#not because backstabbing someone who turned to you for help and helped you in return is a dick move

[randomnameless]

I've heard you mention before how bad the Zahras chapter is in terms of characterization for the three lords, especially Dimitri, but can you specify the reasons why?

Thanks to the datamine, I can finally get those lines without having to screencap everything from youtube!

So,

For Dimitri, Claude says this :

I'm just gonna come out and say it: After the war, I'm going to abolish the Central Church and depose the archbishop. The people of Fódlan have been shackled by this decrepit system for too long, and I'm ending it.

So okayyy...

Claude just says he has some beef with the person Dimitri welcomed as a refugee. Why?

That's right. Think about it. Who steals your freedom and gives you an endless list of duties and obligations simply because you have a Crest?

Dimitri's obligations and duties are his, not because he has a crest, but because he is a King - just like King of Almyra would have obligations and duties not to let his own people starve or be used as meatshields in Saturday raids, or letting his spurned son mount the biggest invasion ever because he's too busy mopping about his missing son, but apparently the King of Almyra doesn't give a fuck about his people.

And while yes, Dimitri is a King because he was born with a crest as Lambert's son... The need to have a crested King never came from the Church, and let's be real, Dimitri, as the character we know, feels like he has a duty to people and wishes to help because he is Dimitri, even if he was crestless like Ashe, Dimitri would want to help (just like Ashe!).

Who forces you and your friends into a bunch of unwanted marriages and positions of power?

That's not the Church, for sure, but the feudal notion of nobility - even if, let's be real, it is completely hypocritical for Claude to say this, because the same notion of nobility also exists in places around the continent where the CoS has no sway like... Almyra?

And about the unwanted marriages, again, Claude knows (or should know) Lorenz and his marriage problems, it is not the Church who forces people in unwanted marriages, but the responsibilities that come with being a Noble - Lorenz marrying Marianne means both house Gloucester and House Edmund are strengthened and could work more closely, maybe being able to rival Riegan or even overtake them in an "importance" contest, Lorenz marrying Leonie means... House Gloucester stays House Gloucester.

It's also hilarious because AG has a NPC talking about her marriage to House Gautier (I think?), and she never mentions the Church, rather mentions how she ultimately loves her husband.

The church even forbids any official contact with outside regions!

Source : my chamber pot

Dimitri knows well, after having seen Rhea helping Duscurian refugees, that the Church does not forbid contact with "outside regions", hell, Faerghus and Duscur were on relative good grounds, before the Regicide.

Not exactly great for Faerghus, right? Being as close to Sreng and Albinea as you are.

If Faerghus has sour relationships with Sreng, it's because of border raids, but of course a Prince of Almyra will never talk about this :)

And we know Albinea trades a lot with Fodlan, in general, if their damn fruits being in every region is any indication - or this tidbit from the Book detailing the Royal Territories of Faerghus :

Dominic A small but beautiful barony. Its coastal cities have become a hub of commerce through trade with Albinea.

Too bad Claude speaks, again, with confidence, about something he doesn't know, but can you imagine a micro-second that Dimitri doesn't know who Dominic trades with? Gilbert, a second son of House Dominic, is pious to a fault - but apparently he never bothers telling his brother that trading with Albinea is BaD, so...

Claude, again, is presenting the contents of his chamber pot to Dimitri, asking him to trust him based on those.

Claude continues, after assuring Dimitri that Faerghus isn't his goal !

And really, our enemy isn't the actual church so much as the people at the top who make all the decisions.

Rhea BaD

So it's not even about the Church in General, but apparently, Rhea (as the people at the top) makes the decisions to, uh, prevent the world from interacting with Fodlan (but there are Morfis merchants in Garreg Mach???) - the same woman who, in AG, we hear busies herself helping children and refugees from Duscur after a fire or what not.

(And that's not talking about the kind of official "contact" Adrestia had with Brigid and Sreng...)

I'm sorry Claude, but if the Alliance doesn't want to have any "official" contact with Almyra, it's not because Rhea forbids said contact, but it's because your father, your brother and your retainer (?) Nader apparently do not see anything wrong with a penis measuring contest that consists in raiding, "rampaging" and "bringing souvenirs" from Fodlan for funsies.

So, after playing 12 chapters in AG where Dimitri knows what Rhea does, we could expect some rebuttal, right?

I understand where you're coming from, Claude, and on a personal level I actually agree with you.

Dimi, no :(

But as King, he is opposed, not because a King has to use his head and can't do stupid shit on a whim (like marrying the still current wife of a foreign leader!)

Yes, for three reasons. First, abolishing the church would deny the king's right to rule Faerghus. Without one, the people will descend into chaos and war. Would you be able to take responsibility for such a thing, once it came to pass?

My Bad!

That mention of the King's right to rule Faerghus coming from the Church was nonsensical during the discourse days, and still is, after Nopes.

If the Kingdom's name is "Holy", remember that a name and a history doesn't mean a thing when people don't want to follow it - again, remember what happened with Adrestia? They pissed on the Church, Rhea acting as a witness is a custom you can ignore whenever you want, and they are actually waging a war against the Church of Seiros, when Seiros herself fucking created (together with Willy!) the country who has her own symbol on their flag!

Faerghus won its independence against Adrestia, Church or no Church, Faerghus existed by fucking over the Empire (as it was led by Loog). Without the Church, and faced with a powerful Empire, are we really supposed to think Faerghians won't rally behind Loog's scion to, hm, protect them or at least ensure their continued independence from Adrestia?

Second, recklessly discarding the church will only incite discord among the clergy and its supporters.

This is a somewhat valid reason, as we know, the CoS helped the Kingdom in recent times, especially after the regicide. But they are also currently helping the Kingdom against Supreme Leader's war of conquest, let it be by taking care of randoms or sending its knights to support Faerghus.

Also, the Kingdom operates on "shat upon by this game" notions of gratitude, love and loyalty - unlike Adrestia, if Supreme Leader's stunt of backstabbing the CoS after they helped her get rid of "corruption" in the Empire is any indication. And I doubt the same Kingdom folk would readily accept it if their King suddenly got rid of the organisation/woman who helped them so much during their time of need.

And finally, a revolution of this nature will not only mean casualties among the commonfolk, but will endanger your own life as well.

I will have to check the JP text because this "revolution" word is a bit contrived - there's no revolution if you're just kicking out a religious organisation in YOUR Kingdom - but yes, commonfolk will be pissed (maybe take up weapons?) even if I'm pretty sure some "noblefolk" will also be pissed at this decision.

And because Dimitri worries about everyone - save for Rhea and the church apparently because they BaD - he also worries about Claude's life.

Leaving the first two for a second, I have some serious issues with that last one. I'm glad you're concerned for my safety, but I can take care of myself

Claude really replies with "leaving logic aside" and the commonfolk casualties he doesn't give a fuck about if GW is any indication, uwu don't worry about me I can watch over myself :)

Ah, good ol' Plot Armor :)

But don't you see? The people you wish to depose are human, just as you are.

Hahahan hilarious Dimitri, those people aren't human ! Supreme Leader told me!

No matter what ingenious scheme you come up with or how careful you try to be, they will suffer.

Is he trying to appeal to Claude's compassion and moral fiber? The guy who is, in GW, invading his country for funsies, staging a double invasion with Sreng forces who are just used as decoy/fodder?

And their vengeance will eventually find you, no matter how hard you try to stave it off. I know full well the guilt that accompanies such actions…and the retribution they provoke

Lol, no.

Who can give a fuck about the suffering of Nabateans/Church folk? Being backstabbed by everyone because of propaganda, and needing to die for reasons as consistent as a baby's first purée?

"don't do that Claude, Rhea will be angry and swear vengeance against you, and blablabla cycle of hatred and retributions and blabla"

Everyone has to deal with the consequences of their decisions. If you let it rule you, Fódlan never changes.

Says Mister "I abolished a Republic and created a Kingdom in the land that used to say "we bow to no king and to no emperor" " or "I'm invading your land and killing your people" or even "I'm enrolling Almyrans in my army who will rampage and bring souvenirs and the Leicesterians (?) are totally okay with it!" ?

Claude who never ever faces any consequences for his bonkers decision through the entire game? That guy? Talks about "dealing with the consequences"? Fodlan changing is more important than Fodlan dying?

(at least that's how it was for the Alliance turned Federation...)

But not taking the time to look where you're going will only lead you to stumble and fall. And if there are those who would be hurt by this, I consider it my duty to help them.

Dimitri wants to help... Claude, who would be hurt with this "revolution", but dgaf about getting rid of the Church, aka Rhea/Seteth/the clergy who would also, obviously, be "hurt" by this stupid idea?

Heh. There you go, trying to save everyone again. You really are too good for me!

Not everyone, as we all understood - the Church can burn :)

To be honest, I'm jealous of how you're not burdened with the same restrictions.

"tbh Claude, I'm jealous of how you don't give a fuck about the number of deaths your actions are causing"

Are we... sure that's Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd talking here? Really? Wasn't he body snatched by Chilon?

Forgot OOC, this line wouldn't even be said by this character.

In the world I'm trying to create, you wouldn't be burdened by them either. You could even… No, forget that. I'm serious about what I said, though. And I really do admire how you want to save everyone. Honestly, if you weren't a king, I think we could've been friends.

"In my world, you too wouldn't give a fuck about the deaths/suffering your actions are creating! You're only worried about them because you are king! But if you weren't, you could be an amoral asshole, just like me! Could we be fwends in an AU plz?"

I feel much the same. Had I joined with you, I might have been able to see a different vision of Fódlan.

"yeah!"

Sadly, Dimitri isn't able to throw his compassion and morals to the trashcan, so he cannot join Claude !

And if you consider this line can be said during the GW events (remember, the invasion, killing Matthias, killing his soldiers and his people, etc etc), this is even more insulting.

So, as a good friend said, this Zahrofl convo shits on FE16!Claude (but the games is all about it), but more importantly, it is the only place in the game where Dimitri is Nopes'd, aka, his character does a 180° and/or is butchered because the plot demands so.

Like, anon, can you imagine a second, Dimitri, the Dimitri, wishing he too, couldn't "be burdened"' by the suffering he creates?

Imo, it's on par with Supreme Leader suddenly loving the sun and loving to swim. That character wouldn't be Supreme Leader, just like the person in this convo, isn't Fodlan's Dimitri (tfw Engage's Emblem!Dimitri is more faithful to IS's idea of Dimitri than Nopes lol).

#anon #replies #3 nopes #poor Dimitri #Nopes'd #funny how both claude and clout talk about consequences #when both games off screen said consequences or they just don't exist at all for him #ditto with Supreme Leader but that's another cup of Hresvelg Tea #Faerghus and arguable the Church are the only ones who face 'consequences' for their actions or the actions that are supposedly theirs #and the fact that this game never bothers having anyone or anything contradict both Clout and Supreme Leader on screen when they're saying #oranges are purple is really something #you see in supports and through the lines orange oranges #but no one ever tells them that no purple oranges aren't in this game #bring me more concrecte evidence that the oranges you talk about exist #also note the lack of consideration or even sympathy given to Nabateans/church folks #it's bad to backstab them like dicks because they will come after your ass #not because backstabbing someone who turned to you for help and helped you in return is a dick move #i mean there's a reason why in ASOIAF the Starks are the uncontested good guys/heroes of the series #iirc there was that pretty powerful scene when sansa refuses cersei's mindset #people don't follow you bcs they fear you #they follow and listen to you because they love you #anyways a Dimitri who ditches his allies and wards while not being under duress is imo not Dimitri #but maybe i haven't studied his character enough?

[kelin-is-writing]

Something I’ve been wondering…how Dabi would react to someone in the LOV who’s very compassionate? At least with their comrades. Someone who wouldn’t allow him to push them away, who insists on helping take care of his burns, always there to listen. Will and has made sacrifices for the other members. Like, he can tell they genuinely care.

Would he fall in love with them? Become good friends with them? Or just find them annoying? Lmao

dabi x fem!reader

at the beginning he would be puzzled as to why is someone being so compassionate, at some point he was also suspicious about you because there was no way someone could care so much for others; the him of now wouldn’t, too much chances of being betrayed or backstabbed and he hates it, the only thought makes him hurl.

but after that night you went to him, after the fight with geten, and took care of his burns who had got worse after using his quirk for so much he got lost while staring at your worried and bitter expression, seeing how much it bothered you that he had no sense of measure when it came to himself. dabi tilted his head to the side and told you “why are you so upset? it happens all the time, it’s the norm now.”, he shrugged of with a lazy smirk and you glared up at him making him flinch imperceptibly, surprised by that reaction, not gonna lie he thought you would cry and whine but instead your reply was “i’m upset because i care, but it really pisses me off when you say it’s the norm with so much pride. so stupid, seriously.”, now... that rant said while trying to not cry or burst a vessel (or both), left him very speechless and stare at you with wide eyes and open mouth. noticing his reaction you froze on spot with a nervous smile on your face and blank eyes, you averted your gaze from his biting down on your bottom lip flustered.

realizing you spoke to him that way out of spontaneity, dabi turned away letting out an amused snort that he covered with the back of his free hand before turning to you grinning with a lifted eyebrow “guess i’ll be more careful from now on, we don’t want our princess here to cry do we?” you flushed looking at him with wide eyes and open mouth, then you scoffed ironically “that’s too bad, i don’t cry easily.”, he stared at you skeptical with a cocky smirk on his lips, which in return got him a little smack on the back of his hand and dabi let out a fake pained cry “easy there princess, i’m hurt here.”, that little shit started teasing making you roll your eyes and hold back a smile “sure, you big baby. wasn’t it the norm only few moments ago?”, the villain let out another amused snort while following you outside your room, to go back where the others were.

after that the two of you have genuinely become friends and he also has grown a very soft spot for you (sako and jin tease him lots about it too lmfao), you’re probably the closest person to him in there; at some point dabi has started to trust you so much that he has told you about his true identity and even talked to you about his plans, for as much as you were shocked at the beginning, you told him that you understood where he was coming from and why he was doing all that which left him speechless, once again. you were the only person who has managed to have him without words not once, but twice! and the way you told him that you’ll do your best to help him and stay by his side, but in return you want him to not put himself in danger more than the necessary so naturally and with that warm, tender and sincere smile of yours made him reply with a simple “sure... yeah...”, before you told him you were going to get something from your room and left him alone.

it was then that while looking in complete silence at the wall in front of him with wide eyes and hearing how hard his heart was thumping quickly inside his chest that dabi realized something: he was fucking in love with you.

#kelin responds #answered #toutoshodoroki #bnha fanfic #mha fanfic #dabi fanfic #touya todoroki fanfic #bnha x reader #mha x reader #dabi x reader #touya todoroki x reader #i honestly think that for dabi to fall in love with you you gotta understand his pain first and formost because NOBODY did #even after he confessed about it on national tv peoples went and called him annoying not even acknowledging that he was a victim of abuse #so the person who respects THAT feeling of his THAT part of his life WHILE genuinely caring for him without pitying him has his whole soul #god... this man deserves happiness SO. DAMN. MUCH. #how would—? (s1)

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for being engaged to my former best friend's ex-girlfriend after he cheated on her with the girl who bullied me and was my fiance's best friend?

I(29M) am engaged to the most amazing woman ever (27F) for 7 months now. We will call her Naomi.

You see she used to be my ex long time f best friend's girlfriend (We will call him Marcus) They seem to be a happy couple when they were together and I used to think they made a great couple back then too. There was one problem though, Naomi was best friends with this girl (we call Zoe). Zoe made my life back in our school days a living hell. She didn't like me because I was a redhead and took every opportunity to hurt me or scar me, even put gum and glue in my hair, thankfully my cousin was a hair stylist and got it all off. Once I went off to college I didn't have to worry about her until Marcus started dating Naomi. She still mocks me, but was very subtle about it.

Marcus knew what Zoe did to me throughout our school days and has stood up for me time and time again. Back then, I thought he understood and was my big supporter and a brother I never had (I have 6 sisters) I was hoping him and Naomi would get married and I'd be the best man at their wedding. Naomi was nothing like Zoe, she's a total sweetheart, a literal angel and pretty intelligent. She and Zoe we're best friends since College.

But then on my birthday, I discovered that he was sleeping with Zoe when I went to visit him to go out for drinks. It was like I was in a twilight zone or a horror movie or something, seeing someone who I thought was my best friend on the couch getting it on with the one person who traumatized me and made my life hell. I got angry and yelled at him, demanding to know how can he do this. Marcus try to explain himself and beg me not to tell Naomi, but I was having none of it and left. I don't know why, but I started to cry.

I called Naomi and asked her to come over to my place. Once you saw me, she knew something was wrong because she saw them my eyes were red and I was agitated. She wished me a happy birthday, to which I reply "I wish it a happy one..." when she asked what I meant by that, I told her about Marcus and Zoe. She thought I was lying, but realize that I was telling the truth after she put two and two together why my eyes were red and I was agitated. She started crying and was heartbroken. Marcus was her first boyfriend and he cheated on her with someone she thought was her best friend. We both cried together the betrayals. Since then I have cut Marcus out of my life and Naomi cutting Zoe out of hers.

When the pandemic first hit Naomi didn't have nowhere to go because her lease what's up and she couldn't return home ( She was from Washington) and I offer her a place to stay. To be honest, we were getting along as being roommates. We took turns cooking and did our equal share of chores and pay bills. We even found out we have a lot of things in common and randomly, we just ended up falling in love with each other. I even introduced her to my family, close friends and some co-workers I am close with. On New Years of 2023 I proposed to her and she said yes.

Well, here we are in the present, I found out that Zoe tried to contact Naomi while she was out to lunch with my sister and tried to get her the break up with me so they can be friends again, saying things like I wasn't good for her and that she will help her find a new guy for Naomi. For what my sister told me, Naomi told her " Why? So you can sleep with that guy too? Sorry but I refuse to become friends again with a backstabbing sl*t" And hung up the phone. Now you can see why I love this woman.

Yesterday, I got a phone call from an unknown number. Turns out to be my ex best friend Marcus. Word had gotten around that me and Naomi are engaged and Marcus was furious, asking 'How could I get together with his ex and why would I betray him like that?'

I reply with "Excuse me, who do you think was the one that betrayed me and Naomi? You betrayed Naomi by getting with her best friend and you betrayed me because you knew what she put me through and you knew how she treated me. You are in no place to get angry with me when you were the one that betrayed the both of us first. Second, me and Naomi haven't contacted you in 4 years, how did you get my new number?"

He told me that it didn't matter and said that he thought the two of us have gotten over that already and that he was trying to get back together with Naomi. That's when I said " the only reason you're trying to get back together with Naomi is because Zoe dumped you after she caught you cheating on her with her boss, right? I heard about it from your brother. I guess Zoe wasn't enough for you that you had to sleep with her boss? And that her boss wants nothing to do with you because it was only just s*x for her? Who's to say that you're not going to cheat on Naomi again? It's your fault for letting such an amazing girl go in the first place. You never appreciate what she done for you, don't ever contact me or Naomi again! In fact, don't even come near us, you are dead to us!"

