I prodded her a little and indulged in her whenever we could. I reckoned when she was my age, 43, she was already a doting grandmother to my son. Every family get- together would turn out to be a nightmare because she would compete for attention even with a fly. With my father falling sick and having to deal with an ailing man whom she had professed her love at 12 and got married at 16 made things even more. Also being parents of daughters especially when they are ageing can be humiliating again when all their savings have depleted in an archetypal scenario .

However, three of us would make sure we took care of them. That is the role I assume every child does once parents get older.

On the 9th of july,I received a call at 2 in the morning from Ma, saying “Baba had a cardiac arrest and he is in the ventilator.” Travelling across the country during Covid times is a hassle i realised after following all the state wise protocol, after which my sister and I reached with my nephew on the 12th. Baba was discharged three days later but had to be on three dialysis a week. On the 16th, it was decided Ma would be taking Baba for the dialysis and my sister and I would finish all the errands at home. At 7pm, Baba called and said Ma wasn’t around, so we asked him to get back home. We searched all the probable places she could have gone since we had a hired auto driver for my parents’ errands. She was nowhere to be found.

At about 10 pm, we lodged a general diary, followed by a missing person’s report the next day.

We always knew Ma was the love in Baba’s life and despite him being strong he broke down. I held the fort, refusing to yield. I always say love and grief has no rules. No one can frame an expiry date to grief. We went on pretending she was somewhere and would return soon.

Finally on the 3rd of August, the only input we got from the police was that CCTV footage had caught her walking into the Ganges. She wasn’t carrying a phone or a wallet.

Every morning after that I would go to the pier and sit trying to comprehend a spot she might have sat on that fateful day. And every time I was a little more wistful than the previous . Each of us processed grief differently, while I became rock solid without having time to emote, my middle sister grieved for being distant with Ma, the younger one said she was unaffected. Although one day she just started howling on a video call, stating she missed Ma. If someone asks me why did she do what she did? I have no answers. Perhaps things would have reached beyond her threshold. I wish she shared how she felt, I would have taken her to a doctor. My hands tremble each time I see the name Ma on my phone, but I know she is not on the other side to take those calls. Ma is a very convoluted term, as mothers, women embrace so many roles that we stop existing, making the identities of our loved ones. We are sacrilegious to the point we break down. My mother was exactly 17 years older than me. I have embraced her role as the oldest woman in the family. I look after her man she left behind. The man who never imagined a life without her. He stares ruefully at her photos in his phone gallery, I look at her cookbook, my middle sister stares at the ceiling and the youngest cries secretly in the bathroom. Then on Sunday evenings we have a video call with one out of 5 missing, trying to laugh while our hearts cry.

“The rain split opens our vulnerability,

All those parts that were sewed up

Carefully severed by years of neglect

Holding by a thread of belief; that things may better some day

Sometimes we tender those thoughts

For three dozen years and six.

Until one day, a torrential downpour sweeps away what remains.

Tearing open the innate void, old memories, some guilt and a bucketful of regret

The doors remain open and our hearts remain hopeful that someday we will meet in the atmosphere”- PB (ochre ink)

PS- my mother could have been suffering from depression, she was absolutely averse to seeing a psychiatrist despite us pleading with her, however it is imperative to see signs and yield help at the right time. Mental health is far more life threatening than the credit it gets. People with mental illness don’t look like lunatics, they are amongst us, normal looking but with a mind that doesn’t love the body.

#mentalwellness #mental disorder #mental heath support #mothers #death #suicide #depression

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sortinghatchats · 4 years

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Sorting Firefly

Note: in the way we like to play this sorting game, “primaries” are WHY you do things and “secondaries” are HOW. If you want to learn more about our system’s definitions, check out our other tumblr posts, our blog at sortinghatchats.wordpress.com, or our quiz at https://ejadelomax.itch.io/sortinghatchats.

Malcolm Reynolds is our go-to example for the Burned Hufflepuff Primary. An Unburned Hufflepuff Primary values community, fairness, and empathy. A Burned Hufflepuff still has those inner values, but thinks it’s impractical, naive, unsafe, or foolish to prioritize them. They tend to think of themselves as bad people -- practical, sensible, maybe, but not very good.

