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#so they never connected quite as fully as they would've liked; didn't have time to either
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they're going treasure hunting
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nuhuhwinniethepooh · 4 days
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For Better or For Worse
Tags : Dark content, Baby trapping, Fluff, Angst, Delving into Gojo's childhood, Yan!tendency, Gojo x Reader, Captivity, Lovesick Gojo
A/N : Couldn't hold back my laughter while writing this (P.S. it was the evil kind)
WC : 3k
____________________________________________________
Satoru is nothing like his father.
Why? Well to start it off with, Satoru's love story isn't quite as renowned as his parents love story. The head of the Gojo clan falling in love with a woman from it's smaller branch, a forbidden love story made possible. Sounds romantic, doesn't it? It's not. Behind the rose-tinted background and the dreamy sighs of onlookers, lies the dark obsession of it all.
Satoru knows that his mother was in love with someone else, Satoru knows that his father didn't care, didn't bother himself with the fact that she was already engaged to another man, already promised to the love of her life. What he did bother with was the dissolution of her engagement, forcing himself on her to bind her freedom, her branch and herself to him. No one cared, her family didn't to say the least, everyone was so delighted to have formed a bond with the main branch of the Gojo clan, to the head of the branch that all regards for her flew out the window.
With the birth of Gojo Satoru soon after, her fate was sealed. What marriage couldn't do, a child did. Her dreams of escaping all but gone, afterall no mother could ever leave her child in the very place that plagued her nightmares and selfishly run off. Besides, running off with Satoru would make her a target of all the 3 great clans- some only interested in snuffing out the heir and holder of the Gojo clan's innate technique whereas running off without him would eat her inside out.
Forget the fact that she was a mother and bearer of Gojo Satoru himself, her husband would've never let her run off. The ring on her finger was but a leash to tie her down and Satoru was but another means for it, lucky him. Lady luck only seemed to favor the most twisted of minds. It started out small, really. So small that it was barely noticeable and by the time anyone realized, it was already too late.
Forcefully cutting off all contacts with her family was as easy as snapping a branch in half, as easy as easy comes by. Then came the isolation, isolating her from the general public, isolating her from the people of the main house until she was fully restricted to the northernmost corner of the house with only two servants besides her, a mockery of the freedom she craved. She was offered everything, given everything she'd ever want but what use is it if it's not what she needs?
Her only connection to the outside world? A husband she loathed and her sweet, sweet son. Her little boy that looked nothing like his father- a small mercy in disguise. Her beautiful boy who she was banned from seeing if she misbehaved ever so slightly, her adorable baby boy being the only thing that kept her sanity in check, the only thing that stopped her from throwing a middle finger up to her husband's face and removing herself from the land of the living. Her baby boy whom she loves so much that she grits her teeth and steels her nerves to please her despised captor of a husband, to murmur sweet nothings in his ear and coddle him like he wants, in hopes for seeing her baby the next day and the next day she does, her beautiful son excitedly running towards her on the gravel path delighted her, made her day just by looking at him, bending to pick him up and press kisses all over his pale tiny face.
Satoru might've been young but he wasn't naive, far from it, he notices the way his mother holds him tighter in the presence of his father. He notices the way her lips form into a tight smile when his father presses a kiss on her cheeks before excusing himself, he notices the way she relaxes when his father is out of sight, pulling Satoru closer as she coos sweet words at him. Softly brushing his hair back and giggling at his words with a softness he can't quite put his finger on, he wishes he could play her laughter on repeat, Satoru's favorite past time might be walking hand-in-hand with his mother in the empty northern courtyard, talking about everything and anything that comes to his mind as she listens, she listens to him talk like the words pouring out of his mouth was the very secrets of the universe instead of his boring everyday life. Satoru likes it, he likes being listened to, he likes being normal, he likes being treated as a child and above all, he likes his mother for doing so.
The world may have shifted from Satoru's birth alone but for her, all Satoru ever was and ever will be was her child. Her baby boy, her little treasure and her reason to live.
One could only guess how devastated Satoru must've been when he finds out his mother collapsed during one of the so-called ban imposed on her because of her misbehavior or so the servants says with hushed voices. He glares at them disapprovingly, heads bowed down and lips pursed into a thin line, murmurs of apology pours out swiftly before they excuse themselves and exit just as quickly.
He clenches his tiny fists, silently praying to every God he knows as he makes his way quietly towards his mother's room. Taking in a deep breathe and walking in, only to see her sitting up on her futon with his father besides her, holding onto her hand as if for dear life as she looks out to the garden with furrowed brows- ignoring father, Satoru notes. Neither of them aware of his presence yet.
"Mam- Mother?" Her head snaps towards Satoru, face softening immediately as she holds her arms out before pausing, throwing a quick glance at the hand held by her husband. A sign to let go. He doesn't relent, squeezing it just a little tighter. She frowns again, rolling her eyes slightly. Placing her attention towards Satoru again, she holds her free arm out for him "Satoru, come here" her voice is sweet, soft, loving, weak. Satoru is already moving, already making his way to her arm and burying his face in the crook of her neck like he always does, breathing in her comforting scent- now mixed with the horrible scent of herbs, of sickness and of death, he scrunches his nose, pulling away to look up at his mother.
She's looking down at him, wrapping her yukata-draped arm around him with a small smile, pressing a light kiss on his forehead "My baby" she whispers, breathing in weakly. "Mama" he sniffles ever so softly, hands curling over her clothes as he buries his head against her chest. She chuckles lightly, weakly, the sound was so comforting. A complete juxtaposition to her condition.
"I need you to be strong, the strongest in fact. You can do that for me, can't you?" She whispers, pulling him closer to her. He nods. She smiles, patting his back. "Mama loves you, you know that right?" She hums softly, leaning her cheek ontop of his head. He nods again "I love you too, mama"
"I love you more, Satoru. So do me a favor, okay? You can do mama a favor right?"
Satoru tilts his head up, expecting to see a smile like always. He's disappointed, there's a serious look on her face. She always smiled at him, always as in ever since he could remember, saving the frowns and looks of distaste for his father- Satoru nods, looking at her just as seriously as she was. She bends down and presses a quick kiss on his forehead, a chill quickly running down his spine- instinctively knowing that this'll be the last time she'll kiss him. Dead or Alive.
"Never turn into a monster like your father."
Silence. Silence broken down by his father's voice, yelling for the servants to drag away Satoru. His mother yells too, Satoru's not quite sure what as the servants make quick work with him, hurriedly dragging him away from the them. Turning his head back to catch a quick glimpse of his mother's figure looming over his father's seated one. It's funny how mother only seemed be her strongest during her weakest state- she huffs angrily, turning her head away in anger before catching sight of Satoru, hurriedly flashing a sad smile that quickly vanishes as the door slams shut and he's forced to take a turn. Her room completely and utterly out of view, along with his mother.
Satoru sees her again the next week but in an entirely different setting than he hoped it to be. Quietly making his way up to his mother's pale, lifeless figure, he looks at his father besides her. All life in his sunken eyes seemingly gone as he mindlessly stares at her, "Mother would've loved to see him this way" he thinks apathetically to himself, kneeling down and brushing her hair back like she always did his as he presses a gentle kiss on her forehead, like she always did his.
"I promise"
He sees his father glance at him momentarily, Satoru steels himself, waiting for him to say something berating maybe then he could berate back, yell and scream back at him but his father says nothing. He doesn't care, more like he can't care to say anything. "Pathetic" Satoru sneers internally, standing up and walking out, his mother listened to him like the very secrets of the universe poured out of his mouth so he'll do the same, what goes around comes around. Right?
Gojo Satoru was only 5 and nothing like his father.
°
Then he met Suguru. Strong and relentless with sass and bangs so profound he couldn't help but let hi- You, you're perfect. Watching you sit besides the new first-years, everything else fades away the minute his eyes makes contact with yours. Your words, your soft gentle voice echoing in the room as you introduce yourself hits him like a sledgehammer, it hits him like a semi-truck crashing full speed into him. Satoru's sure he'd survive the crash but surviving you? He doubts there'd be anything left of him by the end of it all.
His knees goes weak as he watches you hold your hand out to him with a pretty little smile, throwing on his usual smirk, he grabs it and oh- your touch, it burns. Your fingertips brands itself against his palm so deliciously warm that he can't help but squeeze just a little bit tighter, trying to hold on to you for a little while longer before you're pulling it away with a grin and you're speaking but he hardly hears you, so distracted with the lack of warmth, the lack of your hands in his.
"What?" He croaks out, ignoring the side-eye he's receiving from Suguru and Shoko besides him at his unusual demeanor. "It's nice to meet you" you repeat simply, eyes closed as you chuckle softly and oh God, Satoru feels his heart thumping against his chest so wildly that all he can do is hope that you can't hear it, Suguru or Shoko least of all lest he wants to make it the running joke for his entire life. Satoru says something but he doesn't know what, his mind and his mouth two separate entities as he watches you laugh again, he wishes he could record it and play it over and over again. By the time he's aware of what's happening, it's already night and the water is burning his skin, hurriedly switching off the shower overhead he stumbles back, palms pressing against the cool tiled wall, his skin tingling with the heat. It's an uncomfortable heat, one that he doesn't like at all, he'd much prefer the burn of your skin against his, molded perfectly against his-
°
"You're staring again" Shoko drawls out amusedly, nudging Satoru in the ribs as the pair watches you converse with your blond classmate, Nanami, he notes. Your laughter fills the empty distance and before you know it, there's a familiar arm weighing down your shoulder "Hi Gojo" you say without missing a beat, not bothering to look up at the albino draping himself all over you as you drone on about your latest mission to an indifferent Nanami.
