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blackbutlerfandomnerddomain · 8 months

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Day 1 (September 23) - Family/Childhood

The day was blissfully calm and perfect for a nice sweet calm fall season.

The dorm of Heartslabyul was calm after a long long week of crazy class and club schedules, enjoying the smooth transition of hard student life to a relaxing hang out in the dorm’s lounge as Trey brought over more snacks and tea to study.

The green haired gent looked up as the dorm’s head, Riddle Rosehearts, walked into the lounge with some papers of the dorm schedule and smiles. Even after being in Night Raven for a few years he always maps out every little thing that is needed to keep his dorm in order.

“Hmm? Nah, I’ve been in love before.”

Riddle and his vice dorm head look to their left at the large couch in the lounge and stare at one of their freshmen, a red haired boy with crazed taste for many insane adventures and rebellion against the morals and rules of Heartslabyul and Night Raven Collage itself named Ace Trappola, a lovely thorn in their Queen’s side.

Ace sits lazily in the couch’s center being surrounded by his fellow mates of Heartslabyul, hands busy with cards shuffling back and forth with a grin and healthy glow of flush that barely covers his soft freckles.

One of the other freshmans laughed, “Oh yeah, that girlfriend you mentioned from your Junior days.”

Ace laughs some in return, a hand reaching up and rubbing his neck’s back, “Well, no, actually. With her we weren’t that long into serious town. Nah, I mean someone else.”

Riddle bit back a sigh as he rolled his eyes, annoyed the calm afternoon was done thanks to Ace wanting to brag about his love life as self-centered as he always is. He turned his back away and looked at the schedule again, ready to interrupt this “lovely tale” with his words as another student pipes up, “Eh?? You have a list of hearts Trappola?”

“Huh? No dumb-dumb! I’m certain at the time she was my soul mate. My… first love.”

The words stopped Riddle from stopping the words that flow out the ginger’s mouth like running water.

“It was a few days before my 9th birthday, my mum just picked me up from my sports club activities and took me and my big brother to town so she can do some shoppin’. I was wondering about when I saw her.”

Ace smiles as the faint glow of nostalgic glee fills his red eyes, “She had this red ribbon in her hair and these big beautiful blue eyes, like the ocean was in her eyes instead of color. And man was her smile just so damn cute~”

Everyone looked at Ace, smiling at the surprisingly wholesome expression on his face as he talked about this mystery girl.

“Well don’t hold us out Ace-Chan, what’s her name~?” Pestered Cater with a happy grin, his hands and face features proving he’s just melting over how cute this is becoming than how it may have started if the wild card said something else with love.

Ace shrugged, “I don’t know.”

. . .

“HUH!?”

“How do you not know? Did you never ask?!” Called out Deuce, peacock eyes widen like the tea cups on the table that stare at Ace who rubbed his ear from the outburst near him.

“I tried to get her name but I was too late okay?!” After he sighs, Ace went on, “I saw her again the next day and I entered this tea cafe my family loved to go to, Mad Hat’s Tea House, they had this little book nook area where you rent stories and whatevers. And there she was, sitting at one of the tables reading a book on Magic Tricks. So I went up to her and we chatted for a bit. But then after I told her my name and she was just about to tell me her’s… Her mum called for her. And I never saw that girl again…”

Riddle’s eyes soften at the clear ache in Ace’s words when telling the tragedy of meeting, to whom he assumed, his “soul mate” only to never meet her again. Isn’t that ironic..? He thought to himself.

His blue-gray eyes soon caught Ace’s very name on the schedule for hedgehog feedings and pushed his tinted lips out in thought.

“What about you, Dorm Head? Ever been in love~?”

Ace’s familiar teasing tone brought Riddle back to the world of reality as he held back a sign of “Oh dammit to Hell, here we go again” in his throat.

Black gloves gripping the paper slightly harsher before he spoke, mentally weighing the idea of amusing the very thought until the decision was made, “For your information, yes, I have. But that was just some puppy love of youth.”

The dorm erupted in questions when hearing such news from their house prefect, the very idea of him admitting to a childhood love is a shock after all!

“Come on, come on don’t tease us with a taste Riddle-San! Tell us more~ More~!” Whined Cater which honestly with the utter display of his spring green puppy dog eyes and quivering peachy pink pouty lips was amusing for the red head to see.

Bringing his hands up, Riddle waved in small back and forth as he suppressed the small smile of amusement as his voice croaked in words, “Okay okay, just calm down first.”

He almost snorted seeing everyone sit down fast like it’s Circle Story Time for a bunch of children.

The dorm leader brought a knuckle up and cleared his throat before he perked up, “I was 10 and at the time I was, well, on a tight leash if I shall be honest. My mother was in serious need of grocery shopping for our usual things and so she took me along. We arrived at a tea cafe to gather some of the special tea leaves my mother loved, and she allowed me to wander a bit. Then…”

With a flutter of an eye he saw a semi sweet tooth gap of a grin of a sweet face of the girl who, though he’ll never dare admit, sticks within his day dreams of hopes to see her again.

Guess it is ironic huh?

“Then… she came into my view. She stood there, telling me about these… ponies she adores near the farmer’s market and was shocked to hear I haven’t seen one at this time of my life…”

As everyone listened, Ace shifted in his seat, a question of an eyebrow on his face as the sentence circles around his head like a forgotten and broken halo. Ponies He thought, How strange-

“Sadly however I had to leave sooner than I would’ve hoped. But that single conversation got me a little… giddy I guess you can say. Her kind smile showed no bounds of my memories even. So yes, I have been in love before.” Riddle finished his story, looking at everyone’s face of awe and “Awww my Seven that’s so cute” mostly from Cater and Trey who were just staring at their friend in pure wholesome heart melts.

“Th-That’s so sad, Riddle-San… Are you okay??” Asked Cater as he tried to wrap his arms in a hug, catching out a whine of a half sob when he gets rejected of said hug thanks to Riddle’s quick step to the right.

Trey spoke up, patting Cater’s back as he does, a soft warm smile on his lips, “I never knew that. Honestly, I’m surprised.” Riddle smiles some and nods, “Yes,” Said he, “I was surprised as well. It didn’t really take me until a year to actually realize I had these feelings and put them into words properly.”

“P…Ponies…”

Riddle turned to his rouge rebellious card soldier with a quirked eyebrow. “Yes?” He asked, confused but ready to shout if he needed to with a single wrong word of Ace.

Ace rubbed his neck with a laugh, “So your first love got you into horses huh?”

Riddle paused but smiled, even laughing a bit in return, “Ahaha, yes. I guess she did influence me in a way. And your first love seemed to have sparked some magic in you too?”

“Yep! After that day, I begged my grandpa and pops to show me some tricks so I can impress her one day. How weird though, we both met our first loves at a tea house cafe-”

“Eh? Oh, yes, a very funny coincidence…”

“Yeah, funny indeed…”

The two stare at each other in some silence, almost trying to read each other’s thoughts through eyes and stance.

Then, Ace snorted.

“Hey hey, if either of us meet her again, I call dibs on the first move!”

Riddle’s face flared up in frustration. “What? She isn’t some property we bet and call dibs on! And besides that, why would you make the first move??”

Ace laughs again, “You’re kidding right? I learned magic for her. The least I can do is wow her with it!”

As the two bicker, which as many expected ended with Ace getting collared for his tongue and Riddle marching off in a humph, the rest of the dorm replay the stories from today in their heads.

All the while, a vice dorm head and his buddy soon look at each other and give each other a knowing yet soft smirk on their lips.

Isn’t that ironic?

This fic is heavily inspired by these two songs

First fic for the @ridoaceweek

If you haven't picked it up, Ace and Riddle are both FtM Transgenders and only know of there past selves of their actual soulmates. I personally would see Cater and Trey and Chenya knowing Riddle's trans while Ace is more secretive cause he's stubborn as shit

Also, I always headcanoned Riddle chose to have red hair but wasn't actually born with it, a little nod to the Queen of Heart's black hair in the film.

I also kind of tried to imply but guess I didn't do a good job of it that after the incident where Riddle's mum found Riddle with Trey instead of studying she forbad him from doing what he loves as a punishment, this sadly resulted in taking all of Riddle's pants and making him dress in dresses and forced him to grow his hair out and be more "girlish" again as punishment for not studying

While Ace just didn't know he was trans yet

#twisted wonderland #ace x riddle #riddle x ace #ridoace #ridoaceweek23 #my art #Spotify

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arwenkenobi48 · 2 years

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Rejecting Grimdark, Reclaiming Humanity

Trigger warning: capitalism, emotional abuse, mentions of suicidal ideation

I’ve never really surrounded myself by grimdark media and I think the fact that I ended up in a severe mental health crisis and experienced suicidal ideation whenever I was exposed to it isn’t a coincidence; it’s just not good for my soul

Don’t get me wrong, I love dark media and I’m a sucker for bittersweet endings, but that’s because there’s a certain beauty that comes with that which I can’t find in grimdark fiction; I just end up wondering why that piece of media even exists. If the characters and the world they live in amount to nothing, what’s the point of even creating something surrounding it? What’s the point in following the journey of characters whose entire purpose is to suffer without any form of recompense?

There isn’t even any catharsis in it like you’d find in a Shakespearean tragedy; it’s just pain for the sake of pain and I think we, as a generation, have had far too much of that already. And the idea that grimdark fiction is pushed as “realistic” and “just how life is” makes me sick to my stomach. The phrase “life isn’t all [insert positive thing here]” has come to mean “[positive thing] doesn’t exist and it’s wrong to expect it” which just reeks of defeatism and honestly feels like a mass scale form of emotional abuse.

Capitalism not only robs us of what we need to survive, but preys on our emotions and systematically destroys our wills through pushing this agenda. Whenever I see someone making jokes about how they thought something good was coming into their lives only for it to be snatched away, my heart breaks bc it’s clear that they’ve internalised that harmful shit. I’ve noticed this particularly with memes about how every year since 2016 people have been hoping for something better and getting that hope crushed. Some say that laughter is the best medicine and I do agree with that sentiment a lot of the time, but there’s a big difference between a genuine, joyful laugh and a sardonic chuckle, which is what I feel is becoming the status quo.

The authoritarian capitalists that currently rule us can only truly thrive when they know they’ve killed every fragment of joy within us. And the way they’re doing that is by twisting even something as wholesome as human laughter into something that just creates more numbing pain. They want us to be numb. They want us to stop feeling. They want us to stop caring. To care, to feel, to have hopes and dreams is to be human. They don’t want humans. They want machines. Machines that were once human. They can build as many robots as they want; it’s not like they can’t afford it. But the idea of humans leading a happy life that aren’t in their elite circle is something they cannot stand. That’s why they’re determined to break us by any means necessary.

I know that we’ve all been hurt. Not just by the capitalists, but by individual traumas we’ve faced throughout all stages of life. I’ve been hurt too. My pain, while it has eased, hasn’t ceased yet. But the worst thing any of us could possibly do is let that pain numb us. The moment we stop feeling, stop caring and stop hoping for something better, that is the moment they win. I know it isn’t easy. I know it’s hard to break free from the pessimistic mindset they’ve been instilling in us for so long, but you can do it. Don’t be afraid.

Don’t be afraid to feel. Don’t be afraid to care. Don’t be afraid to hope for and long for something better than what you have. We all deserve better than what they’re doing to us. Defeatism, pessimism and apathy are our worst enemies and their most powerful allies. There’s only one way to break free of that. And that is to feel, care, hope, dream, aspire, be passionate. To love one another and to love ourselves.

It’s been said, time and time again, that true love conquers all. There’s a large number of people who have a very shallow understanding of what that means. But as sentimental as some may call it, love truly is our greatest strength. Love for our planet, our own human race, for each other, for the life and future we know we deserve. Do you think all the revolutions that toppled the tyrants of old from their thrones would have still happened had the people not been united by love? Just think about it. An entire nation can rise up and defeat evil all because they collectively agreed “We love each other so deeply that we’re going to fight tooth and nail for the lives, peace and happiness we deserve”. There is something beautiful and profound about that. And I still believe that we all have that same fighting spirit in us all. We must do everything we can to keep it alive.

So the next time someone tells you a happy ending isn’t “realistic”, it’s best to politely disagree. We all deserve to live happily ever after. We all deserve happiness and peace in our lives. Life is not a piece of grimdark fiction. We need to realise that. We need to rekindle the warmth inside our hearts. We need to let ourselves be human again.

(Author’s Note: That took a lot out of me. What started as nothing more than an introspective throwaway post turned into a full blown manifesto. I’m glad I wrote it, though, and I want to share it. I hope that it inspires some positive change.)

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lampmanliveblogs · 1 year

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If we look on the right next to Luz & Hooty, we can see what looks like a meteorite or comet. There was a similar drawing in the tower where King hatched. On the left, we can see what looks to me like an eclipse. Above, we can see depictions of the Titan Trappers felling Titans.

In this room just beyond Bill’s office, alongside the depictions of the Titan Trappers trapping Titans, we find an altar, surrounded by skulls. At least twenty of them, probably more. We see more depictions of Titans on the walls, including what might be Ymir on the right there. It has a shorter face than some of the others and the orientation of the skull seems right, though I can’t be 100% sure.

The space around the altar with the skulls is surrounded with more, assorted bones. And right behind the altar is a large sun, partially eclipsed.

This looks like an altar where sacrifices are made.