It can be tempting to consider Mal perhaps a burned Gryffindor instead, but look at him in the war, before he burns. His faith isn’t in the righteousness or the cause, but their people—”hear that? That’s our angels coming.” Mal has a big heart and he wants both to help and to believe in other people. (This is one of the reasons River is so vital to him—but we’ll talk about that later).

Mal after the war is no different in what he wants — he’s just had to settle, injured, for a smaller world. “You’re on my crew,” he tells a bewildered Simon. (Simon’s Slytherin Primary is absolutely flabbergasted by Mal’s stubborn loyalties to him and River, which is based in their need and their being part of the family, where Simon’s loyalties are razor-edged and individualistic).

Mal can’t love the whole world anymore, or even just the Browncoats, because he knows that would destroy him— it already almost did. But he can love his crew. He can make Serenity a home.

Mal’s Puff Primary shows up in other places, too, sneaking past the Slytherin Primary model he’s used to keep himself alive and sane after the breaking of his too-big heart, like when he gives the medicines back in Train Job, risking Niska’s wrath.

Zoe, who first fell into step behind a Hufflepuff years ago, questions him about it in the movie—an unburned Mal, the one from the war, would never have left a man behind. This Mal shot the bystander begging for rescue (a mercy) to save his crew. That prioritizing (or, rather, the instantaneous decision of it) points to his Slytherin model—but it eats Mal up the way it would never eat up Simon, an actual Slytherin Primary (“remember, River, it’s okay to leave them to die”).

Mal wishes, deeply, quietly, that he could save everyone. But war and loss burned his young, faithful Hufflepuff into a man who thinks one of the basic truths of the universe is that you can’t save everyone and that it will destroy you to try. So he’s sunk his stake into these eight Serenity-boarded souls and decided it’s enough.

This is one of the things that makes his relationship with River so interesting. The Burned Puff knows he should not be trusting and investing in this broken bird and her verse-wide bounty, her untrustworthy triggers and destructive lethality. But in letting them stay in the pilot, in pulling her back to the ship in Objects in Space, in joining her crusade in Serenity, he defies all these hard lessons he’s learned and he trusts her, he fights for her, he believes. By ignoring his “better judgement” and investing in this one unlikely young woman, he’s starting to heal his Hufflepuff and have faith in the good fight once again. The last moment of the Firefly-filmed universe is Mal Reynolds teaching River how to fly.

(For a definition of teach, anyway.)

For secondary (the “how”) — Mal’s a Gryff. “If I shoot you,” he told Simon, “You’ll be awake, you’ll be facing me, and you’ll be armed.” Badger mocks him for it in the pilot— Mal wants the world to be honorable. He wants to be fighting the good fight, and he wants to do it in the good ways.

Gryffindor secondaries are an interesting mix of stand-up integrity and mischievous (even deceitful) rule-breaking and chaos (think Fred and George). These potentially conflicting traits come from this— Gryffindor Secondaries are self-defined.

Their integrity and their honesty is a deal with themselves, not others. They stand firm to their own rules, but find other peoples’ or organizations’ insignificant, or even downright offensive. The other secondaries all can and do break rules—a Slytherin Secondary might play the system, a Hufflepuff Secondary might invest in it, a Ravenclaw might find its loopholes—but a good rule of thumb for identifying a Gryffindor Secondary is this: is rule-breaking a tool? or is it a personality trait?

Simon, who destroyed his whole life to get to River, and was willing to let Kaylee (the epitome of the innocent bystander) bleed out in order to keep his sister safe, is a Slytherin Primary. He looks slightly Puff occassionally—this is because he’s tied part of his worth to the Puff-like doctrine of a surgeon: service and do no harm. You see it when he saves the patient on Ariel and then chews the attending physicisian out, offended to his core. These are beliefs he holds close to himself, that help define him—but at Simon’s core, no matter how Ravenclaw clever or kindly even bumblingly Hufflepuff he can seem, he puts his people first and he loses no sleep over that.

