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ryuichirou · 2 months

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How would the TW cast react about them being kidnapped?

Anon this is such a fun theme for headcanons!! We have a couple of “darker” themed ones in the ask box, and I’m really looking forward to all of these, but I think this would be a very good start. Going through the list right now… I see how horrible some of these guys are lol their poor kidnappers.

Riddle – we’ve seen the way he behaved when the Charon squad came to abduct him, so I can imagine this is how he’s going to act in any kidnapping scenario. He’ll start yelling, swearing, attacking and trying to free himself. He is smart, but he is also very easy to trigger, so he is probably going to tire himself with his tantrum… not the best strategy.

Ace – he’d be very confused because why would anyone even want to kidnap him? He’s just some guy! In any case, he’ll try to charm his way out of this one, but since he’s definitely going to be in quite a panicked state, he won’t succeed. Still, he’ll annoy his kidnappers with his chatter, so they’re going to gag him pretty quickly. At least this is going to give him time to think about a plan…

Deuce – he’ll try to escape. He can’t really come up with some kind of smart strategy, but he is physically strong and very fast + can endure a lot, so this is Deuce’s strong points. If he gets even a tiny little moment of freedom, he’s going to run as fast as he can. If his kidnappers are smart, they’re going to shackle his ankles first. He is also very good at fighting…

Trey – he’d look so out of place… aside from obligatory “hey, let me out!”, it’s like he doesn’t fight back at all. In actuality, Trey is going to try to play his cards smart and start conserving energy and thinking about a runaway plan instantly. Oh maybe he’ll decide that it’s better to just sit there and wait until he’s rescued.

Cater – oh he’ll talk a lot. A lot of uncontrollable nervous chatter that’s going to make the kidnappers gag Cater even faster than they gagged Ace lol But if he’s lucky and has any access to any phone, he’ll use it as his means to escape. If there is no signal or phone in reach though and no way to obtain it, he’s probably going to give up quickly…

Leona – he’ll scoff and tease the kidnappers about the fact that they’ve kidnapped the wrong brother + that his family doesn’t care about him and that if they want to use him for money, they’re out of luck. He could however give them plenty of money if they free him… Unfortunately, this plan won’t work and he’ll just fall asleep lol Maybe he’ll think about a runaway plan if he wakes up and no one is there to rescue him yet. He says that he won’t get rescued but he still kind of expects it.

Ruggie – out of the entire cast, he’ll be the one to start thinking about the runaway plan the fastest. He hasn’t been kidnapped before, but he knows how this type of thing works, so he’ll try to either cooperate or try to talk his way out of the situation. He doesn’t care what he has to do to get free, he’ll do it no matter what. Ruggie is a survivor 💪

Jack – he is a wild beast, he won’t even talk to the kidnappers even if they want him to cooperate. He’ll just try to break out, even if it means that he has to fight everyone, break chains, do anything he has to do as long as it isn’t implying any kind of compromise with these assholes. He would despise them more than anything.

Azul – his initial instinct would be to start fighting back, because the feeling of losing control is one of the most triggering things to Azul (of course, anyone would be triggered by kidnapping, but still lol), but he would also calm down rather quickly and try to figure out who the other party is. He’ll talk to kidnappers, ask them leading questions, go through the list of his ill-wishers in his head and try to think who is trying to take revenge on him. Then, based on his conclusions, he’ll either try to bribe the kidnappers (he won’t pay them of course, he’ll just ask the Tweels to get rid of them), to talk his way out of the situation, to fight his way out of the situation or to stay put waiting for the Tweels to come and save him. Even though the situation is shocking, Azul is overly controlling and paranoid, so he is always prepared for something like this.

Floyd – he’d be so ANNOOOOOYED. “Hey, this isn’t funny” is a line that comes to mind first. It’s not that difficult for him to escape, and he’s probably going to do it as soon as possible. He doesn’t like being tied down, he doesn’t like people talking about him as if he isn’t in the room, he doesn’t like the fact that when Azul and Jade come to rescue him they’re going to make fun of him. So he has to go on a rampage before they do~

Jade – he also won’t be amused about the whole thing. It’s also quite easy for him to escape, but he’ll actually try to humour himself with this whole situation. He’ll probably sit there and talk to the kidnappers, messing with their minds, saying crude and horrifying things, metaphorically picking their brains with needles and honestly having way too much fun for someone who’s been kidnapped. He is honestly the wrong Leech to try to kidnap… he’ll leave the kidnappers traumatised lol

Kalim – even though the initial reaction would be shock and terror, he’ll try to calm himself down quickly: he has been instructed what to do if he’s kidnapped. So breathe calmly, avoid conversations and wait for Jamil or the guards from the Asim family to come and rescue him. Even though he’d have the urge to do something stupid like try to talk to the kidnappers and stuff.

Jamil – he would feel so sick, like the sickest mix of “oh no, where is Kalim” and “this is all the Asim’s fault”. Somehow, even when he is kidnapped, Kalim is the first person on his mind, which isn’t really illogical: if they targeted Jamil, it’s absolutely related to Kalim in some way. He won’t do anything stupid, he’ll scan the surroundings and try to figure out what’s going on as fast as possible and then either wait for the kidnappers to lose vigilance or try to charm his way out of there – his unique magic is perfect for that, and he’d check if his kidnappers are aware of it.

Vil – he is a verrry intriguing one. Because Vil could be very physical and aggressive, and he has both the strengths and stamina to pull off an escape and fight the kidnappers with just his fists and kicks. But he is also such a good actor that I almost want him to stay kidnapped for a little longer just so he could do his charms for his advantage too. He could pretend to be sick, or to be in a complete utter despair, playing the role of a gentle spoiled magicam superstar that’s never done a single difficult thing in his life. Whatever would suit the situation more.

Rook – he’d be scarily calm. He might even chat with the kidnappers in such a friendly Rook way that he’ll just freak them out lol But he also might just be very serious but unbothered about the whole thing. He studies his surroundings, he studies his kidnappers’ behaviour patterns, he knows what to do and when to do it to run away. He’ll be alright. He’s always better than his kidnappers at literally everything.

Epel – he’ll get very feisty lol and he’ll try everything: he’ll get aggressive at first and try to fight everyone, then he’ll calm down and start quietly crying, then he’ll start to tug on the kidnappers’ heartstrings with how pathetic and weak he looks, then he’ll try to bite them and fight them again, then he’ll get punched again, it’s a very long journey for Epel.

Idia – oh poor Idia, he’ll give up immediately. He won’t be doing anything physical – he knows there is no way that he’d escape. The only thing he could do is sit there in complete terror hoping that Ortho will come and save him soon. Wait, there is one other thing he could do – make his situation even worse because his response to stress is so start irritating people by belittling and trolling them. He could be in a very rough shape when Ortho finds him because of that…

Ortho – lasers go brrrrrrrrrrrr, I’m sure it won’t be an issue for him lol But if the kidnappers find a way to turn him off, then, well… I guess he’s not going to have much of a reaction in that case :(

Lilia – oh it’s going to be so easy for him to run away it’s not even funny lol He definitely has some experience with stuff like that, even though it hasn’t happened in quite a while. He knows both how to manipulate/emotionally and verbally abuse his kidnappers, and how to escape in a sneaky manner, but you know what? He’s not going to do anything because he wants to see if Silver and Sebek figure out how to find and free him first.

Silver – he is going to be alert and serious, and he’ll probably know what to do because he’s been trained to handle situation like this. So he would be surprisingly badass about this whole thing, but I’d like to note than in contrast to all the other guys who would be sassy and aggressive towards the kidnappers, Silver is going to be very earnest. He might also fall asleep at a lot of inappropriate times lol

Sebek – his initial reaction is similar to Riddle’s, but he is also trained enough to stop himself at some point during his tantrum and start actually thinking about what he’s going to do. Just like Jack, he wouldn’t want to converse with the kidnappers, but he’ll gladly tell them about how worthless they are. They’ll dismiss him as if he’s just some righteous idiot, but then Sebek is going to have his badass moment lol He really is a bit of an idiot, but he is a good soldier.

Malleus – he would be both confused, amused and a little bit offended. He would be more offended if he wasn’t so amused by the kidnappers’ stupidity. They surely don’t know who they’re picking a fight with, these pathetic fools. Malleus is going to humour them for a couple of hours before smiling at them menacingly, breaking the chains/rope and going absolutely ballistic on these idiots.

#replies #headcanons

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azullumi · 1 year

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alhaitham — academic rivals ☆彡

summary — the relationship between you two are merely rivals in the akademiya or so you probably thought.

pairing — alhaitham/gender-neutral reader

tags — fluff (kinda), the trope enemies to lovers but academic rivals instead; headcanons

word count — 902

a/n — i haven't wrote for him after a long time (that long time was 3 days ago)

being a renowned scholar of the akademiya and being on par to the famous scribe really does bring a lot of things in your life. both negative and positive events to your everyday occurrence.