I was JUST about to ask about that. Because all the Titan Trapper’s looked like King, so how then… but no… they’re disguises. Which I guess explains how Bill could pull up his shirt to show his scar on exposed skin, even through, you know… you really can’t do that with fur. Unless he shaved his tummy.

…wait, does that mean… when Tarak said ”He passed down that handsome skull of yours,” he didn’t mean it in a ”Oh, you look just like your father!” kinda way. No, he meant that King’s dad LITERALLY passed down the skull to King. As in, the skull is a part of a disguise.

Oh, and I guess Luz said what I was thinking, that the Grand Huntsman is The Collector and that this is all part of The Collector’s plan to bust out of jail. I wonder how or if this has anything to do with the Day of unity?

Hey, uh… King? Do you notice anything weird about those suits of armor in the corner? Like, oh, I don’t know, the fact that they still have their skulls? Isn’t that a bit odd, to keep their comrades skulls in their armory and not in a graveyard or something?

There is a square shield hanging to the right of the entrance. That kind of shield was more indicative of the romans than the vikings. The only reason I know this is because in one of the How To Train Your Dragon books, Hiccup takes a roman dude’s shield and the epilogue mentions that a lot of other vikings wondered why he used a roman-style shield in battle.

This is such a sweet, wholesome moment, with King having just found someplace where he belongs. Tarak even promises to help him figure out what the symbol means and to play catch with him.

To bad this is going to be ruined as the Titan Trapper’s turn on our beloved skull dog son, who’s actually the last of a race of titanic beasts of immense power.

I haven’t mentioned it, but I’ve been looking closely at the background trying to find the symbol from King’s tower, or even anything that kinda looked like it, but I didn’t spot anything. Maybe that was why I had a sense of unease this entire time.

I was genuine about this being a nice moment. All of the Titan Trappers have been so welcoming of King and Tarak is being really kind, offering him to help figure out the meaning of his father’s symbol and play with him… and teaching him how to brutally murder people. P-point is, this makes the tragedy of what will inevitably happen next so much greater.

#the owl house #liveblog #the owl house liveblog #toh s2e17 #edge of the world

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tsukiyadori · 1 year

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When rare meets rare meets even more rare... ✨

I couldn't possibly say it now... that I, who gave out all that [love] advice, «can't» fall in love even if I wanted.... Yoimachi Hatori, Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata chapter 55

Me: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhh

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhh

I had some real strong hunches about her, but--------------------

oohhhhhhooooooooooooohohhhhhhhhhhhhhhdjsfhdfkjgkjdfgkfdjhg

It's actually official now!!!

So what do we have here?

Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata ("How to make a (Maiden) in Love" also known as I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl in Seven Sea's English localization) or OtoTsuku in short, is a tale about Hiura Mihate who is, in modern Western queer parlance, a gender non-conforming femme boy (even if the first take on the English translation botched it hard by disagreeing) in love with his male childhood friend Midou Kensuke who's loves fashion and cosmetics and is very much female attracted, but slowly discovering that his feminine type isn't exactly limited by sex and gender.

GNC (not used as a trap or mere cosplay joke) is super rare already. This series also goes out of its way to make it abundantly clear that this is no trans woman character plot (given the timing in which chapter 46 hits down the nails on it in more than clear words and chapter 45 was still right in the middle of another plotline, makes you almost suspect if the whole translation drama, which was also brought to attention to the author, caused that coming out prematurely into existence...)

It's also rare for being a series that doesn't go the queer is a suffering tragedy sob story-route, nor does it reside in an alternate universe bubble of homophobia simply doesn't exist. Internalized stereotypes of masculinity and later internalized homophobia is something Midou wrestles with from the get go and needs his time to fight against emotionally. Overall the series is still super compf by setting it into a safe place of local acceptance inside their school, friends and Midou's sisters. There is no origin source of an active oppressive force of discrimination. There is just the force of the implications of normalized expectations wreck. OtoTsuku deals with it by featuring a plethora of great little examples of how to weed out a lot of the worries you can have right off the bud. (The swimsuit discussion is quite great and elevates the obligatory beach episode trope of anime/manga into something super wholesome.)

The series even features a bi/pan-character Hayakawa Ayato who confesses to Hiura clearly stating that he knows about Hiura and that man or woman doesn't matter to him. Who recently (ch 54) even got a little comeback to the stage and is reintroduced as a subject of envy for Midou for all the things he can already do with such ease, where he himself is still all silently struggling with them, which also established Hayakawa as more than just a throwaway character to jumpstart Midou's self-realization.

There are also plenty of straight love woes surrounding them to avoid the "somehow everyone's queer in this world" trope that especially BL (which this technically counts to, although not quite in terms of your usual genre dynamics) so often suffers from. Classmates get to guest co-star their own chapters for romances and there's kouhai Ginjou Akechi established as a member of the regular cast who constantly confesses and gets dumped by his crush Yoimachi who's a classmate of Hiura's and Midou's.

And there is Yoimachi herself.

Who is all supportive and downright a fangirl of other people's romance. Who will dodge every discussion about her own type and romance ambitions with leading them on by ambiguously fawning over arts, sculptures, busts and mannequins. Who would dump Ginjou persistently and mercilessly. (But still not cut entirely clean by simply avoiding him or cutting down on interactions with him either.) Who is always open, upbeat and reliable.

Yoimachi who would also make a face like this:

Ch14: Isn't it just fine, to feel pathethic and terrible. Why don't you just do what gives you some peace of mind?

This is totally the expression of somebody who has been in the slumps herself. You know that sort of slump where you can't really talk to anyone. And in her case, she compensates by being a good listener to other people's worries.

This is also Yoimachi who would also try to come clean after all with Ginjou:

ch35: "No matter how much more you confess, I will absolutely not be able to answer it. So I recommend you stop it already."

This is such a roundabout phrasing. There is no mention of want or your usual "This is absolutely not going to happen with you". It's an "can't happen". With such a self-deprecating smile at that, she also just recommends him to stop. Not asking or demanding him to stop being a nuisance. His advances put her into discomfort, yet she doesn't blame him at all for it.

If that hint wasn't strong yet at the end of the same chapter

Yoimachi stares at her horoscope. "Only luck in love is a [full score] five stars, huh. ... even though... I don't need it..."

«I don't need it.»

Hits home? Hits super home. Also, that downright cocky "Can you see" poster quite gets me. Can you see? Can you?

The rest of the cast clearly can't:

ch55, Ginjou: "You know I've been wondering recently. Senpai isn't interested in humans and doesn't want to raise any hopes from me. Isn't that maybe because she had a drunken love in the past...?"

To ramble on with an absurd cheap ass romance plot line anyone thinks is idiocy, but then everyone also just goes

"But no wait. We can't rule it out either, can we..." along with a "mysterious aura" as an sfx.

OF COURSE, you're going to be an enigma. And the next best idea is to have something trauma-based if you're dodging this territory altogether.

Or Ginjou mulling over her fame of giving out love advice:

"But well, Yoimachi seems to be blessed with a lot of life experience. She looks so far ahead, you wouldn't think of her as a same fellow high school student."

No, no, no, no, all you do it look at things more sensibly or rationally and not be completely blinded by this dumpster emotion that makes no sense, that blinds your eyes, disables any unbiased observation skills or general brain circuits.

Girl: "Your advice from the other day was really helpful. When I told that my boyfriend he was like 'She's so experienced with love, it's downright scary'!"

You see that and feel like wanting to smash something? Of course you can only have a valid, helpful opinion on the love topic if you have experienced it yourself. And vice versa, if you do have something worthwhile to say about it, you naturally must have had that experience yourself first hand. Because of course anything about love is not something you could actually study, by, let's say, listening to other people's love tales?

Which this Yoimachi certainly loves to do:

ch30: "Hey, hey, I want to hear about everyone's love stories! I loooove the love tales of other people!"

Yoimachi herself eventually has to vent her frustrations in a monologue tirade, while thinking she's on her own:

"Hum... Betrayed by a friend, two timing, three timing, associating with a man twice your age, a long distance relationship with somebody you know from the internet.... huh?

Isn't there way too much action in high school recently???

I somehow resolved all of them, so it went well, but...

Everyone, you're the way more love experienced ones, you know...

... I couldn't possibly say it now… that I, who gave out all that advice, «can't» fall in love even if I wanted…."

Oh I know those rants. When everyone else around is going absolutely nuts. And you can't find a good place to say a single thing, because that's just going to destroy somebody else's entire world view.

I absolutely adore that Yoimachi is such a fan of everything romance, as well as savy about it, despite knowing what the deal with herself is. End the conflation of aro/ace with prude and general repulsion already. Being interested in a sujet doesn't mean you have to had that experience or be interested in experiencing it yourself. You can like reading mystery and thriller fiction that wouldn't mean you'd want to be in the middle of a series murder case yourself, would you? (Though IRL I recently did get an answer of maybe you would actually. Facepalm.)

In any case

I'M THRILLED.

POSITIVELY TRILLED.

I was really liking the series already for dealing with a character born with stats or interests not quite in alignment of sex/gender expectations in such a nice way. About wanting to go against it not having to mean you're having to be the opposite gender (but still allowed to go through all the questioning of it) nor it being a feminist battle plotline. A series just being continuously fluff, cute and compfy while being fairly grounded at the same time. Adding this bit next to all the other themes - on an established secondary main cast character - is just such a nice addition in an assembly of rarely seen stuff. And getting it so quickly after I stumbled over Fudanshi Kazoku which came along with quite the great super surprise reveal - I'm almost feeling like I'm getting a bit too spoiled.

(And unlike Fudanshi Kazoku this series will probably hold out for a bit longer. I'm still half in denial that it just went and wrapped it all up right after that. q_q)

#manga #koisuru otome no tsukurikata #azusa banjo #i think i turned my childhood friend into a girl #ramblings #translation #japanese translation #english translation #aroace #aro #ace #aromantic #asexual

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imaginedisish · 3 years

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American Girl (Loki x Reader)

A/N: So this is kinda just a little drabble (well, a drabble for me, considering most of my stuff is 3,000+ words lol), I wrote earlier today. It seemed like an extremely cute concept. It’s super wholesome...like SUPER fluffy. I don’t even think Loki’s a bitch in this at all. He’s just super sweet, and it’s adorable. I’m currently working on some requests, but I felt the need to post this. It was really too cute not to. It’s extremely short, so I’m sorry for that lol. But, then again, I think it works better as this short. Maybe there’s room for a second part. Oh well :) ENJOY! And go listen to American Girl by Tom Petty while reading :) and then at the end switch over to Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers.

Summary: You think no one’s home to catch you dancing in your room at Stark Tower, but you’re most definitely wrong.

Warnings: Some cursing maybe? Mentions of trauma and such from missions, but nothing terrible. Lots of fluff! Very wholesome!

Word Count: 1,431(She’s short compared to my other stuff)

Waves of sound ricochet off the poster covered walls of your room, threatening to deafen the ears of whoever dared to stand on the other side of the thick, concrete like plaster. Surprisingly, this was how you spent much of your time off, blasting music and dancing around your bedroom inside of Stark Tower. To make matters even better, no one was home. You were alone, with the entire place to yourself. You could dance as shamelessly as you wanted to and no one would see.

The past week had been incredibly stressful. The missions were beginning to become too much for you to handle, if you were being honest. You were still new, and things were becoming incredibly overwhelming for you. The trauma of of massive battles, constant travel and the loss of innocent lives had obviously been far from easy for you to comprehend, despite all the fights you won. But you couldn’t let anyone know. You refused to. That is, except for one person.

Loki.

Oddly enough, despite his rather rocky relationship with the Avengers, you two had developed a close friendship. He didn’t withhold from you the way he withheld from the rest of the team, his brother included. You were a bit disappointed when he was sent on a small side mission this morning, leaving you alone in the tower while everyone else enjoyed their day off outside. You were hoping to spend the day with him, but dancing around your room was still a reasonable way to pass the time.

It wasn’t as enjoyable as being with Loki, but it would do for now.

A cheerful riff starts from the high tech surround sound speaker system Tony had set up for you, and a wide smile spreads across your face. You bounce up and down to the music, flipping your head from side to side in rhythm with the drums. American Girl by Tom Petty slams against your ear drums and you scream the opening lines.

Well, she was an American girl,

Raised on promises

She couldn't help thinking that

there was a little more to life

Somewhere else

The speakers are so loud that it’s practically impossible to hear your own voice. You’re beyond thankful no one is here to catch you dancing around like an absolute fool. And it’s probably better off that no one can hear your voice anyway, that part may have been far worse than the dancing itself.

You can feel the tension releasing itself from your body, the nightmares and tragedies and struggles of this past week’s missions seemingly falling into nothingness as the tips of your toes and heels turn in and out, taking you across the room in a straight line. You twist your shoulders, snapping your fingers and lifting your knees up as you hop back over towards the center of your room. You jump on top of your bed, letting your hair swing from side to side as your body moves to the music.

The speaker system is so overpowering that you don’t hear the front door of the apartment open. You can’t hear a very distant voice shouting your name. You can’t hear his footsteps as he walks down the hall. You’re so lost in your own world that you don’t even see him standing outside your wide open door.

Oh yeah, alright,

Take it easy, baby

Make it last all night

She was an American girl.

You shout with the lyrics yet again, this time far more audible than the last. Loki laughs quietly to himself, not wanting you to notice him. He found you to be so interesting, so filled with life. You weren’t like the others to him. You were much kinder, much more understanding. You didn’t have some demeaning nickname for him. You didn’t judge him, and he couldn’t ever comprehend how someone like you could ever care for someone like him.