He’s got a Ravenclaw Secondary—asked to describe his usefulness, Simon would first and foremost claim his intelligence and his skills. He’s best when he’s in his “element,” drawing on skills, knowledge, and tolls he’s already learned and comfortable with.

Simon’s got a Slytherin Secondary model on top of his Slytherclaw heart, which I suspect he learned from his dad. The Ravenclaw/Slytherin combo in the secondary/model space (in either order) often looks a little bit like a criminal mastermind (or someone who wants to be one, anyway). When Simon is uncomfortable, falling back on his model, his starts to look a bit like a plotting villain—in the pilot, on Ariel, and at the beginning of Serenity the movie.

Zoe is a Gyffindor Primary who really likes Hufflepuffs (see: Mal, Wash). Like Mal, she’s been burned by the war. Puff Primary Mal has become disillusioned by a cruel ‘verse that requires you to abandon some people to save others. He has lost faith in both the fairness of the universe and his own ability to make it more fair. But Zoe, a burned Gryff, has lost faith in her own ability to tell right from wrong.

She’s not deeply burned—more a light char—but instead of trusting her own gut these days, she trusts Mal’s. Her internal moral compass feels like it’s gone awry or silent. She feels lost. This is a burned Gryffindor, and it’s not uncommon for a burned Gryffindor to try to find their morality somewhere outside themself. Zoe finds hers in Mal.

Part of it is that she knew him in the war when he was fearless, his Puff effortless, and because it’s easy for her to fall into the structured hierarchy of their roles-- sergeant or captain. She has given him not just practical but also moral authority. She questions him, but she trusts him in the end, almost always. And, though it’s framed within the “sir” and the war, the reason for it lies on the quality of Mal himself. Zoe would never give her allegiance to anyone who did not deserve it. But she feels she cannot trust her own internal compass, so instead she trusts Mal’s heart.

For secondary: Zoe does not charge, comfort, or connive. She’s straightforward because it’s useful, not because it’s a moral imperative. Ravenclaw Secondary I think—look at the comparison with Mal’s Gryff Secondary in the “tin of beans” flashback in The Message. Where Mal shouts and hollers and charges, a different school of thought, Zoe is organized, efficient, deliberate (and deadly).

The way Inara freaks out and skiddaddles when she realizes how important the Serenity crew (and esp. Mal) have become to her — that is a Slytherin Primary trying so hard to Petrify. She’s mourning Nandi and she’s mourning herself, and she just wants everything to stop hurting.

Inara looks a lot like a Puff Secondary, because she performs Hufflepuff so damn well, but she’s not. In her introductory scene, on the job, we get snatches of her “inner” thoughts while she smiles and pours tea— she’s sighing, shifting, rolling her eyes. There’s clearly a disconnect between how she feels about this man and what she’s doing.

A Slytherin/Hufflepuff Inara (which, on the very surface, would look very similar to most of her behavior) would have to convince herself to “mean” the affection for her clients, even if only for the allotted time slot. Eyerolling, internal or external, wouldn’t happen until she was back on the ship, curled up with Kaylee, telling stories, and that’s if the eye-rolling happened at all.

Inara talks like that, though—that she chooses people she ‘connects’ with, that kind of thing. She’s got a lot of respect and wishfulness when it comes to Hufflepuff, which I think is where she bonds best with Book— he performs Puff, too, and wishes that giving warmth was closer to his core.

Inara has a Slytherin Secondary model, which she uses to excel at the “performance” of her job. The flexibility and cultivated appearance of that secondary work for her well. However, her actual secondary is Ravenclaw, a learner, a studier, and a collector of skills. Slytherin’s adaptability is just one more skill her Ravenclaw has worked to learn.

When Inara’s with the crew, she tends to live simply in her Ravenclaw secondary, giving off an impression of precision, clarity, and certainty. Her Ravenclaw and Mal’s Gryffindor secondary, both strident, solid houses, like to have sparring matches/bonding times while their Loyalist House primaries make doe-eyes at each other. Dweebs.