I couldn't help but feel guilty about what I said. I know I shouldn't but I do. Naomi said not to worry about it and smiled at me since we are getting married next month. But, AITA?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[coffee-writesthings]

I may or may not have been feeling inspired-- might try to expand it into a proper fic later but this is more of a refined-ish idea dump. A fic of a fic (Taking Running Blind by @thetriggeredhappy and having a similar plot with different main characters. Congrats, your peer pressure worked! :))

Summary: Spy is blinded, and after an earnest attempt to hide it, Engineer and Sniper notice (not crossteam btw, tho that would be another cool angle). They try to help him as best they can. (It's those 3 being shipped together, since I have trio relationships on my mind lately cus i read this rly good book with one in it it's called Iron Widow you should go read it rn)

At the moment it's more like an organized-ish infodump that I might turn into a proper fic at some point

Okay so Spy going blind, I think he would still be able to see light but nothing else. It'd happen because of some sort of injury that Respawn couldn't cover for some reason and that leads to Medic and Engineer getting anxious as all hell about Respawn. Medic would make Engineer take breaks, and it's during these breaks that he is trying to help Spy deal with day-to-day stuff.

I think the first to notice would've been Sniper, honestly. Looking through a scope it's not hard to assume that his sorta-friend is struggling with backstabs for a reason he can't place. What's going on with the Spook?

It gets even more obvious when Spy's knife lands, not into someone's spine, but their shoulder. it still does damage, but it's not a backstab. he's killed immediately by Pyro who was nearby and he's still blind. He thought maybe respawn would fix it but no nothing was fixed. Fuck.

Since he can only perceive light, he has to hide out for the rest of the match, using his Cloak and Dagger to remain alive and make an excuse as to why he wasn't seen on the field. I think he would hide out with Sniper, trying his damndest to not give the game away.

It's in this next half-hour that he starts getting used to how loud everything else is, without the visual clutter to distract him. For some reason he hears the other team's Heavy nearby, and it tips him off that that's actually the other Spy, using a new tactic.

The knife sinks into Sniper's back easily, but he never expected the second spy (our pov spy) to pin him down and start stabbing wildly, finishing him off with a carefully aimed gunshot before returning to the shadows.

Once the match is over, he makes his way back to the base, using the light and large colored arrows he can process as a guide. All of this is under the guise of his cloak, so nobody notices.

Or, at least that was the plan. He manages to fall into the Engineer, knocking both of them over.

"Spy what the hell are you trying to pull?"

"That's not your business." is the lousy attempt at a coverup he gives. If he knew the only way he could tell who he was talking to was by the sound of his voice... that would be bad for him.

"Then get off me, will ya?"

He does so without making eye contact, he couldn't imagine what his eyes looked like at the moment but it couldn't be good (they probs look normal, if the research i've done is correct)

There isn't another battle for two weeks, so during that time he rests up and figures out some very basic echolocation so he can make his way around the base. it's better, in his mind, to look competent than it is to be hidden. So long as nobody can tell he has a problem, that's fine by him.

~~~

Engineer and Sniper get to talking, and find they both think something's up.

"You think his sight's gotten worse?"

"I can only tell ya what I saw mate, and I saw him swinging blindly. You've seen how his stabs usually are, they're point-perfect on that specific spot on everybody's spines! Just doesn't make any sense."

"He did trip over me... Kinda thought it was some short joke but, now that'cha bring it up, it's kinda suspicious."

"He'd never want us to notice."

Engie snorts, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he'd rather die than admit he needs help."

"What do we do then?"

"We help him, whether he admits he needs it or not."

~~~

The first way they try to help him is subtle, reaaaaal subtle. Sniper asks to take him on a walk, holds his hand and tries to talk to him about that day's battle-- he's a bit blunt but he's got the spirit. Spy complains some, but doesn't really say anything substantial. He's actually surprisingly good at not getting off-track (i've been doing things with my eyes closed as an experiment and your steps can legit get wobbly), using sniper's voice as an anchor of sorts

~~~

Engineer takes the next attempt at getting him to open up, just sort of chilling together though. It's a normal thing they do every couple of weeks to de-stress after battles. Today he thought that it would be nice to watch a tv show together, and it's some history thing idk. He describes some of the images to him, which makes Spy feel a mix of thankful and scared about-- Did he notice something? And he confronts Engie on it, asking what's going on?

"It's been both you and Sniper, what do you think happened?"

"There's no think to it. He pointed it out to me-- you botched a buncha backstabs and it looked like somethin' happened.

"This stays between the two of you and me..." he proceeds to explain what he knows about what happened. He does admit that he is, in fact, blind. He explains that he can perceive changes in light but nothing else. "It's... something like closing your eyes, permanently."

Engie is conflicted, having very little of an idea how to care for someone having vision in a state like that. He's especially not sure what to do in terms of telling Medic for instance (since respawn didn't fix it like expected)

~~~

Still though, he tells Sniper about it after staying up all night doing research on like a million specifics about vision loss (causes, treatment, what to do if it can't be fixed, etc etc)

"Huh, so what can we do right now?"

"He's gonna be real concerned about visibility, so honestly our best bet might be teaching him echolocation."

"You're kidding me!" he lets out a wheeze of a laugh, "Spy, echolocating? Yeah right. By the way when was the last time you slept?"

Engineer responds, "uh, yesterday."

Sniper proceeds to herd him into bed like a border collie, doing everything up to and including a brief attempt to pick him up over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Engineer blushes, maybe makes some joke about being a princess

~~~

So anyway they teach Spy how to echolocate (Sniper does, specifically, since he just forced Engineer to get some sleep).

Spy: 'this is a joke, right?"

Sniper: "do you want to do this without help or not? I don't see you being willing to get a white cane" (note: it's super good actually for figuring out ur surroundings and materials, i didn't think it would be as good as it looks but the way it works sounds really damn useful)

Over the next hour or so they do echolocation together, starting with simpler sets of noises (snapping, clicking of tongue, things like that) and then just walking and talking around the base. After a little bit, Spy is able to get a general idea (hehe i misstyped that at first to be gender. Spy is certainly able to get a gender alright) a general idea of the layout of the base. He can't really figure out the rooms without touch and counting the individual doors, and stairs are his worst enemy, but he can do the base mostly.

