#that holiday is dangerous it keeps people from their destinies | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fadecrow · 2 years

Text

Encanto Tiny Gods AU

(Yes I took the name from a Shayfer James song shhhh)

AU where the gifts aren't simple gifts, they are actually slow-acting instances of apotheosis. Idk too much about the inspiration novel or whether gods were involved, and I'm basing this all on only what you see in the movie while assuming the village has an isolated unique culture, so any parallels to the book or real life faiths are accidental.

Each of them has a journey to work out before they could be considered fully-fledged experienced gods, and it would be interesting to write out how they achieve this without a stereotypical Disney guide that knows everything. Will I write it? Probably not but feel free to steal this idea for your own stuff.

Pepa is a goddess of the skies and weather, and also later learns that she has a bit of general influence over emotions. Her journey is learning how to control the way her own emotions affect her power and influence the weather as a separate act. (Not the way Abuela did it where her emotions themselves were pushed down.)

Bruno is a god of fate/destiny and loyalty, his journey is rediscovering his sense of belonging after being separated from his family for so long, and perhaps a realization that his visions aren't 100% set in stone every time despite what the common belief is. (IMO they are what is most likely to happen, but when properly understood they can sometimes be avoided. Like the one guy that got fat in his vision could have watched his fitness and been fine, but the bald guy and fish lady were affected by the progression of time and they couldn't avoid that one. The casita falling apart might have been avoided but the vision wasn't understood.)

Julieta is a goddess of love and medicine, and her journey is probably teaching her daughters serenity and dealing with her own burnout she must get from time to time. Overall, I think she is one of the characters who slides into her apotheosis most smoothly.

Dolores is a goddess of stories, both the keeping of history and the way rumors spread, and she is also generally considered a goddess of communication and messengers. Her journey is to learn how and when to communicate and to be an effective negotiator instead of panicking. Mariano surprisingly helps her a lot with this, giving her some of the support she needs to flourish despite the pressure.

Camilo is my favorite kind of god, the gender-fuckery trickster party god! He's actually also seen as a protector-guide for children, people trust him with them and he does good with them. When he comes into his god powers he feels the pull of kids' "prayers" stronger than those of adults. (The adults are not quiet the kids are just LOUD.) His journey is probably learning how to best apply his mischief when he isn't entertaining people and generally doing what tricksters do best, solving problems with mayhem.

Antonio is one half of a nature god duo (with Isabela), he represents the wilds and how the life in them must be respected. He generally keeps the miracle village safe from wildlife that could be dangerous, and sometimes his animal friends actually help the village out. His journey is another smooth one, as he gets to watch his older siblings and cousins deal with it before he has to, and I feel like there isn't a really big struggle he faces. He just grows into his powers naturally. Maybe he has to help the village balance its growth with the safety of the surrounding ecosystem?

Luisa is a goddess of strength and work, similar to Zenithar/Z'en/Zeht from the Elder Scrolls, but I feel like she also serves as an example of work balance so that her people don't hurt themselves from doing too much. Her festivals are mainly long holidays that encourage people in the village to rest, eat, and play. She shares a harvest festival with Isa which occurs just after production hits its peak. Her journey is shown a little in the movie, learning that even though she embodies work she shouldn't feel pressured all the time. I feel like even after the casita is restored she still had periods of overwork and stress that she needed to get past.

Isabela is a nature goddess, and represents plant life in general, and duality is a really present theme in her iconography. Portraits and such are often done with one side of her showing agricultural goods, flowers, and soft grasses, while the other side has thorny wild plants, huge thick forests, and plants known to be poisonous. She helps the harvests, but her stories often serve to warn about how dangerous it can be to get into plants that are unknown. One myth definitely springs up from the time she told Camilo not to mess with a toxic plant but he did it anyway and got a bad rash. Her most common worshippers tend to be farmers and foragers, with some being healers that use a lot of plants in their medicines. Her journey is partially shown in the movie, learning that she can do more than be perfect and soft all the time.

Mirabel also goes through an apotheosis despite not having a gift (because I couldn't bear to make her mortal it would be too sad) and it would baffle her for a little bit. She has an aspect similar to Bruno's secondary power, being that of community and familial bonds and perseverance, but she operates a little differently than he does. Mirabel tends to be more active while Bruno shows his loyalty by standing with his family and friends, and she really has to get out there and do things when she doesn't have any outwardly dramatic powers to show off. Her deific nature manifests as a subtle rallying effect in her presence, and she can really inspire the village residents to work together when tensions rise just by being at the front of their efforts.

Alma is still mortal, but she and Pedro are memorialized as the ones who brought these tiny gods into the world to watch over the miracle village and keep them safe.

Anyway, this was made because @themountainsays got me thinking about Encanto AUs and I love gods/mythology and worldbuilding so. It's here now. Have fun playing with the immortal Madrigals, and be nice to each other! Rude people will be blocked.

#encanto #encanto au #madrigalcest #maybe?#I'm gonna put the tag #even though no ships are directly mentioned here #just in case shippers want to write in this au #long post

19 notes · View notes

whorenerdking · 4 years

Text

the headmaster of ever after high is a homophobe pass it on

#ever after high #eah #watching the true hearts day episode #and he’s like #that holiday is dangerous it keeps people from their destinies #like #dang bro #harsh much?

40 notes · View notes

wolfstarlibrarian · 3 years

Note

If I missed it in the card catalog, I’m really sorry, but I was hoping for a list of fics where Remus didn’t get to go to Hogwarts. Do you have one?

Oh! Thank you for this ask friend, since this is a popular trope that the Library definitely needs a list for!

Remus Didn’t Go to Hogwarts

Sweet Nuthin' by @kattlupin When the summer between third and fourth year begins, Sirius expects it to be nothing but lazy days, harmless pranks with James, and the occasional meet-up with the rest of his friends from Hogwarts. Those plans go out the window rather quickly when he gets a sudden glimpse of Remus Lupin, a mysterious boy who changes everything about Sirius Black's life and shows him that love will always win in the end.

The Crooked Age by @aryastark-valarmorghulis Remus Lupin never went to Hogwarts/No Voldemort AU. Remus was never allowed to go to Hogwarts and met Sirius later in life. "But who said the most logical, conformist solution was always the right answer? Mainstream, boring, by-the-book people. Remus seemed to be a bit of an eccentric. It was refreshing."

L'homme de Mes Rêves -orphaned account Auror Sirius Black is in love with a French Muggle. Forced to keep the fact that he's a wizard secret, he still wants to move things forward. Only things aren't as easy as they seem, which Sirius learns the hard way after taking Remus on a short holiday.

Hey You by @greywarde While filling in for the temporarily incapacitated Transfiguration professor, Sirius finds himself rather fascinated by the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, Remus Lupin.

Baby It's Love Calling -orphaned account

Post-Hogwarts, Sirius Black is searching for something, he's just not sure what. James has moved on-married and a newborn baby to content with. So deciding he is going to find out for himself what's out there in the world, he packs up and heads to a Muggle University in San Francisco. There he meets Remus Lupin, the mysterious Teacher's Assistant, who very clearly, has some hidden secrets. At first Sirius wants to sate his curiosity, but eventually finding out what Remus is hiding becomes a near obsession.

Christmas At St. Mungo's by @actuallyginnyweasley The full moon fell on Christmas Eve, but thankfully St. Mungo's has a new program in place. Safe Space was created to give werewolves a safe place to transform where they're not in danger of hurting others, only themselves. On Christmas day, Remus is recovering, when a group of people get put at the bed next to him, one of whom is too attractive to be allowed

Alt Ed by @nachodiablo “Remus? Who the bloody hell is Remus?” James is scrambling to straighten his chair as McGonagall glares at him from the head table. Mary smiles innocently. “Oh, just a new friend that Lily met over the holidays. He’s homeschooled, just moved into her neighborhood it seems. She says he’s very clever. And I hear he’s quite fit, as well.”

full moon twofold by renaissance Remus never settles anywhere for long, but the unconditional offer of a roof over his head for a month is more than he can bring himself to turn down. Sirius is back home, one foot in each camp as he plays the role of the dutiful son to gather information for the Order. Learning to trust in stability can be just as frightening as embracing disruption. Like all good stories, this one has two sides.

The Man & the chase - or how destiny works by @wanderingbandurria

Auror Sirius Black feels like he's so, so close to figuring out the boring case he was assigned. After that, he can move to more important things. But then he makes his first big mistake of his career: he decides to go sit down in the same pub as his prime suspect. It was just supposed to be some harmless intimidation tactic.It doesn’t seem to work with the guy.

Wilde and Whimsy by achilees, chasingbluefish In a world where Dumbledore defeated Voldemort during the first war, the wizarding community is picking up the pieces and getting back to their lives. Remus Lupin becomes a person of interest in a murder at the bookshop where he works and Sirius Black and James Potter, aurors, are sent to investigate. As they navigate the crime itself, Remus and Sirius realize that there is something to their instant chemistry. But they need to keep their newfound attraction under wraps while trying to find the killer and stop them from claiming more victims.

The Spy by @yumenouveau Remus knew it would happen eventually. That all the lies he'd told Sirius would come crashing down upon him. But he never imagined it would go over quite like this

A different kettle of fish by @hipsterdiva Remus Lupin has always lived in a houseboat, since he was a little child. When he arrives in London for a job, he meets a mysterious stranger. Because sometimes you cannot escape fate.

Share this list with your own recs!

#remus didn't go to hogwarts #remus lupin #wolfstar #sirius black #remus x sirius #hogwarts

139 notes · View notes

thealexchen · 3 years

Text

One Year On: Life is Strange 2 Critique

December 3rd, 2020 marks a year since Life is Strange 2 ended. I was inspired by @smitethepatriarchy‘s text posts (here, but there are several other answered asks worth reading) and @suhaplays’s text post (here) criticizing Life is Strange 2 to write a critique about how Life is Strange 2 handled certain themes and social issues.

(tw: gun violence, police brutality, animal death, incarceration, racism. In this essay, I use the word “queer” in a reclaimed sense, as a queer person myself. Of course, spoiler warning for all five episodes of Life is Strange 1 and 2).

A year on, my feelings about this game have soured... a lot. When the game was first announced, I was overjoyed that our new protagonists would be two Latino boys. Finally, we would have a culturally meaningful, groundbreaking video game with people of color and their experiences at the forefront!

Then the game was met with immediate backlash and I utterly exhausted myself defending it for weeks on Reddit and Tumblr. Throughout 2019, as the episodes came out I became increasingly disillusioned, frustrated, and disappointed with where the story was going. I couldn’t figure out why I felt so damn miserable while playing this game.

Then in the summer of 2020, when Tell Me Why began rolling out pre-release material, I noticed that they posted a Q&A about transphobia, gave content warnings, and discussed at length about their collaboration with GLAAD, Checkpoint, and the Huna Heritage Foundation to make the game with sensitivity and proper research. I cannot speak for trans and gender non-conforming people on whether Dontnod succeeded at doing so with Tell Me Why. But Life is Strange 2 did… none of that.

Essentially, I realized that the reason why I was so frustrated with LiS2 is because it focuses way too heavily on a trauma narrative. This comes off as insensitive to players of color without any content warnings or extensive research.

Sean didn’t have to get kidnapped, kicked in the face, and called a racial slur by a gas station owner. Daniel did not need to watch his puppy get mauled by a mountain lion for the sake of a “difficult choice.” Sean didn’t have to lose his eye for the sake of heightened drama. Sean didn’t need to get called a racial slur and humiliated by his native language/beaten in the desert for refusing to sing. Daniel didn’t need to get shot— twice. Hell, all of “Faith” probably could’ve been cut— how is a church cult that brainwashes Daniel and beats Sean half to death relevant at all to the story?

Even if not all of the game’s violence was racially motivated, the consistent trauma that Sean and Daniel endure does not make for positive representation— or even good characterization. There is a difference between sympathetic characters and well-written characters, and trauma does not make Sean and Daniel any more complex or likable-- just more fucking traumatized.

LiS2 is more grounded in reality, but that also makes plot holes that much harder to excuse (Daniel’s powers being spotted, most of the Parting Ways ending, Sean’s prison sentence). But most of all, it grounds all of Sean and Daniel’s pain and trauma in reality.

There is no magicking away a town-destroying storm with time travel. Sean can’t keep his dad alive by ripping up a Polaroid. After Max unlocked her powers, she was still a Blackwell student, reconnecting with Chloe, taking photos, saving lives, and uncovering a murder mystery. After Daniel unlocked his powers, the Diaz brothers lost everything.

The game never lets you forget that Sean and Daniel are homeless, wanted, constantly in danger, and that they are never getting their old lives back. It permeates the entire game, and for players of color, just reinforces a sad, miserable, grim reality about living in the United States. It is, as @smitethepatriarchy said, potentially triggering for players of color, and it is certainly not something I needed to be reminded of.

And the representation of POC? It feels shallow and ill-researched. It would only take a Google search to find out that Dia de Muertos (a holiday to honor the dead, no less) was from October 31 to November 2 in 2016, the year the game takes place, but Daniel only talks about Halloween in episode 1. Sean and Daniel never discuss any Mexican customs, foods, or holidays. Sean doesn’t speak Spanish with his immigrant father, only during a scene when he’s traumatized (again!) by two racists, and again when talking to Mexican immigrants— in jail. Daniel doesn’t speak Spanish at all. Most of their allies throughout the game are white, including Finn and Cassidy, who appropriate Black culture with their dreadlocks.

So what’s left? Sean and Daniel’s existence as people of color is, at worst, just a narrative prop to justify everything that happens to them. They are people of color on the surface only. In a meta-sense, the game only considers the color of their skin and their last names as what is narratively important… yikes.

I don’t have anything against people who genuinely loved the game and were moved by its messages and story. But I can’t help but feel bitter that white players have the luxury of only thinking of this game as a work of fiction and not feeling any personal reliability to Sean and Daniel’s racialized trauma.

I don’t regret playing LiS2, but I do regret all the time and energy I spent defending it in the beginning. I understand now that I shouldn’t let people’s opinions get to me, nor should I feel obligated to like or defend a game for its attempts at representation. But now, I think I understand how queer fans must have felt in late 2015 when Polarized released. After following the game for 10 months, to see that Chloe’s ultimate destiny was to die and Pricefield is another ship plagued by the Bury Your Gays trope (in the ending that the devs clearly put more work into) must have been just as disillusioning and infuriating. I understand why some fans were so quick to unfollow LiS or develop mixed feelings about the series, because that’s how I feel too after following LiS2’s development from September 2018 to December 2019.

