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#she would react this way when dealing with a major loss or going through a dip in her mental health
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one of the things that really bothers me about modern franchises, and in particular over the last 5 years or so, is their refusal to commit. what i mean here when i say this is that it's not uncommon for a major franchise to make a decision, whether about the plot or the characters, that should have had huge, world-changing consequences... and then just never address that again or worse, immediately go back and undo it. and i'm gonna pick on star wars and the mcu here because those are the two big franchises i'm into at the moment (and i think they're kind of the worst at this), but i don't want you to walk away from this thinking that this is solely a disney thing. i've seen this happen with game of thrones and supernatural and plenty of other non-disney franchises. spoilers ahead, you've been warned:
in ant-man & the wasp quantumania, scott and hope make the life-altering decision to stay behind in the quantum realm and defeat kang instead of going through the portal to return to their world. this should have been a huge meta decision for the mcu, and when i first saw it in theaters, my immediate thought was wow, what is this going to mean for the mcu going forward? are we going to get a movie/miniseries about scott and hope helping to rebuild the quantum realm? how are cassie, janet, and hank going to react to the losses of their loved ones (in some cases, for the second time)? is cassie going to become the "first" young avenger because she has to take her father's place among the team lineup (and i only say first because as of this moment, none of the other young avengers introduced to the franchise are official avengers yet)? except nope, because less than 2 minutes later, cassie had fixed the portal that had broken way back at the beginning of the movie and brought scott and hope back.
and it felt like such a cheat. i was so disappointed in that theater, not as someone who was invested in these characters on a personal level (because yay, cassie gets her dad back!), but as someone who has spent years investing themselves in the story of the mcu. what was the point of wasting screentime on scott and hope accepting their new lives in the quantum realm if it was just going to immediately be undone? the entire scene could have been cut to scott and hope making it back bare seconds before the portal closed and it would have had the same emotional impact. there was nothing added by making scott and hope (and us) think that there was no way back only to rip the rug out from under us and go "gotcha! you really thought we were gonna give this movie a sad ending? haha! you're so dumb!"
and this isn't the first time the mcu has done this. one of the biggest complaints about endgame was the decision to set it five years in the future with no consideration for how that would actually change the setting of the mcu. characters were brought back to the exact place they disappeared from with no consideration for how things might have changed in the interim five years (like planes that weren't in the air anymore, buildings no longer standing, even just something as simple as a chair being unoccupied). and then the mcu didn't even really have the courage to address how this would have shaped the world other than a few jokes and making the bad guys in the falcon and the winter soldier people who cared about how the world had screwed them over during the blip.
and things like this happen over and over and over again. the accords are put into place in civil war, but by the time we get to she-hulk, they're gone with no explanation because, as best as i can tell, the writers didn't want to have to deal with the worldbuilding that went into the accords. gamora is killed in infinity war, but heaven forbid quill not have an emotional investment in a film he appears for maybe 10 minutes in so now she's back in endgame. steve got to go live in the past with his ex-girlfriend (which is in itself a refusal to commit after the mcu both gave her a different husband and had the woman herself tell him to move on) but we need to establish that messing with timelines is bad because that's what the entire next phase hinges on so actually his ending was predestined and it's only everyone else who can't change time. whoever took this entire town and also wanda hostage and forced them to live out a sitcom fantasy is bad and needs to be stopped but wait, it's actually wanda and she can't be the bad guy yet, we need her for doctor strange 2, so actually everyone's going to defend her now and say that no one else could ever possibly understand her grief. thor has decided to accept responsibility as king of asgard, but we can't use him for any more movies if he's stuck in asgard, so actually he's decided to pass it on to someone whose entire leadership capability is developed offscreen. i could list more examples but this is making me angry, so let's move on to star wars instead.
with star wars, i look at first the oft-quoted meme, "somehow palpatine has returned." yeah, i shouldn't really need to go into detail on how that counts as a refusal to commit but. the last jedi was a study in how johnson refused to commit to anything that abrams had laid down in the force awakens, but rise of skywalker was almost like abrams had looked at the franchise and said "screw you for taking it away from me, i'm going to come up with the most bullshit stuff just to spite you for doing that in the first place. and i'm going to start by undoing the most important plot point of the first trilogy: the emperor dies." and yeah, disney's kind of tried to salvage this by dropping hints into the bad batch and the mandalorian about cloning, but that only really works if you're watching the franchise chronologically and not considering that both of those series came out after rise of skywalker.
and then there's the mandalorian, my sweet summer child, who is, in my opinion, the worst at backtracking their plot points. i'm not entirely convinced that any of the higher ups for this show really knew what they were doing when they started working on it and i'm not convinced that they know what they're doing now. yeah, there's the tie-in to the last season of clone wars, but the mandalorian has managed to walk back pretty much every single major plot point it's had. din is this legendary warrior who can't be beat, but no one will watch this show if he defeats everyone too early, so he's constantly getting beat up (tbf, sometimes some of the fights he loses makes sense like the krayt dragon and the mudhorn, but a lot of them don't. at all). moff gideon is dead, no wait no he's not, now he's imprisoned, no wait no he's not, now he's definitely dead, you can totally believe us this time guys. grogu can use the force and must be placed with the jedi, but wait, the only person still actively teaching the way of the jedi is luke and all of his students will be brutally murdered ten years from now, and we can't have that, everyone will be mad at us for killing off such a cute character and no one will buy baby yoda dolls (and also we have to set up luke's character degradation from hopeful, believes-in-love cinnamon roll to "i'm going to kill my nephew") so in between seasons let's have grogu decide to go back to din (and don't even get me started on how frustrating it is that a casual mandalorian watcher also had to watch book of boba fett to understand why grogu is back). din has the darksaber now which makes him king of mandalore, that's totally going to be important and what the entire series has been building up to, right? wrong! he might have spent the first two seasons making connections, learning about the world outside his sheltered upbringing, and demonstrating the various qualities that would make for a good leader, but the entire third season will be about din realizing that actually he's super unworthy and the darksaber should actually go to someone who... saw an animal in the water.
and it's really, really frustrating as a viewer! because how am i supposed to get invested in any of these plot decisions when they almost always get reversed? why should i care that mj and ned have forgotten peter when ant-man 3 has shown me that they'll remember him the next time they're all on screen together? why should i care that tech is dead when half of the last season of clone wars was about how echo was actually alive? if none of these decisions have any permanence, then where are the emotional stakes? why should i watch your movie if all you're going to tell me is that nothing matters?
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dramionediscussion · 9 months
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Can we talk about fic pet peeves?
I want to make it clear that this is not about a specific fic or author, but just some things I've seen in this fandom over the years. I've been reading Dramione for almost 15 years now and there are so many things that authors include that have become a pet peeve of mine.
This is not just exclusive to Dramione though, I have dabbled in other HP pairs before (e.g., Hansy, Theomione) and other fandoms (Gossip Girl, Elementary), and I have seen the same things there. I also have definitely come across some of these in published romance novels.
But this is a Dramione blog, so I will talk about them in context to this pairing.
Men being the cause of the breakup. So many times it's always Draco who messes up or says something horrible or doesn't "do enough". He is the one who has to repent and beg for forgiveness. Very rarely do you see a fic where Hermione is the one who is wrong and needs to apologize. And even when she does, it's always Draco who cuts her off and spins it around and makes him the bad guy who caused Hermione to be that way, and she doesn't actually have to work hard for forgiveness. Just a simple "I'm sorry" and he then says "no no, it's me....".
Having more than one conflict in a fic. Halfway through a story, the pair will have a major fight, which causes them to part. You then have a few chapters of them reflecting and then talking and making up. Then towards the last quarter of the fic, something comes up again and the characters react in the same way as before. You would think that they would have learned from the previous argument and not jump to conclusions and actually communicate. It feels like we are taking one step forward and 5 steps back. Why was this necessary? Why show your characters acting this way and show that they did not grow as people?
Focusing on so many other characters. I get that ensemble fics are a thing, but you need to say that in the beginning. You cannot just tag Draco and Hermione as the pairing, and then 5 chapters in, half the page is Harry and Ginny dialogue with no mention of the main pair. Let people know these things.
Speaking of other pairs, you need to tell your readers if you are gonna include scenes of Draco or Hermione having sex with other people. You need to tag these side pairings and say that we will read explicit scenes with Ron or Astoria or someone. We came for Draco and Hermione smut, not Ron or Pansy or Astoria or Viktor.
Since we are on the topic of tags. TAG ALL YOUR WARNINGS! So many times authors don't tag Rape/Non-Con!! Tag pregnancy difficulties, tag character deaths, tag the non-Dramione endings, tag violence, tag blood and gore, and tag any and all kink. Just tag things, it doesn't spoil the fic for people. Letting people know about things that may trigger them is not spoiling, it's human decency to let us know what your fic will entail.
Hermione's parents not being in the fic. Now I know Hermione sent her parents away before the war, but so many times you read about her not going back for them, not being able to retrieve their memory, then not wanting to be part of her life because of what she did. I understand it if this is a part of the fic, Hermione essentially grieving the loss of her parents. But what I have noticed is that most times author just have a throwaway line that her parents are not in her life, and it seems like it's not a big deal. Like oh well Hermione's mother is non-existent, but hey she has Molly now! Hermione's parents are not important in the HP canon, and it seems like authors feel the same, which is sad.
Molly being the matriarch of the trio. In canon, she kind of is because the stories are from Harry's perspective and he encounters the Weasleys and ingrains himself with their family, but she is always portrayed this way in fanfiction as well. As I mentioned in the previous comment, Hermione's mother isn't there so authors make Molly the mother figure for her, which is fine but authors make their relationship closer than what canon implies. But Draco also has a mother and most times we see Molly in the story more than Narcissa. I would assume that Narcissa would be the matriarch of that fic rather than Molly in a Dramione.
Harry and Ron being too involved in Hermione's life. Again this is fine, but it does get annoying to see fic after fic of them butting too much into her life and getting angry when she makes her own decisions. Friends should not try to control you, but guide and offer advice and be there if you fail.
Hermione not having friends outside of Harry and the Weasleys. I would assume that as they got older and got into the real world, they would meet new people and make new friends, not only stick to the same people they knew since they were 11. The Wizarding World is small, but we do have so many other characters in canon that you can use, it's okay to have Hermione become best friends with Padma, Luna, or Dean. You can have Draco even becoming bffs with Neville. He too is always stuck with Blaise or Theo and Pansy. Sometimes he doesn't have any friends and the fic only shows Hermione's friends.
If a fic starts off with Draco and Hermione having a relationship with another person, the breakup is always a bad one. People in real life have amicable breakups with their partners, it doesn't always have screaming and yelling and hatred. Most times this is used as a catalyst for the drama in a fic, but I would like to read a fic where Ron stays friends with Hermione and listens to her when she is talking about Draco, him offering advice or teasing her about a crush. It would be nice to see Astoria and Draco doing the same. And I say this as a huge "Ron Weasley Bashing" fan.
Hermione not knowing about fashion and makeup and having to rely on Ginny for help to get read for a date. Nowhere in canon does it claim that Hermione is like this, so how is this a common trope? I think this feeds into the "Hermione is not like other girls trope".
Hermione being the Brightest Witch of Her Age. In canon this is not a real thing, it is not an honorific that was bestowed on her by some sort of higher authority. It was something Harry and Remus said, it was their opinion. So having multiple people in a fic say this as though it is a proper title given to her annoys me honestly. Because when this happens, the fic always tends to have her being the only one who can solve the problem. So many people came before her and weren't able to do this particular thing, but Hermione somehow accomplished it without much help, with just a few books and at the ripe age of 24! These types of fics tend to have their characters fresh out of Hogwarts, so they are young but are able to become Heads of Departments! Can you imagine the 30/40-something-year-old who has been working for over 10/15 years in the ministry thinking it's only a matter of time before they get promoted to senior status, then suddenly this 20-year-old who just finished school walks in and gets the highest position without any experience or further education? I'd riot!
Draco not having a job. Many times fics have Hermione working hard in her career, but Draco is "in the family business" or "does investments". What does this mean???
Hermione being a virgin while Draco is the sex god. This trope feels sexist.
Hermione not doing anything muggle. This is similar to Harry in canon. It feels like Hermione forgot where she came from, and she doesn't care to go into the muggle world, or take Draco there.
Draco being obsessed with Hermione. Sometimes fics make his whole life revolve around her.
Luna being seen as weird. After all she has done and all she has shown to people that she is a smart, brave, very important friend to the trio, we still have scenes where Hermione and her friends make fun of Luna and her creatures. That is just rude.
This is all I can think of at the moment. I know this is a lot, but I kind of stopped reading fics for a while and as I managed Dramioneasks during this time, I would see new fics and just add them to my bookmarks. So I am now catching up on those fics and I feel like I am reading the same stuff over and over. Same tropes, same themes, same personalities, which is not a bad thing but it does give rise to pet peeves and thinking about older fics and how things haven't really changed over the last 15 years or so of my dramione life.
Again this is not from one fic or one author, but multiple fics and authors I have read over the years. Some of the fics I think are 5 stars have these pet peeves in them.
Do you guys agree with these? Do you have more to add? Leave them in the comments or send us a message. I would love to discuss and rant with you!
-Lisa
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I've read several Azulaang AUs where Aang gets Azula to open and master all of her chakras. Each with their own take on what's blocking them.
What do you think is blocking all of Azula's chakras? What's your take?
Well, I'm not a huge expert on chakras, but I can think of a few things that might be interfering with Azula's if you want to go that route. Course this is gonna take a little bit to go through each and every one of them, so get comfy.
Earth: This one should be fairly easy. This chakra deals with survival and is blocked by fear. Fear and Azula go together like bread and butter. Sure, many people think of Azula causing fear, but you also have to remember that Azula is terrified herself. Particularly of failure and the consequences of failure. Especially poignant since...well, the price of failure could possibly be maiming or even worse. A very real possibility with Ozai as your father. Hell, in the novelization of Sozin's Comet, we get this particular scene:
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Overcoming and opening her Earth chakra means overcoming her fear of failure. Which would be difficult, but also a major step since that means overcoming Ozai's conditioning.
2. Water: Another fairly obvious one. This deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. People often accuse of Azula of having no guilt for a lot of things. Which in many ways isn't entirely inaccurate (I mean, you can't exactly feel guilty over something you do that for your entire life is told to be correct). However, we do get a good idea of what might be blocking this particular chakra in the mirror scene.
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We see in this scene that Azula admits that she did treat Mai and Ty Lee poorly, but also said she didn't have any choice because...well, fear is the only reliable way in her mind. Hell, she wouldn't be reacting this way if she didn't have any guilt over the whole mess. Even though, again, when you grow up under Ozai's shadow, that screws up how you view the world. Coming to grips with how wrong her worldview is and forgiving herself for how bad things got with some of the only positive relationships in her life can help unblock this chakra.
3. Fire: Driven by willpower. Blocked by shame. Azula has a determination that puts a lot to others to shame. To be the best firebender, the perfect daughter, the embodiment of what the Fire Nation should be. And her success was driven by that will (and less luck as Zuko puts it), particularly with firebending and being able to bend blue fire.
Unfortunately, the shame of her humiliating defeat at Sozin's Comet probably shattered that willpower. And I could see it affecting her firebending if she's as shaken as she was in canon about what happened. Learning that her loss doesn't necessarily mean she's a failure and learning to fall in love with firebending outside of the context of combat and competitiveness to just firebending for firebending's sake, to appreciate the effort it takes to be so good can go a long way to unblock this chakra.
4. Air: Embodiment of love. Blocked by grief. Azula and love...yeesh. What a complicated history that one is. Azula is undeniably capable of love, and did have love for her family members. She wouldn't have hallucinated Ursa and been shaken by her rejection if that weren't the case. She did care about Zuko enough to bring him home with his honor intact while warning him about visiting Iroh. And her love for Ozai is undeniable.
And they all left in the end. Ursa neglected her. Zuko took everything from her (taking one of the few genuinely compassionate acts she did and throws it in her face). And Ozai abandoned her to the wolves. Not to mention her ruined relationship with Mai and Ty Lee, and she's more than wracked with grief. Again, she wouldn't have broken down if she didn't love them. That is the meaning of loss and grief.
5. Sound: Embodiment of truth. Blocked by lies.
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Yeah that goes without saying that Azula is a knack liar. More importantly, even to herself. Azula's convinced herself that she's some irredeemable monster. That her only choice is to play with the cards given to her and embrace that notion of being a monster.
Thing is...she isn't. As proven before, she's NOT a monster. She is capable of showing compassion and love. Even if she's bad at showing it, she's not the callous, heartless demon she tries to present herself as. Unblocking this chakra means accepting that her lie is exactly that: a lie. And embracing the truth that she is indeed capable of so much more than what Ozai or herself have taught her to be.
6. Light: Embodies insight. Blocked by illusion. We've talked about lying before, but this particular one can also mean her regards to the Fire Nation in general. Azula, like so many others, was raised with the belief that the Fire Nation was the superior nation. That fire was the superior element, and that their way was justified.
But just like Azula's lie, the illusion is just an illusion. The Fire Nation isn't inherently better than the others, and their drive, their cause was built on the ego of the Fire Lords and a misguided attempt to bring about a world in their own image. If the previous chakras are about breaking down Azula's self image and her relationship to Ozai, then it sets the bedrock for unblocking this chakra and discovering just what the Fire Nation truly has done.
7. Thought: Embodies pure cosmic energy. Blocked by earthly ties. This one is...unique. The others are at least defined by something concrete. Pure cosmic energy is something that's a bit more abstract. Azula's earthly ties are easy. They're all the blockages that we've just mentioned and shaped her as a person. And we've just talked about how she can overcome them.
The final step would be to finally break ties from them. To accept that no, she's NOT defined by Ozai. She's NOT a monster. And she can be more than what Ozai or the previous Fire Lords had wanted her to be. This is the critical point. It's accepting that she can be good and do the right thing no matter where she came from. Thus, coming to terms with her past, and choosing to move on and forge a new future for herself. At least how I'd interpret this.