"are you reading?"

"it's amazing how you have eyes but never see the use of them."

you don't know which one's personality is at fault here but one thing is for sure, if alhaitham wasn't as frank and rational—to the point that some of his actions and words are simply just unacceptable to your moral concepts— as he is, you would be getting along with him just fine.

you also don't know if it's due to your clashing beliefs and ideas that you two just couldn't get along. or is it really just that or he just refuses to do so? eitherways, he still irks you off in multiple ways. even when it's just the sound of his breathing.

the two of you compete against each other in terms of being the best among you, as such your relationship is treated as something simply born and made by a competition, an unnatural way to form a connection with another but that's just how it is.

''are you now starting to realize that you like me after all?"

"i've learnt to endure and bear with your presence."

sarcasms, creative remarks as comebacks to one another's argument, teasing and joking words that leads to banters and bickering, and many more. you'll probably only get along with him only when the world ends. it was obvious even from a stranger's perspective that you were not on good terms with him.

but despite that, there was never a time that you two have touched on a sensitive subject while arguing or have you two said anything personal and mean that it crossed the line. it's just some useless and close-to-nothing banters that always occur—to which it has become part of your daily routine.

however, the fact that you two work really well when it comes to projects and research is something that can't be denied. even when there are countless arguments being shared because of differences in opinion, you two still end up getting the work done flawlessly.

although you could still recall vividly as clear skies the memory of when a student once said how you're only able to attain such a high academic standing and image due to you often being paired by a great scholar like alhaitham—also the man you refuse to be near to, and that all credits for the projects and research papers you have published all goes to him. if you were even given the chance, you would have chosen someone else as your pair but you don't.

this is probably part of the reason why you have a certain yet unexplained dislikeness for him. his existence basically shadows over yours.

it feels horrible having all of your hard work and effort being disregarded but hearing such words are just something common and expected so you ought to ignore it not until you hear a familiar voice speak up.

"are people like you really bound to judge and speak about things you have no knowledge of? shouldn't you focus on finishing your research papers instead of gossiping and talking about other people's lives?"

"you don't know (name) or anything that they do. i have seen how they work so hard to attain their goal and put everything that they can just to do so. witnessing you bad-mouth them while you're at that state doesn't make you look better but rather a fool."

you could immediately tell that it was him, the said man who, from the other students' perspective, deserves all the credit for every project.

he wasn't as bad as you thought and maybe for once, just this moment, you're thankful and grateful to him. but this raises the question, why would he even care to do that? he's most likely the type of person to just walk pass and just let them fools talk bad about others before reporting their conduct to the office.

honestly, this isn't the first time he has done such a thing. in moments more than one, he would often show that he cares for you as a partner (academic) and as something that is more than strangers but less than friends, occasionally speaking up for you when you can't, being cautious and keeping you safe, knowing the foods you can't eat and avoiding from ordering it when he would take you out for a meal just to discuss about your progress in the part of the project/research, and many more.

you suppose it's only an act of courtesy and him being a gentleman though isn't it too much? you just refuse to overthink it and not put any meaning behind his actions. simply just reasoning it that alhaitham is a human that have a heart behind that demeanor of his.

"why do you even care? i don't understand you sometimes. you act like you don't like me then the next you do those things that keeps me up at night."

"when have i ever said that i don't like you? you have a great mind, (name), think."

the only thing you know the two of you share is the relationship of being rivals and probably only just that.

— navigation | masterlist

#azul.writes #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact headcanons #genshin headcanons #genshin imagines #genshin fluff #genshin impact fanfics #genshin #alhaitham headcanons #alhaitham genshin #alhaitham #alhaitham x reader #al haitham #alhaitham fluff #genshin x you

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lollytea · 3 months

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does hunter ever have to be protective of his fam too or is willow the main protector most the time

Yeah he's probably been put in a position where it was necessary some point. Willow goes to great lengths to make sure he doesn't have to. They both have a very different relationship with violence, and Hunter's history as a child soldier and destiny to be a killer has made him so much more averse to it than Willow is. However, sometimes life just throws you a curveball and you gotta do what you gotta do.

We talked about their children being held for ransom at some stage, and his family being endangered made Hunter see red. Most of the convo was voice notes or someone else's messages. All I can show from that is this:

- I imagine Hunter obviously didn't tell his children about the Golden Guard thing until they were old enough to understand. Like most parents don't usually tell their kids the horrific abuse they endured when they were their age. It's upsetting. It would give them nightmares.

Hunter's life from birth to 16 would upset his children horribly. So he certainly doesn't feel the need to explain it to them while they're still little.

Which makes it an even bigger shock to them when their Papa comes to rescue them and he's enraged in a way they've never seen him before.

They know Mama can fight. They know Mama is scary. Everybody in Bonesborough says so. They've seen her participate in a few of the Brawls for fun. They've seen how intense she gets when she plays Flyer Derby.

But Papa has always been just....Papa. Soft and sweet and smiley. He never wanted to try a round during the Brawls. Even when he was offered. ("Cmon, Hunter, just for fun." He shakes his head.)

So the way he handles the captors is disturbing. His jaw is clenched, his voice unstable with acidic rage. And he kills them like it's second nature to him.

It's scary. The way he fights is scary. Because its like somebody else has possessed their father's body.

It's only when it's over and he approaches and his voice wobbles in that familiar worrisome way ("Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need a healer? Breathe in and out....") that it's so obviously him.

All that shocked and frightened energy fizzles away in an instant, flooded over by a wave of relief. They're safe. They're safe because Papa is here. They fall into his arms, sobbing

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reel-fear · 10 months

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Henry And Norman's Canonical [and unexplored] Friendship and why it needs more focus in canon and fanon

An essay by me~

So I've talked a lot either in tags or in other posts about Henry and Norman's implied friendship in the canon of Bendy, however implied isn't really the right word, unexplored is more accurate because despite the fact we've never seen them interact, Henry and Norman having been friends is entirely canon with a lot of proof for it!

Don't believe me? Well let me show you why I am obsessed with this duo~

So first we're starting with the games since they are the ones most barren for this implication. We only really have one line in BATIM to go off of in terms of this, but they are interesting and important ones. Specifically we have one line from alice and an achievement to look at. [EDIT: I forgot a note written by Henry! I have added it now below]

Just from Alice's line we know she was under the impression Henry and Norman were friends, which not only shows they were in fact friends but close enough that others knew they were friends. Combined with the theory that Alice created the projectionist [one that is slightly backed up by BATDR confirming she was the one who mutilated the butcher gang] her teasing tone here could be rubbing in the fact such a horrible fate fell on someone Henry was close to...

It's an idea I think fits really well with Joey having created the cycle specifically to torment Henry too, why not make his friend one of the most mindless and horrible monsters down there just to make him feel worse. So close yet so far from one of the friendliest friends he knew.

The other thing I want to draw attention to is the Norman's Fate achievement, this is the Only time the projectionist is referred to as Norman and it comes from Henry's POV. It's a bit of stretch but I think it could be Henry refusing to dehumanize Norman by calling him the projectionist instead calling him by his name. A detail I think is very cute and could show Henry's sympathy towards his friend's suffering... and fate.

EDIT:

However we have another great indicator on how Henry feels towards the projectionist in particular and that's this note left by him on level 14.

Level 14 is the Projectionist's level, one full of the corpses of his victims and where he hunts Henry relentlessly, but Henry still questions The Projectionist being nothing more than an enemy. Their friendship seems to have meant a lot to him, and it seems to be on his mind, even after seeing what Norman has been twisted into. This could also be because the Projectionist literally fights the ink demon too. Who is far more antagonistic to Henry. Either way, I find it very sad but also a nice way of subtly touching on what Henry and Norman's friendship means for how Henry thinks of the Projectionist.

This is also a bit of a stretch but when Norman/The Projectionist peeks into the miracle station Henry is hiding in, in chapter 4, he doesn't seem super threatening, just curious and it even somewhat emulates Sammy's motions when commenting on Henry's familar face. Was there a moment of clarity for Norman there? Seeing his old friend hiding in there? Maybe, it's a little too vague to really dwelve on here but it is something to think about...

But time for us to get into the meat of their relationship, with the books, the media that elaborates far more on Henry and Norman's characters and has the lines from Norman confirming their friendship.

I absolutely LOVE these passages they show off so much more about Norman's character and expand on the idea he and Henry were friends in such a nice way. Norman talks about Henry in a way so unusually positive for him Dot feels the need to point out how much of a compliment it is for him to say he's a decent fellow with a lot of talent. He also speaks with a lot of sympathy towards Henry's blight and the abuse Joey made him endure, doing this all with his feet on the table holding up a projector, a smile on his face and a mug in his hand. He speaks somewhat vaguely and with mystery not exactly with Sammy's theatrics but with his own ominious air.