~~~

The next day is a CTF battle (completely spontaneous for some unknown reason) and Spy hangs out with the intel with Engineer (yknow what fuck it i'm being fancy this isn't 2fort it's Landfall, the foresty one), hoping that the administrator will just think he's having a bad day. They chat while Engie builds and tinkers, about all manner of things. Probably more about what Engie found and remembered in his research.

~~~

Anyway I've been sitting on this a few days, felt like sharing a collection of vibes which may someday be expanded. Btw writing this actually inspired me to take a different direction in an original work lol, I might try to share some of that in the future when I have proper snippets to share

#tf2 fanfiction #running blind remix #sniperengiespy #sniperspy #engiespy #engiesniper #sniper x engineer x spy

[myfakecandyy]

Areo Lore 101 + Some Art

Areo, My Drow Wizard/Cleric of Eiliestraee with an insane god complex and attachment issues. Both art by me <3!

When I started getting invested in Dungeons & Dragons, I needed to familiarise myself with the Lore, worldbuilding and races in the Forgotten Realms setting. So, to experiment, I came up with the rough idea of my Wizard Areo. I did not have a clear picture of who I wanted to create. Still, I knew I wanted to play someone with a memorable and fun roleplay personality, so I gave her a holier-then-thou god complex; she was created to be someone who believed she was immortal and so took unnecessary risks with a delusional sense of safety. Before I ever got to play her in a tabletop setting, Baldurs Gate 3 came out, and I was very excited to play as I grew up playing the Baldurs Gate spin-off games Dark Alliance 1 & 2, coupled with the exciting and positive things I saw online I bought the game pretty quickly. To expand on Areo and learn more about the Lore, I made my Tav Areo, and she's grown into such a beloved OC to me.

Actual Lore under the cut! [Possible Spoilers]

Early Life: Areo was born and grew up in the Drow city Menzoberranzan; for those unfamiliar with the setting, it's a large city in the Underdark(Underground of Faerun). Her upbringing was vastly different from most of the city. This is because Menzoberranzan is built and run by devout followers of the Chaotic Evil Goddess of Drow Lolth, Queen of Spiders, while Areo's mother, Miz'ri, was a follower and Priestess of Eiliestraee, the Chaotic Good Goddess of Drow. It is important to note that Eiliestraee and Lolth oppose each other morally, ideally and narratively.

Lolth: To explain the Lore surrounding Lolth, she is essentially a tyrant. She thrives in cruelty, encouraging her followers to kill each other to prove themselves worthy of her fickle favour, enjoying manipulating them into servitude, only to then toy with them anyway. She demands questionless loyalty and devotion; it is no wonder her people are known for their backstabbing, power-hungry tenacity. It was illegal to worship any deity besides her in the city; treachery almost guaranteed death.

Eiliestraee: Eiliestraee is the daughter of Lolth and lives to stand against her mother's ways. She is the Drow Goddess of Freedom, Dance and Song for all those who wish to return to the surface world and be free of Lolth's grasp. She is a joyful mother-like goddess who strives to inspire the Drow and stand as a beacon of hope.

To continue, Miz'ri wished to spread the word and beliefs of Eiliestraee, helping shepherd many of the lower-class citizens of Menzoberranzan into better lives on the surface world, the journey of which was highly treacherous and dangerous. This was something that kept many Drow from leaving. However, Miz'ri was an extremely powerful Cleric of amazing faith and magic. Areo spent her childhood beside her, and the small group of followers she amassed became her family. This rag-tag group of Drow worked secretly for the first 11 years of her life, dodging the threats of the city surrounding them.

It was in the year she turned 12 that things changed. Her mother, who held so much love and affection for the world and people around her, was methodically corrupted and converted by Lolth, an established master at manipulation. On one long expedition to the surface world, just as they had almost broken the surface, Miz'ri turned on the clergy she created, slaughtering the innocents she once led to freedom, leaving nothing behind but a pile of gore. As is Lolth's will to all that turn their back on her. Areo lived to be the only survivor. The effects of this event then altered her perception of reality and life.

Areo didn't survive due to the mercy of her mother. If you asked her to recall how she survived, she would be unable to tell the truth, her mind betraying her. I will break the events into two paragraphs: What Areo thought happened and compare it to what actually happened?

Delusion: In her memories, Areo cannot recall much of that day beyond a haze of religious imagery and flashes of light. She saw herself outside her body receiving a divine blessing from her deity of unbreakable protection. Shortly after, the beautiful form of Eilistraee manifests in front of her to use her divine magic to end her mother's tormented destruction and free her soul.

Reality: Her mother came for her life last; perhaps she had a semblance of her old self alive, urging her to spare her baby, but she was cold and without mercy in her final moments. It was pure luck and timing that Areo managed to kill her mother before she killed her; it was a quick and straightforward burst of magic in a moment of panic that managed to catch Miz'ri off guard enough to pierce her heart fatally.

Areos's memory was heavily clouded by trauma and a childlike way of rationalising things, and so her developed survivor guilt manifested oddly. Being a weak child seeing all these people around her die, she couldn't understand why she was the lone survivor, and so while searching for an answer as to why, her brain jumped to incorrect conclusions. In this case, her thought process was, "I didn't die? Even though I should have? That must mean I'm Immortal and blessed by the gods(In her case, Eiliestraee); that's the only reason that explains how I got to live while others didn't." This, of course, drastically changed her worldview.

Growing up, these delusions only elevated and reinforced themselves deep into her brain; every near-death experience, every lucky instance in her life, and every victory in combat only made her believe this more, especially with the increasingly heavy risks she began taking. Indeed, it is all incorrect, and she has survived this far solely on luck, her cunning and wit.

Some old art from when I was first developing this storyline. There are a few inconsistencies as I have changed the Lore and her design by now, but the vibes remain similar:

Young child: Very shortly after the massacre, Areo aimlessly wandered around the shallows of the Underdark. She was starving and injured from the renowned harshness of the area. Once again, luck comes to her aid when a kind older wizard passes her way. He had been scouring the land for different plants and fungi to use in his brews and alchemy when he noticed the pure black eyes of a young girl watching him from afar. He knew she would have died had he not taken her in, so for the next part of her life, she lived in a tower taught magic by this man she became quite fond of.

Early Adulthood: In his old age, that kind of wizard died a peaceful death in Areo's 15th year. She was consumed by an intense grief, finding herself alone once again. In her mind, she cursed her "immortality", a curse to outlive all she came to care for, and so, in anger and sadness, she resigned herself to live a life of solitude in the tower forever. There was more at play. However, she was also so terrified. She had never left the building alone, and much of the surface world did see Drow kindly, but even then, the fear dug deeper in her head. Even approaching the door to left her paralysed her mentally. Her life up to this point had taken a massive toll on her mental health. It was a mental block she could never get past.

For 60 years of chronic isolation, she read the thousands of books her mentor had collected in his long life, many of which were books passed from his master and so on. The collection of multiple generations' worth of arcane knowledge and study kept her mind nourished but her body weak. Her options for food were limited by her inability to leave the building. For 60 years, her growing adolescent body feasted on inhumane amounts of food, the leaves from decorative plants, ants that crawled along the walls, moss growing on the ceiling and worse. Her extreme malnutrition had drastic effects on her body that are, at this point, irreversible.

This explains her cannon base Dnd Stats at 75 years old (BG3 Timeline). Strength 4, Dexterity 6, Constitution 2, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 14, Charisma 12

Baldurs Gate 3: In accordance with the game lore, Areo was at some point abducted from the tower by Mindflayers and infected with a Mindflayer Tadpole. It is safe to assume she would never have left that place otherwise and would be starving in that tower for many more years.

The first art I had drawn of her after starting Bg3:

#bg3 tav #AreosShrine #AreoSpellbook #dnd oc #infodump #HamsOcArt

[klein-sodor-bahn]

Charlotte “Charlie” Borsig

My girlboss has been updated too!

A few trigger warnings: Death, shitty parents, add*ction, s*x

Charlie was born on the 13th of December 1956 in Berlin. Her father adored her to pieces but when he found out his wife was cheating on him with a another man he heavy-hearted divorced his wife. Charlie was devastated and hated her stepdad. But little Heinrich she couldn’t hate. She raised him because two years later the second divorce happened and her mother slipped into alcoholism. Charlie basically ran to household. With 16 her former stepdad offered her an internship at the Ministry of national security (better known as Stasi). She was pressured to accept it. With 18 she was deemed worthy to become a spy for the GDR (in German DDR).

One of her first missions was to Scotland and there she fell in love with the future father of her sons Mr. Campbell. On the side she gathered information on her target, but she became pregnant and received an ultimatum. Leave the kids one month after birth or risk being hunted for eternity by the KGB. Knowing what happens when the KGB is tasked with hunting someone she left Donald and Douglas with their father. When she returned home she visited her mother in hope to get some empathy. But that didn’t happen…her mother scolded her and a nasty fight broke out. Charlie then ran away to her father who immediately pulled her into a hug and comforted her. After that event she took on her father’s last name: Borsig.

The years went on and Charlie until reunification racked up 8 murders. She hated every last one of them in hindsight. The most tragic one was the death of secretary who was a lesbian pressured into an affair with her male boss, but when the wife found out she was fired immediately. In a rage that poor woman took some import documents (the company was developing weapons for the US Army) and planned to sell them to afford her cancer treatment. Charlie was sent to purchase those papers and to get some additional information started a sexual relationship with her. She know the CIA was on that ladies heels and so Charlie offered her sleep pills which she had prepped so they looked normal even tho they contained a deadly Dosis. After the fall of the GDR Charlie fell under the radar of the secret agencies. In 1995 she decides to travel to Scotland to look for her boys. Dragging along her now 30 year old half-brother Heinrich.

In a small village she bumps into Henry who offers her to stay for the night and later help with the search. And with every day this small Englishman grew on her. He was so sweet and nice. A true gentleman. Charlie who throughout the years thought she couldn’t love again slowly realizes there might be a second chance at life for her. A life away from the lies and people who could backstab her any second. A life away from the freak of a mother. A place no one knows (except Henry) what she did. And when she finally meets Donald and Douglas. Her precious boys. She bursts into tears. Donnie and Douggie accept her as their ma. And when Henry offers her to stay she jumps off the train and goes with him.

Charlie loves to flirt with Henry who turns red like a tomato. She loves him and the quiet life in Scotland. Although she has some violent tendencies pulling a gun or knife on people who mildly disrupt the peace. Beware if she starts speaking German you are fucked. She’s also a bit needy sometimes (especially if she wants cookies). She hates family gatherings with a burning passion. In Scotland she later works at the local pub. Her smoking started after she had to leave behind the twins but due to Henry’s influence it becomes less. Charlie is also a fashion chameleon. Although she mostly wears black. Her worst nightmare is that all this happiness is gone and a secret service finds her in the end. But for now she’s happy. She later marries Henry and together they adopt a little boy.

#ttte human au #ttte humanized #ttte oc #hashtag girlboss #Akagi’s OCs #Henry X Charlie💚🖤 #lore #lore dump #sorry for the tragic backstory

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Completed Chaptered AO3 Fics (3) Masterlist

part one, part two

An Angel in a Leather Jacket (ao3) - bakingphaninmymind

Summary: An argument starts it all. Hell comes after for Dan Howell, the school pastel boy. He only wanted to help, but got backstabbed in the end. From a safe position in the school hierarchy, Dan is up to neck in an affair he never had and starts finding threats in his locker. He needs someone on his side if he wants to make it to the end of high school. A mysterious punk boy promises him protection. The condition Dan needs to meet, though, is far from normal.

bruising the sun (ao3) - waveydnp

Summary: the bedsharing friends to lovers roommates au i was always destined to write

can we try again? (ao3) - Fictropes

Summary: “Yeah, Phil. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Dan answers, softer than he’d wanted because he already knows what he’s about to do next.

(or Dan doesn't turn up in 2009 and bumps into Phil 11 years later at a youtube convention)

Co-Stars (ao3) - mollieblack

Summary: Phil Lester hadn't meant to - he really hadn't.

He hadn't INTENDED on working for an adult film company that specialized in full length films when he moved to London. And he CERTAINLY hadn't intended on getting roped into acting in one with his cute and slightly awkward co-star, Dan Howell.

flashlight in the dark (ao3) - cuddlydreamsonrainydays

Summary: Daily, Dan is bombarded with fleets of thoughts that aren't his. They show him the vilest side of humanity. No wonder he doesn't hold his species or himself in particularly high esteem. He has accepted that there are no truly good people in the world. But then there's Phil, who just won't bow down to this rule. It's annoying, really. And Dan doesn't like it at all. Why would he?

Flirty Phil (ao3) - ethanisal0ser

Summary: Phil Lester is in deep trouble, he entered a dance competition with a mystery partner . . .

Going Forward (ao3) - softiejace

Summary: When Phil Lester signs his students up for a mental health workshop, no scenario he's prepared for includes running into his ex...

Happily Ever After (ao3) - adorkablephil (kimberly_a)

Summary: Dan proposes marriage, but Phil's reaction isn't quite what he'd been expecting or hoping for.

House Sitter (ao3) - Doesyourhusbandknowtheway

Summary: Dan Howell's parents are going on a 12 day vacation and refuse to let their sixteen year old son stay home alone for that long. They hire Phil, a nineteen year old boy from the neighborhood to stay at the house with Dan and to keep an eye on things. Who knew 12 days (and Phil Lester) could completely change Dan Howell's life?

If Lost, Return To Phil - thatsmistertoyou

Summary: Dan and Phil are friends with benefits, which always works until it doesn’t. Dan wishes things could be different, and gets more than he bargains for.

Ships That Pass In The Night - jestbee

Summary: Dan and Phil are YouTubers. The catch? They’ve never met, and Phil doesn’t want them to.

slutville, population two (ao3) - dvp_95

Summary: Dan and Phil both have reputations for sleeping around. Their friends don't think they could hold down a relationship if they wanted to. Sounds like a challenge to them.

In Dan's defense, tequila makes anything seem like a good idea.

The Blind Boy (ao3) - jilliancares

Summary: Dan Howell liked to think of his entire life as a series of tragic accidents. Because really, how many people can say that they managed to become blind and obtain a supposedly Cute Boy’s hate all in the span of one year? And Phil Lester has not had the best school life, so in order to avoid bullying or a bad reputation, he refuses to take shit from anyone at this new school. Even if that someone just so happens to be blind.

Trust Me, I'm Broken Too (ao3) - natigail

Summary: The Lesters – the royal family of his homeland – was nothing like Dan thought they would be. Well, the King was just as horrible as he had heard but the King’s brother’s son, who was third in line for the throne, was nothing like Dan thought he’d be. Dan had been adrift for three years going from one “place of employment” to another, only his life was seen as worthless and he was more property than an employee. He had never imagined he’s end up as the property of Prince Philip.

The Prince had no intention of ever taking on a personal servant, which was a fancy name to disguise the fact a law essentially enslaved people. Phil often had to do things he didn’t want to or risk being removed from the succession to the crown. If that happened, who knew who his tyrant of an uncle would pick as a successor? When pressured into the choosing, he’d wanted to go for the most innocent, young girl, but hard brown eyes caught his attention instead.

Under the Midnight Sun (ao3) - paradisobound

Summary: Every night in London, a midnight circus pops up under the ringmaster Phil Lester’s command. Many of the performers are runaways, looking for a new start at life. One of them is Daniel Howell, a young man who is looking for a new excitement to his life. But slowly, the secrets of the midnight circus and Phil Lester became shown and Dan realizes that he may be in a situation he’ll never be able to get out of

(when you gonna realise) it was just that the time was wrong (ao3) - The_Blonde

Summary: "His notebook is divided into five columns, as much as he can remember. I’m with Dan. I’m not with Dan. Dan is far away from me. I love him, but I shouldn’t. I love him, but I can’t. Dan Howell; an impossible boy turning up in all variations of impossible dreams. The whole reason. The loss of something that you never quite found in the first place."

Or: Phil works in a coffee shop. Or at an animal sanctuary. Or at a university. Maybe he's a Youtuber. Maybe he runs an editing firm. Sometimes he's in the 1920s. In all of these places he has dreams. In all of these places he is in love with Dan. It's just trying to work out which time is the right one.

World's Greatest First Love: The Case of Daniel Howell (ao3) - Yiffandquiff (paradisobound)

Summary: Dan Howell wanted a clean break from his father’s publishing company. It was why he applied for a different company in London: to stop the ridicule of his coworkers for riding on his ‘daddy’s coat tails’. But he wasn’t expecting to suddenly be going from a literature editor, to a graphic novel editor. And he certainly wasn't expecting to come face first with his first love who broke his heart from when he was a teenager: who just happens to be his new editor-in-chief.

Your Crowning Glory (ao3) - pasteldanhowells (dxnhowell), rainbowchristy

Summary: Dan is 18 years old when the news is suddenly sprung upon him that he is next line to be the next king of Genovia, but things don’t go as smoothly as he thought, between having a suddenly busy schedule, a new lifestyle, an arranged marriage that Dan has no control over, and worst of all, Philip Lester trying to steal his crown.

#phanfictioncatalogue #phanfiction #phanfic #phan #masterlists #ao3 #ao3 masterlist #chaptered #chaptered masterlist #completedchaptered #completedchaptered masterlist

[elatedfool]

daylight

its's ayato day!!!! mention of murder, fluff! lots of petnames (wife, beloved) also i haven't actually written anything for him so sorry hubby take this as an apology letter ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

AYATO is anything but innocent, and he knows that very well.

he has crossed many lines, stained those hands he use to caress your cheek tenderly with blood—not that he did it out of nowhere—and has his fair share of mistakes. nevertheless, ayato never told you goodbye. he can't, to be precise. he doesn't want to look at anything else after he saw you. you are... what makes life better for him, like a ray of sunshine forcing itself into the bleak water that is his life.

do you know of this secret of his? yes, you know it very well, actually. the commissioner was not the type to hide things from his beloved. he prefers to let you know and be aware of the risk you are taking merely because you became his lover.

do you accept it? living in constant fear of someone from the other two commissions taking you hostage to draw the attention of kamisato ayato, having a lot of noble friends across inazuma, yet knowing that any of them could backstab you in any situation?

yes, of course, it was worth the risk if it means you can sneak into the bed and intertwine yourself with him, come home to his sweet nothings, and feel his hand around your waist everytime you are taking a stroll around the city to show you off to everyone, letting them know who do you belong to.

plus, ayato provides everything for you, and i mean it when i say everything—he assigned the shuumatsuban to guard and watch over you whenever he's too busy to accompany you out, and when you come home exhausted, his servants have prepared a warm bath and lit up the scented candle to enhance your experience. you wouldn't have to lift a finger, for you deserve to relax and be pampered by him.

but in this special occasion, you want to reverse the role and pamper the head commissioner instead! you baked the softest and most beautiful cake for him with the help of thoma and ayaka, decorate your bedroom with cherry blossom petals and heart shaped balloons—everything is perfect, and you are sure ayato will be elated when he comes home to this.

"my love, i have returned—"

"happy birthday, dear brother—master—my husband!"

the three of you spoke in unison, with you holding the cake up, thoma carrying an entire jug of milk tea, and ayaka popping the party crackers. ayato is surprised, very much so, of course, but the commotion is welcomed as he barely has time to spend with his sister, his most trusted servant, and you—the most treasured people in his life.

when the initial shock fades, his weary eyes lit up with delight, walking up to you to plant a kiss on your lips. it was meant to be a short and quick one, but after being away from you for so long (by so long i mean like, two days), it would be too cruel to reject the kamisato clan leader's advance.

the cake in your hand almost got knocked over when ayato leans further down to devour your lips—thankfully, the ever-so-competent thoma managed to save it despite having his hands full, but not without mumbling how you two should really be more careful. meanwhile, ayaka smiles fondly at her brother's clingy attitude, secretly taking pictures of the romantic moment as a memento of this special day.

your husband doesn't seem to care that much about the cake though, your lips are waaaay sweeter than any whipped cream in teyvat and way softer—the softest, dare he says. one kiss from you and he's sure that heaven is a thing because he went there everytime you touch him. he's so lost in the taste of your lips that it takes a loud and harmonized cough from ayaka and thoma to get him to separate himself from you.

"are you done, master?" the blond man asks with a grin, finding it cute how the serious and cunning master he serves can be this adorable when it involves you, "we should really start eating! wouldn't want the dinner to go cold,"

ayaka turns to look at you and her brother, knowing that you two might like some privacy, "we will be waiting at the dining hall," ayato simply nods in gratitude for her understanding, before turning his attention back at you.

"so, my beautiful wife is the one who prepared all this surprise for me?" he grins mischievously, trying to mask his excitement and giddiness with that smirk he always wore when he's trying to fluster you. you nod to confirm his words, "with the help of thoma and ayaka,"

ayato chuckles, already knowing the answer but doesn't want to miss the chance of calling you his wife—the way you congratulate him earlier did not went past his ear by the way, and he loves, looooves the sound of being called as your husband. after living a colorless life with only his sister to support him, he is finally able to throw his cloak and daggers away because morning has arrived in the form of you.