So...yeah. This is how I'd view Azula's chakras, what's blocking them, and what can be done to clear them. It'll take time, but I do believe she's capable of it. I mean, she has addressed some of the issues herself. Now it's a matter of capitalizing on what she's learned and putting them into practice.
Thanks for the ask, anon! This was actually a bit of fun. Maybe this can be a sort of roadmap for anyone interested in writing an Azula redemption fic or something.
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anselm0 · 2 years
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stranger things 4 is garbage, and here’s why: a not-mad, just-disappointed meta about theme
s4 was about making the theme of trauma in stranger things literal. this was a very smart move and it was being executed reasonably well for most of the season! unfortunately, it crashed and burned in the last act.
this is so fucking long, my apologies
trauma and trauma responses are consistently present throughout the season’s major beats. max was torn up about seeing her stepbrother die and her own ambivalent response in that moment and afterward. el is bullied mercilessly until she lashes out violently and it resurfaces her suppressed memory of a massacre she feels responsible for. she previously lost her powers but suddenly her abusive dad is back and offering to torture her again to get them back. hopper’s using his siberian vacation to spiral about how he curses the people he loves. joyce is still hyper-vigilant and on edge from everything that had happened to will, seeing bob die, seeing hopper die; she packed up and ran away from hawkins! i could see an interpretation of will’s (incredibly scant, yet again!!) arc as self-flagellation for the crime of being gay and in love with mike, which is to say trauma from being closeted in addition to all his upside down trauma.
and of course, vecna’s whole deal is that he tortures you with the worst things you’ve ever experienced until you die so horribly it traumatizes other people.
like max, eddie sees someone die horribly in front of him and he’s wracked with guilt about how he reacted in the moment. jason and the jocks were pissed and completely in denial that chrissy could have ever been with eddie willingly, but it wasn’t until jason saw patrick die the same way that he’s actively looking to kill eddie and whipping up violence against anyone connected with him. this could even be tied back to billy, since people want to ride that guy’s dick so bad. billy’s traumatized by the loss of his mother, his dad is abusive to him, and he sees and experiences horrible things while possessed by the mindflayer, who we now learn is an extension? symbiote? flunky? of vecna.
this theme of trauma is so clearly and competently developed that it really puzzles me how the duffers ended up ~resolving it. what are they saying about trauma?
let me start by saying that i expected something about trauma perpetuating itself, abuse victims becoming abusers when they don’t work through their trauma. again, going back to billy, this reveal of vecna reinforces that his abusive behavior might be explained by his unresolved trauma, but it doesn’t excuse it. instead of him getting half-assed redemption from the one time he wouldn’t stand back while a kid was killed in front of him, the parallels written between henry and el would reinforce that billy was still responsible for his visiting his own pain on other people instead of confronting nor dealing with his trauma. (max even offered him help, and he rejected it! but that’s a different rant) this is similar to what i’ve seen other people say about how they  interpreted the mechanics of vecna’s curse. when max is playing bait but vecna isn’t taking it, it seems like it SHOULD be because she’s finally expressed her feelings to billy at his graveside and told her friends why she’s isolating herself. vecna literally traps his victims in their own heads with the worst secrets they haven’t told anybody else (chrissy’s abusive mother and eating disorder, fred’s hit and run, patrick’s...something or other), but now max’s trauma is exposed. i think it does make sense that vecna could still be goaded into attacking her using the exposed trauma the way he ends up doing: impersonating lucas to tell max that her friends don’t really accept her and secretly think she deserves to die like she had secretly believed about billy. but the huge hurdle of admitting that something is wrong and asking for help seems like it should weaken vecna’s power.
i wonder if this was how the curse is supposed to work. the school counselor practically says verbatim that there are people who will help if Max asks, that saying what is wrong will help her come to terms with her trauma! even the plan of hiding from vecna in good memories seems like a plausible visualization of the concept.
the problem is that vecna himself upends this theory of trauma.
again, what I expected was that when the party learned that the victor creel murders happened so long ago and with such a long gap between killings was that the son somehow acquired the power of whatever had killed his family and was inflicting it on other kids like it had been inflicted on him first. this could have been a strong parallel with eleven. what if the things that vecna says he learned lurked behind his parents’ front of normalcy was not war trauma and ...uh, something?? what do moms do? Something! anyway - what if the dark secret was something that actually involved henry? just for instance, what if henry was abusing his little sister and his parents were ignoring/covering it up? or henry himself was being abused and didn’t have anyone to turn to for help? or if they came to hawkins because another child died in their previous home, whether from neglect or some mistreatment either from henry or his parents?  yada yada yada, and then henry gets whisked away by papa.
papa is not interested in curing trauma. whether or not henry killed his family (i think it would be most interesting if this was left ambiguous, or if it is clear he did it, ambiguous if he did it involuntarily), papa is convinced he did. and by some weird combination of 1980s drug experiments and living on a hellmouth, henry does gain (regain?) that power. but now he’s internalized the idea that he was at fault for what happened to his family. maybe he’s convinced himself that he did it on purpose because his parents deserved it for what they did to him/allowed him to do to other people. that’s why all his victims see visions of the clock from his house and max and nancy end up in his house - it’s why vecna still lives in the upside down version of his house. he’s literally stuck there because that’s the site of his trauma! but he’s convinced himself of papa’s narrative that it isn’t where he was traumatized, it’s where he gained POWER. papa has really made an impression on henry, but henry’s rationalizations have made him a megalomaniac, and there’s only room for one megalomaniac in papa’s underground child farm. the whole thing with papa trying to neuter henry, making him actively participate in the abuse of other kids, and then henry manipulating el into releasing him/feeling responsible for things henry did still works as a way of showing how henry becoming the same kind of abuser as papa because he never dealt with the trauma papa inflicted on him. (wish that it was more obvious that she only helped him because of his manipulation, not because she’s just a born-good person like he’s a born-bad person, since that would preserve the arc of s1 and mike’s value as the “heart” of the party better plus serve the s4 theme better, by it’s fine)
at the end, when el tells henry he can still stop hurting people, he can still be saved even after everything, that’s the offer of help that max kept getting from her friends and the counselor and finally accepted that she was worthy of receiving. that should be the cap on this season! with the support of her friends, el (sort of) worked through her trauma from papa enough to see him as a monster who hurt her instead of a benevolent jailer, and now she is doing her best to offer friendship to henry to work through his. (oops, the max/billy thing IS this rant after all!) s4 should have ended on this poignant offer of healing and the tragedy of henry rejecting it.
but that’s not the way it actually goes.
we do get the classic downbeat, empire strikes back ending for the season, which i respect.
(side salad: i do think they should have gone whole hog with tragic death and killed steve as they seemingly were winding up to do. doesn’t that make sense, narratively? he’s the most well-adjusted member of the party! head empty, no dark secrets, all his worst behavior has been made public and atoned for! he’s been consistently supportive and protective from the end of s1 even when tommy and billy were goading him into returning to his old ways. he’s also fully integrated into the dynamics of both the older and younger halves of the party. if vecna was going to target any single person as the key to breaking the party’s spirit, wouldn’t it be steve? his death would cut robin out almost immediately; nancy would feel even more guilty for all her wavering over wanting to get back together with him after watching him die and feeling responsible for getting him into it like she did unwittingly to barb; dustin would be devastated his big brother is dead and they hadn’t been as close recently; eddie would feel like it should have been him for the crime of running away at first [unlike steve when he first encountered the upside down!!]; el would feel guilty for not being there for him as well as for max; mike would lash out from being defensive that it isn’t her fault; lucas and later max would feel survivor’s guilt for being glad it wasn’t max; and will and jonathan would keep drifting away and feeling like they aren’t allowed to try to hold on tighter since their trauma is supposedly over. joe could come back for the final season as an avatar of vecna to torture them all until they finally come back together as a party and remember that steve wasn’t like that AT ALL. but i digress)
anyway, the season ends on the downbeat of hawkins literally cracked open, the upside down infecting what’s left, vecna undefeated, and henry’s continued cruelty of insisting that el is at fault for making him into vecna and giving him the power of the upside down. that ending is completely in line with the show’s overall arc and the way i personally think that the theme of trauma should have gone. if i was writing stranger things, nearly all the major beats could stay exactly the same.
the one beat that i would absolutely change is that vecna isn’t actually traumatized according to the way the season is written. his motives are totally divorced from the backstory we see in el’s flashbacks of the lab. el tells henry that papa is dead because she assumes he’s acting out of unresolved trauma, and vecna specifically refutes this interpretation! he’s sort of indifferent to papa’s actions except for the fact that he prevented henry from doing whatever he wants. he resents papa’s power, not papa himself. he’s much more resentful of eleven for not going along with him or believing henry’s interpretation of his  actions - that is, he’s pissed because the victim of his abuse is fighting back. vecna’s motive is that he’s a born monster who on purpose killed his family when he was like twelve because...they weren’t actually perfect? thank god this takes place before the invention of instagram. what horrible crime of pretend normalcy did his ten-year-old sister commit? irrelevant, I guess. henry is sensitive AND he likes spiders! classic supervillain shit there. he kills traumatized teenagers in particular because...well, he’s a supervillain. doesn’t like seem like something a supervillain would do?
unfortunately, this casts papa’s actions as reasonable and even noble because henry (since apparently he was born evil and with superpowers) presumably WOULD have been killing people the whole time without papa’s intervention. this makes el’s repudiation of papa as a monster narratively wobbly, because he did do that good thing, and he did force her powers to manifest again, and she absolutely needs them now. the bizarre way his death scene plays out like we’re supposed to care a horrible man dies seems to show the writers’ ambivalence about papa’s ultimate morality. plus, if henry’s actions don’t stem from trauma, then vecna isn’t an embodiment of repressed trauma. his curse uses a victim’s trauma against them, but only because vecna himself is plain evil. he killed his family and framed his father because he hated them, period. the way he reveals this to nancy reinforces this, since she is looking for what happened to the creels in the hope that it will help them with the riddle of how to defeat vecna and the answer is he just killed them and he liked it (and spiders!) and knowing that is totally useless to nancy. it’s a slap in the face that hits at nancy’s insecurrities of being as silly and useless as some people think she is and her actions endangering other people. every reveal of information about vecna makes him less and less relevent to the theme of trauma that is otherwise ever-present in s4. vecna killed chrissy, fred, and patrick and tries to kill max because he thinks he should act like a spider (he super loves those leggy boys!!) and kill the most vulnerable prey, but he only does that because he needs to open gates to go back to the real world to...kill everyone. because of...order? something like that. insert supervillain monologue here.
one of the reasons s1 of stranger things worked so well was that there were three different groups of people working with three different understandings of what was going on, and winning the final battle depended on those groups communicating with each other and working together. so successful in fact that this is the structure of every season of the show! each fragment of the party is in the dark, unable or unwilling to ask for help from the others, struggling in vain until they all come together and and coordinate their individual efforts to support each other. s4 should have been the season where the external threat also expressed an internal threat to this power, setting up s5 for a final triumph of the power of friendship. and i think the duffers intended to do that. vecna being the ultimate big bad and feeding all the while off the trauma he had inflicted via intermediaries in the previous seasons, while himself being the product of the same lab as eleven, that all works! and maybe they’re going to roll back on vecna’s supervillain monologues in s5 by saying he was lying in s4 and make him more plausible as a person, but that would be incredibly cheap and also prevent the constant escalation of threat in terms of literal size that television writers seem to think viewers require.
for my money, the externalization of the threat to party unity as just one extra-evil guy (who’s always been evil and in fact made the upside down evil with how evil he naturally was!) completely undercuts the trauma theme i think the duffers were going for. as it is, i think the most probable version of s5 doesn’t involve catharsis and healing for most characters, let alone DEPEND on it. maybe we finally get a reveal of what’s really going on to the wheeler parents, the sinclairs, and dustin’s mom and the implication of parental support before the final battle? i think will will get to come out at last but i doubt that they’re going in a healing in queer solidarity direction considering that he and robin never interact!!
the inevitable working-separtely-before-coming-together-to-defeat-the-big-bad shape of s5 could really sing if it was going to resolve the trauma arcs that s4 set out. if s4 had fulfilled its promise the season of trauma and trauma responses, s5 would be about breaking the cycle and healing. the big bad is the embodiment of the dark thoughts and secrets that make you feel alone and desperate and like you deserve to be punished by some evil guy with no nose!! the party members have be there for each other emotionally as well as literally to win the fight. i think we can see the seeds of this already planted in the imperfect end of s4. el’s power is HERS, and she doesn’t owe papa or henry anything or have responsiblity for anything they did. the possibility of healing max would never have occurred to either of them, but el has benefitted from her friends and an actually good dad, and that environment has opened up a new horizon of abilities she never knew she had. dustin takes eddie’s uncle’s grief seriously, but dustin’s grief should be recognized by the party instead of some near-rando - nancy’s grief over barb and joyce’s over bob, too!
and THAT’s the narrative circumstance in which will being held in the closet against our will for three seasons is narratively justified as ongoing truama reaction, but now will comes out because he’s brave and risks himself, and the acceptance and love he gets in return for his vulnerability CASTS PROTECTION over the whole party, bringing the whole fucking thing full circle ‼️‼️‼️
and another thing! fred could have been used way more effectively to really put the screw to nancy. instead of bizarrely hitting on her, fred should have been clearly looking for help, maybe even trying to confess what he did to nancy in some sideways manner like aggressively pushing for an investigation of the crash he caused, but nancy bushes him off either because she assumes he is weirdly hitting on her or because she’s focused on her own ambitions or because she’s distracted by her drama with jonathan, and THEN she realizes once he’s died that she COULD HAVE SAVED HIM if she had just paid attention to other people’s shit!! and that girl’s not telling anyone about her failings EVER and she’s hypercompetent with all her guns so nobody suspects, and then surprise! she’s a super juicy target for vecna. of fucking course nancy isn’t going to tell anybody that either, maybe we don’t see it either except for clues like a bloody nose (could have been from running into something) and taking advil (she hit her head after all) and then the truth comes out at the worst moment!! hire me netflix
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vanltys · 3 years
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no thoughts, just evie going Wild
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gffa · 2 years
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Half of me doesn't even WANT to discuss Grogu and Luke because of how mad I am about what they're doing to Temuera Morrison, but what I WILL say is that I kind-of appreciate that they're showing us a story of a Jedi Padawan that chooses not go to back to being a Jedi, not because he doesn't care about them or was betrayed by them or thinks they were in the wrong before, but just because he's gone through a major trauma and it just is not the right path for him anymore. Part 1/2
As opposed to what we've gotten with Cal and Kanan, who reconnect with that identity and take it back up again, which is also a beautiful story to see! Or Ahsoka, who doesn't ID as a Jedi anymore even tho she still acts like one half the time. But I like what they're doing with Grogu, even though I wish we could see him reconnecting with his Jedi heritage the way we have with the others simply because of how much I love the Jedi. Part 2/2
I have so many thoughts and feelings about all of this, it’s taken all day just to start untangling the giant ball of it all in my head. 😂 On the one hand, I hate what they did to Temuera Morrison, it’s absolutely shameful and awful that they promised him a series and then undercut it like this, it would be awful to anyone they did this to, but it’s double awful when it becomes extra clear that they could have been putting their whole pussy into the Boba episodes (like they’ve done with the latest two) and just... didn’t. Because they only seem to care about giving token appreciation to POC actors like Tem and Ming-Na. And I also am so goddamned tired of having the attachment discussion and the constant feeling of being torn between, “You have to let people have different opinions, as long as they’re not coming into my space or coming after me, it’s none of my business what they say/do.” versus, “But Lucas commentary is so excruciatingly clear-cut and it’s driving me up the wall!!!!”  But, like, I absolutely have to step back and remember that people are allowed to, you know, disagree with me and that that’s fine, that’s not any more or less valuable than my position. And I’m a little sad because I think Luke’s characterization makes a ton of sense with the themes of Star Wars and what Lucas commentary says about how Bespin was a mistake that he needed to learn from, as well as it’s not “Jedi say you can’t care about anyon else!!!” but that it’s making a specific point about your feelings getting all knotted up out of fear of loss and that that’s dangerous for a Jedi.  Grogu is in a delicate place right now, of course he needs some space to deal with it, and Din coming in and reopening everything up while Grogu’s trying to get his head on straight, would just set him back. That doesn’t mean that Din and Grogu’s connection is bad!!!  Just that it’s confusing right now, that Din is reacting out of a place of loneliness and fear, rather than selflessness, and has to be gently reminded of that, as well as the whole point is that Luke says he’s not sure Grogu’s heart is in this--and your heart HAS to be in this, because being a Jedi won’t work otherwise, it’s a HARD thing to do, like, you can kill people with your minds, YES, TRAINING FOR IT SHOULD NOT BE EASY--and so he can’t just sit back and watch Grogu struggle, he has to help him figure out what his heart really wants. It’s such a lovely characterization for Luke when I look at it in that vein--it isn’t that Luke is being a stick in the mud, it’s that he sees someone is suffering because they’re struggling to figure out which path their heart really wants, so he gets a little strict in how he’s not going to allow Grogu’s focus to wander while training, he sets up a situation where Grogu has to choose, because that lack of choice in Grogu’s heart is making things difficult for him.  Luke saw someone suffering and was doing something about it!!!  I LOVE LUKE SKYWALKER SO MUCH!!! And I also want to talk about Ahsoka, like, as much as I’m still heartbroken over them going with this actress (and I don’t think she very much feels like Ahsoka in the way she moves), that her relationship with the Jedi is complicated, but ultimately s7 of TCW really recontextualized so much for me, in that she wanted to go back.  She was planning to one day go back, maybe even sooner than she thought, if the war was ending and the Jedi would be free again, but then the Jedi genocide happened and the choice was stolen from her, she couldn’t go back, she had to walk a new path, she can never go back now, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want Jedi to exist in the galaxy, and seeing Luke building the new school and seeing Grogu come back and seeing the Jedi returning to the galaxy, that lightens her spirit, it makes her happier. Ahsoka being the one to talk to Din about who he was doing this for, telling him about Jedi philosophy, that got right at my heart because Ahsoka believes in Jedi philosophy, because Ahsoka may not be a Jedi, but she’s still supportive of them, they were still her family, her people, her culture. But the shadow of RD hangs over everything with her, just as the shadow of “Disney fucked over Tem and Ming-Na by cutting them out of the series they were the main characters of, all for a show that already has a third season coming or could have just as easily been a special or, hell, could have been written to serve Boba’s story instead of Din’s”. I’m frustrated because I love Jedi stuff and I do want to talk about it, but I’m also angry at how we’re getting the content that I’m enjoying, and that there’s really no way to resolve any of it, it is what it is, and all we can do is find where our individual lines are, in what the good and the bad and how they cannot be divorced from each other all the time.  All we can do is keep talking about the things we enjoy (if we enjoyed something) and balance it with also continuing to talk about the shit Disney is pulling here.