"Sorry 'bout him, girlie" Shoko interrupts, grabbing Satoru by the collar and prying him off of you, he let's go with a pathetic whine. You brush it off with a smile, it's okay and I don't mind falling out your lips but it falls on deaf ears as she starts dragging him away. "Give the poor girl some space, Gojo. It hasn't even been 2 months and you're already clinging into her" Shoko berates, shaking her head and praying for Suguru to come back quickly; she doubts she has much patience left for the pouting man-child she's dragging.
Gojo was nothing like his father, what he was was a clingy fool, an annoying one too.
°
"Oh my- what happened?" You rush towards Shoko, eyeing her two classmates sitting quietly in the infirmary. She shakes her head and you know better to ask so you settle down, observing the two, Satoru looks fine...well fine except for the eerie glow in his eyes while Suguru looked like the complete opposite, his eyes was dark and dank, similar to light slowly being sucked out into a blackhole. You can't help but feel a cold dread settling low in your stomach, wrong. Everything is gonna go wrong. And wrong it went, muffled sobs wrecks your body as you crumple to the floor, hands helplessy clutching onto Nanami's blazer as he silently holds onto you and buries your face in his chest. Forcing you to look away from the scene in front of you but you don't relent, turning your head back just a little .
Catching sight of Haibara's lifeless corpse. All cold, pale and unmoving. He's gone, gone and never coming back, just like Suguru because only weeks after, you get the news that he's defected. Defected and on the run, hunted down by the very people he once knew and loved. Gojo, how was Gojo taking the news? The thought brushes past your mind, fading away just as quick as you struggle to pry the umpteenth cigarette from Shoko's fingers, her smoking habit was becoming worse and you took it upon yourself to see that she doesn't kill herself at this rate. Busying yourself to make sure that you don't kill yourself with the lack of closure.
°
"Satoru, how are you holdin' up?" You call out softly as you enter his room, watching the usually bright eyes of his all bloodshot and red does nothing but heighten your worry as you watch him lying down in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Settling down at the edge of the bed, you quietly grab his cold hand, offering him what little comfort you can give. "They need me to kill him" Oh. You say nothing, there's nothing to say. No words of comfort would ever work, not anymore. Squeezing his cold hand just a bit tighter, the room becomes a little more darker with the sun setting behind the windows before he starts speaking again. He's speaking and you're listening, listening to him vent about things you never knew, listening to him ramble on and on about things that didn't matter to others but it did, it did matter to him so he talked about it and you listened, humming and nodding late into the night. Completely missing the fact that his hand never warmed up.
Satoru's talkative by nature, it's an undeniable fact but even he outdid himself when he wakes up with a jolt, looking at the harsh sunlight forcing its way through the windows. With a groan he moves to raise his arms over his head but pauses, blinking back his surprise when he catches sight of your head resting besides his hand, your hands grabbing onto his as if for dear life. Shifting his position he finally sees your legs awkwardly sprawled on the floor, realizing only then that he talked throughout the night only to conk out halfway through, realizing only then that you never let go of his hand, not even once.
Finally, he finally lets his infinity down. The warmth of your hand immediately enveloping his, the tiny squeeze you give while still asleep and the soft sounds of your breathing, oh it makes his heart thump just a little bit faster and stomach flutter just a little bit harder. Gently brushing your hair back, he freezes when your eyes flutters open "Gojo?" You yawn, pulling your hand to rub at your eyes but when you fail to feel both your hands on your face, you realize that he's holding on, squeezing just enough to not hurt but to feel.
"Satoru"
"What?" You look at him confusedly. "Call me Satoru" he grins the same old smile. The smile that reaches upto his eyes and crinkles the area around it...but this time it's softer, softer and warmer. You can't help but smile back at the expectant look in his eyes, the squeeze of his warm hand urging you on, warm. His hand was warm.
"Satoru"
°
Spoiling you rotten was now the only goal in Satoru's life; the extravagant gifts, the 'just because' flowers, the more than unnecessary other things that he does which only earns him a low whistle from Shoko and a polite thank you from your side. You rejected it at first, of course you did. Hell, you rejected it until you lost count but one thing about Satoru is the fact that he's stubborn, so stubborn in fact that the more you rejected the gifts, the more he gave. One gift became two, two became three and so on. Finally giving in when he presents you with the key to a house you said you liked while flipping through a brochure, you refuse it firmly though.
Finally giving in and accepting every other gifts except for that, he just shrugs and pockets the key "feel free and ask if you ever need it, it's yours from now anyways" being the only thing he says before going back to his usual routine.
Satoru was nothing like his father, he was just a lovesick fool, a rich one at that.
°
You liked Satoru, adored him even but not in that way. He was your senior, your partner in crime and your bestfriend if you were being generous with the titles, that's all there was to it. You don't like anyone that wa- Your heart lingers on a certain blond man from the past but he's gone, gone and living his life away from the sorcery world. It's better off this way, you think, brushing off the thought quickly as you file your paperwork in silence. But fate is a funny thing because after everything was said and done, it all starts over again.
Starting with the emergence of Sukuna's vessel and ending with his return, igniting the embers you so difficultly tried to put out. You openly gawk at him when you see him for the first time in a long time, heart fluttering at the smile tugging his lips and your name rolling off his tongue so naturally that it feels like he never left at all.
"Nanami, you're back afterall"
°
Satoru's not sure of his own feelings these days, unsure on if he likes seeing you getting along with Nanami or not. On one hand he's happy watching his only remaining juniors get along but on the other, he just can't get rid of that ugly, twisted feeling that stabs him everywhere when he watches Nanami touch you for a little too long or watch the way your eyes light up when you make the stoic man smile. It just makes him want to snap something...or someone whichever is more convenient.
So he goes to Shoko and on a drunken stupor spills everything out, stupidly crying his heavy heart as he nurses his glass of beer. "Just confess already" is all Shoko says but he perks up, acting like he just heard the answer to all the unanswered secrets in the universe.
"I love you, will you marry me?" Satoru blurts out as he watches you reach the tori gates of the school compound, on your way to your next mission. You look at him with shock, mouth forming a silent what? Too stunned to speak or make a sound. "We could date first if you want" He smiles at you, all bravado and confidence acting as if like he didn't just profess his feelings to you. "No" is all you manage out, missing the way his smile twitches at the word.
"No?"
"No, I'm sorry Sator- Gojo. I don't....I don't see you that way" you sputter out, hands flailing wildly in front of you. Soul-crushing is an understatement, heart-wrenching, bone-breaking...nothing can describe what he, what Gojo, feels at the moment, it's all too much. "It's because of Nanami, isn't it?"
You freeze, heat creeping up your face when he calls you out. You look down in embarrassment and hurriedly cup your cheeks to hide your flushed face, wrong move. Maybe if you kept your eyes on him you'd have seen the way his jaw ticked, maybe you'd have seen him curling his hand into a fist but you didn't do that so you don't see it. Instead you bow, muttering an apology and excuses of being late for your mission before running off, missing the abnormal silence and the eerie chill in the air despite the harsh summer sun shining right overhead.
°
Every single person was wary of Gojo, sorcerers and elders alike, because ever since the day you'd gone missing, his mood has been no better than thunderous. With the emergence of Sukuna's vessel, the curses that needed to be exorcised had increased in number and strength. With the staggering disadvantage of numbers, you had been assigned back-to-back missions and one fine day, had gone missing along with the Grade-2 curse you'd been sent to exorcise. The efforts to at least find your body was futile at best, nothing was left behind, not even a minisicule trace. Finally deeming you dead after a month of searching with no hope of finding your body ever again, it only adds to someone's despair all over again, he should've never come back afterall.
Gojo sighs, shutting the door behind him and silently making his way to the bedroom, he wasn't mad at the fact that you'd gone missing, not at all. On the contrary, he had you right where he wanted you to be. Chained up on his bed for him only. Then why was he mad? He was only mad because even after all this time of convincing and explaining, you still did not understand why he's doing all this. He loves you and he needs you by his side, what was so hard to understand? "I missed you too" Gojo hums to himself when he hears the muffled rattling of chains behind the door, realizing that you heard him come back.
You weren't weak by any means, not at all. You could snap normal chains like twigs if you wanted to but the cursed chain graciously attached to your feet by Gojo was resilient, all efforts left futile. It also burns, it burns like a red-hot spoke, branding you his if you ever so much as try to walk out the bedroom door. The chain magically extended itself to all corners of the bedroom and the bathroom but anywhere else and you're lying on the floor with tears in your eyes as you drag yourself back to bed because of the searing burn around your ankle.
°
You rub your eyes dazedly, where the hell were you? The comforter beneath you, the curtained drapes and even the smell was unfamiliar. Your last memory was being flung to the wall by the semi-special grade curse that you thought was a Grade-2 curse, a deadly mistake by the administration team. You needed to alert Ijichi for back up otherwise you're dead, a blur of white hair flashes past you. Gojo? Why was Gojo her- "Finally awake?" You blink, turning around to see Gojo leaning back on a chair besides the bed with a grin. "Gojo, where am I?" You tentatively ask, eyeing your bandaged arms.
"Our house. You said you liked it last time didn't you? " he answers simply, holding his arm out matter-of-factly. You narrow your eyes at the platinum band on his left ring finger, only realizing then that you had a similar one of your own in your hand. You move to get up but something cool tugs at you ankle, the sound of chain rattling only increasing your heart beat as you throw the blanket off of you. Cold sweat running through you at the thought of it "Gojo, what is this?"
"Oh don't mind it, it's just a precaution" he stands up, pushing the chair aside as he gently tugs at the chain with a satisfied look. "This isn't funny" you tug the chain loose from his finger, biting back the bile rising up your throat when he quietly grabs hold of your ankle. "It's not meant to be funny" he grins, pulling you towards him by your ankle."Why?" You breathe out every so softly, fear and betrayal etched on your face. Oh betrayal, sweet sweet betrayal, he really does love that look on your face.
