#still told both of them some stuff and then they criticised all of it and said im

[csuitebitches]

Hello~

I hope you're doing well!

May I ask you a few pieces of advice, please? Reading through your blog, I've discovered that you're Asian with Asian ancestry, and after some thoughts I've come to the conclusion you're the best person to ask. I'm Slavic woman (Eastern European) married to an Asian man (Chinese), exactly how you described, in Asia it's more a marriage between two families, meanwhile me and my husband married for love. In fact, his parents "consented" to our union, only because 1) I'm a good-looking woman 2) he was so stubborn in his feelings and argued whenever someone had something bad to say 3) I'm respectful, accommodating, and listen to my husband 4) good at cleaning, it's important to his father since he's traditional.

But sometimes, drama happens, mostly from his mother-in-law (his father's second wife), always manipulating and saying stuff as, it was better if he married a wealthy Chinese woman, someone who's good at running a business etc.

How can I stand up for myself or just manage these kinds of situations? The only solution seems to be to just take the risk, and do business, so they could finally stop finding faults. Furthermore they don't know, but I come from a wealthy family, but got disinherited by my mother for saying no to an arranged marriage.

Thank you in advance for your time, help and insight, I'm really grateful. Have a wonderful day and take care of yourself!

Hi there love. I’m sorry to read this. Asian families can truly be both a boon and a curse.

the reality is that your in laws will have an issue regardless of what you do. You could start a business, they could still have 10 horrible things to say to you. You could choose to look after your husband and your home, and they’ll still say awful things to you.

here’s what you should do in my opinion. And this advice comes straight from my mother.

my mother came from a middle class family. My father is a self made man, who made a fortune. They had an arranged marriage. My grandmother (my father’s mother) was really awful to my mother. She wouldn’t even let her touch the cutlery in the house. She had a problem with everything my mother did - with the way she raised her kids, what her career was, everything. She would bitch about my mother in front of us kids, she would say nasty things to my extended family. She told my maternal grandmother (my mum’s mum) that she was sure that if she was on her deathbed, my mother would never care for her. Maternal grandmother was SHOCKED and snapped and told her that her daughter was raised with better values.

my grandfather on the other hand, loves loves loves my mother, as though she was his own daughter. Praises her everywhere he goes. But that’s beside the point.

here’s what my mother learned.

She cannot control her mother in law. MIL is stubborn, ruthless, cunning. It all boils down to one thing - insecurity. Insecurity of never being good enough, smart enough, never was able to control my father (he left home because issues with her), and my father gave my mother the attention she deserved.

MIL was very possessive of my father. Asian Mums 90% of the time have a weird incest relationship with their sons. They cannot let their sons be happy with anyone. Your husband seems like a great guy, standing up for his wife. The support may not heal your hurt, but I’m sure it does a lot of good by having him on your side.

regardless of what she did, she knew she would be criticised anyway. So she did what she liked. She was a stay at home mom till I went to school, then she got two masters degrees, got herself involved in a business, has her own clients, has her own name. Even when she became successful, MIL still bitched about her. But you know what else happened? People began coming up to my grandparents and telling them what a wonderful person my mother is. MIL obviously couldn’t bear the criticism but FIL loved it and cherished her even more. She won her FIL’s respect. To this day he sings her praises even to me.

some fights are not worth it. MIL would sometimes antagonise her over small things, just to provoke her. My mother would simply stay calm. Eventually even the extended family realised that my mother had gone through a lot.

she remained emotionally detached with MIL, but she took care of her when she had cancer. She looked after her, proving MIL’s words (“she’ll never take care of me on my deathbed) absolutely wrong. And she did that out of kindness. She did that because SHE was a nice person, not because MIL deserved it.

do what your heart wants to do. The more you live life to gain approval from someone else - someone who may never give it to you - your life will be miserable. The only way to fight these horrible MILs is by standing up straight, being decisive, being able to say no and hold your ground. She has to respect you as her DIL, regardless of what you do. You will not earn her respect by trying to be someone you’re not.

If your FIL is more accepting towards than her - Build a relationship with the FIL. Forget about the MIL, she’s going to be jealous and awful, and I highly doubt such women ever change. Half the time, they behave in this way because that’s how THEIR MIL’s treated them. MIL’s MIL treated her awfully as well - the former was scared shitless of the latter. She repeated the same pattern with my mother, but my mum was too strong to let MIL bring her down.

If you want to be on good terms with your in laws, focus on the father. Be the daughter he never had (even if he has daughters). But do it because you WANT to, not because you HAVE to.

Such women are simply insecure. Insecure to a point where they must hurt other women because it genuinely gives them joy. Do not let her words affect you whatsoever. And do not live your life by her terms. Focus on being a good person to yourself and your husband.

#Q/a #asian marriages

[liplessthomas14]

Maze Runner Books Ranking Worst to Best

I finally made myself read thr 4th TMR book, which I had been putting off for months because it didn't have Thomas in it. So yup, this is how I rate them,

1- The Fever Code- The Gladers' childhood? Finally seeing how Thomas was involved in making the maze? Seeing W.I.C.K.E.D.s full cruelty and torture regarding its 'lab rats'? Like, YES! I loved loved LOVED the gladers' dynamics and how they met each other and how they sneaked out of their rooms/cells at night to talk and had their little-kid-moments despite everything that was happening. And damn that opening scene with Newt and Sonya was CHILLING! And that was immediately followed by a 6yo (as i remember), being TORTURED into forgetting his own NAME! And wow the way he just goes to sleep repeating the wrong name after days of holding onto his real one coz he finally breaks like...wow... and dang that Minho torture scene with the Griever was INSANE- and Thomas's reaction to it!!!!! It just had that perfect mix of light hearted-ness and disturbing-ness that I look for in fiction.

2- The Kill Order- Ikr, I was suprised too. But it was actually so good and interesting- learning how it all started. And the Cranks just- wow. The books don't have a lot of cranks in them, and the ones in the movies are nowhere near as close to being disturbing (which is rly the only thing i can criticise about them). It hardly has any light-hearted moments tho, which is why it's 2nd. But OMG THE ENDING!!! The way Mark KNOWS that he's going crazy and does sadistic things but he and his friends hang on to sanity as much as possible to get DEEDEE (TERESA, ikr) to safety and wow poor Mark definitely did NOT mean that when he told W.I.C.K.E.D. to "use her", like damn, after all that effort Teresa still dies!?!?! Omg James! And usually I'm not a huge fan of romance but that ending was just *chef's kiss*- the way Trina finally remembers him and they kiss and then the Berg crashes and they both fricking die! And that Prologue really gave an insight into how Teresa has been groomed since she was 4 into believing "W.I.C.K.E.D. is good". And the Epilogue, wow, poor Thomas.

3- The Maze Runner- I honestly prefer the movies for the TMR trilogy, but there were definetely some cool parts in the book. Loved the whole "Griever takes one each day" scenario- that just builds up so much suspense and the way Gally goes insane from waiting and throws himself at a monster! And the way Thomas waits till it takes one and then jumps on too to get stung really shows how much of a survivalist he is. And I gotta say I prefer the Grievers in the books cause in the movies they're just typical monsters. But some parts were too dystopian-ish. The door in the sky and a few other stuff were too messy, ig.

4-The Death Cure- Defs preferred the movie for this one. Also had the same problem of being too dystopian. Didn't like how he moved on from Teresa so easily, like, she didnt really do anything wrong, she just wanted to save him and sacrificed herself for him! I liked Newt's "Please Tommy, please" line and how Thomas was the one who killed him. That was much more impactful. But overall, I prefered Newt's death in the movie. But yeah the movoes were amazing so

5- The Scorch Trials- The books just SUCKED for this one. So boring and long and I hardly understood anything cause of all the advanced technological shit. Ig that is the point- to get the needed data, Gladers have to be confused, and the book's in a Glader's pov so we dont know what happens either. But it would've been better if they at least found out later. Like, how did the brick walls appear on the windows? Where did the bodies come from? Where did they go? Who killed them? How did the tattoos appear? How did Ratman get there? Why was Teresa in the Scorch (i get that wicked wanted to confuse them, but that was just weird, but maybe that was the point)? Teresa's whole betrayal plan was weird. Why did the walls randomly start saying that Thomas was the leader? Why did they have to fight weird glow blob monsters? Yeah that was a horrible read. The movie wasn't exceptional compared to the other 2, but still a 1000× better, really fun.

#the maze runner #thomas the maze runner #thomas maze runner #tmr thomas #tmr spoilers #the maze runner spoilers #the scorch trials #the scorch trials spoilers #the death cure #the death cure spoilers #the maze runner books #the kill order #the kill order spoilers #the fever code #the fever code spoilers

[mushroomminded]

NO BUT FR FR IN REGARDS TO THAT "PUSHED HER TOO HARD BUT ITS BECAUSE HE CANT BEAT TO SEE HER GIVE UP POINT"; yes, though he was saying what he said in Light Motion specifically to rile her up so she'd fight it, he meant it when he said 'surely Peachy, the girl who carries knives in her coat etc etc, isn't going to GIVE UP?' because he KNOWS how strong she is, not just in skill or physical strength- hell not even predominantly because of that- but in terms of her fortitude, her stubbornness, how much she's already fought to get where she is. And as covered in DMs, if he were to meet Mars/was present for main comic canon, how hard he treats him, the shit he gives him, saying things like "if there's something i can't abide, its a coward" it's not to be a jerk for being a jerk's sake- again he KNOWS how hard Mars has fought to get where he is, he knows Mars is hurting and deeply wracked with guilt, but he also knows just running away from his demons won't solve a damn thing. He knows running away and submitting to fear keeps you trapped in a cycle.

None of this is meant to mean he can't be criticised for his mistakes, like (unknowingly but lets be real, his idea of a first training session was still insane) bringing up significant trauma from Peachy' past, or that he'd be so hard on Mars to the point of being a little abrasive, but it all comes from a place of understanding because he's been where both of them are emotionally- and in some cases (eg the business with Commander Tartar hijacking his body) literally. He comes from two long lines of pro Turfers, one side of his family is known for chronic poor health, he lost his father when he was eight years old (because his father just couldn't let go of the dream and kept pushing himself harder and harder), he was bullied relentlessly for being 'weak' and told he'd die young just like his dad did, the pressure to live up to that family heritage eating away at him, throwing himself into the life of a soldier as a teenager for glory and having a rude awakening as to what REAL combat is like and having to adapt to it, having to fight against foes who were desperate and brainwashed and if not justified in their actions then in their motivations or the events that forced their hand, being involved in World Ending Threat after World Ending Threat, reconciling with the unease that comes with realising you've not just adapted to being a soldier but that you're GOOD at it, being promoted to a leadership position and burdens that comes with that, feeling your own body start to fail you just like your dad and compromising both your job security AND what you do in your free time, briefly thinking that you're having to see and hold the dead body of your secondary father figure- Avex has been through so, so much in his comparatively short life, and there are days it weighs so, so heavy on his head.

But he's still here. There's still air in his lungs, still blood in his veins. Everything that tried to drag him down into the very depths of despair and hopelessness, everything that has tried to kill or hurt him, has failed. The marks on his body and on his mind, many of which have begun to heal, are not things he is ashamed of, not things he thinks make him ugly, but are instead evidence of how truly alive and free he is. And throughout all of the stuff documented above, he still found joy, he still found fun, he still found love- he was never alone, even if he sometimes felt it, and the bad things were never permanent.

Its hard. But it can get better. There is ALWAYS the opportunity for things to get better. Sometimes, you have to fight for it- figuratively and literally. And that's scary. But you can win. You can overcome. You can smile again. Because he has. And he will not, can not, sit idly by and watch people submit themselves to hopelessness.

funnily enough that gives him n mars something in common, not putting up with quitting. Avex's perspective has a more optimistic end, that things will be better, while mars just goes on because what other choice is there?

peachy's not a quitter, shes stubborn and a fighter and she tried so hard to carve out her future and it burned her so so badly. im sure its hard for her to articulate to either of them how dead tired she is and how low and desperate she had to become to reach a point where she doesn't want to pull herself up again

#8 colas

[eyecicles]

just wanted to say i agree so much with your post on why near is a good character! i read death note pretty recently and i was super surprised to find out that so many people dislike him when i thought he was so likeable... but maybe in retrospect i shouldnt have been.

L and near were my favorites by far but i do think that near is a much more complex character, which isnt a knock on L at all! in order for L to work as a character from our pov, he has to be mysterious and somewhat vaguely defined--if we knew what his deal was hed become predictable, which is kind of the last thing you want from that sort of antagonist. im not sure if id go so far as to say that light was the underdog in terms of power, but id say that narratively, both in-universe and out of it, he definitely is. you expect the worlds greatest detective to get all the clues and the clearly bad guy (as opposed to all the only sort-of bad guys) to be defeated, which is why even though i was spoiled for L's death, when it actually happened it still felt shocking and emotional. its a good writing choice! but if we got to see too much of an inner world for L, it would kinda fall apart.

but in order for near (and lights defeat) to work we DO need that complexity BECAUSE it makes the audience and his fellow characters doubt him. it works with his role in the story instead of against it! (plus i think he also needed to be more philosophically inclined than L was bc on a meta level lights defeat hinged more on being told why his worldview sucks than any plot stuff so he could *only* be defeated by someone who wanted to coherently tell him off with something more than just "killing bad" and deliver some kind of general thesis statement instead of just own him with facts and logic)

sorry im probably just restating things you said but. near is such a good character and i cant believe so many people dont see it!! near and L both need to be gatekept from allistics /j (/srs)

Hey, I really appreciate this ask! It's always nice to know that people agree with me on this, haha. So thank you for taking the time to write and send this.

To me, there's a huge difference between killing characters off for cheap shock value and killing them off to make a point, to advance the plot in a certain direction, and/or because it makes sense narrative-wise. I actually don't think I would have loved L as much as I do now if he'd survived until the end.

There certainly are things you could criticise DN for, but yes, I believe that how they handled L's death, as well as his and Near's characterisation, are among the things they did right.  