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yjwhatif · 2 years
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EPISODE 16 NOTES… (Spoilers)
First and foremost Forager is a good soul and I love him with everything I have.
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Forager having to explicitly tell M’gann that gar is not okay kinda stresses how little she’s considered his feelings throughout this emotional experience - she just takes Gars words at face value and doesn’t push to properly check - that’s like her taking harpers “we were just roughhousing” as enough of a reason and moving on to the next kid. Also how long has she been back? Long enough to get Em’ree settled with a job, long enough to be closing conners affairs and getting support casseroles from everyone - so a few days at the least - yet she hasn’t seen her brother? She just assumes he’s alright because he always is - even though she knows what fake m’gann said about his unprocessed trauma. He experienced the same loss as you m’gann!
The way Arion stresses “failure” feels like planted information from someone who does consider him a failure — Vandal
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Is Arion’s keeper the female purist from the comics?
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I love the s1 mission briefing vibes!
Yes M’gann you were there through all gars losses - but you never stressed distance from the world of superheroes and dangerous missions, you never pushed him towards talking about the emotions he may be going through and not acknowledging — you always strived for distraction over acknowledgment - which is what she’s trying to do now with her own grief for Conner - gar is providing her a distraction. Had she actually pushed gar towards professional help when he was younger then maybe he wouldn’t have reached the point that he’s at now.
The fact that gar was so young when he lost all his family - his mum and Rita - it makes sense that Tula, Jason and Ted would have registered as major losses to him - whether he made much connection to them or not. After losing essentially two separate families in not a lot of time, M’gann and the team became a new family and it’s not surprising that he might get attached to anyone who joined that family. Any loss would measure the same weight on his heart.
This soppy family shit is just so freaking pure — PROTECT LA’GAAN!!
“We never say goodbye” 😭
La’gaan head bops the baby bump — WHY ARE THEY SO SICKENINGLY CUTE!!!
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Wyynde getting frustrated by Kaldur’s unhealthy behaviour is sad — but I do like seeing their one sided argument - it feels authentic. This is the right moment to show conflict within the relationship - it’s been built up well from what’s happened in the previous episodes. It’s not just thrown in for a bit of pointless drama. It is a really strongly written relationship that continues to develop the characters and narrative - instead of creating conflict for conflicts sake (like most things do). They feel like a real couple who react to things like real people - not just biting each other’s heads off every five minutes.
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Delphis has such curious sibling vibes and I love her. Also I love that she glows for emphasis.
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Exasperated wyynde is the best - and we’re all on your side. He just cares so much about his workaholic boyfriend!
Purple eyed Wally looks kinda evil
“It’s a long way to jump…” ☹️ sad Conner makes me sad.
Virgil & Jaime are the ultimate hype boys - also I don’t think we’ve seen Jaime this enthusiastic since the reach were controlling him… and when he was a fate induced insecurity puppet. I like how they keep looking at each other — gotta get those timings right. And I really like that it’s Jaime who makes the mistake in word choice instead of Virgil.
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I’m glad Cassie is the one who’s angry - she has the right to be - gar dropped all responsibility of leading on her without any explanation - and she took it because she cares about the Outsiders and gar. She’s got to be feeling the stress of leading, losing a member and friend, losing gar and also dealing with the unrest caused by gars situation. She’s allowed to be angry at gar, though she still brings it down a peg to explain what he means to to her - emphasising that she still cares about him even if he has hurt her feelings.
“Neptunes beard, wyynde he looks like you!” — *stage whisper* it’s the eyebrows!
“Well some of us are the direct descendants of the old heroes.” — No Wyynde, you are Arion’s child and you just don’t know it yet!! And no I am not giving up on this theory — LOOK AT THEIR EYEBROWS! (If you do happen to be confused I will kindly direct you to this post and this post. 😁)
Kaldur’s losing his focus/objectivity by choosing speed over vigilance. 😬
I don’t trust guard girl!
Gar doesn’t need guidance counsellor M’gann - he needs his sister m’gann — she gets a genuine reaction from him when she starts opening up about her own pain in a genuine emotional way - not her professional fix the problem way.
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Delphis is a queen and we all love her for it.
Teamwork & comfort - the perfect mission duo.
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Forgagers speech is iconic and I expected nothing less! Congrats on being the Valedicto-narian Forager!! 🎉
Yay I got through all the episodes before the new one drops — even if it is just bearly. I am so excited and so worried to see what happens next episode - here’s a post on why - but I guess we’ll find out tomorrow whats to come.
I’ll see you then…
LB
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aboveallarescuer · 3 years
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I love that Daenerys Targaryen has significant parallels with all the major ASOIAF characters (as well as with many of the minor and the historical ones too). I love that comparing and contrasting her with them almost always highlights her epicness and/or how special her place in the narrative is.
Daenerys Targaryen is not just a queen, she’s a queen regnant and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, i.e., a she-king. This means that she can be compared and contrasted not only with Cersei and Margaery or with Alysanne and the other Targaryen queens consort, but also (in fact, especially) with Stannis and Robb or with Aegon the Conqueror and the other Targaryen monarchs that succeeded him.
Daenerys Targaryen is not just a claimant to the Iron Throne like Stannis, Young Griff and Renly, she’s the only one of them who is a POV character.
Daenerys Targaryen is not just one of the POV rulers, she also happens to be the only POV ruler with power in her own right and who isn’t in a subservient position in any way (Jon is Lord Commander, but he’s also the king’s advisor and is running the equivalent of a penal colony, so the stakes are much lower than Daenerys ruling a city and dealing with opposition from half the world; Tyrion and Ned are Hands of the King; Cersei is queen regent, which means that her power stems from Tommen’s kingship). Also, Daenerys has the clearest parallels with Aragorn and her ADWD storyline was deliberately written by GRRM as a response to the lack of information from Tolkien about what makes Aragorn a good king. Finally, if one compares her ADWD storyline with Jon’s, one can see how many roles she occupies at the same time: the administrator (Jon), the monarch (Stannis), the most magical character linked to fire and prophecies (Melisandre) and the leader of the disenfranchised (Mance; note that Daenerys was forced to leave her homeland, was enslaved and currently doesn’t belong anywhere - that’s the exact same situation of many of the former slaves of Slaver’s Bay, who come from different places and have different races, ethnicities and backgrounds. Daenerys empathized with them right away because she is one of them. Her detractors may accuse her of being an outsider, but that’s because they prioritize the viewpoint of the Ghiscari slavers. The freedmen, like Daenerys, come from many different places and are outsiders to the noblemen too).
Daenerys Targaryen is an extraordinary conqueror and strategist. Aegon the Conqueror made the Westerosi bend the knee with the help of his dragons, 15-year-old Daenerys Targaryen overthrew the slave masters primarily thanks to her own battle plans, not her dragons. Robb Stark captured castles in the westerlands motivated by personal injury and his actions had local impact; Daenerys Targaryen conquered three cities motivated by her desire to abolish slavery and her actions had worldwide impact.
Daenerys Targaryen is not a typical member of her family, she is the main leader and representative of House Targaryen in a way that Jon/Bran/Arya/Sansa or Cersei/Jaime/Tyrion can’t ever claim to be. Their fathers Ned Stark and Tywin Lannister had large roles in the main story and, in the Starks’ case, their older brother Robb is more well-remembered than any of them (at least so far). Meanwhile, Daenerys’s father Aerys II was already dead before she was born and before the main story began, which allowed her to carve her own path outside of his influence. Moreover, her accomplishments are already greater than both of her older brothers’. She became the face of her family in a way that matches (in fact, even surpasses) Ned with House Stark and Tywin with House Lannister.
Daenerys Targaryen is not a typical mother, she’s both Mother of Dragons and Mhysa. Her motherhood is transcendental in a way that Catelyn’s or Cersei’s aren’t because it is not related to blood ties or to her fertility. Instead, it’s associated with her unprecedented feat of reviving an extinct species, with her ability to make up the magic as she goes along, with her leadership, with her revolutionary nature, with her compassion for thousands of people. Additionally, unlike the other major mothers, Daenerys is the only one who isn’t doomed to go “mad” despite all the losses and hardships she faced.
Daenerys Targaryen is a hero, which is especially clear when her actions are contrasted with House Stark’s, whose brand of “heroism” has been mostly to react to personal injury so far. Ned Stark participated in Robert's Rebellion because his father and brother were killed. Ned’s son Robb wanted Northern independence because his father was killed. Ned’s vassals want to start another war in the name of the Starks because of their loyalty and their outrage about the Red Wedding. Their motivations, sympathetic as they may be, have never involved the commoners. In contrast, GRRM had Daenerys empathize with the former slaves, start a war in their name and abolish slavery despite them not being associated with her through oath of fealty or blood relations or lands. She was specifically singled out by the author as the one leader who “wants equality for everyone”. It’s a stark contrast (pun intended) to the actions of the main family (at least as a unit) of the story. Sadly, it’s easier (for some fans) to root for the heroes mostly reacting to personal injury who never made any mistakes of large scale consequences since they never got to be in authority. Or for the heroes fighting against ice zombies (though, to be fair, Jon haven’t even faced them in ADWD, his main challenge was to conciliate the Free Folk and the Night’s Watch, so the stakes of his storyline are much lower when one compares his problems with Dany dealing with enemies from all over Essos raising armies to defeat her). It’s harder to do the same with the hero who takes an active stance against social injustices and who wrestles with hard questions about when political violence is justified (which never have easy, clear-cut answers) and all the negative ramifications that come with them.
Oh, and have I mentioned that Daenerys Targaryen is the character with the most overt clues of being Azor Ahai/Prince That Was Promised/Stallion Who Mounts the World? Like with the birth of the dragons, uniting all the khalasars and then leading humanity to victory against the Others will be two more unparalleled feats of hers among the characters of the current timeline. Additionally, as she becomes surrounded and influenced by prophecies, we get to see how Daenerys has a healthy relationship with them in contrast to other characters like Cersei and Stannis.
All these attributes and accomplishments are made even more remarkable when one contrasts them with what doesn’t necessarily make Daenerys Targaryen unique. Yes, Daenerys became the most powerful person in her world, but she also lived in poverty among lowborn people without the privilege of a castle or a formal education, which lends itself to comparisons with Davos and Melisandre. Yes, Daenerys is a queen, but she’s also a young girl who loves songs and stories and idealizes her family members, which lends itself to comparisons with Arya, Brienne and Sansa. Yes, Daenerys is a loving, compassionate mother, but she was also raised by her abuser throughout all of her formative years, which lends itself to comparisons with dysfunctional families like the Lannisters, the Greyjoys and the Cleganes. And so on.
Daenerys Targaryen has a very special place in the narrative, which I think should be acknowledged not only to appreciate her character, but also to understand why GRRM chose to isolate her from everyone else. Why would GRRM be confident that his readers would still be interested in Daenerys despite the fact that she doesn’t interact with any of his other major characters for most of the story? Is it merely because of her dragons, as her detractors say?
No.
It’s because, as the list above showed, Daenerys’s narrative importance and accomplishments are unmatched. They had to be. Daenerys’s character and storyline had to be connected to pretty much everyone else’s in significant, thematic ways in order for her to earn an entire continent, as well as her place as the Fire of ASOIAF. That is why Daenerys is guaranteed to have a major role in all the three main plotlines of ASOIAF. That is why Daenerys is so iconic and represents this book series in a way that no individual Stark could ever do. That is why Daenerys has to be so many things at the same time: a POV character and a claimant to the Iron Throne, a mother and the main representative of her family, the most powerful person in her world and a former slave, a ruler and a conqueror, a she-king and a young girl, quite possibly the story’s main hero and savior. That no other ASOIAF character can come close to her narrative importance or to her in-universe accomplishments is kind of the point because Daenerys had to encompass everything that is great about ASOIAF in order to carry her own storyline. And I'm excited for TWOW because, as she moves closer to Westeros, her importance will only increase more and more.
Daenerys Targaryen is like fine wine. She gets better and better the more time passes, the more you think about her and the more you realize how all the other ASOIAF storylines somehow lead back to hers. Dany’s storyline almost always looks that much more epic and greater in comparison to them because she carries her storyline on her own, so the author had to make sure she caught our attention.
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sixeyesgojo · 3 years
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The dead reader made me sad how about something a bit funny but dark based of a comic Tapas called Undying Happiness (it’s been dubbed on YouTube too if you wants to go see it) where the main character falls in love with a guy who’s family has the ability to be able to regenerates wounds even from a skeleton. So do you think we can the cast react to a basically immortal reader?
I like this idea! I also checked out the source material and man, that was SOOO FUNNY lmaoo
Thanks for sending this ask, anon! I think my readers deserve some calm before the storm that’s about to come lol
Summary: undead!reader messing with Team Gojo because why not ;)
Characters: Team Gojo + Sukuna x undead!Reader
Content warning: major injuries (loss of limbs?), mentions of blood
A/N: This is the post anon is talking about: leaving them behind hc
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Gojo Satoru
After a while, he will start making jokes about it. You’re not exactly amused at this fool joking around while you’re bleeding out. Gojo is still a little worried (it’s a secret, don’t tell anybody) because he’s firmly convinced that this technique has to have some kind of drawback but it does not. Or at least there hasn’t been any ever since you discovered this ability.
The first time, he would be slightly taken aback but not entirely surprised. You just lost an entire arm; blasted away until only your bones remained but you didn’t even flinch? How in the world?
Truth to be told, you were already kind of used to this. Having to deal with this frequently (including all the “Aren’t you more of a curse?” questions), you already half expected something of the sort of him as well.
However, after processing what just happened, he’ll just shrug. This man has seen more in his life than any other Jujutsu sorcerer ever could, starting from as early as his baby days, thanks to the six eyes. Nothing bothers him all too much.
He’ll just treat it as if you are using Reversed Cursed Technique, just like Shoko.
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“Babe, what are you doing? Losing an arm again? Oh my god, that is sooo 2017. Come up with something new to shock me with!” he snickers. “Satoru, I swear you are doing this on purpose,” you got mad while holding the space your arm once held. The bloody substance dripping right through your fingers as the lost limb slowly regenerated. 
“It’s really no wonder people constantly ask me why I haven’t exorcised the curse who is sticking to me!” he laughs. You pout, “Rude! I’m not a curse.”
Itadori Yuji
The first time, he is absolutely freaked out. He tries to frantically stop the bleeding in the most clumsy way ever; hands shaking so much it would have the opposite effect. You? You’re calm and you try to calm him down by saying “it’s just an arm” and he goes “JUST AN ARM? THAT’S A LIMB THOUGH???” even more frantically. He already has a few screws loose up there and he knows it but hearing you say that so casually makes him rethink all his decisions in life. It takes him several minutes to calm down. Even though he is a sorcerer now and has seen his fair share of shit happening, including the sopping hole in his chest when Sukuna ripped out his heart, this tops all of it.
After a while, he will be more at ease but still very very worried about you. He doesn’t like seeing you get hurt, even if it’s just a small scratch. Yuji is very relieved when he sees the flesh and skin building back, may even be a little bit fascinated but also grossed out. He will definitely ask you lots of different stuff about it.
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“Does it hurt when it does that?” he looks at your regrowing limb. “What do you mean, Yuji?” you give him a quizzical look. He points at your limb, “That. Does that hurt?”
“Well, of course losing a limb hurts but I have had this ability for the longest time, so I got used to feeling the pain. If you mean regrowing this, then no. It tickles a little, I guess?”
The look on his face was priceless.
Fushiguro Megumi
After a while, he will still be frantic at first but then it finally clicks. His head goes “oh, right.” and he calms down, the tension visibly leaves his body, because by now, he knows it’s not that big of an issue anymore. That does not mean he ceased to help you take care of it though - and he does a great job at it.
The first time, he thinks you’ll die on him. The boy is so frantic, his mind goes blank. His chest will break out of his ribcage soon, he feels, but then he sees your calm face. Utter confusion descends down on him; what the hell was happening? Why weren’t you screaming in pain? Why was your facial expression so calm? Maybe it was a shock?
But no, you were calm all over and simply said, “Whoops?”
Consider him confused for his entire life now. He doesn’t understand what’s happening at all and his mind is set on helping you nevertheless.
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"Ugh, I’m bleeding all over your uniform. I’m so sorry, ‘Gumi,” you mumble as he patches up what he can. “That’s fine, I can just wash it later,” he bluntly states, his eyes hyperfocused on your wound.
“I’ll wash it for you! I owe you that, it’s the least I can do,” you offer. “Just hold still for now, so I can contain the bleeding - don’t want you to bleed out on me. It’d be a hassle.”
“Hehe, sorry,” you say sheepishly.
Kugisaki Nobara
After a while, she will simply proceed to beat the shit out of whoever did this to you first. She will beat them into a pulp and then exorcise them (in case it was a curse). It’s a little comedic for you to see her get worked up over this after seeing it so many times but at the same time, it melts your heart a little.
The first time, the girl rushes to your aid immediately, telling Fushiguro to handle this curse. “Are you okay?” she asks you and her voice is trembling audibly. It was a stupid question to ask, she thinks. But she doesn’t expect to see you stupidly grin back at her, “Yeah, I’m totally fine, don’t worry about me. This will take some time to grow back but it will.”
Grow back? What? She’s confused. Are you pulling a prank on her? It has to be a prank, right?
“No, this isn’t a prank, I’m serious here,” you laughed.
"You really think you can hurt them without facing repercussions, huh? You are so dumb; I almost feel sorry for how stupid you are, thinking that, when I am right here. Now let’s get ready for a game because I can and absolutely will drag this out; learn your lesson!” Nobara yells at the curse and you only chuckle.