He also recognizes Henry leaving wasn't personal and that Joey likely held a grudge over it, plus when Dot comments on how odd it is for Norman to speak of someone like this, he doesn't refute it, just agrees with a laugh.

These passages are one of the reasons I think the books are some of the best media to come out of the series and I hope soon others realize what untapped potentional the books hide.

But...

Sadly despite all these interesting implications there's not a lot of canon or fandom content showing Norman and Henry's relationship and even less that attempts to develop and explore it. But for me it's one of the most interesting relationship's we have in BATIM [a series that is rather lacking in implied friendships or relationships between its characters]

Hell Henry's wiki page even mentions their friendship but Norman's page does not, which is strange since he has the most to speak on their friendship in the books. At least it's strange to me

So why is this relationship so fascinating to me? Just because of the dynamic it presents to us and its potentional for fun interactions!

Norman is portrayed constantly as a strange mysterious and almost intimidating figure, he sees everything, he goes to investigate strange noises under his booth with nothing but a light to find out whats making a horrid noise at night, and when Buddy [a 17 year old delivery boy] shows up at the studio and asks where Joey is Norman tells him he's DEAD. Which Buddy can only pick up on as a joke when someone else comes in to tell him Norman's sense of humor is strange, all while Norman bursts into chuckles. He's also pretty easy going esp in comparision to Sammy's dramatic nature.

Henry however is such an every man, a soft spoken and hard working animator who just wanted to have a better relationship with his work and wife. He's always so calm and just a usual guy. How did he come to form a friendship with such a strange and bizzare guy? Did he enjoy Norman's strange sense of humor? What were their interactions like?

There's so many interesting things to do with such a dynamic and that's not even getting into the tragedy of the Projectionist and Norman's fate. I want to see Henry heartbroken by his close friend's fate and death, I want to see more stuff exploring interactions between the Projectionist and the artist.

Whether it's canon or fanon that does it, I want to see more content on Henry and Norman's relationship. Romantic or not, I just want to see more people talk about it! Because it's one of the most interesting relationships in a series that tends to lack a lot of character relationship drama, pushing for more content of these two might be the bridge towards getting more content from canon that generally shows us how these characters all feel about each other.

Something I don't think is an impossible idea too since Meatly straight up asked us what characters we wanted to see interact, showing interest in these two could be a big W for us I'm just sayin [yes that is me down there]

I know I am very biased as a big Norman and Normry/Moving Pictures/Heman fan but I hope this post could show just a few more people the potential of this duo and we get more content of them in the future. Esp since fans have done a lot more with pairings in this franchise with far less content or implications of friendship.

Fingers crossed for a Norman novel where we can see them interact!!

And more content of these two in general <3

#batim #bendy and the dark revival #bendy and the ink machine #bendy #batdr #norman polk #the projectionist #henry stein #normry #heman #moving pictures #like I said not purely shipping here #but i wouldnt mind if this fuels more shipping of them in the fandom >w>#either way hope people read this and hope people like this #I always love making little essays on my passions and this is a topic I absolutely love #these two live in my brain SO much #and now I hope they live in the brains of others too <3 #ramblez

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conquerthenight · 10 months

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I’ve been thinking nonstop about the time someone on ao3 mentioned that Maxim took on some of Rebecca’s worst traits as a way to cope with (or that some of his own worst traits were exacerbated by) the abuse he endured by Rebecca’s hand. And that honestly makes so much sense.

None of this an excuse for how he behaves, but I think it could be an explanation.

I mean, think about it. We know he has quite the horrible temper. In the musical Beatrice states that he was “the same way as a child” meaning that his anger issues have always existed in some way. Of course that is most likely true, but take that and add in years of emotional abuse and it’s certainly a recipe for disaster. What used to be an ordinary bad temper became something border lining on volatile over the years. We see that in those moments Maxim snaps at his second wife. In the musical, during the first boathouse scene, Maxim rushes after his wife who had run offstage in terror, as if he was about to hit her before ultimately realizing what he was about to do and stopping himself in his tracks.

We know that Maxim can be quite cold and distant when he wants to be. At times he is also super patronizing and mocking. In the musical it’s a bit less so (but even that has the “you react like a child” line) but in the book he’s constantly talking down to his wife. Perhaps he does so because Rebecca did the same to him? Of course, Rebecca definitely didn’t compare him to a child as Maxim did to his second wife, but she could have mocked him with his insecurities (his obsession with holding up his family’s reputation, his intense desire to be seen as a strong figure and the toxic level of pressure he puts on himself as a result).

And of course, we can’t talk about Maxim or Rebecca’s worst traits without mentioning manipulation and the abuse of power dynamics. And what’s more is that both of them are fully aware that they are manipulating the situation. Rebecca sought to control Maxim by holding her affairs, Manderley’s standing, etc. over his head knowing full well he either wouldn’t or couldn’t (or a combination of the two) divorce her. See the lyric in “Kein Lächeln war je so Kalt”: “Divorce was taboo for the de Winter family. The family honor was worth more to me than my pride, and she relished in her triumph”.

Likewise, Maxim knows full well that his second wife came from basically nothing. He knows she’s financially dependent on him and that should their marriage fail in some way, she would have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He even outright admits to her that he “did a selfish thing” marrying his second wife and that he “should have waited and let [his wife] marry a boy of [her] own age”. He knows that he has (and arguably still is) manipulating the dynamics in his own favor until the very moment he confesses to Rebecca’s murder and the power shifts from Maxim to his young wife.

Both Maxim and Rebecca know that they are absolute monsters. But it’s important to also note where they differ. While Rebecca revels in her absolute assholery and abusiveness, Maxim’s situation is the opposite. He hates himself for his own assholery and has basically condemned himself to a suffering of his own making.

Ironically, Mrs. Danvers said it best: “He’s made his own hell, and he has no one but himself to thank for it”. Was Mrs. Danvers just trying to get under the new Mrs. de Winter’s skin and hit her where it would hurt most? Yes. Was it said out of bitterness over Rebecca being replaced? Yes. But was she correct in her assumption? Also yes.

And of course, the key difference between Rebecca and Maxim is that all important shift in power. Rebecca held the power for almost the entirety of their relationship, and Maxim sought to take that power back through any means necessary resulting in Rebecca’s murder. When Maxim eventually confesses to said murder, it serves as an act of giving up that power he had claimed by killing Rebecca. He can no longer hold the weight of it because he knows he is damned and thus power transferred itself to his second wife. Where he was previously codependent on Rebecca, his second wife became codependent on him upon their marriage, and ultimately he became codependent on his wife upon his confession.

This is where the adaptation of Rebecca’s traits begins to fade. Maxim becomes basically a shell of himself, barely keeping it together through the rest of the story if not for the influence of his wife. He becomes as reliant on her as she had previously been reliant on him. This toxic cycle is only truly broken with the burning of Manderley. Only then are they equals. Only then do they begin to truly grow.

Rebecca, on the other hand, never got that chance. It was taken from her by the very man she had ill used. She knew that her “pregnancy” was a lie. She knew that her cancer diagnoses would damn her to a slow and painful death. Did that stop her from perpetuating the cycle of abuse? No. Instead she continued with it until her last breath, passing the torch to Maxim in the process.

Maxim certainly was no innocent. He perpetuated this toxic cycle as well. The only difference was that the person he passed it onto ended up not only breaking the cycle, but also gave him the opportunity to heal from it. He knows he isn’t worthy of it. We as the reader/viewer somewhat know that too. And yet the second Mrs. de Winter unknowingly grants him this post Manderley fire. Maxim has the opportunity to redeem himself where Rebecca did not.

Whether he takes the opportunity or ultimately succumbs to his inner demons (figuratively or literally) is completely up to the one consuming the story.

Personally my opinion is ever changing. While the optimistic part of me believes that he does work to better himself and ultimately succeeds in doing so, the realistic part of me wonders whether that’s the case. Of course, when I am of the realistic opinion I don’t think he reverts back to the traits he took on from Rebecca and those that were made worse during his relationship with Rebecca, but rather he wallows in a state of being that is just numb to it all. He is stagnant in his recovery because he believes, he knows, that he is beyond help. Things don’t get worse, but they certainly don’t get better either.

Ultimately Maxim de Winter is a character that foretells the tragedy of abuse and how the cycle of abuse can continue in ways that those trapped within it don’t comprehend until it’s too late. He is and isn’t a victim. He is and isn’t a perpetrator. We root for his relationship with his second wife on our most hopeful days and yet we don’t on our most cynical. He is an asshole. He is a dick. He isn’t exactly the best of men. And yet he is also broken. He is lonely. He is lost.