And yet, you did.

You pose comically to each note of the baseline as the piano takes over during the short break before the final guitar solo of the song. Tom Petty and the band’s incoherent singing lead the song to a close, and you scream along. Loki shakes his head and smiles wide, taking you in. This scene, this show, it’s exactly what he sees you as, the very sort of thing he thinks of when he thinks of you. Exuberant.

He can barely contain his laughter as the song comes to a close.

Behind him, a bit further back is Thor. Neither of you see him, but he’s there, watching his brother fall in love with some American girl, a midguardian, the type Loki would normally hate. Thor smiles widely. He’d definitely mess with Loki about this later. There was absolutely no doubt in Thor’s mind about you and Loki. He could see the look on his brother’s face. He knew exactly what was running through his mind.

The song ends, and the sound of Loki’s laughter brings you back to reality. Your head whips around to the doorway as heat rises to your cheeks. Shit, You think to yourself. You were more than positive that you looked like an absolute fool while dancing. Normally it wouldn’t be too big of a deal. If it had been someone else, you could have handled the teasing. You could have easily handled the embarrassment. But this was Loki. Your heart thumps out of your chest as your mind races.

“I suppose midguardian music isn’t too bad,” He says, stepping inside the room, a smile spread across his face. It’s a genuine smile, the kind that draws you in and holds you close, refusing to let you go. But that’s how it always felt with Loki. His charm, his personality, his closeness, it was inescapable for you.

You were in too deep.

You take a deep breath. “How long were you there?” You ask, embarrassment swelling in your gut.

Loki shakes his head as he notices how uneasy you are. It was impossible to hide your emotions from him. “Long enough to be convinced that I’d like to dance with you to the next song, if that’s alright.” He steps closer to you, closing the gap between you two. He grabs your hand in his as he guides you off the top of your bed and back down to the floor. “How could someone not want to do anything but dance with you?” Loki says finally, smiling with his light blue eyes.

He squeezes your hand as the next song starts to play.

And, not before long, the two of you are dancing crazily around your bedroom. A few upbeat songs pass by before a much slower, more romantic song begins to play over the speakers. You recognize the song immediately: Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. Loki picks up on the change in tone as he carefully wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you into his chest.

“Is this alright?” He asks, his voice steady, his eyes searching yours for some sign of permission. You nod your head in response, lifting your arms to place your hands around the back of his neck. He sways your bodies together side to side, your head resting on his chest. You let your eyes close shut.

For the first time in what felt like forever, you felt safe. You felt like you could finally breathe.

“Thank you,” You whisper under your breath, almost hoping that Loki can’t hear you.

But he did. “For what?” He asks, somehow pulling you even tighter against his chest.

“For making me feel…” You pause, trying to find the right words. It doesn’t take you too long to finally come upon the right ones. “Whole again.”

Loki sighs as his lips gently press a kiss against the top of your head. “I should be the one thanking you for the very same thing, darling.”

Thor continues to look on from a far, knowing full well that his brother is completely in love with you.

And it was undeniable that you were in love with him too. Anyone could see it. It was far from hard to tell. Still, neither of you would fess up. Not just yet, at least.

Woah, my love, my darling

I've hungered, hungered for your touch

A long, lonely time

And time goes by so slowly

And time can do so much

Are you still mine?

I need your love

God speed your love to me

But somewhere deep down, you both knew.

And that was enough for now.

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nehswritesstuffs · 2 years

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Why does everyone keep calling 12 and Clara toxic? To me they are soulmates who happen to have bad timing, hid their feelings and tragedy. There’s nothing that says that indicates that had 12 and Clara been honest about their feelings earlier on and Face the Raven hadn’t happened that they wouldn’t have had a chance at a happy romance with each other. I wish Doctor Who had a spin-off show like Marvel’s What if and then we could see an alternate timeline where 12 and Clara had a happy romance.

Ooooh, I like this ask. This feels very meta-y.

Personally speaking, Whouffaldi is a very complex relationship that I don't think is easily broken down into terms like "toxic" unless it's something that's thrown about in a long conversation/meta piece that has a ton of context and includes that as merely one of the facets. The word toxic is a phrase that very much has an interesting place in current Anglophone lexicons, as it's one of the It Terms in use with certain circles (other examples include feral, iconic, wholesome, and chaotic**). The biggest problem with that is that because it is a popular way to describe something, it can be misused fairly easily. Is it wholly wrong or incorrect to describe Whouffaldi as toxic? No. Is it right or correct? It's not that either. That's why I feel like--outside of affectionate jokes, mind--the use of an It Word like toxic to describe something without a ton of context risks highly misrepresenting what is honestly one of the best ships I've ever seen.

'Cause, like, I get it: Clara and the Twelfth Doctor aren't entirely good for one another. She becomes more like him as time goes on, which isn't necessarily a good thing... especially for a creature as cosmically fragile as a human. He becomes dependent on her so much that he is willing to destroy time and space itself to be with her... and that's after she told him to let her die. They push each other so, so far--galactic adrenaline junkies, the both of them--and then keep going. They are an entity that can literally change the course of history, and that is terrifying. The universe almost ended because of them. Ended. I don't care what you think other xyz-ship is... rare is the ship on this level of danger to the characters involved and their surroundings.

HOWEVER, along with that, they are a force of good too. Clara's influence is what helps the Doctor work through a lot of stuff, from old soldier's guilt to him being just so, so tired and cranky with the universe. By being with the Doctor, Clara is able to see wonders and make great use out of her potential, doing things that average humans wouldn't be able to dream of accomplishing. Did anyone really think that "Laugh Hard, Run Fast, Be Kind" just came from nowhere? No, it didn't. We got to see the end result of Whouffaldi on the Doctor, and I think part of why that stings is because we never really got what felt like a final result with Clara as well, due to the fact she was killed off sort of in the build-up of her game. She told him to remember to be a Doctor--to be the good he pledged himself to be--while she became more and more like a Time Lady and yet... it didn't come to full fruition. I honestly feel like Clara not becoming a fully-realized Time Lady is about as disappointing on the same level as Ace McShane not getting enrolled in the Time Academy, just for clearly different reasons.

Something that I think is important to note when it comes to Whouffaldi is an It Term from days gone by: emotionally constipated. When you break things down, Twelve and Clara are very emotionally constipated, whereas they have all these feelings pent up inside, things they want to act on, and yet, for whatever reason, they can't/don't/won't. Such a thing often manifests in things such as posturing (going from "I'm not your boyfriend" to showing off the goods in 2.6 seconds as if to ask for approval for being husband material), avoiding saying "love" ("Did you really think betraying me would make a difference?"), and putting emotions into acts and nothing verbal (the way they hold each other omg my heart). They very much work on a sort of odd status quo, where their attraction is easily interpreted as something that is just sitting there in the middle of the room without being addressed. It is also easy to interpret that we see less and less of their relationship as time goes on, that we are privy to fewer beats, and that there's so much to them that we don't know and never shall. Both s8 and s9 have them grow a ton as far as their emotional and behavioral habits, but as the s9 finale showed us, they still weren't wholly there yet.

So that's the long answer. Short answer, the tl;dr, is just that people need to stop using one word with traditionally strong connotations as the sole descriptor of a ship, especially when there's so much to it that that, since that can easily and often lead to damage. There are worse ships, in this show and others, that don't get called toxic that are more genuinely so than Whouffaldi, so yeah.

I mean, just look at them. So confused and concerned by some people's lack of media literacy, whether it's their fault or not, and how they attempt to rectify that.

I don't know how I'd like a What If...? style show where these two get a proper romance and life together though. It could be really neat, but considering how many conversations I've had about these two getting married and being space-parents involves how absolutely dangerous of a father Twelve would be if his family came into even the slightest bit of genuine mortal peril. Obviously that's one of my jams... but still... it's something that I'm sure wouldn't be broached properly because it seems like although there are plenty of people who ship it in all levels of production and fandom, it's the ones who don't for whatever reason (ageism, anti-Clara rhetoric, being idiots, etc.) who seem to have lots of final says (or, at least act like they do) and that's frustrating.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

**there is variance between It Terms and regular old slang, as there is some crossover, but they are not fully synonymous with one another. It is not uncommon for an It Term to be a newer, more slang-oriented definition of a word, for example: when gay transitioned from happy and carefree to homosexual, in a variety of tones and contexts (this is also a good example of slang that eventually became widely-accepted/adopted terminology). However, there are regular slang words I wouldn't necessarily categorize as It Terms, such as pog or cheugy. Does that mean they're stuck there? Not at all, since language is always evolving and adapting to new generations and the situations they find themselves in and the things they need to express.

#Whouffaldi #replies #Greyface replies #I love Whouffaldi and I love the evolution of language but sometimes they don't mix #especially since there's a lot of subtle things and the thing about It Terms is they don't always convey subtlety #just like regular words except people use them A Lot

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rueluxprince · 4 years

Text

Why Does Jin Guangyao Have So Many Goddamn Ships

This dude. I don’t know what is with him. He can be shipped with so many goddamn people, and you can find something in canon (show/novel/audio drama) to justify it. You like a specific trope? He’ll have a ship that gives it to you. (Lets extrapolate some from canon)

Qin Su/Jin Guangyao: Naive yet headstrong heiress trying to fight on the battlefield and contribute to the greater good. Bit off more than she could chew and was rescued by a gentle and quietly self-assured young man. Romance and comedy ensues as she vows to make him her husband! Flowers! Hijinks! Enlisting quirky handmaidens for advice! Jin Guangshan doesn’t exist in this one!

Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao: hero saves the beauty, gay edition. Young bookkeeper wants to be worthy of noble young master’s esteem, works his ass off, puts himself in years of danger, finally climbs to the top and now must deal with the “is he or is he not” of romance in politics! Is he or is he not? He’s always at your house and gives you a free pass to his house and draws you exclusive paintings and only attends conferences hosted by you and trusts you completely! But he never says anything! Cue the yearning! The soft touches! Reminders of etiquette! Swooning into strong arms!

Jiang Cheng/Jin Guangyao: reluctant and accidental co-parents reluctantly and accidentally fall in love in the long years of raising a precocious nephew into adulthood. The kid turned out surprisingly okay, with a commendably hard moral backbone. One realizes it’s nice to have a perpetually angry grape ready to blow up in your defense. The other realizes someone closest to him is already fulfilling all his marriage requirements and he didn’t even know it! Domestic bliss! Cute kids! Internal struggles of sexuality! The italicized oh!

Nie Mingjue/Jin Guangyao: Noble and righteous leader recognizing and promoting downtrodden but talented beginner –> no good opinion forthcoming but still wants to care his own way older brother x turning down a dark path but still wants to go back the way things were younger brother –> So much resentment fierce corpse x unable to forget the guilt murderer –> they are buried together. Deteriorating relationship! Shakespearean tragedy! Ultimate darkness! Death! Eternity with each other!

(Honorable mention: 3zun - a wholesome ouroboros loop of death, mystery and found family)

Nie Huaisang/Jin Guangyao: you ever have that one childhood friend that takes care of you and indulges in your oddities and protects you with murderous looks and a scarred back even though he’s frailer than you are; and then that childhood friend murders your older brother but leaves you alive and still takes cares of you and spoils you and would drop everything to help you with a made up problem? And so you’re now left seething in rage because how dare he ruin you and love you all without pause?! Cue the revenge plots! Lies! Deceit! Best actor winners going toe to toe on the world’s biggest stage! Inner conflict! Angst! More conflicted plotting!

Mo Xuanyu->Jin Guangyao: You’re weak and a mess and constantly bullied and the only one in this huge and scary house that ever showed you kindness is your older half brother. He becomes a god in your eyes, all golden and brilliant and surrounded by equally golden and beautiful people you can never touch. But you still try despite everything because he’s the sun and he wanted you to thrive, and you’re just a little moth ramming head first into the flames. And when you’re scorched to the bone and everyone still keeps on trying to stomp you into ash and you finally decide to take revenge, you still can’t bring yourself to blame that splendid sun who were never yours in the first place. Resentments! Unrequited love! More angst! Inner courtyard intrigues! More tragedy! Poetic inner monologues!

Su She->Jin Guangyao: generous and focused ruler x dedicated and competent supporter. He gives you all the respect you need and you know in your soul you will die for him and you don’t care one whit about it. You protect his heart but you always stood one step behind. The position beside him is taken, often by a soft figure in golden silk, or an eminent figure in blue satin. Jealousy! Loud expressions of loyalty! Ego management! Pining and simping!

Xue Yang/Jin Guangyao - friends who murder together stays together. One causes wanton destruction and the other picks up after them. Not because he particularly cares that people are getting hurt but the cost analysis tells him it’s not worth the clean up. You pay for my shopping, I rip out the tongues of anyone that insults your mother. Lighthearted talks of murder! Scheming with friends! Lots of cursing! Dubious experiments! Lots of magical cursing! Friends with benefits!

Wen Ruohan/Meng Yao: local megalomanic tyrant sees this random ass kid all bloodied up and gleaming with spite and went “I would like to raise that one. I’ll give it a sword and I’ll teach him stuff and I won’t say I appreciate him but I will definitely save him from imminent danger.” And that kid acknowledges said tyrant as his teacher and tortures for him pretends to love him, all the while stealing his secrets and preparing to stab him in the back to win the war. Struggle! Trauma! Living in hardship! Double agent reminding themselves not to be conflicted! Psychological torture!