I’m not even sure how much of that was intentional, but I don’t think it matters much (if at all).

#asks #nice messages #rosenaya #near #l lawliet

[vro0m]

vro0m’s rewatch - 79/298

2011 European GP

Round 8! Valencia! Beautiful sunny weather unlike last race.

Quali report. Lol. Somehow they just start by telling us that Seb is still on pole. It's that much not of a surprise. Trulli spun. Alguersuari is 18th. Maldonado red flagged the session by parking in the middle of the track. Nico is 7th and did only one run to save a fresh set of tyres for the race but Schumacher who is 8th thinks there won't be much overtaking for them anyway. Jenson is 6th, his rear kept slipping away. Alonso is 4th. Lewis is third, Webber is second. Lewis says that if he finishes in his starting position he'll be more than happy after what happened in Canada. They've been pretty good in the last races as Jenson proved so let's see how it goes, he says.

Oh ho. There's controversy because Niki Lauda said some things about Lewis. They ask him about it. He says he thinks Hamilton is one of the top three guys in formula one and an amazing racing driver. But he criticised him for attacking his team-mate so hard in Canada which might have cost them both their race. He's the best guy today but he needs to ease off a bit to collect points. He's not wrong tbh. I've said multiple times and the journalists have said multiple times up to that point that he needs to learn when to lift and when to push. He's doing better than he was a couple of seasons ago but he keeps making rash mistakes. Niki calls him aggressive and says some guys, the slower guys, will be afraid when he turns up behind them, and they'll move over but those who want to make a point like Jenson won't move over because if they do so he'll be gone and they won't ever win races again. It's funny. It's again echoing a lot of stuff that happened with Max in 2021 I think. I wonder what Niki would have said about it.

Formation lap

Oh Petrov is having issues.

And they're racing!

Wow Lewis is getting overtaken by Massa immediately. BOTH Ferraris are ahead of him now. Massa couldn't make it stick though and Alonso also overtakes him. A few laps in, Jenson overtakes Nico so the standings are both Redbulls, both Ferraris, both McLarens and both Mercedes. Tidy.

Anyway nothing much is happening at the moment. The pitstops are starting after a dozen laps. But not at the front. We now have both Redbulls, both Ferraris, both McLarens, both Mercedes, both Force Indias and both Toro Rossos. Even tidier. Lewis pits. He loses two spots which isn't much, pretty good. Lewis has a very good pace now. This might be good? He's fastest at the moment but Alonso pitted and is still in front unfortunately. Massa is behind though, they waited too long to pit him.

20 laps in Alonso overtook Webber for p2. I'm barely watching this race it's so boring tbh. It's surprising because the season is actually pretty great so far but there's so little happening here. Lewis is starting to struggle on his tyres already. He pits again and is now behind Jenson. He does a fastest lap again and his engineer tells him so and to please look after the tyres aka don't push too hard please. Now they tell him the rear tyres’ temperature is very hot and Lewis says "I can't go any slower!" so yeah lack of downforce overheating the rear which would also explain the not so great pace this race.

Massa pits, Lewis is back in fourth but some 20 seconds behind . They fucked up his stop. Jenson doesn't have KERS anymore? Oh ho. His mechanics are all getting the KERS glove for electric protection. We're wondering if he'll have to retire...

I'm so bored.

Oh now Ted says Jenson’s car is okay they're just wearing gloves because he has to make another pitstop. But they're pissed because Lewis is 26 seconds off the pace. He's told they need to pick up the pace because Massa is closing behind and Lewis says he can't. The car is too slow and the tyres are fucked. He has to hold on for 15 more laps. What a shit race.

Webber pits for the last time. He's third. Lewis also comes in then. He's sixth. Alonso pits, he's second but in a lot of traffic. Webber is right behind him. Loads of racing in the middle of traffic for the midfield. Lewis is fast now but there's no catching the top 3 anyway. Seb pits, 10 laps to go. Massa and Jenson pit for the last time too.

So the order is Seb, Alonso, Webber, Lewis, Massa, Jenson. Now it seems Webber has a gearbox problem. It's the last lap anyway.

And it's the end of the race!

No change to the order. Lewis is 4th.

Lee Mackenzie asks how he would sum up the day. He says "good result compared to the last race" and chuckles.

She says it looked a bit frustrating out there being told to slow down then to pick up the pace.

He says it wasn't frustrating, he had a poor start and they lost out to the Ferraris but honestly they weren't as quick as them anyway so even if he'd been ahead he would have struggled to stay there and his team wanted to keep him out longer and he was trying to look after the tyres so that's all he could do. He says in terms of performance it looks like they took a step back that weekend while the others took a step forward again. But to finish fourth that's still some good points compared to his two last races so he can't complain.

Lee asks what the car is missing and he thinks downforce. He thinks they will struggle even more in Silverstone. They're talking about engine mapping which basically is calibrating the engine to the circonstances (like for quali or the race) but they can't change it between quali and the race if I understand correctly so that's what they're gonna struggle with.

#lewis hamilton #f1 #2011 #2011 european gp #vro0m's race reviews

[one-abuse-survivor]

hey so my friends say some things my mom does are abusive but i dont think so? i wanted to get your opinion since you seem to know a lot about that sort of stuff

my mom loves me very much and is very proud of me, she wants the best for me, tho i dont think she knows what is actually best for me. for example, she criticises some clothes i wear that i really like and makes me want to wear them less around her, or sometimes insists that i should change clothes to smth “nicer” or “more appropriate” until we are arguing and most of the time i give in, but she says its because she wants me to look better. she does also keep telling me i should grow out my hair again, even after i told her im trans (point that will be brought up later), she was really bothered when i first cut it short and even told me she had a nightmare i was lesbian, in her words

she does try to get me to spend a lot of time with her even when i dont want to, but thats because i live in another country so i dont see her much. some time recently we were playing a board game (that i didnt want to play and they knew this) and i gave a time when i was going to sleep, the time passed but my family didnt want to let me go up bc the game was almost done according to them, so i was stuck there complaining bc i knew i would get lectured if i left (i got lectured for being selfish and complaining, regardless)

back to the trans thing, shes very transphobic but that has nothing to do with abuse, since i came out she has told me about how stressed she has been and how im not trans because she knows me and all that and basically asked me to fly back for two weeks so she could see me and hug me (oh yeah, i dont like hugging people much either but she sometimes makes me hug her and wont let go until i hug her “well” and gets hurt that i dont want to hug her) as well as see a psychiatrist for depression or smth, which is where im at now

she also keeps asking me to turn on find my friends again because she gets anxious with me having it off (despite the fact that i dont live in the same country) but i hate having it on so i keep fighting her about this

but my mom does really love me and idk i feel like im exaggerating stuff bc my brothers dont seem to have an issue with her

Hi! I do know quite a bit, but remember I'm not a professional, just an abuse survivor, and all I can give you is my personal opinion :)

I want to start off by saying that parents can be proud of us and want the best for us and still be toxic or abusive, or just really hurtful. Both things aren't incompatible. Sometimes, they're so preoccupied with their own needs (like knowing where we are or having the kid they always expected to have) that they don't see their words and actions toward us as unfair or abusive, because they don't even think to put themselves in our skin. Sometimes they think they're helping us by doing the things that hurt us the most. And there's a million other reasons parents (and people in general) might reach the cognitive dissonance of hurting us while loving us. But that doesn't erase the hurt. It doesn't make their words or actions okay.

Just from what you shared in this ask, I can't tell you if she's abusive, but I can tell you the way she treats you is not okay, and sounds really hurtful, selfish and toxic, even if she doesn't mean for it to be. And you're absolutely not exaggerating. You're simply listening to your body when it tells you that she's hurting and upsetting you. There's nothing wrong with that. You deserve to process the emotions she's putting you through. You don't deserve to brush them all away and minimise your own pain just because she doesn't have bad intentions when she hurts you.

She's prioritising her needs over yours and lecturing and arguing with you when you try to set boundaries. It's not okay for her to punish you in that way any time you have a boundary that inconveniences her. You have a right to choose what you wear and what your hair looks like. You have a right to say no without fear and to be taken seriously when you say it. It might seem like not wanting hugs or wanting to go to bed at a certain time are "minor" things, unimportant boundaries, but they're not. They're a part of your bodily autonomy as a human being, and they matter. Every person deserves to have control over their body.

And, regarding "find my friends", every person has a right to privacy as well. She might have the need to know where you are, but that doesn't negate your need to privacy about where you are. That doesn't take away your right to keep it turned off if that's what you want. You don't owe it her to self-sabotage your own needs and boundaries just to please her. Parents' needs do not come before boundaries.

And, hey, I know this is hard to believe sometimes, but transphobia and abuse are not incompatible. Abuse can be transphobic abuse. And the whole thing with her telling you how stressed she feels about the fact you're trans—and trying to convince you you're not because she knows you better than you know yourself—are red flags of abuse. Saying things like "look, look how much I'm suffering because of this thing you're going through!" is guilt-tripping, and trying to convince another person that you know them better than they know themselves and they should trust you over their own perception is gaslighting. Yes, these things are transphobia, but they can definitely also be abuse.

Gosh, the fact that she told you she had a nightmare you were a lesbian... It resonated a lot with me, because my mother said something really similar when I came out as nonbinary to her (she said her worst nightmare was to see me with a beard). It's such a horrible thing to hear from a parent when all you're doing is trying to be your authentic self. It's not okay. I'm really sorry you had to go through that.

I hope some of this helps to hear. Even if I can't tell you just from your ask whether what you're going through is abuse, I can tell you it's not okay, it's not healthy, it's not something you should have to put up with, and the red flags are definitely there. She can want what's best for you and still walk all over you. She can be proud of you and still overstep all your boundaries and affect your mental health. You can acknowledge that she loves you and still believe that you deserve better than this, because you do. You don't have to feel guilty for wanting better for yourself.

If therapy is an option (because you want to, not because she said so), I think it could really help you navigate all these feelings. Also, please keep being you inside and out! If she likes long hair that much, she can keep her own hair as long as she likes.

Sending a big virtual hug ❤

#ask #abuse #abuse tw #toxic mother tw #abusive mother tw #transphobia tw #homophobia tw #guilt tripping tw #gaslighting tw

[mwagneto]

parents: tell us what happened

kid: okay :)

parents: wow. that's stupid and you're an idiot for doing that

parents: why wont you tell us what happened

#ok to rb btw #my .... i #my father has been yelling at me like daily for weeks abt something and i #still told both of them some stuff and then they criticised all of it and said im #stupid in the SAME convo as them demanding i tell them everything i do??? #they were literally like my god I can't believe you're this stupid. so what else did you do #they were like ugh but if you dont tell us anything we can't help!!! #BRUH HELP?????? WHERE ??????????????? #yeah telling me noone will ever love me is a real help thanks guys #im so glad we had this conversation<3 #even when they started the convo i was like i literally have nothing to say #i eventually said ''i dont have the energy for this'' and walked out #i really dont bruh they insist on doing this every time we're in the same room #im sick of it ive decided to just never tell them anything from now on #ive literally always been completely honest with them and i never ever #step out of line or lie about where im going or get home later than when i said or #go anywhere without them knowing and they STILL do this i really dont know #what their fucking deal is like god damn you literally just want to hear #details so you can use them to insult me eye #anyway ig this is where a whole life of never keeping secrets ends<3 fuck you then #barking

[casasupernovas]

Part 2 of me debunking some stuff surrounding Martha Jones!

Part 1 here

I'm going to skip The Shakespeare Code because Thoughtful Fangirling made a brilliant summary of how the Doctor acts towards Martha in this episode. Link here:

But I do wanna discuss the bedroom scene. I've seen this used as an example of Martha again being 'insensitive' and just 'jealous' and it's such a blatant misreading. Martha does get annoyed at the end of this scene but not because of Rose, but because the Doctor called her a novice and pretty much told her how soon he was gonna dump her back home. Take a wild guess to as why training medical student Martha Jones wouldn't like being called a novice and that she isn't worthy of spending much more time with him. The situation was awkward and Martha tries to lighten the mood prior to this, literally pointing out the "there's only one bed" scenario, but the Doctor is just not having it, he's too busy brooding. Not to mention essentially calling her dumb for thinking magic is real, despite Martha pointing out that she's only just realised that time-travelling is real and to "give her a break" which he doesn't. A bit later in the scene is a better example though, of the Doctor being blissfully unaware of how he is coming across to Martha, when he rolls over and stares deep into her eyes and says he's missing something. Oh Doctor.

And I know he's missing Rose, but him claiming she would know what was going on is a stretch. Poor guy has officially been away for her too long. It's more likely Rose would have wandered off by now, maybe befriended someone and got into trouble, and him finding her in trouble would be how the audience finds out what the plot of the episode was, that's how it usually went. And Martha's probably gonna wanna stick around the Doctor rather than wander, especially since he brushed off her concerns over her race so easily. Oh and I'm not ignoring that scene later in the episode where the Doctor sneakily tries to get some more 'mouth to mouth' action with Martha again, after the witches do their spells on him.

"Hold on mister, two hearts?"

"I'm making a habit of this."

Now onto Gridlock.

The first instance here is when Martha realises the Doctor is using her as a rebound. Of course this apparently is another reason to criticise Martha because...she should be happy he's just using her as a stand in? L O L. Martha has a right to be upset, as two adventures in, Martha apparently still has to prove herself as a worthy companion in her own merit despite proving her worth twice now. Not to mention how the Doctor's proclamaition of how she is not a replacement for Rose but trudges her around the same place he took Rose. And to add insult to injury, it's not even the nice bit, it's the slums with bloody DRUGS. Rose gets the shiny bit at the top but Martha gets the ghetto.

I think people genuinely seem to think Martha's comments are digs at Rose but they never are if you really look at them. She's not mad at Rose, she's angry at being made to feel lesser. Martha is not in New New York because the Doctor thinks she should see it. She's in New New York because the Doctor would rather lie to her, show off and pretend she were someone else. This backfires spectacularly of course, because all this ends up doing is getting Martha kidnapped.