He finds what he is looking for in the end to an extent. A love that, while not exactly the healthiest, sets him on a path to becoming a better person. The relationship between Maxim and his second wife is in a way just like the drive leading to Manderley itself. Constant twisting and turning, plenty of bumps in the road, obstacles that temporarily prevent them from moving forward. And the beauty of it is that they do, in their own twisted way. They move on from the cycle of abuse they started in, however irreparably damaged and emotionally numb Maxim may be by the end.

“Love that liberates”. I’ve seen plenty of debate over whether that signature line from the musical is applicable to the story of Rebecca and the journey the de Winters take. My two cents is that it is, although the love itself isn’t what liberates the de Winters, Maxim in particular. Maxim may delude himself into believe that the love his second wife shows him despite his crimes is what liberates him, but while it certainly sets the foundation for their liberation from the cycle, in the end it is he who must crawl out of the hell he created for himself. No one can pull him out of it but himself.

#in defense of maxim de winter #in defense of rebecca de winter #wow i never thought i’d say that #this got away from me #it’s nearly 3am #and here i am writing a whole essay on rebecca and how its characters contribute to a toxic environment #rebecca das musical #maxim de winter #rebecca de winter #mrs de winter #ileana de winter #this post got away from me #and so did the tags #daphne du maurier #meta #rebecca meta

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themothmancassettes · 1 year

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Augh so over on twitter and in the official vast error discord, people have shown interest in my evil ellsee/elleon au so i thought id make a post about it!! For the sake of this post, its more of a tldr/ref post about the au!! ^^

In essence, my au is essentially what if Ellsee tried to do an essential ritual midgame with the corrupted version of her book and it went Horribly Wrong(tm) and got her corrupted by Gaiaeon?

Thus creating: Elleon

WHO THE FUCK IS ELLEON?

Elleon is the result of that ritual gone wrong. She is essentially Ellsee, but corrupted by the Naught Father but with insane powers. His corruption is NOT a possesion; more like an infection. Her biggest changes is in behavior and appearance- at the end of the day, they're still Ellsee.

Elleon cannot use her staff; it was made for followers for Khepharia, so when a being corrupted by Gaiaeon tries to use it, the staff renders itself unusable.

The corruption gives her powers similar to the Gaiaeon, the most distinct being the power to influence, but not directly take control of a person. While under the Naught Father's influence, Ellsee’s frustrations are heightened, her impulse control is frighteningly low, and they're much more likely to act on their intrusive thoughts. Think of Gaiaeon's corruption as a parallel to Grimdark, but more fucked up looking. Elleon is completely unaware of her power to influence and completely thinks she's just more persuasive than previously thought.

Elleon is extremely bitter about all of the misfortunes they've endured, from Murrit's various murder attempts to Arcjec's amnesia to Occeus ignoring them, anything bad that's happened to them is all the more reason to go apeshit. Everyone who has hurt her WILL pay the price, and so will anyone who stands in her way- especially Murrit.

NO ONE GETS TORMENTED MORE THAN MURRIT HOLY SHIT. This is because her crime is by far the worse than the others. At somepoint, he attempts to kill Elleon again and all it does is piss them off bc yk. God Powers. It doesnt work.

Thus, the cast is divided- those Elleon is able to get on her side via Gaiaeon's influence (think spreading the infection, but to a much lesser extent), and those on Murrit's side, who wants to stop her and save their session. Those under Gaiaeon's influence are much less tolerant of those who have wronged them, so who better to convert to her side first and become her partner in crime than Calder Kerian.

Team Elleon: calder, dismas, albion, eventually sova and serpaz

Team Murrit: laivan, occeus, jentha, taz, arcjec

Team murrit largely spends time trying to get in contact with Khepharia (occeus+laivan), and jentha getting her radiation powers back in hopes to even out power. It doesn't work.

Important Note: those under Gaiaeon's influence via Elleon do not have powers nor any physical changes. They do, however, have a dark green haze over their pupils. This is moreso for artistic purposes to make it more clear who is and isn't under Gaiaeon's influence.

Calder and Elleon enter a moiraillegiance, becoming the best worst evil duo ever... until Elleon burns down his planet and he realizes this isn't what he wanted.

Calder in this AU is exhausted beyond belief from the pressures of his everyday life and wants it to end. When Elleon approaches Calder, they're on a cliff overlooking the Depths (angst writers, you're seen and Heard here). Elleon promises to make things better for the both of them and get his revenge. Because his planet is a hiding spot that Gaiaeon can't see and by extension, Elleon is weaker there, so she burns it down to give her opposers nowhere to hide. This act is Calder's breaking point, causing him to realize this isn't what he wants for anyone, let alone them, thus causing him to switch sides and help take her down.

Ultimately, the group who takes Elleon down is Arcjec, Occeus, and Calder, potentially Taz too but I don't have strong enough opinions on pitch Tazsee to include that canon ship. They play into Ellsee's true desires (occeus paying her attention, reconnecting with arcjec, etc), and with the help of Void Powers, get them back to normal. She does get knocked unconscious though from how much Elleon took out of her and is scarred to shit (ellsee 🤝 hunter: getting scarred to shit by evil thing)

For Calder angst likers, Calder does end up getting the blame for like. Most of Elleon's bs and saying the ritual went wrong because he was the last one who spoke to her before the ritual. (He told her to make the right decision as a form of encouragement bc in the situation, the ritual WAS essential but Ellsee was having doubts. Neither had anyway of knowing this would happen.) Ellsee clears his name when she wakes up and finds him on the same cliff as Elleon met him on and I'm leaving it up to yall whether or not she makes it in time ;] (personally, i love happily ever afters just as much as a destating loss, BUT. since calder is a cc of mine i lean fake out, looks too late, but he's actually fine and calsee win!)

Any specific questions about my AU, I'll happily answer!! My inbox is always open! I do have more specific notes on ellceus, sovalbion, dismurrit, jenthmas, laipaz, and some other stuff I couldn't fit in this post + I'm working on some more designs for the cast! That's all for now! Thanks for reading<3

Please credit me if you use any of my designs/concepts! My blog may be small, but this au is very personal to me. Thank you!

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sideprince · 11 months

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Sometimes I wish we had seen the rest of SWM. We know the Marauders were bullies who targeted Snape more often than anyone else. We're given the impression Snape wasn't popular and that the people nearby came to watch him be bullied and seemed amused. Was there a moment, though, maybe, when they stopped being amused?

That maybe it was funny to them to see an unpopular kid hanging there with his underwear exposed, but when James removed them, it stopped being funny? I keep thinking of the scene in GoF at the Quidditch World Cup where the muggle family are being treated the same way, how some of the wizards in the crowd were laughing and pointing up at them, but then Mrs. Roberts is flipped upside down and she struggles to lift her dress back up because underwear is exposed. That's the point when Ron says, "that's sick... that is really sick."

I like to think there was a moment when James took off Snape's pants that the crowd stopped being amused and started feeling uncomfortable. Maybe quiet settled on the onlookers as they realized wait, hang on, they don't want to see this, it's invasive, it's going too far. For years the Marauders had bullied Snape and no one cared, but they had bullied everyone else too. We know this from the stack of old disciplinary cards Harry has to sort for detention. How many people in that crowd were bullied by them, or had a friend who was? Would they, in that moment, have thought "this could be me"? Would they have simply just thought, "oh this isn't funny anymore this is just sad and upsetting"?

I like to think that when James finished and let Snape back down, it was because the crowd had gone tense and quiet and he felt people staring at him and the ego boost had been cut off and he felt the pressure of feeling disliked all of the sudden. Snape wouldn't have noticed, the humiliation would have stung too much and he would have been in survival mode just trying to get the hell out of there. But I like to think James felt that he had gone too far and word of the incident spread. That, after that day, he was less popular. That he had to endure people muttering about him for days. Maybe overhearing people in the halls saying things like, "sure he can play quidditch, and who doesn't like a bit of bullying here in this magical equivalent of a British grammar school in the 70s, but that was fucked up" and "I heard everyone got really quiet and even when they were telling him to stop he just kept laughing like a psychopath."

Most of the students would have gotten over it. James would still have been wealthy, sporty, and a good student. But he would never have gotten the respect back. Maybe the other students were more just polite to him after that, than friendly the way they had been before. Maybe they were more nervous around him. Because maybe, just maybe, before all this they would think, "if James Potter or his friends inflate your head, just laugh it off, be in on the joke, and they won't have a go at you again, just pretend you're fine with it and it's all good fun." But now they would smile and have somewhere else to be, because who knows when James Potter and his friends will get carried away and you're the one who's helpless, vulnerable, and publicly shamed?

I like to think that, for the rest of their lives, the onlookers in SWM carried with them the memory of how Snape looked in that moment and how horrible it made them feel. That maybe some of them taught their children not to bully because of it. That it left a mark in them and made them more empathetic. That some of them sent their own children off to Hogwarts making sure they knew to respect Professor Snape.