Before I end, I will admit that Life is Strange 2 arrived at a time when I needed it. I still stand by my belief that DN did a great job characterizing Sean, Daniel, and Chris without toxic masculinity, which is the best thing they could’ve done for a male-focused follow-up to a game about queer women. I love that Sean is still a canonically bisexual man of color in a major video game and that DN didn’t forget their queer audience. I love the world and characters that DN built, but I still prefer AU fanfictions of their normal lives, without all that trauma.

So, I will continue to treasure Lyla and her 10 minutes of screentime (aka the only shred of Asian American representation I can get from this series). I still reblog LiS2 fanart to support the artists. I still support Dontnod, because as Tell Me Why has shown, they are capable of researching and writing stories with more sensitivity. And let’s be honest-- I’m still gonna be hella excited if Life is Strange 3 is announced.

But so many aspects of Life is Strange 2 were bungled that it came off as a remarkably average and forgettable experience. A year on, I don’t hate Life is Strange 2, but I am writing this to move on from it.

Thank you for reading.

169 notes · View notes

lledron · 3 years

Text

Citas incorrectas Dracula Vlad / Anna Valeruios

Vlad: Okay, I’m going to get the wedding cake.

Anna: Perfect, while you do that I’ll check on the ring bear.

Vlad: ...

Vlad: You mean ring bearER, right?

Anna: ...

Vlad: Look me in the eyes and tell me you are not going to bring a dangerous wild animal to our wedding.

Anna: The first time I saw you, you stole my heart.

Vlad: But I'm a kleptomaniac, so that doesn't mean anything.

Vlad: *angrily presses Anna against a wall* WHERE'S THE BOOK?!

Anna: ...

Anna: Are we about to kiss-

Anna: That was so hot, Vlad.

Vlad: I literally called the person who just flirted with you a degenterate dog and told them I hope they get dragged through the streets.

Anna: I'm so in love with you.

Vlad: Are we fighting or flirting?

Anna: I'm pinning you against a wall with my hand around your neck-

Vlad: Your point?

Vlad: I love you.

Anna, not paying attention: What was that?

Vlad: I said I’m selling you to the zOo-

Anna: I think I just figured something out. I got to go.

Vlad: Aren't you forgetting something?

Anna: Uuh...*hesitantly kisses Vlad's forehead before running out.*

Vlad: No, pay your bill! Damn, who raised you?

Vlad: Valentine’s day is just a consumerist holiday that holds no real value other than drive people insane buying heart shaped chocolates for their significant others and pos-

Anna: I wrote you a poem.

Vlad, already crying: You did?

Anna: The stars are so beautiful...

Vlad: They're just giant balls of gas.

Anna: You know what, if you're just going to ruin this, then-

Vlad: And yet none of them are as huge as my love for you.

Anna: Oh...

Anna: Are you an F5 key? Because that ass is refreashing.

Vlad: Are you a software update? because not right now.

Vlad: Remember, Anna, don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Anna: I think I crossed that line when I got a date.

Vlad: Did it hurt when you fell-

Anna: From heaven? Wow, I didn’t think you were such a flirt-

Vlad: No, I meant when you fell down the stairs.

Anna: ...

Vlad: You just laid there for 15 minutes.

Vlad: That was so hot, Anna.

Anna: I literally called the person who just flirted with you a degenterate dog and told them I hope they get dragged through the streets.

Vlad: I'm so in love with you.

Anna: Relationships should be 50/50. Vlad cooks us dinner while I sit on the kitchen counter looking pretty.

Vlad: Are you trying to seduce me?

Anna: Why, are you seducible?

*Anna and Vlad are in Paris.*

Anna: I'm...moved. I...I don't know what it is I'm feeling right now. I feel...destiny?

Vlad: But...

Anna: I don't know what it is. I feel like... I just never thought I'd see it with my own two eyes. And here it is. It's just there. It's right in front of me, and...

Vlad: This is what you wanted to see? The bridge from Inception?

Anna: Yeah.

Vlad: But the Eiffel Tower is behind us, babe.

Anna: Yeah, but this is the bridge FROM INCEPTION.

Vlad: Okay, alright.

Vlad: My future partner must be brave, strong, intelligent, successful and organized.

Anna: *steps on a caterpillar and proceeds to drop to their knees and sob while apologizing profusely*

Vlad: That one. I want that one.

Anna: You’re not jealous, are you?

Vlad: No!

Anna: Good, ‘cause I consider my fake relationship with you a lot more meaningful.

Vlad: So you like cats?

Anna: Yeah.

Vlad: *tries to impress them by slowly pushing a glass off the table*

Anna, to Vlad: We had a date!

Anna: *aggressively points to Hello Kitty Coloring Book*

Anna: I owe you one.

Vlad: That’s ok. You can just date me and we’ll call it even.

Anna: We have a problem.

Vlad: No, YOU have a problem. I have an idiot who keeps making them.

Anna: Talk dirty to me, baby~

Vlad: The dishes.

Anna: Wh-

Vlad: They’ve been there for 4 days and it’s your turn to wash them. You still haven’t cleaned them and I have asked you to do so several times.

Anna: Smart is attractive. Educate me on something I don't know!

Vlad: The mouth of a jellyfish is also an anus.

Anna: Stop.

Anna, sweating: Vlad, there’s something I need to ask you-

Vlad: Finally! You’re proposing!

Anna: How’d you know?

Vlad: Anna, you’ve dropped the ring five times during dinner.

Vlad: I even picked it up once.

Anna: Can you cut me some slack, Vlad? I’m sort of in love.

Vlad: I’m sorry, but that’s really not my problem.

Anna: I’m in love with you.

Vlad: *blushes* Oh. That brings me in the loop a little.

Anna: Listen, we’re done, we’re over! Okay?

Vlad: Whatever bitch, you ain’t never gonna find no one like me.

Anna: Yeah, that's the point shithead!

Vlad: I’ve been dropping them the most insanely obvious hints for like a year now. No response.

Anna: Wow. They sound stupid.

Vlad: But they’re not. They’re really smart actually. Just dense.

Anna: Maybe you need to be more obvious? Like, I don’t know… “Hey! I love you!”

Vlad: I guess you’re right. Hey Anna, I love you.

Anna: See! Just say that!

Vlad: Holy fucking shit.

Anna: If that flies over their head then, sorry Vlad, but they're too dumb for you.

Vlad: Anna.

#anna valerious #anna valeruis #vlad dracula #dracula untold #van helsing 2004 #dracula #draculaxanna valeruios #dracanna

18 notes · View notes

crystal-moon-101 · 3 years

Note

Y and U? For the unnamed ask?

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?: I familiar with shows like Troll Hunter & Miraculous Lady Bug through a friend of mine, and I have been meaning to get into them, just a little busy and have a lack of energy 😅. I am also familiar with Yugioh (At least the earlier series), mostly because of the abridge and because I’m really into Season 0 stuff, as it’s more my kind of thing.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites: Given you gave me three, I think it’s only natural for me to pick from The Secret Generator 10 trio, as I always up to talk about these three and what they mean to me. Of course, they’re hardly perfect character, but they all are special in their on way for me, and I thought I’d discuss why.

Rex: My favourite out of the three, with his show being my all-time favourite. Development, interesting background, mystery, angst, tragic, fun to watch, mostly consistent, amazing powers, and gets so much found family stuff going on, he hits a lot of marks of what I love to see in a character, and the same does do good enough of a job with him. Rex is a character that plays well with the concept of being a child soldier, having amnesia, and being the key to the larger story at hand, and the show still treats him like a real person, living and breathing, and not just a means to screw over every time they want to plot to work.

He has many layers to him, at the start seeming like a cocky, daredevil, rule-breaking and rebellious teen, who you sometimes question he understands the weight of what is happening to the world and himself, but then you learn that he does understand, so much more than he lets on. While he is naturally charismatic and a jokester, you can tell he often puts up this mask of joy and playfulness just to make a dark world around him feel a little lighter, along with hiding how alone and scared he actually feels. Because well, who wouldn’t be when placed in a role like that? He knows very well he has powers tied to saving the die, even if he doesn’t fully understand them. He knows the danger the nanites and EVOs pose, but also knows the danger that humankind can pose if they’re not willing to listen to reason. When things do get tough, he knows when to cut the crap and be serious. He’s someone who knows the world isn’t black and white, even if he hates to admit it at times.

While we didn’t get to see much of it, I’ve always seen Rex as a part of three worlds. He works closely with normal humans, like Six and Holiday (As normal as you can be at Providence), and he understands how scared the world is, how scared every day people are that any second they or someone they love could turn into a monster and go on a rampage. And sometimes that hurts for Rex is that he often tries to connect to this part of the world, because he knows he was once part of it, and he thinks it can make him happy, but the obstacle blocking him is that he isn’t human anymore, and that many people are scared of him, even if he saves them. And yet despite all the harsh things people have said or done to him, Rex always comes back to be the hero, because he knows he can help and that there are people that need his help, and it’s commendable that he’s willing to put aside those issues to save the day, even if he doesn’t get a thank you out of it.

His second ties are, of course, to his EVO world. It’s interesting that, at the very start of the show, Rex use to have this view that everything EVO was wrong, most likely something he picked up at Providence, despite being one himself. He’s hesitant around them, and while he’s not one to kill, he’s often quick to think they’ll be a danger. And while he can be right about that most of the time, he does start to learn it’s not all that it seems. His Hong Kong friends, Circe, Breach, even someone like Biowulf eventually. He even eventually learns that, while he’s not normal, he’s not a bad person for being something not human. And it’s an interesting thought that while he’s one of the most human-looking EVOs, he can be considered one of the most dangerous, even more so than EVOs that look like overgrown monsters. His ties to the EVO world are what make him start to see the world isn’t black and white.

And then his third ties, kind of, are to his nanites and history. Despite how human looking Rex is, and that he is an EVO, he’s very much something different to both sides, a middle ground thanks to his connection to the nanites. It’s always fascinated me that something about him, out of anyone in the world, he has this tie to nanites that no one else has. That can be explained by a number of things, but I also like to think it’s also because of the person he is. I mean, you get someone like Black Knight who got similar powers to him, but you never see her have a level connection with them like Rex does. And that can be explained by poor writing, but again I like to tie it back to who he is as a person, and how the nanites have evolved to be around him. And with how long he’s been tied to him, they just feel like a natural part of him, even if he may reject it sometimes. And to have him be once part of the past that involved how the nanites came to be, it adds a whole another layer to this boy. I will admit the writing can get to him at times, sadly, especially around season 3, and we don’t get certain answers to question about him, but he’s still a great character in my eyes, with so much potential for the stories and ideas you can play around him. I respect him for his hope for wanting to do things a better way, and yet knowing that sometimes you have to do the hard and logical things to do good, even if it’s not easy to do. I could ramble on more, but I got to move onto the next one. 💙

Zak: Ah, my sweet cryptid boy, have season 2 gave you crippling anxiety. Zak I would say, out of these three, is the most consistent with his writing. He’s still the same cryptid loving, cool kid, with a passion for his job back at the start of things, but he also grows in a believable way over time, especially when learning what he really is. The twist with making Kur adds such a spin on who he is and how he feels in a great way that I love, because he was someone who was building up to be the hero of the story by everyone around him, only to learn that the supposed villain he was meant to fight was himself. I think one of the interesting things that The Secret Saturdays does is that it never really answers the question if destiny is real, and if Zak is meant to kill all humans. It’s a question left up in the air, and while there seems to be facts that say otherwise, the idea that this boy could kill all humans makes people scared or eager, making everyone say that his destiny is real, even if there is no proof. And because of this, it makes Zak fear and believes that it’s real too, that he is bad just by simply being Kur’s reincarnation, even if he hasn’t done anything that makes him bad. And yet, as easy as it would have been for Zak to just accept this, he doesn’t, he still plays the hero and goes out of his way to help those that need it. Because whether or not destiny is real, Zak is willing to fight it, and that makes a noble character. And while we don’t get clear answers about destiny and Kur, many of us get to play with the idea of what it means for Zak and this world he’s in. I personally thing that Kur’s history is more complicated than him being ‘evil’ as I’ve written before, but Zak is his own character, his own person, and it’s fun to see who he is, how he reacts and how he grows. I also love that, while he’s pitched as one of those classic kid/teen boys during the 2000s action cartoon eras, he does things you wouldn’t expect. While he can get into fights and combat and have fun with it, if he knows the fight endangers someone or a cryptid, he will always take it seriously. Like when they found the cryptid fighting ring, he was always disgusted by it and keeps repeating the notion that he wanted to stop it as soon a possible, even hating to have to put Fisk into the fight just to stall and get info. He clearly as a loving passion with cryptids and the world he’s in, and is always out there looking to see more to the story than others may see. He’s not quick to label someone as a monster unless he’s 100% certain that’s what they are. And his family relationships are just golden, I love the Saturdays. It’s adorable how, instead of calling them pets, he treats Fisk, Zon and Komodo like his siblings. He respects them as equals, and while he can argue with them, he’s willing to listen and understand that they have their own needs and wants, and the four of them are always by each other’s sides. Drew and Doc, being one of my favourite couples of all time, have different relationships towards Zak, but both love and respect him very much. Even when they find out Zak is Kur, not once do they ever turn their back on their own child, and do everything they can to help him see he’s not a monster. Zak clearly looks up to them, and it’s great to see the growth they have by letting Zak spread his wings, and stop trying to be over-protective with him. And, of course, Uncle Doyle is great, in that he’s always respected Zak, even if he’s a child. He’s willing to be level with him, and push him when he knows Zak needs it, and the fact that Zak was the one in the family to be so quick to have him join is just so well done, as he never had a doubt that Doyle could be a better person. Zak love the world he’s in, and the beings and secrets that lay within it. Despite how it might push and hurt him, he’s often willing to get back up and show who he really is, that the labels that people put on him don’t define who he is. Despite how his world turned upside down with one sentence, he’s doesn’t give up.🧡