It's probably the most introspective we ever get the Doctor in regards to how he has been treating Martha, as he tells the Brannigan that he barely knows Martha, which is not just a testament to just how much he has been actively avoiding her questions about his life, but how he hasn't ONCE asked about hers. And this parallels with Martha and Rose's realisations that they both barely know/knew the Doctor despite running off with him.

And it's a shame, because if the Doctor had actually confronted the fact that Martha was brilliant all by herself we could have got a really interesting story for New New York. Picture it: the Doctor takes Martha the medical student to a futuristic hospital (maybe that was his actual intention). Imagine 'New Earth' only Martha gets to enjoy it from the perspective of being a trainee doctor. Only to find the Cat Nurses dealings with overdoses from the 'moods' market and stories of people going missing on the motorway...one can only dream.

We also get another instance of the Doctor being blissfully unaware of how he comes across when he saves the day and talks to Martha on the intercom. "It's been a while since I've seen you Martha Jones..." LOL. Then we get the poignant ending, where the Doctor finally gives Martha some grace and tells her the truth because he owes her that. She's vouched for him, believed in him all episode, and tried to extend an olive branch to him, comfort him after he loses The Face of Boe. Only for her to shut her down. As Russell T Davies and David Tennant had said on the commentary, the Doctor certainly has a way of bring cruel to Martha without realising it. And after the day Martha's had, she is not having it. And it's a combination of her refusal to yield and the singing of the natives of New New York, 'Abide With Me' that makes him open up. It's definitely one of the best Doctor Who scenes and you can literally pin point the moment in the scene where Martha's affection for the Doctor becomes deeper than a crush. I wish we got more moments like it, and I wished they had ended it like this:

"What was it called?"

"Gallifrey."

Part 3 coming sometime, taking a lil break though.

#doctor who #david tennant #10th doctor #tenth doctor #russell t davies #martha jones #10 #rtd era #10 x martha #martha x 10 #martha x ten #ten x martha #the shakespeare code #new earth #new new york #gridlock #gallifrey

[amysteriousmessenger]

‘How the warmth will melt the ice’ - GE Suit Saeran/Reader fic

Title: How the warmth will melt the ice Pairing: Post-canon GE Suit Saeran/Reader (mainly GN with two uses of she/her) Rating: SFW but references to his in-game actions Word Length: 3.4K Summary: post-GE Suit Saeran hasn't seen you in a while, he's been working on stuff in the headspace. One night, he's the only one awake and he's been doing some thinking while you sleep next to him in the bed. Soft, a bit of hurt/comfort. I'm not an expert on DID so please let me know if I've written or phrased something incorrectly!! <3

- 

Saeran had been in the headspace for quite a while. It’s not that he wasn’t allowed out, he just wasn’t sure he trusted himself enough to ever come out, and most definitely not in the company of other people.  He had seen how happy the ‘New’ Saeran had made you, how he treated you with such care and tenderness and considered your feelings above all else. Saeran didn’t trust himself not to ruin it for all of them, especially given his previous actions. They all held that behaviour against him and he was well aware of that, he held it against himself too. He was too angry at the world, and he hadn’t entirely processed that despite all of the time that he had been away. There had been many times where he had criticised Ray for being weak, yet Ray had already been out several times and Saeran never felt brave enough for it. It had also taken him a while to address that, yes, he was perhaps the weakest one out of them all. He never felt like he was ready to properly face his actions even after he had apologised. After all, he was reminded of it every time he saw you through their eyes. He was there every time they brought you food, every time they held your hand, or pulled you into their arms. He was there for all of it. So, sometimes saying ‘sorry’ just wasn’t enough.

He had tried to take over as the host on a few separate occasions while you were at work or out shopping, with the intention of just existing around the house for a little while, but it never worked out so well. He’d sit there for a few minutes, staring at his hands and at what they had done to you before beginning to resent himself even more. Saeran had seen how his hands could hold you with such sweetness and affection, and yet, when he was the one that controlled them they only seemed to inflict destruction upon people. He’d remember that and immediately let the ‘New’ Saeran take over the body, retreating back into his own self-enforced solitary confinement. You were never to know that he had appeared, he made sure that the others were aware of that. Even when you’d asked about him, if he was still in there, he had asked them to speak of him scarcely. He’d see you again in his own time, if he wanted to. He’d always try to ignore the sadness in your eyes when the others told you that, but he thought it was for the best; he’d only ruin the stupid happiness that you had stumbled your way into with the better parts of him.

The night he saw you again, Saeran was the only one awake when he felt you shudder. He blinked, staring at the ceiling for the first time in God knows how long. He hadn’t experienced the world in quite a while, so it took him a few seconds to gather his thoughts. His first reaction was to complain that he had been woken up at such a time, but he had been trying to work on not jumping to immediate anger when it wasn’t justified. He tried to process his surroundings one at time. He was in bed, next to you. It was dark, probably still night-time, and he could hear the cat downstairs running throughout the corridors. The room smelled faintly of lavender, and he knew that one of the others picked it regularly to help the both of you sleep. He felt you shift. He hadn’t seen you in so long, but even as you laid on the other side of the bed to him, he dared not tilt his head out of fear of waking you. The room was quiet aside from the sound of your breathing, but Saeran stared ahead, rigid. Why had he been the one to wake up? It was not as though there was anything happening that required him in particular, one of the others could have easily woken up instead of him. Someone who was needed.

Saeran moved his eyes to your sleeping form, his breath catching in his throat as you slowly rolled onto your back. He didn’t want to wake you up, but he could have laughed. You were never a graceful sleeper. You had your arms above your head with one leg sticking out from underneath the blanket. Perhaps that meant that you weren’t scared of a monster grabbing your ankle from underneath the bed during the night, maybe you had too much faith in the monster in the first place. He watched you for a few moments, his eyes following each subtle rise and fall of your sleeping chest and wondering how anyone could trust him enough to sleep next to him, to let their guard down so stupidly like that.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time he’d seen you sleeping, but it felt as though it was a lifetime ago that he was watching you through CCTV; something that he could never believe he was actually doing. Something lurched in his stomach at the intrusive memory and he began to spiral like he had done each time he was in control of the body, or thought he was in control of it, anyway. It hurt him, but he didn’t take his eyes off of you. While it wasn’t him providing it, you were happier now. Healthier. There was no one to take away your food or trap you behind closed doors. No one to scream that your eyes were ugly. It had taken him too long to realise that the only reason he thought your eyes was ugly was because he could see himself reflected back in them. He could see himself screaming the way his mother had screamed at him, screaming the same things.

Saeran didn’t know how the others had managed to process everything so quickly, although he guessed that the fact that he was adamant about doing it in silence, refusing the therapists help, had something to do with it. Part of the reason he had rejected the therapists attempt to speak to him was because that would be admitting that he needed the help, and Saeran had worked so hard to convince himself that he did not need to rely on anyone for so long that he was not ready to let that barrier come down, especially not to someone he did not know. Besides, he had a slight distaste for the fact she had referred to him as ‘the persecutor’, as though he didn’t have a name. He knew that the other alters in the headspace had anger, had a rage for how they had been treated, but it was no longer their priority. They had each chosen to let go of that grudge in order to enjoy the life that lay ahead of them, and beside them. But Saeran was built with so much anger that it felt as though he consisted only of guarded walls lined with barbed wire, so much so that even if someone stupidly attempted to climb those walls, they would not get away unscathed. He had protected himself with that rage and had needed it to retaliate to anyone who had dared hurt them again. He had to be the strongest because he had too frequently been the weakest.

He was breathing a little heavier, probably from all of the thoughts rushing around his already too busy head. But through learned experience, Saeran was very good at staying quiet and tried to keep his breathing steady so he didn’t wake you up and have to explain himself. It wasn’t as though he could just pretend to be one of the others, he wouldn’t do himself a disservice like that. Once he saw that you were still comfortably asleep, he started to relax a little bit, tilting his head in your direction.

He knew the body was used to being in the bed beside you, but it was still his first time experiencing it as himself. It was a weird concept to him. How did the other Saeran do it? Did he sleep right up beside you, holding you? Or maybe he slept on his back too, since Saeran had woken up on his back. What about Ray, did he still cower on the side of the bed, his back pressed up against the wall? Ready to leap out at any sudden noise? Questions he would never ask them, but often wondered the answers to. In the darkness, Saeran felt as though he could be a little more honest with himself; as though it acted as a blanket for his emotions. He had hidden himself in the darkness for so long that there was a certain comfort to it. He couldn’t see what was lurking around the corner, but he also couldn’t be seen by whatever was waiting for him. It was a more equal playing field.

You shifted again, calling his gaze to your hand. You clenched and unclenched and then clenched again, as though something in your dream was requiring your attention. He wanted to reach out and hold your hand in the same way that the others did, but he couldn’t. Primarily, because he didn’t want to wake you, but also because Saeran didn’t think that he deserved to do so. You’d held out your hand to him so many times and each time he’d smacked it away, or worse, used that extended hand against you. His eyes remained focused on it, placed next to your sleeping head, so soft and small in comparison to his own. He sighed at the guilt seeping into his body as he remembered when you had tried to push him away with those hands, pressing them against his chest. At the time, in some sickened sense, it had amused him that you were so easy to physically overpower, and it gave him such a sense of joy that, for the first time, he was the stronger one in a dynamic. Now, he knew it was because your hands were not made to carry such a destructive force. You hadn’t hurt him because you hadn’t wanted to hurt him, you’d pitied him because you could already see the agony that he was writhing in, whereas he was almost blind to it.

Saeran didn’t deserve to, and yet, he wanted to hold your hand. To feel the warmth that was always so denied to him. He was jealous of the others who could do it so freely, who did not have to sit in anguish over it. The guiltless ones, he carried their guilt for them. He guessed that it was the price he had to pay to be allowed to take up the space he called his own, and for the other ones to be able to live so happily. His own hand twitched under the blanket as he slowly freed it from beneath the sheets. He didn’t place it on yours, but gently positioned it on the pillow next to it, just a few inches away. After a moment of consideration, and calculating the risk, Saeran held his breath and slowly moved the side of his finger up against your hand. His own skin was always cold, but yours was so much warmer than he could have imagined. It held so much love, love that he was so undeserving of. He kept his hand frozen against yours, not daring to move it any closer but not wanting to pull it away.

There were so many thoughts and confusing feelings rushing through Saeran’s head, but he was so grounded by your warm touch that he just wanted to fall asleep in it where he knew you could keep him safe and secure. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if he could have allowed himself a little bit of vulnerability while no one was awake to witness it. They couldn’t prove that he had let his guard down. Saeran’s cool eyes focused on the sight of your hands against one another before he started to close his eyes and drift off; comforted by the lavender and the skin to skin contact. He wanted to sleep knowing that you were right beside him, just within his reach.

That was, at least, until he heard soft whimpers coming from your side of the bed. It sounded as though you were crying. He began to panic, pulling his own hand away in case he had somehow hurt you. Although he couldn’t do it audibly, Saeran began to curse himself for being the one who had woken up, it should have been one of the others, someone who wouldn’t ruin everything. You were going to leave him, he was going to be abandoned once again and it was all his fault and-

‘S…Sae-ran…’ You whispered, snapping him out of his myriad of self-destruction. He’d woken you up and you were going to scream when you saw him, reliving the horror that he had put you through. The horror that the others had worked so hard to fix in his place. He froze, the predator becoming the prey and burning up his fight or flight response. It was difficult for him to see in the dark but he was able to hear you moving around in the sheets, before muttering his name once more. Well, it was his name, but he knew you weren’t calling for him. He squinted, trying to make out what was happening, and it quickly occurred to him that you were having a nightmare. What did you have to fear when you were asleep? What creatures haunted your dreams and chased you through the forest? He wondered, briefly, in that sad moment, if he was the one in your nightmare, taunting you and robbing you of your freedom. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t wake you up, then you’d know it was him and not your beloved Saeran. It was him in his place, the wrong one. He couldn’t wake you up, freeing you from one monster and then forcing you straight into the company of another.

‘Pull her closer.’ The thought came to him in a whisper, but he wasn’t quite sure if it was his own or one of the others. His hands seemed to move on their own as he scooped you up, pulling you against his chest. Was he trembling? He hadn’t realised he was holding his breath until he sighed. He had had a lot of practice of not making a sound while breathing. This time, when he breathed, all he could smell was you. Your perfume, your shampoo, even the lipbalm you wore for bed. It was like another drug. He’d had you this close to him before, but never like this, never with the tenderness that he managed on that occasion. It was new for him too, allowing someone to get so close. He thought about how many times he had told you that you smelled disgusting, how you made him feel sick to even be around, but it couldn’t have been further from the truth. You smelled like a comfort he had never had.

You sleepily hugged him back, entirely unaware of anything except for the soft embrace of arms around your back: protecting you from whatever ailment plagued you in your sleep. After a minute or so of being pressed against his chest, you stopped shaking. His gaze fell to you, taking in the tired features of your face and carefully watching them melt into a happy peace. The two of you laid there in one another’s embrace in the middle of the bed for a while. Saeran felt such utter confliction at the idea of being the one to hold you. He felt guilty, deciding that you only wanted his touch thinking it was the better Saeran, and that he had somehow deceived you by being the one to hold you in his place. And yet, there was an odd sense of pride pooling in his chest that, this time, he was able to help you instead of hurt you. That was a first for him. It was small, and he was uncertain of it, but he had the hope that perhaps he would able to provide the blanket you needed like the others could. He could be the arms to protect you, instead of the ones you needed protecting from.

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed awake to watch you sleep for, but he wanted to savour the private moment while he still could before you knew it was him. ‘Would it be so bad if she did know?’ That same voice said but he did not have the time it ponder it before he felt the effects of the lavender weighing heavy on the air. He thought that, given how much they enjoyed being outside, that one of the others would have opened the window to let some air in before going to bed. Ironic, really. Maybe it was intentional. After all, you weren’t the only one to get nightmares and needed coaxing to go back to sleep. If there was one thing they had all learned from Rika, it was the effectiveness of plants.