Jayne Cobb displays neither a Slytherin Primary’s strong loyalty drive, a Hufflepuff’s need-based service, or a Ravenclaw’s constructed, systematized morality. He appears to be a Gryffindor Primary whose felt morality is “whatever I want.”

If you read him really complexly, you could maybe imagine a Ravenclaw Primary there, who’s settled on that morality of self-serving ruthlessness. But moments like the one where he joins up with Serentiy—he shoots both his buddies on Mal’s suggestion—suggest against that. The betrayal doesn’t make Ravenclaw any more unlikely than Gryffindor, but the instantaneous decision to make a moral choice he’d never considered or run through his system before suggests that his is an intuitive “gut” morality—just a really unsavory one.

His selfishness looks temptingly like a Slytherin Primary, but he lacks any of the loyalty. He’ll betray anyone and it doesn’t seem to be because he’s Petrified—he still likes and bonds with people. He cares not just practically but emotionally about what they think of him (his plea to Mal not to tell the others about his betrayal in Ariel). But when push comes to shove, he doesn’t seem to be driven strongly by that affection, the way a Slytherin is tied to their personal loyalties. A Gryffindor, then, just an ugly one. Sorry, Gryffindors.

His secondary, though, we think is Slytherin. He looks a lot like a blunt Gryffindor Secondary, but it’s just his Slytherin Secondary neutral state, which he likes to live in and which shares the blunt or even abrasive honesty and delighted tactlessness of some Gryffindor Secondaries.

When Jayne needs to lie, deceive, connive, or betray, he does it easily and without a touch of dismay. He schemes and jockies for advantage. He’s a good example of the uglier stereotypes of a Slytherin Secondary. Sorry, Slytherins.

Kaylee Frye is a Gryffindor Primary like Jayne and Zoe, but where Jayne’s is self-serving and Zoe’s is quietly shattered, Kaylee’s shines bright through her Hufflepuff Secondary. She community-builds like nobody’s business and even her technical prowess is described in terms of intuitive empathy.

In the episode where they pick up Simon and River, she’s sitting outside Serenity asking people why she should let them onto her ship, why they want to be on her ship. And the only answer she accepts, Book’s, is a philosophy of wandering and traveling that sits close to her heart. It’s a Gryffindor recognizing someone who looks to share her view of the world. It’s a Gryffindor who’s bonding over shared ideas and ideals. And what does she do with this information? She brings Book aboard the ship. Welcome to the family, you share our philosophies, and I think we’ll get along great.

One of the (many) ways she does her part on Serenity is by community building with people who are good, who are worth getting to know, or who are interesting-- who aren’t just picking their ship because it’s a ship that they happened to see, but because they’re able to pick up on that something special that Kaylee values so much about Serenity.

Book is a burned Gryffindor with a Slytherin secondary and a Hufflepuff performance. He’s devoted himself to the truth of the Word, of the Bible, of his religion-- like, Zoe he doesn’t have faith in his own ability to tell right from wrong. Where Zoe places her faith in Mal, Book places his in his religion.

His secondary is a bit hard to sort, but from his laid-back, go with the flow skills and his comfort with lying or gilding the truth, he reads as a Slytherin Secondary to us.

Wash is a hard sort, because you can read or not read so many different depths to him. Is he really as utterly transparent as he seems? He looks like a Hufflepuff Primary, but maybe he’s a Ravenclaw with a loud model—because if he’s a straight up Puff, then the boy wears his heart and thoughts on his sleeve all the time.

But Zoe has a pattern—she likes Puffs—so we’re gonna go with that.

Wash really is that honest and straightforward, his emotions obvious on his face. I think someone with the sort of built layers that are easy but not necessary to read into Wash wouldn’t be the kind Zoe would fall in love with. She likes hearts that know what they’re doing, that are instinctual in their kindnesses. Wash is himself, all the time, and that self plays with dinosaurs, loves his wife, and headbutts with Mal over ethics with the thoughtless confidence of two Puffs who disagree.