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Ryomen Sukuna
The first time, he just clicks his tongue in annoyance, looking at whatever hurt you with fiercely glowing eyes. There would be hell to pay for them. He is annoyed at whatever hurt you but he knows he can fix you easily with his Reversed Cursed Technique. This was so inconvenient, not fun. Quickly, he eliminates the source of your pain and turns to you. He had expected you to have passed out. However, once he sees the wound slowly closing up, a strange grin forms on his face and he starts hollering loudly, “What the heck is that, pet? That’s amusing.”
After a while, he will just sit back and watch as you handle it yourself: free entertainment for his bored soul. He may or may not be generous enough to speed up your recovery with his own Reversed Cursed Technique but I’d rather not count on it because it depends on how he is feeling after you finished the battle.
“Oh? You seem to regenerate a little faster now, even without my help. You take more and more after me, did spending all that time with me turn you into a curse now?” the King of Curses sneers loudly. “Heeey, I’m not a curse! But I would feel better if you helped me out with it instead of sneering at me,” you pouted. For a moment, he seemed to think, “No. It’s amusing.”
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tea-and-la · 3 years
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“Katara is Hot-Headed”
.... okay, so i’ve seen this ICE cold take enough time to warrant a formal post. i’ve seen and strongly agree with the posts i’ve seen that refute this, like @shewhotellsstories post here. but unfortunately, this sentiment is still something that’s widely accepted in the atla fandom. it’s no surprise that “katara is hotheaded” is the common argument for “why zutara doesn't work.” and while it’s more than irritating that zutara antis love to align them in ways that are only negative in nature, i’m not going to get into that. i’m going to focus on katara. 
one of the key defining aspects of katara’s personality is her patience. she is unwavering in her faith of aang (through their numerous supportive talks), as well as her encouragement of her friends when they need it (ex. toph in the runaway and sokka in sokka’s master.) but most notably? let’s talk about the desert episode because this is where katara’s patience really shines. 
there are a lot of things going on in that episode. aang is dealing with grief from the loss of appa and lashes out at both toph and katara while also intermittently flying away from the group. what would a “hot headed” or quick-tempered person do in this situation? let’s look at some of the dialogue: 
aang: [Enraged.] How could you let them take Appa?! ‌ Why didn't you stop them‌?!
toph: [Defensively.] I couldn't! The library was sinking! You guys were still inside and-
aang: [Snaps at Toph in a harsh way.] You just didn't care! You never liked Appa! You wanted him gone!
aang looks extremely furious at Toph as Katara walks over to him. She puts her hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down.
katara: We're all concerned, but we can't afford to be fighting now.
in that dialogue, katara inserts herself in to mediate. she recognizes that he’s in a dark place, and she sees past the harshness of his words to see that they come from a place of hurt, not malice. she reacts with empathy and understanding. 
a quick-tempered person would not have responded in this way.
the majority of this episode, katara is essentially the leader of the group. it’s swelteringly hot, which is enough for any hot headed person to get irritated, but she doesn’t. 
toph: Katara, can I have some more water?
katara: Okay, but we've got to try to conserve it.
sokka: [As he points to his mouth.] We're drinking your bending water. [He tries to define the taste of the water, smacking his lips. Disgustedly he exclaims.] You used this on the swamp guy! Urch!
toph: It does taste swampy.
katara: [Sad tone.] I'm sorry, it's all we have.
in this scene, even momo complains about the taste of the water, the only water they have. and katara’s response was to apologize for something she can’t control. 
after this point, she has to lead toph through the sand, while sokka is high on cactus juice and aang is upset. instead of getting frustrated, she tries to inspire hope into them all: 
aang: [Hopelessly.] What's the difference? We won't survive without Appa. We all know it.
katara: [Encouraging.] Come on, Aang. We can do this if we work together. Right Toph?
toph: As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'.
katara: [Hopeful.] Sokka? Any ideas how to find Ba Sing Se?
Sokka and Momo lie side by side on their backs, arms and legs stretched out. Sokka smiles blissfully.
she does get annoyed, but she doesn’t direct that frustration at any of them, unlike a quick tempered person would do.
katara: [Grabs her head in annoyance.] Ugh ... We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together! Aang, get up. Everybody, hold hands. We can do this. We have to.
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the point of these excerpts isn’t to say that anyone else in the gaang is horrible. i just wanted to point out the moments when she could’ve gotten frustrated and lashed out, but didn’t. not once. 
patience and quick temperedness are antonyms of each other. and imo, the fact that so much of katara’s character is defined by her patience (even outside of this specific episode) and nurturing (for over 80% of the show)  is enough to refute her “hotheadedness.” especially, when the other members of the gaang are allowed to be upset and/or angry on occasion and their dispositions/temperaments are not immediately associated with hotheadedness. maybe unpack why that is. 
let’s take the instance when she and toph argue in the chase. first of all, this episode is characterized by all of the members of the gaang being sleep deprived (i.e. not in their normal states), so their attitudes should be taken with a grain of salt. (what humans do you know that are happy-go-lucky when they haven’t slept enough?)
 anyway, the episode starts with katara attempting to lightly hint to toph about  group dynamics. 
katara: So Toph, usually when setting up camp, we try to divide up the work.
toph: [Shrugging casually.] Hey, don't worry about me. I'm good to go.
katara: Well, actually what I'm trying to say is, [Holds arms out in gesture.] some of us might fetch water, while someone else might set up the fire pit, or put up the tent. [Momo flies over to her, dropping several berries he had collected into her hands.] Even Momo does his fair share.
toph: [Breezily.] Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, [Pats bag.] I've already collected my own food and look, [Earthbends a rock tent over her.] my tent's all set up.
katara: [Slightly irritated.] Well, that's great for you, but we still need to finish 
toph: [Angered.] I don't understand what's the problem here!
katara: Waves her hand dismissively and walks away.] Never mind.
from the above excerpt, she drops the issue and doesn’t lash out. later, she even goes back and tries to make amends with toph. she even tries smiling before she heads over there.
Cuts to Katara, who sets down a jug of water. She looks over at Toph, sitting comfortably beneath her earth tent. Her dull expression changes to one of slight happiness. She approaches Toph who is eating some sort of food item.
katara: [Rubs back of head sheepishly.] Hey Toph, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I think we're all just a little tired and getting on each other's nerves.
toph: [Casually.] Yeah, you do seem pretty tired.
katara: [Growing disgusted.] I meant all of us.
Cuts to shot of inside Toph's earth tent as she lazily tosses the food item onto the ground and lays her head down to rest.
toph: Well, good night.
katara: [Slightly irked.] Good night.
none of her mannerisms and word choices are characteristic of someone with a temper. despite toph’s slight unintentional antagonistic remarks, katara doesn’t react. 
later, after they managed to evade the azula’s tank train for the night, they land appa. and katara tries, again:
toph: [Leaping off Appa and lying on the ground, relieved.] Ah, land sweet land! [Rises and says cheerfully.] See you guys in the morning!
katara: Actually, can you help us unload?
toph: [Points a finger at Katara in irritation.] Look! I didn't ask you to help unload my stuff! [Turns and begins walking away.] I'm carrying my own weight.
katara: [Angrily.] That's not the point. [Approaches Toph.] Ever since you joined us, you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful!
toph: [Enraged.] What? Look here, sugar queen, [Points finger at Katara.] I gave up everything I had so that I could teach Aang earthbending. So don't you talk to me about being selfish!
the only times when katara reacts in anger that could be perceived as impulsive, is when she is insulted by Pakku and when Sokka suggests that she leave the Fire Nation town without helping. Both of these are hardly instances of hotheadedness, and moreso a reflection of who she is as a character: someone who doesn’t turn her back on people who needs her and someone who fights injustice. 
why would we call katara hotheaded for not settling for being antagonized by a misogynistic asshole? she was a trailblazer in that scene and it meant so much to the little girls of the Northern Water Tribe. similarly, why would we call her hotheaded for not being able to turn away from people who are in need? after all, that’s a core part of her character’s trauma: feeling of survivor’s guilt that there was something she could’ve done to save her mom. it’s part of why she has to act to help others. her passion isn’t synonymous with hotheadedness. 
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characteroulette · 3 years
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well all rightie then, it’s time to analyse how DGS1 handles grief really well in my opinion
(once again, spoilers for all of DGS1)
(also some spoilers for the original trilogy games) (and a little of DGS2)
okay So my thesis statement here is that Asougi’s character in DGS1 is the vessel through which Ryuunosuke and Susato’s grief is explained. Everything about how they relate to Asougi is their dealing with their grief in a simple message: Loss hits hard, but you have to continue to live and love. Life Goes On, shaping that grief into yourself if you allow it.
We start off with Case 1 as our baseline. The set-up. It’s a routine to show what life is like for Ryuunosuke before tragedy. (Fitting for an AA protagonist to have their baseline of normal being accused of murder.) This case does a really, really good job of setting up Asougi as our friend, our partner, whom we might spend the rest of the game with.
(I mean, the death flag’s kinda obvious if you’re genre-savvy; the mentor must die so that the student may grow into their own. But Asougi’s so likeable! He’s confident, genuine with Ryuunosuke, comfortably teasing, and looks at you with the same eyes as Klavier. What’s not to love? Also that small hint of something deeper is so tantalising that for it to go unresolved is pretty unthinkable.)
It’s important for us to see how much Asougi means to Ryuunosuke, how much the two really are best friends. This set-up is pivotal to what happens next in Case 2: the drop.
The way Ryuunosuke reacts to learning about Asougi’s death is real. He tries to deny it at first, can’t bring himself to believe it. Especially since he’s been accused of the crime! But the moment he sees that photo of Asougi that Sherlock took, that’s where the truth of it hits and he can’t run from it anymore. All he can do is try to push past that biting grief to at least solve his friend’s murder and set things right.
Susato’s own grief is portrayed really well here, too. She’s so angered and clouded by it that she totally ignores the fact that Asougi and Ryuunosuke are best friends and believes Ryuunosuke to be the murderer. Really, she just blames Ryuunosuke because it’s easier that way, since the wound cuts just as deep for her.
What really strikes me, though, is how the whole case isn’t just a one-note misery. Like real life, the two slip into sadness when they remember their dear friend, but they’re still able to joke around. They still get upset or sarcastic or excited. Because, though their grief affects them immensely, the message is that life continues. It can’t just stop for them like it did for their friend; life goes on. Not out of malice, but out of necessity.
Also, the way Sherlock acknowledges their grief is pretty great. That felt hugely validating to me, how he tells them that their mourning is important and how his jovial, joking tone was never properly taking that into account. The way he continues breaking in at the end to lighten the mood, too, is his own genuine way of trying to help, exhausting though he may be. It’s appreciated, at the least, to keep us the players from breaking down into tears as the conclusion rolls with no real satisfaction at the mystery being solved.
That final conversation between Susato and Ryuunosuke, at least, is hugely cathartic to make up for that. It sounds like it should feel rushed, honestly, dealing with the majority of the grieving process in just Case 2, but it doesn’t at all. It seems properly healthy, like the two are doing their best by confiding and taking comfort in one another in order to celebrate Asougi’s goals, to keep going where he can’t. Ryuunosuke and Susato both form their resolve here to continue to live, not just for Asougi, but for themselves as well. For life’s sake.
Because, again, life goes on.
(A brief tangent: Seeing the contrast of this story versus the original trilogy is also a really neat sort of view into Shu Takumi’s growth as a writer. Or the AA series’ growth as a whole. How Edgeworth handled his grief by never really acknowledging it in AA1, how he basically ran away from it by refusing to live as a sort of punishment against himself, is really sad. Then Phoenix handling his grief in JFA by turning to anger and resentment is just as heartbreaking. Phoenix disavows himself from it, trying to spare himself the pain by denying it, which only hurt him more and he had to have everyone around him break him out of that awful mindset. Then in T&T it’s Godot’s grief which drives the plot, as he turns his anger on Phoenix unjustly. He blames Phoenix for Mia’s death and lashes out at everyone instead of allowing himself the time to properly grieve.
And then DGS1 comes along to say that maybe the answer is just that life goes on and we have healthier ways to reconcile with our grief and it’s just real neat to see!)
In Case 3 and 4, we can see through Ryuunosuke’s discussion with Lord Vortex (/Stronghart) the continuation of his handling this grief. It’s a burden, one Ryuunosuke doesn’t fully understand, but he fervently takes upon himself because we want to live for those we’ve lost. (It is the Wright way, the Naruhodou way, to take on the aspirations of the friends you’ve lost. To mimic their mannerisms, their ambitions, in order to keep them close to your heart.)
(That’s a whole other can of worms I could dive into, honestly, how their decision to give Ryuunosuke all of Phoenix’s poses for the whole ancestor vibe while ALSO making it clear that Ryuunosuke took them from Asougi to begin with, it’s just. It’s good, it’s perfect, it’s the same brand of gay the series is known for and I’m love it.)
You also see, as the trial of Case 3 progresses, how Ryuunosuke is basically just living off of ‘what would Asougi do?’ as Susato coaches him along and it’s fun and bittersweet all the way through. Case 4 is where he gains more confidence in himself, but he still defaults to thinking of Asougi’s unwavering trust in him to help him and every time it’s handled with tenderness and shows just how much Ryuunosuke loved his friend.
And, if you’re like me and take every opportunity to examine Asougi’s badge and present it to Susato (/others), you see how they continue to grow with their grief. It starts off with both of them being unable to say much, still weighed down heavily by Asougi’s loss. Though they are continuing and life goes on, it’s still a wound too fresh to approach and hard for them to properly explain.
By Case 5, though, the two of them are more conversational. They’ve found their words, they’ve mended that wound as much as possible so that life won’t leave without them. It still hurts, of course, but it’s easier to think about. It’s easier to reconcile when they’ve been working hard and making friends and continuing to live. It’s small, but the progression is there and I really appreciate it.
Speaking of Case 5, though, everything about this one, in regards to Asougi, is pure catharsis. It really is like they’re looking their grief right in the face and accepting it as a part of themselves. Ryuunosuke looks back on his friend not just with fondness, but with gratefulness that Asougi could make such a big impact on his life.
(This is similar to the whole Phoenix and Mia thing, I feel, since Phoenix often thought of his mentor with the same sort of tone. At least, I think so. Remarkable how Phoenix’s grief can mirror the finalised version of Ryuunosuke’s with the help of spirit channeling! /joke)
Ryuunosuke and Susato have etched Asougi into their hearts and their persons and it’s just really, very good I like it a lot.
(okay time for a few paragraphs on DGS2 and Asougi)
Case 1 one DGS2 is a neat look into Susato’s mind and thought process. You can definitely tell she’s still just a 16-year-old with the mistakes she makes and how she tries to handle her own arguments, which is very cute. We also get to see her actually talking to Asougi’s grave and then see how her own relationship with Asougi has influenced her style (/poses) and aspirations. (Ryuunosuke, too. It’s cute to see how she’s ended up a mixture of both of them.) And it’s a great rug pull moment for the player, since the way that the grief is handled in DGS1 is so good and (almost) final that hearing Asougi might not actually be dead is a bit like digging up old wounds. I mean, we went the entirety of the first game coming to terms with his death, what do you mean his body went missing??
(Case 2 serves as a reminder. Like haha remember how Susato and Ryuunosuke both love Asougi and are sad about his death? Here’s the baseline again, get ready to have it wrecked!)
And Case 3 is phenomenal, too. The way Van Zieks is so understanding in his response to showing him Asougi’s badge is just. It’s perfect, he’s so gentle and empathetic that it shocks Ryuunosuke (even though Ryuunosuke did the same understanding and concern for Van Ziek’s situation Ryuunosuke please). Then the way that Ryuunosuke sees Asougi, disguised in a cloak and mask, and immediately recognises him. To me, that really shows how much he loved his friend. He knew Asougi for about a year and it’s been about nine months since Asougi’s death, yet Ryuunosuke recognises him just by the way he carries himself.
But, to him, Asougi is dead. He’s made peace with that. So, even if it plays on his mind, he can’t allow himself to think that. He puts it out of his mind completely and doesn’t think on it again.
At least, until Susato (who reacted very realistically by shutting down the possibility that Asougi might still be alive because that means Sherlock lied and she couldn’t take having that hope break her worse than before) sees the exact same thing just as immediately and shouts after him. The fact that they both see this disguised man and know it can be no one besides Asougi is insane. It’s love. It makes me cry, I wish they could’ve hugged him during the big reveal (though I know Japanese culture’s just not like that).
Anyway, DGS2 diatribe over. Back to the conclusion.
The whole of DGS1 is just a masterful example of how grief doesn’t have to destroy you, of how life can go on and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and how channeling that grief into motivation to keep their memories alive can be powerful. That it’s okay to still feel grief even as you heal, that it’s okay to have fun and keep living even as you mourn. Life is a mixture of levity and tragedy and, to me, DGS1 nails that mixture with perfection.
Absolutely legendary. Join me next time when I dive into the main theme of DGS2, which is literally ‘the dead will come back to life to haunt you’ thanks for coming to my essay talk
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panda-writes-kpop · 2 years
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Take Me Away (TMA) Chapter 11:
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A/N: Another weekday, another chapter of Take Me Away! It feels unreal that we’re slowly approaching the end of the series. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! 💕
Are you looking for the beginning of the series? Do you need to catch up on a chapter or two? Visit the Series Masterlist for everything Take Me Away related!
TW: Injury, death, blood, the beach, oceans, mentions of alcohol, food, implied head injury and memory loss, wedding anxieties
Yoohyeon lies in her booth with the gunshot wound deeply embedded in her stomach. She knows that she won’t live to see another sunrise, but she wants to make it long enough to see your face again.
“Y/N, darling, I wish I could fix the mistakes I’ve made. I-”
Yoohyeon coughs up a little bit of blood as she holds her bleeding side.
“I can’t hold on much longer, but know that I love and care for you more than anything in the world. You were different from anyone else that I’ve known. You cared about me in every way that you could, and for that, I owe you nothing but my thanks and gratitude.”
~
Blood. All I see around me is a sea of blood.