His eyes were getting heavy, and Saeran was no longer someone to pass up on the opportunity of sleep when it was offered to him. He had years of it to make up for. While he could, he placed his chin on top of your head, pulling you a little closer as he did so. His heart was thudding so heavily against his ribcage, to the point he thought maybe that would be what’d wake you up, and that would really be a kick in the teeth for him. However, you squeezed yourself closer to him, causing him to release a shaky sigh. You wanted him closer. It was the feeling of your embrace that Saeran felt before falling back asleep, and he noted the fact that this was the first time he was being held. It was… nice. Safe.

That next morning, you awoke to the smell of breakfast, and heard a couple of cluttering pans in the kitchen. While it was pretty usual for Saeran or Ray to bring you breakfast in bed, he was usually pretty quiet about it, so you thought that maybe he was trying a new recipe and that it had gone wrong. You shuffled out of bed, brushing your teeth and washing your face before heading into the kitchen. Saeran stood with his back to you, fully dressed in his usual white shirt and black trousers, facing the oven. His hair was a little messy, but no one rolled out of bed with perfect hair. It was cute.

‘Good morning, my love.’ You said, wrapping your arms around his waist and pressing a little kiss into his back before putting the kettle on.

‘Mornin’.’ Saeran replied, casually. You paused for a second, wondering why he didn’t greet you with one of his typical flowery greetings, or at the very least a term of endearment, but brushed it off figuring that he might just be a little bit tired since it was still pretty early.

‘What do you wanna eat?’ He asked as you set two cups down on the breakfast table before pulling your seat out. His tones and mannerisms were a little different than usual, and you thought- No. Both Ray and Saeran assured you that he wasn’t ready yet. Surely, he wouldn’t just turn up one morning without warning.

‘It looks like you tried to make eggs.’ You laughed, his back still towards you as he cracked another egg into the frying pan and discarded the shell to the side of the oven.

‘Yeah, fuckin’ harder than I remember them being.’ He said, which definitely made you do a double take.

‘Who… are you, if you don’t mind me asking?’ You asked tentatively, not wanting to upset whoever the Saeran in front of you was. You knew he didn’t mind your questions since they never came from a place of malice anyway, but you always wanted to be considerate regardless.

He turned around, leaning back up against the kitchen side. He folded his arms but displayed a very distinctive smirk that you had not seen in so long. It was different this time though, his blue eyes were different. They were still tormented and anguished, but it was no longer directed at you. The ice in his eyes had begun to thaw.

‘What? Don’t you recognise me, doll?’

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger x reader #saeran choi #saeran choi x reader #mystic messenger fanfiction #mystic messenger reader insert #mystic messenger self insert #mystic messenger headcanons #mystic messenger hcs #mystic messenger hc #mystic messenger headcanon #mysme

[antiloreolympus]

10 Anti LO Asks

1. im sorry but wasn't it said fairly early even hades knew persephone was a fertility goddess? like everyone knew she was as a goddess of spring so shes also was also fertility, thats why ppl questioned her being in the maidens (bc obvs fertility is mainly sex in this universe 😑) so i dont get why it was retconned its some big secret and some rare OP status? like it was not built up and was a p clear example of rachel just making stuff up as she goes.

2. truly glad for the anti lo posts bc if not the lo tag is literally nothing but bad edits and weird spam posts. yall are the only ones keeping the tags alive. where are the fans tho 💀

3. why is everyone a joke in this comic

From OP: No clue lol

4. You know what still baffles me: how Hades is literally both the lawyer and one of the judges in this court thing. Like? It doesn’t even make sense?? Not to mention the fact that so far all Hades has done is make terrible points and Zeus and Poseidon have barely talked at all. Like is this a proper court or not? Bc if Hades can become both the lawyer and the judge then the other two judges should also counterargument him. The whole act of wrath of Artemis and Apollo. Why did Hades bring it up? Why didn’t Zeus say that Artemis and Apollo were defending their mom and actually told Zeus about the aow? Persephone and her mom literally did everything they could to cover it up??? What’s even funnier is how Hades is making it seem like Persephone is getting in trial for the aow itself when that’s farther from the truth. It’s literally bc she conspired against the kingdom or whatever. Literally covered up a murder. Had she and her mom gone to Zeus and told him that she killed a bunch of mortals bc they killed her friends Zeus wouldn’t even care at all. This whole thing was so unnecessary and it’s getting dragged for so long it’s just annoying 

5. The way Rachel sexualizes Persephone on literally every occasion physically hurts me. Like what the hell is your problem??? She's not only 19 and naive(ughhh i'm so sick that she's written that way) but she also was r**ed NOT SO LONG AGO. LIKE LITERALLY 3 WEEKS AGO. AND YOU SEXUALIZE THE SH*T OUT OF HER ALREADY THO SHE'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO HEALING AFTER HER TRAUMA. FU RACHEL

6. Seeing a LO stan call us 'misogynistic' because we only 'criticise the female characters' in the story is the funniest and dumbest shit i have ever read from the LO confession blog.

Maybe if RS didn't hate her female cast and didn't treat them more poorly then the male cast we wouldn't be discussing and pointing out so often how messed up and weird it is that she tore down their mythological character, their canon relationships, and passed off their symbols to her FL solely because none of them are allowed to stand out on their own without knocking her self-insert of a FL out from the spotlight.

Hell even her FL isn't safe from RS's horrible writing. Fact is, RS can't write for shit and has no respect for the goddesses (and gods) she's writing off of and we're just following on that lead in our comments. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

7. 182 is the worst chapter yet. Demeter who didn’t want her daughter dating a man her age that she doesn’t even like that much is framed as “abusive”. We already know Demeter doesn’t like Hades because hades even says all they do is argue, oh and comes to her farm piss drunk. Gee wonder why she doesn’t like the guy. She even tells Persephone she doesn’t trust the banks knowing hades owns them.

Persephone being mad her mom delt with him and then lying to her mom. The first chapters it seems that both characters don’t know each other then later they actually did meet and Persephone basically fell on him naked begging to bring souls back from the dead and leaves all embarrassed and calls that a genuine connection. Stfu, he was already very drunk. “Mom he’s not in love with me” y’all kissed how many times? He’s defending you to the depths of the earth even tho with his last gf he couldn’t even get his brother to remember her name and even thought about marrying her??! You’ve been living at his house?! Y’all talked about dates and asking about the fruit?! Persephone your mom wasn’t born yesterday! Idk I just hate how RS portrays Persephone being naive about hades with other characters. Persephone and hades kissed and then Persephone asks Minthe to help with her with her job and Minthe says something about the two of them dating and Persephone does “idk what you’re talking about but nothing is going on >:(“ stfu. Like you’re a sketchy entitled liar!

Hades, Hephaestus and Apollo exchanged. I’m guessing Hades found out then and not before about what Apollo has done but I thought he knew earlier with the quote “you’ve been terrorizing my wife for months!” I THOUGHT HE KNEW FROM THAT EXCHANGE! But no. Now I feel hades is possessive. Persephone told Apollo “we don’t talk about you” and she’s right we don’t see hades and p talk about Apollo, yet hades knows Apollo been terrorizing her. And then when he does find out he cracks a hotel.

Lastly Persephone “swipey thing”. Makes her sounds dumb, when we’re told over and over how smart she is. She’s been to a bank, she’s watched movies she knows what money is yet requests to be paid in diamonds. I swear RS just ruins her character. What is she other than a couple events, some one lines tied i a curvy baby bright pink highlighter. 

8. Lmao underage Persephone looks exactly the same (if not older) as present time Persephone. And on top of that, Rachel continues to sexualize her and the whole situation. Like in those panels in the newest episode where she talks to her mother about Hades being hella drunk, her dress looks like it's about to fall off her shoulders. And it's supposed to look like an ancient greek outfit? Does Rachel have any knowledge of what women wore at that time? 

9. Persephone's argument is so fucking stupid Jesus Christ. How does she think she made a "genuine connection" with a drunk man she met for 5 minutes max? Not only that, but they were both almost naked, Persephone was underage and she straight up just wanted to get info out of him about souls and how she could return them to the mortal realm. HOW does that count as a genuine connection? Rachel keeps forgetting her own story again and again.

Oh, and we're also supposed to hate Demeter for wanting to keep her underage daughter safe from drunk papa smurf. 😂

From OP for 8 & 9: Apparently, she was 19 when she met Hades. Doesn’t change much though.

-----FP Spoilers/Mention-----

10. (fastpass spoiler) bro the panel where persephone's like "i want the underground" has me crying like LMAOOO why she got t-rex arms💀💀 she looks like a $3.99 creepy ass baby doll

#anti lo #lore olympus critical #anti lore olympus #lo critical

[jiejie-eonni-onee-sama]

Too old for her?

For the charming @theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction​ 

Hope you will enjoy! 🎁🌹📖

"Can you believe the age difference between them? I wonder how (Y/N) can be in a relationship with Hart!"

"I agree: they have nothing in common. Hart is too old for her anyway."

Harry Hart usually didn't give a damn about the gossip of the Kingsman staff. But that day, the conversation he had overheard had made him uncomfortable because it touched on a sensitive subject for Agent Galahad: his relationship with (Y/N) (L/N).

Since their first meeting, Harry had fallen in love with the one who was Merlin's assistant. She had it all: in addition to being beautiful, she was intelligent, friendly, humorous and fascinating.

The only problem was the age gap: the lady was 15 years younger than him. At first, this was not a problem, but the secret agent gradually found out that not everyone was happy about it. 

He knew that some of the agents were in love with (Y/N) and were jealous that she was dating him. But now, he felt that almost the whole agency disapproved of his relationship.

As Harry entered his office, he tried to put the gossip out of his mind and concentrated on his files.

But even so, he couldn't help but think back to his comments about his relationship with his girlfriend. Sure, he was older than (Y/N), but things were going very well between them. It wasn't a few more years that would ruin everything, was it? 

Annoyed by these untimely thoughts, the British agent got up from his seat and went to the bathroom to wash his face with water.

When Harry saw his face in the mirror that he understood the point of view of his colleagues. Indeed, the British spy could not miss the wrinkles that appeared near his eyes or on his forehead or the white strands that appeared in his brown hair.

Seeing this crumbling image of his youth, Harry began to worry: how long did he have before he became a useless elder and the Kingsman Agency retired him? But more importantly, how long did he have before (Y/N) left him?

Agent Galahad knew he could never stand it: the young woman was the best thing that had ever happened to him in life.

But he had to face the fact that his girlfriend would sooner or later find happiness in the arms of a younger man, even if it broke his heart.

In Merlin's lab.

"I love this umbrella rifle! Can I have it?" asked Eggsy, his eyes twinkling.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Eggsy, but this weapon is not for you! It is for Agent Galahad!" the engineer replied, taking the rifle umbrella from him.

"Oh, come on! Why does Harry always have the coolest stuff?" grumbled the young spy.

"Don't worry, I made one just for you," reassured him (Y/N) with a wink.

"Thanks, (Y/N). You're the best!"

"I beg you, (Y/N): don't encourage him in his foolishness!" sighed Merlin as he readjusted his glasses.

"I admit that without Eggsy's spiritedness, my missions would be very boring," smiled Roxanne.

"Don't get into it, Agent Lancelot!"

(Y/N) chuckled as the two young secret agents teased the engineer. Deep down, she knew it was just teenage banter and that Roxanne and Eggsy respected and appreciated Merlin very much. She had a friendly relationship with the latter, who was both her boss and her friend.

But the one who mattered most was Harry Hart, the man in her life. (Y/N) smiled as she thought how lucky she was to have a true gentleman as a boyfriend. Sure, he was fifteen years older than her, but so what? She preferred to be in a relationship with a more mature and wiser man than a young and fiery one.

Besides, Harry had everything to please: he was elegant, cultured, gallant, sincere, loyal and had a sense of humour. And as a boyfriend, he was perfect: funny, caring, loving and loyal.

The only downside was the few remarks his colleagues made about Harry. They kept telling her that she should dump him and find a boyfriend closer to her age. This kind of comment made the young woman extremely angry. Who did these people think they were, criticising her relationship? As if they could know what made her happy. 

At least she could count on the support of Merlin, Roxy and Eggsy, who had been the first to know about their story.

(Y/N) consulted her watch: a few more hours and she would be able to enjoy her evening with her lover. She was looking forward to it.

A few hours later, in a London house.

Sitting in his living room, Harry was waiting for his girlfriend to arrive. However, instead of feeling that tender impatience, he was nervous.

All day long, he had been thinking about all those remarks about his age and his relationship with (Y/N). After all, they weren't wrong: what was a bright young woman like her doing with an elder like him?

The only way to find out for sure was to ask his girlfriend. But the British agent dreaded her answer: what if she told him she didn't love him anymore? That she wanted to leave him? 

Stressed by this prospect, he did not hear the front door open until (Y/N) told him:

"Good evening, darling."

Startled, Agent Galahad turned around and saw his girlfriend standing behind him with a smile on her face. Returning the smile, Harry stood up and took the one he loved into his arms.

"Good evening, my queen of hearts. Sorry, I just get lost in my thoughts."

"That's okay."

As he hugged (Y/N), Harry inhaled the scent of her hair. He wanted this moment to stick in his mind, in case the story ended badly. 

Intrigued by her lover's behaviour, the young woman asked:

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, I just missed you, that's all."

The young engineer laughed.

"You know we didn't just run into each other for a few hours?"

"That's way too long," the secret agent replied with a mischievous smile.

Then the two lovers headed for the kitchen where (Y/N) discovered to her amazement that he set the table and a delicious smell wafted through the air.

"It's beautiful. What's the occasion?"

"Pleasing you, that's all."

Harry helped (Y/N) to sit down before taking a seat next to her. Then they began to eat dinner.

During the meal, the assistant engineer noticed that her boyfriend seemed sad and absent.

"Harry? Is everything all right?"

Raising his head, the British agent met his girlfriend's worried gaze. He tried to be reassuring:

"Yes, I'm fine. I must still have my head in the work..."

The young woman shook her head.

"Harry, I've known you for five years, and I know when something is wrong. So please tell me what's going on."