Everything he says is a buzz, you can't hear him, you're panicking. Nanami, what about Nanami? Oh God, what's gonna happen to him without you there? "Oh don't look like that, I'm not gonna hurt you" he coos, cupping your cheeks, completely misunderstanding your panic. You grab hold of his cold hands, silent tears streaming down your face "Let me go, please Gojo. I swear I won't tell anyone, Please" you plead, lips quivering and shuddering as sobs wrecks your body. "I'm afraid I can't do that" he tuts with mock pity, one hand gently caressing your body as it slides down to your ankle.
"This chain..." he tugs it. Hard.
"Keeps you safe. Keeps you with me. KEEPS YOU MINE" Maybe if he didn't say all that with a smile on his face, you wouldn't have hated him as much as you did right now. But he did and the burning pit of hate burns in your heart, you should've never met him.
"Also call me Satoru, we're gonna be here for a very long time"
°
It all starts over again.
Satoru is nothing like his father.
Where his father's love story extended for so long, his was cut short. Cut short by fate and your death- or thats what people think at least. They don't know that you're well alive and breathing, chained to the bed by the supposedly pitiful star crossed lover of a man.
It's ironic really, when his mother was chained down to his father by just a ring on her finger, he had hated it but here he was, years later. Literally and figuratively chaining you down to him with a physical chain, maybe the reason why Lady Luck seemed to favor the most twisted of mind was because she had a twisted sense of humor too. It's the only explanation.
But what about his mother's words? He became the strongest, that's one wish fulfilled. Never turn into a monster like his father?.... That's two wishes fulfilled, For Better or For worse, he's gonna keep true to his promise till the end.
Satoru is nothing like his father, he was so much worse.
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Writing block hit me hard. Currently working on pt.3 of Prod!Gojo Satoru again cuz I deleted it by mistake 🥲
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clanwarrior-tumbly · 1 year
Note
Hello hello friendo! I was wondering if I could request a Wally x wolf puppet reader? the scenario being that the other neighbors are afraid of R (reader) no matter what due to them looking like a big 'bad' wolf, R's appearance is quite frightful; stitches in a few places along with big teeth and claws plus they are on the large size (roughly Barnaby's size, if not a bit shorter). While on the outside they look all mean they are actually really sweet and just want to make friends.
"Do you think I'm doing something wrong, Wally? 'cuz I feel...unwanted here."
"No, no. You've done nothing wrong, Neighbor! What made you think of such silly things?"
"...well everyone's still acting like I'm gonna eat them for breakfast."
"Breakfast?? Why, that's nonsense. Breakfast is composed of bacon, eggs, juice, and toast..not people!"
"Uh, that was just a....nevermind." Sighing, you shook your head as you gave up trying to explain the idiom to Wally. But having this conversation with him over the phone did manage to cheer you up a little.
How you wished it was this easy talking to the rest of the neighbors, though they were all absolutely terrified of you and would've hung up the second they heard your voice.
Fortunately, Wally had recently learned a valuable lesson from Barnaby, who told him that he should never "judge a book by its cover". And he lived by that philosophy every time a newcomer came to town, whether they stayed or left.
You were no exception despite being a rather frightening-looking wolf with large sharp teeth, untrimmed claws, and stitches all over your body that made you look like a zombie. Of course, your clothes covered most of them, yet they didn't fully hide all of the things your neighbors were afraid of.
Of course, it didn't help that you're the child of The Big Bad Wolf...but you're nothing like him! You're not deceptive or evil in any way; all you wanted to do was make new friends.
But that was tough to prove when someone screamed if you so much as smiled at them.
Poppy was understandable, given she was a bird who already had some anxiety issues to begin with. And Barnaby was alright since you're both tall canines (and even then, he was still the taller one). He tolerated your presence and can stand being in the same room as you.
As for Julie, Eddie, Frank, Sally, and Howdy....you unintentionally scared them out of their wits.
For instance, you visited Howdy's bugdega for the first time to get groceries, and he ducked behind the register as you approached. The poor guy sounded like he was in tears as he stuttered that everything was free of charge.
Back then you thought he was having a bad day..but even outside of work, he seldom talked to you out of fear.
How naïve were you..
At least you had Wally, though, considering he's able to have normal chats with you both on the phone and in person. He still kept his joyful tone when speaking to you, and when you left he'd turn around to scold the others for "overreacting".
Honestly, he was growing tired of them treating you this way and not taking his advice. No neighbor deserved to feel so unwelcomed.
You weren't scary at all! He'll prove it!
And now he finally got an idea that he believed would work.
"Say, [y/n]..whatdya think about coming with me to the park?" He suggested. "I'm organizing a little painting lesson, and at the end we're all gonna paint something we like! If everyone's there and sees us getting along, they'll finally see how nice you really are!"
"You think so?" Your ears perked up, a small smile forming on your face as your tail began lightly wagging, thumping against the furniture.
While you haven't done any art since settling into the community, this hangout seemed to be a good place to sharpen your skills and, hopefully, make some friends. If they saw you indulging in a passion, you'll be able to connect with them more.
"Yup! I think it'll work! So are you in or out?"
"I'm in."
"Great! See you in an hour!"
Your smile dropped. "Wait, it's toda-?"
However, you didn't get the chance to finish as you heard the 'click' on the other end, realizing he hung up. You sighed and hung up your phone, too.
The thought of seeing everybody at the park so soon had you feeling anxious all over again, but you tried shaking off your worries, not wanting them to deter you from going. You couldn't disappoint Wally after how hopeful he sounded.
So instead you focused on making lunch for yourself before packing some art supplies together, finding a canvas or sketchbook to bring with you.
And about an hour later, you were fully prepared.
'It'll be fine..Wally's gonna be there..' You told yourself, taking a few deeps breaths, heading out the door with your head held high.
Surely, the neighbors will finally change their mind about you once they see that you shared a similar hobby as them..
Right?
.......
It turns out you were wrong.
As Wally hosted his painting lesson in the park, going over how to paint different figures and scenes step-by-step...most of the gang could barely focus on what he was saying.
Instead, their eyes were anxiously fixated on you as you tried ignoring them and listened to his words. Whenever you made direct eye contact with any of them, they'd quickly look away and shudder, their hands shaking as they pretended to paint or draw.
They kept their canvases close to their chest, as though you were gonna pounce and tear it to shreds if they let their guard down.
Obviously, Wally took notice of this fast and would ask them questions about what he just said, his smile slowly turning into a frown as some stuttered out answers..while others just didn't catch it the first time around.
You only expected this, although you did manage to impress everybody with your scenery of a moonlit sky after accomplishing the final task of painting something you liked.
But it wasn't enough for Wally. They only complimented you because they were scared you'll get angry if they said the wrong thing...he could just tell by their shifty gazes.
They're just pretending.
After everybody eventually left for home, as the sun was going down, you stayed in the park with Wally. He was still sitting motionless on the same flat rock, having already put his supplies away.
You frowned as you approached him, not knowing what's gotten into him lately
Of course this hangout wasn't going to immediately make you everybody's best friend, but you didn't think he'd be this upset.
If anything it should have been you who was upset, though you believed things went quite well considering nobody ran away from you this time around.
Unfortunately, Wally begged to differ, given how he hasn't spoken a word to you since everyone else left.
"Wally?" Crouching down in front of him, you tilted your head. "What's wrong?"
"...I don't get it."
"..look, it's okay-" You went to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, only for him to suddenly look up at you with frustration in his wide eyes. Even his pupils seemed to tremble as he spoke.
"No, it's not okay. I-I..I know they can't help it but..I thought they trusted me, Neighbor. I planned all of this so they could stop being scared of you! And yet...they..." He trailed off, fingers trembling as they curled into his pants. "They're never gonna change...are they?"
"They can. They just need some more time." You tried to reason, yet he shook his head.
"But how much longer will it be until y--?" He started, but quickly stopped upon seeing the flashes of concern in your eyes, shrinking away.
"...until I what, Wally?"
"........"
"Are you...scared that I might leave one day?" You finally connected the dots. "Is that why you're so upset over all of this?"
Given his silence as he looked back down at the ground, that basically confirmed your answer.
Now it all made sense.
"Oh, buddy.." You hugged him close, feeling him flop against you as he rested his head on your fluffy chest. "You don't have to worry about that. It's gonna take a lot more than just a few skittish people to kick me out."
"But..you're so nice...and I don't know why they can't see that.." He mumbled, slowly hugging you back. "I swear I've tried everything-"
"You don't have to do anything more, Wally. I appreciate what you've done, but..you don't need to be stressed for my sake. I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'll even pinky promise it for ya."
After a long silence you felt him nod, and you smiled, relieved that he trusted you.
Soon you let each other go and made that pinky promise, sealing the deal. You could see that lifted a huge burden off his shoulders--one you didn't even realize he was trying to carry this whole time--as his own smile returned.
"C'mon. It's getting late. I'll walk ya back home." You suggesting, slinging your bag over your shoulder.
"Haha..that's usually my job, Neighbor." The blue-haired puppet chuckled as he fixed up his messy pompadour. "But thank you. I'll take up your kind offer!"
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kittyball23 · 5 months
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Hey, Kittyball23,
I was wondering if you could post part 2 of "Taking the News"? Though, I am waiting patiently for it to post, and I gave you time to write the fanfiction I was hoping that you will post it whenever you're finished.
After you post it, can you write another fanfiction of the very SPECIAL DAY when Poppy and Branch's baby was BORN?! (Or maybe include a baby shower scene and a BIG CELEBRATION of their FIRST NEWBORN CHILD?!?! 🥰😁🥳🎉👶🎉) If so, I would be very grateful. ☺️ (Don't forget to include their friends and families as well.) If not, that's okay. I understand you have like a few other requests from others for Trolls fanfiction stories. But, I gave you plenty of time you needed.