Wen Chao + Wen Xu: uhhhhhh, the canoodling with stepmom trope? Do we even go that far on tumblr? It’s a possibility I’ve considered for about two seconds and now I wish I could wash my brain out.

Jin Zixun~~Jin Guangyao: the “I know I’m slapping the me two years ago in the face with what I’m doing right now but it’s love so I don’t care” trope? All the Jins do this. The year before you were all “why are you always here you don’t belong here you bastard son” and now you’re all “wheres A-Yao he promised he would ambush this public menace with me owo?!??!!??” What a weakass motherfucker with weakass principles.

Honorable mentions:

Wei Wuxian + Jin Guangyao: best in law dynamics, potentially. Terrorizing the Cloud Recesses, eating lots of spicy food, hiding secrets in perfectly groomed hair, causing aneurysms in Lan Qiren, violating all the OH&S regulations Etc.

Lan Wangji + Jin Guangyao: best in law dynamics, actually. It’s a whole battle. Jin “I am physically incapable of seeing someone and not wanting to take care of it” Guang “yes I will be calling you Wangji and trying to give you stuff and show audible concern for your love life” Yao vs. Lan “I do not wish to know you I do not care for your seating arrangements do not ever invite me to your banquets again” Wang “just because you’re maybe dating my precious older brother does not mean I will not refute you to your face about my boyfriend at your banquet in front of said brother” Ji.

(And yes the last two are purely familial/platonic. And also everyone else? You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift is the most fitting theme song for half of them)

~more MDZS metas under #my thing# tag~

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alexshenry · 3 years

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Hey! Can you recommand me a good bl drama? I only watched 2gether and i really liked it but i don't know how to search for more? Thank you in advence ❤

hi anon!! yes, of course!! will be listing some of my favourites and will link where you can watch them. <3

Still2gether - Adding it in case you haven’t seen it yet <3 It’s a sequel to 2gether and it is just so lovely, so wholesome, absolute perfection all around, and i wish I could go back in time and watch it all over again 😭

A Tale of Thousand Stars - Do it. Just do it. A priviledged boy and a volunteer teacher’s lives collide when he receives a heart transplant and she’s the donor. To fulfill her last wishes, Tian travels to Pha Pun Dao village where he undergoes a life-changing journey (and meets a very stern forest ranger). It is stunning. The best drama I’ve had the honor to watch. There’s a beautiful, beautiful romance involved, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a story of healing, the beauty of what it means to be selfless and giving, and most importantly about valuing one’s life. 1000000000/10

Dark Blue Kiss - Absolute favourite! Petekao are toptier, there are a lot of important conversations surrounding lgbtq issues, and all supporting characters are so amazing and so well rounded. i honestly cannot recommend it enough. DBK is, however, a sequel to Kiss Me Again, but GMMTV graciously added a 3 part cut of all their scenes, which i definitely recommend watching since it explains how they got together. (1 | 2 | 3)

Gaya Sa Pelikula - It’s a Filipino BL masterpiece centered on Karl and Vlad, who become ‘accidental’ roommates and bond over their love for movies. It also includes a ‘fake-dating’ trope. 10000000/10

He’s Coming To Me - P’aof, who directed S2G, DBK & ATOTS, also directed this, so of course it’s amazing. A ghost befriends the only living person who’s able to see and talk to him; together they attempt to solve the mystery surrounding Mes’ death. 10/10.

Theory of Love (SPECIAL EPISODE) - Love crying? Then this is the show for you! *finger guns*. It’s a drama about unrequited love between two best friends. Both characters are film majors, so there is a lot of film references which is so, so cool. It’s one of my absolute favourites.

Until We Meet Again - Love crying EXTA HARD??? Well 😞✌... It’s a soulmate/reincarnation plotline. Two star-crossed lovers commited suicide 30 years ago, and years later their reincarnations meet again at University. It is very very very good, but it can be quite hard to watch at times. [ suicide tw ]

Ingredients - Two roommates - one a cook, the other a musician. Cooking is the language of love in this series and it is sooo cute!! The episodes are also very short and easy to get through. It’s just pure fluff and serotonin and amazing food.

I Told Sunset About You - Estranged childhood best friends who reconnect years later. Feelings happen. There’s honestly nothing I can say that will do this show justice. It’s poetic, so fucking stunning!!! The cinematography alone makes it a must-watch.

History 3: Trapped - OMG 😭😭 I recently finished watching a week ago and I want to go back. It centers around a police officer who has been investigating a gang related shooting that happened 4 years ago. In particular, he is after Tang Yi, the sole survivor. This leads them to become entangled in a deadlier game and they need to figure out exactly what happened years ago. 11/10

Where Your Eyes Linger - It’s 8 episodes that are less than 20 minutes each. Which is a tragedy because this show is amazing. It’s about a boy who comes from wealth and who lives with his bodyguard.

Color Rush - It’s the Soulmates of it all 👌. Main character sees the world in black and white until he meets his new classmate and through him, he is able to experience a world of colours for the first time.

Mr. Heart - THE CUTEST!!!! A marathon runner who is strugging to reach his full potential is helped by a pacemaker. He is a little bitch, but slowly warms up to his new friend and feelings develop. This drama should have been 45 minutes long because it’s absolute perfection.

*Links for dramas below are provided by the amazing MJ ( @phupha ) 💛 *

We Best Love - Enemies to Lovers with a little unrequited love sprinkled on top. I highly highly recommend it. It’s so sweet and lighthearted, and the scenes between the two leads are just soft. It’s so good, just so good. And there’s going to be a sequel next month!! So it’s the perfect time to watch it now.

Manner of Death - A medical examiner investigates the murder of his childhood friend. He is joined by Tan, also a friend of the victim. All signs point to him being the murderer but all is not what it seems. ... this show is... something (affectionately). This was the most fun I’ve had watching a drama in a long time, and there’s just many twists and turns. 10/10

Below are dramas I started watching and haven’t yet finished. But so far I’m absolutely loving them and recommend checking them out.

To My Star (summary) || Cherry Magic (summary) || Gameboys (summary)

I haave a feeling I’m forgetting a few I’ve watched ajksjda, but hopefully this is a little helpful!! This doesn’t even touch the surface of BL’s out there, and since I only started watching dramas a few months back, there’s many I haven’t yet seen ☹ if my mutuals have any recs feel free to add aswell <33

#anonymous #answered #bl recs

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tinkertayler · 3 years

Text

Rain, Sensuality, and Fraught Romance in Farscape: “A Human Reaction”

Farscape is a deeply tactile, sensual show (and while I don't mean that in a strictly sexual way, yes, I do mean it in that way, too). It's interested in exploring biology and the full spectrum of sensory experiences - pleasurable and painful, appealing and disgusting, soothing and unnerving. Farscape’s biological, emotional heart is one of its best and most distinct qualities. Science fiction is often cold and distant, but Farscape’s world is warm and alive in every way possible, from the characters to the ship they inhabit. It breathes. It feels. It procreates. It secretes weird substances sometimes.

Regarding sensuality, extra special shout-out to the sequence in "A Human Reaction" where John and Aeryn run through the rain and enter the safe house. It is sensual, beautiful, complicated, haunting, and infuriatingly PERFECT. Farscape can be weird and wacky, but it knows how to be poignant and revelatory, too. It knows how to deliver a subtle, significant moment.

"Rain. Is that what you call this? I like it."

The beauty of being an alien on earth is feeling electrified by the mundane. Aeryn sees rain through childlike eyes.

In childhood (an alien state in itself), we view everything we encounter as miraculous. We treat rain with awe. The sound of it, the feel of it, the scent, the taste. We jump in its puddles. We stop in our tracks to catch raindrops on our tongues. We spin and we dance until our clothes are soaked through.

But that wonderment eventually fades. In adulthood, jaded by time and experience, we feel the rain and sigh, zip up our coats, curse the inevitable damp feet and traffic delays, and quickly usher ourselves through the downpour. We view rain as inconvenience or burden rather than miracle, much like John.

"I want to get out of this rain."

John and Aeryn reverse roles during this sequence. Usually John is the one who feels awestruck by the world’s sensory experiences, but not here. Not now. Maybe for the first time since we've met them, it is Aeryn alone who is gripped by amazement and childlike wonder. Aeryn is enraptured, while John is ready to rush through the moment. She's changing - softening, becoming more open and emotional. He's changing, too - hardening, becoming more cynical and world-weary. They're moving in opposite directions, but they aren’t growing apart. They’re moving toward each other.

"That's it. Earth...minus the sunshine."

"You were right. It's actually very beautiful."

They arrive at the safe house and find a brief respite from the tragedy of their circumstances. Time slows down. Thunder echoes in the distance. The air is charged. Again, this moment is steeped in sensuality - the hoppy taste of beer, the soothing sound of thunder, the heated feel of skin against skin. Aeryn warms and John cools, and they meet in the middle. It's an intimate, intriguing, and fraught moment. It speaks to who John and Aeryn are as individuals, and who they are together.

They are out of the rain, but still surrounded by the storm. They're in the eye of it, where all is seemingly calm, but threats loom just outside their door. Truthfully, they like this. The chaos, tragedy, and mortal danger energizes them. It makes them feel alive. Aeryn was a peacekeeper soldier, John an astronaut. They are both adrenaline junkies, thrill-seekers excited by risk, danger, and the unknown. They are most in tune with their senses and selves - and each other - in moments of heightened emotion and increased epinephrine.

John and Aeryn are wholesome in many ways, but there's a dark undercurrent to them and their relationship that this scene delicately, quietly, brilliantly captures. They are drawn to chaotic energy. They seek trouble and readily find it. Keyed up and focused, with their senses on high alert, they feel everything with intensity, and their feelings muddle together in messy, confusing, complicated ways. Beauty is even more beautiful amid tragedy. Pleasure is more pleasurable amid pain. They feel love most passionately when they fear losing each other. Sensual pleasure is felt most vividly in bleak, stormy weather and falling rain.

#these two BROKE my little brain #this whole sequence is so beautifully shot #i cry #also i accidentally turned into a poet at the end lmao fucking bye #i am fully unhinged #i need to be SEDATED #john x aeryn #farscape #farscapecaps #a human reaction

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imanes · 3 years

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Hello! You mentioned reading Piranesi a few months ago and I finally got around to reading it and I love it so much - thank you for the lovely recommendation <3 If you don't mind can you talk a little about what you loved about the book (I love hearing your thoughts)? Also have you read Jorge Luis Borges' Ficciones (I believe it inspired Piranesi)?

HELLO my friend!! first of all tysm for taking the recommendation, I'm so happy it worked for you! honestly what do I NOT love about this book? it's hard to wrap my thoughts about piranesi because it was such a lovely reading experience which i honestly need to repeat ASAP because the layers to explore in piranesi are so numerous. secondly let me admit that i haven't read any borges yet BUT he's definitely on my radar and I've been looking for his books on my used bookstore runs since i read piranesi, not to much avail unfortunately but i added ficciones to my tbr for reminder!!

anyways I'm gonna stop right here for anyone who has not read piranesi yet because i think you'd benefit from going into it not knowing much except that it's told in vignettes and that it has elements of mystery which become more and more central to the plot as we advance and unravel the world that piranesi lives in. so don't keep reading past this if u haven't read piranesi yet! i did keep it spoiler-free though so no pressure. also putting everything under a read more bc i truly was obnoxiously verbose adlkjglsjk if it didn't work my apologies 4 it

NOW let's talk about what i loved about the book which honestly will probably just be a flimsy overview bc again i think a re-read would make what i love about it more salient and richer but i guess we can already have a start here!

first of all, the character of piranesi. when i first started the book and immersed myself in his inner voice, i was kind of thinking ok there must be a reason as to why he is so incredibly wholesome but also with an extremely sharp mind and immaculate observation skills. the childlike wonder of his perspective was an absolute joy to read from but also provided some tension because i think pretty early on you catch that he might be a bit of an unreliable character and that what he tells you may not match the reality of what his experiences and observations mean to the reader. you're very much the prisoner of his limited perception, his sometimes bizarre but always delightful thought process, and also again the childlike wonder with which he observes the world and which makes everything carry so much more weight w/o resorting to pompous/pretentious gravitas. a statue isn't just a statue to him, it is the Statue, something important in and of itself, with its own story/mythos and it harkens back to a child's point of view which hasn't yet been shaped by the world and therefore isn't as limited as our jaded adults' minds, even though he is an adult himself, which is apparent in his very keen mind.

then we have the form, with the novel being told in vignettes. i personally really like novels such as these because they feel a lot more personal but also propels the story forward. I'm not a fan of huge chapters tbh because my attention span is trash lmao. it was so easy to immerse myself in his world because the writing was so vivid and honestly made me reevaluate a lot about myself adjdjslg. I'm not much of a quote person but "the Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite" lives rent-free in my mind because 1. it appears at two key points in the novel and both iterations echo the other brilliantly in their respective context and thus add even more meaning to the quote and 2. i think it's a beautiful metaphor for the world we live in, which leads me to the next point

what i mostly clung to during my reading experience was the theme of confinement to a specific physical space, which can feel suffocating and limited. susanna clarke suffers from a chronic illness that has kept her within the confines of her home for many years and this book very much reflects that. from my personal experience with that theme, i was less reminded of how thematically relevant it was in the middle of a pandemic, and more about how much goodness there is still in this world at a time where everything seems so bleak, and unkind. i myself suffer from an ugly case of chronic cynicism which i think is very unappealing lmao but at least I'm self-aware! being reminded that we live in a world where kindness is indeed infinite in the smallest and biggest of ways is the balm that my shriveled soul truly needed. i guess it's my emotional support quote lmao.