Capitulating, the British agent sighed and asked:

"Tell me, (Y/N), do you regret being with me?"

At these words, his girlfriend exclaimed:

"Huh? But not at all! Why would you think such a thing?"

"Because, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, I wonder if you don't get tired of being in a relationship with a man older than you."

The young woman raised an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you've been paying attention to the gossip of the other agents!"

Her partner's shrug confirmed what she was thinking.

(Y/N) took her companion's hand and said:

"Harry, I want you to listen to me and keep this in mind. The day I met you, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I have no problem with the fact that we are fifteen years apart, on the contrary. I prefer to have a mature, reasonable and pragmatic partner. And you are that man, Harry Hart. Never doubt it."

 The British agent felt the worry leave his mind as quickly as it had come. Relieved, he murmured:

"What I never doubted was how lucky I am to have you in my life, (Y/N) (L/N)."

The young woman smiled, flattered by the compliment. Then she leaned in close to his ear and whispered in a sensual tone:

"Between us, you're not too old to make me scream with pleasure."

Harry blushed violently at these provocative words. He turned to his girlfriend and saw that she had a lustful gleam in her eye.

Amused, he asked:

"Do you have any plans for tonight, my dear?"

"Mh, probably. If you're interested, of course."

Letting his hand caress (Y/N's) arm, the British agent murmured:

"My dear, you should know that a Kingsman does not shy away from any challenge. Least of all, the challenge of a beautiful lady!"

Without warning, he lifted her off the ground and carried her in his arms into the bedroom.

"What are you going to do?" the young woman asked with a laugh.

"Enjoy my second youth."

And as they made love, Harry Hart was now convinced that he was not too old for her. Their age gap was just a matter of numbers: as long as they were happy together, Harry was delighted. 

Thanks for reading the story!

I hope you enjoyed it!

My requests are still open: don’t hesitate!

Take care: I love you all! 😘🥰😍💝

#requests #gifts #kingsmen secret service #harry hart #colin firth #olivia munn

[too-gay-for-marvel]

one of us

a/n: I LIVE! listen. listen. yall know me well enough at this point to know that i make no promises about posting more stuff. i might post something in a few months. maybe next week. lets spin the wheel of fate and see what happens, shall we?

Request:  hi!! do you think you could write a prequel of sorts to i don’t need a hero? it’s one of my absolute favorites and i was wondering if you could write something angsty for the mission where the reader gets shot protecting wanda? <33 thank you!!

Word Count: 2546

Warnings: swearing, canon-typical violence

Pairing: Wanda x Reader

She hated you.

Wanda Maximoff absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt hated you. There was not a single thing about you that she didn’t hate, from the stupid cocky look on your face to the way you refused to be of any help. You were supposed to be an ally now, not a nuisance.

And yet there you were.

Sitting across from her at the table and shooting her a look that made her want nothing more than to throw some magic right at your face. If she was lucky then maybe it would even knock you on your ass and she could wipe that stupid smirk from your face. It would almost make this meeting with you worth all the hassle.

“Does everyone understand their jobs?” Maria asked, bringing Wanda back to the table and forcing her to pay attention.

“Blow shit up and have fun doing it?” You asked even though that most certainly wasn’t your job and you knew it.

Don’t let them out of your sight. Maria’s voice rang in Wanda’s mind and, after a silent look, she gave a nod of affirmation. It didn’t seem as if you had noticed, and that gave Wanda a feeling of superiority. Technically it wasn’t a competition, and she already knew she was better than you, but to know that she could scheme about you in front of your face was something that gave her more joy than she would ever openly admit.

The meeting concluded without a hitch. You had even admitted - rather begrudgingly - that you were to do nothing other than keep the attention off of Wanda and Sam. In Wanda’s mind, that was a good start; you usually argued until you were blue in the face.

But with you agreeing, all Wanda had to really worry about was the upcoming mission. And whether you would keep to your word or not.

----------

By all accounts, and much to Wanda’s and Sam’s surprise, the mission had been going well. You had launched fireworks on one end of the building to cause a commotion while they had snuck in through the back. She had used her powers to distract the few guards left inside, and within minutes they had found what they were looking for.

In fact, the mission had been going so well that Wanda had been on the verge of asking if you were okay. There was no way you could have behaved for as long as you had, not without a proper motivation. But right as Wanda had lifted her hand to start her comms, an unusually loud explosion sounded off, quickly followed by guards running and yelling.

Heading in their direction.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” Wanda mumbled to herself.

Only seconds after Wanda had muttered her lack of surprise at the situation, the same guards she had heard appeared in the hallway behind them. Directly between them and their exit.

Of course, she heard Sam think. Very loudly.

It turned, very quickly, into an all-out brawl. Unlike you, they didn’t exactly aim to kill; if it was avoidable then they would. But that didn’t mean there weren’t still plenty of bodies lying on the ground, continuously making it harder and harder for them to leave.

“To the roof,” Sam ordered during a short lull in the fighting. “We can get an emergency evac from there.”

And before Wanda knew it, they were once again fighting and trying to make their way up the stairs. It wasn’t the most difficult thing in the world, not with her powers and Red Wing. But that didn’t mean it was easy either.

“Leaving already?” You asked over the comms, causing both Wanda and Sam to roll their eyes at the lack of seriousness in your tone.

“Just get to the roof,” Sam replied shortly, refusing to say anymore on the matter.

“When I’m ready.”

Wanda swore if she hadn’t promised Bucky not to kill you, she would have done it then and there.

It didn’t take long after that for Wanda and Sam to make it to the roof. He told her he was going to fly around and scope a potential landing, and Wanda agreed to hold down the fort until he came back. They both ignored the fact that you were nowhere to be found.

In typical Avengers fashion, the guards came back not long after Sam had left her alone. She wished she could have been surprised, but when it happens nearly every time, it loses it’s shock factor.

But this one was worse than usual; Wanda was, unfortunately, feeling overwhelmed. She knew the horde would run out of bodies eventually, but would that happen before or after Sam showed up? She had no clue, and that was something that terrified her.

Needless to say, she got her answer when an entire army made it up to the roof.

“That’s my cue,” your voice came over the comms, a little too cheery for the situation, but Wanda wasn’t going to answer. At that moment, she hoped you burned along with the rest of them.

An explosion rocked the building underneath her feet, sending more panic racing through her veins. Fucking idiot, she thought, you’re going to destroy the building with us still in it! More explosions followed suit.

“You’d better hurry, Sam, Y/N is gonna blow the building,” Wanda spoke clearly, but rushed. As terrified as she was, she knew it would do no good if Sam didn’t even understand her.

“Just a bit longer, I’m almost there.” She didn’t like that Sam sounded more panicked than her.

“Need a hand?” Your voice came through again, but it was drowned out by a roar that grew increasingly louder.

It was a missile. A missile that was going to hit the roof. The roof that she was standing on.

“Just move!”

Wanda was too transfixed by the missile heading her way to notice someone running toward her. Someone who quickly wrapped their arms around her waist. Her body tensed as her feet were lifted off the ground and she was suddenly launched off the side of the building right as the missile hit the spot where she had previously been standing.

Wind rushed past her ears, along with something that sounded like a scream. She couldn’t tell who it was coming from. The trip to the ground took only a moment, but felt like it was never going to end. Well, not until she forcefully met the ground, that is. The air was knocked out of her lungs and the person on top of her didn’t help.

“Get off me,” she grunted as she pushed the person off and sat up. Only when she was up did she notice it was you, new scratches on your face and blood dripping down your ears.

“You stupid Avengers, always in the way,” you mumbled just loud enough for Wanda to hear. Or maybe it was just muffled because of the deafening ringing in her ears.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Wanda shouted, pushing herself onto her feet and watching as you did the same.

“What do you mean, what was I thinking?” You shot back. “You were the one who didn’t move!”

“I didn’t need your help.”

“You almost got hit! By a missile!”

“And yet you were the one who launched it!” Wanda stepped forward, her finger jabbing into your chest as she talked.

“I saved your life!” You shouted back, throwing your hands up in indignation.

“You pushed me off a building!”

“Don’t criticise me! No one else was helping!”

“I didn’t need help from some wannabe hero!”

“I’m not trying to-” you were cut off by the sound of a gun, and your eyes widening. You both looked down to see a dark red spot near your hip, growing larger by the second.

You hit the ground before she could catch you.

Wanda looked past you to see one lone guard, his shirt still on fire and his skin singed beyond recognition. His arm was still up, gun pointed where you had previously been standing. She didn’t have to bother with finishing him; he collapsed, his body slowly burning.

She crouched down immediately, her hand moving to the spot on your hip. Her hands went to press on it; something she had learned from Maria and Natasha, something she hadn’t thought she would ever really need to know.

You groaned ever so slightly when she pressed harder, but aside from that you were silent and still.

“Coming in hot,” Sam said. She didn’t bother looking up, but felt the wind from Sam and the evac landing behind her.

Sam was quick in assessing the damage. He picked you up and carried you to the quinjet, getting you stabilised for the trip back. Wanda thanked the gods that it would be a short trip.

She hoped you would be okay.

----------

Technically, it wasn’t the worst injury someone had come back from a mission with. Tony always came back with multiple contusions, sometimes broken bones if he had been careless. Natasha and Clint were always a mess, having been absorbed in trying to keep the other safe. Hell, you had come back with worse injuries.

So why this one had taken so much out of you, Wanda had no idea. All she knew was that it had been four days and you were still unconscious. Even the doctors couldn’t understand why you hadn’t woken up. Sure, trauma could keep someone in a coma, but you had seen much worse. So why this one?

“Time for food.”

Bless that man.

Wanda looked up from her book to see Clint leaning in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. A signature look for him, she realised. But she noticed, strangely enough, that he did not come with food. Extremely rude.

“Making me scavenge for myself now?” Wanda teased as she closed her book.

“You could say that,” Clint shrugged. “You gotta get out of here for a few hours, Wanda.”

So that was his purpose.

“Not yet,” she answered simply.

“They haven’t woken up yet, won’t wake up while you’re gone.”

“You don’t know that-”

“-Wanda,” Clint interrupted, “they’re not waking up. Get some food, take a shower, maybe a nap. It’ll be fine.”

She looked over to you and just stared. Your face hadn’t really changed since they had gotten you back to SHIELD. No sounds, no movement, nothing. Maybe there was a new crinkle between your brows, but nothing to really indicate you were going to wake up. No matter how much she wanted you to.

Damn you for making her worry about you of all people.

And damn Clint for being right.

“Two hours.”

“Make it five,” Clint shot back, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Three.”

“Four.”

Damn him.

“Fine. Four. But not a minute more,” Wanda sighed. But, and she hated to admit this, Clint was right; she needed some time to recover. She hadn’t even left herself recover from the mission, instead coming straight to the medical ward with you.

Clint nodded once and waited for her to leave before heading into your room. Sweet of him to take her place while she was resting. It would at least give her some respite to know that someone was watching you while she was gone. Now she just needed to take care of herself and get back.

Well. Maybe after a bath.

----------

“Wanda wake up!”

Not the best way for anyone to wake up from a nap.

Wanda shot up out of bed and tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes. She was sure she looked like an absolute mess, and she could feel the knots in her hair. Oh god she felt terrible. Two hours was not enough time for a recovery nap. They better have a good reason for waking her up.

“Good, you’re up,” Clint huffed from the doorway. “Y/N’s gone.”

Okay. Pretty good reason.

She didn’t bother brushing her hair; didn’t even bother changing into clean clothes. It was fine though, she had slept in her mission clothes anyway. What was one more day, right? Besides, it gave her a bit of comfort that she at least wouldn’t be running through the hallways half-naked.

It was, for lack of a better word, pandemonium in the halls. The assumption was that everyone was looking for you; and that assumption was correct. If you hadn’t been such a damn nuisance to SHIELD in the past, maybe they would’ve just let you go.

So really, this was all your fault.

But that didn’t stop Wanda from making her way to where she felt she knew you had gone. There was no proof, but it was a feeling. A feeling that was similar to when she had known whenever Pietro had gotten into trouble. Not quite as strong, because nothing could beat twintuition, but it was still there.

And it was right.

Wanda didn’t know what to really expect you to look like after a few days of rest. But you looked a mess sitting in the dark cell. You were still in your hospital gown, and the gauze was still wrapped around whatever wounds you had sustained. The worst part? You sat curled up in the corner.

“Y/N?” Wanda stepped closer to the cell, but was met with a beeping sound that she was terrifyingly familiar with.

A proximity bomb.

She jumped back and waited for the explosion that never came. Instead, the beeping stopped, and you continued to sit in the corner. Her eyes searched for the bomb, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to find it. If you had hidden it, then you would be the only one who could get to it.

“Everyone is looking for you,” Wanda whispered, just loud enough for you to hear.

“Leave me alone.” Your voice was hoarse, and you let out a series of painful-sounding coughs.

“They’re worried about you.”

“They can worry about themselves,” you shot back, “I’m fine.”

“Y/N,” Wanda urged. She didn’t like seeing you like this. She hadn’t cared for you much, hadn’t even liked you, but this… this wasn’t you. “What happened?”

And then you turned. She could see the bruises on your face, the bags under your eyes, a look on your face that she couldn’t quite place. But your eyes… your eyes pierced through her soul in a way she hadn’t thought possible.

“You fucking heroes happened,” you replied, your eyes never leaving hers. “Couldn’t fucking leave well enough alone, had to bring me into all this fucking mess.”

“Y/N-”

“You wanted me in this fucking cell, now I’m here.” Wanda could tell you were running out of breath. “So leave me the fuck alone.”

With that you turned and stared back at the wall, your back to her. She couldn’t go to you, couldn’t help you. That bomb of yours would blow the both of you up if she got closer. And she just knew you were finished talking to her. You had made your decision, and she would just have to accept it. It seemed the team was right.

You would never be one of them.

#wanda maximoff #wanda x reader #wanda maximoff x reader #scarlet witch x reader #scarlet witch #scarlet witch imagine #wanda maximoff imagine #marvel #marvel x reader #marvel imagine #requests #my writing

[sixteenthshen]

post-finale stuff

Possible spoilers. Beware

Last night, I happened to check the scriptwriter's Weibo and saw that she had liked this fan's post. It's the only non-work related Weibo post that she had liked, so of course, I went to read it. 