Ravenclaw Secondary—he’s quirky, delights in sarcasm and wit even when what he’s trying to be is kind. His Puff center makes his secondary look a lot warmer than burned Gryffindor Zoe’s Ravenclaw secondary, but the fact that this couple shares a secondary makes sense.

We think River was originally a Ravenclaw/Ravenclaw with Slytherin Primary and Ravenclaw Secondary models — basically, as a kid she modeled Simon’s Slytherclaw. She’s not a Slytherin Primary herself, but she finds comfort in Slytherin loyalty and she often sees the world through that lens—an emphasis on interpersonal connection, a sense of “mine first,” and loyalties owed.

By the time she’s on Serenity, however, she’s been rubbed so raw she doubts her Slytherin model (“I didn’t think you’d come for me” “Dummy,” says Slytherclaw Simon, who never could have done anything else) and she has almost entirely dropped the show-off Claw performance of the little girl who had corrected her big brother’s spelling. As the show goes on, she grasps more and more of her Slytherin model: she gets to bring back one of her layers, regain her trust in Simon’s Slytherin, rebuild her model of a world in which one universal truth is that her brother will always come for her.

But River’s drives and connection to the world are understanding it. She wants to know what’s going on, both in the observant, academic sense of the Ravenclaw Secondary and the more abstract Ravenclaw primary—she’s looking for purpose, shoulds and shouldn’ts, for identity.

A Slytherin Primary in her situation might have attached themselves to Simon like a baby sloth, but River doesn’t. He’s her solid ground, but not her reason.

A young Gryffindor might be reactive, responding with their gut, or perhaps cynical and shattered after their self had been so invaded. In rebuilding, a Gryffindor would be looking for something inside themselves, a sense of solidity, a sense of purpose — River is looking outside.

A Hufflepuff Primary might have clearer eyes for the people of the ship— River views them with a detached fondness. There is genuine affection there (see: Objects in Space), but when it comes to River feeling steady in the world she’s almost more interested in the engines than the crew— not their mechanics, but the beat of them.

She’s a Romantic sort of Ravenclaw Primary, sure, but she’s got a need for systems to build and inhabit. Her sense of reality has been shattered and the first thing that gives her some peace and stability is this — not safety, certainty, or community, but a sense of knowing what is going on.

River’s trying to figure out how this all works and the heart of this show (because River more than any of them lives in the meta-text) is Serenity.

River’s trying to find a base from which she can build. Her world, her models, and her ability to perceive and believe reality have been shattered. Mal pulls her back to the ship at the end of the last episode—it’s a homecoming, yes, but perhaps more than that he’s giving her a place to stand.

That episode is easily Firefly’s most existential/meta and it’s fitting that we start it with River detached from reality—ocean wave audio, mistaking a gun for a fallen branch, pushed to untrusted outskirts—and that we end it with River landing firmly feet first on Serenity, beaming through her suit visor.

tl;dr:

Mal - Burned Hufflepuff / Gryffindor

Inara - Slytherin / Ravenclaw

Jayne - Gryffindor / Slytherin

Kaylee - Gryffindor / Hufflepuff

Book - Burned Gryffindor / Slytherin

Zoe - Burned Gryffindor / Ravenclaw

Wash - Hufflepuff / Ravenclaw

Simon - Slytherin / Ravenclaw

River - Ravenclaw / Ravenclaw

#firefly #sortinghatchats #repost

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dettiot · 4 years

Text

telling the master

Mara twisted her fingers together, then took a deep breath and attempted to release her nervousness into the Force. But just like her Master, she was having trouble with that. And in any other situation when she was having difficulty, she would talk to her Master

This time, though, it was harder. Because she was nervous about talking to her Master because of his son.

“Mara? Is everything all right?”

She was so lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t even noticed the door opening.

“Master Skywalker!” she said, wincing at how high her voice was.

With a grin, Master Skywalker stepped out of the Skywalker family apartment, leaning on his cane. “I was at the other end of the apartment and could feel your anxiety from there. That’s not like you, Mara.”

“I know,” she said, lifting her chin. “But--but this is a hard thing to talk to you about.”