then we have the setting of the book which, while limited spatially, is also so full of wonderful things and imaginative configurations that i was just in awe of everything that was being done with it. the plot is closely tied to the setting and i really want to keep this spoiler-free (just in case) so I'm not going to delve too deeply into it but i'd love to visit this place and have piranesi guide me through the labyrinth of the House and the many wonders (and tragedies) that it holds.

finally we have the MYSTERY and omg i love picking up the clues and kind of forming my own theories along the way bc it truly isn't an in-your-face mystery like a thriller would be. we buddy-read this with some ppl from the book club so the experience of sharing our theories made it all the more pleasant. i really loved how clarke presented the many mysteries of the story in such a subtle yet gripping manner that soon i was just obsessed with knowing who was whom and what they wanted from piranesi and who piranesi was and how this all came to be. all the different players felt fully fleshed out and made me feel veeeery strongly (i.e. i wanted to kill some of them like literally daydreaming about choking them to death... not to sound unhinged or anything). they provided such good foils to piranesi's inherent goodness and all that they lacked in terms of decency. their shamelessness and infinite greed and how they see piranesi as a pawn to use set my teeth on edge so i was just biding my time for the karmic retribution that they'd get akjdlkgj also great exploration of how ambition can be the downfall of mankind

then we have all the clever-people-themes of neoclassicism and philosophy and plato's cave and whatnot and it's not what held my attention so i can't speak much on it bc I'm not one of those clever people who picked upon these themes LMAO but I'll for sure spend more time unpacking these layers on my re-read of this book because there are so many smart ideas hidden in the nooks and crannies of this story that i think you could get something different from each read, kind of like i feel about pride & prejudice by jane austen which offers me new delights to enjoy upon each re-read.

honestly i have so much more to say about how religion is handled, the rituals surrounding grief and their importance in the celebration and respect of of life, birds being amazing creatures, identity and how it can create contradictions etc etc but at this point i might as well just write a college essay on literally every theme explored in this book because it was just SO GOOD! thank u piranesi for me life

tl;dr this book made me feel like my brain was buried in a thick coat of dust and let some much-needed air in

#also i read this message at like 6am and thought long and hard about it #and then started crying bc i'd die and kill for piranesi period

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darkdevasofdestruction · 4 years

Text

Eternal Love ~ Diavolo x Reader

Today was supposed to be just an ordinary day of school, until I was informed by Lucifer that Diavolo wants me to attend the council meeting as well, so who am I to deny such a gracious invitation?

Apparently, we were supposed to discuss the plans for the school’s festival, and they picked me to be the leader, which should be pretty fun!

“That sounds like fun! Thank you for trusting me with something as big as this! But...What do I have to do? Is there anything fixed already, or do we brainstorm and come up with the most exciting thing?” I asked, giving the prince a cat-like smile of excitement. “We change ideas yearly, so I’d like to hear all your thoughts and ideas that come into your mind.” Diavolo asked us, which made us all ponder.

After discussing the official problems, like budget, what each class wanted to do, if there were any problems, or two classes who wanted to do the same things, any objections, we started coming up with ideas.

“How about a band? I’ve seen you during Karaoke nights, and Asmo’s voice is amazing! Besides, you’re all thousands of years old, I’m sure all of you know how to play at least one instrument. And Levi, if you don’t want to take this as a Guitar Hero type of game, and are too socially anxious, you can make the band’s costumes!” I suggest, which made the brothers talk between themselves. “I wanna be the vocalist! And we gotta sell lots of merch...How much are we gonna charge for admission?” Mammon got incredibly excited, which made Lucifer sigh and shake his head. “Well, that settles it. The idea is rejected.” he muttered, making me sigh as well. “Great...No more music...But how about a play? Doing little plays is quite a thing down there in the human world. What do you say?” I asked, snapping my fingers in realisation. “Ohh, I bet that would be fun!” Asmo chimed in, along with his brothers. “And it means we can cosplay! I’m all in!” Levi grinned in glee. “Sounds like fun! Y/N, you’ll be in charge of putting together the production.” Diavolo nodded at us, giving the approval. “That means I am allowed to come up with the play’s script? And the roles? What to do with the background, music, costumes, magic effects and all that?” my grin widened even more, as did his. “Of course! Have fun, that’s the most important thing! By the way you’re so enthusiastic, I’m sure the end result is going to be great. Do you already have an idea?” he asked, which made me nod vigorously. “Y/N, what are you going to work on first? Also, you’re going to have to give all of us an assignment.” Lucifer pointed out, but most of it got overlooked. “I’m going to write the script! I am inspired by a beautiful story from the human world, written a century ago, but only published recently. Is that okay?” I asked, trying to hold on to my excitement. “Ohhh! Is it a tragic love story, like Romeo and Juliet?” Asmo asked, jump behind me, and hugging me. “Yes, much so much better! It has romance, it has fantasy, it has adventure, it has tragedy, it has despair, it has sorrow...It has everything you can think of, all thread together in such a wholesome story!” I explain, which made Asmo take a hold of my hands, waltzing together messily. “I love it! Let’s do it! Can I be the prince charming?” he giggled, which made me stop and smirk. “I...Had something else in mind. Diavolo, do you want to be in our play?” I let out a low chuckle, which seemed to make him widen his eyes. “Of course! I would be honoured to get included in it!” he grinned, giving a mirthful laugh. “Sweet, then it’s settled! I will do my best to work on the script and give everyone their roles, come up with some music, special effects, the background decor and costume ideas. Now, you’ll have to excuse me, I have to go have a talk with Simeon.” I smirked mischievously as I skipped out of the council room, not caring about Lucifer’s protests, since I wasn’t officially dismissed.

The whole night I spent revisiting the book I had in mind that would be the influence for the script, and started writing on my laptop everything, while listening to Eurielle’s many angelic songs and sending them to Simeon, so he would know what to do.

Needless to say, I was nothing short of excited beyond borders of imagination, clearly never having expected to be able to take part in something so great, as to create and take part in a play of such caliber...There’s no way I won’t make this anything more than perfect, that’s for sure, especially since this book has been so close to my heart and soul for a long time now.

And so, days passed, Simeon agreed to be the harp player, since he’s an angel and nobody could best him, and the narrator was Solomon, who would help me and Satan with the magic effects.

I would be the female protagonist, while Diavolo would be the male protagonist. Barbatos would be the one to sacrifice his life to save Diavolo. Satan was going to be the frenzied werewolf, while Lucifer will be the enemy hound turned ally that would fight alongside Diavolo.

Belphegor will be the evil king, and Beel will play the role of his most loyal servant, while Asmodeus shall be the girl’s father, and Mammon would be one of the Gods, the Judge of the Dead, Master of Doom.

This left Luke to be one of the enemy werewolves, while Levi, who would have as few lines as possible, considering he would be too busy with the costumes, would be the owner of the Hound.

And so, we began rehearsal for the play, earning lots of praises from everyone for writing something so great in such a small amount of time, while also keeping it short, making sure nobody would forget their lines and timings by mistake.

“You’re doing very well, Diavolo! But try to be a little less stiff, okay? Try to relax, it will make things more natural.” I started massaging his shoulders as soon as I gave everyone a little break. “Sorry, I guess I’m a bit intimidated since you are a natural at this.” he chuckled lightly, offering me a thankful smile. “Hmm...I wouldn’t say I’m a natural, per se, but I read the original book a few times before, and I wrote the script. Or maybe it’s because I’m a human...I don’t know, it’s always been easy for me to act.” I shrugged, dragging a chair to sit in front of him. “That much is obvious. Look at them, you inspire all of them to learn their lines and come up with the best version of themselves. It’s very rare when I see everyone working together so diligently...Thank you for you effort, Y/N.” Diavolo took ahold of my hands, squeezing them lightly. “No need to thank me, Dia...I’ve always dreamt of doing something like this, but I never really had an opportunity to do anything more than 1 minute skits. This is a dream come true...So really, I should be the one thanking you instead.” I chuckled, tilting my head slightly. “I’m glad to hear that, then. There is no doubt in my mind that the festival is going to have more success than it ever has before.” he grinned, making him look something like a Golden Retriever puppy. “And you don’t even know about my Trump Card. Well, in truth, nobody really does...Except for Simeon, but I have a reason to that, so you better be eager and awaiting for that.” I winked at him playfully, which seemed to get him in an even more curious and cheerful mood. “I certainly can’t wait until we perform on stage.” he nodded, making me take a deep breath and smile softly. “Yeah...Me too.”

I said that, and yet, time sure flies so fast that I barely realised today was the day of the play, and Asmo and Levi were helping me into my costume, doing my hair and make up, while the others were in their demon forms - Except for Diavolo, of course - and so, we went backstage, checking that the lights were perfect, the background decor was in check, Solomon had his lines written down, since he will be backstage, yet his voice will resound throughout the room regardless.

“Is everyone ready?” I clapped my hands together, grinning and biting my lip, trying to keep my nervousness in check. “I’m a nervous wreck!” Levi whined, and yet, he was thankful he didn’t have to do too much on stage. “I can’t wait to get up on stage and SHINE!” Asmo chimed in, pushing Levi to the side. “Diavolo...Are YOU ready? You are the protagonist, after all. You have the most lines, the most interactions with everyone and so on.” I look at him with a gentle smile. “Y/N, Diavolo has been doing public speeches for centuries and longer, I doubt he’d be as anxious as others are...Or you, that is.” Lucifer gave a side smirk. “Don’t speak for others, Luce~!” I thrilled playfully, earning nothing more than an amused scoff. “I am more excited, than nervous, but Lucifer isn’t wrong.” the prince chuckled softly, giving me a nod of thanks. “Very well, then, the play is going to start now. Solomon, Simeon, it’s your cue.” Lucifer pointed out as Levi and Satan raised the curtains just as Diavolo got on the stage, and was surrounded by fire and some magic-made enemies.

Diavolo’s make up made him look as if he had been fighting long and bravely, and yet, he and his army lost, his father was defeated by the enemies, and now, he was trying his best to escape with his life.

“Diavolo, the son of the Leader of Men, was the sole survivor of the attack from the Dark Lord, the feared Belphegor, the once God of Valar, who turned evil and stole the Sacred Jewels, the ones who gave immense power to Elves, the pure Silmarils, and so, he was able to easily wipe out every village of men, dwarves, dunedain, trents and elves alike, with no such thing as discrimination. And so, the brave Diavolo ran away from the place he once called home, that was now nothing more than fire, ruin and ashes flowing in the sky, and found himself in another place altogether. It was the realm of Elves, the most beautiful and gracious beings alive, and here, in Doriath, he ended up in a glade, filled with so many colourful flowers, illuminated by the silver light of Mother Moon...And there he saw her.” Solomon narrated the story, and then stopped for a few seconds, allowing him, Satan and myself to mutter some spells so the background will change, along with the holograms and the lights.

There was nothing more than darkness, for just a split second, which allowed me to jump up on the stage, and thus, a gentle light appeared, with me in the spotlight, as I did a small dance, while surrounded by holographic forest critters and a unicorn.

“There, his eyes found her, a maiden more fair than any he has seen before, and he was unsure whether he was being cheated by some spell, or if what he was seeing was reality, for the pain he felt was no more...And he was wondering whether seeing her cured if of all wounds. Blue was her raiment, as the unclouded heaven, but her eyes were grey, as the starlit evening; her mantle was sewn with golden flowers, but her hair was dark as the shadows of twilight. As the light upon the leaves of trees, as the voice of clear waters, as the stars above the mists of the world, such was her glory and her loveliness ; and in her face was a shining light...And so, Diavolo fell in love with the Elleth dancing in front of him.” Solomon continued the story, which was my cue to stop dancing.

“What is this I am seeing? A mortal ranger, wounded, seeking refuge in Doriath, the Realm of Elves? You must be rather bold, are you not?” I stopped dancing, and approached him, circling and interrogating him. “I had nowhere else to go, My Lady, for the Dark Lord, Belphegor, has laid waste to my home and my family. I am the sole survivor, yet my heart burns with sorrow and need to wreak vengeance upon the enemy who took my father’s life so cruelly.” he explained, regaining his senses and breath. “I see...So Belphegor has started his rampaging once again...It truly is a pity that life cannot be without death inflicted before its time. Very well, then...I shall welcome you in my home, so you can feed yourself and have your wounds treated.” I nodded at him, motioning for him to follow me, only for him to stop me with his questioning. “My Lady...May I know the name of the fairest elleth in the world?” he asked with such a gentle and sweet tone, that it made my heart skip a few beats. “My name...Is Luthien.” I answered, looking down for a few seconds, before turning away once again. “Y/N...Y/N...Such a beautiful name, for such a beautiful woman...And your voice rivals any nightingale. You are a wonder among wonders.” he spoke out, making me widen my eyes and blush, flustered, turning around to face him properly. “You should not speak such sweet words without telling your name first, stranger. It would be nothing less than disrespectful, especially should my father be informed of this folly of yours.” I spoke a bit harshly, yet the jesting tone was obvious in my voice. “My name is Diavolo, my dear, and from the moment I laid my eyes upon you, I fell in love with you. You will have to forgive me for being so bold and rash with my words, I am but a simple mortal man, yet my heart will know no more joy unless you know my feelings for you.” he spoke, kneeling in front of me, which took a lot of effort not to blush more than I already was. “Raise up, brave warrior, and let me heal your wounds, both the flesh ones, and the ones your heart felt so far, for I seem to share the same feelings as you do.” as so, I put my hands over his, and humming a little song, I made a spell to remove the dirt and make up from him, so it would look as if his he had his wounds treated.