"i had the best birthday of my life, and it's all because of you," he smiles at you, leaning down again to kiss your forehead, "i love you, my darling,"

#genshin x reader #genshin x you #genshin x y/n #genshin fluff #genshin impact x reader #ayato x reader #ayato x you #kamisato ayato x reader

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #53: THE PLAN PROCEEDS!

December, 1989

ENTER THE U-FOES!

They sure did enter. THERE WAS A DOOR!

I do like the U-Foes. Sorta. I like them in theory.

The Avengers fought them recently in issue #304, on Ellis Island, in a Very Special Episode about immigration. They ended up falling through a portal. I wonder how they got back.

The last times on West Coast Avengers reads like a trauma conga line for Scarlet Witch. All happening in only the past few weeks, as revealed by Wonder Man later in the issue!

Vision was disassembled and rebuilt without emotions. Wanda learned Vision's backstory was a lie. She was kidnapped by a Texas college and pumped full of racism goo. Her children were kidnapped by demons and turned out to be parts of Mephisto. She had her memories of her children wiped. She got kidnapped in an arranged marriage to a serpentine elder god.

And while returning from Atlantis Attacks, she lapsed into a catatonic episode.

Someone give this woman a warm beverage of choice and a blanket!

Relevant last times in Acts of Vengeance: several big name villains and also the Wizard have banded together to have supervillains fight heroes they didn't usually fight. While the Avengers were all busy elsewhere, robots attacked and sank Avengers Island.

Let's get into it, with Magneto's big yelly head and Definitely Not Loki's smaller smug head.

Before the main action of the issue, we look in on some of the "Prime Movers" of the Acts of Vengeance.

Magneto is part of this big supervillain mastermind scheme pile. Possibly out of character for a dude that's been trending anti-villain but here's the thing. He doesn't like superheroes but he's not involved to destroy them. He's involved to try to better mutantkind.

I don't know how on god's green but mostly blue Earth he thinks teaming up with people like Red Skull, the Mandarin, Kingpin, and Dr Doom will accomplish this. But the good thing is that he doesn't think that.

His real, real motive, revealed near the end of the event, is to backstab Red Skull for being a Nazi. Which he accomplishes.

Good on you, Magneto.

Anyway, the guy that is blatantly Loki smarms to himself about how Magneto is just a pawn and actually everything is going how he, the real mastermind, has masterminded it.

He goes to his fancy sitting chair and spies on the Avengers West Coast on his fancy scrying smoke hole.

Definitely Loki: "The time has come to look in once again on those whose very existence is the inspiration for these machinations."

If the complete Acts of Vengeance wasn't 50+ issues, I might cover it in more depth just because lines like this.

Not for the first or least time, Loki is exceptionally pissed off that he accidentally created the Avengers.

In modern times, his tone shifts to more of a bemused pride and he has named himself Basically An Avenger for his role in creating them.

But right now he's pissed and that's a big driving factor for this whole thing.

But it's 50+ issues and touches books way outside the scope of this liveblog. And I just finished Atlantis Attacks recently. So, sorry, no.

Anyway, over at the Avengers West Coast Compound, all that stuff I said about Wanda being catatonic. She is. She's catatonic. Just sitting on the couch, staring at nothing.

Hank admits that he has no idea what to do for Wanda.

... You think a guy with mental health problems of his own would at least have some ideas. I don't think Hank should handle it himself but... I mean, Tony was willing to throw money at the best therapists to help Hank when Hank tried to kill all his friends to prove he was a competent Avenger. Any thoughts on contacting any mental health professional? Even Doc Sampson, the world's worst therapist? Tony? You're in the room? Wanna throw some money around?

You all suck.

Except, oddly enough, Wonder Man.

Who has finally gotten over himself and has offered his brain patterns to help restore Vision's emotional capacity.

Wasp and her huge gloves are like gasp but you'd give up your chance to nail Wanda on the rebound! Because Wasp is horrible in this run! She was my favorite Avenger and now I'm revising the opinion!

Wasp: "Simon... are you sure? You love Wanda. Do you really want to surrender your chance with her? Are you sure that's the right thing to do?" Wonder Man: "More right than the way I've been behaving, Wasp. Whatever my personal feelings in the matter, the Vision is Wanda's husband. I have no business standing in the way of their happiness."

Feels like we're in opposite land.

Case in point: Vision declines the offer.

He's been logicing the situation and has decided that Simon's brain patterns wouldn't restore him to exactly as he was.

I mean, he's right. The memories are all gone. The only memories Vision has are Avengers' case files. All his personal memories were destroyed when his brain was disassembled or when the virus destroyed all the Avengers' Vision records.

He's also wrong because he seems confused about why the brain patterns wouldn't fix the situation. Vision says restoring his brain with the Wonder patterns would make him "nothing more than a copy of that former version of myself."

Wrong.

You can't even keep the plot straight, logic boy.

Whatever the reason, after all this time of Wonder Man watching Wanda emotionally spiral in the hopes that it would somehow lead to her dating him, he realized what a heel he was and offered the patterns to Vision. Who turns him down because he has no idea what's even going on.

I've heard that Wanda/Wonder gets pushed pretty heavily in later comics. Force Works and maybe sooner. So my guess is that Byrne realized that as things were, the fans would absolutely turn against Wonder Man for taking advantage of Wanda's grief.

This way, he got to be the good guy who offered but the offer doesn't change the trajectory of where this plot is going.

Vision also announces he's going to relocate to the East Coast Avengers.

Dun dun dun?

Meanwhile, a weird tangent in the 16th Century where Mary defeated Queen Elizabeth and took over the throne of England.

Elizabeth is about to be executed but Mary's advisor Immortus (!) declines to attend, as he has shit to do.

The shit he has to do is erase this timeline for being bad and wrong.

And now that he's accomplished this, he gets back to ominously commenting on the Scarlet Witch situation.

Something something, plotting, something something, become the true master of time.

God, I don't care.

Back to people I do care about, reluctantly.

Vision explains his robot brain logic. He thinks the East and West headquarters don't have balanced superpowers so he wants to go to New York.

Kind of baffling. The East Coast team has Thor, She-Hulk, Quasar, and sometimes Namor. They've got plenty of muscle. The West Coast is who needs help since a (supposedly) new Iron Man just joined, US Agent is barely around, robot Human Torch is also barely around, and Scarlet Witch is catatonic.

This is stupid reasoning.

But it's just more forcing the characters into the plot. So anyway.

Vapor just appears out of nowhere. And that's capital V Vapor from the U-Foes, as seen on the cover. She turns into cyanide gas and tries to kill Wanda.

And maybe if she hadn't jumped in with a one-liner, she could have done it before everybody noticed but villains gonna hold the villain ball.

Wonder Man tackles Wanda away from the gas and then Iron Man vacuums Vapor into his armor's holding tanks.

But apparently she knows how to turn into a monomolecular mist and infiltrate his suit?

So he expels her.

Then Ironclad, who is also here unnoticed somehow, grabs Iron Man and drags him under the floor.

There's action noises until Ironclad gets punched so hard he lands miles away from the compound.

Good job, Iron Man?

Well, no. Not a good job.

Ironclad lands in the city and decides it'd take too long to get back to the compound. He starts causing havoc in the city to lure the Avengers out to confront him and they never do in this issue.

So there's just a big metal man throwing cars around Los Angeles and nobody follows up on that.

Also, way not to help, anybody else.

INCLUDING VISION.

Outside, robot Human Torch Jim Hammond is talking to Ann Raymond who is still here for some reason.

At least it didn't start with Jim flying around.

Jim asks Ann to tell him again how Toro died, while seeming to have a weird little smile.

Jim. Why. What the fuck?

There's only three possibilities here and none are great.

Anyway, Ann wasn't actually there for it so she says, again, that according to what Namor said... Oh, a metal man just flew out of the main house. Phew, thank god, an out for this awkward conversation.

Jim Flames On and flies after the metal man.

Since he has no idea what's going on, he's thinking maybe the dude needs to be rescued but before he can get around to it, X-Ray shows up and blasts him.

Robot Human Torch: "Hard radiation! Can't... really damage my android body... but... hurts like the dickens!"

Well. Hard radiation can actually damage machinery. I was briefly fixated on the Chernobyl disaster for a bit. High radiation can fry electronics and even weaken metal.

Not that radiation is ever treated realistically in comics.

Realistically every superhero would have so much cancer. And that would be depressing so let's not.

Anyway, robot Human Torch and X-Ray duel in the sky while Ann watches from the ground and wonders what the hell is going on.

She goes to check on the rest of the Avengers and is startled when Wonder Man leaps through a window with Scarlet Witch and Dr Pym.

After Iron Man expelled Vapor from his armor, she went back to her old tricks so Simon evacuated the people who could die from gas inhalation. Also, Wasp is here. She followed under her own wingpower.

Inside, Iron Man and Vision are trying to contain Vapor.

Wasp advises Ann to get away from the building because Vapor can turn into any kind of gas, including-

Flammable ones, yes.

Meanwhile, Ironclad starts rampaging in the city to try to draw the Avengers to him.

Robot Human Torch Jim Hammond notices and wonders why the Avengers aren't doing anything about it. But he also notices the mansion is on fire.

Robot Human Torch: "Flaming fireballs!"

Walloping websnappers!

Robot Human Torch decides he's gotta take care of X-Ray fast so he can go help at the mansion. But he's saying this out loud so X-Ray puts him in a full nelson.

X-Ray: "You're not going to find that so easy to do, hot shot! You're not gonna kill me like you did Vector!" Robot Human Torch: "Kill...?? Who...??"

Yeah, what?

Also, I know that heat is also not often treated very realistically by comics but shouldn't putting a flaming man in a headlock hurt?

Anyway.

Back at the flaming mansion, Iron Man gives up trying to put it out. He's used all his fire-fighting capability but Vapor keeps feeding the flames.

... Isn't burning up bad for her? Isn't there a limit to how much gas she can turn into? Like, when gas burns, it does turn into another type of gas. But it also turns into heat and explosions so some of the mass is transformed into energy.

Dr Pym decides that their only hope at fighting exactly one lady who turns into gas -- seriously, I can't believe the Avengers are having this much trouble -- lies in smashing the win button.

But Wanda, the resident win button, is in a catatonic state.

So Hank decides to shock her out of it.

By whispering to her that Vision is in danger.

Wanda rouses from her catatonic state and looks around for Vision.

And sees him... as his classic red-skinned self. Because... she's hallucinating that he's been restored to his "real self"...

Huh. This is very a red flag.

But its funny how Wonder Man is just glaring from the background as Wanda pays attention to Vision.

Fuck you, Wonder Man.

Scarlet Witch does her thing and the fire just goes out. Not just that but Vapor is forced back into her human form.

Hooray, now they can bonk her on the head and throw her into arson jail.

Except, no.

Vector shows up, very not dead, and blasts at the Avengers so Vapor can flee.

Also, after Vapor and Vector regroup away from the mansion, Vapor actually explains why the U-Foes were attacking.

After they broke out of the Vault... dunno how they got there. I thought they were lost in another dimension. Whatever. After they broke out of the Vault, they split up to make it harder to capture them all and headed toward a secret base.

But when they got there, the place was smashed up and they found a security recording of the Avengers (West Coast) blowing up Vector.

So they all decided to go get revenge for their beloved leader.

But Vector explains he has no idea why there was a recording of that because it never happened to him. He was delayed and arrived after the rest of them.

When he realized they'd all gone off half-cocked to attack the Avengers, he went to go save them.

Vector: "Without me to formulate a proper plan of attack, however, you were certain to fail, and wind up being shipped back to the Vault."

X-Ray shows up and goes 'nuh uh' and boasts that he took out human Human Torch Johnny Storm.

Vapor tells him that's not Johnny Storm. And X-Ray goes uh well I killed a guy so I'm still cool. Except he didn't even kill a guy. Because the guy is an android. Vector explains that its the original Human Torch, who is an android from the 40s, and that Vapor and X-Ray are idiots.

Since Vector isn't dead, the three U-Foes fuck off to go retrieve Ironclad. Someone played them so they're not going to attack the Avengers until they figure out why.

Back at the mansion, Iron Man suggests going after the U-Foes but Hank says NO.

While all that U-Foe exposition was happening, Hank tried to make contact with Avengers Island and couldn't. So Hank wants to split up, gang. We'll cover more plot threads that way.

Vision, Wonder Man, and Iron Man are Team Go Find Robot Human Torch and Then Track Down the U-Foes.

Wasp, Dr Pym, and Scarlet Witch are on Team Find Out What's Happening to the Rest of the Avengers.

Scarlet Witch protests that she's going with Vision. Dr Pym says they'll need her if someone attacked Avengers Island. So Vision compromises by saying he'll go to New York. He wanted to do that anyway.

Dr Pym accepts this.

I don't think Team Find the U-Foes ever finds the U-Foes. I clicked through the rest of the Acts of Vengeance Avengers and West Coast Avengers issues on the wiki and the book just moves onto other plots.

This is frustrating because for an U-Foes/Avengers West Coast fight... it sucks.

Vector only shows up at the end because he's the reason for the fight. Ironclad gets uppercut out of the plot and nobody cares to go looking for him. X-Ray only fights robot Human Torch. And Vapor alone stymies Vision, Iron Man, Wonder Man, the Wasp, and Dr Pym. And mostly off-panel.

And even when Wanda enters the action by being shocked out of her catatonic state, the Avengers don't get to win the day.

The U-Foes just fuck off.

I feel like the Avengers have been mostly getting L's or heavily qualified W's lately.

The West Coast Avengers:

They couldn't do anything to Vigilance after they dismantled Vision except blow up their base. A base they didn't need anymore. And then insult to injury, the government sticks them with US Agent.

A Texas college jams Wanda full of evil goo and the West Coast Avengers never shows up to rescue her because they get distracted.

They couldn't stop Master Pandemonium from kidnapping and eating Wanda's babies and then get trounced by the guy, having to be bailed out of the Master P and then Mephisto situation by Agatha Harkness who takes the opportunity to wipe Wanda's memories.

And now the U-Foes of all people style on the West Coast Avengers with only one of their members and the Avengers don't even get to finish the fight.

Over with the East Coast Avengers:

The Lava Men nearly destroy Avengers Island and a giant Lava Man monster beats up the team. The Avengers don't win so much as run out the clock and Gilgamesh "dies" during the fight.

Then when the Avengers go looking for the Eternals to help Gilgamesh, they get beat up by Blastaar and don't win so much as run out the clock so that the Eternals show up to wrap things up

Avengers Island does get totally destroyed in Acts of Vengeance.

I don't know if this is building to something. Shooter had the Avengers get beaten up a lot and win by chance in his first Avengers run but that led to group drama and a restructuring of the team.

Byrne just seems not to want to write the Avengers actually winning.

Or in the case of the West Coast Avengers, he doesn't seem to want to write them doing anything except sitting around watching horrible things happen to Wanda.

I dunno. It's not so many examples but it's notable because Byrne is writing both books and he keeps writing three issue arcs which beat around the bush a lot and then end without the Avengers really doing much.

Maybe I'm just complaining.

As Dr Pym pilots a Quinjet to New York, Wasp asks him if he's upset by Wanda demanding to go with Vision.

And he says no. He just has a bad feeling about everything that's happening. The U-Foes attacking for no reason and Avengers Island going silent (hey, wait, they were broadcasting a distress signal... BYRNE YOU ARE WRITING BOTH BOOKS!!).

Hank is worried there's something bigger going on than just usual villainy.

He's right. Acts of Vengeance is going on.

But anyway.

Next post will follow Hank and co to New York for Avengers #312.

Follow @essential-avengers because how else will you receive just deep insight as 'comic book character comments that he thinks he's in a big event plot and is right'? You wouldn't. Like and reblog too, maybe. Can't force you. As far as you know. Maybe I have the power of telekinesis. You don't know.

#avengers #essential avengers #west coast avengers #U Foes #Acts of Vengeance #Hank Pym #Dr Pym #Iron Man #the Vision #Scarlet Witch #Wonder Man #the Wasp #robot Human Torch #Immortus #alternate history Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary #why is US Agent never around when he'd be marginally useful?

[castle-dominion]

c5x14 reality star struck This ep has Gina Torres in it, who played Zoey Washburne in Firefly. Nice! However, before I start this ep, I need to get up & move. I am on call for work today too. Hoping I don't get called in. In fact I also hope I get cut early

this is the stupidest thing lmao

KB: Yes, because nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like a Star Wars toy. RC: *chuckles* KB: Wait, wait, wait. Please tell me that you didn’t get me a lightsaber for our first Valentine’s Day together.

RC: What about you, Espo? Any plans for Valentine’s Day tomorrow? *Lands his arm over espt's shoulder* JE, uncomfy, & tbh seeming a bit sad: Uh, yeah. Investigating a murder.

RC: The Wives of Wall Street, the reality show? JE: Yeah. Seen it? RC: Just long enough to make me want to kill myself. One minute of lunatics backstabbing each other is enough. JE: Speaking of backstabbing...

oh so THAT'S what a tennis bracelet is! I thought it had to do with the sport. HOLY-- THAT IS A GOOD KNIFE. Except WHEN was that made? it doesn't match the ones I've seen but they obviously have different handle styles, like any good knife company. lives in a hotel?

Clipping that. Also he looks a LOT like me when we both had that hair. Wish I'd taken a pic of myself now lol

I mean my parents did NFP to prevent having kids (being catholics & "not allowed" to use condoms) & then to GET kids. But why is ryan sharing how they took her internal temperature & are doing babymaking science & babymaking not as in sex itself, & then just sharing how it was "showtime" & not romantic but sciency & rooster in a hen house & just XD he is freely giving away this information to his colleagues while on the job

RC: Yeah, not to mention her family, the DA … all reality shows are fake

Esposito nice outfit. Tie is not too thin. Dress shirt.. dark blues & stuff... LIKE ALEXIS VLOGGING Ryan pretty too! I should pic these two maybe

Castle actually looks shocked at the drama lol assET *castle whoops* *espt smiles tho* Gates lmao I love her sometimes. When she reveals her interests she is good! The dolls, the show... SOPHISTICATED, CASTLE? WHAT? "zito" (the captions are weird, sometimes they have 'sito sometimes they have zito)

How do you do? (Are you still rolling? Did you get that?)

Love the whip transition *shows her broken nail in a careful way to not flip off the camera*

Lol during family watch we ended up having a convo abt asbestos *gates being useful bc she watches the show*

*castle casually takes a seat on her furniture* also this is an empty empty apartment, & it is big & like... just empty. like nobody lives here

Oh no the landline?? can't kill someone unless you're on the cell u saying a fan killed her?

JE: Hey. I got a little mystery here. RC: You mean besides your Valentine’s Day plans? JE: Shhh. *He presses his finger against castle’s lips to keep him silent. beckett smiles.* clipped that for ya

the last stop? sounds like HER last stop

clipping ryan's return too ho-ly (hair REALLY looks like mine now lol) Beckett helping regroom him <3 (also lol what a great lunch break)

RC: As in the country off the southeastern coast of Africa made famous by the adorable animated film? "primarily" in madegascar

Smuggling? Big money & exotic locations? RC: But how? (he turns quickly) Wait. Is this your Valentine’s Day gift to me? A complex mystery where nothing makes sense? You know me so well.

alluaudia, becks. Hold on is she wearing two coats? One is nice & green & the other only goes to her upper waist? what? as you wish <3 RC: Captain Gates, participating in the case. Engaging in idle speculation. We are not so different, you and I. *VG takes off her reading glasses to look at him* RC: There’s … there’s a difference. We’re different.

VG: (to BECKETT) You know, this could actually be our big break. Only we may not have gotten to it if I hadn’t recognized Margo’s building in that photo. Which is why I think each of you should watch some “Wives of Wall Street” episodes tonight. For the good of the case. right bestie. At least you can make a viewing party out of it or not Castle don't be competitive!

Lol the music tbh, those earrings are… not as good as I thought they'd be XD study each other's eyes Aww reading poems <3

MR: Boy, I wish I’d had these reality shows in my day. No script, overacting, screaming at everybody. What a gig.

Castle getting into it The popcorn IT IS DAYTIME HIS EXPRESSIONS I could clip that ig.

I could clip these two together if I wanted lol These two really are making headway "an" episode XD she's kidding about one potato chip right? I mean, you give yourself one serving of chips & then you put away the bag/tupperware & you're done. (gates looks nice) She sounds tired tho maybe she DID binge watch Esposito nice sweater!

Ninja moments Ooh nice lunch, gates oh NO & the AUDIO

gonna be sex lol esp with that rhythym At least she got clothes

THESE TWO ARE LOVING THE DRAMA

Ah a shell company ryan pretty *& then leaves* Esposito interrupts castle's attempt to pickpocket gates *& then leaves*

HOLY CRAP. DOMINATION IG... Both: WHAT!?!? You know, you /could/ "bump into her" by accident when you are "shocked" by the scene in the interview room & pickpocket her Who did you call?

Peter: Jeff get out of here Jeff: Right *immediately turns around* *casually sits* *casually offers water* *casually accepts water* *intense convo still happening over this*

Maybe her son borrowed the credit card & bought dinner

*CASTLE slows when he passes GATES’ office. Her jacket is still on the back of her chair. When he turns, he runs into BECKETT. She studies him.* Could be that they are bonding over the show...

Why doesn't he just tell Gates he got a gift for beckett as thanks for letting him shadow her... no not a good idea.

KB: *stops suddenly.* Did you write a note? RC: Of course I wrote a note. I’m a writer. KB: Was it romantic? RC: It’s Valentine’s Day, so yeah, it was romantic. KB: Did you put my name on it? RC: *makes a face and thinks* KB: Oh God, Castle, did you put my name on it? RC: I can’t remember. I put my name on it. I know that much. KB: *sighs in frustration and continues walking*

*knows the episode numbers; like me with the plot heavy eps* ryan pretty, annoyed that he has to listen to gates tho KR: Just the headache I get when I watch it.

*thinks it is for her* oh no her face DROPS.

btw, stone? neat name ig Stone: (hesitates) Then my mom came home. When she found out about our relationship, she went crazy. She threw Hannah out. But the worst part was that Hannah begged me to go with her. But I couldn’t. In the moment that she needed me - to stand up to my mother - I couldn’t. Oof this is a heck of a moment, a heck of a moment indeed

*eye contact* *sees the pocket is empty*

Ah nvm that IS that knife y'all showed her the warrant? remember The Cat Who when Joy made the pottery red? & when I say that Joy made the pottery red... she's cornered, this is stressful!

The music sooo suspensful love it