He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded a little. “How about we go for a walk?”

“All right,” she said, tucking her hands into the sleeves of her robes and fell into step with him.

For a few moments, there was just the sound of their footsteps and the tapping of Master Skywalker’s cane. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, seeing the strands of gray in his sandy brown hair.

When they had first met, he had seemed so epic to her. Hero of the Clone Wars, defeater of Darth Sidious . . . destroyer of her future. But also the one who gave her a real future, full of choices and hopes and happiness . . .

Happiness she still wasn’t sure she deserved.

They drew up to the small balcony at the end of the hallway, giving them a view of Coruscant. Mara rested her hands on the balcony, looking out and trying to get her feelings in order.

“What’s on your mind, Mara?”

Direct and to the point. The quality she so appreciated in her Master. A quality that had become part of her own personality.

Licking her lips, Mara said quietly, “I . . . I think I have feelings for Luke.”

“Hmmm,” Master Skywalker said, bringing a hand up to his chin to stroke it.

“Romantic feelings,” she said, feeling stupid. But she wanted to make sure he understood her.

Master Skywalker quirked an eyebrow at her. “I guessed that was what you meant, Mara.”

“Of course,” she said, looking at her feet.

HIs soft laugh made her feel even more embarrassed. “Mara, Luke has been crazy about you since he realized girls weren’t gross.”

It was all she could do not to squirm. “I know.”

“He’s like me. Fell once, fell hard, fell forever,” Master Skywalker said, sounding fond.

The last thing Mara felt at that was fondness. Because . . . because Luke wasn’t going to love her forever, was he? That--that didn’t make sense!

She knew that, and still, she couldn’t help feeling that deep-down part of her, the little knot at her core that warmed at the idea of always being loved by Luke. Of having him always.

But still--the love story of Master Skywalker and his wife was epic. There was no guarantee that she and Luke would be like that.

“Master Skywalker, it’s not fair of you to say that to me,” Mara said, looking up at him.

“You’re right,” he said, patting her shoulder. “Sorry. But sometimes it’s hard to wear two hats. Father for Luke, Jedi Master for you. So you have feelings for Luke. What’s the problem?”

Mara pressed her lips together as she tried to gather her thoughts. As she tried to make sense of what she was feeling. She almost had a handle on them, but then suddenly, she was speaking.

“Do you ever regret what you did out of love?”

He blinked, looking a bit taken aback. “What?”

Swallowing, Mara looked up at her Master and was brutally honest. “If I admit I love Luke . . . I would destroy anyone who hurt him. I would pull the galaxy to pieces if he didn’t get what he wanted. But--but . . .”

Master Skywalker’s face softened. “Oh, Mara.” He took a step towards her and wrapped his arm around her tightly, drawing her in for one of his uniquely strong one-armed hugs.

“If I did that, he wouldn’t love me anymore,” Mara whispered against his robes. “So--so how do I stop myself?”

“That’s a question Jedi have been asking themselves for centuries, Mara,” Master Skywalker said gently. “It’s one I’ve asked myself a lot. So all I can offer is what I’ve learned.”

She pulled back enough to look up at him. “Which is?”

“I stop myself by remembering that Padme would never want me to hurt anyone else for her sake,” Master Skywalker said. “That she thinks I’m a good man and believes I can find a better solution. And most of the time, Padme wants to deal with the person who hurt her and make them pay herself.” He gave Mara a lopsided smile.

“And . . . that works?”

“It does,” Master Skywalker said, letting his hand stroke over her hair once. “And it’s exactly what I told Luke when he asked me the same question.”

Mara blinked. “What?”

Master Skywalker grinned. “Yup. So I hope that helps.”

For a few long moments, Mara thought that over. And then, to her surprise, her mind cleared and her heart stopped hurting. Looking up at her Master, she smiled and nodded. “It does help.”

“Good!” he said. “You want to come in and have dinner with us? I made bantha stew.”

“Actually . . . um, could you send Luke out to see me?” Mara asked, feeling her cheeks flush.