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sapphic-agent · 6 months

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Not sure if I even read the Breaking Point fic. Maybe, maybe not. But I have my own share of fics that "we can fix canon" but make worse.

There one fic I recall (the name slipped from my mind) where ofa somehow shows the class A1 all the abuse Izu endured by BK - it was all thanks to bk and Izu forced team up- and still...people did nothing.

Now think about this premise: ofa shows the abuse and people are just midly concerned.

Why is that? Why make Izu be seen as a victom and get help and support is smth so rare in this fandom?

It is rare see Ochako and his so called friends do stick up for him in fics and not be demonized. Hell, there one where class A1 finds out bk bully Izu(OH MY GOD HE TRIED TO KILL HIM...why fics make them discovery their past as if is a big plot twist?) And proceed to give a taste of his own poison.

And...."this is bad. They shouldnt do this. Poor bk"

You know, some stories talk aboht forgiviness and can be a really touching and well done thing....but those are rare, extremely so. I'm tired of "forgive them bc this is correct" let Izu hold grudges. Let Izu dont forgive bk and be in his right.

A dorama who got this right is The Glory. The mc was horrible abused and got her revenge and in no point people were "forgive them" to mc.

To conclude: this fandom seems to tnink Izu and pain are the OTP when it really isnt nor should be.

Yeah, the fandom can be... Desensitized to this issue so to speak. I think this is for two reasons.

1. So much of Bakugou's behavior is brushed off as a joke. It's easy for people to turn a blind eye to his treatment of Izuku because so much of it is glazed over by cheap laughs.

Honestly I'm pretty sure that's why people think we're so stuck in the suicide baiting in episode 1. Because that's the only moment the series ever really treats Bakugou's behavior as serious as it is. Like, yeah, that was bad, but that's far from the only thing Bakugou's ever done to Izuku. There's attacking him during the Quirk Apprehension Test, hunting him down and seriously injuring him during the Battle Trials, being purposely uncooperative and punching him during the Final Exam, coercing him into a fight after curfew and demanding information that absolutely wasn't his business, throwing his headpiece at him, attempting to forcibly draw Blackwhip out with no consideration of the consequences, etc. Mind you, everything I just listed happened at UA (a few when he was supposed to be "changing"). I would argue that a good number of these things were worse than the suicide baiting.

But they don't register in people's heads the same way because the narrative doesn't treat them the same way. So when fanfiction authors try to write these stories, they're only looking at one aspect of it while turning a blind eye to everything else. They might do a decent job addressing how Bakugou treated Izuku in Aldera, but do a piss poor job of addressing his behavior at UA.

2. Horikoshi doesn't allow Izuku to be looked at as the victim.

This wasn't always the case. We're supposed to feel bad for him in episode one. We're supposed to think that his treatment at Bakugou's hands during the Battle Trials is brutal. He was written to be the sympathetic underdog who's been given a bad hand in life and gets treated like shit because of it.

But that began to change around Deku vs Kacchan Part 2. Hori knew that Izuku had to forgive Bakugou if the viewers were going to. But there was also no way to realistically do this if he actually had a negative response to Bakugou's treatment of him. So he gave us the implication that Izuku wasn't bothered by it at all (which we know isn't true because he was extremely upset when Bakugou said what he said in episode one). He confirms this through All Might of all people, so it has to be true, right?

And most viewers will accept this at face value. Because they're looking for an out for Bakugou. They're looking for a way they can like him while not condoning a bigoted bully.

That's how I see things anyway

#anti katsuki bakugou #mha critical #bnha critical #ask

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cosmica-galaxy · 6 months

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How would your Oc’s (including Mimics) react to the human having multiple tattoos and piercings.

Camron would be fascinated! Wow!! Humans can paint their skin?! He thought that it was just an alliance member thing! What did they use to do it? A paintbrush? Pressurized paint? W-Whu...HUH? THEY USE A NEEDLE THAT STABS THEM 50 TO 3,000 TIMES PER MINUTE?!?! HOW CAN THEY ENDURE THAT??? However, the piercings are also shocking to him. You push THAT (the whole thing) through your CARTILAGE!? Humans are surprising in so many ways..holy shit. DJ would find the designs sick and awesome, but would also have the same reaction as Camron once he finds out that the human stabbed their skin with a needle multiple THOUSAND TIMES to just get the ink to set into their own flesh. It's pretty metal, not gonna lie! Even the elite members think it's pretty cool! He idly traces the designs sometimes, with the human's permission of course, as he thinks about how cool it would be to get "tattooed" like that. He also likes the piercings, though he internally wonders if they ever get infected or not. They look painful when he watches them shift around through your flesh. Vee would probably be the most impressed by the fact that you endured the sheer amount of pain during getting your tattoos. Especially in nerve sensitive areas, like your neck or your back. He doesn't really think about the designs of the tattoos, but more along the line of WHY you got them. Is it just another one of those "human things" that Vee will have limited understanding of? Still...it does look pretty cool. Makes you look tougher. However, he can't help but laugh at the thought of you trying to look intimidating while he holds your struggling form effortlessly off the ground. It's all for show. The piercings don't help, but at least your taste in accessories aren't horrible. They won't prevent him from picking you up, though. Haha! Buddy is enthralled by the colors and the designs of the markings in your skin. It's normal for alphas to grow markings when they become leaders of the pack, it's like a badge of authority. But he has never seen designs so...intricate and unique. The vibrancy of the colors...the swirls and slight scarring in your skin...it just makes him purr and rub up against the human in approval. At least you look like an alpha! He doesn't really understand the piercings, however. Maybe those are just a "human thing". Pal has issues detecting your tattoos, but he likes feeling the places where your piercings go! He's quite shocked that a human would pierce their own skin and stick things into it. Judging by feel alone, the designs of the accessories are rather detailed and they would probably be stunning if he had the proper eyes to view them with. While he can see the extent of what is in his surroundings, paint and other various things that are thinly applied to smooth surfaces will go undetected. So it's sad that he can see your tattoos. But thank you for letting him feel your piercings!

Fiend is intrigued by the designs and shapes that were STABBED into your skin. It makes him a little jealous that such works of art were merged directly into your body. Which just made you that much more wonderful to stare at. PRAY that you don't have a tramp stamp, because if Fiend ever finds out, he will flirt with you about it non-stop until you will want to kill him with a brick. You're pericings are also nice to look at. Do you think you can stab the skin on the top of your head so he can put antennas in it? . . .?? What's that look for??!

#haxorus imp #hax speaks #cosmica galaxy #cosmica-galaxy #anonymous #anon asks #anon ask #skibidi tag #skibidi toilet mimic #skibidi mimic

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burninghalls · 1 year

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❝the archons have sent me a fool to love❞

summary: alhaitham is a fool and you hate him so pairings: alhaitham x gender neutral reader tw/cw: enemies to lovers (obviously), one sided hatred, hurt/comfort, alhaitham is an oblivious dense idiot, happens before sumeru archon quest (they still have the Akasha Terminal), maybe ooc but I hope not too much

If it wasn’t for the cold breeze of the rain or the fastening drops of water, you would’ve gotten home by now. You made sure to check the weather forecast this morning; you even did a double-check in case you read the wrong thing. It was said that the day was going to be mostly sunny with a bit of cloudy weather during the evening. But alas, you’ve been fooled once more by the now questionable data from Akasha Terminal.

Was this Lesser Lord Kusanali’s doing? Is this the punishment you have to endure as the result of the long-lasting unfaithfulness toward the archons you’ve held for so long? Whatever this is, sulking under the roof of the Akademiya is not going to help you one bit. But then again, you would rather not get your clothes soaked.

Perhaps you can ask Kaveh for help.

The reminder of the lovely blond architect has put your mind at ease. Perhaps Kaveh has decided to bring an umbrella before he leaves this morning, or even if he didn’t, then you can at least have someone to sit around with while waiting for the rain to stop.

The walk to the House of Daena isn’t something to fret about. In a few minutes, you can already see the door leading to the inside of the enormous library. Sometimes you wonder how many kinds of books are available in there. You love reading as much as the rest of the students do, but even you know there are still hundreds of books whose covers you haven’t marked with your fingers. Still, reading is an essential need for a student, even if it manages to tire you one of these days.

But just to your luck, you couldn’t spot the familiar lock of blond hair upon entering the place. You’ve even asked some people around if they have seen Kaveh in the past hours, but most of them were too enamored by the contents of their books to notice anyone around. Plus, judging by the thick papers of each book they hold, it would be safe to assume they have been enamored for at least the whole day. You might’ve felt sorry for their workloads if it weren’t for the stacks of paper that have been untouched for days, just laying around on your own table at home.

"I thought you left an hour ago."

Great, just great. How can this day be any worse than this? Surely it cannot.