RC: Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe she’s choosing to ignore it, or just biding her time. Like a shark. KR: Night guys. ((Kevin Ryan my friends!)) [He’s heading for the exit.] Happy Valentine’s Day. RC: Ah … once more unto the breach? KR: Uh, actually Jenny just texted me and I have the night off. [KB+RC look confused] KR: I mean, we’ll probably still uh … you know,, but tonight it’ll be for romantic reasons. : ) KB, sounding just a bit uncomfy: Yeah.

y'all this is so romantic with lanie here:

[LP turns the corner and heads toward them. She’s dressed up. RC stops and KB smiles.] KB: Hey Espo! Your date’s here. RC: (to KB) I knew they had plans! You knew they had plans and you didn’t tell me? KB: Yeah, because she asked me to keep it a secret. This is a really big deal for them. ((bc they broke up & even tho they still have the occasional booty call they are not together, but now it is valentine’s day <3)) KB: She doesn’t want you making fun of them. RC: I wouldn’t make fun–.. no, that’s not true. (he laughs) It’d be fish in a barrel. LP: stops in front of them with a huge smile. RC: Oh. KB: Lanie, you look great. LP: Yeah? It’s not too much? KB: No. It might be a little too much for Castle. (she nods up) Eyes up, bud. [His gaze snaps up immediately.] RC: I do. ((XD)) JE: You look amazing, Lanie. LP: Thanks, Javi. JE: Mmhmm. LP: So, what’s the plan? ((Always have a plan)) JE: Oh, reservations at Le Fouquet. LP: French? I love French. JE: Je le sais, mon petit chou chou. Allons-y. [LP sighs. RC smirks, but it looks like beckett didn’t know esposito spoke any French. He probably does not, probably only knew a few romantic words, esp considering his accent for other french words in the past castle episodes were not good; however french is a romance language & english has a lot of french influence, he would easily learn french. Heck, I can understand a little bit of spanish sometimes from my french) JE: Au revoir. LP: Au revoir.

oh nooooooo

INT – VG: ’ OFFICE The open earring box sits on her desk and castle sighs. VG: Did you really think that I, of all people, would be okay with this? RC: No, I – thought – RC looks ready to cry. VG puts on her glasses and picks up the note. VG: “You are beauty, passion, and fierce intellect. Be my Valentine. Rick.” ((sounds like it could be for gates tbh, heck yeah)) RC watches KB through the window but when he realizes gates stopped talking he startles back and grabs the note. RC: Is that all I wrote in there? VG: Isn’t that enough? What the hell is wrong with you? I’m a married woman. RC: I – I know. No, I know. I just thought – [Castle might be able to salvage this yet.] VG: Is this some lame, harebrained scheme to garner favor with me? RC: (dryly) Yeah. That’s – that’s what this is. VG: Well, it backfired. And I am willing to forget this ever happened if you can assure me you can tame your childish nonsense and accord me some respect. ((he’s way way wayyy to childish)) RC: I – I will. I can. I will. She shuts the lid to the earring box and hands it back. VG: And now I will go home. To my husband. Because I’m his Valentine. She grabs her things and leaves. RC just nods. Could have been worse.

Wait WAIT IT IS THE DRAWER HOLY CRAPERONI THAT IS THE MOST INTIMATE THING EVER the music sfdjksdfjkjkh *buttons not coming out*

outstanding, I have a half hour left on my schedule to format & post the quotes

Did it! still 20m to spare! I think I sprained a finger by holding too many deep fry baskets & awkwardly shaped bowls last week. I thought it was just sore but it still has not healed so now I think it got sprained or strained in some way. I am so not ready to go back to work.

#castle 5x14 #castle 5x14 quote #castle 5x14 spoilers #the valentine's day episode

[newhavenrp]

Is that JR BOURNE? No, that’s LIAM POWELL. The 50 year old GHOST MOON - WEREBEAR ALPHA MALE is a FORMER BLACKSMITH NOW HANDYMAN. If you ask their friends, they’re known to be CALM & PROTECTIVE, but beware, they’re also known to be WITHDRAWN & UNCOMMUNICATIVE. Their friends also say that they’re into MARKING & HAIR PULLING,  but don’t you dare trying VORE & SCAT with them.

Liam couldn’t say that he remembered his birth parents. The first memory he has about his life is living in an orphanage and having a small blade put into his hand and told to learn how to defend himself or beg for mercy.

His first lesson in life… Begging won’t help you. Growing up at the orphanage was a constant fight for survival. And an intensive training on killing. Constantly challenging his own fate and his own chances. Learning. Adapting. Always moving forward. And quietly. Because hesitation would get you killed. And getting caught would cost you dearly. Sleep. Food. Comfort. His own life. It all had to be earned with blood. And preferably… Not his.

Lesson number two… Nothing’s free. Everything is earned. Or taken.

No friends to trust or rely on, he kept going, no smiles, no affection or warmth, always focusing on the next step. On how to best someone stronger than him. How to keep on surviving day after day. And once he presented Alpha… Life gave him his third lesson. A knot doesn’t mean shit if an omega can slice it off cleanly.

He'd known… He's seen it happen and the blood hit him right in the face. Sure would teach that knothead not to try and stick his cock in every wet hole he saw. 3He grew. He trained. He learned. He bled. He spilled blood. Day after day. Month after month. And so the jobs started. More blood spilled. At least he was getting paid to spill that blood. Although… He knew the head of the Orphanage was keeping a good amount of the gold to himself. Didn't matter. As long as he got his fill. Until he was told he was expected to kill a child. No questions asked. He only had a name. Hale. Anthony.

It didn't matter how. He just had to end his life and come back to get his money. He just didn't expect that there would be two of them.

When in doubt… Get the weakling first.

An interesting thing about not having any allies… Is that you're not really surprised when it turns out you were surrounded by backstabbing liars. Because someone had tipped him off. The path to the weakling's room was too clear. Too easy. And there was no weakling sleeping peacefully on the bed. Only a powerful woman. And although he still had managed to take down five of her guards as she did nothing and watched them fall like flies, he was soon outnumbered, outmaneuvered and overpowered, forced down on his knees in front of that woman with a sword held right against his jugular.

She had been told about him. She had a proposal. She'd be generous enough and let him live. But in return… He was expected to protect Vincent. The weakling. Of course, she said, he could take all the time he wanted to think about her proposal… In the dungeons. She just couldn’t guarantee his safety while he weighed his options. With guards coming and going, so much to do, so little time, one prisoner's wellbeing wasn’t really high in her list of priorities.

And he was pretty certain that the guards were just waiting for her approval to take their anger out on him for befalling their friends and brothers in arms.

Fourth lesson… Never bet against Talia Hale. Or with her. There’s no winning whenever she’s involved.

He took the offer.

When asked what his name was, he was honest when he said that he didn’t have one. They hadn’t given him one. They never thought he’d survive that long and when he did, they didn’t really bother with giving him one. Maybe they had hoped he’d fail this mission and find his demise. Who knows.

Liam. Is how she called him from that moment on, mockingly, after the first of her guards he had killed. Whose blood still clung to his claws. Even as they spoke. The other guards decided upon Runt.

He didn’t care for either. But when the weakling, Vincent, called his name, tentatively, he found himself looking at him and actually finding himself curious about what the boy had to say. Of course, his heart was too good and too pure for his own good. He’d have it ripped out of his chest the first chance anyone got an opening. And that was exactly his job. Make sure that opening never appears. Make sure the boy reached his presenting without harm and alive. He would never admit that out loud but he wasn’t surprised in the slightest when the boy presented as an omega. Was there really any question? Any hope for him? A weakling who wore his heart on his sleeve and his emotions upon his face. Willing to take the fall for his own brother’s motives and schemes. Pathetic. And yet… Curious.

Fascinating.

He couldn’t say he understood the motives behind Vincent Hale’s antics but the four, five years he spent guarding the boy taught him that maybe, just maybe, life wasn’t that cruel to every single being on this land.

Of course… He had forgotten the fourth lesson.

Vincent presenting himself as an omega probably put a dent on Talia's plans, whatever they were, and Liam was shocked to see her banish Vincent out of the family to fend for himself. Her own kin. Her own flesh and blood. Liam's ward.

There was still no betting against Talia and if Vincent wasn't around anymore, Liam was probably of no use to her. So... He followed his own advice and followed the weakling. From a distance. Never letting his presence be known but never letting him alone for too long. Vincent needed to learn how to take care of himself and Liam couldn't be there protecting him for long.

One week.

One month.

Three months. He promised himself.

Six months and that's it.

One entire year. That's all Vincent would have. He honestly hoped that Vincent would have learned enough not to die of starvation and maybe gathered enough strength so he could fight for his own place in this life, may Mother Nature have mercy on his fragile, gentle, pure... Precious... Soul.

When the time came... He turned his back and took the road. Traveling during the night so he'd know if his orphan siblings would have come after him.

Days traveling, he was used to starving for days at a time. But never for this long and he'd soon have to fight against his own instincts and ask for shelter in a farm when a storm formed and wouldn't give up so he couldn't resume his travel. And when the elderly woman opened up the door and asked his name, he answered with the only name he's ever been given in this life.

"It's Liam, Ma'am." His voice felt strange even to his own ears. And as the storm took an entire week before it was safe to resume traveling, Liam would start making small repairs around the farm since the second lesson was still pretty ingrained in his brain and he had no intention of forgetting any of those any time again.

A week turned into two. And three. And a month... And two... And six... The couple was old. They could use help around the house and no, Liam had no problem fixing it for them. It was only fair. He was drinking their water, eating their food, sleeping in a bed under their roof. He might as well pull his weight. And help them care about the farm.

Until one day he found a body. Beaten to a pulp and passed out. And just like kindness had been offered to him before, he'd offer kindness. Tend to the wolf's wounds, make sure he was nursed back to health. Nicholas' health took a turn for the worst and both Liam and Elsa weren’t sure the same would be said about the wolf that Liam had rescued. But once Gale was back on his feet... Liam asked him if he wouldn't want to stick around. Maybe help on the farm. Elsa’s mind wasn’t the same as it used to be… She’d often call them by her deceased sons… Theodore and Patrick. And in the end… He was... Surprised when Gale accepted his offer. Maybe age was making him soft or maybe Nicholas’ death had affected him more than he liked to admit.

The next year would find him and Gale falling into a comfortable routine as they cared for the farm and for Elsa… While her mind continued to deteriorate and she treated them like her sons. Between the two alphas there was a growing understanding and camaraderie. Silences no longer felt awkward and everything seemed to go well.

Until Mother Nature brought another wayward creature to their doorstep. A white-tiger.

Gale found him actually. Crying. Disheveled.

Reeking of grief. Pregnant. When he didn’t come back from doing his chores around the farm, Elsa asked him if he couldn’t go and check in on “dear Patrick in case he wandered into the woods again…” Liam took a horse and went to find Gale. Only to see that he was not alone. It was… Ironic. Every day of his life he was taught that kindness was a lie and a fool’s demise. And still… There he was. Putting a tiger he’s never seen before on the back of his horse. Once again offering shelter to a stray creature. And his unborn child. Although the male wasn’t very… Reactive… Elsa was beside herself in happiness because her little Lucky Charm had finally come back home. Since he and Gale were so used to their own routine, Zion’s presence didn’t really disturbed it. If at all… Only one more person to keep an eye on. One more creature to look after. He could do that.

Of course, never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d be helping deliver a child. Little Jocelyn. Zion… Still unresponsive even as he cared for his child. Elsa… Celebrating. Rambling about how Nicholas would come back from his trip and they would be one big family again… How she was going to make them their favorites. One meal and a night to remember… Before Mother Nature came to collect Elsa into her celestial den.

It felt so wrong that hands that spilled so much blood and were promised to never find happiness would have the chance to bring life into this world. He never thought he’d end up so attached to a child that was not even his. But the first time he held Jocelyn, her eyes closed, grabbed his index finger and squeezed, he found his lips in a wide smile as he cooed to the little one, keeping her distracted so Zion could get some rest. And as the months passed, both Liam and Gale would take turns taking care of the baby and the grieving father.

Three years after Elsa’s death... Three uneventful, unexpectedly blessed and happy years. A life that he wished would never change. He knew Zion had a destination in mind. He found himself admitting to Elsa’s tombstone and worst of all, praying and begging to Mother Nature that the day of his departure would never come. Of course… The Goddess of The Earth would have to remind him of his first lesson in life. Because he was about to have life as he wanted it thorn to shreds.

Guards. Cursed be their afterlife. For they had come after Zion and he was not about to let them trample into his farm, into his life, into the peace and family that he had built for himself and… Well… Gale, Zion and Jocelyn. Right after he had thought that he wouldn’t have to spill blood again. He didn’t want Gale and Zion to see that side of him.

So he told them to run. To find safety. To stay away. Because he had preys to take down. They had dared to set foot in his house. He would send them to the domains of Lycaon in shame. One by one they fell by his claws, his blades, once hidden, dancing a deadly waltz as the walls were covered in red. Along with his hands. Once again.

Gale came to find him. He was done with those cowards. A few scratches on him, but his eyes shone and bled the red of an alpha. The red of the blood that now coated his hands. And the walls that he had come to see as home for the past decade or so. It pained him to his core to tell Gale that they had to burn the place down. That they had to move on. That they couldn’t go with Zion. That they had to split their pack… Their family.

And so while they sent Zion west, to Willowshire. To safety. They took up North. And east. Moving from town to town. Giving tracks and faux clues to follow. And whenever a guard thought he was smart enough and had caught up with them Liam would gladly send him downwards to the realm of lost souls with Lycaon. He knew he’d never be worthy of Jocelyn’s smile, or to touch Zion again, with his blood stained hands. He could only hope that Gale never got tired of the bloodlust that overtook him whenever they were caught and left. Liam wasn’t sure if he could take it.

Weak. Selfish. And very pathetic of him.

But still, he didn’t care. So long as Gale remained with him… He’d indulge in some… Selfishness.

And now that the guards had stopped coming after them he figured that they should hurry. Make their way to Willowshire. If Mother Nature and The Goddess of the Earth deemed it worthy… They would make it to the village before the guards had found Zion and little Jocelyn.

In Willowshire: Liam would find himself working amongst the blacksmiths of the village, putting to test one of the many skills he had picked up over the years on the road. Zion was fine and mated. Jocelyn was all grown up and ready to present. They had both moved on with their lives. And Liam knew that as much as he didn’t deserve it, he too wanted a new life for himself.

And maybe Mother Nature would allow that for him. At least… If he could count finding his old charge, Vincent, again, as a sign that he did deserve a new chance in life. He would take it.

However… He didn’t take Chronos into consideration.

Or Hecate, for that matter.

In New Haven: He had been enjoying the time he had around Vincent whenever the healer showed up at the forge and would let the omega ramble away to his heart’s desire. It was a good distraction and helped keep the whispers from behind the veil at bay.

He did not expect to be pulled into another time and another place. Werecreatures, pitched against each other. Forced to fight for survival and for their next meal. Felt like he was in the orphanage all over again. Except that this time he was willing to believe that he had one ally in all this. Zyair. A bear. Just like him. And they would keep each other safe to the best of their abilities. They would get each other out of there. They would start a new life in this strange world.

Well… He wasn’t counting on a rescue but he was also not about to start questioning his luck so, when a very familiar werebear broke into the underground facility right in the middle of the fight the humans were trying to pitch between Liam and Zyair, he was grateful for the distraction. And together, the three bears were able to escape and return into the safety of New Haven where Liam could truly start a new life.

#character status: taken #second gender: alpha #species: werebear #species: werecreature #pack: ursa

[eclairslein]

Why Technoblade is an unreliable narrator

I’ve seen a lot of viewers idolizing c!Technoblade and saying it didn’t make sense that Tommy left him in the end. I watch Technoblade’s streams, but also everyone else’s. I think there’s a lot of overlap in viewers who idolize him and those who don’t have any context other than what comes from his character’s POV. As someone who has watched all POV’s here is why I disagree that “Technoblade has done no wrong” “Techno helps everyone and just gets betrayed” and “Tommy backstabbed Techno!”

I disagree with all of these statements and I don’t think c!Technoblade is a victim despite his personal monologue insinuating that. Let’s start at the beginning.

Technoblade joined to help Wilbur and Tommy with the intention of taking down Shlatt. He preached for anarchy and chaos. Although he was clear about the from the beginning, the people he was allied with didn’t agree with that. Wilbur was driven to that point AFTER Technoblade had already been allied with them. Tommy NEVER wanted to “destroy all government” his goal was always just to take down Shlatt and return to his home. Technoblade ignored the wishes of his only two allies and continued to entertain the idea in his own head of completely destroying L’Manberg. That was never an agreement, he made that decision on his own AGAINST the will of his only friends, Tommy and Wilbur.

Technoblade, on the other hand, was keeping secrets from them. He had withers prepared before they even put Tubbo in charge. Behind all of their backs he conspired with Wilbur and DREAM to destroy L’Manberg just as soon as they’d won it back. That is betrayal. No one betrayed Technoblade because they never promised him anarchy in the first place.

This is where his narration becomes unreliable. In his speech he brings up making all the gear for his new allies and then them betraying him when they used that gear to take back L’Manberg. He called that a betrayal even though it was CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS WERE ( the beginning being when Quackity and the others joined Pogtopia to help Tommy and the intentions being stopping L’Manberg’s destruction by Wilbur and ending Schlatt’s administration ). Technoblade calling this a betrayal is delusional.

The second thing his character is unreliable about is his “retirement.” When Technoblade set withers upon L’Manberg he caused pain and destruction, but also ultimately committed crimes against L’Manberg. He also vowed to them before disappearing into the wilderness that he would continue to destroy the government. When the Butcher Army arrived at his doorstep asking to answer for his crimes he claimed to be in retirement. Fleeing from a crime scene and then not committing crimes for awhile doesn’t excuse you from the original crime. Butcher Army coming for Technoblade was not entirely unreasonable the way c!Technoblade paints it to be. Technoblade was a war criminal and a threat and it made perfect sense for them to pursue him. Putting Phil under house arrest crossed a line, but going after Technoblade was not unreasonable for L’Manberg to do.

As for Technoblade’s relationship with Tommy in particular this is something that c!Technoblade is completely deluded about. Pogtopia days, Tommy did consider Technoblade a friend. The one thing that changed that was when Technoblade worked with Wilbur and Dream to BLOW UP LMANBERG. The ONE THING Tommy fought for, at least at the time. Technoblade dropped Tommy as soon as he realized that working with Wilbur and Dream (behind the backs of Tommy and everyone else) would get him his personal goal of anarchy. He betrayed Tommy first when he made that decision.

When Tommy holed up in Technoblade’s basement, Tommy stayed because Techno told him that he’d help him get the discs back. But Tommy was clear with Techno the whole time that he didn’t want to do anything to hurt Tubbo. Tommy always said no to plans that would hurt Tubbo, Technoblade would brush him off constantly and say things along the lines of “we’ll work out the details later.” Tommy never budged on not wanting to hurt Tubbo, despite Technoblade’s constantly insisting that Tubbo is bad and didn’t care about Tommy.

Technoblade was breeding anger and feelings of betrayal in Tommy in trying to convince him his best friend didn’t care about him, the same thing Dream was doing the weeks before while Tommy was in Logstedshire. Convincing Tommy that he didn’t really belong in L’Manberg was the only way to make him pliable and useful to both Technoblade and Dream. By pushing on Tommy that he should leave his friends (L’Manberg) behind, they were turning him into a bad guy. A person only motivated my personal gain (the discs) and that cares for no one.

After threatening Fundy, Technoblade told Tommy that he finally had respect for him. Finally believing that Tommy didn’t care about his old friends in L’Manberg anymore and was solely motivated by the discs, he revealed his plans to destroy L’Manberg. Tommy never agreed to this and was frankly horrified that what happened between him and Wilbur was happening again. He had no where to go and stayed with Technoblade but expressed clear discomfort in Techno’s plans to destroy L’Manberg.

Now for what Techno calls “Tommy’s final betrayal.” When Tommy stands by Tubbo at the community house and leaves Technoblade. To show why this was completely justified on Tommy’s part I’m going to draw comparisons to one of my favorite works of fiction: Avatar The Last Airbender. At the end of Book 2: Earth Zuko betrays Iroh and returns with Azula to the Fire Nation. Zuko’s time there makes him realize that he cares more about doing the right thing and being the PERSON HE WANTS TO BE than staying with his family and hurting people. Tommy leaves Technoblade for the same reason Zuko leaves Azula. Tommy does not want to be the type of person that would stay with Techno.

Tommy and Tubbo were in a screaming match. After Tommy regurgitated line after line that Dream and Techno had been feeding him. “You left me to die!” and all that jazz about choosing L’Manberg over him. The thing that stopped it was Tommy saying “ Those discs were worth more than you ever were!” Everyone went silent. Tommy stopped everything and realized that he had become a deplorable person and he was saying things he didn’t really mean. Caring more about discs than his friendship w Tubbo was Dreams plan all along and exactly what Technoblade had been feeding him. Tommy dropped everything to stand by Tubbo because he was mature enough to realize that he was the farthest he had ever been from the person the wanted to be, and the closest to being the villains he had been fighting his whole life. Whether it was intentional or not, Technoblade was the person who drove him to become that person. Dream started it, but Technoblade finished the job.