He grinned and nodded. “Sure.”

Moving faster than he normally did, Master Skywalker headed back to his apartment, and Mara looked back out at the view, feeling her heart swell.

Luke Skywalker was stubborn, much too trusting, a bit of a whiner, and the man she was totally in love with. She needed his optimism, his belief, his rock-solid ideals. Just like he needed her logic, her flexible thinking, her clear-sighted view of the galaxy.

And she couldn’t wait to tell him that.

“Mara?”

End.

#mara jade #anakin skywalker #star wars

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frangipanidownunder · 4 years

Text

Triskele: fic

Late season seven, just before Requiem. Maggie POV. For @purrykat who asked: I'd love to read a beginning of relationship fic where Maggie first discovers Mulder and Scully are involved! :)

The three Scully women are eternally connected. Even death will not separate them. A triskele of Scullys. The Celtic symbol of life, death, rebirth; of female growth - maiden, mother, crone; of earth, sea, sky. Missy never got to complete her journey on this earth, Maggie thinks, swallowing back the onset of tears that threaten when she recalls Melissa’s face. But she’s with her all the time. Fly high, darling girl.

With that thought still in her mind, a bird flits above her and she looks up. She catches sight of Dana, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. So contained, so grounded. Nothing out of place. Where Missy was all feel my chi, look at my crystals, see the colours of my aura; Dana has always been primly folded and neatly fitted into whatever box she felt she needed to be in. Tomboy. Daddy’s girl. But now, Maggie sees, beautiful woman.

It wasn’t that Maggie hadn’t noticed the thousand small rebellions along the path of Dana’s life. The smoking. That Marcus boy. The FBI. But Dana kept her inner mutineer in an even more secretive place, locked in the dark, should the light ever display her frailties.

Since Missy’s passing, Maggie has often felt her oldest daughter inside, as though their souls have coiled together in the same eternal spiral as the triskele. Missy is guiding her and the sensation can strike at the oddest times. She bought soy wax candles and the unfurling smoke, the earth-sweet scent and the bright flame reminds her of Missy whenever she lights it. Just last week, she had a flash of spontaneity and booked into a spiritual retreat, complete with Himalayan salt baths and group Chakra readings. She can practically see Dana’s eyebrows rising, when they have that conversation. But, whatever differences the sisters exhibited, they shared some similarities. They were both just too stubborn to see it.

Dana had lived a big life already, but her abduction had effectively killed that version of her. She was still fierce and compact, but the incident had torn open a vulnerability that left her exposed in a way she hated.

“I feel like Shrodinger’s cat,” she confided in Maggie once, her voice a thready whisper on the phone. “I have been dead and alive at the same time and sometimes I still feel like that.”

Maggie has always felt that Dana’s recovery was a miracle, but she also knows her daughter would deny such a declaration. Missy believed it was proof of a deep, spiritual connection between body and soul. Dana would write off such belief as superstitious hocus pocus. That Missy didn’t recover from her own tragic circumstance was a hard blow to deal with. Maggie could have used some of Dana’s clinical acceptance of the facts of death.

But through life’s miracles or death’s certainty, their bonds are still strong, the Scully women. And Maggie feels a change has come. Inside her, their eternal spiral is turning, shining, glowing.

Maggie looks at Dana now, where she’s standing with Fox under the shade of a wide stripy umbrella, twirling a straw in her lemonade as ice chinks against the glass. She’s laughing at something he’s said, following him with her eyes as he walks to the buffet table. Missy’s voice whispers on the breeze, something like, do you see what I see?

Dana catches her mother looking at her and flushes, dips her head, sips her drink. Oh, my. Of course. Thank you for pointing that out, Missy.

“Lovely afternoon tea, Mrs Scully,” Father McCue says, laying a hand on her arm and smiling out at the garden. “Your roses are splendid.”

“I use dish soap for the aphids. Something my eldest daughter…Melissa…got me on to years ago.”

“Very environmentally friendly,” he says, reaching out to shake a passing guest’s hand. “And Dana? How is she?”