The fact that this is the only fan post she's given her approval to must mean that it is on point and she agrees with the characterisation. I thought it's pretty good, so I've gone ahead to translate it here. I own 0 rights to this. I just thought it's a good perspective that may help others like me who struggled with the ending. 

I think I've mostly made my peace with it now, and to sum it up:

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all that they are. 

A-Xu never once blamed Lao Wen for how things turned out because he understood that. And he’s clearly a better person than I am (lol).

Let me be clear about my stand - the real victim of how the drama unfolded in the last six episodes is WKX. When we feel our hearts ache for ZZS, it's because the show let down WKX (the character). If your heart is only hurting for WKX during episodes 33-34, you should try to ship WKX with someone else, ok? If you think the last six episodes were great and that WKX was very romantic (and only romantic), then I honestly don't know what to say. 

I ship wenzhou. That means I like both Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu. I want them to love each other, be good to each other and live happily ever after. And I want them not to be OOC. 

The rest behind the cut. Spoilers for the whole drama. 

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First, the source. Here is a link to that Weibo post, by 爱吐槽的栗小姐. I will delete this if requested by the OP - because this is really in a grey area imo. But I think the intention of a public post is for it to be shared? (especially something like this, which argues a point) 

Secondly, the poster does try to be fair in her post, but as the problem here is WKX's ruined characterisation, ZZS's character is analysed primarily concerning this issue only. There's quite a bit left to ZZS's character and backstory that isn't relevant. I believe that's why the post doesn't elaborate on it, or so I hope.

-------

Ever since WKX faked his death, I received three to four waves of fellow sister fans' mournful wails: "Lao Wen actually faked his death; does he have a heart?" "They were supposed to be of the same heart and treat each other with honesty. How did they regress?" "What happened to their innate soulmate-ness?" "Why does A-Xu always say to face things together, yet Lao Wen always keeps his plans from him?" "A-Xu loves Lao Wen, yet Lao Wen only loves himself"…….

Wait. What have you guys misunderstood about the meaning of soulmates? 

Soulmates are about values, but a person's behaviour… that's methodology FFS! 

(Do they no longer teach this in political affairs class in high school anymore?) 

Wenzhou, these soulmates, are incomparably compatible and mesh well in terms of values. According to the scriptwriter, the entire jianghu wants and tries to get the pieces of Glazed Armour, save the two of them. Not only do they not care for the peerless martial arts, immense power, nor the massive wealth that the Glazed Armour represents, they don't even care for the power they hold in their hands –Ghost Valley and the Window of Heaven. Both of them willing to give it up without a second thought. 

Before they met each other, they were so tired of (ZZS) and so angry at (WKX) this earthly world that they didn't even want to live on anymore. 

After they met each other, they gradually began to feel the warmth in this world again. How nice it would be if they could live in seclusion, hand in hand and just bask in the sun. 

In this world, where everyone else is fighting for power or wealth, they are true soulmates. To intelligent people like them, whether or not they're honest about their identities or secrets is merely a matter of formality. They had already determined their attraction to the other's soul early on and have never doubted it. 

There may be some here who would criticise loudly at this point, "Then can't you be more considerate for your soulmate (the actual phrased used is "spiritual companion")? A-Xu has said many times, let's face everything together, I'll bet that you will be honest with me. If you really love him, then why can't you care for his feelings?" 

----- You guys, you've never been married. 

If two souls meeting can naturally resolve all behavioural conflicts and disagreements, then the theory of "breaking in" * would not exist. 

Let us take a look at what kind of a person WKX and ZZS each are.

Wen Kexing, he's a lone wolf. 

After his parents' death and his entering the Ghost Valley, his smooth sailing life suddenly fell off a cliff. Ever since then, the only person he could rely on was himself. That deep-seated hatred is carved into his bones, yet he can't speak of it to anyone else. He isn't the same type of person as the rest of the ghosts in the Ghost Valley; he isn't the same type of person as A-Xiang, who he raised. If we talk about the world and everyone who lives in it, he doesn't have any fetters or feels any (positive) emotions. 

His supposed craziness is a form of indifference. He's indifferent to others' lives, nor his own, because he just doesn't care. (T/N: I think he does care for his own life, but only for revenge, after that, he's indifferent. Indifferent isn't suicidal. I don't know why some fans seem to be confusing the two. Although he didn't plan to, if he somehow manages to stay alive after getting his revenge, WKX will continue to live on, even if it's only to keep A-Xiang happy because he is indifferent.)

Growing up like this, being solitary became his style. He's used to doing everything alone, used to making his own decisions, used to digesting all his emotions himself. 

Every time he argues with A-Xu, he digests his emotions himself. The next day, he faces A-Xu with a smile again. 

This is how he loves, to take it upon himself to face danger, difficulty and pain alone. It's how he had supported A-Xiang all these years in the Ghost Valley and what he's used to. 

While Zhou Zishu, he's a lead horse (of a herd). ** 

Since a very young age, he's taught to take responsibility. He's used to bearing everything on his shoulders, be it the responsibility of his family or the responsibility for the Four Seasons Manor, even the responsibility for saving commoners from disasters. 

Unlike the lone wolf, the lead horse is ultimately a social animal. 

Regardless of his identity as the Manor Lord of the Four Seasons Manor or the Leader of the Window of Heaven, he's always the one to lead the herd and rarely fights alone. So, A-Xu not only has leadership ability but more than that, he also knows how to be tolerant and accepting of the differences of his team members. You can see the various ways he managed to influence Lao Wen along the road; he's firm when he needs to be and soft the other times. It's absolutely textbook in managing your lover workplace management. 

Zhou Zishu believes in communication whenever there's a problem, that they should be open and honest. So, teamwork is what he's used to. 

Does it mean that when a horse and lone wolf fall in love, that there won't be a breaking in period? 

Obviously not. 

I guess this is where some may say again, "isn't this part of a character's arc/development? The two of them quarrel time and time again. Did WKX not grow at all from it?" 

Of course, after meeting each other, they both grew and saved each other.

When he first left Window of Heaven, A-Xu was lonely with regret. Unlike the lone wolf who's used to doing everything alone, a lead horse without the last of his herd has no way to bear the bone-deep loneliness and merciless self-recrimination.

ZZS wandered around this world aimlessly until Lao Wen started pestering him, until he picked up Zhang Chengling, right up until he felt he hadn't singlehandedly destroyed the Four Seasons Manor. This lead horse finally regained a goal in life. He gained a partner and a lover. Lao Wen sticks to him, Chengling relies on him, and the abandoned Four Seasons Manor became like-new in his hands. He finally reconciles with himself. 

When he first came out of the valley, Lao Wen carried a rage strong enough to burn the world down. But when he met A-Xu, he also met the beauty of the world. 

When the Four Sages of Anji died, WKX understood how he caused innocent suffering. When Gao Chong walked to his death knowingly, he understood that although some may desire power, they could still be righteous and upstanding people. When he learned of everything Long Que sacrificed to protect his family***, he finally relaxed his guard. 

There were so many types of good people and things that he saw along this journey that he hadn't seen in the Ghost Valley. When A-Xu told him he was a good person as they basked in the sun, he genuinely wanted to return to the human (vs ghost) realm and be a good man. 

Along their journey, A-Xu made up for the morals and values that WKX lost in the Ghost Valley and showed him a new world outlook. He appeased Lao Wen's anger, tempered his extremism. The process wasn't easy, but not that difficult either, because, in the end, Lao Wen is kind at heart. 

But in the end, being a lone wolf is how he survived and succeeded in a place like the Ghost Valley. When A-Xu was so heavily injured and needed a lot of rest (for Wu Xi) to save his life, Lao Wen suddenly recalled his enemies and how such an excellent opportunity to take revenge just fell into his lap. Everything was in place, and all he needed to do was hide it from A-Xu; he could leave for a short while and have it settled quickly. Upon returning, he could then live happily ever after with his wife. To a crazy lone wolf, why would he not take a gamble? 

What he couldn't predict was the news would've been leaked (to A-Xu), and he didn't know that by doing so, he would've forever lost his love. 

Both of them were using their own methods to love the other person. Zhou Zishu is more forgiving and accepting because being forgiving is in his blood. While what WKX learned in his years in the Ghost Valley is -- love needs to be protected, like how he has A-Xiang, who he considers a sister, call himself master (to protect her). 

Only when faced with painful consequences can a person's deep-rooted habits and approach to things change. So I don't think faking his death ruined the characterisation of Wen Kexing, but I regret that the last two episodes did not have a scene to show us Lao Wen's heartbreak when he learns the truth. 

Until I know what it feels like to have lost you, I will only love you in my own way. 

T/N: 

*I can't think of the correct phrase for this as I don't read all that much about relationships >< please let me know if you know of it. Here, I'm referring to the process of wearing something new (like shoes) that will hurt at the start until it becomes soft and comfortable. 

** I did some side-reading, and omg, A-Xu is TOTALLY the lead mare. Although he's not the stallion and weak/dying for most of the show, he's the head of their little family, and he expects "to be obeyed", aka, I'm not going to learn how to cook. Call me for dinner. Kthxbye. 

From Rutgers' website: A herd of wild horses consists of one or two stallions, a group of mares, and their foals. The leader of the herd is usually an older mare (the "alpha mare"), even though one stallion owns the herd. She maintains her dominant role even though she may be physically weaker than the others. The older mare has had more experiences, more close encounters, and survived more threats than any other horse in the herd. The requirement of the lead horse is not strength or size; if this were so, then humans could never dominate a horse. Dominance is established not only through aggression but also through attitudes that let the other horses know she expects to be obeyed.

***I think this is important here because WKX wasn't crying for his loss. I think a big part of him was realising not everyone in the world was callous and turned their backs on his parents, that he could've gone his whole life without ever discovering what sacrifices some people have made. Good people suffer quietly and in silence. It's a big moment to realise he was wrong about many things that he had let hatred blind himself to the world. Because although he was sad about the Four Sages and somewhat shocked by Gao Chong's death, he hadn't truly faced up to his actions until now. 

(screenshot of the scriptwriter liking the above post) 

------

To add: 

I'm not sure how many of you read my "opinion" posts, but I've been struggling to find a way to accept the last six episodes of Word of Honor.  I first tried looking at open forum postings, comments, and Tumblr posts. None of it worked because it was just arguing and emotions and no one made points good enough for me to accept things. 

So I gave up and went back to reading Chinese sites. I found many posts discussing the plot. Some I liked, some I didn't, but none satisfied my need for a reasonable explanation. I felt they had biases (both ways), or else it lacked logic. After a time, I realised that I should be looking for WKX-stans (or pro-WKX fans) because they would be more motivated to explain his side, but also because well-written posts by wenzhou-fans & ZZS-stans made me super sad.

I'm sorry, but those who keep trying to explain why the ending was good completely missed that episodes 32-34 are the real problem to those who don't like it and only focused on 36. I can understand if people don't think those episodes are a problem, but no one could provide an articulate and sensible reason. There are just too few well-reasoned plot-focused posts in English (sorry). I've seen too many examples of WKX-fans arguing with people who are upset about the ending, backed by nothing more than "look how much WKX suffers, woe is him. And how romantic is this????" *dies* 

Lastly, if you spot anything inaccurate, let me know & I will correct it.

#word of honor #word of honor meta #wenzhou #opinion #i think this counts as meta #if you think the drama did WKX justice #and that he can do no wrong #in the last 6 episodes #.... #...... #srsly #you can't claim to ship wenzhou #& think the last 6 eps are perfect

[sk-lumen]

Need serious advice about setting boundaries or communicating when dealing with a person who:

Is a parent

Has unhealthy communication methods -- it takes very little for them to start full-blown screaming, shouting out all your 'negative' things/mistakes/past, can continue to scream-criticise you even after you've gone silent, for WHOLE MINUTES even if you've shut up, will not accept anything that even hints at them making a mistake

You can't trust since childhood coz u made the mistake of confiding in them with a serious issue as a young teen --- mental related --- and they belittled and invalidated you, and since then pretended you never confided in them and have NO IDEA how you've been coping without them or ANYone else for years... Yeah thanks, parent, what u said back then made me think I was the one at fault and so I stopped trusting even friends coz yeah, when ur own parent doesn't give a damn, why would anyone else?

Is a master at silent treatments without explaining what EXACTLY they're punishing you for, then when theyre in the mood, will start talking to you as if they hadn't ignored you for days. Lol I'd rather be water boarded I think. Especially for all the damage this caused when I was a child

Won't openly talk about what they want, yet expects ALL FHE TIME others (in the family) to know what they want, then will complain/scream/angry for AGES about how no one cares, no one gives a damn... And when someone asks them what they want, they either say: nothing, or "you should know! Can't u see?"

Upon asking them to please talk normally, will blow a fuse, and lose it --- happened multiple times today

Literally will use me as a scape goat to unleash their frustrations upon. Even when I leave the room, I can hear them b*tch about how much of a failure I am etc. The trigger being anything that bothers them, from a phone call to something other siblings did, bla bla. I limit my time with them... But it's like, it feels impossible to have them treat me normally, without ridiculing or criticising me. I'm already a very low self esteem person... This doesn't help AT ALL

In short, refuse to tell/ask/discuss important stuff, and getting mad randomly that no one read their mind, bcoz everyone's 'old enough to have enough sense' to know what they 'should' do... Eg will not pikc up the phone when we call them from the store to ask when what the needed isn't available, so what other alternative can we get... And then when we get home, will instead blame us for being fussy and not getting the alternative, completelt skirting around the issue they didn't deign to pick up the phone... I mean, I don't get it. In the past I HAVE in fact asked them to just openly tell me what they want/expect from me to make them happy... Got passive aggressive answers like "don't you know? Are you dumb?" Bla bla

Passive aggressive to the max when they've lost it

Expect me to drop anything I'm doing and immediately cater to them, and expect me to help them in their hobbies (while simultaneously, as I learned many years ago to much heartache, not being interested or even pretending to be interested in my hobbies. The disinterest taught me very quickly how much what I wanted meant, leading to years of self-invalidation. Luckily I've learned it really is them, not me. My hobbies are valid)

Will not talk about why they're feeling angry, what causes it. Instead will blame me, who's like the golden scapegoat in our amazing family, by saying :YOU made me negative. They've said it many times now... It hurts a lot, when I'm also struggling with my own issues which I ofc can't confide in them about :)

Today I manned up -- the outburst of hatred happened again! Over a simple thing. It was NIGHTMARE and made me angry/sad/frustrated/triggered---, and so I told them to stop talking like that... Boy was that the wrong thing to say... I don't think I can accurately tell u what happened afterwards...