Technoblade felt betrayed, Tommy left him. But it was the only thing Tommy could do and still hold on to the person he wanted to be. Tommy cares about his friends, Tommy has been with L’Manberg since the beginning and has always done what he could to save those he cared about even if it meant personal sacrifice. That’s who Tommy is. The Tommy that Technoblade wanted to be allies with was a person who would help hurt and destroy L’Manberg. Someone who cared more about discs than his lifelong friends. That Tommy never really existed, he was always uncomfortable with Technoblade’s revenge plans. If Technoblade really listened to Tommy, and cared about what he thought, he would know that Tommy could never be the cold heartless person that Technoblade could use to achieve his personal revenge on L’Manberg.

Ultimately, the Tommy that Technoblade needed to help him and/ or stand by and watch him destroy L’Manberg doesn’t exist. It goes against everything that has been established about who Tommy is and what motivates him. To stay true to himself, Tommy could not possible stay with Technoblade and become a stubborn, cold hearted, vengeful person.

That “betrayal” was the most mature decision Tommy has ever made in canon and I WONT STAND BY AND LET YALL SAY IT WAS UNJUSTIFIED JUST BECAUSE IT WASNT WAHT TECHNOBLADE WANTED.

Technoblade is a villain, just because he has a reason for wanting to blow up and destroy everything doesn’t make him a better person for it. He is not moral and never has been. His goal from the beginning has been taking something so many people cared about, L’Manberg, and destroying it because he, personally, is an anarchist. That is an ideology, but it is not the only one. Technoblade wanting to destroy L’Manberg is pushing his values onto others through force and makes him more of a tyrant than every leader of L’Manberg combined. He is flawed just like every other character. The difference that I see is that his character never reflects and admits any wrongdoing on his own part, only blaming others for not agreeing with him and ultimately leaving him.

#dream smp #tommyinnit #Technoblade #dsmp spoilers #dsmp tommy #dsmp #mcyt #techno apologist

[shadyteacup]

OMG pm Dazai dating y/n and leaves without saying anything,,,, reunion when chuuya is interrogating him in their “dungeon” area, y/n sees him and flat out ignores him until her and chuuya leave, when she full on KISSES chuuya AND WALKS AWAY mmmm angst c:

Tasty angst.. Here I come! This was an amazing idea! I loved writing it♡

Speechless

Dazai Osamu x fem! Reader x Chuuya Nakahara

Tw: slight nsfw(kissing), angst, strong language.

"Hey Chuuya, I got here as soon as you called. So, what's the matter?"

You say, walking up to the redhead, a smile on your face.

Noticing the grim look on your friend's face, your smile drops, a concerned look replacing it.

"Chuuya? What's wrong? And why hasn't Osamu arrived?"

Chuuya grit his teeth at your words, and tightened his fists.

"That bastard left."

"What?"

"He left the mafia, Y/N. He abandoned us."

You couldn't believe your ears. No way. You loved him. He loved you too, didn't he? Didn't he?! How.. Why.. When?

"Is this some sick joke, Chuuya? Because I don't appreciate it. It's a very stupid prank. You know how cranky I get when you wake me up in the middle of my sleep. I don't appreciate-"

Chuuya grabbed your shoulders, shaking you. He thought that this was the only way to help you understand. To tell you, that this wasn't some prank. It was true. Dazai had left the the mafia. But what's worse, is that he left the two of you, without as much as a mention of his plan.

"He left, Y/N! He left us! It's not a joke! He.. He's gone.."

Chuuya's grip on you slowly loosened as he teared up. His voice cracked.

You teared up, too. Your mouth was agape, wanting to say so much, express so much, but not knowing how.

"But.. he didn't even say goodbye.."

Chuuya shook his head, gritting his teeth.

"He didn't bother to say goodbye."

....

"Chuuya, you down here?"

That voice.. It belonged to Dazai's lover. He could recognize that voice anywhere. The honey like tone, and the soothing pitch; it had to be Y/N.

Dazai's heart was beating at 1000 kilometers per hour, and he feared that if you came close enough, it would leap out of his chest and tango on the floor.

Every step you took, the sharp sound of your heel against the floor reverberated through the dark dungeons.

The last time he had seen you was the night before he left the mafia. He hadn't told you about his departure, and had simply vanished the next day. He didn't try contacting you, and neither did you try to find out about him. He assumed that you were fine with his decision. But he knew that this assumption was probably wrong. You hated being lied to. You were one of those people that took time to open up to someone, but once they did, they would trust them fully. And he had gone ahead and broken that trust. He had backstabbed you. You were probably livid. Maybe you're coming down here to give him a piece of your mind. Dazai shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of your anger. Anybody who witnessed your angry side never lived to tell the tale.

Finally, your outline could be seen above the stairs. You were standing there casually, your hands in the pockets of the Mafia style coat draped over your lithe form. Your coat looked expensive. It most probably was. You were an executive, afterall. You had been since you were 15. You were probably filthy rich by now. Your hair looked as silky as he remembered it to be. A few strands gracefully framed your elegant and chiseled face. You had definitely grown up over the years. The maturity in your eyes, the sharpened features of your face and the soft curves of your body proved it. Dazai couldn't help but stare at his true love, the woman he had fallen for a few years ago, and the one who he was head over heels for now. He simply froze in his place, eyes widenening and mouth slightly agape as he took in your form.

You began strutting down the stairs, observing the prisoner. For a split second, Dazai could spot surprise flash through your eyes.

"Y/N... I didn't want to get you down here.."

Chuuya spoke, a scared look on his face. He was terrified of what you would do if you saw Dazai down here. Part of him knew you hated him, and might lash out on him. That was fine. But what scared him was the other possibility. The other part of him thought that you might forgive him. Considering your kind nature, you might fall prey to Dazai's sweet, manipulative words and forgive him. He would be devastated if you did that. The brunette has caused a lot of pain to you, and Chuuya would absolutely hate it if you decided to be compassionate and forget all that pain. All those tears were shed over the bastard. He couldn't bear to see you ignore all that.

"Yeah, you went out of the way to avoid telling me. I got to know from Tachihara."

You rolled your eyes, smiling at the fiery haired man.

Chuuya fisted his hands, anger building up in his stomach.

"Don't lash out on him! I had to threaten the poor boy to get the info out of him."

You said, holding your hands up to placate him.

You came to stand right next to him.

"I wanted to know if dinner is still on."

Dazai watched the two of you in silence. He wanted to say so much to you, but he couldn't if stupid short rack stayed here.

Well, he didn't have an option. He had to talk to you. And now was the only time he'd get.

"Y/N! It's been so long, hasn't it?"

He grinned at you, waiting for you to grin back or scowl at him.

You looked at him without bothering to face him. You raised an eyebrow, and focused your attention back to Chuuya.

Dazai was heartbroken at that. You never used to ignore him. You used to always be so enthusiastic and encouraging. This is the first time you've ignored him.

"Y/N. I'm so sorry. I know I should have said something, but I was stupid back then. I didn't know how to say, and what to say... I... I love you.. please, will you hear me out?"

His voice cracked. He meant every word he had just uttered. He loved you. Back then, when he left the mafia, he was only 19. Leaving the mafia was the best decision he had ever made in his life. But the way he executed it was wrong. It was stupid. He had lost you.

Chuuya gulped. This is exactly what he had feared.

You finally faced Dazai, hands still in your pockets. Your face held a look of mild intrigue, almost as if you were enjoying this.

You tilted your head to side, eyeing his worn out state.

Without a word, you faced Chuuya.

"I'm starving. Meet me at our usual place."

Chuuya was shocked at your lack of response. He nodded nonetheless.

"Alright. Get started without me. I might take a while."

You placed a hand on his shoulder, and were about to turn to leave.

"Y/N! Please, just hear me out!"

Dazai had never begged anyone other than Odasaku in his life. He had only ever pleaded Oda to not go destroy Mimic. Nobody other than Odasaku had seen Osamu Dazai ever plead to anyone about anything. The demon prodigy of the Mafia always found a way to get what he wanted.

Chuuya was left gaping at the scene.

You grabbed Chuuya's neck, and placed your palm on his cheek. Drawing him in, you kissed him. Right in front of Dazai. You deepened the kiss as Chuuya pulled you in further, leaving no room between the two of you. Tongues danced together, setting an erratic beat, as the two of you got lost in the kiss. The air supply was getting low, and Chuuya needed to come back for air, but you pulled him before he could do so. The lack of oxygen made his eyes flutter close, and he felt light headed. You devoured his mouth, tasting him. Finally pulling back, you bit his bottom lip, and licked it.

Chuuya felt weak in the knees. This wasn't the first time you had kissed him. Hell, you both had done a lot more than just kiss. But it always left him flabbergasted and breathless.

You wasted no time as you turned and walked away, leaving the dungeons after saying a ,"Hope to see you soon!", to Chuuya.

As you disappeared above the stairs, Dazai felt his heart shatter. He felt a pang in his chest, and tears surfaced in his eyes. He exhausted all his energy and self control in keeping his tears in and maintaining a nonchalant posture.

Chuuya was elated. He couldn't express how happy he was even in a thousand words. The love you both shared was strong, and what happened just now had proven it to him. In a twisted way, he was glad that Dazai had left, as it led him to form a beautiful relationship with you.

While Chuuya glowed from giddiness, Dazai cracked on the inside, and felt hollow. He thought that this was what he deserved. Afterall, he was the one who had caused immense pain to you. It's only fair for you to return the favor.

His hair hid half of his face, but Chuuya could easily spot the tears streaming down his cheeks. Chuuya felt bad for him, for Dazai was once his friend. But Dazai had this coming. He had hurt you, and Chuuya is planning to hurt him in return for that.

Lemme know if this is what you were looking for!

#shadyteacup #shady☕ #teacup says #teacup writes #hanimehub #bungou stray dogs #bsd #dazai x reader #dazai osamu #bungo stray dogs dazai #bsd x reader #kunikida doppo #bungou stray dogs dazai #bsd dazai #chuuya nakahara x reader #chuuya x reader #nakahara chuuya x reader #chuuya nakahara #dazai #dazai bungou stray dogs #mafia dazai #dazai x you #dazai imagines #dazai+x+reader #dazai osamu x reader #osamu imagine #chuuya packs #chuuya headcanons #bsd dazai osamu #osamu dazai x reader

[theotheroccassionalfanficwriter]

Amidst the Snow Covered Mountains

Summary: You had always believed that after the death of your lover, you would forever wear your red robes as penance for a promise you failed to keep. Your heart had died with him and your time would forever remain frozen. And then Tartaglia arrived in your life, like a sun that melted the snow.

Rating: G

A/N: Heavily inspired by Mo Dao Zu Shi and Tian Guan Ci Fu.

The cold air of Snezhnaya was colder than the air atop the mountain peaks in Jueyun Karst. But the years you’ve spent in service of the Fatui made you acclimated to the cold air that nipped at your nose. Your clothes, a fusion of Snezhnaya and Liyue fashion, were magically enhanced to keep your body in perfect temperature regardless of climate. The fox fur that lined the hems of your sleeves and robes added a regal air to your already noble nature. It made you more aloof and unapproachable compared to the other Harbingers, adding upon your age that was closer to the Tsaritsa’s, not even most of your fellow Harbingers dared to speak informally with you.

Of course, you weren’t spared from the scheming and backstabbing but they were more likely to do it politely or without any crassness. The exception to all of this was Tartaglia, the newly inducted 12th Harbinger. He was a human born to be a warrior, the battlefield was his home and you made no secret of your admiration for his skills.

It was perhaps the reason why he often followed you around like a tail, not that you cared, the human was talkative and yet he was undeniably a genius in fighting. He was also frustratingly obsessed with fighting you despite never winning in any spar, though you appreciated his offers, he brought no challenge to you.

“...Tartaglia, don’t you have to drill your men?” You asked him, your robes immaculate while his were dirtied from the ground and your pyro vision.

Your forehead ribbon fluttered in the cold wind as you remained standing in front of Tartaglia’s collapsed body.

“Columbina,” He panted “at this point you should be offering to help me stand up!”

You couldn’t help the small smile on your lips at hearing him whine. 

“Wait! Did you just smile?”

You ignored his question in favor of walking away, “Stand up, It’s dinner time.”

“Wait for me! Archons, why are you so keen on keeping a regular schedule!” Tartaglia whined as he got up and ran after you, arms slung on your shoulder as both of you walked through Snezhnaya’s eternal winter.

Snezhnaya was colder than the place you used to call home but it with Tartaglia beside you, chattering senselessly in your ear, warmed you better than Fú Shě’s presence.

--

Your existence as an Adeptus, a former Yaksha, was never a secret among the Fatui. It was merely something that no one mentioned to your face, it was acknowledged but never talked about. It meant that Tartaglia asking you about it had thrown you off guard. Strong enough that your usual impassive face had shown emotion.

“Do they discriminate against you for being a Yaksha?!” Tartaglia asked, indignant over an imagined slight.

Something warmth unfurls in your chest but you are quick to dismiss it in favor of grabbing Tartaglia’s collar and stopping him from marching out of your home and into the Palace.

“No. I was just surprised that you’d ask about my past” You replied, voice deceptively calm.

Once Tartaglia returned to his seat, you did the same and took a sip from your honey lemon tea. It had been years since you last thought of your past, the home you left behind and the everything you once held dear. The steam of the tea curls around in the air, the soft muffled sounds of the city filling the silent room of your living area.

You take another sip and began telling your story, “ I used to be part of a Yaksha clan, we were contracted to Rex Lapis for the purpose of quelling the lingering hatred of Liyue’s fallen gods…”

“I was the younger sibling of one of the Foremost Yaksha, thus there were expectations of me rising up to his prestige,” You smiled fondly at the memories, unaware of the sadness that lingered in your eyes “Despite that neither I nor my brother felt any bitterness towards each other. Though I am in his shadows, I know my own worth. My talent lies not in slaughter but in helping them gain peace.”

“As a Yaksha, I travelled around Liyue, village to village, quelling grudges upon grudges. There were times I would cross paths with other Yakshas, sometimes we fought together, sometimes each other. But all of it was for fulfilling our duty,” You took another sip of tea, exhaling as your mind easily drew up the memories you’ve hidden.

You told him, skirting around some details, about your past and how it led you to Snezhnaya. You talked and talked, offering him bits and pieces of a past that left a festering wound in your heart. It was an odd feeling, for someone like you who preferred to be silent, to be talking for so long.

But it was hard not to, not when Tartaglia looked at you with eyes that brightened at your tales, from your battles to your previous mundane life. Eventually the conversation drifted away from your past and to Liyue’s culture and traditions, you answered every question Tartaglia had. From the serious ones to the silly ones, letting him see the Liyue from your memories.

“One of your clan’s specialty was music cultivation,” You revealed to him as your hand absentmindedly fed him cookies, a muscle memory from the past “My brother played the dizi though he preferred to use a sword to fight.”

“And you?”

“A guqin.”

Tartaglia hums, voice soft and inquisitive. You wait for his question.

“Columbina, if I learn to play a dizi, would you play with me?” He asked, almost shy and it makes your heart feel something between pain and comfort.

“Mn.”

Tartaglia’s presence in your life becomes more apparent after that day. And annoyingly, it takes Pulcinella pointing it out for you to notice.

“Tartaglia hasn’t been bothering you, has he?” Pulcinella asked, voice deceptively uncaring.

You blinked at him, the only evidence of your confusion at his question. You knew that for all of Pulcinella’s claims to have no lingering affection for Tartaglia, it was a well-hidden lie. He had after all raised that child, even if it was across the battlefield.

“No.” 

You left, pace unhurried and face emotionless. The weight of Pulcinella’s stare on your back is heavy but you didn’t care for it. You had a scheduled spar with Tartaglia, and you knew he was more bearable if he got beaten up. 

Your arrival in the sparring grounds designated for you and Tartaglia is marked with the sudden silence and loss of familiarity among the lower ranks. It was amusing seeing him momentarily at loss until he turns around and smiles at you, bright and welcoming that it almost makes you falter in your steps. It has been a long time since your presence has been greeted like that.

“Have you warmed up?” You asked as your loyal left hand comes over and takes away your outer robe and gently drapes it over her arms.

Your forehead ribbon flutters in the cold wind, your sword steady in your hand as you stood a few paces away from Tartaglia. It was a clear declaration of challenge, one you would not have done if you had remained within the confines of your clan, if your brother had not left you alone.

But Tartaglia inspires change, he is a breath of fresh air, and when he smiled at you, sharp and just as excited, it makes your blood rush. Reminiscent of the bright summer days in Liyue that you spent with your clan and fellow Yakshas. Bold and carefree.

Tartaglia was an excellent fighter, one that would only grow stronger as time goes by and though he poses no challenge to you right now. He is still a force to be reckoned with, his moves does not allow you to loosen your guard. To fight in the same ease as you would when faced with other Harbingers or the monsters that littered Teyvat. Tartaglia fights with everything that he has, gives his all in every battle he finds himself in.

He is born to be a warrior and you respect that. So you do the same, you treat every spar as if you were up against old gods, curses given to life. You fight seriously and with everything you have because Tartaglia was worth it. He deserves nothing less.

In the end, it ends as it always does. Tartaglia on the ground, your sword at his throat. Your forehead ribbon, immaculate, and your robes free of dirt and yet you could tell that he had gotten stronger, from the slow and unnoticeable labored breathing of your body.

“Yield.”

Tartaglia smiles and in a split second you dodge a hydro aimed at your throat, eyes widening at his new attack that you don’t notice how the hydro dagger had loosened your forehead ribbon until it falls right before your eyes.

‘Your forehead ribbon,’ Your father explains, voice soft and firm but no less loving, ‘can only be removed by your spouse.’

What falls to the ground isn’t the familiar white of your clan’s clothes. It had been thousand of years since you last wore the white robes of your clan. 

‘You wear white all year round! There’s nothing to mourn and yet you act like there is!’ His voice, playful and whining, ‘When we get married are you going to wear white as well?’

The memories come unbidden to your mind. Unpleasant and painful. You could only stare in horror as the red ribbon dropped to the ground, it was the highest quality of silk, golden threads forming the shape of qingxin where clouds used to be. 

“Columbina?”

You leave in a flutter of red robes, forehead ribbon tightly gripped in your hand as you try to escape from the memories you’ve buried deep. You are no longer part of your clan, in name and genealogy, but still you follow its rules and tradition. It was deeply ingrained in you, down to your marrow, that to do so felt odd.Though you have gone lax as the years go by, there were still some rules you strictly adhered to. The forehead ribbon would always be one of them. Though the meaning had changed it was in essence still the same.

‘The forehead ribbons symbolizes our restraint. It is the symbol of our commitment to be free from worldly desires’ Your father explained as he tied your forehead ribbon, ‘It means that though we have forsaken all, it is them we chose not to.’

You stand, a top of Snezhnaya’s frozen mountain, inside a cave you’ve built for seclusion. There are no paths leading to it, only accessible to those like you or the Cryo Archon you worked for. You meditate on the floor, hand still tightly gripping the forehead ribbon.

You think of him, the gentle blue of his robes and his eyes that yearned for strong opponents. You think of the silent promise you made when you left your clan, struck out your name from the genealogy and bowed before Rex Lapis in acknowledgement of your actions.

White for mourning.

Red for a promise left unfulfilled.

You meditate and think of your past actions, refusing to call them wrongs, because you had only ever sought to follow your clan’s principles to the best of your heart. And to stay true to your beloved, to stand on their side, and protect them was no wrong.

--

“It’s been a long time since I heard you play your zither” she greets as she steps into your cave, easily by passing your seals, and stopping right in front of you.

You don’t stop playing the ever familiar notes of Inquiry, absent of any spiritual energy. She sat herself on the stool by the side, listening and waiting for you to finish your song. 

“Has it?” You asked as you put away your guqin, carefully setting it aside on a table specifically made for it.

“Yes. It’s been years since you last played a song on Sīzhuī.”

You tried to recollect your memories, giving her thoughts the consideration it deserved and you found that she was right. It had been years since you last played Inquiry, your last memory of playing it was the night before Tartaglia’s arrival in the Palace, under Pulcinella’s tutelage.

“It seems so” You finally answered, before moving away from your instrument and opting to serve her tea. If only to calm your shaken heart.

“Tartaglia was worried” she spoke as if recounting a normal tale, “enough that he had personally asked me for your whereabouts.”

You say nothing as you wait for the water to boil.

“He looked like he was about to cryー”

You level her a look that clearly states your disbelief and she laughs, continues her words, “or maybe terrorize the local wildlife of Snezhnaya’s mountains to find you.”

That you can agree with. Tartaglia had always been the sort to figure things out before letting his emotions run through him. You appreciated that part of him, and can rely on him when your understanding of people falls short.

“Why?”

“He found out the meaning of your forehead ribbon, and from what I’ve heard you were positively stricken with grief when it came undone.”

It wasn’t a lie but still you felt uneasy at the way she said. As if she knew the exact memory that filled your mind when you saw it come undone and yet her words felt like it had underlying meanings.

“Come out of seclusion and pacify him. He’s stalking down my hallways and I like my palace calm and quiet.” 

You looked at her, “If you truly did, you would have not accepted Tartaglia.”

She smiled at you and said nothing. A silent acknowledgement of a shared fondness for a Harbinger that wrought chaos in his wake. She leaves your cave after securing a promise of coming down after a few more days of meditation.

You watch her leave and think of how despite no longer loving her people, she still cared for them deep within the festering wounds of her heart.

--

Your return is marked with a bright day absent of the usual snowfall. Your red robes are immaculate, forehead ribbon tied perfectly tight on your head, your sword in hand. You walk the familiar halls of Zapolyarny Palace with your held high and back straight. 