Is this really the mysterious life force that keeps us alive?
…Or at least it kept me alive.
I should be thankful, at least a little bit, that I got to live.
~
You gasp as you immediately sit up in bed. You rub your forehead after tossing the brooch to the side.
I’ll put it back into the box later, but right now, I need something to drink. I thought about coffee or tea, but is it really too early to drink alcohol?
You gently make your way out of bed while trying to not wake up the dogs. You successfully start and finish your morning routine with no interruptions.
What was the purpose of that life? I met Yoohyeon, we got close and became secret lovers, she cheats on me, and then she dies. Where’s the happy ending there, or do I only get one?
You sigh as you run your fingers through your hair.
And while I’m at it, what’s up with that voice? They’ve been acting awfully suspicious for a while. From bullying me to now being my savior, they’ve definitely had some major character growth. What’s up with them flirting with me while I’m in another world? Don’t they know that I should be focusing on wooing women more than trying to figure out how to deal with them?
You shake your head before opening the door to your room.
Less thinking about that, and more thinking about what I want for breakfast.
Taking a step out of your door nearly causes you to run into one of your maids.
“I’m sorry to bug you, Y/N, but your father has requested for you to join him at the beach today. Well, it was less of a request and more of a demand, but the thought still counts. Be ready in an hour when the car comes to pick you up.”
And with that, the maid leaves the hallway as you closely follow your father’s instructions for today.
~
You let your bare feet touch the sand as you lay underneath the beach umbrella.
I’m too stressed to go for a swim. I might drown if I think about everything and swim at the same time.
You watch as your dad swims in the ocean in front of you. You roll your eyes before looking away.
He’s such a dork, but I wouldn’t change him for the world.
You gaze up at the clear-blue sky that lightens up the world around you.
It’s such a beautiful day. I wonder how the girls would react if I took them here…
SuA would be excited, and I’m sure that she would drag me into the water with her no matter what. Her fierceness and passion would lead to a lot of beach-inspired pranks from her and me.
Siyeon, on the other hand, would lay right here next to me. We’d talk about everything and everything until the sun set. Her smile and laugh would shine brighter than the rays of the sun as we’d joke and flirt like we used to.
Dami would like to take a stroll down the beach. We’d collect different seashells as she talked about her shop or a book she’s recently read. Her eyes wouldn’t leave me as I admired our collection of seashells in my hands.
JiU and I would build a sandcastle together. I’d tell her more stories as she eagerly listened to every single word that I said. She’d make a home for us in the sand; a place where we could go when things were okay again.
Yoohyeon would’ve liked to play beach volleyball. She and I would serve, set, and spike the ball back and forth over the net. One of us would have to lose, and the loser would’ve given lots of kisses and affection to the winner.
As for the other two stones? I’m not one for making predictions, but I think they would like a beach day as well.
“Hey, are you okay, kiddo?”
You jump slightly as your father’s figure looms over you.
“I didn’t mean to give you a heart attack, Y/N. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m good, but my mind keeps wandering.” You admit as you make room for your father to sit under the wide umbrella with you.
“What are you worried about? Is it the wedding?” Your father asks, and you nod your head.
“I don’t feel ready yet. I mean, I’m marrying someone I’ll meet a day before the wedding.” You let the words flow out of you as you express your nerves.
“I know, Y/N. Just try to relax, okay? After today, you only have two more days left. The seamstress will be coming tomorrow, so try to act somewhat normal, okay?”
You silently nod again as your father sighs.
“We should be getting back. The sun will set soon, and you need your rest.”
It’s already that late?!?!
“Ah, I see. Thank you for taking me here. I appreciate it.”
You smile at your father as you help him pack everything up.
~
You clutch the rose quartz in your hand as you slide into bed with your pajamas on.
It’s just this stone and then another one. I can do this. I can do this.
Pie and Cherry nuzzle into your left and right side, respectively, as you admire the quartz in your hand.
It’s amazing what a little stone like this can do. I wonder how the magic in this thing works…
You yawn as you feel your brain shut down for the night.
I can think about magic tomorrow; I just need to get through tonight.
~
You feel the sun beat down on your face as you rise from your bed.
Did I forget to shut my curtains? …Wait, this isn’t my room. Where am I exactly?
You’re on a coastal town on an island in the middle of the sea.
Cool, cool. Is that all of the help I get?
If I knew anything else, I would tell you.
Thanks.
Now, look alive. You’re about to meet your love interest in a few minutes.
WHAT?
You quickly maneuver around your small bedroom as you work to clean everything up and get changed. You notice a small rose quartz anklet on your foot, but you’re too worried about impressing someone to take note of it.
Is this a cute outfit? I hope that this is cute.
You look excellent, Y/N. Exit the door as soon as your ready.
You take a deep breath as you exit your room.
“Y/N!” A voice screams before you’re tackled to the floor.
What the-
A red-haired girl laughs as she gives you a warm hug on the floor.
“Hey, why aren’t you hugging me back? You didn’t hit your head that hard, right?”
“I’m sorry.” You mumble before awkwardly wrapping your arms around her too.
“That’s better. You always give me hugs when you wake up. It’s what best friends do!” She gives you a toothy smile before getting up off of the floor.
The girl offers you a hand that you graciously accept before she helps you off of the floor. She guides you into the kitchen as your hands are intertwined together.
Hey, voice person, please explain!
I just wanted to watch you get tackled. That was pretty entertaining.
How rude! I just wanted some help, and now you’re out here trying to get revenge on me.
It was funny, you have to admit that.
Okay, maybe it was a little funny…
That’s good enough for me. As for information, you live with your best friend whom you’ve been crushing on for ages. You got into a bad boating accident that messed with some of your memories.
Thanks. That would’ve been helpful earlier, but thanks anyways.
You let go of the woman’s hand as you sit at a table in the kitchen.
“I made breakfast! Eat up.” The red-head places a plate of food in front of you.
“Thanks!” You cheerfully say before eating the food in front of you.
“Do you remember my name, or do you just remember me?” The girl asks suddenly.
Umm…
You remember her, but not her name.
“I remember you, and living here with you, but I don’t remember your name.” You shyly admit.
“That’s alright!” She gives you a bright smile despite the sadness in her voice. “I’m Gahyeon!”
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imasimpforshanks · 3 years
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hiii, how are you? may i ask angst alphabet for Ace? thank you ❤️
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Angst Alphabet - Portgas D. Ace
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a/n: hi hi!! here you go! OMG angst is still really hard LOL I don’t want to think about their rough life 😔😔😔😔😔 ANYWHOOOOO thank you for requesting and I hope you enjoy<3
warnings: on the letter S there is mention of self harm
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A-Accident (would they blame themselves if you died in an accident?)
Ace would definitely blame himself. He’s always thought he was a no-good demon child, son of a criminal that didn’t deserve to be alive (despite finding people that truly cared and loved him). You dying in an accident and him not being able to do anything about it would just reinforce what he already thinks of himself.
Regardless of your cause of death he is likely to attribute it to your association with himself, and because of that he will think it is entirely his fault, even if he wasn’t present at the time of your death.
B-Break up (How would they break up with you?)
His lessons with Makino really helped him develop manners and just a general sense of acceptable behaviour. So, Ace would just be clear and up front, no mixed messages, no miscommunication. He would take you some place quiet and away from others, and then he would be as honest and vulnerable as possible – it’s the least you deserve. The break-up would be very civil, you would definitely end on good terms (doesn’t make it any less sad though).
C-Crying (how would they make you cry?)
Sometimes Ace can take his teasing a little too far. Usually you can handle it, but there are just some days where his words cut deeper than ever intended (even if they have no malice behind them). It’s not his fault you’re having a bad day, or not realizing you are having a bad day. It’s just one of those things that happens sometimes. As soon as you start to cry though, he apologizes and reassures you so much, to make sure you known he doesn’t mean it and he’s only playing around.
D-Death (how would they react to your death?)
It would start out with a lot of confusion, like “what t-that must be some kind of a sick joke. H-how… w-what… they wouldn’t just die like that.” After it really sinks in that you have in fact died, Ace will just get angry. I don’t see him as much of a crier (spoiler alert – we only see him truly allow himself to cry on two occasions 1) when luffy got crazy hurt as a child and 2) when ace was on deaths door), so I believe he would react with anger.
Regardless of your cause of death (natural causes, accident, died in battle etc.) Ace would be unbelievably angry with himself, the world and you. He would be angry at himself for being unable to save you, someone he cares about and loves deeply. He would be angry at the world and whatever higher being there may be for choosing now to be your time. There are so many horrible, horrible people in the world, yet you had to die? It makes no sense. Lastly, he would be angry at you. Not a genuine anger but more so a “how could you just leave me like this? We were meant to be together forever.”
E-Emotion (what is one emotion they would try to hide the most and how would they do it?)
I think Ace tends to try his sadness. He tries to put on a brave face, not wanting anyone to see him cry as he doesn’t want to be viewed as weak or be even more of a burden on others.
F-Fight (how often do you fight? What do you fight about? Do you fight often? Etc.)
Fights with Ace, although they don’t happen often, can quickly get out of hand. He’s stubborn and his inability to accept that he’s not always right can cause a minor disagreement to escalate into an all-out fight. On a few occasions you have argued about him never turning his back on an opponent.
Your fights tend to be followed by cooldown time. Things can get quite heated (no pun intended) so you need some alone time and space to breathe. After that though, you comeback together and apologize.
G-Guilt (what is the biggest thing they feel guilty about?)
For his entire life, Ace has lived with the guilt of simply existing. He doesn’t think himself worthy of being alive. Can you blame him? It’s all anyone ever told him growing up. Despite eventually finding people who loved him for him, those feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness still remain and continue to plague his mind.
H-Heartbreak (what would cause them pain in the relationship? How would they deal during a break-up?)
During a break-up Ace is quiet. He doesn’t want to be around anyone or anything. He wants to be left completely alone so he can sort out his thoughts and feelings. He’d be quite devasted because he’s had so few people in his life love him on as deep a level as you did.
I-Injured (how would they react if you are badly injured?)
Ace would absolutely lose it if you were injured. He’d be concerned, upset, and angry all at once. First things first, he needs to know if you are going to be ok. Once that’s been established, he’ll be upset at himself for allowing this to happen. This will be replaced by the pure anger he feels at whoever, or whatever, caused this.
J-Jealousy (what do they do if they are jealous?)
When he gets jealous he turns into such a man child. He’s pouting and moping around while mumbling to himself. He develops quite a petty attitude. If you were to ask him “want to go get something to eat?” he’d respond with “why don’t you just go and ask ____ for some food.” But, as soon as you begin commenting on how jealous he’s acting he’s going to deny it to the end of his days.
K-Kill (would they kill for revenge?)
Ace literally hunted down Blackbeard so he could get revenge on him for killing Thatch. It’s not certain whether or not Ace had the intention of killing Blackbeard, however, he definitely had both the spirit and anger to go through with killing him. So, it is possible that Ace would kill for revenge. However, for the most part, he would prefer to just beat them senseless.
L-Loss (what is their greatest loss?)
Either Sabo or his mother’s death, would be considered Ace’s greatest loss. His mother died when he was a new-born, so he doesn’t particularly remember, or know, anything about her other than the fact that she was a kind wonderful woman. However, the loss of Sabo is something he remembers vividly. Losing Sabo had a major impact on Ace. It was an unfortunate wake up call as to how awful the world truly is.
M-Mistake (what is the worst mistake they ever made with you?)
One night, after a particularly bad day filled with a horrible series of events, Ace was letting off some steam (quite literally I suppose). Messing with his devil fruit power, throwing some flames around. He hadn’t noticed your presence and so his flames nearly burnt you. He was horrified, and he only felt worse after he noticed the pure terror in your eyes.
N-Nightmares (how often do they have them? What are they about? How do they deal with it?
Ace has nightmares frequently, they vary, but they all have the same underlying theme, that is, the people in his life don’t actually care about him and only view him the same way everyone else views the son of the pirate kind – a worthless devil with no right to life. He wakes up from his dreams in a sweat and finds himself in desperate need of fresh air (ya know to try and clear his mind). He ends up just sitting out on the deck of the Moby Dick looking up at the sky trying to tell himself it was all a dream. But his insecurity and self-doubt begin to resurface and soon he can’t discern imagination from reality. However, the moment someone else on the crew even speaks to Ace with something as simple as a “morning dude” he’s brought back down to earth and thinks to himself “no that’s right…. They love me… I wouldn’t be here right now if they didn’t.”
It’s a vicious cycle, but in the end, he manages to remember (even if it’s just for a little bit) that he is cherished.
O-Outrage (how and why would they get mad at you?)
When you continuously tell him there’s no need to stay and fight every single opponent. It’s okay to turn and runaway – in fact it’s safer to do that. When you say that he feels as though you don’t understand him. He’s not some careless, impulsive child who’s just looking for a fight (okay maybe he is a little bit). So he doesn’t really get super angry, it’s more so that he is frustrated and a little upset that you don’t try to see it from his perspective.
P-Past (what has happened in your relationship that changed the way you saw each other?)
It’s the same as the worst mistake he’s ever made with you – nearly burning you with his devil fruit. It made you realize that Ace can actually be quite dangerous (although you know he would NEVER hurt you intentionally). It made Ace realize that he needs to be more careful, the look of pure terror in your eyes has stayed with him ever since that incident, serving as a reminder.
Q-Quality (what is their most dangerous/toxic quality?)
His tendency to not back down from a fight is simultaneously his most endearing and toxic trait. He constantly places himself in dangerous situations with minimal concern for his own safety.
R-Rejection (how would they react to you rejecting their confession (or the other way around))
Having his confession rejected by you was definitely a blow to his self-esteem, but he respected and accepted your feelings. Instead of moping around about it he decides to laugh it off, trying to make light of a slightly disappointing situation.
S-Scars (battle or self-inflicted)
Ace does not have any scars, battle related or self-inflicted.
TW self-harm: I do think ace got worryingly close to self-harming, but Sabo and Luffy made him rethink it all.
T-Trust (have they ever broken your trust?)
The one and only time Ace broke your trust was after Blackbeards betrayal. You made him promise to take you with him when he left to hunt down Blackbeard because you didn’t want him to go alone. He promised but he had no intention of keeping that promise.
U-Urge (how badly do they want to see you after you guys separated?)
For a while Ace manages to get by by keeping himself preoccupied. But as soon as he lets up for even a minute, he realizes how much he misses you and is beyond tempted to just sail on back to wherever you are and tackle you to the ground plastering your face in lil kisses. When he’s not distracted, he really does miss you a lot. He hyper-fixates on what you could be doing at this very moment, whether or not you miss him too etc.
V-Vicious (what do they do when they lash out on you?)
When ace gets mad, he tends to get very loud. He raises his voice quite a lot and it becomes very, very frightening. He would never physically hurt you, but the anger and frustration in his voice is more than another to scare the shit out of you.
W-Weak (what makes them feel weak how do they try to avoid it?)
Constantly being reminded or associated with the Pirate King. Maybe it doesn’t make him feel weak, but it makes him feel horrible inside and stirs up a lot of feelings and remarks people would make when he was younger. Unfortunately, once word gets out there isn’t much Ace can do to stop this from happening, however, before this, Ace avoided this by not telling ANYONE. He only told Luffy and Sabo, with a very small handful of others knowing (i.e Garp).
X-X-ray (what do they hate and show it most obviously?)
He hates turning his back on a fight or turning his back on people that talk shit about those he cares about. This is seen during the Marineford arc. He doesn’t let Akainus words about Whitebeard slide. He doesn’t runaway. He has no tolerance for that shit.
Y-Yearn (what is one thing that they want but can’t have?)
Ok this may be dark as hell but, Ace just wants to not feel like a burden to the world. He wants to be viewed as something different/separate from his father, but he can’t change history.
Z-Zero (what do they do/say in your dying moments?)
He doesn’t let you go. He’ll hold on to you until he is forcefully separated from your body. He just starts to spout a lot of nonsense – things don’t make sense at all, but he can’t help it right now. He can’t think properly when you’re about to leave him. He just wants you to stay.
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What’s your opinion for Leo’s reaction to finding out the mc was immortal as well- not necessarily a vampire, maybe they’re some other type of supernatural. I’m really curious because Leo seems like he’s mainly in love with the mc bec they are human.
Hi lovely!!! Always wonderful to see you, hope you’re well! 💛💛💛💛💛
Tbh I think my opinion remains the same about something like this? I'm going to link to an ask I wrote up a while ago, only because it's v pertinent to the subject matter and good background for what I’m going to expand on here.
That being said, I'm happy to kind of tl;dr/expand on what I talked about there. Basically I had the feeling that Leonardo choosing MC as a lover was more circumstantial--regarding the state of his life in the moment, regarding his general feelings about vampires and vampire society, and regarding his unresolved trauma as a young kid.
I guess my answer to that question--and forgive me if it seems like a cop out--is that it really depends, I feel? I think his attraction has a lot more to do with the kind of person somebody is, their sensibility, more than it has to do with mortal vs immortal. If it was an immortal MC that showed ridiculous fortitude and self-control, measured patience and maturity, I really don’t see him not noticing that? I think he would be wary at first (assuming it’s all a front) but with time would likely feel a great deal of love if they were interested in a life together. If they were able to see and understand what he needs and answered those needs, I guess I just really doubt his ability to say no. It’s all he’s really looking for, and the fact that he hasn’t found it after so long really speaks to his frightened evasiveness and the rare nature of that kind of unshakeable strength.
I also think a lot of his hinging away from purebloods (true immortals, in other words) is that he 100% does not want his familia having any involvement in his meaningful relationships. Which might be why he shows more acceptance towards turned vampires, or potentially different supernatural beings.
But I also don’t like giving a vague answer without some kind of explanation as to how I got, to that conclusion, so a boatload of analysis follows below the content warning.