Kaveh has said a lot of things about Alhaitham. The most dominant words to describe the seemingly harmful man are arrogance and pride. You’re not someone who judges people so quickly just by what others think about them. But Alhaitham is a special case. Being in the same Darshan as the man isn’t helping your resentment towards him either.

"It started to rain a while ago. I had to take care of some stuff before I leave, and suddenly I noticed the water drops," you explained coldly, never once looking at him. You busy yourself once again with scanning the room, looking for someone to save you from the horrible disaster you’re about to encounter.

"You didn’t bring an umbrella?" he asks of you, and your brain starts forming the conclusion that Alhaitham is very dense at noticing your looks of hatred towards him. He’s always been like this, even since the first day you mocked him bluntly in front of his own face. "Are you looking for Kaveh?"

Dense, but not stupid. "I was, but I couldn’t find him. Do you know where he is?" You may as well ask him now that he’s more than willing to start a conversation with you. The feeling is not mutual, however.

"He went home early to finish some of his deadlines. You know how he is." Classic Kaveh and his stupid tendencies toward procrastination. "I can take you to him if you want. He’s my roommate after all."

"I didn’t bring my umbrella this morning," you answered him with a polite smile, as polite as you could muster. "It’s fine, I’ll wait here until the rain stops."

"That won’t do." You finally looked over at him for the first time since he first talked to you. You can see his brows furrowing with the determined gaze he throws at you. Oh no, this is never a good sign. "I can’t let you wait here for the rest of the day. Who knows when the rain will finally come to an end? I insist you let me take you home since I’ve brought an umbrella with me."

"No, it’s okay." You insist on having him back.

"No, please. Let me help you just this once." He’s a very persistent man, but you’re as stubborn as a rock.

"You don’t have to pretend to care like this," you said. "I know you would rather go home by yourself, and frankly, so do I. Please just let me stay here. I have some unfinished works that need to be done here anyways, and there are some books that I need to read."

Alhaitham drops his cool facade, and you swear you can see a stroke of disappointment painting his face. "Is it the essay from the lecture last week? I’ve already finished mine; perhaps I can help you with that."

He’s infuriating. "I’ve told you, it’s alright, Alhaitham. I would feel indebted to you if you offered me such a favor. I need not have that; I’m capable of doing it by myself."

Before you can walk away from him, however, he decided to win the pointless argument you two have going on. "I’ve been holding the books that you require for the essay. I even asked for an extended period for borrowing the books. I know you know as well that the Akasha Terminal might not offer you information as good as the old books here do. So, I’m afraid staying here any longer would give you no satisfying result at the end of the day unless you reconsider my offer."

You take a deep breath. "How much do I need to pay for you to give me the books, then?"

"Zero mora and a few minutes of your time." His answer makes your blood boil.

Truthfully, when you first met Alhaitham, you didn’t think that any hatred would come between the two of you. He’s a well-educated person, and so are you. With enough time and process, you both might even be able to be friends because your brains work perfectly for each other. And you both did get along at first. Alhaitham’s brain completed yours, as yours did to him. Until the first result for the monthly exam came in.

You were in second place, and honestly, at that time, you were fine with it. Life doesn’t have to be a competition; as long as you get a good score, you’re more than happy with your result. That was until Alhaitham told you about his score. You knew Alhaitham quite well at that time, so it didn’t surprise you that he had managed to score first on the rankings. You were about to give him a congratulatory note when he started to compare his results with yours. Ending the day with broken pride, you decided to stay away from Alhaitham from now on. It angered you more when he approached you the next day, not knowing that his words from the day before had managed to hurt you more than he realized. When you told him about this, however, he answered with an unbothered reply that sounded like he did mean to hurt your feelings after all.

It was such a shame that you even used to admire him so much during the short period of time you both bound yourselves into a friendly relationship. If it wasn’t for Kaveh, you might’ve avoided the man like a plague the moment you decided to end things with him.

"Why do you want to be with me so badly? This isn’t the first time you’ve done this, you know? I’ve told you many times I don’t want to be associated with you anymore." He flinched at your words.

Alhaitham nods after a beat. He doesn’t look like he likes the decision you’ve made, but he can’t do anything about it. "I’ll leave once you tell me why you’ve been avoiding me for months now. Did I do something wrong to you?"

With all your might, you hold yourself back from groaning in annoyance. Is he playing with you right now? How could he not know? "Because you’re arrogant and too prideful for my liking. Remember that one time you bragging about your score being higher than mine? Or that time you literally shoved your achievements in my face?"

"Huh?" He seems to be deep in thought, perhaps calculating his next words to minimize the damage he could’ve brought to this conversation. "You don’t like it when I do that?"

"I don’t what?" Now you’re just as confused as ever.

"I wasn’t familiar with the concept of relationships that much; the only strong relationship that I’ve had is the one with my grandmother," he begins. "I’ve had friends before, but none I can call a close friend. Kaveh is another example of a failed result of me trying to befriend someone, though it’s mostly his fault for having such an insufferable personality. But then there’s you. We clicked almost instantly, and perhaps you’re the only person I can tolerate. Your company is actually quite enjoyable for me, and I wish I could spend more time with you. What I’m trying to say is that the bragging I’ve been doing to you was an attempt to impress you."

"Impress me?"

"Yes, impress you. But it seems like it’s not as effective as I thought it would be." You think? " There was this one book that I read once, when you were still talking to me, that spoke about how to get closer to someone. At that time, I needed help since I loved what we had, and I would do anything to keep it that way. I was afraid that my upbringing might cause a strain in our newfound relationship, so I read the book until the very last page. One of the passages said that people like it when you’re proud of yourself and confident of your own talents. So I did so to you, but now that I think about it, I overdid it a bit."

This man is ridiculous. "I agree, you did overdo it. I tried to tolerate it once, but after it happened again, I figured being friends with you would only cause the both of us pain. I don’t want to compete with my own friend." He sighs at your words. "But, I do realize that I should’ve told you about what I felt. Instead of just running away from you, I should’ve said something to fix it. I won’t stand here to lie and say that I’ve never liked your company as well."

With carefully threaded words and a calculative mood on his side, he raised his arms to reach yours, and you accepted him. "I’m truly sorry. I never knew my words would bring you such pain. I should’ve been more careful about how I acted around the people I loved."

The people, who what?

Alhaitham is quick to notice your distressed expression. "Forgive me. You don’t have to say anything right away, and you can even reject my advances now if you want. I won’t force you to reciprocate the feelings I have for you, but I can’t keep it within me if we want to try to at least be friends again. I've really missed you, and if you want, we can try to salvage our broken relationship. I care not what you think of me after this; I ask nothing but your forgiveness."

He said it so simply that you wouldn’t feel your stomach doing a flip and your heart being stabbed by thousands of swords just by hearing his words. In truth, your feelings for Alhaitham have always been more than just friendship since the very beginning. The man is undeniably handsome, and his intelligence has only made him more attractive in your eyes. Perhaps that is why the hatred you feel for him runs deeper than the hatred you would’ve felt if he were merely a friend. To witness the scholar confess himself before you is indeed another thing. But even then, you tried to compose yourself, even with the raging tide inside of you.

"You’re saying that you have had feelings for me all along?" You laugh as he sighs in embarrassment. "You’re quite adorable, you know. I’m surprised you didn’t tell me about this way earlier; it seems like you’re not as stupid as I thought."

"I’m not stupid. Just inexperienced," he defends himself, but smiles along when his eyes catch your own. "You’ve hurt me too, you know. I may have the most faults, but you aren’t innocent either."

"Hm, you’re right. I’m sorry. And for the record, your feelings are definitely reciprocated," you said. "We’re both so stupid."

Alhaitham then tugs at your hands, trying to drag you away with him. "Now that that’s settled, I assume you won’t mind me walking you home then?" You notice the way he looks away from you in an attempt to hide his blush. But still, you agreed to his request happily.

"As long as you promised to show me the book you mentioned earlier later. I’m curious now that you’ve brought it up."

He groaned at your request but agreed anyway. You wonder what Kaveh would think about the two of you now.