Your ribbon flutters in the air as you walk, your long hair swaying in tandem. Your feet takes you to Tartaglia’s wing, to his office where you knew he would be at this time of the day. Dealing with paperwork he loathes but still does because he was a responsible leader for all of the chaos he wreaks.

You knock thrice, and step back on hearing the crash and dash of feet heading towards the door. The thought of your knock being distinct to him makes your chest feel warm.

“You’re back!” Tartaglia cries out as he throws away decorum to hug you in the middle of the hallway. Uncaring of who might hear him or see his action.

You offer no response beyond hugging him. Your hand on his back, patting his much taller form and simply letting him seek whatever it was that he found in you.

“I’m sorry” Tartaglia says, voice soft, in the privacy of his office. 

Years ago you would not have forgiven anyone who dared to do what he had done. Years ago you would have been struck with anger and grief but the years spent away from Liyue had healed your wounded heart, time had lessened the pain you felt from his departure and Tartaglia had softened you in ways you were only beginning to realize.

“No need” You told him, as he laid his head on your lap, face curled up on your stomach.

Years ago, you would not have dared to act so close to anyone in this way. Years ago, the only person who could make you show your heart easily had left. Now, it was easy to allow yourself a simple show of affection towards Tartaglia. A delicate dance of things unsaid and actions speaking louder.

The sight of Tartaglia’s hair against the red of your robes was an image that you wouldn’t forget so easily. You think of the Tsaritsa’s words, of Tartaglia almost crying and you can believe it, in the way he curls his hand on your robes like a child hating to part ways.

You gently card your fingers through his hair, thinking deeply, of what all of this meant. His head on your lap, your hand in his hair, this intimacy that settles well in your bones, the unspoken trust he held for you from the first day he arrived in the palace. The change from that battle-crazy teen to the young man that was a finely honed weapon of war that stood as your equal.

“I was afraid you know,” Tartaglia looked at you through his long lashes “that you’d end up hating me or leaving forever.”

You said nothing.

“There were records─of you and your past─nothing substantial but enough if one knew the ins and outs of the story” Tartaglia’s hand curled tightly on your robes, crinkling it in his tight grasp, “I didn’t know.”

“No one did” You replied.

And it was the truth. No one knew how much you cared for that bright eyed human who feared no one. Not even you knew the lengths you would have gone for him, not until you’ve slaughtered your way towards him in a vain attempt to save him.

No one until Tartaglia had been able to piece the missing pieces. To learn the truth behind the red of your robes and the deep scars on your back. It felt like a weight off your shoulders. To be known without speaking the painful truths, putting into words what had transpired that day in Nantianmen. 

“I’ll be more careful when sparring with you.”

“No need.”

You looked into his eyes, “You’re most beautiful when untamed.”

The red that bloomed in his face was your favorite shade of red.

--

From that moment onwards, it was rare to see you without Tartaglia right next to your side. It meant that the two of you were always sent out together across the seven nations with the exception of Liyue. Tartaglia left stories in his wake, about his battle prowess, and adding more to his myths in Snezhnaya.

With him by your side, few people paid attention to you. As it should, Tartaglia was meant to shine brightly, eclipsing the entire room with his presence. Despite that, you made your way into his tales, stories speculating, judging, your relationship with him.

“Lovers” the bards from Mondstadt claim.

“Sworn brothers” the story tellers from Liyue insist.

“Soulmates” the poets from Fontaine declared.

“Aibou” the rakugo masters from Inazuma tell.

“Taw'am roHi” the scholars from Sumeru assert.

“Iyakiciyuha” Natlan’s storytellers announce.

“Rodstvennuyu dushu” Snezhnayan minstrels whisper.

The speculations didn’t bother you as much as what it could do to your relationship with Tartaglia. You cared for him, considered him as a friend and a reliable ally. You wouldn’t want this fragile sort of intimacy between the two of you to be tarnished by 

For all of your supposed aloofness, you cared deeply for him and in extension everything related to him. It meant that his opinion mattered.

“Does it bother you?” Tartaglia had asked, eyes uncharacteristically serious, as he sat on your bed.

You paused and then replied, “It would if it affected us the way we are right now.”

“I see.”

And that was the end of it. Nothing changed, Tartaglia stuck to you like glue and you remained at his side, partnering with him to minimize the fall out of his chaos, fighting with him side by side until both of you could effortlessly fight together in battle like one mind in two bodies.

Tartaglia spent more time in your room during missions until it was more sensible to room together during work trips if only to avoid wasting money for a room that was mostly unused. Then it bled to your private life where Tartaglia opted to spend his time in your home on short holidays rather than travel back to Morepesok.

Which led to meeting some of his siblings, the youngest three had taken a shine to you. It was odd and fascinating to see three young look-alikes of Tartaglia, calling him Ajax. It was even more fascinating seeing him blunder about, desperately trying to hide his real job from his siblings and his former name from you.

You drive their attention away by mentioning your gifts and Tartaglia offers you a grateful smile. The siblings spent time in your home, making a mess out of it and you laugh Tartaglia’s worries away.

“It makes this place look lived in” You told him just as Anton abandons Sīzhuī in favor of your drums.

Tartaglia said nothing to that, only staring at you in a way that you can’t quite understand. But as quickly as you caught his look, it disappeared just as well with Teucer barreling to your legs.

The rest of his siblings visit descend into mayhem, a welcome one, there are demands for toys and adventures, and you grant all of it. You have been in service of the Tsaritsa for a long time and barely had any worldly desires to be able to make a dent on your savings. You are arguably the richest Harbinger alive. Spending your dusty money for a child’s happiness was worth it.

Tartaglia’s grateful smile was worth it.

The warm feeling in your heart that takes days to dissipate after their departure was worth it.

Tartaglia permanently living with you was worth it. 

--

“Our clan loves deeply,” Your father once said, voice somber and looking at a painting of a mother you’ve never met “almost like a curse.”

You didn’t understand until the day came when you changed your white robes for red ones.

--

Tartaglia was a complex character. A human who keeps you on your toes and leaves you wanting more and more until it becomes impossible to keep yourself away from worldly desires. Five thousand nine hundred and eighty six years of cultivation practice that abstains from worldly desires went down the drain when you met him.

You didn’t even know.

Tolerance gave way to fondness.

Fondness to love.

You didn’t know when your time started moving forward again, when remembering no longer brought pain and sorrow. By the time you noticed it, it was too late.

You could no longer escape from it, no path of retreat left, not when his touch brings you warmth. Not when he looks at you so softly, so fond with his bright blue eyes that it feels too much. Not when his absence feels like a loss of limb, not when necessity dictates a separation.

There is no other word for this.

And so, you play Sīzhuī in the night and meditate.

Love is a curse and Tartaglia only deserves the blessings of the world.

--

Tartaglia, Ajax as he was called back then, remembers growing up hearing the stories about an Adeptus in Snezhnaya, it was the talk of the town and every adult knew the story that was passed down.

The adeptus, male, with red robes that was too thin for Snezhnaya’s climate showed up with the Tsaritsa. His hair was inky black and flowed like silk, his eyes were gold if it was melted, his skin was perfect. Tartaglia remembered the stories that his father told him about you, your fights that left a mark in Snezhnaya’s history, strategies that had every scholar from Sumeru debating endlessly on its merits and demerits, but what remained deeply etched in his heart and memory was a story only known to their family.

You had saved his father, once in his youth as an adventurer, there was an avalanche and his father had resigned himself to death. Only to be saved at the last minute by you. You had came in, standing on your sword, red robes fluttering in the wind as you scooped his father up and away from the path of the avalanche and into safety.

No words were exchanged.

You left just as quickly as you came. Back straight and hair fluttering in the wind, very much like the noble heroes depicted in Liyue’s literature.

And Ajax had wanted that, had dreamt of fighting with you side by side as an equal, and then dreamt of you. His fall to the abyss did nothing to dampen that desire, it only served to fuel him further, his ambition becoming a tangled mess of wanting adventures, getting stronger and at the heart of it all you.

He’s thrown into the Fatui and then he meets you. 

Every story told about you describes you in the same way, a handsome adeptus who wore red clothes and a forehead ribbon with golden qingxin embroidered in it. The thing is no one mentioned the weight of your stare, to have molten gold eyes to look at you from above and make you feel as if you were lowly.

It was what Ajax felt when he had arrived in the Palace, what Tartaglia felt when he became a Harbinger.

It doesn’t curb down his desire though. It only spurred him on, made him want to have myths and legends created about him, to match the ones you’ve left in the annals of history, until his name, his title becomes synonymous with yours.

The thing is nothing was as good as the real deal. Everyone told him about your golden words, how you rarely speak unless absolutely necessary, how you were cold and aloof and the thing is they are so so wrong.

There is nothing aloof or cold about you.

Your words are golden but Tartaglia can hear your unspoken words from the curve of your lips to the small frown of your face and even the glint of your eyes.

And it thrills him.

To know you in such a way that no one ever would. The entire world can have your myths and legends but Tartaglia? He would have you, the realest version of you that has preferences and quirks and gets drunk so easily that it leaves his heart gasping and insides twisting from the sheer amount of fondness you evoke from him.

He loves you, from the start, he thinks.

And then the forehead ribbon happened and for the first time Tartaglia was at loss, hurt and fearful and definitely bloodthirsty. The grief and shock in your eyes, the visible pain when you saw your ribbon at the ground had him panicking.

The win felt bitter in his tongue, as he watched your red robes flutter away with each quick step you took away from him. He stared dumbly at your retreating back and regrets. Your disappearance feels like years when in reality it was months but still Tartaglia wreaks enough chaos and havoc in his wake that had the Tsaritsa calling him back and then receives the story.

It wasn’t a complete one but it was enough.

It takes several trips to Snezhnaya’s mountains and a couple of manmade avalanches before the Tsaritsa takes one look at him and orders him to stay in his office until your return. And Tartaglia does his best to not look like a child sent to be grounded but it was hard, even his dedication to his duty could not stand to his desire to fly to your side and remain there but he relents.

And only when Pulcinella had revealed that no human would be able to access your cave because it was on top of Snezhnaya’s tallest mountain.

So he resigned himself to waiting. He resigned himself to whatever it was you would do once you returned, resigned himself to lose you because Tartaglia is many things but he was never one to hurt his loved ones.

And then as always you overturn his expectations, you welcome him, you forgive him and then you make him fall for you all over again and Tartaglia resents you a little bit for it.

(It was a lie, he could never bring himself to resent you.)

The change started from there, he tests the waters, gauging how much you can take before you drew a line before him. He stands too close to you, hands on your waist or any other body part, sleeps in your room during away missions more often than not until the two of you begin sharing a room then a bed. You don’t care about the rumors, the speculations, you love his siblings and Tartaglia could see a future with you.

And then Liyue happens.

-- 

It goes like this, you are assigned to oversee the operation in Liyue and Tartaglia is to take the Gnosis. He reports his findings to you and you give him leads.

He follows and eventually befriends the funeral parlor consultant. Then he learns about you. Snippets of a history written in blood and separation of lovers, and between father and son. Just as you’ve left your traces in Snezhnaya’s history, you’ve left your touch in Liyue’s tea houses.

And it leaves a bitter taste of jealousy in Tartaglia’s mouth.

He thinks of your guqin, named Sīzhuī, meaning to remember. 

He thinks of your new red robes sans the fur, your red forehead ribbon. 

“The adeptus had loved the mortal man enough to slaughter his way through 100 clan elders to save a single mortal who walked away from the path of righteousness.” 

He thinks of everything you gave up for one man and Tartaglia wants that for himself.

And yet he does nothing about it. Instead he devotes himself to the mission, enjoys the time between preparing for his next move and doing his day job at the bank with spending it with either you or Zhongli. He doesn’t ask you about the little details in your life during your tenure as an Adeptus.

He doesn’t ask the questions he wants.

Because above all, Tartaglia had always respected you so he waits until you can tell him everything. In the end, it takes a fight between the two of you before it happens.

--

“I don’t want to involve the weak.” 

“...I’ll draft up another plan then.”

--

Any other person would have been hurt by the lies, the deception, and the manipulation. Tartaglia isn’t any other person.

He is rational and meticulous when it comes to his job as a Harbinger, and he recognizes this event as part of it. It chafes at him but ultimately he can carry on with this blight in his reputation. And that was the thing, it was supposed to be blight in his, not yours.

Not the romanticized hero Liyue made you out to be, not the upright and honorable Harbinger you are.

Tartaglia can take it. He can afford being used as a scapegoat, can weather out his role as a villain in Liyue’s history. He cannot, will not, however allow your reputation to be tarnished.

He rages, he schemes, he makes a scene but all of it is for nothing. Not when it's your scheme he is up against, not when you were so determined to make yourself a villain in this story. And for the first time, Tartaglia saw how big the gap between the two of you were. He thinks three steps ahead and you think ten.

He is no match at all and it burns him. Enough so that Zhongli had noticed and commented on it,

“Is it not better this way for you?”

“Xiansheng,” Tartaglia bites out “I’d rather not have them suffer at all.”

And it was the truth. Tartaglia would rather have his name drag through the mud than let you experience the scorn of the people you once sought to protect. 

Zhongli gives him a considering look and Tartaglia does his best to settle his agitation, to be calm as you once instructed him. Eventually Zhongli speaks,

“It is their good fortune to have met you in this lifetime” He takes a sip of his tea, staring into the cup, “Have you considered the reason behind their action?”

Tartaglia thinks of the stories of the romance between you and your former almost husband. The 100 lashes that left a deep scar on your back, your eventual departure from your clan and the service of Rex Lapis. He thinks of the shape of your love and it leaves him reeling.

He leaves a mora pouch on the table and makes his way to you, to your side and he wants to beg for forgiveness, to demand you to stop because Tartaglia does not require your sacrifice.

He just wants you.

--

Years ago, you resigned yourself to never step foot in this place. Accepted that perhaps Liyue would never be your home from the moment everything you held dear slipped through your fingers.

But Fate was a funny thing.

Here you stood in the ancestral hall, sitting before your Father and Mother’s stone tablet. Staring blankly at the curling smoke of the incense with a heavy heart filled with regrets.

Your cousin sits beside you, the clan leader after your departure and Fú Shě’s eventual ascension.

“Uncle regretted it.”

“Mn.”

“The night before he died, he called me in his room. I wasn’t born yet when you left or when tang ge disappeared but I grew up hearing stories of you.”

You gave her a sad smile.

She laughs it off, a rare personality among your reticent clansmen, it was a welcome one, “You were somewhere between a cautionary tale and someone to look up to. The clan elders said that your love was the perfect example of what it means to love deeply and what it means to suffer for it.”

You watch her twiddle her thumbs, exhale and continue on, “Uncle told me that if one day you returned, he wanted you to be written back to the clan genealogy. He regretted punishing you for what you did. That he made it seem like you had to leave with nothing on you except your savings.”

“We are cultivators, I would have survived nonetheless with my meager savings.”

“You shouldn’t have” She insists, and their is righteousness in her eyes, in her conduct, in her bones, that empathizes with the people “I can’t condone you for killing 100 of our clan elders but I can understand why you did what you have to do.”

You smiled at her, feeling the knot in your heart disappear. Because this was what you had wanted back then, when faced with the option to uphold your duty or abandon your beloved. You just wanted to be understood for your actions, to not be painted in any other light beyond loving someone deeply. There was no righteousness or depravity.

There was only you seeing your beloved suffering persecution and wanting to save them.

“Thank you.”

She smiles at you and just like that years of grievances are put to rest. There is no father, no mother, or brother to return to but your heart is at ease and free of suffering. You look at your cousin, the clan leader, and asked her,

“What should I call you?”

She smiled and answered, “Birth name Xīnjiān, courtesy name Zhīyuàn.”

“Xīnjiān to have a strong heart, and Zhīyuàn to know peace” You showed your appreciation for her name, praising it, “This clearly shows your parents' wishes for you. To have a heart that never wavers and to always be at peace.”

You look up to your parents' stone tablet, at your brother’s mini statue and silently bid them farewell and an apology. To your cousin you say, “The clan is in good hands, with you at the helm even the disappearance of Rex Lapis would not hinder the clan's future.”

This time you leave your clan home, not with a barely healed back, a broken heart and grim determination. Instead you step out of the gate with your back straight and head held high, your robes are still red, your forehead ribbon still bearing the golden qingxin.

You are welcome to return but you knew deep in your heart that your home lies elsewhere. There was no need to have your tarnished reputation to blacken your clan’s doors.

You slowly walk your way down, the golden gingko leaves falling as the winds rustle the branches. You think of your past, the choices you made and the choices you will make. Despite the uncertainty of what the future holds your footsteps are light as you walk down the thousand steps of your former home.

“Our clan loves deeply,” Your father once said, voice somber and looking at a painting of a mother you’ve never met “almost like a curse.”

And then he turned to you with a smile, equal parts sad and happy, “but with the right person it is a blessing.”

“Bàbà, what do you mean?”

“It means that with the right person our love would not cause suffering either to us or to our spouse.”

Tartaglia stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up to you, and then he ran up the stairs meeting you halfway and closing the gap between the two of you.

You understood then what your father had meant, that day in his study.

--

At the end of it all, Tartaglia asks the one question he had always feared,

“Do you still love him?”

You clutch his hand tight and answered, “Always. But it doesn’t mean I don’t love you either.”

Tartaglia doesn’t speak.

“I’ll always love him, but it isn’t the same way as it was then. I used to think that I’d never be able to love again, that my time had stopped when they died,” You’re too afraid to look at Tartaglia so you settle your sights on the scenery in front of you “and then I met you. Without realizing it, my time started moving forward and this heart of mine started beating again.”

You smiled and intertwined his fingers with yours, hands tightly clasped together as if fearing separation.

“To have met you, in the lowest point of my life, is my greatest fortune.” 

And it was the truth. You didn’t know what you would have done if Tartaglia hadn’t appeared in your life that day. If he hadn’t pestered you.

He pulls you back to him and you let yourself be pulled, crashing into his chest.

“I love you” He declares “I want to spend everyday with you, crossing swords with you, I want to be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night.”

He lifts your face, hand gently holding it and stares deep into your golden eyes and bares his heart out for you, “I don’t need you to sacrifice yourself for me, I just want you.”

You looked at him with astonishment, your face burning bright red from his admission.

“Columbina, back then I’ve always wanted to sleep with you!”

The two of you stood at the other end of the terrace occupied by Zhongli and the Traveler. You could bear to look at him, not when your head felt light and your heart felt like it could fly up any moment. Not when it felt like you can ascend right now from the sheer happiness of Tartaglia loving you back.

“I’ve never been in love before. I-I know that I can’t compare to him but for me it has only ever been you! I love you, I fancy you, I cherish you! I want you more than I want to dominate the world! I can’t live without you!”

“...”

Tartaglia took your hand and placed it on his chest, above his heart, “You told me once, if I can’t tell by the face then listen to the heart. Then listen to mine. I want to do it with you every day. This isn’t just me joking or a momentary fancy. I just love you so much that I want to sleep with you, I can’t feel this way towards anyone else but you!”

Through his warm chest, and rough fabric of his uniform, you felt the rapid beating of his heart.

“Columbina, I want to do everything with you, you can do anything to me and I’d accept it as long as you’re willing!”

“...willing…” You mumbled, head bent and hair covering the sides of your face.

“That’s right! I’m willing to accept anything you do to me!”

You stepped closer to him, curling up in his arms and Tartaglia saw the red tip of your ears and slowly, ever so slowly it dawned on him as you spoke clearly with a slight tremble in your voice,

“I am willing.” 

You smiled, soft and small that one would almost think they were seeing things but they weren’t. Even as an adeptus you had rarely smiled, few people over the course of your life had seen you smile. They could even be counted on one hand.

But today, Tartaglia saw you smile like a glaze lily that was unfurling its petals at night.

Zhongli, the Traveler, Paimon, and countless others who were looking your way were stunned into silence. No one expected to see you smile after Osial’s release, and the Qixing’s announcement.

【Folklore】

There is a famous statue of lovers in Liyue and Snezhnaya, two immortals facing each other, one holding a forehead ribbon on his hand and the other holding the other immortal’s hand on his.

The two statues depicted Tartaglia the Warrior, and Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn. It is said that worshiping one statue alone would bring misfortune. Don’t believe it? Then rub the forehead ribbon on Tartaglia’s hand, kowtow three times to Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn and then propose to your lover only to get turned down.

Or buy a lottery ticket, rub Tartaglia’s hand and then wait for the results only to miss out on the jackpot. Therefore, if one wasn’t particular in worshipping the two it was better to stay away from them and just show your respects from afar.

However, if you were to worship them both together, offer them a cup of nuptial wine then a miracle would happen. The two would expel each other’s misfortune and bring forth twice the fortune.