Ben: Oof, right...*Cracks knuckles* Time to get into the more iffy ones of the trio. Right away, I have no trouble saying that Ben has a lot of issues and flaws as a character. I have no issue denying that he can be an ass, and has done many dumb things. However, I’m not one to hate or fault characters when it’s the writing that screws them over. Because at his concept and core, the person he was meant to be, Ben is quite an interesting character. He’s not the standard hero with a cape, he’s very much flawed, can sometimes be a jerk and cocky often, and has been shown to be young and naive. But that doesn’t make him a bad person, in fact he adds an interesting element to the normal hero archetypes. When written well, he’s quite fun to follow and has quite the concept to play around with. Despite his outgoing and witty outside, Ben does go through a lot of crap ever since he got the watch. His teen years and parts of his childhood are mostly just dealing with the foes he’s made, and the troubles that comes with being the main hero of the galaxy, which is defiantly not an easy task to take. And yet he does it, he goes through all the dangers just to help people and the worlds around them. He’s often willing to stand back up and crack a smirk because he’s not one to give up. He sees hope, he sees potential and light beyond the darkness, and he wants to give others the chance to see that. And while his cocky nature can get in the way when written wrong, I do think it’s a trait that makes sense. People across the galaxy praise him since he was young, which can cloud his judgement, it’s a natural flaw that fits him as a character, and it has been shown he acts this way to hide how scared he really is. Cause I mean, with all that he has to fight, it is actually quite a struggle, so it is amazing to see just how much he takes and never backs down. He’s not a boring character to watch, he’s not a perfect hero that gleams in a golden light, he’s flawed and hows so many issues to tackle, but have a noble and bold side to him that you can respect. He’s been shown to bring people up, to teach and to guide, to take on the hassles of others just so they can get by in life. And while he does like the praise he gets out of it, you know deep down he does this because it’s good to just do good, even if it doesn’t benefit you always. He could have easily given up the watch and hand it back to Azmuth, but he never does. And his connection with alien and the watch have always been a personal interest with me, even if canon doesn’t delve much into it as they should. The thing with Ben is that he’s perfect for the watch, because he has no problem shaping into another being. And while it’s still Ben underneath, he does change parts of himself for the time being. And the reason he’s fine with this is because he sees life and potential with all the aliens he can be. He sees the different powers they hold and wants to show just what they can do to help, what the galaxy could build if they worked together. It’s funny that the omnitrix was build for peace purposes, and while Ben took it a different way than what Azmuth wanted, he found a way to make it work. I know other characters wouldn’t be able to handle the watch like this the way Ben does, even Albedo proves this by how he acts with his aliens, seeing them as nothing but tools while treating himself as the higher being, while Ben accepts what he turns into, and understands what makes certain aliens special. Sadly, Ben is a tragic character when it comes to the poor writing and constant switch in series, as Cartoon Network can’t seem to understand what to do with him. But that does make him a fun character to work off of and write, and I’ve seen some amazing things in the fandom with what they’ve done with him. So I've seen hated Ben, because I often see his as wasted potential for the character he could have been, and he does have great moments that are canon that I love. 💚

#I did not mean to make this long #Whoops!#But I hope some of you enjoy my essay about these characters I love #Got too much to say lol #my answers #Ben 10 #ben 10 alien force #ben 10 ultimate alien #ben 10 omniverse #ben tennyson #ben 10 ben tennyson #generator rex #generator rex rex salazar #rex salazar #GR #the secret saturdays #secret saturdays #zak saturday #the secret saturdays zak

37 notes · View notes

burnedbyshoto · 5 years

Text

m a s t e r l i s t (a - m)

updated: 9/27/2020

▹ - sfw

▸ - nsfw

notes: this list is put in alphabetical order by last name and then from oldest to most recent fic. please do not judge any of the older pieces too harshly as they were pretty bad! as of january 2020, drabbles will no longer be added to masterlist.

this is for characters with last names a - m

masterlist for characters with last names n - z

do not repost any of my fics without permission.

aizawa shouta

▸ cat lingerie — aizawa catches you in cat shaped lingerie (hc)

▹ just like a cat — there are comparable similarities to you and aizawa’s cat (hc)

▹ I think I’m pregnant — you believe you’re pregnant with your ex’s baby (hc)

▹ back off — even aizawa is prone to jealousy (scenario)

▹ swimsuit tops — losing your bikini top is never a good memory (scenario)

▹ appreciate you — maybe having a family is amazing to aizawa (scenario)

▹ under the mistletoe — holidays are for lovers, but you’re not that (scenario)

▸ secrets — getting horny in public is quite the look (drabble)

▹ sweater — aizawa lost his sweater, he wonders where (drabble)

▹ werewolf — aizawa is a werewolf in love with you (drabble)

▹ haunted house — chaperoning at a haunted house actually sucks (drabble)

▸ strangers — mysterious hookups have never been better (scenario)

▹ glistened in the light — aizawa is jealous of a four year old (scenario)

▸ who do you belong to — kinktober day 6 (scenario)

▸ morning — husky morning voices really hit the spot (drabble)

▹ poly w mic — polyamorous relationships are healthy (hc)

▸ tease — never tease a man at work (scenario)

▸ relapse — tw: self harm; aizawa helps you fight (drabble)

▹ sleep — in which aizawa catches you crying (drabble)

amajiki tamaki

▹ dating? — when everyone thinks you’re dating, but you’re not (hc)

▹ embarrassed — public speeches just aren’t for tamaki (drabble)

▸ butterfly — kinktober day 8 (scenario)

▸ dominate — baby boy isn’t so shy in bed (hc)

▸ ahegao —he reacts to your ahegao face (hc)

▸ the big three — they want you (hc)

▸ battles — tw: depression; we all fight wars and sometimes they consume us (scenario)

▹ us — cats can bring two people together (drabble)

ashido mina

▸ never have I ever — kinktober day 11 (scenario)

▸ evening, officer —kinktober day 17 (scenario)

▸▹ alphabet hc — nsfw and sfw (hc)

bakugou katsuki

▹ I think I’m pregnant — you’re pregnant with your ex’s baby (hc) part two

▹ prom night lights — you get dumped but he’s here to help (oneshot)

▸ dominate him — you’re a lady in the sheets and a freak in the sheets (hc)

▸ my girl — jealous lovers and work don’t mix (scenario) part two

▸ werewolf lover — they’re horny and you’re asexual (hc)

▹ delete him — breakups suck (drabble)

▹ I.H.T.T.O.M.L. — bakugou does not have two left feet (drabble)

▸ body swap — you wake up in his body! (drabble)

▹ deserve better — you deserve more than what you’re given (drabble)

▹ broken — bakugou faces his feelings post kidnapping (drabble)

▸ torture threesome — in which shinsou is your third with bakugou (drabble)

▹ hoodies — you steal bakugou’s favorite hoodie (drabble)

▹ laughter — no matter how much you love him, his laugh is horrible (drabble)

▹ sickness and affliction — bakugou is sick and you take care of him... sorta (scenario)

▹ did I? — he claims you never loved him (drabble)

▹ stay awake — please don’t die (drabble)

▹ ex-girlfriend — did he or did he not see his ex? (drabble)

▹ asshole — bakugou blows you off for the last time (drabble)

▹ arcade games — you make bakugou nervous (drabble)

▹ sacrifice — your world is dying, but you can save it (drabble)

▹ date — you need a date to a wedding, he wants a kiss (drabble)

▸ sex tips 101 — kinktober day 3 (scenario)

▹ struggles — don’t move, don’t speak (drabble)

▹ sweat — bakugou is already sweaty, but you make him sweat more (drabble)

▸ kinky — you’re kinkier than you look (hc)

▸ tease — kinktober day 23 (scenario)

▸ revenge — kinktober day 28 (scenario)

▸ foursome — todobakukiri foursome (hc)

▸ sub — how he is as a sub (hc)

▸ orgies — more todobakukiri now with shinsou action (hc)

▹ speechless — there aren’t many ways to make bakugou speechless, but you have a few ways now (scenario)

▸ they’re mine — no one can flirt with you (hc)

▸ buckle up — on your way to a weekend getaway, bakugou is having trouble staying awake; you have an unconventional way at waking him up (scenario)

▹ you’re asexual — how he reacts to your sexuality

▹ weak — bakugou is not weak!!! ...as long as you’re not involved (scenario)

▸ nervous — its you’re first time having sex (scenario)

▹ please don’t go — bakugou wants you to say with him (scenario)

▸ pervert — bakugou’s stealing your panties like a perv (scenario)

▹ burned out — sometimes people and relationships burn out (scenario)

▹ needy — you’re needy and bakugou pretends like its an issue (drabble)

▸ overstimulation — overstimulate bakugou, I dare you (drabble)

▹ kiss me — a breathy demand meets unknown actions (drabble)

▸ please leave — you wake up to see pro heroes shouto and ground zero naked in your bedroom (drabble)

▹ because I love you — bakugou katsuki has never been good with showing his feelings, and it definitely doesn’t change even when he falls in love. (scenario)

▸ make it fit — your sex life with your emotionally stunted boyfriend has always been good, but not great. But practice makes perfect - even if it means accidentally making your boyfriend cum in his pants to realize that your power roles have been wrong this entire time. (scenario)

▹ missing you — an explosive argument with you has Bakugou wondering just what this relationship means to him. (scenario)

▹ love is in the air — different worlds, different stories, different beginnings. it didn’t matter what universe you were in because there was one consistency in these worlds: you and bakugou were always in love. was it just a coincidence that love is in the air whenever the two of you were involved? no, it was destiny. (one-shot)

▸▹ alphabet hc’s — fluff and smut headcanons (hc)

▹ I won’t say I’m in love ― bakugou’s feelings for you are true, but he can’t seem to utter those three words no matter how much he wishes to. (scenario) part 2

▹ the marriage contract: the series — just because your soulmate is bakugou katsuki doesn’t mean that he’s the one meant for you; in fact, he’s your worst enemy. with trouble brewing across the way, and with no one able to complete this job except you and bakugou, there’s nothing you can do except go along with the mission. but wait, what?! you’re supposed to be married?! (scenario series)

chisaki kai (overhaul)

▸ filthy — dirty talk with chisaki (drabble)

▸ ahegao face — his reaction to your ahegao face (drabble)

▸ dominate him — you’re tiny but dominate (drabble)

▸ squirting — you squirt on chisaki (drabble)

▸ punishment — never tease a dangerous animal (drabble)

hado nejire

▸ twice — kinktober day 30 (drabble)

▸ the big three — they want you (hc)

iida tenya

▹ dance dance — iida shows off his dance moves to you (scenario)

▹ fitbit — you’re a homebody and iida makes sure you’re healthy (drabble)

▹ I love you — confessions are always the best (drabble)

▸ your body — you swap bodies with iida (drabble)

▸ watching — he wants to watch you touch yourself (drabble)

▸ thigh-riding — he wont leave so you give him a wake up call (drabble)

▸ awkward — walking in on someone is always awkward (drabble)

▸ angel — kinktober day 22 (scenario)

jirou kyoka

▸ gimmie more — kinktober day 14 (scenario)

kaibara sen

▹ reincarnation — five chances to fall in love. five reincarnations to find the person you’re destined to be with. it just so happens that in each life you keep meeting a man with brown hair and a sweet involvement of primroses. (scenario)

▹ scoops — in what was to be a summer of excitement, love, and adventure, you’re doomed to a summer working a job to pay some bills. but hey, who said romance still wouldn’t find a way to work while working at scoops ice cream parlor? (scenario)

kaminari denki

▸ say my name — kaminari wants you to scream his name (drabble)

▸ you still up? — kinktober day 13 (scenario)

▸ soul sucking — suck him dry (crack hc)

▸ you still there? — part two to you still up (scenario)

▸ tremors — kaminari easily makes you fall apart (drabble)

kirishima eijirou

▹ prom night lights — you get dumped but he’s here to help (oneshot)

▹ so glad — you’re married and very, very pregnant (scenario)

▸ quiet — public sex in a crowded club (drabble)

▸ touch — kirishima wants to watch you touch yourself (drabble)

▹ plus four — uno is a war game (drabble)

▹ vows — a past and a present look of your relationship (drabble)

▸ show me how you like it — kinktober day 12 (scenario)

▸ workout with red riot — kinktober day 18 (scenario)

▸▹ alphabet hc’s — nsfw and sfw letters (hc)

▸ foursome — todobakukiri foursome (hc)

▸ orgies — more todobakukiri now with shinsou action (hc)

▸ responsive — kirishima lets you know how he feels (drabble)

▸ dominate — how he is when you dominate (hc)

▹ connection — you try to guess kirishima’s wifi password (oneshot)

▸ unbreakable — thigh-riding kirishima’s thigh when he’s busy (scenario)

▸ sorrows — tw: family death; your mom passes away (scenario)

▸ it’s your fault — kirishima has a boner because of you (drabble)

▹ the manliest man — hoodies and playlists, a simple and effective way to capture your heart. (scenario)

▹ disconnected — kirishima answers a phone call that wasn’t intended for him, and of course, he can’t help but be interested in the beautiful voice and soul that angrily began to rant about their day. (scenario)

▹ temerity ― the perfect job for an overworked, tired, and romantic you is obviously a stressful, demanding, but oh so aesthetic coffeeshop. your job only becomes better when a handsome redhead appears through the door with a loud bang, and you can do nothing but fall for him. or the five times kirishima orders coffee and the one time he doesn’t. (scenario)

midoriya izuku

▹ prom night lights — you get dumped but he’s here to help (oneshot)

▸ werewolf lover — they’re horny and you’re asexual (hc)

▸ don’t stop — fucking on a train is scary (drabble)

▹ packs — werewolves don’t like humans, but you just wandered in (drabble)

▹ stop this — its just another day in life... right? (drabble)

▹ I love you — confessions are as sweet as dessert (drabble)

▸ panties — you’re not wearing panties in public (drabble)

▸ fingers — add another finger midoriya, it’s okay (drabble)

▸ blindfolds — blindfolds increase all other senses (drabble)

▹ phoenix — you have a quirk that gives you the hero name phoenix (hc)

▸ love and war — kinktober day 1 (scenario)

▸ four rings — kinktober day 26 (scenario)

▸ innocence — kinktober day 29 (scenario)

▸ whimper — making midoriya whimper (drabble)

▸ ride his face — midoriya loves when you ride his face (drabble)

▸ edging — because the best thing you can do as a dom is edging (drabble)

▸ power bottom — never think you’re in control over midoriya (drabble)

▸ daddy — daddy kinks are approved (drabble)

▹ kiss me, don’t insult me — mistletoe kisses (oneshot)

▹ study dates — studying with midoriya is always fun (drabble)

▹ distractions — you can never focus when you study with him (drabble)

▸ pegging — pegging midoriya (drabble)

▸ kinky — he finds out you’re kinky (drabble)

▹ insecurities — no ones perfect, but you hate that the most about you (scenario)

▸ ive missed you — he’s missed you and you help him show yourself how much (drabble)

▸ sex tapes — midoriya izuku is an over-analyzer in every aspect; it shouldn’t surprise you that he’s into making sex tapes too. When you’re stuck at home for an indefinite period of time, it’s finally time to pull them out and watch them together. (scenario)

#masterlist #burnedbyshoto masterlist

8K notes · View notes

lloydshoulddyehishair · 3 years

Text

What we miss and what we gain | 1-For his own advantage

Summary: Lloyd never had a family and he didn’t want one either, especially not in the form of five weird teenage boys playing dress up and a girl with a secret identity, she thought no one knew about. (Except, maybe he did.)