Thank you. Sincerely, Ceci-Butterfly 🦋
Part 2 👇
Taking the News - Branch Edition (a Trolls fanfic)
Branch scrunched his nose, considering the fact that there were a number of better things to be doing than willingly being in the presence of a vomiting individual.
But, when that said individual was Poppy, he put aside the feelings of distaste as best he could and focused on making sure none of the rainbow-colored, glittery substance got onto her hair.
He held back the pink strands delicately away from her face and grimaced more than a few times at the combination of her retching, and just how much she had heaved.
While it had felt like forever, Poppy finally was able to get herself under control, and sat back with an exhausted sigh. Branch eyed her with a raised brow, and the Pop Queen felt sheepish upon the question that he presented.
“So… the stomach bug is all gone, huh?”
She fiddled with her fingers and looked down. “Um, well…” A nervous titter came out, and then she gave up. “Oops.”
Branch sighed. “It's not ‘oops,’ Poppy. If you were still sick, you could've told me. It hardly takes anything for me to go get you something to treat it. Dr. Moonbloom has plenty of supplies!”
“I know, Branch,” she said meekly, “I just didn't want you to worry…”
“You don't want me to worry?” he repeated incredulously. “Well, now I am. If this thing's not gone by now, it could be something serious!”
But to his surprise, Poppy was not as overly concerned as he would've figured. As a matter of fact, she got shy, and spoke her next words bashfully. “It's, um, not as serious as you might think…” Poppy almost wanted to laugh at the deadpanned expression he donned in that next second, but she knew better than to do so. He was clearly under the worst impressions of her health. Which meant it was finally time to come clean. “Look, Branch, there's something I have to tell you about… or, um, I guess I should say someone.”
Branch crossed his arms. “Okay, what exactly are you talking about, Poppy? What do you mean ‘someone’?”
“Oh, you know,” she said, attempting to sound matter-of-fact, “someone teeny and weeny, and cute as heck… assuming he or she comes out looking like you.”
Wait… what? Branch blinked, his brain making the connections it had to make in order to fully comprehend the situation and its full truth. The unexpected vomiting, the shyness in Poppy’s voice, the mentions of a mysterious ‘someone’ by themselves didn’t quite make as much sense as they did when he considered them all together. And, to add further confirmation for what he was coming to conclude, she slowly lifted a hand and allowed it to rest on her belly, her gaze shifting down at it first before it met his.
“Branch,” she whispered softly, “I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I guess I just wasn't sure how, but, uh... I'm... um..."
"Pregnant," he finished, the tone in his voice mystified. 
Poppy nodded. "Yeah."
Silence settled between them for what seemed like an eternity as Branch processed this. He supposed it made sense, with how, er… active he and Poppy had been in the more intimate aspects of their relationship. But still, the idea of becoming a father was rather jarring; one that left him wondering if he was ready for that kind of responsibility and commitment that he never figured would be in the cards for him in the first place! And yet...
I'm going to be a dad... 
His gaze softened, and without thinking he reached out a hand toward her belly, where it still lay quite flat. He lightly brushed his fingertips over the slight swell that was there, the Troll marveling at the fact that it would one day be the very life that they'd created, running around singing songs like his (or her!) mother or crazily preparing like his (or her!) father. A perfect product, a wondrous blend between him and her that could only result from something as strong as their love. It almost felt surreal, like a dream. Like he'd suddenly been thrust into a completely new reality in which things went beyond what he thought possible, in the best way possible.
A soft sound escaped him, akin to a breathy chuckle, and his eyes glistened with moisture.  The hand withdrew from Poppy's stomach to rest on top of hers instead, as a smile - growing increasingly wider upon his lips - pulled at his cheeks. "Poppy, I-" He cut himself off abruptly, unsure exactly WHAT he could say in this circumstance that could voice everything he felt at the moment. How excited he was, how proud, how honored he was for having been given the opportunity to experience such joy, and most importantly, how he loved her with every fiber of his being, even more than he could possibly go on to explain.  However, the only thing he could seem to articulate in a simple, and rather dumbfounded manner was…
“Poppy, you're PREGNANT!”
And, despite the telltale chime of their bracelets that was usually indicative of Hug Time not ringing, Branch swept Poppy in for an embrace, his arms wrapped snugly around her waist, careful not to press too firmly against the abdomen carrying their precious bundle. Poppy giggled joyfully and returned the hug with a great enthusiasm, the bubbly feeling within her heart overflowing and making itself known through laughter and tears, neither one being able to be kept in check. "Oh, Branch," she cooed, her voice sounding slightly choked with emotion, "this is just so.... so...."
He lifted his head from where he'd nuzzled it against the crook of her neck to give her smirk, blue eyes twinkling playfully. "Fantast-amazing?" he suggested.
The mention of her sister's favorite phrase made Poppy gasp. "Oh, Branch!" she said again, this time  with more urgency and excitement. "Viva! And John Dory, and Bruce, and Clay, and Floyd!" she spewed, each name tumbling out in a rush. "Oh my goodness, we should tell them!!"
Branch's face lit. "Yeah!" he was quick to agree, the elated mood that gripped him too much for him to contain.
"Uh-huh!" Poppy agreed. "But first - "
She interrupted herself, by grabbing him by the vest and pulling him in for a sweet kiss. Branch melted, obliging happily to her and relishing the sensation. For once he couldn't bring himself to fret over the sudden change in their lives, and all the worrying over the crazy preparations he would go on to make in order to ensure everything went absolutely flawless with their parenting. Branch simply enjoyed his moment of bliss as he let it flow through his entire being, letting him revel in the feeling of his and Poppy's euphoria.
Their family was going to get bigger, and he was beyond thrilled for what wonderful surprises lay ahead!
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theflyindutchwoman · 5 months
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Is that an apology? Yes. All right. No! Look, because you never would've let me work my magic if I had told you, and then I would have ended up transferring to another station to save you from yourself, and…this worked out so much better. And if you can't see that, I'm sorry not sorry. Okay. I accept your non-apology.
| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 5.16 - Exposed
I'm not going to lie… this is one of those scenes that I wish I could fully love… It has so much potential, but, unfortunately, it feels like something is missing. Like, say, a deeper conversation between Tim and Lucy… one where he gets to explain why he is so upset with her in the first place. Is it because she went behind his back to orchestrate the five-player trade, as suggested here? Is it because he worries about how this makes him look, as he implied earlier in the shop? Those are not mutually exclusive but since he never get to properly voice his thoughts on the matter, we never really find out which is it (or if it's both for that matter). Instead, it is skimmed over, as if it was an argument just for the sake of it.
Now, there's nothing wrong with that in itself… Not everything needs to be an arc. But as this 'fight' is connected to two storylines, it needed more depth. And this is where I, personally, feel a bit let down by this. I absolutely loved how Lucy didn't hesitate to put her career on the line to help Tim find a more suitable job, just like he did when he decided to take a desk job for her… They are prioritising the other, which is something neither of them ever had before… And that is extremely special for them, to have this unconditional support and love. In Tim's case, he was asked twice to sacrifice his career. And this time, he has someone who does everything in her power to make sure he can have it all, a job that he loves and a relationship. But none of this is truly acknowledged. We saw Lucy being grateful and appreciative when he transfered for her but not Tim… And I have a hard time believing that he wouldn't be even a little, once the sting fades. That is not to say he doesn't have any reason to be upset… And that's my second issue with this : this could have been used as a setup for the coming angst, the one that is brewing with Sava and Jake, Isabel's return, Lucy's undercover mission… All these episodes have one main theme : how secrecy and lies can destroy a relationship. How this is what actually started to break Tim's marriage with Isabel, long before her addiction drove the final nail in the coffin… So this could have been the perfect opportunity to have Tim confide in Lucy why her going behind his back, no matter how good her intentions were, is triggering some bad memories. Why their promise not to lie to each other is that important. This could have tied this whole arc altogether in a more organic way.
That said, I love how unapologetic Lucy is. She gets where he's coming from - to an extent. But she still stands her ground, simply explaining why she did it. After all, this all started because of the decision he unilaterally took, when he went to Grey and accepted a desk job, without consulting her first. So her worries that he would end up resenting her, their relationship or even just his situation are natural. Honesty works both ways. And that's the thing with them : while they are usually really good at communicating, they can also be selfless and impulsive when it comes to the other, ready to sacrifice themselves so the other can be happy. That, and they're both used to being independent. They just need to find a balance in their personal relationship. And as upset as Tim appears to be, it's quite clear that he is ready to move on right after her first apology. They might be good at arguing but he doesn't like being mad at her, that much is clear. He can't even stay that way too long, even after she turns the tables on him #sorrynotsorry. His smile… He's just so amused and disarmed. He can't even hide it anymore. So much for not being a softy...
(To be continued...)
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darkdisrepair · 2 years
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imogen meta: "you know you saved my life, right?"
tw//suicidal ideation
i'm so sorry for another meta but this line has been sitting in my brain for DAYS now, and there are a few things about it that are just so striking and so so sad-
for one- it puts imogen's farewell to bertrand into a much greater context.