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #alhaitham x reader #genshin impact #alhaitham #al haitham x reader #alhaitham fluff

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babyjakes · 2 years

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〈 disclaimer: this blog posts content not suitable for individuals under the age of 18. minors are strictly prohibited from viewing, sharing, or interacting with this blog. for more information on this blog's commitment to protecting minors, read our full statement here. 〉

event | whumptember 2022

prompt | being protected

pairing | bf!ari levinson x reader

warnings | i wrote this while thinking about matilda by harry styles so automatically it's gonna be emo asf, reader has an emotionally abusive family (focus on father bc same <333), protective!!!!!ari, ari and reader’s dad face off a little, this is just me healing my inner child okay no big deal

word count | 898

i am just thinking about. this song. and like living it through dating ari basically.

maybe reader and ari have been dating for a while. and ari has come to understand the circumstances of her family life and how her childhood was. he is treating her different in every way from the abuse she endured and little by little she’s learning to love and trust with a safe partner that would never be so cruel and heartless to her.

she maintains a relationship with her family (her parents mainly) bc it’s the easiest way to keep the peace. ari supports her in this and knows it’s a complex decision to make. he would never want her to feel forced to cut them off by him, as he believes everything should be in her control and what she’s comfortable with. he knows trauma bonds can be complicated and that even though they’ve been horrible to her, reader does love them in the ways she’s learned to.

maybe there are minor conflicts or hiccups as time goes on but reader is mostly so distanced from them that she can just take space where she needs it and nothing ever becomes too much.

until a family gathering one evening when things end up finally going too far.

ari’s along with reader to visit her parents’ house, maybe her siblings are there as well and they’re all talking over dinner. the small talk is easy enough to navigate most of the time so it starts out civil and almost pleasant. but maybe reader’s father eventually starts going down a mean road, starting to pick on reader and criticize her, embarrassing her even.

ari’s face is stiffening as everyone but the two of them laugh. reader’s right next to him, her head hanging low in humiliation. he hates seeing how they treat her and how she sort of collapses into herself, not wanting to draw any more attention by calling out the harassment or defending herself. images flash in his head of pictures he’s seen of her when she was a little girl, so helpless against her abusers. it makes his blood boil to know she must be feeling so small still inside, so defenseless.

ari tries to shoot her father a look but maybe that only encourages him further and he says some really horrible, nasty things. aiming at her biggest insecurities, the places he knows will hurt most. as her father, he has the unfortunate privilege of knowing exactly how to break her down. and after one particularly despicable jab, ari’s had it.

his silverware rattles sharply against the table as it’s dropped. he rises to his feet and pushes his chair back out behind him with his legs. “that’s enough.”

reader is now looking up at her boyfriend with the biggest eyes, shocked and a little terrified; she’s never seen anyone stand up to her father before

the room is silent. no one knows what to do or say, not even reader’s loud-mouthed father himself

after a few moments the older man clears his throat and replies darkly, “excuse you, son?”

(but like let’s be real ari is bigger and stronger and just overall more beefy than him like if they were to fight… that would be really stupid on the old man’s part to accept such a challenge lol)

“i said, that’s enough. i won’t let you speak to her that way, not for another minute. how dare you? she drives halfway across the state twice a month to see you and keep the peace in the family, and this is what she gets? you don’t deserve her. and you won’t speak to her that way anymore; do you understand me?”

ari’s reaching down and taking her hand softly, his piercing gaze not leaving the man across the table for even a second. maybe the father curses and decides to stand up as well, starting off on some piss poor response, “you’re awfully bold, you son of a bitch. why i outta-” maybe he even makes the mistake of raising a hand at ari, and that’s when the devil really goes off in his eyes.

“i wouldn’t do that, if i were you,” he speaks so lowly, barely above a whisper but the room is dead silent so everyone can hear him. then he turns to reader, his voice much softer as he says, “c’mon, honey. we’re going home”

they walk out together, and no one dares to follow after them. when they reach the car at the end of the drive, ari pauses to hold reader’s hands in his own as he stands with just a few feet between them. it’s dark out but they can just make out the outlines of each other’s faces. reader’s eyes are full of tears. ari cups her cheeks and whispers through tears of his own, “i love you. i will never let them hurt you again.”

there’s a long way to go. i don’t believe that time would change your mind. in other words i know they won’t hurt you anymore as long as you can let them go.

you can let it go. you can throw a party full of everyone you know. you can start a family who will always show you love. you don’t have to be sorry, no.

my therapist will be hearing about this one 👍

#eun's writing #whumptember 2022 #ari levinson #ari levinson fanfiction #ari levinson x reader #ari levinson x y/n #ari levinson angst #ari levinson fluff #hurt/comfort #ari levinson one shot #ari levinson imagine #ari levinson headcanon #ari levinson blurb #ari levinson drabble #the red sea diving resort #chris evans #chris evans fanfiction

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joyful-witch · 2 months

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I normally avoid talking about fandom or drama on my main but I think as someone who has experienced abuse I wanted to share my perspective on the “Wilbur situation” and make a slight vent post about it while also discussing my issues with how some in the community have handled this situation.

TW discussions of abuse

Disclaimer: for those that know me, I do have two exes. The ex I will be mentioning in this post is the first one. Not my most recent ex. I am on good terms with my ex girlfriend and we are good friends now. This is NOT about her. This is about the man who gave me CPTSD.

I haven’t spoken much about my experience of abuse publicly because it feels like it was something I only recently escaped, and I honestly didn’t want word getting to him about it because the idea of him contacting me again makes me want to throw up. But he doesn’t use tumblr so I feel confident I can talk about this here.

I was with an abusive man for almost 4 years of my life. About a year in I realized I was gay but I stayed because I was scared of him and I was scared he was going to hurt himself or me. Listening to Shelby talk about what was done to her reminds me so much of what happened to me. Between the neglect and the love bombing, to the “I’m stronger than you” statement and refusal to abide by safe words and even weaponizing them…not to mention his knowing she was previously assaulted and still doing the things he did…it just…felt like I was looking in a mirror. Except it was so much worse. I was lucky in the fact that most of my relationship with my abuser happened when we were in high school because I was able to escape from him. Shelby had to live in the same space as this horrible man on multiple occasions and I cannot begin to fathom how awful that must have been.

The pain and suffering she has been put through is unforgivable, and William Gold deserves every bit of backlash he has gotten. And he does not deserve to have any sort of platform anymore. But I want to specifically address some of the people who have expressed issues with Shelby and other CCs regarding the situation.

I have seen several people be upset at Shelby for “not coming out sooner” and for other CCs not coming out sooner and “not calling him out” sooner. And as a victim of abuse, it is not our jobs to placate you and tell you everything that happened to us. We have every right to process what has happened to us. It is difficult to process, difficult to admit. It took me months after I left him to finally acknowledge my ex had treated me badly, let alone that he had abused me. And I know I sure as hell would not have wanted anyone speaking FOR me about the abuse that I had endured.

There is no timeline for recovering from abuse and just because you’re pissed that you supported a monster for so long doesn’t mean you have any right to throw a hissy fit about the victim “not saying it sooner”. Grow the fuck up. Find a new musician to listen to. And support victims, always.

Anyways, fuck Wilbur Soot I hope he rots

Support Shelby, she deserves the world and more. I’m so proud of you Shelby and I stand with you.

#wilbur soot #TW abuse #TW abuse mention #kinda sorta vent #tw wilbur soot #fuck wilbur soot #support shubble #support shelby #support victims #if you know my ex no you don’t #I want nothing to do with him nor will I ever reveal his name so leave me alone

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celestialula · 2 years

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I’ll love you forever | eddie munson x fem!reader

pairing | eddie munson x fem! reader

summary | after everything’s done, and everybody else has moved on with their own lives, there’s only you left. Only you and the unbearable pain of his absence.

word count | 906 words

warnings | the aftermaths of the bat incident. angst. grief and guilt.

a/n | this is my contribution to the end of season 4 before we’re all going back to forgetting that episode 9 exists. I apologize in advance and try to make up for it in my next post.

The words pounded in an endless loop in your mind – loud and lasting like sirens. Everything happens for a reason, you didn't believe in it. You couldn't, you wouldn't. These weren't words of comfort meant to make everything bearable, but only a horrible lie that you just couldn't take anymore.

You couldn't say for sure how many weeks had passed since the incident, how long you'd been vegetating in the dark, the heavy curtains drawn completely because you couldn't bear the light at the moment. Not now when you were drowning in the darkness of your own soul.

He is a hero, they said. A hero. He, the one who fought and died to protect the town which hated him. The one whose death would’ve probably been celebrated if it became public knowledge. The one whose tombstone would be violated daily if he had one.

As he had taken his last breath, you had passed out from the devastating pain in your veins, only vaguely aware of your friends dragging you with them. Waking up in the hospital hours later, reality had hit you with a vengeance. No physical injuries were seen on your body but your insides had to hold you together to keep you from falling apart.

They had left him there. Alone. All by himself. Surrounded by dead bats, still smeared with his fresh blood. There hadn't even been a funeral. Nothing had been the same when you’d met your friends again, a brief moment, blank stares and apologetic words you didn't want to hear at all. You wanted to scream, but your world was wrapped in cotton at that moment because otherwise, you couldn't have endured the pain.

I didn’t run away this time, right?

Oh, how much you had wanted him to run. You’d run with him. To everywhere and nowhere at once. You had wished for him to run. The pain was indescribable, unbearable. His last words echoed in your mind. But you didn't cry, not anymore, maybe you didn't have any more tears left to cry.