Usually children learn communication skills from the parents... I at least learned to recognize the unhealthy ones, and what NOT to communicate like lol. Like, other parent is even worse, believe it or not. But that's another complex situation

I'm not bashing on the parent. Lord knows I even have that much of a right huh? I hate myself eveb more when they invalidate me if I try to show how MUCH THEY HURT me after a 'communication session'. As in, heaven forbid me if I BE SILENT afterwards and DON'T wanna listen to their retardation. Nope. Even then they provoke me, rage at me, you know how sometimes enraged people hiss vitriol thru gritted teeth? Yeah, that's what they did today after I stayed silent and tried to ignore them an hour later after the 'session' when they wabted something. It's like they don't even need me to say a word and will carry on and on for minutes 🤢

I feel alone, helpless and at a loss what to do

I want to move out. Due to severe mental issues I can't even move out rn coz it scares me even more. But this has to stop. Things are only okay if I'm absolutely passive, say yes to whatever they want, kill my wants and needs, and become a perfect robot bred to cater to them (parent)

I hope you can help me out, dear

Hi darling,

It sounds like you’re in a considerably toxic environment. I'm sorry you're going through this. Know that this is not normal, nor is it how a parent/child relationship should be. In case there's any doubt, let me start by saying you deserve to be supported, respected, listened to, to have your needs met. You deserve to live in an environment that offers you all of these things.

With that being said, from the many scenarios you’ve mentioned you’ve already tried reasoning and setting boundaries, to no avail. There is only so much you can do on your own, if the other person in the equation is not meeting halfway or at all. After all, a healthy conversation involves two people, not just one.

Here's my advice, in this order:

Calmly and maturely asking the respective parent to have a serious discussion with you and to listen to what you have to say. Share how their actions and behaviour is making you feel, let them know you care, and make sure to mention several solutions for the issue as well. If this doesn’t work…

Bring up the subject of needing help from outside, such as the assistance of a specialist/therapist. Family counselling can shed a lot of light on toxic behaviours that are ingrained from childhood (both in their case and yours), on fears your parent may have, stress from their work, whatever is causing their outbursts and anger - because there is always a reason. Behind anger is sadness, and behind sadness is some need not being met, or an underlying fear, trauma, etc. This is not a justification for their behaviour, they are responsible for it; this is simply the fact of how energy dynamics work. People bottle up their frustrations, fears, etc, and let them out on those closest to them, to whom they feel superior. It’s not fair, and it’s not healthy, but it is frequently how this pattern works. If this solution doesn’t work either…

Then unfortunately, all you can do is focus on yourself. If they refuse to meet you anywhere along the road, you have to pack up your things and go your own way. Literally or metaphorically. They may be your parent and you may love them even in spite of their behaviour, but you cannot hold yourself responsible for anything they say or do; that is on them. In those cases, you have to prioritize your own mental health and wellbeing, and focus on moving out. If your (home) environment is toxic, you have to focus on first changing it. That’s vital. Only afterwards can you start healing, refinding yourself, reclaiming your self-esteem and confidence, your sense of worth. As long as you stay stuck in a toxic environment, you cannot really heal; if there is abuse of any kind (physical, mental, emotional), the causes are still there, leading to re-traumatizing.

If for whatever reason moving out is not (yet) an option, I would emphasize seeking some sort of counselling for yourself, if nothing else. You need an anchor, some sort of support that will help you along your path until you do get out.

Now, I don’t know how old you are. I am going to assume you are over 18 and of age, so only mind my advice if that is the case. (As disclaimer, I don't provide advice to minors as it's not the scope of my blog nor am I specialized/focused on that area.)

I understand moving out seems scary because it is unknown, but with that line of thought you may wait another 10 years in the same situation. Wouldn’t you wake up 10 years later already having done the hard work on moving out, finding your independence, claiming your sense of individuality and moving on from this sort of environment, this phase in your life?

Sooner is better than later, but do so with mindfulness and care over your mental health, of course. I know it’s scary. But being an adult requires some difficult decisions at times, and setting boundaries begins with choosing your wellbeing and doing what needs to be done, even if it is something uncomfortable short-term, but highly rewarding and beneficial long-term.

Hope this helps... and wishing you much luck, clarity, gentle guidance and comfort.✨

PS: Lately I've been receiving longer and longer letters in my inbox. As solution, I was thinking of having longer asks/letters redirected to my blog where there isn't any length limit, and readers can more comfortably browse both my tumblr and blog - and those requesting advice can share and receive a more in-depth response.

-Lumen

#mental health #toxic relationship #toxic environment #boundaries #parenthood #ask #tw? not sure what to tag just in case #tw: swearing #tw: mental health #tw: anxiety

[emsylcatac]

Compatible

Summary:

When Ladybug brings some of the old magazines she used to read as a teenager to a sleepover with Chat Noir, they end up doing an 'Adrien Agreste compatibility test', something that she has done more than once as a teenager.

There's no way her partner could beat her at it and get a higher score than her. No way.

Read it on AO3

Ladynoir identity reveal commission for @multibug​​ ♥ | Donation drive @mlbforblm​

Thank you so much again for beta-reading this, @rosekasa​ ♥

The proceeds of this commission go to Color of Change, a racial justice organisation centered on the Black Lives Matter movement!

You can learn more about MLB for BLM & the different contributors on the blog, and you can view info for commissioning me for art or fics here!

You’re of course very welcome to commission any of our talented contributors and donate if you can! Otherwise you can help us to spread the word by reblogging the different posts from the blog! Thanks for your help ♥🤜🤛

* * * * *

Ladybug looked around the room at the mess she and Chat Noir had left from the evening before. Scattered UNO cards on the table, empty glasses and half empty bottles of wine and cider, a plate with only three or four cookies left, and abandoned game controllers on ottomans in front of the small TV.

They always left a mess when they had a sleepover together; always because they went to bed way too late and were too tired to clean it all.

She loved that.

She turned her head to look at her partner half-sitting beside her on the sofa bed. The sheets were pulled up his waist, and he was wearing a dark grey t-shirt v-neck as a pajama that suited him particularly well. She herself was wearing a red with tiny black polka-dots tank top, and a pair of small black pajama shorts.

Chat Noir was smiling at whatever he was reading on his phone. Ladybug propped her head on his shoulder, but kept her gaze away from the device.

“What are you looking at?”

He kept silent a few seconds, still grinning, before answering. “I told my best friend about what my supervisor said to me yesterday. He’s telling me he’s gonna buy an electric racket for mosquitoes and slap him with it.”

Ladybug chuckled. “I like your friend.”

Chat Noir was doing an internship somewhere in the city, and while it seemed like he enjoyed it, his supervisor sounded everything but kind to him. Something Ladybug couldn’t understand, knowing how nice her partner was.

“I thought you would,” he replied, turning his phone off and putting it on the nightstand.

After defeating Hawkmoth four years ago, Ladybug and Chat Noir had both taken a break to focus on their studies. He had been somewhere abroad from what she gathered; she had studied in another city. Now they were both back in Paris and had been for a year; a new threat needing the heroes had arisen.

It had been good to see her partner and best friend again after all this time, a deliverance of sorts. Being older opened up to a lot more freedom than they had as young teenagers: they were more lenient regarding their identities, for one. Ladybug even offered more than once to reveal each other, but Chat Noir told her he was not quite ready yet. It had surprised her a lot, but if he needed time, she would let him take it.

Still, it hadn’t kept them from getting even closer than they used to be.

Ladybug wished they could be even closer. She suspected that Chat Noir probably did, too, yet neither of them pushed for it. The very comfortable friendship they had now established was both a blessing and a curse in that regard.

While it was easier for her to stay at her parent’s house for now, Chat Noir had had a new personal studio. It wasn’t big; just the kind of place you’d expect from any average student having to rent a far too expensive place for what it was, courtesy of living in Paris—but it was enough. It was great to plot against their enemy… or for sleepovers, a habit they had taken soon after he got it.

Chat Noir looked at the pile of old magazines she had brought—they were the ones she read as a teenager, the ones she gossiped about with Alya during their sleepovers. She had thought it could be fun to try that with him, even if they were definitely not up to date.

“We forgot to read those!” he exclaimed, getting up.

She watched as he closed his eyes to pick one at random, and brought it back to the bed.

“Which one did you get?”

“Let’s see… oooh, ‘Clara Rossignole is looking for a Ladybug and a Chat Noir for her next music video’”, he read aloud. “Wow. How old is that stuff?”

“Er, I think I must have been fifteen or something so… Seven years old?”

“Amazing! Exactly what I need to keep up with the latest juicy gossip!” He grinned.

Ladybug laughed and leaned on his shoulder to have a better look at the magazine. She remembered that one with this cover very well, it was the one where there was a personality test about—

“‘How compatible are you with teen model Adrien Agreste’, page 21.” Chat Noir fake-gasped. “Spiiicy! Let’s do it!”

As he opened the magazine, Ladybug hoped that it wouldn’t be too obvious to see how easy it was to find the page right away. Despite the years that had passed, the page was still bearing the marks of having been opened and opened again and stared at for far too long, more than any other.

If he noticed, Chat Noir chose not to comment.

He grabbed a four-coloured pen on his nightstand. “Wow, my Lady, that’s a lot of ink on there! We can barely see the little symbols in front of the answers.”

Well. She had had to take the test more than once to get a better score. She’d been aiming for a hundred percent compatibility, a hundred-and-one if she was lucky, or over-compatible—as she should have been back then according to herself.

Not that she would admit that to him.

“I had done it with friends. That’s why it’s so… inky.”

Chat Noir hummed, suspicious, but didn’t push further.

“And it doesn’t work with symbols, it’s a points system. So we can’t cheat,” she added.

She would know. She had tried.

He snorted. “You remember this surprisingly well, Buguinette.”

She didn’t comment on that very accurate observation. Instead, she dropped a kiss on his cheek.

“Why do you want to do that test anyway?”

“Because it’s fun! And to see if I can get a better score than you,” he said.

She scoffed. “As if you would win! I’m unbeatable at this.”

That made him snicker. “Unlike with UNO?”

She glared at him at that and pulled her head away from his shoulder. He brought her back with an arm around her, and kissed her temple apologetically.

She begrudgingly accepted the kiss. Very begrudgingly. (She couldn’t help but smile at the contact of his lips).

(She also couldn’t help but snuggle closer to him).

“So,” Chat Noir went on, “what do we have for the first question… Oooh, ‘which colour is your favourite? Green, Blue, Pink or Red?’,” he raised a brow. “That’s not a lot of choices in my opinion.”

“Blue,” Ladybug automatically answered.

Chat Noir snorted. “No, yours is pink Bugacheat, I know that well enough,” and he circled the answer in red. “However, mine is blue.”

“Maybe I changed favourite colour.”

“No, you didn’t,” he replied flatly. She pouted. “Next question. ‘What is your favourite season?’”

Ladybug pondered. She liked all seasons, after all; they each had their charm.

“Can’t we pick all of them?”

“Well, apparently you can’t because, according to this very accurate magazine, Adrien Agreste has only one favourite season.”

“Write ‘autumn’, then,” she decided.

He circled it in red for her, and circled spring in green for him.

“Okay, ‘how many times do you blink in the span of a minute? Fifteen, eighteen, twenty or twenty-two”, he frowned. “Where did they even get these information?”

“They have very good sources.”

“Sure,” he snorted. “Does Adrien Agreste himself even know the answer to that?”

“Well, of course, it’s in the magazine,” she laughed.

She knew it couldn’t really be trusted, but she liked to take these facts as straight science when she was younger.

“God, these tests are so bad,” Chat Noir shook his head. “How is that suppose to tell you if you’re compatible with him or not?”

“Hey! Don’t criticise my magazine or you’ll offend mini-me!”

“Well, Babybug, I think the questions from your magazine are dumb. And I’m answering… I don’t know... eighteen maybe?”

“Put twenty-two for me,” she said proudly.

She remembered the answer corresponding to Adrien’s to that question, but he didn’t need to know that.

They went on like that through the rest of the test, from morning routine to favourite scent—“Ew, why are one of the answers camembert?”— and gut reaction when faced with an akuma—“you would jump off of a building, Kitty”.  Ladybug tried to answer what ‘Adrien’ would do instead of herself, and Chat Noir corrected her each time—“I choose passion fruits!” - “there’s a reason you always take strawberry ice-creams, my Lady. You can’t fool me!” — until they arrived at the end of the test.

“Aaaaand I’ve got a score of…” Chat Noir paused, looking and calculating the results, “eighty-six percent! While you, on the other hand, despite trying to cheat on at least five questions—”

“Hey!”

“—have a score of… Aw, only forty-one!”

“What?!” Ladybug all but screamed.

“Ah, yes, it looks like I beat you Buguinette!” The little shit sounded so proud with himself.

“There’s no way your score is higher than mine,” she said, snatching the magazine from his hands and scrupulously recounting the points herself.

There was no way, indeed.

And yet.

Chat Noir knew how to count, alright. Ladybug was silently fuming.

No, it didn’t matter anymore whether she was compatible with her old crush or not. And yes, the magazine was probably incorrect anyway.

And sure, Adrien was twenty-two now, not fifteen, so his answers would probably not be the same anymore, but still.

She had to defend young-Marinette’s honour.

And in honour of young-Marinette’s past struggles and unconditional love, there was no way Chat Noir of all people could be more compatible with Adrien than herself.