"i'm glad the noises stopped for you. i'm glad you're at peace."
how long has imogen been longing for that kind of peace? she's been dealing with her powers for a decade, now, and it seems like only in her time with bell's hells has she really been able to get a stronger harness on it.
how many times, has death seemed like the only escape? ever present, ever alluring, in the corner of her mind?
it's a layer that i couldn't quite pick up before, because there was context for what she said, but there also wasn't- but now, with the idea that "i don't know how much longer i would've lasted" at the forefront-
she's had a decade of pain, and ostracization, and voices she can't control, with no sign of reprieve, no sense that it would ever end, and for a long period in her life- with no one to support her.
it's been so obvious for so long, given the angst of imogen's past, but i've struggled to connect the dots of just how deep imogen's pain runs. laura has been dropping clues- her farewell to bertrand, talking about how bad it had gotten during what the fuck is up with that, her mentions of her father- but this was the final piece, to make it all so painfully clear.
these past few years, they've been everything.
because what did imogen have before, really? what reasons did she have to keep going? an absent mother, a distant father, and chronic, overwhelming, agonizing pain and dreams haunting her in her sleep?
who did she have to turn to?
no one, and no glimmer of hope.
and so of course she would be drawn to laudna. her musical thoughts a balm to her aching mind, her cheerful attitude a bright spot in the darkness of imogen's life, her support almost foreign to a young girl who has never had the stability of someone to lean on-
and of course she would be devastated, when that's ripped away from her again, when laudna dies. that hope, that happiness- it's intoxicating, and it's horrible when it's gone, and she's taken back to that place of hurt and anger and fear.
and of course she would do everything to bring laudna back. but it also paints her ritual contribution into a greater context- of course she wouldn't make laudna come back, either. she won't make her return to her home full of trauma, she won't make laudna leave the sweet embrace of death.
because who is she, to deny someone that tranquility, that escape- when she's been tempted by it herself? if laudna needs to go, to not hurt anymore, she'll let her, because she loves laudna so much that she wouldn't ever take that away from her, if that was what she wanted.
(however, if laudna didn't come back, imogen would most certainly struggle. especially since i don't think she's fully processed otohan's attack yet, she's been so determined on giving laudna that choice that she herself has thought about).
but it's also so beautiful- how two lonely, shunned girls could find such light and hope in each other, and find ways to battle back against the world. and it shows such depth to their love, and their devotion to each other.
it's such an intimate thing, to tell someone that they saved your life. and though it wasn't a romantic confession, it's clear that they love each other very, very much.
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raayllum · 8 months
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Few things:
1) First off what a great fucking scene, for both Amaya and Rayla. It was lovely to get a deeper dive into Amaya's interiority, especially with the loss of her sister and her own trauma (something we haven't touched directly on since 1x05 way back when). And, of course, the fact that Amaya makes the connection to Rayla that she's traumatized / made her decisions likewise out of grief directly, and that it's an effective way to survive, but not to live.
2) "Stoic, strong, and lonely." "That does sound like me sometimes." Hearing Rayla admit that she's suffering, that she's lonely (which we've known & have always known) even with Stella, and only after two entire years on her own... She had to go through so much to get even close to this. You can see the weight it takes, that she can only admit so much, but that she's listening and taking it in because Amaya is also being open and vulnerable, and is an older woman Rayla can respect and learn from. For Rayla, "love" and "trust" were often two different things (all four of her parents loved her, but didn't always trust her; and Rayla never wants to burden people with her problems, either, although we luckily start to see that shift) but Amaya points out that that is "not enough," not that Rayla isn't. Talk about a breakthrough (even if again, I think there's still a long way to go on the sacrifice front).
3) Romantic and family love being interwoven and seen as mirrors, rather than entirely separate things. It would've been so easy to turn this into a "romance only" scenario, but TDP has always been a celebration of different forms of love, so I love that it's all anchored together here - familial, platonic, romantic, etc. Strong healthy bonds all have the same foundations and cornerstones, even if they manifest differently, after all.
4) Is congruent with the "humans teach the elves/dragons that it is better to be united than divided / better to break the cycle than perpetuate" arc the show tends to have across the board. Obviously it doesn't mean that humans ever can't be isolationist (they can and are - hi Viren!) but that it's not nearly to the degree that elves are
5) On that matter, the Amaya-Rayla-Viren "fiercely independent due to trauma, willing to put the world and greater good ultimately above their loved ones" parallels continue, thank you (re: Amaya choosing to safe guard at the Breach rather than just go after her nephews to save them, her prior opinions about elves being similar to Viren's, etc etc).
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6) In regards to the montage, it makes me tear up now whenever I watch it, and I love the balance of clips chosen. Both the fun adventurous times, but also highlighting the moments that Callum and Rayla were there for each other in some of their lowest/darkest times - leading Rayla to finally fully recognize that Callum will quite literally always be there for her (as he's said) if she'll give him the chance to be.
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jessjad · 5 months
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Christmas magic
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Summary: Sometimes all you need is a little christmas magic to help you be at ease with the decisions you made.
Pairing: AU!Dean Winchester x Reader
Prompt: "Santa is real"
Warnings: none really, a little fluff and some wonders.
Word Count: 1439
A/N: Hello! :) This is my contribution to @spnfanficpond 's secret santa 2023. This is for @spnexploration. Originally, I had this planned out as a post-series Oneshot. But she asked for it not be, so... I had to change some things. 🙈
This is a AU-setting now and it's around season 13 age-wise. They're still hunters, though. Otherwise the plot I thought of wouldn't have worked. So, I hope you like it. :)
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The christmas lights were twinkling throuh the whole house, it smelled of freshly baked cookies and the christmastree was already up and shining. It had such a strong feel of home now that Dean hat to shake his head a little in disbelieve. If someone had told him a year ago that he would have this kind of peace around christmastime, he would've not believed it.
But everything changed after he met Y/N. He never thought that she would be as interested in him as he was in her but one night out celebarting a very sucssesful hunt loosened their tounges. Dean didn't really know why he wanted this to be so serious at first, but seeing Sam being so happy with Eileen showed him over time that he missed something. When they both told him that they were having a baby, the older Winchester felt a crack in his heart.
And then, on one faithful hunt, he met Y/N. Not thinking she would stick around, she surprised him and stayed. From that point on he was lost. At first he was hesitant and feared that she would be hurt more than anything if he didn't keep his distance to her, but she did not shy away from him and in the end, they landed here. In their own house. Rowena warded the hell out of this place with her magic, of course.
Footsteps on the stairs in the hallway brought him back out of his thoughts and he started to smile when he saw Y/N appear in the livingroom followed by Sam and Eileen who held a litte bundle of fabric in her arms, their babygirl sleeping soundly.
"We're ready." Y/N said and gave Dean a small kiss on the cheek. "You still sure that you don't wanna come with us?"
"I'm positive, sweatheart." Dean replied and curled his arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer. "Me and the man upstairs don't have the best connection. We're not really compañeros."
"I... that's probably not the... right word you wanted to use, Dean." Said Sam and frowned a little at his brothers use of the spanish language.
"Shut it, Sam."
"Ok, guys. Can we go?" interrupted Eileen grinning.
"Sure." Y/N turned fully to her boyfriend and tried one last time. "Ok, last chance, Dean. Mr. Harris will be there too, playing Santa Claus and handing out presents."
Dean knew that she was trying to lure him out with that and he had to smirk.
"That sounds nice, try to bring me one with. I'll wait here and chop some more firewood."
Y/N sighed, but smiled lovingly up to him. "Ok. But don't overdo it. It's cold outside."
They kissed and then he watch the other three people leave to go to the christmas mass. After the door closed behind them, Dean put his warm wintercoat on and went out to the backyard. Y/N was right, it was really cold. He went over to the firewood, picked up his axe and started to split it.
Time past quick and all of a sudden Dean started to here some bells in the distance. He stopped with his work and started to look around, wondering where the sound came from, but he couldn't quite make it out. Just before he wanted to keep going with his work, he heared the fence door open. Have they already been back?
But it was not who he expected. Into the backyard came Mr. Harris fully dressed as Santa. Dean had to smile and shook his head a little. The lengths his beautiful girlfriend would go for him.
"Hello Mr. Harris." welcomed Dean and shook the other man's hand.
"Hello Dean." He replied.
"Did Y/N convince you to come over and give me your present in person?"
"No..." the old man laughed. "They're all still in church. But I wanted to come over here now. After all, Santa has to be in many places at the same time at Christmas."
"Well, what do I get, Santa?" Dean played along.
"I hope, you will like my present for you, eventhough it's not a physical one."
Dean chuckled. "Who would have seen that coming?" He turned fully to the other man and was now really curious what was about to happen. "So, what is it then?"
"My present for, Dean Winchester, is this:" He returned the smile, but then became a little more serious. "You did good."
Now Dean's smlie faltered and he started to frown. Putting his hands into his pockets of his jeans he needed a moment before he spoke again.
"What?"
"You've seen a lot of bad things in this world. From very early on your life was full of horror and nightmares."
"How do you know..." Dean said, but his visitor didn't stop.
"You had to go through a lot of things noone should go through. You had to make a lot of difficult decisions, but in the end, you always did good."
"Is... is this a joke?" Dean already going into hunter mode.
"No. Not at all." He raised his hands in a defensive position. "I know, you've seen many big bads in your carrer and I get that you think that I may be one of them too. But I promise you, I'm probably the only real good one out there."
Dean wanted to say something again, but he didn't get a chance to do so.
"And as the only good one, let me tell you: you're a really good man too."
The look in his eyes told Dean that he really meant it, he was sincere, and the defends that had build up a minute ago faded away.
"All the worries and guilt that you carry around with you... you need to let it go. All the decisions you made that you thought maybe weren't the right ones... you couldn't have done anything differently."
Dean felt a lump forming in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. Whatever was happening here was affecting him, making the big, heavy burden on his shoulders smaller and smaller.
"You saved so many lives, Dean. You have made so many people's lives better. And that alone makes you one of the best people ever. So be proud of yourself! And stop worrying too much."
Dean didn't know what to say, so he just nodded which the man infront of him returned. Then, it looked like he wanted to leave, but he turned around once more.
"Oh, and don't worry about Y/N. Her heart is yours. And it will stay that way for a very long time." He winked.
"How... how do you know that?" The Winchester managed to ask.
"Well, who do you think sent her to you on that hunt last year?"
Was he really serious? This was getting weird and ridiculous.
"Dean?"