When Lloyd first arrived at the Destiny’s Bounty he could just tell that he was anything but welcome there. The glares, the silly fruit coloured “Ninja” had shot him still burned on his skin as he entered what was now to be his room. The girl had tried to hide her annoyed expression, which the blond appreciated but he really could have cared less. He wasn’t here to be liked by them, in fact, he didn’t know why he was here to begin with.

Of course, his uncle had invited him to stay – or more like forced him to go with him – but really other than that? He didn't know why he was here and it almost set him on edge. Had his uncle some evil master plan? Yes, he was one of the “good guys” apparently but you never knew. Maybe he only wanted Lloyd to stay so his wannabe Ninja could use him as a punching bag for their training. Not that he wasn't used to that kind of stuff, he did have his fair share of punching bag experience from Darkley's.

In all honesty though, whether his uncle had something mean planned didn't matter in the end because at least he didn't have to worry about freezing to death at night any more or being kidnapped off of the street by some creepy people or having to wonder if he would get to eat the next day – you get the gist – cause now he actually had a bed to sleep in, a filled fridge only a few rooms away and people to protect him from possible danger.

Not that he cared about these people, which he was living with now, he was only using them for his own personal benefit. He didn't exactly need them either. He was just fine on his own – maybe a bit malnutritioned but that was besides the point. The point was that Lloyd Garmadon didn't need anyone, never had and never would. He never needed parents to take care of him, he never needed friends to play with, he never needed a shoulder to cry to. So he most certainly did not need to befriend some weird teenagers fighting snakes in pyjamas – or whatever his uncle had hoped would happen.

And the young Garmadon could have ignored the others' stupid and childish behaviour of making their negative opinion on him known on the entire ship. He really could've ignored Jay hiding his comics or Cole purposefully pushing past him, sending him flying to the ground – but what he couldn't ignore were Kai's annoying and constant comments and rants about Lloyd staying with them. He was behaving like a child that didn't get what it wanted. Ignoring him the whole time but also talking about him non-stop. What was his problem–

“My problem, is you, you little-”, the pineapple head yelled, coming dangerously close to his face with his index finger.

“Have you seen my fangs?”, Lloyd asked him rhetorically. “Any closer with that thing and I'll bite it off.”, Kai's expression changed into one of disgust but he pulled his finger away, nonetheless.

“See! That is what I mean! You don't even try to be good! You're always mean and starting fights – just like your father!”, Lloyd simply rolled his eyes.

Really what did the fire guy think he was doing right now?

“You started this! You were the one to raise your voice and point at me. I didn't even do anything”

“You were in my way–“

“In your way? Really, which one of us is the child?”

“Just leave!”, Kai screamed at him, pushing him away, almost making Lloyd lose balance. “Just go back to where you came from or something! No one wants you here, the only reason we haven't thrown you out yet is because Sensei feels like he is somehow responsible for you because your dad is evil and your mum doesn't love you enough to care about what happens to you!”

And suddenly it was almost like something in Lloyd's chest ripped apart and why were his eyes stinging– Oh no. No, Lloyd Garmadon didn't cry, especially not in front of 15 year old bullies with stupid hair, who had absolutely no idea what they were talking about–

His hands formed into fists as his eyes remained on the floor, not looking up at the brown eyes that probably stared at him with all the hatred in the world.

Maybe he sort of deserved it, the boy figured, after all he did cause nothing but trouble for them by releasing the Serpentine and he was probably right about Uncle Wu only keeping him there because he felt like he had to but– but that didn't mean he had to like facing that truth.

So instead of throwing a mean remark at him, like the brainless teen probably expected him to, he ran past him into his room, locking himself in and landing with a yelp on his bed, only staring up at the ceiling before some tears actually began to fall.

This felt way too much like Darkley's, like the nights he'd spent silently crying because if the other children heard a single sound he'd be– they'd do not so kind things to him or like the first nights he had been at the school, crying because his mother just left him there to rot–

Kai was right. His mum didn't care about him, if she did she wouldn't have left him at that school or had at least written letters or picked him up for the holidays or congratulated him on his birthdays– but she did nothing like that because she simply didn't care. Lloyd was okay with it, truly. It made him grow up faster, made him more responsible and it made him realize that you don't need anyone but yourself, that you shouldn't trust anyone but yourself because in the end everyone will betray you – something that Pythor had just proven true to him.

However, talking about his mother had never really been easy for him. He didn't even know why because talking about his father on the other hand had never been a problem to him. Maybe it was because of the simple fact that his mum had left him voluntarily, whereas his dad didn't have that much of a choice because he was apparently banished into the Underworld.

Sometimes he would think about why his mum had left him. Was it his fault? Probably. Who would want to raise the child of some supervillain, anyways? But at the same time, he was her son, too, so the problem must have lied somewhere else. Maybe he was too annoying? Too clingy? Just too much in general?

Whatever it was, it had made her leave – not that he cared of course (except maybe he did). He had no use for a mother, just like he had no use for an uncle or friends. Who needed friends? He could be his own friend! It's not like anyone could understand him or his struggles anyways, these annoying Ninja probably all came from perfect families and had gotten everything handed to them on a silver plate. They didn't know what it was like to grow up without parents, without a loving home. They didn't know what it was like to grow up and constantly be judged for the fact that you're Lord Garmadon's kid – either because you weren't bad enough or too bad. They didn't know what it was like to be all alone.

It was fine, though. He didn't care about being alone, he only stayed on the Bounty because he could use the others, that was all. As soon as he didn't see any benefits or advantages in living with them anymore he would leave and never look back because he definitely didn't care for them. Not for how they were, for how they were doing or for what they thought of him.

But then why were Kai's words still all he could think about and why did the tears not stop falling?

#saga writes #ninjago #ninjago lloyd #ninjago fanfiction #writing #found family #what we miss and what we gain #wwmawwg #child abandonment

52 notes · View notes

snowwhitelass · 3 years

Text

New Outlander Game Coming – Talking with the Game Designers

By: Erin Conrad, June 15, 2021

Gamers Corner, TV News

Outlander game, Sony, Starz Outlander, Variable Outcomes

Who wouldn’t want to dash around the Highlands with Jamie, trying to be his favorite, and rescuing him from trouble on the way? That definitely sounds like a fun time, even if all you can do is dream about it. Or IS that all you can do?

NO! Sometime this fall, a brand new board game will debut – Outlander The Series! Designed by the husband and wife team of Matthew and Ashley Killeen, the game will let you play with a bunch of your friends, meeting familiar faces along the way, and getting in and out of all kinds of scrapes. The game will be available for holiday shopping, so you can start to set up your Outlander game nights now. I had the opportunity to talk with Matthew and Ashley about the development of this new game, and learned some details.

From the game’s marketing information: “His fate is in your hands! Step through the stones of Craigh Na Dun and run through the Scottish Highlands with the handsome Jamie. The year is 1743, and the outlaw James Fraser is at your side as you navigate the thrills and dangers of the Highlands. Use your wit, reach the right locations, make the right friends, and gather the items you need, all while keeping Jamie out of the hands of the many who would do him wrong. The gallows await fair Jamie (or worse!) should you fail. Fulfill your destiny, and win his heart. Only then will victory be yours!”

Outlander is the Killeen’s first big franchise game. “From a business point of view, it’s something I always wanted to do,” Matthew said. “I enjoy games with an IP license attached, TV show or movie, and I have designed prototypes that might be good for Ghostbusters or Star Trek. I really wanted to get into that.” Ashley knew Matthew was interested in trying a licensed game, and said “I’ve been watching Outlander, you should make a game based on that.” Matthew hadn’t yet seen the show, so he said “you do it” – and she did.

Ashley didn’t get into the show until season three. “The first version (of the game) was based on the book, because I thought that might be the avenue to go. But it ended up being more layers to secure the book rights than TV. We heard back from Starz/Sony quickly, and the show and book were similar enough that I didn’t have to change too much from initial design. I swapped out characters and items that didn’t translate from one to another. Jamie still has same event encounters, the same enemies. It’s nice to look at both sides, to really put in all those little hidden tidbits from show. I’m hoping that fans of the show will enjoy all those subtle things that I’ve put in. But the other thing we wanted to make sure was that it was not dependent upon being familiar with the show, because the last thing you want is a game with Outlander masked on top of it that doesn’t play as anything on its own. And having a lot of friends who knew nothing about Outlander, how could I get them to the table?”

Matthew said, “One of philosophies for the board game stuff was that I’ve seen games that were maybe like a movie spin on top. Is this fun or exciting because of the game, or just because of the movie or tv show tie in? And one reason, the biggest reason why I got excited was when I first played it, I had never seen the show. I knew nothing about it. I had never seen the characters, and yet, I still enjoyed it. It was a good game.” Ashley added, “He has since seen the show.” Matthew continued, “That’s another thing that’s always bothered me. I feel like if a certain publisher or game designer makes something but doesn’t know the back story, that’s lazy. As soon as I found out we were going to do this, I watched the show. I know all my lore now. I was obviously able to play the game again once I knew the show and the lore, and it made the game play better.” “You understood my decisions,” said Ashley. “Exactly,” said Matthew. “Whether you know the show or not, it’s a good game.”

Ashley discussed their process: “I started December 2019. This past December, we were finally able to go forward. We got the contract from Sony in November. It was a long process! We got approvals for the design of the game, and access to the virtual library. We could figure out images that would go with the components we had.” Once they had that, Matthew figured out the graphic design for the game.

Was Sony/Starz helpful? Enthusiastic? Ashley said, “They were enthusiastic. They didn’t really have a board game. They had Destiny Dice, but that wasn’t the same thing.” (For my review of Destiny Dice, a game that came out a couple of years ago, click here.) I’ve had reservations about this previous game, so I asked how they overcame the failings of that one to make this new game. My concern with a platform like this is that the show is so big and layered – a group of women will come together over a glass of wine or three, and are they going to be able to figure it out easily enough to have a good time in an evening? Ashley feels that the new game will let us do that. “The idea behind this was that we wanted to bring everybody to the table – people whose board games lives consisted of Scrabble for their whole lives, and those who have played campaigning, like Mage Knights, epically, every week. We want to bring both those sets to the table. It should be intuitive enough once you’ve figured out the first turn order. It’s the repetition of that, it’s just your personal strategy that changes on what you choose to do, but the game play isn’t going to change on you as you go.”

She added, “But there’s enough in there that if you are an experienced board game player, you’re not sitting there bored waiting for the next thing to happen. That was our goal, as many people at the same table as possible enjoying it at the level they’re at. You can have the game player who knows nothing about Outlander, and you can have the Outlander fan who doesn’t play board games, and they will have a good evening. We also tried to be strategic about the length, because you don’t want to have just a tease of a game, because then you can’t be really invested and immersed in that world, but we also know, especially being parents now, you don’t have time to spend four hours on a game. That’s not going to happen any more. What’s a good length? If you can watch an episode of Outlander, you can play a round. So we wanted to find something that made sense. A lot of these pieces, once you apply a little logic to it, they fell together really nicely.”

This is the first “franchise” game the Killeens have designed. The fascination with board games started in 2004, and in 2011, Matthew began to design games as hobby. “I enjoyed playing, but in between then I was going to school and forgot about it. As school was winding down, I really got into it. I created an educational game called Witchful Thinking. We’re both teachers, and when doing practicum, the teacher (that he was working with) had kids doing games for math. but they were really boring, and the kids didn’t like it at all. I remembered I had a game that worked for this! I started looking at my business from a professional point of view, filling in gaps in the market. I wanted to bring people to a table they hadn’t been to yet. Witchful Thinking is a card game – witches brewing potions, teaching math – subtraction, addition, pre-algebra, and more advanced math. It was a great educational tool.” The company has more ideas – they have an upcoming Kickstarter for a game called Tennessee James, an Indiana Jones parody (learn more here). Matthew says that the company expects to bring out many more titles – “Between the two of us, we have a backlog of designs.”

When do they expect to have this out? Matthew said definitely for the Christmas season. “I am working with manufacturers right now, trying to iron out some of those details, but we’re going to be moving into manufacturing right now. It depends on how long it takes to do the mass production plus shipping, but I would estimate this would maybe in stores (or online retailers) by October. That’s probably a good estimate.”

Did they do a lot of testing? “We needed especially non-Outlander fans to play this game. The Outlander fans, it didn’t take a lot of convincing to get them to play,” said Matthew. “Even before there were pictures on the cards, they knew the board, they knew the characters. So even if you had a blank piece of paper that just said Murtagh on it, they know what it means. I wasn’t worried about the Outlander fans, and the game play is pretty intuitive, once you go through the steps. So once you’ve done a round, you can keep going around, no problem. So we were just like, ok, you don’t know what these names mean and where these places are, but you’ve got a bit of the information, are you on board? And so far the reaction has been, yes, I feel like I’m playing a game, even if they don’t know who Jamie is or anything like that.”

He continued, “The tall and short of it is that this that this has been play tested thoroughly. It’s not broken, and the most important part is that it’s fun.” Ashley added, “It’s a nice balance of cooperative, nobody wants Jamie to come to any harm, but you still want to be his favorite. So you can get a little catty, and that’s what makes the fun. You’ll be adding something a little stronger to your tea nights once you start playing that way.”

Matthew said, “One of my strategies for play testing is that I like to try different strategies each time and see what works and what doesn’t .Ashley laughed, “You played mean one time.” “Yeah, it’s my wife, I’ve got to play nice, right? But one time, I didn’t play nice, and I took a competitive edge, and it was awesome,” he said. So players, remember that!

“When I was working on Witchful Thinking, I was looking to put it into Walmart and Target. But they don’t want to talk to the independent company, they want to make sure they’re getting multiple products from the same distributors. So we want to make sure that the distributors that we get are also trying to get the game out there. I do have distribution in the US for Witchful Thinking, and they’re excited to take on this one.”

What was your favorite part of the game, as you play it, I asked? Ashley said, “I like the QuickSave. This is a component we have because Jamie is always going to move in a predictable pattern, and the three villains he’s trying to avoid – Black Jack Randall, the Redcoats and the Watch – those are all the Meeples that are going to be moving around. As you are collecting friends along the way, if you happen to be en route to an Encounter, you can use the special abilities from your friends. So maybe it’s Dougal who is going to be discarded, and that will be a Quicksave to put Jamie back in hiding, so the game’s not over, you haven’t captured him yet. I like that idea, the Quicksave. So you’re strategizing, not just for what’s going to give you a lot of Favor from Jamie to try to win his heart in the game, but where are these people going to help me if Jamie is in a pickle. Because he’s going to get himself in a lot of pickles.”