I love you.

You wanted to scream so long and so loud that your lungs threatened to burst. Until the pain stopped. Suffocate; otherwise, you would suffocate.

Everything happens for a reason.

How could they say something like that, what was the reason for this terrible tragedy, this senseless death. He needed to be with you, keep his promise, always be by your side. Forever.

An incredible amount of anger flooded your body at that moment. Anger at him, at yourself, at your friends and family with their horribly mournful expressions actually trying to tell you there was some damn reason, and all those blended people in this goddamn town who hated him and still blamed him for satanic rituals which never happened and deaths he wasn’t responsible for.

No. You stood up, completely hysterical, out of control. You wanted to do something, anything. And the first thing you got your hands on was your hairbrush. You took a swing and smashed it into your mirror. The splinters clattered to the ground, but it wasn't enough.

No. The picture on your dresser in the beautiful frame. A picture one of your friends took of you when you two weren’t looking, too infatuated with each other to notice, too mesmerized by each other’s presence. You took the frame in both hands and looked at his delighted face, his most beautiful smile, which was only meant for you.

How did he manage to make you fall in love with him so much? So much so, that now every breath you took without him felt like a dagger piercing through your heart. Again and again.

Something broke. The picture, you banged it on the dresser, small splinters flew in your face and you shook your head vigorously. No human was capable of dealing with such pain, of surviving it.

Maybe it was just you, maybe you were the only one not wanting to live with it. To be without him.

You buried your face in your hands, something broke inside you. Your heart, once again, and your self-control, completely this time. It was the first time you cried in weeks. So loud that it vibrated in your chest and your body shook with heavy sobs.

Your mind snapped and you fell to your knees. The world had to stop turning, time had to stand still. After everything that had happened, how could the sun come up as if it was a day like any other? As if nothing had changed, absolutely nothing.

Trembling, you took the broken picture frame in your hands. You sniffed bleakly and stared at the picture through your tear-blurred vision. Your fingers gently stroked the face, his face, wiping away the splinters on it, that were then digging into your fingers. But you didn't feel the pain, not this one.

It was just too much to ask to go on living without him. But you had no other choice.

"I’ll love you forever, Eddie Munson," you whispered softly.

Not only did he die that day, but something inside you did, too. Your heart had shattered into thousands upon thousands of pieces, ripping a gash in your soul that would likely never heal.

But you had to live. Your hand wandered to your stomach, stroking it almost tenderly.

After all, a small part of him lived on inside of you…

· · · · -ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- · · · ·

thank you for reading <3

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khepiari · 1 year

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Why Kuina’s Death Still Unsettles Us?

TW: mention of suicide, references teen/child suicide.

[I read a post about "falling down the stairs" might actually imply death by suicide. Kuina's death always bothered me a bit, and when Shimotsuki Koushiro said to Zoro, humans are fragile, did he really mean our bodies or our hearts? I still wonder. A few months back I had written a fic, a retelling of the events which led to Kuina's fall from the stairs, and I had done a lot of thinking while writing the fic. So all those ideas and thoughts I had then, have been rearranged and put here today.]

I remember watching the Kuina episode like 19 years back. So for an 11-year-old me, that was it. I was sad that she was gone too soon.

But over the years as I grew up, read the manga and then kept rereading it over and over. I did feel her death was surprisingly given the off-stage treatment that was given to Lady Macbeth! Only an announcement was made of her death, and her face is covered in a piece of cloth! That was too sudden, unlike so many other deaths that followed in the story.

I did brainstorm this over the years, it really felt odd, she was a physically strong 12-year-old girl and as far as I know swordswoman/man have to be good at balancing and footwork, because the art of the sword is about full body movement so her falling down is really really really iffy.

Image from chapter 5

And if we look at the Dojo architecture, there were no visible storeys to the building, I am sure she didn’t fall off a library step-stool or carpenter’s ladder. Then I found this Tumblr post, by Heeheemugee which said, falling down the stairs is a euphemism for suicide. Which makes sense! Like it totally connects in my head.

Though, sadly, I didn’t find any source to confirm this, as everyone on the internet told me it's untrue. But, you see, “falling down the stairs” is a euphemism which has been used for domestic violence victims, like in my mother tongue, when it's hard to explain to a child what happened to someone who died, we say the person has gone somewhere far, so may be falling down the stairs is more of an undocumented euphemism or an old reference Odachii picked from somewhere— he is known for this!

Image from chapter 5

Another thing we should remember Kuina was onset of puberty, the stress of future, her father’s general view of female body being weaker, and changing bodily features might have plagued her more than we think— since after 1000 chapters we know Zoro’s teacher is likely from Wano, I think internalized and cultural misogyny was at play too.

Teenage and puberty is a vulnerable time, one misstep can lead to drastic actions, so Kuina taking her own life is not farfetched. Because we have young children who are so stressed or vulnerable or suffering that they think ending it is better than enduring it.

Image from chapter 5

What has bothered me the most, is the offstage treatment of her death. I mean—we have seen most of the “characters whose death impacted the main characters' life decisions” die on stage in backstories so far, or we got a proper explanation of why someone is dead. We know Banchina died after an illness, Bellemere was killed by Arlong, Hililuk was poisoned and blew himself up. Only Kuina’s death we didn’t see, and it immediately happened just after both Zoro and Kuina had a heartfelt conversation about becoming the best swordsman/woman in the world!

I guess Oda chose “fell down the stairs” as the series was like 15 chapters till then. Or it maybe as simple as Odachii wanted to wrap Zoro’s backstory fast with typical “dead girl-friend of the grumpy emotionally suppressed lone wolf” to establish Zoro’s narrative as the one who carries the will of others!

Image from chapter 5

Otherwise, we know Eiichiro Oda doesn’t shy away from depicting gruesome, terrifying or horrible deaths which parallels real life issues, he sneaked in a little panel of a grandmother praying and a mother holding a knife with an infant in her arms in Wano arc, because they were starving for days!

Image from chapter 918

Or a pirate in human auction house biting his tongue to escape the humiliation of being sold as a slave!

Images from chapter 502

Hence, I think Kuina’s death doesn’t seem like an accident and feel like something sadder and heavier than we were led to believe.

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annislittleshopofhorrors · 1 year

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I’m sorry for how long this is, I’m usually a lurker so have held it in. It may be spiteful, but I really feel like he deserves a question about her. He went public with that horrible pap walk we all endured, he publicly acknowledged his deep love of scaring her and then publicly threw her in our faces with a montage on Valentines Day without even writing Happy Valentines Day on the post. Even if he didn’t personally handle the crap being put on his social media, he knew it was going on there. I don’t care if it’s real or PR or if they had something on him and conned him into doing this. If he wasn’t acting a fool, they wouldn’t have something on him in the first place. If this is indeed PR, he signed up for it or did something stupid like IG Tinder and got caught being a gross old (I’m a few years older than him so I can say that) man after young booty. Whatever the case, he is doing this to himself. He knows the distaste or he wouldn’t have been so timid on Friday at the convention. Personal opinion, he would have backed out, but his team pressured him to try to make any amends with his fans that he could. They know what is being said about him and how many fans turned away. The fact that he let the trio bait and taunt his fans, and continued to entertain them, in whatever capacity it did, that says enough for me. I don’t care if it is how CAA works. I’m a Seb girl, I lived thru what CAA has done for his image, and I want Pre-CAA Seb back. They are doing the same with Chris. Whether it is real or PR, I feel like they have used it for PR if it’s real and it has made him look nasty and conceited and truly needing help. His fans that have always defended him to rumors, he spit in their faces by still allowing the baits before awkwardly walking thru Central Park the day after SMA dropped. That was when he showed his true colors to me. He said, ‘thanks for defending me but let me show you what I really think.” No, he owes me nothing. I chose to be a fan and he is a grown man and loves his own life and makes his own choices. But I will never defend his actions again and that’s my choice. I don’t see him in the same way, and that’s my choice because of my likes and dislikes and morals. I can choose whether or not to spend my money on his work or meet and greets because it’s my choice. He is a public figure though and he chose that. He chose to call the paps and to post the two montages and that’s his choice (kind of). Celebrities post what they want you to see and usually are only photographed when they want to be seen for a reason. So, yeah, I choose to see this whole thing like Chris spitting in his fans faces repeatedly after seeing this trio called out for their actions and still being in their circle. So, I hope they ask about his very public, in love, relationship with his 25 year old love who makes a living portraying children while she hangs with her racist, nazi loving, fatphobic Neanderthal friends. Ask him the question. How is your love, ALBA freaking Baptista?

Sorry, it took me a while to read it. Most of the time I have something to say, but this time I just can't because you just expressed your feelings about him. So I won't argue or agree or disagree with you. This is a safe space, so I hear you and I understand how you feel. 😊

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