Y/N voice sounded through the house and Dean looked over to the livingroom, seeing her standing there and taking her jacket off. The cold was really getting to him now and all he wanted to do was to go inside and take the woman he loved into his arms and let her bodywarmth wash over him.
But, when he turned around to say goodbye to Mr. Harris he was already gone. And than he could here the bells ringing again. What? That was really weird.
Dean went inside and greeted his girl just like he wanted to and she welcomingly molded into him.
"There you are. Are you done with the firewood?"
"Yep. Just need to take it inside."
"Great. Oh..." Y/N pulled away from his arms a little. "We brought Mr. Harris with us."
"What?" Dean looked puzzled at Y/N.
"Yeah. He started to feel dizzy in church while he was handing out his presents. He's in the kitchen now and Sam's calling his son to come pick him up."
"But... but he... was..." Dean looked quickly out into the backyard.
"Is this okay with you?" Asked Y/N with worry in her voice.
"Yeah. Yeah, of course. Go back into the kitchen. I'll just got and bring in the wood real quick."
"Okay." Y/N mood enlighted a little more and she gave him a short kiss on his lips before she left.
Dean hurried outside and took a quick look around but there was noone to be found. And then he heard a laughter from above his head. Looking up, Dean couldn't believe his eyes. Right there, infront of the moon, was the dark silhouette of a sleigh that looked just like Santa Claus's.
And for once in his life, Dean Winchester truly believed that Santa is real.
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@lyarr24
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flwrsuh · 5 months
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choi soobin - tis the damn season
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pairing ; soobin x gn!reader
warnings ; none!
a/n ; this is based off of tis the damn season by taylor swift! so happy to be back writing and continuing my taylor series ^-^ i'm sorry it's so short, i plan on posting more very soon!!
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"if i wanted to know who you were hanging with while i was gone i would've asked you, it's the kind of cold, fogs up windshield glass but i felt it when i passed you"
the drive up to your hometown for the holidays was filled with dread, not only because you would soon be in a room filled with relatives you couldn't stand, but the possibility of running into your high school sweetheart was heightened this time of year, and the way things had ended left you both with a bad taste in your mouth. things with soobin had always been simple, but when you had chosen to leave town for college and he got accepted at your state university, the two of you parted ways. he had always secretly hoped you would change your mind and come running home from LA, and back to him, but he was not so lucky.
soobin had been asked by his mother to help her with some last-minute grocery shopping for his family's holiday party. reluctantly, he agreed, strolling through the aisles, humming along to the faint sound of a christmas song playing through the supermarket's speakers. as he rounded the corner, making his way through the store, he stopped dead in his tracks. because there you were, beautiful as ever, and you were real. right in front of him. he quickly began to turn around, hoping to make his escape before your eyes could land on him, but then he heard it.
"soobin?"
he heard your soft voice call from behind him. turning around to finally meet your gaze, he put on the biggest fake smile he could muster, though you would be oblivious if you couldn't feel the tension in the air. it was cold, uninviting, and nothing like the boy you used to know. it broke your heart, seeing him this way and knowing that, at least partly, it was your doing.
"so we could call it even, you could call me babe for the weekend, tis the damn season, write this down, im staying at my parents' house and the road not taken looks real good now"
seeing soobin again had caused your mind to go wild with what-ifs. what if you had never left? would you still be happily in love? maybe it was stupid to relive the past, but you couldn't help feeling as if you had made a massive mistake.
"time flies, messy as the mud on your truck tires, now im missing your smile, hear me out, we could just ride around and the road not taken looks real good now"
now you sit in your childhood bedroom, wondering if you could make it work again. you knew that you would forever miss soobin, and you had nobody but yourself to blame for that. you miss the way his smile could light up your small town, his kindness that you had always admired so much, and the way he loved you with everything he had. to say you were regretful would be a horrible understatement.
"so i'll go back to LA and the so-called friends who'll write books about me if i ever make it, and wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles i'm fakin, and the heart i know i'm breakin' is my own, to leave the warmest bed i've ever known"
you have since never been able to meet another person quite like him. soobin truly was one of a kind, you were lucky to have known him at all. after him, you were unable to find that kind of connection with another person, always feeling like your new friends didn't fully understand you, or care much for you at all for that matter. it was purely a show friendship, one you could post online and hope that nobody could see through the facade you had put up, but he always could.
he knew you better than anybody. he knew that you had not been really, truly happy in quite some time. you couldn't hide that from him if you wanted to.
"we could call it even, even though im leavin'"
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calmwaterstarot · 4 months
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Would you analyze Grace Kelly’s chart perhaps? Totally outrageous sexually but the public never believe it. Curious what placements she had to really be able to maintain that ice Queen legacy.
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I didn't realize she had so much Scorpio in her chart. Check out that Scorpio stellium in the 1st house! I probably won't do a total deep dive, but I'll report what I'm seeing for her romantic and career life.
So, like I said, that Scorpio stellium in the 1st house made her very magnetic. She had a Scorpio Ascendant, which means people were really drawn to her, maybe even to the point of obsession. Since the ruler of her Ascendant is Pluto, she definitely had a secretive side to her, as Scorpios tend to be more private. She also had Sun and Mars in Scorpio in the 1st house, which means she withheld her power at times and only fully showed it when she wanted to. It's also interesting that her Ascendant ruler is Pluto, which is in Cancer in her 9th house. The 9th house represents all things foreign, and she married a foreigner, moved homes (Cancer energy) and lived abroad.
She also had her MC (10th house) in Leo, which is a huge fame indicator. People with Leo in the 10th house tend to want to be in the spotlight somehow, or they have strong career goals and dreams, to the point where they have to stand out in some way. I'm not surprised she was a great actress with this placement accompanying her Moon in Pisces + all that Scorpio energy. She could bend her emotions (Moon in Pisces) to her will while acting (MC in Leo). When you pair these placements with her Sun in the 1st house, it's no surprise she was famous.
Her Venus in Libra in the 12th house is screaming, "Keep the love life hidden from view." With her Mars in Scorpio and Venus in Libra, both ruling planets of these zodiac signs, it appears she had strong placements for love and sex; it's just that she kept them hidden with all that Scorpio energy + Venus in the 12th house. She oozed sexuality, but she liked to be in control, which is why her appearance was more reserved.
She was destined for material wealth, as well. She had her North Node in Taurus in the 7th house of partnerships, whether that's business partnerships (Hollywood production companies) or through her marriage to the Prince of Monaco. She also had Jupiter in Gemini in the 8th house of shared assets and Saturn in Sagittarius in the 2nd house of finances. Jupiter expands whatever it touches and Saturn can restrict. She appeared to be great with finances and probably didn't splurge too much on unnecessary items, but she also had wealth and enjoyed even more wealth once she married into royalty.
I also wanted to add that she has two grand trines. One is between her Sun, Moon, and Pluto. The other is between Mars, Moon, and Pluto. Definitely heavier energies when these planets are connected in a sort of equilibrium.
Grace was quite the character! Sometimes, I wonder what she would've accomplished had she not passed away so suddenly. Such a tragic ending to a beautiful love story.
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professoruber · 3 months
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Thoughts of Birds of Prey (2023-) #6
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Spoilers for Birds of Prey (2023-) #6
So the newest issue of the current Birds of Prey comic has recently come out and I guess since I took the time to make multiple fairly long-ish posts about this run, I should go over my thoughts here.
To sum things up... I thought it okay but also not really too big of a fan by the end of it. I didn't exactly dislike it, but I guess it left me with too many questions and felt a bit too contrived. It was enjoyable enough, but kinda felt like my enjoy-ness of it decreased with each subsequent issue. It wasn't bad, but I guess that's my knee-jerk fresh reaction.
Of course, it still possible that there is more to the story than there is now and that future issues will reveal new information which might clear up some of my issues more, I'll be discussing that as well...
Note again that I am a novice in comics, and Gotham Academy was one of the first I read fully so perhaps I'm biased in that area. But to go over my thoughts for why I kinda feel slightly disappointed in more detail...
What was the point of Meridian?
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Warning of future doom, apparently. So as it turns out, the real reason that Barbara wasn't include was because she died eleven times already
(the fact that this was far from Meridian's first attempt was foreshadowed last issue with her noting where the last battle "always is"). So someone is out to get the Birds of Prey, and they're possibly using Future Maps time travel tech to do it.
While this does somewhat answer the question of why Barbara was specifically excluded; still doesn't explain the secrecy.
Like, all these visions of Barbara dying have her in her Batgirl outfit, so couldn't she just have been informed she'd die and asked to oversee the mission as Oracle? Or does that also somehow lead to her death?
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Being kept in the loop would also presumably have greatly helped avoid awkward feelings like this. And from what I know of Barbara, her tactical mind is probably more valuable than her martial art skills. But I guess whatever evil time traveller is targeting the BoP would've found a way to get to Babs anyway? (also on a side note; Barbara getting hurt by not being included was at least one thing I kinda predicted. My other, more thougt-out predictions though... well I'll get to those in a bit)
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It also confirms that Dinah indeed did not apparently get any explanation for why she had to exclude Barbara until after the mission was complete and.... that feels weird?
Like I said, I'm a novice on comics (although I am now definitely adding more Birds of Prey stuff to my to-read list) so I'm not the biggest expert on these characters. Nevertheless it feels that Black Canary here would've agreed to attack Wonder Woman and her people while excluding Oracle all on the word of a time traveller she's likely never met before (and in the present is a teenager who she's likely never met before either) without even demanding a damn good explanation first.
I guess it was more dramatic from a story perspective for Meridian to reveal this stuff now and set up the next arc. But it still just feels contrived to me. Maybe I'm overlooking/overthinking something though?
Meridian's Motives
So I've gone over a theory before that Meridian was in fact evil and possibly even connected to Megaera. That theory was not confirmed, or overly supported, by this. And it does seem like Meridian is probably on the up-and-up.