As he does on the show, I said! Ashley continued, “And as a designer, that’s a fun way for me to tie in the personality of the characters. There’s a reason why they have the values that they do. There was a little argument between us in the design phase, because I made Willie – Willie Mackenzie from the first season – he has this hidden kind of superpower that most of the time, he’s a bit weaker, but when the danger level’s up, he’s strong. Matt was criticizing that, ‘he’s a minor character, why is he so strong?’ But you haven’t been paying attention. Because when Jamie’s in Wentworth, it’s Willie who’s willing to go. So that’s his power, when things are toughest, he’s the one that can save the most. I was having fun finding those little nuggets, the lore, that fans love, and if you’re paying attention to how I’ve designed it, you’ll start seeing like why you get more Favor in some places, or more Wit, or why you have the saving abilities.”

The women playing will like seeing that, I agreed. “I think that we’ve got it so that your favorite characters, from S1 at least, this is just in the Highlands, you’re going to see them, I think they’ll do you proud,” Ashley says. “We’re still excited about it, even though it’s been a year and a half doing it, so I think that says something about it, that we can still be passionate about it, little choices like that, I think the game has life.” Ashley told me that she has ideas for additional Outlander games to follow each season, so this may go on for quite a while!

As their cute kids came into the room, I asked if game design was full time, or is this an extra job? Ashley said, “I’m a full time teacher, so I’m squeezing this in between the report card writing and the classroom stuff. With a bunch of changes with Covid, it’s made more sense for Matthew to stay home, so we decided to go all in, make this run for itself.” Matthew said, “I can speak from the graphic design standpoint – I didn’t design the gameplay, Ashley did that, but I offered suggestions here and there, it was her decision on things, and she made some great decisions. And between that, I did the playtesting and the graphic design in January and early February, I’ve put in hundreds of hours, not just with the graphic design, but also the business stuff too, figuring out social media posts, getting things approved by Sony, talking with the distributors. So this has been not just like a full time job, but overtime, I’ve put in some serious hours for this.”

Since this is the company’s first big license, I asked if is this something they want to continue. “Absolutely,” Matthew said. “And I knew that when I turned this into a hobby back in 2011. I enjoy making board games. I enjoying making movies, watching movies, reading books, all that stuff. I needed some sort of creative outlet. And this was it. I enjoy tabletop games, so I found a business that I’m passionate about. But I found over the years, since I am a small business, I had to learn everything. I can do the game design, I can do the graphic design, the IP stuff, social media, the PR, distribution. I have all those experiences, so if I can continue this, I’ll be very happy.”

Price point for the game should be $48.99 CA (US equivalent is about $40). And it will be available in the US, and more – Matthew says, “The territories we have with Sony are Canada, USA, UK, Australia and France. We’re a small family run company, but at the same time, this is a big license. So we want to do the fans proud, we want to do this IP proud, so we want to give the biggest reach that we can.” Ashley said, “We’re limited because we’re not the distributors, so once we put it in those hands, it’s really up to those stores that want to put it on their shelves. So until we know where they’re placing it, I can’t tell you ‘oh, pick it up here.’ ” Matthew agreed. “I have experience with all of that, so when I made Witchful Thinking and released that, I had a hard time getting distribution. So I went store to store, city to city, and I made those contacts myself. For me as a business owner, I’m not just one of those owners who throws money out and does it. I have experience in all these aspects. So when this game comes out, let’s say that distribution doesn’t have as far of a reach as possible, I’ll make it happen. With Covid especially, the online market is important.”

“From a business standpoint, we’re a new company,” Matthew said. “It seems that we’re very new to this but that’s not really the case. This game has been been in development for a long time, and between the two of us we have 20+ games in prototypes. So we definitely know how to make games, and make games fun. And the fact that we’re both teachers, I think makes it even better. Because as teachers, we have to know how to sell to an audience.” ” And explain the games,” Ashley added.

PRE-ORDER THE GAME RIGHT HERE! Three if by Space has the game available for pre-orders in our Collectibles shop!! Click here to go to the pre-order page!

#outlander board game #three if by space #sony #outlander starz #starz outlander #outlander game #scottish highlands #craigh na dun

11 notes · View notes

inevitably-johnlocked · 4 years

Note

i never see top lock anymore, and i get why— but do you have a list of sherlock being dominant? i love when he’s possessive over the people who he loves.

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: do you have a master list of toplock?? i just love seeing sherlock jealous of possessive over john :)

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: do you have any possessive smut fics with sherlock topping? (or just rough sex in general) i really love jealous sherlock.

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: Hi, do you have any top!lock stories? It can be fluff, or smut. I really was in the mood for some top Sherlock, and if you could maybe some Jealous top!lock too. Thank you very much!

Hey Nonnies!

I hesitate to say you’re all the same nonny, but the wording is very similar and these all came a few days apart. If you aren’t please accept my apologies, for that and for the delay; when I get fic requests for fics I know I have a decent amount of, it takes me awhile to go through all 1000+ of my bookmarks to pick fics to rec for y’all. That said, I know I don’t have EVERY fic I have bookmarked with toplock in it, but I do have a few already tagged, so that’s what this list is for you today

Hope you enjoy, and as always, lovelies, please add your own fics or recs to this list! haven’t added ALL my fics with toplock in it, nor fics with switchlock (that will be a separate list when the time comes), so I’ve definitely missed some fics I’ve recced in the past

TOPLOCK

See also:

Omegaverse

Jealous & Possessive Sherlock

Possessive Sherlock Pt 2

Husband by jinglebell (E, 2,003 w., 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., PWP, Anal, Multiple Orgasms, Fluff) – Sherlock orgasms when John refers to him as ‘husband’.

Caught in the Act – by Mycroft by ShirleyCarlton (E, 2,040 w., 1 Ch. || Unintended Voyeurism, Mycroft’s POV, Blow Job, Humour) – Mycroft had only planted the camera for Sherlock’s own good, simply to keep an eye on his little brother and make sure he was alright. He hadn’t quite meant to see his brother this content, however… Part 4 of Caught In The Act

Stay by msdisdain (M, 3,561 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss / Time, Angst / H/C, Bed Sharing, Nightmares, Blow Jobs, Anal) – John’s nightmares are nothing new. Sherlock’s inability to ignore them, however, is.

Wasted Hours by songlin (E, 4,973 w., 1 Ch. || Omegaverse || O!John/A!Sherlock, Pining, UST, Angst & Porn) – John is respectful. John keeps his distance. He doesn’t look at Sherlock when Sherlock decides trousers are for dull people. He doesn’t breathe in and savor it when Sherlock flings himself onto the couch first thing in the morning, wafting alpha scent, dressing gown settling around him in a cloud of blue silk. He doesn’t linger when he’s piecing Sherlock back together after a fight, even though he’s half-dressed and beautiful and right there. He can ignore it. He can control it.

See Recipe for Details by pandoras_chaos (E, 4,981 w., 1 Ch. || Oral / Anal Sex, Food, PWP, Fingerfucking) – John knows Sherlock’s mouth will never water over the sweet smells of baking chocolate biscuits or a lovely roast chicken, but he’s watched Sherlock nick mince pies out of Mrs. Hudson’s fridge often enough to deduce that the man does have taste, albeit confusing and obscure. So John makes a list: Things Sherlock Likes

Caffeine and Adaptive Programming by DemonicSymphony (E, 5,540 w., 1 Ch. || Androids AU / Bond Fusion || Android Sherlock, Coffee Shop AU, Pining John Hinted Bond / Q, Toplock) – Sherlock is a coffee shop android slowly falling for a regular customer. But he’s not supposed to be able to feel emotions.

The doctor is in by PlainJane (E, 7,581 w., 1 Ch. || Omegaverse || Sex Therapist, Anal, Hand Jobs, Frottage, Virgin Sherlock) – Sherlock is a young alpha with an aversion to his cycle. John is a gender medicine specialist. Nothing could possibly go wrong… Part 1 of Doctors and detectives

Just Like That by sussexbound (E, 8,442 w., 1 Ch. || First Time/Kiss, Frottage, Virgin Sherlock, French Kissing, Anal, Emotional Lovemaking, Enthusiastic Consent, Tenderness, Crying John, Bathing/Washing, Insecure John, Toplock) – John doesn’t want to talk anymore. He wants. Oh dear god, how he wants. For the first time in what feels like years he WANTS.

London Gods by a_different_equation (E, 11,092 w., 5 Ch. || American Gods Fusion || Magical Realism, Sex Magic, True Love, PTSD John, First Kiss/Time, Marathon Sex, Sensuality, Genie Sherlock, Human John, Internalized Homophobia, Star-Crossed Lovers, Soul Mates) – Sherlock Holmes is a jinn who does not grant wishes. However, when Dr. John H. Watson, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, gets into his cab by “accident”, it might not even need magic to grant both men their deepest wish: love.

And if you say the word, I could stay with you by CaitlinFairchild (E, 12,842 w., 1 Ch. || Domestic Fluff, BottomJohn / Topping from the Bottom, Fluff and Romance, Dirty Talk, Proposals) – What Sherlock thinks is, On the day I die, be it in a dirty alley at forty or in my bed at eighty, the last thing I will remember is tonight, the way you looked at at me on the snowy pavement, cheeks pink with the cold, breath puffing in frosty white clouds, your heart in your eyes and snowflakes in your hair. I will remember that single perfect moment in my life, that moment I knew I had everything I ever wanted, and whatever happens next, I will die content. What he says is simply, “Marry me.”

Take My Breath Away by Quesarasara (E, 14,240 w., 1 Ch. || Emotional H/C, Angst & Fluff, Toplock, Smut, Lingerie) – Sherlock opens his eyes and looks at his friend—his best friend—and slowly tips his chin down until his forehead rests softly against John’s. They stay that way for a long moment, lips just a whisper apart, warm puffs of air mingling as each of them struggles to breathe. It’s no wonder they ended up here, really, locked in this breathless moment balanced on the cusp of something new. They’ve spent years taking each other’s breath away…

The Palmyra Atoll by elwinglyre (E, 16,609 w., 3 Ch. || TSo3 Divergence / Episode Fix-It, Stockholm Syndrome, Kidnapped John Watson, John Whump, Evil Mary, Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Toplock, Limited 3rd John POV) – As John’s preparing for the wedding, Sherlock is preparing to have his heart broken, and Mary is prepared to do the unthinkable. Intervention required. Enter Sherlock. Set before Sign of Three with a far different outcome. John is drugged, kidnapped, and left on an island, but not just any old island.

Maintaining A Personal Life by Gingerhermit (E, 24,284 w., 6 Ch. || Alternating POV’s, Bisexuality, BAMF!John, Jealous Sherlock, Romance / Drama, Sort-of Case Fic, Peril & Angst, Love Confessions, Toplock, Soft Idiots in Love, Post S3) – Sherlock and John discover some interesting revelations about each other’s sexuality, which lead them both to question the assumptions they’ve made about one another for years. In the midst of their mutual discoveries, a dangerous psychopath looms on the side-lines who threatens to destroy their new beginning.

The Whore of Babylon Was a Perfectly Nice Girl by out_there (E, 32,897 w., 1 Ch. || Past Drug Use, Blowjobs, Toplock, Mentions of Switching, Rough Sex, Background Cases, Sherlock’s Past, Sherlock’s Sexual History, Experienced Sherlock, Past One Night Stands, Fingering, Cuddling, Possessive Sherlock, Paris Holiday, Bed Sharing, Naked Lie-Ins, Bathing Together, Confessions, Worried Sherlock, Laying in Bed All Day, Meddling Mycroft, Naked Lazy Day) – Sherlock walks into a room and takes all the space right out of it. He does the same inside John’s head.

The Wrong Wagon by DancingGrimm (E, 35,663 w., 20 Ch. || Alternating POV, MollyxJohn [Molly pines for John], Public Sex, Casual Sex, Obliviousness, BAMF!John, Awkwardness, Angst & Humour, First Time, Virgin Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock) – Molly sees John in a new light and realises that she may have hitched her horse to the wrong wagon…or something like that. John pines for Sherlock and worries what he will think if he ever finds out. And Sherlock doesn’t know what Molly’s up to…but he knows he doesn’t like it.

Only To Be With You by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (M, 40,768 w., 4 Ch. || Black Mirror / Future AU || Character Death, Future Technology, Sickness/Cancer/Illness, Heavy Angst with Happy Ending, First Person POV John, Pining John, Heart-Wrenching Angst) – I tell myself that next time I’ll come near this same place again. Wait around for the mysterious stranger in his coat to dash past me, hot on the heels of a new criminal in black. I think this all the way back to my Exit, planning where I’ll wait and what I’ll say when I see him. Scheming on how to get his name. It’s only once I reach the Exit Point door that I realize two hours and forty-five minutes have passed, and I realize that this won’t be the last time I Visit. It won’t be the last time at all.

Guidelines by WithLoweredVoices (M, 43,018 w., 15 Ch. || Winglock || Angels, Fantasy, Angst, BAMF! John, War, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Jealous John, Falling in Various Ways, Needy Sherlock, Wings) – The Good Soldier, one of the oldest and strongest of the fallen, is offered a bargain: to live as John Watson and to Guide a fledgling archangel so that he will stay on the path of good. Of course, Sherlock Holmes has different ideas about his destiny. Fantasy AU. Warnings for violence, occasional gore, and a whole load of hurt and angst.

Bloody But Unbowed by BeautifulFiction (E, 43,211 w., 8 Ch. || Abduction, John Whump, Mild Torture, Background Case Fic, Friends to Lovers, Post-TRF / S3 Rewrite, Hurt/Comfort) – When a familiar argument threatens to destroy the last remnants of John and Sherlock’s failing friendship, both men are left questioning their worth to one another. Before either of them has the chance to make amends, circumstance intervenes. John is left at the mercy of his abductors, and this time, he’s not sure Sherlock will bother coming to his rescue.

Triage by scullyseviltwin (E, 51,612 w., 14 Ch. || Character Injury, Introspection) – Sherlock’s mind goes exceedingly, devastatingly quiet and gray-blank. When he speaks it’s through a thick haze, it’s through molasses, he’s so disconnected from the words that it may as well be the unconscious shooter speaking.

Uphill by scullyseviltwin (E, 77,750 w., 18 Ch. || Olympics AU || Sherlock POV, Skier!Sherlock / Medic!John, Rivalry, 2014 Olympics, Happy Ending) – Sherlock Holmes is striving for gold in this, his fourth and final Olympics as a downhill Alpine racer.