Spoilers for Leonardo’s route and a few mentions of JPN ver content:
I think he has less of an obsession with the idea of mortality, and more like a constant association of goodness and freedom and maturity with humanity. And while it's understandable, there are signs that--when he has the proper time and space to heal--his views seem to soften from those extremes. I mean his decision to live with Comte is pretty much his first step in that direction; it was him acknowledging for the first time that vampires aren't inherently loathsome or incapable of normal living. (On a revealing note, I think it says a lot that he agrees with MC that she is living in a “wolves’ den” but also feels the need to clarify the men are basically the domesticated equivalent. They don’t pose the same threat other vampires typically do to humans because of their lifestyle and sire.) Additionally, his tsun-like behavior towards Comte also seems to solidify this concept for me: Leonardo’s trying to come to terms with something he's sworn to reject since he was young, but also can't entirely deny that Comte is as chill and mature as purebloods come lmao
[There was also an event in the JPN ver–which seems to be approaching the ENG version rapidly, though only the first part is here right now–in which Leonardo fully offers to turn her. MC is essentially on her death bed, and Leonardo doesn’t want to lose her after so little time together; it’s MC that rejects the future as a vampire out of sheer principle. Even more noteworthy is that, when a reincarnation of MC is reunited with Leonardo in modern times, he is revealed to be exceptionally shaken by that loss. There are suggestions he can’t take losing her again, which could mean succumbing to the desire to bite her.]
Two things I feel are necessary to hit home:
The first being that, at least within the storyline so far, the most mature and human-like vampires we’ve seen are Leonardo and Comte. They seek to emulate the maturity they see reflected in the human beings they’ve known all their lives. Given how vampire society and their hierarchies work, I get the feeling humans are nothing more than amusing tools to them--a way to survive and creatures to exercise control over. There’s an objectification and delusion that comes with what I’ve seen, and I think it’s important in this discussion? If the vast majority of vampires behave this way (because I’m ngl, Leonardo and Comte don’t seem very keen on remaining in touch with other vampires all that much) then it only makes sense they prefer the company of humans who can at least share this sensibility of “been there, done that--stop hurting people bc you’re bored/repressed, grow up.”
One event story where this was exceedingly evident was actually Leonardo’s proposal story. If y’all remember, an old pal/acquaintance of Leonardo’s finds out he’s gunning for a human woman and basically goes “lmao not on my watch.” His name was Adam iirc, and he felt he had every liberty to try and pressure Leonardo into turning MC. Failing that, he insisted they should break up and not be together anymore. Now, on the one hand, it’s fair to say that he was looking out for Leonardo in a way–he didn’t want him to end up miserable and alone when she was gone. But at the same time I feel that Adam’s behavior is deeply revealing of vampire society as well lmao. He doesn’t really try to understand the situation, just immediately assumes it’s the only appropriate outcome. It does insinuate a lowkey cultural disdain for humanity: they are imperfect, they do not last or cannot have real value without preservation. If Adam was really Leonardo’s friend, wouldn’t he realize that Leonardo considers vampirism nothing more than a burden that he would wish on no one, much less his future wife? Additionally, wouldn’t he also keep in mind that Leonardo considers human beings beautiful just as they are? Since he fails these basic requirements to understand Leonardo, my impression is that he is influenced by the larger vampire culture to some extent. Furthermore, it underscores just how thoroughly Leonardo has been trained to keep his cards close to his chest for fear of ridicule/violent reprisal: no vampires know his true feelings on the matter because he would be vehemently rejected outright.
[One can also offer that maybe Adam wasn’t being malicious, maybe vampires find human women they fall in love with all the time and turn them (or any other permutation of companionship that occurs), so he doesn’t understand why Leonardo wouldn’t. But even then, to try to force them to break up if she doesn’t turn? A bit overkill imo but also revealing--Leonardo’s will is being ignored for the sake of upholding a kind of ill-founded superiority complex lmao]
While Leonardo does have a somewhat overbearing need to control the pacing of his relationship and who sacrifices what, I don’t think it’s wrong to be cautious--to want to think things through. I think it’s fair to be afraid that the person you’re with can’t handle what you’ve seen/known. But that also leads me to a core issue I have with MC: she doesn’t inspire much confidence that she can handle the life he’s lived, and that’s a problem of both incapacity and incompatibility. I have to wonder how he reacts when he’s with somebody at the same maturity level, or at the very least somebody with whom he can see her strength with time. When MC’s life was dying out he was desperate enough to accept biting her because he didn’t want to lose her–human or not. It’s MC that rejects this solution, which leads me to further believe that he just doesn’t care about the divide when it comes down to it; it has more to do with his difficulty with being vulnerable and fully trusting someone to care about him. (Assuming they also have the fortitude to stay hopeful and relatively strong over the course of a very long life.)
In line with that, the second thing I think it’s important to acknowledge is how deeply hurt Leonardo is as a result of his family treating him like a fool/black sheep. He outright says and heavily insinuates that his family would write her off as worthless, that they’d never accept her--that's his first thought:
Leonardo: “My familia would call you frail. I think you’re strong and beautiful. You do more with your time than we try to do with ours.”
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MC: “And those letters were from your familia?”
Leonardo: “Yeah. I don’t talk to them or see them anymore. We don’t agree...on a lot of things.”
[Brief intermission here. But lmao. Who does that sound like? If any of you guessed Isaac, that’s exactly what I’m alluding to. Isaac says in his own route smth along the lines of “Why bother trying to get through to people when no amount of talking does any good or gets you any closer to being understood?” Which also explains the way they get along to uncanny degrees: they find comfort in making things/researching because it means being able to avoid the distress that comes with being blatantly misunderstood by others. Their pain simply comes in different dimensions; for Leo it’s about loss and hiding who he is out of fear of rejection, for Isaac it’s about betrayal and people turning on him--ultimately abandonment for both. But I digress, back to the main argument.]
Leonardo: “Once they discovered my location, they began hounding me with letters again. They don’t want me to be with just anyone...They want more purebloods. I’m no more than one half of an equation for them.”
There is a clear implication that his desire to choose somebody that truly makes him happy means jack shit to them. They keep talking over him and trying to wear him down to force him into what they want. It’s no wonder--imo--that he has such a hard time just saying what he wants in his life, to feel like he has the freedom to wish and pursue anything freely. It’s no wonder he just expects MC to spit on everything that’s important to him. It appears as though only other human beings in general and Comte have ever come close to understanding him.
At some point MC realizes that his insistence on being compagni provvisori was originally just another act of sacrifice, and that he was fine with giving up his time and a little privacy if it meant she would be safe. The thing she doesn’t seem to realize in the course of this--and he struggles to say it until later on--is that it stopped being blind generosity. He really did start to fall in love with her, and that’s the whole reason things became even more messy; because he didn’t anticipate not being able to let go on top of the vulnerability. And it’s a big part of why he’s hesitating to speak. He feels he has no right to those feelings, and that he’s imposing on her--not that he’ll be welcome.
And when she did finally admit those feelings were welcome, it was compounded by the parroted views of his family and larger vampire society as a whole. Saying that she herself wasn’t enough, that she had to become a vampire to make him happy. Imo that sounds very potentially retraumatizing given his experiences (people trying to force him into marriages with other vampires who didn’t remotely understand or care about him because it was “the right way of things”). It’s no wonder he freaks out and does something incredibly stupid and insensitive–which is pretty insanely ooc for him.
Leonardo: “...It shocked them. Quieted them down a bit. Hard to get peace when your familia is immortal. Grazie, cara mia.”
Leonardo: “You’re strong, and you’re kind. So probably you won’t cry while I’m here to see it. But when I’m not looking, you’ll cry. If I had done that to you (bitten her, in other words), you’d still be crying when I wasn’t watching... Maybe it’s selfish of me, after what I did, but I just wanted to make you happy. You always look pretty, cara mia, but your smile takes my breath away...It’s not your destiny to love someone who will only make you cry.”
This man literally cannot handle anyone deeply sad or in despair. He’s always going to try to cheer people up and care about them, but general tragedy/emotional discord affects him very powerfully--and it’s likely a reflection of what I’ve mentioned before. He can’t bear to see people feeling helpless or miserable because he’s just been there too many times to be able to cope. He wants to help and heal (even if he’s suffering from prolonged compassion fatigue), but he knows that his powers are limited--even if he is a pureblood.
And the thing is? While it’s misguided to believe she would cry alone when it comes to the context of healthy romantic love (bc the idea would be that you lean on each other when something upsetting happens) he has zero reference point. He was not born as a result of authentic love (his parents never married, he was the result of a procreative arrangement), his family talks over every wish and belief he has and they still claim it’s done out of love/honest concern for him. One can only imagine the serpentine and obnoxious lengths to which his family has deceived or tried to force him into reconnecting with them. Every person that ever did know him/care about him in a real way is gone. Love, for him, has only been a series of losses that left his heart hollowed out; I don’t really blame him for expecting further disappointment and isolation and exhaustion. 
He’s also not wrong in the sense that he partially saw MC do what he outlined, and it’s a big part about what he loves about her. When she was feeling alone and lost–powerless–all she did was shrug and move forward. That doesn’t make it hurt any less, but focusing on what you can do instead of what you can’t do is healthier. And they both have the tendency to hide when they’re in pain or feeling lost, all because they don’t want to trouble anyone. Remember that when he says this, it’s a reflection of himself too: because even if he was heartbroken beyond measure, all he would do is hide it every second; he would never expect anyone to see right through him or care.
I mean I tend think of that one post I saw that talked about how people often see themselves as a social burden when most of their life has just been a series of neglect and loss. They don’t really have a concept of “you’re not heavy because I want to stay with you. It’s my choice to care about you.” How do you feel worthwhile an existence when four hundred years later your family still won’t treat you with basic dignity. The men in the mansion also all look to him for guidance and soothing because of the kind of person he is–he’s either silent in the periphery or helping. He never betrays so much as an inkling of insecurity or distress. 
I mean the whole reason Leonardo comes to the mansion is because he has absolutely no issue helping Comte in a pivotal time of need without seeking much of anything in return. Remember that Comte explains how Leonardo came to the mansion in response to Comte’s distress about the future. This makes sense considering Comte was rapidly trying to stop Vlad by beating him to the punch, and had only enough time to plan the basics. He had no certainty things would work out, much less that his boys would thrive. But Comte, unlike the boys, has become acutely aware of how much Leonardo is hiding his fatigue and despair in the course of being helped. As such, he wants to return the favor--and tries to be a good friend to him as much as he can (handles his insane familia, keeps things light and silly time between them, takes him seriously as a person, doesn’t pry beyond what’s fair.)
[I also think of that psychology concept of “the good enough mother.” It’s not always about being perfect every second of your life. It’s about paying attention and acting where it really counts. I feel like people who grow up under an enormous burden of neglect or parental/mentor abuse have a hard time coming to terms with the idea. This notion that just trying is enough for a lot of people, that showing them they’re not alone is enough to make  difficult memories bearable. Because it’s the oppressive silence and apathy that tends to kills people, imo--not people who mean well. But Leonardo doesn’t really understand any kind of reciprocal or non-self-emptying model because the concept is beyond him. He has no experience with it beyond Comte and a select few humans he’s befriended.]
Let’s continue on this point of MC crying where he can’t see her, shall we? The reason this scares him so much is not because he doesn’t care, or doesn’t want to make the effort. It’s precisely that he cares to the point of madness. It’s that he is legitimately convinced nothing he has to say, nothing that he can do, no part of him is enough to ease what she will have to trade away to stay with him. The core issue is not one of disregard or objectification, I find it to be more about his belief that he just isn’t enough. He doesn’t trust that anyone can love him to the point where just the sight of him or time with him can heal. And while there is a foolishness to this belief, it’s understandable when you consider where he’s coming from. You can call it selfishness, but it just feels involuntary--he has a lot of fear when it comes to love.
I mean Comte even says it himself? His words here always strike me: “I want you to understand, it’s because he cherishes you just as you are--more than he cares about his future or his well-being.”
Comte is openly identifying the way that Leonardo has a tendency to give more than is healthy. That Leonardo isn’t hesitating because his feelings are lacking, he’s doing it because he knows it’s going to hurt like a bitch trying to love her and never ask beyond what feels reasonable. (Spoilers: no request is reasonable. That’s the problem here. He’s convinced he deserves nothing.) Therefore turning her into a vampire to stay with him is--consequently, to Leonardo--out of the question. This is the literal hingepoint at which Comte and Leonardo divide; Comte simply tells MC he’ll take full responsibility for asking so much of her. He intends to make her happy with every single resource and skill he has at his disposal. Even if he doubts his ability or fears losing her to vampire rhetoric madness, he’d rather try than live with the regret and immediate loss. Leonardo is more resistant because of his dour outlook, that her fear of immortality is never going to be something that either of them can overcome. And/or he’s likely afraid she’s only going to regret being together after so long, and might succumb to the ridiculous sort of power/greed complexes vampires seem so attracted to by nature.
I think Leonardo is still coming to terms with the idea that he isn't alone in the world in a lot of ways, and I think he's also coming to terms with the idea that immortality does not equate to evil. Sure, human beings on average are probably more open to flexible modes of thinking and living compared to vampires--their maturity is in some ways guaranteed due to the instances they're forced to adapt to survive. However, just one look at the ruling class and oligarchies of all kinds (even just stubborn human beings) reveals how they are not immune to the same sort of megalomania, arrogance, and thoughtless violence purebloods/vampires are capable of.
So I guess I hesitate when it comes to the thought that he only loves her because she's human. If anything, I think he loves her for the fact that she's very rooted in reality--not quite so bound by the extremes that trouble him. It's one of the many reasons I believe Leonardo needs a lot of maturity and patience; the ability to differentiate between his panicked/overwhelmed/hurt reactions versus his calm is a skill in and of itself considering his capacity for concealment. To say nothing of getting him to slow down when this happens, too.
I suppose I think about it in a way that’s similar to how Napoleon’s main story narrative is framed. While Leonardo’s route doesn’t focus on the grandeur of being a former emperor, there is a clear insinuation here that he also craves normalcy? Just a little life, with a person he loves dearly, where he can rest and be himself for once. I think because he gives off such an appearance of steadiness, people fail to see that he is barely holding on--not to mention the kind of experiences he’s been deprived of (the exact security and understanding he so expertly emulates).
Closer to your question, it’s worth mentioning that Leonardo’s life goal for a while was the creation of an immortal human being--in that he fully recognized human beings could not offer what he needed as they were.
He loves humans because of their adaptability, their frequent desire to keep seeking out hope and making the best of the broken pieces they have. But then again, it has more to do with the nature of how frequently that sensibility occurs in humans vs vampires (and immortality in general): mortality does demand some level of necessity to change and grow. Which is one of the largest trauma points for him; the vampires around him just refused to grow up, always demanding at him like children and obsessed with their power complexes.
Thing is I also don't know enough about vampire society to know how correct this perceived ratio is. However, given Comte's similar avoidance of other vampires and general inability to live with them (he and Vlad were literal childhood best friends and Comte can't stand him anymore lmao) I think Leonardo may have more validity here than people give him credit for. Which begs the question--why did he quit trying to make a human immortal? What was it that stopped him? Was it the horror of what needed to be done to achieve it? Or would a potential companion start to fall more in love with the idea of immortality than they do with life itself/him? I think it’s a worthwhile question to ask, given the disdain he seems to aim at Shakespeare in particular--once human, but now emulates all of the violence and insatiability marked by vampirism.
This is where the transition from human to vampire/immortal contains another hingepoint: is Leonardo so incapable of finding a middle ground because he feels like any choice he makes will be a wrong one? Marry a human, deprive them of a normal love where they can grow old together. Marry a human and turn them, what if they are reborn with immortal wounds/psychological harm? What if time proves they get bored of him or hateful, what if they begin to act like the predatory purebloods he hates so much? Marry a pureblood/immortal, and be hounded by his family for heirs--risk being with somebody who will never love him or their children, and only inspire more misery in the world.
Does it make sense how this can really start to become an anxious downspiral for someone like him? How the personal insecurity and life history comes together to just compound stress endlessly?
That's the thing that's important here, I think. Leonardo just needs somebody who is open-minded, firm, and not easily deceived. If one takes a look at Leonardo's main story route, the whole reason everything goes to shit so disastrously is because MC stops listening at a critical point. Granted Leonardo could have been more forthcoming for sure, but when she started assuming Shakespeare was right instead of seeing how Leonardo was feeling/reacting, she responded in ways Leonardo wasn't prepared for. He never wanted to shake her faith or insinuate whatever she is is not good enough for him, and tbh I think Leonardo downspiraled because it was just the same thing all over again. What he is--a vampire and immortal--keeps ruining everything he wants with his life. 
#asks#ikevamp#ikemen vampire#ikevamp meta#ikevamp leonardo#ikevamp leo#ikevamp saint germain#ikevamp comte#can you tell i think too hard about these things kjhdglshf#sorry this reply took me a little longer than i meant to--but i really did want to do the topic proper justice!!#leonardo is such a dear person to me and I can't help but sympathize#people are free to disagree with this but it's just how i feel about the topic#the more i see about him in event stories--the sense this his trembling heart is slowly easing--the less i can believe such things matter#to him all that much tbh#i also think the event where he loses her is just all the more telling too?#i feel like if it really was a matter of principle and not love he would have just accepted it#humans have a v short lifespan--what can be done#sort of reaction#but that's not how he reacted at all: he was a man beside himself with dread and sadness#and even when he meets her reincarnation he can't help but want to be with her again#iirc he starts shaking at the slightest mention of when she died--and shows a lot less ability to resist the urge to turn her#so anywho brief summation is that i think this is more about so many sad boy hours and fear of widespread immortal megalomania#than it is abt hatred for immortality#he has no confidence good things can last without being warped--and that's the key issue here#'nothing gold can stay'#long post#rambles#not incorrect quotes#if you manage to read this without falling asleep i applaud you ajkhldghkfjsdg#thanks for the ask tho--i love any excuse to yell abt leo <333
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NSFW ENJI (Endeavor) X READER ONESHOT
Business/CEO A/B/O AU - this just popped into my head and turned into a 10 Chapter fic you can read on Ao3: “Hidden Flowers”
Warnings: smut, Dom Enji, sub reader, rough sex, A/B/O dynamics, alpha Enji, omgega reader, alpha Toshinori, heat cycles, dirty talk
Words: 5k
(Y/N) checked her emails one final time, ensuring nothing new had come through in the last three minutes that needed her boss’s attention. She picked up the file she had organised for the day, shuffling the papers into a neat stack before rising to her feet, straightening out her clothes and marching towards the CEO’s office. She opened the door without knocking, an action that he had told her to forego many years ago, she was his secretary after all, if she had something urgent to tell him, there was no point in wasting time knocking on the door. And he also didn’t need to burden of someone knocking on his door fifty times a day. The red head was on the phone when she entered, this scene wasn’t uncommon, some days he scarcely got away from the damn thing.