The lights went down once again, the background changed to that of a kingdom, and Asmo, wearing a crown, as he was the Elven King, sitting on a throne, and of course, he was shining, beautiful, glorious, just as he always is.

“You think you are worthy of my daughter’s heart? How foolish! You, nothing more than a mere human, whose life is hanging by the thin thread of a spider that could be so easily severed, even by something as insignificant as an illness? I commend you for your braveness, so I would not say, foolishness! I shall allow you to stay here, but you are a mortal, and your place is not here, among the elves!” Asmo’s voice was serious and booming, which was something not many would expect from someone as soft and adorable as him. “My Lord...With all due respect, but my heart belongs to your daughter, and no power in this world is strong enough to erase my love for her. I beg of you, Lord Asmodeus, allow me to marry your darling Tinuviel, and if you need me to prove my worth, give me any task, and it shall be done!” Diavolo kneeled in front of the throne of the lord, who frowned in displeasure. “Tinuviel...? Now you went as far as to give my daughter the nickname of a Nightingale...You heard her angelic voice...You are truly undeserving!” he leaned forwards in the throne, slamming his fist on one of the armrests. “Father, please, hear him out! His love for him is as true as the beauty of the stars, and so is mine for him! You will doom me to an eternal life of sorrow, should you not accept him, so father, please be reasonable!” I fell to his feet, hugging his legs, and I was sure Asmo’s face softened with conflict, as he put his hand on my head, as a way to make me raise my gaze. “My daughter...You, an immortal, fell for someone who will die before you can even realise you were courting him. However, if you are so sure of your own feelings for him, then I shall give him a task, to prove himself worthy of you, my darling. Listen carefully, Diavolo, for I will only say it once - Should you succeed in getting back at least one of the Sacred Jewels, I will allow you to wed my wife.” he spoke, which made me jolt to my feet in an instant. “But father...! The Three Silmarils were all stolen by the Dark Lord Belphegor, the very foe who destroyed his family and village! You are dooming him to sure death!” I gasped, letting a few tears fall down my face. “If that means I will be allowed to marry you, then I will do anything you wish me to. I thank thee for this opportunity, and I shall depart at morn, at the earliest hour.” Diavolo nodded, sharing a look with Asmodeus, which made me throw myself at the man. “No, Diavolo, don’t go! You will perish, if not by the Dark Belphegor, but by his lackey, Sauron, or one of the countless orcs he’s making! You cannot succeed...Not on your own!” my eyes were wide with fear, and he only smiled softly, kissing my forehead gingerly. “Have faith in my, my darling nightingale, for I shall return to you, no matter what. I vow on my pride as a human, so wait for me, and if I shall not return, I beg of you to sing me a wonderful requiem, but not to mourn for me. I love you, Y/N.” he spoke, before leaving off the stage, and so, the lights went off once more.

The stage became now an elvish stronghold in the middle of a wasteland, where Diavolo met Barbatos, Leviathan, Lucifer and a few more generic elf-holograms, and they talked about how to get inside the enemy’s garrison.

“And so, Diavolo arrived in the wasteland, the territory of the enemy, only to stumble upon an elvish stronghold, where he met Barbatos, another Elven King, Leviathan, one of the sons of the Elven Lord who once created the Silmarils, and his loyal Hound, Lucifer, the most powerful Hound, dating from the First Ages. Prophecy has it that only the most powerful werewolf could ever defeat Lucifer, so Leviathan knew that he could trust his companion. While Lord Barbatos agreed to join Diavolo’s cause, as he once swore an oath to Diavolo’s father, to aid his kin if in need, so they took a few warriors and went to the enemy territory disguised as nasty orcs. Leviathan, however, was very much against their quest, as he believed the Silmarils belong to him, legacy from his father, so he took Lucifer and went after them.” the white haired wizard spoke out, letting the scene unfold before him.

“Are you with me, brothers? I will be honest, my quest is a selfish one, and by taking the Jewel, I will be allowed by Asmodeus, the Elven King, to marry his daughter, the fairest maiden to exist. However, I am sure that no matter what, as soon as the Jewels are out of Belphegor’s posession, the world will have less peril and ruin.” Diavolo spoke out, which seemed to impress the Elven King. “As per the oath I swore to your father long ago, when we first fought side by side in wars, I shall aid you in any quest you will find yourself, young Diavolo. To hear that my old and dear friend met his doom by the hands of the Belphegor’s lackeys is nothing short than an insult! I am with you.” Barbatos spoke out, patting Diavolo on the shoulder and taking a few trusted men by his side. “You cannot take the Silmarils from the Dark Lord, Diavolo, no matter with how many men you march to his garrison. The Silmarils belong to my family, for my father forged them, and they gave power to the Two Sacred Trees of Valar! You have no right to take them, no matter the affections your mortal heart holds for some elleth you don’t deserve!” Leviathan frowned, at them, but Diavolo didn’t heed any of his warnings. “I am sorry, Leviathan, but this must be done. I shall not allow Belphegor to wipe more innocent lives from Arda, out Earth!” Diavolo spoke with much confidence, fire and conviction, leaving the place, while also igniting a fighting spirit in his men. “Not fair...That’s not fair! How could they even think of doing something like that?! Lucifer...We must stop them at all cost! And did you hear that? That stupid, wretched human wants the hand of the daughter of King Asmodeus! Ha, as if! But imagine...If we take the Silmarils, and I give the King only one, without him knowing that I possess the other two, he will surely let me wed Y/N, and we will create a strong alliance this way! Everyone will bow down to me, the Mighty Leviathan!” he chuckled darkly, motioning for Lucifer to join him as they ran away after Diavolo’s party.

“What nobody was aware of, however, was that Y/N, afraid for her paramour’s fate, fled from home in search of Diavolo, to aid in the task he was given - And yet, just as she arrived on the enemy’s territory, she was found by Lucifer’s keen sense of smell, which allowed his owner to kidnap her and imprison her in a tower, guarded by Luke, one of the most powerful werewolves in Beelzebub’s army. As she was left alone, in a cell, she pleaded to Lucifer to let her escape, and it seems he, for once in his long life, felt pity for the elleth, and decided to aid her.” Solomon continued the story, and so, the stage changed to the prison tower I was held captive in, with Luke, dressed very uncharacteristically evil, was guarding me, and Lucifer’s eyes bore straight into my soul.

“Why would one, so strong and great as yourself, aid the cause of evil? Leviathan, a once proud elf of benevolent will...His heart became darker than the nightly abyss. Look at what he is doing - Trying to cheat my father, to deceive him, only for his own selfish desire to quench his thirst for power. He is miserable, that one, but he is more pitiful than ever. I wonder, my poor Diavolo...Have you seen him? Is he still alive and well? Oh, how I miss him so, and fear for his life, for he is fragile, and brittle, nothing more than a human resembling the first Snowdrop of Spring. May the great Eru Illuvatar watch over him, for I cannot but mourn and sing for his glory the way I am now.” I grabbed the bars of the cells, letting tears fall down my face as soft sobs escaped my throat. “Tell me, Y/N...” Lucifer spoke, for the first time in ages, as he crouched down to my level, and said, in a softer voice, as to not alarm the enemy. “Are you willing to do anything to save your beloved mortal? You speak of my master’s pitiful state, and yet, you do not see yourself and the misery in which you wallow as we speak. I can sense your magic is strong, and you could aid the one you hold so dear to yourself. Should you lend me your power, I will be able to properly defeat your enemies and help your reunite with him. Will you accept me, Elleth Princess?” his voice was velvety, as with one hand he raised my chin up, to look into my glistering eyes. “Yes.” was the only answer I gave him, as he raised with a smirk, piercing poor Luke with his glare.

Muttering a spell, I proceeded in putting a protective shield around Lucifer, that grated an improvement in his powers, and so, he was easily able to take down Luke. However, sensing danger, Beelzebub, the Dark Lord’s most powerful vassal, came forth to attack him, in the form of a werewolf, knowing the prophecy, the only way of defeating the Great Hound Lucifer.

But it was in vain, for my power, combined with Lucifer’s, meant for nothing short of greatness, and so, we were able to defeat him.

“Beelzebub, you have been defeated, and so, you must free all the prisoners you have taken! There is nothing more for you to do, except to obey!” my voice was firm, and clear, and with a growl from the defeated lord, he begrudgingly freed the prisoners, before he became one himself. “You will not escape this place with your lives still your own, you silly elleth! You think anyone can defeat the Dark Lord? Never! Belphegor is undefeated!” Beel’s dark, booming voice echoed throughout the dark prison tower. “We seek not to defeat him, but deprive him of most of his power. And we will succeed, without question, nor fail.” I spoke with grace, sure of myself, until Lucifer guided me away from the cell. “Maiden, you must flee. Enemies are making their way here. Take this passageway and be reunited with your lover. I will make sure not even one of these disgusting orcs may come and hinder your path.” Lucifer said, staying on high alert. “I will eternally be grateful for your aid, Lucifer. I wish to see you soon, and well.” I nodded at him, running away, and the scene cut with Lucifer getting ready to fight some holograms, while Beel was able to flee by transforming into a fly and getting out through the barred window.

“But not everything turned out as great on Diavolo’s side, as he, too, was ambushed by enemies, and his whole little army was taken captive, and executed one by one, until only Diavolo himself, and King Barbatos remained. Enraged by this folly, just as the human was about to get mangled by the great werewolf executing them, the Elven King managed to break the shackles and wrestled the beast with all his might, until both of them perished, and thus, successfully completing the vow he swore to his father.” Solomon continued on the narration, as the stage showed, for just a little bit, the heroic act of Barbatos sacrificing himself, allowing Diavolo to escape with his life.

“Go, and complete the task you set yourself on! Be successful, and reunite with your lover once more. There may came a day when you will die, but I assure you, today is not that day. I have already foreseen your greatness.” were the Elf’s last words, as Diavolo thanked him, and the scene was cut once again, to where I and Diavolo are reunited at the gates of the throne room.

“Diavolo, my darling, you are alive! I prayed and prayed for the great Eru Illuvatar to shine his light upon you and protect you from harm...And here you are, alive, and in my arms once more! I cannot but weep in joy, seeing you before me, my beloved Diavolo!” I cupped his face, examining him for any wound, before kissing his face, not caring that the height difference was making it pretty difficult. “Y/N...! My beautiful nightingale, what fareth thou in this terrible place? You should be safe, at home, with your father, not on this plagued wasteland of death, in the heart of the very enemy we fear the most!” he was shocked, and afraid for my well-being, but before I could reply, a long tail swept him away from my embrace, throwing him to the ground, and the enemy was revealed none other than Leviathan, who wore an evil smirk on his face, looking down at the mortal. “You...! How dare you do such a thing! First, you imprison me, wanting to use me for my father’s power and title, and now, you try to destroy the one being I love the most in this life? Unforgivable! You will never be welcomed back to Valinor, not matter how much you beg and grovel on your knees!” I threatened him, but he only seemed to laugh mockingly. “How adorable of you, some weak elleth, to think that you could come between me and my aspirations. You truly believed some mortal would be able to take the great Silmarils, feat that so many armies of Elves failed to do? You have lost your mind, Y/N! But here, with his death, you will have no more reason to be here. I heard your voice is truly magical...If your voice was to put to sleep the whole place, stealing the Silmarils would be an easy feat, and so, I will be the most powerful an Elf can get!” Levi spoke out, his long tail swishing left and right, as I ran to Diavolo, holding him to my chest as I healed his wounds...Only to notice a figure rushing towards us, and it was now my turn to smirk, as the enemy was trampled to the ground, easily destroyed. “Lucifer, you have returned so fast! The enemies proved to be no match for your might, did they?” I grinned brightly at him, as he only scoffed in amusement. “And your paramour seems to be doing great now that you’ve healed him. It seems that my former master became driven by evil more than I anticipated...It truly is a pity that he turned this way, but there was no way to live the way he did.” Lucifer spoke, and so, the place went dark, so the stage would change to Belphegor’s throne room, him, wearing a crown.

Taking a deep breath, I started singing a spell, just as Leviathan previously suggested, which put to sleep every living being in the place, and so, Diavolo was able to cut away one of the Jewels from his crown. He continued with the second one, but misfortune seemed to follow us, as a little piece from the crown fell on the Dark One’s face, waking him up from his slumber.

“You...! You, puny worms, truly think you could defeat me? Steal away the Silmarils from my possession, and walk away, unscathed?! How impertinent of you! You shall be tortured for an eternity, and even longer than that!” Belphie’s growl resounded through the place with an even graver tone, thanks to Solomon’s magic.

Diavolo took my hand, and we started running, the light flashing, to make it look as if we were going for a longer pace, until we arrived at the gates, guarded by none other than Satan, a werewolf bred specifically to kill Lucifer, to complete the long-foreseen prophecy.