They look over at her, nibbling on a carrot stick as Fox bends to whisper something in her ear. Blooming, she thinks, as a waft of rose perfume fills her nose. “She’s very well,” Maggie says. “As you can see.”

“And this young man is her partner?”

Is that the term, these days? Missy giggles. Mom. Maggie has no idea what people say these days. In her day, she courted William Scully. Or rather, he courted her. And Dana would be so very closed off to the idea of anybody pinning labels on her.

“Fox…Mulder. Yes. He’s…been through quite the ordeal these past months. He was very sick last year. And his mother passed, but you know Dana,” she says, touching the base of her throat as pride blooms in her chest. “She was there for him. She always is.” Nearly adds, always will be, but catches herself.

“They look very companionable. It must be comforting for you to know Dana has such a caring and solid relationship with her partner. I know her work can be dangerous, but she’s always been so strong, hasn’t she?”

Too strong, Maggie wants to add. “Dana! Fox! Come over here. Father McCue wants to say hello.” She waves at them and the skirt of Dana’s dress swishes as the pair walk in unison. Such synchronicity. So in tune with each other. Perhaps even more so, now.

The smile on Fox’s face is broad, proud. A giveaway. He holds out his hand and pumps Father McCue’s hand. Dana tiptoes to kiss both the older man’s cheeks.

“You two look very…” Maggie doesn’t even choose a descriptor before Dana issues an embarrassed ‘mom’ and blushes the shade of her Madame Bellon rose. Fox chuckles. It’s a delightful sound. One she’s not sure she’s heard before. “I was going to say happy. Am I not allowed to say that?”

“We are,” Fox says, looking down at her daughter.

We.

It’s possible Dana missed his use of the personal pronoun. Such a tiny word but from it burst a gargantuan secret. Maggie’s pulse quickens, the way it might when you are expecting some grand announcement. But she’s rushing ahead. She must temper her elation. Besides, Fox is still talking. “You throw a lovely garden party, Mrs Scully. The chicken sandwiches are delicious. What’s your secret?”

“The mayonnaise is homemade. You remember how Missy would complain about the shop-bought stuff but never bothered to help me make it?” Dana nods, but she’s distracted, as though she wants to get away, to seek privacy. “Anyway, I’m so pleased you were able to come. It’s so nice to see you, Fox.”

“I did wonder if you’d recognise me outside of a hospital,” he says and Father McCue coughs in surprise. Dana twists her top half round quickly, shooting Fox a look. “Can I get you a drink, Mrs Scully?”

“Oh, call me Maggie. And I’d love a lemonade, thank you.”

Father McCue walks with him and Dana holds a hand up to her brow, regarding the rest of the guests.

“You have some news?” Maggie asks.

“What do you mean?”

The spiral inside tightens. Dana must come to you, mom. Missy’s right. Time. Dana’s always needed time. Holding her secrets, seeking validation, demanding certainty.

“Nothing,” Maggie says, planting a kiss on Dana’s cheek. “I just meant, what have you been up to?”

Dana crosses her hands in front of her, linking her fingers and swaying slightly. She looks so girlish, so pretty. “Oh, you know, the same. Mulder trying to save the world. Me trying to keep him in line as he does it. We have the auditors in tomorrow. Should be fun.”

“Well, you make sure you make time for fun, Dana. It’s important.”

“You sound like Missy, mom.” As she smiles, Dana’s eyes tell a story that fun is being had. Most definitely. “Besides, you probably don’t see it, but working with Mulder can be very entertaining. He’s a funny guy. He’s…anyway…life is good. For now.”

Fox returns with three glasses on a tray. They each take one. On the point of the umbrella, a bird lands, twittering a merry tune. Missy, Maggie thinks.

She proposes a toast. “To the Scully women.” She chinks Dana’s glass first, her eyes water almost imperceptibly. Then she touches Fox’s glass and after he tears his eyes from Dana, he delivers Maggie a slow nod of understanding.

“To the Scully women,” he repeats, looking back down at Dana with the eyes of a man smitten.

#txf fanfic #msr #maggie pov #season 7 flirty fluff

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