Chat Noir’s laughters brought her out of her shocked horror.

“Aw, don’t pull that face, Bugachups, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose! Maybe you’ll beat me to the next! Say, they don’t have a compatibility test with Chat Noir by any chan—”

“You cheated.” She stated it calmly but coldly. She had to be calm about it. “You must have.”

Chat Noir guffawed. “I’m not you! Also why so upset? Afraid I ruined your chances with…” he took the magazine back from her hands to read the caption under the test’s title, “...Paris’ favourite teenage boy?” He frowned. “Hey, shouldn’t that have been me at the tim—”

“No, I’m not afraid of anything like that,” she grumbled. “It’s just that… I used to know everything there was to know about Adrien Agreste back in the day.”

He blinked. “Everything?!”

“Everything,” she repeated. “Also, I don’t need to do a Chat Noir compatibility test to know that I’d get a hundred percent at it.”

He snickered. “I sure do hope that you’d get a higher score with me than that poor forty-one percent.”

She hit him with her pillow. For making fun of her, and for not having taken the bait.

“Yes,” she insisted, “I’d have a better score and I’d get the highest, thank you very much.”

He gently pinched and squished her cheeks while nuzzling his nose against hers teasingly. “Aaaww, of course we would be the most compatible Buguichou, we’re made for each other!”

Better.

Still, they had become so comfortable with each other now that it could mean everything and nothing.

“Chat Noooiiiiir,” she whined in lieu of pushing further, “stop annoying me!”

He released her and laughed. “You love it when I annoy you!”

Yes.

“No.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Anyway.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “What was it about you knowing everything there was to know about teen model, Paris' darling extraordinaire Adrien Agreste?”

She groaned. “Please can we not?”

“No. I want to know more about the boy I’m eighty-six percent compatible with, Bugaboo! And who better to teach me all I need to know other than the finest expert you aaaaar—”

She snatched the magazine back from his hands and swatted him with it.

“You’re” —swat— “not” —swat— “more compatible than me” —hit— “with Adrien” she had him pinned on the bed and he was giggling, trying and failing to push her away, “because I had the biggest crush” —swat— “on him and I was” —swat— “in love with him, do you understand?”

She stopped hitting him to throw him her deadliest look.

“Wait, what?” he said, still grinning from the fight. “You were in love with him like… in love love?”

She crossed her arms. “Yes, I was in love love with him.”

He snorted. And then, slowly, his body shook more and more, the laughters coming from him getting louder and louder.

“You—,” he choked, raising a finger in her direction, “you were in love with Adrien Agreste when we were fifteen.”

She sighed. “Yes, I was in love with Adrien Agreste. Go on, laugh all you want, ‘ha-ha-ha, Ladybug was in love with Hawkmoth’s son, ha-ha,’ so funny.”

“Oh my god, yes, Ladybug in love with our enemy’s son,” he kept laughing. “Waaait, wait wait, hold on, that’s excellent but… when you told me you were in love with someone else, back then…”

Her stomach fluttered at the memory that yes, Chat Noir used to be in love with her.

“...Does that mean that he was the boy you were referring to?” he looked at her expectantly.

She didn’t reply.

“He was?!" he exclaimed. “Ladybug, that’s… that’s… that’s hilarious!” and he was back laughing, even louder than before.

She glared at him, before grabbing her pillow once again and hitting him with it.

“No, no—I’ll stop, I’ll stop! But you don’t understand, this is so funny!”

“I really don’t see why.” And with that she lay down on the bed and turned around, her back to him. “Adrien is a very sweet person, I had great taste.”

Today, however, by loving Chat Noir? Maybe not so much, she decided.

A warm hand settled on her arm.

(She still had great tastes).

“Say, my Lady… if you were to meet that Adrien boy today and he were to ask you on a date… would you say yes?” She could still hear the remainder of his amusement in his voice, but he seemed to have calmed down, now.

She turned around to face him. He was lying on the side, propped on one elbow with his head resting on his hand. She pondered his question a few seconds. She hadn’t seen Adrien in a while, after all.

And… there was someone else now. She wasn’t fifteen anymore.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

He was rubbing small circles on her arm.

“Oh?” he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. “What would fifteen-year-old-Bugbooboo think about that?”

She snorted. “She wouldn’t believe I’d ever say that. She’d think I lost my mind.”

He chuckled with her.

She frowned. “But… well, we all change when we grow up and… Adrien is probably still a great person. And I mean, with what he had to go through, I admire him a lot. But also, there’s some—… there’s…  there’s...”

“There’s what?”

You.

“Chat Nooiiir,” she tugged at the kwagatama around his neck instead, and raised her eyes to his. She bit her lip. “You know.”

She couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. Even after all these years, confessing was still something she found herself struggling with. But she kept his gaze as he silently searched hers; she wouldn’t back away or hide from it.

She kept it as he slowly took the hand that was fiddling with his necklace and lifted it to his lips. Kept it as he gently kissed the tips of her fingers. As she felt a shiver and the heat rising to her cheeks and was sure he could see it, too.

And she still kept his gaze as he lowered their hands on the mattress, and caressed hers with his thumb.

He knew.

And he reciprocated. She put a hand on his cheek, and slowly brought her face closer to his. She was about to close her eyes and the gap between them when a finger on her lips interrupted her.

Chat Noir closed his eyes, letting a small smile tug at his lips. Took a deep breath. Exhaled.

Opened his eyes again and looked right into hers.

“What if…” he said nervously, almost as a murmur, a deep contrast to his amusement from earlier. “What if I told you that… that you could have both? In one person.”

Her eyes widened. She sat up suddenly and grabbed his face. Did he mean that—

“Chaton?!” she said surprised —questioning. Her eyes frantically searched his.

He took one of her hands and brought it to his mask. And slowly nodded.

Carefully, shaking, she removed the home-sewed mask from his face.

His eyes were closed, but it was the unmistakable face of Adrien that met her. And older Adrien, an Adrien who was still the same but also so different.

An Adrien who was Chat Noir, and had always been—an Adrien that she knew more than she could have possibly thought.

As he opened his eyes to look at her, she took both his hands and kissed them. She noticed that she was crying when she saw tears dropping on his ring. She didn’t care.

It suddenly hit her that this boy had had to fight against his own father—and that it was certainly why he hadn’t been ready to show himself before. What he just did now, finally revealing himself to her—this was huge.

But looking at his gaze, soft from her actions, and feeling his hand wiping her tears away, she decided that it was probably not something he wanted to discuss now. And she didn’t want to ruin their moment, their reveal, with pity and talks about his father: the very thing he had probably tried to avoid when he was still insecure about who he was under the mask.

She giggled through her tears. “You’re beautiful,” is what first made its way out of her mouth.

That made him laugh and oh god, she was making him cry too now.

“Take off my mask. Please,” she whispered, kissing his fingers once more.

He sat up next to her, are gently put a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Then, he did as she told—and gasped.

“You—you’re Marinette!”

She giggled again. “And you’re Adrien!”

“I was thinking about you the other day. I was wondering how you were doing and…” he trailed off.

“And now you know!”

“And now I know!” he grinned. “You’re wonderful… I missed you so much but… it also sounds weird to say that now, doesn’t it?”

“Well… we could still catch up, around a coffee and uh… is this date with both Chat Noir and Adrien still on the table?” she asked.

Was she being a bit too straight forward? Probably. But she had troubles to control her mouth right now.

“When will it not?” he breathed.

She squealed and wiggled on her spot, grabbing his face. But before she could come closer to him, she faltered and stopped, remembering his finger on her lips a few minutes before.

“Uh, can I kiss you this time?”

He chuckled, a soft blush gracing his cheeks—and kissed her in answer.

She immediately closed her eyes at the contact of his lips and kissed him back—slowly, deeply, tasting him as much as she could. He tilted his head to give her a better access, and she climbed on his laps to be more comfortable—and closer to him.

Marinette lost count of how many times they came back for each other, of how many times their lips met, or their tongues. She felt so happy and so good—so in love.

When they separated and looked at each other, shy and giddy smiles on their faces, she couldn’t help but drop another tender kiss on his cheek, and caressed it afterwards.

“Now I know what you found so funny earlier,” she told him.

“It’s hilarious, right? We were so dumb!”

“We still are,” she added.

“We definitely still are. I can’t believe I didn’t know that Marinette was in love with me in collège, wow.”

“Is in love with you,” she corrected, still caressing his cheeks. “Present tense.”

She would always remember the look on his face when she said it. He was in love with her too, there was no doubt about it.

Suddenly, she was hit with a realisation and looked at him in horror. “Wait a minute. That means… That I have only forty-one percent compatibility with Chat Noir?!”

Adrien burst out laughing. “My Laaaady, you can’t seriously believe these tests, right?”

“Well, no, but we still should have way more compatibility than forty-one percent. Who even has that with their super-hero partner?”

“Marinette,” he said, amused, “my Bugabisous…I don’t even have a hundred percent with myself. It would be hard to live in my own head.”

She blinked. “You’re right. That test is dumb. But how do we know if we’re the most compatible then?”

Adrien chuckled, and put his hands around her waist, bringing her closer to him. “Well, you’re the Guardian, I think you can make up the rules for that.”

She put her arms around his neck. “That’s true. Then I decide that we’re a hundred percent compatible.”

“A hundred percent, uh?”

Their foreheads were touching now.

“A hundred-and-one,” she whispered against his lips, and she kissed him.

#ml fanfic #mlbforblm #commission #aged-up characters #they're like 22-ish #rated T #identity reveal #ladynoir #ladybug #chat noir #pre-relationship #they're still in love though #but also very close & comfortable friends #fluff #mine #myshitwriting #80% of the fic is banter #20% ladybug hitting chat noir with her pillow #they kiss too #maría made a cameo too can u spot her jhfs

[flufflepuffle296]

B99 x MIRACULOUS

Ok this is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever had but shut up. Also I’m not American so sorry if I get the geography wrong. Also I’m sorry but I’m on mobile so can’t add the “keep reading” tag and this is a long post so sorry if you don’t like b99 xxx.

So there are a lot of “class goes to Gotham and leaves Marinette behind and she gets adopted by the Wayne’s” Fics. I was thinking about Brooklyn 99 and was thinking if a similar thing could happen?

Soooo......

Bustier’s Class goes to NY and tours around the cities, seeing sights and meeting people (Lila bragging about knowing everyone oh so humbly in the background).

On the day that they’re supposed to leave from Brooklyn, Lila makes Marinette miss their flight, and Bustier just accepts that everyone’s there and leaves without her.

Marinette wakes up and PANICS because SHE’S ALONE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WITH NO WAY OF GETTING BACK.

She calms down and after consulting the hotel staff, heads towards the nearby police station to get some help.

CROSSOVER TIME

She meets the squad, and Santiago starts gushing over how sweet she is.

Rosa even smiles...

She explains the situation, and Santiago is quickly on the phone screaming at some poor man about how Flight 749675 to Paris should legally turn around!!!!!

In the meantime....

Marinette starts talking about Lila and the class, which leads to Rosa teaching her how to throw knives (“SHE NEEDS TO LEARN TERRY”) and Holt teaching her how to be an ice queen towards her class as they converse in French.

Boyle and Marinette exchange recipes and critique each other’s paella.

At some point Gina gets called in because there is a young girl who needs to think better of herself and be told she’s a Britney Spears equivalent and should act like one a few times.

Jake gets her to set up pranks with him on Santiago, who’s reciting part B subsection D of Brooklyn aviation protocol angrily to a TSA Agent now.

At the end of the night, she still has no way of getting back home any time soon, or anywhere to stay, so Terry and Sharron take her in for the night. She is really good with the kids, and they are all quiet.

Terry nearly cries with joy at the silence.

About a week later, she’s learnt how to throw knives, axes, use nunchucks, how to shoot a gun, stab someone AND get away with it from Rosa, as well as improved her English, learnt a little Flemish and learnt how to become an Ice Queen from Holt.

She’s made $150 just from keeping Terry’s kids quiet, and from helping Boyle create a new sexy cat costume.

Santiago makes sure she and Jake don’t eat too much sugar, and she officially knows how to walk down a runway for when she reveals herself as MDC thanks to Gina.

She becomes best friends with Hitchcock and Scully because a) she and Scully both speak French and b) she lives in a bakery and promised them free treats if they visit, at one point even challenging them to an eating contest...

...and it ended in a tie....

Ladybug helps them as a vigilante now and again (Jake nearly passed out at the thought of a superhero bug helping them).

They finally manage to take Marinette back home, and escort her back to school.

When they finally reach Bustier’s class, they overhear Lila ranting about how Marinette is clearly skiving off school and should be suspended to the teacher (or rather Holt, Scully and Marinette translate for the group.)

Terry breaks down the door at this, closely followed by Rosa holding SEVERAL DAGGERS (which Holt was not pleased about!)

Bustier’s shocked to say the least, but needs to make a good impression on these people, so starts reprimanding her problem student Marinette for lying and truancy.

Santiago starts smugly ranting in French to the teacher, listing what she’s done wrong and how she could be tríaled under both French and American law (and yes, she did learn as much French as possible specifically for this rant).

Bustier tries to excuse herself by blaming Marinette, but Gina comes swooping in, criticising Bustier’s fashion sense and exposing her with stuff she found out about her from when she was 7 (of course Bustier is terrified).

When they arrive back at the bakery, Jake gets adopted by Tom immediately and Sabine helps Boyle with his cooking blog, as well as discussing Martial arts with Rosa and being given all the tips on how to sue Bustier from Santiago.

Years later Marinette becomes a fashion designer in New York, and is advertised on Gina’s blog. Jake and Amy find out she’s Ladybug (Holt figured it out immediately) and she helps them all with cases, and helps out the kids that come in.

#lila salt #marinette dupain cheng #miraculous #mlb #miraculous ladybug #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #bustier salt #bustiers class #class salt #b99 x mlb #ladybug #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #miraculous lila #ml lila #brooklyn 99 x miraculous #mlb crossover #miraculous crossover #marinette deserves better #ml prompt