Legends say that the reason for this was that the two immortals had loved each other deeply, Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn was said to be willingly sacrifice himself for Tartaglia, and Tartaglia was said to be unwilling in letting his beloved suffer. Therefore, to worship one over the other was to deny their deep love for the other, conversely to worship both together was to acknowledge their deep love for each other.

Therefore regardless of station in life, many would come to worship Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn and Tartaglia together, but most common among them were lovers and people who were heartbroken. This was because it was well-known, most especially in Snezhnaya and Liyue, that the two were fated to each other.

It was the reason why the common depiction of the two was facing each other, ten fingers clasped together with Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn red forehead ribbon intertwined in between their fingers.

#genshin impact childe x reader #childe x reader #tartaglia x reader #genshin impact x reader

[saturnsummer]

Solhwi prompt:

Sol A tries to set up a date between sol B and joonhwi after his court 'confession' (even though she is lowkey jealous) assuming he was talking about her and confusion ensues... And if you can use the following dialogue-

"Sol, it's you. It has always been you."

love's complicated.

Sol A's not jealous. She really isn't.

But what was this twisting, nerve wracking feeling that she feels every time she sees Sol B?

notes: prompted by @confusedsoulsramblings ! i had so much fun writing this, i had to add a small bonus at the end. i had no intention on making this so long, but i guess it’s my trait to make long fics. spelling, grammar and incorrect information will be taken responsible by me. thank you all for support, once again! let me know of more prompts, questions or your reviews! feedback and criticism very much appreciated! thank you all, once again for the endless love!!

words: 3000 words.

ao3

Sol shouldn't be any less shocked during Yeseul's trial. When Prosecutor Jin cornered Joon Hwi with his question, she turned to look at her roomie at the same time she did. Then, she saw Joon Hwi’s eyes trail nervously, fluttering between them both. Sol knew his answer from the look on his face. 

It was never her to begin with.

She wasn't angry. She wasn't upset. She expected it. Sol B was sophisticated, graceful and beautiful. She knew how all the freshmen would nickname her "Ice Princess.". Could anyone disagree? Furthermore, coming from a family of lawyers and prosecutors, who wouldn't love her? She was a dream child. She possessed both the brains and the beauty. 

Joon Hwi was always open with his teasing and words. He loved teasing her over their first meeting at the bookstore. He loves visiting Byeol randomly, even when Sol isn't home. He often comments with sentences that could have secondary meanings, and was very much teased by Bokgi. Even though he infuriated her sometimes, she always smiled with him.

Sol felt special, if she was honest. She felt like the only girl that he had his eyes on. She couldn’t help but feel tingly inside and her heart blooming like flowers in spring. Yeseul spent hours convincing Sol that Joon Hwi likes her, and on some nights, she liked to fantasied to the thought of it. 

Of course, it means nothing to her now.

Sol sits alone in the study room, huffing out a sigh. She ruffles her hair and buries her face into her sweater sleeves. She can't believe that she can't study due to Joon Hwi liking her roommate. She doesn't like the twisting feeling in her stomach, and she doesn't know what it's called, too.

Was she... jealous? 

Sol shakes her head vigorously and slaps her face a couple of times. No, she thinks, and lets out a breathy laugh. She can’t be. As far as her feelings went, she never considered seeing Joon Hwi more than best friends. The chances of him liking her was held at a much higher percentage than her liking him, in Sol’s head. 

But thinking back, she couldn’t deny her feelings anymore. She couldn’t bury her feelings any further, especially now that she has accidentally dug them up. Her snarky remarks, the way she acted with him, the burning feelings she felt whenever someone spoke bad of him, her smiles that she would sometimes save for him. 

Maybe, she does had feelings for this second round judicial exam passer. 

But at the same time, she felt wrong. Her roomie was oh, so obviously in love with Joon Hwi, harbouring such toxic feelings felt wrong. It felt backstabbing and so betraying. She couldn’t be jealous. She can’t be, anymore. She should be happy, for her best friend to fancy such a perfect partner like Sol B.

Even if it meant that her feelings were not returned, she didn't mind. 

Because his happiness and smile was enough for her. 

-----

Sol did her best to squash those toxic feelings. She reminded herself that her roomie was in love with her best friend, and her best friend felt the same. She avoided every moment she was caught between them and always scooted away when Joon Hwi wanted to sit with her. She gave lame excuses (”I want to sit with Yeseul”, “Yebeom needs to help me with a case”), but her feelings only bubbled up stronger inside. 

She witnessed as her cold faced roomie soften in her speech when talking to Joon Hwi, the way her eyes softened when he would explain something to her, the way he gave the exact same smile to her when he witnesses her finally figuring things on her own. Or the eyes that he gives when he devours his ramyeon while Sol eats her extra pickles with equal fervour. 

If Sol was being honest and straightforward, she wanted to take out her anger on Joon Hwi. For leading her on to believing that he liked her. For being so flirty with her that even BokGi wanted to join in on the teasing. For playing her into this game, only to leave her hanging and lost and completely blindsided by his feelings.

But no, she couldn’t. She knew it wasn’t his fault. She blamed herself, for letting herself be lead by him. She blamed herself for falling for him, instead of focussing on her studies. She was always more rash and emotional. 

It was her decision to fall for his charms, not his. 

She can’t bring herself to blame him, knowing that Joon Hwi was always like this. Mumbling with low spirits, she sunk lower into her chair in the empty study room. She purposely didn’t want to tell anyone that she would be studying in the study room, in hopes that she could be alone. Heading back to her dorm was not an option, since her roomie’s presence would made her so guilty.

“Why the long sigh, sunbae?” She freezes at the nickname. Internally, a part of her lights up, recognising the voice, but even more the nickname that was said. As quickly as it came, it dissipated as she finally registered who it was, and her guilt ridden feelings came right back up. 

Joon Hwi walked in, with his bag slung over, his signature smirk on his face. Pulling a chair, he scooted it over nearer to Sol. Peering over her book, he leaned closer and grabbed the pen she was holding.

“Ooh, criminal codes. Are you having trouble?” He asks, leaning closer to her. 

Sol was so glad he was not looking at her. His body was so near hers, that she could smell the fresh cologne he wore, and the slight musk of sweat from a whole day of work. She couldn’t stay here any longer, while having a knot in her stomach. Leaping from her chair, she gathered her books, nearly scaring Joon Hwi and she quickly packed her things. 

“I... I just remembered that I needed to meet Yeseul for something!” She blurts out, before running out the room. 

She ran up to where the lecture halls were at, before going back down and escape to a part of their campus garden. She always took the same spot, a hidden corner hidden away by a tree that even Joon Hwi isn’t aware of. She frequented that area many times, when she was still insecure about making friends and found it particularly comforting.

“This is no good, I can’t run off every time I see him.” She mumbles to herself. She knew she was right. She knew Joon Hwi was smart to catch on about her not attending classes as usual with her seat next to him. Even though she still showed up for study group, she knew that he could sense the change in her mood. 

She needed a plan, and she needed it ASAP. 

-----

A week passed after her awkward encounter. Sol had gotten used to the twisted feeling in her stomach. After a week of debating in her head, she formulated her plan to get her feelings over and done with. 

She was going to have her roommate and Joon Hwi date. 

Sol had figured that if there’s anything she does best, it’s to disappoint herself. Instead of losing face to her best friend and confessing to him about how she felt, she much rather have her feelings crushed instead. Because she knows that he will probably debate on who to choose and she couldn’t let him be the decision maker. He doesn't need to make such a difficult decision. 

Besides, Sol knew her roomie’s situation. With an overbearing and controlling mother, the least she could do to make her happy was to have the man she crushed on. He could at least help her in her studies, benefitting her mother’s dreams of being a judge one day and have him by her side forever. 

Sol knew the date was going to go well. Sol B had the hugest crush, Joon Hwi would have might as well admitted to her that he had feelings for her in front of the whole court room. All they were missing were private moments alone, without their textbooks and no mentions of school. Oh, and maybe a few glasses of wine and a fancy restaurant in town.

And so Sol found herself in the study room alone again, thinking about how to tell Joon Hwi about setting up a date between Sol B. 

Apparently, fate meant for it to happen now.

Because Joon Hwi strode in, a familiar smile on his face, in his hoodie. 

“Stuck again?” Joon Hwi says, nodding to her books on the table. She contemplates going into small talk and saying yes, but pushes her thoughts aside. No, she needed this out of her system. 

“Joon Hwi, how would you like to go on a date with Sol B?” She blurts out, literally making her point across. Joon Hwi is stunned for a moment, as he sets his bag on the table, leaning on a chair. 

“Well...what makes you think I would enjoy it?” Joon Hwi stutters back, clearly stunned. 

“Oh, I mean, well, you know how Sol B likes you, don’t you? And I think it’ll be nice for you to go on a date with her. You know get to know my roomie more.” Sol replies as casually as she can. A part of her hopes he says no, that he rather spends his time doing anything else. 

But instead, he just shrugs and nods. 

And her heart drops, shattering like glass into a thousand pieces. She maintains her bright smile on her face, and even gives a convincing laugh. Sol sits through the next ten minutes of her telling Joon Hwi when she’s free tomorrow and promising she won’t tell anyone, not even Yeseul. 

As best as she can, she excuses herself from him, hoping her voice isn’t shaky when she says “I hope you enjoy your date!” as she walks away. Her steps are shaky and she feels lightheaded. She doesn't notice how her eyes are teary, the same way they get when she cuts onions. 

Rushing to the washroom nearest to the garden, she locks herself in a cubicle and takes deep silent breaths. She concentrates on breathing and tries brainwashing herself. Come on, Sol, you can’t be upset for him. You should be happy! Joon Hwi is going on a date! And he’s going with the best girl you know! Why are you upset? She repeatedly chants this in her head, holding in her tears as best she can.

But it unfortunately isn’t enough when she finally cracks, letting the pent up sadness explode from it’s cage, her tears streaming down. She prays the bathroom is empty when she wails and sobs, crumbling to the floor in a heap of tears as she can’t help but get the image of her crush and roommate holding hands and kissing. 

For once in her life, she has never felt so hurt, but she couldn’t blame anyone but herself for putting herself in this situation. She landed herself in this ditch, and now she has to deal with the fact that her crush, her best friend, will be dating her roommate. 

Composing herself, she wipes her tears dry and washes her splotchy face. She rejects Yeseul’s offer for dinner, resorting to spending her night at the campus garden away in her hiding spot. She’s cold, but it’s nowhere near the numbness she feels in her heart deep down. When it gets too cold at 2am, she sneaks back into campus and goes to the long sofas in front of the Lady of Justice statue. 

She sits there staring into space for a long while, before carrying her bag to the, now empty and deserted, study room, where she crouches to the corner of the room. She’s reminded of the moments where he would sit with her so close, their shoulders brushed each other and their fingers always fumbled around for stationary. Everything reminds her of him, and she falls asleep, huddled in a corner, just as the rare rays of sun start to emerge.

She wanted him, but he wasn't hers anymore. 

-----

“Sol. Sol, get up.” She hears a familiar voice say. Having slept for less than six hours, she’s groggy and rubs her eyes. Her back hurts from being hunched over, and her joints are sore and stiff. Her vision comes to focus as she comes face to face with Joon Hwi.

“Ah!” She yelps out, startled by his presence and retreats back, only banging her head against the metal cabinets instead. She winces and rubs her head, soothing her pain. Joon Hwi sighs and holds out his hand. She swats his hand away. 

“Why are you here?” Sol asks Joon Hwi. Joon Hwi holds a serious expression as he steps back to let Sol stand on her own. 

“I take back what I said yesterday.” He says suddenly. 

“Huh?”

“I’m not going on a date with Sol B anymore. I don’t want to.” He blurts out. Sol takes a moment to register his words. Immediately, anger floods in. She can’t tell if it’s residual anger from being mad at him for playing her, or anger on behalf of her roommate. 

“What? What do you mean? But Sol B likes you so much! You should at least give her a chance!” Sol argues back, making her way to the other side of the table at the same time, dumping her bag there. She’s proper angry now, letting her emotions take charge of her actions. Her eyes are frustrated and her face frowns. Joon Hwi stops her and grabs her wrist, stopping her from moving away from him and pulls her back to the same side of the table that he is. 

“I don’t like her. And I don’t think I ever will.” He admits. Sol is breathless, taking in all this new information. But during the court, it was so clear that it was her roommate. She can’t do it, having Joon Hwi so close to her, wanting to be with him, yet getting told that he harbours no feelings for Sol B. The tension she felt was driving her crazy.

“But...” Her speech comes out breathless, almost suffocated out of anger and frustration. 

“Sol.” His voice is an octave lower, as he leans towards her, his face closing the distance. “Listen to me.”

“It’s you. It has always been you. From the beginning, it was always you.” 

Sol lets out a breath, almost suffocating from the tension. 

It...it was her? 

All this while...? 

“I thought... I thought...” She hates how her voice is so full of breath. She’s leaning against the table, and his hands have shifted from her wrist to the side of the table, trapping her.“I thought you liked her. I thought this entire while, she was the one you liked.”

“Maybe this will make you trust me.” 

And he presses his mouth against hers. 

Sol’s startled, not used to Joon Hwi being so dominating. But his soft lips against hers distract her. She removes her hands from the table, bringing them up to his hang around his neck. His hands slowly make their way to her waist as they move in sync. When they finally part, Sol’s face is blushed bright red. She feels his hot breath against her face.

“Believe me now, sunbae?” 

-----

bonus:

Sol B tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ears when she stops in her tracks to meet Joon Hwi.

“Hey, um, can we talk?” He asks awkwardly. She doesn’t know why she feels so calm, knowing that she should be feeling butterflies for having her crush talk to her. Nodding, they head to a spot until the staircases. 

“I don’t know how to put it...” Sol B realises where this conversation is going. In fact, she has been waiting for this day, ever since Yeseul’s court hearing. She knows what he’s going to say before he even says it. 

“You don’t like me, you like Sol A, right?” She completes his sentence. Joon Hwi fumbles in his speech and finds ways to defend himself quickly. But Sol B is quick to cut him off.

“It’s okay.” She says, the closest thing to a satisfied face she can make on her face. “I fully support you.”

“You’re... you’re not sad? Or angry?” Joon Hwi is cautious with his questions. Sol gives a slight scoff. If she’s honest, she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what begin her crush for him, to begin with. She can’t remember if it was the way he answered questions, or the time he helped her put on her glasses. All she knows is that he didn’t like her, and she felt peace with that.

“I’ve seen the way you look at her. Your smile and your eyes are enough to prove it. Besides, that's who you were talking about in court, wasn’t it? You wanted to protect her.” She asks. He nods, eyes unable to meet hers. 

When Sol B went to bed the night before, she noticed that her roomie was nowhere. Assuming that she was out studying, she went to bed. But when she woke up the next morning, Sol B found her bed still the same state as last night. It was obvious she didn’t return to the dorm. 

“She didn't come back last night.” Sol B says and Joon Hwi’s eyes widen in panic. 

“What?”

“Check the study room. She might just be studying there.”

“Okay.” He says and turns around. But he turns around once more before jogging away.

“Thank you, for everything.” 

Sol B gives a suppressed smile as she watches Joon Hwi get further and further from him. She tries all she can to find anger, jealousy, sadness, brokenness, denial. 

But yet, all she feels is calming peace. 

#writers on tumblr #jtbc drama #jtbc #jtbc law school #law school #joonsola #kang sol a #kang sol b #kang sol a x han joon hwi #han joon hwi #ryu hye young #kim beom #jeon yeseul #original by akinosakiya #kdrama #korean #netflix #netflix drama #law school kdrama #law school jtbc #law school netflix #solhwi by akino #solhwi #askakino

[fispernul]

Namaari is the real hero

Raya: “Are you supposed to have that?” Namaari: “Pfft! No”

“Princess Namaari, the Tail lands are infested with Druun. Benja’s daughter is as good as stone out here. Retrieving some useless dragon scroll isn’t worth the risk”

Namaari: “Anyone else want to question why we’re out here?

Namaari: “I gotta admit, Raya, until a few months ago, I thought you were stone. But then, someone stole Fang’s dragon scroll”

Raya: “Oh, is that why you are chasing me? And here I thought it was because you missed me”

She never answers why she is after Raya. Namaari knows only one person outside of Fang knows about the dragonscroll, and she will also know why Raya took it. We see how many rivers Raya already checked in those few months. If Namaari was really after Raya to stop her, she would have done so much sooner. Namaari has always been helping Raya.

Namaari wants to help Raya make Kumandra a reality again. Raya has her own personal agenda as to why she is on this quest and it has nothing to do with Kumandra. Namaari truly believes in Kumandra and Raya clearly doesn’t. Raya keeps pointing out that she is only doing this to get her father back.

Raya: “That’s ancient history, ba”

Namaari: “But if we could find it, could you imagine? A dragon back in the world? Things could be so much better.”

Raya: “I just really, really want my ba back”

Raya: “And bring my ba back?”

Raya: “Kumandra is a fairy tale. The only thing important to me now is bringing my ba back.”

This is also weird because she blames her father for what happened. Now I know you might thing otherwise because of Raya introducing Namaari to Sisu as the “backstabbing binturi that broke the world”. But why would she keep the Sisu necklace and not only “take good care of it” but even use it in the ritual to bring Sisu back? I’m sure that when Raya collected the other things back at Heart like the chalice there would have been another Sisu artefact she could have used. Why use a gift from someone you don’t trust?

Benja: “Trust me”

Raya: “I’ve made a mistake. I trusted someone I shouldn’t have, and now the world’s broken”

She wasn’t talking about Namaari here.

Benja: “They’re only our enemies because they think the Dragon Gem magically gives us prosperity”

Namaari: “This is actually one of the first times I’ve had rice in a while”

Namaari: “Fang may look nice on the outside, but we have some pretty big holes on the inside”

Chief Virana: “Go on, it’s okay”

Namaari has always believed in Sisu and Kumandra but as princess of Fang she will do what she needs to to keep her people safe. When she believes having the Dragon Gem gives prosperity she will go as far as betraying Raya.

Namaari: “But you heard the general. We’re running out of space. We need to expand. If we had all the gem pieces, we could do that safely. You’re right. This isn’t an emotional decision, it’s the only decision we can make to secure Fang’s future.”

Chief Virana: “And that’s how the land of Fang rose in spite of all the monsters that wanted to destroy us. Because we’re smart, resilient, and we take care of one another.”

Raya: “I got kicked in the back by someone who gave me a gift”

Namaari: “It was Sisu. She can fix what we broke”

Namaari: “But we… We never meant for anyone to get hurt.”

So now the Druun have been back for six years. Fang has been known as not to be trusted and the issue of food scarcity and insufficient safe land has grown even larger.

Tong: “There blades are specially designed for the stabbing of backs”

Chief Virana: “The other lands blame us for what’s happened.”

The dragonscroll gets stolen and Namaari knows exactly why and by whom. She takes a few soldiers (or her mother made her) and goes after Raya. She even goes as far as leading them into the Druun infested dessert without a gempiece to protect them. As soon as they catch up with Raya, she stops the chase when Raya and Sisu team up with Boon.

Namaari: “We’re not following them to Talon”

Chief Virana: “Well, if she’s going into Spine, I doubt there’ll be much left of her to intercept”

Namaari: “Stand down.”

Namaari knows the Talon chief is now that little old lady so Raya can get that gem piece on her own. Namaari also knows she will need an army to help Raya at Spine. She asks her mother for the royal army to intercept Raya before reaching Spine. Not capture. Not stop. Intercept.

Why bring the royal army and then let them stand down as soon as they find Raya? Namaari doesn’t tell Raya to stop, doesn’t say she is capturing Raya. She says “You and the dragon pieces are coming with me”. She wants to help to get the Dragon Gem together again.

As soon as Namaari comes back with the news she saw Sisu her mother is disappointed she came back without the gem pieces. She then tells Namaari she “has done enough” and that what happens to Raya is “no longer your concern”.

Namaari return to her chambers instead of preparing the inevitable attempt of Raya to sneak into Fang. When she receives the note from Raya, she sees a final chance to help. Namaari’s first believe that “Raya isn’t just gonna give Sisu to us” might be wrong after all.

Namaari: “I don’t have any other choice.”

Think about it. Chief Virana always carries the gem piece in a staff with her. The only way Namaari could have taken the gem piece with her is if she convinced her mother to take it. Most likely under the condition of her mother that Namaari has to return the other pieces (and Sisu) rather than give Fang’s away to Raya. But the amount of trust it would have taken to give away the one thing that would keep Fang safe from the Druun is immense.

Namaari: “I never meant for any of this to happen”

As soon as Sisu falls into the water, Namaari takes the piece and starts running back. She is trying to get back in time to protect her mother.

The little moment we see chief Virana look scared when the Druun approach, I’m sure at that moment she believes Namaari is turned to stone and that is why she wouldn’t have put up a fight when the Druun came for her. Because why would she have walked back to her throne instead of trying to get away?

Raya: “Then let me take the first step”

Raya could be quoting her father, could be quoting Sisu, but in that moment she knows it was Namaari that is the person who truly believes in Kumandra and is the person she will trust. Sisu has lived in a world where humans and dragons have lived together, she just wants something back. Benja has always lived in prosperity and for him “it’s easy to pontificate on Kumandra when the land of Heart already has everything”. But Namaari? She still believes in Kumandra without anything in her life pointing out that it could be a possibility.

So, in conclusion: It’s Namaari who saved the world from the Druun and got the dragons and Kumandra back.

#ratld #namaari #raya #this took way too long to put together #raya and the last dragon