Secrets and Revelations by Hisstah (E, 83,535 w., 9 Ch. || Sentinel / Guides Omegaverse AU || Adventure, Violence, Anal / Oral, Omega!John / Alpha!Sherlock, Case Fic, Politics, Mild DubCon) – Dr John Watson has some major secrets that he’s kept from his flatmate, Alpha Sentinel Sherlock Holmes. Now the Sentinel Tower is after him. Can John stay out of their hands until he can reveal his secrets to Sherlock? Part 1 of Secrets and Revelations

Secrets and Revelations by Hisstah (E, 85,535 w., 9 Ch. || Sentinel / Guides AU, Omegaverse, Aventure, Violence, Anal / Oral, Omega!John / Alpha!Sherlock, Case Fic, Politics, Mild DubCon) – Dr John Watson has some major secrets that he’s kept from his flatmate, Alpha Sentinel Sherlock Holmes. Now the Sentinel Tower is after him. Can John stay out of their hands until he can reveal his secrets to Sherlock? Part 1 of Secrets and Revelations

31_Days_of_Porn_Challenge_2017 Series by distantstarlight (E, 96,540 w. across 31 stories || Prompt Ficlets, Assorted Kinks, PWP) – A collection in response to the 31 Days of Porn Challenge issued by AtlinMerrik! Thanks for doing that because this has been buttload of fun (that joke never gets old). All stories will be brief stand-alone one-shots.

A Fold in the Universe by darkest_bird (E, 152,869 w., 26 Ch. || Omegaverse / Prime Universe Crossover || OmegaJohn / AlphaSherlock, First Kiss / Time, Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, Angst, H/C, Dub Con, Humour) – Alpha Sherlock and Omega John are in a relationship. Prime Sherlock and Prime John are not. So what happens when a freak fold in the universe switches one John for the other?

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

#steph replies #johnlock fic recs #my fic recs #toplock #Anonymous #e-rated fics

294 notes · View notes

clumsycapitolunicorn · 3 years

Text

Buffy 7x19 Thoughts (IT GETS RANTY AND IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW.)

THEY. KICKED. HER. OUT. THOSE ASSHOLES KICKED BUFFY OUT OF HER OWN DAMN HOUSE. THE POTENTIALS AND HER SO CALLED FRIENDS AND EVEN HER OWN FATHER FIGURE. HER SISTER. I AM LIVID. THE NERVE, THE ABSOLUTE NERVE FOR THEM TO KICK BUFFY OUT OF HER OWN HOUSE. SHE DIDN’T DIE, GET TAKEN OUT OF HEAVEN AND BACK TO LIVING JUST TO BE TREATED THIS WAY. (read more cause this gets long)

BUFFY TOOK THOSE UNGRATEFUL LOT IN. EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN’T PREPARED FOR IT. GILES BROUGHT THEM TO HER, THEY HELPED THEMSELVES INSIDE RIGHT AWAY AND MANY MORE OF THEM FOLLOWED. YES, THEY ARE SCARED BUT BUFFY HAS BEEN THERE AND GETS IT. SHE WASN’T PREPARED TO TAKE IN LOADS OF YOUNG POTENTIALS WHO JUST FOUND OUT WHO THEY ARE MORE THAN THEY WERE FOR THEIR DESTINY. SHE TRIED TO MAKE THE ROOM FOR THEM TO STAY SO THEY WOULDN’T BE EASY TARGETS FOR THE HOODED GUYS TO KILL THEM. SHE GAVE THEM A SAFER HAVEN. THEY HAD SHELTER AND FOOD. THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR. YES, THEY AREN’T PREPARED FOR THE BIG FIGHT AND NEVER WILL BE BUT BUFFY MADE IT SO THEY HAD A CHANCE TO SURVIVE AND FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES INSTEAD OF BEING TAKEN OUT BY THE HOODED GUYS. ITS A CRAPPY SITUATION BUT BUFFY TRIED. SHE GETS IT. SHE’S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 15. THE WAY THEY ALL SIDED WITH FAITH AFTER KNOWING HER 5 MINUTES AND CAUSE SHE TOOK THEM OUT CLUBBING, WHINING ABOUT HOW BUFFY WOULDN’T LET THEM DO ANYTHING FUN...YEAH SHE HAS A LOT OF CRAP TO DEAL WITH AND SHE’S TRYING TO KEEP YOU ALL ALIVE FOR AS LONG AS SHE CAN...

NOW FOR THE SCOOBIES AKA THE SO CALLED NOT FRIENDS OF BUFFY’S. XANDER AND WILLOW JOINED HER BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEY ALWAYS SAW IT AS AN ADVENTURE. FUN. SOMETHING TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO, LETS FACE IT. BUFFY WARNED THEM ABOUT THE DANGER YEARS BACK. THE CHANCES OF DYING AND YES INJURIES THAT INCLUDE A MISSING EYE. BUFFY DOESN’T GET TO LEAVE HER SLAYER DUTIES. THE ONLY WAY SHE ACTUALLY CAN IS HER DEATH (AND EVEN WHEN SHE DIED THE SECOND TIME SHE WAS BROUGHT BACK, TAKEN FROM HEAVEN) AND THAT SUCKS. THEN SOME OTHER POOR SOUL TAKES THE JOB. THE FACT HER OWN FRIENDS WHO CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT HER JUST DON’T HAVE HER BACK AND SIT THERE, LET EVERYONE TALK SH** ABOUT HER AND AGREE WITH THEM. THE NERVE. ESPECIALLY FROM WILLOW. LIKE, YOU MADE HER HOUSE YOURS AND TARA’S HOME, SPENT ALL OF THE MONEY HER MOTHER LEFT HER AND DAWN AND BROUGHT BUFFY BACK AND LEFT HER TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT, WHILE NOT HELPING AND STILL LIVING THERE, EATING ALL THE FOOD SHE WAS PAYING FOR. EVEN WHEN WILLOW PUT DAWN IN DANGER WHEN SHE WENT POWER MAD WITH HER MAGIC, NEARLY KILLING HER, BUFFY STILL ALLOWED HER IN THE HOUSE, DIDN’T EVEN JUDGE HER OR GIVE HER A HARD TIME. EVEN AFTER SHE TRIED TO DESTROY THE WORLD. SHE LET HER IN. WILLOW HAS GOTTEN OFF EASY. HECK, EVEN XANDER. BUFFY HAS NEVER GIVEN THEM A HARD TIME. GOD, IT WAS LIKE DEAD MAN’S PARTY ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THESE TWO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WITH THAT IN MIND, IT’S NOT EVEN THAT SURPRISING. THEY ARE SH*T FRIENDS. HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SH*T FRIENDS. THEY BASICALLY USED HER. I SAID WHAT I SAID.

AND ANYA. EVEN THOUGH I LOVE ANYA (AND STILL DO) SHE WAS OUT OF ORDER IN THIS EP TOO. BUFFY DIDN’T ASK TO BE THE SLAYER. SHE DIDN’T ASK TO BE THIS KIND OF SPECIAL. BUT SHE IS THE SLAYER AND SHE’S BEEN SAVING EVERYONE’S ASSES SINCE SHE WAS CALLED. SO YEAH, ANYA I LOVE YOU BUT YOU WERE OUT OF LINE TOO.

GILES. GILES OH GILES. THIS ONE SUCKS. LIKE, IT MAKES NOOOO SENSE FOR HIM TO BE SO AGAINST BUFFY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. NO SENSE. HE HAS ALWAYS HAD HER BACK BUT SINCE EP 17 AND THIS EP...

THIS ISN’T GILES. I LOVE GILES, NOT THIS IMPOSTER IN HIS SKIN.

IF TARA WERE ALIVE, SHE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN DOWN FOR THIS. AT ALL. SHE TREATED BUFFY BETTER THAN WILLOW AND XANDER PUT TOGETHER. SHE DIDN’T JUDGE HER. SHE WAS KIND AND SOFT AND WHY THE HELL DID THEY KILL HER?

AND YOU KNOW CORDELIA WOULD’VE DEFENDED BUFFY. AND CORDY ISN’T THE BIGGEST BUFFY FAN. BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, SHE HAS HER BACK AND WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DEFENDED HER BACK IN DEAD MAN’S PARTY IN HER OWN WAY.

DAWN. SEE, I NEVER GOT THE DAWN HATE, I COULD UNDERSTAND, BUT DAWN HOPPING ON THE BUFFY HATE TRAIN...REALLY?! THE ONE TOO ACTUALLY KICK HER OUT... DAWN, YEAH IT’S YOUR HOUSE TOO BUT BUFFY OWNS IT. AND TO TAKE THE SIDE OF EVERYONE ELSE AGAINST YOUR OWN SISTER...REALLY? (AND NO JUST CAUSE SHE TOLD RONA TO SHUT UP AFTER SHE SAID “THE WICKED WITCH IS DEAD” DOESN’T COUNT. RONA THE NERVE...)

THE WAY ALL THESE PEOPLE, ALL OF THEM, NEWBIES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY JUST WENT AGAINST BUFFY AFTER EVERYTHING SHE HAS BEEN DOING FOR THEM...

SHE’S BEEN TOLD SHE HAS A DUTY TO SAVE THE WORLD, HAS SAVED IT SO MANY TIMES, SINCE SHE WAS 15. EVERYONE ALWAYS LOOKS TO HER TO LEAD AND GILES TOLD HER IT WAS UP TO HER TO SAVE THEM AGAIN AGAINST THE FIRST AND YET WHEN SHE TAKES UP THE LEADER ROLE EVERYONE PUSHED ON HER, THEY GET MAD WHEN SHE’S CALLING THE SHOTS WHEN THEY LOOK TO HER TO DO SO AND THEN DECIDE THEY COULD DO BETTER...

SHE HAS ALL THE PRESSURE ON HER SHOULDERS AND SHE’S TRYING TO SAVE THESE GIRLS, TEACH THEM TO FIGHT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND EVERYONE IS GANGING UP ON HER CAUSE STUFF WENT DOWN. WELL IT’S NOT GOING TO BE A PICNIC IN THE BIG FIGHT EITHER. BUFFY IS AGAINST SOMETHING THAT IS SO MUCH HARDER TO FIGHT SINCE IT DOESN’T HAVE A PHYSICAL FORM. NOW THERE IS A CREEPY SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH PRIEST IN THE MIX. SHE IS TRYING SO HARD. SHE IS THE ONE MAKING ALL THE DECISIONS AND WHAT DOES SHE GET IN RETURN? KICKED OUT OF HER OWN HOME THAT SHE’S BEEN LETTING THE POTENTIALS STAY IN AND EVEN THE SCOOBIES WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN HOMES.

SHE WAS CRYING. HOW COULD THEY JUST SIT THERE AND PUSH HER OUT OF HER HOME.

THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO FIGHT WITHOUT BUFFY AND HONESTLY SHE SHOULD JUST GO OFF AND TAKE A HOLIDAY BUT SHE WON’T CAUSE SHE CARES AT THE END OF THE DAY EVEN IF THEM ASSHOLES DON’T.

OK. I GUESS IM DONE. AKA IM ENDING IT HERE CAUSE I COULD RANT FOREVER.

#jade watches buffy #you probably cant tell but im super mad #they cant go crying for her help #im sure clem was the only supportive one for buffy this ep #ok next ep now #buffy the vampire slayer

17 notes · View notes

freedom-shamrock · 3 years

Text

Teacups and Firelights

This is my @atla-secret-santa gift for @wwjacksparrowd. Happy holidays, I hope you enjoy!

Also on AO3

______________________________

Something was definitely wrong in Ba Sing Se, and just being in the city gave Ty Lee the creepie crawlies several times an hour. After a week of putting up with it, she was at risk of going all Azula once she found the cause. Aang's meditation sessions were probably the only thing keeping her out of an uncontrolled avatar state at this point.

Ty Lee didn't always look or sound the most attentive to details, something that had served her well in the past, but she didn't need anyone to point out when there was something rotten right beneath her nose. Much of what she took in from around her stayed in her head, swirling around with everything else until she was able to make the connections she needed. She wasn't always the fastest of the Ty septuplets at picking apart the tangles of political intrigues, but she was more often right than any of her sisters (she was right more often than her friends, too, but she'd been careful not to point that out). She was also consistently the fastest Ty in sparring, though that may have come from being the avatar, so it felt like a cheat.

She'd come to the Earth Kingdom capital with her unlikely companions for a number of reasons, all quite pressing. Their top priority had been to share intelligence with the Earth king and his generals as part of Sokka's rather brilliant plan to take down the firelord. They'd gotten a meeting scheduled with King Kuei, and flaming monkey tigers, the Fire Nation had nothing on the Earth Kingdom's bureaucracy! If that weren't enough of a reason to come, they desperately needed time to recover from weeks of things going terribly, horribly wrong. That couldn't happen if they were being chased around the world by her Royal Fire Academy best friends (and the sister she'd left in her place with the circus to avoid raising suspicion when she went off to pursue her destiny). Not even General Iroh had been able to penetrate the ringed city's great wall, and while Azula was brilliant, she wasn't yet up to his standard. Her attempt involving a massive drill had failed, and the princess retreated, so they were safe from that quarter… for now. Their final reason for being in the vast city was to find Appa, her chronologically 112 year old airbending master's sky bison and one of the companions who had been with her since early in this convoluted adventure.

With two of their three goals addressed, or at least pending, they'd all split up to search for any signs of the ten-ton creature (who really shouldn't be this hard to find, even in Ba Sing Se). While out and about they were also gathering information on the general oddness of the city. Joo Dee's messed up orange aura and creepy smile sent a message that they'd all picked up on. Their extremely anxious neighbors, who quietly advised them to not ask questions and most of all to avoid the Dai Li, had flaming red auras. Living in the central ring of the city among the very wealthiest and most influential, they had no reason to show such fear. Well, unless King Kuei's court was as literally cut-throat as Firelord Ozai's but less open about it.

As she skipped down the clean and tidy streets of the inner ring, she noted that while the architecture was different from home, it was no less opulent than the capital she was most familiar with. She idly wondered if they used earthbending to suffocate out any undesirable plant growth, the way fire was used back home. Everything here was so orderly, or as Aang put it, inhibited to the point of joylessness. Even Toph, who was intimately familiar with Earth Kingdom upper class manners found it creepy.

She turned a corner and heard cheerful chatter unlike any she'd encountered during their stay. The Ba Sing Se social elite were quiet and dull, or perhaps they were deathly terrified to lose face and power from whatever was wrong here. Hearing people sounding like they did in every other part of the world was definitely something to investigate. Across the plaza and up a short flight of stairs was a tea shop. It's exterior had clearly been freshly painted, gleaming green and gold under the late morning sun. A cup of tea would make her day's work more pleasant. Pursuing her destiny had sounded a lot more fun before she'd spent weeks on end chasing one lead after another, without the time to really enjoy the places they stopped. They barely had time to bathe for most of the trip.