Closing the door behind her, she walked up to his desk and placed the pile of papers down on his right before walking to a white board and started neatly writing out the day’s major meetings.
“I don’t care about the cost, how long will it take to get it up and running again?” Enji sighed into the phone as he noted down the time frame.
“Is there another company that can fix it faster?” she turned back and saw he was looking at her. He’d asked both her and the person on the other end of the call, he just knew she’d come up with a solution faster.
“Mack Plus have the best engineers, Trencher Co. will be quickest but they fixed that unit previously and it’s broken again, I would suggest Wheels Down Inc as nothing they’ve fixed has broken again and it will be fixed within the week” she spilled out, she’d read the email about the mining vehicle break down this morning and immediately looked at the data for previous break downs. The man nodded and wrote it down, whilst also rolling his eyes at whoever was on the other end of the call.
“(Y/N) will send through contact details for further correspondence with Wheels Down Inc, let me know once the machine’s operating again” and the CEO hung up.
“Fucking useless” Enji muttered as he started going through his emails, “got any good news?” he asked.
“Stocks are up again today?” she tried which resulted in a small smirk from him.
“And you only have one meeting currently locked in today as well, however it is with a major shipping company that we’ve been trying to create a deal with for the past five years” she frowned a little at the last part.
“I said good new (Y/N), not mediocre news” he sighed.
“It’s their new CEO, so I guess a new chance to make good impressions” she tried again.
“That’s why I’m putting you on the front line”
“I’ll do my best Sir” putting the whiteboard marker down and turning back to him.
“Have you found anything of use in Yagi’s background?” he asked as he started going through the files she had left on his desk.
“Nothing of particular use. The problem is he seems completely different to his father, since he’s taken leadership, the company has become heavily involved in charity work. Regardless of whether it was his intention or not, the shipping company has gained a huge amount of positive press. I found nothing on Yagi himself, the only thing you can really play into in this deal is the ‘make the world a better place’ because even after a deep dive on his history, I couldn’t find anything to suggest he wants anything else” she explained with a shrug.
“How do our eco stats look?” he questioned.
“Favourable, we’ve cut emissions by seventy-five percent with the new machine’s we’re using, and with the new sonar tech that’s been implemented we’ve reduced habitat loss due to our companies’ procedures by nearly ninety percent. The rest of the report is on page five” she was confident as he went through the papers and pulled out the report.
“Increase public profile” the red head raised an eyebrow at the short list of suggestions she had made.
“It can’t hurt Sir, becoming more involved with the local community could see a potential increase of upwards of twenty percent in sales”.
“At what cost?” he put the paper aside, knowing she would be able to give him a clearer answer than the document.
“Time, funding, man power” she was curt, the CEO didn’t like wishy washy explanations.
“The board won’t like that” it was a statement.
“Can’t make an omelette and all that” she shrugged and he eyed her. She had never been wrong when it came to giving suggestions or advice on what was best for the company. She would voice her opinion on occasion, when she knew she was completely in the right. It was one of the many reasons Enji kept her as his secretary and refused to promote her to a section manager, not to mention the ridiculous bonuses that he forked out to her at the end of each year for her work. She were too goddamn valuable, and unlike many of his employees, she wasn’t afraid of him. The alpha was used to people grovelling at his feet, begging and pleading for whatever it was that they wanted at the time, usually sex or money, even employment. Enji Todoroki was one of the strongest alpha’s out there, hell, he was so intoxicating some alphas had even begged him to use them. But she wasn’t like them, it was almost as if she couldn’t smell pheromones, he was almost convinced that she in fact couldn’t, going by the amount that he had released around her in the beginning to test her.
When he’d first met her, he was shocked by her professionalism, she didn’t seem to care that he was an alpha and she wasn’t deterred when he borderline threatened her during the job interview. Hell, he didn’t even know what her secondary gender was, her CV states that she’s a beta, but the way she acted sometimes, she could convince anyone she was born an alpha. She wouldn’t take shit from anyone, and she certainly wouldn’t let him dish it out to her either, or if he did, she’d give it straight back and usually be right, and always got away with it. It’s why he respected her so much and hadn’t tried to come onto her once, also because he was more attracted to submissives, and she were far from it. She took suppressants, that much he was sure off, she never smelled like anything, and she didn’t give off any scent at all, ever.
“When’s the meeting?” he asked.
“In thirty minutes” she said as she turned to leave.
“You better get to it then” he mused.
“You don’t have to tell me twice” she gave a small smile and then exited the room. She made her way down to the lobby of the building to greet Mr Yagi on his arrival, just in case he was early. And wouldn’t you know it, this ball of sunshine was always early. He walked through the front doors to the building not two minutes after she had walked out of the elevator. She lifted her shoulders, stood up straight and approached the man with confidence.
“Mr Yagi, I’m (Y/N), Mr Todoroki’s secretary, it’s an honour to meet you” she put on a bright smile upon reaching him and what must have been his secretary. It wasn’t until she reached them that she realised how god damn tall the man was in person. Sure, Enji was tall, but for some reason, this man’s height stuck out to her. And they were both businessmen, so how the fuck did they both luck out in the looks, smarts, height and muscles departments?! It just wasn’t fair. Forget about triple threat, these men were quadruple threats. They covered all fronts.
Then to her surprise, he actually offered her a hand to shake with a genuine smile.
“Thank you for greeting us, this is my secretary Izuku, we’re so glad Enji was kind enough to host this meeting” his voice was deep, but kind and polite as she shook his hand, referring to the greenette beside him. She glanced at the young man before returning her attention back to the alpha in front of her.
She had never met a business partner this kind-hearted before, the business world didn’t usually allow his kind to thrive, but here he was, the CEO of the world leading shipping company. Without even realising it her cheeks flushed a light shade of red and she felt her heart rate increase, and of course, her scent glands started aching as they tried to release pheromones. Luckily, her suppressants were working for now, but it was then that she caught his scent, everything went blurry for a second and she lost focus.
“Are you alright Ms (Y/N)?” he asked, gently stabilizing her by her shoulders. She cursed herself, why did her body have to react to an alpha now of all times?
“I’m so sorry, Mr Yagi, and (Y/N) is just fine” she smiled up at him, puffing out her chest a bit and stabilising her footing.
“Please, call me Toshinori” he corrected her and she was slightly stunned for a moment. Every single business partner she’d ever introduced had always treated her like trash on the side walk, scarcely giving her the time of day. She’d be lucky if she even got a grunt of acknowledgment from them.
“If you’d kindly follow me” she said and turned to lead the way. Taking the chance to scoff at herself and attempt to pull herself together, an attempt that miserably failed when Mr Yagi insisted on maintaining small talk then entire elevator ride. He was just being a human being, asking how her day was going, how long she’s been working at the company, if she enjoyed working here. She could feel her temperature rising with each question he asked, and pain started erupting in her abdomen.
“Please follow me” she said politely, stepping out of the elevator cursing herself, she was going into her heat early, and she was pretty damn sure it was because of the presence of this alpha. She guided the CEO and his secretary to an empty meeting room.
“Please wait in here for just a moment, Mr Todoroki will join you shortly” she said before closing the door. Her head was starting to spin and the pain was growing from annoying to uncomfortable ridiculously fast. She maintained her composure as she walked into her small office, quickly taking some pain killers with half a litre of water. She ruffled through her draws as she looked for her EpiPen, her heart skipping a beat when she couldn’t find it. She knew she had one here for emergencies. The omega let out a sigh of relief when her hand glided over it. Quickly removing the cap and injecting herself with more suppressors that would hopefully stop the effects of her early oncoming heat for at least the next few hours. She took three deep breaths before exiting her office and entering Enji’s.
As soon as the door opened, a wave of pheromones hit the CEO. His brow furrowed in anger. His employees knew better than to come to work during rutting or heat cycles, it decreased everyone’s productivity.
“Get the fuck out of…” his eyes had been fixed on the computer when he glanced at the intruder. “…(Y/N)?” he looked taken aback. There was no way she was an omega. She always held herself like an alpha, how the hell was this strong, independent woman a fucking omega? However, he couldn’t deny that her scent was causing blood to flow straight to his cock.
“But you’re not supposed to be off til next week” he went to check his calendar.
“I know, it’s come on early” she let out a stuttered sigh as the drugs finally started to set in.
“I’ve taken some emergency suppressors, my hormones should level out in the next minute or so. I um, Toshi… I mean, Mr Yagi and his secretary are in the meeting room” she shook her head at herself. It was then that everything clicked for Enji and a smile crossed his face as he rose from his seat.
“He’s sent you into an early heat, hasn’t he?” the alpha’s voice was low, but there was a hint of playfulness behind it. She ground her teeth, refusing to answer the question, instead choosing to look away. He approached her, a smirk still playing on his lips, instead of walking through the door, he shut it, as he caged her between his arms.
“You know better than to not respond when I ask you a question, omega” he let the work hang in the air, testing her boundaries. Her brow furrowed and she glared up at him.
“You don’t get to call me that” she growled at him, then noticing that he was purposely releasing pheromones to try and rile her up. If she hadn’t just shot herself up with enough suppressants for a week, she would probably have slick running down to her ankles by now. Her boss was unfairly attractive.
“Answer the question (Y/N)” he leaned close to whisper into her ear.
“So, what if he has?” she burst out, ducking out from under his arms and walking across the room, folding her arms, “All he did was smile at me and I lose control, what the fuck is wrong with me?” she sighed angrily rubbing her temples.
“When was the last time you properly went through a heat?” Enji asked her, she looked back at him to see a genuinely concerned face. When she had taken her mandatory time off for her mating cycle she never stopped responding to emails, most people wouldn’t touch their computers during the height of a mating cycle, it all became too much, but she was always online, which told him that she probably hadn’t let her body go through a normal cycle in a while.
“I don’t know, during high school, like eight or nine years ago” she shrugged and the CEO just blinked at her in shock.
“I had more important things on my mind” she shied away from his judging look.
“That’s still a long time” he pushed.
“It’s not like I had an alpha to help me through one!” she suddenly shouted at him, she stared him down for a moment before realising what she’d just said and who she had just said it to.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, that’s not your fault, nor something you should worry about, fuck I hate this” she muttered.
“(Y/N), be honest with me, have you ever been through a proper heat?” he asked, when she turned to him this time, there was nothing but concern in his face.
“No” she didn’t make eye contact with him, but she had no reason to lie to him. Enji hated how submissive she was being, this wasn’t her at all, while a dark part of him did want her begging for his cock, he hated seeing her looking so vulnerable, he wanted to protect her, to make her feel safe.
“Look, I’m going to be really selfish now, but if you think you can handle staying for the meeting then I could really use your help. If not, I’m also more than happy for you to go home. But you’re going home before lunch today either way and I strongly advise you don’t take any more suppressants” he paused for a moment, as if trying to word something correctly, “What I’m about to say, I’m saying as a friend, not your boss, if you need help getting through it, i can help you. But who knows, maybe you might actually be able to get his number and he can help you” the alpha growled slightly at that last part, admitting and acknowledging that he wasn’t the one to set off your heat. Although to be fair, he hadn’t purposefully released any pheromones around you since you had your job interview with him. The girl let out a sigh and composed herself, straightening out her shoulders.
“I’m staying for the meeting” he knew she would, “but I am not going through a full heat” she said firmly, walking past him.
“(Y/N)!” he was about to say more, but she had already walked out the door, heading towards the meeting room. She opened the door and put a smile on.
“So sorry to keep you waiting” she apologised.
“That’s quite alright” Toshinori smiled back at her, however he noticed that she was no longer producing the lovely pheromones that he knew he had set off. Was the girl taking suppressors? He was certain he had set off an early heat, that fact that she was supressing it frustrated him. He loved seeing a flustered omega, especially one who was normally kept together as this one appeared to be. She was going to pose a challenge, and Toshinori was going to have fun pulling her apart and turning her into his little slut. The thought had him half hard in his pants. This omega was going to belong to him, one way or another.
Enji followed her into the room. The two CEO’s shook hands and introduced themselves to each other before commencing the meeting. (Y/N) was a sharp as ever, handing Enji the correct documents when they came up in conversation and was able to provide any information when called upon. Izuku wasn’t as sharp as she was, but still maintained a professional standard and look about him, the boy certainly didn’t let the woman’s sheer dominance fluster him. The meeting went as well as it could have, they both signed a contract of partnership, so it went better than both parties were expecting. Seeing her in action just made Toshinori want her more. She was professional, sharp and confident, and he wanted to be the one to own her, to see her trembling underneath him, begging for his cock. Somehow, all four of them managed to remain professional throughout the entire meeting, there were no sly words with hidden meaning, and (Y/N) was thankful for that.
Enji Todoroki was never one to escort his guests out himself, it just wasn’t a thing that he did. So, he left the meeting as he usually would with a ‘pleasure doing business with you’, but he purposefully changed the wording on the following sentence ‘my secretary will get you anything you need before you go’. She burned holes into his back as he exited the room. She was going to kill him. The next morning’s headlines would read, ‘Secretary jailed for attempted murder of her boss’. She sighed, shaking her head slightly.
“Midoriya, go wait outside, I’ll be down shortly, I just need to go over a few things with (Y/N) before we leave” the tall blonde uttered to his secretary.
“Of course Sir” the boy said before he exited the room. Toshinori’s eyes didn’t leave (Y/N)’s, who still had her business face on. He couldn’t read her. This was going to make things more difficult. After seeing her in action, he wanted her even more, and without even realising it, his pheromones radiated off him. But she was acting as if she couldn’t sense them, which pissed him off.
“What can I help you with, Sir?” she asked, her tonne polite, but holding no emotion behind it. Unlike their first interaction where she put on a sweet, warm smile for him, she was bitterly cold now, purposely trying to shut him out.
“I don’t like corporate titles, I told you to call me by my first name” he sighed, rising form where he was sitting, she was going to be more of a challenge then he originally thought. That was fine, he was actually excited.
“Is there anything I can get you, Toshinori” she said softly, not removing herself from her seat as the man walked around the table removing something from his pocket. He handed the small piece of paper to her.
“You seem like a very professional woman, so I hope you don’t take offense to this, but here’s my number, I’d love to catch up for a coffee sometime” he said with a smile and she took the paper from him carefully, the man was letting off an absurd amount of pheromones which were causing her to literally burn off the suppressants she’d taken no more than two hours ago.
“I…uh…” she tried to respond, but the alpha gripped onto the side of her chair, leaning over her to whisper in her ear.
“Let me know if you need any help with your heat, something tells me you’ve never had an alpha look after you properly before” he growled lowly in his chest before pulling away and walking out of the room with a smirk on his face.
Once she finally recovered, she heaved herself out of the chair and found that her panties were completed soaked through, luckily it hadn’t yet soaked through to her actual pants yet. She made a quick dash to her office before closing the door behind her. She turned the internal heater on and grabbed the emergency blanket from the bottom draw, wrapping it around herself and hiding in a bundle under the desk with her laptop as she continued to work, hoping it would distract her from the slick pool that was growing around her cunt and the immense pain growing in her lower abdomen. At about three in the afternoon an email came into the inbox that needed the CEO’s immediate attention. She was too worn out by that stage to register that he had told her to go home and she probably shouldn’t be working at all. She flicked the email to him without a second thought.
Upon receiving said email, Enji’s brow furrowed, she should have been home by now. He quickly opened the door to his office just to check she had in fact gone home, letting out a low growl when he noticed her light was still on. He stormed across the corridor and opened the door, a wave of sickly sweet pheromones hitting him all at once. He was confused when he didn’t see her sitting at the desk, she had to be in the room, there was no way the place smelled this sweet without her being in there. He closed the door behind him and walked around the desk to find her nesting. His first thought was to yell at her for not listening to him and also for using the goddamn office to nest. But then he saw she was shaking as she tried to type out an email, it took a moment for her to noticed him crouching there looking at her incredulously.
“I told you to go home” he rumbled deeply, and she winced.
“I… I can’t walk” she admitted, refusing to make eye contact with him. Something burned inside him, obviously that alpha had said something to her to set her off again, and then just goddamn left her. It infuriated him, sure he’d done the same thing to plenty of omega’s before, but this was his…, no not his, this was (Y/N).
“I want you to send a message out to all staff working today and inform them that they can knock off” he said calmly. She was confused by the instruction, but took a minute to type out the message and sent it on his behalf.
“Now close the laptop and give it to me” he said gently, and she cautiously complied, handing him the laptop before he placed it on the desk over her.
“Come here” he motioned towards himself, and she went to move, but her eyes widened in panic and she returned to the way she was sitting, confusing the alpha who was doing everything in his power not to just grab her and knot her right there.
“If I move, it’s gonna run” she whispered, his face scrunched up in confusion for a second.
“What’s gonna…” he stopped short, she was worried about her slick. She really had never gone through her heat’s properly before, she was embarrassed by something that was normal, something that made him almost lose control and show her just how normal it was.
“That’s okay, it’s normal” he said, still offering his hand to her, she looked at him then, searching his eyes that were looking at her with kindness. There was no malicious intent behind them. She slowly reached for his hand and crawled out of her makeshift nest, pausing for a moment when slick gushed down her thigh, before continuing to crawl out from under the desk. Enji noticed she was clutching her stomach the entire time. She lifted her face up to look at him, she had tears in her eyes.
“Enji, can you please…” she paused trying to think things through, “can you please fuck me?” a tear rolled down her cheek when she said that and the alpha wasn’t’ sure if she was crying from the pain or from giving in. He unintentionally started releasing pheromones, having an omega so close to him, and especially considering that omega was clearly under a lot of stress, his instincts were taking over.