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Perhaps I'm a tad biased/sunk-cost fallacy right now since I spent a decent amount of time on the theory of Meridian being evil, but still worth noting that this mission ended up Megaera possessing Sin, albeit with Sin in control (and presumably actually in control because Megaera said Sin was in control while Sin used the lasso on her).
There's still quite a few similarities between Meridian and Megaera which are a bit difficult to overlook (you can check out the link I placed above where i went into more detail into that).
Its worth noting as well that Meridian mentioned that whichever evil time traveller is targeting the BoP, they're using her technology most likely. An interesting detail, and one which raises q
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Could it be Meridian is hiding something still? All the information we know about the future and her motives comes from her after all.
Or could it be she's being controlled without her knowledge? Or a second Meridian is up and about?
Perhaps it seems like I'm still focusing a disproportionate amount on Meridian, but she still remains the driving force behind all this issues of the narrative which have somewhat hurt my enjoyment and given me questions.
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And to repeat what I've said before. Meridian seems like a strange direction for the character of Maps Mizoguchi.
As I've alluded to before, I'm probably quite biased in this area because I've read Gotham Academy years ago before I really got into comics like I have recently and it was one of the first runs I've finished and stuff.
Maps is a character who wants to be Robin. And that's the path which she seems to have been developed upon during her fairly recent return.
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Given how still early she is in her storyline of becoming Robin (or some other kind of vigilante) it just still feels like a strange choice for Maps Mizoguchi of all people to show up as a time traveling hero with a persona and skillset which seems in stark contrast to her every prior appearance.
Meridian does not appear to be a martial artist, Maps doesn't appear to be a tech genius. Magic would seem like a more likely 'superpower' than super-tech for Maps considering the more supernatural focus of Gotham Academy.
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Maps has been established with a preference for swords while Meridian is only shown fighting using a fancy taser.
Am I thinking too deeply into it? Probably, yes.
But still feels like an overall strange decision to introduce Future Maps in such a manner. Especially when Present Maps has only returned to semi-focus in recent years and still hasn't really developed too much in her own current goals (such as being Robin).
So taking a character who's still in need of a bit more focus and development and then giving them a future persona which is at contrast to their current development chain? Seems odd.
Also at first i just assumed Meridian comes from a post-apocalyptic future which would be retconned out of the timeline by this arc. But Meridian's comments about how she doesn't take time travel lightly and is trying to right the timeline suggests she does not in fact come from a post-apocalyptic timeline.
So does that mean Maps is destined to become Meriden?
Again, this is probably my bias due to Gotham Academy nostalgia. But I'm not sure if I'm too much of a fan of this direction for her.
Especially, as I keep noting, Present Maps has only barely gotten started on working on becoming Robin (or any-kind of vigilante); but Meridian seems to suggest Maps is going to drop her current direction and go in a completely different direction at some point in the future.
Well those of my thoughts I guess. I suppose I'll see how things develop from here.
While I did find the Birds of Prey quite well-drawn so far and fairly enjoyable. All this thoughts I've gone over and the general feeling this arc was a tad contrived has all somewhat mitigated my enjoyment.
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levmada · 3 months
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First off, I would like to say I thoroughly enjoy your Levi posts, especially the ones where you break down his character, very insightful ❤
I've been stalking your tags a bit, and I noticed you mentioned Levi incorporating his mother into his wardrobe can you elaborate on this?
And secondly, you've likened Levi to Joel from TLOU, but for some reason I'm stuck on the dynamic of Levi losing two fingers vs how Ellie lost hers, and the aftermath, the mental gut-punch with losing something that is part of what makes them feel "useful". (I'm a masochist lol)
Thank you!!
awweeeee thank you so much!! :D
haha yes about the wardrobe part, either you mean the crossdressing post, or the kid levi in canon post😭😭😭?and there's quite the steep difference in theme.
to summarize for anyone else, 1: it's plainly obvious to me that Kenny first came upon Levi while he wore his mother's dress (or one of), and throughout his childhood, he cut it into a shirt (and speculatively, later keeps it with him as a handkerchief/his cravat).
2: I hc that Levi enjoys crossdressing with some resemblances to his mother because of, basically, the positive associations (similar to tea). for example, the perfume she used to wear.
there's not much to say that i can think of that i haven't already said🤔Kuchel was Levi's WORLD. she - would have - taught him the value of humanity and how to be kind, even though she didn't know what he'd go on to do. she was the foundation for the hero he'd go on to be. Levi's childhood is the antithesis of happiness (lol), but his mother was the closest thing to pure joy. it's just a fact.
similar to tea-drinking (as suggested in canon so far...), i don't see why cherishing memories of Kuchel would stop at that + there's the psychological implications.
as far as that goes, Kuchel died at what is the brain is soaking up info and experiences like a sponge. + the comparison is valid that Kuchel was heaven to Levi whereas he (and she) lived inside hell, so he as a child would latch on to her in common (ie, keeping her dress) and anomalous ways (ie, crossdressing as an adult (((w/ her as the primary influence for this behavior)))).
reminders of her are a source of comfort, tldr.
OMGGGG i've never thought of this!!!!
haha i've actually made a post on the symbolism around levi losing his fingers😅....and another post.... but to cut to the chase, levi's fixation on violence as pointless, unending (literally unending, bc zeke was healing as he cut him...), cruelty was his downfall + so was his selfishness when he chose armin while fully believing that erwin was the key to saving humanity.
his injuries were his punishment, but they didn't... destroy a priceless part of him like ellie's injury. he could still fight. in fact, if it weren't for levi's special way of holding one sword backwards, he would've had a much harder time.
but without her two fingers, ellie can't play guitar anymore. so her and joel's song won't ever ring out the same; that last connection she still had to him is ruined. also, what led to it, ellie succumbing to thoughtless, cold, cruel violence was her downfall in the world of the last of us, where one's humanity, so to speak, is the greatest refuge. in that fight, in the end, ellie tells abby to "just take him", referring literally to lev, but figuratively to joel. but along with that, ellie took away her own connection to joel herself.
so in the end of that, ellie loses everything, reconciles with her feelings towards joel, and - assumably - moves on. it's bittersweet... and she loses loses joel... but it's peace.
it's different for levi. yes cruelty that went against what His Person would want was his downfall like her, but he didn't lose everything. he almost did: his miraculous survival was out of his hands; if he wasn't an ackerman, he'd be dead. and dying would've been breaking his promise to erwin. levi's injury is a punishment of the highest order, and the establishment of his last chance to "keep his connection" to erwin, if you think of it in terms of how ellie's and levi's situations are related.
they both have their ups and downs :')
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meimi-haneoka · 7 months
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P.S. You are right about Sakura's gentler personality. I mean, after all, she never particularly retaliated against Syaoran's (and Meiling's) initially abrasive behaviours. Honestly, that is probably why Syaoran fell in love with her. His heart definitely responds to Sakura's gentle yet warm and firm nature as opposed to his more "lively" and "aggressive" sisters and cousin or even Tomoyo and Akiho's more "serene" personalities. And without a shred of doubt, had Syaoran have had Kaito's level of power at his disposal and Sakura had been in Akiho's shoes, he would have pulled off a very similar thing. Definitely a moonie thing but I do believe that it is also Syaoran's own personality as well. After all, his alternate existences who share the same soul pulled off similar things for their Sakuras. One exchanged his Sakura's memories of him (and consequently their unconfessed love for each other) for the chance to save her life and restore her memories. The second pretty much tore apart the fabric of time and space, erased his very relationship with his parents and his world, trapping himself in a different dimension with no discernable way back at the age of seven and screwed over destiny and fate and landed up with a mindscrewing debt to save his Sakura. Clearly, Syaoran's priorities are in this order: 1. Keep Sakura alive. 2. Keep Sakura safe. 3. Keep Sakura happy. Now, clearly, in this order, if Sakura's safety is compromised, he would choose her safety over her happiness and her happiness over his own safety, not realizing that he is not just non-negotiable but essential for her happiness. Clearly, Kaito is the same. He chose Akiho's happiness over his own safety without his dumb brain realizing that all Akiho needs to happy is him (and Momo too).
Omg yes to all of this! I absolutely agree that Syaoran is naturally drawn to the gentler personality of his girlfriend, it's like his tense soul, always on edge, can find "peace" next to her. They complete eachother beautifully and despite my mind is in full YunaAki brainrot, I still recognize and have very present in my head everything that makes SyaoSaku a very well balanced relationship, which got only confirmed further the more we went on in Clear Card. They're still one of my OTPs <3 I'm having a lot of fun seeing them acting as the "experienced couple" and helping another one with their issues, it's so funny 😆
And I'm glad you agree on the "Syaoran would've done the same thing". Precisely because Sakura is everything to him, should the situation be that dire, he wouldn't have hesitated to pull off something similar to what Kaito did. Just like you pointed out, his counterparts in other dimensions did some incredible sh*t in order to save their Sakuras.
Kaito's priorities are clearly, clearly, the same as Syaoran's, in the same order. In the same way, Kaito was brought to the same extreme a bit for his personality, and a bit because by the time he was excommunicated by the Association, refusing to give Akiho back, he had already developed a very strong connection to her. I'm quite convinced that a lot of this mess also comes from feelings that didn't have the possibility to be expressed fully in an healthy way, because they weren't recognized, and so bottled up and brought to mistakes. Provided that wanting to save a loved one's life can never be a mistake, and it's something that I think anyone could relate to.
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mywingsareonwheels · 8 months
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It's funny how much interpretations can vary. I saw another post where someone felt Lewis was too soft on Thursday by showing us what happened and therefore making us know that how it played out wasn't quite as bad as what Morse was probably imagining.