With a bit of a hop, she was able to vault over the railing, bypassing the stairs entirely. It was not entirely proper decorum, but she was dressed in a way that marked her as an outsider. She and Toph had spent hours comparing social rules and drilling them into Katara's head (the Water Tribe girl was quick to both mock the foolishness of the conventions and to demonstrate she could fit in with even the most elite social climbers). Ty Lee had a surprising number of things in common with her earthbending master, and her bluntness was no worse than Mai's, so they'd fallen into an easy alliance. Katara was something else all together. Despite their countless differences, she'd become a better friend than any Ty Lee had ever had. It was a given that she was a lot nicer than Azula, but she'd never met someone so focused on doing the right thing regardless of the risks, with no other motivation.

Ty Lee skipped up to the open doors and peeked in. This was unlike the other tea shops she'd visited in the city. The waiters were constantly in motion, delivering cups and pots of steaming tea to the many full tables of happy visitors. There was energy and enthusiasm here, not the fog of apathy. The dining room held the gentle fragrances of teas that were familiar and some that she was sure she'd never had. This would definitely clear her mind enough to start connecting all the weirdness of the city. While her friends were good at coming up with plans (spirits knew that they would have died in the desert if not for Katara, and Sokka's use of Wan Shi Tong's knowledge was flat-out brilliant), she felt that she really needed to be pulling her weight. She was the avatar, after all. It was bad enough that they had decided early on to let Aang masquerade as the avatar to take the pressure off her. If she wasn't at least coming up with some of the plans (beyond the completely random trips to spiritual centers), what good was she?

"Hello." A cheerful young man's voice called her out of her own head. "Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. Our special for the day is Ba Sing Quon, a soothing tea for the refined palate."

She looked up into a very familiar face. "Zuko?" she squeaked. There was no way he could be anyone else. Even if he had a double here in the earth kingdom, there was no concealing the scar his father left on his face, and as one part of a seven-piece matched set, she was never fooled by look-alikes.

He sucked in a breath, his face going pale as he took a step back.

Her hand darted out and caught the long brown sleeve of his uniform before he could flee. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, keenly aware of the other staff and patrons around them. When she'd last seen him, Aang had knocked him out in the North Pole shortly before she and La had merged to obliterate the Fire Nation navy. Aang had run afoul of him a time or two since then, but she'd managed to stay out of his sight.

She could see in his eyes that he was weighing his options. Zuko had always been smarter than Azula wanted to believe. "What are you doing here?" he countered. "I thought you were hunting down the avatar with my sister." His remaining eyebrow arched.

"I'm on vacation," she said airily. "And what about you? Aren't you supposed to be on your own hunt?"

"Only if I want to return to court," he said with a sneer. "Which I don't."

She stared at him in awe. That was not something she'd ever expected to hear out of Azula's serious older brother. Frankly, his temperament was better suited to leading the country than her hot-headed school friend.

"I'm making my own destiny, and I'm done chasing ghosts for him," Zuko said firmly.

She offered him a small smile. "I'm happy for you. You deserve your own happiness."

He looked surprised.

"He was always a monster to you, and it wasn't fair," she said. She'd seen favoritism spoil the relationship she and her sisters could have had, and that had been nothing compared to what happened in the firelord's children.

Zuko shrugged. "Like father, like daughter."

Being chased all over the Earth Kingdom by Azula had given her a whole new perspective on her once best friend. "You're not wrong."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She leaned back in her chair. "I know. I'm supposed to say she's an acquired taste and that she's not that bad, but… if I've learned anything the last several weeks, it's that Azula's been turned into a dangerous weapon that your father will turn on whoever he feels like." It had been frankly terrifying to have that weapon turned on her.

Zuko stepped back. "I'll be back with your tea."

She watched as he walked stiffly to the back of the shop, disappearing behind a curtain. He looked so much better than he had in the north. He actually looked happy. Moments later he returned with a small tray holding a single red-glazed white teacup.

"Your tea, miss." He placed it gently on the table in front of her.

"Thank you, Zuko."

"Lee," he said.

"What?"

"My name is Lee. This my uncle Mushi's tea shop." He took a slow breath. "We close at dusk."

She flashed him a cheery smile. "Very good to know. Thank you."

⁂

Ty Lee sat on the raised edge of the fountain in front of the Jasmine Dragon tea house, watching the sky turn a spectacular peach color. It had taken some pretty heavy assurances before her friends had been willing to let her go off and meet her Fire Nation contact solo. To be fair, they were all a little on edge. Even without Ba Sing Se's creepy aura (who knew a city could have its own aura?) they'd been hunted, chased, and attacked a little too often (especially recently) to just do as they pleased. She'd refused to share information on her contact, but agreed that they should come look for her if she wasn't back in an hour.

Paying close attention to the vibrations in the thin soles of her dance shoes, she looked up to see Zuko and General Iroh step out of the tea house, working together to close and lock the grand doors. She stood up and waited for them to approach. Zuko moved a little stiffly, but his uncle was as steady as always. He was difficult to read, but his white-streaked violet aura was reassuring. He'd shed the heavy mourning he'd still carried when she'd last seen him, well before she realized she was the avatar. They weren't here with Ozai's blessing or knowledge, then.

"Ty Lee," Iroh said quietly. "You are not someone I ever expected to encounter here in our new home."

She beamed at him. "Then it's a pleasant surprise for all of us," she declared.

Iroh stared at her for a silent moment. "I certainly hope that's the case. My nephew and I have settled in nicely, and I feel we've really found our place." He paused for another moment. "It would be a shame to have to uproot ourselves yet again."

She held out her hands to both of them. "As I told Lee," she smirked at Zuko, "it's nice to see you so happy. I obviously don't know what you've been through on your travels, but it seems to have smoothed out the difficulties life brought on you both."

"How are you even here?" Zuko asked, blunt but without the heat she might have expected. "Last I heard, you'd joined up with Azula to terrorize the avatar."

Ty Lee clapped her hands together. "Yeah, so I've heard."

"She doesn't let people leave her service," Zuko noted. "So I have to assume you're here on a mission for her."

She laughed a little and shook her head. "That situation is not at all what it seems to be."

A small but totally gleeful smile appeared on Iroh's face. "So her companion is one who shares your likeness?"

She rolled her eyes. "You'd think my best friend would be able to tell me and my sisters apart." She gestured to Zuko. "Lee knew it was me immediately." To give Ty Lao credit, she'd fooled everyone, including Mai and Azula, who should have seen through the masquerade.

"That still doesn't answer how and why you're here, though," Zuko pointed out.

"You aren't the only one seeking a different path," she said quietly.

Iroh's large callused hand wrapped around one of hers, and when she looked up, she could see understanding in his eyes. "I believe it is safe to say that none of us are a threat to the other."

Ty Lee nodded. "We're only here until we can meet with King Kuei, and I haven't even told my friends who I'm meeting with tonight."

"So you aren't alone, then?" Iroh asked. "That's good. Safer."

"Who are you traveling with?" Zuko asked, clearly more suspicious than his uncle. He'd never liked unknown variables.

"No one you know, silly," she replied easily. "It's just a small group of friends from all over the world."

"It's been wonderful to see you, my dear," Iroh said. "And I would love to stay and chat, but I've been on my feet all day. Why don't you and Lee catch up." He turned to Zuko and raised his eyebrows in question. "And do be sure to stop back in before you leave Ba Sing Se."

Zuko's shoulders drooped a bit and he nodded.

"How long have you two been here?" she asked once Iroh was gone.

"We're new to working in the upper ring," he explained. "But we've been in Ba Sing Se for several weeks now."

"We've only been here about a week," she said. The silence was uncomfortable. "So, I bet you know of some of the nice sights that we haven't found yet."

Zuko nodded. "Yeah. Why don't I show you the Firelight Fountain. It's in the lower ring, but it's actually really nice." He glanced around. "Less stuffy than the places in the upper ring."

"Sounds great," she agreed, following as he led the way to the nearby monorail station. "How did you come to Ba Sing Se, anyway?" When his face closed off again, she clarified. "I don't need every step of your journey. Just… how did Lee and Mushi end up here?"

He visibly relaxed and nodded. "Uncle knows people all over the world, and he got us new identities. It was easy to join the groups of refugees traveling here." He was silent for a moment. "I didn't really want to come here. I still thought honor was something my father could actually give or take away. But I wasn't in a position to argue with Uncle."

"The Dragon of the West is a formidable opponent," she agreed.

Zuko snorted. "I've come to understand that."

Ty Lee laughed, delighted to see him making something of a joke.

"Whatever we may think of the Earth Kingdom, they manage the people of Ba Sing Se well. They had apartments available and there's a communal kitchen for newcomers who don't have work placement yet." He shook his head, looking a little awed. "It's a far cry from what happens to refugees in… well, you know."

She did know. In the Fire Nation, being in a poor situation was seen as the culmination of poor choices, and aid wasn't freely given to people who had called misfortune on themselves. Her journey had helped her reframe all of that. No one person caused an earthquake or mudslide. Some people made all the right choices and still ended up poor.

"We still live in the lower ring, in one of the refugee apartments, but we're on a waiting list to move to the middle ring," Zuko continued. "I'm not really in a rush to move, because we don't need much. And I don't care about the status." He looked out the window, blind to the blur of the city passing beneath them. "But it would be good to make the apartment available to someone else. There's so many refugees coming into the city right now."

"I really mean it," Ty Lee said, leaning over to look out the windows as the carriage came to a stop. "I'm glad you're finding your own happiness."

He looked at her for a moment. "Thanks." He got up and gestured that this was their station. "And what about you? Are you finding your happiness?"

It was a fair question. She hadn't been exactly unhappy, not since joining the circus. "Purpose," she decided. "I enjoyed entertaining people, but it wasn't enough." Especially after her extra bending potential spontaneously manifested one evening, and she knew she was meant for more.

"And you needed to travel the world to find it?" he asked.

"Not really. Not to find it," she replied. "It's more that the traveling gets me to where I need to be, to… uh, engage in my purpose." That was vague enough, right?

"What is this purpose that can't be done back… home." That last word came out sounding distasteful. The Fire Nation probably hadn't felt like home since even before he was banished.

"Helping others," she declared. "It's more than I could do with the circus, and definitely not something I could do with Az… your sister." It would probably be best to avoid the name that was known the world over. She'd seen the Dai Li lurking on rooftops during the day. While most people didn't tend to look up, she was an acrobat and preferred to go up when she needed an escape. The buildings were taller here, and maybe lower ring inhabitants were less worthy of close monitoring, but she couldn't risk it. "She would've frowned on it, because I'm not just helping people she would have seen worthy."

Zuko nodded. "She's pretty selective in who she sees worthy of helping, and there's usually a reason behind who she chooses to help, something not remotely altruistic."

Ty Lee nodded. It was something she'd never liked about Azula, even before she'd learned more about herself. "She only watches out for herself and isn't really interested in real balance." It had been why she hadn't gone to her friend for help when she discovered she was the avatar. She knew Azula would cast their friendship aside as easily as she discarded an out-of-season gown, if it would curry favor with her father.

"Balance?" Zuko let out a huff. "You sound like Uncle." A rare smile found its way onto his face. "And that's not something I ever thought I'd say about you."

"I suppose." She laughed a little. "I'm both surprised and unsurprised that he supports balance."

He gave her a look that clearly begged her to explain further.

"The stories I've heard about his military days are very different from the man he is now." She shrugged. "I guess we can all change."

Zuko nodded. "He taught me to redirect lightning," he said in a low whisper.

She stared at him in surprise. "You can do that?!" She hadn't even heard it was possible.

"It's critical in facing off against my sister, or my father, for that matter."

He wasn't wrong. But how had she not found anything on that technique in all the many firebending scrolls she'd covertly read? Not even the Fire Sages' library contained that information. Spirits, she needed to learn that. But how could she do that? How could she get that information without telling Zuko more than he needed to know?

"Hey Lee!"

Ty Lee looked up to see a girl their age waving at Zuko from across the street. She wore her hair in paired braids and was dressed in Earth Kingdom green.

"Who's your friend?" Ty Lee asked, delighted by the blush she saw in his cheeks.

"Hello, Jin," he called back, waving awkwardly. It was enough encouragement for the girl to scurry over to them.

It might break Mai's heart if she knew what Zuko was up to in Ba Sing Se, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. And Ty Lee wasn't in any position to tell her, not that she was inclined to.

"How have things been at the new tea shop?" the girl asked. "We've all been so excited to hear about it."

"It's going really well," Zuko said. It really was nice to see him happy as he chatted with the girl who clearly had a crush on him. "It's been better than even Uncle hoped for."

"That's wonderful!" The girl exclaimed. She turned to Ty Lee. "Hi, I'm Jin."

"Oh," Zuko looked a little nervous. "Jin, this is my, uh, cousin."

Ty Lee grinned. "I've known Lee practically all my life."

Jin's eyes and mouth went round with surprise. "Were you in the circus with him?"

That was his cover story? Ty Lee almost burst out laughing. This was too easy, and would give her something to tease him about for years. "I was in the circus."

"Were you in the juggling act with him?" Jin pressed, looking all the more eager.

Ty Lee shook her head. "No. I'm an acrobat." She demonstrated by bending backward to stand on one hand for a moment.

Jin clapped enthusiastically. "Oh wonderful." She glanced at Zuko for a moment before leaning in to whisper, "He's out of practice, so maybe don't ask him to show off his skills."

"Thank you for the warning," Ty Lee whispered back. She winked at him before speaking regularly again. "Lee is taking me to see the Firelight Fountain."

Jin clasped her hands together over her chest. "Oh, I'm just coming from there. You won't be disappointed." She turned back to Zuko. "It's all lit up tonight."

"Do you, uh… want to join us?" Zuko asked reluctantly.

"I'd love to," Jin said with a sigh. "But I should get back, and I'm sure you and your cousin need to catch up without strangers around."

"Thank you, Jin," Ty Lee said, bowing gratefully to the other girl. "We do have an awful lot to catch up on, and you know how families can be." She tilted her head and rolled her eyes. "Petty infighting and back-stabbing."

Jin laughed. "I'll see you another time, Lee. I'd love to hear more about the Jade Dragon."

"Jasmine Dragon," he corrected. "Like the tea."

"Oops. Yeah, Jasmine." Jin waved and continued back up the road the direction they'd come from.

"She seemed cheerful," Ty Lee said.

Zuko nodded, awkward again. "She's friendly. Happy."

"She likes you," she pointed out sincerely. There was no need for teasing just now.

He looked both pleased and a little embarrassed. "I know."