“Satan attacked Diavolo, and before he, or Lucifer, could retaliate, Satan bit off the hand that was gripping the Jewel tightly. As Diavolo ell to the ground, gripping his hand and wailing in agony, the purity of the jewel emanated a strong light in the werewolf’s belly, which set him on a frenzy. He was berserk, clearly lost his mind, and there was nothing that anybody could do to reverse the process. This feat of luck, however, allowed the maiden to call out to the mighty Eagles, who flew them back home. Together, they spoke the tale of their adventure to King Asmodeus whose heart softened by everything they have been through, and despite not completing the task, allowed the two lovers to marry.” the sorcerer spoke the tale, that seemed to be the happy end...

The scene cut to just a few weeks later, the background showing the Kingdom getting destroyed by the Werewolf Satan, and Diavolo and Lucifer going to bravely destroy it, but unfortunately, the triad ended up perishing altogether.

“The story that was fated to have a happy ending, became drenched in blood, as both her beloved Diavolo, and her trusted companion, Lucifer, died together to prevent the rampaging Satan from destroying anything more in his path. The girl, who was waiting by her father’s side, was worried beyond belief, as her father embraced her, trying to sooth her concerns, as Diavolo was a strong human, and had Lucifer by his side... But not long afterwards, a ravaged Diavolo, barely dragging himself upwards, grabbed Asmodeus’s hand, putting the Sacred Jewel that he extracted from the Werewolf’s belly.” Solomon continued the story, as the music turned even graver.

“No...No...! Diavolo, my darling, hang on, please, I will heal you! You cannot die! You cannot leave me like this...After everything we went through! We weren’t even given the time to marry...!” I sobbed, holding Diavolo’s body to my chest. “My beautiful Y/N, all I did, was for you, and now, I am truly worthy of even daring to ask you to marry me. It is selfish, I am aware, but I am but a mere mortal, and thus, as my life ends, I ask you to please hold me in your heart and memory, as dear as I hold you. I love you, Y/N” he spoke with his last breath, before going limp in my arms. “Y/N, my sweetling, I’m so sorry this happened...” Asmodeus knew no words were going to stop my wailing, take away my sorrow, or mend my irredeemably broken heart, and only held me, as I screamed to the sky, cursing fate, and the Illuvatar, the stars, the moon and the sun. I cursed everything in existence, even time, for taking away the one I loved the most, until the scene was cut by the lights, and we could hear the audience gasping, some of them lightly weeping, some even cursing as well and telling their pity.

“There was nothing more her father could do to bring back the joy in his darling daughter’s life, and with his heart broken, just like hers, he allowed her to leave his home, and watched her walk away, to the Halls of Mammon, until he could see her no more, and the horizon was overshadowing her unseeable form. So, she arrived at the Halls of Mammon, the Judge of Death, the one who was stoic and unmovable in front of everyone, never wavering from his judgement of anyone’s souls. The walls were covered by tapestries woven by his wife, depicting life as it is, from the beginning of times, until the present. Y/N laid on the ground, singing the song of her ill fate, of how she will never be able to meet her beloved once more, not even to properly say goodbye to him, feat that would break her heart even more.” the scene revealed only myself, in the Halls of Mammon, in front of the stairs to his throne, as Simeon’s harp started slowly mellowing everybody’s senses, giving them a sense of amplified sorrow, as if the play so far didn’t already play with their heartstrings.

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“Oh great Mammon High among Valar I come to you in sorrow And with a broken heart Long has been my journey That led me to these halls But now I kneel before thee As grief my spirit calls I seek a man named Diavolo Whom I bid await me here I pledged that I would find him Before he leaves this sphere This man of whom I speak He gave his life for me But thence my soul grew weak And at last it too broke free So borne upon an urgent breeze I travelled to this place Where only one thing could appease The torment I now face Oh tell me I am not too late To see my love once more For that would be too cruel a fate I beg him be restored That we may take a little time To bid our last farewell And remember all we shared erstwhile Such joy no one could quell For never was a greater love Than that within our hearts Once born, forever binding us E’en though through death we part”

My voice was powerful, mournful, my face wet from the river of tears streaming my cheeks, and I am sure I shocked all the demons present, for sans a few basic, simple songs, I never showed them my skill in singing, nor that my voice was, as Simeon described it, pretty angelic, so adding the harp was nothing short of heavenly.

The scene ended with me, dying, as I laid on the stairs of the throne, and through the silence, as the lights were slowly dimming, I could hear Mammon sniffing and trying his best not to sob.

“I cannot let this be the end of you and your fateful love story. With the power that has been bestowed upon me, I shall change this dreadful fate, into one more wonderful, as you deserve. You have fought and braved such a storm to be together, and death will not be the place of your eternity.” Mammon spoke, his voice wavering, barely able to keep himself straight.

“The Great Mammon, for the first time in his eternal life, felt his heart moved by the elleth’s song, feeling pity for the fate of the two lovers, so ruthlessly torn apart, so he allowed himself a tiny bit of self-indulgence, for as soon as the fair maiden’s life ended, from her broken heart, he restored both her and Diavolo’s life, yet this time, he awarded her mortality, so she would be able to live her whole life together with him, in happiness, as they deserved.” Solomon’s words were the cue for the scene to change back again, to the glade where he first laid his eyes upon me, and we were embraced in each other’s arms, gazing at each other with love.

“Why ever would you give up your immortality, my darling Tinuviel? You were immortal, had the time on your side, and your father, and people, there for you. I do not understand, my sweetling, so please explain to me.” he asked, looking down at me, brushing away a strand of hair from my face. “I would rather spend one short life time with you, then be teased with a few years by your side, that would pass for me similar to blinking, and then realising that you are in my life no more. Life without you is meaningless, my beloved Diavolo. I love you, and this time, an untimely death is not going to keep me away from letting you know my feelings loud and clear.” I spoke out in a soft voice, getting on my tip toes and pulling him into a loving kiss, which he reciprocated. “I will love you forever, with all my heart, my beautiful Y/N.” he said, as so, the curtains were closed, indicating that the play was over.

The audience started cheering, whistling and clapping loudly, as I motioned for everyone to come on stage so we could give the final courtesy to them, as a thank you for watching our play.

As we got off the stage, Asmo jumped on me, kissing my cheeks, and continuously praising me for how amazing I was. “You, my darling, were truly the star of the play! Why did you never tell me you had such an angelic voice?! Honestly, we should definitely go to karaoke and have you sing more!” “Sure, Y/N’s voice was a shocking surprise for everyone, but we have to applaud how amazing Lord Diavolo’s performance was as well, don’t you think?” Lucifer mused, earning an agreement from the butler. “And let’s not forget that Levi’s costumes were absolutely amazing. And the magic was amazing.” I pointed out, clapping for everyone. “Everyone was completely awesome today. Thank you for doing your absolute best...You managed to make my dream come true, and I’m very happy.”

And so, we all changed into our comfortable clothes, and went to celebrate at Diavolo’s castle, drinking and eating things we ordered from Hell’s Kitchen, setting off some fireworks, doing karaoke and all that...

But for some reason, I was feeling rather...Off, so I went out in the garden, taking a nice and relaxing stroll through the flower-guarded path, until I reached a nice gazebo by a pond and I sat down on the grass, dipping my feet in the cool water, looking up at the moon and letting my thoughts wander.

I wasn’t sure for how long I was there, alone, until a voice woke me up from my trance, and Diavolo sat down next to me.

“It’s not safe for a human to go wandering carefree in Devildom, you know?” he spoke jokingly after a few seconds of silence. “I am in your gardens, aren’t I? I find this the most dangerous, and yet, the safest place in Hell.” I let out an amused breath, which he seemed to mimick. “You wouldn’t be wrong to believe that. Why did you leave?” he asked, looking at the reflection of the silver moon’s on the mirror sheen of the water. “I needed some fresh air, I guess. And you?” I asked back, doing the same as him. “I noticed you weren’t around, so I went to look for you.” he smiled softly, leaning back a bit. “Thank you for your concern, but I am fine. Go back there and have fun. You earned it, after the amazing performance you put there. You were absolutely terrific.” I tilted my head to give him a small smile. “But there is something on your mind, isn’t it? You can talk to me, if you want and feel like it.” I tried to encourage him, as he nodded to me. “You are unbelievably perceptive for a human, aren’t you? No wonder you managed to get Lucifer’s brothers to finally get along. I was just thinking why you chose me to be the lead of the play. I wasn’t expecting that, to be fair. I thought you’d choose Lucifer, or Satan or maybe even Asmodeus...But you didn’t, and I’d like to know your reasoning.” he asked, his voice going softer with each sentence he spoke. “...I wonder if anyone noticed how lonely you are. You try so hard to have the brothers, and others, forget that you are a Prince, and act with you normally, to include you in their activities, so chat with you leisurely...And yet, they all get intimidated by your status. I know what it’s like to be an outcast, and it’s the last thing I’d want you to feel like. I know you like to have fun, so I thought that maybe, for once, you would have enjoyed playing the mortal, while I am the immortal one.” I chuckled softly, hugging my knees, I was met with more seconds of silence. “I was right when I said you would be an amazing influence on us. You are right in everything you said. I’m grateful. If I think about it, it has been a long while since anyone said such nice things about me, without wanting to gain something...Especially since I am a demon. The Demon Prince, nonetheless.” he explained, making me sigh, shifting my gaze to the moon. “I...Well...I think I drank a bit too much champagne, so I guess telling you this won’t hurt, in the long run, anyway. You don’t even have to acknowledge anything I say. Just play it off as a tipsy rant or something...But honestly...You are amazing. You are the kindest person I’ve ever met in my life. I know it’s very short compared to yours, but it’s much more meaningful and impactful to us. You have showed me nothing but kindness and understanding, lots of opportunities to have fun with events, and pranks, jokes, trips...You looked out for me all the time...Especially when Lucifer almost killed me...Which wasn’t few times, really. And you try to bring everyone together, no matter their race or ranks...You are like a big golden retriever who just wants hugs, attention and affection...And your smile and laugh is to die for. If only you’d see the way your eyes sparkle when you’re happy, or feel the warmth of your embraces and how soothing they are. I picked you for more than one reason, Diavolo, and I’m pretty sure it’s obvious now.” I chuckle lightly, not caring about the consequences of my words. “I...Am speechless. Nobody managed to stir such feelings inside me since I first saw Lucifer as an archangel, and this tops it. I cannot but thank you...But now it seems like you’re the one who has things on her mind.” he pointed out, wiping away a stray tear going down my face. “My performance on the stage was so great because those feelings of mine were genuine...But reverse. I am going to die before you even realise it, and just a little later, you’re going to forget me. There is no place for my feelings, no matter how I look at it. I’m mortal, and you’re not. I’m a simple, ordinary human, while you’re the Demon Prince. I will never even be close to being as great as you are. I’m selfish, I’m a jerk, I’m mean, I’m jealous, I’m not talented, I’m not smart, I’m not beautiful...I’m nowhere close to your level, no matter how much I try to get better. Soon, I will have to return back to the human world, and you will still be here, becoming the best Demon King the Devildom ever had...” I shook my head, smiling sadly. “How long have you felt this way?” he asked softly, putting his arm around me, pulling me close to his chest. “A long time...And it only got stronger since then.” I sighed, leaning my head on his chest. “I’m glad to hear that...Because my emotions from the stage were as true as yours. Every word I spoke up there, is true. For a while now, I have been thinking about you and how we could make this work without any of us having to suffer like Beren and Luthien from your story. You are the most unique and beautiful person I’ve met, and I don’t mean only your looks, but your personality and heart as well. I hate it when you bring yourself down and compare yourself to me, because everyone has their own traits that make them who they are.” Diavolo’s voice was gentle and heartfelt, making me raise my head to look at him, searching for the truth in his eyes. “Did you know that this story was written as a tribute to the author’s wife, whom he nicknamed Luthien? The author, Tolkien, fell in love with her when she danced and sang for him in the glade, and since then, he has been very much in love with her...Going as far as to have her nickname, Luthien, written under her name on her grave stone. If that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is.” I smiled softly, feeling my heart skipping quickly. “Humans are truly capable of the most incredible things. They never cease to amaze me, no matter how much time passes. In your short, mortal lives, you are capable of unbelievable potential and wonders. You praised me so much today, but trust me when I say it, I could go for ages complimenting you, and I wouldn’t run out of nice things to say about you. Y/N, trust me when I say it, I love you, and I promise you that your feelings are safe with me, and I won’t let you die. I know a way to make it work.” Diavolo said, putting his hands on my face, as his eyes held only love. “If you’re certain you are okay with it, and aren’t afraid of any consequences, then I can say with no fear that I love you as well, Diavolo. Endlessly.” I grin at him, chuckling lightly as he leaned in, sharing a loving kiss, yet this time, the emotions were flowing much more powerfully than on the stage.

It was true, it was pure, it was ethereal, and definitely, it was eternal.

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spiders-hth-is-an-outlier · 4 years

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Even if you believe -- LIKE I BELIEVE -- that bisexual people are bisexual people and valuable members of the queer community even when they’re in monogamous heterosexual relationships, you are allowed to take a hard look at how a story deploys bisexual characters and their relationships, and you are allowed to notice and be displeased when the story seems to reinforce homophobic and biphobic bigotry.