Although I disagree with you re: Thursday, I sympathize with the mixed feelings. I think there's a few factors with Endeavour which will influence how you feel about it. There's people who will know Morse through the books, people who know him from Inspector Morse, and then fans like me who were introduced to him as the young man in Endeavour. Fans of each of these versions seem to have wanted different things, and I reckon the problem Lewis ran into was trying to make everybody happy.
Like me for instance, I honestly feel he would've been better off pretending Inspector Morse didn't exist because then he wouldn't have been limited to twisting the story towards it and could take Morse and the other characters in a more organic direction. Endeavour might be a prequel, but it was made in such a different era of television, and I think it's ok for it to do something new. However, fans of Inspector Morse hoping to see how he became his older self would be disappointed if he did that. While watching the series I read old reviews from when each season aired and was surprised by the number of people impatient for the Thursday plotline to end to make way for McNutt. Then you have someone like Shaun Evans who read the books but didn't see the show, and that's perhaps why his interpretation of Morse and his future was darker.
At the same time that openness of how the character can be perceived is part of the joy and does allow you to get more out of what the ending means.
I actually really liked what they did with Thursday and how they connected it to Big Pete because I felt it went along with the recurring theme throughout the series that no matter how much these characters want to do good, as policemen they are still part of a messed up system causing harm, and they're not immune to protecting their own over doing what's right for the public they serve. That includes Morse. The whole tragedy of Big Pete and Blenheim Vale is an indictment of the police and remains so.
My takeaway regarding the Morse/Thursday ending is that it wasn't so much about Thursday being a bad person and Morse regretting the relationship because of it, as it was him being confronted with the reality that he had put him on a pedestal. He needed to let go of his naivety. I don't agree with the above point that Lewis was too soft on Thursday, but I do find it interesting that there is a distinction between Morse's perspective and ours. We saw parts of Thursday he didn't and we saw parts of Morse which Thursday didn't. They never truly knew each other because of being suppressed 20th century British men, and maybe that's the real tragedy of Endeavour.
Nonetheless, Morse still credits him with being the best mentor and loves him enough to protect him and his family. I think that's why he ultimately feels he has to close himself up. Because getting too close to the Thursdays put him in a position where he had to compromise his principles and couldn't get justice for Jakes, Big Pete, and the others. THAT'S what really hurt him imo. I also feel like the connection to Inspector Morse can work in that IM is him opening himself back up and Lewis bringing back a side of him which had been missing. I like the idea of Morse being a character constantly learning and changing.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to turn into a whole essay. lmao
Hee, never apologies for writing a thoughtful essay about "Endeavour". :D
And yeah, as you say you and I don't fully agree about the show (esp. Thursday) but I found your thoughts so interesting and I really enjoyed reading them! Thank you. :)
Also that's a darn good point about Shaun. I've only read a couple of the books and I've seen I think about 1/3 of Inspector Morse (I mean, I watched a bit when I was a kid (I was 9 when it first started) but never got into it fully until I'd seen Endeavour and am meaning to catch up on more v soon), and Thaw's Morse is definitely different from Dexter's original Morse. So... yeah, it makes sense that Shaun had a different trajectory from the one I'm more familiar with. :) (And, well, then you have Roger who likes to play as much drama and emotional intensity as possible, so... ;-) )
Morse constantly learning and changing: yes, definitely. I like that. :D
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sayakxmi · 2 months
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[Magi reread] Night 70: Bird
Yeaah, wasn't exactly feeling very Magi lately. Or anything. Kinda hard to go back to normal uni mode from a winter break, so I was busy trying to make sense of my sleeping schedule, which, frankly, is still shit, but, hey, I'm doing my best here XD
Also, damn, I really like that new blog theme. It's so readable. For me, at least. No regrets.
But anyway, the actual chapter.
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RIP Alibaba's Weapon DE burnt arms, you will be missed by ME, because I thought they were super cool.
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Tbh, I don't think it evolved? I've always read it as Alibaba not mastering it fully, actually. I mean, most DE's cover the body better, and later naturally transform into Full-Body DEs. So, basically, it wasn't until that moment that he actually reached Weapon Djinn Equip.
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Low blow.
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Well, fuck
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Very good catch, Morgiana.
Tbh, I don't think they would've died... Or at least, I don't think Sinbad would've died, cuz I think Alibaba could've cushioned him a little, but it also probably would've really sucked for him, too. Like, from that hit, his spine could've broken, probably...
Actually, damn, the fact that Alibaba's didn't break. Or, damn, shouldn't he have some head trauma? By now he probably should've. Anyway, but also I checked the previous page, and from the way he hit the wall, he sort of avoided hitting his head, but god damn, the fact that his spine is fine after this is a goddamn miracle.
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You know, I really think it's pretty cool. Just, these two working together. Idk, man, I'm always weak for Sinbad and Alibaba.
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It took me an embarrassing moment to realize he was being pulled by Djinn!Cassim's gravity powers...
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This entire part deserved to be here. I love how aware he is that he can't do it yet, and just braces himself for a hit... that never comes.
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10/10. And the fact that SAHBMAD is commanding them.
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When did you get back there.
Also, love how he's so concerned for them, but Sinbad calms him down.
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-claps- You go, guys
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I genuinely love how desperate the situation is, and how everybody's trying, anyway.
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Lowkey made me think about Honkai Impact 3rd's "Everlasting Flames" animated short. There's that quote "We're connected by this sword. It will burn up the darkness to make way for light!". Feels quite fitting.
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Like, it has nothing to do with each other, obviously, but I just thought it was fun.
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JUDAR FUCKING JUMPSCARE
Like, I genuinely forgot he appears here.
Also, damn, Alibaba gets no breaks, does he?
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I love that Sinbad's immediately next to him.
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Alibaba, being the normalest guy around: Al-Thamen: Nope, we can't have that.
Jokes aside, yeah, dude's not wrong. Alibaba might be nothing special compared to behemots like Sinbad or Kouen, but he's got an ungodly amount of willpower when push comes to shove, and is smart enought to maneuver himself in difficult situations. Tho the fact that he seems so unremarkable is also to his benefit, since people tend to underestimate him.
But Al-Thamen doesn't. It makes sense for them - they've been running the world from the shadows for hundreds of years. They know that just because somebody might not look like they can amount to much, doesn't mean they aren't capable of it. And Alibaba's given them the proof of it. He went not only against fate they'd envisioned, but also against the one Sinbad had. He is a threat-in-making.
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Well, yeah, the situation really fucking sucks. I've said it before & I'm saying it again, I like how Alibaba isn't fucking fooling himself into believing he can do this... but at the same time, he doesn't give up. He has to do this, somehow. He just doesn't know how yet. And it's well in line with his characterization, just like his talk with Cassim about avoiding bloodshed. He doesn't know yet, but he will figure something out. There's too much to lose if he doesn't.
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I mean, yeah, somebody had to handle this.
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"That's...?"
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._.
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.__.
Like, bro, what do I say. This fucking sucks.
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HIT ITAAAAAAHHHHHHH
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I NEED A HERO~!
You know I had to.
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thefirstknife · 1 year
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I think one reason people are very polarized on LF is that, not only is it a very fine line to walk between "too self-contained" and "too reliant on external content", but there's a large borderlands around that line on either side that fall into the realm of "personal taste". Some people like things that are more self-contained, and some prefer things that are more externally interlinked. And, honestly, even at the extreme ends of "purely self-contained" or "purely empty filler reliant on external stuff to enjoy" you *still* have people who prefer one or the other and they're not objectively bad. It's a complicated matter of balance and taste. And I think more people need to let go of the idea that their taste is objectively correct for things like this. And I say this as somebody who did find that my taste and the devs' vision didn't quite line up this time. It happens! It doesn't mean we need to get nasty about it like a lot of people are doing... :(
I definitely agree! It's one of the reasons why I find most of the discussions on this topic to be really pointless a lot of the time. It's just people screaming over one another about things that are incredibly subjective while claiming they're not. Everyone thinks they're right, on top of a real issue in balancing that line.
For a lot of people, it's really frustrating that the game expects them to play just Destiny in order to understand everything. And then for a lot of other people who DO play just Destiny (or simply have more time/money), it's frustrating when there's breaks and content droughts and when there's seasons that end up feeling meaningless. And a lot of people who are in between! Bungie can never satisfy all of them. Someone will always feel left out.
Actually one of my issues with the entire Witch Queen year was that the expansion itself was a banger and had a lot of stuff in there and a lot of further hints. But then the seasons did not really focus on any of those questions at all. We didn't get more insight into the Lucent Hive, we didn't get more about Savathun's meddling with the Collapse, we didn't get anything more about her since she died, we didn't get anything substantial about Xivu either and time is running out. We had stuff that was setting up plot points for Lightfall, but they were also not fully expanded on.
I would've LOVED if all seasons in WQ were more narratively important and connected. If every season we got a fresh new hint about Savathun's plans and schemes, about things she's done, about a whole new set of Hive that, for all intents and purposes, we should be trying to understand and get close to. I'm definitely not the only one; I've seen a lot of people lamenting the lack of information and lore about the Lucent Hive and what they're doing.
If Bungie is entirely truthful and we will for real get into the thick of it during the seasons this year, I actually prefer that. It means that I have something to look forward to during the whole year and that we will slowly be given information about burning questions that will keep us entertained as we prepare for The Final Shape. Because a lot of questions from WQ have still not been answered and aren't directly relevant anymore so who knows when they will be up for answering.
I also understand people who just don't like this style at all. And neither of us is inherently right or wrong. So when people go online and insist about "bad writing," it's really silly. And ultimately, Bungie can't really cater to us both. It's a strange place to be in and I think we should keep giving Bungie feedback. In a normal way, of course. The type of outrage that Lightfall caused has not been pleasant at all. We can definitely let Bungie know that they maybe pushed one side too much over the line without being nasty.
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