The omega couldn’t help herself when she caught his scent, she latched onto him, rubbing her face into his chest, taking in as much of it as possible. Seeing how well she responded to his pheromones, Enji started released them in waves and the little omega in his arms sighed and then started doing something he thought she’d ever do. She had split her legs over one of his muscled thighs and was rubbing herself on it. If he hadn’t been stiff before, he was definitely rock hard now. The omega was whimpering with each thrust of her hips, and soon enough, Enji could feel his pants becoming covered in her slick. He would never allow an omega to dry hump him like this, but she looked so goddamn perfect as she chased her orgasm on his thigh. He ran a hand through her hair, gently tilting her head back, forcing her to look up at him.
“Are you enjoying yourself? Little omega?” he asked lowly, she let out a moan then made eye contact with his stone-cold eyes, that screamed indifference.
“Please…” she whimpered, by the way she was shaking, he could tell she was close.
“Please what?” his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her.
“Can I p-please c-cum, alpha?” she begged, and something stirred in him, maybe she was a submissive after all. And as much as that excited him, he wasn’t going to be cruel to her right now, he had promised to help her after all. So many dirty things flooded into his head to respond with, but he wasn’t sure if they’d scare her off or turn her on. He decided teasing her was the best way to go.
“You’re so close already, and I haven’t even touched you” he mused, easily picking her up off his thigh and placing her in his lap, she let out a moan as she rubbed herself against his clothed erection.
“Good omegas look at their alphas when they cum” he whispered in her ear and then leant back into the chair, to watch her as she came undone. The girl did her best to look at the alpha as she rode out her orgasm, but her head titled back in euphoria at the height of her orgasm causing Enji to bite his lip to try and control himself. She was going to send him into an early rutt if he wasn’t careful. The girl was shaking as she came down from her high, however, her eyes widened slightly when she comprehended what she’d just done and she quickly looked away, causing Enji to smirk at her expression.
“Come now, you enjoyed yourself, didn’t you, (Y/N)?” he asked, gently grasping her chin and guiding her head to look at him.
“Yes, but…” she trailed off.
“But what?” he asked curious, although, the alpha was well aware of the answer, he just wanted to hear her say it.
“You’re my boss and I just, oh my god” she hid her face in his chest and he chuckled deeply.
“If it’s any consolation, I’m thoroughly enjoying this” he looked down at her to see her flash dagger eyes at him before she doubled over, whimpering in pain as she clutched her stomach.
“I can make the pain go away, you just have to ask” he whispered into her ear. She lost all normal sense as her instincts took over.
“Please fuck me, please alpha, I need your cock, use my cunt, please” she begged and a thrill rushed through Enji’s body.
“You’re so pretty when you beg” he trailed his hands down her body, hooking them under her thighs and lifting her up before easily manoeuvring her onto the desk. He rolled her pants and panties down to her ankles in one go, and was pleased to see that she had removed her shirt when he looked back up and was in the process of removing her bra, before laying down and displaying herself to him.
“Sir, please, I need your thick cock inside me, please fuck me” she begged again, looking him the eyes, on the verge on tears. The alpha released his hard cock from his restrictive clothing, stroking himself as he watched the omega writhe below him. It was a dream come true, seeing her beg for him like that, and it was taking his last piece of self-control not to dive in and fuck her immediately. He leant down over her, slapping his cock against her cunt, teasingly as he gently moved his hand to stroke her face, she nuzzled into his palm.
“Alpha, please, use me for your pleasure, I’m yours, please alpha, please” she begged again, attempting to thrust her hips upwards to gain any form of friction. Enji’s last fibre of constraint snapped, and with no warning, he thrust into the hilt and his omega let out a scream a pleasure. Even though this was her first time, there was enough slick pouring out of her cunt that his massive tool didn’t hurt her, it stretched her perfectly and hit all the right places as Enji started to thrust in and out of her cunt.
“Fuck… your cock… mhmm, feels so good, alpha, do whatever you want with me” she panted as he rammed into her. It was invitation Enji realised. He smirked as he gripped her throat with his free hand, and she let out a whine. Gently running her hand up and down his arm, encouraging to grip her neck tighter.
“Do you like that, little slut?” he whispered into her ear, and she nodded, her hips thrusting up to meet his.
“Good pets reply when they’re asked a question” he sneered, gripping her neck like a vice.
“Yes daddy… I love it when you choke me” she managed to wheeze out using the little oxygen that she had left in her lungs. Her words were nearly enough to send him over the edge.
“You’re such a filthy omega, I bet you’d do anything to please your alpha” he growled as he pulled his hand away from her throat, hooking one arm behind her back, the other under her thighs so he could lift her up. Her legs wound around his waist, arms hooking around his neck as he fucked up into her cunt, using gravity to enhance the angle.
“Mhm… anything to please you, anything, use me as your cock sleeve, I’ll be your cum dump, I want to satisfy you, please Enji” she moaned into his chest. This omega was going to be the death of him. She’d used his name, which meant that there was truth behind what she was saying. He could feel his knot starting to swell up.
“Fuck, you dirty whore, if you don’t stop talking like that, I’m going to knot you” he growled.
“But I mean it Sir, i need you to use me, I could keep your cock warm during long phone calls, mhmmm, you could come in here and fuck me whenever you wanted to, I need to pleasure you, please alpha” she whined.
“I bet you’d even let me fuck you in the middle of a meeting, wouldn’t you? Fuck. You’re mine. You’re my pretty little cum dump. You are mine, all mine” he growled possessively, thrusting deeply into her. It was enough to send her over the edge into an earth shattering orgasm, screaming his name as she clenched around his cock. He was patient and waited until she came down from her high.
“Alpha” she whispered in a sighed, he grunted, informed he was listening.
“Do you want to cum in my mouth or my ass?” she asked with a sly grin and he smirked, this omega had stamina, and the fact that she could keep up with him just made her that more attractive.
“All fours, face down, ass up” he ordered as he placed her on the ground. Oh and did she move quick for him.
“You’re such a perfect little omega for me” he cooed to her as he knelt down behind her, hotdogging her ass with his slick covered dick, using the slick build up to cover his knot.
“Please, use me alpha, I’m all yours” she begged.
“You’ve cum twice now, and you still want my cock. You greedy bitch” he growled, thrusting inside her back entrance, forcing his knot inside, scraping against her walls. The omega beneath him let out a muffled scream of pain.
“If it’s too much for you, I can take it out” he wasn’t being kind, he was teasing her as he fucked her ass. (Y/N) pulled her teeth from her arm and panted before responding.
“I’ll take your cock whenever you give it to me alpha. My perfect, handsome, strong alpha. I’ll give you anything, I’d do anything to please you. I belong to you” she moaned, it was enough to send him over the edge.
“Fuck (Y/N)” he muttered, with one deep thrust, he poured his seed into her ass with a guttural moan.
“Thank you alpha” the omega whispered as he slowly rotated her on his cock so she was facing him before picking her up and sitting down in the chair as they waited for his knot to shrink.
“You were so good for me” he cooed, continuing to whisper soft nothings into her ear as she leant against his chest.
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blackvelvetallure · 4 years
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🐏 VENUS IN ARIES
In addition to the natural indications of Aries, Venus here will give the effects of a 2nd and 7th house Venus. Aries is 7 houses away from Libra, the Moolatrikona sign of Venus, and counting from Venus, Taurus is the 2nd Sign from Aries. For Taurus, the feminine sign ruled by Venus, we always start counting from Venus first, because the feminine sign receives the energy and the masculine sign initiates the energy. Venus in Aries people enjoy the give and take of relationships and are almost always in one. They are sensitive and respectful of their partners and highly sensual. They have beautiful manners when dealing with others. The 2nd house Venus connotations will make these natives be receptive to romantic partners with beautiful faces. Comfort and decoram play a major part in their lives. They react strongly to beautiful words and speech and can appreciate good food. These natives find much value in the beauty of their surroundings and have an eye for fine art. 
A man with Venus in Aries will have a wife or girlfriend who has problems with subservient workers, servants, maids and physical labor (because Saturn rules subservient workers, servants, maids and physical labor, and is debilitated in Aries). He will also have a wife or girlfriend who has great luck with her bosses, the government, politicians and benefits greatly from her father ( because the Sun, which rules bosses, government, politicians, and fathers, is exalted in Aries).
🐂 VENUS IN TAURUS
Venus in Taurus gives 8th and 1st house connotations in addition to the natural effects of Taurus. 8th house connotations because Taurus is the 8th Sign from Libra, Venus’ Moolatrikona sign, and 1st house connotations because Venus is in Taurus is in its own feminine sign. Venus in Taurus will initiate romance in a secretive, hidden fashion. They will be attracted to romantic partners who are also secretive and mysterious. They will find much value in the hidden, occult side of life. They often find that they transform themselves through relationships. They are naturally able to benefit from their partner’s resources. Relationships often have abrupt endings (because of the 8th house connotations). These natives are well-groomed and take care of their appearance. They are on the receiving end of much nurturing and comforting within relationships. Receiving love, and the results of their choices, directly affects their self-esteem. 
A man with Venus in Taurus will have a wife or girlfriend who benefits greatly from her mother and has a wonderful relationship with her mother (because the Moon is exalted in Taurus, and the Moon rules mothers).
👭 VENUS IN GEMINI
This Venus has 9th and 12th house connotations. Venus in Gemini will initiate romance, nurturing and decision-making through a philosophical or religious platform (9th house). They are also very attracted to and desiring of these qualities. When they make a choice, it is often after considering how it will benefit their higher learning and wisdom. These natives may also incur expenses while being on the receptive end of a relationship. The consequences of their decisions will cause them to incur expense also and they more often than not will have to give something up in order to receive in their relationships. 
Venus in Gemini people will often find that foreigners are attracted to them (12th house). Sometimes their love interests are kept secret or hidden away. There is an inclination towards clandestine affairs but Venus would have to be very afflicted by aspect, or low in Sthana bala (positional strength) or Cheshta bala (focused energy), for the illicit nature to manifest.
🦀 VENUS IN CANCER
Venus in Cancer carries 10th and 11th house connotations in addition to the natural characteristics of Cancer. This placement of Venus will initiate romance, nurturing and decision making based upon duty (10th house). The 10th house is the house of karma or action, and these natives often initiate their romances instead of being on the receiving end of someone’s affections. Venus in Cancer will make a career out of helming the relationship and of nurturing the partner. They are often on the receiving end of friendship oriented crushes from others. Because the interested party always presents themselves as a friend, the Venus in Cancer person is obliged to initiate the relationship. The 11th house connotations on the receiving end of the Venus in Cancer person will cause this native to be drawn to nurturing friends. The friends will also be consulted on a regular basis in important decisions by this native. Social life is of immense value to this person as well. Often, the results of decisions are financial or material gain. A man with Venus in Cancer will have a wife who has had abusive or anger-prone siblings and trouble with real-estate (because Mars rules real estate and is debilitated in Cancer) but at the same time, she will also have a very good husband (the native himself, because Jupiter is exalted in Cancer) and she has very good fortune when it comes to the Jupiter-ruled realm of higher learning, philosophy, religion and teachers. She is also generally happy and philosophical if Venus is not afflicted.
🦁 VENUS IN LEO
Venus in Leo natives initiate relationships and decisions based upon what they have to gain from it. Venus in Leo often find that their partners have a lot to bring to the table either in wealth, resources, beauty or knowledge. The Venus in Leo person is inherently attracted to these types of people, people who stand out in some way. These natives will utilize friendship and social interaction as their main force when beginning and sustaining relationships. The inherent value of the relationship will be based upon the friendly feelings between the two people and the ability of the couple to social climb and be recognized in social circles. Venus in Leo natives will find that they are often showered with love and devotion that they very much enjoy unless Venus is afflicted. 
This is because Taurus is 10 Signs away from Leo and they are on the receiving end of romance in a 10th house fashion. Their partners will make a “career” out of the relationship and nurturing the relationship.
♍ VENUS IN VIRGO
Venus is Virgo has 12th and 9th house connotations. Virgo is the debilitation sign of Venus. Venus in Virgo natives will initiate their decision-making process in a vague, hidden manner. They are often unaware of why they made a certain choice. Loss is the catalyst for entering into relationships and they often enter them just for sexual gratification (12th house). When they initiate a decision, they must almost always give up something before they can obtain what they desire. In addition to this, the idea of self-negation drives them in their choice of mate. This is why Venus is debilitated in this sign. Venus has to do with worth and if you are coming from a place of loss or thinking of devaluing yourself (12th house) in order to have a relationship, then you are going against the very nature of Venus as a karaka (producer). Venus in Virgo natives are often the object of desire for philosophical, religious types and also their mentors and teachers. The consequences of their decisions will affect their higher knowledge, their philosophy of life, and their spirituality (9th house). 
A man with Venus in Virgo will have a wife or girlfriend who benefits greatly from her friends and who has many skills. She will also be very articulate. (Mercury rules communication and is exalted in Virgo).
⚖ VENUS IN LIBRA
These natives have characteristics of the 1st and 8th houses. Venus in Libra will initiate its Venusian energy (partnership, relation, making choices and comforting, nurturing) through their body language and personal charisma. The native is polite, charming and well-mannered, gives good advice and has a soothing, comforting demeanor. The native will receive romance, nurturing and the consequences of their decisions through 8th house venues. This means through mysterious, hidden and taboo channels. They will often become caught up in secret trysts. The resources and wealth of the partner serve to nurture and comfort this native. 
A man with Venus in Libra will often get a wife or girlfriend who has a less than stellar relationship with her father (the Sun, which rules the father, is debilitated in Libra) but very good luck with servants, tenants, and/or subservient workers (because Saturn rules servants, tenants, and subservient workers, and Saturn is exalted in Libra). A woman with Venus in Libra will often get caught up in romances that are very long-term (Saturn exalted in Libra) but that lack stability and consistency (the Sun is a stable and consistent energy but is debilitated in Libra).
🦂 VENUS IN SCORPIO
These natives have characteristics of the 2nd and 7th houses (just like Aries, the other Mar-ruled Venus). The native with this placement initiates relationships, decisions and comfort producing activities through the agent of their wealth (2nd house). This person likes to feel stable within their own self-worth and financial situation and uses this to choose their partners and romantic interests. When they are trying to decide if something is worthwhile, the Venus in Scorpio person will calculate how it will add to their value. They are attracted to partners with beautiful faces. These people receive Venusian energy from partners that are highly sexual (7th house). When the partner wants to nurture and comfort the Venus in Scorpio person, they do it through sex. The consequences of the decisions made by the Venus in Scorpio natives will often lead them into relationships and/or dealing with business partners. The consequences of their choices will also have a wide ranging effect on the people in their lives.
A man with Venus in Scorpio will have a wife or girlfriend that was abused by her mother either emotionally or physically, or had a mother that was not present (because the Moon rules the mother and is debilitated in Scorpio). The woman with Venus in Scorpio will have romances that are full of heavy emotionality and some paranoia.
🏹 VENUS IN SAGITTARIUS
These natives have a Venus with 3rd and 6th house connotations. Venus in Sagittarius will initiate relationships out of curiosity. They will be playful and love to go on adventures with their partner. When they make decisions and weigh the worth of something, they look to how much excitement it will bring them. The 3rd house is all about communication so these natives enjoy picking partners that they will be able to effectively communicate with. They are often on the receiving end of love interests that enjoy argument and sparing. Venus in Sagittarius is not the most auspicious place for Venus because the 6th house is the house of divorce. 
Many times, these natives will attract partners that turn out to be their enemies and do not have their best interests at heart. 
The consequences of their decisions often wind them up in debt. But they can benefit a lot from their decisions through the agency of their health (the 6th house).
🐐 VENUS IN CAPRICORN
The native with Venus in Capricorn will have 4th and 5th house characteristics to his/her Venus. This Venus will initiate relationships to find happiness and from deep emotional need. Nurturing others and making worthwhile decisions are an integral ingredient to their happiness. The 4th house is also a hidden house, so when the person is interested in someone romantically, they will show their interest very subtly and the object of their affection must be tuned in to their emotions. The Venus in Capricorn person receives love from others in a grand, romantic fashion (5th house). The partner of the Venus in Capricorn person will be very creative in the way they express their devotion. The consequences of decisions made by Venus in Capricorn people will often lead them into some kind of creativity and the opportunity to express their creativity will weigh heavily on the decisions they make. Also, if they have children, these children will always be taken into consideration when making decisions (5th house). 
A man with Venus in Capricorn will have a wife or girlfriend that has ill luck with Jupiter-ruled people such as teachers, mentors, philosophy and/or religion, and money (because Jupiter is debilitated in Capricorn).
🌊 VENUS IN AQUARIUS
Venus in Aquarius gives 5th and 4th house effects, exactly like Venus in Capricorn, however the initiative/receptive dynamic is reversed. Venus in Aquarius will initiate relationships and maintain them very creatively, and in an over-the-top romantic way. Before making decisions, they weigh how it will improve their creativity. Partners that are attracted to the Venus in Aquarius person will show their affections clandestinely, and in a deeply emotional way. This native naturally attracts very nurturing partners. 
There are no planets that are exalted or debilitated in Aquarius, so reading some life experiences of the wife or girlfriend for the man with Venus in Aquarius does not apply.
🐟 VENUS IN PISCES
This is Venus’ exalted position. This is odd because Venus will give 6th and 3rd house effects here. Interestingly, such characteristics reveal a naturally cruel facet of the nature of Venus. After all, the avatar for Venus is Parasurama, an avatar that is known for his killing. And Venus is the guru of the demons. Venus in Pisces people will initiate relationships from an inimical standpoint, meaning they will love to challenge their partner. Verbal sparring will be their method of amorous fraternizing. Venus in Pisces people will attract partners who are interested in adventure and are very curious about having new adventures. There will be much indecisiveness when making a decision for these natives. The enemies of a Venus in Pisces native will have much to do with the choices this native makes, and he or she often finds that the consequences of such choices will lead them into their own hobbies, travel, and modes of self-expression (3rd house). 
The man with Venus in Pisces will have a wife or girlfriend that has trouble, and ill luck, with her friends and has issues with communication (Mercury rules communication and is debilitated in Pisces).
THESE ASTRO NOTES ARE FROM LINDALAND.COM
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