"I'm glad some of the people here are seeing who you really are." That certainly hadn't happened at home, not after his mother vanished.

He glanced at her in alarm. "She doesn't know… who I am."

She waved off his concern. "I'm not talking about where you came from or what you can do." She wiggled her fingers at him. "I mean who you are as a person."

"Oh." He nodded slowly. "You really sound like Uncle." He looked closely at her. "You're not the person you used to be. Not at all."

They stepped into a circle that could only be the Firelight Fountain. "It's lovely." The simple feature beautifully displayed three of the four elements at their best. A warm glow shone from the ring of lanterns, reflecting in the stone fountain's sparkling water. All that was missing was air, and Ty Lee could see small rings on the lanterns that had probably once held streamers to dance in the breeze. The designed balance was as askew as their world, and it broke her heart a little. She'd need to keep Aang away from this place. He didn't need reminders that he was the last of his kind.

"Hey," Zuko said softly. "Are you all right?"

Ty Lee sniffled a little and quickly rubbed at her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah."

"I didn't think you were the type to cry over a pretty fountain," he said.

"It's not just that." She sighed, trying to figure out how much she could tell him and how she could bring up lightning again. "It's… it's a painfully accurate representation of the world," she finally said. "It wants so badly to be balanced. But it isn't."

"Hmmm." He looked closely at the fountain again. "Did you know that the avatar is still alive?" he asked, his gaze intentionally turned toward the water. "He's traveling the world on a flying bison."

"Oh… yeah." She nodded. That bit wasn't exactly a secret. "I'd heard that. I'm pretty sure that's who your sister is chasing after."

"I saw a flyer the other day," Zuko continued. "I guess his bison is missing."

"How… unfortunate." She'd forgotten how good he was at intrigues, just because he didn't care for them. Had she let slip too much? While it was known in the upper ring that the avatar was there, she didn't want her friends to have to dodge Zuko or Iroh. Her firebending had come a long way, but she was no match for either of them. It was just another reminder of how ill prepared she was for taking down Ozai.

"Do you suppose he's found a firebending master yet?" Zuko asked, glancing at her before looking away again. "I imagine that's been a tough element for him."

"He's the avatar," she pointed out. "Shouldn't he already know how to bend all the elements?" They'd encountered that mindset more than a few times, and as the person trying to meet everyone's needs, it was incredibly frustrating.

"I don't think that's how it works." Zuko shook his head. There was a long moment of silence. "I met him once… well, more than once." He looked embarrassed again, as if he were cringing away from his past actions.

"Really?" Aang had shared all his encounters with the angry banished prince, and the boy always seemed disappointed about something.

Zuko sighed. "I wish I could meet him again, now." He met Ty Lee's eyes. "I owe him an apology."

"Really?" How did he keep surprising her like this?

Zuko nodded. "He offered me friendship and I threw fire at him. I hurt him and his friends when I was still desperate to complete my father's errand. It was wrong, and I see that now."

"You just wanted to come home," she said, internally forgiving him for the things he'd done as a result of the abuse he'd endured.

"Yeah, and I've come to realize that a place where you're expected to do things that you simply can not abide because they are morally wrong no matter how you look at it, that's not home," he declared.

"Has Ba Sing Se become your home, then?"

"It's closer," he admitted. "But not quite my home. Not yet." He moved to settle on the edge of the fountain.

"You might just need a bit more time," she suggested.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But I can't shake the feeling that there's something else I should be doing. Something more I could do to help restore the world's balance."

"Oh?" She wasn't sure how to bend that back to what she needed from him. "So what else could you be doing?"

"Teaching the avatar how to firebend," he said, his voice soft and matter of fact. "Like I said earlier, I think that being able to redirect lightning is going to be crucial." He chewed on his lip for a moment. "I've been going out at night looking for signs of his bison, Appa, I think is its name. And while I'm not fully sure I've found it, I might have a decent lead."

Her heart leapt in her chest and her throat felt tight. Appa was a creature of very few words and much wisdom. "Why… why would you do that? Look for Appa?"

"Because it's the right thing to do," Zuko said earnestly. "I've done the wrong thing so often, I have a lot to make up for. And I think it's going to take something monumental to get his friends to let me talk to him and offer my skills."

"Oh." She couldn't think of anything to say to that. How could she bring this up with her friends? Would they be willing to give him a chance?

"Because of the missing bison flyer, I know the avatar is in the city," Zuko went on. "Do you think it's wrong to hope that he might show up in the Jasmine Dragon one day?"

Her breath caught, and it was a struggle not to show it. "No." She coughed to clear her throat. "Stranger things have happened."

Zuko nodded. "You should get back to your friends before they start to worry." He stood up.

"Yeah." She did not want them coming looking for her.

"It was nice to see you, Ty Lee," he said, offering her a small smile. "Nicer than I would have expected."

"I'm glad I bumped into you," she said.

"Be sure to stop by the tea house again," he suggested. "Before you and your friends leave the city."

She smiled, feeling content for the first time in a while. "I will." She had a lead on both a firebending master and Appa's location. Perhaps those two details would be enough to get her friends to take a chance on adding a new member to the group. Maybe things were finally moving past the point of hopelessness, and she actually stood a chance at becoming a good avatar.

"I'll see you soon, Lee. I promise." She turned and walked up the street toward the monorail.

_____________________

This was fun to write, but also a challenge. I have never written from Ty Lee's perspective before, and I'm not sure I really nailed her character, but I'm hoping it's close enough.

#ATLA #fanfic #atla-secret-santa #wwjacksparrowd #ty lee #Avatar Ty Lee #Zuko #Iroh

12 notes · View notes

shmisolo · 4 years

Text

For Anyone Looking for Not-Super-Angsty-Stuff

I’m compiling mine (or at least the less-angsty stuff) into one list for ya.

Seen ✔️✔️

His lock screen has three texts from Rey on it:

Rey Wife: Babe I know you’re probably busy right now, but you sent that pic to the wrong chat. Rey Wife: Bennnnnnn Rey Wife: Call me when you’re done processing your trauma.

And then about ninety chats from the Skywalker Ranch WhatsApp thread.

In which Ben sends a picture to the wrong chat.

The Sweater Curse

She’s never made a sweater before, but she saw the pattern on Ravelry and who cares if she’s only made (lumpy) hats before—she has to try it. She has to make it. She has to make it for Ben.

“You realize that Hannukah isn’t an important holiday, right?” Ben asks as she makes eye contact with him. His eyes are big and brown and—at this moment—mildly annoyed.

“Really? Is it a giant conspiracy theory? Part of the war on Christmas?”

“More than you realize,” Ben says and for the life of her she can’t tell if he’s joking. He does this thing sometimes that’s confusing—where he’ll say something that sounds mopey but is actually snarky and it disarms her every damn time. “In any event, ugly Hanukkah sweaters definitely aren’t a thing the way ugly Christmas sweaters are.”

“Well, they are now,” Rey says firmly. “I’m making you an ugly Hanukkah sweater. Deal with it. And stop moving.”

it's you and me (i know it's our destiny)

It’s just a kid’s game, he thinks when jealousy pangs in his heart. But it’s more than just a kid’s game.

It’s Pokémon.

It’s the only good thing in his life.

Shalom Rav!

In which Rey comes to terms realizing that she is attracted to the rabbi.

Apples and Honey

When Ben catches wind that his mother is planning to foist a potential girlfriend on him when he comes home for Rosh Hashanah, he takes matters into his own hands: specifically, he runs to Rey and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend.

atlanta > all atlanta > community > missed connections

In which Rey meets a cosplayer at DragonCon.

Two to Tango

Rey: I need to ask you something awkward. Ben: What’s up? Rey: Can I give you a blowjob? Please?

Bang for your Buck

“We ready?” he asks her, sounding huffy.

“Nice to meet you Ben, I’m just familiarizing myself with your training,” she replies.

“Ok, well I don’t have all day.”

“No, you have,” she checks her watch, “another hour.” Because of course he’d booked an extra long session. Bless that sweet, sweet overtime pay.

“And you’re sure you know what you’re doing?” he asks her and she glances up at him, sure that her eyes are flashing because that’s fucking rude. She’s a professional. Amilyn wouldn’t have hired her if she didn’t know what she’s doing, and just because he apparently thinks he’s the center of the universe doesn’t change that fact.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your bang for your buck,” she tells him icily.

A Picture's Worth

reyjay: hiya your art is amazing

reyjay: it’s a big ask but could you draw me for my art final tomorrow? i’m shit at drawing people and i can’t fail this. can you help?

He stares.

And stares.

kyloren: is this some kind of a joke?

reyjay: no?? why??

kyloren: you’re asking me to help you cheat your exam, but you’re not even offering me money?

Forged

There are several reasons that Ben would never have dreamed he’d ever receive this text. The first is that he’d be invited to a Halloween party. The second is that he’d never in his life expected to be in a serious relationship, much less the sort of serious relationship where his partner would suggest matching Halloween costumes. And the last is that he is dating someone who’s show only and they’ve only almost murdered one another twice. Because he’s an A Song of Ice and Fire fan. He hates Game of Thrones.

(Not) Interested

We're bringing Speed Dating back to Space Battles Bonanza! Register online for one of our special Bonanza sessions of 15 three-minute dates so you’ll no longer have to look for love in a galaxy far far away. Choose from one of seven speed dating sessions, two of which are queer focused. If the Insurgents can blow up the Doom Moon in 11 minutes, let’s see if you can make a love connection in only three.

There’s a history of successful Speed Dating at Space Battles Bonanzas, with long-term couples, engagements and marriages now among the alumni.

In which Rey & Kylo meet at their fancon's speed dating.

do or do not (do the do)

In which Ben, in an effort to improve his stamina (look he's making progress, ok?) after reading some articles that he'll never be able to unread, receives some coaching (that he very much did not ask for).

(Very much did not ask for.)

A for...

Rey’s seeing double by the time there’s food on her plate. Oh. There’s food on her plate. That’s good. That’s unexpected at this point. “Eat,” Ben tells her.

So she does. It tastes good. Very good. She likes this food a lot.

“I’ll make sure she knows,” Ben says.

Oh she’s at that point of drunk where she’s just saying things out loud instead of keeping them in her internal monologue.

“You are,” Ben says, looking very amused.

She hopes she doesn’t say anything embarrassing.

“I promise, you haven’t yet, but oh boy, I’m looking forward to this.”

She shoves food into her mouth to keep herself from thinking out loud about his dick in her ass at his mother’s Passover seder.

The Love Committee

In which Rey, tired of her bad luck with dating apps and failed relationships, enlists her friends' help in determining who she should date next.

They take it a little too seriously.

💦💦💦💦

In which Ben accidentally implies that he gets his cardio from having sex on national television.

You, Me, and He

When they say that Kylo's brain is in his groin, they're not far from the truth.

Alternatively,

In which Kylo Ren is his own penis.

and beyond

“Please?”

For a moment, he thinks it will be like the first time, him begging, her crying and saying no and him not knowing how to protect his crushed heart.

But she doesn’t cry, she doesn’t say, “Please don’t go this way,” she doesn’t look horrified or disgusted. She just grabs him by the front of his shirt and tugs his lips down to hers before reaching down to cup his cock.

we decided not to kill the wolves (we wanted to be wolves)

A pack of wolves lives in the woods to the north of Raddus and as winter looms, they have their eyes set on Leia Organa’s stronghold. Rey may be new to Raddus, but she’s not about to do nothing while it may be in danger. And besides, Poe must be exaggerating about wolves the size of bears. She’s not afraid of monsters.

myosotis

Ben picked the flowers for their wedding.

The Kitchen

Rey and Ben, hunting for their first house.

Investiture

In which Ben goes to daven for his father’s yahrtzeit and manages to prove to himself once again that he is both a terrible person and a terrible Jew.

Oh and he sort of falls in love.

The Sweetest Thing

A post-coital trip to Waffle House.

with you i shall play

And when it's dry and ready, then Ben's dick Rey shall play.

Everything to Prove

“The show,” he says. “It’s probably best if they don’t—if we don’t—”

And Rey follows his line of thought at once. For all the program is one that doesn’t seem melodramatic—the height of drama in previous seasons came from someone’s cake falling over and that was about it—she does not doubt that the producers and cameramen would leap at the opportunity to make there be something out of nothing in their relationship—especially if there was something out of something.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “Yeah, probably. We can pick baking stations that are…” but she doesn’t want to complete the thought. She likes baking next to Ben.

“Or we can just be careful?” he suggests, sounding quite as pained by the prospect as Rey feels.

“Yeah, careful. I can do careful,” Rey says at once and her lips are on his again and he’s laughing now, and she’s laughing, and she didn’t think laughter would be part of all this. She didn’t think it could be. But here she is, laughing and kissing and holding a man who, at some point, she’s going to want to beat.

She does her best not to think of that now.

It’s a friendly competition, after all.

It’s not life and death.

It’s baking.

Brightblades

In which Rey learns about a startling kink of her new boyfriend, and in which, much later, they roleplay it.

The Knotting Shop

Ben realizes upon entering the shop that he had gotten the complete wrong impression from the name of it.

What the fuck sort of shop calls itself The Knotting Shop if it’s not about, well, knotting?

The answer, apparently, is a knitter with a sense of humor. An Omega, by the scent that seems to have landed in every colorful ball of yarn in the shop and which hits him right in the groin.

Let Go (Never Let Me Go)

In which Rey swipes right on Ben, 35. Probably too much of an asshole for you, but my therapist is trying to convince me that assholes deserve love too, so here’s me on Tinder, and it does not proceed as she expects.

crossfade (cursed and blessed)

The Talmud states that on Purim one is to drink to the point of not knowing the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai.” In other words, you’re supposed to get so blitzed you can’t tell your friends from your enemies. Rey and Ben might be taking this a little too literally at Leia’s annual Purim Party.

Kind Stranger

Ben stares at the text for a minute before opening up his computer and typing “+7793 area code” into his web search. Jakku. Of course he wouldn’t have recognized it. He confessed himself surprised to know that Jakku even had an area code. Did people still live in Jakku?

#kylothekiller

It’s not the first time that Rey has seen Kylo pop up in her Fido stream, but it is the first time she’s clicked on him fast enough to be scheduled for a meet and greet with dog and owner on Saturday.

All Bets Are Off

“Fake girlfriend. What does that even mean?” Ben asks her.

Rey rests a hand on his arm, feeling the muscles underneath his sleeve. “Babe,” she says, leaning close to him. “It means we pretend we’re madly in love. Think you can pull that off for your office pool?” Ben’s eyes flicker softly between each of hers and he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

#reylo #reylo fanfic #reylo fic

258 notes · View notes