Like. Okay. I really like the way Roswell, New Mexico has navigated this with Michael’s character. He is clearly bisexual; his emotional and sexual involvement with Alex and Maria are treated as real and legitimate and honorable, unequivocally Good Things, at least potentially, in Michael’s life. Yes, he does choose (as of this moment -- future seasons are future) to pursue a relationship with Maria but not Alex, but what I think is important and effective is that Alex is always shown not as the bullet he dodged or a wrong road he briefly went down in his youth, not as some confusion or derail or detour from his life, and certainly not as the kinky sexual experimentation of Someone With a Complicated Dark Side. Alex is always, always, always shown, by the way the characters discuss him and by his function in the plot, as some combination of Michael’s Ex Who Is Still a Dear Friend and The One Who Got Away (and on his own, separate from his relationship with Michael, as a capital-h Hero who is also a gay man). They had a youthful relationship, full of youthful intensity, and life kind of happened and things just -- didn’t work out. But the relationship was real, the closeness remains, and the legacy of that intensity continues to color their interactions. Nothing about Michael and Alex make me feel like being with Maria is something that saved Michael or, uh, set him straight, as it were. She’s just the next big relationship in Michael’s life, and he’s bisexual.

In contrast, I really, really, really do not like the way Crazy Ex-Girlfriend navigated this with Darryl. I do not deny that Darryl is bisexual! The show did not “make him straight” when they wrote him breaking up with his boyfriend and marrying a woman. But it’s -- really -- pretty fucked up, the arc they give Darryl. Here’s a character who is above all things a warm, big-hearted family man, whose distinguishing traits are his sweetness, his loyalty, and the joy he takes in being a father. He’s in a bad marriage, which ends, and his earliest plot arcs are about maintaining his relationship with his daughter. He has a sexual awakening and a fairly LTR relationship with a younger gay man, which is portrayed as overall quite positive...except that the gay man is entirely unwilling to go in on the one thing that has always defined Darryl -- he doesn’t want to marry Darryl or have kids with him, he is not interested in the traditional family stability that Darryl so clearly loves and craves. Okay, well -- that happens sometimes. They break up so that Darryl can pursue having more kids on his own, but remain friendly. I don’t love that an otherwise rewarding queer relationship is depicted as something Darryl has to extricate himself from to have the family he wants, but -- I’m not writing it, okay. It’s a choice. But at the very end of the series, when it’s wrapping up everyone’s plotlines, the show does two things: it abruptly introduces a woman with a daughter (who receives no real characterization other than Woman With a Daughter) that Darryl quickly marries, creating a lovely large-ish blended family with a mom, and dad, and three kids -- and it makes WiJo, the only specifically gay character on the show, appear in the final scene as an isolated, bitter figure, sitting apart from his friends, bitching about the character everyone else is here to celebrate, not just single but deeply alone. He’s so alone that the fact his fucking house recently burned down is delivered as a throwaway line by a “friend” of his who has clearly all but forgotten about it.

And that’s -- so fucked up! It’s not fucked up because Darryl is not allowed to be with a woman. It’s fucked up because the show has hammered in this clear distinction between Happy Family Man Darryl, whose every wholesome dream of being a husband and father has come true, and Bitter Lonely Queen Josh, who began the series as a jovial and successful, if a little sharp-elbowed, character, and now sits alone in a bar having lost everything. That’s not just a neutral character choice. It leaves the viewer with the distinct taste in their mouth of queerness being a life detour for Darryl, in between the birth of his two children and his two heterosexual marriages, and it leaves Josh -- who again, has been a series regular all along! That we liked and rooted for! -- as some kind of fucked-up cautionary tale about queer loneliness. Did the show intend for that to be the takeaway message, that queerness ruined Josh’s life and could have ruined Darryl’s if he hadn’t managed his escape? Almost certainly not! But the fact that it does, just coincidentally!, perfectly replicate that string of homophobic narratives -- that queerness is an exploratory phase for bisexual people, that real families are straight families, that gay people end up drinking alone and unloved in a bar -- is really fucking bad, no matter what the intentions were, and it can’t be handwaved away by saying “well, sometimes bi people end up in straight relationships!” Yeah, they do! But that’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card for literally writing a story that adheres to the ugliest homophobic and biphobic tropes you can think of. “Sometimes that happens” is never actually a get-out-of-jail-free card for replicating shopworn and harmful stereotypes about marginalized people in your fiction.

I could add a paragraph here about The Magicians, too, but like. I feel like I’m on record already. Long story short: see above. It’s not inherently biphobic that Quentin ends his life (well, the last ten minutes of his life) with a woman and not a man; it is biphobic that the show goes to enormous lengths to code his relationship with Eliot as a “complicated” detour occurring entirely in the space after his straight relationship fell apart and before he was able to restore it, as literally Another Life from Quentin’s real life, and it is homophobic to end a series with your gay series regular living out some kind of retrograde Evangelical scared-straight tragedy of separation from his loved ones and substance abuse, while the bisexual character’s straight love interest is portrayed surrounded by friends, excited by her future, and at peace. (Oops, I added the paragraph.)

It’s bad. It’s not good. Even if it wasn’t intentional, it speaks to something real dark that this is the pattern that creators who think of themselves as queer allies just accidentally trip and fall into without even realizing it. It speaks to how pervasive these narratives -- of queer relationships as an interlude or a detour for bi people, of straight relationships as more wholesome and more healing than queer ones -- are even among people who would never think of themselves as hating gay people. And it’s okay to call this shit out, because it is not biphobic or hostile to bi people’s RL straight relationships, to see what’s right in front of us.

Long story short: do not fuck this up for me, Roswell. I’m counting on you.

#apparently i have opinions #roswell new mexico #crazy ex-girlfriend #the magicians

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theintrovertowl · 4 years

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“Always with you” – Hanzo x Harumi Hasashi One Shot (+ a very cute Satoshi)

As much as I love SubScorp, I felt the need to put some emphasis on Hanzo’s relationship with Harumi as well, since he mentions her so often during the games (which means that he obviously loved her to death, so much that he had to become Scorpion but oh well). I now portrait it as that extremely wholesome relationship, because we all know Hanzo is the epitome of lifetime commitment and whatnot ♥

Disclaimer: I have done as much research as I could on the Japanese terms and culture aspects, but if I had done anything out of place, please let me know!

Note: The words in both bold and italics have their meanings at the end of the story.

Warning: Rated F for feels

Summary: Hanzo Hasashi grows wistful of the memories with his family, and relives them in one of his dreams.

Hanzo never thought he would ever see his clan restored, especially after the wraith phase that he went through a long time ago. Once Shirai Ryu has regained its identity and existence, new students have arrived at the Fire Gardens, mostly the unfortunate youngsters who have escaped from the merciless threads of the present society. Orphans, refugees, defectors, homeless...fragile souls with various heart-breaking stories. Just like Grandmaster Hanzo Hasashi used to be. However, he has not only gained fighting skills and the power of Hellfire, but an extremely hard shell around his emotions, learning to cope with all the tragedies that happened in his life. Even if that meant submitting to Netherrealm’s sorcerer, Quan Chi. Seeing all these young lads mid training, he gradually remembers his son, Satoshi, and anticipates his outcome, had his offspring got to see the light of the day during these times. The fiery Grandmaster was undergoing through harrowing sentiments of melancholy, all involving thoughts about his family. The students were young and oblivious at times, but not entirely blind towards their mentor’s state of mind, manifested through his changed behavior. It was known among the Shirai Ryu students that Hanzo was a very strict teacher in general, who implemented excruciating training sessions; he was never afraid to speak his mind in a harsh manner while the disciples were failing their exercises. But they knew it was for their own good nevertheless. In the latest days, though, Hanzo became more mellow, and approached the incoming training fails with more indulgence; everyone felt it was like a ‘paternal phase’, which became even more confusing than the image of a stern Grandmaster. Therefore, no one dared to question Hanzo about his thoughts; they barely knew his origin story in general. Most of the students actually assumed he grew up as a loner, a celibate who had different ideas of honor and inner fulfillment than the common man. But little did they know of their master’s true tale…

***

Hanzo has finally entered his room, after another long day full of intense training and teaching. It was all quiet and peaceful, hence every student had got the same strict sleeping schedule. It was only him...and his thoughts, again. The moment he placed his head on the soft pillow, Hanzo could finally feel the exhaustion, both mentally and physically. The Grandmaster fell asleep pretty quickly, considering his restlessness usually involves staring at the ceiling for a long time, just reflecting about everything that happens throughout his existence, whether it’s the past, present or future. He simply prefers those silent moments, where he can truly be at peace for a short while. When he closed his deeply ringed eyes, everything faded to black, and slowly transitioned to bright, but warm hues of yellow and orange light. This light suddenly formed shapes...some familiar ones, to be precise. And then there were another two familiar silhouettes: a smaller one, and a more feminine one. Hanzo suddenly found himself in his old household, and the silhouettes got more defined: they were Harumi, and Satoshi. His family...it is back? It all felt so real and authentic for him, more than ever. However, he started inspecting himself, but could only take a look at his hands; he recognized the fabric and belts on his arm, they were part of his Scorpion’s former attire. Everything seems more confusing now.

Harumi looked at him with a warm smile plastered on her face, while Satoshi couldn’t contain his pure excitement. The Japanese woman slowly approached her husband and delicately touched his wounded and calloused hands. In that moment, Hanzo could feel it so well: the reassuring soft touch that he has been missing for such a long time. For the first time, it all felt so overwhelming, and he was trying so hard not to sob in front of his son, but he also wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment, so he contained himself, for now.

“Welcome home, anata (1). We have been waiting for you…”

The warrior could not wait any longer, and he quickly, but gently pulled his wife into a silent hug. Satoshi didn’t even have to ask, and he hastily joined the hug as well. The familiar warmth is finally, and Hanzo didn’t feel like letting it go.

“I have missed you both…so much…” he muttered under his breath, his voice softer than ever.

“I know…but let’s have dinner now. Then we can talk more” Harumi replied, slowly releasing herself from her husband’s affectionate embrace. She cupped his face in her tiny hands, with a soft smile, then caressed his broad shoulders before she left to the dining room and prepare the meal.

***

As it was expected, the dinner was fairly quiet at most, but no one contested the peacefulness. The Japanese family had ramen this evening. He never admitted it to anyone, but Hanzo always missed his wife’s dishes, although he is now able to cook by himself.

“This is some delightful ramen, Kana” he pointed out as a conversation starter.

“It is miso with Chashu (2), just how you like it” Harumi replied with a faint smile.

“Dad, have you tried mom’s Daifuku (3)? They are even better!” Satoshi exclaimed.

“No, Jubei. But I would love to” Hanzo confessed to the child.

“I believe it is time for you to go to bed, young one” Harumi intervened. “You can spend time with your father tomorrow.”

“Aw, alright…” the boy frowned. But that didn’t stop him from approaching his father and giving him a hug before he headed to the Realm of Dreams. The man gladly returned the embrace and then softly kissed his son on the forehead.

“Oyasumi, papa!(4)” Satoshi exclaimed joyfully while he went to his room with Harumi.

“Good night, Jubei!” Hanzo replied.

***

After the child fell asleep, the Japanese couple retreated to the master bedroom. Hanzo has removed half of the battle garments and only remained with the base clothing. Meanwhile, Harumi took off her daytime kimono and put on her jinbei(5). Of course, he couldn’t help but notice more of his wife’s delicate, porcelain skin, along with her soft and naturally feminine features that he fell in love with at the first sight; she looked even more beautiful in his eyes when her long and dark hair was loose from all the accessories. The Grandmaster slowly approached behind his spouse and gently caressed her tiny shoulders, while planting a few genuinely needy kisses. Harumi softly hummed with content, although it was quite rare for her loved one to be this affectionate.

“It feels as if you were gone forever, anata…”

“Kana…I fought through Hell to spend another day with you” Hanzo replied with a lower tone; he later nuzzled against Harumi’s neck and pulled her in another embrace.

In a slow pace, the woman turned around and pulled him into a passionate kiss. It was no doubt Hanzo has craved this form of intimacy for so long, and his wife used to make these intimate moments so unique, so sacred in their own way. As strange as it seemed to the outsiders, his commitment has been undeniable, and almost eternal…

“No matter what, I will always be with you…we will always be with you…” she said quietly, but with a convincing tone.

However, this last phrase finally broke Hanzo from his long lost dream. The intimate moment faded to black, and all he was left with was the surroundings of the present. On top of that, he started sweating profusely, then softly broke down into hot tears filled with anguish and regret. No one could hear him in the numbness of the night, as it should be. But it all felt…so real and authentic: the conversations, the touches, the atmosphere. Once again, his mind has played with his vulnerabilities. As an impulsive reflex, he quickly headed to one of the drawers in his simplistic room, and pulled out a cloth. But it was no ordinary cloth, it had flowery embroideries of a sakura tree, and more than that, it was the only physical memory from his loved one, Harumi…Somehow, he managed to save it, even during the experience with the Netherrealm. And he swore to protect it until the end of his own existence.

“You might not be here in person, but I am certain you meant that you will always be in my heart, and you were not wrong…Kana…” he muttered before he headed back to the bed and prepared for a new morning at the Fire Gardens.

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(1) jap.:darling; usually an endearing term among couples (hiragana: あなた) (2) (cuisine) pork belly tied into a cylinder, braised and then served in slices; it is one of the main ingredients used in Ramen. (3) (cuisine) Japanese dessert made out of mochi (glutinous rice cake) and usually stuffed with anko (sweetened red bean paste) or fruits (4) jap.: Good night, dad! (hiragana: おやすみ、パパ！) (5) Traditional Japanese nightwear, worn by all genders

#mortal kombat 11 #mortal kombat #mk scorpion #hanzo hasashi #harumi hasashi #satoshi hasashi #one shot #fluff #and a bit of feels #ok im done i gotta go to bed now #mk headcanons #mk fanfic

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